MDPI Collection

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12588/185

Browse

Now showing 1 - 20 of 29

A Review of Research on Mathematics Teacher Educator Knowledge: Mapping the Terrain
(2024-07-25) Castro Superfine, Alison; Olanoff, Dana; Welder, Rachael M.; Prasad, Priya V.
Over the past two decades, the landscape of research on mathematics teacher educators (MTEs) has grown considerably. One particular area of interest has focused on MTE knowledge and the ways in which it is developed and used in teaching practice. However, studies have conceptualized MTE knowledge in different ways and have employed considerably different methodologies and approaches to its study. In an effort to understand this varied landscape, we conducted an extensive review of research on the nature and development of MTE knowledge. This review provides a broad descriptive analysis of the existing theoretical and empirical research on MTEs’ knowledge, explores the theoretical underpinnings of the existing frameworks for and studies on MTE knowledge, and considers implications for future research.
Alternative Treatments to Exercise for the Attenuation of Disuse-Induced Skeletal Muscle Atrophy in Rats
(2024-07-22) Park, Jinho; Symons, T. Brock; Kwon, Eun Hye; Chung, Eunhee; Lee, Sukho
The prevalence of skeletal muscle atrophy, caused by disease and aging, is rising as life expectancy increases. Exercise is the most effective treatment option; however, it is often impractical for individuals suffering from disease or bedridden. The formulation of non-exercise-based interventions is necessary. This study assessed the impact of acupuncture (AC), electro-acupuncture (EA), and electrical stimulation (ES) on muscle mass and contractile properties in a model of casting-induced muscle atrophy. Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 40) were assigned to five groups: control (CON), cast (CT), cast receiving AC (CT-AC), cast receiving EA (CT-EA), and cast receiving ES (CT-ES) (n = 8 each). Treatments were 15 min and three times/week for 14 days. Contractile properties and protein markers of atrophy and inflammation were measured. Casting decreased muscle mass and fiber cross-sectional area, but AC, EA, and ES attenuated cast-induced muscle atrophy. All treatments increased peak twitch tension compared to CT. CT increased the protein levels of MAFbx and MuRF1, while AC, EA, and ES mitigated the elevation of these proteins. Our results indicate that acupuncture, electro-acupuncture, and electrical stimulation show promise as therapeutic strategies to counteract skeletal muscle loss and dysfunction resulting from disuse atrophy caused by injury, disease, and aging.
Alzheimer’s Amyloid Hypothesis and Antibody Therapy: Melting Glaciers?
(2024-03-31) Høilund-Carlsen, Poul F.; Alavi, Abass; Castellani, Rudolph J.; Neve, Rachael L.; Perry, George; Revheim, Mona-Elisabeth; Barrio, Jorge R.
The amyloid cascade hypothesis for Alzheimer’s disease is still alive, although heavily challenged. Effective anti-amyloid immunotherapy would confirm the hypothesis’ claim that the protein amyloid-beta is the cause of the disease. Two antibodies, aducanumab and lecanemab, have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, while a third, donanemab, is under review. The main argument for the FDA approvals is a presumed therapy-induced removal of cerebral amyloid deposits. Lecanemab and donanemab are also thought to cause some statistical delay in the determination of cognitive decline. However, clinical efficacy that is less than with conventional treatment, selection of amyloid-positive trial patients with non-specific amyloid-PET imaging, and uncertain therapy-induced removal of cerebral amyloids in clinical trials cast doubt on this anti-Alzheimer’s antibody therapy and hence on the amyloid hypothesis, calling for a more thorough investigation of the negative impact of this type of therapy on the brain.
Alzheimer's Amyloid Hypothesis and Antibody Therapy: Melting Glaciers?
(2024-03-31) Høilund-Carlsen, Poul F.; Alavi, Abass; Castellani, Rudolph J.; Neve, Rachael L.; Perry, George; Revheim, Mona-Elisabeth; Barrio, Jorge R.
The amyloid cascade hypothesis for Alzheimer’s disease is still alive, although heavily challenged. Effective anti-amyloid immunotherapy would confirm the hypothesis’ claim that the protein amyloid-beta is the cause of the disease. Two antibodies, aducanumab and lecanemab, have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, while a third, donanemab, is under review. The main argument for the FDA approvals is a presumed therapy-induced removal of cerebral amyloid deposits. Lecanemab and donanemab are also thought to cause some statistical delay in the determination of cognitive decline. However, clinical efficacy that is less than with conventional treatment, selection of amyloid-positive trial patients with non-specific amyloid-PET imaging, and uncertain therapy-induced removal of cerebral amyloids in clinical trials cast doubt on this anti-Alzheimer’s antibody therapy and hence on the amyloid hypothesis, calling for a more thorough investigation of the negative impact of this type of therapy on the brain.
An Iterative Procurement Combinatorial Auction Mechanism for the Multi-Item, Multi-Sourcing Supplier-Selection and Order-Allocation Problem under a Flexible Bidding Language and Price-Sensitive Demand
(2024-07-17) Abbaas, Omar; Ventura, Jose A.
This study addresses the multi-item, multi-sourcing supplier-selection and order-allocation problem. We propose an iterative procurement combinatorial auction mechanism that aims to reveal the suppliers’ minimum acceptable selling prices and assign orders optimally. Suppliers use a flexible bidding language to submit procurement bids. The buyer solves a Mixed Integer Non-linear Programming (MINLP) model to determine the winning bids for the current auction iteration. We introduce a buyer’s profit-improvement factor that constrains the suppliers to reduce their selling prices in subsequent bids. Moreover, this factor enables the buyer to strike a balance between computational effort and optimality gap. We develop a separate MINLP model for updating the suppliers’ bids while satisfying the buyer’s profit-improvement constraint. If none of the suppliers can find a feasible solution, the buyer reduces the profit-improvement factor until a pre-determined threshold is reached. A randomly generated numerical example is used to illustrate the proposed mechanism. In this example, the buyer’s profit improved by as much as 118% compared to a single-round auction. The experimental results show that the proposed mechanism is most effective in competitive environments with several suppliers and comparable costs. These results reinforce the importance of fostering competition and diversification in a supply chain.
Analysis of the Skin and Brain Transcriptome of Normally Pigmented and Pseudo-Albino Southern Flounder (Paralichthys lethostigma) Juveniles to Study the Molecular Mechanisms of Hypopigmentation and Its Implications for Species Survival in the Natural Environment
(2024-07-16) Blandon, Ivonne R.; DiBona, Elizabeth; Battenhouse, Anna; Vargas, Sean; Mace, Christopher; Seemann, Frauke
Southern flounder skin pigmentation is a critical phenotypic characteristic for this species’ survival in the natural environment. Normal pigmentation allows rapid changes of color for concealment to capture prey and UV light protection. In contrast, highly visible hypopigmented pseudo-albinos exhibit a compromised immune system and are vulnerable to predation, sensitive to UV exposure, and likely have poor survival in the wild. Skin and brain tissue samples from normally pigmented and hypopigmented individuals were analyzed with next-generation RNA sequencing. A total of 1,589,613 transcripts were used to identify 952,825 genes to assemble a de novo transcriptome, with 99.43% of genes mapped to the assembly. Differential gene expression and gene enrichment analysis of contrasting tissues and phenotypes revealed that pseudo-albino individuals appeared more susceptible to environmental stress, UV light exposure, hypoxia, and osmotic stress. The pseudo-albinos’ restricted immune response showed upregulated genes linked to cancer development, signaling and response, skin tissue formation, regeneration, and healing. The data indicate that a modified skin collagen structure likely affects melanocyte differentiation and distribution, generating the pseudo-albino phenotype. In addition, the comparison of the brain transcriptome revealed changes in myelination and melanocyte stem cell activity, which may indicate modified brain function, reduced melanocyte migration, and impaired vision.
Cardiometabolic Risk Factors Associated with Magnesium and Vitamin D Nutrients during Pregnancy—A Narrative Review
(2024-08-09) Naowar, Maisha; Dickton, Darby; Francis, Jimi
This narrative review comprehensively explores the cardiometabolic implications of two vital nutrients, magnesium and vitamin D, during gestation. Magnesium, a key regulator of vascular tone, glucose metabolism, and insulin sensitivity, plays a crucial role in mitigating gestational hypertension and diabetes, a point this review underscores. Conversely, vitamin D, critical for immune response and calcium level maintenance, is linked to gestational diabetes and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. The authors aim to enhance comprehension of the complex interaction between these nutrients and cardiometabolic function in pregnancy, knowledge that is pivotal for optimizing maternal–fetal outcomes. The mother’s health during pregnancy significantly influences the long-term development of the fetus. Recognizing the impact of these nutrient deficiencies on the physiology of cardiometabolic cycles underscores the importance of adequate nutritional support during pregnancy. It also emphasizes the pressing need for future research and targeted interventions to alleviate the burden of pregnancy complications, highlighting the crucial role of healthcare professionals, researchers, and policy makers in obstetrics and gynecology in this endeavor.
Characterization of Trabecular Bone Microarchitecture and Mechanical Properties Using Bone Surface Curvature Distributions
(2024-08-22) Xiao, Pengwei; Schilling, Caroline; Wang, Xiaodu
Understanding bone surface curvatures is crucial for the advancement of bone material design, as these curvatures play a significant role in the mechanical behavior and functionality of bone structures. Previous studies have demonstrated that bone surface curvature distributions could be used to characterize bone geometry and have been proposed as key parameters for biomimetic microstructure design and optimization. However, understanding of how bone surface curvature distributions correlate with bone microstructure and mechanical properties remains limited. This study hypothesized that bone surface curvature distributions could be used to predict the microstructure as well as mechanical properties of trabecular bone. To test the hypothesis, a convolutional neural network (CNN) model was trained and validated to predict the histomorphometric parameters (e.g., BV/TV, BS, Tb.Th, DA, Conn.D, and SMI), geometric parameters (e.g., plate area PA, plate thickness PT, rod length RL, rod diameter RD, plate-to-plate nearest neighbor distance NND_PP, rod-to-rod nearest neighbor distance NND_RR, plate number PN, and rod number RN), as well as the apparent stiffness tensor of trabecular bone using various bone surface curvature distributions, including maximum principal curvature distribution, minimum principal curvature distribution, Gaussian curvature distribution, and mean curvature distribution. The results showed that the surface curvature distribution-based deep learning model achieved high fidelity in predicting the major histomorphometric parameters and geometric parameters as well as the stiffness tenor of trabecular bone, thus supporting the hypothesis of this study. The findings of this study underscore the importance of incorporating bone surface curvature analysis in the design of synthetic bone materials and implants.
Computer Vision for Safety Management in the Steel Industry
(2024-07-19) Lan, Roy; Awolusi, Ibukun; Cai, Jiannan
The complex nature of the steel manufacturing environment, characterized by different types of hazards from materials and large machinery, makes the need for objective and automated monitoring very critical to replace the traditional methods, which are manual and subjective. This study explores the feasibility of implementing computer vision for safety management in steel manufacturing, with a case study implementation for automated hard hat detection. The research combines hazard characterization, technology assessment, and a pilot case study. First, a comprehensive review of steel manufacturing hazards was conducted, followed by the application of TOPSIS, a multi-criteria decision analysis method, to select a candidate computer vision system from eight commercially available systems. This pilot study evaluated YOLOv5m, YOLOv8m, and YOLOv9c models on 703 grayscale images from a steel mini-mill, assessing performance through precision, recall, F1-score, mAP, specificity, and AUC metrics. Results showed high overall accuracy in hard hat detection, with YOLOv9c slightly outperforming others, particularly in detecting safety violations. Challenges emerged in handling class imbalance and accurately identifying absent hard hats, especially given grayscale imagery limitations. Despite these challenges, this study affirms the feasibility of computer vision-based safety management in steel manufacturing, providing a foundation for future automated safety monitoring systems. Findings underscore the need for larger, diverse datasets and advanced techniques to address industry-specific complexities, paving the way for enhanced workplace safety in challenging industrial environments.
Differential Reinforcement without Extinction: An Assessment of Sensitivity to and Effects of Reinforcer Parameter Manipulations
(2024-06-28) MacNaul, Hannah; Cividini-Motta, Catia; Randall, Kayla
Although functional communication training (FCT) usually includes extinction, withholding reinforcement is not possible or ethical with certain individuals, for some topographies of problem behavior, or in certain contexts. The current study evaluates the effects of two variations of FCT, both without extinction, on problem behavior and communication. Further, the intervention procedures were designed to evaluate participant reactivity to reinforcer parameters (e.g., magnitude, delay, and quality) in the context of the FCT variations. The parameter sensitivity assessments were effective at identifying relevant reinforcer parameters for each participant and both FCT interventions were effective in decreasing problem behavior and increasing communication for all participants. The results demonstrated that FCT was effective regardless of which reinforcer parameter was manipulated. Moreover, all sessions were conducted in participants’ homes and caregivers reported high degrees of social validity for the intervention procedures and outcomes.
Evolution Characteristics of Meteorological and Hydrological Drought in an Arid Oasis of Northwest China
(2024-07-24) Dan, Yier; Tian, Hao; Farid, Muhammad Arsalan; Yang, Guang; Li, Xiaolong; Li, Pengfei; Gao, Yongli; He, Xinlin; Li, Fadong; Liu, Bing; Li, Yi
In the context of global warming, the acceleration of the water cycle increases the risk of meteorological drought (MD) and hydrological drought (HD) in the arid region of Northwest China. The Manas River Basin is a typical agricultural oasis and the largest oasis farming area in Xinjiang, Northwest China. Droughts in this basin have significant implications for both agricultural production and the livelihoods of inhabitants. To evaluate the MD and HD and provide information for drought relief in the MRB, the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI) and standardized runoff index (SRI) were calculated using long-term rainfall and runoff data. Subsequently, combined with ArcGIS 10.3 software and the trend analysis method, the SPEI and SRI characteristics were evaluated at different time scales (1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-month). There were three main findings. First, both MD and HD were alleviated, with significantly more HD alleviation. MDs in spring and autumn exhibited a trend of aggravation. The SRIs in summer, autumn, and winter increased significantly at a confidence level of p < 0.01, with an insignificant decline in spring. In the 2010s, the frequency of light drought of MD was stable at 10% to 20%, while severe and extreme droughts increased. The frequency of HDs has decreased since the 1990s. Second, on annual and seasonal scales, MDs occurred mainly as light and moderate droughts. The highest frequency of MD was 24% of moderate droughts in winter. Spatially, the northern region of the MRB was characterized by more frequent light and extreme droughts. Third, runoff in the Manas River Basin increased significantly during the 1990s, which may have been related to the acceleration of glacial retreat in the Tianshan Mountains. This study can effectively reveal the changes in meteorological and hydrological drought in NWC and provide the basis for risk decision-making and management for watershed managers.
Experimental Benchmarking of Existing Offline Parameter Estimation Methods for Induction Motor Vector Control
(2024-08-01) Reddy, Butukuri Koti; Ayyagari, Krishna Sandeep; Kumar, Yemula Pradeep; Giri, Nimay Chandra; Rajgopal, Panganamamula Venkata; Fotis, Georgios; Mladenov, Valeri
Induction motors dominate industrial applications due to their unwavering reliability. However, optimal vector control, critical for maximizing dynamic performance, hinges on accurate parameter estimation. This control strategy necessitates precise knowledge of the motor’s parameters, obtainable through experimentation or calculation based on its design specifications. Numerous methods, ranging from traditional to computational, have been proposed by various researchers, often relying on specific assumptions that might compromise the performance of modern motor control techniques. This paper meticulously reviews the most frequently utilized methods and presents experimental results from a single motor. We rigorously compare these results against established benchmark methods, including IEEE Standard 112-2017, and subsequently identify the superior approach, boasting a maximum error of only 6.5% compared to 19.65% for competing methods. Our study investigates the parameter estimation of induction motor. The methodology primarily utilizes RMS values for measurement tasks. Moreover, the impact of harmonics, particularly when an induction motor is supplied by an inverter is briefly addressed. The pioneering contribution of this work lies in pinpointing a more accurate parameter estimation method for enhanced vector control performance. These findings pave the way for exceptional vector control, particularly at lower speeds, ultimately elevating both vector control and drive performance.
Green Leaf Volatiles: A New Player in the Protection against Abiotic Stresses?
(2024-08-30) Engelberth, Jurgen
To date, the role of green leaf volatiles (GLVs) has been mainly constrained to protecting plants against pests and pathogens. However, increasing evidence suggests that among the stresses that can significantly harm plants, GLVs can also provide significant protection against heat, cold, drought, light, and salinity stress. But while the molecular basis for this protection is still largely unknown, it seems obvious that a common theme in the way GLVs work is that most, if not all, of these stresses are associated with physical damage to the plants, which, in turn, is the major event responsible for the production of GLVs. Here, I summarize the current state of knowledge on GLVs and abiotic stresses and provide a model explaining the multifunctionality of these compounds.
Metabolic Patterns of Fluconazole Resistant and Susceptible Candida auris Clade V and I
(2024-07-25) Barough, Robab Ebrahimi; Javidnia, Javad; Davoodi, Ali; Talebpour Amiri, Fereshteh; Moazeni, Maryam; Sarvi, Shahabeddin; Valadan, Reza; Siahposht-Khachaki, Ali; Moosazadeh, Mahmood; Nosratabadi, Mohsen; Haghani, Iman; Meis, Jacques F.; Abastabar, Mahdi; Badali, Hamid
Candida auris, an emerging non-albicans multidrug-resistant yeast, has become a significant cause of invasive candidiasis in healthcare settings. So far, data on the metabolites of C. auris in different clades are minimal, and no studies have focused on clade V metabolites. Therefore, Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used for the metabolomic profiling of clade I C. auris compared with fluconazole-resistant and susceptible C. auris in clade V strains. GC-MS chromatography revealed 28, 22, and 30 compounds in methanolic extracts of the fluconazole-susceptible and fluconazole-resistant C. auris clade V and C. auris clade I strain, respectively. Some compounds, such as acetamide and metaraminol, were found in fluconazole-susceptible and resistant C. auris clade V and clade I. N-methyl-ethanamine and bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate metabolites were found in both fluconazole -susceptible and resistant C. auris clade V, as well as 3-methyl-4-isopropylphenol, 3,5-bis(1,1-dimethyl)-1,2-benzenediol, and diisostyl phthalate metabolites in both fluconazole resistant C. auris clade V and I. Identifying these metabolites contributes to understanding the morphogenesis and pathogenesis of C. auris, highlighting their potential role in antifungal drug resistance and the control of fungal growth. However, further experiments are warranted to fully comprehend the identified metabolites’ regulatory responses, and there may be potential challenges in translating these findings into clinical applications.
Non-Debye Behavior of the Néel and Brown Relaxation in Interacting Magnetic Nanoparticle Ensembles
(2024-08-09) Botez, Cristian E.; Knoop, Jeffrey
We used ac-susceptibility measurements to study the superspin relaxation in Fe₃O₄/Isopar M nanomagnetic fluids of different concentrations. Temperature-resolved data collected at different frequencies, χ″ vs. T|_f, reveal magnetic events both below and above the freezing point of the carrier fluid (T_F = 197 K): χ″ shows peaks at temperatures T_p1 and T_p2 around 75 K and 225 K, respectively. Below T_F, the Néel mechanism is entirely responsible for the superspin relaxation (as the carrier fluid is frozen), and we found that the temperature dependence of the relaxation time, τ_N(T_p1), is well described by the Dorman–Bessais–Fiorani (DBF) model: τNT=τrexp⁡EB+EadkB T. Above T_F, both the internal (Néel) and the Brownian superspin relaxation mechanisms are active. Yet, we found evidence that the effective relaxation times, τ_eff, corresponding to the T_p2 peaks observed in the denser samples do not follow the typical Debye behavior described by the Rosensweig formula 1τeff=1τN+1τB. First, τ_eff is 5 × 10⁻⁵ s at 225 K, almost three orders of magnitude more that its Néel counterpart, τ_N~8 × 10⁻⁸ s, estimated by extrapolating the above-mentioned DBF analysis. Thus, 1τN≫1τeff, which is clearly not consistent with the Rosensweig formula. Second, the observed temperature dependence of the effective relaxation time, τ_eff(T_p2), is excellently described by τB−1T=Tγ0exp⁡−E′kBT−T0′, a model solely based on the hydrodynamic Brown relaxation, τB(T)=3ηTVHkBT, combined with an activation law for the temperature variation of the viscosity, ηT=η0exp⁡E′/kB(T−T0′. The best fit yields γ0=3ηVHkB = 1.6 × 10⁻⁵ s·K, E′/k_B = 312 K, and T₀′ = 178 K. Finally, the higher temperature T_p2 peaks vanish in the more diluted samples (δ ≤ 0.02). This indicates that the formation of larger hydrodynamic particles via aggregation, which is responsible for the observed Brownian relaxation in dense samples, is inhibited by dilution. Our findings, corroborating previous results from Monte Carlo calculations, are important because they might lead to new strategies to synthesize functional magnetic ferrofluids for biomedical applications.
On the Boundary Value Problems of Hadamard Fractional Differential Equations of Variable Order via Kuratowski MNC Technique
(2021-05-17) Refice, Ahmed; Souid, Mohammed Said; Stamova, Ivanka
In this manuscript, we examine both the existence and the stability of solutions of the boundary value problems of Hadamard-type fractional differential equations of variable order. New outcomes are obtained in this paper based on the Darbo’s fixed point theorem (DFPT) combined with Kuratowski measure of noncompactness (KMNC). We construct an example to illustrate the validity of the observed results.
Plasma-Assisted One-Step Direct Methanol Conversion to Ethylene Glycol and Hydrogen: Process Intensification
(2024-06-29) Ayodele, Olumide Bolarinwa
This perspective reports a process intensification strategy that converts methanol into ethylene glycol (MeOH-2-EG) in a single step to circumvent multi-step naphtha cracking into ethylene followed by ethylene epoxidation to ethylene oxide (EO) and the subsequent hydrolysis of EO to ethylene glycol (EG). Due to the thermodynamic restriction for the direct MeOH-2-EG, plasma-assisted catalysis was introduced, and platinum group metals were identified as prospective transition metal catalysts that can achieve the formation of strong metal hydride bonds and guarantee the controlled C–C coupling of two plasma-activated hydroxymethyl radicals (*CH₂OH) from methanol, both of which are essential for the single-step MeOH-2-EG.
Quantification of Nitrate Level in Shallow and Deep Groundwater Wells for Drinking, Domestic and Agricultural Uses in Northeastern Arid Regions of Saudi Arabia
(2024-06-24) Mamun, Al; Sharif, Hatim O.
Nitrate (NO₃⁻) is a vulnerable natural contaminant that can be found in groundwater. The estimated nitrate concentrations for four categories of wells in the northeastern arid regions of Saudi Arabia—commercial treated water stations for drinking, commercial stations of untreated water for domestic uses, private wells of residences for households, and private wells for agricultural uses—were found to be in the 16–380 mg/L range. Drinking water from all commercial treated water stations has lower nitrate levels, based on the WHO standard of 50 mg/L. In contrast, almost 33% of commercial stations with untreated water (used only for domestic purposes) in the studied areas had higher nitrate levels that were unsuitable for drinking. Approximately half of the private wells of residences and wells for agricultural uses had very high nitrate levels. They can be considered unsuitable for drinking due to excessive levels of nitrates but can be used for domestic and agricultural purposes. Thus, adopting specific strategies to reduce nitrate levels in public wells in the studied areas is crucial. The data obtained in the present study are essential for equipping decision-makers with valuable insights, allowing them to enact appropriate measures, as needed, and uphold community health in the studied regions.
Quantum Laplace Transforms for the Ulam–Hyers Stability of Certain q-Difference Equations of the Caputo-like Type
(2024-07-28) Etemad, Sina; Stamova, Ivanka; Ntouyas, Sotiris K.; Tariboon, Jessada
We aim to investigate the stability property for the certain linear and nonlinear fractional q-difference equations in the Ulam–Hyers and Ulam–Hyers–Rassias sense. To achieve this goal, we prove that three types of the linear q-difference equations of the q-Caputo-like type are Ulam–Hyers stable by using the quantum Laplace transform and quantum Mittag–Leffler function. Moreover, after proving the existence property for a nonlinear Cauchy q-difference initial value problem, we use the same quantum Laplace transform and the q-Gronwall inequality to show that it is generalized Ulam–Hyers–Rassias stable.
Racial Micro-Affirmations: Latinx Close Friendships and Ethnic Identity Development
(2024-07-05) Mireles-Rios, Rebeca; Garcia, Nichole Margarita; Castro, Isaac M. J.; Hernandez, Monica; Cerda, Rodolfo
Through analysis of semi-structured interviews of 30 Latinx college students, we examined how Latinx students experience belonging, acceptance, and affirmations at a Hispanic-Serving Research Institution (HSRI) in California. Drawing from the theoretical perspectives of racial micro-affirmations, we uncovered two major themes: the importance of close friendships and the impact that ethnic studies courses have on ethnoracial identity development. This study contributes to the ongoing discussion of the on-campus experiences of underrepresented students as well as how to best serve and affirm them at HSRIs.

Browse

Browsing MDPI Collection by Title