Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring The Perceptions Of Black Nurse Educators Regarding Antiracist Pedagogy In Nursing Education, Deborah Ann Stallworth

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Racism remains a persistent issue in nursing, prompting calls to create more inclusive educational environments and confront racial disparities. Guided by an intersectionality and critical realism framework, this generic qualitative study examined how Black nursing educators perceive antiracist pedagogy, how they implement it, and what they believe is needed to strengthen its adoption in nursing education. Twelve Black undergraduate nursing educators participated in in‑depth, one‑on‑one interviews. Thematic analysis generated four themes: (a) implementing antiracist pedagogy in the classroom; (b) challenges and resistance within school environments; (c) racial marginalization norms in nursing education, and (d) advocacy and vision for institutional reform …

Current Status Of Msk Diagnostic Ultrasound Education In Doctorate Of Physical Therapy Programs In The United States: A Survey, Lesley Parrish Dr., Heather E. Mount, Casey Charlebois

Innovations in Health Sciences Education Journal

Musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSK-US) is a dynamic, cost-effective imaging modality increasingly integrated into Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) curricula. Despite growing interest, variability exists in the integration and implementation of MSK-US in entry-level DPT programs. This study aimed to assess the current status of MSK-US education in accredited DPT programs across the United States. A cross-sectional survey was distributed to all 294 accredited DPT programs in the U.S. via email. The survey consisted of 32 questions that addressed curriculum content, instructional methods, faculty qualifications, and barriers to implementation. Participation was voluntary, and 44 programs responded. No experimental interventions were applied. The …

Revisiting Adrenal Vein Sampling Interpretation In Primary Aldosteronism, Peeradon Vibhatavata

Asian Medical Journal and Alternative Medicine

Adrenal vein sampling (AVS) is widely used for subtyping primary aldosteronism and guiding surgical decision-making. However, its interpretation is challenging, as protocols and interpretive indices vary widely across centers. In addition, several clinical and analytical conditions that can interfere with AVS interpretation may be underrecognized in clinical practice. This review summarizes the fundamental principles of AVS interpretation and discusses conditions that may confound diagnostic accuracy, as well as areas of ongoing controversy in contemporary practice.

Educational Transformation Through Aligning With Oman Vision 2040, Rabie A. Ramadan

Journal of Arts and Social Sciences

This paper investigates the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in revolutionizing the education sector under the Oman 2040 vision. The vision aspires to economic sustainability, and education is a cornerstone for achieving this vision. The paper evaluates the present landscape of AI in Oman's educational system, exploring the current initiatives and how AI can be extended in education and be part of its practices. Based on the nature of the study, the methodology employed involves a comprehensive review of available literature and internet resources related to AI applications in education globally and within Oman. This secondary research approach allows for …

Exploring How Long-Term Residents Influence Environmental Policy Decisions In The Takushara Settlement In Abuja, Nigeria, Agbanusi Uchechukwu Jonathan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Rapid urbanization of Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has increasingly marginalized indigenous communities, creating a significant disconnect between top-down environmental governance and how it affects residents. Previous research has found that this land swap displaces indigenous stewards and erodes their traditional ecological knowledge, endangering local livelihoods, food security, and sustainable management of natural resources. The purpose of this narrative qualitative study was to explore how long-term residents perceive and experience their influence in environmental policy decisions through the lens of the social-ecological systems framework and the theory of resilience. This study examined the systematic exclusion of long-term residents of the …

Therapeutic Potential Of Glp-1 Receptor Agonists For Smoking Cessation, Christian S Hendershot, W Kyle Simmons, Manish K Jha, Sherry A Mckee, Luba Yammine

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) therapies are under investigation for a growing number of neuropsychiatric conditions, including substance use disorders. Cigarette smoking accounts for the largest proportion of substance use-related morbidity and mortality, in part reflecting increased risk for cardiometabolic disease among people who smoke. Given modest quit rates with approved smoking cessation therapies, medications with novel mechanisms of action are needed to expand the available monotherapy and combination treatment options. Treatments that prevent post-cessation weight gain could further reduce relapse and cardiometabolic risks following smoking cessation. Preclinical findings show that GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA) modulate nicotine reward, reduce nicotine self-administration, and …

Applications Of Machine Learning In Enhancing Evaporation Estimation For Small Reservoirs: A Case Study In Semi-Arid South Texas, Syed Muhammad F Abdullah, Chu-Lin Cheng, Jude A. Benavides, Jungseok Ho, Rafael M. Almeida

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Small reservoirs in semi-arid regions experience substantial evaporative losses but are rarely monitored at daily scales. A multi-reservoir machine learning (ML) framework was developed to estimate daily open-water evaporation. Empirical models (Penman, Penman-Monteith, Priestley-Taylor, Bowen Ratio Energy Budget) andabenchmark combination method (Daily Lake Evaporation Model-DLEM) were compared against ML models. Predictors combined gridded meteorology (gridMET) with reservoir attributes (surface area, average depth, maximum depth, and fetch). ML models (Random Forest-RF, Decision Tree-DT, K-Nearest Neighbor-KNN, and Support Vector Regression-SVR) were trained on four reservoirs using data from 2018 to 2025. Results from ML models were further validated using both DLEM and …

Elliott’S Embodied Inclusion 360 Framework: A Holistic Approach To Supporting Neurodiverse Individuals, Niki Elliott Ph.D.

Neuroinclusion

The embodied inclusion (EI) 360 framework asserts that authentic inclusion requires adapting environments in support of neurodiverse learners. The EI 360 model offers an urgently needed synthesis of intersecting theories and practices that are too often addressed in silos: educational neuroscience, trauma-informed teaching, social–emotional learning, inclusive education, and culturally responsive pedagogy. The framework identifies five core domains (i.e., physiological, relational, environmental, instructional, and transcendental) that form a cohesive lens through which to understand and respond to learner needs. Each domain contributes valuable insight into neurodiverse learner neurobiology, replacing fragmented, incomplete support plans with an integrated, individualized profile of a learner’s …

Growth Potential Of Materials For Decarbonization: Insights From The Cement Industry Value Chain, Noha Mostafa

Mechanical Engineering

To meet the Paris Agreement objectives and limit global warming to 1.5˚C compared to preindustrial levels, it is estimated that the built sector must cut its total emissions by 50% before the year 2030 and fully decarbonize it by 2050. The built environment is estimated to be responsible for 40% of global energy and emissions. These global carbon emissions include both operational carbon—the day-to-day carbon emissions generated through the operation and maintenance of buildings—and embodied carbon. With its recorded high emissions, cement manufacturing is a key area of interest for the decarbonization efforts. To meet the increasing demand for sustainably …

Lisa Cristiani: A Survey And Analysis Of Her Musical Travels Through The Russian Empire (1848-1853), Emilia González Dorantes

LSU Master's Theses

Information about French cellist Lisa Cristiani (1825–1853) and her travels through Imperial Russia has mainly reached us thanks to two articles in French periodicals published around the first decade since her death. These sources prioritized the journey itself, centering the narrative on her travels rather than on her musical activities. Recent scholarship on Cristiani has expanded our previously limited knowledge about her life. Scholars such as Hoffmann (2011) and Deserno (2018) have focused on biographical and feminist analysis, and DeVries (2014) has unveiled new documents from Russian sources. Nonetheless, a detailed examination of her musical performances within Imperial Russia has …

H3 Dopaminylation And Camkii Modulate Diffuse Midline Glioma Response To Cdk9 Inhibition, Rebecca L Murdaugh, Brittany R Eberl, Rosemary U Richard, Ena I Campos-Hensley, Adanze N Nnyagu, W Austin Elam, Ai-Ni Tsao, Jack R Tremblay, Ruiying Ma, Alfred K Dei-Ampeh, Kieu Pham, Daniel C Kraushaar, Kwanha Yu, Calla M Olson, Akdes Serin-Harmanci, Benjamin Deneen, Jamie N Anastas

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Aberrant neurotransmitter signaling and transcriptional dysregulation are hallmarks of gliomagenesis and represent potential therapeutic targets. Monoamine neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin primarily activate GPCRs but can also function epigenetically as histone H3 modifications. Here, we uncover mechanisms of crosstalk between monoamine neurotransmitter signaling, H3 dopaminylation, and RNA polymerase II (Pol2) transcription in diffuse midline glioma (DMG). We find that co-treatment with Pol2-targeting CDK9 inhibitors (CDK9i) and FDA-approved neuropsychiatric drugs, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), synergistically reduces DMG growth. Mechanistically, CDK9i+SSRI treatment alters H3 dopaminylation patterns and represses synaptic and neurodevelopmental gene transcription associated with CDK9i resistance. Further phospho-proteomic …

Single-Cell Tcr Mapping Reveals Spatially Coordinated T Cell States In Head And Neck Cancer, Kelli A Mccord, Emerald Kan, Sean Hyslop, Amanda Y Xia, Colby J Hofferek, James S Lewis, Andreas Wieland, David J Hernandez, Vlad C Sandulache, William H Hudson

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Current spatial T cell receptor (TCR) profiling approaches lack the resolution needed to link clonal identity, transcriptional state, and spatial positioning of individual T cells in the tumor microenvironment. Here, we introduce a spatial TCR profiling strategy that resolves individual T cell clones together with their transcriptional states at single-cell resolution and applied the method to human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Presumed tumor-specific T cells were broadly dispersed throughout the tumor microenvironment, and cells of the same clone occupied distinct transcriptional states in different locations: Immune-rich regions contained more plastic or progenitor cells, whereas tumor-dense regions were enriched …

Loss Of Znrf3/Rnf43 Unleashes Egrfr In Cancer, Fei Yue, Amy T Ku, Payton D Stevens, Megan N Michalski, Weiyu Jiang, Jianghua Tu, Zhongcheng Shi, Yongchao Dou, Yi Wang, Xin-Hua Feng, Galen Hostetter, Xiangwei Wu, Shixia Huang, Noah F Shroyer, Bing Zhang, Bart O Williams, Qingyun Liu, Xia Lin, Yi Li

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

ZNRF3 and RNF43 are closely related transmembrane E3 ubiquitin ligases with significant roles in development and cancer. Conventionally, their biological functions have been associated with regulating WNT signaling receptor ubiquitination and degradation. However, our proteogenomic studies have revealed EGFR as the protein most negatively correlated with ZNRF3/RNF43 mRNA levels in multiple human cancers. Through biochemical investigations, we demonstrate that ZNRF3/RNF43 interact with EGFR via their extracellular domains, leading to EGFR ubiquitination and subsequent degradation facilitated by the E3 ligase RING domain. Overexpression of ZNRF3 reduces EGFR levels and suppresses cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo, whereas knockout of …

Constitutive Ampk Activation Prevents Hepatocellular Carcinoma Development Through Inhibition Of Hnf4Α Activity, Zhen Sun, Bernard Linares, Cassidy Urdiales, Fiyad Alsarmi, Boyuan Sang, Nagireddy Putluri, Jeanine L Van Nostrand

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major cause of cancer-related mortality and is largely driven by metabolic disorders such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. The AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a master regulator of metabolism, and its activation has been proposed as a therapeutic strategy for treating metabolic disorders. However, although AMPK activity is down-regulated in HCC, the precise role of AMPK in HCC development has not been clearly delineated. Here, we investigated the ability of constitutive AMPK activation to prevent HCC development using a constitutively active AMPK transgenic mouse model and a pharmacological AMPK activator. We observed that AMPK …

An Equity Analysis Of Battery Electric Vehicles During Evacuation Considering Social And Financial Disadvantage, Divyamitra Mishra

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The increasing share of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in the transportation system is introducing new challenges to the emergency evacuation planning and management. During Hurricane Milton (2024), incidents involving BEVs, including battery fires, attributed to saltwater exposure risk, and advisories recommending relocation to higher ground, highlighted operational vulnerabilities unique to this technology. These emerging risks are likely to be experienced heterogeneously, as access to charging infrastructure, available resources, and evacuation flexibility varies across the population. This raises critical questions about how BEV-specific constraints interact with existing inequalities during evacuation. Motivated by this context, the dissertation investigated inequity in BEV evacuation …

Lingkungan Sebagai Subyek Hukum Dan Kewenangan Publik Lsm Lingkungan, Dr. Daud Silalahi, S.H.

Jurnal Hukum & Pembangunan

Abstract

Genetic Secrets Unveiled: Unraveling Privacy Concerns In Direct-To- Consumer Genetic Testing Between The United States And The European Union, Sofia Marie Cabrera

Journal of International Law and Comparative Studies

No abstract provided.

Fool's Gold: The Stibnite Gold Project, Critical Minerals, And The Public Health Perils Of Antiquated Hardrock Mining Laws, Faith Quigley

Idaho Law Review

The proposed reopening of the Stibnite Gold Mine in Idaho has been heralded as a model for the future of modern hardrock mining. This project has received national interest in light of the growing domestic demand for critical minerals essential to climate-friendly energy technologies and national security. But beneath its green branding lies a deeper legal and public health crisis. Operating under the General Mining Law of 1872—a relic of frontier-era resource exploitation—the Stibnite Gold Project exemplifies how an outdated legal framework continues to enable environmental and human harm. While policymakers tout the domestic necessity of critical minerals, the Stibnite …

Facing The Accused: The Confrontation Clause And Protecting Child Victims Of Sexual Abuse, Raquel Pearson

Idaho Law Review

The Sixth Amendment’s Confrontation Clause provides individuals the right to confront witnesses testifying against them. For decades, Idaho case law has grappled with the delicate balance between protecting victims of sexual assault and upholding defendants’ rights to cross examine their accusers. This delicate balance is further exacerbated when sexual assault cases involve minors, particularly in deciding whether victim statements implicate the Confrontation Clause. The Idaho Supreme Court considers the totality of the circumstances when evaluating whether a defendant’s right to confront a witness has been violated, but the standard for when the Clause is triggered remains unclear.

This Note seeks …

Thyroid Hormone Receptor Alpha In Mitochondrial Transcription, David J. Mahrt

Linfield University Student Symposium: A Celebration of Scholarship and Creative Achievement

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) encodes core proteins in the electron transport and oxidative phosphorylation pathway. The remaining subunits of these protein complexes are encoded in the nuclear genome, translated in the cytosol and imported into mitochondria. Transcription of mtDNA transcription is achieved with three core factors: mitochondrial RNA polymerase (POLMRT), mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM), and mitochondrial transcription factor B2 (TFB2M). Regulation of this process requires additional proteins, and likely transcriptional coordination with the nuclear genome. We propose that the thyroid hormone receptor alpha (THRA) acts to coordinate transcription between the two genomes. The thyroid hormone, triiodothyronine (T3), increases mitochondrial biogenesis …

Study The Effect Of Climate Change On Barley Crop (Hordeum Vulgare L.) And Improving Its Productivity Through Municipal Treated Wastewater Utilization, Wasef A. Alzayadneh

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

Climate change presents a complex risk to crop productivity, with elevated temperatures, rising CO2 and UV-B enhancement profoundly impacting growth. Although the effects of individual stressors are well-documented, limited information is available regarding the combined effects of variables such as elevated CO₂ (eCO2), UV-B radiation, and elevated temperature (eT). This knowledge gap is especially critical for major cereal crops such as barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), which ranks fourth in global production and serves as a valuable source of forage for livestock. However, traditional forage production is unsustainable in arid regions, where water shortage and extreme weather conditions are present, as …

Studying The Role Of Combitional Flavonoids Against Toxicity Of Chemothrapeutic Drugs In Human Fibroblast Cells, Hussain Al Zouabi

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

Chemotherapy remains the primary treatment strategy for cancers; however, its clinical efficacy is often limited by severe toxic effects resulting in normal cells. The study investigated the protective potential of the flavonoids epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCG) and quercetin, used in combination, against chemotherapy-induced toxicity in human fibroblast F-180 cells. Cells were exposed to three commonly used chemotherapeutic agents, doxorubicin, cisplatin, and etoposide, in the presence or absence of EGCG and quercetin at concentrations of 25 and 50 μM. cells viability was assessed using the MTT assay, while oxidative stress and antioxidant capacity were evaluated by intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and total …

Forest Characteristics And Avian Community Differences Among Cerulean Warblers (Setophaga Cerulea) Use Types, Dustin Kohler

ATU Scholars Symposium

Avian species are often used to measure the health of an ecosystem, in part because the specific forest structure can significantly impact the avian community. A heterogeneous landscape can support a more diverse avian community and benefit specialist species like the Cerulean Warbler (Setophaga cerulea), a rapidly declining, neotropical migrant that can be found in large deciduous forests. The Ozark Mountains of northwestern Arkansas represent a small core area for the species, but at all sites in the upland Ozarks where Cerulean Warbler research has been conducted, there are fewer individuals than there were twenty years ago; some …

Exploring Patterns Of Microhabitat Use Among Darters In The Lower Little River Watershed, Arkansas, Nate J. Martin, Savannah L. Wise

ATU Scholars Symposium

In this study, we seek to explore patterns of microhabitat use among darters, including variables of stream depth, water velocity, substrate composition, aquatic vegetation, and woody debris cover. The most informative microhabitat variables will be assessed using nonmetric multi-dimensional scaling (NMDS). Species with more than five individuals collected were included in analysis, totaling eight species across 24 sites in the Lower Little River Watershed of southwest Arkansas. We caught 28 Plains Darters (Etheostoma pulchellum), 27 Dusky Darters (Percina sciera), 21 Orangebelly Darters (Etheostoma radiosum), 16 Channel Darters (Percina copelandi), 13 Harlequin Darters (Etheostoma histrio), 11 Common Logperch (Percina caprodes), 7 …

Car-T Cell Therapy – A Revolutionizing Cancer Treatment Through Precision Immunotherapy, Mackenzie R. Epperson

ATU Scholars Symposium

Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy has emerged as a great advancement in the field of oncology, offering a targeted and adaptable cancer treatment. Traditional therapies, including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation often have limitations, such as relapse and resistance, highlighting the need for more precise therapeutic options. CAR-T therapy addresses many of these challenges through engineering a patient’s own T-cells to recognize and destroy cancerous cells with specificity and long-lasting immune activity. Since being approved by the FDA in 2017, CAR-T therapy has shown success in treating hematologic malignancies, demonstrating high remission rates in patients with previously limited options. Despite …

Comprehensive Temporal, Spatial, And Environmental Analysis Of Arkansas Tournament Information Program (Atip) Data With A Lake Dardanelle Case Study., Jeffrey G. Phillips

ATU Scholars Symposium

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) established the Arkansas Tournament Information Program (ATIP) in 1990 to provide a long-term, standardized dataset to describe Black Bass (Micropterus spp.) tournament outcomes, angler performance, and fish size structures across Arkansas, yet most of its analytical potential has not been fully explored beyond yearly summary reports. This project will use ATIP data from 1990 to 2027 and a biological case study from Lake Dardanelle to evaluate long-term trends, compare lake-specific performance, identify environmental drivers of tournament success, access how well tournament data represents true Black Bass populations, and create an “average” year benchmark …

Deep Spiking Neural Network Autoencoders For Efficient Temporal Data Compression, Shruti Bhandari

ATU Scholars Symposium

High dimensional temporal data processing, such as that required for neuroprosthetics and remote physiological monitoring presents significant challenges for real time deployment because transmitting and storing raw signals is computationally demanding and energy intensive. Effective data compression is essential to act as a "biological zip file," reducing transmission bandwidth while preserving the critical temporal features required for accurate signal reconstruction and analysis. This study proposes a deep Spiking Neural Network (SNN) Autoencoder designed for high-fidelity data compression by utilizing the event-driven firing behavior of Leaky Integrate-and-Fire (LIF) neurons, which ensures extreme computational efficiency compared to traditional models. The model is …

Investigating The Effect Of Kcl Stress In Raphanus Sativus, Mason P. Oelke

ATU Scholars Symposium

Presented by Stephanie Nelms at the Arkansas INBRE Conference on November 7-8, 2025.

Presented by Mason Oelke at Arkansas Tech Scholar's Symposium on April 9th, 2026.

Potassium is an essential macronutrient for plant growth and development, yet excessive potassium fertilization can induce salt stress with detrimental consequences for crop productivity and nutritional quality. Despite its agricultural relevance, potassium chloride induced stress remains significantly understudied compared to classical sodium-based salinity. This thesis investigates the physiological, biochemical, and molecular responses of Raphanus sativus to KCl stress using an integrated approach that combines germination assays, mineral profiling, and gene expression analysis.

Radish seeds …

Re-Purposing Pre-Existing Tilapia Aquaculture Open-Design System For Zebrafish Biomedical Research Purposes, Luke Cantu, David Sierra, Skyleigh Curtis, Maya Avila

ATU Scholars Symposium

Title: Re-purposing pre-existing tilapia open-design aquaculture systems for zebrafish biomedical research purposes.

Background: Zebrafish (Danio rerio) models are gaining popularity in biomedical research; however, the high infrastructure cost, at approximately $20,000 per unit, is a significant hurdle for primary undergraduate institutions (PUIs) establishing zebrafish facilities. This study assesses if repurposing existing tilapia open-design aquaculture systems could be a cost-effective method for zebrafish facility establishment.

Methods: Between November-2025 to February-2026, the study used a pre-existing tilapia aquaculture open-design system with personnel modified outlet filters. The water quality of this system was monitored and recorded. The study compared the stabilization phase or …

Incorporating Local Expertise Into Environmental Research And Management, Jessica Black, Amy E. Scaroni, Stefanie L. Whitmire

Forestry and Natural Resources

This article is for researchers, government staff, land planners, and natural resource managers. In this paper, we will outline why incorporating local expertise works to scale down national or regional research to make it more useful for local communities. We will also provide examples of how a community’s knowledge about their local ecosystem, referred to as local ecological knowledge (LEK), can fill data gaps and contribute to improved land and wildlife management.