Digital Commons Network^™

Witness Of The Covenant, Loren Blake Spendlove

Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship

Although much has been taught about covenants in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, little attention has been given to the witnesses of those covenants. In this paper I focus on the importance of witnessing the covenants that we make with God — especially the gospel covenant — rather than on the process of making them. Instead of emphasizing the teachings of Latter-day Saint leaders and authors, I prioritize the standard works of the Church in my analysis of this topic. I begin with a discussion of covenants and witnesses in the Hebrew Bible, and then proceed with …

Degrees Of Glory: A Brief History Of Heaven And Graded Salvation, Jim Hansen

Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship

While references to heaven in the Old Testament are sparse, nonexplicit, and predominantly cosmological, the New Testament reveals a more complex concept of the afterlife that reflects a rapidly evolving understanding of Heaven. The Jewish apocalyptic literature of the late Second Temple period describes a heaven of multiple degrees that is populated with angels and the righteous dead of varying glories. Those glories also tangibly reflect astral qualities of light and glory comparable to the sun, moon, and stars. Within this worldview of Heaven, several of the Apostle Paul’s writings to Corinth can be read with added insight, including his …

Full Issue

Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Cultural Diversity For Sustainable Development, Catherine Harper Ph.D

Arts and Design

This paper is inspired by the Woxsen and Banaras Hindu Universities’ international conference, Cultural Diversity for Sustainable Development in Art & Design, held in 2023. It is based on my keynote for that conference and subsequent thoughts.

Consider urban, rural, local and global communications… Think about experimental and innovative media used alongside indigenous knowledge and folkloric craft practices… Reflect on respect for the disparity of human identity, heritage, tradition and culture… Ruminate on the importance of documenting, preserving, protecting and enhancing creativity and cultural diversity is essential for our collective future…

My contention is that radical, and in some cases …

Material/Maternal Ireland, Catherine Harper Ph.D

Arts and Design

This presentation tells the stories of cloth and clothing, textiles and materials that have been actually or symbolically stained by blood or other body fluids in Ireland’s last 100 years – since partial independence from Britain.

Textiles From Cradle To Grave, Catherine Harper Ph.D

Arts and Design

It is a great pleasure to be invited to provide a keynote lecture for the Hangzhou Triennial 2022, and I would like to thank all the organisers, and especially Dr Jia Xu of the China Academy of Art, for their kind invitation and technical support in making it possible to be with you from a distance, using the greatest textile network – the world wide web of cosmic, digital and technical interconnection – to enable this communication.

This triennial is concerned with the dynamic relationships between text, texture, culture and civilization as they play out across time, geography, materiality and …

#Onygo, Géraldine Blattner, Amanda Dalola, Stéphanie Roulon

PDXOpen: Open Educational Resources

#OnYGo is an innovative first-year French language e-textbook, designed as Open Educational Resource (OER), for learning beginning French (equivalent to one year at an American university). It is inspired by a remix of task-based, multiliteracies and communicative approaches, which provides students with opportunities to engage with French language and culture in a variety of contexts and situations, across a range of modalities. Through a wide range of activities, students develop and practice their language skills, and reflect on their cross-cultural knowledge and positionality in their understanding of the vast francophone landscape. #OnYGo is a first-year textbook that takes a DEI-forward …

Keratoconus: The Conical Corneal Conundrum And Its Evolving Treatments, Sima Friedman

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Keratoconus is an eye disease that transforms the shape of the cornea from its normal oval shape to a conical shape. This can lead to a decrease in vision and, if not treated, can lead to a loss of vision. Depending on the severity and progression of each case, many treatment options are now available, ranging from cross linking procedures and special contact lenses to corneal transplants.

The Antibacterial And Anti-Inflammatory Properties Of Probiotics Against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (Mrsa), Punploy Klawkla

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Background: Dysbiosis refers to an imbalance in the types of microorganisms in a person’s natural f lora, associated with several diseases like asthma, type 2 diabetes, and atopic dermatitis (AD). Reports indicate that Staphylococcus aureuscolonizes about 60%-100% of AD skin, causing barrier dysfunction through virulence factors such as superantigens, enzymes, and other proteins. These factors disrupt skin homeostasis by affecting keratinocytes and immune cells. Additionally, dysbiosis in AD skin is marked by a reduction in commensal microbes like Staphylococcus epidermidis and Corynebacterium spp. In recent years, probiotics have been studied in both live bacteria and bacterial lysate forms. Most studies …

Bedbug Education, Treatment, And Prevention, Elizabeth Bedford

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

Bedbugs, Cimex lectularius, have become a severe issue in recent years due to human travel, immigration, and importation of products. Unfortunately, most people do not know bedbug biology and therefore do not manage these arthropods correctly. The information available to people online and from pest control professionals must be corrected. Education and proper treatment are necessary to eradicate pests and bedbugs in homes, commercial buildings, and other places. A1 Home Pest Control conducted a study to understand better bedbugs and how to help their clients with eradication and education in the safest manner possible. The study also aimed to …

Agricultural Pests Of The Dominican Republic, Sophia Acosta

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

Note on Profiles:

The following profiles are of the most common pests of the main crops grown in the Dominican Republic--avocado, citrus, coconut, mango, banana, plantain, pineapple, tomato, potato, cabbage, tobacco, pepper, garlic, onion, rice, beans, papaya, and melon. Many of these insects attack other crops not listed in this guide.

The intent of this guide is to help identify pest characteristics and environmentally friendly ways to control them (integrated pest management).

Chemical controls should always be the last resort. Try to conserve biodiversity and continue to monitor before turning to chemicals. Always consult local extension office for pesticide usage, …

How To Create A Pollinator Garden [Extension Circular], Gianna M. Desrochers

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

Includes information on:

What Is a pollinator?

What is pollination and why is it important?

What habitat do pollinators like?

How do I create pollinator habitat?

Plants to plant in eastern Nebraska

• April-May blooming flowers
• June-July blooming flowers
• August-October blooming flowers

Native plants and their visitors

Websites for more information and plant options

Works cited

Entomology Outreach Presentations To Four Audiences, Michael Goldman

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

I proposed that my master’s Project would be outreach on Entomology at four levels: School aged children, laymen, non-entomologists in a technical field, and entomologists. The idea here is basically how to talk about entomology to varying levels of expertise, from first graders to experts in both entomology and occupational health and safety. Presentations were given to audiences at each of the four levels. The specific topics varied for each audience. The determination was made by the inviting audience in the cases of school aged children and adult laymen and by me in the cases of Occupational Safety and Health …

Entomophagy: Mealworm Protein In An Inpatient Hospital Setting (Engagement And Education To Rollout Entomophagy For Improved Nutrition), Caryl Showalter

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

The consumption of insects (entomophagy) is a well-practiced phenomenon in many parts of the world. Western societies, including the US, are among the few places that do not participate in this practice. However, entomophagy has the potential to ease nutritional burdens, globally. While many may believe that nutritional deficits are a relic of more economically challenging times or a problem specifically linked to the low economic countries, the truth is that any area can face this problem. This was made clear in the US during the coronavirus lockdown with an estimated doubling in food insecurity associated with a lack of …

Nature Journaling With Insects: A Guide And Journal Template, Danielle Positeri

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

An Introduction to Nature Journaling

Nature journaling is a natural history based activity centered on journaling one’s experiences and observations based on surrounding environment and natural lifeforms encountered. A tool commonly used by those who study natural history, famous naturalists such as Charles Darwin and John Muir were known to keep nature journals. Although those who make their careers in environmental sciences or field work keep professional, very detailed journals, journaling can also be a great activity for those who simply enjoy nature. Public educators teach nature journaling to young students to encourage building a plethora of skills: mindfulness, attention …

The Color(Blind) Conundrum In Colorado Property Law, Tom I. Romero

Sturm College of Law: Faculty Scholarship

This article interrogates the ongoing denial and erasure of the legacy of settler-colonialism and White supremacy in the color-lines created by Colorado property law. While Colorado has long been venerated as forward and future thinking, especially when it comes to matters of race relations, its system of property law has structured deeply embedded institutional and systematic racial inequities. In short, property has created a conundrum about how we collectively think of, talk about, and deal with race, its origins, and legacies arising out of settler-colonialism and White supremacy. The color(blind) property conundrum is detailed in three ways in this article. …

A Multistage Framework For Detection Of Very Small Objects, Duleep Rathgamage Don, Ramazan Aygun, Mahmut Karakaya

Published and Grey Literature from PhD Candidates

Small object detection is one of the most challenging problems in computer vision. Algorithms based on state-of-the-art object detection methods such as R-CNN, SSD, FPN, and YOLO fail to detect objects of very small sizes. In this study, we propose a novel method to detect very small objects, smaller than 8×8 pixels, that appear in a complex background. The proposed method is a multistage framework consisting of an unsupervised algorithm and three separately trained supervised algorithms. The unsupervised algorithm extracts ROIs from a high-resolution image. Then the ROIs are upsampled using SRGAN, and the enhanced ROIs are detected by our …

Milk Thistle Supplementation And Exercise To Influence Bilirubin And Body Weight Outcomes, Don Arthur Matutina

Theses and Dissertations--Nutrition and Food Systems

Background: Traditional obesity treatment is ineffective as rates are still on the rise, thus necessitating novel treatments. Plasma bilirubin, once thought as only a clinical marker of liver disease, is now considered an important hormone, correlated with better outcomes within certain metabolic disease states such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. This is largely due to bilirubin’s role in promoting fatty acid oxidation via its interaction with PPARα and its antioxidant capacities to reduce lipid peroxidation. Possible methods of mildly increasing plasma bilirubin may provide a novel obesity treatment. Objective: To evaluate if Silmarin supplementation via milk thistle, exercise, or a …

The Impact Of Studying Abroad On The Intercultural Spiritual Formation Of Harding University Latin America Students, Jeremy Daggett

Harding School of Theology Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.

Galliformes Specialist Group Annual Report 2023, John P. Carroll, Rahul Kaul

Galliformes Specialist Group and Affiliated Societies: Reports and Other Materials

Annual report of the IUCN SSC Galliformes Specialist Group, 2023.

Investigating The Potential Effect Of Pollinators On The Alpine Plant Diversity Of The Southern Rocky Mountains: A Community Phylogenetic Approach, Jeremiah Westerman

2024 Award Winners

No abstract provided.

Manydogs Project: A Big Team Science Approach To Investigating Canine Behavior And Cognition, Daniela Alberghina, Emily E. Bray, Daphna Buchsbaum, Sarah- Elizabeth Byosiere, Julia Espinosa, Gitanjali E. Gnanadesikan, C.-N. Alexandrina Guran, Elizabeth Hare, Daniel J. Horschler, Ludwig Huber, Valerie A. Kuhlmeier, Evan L. Maclean, Madeline H. Pelgrim, Bryan Perez, Dana Ravid-Schurr, Liza Rothkoff, Courtney L. Sexton, Zachary A. Silver, Jeffrey R. Stevens

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

Dogs have a special place in human history as the first domesticated species and play important roles in many cultures around the world. However, their role in scientific studies has been relatively recent. With a few notable exceptions (e.g., Darwin, Pavlov, Scott, and Fuller), domestic dogs were not commonly the subject of rigorous scientific investigation of behavior until the late 1990s. Although the number of canine science studies has increased dramatically over the last 20 years, most research groups are limited in the inferences they can draw because of the relatively small sample sizes used, along with the exceptional diversity …

Superhero Media As A Potential Context For Investigating Children's Understanding Of Morally Relevant Events, Justin Martin

Psychology Faculty Scholarship

Currently, superhero films are one of the more popular film genres, and the genre does not appear to be slowing down anytime soon. In addition, the lives and exploits of superheroes are told through other forms of media such as animated films and television series targeted towards children. However, these narratives are also violent. If older children (i.e., approximately 7-11) engage with superhero media, then it is important to understand the ways they attempt to make sense of this genre. To this end, the essay examines how superhero media may serve as a potential context for older children's understanding of …

Harlem's Superhero: Social Interaction, Heterogeneity Of Thought, And The Superhero Mission In Marvel's Luke Cage, Justin Martin

Psychology Faculty Scholarship

The essay extends previous Luke Cage scholarship by analyzing him through a discipline rarely utilized in superhero scholarship: developmental psychology. Using the Luke Cage television series, the author centers Luke Cage's relationship to Harlem. In doing so, the author explores how the relationship can elucidate both the conceptual foundations of morally-relevant decision-making and the ways these concepts may be applied in varied and complex social interactions -- features of social life relevant to everyday persons as well as superheroes working within a fictionalized neighborhood.

What We Leave Behind: An Annotated Translation Of “Alma Guajira” And Selected Works By Marcelo Salinas, Isabel Trespando Escobio

Theses & ETDs

Despite being one of the most prominent anarchist figures in Cuban history, Marcelo Salinas is widely forgotten today. His career as an author is even more obscured, and his writings are very seldom included in the Latin American literary scholarship of the 21st century. The primary aim of this thesis is to provide an English translation of some of Salinas’ works: his short story “El maestrico,” his play Alma Guajira, and a representative two-chapter fragment of his novel Un aprendiz de Revolucionario. The translations are accompanied by an introductory chapter as well as individual introductions, a translator’s statement, a literary …

The Promotion Of The Artist In The Websites Of Contemporary Artists And Its Historical Roots In The Nineteenth-Century Dealer-Critic System, Cristiana Feazell

Theses & ETDs

In my thesis, I draw upon the precedence of the 19th century French art market and the dealer critic system to contextualize choices made with contemporary artist’s websites, in order to shed light on this underexplored aspect of artistic promotion. To do this, I break down the Academy and salon system, highlight the dealer and critic’s role, and the artist’s positioning within this complex network. Then, I examine three contemporary artist’s websites, Jeff Koons, Banksy, and Shepard Fairey - connecting choices they have made in their websites and the display of their work to the historical examples of artistic promotion. …

Anxiety In The Virtual Realm: Is Virtual Reality An Effective Setting For Exposure Therapy?, Emily Laplaca

Theses & ETDs

Anxiety disorders are often considered by psychologists as one of the most common and debilitating psychological disorders (Antony et al., 2009). Exposure therapy is commonly used to treat anxiety disorders, and significant improvements are often seen after even one session of exposure treatment (American Psychological Association, 2017). In the United States, fewer than half of individuals in need of mental health treatment receive care. Many barriers exist such as geographic region, stigma, cost, privacy concerns, and time constraints (Lattie et al., 2022). In order to make mental health services more accessible, digital mental health interventions are beginning to be researched …

The Dog Days Are Far From Over: A Study Of Pet Guardianship And Well-Being, Anthony Dottino

Theses & ETDs

Pets are becoming increasingly more important to their guardians. Pet care has become a multibillion dollar industry, and research shows people who own pets are reporting increasing levels of attachment to their pets, and increasingly beginning to see their pets as members of their family. Successful replications of the strange situation attachment style experiment have been made with both cats and dogs, and research has examined attachment style from human to pet. Despite this, only one study exists that examines differences in well-being in pet owners and non-owners, which was set during the COVID-19 pandemic, and none exist that compare …

Pico Y Espuelas: An Exploration Of The Cultural Practice Of Cockfighting In Puerto Rico Through A Decolonial Perspective, Rocio Del Mar Ramirez Castro

Theses & ETDs

This ethnographic study explores the cultural significance of cockfighting in Puerto Rico. In 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a federal ban on the practice. Through a series of in-person interviews conducted in Aguada, Puerto Rico in October 2022, I documented the impact of the ban on this ritual practice among those whose families and livelihoods have been intertwined with the industry for generations, many of whom consider it a part of their personal heritage. Based on fieldwork that included visiting galleras, or cockfighting rinks, and the homes of galleros, those who raise roosters, this thesis analyzes kinship structures and …

In The Luster Of Flame, The Vulture Disguises Himself As The Phoenix: Climate Induced Catastrophe Response, Rescue, & Relief, Kyla Baal

Theses & ETDs

On August 13th, 2004, Hurricane Charley made a direct impact on the south-west coast of Florida. A category 4 storm, Charley devastated the unprepared coastal communities in Charlotte County, Fla. Nearly 20 years later, when Hurricane Ian took a similar path, we witnessed a region still rendered vulnerable by damage inflicted almost two decades earlier, get nailed again. Yet, somehow these communities fared much better than they did in 2004. Thus, studying the decisions made in the wake of the 2004 storm in the response stage may help us understand how and why particular areas were impacted differently by the …