Digital Commons Network^™

Iterative Decoding For Sccpm With Markov And Hidden Markov Sources, Zhijie Guo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Continuous Phase Modulation (CPM) is an excellent digital modulation scheme recognized for its constant envelope property, continuous phase transitions, and inherent memory. These characteristics enable excellent spectral and power efficiency, allow compatibility with nonlinear amplifiers, and make CPM particularly attractive for power- and bandwidth-constrained applications such as satellite and deep space communications. Serially Concatenated Continuous Phase Modulation (SCCPM) with iterative decoding further improves error performance, and its flexibility enables it to evolve alongside state-of-the-art channel coding technologies and show significant potential for performance enhancement.

This dissertation investigates SCCPM systems with binary Markov and Hidden Markov Model (HMM) data sources and …

Development And Evaluation Of Ros-Responsive Thioketal-Capped Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles For Dual Drug Delivery Of Moxifloxacin And Curcumin In Wound Healing, Saiganesh Pothuraju

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Chronic infected wounds remain a major clinical challenge because elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the wound microenvironment sustain inflammation, damage regenerating tissue, and limit the effectiveness of conventional antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory therapy. To address this problem, this study aimed to develop ROS-responsive thioketal-capped mesoporous silica nanoparticles (TK-MSNs) for the dual delivery of moxifloxacin (MOX) and curcumin (CUR) to support the management of infected wounds. Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) were synthesised using tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), followed by template removal, amino-functionalization with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES), and sequential loading of MOX and CUR. ROS-responsive capping was then achieved using …

Predicting Future Positions Based On Spatiotemporal Data, Andrew John Heskett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines how different multi-agent prediction architectures perform when forecasting future player positions in soccer using only ball and player coordinate data, with-out relying on pretrained knowledge of soccer rules or tactical concepts. Spatial positioning is a fundamental part of soccer and is often a defining characteristic of high-level players. However, there is still no fully deterministic method for evaluating how effectively a player uses space. As multi-agent trajectory prediction methods have improved over the last decade, it has become increasingly feasible to develop systems that can analyze and eventually grade player movement. A necessary first step toward that …

With Equity And Inclusivity For All: Self-Reported Preparedness Of Band Directors To Teach Students With Exceptional Needs, Kendra Jenkins Lee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The traditional memory theory of personal identity relies on an implicit storage model of memory to explain how the self persists over time. This model assumes that memories endure as stable representations that can be accurately retrieved, and that such representational continuity grounds diachronic identity. However, contemporary cognitive science demonstrates that remembering is an active and reconstructive process. Each act of recall reorganizes and transforms prior experience during the window of ecphory. This reconstructive reality poses a significant philosophical challenge. If memory is inherently unstable and transformable, it cannot straightforwardly ground the kind of continuity the theory requires.

In this …

Hereditary Transmission Of Drumming Among The Anlo-Ewe: The Case Of Agbodo/Amuzu Family Of Hatsukorfe, Denu, Volta Region, Ghana, Ernest Elikplim Kwabla Adonoo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the hereditary transmission of drumming among the Anlo-Ewe of southeastern Ghana, focusing on the Agbodo/Amuzu family of Hatsuk?ƒe in the Volta Region. Situated within ethnomusicological discourse on traditional Anlo-Ewe musical practices and the specialized roles of the researched family, who are drummers of the exclusive Ye?e religious tradition, this research argues that drumming in this context is not merely a musical activity but a complex system of communication, identity, ritual authority, and cultural continuity. The study fills and addresses a significant gap in existing scholarship on the Anlo-Ewe music, which has largely emphasized community dance-drumming and institutional …

Physicochemical Interactions At The Ionic Liquid-Polymer-Biological Nanointerface, Sara Xuan Edgecomb

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Treatment of central nervous systems (CNS) disorders remains a critical challenge in drug delivery. The blood brain barrier (BBB) is an obstacle preventing targeted delivery. Small and large drug molecules are unable to cross the BBB, highly limiting drug therapies. Only invasive techniques and symptom care are currently employed for neurological diseases.

This demands an innovative drug delivery approach to improve efficiency of targeted delivery to the brain, hence polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) being a promising solution. With their advantageous tunability, they can encapsulate various biomolecules and perform specific targeting. Ionic liquids (ILs) have become a novel surface modification of NPs …

The “Meta-Country” Of Morgan Wallen: Authenticity Signaling In Contemporary Country Music, Ryley Fallon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Country music artist Morgan Wallen has dominated sales charts and streaming numbers on digital platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Wallen has also crafted his own image of what it means to be “country,” distilling it into the usual, hyper-recognizable motifs of whiskey and trucks while transitioning them onto new media platforms. In addition, Wallen maintains his small-town Tennessee boy image despite conquering massive digital landscapes. This thesis argues that Morgan Wallen exemplifies a new phase of country music, “metacountry.” “Meta-country,” as detailed in this thesis, refers to the continuation of country music’s commercialization into the digital space in …

The Unreliable Narrator: Mnemic Causation And The Reconstructive Self, Phuong Le

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate secondary-level band directors’ perception of preparedness to teach learners with exceptional needs in Mississippi. The study examined college and university music curricula to identify the number of courses that prepare future music educators to teach learners with exceptional needs. The researcher developed a survey that included questions about respondents' years and types of teaching experience, educational preparation in exceptional education, the level of instructional support available for accommodating students in band classes, and the impact disabilities have on learning and performance in instrumental music. Findings provided insight into how well pre-service and …

Open For Victims, Sorry We're Dead, Sela Ricketts

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is a documentary exploration of paranormal tourism in the French Quarter neighborhood of New Orleans. As of completing this project, paranormal tourism is relatively new to the city, starting in earnest in the late 1990s and early 2000s. This niche industry has woven itself into the larger New Orleans tourism industry and drastically changed the landscape and popular identity of the French Quarter. The photos give a personal perspective of how the industry manifested within the city.

The throughline of this project is a feedback loop I identified- a cycle of influences that has ultimately made the French …

Foundations And Scope Of Moral Standing, Vikas Beniwal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates the foundational grounds of moral standing. I contend that sentience, while frequently cited as the primary criterion, lacks sufficient justification when asserted as a necessary condition. I propose an alternate feature as sufficient grounds of moral standing.

That Song Sounds Familiar: An Analysis Of U.S. Copyright Considerations In Popular Music, Jessica Johnson

Honors Theses

Much of popular music has started to bear resemblance to songs of the past as artists rely on techniques, including sampling and interpolations, to ensure their song is a guaranteed hit. But what are the legal implications behind that, and is the line between inspiration and copying getting blurred? This thesis aims to consider the precedent of copyright law as applied to modern musical works and how the landscape of popular music has evolved over time to raise more copyright concerns. It also looks at two modern case studies of musical inspiration that have resulted in legal claims: the song …

Two Genres, One Narrative? A Critical Discourse Analysis Of Gendered Relationships In Top Hip-Hop/R&B And Country Songs (2015-2025), Alyssa A. Yarbro

Honors Theses

For this research, I examined how gendered relationships are depicted in the lyrics of 55 top-charting Hip-Hop/R&B and Country songs from the past decade (2015-2025). I employed Norman Fairclough’s Critical Discourse Analysis to examine how song lyrics use language to reproduce or challenge dominant ideas of gendered relationships. My analysis identified three prominent themes within the lyrics: Respect, Commodification, and Regret. Songs within the Respect category were characterized by these of romance, affection, and non-sexual intimacy. The commodification category included songs that had dominant themes of objectification, sexualization, and depicting individuals as disposable or interchangeable goods. The songs in the …

Sumset Lower Bounds In Abelian Groups, Van T. Huynh

Honors Theses

This thesis investigates sumset lower bounds across discrete and continuous settings. We begin with general inequalities in torsion-free abelian groups and then specialize to the integers modulo prime p, where we present the Cauchy–Davenport Theorem, which establishes the bound ∣A+B∣≥min(p,∣A∣+∣B∣−1). The equality case is further examined via Vosper's Theorem, which characterizes subsets attaining this bound as arithmetic progressions under suitable conditions. The continuous analogue in Euclidean spaces is then considered, where cardinality is replaced by Lebesgue measure. In this setting, the Brunn–Minkowski Inequality provides a sharp lower bound for the Lebesgue measure of A+B and serves as a geometric counterpart …

Jtc 26: Twenty Years In The Making, Staff Report

University of Mississippi News

This story is part of the 2026 Journey to Commencement series, which celebrates the pinnacle of the academic year by highlighting University of Mississippi students and their outstanding academic and personal journeys from college student to college graduate.

Picc-Pal: A Support Band For Independent Picc Line Use, Kylie Luker

Honors Theses

This project presents the design and evaluation of PICC-PAL, a wearable assistive device intended to improve independence and usability for patients managing peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC lines) at home. Current at-home PICC line management often requires help due to the fine motor skills needed to connect and secure tubing. This increases reliance on caregivers and introduces potential risks such as infection and dislodgement. Through stakeholder analysis, prior art evaluation, and iterative prototyping, a device was developed to stabilize the PICC line lumen and enable one-handed connection of medical tubing. Throughout the project, multiple design concepts were explored, with the …

Storytelling Ai Could Help Identify Loneliness, Depression In Elders, Clara Turnage

University of Mississippi News

OXFORD, Miss. – Social isolation and loneliness produce serious impacts on mental and physical health, and older adults are likely to experience these conditions. A new project aims to use artificial intelligence to help identify loneliness of older adults as they tell the stories of their lives.

The Use Of Cognitive Biases In Russian Cyber Operations, Emma Manning

Honors Theses

This thesis examines how Russia has employed reflexive control through cyber operations to influence decision-making in foreign states, focusing on disinformation campaigns during the 2014 annexation of Crimea and the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Reflexive control, a concept rooted in Russian military doctrine, seeks to shape an adversary's perceptions and decision-making by providing carefully crafted information that leads targets to make choices favorable to the initiator. This research argues that while the fundamental objectives of reflexive control have remained consistent, technological advances have significantly expanded Russia's ability to conduct operations in developing cyber domains.

Using qualitative analysis of open-source intelligence, …

Unmasking Ashwagandha Controversy: Safety, Toxicity, And Adulteration, Tahir Maqbool Mir

Oxford ICSB

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is an adaptogenic shrub valued for its roots, which support systemic health. Increasing use has raised safety concerns about adulteration and hepatotoxicity. The roots of ashwagandha are primarily preferred for systemic health, while the leaves were traditionally reserved for topical applications to treat joint inflammation and promote wound healing.  Although generally considered safe, ashwagandha supplements have been linked to drug-induced liver injury, including cholestasis, jaundice, and pruritus. Reports from various organizations like LARB in the Netherlands indicate a rise in liver toxicity cases, possibly due to cytotoxic withafrin A and DNA-damaging withanone. A major concern is widespread …

Advancements In Botanical Toxicology, Characterization, And Regulatory Frameworks, Paula Brown

Oxford ICSB

No abstract provided.

Determinants Of Opioid-Relevant Exposure From 7-Hydroxymitragynine Products In The Evolving U.S. Marketplace, Igor Koturbash, Scott Alsbrook, George Pro

Oxford ICSB

Kratom’s U.S. market has rapidly evolved from largely botanical powders and capsules to products enriched in 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), a potent mu-opioid receptor agonist that is typically present only at trace levels in leaf material. To quantify downstream behavioral health burden and contextualize it with real-world signals of product diffusion, we analyzed National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) data (2021-2023) alongside public health alert trends and systematic online product surveillance. In NSDUH, 5.8% of adults met criteria for serious mental illness (SMI). SMI increased by 150% among adults with combined opioid use disorder (OUD) and kratom use between 2021 …

Jtc 26: The Journey Of Risk To Reward, Grace Landry

University of Mississippi News

This story is part of the 2026 Journey to Commencement series, which celebrates the pinnacle of the academic year by highlighting University of Mississippi students and their outstanding academic and personal journeys from college student to college graduate.

Law Course Connects Housing Issues To Oxford's Past And Present, Marisa C. Atkinson

University of Mississippi News

OXFORD, Miss. – What began as a fair housing law seminar for students in the University of Mississippi School of Law turned into a community lecture and tour discussing Oxford's settlement, development and housing efforts.

April 23, 2026, The Daily Mississippian

Daily Mississippian (all digitized issues)

No abstract provided.

Canndor Herbarium: A Comprehensive Herbarium Resource For Cannabis Identity, Diversity, And Botanical Research, Nick Batora, Laura Klein, Kerin Law, Eleanor Kuntz

Oxford ICSB

Decades of cannabis prohibition have created major gaps in our understanding of cannabis biology, especially with regard to the genomic, phenotypic, and germplasm resources that are standard in other agriculturally and medicinally important crops. Herbarium collections, which serve as archival specimens that preserve plant material for long term study, are no exception. Although herbarium specimens are meant to document plant diversity, most collections contain only a narrow sampling of cannabis and do not reflect the extensive variation present in commerce or this species at large. To address this need, the Canndor Herbarium was established in 2016 as the first dedicated …

Real World Fertility: From Participatory Research To Clinical Trial, Belinda Tan, Azure Grant, Ayla Barmmer

Oxford ICSB

Nutritional supplements are widely popular for female reproductive health, but their ingredients are typically studied in isolation in the laboratory. Finished products make claims based on these isolated studies, creating a gap in which impact of multi-nutrient formulas in the real world are not investigated, largely due to high research costs. Decentralized clinical research methods are modernizing clinical trials, leading to affordable, efficient evidence generation in large representative populations. Utilizing a decentralized research platform, we tested the hypothesis that specific supplement protocols would be associated with improved female health and fertility in a real world cohort. We present a novel …

Frankincense (Boswellia Spp.) Essential Oils: Chemistry-Driven Authentication, Chemotype Discovery, And Sustainability Insights Across My Published Studies, Prabodh Satyal

Oxford ICSB

Frankincense, which comes from the oleo-gum resins of Boswellia species, is one of the most important botanicals in global trade. However, its essential oils often face issues like variations in chemical makeup, mislabeling, and adulteration. This presentation summarizes findings from ten peer-reviewed studies conducted between 2016 and 2023. These studies create a chemistry-based framework for authenticating frankincense and ensuring sustainable sourcing.  Research on various Boswellia species, including B. sacra, B. carteri, B. papyrifera, B. frereana, B. occulta, B. ogadensis, and B. rivae, shows strong patterns in volatile profiles at both the species and tree levels. This supports distinguishing between species …

The Evolution And Impact Of Fashion Marketing In The Age Of Social Media, Lillie L. Warrington

Honors Theses

This research paper aims to analyze the effect of social media on consumer behavior in fashion marketing by investigating how fashion brands have adapted their strategies to leverage social media platforms effectively and exploring the role of social media influencers in shaping brand perception and consumer loyalty. By addressing these objectives, this research seeks to contribute to the growing body of knowledge on digital marketing in the fashion industry, offering valuable insights.

The study will be conducted through a comprehensive review of existing research and primary research, including a survey of 143 participants, to better understand how social media affects …

Nasa Funds Ole Miss Studies Of Planet-Forming Space Dust, Clara Turnage

University of Mississippi News

OXFORD, Miss. – A University of Mississippi researcher will study the earliest stages of planet formation and the chemical abundance of the universe through two new NASA Astrophysics Research and Analysis grants.

The Use Of Nams To Screen For Developmental And Reproductive Toxicity (Dart) Of Botanicals, Cynthia Rider

Oxford ICSB

No abstract provided.

Efficacy And Safety Of Red Ginseng Extract Powder (Kgc05pg) In Achieving Glycemic Control In Prediabetes Korean Subjects: A 12-Week, Single-Center, Randomized, Double-Blind, Parallel-Group, Placebo-Controlled Study, Namhan Cho

Oxford ICSB

Background: This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Red Ginseng Extract Powder (RGEP) in achieving glycemic control in prediabetic Korean subjects. Methods: The study consisted of 49 subjects in the RGEP group and 49 in the placebo group.  The participants were orally given 2 tablets of RGEP and placebo (500 mg/day twice daily in the morning and the evening within 30 min after meal), respectively.  The subjects were followed duration of 12-week.  The participants glycemic control parameters, such as fasting blood glucose levels, 30-, 60-, 90-, and 120-min blood glucose levels at 75gm oral glucose tolerance …