Digital Commons Network^™

Shattering The Silence: The Path To Maternal Equity In Texas, Karah Renfroe

The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice

The Black maternal mortality crisis reflects the persistence of institutionalized racism embedded in the U.S. healthcare system. In Texas, Black women account for just 11% of births yet represent 31% of maternal deaths—a mortality rate more than twice that of their white counterparts. This staggering disparity has persisted, even as statewide initiatives have improved maternal outcomes for non-Black women. This Comment situates the current crisis within a broader historical continuum: from the coerced medical experimentation on enslaved Black women by figures such as J. Marion Sims, through the codified racism of the Jim Crow era, to present-day inequities ingrained in …

California Water Reuse: State Of The Industry As Direct Potable Reuse Comes Online, Guy Gutterman

Master's Projects and Capstones

Since the early 1900’s, California has found ways to reuse its wastewater, and in 2023 the state added a new method, Direct Potable Reuse (DPR), to its toolkit. DPR allows for advanced treated wastewater to be sent directly to a drinking water system, without an environmental buffer. Through a synthesis of the literature and related government documents of the state's water reuse history, an analysis of regional water recycling trends, and a survey of water utility professionals, this paper aims to understand DPR's future role in securing California's water supply. Historically, public perception has delayed adoption and development of California's …

Anexelekto (Axl)/Mer Inhibitor Tamnorzatinib In Patients With Relapsed/Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukaemia: Results From A Phase I (Monotherapy) And Phase Ii (Combination With Venetoclax) Clinical Study, Margaret T Kasner, Nigel Courtenay-Luck, Courtney Dinardo, Sean M Post, Praneeth Baratam, George N Magrath, Takaaki Nakamura, Akifumi Fujii, Sergio Prados, Naoki Honda, Mary Mcbride, Paula Edwards-Holmes, Robert Stuart

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Relapsed/refractory (R/R) acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is a life-threatening haematological malignancy without effective treatments. Anexelekto (Axl) and Mer receptor tyrosine kinases have emerged as important therapeutic targets in AML for their crucial role in survival of AML cells. Tamnorzatinib (ONO-7475) is a potent and highly selective inhibitor of Axl/Mer. We report first-in-human study of tamnorzatinib (NCT03176277) in patients with R/R AML.

Methods: Tamnorzatinib was administered as monotherapy (n = 20) to determine an appropriate biological dose of tamnorzatinib and then in combination (n = 22) with venetoclax to evaluate safety and clinical efficacy.

Results: Tamnorzatinib was safe …

Stromal Fibroblastic Mutant Trp53 Promotes Mammary Tumor Development Via Enhanced Secretion Of Paracrine Factors, Bin Liu, Shunbin Xiong, Abie Williams-Villalobo, Gilda Chau, Yuan Qi, Hehua Chen, Carenza Johnson, Dhruv Chachad, Joy Mcdaniel, Xiaoping Su, Adel K El-Naggar, Guillermina Lozano, Yun Zhang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Mutations in the tumor suppressor gene TP53 have been identified in breast cancer-associated fibroblasts and are associated with poor patient prognosis. However, the functional impact of fibroblastic mutant p53 on breast cancer development remains unclear. To investigate this, we compared female mice harboring HER2-driven mammary tumors with a fibroblast-specific Trp53 mutation (NP) to those with wild-type fibroblastic Trp53 (N). NP mice exhibited significantly shorter median tumor-free survival than N mice. RNA sequencing of NP and N tumors and mammary glands revealed numerous differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between tumors and the corresponding glands in both genotypes. Notably, the NP tumors showed …

Measurable Imaging-Based Changes In Enhancement Of Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma After Radiotherapy Reflect Physical Mechanisms Of Response, Brian De, Prashant Dogra, Mohamed Zaid, Dalia Elganainy, Kevin Sun, Ahmed M Amer, Charles Wang, Michael K Rooney, Enoch Chang, Hyunseon C Kang, Zhihui Wang, Priya Bhosale, Bruno C Odisio, Timothy E Newhook, Ching-Wei D Tzeng, Hop S Tran Cao, Yun S Chun, Jean-Nicholas Vauthey, Sunyoung S Lee, Ahmed Kaseb, Kanwal Raghav, Milind Javle, Bruce D Minsky, Sonal S Noticewala, Emma B Holliday, Grace L Smith, Albert C Koong, Prajnan Das, Vittorio Cristini, Ethan B Ludmir, Eugene J Koay

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Escalated doses of radiotherapy associate with improved local control and overall survival (OS) in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA), but personalization remains limited because conventional size-based CT criteria correlate poorly with outcomes. We hypothesized that quantitative enhancement measurements would better predict clinical outcomes and guide individualized RT optimization. In a retrospective cohort of 154 patients, we analyzed pre- and post-RT CT scans using quantitative European Association for Study of Liver (qEASL) to derive viable tumor volumes, comparing enhancement-based metrics with size-based RECIST and linking them to outcomes via survival and mathematical modeling. Change in enhancement volume was strongly associated with OS after …

Understanding Acceptance Capacity And Intentions Of Mississippians To Participate In The Conservation And Management Of Black Bears In Mississippi, Basant Pant

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the acceptance capacity of Mississippians towards black bears (Ursus Americanus), and their intentions to participate in their conservation and management. It intends to bridge the theory and application of wildlife acceptance capacity among three main objectives. First, a systematic literature review of journal articles employing the Search, Appraisal, Synthesis and Analysis (SALSA) method revealed the development phase of Wildlife Acceptance Capacity (WAC)-conceptual phase (1988 -2000) and applied phase (post 2000), highlighting the strong scholarly collaboration among high human development index (HDI) countries with limited collaboration with the low HDI countries. Second, a mail survey of 4,080 Mississippi …

Evolutionarily Convergent Mechanism Of Formin Regulation Coordinates Actin Polymerization In Apicomplexan Parasites, Pengge Qian, Yong Fu, Jianwei Zeng, Michael J Naldrett, Rui Zhang, L David Sibley

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Apicomplexan parasites rely on actin-based motility for host cell invasion and for their dissemination. Although previous studies implicate formin 1 (FRM1) in governing this process in

Effect Of Nano Edible Coating, Storage Temperature, And Packaging On Water Content, Weight Loss, And Color On Oyster Mushrooms (Pleurotus Ostreatus), Inneke Amalia, Warid Ali Qosim, Kusumiyati

Jurnal Kultivasi

Oyster mushrooms are one of the most commonly consumed mushrooms due to their high nutritional content, including protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, as well as their antioxidant properties. However, these mushrooms are easily damaged by microbes and poor post-harvest handling, which affects their quality. The combination of nano-edible coating, packaging, and storage temperature offers a solution to these issues. This study aims to evaluate the effects of nano-edible coating, packaging, and storage temperature on water content, weight loss, and the color (L*, a*, and b*) of oyster mushrooms. The study was conducted at the Horticulture Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas …

Growth Of Porang (Amorphopallus Muelleri) Seedlings As Influenced By Seed Maturity And The Presence Of Sarcotesta, Indri Fariroh, Restiani Sih Harsanti, Aminatun Nisa, Didik Pudji Restanto, Rizky Anugerah Putra

Jurnal Kultivasi

Porang seed maturity based its position on spadix position significantly impacts germination. The presence of the seed coat (sarcotesta) also influenced germination and initial seedling growth. This study aimed to explore the effect of seed maturity and the presence of sarcotesta to the seedling growth. The experiment was conducted from January to June 2023. A two factor Randomized Complete Block Design was employed, examining three maturity levels based on spadix position (physiological maturity seed from the tip spadix (red colour), half physiological maturity seed from the middle spadix (orange colour), and immature seed from the base spadix (green colour)), and …

Production Analysis Of Seed-Derived Tea Plants (Camellia Sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze) Across Two Different Seasons, Nurlita Rahmawati, Yudithia Maxiselly, Intan Ratna Dewi Anjarsari, Heri Syahrian Khomaeni, Gerry Renaldi, Agung Karuniawan

Jurnal Kultivasi

Tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze) is a major economic crop in Indonesia, yet its productivity is strongly influenced by environmental variability, particularly rainfall seasonality. Fluctuating yields under dry and wet conditions pose challenges for sustainable tea production. This study aimed to assess the effects of contrasting seasonal rainfall on seed-derived tea plants' yield and yield components. The research was conducted at a seed-derived tea plantation block in IRITC, West Java, across dry and wet seasons using field observations on tea yield, shoot proliferation, plucking quality, and environmental parameters. Statistical analyses included independent t-tests to compare seasonal differences and Pearson …

Effects Of Integrated Biological And Chemical Fertilization On Pecco And Banji Shoot Development In Tea Plants, Intan Ratna Dewi Anjarsari, Muhammad Raihan Abdillah Farros, Santi Rosniawaty

Jurnal Kultivasi

Tea productivity and quality are largely determined by shoot structure, particularly the balance between pecco shoots (tender buds and young leaves) and banji shoots (older, less productive shoots). Conventional reliance on inorganic fertilizers often enhances overall growth but does not necessarily improve shoot structure, while biofertilizers alone provide limited nutrient availability. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of combining microbial-based liquid biofertilizers with inorganic fertilizers on the structure of tea shoots. The experiment was carried out on seed-derived tea plants using a randomized block design with several fertilization treatments, including sole biofertilizer, sole inorganic fertilizer, and their combinations. The …

The Effects Of Nanobubble Fertigation And Soil Conditioners To Improve Nutrient Dynamics, Soil Microbial Activity, And Chili Productivity, Betty Natalie Fitriatin, Euis Ahah Rokayah, Elsa Naila Elmyra, Tualar Simarmata, Nicky Oktav Fauziah, Hanif Fakhrurroja

Jurnal Kultivasi

Drip fertigation is a fertilization method that integrates nutrient delivery with an irrigation system, which is capable of optimizing the direct delivery of nutrients to the root zone. This experiment aims to investigate the effect of drip fertigation with nanobubble technology, and soil conditioners on the population of Phosphate-Solubilizing Bacteria (PSB) and Azotobacter spp., available phosphorus, total nitrogen, growth, and yield of red chili. The study used a Strip Plot Design with two factors and three replications. The first factor was nutrient application (solid NPK fertilizing as control; drip fertigation; and drip fertigation with nanobubble technology), and the second factor …

Stakeholder Criteria For Trust In Artificial Intelligence-Based Computer Perception Tools In Health Care: Qualitative Interview Study, Ansh Rai, Meghan E Hurley, John Herrington, Eric A Storch, Casey J Zampella, Julia Parrish-Morris, Anika Sonig, Gabriel Lázaro-Muñoz, Kristin Kostick-Quenet

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Computer perception (CP) technologies hold significant promise for advancing precision mental health care systems, given their ability to leverage algorithmic analysis of continuous, passive sensing data from wearables and smartphones (eg, behavioral activity, geolocation, vocal features, and ambient environmental data) to infer clinically meaningful behavioral and physiological states. However, successful implementation critically depends on cultivating well-founded stakeholder trust.

Objective: This study aims to investigate, across adolescents, caregivers, clinicians, and developers, the contingencies under which CP technologies are deemed trustworthy in health care.

Methods: We conducted 80 semistructured interviews with a purposive sample of adolescents (n=20) diagnosed with autism, Tourette …

Genomics Insights Into The Biogeography And Evolution Of Galapagos Iguanas Using Radseq And Wgseq Techniques, Cecilia Paradiso

Theses and Dissertations

The Galápagos archipelago is known for its unique endemic fauna shaped by isolation and geological dynamism. This thesis explores the evolutionary history of Galápagos iguanas, a monophyletic group comprising the marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) and three land iguanas: Conolophus marthae, C. pallidus, and C. subcristatus. These species differ in distribu- tion, population size, and conservation status, with C. marthae classified as Critically Endan- gered due to its restricted range and small population. The main goal of this thesis is to fill knowledge gaps concerning the evolutionary trajectories, demographic histories, and genetic var- iability of Galápagos iguanas. The first chapter reconstructs …

A Mixed-Method Study Of African American Parents’ Involvement In Their Children’S Individualized Education Program Process, Dischedia Tamarisi Williams

Theses and Dissertations

The major purpose of the study was to examine the unique experiences of African American parents regarding their parental involvement in their child’s Individualized Education Program process. In addition, the study aimed to investigate the perceptions of teachers and administrators regarding the experiences of the African American parents as they worked with the parents and their children during the IEP process. Epstein’s (1987, 2008) Model of Parental Involvement was used as a theoretical framework to underpin the study emphasizing six dimensions of parental involvement. The six dimensions of parental involvement include the following: parenting, communicating, volunteering, learning at home, decision-making, …

Revision And Biogeography Of The Tribulus Group (Orthoptera, Acrididae, Melanoplinae, Melanoplus) And Establishment Of The Rusticus Group With A Description Of Four New Species Of West Of Mississippi River, Usa, Jireh Mwamukonda

Theses and Dissertations

The genus Melanoplus represents one of the most diverse groups of acridid grasshoppers in North America, comprising over 430 described species within the subfamily Melanoplinae. Among its various species groups, the Tribulus group consists of flightless grasshoppers typically found in open woodlands and forest margins, primarily in the eastern United States. The Melanoplus tribulus group was first established by Blatchley (1920) as Obovatipennis Group. However, since species groups are informal taxonomic units not governed by nomenclatural rules, the group later became known as the Tribulus group. It currently includes 11 taxa. These brachypterous species occur from New Jersey south Florida …

Use Of Mid-Infrared Spectroscopy For Estimating Soil Chemical, Physical, And Hydrological Properties In Mississippi And Texas, Kanthake Yasas Bandara Gamagedara

Theses and Dissertations

Accurate and efficient estimation of soil properties is essential for advancing sustainable agriculture, water management, and soil survey applications. Traditional laboratory methods and pedotransfer functions (PTFs) are widely used but are often constrained by high costs, time requirements, and limited scalability. As an alternative, mid-infrared (MIR) and visible–near-infrared (vis–NIR) spectroscopy provide cost-effective, rapid, and non-destructive approaches for soil analysis. However, variability among spectrometer types, geographic regions, and soil scanning conditions poses challenges to model transferability and generalizability. This dissertation evaluated strategies to overcome these challenges and enhance the prediction of soil chemical, physical, and hydrological properties in Mississippi and Texas. …

Leveraging Google Earth Engine For Computationally Efficient Pixel-Level Analysis And Vector Delineation From Satellite Data., Rishita Garg

Theses and Dissertations

Analyzing large-scale, high-resolution satellite imagery is a computationally intensive task requiring time and computing resources. This can be accelerated using cloud computing platforms such as Google Earth Engine (GEE) where computational and storage requirements can be scaled based on demand. However, cloud-based platforms for processing high-resolution imagery remain underutilized in environmental applications such as agriculture, and forest health. This thesis explored the application of GEE to two geospatial problems in agricultural conservation and disease mapping in forestry: 1) Extraction of agricultural field boundaries from Sentinel-2 satellite imagery, for use in conservation, precision agriculture, land management, and organization, etc., and 2) …

Using Quantum Annealing For Sampling And Pattern Generation In Generative Machine Learning And Catastrophic Forgetting Mitigation, Abdelmoula El Yazizi

Theses and Dissertations

The first goal of this dissertation was to understand the reasons for the absence in previous investigations of significant and consistent improvements in the trainability of Restricted Boltzmann Machines (RBM) when the Quantum Annealer (QA) was used for sampling from the RBM probability distribution. The second goal was to address the shortcomings of those previous investigations, explore possibilities of improving RBM training, and identify other machine learning applications that could benefit from sampling or from generating patterns by the QA. The first part of this dissertation focused on a Local-Valley (LV) centered approach to assessing the quality of sampling. QA-based …

The Effects Of Bullying Victimization And Bullying Perpetration On Academic, Social, And Emotional Self-Efficacy Among Adolescents, Amber Crenshaw

Theses and Dissertations

Bullying remains a persistent challenge in schools and has been linked to diminished perceptions of capability across multiple domains. This quantitative, cross-sectional study examined how bullying victimization and bullying perpetration relate to domain-specific self-efficacy, academic, social, and emotional, among students in grades 4-12 in the southern United States. Students (N = 81) completed the Adolescent Peer Relations Instrument (APRI-BT) measuring victimization and perpetration across verbal, social, and physical behaviors. Students also completed the Self-Efficacy Questionnaire for Children (SEQ-C) measuring domain-specific self-efficacy. Analyses included descriptive statistics, internal consistency estimates, bivariate correlations, and hierarchical multiple regressions. Moderation by parental education and socioeconomic …

Assessing Water Quality And Algae In Wetland Reserve Easements In The Alluvial Valleys Of Mississippi And Louisiana, Avery June Wissmueller

Theses and Dissertations

Wetlands in agricultural landscapes play a critical role in improving water quality by retaining and transforming nutrients and pollutants. In the Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV), widespread conversion of bottomland hardwood forests to row-crop agriculture has diminished this natural function. The Wetland Reserve Easement (WRE) program restores wetlands on marginal farmland to recover ecosystem services. In this study, I evaluated water quality and algal productivity in WREs compared to natural reference wetlands and crop sites. Restored wetlands showed improved water quality compared to crop sites and were often comparable to or intermediate between reference wetlands. Seasonal variation and hydrologic differences shaped …

Genetic Reconstruction And Diversity Analysis In The Usda Forest Service Populus Deltoides Breeding Collection, Carlos Armando Rivera Moreno

Theses and Dissertations

The thesis investigates the genetic structure and diversity of the Populus deltoides collection from the USDA Forest Service breeding program. Using genomics techniques, six population groups with varying levels of admixture were identified, revealing extensive historical recombination and complexity in the population structure, which contrasts with earlier studies from different regions. The research also confirms the collection's integrity by detecting operational errors and contamination, addressed through genetic identity and parentage analysis. Notably, over 80% of the clones have contributions from multiple ancestors, indicating widespread interbreeding. Additionally, a reliable database was created, covering about 96% of the unique genotypes. This enables …

Netflix And Kill: The Role Of True Crime Consumption In The Development Of Acquired Capability For Suicide, Chandler Jayne Mcdaniel

Theses and Dissertations

The Interpersonal-Psychological Theory of Suicide (IPTS) identifies acquired capability as a key factor contributing to suicidal behavior. Previous research has shown that violent media exposure can increase suicidal risk through desensitization, imitation, and trauma activation. However, little is known about the role of true crime consumption (TCC), a popular form of violent media engagement, in relation to IPTS constructs. This study examined whether TCC predicts acquired capability for suicide, perceived burdensomeness, and thwarted belongingness. A total of 215 participants were retained after data cleaning. Hypotheses predicted that higher TCC would be associated with higher acquired capability (H1), that TCC would …

Use Of Wetlands By Migratory Waterbirds In The Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley, Duncan Fraser

Theses and Dissertations

The Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley (LMAV) is a critical stopover and wintering area for dozens of migratory waterbird species. For many species, especially shorebirds, shallow water and mudflats during migration and winter are vital for foraging and survival. Wetland restoration combined with strategic flooding practices can provide important resources for various waterbird guilds using the LMAV. I surveyed waterbirds during three migration seasons (January-May 2024 and 2025, and July-December 2024) across 62 total wetland units on four national wildlife refuges, four wildlife management areas, and one aquaculture facility in the Mississippi LMAV. I also compared abundance and richness of waterbirds …

Study Of Insect Frass-Associated Microbiome On Plant Growth And Their Potential Use As Biofertilizer, Jasmine Sahota

Theses and Dissertations

An increasing global food demand and the urgent need for sustainable agricultural practices have driven interest in insects as alternative feed and food sources. Insect frass, a by-product of insect rearing, represents a rich organic carbon source with diverse microbes that can enhance soil health and promote beneficial plant-microbe interactions. This study characterized the bacterial (16S-V4) and fungal (ITS2) microbiomes of frass from Black Soldier Fly (BSF) and Cricket species and evaluated their effects on maize (Zea mays) growth. Four frass variants were applied at rates of 56-280 kg ha⁻¹ in a pot experiment with untreated soil and mineral fertilizer …

Mitochondrial Calcium Uniporter Regulates Itam-Dependent Platelet Activation, Jehiel Abigail Ajanel Gomez

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Thromboembolic conditions are the leading cause of disability and death in the United States. Platelets play an important role in the pathophysiology of thrombus formation by aiding in the formation and stabilization of the clot. Central to platelet activation is cytoplasmic calcium, which increases after platelet activation through ITAM (Immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif) or GPCR (G-protein-coupled receptor) receptors. Platelet mitochondria rely on cytoplasmic calcium for mitochondrial calcium influx, which is critical for ATP formation and regulation of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species. In other cells, mitochondrial calcium entry is regulated by the multimeric protein complex, mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU). Deletion of …

Conservation Of Cis-Regulatory Codes Over Half A Billion Years Of Evolution, Yohey Ogawa, Yu Liu, Connie A Myers, Ala Morshedian, Gordon L Fain, Alapakkam P Sampath, Joseph C Corbo

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Identifying homologous cell types across species is essential for understanding cell type evolution. The retina is ideal for comparative analysis because its six major cell classes have persisted since the origin of vertebrates more than half a billion years ago. Here, we show that the retina's conserved cellular architecture is mirrored by deep conservation of the cis-regulatory codes that govern gene expression. Through single-cell chromatin accessibility analysis of lamprey, fish, bird, and mammalian retinas, we demonstrate cross-species conservation of cis-regulatory codes in all retinal cell classes despite extensive turnover of cis-regulatory regions. Conservation manifests as clustering of high-affinity transcription factor …

In The Mouth Or In The Gut? Innovation Through Implementing Oral And Gastrointestinal Health Science In Chronic Pain Management, Jo Nijs, Burel R Goodin, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Recent scientific advances point towards an important role for oral and gastrointestinal health in people with chronic pain. Poor oral health (e.g., periodontitis, tooth loss) is observed in subgroups of the chronic pain population, including abdominal pain, low back pain, fibromyalgia, and rheumatoid arthritis. In addition to poor oral health, studies have also revealed altered intestinal microbiota compositions in various types of chronic pain, including people with chronic low back pain, knee osteoarthritis, visceral pain, fibromyalgia, tinnitus, and migraine. While overweight/obesity contributes to the likelihood of gut dysbiosis, normal-weight individuals with chronic pain also more often present with poor gut …

Inductively Heated Platinum Electrodes, Jayamini Madumali Mudugamuwa Hewage

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents the fabrication and application of a 150 micrometer platinum microelectrode for induction heating, with a copper coil generating the electromagnetic field and the heating process controlled using pulse width modulation technique (PWM) to regulate the duty cycle of a high-frequency signal. Electrochemical characterization, including resonance frequency determination, peak-to-peak potential optimization, and scan rate variation, is conducted using a 5 mM [Ru(NH3)6]2+/3+ solution in 0.1 M KNO3 to calibrate current variations with changing duty cycles, while the temperature increase (delta T) is estimated using the Seebeck coefficient of [Ru(NH3)6]2+/3+. The study further explores the application of induction heating …

The Soil Greenhouse Gas Flux And Climate Mitigation Potential Of Conservation Reserve Program With Tree Planting In The Southeastern U. S., Jianing Liang

Theses and Dissertations

Afforestation is increasingly promoted as a nature-based solution to climate change, although its net impact on soil greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions remains variable across forest types, prior land uses, and environmental conditions. This dissertation investigates the soil GHG flux (CO2, CH4, N2O) responses and dynamics of afforestation under the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) in the southeastern United States, with a specific focus on broadleaf and conifer tree planting practices. Drawing from a combination of meta-analysis, machine learning, and field-based observations across 73 sites, this research provides an integrated assessment of afforestation’s climate mitigation potential. In Chapter II, a meta-analysis of …