Digital Commons Network^™

Metabolic And Replicative Constraints On Pathogen Virulence: Isoleucine Catabolism In Shigella And Comparative Tanapoxvirus Replication In Cell Cultures, Benecia Angelica

Masters Theses

Pathogens survive by balancing metabolic demands with environmental challenges that shape their virulence and adaptability. Shigella flexneri, a highly infectious human pathogen responsible for severe diarrheal disease worldwide, utilizes branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) metabolism to withstand stress conditions encountered within the host environment. In this study, we explored the Shigella isoleucine catabolism pathway by knocking out four genes in the S. flexneri isoleucine catabolic pathway (ilvE, fadA, fadD, and acnB) and examining their metabolism and virulence. We found that the ilvE and acnB mutants displayed reduced metabolic activity and smaller plaque size, while the fadD mutant showed decreased invasion. In …

Grace And Generosity: A Nt Defense Of Christian Giving And Stewardship, Jermaine Mcinnis

Masters Theses

This thesis holds that Christian stewardship and giving remain divinely appointed activities in the NT, despite growing skepticism in modern ecclesial and academic circles. Firmly grounded in biblical theology and canonical exegesis, the research argues that the disciplines of tithing, giving, and sacrificial stewardship are not eliminated by grace but are redirected and intensified with Christ. The research examines OT assumptions, Jesus’ instruction, and apostolic instruction to illustrate consistency in God's expectation of His people's obedience regarding finances. Drawing on current scholarship, the thesis refutes assumptions that giving is optional or less culturally relevant, underlining its vital importance to church …

The Sacrificial Vs. The Luzhinian Figure: Comparing Sacrificial Love In Crime And Punishment, Pride And Prejudice, And A Tale Of Two Cities, Natalie Rose Kubala

Masters Theses

Many works of art and literature exploring the theme of love focus on trying to define what love is; in contrast, this thesis dives deeper into defining what love is not, specifically focusing on the relationship between love and sacrifice. This thesis argues that love is not the same as sacrifice because a true sacrifice requires that love is already present prior to the sacrifice being made. This thesis will compare those who perform true sacrifices to those who perform sacrifices for their own personal gain by exploring grandiose narcissistic characters who perform (or attempt to perform) sacrifices without love …

Sdn Controller For Distributed Quantum Computing, Firas Selmi

Masters Theses

Quantum networks promise transformative capabilities for computation [1], but current hardware remains limited; state-of-the-art quantum processors still operate with only a few hundred qubits [2], far below the scale required for practical applications. This limitation motivates the use of Distributed Quantum Computing (DQC), where computation is performed across multiple interconnected nodes. However, efficient DQC requires global network awareness and orchestration, a role analogous to Software-Defined Networking (SDN) in classical systems. In this work, we investigate the impact of SDN-inspired control logic on quantum networks by executing a scaled distributed implementation of Shor’s algorithm to factor N = 15 over a …

The Intermediate State: Scriptural, Philosophical, And Scientific Evidence For Conscious Existence After Death, Timothy R. Perry

Masters Theses

This thesis examines whether Scripture and supporting evidence affirm that believers enter the immediate presence of Christ in a conscious and possibly embodied state prior to the resurrection. It argues that compelling scriptural, scientific, and philosophical evidence supports the doctrine that believers enter the presence of Christ immediately after death, in a conscious and possibly embodied state until the final resurrection. The study employs a multidisciplinary argument drawing upon biblical exegesis, philosophical reasoning, and relevant scientific insights from the emerging field of near-death experiences. This study uniquely frames the intermediate state as an apologetic issue, offering hope to Christians who …

The Fate Of Kings: Providence And Humanism In Shakespeare's Henriad, Katherine Cornell

Masters Theses

Shakespeare’s Henriad offers a picture of the rise and fall of kings, engaging with the integral concepts of Providence, humanistic responsibility, and the divine right of rulers. This analysis will consider the ideas of divine right and humanism as they appear within the Henriad and argue that the plays reconcile the two seemingly competing philosophies of divine right and humanism by depicting a world in which God establishes kings, but gives those kings free agency over their actions. The fortune and fate of kings is first expressed in Richard II, when Richard’s selfish actions cause his own demise, opening the …

They Write Themselves: Romancing The Vampire Of Lighthouse Landing, Dezi Vaile

Masters Theses

Many fantasy creatures have dark pasts; supernatural, often disturbing, stories that have been tossed in a sauce of romance to appeal to a wider palette. While vampires are typically regarded as creations of nightmares, these creatures of the night have been no exception to this cycle. Although legends of blood suckers far predate the birth of Bram Stoker, Dracula is arguably the most enduring and important example of vampire literature. By beginning with Dracula, alongside earlier works like The Vampyre and Carmilla, we will track what has and has not changed within the genre of vampire literature. With the passage …

Rhetorical Strategies In Writing-Based Suicide Prevention: A Qualitative Study For Navy Chaplains And Command Leadership In Region East, Herode Jean-Vilien Thomas

Masters Theses

Suicide prevention remains a critical challenge within military environments, particularly in operational settings where communication between leaders and service members often occurs under conditions of stress and urgency. While the United States Navy has implemented numerous prevention initiatives, limited attention has been given to the role of written communication as a relational and persuasive tool in crisis response. This study examines how rhetorical strategies influence writing-based suicide prevention communication within Navy Recruiting Command Region East. Drawing on classical rhetorical theory and contemporary communication research, the study explores how tone, clarity, message structure, and audience awareness shape the effectiveness of crisis …

Exploring The Possibility Of A Salary Floor In Major League Baseball (Mlb), Tyler Michael Jones

Masters Theses

This non-experimental quantitative study examined the relationship between team payroll disparities, fan engagement, and perceptions of fairness in Major League Baseball (MLB). Guided by Competitive Balance Theory, the study sought to determine if perceived fairness influenced fan support for the implementation of a salary floor, and whether those attitudes differed across demographic and team context. Data were collected from 200 adult MLB fans residing in the United States and Canada using an online survey distributed via social media platforms. The instrument included demographic items and Likert-scale measures assessing fairness perceptions, fan engagement, and policy support. Data were analyzed using hierarchical …

Destination: Love And Redemption In The Underworld, Alexis P. Johnson

Masters Theses

This essay serves as an artist’s statement for Alexis Johnson, outlining her journey as a storyteller and the development of her MFA thesis work, focusing on her feature film screenplay, Destination. Johnson details her lifelong connection to Arizona and the desire to propose storytelling on film that moves outside the stereotypical standard the state is known for. Through Destination, she aims to expand the Western genre by weaving in elements of magic and imagination, showcasing Arizona as a place rich in narrative potential. The screenplay explores themes of death, identity, and transformation. She reflects on how her life’s challenges have …

Backstory And Conflicts Of Character Development, Kayla Smith

Masters Theses

This thesis explores the role of character development and its effects on the characters in the story. Through detailed research into literary works, this study will identify key factors that contribute to backstories and conflicts that keep the audience engaged. By comparing characters who have experienced trauma, the research will show how character development is affected by supporting characters, cultural background, and the illnesses they have experienced. The findings will suggest that character development is important and can change throughout the story. The thesis aims to provide insight to create characters that will make a difference in the story and …

Παράδοσις: A Comparative Analysis Of Paul And Oneness Pentecostals, John Calvin Carroll

Masters Theses

Tradition is an inescapable element of institutional life, including religious institutions. Traditions inevitably emerge whether in churches, corporations, families, or nations. Within the Christian faith, the critical issue is not the presence of tradition, but the authority and function ascribed to it. This study concerns itself with the role of tradition in both individual and communal expressions of Christianity. Traditions can foster cohesion and identity within Christian communities. However, their specific forms often vary across cultural contexts—for instance, between churches in North America and other continents worldwide. Traditions about men’s and women’s modesty may take on different forms between North …

Fostering Worship In A Countercultural Setting: An Ethnodoxological Approach To Secular Heavy Music, Jacob Lewis Ream

Masters Theses

Despite stylistic musical diversity within the evangelical church, many secular musicians and music fans have little to no desire to participate in corporate worship music. Specifically, those that engage in “countercultural heavy music (CHM);” namely, hard rock, punk rock, and heavy metal. Music that is often played for the purpose of corporate worship in the local church fails to resonate with many musicians in the corresponding local community. In addition, most evangelical worship ministries do not strive to reach the music communities outside of their local church. This study examines the reasons for this disconnectedness. “Worship as missions” is not …

A Modular Llm Approach To Argument Extraction In Philosophical Texts, Nate Miller

Masters Theses

Engaging with philosophical works is a rewarding but demanding task that challenges both human readers and computational systems designed to extract arguments from dense philosophical reasoning, and although large language models (LLMs) have made substantial progress in argument extraction, the most advanced models are often costly to run. As a result, there is growing interest in determining if multi-agent pipelines that divide a task into smaller stages can reduce cost while maintaining or improving performance.

This study investigates a modular multi-agent approach for extracting arguments from philosophical texts using LLMs, and compares its performance, cost, and runtime to both single-agent …

Writing From The Rift: Queer Temporality And The Refusal Of Resolution, Daniela Ruiz Perez

Masters Theses

This thesis develops a phenomenological method for reading speculative literature as a site where queer ecological temporality is experienced rather than explained. Working with Annihilation (2014) by Jeff VanderMeer, The Day of the Triffids (1951) by John Wyndham, and Undrowned: Black Feminist Lessons from Marine Mammals (2020) by Alexis Pauline Gumbs, the project treats reading as a bodily practice shaped by forms of attention. Texts are not interpreted for stable meaning and instead I remain with moments where resolution is withheld. The work is informed by a Marxist attention to how capitalist time organizes labor, productivity, and value, and how …

Within Boundaries: Collecting And Exhibiting Chinese Contemporary Art In M+, Hong Kong, Lei April Liu

Masters Theses

This thesis investigates how M+, Hong Kong’s museum of twentieth- and twenty-first-century visual culture, collects and exhibits Chinese contemporary art under political and institutional constraint. It argues that M+ operates through adaptive autonomy, a condition in which curatorial and educational strategies transform limitation into method. By analyzing the museum’s formation, exhibition practices, and comparison with other Asian institutions such as the Asia Culture Center in South Korea, the Power Station of Art in China, and the National Gallery Singapore, the study reveals how M+ sustains visibility of Chinese contemporary art with political sensitive topic through 绥靖 (Sui Jing; subtle appeasement) …

An Analysis Of The Role Of Women In The Progression Of The Gospel, D'Atra Mcfarland

Masters Theses

This thesis is an analysis of the role women played in the progression of the gospel. It tackles the argument of complementarianism versus egalitarianism. However, it takes on an egalitarian perspective and believes that Jesus showed through his interaction with women at pivotal points in his earthly ministry that women are essential when it comes to spreading the gospel. This thesis also explores the historical background of the Gospels, the gospel message, and relevant biblical, historical, and cultural texts that provide information on women in the first century of the New Testament. It also explores the general relationship that Jesus …

Selling The Impossible: A Critical Study Of Nostalgia, Persuasion And Ethical Implications, Francois Elmaleh

Masters Theses

This thesis examines the psychological, cultural and iconic influence of mid-20th-century comic book advertising and its enduring influence on modern marketing. With a concentration on adolescent readership, it examines how advertisements in comics shaped consumerist behavior through aspirational discourse, gendered address and emotional manipulation. Through literature reviews, visual analyses and case studies—such as the Charles Atlas bodybuilding campaign, Sea Monkeys and X-ray glasses—this research investigates the rhetorical strategies and ethical ramifications of advertising to children.

The objectives are fivefold: (1) to inventory and analyze dominant advertising strategies employed in comic book ads, (2) to explore how they reinforced cultural and …

The Second American Republic: America's Near Century Of Reckoning With A Remade Constitution (1869-1953), Dominick J. Dalton

Masters Theses

The United States of America celebrates the writing of the Declaration of Independence, the country’s statement of sovereignty from her former colonizer, Great Britain, every fourth of July. France, nearly four-thousand eight hundred miles away, celebrates their own form of Independence Day, Bastille Day, every July fourteenth. Since July fourth, 1776, the United States has boasted a proud history of unity and continuity that was only interrupted by four bloody years, the American Civil War (1861-1865). However, France is unable to make such claims. Having five separate Republics, an Empire, and a Reich define their history since that fateful day …

Africa's Global Influence, Faez Al-Haq - Abidemi Salami

Masters Theses

This thesis believes in the design and production of an interactive kids' coloring book on Africa's extensive influence on world cultures, history, economies, and artistic heritage. In a bid to reverse centuries of misrepresentation and large-scale miseducation regarding Africa within early childhood textbooks, this work aims to design an interactive, kid-friendly guide that informs young readers about the central role Africa plays in today's world. Informed by thorough literature review and referencing case studies of successful education and culture intervention, the proposal positions Africa's global reach, spanning from its precolonial trading networks, philosophic structures, diaspora contributions, art heritage, and cultural …

Variances In Power Output Of Female Athletes During The Menstrual Phases, Julia L. Allen

Masters Theses

The purpose of this research was to examine if there are any variances in a female athlete’s ability to produce power, that could be correlated with the menstrual cycle phases. The study observed three elite female athletes throughout 13 weeks, collecting relative propulsive power and relative braking power data from their vertical jump performances which occurred multiple times a week. At the end of the 13 weeks, participating athletes were asked to download their personal Oura Ring data. The Oura data points included in this study were used to identify and measure several physiological factors such as menstrual cycle day, …

Black Girl Magic Is Real, Bethany M. Duff

Masters Theses

This thesis began with an inquiry into the state of representation of Black women authors within the fantasy fiction genre. The artist statement delves into the development of a fantasy story with a Black young woman protagonist written by a Black woman. The story serves as a vehicle for the author to continue the authorial legacy begun by Black women authors decades before. The critical research paper operates as a literature review of five books within the fantasy fiction genre, written by Black women. It discusses the themes of: the connection between race and the narrative, race and the magic …

The Christmas Sisters, A Screenplay, Marybeth Lee Berry

Masters Theses

The Christmas Sisters is a screenplay about the Snow sisters and their father and how love, faith, and family can accomplish to save a beloved tree farm. A Hallmark staple, The Christmas Sisters offers all the comforts of a good Christmas movie but through the lens of a family and sisterly dynamic. By getting to know Holly, Eve, Joy, and Noelle, the true spirit of Christmas shines through, showing the audience that the miracle of the holiday season is found in each other.

The Crucible Of Marriage: Faith, Formation, And Spiritual Autonomy In Jane Eyre, Diana Pitsch

Masters Theses

This thesis treats marriage in Jane Eyre as the crucible of Jane's unique, experiential, and individually crafted faith. It examines marriage as the primary arena in which Jane's faith is shaped, tested, and, ultimately, fulfilled. Situated within Victorian Evangelical culture and restrictive gender ideology, the study examines how Jane’s spirituality is shaped through personal discernment rather than submission to institutional authority. Through close readings of Gateshead, Lowood, and Jane’s encounters with Rochester and St. John Rivers, the thesis demonstrates how Jane’s faith is tested against both passionate attachment and prescribed religious duty. Her refusal of both proposals reveals a developing …

Life, Death And The Aftermath, Charlotte E. Smith

Masters Theses

This research analyzes McClocklin and Lengelle's 'Cures for the Heart': A Poetic Approach to Healing After Loss." It finds that poetry therapy may offer a healthy outlet for processing grief. Further research supports the therapeutic benefits in writing and reading poetry as a way to cope, find meaning, and make sense of it all, after the loss occurs. My thesis is a collection of 49 poems, in which I chronicle the life of my adult son, Justin, who struggled with an opioid addiction and passed away due to an overdose in the Spring of 2025. My work was inspired by …

Small Courageous Minds, Desirae Bach

Masters Theses

This thesis examines the barriers, agreements, and disagreements between mental health and Christianity, specifically as it relates to helping Christian children with anxiety. The following investigation explores how God defines and reacts to anxiety in the Bible and how anxiety is explained through scientific research. By explaining both scientific and biblical views of anxiety, the Christian community can grasp a better understanding of how to help children with anxiety. The research also builds a foundational investigation on how anxiety affects children and possible solutions for relieving anxiety in children. Educating children at a young age about mental health and offering …

Factors Influencing Sugary Drink Consumption Among Residential Students At Liberty University, Chinonso Felistas Eziechi

Masters Theses

Introduction/Background: Sugary drink consumption among college students remains a public health concern due to its association with obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Despite high awareness of health risks, consumption among emerging adults remains elevated. Guided by the Social Cognitive Theory, this study examined the psychosocial, behavioral, and environmental determinants of sugary drink consumption among residential students at Liberty University. Objective: To identify key predictors of sugary drink consumption and evaluate how expectations, self-regulation, and environmental factors shape beverage behaviors. Design, Setting, Participants: This cross-sectional study used an anonymous Qualtrics survey distributed on campus. Of approximately 745 eligible residential students, 473 …

The Impact Of Awareness Of Campus Health Services On Utilization Of Medical Care Among Residential Students At Liberty University, Catherine Pandagade

Masters Theses

College students represent the most prominent group of individuals when considering their lifestyles throughout aging. Therefore, this age group serves as a good opportunity for health education that could build positive health behaviors for life. Existing literature have said that the 18-25 year olds tend to have fewer resources and be often uninsured and have the highest rates of preventable diseases.2 Objective: The aim of this research is to investigate the impact of awareness and its subsequent effect on utilization of available health resources on campus among the student population of Liberty University. Additionally, the purpose of the research through …

The Relationships Between Ego Depletion And Social Behaviors Across Different Degrees Of Psychological Flexibility, Jacob Cage Norris

Masters Theses

Social behavior includes behaviors that are influenced, directly or indirectly, by the realistic, anticipated, imagined, or implied presences of others. Particular social behaviors such as altruism or aggression may vary in how accessible they are, depending on the degree of self-control that has been recently exerted. Specifically, self-control fatigue, or ego depletion, seems to make aggression more likely and altruism less. However, individuals who are psychologically flexible, or who tend to be in contact with the present moment while engaging in behaviors that support the pursuit of values may not respond to ego depletion with the same changes to social …

Feeding Performance And Survival Of Louisiana Poeciliid Fishes Exposed To Residential Wastewater Effluent, Jonathan Chapman

Masters Theses

Mosquitoes are a primary transmitter of vector-borne disease, and their larvae can thrive within shallow pools of stagnant water. Rainwater drainage ditches are a common sight in many communities, and in Louisiana, they are dually used as outlets for onsite residential wastewater discharge in neighborhoods disassociated from municipal sewage treatment. However, when discharge systems malfunction, the water becomes uninhabitable to mosquito predators, allowing mosquitoes to thrive. This research examines the predation performance of mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis), sailfin mollies (Poecilia latipinna), and least killifish (Heterandria formosa), the primary biological control agents utilized to combat mosquitoes within ditch communities. Individuals were captured …