Digital Commons Network^™

Wild Sun Bears (Helarctos Malayanus) Exhibit Aseasonality In Parturition, Zachary A. David, Brian Crudge, Matt Hunt, Kirsty Officer, Vuthy Choun, Barbara Durrant, Megan A. Owen, Morokot Long, John P. Whiteman

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Seasonal reproduction can provide species with fitness advantages by allowing the birth of young to coincide with favorable environmental conditions, particularly in environments with high seasonal and intra-annual variation in these conditions. Seven of the eight species in the bear family (Ursidae) reproduce seasonally in both managed care and the wild; however, data for the eighth species, the sun bear (Helarctos malayanus), is unclear. Sun bears have been observed to reproduce throughout the year in managed care, yet currently there are no clear data of birth timing for wild sun bear cubs. Here we investigate the seasonality of …

J Mich Dent Assoc January 2024

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Every month, The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association brings news, information, and features about Michigan dentistry to our state's oral health community and the MDA's 6,200+ members. No publication reaches more Michigan dentists!

The January issue sets the foundation for Children’s Dental Health Month in February, the reader will find the following original content:

• A cover commentary on Pediatric Dentistry
• A feature article on “Silver Diamine Fluoride as a Caries Management Option for the Young Child”.
• A feature on “Considerations Concerning Obesity-Related Education for Parents of Young Children”.
• Professional advice commentary on “Staying Focused on a Moving Target: Coping …

Advocacy Spotlight: Telehealth Regulations For Dentistry Established, Neema Katibai Jd

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

The article discusses the rise of telehealth in the last three years and its implications for dentistry, focusing on recent rulemaking by the Michigan Board of Dentistry. The regulations address key aspects such as definitions, informed consent, scope of practice, and prescribing medications. Dentists must comply with HIPAA and state/federal privacy regulations when using telehealth. Notably, the rules restrict teledentistry delegation to allied personnel after an in-person visit within 24 months. The article emphasizes the importance of understanding and following these regulations for legal telehealth use, reimbursement, and malpractice coverage. The Michigan Dental Association advocates for sensible teledentistry laws to …

Examining Systemic And Dispositional Factors Impacting Historically Disenfranchised Schools Across North Carolina, Raketa Ouedraogo-Thomas

Dissertations

This mixed method sequential explanatory study provided analysis of North Carolina (NC) school leaders’ dispositions in eliminating opportunity gaps, outlined in NC’s strategic plan. The study’s quantitative phase used descriptive and correlation analysis of eight Likert subscales around four tenets of transformative leadership (Shields, 2011) and aspects of critical race theory (Bell, 1992; Ladson-Billings, 1998; Ladson-Billings & Tate, 2006) to understand systemic inequities and leadership attitudes.

The qualitative phase comprised three analyses of education leadership dispositions and systemic factors in NC schools. The first analysis of State Board of Education meeting minutes from 2018–2023 quantified and analyzed utterances of racism …

Cybercrime Victimization: Online Routine Behaviors, Guardianship, And Identity Theft Victimization In A Nationally Reflective Sample, Ifeoluwa Stella Elegbe

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

In this digital era, cybercrime victimization has emerged as a significant issue, with identity theft being one of the most prevalent forms. This study examines the relationship between online routine behaviors, guardianship, demographics, and identity theft victimization in a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults utilizing routine activities theory (RAT) as a conceptual

framework. The research applies statistical methods such as descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and logistic regression models to examine theoretically oriented hypotheses. The

hypotheses suggest connections between different online habitual behaviors, steps taken to

protect oneself, demographic characteristics, and the extent to which one has been a victim …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Perceptions Of Traditional And Online Degrees: Implications For Hiring Decisions And Higher Education, Heather E. Millar

Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic’s disruption to educational delivery across the country opened the doors to a more extensive conversation regarding employers’ perceptions of online degrees and the institution of higher education and its societal role. This is the first study, to my knowledge, to quantitatively analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on perceptions of traditional vs. online degrees during the hiring process and the implications of such on the institution of higher education. This study used a cross-sectional, non-experimental, closed-ended electronic survey of human resource professionals and those with influence during the hiring process.

Results from this study indicate that …

A Qualitative Analysis Of Section 1983 Filings By Incarcerated Plaintiffs, Hollie Macdonald

Theses and Dissertations

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic was a “watershed moment" in human history, transcending its role as a mere health crisis to reveal deeper fissures within societies. The present retrospective longitudinal study examined COVID-19 as an “era” of complexity utilizing it as an intermediate construct that delineates “pre-COVID” and “post-COVID.” In order to understand the impact of the COVID-19 era, the design of the study and hypotheses stem from an assumption of the interconnectedness of issues related to health, social justice, racial justice, politics, and information dissemination.

This study utilized both manifest and latent content analysis to explore the most …

Bekerja Tetapi Tetap Miskin, Apakah Permasalahan Kemiskinan Multidimensi?, Abdus Salam, Endan Suwandana, Watekhi Watekhi

Jurnal Ekonomi dan Pembangunan Indonesia

Working but still in poverty, is one of the phenomena of poor workers where they continue to work but their work does not guarantee them a better life. This study uses the concept of poverty from a monetary and multidimensional perspective. This study uses data from the March 2018 National Socioeconomic Survey (Susenas) and 2018 Village Potential Survey (Podes), and uses logistic regression to analyze whether the phenomenon of the working poor is a multidimensional poverty problem. The results of the study stated that poor workers have a close relationship with low education, millennial/young workers, a single parent, employees, a …

The Pursuit Of Peace: Adlai Stevenson’S Impact On The Cuban Missile Crisis, Alexandra M. Buonanno

Pell Scholars and Senior Theses

This paper explores the idea that Adlai Stevenson was a more significant member of the Executive Committee of the National Security Council and voice for peace than given credit for. It includes the betrayal of Stevenson by JFK during the Bay of Pigs fiasco and how many members of the Kennedy administration felt Stevenson was too naive and weak to be an ambassador to the United Nations during the Cold War. This papers seeks to prove that without Adlai Stevenson the Cuban Missile Crisis would have ended horrifically rather than peacefully.

Eco-Illusions: Unveiling Greenwashing Techniques On Corporate Social Media, Madeline B. Davis

Pell Scholars and Senior Theses

As the climate crisis continues, businesses are becoming savvier with how they communicate their environmental impact to their audiences. Greenwashing, the act of making unsubstantiated claims about the environmental friendliness of products, is becoming more popular amongst unsustainable corporations. Past research shows that companies are using specific techniques to deceive consumers. By conducting a content analysis of five corporate Instagram accounts from companies with past greenwashing allegations, this research used four main criteria to categorize greenwashed posts: color palette recurrent language, pleasant nature imagery, and vague appeals. Vague appeals were most commonly used online. Understanding how companies are perpetuating greenwashing …

Jimmy Carter’S Dilemma: The American Boycott Of The 1980 Summer Olympics, Grace E. Schoales

Pell Scholars and Senior Theses

Amidst strong political tension and the global uncertainty of the Cold War, an unlikely group of American college students took their skills to the Olympic ice in 1980, unknowingly preparing to make history. They defeated the notoriously tough Soviet Union team, boosting American pride across the nation. This victory left the U.S. feeling unstoppable and ready to face off against the Soviets again in a few months at the Moscow Summer Games. There was just one problem- the Carter Administration would soon announce the United States’ official boycott of the Games. This followed heightened Cold War tensions due to the …

บรรยากาศองค์กรที่ส่งผลต่อความผูกพันต่อองค์กรของข้าราชการ สังกัดสำนักงานสถิติแห่งชาติ (ส่วนกลาง), ศรญา จิตตมานนท์กุล

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

งานวิจัยเชิงปริมาณนี้มีวัตถุประสงค์เพื่อศึกษาความสัมพันธ์ระหว่างปัจจัยส่วนบุคคลกับระดับ ความผูกพันต่อองค์กร และเพื่อศึกษาอิทธิพลของการรับรู้บรรยากาศองค์กรต่อระดับความผูกพันต่อองค์กร ของข้าราชการ สังกัดสำนักงานสถิติแห่งชาติ (ส่วนกลาง) โดยจำแนกบรรยากาศองค์กรออกเป็น 6 ด้าน ได้แก่ ด้านโครงสร้างองค์กรและมาตรฐานการปฏิบัติงาน ด้านการติดต่อสื่อสารภายในองค์กร ด้านการมีส่วนร่วม ในการตัดสินใจ ด้านการใส่ใจต่อพนักงาน ด้านการใช้อำนาจและอิทธิพลในองค์กร และด้านการสร้างแรงจูงใจ ในการทำงาน โดยใช้การเก็บข้อมูลในรูปแบบของแบบสอบถาม จากกลุ่มตัวอย่างจำนวน 193 คน มีระยะเวลา ในการปฏิบัติงานภายในสำนักงานสถิติแห่งชาติ 1 ปีขึ้นไป โดยใช้วิธีการสุ่มตัวอย่างแบบบังเอิญ จากนั้นจึงนำข้อมูลที่ได้มาประมวลผลผ่านโปรแกรมสำเร็จรูปทางสถิติ SPSS ในส่วนของผลการวิเคราะห์สถิติเชิงพรรณนาพบว่าการรับรู้บรรยากาศองค์กรโดยรวมอยู่ในระดับดี และระดับความผูกพันต่อองค์กรโดยรวมอยู่ในระดับมาก ทั้งนี้ในส่วนของผลการวิเคราะห์การถดถอยเชิงพหุคูณพบว่า ปัจจัยส่วนบุคคลด้านเพศ อายุ และอายุงาน ส่งผลต่อความผูกพันต่อองค์กรอย่างมีนัยสำคัญทางสถิติ กล่าวคือเพศชายมีความผูกพันต่อองค์กรมากที่สุด รองลงมาคือเพศหญิง และ LGBTQ+ ตามลำดับ ในขณะเดียวกันเมื่ออายุและอายุงานมากขึ้น ก็มีส่วนส่งผล ให้เกิดความผูกพันต่อองค์กรมากขึ้นเช่นกัน นอกจากนี้ผลการศึกษายังแสดงให้เห็นว่าบรรยากาศองค์กรภาพรวม มีอิทธิพลเชิงบวกต่อความผูกพันต่อองค์กรอย่างมีนัยสำคัญทางสถิติ อย่างไรก็ตามเมื่อวิเคราะห์บรรยากาศองค์กรแยกเป็นรายด้านพบว่า มีเพียงด้านการใส่ใจต่อพนักงาน และด้านโครงสร้างองค์กรและมาตรฐานการปฏิบัติงาน ที่ส่งผลต่อความผูกพันต่อองค์กรอย่างมีนัยสำคัญทางสถิติ ดังนั้นองค์กรจึงควรให้ความสำคัญในการส่งเสริมบรรยากาศองค์กรที่ดีในการทำงาน อีกทั้งคำนึงถึงปัจจัยส่วนบุคคลที่มีความหลากหลาย เพื่อให้บุคลากรเกิดความผูกพันต่อองค์กรมากขึ้น

Immersive Visualization In Infrastructure Planning: Enhancing Long-Term Resilience And Sustainability, Dalya Ismael

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Infrastructure decisions today significantly impact future generations' quality of life, especially as severe storms and rising sea levels increasingly threaten communities across the United States. Decision-makers at all levels, including those involved in disaster prevention and response, must address climate change. However, those in infrastructure design and construction often prioritize immediate gains over long-term resilience. Engineering teams typically employ decision tools to manage complexity, but these methods may not highlight the long-term consequences of their choices. This study tests whether integrating Virtual Reality (VR) technology with engineering decision-making tools, can enhance engineers’ ability to visualize the future impacts of their …

Enforcement Through Voluntary Participation: The Impact Of Non-Binding Informal Groups On The International Nuclear Nonproliferation Regime, Claudia M. V. Hampton

Dissertations and Theses

The present thesis analyzes the policy impact of the informal group known as the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), a non treaty-bound grouping of states organized to define mutually agreed upon nuclear export controls with the aim of advancing the nonproliferation of nuclear weapons, in line with the values of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). As informal groups or voluntary forms of interstate cooperation are often criticized for their lack of enforcement mechanisms, two case studies in this thesis review the implementation of amendments and changes in national laws for states participating in the NSG (The United …

Reclaiming Democracy: Examining Disenfranchisement Laws And Policy Recommendations To Restore Voting Rights For Formerly Incarcerated People, Maeve Conte

CMC Senior Theses

This paper examines the disenfranchisement of formerly incarcerated people and the steps by which they can participate in civic society again. It delves into the history of these laws, both in the United States and abroad, and the philosophies behind disenfranchisement. It then uses Florida’s Amendment 4 as a case study in current debates surrounding voting rights. After a literature review on voting, it assesses the voting population inside prisons in states that allow it and includes policy recommendations for these states. This thesis also applies interventions from the literature review to reduce the cost for formerly incarcerated people. Ultimately, …

Grass Rejection By Capybaras Can Be Used As A Possible Strategy To Mitigate Road Accidents, André Luiz Gama Nogueira, Sérgio Luiz Gama Nogueira-Filho, Selene Siqueira Da Cunha Nogueira, Denis Sato, Natasha Camilo Maximiano Da Silva, Lilian Elgalise Techio Pereira, Michael Mendl, Adroaldo José Zanella

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Feeding management can be a good strategy for avoiding wildlife–vehicle collisions (WVCs), which are a worldwide concern. In this study, we aimed to identify grass species that capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) reject as feeding material. These species could be planted to make roadsides less attractive to capybaras and, consequently, decrease WVCs involving this species. We planted 3 grass species (Brachiaria decumbens cv. Basilisk, B. hybrid Mavuno, and Zoysia japonica) in 4 blocks, applying a randomized-complete blocks design. The first 2 species we assumed would be rejected, since some animals do not consume them due to their high …

Essays On Public Finance And International Finance, Deepti Sikri

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

The first chapter examines New York State's Fiscal Score Monitoring program to find the effect of two quality labels on school district outcomes: fiscal stress scores, reflecting the budget solvency, and environmental stress labels reflecting economic and demographic conditions. Using the NYS school district data from 2013-22, I employ the regression discontinuity design to find the effect of stress labels, in response to the political pressure on district finances, housing, and school outcomes. I find the effect of fiscal stress label is limited, leading to a decrease in the fund balance ratio and an increase in the tax rate. However, …

Public - Private In Vietnamese Universities: Exploring Sectoral Distinctiveness In Program Offerings, Lan Hoang

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

The public-private issues in higher education have been a longstanding important topic of academic and policy interest, especially in the context of the public - private duality in most higher education systems. With PHE’s impressive growth over the past few decades, now enrolling one third of global HE enrollments, the study of PHE has also been expanded, with several national case studies and world/regional edited books yet being mostly ad hoc with minimal synthesis or comparative analysis (Levy, 2024). The current case study of Vietnam, employing Levy’s double distinctiveness approach in sectoral distinctiveness analysis with the intrasectoral dissection on the …

2024 Adult Foster Home: Resident And Community Characteristics Report On Adult Foster Homes, Ozcan Tunalilar, Sarah Dys, Diana Jacoby, Wafi Albalawi, Minju Kim, Yuliana Levchenko, Paula C. Carder

Institute on Aging Publications

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Resident and Community Characteristics Report on Adult Foster Homes as part of the Oregon Community Based Care project. The first of these reports was published in 2014 and looking back, one gets a sense of both stability and change. In this year’s report, we describe the results based on data we collected from AFHs licensed and monitored by the Aging and People with Disabilities program of the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS/APD). These are small residential settings that provide personal and health-related services for up to five residents. They are primarily …

The Investigation Of The Effects Of Adolescent Substance Use On Socioeconomic Outcomes During Adulthood, Bedis Elkamel

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Background: Adolescence is a crucial point in life where choices, behaviors, and environmental influences can significantly shape future outcomes. This research investigates the increasing concerns surrounding adolescent substance use and examines its long-term effects on socioeconomic status (SES) in adulthood. Substance use during adolescence has been shown to have significant long-term physiological impacts, as the brain is still developing at this age. Additionally, many short- and long-term effects are associated with substance use, such as impacts on academics, physical and emotional well-being, and social life. Several studies have been conducted to explore the relationship between substance use and SES, however, …

Exploring Evidence-Based Intervention Methods In The Juvenile Justice System, Edgar J. Quinones-Gomez

Honors Undergraduate Theses

A large body of research has been devoted to understanding evidence-based interventions (EBI) and their effectiveness in the juvenile justice system. This systematic review examines three commonly used interventions used to reduce recidivism among adolescents involved in the juvenile justice system: Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Functional Family Therapy (FFT), and Multisystemic Therapy (MST). The systematic review analyzes findings from prior studies evaluating the impact of CBT, FFT, and MST on recidivism among adjudicated youth. The sample includes 23 peer-reviewed studies that utilized samples of adjudicated youth in the United States and were published after 2010. Findings revealed CBT as the most …

Department Chairs’ Impact On The Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion Of Their Departments, Nicholas R. Garcia Ii

Theses and Dissertations

Department chairs serve not only as the leaders of their departments but also as middle managers in their schools, colleges, and universities. While many department chairs see their role as having little authority, they still play an integral role in day-to-day campus operations (Hunt & Jones, 2015). As leaders of their departments, chairs can directly influence the department’s organizational culture (Schein, 2010), including the culture of diversity and inclusiveness. Departments nationwide are being held responsible for increasing the diversity of the faculty and responding to students' calls for diversity. Departmental organizational culture and the role of the chairperson are essential …

Lion City Zoopolis: Urban Crittizenship In Biophilic Singapore, George Wong

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

A central theme of Singapore’s “City in Nature” vision is framed through biophilic urbanism, or efforts to harmonize biodiversity and urban development through built, social, and political design. The central discourses of Singapore’s biophilic urbanism have revolved around flora-centric paradigms, including habitat conservation, greening spaces, and access to natural capital. This paper detours from conventions of Singapore’s urban ecological futures and instead explores the governance of fauna co- existence in the city–state through the concept of “urban crittizenship.” Defined as a more-than-human denization framework that interrogates urban wildlife governance, urban crittizenship interrogates the politics of urban wildlife’s rights to the …

Proof Of Principle For A Self-Governing Prediction And Forecasting Reward Algorithm, Jose Osvaldo Gonzalez-Hernandez, Jonathan Marino, Ted Rogers, Brandon Velasco

Physics Faculty Publications

We use Monte Carlo techniques to simulate an organized prediction competition between a group of scientific experts acting under the influence of a "self-governing" prediction reward algorithm. Our aim is to illustrate the advantages of a specific type of reward distribution rule that is designed to address some of the limitations of traditional forecast scoring rules. The primary extension of this algorithm as compared with standard forecast scoring is that it incorporates measures of both group consensus and question relevance directly into the reward distribution algorithm. Our model of the prediction competition includes parameters that control both the level of …

Politicizing Antisemitism Amidst Today’S Educational Culture Wars, Lili Levi

Lewis & Clark Law Review

The traditional narrative of American Jewry emphasizes American exceptionalism with respect to antisemitism. But there have been clear signs of a resurgence of public antisemitism in the United States even before the massive rise in antisemitic expression and incidents associated with the Israel-Hamas war of fall 2023.

One of the notable aspects of the rise and normalization of antisemitic expression is the deployment of antisemitism as a political tool. For example, in addition to Democrats and Republicans accusing each other of complicity in antisemitism, both federal policy since the Trump era and state antiantisemitism legislation have targeted campus antisemitism in …

Exploring Mental Health Stigma Among Law Enforcement Officers, Nicholas David Chestnut

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation investigates the prevalence and impact of mental health stigma among law enforcement officers (LEOs) in the United States. Despite growing awareness of the importance of mental health in the law enforcement community, stigma surrounding mental illness remains a significant barrier to help-seeking behaviors among officers. The study employed a research design that examined attitudes, perceptions, and experiences related to mental health stigma among LEOs.

Through online self-assessment surveys administered via a secure portal, participants provided insights into their attitudes toward mental illness, perceptions of stigma, and willingness to seek help for mental health concerns.

Data analysis revealed …

Three Papers On The Investigation Of Epistemic Legitimacy Among Colombian Regulators, Carolina Velandia Hernández

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation explores the intricate dynamics of how policy actors, as members of distinct epistemic communities, form, legitimize, and rationalize their preferences and behaviors. These epistemic communities provide a foundation for understanding the origins of beliefs and the mechanisms that drive cooperation, coordination, and advocacy among policy actors. By focusing on regulators within the energy policy subsystem in Colombia, this study sheds light on the significance of epistemic community membership in shaping beliefs about the human-nature relationship.

Additionally, this dissertation makes a methodological contribution by employing interpretative techniques for interviewing and data collection. It emphasizes the role of positionality, particularly …

A Reflexive Interrogation Of Teaching A Course On Administrative Theory To First-Semester Ma Students, Milad Mohebali

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

This portfolio captures the product of a year-long reflexive process on the teaching of a course on administrative theory in educational organizations (EDAD 830) to first year MA students. This class is offered Online and is delivered asynchronously, to students who are largely full-time professionals. Section one focuses on the use of backward design strategy for designing this course, while also highlighting the tensions and dilemmas for designing the course, particularly around theory and context, as well as the need to teach students how to engage in class. Section two highlights the pedagogical, instructional, and evaluative design of the course. …

The Potential Of Humor To Joyously Dismantle Ableism+: Considerations For Social Workers, Mia Ocean

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Social workers are often well-positioned but not adequately equipped to disrupt, unsettle, or counteract ableism. Humor is one approach to disability justice work that can move the social work profession forward in a novel way. Within this practice brief, I use first-person narrative to illustrate the potential and limitations of humor to dismantle ableism+ in everyday interactions between social workers, clinical social work practice, and policy transformation. First, I share an example of how to use humor as a direct, call-in strategy to confront social worker-initiated ableist interactions. Second, I describe how a mixed disabled/abled couple can laugh together at …

Towards Addressing Poverty And Inequality In Nigeria: Rethinking Social Protection Strategies, Olanrewaju O. Ogunnubi

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Poverty and inequality are major issues that fuel agitations and violent conflicts in Nigeria today. Although the Nigerian government continues to implement various social protection strategies, these have not been able to bridge the vast poverty and inequality gap in the country. This study examines social protection programs in Nigeria. It draws out observable challenges in the implementation of these programs and provides recommendations for improving social protection schemes in the country. The study adopts a qualitative historical analysis approach with data obtained from secondary sources. The study reveals that social protection schemes have largely failed to bridge the widening …