Digital Commons Network^™

The Process Of Unblocking Laos : Linking Indochina (1893–1945), Nguyen Thi Tuyet Nhung

Manusya, Journal of Humanities

With the establishment of the Indochinese Federation, the French colonial government implemented policies to develop the transport system in the colonies, connecting Laos with other regions in the Indochinese Federation. Previous studies have mainly focused on demonstrating the development of the transport network in Vietnam or highlighting the limitations of the French colonial government in investing in the development of transport in Laos. This article aims to redefine the role of the French in developing the transport network and infrastructure in Laos in order to break its isolation and associate this country with the rest of the Indochinese Federation. These …

Passionate Women, Vengeful Spirits : Female Ghosts And The Japanese Gothic Mode, Samantha Landau

Manusya, Journal of Humanities

Female phantasms of the living and the dead that appear in Japanese folklore and literature involve a dual image of women: the representation of a patriarchal ideal of women, and the monstrous double that revolts against that ideal. Representations of this folklore-inspired ideal/monstrous woman can be seen in a wide-ranging array of twentieth and twenty-first century Japanese fiction, from the early cannibalistic spirits in folklore-inspired tales to Romantic and Absurdist works to possession narratives. This essay builds upon extant research from folklorists and cultural anthropologists as well as critical literary theories on the appearance of ghosts in Japanese fiction. I …

“I Am A Shape Now Suddenly Long And Scaly” : Abject Physical Transformations And Dimensions Of Monstrosity In Beth Yahp’S The Crocodile Fury, Soumyarup Bhattacharjee

Manusya, Journal of Humanities

This article examines Beth Yahp’s novel The Crocodile Fury (1992) to explore how the novel’s fusion of conventions of the literary gothic and elements from indigenous folklore respond to the conditions of gendered and colonised oppression in the marginalised subject. By situating the many iterations of the titular “crocodile” as a quasi-mythic animal in Malay lore against the three major instances of physical transformations from the human to the grotesque non-human in the narrative, this article seeks to analyse how such transformations participate in a dialectic of oppression and liberation for such marginalised characters. At the same time, it explores …

A Study Of Communities Of Practice In Craft Production From Log Coffin Culture Archaeological Sites In Highland Pang Mapha, Northwestern Thailand, Chonchanok Samrit

Manusya, Journal of Humanities

No abstract provided.

Visual Narratives And Global Journeys, Sarah Laura Nesti Willard, Claudia Maria Tresso, Jolanda Guardi

CoHSS Faculty Work

No abstract provided.

Vol. 52, No. 2: Full Issue, Denver Journal Of International Law & Policy

Denver Journal of International Law & Policy

No abstract provided.

A Symbolic Interactionism’S Perspective Of The Attack On The U.S. Capitol., Odeli Hernandez

Undergraduate Scholarship

This paper aims to draw the line between Symbolic Interactionism and how it ties into the political world. Symbolic Interactionism states that humans interpret and assign meanings to symbols through social interaction, thus influencing their behaviors and shaping their realities. It is said that symbolic interactionism could only be applied to micro levels of social interactions, and not to something as big and intricate as politics. This paper will focus on a stand-alone event, the insurrection of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. Numerous symbols were displayed before, during, and after the attack on the U.S. Capitol, each of …

Eco-Cultural Restoration Of Mouralherwaqh: Site Description And Invasive Species Treatment Plan In King Salmon, California, Natalie Bridget Calderon, Myion Rickey, King Baptista, Owen Bardsley, Jillian Snowhook

Undergraduate Scholarship

In July of 2022, the Wiyot Tribe bought back one of their first pieces of ancestral forest within the Mouralherwaqh "more-RAH-share-wahg" village area (Wiyot, 2022). Before this repatriation, the Tribe owned less than 1% of their ancestral lands; after, the Tribe’s land holdings increased by 10% (Reclaiming Mouralherwaqh | Humboldt NOW | Cal Poly Humboldt, 2022). Mouralherwaqh is a 46 acre coastal site located near present day King Salmon, California and has high ecological and culturally significant values (Wiyot, 2022). Prior to the change of ownership, Mouralherwaqh was privately-owned and in 2014 underwent a clear-cut timber harvest within eight-acres of …

Mapping Kinnikinnick And Assessing Habitat Factors For Brown Elfin Butterfly At The North Ma-Le’L Dunes, California, Harper Lacey, Elizabeth Mcguire, Sienna Tubridy, Mark Mckenna

Undergraduate Scholarship

Climate change, caused by anthropogenic influence, has resulted in rising temperatures across the globe. This has contributed to sea level rise which has negatively impacted coastal endangered species. Rising temperatures threaten habitat conditions through fragmentation and encroachment of invasive species. Habitat fragmentation and the spread of invasive species have already been worsened by European colonialistic ideas of exploiting the environment for its natural resources, which makes sea level rise an additional issue. California has been affected by sea level rise in various ways and dune ecosystems are experiencing many of those impacts. In Humboldt County, our project site borders the …

Implications Of Using Edna As A Monitoring Tool In The Elk River Estuary, Trinity Brooke Spencer, Christy Elaine Wheatley, Fernando Edgar Martinez

Undergraduate Scholarship

This study compares the efficacy of environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling to traditional capture-based methods such as seine netting and minnow trapping for monitoring fish assemblages in the Elk River estuary. The Elk River estuary is located in Humboldt County, California and hosts a diverse range of fish species due to its tidal influences and brackish habitat. A restoration is planned for this area, thus it is important to explore the effectiveness of different fish monitoring methods that could be used to evaluate restoration success. For this capstone project, we conducted a pilot study at five sites within the Elk River …

Riparian Revegetation: Re-Indigenizing The Powers Creek Tributary Of The Baduwa’T Watershed At Blue Lake Rancheria, California, Genesis Beltran, Ruben Lopez, Ben Stock

Undergraduate Scholarship

This project focuses on the ecological and cultural restoration of Powers Creek, a tributary of the Baduwa’t watershed at Blue Lake Rancheria, California. Riparian ecosystems play a critical role in biodiversity, water quality, and climate resilience, particularly for species like salmonids reliant on cold-water refugia. The restoration efforts, guided by Indigenous knowledge, addressed the removal of non-native competitive species such as Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius) and French broom (Genista monspessulana) – which are shown to increase wildfire severity and challenge native plant communities – in addition to freeing established plantings of vegetative competition. Through collaborative planning …

Three Essays On The Economics Of Sustainable Consumer Choices, Muhammad Jawad Khan

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation examines consumer preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) within key sustainability contexts, focusing on the remediation of forever chemicals (PFAS) in municipal water systems, forest diversification for climate-resilient maple syrup production, and reduced ecological footprints in farming. The first chapter highlights factors influencing public support for a municipal water filtration system. A contingent valuation survey was conducted in September 2021 among the New England households to estimate their WTP for PFAS filtration in municipal drinking water systems. Health factors are primary: those concerned about water quality show a higher WTP. Income, water expenditures, and filtration status at home …

Rational Design Of Polymers For Specific Interactions With Liquid And Solid-State Water, Nick Mitchell

Doctoral Dissertations

Many plants and animals that live in arctic regions possess biological cryoprotecting agents (CPAs) known as antifreeze proteins (AFPs) which protect them against cryoinjury in their native subfreezing environment. AFPs and their synthetic biomimetics have received increasing attention as potential candidates for various industrial and bio-medical applications. Despite the interest in developing synthetic, macromolecular CPAs; a full understanding of the antifreeze process induced by these remains elusive. To explore this, we have synthesized a series of water- soluble polyol-based polymers with systematic variation of their chain architectures.While AFPs are well-known for their ice nucleation and recrystallization inhibition activity along with …

Connecting Conservation: Modeling And Socializing Climate Connectivity For Land Conservation, Melissa M. Clark

Doctoral Dissertations

As the climate changes, species must either adapt, relocate, or face extinction. This pressing reality underscores the importance of promoting climate connectivity, which ensures that habitats and landscapes remain interconnected, allowing species to move and adapt as climate conditions shift. Given the challenges posed by ongoing climate change, it is crucial that land conservation decisions incorporate climate connectivity. Conservation goals should be informed by the latest connectivity models and be practical for implementation by on-the-ground practitioners. This dissertation aims to bridge the gap between these two critical needs, which are not always well-integrated in conservation work. Modeling connectivity in a …

Exploring Healing Touches In The Bible, Michée B. Badé

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

Healing touches in the Bible hold significant meaning in both the spiritual and physical contexts. Numerous biblical accounts illustrate how physical healing in connection with touch served as a demonstration of faith, connection, and divine power. These narratives depict important moments in which touch becomes a conduit for divine healing and emphasize the prominent role that touch plays in biblical accounts of healing.

This paper first explores the concept of health and healing as presented in Scripture, followed by an examination of touch and healing in both the Old and New Testaments, while looking at the cultural, theological, and missiological …

Transformative Power Of Healing And Dreams: A Divine Encounter With Jesus, Jony Hajaj

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

Throughout history, countless individuals have reported experiencing miraculous healings and profound encounters with Jesus Christ in their dreams. These encounters have profoundly impacted their lives, instilling them with renewed faith, hope, and purpose. These encounters as spiritual experiences possess transformative power. In this article, I will examine the fascinating realm of healing through God-given dreams where Jesus Christ appears, brings solace, guidance, and restoration to those in need.

A Biblical And Theological Foundation To Disciple And Retain Adventist Yorla, Ako Zimko

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

This article considers literature on interfaith marriages and draws principles especially relevant for Adventist Yorla from the writings of Ellen G. White and the lives and examples of Ruth, Abigail, and Esther. It then, explains the advice for Christians whose spouses were unbelievers from Paul and Peter in 1 Corinthians 7:12-16 and 1 Peter 3:1,2.

Adventist Yorla refers to Adventist women married to non-Adventists in Tangkhul terms. Thus, the term interfaith marriage, which refers to the union of two individuals from different religious or denominational backgrounds, applies in this context. In the context of the Tangkhul tribe, which is a …

Molecular And Cellular Programs Underlying The Development Of Bovine Pre-Implantation Embryos, Zongliang Jiang

Faculty Publications

Early embryonic mortality is a major cause of infertility in cattle, yet the underlying molecular causes remain a mystery. Over the past half century, assisted reproductive technologies such as in vitro fertilisation and somatic cell nuclear transfer have been used to improve cattle reproductive efficiency; however, reduced embryo developmental potential is seen compared to their in vivo counterparts. Recent years have seen exciting progress across bovine embryo research, including genomic profiling of embryogenesis, new methods for improving embryo competence, and experimenting on building bovine embryos from stem cell cultures. These advances are beginning to define bovine embryo molecular and cellular …

Th2 And Th17-Associated Immunopathology Following Sars-Cov-2 Breakthrough Infection In Spike-Vaccinated Ace2-Humanized Mice, Tianyi Zhang, Nicholas Magazine, Michael C. Mcgee, Mariano Carossino, Gianluca Veggiani, Konstantin G. Kousoulas, Avery August, Weishan Huang

Faculty Publications

Vaccines have demonstrated remarkable effectiveness in protecting against COVID-19; however, concerns regarding vaccine-associated enhanced respiratory diseases (VAERD) following breakthrough infections have emerged. Spike protein subunit vaccines for SARS-CoV-2 induce VAERD in hamsters, where aluminum adjuvants promote a Th2-biased immune response, leading to increased type 2 pulmonary inflammation in animals with breakthrough infections. To gain a deeper understanding of the potential risks and the underlying mechanisms of VAERD, we immunized ACE2-humanized mice with SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein adjuvanted with aluminum and CpG-ODN. Subsequently, we exposed them to increasing doses of SARS-CoV-2 to establish a breakthrough infection. The vaccine elicited robust neutralizing antibody …

Louisiana Survey 2024, Lsu Reilly Center For Media & Public Affairs

Reilly Center Louisiana Surveys

The 2024 Louisiana Survey is the latest in an annual series of statewide surveys from the Reilly Center for Media & Public Affairs at Louisiana State University’s Manship School of Mass Communication.

Reflecting the continuing evolution of survey research, we used two approaches for this year’s survey. First, we used our traditional probability-sampling approach to draw landline and cell phone numbers for a live-interview telephone survey. Second, in partnership with the research firm YouGov, we administered an online survey to a nonprobability sample of Louisiana residents who participate in the YouGov panel. We use statistical weights in the analysis …

Dietary Intakes Of Branch Chained Amino Acids And Obesity Risk Among Chinese Gestational Diabetes Women, Xiaoyun Yang, Weiqin Li, Wei Li, Huikun Liu, Leishen Wang, Junhong Leng, Yuxin Fan, Xilin Yang, Ming Liu, Gang Hu

Population and Public Health Science Faculty Publications

Introduction: Epidemiological studies have assessed the correlation between daily dietary branch chain amino acid (BCAA) intakes and the risk of obesity, however, the findings from these studies were inconsistent and investigations among GDM women were few. Objective: The present study was to investigate the associations of daily BCAA intakes with the risks of overweight and abdominal obesity among women with prior gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) postpartum. Method: We performed a cross-sectional study of 1,263 women with prior GDM at 1–5 years post-delivery. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the associations of daily dietary intakes of BCAAs with the risks …

Variant Of The Lactase Lct Gene Explains Association Between Milk Intake And Incident Type 2 Diabetes, Kai Luo, Guo Chong Chen, Yanbo Zhang, Jee Young Moon, Jiaqian Xing, Brandilyn A. Peters, Mykhaylo Usyk, Zheng Wang, Gang Hu, Jun Li, Elizabeth Selvin, Casey M. Rebholz, Tao Wang, Carmen R. Isasi, Bing Yu, Rob Knight, Eric Boerwinkle, Robert D. Burk, Robert C. Kaplan, Qibin Qi

Population and Public Health Science Faculty Publications

Cow’s milk is frequently included in the human diet, but the relationship between milk intake and type 2 diabetes (T2D) remains controversial. Here, using data from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos, we show that in both sexes, higher milk intake is associated with lower risk of T2D in lactase non-persistent (LNP) individuals (determined by a variant of the lactase LCT gene, single nucleotide polymorphism rs4988235) but not in lactase persistent individuals. We validate this finding in the UK Biobank. Further analyses reveal that among LNP individuals, higher milk intake is associated with alterations in gut microbiota (for example, …

Flooded Mangrove Landscapes Hide Ancient Maya Coastal Sites In Belize, Heather I. Mckillop

Faculty Publications

Evidence of ancient Maya exploitation of salt, other marine resources, settlement, and sea trade is hidden in flooded mangrove landscapes on the cays, mainland, and in shallow offshore locations on the south coast of Belize. This article includes a discussion of the coastal economy from the Middle Preclassic through the Postclassic periods (600 B.C.–A.D. 1500). Data from sites discovered and excavated since 1982 in the coastal area of the Port Honduras and Paynes Creek National Park support a model of coastal reliance on marine resources and tree crops. The need for a regular supply of coastal salt to inland cities …

Convolution-Transformer For Image Feature Extraction, Lirong Yin, Lei Wang, Siyu Lu, Ruiyang Wang, Youshuai Yang, Bo Yang, Shan Liu, Ahmed Alsanad, Salman A. Alqahtani, Zhengtong Yin, Xiaolu Li, Xiaobing Chen, Wenfeng Zheng

Faculty Publications

This study addresses the limitations of Transformer models in image feature extraction, particularly their lack of inductive bias for visual structures. Compared to Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), the Transformers are more sensitive to different hyperparameters of optimizers, which leads to a lack of stability and slow convergence. To tackle these challenges, we propose the Convolution-based Efficient Transformer Image Feature Extraction Network (CEFormer) as an enhancement of the Transformer architecture. Our model incorporates E-Attention, depthwise separable convolution, and dilated convolution to introduce crucial inductive biases, such as translation invariance, locality, and scale invariance, into the Transformer framework. Additionally, we implement a …

Formulation Design And Development For Extended-Release Drug Delivery System, Sheng Feng

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The drug delivery system enables the release of the active pharmaceutical ingredient to achieve a desired therapeutic response. Conventional, non-controlled drug delivery systems are unable to deliver the drug at a sustained rate which leads to poor bioavailability, fluctuations in plasma drug concentration, and potential side effects. The extended drug delivery system enables drug delivery at a sustained or predetermined rate to achieve maximum efficacy and safety. Different routes of drug administration, along with various extended-release dosage forms have been extensively developed such as oral delivery, parenteral delivery, transdermal delivery, ocular delivery, and tumor delivery among others. This dissertation developed …

Development Of Quercetin And Moxifloxacin Combination In-Situ Nanoemulgels For Wound Healing., Shravani Padhye

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The study aimed to develop an in-situ gel that could potentially be sprayed on the skin for faster and enhanced wound healing. Quercetin (QCT) is a bioflavonoid, which has potent anti-inflammatory properties and has shown enhanced wound closure along with good antimicrobial activity, particularly against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) which typically infect a wound. Moxifloxacin Hydrochloride (MOX) is a broad-spectrum antibiotic that has topically shown activity against Methicillin Resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and, in combination with Quercetin, could provide better and quicker wound healing as compared to the current treatment available. QCT and MOX nanoemulsions …

Annual Report Of The Cohort 3 Tpsid Model Demonstration Projects (Year 3, 2022–2023), Meg Grigal, Debra Hart, Clare Papay, Caitlyn Bukaty, Belkis Choiseul-Praslin, Sara Pound

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

This annual report provides program- and student-level data reported by TPSIDs (Transition and Postsecondary Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities) during the 2022-2023 academic year. Program data reflect program characteristics, academic access, supports for students, and integration of the program within the college or university system during the third year of FY 2020-2025 funding. This report also provides information on the strategic partnerships and financial sustainability of TPSID programs. Student data reflect student demographics, course enrollments, employment activities, and engagement in student life.

Effect Of Fluid Elasticity On The Emergence Of Oscillations In An Active Elastic Filament, Kathryn G. Link, Robert D. Guy, Becca Thomases, Paulo E. Arratia

Mathematics Sciences: Faculty Publications

Many microorganisms propel themselves through complex media by deforming their flagella. The beat is thought to emerge from interactions between forces of the surrounding fluid, the passive elastic response from deformations of the flagellum and active forces from internal molecular motors. The beat varies in response to changes in the fluid rheology, including elasticity, but there are limited data on how systematic changes in elasticity alter the beat. This work analyses a related problem with fixed-strength driving force: the emergence of beating of an elastic planar filament driven by a follower force at the tip of a viscoelastic fluid. This …

Ecological And Evolutionary Ramifications Of Host-Parasite Interaction In Aquatic And Model Ecosystems, Akacia Halliday-Isaac

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Host-parasite interactions are ubiquitous and have negative risks and consequences on individual, population, and evolutionary scales. These risks and consequences include altered population densities, changes in interspecies interactions, and rapid changes in host phenotypes. In this thesis, I seek to understand the ecological and evolutionary ramifications of host-parasite interactions within ecosystems. To do this, I investigated the presence and environmental correlates of potential host-parasite interactions in a freshwater ecosystem and used a model ecosystem to explore how past host-parasite coevolution affects community assembly dynamics and future adaptation in the presence of new stressors. To examine the presence of potentially parasitic …

Acoustic Localization In Reverberant Environment, Xing Yang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The main goal of this dissertation is to develop algorithms to accurately locate and detect underwater oil leakages through sounds emitted by oil-induced bubbles recorded by passive hydrophones. These algorithms aim to create an early warning system to prevent or identify catastrophic oil spills from pipelines, wellheads, and seafloor seepage.