Digital Commons Network^™

What Is In A Plant Name? A Semantic Analysis Of Indigenous Plant Names Among The Yao Of Southern Tanzania, Julius John Taji

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

This study investigates the meanings conveyed by indigenous plant names among the Yao of Masasi, southern Tanzania, whose native language is Chiyao (Bantu, P21). The study specifically explores what plant names communicate beyond functioning as tools for labelling and identifying. The data for the study were collected through semi-structured interviews and jungle-walk-and-identify methods and they were analysed using the framework of onomastics, particularly the area of phytonyms. The sample of the study consisted of nine native speakers of Chiyao from three villages in the Masasi District in Tanzania, namely Chiwata, Kanyimbi and Mkululu. The findings show that indigenous plant names …

Investigating The Plant Folk Taxonomy In The Bena Language Of Tanzania, Adriano Utenga

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

This paper surveys plant identification and categorisation among the Bena. Each society’s cultural uniqueness and peculiarity in categorising the local biodiversity informed the study. The researcher conducted the study in Lupembe Ward, Njombe District Council, where Bena is the predominant language. Five elderly speakers of Bena, knowledgeable about plants, were selected through purposive and snowball sampling techniques. Jungle-walk-and-identify and focus group interviews were the key methods for data collection. Using the Perceptual-Taxonomic Theory as a guide, I analysed the data thematically. The study found that the Bena cannot identify the unique beginner “plant” (the all-inclusive word for the notion plant). …

Plant Naming Strategies And Plant Utility Among The Datooga Community Of Tanzania, Kuria Michael Mdoe

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Due to their centrality in the life of the Datooga community, the study focuses on plants in the community. Specifically, the study focuses on two aspects: the linguistics of plant naming and the plant utility across the community using an ethnolinguistic approach. Through the jungle-walk-and-identify method, plants and their names were identified. Through interviews, the plant utility was identified in the community. Data was collected in Chaggana village of Igunga district, Tabora region and Gheetanyamba village of Mbulu District, Manyara region. The first village had the Buraediga Datooga speakers, and the second village had both the Barabaiga and Gisamjanga Datooga …

Investigating The Relationship Between Noun Classes And Plant Folk Taxonomy In Chasu Language Of Kilimanjaro Region In Tanzania, Peter Rabson Mziray

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

The current study investigates the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu (G 22). The study focuses on two objectives: the first objective is to describe the plant folk taxonomy in Chasu and the second objective is to determine the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu. Data were collected from rural villages in Same and Mwanga districts by using free listing, field interviews (jungle-walk-and-identify), and written texts containing Chasu plant names. The findings reveal that Chasu folk taxonomy reflects different ethnobotanical categories; including a unique beginner which is mmea/mimea ‘plant(s)’, and three life …

Mozambican Languages And Their Role In Indigenous Ecological Knowledge Preservation: The Case Of Medicinal Plants In Anyungwe Community, Crisófia Langa Da Câmara, Amani Lusekelo

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Since language is accredited for the preservation and transference of indigenous ecological knowledge (IEK) across generations, this paper presents the findings about the correlation between languages and indigenous knowledge system of the Anyungwe community. Specifically, the paper presents the outcome of the investigation of medicinal plants used by the Anyungwe in Tete Province in Mozambique. The data comes from the Marara area in the Cinyungwe speaking village in Tete Province. Images of medicinal plants were photographed in Tete Province by a research assistant, and their uses were explained by three elders living in Kachembe. Our findings illustrate that IEK studies …

Literacies Of Resistance: How Florida Teachers Story Policy Navigation And Response, Katharine E. Hull

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Teachers are inundated with education legislation and the policy texts and discourses that surround them. Over nine months beginning in March 2024, I collaborated with three Florida P-12 teachers to explore their literacy practices and stories as they engaged with policy in a state that has recently passed an astounding amount of education legislation. This study explored how (1) teachers story the current policy context and their roles within it; (2) teachers use literacy practices to understand and respond to P/policies that impact their labor/working lives; and (3) teachers’ literate identities, agency, and collectivity intersect and shape one another. Guided …

Development Of A Clinically Relevant Rabbit Model Of Acute Laryngeal Injury, Ryan Stepp, Naushin Ali, Areli A. Rodriguez, Ethan Nicklow, Noah Thornton, Adithya Reddy, Hannah L. Kenny, Patrick S. Cottler, Donald R. Griffin, James J. Daniero

Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVES: Acute laryngeal injury (ALgI) is created as a result of endotracheal tube pressure ulcer formation leading to fibrosis and inflammation. This condition often leads to airway obstruction and voice and swallowing dysfunction. This study demonstrates a reliable animal model of ALgI to reproduce the acute wound process seen clinically, to explore the pathophysiology of this disease process, and to serve as a reproducible injury suitable for the evaluation of therapeutic interventions.

METHODS: An ALgI model was developed in New Zealand White rabbits using precise mucosal stripping of the posterior larynx, followed by intubation with an oversized 4.0 endotracheal tube …

Music Factory I & Ii: November 5, 2025, Roy Magnuson, Carl Schimmel, Alex Taylor

School of Music Programs

This is the forty-first program of the 2025-2026 season.

Kemp Recital Hall

November 5, 2025

Wednesday Evening

6:00 & 8:00 p.m.

Cofilin Inhibition Ameliorates Piezo2 And Ampa Dysfunction In A Mouse Model Of Angelman Syndrome, Luis O Romero, Manisha Bade, Elisa Carrillo, Sonia Paz-López, Syed A M Hasan, William James Antonisamy, Vasanthi Jayaraman, Zahoor A Shah, Valeria Vásquez, Julio F Cordero-Morales

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Angelman syndrome (AS) is a neurogenetic disorder characterized by motor coordination and cognitive deficits. In AS, hippocampal neurons show reduced filamentous (F-)actin, a decrease we also reported in dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons, along with impaired mechanosensitive ion channel activity. Currently, there are no pharmacological targets to prevent the decrease of F-actin in AS. Here, we utilize a first-in-class selective cofilin inhibitor (SZ-3) to restore PIEZO2 function in DRG neurons and glutamate-evoked currents in hippocampal neurons from AS mice. Using atomic force microscopy, we demonstrate that inhibiting cofilin, an actin-severing protein, with SZ-3 increases cellular stiffness by stabilizing the actin …

A Genealogy Of Somaesthetics: Sources And Directions, Tyler James Bonnet

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

This dissertation traces the origins of somaesthetics—an interdisciplinary field of study dedicated to the improvement and enrichment of the body’s aesthetic perception—through a genealogical method. The purpose of this method is to provide an account of the development of somaesthetics while simultaneously marshalling critical resources for its development and application. This dissertation fills a gap in somaesthetics by explicating its core philosophical commitments and its interdisciplinary composition. By means of reconstruction, the first part of this dissertation recounts the pragmatist background of somaesthetics, including fundamental commitments to experience, pluralism, and meliorism. The dissertation argues the reconstruction of pragmatism for somaesthetics …

2025-11-05 Capitol Hill Serving Up Seattle Restaurant Week, Samantha Custodi

The Spectator Online

No abstract provided.

2025-11-05 Sea-Meow Con Hosts Feline Festivities, Milan Damjanac

The Spectator Online

No abstract provided.

A Confucian Response To Stoic Perspectives On Physician Burnout, Charlene Tan, Ruth Neo

Journal of Wellness

Aimed at promoting cross-cultural dialogue and exchange of ideas in the humanities, this article provides a Confucian response to the Stoic viewpoints expounded by Kutch in this journal. Two arguments are made in this paper: first, Confucius shares the Stoics’ emphasis on being mindful. Secondly, a significant difference between Confucius and the Stoics is that the former replaces the Stoics’ fate with Heaven (tian), which is a central Confucian spiritual ideal. Applying Confucian and Stoic insights to burnout, medical professionals are encouraged to (re)gain strength by reflecting on and embracing spiritual ideals, whether it is fate or Heaven. …

Let It Flow: Walking-With Educators In Affective School Environments, Alyssa Dominique Nucaro

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

This dissertation explores the intertwined relationships between K–5 educators and the external environments of their schools. Drawing on post-qualitative inquiry, the study rejects traditional linear methodologies in favor of walking-with, a practice of movement, noticing, and attunement that foregrounds affective intensities and material encounters. Through walking-with, artifact-based reflections, and journaling, this research maps how teachers experience, interpret, and are shaped by the spaces that surround their schools. The dissertation presents vignettes and poetic fragments as affective offerings that illuminate how space, pedagogy, and community intermingle. These moments reveal tensions and possibilities around safety, visibility, infrastructure, play, and cultural connection, while …

The Effects Of Antecedent Interventions To Decrease Recyclable Paper In Trash Bins In Kindergarten Classrooms, Matthew Alan Davidson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

In 2018, paper and paperboard accounted for 23% of the municipal solid waste generated and 67% of recycled materials (EPA, 2020). Numerous studies have demonstrated the positive effects of antecedent interventions on increasing recycling rates across various settings. However, public schools are often overlooked as sources of recyclable paper. Paper is a commonly discarded item in classrooms and a relatively easy item to teach discrimination in disposal, due to similar features of examples (printer paper, paper bags, paper cuttings) and non-examples (paper towels, plates, napkins, food wrappers). The results of two studies are reported in this paper. Both studies utilized …

Queens, Care, And Creativity: Exploring The Expressions Of Othermothering By African American Girls, Lischa Tshoiya Brooks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

This study explores othermothering as a cultural and political practice among African American girls in Memphis, Tennessee. While most scholarship on othermothering centers the voices of adult women, this research foregrounds the perspectives of African American girls, illuminating how they interpret and experience the influence of othermothers on their identity formation. Guided by Black Feminist Thought, Africana Womanism, and arts-based inquiry, the study situates othermothering as a theoretical framework that is both intimate and political by nurturing personal growth while resisting deficit narratives that marginalize Black girlhood. Data were collected through a creative workshop, Walk Like a Queen Crown Workshop, …

A Multi-Faceted Study Of Antibiotic-Resistant, Opportunistic Pathogens In Wastewater And Environmental Water, Jeanette Calarco

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

More than 2.8 million infections due to antibiotic-resistant bacteria occur annually in the United States, and more than 35,000 people die as a result. Domestic wastewater (sewage), which contains antibiotic-resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes, is collected at treatment plants for removal of contaminants, e.g. pathogenic microorganisms and nutrients. While wastewater treatment is designed to remove antibiotic-resistant bacteria and other microorganisms through treatment and disinfection, some bacteria may escape treatment. Treated wastewater effluent is generally discharged into surface waters; however, some fraction of the effluent may be used as recycled water. Compromised wastewater collection infrastructure and sewage spills can disseminate …

Mutant P53 Variants Differentially Impact Replication Initiation And Activate Cgas-Sting To Affect Immune Checkpoint Inhibition, Kang Liu, Lidija A Wilhelms Garan, Fang-Tsyr Lin, Weei-Chin Lin

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Prior research shows that Akt-dependent phosphorylation of TopBP1 in S phase results in the switch of TopBP1/Treslin binding to TopBP1/E2F1 binding, which is important to prevent replication re-initiation in late S and G2 phases. Here, we demonstrate that contact, but not conformational, mutant p53 can override this switch by binding to both TopBP1 and Treslin, thereby facilitating persistent TopBP1/Treslin interaction in late S and G2 phases, which ultimately leads to over-firing of replication initiation. This increases micronuclei formation, which is further enhanced by genotoxic stressors such as doxorubicin, PARP inhibitors, or ATR inhibitors. Consequently, contact mutant p53 increases the sensitivity …

Theoretical Exploration: Feederism And Precarious Manhood, Schneebeck

The Bear Counseling Collective

The internet provides a peek into the lives of niche communities that one might not otherwise encounter in daily life. Stumbling into a unique subculture can intrigue, befuddle, or even disturb the outside viewer. The traditional physical barriers between sexual fetishes and the outside world are diminished with a few clicks of the keyboard. One sexual fetish gaining internet traction, even outside of the explicitly adult online spaces, is that of feederism. Feederism’s growing infamy comes from its odd and extreme departure from what is considered “normal” – an overt sexualization of force feeding a partner with intent of weight …

A Detestable Nation Of Orcs: Echoes Of Eurasian Nomads In Early Fantasy And The Literary Ecosystem Behind Them, Axel Hansen

Journal of Tolkien Research

It is well known that Orcs and Easterlings in J.R.R. Tolkien's works share features with Eurasian nomadic peoples such as Huns and Mongols. The same is true for Tolkien's literary predecessor William Morris' Dusky Men in The Roots of the Mountains. This article will provide an examination of these features from a historical viewpoint, on how interactions with and subsequent records about various steppe nomads in European history can be tied to villains in early modern Fantasy literature. It will then present a short review of how a network of historic accounts, academic theories and pop cultural works – …

Evaluating Soil Responses To Three Different Tillage Practices, Robert L. Burchett, Cordale L. Straub Senior, Logan D. Renfrow Sophomore

Scholars Week

Evaluating Soil Responses to Three Different Tillage Practices

Luke Burchett, Logan Renfrow, and Cordale Straub

Mentor: Dr. Iin Handayani Ph.D

Hutson School of Agriculture, Murray State University, Kentucky, USA

ABSTRACT

Tillage systems can greatly affect soil health by changing its structure, chemistry, and biological activity. This study examined how soil organic carbon (SOC), soil pH, soil moisture, soil organic matter (SOM) responds under three tillage systems: no-till, biannual tillage, and conventional tillage. Soil samples were taken from a 1–7.6 cm depth during September 2025 across three locations. The no-till site was located in Caldwell County, Kentucky, on an irrigated double-crop …

Shaping The Soil: A Comparison Of Equine, Bovine, And Ungrazed Hay Fields, Brody Ellis Higgs, Taylor Madison Wynn, Scottie Craig Berry

Scholars Week

Shaping the Soil: A Comparison of Equine, Bovine, and Ungrazed Hay Fields

Brody Higgs, Taylor Wynn, and Scottie Berry

Mentor: Dr. Iin. P. Handayani, PhD.

Hutson School of Agriculture, Murray State University, Murray, Kentucky, USA

ABSTRACT

Kentucky raises grazing species for multiple reasons, including food, recreation, and show. The most common of them are equine and bovine. These animals graze many acres across the state of Kentucky and impact soil properties in their pastures. This study was conducted on three pasturelands across Caldwell and Calloway counties in Kentucky. The pastures consisted of a cow pasture, a horse pasture, and a …

Index To Volume 39

Marvels & Tales

Index to Volume 39

Contributors

Marvels & Tales

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Reviews

Marvels & Tales

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Nutrient Chemicals That Neutralize Salmonella, Mackenzie Nicholas

3 Minute Thesis Competition

No abstract provided.

Recent Advances In Vagus Nerve Stimulation For Stroke Rehabilitation, Alicia Bernhardt, Daniel Hahn, Naresh Jadav, Thomas Kelly, Kristin Camardo, Kristin Beltz, Davis Berzins, Mijail Serruya

Moss-Magee Rehabilitation Papers

Purpose of Review: This review synthesizes recent developments in vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) for stroke rehabilitation from 2021–2025, emphasizing the transition from experimental approaches to clinical implementation following FDA approval of implantable VNS. Recent Findings: The 2021 FDA approval of the Vivistim Paired VNS System marked a watershed moment in stroke neuromodulation, providing the first regulatory-approved VNS therapy for upper extremity motor recovery. Long-term follow-up studies demonstrate sustained benefits at one year, with 66% of patients achieving clinically meaningful improvements. Concurrently, investigational transcutaneous approaches continue to evolve, though they remain limited by protocol heterogeneity and anatomical specificity concerns. Summary: Implantable …

A Fine Lady And Excellent Field Botanist: Sister Remberta Westkaemper, O.S.B., Stephen G. Saupe

Biology Faculty Publications

This report provides a brief biography of Sister Remberta and an overview of her botanical activities

Witnessing A Wounded World: A Theology Of Ecological Trauma, Timothy A. Middleton

Theology

A crucial intervention at the intersection of ecotheology and trauma theology

We are in the midst of a global ecological crisis. At times, the scale of the suffering involved can be hard to fully comprehend. The whole planetary ecosystem feels out of kilter. Meanwhile, trauma theorists, and society at large, have become increasingly aware of the incidence of trauma in a growing variety of contexts. In Witnessing a Wounded World, Timothy Middleton asks what might be gained by viewing ecological suffering through the lens of trauma.

By bringing concepts and methodologies from trauma theology to bear on questions that …

Red Snapper (Lutjanus Campechanus) Neurocranium, Riley B. Glogowski, David W. Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

No abstract provided.