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Enhancing Sexual Health Among Latinx Adolescents
No full text[ABSTRACT ONLY; NO FULL TEXT] Student Leaders in Sex Education is a service-learning opportunity for Public Health seniors at California State University, Los Angeles, offering sexual health education sessions and outreach events in three high schools located in the central Los Angeles area. The sexual health curriculum covered in both sessions and outreach events are the human reproductive system, gender identity/expression and human sexuality, sexually transmitted infections and human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, contraceptives and abstinence, consent, risky behaviors, assault, human trafficking, and healthy relationships abiding by the California Healthy Youth Act and California State Standards. In accordance with this program, the most appropriate planning model is the PRECEDE-PROCEED model which will help systematically guide their planning, implementation, and evaluation stages. In Central Los Angeles, Latinx adolescents produce increased rates of reported chlamydia cases within this marginalized population at nearly 50%. Studies have illustrated that Latinx adolescents in low-income environments contracted higher rates of sexually transmitted infections compared to Caucasian populations. Additionally, using the Health Belief Model is a suitable theory to address the understanding of how risk behaviors and barriers can influence adolescents' sexual health decisions. The constructs of the theory will structure four objectives to decrease chlamydia incidence rates among the selected population. The goals and objectives will provide an outline of the proposed strategy, the Enhanced Peer-Led Sexual Health Education Program, tailoring the Latinx high school students' needs using evidenced based practices and providing available resources for care. The evaluation will use mixed methods to measure the effectiveness of the proposed strategy resulting in overall reduction in the incidence of chlamydia. This proposed strategy will successfully be piloted for two years. If the program is successfully implemented, it can be adapted within the university's public health department for prospective seniors
Relieving Stress In College Students Through Physical Activity
No full text[ABSTRACT ONLY; NO FULL TEXT] In the United States (US) stress is a prevalent health concern in college students that increases the risk of poor academic performance, maladaptive health behaviors, mental health disorders, and poor physiological health. The National Health College Assessment (NHCA) executive summary of fall of 2023 reported that 51.5% out of 23,983 college students across the US were negatively impacted in their academic performance by stress. The California State University Northridge (CSUN) NHCA Spring of 2021 executive summary found that 56.7% out of 2,402 CSUN students reported that stress negatively impacted their academic performance. Individuals suffering from stress are at risk for depression, substance use disorders, and for suicide. The Klotz Student Health Center (KSHC) Health Education Unit along with the Exercise is Medicine-On Campus (EIM-OC) student club, and stakeholders will develop the EIM-OC PA program as an intervention to reduce stress in students. Research has shown that engaging in physical activity (PA) has a significant impact on relieving and preventing stress. The EIM-OC PA program will be implemented using the Mobilize Assess Plan-Implement Track (MAP-IT) program planning model. The activities of the program will use the constructs of self-efficacy, observational learning, behavioral capability, knowledge, social support, and social norms. These constructs utilized in the conceptual framework were taken from the Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) and the Social Ecological Model (SEM) to guide the activities that will carry out the objectives of the program. The program will recruit forty participants to participate in an 8-week peer-led PA program that will increase their self-efficacy in performing PA. The proposal includes timelines of program implementation, projected expenditures, and staff needed to implement the program. This program would benefit CSUN students to relieve stress levels by engaging in PA
Hedging and Politeness in Korean Casual Conversations
No full text[ABSTRACT ONLY; NO FULL TEXT] This study explores various Korean hedging devices (kuntey, kes kath-, -ese) and their perceived politeness within polite refusals occurring in Korean discourse. Hedging is an important aspect of politeness in Korean, but there appears to be limited research examining how individual Korean hedges are perceived as politeness strategies, particularly in casual conversations. By examining how Korean speakers of various proficiency levels perceive these hedges, the study aims to better understand the nuances of politeness associated with each individual hedge, solely within Korean casual conversations. Additionally, it seeks to explore if gender is a salient variable with regard to perceptions of polite speech. Data was collected using a survey consisting of 16 scenarios, each rated on a 6-point Likert scale, where participants assessed the politeness of the second speaker, or respondent, in each scenario. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of differences in perceived politeness among hedging devices and whether gender influences these perceptions
Typology of boundary-crossing motion event structures in Haitian Creole
No full text[ABSTRACT ONLY; NO FULL TEXT] The two-way typology proposed by Talmy (1991) categorized languages according to their expression of Path in motion events. Satellite-framed languages use a grammatical component such as a preposition to convey Path while conflating Motion and Manner in the main verb. Conversely, verb-framed languages conflate Motion and Path in the main verb, while treating Manner of Motion as extra information to be expressed in an additional structure, if at all. Among the early critics were Slobin and Hoiting (1997), who demonstrated that characteristically satellite-framed features are in fact acceptable in verb-framed languages in certain contexts, particularly when a boundary is not crossed. In the ensuing decades, even with the growing recognition of its limits, researchers have shown continued interest in Talmy's typology. However, there has been a lack of examination of creoles from the perspective of this typology. In this work, parallel texts in three languages are used to analyze motion event structures-specifically when an entity crosses a boundary-in Haitian Creole, which is the product of a verb-framed superstrate language and several satellite-framed substrata
STEM Education in VR: Investigating the Use of Virtual Reality for Learning Chemistry
No full textIssues of low student interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) career paths, and the leaking STEM educational pipeline call for novel teaching methods that pique engagement in these fields. To address this, researchers seek to incorporate virtual reality (VR) technology into the science classroom. Studies comparing VR learning with traditional learning have found higher achievement, motivation, engagement, and lower workload among students learning with VR, suggesting that VR may be a viable, engaging alternative to traditional science learning that can produce similar learning outcomes. More research is needed to explore the capabilities of VR for science learning, as some studies suggest the VR environment increases extraneous cognitive processing and distracts from lesson goals. VR users may also experience adverse symptoms (e.g., ocular discomfort, motion sickness), yet these symptoms are understudied relative to student learning. This study aims to address gaps in research and understand the effects of immersive VR technology on students learning chemistry. This study examined how VR may facilitate learning of chemistry topics (e.g., chemical bonds) by comparing the effect of different methods of material delivery on chemistry knowledge acquisition. VR symptoms, workload demand, and intrinsic motivation were also examined. Undergraduate CSUN students (N = 211) with no prior college chemistry experience were randomly assigned to one of three activities after a chemical bonds lecture: a VR learning activity, a real world (RW) learning activity, or a non-learning control activity (C). RW learners showed greater improvements in test scores than VR learners, indicating participants learned more when the learning activity was presented in the real world. No significant differences in VR symptoms were seen across the three groups after controlling for technology usage attitudes. Additionally, results show higher intrinsic motivation for the VR group compared to RW and C, and no differences between cognitive workload for VR and RW groups. Future studies should examine advanced chemistry topics and collaborative learning activities. This study adds to the literature by informing how VR technology may be implemented in the classroom as a method of supplemental learning (e.g., after a lecture)
Enhancing Asian American Post-Secondary Student Experience through an Asset-Based Approach
No full textThroughout American history and particularly in recent years, the impacts of police brutality, COVID-19, and inequity on communities of color have been topics of discussion. Asian Americans have long been labeled the "model minority," a stereotype that places undue expectations and stress on the community. This Model Minority Myth (MMM) continues to thrive, but educational institutions are working to combat its impact. However, few studies address the MMM from an asset-based approach, focusing on recognizing students' strengths rather than their needs. Shifting this focus can better reflect the contributions students make to learning environments and challenge conventional deficit-based pedagogies that ignore the knowledge, and skills students bring.This study examined the racial and cultural experiences of Asian Americans in U.S. society and education, especially in the context of the MMM. By advocating for an asset-based approach, it critiques the shortcomings of deficit perspectives and highlights the value of focusing on students' positive attributes. The study also explored the utilization of an asset-based tool, the Gallup CliftonStrengths® Assessment, which may help mitigate the effects of the MMM. Conducted through a hermeneutical phenomenological approach, the research provided insights into how Higher Education can better engage with the lived experiences of Asian American students, fostering an environment that values their contributions both inside and outside the classroom. The study's key findings highlight that the MMM continues to negatively impact Asian Americans, that Asian Americans' motivations to pursue higher education are influenced by factors beyond family expectations, and that asset-based approaches can elevate Asian American experiences while challenging the assumptions of the MMM.Keywords: Model Minority Myth, Asian American, Asian, strengths, asset-based approac
Construction of a Yen1-RFP strain of S. cerevisiae for Investigation of Yen1 in Double Strand Break Repair
No full textDamage to DNA due to exogenous or endogenous sources results in double-strand breaks that hinder DNA repair and cells. Saccharomyces cerevisiae, budding yeast, is a key model system helpful in understanding DNA double-strand break repair pathway (DSBR) in human DNA repair mechanisms. An intermediate structure during DSBR, known as double Holliday Junction, forms when a broken chromosome becomes intertwined with a sister chromatid or homologous chromosome. During anaphase, an anaphase bridge (AB) may arise in S. cerevisiae due to damage. A protein that may be recruited is the structure selective endonuclease (SSE) Yen1. Yen1 carries out final flap cleavage steps in meiotic recombination and as a backup system in DSBR pathways. Yen1 is believed to be the SSE present during anaphase to separate ABs. Therefore, the circumstances under which Yen1 functions, which other proteins are present and how they work to repair DNA is important to investigate. To investigate Yen1-RFP anaphase bridges, we prepared a strain containing Yen1-RFP, Dpb11-CFP, and Rad10-YFP genes to allow investigations by microscopy. We executed fluorescence microscopy experiments with the new strain, and analyzed images for ABs and nuclear foci following treatment with two different damaging agents, Zeocin and MMS. Flow cytometry data suggested successful arrest of cultures and release back into cell cycle, based on distributions of the cells at various cell cycle phases during the experiment. Findings group into two categories: ABs and nuclear foci. The ABs observed included bridges containing Yen1-RFP, Rad10-YFP, and colocalized Rad10-YFP/Dpb11-CFP. A higher rate of Yen1-RFP only bridges were observed prior to damage and decreased after damage. In contrast, colocalized Yen1-RFP/Dpb11-CFP anaphase bridges increased following damage at later timepoints. Rad10-YFP/Dpb11-CFP colocalized anaphase bridges also increased following damage compared to uninduced cultures. Yen1-RFP bridges may represent a new class of bridge never characterized before; it is unclear why the signal would be diminished following DNA damage. The colocalized Rad10-YFP/Dpb11-CFP, and Yen1-RFP/Dpb11-CFP anaphase bridges must represent two distinct types of bridges; it is possible they correlate to chromatin and ultrafine bridges, but it remains unclear. Last, no Yen1-RFP nuclear foci were observed. Dpb11-CFP-only, Rad10-YFP-only, and Dpb11-CFP/Rad10-YFP colocalized nuclear foci were all observed, however, Dpb11-CFP-only foci was the only class induced by DNA damage. This indicates that stalled replication forks and other DNA damage sites recruit Dpb11-CFP upon DNA damage. These results offer significant insight on Yen1 function
Incorporation of Newly Developed Machine-Learning/Intelligence in Advanced Structural Analysis
Full text linkWith the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning being implemented vastly in current reigning industries, the limits of application have yet to be fully discovered for advanced professions outside the realm of menial daily tasks executable by low-skilled workers. Structural and civil design remains the oldest and most essential field of engineering practices. This report aims to challenge, predict, and suggest the outcomes of a computer/machine-learning/AI-centric methodology in advanced structural analysis. This study finds the qualitative limits in which AI and machine learning can either assist or completely automate many procedures involved in completing a full set of structural construction documents from drafting/plan preparation to building and element analysis to final submittal and plan check. In turn, the automation of regular tasks of both novice and experienced structural engineers will be studied through the current/projected capabilities and development of machine learning and artificial intelligence technology. Current top-tier structural analysis software methods used in many structural engineering firms such as SAP, RAM, and RISA will be studied and compared with what can be accomplished with machine learning implemented within common structural engineering methods and current building code compliance. Detailing processes and structural/general note plan population, such as those capable in AutoDesk Revit and AutoCAD, will be studied in terms of their respective current development of generative AI design and the possibilities of improvement for those design programs with machine learning fully implemented into such programs. Finally, a feasibility review will be conducted on whether or not an open-source library - similar to those in computer science - with typical details, material conformation, and typical element detailing/analysis is sustainable within structural engineering. Economic and environmental impacts will also be concluded, along with current efforts to revolutionize AI and machine learning in other industries, and these will be compared to what it would take to automate such tasks in structural engineering
Unlocking Opportunities: A Comprehensive Analysis of LinkedIn Job Postings
Full text linkThis research dives deep into LinkedIn job postings by applying data science methodologies and advanced deep learning models to derive meaningful insights that are valuable to job seekers, employers, and policymakers. By combining various datasets, it carefully examines current job market trends, including new developments, sought-after skills, and major industry changes. Using deep learning models like LSTM, CNN, GRU, BiLSTM, and FNN, the research analyzes job description text to match it with the required skills and provide the predictions. This study seeks to assist people in adjusting to job market shifts, providing advice on matching career goals with industry demands. Its primary purpose is to enhance user's understanding of the employment scene, enabling them to make wise decisions and boost their professional trajectories in a rapidly evolving environmen
A women empowerment group for 11th & 12th grade high school girls
No full textYoung girls from marginalized communities face many challenges that prevent them from pursuing higher education and high paying jobs. These challenges include a lack of family support, lack of college and job readiness, and lack of positive women role models. First-generation girls of socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds face specific challenges such as those related to gender roles like caring for younger siblings and responsibilities at home. These challenges cause young girls to fall behind in their education or to discontinue in its entirety. The aim of this project is to empower high school girls to pursue higher education and high paying jobs. The hope for this project is that girls will find a place where they can feel safe, supported, and understood while also learning essential life skills to use later in life