Digital Commons Network^™

Religious Affiliation And Alcohol Use Amongst The College Population At The University Of Northern Colorado, Cassandra H. A. Higgins

Undergraduate Honors Theses

A rampant problem growing globally is the issue of substance use disorders, especially that of alcohol abuse. As the problem of alcohol abuse spreads, finding tactics to mitigate this issue or discover what aspects are causing this issue is important to decrease the threat of a further problem developing. Prior research on different religious groups has shown that people who identify as highly devout in their religion are often less likely to exhibit signs of alcohol abuse. This study examined students at the University of Northern Colorado with the goal of comparing their levels of religious affiliation with their levels …

Take A Ballot: Can Transnational Theatre Foster Political Efficacy In Women Of Color?, Breanna Marie Bailey

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This research examines whether transnational theatre fosters political efficacy in women of color. Research shows the history of disenfranchisement of women of color; even today, upper-class, white males have the greatest access to civic resources– including access to theatre–which ignite their political efficacy in the United States. The gap in research surrounds how, and if, transnational theatre can affect women of color’s political efficacy. By analyzing theatre’s role in engaging political efficacy, I offer an avenue to build a more equitable and democratic society. Using a case study analysis of two female playwrights from opposite sides of the U.S. border–Sor …

Literature Review: Parkinson's Disease And Non-Motor Symptoms, With A Focus On Constipation And Potential Therapeutics, Daria Smirnova

ALL - Honors Theses

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that tends to affect elderly individuals and is most commonly associated with the emergence of motor symptoms such as tremors, stiffness, and bradykinesia. However, non-motor symptoms (NMS), such as gastrointestinal (GI) issues, namely constipation, are also prevalent, and deeply affect the lives of individuals suffering with the disease. Among these, constipation stands out as one of the most common and frustrating problems for patients, typically arising from a variety of interrelated factors including disruptions in the autonomic nervous system (ANS), diminished dopamine activity, gut microbiota imbalances, inflammation, and side effects from PD …

Learning To Read Like An Eighteenth-Century Lawyer: The Historical Critique Of Originalism Revisited, Saul Cornell

William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal

Historians have been among the fiercest critics of originalism. Among the many virtues of Jack Balkin’s book, Memory and Authority, is the deft way he analyzes and dismantles these efforts to insulate originalism from historical critique. In a short essay, it would be impossible to fully acknowledge the sophistication of Balkin’s analysis. Instead, I would like to build on his impressive achievement by pointing out additional problems with the originalist response to historical critique.

This abstract has been taken from the author's opening paragraph.

The Successes Of Rotuman Women In The Modern World, Alan Howard, Makereta Mua

Pacific Studies

Inspired by Ester Boserup’s 1970 thesis regarding the role of indigenous economies in promoting the success of women in the modern economies, this article explores aspects of Rotuman culture that have led to the considerable success of Rotuman women in various contemporary occupations. Our analysis is based on multiple sources implicating the socialization of women that promote a self-confidence conducive to accomplishments. This article also includes reflections by seventeen interviewees on the sources of their success

Cgbi_Yolo: Lightweight Land Target Detection Network, Ruiyang Wang, Siyu Lu, Jiawei Tian, Lirong Yin, Lei Wang, Xiaobing Chen, Wenfeng Zheng

Faculty Publications

Object detection algorithms for optical remote sensing images often face challenges in computational efficiency, particularly when detecting small and densely packed targets. This paper introduces CGBi_YOLO, a novel lightweight land target detection network designed to optimize computational resource utilization while maintaining detection capabilities for small-scale targets. Our approach incorporates an innovative lightweight optimization strategy featuring a new lightweight backbone feature extraction network: CSPGhostNet. This model significantly enhances the detection ability of small objects within optical remote sensing images without increasing computational demands. The efficacy of the proposed model is validated through rigorous experimentation on the DOTA dataset. Compared to the …

Research Overview On Urban Heat Islands Driven By Computational Intelligence, Chao Liu, Siyu Lu, Jiawei Tian, Lirong Yin, Lei Wang, Wenfeng Zheng

Faculty Publications

In recent years, the intensification of the urban heat island (UHI) effect has become a significant concern as urbanization accelerates. This survey comprehensively explores the current status of surface UHI research, emphasizing the role of land use and land cover changes (LULC) in urban environments. We conducted a systematic review of 8260 journal articles from the Web of Science database, employing bibliometric analysis and keyword co-occurrence analysis using CiteSpace to identify research hotspots and trends. Our investigation reveals that vegetation cover and land use types are the two most critical factors influencing UHI intensity. We analyze various computational intelligence techniques, …

Current Situation And Prospect Of Geospatial Ai In Air Pollution Prediction, Chunlai Wu, Siyu Lu, Jiawei Tian, Lirong Yin, Lei Wang, Wenfeng Zheng

Faculty Publications

Faced with increasingly serious environmental problems, scientists have conducted extensive research, among which the importance of air quality prediction is becoming increasingly prominent. This article briefly reviews the utilization of geographic artificial intelligence (AI) in air pollution. Firstly, this paper conducts a literature metrology analysis on the research of geographical AI used in air pollution. That is, 607 documents are retrieved from the Web of Science (WOS) using appropriate keywords, and literature metrology analysis is conducted using Citespace to summarize research hotspots and frontier countries in this field. Among them, China plays a constructive role in the fields of geographic …

Study Of The Effect Of Social Anxiety And Social Support On Third Place Perceptions In Student Samples, Lillian M. Lestrange

Honors Theses

Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) and perceived social support are well-documented to influence social interaction styles and behaviors. Some data suggests that SAD and social support relate to perceptions and familiarity with various public spaces outside of home and work (i.e., third places). This study assessed relations among social anxiety, self-perceived social support, and attitudes/beliefs about ten common third places (i.e., perceived degree of restorativeness, preference, and sentiment for these places) among undergraduate psychology students (n = 92). Contrary to predictions based on prior research (Fong et al, 2021, Case & Hunter, 2012), social anxiety symptoms did not correlate with any …

Artificial Intelligence, Machines, Devices, And Robots: Mobilizing Humanness And Intelligence In The American Techno-Landscape, Carlos A. Batres

Dissertations

This dissertation is an ethnographic inquiry of artificial intelligence (AI) in the techno-landscape of three major metropolitan areas in the United States. It traces the ways in which both experts and non-experts talk about their interactions with AI via machines, robots, and other devices, and how the ways in which people deal with AI-technologies have come to shape how we think about our own ways of going about doing things. The goal is to discern what the social ramifications of this technology may be as relationships and relations are formed betwixt and between people and artificially intelligent things.

Incorporating Families Experiencing Disabilities Into The Rhythm Of Small Groups At Saturn Road Church Of Christ, Robby John

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This project addresses the critical gap in the inclusion of families experiencing disabilities within small groups at Saturn Road Church of Christ. The primary aim is to develop a curriculum that raises awareness among small group leaders about this significant issue. To provide a theological reflection on the necessity of such a venture, I explored the topic through the lens of four theological pillars: the image of God, the incarnation, ecclesiology, and eschatological hope. This exploration revealed several key themes that serve as foundational building blocks for the awareness curriculum. Ultimately, the final artifact is an awareness curriculum designed to …

A Teacher-Development Curriculum: Encouraging Community Discipleship Through Faith And Learning Integration At Bracken Christian High School, Denice F. Knight-Slater

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

The title of this project is “A Teacher-Development Curriculum: Encouraging Community Discipleship through Faith and Learning Integration at Bracken Christian High School.” The purpose of the project was to create a seven-part curriculum that would empower educators to form an interconnected teaching community centered upon the practice of faith and learning integration. The development team hoped our work would articulate good practices and equip teachers to engage in faith conversations with their students. We utilized Parker Palmer’s classic, The Courage to Teach, as the scaffolding for our curriculum. The development team modeled faith and learning integration by creating a …

Indigenous Ecocinema: Decolonizing Media Environments, Salma Monani

Gettysburg College Faculty Books

Introducing the concepts of d-ecocinema and d-ecocinema criticism, Monani expands the purview of ecocinema studies and not only brings attention to a thriving Indigenous cinema archive but also argues for a methodological approach that ushers Indigenous intellectual voices front and center in how we theorize this archive. Its case-study focus on Canada, particularly the work emanating from the imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival in Toronto--a nationally and internationally recognized hub in Indigenous cinema networks--provides insights into pan-Indigenous and Nation-specific contexts of Indigenous ecocinema.

This absorbing text is the first book-length exploration foregrounding the environmental dimensions of cinema made by …

Contesting And Controlling Abortion In China’S Courts, Molly Bodurtha, Benjamin L. Liebman, Li Chenquian, Xiaohan Wu

Faculty Scholarship

The decision of the United States Supreme Court in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization has brought renewed global attention to how legal systems protect and restrict women’s reproductive autonomy. Central themes have included how the rollback of reproductive rights in the United States coincides with the judiciary’s embrace of a broader “jurisprudence of masculinity” and the relationship between abortion restrictions and authoritarianism, as multiple countries have enacted restrictive measures while undergoing democratic backsliding.

Yet, the scholarly conversation on abortion, democracy, and how courts reflect and entrench gender disparities entirely omits China — the largest authoritarian state and a country …

Social Patterns In Physical Infrastructure: Associations Between Socioeconomic Status And Walkability, Kaylee Coursey

Honors Theses

Studies analyzing the relationship between socioeconomic status and physical infrastructure of a city are inconsistent in findings but agree on racial and class disparities. Utilizing walkability (Walk Score) as a measurement for physical infrastructure, this thesis aims to understand the relationship between socioeconomic status and the walkability of a city. The Socio-Ecological framework suggests that environmental experiences are correlated with the social functioning of a community. Thus, socioeconomic status has a significant impact on the quality of one’s built environment.

Using housing data from the 2021 American Community Survey (ACS) and Walk Score, a series of quantitative analyses were conducted …

A Native American Free Press: The Opportunities And Threats To Press Freedom In Indian Country, Bryan Pollard

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Tribal media – media outlets often operated by a tribe for a Native audience – are an indispensable public service to their communities. They are relied upon for news and information about current events and governmental actions, and often reinforce cultural and community values. These outlets are often financially subsidized by the tribal government if the operation is too small or geographically remote to generate the revenue necessary for financial independence. Herein lies a central dilemma: Can tribal media, under the influence of tribal governments, serve as an independent voice free of political interference and capable of fair and truthful …

Exploring The Interplay Between Testosterone Levels And Gender Role Attitudes, Arial Bloshinsky

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Traditional gender role attitudes align men with resource management and women with nurturing. The Challenge Hypothesis proposes that resource management is associated with higher testosterone levels, whereas nurturing is associated with lower testosterone levels. Therefore, traditional gender role attitudes may be associated with people’s testosterone levels. Furthermore, during the transition to parenthood, traditional gender role attitudes may become particularly salient, as shifting biological, social, and cultural roles during this transition make these attitudes an integral part of daily life. In this longitudinal study of expectant couples, participants completed a baseline survey and baseline session, during which they completed measures and …

Training In Ecological Thinking: Narrative Practices For Educational Professional, Cristina Trovato

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

Since the 1970s, the issue of environmental education has assumed relevance in the context of a theory of training towards new forms of sustainability education. Literary ecology, a discipline born from the contamination of ecology and literature, proposes itself as a critical response to environmental distress, enhancing the implicit dialogue and interconnections between the text and the circumstances of the environment. The literary heritage constitutes a precious resource for promoting, in educational contexts from early childhood, dimensions that range from the cognitive to the emotional and for activating sustainable processes, through ecological paths that develop a civic conscience, capable of …

Re-Examining Fries-Britt’S Learning Race In A U.S. Context Emergent Framework Drawing On The Micro-Level Narratives Of International Students In The Us, Mianmian Fei

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Proceedings Of The 2024 Child Language Acquisition Symposium For Indigenous Communities, Tamera C. Yazzie, Bethany G. Lycan, Alec J. Goldberg, Kayleigh L. Russell, Melvatha R. Chee

Indigenous Child Language Research Center

The proceedings of the inaugural Child Language Acquisition Symposium for Indigenous Communities, which took place at the University of New Mexico on May 17-18, 2024.

From The Personal To The Professional: International Student Experiences Of Seeking Employment In The United States, Hayley Weiner, Peter G. Ghazarian

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Factors Influencing Colostrum Avoidance In Developing Countries: Insights From A Literature Review, Muhammad Zeeshan Aslam, Jonathan Johnson, Marina Baig, Abeer Musaddique

Journal of Asian Midwives (JAM)

Introduction: Colostrum is a thick, sticky, clear and yellowish-coloured milk produced after the first few hours of birth until day 3. It consists of vitamin A, proteins, lipids, potassium, and maternal antibodies, including lactoferrin, immunoglobulin, growth factors and antimicrobial factors. Colostrum avoidance is the practice of squeezing out, pumping, and discarding the first milk. Various studies have reported colostrum avoidance worldwide, but its prevalence is higher in developing countries. Every day, approximately 3000 to 4000 infants die due to diarrhea and respiratory infections in developing countries, and one of the leading causes is colostrum avoidance. Infants are unable to take …

It’S So Liberating To Do The Work: Education In Archives Creates Space For People With Disabilities, Jen Hoyer, Julia Pelaez

Publications and Research

What are the barriers and possibilities archives education presents to the disabilities community? More specifically, how can archives education and teaching with primary sources provide opportunities for disabled students that they might not find in mainstream education settings? What matters when working with students with disabilities in archives, and what does it feel like to be a disabled educator in an archive? How can education in archives provide opportunities for vulnerability, connection, and liberation? Sharing a passion for the possibilities of education work in archives and special collections, Jen Hoyer and Julia Pelaez sat down for a conversation about these …

Costly Signaling Theory, Hui Ying Ivy Koh, Norman P. Li

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Costly signaling theory is the idea that the high costs incurred by an individual to convey information about underlying qualities keeps this signal reliable, as only individuals who truly possess the quality signaled can afford to send the signal.

"Waves Of Freedom": Kant And The Right To Rescue On The High Seas, Aravind Ganesh

Buffalo Law Review

This Article draws upon the legal philosophy of Immanuel Kant to argue that all seafarers—from stateless migrants to billionaires on mega-yachts—possess legal rights to rescue on the high seas. These rights are of the kind legal practitioners call “human rights,” and correspond to obligations enforceable against the flag state of any Coast Guard, naval, or other “public” vessel receiving the seafarers’ distress signals. A second, corollary claim is that we must abandon the “Grotian” model of the seas as commons and view them instead as “global public goods” that the international legal order always already maintains through institutions for the …

The Workings Of Legal Exceptionalism: Arbitration As A Portal To Stateless Law-In-Action Regimes, Thomas Schultz

Buffalo Law Review

This Essay seeks to explores the fertility of thinking about arbitration as a portal to stateless legal regimes. Using the distinction between law in books and law in action, as well as the concepts of social and political disembeddedness and quiet politics, it argues that under the current paradigm of arbitration, it operates as a porous portal, getting corporate and natural citizens to escape into stateless law-in-action legal regimes (though in practice not into a law-in-books stateless legal regime). This raises questions of control of and accountability for the political effects of such stateless law-inaction legal regimes on the rest …

When European State Courts Face Post-Colonial Legality: A Private International Law Approach Inspired By Decolonial Theory, Sandrine Brachotte

Buffalo Law Review

This Essay develops avenues for private international law (PIL) to deal with cases involving the interaction between Western state law and distinctive forms of law that citizens from post-colonial states, especially African states, bring with them to Europe. Laws of the second type, which I call “postcolonial legality,” incorporate both traditional forms of legality usually dubbed “religious” and “customary” law along with state law that originates from colonial law. Drawing on some lessons from decolonial theory, I try to apply to this particular context a “less colonial” PIL theory and subsequent PIL rules and reasoning. The argument builds on the …

How Couples Navigate Interethnic Differences In Asian American Population: A Grounded Theory Approach, Michelle Nakaula

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Several studies have discussed the impact of cultural factors in Asian American families. Previous research has demonstrated useful strategies used in dealing with distress and relationship dissatisfaction regarding cultural differences. There is limited data or studies that explore additional challenges faced by interethnic couples, rather than interracial couples and the impact of family dynamics on these relationships. Each partner’s identity development process was influenced by their understanding of different cultural traditions and customs. These unique experiences shaped their understanding of roles and expectations within their relationship and parenting styles. Additionally, these family relationships and cultural backgrounds play a role in …

Before Ministry, Education Is Important (Bmei): A Comprehensive Enquiry About The Impact Of Education On Ministry, Mcclintock Acsmhour

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ministry has a variety of fields ranging from churches, social nonprofit organizations, and government ministries in agriculture, health, education, lands, and many more. While this study did not focus on other ministries apart from Christian non profit ministries like church, to some extent, all leaders in these ministries avow that one requires some level of education to be in leading positions in these ministries. In other words, the qualified individual must have been trained in a particular field within the ministry of interest. This indicates the importance of education in ministry. Therefore, this study was conducted to uncover the impact …

Opioid Knowledge And Experiences In Nebraska College Students, Natalie Holding

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This study investigated opioid-related knowledge and experiences among 83 Nebraska college students, with an emphasis on awareness, perceived risks, and educational needs regarding opioids and the overdose-reversing drug, naloxone. For participants who have used opioids outside of a doctor’s orders, questions were asked regarding motivations, comorbidities, coping mechanisms, and treatment experiences. Data were collected via an anonymous survey featuring closed- and open-ended questions. Results showed that 41% of participants reported feeling moderately knowledgeable about opioid risks, while 34% felt only slightly knowledgeable. Although 80.7% of participants were aware of naloxone, most were uncertain either about (22.9%) or did not know …