Digital Commons Network^™

The Tender Flesh: Dwelling In Soft Wounds And Visceral Bodies, Madelyn Irene Turner-Havens

Theses and Dissertations

Within my painting process, I explore bodily interiority and exteriority in relation to the surface of painting, evoking a discomforting sense of corporeal (dis)embodiment, where haunted flesh becomes palpable. Indexing conversations with the body into the painting is a way to understand my body and create an experience of what happens when language fails to capture the complexity of sensation. Painting becomes a mediation with the canvas, a constant discovery of what can give shape to the intangible: how it feels when my skin folds into itself, bodily urges, and the soft texture of fatty tissue.

I let the parts …

Utilizing Information Technology And Hands-On Learning Practices To Improve Student Learning Outcomes In A High Failure Rate Introductory Programming Course, Todd Edward Thomas

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to introduce and examine the impact that two interventions have on a high failure rate introductory programing course: a pedagogical approach of introducing Live Coding instruction technique to the in-person lecture portion, and a technological approach of introducing remote collaboration software (VS Code Liveshare) to the online lab portion. This study used convergent parallel mixed methods approach for both data collection and analysis; utilizing four data collection methods: 1) online survey questionnaires 2) in-depth interviews 3) in class observations and 4) quantifiable data collection (ie., student demographic, IT experience, GPA data). The Live Coding …

Transformative Social Emotional Learning Practices And Instructional Engagement In The Kindergarten Classroom, Lisa Skelly

Theses and Dissertations

The kindergarten teachers at Catalina Elementary School have identified a crucial issue: their students' inability to self-regulate is impeding their learning and classroom engagement. The kindergarten team engages in ongoing professional learning with a focus on transformative social emotional learning. The teacher team explores whether on-going professional learning based in transformative social emotional core competencies impacts their direct instruction of transformative social emotional standards. Teachers further support implementation of the transformative social emotional core competencies using structured play-based activities. Following the on-going professional learning sessions, the teacher team would craft a whole group lesson and select an activity to embed …

Application Of Floating Wetlands To Improve Urban Stream Quality, Daniel Chukwunonso Chukwudi

Theses and Dissertations

Urban streams, impacted by urbanization, often exhibit degraded water quality due to elevated nutrient levels, a phenomenon known as urban stream syndrome. This study evaluates the effectiveness of a floating wetland (FW) system in reducing nitrate as nitrogen (NO₃-N) and phosphate (PO₄³⁻) concentrations in a side canal of the Chicago River’s North Branch, adjacent to Goose Island, Chicago, IL, from 2018 to 2023. Using a five-year dataset, including new sampling from May to December 2023, the research addresses two questions: (1) Do FWs lower NO₃-N and PO₄³⁻ concentrations in urban streams? and (2) Do FWs exhibit seasonal differences in nutrient …

Stress And Behavior In Beef Calves During Weaning, Kathleen E. Tierney

Theses and Dissertations

Animal welfare in commercial livestock operations has been an increasing topic of concern. It is well known that stress can have significant behavioral and physiological repercussions. It is especially important in commercial operations to reduce stress, as animal efficiency is the leading priority. In an effort to reduce stress on animals and improve welfare in livestock operations, several studies have evaluated common husbandry practices. One of the most widely studied practices is weaning, which encapsulates the process of removing the young from the dam. Several studies have evaluated the effects of weaning on beef cattle through a variety of behavioral …

The Effects Of Training And Peer Coaching On The Fidelity Of Explicit Instruction On Social-Emotional Learning In Early Childhood Education, Ashley A. Strausbaugh

Theses and Dissertations

The current study investigated how training and peer coaching could improve fidelity of explicit instruction practices in early education teachers for social-emotional learning. Three teams of preschool teachers were trained in the use of explicit instructional practices and paired up to provide coaching in these practices during the intervention. The training and coaching were based on the model by Dunst et al. (2019), which identifies that providing training that includes elements of information, demonstration, practice opportunities, coaching and feedback increases the likelihood of moving knowledge to practice. A multiple baseline design was used to investigate fidelity of explicit instruction for …

From Columbia To Usc, Palestine Will Be Free: Capturing The Palestinian Student Narrative, Deena Ata

Theses and Dissertations

In 2024, student groups across colleges organized encampments demanding their institutions cut financial and academic ties with Israel and the Israeli military, a call rooted in resistance to the ongoing occupation and violence against Palestinians. These student-led actions were met with harsh retaliation from university administrations and state authorities, including graduation deferments, suspensions, censorship, and arrests. Clear attempts to silence dissent and suppress Palestinian solidarity. This study centers the voices of Palestinian college students by examining their lived experiences and counter-narratives in the face of backlash, anti-Palestinian rhetoric, and institutionalized acts of disenfranchisement. Their stories reveal how repression of pro-Palestine …

Savior To Ally: Exploring White Students' Decisions To Major In Social Work Through The Lens Of White Saviorism, Amy S. Dennison

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explored how white students chose social work as a major and how white savior ideology reinforced or challenged students’ choices. The study contributes to a gap in the literature regarding white saviorism and social work education. Using a phenomenological approach, data were collected through semi-structured interviews from five undergraduate social work students at one Midwestern state university. Transcripts were analyzed thematically using Moustakas’ data analysis for phenomenology framework. The findings revealed that participants chose social work because of an intent to help others, as well as a desire for their work to have a meaningful impact. White …

Black Adolecent Girls' Perceptions Of Dress Code Violations, Pat A. Carpenter

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the experiences of Black adolescent girls at Wellington Middle School (pseudonym) regarding dress code policies and the disciplinary actions associated with their attire. Through the analysis of disciplinary data, qualitative interviews, and a review of relevant literature, the research aimed to uncover potential racial biases within dress code policies and their enforcement. Preliminary insights indicated that such measures may contribute to broader patterns of racial discrimination and inequity in the education system, impacting the academic and social development of these students. The study goals were to emphasize the need for policy reforms and advocate for the development …

Exosomes: Historical Evolution And Emerging Roles In Dermatology, Nina Schur, Luna Samman, Milaan Shah, Victoria Dukharan, Carol Stegura, Luke Broughton, Todd Schlesinger

GME Publications

Background: Exosomes are a nanoscale extracellular vesicles derived from different cell types that have been investigated for various clinical applications, including functioning as biomarkers and use as direct therapeutics. Given the role of exosomes in multiple pathophysiologic pathways and potential practical applications, they have garnered significant interest in the scientific community but much is still unknown about their development and use.

Aims: This literature review covers the background, mechanisms of action, use as biomarkers, methods of application, and direct therapeutic applications of exosomes.

Methods: A literature review on the background and uses of exosomes was conducted. Key articles describing the …

Bailing Out Biometrics, Chinmayi Sharma, Elijah Gordon

Faculty Scholarship

In 2023, hackers breached 23andMe and extracted the biometric and genealogical data of nearly seven million people. By 2025, that data-originally offered up in the spirit of medical discovery and consumer empowerment-was being auctioned off in bankruptcy court as a corporate asset. The breach exposed more than technical lapses or governance failures. It revealed a structural gap in how the law understands, regulates, and protects biometric identity. Biometric data is intimate, immutable, and implicates human dignity and autonomy. And yet, the legal frameworks most often tasked with protecting it-tort, contract, and even modern privacy statutes-have consistently failed to impose meaningful …

Slaughter, Parsons, And The Original Meaning Of A Term Of Years, Jane Manners, Lev Menand

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Enhancing The Uniform Partition Of Heirs Property Act: The Need For Broader Use And Essential Modifications, Donna Arzanipour

Touro Law Review

The Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act (“UPHPA”) seeks to address complex and inequitable conflicts that arise when partitioning heirs property. This Note explores the legislative history of the UPHPA, along with the legal and societal significance of the UPHPA, which provides mechanisms to prevent forced sales of family-owned property. Through a comparative analysis of states that have adopted their versions of the UPHPA, this Note considers the law’s potential to protect family land, reduce the risk of displacement, and promote longterm economic stability for communities, especially those in rural and minority populations. While recommending that all states should adopt …

In Too Deep: Navigating An Unpredictable Algorithm, Anthony J. Ranieri

Touro Law Review

This note explores the intersection of deepfakes, a newfound and seemingly ubiquitous technology, and the protections granted by the Free Speech Clause under the First Amendment. At this juncture, society has failed to develop an infallible form of deepfake detection technology despite persistent and diligent efforts by individuals and entities alike. Hyper realistic deepfake technology has and will continue to be utilized by bad actors as a tool for advancing their nefarious goals, resulting in cognizable harm to individuals and society at large. This note evaluates the current state of deepfake technology and the potential obstacle that traditional First Amendment …

The False Evidence Ploy: A Coercive, Not Just Deceptive, Police Tactic, Alexa D. Sondey

Touro Law Review

Why would people confess to a crime they did not commit? It may seem hard to imagine that an innocent person would confess but as this Note will show, false confessions are a real and serious issue. One cause of false confessions is the False Evidence Ploy - a police interrogation tactic where police falsely tell a suspect they have some sort of incriminating evidence against them. This Note argues that the Ploy is psychological coercion, as it may cause innocent suspects to believe they actually committed the crime and then confess. N.Y. Bill S324A presented a solution, banning the …

America’S Turning Point: Religious & Free Speech Rights Transcend The Authority Public School Districts Think They Possess, Robert L. Coleman

Touro Law Review

What is the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about the First Amendment? I would argue that most people either say “Religion” or “Free Speech.” Arguably two of the most important and humane values inherent in a functioning democratic society are safeguarded by the First Amendment. But are they? Imagine this situation. You and your spouse have a child and send him to the local public school. One day, he comes home and says that his fourth grade teacher instructed the class that each student must refer to classmates by the pronouns of that student’s choice. Your child …

Podcasting As Open Access: A Review And Discussion Of Potential Impact On Scholarly Communication And Promotion, Allison Symulevich, Matt Torrence, Jason Boczar, Jessica Szempruch

USF Libraries Faculty and Staff Publications

Introduction: Academic podcasts are an informal way for faculty members to share their research expertise with an expanded and international audience. In this article, we argue that podcasts are a form of informal scholarly communication and that libraries can contribute to the successful dissemination of this informal scholarly communication.

Description of Service: At the University of South Florida, episodes of faculty-created academic podcasts are posted to the institutional repository, allowing the dissemination of these podcasts permanently via open access. The open-access nature of these materials makes them freely available to faculty, students, and other scholars; additionally, it helps to improve …

Impact: Enhancing Services And Resources Using Focus Groups, Matt Torrence, Allison Symulevich

USF Libraries Faculty and Staff Publications

To enhance the USF Libraries Impact Services program, project leaders identified several stages to collect and examine faculty needs and resource utilization. In May 2024, librarians Matt Torrence and Allison Symulevich received an internal grant to assess faculty preferences regarding available impact services and resources through focus group interviews. This project aimed to gather assessment data and identify additional tools and options for faculty and students. The collected data will be used to update the primary LibGuide and improve the program. Participants will receive information on updated resources and services, along with a summary of the results. The interviews took …

Nutritional Knowledge And Perceptions Of The Dietetics Field Among Blue-Collar Workers In The Inland Empire, Sabrina Guerrero, Anthony Morales, Isabel Tjajadi, Liang Ji, Kyndra Woosley, Lesley Ann Foster-Nicholas

Loma Linda University Research Reports

Blue-collar workers often encounter significant barriers to healthful eating. This study aimed to assess the nutritional knowledge and perceptions of the dietetics field among blue-collar workers in the Inland Empire. Eighty-four eligible participants completed an anonymous online survey assessing nutrition knowledge and views on Registered Dietitians (RDs). The average nutrition knowledge score among surveyed blue-collar workers was 20 out of 25 (80%). There were no significant differences in nutrition knowledge based on RD visit history, age, gender, or occupation. However, significant disparities in nutrition knowledge were observed across racial/ethnic groups, with Asian participants scoring lower and White participants scoring higher. …

A Comparison Of Acute Blood Glucose Response To 2% Lactaid Milk Vs. 2% Regular Milk In A Non-Diabetic Population, Alison Kim, Brianna Vanyo, Liang Ji, Lesley Ann Foster-Nicholas, Cindy Kosch

Loma Linda University Research Reports

Rising rates of diabetes and prediabetes have increased interest in how common foods affect blood glucose. This randomized, triple-blinded controlled trial compared the acute glycemic response to 2% regular milk versus 2% Lactaid milk in non-diabetic adults. Fifty participants consumed 500 mL of either milk type after fasting, and blood glucose was measured at baseline, then at 15, 30, 45, and 60 minutes post-consumption. Linear mixed model analysis showed no significant interaction by age or gender. However, borderline significant differences were observed at 15 minutes (p = 0.0524) and 30 minutes (p = 0.0740), with slightly faster and higher glucose …

Exploring The Adoption, Perceptions, And Opportunities Of Artificial Intelligence Among Registered Dietitians In The United States, Hong Liu, Mariana Tadros, Edward Bitok, Liang Ji

Loma Linda University Research Reports

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping healthcare, yet its integration into nutrition and dietetics remains underexplored. This study investigates the adoption, perceptions, and opportunities related to AI technologies among Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) in the United States. Our survey was opened in April 2025 and is still ongoing, having gathered responses from over 70 RDNs. Findings reveal that while 58% of RDNs report some familiarity with AI, only 13% consider themselves very or extremely familiar. Attitudes toward AI are generally positive, with 56% viewing AI’s impact on dietetics as positive and 70% believing it could at least moderately improve patient outcomes. …

Exploring Associations Between Personality Type & Fruit And Vegetable Consumption, Allison Woldt, Tanya Mora, Liang Ji, Julie Jones, Jeje Noval

Loma Linda University Research Reports

Fruit and vegetable intake is vital for preserving health and avoiding chronic illnesses, yet only approximately 1 in 10 adults in the U. S. adhere to daily consumption guidelines, based on CDC data. While earlier research has examined external factors such as socioeconomic status, cultural influences, and religion as significant determinants of dietary habits, new studies highlight a crucial internal element: personality. Our research delves into this emerging area by examining the connection between personality types, derived from the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), and fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption. In contrast to the extensively studied Big Five personality framework, the …

Geopolitical Changes And Futures Of Ccamlr, Nengye Liu

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

The Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CAMLR Convention) was negotiated in the late 1970s in the shadow of the Soviet Union’s expanding interest in Antarctic krill fisheries. The development of a management regime for the krill fishery in the remote Southern Ocean vividly reflects geopolitical changes of the world at that time. The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) is similarly being affected by geopolitical forces from the wider international system today. This chapter therefore first reviews the historical background for the establishment of the CCAMLR. It then provides an overview of …

Local Development Councils: Baseline And Recommendations For Optimizing Participatory Processes, Czarina Medina-Guce, Lawrence G. Velasco, Anne Marie T. Rey

Development Studies Faculty Publications

The Local Development Council (LDC) plays a critical role in local governance through its integrative and participatory planning and budget policymaking functions mandated by the 1991 Local Government Code. The LDC’s participatory governance goal, stemming from the Code’s requirement for civil society organization (CSO) membership, has been gradually problematized over the years to extend beyond the operational functionality of formalized activities and mechanisms toward participation that empowers citizen influence in policymaking in local government units (LGUs). Drawing from a national baseline survey of LDCs, this study examines CSO participation through the lens of compliance with mandated mechanisms and practices that …

Keep Family Business Innovating: Revisit The Relationship Between Succession And Innovation From Ownership Succession, Yuan Chen, Weize Huang, Chevy-Hanqing Fang, Ling Chen

Business and Information Technology Faculty Research & Creative Works

This study examines how family owner-manager successors' ownership influences R&D investment in family businesses. Drawing on the socioemotional wealth (SEW) perspective, we theorize that successors with higher family ownership prioritize extended SEW, leading to stronger R&D investment, while those with lower family ownership prioritize restricted SEW, resulting in weaker R&D investment. Additionally, we explore how family dynamics—specifically, the number of family directors and asymmetric salary favoring family members—moderate this relationship. Our findings enhance the understanding of successor heterogeneity and its impact on innovation, offering insights for succession planning that support the long-term sustainability of family businesses.

A Tribute To The Life And Work Of Jess Chua, James J. Chrisman, Zhenyu Wu, Alfredo De Massis, Pramodita Sharma, Lloyd P. Steier, Franz W. Kellermanns, Josip Kotlar, Emanuela Rondi, Bingbing Ge, Chevy-Hanqing Fang

Business and Information Technology Faculty Research & Creative Works

Jess Chua was a leading scholar in the field of family business and a major contributor to Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice both as an author and editor. His significant contributions to the field were acknowledged by the Web of Science, which listed him among the world's most highly cited researchers in Economics and Business in 2017, 2019, and 2020. In this memorial editorial, we pay tribute to him by discussing his influence on the field through his academic work, mentoring, long-term collaborations with other scholars, and the kindness he and his wife, Eva Kan, showed to his colleagues and students.

Electrochemical Observation And Ph Dependence Of All Three Expected Redox Couples In An Extremophilic Bifurcating Electron Transfer Flavoprotein With Fused Subunits, Debarati Das, Wassim El Housseini, Monica Brachi, Shelley D. Minteer, Anne Frances Miller

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

Bifurcating enzymes employ energy from a favorable electron transfer to drive unfavorable transfer of a second electron, thereby generating a more reactive product. They are therefore highly desirable in catalytic systems, for example, to drive challenging reactions such as nitrogen fixation. While most bifurcating enzymes contain air-sensitive metal centers, bifurcating electron transfer flavoproteins (bETFs) employ flavins. However, they have not been successfully deployed on electrodes. Herein, we demonstrate immobilization and expected thermodynamic reactivity of a bETF from a hyperthermophilic archaeon, Sulfolobus acidocaldarius (SaETF). SaETF differs from previously biochemically characterized bETFs in being a single protein, representing a concatenation of the …

Scalable Fabrication Of High-Payload Dendrimer-Based Nanoparticles For Targeted Atherosclerosis Therapy, Huari Kou, Lin Qi, Da Huang, Jiandong Wu, Honglan Shi, Hu Yang

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

Nanoparticle-based therapeutics hold promise for the treatment of atherosclerosis, but challenges such as low drug-loading capacity and a lack of scalable, controllable production hinder their clinical translation. Flash nanoprecipitation, a continuous synthesis method, offers a potential solution for scalable and reproducible nanoparticle production. In this study, we employed a custom-designed multi-inlet vortex mixer to perform cross-linking reaction-enabled flash nanoprecipitation, facilitating controlled and scalable synthesis of cross-linked Poly amidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimer nanoparticles. Notably, this approach allows simultaneous nanoparticle cross-linking and drug loading in a single step. The mannose moiety enabled specific targeting of macrophages via mannose receptors, enhancing the localization of …

Unlocking The Potential Of Ethiopia’S Apiculture Sector: A Diagnostic And Baseline Study, International Centre Of Insect Physiology And Ecology (Icipe)

icipe Manuals

icipe, ORDA Ethiopia and IIRR jointly implement Mass Youth Employment in Apiculture (MaYEA) Program in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation. The program aims to enable 1 million young women secure dignified and fulfilling jobs by addressing key constraints and unlock the apiculture sector’s and allied value chains employment generation potential building on experiences from previous programs such as the More Young Entrepreneurs in Silk and Honey (MOYESH) Program. MaYEA program aims to enhance honey and beeswax production, improve quality standards, promote value addition, and create an enabling environment for youth engagement in the sector. To guide this effort, this study …

Discontent In The World City Of Singapore, Gordon Tan, Jessie P. H. Poon, Orlando Woods

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

A burgeoning literature on ‘left behind’ places has emerged that captures the backlash against globalisation and highlights the locales that lag world cities. This paper integrates the ‘left behind’ and world cities literatures through the lens of discontent in the context of Singapore, using sentiment analysis and topic modelling as well as interviews with local professionals to unpack the multidimensional aspects of discontent. Focusing on the Singapore–India Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement that spurred discontent directed at foreign Indian professionals, we show that the worlding generated by transnational flows has accentuated intra-urban inequality through racialisation and spatialisation of financial business and …