Digital Commons Network^™

From Framework To The Field: How ‘Data Power’ In Agri-Food Systems Violates Human Rights, Jane Ezirigwe

The Transnational Human Rights Review

This article builds on the analytical framework I co-developed in “Power Contestations in the Use of Agri-food Data: Towards a Sustainability Governance Approach” by expanding its application and demonstrating its relevance to human rights concerns. Drawing on sectoral examples, the article examines five interrelated dimensions of power—agenda-setting, technology development and deployment, politics of knowledge and evidence, hegemonic alliances, and harvesting data and value—and shows how these dynamics produce structural inequities and violations of rights to food, participation, non-discrimination, privacy, and cultural integrity. While the human rights system has limitations, as most treaties predate the emergence of big data and lack …

From New York To Yunnan: Comparative Perspectives On Poverty Alleviation Policies And Initiatives, Xinyi (Julie) Dou

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

No abstract provided.

A Review Of The Literature: The Greatest Predictor Of Success And Failure In Anorexia Nervosa Recovery In Adolescent Girls, Tess Palin

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

No abstract provided.

2024 Extension Highlights

Lancaster County, Nebraska Extension: Reports

The work and programs highlighted in this report are a sample of how local residents count on Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County to:

• Strengthen Nebraska Agriculture & Food Systems

• Inspire Nebraskans & Their Communities

• Enhance The Health & Wellbeing Of All Nebraskans

Strain Variation As A Window Into The Neural Logic Of Drosophila Mate Choice, Anna Ryba

Student Theses and Dissertations

Drosophila males perform robust, stereo typed courtship routines which have been studied for over a century to understand the genetic and neural underpinnings of flexible, hard-wired behavior. Courtship–particularly on the crowded wild food patches where flies congregate to mate–is a dynamic interaction between a male and surrounding potential partners that requires he integrate multiple sensory cues to direct his efforts efficiently and appropriately. While the behavior follows a similar basic pattern across Drosophila, it can contain elements that are higly species-specific. Here, we described marked variation in one aspect of male courtship preference among inbred lines of the widely studied …

Online Education And Lessons Learned In K-12 Urban Schools During The Pandemic Era: A Three-Article Study On Students’ Views, Principals’ Views, And Factors Impacting Student Achievement, Michael Kuran

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted traditional K-12 education worldwide, forcing a rapid shift to emergency remote teaching and learning. This dissertation utilizes a three-article approach and investigates the multifaceted impact of the pandemic on urban charter high school students and their principals in under-resourced communities. The first article employs the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework to explore the relationships between social presence, engagement, and achievement of students in asynchronous online classes during the pandemic. The second article, framed by Transactional Distance Theory (TDT), delves into factors influencing students' online learning experiences by using quantitative and qualitative methods to capture the nuances …

The Effectiveness Of Jeffwlp For Weight Loss And General Nutritional Knowledge In Obese Patients, Scott Kozarsky, Ba, Olivia Ackley, Bs, Cynthia Cheng, Md, Phd

Alpha Omega Alpha Research Symposium Posters

PURPOSE: The increasing prevalence of obesity urgently requires effective management strategies. This study evaluates the effectiveness of Jefferson Weight Loss Program (JeffWLP), a trained medical student-delivered health education program in a predominantly African-American patient cohort.

METHODS: A randomized controlled trial was performed enrolling 30 patients with an average socioeconomic status of 5.8 (10 maximum). The intervention group (n=18) completed JeffWLP, a low-cost, 12-week health coaching program combining education sessions with graded step exercises. The control group (n=12) received usual care. Mean baseline age, BMI, and General Nutritional Knowledge Questionnaire (GNKQ) scores were: 46±13 years, 38±5, and 14.7±1.9 (maximum score=17) respectively. …

Collaborations That Work: Analysis Of Successful Extension Efforts Between 1890 And 1862 Land-Grant Institutions, John Green, Rachel Welborn, Michelle Eley

Collaborations that Work

Over the late spring and summer months of 2023, the Southern Rural Development Center (SRDC) worked with 1890 and 1862 Cooperative Extension Service leaders across the Southern Region to gain insights from collaborations that work among the South’s 1862 and 1890 Land-Grant Universities (LGU). Using a mixed methods approach, insights were gained from Extension leaders as well as from project leaders that had successfully collaborated across institutions on an Extension effort. The following information outlines the methods and key findings gained from that process.

Effects Of Food Bar Chewing Duration On The Physiologic, Metabolic, And Perceptual Responses To Moderate-Intensity Running, Thomas R. Geaney, Zachary A. Sievert, J. David Branch, Patrick B. Wilson

Exercise Science Faculty Publications

Purpose

Chewing duration can affect food particle size, gastric processing, and postprandial glycemia, but these effects have not been investigated with exercise. This study examined how the chewing duration of a food bar impacts glycemic and metabolic responses, gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, psychological affect, and performance during endurance running.

Methods

This randomized, unblinded, crossover study had 15 males (35.2 ± 7.4 years, VO_2peak: 56.1 ± 5.2 ml/kg/min) attend three laboratory visits. Visit 1 required a VO_2peak test, 10 min familiarization run at 60% VO2peak, and familiarization time-to-exhaustion (TTE) test (10 min at 90% VO_2peak, followed by …

Hen-Durance Training—Effects Of An Exercise Regimen On Laying Hen Muscle Architecture And Fracture Prevalence, Grace A.T. Hong, Bret W. Tobalske, Nienke Van Staaveren, Emily M. Leishman, Tina M. Widowski, Donald R. Powers, Alexandra Harlander

Faculty Publications - Department of Biological & Molecular Science

Domestic chickens kept for egg laying navigate inclines such as ramps in some commercial housing systems to aid in transitions between housing tiers. Laying hens use their wings and hindlimbs in a locomotion called wing-assisted incline running (WAIR) to ascend steep inclines. There is a potential relationship between the strength of the main flight muscles and the health of the keel bone from which they originate. We sought to test the effects of a controlled, WAIR-based exercise regimen during rearing on keel bone health and muscle properties of white- and brown-feathered laying hens. The WAIR exercise regimen, which consisted of …

Exploring The Effects Of Art Therapy Interventions On Self-Evaluations Of Food Addiction: A Randomized Control Study, Dawn Fiacco

Art Therapy | Doctoral Dissertations

Processed sugar is highly addictive and associated with chronic diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Often, people know that eating processed sugar has negative health consequences but continue to do so, possibly for emotional reasons. The gap between knowledge and behavior makes treating eating issues difficult. Art therapy is a nonverbal modality and could possibly circumvent usual rationalizations, making it an effective way to bridge the cognitive and emotional aspects of problematic eating. This randomized control, mixed methods study was conducted to examine whether a 7-week art directive program could help people with self-identified problematic …

Improvement Of Hypertension Self-Care Management In African American Older Adults With Uncontrolled Hypertension Through Shared Decision-Making, Sigga Jobe

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects - Archive

Background: Hypertension affects nearly half of the population in the U.S., with the prevalence disproportionately higher in African Americans (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2023). Complications of uncontrolled hypertension, such as cardiovascular disorders and stroke, increase with age, prompting the importance of controlling high blood pressure in older adults. African American older adults are at higher risk of developing uncontrolled hypertension and related complications due to the lack of healthcare access, financial constraints leading to the inability to access healthier food choices, exercise capabilities, weight control, adherence to recommended medications, and knowledge deficit.

Methods: This project focused on …

Boiling Behind Bars: Exploring The Hidden Toll Of Extreme Heat On Mental Health In Texas Prisons, Sandra K. Miller

Social Work Theses - Archive

The State of Texas supports the largest prison system in the US and held 132,859 people in 100 units scattered across the state as of December 2023. Approximately 70% of Texas prison beds are not air conditioned, despite the state’s reputation for dangerously hot, humid summers. The State has officially recorded temperatures inside Texas prison facilities as high as 120 degrees with heat index values of over 150. Although there is a growing body of research on the negative physiological and psychological consequences of extreme heat among the general public, little is known about the physical and emotional toll of …

Sympathetic-Cardiovascular Stress Reactivity In Adults With Major Depressive Disorder, Ashley Darling

Kinesiology Dissertations - Archive

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a mood disorder characterized by persistently depressed mood and/or anhedonia that causes significant functional impairment in daily life. MDD affects nearly 15% of adults in their lifetime, and since 2019, prevalence estimates have increased up to ~30% in young adults (18-25 years old). In addition to its debilitating effects on daily functioning, epidemiological studies link MDD to ~3 times greater risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), followed by accelerated CVD progression and mortality. Although the mechanisms contributing to MDD-CVD comorbidity are unclear, there is evidence of stress system dysfunction in adults with MDD.

Accordingly, the aim …

The Establishment And Sustainment Of Trauma-Informed Culture Perspectives Of Trauma-Sensitive Principals In Elementary Public Schools, Elizabeth R. Foreman

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations - Archive

The COVID-19 pandemic brought much awareness to the public education system and the role it plays in alleviating the adverse effects of childhood trauma. However, extant literature has focused mainly on classroom-level interventions rather than school-wide interventions implemented by school leadership. This study examines the perspectives of trauma-sensitive principals in public elementary schools on implementing TIPs. The research questions that guided this study are as follows: What are elementary principals' perceptions regarding implementing school-wide TIPs? What are the leadership approaches of principals in trauma-informed schools? Two findings were identified: (1) principals proactively establish a trauma-informed culture, and (2) principals sustain …

Combined Impact Of Covid-19 And Renal Failure On Taste Perception In A Sample Of The Egyptian Population, Dalia Ghalwash, Eman Khalil

Dentistry

Purpose: The present study aims to investigate the prevalence and severity of taste impairment among post-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) hemodialysis patients in a sample of the Egyptian population.

Methods: This study was conducted on 272 post-COVID-19 subjects, of whom 136 were hemodialysis patients and 136 were healthy controls. History taking, clinical examination, and assessment of altered taste score, tongue coating index, salivary flow rate, and salivary pH were performed.

Results: The present study revealed a high prevalence of impaired taste function in post-COVID-19 hemodialysis patients with 72.06% affected in varying degrees; mild (25%), moderate (3.68%), severe (30.15%), and overwhelming taste …

Developments At The United Nations International Law Commission On Sea-Level Rise, Claudio Grossman

Scholarly Articles in Law Reviews & Journals

Sea-level rise is a pressing global challenge that could generate catastrophic consequences for humankind. The implications for States and people all over the world are grave, making rising sea-levels a matter of utmost urgency. This paper will examine some of the challenges presented by the phenomenon of sea-level rise in relation to international law with a focus on the analysis undertaken by the Study Group on Sea-Level Rise (“Study Group”) of the United Nations International Law Commission (“ILC”).

Ammonia For Aviation, Brandon Cotto

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Aviation’s share of total global carbon emissions has been on the rise as both the decarbonization of other industries and the number of flights has increased. Ammonia as a jet fuel has been receiving attention as a potential carbon free energy storage pathway, both as a fuel and as a carrier of hydrogen. Utilizing ammonia as a fuel requires energy intensive processes making this pathway a compromise specifically intended for power generation purposes that cannot directly use sustainable energy. It is pertinent to understand the cost of realizing ammonia’s advantages as a fuel in the hard to decarbonize industry of …

“There’S A Lifestyle, An Appreciation, A Beauty”: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Of Masters Rowers, Jason Rich, Pamela Beach, Heidi K. Byrne

Articles

Masters rowing has seen a measurable increase in participation, with masters rowers engaged in the sport for competition, health, and recreation reasons. Unlike other masters sports, masters rowing has a unique high level of synchronous, cooperative, and interdependent elements. To better understand the benefits and challenges of participation in competitive masters rowing, the purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of competitive masters rowers. Twelve competitive masters rowers were recruited and interviewed. Utilizing an interpretative phenomenological analysis approach to guide data collection, analysis, and interpretation, the analysis revealed four major themes: navigating community relationships, finding a reason …

Making Up For Lost Time: The Historiography Of Ireland’S Great Famine, 1845-1852, Mikel Rand Inchausti

History - Master of Arts in Teaching

I Synthesis Essay.............................................3

II. Primary Source Documents........................33

III. Textbook Critique.......................................44

IV. New Textbook Entry...................................47

The New Marshmallow: The Effects Of Screen Use On Children's Ability To Delay Gratification, Benjamin Richardson, P. Thomas Fife, Joseph Steed, Caroline Crane, James Gaskin

Faculty Publications

In a digital age where screens are as ubiquitous as crayons once were, the relationship between screen use and a child’s development necessitates examination. This study investigates the effect of screen use—both by children and their parents—on children’s ability to delay gratification, a key predictor of future success. Utilizing an experimental design modeled after the Stanford Marshmallow Experiment, we found that children’s screen use did not significantly affect their ability to delay gratification. However, parental screen use for entertainment purposes was negatively associated with children’s capacity to delay gratification. Additionally, screens proved to be a more potent temptation than traditional …

Description Of Neoperla Philippinensis Sp. Nov. Confirmed Using Integrative Taxonomy And Some Notes On Neoperla Oculata Banks, 1924 (Plecoptera: Perlidae), Arthien Lovell P. Pelingen

Biology Faculty Publications

I re-examine the assumed phenotypic variable Neoperla oculata Banks, 1924 (Plecoptera, Perlidae) and describe Neoperla philippinensis sp. nov. All material examined herein are collections from the Mindanao region, of which supplementary information were provided including COI mtDNA accessions, female adult associations, and egg morphology characterization.

Graph-Partitioning Entity Resolution For Resolving Noisy Product Names In Ocr Scans Of Retail Receipts, Jose Ramon Ilagan, Joseph Benjamin R. Ilagan

Quantitative Methods and Information Technology Faculty Publications

In business intelligence for retail, it is critical to ensure consistent and unambiguous product dimension information. This is challenging, especially if an organization does not have full control over the source of either transaction or master data. Such lack of control is the case when brands rely on data provided directly by consumers through images of receipts. Product name strings obtained from the digitization of receipts often contain substitution, insertion, and deletion errors. These errors prevent product names from serving as a useful dimension for further analysis. This paper proposes a clustering-based approach to link error-laden product names to underlying …

Scalar-On-Function Regression: Estimation And Inference Under Complex Survey Designs, Ekaterina Smirnova, Erjia Cui, Lucia Tabacu, Andrew Leroux

Mathematics & Statistics Faculty Publications

Increasingly, large, nationally representative health and behavioral surveys conducted under a multistage stratified sampling scheme collect high dimensional data with correlation structured along some domain (eg, wearable sensor data measured continuously and correlated over time, imaging data with spatiotemporal correlation) with the goal of associating these data with health outcomes. Analysis of this sort requires novel methodologic work at the intersection of survey statistics and functional data analysis. Here, we address this crucial gap in the literature by proposing an estimation and inferential framework for generalizable scalar-on-function regression models for data collected under a complex survey design. We propose to: …

The Experience Of Blind Mothers In Parenting Children With Disabilities ``, Abeer S. Ali

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Blind or visually impaired mothers (BVIMs) raising children with disabilities experience an exceptional set of challenges that have been largely overlooked in disability and parenting research and teacher education. With this study the researcher examined how BVIMs support their children with disabilities in key areas such as behavior management, educational advocacy, caregiving, and accessing resources. Additionally, the researcher sought to understand how these mothers navigate their experiences as they challenge with societal perceptions, institutional barriers, and the daily caregiving demands. The researcher employed a qualitative case study methodology, using in-depth individual interviews and a focus group with six BVIM participants. …

The Role Of The Principal In The Recognition Of High Ability Students Who Are Black, English Language Learners, And Low Socio-Economic Status, Nadia N. Winston

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Researchers consider the underrepresentation of Black, English Language Learner, and Low Economic status students who are high ability in gifted and advanced programs, an issue largely due to multiple issues (i.e. lack of standard definition or single conception, identification testing flaws, bias). Though many district and school related mitigation factors have been studied and suggested, there is very little research on the school principal and their role in mitigating these effects. This sequential, exploratory mixed methods study examined the challenges leaders face when implementing policies and processes for supporting and recognizing Black, English language learner, and low socio-economic students who …

Can Workers And Their Families Live On A Living Wage?, Sandra Wexler, Soobin Kim, Rafael J. Engel, Jihee Woo, Jeff Shook

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Many lower-wage workers’ earnings are insufficient to cover expenses such as food, housing, medical care, or transportation. While there are efforts to raise the federal and state minimum wage levels, including proposals to raise the minimum wage to $15, an alternative approach is to offer a living wage, that is a wage sufficient to meet these basic needs. We explored whether incomes above a basic needs budget threshold reduced or eliminated material hardships using a sample of 232 unionized lower-wage hospital workers. We collected data using an online survey. Basic needs budget thresholds were obtained from the MIT Living Wage …

Ksr 2850 : Fitness For Life, Ksr

Approved Course Proposals

No abstract provided.

Transforming The Culture Of Care, Implementation Of Developmentally Supportive Care In The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Taylor Ann Jones

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The current study examines the implementation of the evidence-based practices of the neonatal integrative developmental care model in the neonatal intensive care unit and how these practices are implemented in reference to initiation method and frequency. In recent years, research examining the effectiveness of individualized, developmentally supportive care to infants in the NICU has demonstrated a variety of positive effects. Although great strides have been made in efforts to provide developmentally supportive care, wide variability and inconsistency remain in the quantity and quality of experience for infants and families in the NICU. Even though a hospital may incorporate developmentally supportive …

Comparing In Vivo Dry Matter Digestibility Vs In Vitro Dry Matter Digestibility, Katherine Kemper Sanders

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Three yearling steers were used in a 2 X 3 incomplete Latin square design to determine In Vivo Dry Matter Digestibility of two forages, alfalfa (ALF) and mixed grass hay (GH) to determine the accuracy of In Vitro Dry Matter Digestibility (IVDMD) methods for determining the true dry matter digestibility (DMD). Forage samples were collected and digested In Vitro using the ANKOM Daisy^II Incubator. Forage Fiber Analysis of the residue was used to determine true dry matter digestibility. There was significant interaction between treatment and period (P < 0.05) for both In Vitro and In Vivo methods. When comparing the two methods there …