Digital Commons Network^™

Eco-Friendly Synthesis Of Anemonin From 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural, A Biomass-Derived Starting Material, Diane Zefack Tangmi

Theses and Dissertations

Anemonin, a valuable cyclobutane containing dilactone is a bioactive natural product from Ranunculaceae plants. It holds great potential for applications in pharmaceuticals and materials science. However, traditional synthesis methods are hampered by low yields, toxic reagents, and environmental concerns, limiting its practical use. This study highlights the development of green and scalable synthetic strategies designed to achieve high yields while minimizing environmental impact. Our approach focuses on sustainable methodologies, including optimized steam and fractional distillation performed under mild conditions to reduce waste and energy demands. Protoanemonin’s natural ability to dimerize under mild heating offers a green approach to anemonin synthesis, …

Genetic Epidemiology Of Chronic Wasting Disease And Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease In North Dakota Deer, Ethan S. Baker

Theses and Dissertations

Wildlife diseases have become a critical factor in the management of animal populations across the globe. Such diseases can compromise individual health, reduce population sizes, and disrupt ecosystem biodiversity. As a result, there can be a loss in recreational opportunities which, in turn, can cause economic losses for communities relying on these populations. Effective wildlife disease management not only requires the ability to respond to outbreaks but also the capacity to predict how diseases interact with populations and ecosystems. Due to the complexity of disease dynamics, a multidisciplinary approach is essential for gaining a comprehensive understanding of these systems. In …

Strengthening Traffic Safety Laws On The Crow Indian Reservation, Darcy Merchant

Theses and Dissertations

The Crow Indian reservation is located in south-central Montana. The reservation is one of the largest land-based tribes in Montana, encompassing an area of over three thousand square miles. The reservation borders the state of Wyoming to the south and the Northern Cheyenne Indian reservation to the east. The reservation features a comprehensive transportation system that encompasses tribal, county, state, and federal roadways. Drivers and passengers who travel on these roadways are at higher risk for fatal and severe injury-related motor vehicle crashes than those in other reservations. This situation largely stems from the critical absence of targeted traffic safety …

Why Can't We Just Be: Native American College Student Sense Of Belonging At The University Of North Dakota, Gavin Michael Nadeau

Theses and Dissertations

Sense of belonging is a primary indicator of retention and persistence to graduation forNative American college students. Though more than doubling in the past 30 years, Native American college student enrollment has decreased since 2010 (197,000 in 2010 to 107,000 in 2021) (PNPI, 2021; NCES, n.d.). In 2020, Native American students’ 2nd year retention rate was more than 20% lower than their white peers at the University of North Dakota (UND, 2020). When college students of color feel like they belong, they are more likely to retain, persist, and graduate (Mowreader, 2024; Hurtado & Carter, 1997; Hurtado et al., 1999). …

Investigating The Role Of Keratin 6 And Sox2 In Regulating Growth, Stemness, Basal/Squamous Expression, And Chemotherapy Response In Muscle-Invasive Urothelial Carcinoma, Nelofar Nargis

Theses and Dissertations

Urothelial carcinoma (UC) is a prevalent and aggressive malignancy arising in urothelial cells, with arsenic exposure recognized as a significant environmental risk factor. It is categorized into two primary subtypes based on the extent of cancer progression beyond the bladder’s muscle wall: non-muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma (NMIUC) and muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma (MIUC). While NMIUC is associated with a relatively favorable prognosis, progression to MIUC is more aggressive and leads to significantly worse outcomes, including poor treatment response and increased metastasis. Squamous differentiation (SD) in UC is an emerging hallmark of aggressive UC, with patients often having poor prognoses and developing chemoresistance, …

The Wicked Problem Of Moral Distress: Exploring The Experiences Of Rural Clinic Nurses, Sydney Rae Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Moral distress is an occupational hazard for nurses that can negatively impact nurses, patients, and the healthcare system. Moral distress has been well documented in high-risk care environments. Each nursing care environment has its own unique triggers for moral distress, but these triggers are unknown in rural clinic nurses. Design and Purpose: This convergent mixed methods study sought to gain a broader understanding of moral distress in nurses working in rural clinic settings.

Methods: Convergent mixed methodology was used to gain a broader understanding of moral distress in nurses working in rural clinic settings. Following ethical approvals, informed by …

Evaluating The Engineering Properties Of Waste-Modified Asphalt Binders And Mixtures As Inputs For The Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design, Duncan Rioba Oteki

Theses and Dissertations

Pavements are essential for economic development and mobility, with asphalt dominating the US road network due to its cost-effectiveness, ease of maintenance, and recyclability. However, the environmental impacts of asphalt production and the depletion of virgin materials have driven the integration of waste products into asphalt mixtures to improve sustainability. This study evaluated the engineering properties of waste-modified asphalt binders and mixtures as performance-based inputs for the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG). The rutting performance of ten asphalt mixtures commonly used in North Dakota was assessed using mechanistic and empirical tests. Mechanistic tests included the dynamic modulus (|E*|), Flow Number …

The Weapon Focus Effect On Memory For Male And Female Perpetrators, Faith Christel Aasen

Theses and Dissertations

Previous research on the weapon focus effect suggests that weapon presence causes reduced memory accuracy for perpetrator details due to weapons being surprising and unexpected. The unusualness hypothesis suggests that a stronger weapon focus effect should occur when the perpetrator defies typical gender stereotypes, such as a woman holding a gun. The current study sought to examine how the weapon focus effect impacts eyewitness memory for male and female perpetrators, specifically exploring the magnitude of the effect on female perpetrators. The current study further investigated whether the own gender bias attenuates the weapon focus effect on memory for female perpetrators. …

An Explainable Ai Framework For Detecting Harmful Algal Blooms (Habs) In Freshwater Lakes, Meera Gopinath Sujatha

Theses and Dissertations

The increase in economic impacts due to the rapid growth of harmful algal blooms (HABs) in freshwater lakes has prompted the development of monitoring and prediction systems. However, limited target data hinders reliable predictions on HAB formations. To address this limitation, this dissertation focuses on providing solutions through data-driven,interpretable, and explainable machine learning models. In Chapter 3, an interpretable multivariate regression model such as Vector Autoregressive (VAR) was used to analyze the important factors that contribute to the formation of cyanobacteria in lakes. The causality tests performed on multiple water quality data helped to determine Alkalinity, Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a), andWater Temperature …

Teaching Agroecology Through Play: A Board Game On Companion Planting Using Agroecological Principles, Ashmita Das, Julie Capito-Hernandez, Estelí Jiménez-Soto

School of Geosciences Faculty and Staff Publications

Board games themed around environmental topics are promising tools for promoting awareness of complex sustainability issues, as the materiality, sociality, and multidimensionality of gameplay can help overcome some of the inherent limitations of more traditional learning formats. To explore the potential relevance of board games for communicating about agrifood system topics in particular, we designed and tested a game called Companion: An Agroecological Adventure, in which players take on the role of community gardeners who must apply both social and ecological principles of agroecology to cultivate a thriving garden plot. In this paper, we present the results of a study …

Food Sovereignty Among Migrant Farmworkers: The Role Of Agrobiodiversity For Autonomy And Resistance In A Mexican Coffee Plantation, Estelí Jiménez-Soto, Sanya Cowal, April Lopez

School of Geosciences Faculty and Staff Publications

Coffee agroecosystems represent the economic base for thousands of small growers and agricultural workers, as well as a significant proportion of many regional economies in Latin America. Every year, the production of coffee in this region attracts a great number of laborers and their families, particularly during the harvest season. Despite being essential workers in the food system, agricultural workers continue to be one of the most marginalized actors in the coffee production chain. Even with an environment of precarity, agricultural workers exercise their autonomy and food sovereignty—the process by which agricultural workers, in this case, define their food system …

Week 1: Overview Of Growing Up In Christ, Calvin University

Campus Ministries Resources

No abstract provided.

La Beauté Ignoble Du Cadavre. Regard Scientifique Et Regard Artistique Dans Thérèse Raquin D’Émile Zola, Shreya Patel , '25

Senior Theses, Projects, and Awards

No abstract provided.

Early Tissue Changes Linked To Diabetes: Insights From A Preclinical Model, Bryan Liu, Ramiro Cisneros, Estephania Garcia, Jimena Mora, Sumedha Guha, Evelin Rios, Krishna Prajapati, Danieli Rodrigues, Bhuvana Lakkasetter Chandrashekar, Claudia Biguetti

School of Podiatric Medicine - Student Research

Introduction and Hypothesis: The aim of this study is to compare soft tissue morphology and fibrosis pathology of different organs between diabetic and non-diabetic rats. Type 2 diabetes causes soft tissue remodeling in organ systems including heart, kidney, spleen, and pancreas. Fibrotic remodeling is a common pathological mechanism seen in diabetes-related organ dysfunction. By understanding fibrotic pathology in rats, it serves as a foundation to develop lower limb models applicable to podiatry. These systemic changes caused by diabetes may also play a role in lower limb changes such as diabetic ulcers and delayed wound healing.

Methodology: Male Lewis rats (6 …

Leading The Church Out Of White Supremacy And Toward Biblical Justice And Reconciliation: A Leadership Approach Using The Arc Model, Keenan Tyler

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Seventh-day Adventist church members need to be equipped to respond faithfully to injustice in their communities, beginning with an understanding as to how to respond to systemic racism rooted in White Supremacy.

Method

This Doctor of Ministry project implemented an adapted form of Jamar Tisby’s ARC model—Awareness, Relationships, Commitment—contextualized for a Seventh-day Adventist theological and ecclesial setting. The immediate goal was to move beyond raising awareness of racial injustice to equipping congregations to actively resist systemic racism and dismantle the lingering influence of white supremacy in church life and mission. Over six interactive sessions, 18 participants engaged in historical, …

Transforming Pathfinder Acculturation Gaps: Confronting Intergenerational Cultural Conflict Between First- And Second- Generation Immigrants With Family Strengthening Workshops Among Scottish Mission Pathfinders And Their Parents, Njabulo King Ndlovu

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The immigrant population in the UK is rapidly increasing along with correlated increases in the membership of both the British Union Conference (BUC) and the Scottish Mission (SM) of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The Scottish Mission Pathfinder clubs (SMPCs) have many immigrant children. However, as immigrants’ home culture comes into continuous contact with the British culture, acculturation gaps between first- and second-generation immigrants tend to form naturally as a result of the differing pace with which these two generations acculturate. Adolescents are generally thought to adapt quicker. Parent-child miscommunication and disagreement on critical matters such as values, beliefs, and …

A Cross-Cultural And Inter-Ethnic Awareness Strategy For Members Of Ipswich, Colchester And Clacton Adventist Churches, Robin Johannes Lewis

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The three multicultural, multi-ethnic (MCME) churches in my district were facing tension among members from diverse cultures, ethnicities, countries of origin, and languages. Factions formed cliques and vied for leadership roles, while some groups appeared to dominate the worship services. Certain members became upset when people with difficult accents from specific language groups led out in services and could not be understood. Others shared their distinctive foods only within their own groups. Some members felt isolated and believed they lacked a voice.

Method

Nine seminars and workshops were organised to raise awareness among the MCME congregants about the causes …

The Mordecai-Esther Mentorship Initiative: A Cross-Gender Mentorship Model For Commissioned Female Pastors In South Central Conference, Latina Carriger

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

In the South Central Conference of Seventh-day Adventists (SCC), while male pastors receive formal mentorship through the ministerial internship program leading up to ordination, female pastors—who are only commissioned and not ordained—often experience a lack of continued mentorship beyond commissioning. This absence hinders their professional development, limits leadership opportunities, and contributes to feelings of isolation. The current mentorship framework does not adequately support the ongoing growth of female pastors in a context where ordination is not extended to women, thereby creating a gap in pastoral leadership development and equity.

Method

This project utilized a qualitative case study design to …

Estrategia Para Atraer Y Retener A La Comunidad Hispana De La Primera Iglesia Adventista De Austin, Texas, Hadiel Perugorria

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The spiritual influence of the Adventist church in contemporary society is facing the challenges of a generation that is increasingly vulnerable and fragmented due to secularism and the ongoing pursuit of alternative sources of meaning. The community resists the commitment to be part of a Christian family where their lives are transformed and their abilities used for the benefit of others.  --The First Hispanic Church of the Seventh-day Adventists of Austin, Texas, faces the same challenge. The work carried out by the congregation was not sufficient to impact and reach the local community. The researcher's investigation during the years …

Clarifying Concreteness: Statutory Grants Of Standing After Spokeo And Transunion, Naomi Eid

FIU Law Review

Article III limits the federal judicial power to deciding “cases” and “controversies,” demanding that a plaintiff suffer real, concrete, de facto harm to sue in federal court. In Spokeo and TransUnion, the Supreme Court clarified the outer limits of concreteness by making clear to plaintiffs that an injury in law is not an injury in fact. The Court largely grounded the decisions in the separation of powers, setting a tone that appears less deferential to Congress in its creation of statutory rights of action. A plaintiff does not automatically satisfy the injury-in-fact requirement whenever Congress grants a right and purports …

The Interchangeable-Part Structure Of Food And Drug Law, Adam I. Muchmore

FIU Law Review

This Article demonstrates that nested tiers of interchangeable parts serve as the foundation for the regulatory programs administered by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Core interchangeable parts used in FDA-administered programs include product categories, prohibitions on adulteration and misbranding, agency-registration requirements, current good manufacturing practices, product standards, marketing authorization requirements, postmarket requirements, and user fees. In each of these areas, Congress or the FDA has engaged in interchangeable-part lawmaking (IPL). IPL occurs when a government takes a portion of its law in one subject area and uses it as a model for its own law in another subject area. …

Dei And Antisemitism: Bred In The Bone, Suzanna Sherry

FIU Law Review

The article explains why no one should have been surprised by the antisemitism that exploded on college campuses after October 7, 2023. The article demonstrates that the worldview espoused by the DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) movement -- and its cousins, antiracism and wokeness -- is inherently and inevitably antisemitic. The antisemitism "bred in the bone" of DEI was bound to come to the surface eventually, and it did.

Prurient Interests: The Law Of Sexual Desire, Lawrence M. Friedman

FIU Law Review

A recent book by George Fisher tries to explain the history of drug and alcohol laws in terms of social and legal norms against whatever can rob people of rational thinking; this article extends the analysis to laws about sexual behavior in the last two centuries, their rise and fall.

Agents In A Tangled Bank: An Ecosystem Approach To Ai Regulation, Andrew W. Torrance, Bill Tomlinson

FIU Law Review

As autonomous artificial intelligence agents ("Agents") become increasingly prevalent in society, legal frameworks must evolve to govern their behavior effectively. This article argues that autonomous AI agents must be understood as operating within complex ecosystems of other agents, humans, institutions, and actual biological ecosystems-similar to how biological organisms exist within broader ecosystems. Drawing on established research in multi-agent systems and environmental law, we propose that effective governance of AI agents requires moving beyond just regulation on individual agents to include system-level approaches. We examine how existing legal frameworks handle heterogeneous autonomous entities (humans, corporations, and animals) and explore how these …

Emergency Oversight, Catherine Baylin Duryea

FIU Law Review

This Article examines one of the most pressing questions in administrative law: How much judicial oversight should administrative agencies face during an emergency? This issue was particularly salient during the COVID epidemic, but it is not new. The Second World War saw a significant expansion and consolidation of the power of administrative agencies as well as experimentation with the appropriate oversight role for courts. This Article analyzes one such experiment: judicial oversight of agencies implementing wartime anti-inflationary measures, i.e. price controls and rationing. During the war, Congress created a specialized court, the Emergency Court of Appeals (ECA), to hear disputes …

The Hunger Games: Food As A Right, Not A Privilege, Camesha F. Little

FIU Law Review

Despite the United Nations' explicit declaration that all humans have a right to food, food insecurity and hunger remain persistent problems in the United States and around the globe. The dystopian landscapes depicted in novels such as The Hunger Games and Parable of the Sower—societies crippled by poverty, oppression, and pervasive starvation—resonate with sobering contemporary realities. This Article examines existing food laws, food rights, and the current protections safeguarding the United States food supply from a humanitarian perspective. Ultimately, this Article argues that the human right to food must expand to encompass a right to healthy or natural food, and …

A Post Apocalyptic Romp: Designing Costumes For Phoebe In Winter, Emmalee Berger

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis will document the process of costume designing for Phoebe in Winter by Jen Silverman. It will examine the process from first read of the script through initial and final design meetings and to execution and production of the design. This will report on challenges specific to this production, such as nudity and violence on an academic stage, and the subsequent solutions. Phoebe in Winter was produced by West Virginia University School of Theatre and Dance in October of 2024. The design process began in February of the same year.

Monograph Available: Urban Coyotes As A Source Of Conflict With Humans: An Evaluation Of Common Management Practices

Human–Wildlife Interactions

This is an announcement about the published monograph titled "Urban Coyotes as a Source of Conflict with Humans: An Evaluation of Common Management Practices." This publication, part of the HWI Monograph Series, is online and open access.

Factors Influencing The Discovery And Use Of Carrion By Vertebrate Scavengers From Human-Induced Mass-Mortality Events, Samantha J. Leivers, Michael J. Bodenchuk, Tyler A. Campbell, John M. Tomeček

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Scavengers play critical roles in ecosystem health and stability, and both biotic and abiotic factors can influence scavenger guild dynamics. Carrion is often limited both temporally and spatially on the landscape, but mass mortality events (MMEs)—in which there is an influx of carrion biomass on the landscape—may result in different scavenger community dynamics compared to when carrion is scarcely distributed. In this study, we investigated factors affecting the discovery and use of carrion by a natural, unharrassed scavenger guild during wild pig (Sus scrofa) MMEs conducted at East Foundation’s San Antonio Viejo Ranch in South Texas, USA. We …

Advancing Digital Teaching Literacy: The M-Prae Model For Large-Scale Enhancement Of Primary And Secondary School Teachers, Youru Xie, Wan Xia, Caoyin Li, Yi Qiu

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

High-quality teachers are essential to building a strong educational system, with digital teaching literacy being crucial to their professional development. This study, informed by a review of existing research, addressed the need for enhancing the digital teaching literacy among primary and secondary school teachers. Utilizing the MOOC construction concept (Concept), MOOC teaching content (Content), and MOOC design and development (Development)CCD model and the large-scale capabilities of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), this study developed the M-PRAE model, which encompasses five components: building a MOOC, clarifying improvement problems, supplying digital and non-digital resources, implementing collaborative activities, and conducting multi-dimensional evidence-based evaluations. …