Digital Commons Network^™

Freeing The Fremont: Visions Of A Post-Automobile Portland Highway Bridge, Henry Senters

University Honors Theses

The Fremont Bridge is an iconic piece of highway transportation infrastructure in the city of Portland, Oregon. Unfortunately, it is one of only three Willamette bridges in the city that does not allow any pedestrian access, except for a single day every year during an annual bicycling event. Consider, however: what if that were to change, in a future less dependent on private automobile usage? Drawing on historical precedents of pedestrian and car-free bridges, this thesis proposes three types of pedestrian-focused programs which a car-free Fremont Bridge could host, each of which speaks to a current aspect of civic life …

Mass Timber: The Future Of Sustainable Architectural Design, Julian Nychay

University Honors Theses

The current state of Mass Timber structures is in an interesting state at the moment; Mass Timber adoption has become a recent trend that has been taking place very recently. This is due to a number of factors, mainly the technology for mass timber has grown substantially, as well as human consciousness of our negative impact on the environment has led to a deep rethinking about how we build. In this paper, I examine what exactly mass timber is, why it is being used and what are the future and current benefits and challenges facing mass timber in modern design …

Game-Based Learning As A Dynamic System: A Review Of The Literature, Meadow Mcgalliard

University Honors Theses

Game-based learning (GBL) in its development as a field has found itself at an ever-increasing complexity with regard to theories, design elements, and outcomes that define it. It's been long since proven that games produce learning and the ways in which this benefits educators and designers have broad applications, from direct game implementation to integrating GBL knowledge into non-game spaces. The density and complexity of design in GBL prove beneficial for learning opportunities, as the adaptability of design can create an almost infinite series of outcomes in a highly replicable manner. In this broad review, I attempt to display the …

Philosophy In Action: Ni Una Menos And Liberation Theory, Matthew D. Albertson

University Honors Theses

This thesis explores the intersection of philosophy and social movements, Enrique Dussel's Liberation Philosophy and the Ni Una Menos movement. It argues that Ni Una Menos not only enacts a philosophy of liberation through its mobilization against gender-based violence in Latin America but also critically expands Liberation Philosophy by foregrounding intersectionality and gendered forms of exclusion--often underexamined in traditional liberation theory. Using Dussel's concepts--Exteriority, Praxis, Critique of the Totality, Ethics of Life, and Transmodernity--the study analyzes how Ni Una Menos elevates the lived experiences of marginalized women and gender-diverse individuals into the public and political sphere. Through strategies …

Stigma, Shame, And Narcissism: A Literature Review, Alex Gaither

University Honors Theses

This thesis is a literature review of 12 peer reviewed journal articles accessible through the Portland State University library database on the relationship between stigma, shame, and Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD). This thesis discusses ideas brought up in these articles regarding the classification and conceptualization of NPD as a disorder, the role that shame plays in the pathology of NPD, the ways that shame is addressed through treatment, and public and practitioner held bias resulting from the stigmatization of the disorder. New and upcoming ways of conceptualizing the disorder are also briefly discussed as there has been a push to …

Diy Music Career, Griffin Schmeltzer

University Honors Theses

As we know, the music industry is changing. Where artists once needed access to extremely expensive gear, we now have access to tech that can create professional quality music at a fraction of the price. And where artists once needed labels to back and distribute their music, we're entering into an age where anyone can upload a song directly to the primary platforms consumers use to listen to music. This has led to an era where songs written and recorded in bedrooms are winning grammys (Billie Eilish). But for all the upsides of anyone being able to make and release …

Examining The Impact Of Legalized Sports Gambling On Ncaa Athletes' Welfare And Game Integrity, Reem Al Jaradi

University Honors Theses

This thesis examines the effects of legalized sports gambling on NCAA player welfare and the integrity of competition through a mixed-method analysis of NCAA reports, academic literature, and media sources. Data disclose that although the overall prevalence of gambling among student-athletes has decreased, these individuals are demonstrating more detrimental behaviors, including solitary gaming and incurring substantial losses in a single day. The emphasis on internet abuse associated with betting results has escalated, especially during prominent tournaments. The NCAA's instructional programs and data-monitoring agreements are compromised by ethical issues surrounding data monetization and varying state gambling rules. The research contends that …

Investigating Momentary Body Image Disturbance, Affect, And Disordered Eating Among College Students, Allison T. Cunning

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Despite evidence that eating disorders are associated with elevated mortality rates, increased risk of suicide, and societal and financial burden, treatment outcomes for individuals with eating disorders remain poor. Body image disturbance has emerged as a robust risk factor for the development and maintenance of disordered eating (e.g., overeating, binge eating, purging, restriction) and theoretical and clinical perspectives most commonly operationalize body image disturbance as a trait construct. However, empirical evidence suggests body dissatisfaction may fluctuate, and these fluctuations may play an important role in the relationship between risk factors and disordered eating. The current study employed ecological momentary assessment …

Transport Layer Approaches To Reducing System Resource Utilization And Improving Communication Efficiency, Puneet Kumar

Engineering Ph.D. Theses

Transport and security layer protocols are fundamental to ensuring reliable and secure communication between endpoints. Among transport-layer protocols, TCP is the most widely deployed; however, it su↵ers from several limitations that impact performance, including high per-packet overhead, expensive connection re-establishment, and low per-byte protocol efficiency. To address these shortcomings, the IETF standardized QUIC, a modern UDP-based transport protocol implemented in userspace. QUIC integrates transport and cryptographic features, including packet encryption, retransmission, multiplexing, and stream management, while emulating connection-oriented behavior atop UDP, which is a connectionless protocol. This thesis investigates the limitations of traditional TCP and QUIC in the context of …

The New Right-Wing Populist: The Blonde “Mother Of The Nation”, Christina Charie

Political Science Undergraduate Theses

The rise of right-wing populism in European politics has come along side an increased presence of female representation in political affairs. What aesthetic decisions are being made by far-right female populist politicians? How do moderate right and left-wing women politicians differ in their presentation styles from populist women? While right-wing politics have gained traction in Europe before, this time women are the face of many right-wing populist movement, even though much of the ideology is rooted in misogyny and the presence of strong, masculine figureheads. With women taking center stage within these right-wing movements that are historically masculine, understanding their …

Decentralized Biobanking For Transparency, Accountability, And Engagement In Biospecimen Donation, Kennedy Sabharwal, Brian Hutler, M Eifler, Marielle Gross

Journal of Health Care Law and Policy

No abstract provided.

The Write Time For An Autoethnography: How Writing Project Has Shaped My Understanding Of Professional Learning In Community, Tracy Brosch

Dissertations

This study critically examines the cultural and societal phenomenon that comprises the National Writing Project (NWP), specifically reflecting on my experiences of re-designing Gateway Writing Project professional learning experiences as a leader in the organization. I reflect on my encounters, collaborations, and decisions as an Institute instructor and analyze them within the theoretical framework of Communities of Practice using autoethnography as my research methodology. This autoethnographic narrative documents my analysis and understanding of NWP’s framework of social practices, chronicling my journey from participant to advocate and from organizer to leader. Employing the autoethnographic method enabled me to illuminate my own …

From Roe To Risk: The Sobering Realities Of Reproductive Data Privacy In A Post-Roe America, Brynn Drury

Journal of Health Care Law and Policy

No abstract provided.

Not Here Or There: How Catholic Hospital Abortion Bans Interact With State Bans, Lori Freedman, Debra Stulberg, Elizabeth Reiner Platt

Journal of Health Care Law and Policy

No abstract provided.

Walking The Line On Safety And Free Speech: Sidestepping First Amendment Challenges To Median Bans, Taylor J. Black

New Mexico Law Review

In 2021, the Tenth Circuit held a ban targeting pedestrians on street medians in Albuquerque, New Mexico unconstitutional under the First Amendment. Citing a crisis of pedestrian fatalities, Albuquerque has since promulgated a new pedestrian-safety ordinance with an adjusted median ban that prohibits pedestrians from sitting or standing on certain street medians. This ban not only fails to increase pedestrian safety but also arbitrarily blames the city’s poorest residents and poses a threat to First Amendment freedoms. Because the city cannot produce case-specific evidence to show that the ban is narrowly tailored to ameliorate a nonspeculative harm, the current ban …

Prisoners, Patients, And Privatization: Accountability For Corrections Contractors Under The New Mexico Civil Rights Act, Mayalyn Durham

New Mexico Law Review

New Mexico dedicates significant resources to incarceration—particularly with respect to prison medical care. Although New Mexico has mostly transitioned away from privately operated prisons, the New Mexico Corrections Department (NMCD) continues to contract with various corporations to provide health services in state-owned prisons. Not surprisingly, the private contractors’ cost-saving measures often result in the provision of grossly inadequate healthcare that constitutes cruel and unusual punishment under the Eighth Amendment. Prisoner litigation under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, however, is fraught with substantive and procedural barriers to recovery. The New Mexico Civil Rights Act (NMCRA or “the Act”) provides an avenue of …

Board Of Directors Quarterly Meeting - Open Session Book 06/12/2025, Uc Law Sf

2025 Board of Directors Agenda and Materials

No abstract provided.

Acute Effects Of Blood Flow Restriction During Low-Load Exercise And Recovery On Blood Flow And Performance, Shay B. Richards

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: Use of blood flow restriction (BFR) during strength training with light loads has been used to induce similar muscular benefits as traditional strength training with heavy loads. Safe and effective recommendations for the use of BFR relies on an understanding of how different methods of BFR alter blood flow during rest and exercise. The purpose of this study was to compare blood flow during exercise and recovery between continuous BFR (CONT), intermittent BFR (INT), and no BFR (NBFR) as a control. Methods: 16 participants (8 male, 8 female) participated in this study on three different days, separated by at …

A Modular Simulation Environment And B-Spline Trajectory Generation Methods For Multi-Agent Uav Systems, Landon D. Shumway

Theses and Dissertations

Multi-agent UAV systems present a complex challenge requiring solutions to numerous subproblems. This research addresses two key issues: simulation testing and path planning. A modular simulation environment is developed, enabling users to run diverse mission scenarios with heterogeneous UAV teams and to implement custom dynamic models and guidance laws. Additionally, two novel B-spline trajectory generation methods are proposed. The first generates time-synchronized B-spline paths for UAVs with arbitrary initial and final states in 2D space, accommodating scenarios where agents must follow predetermined speed profiles. The second guidance method converts spline paths between MINVO, Bézier, and non-uniform B-spline representations, leveraging the …

Exploring Consequences Of The Double Empathy Problem Across The Autistic Trait Spectrum: First Person Accounts, Cammy C. Peck

Theses and Dissertations

Historically, individuals on the autism spectrum were believed to have deficits in empathy. However, recent research suggests that empathy-related issues occur on both sides of the communication dynamic. This concept known as the Double Empathy Problem (DEP), posits that the perceived lack of empathy is not exclusive to autistic individuals; rather, neurotypical (NT) individuals also experience difficulty empathizing with autistic individuals (Milton, 2012). Milton et al. (2022) describes this as a "breakdown in mutual understanding". Such mutual misunderstanding can have adverse consequences for both autistic and neurotypical individuals. To our knowledge, no studies have directly examined these consequences in relation …

The Effect Of Personalized Profiles On Generating Customized Content In Artificial Intelligence Augmentative And Alternative Communication Devices, Rachel Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

With advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), several augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices have begun incorporating AI with the purpose of accelerating and improving message transmission for users. The results have shown that AI can significantly reduce a user's keystrokes, but the generated responses may lack personalization. The objective of this study was to investigate whether integrating a personalized profile containing user information enhances the perceived accuracy and personalization of AI generated messages. Various methods of collecting profile information and differing levels of information within the profile were evaluated. One hundred eighty-one neurotypical English-speakers with no history of language disorder …

Evaluating The Impact Of Information Literacy Workshops On Student Success, Amanda Shannon, Aaron Skira, Ying Chen, Matt Shreffler

Roesch Library Faculty Publications

Objective – This study was designed to identify the impact of standalone information literacy tutorials on student success indicators. The study was conducted in two different phases to compare findings across different modalities and to identify whether online, asynchronous delivery of substantively similar content affected outcomes.

Methods – Using institutional records from a mid-sized, Midwestern public university, and attendance and completion data from student participation in asynchronous library workshops, the authors used propensity score matching to construct a control group that mirrored library workshop participants based on like characteristics. Statistical analyses were then conducted comparing the GPA, semester completion, and …

Unknown, Unnoticed, Unheard İlahiler: Turkish-Christian Hymnody As Liturgical Theology, Jeremy Perigo

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

For the estimated 5–8,000 Turkish Evangelical Christians, challenges surrounding religious identity in this Muslim-majority context are particularly evident in corporate Christian worship, where indigenous local expressions of worship and matters of faith formation can, at times, create a sense of divided dual belonging. Questions of corporate identity go beyond the simple binary comparisons of Christian versus Muslim, Western versus indigenous, or local versus global, and include layers of influences and meanings. Using data collected during Spring 2019 of the congregational song repertoires of five diverse Turkish Protestant communities, we shall seek to examine the public meaning of liturgical texts (i.e., …

Tunable Methacrylated Decellularized Heart Matrix: A Versatile Scaffold For Cardiac Tissue Engineering, Valinteshley Pierre, Douglas H. Wu, Chao Liu, Elif Ertugral, Chandrasekhar R. Kothapalli, Samuel E. Senyo

Chemical & Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

Therapeutic tissue regeneration remains a significant unmet need in heart failure and cardiovascular disease treatment, which are among the leading causes of death globally. Decellularized heart matrix (DHM) offer promising advantages for tissue engineering, including low immunogenicity and seamless integration into biological processes, facilitating biocompatibility. However, DHM is challenged by weak mechanical properties that limit its utility to biomedical applications like tissue engineering. To address this limitation, we functionalized DHM with methacryloyl functional groups (DHMMA) that support UV-induced crosslinking to enhance mechanical properties. By modulating the degree of methacryloyl substitution, a broad range of stiffness was achieved while maintaining cell …

The Relative Strength Of Help-Seeker Stereotype, Help-Seeking Self-Stigma, And Self-Esteem In Predicting Attitudes Toward Seeking Mental Health Help, Souad Torjani Azim

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The increasing prevalence of mental health issues among college students is a critical concern. Disorders such as depression and anxiety are becoming more common, with depression notably a major risk factor for suicide—the second leading cause of death in this age group. Despite this troubling trend, significant barriers to accessing mental health services remain. While research has explored various factors contributing to students’ reluctance, such as stigma, distrust in the mental health system, lack of social support, and mental health literacy, none to date has examined the relative strength of help-seeker stereotype, help-seeking self-stigma, and self-esteem in predicting attitudes toward …

Enzymatic Characterization Of Bacterial Enzymes And Inhibitors As Potential Antibiotics With New Mechanisms Of Action, Emma Helene Kelley

Dissertations

Bacteria have become increasingly resistant to antibiotics, therefore there is an urgent need for new drug classes of antibiotics to help fight antibiotic infections. To this end, our research is focused on inhibitors of dizinc metalloenzymes N-succinyl-L,L-diaminopimelic acid desuccinylase (DapE), an enzyme in the lysine biosynthesis pathway, N-acetyl-L-ornithine deacetylase enzyme (ArgE), an enzyme in the arginine biosynthesis pathway, and sodium-dependent NADH: ubiquinone oxidoreductase (Na+-NQR) enzyme, a respiratory complex enzyme as promising drug targets. DapE, ArgE, and Na+-NQR and are only present in bacteria, including ESKAPE pathogens that can cause potentially deadly infections, thus inhibitors of DapE, ArgE, and Na+-NQR offer …

Impact Of A Dance Education For Secondary School Students, Kimeka T. Williams

Student Theses and Dissertations

As the education system has grown, so has arts education, but not with great ease (Fegley, 2010). Dance education and associated curriculums are designed to allow students an opportunity to express themselves through creative movement. The Kennedy Center stated that arts integration is “an approach to teaching in which students construct and demonstrate learning through an art form. Students engage in a creative process which connects an art form and another subject area meeting evolving objectives in both” (Silverstein & Layne, 2014). Kassing (2013) states that today, the dance scene is quite different from how it was a century ago. …

Ai And Affective Polarization: The Ethos, Pathos, And Logos Of Political Rhetoric, Odette A. Henry

Student Theses and Dissertations

Campaign messages created using artificial intelligence (AI) tools were used in the 2024 Presidential election. AI videos, images, and audio recordings were used for the first time in campaign strategies to influence voters. The purpose of this research is to examine the AI campaign messages to identify rhetorical strategies used to influence voters. A selection of campaign artifacts was analyzed according to Aristotelian rhetorical strategies – ethos, pathos, and logos. Aristotle states that these techniques can be manipulated in the interest of political persuasion. The findings support his position and indicate that most 2024 AI campaign messages are partisan, manipulative, …

Intimate Partner Technology-Facilitated Abuse (Tfa): Technological Tools And Tactics, Rus'sel Sampson

AJiC Fact Sheets

This fact sheet provides a brief overview of the technological tools and associated behavioral tactics used to facilitate abuse against intimate partners, as documented in the research literature.

Remote Sensing Of Seismic Signals Via Enhanced Moiré-Based Apparatus Integrated With Active Convolved Illumination, Adrian A. Moazzam, Anindya Ghoshroy, Durdu Güney, Roohollah Askari

Michigan Tech Publications

The remote sensing of seismic waves in challenging and hazardous environments, such as active volcanic regions, remains a critical yet unresolved challenge. Conventional methods, including laser Doppler interferometry, InSAR, and stereo vision, are often hindered by atmospheric turbulence or necessitate access to observation sites, significantly limiting their applicability. To overcome these constraints, this study introduces a Moiré-based apparatus augmented with active convolved illumination (ACI). The system leverages the displacement-magnifying properties of Moiré patterns to achieve high precision in detecting subtle ground movements. Additionally, ACI effectively mitigates atmospheric fluctuations, reducing the distortion and alteration of measurement signals caused by these fluctuations. …