Digital Commons Network^™

Digitally-Mediated Nature-Connectedness?: Listeners’ Emotional Responses To And Perception Of Digitized Nature Sounds, Marissa Salas

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

• Faced with the potential closure or privatization of the U.S. National Park Service (NPS), it is important to reflect on the conservation efforts using soundscapes. This dissertation explores the gap between experts and lay listeners in listening to soundscapes through the digitally-mediated spaces (e.g. YouTube). In a pilot project conducted in 2024 that used facial emotional recognition software and a talk-aloud protocol, data on emotions was collected. Using NPS video recordings on its webpages, social media accounts and via other digital channels (YouTube, etc.) created by NPS experts, this project employed an innovative, interdisciplinary, mixed-methods experimental design to investigate …

Expanding The World Of Themed Entertainment Through Choice-Based Narratives: How Video Game Design Principles Inspire Immersion In Attractions, Layla R. Mccarthy

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Within most traditional theme park attractions, guest interaction does not directly impact the unfolding of the narrative. While there are many examples of encouraged interaction, guests still lack agency. Within this research, the goal is to develop a hypothetical theme park attraction (titled The Library of Worlds) where guests will be met with various choices that influence the trajectory of the story. Drawing inspiration from non-linear storytelling and interactive gaming, this study explores integration of choice-based narratives into themed entertainment, questioning the ways in which agency can enhance immersion and connection within attractions – as well as what elements …

Live Content: Turning Guests Into Co-Creators Of Gamified Attractions, Brittany Mcchesney

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Based on an in-depth exploratory literature review, this thesis proposes to assess how a live content team might interact with the lifecycle of a gamified theme park attraction. To offer unique and memorable experiences to Guests, there has been an increase in the development of theme park attractions that are “gamified,” in that Guests can interface with some interactive game element or experience. This is especially pertinent with the development of video-game-focused lands and attractions, such as Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan, Hollywood, and soon to be Epic Universe in Orlando, FL. Attractions can incorporate gamification in a …

Macabre Therapeutics: An Exploration Into The Cathartic Nature Of Splatter Utilizing The Saw Franchise As Corpus, Rosalind E. Rohrbaugh

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

This project positions splatter (a subgenre of horror films that centralizes gore) as applicable for sociopolitical critique and emotional catharsis, disrupting the narrative of splatter as a solely shock-based enterprise. The project utilizes the Saw franchise as a corpus, which reignited audience interest in extreme horror in 2004, rejuvenating splatter film releases since their stagnancy throughout the 1990s. This research seeks to answer why Saw captured the attention of audiences and returned the splatter subgenre to the 21st century, utilizing psychoanalytical film analysis, sociopolitical analysis, semiotics, content analysis, and archival research as methodology and drawing on Aristotle’s Catharsis and Rhetorical …

Sketching Towards Character: An Actor's Process Of Reclaiming The Mind-Body Connection, Lauren E. Schulke

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

The human body is capable of incredible things. It completes vital functions autonomically, can instinctively protect us from harm, helps us sense, process, and respond to the world we inhabit, and can even heal itself when necessary. But what happens when an actor, who is dependent on their body to express their artistry, has lost awareness of their material? With the help of this thesis and the crafting of a personal methodology, I have developed a process that works towards healing this fracture and encourages the initial crafting of character through embodiment.

This thesis details the evolution of a personal …

Under Control, Eric Tegethoff

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Under Control is a collection of six short stories focused on masculinity. The stories explore family, climate change, nationalism, and the nature of work. “A Survey of Man” and “Snake Pit” dive into the corrosive effects of capitalism on men in society. In “The Art of War,” the narrator finds the cost of pursuing healing outside of society’s prescribed norms. Society’s norms also act on the characters in “My Country, My Cybertruck” and “Bad Reporting.” The collection ends with “Virtual Idaho,” a short story that scrutinizes the masculine barriers to properly grieving for a loved one.

Principles Of Biomedical Research, Faina Linkov, Matthew C. Kostek

Open Education Materials

HLT 430/530

CC BY-NC-SA

Occupied Lands, Occupied Histories: Activist-Historians And The Red Power Movement, Elena Rose Paz Thompson

History - Master of Arts in Teaching

I. Synthesis Essay.............................4

II. Primary Document Collection......25

III. Textbook Critique........................37

IV. New Textbook Writing.................42

Expertise Or Experience: Comparing Discussion Of Drought Between Audiences And Agencies In Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, And Missouri, Cory L. Armstrong, Sharon E. Baldinelli, Kelly Helm Smith, Sharon J. Medcalf

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

Significant portions of the states in FEMA region 7 (Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, and Iowa) were in drought in 2022–23. Culling data gathered from a prominent social media platform and from focus group discussions, this research examines how drought information was communicated between the public officials and the general public. Through the lens of the two-step flow of communication theory, the central research question explored the differences between public conversations about drought among individuals experiencing it and the viewpoints of experts who work on drought-related issues. Results from social media conversations were examined, along with insights from focus group discussions involving …

Criminalizing Ecocide: An Opportunity To Embed The Inseparability Of Humans From Nature Into The Law, Rebecca Hamilton

Scholarly Articles in Law Reviews & Journals

Amid widespread acknowledgment that we live on a planet in peril, the term “ecocide” packs a powerful rhetorical punch. Extant regulatory approaches to environmental protection feel insufficient in the face of the triple threat of climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss. International criminal prosecution for ecocide, by contrast, promises to meet the moment, and a recent proposal to introduce ecocide into the canon of core international crimes is gaining traction. Assuming the push to criminalize ecocide continues to gain momentum, this Article argues that the primary (and perhaps, sole) benefit that international criminal law can offer in this context is …

Effects Of Starter Cultures On The Metabolite Profile, Antioxidant Activities, And Anti-Aging Properties Of Tapuy Lees, Edward Kevin B. Bragais, Paul Mark B. Medina

Biology Faculty Publications

The Philippine rice wine (tapuy) and tapuy lees making process utilizes bubod, the traditional starter culture. The bubod contains variable number and species of microorganisms and influences the physical and chemical properties of tapuy and tapuy lees, resulting in inconsistent quality products. Hence, improvement and standardization of local starter culture are significant. Here, we examined the effects of well-defined starter cultures (Rhizopus oryzae (RO), Mucor indicus (MI), and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (SC)) and bubod on the metabolite profile, antioxidant, and anti-aging activities of tapuy lees. Our results showed the presence of polyphenols (102.36 ± 2.84 to 173.92 …

In Silico Screening And Identification Of Ctl And Htl Epitopes In The Secreted Virulence Factors Of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, Edward Kevin B. Bragais, F. M. Heralde Iii, K. C. Fernandez, S. E. Caoili

Biology Faculty Publications

Background: Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTb) is a highly infectious pathogen and a global health threat due to its resilient cell wall and immune evasion strategies. Despite the availability of the antituberculosis Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine, its efficacy varies (0%–80%) and gradually decreases over time. This study aimed to identify cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) and helper T-lymphocyte (HTL) epitopes in MTb secretory proteins using immunoinformatics tools. Material and methods: The Protein Variability Server was used to identify highly conserved sequences, and epitope population coverage was estimated for the Southeast Asian (SEA) region. Selected epitopes were also docked to their major histocompatibility complex alleles. …

In Silico Prediction Of Cytotoxic T-Cell Epitopes From Helicobacter Pylori Virulence Factors Using An Immunoinformatics Approach, Demy Valerie Chacon, Kiana Alika Co, Daphne Noreen Enriquez, Aubrey Love Labarda

Biology Faculty Publications

Background: Helicobacter pylori infects approximately half of the global population, leading to gastric and duodenal ulcers. Despite the availability of antibiotics, challenges such as patient reluctance, high treatment costs, and antibiotic resistance limit their effectiveness, making vaccination a promising alternative. This study used immunoinformatics to identify candidate epitopes for a multiepitope vaccine construct against H. pylori. Material and methods: The protein variability server was utilized for conservation analysis. The epitopes were screened for antigenicity, allergenicity, toxicity, cross-reactivity, and population coverage. Selected epitopes were docked with their corresponding human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles, and thermodynamic quantities were determined. Five virulence factors …

Development And Pilot Of A Microgreens Project To Integrate Food Security In Grade 8 Science Using Systems Thinking, Iris Mae L. Caidic, C. K. Gonzales

Biology Faculty Publications

Among other countries, the Philippines faces the issue of food security, which must be addressed through education. However, the lack of coherence in teaching science content hinders Filipino junior high school students’ holistic understanding that science lessons are interconnected to food security. This study explores how systems thinking can be utilized to integrate food security into science topics. The pilot of the developed module on a microgreens project was implemented using systems thinking tools to tackle lessons on biodiversity, ecosystems, and the human digestive system within the context of food security. Data from end-of-scaffold check-ins, individual scaffold assessments, group performance …

A Concoction Pipeline For Generating Molecular Operational Taxonomic Units (Motus) Among Riparian And Aquatic Beetles, Emmanuel D. Delocado, Voltaire Rafael H. Banzon, Enrico Gerard S. Sanchez

Biology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

A Low-Cost Production Method For Bst Dna Polymerase (Large Fragment), Crisanto M. Lopez, M. V. San Pedro, V. A. Cañas, J. R. Garcia

Biology Faculty Publications

BstLF, the large fragment of Bst DNA polymerase, is a recombinant strand-displacing DNA polymerase derived from Geobacillus stearothermophilus and serves as the primary enzyme utilized in loopmediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). Recently, the application of LAMP as a convenient and accessible diagnostic tool has gained considerable attention. However, the high cost of reagents presents a significant barrier to the development of LAMP diagnostic kits, limiting accessibility for laboratories in low-resource settings. In this study, we report a low-cost production method for BstLF utilizing more readily available alternative reagents coupled with a simplified purification process. The resulting homebrewed BstLF demonstrated comparable amplification …

The Use Of Synthesized Stabilized Nanoparticles Of Selenium As A Feed Additive In Shrimp Litopenaeus Vannamei Diets: Performance, Antibacterial Activity, Gut Microbiota And Immune-Related Genes Expression, Janice A. Ragaza, F. Mustafa, S. Hassan, O. Ashary

Biology Faculty Publications

The shrimp aquaculture industry faces challenges that hinder production, including pathogens and infections from bacteria-causing diseases. The present study aimed to examine the impact of dietary synthesized chitosan stabilized selenium nanoparticles (CSSeNPs) on the growth performance of gut microbiota and immuneassociated genes for shrimp L. vannamei aquaculture. The experiments were accomplished for 12 weeks in triplicate fiberglass circular tanks (200 L). A 300 shrimp post-larvae (PL) weighing an average of 0.14 ± 0.001 g was utilized. Four experimental groups were assigned to 12 tanks. Each tank contained 25 PL. Each group fed with one of the following diets: control (C), …

Native No More? The Catfish Dilemma In The Philippines, Janice A. Ragaza, Alexis Faye A. Olarte, James Darren R. Pelaez

Biology Faculty Publications

The shrimp aquaculture industry faces challenges that hinder production, including pathogens and infections from bacteria-causing diseases. The present study aimed to examine the impact of dietary synthesized chitosan stabilized selenium nanoparticles (CSSeNPs) on the growth performance of gut microbiota and immuneassociated genes for shrimp L. vannamei aquaculture. The experiments were accomplished for 12 weeks in triplicate fiberglass circular tanks (200 L). A 300 shrimp post-larvae (PL) weighing an average of 0.14 ± 0.001 g was utilized. Four experimental groups were assigned to 12 tanks. Each tank contained 25 PL. Each group fed with one of the following diets: control (C), …

From Bait To Breakthrough: How Polychaetes Are Revolutionizing Philippine Aquaculture, Janice A. Ragaza, Irnes Rebien H. Bailon, Rochelle A. Jabines

Biology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Ptp1b Inhibitors Of Marine Sponge-Derived Secondary Metabolites From Dysidea, Irvin B. Rondolo, G. A. Lasam, M. N. Aguila, A. J. De Jesus

Biology Faculty Publications

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease with high morbidity and mortality due to its complications. Recently, there has been growing interest in identifying new bioactive compounds, including marinederived secondary metabolites, for potential antidiabetic activities. This study focuses on secondary metabolites from marine sponges from the genus Dysidea that show strong inhibition of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B), a key target in antidiabetic therapy. Thirteen out of the thirty-one compounds were identified to have promising in silico potentials vs PTP1B: avarol (1), avarone (2), furodysin (3), nakafuran 8 (4), haterumadysin A (5), pyrodysinoic acid (6), avinosol (7), puupehenone (8), α-santonin (9), …

Understanding The Mechanism In Shaping Guest Acceptance Of Service Robots In Caribbean Hotels: The Moderating Role Of Cultural Familiarity In The Cac Model, Jamilia A. Lawrence

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Service robots continue to become increasingly popular in the hospitality and tourism industry. Understanding the cognitive and emotional processes is important in explaining the sequential processes of guests accepting new technologies. Especially in regions like the Caribbean, where human-to-human interaction and personalized services are highly valued.

This study investigates how cognitive evaluations of service robots, including utility, coolness, autonomy, courtesy, and interactivity, influence guests' emotional responses and their acceptance of the technology in Caribbean hotels. Additionally, the study explores the moderating role of cultural familiarity in the relationship between emotion and acceptance.

Using the cognitive-affective-conative (CAC) model, 415 responses were …

Transformative Experience Design: Exploring The Supply-Side Perspective In The Theme Park Context, Juliana Rodrigues Vieira Tkatch

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

This study investigates how hedonic tourism activities can facilitate personal transformation, particularly in the context of mass tourism. Focusing on theme parks, which draw millions of visitors annually, the research explores the design elements that can foster visitor transformation. The study aims to uncover the design elements embedded in the creation of these activities and the effects they intend to foster in visitors, answering the research question: How do theme park design practices contribute to transformative tourism experiences? This question is significant given the limited empirical work connecting experience design and transformative tourism from the supplier perspective. Using a qualitative …

Inhibition Of Activin A Signaling Slows The Progression Of Barrett's Esophagus Induced Esophageal Adenocarcinoma, Lily A. Giardino

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

In 2020, approximately 1.03 billion cases of Gastro-esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) were reported worldwide, representing a significant global health burden. Chronic GERD is a potent initiator of Barrett’s Esophagus (BE), a precancerous condition in which the squamous epithelium is converted into columnar-like epithelium in the distal esophagus in response to reflux injury. Barrett’s Esophagus is the only known precursor to Esophageal Adenocarcinoma (EAC), a disease with a five-year survival rate of 21%. First line treatments focus on acid suppression and endoscopic mucosal resection but did not result in a decrease of EAC incidence highlighting the importance of new therapeutics. Previous …

Multi-Omics Analysis Of Streptococcus Pneumoniae Serotype 3 Using A Murine Infection Model, Jash Kamlesh Trivedi

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Streptococcus pneumoniae (SPN), a gram-positive encapsulated pathogen, inhabits the human nasopharynx asymptomatically but can cause severe infections, including invasive pneumococcal diseases (IPD). Although targeted by vaccines, serotype 3 (ST3) remains highly prevalent within the United States and globally. Sequence type 180 lineage within Clonal Complex (CC)180 is the predominant lineage of serotype 3 globally. Genetically, Clonal Complex 180 is divided into clade I and II, with clade II recently surpassing clade I in prevalence. However, the molecular mechanisms driving this shift remain poorly understood. Here, we employ a multi-omics approach, combining pangenome analysis and dual-RNA sequencing, to investigate genetic factors …

Cigarettes, Flesh, & Other Cravings, Gabrielle F. Decker

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Cigarettes, Flesh, & Other Cravings is a collection of short stories that explores themes of motherhood, death, and desire. Each character struggles with the friction between society's expectations and their desires for happiness, all through the lens of the surreal and the absurd. A destructive raccoon’s nightly visits unravel a woman’s sense of control. A teenager begins an internship with a conspiracy-obsessed clown. A minuscule old woman tumbles out of a chicken egg. A fissure in a kitchen floor births an imp. A Choose Your Own Adventure examines the illusion of choice. In Hell, torture is personalized. Cigarettes, Flesh, & …

The Multifaceted Roles Of Propionic Acid In Autism Spectrum Disorder And Crohn’S Disease, Piotr P. Lagod

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), including propionic (PPA) and butyric (BA) acid, exert a variable and organ-specific effect on the body. They are by-products of human microbiota metabolism and are often used as a food preservative. Studies have shown that PPA and its producers are elevated in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) patients and their mothers. Our lab previously demonstrated that PPA alters neural stem cell differentiation in favor of glia. In this work, we utilized an in vivo mice model, in which dams and their offspring were fed a PPA-rich diet. In the brain, we observed a significant increase in …

Designing Immersive Educational Experiences: An Exploration Of Animal Attractions And Exhibits To Create A National Park Themed Experience, Sarah G. Merrill

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

This thesis analyzes the disconnect between immersive environmental storytelling and conservation education at animal attractions. How can designers create immersive educational experiences that engage audiences? Can environmental narrative practices be applied in a new way to develop effective conservation and wildlife education? A literature review assists in defining immersion, discovering the evolution of Modern Zoo design as an immersive experience, and evaluating conversation education in animal facilities. When combined with educational techniques, immersive habitat design improves guest engagement and informal conservation learning outcomes in zoos and animal-related experiences. Using Scott Lukas’ theming and immersion modes, three attractions are analyzed as …

I'M Sorry You Have To Read This, Mark Blok

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

I’m Sorry You Have to Read This is a collection of essays that explore Russian culture, Jewish traditions, and American identity. Through reflections on illness, the indignities of premature balding, and the ongoing puzzle of cultural belonging, these essays navigate the awkward and absurd passage from childhood to adulthood. The first essay, “Traditions Schmaditions,” explores cultural identity, assimilation, and generational inheritance within a Russian-Jewish immigrant family. At its core, it’s about obligation and fear, and the struggle to break free from traditions kept out of habit rather than intention. Following essays of culture-shaping experiences that explore learning to define adulthood …

Drag In Theme Parks: An Application Of Queer Theory And Intergroup Contact Theory, Corey D. Clancy

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

The intent of this paper is to evaluate whether the artistic expression of Drag can be understood and appreciated by its critics when employed at Theme Parks. This will be accomplished through the lenses and applications of Queer Theory and Intergroup Contact Theory by researching what the art of Drag is, defining its different expressions, interviewing members of the Drag community, and creating clear guidelines and “Criteria for Drag in Theme Parks.”

With such passionate feelings on Drag in culture today, this research will aim to take subjectivity out of the matter and focus objectively on the impacts that Drag …

& Everything Else, Ian R. Abercrombie

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

& EVERYTHING ELSE is a collection of stories that explores various forms of obsession. In “BEG FOR SCRAPS,” Pickle, a former bomb-sniffing dog, fixates on his owner, who’s fallen into a cycle of neglect post-divorce. “LET THEM FIGHT” follows Casey, a 20-something on a date to see, for the umpteenth time, a kaiju movie that conjures their escapist tendencies from a traumatic childhood. “DINNER WITH THE FOOL,” narrated by a state-appointed clown obsessed with jokes, describes a family contending with their matriarch’s planned suicide. “BIRDWATCHING” follows three characters, each with their own odd obsession: Jodie who wants to photograph a …