The study of interpersonal communication is gaining importance in this current climate of globalization. Students need to develop interpersonal communication skills because they are very important through all aspects of living. Because of this increasingly multicultural environment, cross cultural communication and interpersonal communication skills are very important and must be developed while studying in a foreign country. Over the years, the number of immigrant students attending schools in the United States has increased dramatically. Interpersonal communication is at the centre of human central relationships and psychoanalysis (Amaraju, 2012). Therefore, the number of challenges in school for foreign students increases as a result of the lack of interpersonal communication skills. The importance of interpersonal communication skills and the development of satisfactory relationships with other students is necessary to understand such behaviors in college students and their effect on academic performance. The proposed study will discuss the possible components that might affect the academic performance of immigrant college students and the interpersonal communication skills that might affect a college education experience as a result. The study will also cover the scope of grammar and speaking limitations among members of the immigrant student community, as well as the effect of their seclusion from the mainstream on their academic performance. This proposal includes my methods for gathering information, and the possible challenges to immigrant students in the classroom including bullying and discrimination.
In Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, we can see both examples of foolish and nerdy characters who have taken their predominant personality traits to an excessive point. This excessiveness – in social frivolity, on one hand, and in book learning, on the other – is not only foolish but also a recipe for social outcasts. Pride and Prejudice explores the consequences of excessive behavior on both the foolish and the nerdy characters.
One of the struggles within conservation biology is to justify the field and its objective to preserve biodiversity. The two main camps arguing in support of conservation biology are intrinsic value theorists and utilitarians. The theoretical problems accompanying these schools of thought and the absence of a solid ethical foundation have called for a new environmental ethic. In this thesis, I propose environmental virtue-based ethics as a constructive alternative to the false dichotomy presented by traditional perspectives in conservation biology. I will demonstrate that because of its ability to account for human interests alongside the wider consideration for biodiversity, while simultaneously avoiding the problems characteristic of the dominating intrinsic and instrumental value theories, Environmental Virtue-based Ethics (EVE) is uniquely poised to justify the goals of conservation biology.
This review examines the role probiotics can play in reducing and inhibiting the growth of biofilms that cause bacterial infections in humans. The use of probiotics as an inhibitory agent against biofilms is a new field of study that requires further research. As of now, there is little research or scientific literature to defend the health claims of several commercially sold probiotics. Also, biofilms are a fairly new field of study even though biofilms are the cause of most bacterial infections. Since biofilms have an increased antibiotic resistance, it has become increasingly more important to find alternative treatments for bacterial infections. However, there have been a couple of studies that have shown positive results for probiotics inhibiting the growth of different types of biofilms such as Lactobacillus acidophilus in patients with dental caries caused by the biofilm formation of Streptococcus mutans. Specifically, the biosurfactant
of the probiotic was used to disrupt the biofilm. Another study was done on patients with Clostridium difficile infection who showed a decline in symptoms when treated with the probiotic yeast Saccharomyces boulardii as an additive to antibiotic treatments . While the oral health and gut health fields have started to utilize the benefits of probiotics, the effect of probiotics on the biofilms that cause infections for patients with medical devices has yet to be studied.
Music is an art form that has been around for centuries as a form of expression, ritual, tradition, and more. Now, it has transformed from art into a business. Today, the music industry
is a $43 billion industry according to Maeve McDermott (2018) in the news article, “The music industry is booming” (McDermott, 2018, para.1). With this industry comes an array of different
music styles and artistry. One of them being black music artists who have dominated the industry since the beginning of Motown and maybe even before then. Every year new black music
emerges such as Beyonce, Childish Gambino, Kanye West, Drake, Travis Scott, Sza, and many more.
This research study was conducted to look at the history of black music and artistry of today and compare it to the Black Arts Movement of the 1960’s and the Hip-Hip Revolution of the 1980’s and 1990’s. Along with this historical and cultural analysis was a survey, which was handed out to participants to see the result to how people responded to black music artists. In the end, the discovery of this research became much more than about music, because it
showed how we consume music as a society and what appeals to us. The survey and interviews conducted in this research have shown that different racial and ethnic groups such as whites,
blacks/African-American, Hispanic/Latinos, Asian/Asian-Americans, and others are listening to
black music artists with interest and at a high percentage. The results of the this study explores the appeal of black music artists to different audiences and shows the progression of black popularity to a wider audience.
In recent times, the small East Asian country of South Korea has exploded onto the global scene of being a recognizable force in an economic, political and cultural sense. The South Korean government in particular, is credited through its common financial backing of cultural programs and its push to constantly increase tourism to the country by enacting forms of soft power, which they believe to be the best choice for South Korea’s further development. Korean popular music is in fact, an encompassing genre of various music styles that all have some influence from Western music. This thesis explored whether or not the country of origin phenomenon has any relevance in attempting to explain whether K-Pop has any effect on the perception of South Korea using qualitative methodology by conducting in-depth interviews. My findings from my research include that K-Pop seems to contribute to a growing interest in other cultural aspects of South Korea, K-Pop appears to have made South Korea a preferred destination for tourists and that future research could be done to measure the relationship between K-Pop music and perception of its country of origin.
The overall purpose of my thesis is to explain and highlight the importance of photographic storytelling. We are often influenced by what we see visually. Naturally it shapes us as human beings and our way of thinking. We often connect to things we can relate to as if we see ourselves becoming a part of the scenario or story given to us. By noting the impact photojournalism has had on the past generations, I want to show how important the visual perspective on certain events can shape our society. Lastly, seeing as how photojournalism has become a male-dominated society, I want to highlight the role of the women in photojournalism; how female photojournalists can add more of an emotional factor to photography.
Future projections from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Report forecast an increase in anthropogenic atmospheric CO¬2 emissions, thereby exacerbating ocean acidification. Studies on CO2-induced acidification report evidence of its deleterious effect on behavioral alterations in marine fish species. One such disturbance affects behavioral lateralization, a function of brain asymmetry and a critical component to schooling performance. Though research has divulged the adverse behavioral effects of ocean acidification on stenohaline marine fishes, euryhaline models have not been explored to such extent. This study explored the combined effects of projected levels of pCO2 (~1300 ppm) and warming (+3.0oC) on behavioral lateralization in a euryhaline teleost, the adult Japanese ricefish (Oryzias latipes). After just five days of the treatment, CO2-treated fish exhibited significantly lower individual-level lateralization indices than that of fish in control CO2 (~300 ppm) and temperature, as well as no statistical difference to that of a random simulation. The implications are far-reaching even for highly efficient osmoregulatory fishes, in that coordination and schooling performance may be hampered at end-of-century conditions, thereby reducing fish population fitness.
Background : Healthcare facilities aim to decrease overcrowding in Emergency Department (ED) by eliminating verbal handoff between the ED nurse and inpatient nurse. Inpatient nurses
must use the electronic medical record (EMR) system as a means of gathering patient information. Objective : The purpose of this study was to explore the nurses’ experience of eliminating verbal
handoff between ED and inpatient units and how their EMR impacts the information they non-verbally receive pertaining to the patient status/information. Materials and method: Using snowball technique, nurses with prior experience of a verbal handoff as well as current experiences with a non-verbal handoff process will be interviewed through a phone call. They will be asked to elaborate on their feelings about the new process and
how the EMR upholds or hinders the process. Results: Four of the six nurses disagreed with the new handoff at the start of implementation and the other two felt neutral. All six nurses disagreed with the handoff after experiencing it for six
months. Additional concerns were raised due to their disagreement, namely their perception for the lack of patient safety, the disturbance in workflow as patient arrival was often unexpected,
and the lack of time and information available through the electronic medical record. Conclusion : A majority of the sample population shared their feelings of discontent and the obstacles that have arised from this new process which may ultimately add on to the frustrations
inducing nursing burnout. Further research is encouraged to expand on the efficiency and safety of a non-verbal nursing interunit handoff, as well as EMR enhancements to better support the non-verbal process.
The consumption of artificial food dyes is a topic of controversy in the United States. In contrast, many European nations opted for natural alternatives after studies suggested that they cause hypersensitivity in children. Two of the most prevalent food dyes, Red 40 and Yellow 5, are heavily debated as carcinogens and are solidly linked to ADHD in children. The purpose of this study is to use the model organism, Xenopus laveis, the African clawed frog, to observe the effects of these dyes separately and together. Specimens will be incubated in different concentrations of Red 40, Yellow 5, or both at either 2.5μg/ml or 5μg/ml. There will be one control group and eight experimental groups. These groups will be exposed to the dyes from metamorphosis stage 48 (Nieuwkoop and Faber) until adulthood. They were observed by determining how long movement lasted once it began. The results suggest a strong link to hyperactivity and possible effects on development, such as different mortalities among the groups. Tadpole length was in terms of length, and any malformations were documented. A review was also conducted on dyes present in common products available to consumers, which will be discussed.
The economies of the world are all connected in one way or another and the institutions that intertwine them create and allow for the flow of capital, both physical and human. The world also is a place of varying levels of economic inequality that is characterized differently based on a relative or absolute spectrum. The inequality that will be discussed within the text deals with the inequality of a developed nation and how the growth of institutions create an endless cycle of economic stratification and gradual demise of a middle class, focused particularly on the United States of America. The theory holds that as institutions grow and enact policies that focus at achieving stability and greater efficiency the opportunities that may have once been abound disappear creating a stronger class of “owners” and a weakened group of “workers”. The goal of consistent growth and growing productivity within a nation where wealth is not equitably dispersed will ultimately, left unchecked, create a wealth disparity like the world has never seen. Owners of capital who efficiently manage their wealth using the new regulations and technologies will be able to control and do more with less while those without do more for less. Ultimately a growth of capital over GDP, defined as Beta , with the capital, specifically factors of production, efficiently handled in the hands of a few wealth holders who must be relied on for the production and services rendered to the masses.
Input from neuromodulators shapes the rhythmic output of a central pattern generator (CPG)
network. When released by a projection neuron, the impact of neuromodulators is convoluted by
synaptic interactions with a target network. Yet, how synaptic interactions influence neuromodulation
of target networks is not well understood. We use a mathematical model to examine this
issue in the gastric mill CPG of the crab, Cancer borealis.
Physiologically, the projection neuron MCN1 elicits a gastric mill rhythm (GMR) via synaptic
excitation of the LG neuron. This GMR is represented by the biphasic activity pattern of the
lateral gastric (LG) neuron. Many previous models have treated MCN1 action on LG as a slow,
passive current. However, MCN1 also triggers a modulator-activated, voltage-gated inward current
(IMI) in LG. We examine the influence of IMI in our model. We show that IMI primarily impacts
one phase of LG neuron activity. Next, we show that IMI produces a similar influence on LG
activity as that of a core inhibitory synapse from Interneuron 1 (INT1) onto LG.
Finally, we show that removal of the INT1-to-LG synapse disrupts the GMR, but the GMR
activity can be restored by modifying the properties of IMI.We conclude that synaptic interactions
can enable neuromodulators to provide a CPG with more flexibility for producing rhythmic output.
The following paper delves into the media habits of members of Generation Y (Millennials) and Generation Z. Media consumption is rising rapidly and, as more people get access to more content, there are going to be wider audiences searching for themselves in the
entertainment they consume. How content creators choose to represent stories influences audience dialogue on sensitive variables such as youth mental health, evident in popular shows such as 13 Reasons Why (Jacobson, 2017). Growing up with a non-stop flow of information and media creates a group of critical consumers, especially embodied in the current emphasis on
inclusive narratives. Urban youth, for example, might call for specific perspectives to deal with unique traumas (Ickovics, J.R., Meade, C.S., Kerhsaw, T.S., Milan, S., Lewis, J.B. & Ethier,
K.A., 2006). This research was designed to get an idea of how Millennials and Generation Z perceive themselves in media.
The following information was received via survey, distributed electronically to the Saint Peter’s University student body in Jersey City, New Jersey. The majority of respondents were female members of Generation Z. People reported feeling least represented in regards to religion and most represented in regards to generation. On a scale of 1 to 5, the majority ranked themselves at a 3 when asked how represented in media they felt. Three of the top choices for
shows that were the most successful at authentically representing Millennials and Generation Z were also some of the top choices for shows that were least successful at accurate portrayals of
Millennials and Generation Z, these being 13 Reasons Why, Modern Family and To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.
The findings concluded with the strong assertion that 96% of young adults would like their generation to have input in the media created for their consumption.
Cannabis sativa, commonly known as marijuana, was once widely coveted for its medicinal properties in the ancient world. However, over the past several centuries, marijuana rose to notorious fame to claim the title as the world’s most illicit and stigmatized drug. Due to its criminalized status, its use declined dramatically as the world turned its back on all the medicinal properties that the
cannabis plant has to offer. In recent years, tremendous support from the public and several state legislatures worked to reverse marijuana’s stigmatized past by instating laws to decriminalize and legalize the recreational and medical use of marijuana in some states. Because the marijuana laws in many states still reflect those enacted during the cannabis prohibition at the end of the 20th century, the necessary procurement of cannabis for research purposes remains restricted, which results in limited clinical data on the safety of medical cannabis use for the treatment of ailments such as epilepsy. As one of the most common non-communicable neurological condition, epilepsy reduces the quality of life of all affected individuals. In addition, one-third of epileptic patients is drug-resistant and develops adverse side effects when they take conventional antiepileptic drugs.Therefore, an efficient drug with few side effects is urgently demanded for many epileptic cases that respond poorly to certain conventional treatments. The non-psychoactive component of medical cannabis, cannabidiol (CBD), has proven to have antiepileptic effects. Recent clinical trials discover that patients who are treated with higher levels of CBD have decreased the frequency at which their
seizures occur. The goal of this paper is to provide a quick overview of the history of medical cannabis and current medical cannabis laws in conjunction with the introduction to the endocannabinoid system (ECS) and the mechanisms of CBD. Hopefully, the literature review will positively rebrand marijuana by conveying the efficacy at which medical cannabis can be used to effectively treat drug-resistant epilepsy and improve the quality of life of patients.
The gender pay gap has narrowed since 1980, but it has remained relatively stable over the past decade. The purpose of this thesis is to determine if there is a link between religiosity and the participation of women in the workforce as well as the gender pay gap.
Using statistical data from online databases and surveys, we examined the following countries: Norway, Sweden, Turkey, United Kingdom, and United States through their religiosity levels, gender pay gaps, labor participation rates, and estimated incomes of men and women. Our findings suggest that there is a correlation between religiosity levels and the gender gaps in the countries we analyzed.
This thesis is meant to examine how Zimbabwe became an authoritarian nation. A
country is not predestined toward democracy or dictatorship. Rather, there are multiple complexities throughout a country’s history that need to be addressed in order to assess what led to the nation’s current state of affairs.
ZANU-PF is currently the ruling party of Zimbabwe and it has been since the country’s independence in 1980. Although the country is constitutionally democratic, Robert Mugabe ruled the country for nearly thirty years, only to be ousted in a military coup. Mugabe oversaw a number of questionable policy moves and guided the country through constitutional reform wherein he was able to secure more power. Fellow party member and former Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa succeeded Mugabe. The political future of the country still remains unclear.
By doing a comparative study of several countries who utilize a circular economy, have a superior waste management system, and are an industrialized country, this thesis will come to the conclusion as to whether or not better waste management equates to a better economy in the long run. Based on the findings of the comparative study, the thesis will make policy suggestions on how to improve the United States waste management system and economy. Lastly, the thesis will seek to provide solutions and alternatives to waste management in the United States through innovative technology and processes from other countries and from original concepts.
In this thesis I will contrast the fluid cultural, political, religious, legal, and ethical perspectives within and between the United States and the Netherlands on self-determination and the right to assisted suicide. This topic is under-researched considering the vast number of individuals joining the geriatric community as the baby boomer generation gets older and the medical advances that are capable of prolonging lives for all ages regardless of the quality of these lives. This paper compares real life cases of assisted suicide and refusal of treatment as well as the functioning of euthanasia in the Netherlands and the United States.
One of the most controversial provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is the $10,000 limitation placed on the SALT deduction. The limitation is expected to negatively impact all high-tax states, especially New Jersey. This thesis seeks to discover if each and every county in New Jersey is expected to be negatively impacted by the new provision. The study analyzes the average itemized deduction and average SALT deduction of each county from tax years 2011 to 2016 to determine what the expected average itemized deduction would be in tax year 2018. The analysis finds that 20 out of 21 counties are expected to see a lower average SALT deduction in 2018 and thus, a majority of New Jersey taxpayers will be negatively impacted by the limitation. These affected taxpayers are expected to see higher federal tax liabilities in 2018 than in previous tax years.