19916 research outputs found
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USING GEOMORPHIC CHANGE AND SEDIMENT MODELING TO CALCULATE DEBRIS FLOW VOLUMES FROM THE 2020 EL DORADO WILDFIRE IN THE SOUTHERN SAN BERNARDINO MOUNTAINS, CALIFORNIA
Full text linkFour years after the occurrence of the 2020 El Dorado Fire, Yucaipa Ridge and the surrounding communities of Oak Glen and Forest Falls still experience the devastation caused by debris flows. Wildfires can instigate a series of events leading to hydrophobic soils, loss of vegetation, and increased sediment availability which amplify post-fire debris flow risks. This study tested the hypothesis that post-wildfire geomorphic changes can be accurately quantified and predicted using high-resolution LiDAR-derived digital elevation models. To investigate this hypothesis, multi-temporal LiDAR datasets were analyzed to quantify geomorphic changes, including erosion and deposition, within two severely burned basins in the area. The comparison of pre- and post-event topographic data enabled the quantification of sediment dynamics. These quantified changes, examined in conjunction with available event data and hazard models, allow workers to better understand factors influencing debris flow likelihood and volume. Outcomes include an improved understanding of post-fire debris flow dynamics and sediment volumes, alongside enhanced capabilities for generating debris flow runout forecasts. Ultimately, this research contributes to the scientific understanding of post-wildfire geomorphological changes by demonstrating an integrated approach for detailed watershed characterization and improved debris flow volume estimation, crucial for enhancing hazard assessment in fire-prone landscapes
Surviving and Thriving in the Hybrid Cloud: a Review of the Current Cloud Computing Landscape
Full text linkBackground and Purpose
Both academic and industry institutions have increasingly migrated essential services to public cloud providers (e.g., Microsoft, AWS, Google) with mixed outcomes. Some industry leaders attempted to fully replace their on-premises data centers with public cloud services, a move not advised without thorough performance and cost analyses (Potel, 2023). Despite some organizations pulling back from the “Cloud First” strategy, the public cloud services market continued to grow, with revenue increasing by approximately 20% year-over-year since 2020 and surpassing half a trillion dollars in 2022 (IDC Worldwide Semiannual Public Cloud Services Tracker, 2H 2022). Cloud technologists suggested that hybrid cloud—combining public and private cloud services—offered a more balanced path towards operational efficiency, enhanced security, faster application development, improved business insights, and increased resilience (Raynovich, 2023). This research aimed to explore the evolving landscape of public cloud services, identify emerging trends, and assess the shifting dynamics between public and private cloud environments.
Problem Statement and Research Questions
Adopting cloud computing required a well-defined IT strategy (Tripathi, 2022), one informed by a clear understanding of which services were best suited for public cloud versus those better kept in private cloud environments. The primary research question sought to guide organizations in navigating these complex decisions, ensuring that IT strategies included the necessary criteria for successfully placing services in the most suitable environments. Key considerations included: Security: Leveraging Platform as a Service (PaaS) offerings could shift the responsibility for patching operating systems to cloud providers, enhancing security. Network: Assessing current internet connectivity, client locations, and dependencies on private cloud services was crucial for a successful cloud strategy. IT Skills: Evaluating the skill set of existing IT staff was essential for determining whether management tasks should be retained in-house or outsourced to cloud providers. Continuous Delivery: Reviewing current Development/Security and Operations (DevSecOps) practices and exploring Agile/Scrum methodologies could improve development and operational efficiencies.
A secondary research question investigated the concerns and hesitations of IT decision-makers when migrating critical services to public cloud providers, including the factors that prevented certain private cloud services from being migrated.
Methodology
The study utilized a descriptive research design, targeting IT professionals in decision-making roles. Data were collected through an online survey administered via the Qualtrics XM platform. The survey addressed primary and secondary research questions to capture insights into the current cloud computing landscape. Statistical tests were conducted to ensure the significance of the findings.
Expected Outcomes
This research aimed to identify the critical factors influencing the placement of services in public versus private cloud environments. It explored which services thrived in public or private clouds and the critical considerations for planning successful service migrations
EXPLORING DOUBLED-UP HOMELESS AMONG LATINX IN SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY: A QUALITATIVE STUDY
Full text linkBackground and Objective: The proposed study aims to explore the factors contributing of doubled up homelessness among Latinx in San Bernardino California. The term doubling up homelessness describes the situation in which a person is residing with others in a home due to economic hardships or housing loss (Richard et al., 2022). Homelessness is a major prevalent social problem in the United States and statewide impacting individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities locally. Methods: The qualitative research method will be utilized with a phenomenology approach to explore the lived experiences of 20 Latinx adults through interviews. This study will utilize nonprobability sampling, specifically purposive sampling. Recruitment will be through social workers at the San Bernardino County Department of Social Services (DSS). Findings: Findings aim to discover contributing factors, experienced challenges, time duration, services utilized, demographics, and social support system of those who are experiencing doubled up homelessness. Conclusion: Understanding the factors contributing to doubled up homelessness is crucial to the social work profession and other organizational structures who serve this population to improve needed services and reduce the social issue
PSYCHOLOGICAL INTERVENTIONS FOR ADDRESSING SUICIDAL BEHAVIOURS AMONG LGBTQ+ ADOLESCENTS WHO EXPERIENCED CYBERBULLYING: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW
Full text linkBackground: Suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States, and cyberbullying is often a major reason behind it. Understanding how these two are connected is important for finding ways to help. This chapter will look at how cyberbullying leads to suicide, who is most at risk, and what can be done to prevent it. Objective: The main objective of this research is to synthesize the evidence on the effectiveness of intervention programs for reducing suicidal thoughts and behaviors in adolescents, especially LGBTQ+ adolescents, who have experienced cyberbullying. Method: In this systematic review, we plan to extract information regarding the specific elements of the interventions used in the studies. This will help us determine if interventions that target the improvement of social support, the acquisition of coping skills, and the improvement of self-esteem are more effective in reducing suicidal behavior and ideation among adolescents victimized by cyberbullying
EVALUATING THE EFFECTS OF PARENTAL SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS ON LIFE FUNCTIONING OF ADULT OFFSPRING: A LONGITUDINAL STUDY
Full text linkBackground: Parental mental illness greatly impacts a child’s development by posing great risks to their physical and mental health, academic success, and overall functioning (Naughton et al., 2019; Adjej et al., 2023). It remains clear that exposure to parental mental illness has short-term implications. However, long-term impacts on offspring while entering and managing adulthood has not been thoroughly examined. Objective: This longitudinal study proposes to determine the effects of parental mental illness on life functioning of adult offspring at baseline and then occur every two years over the course of eight years. Method: Quantitative data will be collected from 120 participants using convenience sampling method from community mental health agencies across Southern California. The WHO Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (World Health Organization, 2012) will be used to gather data to measure daily functioning across major life domains. To measure exposure to parental mental illness, participants will be asked to provide information on the parent who was diagnosed, when the diagnosis occurred, and whether the participant resided with the affected parent during their formative years (from birth to 8 years old). Bivariate analysis will be performed to examine the relationship between exposure to parental mental illness and the level of functioning of adult offspring
OPTIMIZING LIGHTWEIGHT AUTHENTICATION PROTOCOLS FOR ENHANCING SECURITY IN RESOURCE-CONSTRAINED IOT DEVICES
Full text linkIoT devices are increasingly being used in critical applications such as smart cities, healthcare, and industrial systems. However, due to their limited processing power, memory, and energy, traditional authentication methods are not suitable in these resource-constrained scenarios. To construct and evaluate a lightweight authentication system for such devices, this study incorporates secure, efficient cryptographic techniques. The following are the research questions: Q1) How can a hybrid lightweight authentication protocol that includes ECC and AES be used to safely and successfully link resource-constrained IoT devices? Q2) How can nonce-based challenge-response approaches to protect against replay threats be used to create lightweight IoT authentication without compromising energy efficiency? To overcome these challenges, a modular client-server protocol was developed that uses AES-128 for symmetric encryption, Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) for key exchange, and nonce-based authentication to ensure message freshness and prevent replay attacks. A layered architectural design was employed to optimize performance while maintaining low latency, scalability, and resilience to cyberattacks. In simulated IoT scenarios, implemented via Python, the system’s energy efficiency, latency, and authentication behavior were evaluated to validate the theoretical design. The findings are: Q1) The hybrid ECC-AES protocol significantly reduced computational and energy costs while preserving strong encryption and secure session establishment. Q2) The nonce-based mechanism effectively defended against replay attacks, providing message freshness and minimal overhead, even in resource-constrained scenarios. The conclusions are: Q1) The proposed protocol offers a practical and secure solution for IoT environments, outperforming traditional PKI-based systems in speed and resource usage. Q2) The integration of nonce-based challenge-response with symmetric encryption ensures lightweight, efficient, and secure communication across IoT networks. Areas for further study include: (a) Exploring decentralized authentication using blockchain to reduce reliance on a central server, and (b) Investigating post-quantum cryptographic methods to future-proof the protocol against emerging threats
UNRAVELING THE LOOPING EXPERIENCE: UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT ON ELEMENTARY EDUCATORS
Full text linkABSTRACT
This qualitative study explores the impact of looping on elementary educators, focusing on how teaching the same group of students for multiple years influences instructional practices, professional growth, and classroom dynamics. Using one-on-one interviews with seven experienced educators, this research identifies three overarching themes: (a) teachers’ feelings of autonomy, (b) the relationships established with students and families, and (c) familiarity with curriculum and expectations. Findings suggest that looping makes teachers more effective by fostering deeper relationships, increasing confidence in instructional strategies, and improving job satisfaction. Participants reported that continuity in teaching led to stronger classroom communities, improved student engagement, and a more personalized approach to learning. While looping presents challenges, such as adapting to multiple grade levels, educators overwhelmingly expressed a preference for the practice, citing its long-term benefits. This study provides valuable insights for educational leaders, policymakers, and future researchers by highlighting the significance of looping in supporting both teacher retention and student achievement. Recommendations for professional development, curriculum planning, and future research are also discussed
PROBLEMATIC SOCIAL MEDIA USE AND ITS EFFECTS ON ADOLESCENTS’ MENTAL HEALTH: A LONGITUDINAL STUDY
Full text linkBackground: Problematic Social Media Use (PSMU) has been associated to increased levels of anxiety, depression, and disruptions in identity development among adolescents, who are especially vulnerable to the effects of excessive digital engagement (Keles et al., 2019). Even though there is increasing evidence to support these conclusions, many of the studies that are currently available employ cross-sectional designs, which makes it more difficult to identify the causal links between PSMU and mental health outcomes (Keles et al., 2019). This disparity raises concerns regarding the long-term effects of persistent overuse of social media as well as the directionality of these effects. Objective: This research study aims to examine the causal relationship between four mental health outcomes: depression, anxiety, psychological stress, and self-image, and PSMU, which is defined as excessive and compulsive social media use that adversely impacts daily functioning. Method: This explanatory, longitudinal design investigates how PSMU affects these mental health indicators in adolescents over time. Quantitative data will be collected from a purposive sample of approximately 500 adolescents aged 10 to 15 who use social media regularly. Over the course of ten years, surveys will be administered every six months, for a total of 21 data collection waves. The study will be carried out in a variety of community-based settings across San Bernardino County, California, such as community health centers, schools, and mental health facilities. Standardized instruments will be used to assess mental health outcomes, including the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) (Kroenke et al., 2001) for depression, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7) (Spitzer et al., 2006) for anxiety, the Perceived Stress Scale-14 (PSS-14) (Cohen et al., 1983) for stress, and the Self-Perception Profile for Adolescents (SPPA) (Harter, 1988) for self-image
The Impact of Adverse and Positive Childhood Experiences on Immigrants and Their Psychological Well-Being
Full text linkThis study examines the relationship between immigration status, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs), and psychological distress using a representative dataset from California (N=21,463). It investigates two primary research questions: (1) how immigration status influences ACE scores and (2) whether ACE and PCE scores are associated with psychological distress. Chi-square tests, logistic regression, and multiple regression analyses were conducted to assess these relationships. Findings indicate that non-citizens report significantly lower ACE scores, and lower levels of psychological distress compared to U.S.-born, supporting the immigrant paradox —where immigrants exhibit better mental health outcomes than their U.S.-born counterparts despite exposure to stressors. Additionally, ACE exposure was strongly linked to psychological distress, with individuals experiencing four or more ACEs being nearly twice as likely to report serious psychological distress compared to those with no ACEs. Furthermore, positive childhood experiences (PCEs) were found to mitigate psychological distress, highlighting the role of protective factors in fostering resilience. These findings suggest that traditional ACE measures may not fully capture adversities unique to immigrants, such as acculturation stress, family separation, discrimination, and legal uncertainty, which may contribute to psychological distress in ways not reflected in conventional ACE scoring. This study underscores the need for culturally informed trauma assessments and interventions that address both childhood adversity and immigration-related stressors. Future research should refine ACE measures to better capture immigrant-specific challenges and inform mental health interventions and policy initiatives
PARENT-CHILD CONTACT IN FAMILY-FOCUSED PROGRAMS FOR INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS
Full text linkThe following research study will evaluate family-focused programs offered to incarcerated individuals and determine if these programs are hindered when there is little to no contact between parents and children during incarceration. Family-focused programs include parent/child bonding, and/or parenting classes and other similar programs. The research method that will be used in this study is a qualitative design and will gather data through interviews of formerly incarcerated individuals as well as former children (now adults) who have been involved in family programming. The study will also gather data from licensed clinical staff who have been involved in related programming while working in a correctional institution or setting. Through the collection of interview answers from 8 individuals, the researcher will determine if interview answers suggest any clear patterns or any themes that can be determined based on respondent answers about the level of parent-child contact that existed in their program experience. Findings from this study will expand research of parent-child contact as a component of family-focused programs offered to incarcerated individuals and inform future program planning to ensure positive outcomes for families