Los patrones dialectales de hispanohablantes nativos quienes saben inglés como un idioma segundo han sido un foco para académicos lingüísticos por mucho tiempo. El estudio presente compara las experiencias de una hispanohablante nativa biligüe de Harrisonburg, Virginia, con patrones de voz que son común en otras investigaciones más amplias.

The dialectical patterns of native Spanish speakers who know English as a second language have long been a focus for linguistics scholars. The present study compares the experiences of a bilingual native Spanish speaker from Harrisonburg, Virginia, with bilingual speech patterns common in the broader research.

This mixed methods study examined the lived experiences of participants negatively impacted by the social determinants of health (i.e., physical environment, economic stability, education), and the repercussions regarding their ability to access quality healthcare. Three themes emerged: evidence of social determinants, barriers to healthcare, and the influence of health insurance. These three themes illustrate the interrelated nature of the social determinants of health and the cyclical entrapment of social injustice and health inequity. To address the realities of the impacts of inequitable healthcare on vulnerable populations, interventions must be initiated to enact tangible, positive change for vulnerable populations.

In the United States, an attorney may request a competency to stand trial evaluation if they are concerned that their client is not mentally fit to participate in their case and defense. Clinicians and psychiatrists may use vignettes to help restore competency if the patient lacks insight into their mental illness. While vignettes have been well documented in studying attitudes and awareness, decision making, and identifying mental illness, there is little to no research into their use in psychiatric hospitals. This paper explores how vignettes in short-term inpatient facilities may decrease patient stays and encourage restoration of competency, while use in long-term facilities may allow patients to analyze all aspects of the criminal situation.

The 2010 United States Supreme Court decision, Citizens United v. FEC, removed limits on corporate contributions, allowing disproportionate dark money influence from corporations in American political campaigns. This paper draws on peer-reviewed scholarly journals, legal documents, and advocacy efforts to highlight the negative impact that dark money has had on American politics. Citizens United and its aftermath demonstrate the necessity for rhetorical competence in a democracy that affords broad protections for individual and corporate speech. The paper argues that citizens can counter the disproportionate influence of dark money by enhancing their rhetorical competence and media literacy skills to effectively recognize and navigate the influence of undisclosed, untraceable funds in the American political system.

Inflation of the U.S. dollar drove the Federal Reserve Board to enact four interest rate hikes of 0.75% and additional smaller hikes between March 2022 and April 2023. This paper examines how interest rate hikes affect bank deposit betas and credit risk for community banks, hot money banks, and alternative lending institutions. The researchers found that bank deposit betas increase as interest rates rise, that community banks’ betas increase at a slower rate than hot money banks’ betas, and that the level of borrower risk is higher in financial technology (fintech) platforms compared to traditional banks. Fintech defaults could impact traditional banks, necessitating that the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and other financial regulators monitor the effects of rising interest rates on the banking industry to avoid a run on banks.

In 2016, 1 in 4 adults reported living with a disability in the United States; however, few nursing schools include education about how to best care for these individuals in their curricula. Studies have found that when nurses and other healthcare workers have better attitudes toward patients with disabilities, it leads to better health outcomes. The literature suggests that education and exposure are the most effective ways to increase positive attitudes toward disabled communities. This study offered Equity Access modules titled “Disability and Healthcare” and “Accessibility” developed by Duquesne University to pre-professional health students planning on pursuing Nursing degrees at a large, mid-Atlantic American university to investigate the effectiveness of online modules in educating nursing students on disability care. After completing the online modules, study participants reported greater understanding of and comfort with disability in healthcare. Based on this evidence, to create a more inclusive healthcare system and to train more culturally competent nurses, nursing programs should consider including these modules or similarly focused educational tools in their programs of study.