Digital Commons Network^™

Nitrogen-Use Efficiency Of Irrigated Rhodes Grass In Northern Wa, Carla Milazzo, Christopher Ham, Geoff Moore

Grain and other field crops research reports

Cultivation of irrigated fodder and forage crops to intensify northern beef production in the west Kimberley and Pilbara has seen significant private investment over the past decade. To support this growing investment, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) carried out replicated, randomised trials on irrigated Rhodes grass near Broome.

High nitrogen (N) inputs are required for subtropical grasses to achieve annual growth rates of up to 40 t DM/ha and there is growing scrutiny of these systems to prevent nutrient losses to groundwater and downstream ecosystems. The research aimed to establish N (urea) response curves to five …

Teaching Exercise: A Survey On Educational Aids And Self-Efficacy, Joshua I. Eaton, Lucas Morgan, Matthew Hermes

Honors College Theses

HEPs are an important part of therapeutic treatment because they allow for greater exercise stimulus than can be achieved from supervised exercise alone. 94.7% of physical therapists reported prescribing HEPs to their patients. However, patient adherence to these plans can be as low as 35%. Lack of HEP adherence likely leads to sub-optimal clinical outcomes in physical therapy patients. Self-efficacy is improved in patients by supplementing HEPs with instructional aids, especially in the form of videos instead of pictures or descriptions, because they act as a form of vicarious experience. It is possible that improving self-efficacy through vicarious experience could …

Exploring Microbiome Communities Of Two Belize Coral Species Five Years After Reciprocal Transplant, Lily E. Kratz

Biology Honors Papers

Coral holobionts, which include the coral animal host, dinoflagellate algae, bacteria, etc., support coral reef biodiversity by providing habitat to many marine species. In the face of global change, identifying and understanding the microbial diversity of corals is extremely important because their survival indicates overall ocean health. Coral-associated bacterial and algal communities contribute to the health and survival of a coral species through creating resistance to stressors and supplying essential nutrients. As coral reef environments continue to change, microbial communities must respond to ensure the survival of reef-building corals. To investigate if coral microbiomes possess the ability to acclimatize to …

Bats In A Modified Suburban Landscape, Brittany Morgera

Biology Honors Papers

This research assesses bat species richness and activity across a gradient of suburban habitat modification surrounding Ursinus College and Green Lane Park in Montgomery County, located in southeastern Pennsylvania. Habitat modification was quantified using GIS-based land-cover metrics (e.g. impervious surfaces and canopy cover), and bat activity and species richness were measured though acoustic surveys conducted at 15 sites during the summers of 2024 and 2025. The project tests the hypothesis that increasing habitat modification has a negative correlation with bat species richness and activity.

Stemflows And Preferential Flows: A Historical Review And Challenges For The Future, Keith Beven, John T. Van Stan Ii

Biological, Geological, and Environmental Faculty Publications

This paper provides a historically-grounded review and research agenda on a generally neglected issue in hillslope hydrology and hydrological modelling: the role of stemflow in initiating preferential flow in soils. While stemflow typically represents a small fraction of incident rainfall, it can concentrate water fluxes by up to similar to 20-fold at tree bases, creating localised infiltration intensities that exceed those from throughfall. Some new historical context for throughfall and stemflow studies from the 19th Century is presented, including a summary of stemflow research in a wide range of vegetation types and environments. The evidence for preferential flows resulting from …

Evaluation Of Subtropical And Tropical Perennial Grasses For Irrigated Fodder In Northern Wa, Carla Milazzo, Samuel Crouch, Christopher Ham, Geoff Moore

Grain and other field crops research reports

• Under irrigation, varieties of Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana) and panic grass (Megathyrsus maximus) grew more than 110 kg/ha dry matter per day, when averaged over a year, equal to more than 40 t/ha dry matter annually. Digit grasses (Digitaria spp.) were significantly lower yielding.
• Daily growth rates were affected by seasonal conditions and ranged from 60–90 kg/ha in Barrgana season (June–August) to 110–170 kg/ha in Wirlburu-Laja (September–November). Panic grass was slightly more sensitive to cool temperatures than Rhodes grass.
• Subtropical grasses outperformed tropical grass varieties such as Jarra grass, which had very low growth during the cool months (June–July).
• Crude …

Fodder Maize Variety Trial: Broome 2021, Carla Milazzo, Samuel Crouch, Christopher Ham, Geoff Moore

Grain and other field crops research reports

• High yielding, highly digestible maize can be produced under irrigation on Pindan sands in northern Western Australia.
• Using high inputs, the biomass and digestibility of all trialled varieties equalled or exceeded varieties used in well-established maize growing regions of Australia.
• Eleven hybrid maize varieties were trialled near Broome. The average dry matter yield of all trialled varieties was 24t/ha at 10.5MJ/kg of dry matter.
• The impact of fall armyworm on yield was successfully reduced by using integrated pest management combining NPV virus (nucleopolyhedrovirus) with strategic insecticide applications.

Red Lines, Green Blooms: Assessing The Effects Of Historical Environmental Disparity On Algal Communities In The Twin Cities, Mn, Georgia C. Akins

Environmental Studies Honors Projects

Redlining, a discriminatory housing policy from the 1930s, shaped lastng urban inequalites that may extend to environmental conditons. This study examines links between redlining and urban water quality in the Twin Cites using algal communites as indicators. Across 28 water bodies sampled in 2022 and 2024, physical, chemical, and biological metrics were compared by redlining grade. Results show limited relatonships between redlining and most variables, with only surface water temperature differing significantly. Nutrients and algal diversity were unrelated to redlining, instead reflectng present-day conditons. These findings suggest contemporary factors play a stronger role than redlining in shaping urban freshwater ecosystems.

Tissue-Specific Heavy Metal Accumulation And Sediment–Mangrove Dynamics In Port Everglades, Florida, Dimitrios Giarikos, Amy Hirons, Jason Gershman, Sophie Welch

SECLER Data

Coastal wetlands near industrialized waterways face increasing heavy metal contamination, yet the role of mangroves as biogeochemical buffers remains poorly understood. This study quantified 16 heavy metals in sediments and red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) tissues (roots, branches, and leaves) across four sites near Port Everglades, Florida, examining tissue-specific partitioning, contamination patterns, and sediment-to-plant transfer. The South Turning Basin (STB) was the principal contamination hotspot, with geometric mean (GM) concentrations of arsenic (As; 27.8 µg/g) and zinc (Zn; 203 µg/g) exceeding threshold effect levels, while Cu exceeded its probable effect level (PEL; 193 µg/g). Mercury (Hg) exceeded its PEL …

I Lost My Number, Can I Have Yours? Body Image Satisfaction With Sexually Dimorphic Traits Is Associated With Men's Dating Anxiety And Confidence, David A. Frederick, Tania A. Reynolds, Nikoline L. Smart, Justin R. Garcia, David A. Puts

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Evolutionary scientists posit that sexual selection processes caused males to develop sexually dimorphic traits to aid them during intrasexual competition and increase their likelihood of being chosen as mates. Evolutionary social sciences have extensively examined women's preferences for traits such as muscle mass and voice pitch, reasoning that these traits serve as cues of men's ability to provide direct benefits (e.g., resources) and indirect (genetic) benefits passed on to offspring. At the same time, body image researchers have extensively focused on the social causes and consequences of men's dissatisfaction with their muscularity and body fat. We connected these two research …

Neural Mechanisms Underlying Jung’S Active Imagination: A Review And Hypothesis, Charles R. Fox

Journal of Conscious Evolution

Active imagination is a key technique of Jungian analysis. Despite its centrality, and its potential importance beyond Jungian psychology to the area of systems neuroscience, psychology, and consciousness studies, there are no known neurological mechanisms underlying this psychological phenomenon. There is a history of using the types of mental imagery used in active imagination to explore consciousness. The development and use of active imagination is briefly reviewed, and a case is developed that the neurology underlying active imagination would be fruitfully explored by considering it a special case of mystical experience. Active imagination primarily uses the right hemisphere processing of …

Developing Best Recommendations For Aerial Application And Chemigation Of Insecticides For Western Bean Cutworm (Striacosta Albicosta Smith) Management In Corn, Andrea Rilakovic

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Western bean cutworm, Striacosta albicosta (Smith), is a univoltine moth in North America, recognized as an economic threat to both corn (Zea mays L.) and dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). In the Midwest of the United States, S. albicosta can cause severe damage by reducing the quantity and quality of corn ears through larval feeding. Currently, options for Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) proteins that can effectively control S. albicosta are limited, relying on only one Vip3A effective protein, while other growers use insecticide application via airplanes or center pivot irrigation systems, known as chemigation. Given the importance …

Assessing The Risk Of Low Energy Availability In Ncaa Division Iii Female Soccer Players, Emma C. Sturts

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

Low Energy Availability (LEA) can occur when an athlete’s energy intake is insufficient to meet the physiological demands of training as well as normal physiological functions. Female soccer players may be at an increased risk of developing LEA due to the high exercise energy expenditure paired with decreased energy intake. The purpose of this study is to assess the prevalence of LEA among Division III female soccer players. Division III female soccer players (n = 11) completed the Low Energy Availability in Females Questionnaire (LEAF-Q). 45.5% (n = 5) of the participants were classified as “At Risk” for LEA. Of …

A New Subspecies Of Papilio Indra (Papilionidae) From The West Desert Of Utah, Usa, Wayne H. Whaley, Alexander A. Jason, Todd L. Stout

The Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey

Papilio indra bonnevillensis is a new described subspecies partly based on taxonomic rearrangement of its larval host plant reproductive phenology relative to Wasatch Range nominate P. indra. It is geographically isolated in Utah’s West Desert from populations of ssp. nevadensis to the west and ssp. calcicola to the south. In addition to phenological differences compared to these two subspecies, it merits description based on host Lomatium depauperatum which recently speciated from L. grayi, neither of which is used as host by other subspecies of P. indra. The evolution of new host L. depauperatum is …

Prevalence, Determinants, And Objective Risk Of Unintentional Therapeutic Duplication Among Adults In Saudi Arabia, Yosra Alhindi

Saudi Toxicology Journal

Background: Unintentional therapeutic duplication represents an underrecognized yet preventable contributor to medication-related harm, particularly in settings characterized by widespread over-the-counter (OTC) medicine use and self-medication practices. Objective: To estimate the prevalence of unintentional therapeutic duplication among adults in Saudi Arabia and identify sociodemographic and behavioral predictors associated with increased therapeutic duplication risk. Methods: A national crosssectional study was conducted between February 10 and April 28, 2025, using a structured, self-administered online questionnaire distributed via social media platforms. The survey assessed sociodemographic characteristics, medication-use behaviors, active-ingredient literacy, and duplication risk using both self-reported measures and scenario-based assessments. Multivariable logistic regression was …

Employing Zebrafish To Understand Genetic Drivers Of Epilepsy-Related Comorbid Behaviors, Chinwendu Ononuju, Kharma Hall, Olivia Beatty, Scott C. Baraban, Colleen Carpenter-Swanson

Biology Faculty Publications

Children with epilepsy frequently experience a range of significant comorbidities beyond seizures, such as motor dysfunction, cognitive impairment, and neurodevelopmental delays. In some cases, these comorbidities contribute more significantly to overall disease burden than the seizures themselves. To improve quality-of-life (QOL) for these children, treatment options should be selected that control seizures and ameliorate comorbidities. Unfortunately, such therapeutics remain largely elusive. Addressing this issue requires suitable preclinical models. Here we used CRISPR-generated zebrafish with single-gene mutations linked to pediatric epilepsy and applied clinically-relevant behavioral assays to study the effects of these mutations. Using high-throughput locomotion-based assays, we uncovered errors in …

Examining The Influences Of Citizen Factors On The Co-Creation Behaviors Of Online Public Services In A Smart City, Ratih Dyah Kusumastuti, Nurmala Nurmala, Juliana Rouli

Journal of Environmental Science and Sustainable Development

As smart cities increasingly rely on digital platforms to deliver public services, citizen participation becomes essential for ensuring effective and sustainable service delivery. However, limited research has examined which citizen-related factors drive co-creation behaviors in smart city contexts, particularly in emerging economies. This study aims to investigate the factors that influence the co-creation behaviors of online public services in five smart cities in Indonesia through the city’s digital platform and online social network (OSN). This study analyzes whether citizen factors, namely, perceived benefits over the city and OSN friends, trust in the city and OSN friends, and self-efficacy, affect co-creation …

From Confidence To Competence: Embedding Critical Genai Literacy In Physician Associate Education, Chanceeth Chandrakanthan, Amy H. Donaldson-Perrott Mrs, Jane Secker, Julie Voce, Tamara S. Ritsema

Journal Of Indian Physician Associates

Background: Generative artificial intelligence is now embedded in how many healthcare students learn. Tools provide rapid explanations, summaries and practice questions, but use does not equal AI literacy, particularly where accuracy, medicines safety and guideline alignment matter.

Objective: To describe current use of generative AI by Physician Associate students and outline a practical approach to teaching critical AI literacy.

Methods: Educational evaluation using three activities: (1) baseline survey of students about use and attitudes, (2) an embedded compare and critique session in applied pharmacology where small groups assessed AI answers against trusted UK sources, including BNF and NICE guidance, followed …

Navigating The Genetic Frontier: Clinical And Ethical Implications Of Free Genetic Testing In India, Preetha Vijayalakshmi

Journal Of Indian Physician Associates

The expansion of free genetic testing services in India, resulting from government policies like the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, corporate-sponsored initiatives, and international collaborations, makes it easier to access genomic services for early identification of inherited disorders such as thalassemia, sickle cell anemia, and certain genetic kidney diseases, particularly in tribal populations. However, this review reveals significant clinical and ethical challenges. Clinically, Western-based genotyping platforms, not tailored to India’s genetic diversity, risk inaccurate results, including false positives and negatives, complicating clinical decision-making. A shortage of genetic counsellors and inadequate post-test care leaves patients, especially in rural areas, struggling within fragmented …

A Jobs-To-Be-Done Framework For Mapping Digital Innovation Opportunities In Climate-Smart Agrifood Systems, Lourival Carmo Monaco Neto, Allan Gray

Department of Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

The agrifood sector faces well-documented barriers to climate-smart agriculture (CSA) adoption, reflecting systematic difficulty identifying where digital tools address specific stakeholder needs rather than a technology shortage. This paper presents a prescriptive framework for mapping digital innovation opportunities in complex, multi-stakeholder agrifood systems. Grounded in Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD) theory and structured as a two-dimensional matrix of meta-jobs and value chain segments, the framework was developed through a design science research (DSR) paradigm evaluated on utility, coherence, and actionability. Construction involved a purposive synthesis of three literature streams and iterative refinement through 136 stakeholder engagements within a six-month university-affiliated startup studio cycle. …

How Nutrition And Physical Activity Shape Your Well-Being, Stacy Phillips

EFNEP

This publication will explore the link among nutrition, physical activity, physical health, and mental health and how it impacts whole-body well-being. Understanding how multiple aspects of a person's lifestyle can affect an individual's overall well-being is essential to providing better education on how to make better choices to improve their well-being.

Factors Associated With Stunting And Underweight Indices Among Children 0–3 Years In Nairobi, Kenya: A Cross-Sectional Study, Eunice Njoroge, Kevinson Mwangi, Esther Chongwo, Martha Kaniala, Kevin Wekesa, Isaac Lihanda, Vibian Angweny, Rachel Odhiambo, Margaret Kabue, Japhet Adina, Amina Abubakar

Institute for Human Development, East Africa

Background:Childundernutritionremainsoneofthemostpressingglobalpublic health challenges, particularly in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). Most studies focus broadly on children under five, potentially overlooking the unique vulnerabilities a ecting children in the first 1,000 days of life. This study investigated potential factors associated with stunting and underweight malnutritional presentation among children aged 0–3 years in Nairobi City County, Kenya.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 2903 caregiver-child dyads living in Nairobi City County to assess stunting [Height-for-Age Z-scores (HAZ)] and underweight [Weight-for-Age Z-scores (WAZ)] using the World Health Organisation (WHO) growth standards among 0–3-year-olds. Child, caregiver, and householdcharacteristicswereincludedinthelinearmixede ects regression models …

Investigating The Effects Of Stress On The Passive Transfer Of Antibodies From Colostrum To The Newborn Calf, Audrey F. Dykes

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

The objective of the current study was to examine passive transfer of immunoglobulins A (IgA) and G (IgG) to the calf in relation to dam’s fecal cortisol and lactoferrin. In July 2024, late-gestation, Angus crossbred heifers pregnant by artificial insemination (n = 30) were moved to the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Stocker Unit and housed in 0.42-ha grass paddocks for each heifer. Calving began in mid-August. Heifers were observed routinely throughout the workday and then at 8 p.m., 12 a.m., and 6 a.m. After calving, the calf was allowed to stand and suckle once then dam sample collection …

The Impacts Of High Protein Diet On Sleep And Mood In Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (Pcos), Lily G. Hiegel

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

The objective of this study is to determine whether adherence to a high protein diet over a sixteen-week period leads to improvements in sleep quality and mood in women with PCOS. It is hypothesized that individuals following the high protein diet will demonstrate significantly better sleep quality and more favorable mood profiles compared to individuals not following the high protein diet. By targeting insulin resistance and dietary carbohydrate intake, this intervention may influence multiple pathways involved in PCOS symptomatology, including hormonal regulation, metabolic function, sleep physiology, and psychological wellbeing.

Differences In Local And Systemic Immune Responses To Primary And Secondary Immunizations With The Herpesvirus Of Turkeys (Hvt) Vaccine In Layer Pullets., Allie K. Bowerman

Poultry Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Marek's disease, caused by a herpesvirus, is a major issue in poultry production due to its high mortality rate. The herpesvirus of turkeys (HVT) vaccine has been used as a crucial measure to mitigate outbreaks of Marek's disease in poultry production; however, little is known about the immune response to the HVT vaccine. In this study, we examined how primary and secondary intradermal (i.d.) vaccination with the HVT vaccine in the growing feather (GF) pulp affects local and systemic immune responses, including cellular, antibody, and cytokine responses. Six 9-week-old and six 19-week-old Light-brown Leghorn (LBL) pullets received a primary or …

Conventional Vs. Regenerative Apple Orchard Management In Michigan, Anthony Poynter

Masters Theses

This study compares the variables and outcomes of a conventional apple orchard and a regenerative apple orchard production system in Kent County, Michigan. The premise is that conventional agriculture relies on high-input systems characterized by synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides, while regenerative agriculture focuses on long-term soil health, biodiversity, and ecological processes. These differences are important as soil degradation, nutrient loss, and environmental impacts are becoming too significant to ignore. Most research on alternative ways to farm, such as regenerative practices, is focused on annual crops, while perennial orchard systems, especially in the Great Lakes region, have gained limited …

Changing Dynamics Of Microbial Communities At A Hydrocarbon Contaminated Site And Methanogenic Interactions With Iron Minerals, Jakob Sell

Masters Theses

Microbial life is not only ubiquitous but also plays a critical role in the geochemical makeup of our planet. While researchers have long studied easily culturable aerobic microbes, the influence of anaerobic life on soils and mineral cycling is less understood. Notably, knowledge about interactions between anaerobic microbes and inorganic elements such as iron has progressed with the discovery that magnetite influences how anaerobic archaea carry out methanogenesis. To better understand anaerobic bacterial metabolisms and how they interact with minerals and subsurface hydrocarbons, we extracted 16S rRNA genes from two adjacent subsurface petroleum plumes, sequenced the DNA, and analyzed it …

The Cobalt Curse: Cobalt’S Role And Risks, Marley Jackowitz

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper examines the hidden environmental, geopolitical, economic, and social costs of the cobalt supply chain. Fueled by the demand for battery technology and electric vehicles, cobalt has become an essential element to the green energy transition. With the largest share of global cobalt deposits, the Democratic Republic of the Congo bears a disproportionate share of the industry’s harms. Cobalt mining in the DRC is marked by environmentally degrading practices and inhumane working conditions, compromising Congolese health, safety, and well-being. Chapter 1 discusses the environmental impacts of DRC cobalt mining and its adverse effects on public health. Environmentally degrading mining …

Consumerism In The Digital Age: Environmental And Cultural Consequences, Danielle Andrea Montoya

Student Theses 2015-Present

Overconsumption has emerged as a significant environmental problem, characterized by persistent patterns of buying, using, and discarding goods at rates that exceed ecological limits. In the digital age, these patterns of consumption are reinforced by economic systems, technological advancements, and cultural norms that make constant consumption feel normal and convenient. While consumption is necessary for everyday life, consumption beyond basic needs contributes to increased waste, resource depletion, pollution, and climate change. Overconsumption is embedded in daily habits such as online shopping, food consumption, and frequent product replacement. Therefore, understanding and addressing overconsumption is crucial for achieving environmental sustainability and social …

An Investigation Of Entamoeba Histolytica Chitin Synthases And Other Encystation Factors In Early Encystation, John N. Talledo

All Theses

Entamoeba histolytica is a food-and-water-borne human protozoan pathogen that relies on a two-stage life cycle for successful proliferation outside of the host. E. histolytica exists in its dormant cyst form while outside of its host and converts to the motile trophozoite (amoeba) form in the small intestine. The trophozoites colonize the large intestine to cause symptomatic disease in ~10% of infections, resulting in ~100 million cases of amoebic dysentery each year. Trophozoites can convert back to the cyst form, which is shed in feces to continue the infection cycle.

Currently, there is a lack of understanding of the exact molecular …