Employing qualitative methods and drawing from an intersectional framework which focuses on the multiple identities we all embody, this dissertation focuses on oppressions and resistance strategies employed by women of color in Xbox live, an online gaming community. Ethnographic observations and narrative interviewing reveal that women of color, as deviants within the space, face intersecting oppressions in gaming as in life outside the gaming world. They are linguistically profiled within the space based off of how they sound. They have responded with various strategies to combat the discrimination they experience. Some segregate themselves from the larger gaming population and many refuse to purchase games that depict women in a hyper-sexualized manner or that present people of color stereotypically. For others, the solution is to "sit-in" on games and disrupt game flow by 'player-killing' or engage in other 'griefing' activities. I analyze this behavior in the context of Black feminist consciousness and resistance and uncover that these methods are similar to women who employ resistance strategies for survival within the real world.

Social media sites focusing on health-related topics are rapidly gaining popularity among online health consumers, also known as "e-patients". The increasing adoption of social media by e-patients and their demand for reliable health information has prompted several health care organizations (HCOs) to establish their social media presence. HCOs are using social media to connect with current and potential e-patients, and improve patient education and overall quality of care. A significant benefit for HCOs in using social media could potentially be the improvement of their quality of care, as perceived by patients. Perceived quality of care is a key determinant of patients' experience and satisfaction with health care services, and has been a major focus of research. However, there is very little research on the relationship between patients' online social media experience and their perceived quality of care. The objective of this research was to evaluate e-patients' online experience with an HCO's social media sites and examine its impact on their perceived quality of care. Research methodology included a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches. Data for this study was collected from Mayo Clinic's social media sites through an online survey. Descriptive statistics were used to identify basic demographic profiles of e-patients. Linear regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between online experience and perceived quality of care. Qualitative data was analyzed using thematic analysis. Results showed a positive relationship between online experience and perceived quality of care. Qualitative data provided information about e-patients' attitudes and expectations from healthcare social media. Overall, results yielded insights on design and management of social media sites for e-patients, and integration of these online applications in the health care delivery process. This study is of value to HCOs, health communicators and social media designers, and will also serve as a foundation for subsequent studies in the area of health care social media.

This study was conducted to determine the difference in compressive strength between decayed and healthy teeth. The teeth were subjected to a compressive force to simulate the process of mastication. This was done to show that healthy teeth would be better at handling these compressive forces since they have more enamel. 26 teeth samples were collected (19 molars, 4 canines, and 3 premolars) evenly distributed between healthy and decayed. The samples were dimensionally analyzed using electronic calipers and then categorized as either decayed or healthy. The samples were then placed in a nut bolt with epoxy so that the samples could be compressed. Each sample was recorded on video while they were being exposed to the compressive force. This was done to observe how the samples were coming in contact with the Shimadzu compression machine. The amount of force that was required for the samples to exhibit the first point of breakage was recorded by the machine in pounds of force. Various analyses were conducted to determine relationships between several variables. The results showed that as the total and occlusal surface area increased, so did the amount of force the samples could absorb before breakage. As the machine came in contact with more cusps among the molar samples, those samples were able to absorb a larger compressive force. The average force that the decayed and healthy molar samples endured before breakage was roughly even, with the decayed samples average being slightly greater.

The ASU BioDesign Clinical Testing Laboratory (ABCTL) was created to offer an accurate, less invasive, less labor intensive, and less resource draining public COVID-19 testing location in Arizona. The goal of this thesis project was to document the intra-organizational communication channels related to changing testing practices as the ABCTL evolved. This was done through a review of internal and external media, pressers, and an interview with Joshua LaBaer. By documenting internal communication channels, specifically those related to changes in testing, similar communication channels and results could be replicable in the future if an outside organization wished to transform an academic research lab into a viral testing facility.