Digital Commons Network^™

Agreement Between Methods For Describing The Intensity Of A High Intensity Functional Training Workout, James W. Henley

Master's Theses

This study examined whether a speed-based metric, expressed as percent of maximal speed (%MS), could serve as a practical and accurate method for quantifying intensity in high-intensity functional training (HIFT). Traditional intensity markers—heart rate (HR), blood lactate concentration ([La-]), and rating of perceived exertion (RPE)—were compared to %MS during low- and high-volume (LV, HV) workouts using a combination of correlation and agreement analyses. Twelve males and twelve females completed a baseline assessment followed by two experimental workout sessions. Participants wore HR monitors, provided pre- and post-exercise [La-] samples and RPE scores, and performed maximal speed tests for each workout movement. …

Unified Evaluation Of Real-World Iot-Based Federated Learning, Yi Gu

Master's Theses

Federated learning (FL) is a novel paradigm that enables the training of a global machine learning (ML) model across distributed devices by exchanging model parameters instead of raw data in the training process. Internet of Things (IoT) devices typically operate with limited resources, have weaker security protections, and are more vulnerable to potential thermal stress (TS). Current evaluations of FL are mostly conducted through simulations of multiple clients on a single device. However, there remains a gap in understanding how FL performs under TS in real-world, low-power IoT environments. Conformal prediction (CP) is an effective method for quantifying uncertainty in …

Tapestry Of Culture: The Power Of Storytelling Among Native American Cultures: The Search For History, Culture, And Identity, Maurysha Cuttino

Master's Theses

Storytelling is a centerpiece within cultures to remember the past, find faith, and establish comfort within a community setting. This thesis will explore how storytelling has become a means of entertainment and much more. This paper will focus specifically on how storytelling works for the inner workings of Elders in Native American communities, as well as how multifaceted storytelling can be understood in the importance of its culture and people. Further, we will see how these stories create moral lessons for communities and act as guidance for individuals. We will look at the way storytelling has evolved and changed with …

Cartoon Kinship, Kelsey Bell Quinn

Master's Theses

Most people view cartoons as mindless entertainment exclusively for children. They dismiss the genre as if it only contains zany and overzealous characters who deal with simple, predictable challenges, easily resolved by the end of the episode. The negative attitude towards cartoons—or seemingly anything animated—undermines the importance of the lessons and the themes many shows do impart on their viewers, regardless of their age. Shows like Nickelodeon's Avatar: The Last Airbender cover a plethora of complex themes, but due to its status as an animated work, it has been disregarded as a show for children rather than being appreciated as …

Breaking Barriers: Exploring The Impact Of Social Media On Women's Behaviors, Attitudes, And Barriers In The Free-Weights Room, Kate Jensen

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine social media’s impact on women’s habits and attitudes on the weight-room area of a college recreation center. Using non-experimental quantitative methods, the frequency and type of weightroom use by women was measured, as well as the type and frequency of fitness-focused social media use.

The Prescribing Of Gender, A Scope On The Societal Ideologies Showcased Within Le Roman De Silence, Derrian Fernandez

Master's Theses

Culture is constantly evolving, its ideologies cementing themselves within our minds, shaping how we as a society guide ourselves through living in such. Social class, religion, gender, all are forms of identity that have a place, and a certain understanding and standing within our culture and society. Through this understanding of ourselves, we are defined, creating multiple forms of distinct expression to help differentiate our place further. A pope is expected to wear a certain attire just as a bride is expected to. The same ideology trickles down, creating demarcations of attire that subsequently ingrain themselves into our culture and …

Does Limb Specialization In Track And Field Introduce Asymmetry In Dynamic Stability?, Aaron X. Jones

Master's Theses

Time to stabilization (TTS) represents the time it takes for a person to become still after a hop landing. Lower times suggest greater dynamic stability. Whereas leg dominance (preference) does not seem to have a significant impact on TTS performance in the general healthy populations, limb specialization in sport may introduce asymmetry. This study compares TTS following forward hops in healthy male controls (N = 19) to varsity DIII Track & Field athletes (N = 20). Groups were equal for height, but the athlete group’s average limb length (106.7 ± 5.5 cm) was greater than the control group (101.5 ± …

Transgressive Fiction And The Problem Of Negative Affect: A Case Study Of Samuel Delany’S Hogg, Brian Thornton

Master's Theses

Samuel Delany began drafting Hogg in March of 1969 and worked on it intermittently before completing the novel in October of 1973.1 Yet Hogg remained unpublished until 1995 before finally seeing the light of day “during the ‘transgressive turn’ in American literature” (Mitchell 1). As such, the novel is historically situated along what Jonathan Mitchell calls a “dual temporality,” which “allows the novel to be located as an intervention in two key moments in America’s LGBT+ history: first, the developments in identity politics coming out of the socio-political cultural shifts of the 1960s; and, second, the post-AIDS awareness 1990s”.

Feral And Free: The Queering Of Motherhood In Rachel Yoder’S Nightbitch, Cassandra Haskell

Master's Theses

This thesis explores motherhood from a perspective that seeks to inform and challenge the patriarchal definitions of motherhood in order to simultaneously confront its restrictions and create new meanings from its institutionalized definition. The main text that this thesis analyzes is the 2021 novel Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder, as well as the 2024 film of the same name, critiquing how it successfully queers motherhood by questioning, challenging, and defying the impractical expectations placed upon mothers by society. Some secondary scholars whose works that I utilize to support my argument are authors such as Audre Lorde, Jessica Calarco, Adrienne Rich and …

The Effect Of Changes In Relative Humidity On The Dimensions Of Toolmarks In Wood, Katarina R. Reyna

Master's Theses

Toolmark evidence consists of striated and impressed toolmarks. Striated toolmarks are composed of individualizable striations that are produced to a tool’s surface irregularities when it is scraped against another material. Impressed toolmarks are typically evaluated for valuable class characteristics, such as the size and shape of the mark, which can provide investigators with the type and size tool that was used. At crime scenes, toolmarks are often found around points of entry in wooden doors and window frames. Wood, as relatively unstable substrate, retains impressed toolmarks with little chance of retention of any individualizable characteristics. The hygroscopic properties of wood …

Implication Of Georgian Democratic Backsliding, Sarah Middleton

Master's Theses

The last several years have demonstrated a dramatic political shift in Eastern Europe. While the war in Ukraine may be the most well known instance of this, the lesser studied nation of Georgia has seen many notable changes as well. At the hands of a growingly oppressive government, Georgian Dream (GD), the country has experienced democratic backsliding in the form of authoritarian-like policy changes and closer ties with authoritarian states. This has incited widespread protesting and calls to reinstate democratic practices. GD has seemingly deserted its former Western-oriented goals and the financial support these connections bring in favor of relations …

Evaluating Coordination And Variability Within Collegiate Basketball Players Using Vector Coding, Minali G. Patton

Master's Theses

The countermovement jump (CMJ) is a popular tool used to assess neuromuscular capabilities and production of power. The literature has also shown the CMJ to assess differences in strategic approaches, and it is common to see the variables countermovement depth, impulse, and ground-reaction force (GRF) curve shapes being used to describe differences in strategy. However, these variables are not descriptive enough to evaluate how individuals are moving at a segmental level. Vector coding, a qualitative analysis of coordination, may be the better answer for assessing differences in strategy from a coordination point of view. Thus, the purpose of this project …

Optimizing Growth Conditions Of Chlorella Algae For Enhanced Biomass And Oxygen Production, Supreme Ogheneovo Oghenerhoro

Master's Theses

Increasing Earth's carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels contribute immensely to global warming. At the same time, future Mars colonization requires innovative systems for oxygen production. This study explores how Chlorella algae can help control environmental challenges on Earth, support life on Mars, and produce biomass as an alternative to renewable energy. Chlorella is known for its high photosynthetic efficiency in capturing CO2 for growth, producing O2 and biomass used for biofuel production. It was studied under varying CO₂ concentrations and pressure conditions. Each experiment was performed using a photobioreactor setup and optimized algae growth conditions. These were assessed to understand its …

Design And Analysis Of An Isolated Resonant Pulsed Dc-Dc Buck-Boost Converter, Edgar Arturo Mora Tena

Master's Theses

This thesis entails the design, modeling, simulation, construction, and analysis of a new isolated DC-DC buck-boost converter with Zero-Current-Switching (ZCS) operation, continuous input current, and a low-side switch to simplify driving requirements. The proposed converter was designed to regulate a 5V output from an input range of 15V-18V, at a rated output power of 20W, and a switching frequency range of 90kHz-500kHz. Software simulations are performed to develop a mathematical model that describes the converter’s modes of operation, as well as the current and voltage waveforms of the resonant power components. Results from hardware experimentation confirm that the converter effectively …

Impacts Of Temperature Acclimation On Swimming Performance And Metabolic Dynamics Of The Amargosa River Pupfish, Cyprinodon Nevadensis Amargosae, Teresa E. Guerre

Master's Theses

Climate change is leading to warmer atmospheric temperatures in many regions of the world, which in turn is raising the temperatures of aquatic habitats and simultaneously shifting the frequency and severity of extreme precipitation events. In fishes, metabolic demands are higher under warmer conditions, while dissolved oxygen levels typically decline in warmer water. This mismatch may limit the ability of fishes to cope with high water flow events like floods that can occur following extreme rainfall. A few species of pupfishes (genus Cyprinodon) in the Death Valley region of California and Nevada, USA, occupy stream or river habitats with …

How Russia’S Full-Scale Invasion Of Ukraine In 2022 Has Changed Russia- Africa Relations, Nkeiruka M. Origa

Master's Theses

This thesis examines how Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has impacted Russia's relationships with several African countries, specifically focusing on Libya, Mali, the Central African Republic (CAR), and Sudan. The study employed qualitative data analysis sourced from both primary and secondary materials, including official government statements, expert opinions, statements from key stakeholders, journal articles, verified news media, and think tanks. The study has found that the geopolitical shifts triggered by Russia’s war against Ukraine have enhanced Russia's political, economic, and military cooperation in the four African nations under analysis. The analysis of the five African nations’ cooperation with …

Extraction Of Bioethanol From Seaweed Via Hydrolysis And Fermentation Using Mass-Produced Enzymes And Yeast, Timilehin Esther Oluwole

Master's Theses

The increasing global energy demand, depletion of fossil fuel reserves, and environmental concerns have driven the search for sustainable biofuel alternatives. Seaweeds (macroalgae) are promising feedstocks for bioethanol production due to their high carbohydrate content, rapid growth rates, lack of lignin, and non-competition with arable land. This study investigates the bioethanol production potential of three seaweed species, Codium fragile, Monostroma grevillei, and Fucus distichus, using enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation via Separate Hydrolysis and Fermentation (SHF) and Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation (SSF) processes. Hydrolysis was catalyzed using either α-Amylase or Celluclast 1.5L, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae was employed for fermentation. Out of …

Evaluating Cannabigerol As A Therapeutic Agent In Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Michael J. Viereckl

Master's Theses

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is a prolific disease worldwide, with rising incidence and limited treatment options. The disease is progressive, what begins as simple lipid congestion within the cells of the liver eventually leads to incitement of inflammatory reactions and destruction of the liver which can further develop into cancer. Epidemiological data suggests that Cannabis use is associated with reduced incidence of NAFLD, and relatively recent changes in the plants legal status now affords us with the opportunity to investigate unstudied cannabinoids in the context of NAFLD. Further, growing popularity of these bioactive compounds as supplements warrants investigation into …

Imitation And Text Relationships In Tomás Luis De Victoria's Missa O Magnum Mysterium, Natasha Ann Monroe

Master's Theses

Unusual musical relationships surrounding the compositions of Tomás Luis de Victoria have intrigued scholars for decades, but their purpose remains hidden. Robert Stevenson has suggested that textual connections can be found alongside these musically similar passages. I revisit this suggestion by analyzing an imitation mass by Victoria: Missa O magnum mysterium based on his motet O magnum mysterium. When trying to understand any intentional textual connections, it is necessary to consider the composer's broad perspective. In the case of Missa O magnum mysterium, the logical starting points are Victoria's life-long involvement with the Catholic Church and the feast …

“But Where Are Those Good Old-Fashioned Values?”—The Racial Politics Of Animated Satire In Family Guy, Jordanne Greenidge

Master's Theses

Few animated shows have shaped American pop culture quite like Family Guy. Known for its rapid-fire cutaway gags and irreverent humor, the series has remained a television mainstay since its debut in 1999, despite frequent criticism and even two cancellations. Created by Seth MacFarlane and based on his 1995 student film The Life of Larry, Family Guy has built its reputation on pushing the boundaries of taste, especially when it comes to race, gender, and politics. Though often defended as satire, the show’s use of racial humor raises questions about its true impact: Do its portrayals of Black characters challenge …

The Adirondack Frontier: Reclaiming A Vital Role In Shaping The Nation, Peter Nelson

Master's Theses

The traditional version of Adirondack history from the revolutionary period to the middle of the nineteenth century, which portrays the region as unexplored primeval wilderness, is nineteenth-century romantic mythology. It ignores thousands of years of Indigenous habitation and misrepresents early Euro-American activity in the region as well. In fact, from the earliest days of colonial exploration of North America until the middle of the 19th-Century, New York's Adirondack region was a dynamic American frontier, as important in shaping the destiny of the nation as the Northwest Territory or, later, the West. Activities in the Adirondack frontier contributed to the decimation …

“From The Synagogue To The Streets”: Outsider Rabbis, Mississippi, And The Civil Rights Movement, Holli Elaine Parker

Master's Theses

The historiography of Jews in the Civil Rights Movement is extensive, and recent scholarship has reevaluated the relationships between Jews and civil rights organizations. The role of southern Jews in critical states, such as Mississippi, is often amalgamated into one category: supportive but scared. The focus on two rabbis known for their outspokenness regarding racial equality, Charles Mantinband of Hattiesburg and Perry Nussbaum of Jackson, is central to most southern Jewish studies. However, it neglects aspects of their background. Neither rabbi was a native Mississippian nor accepted as truly Southern due to the stances they took regarding racial equality. Charles …

Interconnections Among Self-Awareness Constructs In Schizotypy: The Importance Of Interoceptive Sensibility, Kendall Beals

Master's Theses

Interoception involves the sensing, interpreting, and integrating of signals from within the body and mind. Interoception is a central concept to our awareness of bodily sensations and thus can be classified as one form of self-awareness. Differences in other forms of self-awareness, such as alexithymia, cognitive insight, and introspective accuracy, have been observed between those with high and low schizotypy. Given the conceptual similarity in these constructs, understanding inter-relationships across measures of self-awareness will serve to advance our understanding of the concept and its various facets for people with high schizotypy. This study examined the relationships between interoceptive sensibility and …

Impact Of Temperature And Microbial Infection On The Honey Bee Hemocytes, Michael E. Oeth

Master's Theses

Introduction

Honey bees (Apis mellifera) rely on hemocytes for immunity, wound healing, and hemolymph homeostasis. While 32°C reflects optimal hive conditions, suboptimal temperatures (22°C) and stressors like pathogens (Varroa destructor, bacteria) or pesticides impair hemocyte function. Using clodronate liposomes (CLD) to deplete hemocytes, we assessed how immune suppression interacts with these stressors.

Methods

Newly emerged (5-day-old) and older (15-day-old) bees were assigned to: CLD, control liposomes (LP), PBS, injection wound, or no treatment. Cohorts were exposed to 32°C (optimal) or 22°C (stressful for non-immunosuppressed bees). Fifteen-day-old bees were challenged with Escherichia coli or Staphylococcus aureus. Survival, hemolymph volume, and hemocyte …

Key-Based Authentication Scheme For Evtol Drones Using Chebyshev Chaotic Maps, Eduardo A. Hernandez Escobar

Master's Theses

The development of electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) drones signifies a substantial advancement in urban air mobility, ready to transform transportation models in densely populated regions. These advanced drones, distinguished by their capacity to function in limited spaces and their minimized environmental impact, are set to transform individual, shipping, emergency services, and public safety activities. Nonetheless, like any transformational technology, the implementation of eVTOL systems presents many challenges, especially in the realm of cybersecurity. Adding many devices and entities to an eVTOL network increases the risk of privacy and security attacks. This paper proposes a key-based authentication scheme that …

Ghana’S Shift From Non-Alignment To Alignment: A Comparative Case Study Of Foreign Policy Under Geopolitical Pressures, Bernice Owusu

Master's Theses

With the geopolitical landscape experiencing significant dynamic shifts, the rise of global powers like China and Russia is putting pressure on non-aligned countries to adjust to the new realities. This thesis examines the evolving nature of Ghana’s foreign policy from non-alignment to alignment due to geopolitical pressures. Using a comparative case study of Ghana and Zambia, the thesis analyzes how economic dependency, military cooperation, and diplomatic behavior— especially with the United States—have influenced Ghana’s foreign policy trajectory between the Cold War and the post-2010 period. Through analysis of policy documents, defense agreements, and United Nations General Assembly voting records, the …

Does Resilience Moderate The Relation Between Caregiver Behaviors And Post-Traumatic Symptoms In Young Adults?, Akila Uma Gopalkrishnan

Master's Theses

Exposure to a potentially traumatic event (PTE) is not an uncommon experience for children and adolescents. After exposure to adverse events, youth may experience significant maladjustment and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). As such, researchers continue investigating potential risk and protective factors contributing to youth post-trauma adjustment. Considering their critical role in children’s development, caregivers likely play a key role in youth post-trauma adjustment. However, the field lacks studies on caregiver behaviors following youth PTE exposure and on factors, such as resilience, that could influence how children respond to stress and caregiver environments. I aimed to evaluate: (a) how perceived caregiver …

Those Magnificent Men In Their Fighting Machines: An Investigation Into The Lives Of Wwi Tankmen, Lucas C. Campbell

Master's Theses

This thesis will look at the immense backlog of war diaries, journals, personal letters, government documentation, and oral histories left behind by British tank crewmen of the First World War. The purpose of this investigation is mainly to uncover the reasons that individuals were chosen for transferal into the Royal Tank Regiment, where they were transferred from, what their training consisted of before their deployment, and their combat history once they were sent into the battlefields on the Western Front. The goal of this project is to gauge the reaction to the emergence of this crucially important technology on a …

Jump Strategy Changes In Collegiate Women Soccer Players, Madeline Klubertanz

Master's Theses

Countermovement jumps (CMJ) are often utilized to monitor athletes because of their sensitivity to neuromuscular fatigue, which can be seen through assessing jump strategies. The current literature has reported conflicting views on how jump performance is impacted over acute and longitudinal testing. This is likely due to insufficient analyses regarding the impact of fatigue on jump strategy. This study aimed to investigate how the integration of jump strategy metrics and single-subject analysis could provide a better representation of the presence of fatigue among collegiate women soccer players. Eighteen participants were utilized in this study. Participants were required to complete three …

A Herpetofaunal Inventory Study Of Two National Wildlife Refuges In The Mississippi Delta And Associated Evaluation Of Trapping Efficacy, Andrew Holzinger

Master's Theses

The objectives of this project were to record the diversity and distribution of amphibian and reptile species present at Panther Swamp and Hillside National Wildlife Refuges (NWR) and to quantify trapping efficacy as a result of various methodologies under different habitat variables. The primary methods employed were two varieties of drift fence trap arrays consisting of 100-foot sections of silt fencing with buried 2.5-gallon buckets as pitfall traps and box traps placed at the end of each fence to capture larger organisms. When conditions permitted, aquatic trapping was also employed across the Refuges. A total of 55 species were documented, …