Digital Commons Network^™

Pollen Deposition In Three Co-Flowering Alpine Species, Jessica Lyn Quillen, Meredith Zettlemoyer, Tejaswini Devi

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Rnai Of Ribophorin 1, Eukaryotic Translation Initiation Factor 2 Beta, And Peptidylprolyl Isomerase A In Acyrthosiphon Pisum, Brandon L. Kennemer

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Three genes found in the Unfolded protein response, Ribophorin 1, Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 beta, and Peptidylprolyl isomerase A are thought to be potential targets for RNA Interference (RNAi) in Acyrthosiphon pisum.  Ribophorin 1 (RPN1) is a transmembrane glycoprotein that assists in anchoring ribosomes to the rough endoplasmic reticulum membrane.  It acts as a substrate-specific chaperone.  It facilitates N-glycosylation by delivering newly synthesized proteins to the oligosaccharyltransferase (OST) complex.  Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 beta (eIF2B) is a key component of the eIF2 heterotrimer that facilitates protein synthesis initiation by binding GTP and recruiting a specific transfer RNA to …

Genomic Characterization Of A Novel Bloom-Forming Cyanobacterial Species From Western Kansas., Louisa Acquah

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Harmful cyanobacterial blooms are a danger to freshwater systems, particularly in water limited regions such as western Kansas, yet the genetic identity and diversity of bloom-forming taxa in this region remain poorly characterized. In this study, I investigated a cyanobacterial bloom in Horsethief Reservoir (Kansas, USA) in summer 2024 with the aim of resolving the taxonomic identity and genomic features of the dominant organism. Bloom water samples were collected, and the dominant cyanobacterium was enriched and rendered nearly axenic through controlled cultivation and repeated subculturing. Preliminary 16S rRNA gene sequencing indicated affiliation with the genus Limnothrix, but with notable …

Exploring The Link Between Soil Microbes, And Land Use Through A One Health Lens, Yaw A. Antwi

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

The diversity of microbes within the soil plays an essential role in soil ecosystem

functioning. However, these microbes may also serve as environmental reservoirs for antibiotic resistance genes. The study examined the diversity of bacteria that are found in soil across Rural/Agricultural and Rural/Nonagricultural landscapes within some selected counties in Kansas and its associated antibiotic resistance genes taxa. A total of twenty-four soil samples was collected and analyzed using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing which targeted the V3-V4 regions. Statistical analysis revealed that the alpha diversity metrics (Chao1 richness and Shannon evenness) showed no significant difference in microbial structure (p=0.693, …

Animalistic Emotion: Rylie Hazelton, Rylie Anne Hazelton

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Having sprouted alongside the plants and animals of the Great Plains region, my work is

driven by my passion and appreciation for the natural world around me. I have had a lifelong interest in the intricacies of the cycle of life, the reliability of the food chain, and the

symbolic meaning that each living thing has. I define my work as expressive naturalism, meaning that while I recreate the animals in my work to a realistic and recognizable quality, I am using their symbolism to create a space to tell a story of my own life experience. The figures in …

Mythology Of Whiteness: Constructing Black Girls As A Bully, Kathleen O'Brien, Pamela Twyman Hoff

Faculty Publications - College of Education

This analytical essay uses data from a qualitative study by O’Brien (2017) that explored the social construction of bullying. O’Brien interviewed 16 high school students enrolled in alternative and college-preparatory high schools. Although the study did not focus specifically on Black girls, their narratives surfaced a distinctly different story—one that exposed how whiteness, intersectional power, and cultural ways of knowing construct Black girls as quintessential bullies in schools. This re-analysis explores how Black girls are cast within the mythology of whiteness as archfoes—not merely as disruptive, but as symbolic antagonists whose existence threatens the normative order of whiteness …

Defend The Fort: Indigenous History, Remembrance, And Memorialization In Ellis County, Kansas, Sarah Keiss

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

This thesis provides an in-depth look into the Indigenous history of the area that would later become Western Kansas and Ellis County. Analyzing the history of the area from before European colonization to the Native American resistance against American expansion in the 1860s, this thesis illustrates the complex and layered history of the area. Even prior to European settler presence in the area, the native tribes felt the effects of European settlement and trade around them, leading to drastic changes in geographic distribution and access to new resources, particularly horses. Over the course of the nineteenth century, white settlement completely …

Harmony In Healing: Addressing The Psychosocial Needs Of Individuals Living With Lymphedema, Bria K. Brombacher

Entry Level Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstone Projects Class of 2026

Lymphedema is a chronic and incurable condition associated with significant physical and psychosocial challenges, including depression, anxiety, social isolation, and reduced quality of life. Despite increasing recognition of these concerns, limited interventions exist that specifically address the psychosocial needs of individuals living with lymphedema. Additionally, individuals within this population often report limited provider awareness of lymphedema within the healthcare system. The purpose of this doctoral capstone project, Harmony in Healing: Addressing the Psychosocial Needs of Individuals Living with Lymphedema, was to promote well-being, improve quality of life, and increase awareness of the psychosocial implications of lymphedema through occupational therapy intervention. …

Sex Equality After Skrmetti, Naomi Schoenbaum

GW Law Faculty Publications & Other Works

The Supreme Court’s decision in United States v. Skrmetti upholding a ban on gender-affirming medical care for minors marked a foundational shift in constitutional sex equality doctrine. Rather than recognize the challenged ban’s sex-based line-drawing, the Court recast the statute as a neutral regulation of medical purpose and age. In so doing, it narrowed the definition of what constitutes a sex-based classification and embraced a conception of biological sex as a natural kind—objective, apolitical, and outside the scope of constitutional scrutiny.

The Article identifies this move as a doctrinal departure and a conceptual reconfiguration. The law’s challengers argued that it …

The Mistaken Turn To Church Autonomy, Peter J. Smith, Robert W. Tuttle

GW Law Faculty Publications & Other Works

With increasing frequency and intensity, courts and commentators have advanced a doctrine of church autonomy that shields matters of internal church affairs from judicial scrutiny. Judges and scholars have invoked the doctrine in cases that involve disputes over property, employment, and governance of religious institutions. When applied, the doctrine ordinarily requires the dismissal of suits by aggrieved employees, congregants, or affiliated religious entities, thereby leaving employment and property disputes to unreviewable resolution by church authorities.

The turn to church autonomy is a regrettable mistake that contributes to the unjustifiable expansion of free exercise protections for religion at the expense of …

Cmn 3520 : Audio Production & Voice Work For Television & Film, Communication And Journalism

Approved Course Proposals

No abstract provided.

An Integrated Evaluation Of Trace Mineral Status, Regional Variation, And Supplementation Effects On Circulating Mineral And Reproductive Performance In American Plains Bison, Bailey M. Rodriguez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The continued expansion of the American Plains Bison (Bison bison) industry has increased the need for science-based nutritional recommendations tailored specifically to the species, due to limited species-specific research. Because trace minerals influence immune function, growth, and reproductive performance, establishing baseline mineral status and evaluating responses to supplementation are critical for advancing bison production and conservation efforts. This thesis integrates two complementary investigations to evaluate trace mineral status in American Plains bison at both regional and herd management levels. First, a herd level comparison evaluated the influence of differing mineral supplementation strategies on circulating mineral concentrations, herd performance, and reproductive …

Winter-Feeding High Forage Vs. High Concentrate Diets To Beef Cows: Effects On Placental Transcriptomics, Lactation Capacity, And Enteric Methane Emissions, Megan Ann Wehrbein

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nutritional management and lactation performance are critical factors influencing productivity in cattle. This research includes two complementary studies. The first study was a meta-analysis to develop a lactation curve for Bos taurus cattle in North America using data from machine or hand milked cows. Data from 7 studies were used resulting in 1340 cow-day observations. Milk yield was analyzed by parity (primiparous or multiparous) and feeding management (non-nutrient restricted or nutrient restricted), revealing that primiparous cattle peaked earlier and at lower yields than multiparous cattle, and nutrient restriction reduced peak milk yield. Overall, Bos taurus cattle followed lactation trends similar …

Evaluating Methodologies For Estimating Enteric Emissions And Modeling Greenfeed Technology Utilization In Extensive Beef And Bison Grazing Systems, Aletta Laura Husmann

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from grazing ruminants represent a significant component of U.S. agricultural emissions. However, enteric methane (CH4) from cow– calf systems on extensive rangelands pose substantial measurement and management challenges. The Northern Great Plains (NGP) supports nearly one-quarter of the U.S. beef cow population, yet regionally representative, herd-level enteric emission data from commercial ranches remain limited. This thesis integrates empirical field measurements with modeling approaches to evaluate the feasibility of quantifying enteric emissions on extensive rangelands and to examine system-level drivers influencing data yield, costs, and operational performance. Enteric methane and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions were measured from …

The Fate And Removal Of E. Coli Across Liquid And Sludge Treatment Stages In An Activated -Sludge Water Resource Recovery Facility, Shrawan Tandukar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study evaluates the fate and removal efficiency of Escherichia coli (E. coli) across both liquid and sludge treatment processes at a full-scale activated sludge water resource recovery facility (WRRF) in Brookings, South Dakota. Understanding pathogen reduction within wastewater treatment systems is critical for protecting public health and ensuring regulatory compliance, particularly in facilities practicing water reuse and biosolids management. Liquid and sludge samples were collected from multiple treatment stages between January and July 2025 and analyzed using the IDEXX Colilert Quanti-Tray 2000 method. This study quantifies E. coli concentrations throughout the treatment train to assess removal performance and identify …

Using Behavioral Skills Training To Teach And Promote Generalized Self-Instruction For High School Students With Intellectual Disability, Elise J. Slavey

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

This study presents findings from a multiple probe design that evaluated the effects of Behavioral Skills Training (BST) as a method of teaching an increase in self-instruction in completing vocational tasks for individuals with intellectual disability. The research included three U.S. high school students with intellectual disability and the data were analyzed across conditions. Throughout the intervention of BST, generalization sessions were conducted alongside. All participants acquired self-instruction for the skill acquisition targets. However, only one participant was able to generalize self-instruction to novel vocational tasks. Results and suggestions for future research regarding generalization for self-instruction and procedure reliability data …

Early Detection And Objective Assessment Of Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy Severity, Soheila Norasteh

Bioengineering Dissertations

Hypoxic–ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a neonatal brain injury caused by reduced oxygen and blood flow to the brain around the time of birth. It remains a major cause of neonatal mortality and long-term neurodevelopmental impairment worldwide. Therapeutic hypothermia is the standard treatment for moderate-to severe HIE and improves outcomes when initiated within the first six hours of life. Therefore, accurate assessment of injury severity during this period is essential. Cur rently, HIE severity is determined primarily through neurological examination and classified as mild, moderate, or severe. However, these examinations are subjective, cannot provide continuous monitoring of brain function, and may …

Dual Regulation Of Osteogenesis And Inflammation By Pomegranate (Punica Granatum L.) Extract In Periodontal Ligament-Derived Stem Cells: Implications For Regenerative Medicine, Mai Hafez

Dentistry

Objectives

This article aims to compare the osteogenic along with anti-inflammatory activity of different concentrations of pomegranate extract (PG) on human periodontal ligament-derived stem cells (hPDLSCs) in vitro.

Materials and Methods

hPDLSCs were acquired from the root surface of removed molars, cultured, and then distinguished by flow cytometry analysis and several lineage differentiation potentials. To identify the effect of PG on hPDLSCs' viability, an MTT assay was performed. hPDLSCs were maintained in osteogenic induction medium with varying concentrations of PG. At the end of the induction period, osteogenesis was assessed using Alizarin Red staining, ALP assay, and qRT-PCR to determine …

Constraining The Tectono-Climatic Evolution Of The Northern Rocky Mountains: Insights From Volcanic Glass, Leaf Water, And Leaf Wax Hydrogen Isotopes, Rijumon Nandy

Earth & Environmental Sciences Dissertations

The Eocene-Oligocene period in the North American Cordillera represents a period of great intrigue with complex interactions among tectonics, climate, and surface processes. Although this period is generally associated with synorogenic extension associated with gravitational collapse of the Cordillera, the paleotopographic history remains debated. Existing studies offer conflicting interpretations, suggesting either sustained elevations or modest uplift during this time. Notably, recent reconstructions based on volcanic glass δD values have proposed renewed uplift during the early Oligocene, which needs to be tested with a more extensive and robust dataset. Concurrently, global cooling and aridification during this interval may have been amplified …

The Critical Role Of Near-Surface Dynamics In Identifying Spawning Areas Of Atlantic Bluefin Tuna In The Gulf Of Mexico, Donald R. Johnson, William J. Teague, Harriet Perry, James S. Franks

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Atlantic Bluefin Tuna, Thunnus thynnus (ABFT), migrate long distances to broadcast spawn in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) basin, the Mediterranean Sea and the Slope Sea (NW Atlantic). These areas have commonalities including a highly dynamic upper ocean eddy environment that draws nutrients from shallow thermoclines and adjacent continental shelves and can provide temporal sanctuaries from some larval predators. In the GOM basin, the Loop Current (LC) and its energetic spin—off eddies sweep weak swimming predators such as jellyfish (Pelagia noctiluca) into lines and aggregations, leaving relatively open areas as temporal sanctuaries for ABFT larvae during the vulnerable …

Oyster Drill (Stramonita Haemastoma Complex) Habitat Preferences In A Shallow Coastal Estuary, Coen Mcgarrah, Cynthia Lupton, Eric Sparks, Jennifer L. Debose

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Southern oyster drill snails (Stramonita haemastoma complex) are nuisance organisms within the Gulf of Mexico. This is due to their damaging impact on recovering and farmed oyster (Crassostrea virginica) populations, which are one of the drills’ main food sources. Oyster reef recovery and increased aquaculture production are priorities for Mississippi and the wider northern Gulf coast. The Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) hosts multiple oyster reef restoration sites within its boundaries, yet no comprehensive survey of oyster drill abundance has been conducted in this area to date. Additionally, knowledge of oyster drill preferences for sediment …

First Photo-Identification Resighting Of A Male Sperm Whale (Physeter Macrocephalus) Between Guadeloupe, Lesser Antilles And Andøya, Northern Norway, Rocío Prieto González, Lisa Steiner, Zoë Morange, Tiu Similä, Marten Brill, Cédric Millon, Laurent Bouveret

Gulf and Caribbean Research

No abstract provided.

Bayesian Multivariate Modelling Of Lone Star (Amblyomma Americanum) Tick Life Stage Abundance And Temporal Trends To Inform Public Health Risk In Virginia, Thabo Lephoto, Henry Mwambi, Oliver Bodhlyera, Holly Gaff

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The increasing abundance of ticks poses a growing public health concern due to heightened human exposure to tick bites. The lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum: Ixodida: Ixodidae), a common human-biting species in the United States, has expanded its range in recent years. However, how its different life stages vary across time, habitats, and locations remains insufficiently understood. We analyzed tick abundance data collected in southeastern Virginia between 2009 and 2018, focusing on larval, nymphal, and adult life stages. A Bayesian multivariate modelling framework was used to examine seasonal patterns, habitat effects, spatial variation, and biological links between life stages. Two …

Geography Of Erasure: Manufactured Housing, Heat Exposure, And State Neglect In Florida, Gianna M. Hutton

Pomona Senior Theses

This thesis examines Florida's manufactured housing communities through the intersecting frameworks of energy justice, critical heat studies, and housing displacement scholarship, centering how structural, political, and economic forces shape uneven exposure to thermal insecurity and housing precarity. Using a mixed-methods approach combining statistical regression analysis of American Community Survey microdata (2019-2023) and spatial case study of Miami-Dade County's heat governance and The Li'l Abner Mobile Home Community’s displacement, this research investigates how manufactured housing residents experience compounded exclusions across energy systems, urban heat governance, and housing security. The findings reveal that manufactured home residents face a 26% higher energy burden …

Art Heals Chicago: Murals On The South Side Of Xicágo, Brenda Rodriguez

Pomona Senior Theses

Mural making as a collective art form is a tool for healing, resistance, and cultural pride in Black and Brown communities. With my focus being on Mexican American communities on the South Side of Chicago, specifically Pilsen. I make ties to indigenous motifs and the history of Mexican Muralism to show how it has evolved and how murals in the 1960s and 70s were used for healing from violence and the revolution. Murals that include images that reference the Mesoamerican past and preconquest life are a powerful way of reclaiming one’s identity and asserting one's indigeneity in the present and …

Feral Horses And Native Ungulates: Evaluating The Potential For Competition In Predator–Prey Communities Of Alberta’S Upper Foothills, Birch Gano

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Feral herbivores are expanding in range and numbers globally, yet their community-level effects in ecosystems are poorly resolved. We evaluated whether feral horses reshape predator–prey–vegetation dynamics in Alberta’s Upper Foothills, Canada, through two pathways; i) potential exploitative competition for forage and ii) apparent competition via shared predators. We combined fecal DNA metabarcoding with remote wildlife cameras to quantify diets, spatiotemporal co-occurrence, and the role of horses in carnivore diet. We analyzed 241 ungulate scats (feral horses, elk, bighorn sheep, cattle, moose, and deer), 96 combined camera-years at 23 sites, and 190 carnivore scats (wolves, cougars, coyotes, bears) from 2023–2025. The …

Initial Qualitative Inquiry Into Social Proverb Use And Acceptability, Emma K. Hinds

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Currently,  1 in 36 individuals are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which is characterized by social communication differences and restricted and/or repetitive behaviors. Many children with ASD also present with sensory, behavioral, and emotional differences, underscoring the need for specialized, evidence-based interventions. Social proverb is a novel intervention approach developed by Dr. Schoffer Closson that provides in-the-moment guidance by explicitly stating expected social behaviors and the rationale behind them (e.g., “We cover our coughs, so we don’t spread germs”). To date, no research has examined the use of social proverbs as an intervention strategy. The purpose of this qualitative …

From Environment To Population Dynamics: Integrating Physiology, Morphology, And Demography In A Montane Migratory Bird, Beverly Sunshine Domschot

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Environmental variation shapes population dynamics by influencing how individuals acquire and allocate resources. However, the pathways linking environmental conditions to population-level outcomes remain difficult to resolve because they operate across multiple levels of biological organization. Traits such as physiology and morphology mediate these relationships by shaping how individuals respond to challenges and convert resources into survival and reproduction. Physiological traits can change rapidly in response to short-term conditions, whereas morphological traits reflect longer-term processes related to performance and energy balance. Despite their complementary roles, these traits are typically studied in isolation, limiting our ability to understand how environmental conditions propagate …

Embodied Women’S Health In The Pacific: Biocultural Pathways Of Hormones, Immunity, And Reproduction, Courtney Callidora Manthey

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This dissertation examines women’s health through a biocultural framework that integrates biological anthropology, medical anthropology, and public health, with a central focus on the Pacific. It advances embodiment theory as a unifying approach for understanding how lived experience becomes biologically incorporated across the life course, shaping reproductive, endocrine, and immune outcomes. Grounded in research in Sāmoa and situated within broader comparative contexts in the United States and Amazonian populations, this work argues that women’s health cannot be fully understood through biomedical indicators alone, but must instead be interpreted within historically, culturally, and environmentally embedded Pacific contexts and beyond. The dissertation …

“What’S Gender Got To Do With It?” The Chatelaine, Artifact Analysis, And The Presumption Of Gender, Dane Alexander Williams

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The use of diagnostic artifacts to determine gender when analysis of skeletal remains is uncertain is a long-standing practice within archaeology. Material culture is noted, including weapons and personal items used exclusively by a specific gender within a culture, allowing for possible gender determination during excavation or review. However, issues arise when diagnostic artifacts are found not to be used solely by one gender within these cultures. Biases on the part of researchers, unintentional though they may be, are a determining factor. This, in turn, affects the public's views on history. Examples of this can be seen in our current …