Digital Commons Network^™

The Road To Free-Market Family Policy, Maxine Eichner

Faculty Publications

This essay investigates and ultimately rejects the claim that the United States’ comparatively heavily reliance on markets over government to provide the resources that families need is a natural outgrowth of the country’s longstanding veneration of capitalism. In tracing the nation’s economic ideology over time, it demonstrates that, at least until the end of the twentieth century, the constant in US history has not been the expectation of a free-market economy, but rather a commitment to ensuring that the economy, however structured, will enable families to thrive. The dramatic recent shift in economic ideology, when the prevailing commitment to government …

Standing And Contracts, F. Andrew Hessick

Faculty Publications

In Spokeo v. Robbins, the Supreme Court held that, to establish Article III standing to bring suit in federal court, a plaintiff cannot simply allege the violation of a legal right. Instead, the plaintiff must allege an injury in fact. Although it addressed standing to bring suit for statutory violations, Spokeo raises serious questions about limits on the ability to bring breach of contract actions in federal court. After all, contracts simply create legal rights. Under Spokeo’s logic, the breach of contractual rights should not support standing; instead, standing exists only if the breach results in factual harm. …

Nuts And Bolts: Getting Started In Farming Checklist, Kelly Mcadam, Extension Community & Economic Development

UNH Cooperative Extension

No abstract provided.

Developing A Music Composition Practice: Exploring The Choreography Of Cymatics, Joshua Jervis

Theses : Honours

Cymatics is an area of physics popularised by Hans Jenny that observes the influence of sound but more simply vibration on physical matter. When sound is directly applied to a substance, for example, water, the vibrations create kaleidoscopic movement within the medium. Specific variables primarily of pitch, container size, and water volume contribute to creating a variety of geometric shapes. Without sound cymatics does not exist and is, therefore, a visual characteristic of sound itself.

With an investigation into the behaviour and application of cymatics, this research uses the findings of an investigation to develop a ‘choreographical’ language that can …

A Genetic Investigation Of Anticoagulant Rodenticide Resistance In Mus Musculus Of Western Australia: Implications For Conservation And Biosecurity, Bridget Judith Maria Lucrezia Duncan

Theses : Honours

Human-wildlife interactions have developed since the agricultural revolution that occurred 10,000 years ago, and the expansion of commensal species’ geographical distribution led to conflicts that prompted humans to adopt a wide range of control methods for pest species (Horvitz, Wang, Wan, & Nathan, 2017; Riyahi et al., 2013; Saraswat, Sinha, & Radhakrishna, 2015). The order Rodentia is characterised by a high number of successful invaders, which humans have attempted to manage with the use of anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs) since the 1940s (Capizzi, Bertolino, & Mortelliti, 2014; Ruiz-Suárez et al., 2014). The rise and spread of a genetic mutation that infers …

Southwestern Acequia Systems And Communities; Nurturing A Culture Of Place, Eric Romero

Natural Resources Journal

El Aqua es La Vida” (Water is Life) is a ubiquitous bumper sticker on trucks, mini vans and tractors in New Mexico, Colorado and the greater southwest. Besides a succinct, pithy statement for natural resource management, the maxim references a land ethic that is particularly evidenced in acequia communities. Put simply, acequias are human-constructed hydrological systems that deliver water to agricultural fields. These community-governed irrigation systems are common in southwestern states– particularly northern New Mexico and southern Colorado. However, the English connotation of ‘irrigation ditch” fails to reflect the different levels of meaning associated with these important water channels. A …

The Efficacy Of Mdma-Assisted Psychotherapy Compared To The Efficacy Of Traditional Psychotherapy In Treating Anxiety-Related Symptoms In 18–40-Year-Old Adults Diagnosed With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (Ptsd), Blake Beasley

Capstone Showcase

Introduction: MDMA, or 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, is a psychoactive chemical which stimulates the release of serotonin, oxytocin, prolactin, and cortisol. Up until it became a Schedule I drug in 1985, making the chemical completely illegal in the US, MDMA was used as an “adjunct to the therapeutic process” in therapeutic settings, though no known controlled therapeutic studies were performed up until that point. More recently, research has been conducted studying the effects of MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy on helping to eliminate the fear responses common in patients afflicted with PTSD. Some researchers have further hypothesized that MDMA has a stronger, longer lasting effect …

Efficacy Of The Combination Of Mirabegron And Solifenacin Compared To Standard Of Care Of Monotherapy In Controlling Urinary Incontinence Symptoms In Adults Diagnosed With Overactive Bladder, Krista Trinidad

Capstone Showcase

Introduction: Overactive bladder is a condition where the bladder muscles contract before the bladder is full, causing the urge to urinate. People with overactive bladder, or urge incontinence, have intense urges to urinate as a result of various disorders or injuries, including detrusor overactivity, neurologic disorder or spinal cord injury. The standard first- line medication for overactive bladder is solifenacin, and mirabegron serves as an alternative option. Solifenacin is an anticholinergic medication that is associated with a wide range of undesirable side effects. Therefore, this review analyzes the use of a combination of mirabegron and solifenacin, compared to monotherapy with …

The Benefits Of Statins As Adjunct Therapy For Non-Pregnant And Non-Lactating Women Diagnosed With Pcos, Claire Barre

Capstone Showcase

Introduction: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common hormonal disorder affecting about 20% of women in reproductive age. PCOS is associated with many health risks, one of which is an increased risk of cardiovascular and metabolic disorders. There is no set treatment plan to help decrease the risk of cardiometabolic diseases, but some standard recommended treatments include lifestyle changes, oral contraceptive pill (OCP), and metformin. The review analyzes the potential benefit of adding statins as an adjunct therapy (I) to decrease the cardiometabolic disease risk (O) in women diagnosed with PCOS (P) compared to the current recommended intervention (C). …

Effect Of Vegan Diet On Cardiovascular Health, Rachel Schottenfeld

Capstone Showcase

Abstract

Introduction: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death globally, and in the United States, regardless of socioeconomic strata. Current diet guidelines in the US endorse the consumption of animal products, but research show retrospective, prospective and cross-sectional studies that a vegan diet is more effective at reducing BP, cholesterol, blood sugar levels, and body mass index (BMI) as compared to a non-vegan diet. This paper will focus on the benefits of a vegan diet (I) in reducing CVD risk (O) in adults (P) as compared to a non-vegan diet (C). It is the hope that increased focus …

Land-Based Exercise Versus Hydrotherapy In Osteoarthritis, Alyson Rivers

Capstone Showcase

Introduction: Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. It results in joint pain, stiffness, reduced mobility, and decreased quality of life. While NSAIDs are the cornerstone of treatment, exercise is one of the safest and least expensive treatments. Exercise can be completed on land or in water. Hydrotherapy is hypothesized to produce more beneficial outcomes compared to land-based exercise.

Methods: The database, PubMed, was used to acquire articles that compare hydrotherapy to land-based therapy in individuals with large-joint OA. Outcomes of interest included pain relief, joint mobility, and quality of life.

Results: Based collectively on four articles, there was …

The Efficacy Of Combination Of Psychosocial Interventions And Pharmacotherapeutic Intervention Compared To Standard Care In Patients Age 16-40 Diagnosed With Schizophrenia When Looking At Functional Capacity, Lisa Roth

Capstone Showcase

Introduction: Schizophrenia is a complex mental illness that arises from a combination of genetic factors, brain chemistry, substance use and environmental factors that affects the way a person behaves, thinks, and perceives. Schizophrenia has no cure, but it has several options for treatment including antipsychotic medications, psychotherapy, and education. Medication is frequently prescribed, and there is little evidence of how often psychotherapy is practiced to properly treat negative symptoms. The combination of these symptoms can have an impact on the functional capacity of an individual; this means that they may have less of an ability to proceed in a typical …

The Efficacy Of The Combination Of Topotecan Or Irinotecan With Standard Chemotherapy Versus Chemotherapy Alone In Patients With Ewing Sarcoma, Ashley Hurst

Capstone Showcase

Introduction: Ewing sarcoma (ES), a rare bone cancer, most commonly affects the pediatric population and typically originates in bones of the legs and pelvis but can occur in or metastasize to any bone. There is no cure for ES, however, current treatment includes a fusion of both systemic and localized therapies. This evidence-based review article analyzes the use of topotecan or irinotecan, systemic therapies, combined with standard chemotherapy, a localized therapy, and the corresponding recurrence rates and prognosis in patients under 30 years of age as compared to standard chemotherapy alone.

Methods: An extensive literature review consisting of 18 articles …

Efficacy And Safety Of Levetiracetam Compared To Standard Of Care Phenobarbital In Controlling Seizures In Pediatric Patients Age 0-1-Year-Old, Brianna Groninger

Capstone Showcase

Introduction: Neonates and infants are at the highest risk for seizures in the first month of life. It is important to recognize and effectively treat seizures as permanent neurological damage can result. Phenobarbital is the first-line drug however it has deadly side effects. Levetiracetam has become an emerging antiepileptic drug of interest due to its favorable side effect profile and pharmacokinetics.

Methods: A literature search was performed in November of 2019 utilizing PubMed and ScienceDirect. A total of 11 articles were chosen based on the research question key terms, population, research design, and outcome. The literature was then analyzed, synthesized, …

Efficacy Of Sublingual Immunotherapy In The Treatment Of House-Dust Mite Induced Allergic Rhinitis, Sirena Saleet

Capstone Showcase

Introduction: House-dust mite (HDM) induced allergic rhinitis (AR) is a chronic condition associated with rhinorrhea, nasal obstruction, nasal pruritus and sneezing. The current mainstay of treatment is intranasal corticosteroids, which have shown variable degrees of symptom control among patients. Chronic use is typically required to achieve continued relief. Immunotherapy works to increase peripheral immune tolerance by administration of the allergen itself. Not only does it have the potential to decrease acute symptoms of allergic rhinitis, but it is also the sole treatment offering disease-modifying potential with long-term use. Immunotherapy is an option which can eliminate both the chronic administration …

The Safety And Efficacy Of Sub-Symptom Threshold Exercise As A Treatment For Post-Concussion Symptoms In Adolescents, Peter Kingsley

Capstone Showcase

Abstract

Introduction: Concussions are an unfortunately common injury sustained by many young athletes participating in a variety of sports throughout the country. Concussions are notoriously difficult to diagnose and may lead to serious, long-term difficulties if left untreated or treated incorrectly. Severe or repeated concussions can lead to many physical, psychological, neurological, and other symptoms that could potentially lead to death. Current concussion treatment is largely physical and cognitive rest. This research study aims to identify how limited exercise may decrease the duration of symptoms and make it safer for athletes to resume participation in their sport.

Methods: A literature …

Acupuncture Therapy In The Treatment Of Osteoarthritis Of The Knee, Reece Bartell

Capstone Showcase

Abstract

Introduction: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic condition that affects the joints of the body, most commonly the knees; it has the potential to cause debilitating pain, and stiffness and decrease quality of life. The current management involves lifestyle modifications of a healthy diet and exercise as well as analgesics like NSAIDs or acetaminophen to manage symptoms. Long-term use of these medications has been associated with many side effects affecting the GI and CV system. This review analyzes the use of acupuncture therapy (I) for symptom management (O) in patients aged 60-80 years old suffering from mild to moderate …

Disney Princess Films And Their Effects On Gender And Body Image Through The Social Learning Theory, Jessica Yakubovsky

Capstone Showcase

Many of us grew up watching Disney Films and throughout the last decade and prior, the Walt Disney Company has created a variety of characters whom we grew up alongside. As we watched these films we found ourselves within the characters and learned things through them. This thesis paper aims to analyze Disney Princess Films and their profound effects on Gender and Body image through the theoretical perspective of the Social Learning theory. I will analyze Classic Disney princesses such as Snow White and Cinderella, and modern princesses such as Mulan(1998) and Merida (2011). My critical analysis indicates that Disney …

Girls Can’T Like Star Wars: An Analysis Of Feminism Within Fandoms, Julia Neff

Capstone Showcase

Finding the intersection between feminist theory and fandom theory, this paper analysis how women are regarded within a fandom community by their peers and how they are dismissed in a societal context. This paper specifically compares what is "accepted" by society about young women being a fan of a boy band versus an adult man as a fan of a sports team.

Chloroplast Genome Evolution In The Klebsormidiophyceae And Streptofilum, Sarah Glass

Theses and Dissertations

The Klebsormidiophyceae are a class of green microalgae found globally in both freshwater and terrestrial habitats. Morphology-based classification schemes of this class have been shown to be insufficient, particularly due to the simple morphology of these algae, the tendency of morphology to vary in culture versus in field conditions, and rampant morphological homoplasy. Molecular studies revealing cryptic diversity have renewed interest in this group. We sequenced the complete chloroplast genomes of taxa in the Klebsormidiophyceae representing the known taxonomic breadth of this class, as well as the chloroplast genomes of three strains of Streptofilum, a recently discovered algal lineage …

The Dutch Atlantic And American Life: Beginnings Of America In Colonial New Netherland, Roy J. Geraci

Theses and Dissertations

The Dutch colony of New Netherland was one of the earliest attempts at a non-indigenous life on the east coast of North America. That colony, along with the United Provinces of the Netherlands and Dutch Atlantic as a whole, played crucial roles in the development of what would become the United States. This thesis project examines the significance New Netherland held in American history as well as explores topics which allow for new and inclusive narratives of that history to reach further exploration. Similarly to how individuals from various cultures, ethnicities, and backgrounds all come to exist amongst one another …

Therapeutical Studies Of The Disrupted Cftr Gene In Affected Sheep And Rabbit Models Produced By Genome Editor Crispr/Cas9, Nicole Teberio

Capstone Showcase

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a life-threatening, autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations in the CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. Patients with CF have a decreased lifespan due to complications with lung infections/disease, decreased airway function, and persistent cough with phlegm. Over the past few decades, scientists have contributed to CF research by using animal models to understand the pathology of the disease. The models selected have similar pathogenesis to humans, so they are key insights for understanding the effects of CFTR gene malfunctions. More recently, animal models, such as CRISPR generated sheep and rabbits used in the two current …

#Aminext: The Link Between European Colonization And Gender-Based Violence In Contemporary South Africa, Jenna Meredith Pagel

Capstone Showcase

Alarmingly, the female murder rate in South Africa is five times the global average (BBC News 2019). According to data from 2017 and 2018, a woman is murdered every four hours in South Africa (Wilkinson 2019). More than 30 women were killed by their spouses in August 2019, and at least 137 sexual offenses are committed per day in South Africa (Francke 2019).

For this thesis, and in order to understand why South Africa has some of the highest rates of violence against women in the world, I consult a number of scholars who conclude that the overall issue of …

Dispassionate Damming: Site C And The Inertia Of Colonial Development, Elizabeth Rudderow

Capstone Showcase

Historically, massive hydroelectric projects have caused irreparable harm to ecosystems and resulted in the dispossession and displacement of indigenous peoples worldwide. Such development projects prioritize wealth wrought from material extraction over the total health of ecological systems. The case of the Site C dam in British Columbia is another settler-colonial development project which is set to destroy a valley in the name of energy production. Treaty 8 First Nations argue that the dam will impede on treaty rights, as the clogging of the river and partial flooding of the valley will negatively impact indigenous ways of life. BC Hydro, the …

Restoration Through Regeneration: An Analysis Of Agriculture In The United States, Rebecca Norine Graham

Capstone Showcase

The industrialization of agriculture in the mid-twentieth century has revolutionized global food systems, with enough food produced annually to sustain 10 billion people on a planet of only 7.8 billion people. Such a high-yielding agricultural system comes at a great cost to the Earth’s ecosystem, as industrialized farming has taken on factory-like production methods. Particularly harmful is the livestock sector, with ruminating animals such as cattle contributing to rising global temperatures and environmental degradation. The environmental destruction caused by industrialized animal agriculture can be halted and ultimately reversed through regenerative agriculture. Regenerative agriculture is a restorative farming practice that promotes …

Through A Semiotic Lens: The Representation Of Photographers And Use Of Photographs In Popular Media, Kylie Tarburton

Capstone Showcase

Where is the line between sometimes representing a career accurately, and never doing so? Using Roland Barthes theory of semiotics, this paper analyzes the representation of photographers in popular media as well as the use of photographs, specifically in three different films: Rear Window, One Hour Photo, and Chasing Ice.

Experiential Learning In Soil Science: Evaluating Soil Quality In South Wollo, Ethiopia, Melissa Allen, Martha Mamo, Shimelis Beyene, Teshome Regassa, Gandura O. Abagandura, Solomon Abreha, Anthony James Mucia, Tsegaye Tadesse

National Drought Mitigation Center: Faculty Publications

This study abroad program provided an opportunity to enhance the international experience and research skills of University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) students within a multidisciplinary team’s research-education goal on improving food security in Ethiopia. The experiential study component of the project included preparatory sessions during the Fall 2015 Semester at the UNL followed by a four- to five-week fieldwork experience in Ethiopia. Teams from the UNL and an Ethiopian university participated in survey data collection and field soil evaluations from farms in the Gerado area of South Wollo, Ethiopia. Having students interact with farmers increased student self-confidence and enhanced their leadership …

The Rise And Fall Of Wiñaymarka: Rethinking Cultural And Environmental Interactions In The Southern Basin Of Lake Titicaca, Maria C. Bruno, José M. Capriles, Christine A. Hastorf, Sherilyn C. Fritz, D. Marie Weide, Alejandra I. Domic, Paul A. Baker

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

Investigations of how past human societies managed during times of major climate change can inform our understanding of potential human responses to ongoing environmental change. In this study, we evaluate the impact of environmental variation on human communities over the last four millennia in the southern Lake Titicaca basin of the Andes, known as Lake Wiñaymarka. Refined paleoenvironmental reconstructions from new diatom-based reconstructions of lake level together with archaeological evidence of animal and plant resource use from sites on the Taraco Peninsula, Bolivia, reveal frequent climate and lake-level changes within major cultural phases. We posit that climate fluctuations alone do …

The Evaluation Of The Role Of Research Administrators In The Biomedical Research Grant Lifecycle And How Public Universities’ Policies Are Designed To Protect Funding, Megan Eder

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

There was a time in the not-so-distant past, where a simple infection had the opportunity to send an individual to an early grave. With advancements in biomedical research, medical professionals can treat simple infections as well as more complicated illnesses. Medical research has come a long way, but there is still a need for research in order to find, treat, and advance cures for illness and disease. Last year, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the entire world was waiting for researchers to create a vaccine to help slow the spread and get the world back to operating at a normal capacity. …

Lactate Promotes Macrophage Hmgb1 Lactylation, Acetylation, And Exosomal Release In Polymicrobial Sepsis, Kun Yang, Min Fan, Xiaohui Wang, Jingjing Xu, Yana Wang, Fei Tu, P. S. Gill, Tuanzhu Ha, Li Liu, David L. Williams, Chuanfu Li

ETSU Faculty Works

High circulating levels of lactate and high mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) are associated with the severity and mortality of sepsis. However, it is unclear whether lactate could promote HMGB1 release during sepsis. The present study demonstrated a novel role of lactate in HMGB1 lactylation and acetylation in macrophages during polymicrobial sepsis. We found that macrophages can uptake extracellular lactate via monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs) to promote HMGB1 lactylation via a p300/CBP-dependent mechanism. We also observed that lactate stimulates HMGB1 acetylation by Hippo/YAP-mediated suppression of deacetylase SIRT1 and β-arrestin2-mediated recruitment of acetylases p300/CBP to the nucleus via G protein-coupled receptor 81 (GPR81). …