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Hsp90 Inhibitor, At13387 Mitigates Chronic Lung Injury In Pre-Pubertal Mice: A Therapeutic Axis In Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia, Pavel A. Solopov, Christiana Dimitropoulou, John D. Catravas, Ruben M. L. Colunga Biancatelli Jan 2026

Hsp90 Inhibitor, At13387 Mitigates Chronic Lung Injury In Pre-Pubertal Mice: A Therapeutic Axis In Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia, Pavel A. Solopov, Christiana Dimitropoulou, John D. Catravas, Ruben M. L. Colunga Biancatelli

Bioelectrics Publications

Exposure to hydrochloric acid (HCl) can provoke severe chronic pulmonary injury. Children are particularly vulnerable due to their smaller airways, higher respiratory rate, and stronger inflammatory response; yet no countermeasures exist for HCl-induced chronic lung injury in the pediatric population. We have previously demonstrated the involvement of HSP90 during HCl-induced lung injury in pre-pubertal (p24) mice, who develop stronger persistent inflammation with higher NLRP3 inflammasome activation, but less pulmonary fibrosis compared to adults. Here, we tested the hypothesis that post-treatment with the second-generation HSP90 inhibitor AT13387 (Onalespib), administered subcutaneously beginning 24 h after HCl instillation, would prevent HCl-induced chronic lung …


Using Maximum Entropy (Maxent) Tool In Arcgis Pro For Species Distribution Modelling Of Pseudoscorpions In The Pacific Northwest, Elliot Toshihiro Cochran Jan 2026

Using Maximum Entropy (Maxent) Tool In Arcgis Pro For Species Distribution Modelling Of Pseudoscorpions In The Pacific Northwest, Elliot Toshihiro Cochran

Masters in GIS Practicum Reports

The use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to create Species Distribution Models (SDMs) is rising among many scientific disciplines. Many professionals who were not originally focused on GIS are increasingly becoming more invested in this technology. SDMs are widely used to estimate species’ potential geographic distributions and to evaluate the environmental factors that constrain their ranges. The presence-only maximum entropy (MaxEnt) algorithm implemented in the MaxEnt tool in ArcGIS Pro was used in this project to model habitat suitability for two species of pseudoscorpions, M. pacificus and an undescribed species, in Oregon and Washington. Presence points (of specimen sample locations) …


Front Matter Jan 2026

Front Matter

Lewis & Clark Law Review

Front Matter contains Table of Contents, Masthead, and faculty for Lewis & Clark Law Review Volume 30, Issue 1.


Front Matter Jan 2026

Front Matter

Lewis & Clark Law Review

Front Matter contains Table of Contents, Masthead, and faculty for Lewis & Clark Law Review Volume 30, Issue 2.


Quo Warranto In The Aftermath Of Loper Bright, Dennis Hall Jan 2026

Quo Warranto In The Aftermath Of Loper Bright, Dennis Hall

Lewis & Clark Law Review

In 2024, the Supreme Court did away with Chevron deference in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo. One previously undiscussed consequence of this decision is how it opens the door to a broader use of quo warranto corporate charter revocation. Quo warranto is a legal remedy held by the states that has fallen into relative obscurity, but it has the power to regulate large corporations that have strayed from the bounds of acceptable activity. This Comment examines the history of corporations and corporate oversight regulation in the United States, as well as the history of quo warranto as a remedy. Additionally, …


Assuming Accent: Recognizing The Intersection Of Race And National Origin In Title Vii Discrimination, Eun Hee Han Jan 2026

Assuming Accent: Recognizing The Intersection Of Race And National Origin In Title Vii Discrimination, Eun Hee Han

University of Colorado Law Review

No abstract provided.


Sex Differences In The Use Of Cognitive Strategies In Brown-Headed Cowbirds (Molothrus Ater), Nicole E. Robinson Ms. Jan 2026

Sex Differences In The Use Of Cognitive Strategies In Brown-Headed Cowbirds (Molothrus Ater), Nicole E. Robinson Ms.

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Cognition is widely believed to be adaptive, yet few studies directly show that variation in cognitive performance is related to fitness. Brown-headed cowbirds (Molothrus ater) provide a powerful system for addressing this gap because brood parasitism creates strikingly different reproductive problems for females and males. Females face the spatial demands of nest-prospecting, whereas males face social and competitive demands associated with access to mates. Across five experiments, cowbirds were tested on an outdoor foraging task designed as an analogue of nest prospecting, with manipulations of retention interval, cue conflict, and breeding condition, followed by observations of reproductive behaviour. …


Formulation Modification Of Silver Diamine Fluoride To Improve Clinical Handling And Dentin Tubule Occlusion, Liangyu Chang, Yutzu Wu, Powen Lu, Iwen Chen, Weifang Lee, Chunche Lin, Renjei Chung, Poonam Negi, Naichia Teng, Jenchang Yang Jan 2026

Formulation Modification Of Silver Diamine Fluoride To Improve Clinical Handling And Dentin Tubule Occlusion, Liangyu Chang, Yutzu Wu, Powen Lu, Iwen Chen, Weifang Lee, Chunche Lin, Renjei Chung, Poonam Negi, Naichia Teng, Jenchang Yang

Journal of Dental Sciences

Background/purpose: Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) is clinically effective for treating dentinal hypersensitivity and arresting caries, but its poor clinical handling due to low viscosity remain concerns. This study aimed to enhance the rheological properties of SDF by incorporating sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) to improve its clinical manageability. Materials and methods: A 39.34 wt% SDF solution (TMU-SDF) was prepared via wet processing. Its matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) inhibition was evaluated using a fluorogenic MMP-1 assay, and antibacterial activity was tested via an inhibition zone assay. Biocompatibility was assessed using a modified cytotoxicity-agar diffusion test and a skin sensitization test. Rheological properties, including flow …


Smallholder Farmers' Willingness To Pay For The Farmbetter Mobile App-Based Agricultural Extension: Evidence From A Bdm Experiment In Tanzania And Burkina Faso, Cool Dady Mangole, Kelvin Mulungu, Christian Kamala Kaghoma, Maurice Tschopp, Menale Kassie Jan 2026

Smallholder Farmers' Willingness To Pay For The Farmbetter Mobile App-Based Agricultural Extension: Evidence From A Bdm Experiment In Tanzania And Burkina Faso, Cool Dady Mangole, Kelvin Mulungu, Christian Kamala Kaghoma, Maurice Tschopp, Menale Kassie

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Financial contributions from farmers are increasingly acknowledged as a sustainable mechanism for funding extension services. However, the literature on willingness to pay (WTP) for digital agricultural extension is limited. Conducting a thorough assessment of WTP for digital extension is critical for designing effective pricing policies and ensuring financial sustainability. This study examines the WTP for a novel digital extension platform named farmbetter, leveraging primary data collected in Tanzania and Burkina Faso. The Becker-DeGroot-Marschak (BDM) experiment was used to elicit the amount farmers are willing to pay. We applied the Lasso machine learning to predict the relevant drivers of WTP and …


First Record Of Arrhenophagus Chionaspidis Aurivillius (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) Parasitizing White Mango Scale In Kenya: Its Potential Distribution And Prospects In Biocontrol, Francis Obala, Abdelmutalab G.A. Azrag, Rehemah Gwokyalya, Shepard Ndlela, Ingo Grass, Georg Petschenka, Sunday Ekesi, Samira A. Mohamed Jan 2026

First Record Of Arrhenophagus Chionaspidis Aurivillius (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) Parasitizing White Mango Scale In Kenya: Its Potential Distribution And Prospects In Biocontrol, Francis Obala, Abdelmutalab G.A. Azrag, Rehemah Gwokyalya, Shepard Ndlela, Ingo Grass, Georg Petschenka, Sunday Ekesi, Samira A. Mohamed

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The white mango scale, Aulacaspis tubercularis Newstead (Hemiptera: Diaspididae), is one of the most destructive pests of mango worldwide. Its current management in most of the invaded areas largely depends on the intensive use of chemical insecticides. Biological control using parasitoids represents one of the most effective and environmentally sustainable management options. However, in Kenya, one of Africa's leading mango-producing countries, no effective parasitoid species associated with A. tubercularis had previously been recorded. This study aimed to identify encyrtid parasitoids associated with A. tubercularis in Kenya, and to assess how bioclimatic factors influence their occurrence and habitat suitability. Mango leaves …


Oligonychus Trichardti (Acari: Tetranychidae) Associated With Urochloa Grasses In Kenya: An Integrative Taxonomic Approach, Paula Espitia-Buitrago, Claudia Perea, Lavender A. Odhiambo, Rosa N. Jauregui, Frank Chidawanyika Jan 2026

Oligonychus Trichardti (Acari: Tetranychidae) Associated With Urochloa Grasses In Kenya: An Integrative Taxonomic Approach, Paula Espitia-Buitrago, Claudia Perea, Lavender A. Odhiambo, Rosa N. Jauregui, Frank Chidawanyika

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Spider mites represent a significant constraint to improved forage grass adoption in East Africa, particularly affecting Urochloa cultivars that are crucial for addressing the region’s 40% livestock feed gap. This study employed an integrative taxonomic approach combining morphological and molecular analyses to identify a spider mite species infesting Urochloa interspecific grasses in Kenya. A colony of 80 spider mites was established from symptomatic Urochloa hybrid cv. Cayman plants collected from Mbita Point, Kenya, showing characteristic foliar chlorosis and necrotic spots. Morphological examination of 46 slide-mounted specimens using Hoyer’s medium revealed consistent morphotypical features characteristic of Oligonychus (Reckiella) trichardti Meyer, 1974. …


Influence Of Farming Systems (Organic Vs. Conventional) With Crop Rotation And Intercropping On Weed Seedbank In Central Kenya, Obadiah Mwangi, Monicah Mucheru-Muna, Edward Karanja, Michael Kinyua, Peter Bolo, Dominic Mutambu, Martha Musyoka, Edwin Mwangi, Felix Matheri, Nancy Mwende, Tanga Chrysanthus, Noah Adamtey, David Bautze, Unternährer Anouk, Milka Kiboi, Anne Muriuki, Hottensiah Wambui, Job Kihara Jan 2026

Influence Of Farming Systems (Organic Vs. Conventional) With Crop Rotation And Intercropping On Weed Seedbank In Central Kenya, Obadiah Mwangi, Monicah Mucheru-Muna, Edward Karanja, Michael Kinyua, Peter Bolo, Dominic Mutambu, Martha Musyoka, Edwin Mwangi, Felix Matheri, Nancy Mwende, Tanga Chrysanthus, Noah Adamtey, David Bautze, Unternährer Anouk, Milka Kiboi, Anne Muriuki, Hottensiah Wambui, Job Kihara

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Weed seedbanks are a key driver of long-term weed pressure and are strongly shaped by farming systems, crop rotation, and intercropping. This study evaluated the influence of organic (ORG) and conventional (CONV) farming systems, each managed under high (113–145 kg N·ha−1, 60–83 kg P·ha−1) and low (31–45 kg N·ha−1 and 13–27 kg P·ha−1) fertilization levels, on weed seedbank density, composition, dominance, and diversity in two long-term trials (established in 2007) at Chuka and Thika in the Central Highlands of Kenya. From 2017 to 2019, across six cropping seasons under a three-year rotation, soil …


Multi-Method Energy Optimization: Linear Programming, Hmm Modeling And Arduino-Based Simulations, A.E. El-Alfy, Eman Elayat, M. A. E. Sheta Jan 2026

Multi-Method Energy Optimization: Linear Programming, Hmm Modeling And Arduino-Based Simulations, A.E. El-Alfy, Eman Elayat, M. A. E. Sheta

Mansoura Engineering Journal

This paper presents the simulation and optimization of hybrid energy systems integrating renewable energy and storage technologies. Linear Programming (LP) is utilized to minimize operational costs, while a Hidden Markov Model (HMM) improves reliability by accurately predicting energy flow. Hardware-in-the-loop simulation in Proteus demonstrates efficient energy trading, significantly reducing dependence on conventional sources. The results from a 24-hour analysis show that the system achieves an 87.14% load factor, indicating high efficiency in utilizing the system's rated capacity, 26.23 system reliability, and a 20% improvement in cost efficiency and enhanced sustainability, providing a robust and practical framework for hybrid energy solutions …


Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Hard Coastal Protection Structures For Long-Term Erosion Mitigation, Case Study: Eastern Rosetta Shoreline, Nile Delta, Egypt, Basma Sayed, Ayman Sabry Koraim, Tarek Hemdan Nassrallah, Ahmed Abouelfetouh Abdelaziz, Nada Mansour, Fahmy Salah Fahmy Abdelhaleem Jan 2026

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Hard Coastal Protection Structures For Long-Term Erosion Mitigation, Case Study: Eastern Rosetta Shoreline, Nile Delta, Egypt, Basma Sayed, Ayman Sabry Koraim, Tarek Hemdan Nassrallah, Ahmed Abouelfetouh Abdelaziz, Nada Mansour, Fahmy Salah Fahmy Abdelhaleem

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Coastal erosion threatens densely populated shorelines worldwide. At the Rosetta Promontory (Nile Delta), shoreline retreat has accelerated since the construction of the Aswan High Dam due to reduced fluvial sediment supply. This case study numerically evaluates shoreline response to six hard-protection scenarios along the eastern promontory, combining groins and detached breakwaters, over a 20-year forecast (2022–2042). Offshore wave conditions were transformed to nearshore hydrodynamics using MIKE21 Spectral Wave, and long-term shoreline evolution was simulated with DHI-LITPACK. The numerical models were forced using a 40-year wave dataset derived from the ECMWF ERA5 reanalysis. Results indicate that the configuration with eight detached …


Effect Of Two Cut Off Rows On Seepage Underneath Hy-Draulic Structures Using Weak Form Differential Quadra-Ture Element Method: A Theoretical Approach, Esraa Ahmed, El-Masry A. A, Hossam A.A. Abdel Gawad, Ahmed Elhamrawy Jan 2026

Effect Of Two Cut Off Rows On Seepage Underneath Hy-Draulic Structures Using Weak Form Differential Quadra-Ture Element Method: A Theoretical Approach, Esraa Ahmed, El-Masry A. A, Hossam A.A. Abdel Gawad, Ahmed Elhamrawy

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Investigating confined seepage underneath hydraulic structures is crucial to ensure the safety of these structures. The Weak Form Quadrature Element Method (WFQEM) is the basis of this paper, which explores the behavior of confined flow. The seepage flow governing equation is solved numerically to estimate the uplift pressure underneath the hydraulic structures and the exit gradient.The Gauss–Lobatto–Legendre (GLL) type is used as nodal and integration points. Several models were solved to validate the applied numerical method. The obtained results are compared with theoretical and preceding numerical solutions mentioned in the literature. The system of equations generated from applying the WFQEM …


Control Of Steel Corrosion Using Natural Corrosion Inhibitor, Rasha A. Nasef, O. Hamed, M. M. El-Halwany, M. H. Mahmoud Jan 2026

Control Of Steel Corrosion Using Natural Corrosion Inhibitor, Rasha A. Nasef, O. Hamed, M. M. El-Halwany, M. H. Mahmoud

Mansoura Engineering Journal

This study investigates corrosion control of AISI 430 stainless steel in 1M HCl medium using an eco-friendly inhibitor extracted from pomegranate peel (PPE). The inhibition efficiency was evaluated at different PPE concentrations, with the highest applied concentration of 13g/L. Corrosion behavior was evaluated through weight-loss measurements and potentiodynamic polarization techniques conducted at room temperature.

The experimental results showed that corrosion resistance improved as the inhibitor  concentration increased. Lower corrosion rates were observed in the presence of PPE, along with reduced anodic and cathodic activities, indicating that the extract functions as a mixed-type inhibitor. Surface analysis confirmed the formation of …


Existential Intelligence: A Survey Across The Ages--As Well As My Ages, Howard Gardner Jan 2026

Existential Intelligence: A Survey Across The Ages--As Well As My Ages, Howard Gardner

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies Advance Publication Archive

Written in response to Branton Shearer’s (2026) paper on existential intelligence and existential reasoning, this paper argues that due to the lack of evidence of neural specialization and a developmental trajectory, pondering existential questions is best understood as philosophical thinking, rather than a distinct intelligence. The paper reflects on the status of existential thinking within the author’s framework for multiple intelligences. It traces the criteria originally used to identify the author’s seven intelligences, the later admission of naturalist intelligence, and the provisional consideration of pedagogical and existential intelligences. The paper explains why the labels “spiritual” and “religious” intelligence have been …


Existential Reasoning Within The Framework Of Multiple Intelligences, C. Branton Shearer Jan 2026

Existential Reasoning Within The Framework Of Multiple Intelligences, C. Branton Shearer

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies Advance Publication Archive

This article investigates the concept and construct validity of the proposed existential intelligence (Gardner, 1999). Thinking about fundamental existential issues such as death and the meaning of life is a valued human cognitive activity, but does this qualify as a distinct form of intelligence with coherence, structural integrity, measurability, and independence according to Gardner’s criteria? A more accurate framing for this construct may be existential reasoning—a type of cognition that seems likely to be a precursor to, subcomponent of, or parallel with the construct of wisdom. Data from the Scale for Existential Thinking (Allan & Shearer, 2012) are reviewed. …


Maslow’S Hammer: The Problem Of Scientism And The Philosophy Of Science In Maslow’S Later Work, Richard Grego Jan 2026

Maslow’S Hammer: The Problem Of Scientism And The Philosophy Of Science In Maslow’S Later Work, Richard Grego

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies Advance Publication Archive

This paper examines how Abraham Maslow’s concern with the pervasive intellectual and cultural influence of scientism shaped his philosophy of science and anticipated contemporary discourse on the nature of scientism. Although he never articulated a thorough, formal, or systematic philosophy of science, Maslow’s conception of science’s nature and scope is evident through the course of his work, and it was shaped by his concern with the emerging influence of scientism. The prominent intellectual status science has enjoyed since the Enlightenment has made scientism a powerful influence on postmodern intellectual and popular culture that is currently the subject of a wide …


Sustainable Control Of Pests And Striga Weed Through Intensified Push-Pull Technology And Frass-Based Soil Amendments, Evanson R. Omuse, Honest Machekano, Daniel M. Mutyambai, Dennis Beesigamukama, Chrysantus M. Tanga, Samwel O. Ogaji, Sevgan Subramanian, Frank Chidawanyika Jan 2026

Sustainable Control Of Pests And Striga Weed Through Intensified Push-Pull Technology And Frass-Based Soil Amendments, Evanson R. Omuse, Honest Machekano, Daniel M. Mutyambai, Dennis Beesigamukama, Chrysantus M. Tanga, Samwel O. Ogaji, Sevgan Subramanian, Frank Chidawanyika

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Crop productivity under African smallholder farming systems is faced by numerous challenges, including insect pests, weeds, low soil fertility, and climate change. Sustainable intensification, such as push-pull (PP) technology and vegetable-integrated push-pull (VIPP) technology, coupled with soil organic amendments such as black soldier fly frass fertilizer (BSFFF), can address these agricultural constraints. We investigated the individual and synergistic effects of cropping systems comprising two crops [maize (DK777 variety) and cowpea (KVU27 variety)] and agroecological strategies (PP, VIPP and BSFFF) on the management of pests and Striga weeds and crop productivity in three different geographical areas. Diversified cropping systems (PP and …


Intensified Push-Pull Technology Enhances Above-Ground Arthropod Assemblages And Ecological Balance, Evanson R. Omuse, Honest Machekano, Daniel M. Mutyambai, Bonoukpoe M. Sokame, Chrysantus M. Tanga, Johnson O. Nyasani, Sevgan Subramanian, Frank Chidawanyika Jan 2026

Intensified Push-Pull Technology Enhances Above-Ground Arthropod Assemblages And Ecological Balance, Evanson R. Omuse, Honest Machekano, Daniel M. Mutyambai, Bonoukpoe M. Sokame, Chrysantus M. Tanga, Johnson O. Nyasani, Sevgan Subramanian, Frank Chidawanyika

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Agroecological intensification aims to increase farm productivity, reduce dependency on external inputs, and enhance biodiversity conservation. However, the contribution of recent sustainable agricultural practices to arthropod assemblages and their ecosystem services remains underexplored. Through a 2-year multilocation trial, we investigated the response of above-ground arthropod assemblages and their ecological functions in cowpea and maize grown under monocropping systems and diversified systems (pure and intensified push-pull technologies). Using three sampling methods (visual observations, pitfall traps, sticky traps), a total of 65, 307 arthropod specimens were collected. The most dominant arthropod taxa were Hemiptera (true bugs; 47%), followed by Thysanoptera (thrips; 17%), …


Intermittent High-Fat, High-Sugar Access During Adolescence Drives Binge-Restriction Feeding And Reduced Weight Gain In A Food Unpredictability Model, Calvin G. Miller Jan 2026

Intermittent High-Fat, High-Sugar Access During Adolescence Drives Binge-Restriction Feeding And Reduced Weight Gain In A Food Unpredictability Model, Calvin G. Miller

CMC Senior Theses

Food insecurity affects nearly 48 million Americans and 318 million people worldwide, with very low food security disrupting normal eating habits through “feast-or-famine” episodes characterized by cycles of food overconsumption followed by restriction. This dietary pattern alters dopamine signaling within the mesocorticolimbic system — brain circuitry intimately linked to reward processing. This system includes the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and prefrontal cortex (PFC). Overstimulation can be promoted through sporadic high-fat, high-sugar diet (HFHSD) exposure, promoting dopamine neuron architecture alterations and binge-eating behavior. Adolescence represents a vulnerable window, as mesocorticolimbic dopamine projections undergo maturation during this period. Though evidence links food …


Adolescent Binge-Like Feeding And Neuroinflammation: Effects Of Intermittent Palatable Diet Access On Microglial Activation In The Brain In Adolescents, Jaimie T. Yu Jan 2026

Adolescent Binge-Like Feeding And Neuroinflammation: Effects Of Intermittent Palatable Diet Access On Microglial Activation In The Brain In Adolescents, Jaimie T. Yu

CMC Senior Theses

Binge eating disorder (BED), one of the most common eating disorders in the United States (Definition & Facts for Binge Eating Disorder - NIDDK, n.d.), is characterized by recurrent episodes of consuming large quantities of food in a short period of time accompanied by a sense of loss of control. The intermittent access (INT) model reliably produces binge-like eating in adult rodents, with animals showing episodic hyperphagia upon time-limited access to a high-fat, high-sugar (HFHS) diet. In adult female rats, INT access produces elevated meal size and reduced satiety ratio relative to controls (Maske et al., 2020), and promotes microglial …


Morals Without Movement: Veganism, Contentious Politics, And The Lifestyle Politics Constraint, Luke M. Carfaro Jan 2026

Morals Without Movement: Veganism, Contentious Politics, And The Lifestyle Politics Constraint, Luke M. Carfaro

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis examines whether veganism constitutes a social movement through Social Movement Theory frameworks, emphasizing Sidney Tarrow's Power in Movement. Through analysis of veganism's empirical properties (collective challenge, common purpose, collective identity, and sustained interaction) and key procedural mechanisms (framing, mobilizing structures, and repertoires of contention), this thesis determines that veganism fails to meet the empirical criteria of a social movement and is more accurately classified as a lifestyle movement—a movement in which political participation is expressed through private consumption rather than sustained collective contention. Using the Make America Healthy Again movement as a counterexample, this thesis comparatively illustrates …


Constitutional Rights, Human Dignity, And The American Dream: A Historical Analysis Of U.S. Immigration Policy After 9/11, Shelby Mcilroy Jan 2026

Constitutional Rights, Human Dignity, And The American Dream: A Historical Analysis Of U.S. Immigration Policy After 9/11, Shelby Mcilroy

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis examines how United States immigration policy transformed after September 11, 2001 and asks whether modern immigration enforcement remains consistent with constitutional principles, human rights protections, and the broader ideals associated with the American Dream. The project investigates how immigration shifted from a primarily civil administrative system into one increasingly defined by surveillance, detention, and punishment. The central question guiding this research is whether the securitization of immigration has reshaped not only enforcement practices, but also the meaning of constitutional protections and human dignity for both citizens and noncitizens.

To answer this question, this thesis conducts a historical policy …


Neuroimaging Correlates Of Differences In Learning From Repeated Probabilistic Outcomes, Allison E. Rudolph Jan 2026

Neuroimaging Correlates Of Differences In Learning From Repeated Probabilistic Outcomes, Allison E. Rudolph

CMC Senior Theses

Learning from experience requires integrating feedback over time, yet individuals vary widely in how effectively they extract structure from probabilistic environments. This study examined how such variability relates to neural responses in the ventral striatum (vStr), caudate nucleus, hippocampus, and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Seventy-four participants across childhood, adolescence, and adulthood completed a modified Iowa Gambling Task during fMRI scanning, choosing whether to play or pass on four machines differing in expected value and variance. Behavioral learning slopes, calculated across six runs for each machine, were used to classify participants as learners or non-learners. Learners showed clearer improvement over time …


Has Liberalism Failed? Analyzing The New Right’S Critique Of Liberalism Through Its Historical Arc, Frederick (Gus) G. Mahler Jan 2026

Has Liberalism Failed? Analyzing The New Right’S Critique Of Liberalism Through Its Historical Arc, Frederick (Gus) G. Mahler

CMC Senior Theses

This paper examines the historical evolution of American political culture to evaluate whether liberalism is responsible for the social and political crises confronting the United States today. Although liberalism has been foundational to American governance and national identity since the country’s inception, a growing movement known broadly as the New Right now claims that it has failed and must be replaced. I seek to assess the legitimacy of this claim.

Using qualitative historical analysis, I trace how the form liberalism takes and the role it occupies in America’s political order has changed throughout the nation’s development. Liberalism was not always …


Behemoth Unbound: An Internal Critique Of Carl Schmitt’S Nazi-State Structure, Zaynamin Murtaza Jan 2026

Behemoth Unbound: An Internal Critique Of Carl Schmitt’S Nazi-State Structure, Zaynamin Murtaza

CMC Senior Theses

This paper offers an internal critique of Carl Schmitt's Nazi-era state theory from the perspective of the counterrevolutionary political-theological tradition to which Schmitt belongs. Using Schmitt's political-theological method which holds that all political theories have a systematic theological structure, the paper argues that Schmitt's 1933 turn to National Socialism contradicts this tradition. The paper proceeds in five sections. The first establishes the political-theological framework that will be utilized throughout the paper. The second develops Schmitt's concept of the katechon—the restrainer of lawlessness drawn from Christian eschatology— which he uses as a model for his theory of the state. The …


Pillpetz: A Smarter Way To Encourage Medication Adherence In Children, John H. Begley Jan 2026

Pillpetz: A Smarter Way To Encourage Medication Adherence In Children, John H. Begley

CMC Senior Theses

Medication adherence is usually framed as a problem of patient behavior, but this thesis argues that it is equally a problem of design. Children who take daily medication face barriers that adults often do not: developing executive function, dependence on caregivers, shifting school and home routines, privacy concerns, and stigma around being perceived as different. The standard prescription bottle, by contrast, was designed primarily for dispensing efficiency, safety, and accidental ingestion prevention—not for sustained daily use by a developing child.

This thesis proposes PillPetz, a smart pill case and digital companion that uses routine, play, dose confirmation, and caregiver-connected support …


From Reconstruction To The Carceral State: Law, Labor, And Punishment In Black America, Nicolas S. Changbencharoen Jan 2026

From Reconstruction To The Carceral State: Law, Labor, And Punishment In Black America, Nicolas S. Changbencharoen

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis examines the reconfiguration of racial and labor subordination in the United States from Reconstruction to the present, arguing that the legal abolition of slavery did not dismantle the economic and institutional structures on which it rested. It traces a continuous trajectory through which law and the criminal justice system were systematically weaponized to reconstitute slavery's essential functions under successive institutional forms, each serving as a deliberate mechanism for the extraction of Black labor in service of private and state interests. The analysis culminates in an examination of the modern carceral state, concluding that contemporary prison labor programs continue …