Digital Commons Network^™

Secularism, Illiberalism, And Latino Voters In The 2024 Presidential Election, Jocelyn D. Lopez

Honors College Theses

This paper examines the intersection of secularism, illiberalism, and the shifting political alignment of Latino voters in the 2024 U.S. presidential election. It challenges assumptions that Latino voters naturally align with liberal democratic ideals, arguing instead that religious commitments, particularly among Christian Latinos, have increasingly aligned some with illiberal political movements. The analysis explores how conservative appeals to religious values resonate with voters who feel alienated by the perceived secularism of the Democratic Party. At the same time, these voters may overlook moral inconsistencies in candidates like Donald Trump if they believe he respects religious communities and challenges liberal norms …

Anti-Apoptotic Effect Of C21 Against Cerebral Ischemia Reperfusion Injury Through Activation Of Rbfox3 Pathway, Amal Naeem Ashur

Hilla University College Journal For Medical Science

Background: With a high death rate, stroke is a very concerning condition. It continues to rank third in terms of both death and disability combined and as the second most common cause of death. The annual number of new stroke cases exceeds 12.2 million. RtPA is the only pharmaceutical agent that has been approved to treat stroke, which is unfortunate. It is recommended that rtPA be given within 4-5 hours of an appropriate diagnosis of stroke onset. During a stroke, the angiotensin II type 2 receptors (AT2R) serve to protect the brain. Compound 21 (C21), a selective non-peptide agonist of …

Adaptive Multi-Sensor Fusion For Robust Autonomous Perception In Unstructured Environments, Samantha S. Carley

Theses and Dissertations

Autonomous vehicles commonly employ multiple sensors to perceive their surroundings. Coupling these sensors would ideally improve perception compared to using a single sensor. An autonomous system can be equipped with object localization and classification, often performed using a visual camera to understand a scene intelligently. Object detection and classification can also be applied to LiDAR and infrared (IR) sensors to further enhance scene awareness of the autonomous system. Herein, sensor-level, decision-level, and feature-level fusion are explored to assess their impact on perception and mitigate sensor disagreements. Specifically, the fusing of RGB, LiDAR, and IR sensor data to improve object classification …

Investigations Into Fluorescence Of Fluorene Dimers: Linker Impacts And Tuning Potential Through Substituent Addition, Abigail R. Ressler

Theses and Dissertations

Fluorene-based fluorescing conjugated polymers are being used to develop sensors that show great sensitivity and selectivity, however, important questions about the photophysics of these systems remain unanswered. For example, a fluorescence intensity difference was observed between fluorene dimers linked with either an acetylene (diFA) or phenyl (diFP). The polymers diFA and diFP have similar structures and extinction coefficients, yet diFA yielded a five times higher fluorescence intensity than diFP. In project one, Density Functional Theory (DFT) and Time-Dependent DFT (TD-DFT) were used to calculate the ground and excited states of diFA and diFP. A python code was developed to solve …

Intravoxel Incoherent Motion Diffusion-Weighted Imaging In Acute Stroke: A Comprehensive Review And Meta-Analysis, Hayder Jasim Taher, Ali Ameer Hadi, Yass Bader Kalfah, Zaineb Nazar Mohsin, Argwan Rafad Abed Alkhaliq

Hilla University College Journal For Medical Science

Background and objective: Intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) has the potential to provide both diffusion and perfusion information without an exogenous contrast agent, its application for the brain is promising, however, feasibility studies on this are relatively scarce. The present study aims to assess the evaluate the feasibility of using intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) to measure diffusion parameter variations in stroke.

Methods: To this end, we searched international databases (Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, and Scopus) and extracted related studies using the appropriate keywords. Collected data were analyzed with the aid of the random-effects model and STATA (version 15).

Results …

Epigastric Hernia With Unusual Contents, Katelyn Ward, Melanie Ermler, Alexis Lonjin, Kathryn Ziegler

Conference Presentation Abstracts

No abstract provided.

Staff Education To Enhance Nurse Knowledge Of Depression And Screening Tool Using Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Oluwakemi Omotayo Aregbesola

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Summary This staff education program focused on addressing a practice deficit regarding nonstandard depression assessment and substandard nurse knowledge of evidence-based screening tools, mainly the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), a nine-item, self-reporting test used to screen for depression and assess severity of the condition based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Illnesses, 5th Edition. Depression exists as a familiar yet unidentified disorder among psychiatric inpatients, resulting in delayed treatment inferior outcomes. The staff education project targeted the nurses’ knowledge of depression identification while also teaching them to administer the PHQ-9 for prompt screening and intervention. I used an …

Gender And Age Differences Among Juvenile Homicide Offenders, Amanda Nichole-Wells Jabaay

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The involvement of juveniles in homicide-related crimes has been a matter of growing public concern in the United States. Although prior research suggests that boys and girls who kill vary in important ways, there is limited research that has examined gender and age differences among juvenile homicide offender (JHO) characteristics and crime-related variables on a national level, with only eight previous national studies to date. Guided by the social control theory, the purpose of this non-experimental quantitative study was to explore gender and age differences among JHOs and other crime-related variables on a current national level. Archival data (N = …

Barriers Faced By College Sexual Violence Survivors Who Identify As A Racial And Gender Minority, Brittany A. Gordon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Sexual violence is a significant issue in the US, and specifically on college campuses. Students who identify as a racial and gender minority have been found to be at increased risk. While research has examined the barriers to disclosure, reporting, or help-seeking among survivors within higher education who identify as a racial minority and those who identify as a gender minority, no qualitative studies have looked at the barriers faced by student survivors who identify as both a racial and gender minority. The purpose of this study was to understand the barriers faced by students who identify as a racial …

Connecting Through Context: A Culturally Relevant Mental Health Resource For K-12 School Counselors, Erica Knebel

Master's Projects and Capstones

This field project, Connecting Through Context: A Culturally Relevant Mental Health Resource for K–12 School Counselors, explores the intersection of decolonial theory, culturally relevant pedagogy, and school-based mental health practices. Rooted in both personal and academic experiences, the project addresses the significant gap in culturally responsive mental health resources for immigrant and refugee students, with a personal emphasis on those from Southeast Asian backgrounds. With nearly 27% of the U.S. student population being immigrants, traditional Western mental health models, centered on talk therapy and medication, often fall short in effectively supporting culturally diverse students. Through a literature review grounded in …

Assessing Climate Change Resilience Strategies In The Central American Coffee Industry, Calvin Saribay

Master's Projects and Capstones

Coffee is one of the most valuable commodities on the planet, responsible for a global annual income of over $200 billion. The longevity of the coffee industry is directly threatened by the adverse effects of climate change. This report evaluates various climate change resilience strategies used in the Central American coffee industry, including agroforestry farming methods, crop hybridization, and coffee-sector specific climate action programs. The assessment was done through a literature review of two opposite coffee farming methods, a case study of a prominent F1 hybrid coffee breeds, and a program analysis of a coffee-specific climate action program in Costa …

Teachers And Students As Funambulists: Tightrope Walking Complex Esol Contexts And Utilizing The Potential Of A Humanizing Pedagogy As A Balancing Pole, Steffi Kaiser

Master's Projects and Capstones

English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) teachers and students in community college (CC) and community-based organization (CBO) classrooms perform an ongoing tightrope walk, navigating complex social, cultural, and linguistic contexts. ESOL as a field must create conditions that acknowledge the realities of its complicated legacies and their embodiment in the classroom, because research and field experience reveal negative impacts of existing practices on both students and teachers. To act on this cognizance and respond to these intricate dynamics, teachers need training and ongoing professional development. This capstone project, Teachers and Students as Funambulists: Tightrope Walking Complex ESOL Contexts and …

Bhuga Education: Toward A Financially Sustainable Model Of Catholic-Sponsored Secondary Education For The Poor In Nigeria, Christian Uchechukwu Ekesiobi

Master's Projects and Capstones

This field project aimed to create a Catholic-sponsored, financially sustainable secondary school model to serve the educational needs of the poor in Nigeria. Grounded in the tripartite framework of the Catholic principle of the Preferential Option for the Poor, Dewey’s experience-based learning theory, and the Resource Generation Model, the project sought to address the prevalent problem of inaccessibility to quality education due to financial constraints. Employing a qualitative research approach anchored in document and comparative case analysis of the Cristo Rey and Fe y Alegria educational models, as well as Nigeria’s education landscape, the project created the BHUGA Education model. …

Evaluating San Francisco Urban Green Spaces And Policy To Inform Future Decision-Making: How Climate Change Adaptation Strategies Can Be Prioritized And Incorporated In Urban Park Design And Planning Through A Decision-Making Tool, Holley Anne Maassen

Master's Projects and Capstones

Amid the current climate crisis, enhancing urban green spaces (UGS), parks, and open spaces with climate change adaptation (CCA) as a strategic pillar in San Francisco’s urban planning is an essential strategic pillar to develop more resilient cities. However, in complex bureaucratic landscapes, integrating CCA strategies that meet project goals while ensuring inclusive stakeholder engagement presents a challenge. This project presents the identification, development, and application of a holistic decision-making tool (DMT) in the form of a Pugh matrix/decision matrix and with a focus on urban planning in San Francisco, California. Key decision-making criteria are identified and weighted through a …

Floating Pv In Bulawayo: Evaluating Evaporation Mitigation, Energy Yields And Economic Viability., Fidelis Hazvineyi Dambudzo Gorogodo

Master's Projects and Capstones

Water scarcity and energy shortages are critical challenges in Zimbabwe, particularly in the semi-arid regions reliant on reservoir-based water supply systems. Evaporation losses from water reservoirs amplified by rising global temperatures has become a concern, particularly for Zimbabwe which has a relatively low water per-capita (776 liters). Electricity blackouts extending to 12-20 hours per day further worsens the situation by failing to pump available water, calling for solutions to enhance water and energy security. This study evaluates the feasibility of integrating Floating Photovoltaics (FPV) on the Umzingwane catchment dams (Umzingwane, Upper and lower Ncema, Insiza, Mtsabezi and Inyankun) to mitigate …

Effectiveness Of Urban Composting And Waste Management In The San Francisco Bay Area, Elijah Ashiagbor

Master's Projects and Capstones

The increasing food waste epidemic contributes to environmental degradation through amplified GHG emissions, notably CH4, from MSW landfills. Addressing this challenge is essential for public health and environmental sustainability. This research reviews municipal composting initiatives within the San Francisco Bay Area, evaluating effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability. Utilizing data from CalRecycle and local municipalities, this study analyzes different composting processes, regulatory compliance with California’s Senate Bill 1383, and factors affecting waste diversion rates. Key discoveries indicate that in-vessel composting shows better efficiency and compost quality compared to windrow methods, particularly suitable for urban counties with space limitations. However, participation rates in …

Analyzing Ballast Water Treatments, Invasive Species, And Pathogens, And A Decade-Long Analysis On The San Francisco And Baltimore Ports, Jasmin Ibarra-Cortes

Master's Projects and Capstones

Installation of advanced technologies to treat ballast water on ships is necessary to meet current ballast water management standards and reduce the secondary spread of invasive species during intracoastal voyages. This research includes a literature review on non-native aquatic species, particularly diapausing eggs, and available treatment methods for installation. A comparative analysis from 2014 - 2024 on bulker, tanker, and container vessels arriving coastwise to the ports of San Francisco and Baltimore was performed to evaluate treatment installation trends, traffic patterns, and the effectiveness of treatment(s) on targeting diapausing eggs. Use of ultraviolet (UV) radiation combined with filtration has increased …

Evolving Discipline Strategies: The Effects Of Police Removal On School Discipline In San Francisco, Eliza Grace Giroux

Master's Projects and Capstones

As conversations about equity and student well-being continue to shape public education, longstanding approaches to discipline in schools are being reevaluated. One major area of focus has been the presence of police on school campuses, especially when punitive systems have disproportionately harmed marginalized students. In San Francisco, this shift culminated in the 2020 passage of Resolution 206, which formally ended the school district’s partnership with the San Francisco Police Department and removed armed officers from campuses. This capstone examines the impact of that decision by exploring how school discipline practices have changed in the years since. Through interviews with members …

The Organizing Role Of Function Knowledge In Scene Schemas, Teresa P. Pham

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Schemata, or schemas, are conceptualized as “building blocks” of cognition that guide human information processing, object recognition, retrieval of memory, and more. Major work on schema theory was done in the 1970s, conceptualizing it as a useful framework for understanding how individuals organize knowledge and apply it to understand the world (e.g., Rumelhart, 1980). Research on schema theory has continued to have implications for reading comprehension, visual processing, and encoding and retrieval of memories. Despite the vast literature, the concept of schema itself remains loosely defined, with little consensus on how schemas are organized. This study explores whether function acts …

Law School News: Rwu Class Of 2025 Urged To Embrace Discomfort, Pursue Their Dreams And Careers With Purpose 05-16-2025, Jordan J. Phelan

Life of the Law School (1993- )

No abstract provided.

Translanguaging 101 For Adult Esol Teachers, Shae Green

Master's Projects and Capstones

Although translanguaging has gained recognition in K–12 education and research over the past decade, it remains largely underutilized in adult ESOL classrooms. This presentation introduces the concept of translanguaging and offers practical strategies for its implementation with adult learners, addressing a gap in both research and practice. Grounded in the theoretical framework of Community Cultural Wealth, this conference presentation challenges deficit narratives by affirming students’ linguistic and cultural knowledge as valuable classroom resources. Drawing on research that highlights the benefits of utilizing students' home languages for language acquisition and identity affirmation, this presentation equips educators with tools to foster more …

The Politics Of Being Heard: Communication And Power Struggles In Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, Caroline Trejo

Master's Projects and Capstones

The environmental and public health challenges in Bayview-Hunters Point have catalyzed widespread community activism, as residents and advocates respond to the ongoing fallout from radiological contamination at the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard. Communication plays a vital role in bridging the gap between affected communities and government entities throughout the cleanup process. This research asks: how have the communication strategies of advocacy groups influenced government actions and policies during the Bayview-Hunters Point Shipyard cleanup? To explore this question, I conducted semi-structured interviews with three community advocates, two former members of a non-partisan civil jury, one independent researcher, and one government official. …

Sustainability In Sports: Exploring Scope 3 Emissions, Transparency The Need For Standardized Frameworks, Tatiana Pineda Del Rosario

Master's Projects and Capstones

Professional sports leagues contribute to environmental impacts through large-scale travel and event-related operations, particularly from fan and team transportation. While many leagues have made public commitments to sustainability, there is limited consistency in how those efforts are tracked or reported. Scope 3 emissions, which include fan and team travel, are often overlooked despite being a significant part of a sports organization’s carbon footprint. For example, in the 2024 season, the MLB, NBA, and NFL collectively took an estimated 7,502 flights to away games. This number does not account for the millions of fans who travel to stadiums each season, often …

Plastic In The Pack: Assessing Microplastic Risk To Urban Coyotes (Canis Latrans) In The San Francisco Bay Area, Elaina E. Herrmann

Master's Projects and Capstones

Microplastics are an emerging concern worldwide. However, their impact on terrestrial mammals, such as Canis latrans (coyotes), has yet to be extensively studied. Coyotes are unique in their ability to adapt to urban environments and have recently begun bridging the gap between marine and terrestrial food webs. This research examines the potential sources and impact of microplastic exposure in urban coyotes in the San Francisco Bay Area and possible food web impacts through literature synthesis and Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping. This research examined potential mechanisms for direct and trophic microplastic uptake by coyotes resulting from the anthropogenic, terrestrial, and …

Epidemiological And Clinical Characteristics Of Children With Measles In Babil Governorate In 2024, Hasan Alwan Baiee, Zainab Hamed Abdel Qader, Zahraa Hossam Abdul Hussein, Ali Mohsen Flih

Hilla University College Journal For Medical Science

Background: Measles considered a highly contagious and serious disease affecting mainly children in their early years, with morbidity and mortality. The effective preventive measure against measles is vaccination.

Objective: To identify the epidemiological characteristics of patients with measles admitted to Maternity and Children’s Teaching Hospital in Babylon Governorate.

Materials and Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted using structured questionnaire on convenient sample of children infected with the measles virus and hospitalized in Maternity and Children’s Teaching Hospital, Babylon Governorate, Iraq. During three-monthperiod from the first of January to 30^th of March, 2024. A special semi-structured validated and reliable …

Ditmas Flats, Llc V. Perez

All Decisions

The Appellate Term reversed a Civil Court order that dismissed the landlord's illegal sublet claim and denied its motion to dismiss the tenant's affirmative defenses. The court held that the predicate notices, though not naming the alleged subtenant, were sufficiently reasonable to establish grounds for eviction and enable the tenant to frame a defense, reinstating the illegal sublet claim. The nonprimary residence claim was properly dismissed due to the landlord's failure to serve a statutory nonrenewal notice. The matter was remitted to the Civil Court to determine the merits of the landlord's motion to dismiss the tenant's affirmative defenses.

Tuesdai Family Irrevocable Living Trust V. Denver

All Decisions

The landlord obtained a default judgment in a nonpayment proceeding. A tenant moved to vacate the default, claiming improper service, which the Civil Court rejected. However, the Civil Court, without finding a reasonable excuse for the default, vacated the judgment and sua sponte dismissed the petition based on the merits. The Appellate Term, Second Department, reversed, holding that vacating a default judgment under CPLR 5015(a)(1) requires both a reasonable excuse for the default and a meritorious defense. The Civil Court's failure to find a reasonable excuse rendered its vacatur an improvident exercise of discretion. The Appellate Term reinstated the default …

Andrew Jackson Realty Co., L.P. V. Patan

All Decisions

In a holdover proceeding, the landlord sought possession, arguing the apartment was deregulated in 2005. The tenant counterclaimed for rent overcharges, alleging fraudulent deregulation due to a lack of renovations. The trial court granted possession to the landlord and dismissed the tenant's counterclaim. The Appellate Term affirmed, holding the landlord met its burden to prove lawful deregulation via vacancy and longevity increases, which pushed the rent over the threshold. The tenant failed to demonstrate fraud or overcharge. The court also found the tenant waived arguments regarding notice by not raising them below.

Enhancing Extension Professionals’ Career Trajectory: Evaluating The Western Extension Leadership Development (Weld) Program, Andree Walker Bravo, Lendel K. Narine, Jeremy Elliott-Engel, Elizabeth Sparks, Wesley Alford

Journal of Extension

The Western Extension Leadership Development (WELD) program, implemented in 2001, is a longstanding professional development program targeting Western State Extension leaders, however, the impacts of the WELD program and experience on the participants had never been evaluated. A retrospective evaluation was completed in 2020 for the 243 participants in WELD between 2001 and 2018. The 2020 WELD evaluation suggests that WELD participants tended to agree that participation in WELD led to an increase in leadership abilities and partnerships. Future recommendations include aligning WELD program components to professional competencies identified.

Market Days For Older Adults: Addressing Healthy Aging Among A High-Risk Population At The Downtown Farmers’ Market, Allyson Brothers, India Luxton, Cheryl Noble, Sue Schneider, Alison O'Connor, Yuqin Jiao

Journal of Extension

Market Days for Older Adults is a Colorado State University Extension program that supplies low-income older adults with fresh produce purchased from market vendors at the local farmers’ market. Designed for low-income seniors, this program aims to enhance nutrition while building a sense of community and connection. Program evaluation data from the first four years of the program demonstrate evidence of program feasibility, including high levels of participant satisfaction and program utilization. We also assessed a set of healthy aging indicators (diet quality, social connection, functional health, and well-being) to drive future work. Implications for Extension professionals are discussed.