Digital Commons Network^™

Five A Day, The Rainbow Way: A Nutrition Education Toolkit For Elementary School Aged Children, Sasha Menard

Department of Nutrition Student Projects

Learning Outcome: Develop a nutrition educational toolkit based on Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) for obesity prevention among elementary school-aged children by improving determinants of fruit and vegetable intake.

Background: Poor consumption of fruits and vegetables is a major contributing factor to childhood obesity, increasing the risk for chronic diseases later in life. There is a need for multicomponent nutrition educational tools to influence children to improve their eating behavior by increasing their awareness and self-efficacy. The current project describes the development of a 3-component toolkit for improving participants’ knowledge and values related to fruit and vegetable intake among 6-11-year-olds.

Methods: …

Thinking Blue / Writing Red: Marxism And The (Post)Human, Stephen C. Tumino

Publications and Research

Thinking Blue/Writing Red interrogates contemporary culture across a range of texts, from the pandemic (‘Covid’ and ‘Trump Speak’) to high theory (Melville's narratives) and popular culture (Beyoncé's ‘Formation’ and Super Bowl performance, Twin Peaks , metamodern ‘cli-fi’ films). Inspired by Derrida’s idea of the secret, Tumino examines the significance of social movements (Black Lives Matter, Occupy, alter-globalization) and naïve art (Darger, Ryden) to argue that these texts speak of the secrets that capitalism cannot speak. Contending that the cultural surfaces narrate only the ‘nonsecret,’ that to see the social logic of the culture one must dig into what Bruno Latour …

Raising Hope: A Preliminary Investigation Of Hope-Strengthening Parenting, Anna Sellers Calley

Theses and Dissertations

Hope Theory defines hope as a cognitive-motivational process of seeking and obtaining goals through agency thinking and pathway building, with substantive connection to many desirable outcomes. While hope is theorized to begin developing early in life, this assumption has never been empirically investigated. This is due to limitations in established hope measurement. There is an additional gap in the research surrounding the role of parents in the development of hope. In this study, I address each of these gaps by utilizing a novel measure of hope in early childhood and running a multiple linear regression model to investigate potential connections …

Clinical Implementation Of Tissue-Sparing Posterior Cervical Fusion: Addressing Market Access Challenges, Morgan Lorio, Pierce Nunley, Joshua Heller, Bruce Mccormack, Kai-Uwe Lewandrowski, Jon Block

Department of Neurosurgery Faculty Papers

Background: The traditional open midline posterior cervical spine fusion procedure has several shortcomings. It can cause soft tissue damage, muscle atrophy, compromise of the lateral masses and painful prominent posterior cervical instrumentation or spinous process if there is dehiscence of the fascia. Additionally, patients frequently experience the rapid development of adjacent segment disease, which can result in the reemergence of debilitating pain and functional impairment. Clinical relevance: Tissue-sparing posterior cervical fusion is an alternative method for treating patients with symptomatic cervical degenerative disc disease. However, widespread clinical adoption has been challenged by ambiguity, misunderstandings and misinterpretations regarding appropriate procedural reimbursement …

Global Portraits From A Changing Climate: The Influence Of Environmental Storytelling On The Climate Narrative, Alexandra Welch

Capstone Collection

Environmental Storytelling can influence the climate narrative and serve as a catalyst to structurally alter how individuals think about the environment. The medium of the “Eco-film” allows viewers to create intimate connections with the natural world, and in turn alter how individuals engage and perceive issues like climate change. To combat climate denialism this project showcases different hopeful stories in a deliverable video collection, called “Global Portraits from a Changing Climate”. Two of these videos will be filmed in Germany, featuring the Waldrapp Team Research and Conservation project. One of the videos from Waldrapp Team will touch on the social …

Living Dead Forests: Assessing Detrital Services In Puget Sound Pseudotsuga Menziesii Ecosystems, Forrest Becker

Capstone Collection

Coarse woody debris (CWD), the detrital result of down wood recruitment, contributes to wildlife habitat, nutrient cycling, morphological processes like soil formation, and each forest’s sense of place but if undermanaged can fuel wildfires or obstruct stakeholder use. Despite its ubiquity in Puget Sound Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) forests in Washington, USA, few studies quantify the exact ecosystem services which down wood provides. This study seeks to understand how forest managers can estimate the ecosystem services of down wood and how human communities perceive down wood management between community, public, and private Douglas fir (P. menziesii) …

"You Are More Than Just Your Gift:" Facework And Idealization In Disney's Encanto, Janelle L.H. Gruber, Valerie Lynn Schrader

Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal

In this rhetorical analysis, we apply Goffman’s theory of facework to the Disney film Encanto, arguing that Encanto provides important lessons regarding facework and advocates for using facework in moderation. Encanto tells the story of the Madrigals, a family who experiences a miracle that results in each member of the family having a special gift – all except for one, the teenage protagonist, Mirabel. When Mirabel recognizes that both the miracle and her family are in danger, she realizes that her individual family members are using facework in order to fit in with the rest of the family and impress …

Volume 47, 2024 Communication And Theater Association Of Minnesota Journal

Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal

Complete digitized volume (volume 47) of Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal.

Bridging The Gap Between Theory And Practice: A Journey Through Conducting Genre-Based Research In Applied Linguistics For Identifying And Analyzing Genres, Elih Sutisna Yanto, Anita Triastuti

The Qualitative Report

This article discusses Conducting Genre-Based Research in Applied Linguistics: A Methodological Guide, edited by Matt Kessler and Charlene Polio, that addresses the theory-practice gap in genre-based pedagogy. The book emphasizes the importance of systemic functional linguistics (SFL) and its integration into the teaching and learning cycle to improve students' understanding and production of different genres. Theoretical foundations of Halliday's SFL are discussed alongside practical methods such as case studies, ethnography and metadiscourse analysis. The volume offers a comprehensive framework for researchers and educators and describes tools and approaches for analyzing multimodal texts, understanding multilingual competence, and applying genre knowledge …

A Qualitative Study On Workplace Mental Wellbeing In The Singapore Context, Chad C E Yip, M. Anthony Machin, Yong Wah Goh

The Qualitative Report

Workplace wellbeing is essential for the employee as well as the organisation, but it may not adequately capture the way wellbeing is experienced in Singapore due to its diverse multi-ethnic society imbued with Eastern and Western values. The present study explores Singaporean employees’ understanding and perspectives in relation to how they experience wellbeing at the Singapore workplace. With a total of 31 participants consisting of full-time Singaporean employees from 17 industries, we used reflexive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2013) to interpret the data and develop the themes. These 13 themes are: accomplishment, autonomy, co-worker relationship, employee recognition, fairness, learning …

Service Dogs: A Catalyst For Post-Traumatic Growth Among Military Veterans With Ptsd, Matthew P. Knight

People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice

The conclusion of the war in Afghanistan in 2021 has left a significant portion of veterans grappling with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with estimates suggesting 23% of post-9/ 11 veterans are affected. Traditional psychotherapies, while effective, often see high attrition rates due to stigma-related barriers, underscoring the need for complementary approaches that resonate with the unique psychosocial needs embedded in military veteran culture.

Historically, research on psychiatric service dogs has focused predominantly on PTSD symptom alleviation. This conceptual article introduces a novel focus on their role in promoting positive psychological change known as post-traumatic growth (PTG), a topic that has …

Caring Until It Hurts: A Survey Of Compassion Fatigue And Moral Injury Among Wild Animal Caregivers And Its Implications For Animal Welfare In Zoos, Aquariums, Rehabilitation Centers, And Sanctuaries, Nadiya L. Delgado

Theses and Dissertations

Caregivers for captive wild animals are fundamental to the overall care, welfare, and conservation of animals in their charge, fulfilling diverse and critical roles. Caring for others, whether humans or animals, exposes caregivers to compassion fatigue – a state of emotional and physical exhaustion resulting from prolonged empathetic engagement with those they assist, and moral injury – psychological distress that arises from actions, or the lack of them, which violate one's moral or ethical code. This distress can manifest as intense feelings of guilt, shame, or a sense of betrayal by oneself or others. These phenomena are pertinent in environments …

The Effects Of People, Time Of Day, And Season On Affiliative And Stereotypic Behaviors In Captive Rhinoptera Bonasus And Other Rays Across Two Human-Interactive Enclosures, Wren C. A. Newman

Theses and Dissertations

Cownose rays (Rhinoptera bonasus) are among the most common species found in aquaria, yet the impact of touch enclosures on their welfare remains largely unknown. While research on animal-visitor interactions has produced mixed results for other species, the lack of studies focusing on fish welfare poses a risk of overlooking potential welfare concerns. Therefore, we aimed to establish a baseline for cownose rays regarding stereotypic behaviors, sociality, and activity in captivity, and to examine the influence of human interaction on these behaviors. We collected over 700 hours of footage from two enclosures at Adventure Aquarium in Camden, NJ …

Sex Differences In The Diets Of Forest-Dwelling Baboons (Papio Anubis), Kara Hartunian

Theses and Dissertations

The ability to eat and switch between many food sources is an adaptative feeding strategy utilized for meeting nutritional needs across different environments, seasons, and physiological conditions. Baboons (genus Papio) excel at both dietary flexibility and foraging selectively, and consequently have one of the most widespread geographic distributions in the Order. To further expand to our understanding of baboon feeding ecology, I analyzed foraging activity and the nutritional characteristics of the diets of the relatively understudied rainforest baboons (Papio anubis) living in Kibale National Park, Uganda. I also investigated if there are differences in food type choice …

Maternal And Other Social Influences On Signature Whistle Structure Of A Captive Group Of Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus), Riley Synan

Theses and Dissertations

Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) are social animals that use acoustics as a major method of communicating across a marine environment. They also live in fission-fusion groups and thus interact with many conspecifics over a lifetime. Individual dolphins have a signature whistle that functions as an identity call and serves to maintain group cohesion in murky waters or during reconciliation. Dolphins exhibit vocal learning and the signature whistle of a calf may be modeled after the whistle of their mother or another individual in the pod as they develop. Mother-calf pairs or other related animals sometimes have similar whistle types. Some …

Assessing Comprehension And Competence In Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus) On The Concept: Do Something Different, Charlotte M. Mulligan

Theses and Dissertations

Many studies have been conducted using a training paradigm based on the research of Pryor et al. (1969) wherein the participants are trained on the abstract concept: do something different. This paradigm challenges working memory and requires the participants to respond with a behavior, either previously trained or novel, which has not yet been offered within the session. The work of Braslau-Schneck (1994) expanded this concept and demonstrated the ability of dolphins to successfully complete this task in synchronized pairs, though the method of accomplishing this task remained unclear. The present research was conducted as part of a broader …

Enhancing The Visual Environment Of Indoor Housed Laboratory Cynomolgus Macaques (Macaca Fascicularis) To Reduce Stress And Maladaptive Behavior, Jeannine C. Rodgers

Theses and Dissertations

Nonhuman primates housed in indoor laboratory environments are generally exposed to nondescript background visual stimuli. This environment is not ideal for species whose primary sensory modality is visual. To provide a more naturalistic visual environment that would potentially improve their welfare, this study assessed the efficacy of a passive natural visual stimulus in the reduction of stress and stereotypy and agonistic behaviors in a cohort of four (2 male, 2 female) Cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis) housed in an indoor laboratory facility in New York City. The macaques were exposed to four different videos depicting scenes of natural landscapes that were …

The Effect Of The Lunar Cycle On The Demographics Of Asian Elephants Observed In Open Areas In A Protected Wildlife Sanctuary And Surrounding Crop Fields, Serene K. Rivera

Theses and Dissertations

Due to human development and habitat fragmentation, Asian elephants increasingly use human landscapes and encounter people. These interactions have led to negative interactions between humans and elephants, such as crop-raiding. Despite efforts to mitigate these conflicts, farmers have not been able to consistently protect their crops from elephant foraging. Therefore, it is important to understand elephant behavior in these landscapes to help create long term mitigation plans. Specifically, research regarding demographic patterns in Asian elephants’ perceived predation risk can inform wild elephant management. This study used camera traps in Salakpra Wildlife Sanctuary in Kanchanaburi, Thailand to observe the wild Asian …

Envelope Of Ruin : Material And Spatial Responses Of New York City Homeless To The Covid-19 Pandemic, Kyle C. Maxey

Theses and Dissertations

This paper attempts to understand human material responses to catastrophic urban collapse. Using Henri Lefebvre's theories of spatial production and the history of a section of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE) this paper develops a theoretical framework for understanding the dynamics present in the creation of an urban ruin. Through the observation of homeless material responses, particularly the construction of encampments under the BQE, during the COVID-19 pandemic "lock-down" in New York City, this thesis illustrates how populations respond to urban ruin and social collapse. Moving forward, this paper hopes to serve as a synthesis of urban theory and archeological observation …

Narcissus Goes Digital: The Impact Of Zoom’S Self-View Feature On Cognitive Load And Zoom Fatigue Among Those With High And Low Adhd Symptoms, Abigail Aris Weir

Theses and Dissertations

Individuals with ADHD may be more vulnerable to an increased cognitive load during video conferencing (e.g., Zoom) due to the distracting nature of their reflection being displayed by the self-view feature. This feature, however, may also provide stabilizing effects by offering consistent visual feedback for self-monitoring, thus reducing anxiety.

Fibersheds: Textiles As The Basis For A New World, Rebecca John

Theses and Dissertations

The Fibershed movement seeks to develop bioregional fiber systems to cultivate natural fibers through regenerative agriculture. Through this, it seeks to revive domestic textile production as an alternative to the global textile industry. This thesis investigates the Fibershed movement at national and regional scales, and assesses how they position themselves as an alternative economy.

Rural Business Development Corporation 2024 Annual Report, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

All other publications

Chair foreword

I am pleased to present the 2023-24 Annual Report of the Rural Business Development Corporation (RBDC). The role of the RBDC is to administer approved assistance schemes, carry out research and give advice to the Minister for Agriculture and Food. As a board we are deeply committed to ensuring that the Corporation is responsive to the needs of the state’s regional and rural businesses and communities.

The Corporation’s support for rural businesses in WA, principally through the administration of financial assistance, remains as vital as ever. The past year has seen many of the state’s primary producers experience …

In Defense Of Identity: A Comparative Analysis Of Indigenous Self-Defense Movements In North America, Chloe Cairncross, Dana Dougherty

The Microdynamics of Mass Atrocity Working Paper Series

This paper conducts a comparative analysis of two significant historical events of Indigenous resistance in North America: the Northwest Rebellion of 1885 in Canada and the Wounded Knee Occupation of 1973 in the United States. The Métis during the Northwest Rebellion and the Lakota Oglala along with American Indian Movement activists during the Wounded Knee Occupation both sought to assert their rights against encroaching government policies and settler expansion. By examining the actors, agendas, actions, and outcomes of these movements, the paper explores the nuanced nature of self-defense within a settler-colonial context. Comparative analysis highlights the persistent efforts of Indigenous …

Empowering Ugandan Women Smallholder Farmers: Documenting Her Mighty Hands Agriculture Extension Nonprofit, Anna Mathis

Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology Undergraduate Honors Theses

Women smallholder farmers in East Africa, including Uganda, provide the majority of agriculture labor. However, women are significantly less productive than men due to extreme barriers such as their lack of decision-making rights, inability to solely own land, and familial responsibilities. The purpose of this project was to create a full integrated communications and fundraising campaign for Her Mighty Hands, an agriculture extension nonprofit whose mission is to connect Ugandan women subsistence farmers to technology and knowledge which empower them to advance their agricultural business; enabling them to improve the quality of life for themselves, their families, and communities. Photos …

Winter Texans: A Study Of Community And Belonging In An Overlooked Border Identity In The Lower Rio Grande Valley, Belinda D. Smith

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study centers around a population of retired Anglos who migrate to South Texas border towns in the Lower Rio Grande Valley (locally known as The Valley) from October through March each year. Many travel in recreational vehicles (RVs) and hail from the United States and Canada to set up home in one of The Valley’s RV parks. They are called Winter Texans by themselves and locals. Scholarly research focused on Winter Texans explores how they are motivated to move because of lower costs of living (Murray 2020), how they travel for medical reasons, and their use of Mexican health …

A Quantitative Examination Of Tobacco And Marijuana Use On Oral Health Outcomes Among Young Adults In Texas, Meenakshi Dasagi

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

This dissertation aimed to quantify the relationship between methods of tobacco and marijuana use and their impact on oral health. Tobacco use was defined as smoking combustible tobacco (cigarettes, cigars, and hookah) or electronic aerosolized vaping nicotine with an e-cigarette.5,9 Similarly, marijuana use was defined as smoking combustible marijuana (joints, blunts, and spliffs) or vaping marijuana with an e-cigarette.8 Despite the prevalence of nicotine vaping and marijuana use among young adults1,3-4,7,14-15, there is limited evidence of their association with oral health in Texas. To address this issue, this dissertation comprising three studies analyzed longitudinal data from the Texas Adolescent Tobacco …

Building Futures: How The Built Environment, Out-Of-School Time Programs, And Community Service Participation Relate To Social-Emotional Development Of U.S. Youth, Bailey A. Perez

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Background: This dissertation aimed to explore the relationship between built environment features, participation in out-of-school time (OST) programs, participation in community service activities, and the social-emotional development of youth aged 6 to 17 years residing within the United States (US). Previous research indicates that built environment features, as well as participation in OST programs and community service activities, could impact youth’s social-emotional development. However, few studies have explored these effects on individual social-emotional development measures in this specific age group. In addition, little is known regarding whether built environment features and youth’s sex moderates the relationship between youth participation in …

Youtube Influencers In Bangladesh: Analyzing Message Strategies Of Sponsored Ads In Vlogs, Monira Begum

Master's Theses

Social media influencers, particularly YouTube influencers marketing emerged as a growing industry in Bangladesh. However, research on this topic is limited. This study effectively addresses this gap and following quantitative methods and content analysis, this study mainly examines Influencers and brand categories, the narration of sponsored brands in advertising, influencers’ interactivities, and engagement with the followers, and message strategies in ads employing Taylor’s six-segment message strategy wheel, advertising appeals, and message formats. Results indicate that influencers' dominant vlog content is entertainment, as well as technology as prevalent brand characteristics in the study.

Regarding the narration of the sponsored ads, this …

Project Turnkey Evaluation, Anna Rockhill, Sarah Mercurio, Franklin Holcomb Spurbeck

Homelessness Research & Action Collaborative Publications and Presentations

In 2020-2021 Oregon legislators approved $74.7 million to assist communities to purchase local motels and convert them into emergency shelters. The goal was to help keep people safe during COVID and to address the need for housing for victims of the wildfires in light of the deficit of appropriate shelter resources facing the state. A total of 19 projects received funding, and by 2023 all of the projects were providing services to people experiencing homelessness. Combined, this resulted in 865 new units of emergency shelter-- a 20% increase in the state’s supply. According to an analysis done by Oregon Community …

A Multiagency Approach To Animal Hoarding In Central Iowa, Gary W. Rasmussen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This research explored animal hoarding in Iowa using the qualitative method with the resource dependency theory and a case study approach. These cases were studied using multiple sources of information, from media reports in initial locating cases to court documents, to examine the results of each case. It examined how different sized law enforcement agencies’ investigations into these cases impacted the outcomes of the cases in sentencing and the use of mental health evaluations and treatments. It also explored the efficacy of how different sized law enforcement agencies investigated animal hoarding cases. The law enforcement agencies were divided into two …