Digital Commons Network^™

The Interaction Of Early Life Experiences, Physical Health, And Socio-Economic Status On Neurocognitive Function In Youth, Janis Gaudreau

Open Access Master's Theses

Previous research demonstrates that cognitive and brain function and development during childhood are associated with greater physical activity (PA) levels, fitness, income, less adverse early life experiences (ELE), healthier body mass index (BMI), body composition of lean and fat mass, and fewer experiences of mental health disorders.

We used the Child Mind Institute’s Healthy Brain Network open-access dataset to evaluate neurocognitive outcomes in children. We predicted that children with combined greater SES and positive physical health outcomes, alongside fewer adverse ELE, will exhibit greater cognitive function and resting state electroencephalography (EEG) outcomes, and fitness and PA will positively protect neurocognitive …

Surveying Seafood Preferences And Potential Neophobia Of Underutilized Species In Rhode Island Consumers, Alejandro Rojas

Open Access Master's Theses

Commercial fish stocks are currently in decline with over eighty seven percent at fully exploited or overexploited levels. The overfishing of economically valuable target species is one major cause of these population declines, which is why there has been significant focus on urging consumers to try more underutilized or unheard-of species. However, the question remains: are consumers willing to try these species? Given potential barriers like food neophobia, which is a biological human avoidance of unknown foods, it is important to find out the current seafood preferences of consumers to influence marketing and legislation. The goals of this study were …

Probing The Anoxic World Of Coastal Marine Sediments In New England: Understanding The Novel Partnership Between Protists And Their Bacterial Symbionts, Raúl A. Gutiérrez

Open Access Master's Theses

In the oxygen-depleted environments of New England's coastal marine sediment, microbial communities engage in symbiotic interactions to overcome energy deficiencies from oxygen limitation. Among these interactions, ciliates, known for their ability to form diverse symbiotic relationships, play a prominent role. The ciliated protozoa, Metopus sp. commonly form symbiotic relationships with bacteria and archaea that support their fermentative metabolism (Fenchel and Finlay, 1995), though the diversity of these partnerships, particularly in the ocean, is poorly known. To gain insights into the interactions between Metopus ciliate cultures and their microbial partners, we employed Fluorescence in Situ Hybridization (FISH) with species-specific probes. We …

Examining The Narratives, Misinformation, And Delay Tactics In Newspaper Coverage Of Offshore Wind Development In Relation To Whale Strandings On The East Coast Of The United States, Rafeed Hussain

Open Access Master's Theses

The United States set a goal to develop 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind energy by 2030 as an ocean-based method to decarbonize the energy grid to combat climate change (The White House, 2021). The problem is that certain opposition groups are adopting delay and misinformation strategies to dissuade offshore wind development (Dunlap & Brulle, 2020; Supran & Oreskes, 2021; Climate and Development Lab, 2023; Slevin et al., 2023) by conflating actual environmental impacts (BOEM & NOAA Fisheries, 2024) with an unusual mortality event of North Atlantic Right Whales and humpback whales on the East Coast of the United States …

Heat Transfer Mechanisms In Gold Nanoparticles Studied Via Pump-Probe Measurements, Ludovica Palazzo

Open Access Master's Theses

The investigation of gold nanoparticle thin films for cancer therapy is a topic of significant interest in the scientific community. A comprehensive examination of their heat transfer properties is crucial to explore their potential applications in materials science and medicine. This study focuses on measuring and analyzing the heat transfer properties of gold nanorod thin films utilized in cancer therapy, with a specific focus on the effective electron-phonon coupling factor. The thin film was realized through the spin coating of a gold nanorod solution onto a hydrogel platform to ensure adherence between the solution and the glass coverslip. Using pump-probe …

Cysteine Arylation Via Unconventional Nucleophilic Aromatic Substitution, Gregory Bassett

Open Access Master's Theses

Bioconjugation is a synthetic technique enabling the construction of a covalent bond between two molecules, at least one of which is a biomolecule.^[1] Such modifications of biomolecules can impart various new functions, including modified enzymatic activity, enhanced fluorescence emission, and improved metabolic stability. Moreover, bioconjugation is applied to produce antibody-drug conjugates, a novel class of targeted therapeutics for cancer treatment.

Previous work by our group using pyridinium salts has enabled us to achieve effective cysteine arylation with rapid kinetics and remarkable selectivity. The bioconjugates produced with these reagents are susceptible to carbon-sulfur bond cleavage under certain conditions, such as …

Analysis Of The Imperial And Racial Relationship In Santo Tomas Interment Camp And Manila, Wwii, Seongbin Hyun

Open Access Master's Theses

This thesis examines the experiences of American and European civilians in Manila, Philippines following the attack on Pearl Harbor. The introduction addresses the inconsistencies and contradictions between internee documents and official records. Additionally, it highlights the disparities between American colonial governance and racial perspectives in the pre-war Philippines and the conditions of internees in the Santo Tomas Internment Camp. By analyzing the circumstances and relationships of internees before February 1944, the thesis explores issues such as racial beliefs, colonial hierarchy, and American exceptionalism. The goal of this thesis is not to dispute the suffering of Allied citizens in the STIC …

Explaining The Similarities Between Anti-Plastic Pollution Ordinances In Rhode Island Towns, Alyssa Parise

Open Access Master's Theses

Marine plastic pollution is a serious and escalating issue. In response, many towns and cities in Rhode Island have created ordinances to reduce the amount of plastic pollution in our waters and land. These ordinances are surprisingly similar, even though towns have distinct cultures and demographics. What factors explain the similarities and differences between these ordinances? What can those factors tell us about future expansion and adoption of anti-plastic pollution ordinances across the state? This thesis analyzes local ordinances and meeting minutes to generate questions for supplementary interviews with town/city council members. The research is framed by theories of local …

Developing Smart Textiles Encapsulated With Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes For Biomedical Applications, Devleena Chowdhury

Open Access Master's Theses

This thesis investigates the creation of core-shell nanofibers for enhanced wound healing applications using a variety of polymer combinations. Chronic wounds are a major worry in the biomedical sector, and researchers are looking at new materials to help the healing process. The PVDF/PVA core-shell structure with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) was chosen due to its balanced mechanical strength, high biocompatibility, and DNA-SWCNT complex stability. PVDF is a preferred shell material due to its biocompatibility and water solubility, making it excellent for wound dressings, implanted scaffolds, and sensors that monitor healing.

The study focuses on improving the electrospinning method to produce …

Music And Gender, Kathryn Alexander

World Music Textbook

This chapter provides an overview of key concepts and terms for the study of music and gender.

The Underneathers, Alexandra Marcella Sweeney

Scripps Senior Theses

Inspired by a childhood steeped in the hotel business and the rich stories passed down through generations, The Underneathers is a two-episode screenplay that unveils the captivating, unseen world beneath the surface of the Oceanview Resort. This fading coastal gem, clinging to its former glory, serves as a microcosm of society, bringing together a diverse cast of characters.

The Underneathers delves beyond guest service, exposing the often-obscured labor dynamics that create the illusion of effortless luxury. With episodes "Checked In, Checked Out" and "Dirty Laundry," the screenplay reveals the hidden stories and struggles of the resort's staff – the unsung …

The Favela Blossoms: Voices Of Favelas In São Paulo, Brazil, Vasti Cruz

Scripps Senior Theses

This project spotlights improvised housing in the peripheral areas of São Paulo, Brazil, better known as favelas. For over a century, the favela has been known as a place of death, violence, crime, and oppression. Paradoxically, the first favelas in Rio de Janeiro were named after a plant that produces flowers. However, today, these communities are rarely compared to their beautiful, symbolic-of-life namesake. Instead, this prejudgement is rampant not only globally, but also within the proper city– which perpetuates social division. When favelas are discussed in the media, they often reference those in Rio de Janeiro; however, favelas are present …

Resilience Amidst Barriers: Understanding The Plight Of Undocumented Filipino Tnts In The Broken Us Immigration System, Eileen Linchangco

Scripps Senior Theses

This thesis examines the plight of undocumented Filipino immigrants, referred to as “TNT” or “tago nang tago” (hiding and hiding), within the context of an increasingly restrictive US immigration system. I argue that two key factors have driven more Filipinos to pursue unauthorized entry into the US since the 1980s despite heightened risks. First, US immigration policy changes enacted in the 1980s and 1990s implemented stricter numerical caps that severely limited available visas for Filipino immigrants to use legal immigration pathways into the United States. Second, enduring sociocultural constructs propagate the notion that Filipinos represent immigrant desirability for US citizenship. …

What's Up With White Women?: Anti-Feminist Resistance To Second-Wave Feminism And The Rise Of The Conservative Woman, Sadie N. Matz

Scripps Senior Theses

A staggering number of White women voted for Trump in 2016. Why did this demographic, whose racial and gender identity so closely resembled that of the Democratic candidate, deny themselves descriptive representation in the Oval Office? A closer look at the political history of feminism and anti-feminism reveals that these results should not have been surprising. The sexual liberation movement of the 1960s, the fight over the Equal Rights Amendment in the 1970s, and the rise of neoliberalism in the 1980s cultivated an environment that made political conservatism attractive to White women of the 20^th century, priming White women …

Rainbow-Washing The Occupation: A Critical Examination Of Israeli Claims To Feminist And Gay-Friendly Modernity, Melia Oliver

Scripps Senior Theses

In this thesis, I employ a queer analytic to uncover how Israel weaponizes claims to feminist and gay-friendly modernity—referred to as pink- and purple washing, respectively—as forms of propaganda to justify their occupation of Palestine. Pink- and purplewasing narratives rely on racist and Orientalist conceptions of Palestinian “barbarism” which Israel reproduces in order to bolster their settler colonial project. I analyze pink- and purplewashing propaganda as symptoms of larger homo- and femonationalist formations which stem from and further reinforce settler colonialism. I address allegations of “weaponized rape” during and after the events of October 7th and argue that this form …

Good Enough To Eat: How College Students Are (Re)Forming Their Relationships To Food, Sophia Lewis

Scripps Senior Theses

In this thesis, I seek to critically examine how college students at American liberal arts institutions relate to food in their everyday lives and how those relationships to food are formed in a cultural landscape where what and how one eats can carry significant moral implications. Through a series of ethnographic interviews, I found that college students are negotiating a variety of interconnected social influences that have shaped their relationships to food, the most prominent being the ways that their parents taught them to relate to food in childhood and adolescence, cultural conceptions of health, and their own embodied reactions …

Guido Speaks, Jill E. Martin

Hofstra Law Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

The Vitruvian Shareholder, Sergio Alberto Gramitto Ricci

Hofstra Law Faculty Scholarship

The proportions of Leonardo's Vitruvian Man allow the human figure to fit a circle and a square, which in Renaissance iconography represent respectively the secular and divine dimensions. Good canons allow for a proportionate and simultaneous coexistence of the two natures of humankind. Human shareholders have two natures, too: one as investors and one as human beings. Similar to the Vitruvian Man, a shareholder with good proportions fits a metaphorical circle and a metaphorical square: the former represents the human dimension, and the latter represents the investor. I dub retail investors who proportionately balance their interests as human beings who …

Legislating Flexibility In The Post-Pandemic Workplace, Madeleine Gyory

Hofstra Law Faculty Scholarship

Working parents and caregivers in the United States struggle to balance the dual demands of work and care. Many working caregivers need flexible work arrangements (FWAs)-changes to their hours, schedule, or location-to allow them to balance work and care. But access to flexibility remains out of reach for many workers and is least accessible to the most marginalized. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored this problem, as huge numbers of women dropped out of the workforce to care for family. While no federal or state law requires employers to grant FWAs to caregivers, several states and localities have passed "right to request" …

Sustainability In Education And Healthcare Field: An Integrative Review Of Factors, Barriers, And The Path Forward For Informed Practices, Joseph U. Almazan, April Manabat, Zulyar Kavashev, Meruyert Smagulova, Paolo C. Colet, Ejercito Mangawa Balay-Odao, Ainetta Nurmagambetova, Srinivasa Rao Bolla, Alma Syzdykova, Zhaniya Dauletkaliyeva, Jonas P. Cruz

Health Professions Education

Purpose: This integrative review consolidated and synthesized diverse research articles aimed at investigating various environmental factors in sustainability education, including in the healthcare field. Likewise, it provided a holistic understanding of challenges, facilitators, and their significance.

Method: Eight databases with different search terms were searched in this integrative review following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). A total of 19 papers were quality evaluated using a standardized review tool.

Results: Three major themes emerged from the integrative review such as: “Factors affecting Sustainability Education” which include specific factors such as responsible environmental behavior, …

Replacing Alumni Surveys With Web Searches, Farrokh Alemi, Peggy Maddox

Health Professions Education

Purpose: To examine which components of an alumni survey can be replaced with information posted on the Internet by alumni.

Methods: Surveys were conducted for four programs, including 41 alumni of Master of Health Administration, 50 alumni of Master of Science in Health Informatics, 75 alumni of Master of Science in Social Work and 90 alumni of Bachelor of Art History. Demographic, career advancement, industry, location of work, and estimated salary were available through searching the web. Program reviews was not widely available and emailing alumni allowed to supplement web-available data with comments on the program.

Results: …

User Acceptance Towards Virtual Reality For Basic Life Supports Teaching In A Multi Professional Education Context, Diantha Soemantri, Uti Nilam Sari, Aldy Heriwardito, Luthfi Saiful Arif

Health Professions Education

Purpose. To examine students’ acceptance of basic life support (BLS) virtual reality (VR). The study’s aim is based on the first level of Kirkpatrick’s evaluation model. Method. A cross-sectional study examined at Health Sciences Cluster (HSC) students’ acceptance of BLS VR used in a multi-professional course conducted in the HSC Universitas Indonesia, in 2023. A total of 759 first-year HSC students from five professions/schools (medicine, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy and public health) were recruited in this study. The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) with maximum likelihood and varimax rotation was used to assess the questionnaire’ construct validity. An open ended question was …

Exploring Physiotherapy Students' Experiential Learning With Physical Modalities And Their Relationship To Knowledge, Attitudes, And Practices: A Mixed Methods Investigation, Muhammed Rashid, Anoop Joy, Kavitha Raja, Jerin Mathew

Health Professions Education

Purpose: An experiential learning approach (ExL) is imperative in physiotherapy education as it facilitates the conscious recognition and transformation of experiences in clinical practice. Thus, ExL can help reduce fear avoidance and apprehension behaviour by allowing students to gain hands-on experience and confidence in delivering optimal patient care. The primary objective of this study was to explore physiotherapy students' thresholds and tolerance to noxious thermal and pressure stimuli and how these factors correlate with their self-reported Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice (KAP) outcomes.

Methods: A mixed-method approach was employed, incorporating descriptive, qualitative, and exploratory research design methods to investigate the student’s …

Librarians Discuss Textbook Affordability As An Equity Issue, Robert L. Butterfield, Christa Perez Bailey, Kendra Lake, Adriana Poo, Mitchell Scott, Allia Service, Rachel E. Scott

Faculty and Staff Publications – Milner Library

Librarians working in academic settings have taken different stances on providing access to materials assigned in courses. Although libraries have long offered course reserves, adding course-assigned materials to permanent library collections has been discouraged for a variety of reasons. A number of events and considerations—including COVID-19 campus shutdowns, growing online degree programs, increased support for student success, availability of open educational resources (OER), and new e-books licensing models that support multiple users—have made library provisioning of assigned materials, commonly referred to as textbooks, more mainstream. Despite differences in their scope, approach, and workflows, many library-led textbook affordability programs share the …

Novel Regulators Of Small G Proteins In The Pancreatic Beta Cell, Noah Gleason

Wayne State University Dissertations

Regulation of small GTPases within the pancreatic beta cell is a highly complex and coordinated sequence of protein interactions and post translational modifications. Various families participate in the physiological secretion of insulin in roles ranging from cytoskeletal reorganization to secretory vesicle priming and docking. However the regulatory partners of GTPase function, while studied broadly, lack vital information relating to smgGDS, a protein chaperone of small GTPases to and from the prenylation machinery, and RhoGDI function. Herein these studies are aimed to further our understanding of GTPase regulation and alterations that occur during metabolic stress (glucotoxicity) and related beta cell dysfunction.Data …

Age Of Autism Diagnosis In Latin American And Caribbean Countries, Cecilia Montiel-Nava, María Cecilia Montenegro, Ana C. Ramirez, Daniel Valdez, Analía Rosoli, Ricardo Garcia, Gabriela Garrido, Sebastián Cukier, Alexia Rattazzi, Cristiane Silvestre Paula

Psychological Science Faculty Publications

An earlier diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder might lead to an earlier intervention, yet knowledge and awareness of autism spectrum disorder in Latin America and Caribbean Countries are limited. A later autism spectrum disorder diagnosis has been associated with negative consequences, as it might imply later access to services. This study aims to identify factors associated with the age of autism spectrum disorder diagnosis as reported by 2520 caregivers of autistic children from six Latin America and Caribbean Countries. Results indicate that on average, caregivers were concerned about their child’s development by 22 months of age; however, the diagnosis was …

Hypermodern Affect, Political Orientation, And Conspiracy Theory Ideation In The Age Of Postmodernity, Rachel L. Anderson

Scripps Senior Theses

Recent scholarly undertakings have aimed to demystify an increasingly salient issue that threatens to disrupt cultural, political, and social domains: conspiracy theory ideation. Underpinning injurious right-wing political coalitions, anti-vaccination campaigns, out-group derogation, and, in drastic circumstances, instances of genocide, conspiracy theory informs myriad anthropogenic movements that jeopardize pillars of democracy and scientific reasoning. Intending to reveal the psychological predictors of conspiracy ideation, the present study will examine the utility of individual perceptions of societal marginalization, feelings of loneliness, belongingness, and authoritarianism in predicting the endorsement of conspiracy theory ideology among rural populations via a cross-sectional online survey and subsequent hierarchical …

Political Social Media Use, Self-Efficacy, And Physical Participation, Paloma Ayala-Abellar

Scripps Senior Theses

Social media has become an integral part of daily life, particularly among Generation Z, transforming the way individuals engage with political movements and activism. This study explores how political social media usage influences feelings of self-efficacy and physical political participation among Generation Z in Los Angeles County. Leveraging survey data from 126 participants, the research examines the role of social media platforms—Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Twitter/X—in fostering self-efficacy and mobilizing individuals to engage physically with social movements. Findings reveal that frequent engagement with political content on social media, such as liking, sharing, and following, enhances feelings of self-efficacy, empowering users …

Pharyngitis- Antibiotic Duration, Children's Mercy Kansas City

Clinical Critically Appraised Topics

No abstract provided.

Narco Service Provisions In Tierra Caliente: La Familia Michoacana, Los Caballeros Templarios, And Los Zetas, Itzel Mendoza

Res Publica - Journal of Undergraduate Research

This article analyzes the mutual relationship of dependency between civil society and narco cartels in Tierra Caliente, focusing on civilian experiences in Michoacan, Guerrero and el Estado de México. This paper will examine the functions of La Familia Michoacana, Los Caballeros Templarios and Los Zetas through community service provisions and cartels’ governance. Additionally, socioeconomic factors of Tierra Caliente will be examined to determine which types of communities lend themselves to cartels to provide community provisions as I argue that socioeconomic factors drive cartels’ operations and behaviors.