Digital Commons Network^™

Designing For Enchantment: The Application Of New Media Technologies For The Design Of Enchanting Museum Experiences, Liam Madden

Theses

This thesis documents and presents a number of ideas that aim to enhance the visitor experience of Nano Nagle Place (NNP). The primary aim of this project is to explore the novel application of new media technologies for the construction and creation of enchanting experiences within the context of the contemporary museum / visitor centre. Though the aim was to introduce technology into the museum space, a leading principle from the outset was to ensure any interventions resonated with the heritage of the museum. The focus of was not on the technologies used to create the interventions but rather on …

Remixing The Canon: Shakespeare, Popular Culture, And The Undergraduate Editor, Andie Silva

Publications and Research

This essay explores the benefits and challenges of using digital editing as a platform for social knowledge production. First, I discuss the underlying impetus for the project, my choice of Scalar as a digital platform, and a number of specific assignments designed to develop skills toward the final edition. Next, I analyze examples from student work, considering the larger implications of students’ annotation choices and the thematic focus each of them chose for their acts. Finally, I outline some of the potential pitfalls of this course. My aim is to privilege students’ discovery, negotiation, and ownership of ideas. As a …

Through The Doors Of The Wardrobe: A Qualitative Case Study Of A Short-Term Study Abroad Program Inspired By The C.S. Lewis Trail In Ireland, Keely D. Cline, Elizabeth Dimmitt, Victoria Seeger

Irish Journal of Academic Practice

This qualitative case study explores experiences of U.S. American undergraduate students who participated in a short-term study abroad program to the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The program focused on psychological perspectives of childhood and play including restorative benefits of spending time in nature. Additional features of the program included using a children’s novel to connect class content and travels as well as prioritizing outdoor experiences. Students shared reflections on their experiences through digital storytelling projects and interviews. Analysis of data resulted in identification of five themes and researcher assertions. The study is framed in relation to literature contrasting …

Community Engagement In Cultural Heritage A Digital Context, Maurice Murphy, Et Al.

Level 3

A series of case studies outlining the application of virtual reality and digital technologies for cultural heritage is presented in this article with an aim to examine the role for community engagement and SMEs in cultural heritage within a digital context. Digital technologies can be a repository and tool for telling local stories in relation to place and time on site and virtually off-site. In a series of case studies, tools and technologies for virtual reality experiences are outlined to identify the appropriate tools which can best facilitate this community engagement. In addition, community-based digital heritage initiatives will be discussed …

Yes-And/Or/Not: Information Literacy And Instruction Through An Improvisational Lens, Jay A. Edwards

LOEX Quarterly

No abstract provided.

Propaganda, Lineage, And The Divine: An Exploration Of The Meaning Of Two Vases From Monte Albán, Sofia Muñoz

Undergraduate Student Research Awards

No abstract provided.

Annual Reports Of The Town Officers Brookfield, Carroll County, New Hampshire 2021 Fiscal Year Ending December 31, 2021, Vital Statistics For 2021., Brookfield Town Representatives

Brookfield, NH Annual Reports

This is an annual report containing vital statistics for a town/city in the state of New Hampshire.

Mongo Beti À Rouen, Odile Tobner

Présence Francophone: Revue internationale de langue et de littérature

Cet article retrace la vie de Mongo Beti, sa carrière de professeur à Rouen (France), son parcours d’écrivain, sa dénonciation de la répression politique au Cameroun, censurée en France.

This article traces the life of Mongo Beti, his career as a teacher in Rouen (France), his career as a writer, his denunciation of political repression in Cameroon, censored in France.

Vegetation Of Rose Island, Kyle Phillip Stukel

Research

A informational display of the vegetation communities and vegetative change on Rose Island, Newport.

Stories That Bark For Themselves: The Fall Of A Rooster And A Princess From Pride To Repentant Humility As Depicted In The Book Of The Dun Cow And The Light Princess, Ella Harris

English Senior Capstone

Walter Wangerin Jr. and George MacDonald, authors of The Book of the Dun Cow and The Light Princess respectively, created the self-serving characters Chauntecleer the Rooster and the cursed princess. Both characters, ignorant about the subtle strength of those around them and the power of a sacrificial act against encroaching evil, are shown their own insufficiency through the sacrifice of their humble and believed-to-be inconsequential companions. Both companions, Mundo Cani Dog and the prince, willingly sacrifice their lives to conquer the evil powers that threaten lands and to save those whom they love. The actions and behaviors of all four …

Improving Neurorepair In Stroke Brain Through Endogenous Neurogenesis-Enhancing Drugs, Kuo-Jen Wu, Seongjin Yu, Jea-Young Lee, Barry Hoffer, Yun Wang

Neurosurgery and Brain Repair Faculty Publications

Stroke induces not only cell death but also neurorepair. De novo neurogenesis has been found in the subventricular zone of the adult mammalian brain days after stroke. Most of these newly generated cells die shortly after the insult. Recent studies have shown that pharmacological manipulation can improve the survival of endogenous neuroprogenitor cells and neural regeneration in stroke rats. As these drugs target the endogenous reparative processes that occur days after stroke, they may provide a prolonged window for stroke therapy. Here, we discuss endogenous neurogenesis-enhancing drugs and review the general status of stroke therapeutics in evaluating the field of …

The Open-Ocean Gulf Of Mexico After Deepwater Horizon: Synthesis Of A Decade Of Research, Tracey T. Sutton, Rosanna J. Milligan, Kendra Daly, Kevin M. Boswell, April B. Cook, Maëlle Cornic, Tamara Frank, Kaitlin Frasier, Daniel Hahn, Frank Hernandez, John Hildebrand, Chuanmin Hu, Matthew W. Johnston, Samantha B. Joye, Heather Judkins, Jon A. Moore, Steven A. Murawski, Nina M. Pruzinsky, John A. Quinlan, Andrew Remsen, Kelly L. Robinson, Isabel C. Romero, Jay R. Rooker, Michael Vecchione, R. J. Wells

Marine Science Faculty Publications

The scale of the Deepwater Horizon disaster was and is unprecedented: geographic extent, pollutant amount, countermeasure scope, and of most relevance to this Research Topic issue, range of ecotypes affected. These ecotypes include coastal/nearshore, continental shelf, deep benthic, and open-ocean domains, the last of which is the subject of this synthesis. The open-ocean ecotype comprises ~90% of the volume of the Gulf of Mexico. The exact percentage of this ecotype contaminated with toxins is unknown due to its three-dimensional nature and dynamics, but estimates suggest that the footprint encompassed most of its eastern half. Further, interactions between the water column …

Read Thyself, Alice Ristroph

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Resisting Neoliberal Policy And The Intensification Of Racial Capitalism Through Fostering Critical Awareness: A Series Of Educational Workshops To Occur Within Social Justice Unions, Chloe Polentes

West Chester University Master’s Theses

This is a master’s thesis that focuses on neoliberal policy within the education system. In this thesis I prove that neoliberal policy intensifies the current overarching framework of racial capitalism. I explore central elements of neoliberalism and racial capitalism to bridge understanding of how the two are intertwined with the goal of providing the reader an understanding of how neoliberal policy is detrimental. After an introduction to my thematic concern, an in-depth analysis of theoretical frameworks that helped shaped my understanding of my concern, and a historical and literature review focused on central elements of my concerns, I propose of …

Empowering Silenced Voices: Implementing Critical Pedagogy To Move Toward Decolonizing Music Education, Alexis Adams

West Chester University Master’s Theses

Throughout this thesis, I will delineate the historical and current issue of Eurocentrism and racism being perpetuated in K-12 music education and music teacher education programs. I will argue that music teacher education programs need to be decolonized and radically transformed so that music classrooms and curricula are anti-racist and counterhegemonic. Through utilizing theoretical frameworks, a historical review, and a literature review, I will further contextualize this problem. Lastly, I will propose a two-pronged intervention to address this over-arching issue: an undergraduate course entitled Critical Pedagogy in Music Education and a radically transformative professional development series for current music educators.

Promoting Education For Sustainability Through Place-Based Education: A Student Led After-School Program, Briana Lafratte

West Chester University Master’s Theses

Climate change is an unprecedented issue in that it is not only local, but also exists globally and impacts all of life on Earth. Without youth advocates and agents of change, the future progress of climate justice will be futile. However, before being able to become activists and allies for sustainability, students will need to understand the root causes of climate change, especially locally. This research focuses on the promotion of local sustainable resources through place-based education with the ultimate goal of engaging students firsthand in the need for critical environmental stances as well as how to become climate advocates. …

A Gis Analysis Of Potential Wetland Mitigation Opportunities In The Brandywine Creek Watershed, Chester County, Pennsylvania, Shannon Ryan

West Chester University Master’s Theses

Wetlands provide innumerous functions and values that are beneficial to both the natural environment and economic systems. Historically these habitats have suffered significant losses and it is crucial to preserve existing wetlands and plan for future restoration opportunities. This research examines six sub-watersheds within the Brandywine Creek watershed within Chester County, Pennsylvania to determine where potential wetland mitigation opportunities occur. Using a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analysis, three wetland characteristics including watercourse locations, existing National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) wetlands, and hydric soils were mapped throughout each of the watersheds. Areas of agricultural easements and steep slopes were used to exclude …

A Comparison Of Fruticose Ground Lichen Composition, Morphology, And Photosynthetic Properties From Open And Closed Pinus Rigida Stands In The New Jersey Pine Barrens, April Wallace

West Chester University Master’s Theses

Ground lichens colonize disturbed soils as pioneer biota, often due to plant removal, but can be replaced successionally by woody plants, like shrubs. Succession may lead to abiotic and biotic changes that impact ground lichens and facilitate their decline as ground cover through effects on morphology, photosynthetic activity, and reproduction as they are overtopped by plants. To understand how the presence of shrubs may influence the community structure of terricolous fruticose lichens in the New Jersey Pine Barrens, a field study was carried out to assess species composition and differences in microclimate abiotic variables in shrub covered and open canopy …

Development Of Hemic Neoplasia In The Soft-Shell Clam (Mya Arenaria) Along The East Coast Of The United States, Nicole B. Seitz

West Chester University Master’s Theses

Hemic neoplasia (HN) is a bivalve disease characterized by uncontrolled proliferation of abnormal hemocytes that invade solid tissue, similar to vertebrate leukemia, ultimately leading to death. High disease prevalence has been reported in many bivalve populations, yet disease etiology and development remain minimally understood. In this study, nine East Coast populations of soft-shell clams (Mya arenaria) were evaluated between 2011-2012 to identify environmental and health factors associated with HN. PCA analysis and statistical testing were used to compare data at and between each population based on HN status. The percentage of organisms with terminal stage 4 HN (76-100% …

Evaluation Of Oasl And Herc5’S Role In The Non-Lytic Clearance Of Influenza A Virus From Club Cells, Steve Crisafulli

West Chester University Master’s Theses

Influenza A virus (IAV) is a highly infectious pathogen responsible for causing severe respiratory illness and death in humans and animals worldwide. Due to highly effective strategies to negate host antiviral defenses, IAV leads to the death of nearly all infected cells. Furthermore, IAV induces high levels of genome-damaging oxidative stress within infected cells and suppresses the cellular mismatch repair (MMR) mechanism, thereby inhibiting expression of key antiviral genes, which further contributes to cell death. However, recent studies have demonstrated that a subset of respiratory epithelial cells, called club cells, are able to non-lytically clear IAV and continue to survive …

The Effect Of Ethanol On Cellular Movements And Development In C. Elegans, Caitlin N. O'Connor

West Chester University Master’s Theses

Neural tube development, which gives rise to the central nervous system, is vital to embryonic development. Neural tube defects, like spina bifida, are serious and common congenital defects which can result in life-long medical complications. Folic acid has been used as a preventative measure for neural tube defects and has appeared to decrease the occurrences of neural tube defects. However, the mechanism behind folic acid’s role in neural tube development is unclear. Furthermore, some evidence suggests that ethanol decreases the levels of folates and folate coenzymes in the fetal brain and downregulates folic acid metabolism genes. To better understand the …

Effect Of Metal-Containing Nanoparticles On Bacterial Biofilms And On The Microbiome Of Girardia Tigrina, Azar Saikali

West Chester University Master’s Theses

Anthropogenically-produced nanoparticles are a form of nanotechnology being used in industries including food and textiles. Humans and livestock are frequently exposed to metal-containing nanoparticles (MCNPs), that have been washed into streams and rivers, have been deliberately used in food packaging as antimicrobials, preservatives or for supplementation. The animal microbiome, which consists of a diverse community of microorganisms, provides a number of benefits to the host in terms of nutrition availability, immune support, and can influence behavior. Biofilms of diverse microbes may cause detrimental effects, for instance by causing dental diseases in humans. However, the scientific community has not reached consensus …

The Goat: Rescoring A Buster Keaton Classic, Shannon Bradley

West Chester University Master’s Theses

This thesis examines Buster Keaton’s The Goat (1921) and provides insight into the methods used to rescore the music of this classic silent film. After a brief review of Keaton’s life and career, I will discuss each step in the process of understanding this film and determining the best methods of implementing music to enhance the film. This process includes creating detailed spotting notes for each scene, sketching most of the central musical themes using my preferred traditional composition software, Sibelius, and finally transferring this musical information into my preferred digital audio workstation, Logic, in order to sync all aspects …

Visual Arts Activities Relate To Cortisol And Observed Interest For Preschool Children, Suzanne Varnell

West Chester University Master’s Theses

This study examined the impact of various visual arts activities on physiological stress response and observed emotion regulation. The first aim of the study was to confirm and expand on results from past investigations showing that visual arts classes relate to lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol and greater observed interest for young children facing economic hardship. This investigation expanded on these findings by examining the effects of individual visual arts activities on cortisol and observed interest in comparison to other preschool activities. Participants were 72 children, ages 3-5 years, who attended a Head Start preschool and were randomly …

Compulsory Conformity In Modern Japanese Culture: An Exploration Of Asexuality In The Works Of Murata Sayaka, Kawakami Mieko, And Kamatani Yuki, Nicholas Colecio

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

This thesis investigates the representation of asexual individuals in the works of Murata Sayaka, Kawakami Mieko, and Kamatani Yuki, all of whom are contemporary Japanese writers that portray near–suffocating social environments in their depictions of modern-day Japan. Their texts illustrate the augmented demands Japanese society places upon a cross-section of asexual and neurodivergent individuals. Despite the thematic and character–related similarities in their works, I argue that each author presents a unique interpretation of how these asexual individuals interact with—and try to integrate into—wider Japanese society and mainstream culture. Murata's texts demonstrate an unapologetically radical separatism by invoking an idealized queer …

Development Of An Hipsc-Cortical Neuron Long-Term Potentiation Model And Its Application To Alzheimer's Disease Modeling And Drug Evaluation, Kaveena Autar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is commonly characterized by a loss of cognitive function due to the deterioration of neuronal synapses from the presence of senile amyloid beta-42 (Aß42) plaques. Evaluating cognitive deficits caused by Aß42 using human cortical neurons poses a challenge due to sourcing difficulties, and the use of animal models to assess drug efficacy creates biological hurdles from lack of species translatability. Recent advances in induced-pluripotent stem cell technology have enabled the development of mature, human-based cortical neuron models. The development of an hiPSC-cortical neuron differentiation protocol facilitates the exploration of disease onset and functional analysis from a patient-derived …

Investigating Mobility Through An Oxygen Isotope Study Of The Medieval Cemetery At Kilroot, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, Hannah Pytleski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Mobility is an important, multifaceted process involving complex interactions of culture, politics, and economics while also intersecting with individual identities, like religion, status, gender, and age. As such, a multitude of people from different origins can comprise a settlement or a community, which may be detectable through biogeochemical assessment. This study employs stable oxygen and carbon isotopic analysis to evaluate evidence for residential mobility within the early to late Medieval Kilroot cemetery (c. 6th to 16th centuries A.D.) at County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The site is 2.8 miles (4.5 kilometers) east of Carrickfergus Castle and the surrounding town, which was …

Spectrally-Based Color Calibration Of Microscopes For Birefringence Analysis, Olivia Feild

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

The analysis of colors is omnipresent in forensics. While their use for macroscopic evidence such as soil sees a large amount of research, their correct handling is more challenging when observed under a microscope. Either for hairs or textile fibers, their color (from melanin, dyes or for birefringence analysis) is crucial in being able to compare between fibers found at a crime scene. Typically, color is quantified using a color space, such as RGB, XYZ, L*a*b*, and L*u*v*. Unfortunately, color is very subjective and often difficult to quantify accurately, even using digital detectors. Finding true matches of colors has been …

Fibropapillomatosis And Chelonid Herpesvirus 5 Dynamics In Juvenile Green Turtles Of The Indian River Lagoon, Florida, Usa, Jake Kelley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Fibropapillomatosis (FP) is a tumor-forming sea turtle disease that mainly affects juvenile green turtles (Chelonia mydas) in coastal foraging sites. The cause of FP is unclear, but likely involves the putative pathogen chelonid herpesvirus 5 (ChHV5). The overall dynamics of this disease are poorly understood, in part due to the difficulty of inferring disease and infection statuses of turtles without evidence of FP. In this study, I investigated the FP disease system in juvenile green turtles of the Indian River Lagoon (IRL), Florida, USA, to better understand disease and pathogen dynamics. First, I developed a hierarchical model for predicting FP …

The Use Of Stable Carbon And Nitrogen Isotope Analyses To Examine Diet, Life Course, And Social Identities Among The Meroitic Elite Of Sai Island, Sudan, Rachel Lotze

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

The focus of this thesis is to learn more about the diets and lives of Nubian individuals who lived on Sai Island during the Meroitic period (250 BC to AD 250) using an approach based in life history, gender, and social identity theory. These individuals were in buried the cemetery 8-B-52.B and they were part of the elite social class. Dietary analysis was conducted by analyzing the stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes from bulk samples of human bone collagen. A total of 34 bone samples were analyzed, and 31 of those samples were determined to be well-preserved. These data were …