Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring How Factors Affecting Exercise Adherence May Inform Strategies To Increase Adherence In General And Depressed Populations: A Literature Review, Henry D. Link

University Honors Theses

Background: Exercise is associated with numerous physical and mental health benefits; however, many people struggle to exercise a sufficient amount and thus do not reap the benefits. Exercise is recognized as an effective treatment for depression with few risks. Professionals must understand the factors affecting exercise adherence to assist individuals of different backgrounds with adhering to exercise over the long term and to avoid common pitfalls that could hinder an individual’s progress.

Objective: This literature review aimed to identify factors affecting exercise adherence and to explore how those factors could inform strategies to increase exercise adherence among depressed …

We're Here To Stay: Nonviolence And The Disability Rights Movement, Sky Mcleod

University Honors Theses

Nonviolent resistance is an effective tool for enacting large scale change including the advancement of civil rights. Disabled Americans have often used nonviolent protest and civil resistance to this aim. Despite this rich history of activism, the history of the Disability Rights Movement has largely been missing from scholarship on nonviolent resistance. Similarly, historical accounts in Disability Studies provide a fragmented perspective on the use of nonviolent resistance by Disabled people. This thesis delves into this under-appreciated history. From the League of the Physically Handicapped in the 1930s to Trump’s inauguration in 2016, this paper traces the progress of the …

"Crush The Monster": Homosexuality And Moral Panic In 1950s Idaho, Ian Hadrick

University Honors Theses

On October 31, 1955, three men were arrested and accused of performing homosexual acts in the quiet, suburban community of Boise, Idaho. The arrests set off a sweeping investigation of Boise's "widespread homosexual underground" that made national news and resulted in more than one thousand police interrogations and the conviction of fifteen homosexual Boiseans. Though Boise's moral panic and the ensuing investigation are among the largest of the sex panics of the 1950s, the city's 1955 homosexuality scandal has attracted relatively little scholarly attention. An in-depth analysis of the social, economic, and political forces that combined to produce hysteria in …

At The Intersection Of Domestic Violence And Mass Shootings: A Qualitative Analysis Of The Relationship Between Ipv And Gun Violence, Troy Bleau

University Honors Theses

The intersectional study of domestic violence and mass shootings has only recently been the subject of inquiry within the psychology field. Within the past ten years research has been developed to examine the relationship between these two epidemics. What authors have found is that DV does play a role in shooting perpetration. This study aimed to identify domestic violence as a risk factor to predict, and subsequently intervene before future instances of shootings. 112 shootings were analyzed between the years of 2020 and 2023--they were then categorized as DV-related, non-DV related, and/or History of DV. The tested hypothesis was that …

Provisioning The 21st Century City: Community And School Gardens As Food Centers, Charleen L. Kepner

Anthós

This essay explores the potential impact of urban agriculture and community gardens as sources of education and sustainable and environmentally-sound food production. Using an analysis of case studies and academic research, I argue for the viability of community gardens and urban agriculture as educational hubs and future food production sources. I examine previous research which shows that small scale effort can make lasting impacts in communities. I argue that the research is promising as it highlights that the efforts of people in their everyday lives, can and do contribute to positive change. This essay contributes to the ongoing discussion of …

Hillsboro: Bike And Pedestrian Implementation Recommended Strategy, Maddy Poehlein, Chris Corral, Sierra Willems, Ciara Williams, Lise Ferguson, Shane Seaman

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Workshop Projects

This project presents a contextualized Bike and Pedestrian Implementation Strategy for the City of Hillsboro. The goal was to develop an actionable approach to expand and improve the City’s active transportation network. The strategy incorporates 23 criteria for project selection informed by existing conditions and the City’s priorities. Finally, the report culminates with a recommended implementation approach using two top scoring projects as examples.

How Reuse Rooms Can Reduce Waste On University And College Campuses, Zoe Slabodnik

University Honors Theses

This undergraduate honors thesis discusses the importance of how reuse rooms on university and college campuses can reduce waste by providing an alternative method of disposal other than landfills. There is currently no definition in use that exists for the term reuse room. This thesis defines a reuse room as a community room where anyone with access can donate and take free items that can be reused, recycled, repurposed, repaired and reworn. The goal of a reuse room is to encourage waste reduction, promote and destigmatize the use of second-hand materials, and save money and items from going to landfills. …

Enhancing Robustness Of Machine Learning Models Against Adversarial Attacks, Ronak Guliani

University Honors Theses

Machine learning models are integral for numerous applications, but they remain increasingly vulnerable to adversarial attacks. These attacks involve subtle manipulation of input data to deceive models, presenting a critical threat to their dependability and security. This thesis addresses the need for strengthening these models against such adversarial attacks. Prior research has primarily focused on identifying specific types of adversarial attacks on a limited range of ML algorithms. However, there is a gap in the evaluation of model resilience across algorithms and in the development of effective defense mechanisms. To bridge this gap, this work adopts a two-phase approach. First, …

Moss Biomonitoring Of Lead Emissions From Hillsboro Airport, Daria Kolpakov

University Honors Theses

The objective of this experiment was to use biomonitoring as a method to determine lead concentration levels around Hillsboro Airport in Hillsboro, Oregon. Twenty-two samples were collected within a 2 km radius around Hillsboro Airport using a randomized sampling strategy. The concentrations of lead within the samples were determined using ICP-MS. The average lead concentration was (2.8 ± 5.0) mg/kg with a peak value of 21.6 mg/kg 0.57 km from Hillsboro Airport. As the average lead concentration was substantially skewed, Hillsboro Airport is likely to be the source of the lead increase.

Abusive Abbots And Malevolent Monks: Monasteries And Violence In The Early Anglo-Norman Period, Timothy B. Smart Jr.

University Honors Theses

This investigation examines the conduct of abbots and monasteries from 1066 to 1087 in the context of violence and monasteries. It analyzes monastic chronicles and Anglo-Norman histories. The two historiographical lineages that emerge: the Norman Conquest and religious warfare. After the initial conquest in 1066, four native abbots offer insight into a range of local monastic behaviors during the early years of Norman rule. The Normans, in their combat against rebellious monasteries, developed procedures to remove local abbots in 1070. This connection between rebellions and monasteries drove the militarization of monasteries by both the Normans and the Anglo-Saxons. The militarization …

Condiciones Laborales De La Floricultura En Colombia, Alexander Thibado

University Honors Theses

This thesis analyzes the laboral conditions and the socioeconomic implications of the Colombian floriculture industry. The proportion of employment opportunities for rural Colombian peasant women is examined and how it challenges traditional gender structures in Colombia and the empowerment of the female workers. Likewise the controversy of domestic violence is addressed and how workshops given in flower farms contribute to its prevention and addressing. In addition, the usage of pesticides in flower production and its significance for the health of the workers is examined, highlighting the associated risks with long-term exposure to chemical pesticides and the importance of protection and …

Pt-Symmetry And Eigenmodes, Tamara Gratcheva

University Honors Theses

Spectra of systems with balanced gain and loss, described by Hamiltonians with parity and time-reversal (PT) symmetry is a rich area of research. This work studies by means of numerical techniques, how eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of a Schrodinger operator change as a gain-loss parameter changes. Two cases on a disk with zero boundary conditions are considered. In the first case, within the enclosing disk, we place a parity (P) symmetric configuration of three smaller disks containing gain and loss media, which does not have PT-symmetry. In the second case, we study a PT-symmetric configuration …

Literary Lepidopterology: Nabokov And The Book That Was A Butterfly, Dave Patterson

Anthós

In this paper I examine Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita, arguing that contrary to many interpretations, the book does not assert a moral lesson, and is instead a work of art for art’s sake. I examine its formal structures to demonstrate this claim. First I look at a Doppelgänger motif between the characters of Humbert Humbert and Clare Quilty. Since this motif is independent of Humbert’s character arc, it is narratively insignificant and becomes merely one of many themes related to doubles, twins, and mirror images. I also explain how Nabokov was a lifelong scientist studying butterflies and moths, and saw …

Investigating The Effects Of Inclusive Environments On The Mental Health Of Queer Individuals : A Study With The Rose City Rollers, Ashton Lee

Anthós

Purpose: Portland, OR, is home to the world’s largest roller derby organization, the Rose City Rollers (RCR). Having the spotlight held upon the community, the organization takes immense pride in communicating its ongoing embrace of its queer and uniquely diverse players. With historical and present prejudice against the LGBT+ community, derby stands as a haven for players looking for a place that will embrace each player's identity. The purpose of the study is to see how RCR’s openly queer settings specifically impact the well-being of its queer members.

Methods: November 2023, I conducted three interviews and a research group using …

Auditory Ace Mobile Application Capstone Review, Layla Smith

University Honors Theses

This paper describes the development process and outcomes of my 2023-2024 Capstone Project, Auditory Ace, a self-directed auditory training mobile application for individuals with cochlear implants. Recognizing the limitations of current market offerings, Dr. Timothy Anderson created a Capstone project proposal to develop an accessible auditory training mobile application. The Capstone team that took on this proposal consisted of Darya Haines, Dustin Huynh, Jordan Nguyen, Nihar Koppolu, Scott Thorkelson, Sienna Day, and myself, Layla Smith. This paper is structured to follow the Agile software development methodology, which we used to develop Auditory Ace, reviewing in detail every major choice we …

Risk Analysis In Financial Statements, A Comparative Study Of Ai Vs Human Risk Assessment, Andre Denegri

University Honors Theses

This theses explores the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in the auditing industry, focusing on its implications for audit quality, efficiency, and the evolving role of human auditors. A comprehensive review of relevant literature highlights the integration of AI-driven tools such as machine learning, deep learning, and natural language processing in audit processes, emphasizing their capabilities in enhancing risk assessment, fraud detection, and data analytics.

The experimental design features an innovative approach to compare the efficacy of AI and human auditors in conducting risk analysis for three companies--Blockbuster, Enron, and Lehman Brothers--presented anonymously with pre-bankruptcy financial information. The findings …

Business Capstone Review: Team Dynamic Effects On Business Decision-Making, Lauren Mann

University Honors Theses

This thesis focuses on team dynamics and how they affect business decision-making when finding solutions collectively. It analyzes new team dynamics in relation to Tuckman's model of the five stages of team development. While much-existing research measures team dynamics and leadership styles, the purpose of this study is to highlight the characteristics and processes created in teams that lead to the strongest results. The constructive cohesion of team members comes from building a specific culture based on attitudes and guidelines. This knowledge is valuable because it can lead to the success or failure of decisions. This thesis argues that relationship-building …

The Mounted Warrior: An Investigation Into An Unpublished Coptic Textile Featuring Equestrian Imagery, Elizabeth Hines

University Honors Theses

The warrior on horseback visual motif has existed for millenia. Such equestrian imagery was widely distributed in the visual arts and material culture, including that of textiles. This scholarly exploration centers on an unpublished Coptic Egyptian textile fragment portraying a warrior atop a horse in motion, presenting an analysis of its symbolic significance and potential cultural functions. Through an intricate examination of the artifact and comparative study with contemporaneous first millennium CE eastern Mediterranean material culture, this extraordinary equestrian motif and its implications for understanding ancient visual narratives is realized. By situating the textile fragment within its historical and cultural …

Advanced Acoustic Emission-Based Shm For Concrete Structures: Real-Time, High-Precision Imaging Of Crack Geometry And Damage Sourcetype Using Moment Tensor Inversion, Seyyedmaalek Momeni, Thomas Schumacher, Lindsay Linzer, Brice Lecampion

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

In this paper, we introduce a novel automated and high-precision acoustic emission (AE) monitoring algorithm and the software SIMORGH, which is suitable for structural health monitoring (SHM) of civil structures. Initially developed for laboratory-scale hydraulic fracture monitoring, this core software has been effectively scaled up to meter-level applications and is compatible with heterogeneous media such as concrete. It is designed to work with various standard data formats and is handles both trigger-based and continuous data. We present initial results from implementing this software in the AE monitoring of two 4.88-meter-long concrete beams in a laboratory setting, comparing it with manually …

Processes For Depositing Functionalized Nanoparticles Upon A Substrate, Erik T. Thostenson, Thomas Schumacher

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Processes for depositing functionalized nanoparticles upon a non-conductive substrate are disclosed herein. The processes may include the step of aerosolizing one or more particles into suspension within a gas, each of the one or more particles comprising functionalized nanoparticles having an electric charge. The processes may include the step the step of attracting the one or more particles onto a non-conductive substrate by a static electric charge opposite of the electric charge, wherein at least portions of the non-conductive substrate are having the static electric charge. The processes may include the step of depositing the functionalized nanoparticles onto the non-conductive …

A Case Study In Vacillant Literary Analysis: Nella Larsen's Passing (1929), Sara Casten

University Honors Theses

For the last 95 years, Nella Larsen's Passing has been a topic of discussion within the literary and scholarly communities. First considered Larsen's folly, her second novella Passing had struggled to received a compliment from critics and was quickly lost to readers until her work was rediscovered in the early 1970s. However, unbound by the restrictive literary trope of the era, scholars now wonder if Larsen's Passing had been a misinterpreted masterpiece. This thesis outlines the initial interpretations of critics and modern understanding of scholars in order to highlight the influences of outside influences when reading a written work from …

Writing Instructors’ Intentional Integration Of The Information Literacy Framework, Catherine F. Riehle, Erica Defrain, Deborah Minter, Janel Simons

Communications in Information Literacy

This article presents an exploratory study that examines how 11 first-year writing instructors’ conceptualizations of information literacy evolved over the course of their participation in an inquiry group co-developed and co-facilitated by the Libraries’ teaching faculty and the Director of Composition & Rhetoric at a public university in the United States. The authors developed a coding schema to identify the presence of information literacy-related themes and practices in pre- and post-program course syllabi and in reflective pieces submitted by instructors. The findings revealed that instructors’ use and applications of the ACRL Framework increased after the program, showing greater personal engagement …

Addressing Barriers To Research-Informed Practice: A Library And Social Work Collaboration To Empower Future Practitioners, Amanda Dinscore, Debbie Gonzalez

Communications in Information Literacy

Social work education prioritizes the use of research to inform practice. As university students, prospective social workers have a wealth of research available to them as well as librarians to help them find, evaluate, and use that information. However, access to much of this research ends once the student graduates—at a time when it is most needed to inform their professional practice. To address this challenge, a librarian and a social work faculty member worked with one class of students in their final semester of a bachelor’s degree in social work program to promote awareness of information privilege and barriers …

Exploring Cybertechnology Standards Through Bibliometrics: Case Of National Institute Of Standards And Technology, Tugrul Daim, Haydar Yalcin, Alain Mermoud, Valentin Mulder

Engineering and Technology Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Cyber security is one of the topics that gain importance today. It is necessary to determine the basic components, basic dynamics, and main actors of the Cyber security issue, which is obvious that it will have an impact in many areas from social, social, economic, environmental, and political aspects, as a hot research topic. When the subject literature is examined, it has become a trend-forming research subject followed by institutions and organizations that produce R&D policy, starting from the level of governments. In this study, cybersecurity research is examined in the context of 5 basic cyber security functions specified in …

Indiana's Public Health Investment Holds Insights For Other States, Nir Menachemi, Lindsay Weaver, Virginia Caine, D Shane Hatchett, Kristina Box, Paul K. Halverson

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Indiana has a business-friendly environment, but historical underinvestment in public health has yielded poor health outcomes. In 2023, when trust in governmental public health was strained nationwide, Indiana increased public health spending by 1,500 percent. In this article, we explain how Indiana achieved this unprecedented legislative victory for public health, describing the context, approach, and lessons learned. Specifically, an Indiana University report linking economic vitality and overall health sparked the creation of a governor's commission charged with exploring ways to address Indiana's shortcomings. Working with the Indiana Department of Health, the commission developed multisectoral coalitions and business and government partnerships, …

The Value Of Support: Stem Intervention Programs Impact Student Persistence And Belonging., Erin E. Shortlidge, Mackenzie J. Gray, Suzanne Estes, Emma C. Goodwin

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

In response to unwaveringly high attrition from STEM pathways, STEM Intervention Programs (SIPs) support STEM students in effort to increase retention. Using mixed methods (survey and focus groups), we studied students at one university who were either supported or unsupported by SIPs to understand how students may differ in experiences believed to contribute to STEM persistence. We evaluated: sense of belonging, scientific self-efficacy, scientific community values, scientific identity, and STEM involvement. The enrollment status of students two and a half years postsurvey was also tracked. SIP students reported significantly higher science identity and sense of belonging and were more involved …

An Index Of Biotic Integrity For Macroinvertebrate Stream Bioassessment Conducted By Community Scientists, Patrick M. Edwards, Daniel Bedell, Shannon Hubler, Chad A. Larson, Kate H. Macneale, Elisa Mickelson, Chris Prescott, Elinore Webb, Jo Wilhelm

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Community science bioassessment has great potential to inform comprehensive stream management plans, but regional analytical tools are needed to evaluate macroinvertebrate data collected through community science programs. To this end, we modified a pre-existing professional index of biotic integrity (IBI) to create a community science IBI (CS-IBI), designed for stream macroinvertebrate data collected by community scientists with minimal training. We used data collected by both professional and community scientists to develop, calibrate, and validate the CS-IBI at 76 streamsites in the Puget Lowland andWillamette Valley ecoregions of the PacificNorthwest in theUnited States. Community science data were taxonomically coarser andmore variable …

The Realm That I Am: An Interdisciplinary Memoir On Identity And Healing, Maria Rowen Flores

University Honors Theses

This thesis is an interdisciplinary exploration into identity, self, and meaning-making. Engaging queer studies, Chicano/a Studies, narrative therapy, creative nonfiction, and visual arts, this project is both a collage and self-portrait in two parts. Part one uses the ideas of philosophers Gloria Anzaldúa, María Lugones, Jack Halberstam, and Judith Butler to explore identity formation in the author’s family and social contexts. Part two follows the experience of having C-PTSD and uses memoir and creative writing to explore the narrative therapeutic mode. Both sections explore themes of identity, social isolation, relationships, failure, mental illness, trauma, and addiction. The work is underscored …

Assessing Nicotine Intake And Cotinine Levels In Inbred High Drinking In The Dark (Ihdid) Mice: A Potential Model For Nicotine Use Disorders (Nuds), Jonathan Palacios

University Honors Theses

Nicotine use disorders (NUDs) pose a persistent global health threat, contributing to significant morbidity and mortality. It is a complex issue arising from a combination of different factors; thus, it is crucial to approach it from different perspectives. In this study, we aimed to determine whether the inbred High Drinking in the Dark (iHDID) mice replicate lines (iHDID-1 and iHDID-2) represent a good model for nicotine use disorders (NUDs). We measured nicotine (50µg/mL) intake in a Drinking in the Dark (DID) assay (n=12/sex/line). At the end of the DID assay, we measured serum cotinine levels using a cotinine ELISA kit. …

Comparing Erwartung And Die Glückliche Hand Through The Female Gaze, Angela Tinio

University Honors Theses

During the early 20^th century, the rise of psychoanalysis impacted society by offering a revolutionary approach to the mind. This rise occurred due to the work of the work of Sigmund Freud (1856-1939), who believed many mental disorders were rooted in the subconscious. Psychoanalysis revolutionized how we approach the brain and offered a new perspective on patient treatment. Artists in the early 20^th century also explored and insisted on new ways to view society through art. Schoenberg and Freud were both pioneers in their field of work, and Freud even inspired Schoenberg's early atonal music. Freud may have …