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Rethinking the Red Zone: Risk Factors of College Student Dating Violence Victimization During the Fall Semester
No full textCollege students experience dating violence (DV) victimization at alarmingly high rates, which is associated with a variety of negative outcomes (Brewer & Thomas, 2019; Choi et al., 2017; Leemis et al., 2022). To implement effective prevention programming, it is important to understand the risk factors associated with DV victimization on college campuses. Further, college students report the highest rates of one type of DV victimization—sexual victimization—during the fall semester, also known as the “red zone” (Carey et al., 2018, Cranney, 2015). This study utilized the socioecological model to understand which individual-, relationship-, and community-level risk factors were associated with DV victimization during the fall semester. Students completed two surveys to assess their experiences prior to and during the fall semester. Gender, class-year, prior victimization, alcohol use, relationship status, Greek life involvement, and residence type were all significantly predictive of DV victimization during the fall semester. This study offers novel findings about the red zone of violence on college campuses, suggesting that the factors that increase DV victimization risk during the fall semester may be more complex than previously thought
Are maternal adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and resilience associated with breastfeeding rates and neonatal growth?
Get PDFBackground: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have shown to have a negative impact on health outcomes. There is evidence of how negative childhood events adversely affect self-esteem in adulthood. Not only do ACEs have an impact on one\u27s own life, but maternal ACEs have shown to have consequences on infants’ development as well, indicating a negative intergenerational impact.
Objectives: To analyze the relationship between maternal ACEs on infant outcomes, breastfeeding adherence, and maternal self-perception
Design/Methods: Between 2020 and 2023, 120 mother-infant pairs from a New Jersey urban hospital were approached between their 2nd trimester and the 2-month well visit. Mothers completed the ACE Questionnaire and the 7 C’s Tool survey for maternal resilience. Infant developmental milestones were collected from 2-,4-,6- and 12-month well-visits. Chi-square, Mann Whitney U, and independent t-tests were used to examine ACEs, maternal race and resilience, breastfeeding adherence, and infant developmental milestones.
Results: A total of 51% (N=59) of mothers were categorized as having high ACE scores (2+). Higher scores from the 7 C’s Tool survey reflected lower resilience. There was a significant association between maternal ACE scores and higher 7 C’s Tool survey scores, linking lower maternal resilience with higher maternal ACE exposure (p\u3c 0.001)
There was found to be no significant relationship between ACE scores, race, and breastfeeding, and infant weights and head circumferences. Additionally, there was no significant relationship between resilience scores, race, breastfeeding, and infant weights and head circumferences. Though not statistically significant, black and Hispanic mothers represented a larger percentage of mothers with high ACEs scores while white mothers represented a lower percentage. Black mothers also represented a higher percentage of mothers categorized as high 7 C’s Tool Survey scores, reflecting lower resilience against adversity.
Conclusions: The data shows evidence for a significant impact of ACEs affecting mothers’ self-perception and self-determined resiliency. Future research should focus on determining the relationship between maternal race, ACEs, and their impact on both maternal and infant health outcomes
Collaborating for Inclusion: Awareness and Understanding in Action at Six-String Biotech
Get PDFIt was early summer 2020. The Breonna Taylor and George Floyd murders were front of mind across the United States. People were flooding the streets of cities large and small, demanding an end to racist policies and actions embedded in the United States’ social fabric. At Six-String Biotech, ten employees of color went to company executives with their concerns about inclusion and equity inside their organization and the need for change. This case tells how Six-String Biotech responded to these employees, engaged in difficult internal conversations, and began a change process to create a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable organizational culture
Mentoring First-Gen Students through On-Demand Co-curricular Programs
No full textWest Chester University utilizes a unique approach to mentoring thousands of first-gen students through on-demand programs based on Yosso\u27s Cultural Wealth Model includes six types of capital that educational leaders may use to frame their interactions with students. The six forms of cultural capital are aspirational, linguistic, familial, social, navigational, and resistance. Yosso designed this model to capture the talents, strengths, and experiences that students bring with them to their college environment and empower them to thrive. Join us for a discussion about West Chester\u27s First Co-curriculum and and the needs of today\u27s first-generation college students
NUMERICAL ANALYSES OF CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS AT DIFFERENT SCALES FOR IMPROVED RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY OF CIVIL INFRASTRUCTURES
No full textThe resilience and sustainability of civil infrastructure are fundamental to supporting modern society in the face of growing environmental challenges and resource limitations. This study aims to use multi-scale numerical tools to evaluate mechanical performance of different construction materials under various environmental and loading conditions. Firstly, we adopt the discrete element method (DEM) to evaluate the influence of freeze-thaw cycles (FTCs) action on the mechanical properties of rock from the micro perspective. A simplified plastic model is proposed to capture the residual deformation produced during FTCs. To further explore the deterioration of FTCs on rock, the water-contained grain-based model (GBM) is developed in this study to evaluate the effects of mineral component and porosity on the mechanical behavior of rock after FTCs. Inspired by the GBM, the image processing is used to get the contour of aggregates of asphalt mixtures, which is used for reconstructing the DEM model of asphalt mixtures. A modified Burger’s model is proposed to explore the time and temperature-dependent behavior of asphalt mixtures. Finally, a Finite Element Method (FEM) simulation is carried out to evaluate the long-term deformation of pavement section under trucking loading. Through comparing the numerical results and field test results, the developed FEM model is validated, which is helpful for pavement design and failure prediction
MIND MATTERS: INVESTIGATING THE IMPACT OF MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINING ON HIGH SCHOOL STAFF
Get PDFThis dissertation, titled Mind Matters: Investigating the Impact of Mental Health First Aid Training on High School Staff, examines whether Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training equips high school personnel with the necessary tools to identify and support students in crisis. Conducted over six weeks during a series of Kitchen Table Conversations, the study involved eight high school staff members who participated in a structured MHFA training program. Qualitative data collected from participant discussions revealed that while the current MHFA training format is a good start, it lacks school-specific contextualization. More importantly, the opportunity to discuss and process the material with colleagues proved to be as beneficial—if not more so—than the training itself. Findings highlight the need for additional, school-specific training, a structured protocol for distressed students, mental health support for teachers, a return-to-school advisory committee for students recovering from a crisis, and finding time to meet, discuss, and process training topics. Additionally, MHFA training should include follow-ups and deeper engagement with school communities, as a single six-hour session is insufficient. With youth suicide remaining a critical concern, meaningful training and ongoing discussion are essential to ensuring effective support for students in need
TOXIVERSE: AN ONLINE COMPREHENSIVE CHEMICAL PROFILING, MODELING, AND DATA ANALYSIS PLATFORM
Get PDFMassive chemical data is now publicly available through publications and various online databases. However, most online databases only provide data unsuitable for modeling purposes and limited machine learning (ML) modeling for those data. As a public chemical toxicity evaluation tool to resolve these issues, the Toxicology Universe (ToxiVerse) portal hosts curated chemical structures and toxicological/pharmaceutical data of 26,000 compounds which can be used directly for modeling purposes. Furthermore, users can upload chemical datasets to extract all involved bioassays for compounds inside as biological profiles. ToxiVerse also features automatic QSAR modeling of uploaded datasets using multiple chemical descriptors and algorithms provided by the ToxiVerse portal synchronously and predicts target chemicals for their toxicity potentials and fundamental pharmaceutical properties. A knowledge-based deep neural network (k-DNN) is also integrated to identify potential estrogenic toxicants and their toxicity pathways. The ToxiVerse portal provides the scientific communities with a robust online public platform to obtain machine-readable datasets and perform modeling for desired toxicity and pharmaceutical properties
AI-ADVANCED OPTIMAL OPERATION AND MANAGEMENT FOR DISTRIBUTED ENERGY RESOURCE DOMINATED ENERGY SYSTEMS
Get PDFElectric power systems are undergoing a major transition from a centralized to a decentralized operation paradigm, driven by the rapid adoption of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs). While increased DER penetration contributes to consumer empowerment, energy security, and system flexibility, it also introduces challenges involving grid stability, load variability, and infrastructure constraints. This dissertation addresses these challenges by exploring advanced Energy Management System (EMS) solutions including model-based and model-free optimization methodologies: first, a model-based optimization strategy is proposed to coordinate multi-energy sources, while balancing economic, emission, and operational goals for sustainable campus microgrid operations; second, a distributed multi-agent deep reinforcement learning framework is proposed for community energy management, enabling decentralized control while addressing critical concerns related to data privacy, solution convergence and scalability; third, advanced market strategies are formulated for prosumers collaborating with DER aggregators, leveraging both single and multi-agent reinforcement learning algorithms to support prosumers’ engagement, strategic bidding, and active wholesale market participation. This research demonstrates improved economic viability of DERs in future electric grids, advances EMS design through customized AI methods, and underscores the potential for ongoing innovation in an evolving energy landscape
Cold-Weather Self-Consolidating Concrete
No full textTraditional cold-weather concreting methods entail significant challenges related to speed and quality of concrete placement, manpower demand, and cost, particularly in heavily reinforced structures. This study develops a highly flowable cold-weather self-consolidating concrete (CWSCC) that can withstand temperatures as low as 23°F (-5°C) without artificial heating by combining chemical admixtures including a superplasticizer, an air-entrainer, and an additive-based frost protection (ABFP) system comprising of set accelerators. Additionally, the study explores incorporating a hydration stabilizer, supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), and viscosity modifiers. The fresh properties, rheological parameters, setting behavior, and compressive strength of the mixtures were evaluated according to standard procedures and related literature. The results show that CWSCC is suitable for cold-weather applications, maintaining workability for 15-60 minutes after mixing. Dynamic yield stress was found to inversely correlate with slump flow. The setting behavior was assessed using both standard penetration resistance test and ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) test. At 23°F (-5°C), CWSCC\u27s 90-day compressive strength was 26% less than moist cured concrete at 68°F (20°C). CWSCC\u27s material cost was 33% higher than vibrated concrete but was offset by savings in placement, consolidation, and heating. It proved to be more cost-effective and resulted in lower CO2 emissions for smaller structures, with additional potential savings in equipment mobilization and project timelines
Effectiveness of Mind-Body Therapy Techniques In the Management of Chronic Pain
Get PDFIn this review, we aim to determine whether mind-body therapies—defined here as mindfulness meditation, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR)—can effectively improve pain management in adults with chronic lower back pain, particularly when compared to standard opioid treatments alone or used in conjunction with them. Our hypothesis posits that mind-body therapies serve as valuable supplements to current opioid-based treatment plans, potentially improving not only pain outcomes but also overall quality of life and psychological well-being.
By synthesizing findings from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and meta-analyses, this review builds on existing literature by narrowing the treatment scope and focusing specifically on adults with chronic lower back pain. We focus on studies that utilize mindfulness meditation, CBT, and their combination in treatment plans. By examining studies involving populations with a history of opioid prescriptions, we aim to explore how supplementing mind-body therapies may impact patient outcomes, while also addressing current limitations in data availability and consistency regarding opioid use. Ultimately, this review seeks to provide evidence-based recommendations for integrating these therapies into clinical practice, contributing to a more holistic and sustainable approach to chronic pain management that addresses both physical and psychological dimensions of patient well-being