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Exploraciones Gráficas Y Narrativas: Autoras Españolas En El Cómic De Ciencia Ficción, Marina Hernández Ávila

GDI. Revista de investigación de Género, Diseño e Innovación

En este estudio se analiza el trabajo de varias autoras españolas que han incorporado el género de la ciencia ficción en el cómic contemporáneo, explorando nuevas posibilidades gráficas y narrativas. Partiendo de la evidencia de la escasa visibilidad que las creadoras han tenido tradicionalmente en el ámbito del cómic, se busca poner en relieve cómo estas autoras han contribuido a ampliar los límites del medio y del propio género, utilizando la ciencia ficción como una herramienta para abordar temas sociales, identitarios y existenciales del presente. La investigación se basa en el análisis visual y narrativo de las obras de una …

Design And Prototyping Of An Acoustic Positioning System For Gps-Denied Environment, Harley Hogan Garrett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Finding the placement of sensors is known as sensor localization, and is a necessary task to ensure that a network is capable of array processing operations, such as direction of arrival measurements. This thesis proposes a method to perform sensor localization for a wireless sensor network using acoustics. Each sensor is equipped with a microphone, speaker, and processor. Using these, the proposed system is able to find the distance between each sensor and later the geometry of the network. A series of optimizations help reduce error and improve the final accuracy of the system to within 6.5 cm. The proposed …

Distributed Agency And Posthuman Rhetoric In Genai-Assisted First-Year Composition Writing, Bianca E. Guzman

English Department Theses

This thesis explores the dynamic interaction between human and non-human agents in the process and production of writing. In particular, theories on the co-constitutive nature of the human-technological relationship, posthumanist theory, and rhetorical theory are used to reframe first-year writing as an act of distributive agency that always involves people, objects, and their material environments. In recognizing the essential role of “things” in first-year writing, this thesis considers how Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) can be critically conceptualized and utilized as a pedagogical tool by instructors in the college writing classroom. Additionally, this thesis details an IRB-approved research study done at …

Forage Preference In Two Geographically Co-Occurring Fungus Gardening Ants: A Dietary Dna Approach, Matthew Richards-Perhatch V, Elizabeth Boshers, Matthew Greenwold, Jon N. Seal

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Traditional methods of forage identification are impractical with non-leafcutting fungus gardening ants, making diet-related ecological and life history questions difficult to study. To address this limitation, we utilized dietary DNA metabarcoding on excavated ant fungus gardens to generate forage diversity metrics for the two co-occurring species Trachymyrmex septentrionalis and Mycetomoellerius turrifex. Ten fungus garden samples from each species were collected from a 60x70 m plot in East Texas. Each of the colonies we sampled was paired with a colony from the other species within 3 m of it. Plant forage diversity was assessed with chloroplast trnL primers, and insect frass …

Thesis A Reimagined World Language Curriculum For Secondary Education-Does Culture Matter?, Florence Duncan

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

The focus of this study is culture within the New Mexico high school world language

curriculum. Culture, as a topic, over time has evolved from near nonexistence to

becoming a fundamental element helping students derive multilingual and multicultural

understanding.

This study is an effort to reveal practices high school teachers use to teach, discuss and

evaluate cultural understanding. It uses qualitative interviews with high schools world

language teachers. Practices are evaluated against research findings and analyzed for

reliability and effectiveness. Findings will help with curriculum design for world language

application.

Overall, the study’s findings were positive. Interviewed teachers generally incorporate …

Early Childhood Educators' Perception Of Burnout: Impact On Educator Self-Efficacy, Teacher-Child Relationships, And Children's Emotional Regulation, Isaac M.D. Bowman

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Early childhood educators (ECE) play a critical role in the academic advancement and nurturing care provided to children in their care, a distinct difference in role and responsibilities compared to traditional K-12 schooling. Published by the Buffett Early Childhood Institute, a report pertaining to ECE turnover revealed a nearly 40% annual turnover rate. Factors ECEs previously attributed to their exit of the early childhood education field involve low wage, low self-efficacy, and dealing with challenging behaviors. While not an exhaustive list, in a field relying predominantly on routine and consistency, ECE turnover rate highlights a necessity in exploring potential indirect …

An Integrated Modeling Framework To Evaluate Circularity Of The Corn–Water–Ethanol–Beef Nexus, Heydi Han

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This dissertation examines the transition from conventional linear agricultural and food bioenergy systems toward more circular, resilient, and resource-efficient configurations. Prior research indicates that spatial and temporal variability in soil, weather, animal biological responses, and management decisions strongly influences productivity, nutrient-use efficiency, and profitability. Studies have also shown that a diversified circular system can buffer these sources of variability, improving stability and adaptive capacity. Building on these insights, the central focus of this work is to develop an integrated modeling framework to evaluate circularity within the Corn-Water-Ethanol-Beef (CWEB) nexus and explore how climate variability and management choices shape system-wide performance. …

African American Women And Blogs: The Allure Of Culture-Specific Beauty Blogs, Kalari Flotree

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

The purpose of this qualitative, multi-case study was to explore the identity-related dress and appearance management implications of culture-specific beauty blog readership. The study was informed by three research questions: (a) Why and how do African American women seek out culture-specific beauty blogs? (b) What roles do African American women assume while engaging with culture-specific beauty blog communities? (c). How do African American women use culture-specific beauty blog content to inform identity-related processes of appearance management and dress?

The sample of this multiple-case study included nine participants, each representing a distinct case. Data were collected through individual, semi-structured, in-depth interviews, …

Development Of Databases For Glycan Utilization And Anti-Prokaryotic Defense In Microbiomes, Yuchen Yan

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Microbiomes in humans, animals, plants, and other environments are necessary components of the biosphere for global nutrient cycling and maintaining ecosystem balance. In particular, the gut microbiome plays an essential role in modulating human health through glycan utilization. Carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes), CAZyme gene clusters (CGCs), and polysaccharide utilization loci (PULs) are key genomic features that determine microbial capacities for carbohydrate metabolism. Meanwhile, the arms race between phages and prokaryotes has led to the evolution of various anti-prokaryotic immune systems (APIS) in phages to counteract prokaryotic immune systems (PIS).

As bioinformatics methods used to analyze microbiome information advance rapidly, there is …

Brands & Virtual Personas: How Virtual Influencer Types Impact Brand Awareness, Carol Calderon Ambelis

Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

As social media continues to shape how consumers interact with brands, virtual influencers (VIs) have emerged as a new type of digital celebrity. While previous research has explored how VIs contribute to brand image and awareness, there has been limited attention on how different types of VIs, both anime-like and human-like, affect consumer perceptions across different markets. This study examines how these two types of VIs impact relatability, aspiration, and brand awareness, with a focus on the differences between luxury and mass market. Using a within-subjects experimental design, this study recruited 574 participants with social media experience using MTurk. The …

The Role Of Peroxisomal Acot4 And Acot8 In Modulating Lipid Metabolism And Stress Pathways In Steatotic Hepatocytes, Sylwia Miekus

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is characterized by excessive lipid accumulation in hepatocytes and the development of lipotoxic stress that disrupts cellular homeostasis. Peroxisomal lipid metabolism plays an important role in maintaining acyl-CoA balance during fatty acid overload, yet the contribution of peroxisomal acyl-CoA thioesterases to early lipotoxic responses remains insufficiently understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the functional involvement of the peroxisomal enzymes acyl-CoA thioesterase 4 (ACOT4) and acyl-CoA thioesterase 8 (ACOT8) in hepatocyte lipid handling under acute lipotoxic conditions. An in vitro model of steatosis was established in AML12 cells through exposure to a …

Prevalence Of Cytauxzoon Felis In Ticks From South-Central Kansas And Northwest Arkansas, Nicole E. Mcilvain

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Cytauxzoon felis is a protozoan that causes an often-fatal illness in felines known as cytauxzoonosis, or bobcat fever. Ticks are vectors of this pathogen, with Amblyomma americanum being the most common vector. Previous studies have noted a correlation between peak tick season and peak cytauxzoonosis diagnosis. For cytauxzoonosis, minimal treatments exist, and scientists have not found a cure, which is why focus needs to be on preventing disease. Knowledge on the prevalence of C. felis in different tick species helps veterinarians and pet owners be aware of the potential for their cat developing cytauxzoonosis if one or more ticks are …

Evaluating The Role Of Seaweeds In Dairy Production: Impacts On In Vitro Ruminal Fermentation, And In Vivo Mineral Utilization And Metabolic Status, William Mitchell Sims

Doctoral Dissertations

Dietary inclusion of seaweed in ruminant diets has been studied for more than 5 decades. Early research in seaweed focused primarily on potential health benefits, but recent interest has shifted the paradigm for its use as a nutritional tool to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. As new seaweeds are identified for their ability to reduce gas emissions, the pendulum will swing once more to understand the impact seaweeds have on ruminant health and production. The overall objective of this dissertation is to investigate digestibility and fermentation, as well as alterations in metabolic and mineral status in ruminants fed various seaweed species. …

Evolution Of Regulatory Pathways In Vibrio Fischeri Strains Impacts Biofilm Phenotypes And Symbiotic Capacity And Curriculum Interventions Differ In Their Impact On Microbiology Utility Value In Nursing Students, Jennifer Calawa

Doctoral Dissertations

Vibrio fischeri strains vary in their capacity to form mutualisms with animal hosts such as the Hawaiian bobtail squid Euprymna scolopes, yet these differences are often not explained by phylogeny. Successful colonization requires biofilm production, which is tightly controlled by a complex network of two-component system regulators including hybrid histidine kinases BinK and RemK, as characterized in the model symbiont strain ES114. Divergence in biofilm network architecture or regulatory logic may lead to strain-specific differences in biofilm formation, limiting symbiotic potential. Part I of this work investigates genetic divergence underlying reduced colonization capacity in strain H905, a planktonic isolate and …

Focal Engine: Filling A Gap Between Game Engines And Big-Data Scientific Visualization Packages, Kindrat Beregovyi

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation presents Focal Engine, a novel 3D visualization engine designed to bridge the gap between game engines and scientific visualization tools. Game engines offer accessible interfaces and high-performance rendering but struggle with large-scale scientific datasets, while tools like ParaView and VTK handle complex data structures effectively but lack intuitive editing capabilities and modern rendering features. Focal Engine combines the accessibility and rendering performance of game engines with the data handling capabilities and analytical tools of scientific visualization platforms. The engine's capabilities are validated through multiple applications and projects, for example: HabiCAT 3D performs 3D complexity measurements on ocean floor …

Ecotheology For Kids, Lana Glenn

Theses

This project includes research into the eco-anxiety of children and how ecotheology may help ease the children’s minds. This project is meant as a sign of hope in the climate crisis; there are so many reasons to look forward to ecological improvements for the Earth. As adults, we should remind children of these reasons to be hopeful for the future. This 24-page book has illustrations with prayers to help calm the readers, while the cover is informational and inviting.

Frameworks Of Genius: Fresco, Labor, Scaffolding, And Patronage In The Making Of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel Ceiling, Jackelyn Eileen Adkins

Theses

This thesis examines how the materiality of production and the patronage of Pope Julius II influenced the visual and conceptual outcome of Michelangelo’s ceiling frescoes in the Sistine Chapel. It argues the physical demands of the fresco medium, the architectural constraints of the chapel, and the material infrastructure, such as the pigments, scaffolding, and spatial dynamics related to the political, theological, and ideological imperatives of papal authority. The materials served as a symbolic extension of Pope Julius II’s ambitions, embedding his message directly into the frescoes. By foregrounding the complex web of labor and materials that supported the project, this …

Mindreading And Embodiment: Beyond Mirror Neurons., Sanad Al Khatib

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

This paper examines the question: how do we figure out what other people are thinking and why they act as they do, or put differently, how is it that we can read minds in daily life? For decades, the dominant view held that we explain and predict other people’s behavior by attributing to them mental states such as beliefs, desires, and intentions, represented symbolically in the brain. The embodied simulation model challenges this view, proposing that understanding others primarily relies on mirror neurons that activate both when we perform an action and when we observe someone else performing it. This …

Energy Assimilation And Thermoregulatory Behavior In Populations Of A Vertebrate Ectotherm (Sceloporus Consobrinus) Along A Geographic Thermal Gradient, Brandon Wolfsohn

Biology Theses, Dissertations, and Student Creative Activity

Ectothermic organisms make up a vast majority of animal species and fill many vital roles in ecosystems due to their prevalence. Because ectotherms are inherently affected by the thermal environment, they are severely impacted by environmental issues such as climate change and other human driven processes that may affect thermal habitats. To better understand how ecosystems are affected by changes in climate, we need a greater understanding of how ectothermic organisms respond and adapt to altered environmental temperatures. This study aims to understand some of the adaptational differences between populations of a widespread lizard species, Sceloporus consobrinus, that inhabit a …

Of The Freedom Famine In Palestine, Ibtisam Barakat

International Dialogue

In this searing essay, poet and author Ibtisam Barakat bears witness to what she names the “Freedom Famine” in Gaza—a deliberate, decades-long deprivation of basic human rights culminating in the catastrophic conditions of 2025. Writing from the United States while in conversation with Gazan author Omar Hammash, Barakat juxtaposes their drastically unequal realities: her safety and his daily encounters with death, displacement, and starvation. Through Hammash’s testimony—delivered amid constant bombardment and interrupted by news of a friend’s killing—Barakat documents the collapse of Gaza’s infrastructure, the mass targeting of aid workers, the lethal failures of international relief, and the killing of …

Characterizing The Relationship Between Parturition In Beef Cattle And The Lunar Phase And Meteorological Factors., Caroline E. Chambers

Honors College Theses

For beef cattle, parturition is one of the most critical stages in the reproductive process. It is crucial that farmers understand the factors that may influence the timing of parturition. There is a persistent preconception that the onset of parturition is influenced by the lunar phase and weather factors. The objective of this study is to characterize the association between parturition in beef cattle, the lunar phase, and/or different weather factors such as barometric pressure and temperature. Cattle records were obtained from Chambers Family Farm in Cumberland Furnace, TN. Data was collected from 142 calvings from January 2017 to October …

Strategic Business Planning For An Optometry Practice: A Comprehensive Approach To Market Analysis, Operations, And Growth, Molly Elizabeth Weber

Honors College Theses

This study is a comprehensive analysis of the field of optometry in order to develop a business plan which could be utilized to open a new optometry practice. Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats are all studied in order to gain a robust view and offer insights of how a business would fair in the field of optometry to allow entrepreneurs to make informed decisions in business endeavors involving practice operations, market terrain, and growth potential.

What Does Genius Look Like? Investigating Brilliance Bias In Ai-Generated Images, Juliana Shihadeh, Margareta Ackerman, David Loker

Computer Science and Engineering

Text-to-image models, like Midjourney, DALL-E, and Stable Diffusion, have been shown to reinforce harmful biases, often perpetuating outdated and discriminatory stereotypes. In this study, we delve into a particular bias largely overlooked in generative image research: Brilliance Bias. By age 6, many children begin to internalize the damaging notion that intellectual brilliance is a male trait—a belief that persists into adulthood. Our findings demonstrate that popular image AI models possess this bias, further entrenching the misguided notion that exceptional intelligence is inherently male. This study calls for addressing brilliance bias in AI to ensure a more realistic representation of intellectual …

The Effect Of Shared Decisions On Intertemporal Choice, Rosemarie M. Davidson

Masters Theses

Substance use disorders are a significant public health concern, and improving treatment outcomes requires a better understanding of the behavioral processes that influence drug consumption. Delay discounting, or the tendency to overvalue immediate reinforcers, is reliably more severe among individuals with substance use disorders. Recent work suggests that shared decision-making may increase tolerance for delayed rewards; however, prior studies used procedures that confounded delay to token delivery with delay to token exchange, limiting conclusions. The present study evaluates delay discounting across individual and social decision-making contexts using a traditional delay discounting paradigm.

Ten undergraduate participants completed sessions involving choices between …

Overview Of Huntington's Disease And Emerging Treatment Strategies: A Narrative Review, Alexis J. Vega, Gabriel V. Hernandez, Pearse A. O'Malley, Connor J. Robin, Amanda N. Parra, Giustino Varrassi, Sahar Shekoohi, Alan D. Kaye

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant, progressive neurodegenerative disorder caused by a cytosine-adenine-guanine trinucleotide repeat expansion in the huntingtin (HTT) gene. The symptoms of HD include severe motor dysfunction, cognitive issues, and emotional dysregulation. These combined issues are not only debilitating but also lead to depression/anxiety, increased suicide rates, and caregiver burnout. Our narrative review summarizes several recent studies examining the efficacy and differences among emerging treatment strategies for HD. A systematic search of peer-reviewed literature was conducted, focusing on recent studies that describe molecular genetic manipulation of the HTT gene/huntingtin protein. The results of our narrative review reveal …

Moon Moth, Britain Noelle Powers

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

No abstract provided.

De Novo Genome Assembly, Annotation, And Characterization Of Chemosensory Genes In The Camel Ked (Hippobosca Camelina), Fredrick Kebaso, Souleymane Diallo, Caleb Kibet, Suhaila Hashim, John Mark O. Makwatta, Merid Getahun, Dennis Getange, Jean Baka Domelevo Entfellner, Daniel Masiga

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Background: Hippobosca camelina (camel ked) is an obligate hematophagous ectoparasite that infests camels. Hematophagy inflicts painful bites leading to myiasis, anemia and pathogen transmission such as Candidatus Anaplasma camelii. A genome assembly for this biting flies is currently unavailable, limiting understanding of its genetics, including the chemosensory system.

Results: The assembly size for Hippobosca camelina female is 135.6 Mb with 17.08% repeated regions, an N50 of 1.2 Mb, a total of 2,182 contigs, a GC content of 33.5% and compleasm (Busco) completeness of 95.38% with the diptera_odb10 lineage (S:95.83%, 3148, D:0.30%, 10, F:0.30%, 10, I:0.00%, 0, M:3.56%, 117, N:3285) …

Pretreatment Methods For Organic Waste Management As Feed For Black Soldier Fly, Mube K. Hervé, Gatchueng F. Lionel, Ndomou C.H. Serge, Dzepe Daniel, Shaphan Y. Chia, Kana Jean Raphael, Kenfack Augustave, Djouaka Rousseau, Sali A. Ndindeng

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Amidst escalating global urbanization and population growth, revolutionizing food systems and redefining waste management strategies has become essential. This study contributes to protein resource diversification in animal feed and offers a sustainable solution for organic waste management using black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) in Bafia, Cameroon. A survey characterized waste production in restaurants and households to assess quantity and quality. Collected organic wastes underwent two pre-treatments: heating, (60°C) and fermentation (4 days), while another batch was used fresh as a feeding substrate for BSFL, in contrast to a broiler starter diet over a 17-day larval feeding experimental period. Various parameters …

Opportunities For Expansion Of Push-Pull Technology As An Agroecological And Sustainable Intensification Approach In Africa, Gudeta W. Sileshi, Shem Kuyah, Meredith C. Schuman, Frank Chidawanyika, Beatrice W. Muriithi, Charles A.O. Midega, Adewole Olagoke, Michael H. Otim, Paramu L. Mafongoya, Emily A. Martin

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The push-pull technology (PPT) has often been presented as a management strategy for stemborers and witchweed. However, its value as an agronomic practice and an agroecological approach remains largely underappreciated. This review aims to appraise the PPT used in eastern Africa, synthesize evidence for its ecological and economic benefits, and identify barriers to its adoption and opportunities for its expansion to other crops and farming systems in sub-Saharan Africa.

Relationships Between Social Determinants Of Health And Pain Outcome Changes After Exercise In Adults With Knee Osteoarthritis, Klarissa Siebert

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Background: Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a common musculoskeletal disease with pain as the primary symptom. KOA pain is a major contributor to disability and reduced quality of life and has been associated with social determinants of health (SDOH) variables. As for treatments of KOA pain, exercise such as stationary cycling is a first-line and recommended treatment. However, limited research has examined how SDOH influence pain outcomes following such interventions. Objective: This study investigated whether income level, education level, employment status, acculturative stress, and perceived ethnic discrimination are associated with changes in pain following a standardized cycling ergometer exercise in adults …