Digital Commons Network^™

From Shock To Routine: The Evolving Impact Of Shutdown-Related Sentiment On Stock Markets, Yiran Shao

Honors Theses

To address gaps in existing research, this paper selects two U.S. government shutdown periods, 2018-2019 and 2025, as research samples to explore the effect of policy uncertainty on sentiment. This paper primarily analyzes the following two research questions.

First, what is the correlation between government shutdown-related sentiment during the shutdown period and daily market fluctuations? Specifically, can the sentiment index constructed from shutdown-related news effectively predict the next-day stock return during the event period?

Second, does the market have a learning effect? That is, between 2018-2019 and 2025, has the relationship between shutdown-related emotions and market outcomes weakened, shortened the …

Borrowing By Committee: An Analysis Of The Link Between Government Type And Sovereign Debt, René Polanco

Honors Theses

Previous literature is divided about the impact of democracy on sovereign debt. In the context of the third wave of autocratization (Lührmann & Lindberg, 2019), this paper uses a new dataset (the Episodes of Regime Transformation) focused on regime transitions to analyze the impact of democracy and regime change on the levels of sovereign debt for a panel of 167 nations between 2008 and 2024. I examine how democracy impacts debt level, borrowing, and debt service and dovetail these results with analogous ones regarding how states of transition impact the same measures. By including this extra wrinkle of government transition, …

Mass Homicides And Mass Shootings: Comparisons, Trends, And Unpacking Further, Stefana E. Lotempio

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Mass shootings have garnered more public attention in recent years, in large part due to their increase in both frequency and lethality. Despite public concern, policy and prevention efforts have remained limited and have not yet resulted in a decrease in these events. Understanding mass shootings as a subset of mass murder will help identify how mass shootings are unique from other mass murders, which will help to identify more effective prevention tactics. Additionally, exploring mass shooting trends in the context of homicide trends and other crime trends will illuminate patterns that can be used to inform policy and prevention …

Beyond Exposure: Belief In Police Misinformation, Media Consumption, And Support For Policing Reform, Linda Balcarova Dietz

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

In today’s post-truth era, misinformation has become a central feature of modern society. While not a new phenomenon, the 2024 Presidential election demonstrated what a serious problem it represents, as public perceptions were driven more by information they received (true or false) than by objective social conditions. Policing is one of the most debated topics in criminal justice, dividing public opinion along partisan and racial lines. Studies show that the information people receive about police shapes their attitudes, yet criminologists have largely overlooked how misinformation may influence those views. This dissertation fills that gap by experimentally testing how exposure to …

Meeting The Moment: A Human Rights–Based Approach To Academic Freedom, Anna Crowe, Glenn Mitoma, Kathleen Cavanaugh, Kristina Eberbach, Gergana Halpern, Amanda Lyons, Johanna Sirera Ransmeier, Kaushik Sunder Rajan, Carrie Booth Walling

Articles

The second Trump administration’s attacks on universities have illustrated both the importance of academic freedom to a robust democracy and the limitations of academic freedom’s traditional grounding in the First Amendment and the AAUP’s 1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure. This essay shifts the understanding of academic freedom to a human rights perspective and highlights the significance of academic freedom to human rights centers and institutes operating within universities across the country. International human rights standards conceive of academic freedom as a stand-alone human right that draws on and supports a range of other human rights, notably …

Adult Learners' Perspectives Of Ai Applications In Supporting Andragogy, Jinhee Kim, Xi Lin, Seongryeong Yu, Rita Detrick

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Emerging roles and capabilities of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies have the potential to support andragogical education and enhance learning experience for adult learners (ALs). However, the effective use of AI to support multifaceted components of andragogy including involvement, experience, problem-centered, relevance remains under explored. Furthermore, research on AI design principles to support ALs and andragogy is limited. This study, therefore, aims to investigate ALs perceptions of AI applications in enhancing andragogy and to explore the essential design principles of AI systems for andragogy. To this end, the study conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 ALs facilitated by 11 scenarios of AI …

Impacts Of Segmenting Principle On Learner Performance And Attitude In A 3d Environment: A Mixed-Method Multiple Case Study, Kristin Herman, Mohan Yang, Jim Shifflet, Noah Glaser

STEMPS Faculty Publications

This study presents a conceptual replication of Moreno’s (Appl Cogn Psychol 21:765–781. 10.1002/acp.1348, 2007) study on the benefits of adhering to the segmentation principle when utilizing multimedia learning objects. Furthermore, this study expands upon the original by taking place in a low-immersive virtual reality environment, allowing for further understanding on the extent to which multimedia principles are still relevant. Both a synchronous and an asynchronous case are presented. Results indicate benefits for both cases in far transfer of learning. Furthermore, synchronous learners indicated a significant reduction in cognitive load and increased overall attitudes towards learning due to segmented instruction.

Using Ai-Generated Multimedia To Teach Leisure Choice Making, Charles Thull

STEMPS Faculty Publications

This learning representation introduces an AI-developed, multimedia assessment for identifying leisure preferences among middle school students with developmental disabilities. Grounded in instructional design, ecological systems, and multimedia learning theories, the activity integrates ChatGPT, InVideo AI, Sora, DALL·E, and Gemini to create guided-choice visuals, short videos, and a structured, teacher-facilitated paired-choice activity using visual prompts across home, school, and community interest contexts. The technology-developed design fosters engagement, accessibility, and self-expression as students participate in a structured, teacher-facilitated paired-choice activity. Outcomes include enhanced student voice in leisure planning, increased self-awareness, and the identification of potential leisure interests. Assessments include student responses to …

“So They Know The Library Is A Space For Them”: School Librarians’ Understandings And Perspectives On The Significance Of Diverse Representation In Book Collections, Kim R. Krutka

STEMPS Faculty Publications

This exploratory survey distributed to Texas school librarians was designed to gain insight into the significance of diverse representation in school libraries based on school librarians’ understandings and perceptions. Rudine Sims Bishop’s metaphor of books as “mirrors and windows” was a foundation for this study. Foundational and critical literature related to this metaphor and diverse representation as well as an interpretivist approach were used to guide the methods and analysis. Conclusions from this study support a narrative of school libraries related to diverse representation through four themes: librarians center students in practices and decision-making; librarians believe in the power of …

A Comparison Of Conversational Chatbots And The Internet For Consumer Information Search, Wondwesen Tafesse, Yoseph Mamo

STEMPS Faculty Publications

This study compares consumer perceptions of conversational chatbots and the internet for information search. While the internet is a mature platform, conversational chatbots represent an emerging technology, and insight into how consumers view them in relation to the internet for information search is lacking. Drawing on the information source utility perspective, the study builds a comparative model based on four key dimensions: information currency, information customisation, information trustworthiness, and media richness. Additionally, the study investigates consumers’ prior experience with conversational chatbots as a moderating factor. Data was collected from 191 respondents recruited through MTurk. Paired sample t-tests assessed mean differences …

Soybean Meal Quality: Key Quality Control Parameters And Current Recommended Thresholds For In Vitro Assessments, Benjamin Parsons

Proceedings of the Arkansas Nutrition Conference

These proceedings review the anti-nutritional factors of soybean meal and its resultant quality.  Numerous in vitro assays are discussed herein.  Recommendations from data on the most robust assays to assess both under and overprocessing of soybean meal are discussed.

Alzheimer's Disease Heterogeneity And Co-Pathologies: Defining Novel Targets, Biomarkers, Modalities, And Research Methodologies, Malú Gámez Tansey, Jorge J Llibre-Guerra, Suzanne E Schindler

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a biologically heterogeneous condition with vascular, proteinopathic, metabolic, and immune processes jointly shaping its clinical expression, trajectory of progression, and response to therapeutic intervention. Common AD co-pathologies such as cerebral amyloid angiopathy, Lewy body pathology, α-synuclein, and transactive response DNA-binding protein of 43 kDa (TDP-43)/limbic-predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy are also increasingly connected with cognitive decline and therapeutic response. Significant advances in biomarkers, including seed amplification assays, proteomic signatures, and emerging positron emission tomography tracers bolster the field's understanding of a biological staging model and discovery of previously unrecognized co-pathologies. The Fall 2025 Alzheimer's Association Research Roundtable …

Modulating Efferocytosis In The Intestinal Epithelial Cells During Colorectal Cancer, Laura Boeckaerts, Tania Løve Aaes, Evi Scheirlinckx, Sze Men Choi, Yunus Incik, Amanda Gonçalves, Tino Hochepied, Lars Vereecke, Kodi S Ravichandran

2020-Current year OA Pubs

INTRODUCTION: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the thirdmost common cancer and a leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, with over 1.9 million cases diagnosed in 2022. Due to poor response to classical cancer treatments, CRC is associated with low survival rates. This creates an urgent need for better understanding of CRC pathology. Cell death occurs continuously in solid tumors, and is also induced acutely, during chemotherapy. Dead cells are cleared by phagocytes via 'efferocytosis', an anti-inflammatory process that can lead to immune escape and reduced therapeutic efficacy. We hypothesized that efferocytosis might contribute to tumor development and that manipulating this process …

Cgrp Expression And Signaling Sensitization In A Mouse Model Of Chronic Oxaliplatin-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy, Junwei Du, Leland C Sudlow, Margaret H Johnson, Kanishk Satish, Abraham Villagomez, Hongzhen Hu, Mikhail Y Berezin

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a frequent and dose-limiting side effect of oxaliplatin treatment, yet its molecular mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Calcitonin gene-related peptide alpha (CGRPα, encoded by

Reframing The Sec’S Disqualification Waiver Decision-Making Process To Protect The Public Interest, Kayla A. Winters

Emory Law Journal

Federal securities law aims to protect investors and the public from fraudulent securities transactions. If an actor violates these laws, the public bears the costs through investor losses, market volatility, reduced economic activity and growth, and general distrust in the market. Entities that face securities enforcement for violations bear sanctions like civil monetary penalties and disgorgement of ill-gotten gains. They also experience collateral consequences, such as disqualifications, that are automatically triggered by the imposition of sanctions or criminal conduct. The purpose of disqualifications is to enable the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to safeguard investors and capital markets from issuers …

A Compulsory License Is Not Enough: How Implementing A Statutory Limit Can Reduce Costs And Increase Creativity In Music, Muntasir Ali

Emory Law Journal

Music sampling has been a staple in the hip-hop and electronic genres for decades, yet artists continue to struggle with legal and economic barriers to sampling others’ works without facing copyright infringement liability. Because copyright law recognizes two distinct types of copyrightable works for music—musical compositions and sound recordings—artists must clear both copyrights to have a legal sample. The existing sample licensing regime is prohibitively expensive, time-consuming, and convoluted, often creating a “holdout” problem where just one party can prevent the release of new, creative music. This has led to “cultural erasure” in the digital streaming era, where seminal works …

Open To The Public: Legal Protections For Public Access To Shifting Ocean And Great Lakes Shorelines, Emma Ehrlich, Cora Sutherland, Melissa Scanlan

Water Law Review

Shorelines and beaches are shifting and eroding as climate change causes ocean levels to rise and the Great Lakes to alternate between more erratic high and low water levels. Two common responses to shifting shorelines and erosion are hard shoreline armoring and beach nourishment. However, these responses raise concerns regarding access to public trust resources. Shoreline armoring can restrict public access to the oceans and Great Lakes, as well as diminish their sandy beaches. Government-funded beach nourishment projects may also take place near private homes, resulting in questions as to who is benefiting from these publicly funded projects.

This Article …

Synergistic Effect Of Combined Cisplatin And Rosmarinic Acid On Apoptosis And Migration Of Head And Neck Cancer Cell Lines, Suppanut Jongjitaree, Paopanga Kokilakanit

Journal of Dental Sciences

No abstract provided.

Osteoblastogenesis Stimulation By Human Umbilical Cord Stem Cell Secretome During Maxillary Expansion, Alexander Patera Nugraha, Guang Hong, Firdaus Hariri, I Gusti Aju Wahju Ardani, Adya Pramusita, Nurul Aisyah Rizky Putranti, Nindya Rizky Anjani Marhendra, Naora Dewi Rahma Fadzila, Ananda Firman Putranto, Muhammad Luthfi, Wibi Riawan, Putri Cahaya Situmorang, Rony Abdi Syahputra, Thantrira Porntaveetus, Khairul Anuar Shariff, Nissia Ananda, Maudina Dwi Heriasti, Kotaro Tanimoto

Journal of Dental Sciences

Background/purpose: Maxillary expansion induced by mechanical force (MEMF) is a standard orthodontic approach for correcting transverse maxillary deficiency. The human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell secretome (HUCMSC-S) has the potential to stimulate accelerate bone remodeling. This study aimed to evaluate local HUCMSC-S application effect during MEMF on the expression bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-2, BMP-4, BMP-7, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β), and fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) in a Wistar rat (Rattus norvegicus).

Materials and methods: Twenty-four healthy male Wistar rats (R. norvegicus) were randomly divided into four groups: …

Clawbacks As Ransomware Deterrence, Samantha Blond

Oklahoma Law Review

No abstract provided.

Anti-Slapp Confusion: Should Federal Courts Permit Interlocutory Appeal For Anti-Slapp Motions?, Mitchell L. Grantham

Oklahoma Law Review

No abstract provided.

Making Art For The Love Of The Game, Alissa Beth Burch

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

“Making Art for the Love of the Game” interweaves visual aesthetics from video games and associated online fan community practices with self-portraiture to reflect and process personal past medical trauma, a developmental period in online interactive environments, and showcases self-expressive fan content which joins an underrepresented and emerging sub-culture to contemporary art. Working through an interdisciplinary studio practice, combining printmaking, found-sticker collage, and painting refracts digital aesthetics found in online communities. I intentionally juxtaposed these physical modes of making with digital subjects to examine these subjects’ merit as artistic mediums.  It reflects a contemporary mode of art making, and acts …

Lucha Libre: Legends Of The Mask, Anthony J. Aguilar

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Lucha libre, also known as Mexican wrestling, is a cultural phenomenon whose history dates to 1933. Every wrestling match pits flamboyantly costumed and masked wrestlers (luchadores), classified as either the good guys (técnicos) or the bad guys (rudos), against each other in choreographed and dramatized battles. Although lucha libre is often seen as campy or “low brow” due to its exaggerated, theatrical style, this perception overlooks the deeper cultural significance and narrative potential inherent in the form. This thesis will explore the cultural evolution of lucha libre as a highly interactive themed ride attraction. By integrating guest participation through custom …

Un Lugar A Donde No Puedo Volver: Perteneciendo En La Distancia, Alberto J. Alonso

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

“A Place I Cannot Return To: Distance and Belonging” investigates how home is not limited to a fixed place, but instead a reconstruction sustained through memory and longing, which focuses on personal experiences of being away from Puerto Rico. I contribute to this broader dialogue by offering a deeply personal perspective shaped by the complexities of cultural belonging. Through photography, collage, and painting, my art practice reconstructs fragmented visual narratives of lived experience to explore homesickness, nostalgia, and displacement, examining how personal and shared histories become anchors to what continually slips away. Although I can physically return to Puerto Rico, …

Masculine Devotion And Moral Decay: The Paradox Of Chivalry In Malory's Le Morte Darthur, Julia Annunziato

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

This thesis investigates how, within Sir Thomas Malory’s Le Morte Darthur, the concept of chivalry as a literary construct is misunderstood and misrepresented by the knights who attempt to uphold it. Through a close reading of Le Morte, this paper concludes that Malory presents chivalry not as a coherent moral code, but as a paradoxical system that both promotes and undermines the values it claims to uphold. While chivalry is typically meant to emphasize honor, loyalty, and spiritual devotion, Malory’s narrative reveals how these ideals are compromised by structures of masculine competition, performative identity, homosocial desire, and corrupted …

Knowledge And Attitudes Of Medical Students About Research Methodology, Statistics, And Statistical Inference: An Assessment For Clinical Research Comprehension Skills, Laith Ashour, Lama Al-Mehaisen, Afnan Rababa, Osama Alrjoob, Moutaz Amayrh, Malak Al-Rabe'e, Qusai Al-Anasweh, Hala Al-Miqdadi, Nada Freihat, Mohammad Al Khreisha, Ala' Al Doaikat, Al-Mo'tasem Bellah Al-Rahamneh, Hamzeh Hatamleh, Fayez Zedat

Health Professions Education

Objectives: Medical students require a solid understanding of statistics in research papers. However, literature lacks sufficient studies on their proficiency, especially on Jordanian aspect. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study on 361 medical students to evaluate their attitudes toward statistics, their knowledge in research methodology, and their ability to correctly interpret commonly used statistics in medical research. Statistical attitudes were assessed using three scales (value, difficulty, and interest) from the SATS-36 scale. Additionally, a novel author's-validated scale was created to measure students' research methodology knowledge. The scale validity was assessed using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Multiple linear regression analysis was …

Viral And Host Cell Determinants Of Resistance To Complement-Mediated Killing During Parainfluenza Virus Type 5 Infection, Jenna R. Aquino

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

RNA viruses are a major global public health concern due to high mutation rates, zoonotic potential, and immune evasion. Parainfluenza virus 5 (PIV5) can establish persistent infections (PIs) despite encountering innate immune responses, including the complement (C′) system. RNA virus replication produces defective interfering particles (DIPs) containing truncated defective viral genomes (DVGs) that depend on standard (STD) virus for replication. DVGs are increasingly detected in natural infections and modulate type I interferon (IFN-I), but their role in the C′ system is unclear. We investigated how DVGs affect C′-mediated lysis during PIV5 infection using real-time in vitro cell viability assays. C′ …

Beyond Clinical: A Proposed Policy Literacy Pathway In Health Sciences Education, Zarina Syed

Health Professions Education

Purpose: Health sciences graduates require not only clinical competence but also the ability to interpret, engage with, and enact policy. Yet, undergraduate curricula often emphasize technical skills, leaving gaps in policy literacy. Method: This conceptual paper proposes a scaffolded Policy Literacy Pathway to progressively integrate policy understanding across health sciences curricula. Results: Policy is framed as a dynamic, context-dependent process, aligning global ethical frameworks such as the Sustainable Development Goals with regional legislation and professional regulations. The pathway comprises four stages: Encounter, Iterative Engagement, Critical Reflection, and Policy Enactment. These guide students from initial exposure to policy issues through analysis …

The Uncanny And Uneasy: An Exploration Into Using Puppets To Share Dark Stories, Grace Auls

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

In this thesis, I will explore the role of puppetry and practical effects in evoking the uncanny and the uneasy as well as questioning the implications they have in dark theater and cinematic contexts. This paper will examine how puppetry and practical effects can contribute to potentially disturbing and dark imagery both on screen and in live theater. I will be focusing on looking at Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal, as well as at different puppetry performances used in Voyage of the Little Mermaid (1992), Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared, Kirikou and the Sorceress (Kirikou et la Sorciere), and even …

Restoring Digital Trust: Decentralized Frameworks For Identity, Consent, And Media Provenance, Raghu N. Avula

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Digital platforms are deeply embedded in modern society through centralized network architectures. As online interactions transition to the physical world handling sensitive data, user privacy and cryptographic security require enhancement beyond traditional limits. This dissertation presents a decentralized “Tri-Layer Trust Architecture” that leverages Verifiable Trust Registries, Cryptographic Binding, and Edge Verification to prioritize data sovereignty and local authentication. To demonstrate the architecture’s applicability across distinct operational environments, we implement three solutions: (1) Verifiable Presence for peer-to-peer ride-sharing via D-RideX, which encrypts biometric data on physical hardware (TEEs) and Soulbound Tokens (SBTs) to prevent impersonation without cloud database exposure; (2) Verifiable …