Digital Commons Network^™

Increasing Coping Skills To Reduce First-Generation College Students’ Stressors, Stephanie Lopez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

First-generation, college students may face challenges balancing family and social life. They may experience pressure from their family to do well in their studies. Thus, many students' mental health may be impacted by the multiple pressures, experiencing stress-depression, having the desire to drop-out, and may experience burn out. When college students learn ways to manage multiple stressors, it will help improve their mental health which allows for them to focus on their studies. In order to increase their coping skills, I have created a workshop to help first generation students in the CAMP at California State University, Monterey Bay.

Adolescent Mother's Experiences In Mental Health: Bringing Forth Awareness, Nylda E. Jaramillo

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The Youth Homeless Response Team (YHRT) is a program that serves unaccompanied youth, who are currently at risk of being homeless or fleeing a domestic violence situation. By providing case management. Within the program's population of focus, a large portion of unhoused youth are adolescent mothers. This project addresses the high prevalence of poor mental health among young mothers. Acknowledging financial insecurity as a contributor the project entailed, hosting a diaper donation event called “Dance For Diapers.” so that diapers may be delivered to low-income young mothers at YHRT. The event was able to raise a total of $105 and …

Increasing High School Students’ Awareness Of The Risks Of Gang Violence, Kyla Castaneda

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The present study experimentally informed the effects of high school students of not being aware of the impact of gangs and gang violence. The study consisted of 23 participants, ages from 13 years of age to 15 years of age. All in which are highs school freshman in a freshman seminar course located in a small community know for gang violence. Participants were lead with a two day curriculum with an introduction to the risks of gang violence and how to coping with gang involvement. Furthermore, adolescents with higher exposure to gang violence were able to share relatable experiences in …

Developing Science Education For Early Elementary Students, Caty Rodriguez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Children in early elementary school lack science education. They lack science because it is not a subject that schools concentrate on. Schools are more concentrated on math, English, reading, and writing, while science is just put aside. Our students need science in order to create a better vocabulary, open their minds to new things, and to move on to the next grade.

Give The Drummer Some: A Dive Into Drum Breaks And Drum Break Production, Kyle Kaldhusdal

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This paper traces the history of hip-hop culture through the evolution of the drum break, the original context of drum breaks in funk and soul music, their influence on DJ culture, and the subsequent impact of drum breaks on music and music production. It follows the development of breakbeat compilations in the 1970s and 1980s, parallel to the development of turntablism and sampling techniques. It also examines in detail how copyright litigation in the 1990s shaped the development of sample-based music genres and created a niche market for originally-recorded drum breaks over the subsequent decades.

Effects Of Using Technology As A Substitution For Education For Students During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Brian Jimenez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The COVID-19 pandemic brought the world in a state of isolation where nearly all of the students were forced to go to school online and be facing a computer screen for many hours throughout the day. However, online education brought many burdens and inequities amongst the students, especially with those living in poor conditions and from minority races. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to analyze and understand the effects of using technology as a substitution for education during the pandemic. The research process started through voice interviews, but because of time conflicts and schedule changes, questionnaires were instead …

Curriculum Of Control: Stories From The Student Perspective, Ryan Anderson

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

In a time where the public school setting draws comparisons to warzones—bullets flying, students barricading themselves behind desks—it is crucial we examine the landscape in which this unprecedented destruction is taking place. The current public conversations held in our democratic nation tend to surround gun rights, administrative procedures, and inadequate police responses. Finger pointing has been the fallback time and time again. As leaders of the NRA, local police forces, and legislating bodies stand at the end of our fingers, our children remain standing opposed to the barrels of loaded guns—often wielded by their peers. The conversation hasn’t ventured into …

La Ropa Sucia Se Lava En Casa: Adhd In The Latinx Community, Jennifer Arcia

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The focus of this Capstone Project is on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the Latinx community, with an emphasis on parent education to spread awareness. This is an important issue for Latinx parents because proper identification and treatment of ADHD are essential for student academic success. An evidence-based argument is offered that Latinx youth are underdiagnosed with ADHD and that is because Latinx parents underutilize ADHD resources available to them. The three primary stakeholder perspectives chosen were parents, students, and teachers because their relevant experience allows them to provide insight into how the Latinx community views ADHD. Three themes emerged from …

The Sun Burns Until…, Caelan (Ellie) Davis

A Midwestern Review: A Magazine of the Arts and Issues at DePauw University

No abstract provided.

Itchy Brain, Mackenzie Campbell

A Midwestern Review: A Magazine of the Arts and Issues at DePauw University

No abstract provided.

Strip Me Down, Trista Keeton

A Midwestern Review: A Magazine of the Arts and Issues at DePauw University

No abstract provided.

Saint Brigid, Mary Of Ireland, Aubrey Bower

A Midwestern Review: A Magazine of the Arts and Issues at DePauw University

No abstract provided.

Lists Inspired By Our Happenstance Existence Together, Oliver Spencer

A Midwestern Review: A Magazine of the Arts and Issues at DePauw University

No abstract provided.

Time Devoted, Emma Gillam

A Midwestern Review: A Magazine of the Arts and Issues at DePauw University

No abstract provided.

Boss Lady From Hell, Sydney Greene

A Midwestern Review: A Magazine of the Arts and Issues at DePauw University

No abstract provided.

“Inheritor” And “Originator”: Jane Austen’S Feminist Voice As Bridge Between Mary Wollstonecraft And Virginia Woolf, Stephanie Hyta '23

Honor Scholar Theses

This thesis explores the feminism of Jane Austen’s six novels: Sense and Sensibility (published in 1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813), Mansfield Park (1814), Emma (1815), Northanger Abbey, and Persuasion, the last two published posthumously in December 1817. Austen’s feminism serves as a bridge between the 18th and 20th centuries: her novels include a critique of the patriarchal system that Mary Wollstonecraft analyzed so judiciously in A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792); they also anticipate ideas in Virginia Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own (1929), a six-part essay that originated as lectures that Woolf gave in October 1928 at …

Preliminary Validation Of A High-Performance Electrothermal Model Of An Electromagnetic Heating System, Jeremiah Vardaman

Master's Theses and Capstones

To aid in the design and development of an electrical induction thermoplastic pipe-fusion product, Ansys HFSS, an electromagnetics simulation package, and Ansys Mechanical, a thermal dynamics simulation package, were used to simulate a model of the pipe-fusion product. HFSS estimated the currents induced in conductive susceptors embedded in the pipe fitting. Then, Mechanical estimated temperature dynamics on the susceptors as a function of the induced currents. The heat generated by induced currents on the susceptors increases temperatures in the vicinity of the region to be fused. The increased temperature of the thermoplastic facilitates a pipe fuse. The simulation results were …

The Effect Of Hypoxia On Gli Expression And Their Downstream Effect In Waldenström Macroglobulinemia, Estefania Yzar-Garcia

Master's Theses and Capstones

Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM) is a sub-type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma associated with excess secretion of immunoglobulin M (IgM) and the infiltration of the bone marrow by lymphoplasmacytic cells. There is a dynamic oxygen gradient consumption and diffusion in the tumor microenvironment, leading to regions of hypoxia (1-3% O2 concentration). GLI1, GLI2 and GLI3 are members of the family of Kruppel-like factors with highly conserved Zinc finger DNA-binding domains in mammalian cells. They signal trough the Hedgehog pathway which is a conserved pathway among species and is crucial in fundamental development processes and tissue homeostasis. They can also signal trough non-canonical pathways …

Quantum Chemistry–Machine Learning Approach For Predicting Properties Of Lewis Acid–Lewis Base Adducts, Hieu Huynh, Thomas J. Kelly, Linh Vu, Tung Hoang, Phuc An Nguyen, Tu C. Le, Emily Jarvis, Hung Phan

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Works

Synthetic design allowing predictive control of charge transfer and other optoelectronic properties of Lewis acid adducts remains elusive. This challenge must be addressed through complementary methods combining experimental with computational insights from first principles. Ab initio calculations for optoelectronic properties can be computationally expensive and less straightforward than those sufficient for simple ground-state properties, especially for adducts of large conjugated molecules and Lewis acids. In this contribution, we show that machine learning (ML) can accurately predict density functional theory (DFT)-calculated charge transfer and even properties associated with excited states of adducts from readily obtained molecular descriptors. Seven ML models, built …

The Call Of The Origin: On Christology, Conversion, And Peregrine Identity In Reiner Schürmann’S Early Work On Meister Eckhart, Francesco Guercio, Ian Alexander Moore

Philosophy Faculty Works

In 1969, Reiner Schürmann submitted a thesis to the Dominican school of theology Le Saulchoir. It was titled Peregrine Identity: The Concept of Detachment in Meister Eckhart’s German Sermons. Three years later, Schürmann published Wandering Joy, his celebrated book on Eckhart. In this article, we examine four aspects of the earlier study that cannot, as such, be found in the later one: (1) the specifically Christological dimension of Eckhart’s teaching of detachment; (2) a logic of conversion at work in Eckhart and St. Francis; (3) Schürmann’s hermeneutics of the symbol; and (4) the practical outcomes of Heidegger’s ontological …

Affordances And Information Systems Research: Taking Stock And Moving Forward, Mostafa Mesgari, Kaveh Mohajeri, Bijan Azad

Information Systems and Business Analytics Faculty Works

The term affordance appears with increasing frequency in the Information Systems (IS) literature. Nevertheless, those who study information technologies/information systems (IT/IS) via the affordance lens often have different views about its origin, meaning, and appropriate application in IS research. In turn, not spelling out the related assumptions and boundaries inherent in these diverse views may have hindered a wider and more cumulative adoption of the affordance lens in IS research. This paper offers a potential solution by (1) synthesizing the ecological psychology literature to suggest five key modules of the affordance concept relevant to IS research and (2) taking stock …

Spac Mergers, Ipos, And The Pslra's Safe Harbor: Unpacking Claims Of Regulatory Arbitrage, Amanda M. Rose

William & Mary Law Review

Communications in connection with an initial public offering (IPO) are excluded from the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (PSLRA). Unsurprisingly, IPO issuers do not share projections publicly—the liability risk is too great. By contrast, communications in connection with a merger are not excluded from the safe harbor, and special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) routinely share their merger targets’ projections publicly. Does the divergent application of the PSLRA’s safe harbor in traditional IPOs and SPAC mergers create an opportunity for “regulatory arbitrage” and, if so, what should be done about it? …

Making Waves: How Mandated Arbitration Could Better Address Cultural Heritage And Bring Treasure Salvage Law Into The Twenty-First Century, Megan C. Bodenhamer

William & Mary Law Review

This Note argues that American treasure salvage law should implement the modern legal techniques of Alternative Dispute Resolution—specifically arbitration—to address the modern problems surrounding treasure salvage law. Part I of this Note provides an overview of the law governing treasure salvage law. This includes common law principles called the law of finds and the law of salvage as well as the governing United States law and international treaties. Part II will outline the problems with the current standing of treasure salvage law, particularly how it fails to address modern cultural heritage considerations such as scientific advancement and the proliferation of …

Cues Guiding Postnatal Neuron Migration In Mouse And Human, Sarah Bellizzi

Honors Scholar Theses

This project is the first step in identifying the molecular mechanisms that support movement and distribution of neural stem cells that migrate from the lateral ventricles to the olfactory bulb (OB) and ventral medial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC, humans). In rodents, the forebrain rostral migratory stream (RMS) is the only postnatal long-range pathway involved in neuroblast cell migration. It consists of fasciculated chains of neuroblasts that migrate through a dense meshwork of astrocytes to finally integrate within the olfactory bulb. What exactly guides new neuron distribution and coordinates this extensive migration still remains unclear.

Ephs/ephrins are well known for coordinating and …

Quantitative Analysis Of The Proteomic Selectivity Of Acidic Reductive Alkylation Of Peptides, Connor Jewell

Honors Scholar Theses

Proteome quantification is a complicated process which takes on many methods, usually involving peptide derivatization and complex mass spectral analysis. Scores of techniques have been utilized to address issues of incomplete quantification. The implementation of IPTL labeling, or isobaric peptide terminal labeling, is a recent addition to the literature, which exploits the supposedly selective labeling of N-termini of tryptic peptides from the C-termini of lysine residues due to differences in basicity. This method has been shown to improve quantitation by reducing spectral complexity and provide more accurate and reproducible results on peptide abundance. Investigations into the selectivity of terminal derivatization …

Paleoenvironments In Late Pleistocene Sicily, Danielle C. Falci

Honors Scholar Theses

This thesis explores eleven archaeological sites on the island of Sicily to further understand the paleoenvironment of the island at the time of early human occupation. Utilizing faunal records, we have analyzed the indicator taxa at each site, conducted a habitat weighting analysis, and performed several multivariate tests to determine what the paleoenvironment of Late Pleistocene Sicily may have looked like. Based on the taxa that existed on the island during the Late Pleistocene, we have determined that Sicily likely had a temperate environment and contained habitats that are no longer abundant in the present day.

Exploring Emotion Regulation And Social Support As Moderators Of The Relationship Between Sleep Disturbance And High Cortisol Levels In Cancer Survivors, Rose Karvandi

Honors Scholar Theses

Stress is a constant, ongoing occurrence in our lives, and research has given us further understanding of the health implications it has. Cortisol has been explored as a biomarker of stress, and high levels of it can lead to further health problems. Cancer is a life-changing disease and can have varying impacts on one’s emotional and physical health. Cancer diagnosis and treatment is a stressful experience, and stress is known to impact other aspects of health, such as sleep. The importance of sleep quality on our proper bodily functioning is well known. Given how essential sleep is to our health, …

Assessing Leadership In Business: A Critical Investigation Of Elon Musk, Agnieszka Miklaszewicz

Honors Scholar Theses

This paper provides an in-depth analysis of Elon Musk's leadership style across all his companies. Elon Musk, known for his passion for innovation and helping humanity, has founded and led several successful companies, including Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink, The Boring Company, and Twitter. The paper explores Musk's background, including his early entrepreneurial ventures and risk-taking attitude, highlighting his unique approach to leadership. The analysis focuses on Musk's leadership characteristics, drawing on the article "Decoding Leadership: What Really Matters," which identifies effective leadership traits such as being supportive, results-oriented, seeking different perspectives, and problem-solving. Furthermore, the paper examines Musk's leadership styles based …

Acute Kidney Injury In The Elderly, Zachary Palanza

Honors Scholar Theses

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a significant clinical concern in the elderly, marked by heightened incidence rates, increased morbidity and mortality, and impaired kidney repair mechanisms. AKI often has severe consequences, including extended hospital stays, heightened rates of chronic kidney disease, and elevated healthcare costs. The vulnerability of elderly individuals to AKI is amplified by age-related structural and functional changes in the kidneys, reduced physiological reserve, and increased exposure to nephrotoxic agents. The impaired kidney repair mechanisms observed in the elderly pose further complexities in AKI management. With age, the regenerative capacity of the kidneys diminishes, resulting in incomplete recovery …

Understanding The Relationship Between B Chromosomes And Nondisjunction In Drosophila Melanogaster, Ayushi Patel

Honors Scholar Theses

B chromosomes are supernumerary, heterochromatic genetic elements that are found in hundreds of different plant and animal species. Recently, B chromosomes were discovered in a stock of Drosophila melanogaster and are carried at a high copy number of 10-12 B chromosomes per cell. B chromosomes are not known to carry any active genes, but when placed in a wild-type genetic background, they cause a significant increase in the frequency of chromosome 4 missegregation during meiosis. This project aimed to understand the relationship between a female’s B chromosome copy number and how often she passes on too many (or too few) …