Digital Commons Network^™

An Experiment To Determine Mineral-Associated Organic Matter Turnover In A Sandy Clay Loam, Samantha Abel

All Master's Theses

Soil is an important terrestrial carbon sink. Through regenerative land management, which includes minimizing soil disturbance, the carbon content of soil can be raised towards preindustrial levels. This feat requires effectively storing carbon in a natural system that is inclined to cyclicity. The most stable form of soil organic matter is mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM). This carbon labelling experiment was designed to identify short-term CO₂ fluxes within the soil-plant-atmosphere system, particularly those related to MAOM turnover in the rhizosphere. Basil (Ocimum basilicum) was planted on a plot at the campus farm at Central Washington University. Another plot …

The Surface Chemistry And Binding Interactions Of Lignin With Polymer-Encapsulated Gold Nanoparticles Acting As Model Microplastics, Oluwaseun Ayodeji Akinsola

All Master's Theses

This study investigates the surface chemistry and molecular-level interactions between lignin, a special type of natural organic matter, and polymer-capped gold nanoparticles, shedding light on the strength of adsorption between lignin and nanoscale polymer surfaces. Specifically, the study presents a variety of nanoscale polymer surfaces displaying different charged functional groups, using layer-by-layer assembly of three polyelectrolytes (polyallylamine hydrochloride (PAH)), polyacrylic acid (PAA), and poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride (PDADMAC)) on 90 nm citrate-stabilized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). This approach provides a library of polymer-encapsulated AuNPs for investigating the binding interactions of lignin to nanoscale polymers via spectroscopic techniques. ζ-potential, dynamic light scattering (DLS), …

Factors Associated With The Prevalence Of Iron Deficiency And Anemia In Women Of Reproductive Age In The U.S.: Nhanes 2015-2020, Catherine Wise

All Master's Theses

Iron deficiency (ID) is well recognized as the most prevalent nutrient insufficiency and a leading cause of anemia. Women of reproductive age (WRA), females 15 to 49, are at an increased risk of ID and anemia. This is due to the heightened iron demands of this life stage, including puberty, menstruation, and pregnancy, which require iron intakes ranging from 15 to 27 mg/day. Poor health and nutrition increase the risk of ID and progression to anemia. Consequences of ID and anemia range from exhaustion and decreased cognitive function to an increased risk of mortality. This study aimed to assess the …

Gnss Radio Propagation Through Trapped Atmospheric Lee Waves In The San Bernardino Valley, Ca, Logan Grey

All Master's Theses

Atmospheric lee waves, also known as mountain waves, are a type of gravity wave that form as air that is forced over a mountain creates turbulence downstream. Trapped, or stationary, lee waves located directly over a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver on Earth’s surface appear to lead to anomalies in the receiver’s position estimate, usually skewed toward the neighboring mountain range. The exact mechanism by which trapped lee waves might cause these anomalies is not known, and so my research aims to understand this. GNSS station P612 located in the lee of the San Bernardino Mountains in southern California …

Investigating A Potential Protein-Protein Interaction Between Transcription Factor Pax6 And Ribosomal Protein S20 (Rps20), Modupe Oladayo

All Master's Theses

The neocortex is the largest region of mammalian brains and is responsible for the complex cognitive abilities and behaviors of mammals. The neocortex of mature mammals is divided into concise areas, which process sensory information from ears, eyes, and touch receptors, and regulate conscious movement of muscles. The combined graded expressions of several transcription factors over the embryonic neocortical ventricular zone regulates the sizes of these functional areas in the adult neocortex. Although progress has been made in understanding how transcription factors affect neocortical patterning, additional research is required to fully understand the underlying molecular mechanism(s), which will contribute to …

Comparing The Prevalence Of Stereotypic Behaviors And Enrichment Use In Rhesus (Macaca Mulatta) And Japanese Macaques (M. Fuscata), Jesscia Oscavich

All Master's Theses

To improve captive nonhuman primates’ welfare, particularly those utilized in biomedical and behavioral research, it’s important to understand their behavior. Rhesus (Macaca mulatta) and Japanese macaques (M. fuscata) are two closely related species that are commonly utilized in biomedical and behavioral research. In this study, I compared the frequency of stereotypic behaviors, which are abnormal repetitive behaviors that are apparently non-functional, and enrichment use among four groups of each species. Stereotypic behaviors were divided into motor, which the animal performed while active, and self-directed stereotypies, which the animal performed towards themselves. Enrichment use was divided into …

Prenatal Androgen Exposure Reduces Ovarian Function, Marlee Weets

All Master's Theses

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common reproductive and endocrine disorder, being the leading cause of infertility for females of reproductive age. The etiology of PCOS is not fully known, although it is hypothesized that there is a genetic, epigenetic, and environmental component to the disease. One of the environmental influences that can cause an abnormal reproductive phenotype similar to PCOS is prenatal exposure to excess androgens (male sex hormones). Previous studies have shown that prenatal exposure to androgens in mice can cause a PCOS-like ovarian phenotype similar to people with PCOS. To examine how prenatal androgen exposure causes …

The Auricular Surface Of Chimpanzees (Pan Troglodytes) As An Indicator Of Age, Kalila Garrison

All Master's Theses

Great ape skeletal remains are scarce and their use in biological profile estimations has been limited. Skeletal remains analysis provides key demographic information and ecological context to the individual. Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) share skeletal morphological characteristics with humans, and this study seeks to understand if two noninvasive methods using the auricular surface of the ilium to age human skeletal remains could be applied to chimpanzees. The sample consisted of n = 8 individual left auricular surfaces from known age groups of both sexes. Firstly, the Buckberry and Chamberlain Method assigns numerical values to five different traits on the auricular …

Musical Instruments From Recycled Materials : A Case Study Of Uthen Pialor, Vich Boonrod, Chananya Piratanatsakul

Journal of Urban Culture Research

This research article focuses on two objectives: examining the design concepts and construction techniques of musical instruments made from recycled materials by Uthen Pialor and exploring the materials used and their associated benefits. The researcher utilized a case study research design, conducting qualitative research through semi-structured interviews. The interviews covered three key aspects: design concepts, construction techniques, materials used, and benefits derived from using recycled materials. Findings revealed innovative design concepts, prioritizing sturdy recycled materials and integrating natural elements. Uthen Pialor successfully created 15 instruments across four types using everyday materials. Benefits included addressing instrument scarcity, increasing waste material value, …

The Development Of Sustainability For Tonkori Performance Of The Ainu People In Northern Japan, Kumkom Pornprasit

Journal of Urban Culture Research

The Ainu are the indigenous people of the northern region of Japan which is adjacent to the Russian border. An important Ainu musical instrument is the Tonkori, a wooden 5-string instrument played for entertainment purposes. The current Tonkori music is considered to be introduced by Sakhalin Ainu, one of the sub-ethnic groups of Ainu who migrated to Hokkaido prefecture after WWII. An effort to reduce inequality as well as to make their culture sustainable among the Ainu people is the followings: (1) Promoting the establishment of university research centers; (2) organizing workshops and musical performances in museums and recital halls; …

Historical Narratives Of The Eight Akan Clan Systems Using Museum Theater : The Case Of Prempeh Ii Jubilee Museum, Ghana, Emmanuel Jewel Peprah Mensah, Dickson Adom, Steve Kquofi

Journal of Urban Culture Research

There have been several calls from diverse stakeholders in the museum sector in Ghana for creative programs that enliven the cultural objects in a museum’s holding. This study aimed at exploring the use of museum theatre as an intervention to enhance the museum experience of visitors at the Prempeh II Jubilee Museum, a popular museum in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. We produced The Linguist Staff, an interactive drama to present the historical narratives of the eight Akan clan systems. The study was carried out using arts-based research under the qualitative approach with observer-as-participant and semi-structured interviews as data collection …

Krung Curatorial Practice And Creative Sustainability For Ethnic Music Of Mountainous Villagers In Nan Province, Pornprapit Phoasavadi

Journal of Urban Culture Research

The objective of this project is to explore the collaborative methods in preserving the wealth of krung, one of musical resources in Nan province. The curatorial and collaborative methods engaged with the process of developing plans together with artisans, testing the model with stakeholders, adapting to learn the lessons and mistakes in the field, and to implement a longitudinal activity to integrate cultural and biological ecology. Active agents are the only two instrument makers in the village who possess local wisdom of plant identification, wood cutting, forest hiking. Stakeholders are the local administration of the village, local organization of water …

Assessing The Niger Delta Residents’ Awareness On Socio-Culture Effect Of Wetland Loss, Faith Danjuma, Özge Özden Fuller, Salih Gucel, Patience Francis Nathan

Journal of Urban Culture Research

The degradation of Niger Delta ecosystem is due to activities such as crude oil exploitation, agricultural activities, urbanization among others that affects the socio-culture impact of its dwellers. The study's aim was to assess the Niger Delta residents’ awareness on socio-culture effect of wetlands loss. This paper engaged the exploration of literature reviews, the randomly selection of communities in three Niger Delta states which includes Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta state and a questionnaire was utilized with 150 participants. The findings demonstrated that less awareness on the effect of wetland loss has impacted the residents. Also industrial activities have affected the …

Unearthing The Personal And Cultural Values Of Personalities In Photorealism Portraiture : The Iconography Of The Works Of Ghanaian Fine Artist, Samuel Otu, Dickson Adom, Samuel Otu, Babaaradio Kombui, Joe Adu-Agyem, Peggy Ama Fening

Journal of Urban Culture Research

The roots of portraiture are most likely to be traced to if not prehistoric times, at least ancient Egyptian civilization. Over time, various forms, styles and significance of this genre emerged progressively in line with the various artistic traditions in history. In these contemporary times, portraiture strives immensely on the advancement of technology thereby giving rise to photorealism not only in the West but also among African/Ghanaian fine artists. The Erwin Panofsky’s three-step approach to iconographic analysis was used to examine five meticulously pencil-rendered portraits by the Ghanaian photorealist Samuel Otu in the light of contemporary portraiture. The paper utilized …

Children’S Animation Films : The Cultural Advancement Perspective, Ranang Agung Sugihartono, Kasiyan -, Sigit Purnomo Adi

Journal of Urban Culture Research

The background of this research focuses on the phenomenon of the proliferation of foreign animated films that are easily accessible to children in the digital age, bringing opportunities and risks for children, the film industry, and local culture. It is important to understand how local animated films can adapt and compete with the dominance of foreign films, while supporting cultural promotion regulations. The purpose of this research is to examine the strategies of the local animation film industry in responding to these challenges and identify steps to improve the competitiveness of Indonesian animation films. The method used is descriptive qualitative …

Case Study Of Essential Character Design Elements To Communicate The Identityof The Unesco Creative City Of Gastronomy – Phetchaburi, Thailand, Vorapoj Songcharoen, Chalermporn Siriwichai, Sonsawan Homwiseswongsa, Damian Fox, Sakda Songcharoen

Journal of Urban Culture Research

Character design plays a vital role in design, particularly, in the UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy. This specialized design represents the values, culture, people, lifestyles, and products associated with the city. It is essential to consider how a global audience perceives the intended message. To explore this, a thorough analysis was conducted, evaluating the design of 24 characters from the Phetchaburi Mascot and Creative City Logo: International Design Competition 2021. The winning character was selected to promote Phetchaburi for the UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy campaign and various tourism initiatives. The primary aim of this research is to identify design …

Sedulur Sikep Fights For The Environment & Livelihood Through The Javanese Pop Song "Ibu Bumi", Enkin Asrawijaya, Sri Ningsih, Dedi Supriadi Adhuri, Tity Kusrina

Journal of Urban Culture Research

The issue of environmental preservation is an important topic in global issues. The role of all parties is needed to support environmental preservation because it has an impact on welfare. One of them is conducting a struggle through songs, which this effort is carried out by the indigenous community of Sedulur Sikep (Javanese sub-tribe) in Indonesia. An ethnographic method was utilized through a qualitative approach. We use the theory of symbolic resistance to discuss. The results showed that they made a song entitled "Ibu Bumi" as symbolic resistance by applying the cultural perspective of Sedulur Sikep to invite listeners to …

Highlighting Opportunities For Anaerobic Co-Digestion Of Food Waste From Universities With Pulp And Paper Mill Sludge, Md Nizam Uddin

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The disposal of food waste (FW) in landfills presents significant environmental and economic challenges, including greenhouse gas emissions and loss of potential resources. Concurrently, the pulp and paper industry, a major sector in the United States, generates substantial quantities of recalcitrant organic waste that is high in lignocellulosic content. Anaerobic co-digestion of FW with pulp and paper mill sludge (PPMS) emerges as a potential strategy to address both waste streams simultaneously, potentially enhancing organic matter degradation and biogas yield. However, the efficacy of this co-digestion approach and its broader sustainability implications remain insufficiently characterized. This study employs laboratory-scale experiments to …

Exploring Police K-9 Deaths, Their Causes, And Possible Remedies, John Wise

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Police K-9s face daily dangers due to their work. Data collected by the Officer Down Memorial Page from 2000-2023 on K-9 deaths (N = 405) shows that of K-9s that die in the line of duty, many fall victim to heat stroke. Research was conducted comparing heat stroke to all other causes of death. Through an exploration into the history of mankind’s use of working dogs, the unique capabilities of both dogs and K-9 specific dog breeds and applying Routine Activity Theory and Lifestyle Routine Activity Theory to police K-9s, this study’s objective is to bring awareness to, and …

Variation In The Fear Response Of Atlantic Sand Fiddler Crabs (Leptuca Pugilator) To Anthropogenic Disturbance, Katrina L. Buttram

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Leptuca pugilator is a common inhabitant of southeast Georgia salt marshes. This study examined the boldness of Leptuca pugilator across environmental conditions and human impacts. Here, boldness was defined as time taken to reemerge from a burrow after a fear stimulus. I hypothesized that crabs would vary in their boldness based on their surroundings, reproductive timing, and sex. Field and experimental trials were conducted to isolate which factors most influence boldness. Field trials were conducted at four sites varying in human influence throughout the breeding season. During each survey, vegetation height, substrate temperature, average burrow width, burrow count, and distance …

Their Country: Black Women, Three Chords, And The Truth, Dmetri J. Smith

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Country music has long overlooked and at times outright erased the contributions of people of African descent. The past and present contributions of Black women are particularly ignored. Country music— a racially contested space centered in Nashville, Tennessee— is imbued with themes referencing the “good ole days” that were dangerous times for anyone who was not White, male, cisgender, and heterosexual. The genre has only become slightly more welcoming to those who are not part of the dominant class. And yet, there are Black women who feel called to use country music as their storytelling medium. My research shows …

The Othered Mothers: Monstrous Motherhood In Dracula, Dawn, And Nightbitch, Makay C. Walsh

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This thesis examines the monstrous mothers in Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1897), Octavia E. Butler’s Dawn (1987), and Rachel Yoder’s Nightbitch (2021). Stoker’s Dracula serves as the foundational, or “mother,” text in terms of the model monstrous mothers: Dracula and Lucy Westenra. Dawn and Nightbitch provide more contemporary examples of monstrous mothers, yet they are different enough to contrast each other: Lilith in Dawn must navigate motherhood living amongst an alien species, and Nightbitch is a stay-at-home mom who starts turning into a dog. This thesis also establishes 7 Markers of Monstrous Motherhood as a critical framework for classifying monstrous mothers. …

(2024) Justus Buchler And The Community Of Query., Maughn Rollins Gregory

Collected Papers of Maughn Rollins Gregory

Before he originated the field of philosophy for children, Matthew Lipman spent nearly twenty years teaching at Columbia University and its affiliated colleges under the tutelage of the American philosopher Justus Buchler. In those years Lipman’s scholarship focused on Buchler’s naturalist metaphysics, which was informed by Buchler’s scholarship on the philosophy of Charles Peirce. In this essay I relate Lipman’s relationship with Buchler, summarise Buchler’s theory of human judgement, and indicate key parts of that theory that influenced Lipman’s own theory of judgement and multidimensional thinking. I then discuss the pedagogical turn Buchler made with his theory, including his conception …

Mandatory Sentences As Strict Liability, William W. Berry Iii

Washington and Lee Law Review

Strict liability crimes—crimes that do not require a criminal intent—are outliers in the world of criminal law. Disregarding criminal intent risks treating the blameworthy the same as the blameless.

In a different galaxy far, far away, mandatory sentences—sentences automatically imposed upon a criminal conviction—are unconstitutional in certain contexts for the exact same reason. Mandatory death sentences risk treating those who do not deserve death the same as those that might.

Two completely separate contexts, two parallel rules of law. Yet courts and commentators have failed to see the similarities between these two worlds, leaving an analytical black hole. Indeed, equity …

The Right To Cheesecake: Prisoners’ Rights Jurisprudence Through A Jewish Lens, Arielle L. Yacker

Student Works

No abstract provided.

Disharmony In Patent Law: A Comparative Study Of Patent Eligibility Of Biological Subject Matters Between China And The United States, Xiongying Tu

Cybaris®

Disharmonies in intellectual property rights have led countries, like China and the U.S., to implement patent laws tailored to their unique culture, values, and goals while complying with international treaties. China's exclusion of treatment and diagnosis methods from patent protection prioritizes healthcare accessibility, whereas the U.S.'s allowance of patentability fosters medical innovation. Similarly, China's exclusion of animal and plant patentability aligns with cultural and agricultural values, emphasizing resource accessibility and food security. Protecting genetic resources poses challenges, with China aligning its patent law proactively with the CBD principles and the U.S. prioritizing unrestricted access. China's approach to human stem cell …

Dorian Gray Meets The Digital Age, Marianne Cicirelli

Masters Essays

No abstract provided.

Does Heightened Perceptual Encoding In Blind Individuals Extend To Word Learning?, Lindsay N. Harris, Marissa Renee Bamberger

CISLL Publications

Past research reported blind participants tend to encode sensory details of encounters with stimuli they will later recall or recollect, whereas sighted individuals tend to abstract meaning from sensory information when encoding memories. Here we ask whether blind individuals’ use of perceptual in addition to semantic encoding extends to a task—word learning—whose purpose amounts to semantically encoding the word and definition. After studying the definitions of spoken or written words, blind braille readers (n = 23) and sighted print readers (n = 20) re-encountered each word and indicated whether it was previously presented in the same modality. Analyses …

The Truth Should Never Be Illegal: The Evils & Unconstitutionality Of Ag-Gag Laws And The Need For Reform, Melanie Egas

Student Works

No abstract provided.

Online Technologies And Culturally Responsive Pedagogy Workshop Presentation Slides, Daniel Matishek

Open Educational Resources

The workshops address online technologies such as learning management systems, screen capture tools, communication tools, online teaching pedagogy, and online learning assessments. Additionally, through an emphasis on culturally responsive pedagogy, participants will explore how knowing students' values and experiences can be used to inform teaching, selecting curriculum content with students in mind, using student-centered teaching techniques, and creating a supportive environment online.