Digital Commons Network^™

Accounting Case Studies, Virginia Sudduth

Honors Theses

This thesis is a collection of accounting case studies completed during the 2020-2021 academic school year. Each case was assigned and reviewed by Dr. Victoria Dickinson in her honors independent study class. There are twelve cases that comprise this thesis including A Tale of Two Cities, Asset Concepts, Presidential Debate, Excel Course, Taxodus – Playing The Global Tax Avoidance Game, Business Interview, Case Competition – Earnings, Stock Price, and Analysis, and Financial Crisis of 2008. These cases cover a wide variety of topics that allowed me to apply concepts learned in my studies in order to solve complex accounting issues …

Honors Practicum, Niland Fortenberry

Honors Theses

This work was conducted over the course of my junior year of college. I was a part of Dr. Victoria Dickinson’s accounting practicum course. Over the first semester of thiscourse, we spent each week writing papers pertaining to various topics, including potential cities where we were interested in interning, relevant news topics, and relevant accounting matters, to name a few. We spent time researching and increasing our knowledge about different subject matters. We also gained greater expertise in Excel, as we completed a mastery course one week during the class. During the second semester, we spent much of our time …

A Collection Of Financial Accounting Case Studies, Evelyn Rowan

Honors Theses

Throughout my two semesters in ACCY 420, taught by Dr. Victoria Dickinson, I wrote my thesis for the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College. Throughout this class we analyzed different case studies, completed an excel certification, participated in a case competition, and listened to presentations from different accounting firms.

Each case study helped me gain knowledge in different accounting topics in the real world. We read articles, watched a movie, watched a presidential debate, and conducted an interview with an accounting professional to complete the case studies.

For the case competition our class was divided into teams of four to five …

Delineating The Source And Implications Of Social Polarization, Logan Kohan

Honors Theses

The purpose of this research was to examine the causes and consequences that meta-perceptions of polarization in the United States entails. The survey used in this study assessed respondents demographic and political information prior to questions regarding polarization. This study found that the polarization in the United States results from a multitude of variables, including: the intrusion of partisan cues into everyday life, social sorting, polarization’s implicit effect, and differences in moral concern. Moreover, polarization encompasses and variety of ramifications that include disease, amplified interparty animosity, biased policy evaluation, reduced governmental efficiency, intraparty polarization, tribalism, and the quest to achieve …

Dexmedetomidine To Reduce Ponv, Amanda Johnson Srna, Joshua Lawrence Srna, Staci Martinez Srna, Taylor Mayberry Srna, Dwayne Accardo Dnp, Crna, Aprn

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Purpose/Background Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) contribute to patient dissatisfaction, discomfort, adverse outcomes, and increased healthcare costs. Despite current protocols that aim to reduce PONV by prevention/antiemetic administration, PONV continues to be a common manifestation in many postoperative patients (Elvir-Lazo et al., 2020). This scoping review aimed to analyze available research on the efficacy of dexmedetomidine to reduce perioperative opioid requirements and PONV.

Methods Synthesis of this scoping review began with a systematic approach to search databases and identify eligibility criteria articles. Of the 21 articles that met criteria, a synthesis table was formed to visualize the qualitative (smoking status, …

Detection, Occupancy, Abundance, And Mercury Accumulation Of The Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macrochelys Temminckii) In Texas, David Rosenbaum

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Land use practices and physical alterations of ecosystems result in habitat loss and fragmentation, while chemical alterations, such as pollutant input, reduce habitat quality and health of exposed organisms. Here, I investigated the effects of watershed- and local-scale environmental variables on the occupancy, abundance, and mercury accumulation of a threatened aquatic species (Macrochelys temminckii, i.e., alligator snapping turtle) within the southwestern periphery of its distribution. Hierarchical modeling suggested the distribution of the species is more affected by watershed-scale land-cover than local habitat, and provided a baseline estimate of average species abundance across its range in eastern Texas. Abundance …

Detection And Occurrence Of Nerodia Harteri (Serpentes: Colubridae) In An Upper Portion Of The Brazos River Watershed, Jessica Yates

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Semiaquatic snakes are disproportionately impacted by habitat alteration adjacent to wetlands because of their reliance on both terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Brazos River Watersnakes, Nerodia harteri, are endemic natricines with one of the most restricted geographic ranges in North America. I quantified detection and site occupancy probabilities of N. harteri and its sympatric congeners (N. erythrogaster and N. rhombifer), as well as microhabitat selection within the Nerodia community. Within occupied transects, search effort was positively correlated with detecting N. harteri, whereas environmental and/or habitat variables were better predictors for detecting the sympatric congeners. Microhabitat selection between …

Assessing The Live Bait Industry And The Ecological Status Of Invasive Cyprinodontiformes (Sheepshead Minnow: Cyprinodon Variegatus And Gulf Killifish: Fundulus Grandis) In Texas Streams, Erin Shepta

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The introduction of invasive species is one of the greatest threats to global biodiversity. Once established, invasive species often cause irreversible ecological damage on native communities. Here, I investigated the pathway of introduction and ecological impacts of the sheepshead minnow (C. variegatus) and the gulf killifish (F. grandis). Both species were thought to have been introduced into inland Texas waters via bait-bucket releases and have caused native populations of their inland congeners to decline. While I did not find evidence that either species were being sold in inland shops, bait industry experts did reveal other potentially …

The Impact Of Sleep On Athletic Performance: A Review Of The Literature, Rylan J. Pratt

Honors Thesis

This paper reviewed the literature regarding sleep and athletic performance, specifically identifying the problem of sleep debt in student athletes, the effects of sleep debt, and what factors negatively influence sleep, along with how to improve sleep. The literature revealed that it is common for athletes to not get adequate sleep. Sleep debt can have psychomotor and physiological effects on the body, which decreases optimal athletic performance. The many factors that negatively impact sleep include high intensity training sessions, travel, sleep disturbances, caffeine and/or alcohol consumption, and pre-competition anxiety. Recommendations for athletes that are struggling to achieve adequate sleep include, …

Paleopathological Analyses Of Maya Skeletal Samples To Reconstruct Childhood Health And Frailty, Kira J. Wilde

Honors Thesis

Nonadults are particularly sensitive and reactive to stress, illness, and injury and, as such, they are good proxies for examining health of past populations based on evidence of stress events recorded in their skeletal and dental remains. Skeletal data on childhood stress and frailty was derived from nineteen individuals sourced from the BVAR skeletal collection, which was excavated from Maya settlements in the Belize River Valley and dated from the Early and Late Classic (250-900 CE) periods of the ancient Maya kingdoms. Osteological analyses included age-at-death estimation for adults and nonadults, following the criteria of Buikstra and Ubelaker (1994) and …

Interview With Helen (Jim’S Chinese Restaurant), Lucas Bugarin, Jasmine Venegas

Pacific Food Empires

Helen is a first generation Chinese immigrant who originated in Guangzhou China. Helen is one of the main owners of Jim’s Chinese restaurant in Seaside, CA along with her husband. Helen specializes in cooking authentic Chinese food based on her cultural background and has continuously worked in the food industry for over 20 years. She begun working on restaurants in San Francisco, CA but eventually opened up her own restaurant in Seaside and has kept a steady amount of loyal clientele ever since.

Comparison Of Measurement Accuracy Between Caliper And Iphone Apps, Taryn Lagor, Alanna L. Lecher, April Watson

Faculty and Staff Publications & Presentations

Measurements of bone artifacts can give insight into the influence of ecological resources on the survival and health of area inhabitants. Calipers are traditionally used for accurate measurements for shell and bone artifacts. Measurement apps may present an accurate alternative to calipers. In this experiment shell and bone artifacts were measured with calipers, the Ruler iPhone App, and the ARuler iPhone app. The results of this experiment show no statistical difference in the measurements taken using a caliper vs measurements taken on an iPhone apps. Though they were not statistically significant, there were differences in measurements between the various methods.

Fayetteville State University Spring Commencement 2022, Fayetteville State University

Graduation Exhibit

Fayetteville State University Spring Commencement May 7th 2022

Keynote Speaker: Fayetteville State University Alumnus 2003, Nicholas M. Perkins

2022 Spring Commencement, Harding University

Commencement Programs

Program for the Harding University Commencement on May 7.

Commencement Speakers:
9a.m.: Daniel Stockstill
noon: Phil Thompson
3p.m.: Clara Carroll

Development And Evaluation Of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Protocols For General Abdominal And Orthopedic Surgery With Focus On Preoperative Hydration And Multimodal Management In Preoperative And Postoperative Phases, Kristin Wolff, Sadie Spilker

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) is described as an evidence-based, patient-centered, interdisciplinary team developed protocol utilized to decrease the patient’s stress response to surgery, maintain preoperative physiologic function, and expedite recovery (American Association of Nurse Anesthetists [AANA], 2017). Existing evidence displayed the benefits of utilizing ERAS protocols in various surgical procedures, including general and orthopedic cases. Studies showed one must employ the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative components of the ERAS protocols to achieve maximum benefits. A critical access hospital in Illinois utilized some components of ERAS protocols, mainly the intraoperative portions, but lacked the full utilization. Goals of the review …

Feasibility And Efficacy Of Bisphosphonate Use For The Prevention Of Bone And Muscle Loss, Laura E. Flores

Theses & Dissertations

Loss of bone and muscle mass often occurs in tandem, increasing the risk of fragility fractures. Whereas many drugs are approved for the treatment of bone loss, there are few treatments available for the concomitant loss of bone and muscle. Identification of a treatment to mitigate pathologic bone and muscle atrophy has the potential to impact countless populations and influence approaches for healthy aging. Bisphosphonates have emerged as a potential treatment for both bone and muscle loss in cellular, murine, and observational human studies. Our findings of modest weight maintenance in postmenopausal women treated with 12-months of risedronate, relative to …

Modulation Of Immune Homeostasis In Neurodegenerative Diseases, Pravin Yeapuri

Theses & Dissertations

Modulating the immune system via. transformation of CD4+ T cell effector to regulatory (Teff to Treg) or promoting microglial clearance of abnormal disease proteins are attractive therapeutic strategies to restore immunological balance in neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s disease (PD) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In the past decade, we defined a safe and effective pathway for Treg induction through the cytokine granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). GM-CSF was developed in PD animal models and early phase I human studies demonstrating proof-of-concept efficacy for ameliorating disease signs and symptoms. Despite the recorded efficacy, the medicine’s short half-life, limited bioavailability, and injection site reactions …

Modulating Cellular Senescence To Improve Age-Associated Wound Healing Impairment, Upasana Niyogi

Theses & Dissertations

Impaired tissue repair and regenerative ability in the aged is a major socio-economic and clinical problem. One of the likely factors associated with poor wound healing is the presence of lingering senescent cells in the wound sites. Failure to eliminate these cells has been associated with inadequate healing, excessive scarring, and abnormal skin stiffening. Thus, the objective of our study was to test interventional strategies to mitigate the negative effect of senescent cells. We hypothesized that reducing senescent cell burden and promoting non-senescent cell functionality will improve wound healing with age.

We developed a 3D in vitro senescent fibroblast populated …

Modulating Cardiac Remodeling After Myocardial Infarction, Upendra Chalise

Theses & Dissertations

Cardiac remodeling after myocardial infarction (MI) is indicated by infarct wall thinning, reduced ejection fraction, and dilation of the left ventricle (LV). Inflammation presides in the early days of MI as a key event in cardiac wound healing. Infiltration of inflammatory cells, predominantly neutrophils and macrophages, is stimulated by ischemic cardiomyocytes that secrete inflammatory cues. This dissertation focused on identifying factors that influence cardiac remodeling after MI. S100A9 is a neutrophil-derived factor identified that exacerbated infarct wall thinning and cardiac dilation by increasing neutrophil and macrophage infiltration. Similarly, murinoglobulin 1 (Mug1) and galectin (Lgals)3 were macrophage-derived factors identified that regulate …

Psychological Trauma Alters T-Lymphocyte Inflammation And Redox Through Sympathetic Mechanisms, Safwan K. Elkhatib

Theses & Dissertations

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a devastating psychiatric disorder characterized by distinctive symptom clusters, including intrusive memories (i.e., flashbacks), avoidance of related stimuli, affective changes, and hyperarousal. Strikingly, patients with PTSD face a significantly increased risk for a number of inflammation-driven pathologies, ranging from cardiovascular to autoimmune disease. Yet, the exact etiology of this increased risk remains unknown. The immune system is known to be strongly influenced by the sympathetic nervous system, and sympathetic overactivity is a hallmark of PTSD. Lymphoid organs, such as the spleen, are richly innervated by sympathetic nerve fibers which terminate near adaptive immune …

Extracellular Mechanotransduction In Marfan Syndrome: An Equivalence Principle, Stephen Haller

Theses & Dissertations

Biological tissues continuously experience mechanical stress and have evolved sophisticated mechanisms to sense mechanical stimuli. While traditional viewpoints regard cells as the ultimate sensors and processors of mechanical information, compounding evidence demonstrates that extracellular matrix, the structural component of tissues, also exhibits evolved molecular responses to force. This led us to propose a new paradigm termed extracellular mechanotransduction, in which matrix orchestrates a complementary form of force integration distinct from traditional cellular and extracellular viewpoints. We thus propose that force-sensitive signaling mechanisms evolved within the extracellular space to help cells maintain mechanical homeostasis in tissues. In this dissertation, we apply …

Characterization Of 1,1-Diarylethylene Foxm1 Inhibitors Against High-Grade Serous Ovarian Carcinoma Cells, Cassie Liu

Theses & Dissertations

Forkhead box M1 (FOXM1) is a member of the conserved forkhead box (FOX) transcription factor family. Over the last two decades, FOXM1 has emerged as a multifunctional oncoprotein and a robust biomarker of poor prognosis in many human malignancies. FOXM1 and its associated oncogenic transcriptional signature are enriched in >85% of ovarian cancer cases, and FOXM1 expression and activity can be enhanced by a plethora of genomic, transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and post-translational mechanisms. As a master transcriptional regulator, FOXM1 promotes critical oncogenic phenotypes in ovarian cancer, including: (1) cell proliferation, (2) invasion and metastasis, (3) chemotherapy resistance, (4) cancer stem cell …

Biologically-Inspired Nanoparticles For Oncology Applications, Aishwarya Bapat

Theses & Dissertations

Cancer is the leading cause of death in the United States and its high mortality rate can be attributed towards poor diagnosis methods and less effective therapeutic treatments. Many nanotechnology-based diagnostics and therapeutics are being developed to improve cancer patient outcomes. In this work, we have studied nanoparticles for diagnostic and therapeutic applications in cancer treatment.

In the first work, novel fluorescent NPs loaded with indocyanine green (ICG) were developed for bioimaging applications of pancreatic cancer. Targeted fluorescent nanoparticles (NPs) are being developed to image a range of cancer types with the goal to improve patient outcomes by utilizing in …

Design, Synthesis, And Biological Investigation Of Pyridine Sulfones As Anti-Chlamydia Trachomatis Agents, Mohamed A. Seleem

Theses & Dissertations

Chlamydia trachomatis is the most prominent cause of sexually transmitted bacterial infections worldwide, with around 128 million reported cases annually. This pathogen can cause severe urogenital and ocular consequences, resulting in infertility and trachoma. In its unique developmental cycle, Chlamydia fluctuates between two distinct forms, elementary bodies (EBs) and reticulate bodies (RBs). We hypothesized that caseinolytic protease P (ClpP), a conserved protease among bacterial species, drives the Chlamydia developmental cycle. Earlier work by the Ouellette group demonstrated that Chlamydia relies on its ClpP2 paralogue (ctClpP2) to differentiate between its developmental forms. Dysregulation of ctClpP2 had a significant …

Building An Artificial Intelligence Framework For Hypertension Diagnosis: A Use Case Of The Problem List Curation, Ketemwabi Yves Shamavu

Theses & Dissertations

Hypertension is the world's leading factor in cardiovascular disease. Forty-seven percent or close to one in two Americans aged 18 and older are affected. It predicts approximately a thousand deaths per day. Based on recent statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in three patients with hypertension does not know they are hypertensive. Seventy-five percent of hypertensive patients have uncontrolled hypertension - meaning that they are not treated to target. While there is extensive literature on hypertension diagnosis and management, there is an apparent gap in understanding and acknowledging that a person is hypertensive. Moreover, blood pressure …

Investigation Of Cumulative Genetic Risk And Cc16 In Adult Asthma And Copd Populations, Kelli C. Gribben

Theses & Dissertations

INVESTIGATION OF CUMULATIVE GENETIC RISK AND CC16 IN ADULT ASTHMA AND COPD POPULATIONS

Kelli C. Gribben, Ph.D.

University of Nebraska Medical Center, 2022

Supervisors: Paraskevi A. Farazi and Tricia D. LeVan, Ph.D.

Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) have complex etiologies and lack biological predictors that can be used for primary prevention, early detection, progression, or monitoring. Genetic risk scores (GRS) aggregate genetic effects from GWAS-identified susceptibility variants associated with a trait. GRS may provide opportunities to improve disease prediction to inform public health and clinical interventions. Asthma GRS studies utilizing multi-ethnic populations are scarce and there is a …

Ethical Sensitivity Of Padis Care Among Critical Care Nurses: A Mixed Methods Study, Denise Waterfield

Theses & Dissertations

Critically ill patients often experience distressful and impactful symptoms and conditions that include pain, agitation/sedation, delirium, immobility, and sleep disruption (PADIS). The presence of PADIS can affect recovery and long-term patient outcomes. An integral part of critical care nursing is PADIS prevention, assessment, and management. To better understand the complexities of PADIS care, two reviews of the literature were completed. The first is an integrative review of the use of PADIS assessment tools by critical care nurses. The second is a qualitative systematic review of the literature on the integration of care ethics and nursing workload. Ethical sensitivity of everyday …

Targeting Androgen Receptor On Glioblastoma, Nan Zhao

Theses & Dissertations

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive primary brain malignancy. The standard treatment of this tumor is surgery, followed by radiation with concurrent and adjuvant temozolomide. GBM cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been proposed to be responsible for radioresistance. It is necessary to identify novel therapeutic agent(s) that can pass the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and enhance radiation effects. Targeting the androgen receptor (AR) is promising in treating glioblastoma (GBM) in cell culture, and flank implant models but the mechanisms remain unclear. AR antagonists, including enzalutamide, are available for treating prostate cancer patients in the clinic and can pass the BBB; thus, …

The Role Of Calprotectin In T-Lymphocyte Driven Inflammation In A Mouse Model Of Psychological Trauma, Cassandra Moshfegh

Theses & Dissertations

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating psychological disorder that affects nearly 45 million Americans. This mental disorder is characterized by behavioral symptoms such as learned helplessness, hyperarousal, withdrawal, and flashbacks. The deleterious effects of PTSD are far-reaching and go beyond behavioral dysfunction, as these individuals are at a three-fold higher risk of comorbid inflammatory diseases. Autonomic, metabolic, and cardiovascular diseases plague these individuals later in their lifetime, however, the mechanistic link connecting psychological trauma to this systemic peripheral immunological dysfunction remains elusive. T-lymphocyte-induced inflammation plays a significant role in all these disease pathologies. Previous work from our laboratory demonstrated …

Regulation Of Pancreatic Cancer Progression By Micronutrients, Chunbo He

Theses & Dissertations

Cancer cells rely on altered metabolism to support their uncontrolled proliferation under harsh conditions. Understanding the mechanisms of how metabolic alterations support tumor growth may provide a way to enhance current therapies. Vitamins are micronutrients that our body needs in small quantities but are essential for health maintenance. A number of metabolic processes relevant to cancer initiation and progression are also regulated by vitamins. Here, our studies showed that pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells display an aberrant metabolism of vitamin B6 (VB6) to support their fast proliferation. VB6 was highly demanded and rapidly metabolized by PDAC cells. Depletion of VB6 …