Digital Commons Network^™

Sexual And Reproductive Health Access Among Racial/Ethnic Minority College Students, Srithanvi Pasunuri

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) is critical for individual well-being, yet significant disparities in access persist among racial and ethnic minority college students in the United States. These inequities, driven by systemic barriers such as financial constraints, cultural stigmas, and inadequate campus resources, contribute to higher rates of unintended pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and poor health outcomes within these populations. This systematic review aims to identify and synthesize existing literature on the barriers to SRH access for racial and ethnic minority college students, explore how cultural, social, and institutional factors influence service utilization, and assess interventions proven effective in …

Factors Involved On The Attribution Of Consciousness To Generative Artificial Intelligence And Its Impact On Trust, Sophia Fernanda Sakakibara Olgini Capello

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study investigates the cognitive factors influencing the perception of mind in generative artificial intelligence systems, focusing on the role of prior experiences with them, theory of mind (ToM), and the tendency to anthropomorphize. The research examined how these factors predict perceived consciousness in ChatGPT and impact users' trust in this system, specifically exploring: (1) how ToM and anthropomorphism contribute to AI consciousness perception, (2) how prior AI experiences influence consciousness attribution, (3) the relationship between consciousness attribution and trust in AI, and (4) how perceptions of AI consciousness relate to mind perception in other entities. Undergraduates (N= 220) completed …

Reentry Realities: Examining The Role Of Aftercare Programs In Supporting Justice-Involved Youth, Lynda Girven

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The current study examined if aftercare and reentry programs helped to reduce recidivism among youth who have been involved in the juvenile system, and specifically, youth released from residential placement facilities. Different components of aftercare programs were also examined, such as the inclusion of mentoring or family support, how many services were offered, and if the program followed the Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) model. Through completing a systematic review of studies published since 2008, five studies met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. All five studies found that the youth who received services through aftercare programs were less likely to reoffend than youth …

Examining The Impact Of Resilience And Sense Of Community On Mental Health And Academic Performance, Samara B. Coleman

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Within the United States, a third of college-aged young adults are diagnosed with at least one psychological disorder. Resilience, the ability to bounce back from adversity, has been shown to help mitigate the adverse effects of burnout and stress, and support academic performance in some cases. Additionally, a sense of community has also been shown to be crucial in buffering the negative consequences of adversity. The following research questions guide this study: 1) How significant a role does the community play in resilience and mental health? 2) How does resiliency relate to the academic performance of students experiencing varying levels …

The Evolution Of Surveillance And The Decline Of Privacy, Alan J. Geyer

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study directly examines how surveillance law and technology have evolved in the United States and how privacy rights have declined correspondingly. The study specifically focuses on how advancements in surveillance technology have overstepped the boundaries of Fourth Amendment protections and analyzes whether these provisions are adequate for protecting citizens in the modern technological era. The study explores newly employed methods of technological surveillance, such as facial recognition, data collection, and automated license plate readers. It focuses on how government surveillance programs have reshaped legal and ethical understandings of privacy. The changes in surveillance and technology have been analyzed by …

Why Are Children's Health Outcomes Different In Counties Across The United States?, Caylen Pavlicek

Res Publica - Journal of Undergraduate Research

This paper explores the relationship between family income and health outcomes for children across counties in the United States, focusing on low birth weight as a key indicator. Income disparities among counties often correlate with varying health outcomes for children, particularly those born into lower-income families who lack the resources for adequate healthcare. Utilizing data from 3,113 counties, I examine the impact of income, education, rural versus urban location, healthcare access, and other social determinants on children's health, with a specific focus on birth weight. The findings reveal a strong negative correlation between median household income and low birth weight, …

Palm Oil Expansion: Carrying On The Legacy Of Colonial Exploitation In Indonesia, Melinda Burgin

Res Publica - Journal of Undergraduate Research

Today, plantation agriculture in Indonesia is dominated by palm oil expansion. While the palm oil industry has frequently been touted as an economic boon for Indonesia, the environmental and social consequences have been dire, particularly for Indigenous peoples. Oil palm cultivation has been a part of Indonesian agriculture since its introduction by Dutch traders in the mid 19th century, but palm oil production in Indonesia really exploded in the 1990s, as seen in Figure 1. Since then, palm oil production has been a leading cause of deforestation (Austin, 2019) and caused devastation to indigenous communities as they lose swathes of …

How Much Does America Hate Black Women?, Franchesca Smith

Res Publica - Journal of Undergraduate Research

This paper explores the relationship between sociocultural factors and intersectionality by way of economic inequalities. Intersectionality is a phenomenon that receives little to no examination especially in regards to Black women. The following research uses the theories of intersectionality, human capital, and institutional to examine which has the most significant effect on the wages of Black women compared to other demographics. Findings suggest that the intersectionality of Black women does have a substantial wage gap, but the correlation is positive, which is not true for the variables Black and women when separated. Additionally, the research suggests that the human capital …

Navigating The Intersections: Immigration, Diversity Of The Workforce, Precarious Work, And Vulnerabilities In Occupational Safety And Health, Daniel Côté, Jessica Dubé

Éditoriaux, lettres à l'éditeur

Dans un contexte de mondialisation croissante, la migration est une réalité incontournable qui expose les travailleurs migrants et autochtones à des conditions précaires et à des vulnérabilités accrues en matière de santé et sécurité du travail (SST). Les formes d’emploi précaires – contrats temporaires, travail à temps partiel ou informel – touchent de manière disproportionnée ces travailleurs, limitant leur accès aux droits et protections. Les travailleurs autochtones, particulièrement en milieu rural et dans des secteurs à risque, font face à des défis similaires en raison de marginalisations historiques et structurelles.

Ce texte présente les cinq articles de la section spéciale …

Role Of Online Health Information Resources In Shaping Self Confidence Of Nursing And Midwifery Students In The Digital Era At Aga Khan University, Tanzania, Getrude Ngowi, Jackline Estomihi Kiwelu

Book Chapters / Conference Papers

Digital technologies have transformed the way people learn in the current age. Innovative multimedia online nursing and midwifery information resources have improved nursing education and brought about adaptive, interactive, and collaborative learning. This study aims to find out whether the online nursing information resources provided at Aga Khan University Tanzania are shaping the self-confidence of nurses and midwives in the digital era, to understand gaps and areas for improvement. This study used both quantitative and qualitative research approach were used. The researchers collecting data using online Google Forms, which were analysed thematically through Atlas ti. The results revealed that persistent …

Benedict's Gospel Vision: Chapters 36 And 53 Of The Rule Of St Benedict, Barbara Marincel

Obsculta

This is a comparison exegesis of the Rule of Benedict’s Chapters 36 and 53 with Chapters 69-70 and 79 in the Rule of the Master. Chapters 36, “The Sick Brothers,” and 53, “The Reception of Guests,” demonstrate how the central themes of caritas, service, and hospitality are present in the RB, as the sick person and the guest are to be treated and received as if they are Christ. The kindness and compassion with which the vulnerable person is to be tended exemplifies Benedict’s vision of the Gospel as seen throughout his rule and greatly contrasts with the Rule of …

The Mystery Of Faith In Dialogue With The History Of God And Human Beings, Melissa Tovar-Guerrero

Obsculta

The mysteries of God are unfathomable, and for this reason theology uses analogies to express its meanings. The purpose of this paper is to develop some reflections on how I understand theology. To begin, I would like to make an analogy to highlight the importance of dialogue, stories, and their contexts in theology: we are made of stories, we are the stories we build with words, our contexts are determined by the way we dialogue, and stories shape the cosmogony that gives meaning to our lives. In the construction of stories, dialogues and contexts are fundamental because they connect the …

Icons, Theology, And Culture, Patrick Russell

Obsculta

This article presents an overview of Eastern Orthodox understandings of the theology of icons and how icons are used in liturgical spaces to communicate important theological truths. Specifically, as it relates to eschatology and liturgical practices around icons and the cultural importance of saints who come from different continents and times and how that helps us see a bigger picture of a truly cosmic future reality embodied in the Church in the present.

The Liberation Of The Disabled Christ And What That Shows Us About Our Human Sacredness In Healthcare, Hannah Miers

Obsculta

This paper explores the significance of Christ’s identity in relation to disability, emphasizing the need for a liberating theology that acknowledges and affirms the dignity of disabled individuals in healthcare settings. It advocates for a Christological perspective that integrates the image of a disabled Christ, calling for awareness and equitable treatment for the disabled within a healthcare framework. By recognizing the connections between disability theology and the holistic needs of human beings, this paper aims to inspire a shift towards greater respect, grace, and compassion in caring for vulnerable populations, thereby addressing systemic inequities inherent in medical practices.

An Acrostic Ekphrasis On The Frauenkirche In Dresden, Germany, Aaron Christie

Obsculta

The Frauenkirche in Dresden, Germany, is widely regarded as the apex of confessional Lutheran architecture. This acrostic ekphrasis is written from the viewpoint of a Lutheran parishioner shortly after the Frauenkirche’s dedication in 1743. The church was built in the milieu of the confessional struggles that ensued in Electoral Saxony when Augustus the Strong converted to Roman Catholicism to become king of Poland. Several sections of this ekphrasis move forward into modern times to recount the Frauenkirche’s destruction in WWII and her rededication in 2005.

Book Review, Rumyana Van Ark Et Al., Children’S Rights, ‘Foreign Fighters’, Counter-Terrorism: Children Of Nowhere (2024), Mark A. Drumbl

Scholarly Articles

The focus of Children’s Rights, ‘Foreign Fighters’, Counter-Terrorism: Children of Nowhere is on foreign fighters who join terrorist groups, ISIS, and other entities engaged in armed conflict in Syria and Iraq. Counterterrorism measures, and the threats of terrorist attacks, have triggered a degradation and distortion of law. I have noted this following the 9/11 attacks and the concomitant refusal to treat children associated with terrorist groups as protected child soldiers. Whereas child soldiers in distant African conflicts are largely seen in the centers of global power as ‘faultless, passive victims’ of a pathological society, child terrorists taken as disruptive of …

Dies Legibiles V

Dies Legibiles

Welcome to the fifth volume of Dies Legibiles!

As always, I was blown away this year by the superb work undergraduate students submitted to this journal, some first forays into medieval studies and others final projects before pursuing a graduate degree in the field. If the submissions to Dies Legibiles are any indication, the next generation of medievalists are thinking deeply about the past, about which histories have been neglected, and about what those histories reveal about the present moment.

Study Reveals Links Between Many Pesticides And Prostate Cancer

Neurosciences

No abstract provided.

Do People With Multiple Sclerosis In Saudi Arabia Want To Know Their Prognosis? A Cross-Sectional Nationwide Study, Yaser M. Al Malik, Awad S. Alharbi, Mohammed A. Alfurayh, Abdulaziz A. Aldalaan, Abdulazeez M. Alzailaie, Eid D. Alanazi, Ahmad A. Abulaban, Seraj O. Makkawi, Asma A. Alanazi

Neurosciences

ABSTRACT Objectives: To investigate whether Persons with MS (pwMS) in Saudi Arabia want to discuss their long-term prognosis (LTP) and the factors influencing this decision using a self-administered online questionnaire. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, an online questionnaire was distributed from December 2022 to July 2023 across Saudi Arabia to determine pwMS interest in discussing their LTP. Participants included patients over 18 years, of any gender, diagnosed with MS. A nonprobability convenience sampling technique was used, with questionnaires sent through MS organizations and channels. Results: Almost two-thirds (66–68%) of the 375 respondents reported that their LTP had never been discussed …

Ranking The Difficulty Of The Cognitive Tasks In Dual-Tasks During Walking In Healthy Adults, Jaser S. Almutairi, Shady A. Alshewier, Abdulaziz A. Alkathiry

Neurosciences

ABSTRACT Objectives: To rank the cognitive tasks commonly used in clinical practices based on their difficulties in healthy adults while walking. Dual tasks have been widely used in clinical settings for different purposes such as detecting early cognitive impairments and identifying fall risk factors among the population of neurological diseases. Methods: This cross-sectional study, conducted from January to March 2021, included a sample of 26 healthy adults who were asked to demonstrate six different cognitive tasks at random while performing a gait speed test. An accelerometer positioned on the lower back at the umbilical level was used to measure participants’ …

Motherhood And Pregnancy Concerns Of Saudi Females With Multiple Sclerosis In Riyadh City: A Quantitative Analysis, Abdullah S. Alshehri, May H. Alqahtani, Hana A. Alzuabi, Waad S. Alshahrani, Halah O. Alamawi, Aseel A. Almandeel, Faisal A. Al-Suwaidan, Ahmed Saleh

Neurosciences

ABSTRACT Objectives: To explore the concerns among females in Riyadh city with multiple sclerosis (MS) regarding motherhood and pregnancy outcomes. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, data were collected using an online questionnaire. Women who were aged 18–50 years and diagnosed with MS by a neurologist and had a disease duration of at least one year were included. The questionnaire consisted of 7 sections designed to collect information on the respondents’ sociodemographic characteristics; past and current medical history; pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, and postpartum concerns; physical and psychological concerns about parenthood; and psychological and social support. Results: A total of 176 women were …

A Narrative Review Of Clinical Practice Guidelines For The Application Of Physical Therapy And Rehabilitation Procedures In The Management Of Multiple Sclerosis, Abdullah I. Alhusayni

Neurosciences

ABSTRACT Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disorder characterized by neuroinflammation and progressive neurodegeneration, leading to significant physical and cognitive impairments. Rehabilitation, particularly physical therapy, has emerged as a crucial component in managing MS-related disability by improving mobility, reducing fatigue, and enhancing overall quality of life. This narrative review investigates current international guidelines on physical therapy and rehabilitation for MS. Literature search in databases (January 2010 until August 2025) resulted in three guidelines that met the inclusion criteria. Evidence suggests that structured aerobic and resistance training programmes, combined with balance and flexibility exercises, contribute significantly to maintaining functional independence. …

Editorial Message

Neurosciences

No abstract provided.

Does Work-Related Stress Compromise Cardiovascular Health?

Neurosciences

No abstract provided.

Beyond Seizures: The Hidden Burden Of Fatigue In Epilepsy, Alia Mr. Fallatah, Malak R. Albadrani, Sarah A. Alsalman, Weam K. Almasuad, Abdulrahim M. Hamhom, Sumayah M. Almarshedy, Faisal A. Alsallom, Fawzya A. Bamogaddam, Majed H. Alhameed, Mubarak M. Aldosari

Neurosciences

ABSTRACT Objectives: To determine the prevalence of fatigue and depression in patients with epilepsy (PWE), explore their relationship, and identify the factors associated with fatigue in this population. Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study involved adult PWE at King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from April to July 2023. The Arabic version of the Fatigue Severity Scale questionnaire was used to estimate the presence and severity of fatigue. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 was used for screening depression. The demographic and clinical data of the patients were analyzed. Results: In total, 259 PWE were enrolled. Of these, 66.8% had focal epilepsy …

Impact Of Urgent Care Centers On Emergency Department Visits In Al Madina Al Munawara: A Pre-Post Study, Ahlam A. Aljohani, Jehan M. Alhazmi, Osama H. Alsaedi, Ahmed F. Al-Ahmadi, Noura S. Alshammary

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To evaluate the impact of UCCs on reducing non-urgent Emergency Department (ED) visits and improving patient flow, focusing on metrics such as door-to-doctor time, doctor-to-decision time, and overall patient disposition. Methods: This observational cohort pre-post study analyzed data from 198,050 ED visits to King Fahad Hospital, Al Madina Al Munawara between June 2021 and May 2023 and compared visit patterns before and after UCC implementation. Results: Post-UCC implementation, the average door-to-doctor time decreased but was not statistically significant. Significant reductions were observed in doctor-to-decision and door-to-disposition times for CTAS 3 patients. However, overall patient flow improvements were not fully …

Trigger Factors And Intervention Strategies Of Information Addiction Among College Students: An Analysis From The Perspective Of Stimulus-Organism-Response(S-O-R) Theory, Chen Zhang, Weihan Jiang, Pengbo Qian

Journal of Scientific Information Research

[Purpose/significance]This study aims to explore the influencing mechanisms of information addiction behavior among college students, providing valuable reference for the prevention and management of information addiction behavior among college students. [Method/process]The Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) theory is introduced,and the external stimuli in the process of college students' information addiction are summarized through literature review. The cognitive psychology that arises in the addiction process of the body is deeply analyzed, and the theoretical model of college students' information addiction behavior is constructed. The trigger path of college students' information addiction is empirically analyzed using structural equation modeling. [Result/conclusion]Based on the research results, information …

Do Educators Recognize Student Struggles? Mental Health Perceptions And Knowledge In Biology, Kanza Arshad, Stephanie Drendel, Nicole Scheuermann

CURE Proceedings

No abstract provided.

The Evidence Of Kinesiology Taping In Treating Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis – A Topical Review Of Recent Randomized Control Trials, Jayla Scott

CURE Proceedings

No abstract provided.

Association Between Rurality And Race/Ethnicity And Pediatric Cancer Early Mortality: A Population-Based Cohort Study Using Seer Data From 2000 To 2021, Kiersten Preuss, Emma Hymel, Melissa Acquazzino, Shinobu Watanabe-Galloway

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

BACKGROUND: Pediatric cancer mortality rates have steadily declined since 2009, but over a thousand deaths still occur annually. While existing research highlights the effects of race/ethnicity and rurality on overall survival, few studies have specifically analyzed these factors in relation to early mortality, defined as death within 12 months of diagnosis.

PROCEDURE: This study utilized SEER Research Plus Limited-Field Data (2000-2021) to examine the association between race/ethnicity, rurality, and early mortality in pediatric cancer patients. A cohort of 138,648 individuals was analyzed using Cox proportional hazards regression models to calculate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTS: The results …