Digital Commons Network^™

Transnational Legal Violence: Undocumented Women V. U.S. Immigration Law, Luis A. Mendoza

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis examines how undocumented women, particularly Latinas, experience "transnational legal violence" within the U.S. immigration system. Transnational legal violence extends the framework of legal violence by identifying how immigration policies weaponize absence and distance across national boundaries, forcing women to choose between physical safety and legal recognition. The thesis is guided by a central question: What immigration system are migrant women, specifically Latinas, responding to?

The analysis rooted in the intersections of gender and citizenship reveals how immigration law remains rooted in coverture traditions that historically rendered immigrant women dependent on male U.S. citizens. For these women, deportation presents …

Social Capital And American Democracy: How The Digital Age Has Created Challenges For Social Cohesion In America, Walsh Kern

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis examines the connection between social capital and politics in the context of American democracy. I begin by showing how society and government have been deeply linked since the political theories of Plato and Aristotle. I maintain that these philosophers conceptualized politics as a reflection of social conditions. Next, I demonstrate how Tocqueville builds on this tradition in his assertion that American democracy rose out of the nation’s unique equality of conditions and strong social bonds. With the understanding that civil society is crucial to American democracy, I then show how this fundamental pillar has been deteriorating. I present …

Donald Trump's Digital Media Campaign: How Podcasts Shaped The Political Views Of Young Men, Natalie Teare

CMC Senior Theses

This paper investigates the increase in Donald Trump’s young male voters in the 2024 presidential election through his digital media campaign. Trump was a guest on over 15 podcasts and livestreams, almost exclusively hosted by men. This paper examines three podcasts to discover what techniques Trump used to appeal to male voters: Impaulsive with Logan Paul, This Past Weekend with Theo Von, and The Joe Rogan Experience. The demographic of young men has specific interests, fears, and challenges that affect the strategies politicians use to garner their support. The advents of social media and podcasting have allowed young …

Intergenerational Influences On Mental Health Help-Seeking: The Role Of Parental Attitudes On Asian American College Students, Janet Cen

CMC Senior Theses

Asian American college students experience disproportionately high psychological distress yet underutilize mental health services. This study examined how demographic factors (gender, acculturation), psychological symptoms, personal stigma, and perceived parental attitudes predict help-seeking attitudes among 69 Asian American undergraduate students. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that greater acculturation and more positive perceived parental attitudes were associated with more favorable help-seeking attitudes, while higher personal stigma predicted less favorable attitudes. Although psychological distress initially negatively predicted help-seeking attitudes, its effect became nonsignificant after accounting for personal stigma and perceived parental attitudes. Personal stigma and perceived parental attitudes remained robust predictors even after controlling …

Isegoria In Crisis: Hong Kong's Innovation System And Articulating The Right To Be Heard Using Deliberative Democratic Theory, Bhanu Cheepurupalli

CMC Senior Theses

I argue that Hong Kong maintains democratic deliberation through its innovation policy apparatus despite lacking traditional democratic processes. Using deliberative democratic theory and the concept of isegoria (speech of equals before equals), I demonstrate how Hong Kong's innovation governance sustains meaningful consensus outside conventional democratic frameworks.

My analysis shows that while Hong Kong lacks free elections, democratic deliberation persists through alternative channels within science and technology governance. Innovation policy functions as a vehicle for justice-advancing deliberation despite institutional constraints, as deliberative bodies operate within limited time, authority, and resources.

I trace how Hong Kong's innovation policy apparatus developed through the …

The Inextricable Link Between Gendered Security And State Stability: Strategic Costs Of U.S. Humanitarian Retrenchment, Kirby Eh Kimball

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis examines the strategic consequences of the 2025 U.S. foreign aid freeze on gendered security in conflict-affected states, focusing on Sudan, Syria, and Ukraine. It argues that gendered security—the protection, empowerment, and rights of women and girls—is not a peripheral humanitarian concern but a foundational determinant of state stability, development, and democratic resilience. Through a qualitative comparative case study methodology, the research synthesizes empirical literature, United Nations reports, human rights documentation, and cross-national statistical analyses to demonstrate how the collapse of gender-focused humanitarian programs following the aid freeze will critically exacerbate conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV), weaken state institutions, and …

Interventions For Promoting Physical Activity In People With Newly Diagnosed Parkinson’S Disease: Scoping Review, Jonathan Gilby, Bridie Kent, Rachel Knight Lozano, Jonathan Marsden

School of Health Professions

Background: There is increasing evidence to suggest that physical activity can slow Parkinson’s progression. There is also increasing interest in non-pharmacological interventions to alleviate Parkinson’s symptoms. This scoping review aimed to map and describe the evidence for interventions that promote physical activity in people with newly diagnosed Parkinson’s. Methods: Studies conducted since 2011, on adults with Parkinson’s (≥ 18 years), investigating the effects of non-pharmacological interventions to promote physical activity and/or exercise were considered. Interventions needed to be conducted in healthcare or healthcare-related settings for people within 5 years of Parkinson’s diagnosis. Published or unpublished full-text articles since 2011 were …

Hymate: A Hybrid Mamba And Transformer Model For Ehr Representation Learning, Md Mozaharul Mottalib, Thao-Ly Phan, Rahmatollah Beheshti

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

Electronic health Records (EHRs) have become a cornerstone in modern-day healthcare. They are a crucial part for analyzing the progression of patient health; however, their complexity, characterized by long, multivariate sequences, sparsity, and missing values-poses significant challenges in traditional deep learning modeling. While Transformer-based models have demonstrated success in modeling EHR data and predicting clinical outcomes, their quadratic computational complexity and limited context length hinder their efficiency and practical applications. On the other hand, State Space Models (SSMs) like Mamba present a promising alternative offering linear-time sequence modeling and improved efficiency for handling long sequences, but focus mostly on mixing …

The Iterative Process Of Developing A School-Based Intervention To Take Actions Against Racism, Lindsay Poole, Danika Perry, Zumana Noor, Kim Graham, Tia Barnes, Danielle Hatchimonji, Kira Branch

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

Racism threatens the mental and physical health of Black and Brown K-8 students and may lead to re-occurring harm without intervention. We developed ‘Actions Against Racism’ professional development trainings using a trauma-informed racial socialization lens to provide K-8 educators with proactive strategies to disrupt the negative psychosocial developmental outcomes associated with racism. This paper is a descriptive account of how we iteratively developed this intervention through four phases over the course of four years. The primary takeaway from this work is that developing and implementing interventions to disrupt racism and promote healing must take into account the implementation context, with …

Occupational Exposure To Combustion By-Products And Breast Cancer Risk In Postmenopausal Women, Kahlila Paul-Cole, France Labrèche, Mark S. Goldberg, Sydney Westra, Vikki Ho

Études primaires

Objective

To estimate the association between lifetime occupational exposure to select combustion by-products and postmenopausal breast cancer (BC) risk.

Materials and Methods

Data from a population-based case-control study among postmenopausal women residing in Montréal, Quebec were used. Cases included 661 women aged between 47 and 75 yr, diagnosed with incident malignant BC between 2008 and 2011. Controls comprised 587 women randomly selected from the Quebec Electoral List, frequency-matched to cases by 5-year age groups. Information on risk factors and lifetime occupational histories was collected by interview. Two industrial hygienists used job histories to assign exposure to 293 agents, including 6 …

The Incidence Of Postmenopausal Breast Cancer In Relation To Occupational Exposure To Textile Fibers And Dusts In Montreal, Canada, 2008-2011, Maymouna Myriam Ka, France Labrèche, Mark S. Goldberg, Vikki Ho

Études primaires

Objective To estimate the associations between occupational exposure to textile fibers/dusts, and incidence of postmenopausal invasive breast cancer.

Methods

A population-based case-control study conducted in Montreal (2008 − 2011) identified hospital cases (N = 695) and population controls (N = 608) from the electoral list. Occupational hygienists examined participants’ occupations and tasks, and attributed exposures to several textile fibers. For all tumors and according to biomolecular subtypes, odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were estimated using logistic regression models with different exposure indices, adjusting for potential confounders.

Results

Ever exposure to cotton dust was associated with an increased …

Identifying High-Risk Workplaces For Radon: The Role Of Buildings’ Foundations And Underground Water Sources, Sabrina Gravel, Maude Pomerleau, Tony Wong, Patrick Poulin, France Labrèche

Études primaires

OBJECTIVE: Radon, a naturally occurring lung carcinogen, can seep into buildings and expose occupants, including workers. Our aim is to describe radon exposure in various workplaces, identify factors associated with exposure, and highlight levers for preventive action.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Workplaces with an underground or slab-on-grade work area were recruited in four regions of Quebec (Central Canada) with high and low potential for radon emissions. Long-term radon samples were taken during the cold season with Alpha Track AT-100 passive dosimeters, deployed by the research team in accordance with Health Canada's Guide for radon measurements in public buildings.

RESULTS: There were …

Vocational Training And Occupational Health: An Ergonomics Approach To Gender And Disabilities For Social Sustainability, Myriam Bérubé, Céline Chatigny, Marie Laberge

Études primaires

The Work-Oriented Training Path (WOTP) in Quebec, Canada, is a dual vocational training program that offers students with learning difficulties supervised traineeships. Teachers play a pivotal role in managing students' occupational health and safety (OHS), yet must do so under tight time constraints, limited institutional guidance and highly diverse student profiles. Building on an activity-centered ergonomics and capabilities framework, this multiple-case study explores how gender, disabilities, and work determinants shape OHS management within the WOTP, emphasizing their implications for social sustainability. Twenty-seven semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 WOTP teachers; 497 narrated anecdotes, which are units of speech when teachers' …

Cardiac Monitoring With Textile Capacitive Electrodes In Driving Applications: Characterization Of Signal Quality And Rr Duraction Accuracy, James Elber Duverger, Geordi-Gabriel Renaud Dumoulin, Victor Bellemin, Patricia Forcier, Justine Decaens, Ghyslain Gagnon, Alireza Saidi

Études primaires

Capacitive ECG sensors in automobiles enable unobtrusive heart rate monitoring as an indicator of a driver’s alertness and health. This paper introduces a capacitive sensor with textile electrodes and provides insights into signal quality and RR duration accuracy. Electrodes of various shapes, sizes, and fabrics were integrated at various positions into the seat back of a driving simulator car seat. Seven subjects completed identical driving circuits with their cardiac signals being recorded simultaneously with textile electrodes and reference Ag-AgCl electrodes. Capacitive ECG signals with observable R peaks (after filtering) could be captured with almost all pairs of textile electrodes, independently …

What Are The Key Considerations Of Social Enterprises Planning To Scale, And How Do These Considerations Interact To Shape The Scaling Journey?, Clodagh O'Reilly

Doctoral

Social enterprises are organisations that pursue dual social and commercial goals. With increasing social issues facing our global society today, as highlighted by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, social enterprises are well-positioned to respond and have a positive impact. Despite the increased recognition of the contribution of social enterprises, research into the phenomenon remains fragmented and underexplored. This study explores how social enterprises scale and what factors and elements are required. Furthermore, the research explores how the factors interconnect, interact and shape the scaling journey.

How Can Tailored Entrepreneurship Training Effectively Support The Emancipation Of People With Disabilities In Ireland?, Ahsan Habib

Doctoral

This thesis investigates the impact of tailored entrepreneurship training on the perceived emancipation of aspiring entrepreneurs with disabilities in Ireland. This community is significantly underrepresented in the labour market, yet it is hindered in accessing self-employment opportunities due to a lack of specific training and limited access to necessary resources. Furthermore, there is a dearth of knowledge in academic literature addressing the influence of tailored entrepreneurship programmes targeted at people with disabilities. To address this knowledge gap, this study gathered data from in-depth interviews with 21 key informants (including nine participants from TU Dublin’s entrepreneurship training programme, five representatives from …

Digital Playgrounds: Irish Tweens' Media Literacies In The Context Of Social Media Content Creators, Fardus Sultan

Doctoral

Children under 12 are avid social media users. Of these, tweens, children aged 9 to 12, are currently the age group most likely to engage in independent social media content consumption. One of their favourite online activities is watching content produced by social media influencers and content creators, collectively referred to here as social media creators. The popularity of social media creators has grown exponentially in recent times. Considered trusted, relatable and authentic, they produce content that resonates with audiences. Consequently, their messages often possess greater persuasive power, making them a popular choice for advertisers. Creators seamlessly blend commercial messaging …

Evaluating Exclusion Criteria For Exertional Testing For Mild Tbi In An Outpatient Hospital-Based Organization, Amy Kerstetter Staub Pt, Dpt, Sandra M. Tremblay Pt, Ms, Cws, Mscs

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

Cerebral Polyopia Due To Paraneoplastic Monoclonal Igg4-Related Hypertrophic Pachymeningitis, Tejasvi Paturu, Ashish Lal Shrestha Md, Ajay Menon Md, Negar Moheb Md, Casey Judge Do

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

Seeing The Unexpected: A Unique Case Of Naion With Temporal Vision Loss As A Periprocedural Complication Of Cerebral Angiography, Tejasvi Paturu, Ajay Menon Md, Negar Moheb Md, Casey Judge Do

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

Evaluation The Level Of Interleukin-6 And Interleukin-10 In Patients With Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Hiba Aldeen, Muna Abdulbasit Kashmoola

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

BACKGROUND: Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) is a hematopoietic stem cell disease. IL-6 and IL-10 play critical roles in AML pathogenesis; IL-6 regulates hematopoiesis and leukemic blast formation, and IL-10 inhibits pro-inflammatory responses in leukemic cells.OBJECTIVE: To evaluate IL-6 and IL-10 levels in AML patients and assess their correlation with clinical and laboratory parameters.METHOD: A case-control study, conducted in Nineveh Province from January to October 2024, included 30 newly diagnosed AML patients and 30 healthy controls. Hematological and biochemical tests, including Complete Blood Count, bone marrow aspirate, flow cytometry, and serum IL-6 and IL-10 levels (measured by ELISA), performed at diagnosis …

Incidence Of Malignancy In Solitary Thyroid Nodule In Tikrit Province, Mohammed Dahash, Hamid Sarhan

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

Background: Nodularity in thyroid is a popular disorder in adults. However, solitary swelling has to be investigated well for its neoplastic risk. Solitary thyroid nodule can be defined as an isolated palpable mass in an otherwise apparently normal thyroid gland. Solitary thyroid nodules are common and found in 3-4% of adults in USA and UK. They are 3 to 4 times more common in females than males.Objectives: The goal of this study is to determine the occurrence of malignancy in solitary thyroid nodule in Tikrit city.Patients and methods: A retrospective study conducted in Tikrit City after thyroidectomies for the duration …

Changes In Peripapillary Perfusion And Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer In Diabetic Iraqi Patients, Rand Abdulghani, Najah Mohammed

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

Background: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a leading cause of acquired blindness through retinal microvascular and neurodegenerative changes. Studying peripapillary vascular density (PPVD) through Optical coherence tomography and angiography (OCT & OCTA) imaging can offer insight into the effect of these changes and aid in management.Aim of the study: To assess the correlation between peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (PRNFL) thickness and peripapillary region perfusion through vascular density in various stages of diabetic retinopathy.Patients and methods: This is a comparative case–control study. Participants underwent an optic nerve head OCT and OCTA to measure PRNFL thickness, and peripapillary vascular density (PPVD) using …

Colposcopic Evaluation Of Cervix In Symptomatic Women And Its Correlation With Pap Smear Among Patients Attending The Gynecology Outpatient’S Department Of Maternity Teaching Hospital In Erbil City-Kurdistan Region /Iraq.2023, Aveen Arsalan, Ghada Suliman

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

ABSTRACT: Background: Cervical cancer ranks as the fourth most prevalent cancer globally, posing a significant public health challenge. Early detection is vital to reducing mortality and improving survival outcomes. Pap smear, colposcopy, and histopathological examination are pivotal diagnostic tools in identifying premalignant cervical lesions. While Pap smear is widely used for cervical cancer screening, colposcopy offers a magnified visual assessment of the cervix, and histopathological examination serves as the gold standard for definitive diagnosis. Objective: This study aimed to compare the diagnostic accuracy of Pap smear and colposcopy against histopathological examination in detecting premalignant and malignant cervical lesions among symptomatic …

Clinico-Demographic Study Of Genodermatoses In Patients Attending Baghdad Dermatology Center Of Medical City., Zaharaa Dawood, Basman Fadheel, Noor Rashid

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

Background: Genodermatoses are inherited skin disorders with variable expressivity and high morbidity. Their epidemiology and expression show regional variation due to genetic and environmental influences.Objectives: To record genodermatoses' clinical and epidemiological characteristics among patients attending the Baghdad Dermatology Centre of Medical City in Baghdad. We also aim to shed light on regional factors, such as consanguinity and genetic trends, among the patients.Patients and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from April 2022 to August 2023. Clinical patients with a diagnosis of genodermatoses were evaluated, and demographic data, clinical characteristics, and pedigree analysis were performed on them.Results: Generalised skin lesions were …

Serum Levels Of Uric Acid In Females Of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome With And Without Insulin Resistance-Baghdad Medical City / 2024, Marwah Kamal, Ban Abdul-Ridha Al-Hashimi, Ruaa Alaa Kamal, Lina Jebur

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine abnormality of the females, the anovulation, hyperandrogenism, infertility, and metabolic dysfunctions which are the main characteristic features of this disease, the elevated of serum uric acid is linked to metabolic disease as PCOS . Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of hyperuricemia in in females of polycystic ovarian syndrome with and without insulin resistance and compare serum level of uric acid in patients of polycystic ovarian syndrome with and without insulin resistance. Methods: Cross-sectional comparative study, non-probability convenience sampling was conducted at Out-patient's department of Gynecology in Baghdad Medical City, from March 15th …

The Association Of Maternal Hemoglobin Concentration With The Placental Weight And Placental Weight To Fetal Weight Ratio: A Hospital Based Study, Hiba Nsaif, Shahla Mahmoud

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

ABSTRACT:Background: There is disagreement among studies regarding the association between maternal hemoglobin levels and pregnancy outcome. This includes low birth weight, increase placental weight and a high placental -to-birth weight ratio. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the concentration of maternal hemoglobin for 37-42 weeks pregnant women with neonatal birth weight, placental weight, and placental to birth weight ratio. Patients and methods: five hundred pregnant women in labour were enrolled in this cross-sectional study from 1st February 2024 to 30th of August 2024 at the labour ward of Maternity Teaching Hospital, Erbil city, Kurdistan …

Evaluation Of The Immunohistochemical Expression Of Cyclin D1 In Colorectal Carcinoma, Maab Hameed, Nadwa Alazzo

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

Background: Cyclin D1, a main regulatory protein in the cell cycle, is encoded by the CCND1 gene, located on chromosome 11q13, and over-expression of this protein interrupts normal cell cycle control, hence encouraging the development and progression of cancer. The up-regulation of cyclin D1 plays a significant role in the pathogenesis and metastases of colorectal cancer, and appears to be a useful prognostic marker for colorectal cancer.Objective: To evaluate the immunohistochemical expression of Cyclin D1 in colorectal carcinoma cases. To assess its association with other clinicopathological features.Patients and method: In this prospective and retrospective case series study, fifty cases of …

The Effectiveness Of Hepatitis B Virus Vaccine In End Stage Renal Disease Patients On Hemodialysis, Ali Alwan, Zaid Ali, Harith Hadi

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

Background: Immunization is the most effective way to prevent transmission of hepatitis B virus and hence the development of acute or chronic hepatitis B. End stage renal diseases (ESRD) patients have lower seroconversion rates compared with the subjects with intact renal function. Moreover, even after the completion of hepatitis B vaccination schedule , anti-HBs titer of responders was found to be low and decline logarithmically with time.Study objectives: this study is to identify the effectiveness of Hepatitis B vaccine and its response in end stage renal disease patients on hemodialysis. Patients and methods: A cross sectional study with analytic components …

Soluble Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1(Svacm-1) In Hemophilic Arthropathy, Shahad Abdulrahman, Abeer Ahmed

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

Background: Hemophilic arthropathy is the most common chronic complication in individuals with hemophilia, leading to significant joint damage and reduced quality of life. It shares inflammatory characteristics with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), prompting interest in biomarkers like soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1), which is known to be elevated in RA and other inflammatory conditions. This study aimed to explore the clinical relevance of sVCAM-1 as a potential biomarker in hemophilic arthropathy. Aims: To estimate plasma levels of sVCAM-1 in hemophilia patients compared to healthy controls. To compare sVCAM-1 levels between hemophilia patients with and without arthropathy. To correlate sVCAM-1 levels …