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Examining the Direct and Mediating Relationship Between Immigration, Family Structure, and Crime: A Community-Level Analysis.
Get PDFABSTRACT Amidst debate about immigration into the United States, many in the public and varying levels of government have questioned its impact on vital social institutions of social control. Public perception often associates immigrants with increased crime, though empirical research reveals a consistently null or negative association at the community-level. Scholars have proposed that immigrants contribute to community revitalization and foster social control, at least some of which may be tied to the ways that immigration reshapes aggregate family structures across the community. However, few empirical studies examine this important relationship. The current study aims to bridge this gap in research examining how immigration and aggregate family structure (e.g., households with single mothers, presence of divorced individuals, individuals living alone, extended family households) relate to crime, accounting for other important socio-structural characteristics. Likewise, we examine the degree to which the immigration-crime association is mediated by aggregate family structure. Using data from over 2,000 census places in the US for the year 2015, we employ ordinary least squares regression analysis to explore how immigration is linked to violence net of and through aggregate family structure. Findings reveal key differences in the prevalence of different aggregate family structural characteristics in low versus high immigration places. In turn, we find immigration is negatively associated with violence, and that aggregate family structure partially reduces the strength of this association, suggesting some degree of mediation. Implications for prior research and policy are discussed
Assessment of The Drivers of Adoption of Climate Smart Agriculture Practices Among Field Crop Farmers in Zambia
Get PDFClimate smart agriculture (CSA) practiced has been promoted in Zambia since the 1980s to address the declining crop productivity due to increased occurrence of drought or dry spells caused by climate change. Despite considerable research indicating that CSA practices have many potential benefits such as increased yield and income, the adoption rate in southern Africa is still low especially where farmers have stable off farm income. This might be because most of the research and promotion has been directed to the main staple crop maize and other context specific impacts related to agroecological and socioeconomic heterogeneity. In this study we use the endogenous switching regression model to account for heterogeneity. We had to conduct two endogenous switching regression models one that incorporated important crops maize, groundnuts, soyabeans, sunflower, cowpea, and beans and the second that further reduced to the major four crops of maize, groundnuts, soyabeans and sunflower. We found that there was a significant difference in the yield between the adopters and the non-adopters. After accounting for the negative selection bias, the study indicated that non adopters would have higher yields if they adopted CSA while the adopters would yield less if they had adopted CSA. These results are in the context of the eastern province of Zambia which may not be ideal when compared to other regions with favorable condition
In The Performance of a Lifetime: Pepper Plinkett
Get PDFThis narrative depicts a caricature of the human experience through the eyes of my alter- ego character, Pepper Plinkett. Pepper is a symbol of my personal philosophies of what it means to be human, and serves as a protagonist and guide through an infinite, ambiguous natural world. This exhibition is a celebration of the vibrancy, curiosity, and ridiculousness of a lifetime. The uniqueness of humor as a specifically human trait and its use as a tool of communication, particularly in expressing authenticity, is the driving force behind my use of clowns in my work. I take an absurdist approach to the analysis of human nature and history, reviving historical clichés and twisting them into commentary about the ludicrousness of existence. I am concerned with evolution at all stages, from biology’s gradual changes over millennia to my own personal evolution as an artist and individual. The exploration of cycles (life, behavior, taste, expression, and experience) is of great interest to me in my studio. Influenced by lowbrow pop-surrealism and contemporary culture as much as art historical canons, I conflate antiquity and modernity into a world of playful timelessness
Instagram and Influencer Marketing: An Empirical Study of the Parasocial Interaction Theory and its Effects on Purchase Intention
Get PDFScholars have studied different factors that contribute to a parasocial interaction theory, and how this relates to purchase intention in the marketing industry. Previous research concentrates on parasocial interactions between television personalities and consumers, rather than influencers on social media. It is important to determine exactly what factors lead consumers to create a parasocial interaction with influencers in the media and determine how that parasocial interaction mediates purchase intention. Influencer marketing on Instagram is included in this study, as it contains brand-sponsored posts and allows users to interact with each other. This study utilizes the parasocial interaction model to determine if perceived similarities, perceived physical and social attractiveness, and perceived authenticity of the influencer will increase a parasocial interaction, and if that parasocial interaction mediates purchase intention. This study is significant to the advertising industry and influencers on social media, to better enhance their brand and marketing strategies. Through a comprehensive questionnaire about social media usage and influencer marketing, this study of 143 Instagram users and influencer advertisement purchasers was able to associate perceived similarities, perceived physical and social attractiveness, and perceived authenticity with purchase intention through a parasocial interaction
Three Years of Abrahamic Accords: A Contemporary Episode of False Peace
Get PDFThe Abrahamic Accords mark the latest phase in the peace negotiation efforts concerning the Arab-Israeli conflict. Through diplomatic maneuvers, temptations, and promises, the United States managed to persuade four Arab countries to depart from the principles of the Arab Initiative and instead sign the Abrahamic Accords, establishing full normalization treaties with Israel. Many other countries and significant powers maintain divergent perspectives on the Abrahamic Accords. After three years, The Accords offer numerous potential economic, security, and strategic benefits, with Israel standing to gain the lion\u27s share. This thesis explores the connection between the Frustration-Aggression Theory and the ongoing violence in Palestine. It delves into the underlying motives driving the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco to join the Accords, as well as the potential incentives for other states to follow suit. Additionally, it scrutinizes the political procrastination evident in the peace process and its contemporary repercussions. Various instances are analyzed to illustrate how political procrastination and false peace contribute to escalating levels of violence
Investigations into the Expansion of Breslow-Type Intermediate Reactivity via Radical C-N Bond Homolysis
Get PDFThe Breslow intermediate is a key intermediate in catalytic transformations like the benzoin condensation and Stetter reaction. These intermediates were first postulated by Ronald Breslow in 1958. Since then, a number of researchers have sought to prove their existence and expand upon the reactions possible using these intermediates. In the sixty plus years since this intermediate was first postulated the reaction scope has expanded significantly, Breslow and breslow-type intermediates have expanded to encompass benzothiazoles, imidazoles, benzoimidazoles, triazoles, thiadiazoles, diamino type structures, and most recently pyridine structures. The expansion of these reactions has opened up new avenues of exploration and previously unattainable structures. This work describes that expansion and details the types of reactions now available using the Breslow intermediate
Ω-shaped Rogowski Coil Current Sensor Optimization Design in Power Electronics Applications
Get PDFAccurate switching current measurement plays a pivotal role in characterization of power devices, overcurrent protection, and real-time control of system-level operations in power electronics applications. However, the ongoing revolution in power electronics, driven by the emergence of wide bandgap power devices operating at megahertz (MHz) switching frequencies, introduces challenges for current sensor design. The urgent issue now is the need to increase current sensor bandwidth significantly to adeptly capture the rapid switching speed current. Additionally, the trend towards high power density and compact power converters in various applications demands current sensors that are not only compact and nonintrusive but can also be seamlessly integrated into existing power systems. Currently, all the commercial current sensors fall short of incorporating all these essential features. This dissertation presents a high-bandwidth Ω-shaped current sensor, consisting of an Ω-shaped copper tube, Rogowski coil and an external integrator, to achieve precise switching current measurement. The designed structure allows easy integration into various current paths. And a multi-objective optimization based on a genetic algorithm and a finite element method is developed for the comprehensive design of the Rogowski coil. Subsequently, three optimized solutions of coil geometry with bandwidth and sensitivity as optimization objectives are selected for comparison. Moreover, an external differential integrator and its associated design guide are introduced. Finally, comprehensive double pulse tests (DPT) and multi-pulse test are performed under 800 V/70 A, 400V/170A conditions. The test results of the three distinct coils validate the effectiveness of the proposed automated optimization methodology and external integrator design. The Ω-shaped current sensor consistently exhibits a faster response and maintains over 10 mV/A sensitivity compared with a 30 MHz commercial Rogowski coil
Evaluation of the Effect of a Commercial Lippia origanoides Essential Oil Extract on Salmonella serovar Enteritidis as a Natural Alternative to Antibiotics in the Poultry Industry
Get PDFThe purpose of the present research was to evaluate the bactericidal activity of a microencapsulated Lippia origanoides essential oils (LOEOs) against Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) in an in vitro crop assay and in a prophylactic broiler chicken model using three low doses of the product: 75 ppm, 150 ppm and 300 ppm. Two trials of each assay were conducted. Day-of-hatch male Cobb-Vantress broiler chickens were randomly allotted to one of four groups: 1) positive control group; 2) 75 ppm LOEOs group; 3) 150 ppm LOEOs group; 4) 300 LOEOs group. Chicks were fed and watered ad libitum in heated brooder batteries in a controlled, age-appropriate environment. On day seven of age, all chickens were orally gavaged with 108 cfu of SE. Chickens were euthanized by CO2 exposure 24 hours after the SE challenge. Recovery of SE was evaluated in liver- spleen, and ceca (including cecal tonsils). None of the three microencapsulated LOEOs doses changed SE concentration (P \u3e 0.05) in the in vitro crop assay. Similarly, no significant differences in SE were observed in the organ and intestinal colonization in broiler chicken trials. Therefore, the low concentrations of the microencapsulated LOEOs used do not reduce SE concentration in different poultry models. Further studies will be needed to optimize the formulation, delivery, models, and concentration of essential oils to control Salmonella infections in broiler chickens effectively
The Effects of Cover Crop Adoption on Yield Distributions Under Extreme Drought
Get PDFIncreased frequency and severity of extreme weather events due to climate change negatively impact agriculture output. Of particular concern is the adverse impact of droughts on corn and soybean yields, as these crops represent a significant portion of cash crop receipts in the United States. Cover crops are one practice that has gained attention due to their agronomic benefits and their potential to reduce downside production risk for producers. This study focuses on the impact of cover crop adoption on corn and soybean yields during drought conditions. We use cover crop adoption data from the Operational Tillage Information System, RMA county-level yield data, and the Palmer Drought Severity Index. We estimate a two-way fixed effects model, incorporating county and year-fixed effects to isolate the impact of cover crop adoption on logged yields. Additionally, we use a step function regression model to assess the impact of cover crop adoption across distinct 5% intervals of adoption. Our results show that cover crops do not have risk-mitigating benefits during drought for corn yields. Cover crops mitigate the impacts of drought on soybean yields. This finding is consistent across model specifications. These results carry significant policy implications, highlighting the need to emphasize crop-specific considerations in incentivizing cover crop adoption, as certain crops have more significant benefits than others
Real-Time Delphi Study: Perspectives of an Autistic Panel on Independent Living
Get PDFThe shift from institutional living to community integration for people with disabilities, including autistic people, has been significantly influenced by legislative measures and advocacy. Despite these efforts, autistic youth and adults still experience a unique transition to independent living compared to their peers with other disabilities. Studies have reported that autistic adults are more likely to remain in the family home and less likely to live independently post-high school (Anderson et al., 2014). Existing literature and legislation illustrate a fragmented approach to defining and measuring independent living for autistic adults, often driven by non-autistic perspectives (Cribb et al., 2019). This study, in partnership with an autistic community research partner, aims to fill this gap by incorporating the insights of autistic individuals themselves. This real-time Delphi study was designed to explore the perspectives of a panel of autistic experts on the definition of independent living by addressing elements that promote, discourage, or are neutral in determining independent living. The study was structured into two rounds, gathering both qualitative and quantitative data. Ordinal data analysis was used to establish consensus among panelists, complemented by thematic analysis of qualitative responses. Initial qualitative data analysis informed the development of the survey used in the second round, ensuring relevance and depth in capturing the panelists\u27 perspectives. The panel was unified in their philosophical stances, as they advocated for the right of autistic people to live according to their own preferences, including whom they live with and where, on equal terms with others. They stressed the importance of honoring personal choices, even when they diverge from societal norms or medical advice, as essential to promoting dignity and self-determination. The findings suggested that independent living for autistic people relies heavily on tailored supports and respect for their autonomy and rights. The panel consistently refocused statements from a skill acquisition perspective to an access and support needs perspective, as they said this is the real need to live independently. The study examined non-determinants of independent living for autistic adults, revealing that factors such as location of residence, level of support needs, and skill acquisition do not reliably indicate successful independent living. Instead, autonomy and the ability to exert control over daily decisions emerged as crucial indicators of successful independent living. Panelists emphasized that self-reliance and financial independence, while beneficial, are not definitive markers of independent living status. The study\u27s findings underscored the necessity of understanding independent living from the autistic perspective, moving beyond conventional norms, and emphasizing autonomy and self-determination. This research contributed to a more nuanced understanding of independent living, providing a foundation for future studies and policies that better support autistic individuals in achieving genuine autonomy and inclusion