Digital Commons Network^™

Getting It Wrong: Applying Public Security Limitation To The East African Community's Right Of Establishment In Kenya, Priscah Wamucii Nyotah, Francis D.P. Situma, Edwin Abuya

The Transnational Human Rights Review

The Right of Establishment (ROE) is one of the rights and freedoms provided for under the East African Community’s Common Market Protocol. Under this right, citizens of East African Community Partner States, namely, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo are entitled to move to any other Partner State and pursue economic activities, as self-employed persons. Their spouses and children are also entitled to this right or to be employed. They are also entitled to join the security schemes of the host PS. However, the right is not absolute. A PS can limit the …

Mapping Of Freedom Of Information Requests (Foirs) For The Publication Of Covid-19 Vaccine Supply Contracts, Chiamaka Ojiako, Uchechukwu Ngwaba

The Transnational Human Rights Review

Freedom of Information Requests (FOIRs) provide the window of access to COVID-19 vaccine supply contracts in times of crisis, yet for COVID-19 supply contracts, FOIRs have recorded limited success due to barriers which have either been legal, institutional, political or a combination of all of these. Despite State’s commitment to freedom of information and open contracting at both the national and international level, the urgency to procure vaccines led many countries to prioritize public health goals over protecting the public’s right of access to information. This empirical study examines freedom of information requests related to COVID-19 vaccine supply contracts to …

December 1, 2022, Caa

Minutes

No abstract provided.

A Predictive Model Using The Mesoscopic Architecture Of The Living Brain To Detect Alzheimer’S Disease, Marianna Inglese, Neva Patel, Kristofer Linton-Reid, Flavia Loreto, Zarni Win, Richard J. Perry, Christopher Carswell, Matthew Grech-Sollars, William R. Crum, Haonan Lu, Paresh A. Malhotra, Lisa C. Silbert, Betty Lind, Rachel Crissey, Jeffrey A. Kaye, Raina Carter, Sara Dolen, Joseph Quinn, Lon S. Schneider, Sonia Pawluczyk, Mauricio Becerra, Liberty Teodoro, Karen Dagerman, Bryan M. Spann, James Brewer, Helen Vanderswag, Adam Fleisher, Jaimie Ziolkowski, Judith L. Heidebrink, Zbizek-Nulph, Joanne L. Lord, Lisa Zbizek-Nulph, Ronald Petersen, Sara S. Mason

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Background: Alzheimer’s disease, the most common cause of dementia, causes a progressive and irreversible deterioration of cognition that can sometimes be difficult to diagnose, leading to suboptimal patient care. Methods: We developed a predictive model that computes multi-regional statistical morpho-functional mesoscopic traits from T1-weighted MRI scans, with or without cognitive scores. For each patient, a biomarker called “Alzheimer’s Predictive Vector” (ApV) was derived using a two-stage least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO). Results: The ApV reliably discriminates between people with (ADrp) and without (nADrp) Alzheimer’s related pathologies (98% and 81% accuracy between ADrp - including the early form, mild …

The Polygenic Risk Score Knowledge Base Offers A Centralized Online Repository For Calculating And Contextualizing Polygenic Risk Scores, Madeline L. Page, Elizabeth L. Vance, Matthew E. Cloward, Ed Ringger, Louisa Dayton, Mark T.W. Ebbert, L. Ravdin, M. Lin, A. Lee, G. Chiang, N. Relkin, R. B. Santulli, M. L. Hynes, M. Seltzer, L. A. Flashman, K. Anderson, K. Blank, G. D. Perlson, S. Kittur, S. Correia, P. Malloy, S. Salloway, S. Potkin, P. Newhouse, M. Sabbagh, A. Garcia, J. Shi, J. Masdeu, A. Williams, J. Mintzer, A. O’Connell, A. Mintz, D. Munic, C. Bernick

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

The process of identifying suitable genome-wide association (GWA) studies and formatting the data to calculate multiple polygenic risk scores on a single genome can be laborious. Here, we present a centralized polygenic risk score calculator currently containing over 250,000 genetic variant associations from the NHGRI-EBI GWAS Catalog for users to easily calculate sample-specific polygenic risk scores with comparable results to other available tools. Polygenic risk scores are calculated either online through the Polygenic Risk Score Knowledge Base (PRSKB; https://prs.byu.edu) or via a command-line interface. We report study-specific polygenic risk scores across the UK Biobank, 1000 Genomes, and the Alzheimer’s Disease …

Total Energy Expenditure Is Repeatable In Adults But Not Associated With Short-Term Changes In Body Composition, Rebecca Rimbach, Yosuke Yamada, Hiroyuki Sagayama, Philip N. Ainslie, Lene F. Anderson, Liam J. Anderson, Lenore Arab, Issaad Baddou, Kweku Bedu-Addo, Ellen E. Blaak, Stephane Blanc, Alberto G. Bonomi, Carlijn V.C. Bouten, Pascal Bovet, Maciej S. Buchowski, Nancy F. Butte, Stefan G.J.A. Camps, Graeme L. Close, Jamie A. Cooper, Sai Krupa Das, Lara R. Dugas, Ulf Ekelund, Sonja Entringer, Terrence Forrester, Barry W. Fudge, Annelies H. Goris, Michael Gurven, Catherine Hambly, Asmaa El Hamdouchi, Marije B. Hoos, Sumei Hu, Noorjehan Joonas, Annemiek M. Joosen, Peter Katzmarzyk

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Low total energy expenditure (TEE, MJ/d) has been a hypothesized risk factor for weight gain, but repeatability of TEE, a critical variable in longitudinal studies of energy balance, is understudied. We examine repeated doubly labeled water (DLW) measurements of TEE in 348 adults and 47 children from the IAEA DLW Database (mean ± SD time interval: 1.9 ± 2.9 y) to assess repeatability of TEE, and to examine if TEE adjusted for age, sex, fat-free mass, and fat mass is associated with changes in weight or body composition. Here, we report that repeatability of TEE is high for adults, but …

Reducing The Cost Of Agency: Looking Beyond Top Management Teams, Stephen C. Giles

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

The year 2020 demonstrates that powerful forces exist in the external environment, which may threaten a firm’s survival, but agency problems, within the organization, persist even in years where there are minimal external pressures on the firm. Agency costs can present meaningful challenges to the firm beyond the chief executive and top management team, and the concept of agency is applicable to all employees, not just management. An organizational learning culture is proposed to both aid firms in reducing the cost associated with agency, as well as to enable firms to adapt to rapid changes in the external environment. In …

Detecting Selfish Mining Attacks Against A Blockchain Using Machine Learing, Matthew A. Peterson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

Selfish mining is an attack against a blockchain where miners hide newly discovered blocks instead of publishing them to the rest of the network. Selfish mining has been a potential issue for blockchains since it was first discovered by Eyal and Sirer. It can be used by malicious miners to earn a disproportionate share of the mining rewards or in conjunction with other attacks to steal money from network users. Several of these attacks were launched in 2018, 2019, and 2020 with the attackers stealing as much as $18 Million. Developers made several different attempts to fix this issue, but …

Collaboration From Variable Perspectives Through A Multi-Instrumental Approach, Sarah Gates

Senior Honors Theses

This thesis is a discussion of the art of musical collaboration. First to be defined is general collaboration and what the key components to success are as discussed by various authors. The components will be discussed through the various aspects of musical collaborative relationships, such as those between fellow performers, composers and artists, conductors and their ensembles, as well as teachers and their students. A discussion of the differences between those who are experienced on their singular instrument versus those who are experiences on multiple instruments will also be made. Incorporation of this knowledge will be observed in the different …

Fostering Positive Teacher-Student Relationships In The Classroom, Mandi Lehman

Senior Honors Theses

The research in this qualitative study bases itself on the importance of positive teacher-student relationships in the classroom. Positive teacher-student relationships are critical in furthering students’ growth in the school. Teachers can take the place of a parental role in a student’s life, and positive relationships are essential to make a lasting impact on students. Teachers’ attitudes affect how they understand and build relationships with the students in their classroom, and factors such as closeness, conflict, and dependency affect these relationships. Five elementary education professors were interviewed to gain insight into the specific strategies and attitudes elementary educators need to …

The Importance And Implementation Of Kinesthetic Learning In The English Classroom, Emma Crandall

Senior Honors Theses

This paper examines different educators’ and researchers’ activities for kinesthetic learners and discusses how they can be applied to the English classroom in literature, writing, and language. The first section delves into the difficulty associated with but ultimate importance of including kinesthetic learning activities for both kinesthetic and non-kinesthetic learners due to the benefits of active learning. Subsequently, it looks for synthesis between different types of kinesthetic activities, dividing them into the categories of manipulatives, commonly accepted classroom activities with kinesthetic add-ons, and kinesthetic-centered activities. The ways each activity can be used, including its benefits and disadvantages, are discussed, and …

Creating A Culture Of Learning: Intrinsic Motivation And Its Practical Value In The Wake Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, Paige Hennen

Senior Honors Theses

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, students of all ages were required to rapidly transition to the demands of virtual learning, resulting in general amotivation. These changes have led to poor academic performance, due to the decreased efficiency of learning processes as these students learn to cope with the instability caused by the pandemic as well as school-related changes. Intrinsic motivation, especially when cultivated within the learning process, plays an important role in student academic success and acts as an influence on holistic success in adulthood. Thus, educators must cater to the needs of this generation's students by implementing …

The Greatest Teacher: Modeling Jesus In Urban Education, Harley Rusk

Senior Honors Theses

Several key best practices from urban education research are reflected in the pedagogy of Jesus Christ, providing a practical foundation for Christian educators in urban schools. Related to the prevalence of poverty and trauma are the practices of learning students’ backgrounds to better interpret behavior, which Jesus reflects by healing before teaching, and holding high standards, demonstrated in Jesus’ interaction with the rich man and the Sermon on the Mount. Related to racial diversity are the practices of addressing implicit bias, a crucial part of being Christlike, and connecting instruction to students’ culture, like Jesus did through parables. Christians can …

A Strategic Social Media Marketing Plan To Launch A New Tabletop Role-Playing Game, Josiah Mork

Senior Honors Theses

The boardgame industry is thriving through independent (“indie”) publishers crowdfunding on platforms such as Kickstarter. However, the tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) fanbase is resistant to digital media. Indie publishers are then in a dilemma. They lack money to gather supporters through traditional media and cannot crowdfund the money without supporters.

Free social media platforms are natural solutions, if indie creators can circumnavigate fans’ reluctance to engage digital media. Therefore, a strategic social media plan is required to market new TTRPGs successfully. By compiling research on industry and audience, this thesis proposes key observations for indie TTRPG publishers and an example …

December 2022 - Front Matter

Journal of Solution Focused Practices

No abstract provided.

A Tribute To Jan Bavelas, Sara Smock Jordan

Journal of Solution Focused Practices

No abstract provided.

December 2022 Complete

Journal of Solution Focused Practices

No abstract provided.

What Is Helpful: The Client’S Perception Of The Solution-Focused Brief Therapy Process By Level Of Engagement, Andreea M. Żak

Journal of Solution Focused Practices

The current study aimed to explore what elements from the solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) process clients perceive as helpful and how their perception varies by level of engagement. The replication of the SFBT model from the perspective of clients residing outside the USA was also examined. A mixed-method design was used in a naturalistic setting in Poland. Clients (N = 346; 74% females) aged 18 to 67 attending psychotherapy in private practice were interviewed. Thematic analysis revealed eleven main themes. The SFBT-specific themes replicated the original model, yet a more ordered organization of core elements emerged than currently existing ones. …

The Solution-Focused Circle Technique: A Visual Tool For Discovering Strengths And Facilitating Change In Therapy And Counseling, Arnoud Huibers, Ben Furman

Journal of Solution Focused Practices

The Circle Technique is a solution-focused tool for discovering clients' resources, competencies and desired changes, essential aspects of solution-focused psychology. Using two concentric circles, the practitioner guides the client to find resources and ideas about what they want to change and solutions they can use within their social context. The visual tool allows the practitioner and the client to act as explorers, like Marco Polo or Columbus, discovering new worlds. The Circle Technique can be applied in diverse settings to empower a wide range of clients to find valuable ideas. The information found with the help of the circles feels …

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy With Hispanic Families, Vanessa Magaña, Eman Tadros

Journal of Solution Focused Practices

No abstract provided.

The Solution-Focused Approach As A ‘Virtue-Rich’ Practice, Brian Jennings

Journal of Solution Focused Practices

No abstract provided.

Testing The Reliability And Validity Of The Solution-Focused Vs Problem-Focused Communication Scale In A Workplace Setting, Akira Kitai, Yoshimichi Shimada

Journal of Solution Focused Practices

No abstract provided.

Counselors’ Experiences With Infant And Young Child Feeding Tele-Counseling: A Phenomenological Study, Fajar Tri Waluyanti, Yeni Rustina, Hadiyati Fudla, Nani Nurhaeni, Jen-Jiaun Liaw, Insi Farisa Desy Arya, Milawati Milawati, Firda Dewi Yani

Jurnal Keperawatan Indonesia

The global COVID-19 pandemic has influenced the intervention delivery of Indonesia’s stunting reduction program. In this context, e-counseling can be adapted as an innovative approach to deliver interventions. This study aimed to explore counselors’ experiences when conducting tele-counseling. The five participants in this phenomenological study were counselors who had received breastfeeding and infant and young child feeding (IYCF) counseling training and participated in counseling service activities. The participants were selected using a purposive sampling technique. In- depth interviews were conducted with each of the participant until data saturation was reached. Each interview was transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis method. …

Weekly Telehealth Weigh-In For Bmi Reduction, Kelly Ahmad

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: The citizens of the United States are known for being overweight or obese. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2021) reported that approximately 74% of adults are either overweight or obese. PICOT: The PICOT question that guided this project was In overweight adults (P), does telemonitoring weekly for counseling and weigh-in (I) compared to current practice (C) decrease BMI over an 8-week period of time (T)? Evidence: The citizens of the United States are known for being overweight or obese. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2021) reported that approximately 74% of …

Increasing The Prescribing Of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (Prep) With A Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Screening Tool, Cassey Hall

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is one of the leading pandemics in the world. In 2019, 38 million people were living with HIV around the world. Of those, roughly 87% were aware of their HIV status.

PICOT: In patients with high risk for HIV, how does implementing a pre-exposure (PrEP) screening tool compared to randomly screening for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) affect the prescribing of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) within eight weeks?

Evidence: In 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended PrEP for the prevention of HIV in high-risk individuals. The patients include men who have sex with …

Evidence-Based Best Practice For Nursing Skills Competency Assessment: A Policy Development Project For Standard Work Utilizing The Donna Wright Competency Model, Iselda Gentry

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: Traditional nursing competency assessments use a process-focused approach determined by leaders. A checklist methodology for conducting nursing competencies does not empower nurses to create their own learning experiences.

PICOT: The PICOT question that guided this project was: In an acute care setting (P), how does the development of an evidence-informed policy for competency assessment utilizing the Donna Wright Competency model (I) compared to current competency assessment practices (C), improve the guidance for nurse educators in the development of standard work and communications regarding competency assessment (O)?

Evidence: Studies using the DW Competency Assessment Model have shown that this …

Improving The Perioperative Experience Of Patients And Families In A Pediatric Setting, Anjanette Pong

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: The experience of surgery for pediatric patients and their families can be dependent on multiple factors including adequate preparation, English language proficiency and realistic expectations. Anxiety can contribute to a negative experience that may result in poor outcomes and a damaging reflection of the healthcare team and organization.

PICOT: The PICOT question that guided this project was: In preoperative pediatric patients and their families, how do therapeutic communication style and the provision of information about the perioperative experience affect their healthcare experience over eight weeks?

Evidence: A multi-modal approach to providing tailored preoperative education for the child and …

Designing A Cohesive And Iconic Brand Identity For Cal Poly Men’S Soccer Club, Oliver Cobb Panlibuton

Graphic Communication

When thinking of iconic soccer teams or brands, what comes to mind? Maybe you think of Barcelona, Chelsea, or Manchester United. Whatever the case may be, what these teams have in common is a strong brand identity. Building a strong brand identity is an important aspect of any soccer organization. It can attract sponsors, develop an emotional connection with fans and other stakeholders, support the association’s strategic objectives, and even reduce marketing costs (Kucheriavyi 2019; Essec). The benefits of having a strong brand enable a club to have more time and money to put into other investments like players and …

Teche Lab Logo Design, Lauren Wagner La Grille

Graphic Communication

In 2020, Cal Poly’s Biomedical Engineering Department changed the name of one of their existing labs, the QPLUS lab, to the TECHE lab. TECHE stands for Transforming Engineers Through Hands-On Engagement and is a lab where biomedical engineering students can work together on projects, prototype ideas, and create solutions that help improve the lives of those who have disabilities.

Since renaming the lab 2 years ago, the biomedical engineering department has not done any other updates to the branding of the TECHE lab and does not currently have a logo to represent the lab. The TECHE lab is a large …

30 Day Outdoor Mindfulness Journal, Alena Sylvia Robinson

Graphic Communication

The 30 Day Outdoor Mindfulness Journal seeks to connect users to nature and to themselves through the use of mindfulness practices. It is believed that these practices can have a myriad of positive effects on both the user and our world. Users will experience effects on their physical and mental health, while also growing their connectedness to nature and, ultimately, their desire to protect the environment.