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A Comparison of Sleep and Sleep Hygiene Between Adolescents With and Without a Sibling With Autism Spectrum Disorder
Get PDFAdolescents are affected by bioregulatory and psychosocial factors creating what researchers have termed a "perfect storm" of inadequate sleep observed in many adolescents. Adolescents with a sibling with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) (ASWA) may be particularly vulnerable to insufficient sleep due to receiving less parental attention, sharing genetic risk factors associated with sleep disturbances in ASD, and exhibiting higher rates of insomnia compared to their peers. To date, previous studies have yet to compare the sleep of ASWA to their peers, adolescents who have a sibling without ASD (ASWOA). This comparison clarifies ASWA sleep vulnerabilities relative to their peers and informs appropriate support. To address this gap, a survey design (n = 46) was employed to assess sleep duration and sleep hygiene between ASWA and ASWOA, after statistically controlling for the known effects of age and school start time. My study aimed to 1) determine whether ASWA exhibit shorter sleep duration compared to ASWOA, and 2) examine whether adolescent- and parent-reported sleep hygiene mediate the relationship between group status and sleep duration. I hypothesized that ASWA would report shorter sleep, and that poorer sleep hygiene would mediate this difference. However, no significant differences in self-reported sleep duration were found between the groups. Furthermore, neither adolescent nor parent sleep hygiene mediated the relationship between sibling status and sleep duration. These unexpected findings highlight the need for future research with robust samples and rigorous methods. This study contributes novel preliminary data to the limited existing research on ASWA sleep and sleep hygiene
Scrolling to Insta-fit: does social media influence fitness aspirations and progress?
Get PDFThis study aims to experimentally examine the influence of Instagram fitness accounts on users' attitudes, perceived social norms, self-efficacy, and behavioral intent related to fitness activities and routines. Specifically, I hypothesize that individuals who follow fitness-specific accounts on Instagram will demonstrate more positive outcomes across these measures compared to individuals who follow food–and–fitness hybrid Instagram accounts. I argue this is likely to be the case as fitness-specific accounts generally provide far more actionable guidance related to fitness activities and fitness routines, as compared to accounts that also emphasize nutrition. In contrast, food–and–fitness hybrid accounts may be better positioned to mitigate potential concerns related to body image and unhealthy eating behaviors. As such, I also ask whether there is any difference between those following each type of account on perceptions of body image and unhealthy eating behaviors
Challenging bias in discipline policies: restorative anti-racist approach to discipline policy practices
Get PDFExclusion and disproportionate discipline of minority students is a school system equity issue. The personal biases of teachers and administrators can potentially mold students' academic outcomes, language use, and intellectual capabilities. This project uses qualitative research to explore how such bias produces discipline reactions and perpetuates system inequity. Discourse analysis will critically examine how language is used in discipline policies to perpetuate bias and unequal assumptions. Document analysis, narrative analysis, and ethnographic observation are qualitative methods that will investigate how students, teachers, and parents experience and interpret discipline in schools. By combining Communication and Cultural Studies, we will understand the discourse of discipline and how it becomes a tool of social power. When policy frames discipline through the language of "safety" or "zero tolerance," it relies on racialized assumptions and targets Black and Latino students. Analysis of school board policy will guide recommendations for reform to implement Restorative Justice, culturally responsive practice of discipline, and anti- racist models of discipline. This approach will humanize policy work and regulate the loopholes that are in the current policy. The project aims to support teachers and administrators in building fair and diverse schools
Development and Validation of iPSC-Derived Dendritic Cells for In Vitro Zika Virus Studies
No full textZika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus known to target immune cells, including dendritic cells (DCs), contributing to immune evasion and disease progression. While monocyte-derived dendritic cells (Mo-DCs) are commonly used in infection modeling, their donor-dependent variability and limited availability present challenges. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) offer a renewable, customizable alternative for generating immune cells, though their application in viral modeling remains underexplored. This study compared iPSC-derived dendritic cells (iPSC-DCs) and Mo-DCs in the context of ZIKV infection. iPSCs were differentiated into CD14⁺ monocytes and further into dendritic cells using commercial kits. Both iPSC-DCs and Mo-DCs were infected with ZIKV (SD001 strain) and analyzed using flow cytometry, qRT-PCR, focus-forming assays (FFA), and cytokine ELISA. Results showed that iPSC-DCs were morphologically and phenotypically similar to Mo-DCs and permissive to ZIKV infection, as evidenced by comparable viral RNA levels and infectious particle production. However, iPSC-DCs exhibited incomplete surface marker expression and produced detectable IL-6 only under nutrient stress conditions, suggesting partial differentiation. Despite these limitations, iPSC-DCs supported ZIKV replication and demonstrated potential as an in vitro model for studying flaviviral pathogenesis. This work highlights the feasibility and limitations of using iPSC-derived immune cells for viral infection modeling and paves the way for future research into scalable, patient-specific platforms for studying host–virus interactions
Treating anxiety in pediatric primary care: A case report
Get PDFPrimary care pediatric health care providers have always supported the well-being of children and their families. In the past, the focus has been diagnosing and treating common pediatric physical diseases as well as anticipatory guidance and prevention of pathology through well child visits. Now with the growing mental health crisis impacting young people, identifying, and treating common mental health disorders has become a health care priority in the pediatric primary care setting. A case study format is used to illustrate the assessment, evaluation and management of an adolescent presenting with symptoms of anxiety and depression. Evidenced-based interventions are presented, and mental health resources are provided to assist the pediatric health care provider to confidently care for common mental health disorders in adolescents.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0882596325000582https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedn.2025.02.0120882-596
Ethical AI in U.S. Newspaper Coverage: Media Framing and Corporate Accountability
Get PDFAs U.S. corporations increasingly adopt artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, ethical development and deployment concerns have become central to public discourse. This thesis investigates how news media in the United States cover and frame ethical issues related to corporate AI practices and whether media outlets hold corporations accountable for AI-related harms. This study, grounded in agenda-setting and media framing theory, explores the relationship between media narratives and public awareness of ethical AI issues, emphasizing the media's role as informer and watchdog. The study uses a mixed-methods design. A quantitative content analysis of over 14,000 U.S. newspaper articles published in 2024 identifies the frequency and prominence of ethical themes, including beneficence, nonmaleficence, autonomy, justice, and explicability. A qualitative analysis of 366 sampled articles examines whether ethical concerns are critically assessed. Findings reveal that while ethical concerns—particularly those related to risk, privacy, and job displacement—are present in media coverage, other principles, such as transparency and corporate accountability, are underrepresented. Media framing often emphasizes the benefits of AI and economic progress while minimizing structural harms or explicit attribution of responsibility. The study also identifies systemic challenges journalists face in covering AI ethics, including corporate influence, limited source access, and media–tech partnerships that may compromise independence
Words for a Revolution: The Communiqués of the Weather Underground
Get PDFThis thesis argues that the Weather Underground utilized communiqués as an integral component to their armed propaganda campaign in the late 1960s and 1970s. The Weather Underground, the successor to the radical New Left group, Students for a Democratic Society, rose to prominence in the United States in 1969. The Weather people fiercely supported anti-imperialism and anti-racism on a global scale and attempted to integrate these beliefs into American society. After being forced into hiding, the WU conducted a bombing campaign throughout the U.S. from 1970–1976. Theradical group bombed government buildings and offices as a form of protest. The intention of the bombings was not to cause harm to people but rather, to create a spectacle or demonstration. This form of violence was meant to draw attention to the group and their writings, not cause harm to groups of people or individuals. Alongside their bombings, the Weather Underground produced written statements called communiqués. These documents showcase the Weather Underground's relationship between violence and rhetoric, a point that is not thoroughly researched in the main academic conversations on the group. The communiqués openly advocated for the overthrow of the American government, fiercely supported the Black Liberation movement and prison reform and denounced the atrocities of the Vietnam War. The role of the communiqué for the Weather Underground was more than just a way to claim responsibility for a bombing. The communiqué became a site for the Weather people to advocate, educate, and most of all, criticize the American government for their wrongdoings both within the country and globally
Panorama city Resiliency Plan: Crime & Education
No full text[ABSTRACT ONLY; NO FULL TEXT] Panorama City is the ancestral home of the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians. Prior to the establishment of Spanish, Mexican, and American governments, Panorama City was a rich tribal area known as Wiqanga. Later, settlers used the land for cattle ranching, citrus groves, wheat fields, and dairy farms. Post World War II marked a significant turning point for Panorama City; the agricultural community was developed into the first planned community in the San Fernando Valley. First coined as the "The Heart of the Valley", industrialist Henry J. Kaiser and home builder Fritz Burns saw Panorama City as an opportunity to develop a suburban community by marketing homes for World War II veterans. Panorama City quickly transformed into a residential community with significant industrial and retail projects, especially General Motor's Fisher Body plant and the Panorama City Medical Center. The General Motor's Plant ultimately closed in 1992 and was rebuilt as The Plant shopping center in 1998. Today, Panorama City is home to a working-class community and offers relatively affordable housing for over 70,000 residents. Panorama City has many shopping opportunities including the Panorama City Mall, The Plaza Del Valle, The Plant and The Indoor Swap meet. For the past several decades, Panorama City has had sizeable Latino and Filipino communities which are an integral part of this neighborhood's social fabric. Resilience is the capacity of Panorama City's individuals, communities, institutions, businesses and systems to survive, adapt, and grow regardless of chronic stresses and acute shocks experienced. Creating cities that are more resilient to disasters requires strong planning efforts that show how long-term resilience planning can be used to strengthen the community. Resiliency is important because it helps create an organization that is empowered and has the capabilities to recover after a disaster threatens the stability of the community. To contribute to Panorama City's resilience, we analyzed indicators such as community networks, housing, crime safety, traffic safety, business environment, pedestrian safety, transportation, parks, air quality, energy usage, and urban heat island effect. Vehicle thefts, assaults, and vandalism are the most common crimes in Panorama City. Heat maps show the hottest areas are near the swap meet and multifamily residential zones. This aligns with the observations shared during our resiliency group meeting, where participants identified these areas as particularly vulnerable. Expert interviews indicate that the lack of legal deterrents and limited law enforcement resources contribute to the high crime rates. In response, the community has emphasized the need for social assistance, increased police presence, and improved street lighting to enhance safety. The Master of Urban Planning Spring senior cohort at California State University, Northridge obtained community feedback from Panorama City residents through a series of public meetings and surveys. The first meeting took place on October 19, 2024, this meeting introduced to residents a general profile centered around the history and current conditions of Panorama City, noting down concerns they had regarding their neighborhood. The second and third meetings occurred on February 25, 2025 and April 5, 2025 respectively. In the second meeting, residents ranked which indicators were of most importance to them, leading to the development of recommendations that were then ranked based on priority in the third community meeting. Throughout this process, two different surveys were put out electronically accessible through a QR code that were made available in English and Spanish. These surveys served as a separate tool to help gauge how residents felt about their community and contributed to the development of the final recommendations. The recommendation developed is to increase targeted police patrols in high-crime areas of Panorama City to enhance public safety and build community resilience. By assigning additional LAPD officers on foot or bicycles during peak crime hours can deter unlawful activity, improve response times, and foster trust between law enforcement and residents. Patrols would focus on identified hotspots such as Van Nuys Boulevard and parts of Sepulveda Boulevard
Operational Feasibility for Growth and Attraction of BLAST Swimming
Get PDF[ABSTRACT ONLY; NO FULL TEXT] This report analyzed BLAST Swimming as a competitive swim club in Southern California. Our team, Waveform Consulting, focused our analysis on customer experience, financial sustainability, competitive positioning, and overall organizational structure. To assess BLAST's current standing and growth potential, we collected and analyzed financial reports from 2017 to 2023, conducted firsthand interviews with the owner, attended a coaches' meeting, and evaluated customer engagement through parent surveys. Additionally, we performed a competitive analysis comparing BLAST with other swim programs in the area to identify key strengths, potential challenges, and opportunities for BLAST's long-term sustainability and growth. This also included secondary research on the growth potential of swimming in LA, mainly due to the upcoming 2028 Olympics. As we explored this project, our findings revealed several challenges. After assessing how competitors positioned themselves in the market and analyzing their operational efficiencies, we developed strategic recommendations for BLAST. My role in this project mainly involved managing all written and electronic communications with clients and professors within our group. I ensured that essential information was shared with the professors and the team as needed. Additionally, I developed client surveys to gather critical data for understanding the business from an operational perspective. I also compiled information regarding their overall customer experience, parent engagement, and training structures. Furthermore, I contributed to researching their direct competitors and the unique service offerings that set them apart from BLAST. Drawing on my athletic experience and expertise, I provided insights that helped shape our findings and inspired strategies to align us with our client's goals better. In addition to gathering data, I ensured that the final documentation presented our findings clearly and effectively. I played a crucial role in editing the paper, paying attention to every detail, which included correcting grammar, restructuring sentences for improved clarity and flow, fixing punctuation errors, and maintaining consistency in terminology. I also refined the tone to uphold a professional, engaging style consistent with the document's purpose and intended audience. We aimed to produce a cohesive and polished piece that conveyed our research, captured the reader's attention, and reflected our professionalism. Through extensive data collection, analysis, and real-world testing, we developed recommendations for BLAST. After thoroughly validating these strategies, we sought feedback from our advisors to ensure our findings aligned with industry best practices and BLAST's long-term vision. As the culmination of our MBA experience, we compiled our findings into a comprehensive report and presented our research-based recommendations to our client at the end of the semester
Economic Progress, Environmental Impact, and Quality of Life: A Holistic Analysis
Get PDF[ABSTRACT ONLY; NO FULL TEXT] This study explores the interconnected dynamics of economic growth, environmental sustainability, and human well-being across a broad range of global economies. It analyzes how fundamental economic activities such as foreign direct investment (FDI), international trade, and government spending impact key human development outcomes, including education, poverty reduction, and life expectancy, while also examining the environmental consequences of economic expansion through indicators like carbon emissions, renewable energy use, and natural resource depletion. The research aims to identify critical points where economic progress leads to significant environmental harm and to uncover policy measures that can minimize these effects. Using advanced econometric techniques, time-series analysis, and machine learning models, the study develops an innovative composite index that integrates economic, environmental, and social indicators to evaluate national development efficiency. Clustering and classification methods, including logistic regression and supervised learning algorithms, are used to group countries by development patterns and identify the strongest predictors of quality of life, with special attention given to the role of environmental factors. The findings show that nations investing strategically in renewable energy, education, healthcare, and sustainable infrastructure tend to achieve better human development outcomes without undermining ecological balance. The study also highlights the role of artificial intelligence in forecasting sustainability trends and supporting evidence-based, forward-thinking policymaking. By integrating diverse data sources and analytical methods, this research provides a practical and replicable framework for policymakers and international organizations striving to align economic development with social advancement and environmental responsibility, ultimately contributing to a more sustainable and equitable global future