Digital Commons Network^™

[2026 Honorable Mention] Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary, Daylyn R. Reese

Ethnic Studies Research Paper Award

This research offers unique insights into the creation and development of the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary (N.M.S.) with a focus on indigenous populations’ roles (primarily Chumash and Costanoan). In this episode, I analyze what makes this NMS different from every NMS precluding it, how it recognizes a new goal in conservation (thrivability), and the areas in which improvements still must be made to authentically include and honor indigenous voices.

Current Status Of Anthelmintic Resistance In Meat Goats: A Comparative Efficacy Study Of Albendazole And Fenbendazole In Maha Sarakham, Thailand, Minta Pipatsakulpak, Usanisa Boonum, Kotchakorn Roongruang, Benjawan Sae-Chue, Sukanya Leethongdee, Songsak Chumpawadee, Nattaya Watwiengkam, Pongphol Pongthaisong

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

Anthelmintic resistance in gastrointestinal nematodes threatens sustainable goat production globally. While resistance is well-documented in many regions, data from Thailand remain limited. This study determined the prevalence of gastrointestinal nematodes and assessed the efficacy of albendazole and fenbendazole in meat goats in Maha Sarakham province, northeastern Thailand. A two-stage cross-sectional study was conducted on 10 meat goat farms between August 2021 and March 2022. In Stage 1, fecal samples from 150 goats were examined using simple flotation and sedimentation techniques to identify parasite morphology. In Stage 2, the McMaster technique was employed to quantify fecal egg counts (FEC). Twenty-six goats …

Exploring The Halal Perspectives On Animal Excrement And Its Renewable Energy Products, Ahmad Munjin Nasikh, Nur Faizin, Eli Hendrik Sanjaya, Achmad Sultoni, Cecep Soleh Kurniawan

Nusantara Halal Journal

Energy consumption continues to increase following the escalation of economic growth worldwide. The U.S. Energy Information Administration predicts global energy consumption will increase by 50% from 2018 to 2050, with the highest increase in Asia. But up to recently, coal and oil are still the primary sources of energy. Thus, a novel and renewable alternative energy is a necessity. Biomass is one of the most abundant renewable energy sources that come from various sources. However, the Muslim world population feels the need for an answer to the halal status of this energy source. This paper examines Islamic classical and modern …

Potential Protective Effects Of Okra (Abelmoschus Esculentus) Seed Oil Against Cadmium-Induced Oxidative Lipid Damage In Male Rats, Amani Ahmad Rifai Filimban, Nada Abdulkareem Batais

The Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Science

Objectives: To investigate the protective effect of okra seed oil against cadmium-induced toxicity in male Wistar rats.

Methods: Twenty-four male Wistar rats (8-weeks old, average 120g) were divided into four groups (n=6): Control/ Received deionized water. Cadmium/ Received 5 mg/kg/day of cadmium chloride (CdCl₂) orally. Okra Seed Oil/ Treated with 800 mg/kg/day of okra seed oil. Okra Seed Oil + Cadmium/ Received okra seed oil followed three hours later by CdCl₂. Treatments were given daily. Lipid profiles and antioxidant markers were measured to assess metabolic effects.

Results: Cadmium exposure caused significant dyslipidemia, characterized by elevated levels …

Insect Succession And Habitat Influence On Decomposition In Yanbu Industrial City, Western Saudi Arabia: A Baseline Study For Forensic Application, Abdullah A. Daghar, Abdullah G. Alghamdi, Majed S. Alrefaei

The Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Science

Forensic entomology plays a vital role in medico-legal investigations by providing key insights into post-mortem interval (PMI) estimation through the ecological succession and developmental patterns of necrophagous insects. Despite global advancements in this field, forensic entomological data in arid regions such as Saudi Arabia remains scarce and fragmented. This study investigates the diversity, abundance, and seasonal fluctuations of forensically important insect taxa across four ecologically distinct environments,desert, coastal, agricultural, and urban in Yanbu Industrial City, western Saudi Arabia. Field experiments were conducted using rabbit carcasses as decomposition models, exposed systematically across seasons. Insects were collected and morphologically identified. Results revealed …

Heavy Metal Contamination In Red Sea Hamour Fish: Bioaccumulation Patterns, Toxicological Impacts, And Microbial Community Disruption, Haifa O. Aljuhani, Osamah A. Ahmad, Ashwaq R. Almohammadi

The Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Science

Red Sea heavy metal pollution lately poses a serious threat to human health and ecological integrity. The present research review examines the several effects of heavy metal contamination on the economically important Hamour fish (Epinephelus spp.), a major bioindicator species because of its benthic feeding habit and great bioaccumulation potential. Where the industrial activities, hydrocarbon exploration, desalination effluent, and coastal urbanization have produced continuous pollution vectors, promoting bioaccumulation via gill absorption, food intake, and dermal absorption in Hamour tissues. Our work demonstrates complicated toxicological effect comprising oxidative stress, hematological malfunction, immunosuppression, neurotoxicity, reproductive impairment, and genotoxic damage. Consequently, heavy …

The Effect Of Black Pepper (Piper Nigrum) Extract On Lipid Profile In Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats, Amani A.R. Filimban, Khulud A. Wathi

The Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Science

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the hypolipidemic effect of black pepper (Piper nigrum) aqueous extract on lipid profile parameters in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats.

Methods: Eighteen adult male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to three groups: a control group, a diabetic group induced by STZ, and a diabetic group treated with black pepper extract (50 mg/kg/day) for 30 days. Total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels were measured using ELISA. Statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA with Tukey's post hoc test and effect size estimation.

Results: The diabetic group exhibited significantly …

Selective Separation Of Eriochrome Black T Onto Cork From Marine And Tap Waters: Kinetic, Isotherm And Thermodynamic Study, M. A. Alsolami, Z. M. Saigl

The Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Science

Synthetic dye contamination of waterways poses a serious threat to human health and the environment. Eriochrome Black T (EBT) is a persistent azo dye that is especially dangerous because of its toxicity and chemical stability. This study evaluates cork as a cost-effective and environmentally responsible biosorbent for the removal of EBT from aquatic systems. Experimental observations confirmed that adsorption equilibrium was achieved within 25 minutes at an optimal pH of 4. Kinetic using pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, and Elovich models revealed that the pseudo-second-order model yielded the most accurate fit (k₂ = 0.2482 g/mg.min), implying that chemisorption is the primary …

Diversification Of Ghost Electric Fishes (Gymnotiformes, Apteronotidae) In Tropical South America: How Traits And Environmental Factors Constrain Macroevolutionary Diversification, Jonathan Gifford Allen

Doctoral Dissertations

Neotropical electric fishes (Apteronotidae) display remarkable phenotypic and ecological diversity, offering an exceptional system for studying macroevolutionary processes in freshwater environments. Here I investigate the morphological, ecological, and historical factors shaping diversification in the clade Navajini, with a focus on craniofacial evolution, species delimitation, and biogeographic patterns. First, using high-resolution micro-CT scans, 3D geometric morphometrics, and phylogenetic comparative methods, I analyze skull shape variation across Navajini. Key traits resulting from heterocephaly exhibit strong phylogenetic signal and reflect functional differentiation among genera. Sexual dimorphism contributes significantly to cranial disparity in some lineages, while others show conserved, modular patterns likely tied to …

The Relationship Between The Environment And Pollution With Surgical Outcomes And Disparities, Wendelyn Marie Oslock

ETDs from 2020-2029

Air pollution exposure has been linked to many surgically managed diseases and adverse health events that occur in the postoperative period. Despite this, the impact of air pollution on postoperative recovery is poorly understood. This knowledge gap may be one of the underlying mechanisms for persistent disparities in surgical outcomes. Previous studies have found racial and economic disparities in air pollution exposure. These same communities have been shown to experience worse surgical outcomes. The goal of this thesis is to explore if exposure to air pollution impacts surgical outcomes and determine if disparities in socioeconomic factors impact this relationship. The …

Distribution, Abundance And Habitat Utilization Of Sea Turtles In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, With An Emphasis On Coastal Mississippi, Theresa Rose Madrigal

ETDs from 2020-2029

The Gulf of Mexico represents important habitat for a variety of sea turtle species. This includes habitats for the various life history stages ranging from the oceanic stage of hatchling and post-hatchling turtles, neritic subadults, to the adult foraging and reproduc-tive stages. In contrast to many areas of the Gulf of Mexico, there has been a limited amount of data reported on sea turtle nesting as well as sea turtle foraging and develop-mental habitat in the north central Gulf of Mexico. This thesis includes two studies which investigate the importance of the coastal areas of Mississippi as sea turtle habitat. …

Bad Mothers In Translation: Early Motherhood In Contemporary Turkish Editions, Merve Sevtap Süren

Journal of Feminist Scholarship

This article examines how three recent Anglophone novels of early motherhood, namely, Szilvia Molnar’s The Nursery (as Süt Lekesi), Rachel Yoder’s Nightbitch (as Gece Kancığı), and Claire Kilroy’s Soldier Sailor (as Asker ile Denizci), circulate in Turkish translation in a context shaped by pronatalist moral economies. Pairing peritextual analysis (covers, back-cover copy, blurbs, and bio notes) with close readings of selected key scenes of postpartum crisis, feral transformation, and toddler-year burnout, I show how Turkish editions both render and manage maternal negativity: translation choices modulate voice, affect, and register, while peritexts frame these mothers for local readability …

Performing Nefertiti: Feminist Afterlives Across Museum, Digital, And Cosmetic Cultures, Zaryab Khan

Journal of Feminist Scholarship

This article examines the afterlives of Nefertiti’s bust as performances that stage the intersections of gender, empire, and visual culture. Moving beyond biographical reconstruction, it argues that the bust operates as a repertoire of performances continually re-scripted across cultural sites. Three case studies structure the analysis: the staging of Nefertiti in Berlin’s Neues Museum, which performs colonial possession and the aestheticization of feminine beauty; the digital intervention The Other Nefertiti (2015), which performs resistance through the circulation of unauthorized 3D scans; and the cosmetic “Nefertiti lift,” which performs the queen’s visage through contemporary bodies, inscribing antiquity as a template for …

“Subjugated Knowledge And Narrative Justice”: An Interview With Grace M. Cho, Anupama Arora, Yuni Kim

Journal of Feminist Scholarship

No abstract provided.

From Dysbiosis To Resistome: Antibiotic-Driven Selection Pressure And Multi-Class Resistance Gene Enrichment In The Autism Gut Microbiota, Dalia Abuljadayel, Reem Farsi, Bodoor Alotibi, Asma Almuhammadi

The Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Science

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is associated with alterations in the composition of the gut microbiota, which have been implicated in neurological manifestations via the gut–brain axis. Early-life exposure to antibiotics constitutes a key environmental factor shaping microbiota development; however, the resistome profile underlying ASD-associated dysbiosis remains insufficiently defined. In this metagenomic investigation, we assessed the abundance and diversity of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in fecal samples obtained from four children with ASD and their four neurotypical siblings. High-throughput shotgun sequencing generated 10-15 Gb of data per sample. Resistome characterization was performed using the Comprehensive Antibiotic Resistance Database (CARD) and the …

Saudi Vision 2030: How Can Mobile Pet/Ct Imaging Enhance Healthcare Delivery In Saudi Arabia?, Khalid G. Alsafi, Mahmoud A. Ahmed, Omar F. Iskanderani, Amirah A. Alolaymi, Arwa A. Alahdal, Hadeel H. Sofi, Shahd I. Almzarqah, Tala S. Shaath, Samia F. Aboushoushah

The Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Science

Objective: To address the PET/CT scanner shortage in Saudi Arabia amid rising cancer incidence by evaluating a mobile PET/CT unit. This study quantifies cancer burden and projected scanner needs by region and simulates radiation safety using American Association of Physicists in Medicine Task Group-108 (AAPM TG-108) guidelines. Methods: Cancer data (2001–2020) were extrapolated to 2030 using an exponential model. PET/CT distribution was analyzed against population projections to estimate needs at one scanner per 500,000 people. A mobile PET/CT using Fluorine-18 was modeled per AAPM TG-108. Dose distribution was calculated for 40 patients per week, using 555 MBq 18F-FDG per patient …

Fabrication Of Two-Dimensional Optoelectrical Devices, Holly Walworth

Honors Projects

Optoelectrical devices enable the exploration of interesting quantum states observed in two-dimensional (2D) condensed material systems. 2D materials, such as graphene and transition metal dichalcogenides, exhibit unique electronic properties, including the Fractional Quantum Anomalous Hall effect (FQAHE). The realization of the FQAHE offers a pathway toward topological quantum computing via non-Abelian anyons. Still, fabricating high-quality 2D optoelectrical devices remains a significant experimental challenge. Using mechanical exfoliation and stacking techniques within an inert argon environment, we attempted to fabricate optoelectrical devices using twisted molybdenum ditelluride (tMoTe2) and gallium telluride (GaTe). Three devices were successfully assembled; however, structural defects including hexagonal boron …

The Alaska Wolf War: Action On The Prince Of Wales Island Complex, Edward A. Fitzgerald

Alaska Law Review

This Article examines Alaska's management of the Alexander Archipelago wolf on the Prince of Wales Island Complex, pursuant to constitutional and statutory requirements. It begins by reviewing the history of unsuccessful efforts to declare the wolf a threatened or endangered species under the Endangered Species Act. It then analyzes Bennett v. State, which focused on the changed management regime and devastating wolf harvest of the 2019–20 season. The Article argues that the district and Alaska Supreme Court's decisions in the case were flawed because they failed to properly implement the "hard look" doctrine.

Trial Of Oxaloacetate In Als (Toals), Katie Lillig, Andrew Heim, Jeffrey Statland, Mazen M. Dimachkie, Russell H. Swerdlow, Sachini P. Karunaratne, In-Young Choi, Phil Lee, Edina Kosa, Abdulbaki Agbas, Heather M. Wilkins, Richard J. Barohn, Omar Jawdat

Faculty and Staff Publications

Background: Mitochondrial dysfunction is a critical therapeutic target in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Oxaloacetate (OAA) is a promising candidate therapy as it crosses the blood brain barrier, reaches motor neurons, and enhances mitochondrial bioenergetics with positive preclinical data in ALS.

Methods: We conducted a prospective, phase 1B, dose escalation study using a standard 3+3 design to assess the safety profile and determine the maximum tolerated dose. Dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) was defined as any serious adverse event (SAE) requiring hospitalization or any adverse event (AE) attributed to OAA that required discontinuation of the medication. Dosages evaluated started at 1000 mg twice …

Protecting Bearded Seals In Alaska: The Esa, Critical Habitat Designations, And Climate Change, Caitlyn Leary

Alaska Law Review

Rapid climate change in the Arctic has accelerated the loss of sea ice, threatening the survival of one of Alaska's most vital species: the bearded seal. In 2012, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) listed the bearded seal as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Ten years later, the agency designated approximately 174 million acres of occupied critical habitat for the seals on the northern coast of Alaska, along the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort Seas. NMFS reasoned that a large designation was necessary to account for the dynamic and seasonal nature of sea ice. In 2024, however, the U.S. …

The Malaugh Operations And The Quadratic Invariant Gaps Of $\Si_4^C$, Forrest M. Hilton

ETDs from 2020-2029

Connected Julia sets of polynomials generally correspond to laminations, sets of chords of the unit disc that reflect the dynamics of the Julia set. If the circle is measured in revolutions and the polynomials studied are of degree $d$, then the dynamics on the lamination is given by the covering map $\sigma_d(t) := td \pmod 1$ where chords are mapped by their end points. Every lamination has at least one laminational invariant set, which is loosely an invariant complementary component of the lamination. That set has a significant impact on the shape of the Julia set. James Malaugh showed how …

Multispecies Mutualistic Resilience: Riverine Lifeworlds Along The Irrawaddy River, Phyo Su San, Maya Kóvskaya

Forest and Society

This article advances the concept of multispecies mutualistic resilience to analyze how human and more-than-human communities in Myanmar's Irrawaddy Delta navigate ecological rupture under conditions of extractive infrastructure and climate crisis. Drawing on ethnographic research in the Ywar Thit village tract, including life-story and semi-structured interviews, digital ethnography, and analysis of vernacular cultural texts, we examine how deltaic communities attune to kaing grasses (Saccharum spontaneum) as land-making agents and vernacular indexical signs of alluvial transformation, and the Irrawaddy River as a living semiosic and material force. Rather than treating resilience as a return to prior equilibrium or as …

Rfc - Request For Information - Waste Rock Dump Stormwater Runoff Collection System Substitution, Molly Roby

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Interview With Charles 'Chuck' A. Malloy Iii, Charles 'Chuck' A. Malloy Iii, Logan Dovalina

Rio Grande Valley Oral Histories

This oral history transcript (dated June 4, 2026, Laguna Vista, TX) features Charles A. “Chuck” Malloy III, a prominent South Texas horticulturist, Master Gardener, and longtime President of the Palm Society of South Texas. Interviewed by Logan Dovalina for the Rio Grande Valley Legacy Anthology, Vol. 1, Malloy recounts his life journey—from his 1953 birth in Tallahassee, Florida, as a military “Army brat,” early inspiration from his grandfather’s forestry and camellia work, and youthful gardening experiences, to military service during Vietnam, college on the GI Bill, and a full career followed by retirement in 2013.

The interview details his …

Abundance And The Supreme Court, Nicholas Bagley

Articles

Scarcity mars much of American life. Housing prices in our most productive cities are out of control. The nation’s transportation infrastructure is aging and obsolete because it costs so much more to build here than in other developed countries. Meanwhile, China generates nearly three times as much solar energy as the United States, with the gap growing every year.

Why does the richest nation in the history of the world struggle so mightily to get stuff done? That’s the question that propels Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson’s 2025 bestseller Abundance, which galvanized what may be the hottest and most controversial …

Hypertension And Pneumonia: A Retrospective Analysis On The Length Of Stay, Cassandra Blau, Diana Hamdan, Peter Reisdorf, Brandon Shin, Jack T. Adcock, Nova Beyersdorfer, Kerry Johnson, John Paulson

Student Publications

Background: Pneumonia is a serious respiratory infection that affects patients across all age groups. While it typically responds to treatment, patients with pre-existing comorbidities are at increased risk of poor outcomes. Hypertension (HTN) is a common condition that may coexist in patients with pneumonia. Although pneumonia and HTN have been studied separately, there is limited evidence regarding their combined effect on clinical outcomes, including hospital length of stay (LOS), treatment duration, and recovery trajectory.

Objectives: Identifying factors that influence the length of hospital stay in patients with pneumonia is essential for addressing the burden of hospitalization on both patients and …

Growing Pains: The Loss Of Plasticity To Extreme Anoxia In Developing Embryos Of Austrofundulus Limnaeus, Patrick Ryan Clouser

Dissertations and Theses

Oxygen plays a pivotal role for most animal life on Earth, so much so that even short exposures to no oxygen, anoxia, can have severe effects on the animal's wellbeing. Conversely, aerobic recovery after anoxic insult can be just as detrimental. Some animals are the exception to this rule and demonstrate survival through anoxia and recovery. There has been a great deal of research around anoxia tolerant animals, but what remains unclear are the genetic underpinnings that determine the anoxia tolerant phenotype. RNA sequencing allows for the quantification of RNA transcripts within a sample, which can indicate if a gene …

Fake: The Rise Of Food Fraud In The Halal Supply Chain, Adam Voak

Nusantara Halal Journal

We live in increasingly challenging economic times, and the concomitant uncertainty associated with this state within the food industry has led to an emergence of unscrupulous suppliers and supply chain actors committing Halal food fraud. As Halal food supply chains become increasingly complex and global and as the sector continues to develop and grow, more significant opportunities arise for unprincipled practice. Further, catering to rising consumption and the resultant increased demand for Halal products and services means consumers in Halal supply chains are particularly vulnerable to fraud, adulteration and unwitting contamination as global demand outstrips supply. Certification and its associated …

Development Of Gelatin From Halal And Alternative Sources: A Review, Farhani Ahmad, Musfirah Azmi, Nurhamieza Md Huzir, Norhidayu Muhamad Zain

Nusantara Halal Journal

Gelatin is a common ingredient used in various industrial sectors including food and beverage, cosmetic, pharmaceutical as well as biomedical. Due to inexpensive processing cost and shorter processing time, porcine becomes the main source of gelatin. Thus, the application of this ingredient creates several problems especially issues related to its halal status among Muslim community. The present study aims at reviewing the development of gelatin from halal sources and their potential as alternatives to substitute the sources of non-halal gelatins. The applications of gelatin in food industry and the current issues on halal gelatin have been discussed in detail. The …

Utilizing Deep Learning To Generate Biomorphic Furniture Design: A Generative Approach, Asmaa Medhat Abd El Aziz Mostafa, Doaa Abdelrahman Mohamed Goda, Dalia Mohamed Ezzat

Journal of Art, Design and Music

This research paper highlights the relatively unexplored potential of deep learning, a branch of artificial intelligence, to radically transform design in general, and specifically in the field of furniture design, by creating new design concepts inspired by living organisms such as marine biology. The main objective of this research is to explore the role of deep learning and artificial intelligence as tools for generating innovative and novel furniture designs inspired by marine organisms (marine biology). The research followed experimental methodology through a prompt engineering-based protocol, using ChatGPT-4 to produce an optimized prompt to be subsequently used on the (Prome AI) …