Digital Commons Network^™

Long-Term Variation Of Summer Phytoplankton Communities In An Urban Lake In Relation To Lake Management And Climate Conditions, Yuan Xiao Grund

Dissertations and Theses

Eutrophication is one of the primary factors causing harmful cyanobacteria blooms in freshwater lakes; climate change such as warmer temperature can potentially further increase both frequency and intensity of blooms. This study investigated the long-term changes in water quality and summer phytoplankton assemblages in Oswego Lake, OR, in relation to lake management practices (e.g., hypolimnetic aeration and alum treatments), as well as climatic and regional meteorological conditions. Both water quality and phytoplankton assemblages were sampled biweekly during summer seasons between 2001 and 2013. The concentrations of total phosphorus (TP), soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) and total nitrogen (TN) decreased 66%, 93% …

Word Sense Disambiguation Using Fuzzy Semantic-Based String Similarity Model, Amir Abd-Rashid, Shuzlina Abdul-Rahman, Nor Nadiah Yusof, Azlinah Mohamed

Malaysian Journal of Computing (MJoC)

Sentences are the language of human communication. This communication medium is so fluid that words and meaning can have many interpretations by readers. Besides, a document that consists of thousands of sentences would be tough for the reader to understand the content. In this case, computer power is required to analyse the gigantic batch size of the text. However, there are several arguments that actively discuss regarding the output generated by a computer toward the meaning of the passage in terms of accuracy. One of the reasons for this issue is the existing of the ambiguous word with multiple meanings …

Mismatch Between Older Adults’ Expectation And Smartphone User Interface, Chui Yin Wong, Rahimah Ibrahim, Tengku Aizan Hamid, Evi Indriasari Mansor

Malaysian Journal of Computing (MJoC)

Smartphones have become ubiquitous communication tools for everybody, including older adults to stay connected with their family and access to information. However, mobile operators and developers mainly target the youngster cohort in mobile industry. With the rising ageing population, smartphone user interface and some mobile apps are not designed to cater the needs of older adults. This could hinder them from fully utilizing the smartphone functions and its services. A mobile-user interaction study using mixed-methods (questionnaire, interview and observation) was conducted to examine usability and user interface design issues of smartphone and mobile apps among 80 older adults in Malaysia. …

Associations Between Cortical Structure And Reading Skills In Beginning Readers, Meaghan Perdue

Master's Theses

The acquisition of literacy is a challenging task that engages multiple processing systems to integrate multimodal information. As a result, children exhibit wide variability in reading ability, with the lowest performers classified as having Specific Reading Disability (SRD). Functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) research has identified a reading network in the brain consisting primarily of left hemisphere temporo-parietal, occipito-temporal, and inferior frontal regions, but the structural neural substrates that support skilled reading during the formative years of reading acquisition remain underspecified. The present study applied a continuous analytic approach to investigate distinct surface-based properties of cortical structure (cortical …

Yoong Publishes Poem Citrus Reticulata, Ohio University College Of Arts & Sciences

All Forum Articles

No abstract provided.

Defying Contextual Embeddedness: Evidence From Displaced Women Entrepreneurs In Jordan, H Al-Dajani, H Akbar, S Carter, E Shaw

Plymouth Business School

Although entrepreneurial practices and processes are evolving and changing globally, models of entrepreneurship remain masculinized, embedded in advanced economies and associated with notions of individual agency, heroism and control. Rarely is defiance considered. In this paper, we explore the defiance practices of displaced women operating in the Jordanian patriarchal economy and society and consider how this enabled their nurturing of entrepreneurship. Indeed, we argue that socially excluded women actually defy their contextual embeddedness through their entrepreneurial activities. In so doing, we respond to calls for research that explores the contextual embeddedness of women’s entrepreneurship, and contribute to shifting the focus …

A Classroom Activity For Teaching Kohlberg’S Theory Of Moral Development, Cheryl L. Carmichael, Anna M. Schwartz, Maureen Coyle, Matthew H. Goldberg

Publications and Research

In two studies, we demonstrate an engaging classroom activity that facilitates student learning about Kohlberg’s theory of moral development by using digital resources to foster active, experiential learning. In addition to hearing a standard lecture about moral development, students watched a video of a morally provocative incident, then worked in small groups to classify user comments posted in response to the video according to Kohlberg’s six stages. Students in both studies found the activity enjoyable and useful. Moreover, students’ scores on a moral development quiz improved after completing the activity (Study 1), and students who completed the activity in addition …

Unlocking The Mysteries Of Weed And Mexico, Eddy Martinez

Capstones

An American biotech firm named Phylos Bioscience is interested in entering the Mexican marijuana market once it legalizes. Before it can do that, it must deal with the Mexican government and a conservative society.

https://eddymartinezcunyedu.atavist.com/figuring-out-the-mysteries-of-weed-and-mexico

Addicted To The Answer, Charumathi Raman

Capstones

Hypochondria, which is now broadly known as health anxiety, is the fear of a serious illness that continues despite evidence to the contrary from laboratory tests and the reassurance of physicians. In the past people with this disorder would go from doctor to doctor seeking an answer, but now many people rely solely upon online information.

For people with health anxiety, the Internet provides a lot of fodder. Researchers have recently coined the term "cyberchondria" to describe the phenomenon of increased health anxiety due to online health searches.

Entering questions like “Who started World War Two?” or “Who was the …

Make Art Conservative Again, Gurami Jamaspishvili

Capstones

They are the darlings of conservative America, the prophets of the new reactionary movement, the iconoclasts and the patron saints of the free speech, revered by "the basket of deplorables" and castigated by liberal America for being cheap shot opportunists whose goal is to crusade against the values that Americans hold most dear. Although Donald Trump's presidency galvanized a big chunk of artists around the resistance movement, a small group of right-wing artists, who were operating surreptitiously, are gaining momentum.

https://conservativeart.exposure.co/make-art-conservative-again

Women Are Being Cut During Childbirth Without Need Or Consent, Molly Cora Enking

Capstones

An episiotomy, a surgical cut used to enlarge the vaginal opening during childbirth, can be extremely painful, hard to recover from and can increase the risk of severe complications. In 2018, episiotomies are rarely necessary, but at some U.S. hospitals they happen much more than they should. And in the course reporting this story, New York City News Service found that it is common for doctors to cut women without the mother’s consent.

https://medium.com/@mollyenking/women-are-being-cut-during-childbirth-without-need-or-consent-7677de7eddae

New Roots: A Transracial Adoption Story, Scarlett Kuang

Capstones

This is a documentary on transracial adoption. Transracial adoption is becoming more and more common in America. In 2011, 4 out of 10 adopted children were raised by families of a different race or ethnicity. Daniel and Lisa Conklins have 11 children. After giving birth to 6, the couple adopted another 5 children from 5 different countries. They live in Castile, a farm town in upstate New York. The then 6-year-old Ezra needs to adapt to a totally new environment and embrace his new family. For Elaina who was adopted as a baby, the challenge is to survive in a …

Surviving A Death Sentence, Amy K. Mackinnon

Capstones

Diagnosed with HIV at the peak of the AIDS epidemic, Sean McKenna had planned to die. Now, decades after life-saving drugs were first released, he and other long-term survivors are still figuring out how to live.
https://amykmackinnon.wordpress.com/capstone/

Trade Rout: As Trade Tensions Built Between U.S. And Canada, This American Border Town Felt The Freeze, Matt Cutler, Isaac Carey

Capstones

A close business relationship with Canada has allowed Plattsburgh to thrive as a manufacturing town. Over 100 Quebec-based companies operate there, and 15 percent of the workforce in the county gets its paycheck from a Canadian company. Even more impressive, this comes at a time when manufacturing jobs are declining nationwide. While factories are shutting down across the rust belt, in Plattsburgh they are opening up.

There is just one problem.

All of this was made possible by the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA. And just this April, the Trump administration abruptly threatened to pull out of the …

Burden Of Proof: Insurance Companies Are Refusing To Pay For Mental Healthcare And Regulators Are Letting Them. Patients Are Left To Fend For Themselves., Graison Dangor

Capstones

When their mental health claims are denied, patients who are supposed to be protected by state and federal law have a choice: Don’t get care or pay for the care themselves, then fight to get paid back.

Link to capstone: https://graisondangor.github.io/mental-healthcare-equality/

The Diaspora At Home, Ivan A. Flores

Capstones

Cuba only existed in the quiet whispers and faded memories of my mother and her two sisters. As children, they were refugees fleeing Castro. All my life, I heard their stories. I would hear about the family that never made it across that narrow strait, how the heat on the island was never oppressive because of cool breezes that rolled in with the waves that crashed on its shores. There was never a more beautiful country. They have never returned to Cuba.

I have sought to document the diaspora of one family divided by politics. Mixing portraiture, archival images with …

St. Francis Borgia Deaf Center Church Bulletin, December 16, 2018

Saint Francis Borgia Deaf Center Church Bulletin

A newsletter published for Deaf Catholics in Chicago, IL

Saint Francis Brogia Deaf Center Church Bulletin Finding Aid

Fw: Auto Rescue Package/Request From Canadian Ambassador (E-Mail To John Podesta), John Podesta, Michael Wilson

Documents

No abstract provided.

Shakespeare's Adaption Of Cinthio's "Un Capitano Moro" Into Othello, Cleveland A. Williams

Master's Theses

Abstract

William Shakespeare’s Othello is an adaptation of Giovanni Battista Giraldi Cinthio’s “Un Capitano Moro,” that was written in 1565; taken from his novella collection ‘Gli Hecatommithi,’ Decad.III., Novella 7. Cinthio’s story of the Moor of Venice fits the classification of the Italian novellas which grew to prominence during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries due to the popularity of Boccaccio’s Decameron.

Shakespeare liberated this story from its state of oblivion and utilized it as his framework for Othello; as the plot exposes some of the most intricate of human emotions – love, hate and jealousy, which are all …

The State As The Investor Of Last Resort: A Comparative Study Of Banking Crises In Denmark And Sweden, Hans Sjogren, Martin Jes Iversen

Documents

No abstract provided.

Behind The Student Loan Debt Crisis, New Benefits Solutions, Sarah Min

Capstones

Two years ago, when Scott Thompson took over tech startup Tuition.io as chief executive officer in 2016, he felt as though he had to educate his clients about his product — a new benefit, managed by his software company that allows employers to help their employees repay their student loans.

Today, he doesn’t feel that need. When he recently walked into a Fortune 20 company with a stack of documents, his prospective clients said they understood his pitch and hardly required the introductory material. “I don’t evangelize anymore. We very rarely educate any longer,” Thompson said.

When Tuition.io was founded …

Suicide Watch: How Netflix Landed On A Cultural Landmine, Shabnaj Chowdhury

Capstones

Following the premiere of the television series “13 Reasons Why” in 2017, Netflix stepped squarely on a cultural landmine, stirring controversy over its graphic depiction of teen suicide.

According to media experts, showing a teenager kill themselves on television was completely unprecedented. Mental health experts say the act has significant consequences for “at risk” audience members, or people who were already experiencing suicidal thoughts before watching the show. It is proven that entertainment, and television specifically, can strongly influence audience behaviors and thoughts.

Suicide is one of the only causes of deaths that’s on the rise in the United States, …

On Paper, Immigrant Detention Centers Meet Standards To Prevent Sexual Assault. But Assault Continues. Why?, Samantha A. Maldonado, Sarah V. Matusek, Paula Moura

Capstones

Since 2014, Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees have been protected by the federal law known as the Prison Rape Elimination Act, or PREA, designed to make facilities safer, give detainees better access to report sexual harm and increase transparency. Advocates, lawyers and detainees, however, say these standards are limited, and that the ability to report abuse is easily thwarted. A consulting company, The Nakamoto Group, was hired to conduct ICE's PREA audits. But critics, including former ICE employees and the Department of Homeland Security's own watchdog, question the substance of the audits and charge that the company’s auditors have overlooked …

A.V.O Boyz: The Rise Of Afrobeats Through Dance, Oumou Fofana

Capstones

Afrobeats music has been number one if the African continent for nearly a decade and it is now attacking the international market, thanks to support from major American superstars and the killer dance moves created by African dancers. http://www.oumoufofana.com/capstone/

Black Hair In Local Television: When Will Hair Just Be Hair?, Shari Straker

Capstones

Hair is used as a form of identity and self expression. Oftentimes black hair is perceived as a political statement, unprofessional and unruly. Society has deemed any type of kink or curl as unattractive. In turn women of color have gone to great lengths to conform to this European beauty standard–specifically black women who are reporters and anchors in local news.

You don’t stop seeking help or understanding your pain when you’re sad. The same applies to women of color when discussing the topic of their natural hair. History and present day events have proved that this topic is still …

How Immigrants Are Redefining Hudson Valley Dining, Kevin Wheeler

Capstones

Westchester county and the greater Hudson Valley have never been known for their restaurants. While ubiquitous Italian-American red sauce spots and diners serve their purpose, they do not usually demand any detours. Sure, there might be an iconic hot dog stand like Walter’s in Mamaroneck, and the preeminent cooking school of the United States is a few miles north of Poughkeepsie. But mostly, these areas are collectively known as the beautiful backyard of New York City, not as a culinary destination.

That notion is slowly changing, however, as the Hudson Valley becomes more diverse, and thereby more exciting, culinarily speaking. …

Engineering Eden: The World's Attempt To Outsmart Water Scarcity, Kaitlin A. Sullivan

Capstones

Countries around the world are running out of fresh water, 43 already live with water scarcity, requiring more water than they have. In 2015 the global water crisis took first place in The World Economic Forum’s assessment of the risks that will have the most significant impact on economies, environments and people. Water beat out 27 other long-term risks including infectious diseases and weapons of mass destruction. What happened to Crowley County on the plains of Southeastern Colorado is a cautionary tale of borrowed water. It's been called the Detroit of Colorado, decimated by the reliance of a single industry. …

Multiple Sclerosis Drugs Have Been Getting A Lot More Expensive, Ben Jay

Capstones

Multiple Sclerosis is a very expensive disease. According to a 2016 study in the American Journal of Managed Care, treating it can cost patients anywhere from $30,000 to $100,000 per year, which can meet or even exceed the average US household median income, depending on how severe your case is. For a disease that has no known cure, and requires frequent medical attention to manage symptoms that can completely debilitate a person if left untreated, that can mean spending $4.1 million over the course of a lifetime, according to the same study. However, in the last 20 years, that …

The Invisible Brain Injury Crisis, Michael E. Rosenthal

Capstones

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2013 data, over 282,000 hospitalizations and 2.5 million emergency department visits were at least in part attributable to TBI. In the same year, about 56,000 people died.

Emergency departments in 2012 treated about 329,290 kids under 20 for TBI following an injury taking place during physical activity.

This project explores the rise in traumatic brain injuries and examines the difficult path that some of the survivors have to go through during recovery. By telling the story through my own personal experiences, I guide the reader through what the initial trauma and …

Lords From The Desert, Caroline Mercado

Capstones

Lords from the Desert

This work explores a reality that is little talked about: how the most prestigious pre-Columbian art exhibits in the United States hide a murky origin. From looting of temples to illicit art trafficking, to smuggling and collectors’ affairs, the pieces gain value in proportion to the social prestige of their owner. Along the way, the most important is lost: research that provides context and allows us to know history. The First World wins a seductive, but simplistic story. The Third World, from which all these cultures emerge, loses patrimony and possibilities of understanding themselves. A pair …