Digital Commons Network^™

Social Networks And Behavioral Adaptation Of Serrano Horses In A Rewilding Initiative In Spain, Ashley Bruno

Theses and Dissertations

Rewilding is a conservation measure that involves actively relocating species or restricting human land use to improve ecosystem sustainability. However, critics raise concerns that rewilding privileges ecosystem function over endangered species. Due to a lack of monitoring around species’ relocations, uncertainty lies in ecological outcomes and psychological, social, cultural impacts on affected animals. For this project, we collaborated with the non-profit Rewilding Europe that sought to conserve Serrano horses (Equus caballus), an ancient and under-studied breed of Spanish horse by relocating 11 individuals to a protected site in Guadalajara, Spain in June 2022. Our research aimed to address …

Lowering The Barrier For Reading Primary Literature In Stem, Sebastian G. Alvarado, Maral Tajerian

Open Educational Resources

Building Bridges of Knowledge (BBK) is a cross‑CUNY initiative that integrates artificial intelligence (AI) and open educational resources to lower the barrier to primary literature and enhance research‑focused pedagogy. Recognizing that scientific papers are often dense and inaccessible to newcomers, we developed a suite of AI‑assisted instructional materials and activities to help students interpret complex data and methodology. A central component is the use of large language models (LLMs) and tools such as Scite.ai to provide citation‑context analytics and personalized research support. These tools allow students to filter literature by supportive, neutral, or contrasting citation statements and to troubleshoot laboratory …

Vaccines And Publics: A Variety Of Engagement Experiences, David H. Lee

Publications and Research

This chapter is about some of the sites and scenes where members of the public are exposed to (and engage in) vaccination discourse. To preview, after a brief introduction, we begin with messaging models of communication, followed by the move from messaging to engagement. Next, case examples of public engagement with vaccines are introduced, from pandemic influenza preparedness in the U.S., to polio eradication initiatives in India, and then to COVID-19 public engagement events in England. Settings of public engagement are noted, including online, in churches and museums. Then, there’s a section about communication and public participation, seen as either …

Estimating The Amount Of Carbon Dioxide Gas Removed From The Atmosphere By The Bryant Park Tree Population, Edimarlyn Gonzalez

Open Educational Resources

No abstract provided.

Atorvastatin Alters Neuronal Morphology Data Set, Carolyn L. Pytte

Publications and Research

Statins are highly effective and widely prescribed cholesterol lowering drugs. However, statins cross the blood-brain barrier and decrease neural cholesterol in animal models, raising concern that long-term statin use may impact cholesterol-dependent structures and functions in the brain. Cholesterol is a fundamental component of cell membranes and experimentally decreasing membrane cholesterol has been shown to alter cell morphology in vitro. In addition, brain regions that undergo adult neurogenesis rely on local brain cholesterol for the manufacture of new neuronal membranes. Thus neurogenesis may be particularly vulnerable to long-term statin use. Here we asked whether oral statin treatment impacts neurogenesis …

Exploring Factors Influencing Posttraumatic Growth Among Nurses: A Path Analysis, Shinhi Han, Hee Sun Kang, Koun Eum, Kathleen Karsten, Faith Armstrong

Publications and Research

Introduction: Persistent exposure to the COVID-19 pandemic has subjected frontline nurses to heightened levels of collective traumatic syndromes, including stress, burnout, and emotional distress. Resilience and self-compassion may serve as protective factors in mitigating stress and burnout stemming from the pandemic. Moreover, these factors may contribute to posttraumatic growth (PTG), which has been recognized as a potential outcome for nurses caring for patients. This study aimed to investigate the factors contributing to PTG among registered nurses, with perceived stress, burnout, resilience, and self-compassion.

Methods: This cross-sectional observational survey used convenience sampling with 228 registered nurses from New York. Data were …

The Art Of Masking And Performing For The Perfect Marriage In William Shakespeare’S The Taming Of The Shrew, Rita Oliva

Dissertations and Theses

This thesis explores how William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew exaggerates the art of masking and performing as necessary social techniques for women surviving the patriarchal culture of Padua. Through close analysis of Katherine and Bianca Minola, both sisters adopt performative identities, the “shrew” and the “ideal woman,” that reflect, resist, and expose the restrictive gender norms governing female behavior, qualifications for marriage, and worth. While Bianca’s apparent passivity and rhetorical femininity promote her to manipulate societal expectations to her advantage, Katherine’s refusal to submit to the societal and cultural standards of Padua results in her categorization of a …

Cather, Silko, Hunt: Rethinking Prosperity Twentieth-Century Explorations Of Interiority, Materiality, And Transcendence, Aileen Montoya

Dissertations and Theses

• Interiority
• Materiality
• Transcendence
• Prosperity
• Modernism
• Subjectivity
• Narrative Identity
• Spiritual Landscapes

Adaptation For Whom? Understanding The Impacts Of Dyke Policies On Small-Scale Farmers In Ca Mau Province Of Vietnam, Nguyen Minh Quang, Nguyen Van Minh, Nguyen Vo Chau Ngan, Martha B. Lerski

Publications and Research

Low-lying deltas worldwide are extremely vulnerable to sea-level rise. As the risks of climate-induced flooding become increasingly clear, the thirst for infrastructure-driven adaptation increases. This highlights a patent need to understand the impacts of engineering adaptation solutions, especially those targeting built structures such as dykes and sluices, on farmers from a bottom-up, farmer-centred perspective. The study addresses this call by examining cases where dyke policies, while successful in some dimensions, have undermined small-scale farmer livelihoods in Ca Mau ― Vietnam’s southernmost rural province. It identifies areas in need of attention and adds empirical data related to this group of farmers. …

Identifying Intangible And Biocultural Heritage Elements Toward Environmental Understanding: Engaging Stakeholders Through Art, Martha B. Lerski

Publications and Research

Grounded in a case study in Barbuda in the Caribbean, this research examines sustainability from the perspective of what arts and heritage can contribute to community engagement and local and broader understandings about the environment. This article documents a growing body of literature recognizing the role of arts and culture, including local knowledge and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), in climate change endeavors. Art and TEK present expansive world views. Contextual information situates research done on the island of Barbuda pre- and post-Hurricane Irma. Visual arts workshops engaged community members in mixed methods research. Results documented cultural elements, particularly intangible and …

At The Farm In Battery Park Assignment, Karen Williams

Open Educational Resources

No abstract provided.

The History Of Urban Life Textbook, Samuel Finesurrey

Open Educational Resources

No abstract provided.

Csc 22100 Software Development Laboratory Homework Assignment #3, Mitch Gershonowitz

Open Educational Resources

This is the third homework assignment for an Introduction to Java Programming course, which requires the students to write Java code using industry-accepted conventions. The assignment requires the student to write a Java classes and interfaces that demonstrate usage of passing lambda expressions to methods, as well as demonstrating polymorphism and inheritance.

Ebony Patterson’S …Things Come To Thrive…In The Shedding…In The Molting… (2023) As Intervention, Renee Mcgarry

Publications and Research

This paper examines the use of horticulture and botany in Ebony Patterson's 2023 exhibition at the New York Botanical Garden, …things come to thrive…in the shedding…in the molting… as it relates to the history of NYBG, the Bronx, and the populations that historically and currently reside in the borough. Using plants, blown glass, and glittering styrofoam forms, Patterson productively intervenes in the relationship between an historic, prestigious institution and a changed borough that, since the 1990s, has been walled off from the Garden. The exhibition highlights the tension between community and institution and offers up a new way of understanding …

Hostos Community College Academic Bulletin 2024-2025, Hostos Community College

College Bulletins

This is the official college catalog for 2024-2025. It contains course descriptions as well as information on degree programs, college resources and services, financial aid, admissions, and the academic calendar.

Repressed Memories And The Body Keeps The Score: Public Perceptions And Prevalence, Kris-Ann S. Anderson, Quincy C. Miller, Deryn Strange, Kamala London

Publications and Research

The “memory wars” resurgence has renewed debates over the validity of repressed memories. This revival appears linked to factors such as changing statutes of limitations, confusion about repression, and unchallenged social media content. In a nationally representative online survey of American adults (N = 1581), we examined (a) beliefs in repression and the body keeps the score, (b) the prevalence of recovered memory claims, and (c) the impact of question phrasing on recovered memory reporting. An overwhelming 94% of respondents expressed belief in repressed memory, and 77% endorsed the idea that the body keeps the score. Additionally, 3.6% (n = …

On The Wax: How Prosecutors Weaponize Rap Lyrics At Trial, Jasmine Ross

City University of New York Law Review

In the last few years news headlines have been filled with stories of high-profile trials in which celebrity rappers like Young Thug, Tekashi 6ix9ine (now “6IX9INE”) and Bobby Shmurda have been confronted by prosecutors with lyrics they wrote. Of course, the use of rap lyrics in these trials is no accident. Since the 1990s criminal defendants who happen to pen rap lyrics are increasingly likely to have their lyrics admitted against them at trial. This is happening all over the country—in federal and state courts—at every stage of criminal proceedings. This Note will focus on the use of rap lyrics …

Investigation Of Rna-Binding Protein Expression Changes In The Hippocampus Following Doxorubicin And Cyclophosphamide Treatment, Lijie Chen

Dissertations and Theses

This study investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment (CICI) following doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide treatment in a rat model, revealing three significant alterations in hippocampal tissue: selective downregulation of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A1 (hnRNPA1) (21% decrease, p=0.0298), compromised astrocytic network integrity evidenced by reduced GFAP-positive area in cornu ammonis 3 (CA3) (24%, pB=0.026) and dentate gyrus (DG) (19%, pB=0.027) regions, and elevated cellular senescence marker p19Arf specifically in DG (69%, pB=0.033) and CA3 (27%, pB=0.024). The inverse relationship between hnRNPA1 reduction and p19Arf elevation suggests a potential mechanistic link between RNA dysregulation and senescence induction, with pronounced vulnerability in …

Toxin-Like Proteins In The Venom Of Drosophila Parasitoids, Lady V. Cardenas

Dissertations and Theses

The figitid parasitoid wasps of Drosophila are gaining importance in agriculture due to their ability to kill the resilient soft-fruit pest Drosophila suzukii. Their success and infection strategies vary, and the mechanisms underlying these differences are largely unknown. Some of their venom proteins have been shown to be important in suppressing host defense. Here, we report that Ganaspis brasiliensis, a parasitoid of D. suzukii survives well on Drosophila yakuba, a host species with a strong cellular immunity, and infected flies are unable to mount a strong immune response. To predict possible toxin-like proteins in Ganaspis venoms that might suppress cellular …

Caring For Public Art On Campus: A Case Study In Archives, Conservation And Curation For Public Art At The City University Of New York At York College In South Jamaica, Queens (2025 Cuny Research In The Classroom Grant Project), Emily Verla Bovino

Open Educational Resources

The City University of New York (CUNY) hosts public art at many of its colleges. The practice of funding public art through the CUNY Construction Fund and the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) began after a 1966 New York State Law created a financing and construction partnership between the two entities.

As these collections of museum-quality contemporary art on CUNY campuses age and increase in value, how can care and conservation be ensured? Conceived in response to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data on the projected 11% growth of employment for archivists, curators, museum technicians, …

Karyotyping As A Method To Verify Phylogenetic Relationships Among The Enneacanthus Species, Ophelia A. Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

The Enneacanthus genus consists of three species of freshwater fish endemic to eastern North America: E. obesus (Banded Sunfish), E. gloriosus (Blue Spotted Sunfish), and E. chaetodon (Black Banded Sunfish). Previous studies using molecular data suggest that E. obesus and E. gloriosus are more closely related, with E. chaetodon as the most distantly related species in the genus. This study investigates the phylogenetic relationship among the Enneacanthus species, using karyotype characteristics - chromosome number, morphology and fundamental number - as comparative metrics. Chromosome spreads were obtained from scale and gill epithelium samples collected between 1993 and 1994. Prepared slides …

Caspases Protect Against Hyperglycemia Induced Necroptosis-Like Cell Death In Brain Endothelial Cells, Aleena S. Mathew

Theses and Dissertations

Acute diabetes characterized by high spikes in blood glucose levels in association with severe hyperglycemia can lead to an increased risk of ischemic stroke in the brain. To better understand high blood glucose levels, hyperglycemia, in the brain we explored its effects on endothelial cells. Endothelial cells line the inner walls of blood vessels and are directly impacted in hyperglycemia. Brain endothelial cells are a major component of the blood brain barrier (BBB) which tightly regulates the brain’s microenvironment. The type of cell death such as apoptosis, caspase dependent, or necroptosis, caspase independent, can exacerbate diabetes associated complications. There is …

The Towering Inferno: Art, Policy, And Legacy, Charles R. Jennings

Publications and Research

The Christian Regenhard Center for Emergency Response Studies, leveraging the expertise of its faculty, staff, Advisory Board and colleagues, has consistently programmed activities focused on high-rise fire safety. The upcoming 50^th anniversary of the film The Towering Inferno was an inspiration.

We decided this would be more lighthearted and less purely technical than many of our events. We wanted to consider both the film, and use it to reflect on the state of fire safety in tall buildings in New York City.

Of course it does not escape us that the topic of fire safety is a serious one, …

Intro To Motion Graphics & Effects, Andrea E. Defelice

Open Educational Resources

Introduction to Motion Graphics & Effects MEDST 258 Section 1, 3 credits | Open Educational Resources (OERs) Faculty Fellowship Program 2024-2025 Online/Synchronous | Professor Andréa DeFelice

Links: Academic Commons: https://motiongraphicsfx.commons.gc.cuny.edu

OER-Calibrated COURSE DESCRIPTION: Get a project-based approach to the aesthetic and technical aspects of motion graphics and effects. This introductory course is designed to inform and inspire beginners, while utilizing OER and zero-cost materials. Students enrolled in this course are provided a free Adobe CC license and taught to use Adobe After Effects. Students are also taught how to be resourceful by searching out open license/free media online, by way …

Drawing 1 Course Syllabus, Fall 2025, Jennifer Sullivan

Open Educational Resources

This introductory drawing course offers an immersive, practice-based exploration of observational drawing from life. Emphasizing perceptual skills, students will engage with key visual principles—such as proportion, space, perspective, and composition—through projects focused on still life, the human figure, and portraiture. Working with graphite, charcoal, and ink, students will develop both technical fluency and expressive range, learning to convey presence, mood, and memory through mark and form. The course blends rigorous studio practice with critical looking and discussion, encouraging students to cultivate their own artistic voice through sustained attention, experimentation, and care.

Multimodal Imaging Of Protein-Based Biomaterials For Delivering Chemo-Agent Cargo For Glioblastoma Treatment In A Murine Model, Orin Mishkit

Dissertations and Theses

Protein-based self-assembling biomaterials, known as Thermo-Responsive Assembled Proteins (TRAP), present meaningful potential as drug delivery carriers. These materials enable the controlled, slow release of poorly soluble chemotherapeutic agents, such as doxorubicin (Dox), while potentially reducing systemic off-target effects. In collaboration with multiple NYU labs, this study evaluated the efficacy of two TRAP variants—TRAP and F-TRAP—as drug delivery carriers in a xenograft mouse model of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM).

The primary objective was to compare the effectiveness of TRAP-loaded Dox (TRAP-DOX) to free Dox in achieving tumor extravasation and accumulation, facilitating sustained drug release. We hypothesized that the leaky vasculature of GBM …

Adaptation Of The Biodent For Spherical Microindentation To Determine Elastic Modulus In Small Rodent Bones, Mixame E. Jerome

Dissertations and Theses

Mechanical and material properties of bone are essential for understanding both normal skeletal function and the progression of bone-related diseases. Microindentation has become a widely used method for evaluating tissue mechanical properties of bone, as it samples the contributions of microarchitecture and composition. Microindentation using a standard pointed tip inherently introduces both elastic and plastic deformation into the material. In contrast, indentation with a spherical tip can be operated entirely in the elastic range, providing for a non-damaging test that has significant advantages over sharp indentation techniques. Moreover, a key advantage of using spherical indentation lies in its operation under …

Explorations Of Dna-Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Interactions To Develop Multiplexed Molecularly Specific Biosensors For Inflammation, Amelia K. Ryan

Dissertations and Theses

Inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-12 (IL-12) are central regulators of immune signaling and key biomarkers of disease, yet existing assays for their detection remain slow, invasive, and lack multiplexing ability. This dissertation advances the development of single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) optical nanosensors capable of real-time, multiplexed, and molecularly specific cytokine detection through innovative use of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) interfaces.

First, an IL-6-specific DNA aptamer was employed as both a dispersing agent and recognition probe for SWCNT fluorescence sensing. Sequence modifications, including anchor domains, truncations, and thermally induced refolding, were systematically tested to optimize sensitivity and selectivity. The …

Advancing Electrical Stimulation: Full-Head Mri Segmentation For Abnormal Brain Anatomy With Tdcs, Andrew Birnbaum

Dissertations and Theses

Evaluating the effectiveness of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is essential for guiding its integration into therapeutic and performance-enhancement applications. In our laboratory, we investigate the efficacy of tDCS across multiple experimental models, including both animal and human studies. I have contributed significantly to the execution and analysis of these experiments, which include studies in rats and healthy human participants aimed at evaluating whether electrical stimulation of the motor cortex can enhance motor learning. These studies assess improvements in fine motor performance resulting from tDCS. In stroke patients, I contribute to our investigation of tDCS as a rehabilitative intervention, particularly …

Wearable Disposable Elecetrotherapy, Mohamad Fallahrad

Dissertations and Theses

Non-invasive electrotherapies offer promising treatments for a wide range of conditions such as pain, headaches, depression, addiction, cognitive decline, wound healing, and drug delivery. However, patient compliance remains low due to the high initial cost, cumbersomeness and inconvenience of existing technology compared to pharmaceuticals. Current electrotherapy devices are often bulky and require users to connect disposable electrodes, initiate programs, and manage charging cycles, which hinders widespread adoption.

We address these challenges by designing and validating a novel electrotherapy platform that is single-use, disposable, low-cost, and wearable. Activated automatically upon skin contact, the device delivers a preset dose of controlled electrical …