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Harnessing Oyster Shells for Sustainable Coastal Restoration, Resilience and Ecosystem Enhancement
Get PDFClimate change and coastal erosion are two major threats facing coastal wetlands and marshes, especially in Connecticut and Rhode Island. Climate change has been causing sea level rise and increased storm surge during natural disasters like hurricanes and tropical storms, exacerbating erosion. Improper management techniques are also a challenge that shorelines are facing, hard structures like seawalls can be expensive to maintain and can lead to further erosion. Living shorelines is an adaptive management approach that can be beneficial to climate change and erosion mitigation and can foster nursery environments that invite new species and juvenile fish to the area to create a fully functioning ecosystem. This study seeks to address the benefits living shorelines can provide to vulnerable coastal areas, identify sustainable sources for recycled shells and make recommendations on how Connecticut and Rhode Island could better include recycled shells into their restoration plans. Coastal restoration can preserve natural environments and protect from further environmental degradation
Who Guards the Guardians? A Quantitative Analysis to Examine Police Corruption in the United States
No full textThere are conflicting perspectives among researchers and practitioners regarding the primary issues facing American police in the present context. Some argue that police are caught up in a subversive professional culture filled with corruption, brutality, and racism (Stamper, 2016; Winston & BondGraham, 2023). Others assert that the police are being targeted by the public with unwarranted criticisms, including the treatment of different social and racial groups by law enforcement (Heley, 2020; MacDonald, 2016). Despite these opposing views, a consensus exists in the literature that, when police officers engage in corrupt acts, public trust and confidence in the integrity of the police system are eroded.
Weisburd and Greenspan (2000) determined that one in six police officers supported the code of silence, which meant that they were more likely to conceal their peers\u27 misdeeds and often chose not to turn their peers in when misconduct was observed. Other researchers have found that law enforcement officers in the United States were arrested at a rate of 1.7 per 100,000 inhabitants countrywide (Stinson et al., 2016). Through an analysis of news articles and other media accounts of law enforcement misconduct, Stinson (2024) documented evidence of illicit drug-related activities by over 950 individuals and criminal sex-related offenses by more than 120 across all 50 states from 2005 to 2019.
Although police involvement in drug- and sex-related crimes has been somewhat explored in the literature (Jorgensen, 2018a, 2018b; Stinson et al., 2013, 2014a, 2014b), there remain important questions that need to be answered. Research on why police officers violate the law is also limited, especially from a criminological perspective (Boateng et al., 2023; Julián & Bonavia, 2020). To fill this knowledge gap, this study examines whether self-control theory provides an explanation for police corruption activities related to drugs and sex, as well as the code of silence and noble cause corruption. Achieving this objective requires determining whether the level of low self-control has an effect on perceiving drug- and sex-related acts or willingness to break the code of silence and justification to use the noble cause corruption.
The current study utilized an anonymous online self-report scenario-based survey to gather data from police officers for quantitative analysis. Data were collected from more than 250 police officers in the northeastern region of the United States. The findings revealed that low self-control predicted officers\u27 perceptions of drug- and sex-related corruption activities, as well as beliefs in the code of silence and justification of the noble cause corruption, at both the bivariate and multivariate levels. In addition, demographic variables, such as age, race, rank, educational attainment, lack of religious commitment, and police service, were found to be statistically significant and associated with attitudes and presumed behavioral outcomes at the bivariate level, although their significance and the direction of the established relationships varied across the outcome variables. However, the predictive effects on relationships of some demographics were attenuated when additional variables were included in regression models. The discussion, limitations, implications, and future research directions were also discussed
I Think, Therefore I Am (Unemployed): The Role of Criminogenic Thinking Styles in Employment Following Incarceration
No full textThis study focuses on the potential between criminogenic thinking styles and the ability to maintain employment within the criminal justice population. Criminogenic thinking has been shown to affect both positive and negative outcomes post-release, including reintegration into society and recidivism. Employment is one element of successful or unsuccessful reintegration following release from incarceration, with many factors contributing to ex-inmates’ abilities to find and maintain employment. Therefore, the present study explored how criminogenic thinking, and specific criminogenic thinking styles, impact the employment status of those on probation within New Haven County, Connecticut. Criminogenic thinking styles were measured using the Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles (PICTS), and employment status was measured using self-reported data from the Levels of Service Inventory (LSI). The sample included individuals 18 or older at the time of sentencing who had been sentenced to a period of at least 6 months of community supervision within the district of New Haven, Connecticut. Archival data was used from an ongoing longitudinal study of criminal risk factors among probationers, led by Dr. W. Amory Carr. The results of the study aim to further establish the relationship between criminogenic thinking and ability to maintain employment for those recently released from incarceration or on community supervision
Agua y Fuego
No full textTitle translated to Water and Fire.
This work of art is colored pencil on mixed media paper, 18x24.
I began this piece at the Fishkill Correctional Facility on March 19, 2022. A close friend had recently visited Culebra, a picturesque island just 20 miles east of Puerto Rico in the shimmering Caribbean Sea. She graciously shared a collection of photographs from her trip. As I sifted through them, one image captivated me: a majestic mountain that, in its silhouette, evoked the silhouette of a woman’s body peacefully reclined beneath a blazing sky.
This striking resemblance stirred deep emotions, merging my artistic inspiration from her snapshots with my profound love for my homeland. Driven by this vision, I poured my heart into creating this piece. However, as fate would have it, the work suffered damage due to unfortunate mishandling. After thoroughly retouching and altering its appearance, I marked it with a new date: 2024.https://digitalcommons.newhaven.edu/digital-exhibits/1047/thumbnail.jp
Nature\u27s Echoes (Triptych - Center)
No full textCreated 2024.
This work of art is part of a triptych, acrylic on canvas, 20” by 90”.
The confinement of a 6’ by 8’ prison cell became a place for me to explore and travel back to the memories of being in nature with my mother. This piece was inspired by those memories and the forest sounds that still echo within me. These sounds and memories kept me free during my incarceration.https://digitalcommons.newhaven.edu/digital-exhibits/1055/thumbnail.jp
The Role of Light in Regulating the Transcription of Specialized Metabolite Clusters in Chromobacterium Violaceum Relating to Pigment Production
No full textAn environmental isolate of Chromobacterium violaceum produces a previously uncharacterized orange pigment when exposed to light on select media. This pigmentation phenotype was discovered serendipitously when an ISP2 agar plate with C. violaceum growth was exposed to sunlight, resulting in an orange ring of new growth surrounding the older purple colony. This suggests that light exposure may influence the transcription of pigment production in C. violaceum. Typically, C. violaceum produces a purple pigment called violacein, a secondary metabolite known for its diverse biological activities. Since light is known to alter transcription and regulate gene expression in bacteria, we hypothesize that differential light levels induce transcriptomic changes in C. violaceum, leading to altered pigment production. To investigate, C. violaceum was grown at 30°C under different light spectrums and media compositions to observe pigment production. Various media types were tested to determine if a specific nutrient component contributes to orange pigment production, as nutrient availability can modulate gene activation and transcription. Additionally, different wavelengths of light were tested to identify differential pigment production, as specific light wavelengths can activate photoreceptors and trigger signal transduction pathways that lead to transcriptional changes. Once optimal growth conditions for orange pigment production were established, RNA was isolated from C. violaceum grown under selected conditions. RNA from five replicates of each condition were pooled for cDNA library construction and sequencing using Oxford Nanopore Technology MinION system. Data analysis resulted in 368 differentially expressed genes between light and dark conditions. In conclusion, two genes of the violacein gene cluster, three genes from the chromobactin gene cluster, two genes from the viobactin gene cluster, and four genes from the hydrogen-cyanide gene cluster were differentially expressed. Our results suggest that light has a role in regulating the expression of specialized metabolite clusters in C. violaceum, demonstrating the ability to adapt its secondary metabolism in response to environmental conditions
Identification of Bacterial Transcriptomic Signatures in Breast Cancer Tissues Using Publicly Available Datasets
Get PDFBreast cancer remains a significant global health concern, with increasing evidence suggesting a link between bacterial infections and cancer progression. This study aims to identify bacterial transcriptomic signatures within breast cancer tissues using publicly available datasets. While previous work in our lab has extensively explored the role of Borrelia burgdorferi in cancer, this research broadens the focus to investigate the presence of various bacterial species across different breast cancer samples.
Employing advanced bioinformatics methodologies, including the STAR aligner and MetaPhlAn for metatranscriptomics analysis, we analyzed RNA-sequencing data from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Our findings reveal diverse bacterial communities within breast cancer tissues, with significant variability in microbial species composition across project samples. Notably, species such as Paenibacillus sp., Cutibacterium acnes, Ralstonia insidiosa, Acinetobacter junii and Mycoplasmopsis hyorhinis were identified, suggesting that specific microbial populations may be associated with distinct tumor microenvironments.
These specific microbial profiles in breast cancer tissues may serve as a diagnostic tool, so differences in microbial communities could be used to distinguish between different subtypes of breast cancer or stages of disease progression. This study enhances our understanding of pathogen-cancer interactions. It provides a foundation for future research to uncover the mechanistic links between bacterial infections and breast cancer, potentially informing new therapeutic strategies
An Exploratory Study of the Experiences of Burnout and Compassion Fatigue Among Athletic Trainers Who Managed Catastrophic Injuries
No full textContext: While burnout is a widely investigated topic among athletic trainers, there is very little research on compassion fatigue and burnout as it relates to catastrophic injury management.
Objective: The aim of this study is to determine what, if any, impact catastrophic injury management has on the mental health and well-being of the athletic trainer. Secondarily, the study will identify coping strategies that athletic trainers may employ to cope with catastrophic injury.
Design: Qualitative study
Setting: One-on-one Zoom interviews that were audio and video recorded for transcription.
Patients or Other Participants: Eight certified or previously certified athletic trainers (n=4 men; n=4 women) were invited to participate in one-on-one interviews until data saturation was met. Inclusion criteria required the participants to have directly treated a work-related catastrophic injury within the past three years.
Data Collection and Analysis: This study followed an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) approach and utilized in-depth, semi-structured interviews to collect data. The data was analyzed using peer reviewing that included two individuals to promote objectivity and reduce bias. The codes derived from the transcripts were then organized into themes and included in the final write-up.
Results: Three themes emerged from the data: (1) Participants felt well prepared to manage catastrophic injuries, (2) Compassion fatigue as a dominant emotional response, and (3) Use of positive coping strategies.
Conclusion: Athletic trainers feel well prepared to manage catastrophic injuries but caring for athletes who suffer these injuries caused an emotional response in the form of compassion fatigue. Organizations within the athletic training community are encouraged to acknowledge this potential trigger and promote positive coping strategies
Relationship Between Trait Emotional Intelligence and Burnout Among Nurses
No full textThis study aims to examine the relationship between the emotionality component of trait emotional intelligence (EI) and occupational burnout. Burnout syndrome is defined as feelings of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and low personal accomplishment that most commonly affect those professions requiring a high degree of emotional labor. The side effects of burnout in a healthcare setting have proven costly to healthcare organizations due to poor staff retention, staff shortages and at times suboptimal patient care. The COVID-19 pandemic worked to exacerbate a preexisting condition and the urgency of healthcare organizations to reevaluate their approach towards burnout is made apparent by the American Nurses Association’s estimate that in 2021 as many as 62% of U.S. nurses displayed symptoms. Past research has done well to identify factors contributing to higher likelihood of burnout be they environmental or organizational. Additionally, significant research has been focused on the prevention of burnout through the alleviation of stressors and programs such as organizational wellness initiatives. However, there has been limited research on the innate coping mechanisms one might possess through elevated levels of EI and specifically the emotionality trait component. Utilizing two validated survey instruments, this study identifies the emotionality component of trait EI as possessing a significant negative correlation with the presence of burnout among a sample of nursing staff. Trait EI is an individual’s beliefs pertaining to their emotions. The emotionality component encompasses one’s trait emotions of empathy, emotional perception, emotional expression, and lastly one’s ability to form fulfilling personal relationships. Trait emotions lend themselves well to patient care. This finding suggests that future researchers might take into consideration the emotionality trait and its role in the mitigation of occupational burnout through training initiatives or possible hiring practices
An Overview of Ancillary Services Provided by Vehicle-to-Grid Systems
Get PDFVehicle-to-Grid (V2G) systems are emerging as a pivotal technology in modern power systems, offering a range of ancillary services that enhance the stability and reliability of power systems. This paper provides an overview of the key ancillary services provided by V2G systems, highlighting their role in grid modernization. Technical challenges, economic implications, and policy considerations associated with the deployment of V2G systems are explored to assess their potential impact on advancing a more resilient and sustainable energy infrastructure