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Ecto- And Endoparasites Of The Texas Deermouse, Peromyscus Attwateri And Eastern Woodrat, Neotoma Floridana (Rodentia: Cricetidae) From Polk County, Arkansas, Chris T. Mcallister, Lance A, Durden, John A. Hnida, Henry W. Robison

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

In Arkansas, the Texas deermouse (Peromyscus attwateri) occurs in the western part of the state where it is restricted to the uplands of the Interior Highlands. The eastern woodrat (Neotoma floridana) is found statewide but is less common in the Gulf Coastal Plain. Very little is known about the parasites of either rodent in Arkansas, especially helminths from P. attwateri at any locality within its range. Found in/on P. attwateri were a coccidian (Eimeria langbarteli), a tapeworm (Catenotaenia peromysci), a nematode (Syphacia peromysci), 2 ticks (Dermacenter variabilis and Ixodes …

Fictive Kin Relationships And Advising: The Roles Of Chosen Family As An Advisory Framework For Higher Education, Zachary Burden

West Chester University Master’s Theses

The structure of a chosen family centers love, commitment, empathy, and accountability into relationships outside of a person's biolegal family. This project asks, if student affairs professionals framed their advising and mentoring work with a platonic and familial sense of love and commitment, would it offer their students a new sense of openness, trust, and community? Using theories of love in education and building a teaching community by bell hooks (2003; 2018), Paulo Freire's (1970) banking model of education, and experiential learning by John Dewey (1997), I examine these chosen family relationships and their application into higher education advising. In …

The Duality Of The Black Student Activist: A Decolonial Approach To Reframing Student Activism As Student Leadership, Kaileik Asbury

West Chester University Master’s Theses

This thesis addresses how reframing activism as leadership allows student activist to be viewed as student leaders on college campuses. More specifically, I explore how the Black student existence and experience on college campus and their desire for an equitable education has always been considered a form of activism that had continuously been suppressed. I used the methodology of critical action research to examine the structures of Eurocentricity, colonization, racialization and domination that affect the educational experiences of Black student activists, while also utilizing my personal experience. I propose a leadership building program that promotes racial justice, decolonial methods and …

A Queer Approach To Sex Education: An Analysis Of The Insufficiency Of Access Without Education, Rebecca Seeley

West Chester University Master’s Theses

This master’s thesis is a critical action research proposal for an undergraduate advocacy leadership role that is based philosophically and theoretically on the need for sex education resources for queer & trans students of color in universities. American culture is historically uncomfortable with and outwardly opposed to education on sex and sexuality, which often prevents queer identified people from receiving the distinct education and resources necessary to protect themselves from STIs or unhealthy relationships. Although this education is often provided, it is often unknowingly designed for their straight counterparts, which excludes and denies the queer student from participating in this …

Providing Educational Hospitality For International Students: A Student Affairs Intervention For Higher Education, Christie Armstrong

West Chester University Master’s Theses

This thesis examines past and current political tensions and anti-immigrant sentiment along with the impacts they have had on the United States University. I focus on the international student experience attaining access to a United States education and their experiences once they are on campus. The context given proves how past and current events may hinder international students to feel welcome. I explore ways in which the United States university may create a more hospitable experience for them. An intervention of bridging the gap between domestic and international students is introduced as a step toward a more hospitable, educationally enriching …

Rooting For Everybody Black: Exploring The Need For Mentorship For Black First-Generation Students At Predominantly White Institutions, Layshan Gilliard

West Chester University Master’s Theses

This thesis addresses how mentorship can enhance the experience and success of Black first-generation college students at predominantly white institutions. More specifically, I explore why first-generation Black students need guided support that comes with mentorship, what that support should entail, and how and when it should be delivered to them. I used the methodology of critical action research to analyze the structures of power that affect the education received by these students, while also utilizing my personal experience. I propose a mentoring program that promotes Black excellence. The program, SOUL (Students Overcoming Uniting and Learning), will provide students with the …

Building Bridges: Overcoming Barriers To College Access For Low-Income And Working-Class Students, Sarah Mcguckin

West Chester University Master’s Theses

This thesis will explore the barriers that cause a lack of access to higher education for low-income and working-class students. My own experience as a working-class, firstgeneration college student has had a direct influence on my interest and exploration of this concern. There are four specific barriers highlighted within this thesis: discrepancies in education at the primary and secondary level, lack of familial knowledge, economic disparities, and a phenomenon known as summer melt. I believe that higher education should be a given right so that one can develop one’s ontological vocation. I utilize philosophers and theorists such as Paulo Friere …

The Effects Of Acute Bouts Of Aerobic And Resistance Exercise On Neuroplasticity, Michael Shafer

West Chester University Master’s Theses

Neuroplasticity takes place when acquiring new skills, after damage to the nervous system, and as a result of sensory deprivation (5). It can also take place due to exercise (11)(22). Few studies exist that look at the effects of anaerobic/resistance training and its effects on Neuroplasticity in humans, as the majority of research found delves into how resistance training can help at the subcortical and spinal level of the body, not in the brain (1). The aim of this study was to determine whether resistance training is as effective as aerobic training at improving neuroplasticity. Five competitive Weightlifters (3 females, …

Drastic Criticism, Gnostic Criticism, And Brahms's Fourth Symphony, Sean Wood

West Chester University Master’s Theses

In her 2004 Critical Inquiry article “Music: Drastic or Gnostic?,” Carolyn Abbate argues that much writing about music avoids music’s “exceptional phenomenal presence,” its “drastic” effects (a term borrowed from philosopher Vladimir Jankélévitch). Such writing, she argues is “gnostic”; that is, interested in uncovering social, cultural, or philosophical truths beneath that “exceptional phenomenal presence.” Gnostic criticism is where music can become prey to nefarious philosophies; shorn from the context of performance, it can become whatever the critic wishes it to be. This indictment trains much of its focus on the work of Theodor W. Adorno, whom she regards as one …

Assessing Addiction Stigma: Effects Of Early Exposure To Familial Drug Abuse And Childhood Trauma, Rebecca L. Laconi

West Chester University Master’s Theses

Stigma continues to be a prevalent issue for individuals suffering from substance use disorder, contributing to ostracization and discrimination. Along with the psychological and social consequences of addiction, substance abuse has effects on family. Children often experience trauma and/or deficits because of a relative’s problematic drug use. The impact of parental and familial drug abuse on children has been examined, however, an important, yet significantly less studied consequence is the effect of drug abuse on the child’s level of stigma toward addiction. The present study examined stigma towards individuals suffering from addiction and trauma-exposure among college students (N=555). Survey items …

Access And Utilization Of Prenatal Care In Florida And Its Effects On Preterm Birth, Corinne Audette

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Preterm birth in the United States is the leading cause of infant morbidity and mortality. The United States spends more per capita on healthcare than any other nation in the world, and still perinatal outcomes are disappointing when compared to other industrialized nations. Research and current clinical practice guidelines support the use of early and consistent prenatal care to lower risks for preterm birth, by acting as a key mechanism to monitor pregnancy and provide timely and appropriate interventions. Significant research has been completed to identify causative factors that lead to preterm birth. Overall, this literature has not had a …

Examining A Fish Community And Its Response To Coastal Restoration In A Dynamic Coastal Estuary, Richard Mahoney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Globally, coastal habitats are experiencing degradation due to the increase of human population growth, development along coastlines, and a constantly changing climate. This threatens the future production of critical ecosystem services such as shoreline stabilization, water filtration, nursery grounds for marine fauna, and many more. To combat these losses, resource managers are actively restoring coastal habitat. Past research suggests restoring habitats has mixed results; numerous factors influence restoration success. This study is among the first to assess the nekton community in the Matanzas River estuary and uses a BACI experimental design to quantify the effect of habitat restoration on the …

Fluoresence Spectra Study Of Sterically Strained Isomers Of C24h14 Polycyclic Aromatic (Pahs) & Characterization Of A Bio-Sourced, Fluoresent, Ratiometric Ph Indicator With Alkaline Pka, Samar Abd Alelah

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

This thesis is composed to two studies, each of which relies on recent advances in time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) to accurately model fluorescence spectra. The first study focuses on evaluating the fluorescence spectrum of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) having a molecular weight of 302. Three isomers are analyzed including dibenzo[a,j]fluoranthene, dibenzo[a,k]fluoranthene and dibenzo[a,l]fluoranthene. These isomers differ in the placement of one of six aromatic rings and in the amount that each molecule deviates from planarity. The TD-DFT methods are used to compute spectra in an environment that simulates solvent (n-hexane). These computed spectra are compared to vibronically resolved experimental …

The Troupes Coloniales: A Comparative Analysis Of African American And French Colonial Soldiers In The First World War, Matthew Patsis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

This thesis examines the service of African American soldiers during World War I in comparison with the service of French Colonial soldiers from Africa. This thesis argues that African Americans existed as colonial subjects of the American Empire and served as the colonial army of the United States just as soldiers from Africa did for France. The scope of this thesis covers ideologies of race in the United States and France, as well as racial policy and the implementation of racial hierarchy within the French and American armies during World War I. Through comparative analysis, this research reveals the relationship …

Single Cell Forensic Genomics - Dna Profiling Of Micromanipulated Single Spermatozoa, Haley Hardin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Current U.S. National guidelines allow for the collection of sexual assault evidence up to 5 days after the incidence occurs. In these cases, the ability to obtain an autosomal STR (aSTR) profile of the male donor in these cases diminishes as the time interval increases. This inability to recover an aSTR profile from the semen donor is not due to a complete lack of sperm cells, as studies have frequently shown that sperm persists in the vaginal canal or cervix up to 10 days post coitus. Thus, the inability to recover an aSTR profile of the sperm donor is likely …

Masters Of The Manipulator? A Species Description And Comparative Genomics Study Of Two New Hyperparasites Of The Zombie Ant Fungus, Brittany Lebert

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Fungal hyperparasites have been known to indirectly impact ecosystem composition and disease dynamics by modulating the population size and transmission of their parasite host. In the present study we formally describe two new hyperparasite species that infect the fungus Ophiocordyceps camponoti-floridani, which manipulates the behavior of the Florida carpenter ant. Phylogenetic analyses demonstrate that both fungal hyperparasites are new, distinct species. The unique morphology and phylogenetic placement of one of the species even supports its placement in a new genus, which we have named Niveomyces. Our field data suggests that both new species, Polycephalomyces oviedoensis and Niveomyces ophiocordycipitis, negatively impact …

Naming More Of What We Know: Critical Memoirs & The Ecological Metaphor As A Threshold Concept In Writing, Loren Cooper

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

"Naming More of What We Know: Critical Memoirs & the Ecological Metaphor as a Threshold Concept in Writing" contributes to the work begun by Adler-Kassner and Wardle to gather and name Writing Studies' body of disciplinary knowledge as "threshold concepts." This thesis answers their call to engage in the ongoing development of threshold concepts by offering an additional critical construct: Writing as ecological. To explicitly acknowledge that writing is ecological is an essential addition to the content of our knowledge because it (1) meets the threshold-concept criteria adapted from Meyer and Land (2003), (2) establishes a codified, embodied, 3-dimensional system …

The Racial Composition Of Forensic Dna Databases, Erin E. Murphy, Jun H. Tong

Faculty Articles

Forensic DNA databases have received an inordinate amount of academic and judicial attention. From their inception, numerous scholars, advocates, and judges have wrestled with the proper reach of DNA collection, retention, and search policies. Central to these debates are concerns about racial equity in forensic genetic practices. Yet when such questions arise, critics typically just assert that forensic DNA databases are not demographically representative. Such assertions are expressed in vague or conclusory terms, without a citation to actual data or even to concrete estimates about the actual composition of DNA databases. This Article endeavors to fill these gaps in the …

Ba Philosophy, 2020-21, Arkansas State University - Jonesboro

Bachelor of Arts and others

No abstract provided.

The Opioid Litigation: The Fda Is Mia, Catherine M. Sharkey

Faculty Articles

It is readily agreed that federal preemption of state tort law alters the balance between federal and state power. Federal preemption is a high-profile defense in almost all modern products liability cases. It is thus surprising to see how little attention has been given to federal preemption by courts and commentators in the opioid litigation. Opioid litigation provides a lens through which I explore the role of state and federal courts and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in striking the right balance of power. My purpose here is not to resolve the divide among the few courts that have …

Introduction, Ruqaiijah Yearby

Saint Louis University Journal of Health Law & Policy

No abstract provided.

Accommodating Pregnancy Five Years After Young V. Ups: Where We Are & Where We Should Go, Nicole Buonocore Porter

Saint Louis University Journal of Health Law & Policy

This Article will explore how pregnant employees fare when they are denied accommodations in the workplace that would have allowed them to work safely through their pregnancies. The two most commonly used legal avenues for pregnant plaintiffs are the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Successful cases under the ADA were rare until Congress expanded the ADA’s definition of disability in 2008. PDA claims became easier after the Supreme Court’s 2015 decision in Young v. United Parcel Service, Inc. This Article will analyze both the body of PDA cases decided since Young, and all of …

Expanding Patient Access To Breast Cancer Genetic Testing Through Incentive Regimes, Megan K. Hart

Saint Louis University Journal of Health Law & Policy

It is estimated that 268,600 women were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2019 alone, and as many as 26,860 of these women could have developed breast cancer due to a genetic disposition.[1] While over one million women have undergone genetic testing to identify variations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, the test results are often ambiguous due to identified variations for which the breast cancer development risk is unknown.[2] A new technology known as CRISPR has the potential to change this state of uncertainty due to its capability to identify thousands of BRCA1 and 2 gene variations and …

The Legal And Ethical Considerations Of The Posthumous Retrieval Of Gametes, Patrick Monahan

Saint Louis University Journal of Health Law & Policy

In the United States, federal and state laws on the issue of posthumous retrieval of gametes are almost non-existent. As the field of medicine continues to grow and more posthumous gamete retrieval procedures become viable, state courts and hospitals are left on their own when patients and family members ask their doctors to perform such procedures. As such, there exists wide variability from hospital to hospital and state to state for a deeply personal and time-sensitive procedure. By reviewing state court cases and hospital policies, this article demonstrates the variability between practices and illustrates key questions that arise when requests …

Predictors Of Acne Vulgaris Among Adolescents In Kuwait, Mona Aikhabbaz, Abdullah Al-Taiar, Marwa Saeed, Reem Al-Sabah, Ahmed N. Albatineh

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Objectives: The prevalence of acne vulgaris (AV) among adolescents in Kuwait has remained mostly unknown. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of AV and its predictors among adolescents in Kuwait.

Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 714 participants who were randomly selected from public schools using multistage cluster random sampling. The presence or absence of AV, as well as severity of AV, were assessed using the Global Acne Grading Scale. Data on risk factors and potential confounders were collected from the parents through a self-administered questionnaire, and from the adolescents by face-to-face interview. Weight and height …

Bs Environmental Science, 2020-21, Arkansas State University - Jonesboro

Bachelor of Science and Education

No abstract provided.

Bs Management, 2020-21, Arkansas State University - Jonesboro

Bachelor of Science and Education

No abstract provided.

Bs Business Admin, Sustainable Bp 2020-21, Arkansas State University - Jonesboro

Bachelor of Science and Education

Sustainable Business Practices

Bs Physics, 2020-21, Arkansas State University - Jonesboro

Bachelor of Science and Education

No abstract provided.

Bs Biological Science, Pre-Professional 2020-21, Arkansas State University - Jonesboro

Bachelor of Science and Education

No abstract provided.