Digital Commons Network^™

Gender Craze: Framing Policy Discrimination Against Transgender Students In K-12 Education, Quinette Rogers

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Transgender youth in K-12 public education have been systematically marginalized through state-sanctioned violence and discriminatory policies, often portrayed as societal "boogeymen." They face exclusion and othering due to restrictive state legislation, such as bathroom bans, sports participation restrictions, and limited access to gender-affirming care. Current research lacks a comprehensive analysis of how state-level legislation affects transgender students. This study addresses that gap by employing qualitative thematic coding to examine the language, framing, and impact of state education policies on transgender students. By analyzing how these policies are framed around themes such as protecting family, safeguarding children, individual liberty, constitutional rights, …

Automation Of Vulnerability And Patch Management: Information Extraction, Association, And Optimization, Kylie Mcclanahan

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Vulnerability and patch management is an integral part of a robust cybersecurity program, yet it grows increasingly complex due to the sheer amount of data that must be analyzed. Particularly in Operational Technology (OT) environments, analysis must be done manually because of the lack of automated solutions. Additionally, there are many steps in this process, from the initial discovery of the vulnerability to the implementation of its remediation, and each step in the process requires different data in order to be performed effectively. In this work, we provide approaches and strategies to assist operators in industrial or OT environments throughout …

Development Of Si-Based Germanium-Tin Infrared Photodiode, Sylvester Amoah

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Short-wave infrared (SWIR) and mid-wave infrared (MWIR) photodetectors have attracted increasing attention for the past few decades. SWIR and MWIR detectors are used for a wide range of applications in military and civilian defense, such as future automotive night vision, video surveillance security cameras, and integrated night vision in mobile/wearable electronics. The current market-dominating IR photodetector technology is mainly developed with the costly III-V or II-V material systems, such as InGaAs, InSb, and HgCdTe. While many efforts have been made towards the hybrid integration of III-Vs or II-VIs on a Si substrate, it is highly desirable to develop an alternative …

Implications Of Acetylation And Phosphorylation On Metabolic Enzymes, Nour Fatema

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

All living things depend on glycolysis and the TCA cycle for energy production and metabolic control. Post-translational modifications (PTMs) such as acetylation and phosphorylation, which can change enzyme activity, substrate binding, and overall metabolic balance, tightly regulate these pathways. Diseases like cancer and metabolic problems are associated with disruptions in these alterations.

Serine phosphorylation and lysine acetylation are two of the many PTMs that are evolutionarily conserved processes that alter protein function. Previously thought to be a static histone alteration, acetylation is now understood to be a dynamic regulator of metabolic enzymes that modifies contacts, charge, and conformation. In response …

Fergus Of Galloway: A New Translation For A New Audience, Emily J. Aguayo

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

My dissertation focuses on one text – Li romanz de Fergus – an Arthurian romance composed in Old French in the early thirteenth century by a mysterious author named Guillaume le Clerc. I have learned as much as I can about this romance and have looked at it from every angle possible. The scope of my research is narrow and deep because it focuses on one text, its author, and its subject matter. I have created a new theory about the identity of the author, Guillaume le Clerc, based on historical documents such as the Acts of Lordship from Scotland, …

Perceiving School Success: A Phenomenological Study Of Asian Indian Parents, Scott Nozik

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological qualitative study aimed to explore how Asian Indian parents at East Ridge Elementary School perceived student success. The research sought to understand their experiences, their views on student success, and the factors they perceived as supports or barriers to achieving that success. Interviews with 14 Asian Indian families revealed four major themes: Positive School Experiences, Academic Programming, Holistic View of Education, and Parental Engagement. While communication emerged as a central element, it was not categorized as a theme but rather as a supporting factor. The study found that parents expressed satisfaction with the school’s cultural inclusivity and sense …

Sonic Subversion: An Intersectional Analysis Of South African Punk, 1976-Present, Amber Lenser

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The 1970s in South Africa were plagued by systematic racial segregation, widespread political violence, and fervent censorship under the apartheid regime. Political tensions were rising precipitously in the final years of the decade, stoked by the brutal police response to the Soweto Uprising (1976) and the murder of Black Consciousness leader Steve Biko (1977). It was amidst this atmosphere of profound oppression and increasing political unrest that punk made its South African debut. Apartheid South Africa served as a fertile breeding ground for punk’s inherent culture of defiance and anti-authoritarianism. Remarkably, punk has demonstrated the power to transcend sociodemographic boundaries …

Predicting Migrant Youth Integration In The United States, Scott Bayer Gove

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The relationship between participation in an identity development program for migrant youth and their subsequent integration into U.S. society is examined. The study focuses on the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants' (USCRI) READY4Life program, which aims to support migrant youth in their transition to life in the United States. This study will examine whether performance scores in the READY4Life program can predict scores on the Immigration Policy Lab's (IPL) Integration Index, a validated measure of integration. The study will employ a cross-sectional experimental research approach, using multiple linear regression analysis to examine the relationship between the READY4Life performance scores …

Examining The Impact Of The Executive Healthcare Leadership Institute On Faculty Readiness To Lead, Blythe Eggleston

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Americans living in rural communities face significantly poorer health outcomes compared to those in urban areas. Academic medical centers (AMCs), such as the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), play a critical role in addressing these disparities by incorporating rural health improvement into their mission. UAMS has committed to mitigating adverse health outcomes through targeted initiatives. However, AMCs operate within highly complex environments, balancing their tripartite mission of teaching, research, and clinical care, which demands exceptional leadership. These institutions also face unique organizational and economic challenges, compounded by personal and professional pressures on faculty members. To enhance leadership capacity …

Exploring The Relationship Between Technical College Faculty Members’ Length Of Teaching Experience And Their Moral Identity, William Abney

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the relationship between faculty members’ length of teaching experience and their moral identity at a technical college in the Southeastern United States. Utilizing a quantitative approach, the research aims to determine whether a significant correlation exists between an instructor’s tenure in postsecondary education and their moral identity, as measured by the Moral Identity Questionnaire (MIQ). Additionally, the study examines the potential moderating effect of gender on this relationship. Data will be collected through a Qualtrics electronic survey distributed to all faculty members at the college, ensuring anonymity and minimizing survey errors. The survey includes demographic questions and …

Identifying Predictors Of Student Success During Occupational Therapy Level Ii Fieldwork, Melissa R. Foster

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The training paradigm for new occupational therapy (OT) practitioners includes both didactic classroom learning and clinical fieldwork experiences in order for them to establish clinical competency. However, many students struggle with the theory-to-practice gap of translating classroom knowledge to clinical experiences. When students struggle in this manner, it causes stress for all stakeholders involved, including the fieldwork educator, clinic managers, OT program faculty, as well as the student.

This study aims to avoid this stress by identifying predictors of student success by analyzing data from recent graduates of the University of Arkansas/University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences OT program through …

Livestock Risk Protection Basis Risk For Feeder Cattle, Bryce Anderson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Recent government subsidies make livestock risk protection (LRP) insurance an affordable price risk management tool for many U.S. cattle producers. LRP insurance triggers a loss when the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) Feeder Cattle Index falls below the selected coverage price. The CME Feeder Cattle Index is a 7-day weighted average of feeder cattle prices in 12 states. This paper determines if LRP policy holders who produce feeder cattle in states whose feeder cattle prices are not included in the CME Feeder Cattle Index are exposed to excess basis risk. To do this, we use a hedonic regression model to determine …

The American Lowrider As A Form Of Art, Chad Johnson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This paper argues that lowriders, a style of heavily customized vehicle deeply rooted in Chicano culture, ought to be recognized as a legitimate American art form. After establishing the historical and cultural background of lowriders, this paper identifies a cluster of essential aesthetic features which define lowriders, such as lowered suspension, custom wheels, elaborate paintwork, and opulent interiors. Several paradigmatic lowriders exhibiting these features are then examined against the background of various philosophical definitions of art. The analysis demonstrates that lowriders with their elaborate body modifications and paintwork do align with the essentialist views such as Clive Bell’s formalism and …

What's Love Got To Do With It? A Content Analysis Of Romantic Depictions In Tween Television Programming, Laura Workman

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In the streaming era of entertainment, television programming is available at the touch of a fingertip to any pre-adolescent tween (those between the ages of 8-13) with a smartphone. Previous content analyses have examined romantic relationship content on television programming in a limited manner, covering mostly teen shows and sexual behavior, rather than tween shows and romantic relationship behavior. And so, despite the fact that tweens tend to use media as a socializing agent for learning acceptable romantic relationship norms, not much is known about how television programs likely watched by this age demographic are depicting romantic relationships. Therefore, it …

Cartographic Representation And Analysis Of Sand Dune Morphometry In Wadi Rum, Jordan, Grace Clark

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Situated in southern Jordan, near the Saudi Arabia border, Wadi Rum boasts a dramatic landscape of towering sandstone inselbergs and vast dune fields. The UNESCO World Heritage site is known for its cultural, historical, and physical uniqueness. Due to the hyper-arid environment and sandstone weathering, the region provides a perfect outdoor laboratory for aeolian research.

While research on aeolian processes has grown in popularity in the past century, there is a lack of conventional cartographic and visualization techniques in the field of aeolian studies. This project corroborates findings from influential aeolian researchers such as R.A. Bagnold while also implementing traditional …

Investigating Evolution Through The Lens Of Ai-Driven Protein Exploration And Phylogenetic Modeling, Mataya Duncan

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Recent advances in computational biology, artificial intelligence, and sequencing technologies have enabled new perspectives for addressing longstanding questions in evolutionary biology. Increased computational power has made large-scale simulations feasible for investigating diverse aspects of evolutionary and phylogenetic modeling. Similarly, deep learning algorithms now allow for the prediction of reasonably accurate tertiary protein structures, unlocking the potential for investigating diversity and evolution of protein structure across a broad range of organisms. This thesis presents two studies that target different aspects of evolutionary inference from unique perspectives. Yet, the share an overarching goal of presenting new perspectives on the evolutionary basis of …

Application Of Ordinal Regression Models To Acquired Stress Resistance In Wild Strains Of Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Carson Stacy

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the application of ordinal regression to the analysis of semi-quantitative growth assays often used when comparing fitness for different strains of the model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. For stress survival assays, yeast stress resistance is measured using an ordered survival score that ranges from 0 (no growth) to 4 (confluent growth). Traditional approaches to analyze this type of data either treats data as a nominal categorical variable or as a continuous numerical variable. These approaches risk loss of information or violation of testing assumptions. In contrast, cumulative logit ordinal regression uses the information contained in the order …

Bacterial Chondronecrosis With Osteomyelitis In Broilers: Etiology And Selected Mitigation Measures, Khawla Saud Alharbi

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO) is the predominant cause of lameness in broiler chickens. It mainly impacts broiler production and animal welfare, causing substantial financial losses accounting for 1- 2% due to bird condemnations at the marketing age. Remediating BCO lameness disease demands investigating its causes using appropriate models and evaluating preventive measures, such as enhancing epithelial tissue health and tight junction integrity in the digestive and respiratory tract, strengthening immune functions, and improving bone strength. Therefore, the objectives of this dissertation were to 1) study predisposing factors for BCO lameness by investigating the effects of deoxynivalenol (DON) and fumonisin …

Examining The Combination Of Race-By-Age Segregation On Violence In Little Rock, Arkansas, Karissa Kruse

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Present study addresses the issue of residential segregation. Specifically, how the physical isolation of populations segregated based on both age and race affects violent crime. The sample includes all 155 Census block groups, which represent neighborhoods, in the city of Little Rock Arkansas. Data is accessed from the U.S. Census and the Little Rock Police Department. The current study asks: does the segregation of juveniles by age and race affect the distribution of crime? The theoretical frameworks guiding this research are social disorganization theory, structural-cultural theories of crime, the racialization of space perspective, and routine activities theory. The key …

The Uneven Disruptions Covid-19 Caused To Scholars’ Publication: A Preregistered Study, Marco De Prosperis

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This proposed, preregistered study investigates the uneven impacts of COVID-19 on scholarly productivity among University of Arkansas faculty, focusing on how demographic and professional factors—such as gender, ethnicity, academic rank, tenure status, field of study, and the presence of children—may have moderated productivity during the pandemic. Utilizing a non-experimental, cross-sectional design, this research will collect data from 160 full-time faculty members through an online survey. Grounded in Role Theory, the study will examine role conflict and enrichment as faculty navigated shifting responsibilities in research, teaching, and caregiving during remote work. This study is particularly relevant as many assistant professors who …

In Vitro Investigation Of Macrophage Functional And Metabolic Modulation, Shelby Nicole Bess

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Macrophages are a subset of immune cells with a variety of functions that are abundant in numerous tumor types such as colorectal and breast cancer. It has been suggested that macrophages may serve an important function as immune mediators in tumor behavior; however, macrophage activity is complex and remains not completely understood. The overall goal of this dissertation was to explore and exploit tumor-associated macrophage phagocytic function and the changes in their interactions with cancer cells in an in vitro mouse model and in 2D and 3D in vitro culture models. First, we wanted to better understand macrophage behavior under …

Applying A Strained Masculinity Framework To Honor Killings And Incel Murders, Shreeya Gandhi

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The current study explores how pursuits of hegemonic masculinity can shape the comparative nature of Gender Based Violence (GBV), specifically incel killings and honor killings, in the United States over the past 30 years. Drawing from Allison and Klein's (2021) strained masculinity framework and employing a homicide narrative approach, a qualitative theme analysis is conducted to determine whether existing thematic categories of strained masculinity determined relevant in prior research also apply to these relatively are forms of deadly GBV. Honor killing data come from Hayes, Freilich & Chermak (2016) and incel killing data come from the Extremist Crime Database (ECDB). …

Creating A Sense Of Home: Hispanic Students At Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Eva Cordero

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) provide critical access to higher education for Hispanic students, yet their designation is based on enrollment rather than active support for student success. The purpose of the study was to describe and explore the sense of belonging for Hispanic students at a select Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) with a high percentage of Hispanic students. Using photo voice, document analysis, and semi-structured interviews, the study identifies five key themes: (1) agency in belonging, (2) club participation, (3) fostering a sense of value, (4) institution and institutional agents, and (5) scholarship and funding. Findings underscore the need for HSIs …

Elucidating The Mechanisms Of Collagenase H From Hathewaya (Clostridium) Histolytica In Collagen Degradation And Developing A Cross-Linked Platform For Efficient Capture And Release Of Adeno-Associated Virus Serotype 2 (Aav2), Adjoa Otubea Bonsu

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In biological systems, Hathewaya (Clostridium) histolytica secretes collagenases that degrade structural collagen in host tissues and cause tissue necrosis. Despite their detrimental effects, these enzymes have significant therapeutic potential by effectively digesting various collagen subtypes to treat connective tissue disorders. The bacterium produces two homologous collagenases, ColG and ColH, with a catalytic module crucial for hydrolyzing collagen and binding domains, including collagen-binding domains (CBDs) and polycystic kidney disease-like domains (PKDs), for substrate interaction.

Although the crystal structure of the catalytic module of collagenase G (ColG) has been determined, shedding light on its chew-and-digest mechanism, the structure of collagenase H (ColH) …

Exploring Latent Mediation Through Bayesian Regularization Methods Of Lasso, Ridge, Horseshoe, Spike-And-Slab, Ethan Harris

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Regularization is a powerful tool to combat overfitting and drive sparsity in complex models. Regularization was initially applied in regression modeling but has been increasingly utilized in structural equation modeling where its utility in identifying the essential components has helped improve modeling. As structural equation models have increased in complexity both in the number of indicators but also the number of latent factors, researchers have begun to investigate how applying Bayesian regularization to these systems can further push the limits on modeling complex models with limited sample sizes. One area where research is limited is the application of Bayesian regularizations …

Comparison Of Airborne Lidar-Derived Elevation Data In Fayetteville, Arkansas, Usa, Angelica M. Otting

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Light detection and ranging (lidar) laser scanners are prominent remote sensing tools to produce high resolution three-dimensional (3D) imagery of the Earth’s surface. These laser scanners combined with global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) and real-time kinematic (RTK) reference stations can generate some of the most accurate ground surface imagery and elevation data for terrain mapping and related applications. Lidar aerial survey is an important tool in industries such as architecture, civil engineering, forestry, geology, geography, and agriculture where digital terrain models (DTMs) can be used to examine the geographical landscape and urban industry. Currently, there are three different common laser …

Contrastive Learning Techniques For Fraud Detection, Vinay Madanbhavi Shashidhar

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Detecting fraud in computing platforms involves identifying malicious user sessions, often using deep learning models, but several challenges hinder effective deployment. Attackers can craft diverse malicious sessions that closely resemble normal ones, complicating the learning of robust decision boundaries. While supervised contrastive learning offers a promising solution through class-specific clustering, its potential remains underexplored. Real-world datasets typically contain few labeled malicious sessions and many normal ones, creating an open-set anomaly detection challenge. Costly expert annotation further limits labeled data, especially for smaller organizations, leading to Positive Unlabeled (PU) learning and noisy label learning issues. Organizations are increasingly turning to LLMs …

Conservation Agriculture Practice Effects On Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Fine-Textured Soils In Arkansas, Lauren Gwaltney

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Biochar application and reduced tillage (RT) are both practices within the conservation agriculture framework, but specific impacts of these practices on direct greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions still require investigation in varied agricultural systems. This research aimed to evaluate the effects of biochar source (i.e., powder- and pellet-sized) and application rate (i.e., 0, 2.5, and 5 Mg ha^-1) on GHG production in simulated furrow-irrigated rice (Oryza sativa) in a greenhouse experiment, and to evaluate the effects of RT relative to conventional tillage (CT) on GHG production in soybean (Glycine max) in southeast Arkansas. Both studies …

Space And Subjectivity In The Emerging American West, Scott Hendry

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The American West resists theoretical definition. As myth, ideal, region, contact zone, place, space, symbol, territory, home, assemblage, dream, and home, the West is continually changing. As a region, the West is not a closed space; it is an open, ongoing constellation of processes, an unfolding simultaneity of storied events or happenings. This dissertation, “Space and Subjectivity in the Emerging American West,” explores literature and cinema of the modern West. My project seeks to answer the question “What is the American West?” by examining the work of novelists, poets, filmmakers, cultural geographers, philosophers, and photographers who reimagine identity, locality, and …

Shaping Minds, Shaping Future: Analyzing K-12 Climate Change Education Policy Preferences In Arkansas, Nataliia Borozdina

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Climate change education in K-12 public schools is a highly debated and divisive policy issue, particularly in politically conservative states such as Arkansas, where ideological divisions often dominate and shape public attitudes and policy preferences. This dissertation examines the attitudes, preferences, and behavioral intentions of three key stakeholder groups, namely the policy elites, general public, and educators toward climate change education policies in K-12 public schools in the state of Arkansas. While political party affiliation is an important factor, this study explores a more nuanced relationship by considering the interplay of Cultural Theory, risk perception, trust in government, climate change …