Digital Commons Network^™

Migrant Success: Sanctuary Law And Resources For Migrants In Portland, Oregon, Jessica Risney

University Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to determine how Oregon's 1987 sanctuary policy impacts the lives of undocumented migrants to Portland. These migrant communities have diverse backgrounds and needs that require the existence of nonprofit organizations dedicated to community engagement and legal assistance, as well as law enforcement community programs to provide key resources for all residents, including noncitizens. Through the analysis of multiple peer-reviewed articles and other sources on the implementation of sanctuary policy and the lives of undocumented migrants in the United States, this study identifies that laying the foundation for an increase in community safety and expanding …

Reducing Stigma Associated With Growing Up Poor: How To Create A More Equitable Future For Working Class Adolescents, Jessica Goodpaster

University Honors Theses

I examine how stigma associated with socioeconomic status (SES), or social class, has the potential to negatively impact individuals during adolescence. Specifically, I focus on the impact of class stigma, and the institutional barriers faced by adolescents as they prepare for adulthood. These barriers and the stress felt due to both stigmatization, and environmental stimuli specifically pertaining to low-income neighborhoods/environments, can hinder or alter the development of the four major domains of development: physical, social, emotional and cognitive development. Stigmatization has resulted in physically and socially isolating low-income communities from middle- or high-income communities, hindering social mobility for L-SES adolescents. …

Teen Dating Violence Prevention For Queer And Questioning Youth, Whitney Reek

University Honors Theses

Teen dating violence (TDV) is a prevalent problem among queer and questioning youth, yet research on TDV has not addressed how best to serve this population and current prevention programs do not directly target this population. This literature review compiles information on current TDV prevention programs recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); risk factors for TDV among queer and questioning youth; and social factors that indicate what type of prevention methods may be the most helpful for queer and questioning youth. These risk factors and social factors are then compared to the current TDV prevention programs …

Crime Patterns In Bend, Oregon Over A Twenty-Year Period, Holly Schorr

University Honors Theses

Most of the public's understanding of crime is based on mainstream media coverage, which is often tainted by sensationalism and oversimplification. News coverage tends to focus on shorter-term trends that can exaggerate crime patterns and obscure important contextual details. Although there are large quantities of data that can be used to analyze crime over long periods of time and in great detail, long-term analyses are often overlooked due to the ever-present need for shorter-term analyses to inform local policies and policing strategies. In this report, we will utilize UCR and NIBRS data to analyze both the nature of individual offenses …

The Transition Of American Theatre Due To The Covid-19 Pandemic From March 2020-May 2021, Taylor Fischer

University Honors Theses

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the theatre industry had to make massive shifts from March 2020 through May 2021. Many theatres went out of business because there was a lack of government funds available for the arts and entertainment industries. However, some theatres turned to virtual productions or in-person shows that meet CDC guidelines while others shut down completely. This paper describes the transitions made in the American theatre industry due to the pandemic through my experience working on a virtual production and interviews conducted with other artists.

I assistant directed a virtual production of Top Girls at Portland State …

Potential Therapeutic Effects Of Snake Venom Components On Pain Management In Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients, Maggie Metzger

University Honors Theses

This paper reviews the existing literature on the uses of snake venom in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and pain management. Venom from the families Elapidae and Viperidae have been shown to have anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. The analgesic findings of research on arthritis murine models are discussed, and the existing uses of snake venom in medicine to suggest the therapeutic potential of venom in the pain management of rheumatoid arthritis are taken into account. Snake venom has anti-inflammatory effects by reducing levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and increasing levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines. Additionally, snake venom can reduce structural damage from …

A Novel In Vitro Method For Pelvic Floor Dysfunction In Pcos Women, Ruben Vila

University Honors Theses

Background:

Poly Cystic Ovary Syndrome and Pelvic Floor Dysfunction are reproductive diseases with comorbidities whose novel relationship deserves further investigation.

Methods:

Levator Ani Muscle/Paravaginal Attachment was dissected from female Rhesus Macaque and subjected to tissue dissociation. Cells were treated with serum level hormones E2, T, and DHT. PCR, ICC, and IHC were used, followed by statistical analysis.

Results:

RNA analysis show differences in relative expression for endpoints ER, PR, AR, Ki-67, Col1A, and Vimentin. IHC along with ICC showed expression and localization in vivo.

Conclusions:

A novel in vitro model was created from macaque Levator Ani Muscle/Paravaginal Attachment for Pelvic …

The Usage Of Resveratrol For Eye Pain After Refractive Surgery, Dennis Nguyen

University Honors Theses

LASEK and PRK are common laser corrective eye procedures that aim to correct the refractive errors of the eye, although these procedures do carry the potential of post-operation complications of dry eye and symptoms of pain and photophobia as a result of corneal innervation damage. Resveratrol was tested on the surface of the cornea to see if the drug would be effective at attenuating post-corrective eye pain. Male and female rats underwent a unilateral corneal abrasion surgery that aimed to mimic the post-op symptoms of PRK. The rats either received the resveratrol drug treatment or a vehicle formulation. The Rat …

Evaluation Of Sex Education Curriculum And Policy Related To The Needs Of Lgbtq+ Latinx Youth, Olivia Nayler

University Honors Theses

Sex education is contentious and inconsistent in the United States but it is extremely necessary to address the health needs of young people and the adults they become. This study aims to evaluate how well comprehensive sex education curricula attend to the needs of high school age LGBTQ+ Latinx students. The curricula Our Whole Lives (OWL) and FLASH were chosen for the study as established sex education curricula based on their assertions of being factual and comprehensive, and for their adaptability in different settings and locations. A content analysis was performed on both curricula. In addition, an analysis of OAR …

Where To Draw The Line: Evaluating Visuospatial And Attentional Processing In Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Alisha Steigerwald

University Honors Theses

Objective: We investigated visuospatial processing in individuals with autism using bisection and quadrisection tasks to evaluate the presence of a possible downward vertical spatial bias that could provide insights into the preference for attending to the mouth in ASD populations.

Methods: Twenty participants with ASD and 20 age, IQ, and sex-matched control participants were recruited (ages 6-23). Participants were asked to bisect, quadrisect from the top, and quadrisect from the bottom vertical lines placed in their left, center, and right visual spaces. Distance from the true midpoint and quadripoint were calculated and compared between the two groups.

Results: No significant …

Colorism In Mexico: An Examination Of Inequality And The Psychological Impact In The Form Of Depression, Ana K. Kinzie

University Honors Theses

Mexican society is engaging in racism in the form of colorism; while colorism is widespread, it is not acknowledged by the population. As a previous Spanish colony, the effects of the social caste system affect how Mexicans view themselves and others, creating a preference for lighter skin tones. The idea of Mexicans being a hybrid race (Mestizo) prevails in the country, which affects racial minorities as they are often ignored. Skin tone in Mexico can affect the socioeconomic status of their population and the chances of social mobility. While research on how colorism affects the mental health of Mexicans is …

How To Escape 130 Years Of Being Unnatural, Incompetent, And Unviable: American Women Presidential Candidates Take To Social Media, Izabella Becherer

University Honors Theses

For 130 years, American media coverage on women in presidential races remains unchanged despite the drastic difference in women's rights. While male candidates receive commentary on their policy, women often fall into discussions about their hair, their hemline, or their husband. Three core narratives about women then stem from their media characterization: unnatural, incompetent, and unviable. Unnatural, in that women, by nature, are not meant to be in political office. Incompetent, implying women are not smart enough for political office. Unviable, arguing that America is not ready to elect a female or females are "unelectable". The key to escaping this …

Queer: A 25 Year History, A Blooming Identity, Greer Klepacki

University Honors Theses

The term "queer" has a long and complex history that has been previously undocumented in academic works. This thesis will work to unravel and uncover the complexity behind the term itself while also establishing its place in a historical timeline. In doing so, this thesis will illustrate the importance that queer identity has in the LGBTQIA+ community, along with academic, social, and theoretical frameworks. Furthermore, it will showcase the unique opportunity that the term queer has to allow its audience to engage with and understand a more critical and dynamic approach to the past, present, and future of the communities …

High-Stakes Education: Dual Language Immersion In Portland, Oregon, Andrew Maclean

University Honors Theses

This paper provides evidence and background information to support the claim that Dual Language Immersion (DLI) is the optimal k-12 education program to reduce the achievement gap between English Language Learners and native speakers of English, while also providing extraordinary benefit for Foreign Language Learners in the United States. This paper draws on Second Language Acquisition theory and recent education policy to show that the language situation in the United States would benefit greatly from the continued and amplified support of Dual Language Immersion programs over other programs like monolingual English immersion, transitional bilingual immersion, and developmental bilingual immersion. The …

"The Caucasian Persuasion Here In The 'Dale": Othering, White Normality, And Post-Racialism In Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Isaiah Lee

University Honors Theses

This thesis engages the construction of race within the television landscape of Buffy the Vampire Slayer to investigate how well-meaning, progressive media either reinvents or repudiates racial stereotype. This paper also examines the figure of the Other, as it is evoked in horror, and utilizes Hazel Carby's conception of the fantasized black subject to analyze the setting and characters of Buffy the Vampire Slayer with an eye towards the inherent assumptions the show makes about race. Ultimately, I argue that Buffy's representation of race assumes a white normality, flattening its non-white characters under the guise of inherent difference, even …

Police Union Contracts And Impediments To Accountability: A Case Study Analysis Of Ppa Bargaining Agreements, Elizabeth Ott

University Honors Theses

Despite a growing widespread recognition that police unions represent a major component of policing and have major influences on aspects of policing such as disciplinary procedures, day-to-day management, and police-community relations, they have until recently been largely ignored by police scholars. In light of significant gaps in knowledge regarding police unions and the impacts that they have on law enforcement behavior and police accountability, this paper utilizes a case study approach to analyze all existing union contracts between the Portland Police Association (PPA) and the City of Portland in order to explore the prevalence of particular contract provisions that critics …

The Effect Of Diazepam On Early Neural Stem Cells Proliferative Activity And Hippocampal-Dependent Memory After Traumatic Brain Injury, Van Khanh Doan

University Honors Theses

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) induces an upregulation of neurogenesis in the brain specifically in the hippocampus, an area pertaining to learning and memory formation. Although this upregulated response is intuitively thought to be restorative, previous studies show that the nascent neurons generated after TBI exhibit abnormalities, such as aberrant morphologies and early migrations, which could suggest to be maladaptive. The GABA-A agonist diazepam has been shown to inhibit this upregulation in neurogenesis and normalizes dendrites after TBI. To determine whether this modulation of neurogenesis is ultimately beneficial or detrimental to cognitive recovery, diazepam was administered to C57BI/6J wild-type mice following …

The Role Of Cognitive Load And Individual Differences When Interpreting Human-Resource Data Visualizations, Zachary Hesson

University Honors Theses

Data visualizations (e.g., bar graph, dashboard) can be used as decision-support and storytelling tools that aid users’ interpretation of sometimes complex information, including within the human resource management (HRM) context. As HRM evolves towards implementing more data-informed decisions, it is important to understand how users interpret data visualizations. The aims of this thesis are to (a) identify whether cognitive load affects the amount of time users spend arriving forming and interpretation and the accuracy of their interpretations, and (b) to evaluate whether cognitive load moderates the association between individual-difference variables and interpretation time and accuracy. The individual differences that are …

Relationships Between Coping Mechanisms And Perceived Stress Of Portland State University Community Members Amidst Covid-19, Julie Goldman

University Honors Theses

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the coping mechanisms used by the Portland State University (PSU) community and their relationships to perceived stress.

Methods: A virtual survey composed of demographic questions, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS10), the Brief COPE, and two open-ended questions was distributed to the community. Data were collected from 231 respondents, mostly PSU students. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to compute mean PSS score, adaptive coping score, and avoidant coping score. Pearson correlations and t-tests were run to explore the relationship between perceived stress and coping data.

Results: Perceived stress …

Suppressing Our Vote: How Vote-By-Mail Affects Latino Voter Turnout, M. Karen Casas-Gonzalez

University Honors Theses

Voter suppression has damaged our democracy and will continue to do so until citizens are given accessibility to voting through various means such as vote-by-mail. Voter suppression has disproportionately and historically affected people of color. The basis of this thesis is to highlight the effects of voter suppression in the Latino community, but more importantly to look at the possible benefits of vote-by-mail as a new political reform system to increase voter turnout. The 2020 election was a unique and historical moment for further research on this topic due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Previously, only a handful of states had …

The Prevalence Of Mental Health Disorders And Deficits In Individuals With And Without Siblings, Samantha Villanueva

University Honors Theses

The goal of this thesis is to understand how having siblings could affect mental well-being in individuals. Within the framework of a literature review, I examined multiple aspects of mental well-being with regard to siblings: 1) if having siblings could be a precursor for behavioral or developmental patterns in children 2) how trauma affects only children and individuals with siblings differently 3) long-term effects of sibling count once children reached adulthood 4) biases from clinical perspectives and prevention programs to combat these. Upon conclusion, only children were often noticed to struggle with mental health and certain socialization, although researchers noted …

The Wounded Inheritance: Epigenetics And The Family Line, Lisa Banta

University Honors Theses

Through the process of researching, conceptualizing, and creating my honors thesis I have been investigating my previously unknown family history and the events that led into generations of parental abandonment and inflicted trauma, in tandem with learning some basics about the research and science of epigenetics. In my own family line, the traumas endured by and inflicted upon the last five generations have, with no exaggeration, shaped every aspect of my life and history. Epigenetics explains how severe trauma can be passed down many generations through chemical changes in DNA. In other words, individuals may carry within their own bodies …

The Band Chervona: Russian Musical Traditions In The Portland Diaspora, Zoe Landi Fontana

University Honors Theses

This paper explores how the band Chervona reflects Russian musical traditions in its development and creative output.

Corporate Sociopolitical Activism And Nonprofit Identity Orientation On An Individual's Likelihood To Support, Tara Duenas

University Honors Theses

The purpose of this study aims to identify whether corporate sociopolitical activism (CSA) as a marketing strategy impacts individual stakeholders and their likelihood to support (time, money, or for-profit partnership) a nonprofit who may have different identity orientations (collectivistic or relational). The two nonprofits that inspired this study are Portland State University (PSU) and SNACK BLOC. Both organizations vary greatly in size and have implemented CSA in response to police abolition within the past year and currently receive public funding. There are various organizational differences between these nonprofits but there has been a suggested link in research that an organization’s …

Automated Decision Making And Machine Learning: Regulatory Alternatives For Autonomous Settings, Alyssa Heminger

University Honors Theses

Given growing investment capital in research and development, accompanied by extensive literature on the subject by researchers in nearly every domain from civil engineering to legal studies, automated decision-support systems (ADM) are likely to see a place in the foreseeable future. Artificial intelligence (AI), as an automated system, can be defined as a broad range of computerized tasks designed to replicate human neural networks, store and organize large quantities of information, detect patterns, and make predictions with increasing accuracy and reliability. By itself, artificial intelligence is not quite science-fiction tropes (i.e. an uncontrollable existential threat to humanity) yet not without …

How Can Portland's Urban Landscape Better Utilize Stormwater?, Joni Frame

University Honors Theses

This thesis worked to explore stormwater management and water runoff using urban green infrastructure in Portland, Oregon. Water management systems are used to store and treat stormwater (precipitation) that runs off impervious surfaces in our built environment. Stormwater is produced by rain and other forms of precipitation that runs off impervious surfaces such as streets, parking lots, and other sites. Climate changes are projected to include more frequent and more intensive storms which can lead to extreme flood hazards, increasing the stormwater runoff. This study analyzed the context of climate change in the city of Portland, OR, to understand how …

Homeless Students' Barriers To Education: Before And After Covid-19, Linda M. Twidwell

University Honors Theses

This thesis is an examination of the barriers to education homeless youth may be faced with both before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Using past literature, this paper will focus on three main barriers homeless students may have faced before the pandemic. These are homeless students’ lack of support needed to succeed, how federal policy shapes homeless students’ opportunities and rights, and that the rate of children experiencing homelessness is rising, and little is being done about the fact. After discussing the literature before March 2020, this paper will examine the literature that has come out since the pandemic’s beginning, …

Bryophyte Ecosystem Services: How Bryophytes Impact Ecosystem Processes And Their Use In Urban Systems, Keila Spangler

University Honors Theses

Bryophytes, which include mosses, liverworts, and hornworts, are non-vascular plants that provide crucial ecosystem services in natural and urban systems. In natural systems, these services include carbon, water, and nutrient cycling and maintenance of community level biodiversity. In urban systems, bryophytes can be used as green roof substrate, as bioindicators to monitor pollution and air quality, for horticulture uses, and in medicine. Although bryophytes possess some qualities, such as reproduction by spores, that may give them an advantage compared to vascular plants as the climate warms, their response to climate change remains understudied. This paper will review the literature on …

Engaging Ecological Narratives: An Inquiry Into Place-Based Knowledge And Disaster Risk Reduction In Gozo, Malta, Ella S. Richmond

University Honors Theses

This paper utilizes fieldwork on the island of Gozo, Malta as a case study in understanding place-based environmental relationships. I employ a mixed methodology ethnographic approach to explore the disconnect between local narratives of hazard risk and those of larger institutional actors including the Maltese government, the EU, and the World Risk Index. This study reveals themes of: 1) language shaping climate discourse; 2) place-based oral histories and lore as impacting how risk is perceived; 3) tension between tradition and modernity in the realm of risk reduction; and 4) conflicting climate narratives characterizing the nature of preventative action. I argue …

Do Secondary Cyclones Increase The Category Scale Of Atmospheric Rivers?, Edgar Sanchez Fausto

University Honors Theses

Atmospheric rivers (ARs) play a crucial role in delivering precipitation worldwide. This makes them an important phenomenon for water resource specialists to study. One such interest is to understand what mechanisms make ARs produce significant rainfall and associated hazards such as flooding. One possible mechanism is that AR duration or intensity may increase when it interacts with a secondary cyclone, either of which can increase the AR category scale. The purpose of this study is to determine whether AR and secondary cyclone interactions increase the category scale ARs. Out of 52 AR events analyzed, 32 events contained at least one …