Digital Commons Network^™

Message In A Bottle, Ellie Harwood

Student Scholar Symposium

In her poetry collection “Message in a Bottle”, Ellie Harwood explores the relationships we maintain with each other, animals, and nature. Through the poems in this collection, Harwood examines how we as humans simultaneously harm one another and our fragile ecosystem while seeking love and belonging in those very relationships and spaces. By contrasting the evolutionary journey of whales with the rampant development of technology in the poem “Whale Song”, or through portraying the desire to flee from somebody you love deeply in “Bedhead”, Harwood highlights the many contradictions and conflicts that come with being alive (and the numerous ways …

Animal Man: Morrison's Reflection On The Author, Ellie Harwood

Student Scholar Symposium

Grant Morrison’s Animal Man debuted in DC Comics in 1988. For seven years as its author, Morrison explored themes of animal rights, conservationism, postmodernism, existentialism, and even free will all through their careful deconstruction of the superhero genre. In “Animal Man: Morrison’s Reflection on the author”, Ellie Harwood analyzes major portions of Morrison’s comic to identify their commentary on the relationship between people, animals, and fictional characters, and the moral ramifications of those relationships. Harwood achieves this through identifying the similarities between how Morrison portrays animals in the comic, as well as how they portray their own characters on a …

Utilizing Hot Water Treatment Methods On Shallow Rooted Herbaceous Invasive Species In Temperate Deciduous Forests, Ana Manning

Student Scholar Symposium

Abstract

People have been searching for new and innovative ways to control

invasive plant species for centuries. These methods have been categorized into three sections: mechanical,

biological, and chemical. The changing landscape of invasive plant management requires industry professionals to consider innovative technologies when developing their integrated pest management plans. The hypothesis of this research is that utilizing hot water treatment methods on shallow-rooted herbaceous invasive species in temperate deciduous forests will produce equal or better results than traditional integrated pest management methodologies. Six research plots in two locations were developed to test the Heatweed® hot water treatment tool on …

Measuring Welfare Of Wild Tarantulas During Field Surveys Using Heart Rate, Tim Angelo Artiaga Lopez, Becky Hansis-O'Neill, Aimee Dunlap Phd

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Tarantulas (Theraposidae) are predatory arachnids that can help control populations of herbivorous arthropods. We have been monitoring populations of the Missouri brown tarantula (Aphonopelma hentzi) in Missouri glades for three seasons and have questions about their welfare during these surveys. Unlike mammals, arthropods are not extensively researched and there are only a few known facts about measuring their welfare. Managing stress for wild animals during field surveys is important for reducing the potential negative impacts of research. In mammals, increased heart rate is positively correlated with negative stress and eustress. Using the same logic, we hypothesized that heart rate could …

Habitat Disturbance And Biodiversity In Glade Habitats, Maddie Smith, Becky Hansis-O'Neill, Aimee Dunlap Phd

Undergraduate Research Symposium

The Ozark glades are home to a variety of reptiles, amphibians, rodents, and invertebrates such as tarantulas and scorpions. Glade inhabitants face challenges like habitat fragmentation and degradation, but they could be facing even bigger challenges as outdoor recreation becomes more popular. People looking for wildlife to photograph or collect often look under rocks without leaving them how they were found. This study focused on monitoring rock disturbance at two protected glades- Shaw Nature Preserve and a more accessible undisclosed glade in Jefferson County. Disturbing the glade habitat to look for wildlife is prohibited at both sites. Twenty rocks at …

Article Draft, Bob Schieffer

Bob Schieffer Vietnam War Collection

Article draft by Bob Schieffer on TWAPs (television, writers and photographers) in Vietnam.

Article Draft, Bob Schieffer

Bob Schieffer Vietnam War Collection

Article draft by Bob Schieffer about soldiers troubles with mosquitos in Vietnam.

Nature Naturing In And As Place, Edward S. Casey

Duquesne Studies in Phenomenology

In this brief article, I single out two distinctly different kinds of natural place, attempting to show how these not merely contrast with each other but display larger patterns or tendencies that are also found in many other sorts of place. This is to take one integral step to a larger ecology of places provided by the natural world and from which human and nonhuman beings draw life and motion that sustain and support many ways of existing on earth. Without such places, we—and every other form of life—would perish or would not even exist to begin with. It is …

Emotions As Work Material: On Dancers' Refined Use Of Affectivity, Camille S. Buttingsrud

Duquesne Studies in Phenomenology

As part of their professional practice, dancers allow their affectivity to enhance their kinesthetic work. Their intentional and disciplined use of personal, emotional resources ensures both creativity, interpretation, absorption, and connections in ways that extend beyond the traditional phenomenological understanding of affectivity as pre-reflectively based. The affective regulations dancers employ can be seen as an “artistic epoché,” and their layered performance awareness corresponds with Edmund Husserl’s descriptions of “image-consciousness.” Through qualitative interviews with three professional dancers, phenomenological theory, and additional supportive literature, this article shows how affectivity can be experienced through high-order levels of Leib, constituting states of “bodily …

With Images In Time. Atmosphere And Art: Mediation And Dialogue, Pauline Von Bonsdorff

Duquesne Studies in Phenomenology

The article challenges the idea that atmospheres are always sensed immediately. Instead, atmospheres in art are mediated and arise in a dialogue between work and audience. To understand how, we should pay attention to temporal structures in and around the work, such as the dynamics and duration of aesthetic experience and the historicity of both work and perceiver, including pasts and present. Mikel Dufrenne’s phenomenological aesthetics, complemented with insights from Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s analyses of perception, offer resources for this. Writing on expression, Dufrenne distinguishes “presence,” in which sense is felt immediately and firmly connected to embodiment, and “sentiment,” which arises …

Dual-Task Exercise Protects Healthy Older Adults Against In-Creased Risk For Dementia: A Controlled Trial, Helen Tatiane Santos Pontes, João Bento-Torres, Naina Yuki Vieira Jardim, Victor Oliveira Da Costa, Josilayne Patricia Ramos Carvalho, Cristovam Wanderley Picanço-Diniz, Natáli Valim Oliver Bento-Torres

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: Functionality in aging is closely linked to the ability to divide attention during multitasking activities, which are essential for activities of daily life. However, coordination between motor and cognitive simultaneous tasks decreases with age, impairing functional ability and restricting older adults' participation and healthy aging. This study aimed to assess the effects of a multimodal dual-task exercise intervention on motor and cognitive dual-task costs and its potential to mitigate age-related declines in healthy older adults. Materials and Methods: A controlled trial was conducted with community-dwelling older adults assigned to either the Dual-Task Exercise group, which participated in a 24-session …

Kalunga Crossings: Waterscapes Of Terror And "Teachment" In The African Atlantic World, Dianne M. Stewart, Tracey E. Hucks, Solimar Otero

Yale Journal of Music & Religion

In this article, we think alongside historian of religions Charles H. Long to analyze the relationship between water and empire, explore theoretical approaches to water and modernity, and probe the significance of water in Africana ecologies and spiritual cultures, highlighting its suggestive contributions to restorative epistemologies of ecological co-habitation. Our investigation advances an Africana religious framework of “waterscapes of terror and ‘teachment’” that centers diaspora bodies of water as loci for analyzing history, materiality, and ecological regard. Teachment is an anti-colonial linguistic irruption, an all-encompassing term for Africana pedagogies and epistemologies that defy antiblack and anti-African colonial instruction. Examining how …

Byzantine Theories Of Scale And Arab-Byzantine Chant Practices: A Comparative Analysis Proposing A New Resolution To The Theoretical System Of Chrysanthos Of Madytos, Rosy Azar

Yale Journal of Music & Religion

In 2015, Amine Beyhom published a book on Byzantine chant, in which he summarised all the existing theories, paying particular attention to the problematic reform of the Byzantine chant theory in 1881, and guiding the reader through the steps that led to that reform. Driven by the first ever comparison between Byzantine and Arabic modes that he had found in Mīkhāʾīl Mashāqa’s epistle, Beyhom first studied Chrysanthos of Madytos’ insight. He documented this research in detail and followed it with a practical comparison to demonstrate if theory is indeed applied or it acts only as prescriptive guide. He recorded and …

Article Draft, Bob Schieffer

Bob Schieffer Vietnam War Collection

Article draft by Bob Schieffer on TWAPs (television, writers and photographers) in Vietnam.

Article Draft, Bob Schieffer

Bob Schieffer Vietnam War Collection

Article draft by Bob Schieffer about soldiers troubles with mosquitos in Vietnam.

'Coming Here, It’S Just Weird': 'Making The Familiar Strange' Through Exploring Experiences Of Sexism And Feminisms, Emilia A I Little

Plymouth Interdisciplinary Education Open Journal

This paper explores personal experiences with gender and how these experiences changed whilst attending university as an undergraduate student. The paper uses gender and feminist theory to guide a critical and auto-ethnographic exploration of personal experiences of a young woman within a patriarchal system. The paper uses journal excerpts to recount past and current experiences through feminist lenses. Through exploring gender theory, binary and performativity, personal experiences are validated and explained. The force of patriarchal oppression and privilege were illuminated as personal conceptions of gender were disrupted. The paper argues for much-needed feminist education in schools, centring around: avoiding the …

Chad Dobson Reflects On The Launch Of The World Bank Reform Campaign, Chad Dobson, Julie Radomski

Perspectives

Chad Dobson is the founder of the Bank Information Center (BIC) and led BIC from 1987 to 1997 and 2007 to 2016. He is widely accredited with developing the global campaign strategies for environmental and social reforms of multilateral development banks (MDB). In this interview, he recounts the early days of BIC and the development of the global campaign.

Exploring The Impact Of Inpatient Mental Health Care On Adolescents, Alexandria M. Mckahan

2025 Fall Honors Capstones Projects - Archive

Adolescent psychiatric hospitalizations continue to rise, yet there is limited research on which daily practices inside inpatient units genuinely support engagement and recovery. This project examined how structure, staff tone, and therapeutic programming influence adolescents’ participation and emotional stability within a real inpatient setting. The study focused on three questions: how structured routines affect recovery, what challenges staff face when supporting adolescents with complex needs, and how adolescents’ engagement patterns reflect their perception of care. Using a mixed-methods case study at Mesa Springs Behavioral Health Hospital, I conducted approximately twenty field observations, semi-structured staff interviews, and descriptive engagement tracking across …

That’S Not Art! Artificial Intelligence And Its Role In The Arts, Molly Katherine Horn

Honors Program Theses and Projects

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been deeply integrated into our modern lives; from social media algorithms, to email summaries, to software that will write your essays, and even tools to photoshop relatives out of family photos. AI software is trained on countless data points. Famous artwork, philosophical texts, TikTok trends, movies, wars, and star-crossed stories. It is steadily becoming a collection of human history; learning and growing alongside us. Art, too, is a reflection of society; it informs us of our history, our cultures, our desires and dreams. Thus, it is only fitting that AI has become a tool to create …

Cosmic Legends, Neha Ravindra Hiremath

Theses

Cosmic Legends is a touchscreen-based interactive kiosk that invites users to explore how different cultures interpret the same star—Betelgeuse. Designed for public educational settings, it blends visual storytelling, mythology, and voice interaction into a cohesive learning experience. This project challenges the Eurocentric approach of most astronomy tools by introducing global narratives rooted in Navajo, Tupi, and Japanese sky traditions. Users begin by tapping a glowing version of Betelgeuse, which transforms the night sky into a new cultural context. Each sky shift is paired with narrated myths, synchronized captions, and celestial motion design. The interface prioritizes accessibility with dyslexia-friendly text, high-contrast …

China’S Securitization Of Agricultural Imports: A Case Of Economic Statecraft Mixed Successes, Gustavo Ferreira, Bert Cramer

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

This article argues that the People’s Republic of China’s agricultural import diversification from 1995–2023 reflects a strategic effort to reduce reliance on US and allied suppliers while prioritizing national food security. Unlike prior studies focused on production or consumption, this analysis centers on trade patterns of high-value, strategically critical commodities. Using trade data and policy documents, it assesses shifts in supplier dependency, notably toward Brazil. This research offers policy and military practitioners insights into how food security intersects with economic statecraft, revealing vulnerabilities and strategic choices in global supply chains relevant to deterrence and resilience planning.

Comparative Analysis Of Machine Learning And Statistical Models For Railroad–Highway Grade Crossing Safety, Erickson Senkondo, Deo Chimba, Masanja Madalo, Afia Yeboah, Shala Blue

Civil and Architectural Engineering Faculty Research

Railroad-highway grade crossings (RHGCs) are critical points of conflict between roadway and rail systems, contributing to over 2000 crashes and 250 fatalities annually in the United States. This study applied machine learning methods (ML) techniques to model and predict crash frequency at RHGCs, using a comprehensive dataset from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT). The dataset included 807 validated crossings, incorporating roadway geometry, traffic volumes, rail characteristics, and control features. Five ML models—Random Forest, XGBoost, PSO-Elastic Net, Transformer-CNN, and Autoencoder-MLP—were developed and compared to a traditional Negative Binomial (NB) regression model. Results showed that ML …

Ecolinguistic Analysis Of Princess Mononoke: Boosting Environmental Literacy, Aditya Alam Soeta Bangsa, George M. Jacobs, Ingrid A. Gavilán Tatin

Journal of English and Applied Linguistics

The Anthropocene is a term some scientists use for the current geological age, during which human activities profoundly and often negatively impact Earth’s systems, including environmental change. Despite widespread recognition of this global crisis, a gap persists between awareness and meaningful action, underscoring a critical deficit in environmental literacy. This study aims to address this gap by conducting an ecolinguistic analysis of Hayao Miyazaki’s (1997) film, Princess Mononoke. Stibbe’s (2020) Stories We Live By, particularly the story of ideology, was used to analyze the film and its five principal human characters, examining their attitudes and behavior, and connecting …

Alcohol As Food Or Drug? A Comparative Review Of Islamic And Medical Evidence, M. Diaa El-Din H. Farag, Ahmed A. Rawwash, Emad Hussein Ahmed Fathy, Mohamed F.F Bayomy Et.Al.

Saudi Toxicology Journal

Background: This study conducts a comparative analysis of alcohol classification, health effects, and social consequences within Islamic teachings and modern medical science. Objective: To conduct a comparative analysis of Islamic teachings and modern medical approaches regarding alcohol classification, health effects, and social consequences. Methodology: Using a comparative review following PRISMA guidelines, 50 high-quality sources were selected from an initial 892 records for analysis. Results: The findings demonstrate a convergent classification: both paradigms definitively classify alcohol as a harmful substance rather than a food. Islamic law has prohibited alcohol for over 1400 years on the grounds of it impairs cognitive judgment …

Faith’S Midwest Modern Forms: Midcentury Catholic Churches In St. Louis By Murphy And Mackey, Architects, Mary Reid Brunstrom

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

This project originated in my research on three modernist churches commissioned by the Catholic Archdiocese of St. Louis from 1948-54 which was then under the progressive leadership of Archbishop (later Cardinal) Joseph E. Ritter. What factors accounted for these unprecedented forms for sacred architecture? The architectural partnership of Murphy and Mackey designed the churches in accordance with the new liturgical reform protocols that were embedded in the designs of the German architect, Rudolf Schwarz and his colleagues and disseminated through Catholic pastors of German origin in the St. Louis parishes. Other strands of modernism were also implicated in Murphy and …

Optimization Of Research Pipeline To Characterize The Effects Of Atp-Sensitive Potassium Channels Mutations On Native Skeletal Muscle Fibers And Evaluate Potential Drug Therapy, Yuezhou Chen

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

The ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channel is a critical metabolic sensor in skeletal muscle, yet its definitive molecular composition and functional roles remain contested. In this study, I conclusively demonstrate that the Kir6.2/SUR2 complex forms sarcolemmal KATP channel in mouse fast-twitch muscle. Genetic knock-out (KO) of Kir6.2 (Kcnj11−/−) or SUR2 (Abcc9−/−) resulted in a similar phenotype with increased fatigue resistance and a pathological rise in unstimulated resting tension at high-frequency stimulation. In contrast, SUR1 (Abcc8−/−) KO was ineffective. Furthermore, a CRISPR/Cas9 knock-in mouse model of a human SUR2A truncation variant (KCGV/KCGV) recapitulated the abnormal force accumulation, demonstrating that even loss-of-function of …

Endocrine Disruptors, Obesity, And Metabolic Syndrome, Tuğba Barlas, Alev Eroğlu Altinova, Meriç Coşkun, Ethem Turgay Ceri̇t

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

The global prevalence of obesity and metabolic syndrome (MetS) is rising worldwide, and increasing evidence suggests that chemical exposures—particularly endocrine disruptors (EDs)—represent a significant contributing factor. EDs can act as obesogens, increasing the risk of weight gain and related metabolic conditions, including type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. They may also alter the basal metabolic rate, gut microbiota composition, and hormonal regulation of appetite and satiety. EDs are reported to exert their effects mainly through the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma pathway, which is primarily expressed in adipose tissue and is a key regulator of adipogenesis. Common consumer products …

Endocrine Disruptors And Children's Health, Ersen Karakiliç, Durmuş Doğan, Emre Sedar Saygili

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are environmental contaminants that disrupt hormonal regulation by mimicking, inhibiting, or modifying endocrine signaling pathways. EDCs are commonly present in plastics, pesticides, industrial byproducts, and personal care products and pose substantial health risks, particularly to vulnerable groups such as infants and children. Early-life exposure is especially concerning due to the developing detoxification systems, the immaturity of the blood–brain barrier, and the ongoing organ differentiation, making these periods highly susceptible to EDCs’ harmful effects. Moreover, exposure during critical developmental periods, such as sex differentiation and neurodevelopment, can lead to significant long-term developmental impairments that persist into later life.Perinatal …

Pioneering Insights Into The Complexities Of Salt-Sensitive Hypertension: Central Nervous System Mechanisms And Dietary Bioactive Compound Interventions, Renjun Wang, Bo Xu, Xiping Liu, Qi Guo, Gregory Miodonski, Zhiying Shan, Dongshu Du, Qing Hui Chen

Michigan Tech Publications

Salt-sensitive hypertension (SSH) is an important and common subtype of hypertension, whose pathogenesis involves multi-level regulation, including the central nervous system (CNS), metabolic stress, and epigenetics. Dietary bioactive compounds have emerged as a research hotspot for SSH intervention due to their safety and multi-target effects. Although existing studies have focused on the CNS regulation of SSH or the role of individual dietary components, there is a lack of comprehensive analysis integrating multiple mechanisms, systematically summarizing multiple compounds, and incorporating a clinical translation perspective. This review first outlines the mechanisms of CNS pathways, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and epigenetic …

The ‘For Youth’ Page: Analyzing Tiktok Content Feeds For College-Aged Users, Hadiyah Mohamed

Honors College Theses

This study analyzes the content college-aged users encounter on TikTok’s “For You” page to understand the ways platform design and user-generated content shape prolonged engagement. Existing research frames doomscrolling largely as a compulsive behavior driven by algorithmic design, often overlooking the role of content itself and why it resonates with young adults. Through qualitative content analysis, 150 videos were collected across three TikTok accounts: scrolling from a personal account, a neutral new account, and a new account under the #CollegeTok tag. Videos were rigorously coded in a spreadsheet for narrative descriptions, topics, captions, hashtags, and tone to capture the themes …