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Constricting the body politic: Three studies of political communication apprehension and why they matter
Get PDFMuch work has been done to capture people’s discomfort with talking about politics. Previous research suggests people are uncomfortable with political conversations for a variety of reasons, though little has been done to synthesize these ideas together. This dissertation continues a research agenda from other graduate students around the United States by working towards a measure of political communication apprehension. Based on existing literature, I propose that political communication reflects a relational behavior as much as a political one and should be measured with both of these contexts in mind. To do so, I offer a review of literature surrounding the philosophies and issues that shape our discomfort with political conversations. I then talk through three studies: Study One builds a scale and tests in exploratory fashion with human respondents. Study Two refines the scale and tests it as a hypothesized model of measurement. Study Three takes the final measurement model and applies it to several hypothesized relationships about political communication apprehension and political behavior. I conclude with discussion about the cultural and relational factors that shape our political communication apprehension and what it means to study it
Essays in corporate governance and institutional investing
No full textThis dissertation comprises of three essays. The first essay (Chapter 1) compares the skills of female directors hired as a result of California gender quota and female directors hired as a result of the diversity initiative by the Big three institutional investors. In the second essay (Chapter 2), I study the private investments of sovereign wealth funds (SWFs). In the final essay (Chapter 3), I empirically document the relationship between SPAC mergers that take place late in the life of the SPAC and “value destroying” new business combinations.
In Chapter 1, I explore the functional expertise of female directors nominated as a result of a) California SB 826, which required a mandatory quota of female directors on California-based firm boards, and b) an institutional campaign initiated by Blackrock, State Street, and Vanguard (Big 3) to hire more female directors. Consistent with Kim and Starks (2016), I find that female directors are more likely to bring a unique skill to boards when compared to their male counterparts. However, using a difference-in-difference approach, I find that female directors nominated in response to SB 826 are less likely to bring unique skills to boards and have a lower level of skills compared to other female directors. I find no such effects for female directors hired as a result of the Big 3 campaign. These results suggest that the channels for gender diversity initiatives play a crucial role in the outcomes of such reforms.
Sovereign Wealth Funds (SWFs) have grown from 11.28 trillion AUM by 169 funds in June 2022. Their growth has made SWFs important international investors. Other than the increase in AUM, SWF’s have also increased their allocation to private equity. The average allocation to private equity by the top 100 SWFs has increased from 14 percent in 2008 to 24 percent in 2022. In Chapter 2, I analyze direct investments made by SWFs in private companies which are classified as VC portfolio companies. This is the first study to look at SWF private investments at the deal level. I find that SWFs are more likely to invest in later stages of a venture; when investing outside their home region and they are also more likely to invest to co-invest with a reputable VC. Moreover, they are also more likely to invest in overseas ventures that have previously received funding from a reputable VC fund. These results hold regardless of if reputable VC is the lead investor or not. The results are robust to different measures of VC reputation and the instrumental variable approach.
In Chapter 3, I use duration analysis to empirically document the relationship between SPAC mergers that take place late in the life of the SPAC and “value destroying” new business combinations. My investigation is guided by a target acquisition model which provides the optimal minimum value for a potential merger partner. Furthermore, the solution’s comparative static behavior reveals an incentive for sponsors to deviate from their original assurances of target quality to investors. If this misalignment of incentives influences the decision making of managers, it should be reflected in the data. My maximum likelihood estimation produces a positively sloped and convex hazard function which documents an enhanced likelihood of an “uncoupled” SPAC merging as maturation threatens. This result suggests that to the detriment of SPAC investors, sponsors have lowered the optimal threshold value of the target to avoid losing their “promote.” To support my prima facie evidence, I examine the statistical relationship between the timing of SPAC mergers and the ROAs for the new business combinations as well as the “buy and hold” common stock returns
Analysis of Socioeconomic, Psychological, and Moral Factors in Shaping Public Trust in Water Recycling Initiatives
Get PDFAs water scarcity becomes more common, water recycling initiatives are becoming more important. When considering water recycling, public trust in the initiatives is crucial for success. To address this, we investigate the factors influencing public trust in water recycling using a nationally representative sample in the United States and find that socioeconomic factors such as income, gender, and geographic location play a significant role, with higher-income individuals, men, and those living in suburban areas
showing more trust in water recycling. Self-assessed health and happiness are also positively associated with trust. Social capital increases trust, while conspiracy theory belief strongly decreases it. The moral foundations of loyalty and purity are significant predictors, with loyalty increasing trust and purity decreasing it. Interestingly, climate change beliefs, such as trust in climate scientists, influence the respondent’s trust in water recycling, while belief in climate change risks, worry about global warming,
and perceived personal/future harm from global warming do not. Fear, including fear of environmental disasters, has no significant influence on trust in our survey. These findings in the initial SPEER 2023 survey begin to provide insight for water management policies and public outreach strategies, highlighting the need to consider a wide range of socioeconomic, psychological, and moral factors when building trust in water recycling initiatives.N
Does Acute Melatonin Supplementation Affect Cerebrovascular Reactivity in Healthy Young Adults?
Get PDFMelatonin receptors have been found in the cerebrovasculature in animal models, and melatonin has been shown to improve systemic vascular control. While there is a correlation between low melatonin production and cardiovascular disease, the effect of acute melatonin supplementation on the cerebrovasculature, and more specifically, cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR), is unknown. PURPOSE: To determine if acute melatonin supplementation alters CVR via CO2 rebreathing in healthy, young adults. METHODS: 14 healthy young adults (Age 23.7±4.39, 7 females tested during the first 5 days of their menstrual cycle) participated in a familiarization visit followed by 2 experimental visits separated by ³48hrs. Participants received a sublingual dose of either a placebo (PLA, mixture of mint extract and filtered water, to mimic taste of melatonin) or 5mg of melatonin (MEL, mint flavor) in a single-blind, randomized, crossover design. After ingestion, participants rested for 30 minutes prior to the experiment to allow for melatonin levels to reach peak concentration in the blood (Bartoli et al., 2013). After which, mean arterial pressure (MAP, mmHg, finger photoplethysmography), middle cerebral artery velocity (MCAv, cm/s, Transcranial Doppler), and end-tidal CO2 concentration (PetCO2, mmHg, Gas Analyzer) were measured continuously for 5 minutes of supine rest while breathing atmospheric air followed by a CO2 rebreathing challenge (CO2=3%, O2=40%, balanced N2) until the participant displayed a PetCO2 increase of ³10mmHg. Cerebrovascular conductance index was calculated as CVCi = MCAv/MAP (cm/s/mmHg). CVR was calculated in absolute ∆MCAv/∆PetCO2, ∆CVCi/∆PetCO2, and percent change from resting values. RESULTS: Data presented as change (Δ) from rest to CO2 rebreathing, as mean ± SD. All values were not different between treatments during rest. No value was significantly different between treatments when comparing ∆ from rest to CO2 rebreathing (MCAv PLA ∆13.35±5.1 vs. MEL ∆11.62±6.03, p = 0.31, d = 0.28, MAP PLA ∆1.75±3.91 vs. MEL ∆-0.55±4.49, p = 0.20, d = 0.34, CVCi PLA ∆0.11±0.04 vs. MEL ∆0.11±0.05, p = 0.55, r = 0.16, CVRMCAv PLA ∆2.75±1.30 vs. MEL ∆3.54±2.57, p = 0.92, r = 0.03, %CVRMCAv PLA ∆18.41±7.07 vs. MEL ∆16.12±10.00, p = 0.36, r = 0.24, CVRCVCi PLA ∆0.02±0.03 vs. MEL ∆0.02±0.02, d = 0.28, p = 0.31, %CVRCVCi PLA ∆2.32±2.58 vs. MEL ∆1.52±1.83, d = 0.28, p = 0.31). CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that melatonin does not affect MCAv, CVCi, MAP, or CVR during rest or CO2 rebreathing. Reactivity was variable individually and did not trend in any direction when comparing PLA treatment to MEL treatment. Thus, melatonin supplementation does not improve cerebrovascular function indicating melatonin supplementation may have differential responses between the cerebral and peripheral vasculature in humans
The Limits of Repair: The Case for and Boundaries of Reparative Description
No full textThis presentation will discuss a group reparative description project undertaken on an assembled archival collection held by New York University Libraries Special Collections that consists of documents concerning enslavement in Spanish-colonized Cuba. Years after its acquisition and accessioning, the Archival Collections Management (ACM) department undertook collaborative reparative description on the collection, applying the recommendations of the Archives for Black Lives in Philadelphia’s Anti-Racist Description Resources. The presentation will discuss the project design and outcomes, as well as larger reflections on the individual, institutional, and systemic challenges encountered and the limitations on archival re-description alone in the service of anti-racism and anti-oppressive
Effects of Hydrology, Vegetation, and Aeration on Emerging Contaminant Removal from Secondarily Treated Wastewater Effluent in Treatment Wetland Mesocosms
No full textIndirect potable reuse is an expanding practice which returns portions of treated wastewater to municipal supplies. However, traditional wastewater treatment is not designed to remove the wide variety of “emerging contaminants” (EC), including personal care products, pharmaceuticals, industrial and agricultural compounds, and their transformation byproducts, found in modern wastewater. Treatment wetlands are an ecologically engineered approach designed for water quality improvement via natural biogeochemical, physiochemical, microbiological, and ecological processes, including sorption, volatilization, photodegradation, biodegradation, and phytoremediation. Mesocosm-scale wetlands provide the experimental flexibility required to identify appropriate combinations of wetland design parameters (e.g., hydrologic design, vegetation scheme, hydraulic retention time (HRT)) that optimize EC removal. A mesocosm treatment wetland compound comprised of 52 individual 220-L batch reactors was constructed at the Norman Water Reclamation Facility. This research focused on half of the mesocosms which received secondarily treated municipal wastewater. The experimental design included five open water control (OWC), ten free water surface (FWS) and ten subsurface flow (SSF) mesocosms. Half of each of the FWS and SSF mesocosms were planted with soft rush (Juncus effusus), while the remaining half remained unplanted. After an initial experiment determined an appropriate HRT of seven days, an aeration experiment was conducted in which active aeration was provided to 14 of the mesocosms by solar powered fish-pond aerators. Evaluation of removal efficiencies for sulfamethoxazole (SMZ), carbamazepine (CMP), and bisphenol-A (BPA) was conducted by measuring influent and effluent aqueous concentrations via enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) testing. SMZ removal was greater in FWS and OWC, averaging 83% and 82% respectively, compared to 16% in SSF and was not significantly affected by vegetation (p = 0.303) or aeration (p = 0.228). CMP removal was impacted by hydrologic design, with removal rates in FWS, SSF, and OWC averaging 73%, 66%, and 56%, respectively, with a significant difference ( p = 0.001) between OWC (56%) and FWS (73%). CMP removal was not affected by vegetation or aeration. The BPA concentration in 84% of the effluent samples was below the minimum detection limit (MDL) of 50 ng/L, limiting BPA removal efficiency calculations to a maximum removal efficiency of 64%. BPA removal efficiency averaged 50% or greater for all treatment combinations. BPA removal efficiency was not affected by hydrology, vegetation, or aeration. Greater removal efficiencies for all target ECs as compared to previous studies may be due to a combination of factors including the high quality of the influent, extended hydraulic retention time, maturity of the systems, or other environmental influences. The results of this study provided evidence for the effectiveness of TWs for the removal of ECs from secondarily treated wastewater
Divine women's esteem in late antiquity and their later representations in literature
Get PDFThe Late Antiquity period and the stories that emerged from it were some of the most impactful narratives for future authors and their writing. This period encompassed many types of communities, languages, social customs, and polytheistic religions. What scholars know of these subjects is limited; therefore, much of their expertise is through interdisciplinary research, analysis of existing texts, archaeological remains, and epigraphy. These areas of study have contributed to what we know about these civilizations, which help scholars understand these communities--particularly the roles of women and what their lives would have looked like compared to those of today. Authors also draw from this period for narrative inspiration, especially regarding women's roles in their stories. Three women characters from this period are The Morrigan, Signy, and Brynhild, women who played important roles within their sagas and myths but were portrayed differently in later literature to suit the author's needs. In Chapter One, I analyze The Morrigan, a Celtic Goddess, a woman who is accredited with fighting alongside the Tuatha de Danaan against the Firbolg in Irish Mythology. Later, she appears throughout Arthurian literature with many names, including Morgana or Morgan Le Fey; she is best known as King Arthur's bitter half-sister and is always desirous of finding a way to kill him out of petty spite. Chapter Two covers Signy, a seer and princess in the Saga of the Volsungs, an Icelandic Saga which centers around the heroic deeds of the men within her family. Through this analysis, I challenge why Signy was treated poorly by the men in her family and why this behavior contradicts what scholars understood about how respected women were during this period in Icelandic history. Chapter Three addresses Brynhild's role in Eddic poetry and the German poem the Nibelungenlied. Brynhild is a Valkyrie and Shieldmaiden of Odin, a woman gifted with divine abilities to bring those who died in battle to Valhalla, where their souls would rest forever with the gods. This significant rendering is vastly different from the portrayals of her life in later poetry, which opposes her role as an immortal woman. In every story, she loses her position amongst the Valkyrie and falls in love with a man, Sigurd, who does not love her in return. In summary, these women are intended to represent lost stories, narratives that were changed to fit the aspirations of the growing Christian and patriarchal proclivities of the cultures that followed their own. My research is part of a literary movement that desires to see these ancient stories of women conserved, acknowledge their popularity with authors through time, and, with this admittance, implore that their image be used in a manner that would be a credit to their original stories. There is much work ahead to continue to consider the roles of women in Late Antiquity and the ways that intervening texts might distort our views of the true spirit of these women. Through archival work and linguistic study, I can expand these ideas by exploring a more firsthand account of their lives within narratives that do not maintain an authentic portrayal
Exercise-Induced Cognitive Decline: Exploring the Role of Pain Catastrophizing
Get PDFThe relationship between exercise and cognition has been extensively studied, with results
varying based on factors such as the length, intensity, and modality of exercise and the timing,
task, and domain of cognition under investigation. While studies evaluating concomitant exercise
and cognition overwhelmingly indicate decrements in performance on executive function tasks at
high intensities, there remains limited agreement on how individual differences or cognitions
might affect the physiological processes linked to these declines. As such, the present
prospective, within-subjects study sought to systematically examine the impact of pain
catastrophizing, a variable known to impact attentional processes, on the relationship between
exercise intensity and executive function. Following completion of a series of online
questionnaires and familiarization procedures (Visit 1), eligible participants completed an
executive function test, the Cedar OWAT, while simultaneously completing a graded maximal
exercise test on a treadmill (Visit 2). Results indicated significant decrements in executive
function performance as exercise intensity increased, with pain catastrophizing interacting with
exercise intensity to exert differential effects on hit rate and precision. In summary, the present
study replicates previous findings demonstrating a significant negative relationship between
exercise intensity and executive performance and offers initial evidence that higher levels of pain
catastrophizing could contribute to complex alterations in cognitive performance under such
conditions. These findings should be further explored in future studies, as they might hold
particular relevance in settings in which maintaining peak cognitive abilities is crucial for
effective decision-making, performance, and overall health
Study of hydraulic fracturing flowback in Oklahoma
No full textThis thesis investigates the physicochemical characteristics and environmental implications of fracturing fluid flowback in Oklahoma, highlighting the complex interactions between hydraulic fracturing fluids and geological formations. The study focuses on the flowback fluids collected from an operational oil extraction facility, comparing samples from the pumping equipment and a waste pound site.
The research adopts a multifaceted analytical approach, utilizing advanced light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) to explore the micro and nanostructures present in the flowback fluids. This detailed analysis reveals significant variability in sample composition, evident from the distinct coloration and crystalline structures observed in pump-derived versus pound-derived samples. SEM and TEM analyses illustrate diverse morphologies such as perfect hexagons, nanoflowers, and larger polygonal structures, while XRD data confirm the presence of common salt and various other minerals and metal oxides influenced by fluid-rock interactions.
Part of the study involves evaluating the potential environmental impacts of the fluid components, particularly the high salinity levels and the presence of contaminants such as heavy metals and hydrocarbons. The findings highlight concerns about groundwater contamination risks and the broader environmental implications of disposing of such high-salinity water.
Furthermore, experimental combustion tests and lead acetate trials were conducted to assess the combustibility of the flowback fluids and the presence of hydrogen sulfide, adding layers of complexity to understanding the chemical characteristics of the flowback fluids. These tests underline the potential environmental hazards and the need for rigorous management strategies.
This study enhances our understanding of the physicochemical properties of fracturing flowback fluids and underscores the critical environmental challenges posed by hydraulic fracturing operations
Drivers of Stream Drying and Network Connectivity Across Spatial Scales
Get PDFNonperennial streams are widespread and abundant around the globe. Although these streams are societally and ecologically important, they are understudied relative to those that flow continuously. Because of this, we lack fundamental knowledge of nonperennial streams, such as when and where they dry and the consequences of those drying patterns. Drying patterns largely determine stream network connectivity in nonperennial systems. Stream drying and network connectivity patterns are driven by processes that act at global, regional, and local spatial scales. The goal of this dissertation is to explore the patterns and drivers of stream drying and connectivity. Chapter One explores the impact of global climate change on network connectivity in the Blue River, Oklahoma. The findings from this research suggest that stream drying is likely to increase in the future. This research also identified a threshold around which a small change in stream drying leads to a large change in connectivity. Chapter Two investigates how the influence of stream drying on network connectivity varies in relation to network-scale properties. This work found that the rate of connectivity loss is faster for larger stream networks and when drying occurs in mainstem reaches. As stream drying is expected to become more extensive due to changes in climate, this research underscores the need for managers to be vigilant about fragmentation when managing at large spatial scales and when managing systems where drying occurs in mainstem reaches. Chapter Three investigates how streamflow and connectivity are influenced by cross-scale interactions between global-scale climate change and regional-scale aridity. This analysis suggests that changes in connectivity due to climate change vary predictably in relation to aridity. Stream networks in arid regions will have more high connectivity days in the future while stream networks in wetter regions will experience increases in the number of low connectivity days in the future. The ability to predict future changes in network connectivity allows for better anticipation of and improved ability to manage for the consequences of climate change. Overall, this dissertation demonstrates how complex patterns of stream drying and connectivity vary predictably in relation to network scale, regional scale, and global scale processes