Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Plagiarism, Richard Alweis, Nagesh Jadhav

Rochester Regional Health authored publications and proceedings

Learning objectives:

• Plagiarism overview
• A special case: large language models (LLM) and academic writing

Repair Rolodex: Exchanges, Changes, And Patchwork Parables, Ethan Howard

Masters Theses

This book is an index of nine exchanges with strangers whom I met online through email Listservs or by word of mouth. In these transactions, I offered to repair broken things for a trade-in-kind payment. Through the brief relationship between owner and designer, each interaction suggests that an object is almost never entirely obsolete despite its perceived obsolescence.

At the core of these trades is a grassroots protest of the landfill and a critique of our global capitalist commerce system. The apparent desire for and nature of these trades demonstrates that stories make our objects meaningful. Each interplay studies peoples’ …

Using Self-Assessment Tools And Complementary Alternative Therapy For Chronic Migraines In Menopausal Women, Krystal Rachelle Bridwell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Migraine headaches are ranked as one of the highest disabling conditions in the United States. Women who are in the perimenopausal transition phase have a higher prevalence of disabling migraines that can result in a decreased quality of life, loss of income, decreased productivity, and a higher risk for emotional difficulties. The gap in practice is the lack of education on complementary alternative medicine (CAM) and the use of a migraine diary to recognize individual symptoms as a substitute or cotherapy with pharmacologic treatments. The purpose of this scholarly project was to improve clinical practice and outcomes for perimenopausal …

Combining Cloud Architecting With Education, Sharon P. Pagidipati

Liberal Arts and Engineering Studies

I pursued the AWS Solutions Architect Professional Certification while applying my knowledge to build and revise technical solutions for an educational company known as EDFX.

Influence Of Parental Nativity And Perceived Neighborhood Environment On Physical Activity And Screen Time Of United States Youth, Natalia I Heredia, Ethan T Hunt, Kevin Lanza

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVE: This study assessed how parental nativity and perceived environment are associated with physical activity and screen time of U.S. children and adolescents.

METHODS: Data originated from the 2020-21 U.S. National Survey of Children's Health. We conducted multivariable Poisson regression to assess the cross-sectional association of parental nativity and perceived neighborhood environment variables on parental reports of youth meeting national physical activity and screen time guidelines. We tested interactions of parental nativity and neighborhood environment variables on both outcomes. Analyses were conducted using STATA v17 and p < 0.05 indicated statistical significance.

RESULTS: The sample of 24,928 children and 30,951 adolescents was 11.6 years of …

Talking Yourself Up: Multimodal Conversation Analysis Of Status In An Improvised Setting, Aubrey Lewarne

University Honors Theses

A single-case analysis looked at two individuals performing a scripted exercise during an Applied Improvisational workshop. The analysis examined how performers modify their linguistic and embodied actions in order to perform an assigned status role. The analysis was undertaken to better understand how social status can be constructed in everyday talk-in-interaction. I first outlined the three major theoretical frames that are relevant to the analysis: Applied Improvisation as a pedagogical approach, the use of Conversation Analysis (CA) for the analysis of language in educational contexts, and the concept of status from a sociological perspective. I then present a single-case study, …

Exploring How Factors Affecting Exercise Adherence May Inform Strategies To Increase Adherence In General And Depressed Populations: A Literature Review, Henry D. Link

University Honors Theses

Background: Exercise is associated with numerous physical and mental health benefits; however, many people struggle to exercise a sufficient amount and thus do not reap the benefits. Exercise is recognized as an effective treatment for depression with few risks. Professionals must understand the factors affecting exercise adherence to assist individuals of different backgrounds with adhering to exercise over the long term and to avoid common pitfalls that could hinder an individual’s progress.

Objective: This literature review aimed to identify factors affecting exercise adherence and to explore how those factors could inform strategies to increase exercise adherence among depressed …

Death With Dignity: Queer Representation In Deathcare Systems, Esmé Ringelstetter

University Honors Theses

This thesis examines the ways that elderly members of the LGBT community lack representation within deathcare systems. Currently, the LGBT community is vastly underrepresented in research relating to the dying process and deathcare. This lack of representation creates barriers for LGBT individuals at the end of their lives and creates difficult end-of-life experiences. I utilized previous research that studied how LGBT populations interact with and are treated by a variety of death care-related systems, including health systems, legal systems, and therapeutic systems. This research highlighted the need for the LGBT community to be better represented within both research relating to …

Fpdr And Portland: A Concerned Accountant's Perspective, Noah Roth

University Honors Theses

Established in 1942, the Fire and Police Disability and Retirement (FPDR) fund was intended to attract young men to serve as firefighters and police officers in the city of Portland. FPDR provides defined benefit retirement payments to some 2000 retirees from Portland Fire and Rescue and the Portland Police Bureau. Portlanders are obligated to pay these benefits through a property tax levy determined by the proprietors of the Fund itself. The overall liability owed to these retirees, and current employees, accounts for more than half of all liabilities owed by the city of Portland, representing a fiscal burden that calls …

We're Here To Stay: Nonviolence And The Disability Rights Movement, Sky Mcleod

University Honors Theses

Nonviolent resistance is an effective tool for enacting large scale change including the advancement of civil rights. Disabled Americans have often used nonviolent protest and civil resistance to this aim. Despite this rich history of activism, the history of the Disability Rights Movement has largely been missing from scholarship on nonviolent resistance. Similarly, historical accounts in Disability Studies provide a fragmented perspective on the use of nonviolent resistance by Disabled people. This thesis delves into this under-appreciated history. From the League of the Physically Handicapped in the 1930s to Trump’s inauguration in 2016, this paper traces the progress of the …

The Realm That I Am: An Interdisciplinary Memoir On Identity And Healing, Maria Rowen Flores

University Honors Theses

This thesis is an interdisciplinary exploration into identity, self, and meaning-making. Engaging queer studies, Chicano/a Studies, narrative therapy, creative nonfiction, and visual arts, this project is both a collage and self-portrait in two parts. Part one uses the ideas of philosophers Gloria Anzaldúa, María Lugones, Jack Halberstam, and Judith Butler to explore identity formation in the author’s family and social contexts. Part two follows the experience of having C-PTSD and uses memoir and creative writing to explore the narrative therapeutic mode. Both sections explore themes of identity, social isolation, relationships, failure, mental illness, trauma, and addiction. The work is underscored …

At The Intersection Of Domestic Violence And Mass Shootings: A Qualitative Analysis Of The Relationship Between Ipv And Gun Violence, Troy Bleau

University Honors Theses

The intersectional study of domestic violence and mass shootings has only recently been the subject of inquiry within the psychology field. Within the past ten years research has been developed to examine the relationship between these two epidemics. What authors have found is that DV does play a role in shooting perpetration. This study aimed to identify domestic violence as a risk factor to predict, and subsequently intervene before future instances of shootings. 112 shootings were analyzed between the years of 2020 and 2023--they were then categorized as DV-related, non-DV related, and/or History of DV. The tested hypothesis was that …

How Reuse Rooms Can Reduce Waste On University And College Campuses, Zoe Slabodnik

University Honors Theses

This undergraduate honors thesis discusses the importance of how reuse rooms on university and college campuses can reduce waste by providing an alternative method of disposal other than landfills. There is currently no definition in use that exists for the term reuse room. This thesis defines a reuse room as a community room where anyone with access can donate and take free items that can be reused, recycled, repurposed, repaired and reworn. The goal of a reuse room is to encourage waste reduction, promote and destigmatize the use of second-hand materials, and save money and items from going to landfills. …

Evolution Of Morning Sickness And How It Relates To Maternal Nutrition And Fetal Development, Leena Macias

University Honors Theses

A multitude of pregnant mothers throughout the world experience some sort of nausea and vomiting symptoms while pregnant. There is a large body of literature that has examined the evolutionary significance of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP), and why it continues to persist within our society. The purpose of this thesis is to perform a literature review and to add onto the current literature present within this multidisciplinary field. In order to do so, the field's published works were compiled and examined, being careful to only choose credible and significant sources in order to understand why pregnant mothers experience …

Trends In Fatal Opioid-Related Overdose In American Indian And Alaska Native Communities, 1999-2021, Cici Bauer, Ghada H Hassan, Ric Bayly, Jack Cordes, Dana Bernson, Cedric Woods, Xiaona Li, Wenjun Li, Leland K Ackerson, Marc R Larochelle, Thomas J Stopka

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

INTRODUCTION: Opioid-related overdose mortality rates have increased sharply in the U.S. over the past two decades, and inequities across racial and ethnic groups have been documented. Opioid-related overdose trends among American Indian and Alaska Natives require further quantification and assessment.

METHODS: Observational, U.S. population-based registry data on opioid-related overdose mortality between 1999 and 2021 were extracted in 2023 using ICD-10 codes from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research multiple cause of death file by race, Hispanic ethnicity, sex, and age. Segmented time series analyses were conducted to estimate opioid-related overdose mortality growth …

Financial Incentives For Adoption And Kin Guardianship Improve Achievement For Foster Children, David Simon, Aaron Sojourner, Jon Pedersen, Heidi Ombisa Skallet

Upjohn Institute Working Papers

Difference-in-differences analysis of linked administrative data estimates effects of a Minnesota policy change that increased the payments to adoptive parents and kin guardians for children ages 6 and older, making them equal to what foster care payments were, but didn’t for younger children. Equalizing payments raised average academic achievement by 31 percent of a standard deviation three years after foster children’s cases started, raised the value of payments by about $2,000 per child during this period, raised the monthly chance of moving from foster care to adoption or kin guardianship by 29 percent, improved school stability, and reduced school suspensions.

The Role Of Micrornas On Systemic And Central Nervous System- Inflammation In Aged Mice, Anik Banerjee

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

MicroRNAs play a crucial role in multiple biological processes, including development, cell differentiation, proliferation, metabolism, and cell death. Aberrant regulation of microRNAs is seen in many diseases, such as sepsis, cardiovascular disease, neurological diseases such as stroke, and metabolic disorders. Because of their involvement in disease processes, microRNAs have been investigated as both potential biomarkers, and as therapeutic targets. Age-related inflammatory diseases including diabetes, obesity, and atherosclerosis are important risk factors for infection and sepsis. Intestinal barrier impairment occurs with aging and after brain injuries, including stroke. Both aging and stroke increase the risk of infection and sepsis and are …

An Exploration Of Degrowth: Reimagining The Economy In The Face Of Climate Change, Nicole Kristene Martinez-Bergman

University Honors Theses

Climate change is an issue of great magnitude facing the world, and communities are already feeling its effects, especially the most vulnerable. As the planet warms, it threatens to upend global ecosystems, from the oceans to the forests to the earth's atmosphere. Furthermore, the strains climate change places on the earth are a threat to global economic systems as erratic weather damages cities and creates an increasingly unstable agricultural system. However, these changes to the climate are due to anthropogenic impacts, meaning humans have caused this issue. This uniquely positions humans to create a structure to slow and eventually reverse …

"Your Food Is Who You Are": Food Sovereignty Within A Native Urban Community Garden, Zoe Buhrmaster

University Honors Theses

This paper explores the concept of food sovereignty within the context of a community garden managed by the Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA) in Portland, based on interviews with key garden coordinators and community members. The garden, initiated in 2019, emphasizes the cultivation of First Foods and traditional medicinal plants, serving as a space for cultural revitalization and community health. Food sovereignty, as defined by interviewees, encompasses a relational approach to plants as relatives, community control over food systems, and access to healthy, ancestral foods. The garden's history highlights its development amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and its role …

Immigration, Machismo, And Cultural Stigmatization: Causes Of Lack Of Mental Health Treatment Utilization Among Mexican Men In The U.S., Cynthia M. De La Torre-Lopez

University Honors Theses

Within academia, the topic of Latino men's mental health treatment utilization does not gather enough discussion. Even less, the area of Mexican men's mental health which although part of the Latino population, has specific stressors and implications. The following thesis will present a literature review method in order to answer the following research question, "How does machismo, stigma, and immigration affect the utilization of mental health treatment among Mexican men living in the U.S.?" These three predictors: machismo, stigma and immigration will be discussed in order to find an explanation as to why Mexican men are less likely to search …

A Case Study In Vacillant Literary Analysis: Nella Larsen's Passing (1929), Sara Casten

University Honors Theses

For the last 95 years, Nella Larsen's Passing has been a topic of discussion within the literary and scholarly communities. First considered Larsen's folly, her second novella Passing had struggled to received a compliment from critics and was quickly lost to readers until her work was rediscovered in the early 1970s. However, unbound by the restrictive literary trope of the era, scholars now wonder if Larsen's Passing had been a misinterpreted masterpiece. This thesis outlines the initial interpretations of critics and modern understanding of scholars in order to highlight the influences of outside influences when reading a written work from …

Economic Impacts Of Industry Shifts: Evaluating The Decline Of The Coal Industry In Indonesia's Transition To Renewable Energy, Sebastian Ming Lopez

University Honors Theses

Worldwide usage of coal in energy production is declining. Agreements on carbon reduction and decreasing reliance on non-renewable energy systems are occurring at differing rates. Developed countries are quick to adapt and switch to renewable energy systems using their greater resources, technological advances, and government support. Developing countries however are at a disadvantage due to a lack of resources and prior investments in older, polluting, technology. This study aims to look at the potential effects of the decline of the coal industry within Indonesia, a fast-growing developing country that relies heavily on its coal sector. Indonesia as a country is …

City Shape, Commuting Time And Workplace Choice: Analyzing Urban Spatial Form In China, Shen Fu

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

This paper investigates the relationship between city shape, commuting time, and workplace choice within the context of Chinese cities. Using an urban form measure, nCohesion, and nighttime light data, I constructed the China City Shape Database for 263 Chinese cities. The empirical analysis reveals a counterintuitive finding: cities with less compact shapes, despite having longer within-city distances, are associated with shorter commuting times. This is because residents in poorly shaped cities tend to select workplaces closer to their homes to mitigate commuting difficulties. The findings suggest that improving city shape alone may not reduce commuting times; instead, enhancing transportation infrastructure …

Abriendo Puertas: Exploring The Challenges To Homeownership And Housing Stability For Latinos In Massachusetts, Lorna Rivera, Phillip Granberry, Bianca Ortiz-Wythe, Michelle Borges

Gastón Institute Publications

This report speaks to the current state of housing for Latinos in the Commonwealth; and it’s not great. Areas where Latinos still face inequities are compounded in a way that directly impacts access to housing and thus, ability to build generational wealth, or at the very least housing stability. We have solutions to these issues, like rent control, transfer fees, zoning changes, and even tax credits. What we lack is enough political power to have our voices make a larger impact, as Latinos own their homes at 32.7% , this issue is directly correlated to our low homeownership rates, often …

Creating Synthetic Energy Meter Data Using Conditional Diffusion And Building Metadata, Chun Fu, Hussain Kazmi, Matias Quintana, Clayton Miller

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

Advances in machine learning and increased computational power have driven progress in energy-related research. However, limited access to private energy data from buildings hinders traditional regression models relying on historical data. While generative models offer a solution, previous studies have primarily focused on short-term generation periods (e.g., daily profiles) and a limited number of meters. Thus, the study proposes a conditional diffusion model for generating high-quality synthetic energy data using relevant metadata. Using a dataset comprising 1,828 power meters from various buildings and countries, this model is compared with traditional methods like Conditional Generative Adversarial Networks (CGAN) and Conditional Variational …

Assessing Impact Of Urban Densification On Outdoor Microclimate And Thermal Comfort Using Envi-Met Simulations For Combined Spatial-Climatic Design (Cscd) Approach, Shreya Banerjee, Rachel X.Y. Pek, Sin Kang Yik, Graces N. Ching, Xiang Tian Ho, Dzyuban Yuliya, Peter J. Crank, Juan A. Acero, Winston T. L. Chow

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

Future urban planning requires context-specific integration of spatial design and microclimate especially for tropical cities with extreme weather conditions. Thus, we propose a Combined Spatial-Climatic Design approach to assess impact of urban densification on annual outdoor thermal comfort performance employing ENVI-met simulations for Singapore. We first consider building bylaws and residential site guidelines to develop eight urban-density site options for a target population range. We further classify annual weather data into seven weather-types and use them as boundary conditions for the simulations. Comparing such fifty-six combined spatial-climatic simulation outputs by analyzing Outdoor Thermal Comfort Autonomy, we report the influence of …

Unveiling The Impact Of Jkn: Easing Financial Burdens For Pregnant Women In Indonesia, Januar Sulaeman, Riatu Mariatul Qibthiyyah

Economics and Finance in Indonesia

Indonesia’s maternal mortality rate is the second highest in the ASEAN, partly due to financial barriers preventing adequate care during pregnancy and childbirth. The National Health Insurance (JKN) scheme, which is the embodiment of universal health coverage (UHC), was designed by the Indonesian government to reduce the financial risk of its participants. However, its impact on out-of-pocket health spending for pregnant women is under-researched. Using propensity score matching (PSM) and 2019 SUSENAS data, this study found that JKN membership significantly reduced out-of-pocket health spending for pregnant women—especially in eastern Indonesia, where poverty and healthcare access represent critical issues.

Addressing Barriers To Research-Informed Practice: A Library And Social Work Collaboration To Empower Future Practitioners, Amanda Dinscore, Debbie Gonzalez

Communications in Information Literacy

Social work education prioritizes the use of research to inform practice. As university students, prospective social workers have a wealth of research available to them as well as librarians to help them find, evaluate, and use that information. However, access to much of this research ends once the student graduates—at a time when it is most needed to inform their professional practice. To address this challenge, a librarian and a social work faculty member worked with one class of students in their final semester of a bachelor’s degree in social work program to promote awareness of information privilege and barriers …

State Of New Hampshire Child Care Market Rate Study And Narrow Cost Analysis, New Hampshire Department Of Health And Human Services, Brodsky Research And Consulting

New Hampshire Early Care and Education Research Consortium

The State of New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services initiated the Child Care Market Rate Survey and Narrow Cost Analysis in compliance with federal regulations to ensure equal access to child care for Child Care Assistance Program eligible families. This report provides insights into child care market rates and the actual costs of delivering high-quality care in New Hampshire, supporting informed decisions on subsidy rates.

Naturify 2300, Yarina Yiwei Dai

Masters Theses

In my art practice, I explore the interplay between human desires to manipulate and anthropomorphize nature, as seen in the technological augmentation of plants and living entities. This investigation delves into how this intersection, alongside empathy towards these creations, contributes to fears of uncontrollability and the risks of addiction and excessive dependence on technology.

Bioengineering and genetic modification have cultivated unprecedented developments, allowing humans to manipulate the fundamental building blocks of life. My research speculates on this technology further, modifying the genetic code of organisms and creating bioengineered wearable entities with enhanced traits or entirely new functionalities. The primary objective …