Digital Commons Network^™

Tcas Benchmark, Vol. 4, No. 4, 2005, Glynn Osburn, Paula Vastine, Alan Skinner

North Texas Archeological Society Records

Volume four and issue four of TCAS Benchmark.

Did Medicaid Expansion Help Mitigate Self-Reported Health Issues Among People With Chronic Health Conditions During The Covid-19 Pandemic?, Rajendra Dulal, Umesh Ghimire

Pennsylvania Economic Review

Our study investigates the impact of Medicaid expansion during the pandemic, focusing on health insurance coverage and self-reported health among individuals with chronic health conditions. Utilizing 2 years of pre-pandemic and 2 years of during-pandemic data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), we apply a difference-in-difference (DID) model to evaluate these effects. We find an increase in insurance coverage and a decrease in poor physical health days among individuals with chronic conditions in states that expanded Medicaid compared to non-expansion states. However, the impact on mental health remains inconclusive. Furthermore, we observe no significant impact of Medicaid expansion …

Ada News - 01/06/2025, American Dental Association, Publishing Division

ADA News

Established in 1970 as the official newspaper of the American Dental Association, the ADA News serves practicing dentists and others allied to the dental profession in the U.S. and internationally. It is the No. 1 source of news and information about the many benefits and services the ADA delivers to members daily as well as timely information on scientific, social, political and economic developments affecting dentistry and health care.

Evaluating The Contributions Of Nutrition Knowledge And Food Skills As Predictors Of Dietary Behavior, Diet Competence, And Diet Autonomy In Pre-Hypertensive Rural And Micropolitan Dwelling African American Adults In Alabama, Mary Catherine Robertson Lawson

All ETDs from UAB

Introduction: African American (AA) adults living in rural, Southeastern communities experience disproportionately high rates of obesity-related chronic diseases. Many factors contributing to this health disparity are related to negative Social Determinants of Health that have individual and community level impacts. Nutrition knowledge (NK) and food skills (FS) are forms of health literacy that have been understudied in rural-dwelling AA adults. Understanding their relationships with self-perceived diet competence, autonomy, motivations, as well as diet behaviors and health outcomes could inform the development of future health research and policy. Methods: A scoping review was conducted to identify key trends and information gaps …

Gateways, Barriers, And Facilitators To Opioid Use Treatment For Low-Income Pregnant And Postpartum Women In The State Of Alabama, Lindsey Allison Rice Bender

All ETDs from UAB

Low income, pregnant and postpartum women who misuse opioids in the state of Alabama face potentially life-threatening challenges when seeking substance misuse treatment and recovery support services. Our study used an explanatory sequential mixed-methods approach to explore gateways, barriers, and facilitators to opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment for pregnant and postpartum women in the state of Alabama. Surveys from 32 pregnant and postpartum individuals and in-depth interviews with 15 pregnant and postpartum individuals (four pregnant, four 0-6 months postpartum, four 7-12 months postpartum and three 13-18 months postpartum) were used to identify gateways, barriers, and facilitators to OUD treatment. Our …

Evaluating The Financial Strain Of Pediatric Firearm Injuries On Children’S Hospitals: The Moderating Effects Of State Firearm Legislation And Geographic Setting, Perry Ann Reed

All ETDs from UAB

This thesis evaluates the financial strain of pediatric firearm injuries on children’s hospitals, with a focus on the moderating effects of geographic setting and state firearm legislation. The purpose of the research is to investigate how the stringency of state firearm laws influences the financial impact of such injuries and to examine how the association between gun law stringency and pediatric injuries differs between rural and urban hospital settings. The study employs a multi-level regression analysis, utilizing data from children’s hospitals across different geographic locations. The results provide partial support for the hypotheses. Contrary to expectations, pediatric firearm injuries did …

Influence Of Socio-Demographic Factors And Environmental Justice Issues On Vulnerable Populations Exposed To Pollution, Aishwarya Kaushal

All ETDs from UAB

As climate change intensifies environmental hazards and pollution impacts across the U.S., Alabama’s socio-demographically diverse regions face unique and disproportionate vulnerabilities. This dissertation investigates the intersection of socio-demographic factors, environmental justice, and the disproportionate impact of pollution and flood risks on vulnerable populations in Alabama. The first study assesses the role of elevation and socio-economic factors in influencing susceptibility to flooding in Jefferson County, revealing that low-income and minority groups are more likely to reside in high-risk flood zones. A detailed spatial analysis using 2D flood modeling identifies neighborhoods with high flood exposure, emphasizing the racial and economic disparities that …

From Climate To Conflict: Unravelling Multidimensional Vulnerabilities Of Small-Scale Fisheries In The Jaffna Peninsula Of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Senevi Gunaratne, R. B. Radin Firdaus, Augustine Sosai Sihivaitthasan, Sarjiyanto Sarjiyanto, Mohd Hafiidz Jaafar

The Qualitative Report

Vulnerability studies have often centered on climate change and catastrophic climatic events. Contrary to this trend, this study explores the multidimensional vulnerabilities faced by small-scale fisheries (SSFs) in the Jaffna peninsula of Sri Lanka. We employed the Integrated Vulnerability Analysis for Sustainability (IVAS) Framework for this analysis. Data was collected through focus group discussions and key informant interviews using semi-structured questionnaires. We analyzed our data following Reflexive Thematic Analysis using ATLAS.ti software and identified 15 vulnerability drivers across five domains specific to the local context, revealing that SSFs in the Jaffna peninsula are highly susceptible to multiple vulnerabilities. Notably, the …

Ambient Writing In A Terrain Of Threatened Subjectivity: Unfolding Codes, Tainted Models And Holey Spaces, Phil Smith

School of Art, Design and Architecture

No abstract provided.

Fieldnote 25: Black Men’S Health & Healing In The Academy | Dr. Raymond Adams On Prostate Cancer, Wellness, And Social Work, Venus Evans-Winters Dr.

Fieldnotes of a Black Woman Scholar: Research, Culture, and Wellness

In this episode of Writing What I Like: Fieldnotes of a Black Woman Scholar, Dr. Mildred Boveda (YouTube: @mboveda) and I are joined by Dr. Raymond Adams, a Black male social work professor whose research sheds critical light on prostate cancer and the health experiences of Black men. Dr. Adams brings a powerful voice to the intersection of public health, wellness, and academic life—unpacking the ways that systemic inequities shape Black men’s access to care, and how his scholarship is both a personal and political act of resistance. Together, we explore how Black men navigate wellness in the context of …

Evaluating Forest And Land Rehabilitation Using Remote Sensing: A Case Study In Maros Regency, Syamsu Rijal, Munajat Nursaputra, Chairil A

Jurnal Penelitian Kehutanan Wallacea

Remote sensing technology has become crucial in vegetation monitoring, particularly for assessing vegetation density. Despite its broad application, its use in evaluating land rehabilitation efforts remains limited. The increasing extent of degraded lands has underscored the importance of effective forest and land rehabilitation activities. Traditionally, evaluating these efforts involves direct site visits to monitor plant growth annually for three years post-planting, which is time-consuming, labor-intensive, and costly. According to rehabilitation standards, a program is successful if 75% of the planted vegetation survives until the end of the third year. This study presents an efficient alternative by evaluating a rehabilitation site …

Promoting Private Conservation In Patra Seroja Ecopark, Dumai Municipality, Riau Province, Indonesia, Mokhamad Asyief Khasan Budiman, Yoppie Christian, Andy Afandy, Budi Prabowo, Desmiwati Desmiwati

Jurnal Penelitian Kehutanan Wallacea

This paper documents the voluntary conservation practices in Patra Seroja Ecopark Forest by Indonesia’s state-owned oil and gas company, Pertamina Ltd. - Refinery Unit II Dumai, Province of Riau, west coast of Sumatera Island. The company voluntarily allocated, financed, and managed 102 hectares of land in their private area to conserve and protect its in-situ biodiversity and preserve environmental service as a secondary objective. The results of studies and assessments carried out, the management application has fulfilled the Privately Protected Area (PPA) management criteria by IUCN regarding the orientation, biodiversity, management model, and utilization. However, PPA is not recognized legally …

A Wonderfully French New Year's Eve, Jean Lavigne

Environmental Studies Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Decolonizing Model Of Synodality By Engaging Local Wisdom, Jb. Heru Prakosa Sj

Asia Pacific Mission Studies

According to Pope Francis, synodality is a way of walking together in faith for listening to the signs of the times and contextual realities. In his three ecclesiological metaphors—healthy decentralisation, inverted pyramid, polyhedron—are embedded the seeds of the decolonizing synodality model, namely a synodality that moves beyond colonial-era power structures, and hierarchical dominance, in a way of genuine inclusivity and equality within the Church's processes of discernment and decision-making. In this regard, the Pope invites Catholics to engage and collaborate with other Christians and people from different faith traditions and Weltanschauung or worldviews, as well as all people of good …

The Need For Antiracist Education Amid Trends Toward Totalitarianism And A Constitutional Crisis, Julnasha Morehead

DePaul Journal for Social Justice

No abstract provided.

Spatiotemporal Synchrony Of Climate And Fire Occurrence Across North American Forests (1750–1880), Ellis Margolis, Andreas Wion, John Abatzoglou, Lori Daniels, Donald Falk, Chris Guiterman, James Johnston, Kurt Kipfmueller, Charles Lafon, Rachel Loehman, Maggie Lonergan, Cameron Naficy, Marc-André Parisien, Sean Parks, Jeanne Portier, Michael Stambaugh, Ellen Whitman, A. Park Williams, Larissa Yocom

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Aim: Increasing aridity has driven widespread synchronous fire occurrence in recent decades across North America. The lack of historical (pre-1880) fire records limits our ability to understand long-term continental fire-climate dynamics. The goal of this study is to use tree-ring reconstructions to determine the relationships between spatiotemporal patterns in historical climate and widespread fire occurrence in North American forests, and whether they are stable through time. This information will address a major knowledge gap required to inform projections of future fire.

Location: North American Forests.

Time Period: 1750–1880 CE.

Major Taxa Studied: Trees.

Methods: We applied regionalisation methods to tree-ring …

Reviewing Mangrove Degradation, Conservation, And Restoration: A Sustainability Nexus Assessment On Myanmar Using The Dpsir Framework, Lwin Thuzar Nyein, Daniel Karthe, Lukas Giessen, Mukand Singh Babel, Carsten Schusser

Forest and Society

Mangrove forests are vital for supporting local livelihoods and are an integral component of coastal ecosystems in Myanmar. However, they continue to degrade or even disappear across the country’s coastal regions even though rehabilitation processes have been initiated in several regions. Still, little research and systematic inquiry into the drivers of mangrove degradation in Myanmar is available. Against this background, this study identifies the primary forces affecting the mangrove ecosystem and the challenges for mangrove conservation in Myanmar by combining a systematic literature review (SLR) on mangrove change with the Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) analytical framework. We find economic activities, predominantly in …

Revitalizing Ritual Performances For Environmental Conservation And Climate Change Adaptation: A Case Study Of Ecotourism In Khaw Nu M’Cung National Park, Myanmar, Salai Vanni Bawi

Forest and Society

Environmental conservation is vital for sustaining biodiversity, ensuring ecosystem services, and mitigating climate change. Despite its importance, a theoretical gap exists in integrating indigenous knowledge with contemporary conservation strategies. Indigenous knowledge, which deeply coexisted with cultural practices, has been marginalized due to colonial histories and religious development. This marginalization neglects valuable ecological insights embedded in traditional rituals and practices. However, ecotourism presents a promising avenue for bridging this gap by leveraging the symbiotic relationship between indigenous communities and their natural environment. The ecotourism centered on indigenous practices fosters environmental stewardship and empowers local communities economically and culturally. Ecotourism can enhance …

Geospatial Machine Learning Approaches For Studying Urbanization Impact, Surface Reflectance Patterns, And Groundwater Health Risks, Bibhash Nath

Theses and Dissertations

Geospatial machine learning techniques have been used to study: the impact of urbanization on land use and land cover change, surface reflectance patterns in boreal regions, and groundwater health risks from arsenic in India. These studies combined spatial data, remote sensing, and predictive models to gain valuable insights for sustainable living and protecting human health.

Using Spatial Network Analysis To Explore Migration Of Extended Families In Historical Research, Rock Miller

Theses and Dissertations

This project proposes a geoinformatics approach for understanding the migration of extended families in historical contexts. It uses full-count longitudinal census data (developed by the Minnesota Population Center) and graph methods to define multi-generational extended family relationships and to model the locational structures of these families as a spatial network. Graph algorithms and mapping methods are used to interrogate these structures as reflections of the patterns of family outmigration and extension over time. The study is based on a set of extended families resident in a 15-county study area in the Bluegrass region of Kentucky in 1870, and their evolution …

Forest Above-Ground Biomass Estimation Using Nasa Gedi Lidar Waveforms And Global Tree Allometry, Ian Grant

Theses and Dissertations

Above-ground forest biomass plays a crucial role in global carbon cycles, yet accurately estimating biomass at global scales remains challenging. This thesis addresses two key challenges in processing NASA’s Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) space-borne lidar data to estimate above-ground biomass density (AGBD): accounting for global variation in forest structure and developing robust physical interpretations of lidar returns. The first component of the thesis analyzes global patterns of tree allometry using the Tallo tree allometry dataset, examining relationships between tree dimensions across biomes, continents, and plant functional types. This analysis reveals consistent allometry across continents for some biomes (e.g., tropical …

Equity's Garden, Nicole A. Barreras

Theses and Dissertations

Equity’s Garden is a narrative-driven video game that explores fairness and communication through the framework of a community garden. Players take on the role of the director of a garden's allocation committee, responsible for distributing planting spaces among neighborhood residents. Through branching storylines, players navigate the consequences of their decisions.

Art As Resistance: Challenging Colonial Legacies Through The Eyes Of South Asian Diasporic Women, Sofina Tanni

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores how South Asian diasporic women artists in New York utilize art to resist colonial legacies and express their multifaceted identities. Through ethnographic research, it highlights how themes of nostalgia, preservation, community, and activism shape their work, fostering collective resistance and transformative decolonial pathways.

You Get That From Me, Robyn Duncan

Theses and Dissertations

You Get That From Me is a mixed-media, collage-based film that integrates personal portraits, allegorical maps, and digital collages with spoken narration to craft a stylistic memoir of a pivotal period in my life: the transition from childhood to motherhood.

Burn, Deborah Rolf

Theses and Dissertations

Burn is a hybrid documentary that explores the collective experience of being “burned out” through interviews and lumen photography. Burnout is a syndrome associated with improperly managed workplace stress. Lumen printing is an alternative photographic process where photographic paper is exposed to daylight.

Self-Awareness And Identity Transformation In The Latinx Experience: A Comparative Analysis Of Gloria Anzaldúa’S Borderlands/La Frontera, Yuri Herrera’S Signs Preceding The End Of The World, And Corrido Music By Los Tigres Del Norte, Kimberly Cruz

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores how literature and music, including titles by Yuri Herrera, Gloria Anzaldúa, and Los Tigres del Norte, reflect evolving Latinx identities amidst socio-political pressures. It emphasizes self-awareness as a tool for change, portraying Latinx identity as dynamic, shaped by history, and continuously negotiated in resistance to marginalization.

Body Of Work: Wax As Medium In Art And Science In Enlightenment Bologna, Kristen Pou

Theses and Dissertations

Eighteenth-century Bologna is well known for its body of accurate and precise wax anatomical models. However, wax was also used for non-scientific purposes: for portraiture and religious artworks. This paper sets forth an argument to explain the scholarly neglect of enlightenment Bolognese waxworks that did not depict anatomized human bodies.

For Church Or People: The History Of Land Dispute In Sikka Regency, East Nusa Tenggara Province From The Perspective Of Tana' Ai Community, Desmiwati Desmiwati, Suraya Afiff, Edwin Martin, Surati Surati, Kresno Agus Hendarto, Rini Astuti

Forest and Society

This study employs a political ecology approach to analyze the dynamics of land ownership in Indonesia, focusing on the Tana' Ai community in Sikka Regency, East Nusa Tenggara province. We argue that agrarian change is driven by external actors, including private companies that religious institutions and government agencies own. The latter often impose their will on indigenous populations, which can result in land conflicts, marginalization, and uneven capital accumulation. In particular, the church's status as a land use permit holder from the colonial era complicates the Tana' Ai ethnic community's ability to assert its ancestral land rights. To understand this …

Collaboration As Method: Field Lessons From South Sulawesi, Indonesia And Khon Kaen, Thailand, Ci Yan Sara Loh, Dalilah Haji Laidin, Fatwa Faturachmat, Anna Robin Duerr, Pamula Mita Andary, Andi Vika Faradiba Muin, Ariel Mota Alves, Olivia Meyer

Forest and Society

Collaboration in the context of international fieldwork serves to elevate the skills of all members involved while simultaneously contributing to a robust body of observations. This paper reflects on methodological lessons from a Collaborative Southeast Asia Summer Field School where graduate and undergraduate students from Universitas Hasanuddin, Sulawesi, Indonesia (UNHAS), Khon Kaen University, Thailand (KKU), and University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, USA (UHM) came together to learn how to conduct research collaboratively. Guided by mentors from these three institutions, our multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural group participated in collaborative field schools at three field sites - two in South Sulawesi; and one …

Voices In The Forest: Unraveling Redd+ Discourse And Narratives In The Bale Eco-Region, Ethiopia, Aklilu Bekele Chorito, Engdawork Assefa

Forest and Society

REDD+ projects are viewed in environmental discourse as a centralized framework to assist ongoing initiatives to stop deforestation and forest degradation and to advance sustainable forest management. This case study captures the intricacy of REDD+ narratives and their practical implications through a qualitative methodology that includes in depth interviews and document analysis. We used snowball sampling to identify participants with diverse perspectives on REDD+ discourses. The interviews were conducted with 25 key informants who represented a variety of stakeholder groups. Discourse analysis was applied to examine contrasting perspectives of ecological modernization and civic environmentalism storylines and narratives on REDD+ implementation. …