Digital Commons Network^™

More Than Representation Heartstopper: A Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis, Tracyann Josephine Harmer

Communication & Theatre Arts Theses

This thesis is a multimodal critical discourse analysis of Netflix’s Heartstopper, written with the goal of understanding its methods of representation and queer world creation. Through analysis of the ideology of heteronormativity as it relates to masculinity, internalized homophobia, homophobia, and mental health, I expand upon the significance of queer representation for queer audiences, heterosexual audiences, and producers of queer media. Through a nuanced analysis of these themes, I display how and why Heartstopper has had enormous success and expand upon the cultural phenomena surrounding this media. Finally, this thesis places these nuanced analyses into the real-world reaction to …

The Relationship Between Situated Reading Motivation And Perception Of The Learning Environment For Adolescent Students, Travis Vandervelden

Doctoral Dissertations

Reading proficiency is particularly crucial for adolescent students who are expected to adopt and approximate a multitude of authentic literacy practices in several different content areas within the span of a single school day. A large number of adolescent students are failing to master basic levels of reading, and are thus uniquely disadvantaged in secondary schools, where reading is not only more complex, but teachers also spend less time teaching students how to read. Reading motivation has been a focus of research to address the lack of reading proficiency in classrooms. An understudied area within this field of research is …

Neurodivergent Students’ Perspectives Of A Summer College Transition Program, Erin Reilly, Jaime Vitrano, Susan Alimonti, Audra Cerruto, Jenny Lamonica, Leigh Weilandics, Caro Rose-Tomo

Psychology: Faculty Publications

This paper examines neurodivergent students’ perspectives following participation in a summer college transition program. Program goals included promoting academia, self-advocacy, independent living, and the college social atmosphere for neurodivergent college-bound and college students. In year one of this transition program, six students completed the program, followed by eight students in year two. This paper will describe the college transition program, student feedback, and beneficial modifications applied to the second year of the program. Overall, survey responses indicated that students from both program years reported positive outcomes in the areas of engaging in extracurricular activities, establishing peer relationships, and self-advocacy. The …

Thematic Analysis Of Alzheimer's Medication Management Discussion In A Non-Moderated Online Forum, Jia Liu, Kylie Meyer, Ashlie Glassner, Mitzi Gonzales, Rebecca J Bartlett Ellis, Hyejin Park, Lixin Song, Neela Patel, Jing Wang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Managing medications for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias is challenging for caregivers. Information about caregivers' strategies to manage these challenges is needed to inform intervention development.

Objective: This study aimed to understand caregivers' medication management experiences by analyzing online community discussions.

Methods: Posts were extracted from the ALZConnected® Forum using keywords "medication" and "drug" via web scraping. The researchers applied thematic analysis.

Results: Four major themes emerged: (1) role transition of medication management responsibilities, (2) caregivers' uncertainty about medication purpose and values, (3) conflicts between the care recipients and caregivers, and (4) difficulty accessing and affording medications.

Conclusions: The …

Premastectomy Radiotherapy And Immediate Breast Reconstruction: A Randomized Clinical Trial, Mark V Schaverien, Puneet Singh, Benjamin D Smith, Wei Qiao, Catherine L Akay, Elizabeth S Bloom, Mariana Chavez-Macgregor, Carrie K Chu, Mark W Clemens, Jessica S Colen, Richard A Ehlers, Rosa F Hwang, Melissa M Joyner, Rene D Largo, Alexander F Mericli, Melissa P Mitchell, John W Shuck, Nina Tamirisa, Debasish Tripathy, Mark T Villa, Wendy A Woodward, Rensi Zacharia, Henry M Kuerer, Karen E Hoffman

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Importance: Premastectomy radiotherapy (PreMRT) is a new treatment sequence to avoid the adverse effects of radiotherapy on the final breast reconstruction while achieving the benefits of immediate breast reconstruction (IMBR).

Objective: To evaluate outcomes among patients who received PreMRT and regional nodal irradiation (RNI) followed by mastectomy and IMBR.

Design, setting, and participants: This was a phase 2 single-center randomized clinical trial conducted between August 3, 2018, and August 2, 2022, evaluating the feasibility and safety of PreMRT and RNI (including internal mammary lymph nodes). Patients with cT0-T3, N0-N3b breast cancer and a recommendation for radiotherapy were eligible.

Intervention: This …

Psychometric Evaluation Of The “Providing Validation” Measure In Vascular Anomalies, Bryan A. Sisk, Anna M. Kerr, Amy R. Newman, Dandan Chen, Jennifer W. Mack, Bryce B. Reeve

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

We assessed the psychometric properties of the “providing validation” subscale of PedCOM measures for parents of children with vascular anomalies and adult patients. A total of 139 adult patients and 78 parents completed surveys. The mean score for patients was 3.7 (standard deviation 1.0), and for parents was 4.0 (standard deviation 0.9). “Providing validation” measures demonstrated high internal consistency and good model fit to a unidimensional model for both patients and parents using confirmatory factor analysis. The measures also demonstrated convergent validity with co-administered measures. This study demonstrated the validity of “providing validation” measures for parents and adult patients with …

Preparing Nursing Students To Manage Acculturative Stress Experienced During Study Abroad Experiences: Novel Use Of Immersive Simulation And Cognitive Behavioral Strategies, Theresa Schnable, Christine A. Schindler, Jeffrey D. Roche, Karli Webster, Christopher E. Larkee, Maharaj Singh, John F. Ladisa

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

This pilot study adds to the understanding of interventions to manage acculturative stress experienced during undergraduate study abroad programs. It was designed to evaluate the impact of cognitive behavioral strategy training combined with intentional practice during mixed reality (MR) simulations on acculturative stress. Participants included a convenience sample of undergraduate nursing students enrolled in a faculty-led study abroad course. Students participated in two MR simulations within a virtual environment over back-to-back days. Simulations were written by nursing faculty experts to reproduce realistic clinical situations students may encounter while studying in Peru. The Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Slater-Usoh-Steed …

Cannabis Oil Extracts For Chronic Pain: What Else Can Be Learned From Another Structured Prospective Cohort?, Dorit Pud, Suhail Aamar, Bareket Schiff-Keren, Roee Sheinfeld, Silviu Brill, Dror Robinson, Yaakov Fogelman, George Habib, Haggai Sharon, Howard Amital, Boris Boltyansky, Simon Haroutounian, Elon Eisenberg

2020-Current year OA Pubs

INTRODUCTION: The use of medicinal cannabis for managing pain expands, although its efficacy and safety have not been fully established through randomized controlled trials.

OBJECTIVES: This structured, prospective questionnaire-based cohort was aimed to assess long-term effectiveness and safety of cannabis oil extracts in patients with chronic pain.

METHODS: Adult Israeli patients licensed to use cannabis oil extracts for chronic pain were followed prospectively for 6 months. The primary outcome measure was change from baseline in average weekly pain intensity, and secondary outcomes were changes in related symptoms and quality of life, recorded before treatment initiation and 1, 3, and 6 …

Engagement With Radical Propaganda Drives Cognitive Radicalization: An Analysis Of A Right-Wing Online Ecosystem, Julius B. Calvert

Journal of Strategic Security

Cognitive radicalization remains an issue for communities battling terrorism. Recent empirical investigations into the psycho-social processes involved with radicalization have revealed social exclusion, cognitive inflexibility, and perceived threats to an ingroup as significant predictors for one’s propensity to engage with radical content and commit to offline behaviors. This study investigates the utility of user engagement and the proxy effect on cognitive radicalization by examining users’ engagement with a radical-right online ecosystem. The study supported the assumption that content featuring outgroup prejudice would affect the cognitive radicalization process. Several results demonstrate the importance of user engagement in the process of radicalization. …

Responding To Fait Accompli: Lessons From Crimea, Lan Di Ngo

Journal of Strategic Security

This article focuses on the nuanced decision-making process of Ukrainian leaders in the wake of Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea. Utilizing primary sources, including transcripts of Ukraine's cabinet meeting, it seeks to explain why Kiev refrained from employing coercive means to immediately retake Crimea following the fait accompli. The analysis reveals that decisions in such scenarios are typically influenced by a complex interplay of perceived territorial value and the strategic advantages of restraint. It also argues that fait accompli strategies can be strikingly effective when carried out with agility and minimal force, as demonstrated by Russia in Crimea. The …

Open Source Perfume, Amanda Levendowski

Cardozo Law Review

Perfume is a powerful art and technology, but its secrets are closely held by a privileged few by some counts, there are more astronauts than there are perfumers. As critics have noted increasingly since 2020, those select few perfumers often share similar backgrounds. The Western perfume industry prizes perfumers with elite pedigrees, which often precludes marginalized perfumers. It also perpetuates non-Western cultures, that push some marginalized perfumers into teaching themselves perfumery. But teaching oneself through recreating and remixing existing fragrances presents a different challenge. As interviews with American, British, and French perfumemakers reveal, intellectual property (IP) plays a complicated role …

Reliability And Validity Of Smartphone Cognitive Testing For Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration, Adam M Staffaroni, Nupur Ghoshal, Jason Hassenstab, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

IMPORTANCE: Frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) is relatively rare, behavioral and motor symptoms increase travel burden, and standard neuropsychological tests are not sensitive to early-stage disease. Remote smartphone-based cognitive assessments could mitigate these barriers to trial recruitment and success, but no such tools are validated for FTLD.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the reliability and validity of smartphone-based cognitive measures for remote FTLD evaluations.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: In this cohort study conducted from January 10, 2019, to July 31, 2023, controls and participants with FTLD performed smartphone application (app)-based executive functioning tasks and an associative memory task 3 times over 2 weeks. …

Mindful Movements Matter: Differentiating Active Body Movements In Underprivileged Students’ Learning Of Physics Concepts, Seokmin Kang, Mingtsan Lu, John B. Black, Sungyeun Kim

Teaching and Learning Faculty Publications

Background

The theory of embodied cognition claims that body interaction with the environment change how we think and constitute cognition. Accordingly, active learning enriches learning experiences which in turn lead to better learning.

Purpose

Although learning by moving one’s body is often regarded as active learning, not all body movements lead to better learning. To investigate the influence of different levels of body movements on learning, we developed embodied learning activities and implemented in elementary afterschool program.

Sample

Twenty-seven fifth graders (12 girls, 15 boys) for Study 1 and forty-eight fifth graders (28 girls, 20 boys) for Study 2 were …

Evaluating The Readability Of Online Blood Cancer Education Materials Across Different Readability Measures, Ashley Shin, Surbhi Banubakode, Sara Taveras Alam, Anneliese O Gonzalez

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction The National Institutes of Health and the American Medical Association recommend patient education materials (EMs) be at or below the sixth-grade reading level. The American Cancer Society, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and National Comprehensive Cancer Network have accurate blood cancer EMs. Methods One hundred one (101) blood cancer EMs from the above organizations were assessed using the following: Flesch Reading Ease Formula (FREF), Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL), Gunning Fog Index (GFI), Simple Measure of Gobbledygook Index (SMOG), and the Coleman-Liau Index (CLI). Results Only 3.96% of patient EMs scored at or below the seventh-grade reading level in all modalities. …

The Brady Database, Brandon L. Garrett, Adam M. Gershowitz, Jennifer Teitcher

Faculty Publications

The Supreme Court’s landmark ruling in Brady v. Maryland turns sixty this year. The Brady doctrine, which requires the government to disclose favorable and material evidence to the defendant, is one of the most frequently litigated criminal procedure issues. Yet, despite decades of Brady cases in federal and state courts, we still know relatively little about how Brady claims are litigated, adjudicated, and what such claims can tell us about the criminal justice system writ large. Scholars are in the dark about how often Brady violations occur, whether it is primarily the fault of prosecutors or the police, whether violations …

Psychiatric Sequelae Of Chronic Pruritic Dermatoses, Kelly Frasier, Vivian Li, Kathleen Click, Christina Dudzik, Michelle Sobotka, Evadne Rodriguez, Karina Stech

Student Publications

This comprehensive review investigates the significant psychological impact and profound psychological comorbidities found in individuals suffering from chronic pruritic dermatoses, including atopic dermatitis, chronic urticaria, and prurigo nodularis. Highlighting the complex, reciprocal relationship between pruritus and psychiatric conditions such as depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbances, this paper elucidates the comprehensive impact of dermatological disorders on the skin in addition to the far-reaching effects on an individual’s psychological well-being. By evaluating the efficacy of integrated psychodermatological interventions, including cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness practices, pharmacological treatments, and innovative telepsychiatry and digital health solutions, this review aims to lay the foundation for a …

Electric Vehicle Adoption Behavior And Vehicle Transaction Decision: Estimating An Integrated Choice Model With Latent Variables On A Retrospective Vehicle Survey, Fatemeh Nazari, Mohamadhossein Noruzoliaee, Abolfazl (Kouros) Mohammadian

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Electric vehicles (EVs) promise a sustainable solution to mitigating negative emission externalities of transportation systems caused by fossil-fueled conventional vehicles (CVs). While recent developments in battery technology and charging infrastructure can help evolve the niche market of EVs into the mass market, EVs are yet to be widely adopted by the public. This calls for an in-depth understanding of public adoption behavior of EVs as one dimension of vehicle decision making, which itself may be intertwined with other vehicle decision-making dimensions, especially vehicle transaction. This study presents an integrated choice model with latent variables (ICLV) to investigate households’—as a decision-making …

Linking Type And Extent Of Head Trauma To Cavum Septum Pellucidum In Older Adults With And Without Alzheimer Disease And Related Dementias, Breton M. Asken, Jeremy A. Tanner, Lawren Vandevrede, Alexandra Apple, Marianne Chapleau, Leslie S. Gaynor, Courtney Lane-Donovan, Steven Lenio, Golnaz Yadollahikhales, Shannon Lee

School of Medicine Publications

Background and objectives: Cavum septum pellucidum (CSP) is a common but nonspecific MRI finding in individuals with prior head trauma. The type and extent of head trauma related to CSP, CSP features specific to head trauma, and the impact of brain atrophy on CSP are unknown. We evaluated CSP cross-sectionally and longitudinally in healthy and clinically impaired older adults who underwent detailed lifetime head trauma characterization.

Methods: This is an observational cohort study of University of California, San Francisco Memory and Aging Center participants (healthy controls [HCs], those with Alzheimer disease or related dementias [ADRDs], subset with traumatic encephalopathy syndrome …

Just In Time, Just For You: Growing A Peer Learning Program, Miriam Sullivan, Genevieve Franulovich, Sharon Matthews, Andrew Kelly

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Peer learning programs are well established as an effective approach to improving students’ learning and wellbeing. However, they can be difficult to implement and grow in practice. This paper describes the introduction of a “just-in-time, just-for-me” Peer Skills Advisers program and how it has evolved over the last five years. The peer staff found that the role improved their sense of belonging and employability but observed that it is challenging to set boundaries with students. The program grew steadily over time as students and staff became more aware of the service, although there is still room for growth in online …

Research Review: "Transgenerational Factors Associated With Military Service: Comparison Of Children Of Veterans And Nonveterans In A Nationally Representative Sample", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This review examines the impact of military service on the children of veterans post-service, using data from the 2018-2019 National Survey of Children’s Health. Children from veteran families were found to have higher family incomes and health insurance coverage but also exhibited higher rates of clinically recognized externalizing behavioral conditions compared to children from nonveteran families. Despite adjusting for socioeconomic factors, children of veterans still showed elevated levels of externalizing problems, suggesting a need for integrated child-focused screening and services within veteran support systems. This review also contains implications of these findings for practice, policy, and future research.

The Impact Of Changing The Admission Policy On Students’ Educational Opportunities In Abu Dhabi Higher Educational Institutions, Maha Khalifa Al Mansoori

Dissertations

This dissertation is concerned with the intricate dynamics of educational change in the UAE, particularly focusing on the impact of admission policy changes on students’ educational opportunities on higher educational institutions. The main objective of this dissertation is to critically evaluate the effectiveness of educational changes, specifically through the lens of revised admission policy, in enhancing the standards of higher education in the United Arab Emirates.
/="/">A quantitative research methodology using questionnaire was utilized in this research paper and PLS-SEM method with SmartPLS software was used for data analysis. The study investigates the effect of changing the admission policy …

School Leadership For The Practice Of Inclusive Education In Elementary Schools In The United Arab Emirates, Aysha Saeed Al Nuaimi

Dissertations

The number of students with disabilities in regular classrooms is increasing. In 2020, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) introduced a new policy with the goal of promoting inclusive education in all public schools. Although the UAE government is committed to the education of children with disabilities, the role of school leaders is vital to the successful implementation of inclusive education in schools. While school leaders have been found to be the main agents in steering inclusive practices, their contribution to practices in schools in the UAE context remains empirically unresearched. The objective of this study was to explore elementary school …

Developmental Programming Of Normal Versus Metabolically Altered Pancreas In Rat: Effect Of Gestational Diabetes, Sanabil Ali Ahmed

Dissertations

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a chronic condition characterised by pancreatic β-cell dysfunction and consistently elevated blood glucose levels (hyperglycaemia), either due to the inability of the body to produce any or adequate amounts of insulin or the inability of the body to effectively utilise the produced insulin (i.e., insulin resistance). DM can be classified into 3 main types: Type 1 DM (T1DM), Type 2 DM (T2DM), and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM). GDM is defined as “hyperglycaemia that is first diagnosed during pregnancy with glucose levels below those considered diagnostic of overt diabetes outside of pregnancy”.

The mature pancreas is a …

Nh Farm And Ranch Stress Assistance Network Impact Report: Addressing The Root Causes Of Stress, Mental Health, And Suicide In The Farming Community, Seth Wilner

UNH Cooperative Extension

No abstract provided.

Level Of Somatoform Disorders Among Kuwait University Students After The Covid-19 Pandemic And Relationship To Some Variables, Abdelmotaleb Abdelmotaleb

Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies

Abstract: The aim of the study was to assess the level of somatoform disorders among Kuwait University students after the COVID-19 pandemic and its relationship to some variables including social status, economic status, psychological well-being, health status, and obesity. The study sample consisted of 237 students of both genders (males and females). The study followed the descriptive survey method. The study used the Cornell Medical Index (CMI) (Prepared by Brodman and others in 1951), and a questionnaire to identify other study variables. The results revealed a moderate level of somatoform disorders among Kuwait University students. with approximately 28.2% of students …

Enhancing Cybersecurity Awareness In The United Arab Emirates: An Assessment Of Current Practices And The Development Of An Ai-Enhanced Mobile Application, Meera Humaid Alalawi

Theses

In today's interconnected world, individuals, private corporations, public institutions, and governments face increasingly sophisticated cyber threats and attacks, highlighting the critical need for individuals and organizations to understand cybersecurity comprehensively. Cyberattacks have affected many countries and infrastructures in different sectors worldwide, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which has become a main target for cybercrime due to its booming economy and tourism. The UAE considers cybersecurity an increasingly critical issue in our digital world, and increasing cybersecurity awareness among residents is essential to protect themselves and their organizations from cyberattacks. The primary objectives of this study are to identify key …

Methods, Analyses, And Applications Of Multilayer Temporal Link Prediction In Networks, Xie He

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Many applications stem from the possibility of accurately predicting links in various types of networks. In this thesis, we present methods, analyses, and applications for static, temporal, and multilayer networks. The first part of this thesis demonstrates how static network features serve as efficient and accurate predictors for link prediction in temporal networks. It includes an ensemble learning method we developed and presents experimental results on 90 synthetic stochastic block models and 19 real-world datasets. The second part closely follows, showcasing 20 different sampling methods and their effects on nine different link prediction algorithms for 250 real-world networks across 6 …

The Effects Of Ict On Higher Education In Mexico, Wietse De Vries, Germán Álvarez-Mendiola

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

Special Issue

The Effect Of Asynchronous Virtual Exchange On Intercultural Competence Among Undergraduate Students, Curtis Chu, Todd Hooper, Mariko Takahashi, Michael Herke

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

No abstract provided.

“Originally I Came From The Least Of Society”: Making Sense Of International Students’ Understandings Of Social Class Through Emotional Commentaries, Sam Shields, Alina Schartner

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

No abstract provided.