Digital Commons Network^™

Health Impact Assessment And City Council Policy: Identifying Opportunities To Address Local Social Determinants Of Health & Place-Health Relationships, 10 Years Later, Ryan J. Petteway, Shannon Cosgrove

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Health Impact Assessment (HIA) can be used to assess any type of policy/program related to social determinants (SDH). However, local public health departments (LHDs) have been slow to adopt formal use of HIA in efforts to address local SDH, even with growing evidence linking SDH and place-health relationships. Ten years ago we completed a review of Baltimore City Council policies to advance this conversation within the LHD. Our goal here is to revisit this review and, again, outline a process by which LHDs can: a) monitor local policies in regard to SDH and b) identify opportunities for potential HIA …

A Blade Of Grass Magazine Issue 5: Confronting Enemies, A Blade Of Grass

A Blade of Grass

Issue 5: Confronting Enemies

Engaging an inspiring group of thinkers and makers to consider what it looks like for various socially engaged art practices to venture into enemy territory. Guest edited by Daniel Tucker.

A Blade of Grass provides resources to artists who demonstrate artistic excellence and serve as innovative conduits for social change. They evaluate the quality of work in this evolving field by fostering an inclusive, practical discourse about the aesthetics, function, ethics and meaning of socially engaged art that resonates within and outside the contemporary art dialogue.

Greening Inequality: How Urban Sustainable Development Fails Under Neoliberalism, Josie R. Allison

University Honors Theses

Despite its banner of common-good altruism, urban sustainable development becomes a branding scheme for municipalities when it operates under and prioritizes a neoliberal agenda. Neoliberalism is the dominant economic philosophy within the United States, and other western economies, that emphasizes extreme economic liberalism and open markets with public fiscal austerity and the diminished role of governments. This has transferred a great portion of power and funding once held by the public sector into the hands of the private sector. Under neoliberalism, city governments function with stripped federal funding and limited budgets, while leaning on private companies for public operations, like …

Challenges And Practices For Effective Knowledge Transfer For New Members In Ad Hoc Virtual Teams, Alekhya Penmasta, Gopichand Nandamuri, Mohamed Sheikh, Sobha Rani Chittila, Thanvi Vemulapally

Engineering and Technology Management Student Projects

For many organizations, knowledge transfer whether in a co-location setting or virtual setting is one of the most important and challenging aspects of overall knowledge management infrastructure. The purpose of this research report is to explore the challenges faced by ad hoc virtual teams for achieving effective knowledge transfer between the members. In the year 2020, due to a pandemic caused by COVID-19, many industries were forced to follow physical distancing guidelines for the health and safety of their employees. This required many co-location teams to become ad hoc virtual teams. As success of a new member(s) in a team …

Policing Politics: Facebook And A Politician's Right To Free Speech, Adewunmi Adedji, Nisha Hemantha Raju, Jennifer Wagner, Alfonso Herrero, Matthew Johnson

Engineering and Technology Management Student Projects

Advancements in technology are not without their own ethical concerns. Social media technology provides for platforms which allow users to interact and exchange ideas in virtual communities. Of these Facebook is among the leaders of the pack with an estimated 2.7 billion monthly active users globally as of the second quarter of 2020 and estimated 190 million users in the United States as of October 2020.

This wide reach, in combination with low cost for advertisement makes it one of the platforms of choice for Organization to promote their products, services or agenda. This accounts for why 98% of the …

The Pacific Sentinel, October 2020, Portland State University. Student Publications Board

The Pacific Sentinel

Editor: Vivian Veidt

Articles in this issue include:

• Letter from the Editor
• Waiting to Exhale
• Untold Costs
• Sea Robots Versus Cyborg Jellyfish
• Indigenous Communities of Brazil
• Police Violence
• Abolish DHS
• Joe Biden and Vote Blue No Matter Who
• UPNow
• Looking Through the Overton Window
• Keep the Conventions Virtual
• Dear Nora

Pathos, Fall 2020, Portland State University. Student Publications Board

Pathos

Interim Editor-in-Chief: Claire Miller

What You Should Know About Racism-20: A Fact Sheet In The Time Of Covid-19, Ryan J. Petteway

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Satire has a history within public health and medical scholarship. However, research and academic works related to COVID-19, health inequities, and structural racism to date have not engaged/explored satire as a critical mode of reflection, analysis, and commentary. Drawing from social epidemiology literature related to structural racism, and rooted in critical race theory and critical theory related to narrative power, this paper—in the form of a "RACISM-20" fact sheet/health promotion flyer—uses satire and humor as critical commentary on mainstream public health discourse of/responses to COVID-19, transposing structural racism and COVID-19 to accentuate how individualist, apolitical, and “colorblind” downstream frames of …

Genetically Encoded Phase Contrast Agents For Digital Holographic Microscopy, Arash Farhadi, Manuel Bedrossian, Justin Lee, Gabrielle H. Ho, Mikhail G. Shapiro, Jay Nadeau

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Quantitative phase imaging and digital holographic microscopy have shown great promise for visualizing the motion, structure and physiology of microorganisms and mammalian cells in three dimensions. However, these imaging techniques currently lack molecular contrast agents analogous to the fluorescent dyes and proteins that have revolutionized fluorescence microscopy. Here we introduce the first genetically encodable phase contrast agents based on gas vesicles. The relatively low index of refraction of the air-filled core of gas vesicles results in optical phase advancement relative to aqueous media, making them a “positive” phase contrast agent easily distinguished from organelles, dyes, or microminerals. We demonstrate this …

Eco-Publishing In The Book Industry: An Interdisciplinary Case Study With Patagonia Books, Julie A. Collins

Book Publishing Final Research Papers

The purpose of this study is to explore eco-publishing in the book industry with an interdisciplinary approach: I will address eco-trends in human movements and essential industries; provide an overview of the book industry’s recent efforts to determine their environmental impact; and explore eco-publishing in practice by presenting findings from a case study of Patagonia Books featuring an interview with their publisher Karla Olson. This analysis of environmentalism on a broad scale gives us the ability to see how trends outside the industry may affect how we define the goals of publishing, and of particular publishing houses. Patagonia Books is …

Disney's Reign Over Independent Cinema: How Mega-Corporations Are Commercializing Creativity, Hannah Z. Dawson

University Honors Theses

The Walt Disney Company is undoubtedly a monopoly in the media industry space. Their impressive acquisitions have expanded their portfolio to corner the market in nearly every genre. Most recently, the company has hired independent directors in hopes of re-invigorating and creating variety between multiple brands and franchises. But the directors' authoritative voices are lost under the Disney brand, which I argue overshadows independent autonomy and potentially envelopes the rest of the media market. Brandishing this massive media force, Disney (and its other subsidiary branches) promotes palatable, conservative leaning "family friendly" content that leads to a wider chance of profit. …

We Are Brave: Expanding Reproductive Justice Discourse Through Embodied Rhetoric And Civic Practice, Roberta Hunte, Catherine Ming T’Ien Duffly

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

In this article, we share the example of our recent community-based performance project on reproductive justice, We are BRAVE, to serve as a model of how community-based performance can be an embodied strategy for social change. We draw from the work of scholars of feminist rhetoric, community-based performance, and reproductive justice. In sharing the example of We are BRAVE, we show how using communitycentered, performative storytelling as embodied rhetoric can be an effective mode of public and political persuasion.

Gaba Metabolism Is Crucial For Long-Term Survival Of Anoxia In Annual Killifish Embryos, Daniel E. Zajic, Jason Podrabsky

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

In most vertebrates, a lack of oxygen quickly leads to irreparable damages to vital organs, such as the brain and heart. However, there are some vertebrates that have evolved mechanisms to survive periods of no oxygen (anoxia). The annual killifish (Austrofundulus limnaeus) survives in ephemeral ponds in the coastal deserts of Venezuela and their embryos have the remarkable ability to tolerate anoxia for months. When exposed to anoxia, embryos of A. limnaeus respond by producing significant amounts of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). This study aims to understand the role of GABA in supporting the metabolic response to anoxia. To explore this, …

Variation In Female And Male Dialogue In Buffy The Vampire Slayer: A Multi-Dimensional Analysis, Amber Morgan Sanchez

Dissertations and Theses

Media representations of gender often reflect normative societal beliefs about gender and have the ability to both reinforce and subvert those beliefs. The current study examines the linguistic characterization of male and female characters on the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer, a series with an overt feminist message. Previous studies of gender variation in dramatic dialogue have found that female characters tend to be portrayed as using more linguistic features associated with an interpersonal and emotional focus (involvement), while male characters are portrayed as using more features centered on the transfer of information. Previous research has also found …

Webinar: A National Scan Of Bike Share Equity Programs: Best Practices And Lessons Learned, Nathan Mcneil, John Macarthur, Adriel Thornton

TREC Webinar Series

Connecting with cities and bike share operators from across the United States, Portland State University conducted a nationwide scan on what programs and initiatives were running to address equity in bike share. The report “National Scan of Bike Share Equity Programs” documents responses from over 70 bike share systems. This resource will help cities and operators navigate the range of actions that have been implemented to make bike share systems more equitable, examine successful strategies employed across the U.S., and understand how those successes (and challenges) are being measured and articulated. In doing so, we hope the report helps bike …

Engaging Communities In Archaeology On Private Property In An Urban Neighborhood: The Search For The First (1825-1829) Fort Vancouver, Vancouver, Washington, Amy Carolyn Clearman

Dissertations and Theses

Current archaeological literature calls for archaeology to become increasingly relevant in the modern world. Involvement in archaeological research can enhance the relevancy of archaeology for participants of public archaeology projects by strengthening personal connections with heritage and history. To investigate the impact of direct involvement in archaeological research on residents in Vancouver, Washington, I recruited members of two neighborhoods associated with Fort Vancouver National Historic Site to participate in the archaeological search for material remains of the first (1825-1829) Fort Vancouver. I asked the question: How does involvement in a public archaeology project affect participants' feelings about heritage, archaeology, and …

The Investor-State Dispute Settlement (Isds) Debate: Do Savings Provisions Influence Arbitration Outcomes?, Ryan Manning Moore

Dissertations and Theses

Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS), an instrument of international trade and investment law, today leads perceptions regarding the integrity of international dispute resolution and its administration. If confidence in international economic institutions to render judgements which are impartial to political influences become suspect, then their durability will erode. This inquiry investigates whether or not power imbalances are reflected inordinately within ISDS arbitration outcomes between host nations and their foreign investors. Although there have been clear instances which question any observer's view of ISDS impartiality, these outcomes have also served to distort a complicated fabric of case results that have changed and …

Literary Form And Analysis: Instructional Materials For English 300, Josh Epstein

PDXOpen: Open Educational Resources

This OER packet comprises instructional materials used for ENG 300: Literary Forms and Analysis, a "gateway" course for the English major and minor at Portland State University. It includes handouts, exercises, and a sample syllabus for this course, emphasizing skills of "close reading" and formal analysis, as well as the scholarly study of genre (poetry, fiction, drama, and film). The syllabus and handouts offered in this packet represent only one of many possible approaches to ENG 300. These open access, freely available resources that can be readily adjusted to suit different pedagogical methods. They can also be usefully complemented with …

A Seasonal Study Of Ecoroof Metal And Nutrient Dynamics And Associated Drivers In An Ecoroof On A Commercial Building In North Portland Oregon, Alex Vijay Bans

Dissertations and Theses

Green stormwater infrastructure (GSI), specifically ecoroofs, is increasingly seen as an effective stormwater management tool in urban planning strategies. However, the literature suggests that ecoroofs can be sources of certain metals and nutrients. The goal of our study was to address two research questions: 1) How does ecoroof runoff compare to conventional roof runoff chemically: do ecoroofs retain certain chemicals and leach others? and 2) what are the roof characteristics and environmental variables that affect runoff quality? For 10 months, runoff events from an ecoroof were compared to those of a conventional roof; water samples were collected with autosamplers, and …

Outsiders Within Inequality Regimes: A Sociological Framework To Advance The Lives Of Women Veterans, Sarah Louise Aktepy

Dissertations and Theses

This three-paper dissertation examines pervasive gender inequalities across two institutions: the US military and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The first paper, "'Don't Rock the Boat:' Experiences and Perceptions of Gender-Based Violence in the U.S. Military" uses qualitative interviews to better understand the experiences of gendered harassment and violence of women veterans in the US military. The second paper, "First Do No Harm: Assessing Veterans Affairs Screening for Military Sexual Abuse among our Nations Veterans" uses survey data and qualitative interviews to identify factors that contribute to inaccurate results of clinical screening for veterans with military sexual violence histories within …

Social Media Use, Social Comparison, And Loneliness, Jordan Elena Johnson

Dissertations and Theses

Since its invention, the use of Instagram and its psychological effect on users has been a topic of conversation for researchers. To achieve a better understanding of Instagram's effect on loneliness, it's important to isolate different behaviors on Instagram because of its different attributes as a social media app. Drawing on literature on the emotional effects of social media use and social comparison orientation (SCO), this study takes a closer look at specific Instagram behaviors: broadcasting, interacting, and browsing as well as SCO's relationship with loneliness. A total of 147 undergraduate students attending a university in the Pacific Northwest completed …

Undressing For Redress: The Significance Of Nigerian Women’S Naked Protests, Bright Alozie

Black Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

Social media went abuzz on July 23, 2020, when hundreds of women – mostly naked – staged a protest in the northwestern state of Kaduna, Nigeria. Wailing and rolling on the ground, they protested at the killing of people in ongoing attacks on their community.

The protesters, mostly mothers, demanded justice and called on the government, security agencies and international community to intervene.

Such naked protests are not new in Nigeria. Traditionally, among the Igbo and Yoruba of Nigeria, stripping naked signifies a curse against those targeted. Sometimes, mothers strip naked to put a curse on their truant sons or …

Raps Sheet, September 2020, Retirement Association Of Portland State

RAPS Sheet: Monthly Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Community-Derived Recommendations For Healthcare Systems And Medical Students To Support People Who Are Houseless In Portland, Oregon: A Mixed-Methods Study, Caroline King, Cameron Fisher, Jacob Johnson, Arum Chun, David Bangsberg, Paula C. Carder

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: People who are houseless (also referred to as homeless) perceive high stigma in healthcare settings, and face disproportionate disparities in morbidity and mortality versus people who are housed. Medical students and the training institutions they are a part of play important roles in advocating for the needs of this community. The objective of this study was to understand perceptions of how medical students and institutions can meet needs of the self-identified needs of the houseless community.

Methods: Between February and May 2018, medical students conducted mixed-methods surveys with semi-structured qualitative interview guides at two community-based organizations that …

An Intersectional Mixed Methods Approach To Understand American Indian Men’S Health, Ka‘Imi Sinclair, Kelly L. Gonzales, Claire Woosley, Tish Rivera Cree, Celina M. Garza, Dedra Buchwald

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study used a parallel, convergent, mixed-methods design with TribalCrit theory and intersectionality as analytical frameworks to identify how the identities of American Indian men intersect with broader structures and systems in shaping their eating and physical activity choices and behaviors, and in eliciting recommendations for a men’s lifestyle intervention. American Indian men were recruited in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Portland, Oregon, between March and December 2017, and in Phoenix, Arizona, in December 2019 to participate in a survey and focus groups. The survey included questions on demographics and physical and cultural activities men engage in, perceived social support for lifestyle …

Portland State Magazine, Portland State University. Office Of University Communications

Portland State Magazine

PSU’s alumni magazine, published 2-3 times a year. In this issue: Defined by the pandemic that surprised the world, this spring’s resilient graduates offer a window into extraordinary times; alumni on the November ballot all want a chance to “Let Knowledge Serve”; a 500-year-old codex gives students an unusual glimpse into the past; Alex Hunt’s robotics lab has pioneered a new field inspired by the adaptability of animals; the Center for Public Interest Design’s inventive mobile structures put services on wheels; Cameron Whitten raised more than $1.9 million in emergency assistance for Black Portlanders; and more.

Understanding Evangelical Support For, And Opposition To Donald Trump In The 2016 Presidential Election, Joseph Thomas Zichterman

Dissertations and Theses

This thesis addressed the conundrum that 81 percent of evangelicals supported Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election, despite the fact that his character and comportment commonly did not exemplify the values and ideals that they professed. This was particularly perplexing to many outside (and within) evangelical circles, because as leaders of America's "Moral Majority" for almost four decades, prior to Trump's campaign, evangelicals had insisted that only candidates who set a high standard for personal integrity and civic decency, were qualified to serve as president.

In order to deal with this problem, I conducted a qualitative study, which followed …

The Almohad: The Rise And Fall Of The Strangers, David Michael Olsen

Dissertations and Theses

The Almohad (1120-1269) displaced the Almoravid dynasty (1040-1147) as the rulers of the Maghreb and Andalusia in 1147 and created the largest Berber kingdom in history. They conquered the first indigenous rulers of the Maghreb by aggregating the Masmuda tribes from the High Atlas Mountains and enlisting the Zenata and Arab tribes from the Northern Maghreb. The Almohad rule built upon the existing Almoravid infrastructure; however, their cultural, administrative, and military approach entailed a more integrated tribal organization, centralized authority, and an original Islamic ideology. In creating this empire they envisioned the Maghreb as a consolidated political center and not …

Designing A More Effective Mri Contrast Agent: Investigation Into Various Functionalization Strategies For Targeted Imaging, Lauren Nicole Rust

Dissertations and Theses

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a medical imaging technique that provides high-resolution images used for diagnostic medicine while maintaining a superior safety profile compared to other radiative techniques. The administration of gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) improves the diagnostic power of MRI and have been used clinically for over three decades. Although GBCAs are effective at improving the contrast in the image, their detection limits are high and require a large dose to generate an observable effect. This high dose is the consequence of the current available designs of clinical GBCAs; their structures are not tuned to generate optimal efficacy. Efficacy …

Black Freedom Beyond Borders: Memories Of Abolition Day, Amber Butts, Ayize Jama-Everett, Calvin Williams, Donte Clark, Lisa K. Bates, Naudika Williams, Shawn Taylor, Walidah Imarisha, Amir Kadar

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Publications and Presentations

The anthology is available here for download, and the YouTube video of authors reading excerpts is embedded.

Wakanda Dream Lab and PolicyLink present a storyworld of safety and freedom in a future without prisons and policing.

While debates about “defunding” raise the question of what a new public safety system might look like, authors and artists are showing us what is possible through speculative fiction. In the spirit of visionary fiction, we convened future-bending Black storytellers for a Black Speculative Writer's Room Project, and together, we created an anthology of freedom dream stories exploring a world after the abolition of …