Digital Commons Network^™

The Horns Of Dilemma: Life Or Sovereignty, Farida Bibi Mughal, Bibi Hajira Irshad Ali

School of Nursing & Midwifery

Death and dying are the bitter truth that is faced by every person inevitably. Paying respect to the decision of a patient in a hospital setting is always a challenging task. In eastern countries, family plays an important role in decision making. But it always overrides the preferences and wishes of the patient and this leads to violation of ethical principles such as autonomy, informed consent and veracity. Looking a situation from different paradigms and deciding the best solution on the ground of ethical principles should be the utmost priority of the healthcare provider.

Anaerobic Digestion In Nebraska, Anthony Leapley

Op-Eds from ENSC230 Energy and the Environment: Economics and Policies

Climate change is a global crisis that can be fought by all locally. Nebraska is my home, and it’s one of nine states in the U.S. in which cows outnumber humans. Statistically, there are three cows for every person (1,868,516 humans to 6,150,000 cows). While we have fewer humans than cows, it’s not hard to understand that we rank very low in CO2 emissions when ranking all states in the country. However, our emission of the more potent greenhouse gas CH4, or methane, is significantly higher. Methane is released by cows via gas and manure, and it’s causing serious implications …

Wind Is Nebraska’S Future, With Or Without The Clean Power Plan, Megan Pamperin

Op-Eds from ENSC230 Energy and the Environment: Economics and Policies

The Clean Power Plan was issued in October 2015. President Trump called for a review of the plan this March and on October 16^th, 2017 the EPA released a proposal to repeal it. The Clean Power Plan would have reduced Nebraska’s state emissions to 22,250,000 tons of carbon dioxide by 2024, down by about 5 million tons compared to 2012 emissions.¹ The new projection for 2020 without the plan is 34 million tons of CO₂ emitted.

Coal and other fossil fuel energy sources are the main culprits of these carbon emissions, and here in Nebraska coal …

Modifications To Commercial Printers To Enable Multi-Material Fabrication Of 3d Cellular Scaffolds, Lucas D. Albrecht

Theses - ALL

The scarcity of organs for patients that need transplants has led to exceedingly

lengthy waits for organ transplants for sick patients. Fabrication of tissues and organ

constructs in-vitro has potential to end the shortage, however many of the machines

used to create these tissues and organs are expensive, not easy to use, and do not

have any further practical applications. Bioprinting technology has the potential to

revolutionize the fabrication of biological constructs that can be used as in vitro model

tissues and vivo substitutes. Bioprinting is the process of using conventional 3D printing

methods and computer-aided-design (CAD) to create patient …

Effects Of Sodium Chloride On Anthracene Photolysis Kinetics In Aqueous-Organic Solutions, Kyle Blaha

Theses - ALL

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are dangerous pollutants. The photolysis kinetics of PAHs are of interest because they are carcinogenic and can increase in toxicity through photodegradation into secondary products. They are often associated with particulate matter. The composition and physical properties of the particulate matter can affect PAH photolysis kinetics. We investigated the effects of sodium chloride on the photolysis kinetics of the PAH anthracene in water and octanol as well as mixed-phase solutions (water-octanol), which were used as models for aqueous-organic aerosols. A non-linear dependence on sodium chloride concentrations was observed. Sodium chloride enhanced photolysis at concentrations up to …

Coast Guard Public Affairs Middle Management And The Excellence Study, Stephen Bailey Lehmann

Theses - ALL

As is the nature of any organization, the U.S. Coast Guard is constantly seeking to improve its functions, operations, policies and procedures. In terms of communications, the service’s Public Affairs Program has instituted a number of different competencies and qualifications to better prepare candidates as they approach the next rank. This study sought to provide an outline of the middle-management component as it exists within the public affairs element and compare the findings to those published in the Excellence Study to assist the service by providing a basis from which additional policy recommendations could be made.

The study was conducted …

Cell Laden Hydrogel Microspheres Using 3d Printed Microfluidics, Sanika Nitin Suvarnapathaki

Theses - ALL

Cell laden hydrogel microspheres using 3D printed microfluidics

Abstract

By

Sanika Suvarnapathaki

Current tissue engineering therapies use macro-scale three dimensional (3D) scaffolds to treat tissue defects surgically. Uneven cell seeding and oxygen and media perfusion cause low cell viability in these macro-scale scaffolds. Microencapsulation, a technique of encapsulating cells in biocompatible polymers or hydrogels, has the potential to address these key issues, and therefore this technology has been used for numerous healthcare applications over the last two decades. Cell microencapsulation in hydrogels that mimic the tissue physiology and biochemistry has made it possible to use natural hydrogels like gelatin methacrylate …

Pack-Years Of Tobacco Cigarette Smoking As A Predictor Of Spontaneous Pain Reporting And Experimental Pain Reactivity, Martin Joseph De Vita

Theses - ALL

The pack-years formula is a widely used estimate of lifetime tobacco smoking exposure, and greater pack-years have been associated with greater risk of chronic pain development and poorer pain-related outcomes among smokers with chronic pain. The pathophysiology underlying these associations is poorly understood. Regular tobacco smoking exposure may dysregulate homeostatic pain processes, producing an allostatic state of pain facilitation. Maladaptive pain mechanisms, such as central and peripheral sensitization, are chronic pain risk factors. Yet, no published research has involved a determination of the relation between lifetime-smoking exposure and dysregulated pain processing. The current study used hierarchical linear regression analyses to …

Cover, Copy, Compare And Performance Feedback: An Integrative Writing Intervention, Natalie Williams

Theses - ALL

A large proportion of students in the United States are performing below the proficient level in writing (National Center for Education Statistics, 2012) and a key component in enhancing writing quality is proficient spelling skills (Berninger, 1999). Unfortunately, explicit and developmentally-appropriate spelling instruction is neglected in elementary school classrooms. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the combination of two empirically-based interventions on third-grade students’ spelling and writing performance. A total of 54 third- grade students were randomly assigned to either (a) Cover, Copy, Compare + performance feedback condition, or (b) performance feedback only condition. Results of the …

Increased Striatal Vulnerability To 3-Nitropropionic Acid In Male, But Not Female, Mice Lacking Interleukin-1r1, Matthew Frederick Allen

Theses - ALL

Interleukin-1β (IL-1β), classically considered as a pro-inflammatory cytokine, has proven essential to cellular defense in nearly all tissues (Kaur et al., 2014, Ren and Torres, 2009). In brain, studies suggest that IL-1β has pleiotrophic effects. It acts as a neuromodulator, has been implicated in the pathogenic processes associated with a number of CNS diseases, but has also been shown to provide protection to the injured CNS. With respect to the latter, IL-1β signalling appears to mitigate pathology and motor symptoms in a mouse model of Huntington’s disease (HD), a progressive neurodegenerative condition that targets the striatum. Specifically, HD mice bred …

Human Rights Attitudes, Brian K. Gran Phd

Societies Without Borders

No abstract provided.

International Differences In Support For Human Rights, Sam Mcfarland Phd

Societies Without Borders

International differences in support for human rights are reviewed. The first of two sections reviews variations in the strength of ratification of UN human rights treaties, followed by an examination of the commonalities and relative strengths among the five regional human rights systems. This review indicates that internationally the strongest human rights support is found in Europe and the Americas, with weaker support in Africa, followed by still weaker support in the Arab Union and Southeast Asia. The second section reviews variations in responses to public opinion polls on a number of civil and economic rights. A strong coherence in …

Rainbows For Rights: The Role Of Lgbt Activism In Gay Rights Promotion, Victor Asal Phd, Amanda Murdie Phd, Udi Sommer Phd

Societies Without Borders

Are advocacy efforts successful in improving the de jure rights of sexual minorities? In this paper, we argue that the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights NGO movement has been a powerful force in the struggle against sexual discrimination. However, the work of LGBT organizations is much harder in areas of the world where pre-existing public attitudes are not supportive of the rights in question. By focusing on the issue of sexual minority rights, we are able to see how underlying public attitude divergence on a human rights issue can influence advocacy success. We test the implications of our …

Who Says Human Rights Are Not Respected? Assessing Local And Third Party Ratings, Rob Clark Phd

Societies Without Borders

Country ratings of human rights conditions are now quite popular in macro comparative research. However, little is known as to whether (or to what extent) these scores correspond with mass sentiment in each country. Do local ratings issued by the public correspond with third party ratings, such as those produced by the Cingranelli-Richards index (CIRI), the Political Terror Scale (PTS), and Freedom House (FH)? In this study, I address this question, drawing from the most recent wave of the World Values Survey (2010 – 2014), in which respondents from 59 countries are asked to assess the level of respect for …

The Political Economy Of Resource Conflicts And Forced Migration: Why Afghanistan, Colombia And Sudan Are The World's Longest Forced Migration, Tarique Niazi Phd, Jeremy Hein Phd

Societies Without Borders

Afghanistan, Colombia, and Sudan are the world’s three longest producers of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs). Why? To answer this question, we evaluate the conventional and dominant geopolitical model of forced migration, as well as alternative models that focus on resource-based conflicts and political economy. We demonstrate that in each of the three cases, natural resources are at the heart of the conflicts that precede the involuntary movement of people both across international borders (refugees) and within national borders (IDPs). But the presence of resources by itself does not cause conflicts or forced migration. In Afghanistan, Colombia and Sudan, …

Notes From The Field: It’S Not About Love: Brazilian Social Work Celebrates 80 Years In The Fight For Social Rights, Jane Mcpherson Phd, Mph, Lcsw

Societies Without Borders

In 2016, Brazilian social work celebrated 80 years of existence. This writer, a U.S. social worker, traveled south to participate in the celebrations, and to observe—and reflect upon—the role of human rights activism in the practice of our shared profession. This article will discuss both Brazil’s history and its social work profession as they relate to human rights, and highlight ways that Brazilian social workers speak about human rights that challenge the author to become a better social worker and educator.

Review Of Silent Violence: Neoliberalism, Islamist Politics And The Akp Years In Turkey. Edited By Simten Coşar & Gamze Yücesan-Özdemir. Ottawa: Red Quill Press, 2012, Susan C. Pearce Phd

Societies Without Borders

No abstract provided.

Review Of Aid In Danger: The Perils And Promise Of Humanitarianism. By Larissa Fast. Philadelphia: University Of Pennsylvania Press, 2014. 326 Pages., Meltem Ince Yeilmez Phd

Societies Without Borders

No abstract provided.

Review Of Deported: Immigrant Policing, Disposable Labor, And Global Capitalism. By Tanya M. Golsh-Boza. New York: Nyu Press, 2015., Katie Dingeman Phd

Societies Without Borders

No abstract provided.

Senior Day December 2017, University Of Michigan Law School

Commencement and Honors Materials

Program for the December 22, 2017 University of Michigan Law School Senior Day.

Sexual Assault In Universities, Vanessa A. Gebka

Honors Capstones

In this study, the author investigates how and why rape culture continues to exist in our society today. Certain concepts such as gender roles, college experience, acquaintance rape, and victim blaming are discussed in order to elaborate on this ideology. Furthermore, the author looks at how rape culture effects outcomes and survivors of sexual assault, specifically within universities, and how institutions handle such cases. Using surveys and research, it is clear that victims of sexual assault are not being supported and more needs to be done to help them. The author argues that because college environments and institutions tolerate sexual …

Electromyography Exposes Heterogeneity In Muscle Co-Contraction Following Stroke, Caitlin L. Banks, Helen J. Huang, Virginia L. Little, Carolynn Patten

PT Faculty Publications

Walking after stroke is often described as requiring excessive muscle co-contraction, yet, evidence that co-contraction is a ubiquitous motor control strategy for this population remains inconclusive. Co-contraction, the simultaneous activation of agonist and antagonist muscles, can be assessed with electromyography (EMG) but is often described qualitatively. Here, our goal is to determine if co-contraction is associated with gait impairments following stroke. Fifteen individuals with chronic stroke and nine healthy controls walked on an instrumented treadmill at self-selected speed. Surface EMGs were collected from the medial gastrocnemius (MG), soleus (SOL), and tibialis anterior (TA) of each leg. EMG envelope amplitudes were …

From A Woman’S Right To Choose To ‘A Woman’S Right To Shoes’: The Commodification Of Feminism And The Politics Of Choice From Fear Of Flying To Bridget Jones’ Diary, Megan Behrent

Publications and Research

This essay looks at the transformation of the first-person fiction narratives from the feminist movement in the age of postfeminism. It explores the trajectory from feminism to postfeminism and the shift from a collective to a purely personal understanding of liberation as lifestyle politics, “power” feminism, and individualism gain ground. Central to this transformation is the commodification of the feminism itself as the politics of choice signal a broader shift to neoliberal ideology in which the rhetoric of choice is used to undermine radical demands for rights that emerged from the political movements of the 1960s and 70s. I argue …

Perchlorate-Coupled Carbon Monoxide (Co) Oxidation: Evidence For A Plausible Microbe-Mediated Reaction In Martian Brines, Marisa R. Myers, Gary M. King

Faculty Publications

© 2017 Myers and King. The presence of hydrated salts on Mars indicates that some regions of its surface might be habitable if suitable metabolizable substrates are available. However, several lines of evidence have shown that Mars' regolith contains only trace levels of the organic matter needed to support heterotrophic microbes. Due to the scarcity of organic carbon, carbon monoxide (CO) at a concentration of about 700 parts per million (about 0.4 Pa) might be the single most abundant readily available substrate that could support near-surface bacterial activity. Although a variety of electron acceptors can be coupled to CO oxidation, …

Ability Of Functional Performance Tests To Identify Individuals With Chronic Ankle Instability: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis, Adam B. Rosen, Alan R. Needle, Jupil Ko

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Objective:

The purpose of this systematic review with meta-analysis was to determine the effectiveness of functional performance tests (FPTs) in differentiating between individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI) and healthy controls.

Data Sources:

The National Library of Medicine Catalog (PubMed), the Cumulative Index for Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and the SPORTDiscus, from inception to June 2017 were searched. Search terms consisted of: “Functional Performance Test*” OR “Dynamic Balance Test*” OR “Postural Stability Test*” OR “Star Excursion Balance Test*” OR “Hop Test*” AND “Ankle Instability” OR “Ankle Sprain.” Included articles assessed differences in FPTs in patients with CAI compared …

Concise Review: Translating Regenerative Biology Into Clinically Relevant Therapies: Are We On The Right Path?, Jennifer Simkin, Ashley W. Seifert

Biology Faculty Publications

Despite approaches in regenerative medicine using stem cells, bio-engineered scaffolds, and targeted drug delivery to enhance human tissue repair, clinicians remain unable to regenerate large-scale, multi-tissue defects in situ. The study of regenerative biology using mammalian models of complex tissue regeneration offers an opportunity to discover key factors that stimulate a regenerative rather than fibrotic response to injury. For example, although primates and rodents can regenerate their distal digit tips, they heal more proximal amputations with scar tissue. Rabbits and African spiny mice re-grow tissue to fill large musculoskeletal defects through their ear pinna, while other mammals fail to regenerate …

Father Involvement Among Asian-Indian Immigrants In The United States: Actor-Partner Interdependence Model, Dimple P. Vadgama

Dissertations - ALL

Parenting is codependent and nested within a familial and cultural structure. While parenting research consistently demonstrates more maternal involvement with children, often fathers’ involvement gets little or no attention. One of the major limitations of fathering research is single source data, often comprised of only mothers’ reports of fathers’ involvement. The purpose of this study was to address this gap by examining the nested nature and interdependence of immigrant parents’ marital adjustment, parenting self-efficacy, and beliefs about parental role and, fathers’ involvement. Actor-partner interdependence model (APIM) was applied to examine the actor (intrapersonal or spillover) and partner (interpersonal or crossover) …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Two Teaching Strategies On Nursing Students Knowledge Skills And Attitudes Of Quality Improvement And Safety, Karen Maxwell

Dissertations

In 1999, the Institute of Medicine published a report To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System, which found that 44,000-98,000 people die as a result of preventable medical errors each year. Following this report in 2005, the Quality and Safety for Nurses (QSEN) project was established which defined a set of six core competencies that all nursing students should possess at graduation. Since the IOM report and the establishment of QSEN, nurse educators have been challenged with discovering effective teaching strategies to infuse the QSEN competencies into the nursing curricula. The purpose of the quantitative, pretest/post-test control group …

Exploring Nurses' Perceptions Of Dignity During End-Of-Life Care, Barbara Crump

Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative grounded theory study was to understand nurses' perceptions of care that supports patients' dignity during hospitalization at the end of life, and to propose a theoretical foundation consistent with these perceptions as a guide to practice. The research involved analyzing perceptions about processes that can explain how nurses perceive care that supports patients' dignity at the end of life during hospitalization. The aim of the research in this study included a focus on the general problem that patients' dignity is not always respected by healthcare providers according to the review of the literature and the …

Development And Evaluation Of A Connective Tissue Phantom Model For Subsurface Visualization Of Cancers Requiring Wide Local Excision, Kimberly S. Samkoe, Brent D. Bates, Niki N. Tselepidakis, Alisha V. Dsouza, Jason R. Gunn, Dipak B. Ramkumar, Keith D. Paulsen, Brian W. Pogue, Eric R. Henderson

Dartmouth Scholarship

Wide local excision (WLE) of tumors with negative margins remains a challenge because surgeons cannot directly visualize the mass. Fluorescence-guided surgery (FGS) may improve surgical accuracy; however, conventional methods with direct surface tumor visualization are not immediately applicable, and properties of tissues surrounding the cancer must be considered. We developed a phantom model for sarcoma resection with the near-infrared fluorophore IRDye 800CW and used it to iteratively define the properties of connective tissues that typically surround sarcoma tumors. We then tested the ability of a blinded surgeon to resect fluorescent tumor-simulating inclusions with ∼1-cm margins using predetermined target fluorescence intensities …