Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring The Socio-Cultural Dynamics Of Nocturnal Urban Landscapes: A Case Study, Jie Kong

All Dissertations

This dissertation explores nighttime social leisure activities in public parks within urban working- and middle-class communities. As cities confront climate change, shifting work schedules, and post-pandemic lifestyles, neighborhood parks have gained renewed importance after dark, especially in areas where households have limited private space. These non-commercial nighttime uses are often overlooked in planning, design, and built environment studies, yet they play a vital role in fostering cultural identity, social connection, and community well-being.

Focusing on Williamsburg and Bushwick in Brooklyn, New York, this research investigates how public parks are used at night, by whom, and for what purposes. New York …

Ecomorphological Diversification Of Tooth Complexity In The Oral Jaws Of Marine Teleostean Fishes, Keiffer L. Williams

All Dissertations

Teeth are essential biological tools that function as a direct interface between predator and prey, thus providing essential insights into the evolutionary history and ecological diversity of vertebrates. Historically, studies on vertebrate dentitions have been qualitative and focused on mammals. More recently, quantitative methods have been developed that can reliably measure tooth surface complexity. These methods have been applied across both mammals and saurian reptiles to test for correlations with diet, leading to the conclusion that herbivorous species generally possess higher overall tooth complexity than any other dietary group. Surprisingly, the relationship between tooth complexity and diet in the most …

From Cities To Ranches: Assessing Public Support For Jaguar (Panthera Onca) Conservation And Livestock Predation In Colombia, Luz Angelica Solano

All Dissertations

Jaguars are among the most emblematic large carnivores worldwide. Nonetheless, the species has declined by 25% in less than 25 years and their range has been reduced by 55%, approximately, primarily due to habitat loss from increasing agricultural development, retaliatory killings from human-jaguar conflict, and overhunting of their natural prey. Given the anthropogenic nature of these threats, developing effective coexistence strategies and public support for jaguar conservation are increasingly urgent for the continued persistence of this species. I conducted a scoping review to assess trends and gaps in the existing peer-reviewed literature, grey literature, and news articles related to human-jaguar …

Studies On The Effects Of Operator Fatigue On Performance, Trust, And Workload Demand In Human-In-The-Loop Ai-Enabled Drone Systems, Snowil Lopes

All Dissertations

Civil infrastructure must be regularly inspected to ensure its safety and reliability. Traditionally, risk engineers performed these inspections manually and in person. However, with the introduction of drones equipped with artificial intelligence (AI), inspections of civil infrastructure can now be conducted remotely. These AI-enabled drones capture and analyze images, helping engineers monitor large and complex structures from a distance. However, working with integrated systems consisting of multiple drones, especially those with varying levels of reliability, can be challenging. Operators must divide their attention, determine how much to trust each drone, and manage mental workload, which can affect their performance. Another …

Empowering Employability: Voices Of Black Women Leveraging Community Cultural Wealth In An Undergraduate Agricultural Program, Rose Marie Somers

All Dissertations

Across the nation, agricultural industry professionals have bemoaned the shortage of qualified professionals, expressing an expanding need for graduates with a blend of discipline-specific and employability skills to advance the sector. Research indicates that the future of the US agriculture sector hinges on a diverse and skilled workforce. Yet, a paucity of literature exists on Black women's enduring legacy, experiences, and how they understand and develop 21st-century critical transferable professional competencies needed to address complex challenges in modern agriculture. Black women have a long tradition in agriculture and a wealth of cultural knowledge, skills and innovations that are untapped. This …

Improved Rumen Microbiome Interpretation Via Empirical Filtration Derived From Known Mock Microbiomes, Wesley A. Tom

School of Biological Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The rumen microbiome plays a critical role in ruminant health and performance. As a consequence, many studies investigate microbial community composition using 16S rDNA based sequencing. As such, data quality and data filtering are critical to accurately identify microbial community composition. In this study we use mock communities to empirically select data filtering parameters to reduce artifact populations and compared the effect of filtering using different bioinformatic pipelines using rumen bacterial community data. The filtering parameters identified provides consistent estimates of rumen microbial diversity, regardless of bioinformatic pipeline utilized and provides a more accurate view of microbiome structure and composition. …

Jury Decision Rules In Criminal Trials, Emma Archibald

Dalhousie Journal of Legal Studies

Discussions of juries in democratic systems often frame the jury as a symbol of democracy, an essential safeguard for an accused, and a legitimizer of state authority. However, the context in which the jury operates has evolved, and there is a widening gap between our empirical understanding of juries and our commitment to their theoretical value. Piecemeal reforms of the jury have also moved the system away from the historical model, with the consequence of undermining the remaining aspects. This paper argues one such aspect is the decision rule under which a jury renders its verdict. Canada is one of …

Triggering Change In Child Protection Law: A Case Study Of Firearms And Domestic Violence In Nova Scotia, Manitoba, And Ontario, Ashley Thornton

Dalhousie Journal of Legal Studies

The intertwining complexities of child protection, domestic violence, and firearms pose profound challenges for families and the legal system. This paper examines their interplay, focusing on how these issues can subject children to harm, with a specific focus on case law and relevant legislation from Nova Scotia, Manitoba, and Ontario. These three provinces have been selected due to: i) the locality and inherent relevance of Nova Scotia’s jurisdiction given the location of the Schulich School of Law, ii) the high number of reported court decisions in Ontario, and the unique protections created through amending the Child, Youth, and Family Services …

The Acute Effects Of Tetrahydrocannabivarin (Thcv) On Appetite, Caroline M. Sokol

Masters Theses, 2020-current

The purpose of the current study was to assess the acute effects of tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV) on appetite. Participants (N = 28) experienced 12.5 mg THCV, 25mg THCV, and placebo in counterbalanced order across three, 3-hr experimental sessions. Following baseline procedures, participants consumed THCV or placebo and completed self-report measures every 30 minutes. A series of repeated measures factorial ANOVAs were conducted to examine potential differences in study outcomes across THCV dosing conditions as well as within session (i.e., baseline, every 30 minutes after dosing (5), end of session) with respect to self-reported hunger, mood, and perceived drug effects (e.g., …

Orchestrated Architecture Dismantling: Borrelia Burgdorferi’S Coordinated Destruction Of Adaptive Immune Responses, Craig A. Land

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Borrelia burgdorferi represents the most prevalent vector-borne bacteria in North America, affecting ~476,000 Americans annually yet persisting despite robust immune responses. This project reveals spirochetes target adaptive immunity through coordinated lymphatic colonization and precision immune dysregulation.

Using comparative host models (C57BL/6 vs. reservoir Peromyscus leucopus), we demonstrate lymph node colonization within 48-hours, with spirochetes exploiting LYVE-1-positive lymphatic structures as dissemination highways while avoiding the interior of follicular regions. Critically, we identify targeted CD4+ T-cell elimination in germinal center border zones at 21-DPI, precisely when these cells should be coordinating protective immunity. Concurrent upregulation of inhibitory receptor CD32b creates molecular …

The Impact Of Estrogen Loss On Caveolin Expression And Cardiac Myocyte Remodeling In Ovariectomized Mice Following Chronic Sympathetic Stimulation, Juliana Barnie

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cardiovascular disease (CVDs) remains the top cause of death globally, with postmenopausal women at higher risk due to estrogen decline. Beta-Adrenergic (β-AR) signaling is a major regulator of heart function. Caveolins, structural proteins of caveolae, coordinate cell signaling activities in the heart by co-localizing with estrogen receptors and β-AR and contribute to maintaining healthy cardiac function. The caveolin scaffolding domain (CSD), a binding component of caveolin, has shown therapeutic potential in animal models of heart disease. However, most studies on CSD have been completed in male mice. This thesis evaluates the therapeutic potential of CSD in female mouse models and …

Proto-Oncogene Hras Transcript Level And Overall Survival In Stages Ii And Iii Colorectal Cancer, Donghyun Kim, Saima Sharif, Juan Antonio Raygoza Garay, Avanish S. Bhakta, Patrick M. Boland, Michael J. Cavnar, Michelle L. Churchman, Hassan Hatoum, Lyen C. Huang, Joseph Kim, Richard Kim, Robert W. Lentz, Sarbajit Mukherjee, Mary T. O'Donnell, Benjamin Quartey, Matthew J. Reilley, Robert J. Rounbehler, Bodour Salhia, Bryan P. Schneider, Carlos H. Chan

Surgery Faculty Publications

Background: Mutational landscape is prognostic in colorectal cancer (CRC). Rat sarcoma (RAS) oncogenes, such as KRAS and NRAS, with driver mutations, portend poor survival outcomes, whereas pathologic mutations in HRAS are extremely rare, and their prognostic value remains uncertain. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed the Oncology Research Information Exchange Network (ORIEN) alliance tumor RNA-Seq data in Stages II and III CRC to investigate the association between RAS gene expression and survival outcomes. Results: High transcript levels of HRAS were associated with superior overall survival (OS). The high HRAS-associated OS benefit was most pronounced in patients with right-sided primary expressing low …

Artificial Intelligence And The Law: A Discussion And Selections From The Collection, Wolf Law Library, William & Mary Law School

Library Book Displays

On display in the Wolf Law Library August 2025 - January 2026.

Molecular And Clinical Insights Into Role Of Gper In Hepatocellular Carcinoma (Hcc), Hossain Ahmed

Theses and Dissertations

Metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), encompassing stages from steatosis (MASLD) to steatohepatitis (MASH), cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), is the most prevalent chronic liver disease worldwide, yet molecular markers of progression remain limited. The G protein–coupled estrogen receptor (GPER), a non-genomic estrogen receptor with metabolic and anti-inflammatory roles, emerges as a candidate regulator in hepatic pathophysiology. In this Dissertation thesis, we have delineated for the first time clinicopathological assessment of liver biopsies across MASLD stages revealing a robust inverse correlation between GPER expression and disease severity. Higher GPER levels in early MASLD associated with favorable metabolic and biochemical profiles, …

Enigmatic Roles Of Complement Anaphylatoxin Signaling In Health And Disease, Anthony Shadid, Kathryn D Hok, Aleksey Y Domozhirov, Tingting Weng-Mills, Marie-Françoise Doursout, Nirmal K Banda, Marcos I Restrepo, Pooja Shivshankar

The Brown Foundation: Institute of Molecular Medicine

Complement anaphylatoxins C3a and C5a are potent immunomodulators whose impact extends well beyond their traditional roles in innate immunity. Acting through G protein-coupled receptors C3aR, C5aR1, and C5aR2, these peptides take part in coordinating immune cell recruitment, vascular tone, and tissue remodeling. Yet their functions are deeply context-dependent: while they play essential roles in microbial clearance and immune coordination, their overactivation contributes to immunopathology in a wide range of diseases. The anaphylatoxins play key roles in early pathogen containment but can also drive cytokine storm and tissue damage, as in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and bacterial sepsis. In autoimmune conditions, …

The Pharmacology Of Gpr171 Ligands In The Treatment Of Pain: An In Vitro And In Vivo Preclinical Characterization, Max V. Mcdermott

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Opioids are addictive, ineffective for long-term treatment, readily produce withdrawal and tolerance, and can cause overdose and death. These properties have contributed to an epidemic of addiction and overdose, which continues unabated in the United States. Therefore, new drugs to treat acute and chronic pain are needed. Opioids bind to receptors belonging to a superfamily of proteins called G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). GPCRs are the most commonly targeted proteins among FDA-approved drugs. As such, under-researched GPCRs are a viable source of new targets in the field of drug development. One such underexplored GPCR is GPR171. Studies have demonstrated that a …

Hydrolysis Of Cellulose And Cellulose Model D-Cellobiose Using Amino-Sulfonic Acid Hydrochlorides As Catalysts, Jesse C. Nwankwo

All Theses

The accelerated industrialization has boosted the demand for fossil fuels, increasing prices and greenhouse gas emissions, which has led to a quest for cleaner energy sources such as biofuels. Cellulose, a common biopolymer, is promising for renewable energy but is not hydrolysis-resistant. In this research, firstly, nine amino-sulfonic acids, orthanilic, aminomethanesulfonic, pyridine-3-sulfonic, 2-aminoethanesulfonic, 3-amino-1-propanesulfonic, and 3-morpholinopropanesulfonic acids, sulfanilic, and metanilic were investigated as model catalysts for cellulose hydrolysis. D-cellobiose, a more simplified model of cellulose, was similarly hydrolyzed using metanilic and sulfanilic acids and benchmarked against sulfuric acid. At 85 - 115°C, sulfanilic acid produced 76% glucose yield compared to …

Using Livestreaming Technology To Answer Novel Questions About The Behavior And Physiological Ecology Of The Prairie Rattlesnake (Crotalus Viridis), Max C. Roberts

Master's Theses

Recent advances in remote monitoring technology are opening up new opportunities for developing innovative natural history and biological research methodologies. In particular, the emergence of livestreaming camera technology has made recording remote video of wild and secretive animals much easier and made it possible to collect data at extremely fine temporal resolutions. In 2024, Project RattleCam launched a livestreaming camera at a Prairie Rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis) den in Colorado. The goal of this work was to study Prairie Rattlesnake behavior 24-7 throughout the species’ active season with minimal human disturbance. Additionally, I used this system to study the …

Investigating Rattlesnake Social Networks And Improving Their Public Image Through Unobtrusive Technologies And Community Science, Owen M. Bachhuber

Master's Theses

While technology is often blamed for humans’ increasing disconnect with nature, it can also serve as a tool to facilitate empathy and conservation action for wildlife. Snakes are among the most feared animals on the planet, though their understudied social interactions provide opportunities to make scientific discoveries and change public perceptions. Project RattleCam was founded as a camera trap project in 2021 and launched the first off-grid livestream on a den of wild Prairie Rattlesnakes (Crotalus viridis) in 2024. Both camera types captured hundreds of Prairie Rattlesnakes gathering in the summer as they prepared to give birth to pups before …

Predicting Music Origin With Deep Learning, Fruzsina Ladanyi

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This project explores the usage of a late fusion deep learning architecture to predict the geographic origin of music. Mel-Frequency Cepstral Coefficients (MFCCs) and the language of the music sample are used as features. MFCCs were extracted from audio files to capture sound features. The language was identified using OpenAI’s Whisper model to provide additional context. A late fusion neural network architecture combining Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) layers for sequential MFCC input and dense layers for non-sequential language features were employed to support both classification and regression tasks. The classification model achieved an accuracy of 33.03% across 56 countries or …

The Lived Experiences Of Navajo Nurses During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Stephnie Ann Leeson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

When COVID-19 was diagnosed on the Navajo Nation, the impact on the people and the healthcare system was not understood. For almost three years, Navajo healthcare workers battled what was known to the Navajo as Dikos Nitsaaígíí Náhást’éíts’áadah, translated as The Big Cough. The Navajo Nation President, Jonathan Nez, referred to it as a Monster, as did many people in the Navajo Nation. Navajo nurses on the frontlines battled the monster daily as they saw friends and relatives succumb to the insidious disease. Much has been written about nurses off the reservations working on the frontline during the pandemic. However, …

In-Silico Of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 (Vegfr-2) Inhibitors Of Seven Bioactive Compounds From Sonneratia Alba, Madyawati Latief, Fitria Melani, Yusnaidar Yusnaidar, Indra Lasmana Tarigan

Chimica et Natura Acta

Cancer is a disorder resulting from genetic changes, abnormal growth, and spread to other parts of the body. Cancer treatment is commonly administered through chemotherapy, which often results in adverse side effects. Therefore, research is essential to identify safer alternative cancer therapies. This study aims to identify potential bioactive compound ligand receptor targets from Sonneratia alba as anticancer candidates in silico by identifying VEGFR target proteins based on their pharmacophores and studying their interactions through the reverse docking method. Docking simulations between the native ligand (Tivozanib) and the receptor yielded promising results, with a free energy value of -12.76 kcal/mol …

Maggot As A Bioconversion Agent Of Cow Blood Waste And Date Pulp Into Feed Raw Materials: A Chemical Profile Study, Imra Atun Helmi, Hidayati Nufus, Ikrima Ahdavia, Muhamad Farid, Ahmad Sjahriza

Chimica et Natura Acta

Cow blood waste and date residue become environmental problems if not appropriately managed. So far, there has yet to be any special management to handle the waste. On the other hand, cow blood waste and date pulp can be efficiently decomposed by maggots. This research was carried out to utilize organic waste as maggot cultivation by producing animal feed materials high in protein and fat, and to determine the best composition in the feed medium. Maggot feed treatment consisted of household organic waste as P0, mixed feed as P1, the ratio of cow blood waste to date pulp P2 (1:1), …

Child Abuse In Colonial America, Brian Allen

Graduate Masters Theses

Child Abuse in Colonial America is an investigation of the extent to which colonial societies were aware of child abuse and how they responded. Historians often assert that awareness of the problem did not exist in America until the mid-nineteenth century; however, the evidence uncovered suggests that cases of child abuse were recognized during the colonial period and that the societal responses differed widely. Historians of childhood document myriad social, economic, political, religious, and other cultural influences that dictate how children were treated at different times and locations, and this framework is used to interpret why the responses to child …

At Least It's Not Hospital Food: Faunal Analysis Of A Virginia Plantation Occupied By The Union Army, Kyett U. Salamone

Graduate Masters Theses

This thesis uses faunal remains from a midden at Sherwood Forest Plantation, Stafford County, Virginia to discuss the diet and provisioning of Union soldiers. Sherwood Forest was among Virginia’s wealthiest plantations in the Antebellum Period. During winter 1862-1863, the Army of the Potomac occupied the site, treating it as an ad hoc supply depot, pastureland and field hospital. After the war, the plantation owner and his heirs repeatedly sought repayment through the court system, generating documents detailing his confiscated and damaged property. The assemblage is compared to three zooarchaeological approaches about food supply: barreled meat, 19^th century military supply, …

From Colonization To Cultural Responsiveness: Examining Cultural Identity And Representation In Taiwanese Music Education, Peijyun Syu

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the Taiwanese music education system through the lenses of postcolonial theory, critical pedagogy, and culturally responsive teaching—beginning with its establishment during the colonial periods under the Japanese Empire (1895–1945) and the Chinese Nationalist regime (1945–1987), and extending to an analysis of the current curriculum. This study was guided by the following research questions:

Q1 How do current Taiwanese elementary school music textbooks address cultural responsiveness through an analysis of the cultural origins of songs, composers/artists, and instruments included in the curriculum?

Q2 What are the views of Taiwanese elementary school music teachers …

Students’ Ability To Transfer Organic Chemistry Concepts To Metabolic Reactions, Timothy Jones

Dissertations

Bridging foundational knowledge learned in prerequisite courses like organic chemistry to higher-level courses like biochemistry represents a significant challenge in science education, often hindering deeper student understanding and future knowledge application. The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate students’ ability to transfer and apply their understanding of organic chemistry when reasoning through metabolic reaction problems often seen in biochemistry courses. The research questions guiding the project were two-fold:

Q1 What are the organic chemistry reaction concepts deemed foundational to understanding metabolism by experts in the field?

Q2 What is the student’s ability to transfer knowledge of organic chemistry reactions …

Evaluation Of The Zanesville-Muskingum County Ohio’S Mosquito And Tick Disease Vector Control Program, Samantha Wantz

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

This project aimed to evaluate the Zanesville – Muskingum County Health Department’s (ZMCHD) Vector Control Program based on performance measures, program indicators, and customer satisfaction. A secondary goal of the project is to evaluate and revise the existing policies and procedures of the program in regards specifically to the safety of the intern. Based on information from the Ohio Department of Health infectious disease dashboard, in the last 10 years (2014-2024) Muskingum County has reported 12 total cases of La Crosse virus, one case of West Nile Virus, and one case of Malaria (Ohio Department of Health, 2024a). ZMCHD has …

Supporting Autistic Students' Mental Wellness: A Community Readiness Model Approach, Cady Walker

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Autism spectrum disorder or difference (ASD) is a lifelong neurodevelopmental disability, usually identified during childhood. However, many adults miss the opportunity for diagnosis during childhood due to previous misunderstandings about autism presentation, camouflaging behaviors, and misdiagnoses. While current diagnostic tools for assessing autism in children are more robust, similar measures are lacking for adults who were not diagnosed in childhood. This gap poses risks for poor mental health outcomes among adults who missed a timely ASD diagnosis, which can be especially challenging for autistic college students. Although some higher education institutions offer support programs for autistic students, most do not, …

Ai & The Legal Profession: Special Issue Introduction, Jon Festinger, Kc

UBC Law Review

No abstract provided.