Digital Commons Network^™

Food For Thought: Addressing Food Insecurity In Public Schools For Optimal Student Success, Emma Stillwagon

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The focus issue addressed in this Capstone Project is the presence of food insecurity throughout a county on the coast of California and what can be done to improve it. This issue is important because of the negative impact that food insecurity has on students' health, development, and academics. An evidence-based argument is offered that public education has a responsibility to address food insecurity through its institutions as a means of supporting students' academic and developmental success. The stakeholder perspectives chosen were of 1 individual working as a Community Partnership Coordinator for a local food aid organization, one individual who …

The Vital Role Of School Bus Drivers In Supporting Students With Special Needs, Georgina Solano Zepeda

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone project addressed the challenges faced by new and experienced bilingual school bus drivers who transport special education students. According to the California Department of Education, transportation must be provided at no cost to those special education students ages 3-21 who are eligible as part of related services. The training for school bus drivers typically covers safe driving, vehicle operation, and basic student management. However, they often receive minimal or no specialized training to work with students with special needs. California had an estimated 38,000 school bus drivers in 2020, making it one of the states with the highest …

Mental Health Awareness In Adolescents And The Impact Of Social Media, Vanessa Clark

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone project focuses on informing parents of the effects of social media on adolescents’ mental health. Adolescents are frequent users of social media as they are more likely to explore online content and be unaware of the potential dangers that can pose a threat to their mental health (Rapee et al. 2019). Due to social media being difficult to monitor at all times, along with advances in technology through school curriculums, we want to acknowledge its presence and usage. Social media allows the opportunity to connect with others digitally but there needs to be awareness of the potentially harmful …

Increasing Sportsmanship In Middle Childhood Sports, Treya Soriano

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone project focuses on children’s development of sportsmanship. Sportsmanship is the act of having a good attitude and playing fair. Good sportsmanship can be practiced by players, coaches, and spectators. The problem with sportsmanship in childhood sports is that there is a noticeable lack of sportsmanlike behaviors while participating in athletic competitions. This can include physical education class, a sports team, or just playing tag at recess. An estimation of 57.6% of youth in the United States participate in at least one sport (Bolter et al., 2018) and while they may not stick with it as they grow older, …

Emotional Self-Regulation In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Evan Moring

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The focus of this project is teaching 2nd and 3rd-grade children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) how to develop emotional regulation skills. Emotion regulation is the ability to evaluate and change one’s emotional state in the moment. The problem is that these students have difficulty with emotion regulation and frequently experience emotional outbursts. An emotional outburst could be a child throwing a toy across the classroom because the teacher asked them to stay seated at their desk over three times. The child does not realize they cannot throw toys across the classroom. This happens because children with ASD cannot always …

Mental Health And The Well-Being Of Adolescents, Janeice Pamuspusan

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone project focuses on adolescents’ mental health and well-being. Before the age of twenty-five 70% of mental health disorders start to develop which is why it’s important to teach adolescents ways to improve their mental well-being along with the signs of mental disorders (Kutcher et al., 2008). According to the World Health Organization, many of those adolescents' mental health conditions go unrecognized or untreated. Those illnesses often go unrecognized and untreated because of the stigma that follows mental health including cultural differences. Because of those differences, many adolescents will go into adulthood still struggling with their mental well-being and …

Strategies To Help Young Children Obtain Healthy Social-Emotional Development, Alma Fuerte-Jauregui

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The focal topic of this capstone project is the healthy social-emotional development of low-income preschool and kindergarten children. One of the school districts in East Salinas is the Alisal District, which has a 100% minority enrollment, and a little over 89% of those students are economically disadvantaged (“Overview of Alisal Union,” 2019). A focus on the social-emotional well-being of the students in this age group and community is needed because some of these children have difficulty integrating socially into the school system and struggle to express their feelings or emotions healthily and safely. Strengthening children's capacity to manage emotions and …

Implementing Anti-Bias Curriculum In The Kindergarten Classroom, Ariana Gonzalez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The capstone project will be centered on teaching about diversity and inclusion to four to five-year-old children in a predominantly Latino elementary school. There is a lack of cultural, racial, and family representation in the early childhood curriculum which makes it difficult for some students to establish their identity and sense of belonging in school. The lack of diverse representations also makes it difficult to instill compassion, kindness, and empathy in multicultural and other diverse settings. To help with the problem, the installation of an anti-bias curriculum can lead to the creation of a community that supports all dimensions of …

Nutrition Among 5th Grade Students, Nicholas Villanueva

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone project focuses on educating 5th grade students about nutrition. Three lessons were presented in a span of two days where students learned terms specified behind a food label. Some terms include Calorie, Carbohydrate, Proteins, Fats, and high sugar foods. Students learned about healthy portion sizes, the five different food groups, and why physical activity is important for your health. With the curriculum presented to the students I hope all students can use these lessons to make healthier decisions when it comes to their food and health. By doing so it can be a start to a healthier lifestyle.

Bullying Behaviors In Middle School Special Education Settings, Maria Teresa Reyes

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Middle school students with learning disabilities face a higher risk of being targets of bullying compared to their peers without learning disabilities due to challenges in developing social skills. Bullying behaviors peak at the age of 14, potentially inflicting lasting psychological harm and endangering the student's well being into adulthood. The lack of clearly defining bullying leads to uncertainty amongst students on identifying bullying behaviors thus many bullying incidents being unreported by the victims or their peers. For this study, the participants for this project consisted of middle school students aged 10 to 14 years old, grades 6 to 8, …

A Revisionist Case Study Of Women’S Capability Approach: Critiquing The U.S. Afghanistan Intervention, Helene Marie Kristensen

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This paper explores the impact the United States has as a superpower country with its military intervention in Afghanistan, focusing on the actions taken and the impact it had on women and their status in Afghan society. This article aims to analyse the challenges women face in Afghanistan, ranging from the traditional gender norms to the suppression faced through the Taliban laws and the conflict through enforcement of Western values through intervention. Drawing on Martha Nussbaum’s capability approach, the paper also analyses women’s agency and well-being in Afghanistan in addition to considering critiques of the capability approach in a non-Western …

The Viral Spread Of Xenophobia: Analyzing The Influence Of Far-Right Politics On Anti-Asian Sentiment Expressed On Social Media During Covid-19., Robert F. Arnold Iii

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Throughout history, viral outbreaks have frequently led to the emergence of biased and discriminatory attitudes, often targeting populations that deviate from Western norms. These sentiments commonly manifest as xenophobia and racism (Chen, 2020; Chou, 2021). This report serves as an in-depth analysis of the role far-right political phrasing of Covid-19 as the “Chinese Virus,” played in the proliferation of anti-Asian and xenophobic attitudes, expressed on the social media platform X (Twitter). This study also aims to better understand the various different factors that cause followers of far-right politics to engage and believe in anti-Asian sentiment online. Using Integrated Threat Theory …

Strategies For Helping Collegiate Athletes Cope With Mental Health And Financial Issues, Alexis Sanchez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone project focuses on collegiate athletes’ mental health and financial problems and how they can cope with them. The project is founded on the belief that there is an apparent demand for services offering practical coping mechanisms and financial guidance to collegiate students. Thus, the project includes a one-day workshop to equip student-athletes with strategies to manage mental health and financial issues. The workshops will take place on the main campus at California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB). It was about engaging with a wide range of athletes from across campus and equipping them with convenient tools and support. …

Cellular Mechanisms Of Embryonic Eye Regrowth In Xenopus Laevis, Randolph L. Grell

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The African Clawed Frog, Xenopus laevis, has been an indispensable model organism for over 100 years in the study of embryogenesis and development. In recent years, this vertebrate model has emerged as a robust tool for deciphering the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying various modes of tissue, limb, and organ regeneration. In the context of eye repair, Xenopus offers a unique model, where the adult frog eye has limited regenerative capacity compared to its pre-metamorphic embryonic and tadpole forms, which exhibit a robust capacity for regrowth. Understanding the intricate molecular mechanisms that underlie this developmental shift in regrowth ability …

Pythagorean Neutrosophic Triplet Groups, Madad Khan, Muhammad Zeeshan, Saima Anis, Florentin Smrandache

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

It is a well-known fact that groups are the only algebraic structures having a single binary operation that is mathematically so perfect that it is impossible to introduce a richer structure within it. The main purpose of this study is to introduce the notion of the Pythagorean neutrosophic triplet (PNT) which is the generalization of neutrosophic triplet (NT). The PNT is an algebraic structure of three ordered pairs that satisfy several properties under the binary operation (B-Operation) " " . Furthermore, we used the PNTs to introduce the novel concept of a Pythagorean neutrosophic triplet group (PNTG). The algebraic structure …

Introduction Of The Anatomy Academy Program To Children In A Rural Elementary School, Rox Aurelio, Madison Dobbs, Nicole Horn, Gianni Terrana

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Children in rural communities experience health and education disparities. Early exposure to health promoting habits can positively impact future health habits. Healthcare providers who grew up in rural areas are more likely to practice in rural areas. Doctor of physical therapy students and physical therapists implemented Anatomy Academy, a service-learning program aimed at promoting healthy living and introducing healthcare occupations, to elementary students in a rural area as this program had previously only been implemented in urban areas. The Biomedical Institutional Review Board at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas approved this study. A 40-minute lesson was delivered weekly for …

“Sex Is Fun”: A Study Of Hook Up Behaviors And Experiences Of Post-College And Middle-Aged Adults, Joshua Corum

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This research is a qualitative study of the hook up and casual sex behaviors and experiences of those in full adulthood, focusing on their motivations to hook up and the subsequent outcomes of those casual sex activities. Most of the existing scholarship on hooking up and casual sex primarily investigates the behaviors, attitudes, and experiences of college students within emerging adulthood. Little consideration is made for the ways in which adults negotiate hooking up and casual sex in other stages over the life course and after major life transitions. In this dissertation, I asked three questions: 1) How do adults …

Tungiasis Among Children In Kenya Is Associated With Poor Nutrition Status, Absenteeism, Poor School Performance And High Impact On Quality Of Life, Lynne Elson, Christopher Kamau, Sammy Koech, Christopher Muthama, George Gachomba, Erastus Sinoti, Elwyn Chondo, Eliud Mburu, Miriam Wakio, Jimmy Lore, Marta Maia, Ifedayo Adetifa, Benedict Orindi, Phillip Bejon, Ulrike Fillinger

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Tungiasis is a highly neglected tropical skin disease caused by the sand flea, Tunga pene-trans. The flea burrows into the skin inducing a strong inflammatory response, leading to pain and mobility restrictions with potential impacts on quality of life. Few countries imple-ment control efforts and there are few data on the impact of the disease to support policy decisions. We conducted a survey to determine the impact of tungiasis among primary school children across nine counties of Kenya. A total of 10,600 pupils aged 8 to 14 years were randomly selected from 97 primary schools and examined for tungiasis. For …

Synthesis, Characterization , Thermal Studies And Antioxidant Activities Of Transition Metal Complexes With Azo Dye Ligand, Amnah Mahdi Abdullah, Abbas Ali Salih Al-Hamdani

Baghdad Science Journal

Diazotization reaction between 1-(2,4,6-Trihydroxy-phenyl)-ethanone and diazonium salts was carried out resulting in ligand 4-(3-Acetyl-2,4,6-trihydroxy-phenylazo)-N-(5-methyl-isoxazol-3-yl)-benzenesulfonamide, this in turn reacted with the next metal ions (V4+ , Cr3+ , Mn2+ and Cu2+) forming stable complexes with unique geometries such as (Octahedral for both Cr3+ , Mn2+ and Cu2+ ,squar pyramidal for V4+). The creation of such complexes was detected by employing spectroscopic means involving ultraviolet-visible which proved the obtained geometries, fourier transfer proved the formation of azo group and and the coordination with metal ion through it. Pyrolysis (TGA & DSC) studies proved the coordination of water residues with metal ions inside …

A Comparative Analysis Of Machine Learning Algorithms For Classification Of Diabetes Utilizing Confusion Matrix Analysis, Maad M. Mijwil, Mohammad Aljanabi

Baghdad Science Journal

Healthcare experts have been employing machine learning more and more in recent years to enhance patient outcomes and reduce costs. In addition, machine learning has been applied in various areas, including disease diagnosis, patient risk classification, customized treatment suggestions, and drug development. Machine learning algorithms can scrutinize vast quantities of data from electronic health records, medical images, and other sources to identify patterns and make predictions, which can support healthcare professionals and experts in making better-informed decisions, enhancing patient care, and determining a patient's health status. In this regard, the author opted to compare the performance of three algorithms (logistic …

Modification Of The Multi-Stage Treatment (Anaerobic- Anoxic- Oxic) By Adding Almond Shells As Biological Carriers, Raghad Alshalabi, Rasin Zakieh, Naeima Ajib

Baghdad Science Journal

In this study, the treatment process Anaerobic- Anoxic- Oxic (A2O) was modified by adding almond shells as biological carriers. The performance of it has been evaluated in two groups for simultaneous removal of organic matter and nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorous) from wastewater. In both groups the hydraulic retention time (HRT) was 12.5 hours and mixed liquor suspended solid (MLSS) was 2000 mg/L. In the first group: The Oxic bioreactor was filled with packing up to 7% on an effective volume basis. In the second group: All bioreactors were filled with packing up to 7% on a volume basis for each …

Big Capital & The Carceral State, Laura I. Appleman

UC Law Journal

Who is accountable for the imposition of punishment in our carceral system? The answer used to be much simpler, as we held local, state, and federal government actors responsible. In recent decades, however, our correctional system has become increasingly privatized, with deeply troubling results. All aspects of the carceral state—whether prisons, jails, juvenile detention, rehabilitation, forensic hospitals, bail, or electronic monitoring—have dramatically increased their use of privatized correctional services.

With this new world of privatized corrections, we frequently don’t know whom can be held accountable when wrongdoing occurs. The bulk of our correctional services are now provided by complicated web …

A Review Of Training For First Responders When Interacting With Individuals With Diagnoses, Mackenzie Drost, Robbie Hanson

Theses

Safety is a priority for first responders when responding to calls, but there have been numerous cases in which unintentional harm was caused when interacting with individuals with diagnoses or disabilities. Thus, it seems as though effective training procedures for these professionals is critical. However, training for first responders varies from state to state and can depend on the county in which the services are provided. Although behavioral skills training (BST) has a well-established history of training non behavior-analytic professionals and although there have been some encouraging recommendations for the effective dissemination of applied behavior analysis (ABA) to those outside …

Meaning Through Materiality: Bisa Butler’S Expressive Portraits, Jacqueline D’Arco Miller

Theses

This thesis examines how Bisa Butler creates meaning through the materiality in her quilted portraits. Bisa Butler is of West African and American descent and incorporates part of her own identity in her quilted portraits using Dutch wax prints and other highly patterned textiles. Not only does Butler connect her identity in her quilted portraits, but she also connects the meaning of these textiles to the figures in her portraits. This thesis explores the materiality of Bisa Butler’s Colored Entrance (2023), along with The Passion of Questlove (2023) and Grandpa Zakani (2004), to argue that in this new development of …

A Preliminary Analysis Of Functional Communication Training Via Voice-Recorded Buttons To Reduce Undesirable Behaviors With Dogs, Mya Watson-Blake, Robbie Hanson

Theses

Undesirable behavior, such as excessive barking, jumping up, and biting, is prevalent among pet dogs with an estimate of 72%-85% of dogs exhibiting at least one type of undesirable behavior (Dinwoodie et al., 2019; Powell et al., 2021; Salonen et al., 2020). Further, canine undesirable behavior has been found to be the leading cause of owners relinquishing their dogs to rescue shelters (Powdrill-Wells et al., 2021). Functional communication training (FCT) is a method that has shown to be effective with human populations for reducing challenging behaviors by teaching an individual an alternative response that results in the same class of …

The Role Of Pennation Angle And Architectural Gearing To Rate Of Force Development In Dynamic And Isometric Muscle Contractions, Bas Van Hooren, Per Aagaard, Andrea Monte, Anthony J. Blazevich

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Associations between muscle architecture and rate of force development (RFD) have been largely studied during fixed-end (isometric) contractions. Fixed-end contractions may, however, limit muscle shape changes and thus alter the relationship between muscle architecture an RFD. Aim: We compared the correlation between muscle architecture and architectural gearing and knee extensor RFD when assessed during dynamic versus fixed-end contractions. Methods: Twenty-two recreationally active male runners performed dynamic knee extensions at constant acceleration (2000°s−2) and isometric contractions at a fixed knee joint angle (fixed-end contractions). Torque, RFD, vastus lateralis muscle thickness, and fascicle dynamics were compared during 0–75 and 75–150 ms …

Validity Of Apple Watch, Garmin Forerunner® 935 And Geneactiv For Estimating Energy Expenditure During Close Quarter Battle Training In Special Forces Soldiers, Angela Uphill, Kristina L. Kendall, Alison Fogarty, Stuart Guppy, Hannah Brown, Travis Zomer, Simon Parker, G. Gregory Haff

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The purpose of this study was to investigate the validity of three wrist-worn devices for estimating energy expenditure (EE) and heart rate (HR) during close “Close Quarter Battle” (CQB). Fifty male soldiers (mean ± SD: age 30.9 ± 4.6 years, height: 1.81 ± 0.64 m and body mass 87.3 ± 7.7 kg) wore three activity monitors (Apple Watch 5, Garmin Forerunner® 935 and GENEActiv accelerometer), a Metamax 3B metabolic cart and a Polar chest strap, whilst conducting a CQB training activity (duration: 26.6 ± 5.0 min). EE and HR data from each test device were compared against criterion measures using …

Scs 6th Annual Meeting—Eevfa—11th International Congress Of Biochemistry And Physiology Of Exercise, Athens, Greece, 2023, Pedro E. Alcaraz, Elena Marín-Cascales, Anthony J. Blazevich, Tomás T. Freitas, Olyvia Donti, Konstantinos Spyrou, Gregory C. Bogdanis

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

On behalf of the Strength and Conditioning Society (SCS) and the Hellenic Society of Biochemistry and Exercise Physiology (EEVFA), we are pleased to present the abstracts of the SCS 6th Annual Meeting and EEVFA—11th International Congress of Biochemistry and Physiology of Exercise. The event was held at the Hellenic Olympic Committee headquarters in Athens, Greece, on 19–22 October 2023, and comprised several invited sessions from international and national speakers on a variety of topics related to biochemistry and exercise physiology, strength and conditioning practices and their application to health, injury prevention and sports performance. These included strength training in high-performance …

Reducing Carbon Emissions With Returned Concrete, John M. Maxwell Jr.

Construction Management

The concrete industry is one of the most energy-intensive sectors of construction. Specifically, the cement production aspect is the most energy intensive, and produces the most carbon emissions. Concrete, a material ubiquitous with nearly every facet of construction; certain types of structures are composed of nearly all concrete. Production of cement is one of the biggest contributors to emissions within the industry. There have been initiatives to reduce or offset emissions from this process, through things like carbon capture, and the purchase of carbon or emissions credits. The objective of this paper was to investigate a new method of carbon …

Consultation Summary For Proposed Declared Pest Rates 2024/2025, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity published reports

Before determining a rate, the Minister for Agriculture and Food is required to consult with owners of the land to be rated, as described in the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management (Declared Pest Account) Regulations 2014 (the Regulations).

The annual process for consultation enables the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) to gauge landholder perception on the proposed Declared Pest Rate (DPR) in accordance with the Regulations.