Digital Commons Network^™

Frogs On A Plain: Spatial Ecology Of Crawfish Frogs In Arkansas’ Remnant Prairies, Elliot T. Lassiter

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The prairie peninsula was an expansive and important habitat that covered much of midwestern North America, from Canada to Arkansas, USA. But the prairie peninsula has shrunk by as much as 99% since 1830, and therefore, land acquisition and public/private partnerships are critical for the preservation of prairies and their associated species. In Arkansas, one species that benefits from protected prairies is the Crawfish Frog (Lithobates areolatus), which is currently declining precipitously throughout its range. Adult Crawfish Frogs spend most of their lives in terrestrial refugia (crayfish burrows), making them highly vulnerable to habitat loss and fragmentation, thereby …

Influence Of Hydrologic And Anthropogenic Disturbance On Stream Populations And Communities, Sarah Frances Sorensen

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Disturbances occur when an external force modifies a habitat, destroying living space, removing food resources, or altering or destroying habitat structure. In lotic systems, a primary source of disturbance is hydrologic disturbance, including drought and flood. Hydrologic disturbances lead to increased mortality rates and dispersal out of disturbed habitats, causing population sizes to decrease and changes to community structures. More research is needed on how disturbances impact stream species and communities, as disturbances are predicted to become more intense with climate change. This dissertation aims to understand how disturbance influences streams at both the population and community level, through a …

Integrating Sustainability And Food Safety Through Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment And Life Cycle Assessment Of Low-Moisture Foods, Jessica Bain

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Food safety and sustainability are critical concerns in the food industry. However, these areas are often evaluated separately, leading to an incomplete understanding of the overall impact of food production on human health. This dissertation aims to integrate food safety with sustainability to provide a comprehensive assessment of the impact of low-moisture foods on human health, using the almond processing supply chain as a case study.

In addition to conducting life cycle assessments (LCA) of almond processing, wheat flour production, and dried apple processing, this dissertation aims to create a framework to bridge the gap between sustainability and food safety. …

Analyzing Milled Rice Breakage Patterns Under Diverse Environmental Settings, Devisree Chukkapalli

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study comprehensively evaluates the effects of environmental conditions, transportation, and storage practices on the quality of milled rice using three cultivars: CLL16 (long grain pureline), XP753 (long grain hybrid), and Titan (medium grain pureline). Three distinct objectives guided the research: (1) assessing the impact of relative humidity (RH), temperature, and exposure duration on rice quality post-milling and post-storage; (2) analyzing seasonal and locational influences on rice quality during transportation and storage; and (3) investigating the effects of subfreezing storage on key quality attributes.
Under controlled environmental conditions, post-milling exposure (PME) caused significant quality degradation at higher RH (75% and …

Development Of An Innovative Rapidly Constructible Bridge, Swikar N. Pyakurel

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Rapidly deployable temporary bridges are critical for military operations in hostile environments. The research focuses on conceptualizing bridge solutions for MLC 40 loading and 30 feet span that can be operational within hours, require minimal personnel and equipment, and are compact for logistics. An extensive literature review covered historic deployable structures, retractable stadium roofs, structures in aerospace, permanent deployable bridges, current military bridges, innovative deck solutions, lightweight structural materials, and compliant mechanisms. The study then investigated bridge superstructures made of lightweight Aluminum 6061-T6 alloy utilizing tensegrity and prefabricated aluminum extruded decks to meet the criteria. Two concepts, expandable scissor truss …

Self-Reflections: A Journey Of Practice In Art Education, Lucienne R. Cape

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Abstract This self-study explores the convergence of Culturally Sustaining Teaching within the realm of art education, focusing on the author’s journey as a white, middle-aged, cisgender, southern American woman teaching art in a parochial school environment. The study investigates the dynamics between cultural responsiveness and the acknowledgement of material agency in art classrooms. By integrating principles of culturally sustaining teaching into the art curriculum, the author aims to honor students’ cultural backgrounds while fostering critical consciousness and earthly sustainability awareness. The research questions delve into the connections between culturally sustaining teaching and how the author’s personal identity impacts choice in …

Detection Of Fungicide Resistance In Population Of Corynespora Cassiicola From Arkansas Soybean And Cotton Fields, Rafael Zaia

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Target spot, caused by the fungus Corynespora cassiicola, has reemerged since 2016 as an economically important disease on soybean and cotton across the Southern U.S. The quinone outside inhibitors (QoI) and succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors (SDHI) are important fungicide classes used to control foliar diseases in soybean and cotton. The efficacy of these products is rapidly decreasing, impacting control, and causing significant yield losses. The overall objective of this study was to determine the risks associated with chemical control by screening fungicide sensitivity, evaluating target site alterations, and analysis of disease control efficacy and yield response of fungicides for soybean in …

Ecopedagogy In Action: The Landfill Project, Marriah Geels

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This is an art education action research project that analyzes how an interdisciplinary ecopedagogical curriculum experience may impact student perspectives on waste (specifically trash) and the human impact on the environment. The four-week curriculum incorporated choice-based art education, place-based education, and slow pedagogy to better understand how students’ perspectives changed or remained constant throughout. This curriculum was taught to four class periods in a high school setting with about 34 students in 9-12th grade. Qualitative data collection included a pre and post-survey, visual journals, classroom observations, artist statements, and artwork. Through the analysis of Pre/Post Surveys by utilizing hybrid coding …

Interactive Effects Between Bluetongue Virus Infection And Insecticide Exposures In Culicoides Sonorensis, Parker Mullins

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Culicoides biting midges are common pests around the world of humans, livestock, and wildlife. In addition to nuisance blood feeding, they are also able to transmit pathogens to their hosts like bluetongue virus (BTV) and African horse sickness virus, which can be damaging in terms of both production economics and animal welfare. In order to protect humans and livestock from biting pests like Culicoides, a wide array of interventions is recommended, but chemical insecticides and repellent use are ubiquitous. For a multitude of reasons ranging from natural weathering of applied insecticides to the increase in resistance-associated mutations and behaviors in …

Identifying Waterway Traffic Flow Patterns Using Modified Clustering, Shihao Pang

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Efficient management of inland waterways is essential for the economic and operational efficiency of transportation networks. Characterization and prediction of waterway vessel traffic flow patterns by time of day are critical for optimizing planned disruptive events like maintenance activities. This study identifies and predicts inland waterway traffic flow patterns along the Lower Mississippi River (LMR) using a modified clustering approach. A five-year period of Automatic Identification System (AIS) data, which tracks vessel movements in real-time, is used for model development and evaluation. The model first segments the river into approximately one-mile-long traffic message channels (TMCs) to estimate vessel counts and …

Scooting Through Urban Shared Micromobility Transformations: A Comprehensive Study Of Shared E-Scooter Usage Patterns, Pandemic Effects, And Equity Challenges, Farzana Mehzabin Tuli

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The rise of shared e-scooters has sparked a paradigm shift in urban transportation, offering a flexible mode of micromobility for short-distance travel. Since their US debut in September 2017, these electric scooters have gained popularity, surpassing traditional bikesharing services in many cities. This dissertation presents four studies that delve into various aspects of e-scooter adoption, from user behavior and pandemic effects to gender disparities and equitable access, providing comprehensive insights for urban mobility planning. The first study aims to determine (i) who uses shared e-scooters and why they use them, and (ii) what effects e-scooters have on the usage of …

Reflecting On Being Good Enough: Tracing A Journey Of Identifications And Unraveling Denial Of The Queer Self, Lucero Aguirre

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

“Good Enough” is a thesis written to unpack reflection on assimilatory forces during early life experiences in education. By documenting self-reflections, utilizing arts-based research methods, and examining theory relative to theories of identity formation, I use a screenplay in the format of a fictional talk show where three golden retrievers are interviewed from notable Disney films Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (Dunham, 1993), Air Bud (Smith, 1997), and UP (Docter, 2009). I connect the golden retriever as a symbol representing aspects of the American dream, an influence shaping my identity and merit-focused alliance with dominant identities. The fictional plot of …

Real-Time Barge Detection Using Traffic Cameras And Deep Learning On Inland Waterways, Geoffery Eyram Agorku

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Inland waterways are critical for freight movement, but limited means exist for monitoring their performance and usage by freight-carrying vessels, e.g., barges. While methods to track vessels, e.g., tug and tow boats, are publicly available through Automatic Identification Systems (AIS), ways to track freight tonnages and commodity flows carried on barges along these critical marine highways are non-existent, especially in real-time settings. This paper develops a method to detect barge traffic on inland waterways using existing traffic cameras with opportune viewing angles. Deep learning models, specifically, You Only Look Once (YOLO), Single Shot MultiBox Detector (SSD), and EfficientDet are employed. …

Advancing Prediction And Decision Analytics Techniques To Improve Treatment Of Tuberculosis, Maryam Kheirandish Borujeni

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a global health challenge, significantly impacting morbidity and mortality rates worldwide. Despite advancements in diagnosis and treatment, TB continues to pose substantial challenges, particularly in low-resource settings. This dissertation aims to develop a robust treatment monitoring framework for TB patients to ensure personalized and effective treatment using demographic and clinical information. The current standard TB treatment framework, recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), involves monitoring patients through laboratory tests such as smear and culture sputum tests at specific time points during treatment. These tests, however, are not fast and accurate enough to determine the severity of …

The Growth And Governance Of American Classical And Christian Schools, Cassidy Syftestad Klutts

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Classical and Christian education has proliferated across education sectors over the last decade. As a result, school leaders must implement these timeless philosophies of education and navigate such high demand. This dissertation seeks to equip relevant parties with research about what drives their skyrocketing enrollment and how to support school leaders and their governing boards. My first chapter uses in-person focus groups to understand the school choices of 25 parents whose children are enrolled in Texas-based classical charter schools. I explore the ways in which parents found their children’s school; what made them enroll their children; and whether they are …

Measurement Reliability For Intentions To Change Behavior, Emily Schlichtig

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

It is common for researchers to ask participants to associate probabilities with words, often using tools like the Likert scale to measure behavioral intentions and attitudes. However, it remains unclear what specific probabilities participants assign to the response options on a Likert scale, how much variation exists across these options, and whether these probabilities differ across various behaviors. The purpose of this paper is to explore the numeric probabilities that participants associate with different Likert scale points, to understand their perception of the variation at each point, and to compare these perceptions across three behaviors: eating more vegetables, exercising more, …

How Local Interactions Give Rise To Large-Scale Conformational Changes In Proteins: A Molecular Dynamics Study, Shadi A. Badiee

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Proteins are dynamic entities that undergo conformational changes essential for their biological functions. These structural changes often correspond with chemical events such as lipid interactions or environmental changes like protonation or acidification. Understanding the complex relationship between these chemical perturbations and the resultant mechanical responses is crucial for elucidating protein mechanisms. This dissertation investigates the chemo-mechanical coupling in the conformational dynamics of the bacterial ABC transporter Sav1866 and the impact of protonation on the Influenza virus hemagglutinin HA0. Using molecular dynamics simulations, we explore the conformational landscapes of Sav1866 and HA0. Our study examines how varying lipid compositions affect the …

Analyzing The Accuracy And Trading Strategy Potential Of Private Analyst Projections Of Usda Wasde Reports, Emmie Noyes

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates the economic impact of private analyst forecasts on trading strategies in agricultural commodities markets. The primary objective is to assess whether private forecasts of world ending stocks contained in the USDA’s WASDE report provide valuable information for forming profitable trading strategies. The study utilizes panel regression models to analyze the relationship between private forecast accuracy and strategic returns derived from trading strategies based on these forecasts. The research employs unbalanced panel data spanning from January 2011 to April 2021, integrating monthly and yearly indicators to capture temporal patterns. The dataset includes observations from multiple firms, allowing for …

Sparse Neural Network To Enhance Performance Under Limited Parameter Constraints., Nailah Rawnaq

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Over the past decade, the widespread adoption of deep neural networks has been a breakthrough driven by significant computational advancements. Additionally, the number of parameters of those models is exponentially increasing for performing complex tasks and achieving better performance. However, in most practical cases, often there are constraints in the number of parameters due to limited resources in storage size and computational cost. Network pruning can lead to an optimal solution to this problem. In this thesis, I present supporting evidence to the hypothesis that higher sparsity leads to better performance for a convolution-based neural network. I perform performance studies …

Gan With Skip Patch Discriminator For Biological Electron Microscopy Image Generation, Nishith Ranjon Roy

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

GAN models have been successfully used for image generation in various sections such as real-life objects like human faces, cars, animal faces, landscapes, etc. This work focuses on biological electron microscopy (EM) image generation. Unlike other real-life objects, biological EM images are obtained through electron microscopy techniques to study biological specimens. Electron microscopy offers high resolution and magnification capabilities, making it a powerful tool for visualizing biological structures at the nanoscale. However, using GAN models for biological EM image generation poses challenges due to the complex and unique arrangements of biological structures and the sparse and asymmetrical patterns in EM …

Feasibility Assessment And Container Traffic Forecasting Of Inland Waterway Container On Barge Transportation, Fan Bu

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Container on Barge (COB) transportation is an intermodal freight transport mode that moves shipping containers via barges on navigable inland and intracoastal waterways. During the past twenty years, COB has been a growing mode of container shipping globally due to its low-cost, eco-friendly, and congestion-reducing characteristics. Europe and China are currently leading global COB transportation, and the United States (U.S.) may have the potential to achieve economic benefits through the implementation of COB within its intermodal transportation system. To explore this potential, this dissertation investigates the implementation feasibility of COB transportation within the U.S. intermodal freight transportation system. Three contributions …

A Grounded Theory Study Of White Educators' Conceptualizations And Negotiations Of Culturally Centered Practices In Colleges Of Agriculture And Related Sciences, Isabel M. Whitehead-Adams

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The racial and ethnic demographics of higher education are becoming increasingly diverse; however, faculty demographics remain predominantly White. With agriculture being one of the largest economic sectors, often with many roles to fill, recruiting and retaining racially and ethnically diverse students into agricultural and related science post-secondary programs, hereby referred to as agricultural programs, is crucial to drawing talent into the agricultural workforce. However, racial and ethnic demographics among students in post-secondary agricultural programs also remain predominantly White. Established pedagogical approaches for supporting culturally diverse have been established, such as Culturally Responsive Teaching. There is little to no research exploring …

Mental Health Calls For Service During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Examining The Geographic Distribution And Correlates Of Service Requests In Little Rock, Arkansas, Mckayla Bishop

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In response to the Covid-19 global crisis, the United States implemented social interaction restrictions to curb the infection rate amongst citizens, affecting residents' mental health by adding strain from daily routine change. This study examines how mental health has changed during the pandemic by focusing on geospatial differences of volume and concentration within 311 calls in Little Rock, Arkansas in 2018 and 2020. Our data comes from the City of Little Rock’s open database to construct geospatial maps (n= 155 block groups), along with Census survey data logistic regression models to show differences in community characteristics. Overall, mental health worsened …

How Supply Chains Respond To Disruptions: Three Essays On Responses To Operational, Geopolitical, And Natural Disaster Disruptions, Travis Kulpa

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The ability to respond to supply chain disruptions efficiently and effectively is a highly sought after capability, particularly in light of recent events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical conflicts, and major natural disasters. These events have led researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to ask: how can we better use our resources to respond to supply chain disruptions? This dissertation examines responses to the three main types of supply chain disruptions: operational disruptions, geopolitical disruptions, and natural disasters. The first study examines how US importers adjust between air and containerized transportation in response to shipment delays and abnormally high demand from …

Exploring Telehealth Utilization Through Data Analytics, Statistical Analyses, And Machine Learning Techniques, Aysenur Betul Cengil

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the utilization of telehealth services, initially focusing on the Arkansas healthcare system and then extending the analysis nationwide. It aims to understand the factors influencing telehealth adoption and its impact on healthcare delivery. After examining telehealth utilization in Arkansas from 2018 to 2022, the research utilizes a comprehensive dataset from Epic Cosmos, which includes a wide range of patient and visit data from multiple healthcare facilities across the United States from 2018 to 2023. This timeframe allows for a detailed analysis of telehealth trends before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic. In Chapter 2, we analyze key …

Essays On Networks And Gender Dynamics In Corporate Finance, Xiaonan Wei

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In my dissertation, I explore the effect of networks and gender dynamics on corporate finance. In my first essay, I examine the effects of personal network on insider trading decisions. Using COVID-19 as a shock to test personal network effect, I find individuals were influenced by information about COVID-19 provided by the members of their personal networks. S&P 1500 insiders whose personal networks contained higher fractions of socially connected individuals from countries affected by early stages of COVID-19 were more likely to sell shares of their firms in the period preceding the U.S. stock market decline, and they are less …

Will These Feelings Last Forever? Examining The Relationship Between The Longevity Belief About Emotion And Avoidance, Elise Warner

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research suggests that the belief that emotions last for long periods of time is associated with greater self-reported distress intolerance and greater experiential avoidance (Warner, 2022), with limited research examining the causal link between the longevity belief and experiential avoidance. Individuals high in emotional reactivity may tend to hold greater longevity beliefs (Veilleux et al., 2019), with high emotional reactivity linked to both greater experiential avoidance and distress intolerance (Bruns et al., 2019). Thus, the aim of the current study was to examine the influence of the longevity belief about emotions on behavioral avoidance in individuals high in emotional reactivity. …

The Impact Of Algorithmic Control And Algorithmic Management In Online Labor Platforms, Yaping Zhu

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Online labor platforms (OLPs) are transforming the way organizations operate and how people work. Platform work has been characterized as promoting autonomy and flexibility. Workers interact with a platform rather than human managers to accomplish tasks and they have the freedom to decide when, where, and how much to work. Yet, platform workers increasingly bemoan working conditions, revealing that the expected autonomy and flexibility benefits of platform work have not materialized. Current IS research sheds light on this phenomenon by explaining that platform organizations use algorithms to manage and control workers (i.e., algorithmic control). Yet, our understanding of how algorithmic …

A Mixed Methods Study Exploring The Impact Of Embedded Trauma-Informed Practices On Academic-Related Behaviors Of Students Who Have Experienced Trauma And The Relationship Between Trauma-Informed Practices And Student Benchmark Growth Data, Sarah Isaac

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This mixed methods study examined the relationship between school-based embedded trauma-informed practices and academic-related outcomes for students. While there is minimal empirical evidence supporting the impact of trauma-informed practices on the academic success of students who have experienced trauma, there is some qualitative, quantitative, and anecdotal data supporting outcomes stemming from trauma-informed practices in the research. The research questions guiding this study were (1) What impact does the implementation of embedded trauma-informed practices have on the academic-related behaviors of students who have experienced trauma? and (2) What is the relationship between benchmark growth scores for students with an ACE score …

Integrated Public Archeology: Innovative Three-Dimensional Modeling And Digital Storytelling Techniques For Historic Preservation And Outreach, Bryce James Drachenberg

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates the integration of digital methodologies in public archeology to enhance public engagement and historic preservation. Focusing on digital storytelling and three-dimensional modeling, the research demonstrates how tools like photogrammetry and ArcGIS StoryMaps can democratize archeological knowledge and involve wider audiences. A case study of Cane Hill, Arkansas, showcases the practical application of these techniques. The study highlights the creation of three-dimensional models and their integration into interactive StoryMaps, discussing the benefits, challenges, and future directions of digital public archeology.