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The Portrayal of Mexican (Im)migration in Children\u27s Literature
No full textChildren\u27s literature has set the foundation for many of the important lessons that are taught in the education system. Teaching children about diversity and inclusivity is an important component to create a safe and loving world. I write this thesis for young readers, especially Latinx and Non-Latinx readers. I introduce the chapter going through the immigration policies and misconceptions. I analyze the relationship between the United States and Mexico from 1994- 2022 because a lot of the policies have changed over the years. Some events that unfolded within those years set the catalyst for judgments and misconceptions of immigrants. Children book authors have created books that allow young readers to understand the realities of (im)migration. Individuals crossing the border go through a lot of setbacks in order to find better opportunities for themselves and loved ones. Throughout my thesis, I analyze five picture books that focus on detailing immigration, migration, separation of family and adapting to a new life. Using illustrations better captivates young readers to see how these obstacles affect individuals. It also incorporates important Mexican tradition that represents the importance of family. Providing the space to inform young Latinx and Non-Latinx readers about (im)migration is important in spaces where many individuals encounter similar stories. Being aware of this allows for a more comfortable and accepted environment
\u27Accepted, But Not Welcome\u27: Why Are BIPOC Students Not Part of Greek Life at Union College?
No full textAbstract: While 67% of the student population at Union College is white, 81% of the Greek life population is white, there is a 14% difference in the white population between Greek life members and the student population. This 14% surge in the white population between Greek life members and the student population is unlikely by accident, which begs the question: Why are BIPOC students not part of Greek life at Union? The existing literature on the subject suggests that there are a variety of factors, such as history, class, socioeconomic, race, that influence this dearth, but no studies thus far have explored this question. Furthermore, a qualitative study was conducted and then analyzed thematically to uncover: the general landscape of Greek life at Union College, the reasons students choose to join Greek life, and the reasons BIPOC do not join Greek life. The results demonstrated that Greek life plays a large role in campus social life, and was highly dictated by athletic affiliation, race, and gender. The most prevalent reasons students chose to join were: generational ties, asserting relevance, meeting people, athletic ties to organizations, sense of community, breaking racist cycles, professional opportunities, and pressure to join. Conversely, the reasons BIPOC students did not join were: lack of belonging, lack of connection to network, no robust options of multicultural fraternities, focus on academics, a disinterest in parties, fear of isolation from BIPOC community, and the negative history and culture of historically white organizations. This study can further knowledge, which can help build more racially inclusive higher education institutions
Reversal of Apoptosis as a Homeostatic Mechanism in Mammalian T-lymphocytes
No full textProgrammed cell death by apoptosis is a vital feature of multicellular life. It is characterized by a common set of morphological and biochemical changes that include chromatin condensation, caspase activation, DNA cleavage, membrane blebbing, and cellular fragmentation. Apoptosis can be reversed by a process called anastasis, which has been previously documented as a contributing mechanism in cancer recurrence following chemotherapy. The goal of our current work was to determine whether anastasis represented a more generalized cellular process independent of cancer. We used cultured mouse HT2 T-lymphocytes as a model system, a non-cancerous cell line that is dependent on the cytokine Interleukin 2 (IL2) for survival. Apoptosis was induced in HT2 cells with three different methods: IL2 deprivation (starvation), treatment with staurosporine, or camptothecin. We have previously shown that apoptosis induced by IL2 deprivation for 24 hours was reversible following IL2 re-addition, as cells were observed to gradually resume their normal physiological processes within 72 hours of rescue. Here, HT2 cells were also treated with staurosporine and camptothecin, washed free of each inducer, recovered in IL2, and analyzed by flow cytometry at 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours following the removal of the chemical inducer. Cell viability and executioner caspase 3/7 activity were determined jointly using SYTOX Red vital dye and NucView 488 substrate, respectively, whereas cell cycle distribution was monitored post-fixation using propidium iodide to determine DNA content per cell. Our findings revealed that apoptosis in HT2 cells was reversible following camptothecin treatment and IL2 deprivation and that HT2 cells gradually regained normal cell cycle distribution during the 72-hour rescue window. However, cells induced with staurosporine could not be rescued from apoptosis. Interestingly, sustained caspase activity was observed throughout the rescue period for cells treated with camptothecin for 9 hours. Our findings suggest that anastasis may be a normal physiological process in animal cells independent of malignancy but dependent on the inducer of apoptosis
Autism, the Least Restrictive Environment, and Special Education Faculty Stress and Burnout
Full text linkThe prevalence of autism has increased over recent decades. Today, education is the primary intervention for individuals with autism. The ability for students with autism to receive interventions in the classroom comes from the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This thesis analyzes the education of students with autism through a critical analysis of the IDEA and the least restrictive environment (LRE) provision specifically. In this analysis, I found that several variables play a key role in the implementation of the LRE, including funding, state of residence, and locale of residence. To further understand the implementation of the LRE, I surveyed special education faculty on their stress and burnout, resources, staffing, support, and the number of students not in the LRE in their classroom. I found that resources, staffing, and support all predict the level of stress and burnout in faculty. Most importantly, I found that the more stress and burnout faculty report, the more students they report who are not in the LRE in their classroom. These findings provide insight into the shortcomings of the IDEA
Designing and Manufacturing a Human Powered Vehicle
Full text linkThis thesis will discuss the process of designing, manufacturing, and testing of a two-wheeled, front-wheel drive, adjustable recumbent bicycle. The design aims to create a more accessible, comfortable, efficient, and utilitarian bicycle. The design utilizes a two-wheeled, front-wheel drive system, and is adjustable for riders of different heights. The two-wheeled design was chosen for its simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and accessibility. The front-wheel drive system that this bicycle utilizes was chosen over a more traditional rear-wheel drive because it significantly reduced the length of the chain. The increased chain length from rear-wheel drive models is the primary cause of large frictional losses in the power transmission. Furthermore, the bicycle was designed with current road bike standards in mind, as wheel spacings, chain length, and gearing are all cross-compatible with upright bicycles. The frame is TIG welded and made from 4130 chromoly steel tubing. Steel was chosen for its high strength, manufacturability, and low cost. Testing was done on varied grades against a traditional drop-bar road bike, and the recumbent bike was ~30% faster than the road bike on flat to downhill terrain but lagged behind on steep uphills
Automatic Play-testing of Dungeons and Dragons Combat Encounters
Full text linkDungeons and Dragons is a game where a player, the Game Master / Game Manager (GM), creates content for a set of other players. It is challenging for GMs to predict the difficulty of potential combat encounters. To aid GMs in balancing combat, we create a simulation environment where virtual agents automatically play-test potential encounters and predict difficulty. We implement several agents to simulate human players that fall into two main categories: rule-based agents that follow a pre-made set of rules and general game-playing agents that explore many potential moves. In simple scenarios, rule-based agents win at a higher rate than general agents, but with complex scenarios, the rule-based and general agents perform similarly. These agents interact in a simulated game environment to play-test potential combat encounters. Our results demonstrate that this simulation outputs similar predictions to from base predictions given from the rule-set of DnD. However, in some situations where our simulation deviated from pre-existing predictions, the predictions from experience GMs align more closely with our simulation than existing systems
Chronic Neck Pain in Surgeons
No full textPerforming surgery is a physically demanding job that requires immense focus and precision for long durations of time. Often, surgeons operate in suboptimal positions while wearing heavy surgical headlamps leading to high-risk neck flexion angles. Due to the current technology and the physical requirements of the operating room, 75% of surgeons report having experienced neck pain throughout their careers. This neck pain can lead to the development of musculoskeletal disorders, impacting a surgeon\u27s career longevity. With this in mind, we designed a wearable surgical light that removes the extra load on the neck and alerts the surgeon of high-risk neck flexion angles for real-time posture correcting
Using stable isotope analysis to explore the exploitation of anthropogenic foods by Sciurus carolinensis and Tamias striatus at varying levels of availability
No full textUrban and suburban areas are continuing to grow and spread into natural habitats causing wildlife to face more anthropogenic pressures. Habitat fragmentation is also increasing which typically results in decreased species richness and viability in a given area, but some studies show that species with generalist diets may take advantage of urban ecosystems by exploiting anthropogenic food sources. To explore this idea, I conducted live trapping of eastern chipmunks (Tamias striatus) and gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) at various levels of anthropogenic food availability to obtain a fur sample and conduct stable isotope analysis. Stable isotope values δ13C and δ15N reflect the long term diet of an organism throughout its molting period due to isotopic fractionation that occurs in plants and the accumulation of animal protein through trophic levels. Eastern chipmunks were captured on Union College campus, residential properties, and rural forests while gray squirrels were captured on Union College campus and a rural deciduous forest. Anthropogenic food availability is highest on campus due to open trash cans and dumpsters, intermediate on residential properties, and lowest in rural forests. Isotopic signatures of gray squirrels from urban locations were significantly higher in δ15N and δ13C than their rural counterparts (p\u3c0.0001, p\u3c0.003, for δ15N and δ13C, respectively; t-test). Eastern chipmunks followed a similar pattern such that the isotopic signatures of chipmunks from urban sites were significantly higher in both δ15N and δ13C in comparison to their rural equivalents (p\u3c0.0001, p\u3c0.004; t-test). This suggests that the animals are exploiting anthropogenic food sources when available. Further analysis of the chipmunk data revealed differences within site types. Signatures of eastern chipmunks from residential properties with bird feeders were significantly higher in δ13C than those without feeders and rural sites (p\u3c0.007, Tukey HSD), likely a reflection of corn that is often present in bird seed. Isotopic signatures of eastern chipmunks from the Albany Pine Bush at a site dominated by nitrogen fixing black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) trees were significantly lower in δ15N than any other location (p\u3c0.0001, Tukey HSD). Overall, the exploitation of anthropogenic foods by small mammals is reflected in the isotopic signatures of their fur, but underlying factors such as local vegetation may disrupt these pattern
A Novel Design of the Endotracheal Tube Bite Guard and Fixation System: The Bite Hero
No full textThere are 3.75 million patients in intensive care units (ICUs) on mechanical ventilation through endotracheal (ET) intubation. ET tube bite guards are designed to stop intubated patients from biting and damaging the portion of the ET tube in their mouth. About 50% of ET tube intubated patients experience severe pressure ulcers to the cheek, lips, mouth, tongue, or gums caused by the bite guard. Due to the placement of the bite guard on the incisors, patients can experience dental damage upon biting. There is a need for an ET tube bite guard and fixation system that minimizes dental and oral trauma, has an efficient installation/removal process, and is cost effective for hospitals while still performing its clinical function. Here, we are going to present a novel design-the Bite Hero. Through testing, it has been shown that the Bite Hero can be used as a functional ET tube bite guard and fixation system. Its design decreases dental and oral trauma by eliminating contact with the face, and redistributing incisor pressure onto the premolars
Schenectady\u27s Voices: Stories from Four BIPOC Locals Changing Their Community
No full textIn this paper, I will reflect on my visual art thesis painting project, going more in depth about the process, my inspiration, and my subjects. For my project, I wanted to highlight individuals from the Schenectady area that have experienced adversities but have chosen to give back to the community despite them. As a result, I created 4 large scale portraits of people of color who live and work in Schenectady, New York. I met with and interviewed Sherain Rivera, Sookyung Lee, Will Rivas, and Jamaica Miles. The four of them serve and are very involved in their community in multiple ways. Talking with them gave me the opportunity to learn more about them and their stories of determination. The purpose of this project was to give them, and more broadly, the marginalized communities in the Capital Region more representation in a space where they have felt ignored and discriminated against. Throughout this paper, I explain my process of learning to paint with oil for the first time, the struggles I faced with making large scale portraits, and my inspiration for the project. I also discuss three professional artists that influenced my work along the way: Jordan Casteel, Amy Sherald, and Alice Neel. Lastly, I give a brief description of each of the personalities and stories of my models, and connect them to the larger purpose of my work, which is to invoke empathy within my viewers