Digital Commons Network^™

A Generic Qualitative Inquiry Of The Challenges For Black African American Men Who Have Experienced Trauma, Randall Lee Maurice Shakir

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Black African American Men (BAAM) suffer disproportionately from trauma related challenges and have a higher risk of encountering trauma across the lifespan. The negative impact of trauma is a major public health concern in the United States, evidence suggests trauma negatively impacts the physical well-being, mental health, and mortality rate. BAAM have increased rates of trauma exposure and their traumatic experience is historically complex involving a variety of contemporary issues (i.e. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), depression, victimization and desensitization, stress). This research aims to explore the complex nature of their trauma-related challenges among a purposeful sample of BAAM participants in …

In Vitro And In Vivo Evaluation Of Antimicrobial Activity, Oocyst Sporulation Rate, Oocyst Integrity And Oocyst Infectivity In Eimeria Maxima M6 Oocyst Suspensions Treated With Chlorhexidine Salts In Comparison With Potassium Dichromate, Lauren Laverty

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Eimeria species oocysts cause coccidiosis, one of the costliest diseases in the poultry industry. Coccidiosis infections cause significant economic losses due to reduced performance in chickens and turkeys. The objective of this thesis was to determine fecal bacterial recovery from chlorhexidine (CHX) salt suspensions containing Eimeria maxima M6 oocysts and evaluate the effect of CHX salts on oocysts during long-term cold storage. For bacterial recovery experiments, CHX digluconate and CHX gluconate were tested at different concentrations on poultry fecal slurries during oocyst shedding. Eimeria maxima M6 oocysts were evaluated in CHX salt suspensions to test the effect on oocyst degradation …

Human-Bat Interactions In A Disease Emergence Hotspot: Implications For Human Health And Bat Conservation, Reilly Tempest Jackson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Bats are an ecologically important taxon that can host zoonotic pathogens. Globally, many bat species are synanthropic and live closely with humans, often roosting in man-made structures. The spatial overlap between humans and bats creates opportunities for human-bat contact, which can lead to human exposure to bat-borne pathogens and conflicts that cause bat mortality. Despite this risk, little is known about the drivers and characteristics of these human-bat interactions in buildings and work is needed to understand this aspect of the wildlife-urban interface. In Chapter I, I present a literature review that identifies the geographic and taxonomic trends in reported …

Effect Of Onion Peel Bioactive Compounds On Gut Microbiome Of Obese Adults, Saad Al-Din Sifat

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Obesity, a pervasive global health concern, involves a complex interplay between genetic factors, dietary patterns, and the gut microbiota. Onion peels are rich in polyphenols and known for their antioxidant properties. However, the effects of in-vitro digested onion peel extract has not been investigated thus far. This study therefore assesses the effects of digested bioactive compounds from onion peels, emphasizing gut microbiota shift and metabolites. Onion peel extract (OPE), digested onion peel extract (DOPE), and solid-phase-extracted digested onion peel extracts (SPE-DOPE) were analyzed for total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity. SPE-DOPE exhibited the highest TPC and antioxidant activity. Fecal …

The Effects Of Probiotics And Environment On The Swine Gut Microbiome, Bin Zuo

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The gastrointestinal tract is crucial for nutrient absorption and immune system functionality. It employs a synergistic approach, merging physical and biochemical defenses, to counteract pathogens that enter through dietary or other external routes. This system also facilitates the breakdown of complex carbohydrates, a process beyond the host's innate capacity. In swine, gut microbiota early colonization plays a significant role in several physiological developments, shaped by a variety of determinants including maternal factors and environmental conditions. In the swine industry, the shift to indoor pig farming enhances efficiency but limits soil interaction, potentially impacting gut microbiota diversity. Additionally, the practice of …

Perceptions Regarding Service/Volunteerism In Postsecondary Education With Students With Intellectual Disabilities, Coraliz Martinez

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to analyze the perceptions postsecondary education programs for students with intellectual disabilities have on the topic of service learning and volunteerism. The goal is to analyze college programs in the Southeast portion of the United States to determine if this topic is incorporated into their curriculum and analyze their perception of the topic. Twenty-six staff members from different postsecondary education programs completed a questionnaire that analyzed their program as a whole. The data indicates that the programs that incorporate service/volunteerism within their program prioritize service/volunteerism and state it has made a positive impact on …

An Exploration Into Health Equity Discourse In Mississippi: Organizational Commitments And Practitioner Perspectives, Thuy-Vy Lillian Pham

Honors Theses

This thesis takes a sociological approach to examine healthcare workers' beliefs and medical organizations’ solidarity statements related to diversity and equity and how these discourses aligned and/or diverged. Through interviews with healthcare providers in Mississippi and content analysis of solidarity statements, the study finds that discussions on health disparities more frequently addressed socioeconomic inequality rather than systemic racism, diverging from organizational statements. This emphasis may partly stem from the demographics of the study participants, who were predominantly White—which also reflected the staff where they worked. Additionally, while healthcare workers recognized structural issues related to health disparities, they often showed hesitancy …

Development Of An Intact Mass Spectrometry Method For The Detection And Differentiation Of Major Bovine Milk Proteins, Emily F. Harley-Dowell

Department of Food Science and Technology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The authentication of products with claims regarding protein sources or compositions is a challenge for traditional analytical methods, which generally lack the required specificity whole protein analysis can provide. For example, the establishment of milk as “A2” is achieved through genetic testing of cows before milk production, with no methods to authenticate milk products themselves. Establishment of A2 milk is completed through genetic testing of the cows before milk production, but with no methods to authenticate the milk products themselves. Intact protein mass spectrometry (MS) has the potential to directly authenticate protein products, including specific proteoform claims. The development of …

The Hydrodynamic Performance Of Duck Feet For Submerged Swimming Resembles Oars Rather Than Delta-Wings, Gal Ribak, Roi Gurka

Physics and Engineering Science

Waterfowl use webbed feet to swim underwater. It has been suggested that the triangular shape of the webbed foot functions as a lift-generating delta wing rather than a drag-generating oar. To test this idea, we studied the hydrodynamic characteristics of a diving duck’s (Aythya nyroca) foot. The foot’s time varying angles-of-attack (AoAs) during paddling were extracted from movies of ducks diving vertically in a water tank. Lift and drag coefficients of 3D-printed duck-foot models were measured as a function of AoA in a wind-tunnel; and the near-wake flow dynamics behind the foot model was characterized using particle image velocimetry (PIV) …

Assessing The Effectiveness Of Nuclear Security Training And Education In Ghana, Michael Nii Sanka Ansah, Boris Stepanov Pavlovich, Paul Atta Amoah, David Okoh Kpeglo, Simon Adu, Bright Kwame Afornu

International Journal of Nuclear Security

Growing attention is being given to nuclear power across several African countries, including in Ghana. The world is depending on nuclear energy as a reliable and efficient means of energy generation. Ghana as a country is developing nuclear energy; thus, equal attention must be directed toward nuclear safety and security. Ghana is gradually developing interest in and is devoting substantial required resources to educating and training on nuclear security to meet the standards required by international bodies. Institutions such as the Nuclear Safety and Security Centre and the School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission …

Exploring Underserved Communities’ Perspectives On Wilderness Character In Everglades National Park, Elena R. Thomas, Jaclyn F. Rushing, William L. Rice, Jennifer M. Thomsen, Christopher A. Armatas

Society and Conservation Faculty Publications

Issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion are becoming increasingly important to park and protected area managers. Recently, several Executive Orders have established policies and priorities for steering public lands to better serve the diversity of the US public. Certain groups, compared to the US population at large, are underrepresented as visitors to parks and protected areas in the US, including BIPOC communities (Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color), women, people with disabilities, veterans, people with lower socioeconomic status, and the elderly. This disparity in visitation may be even more pronounced in federally designated wilderness areas. We present a …

2023-December-01-Why I Teach- Dr. Joshua Reid, University Marketing And Communication, East Tennessee State University

ETSU News

In this episode, Dr. Josh Reid, Associate Professor of English, talks about how he engages his students with classical and early modern literature. He also shares his favorite books of the year.

Early Emergency Department Experience With 7-Day Extended-Release Injectable Buprenorphine For Opioid Use Disorder., Gail D'Onofrio, Jeanmarie Perrone, Kathryn F. Hawk, Ethan Cowan, Ryan Mccormack, Edouard Coupet, Patricia H. Owens, Shara H. Martel, Kristen Huntley, Sharon L. Walsh, Michelle R. Lofwall, Andrew Herring, The Ed-Innovation Investigators

Center on Drug and Alcohol Research Faculty Publications

As the opioid overdose epidemic escalates, there is an urgent need for treatment innovations to address both patient and clinician barriers when initiating buprenorphine in the emergency department (ED). These include insurance status, logistical challenges such as the ability to fill a prescription and transportation, concerns regarding diversion, and availability of urgent referral sites. Extended-release buprenorphine (XR-BUP) preparations such as a new 7-day injectable could potentially solve some of these issues. We describe the pharmacokinetics of a new 7-day XR-BUP formulation and the feasibility of its use in the ED setting. We report our early experiences with this medication (investigational …

Translational Research Targeting Biliary Tract Cancer, Yan Zhu

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Biliary tract cancer (BTC) is malignant tumor that originates from the biliary tract, including cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) and gallbladder cancer (GBC). In this translational research program targeting BTC, we focus on three aspects: the development of a combination treatment against CCA, the exploration of the immune background of GBC, and the establishment of a CCA mouse model mimicking mutation profiles of CCA patients.

Patients with cholangiocarcinoma have poor clinical outcomes due to late diagnoses, poor prognoses, and limited treatment strategies. To identify novel drug combinations for this disease, we have conducted a genome wide CRISPR screen anchored on the bromodomain and …

Assessing The Morphological And Physiological Traits Of Smooth Brome Pastures Under Long Term Grazing And Nutrient Enrichment In Eastern Nebraska, Hassan Shehab

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Climate change together with the increase in demands for food, feed, fuel, and fiber are becoming a threat to sustainability and resilience of agriculture and pasture lands. Bromus inermis (smooth bromegrass) dominates pastures for cattle grazing in Eastern Nebraska, US, where it is planted in monocultures, and is considered high quality forage because of its palatability and high nutritional value for cattle, especially under intensive management practices. Sustainable management of these pastures is key to long-term resilience. This study aims to assess the performance of smooth bromegrass pastures to the combined effects of long-term management practices (since 2005) of fertilization …

Population Demography Of A Glacial-Relict Stream Fish Mediated Via Anthropogenic Alteration, Joseph M. Spooner

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Northern Pearl Dace Margariscus nachtriebi are a small-bodied glacial-relict fish species of greatest conservation need (SGCN) found throughout Canada and the northern United Sates. Their distribution within the Nebraska Sandhills Ecoregion is isolated from the northern core distribution of the species following the last glaciation period approximately 18,000 years ago. Headwater streams within the Nebraska Sandhills Ecoregion are predominately groundwater fed and provide the cool water temperatures needed to support Northern Pearl Dace and other glacial-relict SGCN. Headwater streams within the Nebraska Sandhills Ecoregion have been geomorphically altered through anthropogenic processes such as channelization whereby habitat homogenization has occurred. Evidence …

Human Dimensions Of Woody Encroachment Management In Nebraska, Emily Rowen

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Woody plant encroachment (WPE) is a social-ecological problem that will challenge conservation professionals and agricultural producers to adapt their management strategies. This research first examined WPE from the perspective of individual conservation professionals through an online survey. Conservation professionals’ attitudes about adaptation to vegetation transitions, such as WPE, were of interest because these attitudes are one measure of how prepared this group is to respond to WPE. Hypothesized predictors of adaptation attitude were tested through linear regression modeling. These predictors included ecological change, observation of WPE, or risk perception. It was found that risk perception was the strongest predictor of …

The Influence Of Invasive Species On Fishers’ Satisfactions, Caroline M. Laplante

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Invasives species are prevalent and widespread in North America. Outdoor recreational activities, such as fishing, introduce a point in which humans may interact with invasive species and have to adapt their own behaviors. Bigheaded carp in the Missouri River below Gavin’s Point Dam are a group of invasive fish species that were thought to be negatively relating to recreational fishers’ satisfactions. Using a content analysis and an importance-grid, we conclude that invasive species do not strongly relate to recreational paddlefish fishers’ satisfactions. Paddlefish fishers represent a small sub-set of recreational fishers in Nebraska and South Dakota. The content analysis revealed …

Understanding Avidities Of Recreational Activities For People Possessing Fishing Licenses And Residing In Urban Environments, Kyle F. Hansen

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Recreational fishing is one of the world's most popular pastimes, wherein participation is associated with sociodemographic factors. Even so, fishing license sales are declining in the USA in conjunction with a reduction in rural populations as people move to urban areas. Thus, urban areas are constantly growing in population size, population diversity, and geographic size suggesting a need to understand fishing participation in these growing areas. Natural resource managers often use participation to understand recreationists, yet avidity could provide a new way to understand recreationists. The goal of our study is to understand what sociodemographic factors influence the fishing avidity …

Game-Theoretic Approaches To Optimal Resource Allocation And Defense Strategies In Herbaceous Plants, Molly R. Creagar

Department of Mathematics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Empirical evidence suggests that the attractiveness of a plant to herbivores can be affected by the investment in defense by neighboring plants, as well as investment in defense by the focal plant. Thus, allocation to defense may not only be influenced by the frequency and intensity of herbivory but also by defense strategies employed by other plants in the environment. We incorporate a neighborhood defense effect by applying spatial evolutionary game theory to optimal resource allocation in plants where cooperators are plants investing in defense and defectors are plants that do not. We use a stochastic dynamic programming model, along …

Evaluation Of Efferent Unmasking Using Cortical Auditory-Evoked Potentials, Donguk Lee

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Purpose. All human beings, regardless of whether they have hearing impairments or not, face difficulties in detecting signals in the presence of background noise. To cope with such situations, people can enhance their performance by either increasing the signal levels or reducing the noise levels, which in turn increases the signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs). SNRs play a crucial role in determining one's speech perception abilities. For instance, if the noise levels are high, individuals may raise their voices or decrease their distance from the source to amplify the signal levels, thereby increasing the SNR. However, in real-life situations, individuals may not …

Towards Improved Genomic Surveillance Of Organisms, Joseph L. Sevigny

Doctoral Dissertations

DNA and RNA sequencing is an indispensable tool for the surveillance and monitoring of organisms. Technological advances and research opportunities over the past several years have transformed and driven my research questions; from understanding the impacts of environmental perturbations on complex benthic communities, to tracking and understanding emerging pathogens like SARS-CoV-2. All of them revolve around the use of DNA sequencing to ask fundamental questions about our understanding genomes and their relationship to phenotype and the environment. The advent of sequencing-based characterization has revolutionized our approach to studying organismal communities on a large scale, offering the ability to analyze vast …

A Global Gene Expression Approach To Exploring Rock Colonization By Blastococcus Saxobsidens, Ryan Patrick Wilmot

Doctoral Dissertations

Introduction: Blastococcus saxobsidens is an endolithic bacterium associated with biodegradation of stone monuments across the Mediterranean basin. Recently, strains of the bacterium have been isolated from high altitude deserts in Chile, volcanic glass in Iceland, and from masonry of several cultural heritage sites across Europe and the Americas. Blastococcus saxobsidens global dispersion has been linked to patterns of wind distributed dust particles. The physiology that this bacterium uses to colonize a wide range of rock types in such distinct locations has not been previously explored however. This project has established that B. saxobsidens colonizes and respires a variety of chemically …

Displaying Phenylalanine Ammonia Lyases On Bacillus Subtilis Spore Surface For The Treatment Of Phenylketonuria Through Oral Administration, Guo Wu

Doctoral Dissertations

Bacillus subtilis spores are formed in response to adverse conditions as a survival mechanism. These spores are in a dormant state and do not require any nutrients. Their DNA is wrapped with self-assembled multilayers of protective proteins. These spores are highly resistant to various harsh conditions. B. subtilis spores serve as a well-characterized model for studying endospore formation and have been developed as a platform system for displaying heterologous proteins of various functions. It has been demonstrated that proteins displayed on the spore surface can enhance their robustness and extend their shelf-life, including enzymes as robust biocatalysts and antigens as …

Engineering Studies Of An Experimental Open Ocean Seaweed Farm Design, Zachary Moscicki

Doctoral Dissertations

An experimental seaweed cultivation system was designed for offshore and exposed locations. Novel features were incorporated to address major barriers to the expansion of seaweed, including limited nearshore and sheltered marine locations and risk of marine animal entanglement. A novel modular mooring geometry was developed to improve stability, reliability, and spatial efficiency to achieve an economical and robust structure viable in high wave energy environments. Stiff composite (e.g. fiberglass) rods were used to replace components typically made of rope, including mooring lines and seaweed growth substrate (cultivation lines), as a means to mitigate risk of marine animal entanglement.

This dissertation …

Lessons From Hiv, Boriana Marintcheva

Bridgewater Review

No abstract provided.

Reflections From A Plantation Visit, Tina Mullone

Bridgewater Review

No abstract provided.

Examining Consumers’ Perceptions Of And Attitudes Toward Digital Fashion In General And Purchase Intention Of Luxury Brands’ Digital Fashion Specifically, Yanbo Zhang, Chuanlan Liu, Yanru Lyu

Faculty Publications

Digital fashion may instill transformative power into the fashion industry as it can simultaneously deliver fashionability and sustainability. Renowned for their innovativeness and creativity, luxury brands embrace digital fashion and achieve market success, indicating the future of digital fashion. This research aims to empirically investigate consumers’ general perceptions and evaluations of digital fashion and to specifically examine consumers’ purchase intention of luxury brands’ digital fashion. A total of 214 responses were collected from a U.S.-based research company’s consumer panel. Data were analyzed by using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results revealed that the general attitude toward digital fashion is influenced …

Political Propaganda In The Reredos Of Our Lady Of Light, Owen Keith Medina Loftus

Theses

This master's thesis explores the Reredos of Our Lady of Light, a stone monument situated as the focal point of a former military chapel known as La Castrense in Colonial Santa Fe, New Mexico. Crafted by Bernardo Miera y Pacheco in 1761, the reredos is analyzed as a multifaceted masterpiece that blends religious symbolism with propaganda messaging. Its central location in the capital and meticulous design make it a potent tool employed to shape perceptions, reinforce beliefs, and incite the viewer to take action in support of both the Roman Catholic faith and the ever-growing interests of the king and …

Discourses Across Periods Of Time, Amanda Raquel Moreno

Theses

This literature review explores the revolutionary effect of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality (VR) on digital art history, specifically concentrating on their capacity to enable dialogical exchanges with historical figures and deepen the understanding of artworks. This study considers the current state of research, detecting key methodologies, areas of improvement, and possible challenges and ethical concerns. The example historical figure used in this analysis is the iconic Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. Kahlo’s refusal to correspond to a specific artistic style makes her an ideal subject for generative AI and VR-based investigation, offering fresh insights into her work. The …