Digital Commons Network^™

Signed, Sealed, Delivered? Problems With The Use Of Signature Matching To Verify Mail Voter Identity

Florida A & M University Law Review

During the 2020 election, the basic struggle to balance ballot access and election integrity played out in a more public fashion than at any time in recent memory. This begs several important questions. First, how did the American election system get to this point? The legal standards governing election law have long been debated and that uncertainty unleashed a flood of litigation in 2020. Second, why use signature matching—a practice which is methodologically unsound and steadily falling out of use—at all? The use of handwritten signatures to verify identity rather than to evidence attestation is on the decline in other …

Off-White: Al-Khazraji And Shaare Tefila's Potential To De-Essentialize Antidiscrimination Law

Florida A & M University Law Review

The figure of the Arab Jew has historically occupied a space at the margins of Jewish life, rendered peripheral or even invisible by a lens trained on the experiences of Jews of European descent. Drawing in part from the academic lineage of Kimberl´e Kimberle Crenshaw’s theory of intersectionality, American Jews of Arab and Middle Eastern descent (“Mizrahi Jews”) are increasingly joining their Israeli counterparts and Jews of color in the United States in challenging the naturalization of Jewish whiteness in the popular imagination. In a striking parallel between this groundswell of community theorizing and legal strategy, the Supreme Court in …

An Investigation Of Hhv6'S Impact On The Cognitive Progression And Microglial Changes In An Alzheimer's Disease Cohort, Charles E. Seaks

Theses and Dissertations--Physiology

The role of herpesviruses and, more specifically, HHV6 in the development of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and associated cognitive decline is still being investigated. High ubiquity and prevalence in the population have led to a high degree of skepticism about HHV6 as a potential contributor to cognitive decline and dementias. However, recent evidence related to another herpesvirus, herpes simplex virus 1, suggests that reactivation, not carriage, of the virus may be the key factor to explain the dissonance between the virus’ ubiquity and contributions to dementias. With that in mind, we set out to assess cases from the Sanders-Brown Center on …

Celebrating Writers And Writing In Our Communities: An Anthology Of The Winning Entries Of The Redwood Writing Contest 2022

Celebrating Writers and Writing in our Communities

No abstract provided.

Does Attachment Predict Coping Strategies? An In-Depth Look At Millennials During Covid-19, Clinton Johnson

Art Therapy | Master's Theses

Individuals form attachments during the early stages of their lives, with the caregiver serving as their first attachment figure. An individual's attachment style may predict how an individual will react to challenges in life. Responses to challenges may be either adaptive (solution-focused) or maladaptive (solution-avoidant). The objective of this study was to examine how millennial adults demonstrate adaptive coping skills across attachment styles. This unique study explored the relationship between attachment style and coping strategies among five millennial adults. Participants were recruited through convenience sampling via social media and were included if they met the criteria of being a millennial …

Stress And The City: The Impacts Of City Living And Urbanization On Mental Health, Natalie Akins

Scripps Senior Theses

Urbanization is causing a demographic and cultural shift to the landscape of cities across the globe. Although urban living can be advantageous for both individual and societal growth, it can negatively affect mental health and wellbeing. Individuals living in urban environments have an increased risk for mental disorders like depression and schizophrenia. Certain challenges common in urban environments and associated with increased stress, may be causing the increase with mental illness. Chronic stress and the subsequent hyperactivation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and sustained synthesis of glucocorticoids is detrimental to metabolic, endocrine, and immunologic processes. The overexposure to glucocorticoids can lead …

Designing An Equitable Border Carbon Adjustment Mechanism, Ivan Ozai

Articles & Book Chapters

Policy makers worldwide have increasingly considered the adoption of a carbon adjustment at the border to equalize carbon pricing on foreign goods with carbon policies imposed on domestic production. The implementation of a border carbon adjustment (BCA) in the European Union has been recently proposed by the European Commission, followed by similar plans in the United States and Canada, as an instrument designed to address concerns about competitiveness and emissions leakage resulting from the absence of a global price on carbon or an internationally coordinated carbon-pricing system. Despite its potential to address these issues, the implementation of a BCA raises …

Silvicultural Cities: Designing For A Sustainability-Sourced Timber Urbanism, Erik Bakken

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

No abstract provided.

Frequency Of Food Cravings In Adults Consuming Animal- Or Plant-Based Diets, Kate Thomas

Open Access Master's Theses

Objective: To investigate the differences in the frequency and intensity of food cravings between animal- and plant-based consumers as well as the association between habitual intake of dietary fibers, animal and plant protein, and food cravings. Methods: An online cross-sectional study collected data from adult (≥ 18 years) animal- and plant-based consumers from March 2020 to January 2022. Participants completed a Qualtrics eligibility questionnaire self-identifying their dietary pattern and weekly frequency of meat, seafood, dairy, egg, and honey consumption. Eligible participants (non-smoking, not pregnant, no fiber supplementation, no chronic disease) were invited via e-mail to complete a Dietary History …

The Effects Of Auditory Predation Risk Cues On Caterpillar Growth, Development, And Fitness, Zachary A. Lee

Open Access Master's Theses

Predation risk is a major factor that impacts the growth and behavior of organisms. Being able to detect potential predators before contact offers a major competitive advantage, but these anti-predator behaviors often come with a significant energetic cost. Domestication, which can remove predation stress as a selective force, can lead to a reduction in these costly anti-predator behaviors in favor of increased growth and reproduction. Monarch (Danaus plexippus) and spongy moth (Lymantria dispar dispar) caterpillars both use auditory cues as a primary detection method for airborne predators. We exposed both species to a series of auditory …

Population Monitoring Of White-Tailed Deer In Rhode Island, Dylan Ferreira

Open Access Master's Theses

Wildlife conservation and management occurs across the world through many different mechanisms and underlying principles. North America has developed a unique and successful process coined the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation. A key outcome of this model is that wildlife science informs management decisions, which are made by government officials in the public’s trust. If a species undergoes some form of legal take, managers are often required to ensure it is done responsibly with empirical evidence and consideration of ecological and societal objectives. Recent research suggests that 60% of wildlife management systems in Canada and the United States were …

Investigation Into The Impact Of Parasitic Apicomplexans On The Gut Microbiome Of Marine Tunicate Ciona Intestinalis, Evelyn Anna Spencer

Open Access Master's Theses

Gregarines are a diverse group of apicomplexan parasites that inhabit the intestines, coeloms and reproductive vesicles of marine, freshwater, and terrestrial invertebrates. They have been known to dominate soil communities and show high infection rates within their hosts. Despite this, little information is available about the impact of infection on the gut microbiome of their hosts. Tunicates are a known host of gregarines and several species already have preliminary research focusing on microbial sampling and even screening for bioactive metabolites with pharmaceutical potential. The solitary ascidian Ciona intestinalis emerged as a model organism for studying host–microbe interactions taking place in …

Assessing Horseshoe Crab (Limulus Polyphemus) Population Structure Within Southern New England, Natalie Ameral

Open Access Master's Theses

The Atlantic horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus, is a commercially, ecologically, and economically important species. Current management practices of this species may not be well informed enough to avoid jeopardizing the future health of these animals. This thesis argues that population differences, as defined by morphometrics, behavior, and genomics, may be visible over smaller geographic scales than current fisheries management observes. Specifically, this work focuses on three states in southern New England: Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. Ten sampling locations were observed over two years, 2020-2021, from which over 500 crabs were sampled. Width and weight data were collected to assess …

Control Of Varroa Destructor Using Powdered Sugar And Heat, Casey L. Johnson

Open Access Master's Theses

The parasitic varroa mite, Varroa destructor (Anderson and Trueman), is a global threat to honey bee health and the leading cause of honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colony mortality. In the constant battle against varroa, many apiarists turn to chemicals, such as formic acid, oxalic acid, or synthetic compounds, to control mite populations and save their colonies. However, each chemical treatment option exhibits certain shortcomings and the development of new varroa mite controls is key to combating varroa resistance and increasing safety to beekeepers and bees. The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of two organic methods …

Deciphering Biogenic Silica Production Trends In Picoplankton Of The Subarctic North Pacific Using Novel Dna Barcoding Methods, Andrew Presley

Open Access Master's Theses

The Silica cycle and the biological pump in our global oceans are intimately related. As a part of the NASA Export Processes in the Ocean from Remote Sensing (EXPORTS) our work aims to explore the community composition of picoplankton in the 0.2-5µm size fraction and their contributions to the silica cycle using next generation MiSeq sequencing and analysis. Recently published data from collaborators within the EXPORTS project have observed high biogenic silica production in the picoplankton, indicating that organisms in this size fraction are contributing notably to the silica cycle in the North Pacific, though it remains unclear exactly what …

Bulk Recycling: Density Separation Models For Mixed Plastic Waste, Megan Lee St. Hilaire

Open Access Master's Theses

Microplastic pollution is now everywhere, from the highest elevation of Mount Everest to the deepest dives of the Mariana Trench. The use of synthetic polymers has contributed to the transformation of our modern world. Nonetheless, the growing presence of plastics in the natural environment constitutes a sense of urgency to develop sustainable solutions to address the global plastic pollution crisis. Approximately 80 percent of all the plastics ever produced have been discarded. Our relationship with plastic needs rethinking.

Achieving a circular economy requires a holistic approach to redesign the systems that make, use and reuse plastics. Evaluating the life cycle …

Distribution Of Wood Turtle (Glyptemys Insculpta) Populations In Rhode Island, Chloe Nicole Johnson

Open Access Master's Theses

Wood turtle (Glyptemys insculpta) populations are declining throughout their geographic range and the species is listed as Endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Population declines have resulted from habitat loss, road mortality, land use practices, and many other detrimental anthropogenic factors. This species has been studied in several parts of its geographic range, but its distribution in Rhode Island, a rapidly urbanizing state, is poorly understood. In 2021 and 2022, we surveyed 24 stream segments five times each to determine occupancy and detection probability for wood turtles in Rhode Island, USA. Visual surveys were conducted in …

Association Between Household Insecticide Exposure (Indoor Risidual Spray For Malaria Control) And Child Cognitive Development: An Assessment Of Cross-Sectional Surveys, Megan A. Wilkens

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

No abstract provided.

Melodic Memories: Music Therapy As An Accessible Intervention For Alzheimer's Disease, Michaela Martin

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

No abstract provided.

Adventures Of A Black Cowboy: Masculinity And Race In The Life And Adventures Of Nat Love, Kianna Shakir

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

No abstract provided.

Predicting Anxiety In Young Autistic People: A Mixed-Methods Analysis Of Restricted And Repetitive Behaviors, Aparajita Rao

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

No abstract provided.

Sprinting A Marathon: Next Steps For Gender Equity In Criminal Law Employment, Maryam Ahranjani

Scholarly Works

No abstract provided.

Distal Urogenital Anatomy In The Male Wood Frog, Lithobates Sylvaticus (Anura: Ranidae), Stanley E. Trauth

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

I investigated the microanatomy of the distal urogenital system of the male Wood Frog (Lithobates sylvaticus) from a small sample (n = 6) collected in northern Arkansas in February 2020. Specifically, my primary objectives were as follows: 1) to focus on the histology of the paired Wolffian (urogenital) ducts caudally from the kidneys to their merging with the urodeum of the cloaca, 2) to reveal the structure of the paired seminal vesicles (sperm storage structures), and 3) to compare epithelial morphologies between the distal urogenital tract and its neighboring distal alimentary tract. This information will promote a clearer …

A Study Of Dental Pathology In River Otters (Lontra Canadensis) In Arkansas, C. Renn Tumlison, Jimmie Harper, Karson Grant

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

River otters (Lontra canadensis) consume a variety of foods, including mussels, fishes, and crayfishes. These foods have hard body parts that cause wear of the teeth as the predator ages and incurs more damaging feeding experiences. This can lead to exposure of the pulp cavity and possible abscess and resorption of bone around the alveolus. Further, strong bites against harder parts of prey sometimes results in mechanical breakage, which can lead to pulpitis and severe pathology leading to tooth loss. We investigated the frequency of different forms of dental issues in a sample of 178 skulls of river …

Energy Content Of Seeds Of Switchgrass (Panicum Virgatum) In The Diet Of Mourning Doves (Zenaida Macroura) In Southeastern New Mexico, John L. Hunt, Matthew E. Grilliot, Troy L. Best, Faith A. Johnson, Tyneshia L. Kilgore, Cade M. Wilkerson

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) is a common forage plant that grows over much of the United States. It has drawn interest as a possible feedstock for biofuels, is used as forage for livestock, is planted for soil conservation, and is a component of the diet of some species of wildlife. We analyzed the energy content of seeds of switchgrass obtained from the crops of mourning doves (Zenaida macroura) collected from plains-mesa sand-scrub in Lea and Eddy counties, New Mexico. Seeds were removed from crops and dried for 48 hours at 60°C to remove moisture and standardize masses. …

Instructions To Authors, Academy Editors

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Spanish Conquest Of The Americas Was Not Inevitable: Marronage As Resistance In Hispaniola, Devon Drabick

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

No abstract provided.

The Correlation Between Staffing Hours And Nursing Home Resident Fall Rate, Nduka Ikpo Eke

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractHealthcare administrators and researchers have had the burden of determining best practice protocols that minimize falls among older adults living in nursing homes for several years. Several studies have investigated, and identified intrinsic and extrinsic factors that lead to falls among other adults and made recommendations along the lines of their findings. However, researchers are yet to establish the impact of staffing hours on nursing home resident fall rate. The purpose of this study was to determine the correlation if any, between nursing home residents fall rate and the staffing hours they receive daily from certified nursing assistants (CNAs), licensed …

Effects Of Indoor Air Pollutants On Childhood Asthma: African American Parents’ Perspective, Marcia Maureen Haughton Lewis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractIndoor air pollution has been implicated in many chronic health conditions, including childhood asthma, which is more prevalent among African American children. Children are more susceptible than adults to the effects of exposure to indoor air pollution; however, many parents may not be aware of the polluting impacts of products in their homes and are inadvertently placing their families at risk for adverse health outcomes. Understanding parents’ perceptions and experiences is essential for planning and developing educational programs and interventions for improving indoor environment management as part of asthma management in children. This descriptive phenomenological study aimed to explore parents’ …

Vision 2022

Vision

No abstract provided.