Digital Commons Network^™

From Cocaine To Avocados: Criminal Market Expansion And Violence, Chelsea Estancona Ph.D., Lucía Tiscornia

Faculty Publications

Most of what we know about organized criminal violence comes from research on illicit narcotics markets. Yet criminal groups also fight to capture markets for licit commodities, as evidenced by Sicilian lemons and Mexican avocados. When do organized criminal groups violently expand into markets for licit goods? We argue that rapid increases in the share of a good’s export value create opportunities for immediate profit and future market manipulation. These opportunities lead to violence as groups expand their territorial holdings and economic portfolio. We provide subnational evidence of our mechanism using data on avocado exports from Mexico, and address reverse …

2025 Conference - Developing World Approaches To Ocean Governance: Perspectives From The Indian Ocean Rim, Center For Oceans Law & Policy

Conference on Oceans Law & Policy

For the 48th Annual Conference on Oceans Law & Policy, the Stockton Center for International Law at the United States Naval War College joined Gujarat Maritime University and the World Maritime University–Sasakawa Global Ocean Institute in convening the conference in New Delhi, India, from 9–12 September 2025. Hosted at The Ashok Hotel, COLP 48 marked a historic first for the series as the conference was held in the Indian subcontinent for the first time. The theme of the conference was “Developing World Approaches to Ocean Governance: Perspectives from the Indian Ocean Rim.”

Reflecting the strategic and legal importance of the …

How Is Food Insecurity Measured In The United States And What Share Of Older Adults Are Food Insecure?, Colleen M. Heflin, Madonna Harrington Meyer

Population Health Research Brief Series

The U.S. Department of Agriculture measures food insecurity based on whether households had problems affording food during the last twelve months. Based on the current definition, in 2023 9.2% of households with adults ages 60 and older were food insecure. But there are many problems with the existing definition for accurately capturing food insecurity among older adults.

Based on the book, Food for Thought: Understanding Older Adults Food Insecurity, this brief summarizes those limitations, noting that existing measures do not account for barriers that are common among older adults, such as mobility, physical distance, and transportation barriers.

Collector Shares Trove Of Eudora Welty Materials With Um Library, Tina H. Hahn

University of Mississippi News

OXFORD, Miss. – The late Floyd Sulser spent 40 years building a rare collection of work by Eudora Welty, an American short-story writer, Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist, photographer and Mississippian. Now, scholars and fans can enjoy the works at the University of Mississippi's J.D. Williams Library.

Gerard Manley Hopkins, Sj: Master Architect Of The Company Of Poets, Timothy J. Wesley

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

It has been 107 years since the first collected Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins, SJ were published by the poet-scholar’s friend and confidant Robert Seymour Bridges. Literary commentators, historians, and theologians have sought to understand the great poet of the Jesuits since the posthumous release of the poetry to the wide world in 1918. Of the many angles on Hopkins’s life that have been analyzed and examined, we could name a few: his sublimated sexuality, his identity as a religious priest, the poet’s placement within The Victorian Period, a voice of apologetic theology within Modernity, a political eco-centric voice, and …

Corrigendum To "Trustworthiness Criteria For Meta-Analyses Of Randomized Controlled Studies: Obgyn Journal Guidelines" [Ejogrb 305 (2025) 416-418], Vincenzo Berghella

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Faculty Papers

Participating members of the OBGYN Editors’ Integrity Group (OGEIG) All OGEIG members who participated in meetings discussing the manuscript ‘Trustworthiness criteria for meta-analyses of randomized controlled studies’ are listed here, with their affiliated journal/organization in parentheses: Jason Abbott (J Minim Invasive Gynecol), Ganesh Acharya (Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand), Amir Aviram (Am J Obstet Gynecol MFM), Kurt Barnhart (Fertil Steril), Vincenzo Berghella (Am J Obstet Gynecol MFM), Catherine S. Bradley (Am J Obstet Gynecol), Nancy Chescheir (COPE), Thomas D'Hooghe (Gynecol Obstet Invest), Michael Geary (Int J Gynecol Obstet), Janesh Gupta (Eur J Obstet Gynecol), Karl Oliver Kagan (Arch Gynecol Obstet), Anthony …

Exploration Of How Study District-Wide Stakeholders Achieved Reading Success For Students With Disabilities, Kisha Hairston

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that this study addressed is that students with disabilities (SWDs) demonstrated low reading achievement in U.S. public schools as shown by annual state standardized scores. The study district achieved the anomaly of more than 50% of SWDs achieving Proficient and Advanced on the state reading assessment. The gap in practice was that it was unknown how the study district stakeholders achieved such success in SWDs’ reading achievement. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to investigate how archival data supports and how teachers and administrators explain the successful reading achievement of SWDs in the study school district. …

Therapeutic Restoration Of Mitochondria-Endoplasmic Reticulum Cross Talk For Osteoarthritis, Mingzhuang Hou, Yifan Ma, Yaoge Deng, Yubin Wu, Yanrun Zhu, Yang Liu, Xiaoping Li, Lili Yu, Zirui He, Yifan Wang, Shiyan Dong, Xiaowei Xia, Jianfeng Yu, Chenqi Yu, Kang Kang, Yingjie Lu, Lili Sun, Betty Y S Kim, Yuan Yuan, Yijian Zhang, Wen Jiang, Xuesong Zhu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Osteoarthritis is a prevalent joint disease in the aging population. The hallmark of osteoarthritis is the degeneration of the joint cartilage, characterized by changes in chondrocytes including mitochondrial dysfunction. However, the precise mechanisms of how this affects chondrocyte homeostasis and whether such processes can be explored as therapeutic targets for osteoarthritis remain unclear. Here, we show that impaired mitochondrial function and disrupted cartilage matrix metabolism due to loss of mitofusin-2 (MFN2) expression in chondrocytes leads to the development of osteoarthritis. Sirtuin-3 (SIRT3), a key regulator of mitochondrial function, plays a critical role in modulating MFN2 to restore mitochondrial dynamics, reduce …

2025-08-25 Executive Council Minutes, St. Mary's University

Executive Council Minutes

No abstract provided.

Multiply Differential Study Of Detachment With Simultaneous Target Excitation In Anion-Atom Collisions, M. Schulz, F. Herrmann, W. Zhang, D. V. Chicharro, A. Dorn, M. Grieser, F. Grussie, H. Kreckel, O. Novotny, F. Trost, A. Wolf, T. Pfeifer, C. D. Schröter

Physics Faculty Research & Creative Works

We have measured momenta of electrons and recoil ions in triple coincidence with neutralized projectiles for slow collisions between various anions and target atoms. From the data we extracted triple differential momentum and angular distributions of electrons ejected in detachment, in detachment with simultaneous target ionization (DI), and in detachment with simultaneous target excitation (DE). The DI rates relative to the DE rates depend sensitively on the projectile speed and on the properties of the target.

Whole Genome Sequence Analysis Of Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Across 246 K Individuals, Margaret Sunitha Selvaraj, Xihao Li, Zilin Li, Eric Van Buren, Sara Haidermota, Darina Postupaka, Whitney Hornsby, Joshua C Bis, Jennifer A Brody, Brian E Cade, Ren-Hua Chung, Joanne E Curran, Scott M Damrauer, Lisa De Las Fuentes, Paul S De Vries, Ravindranath Duggirala, Barry I Freedman, Mariaelisa Graff, Xiuqing Guo, Bertha A Hidalgo, Lifang Hou, Ryan Irvin, Renae Judy, Rita R Kalyani, Tanika N Kelly, Iain R Konigsberg, Brian G Kral, Lydia Coulter Kwee, Daniel Levy, Changwei Li, Ani W Manichaikul, Lisa Warsinger Martin, May E Montasser, Alanna C Morrison, Take Naseri, Kari E North, Jeffrey R O'Connell, Nicholette D Palmer, Patricia A Peyser, Alex P Reiner, Svati H Shah, Roelof A J Smit, Jennifer A Smith, Kent D Taylor, Hemant Tiwari, Michael Y Tsai, Satupa'itea Viali, Zhe Wang, Yuxuan Wang, Wei Zhao, Donna K Arnett, John Blangero, Eric Boerwinkle, Donald W Bowden, Jenna C Carlson, Yii-Der Ida Chen, Patrick T Ellinor, Myriam Fornage, Jiang He, Nancy Heard-Costa, Robert C Kaplan, Sharon L R Kardia, Charles Kooperberg, William E Kraus, Leslie A Lange, Ruth J F Loos, Braxton D Mitchell, Bruce M Psaty, Daniel J Rader, Susan Redline, Stephen S Rich, Lisa R Yanek, Richard Gibbs, Stacey Gabriel, Karine A Viaud-Martinez, Susan K Dutcher, Soren Germer, Ryan Kim, Jerome I Rotter, Xihong Lin, Gina M Peloso, Pradeep Natarajan

The Brown Foundation: Institute of Molecular Medicine

Background: Rare genetic variation provided by whole genome sequence datasets has been relatively less explored for its contributions to human traits. Meta-analysis of sequencing data offers advantages by integrating larger sample sizes from diverse cohorts, thereby increasing the likelihood of discovering novel insights into complex traits. Furthermore, emerging methods in genome-wide rare variant association testing further improve power and interpretability.

Results: Here, we conduct the largest meta-analysis of whole genome sequencing for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), a therapeutic target for coronary artery disease, analyzing data from 246 K participants and integrating 1.23B variants from the UK Biobank and the Trans-Omics …

Computationally Resolved Neuroprogenitor Cell Biomarkers Associate With Human Disorders, Gerarda Cappuccio, William T Choi, Fatih Semerci, Jill A Rosenfeld, Toni Claire Tacorda, Guantong Qi, Anthony W Zoghbi, Yi Zhong, Hu Chen, Pengfei Liu, Zhandong Liu, Mirjana Maletić-Savatić

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

Adult hippocampal neurogenesis, the process of generating new neurons, relies on a rare population of neural stem and progenitor cells (NPCs) within the dentate gyrus complex microenvironment. Discovering the specific genes that define these cells is vital yet challenging due to overlapping expression patterns, limiting detection of rare cell populations using traditional approaches. By employing the computational digital sorting algorithm (DSA) that deconvolves complex gene expression data based on pattern recognition, we identified 129 genes enriched in murine NPCs. We validated these genes against published single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data and discovered that 25 human orthologs were known to cause …

Dissecting The Effect Of Mitochondrial Bcat Inhibition In Methylmalonic Acidemia, Madeline G Hemmingsen, Guo-Fang Zhang, Yunhan Ma, Hannah Marchuk, Kalyani R Patel, Tong Chen, Xinning Li, Mark Chapman, Sabrina Collias, Dolores H Lopez-Terrada, James Beasley, Ashlee R Stiles, Randy J Chandler, Charles P Venditti, Sarah P Young, Mercedes Barzi, Beatrice Bissig-Choisat, Doug Krafte, Christopher B Newgard, Karl-Dimiter Bissig

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Methylmalonic acidemia (MMA) is a severe metabolic disorder affecting multiple organs because of a distal block in branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) catabolism. Standard of care is limited to protein restriction and supportive care during metabolic decompensation. Severe cases require liver/kidney transplantation, and there is a clear need for better therapy. Here, we investigated the effects of a small molecule branched-chain amino acid transaminase (BCAT) inhibitor in human MMA hepatocytes and an MMA mouse model. Mitochondrial BCAT is the first step in BCAA catabolism, and reduction of flux through an early enzymatic step is successfully used in other amino acid metabolic …

Direct Oral Anticoagulant Transition Strategies Using Anti-Xa Concentrations Upon Intensive Care Unit Admission, Mariah I Sigala, Corey V Dinunno, Chelsea N Lopez, Luma Succar, Jenny H Petkova, Edward A Graviss, Duc T Nguyen, Kevin R Donahue

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: The increased utilization of oral factor Xa inhibitors (FXaI) has led to a growing interest in the clinical utility of FXaI-specific anti-Xa concentrations. Critically ill populations are at risk of bleeding secondary to FXaI accumulation in the setting of end-organ dysfunction. To mitigate this risk, an FXaI anti-Xa concentration-guided approach to transitioning between oral and parenteral anticoagulation has been explored.

Objective: To compare the incidence of bleeding upon intensive care unit (ICU) admission between 2 different FXaI transition strategies: concentration versus non-concentration-guided.

Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review of patients admitted between January 2019 and May 2022 with …

Detection Of Heterogeneous Resistance Mechanisms To Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors From Cell-Free Dna, Heather A Parsons, Conor Messer, Katheryn Santos, Jakob Weiss, David Merrell, Brian P Danysh, Melissa E Hughes, Gregory J Kirkner, Ashka Patel, Julian Hess, Kerry Sendrick, Chip Stewart, Elizabeth Grant, Kristy Schlueter-Kuck, Albert Grinshpun, Nikhil Wagle, Jamunarani Veeraraghavan, Jose Pablo Leone, Rachel A Freedman, Otto Metzger, Rachel Schiff, Eric P Winer, Sara M Tolaney, Mothaffar Rimawi, Ian E Krop, Gad Getz, Nancy U Lin

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Though there has been substantial progress in the development of anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) therapies to treat HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC) within the past two decades, most patients still experience disease progression and cancer-related death. HER2-directed tyrosine kinase inhibitors can be highly effective therapies for patients with HER2-positive MBC; however, an understanding of resistance mechanisms is needed to better inform treatment approaches. We performed whole-exome sequencing on 111 patients with 73 tumor biopsies and 120 cell-free DNA samples to assess mechanisms of resistance. In 11 of 26 patients with acquired resistance, we identified alterations in previously …

Minimum Standards For Training In Colorectal Endoscopic Mucosal Resection Among Advanced Endoscopy Trainees, Dennis Yang, Ernesto Robalino Gonzaga, Muhammad Khalid Hasan, Arvind Julius Trindade, Mark Radlinski, Rebecca A Burbridge, Jeffrey Mosko, Pushpak Taunk, Salmaan Jawaid, Mohamed O Othman, David L Diehl, Harshit S Khara, Quin Liu, Srinivas Gaddam, Harry Aslanian, Shailendra S Chauhan, Amrita Sethi, John Poneros, Jason Samarasena, Ali M Ahmed, Uzma D Siddiqui, Dennis Chen, Moamen Gabr, Andrew Y Wang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background and study aims: Data on colorectal endoscopic mucosal resection (C-EMR) training during advanced endoscopy fellowship remain limited. We aimed to determine the number of procedures required by an "average" advanced endoscopy trainee (AET) to achieve competence in cognitive and technical C-EMR skills.

Methods: AETs from advanced endoscopy training programs (AETPs) were graded on every C-EMR using a standardized assessment tool. Cumulative sum (CUSUM) analysis was used to generate individual and aggregate learning curves to estimate the minimum number of cases required to achieve competence for overall, technical, and cognitive components of C-EMR. AETs completed a self-assessment questionnaire on C-EMR …

Fetal Body Composition And Organ Growth In Pregnancies Complicated By First-Trimester Vaginal Bleeding Status: Nichd Fetal 3d Study, Alexandra Jean-Louis, Jessica L Gleason, Zhen Chen, Kathryn A Wagner, Dian He, Roger Newman, William A Grobman, Robert Gore-Langton, Seth Sherman, Magdalena Sanz Cortes, Edward K Chien, Luis F Goncalves, Jagteshwar Grewal, Katherine L Grantz

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective

This study aimed to explore associations between self-reported first-trimester vaginal bleeding status and fetal body composition and organ volumes measured by three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound across pregnancy.

Study Design

The NICHD Fetal 3D Study (2015–2019) included individuals with singleton pregnancies at low risk for fetal growth abnormalities (n = 2,634). Fetal body composition measures of arm, abdomen, and thigh, and organ volumes including cerebellum, lung, kidney, and liver, were measured up to five times between 15 and 40 weeks using 3D ultrasound. Women were grouped by cumulative days of self-reported first-trimester vaginal bleeding: 0 (no bleeding, reference), 1, or …

Predicting Weaning Failure From Invasive Mechanical Ventilation: The Promise And Pitfalls Of Clinical Prediction Scores, Maneesh Gaddam, Dedeepya Gullapalli, Zayaan A Adrish, Arnav Y Reddy, Muhammad Adrish

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Prediction of weaning success from invasive mechanical ventilation remains a challenge in everyday clinical practice. Several prediction scores have been developed to guide success during spontaneous breathing trials to help with weaning decisions. These scores aim to provide a structured framework to support clinical judgment. However, their effectiveness varies across patient populations, and their predictive accuracy remains inconsistent. In this review, we aim to identify the strengths and limitations of commonly used clinical prediction tools in assessing readiness for ventilator liberation. While scores such as the Rapid Shallow Breathing Index and the Integrative Weaning Index are widely adopted, their sensitivity …

Impact Of Black Shale Weathering On Stream Water And Sediment Quality In Eastern Kentucky, Brett Hopt

Dissertations and Theses

Black shales contain high concentrations of trace elements in addition to their elevated organic carbon content. Once exposed at the surface, weathering processes release these elements into the environment, including many (e.g., As, Cu, Cd, Cr, U, Zn) that could pose threats to human and environmental health. Previous studies have focused on how these metals are incorporated into the soil column and their effects on crop nutrition. However, few studies have focused on the impact of natural weathering of black shales on local stream water chemistry and the transport and subsequent partitioning of these geogenic contaminants into stream environments.

This …

Stayin' Alive (Even Without Oxygen): Retinal Development In Austrofundulus Limnaeus, Carmen Zecilia Rodriguez

Dissertations and Theses

The vertebrate eye is one of the most metabolically active organs in the body and is particularly sensitive to environmental stressors such as oxygen deprivation. Understanding how eye development proceeds under such conditions can provide critical insights into mechanisms of cellular resilience, tissue organization, and developmental plasticity. The annual killifish Austrofundulus limnaeus represents a unique model for investigating these processes due to its remarkable tolerance to anoxia during embryogenesis. However, the wild-type form is heavily pigmented, limiting the effectiveness of traditional imaging techniques for studying eye development. This thesis characterizes eye development and anoxia resilience in both wild-type and melanin-deficient …

Testis Expressed 50 Is Essential For Maintaining Sperm Acrosome Integrity During Epididymal Transit, Saori Haga, Kaori Nozawa, Ferheen Abbasi, Katarzyna Kent, Naoko Nagasawa, Tsutomu Endo, Haruhiko Miyata, Masahito Ikawa, Martin M Matzuk, Yoshitaka Fujihara

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

In mammals, sperm formation is completed in the seminiferous tubules within the testis, and sperm maturation occurs during the epididymal transit of the spermatozoa. Sperm morphology drastically changes when abnormal spermatozoa migrate from the testis to the epididymis. Detailed molecular mechanisms for sperm survival in the epididymis have not been determined yet. Globozoospermia is a cause of male infertility and is characterized by round-headed spermatozoa without acrosomes, an abnormal sperm nuclear membrane, and sperm midpiece defects. Testis expressed 50 (Tex50) is a testis-enriched gene that is expressed in mice and humans. Using CRISPR-Cas9, we generated Tex50 knockout (KO) …

Aku Postgraduate Medical Education Conference 2016

University press releases and calendars

No abstract provided.

Validity And Reliability Of The Mongolian Version Of Functional Assessment Of Cancer Therapy, Gelegjamts Gelgersuren, Gaalan Khulan, Kim Jin Sun

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: The health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is an important indicator for determining the health outcomes of cancer treatment. The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) scale, which was developed in the USA and validated in many countries, is widely used to measure the HRQOL in cancer patients. In Mongolia, there is no valid and reliable instrument to measure HRQOL for cancer patients. The purposes of this study was to empirically validate the FACT-G scale with Mongolian cancer patients.

Methods: This study was a methodological study. The English version of FACT-G was translated into the Mongolian language using the Functional …

Impact Of Technology On Physical Activity Levels Of Pediatric Cancer Survivors: A Systematic Review, Aylin Akca Sumengen, Eysan Hanzade Savas, Ayse Ay, Ilcim Ercan Koyuncu, Munevver Erkul, Remziye Semerci

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: Pediatric cancer survivors often face long-term health challenges such as muscle weakness and obesity [1, 2, 3]. Physical activity is essential for lessening these effects, and technological interventions have been suggested to promote physical activity among pediatric cancer survivors [3, 4].

Purpose: This systematic review aimed to evaluate technological interventions' impact on pediatric cancer survivors' PA levels.

Methods: The systematic review followed PRISMA guidelines [5] and included studies published until May 2024 from various databases. The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tools were used to assess study quality. The study was registered in PROSPERO under registration …

Transition To Home For Children With Medical Complexity: Insights From A Scoping Review, Christine Rae Platt, Emily F. Moore, Cara Gallegos, Mia Waldron, Barbara Giambra, Stacee Lerret, Danielle Sarik, Zara Sajwani-Merchant, Nesibe Sumeyye Kutahyalioglu, Pamela Gampetro, Susan L. Groshong, Marianne Weiss, Terri Hernandez, Sandra Staveski

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Purpose: Discharge readiness for the transition from hospital to home for medically complex children (MCC) involves both clinical stability of the child and comprehensive preparation of parents. This challenging period can be marked by significant risk and stress. Nursing teams play a critical role in providing discharge planning, teaching, and care coordination during this pivotal time. We aimed to identify key nurse-driven components of effective discharge preparation, and gaps requiring further research, to improve the transition from hospital to home in MCC.

Methods: Team members, including 12 PhD prepared nurses from the National Pediatric Nurse Scientist Collaborative, undertook a systematic …

What’S In A Name?: Transgender People’S Affirming And Invalidating Experiences With Preferred Names, Narciso Quildey-Rodriguez

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Transgender and nonbinary (TNB) people’s gender identity differs from the sex they were assigned at birth. Approximately 1.6 million people identify as TNB in the US. Affirmation, the process of acknowledging a person’s gender identity, plays a significant role in the mental health and well-being of TNB people by reducing feelings of isolation, dysphoria, and anxiety. Invalidation, which occurs when a person’s gender identity is denied, can have significant adverse effects on the mental and emotional well-being of TNB people. This presentation explores TNB people's affirmative and invalidating experiences related to using preferred names and pronouns. Twenty semi-structured interviews with …

Caring For A Child With A Tracheostomy At Home: A Photovoice Study, Julie Van Orne, Kia Mccoy

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

The population of children with a tracheostomy (trach) continues to grow as technological advancements have shifted how care is provided to children born with complex conditions, including more of them being offered a trach to prolong life.¹ Home-based supportive services for children with a trach are underfunded and understaffed, putting the onus of care on the child’s family.² The daily life of caregivers of these complex children has not been well documented.³ The home is an intimate and person-specific space with its own context, patterns of relationships, power structures, and rules that are uniquely different from other …

A Systematic Review Of Artificial Intelligence And Nursing Education: What Do We Know?, Rayhanah R. Almutairi

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Problem: Artificial intelligence (AI) has driven a global change in nursing education and is becoming more prevalent worldwide. Integrating AI into nursing education could revolutionize the preparation of future nurses and equip them with the necessary knowledge and skills related to AI. However, the existing literature on the intersection of nursing education and artificial intelligence is sparse, consisting primarily of commentaries, editorials, and opinion articles. To our knowledge, there is a notable gap in the comprehensive review that systematically synthesizes the current use of AI in nursing education.

Purpose: The aim of this systematic review was to synthesize the body …

Cross-Cultural Adaptation And Validation Of Social Abuse Scale In South Korea And Turkey, Kader Tekkas-Kerman, Sihyun Park

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a pervasive issue worldwide (United Nations, 2024). Various forms of IPV have been investigated (Henry et al., 2021), including the recently explored concept of social abuse. Social abuse refers to the intentional act of violating an individual’s rights and needs for social belonging within an intimate relationship (Park & Jeon, 2022). These actions can lead to a myriad of negative effects on the victims’ mental health and social relationships, as well as result in the victims’ social isolation (Stoff et al., 2021). Recently, we have developed an English version of the Social Abuse …

Hmongcentric Niche Charter Schools: The Role Of Social Capital On Students’ Perceived Academic Competence, Zha Blong Xiong, Ting Xu, Kyle Nickodem, Malina Her

Journal of Southeast Asian American Education and Advancement

Using Coleman’s (1988) social capital theory, this study investigated the connection between family and school social capital and the perceived academic competence of students enrolled in Hmongcentric niche charter schools. The study analyzed 124 participants consisting of third, fourth, and fifth-grade students residing in Minnesota, with 93% identifying as Hmong. Results of structural equation modeling showed that school social capital, as measured by school attachment and school connection, is significantly linked to students’ perceived academic competence. Further analyses suggested that school attachment, especially in charter schools that focus on culture and language, plays a more crucial role in shaping students’ …