Digital Commons Network^™

Optimizing Hybridization Chain Reaction (Hcr) In Situ Hybridization In Astyanax Larvae, Ana Santiago Chacon

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2020 - Present

Fluorescent in-situ hybridization chain reaction (HCR-RNA FISH) is a technique that allows for the simultaneous labeling of multiple target mRNA molecules, signal quantification, and high-resolution oligonucleotide visualization. While this method has been employed to study several common laboratory model systems, its application to non-traditional models is lacking. With the goals of circumventing this limitation and introducing Hybridization Chain Reaction (v3.0) (HCR), the latest version of a new technique for high resolution in situ hybridization, to the Astyanax mexicanus model, we have optimized a novel protocol for this robust evolutionary system. The optimization of HCR in Astyanax mexicanus strengthens the reproducibility …

Voter Disenfranchisement After Shelby County: The Need To Resume Federal Preclearance, Jaylene Kennedy

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2020 - Present

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 expanded the 14th and 15th amendments by outlawing the discriminatory practices adopted by many southern states to keep many African Americans from voting. Section 4(b) of the VRA required that states with a previous history of voter suppression obtain federal preclearance before enacting any new voting laws. In 2013, the Supreme Court held in Shelby County v. Holder that the coverage formula in section 4(b) was unconstitutional. I argue that Shelby County has opened the door to numerous recent efforts to restrict voting. While these restrictions have been justified to counter illegal voting, I …

Strange Frequencies: Development Of A Post-Human Sequential Narrative, Jessica E. Young

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2020 - Present

Posthumanism embodies a wide-ranging scope of philosophies, including works of transhumanism dealing with cybernetics or androids. Few works treat advanced technological developments like A.I. and androids as equal to, or companions to humanity. Despite the potential for future technology to be equally as intelligent as humans, there remains a limited number of stories treating android or A.I. characters as main characters and narrative lenses. This project grapples with questions of humanity, spirituality, and environment through sequential storytelling using an android protagonist. This adds critical reflection to the body of posthumanist works by serving as one of a few stories where …

Repatriation Wars: The Political Culture And Ideological Conflict Within Un Pow Camps During The Korean War, Madison A. Brockelbank

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2020 - Present

During the Korean War, POWs within UN POW camps participated in riots and mass-demonstrations, as anxieties over repatriation increased. Not all POWs who were against repatriation were against Communism and not all POWs who wanted repatriation were radical Communists. However, almost all Chinese and Koreans living in post-World War II East Asia during this period experienced increasing pressure to pick a side. The US, North Korea, South Korea, China, and Taiwan all manipulated the POWs’ fight over repatriation to support specific ideologies and legitimize new regimes. Regardless of whether a POW was ideologically motivated, the POW issue was definitely a …

Screening For Novel Small Molecule Binders Of Rna Repeat Expansions, Isabela Caiado De Oliveira

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2020 - Present

RNA performs a number of vital roles in the human cell, such as turning genetic information into proteins in the human body and gene regulation via numerous mechanisms. Therefore, its malfunction may lead to severe diseases such as Huntington’s disease or Myotonic Dystrophy type 1. Huntington’s disease is a rare neurodegenerative disease most likely inherited, and it is caused by the trinucleotide repeat expansion r(CAG)exp in the huntingtin gene (HTT). Myotonic dystrophy type 1 is an untreatable neuromuscular disorder caused by the trinucleotide repeat expansion r(CUG)exp. The biology of healthy or disease-infected cells is usually determined by RNA structures, which …

Factors Of Voter Turnout: Effects Of Habit, Social Pressure, And Gerrymandering On Voting Behavior, Aubrie Gibbons

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2020 - Present

Voter turnout is an essential metric for the health of a democracy; however, our nation has a particularly low rate of voter turnout. This thesis explores the relationship between turnout and three factors that may affect it: voting habit, social pressure, and gerrymandering. In an effort to understand and boost turnout, political scientists have studied whether gerrymandering may decrease turnout by lowering voter efficacy and confidence. While evidence for this theory remains unclear, studies of the formation of voting habit and effects of social influence imply that turnout efforts with a normative approach may be more effective in raising voter …

The Crossroads Of Identity: Linguistic Shift And The Politics Of Identity In Southwest Asia And North Africa, Marium Abboud Houraney

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2020 - Present

After the Arab Spring, many ethno-linguistic minority groups in the Southwest Asia and North Africa region found themselves at odds with both their governments and themselves. Periods of Arab conquests, Ottoman rule, European colonialism, Arab nationalism, and most recently, brutal wars and conflicts, have shaped the nationalist ideologies that countries in the region adopted as an attempt to strengthen their states, ultimately resulting in the oppressive policies they direct towards minorities. Kurds, Copts, Assyrians, Amazigh, and other linguistic minorities are some of the last communities keeping indigenous cultures and languages alive. Through utilizing four case studies to examine relations between …

State-Level Covid-19 Vaccine Mandates: A Constitutional Analysis, Hillary Moran

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2020 - Present

The coronavirus pandemic has upended our daily lives, especially regarding our civil liberties. With the development of a vaccine, many Americans are concerned about the possibility of vaccine mandates. Regardless of whether states should implement these mandates, the first question that needs to be answered is whether they can. Although the Supreme Court’s recent National Federation of Independent Business v. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration decision put an end to a vaccine mandate implemented through OSHA’s workplace safety standards, the possibility of state level mandates remains. Although there have been legal challenges to localized mandates, it is …

The Resurgence Of Forced Sterilizations Of Migrant Women In The United States And The Lack Of Change, Julia P. Latchana

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2020 - Present

Female sterilization is a medical procedure used to prevent pregnancy. Historically, women from disadvantaged socio-ethnic backgrounds in the United States have been sterilized at rates disproportionate to their numbers. For instance, a recent resurgence of forced sterilizations of migrant women has come to light. I will discuss how the concepts of fit vs. unfit that informed early anthropological theories and scientific racism describe why women in particular are targeted for reproductive control. Though these theories are now thoroughly discredited in anthropology, their lasting impacts still carry weight in modern-day policymaking. Current migrant laws and reproductive control of women, continue to …

An Indefinite Punishment After Justice Has Been Served: Jones V. Governor Of Florida Is A Fundamentally Flawed Decision, Alexandra Russo

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2020 - Present

The right to vote is a fundamental part of a representative democracy. As of 2020, 48 states have laws limiting a felon’s participation in the franchise, resulting in 5.2 million United States citizens being unable to vote. In 2018, Florida passed Amendment 4 with a 65% popular vote, allowing felons to be re-enfranchised after the terms of their sentence are completed. In 2019, the state enacted a law defining “terms of the sentence” to include court costs and fees, barring indigent felons from regaining their constitutional right. In Jones v. Governor of Florida, Judge Pryor upheld this law. I critically …

An Examination Of The Ethical Implications Of Prescribing Opioids To Patients In Recovery, Marissa Shank

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2020 - Present

The opioid crisis is a critical problem in the United States. Therefore, the ethicality of prescribing opioids to those recovering from drug addiction must be considered. Opioids may be prescribed to treat postoperative pain, which poses an ethical dilemma as the prescription of these drugs to recovering addicts can lead to relapse. While addiction can impair one’s ability to make rational decisions, there are cases in which those in recovery are autonomous and are therefore capable of self-determination which should not be denied. This paper aims to assess the concepts of autonomy and drug addiction to propose treatment follow-up options …

The Influence Of Athlete Protests In American Society, Corey Sturgis

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2020 - Present

On September 1st, 2016, 49ers star Quarterback, Colin Kaepernick made the decision to kneel during the national anthem. His actions immediately sparked political polarization as many NFL executives, along with US President Donald Trump, viewed his demonstration as a complete betrayal to his country, while others felt that his actions were strongly needed to help bring national attention to continued racial injustices in America. Many people were appalled by his actions and believe it was a new response intended to promote the Black Lives Matter Movement, failing to realize the historical significance of how athletes and activism intersect. This thesis …

Staging The Modern Woman: Antonieta Rivas Mercado, María Izquierdo, And Performance’S Double Life In The Contemporáneos Orbit, Joseph Shaikewitz

Hemisphere: Visual Cultures of the Americas

No abstract provided.

“Who Is Eating Whom?”: Wet Nursing And White Cannibalism In Brazil, Grace Sparapani

Hemisphere: Visual Cultures of the Americas

No abstract provided.

Small Suburbs, Large Lots: How The Scale Of Land-Use Regulation Affects Housing Affordability, Equity, And The Climate, Eric Biber, Giulia Gualco-Nelson, Nicholas Marantz, Moira O’Neill

Faculty Scholarship

Housing costs in major coastal metropolitan areas nationwide have skyrocketed, impacting people, the economy, and the environment. Landuse regulation, controlled primarily at the local level, plays a major role in determining housing production. In response to this mounting housing crisis, scholars, policymakers, and commentators are debating whether greater state involvement in local land-use decision-making is the best path forward. We argue here that there are good reasons to believe that continuing on the current path—with local control of land-use regulation as it is— will lead to persistent underproduction of housing. The benefits of housing production are primarily regional, including improved …

From Logic To Realism To Brighter Future For Humanity, Victor Christianto, Florentin Smarandache

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

This collection of published papers at International Journal of Neutrosophic Science actually began with just a simple request by Dr. Broumi Said, the editor of IJNS, to us, to submit an article for his new journal. Then we submitted a series of new articles discussing various applications of Neutrosophic Logic, a new kind of logic as developed by one of us (FS). We explore a wide range of subject, from Godel’s incompleteness theorem, to possible technocalypse and neutro-futurology, and also additional sections. Hopefully you will find these articles interesting for better understanding of nature.

Introduction To The Special Issue On Advances In Neutrosophic And Plithogenic Sets For Engineering And Sciences: Theory, Models, And Applications, S. A. Edalatpanah, Florentin Smarandache

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

Recently, research on uncertainty modeling has been progressing rapidly, and many essential and breakthrough studies have already been done. There are various ways to handle these uncertainties, such as fuzzy and intuitionistic fuzzy sets. Although these concepts can take incomplete information in various real-world issues, they cannot address all types of uncertainty, such as indeterminate and inconsistent information. The neutrosophic theory founded by Florentin Smarandache in 1998 constitutes a further generalization of fuzzy set, intuitionistic fuzzy set, picture fuzzy set, Pythagorean fuzzy set, spherical fuzzy set, etc. Since then, this logic has been applied in various science and engineering domains. …

Awareness And Patronage Of Library Reference Services Among Undergraduate Students In Adeyemi College Of Education, Ondo State, Nigeria, Oresiri Jamogha, Ejiro Jamogha

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Reference services are personal assistance given to library users in their search for information and these services are most likely patronized by those who are aware of them, hence, this study investigated the awareness and patronage of library reference services among undergraduate students in Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo State, Nigeria. The study adopted survey design and a multistage sampling technique was used to select 370 undergraduate for the study. Questionnaire was used for data collection and was administered to 370 respondents out of which, 317 copies were found useful for the study. The research questions were answered using simple …

Computing Technologies And Paperless Classroom In Library Schools In Rivers State, Anthonia Eghieso Omehia, Onyema Nsirim

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Paper has been a convenience medium of communicating information, accessing information, as well as delivering and receiving lecture. However, as time changes, the mode of communication and instructional methodology takes a paradigm shift. This has resulted to the use of paperless classroom. Paperless classroom is the use of computing and communication technologies to replace the traditional method of teaching and learning in the classroom. It offers speed and ease of using electronic means in delivering lecture to a large number of students which is cost effective to students and lecturers. Consequently, schools are using computing technologies to ease the cost …

Evaluating Institutional Repositories’ (Ir) Capabilities For Long-Term Preservation With A Focus On Content, File Format And Metadata Practices In Selected Public University Libraries In Kenya, Hellen M. Ndegwa, Emily Bosire Dr., Damaris Odero Dr.

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The type of content and file format influences the success of digital preservation strategies. Institutional repositories are custodians of digital resources that are to be held in perpetuity necessitating the need to consider long term preservation of these resources. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the suitability of digital content and its metadata for long term digital preservation. The study was qualitative in nature utilizing interviews as well as document analysis. websites and IR database investigations were utilized to check on content, format and metadata adequacy. The findings revealed great inadequacies in the IRs’ capabilities to support long …

Need-Achievement And Career Preference Of In-School Adolescents In Anambra State, Nigeria: The Need To Reposition School Librarian/Library Roles, Chizoba L. Obikwelu, Augustina Obioma Ede, Olileanya Iyke Iheakaghchi, Victoria Yemi Fagbemi

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The relationship between need achievement and career preference of in-school adolescents were examined in this study. The need for the study was prompted by previous studies’ report that students make wrong career preferences due to poor information among other factors. The negative impact of these wrong preferences on the individual and the work place have become worrisome to all concerned. To achieve the main purpose of the research, a questionnaire was constructed through literature and was face validated by experts in the field of education. The instrument proved to be reliable (with a reliability index of .92.) to answer the …

Attitude Of Faculty Members Towards Open Access Institutional Repositories In Public Universities In North East, Nigeria, Chinyere A. Okezie Dr, Israel Habibu Idris Dr

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This study investigated the attitude of faculty members towards participation in open access institutional repositories in public universities in North East, Nigeria. Two objectives with corresponding research questions guided the study. Two null hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. The descriptive survey design was adopted with a study population of 3,612 faculty members drawn from six (6) public universities in the North-East geopolitical zone. A sample of 316 respondents representing 10% of the entire population was used. A multi-stage purposive simple random sampling technique was adopted. Data for the study was collected using a 30-item structured …

Access And Utilisation Of Climate Change Information By Small-Holder Farmers In Bunkpurugu-Yunyoo Districts, Ghana, Kojo Bawa Dukper Mr

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The study sought to assess access and utilization of climate change information by small-holder farmers in the Bunkpurugu-Yunyoo Districts of the North-East Region of Ghana. Since the study involved a large farmer population in the area, the survey research design was employed to collect data from 387 household-headed farmers. Generally, farmers in the district had accessed to climate change information via TV, radio and mobile phone. Specifically, farmers received information mainly on temperature, rainfall, windstorm and thunderstorm. However, less than half (49%) of farmers in the study area were able to receive the climate change of information, and the information …

Unlocking The Rusty Padlock: The Role Of The Scientific Tradition Of Pesantren Karanggedang On The Literacy Development In The Surrounding Village Community, Amri Mahbub Alfathon, Achmad Riyadi Alberto, Aldila Putri Hakmi

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The scientific and literary construction of pesantren or Islamic boarding schools, especially traditional ones, is highly popular to the community and involves the surrounding villagers. The communication established between village community and pesantren in continuing the scientific tradition ultimately creates new socio-cultural-economic activities. Pondok Pesantren Al-Muwahidin, located in Karanggedang, Salebu Village, Majenang District, Cilacap Regency, Central Java, is one of the pesantren that has a role in developing community literacy as mentioned. This research aims to observe and explain the role of the scientific tradition of Pesantren Karanggedang on literacy development of the local village community. A case study approach …

Refugees' Digital Equity, Inclusion, And Access In Public Libraries: A Narrative Review, Jessie Stoner, Nicklesh Sagran, Danny Cervantes, Steffanie Baseley, Sarah Borgolini

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

No abstract provided.

Gender Differences In Information Literacy Self-Efficacy Among Academic Librarians In Federal University Libraries In South-East Nigeria, Osita Victor Ossai Dr

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The study investigated gender differences in information literacy self-efficacy among academic librarians working in federal university libraries in South-east Nigeria. The descriptive survey research design was used in this study. Using purposive sampling, twenty academic librarians were selected for the study. The Information Literacy Self-Efficacy Scale (ILSES) was used to obtain the data. In total, there are 28 items on the scale, which has a high Cronbach Alpha reliability score of 0.91. In this scale, seven sub-dimensions are measured extensively. To analyze the data, percentages, means, standard deviations, t-tests, and Lavene's tests were used. In terms of mean ratings, male …

Staff Motivation, Discipline And Performance Appraisal As Correlates Of Staff Job Performance In University Libraries In Bayelsa And Rivers States., Biokuromoye Fyneman Ph.D

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This study examined staff motivation, discipline and performance appraisal as correlates of staff job performance in university libraries in Bayelsa and Rivers States. Three research objectives and questions were stated to guide the study. Three hypotheses were also articulated. The study adopted survey correlational research design involving a population of 356 staff in six university libraries. The entire population of 356 library staff in the six university libraries in Bayelsa and Rivers States was adopted as sample for the study. Personnel Management Rating Scale (PMRS) and Library Staff Job Performance Rating Scale (LSJPRS) were used to collect data. Mean, standard …

Awareness And Access To Electronic Information Resources By Students At Kogi State University, Anyigba, Nigeria, Oladimeji Eyitayo Yemi-Peters, Abdulrazaq Baba Abdulrahman, Bolaji David Oladokun, Faith Ufedo

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This study examined awareness and access to electronic information resources by students at Kogi State University, Anyigba. A descriptive survey method was used for the study. The population consists of library users of Dr. Aliyu Obaje Library, Kogi State University, Anyigba. A total number of 139 were administered to undergraduate library users, 102 copies representing (73%) were returned. Statistical tools used for this analysis was simple percentage and mean scores of the data. Analysis and discussion of the study were based on major findings of the study. The findings found that, students are aware of the availability of online databases, …

Contributions Of Human And Non-Human Resources’ Function, Benefit, And Rigidities Associated With Marketing E-Resources Among The Staff Of Selected Technical University (Tu) Libraries In Ghana., Michael Oppong Mr., Stephanie Owusu Ansah Ms., Daniel Ofori Dr.

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The study investigated the contributions of human and non-human resources’ function, benefit, and rigidities associated with marketing e-resources at selected Technical University (TU) libraries in Ghana. 62 respondents from the three Technical Universities (TUs) libraries were respectively drawn from all the three selected Technical Universities (Kumasi Technical University, Tamale Technical University, and Takoradi Technical University). Given that the population from the three TUs library staff was small, no sampling had to be done. The investigator sent out 62 questionnaires to the various TUs and received 39 responses representing 63 %. To collect data from the libraries of the designated Technical …

Assessment Of Information Literacy And Fake News Identification Of Benguet State University Freshmen: Implications For Library Literacy Program, Daniel Jr Balbin

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The world is experiencing a rapid and massive spread of misinformation referred to as “infodemic” (WHO, 2020, cited by Salvi, et al., 2021). Despite information literacy had been a long-offered solution to information problems (Horton, 2007) and studies discovered that accurate identification of fake news was significantly associated with information literacy (Jones-Jang, et al., 2021), approaches to IL instruction must be updated and must adapt to the changing information society and environment (SCONUL, 2018; Rutledge and LeMire, 2017).

It aimed to determine the level of information literacy and fake news identification of the students. It also determined if there is …