Digital Commons Network^™

The Death Of Malls: The Rise Of E-Commerce And Digitally Native Brands, Alexis Montgomery

Theses

Since the mid-2000s, malls and retail brick and mortar stores have been on the decline. Stores not making enough revenue in-person; the rise of online shopping and e-commerce, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the rise of digitally native brands have contributed to this. This research aims to figure out how the current consumer atmosphere, as well as how the rise of e-commerce and digital marketing, will impact the mall of the future. This research aims to discover how local malls are faring, if stores are truly closing and if national retail brands are pulling out of malls. This research also aims …

The Impact Of The Male Gaze: Femininity And Female Sexuality In Shunga Prints Of The Edo Period, Meredith Keukelaar

Theses

The Edo period of Japan (1603-1868) was a time of great cultural and economic growth as the country flourished from political stability under the Tokugawa clan’s rule for over two centuries. During this time, many prints, illustrated books, and paintings were created, the most famous of which are known as ukiyo-e, or “pictures of the floating world.” A popular sub-genre of ukiyo-e were the erotic shunga prints, created by and primarily for men. While most of these prints were heterosexual in nature, there were still several works that depicted homosexual relations. The majority were of male homosexuality, but scenes of …

The Influence Of Permafrost Soil Structure On Microbial Community Diversity And Abundance, Nathan D. Blais

Master's Theses and Capstones

Soil structure plays a critical role in shaping soil microbial communities, who directly influence biogeochemical cycling1–4. Although well-studied in temperate systems, the importance of physical structure on soil microbial community diversity, function, and overall activity in permafrost soils is largely unknown. I hypothesized that (1) decreases in pore connectivity would increase microbial diversity based on an expected inverse relationship between diversity and connectivity; (2) soil with an increased abundance of larger pores (> 75 µm), which are uninhabitable because they are too large to sustain liquid water, will exhibit lower bacterial and archaeal abundance and (3) the surface area of …

Targeting A Highly Repetitive Genomic Sequence For Sensitive And Specific Molecular Detection Of The Filarial Parasite Mansonella Perstans From Human Blood And Mosquitoes, Nils Pilotte, Tamara Thomas, Michael F. Zulch, Allison R. Sirois, Corrado Minetti, Lisa J. Reimer, Steven A. Williams, Lori J. Saunders

Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Background Mansonella perstans is among the most neglected of the neglected tropical diseases and is believed to cause more human infections than any other filarial pathogen in Africa. Based largely upon assumptions of limited infection-associated morbidity, this pathogen remains understudied, and many basic questions pertaining to its pathogenicity, distribution, prevalence, and vector-host relationships remain unanswered. However, in recent years, mounting evidence of the potential for increased Mansonella infection-associated disease has sparked a renewal in research interest. This, in turn, has produced a need for improved diagnostics, capable of providing more accurate pictures of infection prevalence, pathogen distribution, and vector-host interactions. …

Vulnerability And Well-Being: International Students’ Experience In North Queensland, Australia

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Foreign Donations In The Higher Education Sector Of The United States And The United Kingdom: Pathways For Reputation Laundering

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

No abstract provided.

A Bibliometric Exploration Into The Global Research Impact Of China’S Thousand Talents Brand, Ryan M. Allen, Yang L. Allen

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

The Thousand Talents Plan was an ambitious government initiative to repatriate and/or recruit experts from the global Chinese diaspora, along with some non-Chinese experts. The plan has received much criticism from abroad, accusing it of taking advantage of the open international education sector and facilitating espionage. While the Thousand Talents Plan received the most international attention, it was just one of over 200 Chinese governmental talent recruitment plans, which we label broadly as the Thousand Talents Brand (TTB). Using bibliometric analysis from the Web of Science, we find that research connected to the TTB decreased following the recent outcry but …

Perioperative Chanage In Cervical Lordosis And Health-Related Quality-Of-Life Outcomes, Jose A Canseco, Brian A Karamian, Parthik D Patel, Michael Markowitz, Joseph K Lee, Mark F Kurd, D Greg Anderson, Jeffrey A Rihn, Alan S Hilibrand, Christopher K Kepler, Alexander R Vaccaro, Gregory D Schroeder

Rothman Institute Papers

BACKGROUND: Surgeons have scrutinized spinal alignment and its impact on improving clinical outcomes following anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). The primary analysis of this study examines the relationship between change in perioperative cervical lordosis (CL) and health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL) outcomes after ACDF. Secondary analysis evaluates the effects of fusion construct length on outcomes in patients grouped by preoperative cervical alignment.

METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was performed on an institutional database including patients who underwent 1- to 3-level ACDF. C2-C7 CL was measured preoperatively and at final follow-up. For primary analysis, patients were classified based on their perioperative cervical …

The Brief (Edition #22, December 2022), William & Mary Law School

The Brief

No abstract provided.

A Deep Learning-Based Framework For Food Safety, Cleanliness, And Data Privacy Assurance, Hamed Taheri Gorji

Theses and Dissertations

Food safety and foodborne diseases are significant global public health concerns. Precise, reliable, and speedy contamination detection and disinfection technology while preserving the business owners’ data privacy is an ongoing challenge for the food-service industry. Contamination in food-related services can cause foodborne illness, endangering customers and jeopardizing provider reputations.This dissertation performed a cleanliness assessment and disinfection and data privacy assurance in the food services industry using fluorescence imaging, state-of-the-art deep learning algorithms, and a novel paradigm in machine learning named federated learning. In chapter 3, we combined two deep learning algorithms (EfficientNet-B0 and U-Net) and fluorescence imaging for automatic detection …

Towards Seamless Communication In Capillary Networks, Aliaa W. Walid, Samy Ghoniemy

Computer Networks

No abstract provided.

Nursing Abroad: A Comparison Of Healthcare In Italy, Sweden, And The Us, Sadie Stark

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

No healthcare system is perfect, nor does one system work for all populations. History and culture have dictated the mindset of people for generations. It is the ever-changing mindset of patients and providers that will continue to expand and improve international healthcare by first changing daily practices. Nursing in Italy, Sweden, and the United States look very similar but also have a number of differences. Each country’s healthcare system works for its population, but efforts for international collaboration could still prove beneficial. Whether it be universal or private, centralized or localized, a patient centered focus is the driving force behind …

Rapid Detection Of Recurrent Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer In Urine Using Atr-Ftir Technology, Abdullah I. El-Falouji, Dalia M. Sabri, Naira M. Lofti, Doaa M. Medany, Samar A. Mohamed, Mai Alaa-Eldin, Amr Mounir Selim, Asmaa A. El Leithy, Haitham F. Kalil, Ahmed El-Tobgy, Ahmed Mohamed

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Non-muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer (NMIBC) accounts for 80% of all bladder cancers. Although it is mostly low-grade tumors, its high recurrence rate necessitates three-times-monthly follow-ups and cystoscopy examinations to detect and prevent its progression. A rapid liquid biopsy-based assay is needed to improve detection and reduce complications from invasive cystoscopy. Here, we present a rapid spectroscopic method to detect the recurrence of NMIBC in urine. Urine samples from previously-diagnosed NMIBC patients (n = 62) were collected during their follow-up visits before cystoscopy examination. Cystoscopy results were recorded (41 cancer-free and 21 recurrence) and attenuated total refraction Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) …

Machine Learning For Target Detection Using Uwb Radar Sensor Networks, Dheeral Naresh Bhole

Electrical Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Machine learning (ML) has recently been used to solve critical problems. This dissertation focuses on developing systems using Ultra-Wideband (UWB) wireless sensor networks and machine learning to solve critical tasks such as target detection in various challenging scenarios. These tasks have been researched for several years and efforts have been made to achieve universal solutions. In the first part of this dissertation, we have proposed a system to detect metallic targets in foliage environment. Mission critical systems need to be ready for the harsh working environment such as dense foliage, water bodies, rain, heavy winds and other natural challenges. Extreme …

Amorphous Silicon Oxynitride Coatings For Craniofacial Implants Stimulate Osteogenesis Via Nrf2 Antioxidant Activity, Neelam Ahuja

Kinesiology Dissertations - Archive

Craniomaxillofacial injuries and defects are functionally and socially debilitating. These defects require immediate attention, and most cases undergo reconstruction surgery to restore the lost tissues. Current treatment strategies such as autologous bone grafts and fixative titanium devices are well established to treat the craniofacial region. But, the limited supply of donor bone and secondary surgery limit the use of autologous bone grafts, and low bioactivity, poor osteointegration of the titanium devices, has led to an increased number of tissue engineering research for the development of newer biomaterials. Bone defects especially in the craniofacial region can have a significant portion of …

Good Faith: Surveillance And Evaluation Of 911 Good Samaritan Laws In The United States, Shane W. Reader

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

To fight soaring overdose mortality rates in the United States, lawmakers adopted a variety of harm reduction tools. Among these, 911 Good Samaritan Laws (GSLs) derive their name from the biblical parable of the Good Samaritan, a bystander who broke cultural convention to come to the aid of a man beset by thieves. These laws provide limited criminal immunity for bystanders in possession of controlled substances to encourage them to report drug overdoses. While previous studies associate GSLs with a modest reduction in opioid mortality, analyses often model them as equivocal or divide them coarsely across individual provisions. Evaluating these …

What Is Contributing To Covid-19 Mortality In Harris County, Texas?, Rachel Roy

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed long-standing inequities that have been present in the United States since its origin. While the entire country has been devastated by this pandemic, low-income and minority communities were hardest hit. Race alone does not predict poor health outcomes. Rather, the historic strategies implemented in the United States, such as redlining, placed racial and ethnic minorities in neighborhoods where cycles of disinvestment in education, transportation infrastructure, flooding infrastructure, healthy food, and clean air and water have created low socioeconomic status and poor health outcomes. This public health research aims to understand how historical processes have created and …

Pursuing Personal And Professional Passions: A Final Master's Portfolio, Eileen Tse

Master of Arts in English Plan II Graduate Projects

As an English Language Arts teacher at the secondary level with some publishing experience looking to expand my professional writing repertoire, I sought to expand and transfer my knowledge and skills in rhetoric and technical writing in different realms of interests and areas of my life. The following is my final portfolio for the Master of Arts in English, fusing my various intellectual interests and professional pursuits. My first substantive project explores the technical communication that occurs in casual online spaces by exploring the documentation and interactions in an Animal Crossing: New Horizons Facebook fan group. The project blends my …

Stuff And Nonsense – Thinking Differently About Children’S Play – Inspired By The Work Of Stuart Lester By Russell W. Et Al, Kylie Keane

International Journal of Playwork Practice

No abstract provided.

Scholarship Program Gains New Chair, Member, Jonathan Scott

University of Mississippi News

No abstract provided.

Commonthought (2022), Commonthought Staff

Commonthought

This issue features works created by Lesley University students and covers a broad range of topics. The work itself crosses many disciplines from creative writing to visual arts.

Evaluation Of Relationship Between Sulfate Content And Electrical Resistivity, Zobair Ahmed

Civil Engineering Theses - Archive

Texas soils typically have sulfate content due to certain geologic formation types. Soil sulfate needs to be identified and quantified to minimize damage to infrastructure caused by sulfate-induced heave. Electrical Resistivity Imaging can identify the presence of sulfate content in the soil. Electrical Resistivity Imaging (ERI) is a non-destructive and fast way of obtaining continuous soil substructure profiles. Moisture fluctuations and soil heterogeneities can be found using an ERI approach. As a result, ERI is growing in popularity as a tool in geotechnical engineering, yet at the moment, it only offers qualitative data. It can be challenging to determine quantitative …

The Cpacs Collective December 2022, College Of Public Affairs And Community Service, University Of Nebraska At Omaha

CPACS Newsletters

The College of Public Affairs and Community Service (CPACS) newsletter that reported on the news, collaborations, events, and general happenings of the UNO College of Public Affairs and Community Service. This newsletter has had many names and variations over the years including SPACS Newsletter (1973); Newsletter of the College of Public Affairs and Community Service (1973-1974): Happenings (1974-1980s); and the current e-newsletter titled the CPACS Collective (2021-)

Church And State In Montenegro: From The Serbian Orthodox Church To The Church Of Serbia, Vladimir Bakrač

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The paper deals with the role of religion and the church in the post-socialist transformations of society in Montenegro, focusing on the period from the 1990s to 2022. The goal of the paper is to present the historical and sociological (non-)cooperation between the church and the state in Montenegro and their reflection on social circumstances. According to sociological expertise, secularization and atheization of the society carried out by the then political regime and aligned with Marxist reflections on religion were in force until the 1990s. Subsequently, a period of desecularization of society and revitalization of religion and religiosity followed. Accordingly, …

University Of Nebraska At Omaha Commencement: December 2022, University Of Nebraska At Omaha

Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Working To Develop Language Skills In Students With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders, Paul Mooney, Joseph B. Ryan

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Finding The Right Combination: An Exploratory Study Of Business Acumen, Community Engagement, And Success Criteria In Colorado Dance Studios, Ann Hunt

Master's Theses

The primary purpose of this study was to discover similarities and differences between Colorado dance studio owner’s definitions of success and data pertaining to community engagement and business strategies. This may help to inform current and future dance studio entrepreneurs of the variety of interpersonal skills needed to maintain a dance studio, how community engagement may be an instrumental part of studio culture, and how business strategies and goals realized an owner’s vision. The essential questions that focused this research study were: Q1 Why is it important for dance studio owners to define success for themselves? Q2 What can be …

Seroprevalence And Titer Concentration Testing For Leptospirosis In Equine, Ashley Himmelsbaugh

Honors College Theses

The most common best management practice used to combat diseases in horses is vaccination, which can decrease the incidence or severity of illness. However, the duration of immunity will vary for each vaccination and must be considered for revaccination purposes. Titer concentration, which evaluates antibodies in the blood, may be a helpful way of determining how long an animal has immunity to a disease. Leptospirosis, a zoonotic, bacterial disease, can result in uveitis, potentially leading to blindness, and abortion in mares. One serovar, Leptospirosis pomona (L. pomona), is associated with most cases of clinical disease in horses in North America. …

Taiwanese High School Counselors' Experiences In A Solution-Focused Supervision Training Program, Wei-Su Hsu, Hsuan-Jung Chen

Journal of Solution Focused Practices

No abstract provided.

Strong Constraints On New Physics From The Icecube South Pole Neutrino Observatory, Grant Kendrick Parker

Physics Dissertations - Archive

The IceCube Neutrino Observatory, a gigaton-scale ice Cherenkov detector located deep within the Antarctic glacier, has detected hundreds of thousands of atmospheric neutrinos at energies from a few GeV to 100 TeV. Above 100 GeV, where ordinary oscillation effects become vanishingly small, this data sample is particularly sensitive to a wide range of beyond-standard-model (BSM) neutrino oscillation mechanisms. This thesis presents two searches for such BSM physics: flavor-changing nonstandard neutrino interactions (NSI) and neutrino oscillation decoherence (decoherence). The first analysis constrains the mu-tau flavor-changing NSI parameter with eight years of IceCube atmospheric neutrino data ranging from 500 GeV to 1 …