Digital Commons Network^™

Degradable Staples And Delivery Device, Meha Elango, Jessica Cabrera, Makayla Scarpitti, Kareemat Melaiye

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The scope of this project is to design a method to secure skin grafts to healthy tissue. The ultimate goal for the proposed method is to be dissolvable in some form. Currently, skin grafts procedures utilize staples in most cases to hold a skin graft in place, but there are disadvantages that come with it. Staples are easy to place, but time consuming during the removal procedure. They also cause a lot of pain and discomfort for the patient. The goal of this project is to determine a way a secure skin grafts to healthy skin in order to reduce …

Restoration For The Small And Slimy: How Pond-Breeding Amphibians Utilize Natural, Restored, And Created Wetlands, Miranda Florent

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This research project for the Williams Honors College sought to examine how local pond-breeding amphibians utilized natural, restored, and created wetlands. Presence/absence data was gathered from field surveys, historical records, and iNaturalist data for the six study sites. It was predicted that created and restored wetlands may support less sensitive species with lower coefficient of conservatism scores, based on past surveys of a similar nature. No statistically significant results were found in this survey, but that could be due to low sample sizes and limited data sets, among other considerations. Therefore, more in-depth studies should still be undertaken to examine …

Exploring Natural Raw Materials For The Development Of Hot Melt Adhesives For Linings Of Paintings, Erica Factor

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Natural raw materials will be explored for developing hot melt adhesives for the lining of paintings. The leading raw material is a natural resin called "Damar". This resin is obtained from the tree family Dipterocaupocea in India and Southeast Asia. This material has shown promising results from initial testing. Damar, with the potential for other natural raw materials, will be combined with synthetic ingredients to create sustainable formulations. The formulations will be tested on linen to replicate the application onto paintings. The sustainability, tackiness, texture, and overall performance of each formula will be considered. Once a formulation has been selected, …

Impact Of Cannabidol (Cbd) On Daphnia Magna Heart Rate, Joanna Ross

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

In 2023, Ohio legalized recreational cannabis use for adults over 21; however, research on the physiological effectsof cannabis-derived compounds, particularly cannabidiol (CBD), remains limited due to i ts narcotics classification.While CBD is known to antagonize Cannabinoid Receptor 1 (CB1), a receptor found in the cardiac tissue of a numberof organisms, the effects on cardiac activity are not fully understood. This study aimed to investigate the impact ofCBD on heart rate in Daphnia magna. The hypothesis posited that CBD would increase heart rate in Daphnia byantagonizing CB1 receptors or equivalent G-protein-coupled receptors. The subjects were exposed to threetreatments: control (dechlorinated water), …

Teachers’ Reactions To The Bans And Biblioclasm Of Mexico’S National Free Textbooks In 2023: A Descriptive Qualitative Study, Eric Silberberg, Armida Liliana Patrón Reyes, Pedro Chagoyán García, Eric Manuel Benjamín Sánchez Barragán

Publications and Research

The rollout of Mexico’s new national free textbooks (LTG) at the outset of the 2023-2024 school year sparked a political crisis. Several states sued to prohibit their distribution and segments of civil society protested that they were designed to “indoctrinate” children in leftist ideology and sexual and gender diversity. This study aimed to investigate the effects of the bans and controversy on the classrooms of elementary, middle, and telesecundaria teachers. An ethnographic methodology was employed with semi-structured interviews and field notes collected at three schools each in Guanajuato and Puebla. Findings reveal that physical resources are incredibly important to teachers, …

Development Of Leader Voice And Leader Silence Scales: How And Why Leaders Choose To Remain Silent Or Speak Up During Situations Of Workplace Aggression, Katherine L. Dickins

Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to investigate the factors that drive leaders to speak up or remain silent when witnessing workplace aggression and to develop scales to measure leader voice and leader silence. While research on employee voice and silence exists, leader voice and silence need more theoretical development. I used an exploratory sequential mixed-method design to address these gaps. Subjects: Study one included 26 graduate management students and 35 leaders across multiple industries in the United States who witnessed workplace aggression in their unit. Study 2 included 345 people who supervised others at work. Instruments: Seven open-ended questions asking respondents to …

The Great Race, Willard Bullock

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

On Writing For Screen And Television, David L. Espey

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Voluntary Employee Turnover And The Engagement Perception Of Responsibility, Troy Duerr

Theses and Dissertations

This research project investigates voluntary employee turnover and perceptions of engagement responsibility within organizations. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the US workforce experienced significant pressures. Through qualitative research with semi-structured interviews of 15 professionals, key themes influencing engagement and disengagement were identified. These themes include leadership, recognition, role autonomy, team collaboration, unmet career promises, and poor communication. Participants represented various industries, from Fortune 10 companies to family-owned businesses, and held roles from individual contributors to divisional leaders. This research offers both theoretical advancements and practical solutions, emphasizing the necessity of shared responsibility between employees and organizations in managing …

Trauma Across Culture: A Phenomenological Study Exploring The Historical Effect Of Colonialism, Genocide, And Resilience On Descendants Of Indigenous Peoples In The United States, Monique Lumas-Wright

Theses and Dissertations

Throughout history, massive killings have gravely affected the succession of cultures, and the impact of its traumatization is vast. The centuries-long enslavement of African Americans, the ethnocide of Native American/Alaskan Natives, and the genocide of European Jews represent some of the most horrific catastrophes of human history through the destruction of identity, culture, language, and religion. The destabilization of these distinct groups and the extreme violence experienced by historical injustices have resulted in cultural, mental, emotional, and physical obstructions with profound economic, psychological, and health impacts encompassing both the wounds inflicted by oppression and resilience. The literature review examined the …

The Divine Digital Divide: A Qualitative Analysis Of The Effects Of Implementing Information And Communications Technology In The Black Baptist Worship Service Experience On Attraction And Retention Of Young Adults Post Covid-19, Ladonna Y. Boyd

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of using information and communication technology (ICT) in the Black worship experience for recruiting and retaining young adults in relation to church services, engagement (defined in this study as communication, community outreach, social activism and collaboration, and support services), and cultural identity within the community of faith. The relevancy and engagement for emerging generations and the cultural and ancestral ties of the Baptist church will be explored. Data analysis from these findings will be used to identify opportunities for faith and community leaders in relation to young Black adults, defined …

The Ask: A Study Understanding The Motivations Of Major Giving Donors. The Best Strategies And Practices To Achieve Fundraising Successes In Small Charitable Organizations, Courtney Laddusaw

Theses and Dissertations

Most charitable organizations, almost 1 million in the United States, are considered small organizations because they have a budget of less than $50,000 (Statista Research Department, 2023). These numbers show the need for small charitable organizations to develop fundraising protocols, specifically major giving programs (Eisenstein, 2014; Faulk et al., 2021; Stahl, 2013). To create a well-established and sustainable major giving program, charitable organizations must understand the intrinsic and extrinsic motivation of donors (Andreoni, 1990; Breeze, 2023; Chapman et al., 2022; Drollinger, 2018; V. S. Harrison, 2018; Hether et al., 2014; Ko et al., 2011; Kumar & Chakrabarti, 2021; O’Reilly et …

Differences In The Neurological Functioning Of Females And Males During The Human Sexual Response Cycle: A Quantitative Systematic Review, Zachary Larson

Theses and Dissertations

The psychology field recognizes differences between females and males. Yet, there is a lack of research examining neurobiological sex differences, and a sophisticated understanding of neurobiological contributors that explain these sex differences related to sexuality is lacking. An integrative systematic review of the literature examined differences in the neurological functioning between females and males during the human sexual response cycle (SRC). This study investigated sex differences and commonalities in regional neural activation during the four stages of the human SRC (i.e., excitement, plateau, orgasm, and resolution). The main result of this study is that the differences between females and males …

A Phenomenological Study Of Teachers' Perception Of Professional Development Sessions Focused On Artificial Intelligence: Utilizing The Tpack Framework To Address The Professional Development Needs Of Teachers, Xuanyi Chen

Theses and Dissertations

AI-enabled educational tools have great potential for enhancing learning and teaching, yet there is a notable lack of study on AI-focused professional development for K-12 teachers. This phenomenological study employed the TPACK framework to examine teachers' incorporation of AI and engagement in professional development activities. The use of a social constructivism framework explored teachers' views on knowledge, learning, and motivation. Data were collected from 12 K-12 teachers across various districts in a large metropolitan area who attended AI professional development sessions in their own context and from that experience created AI artifacts. Primary data included (a) semistructured interviews, (b) professional …

The Consumer’S Choice To Boycott, Agnes Bresee

Seattle University Law Review

In the wake of employees losing their jobs upon voicing their political opinions concerning Israel, Harvard and Columbia law students’ job offers being rescinded upon expressing support for Palestine, and the names and social media profiles of individuals who support Palestine being collected and listed on Canary Mission, such backlash may leave many Americans wondering what form of resistance to settler-colonialist apartheid is acceptable in the twenty-first century. Recently, the movement to collectively boycott brands like Starbucks, which sued its Worker’s Union for a tweet expressing support for Palestine; Disney, which donated money to Israel; and McDonald’s, where a location …

Spatial Distribution And Significance Of Burdens To Environmental Justice In Parramore, Florida: An Urban Resilience Perspective, Lex Tracton

Honors Undergraduate Theses

In response to climate change, economic instability, and rapid urbanization, the notion of urban resilience has gained prominence in city planning and governance. Urban resilience is the ability of a system to adapt to new baseline conditions developing as a result of disturbances. This study is focused on one of urban resilience’s sub-tenets, ecological resilience. Ecological resilience is the ability of a system to sustain ecosystem services following a disturbance (i.e. droughts, flooding, heat waves). The health of the environment prior to a disturbance informs post-disturbance ecological resilience. An already stressed and unbalanced system, or an ecosystem with degraded health, …

Shape-Shifting In Literary Commemorations To Emmett Till, Chase Almquist Browning

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Emmett Till remains a prominent figure in African American literature and culture. Police and vigilante violence in the twenty-first century against Black American men, women, and children has provoked political and artistic comparisons between contemporary instances of anti-Black violence and the event of Till’s kidnapping and murder. This thesis recognizes these comparisons and argues for a reorientation of critical and popular attention within the ongoing project of commemorating Till through the genres of memoir, poetry, and fiction. With the publication of Mamie Till-Mobley’s memoir Death of Innocence in 2003, I argue that this text establishes a memorial baseline for the …

Effects Of Multiple Stressors On Pseudomonas Fluorescens Over Short And Long Timescales, Parisa Burchfield

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Stressors are ubiquitous factors in biological systems that result in deviations from an organism's optimal physiological state, potentially causing fitness decreases. Stressors can be biotic (e.g., predators, parasites, competitors) or abiotic (e.g., pH changes, temperature, environmental toxins). Persistent stress can lead to population declines unless organisms respond through mechanisms such as evolutionary adaptation. Experimental evolution with microorganisms, particularly bacteria, is a powerful method for studying these phenomena due to their short generation times, large populations, as well as the ability to control their environment, and freeze and revive populations. Bacteria-phage systems, such as Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25 and its lytic phage …

Glycopolymeric Nanoparticles Enrich Less Immunogenic Protein Corona And Improve Tumor Delivery Compared To Pegylated Nanoparticles, Kenneth Ryan Hulugalla

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nanoparticles (NPs) offer significant promise as drug delivery vehicles; however, their in vivo efficacy is often hindered by the formation of a protein corona (PC), which influences key physiological responses such as blood circulation time, biodistribution, cellular uptake, and intracellular localization. Understanding NP-PC interactions is crucial for optimizing NP design for biomedical applications. Traditional approaches have utilized hydrophilic polymer coatings like polyethylene glycol (PEG) to resist protein adsorption, but glycopolymer-coated nanoparticles have emerged as superior alternatives due to their biocompatibility and ability to reduce the adsorption of highly immunogenic proteins. In this study, we synthesized and characterized glycopolymer-based poly[2(diisopropylamino)ethyl methacrylate-b-poly(methacrylamidoglucopyranose) …

From Pixels To Strings: Efficient String Art Creation Leveraging Greedy Algorithm, Ashraya Joshi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis optimizes String Art generation using advanced algorithms. String art is a technique that creates visual artworks composed of straight lines of strings tensioned between pins distributed on a canvas. Initially employing the Hough Transform, issues such as computational complexity and edge detection inaccuracies led to adopting a Greedy Algorithm. This algorithm iteratively enhances visual similarity between the string art and the original image by reducing the difference between pixel intensities between them, significantly improving quality and efficiency. Integrating non-photorealistic rendering techniques, the study ensures smoother and more coherent lines. The study demonstrates the improvements with different quantitative metrics. …

Temperamental Fear As A Vulnerability Factor For Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms: An Examination Of Fight, Flight, Freeze Using A Trauma Film Paradigm, Jaime P. Murtagh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Fear is often the primary emotion associated with anxiety and stress-related disorders with research suggesting that the expression of fear varies greatly between individuals and has been hypothesized to be associated with differences in behavioral inhibition, personality, as well as temperament. One theory which has been used to conceptualize variations in temperament is the reinforcement sensitivity theory which consists of the behavioral inhibition system (BIS), behavioral approach system (BAS), and the fight, flight, freeze system (FFFS), with the latter being of particular interest in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Variations in FFFS sensitivity has been linked to variations in psychopathology with …

Do Storytelling And Survival Processing Have Additive Effects On Recall Performance?, Zoe Helena Fischer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Both survival processing and storytelling have been shown to enhance memory performance relative to control conditions. We examined the extent to which combining these two techniques improves participants’ memory abilities relative to comparable control conditions. In one experiment, participants (n = 100) were randomly assigned to write sentences using unrelated common nouns in a sentence creation control, storytelling, survival, or survival plus storytelling condition. Participants who were instructed to write a story about survival were predicted to remember more words on a subsequent free recall test than participants in the other conditions. Mechanistically, we predict that combining predominantly item-specific processing …

Applying Dynamics And Geophysical Methods To Hawaiian Volcanic Terrains And Lava Flows, Brody K. Conner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Presented here is the culmination of research spurred by a month-long field expedition to the windward side of the Big Island of Hawai’i during July and August 2023. During this expedition, two ground-penetrating radar units, a Mala GX 160 MHz antenna and a Crossover 1760 dual frequency antenna, were used to survey the basaltic, volcanic landscapes of Mauna Loa and Kīlauea. Post-eruptive digital elevation models of the Ahu’ailā’au (2018 Lower Puna) Eruption and Quantum Geographic Information Systems were used in tandem with GPR Insights software to provide a thorough picture of the surface and subsurface lava flows from Ahu’ailā’au. Using …

The Use Of Mediation To Reduce Medical Malpractice Claims, Unnecessary Antimicrobial Therapy, And Resistance Rates In Patients Across The Nation, Shifra Ben-Jacob

Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution

No abstract provided.

Artificial Intelligence And Mediation Ethics, Zachary R. Calo

Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution

Artificial intelligence ("Al") presents many opportunities to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and accessibility of mediation. More than that, it has potential to transform the nature of how mediation is practiced and what mediation is. While Al might not yet play a significant role in many mediations, there is widespread recognition that the technology is disrupting many established dispute resolution practices. What mediation will look like on the other side is unclear, but it will not be the same.

The Social Life Of Food: A Brief History Of Food And Community At Hope College; Charles Huttar And The Christian Scholar’S Review: A Story Of Hope, Emma Gail Compton, Todd P. Steen

Archives and Special Collections Quarterly

The Social Life of Food: A Brief History of Food and Community at Hope College

Column: From the Director of Archives and Special Collections

Charles Huttar and the Christian Scholar’s Review: A Story of Hope

Benzene Exposure In Reproductive Biology: A Comprehensive Analysis Of Placental Response And Molecular Mechanisms In Trophoblast Function, Anthony Maxwell

Wayne State University Dissertations

The increase in environmental challenges and exposure to pollutants like benzene poses pressing concerns for reproductive health. This dissertation investigates the impact of benzene exposure during gestation on placental function, a key determinant for fetal development and pregnancy outcomes. Our work establishes that benzene exposure during pregnancy induces maternal immune activation, leading to increased rates of fetal resorptions, compromised fetal growth, and abnormal placental development. Intriguingly, we identify a sexual dimorphic response in male and female placentas to benzene exposure, attributable to inherent differences between male and female placental biology. On a molecular level, benzene is metabolized into hydroquinone in …

The New American Conspiracism: The Conspiracy Mentality And The Consequences For American Democracy, Jennifer M. Seech Seramur

Wayne State University Dissertations

This research is at the forefront of a developing field of inquiry into the psychological impacts of an American media environment plagued with mis- and disinformation. Many have suggested that we have entered a "post-truth" era and this phenomenon will have disastrous consequences for the stability of American democracy. However, few have empirically tested these notions. This research seeks to fill part of this gap in knowledge by analyzing a survey with over 8,000 participants to bring empirical evidence to bear on these assertions. Through an assessment of the effects of a conspiracy mentality (or one’s proclivity to endorse and …

Autonomous Robot For Indoor Enhanced Living (Ariel), Prabhjot Kaur

Wayne State University Dissertations

The global population is aging rapidly, with the total percentage of older adults (65 years and older) projected to increase from 10\% of the total population in 2022 to 16\% by 2050, according to the World Population Prospectus 2022 issued by the United Nations. For certain parts of the world such as Europe and North America, this translates to 1 in every 4 persons is projected to be 65 years or older by 2060. This trend raises concerns about providing quality long-term care for the older population. Moreover, according to the 2021 survey by the American Association of Retired Persons …

Development Of Advanced Multi-Nozzle Multi-Material 3d Printing, Mohammed Al Ali

Wayne State University Dissertations

Extrusion-based 3D printing methods, such as Direct Ink Writing, are extensively utilized across sectors like biomedical, energy, and electronics, employing a diverse range of materials. However, the lengthy printing times associated with single-nozzle systems limit their application in complex mass production and rapid prototyping. While multi-nozzle systems have attempted to address this issue, they often result in costly, and bulky setups with limited material options. This research introduces a novel multi-nozzle multi-material system that allows for simultaneous 3D printing using bent nozzles. The system is cost-effective, simple in design, and capable of printing a wide range of materials. Its universal …