Digital Commons Network^™

Sandbox Boundaries, Hilary J. Allen

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

Around the world, subnational and national regulatory sandboxes are being adopted in an effort to promote fintech innovation. These regulatory sandboxes seek to do so by rolling back some of the consumer protection and prudential regulations that would otherwise apply to firms trialing their financial products and services in the sandbox. While sacrificing such protections in order to promote innovation is problematic, such sacrifice may nonetheless be justifiable if, by working with innovators in the sandbox, regulators are educated about new technologies in a way that enhances their ability to effectively promote consumer protection and financial stability in other contexts. …

Drawing Identities: An Ethnography Of Indigenous Comic Book Creators, Melissa Ann Kocelko

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research examines the experiences of Indigenous comic creators when making comic books, and I aim to investigate the individual and communal motivations for creating comics. Representations of Indigenous characters and storylines have primarily been told through a white lens in mainstream comics. Within the past five years, this trend has shifted with increased academic and public attention on Indigenous comic books and the rise of comic conventions like Indigenous Pop X. I argue that these comics are acts of decolonization and self-determination where creators use comics as educational tools and as a form of cultural preservation by documenting Indigenous …

On Being Human And Divine: The Coherence Of The Incarnation, Christopher Hauser

Faith and Philosophy: Journal of the Society of Christian Philosophers

No abstract provided.

In Defense Of A Latin Social Trinity: A Response To William Hasker, Scott M. Williams

Faith and Philosophy: Journal of the Society of Christian Philosophers

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Plastic On Leaf Litter Breakdown In Urban Streams, Lisa Haneul Kim

Master's Theses

The plastic component of anthropogenic litter (AL) is an emerging ecological concern and has been a focus of research, as it is long-lived, mobile, interacts with physical and chemical components of aquatic ecosystems, and breaks down into smaller pieces (i.e., microplastic, <5mm particles). Rivers are considered a major source of plastic to oceans, but little is known about plastic's abundance, distribution, and effects on ecological processes in urban streams. Previous studies report plastic is abundant in freshwater systems, especially in naturally occurring debris dam structures and overhanging vegetation which accumulate high quantities of AL, especially plastic items (i.e. bags, wrappers, packaging material), along with leaf litter and other coarse particulate organic matter. in temperate, forested streams, leaf litter is a critical food source and plays an essential role in the stream food web. the rate at which leaves break down is affected by many variables such as hydrology, water chemistry, and macroinvertebrate and microbial communities. We predicted that plastic accumulation along with leaf litter can slow leaf breakdown by reducing diversity and abundance of microbial decomposers, as well as macroinvertebrate consumers. We measured leaf breakdown, and characterized macroinvertebrate and microbial (i.e., bacterial, fungal, algal) communities in 3 litter bag treatments: leaves alone, plastic alone, and leaves mixed with plastic. Although plastic did not reduce leaf breakdown rates or have a significant effect on macroinvertebrate consumer communities, it showed distinct microbial communities compared to leaf substrates. Results will provide a new understanding of how plastic and microbial communities interact, and set the framework for future studies to look at microbial succession and macroinvertebrate diversity on other synthetic substrates in freshwater systems.

Crowdsourcing Image Extraction And Annotation: Software Development And Case Study, Ana Jofre, Vincent Berardi, Kathleen P.J. Brennan, Aisha Cornejo, Carl Bennett, John Harlan

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

We describe the development of web-based software that facilitates large-scale, crowdsourced image extraction and annotation within image-heavy corpora that are of interest to the digital humanities. An application of this software is then detailed and evaluated through a case study where it was deployed within Amazon Mechanical Turk to extract and annotate faces from the archives of Time magazine. Annotation labels included categories such as age, gender, and race that were subsequently used to train machine learning models. The systemization of our crowdsourced data collection and worker quality verification procedures are detailed within this case study. We outline a data …

System Of Structural Dependency In The Sudanese Refugee Women Of Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya, Jessica Gladden

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Many countries facing an influx of refugees have established refugee camps to provide temporary housing. Lacking a solution for the refugee crisis, these temporary facilities become long-term housing for many refugees. As a result, many refugees spend years or even decades in refugee camps. The refugees often are legally prohibited from obtaining employment. They must rely on aid from the United Nations and other organizations for their survival. This study considers some of the impacts of living in a refugee camp and surviving solely on humanitarian aid. In particular, this study examines the structural dependency observed in the Sudanese refugee …

Deconstructing The Racialized Cannabis User: Cannabis Criminalization And Intersections With The Social Work Profession, Amar Ghelani

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Cannabis users have been historically stigmatized and criminalized for non-violent behaviors such as consuming, producing, and distributing cannabis. Racialized cannabis users in particular have been constructed as fundamentally different, dangerous, and mentally unstable, while state actors have benefited from the subjugation of this group. The following article reviews the history of cannabis prohibition with an emphasis on the social construction of racialized cannabis users and role of social workers in the treatment of this group. As laws liberalizing cannabis use and trade are passed across North America, an emergent legal framework is maintaining racial divides and marginalizing non- White cannabis …

Journal Of Sociology And Social Welfare Vo. 47, No. 3

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Complete issue of Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare Volume 47, Number 3

Speech Inequality After Janus V. Afscme, Charlotte Garden

Faculty Articles

This Article explores the growing divide between the Roberts Court’s treatment of the free speech rights of wealthy individuals and corporations in campaign finance cases as compared to its treatment of the rights of public-sector labor unions and their members. First, it highlights some internal contradictions in the Janus Court’s analysis. Then, it discusses the growing—yet mostly ignored—divergence in the Court’s treatment of corporate and labor speakers with respect to the use of market influence to achieve political influence.The Article has two Parts. In Part I, I explain how the Court reached its decision in Janus before critiquing the decision’s …

Estimates Of Calf Survival And Factors Influencing Roosevelt Elk Mortality In Northwestern California, Erin Nigon

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Survival of juvenile ungulates is known to be highly variable, yet it is fundamental to understanding the dynamics and trends of wildlife populations. Factors influencing calf survival are poorly understood in northwestern California where Roosevelt elk (Cervus canadensis roosevelti) are known to exist. The objectives of this study were 1) to estimate summer and annual survival rates and determine recruitment rates for Roosevelt elk calves in the area, 2) to evaluate differences in calf survival by examining the effects of individual and population level covariates on summer and annual calf survival, 3) to identify factors influencing the timing …

Cost-Benefit Analysis Of Replacing Lpg Stoves With Induction Stoves In Rural Households Of Kavre District Nepal, Grishma Raj Dahal

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Nepal imports nearly 260,000 tons of Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) and other fossil fuels annually from India. This fuel dependency is one of the main reasons for Nepal’s trade deficit with India. The Government of Nepal has recently started promoting electric induction stoves for cooking as an alternative to LPG. Induction stoves are pollution free at the point of use, and they are meant to reduce Nepal's dependence on LPG.

This study includes a cost-benefit analysis for replacing LPG stoves with induction stoves for households in rural areas of Kavre District, Nepal. The study involved the use of data for …

You Have A Voice Here: Implementing Armenian Feminist Literature Within Feminist Discourse, Grace Hart

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This project melds personal narrative with literary criticism, as it excavates the literature of Armenian writer and political activist Zabel Yessayan, particularly with her novel My Soul in Exile and memoir The Gardens of Silihdar. I argue that the voice of Zabel Yessayan should be included in the feminist women of color discourse within institutions in the United States. I develop this argument by bringing in the works of Cherríe Moraga and Gloria Anzaldúa’s anthology This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color and showing parallels in themes and lenses such as excavating traumatic histories, the …

Spatiotemporal Partitioning Of Mammalian Mesopredators In Response To Drought And Urbanization In California's Central Valley, Chad W. Moura

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Mammalian mesopredators commonly associated with human dominated landscapes often exhibit generalist diets, behavioral plasticity, and relatively high reproductive rates. Because of this wide range of adaptive traits, ecologists have been speculative of what conditions may drive species to change their activity and behavior to avoid or mitigate against resource competition, intraguild predation, and human disturbance. I investigated a community of common mesopredators within the Sacramento Metropolitan Area of California’s Central Valley to address whether species are spatially and/or temporally partitioning due to a defacto apex predator, coyotes (Canis latrans), and humans alongside large landscape altering disturbances: urbanization and drought. I …

Functionalized Scaffold And Barrier Membrane With Anti-Bmp-2 Monoclonal Antibodies For Alveolar Ridge Preservation In A Canine Model, Seiko Min, Taewan Kim, Oksu Kim, Carames Goncalo, Tadahiko Utsunomiya, Takashi Matsumoto, Kayo Kuyama, Nikola Angelov

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to investigate the ability of anti-bone morphogenetic protein 2 monoclonal antibody (anti-BMP-2 mAb) to functionalize scaffolds to mediate bone regeneration in a canine model.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The mandibular right premolar 4 (PM4) was extracted in eight beagle dogs and grafted with anti-BMP-2 mAb+anorganic bovine bone mineral with 10% collagen (ABBM-C) and porcine bilayer native collagen membrane (CM). The ABBM-C and CM were functionalized with either anti-BMP-2 mAb (test group) or an isotype matched control mAb (control group). Animals were euthanized at 12 weeks for radiographic, histologic, and histomorphometric analyses. Outcomes were compared …

Systemic Th17 Response In The Presence Of Periodontal Inflammation, Lina J Suárez, Daniel E Vargas, Adriana Rodríguez, Roger M Arce, Nelly S Roa

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: The relationship between periodontitis and the pathogenesis of other inflammatory diseases, such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and obesity has been an important topic of study in recent decades. The Th17 pathway plays a significant role in how local inflammation can influence systemic inflammation in the absence of systemic pathology.

OBJECTIVE: To determine Th17 biased-cells in systemically healthy patients in the presence of generalized chronic periodontitis.

METHODOLOGY: A total of 28 patients were recruited without systemic inflammatory pathology, which was determined by clinical history, the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) and rheumatoid factor detection. Of these patients, 13 were diagnosed as …

Trpv6 As A Putative Genomic Susceptibility Locus Influencing Racial Disparities In Cancer, Patricia A. Francis-Lyon, Fahreen Malik, Xiaoyun Cheng, Alireza Ghezavati

Nursing and Health Professions Faculty Research and Publications

It is well established that African Americans exhibit higher incidence, higher mortality, and more aggressive forms of some cancers, including those of breast, prostate, colon, stomach, and cervix. Here we examine the ancestral haplotype of the TRPV6 calcium channel as a putative genomic factor in this racial divide. The minor (ancestral) allele frequency is 60% in people of African ancestry, but between 1 and 11% in all other populations. Research on TRPV6 structure/function, its association with specific cancers, and the evolutionary-ecological conditions which impacted selection of its haplotypes are synthesized to provide evidence for TRPV6 as a germline susceptibility locus …

Microcystins And Liver Disease Mortality, Insights From An Ecological Study, Rajesh Tirpaul Melaram

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Microcystins (MCs) are toxic secondary metabolites produced by freshwater cyanobacteria. Algal bloom subsidence can stimulate MC release, which can impair liver function if orally exposed to in large doses. The purpose of this retrospective, U.S. ecological study was to determine if MC exposure represented an environmental risk factor for liver disease mortality using a socioecological approach. A longitudinal ecological substudy investigated the association between average total MCs in Lake Washington and Lake Manatee and age-adjusted chronic liver disease (CLD)/cirrhosis death rates in Brevard County and Manatee County, Florida (FL). A prediction model of total MCs was deduced by quantifying levels …

First Responders' Perceptions Of Diversity Training Practices To Assist At-Risk Populations, Sara Parry

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

New York State first responders, including police, fire, and emergency medical personnel, often lack consistent awareness and diversity training to assist at-risk populations, which can pose challenges to preparedness and response strategies during disasters and emergencies. The purpose of this study was to assess the awareness and diversity training practices among first responders across New York State in assisting people with at-risk characteristics during disasters. Punctuated equilibrium theory provided the framework for the study. Data from interviews with 15 participants and from historical and legal documents were coded and analyzed to identify themes. Findings indicated that that there had been …

Gender Differences And Neurocognitive Function In Cocaine And Methamphetamine Addiction, Gwendolyn F. Royal-Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

Cocaine and methamphetamine-addicted women are more likely to suffer from personal life traumas that lead to persistent and committed drug abuse. In addition to social-psychological problems associated with drug abuse are neuropsychological processes involving specific regions of the brain responsible for working memory, decision-making, and impulse control. Classical and operant conditioning theories of learning provide a paradigm foundation for this quantitative, correlational study that utilized archival data from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). I analyzed a randomly selected sample of 186 adults who voluntarily participated in an eight week treatment program for cocaine and methamphetamine (MA) addiction. …

Antibiotic Stewardship And The Quality Of Life For Residents Over 65 Years, Reshma Beharry-Guest

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Antibiotics were often over-prescribed in long term care facilities (LTCFs) and antibiotic stewardship guidelines, established by the CDC were not followed. The nursing home administrator was responsible for the quality of care for the residents and ensured that the facility met and/or exceeded the CMS antibiotic stewardship standard of care. The purpose of this quantitative study was to analyze operational secondary data collected from a Texas LTCF regarding antibiotic utilization for male and female residents over 65 years. The theoretical framework of the social cognitive theory was applicable for quality improvement in the LTCF setting. The data analysis showed that …

Impact Of Demographic Characteristics And Therapy On Tuberculosis Incident Cases, Iliedor Garcon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

For more than two decades, tuberculosis (TB) has ranked second among the top killers of infectious diseases, with an estimated 10.4 million incident cases in 2018. Demographic characteristics and drug susceptibility influence TB incidence worldwide. Using a retrospective cohort design, the purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate whether race/ethnicity, age, sex (gender), therapy completion within one year (COT), and testing for isoniazid and rifampin susceptibility (TIRS) were predictors of 672 cases of TB in New York-Newark-Jersey City from 1993 to 2017. Guided by the epidemiological triad theory, this research was conducted using a secondary TB dataset from the …

Bioterrorism: Exploring Factors For Improving Nurse Preparedness, Policies, And Practices, Leone Okey Tom-James

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ebola virus release/attack in New Jersey could go unnoticed but have immediate and long-lasting effects on the broader population and security. The risk underscores the need to prepare and enhance the state’s efforts to deal with a release and treat the confirmed cases. This descriptive single case research explored factors for improving nurses’ preparedness, policies, and practices for a bioterrorism release/attack. The epidemiological triangle conceptual framework was used descriptively in exploring, and developing a knowledge base of Ebola virus pathogenicity, characteristics, routes of transmission, and infection. The unit of analysis was Summit Ridge Genesis Healthcare Center. The theory of robust …

Development Strategies For Privately Owned Fashion Boutiques, Tommy White Jr

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

Many privately owned brick-and-mortar fashion boutiques in the United States fail to succeed beyond the first 5 years of business. The knowledge of the factors responsible for the decline in the survival rate of traditional or brick-and-mortar fashion boutiques may be essential to these entrepreneurs’ survival. Grounded in the general systems theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies used by successful brick-and-mortar fashion boutique owners to negate the threat of online retailers. Data were collected through interviews with 5 brick-and-mortar fashion boutique owners, who operated businesses in the southeast region of the United …

Intrinsic Motivations And Perceived Benefits Of U.S. Males For Taking Dimethyltryptamine, Timothy Raymond Kazmarek

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is a psychedelic drug which has a rapidly increasing user rate, giving rise to concern amongst law enforcement and public health officials around the world. While previous researchers have primarily focused their examinations of motivations for DMT use internationally with diverse populations, this study was an investigation of DMT use in the United States among its most prevalent user demographic, adult men. The purpose of this study was to bridge the gap between knowledge of motivations for DMT use internationally and lack of knowledge domestically. The theoretical foundation for this study was comprised of the self-efficacy theory and …

Teachers’ Attitudes, Beliefs, And Confidence Levels And Technology Integration In Urban Schools, Renée Rousey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many K–12 schools do not exploit the advantages of technology, despite the influx of equipment that can enhance pedagogy and student success. A gap exists in the literature about the extent to which urban teachers’ perceptions influence technology use in the classroom. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the ABCs of K–12 teachers regarding technology integration in their classrooms. Rogers’ diffusion of innovation theory and the technological pedagogical content knowledge model were the frameworks for this study. The research questions examined teachers’ intrinsic factors that impact the integration of technology in the urban classroom and the perceptions …

Moderate-Intensity Risk Reduction Counseling And Acquisition Of Sexually Transmitted Infection, Cindy M. Farina

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a public health problem in the United States, with adolescents and young adults to age 25 bearing a disproportionate burden of infection. Risk reduction counseling (RRC) as a strategy to decrease STI incidence has been a focus of scholars. Research examining RRC efficacy has suggested that RRC is effective for 6 to 12 months after treatment. However, study samples have varied by age, ethnicity, race, gender, and geographic location. Whether RRC is effective for more than 1 year is unknown. The purpose of this post hoc chi-square study was to examine the efficacy of moderate-intensity …

Epidemiology Of Marijuana Use And Mental Health In The Context Of Changing Policies, David G. Harvey Ii

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a growing body of evidence supporting the association between cannabis use and the development of mental health disorders, but few studies have addressed this association following the recent increase in marijuana legalization laws. Therefore, using the social ecological model and the self-medication theory of addiction as theoretical frameworks, the purpose of this retrospective database study was to assess the relationship between marijuana use and major depression and suicidal ideation in both adults and adolescents in 2008 and 2017. Data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health were analyzed using logistic regression at the p < .05 threshold for statistical significance. Results demonstrated positive, statistically significant relationships between marijuana use and both major depression and suicidal ideation for both adults and adolescents in both 2008 and 2017. Further, the strengths of these relationships generally increased between 2008 and 2017, coincident with the increase in marijuana legalization laws. These findings provide empirical support to the association between cannabis use and the development of mental health disorders, and that the strength of these associations is increasing following the increase in marijuana legalization laws. This study has important implication for positive social change by identifying significant relationships between cannabis use and the development of mental health disorders and revealing that these relationships are strengthening over time, coincident with the increase in marijuana legalization laws.

Association Of Landfall Atlantic Tropical Storms And Human Cases Of Locally Acquired West Nile Virus Infection In Florida, Jackson G. Mosley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

West Nile virus (WNv) is the most widely distributed flavivirus and considered a vector-borne pathogen of global significance. During the study period from 2002 to 2018, WNv had the highest incidence of locally acquired human cases when compared to any other mosquito borne illness in Florida with 373 cases documented during the study period. The purpose of the study is to determine if there is an association between Florida landfall tropical storms (LTS) and the incidence of locally acquired human WNv cases from 2002 through 2018. The study used a retrospective ecological study design guided by the epidemiological triad model …

Religious Tolerance And Government Collaboration With Faith-Based Organizations, Sheree Rose Nelson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Collaboration between faith-based organizations and local governments provides an opportunity for projects to be fulfilled when budgets fall short of meeting all of a community's demands. Concerns arise, however, regarding the working relationships of government entities and faith-based organizations, when cosponsoring organizations include participants of various belief systems. The purpose of this case study was to explore participants' perceptions of toleration levels regarding their spiritual beliefs while working within a collaborative setting of mixed faiths. The conceptual framework consisted of Gajda's collaboration theory that states that collaboration is an imperative; is known by many names; is a journey, not a …