Digital Commons Network^™

Populism As A Constitutional Force In The United States, Aziz Huq

Book Sections

No abstract provided.

Jurgen Comics Contest Newspaper And Artwork - Fall 2023, Julia Martinez

Jurgen Banned Art Comics Contest

Digital edition of the Jurgen Comics Contest broadsheet newspaper celebrating the Fall 2023 Contest winners. The newspaper design and supplemental artwork were created by contest student editor Julia Martinez. Supplemental promotional materials include a poster for an online information session.

The Fall 2023 Jurgen Comics Contest invited VCU students to explore a specific historical incident of censorship or suppression of visual art, books, music, film or performance.

Receipt Of Follow‑Up Care Plans On Colorectal Cancer Screening Among Breast, Prostate, And Lung Cancer Survivors, Meng-Han Tsai, Malcolm S. Bevel, Sydney E. Andrzejak, Justin X. Moore

Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

Purpose Our study aimed to examine whether receipt of follow-up care plans is associated with greater guideline-concordant CRC screening stratified by breast, prostate, and lung cancer survivors.

Methods We used data from years 2016, 2018, and 2020 of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System on 3339 eligible treatment-utilizing cancer survivors with complete treatment. We performed descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression to examine the mentioned association.

Results We observed that 83.9% of breast and 88.2% of prostate cancer survivors with follow-care plans received CRC screening (p-value < 0.001). The lowest CRC screening use was observed among lung cancer (70.8%). In multivariable analysis, receipt of follow-up care plans was strongly associated with greater odds of receiving CRC screening in breast (OR, 2.67; 95% CI: 1.71–4.16) and prostate (OR, 3.81; 95% CI: 2.30–6.31) cancer survivors. Regardless of provider type, 84 to 88% reduced likelihood of receipt of CRC screening when they received follow-up care plans among lung cancer survivors. Among those without follow-up care plans, breast (OR, 0.29; 95% CI: 0.09–0.92) and lung (OR, 0.05; 95% CI: 0.01–0.25) cancer survivors who received care from general practices were less likely to receive CRC screening compared to those who received care from non-general practices.

Conclusions Receipt of follow-up care plans was associated with greater CRC screening use in …

The Moderating Effect Of Sex On Autistic Trait Emotional Intelligence, Alexithymia, And Empathy, Mary Isaac Cargill, Matthew D. Lerner, Erin Kang

Department of Psychology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with differences in social communication, and these differences are related to trait emotional intelligence (TEI), alexithymia, and empathy. Autism is known to present differently in males and females, but research on sex differences in TEI, alexithymia, and empathy is largely relegated to non-autistic people. Therefore, the current research sought to explore individual relationships between autistic characteristics and TEI, alexithymia, and empathy, as well as the possible influence of sex in these relationships. In the current study, autistic and non-autistic adults reported on their autistic characteristics, TEI, alexithymia, and empathy. Based on previous research, it …

The Sustainable Ceo: The Influence Of Ceo Gender On Consumer Perceptions Of Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives, Fiona E. Bown, Marc Fetscherin Dr., David L. Painter Dr., Raghabendra Kc Dr.

Honors Program Theses

Purpose – The following study aims to explore how CEO gender influences consumer perceptions of CSR initiatives in terms of corporate environmental protection, corporate social equity, initiative credibility, and corporate trust. Design/Methodology/Approach – This two-by-two factorial design with repeated measures utilizes a survey-experiment administered to 260 US citizens via Prolific Academic. Participants are exposed to mockup news articles detailing the CSR initiatives (environmental protection or social equity focus) of a fictitious CEO (male or female). Findings – Results indicate that CEO gender does not significantly influence consumer perceptions of CSR initiative corporate environmental protection, corporate social equity, credibility, or corporate …

A Citizen’S Perspective Of Clientelism In Morocco, Adam Lahlou

Honors Program Theses

This undergraduate research thesis aims to examine the implications of clientelism in Morocco from the perspectives of the citizens. Clientelism, or patronage-based political exchange can have a significant impact on political systems, and representative politics. While studies have been done examining citizen’s perspectives on clientelism, this aimed to be the first study in the context of Morocco. Using qualitative data from interviews and literature examination, the author tested three assumptions. He analyzed if clientelistic networks in Morocco are entrenched via Urban-Rural divides, if clientelism has had a symbiotic relationship with the Amazigh’s movement for greater political representation, and if Moroccan …

The Influence Of Celebrity Endorsers On Brands' Perceived Warmth And Competence, Helene Gilis

Honors Program Theses

The utilization of celebrity endorsers has become a prevalent strategy among marketers in recent years, serving to enhance brand communication and audience engagement. This study examines the dynamic relationships of celebrity endorsements, specifically investigating the impact of perceived warmth and competence on celebrity endorsers through the stereotype content model (SCM). The model was introduced to fill the research gap in a marketing context on the influence of the perceived warmth and confidence of endorsers on the perception of brands and, subsequently, consumer behavior. Furthermore, the research evaluates the consequential effect of brand image on key brand elements, including purchase intention, …

Practically Pooh In Every Way: A Look At Disney's Effect On Winnie-The-Pooh Pre- And Post- Public Domain, Peyton Poitras

Honors Program Theses

On Jan. 1, 2022, A.A. Milne’s willy, nilly, silly old bear entered the public domain, but this paper will argue why Disney's version will most likely retain its longevity despite additional competition. Disney's franchise-ation of Winnie the Pooh has left their iteration of the bear at the forefront of audience's minds. While Disney's version retains its iconic image of the bear, however, the release of the character into the public domain will allow others to utilize the bear in new ways. Such opens the door to a new question: How should characters be treated after entering the public domain? This …

Perception, Attention, And Action! A New Perspective On The Associations Found In Educational Expertise And Visual Search, Ashley Sawyer

Honors Program Theses

Expertise as defined in literature is the peak or otherwise exceptionally high levels of performance on a particular task or within a given domain (Papesh et al., 2021). In this study, expertise is defined as the time length the individual has spent in their field. For the purpose of this research, an expert can exist in a plethora of fields ranging from history and music to mathematics or science. Becoming an expert requires for the individual to not only have the mental and cognitive concepts that come with acquiring this type of knowledge, but it also incorporates skills they know …

You Got That From Where?: Unpacking Art Imperialism In Western Museums Through The Seated Scribe And The Bust Of Nefertiti, Emmy Shouse

Honors Program Theses

This thesis examines how major Western museums perpetuate colonial narratives in their displays of cultural property through analyses of the displays of two ancient Egyptian antiquities–the Seated Scribe and the Bust of Nefertiti. Despite stated goals of decolonization, institutions like the Louvre and Neues Museum prioritize object presentations glorifying Western imperial excavations and acquisitions over providing historical and cultural context about the objects' Egyptian origins. Sparked by site visits to Egyptian museums and subsequent visits to Berlin’s Neues Museum and the Louvre in Paris, this thesis contrasts disappointing imperialist displays of Egyptian antiquities in European institutions to each object’s full …

Empowering Caregivers: A Training Manual For Supporting Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Alicia Buhnerkemper

Fall 2024 OTD Capstone Symposium

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often require specialized support to navigate daily activities, yet respite and Community Living Support (CLS) workers frequently lack adequate training to address the sensory and behavioral challenges these children face. This project aimed to address these gaps by developing a comprehensive training manual grounded in evidence-based practices and occupational therapy (OT) principles, including the Person-Environment-Occupation (PEO) Model and Sensory Integration (SI) Theory. Surveys and interviews with families, respite workers, and CLS workers identified critical training needs, such as understanding sensory processing, managing challenging behaviors, and effective communication strategies. The manual includes practical modules, embedded …

Access To Injustice: How Legal Reforms Reinforce Marginalization, Roni Amit

City University of New York Law Review

Marginalized individuals are largely excluded from making rights claims in the courts because their stories of rights violations fall outside of prescribed legal categories. Framing this exclusion as a lack of knowledge and access, proponents of the access to justice movement have sought to improve outcomes for unrepresented and marginalized litigants through measures that help them understand and navigate the system. The access to justice movement seeks to make the justice system more accessible to these litigants by focusing on procedural fairness. This Article draws on empirical data and observations from Tulsa’s eviction court to consider the limits of access …

On The Road To Nowhere: The Unique Challenges Stateless People Face In Removal Proceedings And The Untenable Legal Limbo Following Final Orders Of Removal, Rachel Marandett

City University of New York Law Review

Under a world order defined by nation-states, having one’s rights and dignity protected is inexorably tied to being a citizen of somewhere. Stateless people, who are citizens of nowhere, are thus left without the safeguards of a nation responsible for them. Today, there are over 200,000 stateless people living in the United States. Because the American immigration system is built upon the premise that everyone is a citizen of somewhere, stateless people are consistently trapped in a ceaseless legal limbo. In fact, the majority of stateless people in the United States have already gone through removal proceedings and have final …

Compensatory Preliminary Damages: Access To Justice As Corrective Justice, Sayid R. Bnefsi

City University of New York Law Review

The access to justice movement broadly concerns people’s ability to resolve legally actionable problems. To the extent that individuals seek resolution through civil litigation, they can be disadvantaged by their unmet need for legal services, particularly in high-stakes cases and complicated areas of law. In part, this is because legal services and litigation are cost-prohibitive, especially for indigent plaintiffs. As a result, these individuals are priced out of litigation and, by extension, unable to use law to seek justice

This Note proposes an innovative legal intervention to this problem called “compensatory preliminary damages.” This intervention builds from the work of …

Freedom Of The Press In Hungary & The United States: A Comparative Review, Zane Mcneill, Riley Clare Valentine

City University of New York Law Review

This paper compares both Hungary’s and the United States’ treatment of journalists’ freedom of expression and freedom of speech. Journalists in both Hungary and the United States face specific threats to these freedoms. Journalists face political pressure in Hungary and animosity and scrutiny in the United States under private consolidation. Additionally, coverage that is critical of the state and supports marginalized communities faces heightened scrutiny. Nonetheless, we contend that journalists within the United States have potential options in protecting their freedom of expression such as those indicated in Rodriguez-Cotto v. Pierluisi-Urrutia.

The Kingdom Of God In Selected Christian Living Education Modules Viewed Through Jesus Of Nazareth’S Vision Of The Reign Of God, Romela D. Sanga, Ferdinand D. Dagmang

Theology Department Faculty Publications

This article offers a study of Jesus’ Vision of the Reign of God as a foundation for the Christian Living Education Modules. Jesus of Nazareth’s ministry during the Roman Empire’s rule should be part of existing modules on God’s Kingdom as this would clarify the context of discipleship and ministry. Jesus, who lived and proclaimed God’s ruling presence, will be better understood and also grasped as a model if he is examined through historically-grounded studies, especially those written by Richard Horsley and other authors who are identified with the ‘Christology from below’ approach. Horsley’s scholarly studies could assist in a …

Examining Adolescent Sexual Patterns In Creek Town, Nigeria: Insights From A Cross-Sectional Survey And Implications For Tailored Interventions, Rowland Edet, Kabiru K. Salami

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

In the dynamic landscape of global health, the sexual behaviors of adolescents are of particular significance due to their profound implications for individual well-being and public health. This article focuses on Creek Town, a vibrant community in Nigeria, and aims to provide a nuanced exploration of the sexual behaviors of adolescents within the context of local culture and socioeconomic factors. A cross-sectional survey design was employed, involving a multi-stage sampling approach with 422 participants. A comprehensive 112-item questionnaire captured various aspects of adolescent sexual behaviors. Additionally, four focus group discussions, including both in-school and out-of-school adolescents, provided qualitative insights. The …

Seroprevalence, Blood Chemistry, And Patterns Of Canine Parvovirus, Distemper Virus, Plague, And Tularemia In Free-Ranging Coyotes (Canis Latrans) In Northern New Mexico, Usa, Leah M. White, Suzanne J. Gifford, Gail Kaufman, Eric M. Gese, Mark A. Peyton, Robert R. Parmenter, James W. Cain Iii

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Wildlife diseases have implications for ecology, conservation, human health, and health of domestic animals. They may impact wildlife health and population dynamics. Exposure rates of coyotes (Canis latrans) to pathogens such as Yersinia pestis, the cause of plague, may reflect prevalence rates in both rodent prey and human populations. We captured coyotes in north-central New Mexico during 2005–2008 and collected blood samples for serologic surveys. We tested for antibodies against canine distemper virus (CDV, Canine morbillivirus), canine parvovirus (CPV, Carnivore protoparvovirus), plague, tularemia (Francisella tularensis), and for canine heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) antigen. Serum …

Wildlife Vaccination Strategies For Eliminating Bovine Tuberculosis In White-Tailed Deer Populations, Aakash Pandey, Abigail B. Feuka, Melinda Cosgrove, Megan Moriarty, Anthony Duffiney, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Henry Campa Iii, Kim M. Pepin

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Rapid Point-Of-Care Testing For Detection Of Antibodies To Toxoplasma Gondii In Black Vultures And Ring-Billed Gulls From Pennsylvania, Alexa Rosypal Von Dohlen, Sydney Randall, Jordyan Grays, Mark A. Dugo, Brian J. Hunt, Justin Brown, Kyle Van Why, Sawsan Ammar, Richard Gerhold

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic protozoan parasite that infects most warm-blooded animals, including birds. Scavenging birds are epidemiologically important hosts because they can serve as indicators of environmental T. gondii levels. A rapid point-of-care (POC) test that detects antibodies to T. gondii in humans is commercially available. In this research, we assessed the ability of the human POC test to detect anti–T. gondii antibodies in 106 black vultures (Coragyps atratus) and 23 ring-billed gulls (Larus delawarensis) from Pennsylvania, USA. Serum samples were tested with the POC test and compared to the modified …

Optimizing Solid Waste Management: A Holistic Approach By Informed Carbon Emission Reduction, Saumya Hegde, N. Sumith, Twensica Pinto, Shivam Shukla

Open Access archive

Reducing carbon monoxide (CO) emissions is imperative for safeguarding human health and environment. CO adversely affects respiratory health, contributing to respiratory problems and, in severe cases, fatalities. Its reduction aligns with the broader efforts to combat climate change, as CO is often emitted alongside other greenhouse gases. Environmental consequences include air pollution and its detrimental impact on ecosystems. Compliance with emission standards is essential, and reducing Carbon emissions can lead to social and economic benefits, such as increased productivity and reduced healthcare costs. Moreover, the focus on emission reduction drives technological innovation, fostering the development of cleaner and sustainable technologies. …

Deep Convolutional Neural Network Architecture For Facial Emotion Recognition, Dayananda Pruthviraja, Ujjwal Mohan Kumar, Sunil Parameswaran, Vemulapalli Guna Chowdary

Open Access archive

Facial emotion detection is crucial in affective computing, with applications in human-computer interaction, psychological research, and sentiment analysis. This study explores how deep convolutional neural networks (DCNNs) can enhance the accuracy and reliability of facial emotion detection by focusing on the extraction of detailed facial features and robust training techniques. Our proposed DCNN architecture uses its multi-layered design to automatically extract detailed facial features. By combining convolutional and pooling layers, the model effectively captures both subtle facial details and higher-level emotional patterns. Extensive testing on the benchmark Fer2013Plus dataset shows that our DCNN model outperforms traditional methods, achieving high accuracy …

A Study Of Association Between Early Menarche And Anxiety In Undergraduate Students, Poorva Bakshi, Sharanya B. Shetty, Abira Sharma, K. G. Vasudha

Open Access archive

Background: Anxiety has been reported to be one of the most common epidemics in recent years. The present study focused on understanding the association between early menarche and the prevalence of anxiety and anxiety symptoms among adult undergraduate students. Methods: This was an observational, case-control study. The sample included 146 young female adults aged more than or equal to 18 years pursuing the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) and Bachelor of Dental Sciences (BDS). Using an online questionnaire, participants were asked to recall and enter the age at which they attained menarche. We used the Generalized Anxiety …

Custom Convolutional Neural Network Model For Identification Of Nutritional Deficiencies In Children, Shilpa Ankalaki, Vidyadevi G. Biradar, G. Kushal, N. Kavya

Open Access archive

Undernutrition occurs when there are deficiencies in essential vitamins, while overnutrition refers to consuming an excessive amount of nutrients, leading to issues such as obesity, diabetes, and related health problems. Malnutrition often stems from the economic and social status of parents. In children, malnutrition can significantly result in physical and mental growth issues. Therefore, there is a need for early prediction of malnutrition in children to mitigate its adverse effects. Children image comprises great amount of information which can be analyzed for distinguishing between a nourished or malnourished children. The success stories of convolutional neural networks in image classification are …

A Parametric Design Approach For Multi-Lobed Hybrid Airships, M. Manikandan, R. R. Shah, P. Priyan, B. Singh

Open Access archive

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in the research and development of hybrid airships for various applications. Airship design involves multiple design parameters from various disciplines that interact mutually. Existing design methodologies, however, are often limited to fixed shapes and geometry. This paper provides a comprehensive parametric design approach for the sizing of multi-lobed hybrid air vehicles for low- and high-altitude applications. The proposed design techniques are robust so that the designer has the freedom to change the number of lobes, the relative location of lobes, the envelope profile, and the optimiser for the design optimisation process. …

Image Forgery Detection Techniques: Latest Trends And Key Challenges, Poulomi Deb, Subhrajyoti Deb, Abhijit Das, Nirmalya Kar

Open Access archive

The improvement and accessibility of high-resolution cameras have significantly increased image capturing by various media. Different editing tools are available that are frequently used to improve image quality, resulting in the alteration of images. So, determining the authenticity or integrity of the original image is a challenging task in any domain. Currently, an image or video is a critical source of legal data for digital forensics. Hence, the study begins with the primary objective of determining whether the digital evidence (image or video) associated with a legal case has been altered. Active forgery detection methods, such as digital watermarking and …

Depression, Anxiety, And Stress Among Urban And Rural Adolescents In Shivamogga, Karnataka, Ajay Mallya, Raghavendraswamy Koppad, Praveen Kumar

Open Access archive

Background: Currently there are 1.3 billion adolescents worldwide, which makes up 16% of the world population. Over 20% of adolescents around the world are thought to have behavioural or mental health issues. Addressing mental health issues is very important for the promotion of positive health in adolescents. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress among adolescents in urban and rural areas of Shivamogga. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 350 adolescents aged 16 to 19 years each from urban and rural areas of Shivamogga. Results: Depression, anxiety and stress were found to be 23.1%, …

The Impact Of Protocol Conversions In The Wireless Communication Of Iot Network, Geetabai S. Hukkeri, Shilpa Ankalaki, R. H. Goudar, Lingaraj Hadimani

Open Access archive

The Internet-of-Things (IoT) concept predicts a future of interconnected formation using one or more radio automation due to the high proliferation of sensors. Multiradio mesh deployments made possible by a network of inexpensive IoT platforms, like ASUS Tinker Board S, Banana Pi M64, Raspberry Pis (RPis), etc., seem to be an ordinal fit for such deployments' wireless backbones because many of these platforms come with built-in support for various wireless technologies. To fit the capabilities of low power multiradio solutions, especially when making best effort broadcasts, the cutting-edge routing techniques must be reconsidered. This is because most currently available routing …

Deep Learning Based Text Detection Model For Lecture Video Analysis: Impact Of Covid 19 In Education Sector, Geetabai S. Hukkeri, R. H. Goudar, H. L. Gururaj, Shilpa Ankalaki

Open Access archive

The global education system is impacted by the corona virus. Therefore, online learning is a way to keep the educational system going. Learners who are suffering from health issues cannot sit for long time to watch lecture videos. It is not possible to navigate directly to the precise needed point of topic in the video when students are just interested in seeing the desired chunk of topics from the lengthy lecture video. Therefore, we are presenting a study on lecture video indexing to quickly and non-linearly access the topic of interest in a long lecture video, which can help learners …

Palliative And End-Of-Life Care Initiatives For People Dying From Cancer In India: A Narrative Review, Naveen Salins, Krithika Rao, Anuja Damani, Sushma Bhatnagar

Open Access archive

India is facing a growing burden of cancer, resulting in high cancer-associated mortality. However, the rise in cancer incidence is disproportionately high compared to access and provision of palliative care. This review aims to identify gaps in Indian cancer palliative care and recognises initiatives instituted to mitigate them. The narrative review was conducted using the four-step method described by Demiris et al., synthesising both empirical and non-empirical literature. A lack of capacity to provide palliative care was identified as a significant barrier. Initiatives such as setting up palliative care services in cancer treatment centres, improving community palliative care access, structured …