Digital Commons Network^™

Engaging Older Immigrants To Learn English: Advocating For Late-In-Life Learning For Everyone, Susan Marie Filous

Master's Projects and Capstones

In the United States, late-in-life and aging-in-place immigrants require basic English language skills to support their ability to independently access economic, medical, housing, legal, and social services. Older immigrants typically rely on family members, potentiating the risks of neglect and dependency. There is an opportunity to expand their agency in society by increasing their English proficiency.

Foreign language geragogy supports differentiated educational strategies for older learners. There is no upper age limit on the ability to learn a new language, and there are new methods and practices to teach foreign languages to older students. It is insufficient to mainstream older …

From House Party To World Dominance: Celebrating 50 Years Of Hip Hop: A Bibliography, Cassandra Chaney

Journal of Hip Hop Studies

In 2023, the culture celebrated the 50th birthday of Hip Hop. While there is an ongoing argument of when Hip Hop started, Hip Hop culture marked Clive “DJ Kool Herc” Campbell’s legendary 1973 party at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in the Bronx, NY as the day to commemorate its humble beginnings. This work provides a bibliographical list of published articles, interviews, book reviews, forthcoming books, and live performances from various artists that made a major impact on Hip Hop. In particular, the bibliography highlights the mark that Hip Hop has made on fashion, the economy, language, and the unique contributions that …

Understanding The Lived Experiences Of Ethnic-Racial Minority Former Foster Youth Who Identify As Queer, Cristian A. Lemus

Doctoral Dissertations

This qualitative study used Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis to explore the lived experiences and meaning making of former foster youth of color who identify as both ethnic-racial minorities and as either gender or sexual minorities. A total of three participants took part in this study. All participants identified as a former foster youth with at least one foster care placement in the United States, as an ethnic-racial minority, and as a gender or sexual minority. In the lived experiences of the participants three themes, and several subthemes, emerged: identity, cultural prejudice, and power dynamics. The findings supported the hypothesis former foster …

Enhanced Mechanical Strength Of Soybean Oil-Based Non-Isocyanate Polyurethane Adhesive For Wood Application By Introducing Nanofillers, Vatsal Chaudhari

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Polyurethane (PU) is a versatile material that finds extensive use in various industries including bedding, construction, automotive, and packaging. Historically, this particular polymer relied significantly on petrochemical resources, a practice that was considered to have negative environmental impacts. The conventional method for preparing PU involves the use of isocyanate, which is a disadvantage due to its negative impact on the environment and human health. The resolution of this problem entails identifying an appropriate substitute for petroleum-derived products that minimize their impact on both the environment and human health. The researchers earlier utilized soybean oil, for the formulation of PUs in …

Acceptability And Use Of An Online Health Priorities Self-Identification Tool For Older Adults: A Qualitative Investigation, Emily L Mroz, Kizzy Hernandez-Bigos, Jessica Esterson, Eliza Kiwak, Aanand Naik, Mary E Tinetti

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVE: To examine the use of a web-based, self-directed health priorities identification tool for older adults with multiple chronic conditions (MCCs).

METHODS: We recruited a gender- and racially-diverse, highly educated sample of older adults with MCCs to engage with our My Health Priorities tool, then complete a semi-structured interview. Thematic analysis was used to examine interview transcripts.

RESULTS: Twenty-one participants shared perspectives on the acceptability and use of the tool. Three themes (with eleven subthemes) were generated to describe: website

CONCLUSION: Participants found this tool acceptable and easy to use, describing a variety of benefits of the priorities self-identification process …

An Overview Of The Cut Flower Industry, Makaylie Langford, Kynda R. Curtis, Melanie Stock

All Current Publications

This fact sheet provides an overview of the cut flower industry. It provides information about traditional and specialty cut flowers, comparing flowers sourced locally in Utah and internationally.

Understanding The Cultural Perceptions And Beliefs Of Law Enforcement About Officer Wellness: A Focused Ethnography, Carrie Hintz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Law enforcement is recognized as one of the most stressful and high-risk occupations in the world. This study explored the cultural perceptions, beliefs, and values of law enforcement officers (LEOs) about their wellness. Methodology: This focused ethnography included observations and individual interviews of LEOs in the state of Nevada, USA. Leininger’s four phases of qualitative data analysis were used to analyze the data. Results: Thirty-one LEOs participated, representing 7 law enforcement agencies. Three themes were identified: 1) the badge is omnipresent in officers' lives, affecting every aspect of their world; 2) a balanced approach to officer health is important; …

Exploring Ways To Reveal Consumer Buying Behavior In The Qatari Market, Angelika Barczak

Studia i Materiały Wydział Zarządzania Uniwersytet Warszawski

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to look for ways to reveal the purchasing behavior of consumers in Qatar. Design/Methodology/Approach: The study begins with a literature search on the subject. Some of the theories regarding the determinants of consumer purchasing behavior that are universal across cultures are specified. Then, an analysis of the cultural conditions of the Qatari market was carried out using Hofstede’s model. In the next step information from international literature on consumer behavior in Qatar was collected, analyzed and summarized. The information from the literature research was compiled and compared with the results of the analysis …

Factors Affecting Adoption Of Tiktok Among Students In The Dhaka City Area., Mahafizur R. Jim, Muhammad I. Alam

Business Review

This study investigates the factors affecting adoption of TikTok among the students in Dhaka city area. A structured survey questionnaire was developed through the survey tool, Google form and data were obtained from 529 respondents living in various locations of Dhaka city by an online survey method through using the social media platform, Facebook. Moreover, the multiple regression analysis was performed to test the research hypotheses. Results show that students perceive this app in a different way and do not consider this app as a great source of enjoyment. Moreover, they do not perceive this app as a decent media …

Evaluating Utilization And Outcomes For An Outpatient Oncology Urgent Care Center, Melody D. Noble

Doctors of Nursing Practice (DNP) Final Projects, 2020-current

Patients receiving cancer care in the outpatient setting may often require unscheduled, acute management of symptoms. An oncology urgent care clinic (UCC) was implemented to provide symptom management for these patients outside of the emergency department (ED) at an academic medical center. A program evaluation was performed to assess the impact of the UCC on ED utilization and patient outcomes. The project methodology is the Predisposing, Reinforcing and Enabling Constructs in Educational Diagnosis-Policy, Regulatory and Organizational Constructs in Educational and Environmental Development (PRECEDE/PROCEED) method of program evaluation with additional evaluation of outcomes via the Institutes of Healthcare Improvement (IHI) triple …

Implementing Audiovisual Education To Improve Quality And Patient Experience For Outpatient Colorectal Cancer Screening Patients, Stephanie Armstrong

Doctors of Nursing Practice (DNP) Final Projects, 2020-current

Colorectal cancer continues to be the second most deadly cancer in the United States, with thousands of new cases being diagnosed each year. Comprehension of bowel preparation education is an important factor in ensuring patients follow purgative and diet instructions. Inadequate bowel preparations lead to longer procedure lengths, decreased cancer screening capabilities, and decrease patient satisfaction. Audiovisual education has been shown to positively impact patient comprehension and instruction adherence, when compared to the standard written education. The goal of this quality improvement project was to implement audiovisual education and identify whether it improved bowel preparation adequacy and patient satisfaction. The …

Portuguese Language Use Among First Generation Brazilian Immigrants In Utah County: Some Considerations About Language And Ethnic Identity, Simone Pizzio

Theses and Dissertations

The current study presents an investigation of the Portuguese language use among first generation Brazilian immigrants in Utah County. The research was carried out with 54 first generation immigrants. Several studies have shown that ethnic identity is related to shared cultural characteristics such as practices, beliefs, and languages (Liebkind, 2010; Pennycook, 2010; Reyes, 2010; Souza, 2016). This study explores the relationship between language and ethnic identity by analyzing the attitudes toward the Portuguese language, the contexts and factors that influence language choice, and the purposes for which the Portuguese language has been used by this selected group of immigrants. The …

"How Could Anyone But A Madman Have Thought This Sleeping Girl Dead?": L.T. Meade's Approach To The "Buried Alive" Literary Tradition In Support Of Death Certification Reform, Shelby Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

A March 1866 issue of The Lancet observes, "If a newspaper were in want of a startling story with which to enliven a dull copy in the 'off season,' it could not do better than select one with the heading "'Buried Alive'"("Premature Interment" 295). Stories of being buried alive gave readers of all backgrounds a thrill. However, the stories frustrated the medical and scientific communities who were quick to dismiss the threat of live burial as a possibility in a modern world. Drawing on the literary history of "buried alive" stories and medical knowledge surrounding death signs and catalepsy, this …

Understanding Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Among Racial And Ethnic Minority Groups: A Content Analysis, Tyson William Lovell

Theses and Dissertations

Historically, racial and ethnic minority (REM) communities have faced reduced access to resources for mental and emotional health issues. While research has placed a greater emphasis on REM experiences, there is still a need to further understand the unique contextual factors surrounding mental health challenges among these marginalized groups. Research on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) among REM communities is one area in need of further evaluation. Therefore, this study is a content analysis of literature analyzing the current research focused on the intersection of REM communities and OCD experiences. The purpose of the study is to analyze OCD research among …

Variations Of The Trapezius Branch Of The Accessory Nerve: An Anatomic Study, Matthew E Lin, Celeste Kim, Adam Howard, Niels Kokot

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Although modified radical neck dissections have increased in popularity to reduce morbidity secondary to intraoperative accessory nerve damage, inadvertent injury still often occurs. As this phenomenon is thought to be due to anatomic variation in the trapezius branch of the accessory nerve, it is imperative to better understand the nuances of these anatomic variations to better inform surgical decision-making. A total of 24 accessory nerves were dissected, exposed, and traced in 15 cadavers. Three aspects of the accessory nerve were identified and recorded: the course of the trapezius branch in relation to the sternocleidomastoid, the number of trapezius branches at …

One The Equal And Opposite Of The Other: More Humanity Than Christianity In "Our Sea Of Islands" And Tales Of The Tikongs, Drois Nadia Vi

Theses and Dissertations

Tongan scholar and author Epeli Hau'ofa's "Our Sea of Islands" is an influential essay in several fields including archipelagic studies, Pacific Islands studies, and transpacific studies. However, his poems and short stories have been overlooked as a parallel attempt to advocate for and influence Tongan people. The main purpose of his writings is to educate both Pacific Islanders and Westerners on the importance of putting a stop to viewing the Pacific as small, isolated, and poor. The short stories in his collection Tales of the Tikongs are both satirical and very humorous, yet these moments of satire are not just …

Lemons And Other Grand Delusions, Jake A. Yarnold

Master's Theses

Lemons and Other Grand Delusions explores a host of characters as they come face to face with their greatest fears, as they get exactly what they think they want. From magic dimension-bending lemons, to automatons powered by the Philosopher’s Stone, as the powers from beyond become in-hand realities, the characters find their greatest desires are not as simple and powerful in their hands as they first thought. Exploring the limits of greed and desire within ourselves and in the society we live in, the collection asks who are we, if not a collection of our own desires, and the impulses …

Dim111.2 Scholarly Persectives On Design: Analysis Of A Creative Work Example 1, Sae University College

Exemplars

DIm111 Project 2 example of visual analysis essay showing high quality work.

Geographical Distribution Of Fetal Deaths In Babylon Province And Its Spatial Analysis For The Year 2021, Naji Jawad Abbas

Alustath Journal for Human and Social Sciences

The research aims to reveal the magnitude of the phenomenon of fetal mortality and its spatial variation and spatial relationships causing it in Babylon Governorate for the year 2021, and to achieve this, the descriptive and analytical approach and the quantitative method were used, and the statistical bag (spss) was adopted. The research concluded that the phenomenon of fetal deaths in Babil Governorate for the year 2021 amounted to (1443) deaths, and their percentages varied at the level of administrative units, as the Hashemite District Center ranked first with a rate of (1.27%). While the Shomali district came in the …

A Critical Discourse Analysis Of Hate Speech Directed Towards Iraqi Tv Series’ Performers On Social Media, Mahmood Adil Almuslehi

Alustath Journal for Human and Social Sciences

This study investigates online hate speech directed against Iraqi actors and actresses in the online environment of Facebook and Instagram platforms. Fairclough’s (2001) Three-Dimensional Model is employed in this study to unravel the delicate fabric of language used in hate remarks, demonstrating its function in generating discriminatory discourse and falling under the broad purview of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA). To provide nuanced insights into the mechanisms by which online hate speech operates and the wider socio-cultural implications it engenders, it also seeks to uncover the latent ideologies and belief systems that underlie hate comments and to illuminate their intersections with …

A Semantic Study Of Pleonasm In English And Arabic Political Speeches, Mubdir Shihab Ahmed

Alustath Journal for Human and Social Sciences

The present research paper aims at studying the concept of pleonasm in English which is defined as the repetition of the same idea by utilising the two or more diverse words within the same sentence such as," I saw with my own eyes"," I heard with my own ears". The data is taken from a number of interviews with two politicians whose native languages are English and Arabic. Two interviews are selected; one for the former British Prime Minister Tony Blair in 2004 and the other one is for the former Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Alawi also in 2004. …

Artificial Intelligence And Teachers' Sustainability :Preschool Teachers' Perceptions Of Conditions And Level Of Support For Professional Development In Early Childhood Special Education, Rana Saleh Alghamdi, Amr Mahmoud, Tahany Sabry Shaaban

Alustath Journal for Human and Social Sciences

The purpose of this research is to explore Saudi early childhood special education (ECSE) teachers' attitudes towards professional development programs in ECSE. For this reason, survey data was obtained from 30 Saudi ECSE teachers who worked in Saudi Arabian early childhood stages, and then an interview was conducted with five of them to find out their training needs and the challenges they face. The researchers used the qualitative technique, which included a pre-survey and interviews. An online questionnaire was provided to the participants in order to examine their impressions of the professional development programs and assess their judgments of the …

Independent Writing At The Kindergarten Level, Carley K. Andrus

Masters Projects

Abstract

Writing has become an important component of literacy instruction in early childhood classrooms. Young learners are being faced with challenges in writing workshops, leaving them unable to develop age appropriate work on their own. Research was done to further the understanding for teachers and administration on the important strategies that will support student writing. Studies have found that peer instruction, oral language and self regulation strategies are all important factors when developing student independence. In order to have students meet the high demanding literacy standards, teachers need to feel comfortable and confident in their practices. This project can assist …

Dark Moon Shallow Sea (The Gods Of Night And Day Series, Vol. 1) By David R. Slayton, Phillip Fitzsimmons

Faculty Articles & Research

Book review of Dark Moon Shallow Sea (The Gods of Night and Day Series, vol 1) by author David R. Slayton. Book review by Phillip Fitzsimmons.

The Effect Of Bilingualism On Cognitive Development In Children Review Article, Amal Mahmoud Ali

Alustath Journal for Human and Social Sciences

Bilingualism has become an increasingly common phenomenon in today’s globalized world, with many children growing up exposed to two or more languages. As a result, there has been growing interest among researchers in understanding the impact of bilingualism on thinking development in young and children. Some studies confirmed that bilingualism can have a positive effect on children’s perception cognitive development, particularly in the zones of attention control, Operational memory, and cognitive flexibility. Dual-language learners may also have better Planning and organization skills, such as task-switching and inhibitory control, compared to monolingual children. These cognitive advantages may be due to the …

Synthetic Produced Water Treatment By Directional Solvent Extraction In A Semi-Continuous System, Pablo Vicaria

Masters Theses (Archived)

Directional Solvent Extraction (DSE) is a system used to remove salts from brine water, utilizing organic solvents such as Diisopropylamine (DIPA); it is a well-studied system where the results obtained are promising because the removal of salts can be greater than 94%. The high demand of pure water for the oil and gas industry increases each year as access to fresh water is becoming complex and expensive. It is necessary to develop new technologies with higher recovery rates and environmentally friendly waste disposal. With a proposed semi-continuous system, divided into four stages, an analysis on retention times (RT), and a …

Senior Recognition Ceremony 2023

Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Visual Arts On At-Risk Students, Nicole E. Seidler

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Creation through visual art is demonstrated by a variety of all ages. Visual art-based learning is known to build focus, reduce stress, provide a sense of accomplishment, and spark an increase in well-being. Many people have been known to benefit from the creation of art. With the COVID-19 pandemic back in 2020, educators across the country have noticed an increase of students who are considered at-risk. Many school districts have made it a priority to look at ways of improving these students’ behavior, participation, view on school, or overall well-being. This research study takes place at a rural Wisconsin high …

Role Of The Ganglioside Gd2 And Its Biosynthetic Enzyme Gd3 Synthase In Prostate Cancer Tumorigenesis, Aaqib Bhat

Theses & Dissertations

Despite significant advancements in managing localized prostate cancer (PC), which have notably increased survival rates, advanced PC continues to be a leading cause of cancer- related fatalities. The discovery of new pathways that can be targeted to inhibit tumor growth in PC could pave the way for innovative treatment strategies. The disialylganglioside GD2 is an FDA-approved target for antibody therapies in neuroblastoma and has not been extensively studied in the context of PC. The work done in this thesis reveals that GD2 is present on a minor subset of PC cells in certain patients and is more prevalent in metastatic …

Environmental Ozone Exposure, Gestational Health, And The Lung-Placental Axis, Russell Hunter

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Adverse gestational outcomes of pregnancy are a globally occurring threat to fetomaternal health, with limited clinical prognostic and intervention strategies aside from premature labor induction. Epidemiological data shows strong correlations between gestational exposure to air pollution and the incidence of adverse gestational outcomes. The research presented here was designed to evaluate potential murine models of gestational exposure, as well as quantify maternal cardiovascular damage therein. These studies employ radiotelemetry, echocardiography, single cell RNA-sequencing, and untargeted lipidomic analyses in efforts to study these effects. Results implicate cardiovascular responses to mid-gestational ozone exposure as evidenced by decreased maternal cardiac output and increased …