California State University, Monterey Bay
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Bullying Behaviors in Middle School Special Education Settings
Get PDFMiddle 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\u27s 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, all diagnosed with a learning disability. The study was conducted at Rolling Hills Middle School is a public school primarily serving Hispanic and socioeconomically disadvantaged communities. As a result, participants in this project were able to successfully define bullying in their own words and identify bullying behaviors. This enhanced understanding properly equips participants to promote social awareness and engage in healthy relationship dynamics
Machine learning to identify structural motifs in asphaltenes
Get PDFAsphaltenes are organic compounds that aggregate in crude oil with two dominant molecular architectures: archipelago and continental. Continental architectures possess a single uniform island structure composed of aromatic rings in contrast to archipelago architectures with aromatic cores interconnected through aliphatic chains. The structural composition of asphaltenes varies globally due to geographical differences, posing challenges in their classification due to a lack of uniformity. This study is the first known exploration of using image-based supervised machine learning, particularly the ResNet-50 neural network, for the binary classification of asphaltenes into continental and archipelago motifs. 255 continental and archipelago models underwent structural augmentations to create a sample size of 1,530 asphaltene structures that is robust enough for accurate results in both the training and testing portions of the machine learning. These augmentations included the repeated addition of carbons until a complete pentane chain was added to a specified carbon on each asphaltene structure. Using Mathematica, supervised ResNet-50 image-based classification was used on both original and augmented structure datasets to classify as either archipelago or continental. The classification was also implemented using topological similarity searching for association between atoms and the distance between them for further molecule identification. This study demonstrates the surprising effectiveness of image-based classification compared to traditional topological feature-based methods. Our results reveal that deep learning techniques, especially image-based approaches, provide novel and insightful ways to differentiate complex molecular structures like asphaltenes, challenging the traditional reliance on topological features alone. This research opens new avenues in chemical analysis and molecular characterization, highlighting the potential of machine learning in complex molecular systems
[2024 Winner] Dreaming Ourselves Out of Settler Colonialism
Get PDFThis podcast episode explores Decolonization through the concepts of Settler Colonialism, our positioning within settler colonialism in the U.S., and how we can move toward decolonization.https://digitalcommons.csumb.edu/esa_submissions/1160/thumbnail.jp
Two sequential gene expression programs bridged by cell division support long-distance collective cell migration
Get PDFThe precise assembly of tissues and organs relies on spatiotemporal regulation of gene expression to coordinate the collective behavior of cells. In Drosophila embryos, the midgut musculature is formed through collective migration of caudal visceral mesoderm (CVM) cells, but how gene expression changes as cells migrate is not well understood. Here, we have focused on ten genes expressed in the CVM and the cis-regulatory sequences controlling their expression. Although some genes are continuously expressed, others are expressed only early or late during migration. Late expression relates to cell cycle progression, as driving string/Cdc25 causes earlier division of CVM cells and accelerates the transition to late gene expression. In particular, we found that the cell cycle effector transcription factor E2F1 is a required input for the late gene CG5080. Furthermore, whereas late genes are broadly expressed in all CVM cells, early gene transcripts are polarized to the anterior or posterior ends of the migrating collective. We show this polarization requires transcription factors Snail, Zfh1 and Dorsocross. Collectively, these results identify two sequential gene expression programs bridged by cell division that support long-distance directional migration of CVM cells
Determining the influence of environmental factors on amphibian road presence near the Fort Ord National Monument in Monterey County, California
Get PDFAmphibian populations are declining globally and habitat fragmentation is a major cause. Roads fragment the landscape around the Fort Ord National Monument, representing a threat to amphibian populations through direct mortality from strikes, noise and light pollution, and runoff of chemicals. We surveyed roads surrounding the Fort Ord National Monument in Monterey County, California to assess the effect of habitat cover, traffic intensity, and wetland proximity on the location and magnitude of amphibian road kill. Our surveys turned up at least seven of nine local amphibian species alive on roads, six of which were also found dead on roads. These species represent two different life history groups: pond-dependent and non pond-dependent. Most amphibian activity occurred within 2 km of wetland, and we found evidence that higher traffic intensities are depressing pond-dependent populations while non pond-dependent populations remain relatively unaffected. There are several geographic hotspots of on-road amphibian activity that we identified for future mitigation efforts
A Revisionist Case Study of Women’s Capability Approach: Critiquing the U.S. Afghanistan Intervention
Get PDFThis 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 context. This paper also explores the complexities of Western intervention in Afghanistan and the challenges surrounding state-building efforts. It highlights the dire need for cultural sensitivity and the inclusion of local actors during the approach and phases of any reconstruction
Communicating Development for Adults with Developmental Disabilities
Get PDFAdults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) often face significant communication barriers that hinder their ability to express needs, access essential services, and engage fully in social, vocational, and healthcare settings. This paper explores how American Sign Language (ASL) can effectively reduce these communication barriers and promote self-advocacy among adults with developmental disabilities. The Gateway Center of Monterey County, an agency serving adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities aged 18 and over, provides a model of communication support by incorporating ASL into its programs. Although Gateway serves only a tiny percentage of the larger population of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, the impact of these programs is substantial. Through ASL, participants gain a more effective means of communication, enhancing their independence, self-expression, and integration into the community. The success of Gateway’s programs highlights the potential for ASL to improve the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities and underscores the need for similar interventions on a broader scale. This paper concludes with recommendations for expanding ASL-based communication practices across programs that serve adults with developmental disabilities, promoting greater inclusion, self-determination, and quality of life
Pathways To Stability: Comprehensive Workshops for Young Adults Facing Homelessness
No full textThis capstone project addresses youth homelessness among 18-24-year-olds through the development of the Avenida Workshops in partnership with Youth Alliance, a nonprofit supporting underserved communities with equitable and culturally relevant resources. The workshops focus on employment, education, and mental health, equipping participants with skills for long-term stability and independence.
The project includes three workshop slides and a curriculum designed for the agency’s continued use, covering job readiness, educational access, and emotional well-being. Mentor was integral in ensuring the materials were practical, accessible, and tailored to the needs of the target population. While the workshops were not piloted, they are ready for implementation, with recommendations to test and refine them through participant feedback.
This initiative equips organizations like Youth Alliance with tools to tackle youth homelessness. By fostering resilience, job readiness, education, and mental health, the Avenida Workshops empower young adults to achieve lasting stability
Extending a Branch to our Community; Resource Guide
Get PDFThe Community Action Board’s Rental Assistance Program provides financial assistance for PAST DUE rent in Santa Cruz County. Individuals and families face the threat of being evicted from their homes due to disparities in housing affordability, barriers to accessing services, and the removal of COVID-19 relief. Individuals who are evicted have greater difficulty finding stable housing, mental health issues, and economic challenges. The purpose of this project was to help reduce barriers to accessing services by spreading awareness to the community and making it easier to navigate services. The proposed project was an infographic that entails program information, eligibility requirements, and contact information of various organizations. The screening questionnaire results revealed that all workshop attendees found this infographic to be a useful tool. It is recommended that CAB continues to make information accessible for residents of Santa Cruz County by creating resources like infographics to further facilitate access to services
Road To Success: Weekly Self-Assessment
Get PDFRoad To Success Sun Street Centers. The Road To Success program provides services for at-risk youth. The services include case management, life skills, training, facts about drug use, unsafe behaviors, community involvement, and intervention to avoid juvenile detention or expulsion from school. Youth are referred to our program by the school administration, probation department, or courts. As this program continues to provide services, youth continue to re-offend and are directed back into our program. This writer will create a weekly self-assessment for youth to read and check their weekly progress. This weekly assessment check-in will also be beneficial for the case manager to keep track of progress, concerns, and necessities and build a positive rapport with the youth. When a positive rapport is built, the client and case manager can identify the leading cause of issues. Getting to the root cause of the problems and having self-accountability will help youth not to reoffend by identifying weekly struggles and building a positive rapport with their case manager