Digital Commons Network^™

Unseen Motherhood, Kylie Zieminski

All Student Theses and Dissertations

Unseen Motherhood is a series of photographs that shows what first-time motherhood is really like, starting with pregnancy and going through birth and everything after. I did not want to just show the happy or perfect moments. I wanted to capture the hard parts, the big feelings, and how much a person's identity can change.

There are eighteen black-and-white photographs in this series, all showing my twin sister as she goes through becoming a mother. These images follow her before, during, and after birth. I wanted to show that motherhood is more than just one happy photograph.

I based this …

The Inward Gaze: Byung-Chul Han's Achievement-Subjectivity In David Foster Wallace's Short Fiction, Ivan Marquez

All Student Theses and Dissertations

David Foster Wallace stated that the aim of his fiction and art was to reflect what it meant to be alive and form a relationship with the reader. In "E Unibus Plurum", Wallace posited that the tenets of Post-Modern fiction were once used to criticize the hypocrisies of the 1950's and 60's American had been subsumed by television and were no longer effective tools of criticism. Wallace argues for a move away from irony and stunt pilotry of postmodern fiction towards a fiction which espoused "single entendre values" (Wallace 192). While Wallace advocated for a return to more traditional story-telling, …

How Do African American Alumni At Private Predominantly White Institutions Describe And Interpret The Influence Of Culturally Responsive Support Spaces On Their Sense Of Belonging, Academic Persistence, And Long-Term Professional Development With The Institutional Context, Karen Williams-Blackman

All Student Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study examined how African American alumni at a private, predominantly White institution (PWI) in the Midwest described and interpreted the influence of culturally responsive support spaces on their sense of belonging, academic persistence, and long-term professional development. Culturally responsive support spaces are defined as environments that affirm identity, provide protection, and foster community, offering relational and cultural validation beyond traditional institutional diversity or compliance-based initiatives. Guided by Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Validation Theory (VT), this research examined how alumni interpreted their interactions with these support spaces and how such experiences influenced their academic trajectories and enduring …

Linking Social Entrepreneurship To Crime Reduction Among Young African Americans In Chicago’S South And West Sides, Grady C. Wheaton Jr.

All Student Theses and Dissertations

This study examined community members’ perceptions of social entrepreneurship as an employment-centered strategy for addressing youth violence among African Americans on Chicago’s South and West Sides. The study was guided by the following research question: Can social entrepreneurship be leveraged to reduce youth violence among African Americans on Chicago’s South and West Sides, as perceived by community members? Using Fillmore Laundry, a healthcare linen-processing social enterprise located in North Lawndale, as a case example, this quantitative, cross-sectional study collected survey data from 99 eligible community members recruited through community-based partnerships. The survey assessed perceived youth- and community-level program benefits, evaluations …

Exploring Management Strategies To Reduce Workplace Violence: Perceptions Of Illinois Healthcare Professionals, Mary Mack

All Student Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examined how managers of nonprofit healthcare facilities in the Chicago metropolitan area implement strategies to reduce workplace violence, what these strategies are and how they are carried out, and what organizational factors facilitate or impede their implementation. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven healthcare professionals in management or safety-oriented roles across seven facilities, purposefully sampled through the researcher's professional network. Findings revealed four recurring patterns across the sample. Prevention infrastructure was installed reactively, following specific triggering incidents rather than anticipating documented risk. Facilities consistently favored lower-cost mitigation measures over more resource-intensive prevention strategies. Reliance on short-tenure contract …

Intratracheal Interleukin-10 Administration Reduces Acute Lung Injury Induced By Sulfur Dioxide Exposure In Mice, Amy J. Nelson, Todd A. Wyatt, Bradley W. Richmond, Belinda Diaz, Angela Gleason, Michael J. Duryee, Geoffrey M. Thiele, Ted R. Mikuls, Jill A. Poole

Journal Articles: Environmental, Agricultural & Occupational Health

Therapies capable of reducing acute high-consequence airborne chemical exposure-induced lung disease are lacking. This study seeks to determine the therapeutic potential of interleukin (IL)-10 administered following acute sulfur dioxide (SO₂) exposure in mice. C57BL/6 male and female mice were exposed to SO₂ gas at 125 ppm for 4 h and subsequently treated 2-3 h later with IL-10 (1 μg) or vehicle control by intratracheal instillation for a total of 3 doses over 2 days with comparisons to sham-treated mice (N = 20 mice/group). IL-10 treatment reduced SO₂-induced weight loss with corresponding reductions in SO_{2 …}

Plutocratic Public Safety, Erin R. Collins

Law Faculty Publications

Recent political events have laid bare the ways that the United States functions like a plutocracy, in which the ultra-wealthy exert influence over core governance functions. The criminal system is not immune from this influence. Big Capital shapes the operation of the criminal system in highly visible ways through its investments in policing technology, electronic monitoring systems, and correctional and detention systems. This Article shows how the economic elite shape the operation of the criminal system in a less obvious way: through philanthropic giving. Big Philanthropy provides another—albeit seemingly benevolent—avenue through which the ultra-wealthy can advance a vision of public …

Nurturing A Collection Development Community Within The Medical Library Association [Survey Data], Sarah Mcclung, Iris Kovar-Gough, Karen H. Gau

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Data

This submission is aggregated survey results comprising the supplemental material for a case study that will be published in late 2026 or early 2027, with all free-text comments removed. A version of this survey with de-identified comments included is available through the Medical Library Association Collection Development Caucus’s archives, which requires membership for access (https://www.mlanet.org/communities/caucuses).

Below is the case study abstract:

The work of health sciences collection development librarians can be isolating as they are often the sole person responsible for stewarding the collection at their institution. This case study explores the iterative process of information and experience …

“Is This Really Funny?” Humor, Rape Myths, And Social Semiotics In Nigerian Comedy Skits, Grace Oluwatofunmi Adeyemo

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines how rape myth narratives are normalized through humor in Nigerian comedy skits. While existing research has identified rape-supportive beliefs in digital entertainment, it has paid less attention to the processes through which these meanings become socially acceptable. Guided by social semiotics, the study analyzes how semiotic resources use humor to normalize rape myth narratives in Nigerian comedy skits. Using a qualitative design, twelve purposively selected Nigerian comedy skits on YouTube were analyzed. The findings reveal that refusal is constructed as temporary, persistence is portrayed as effort, men's refusal is framed as abnormal, and consent is shaped by …

Place Matters: Investigating The Social And Environmental Drivers Of Hypertension In Nashville, Marquinta Harvey, Michael D. Oliver, Tatum Brown, Deya Rassul, Thomas Strickler, Jarod Parrish, Catherine Bass

Funded Scholarship

Hypertension disparities persist across communities, driven by interactions between social determinants of health (SDOH) and behavioral factors. This study examines geographic and demographic patterns of hypertension in Nashville, Tennessee, to assess how socioeconomic, environmental, and behavioral factors contribute to inequities in prevalence, treatment, and control. Granular ZIP code-level analyses highlight community-specific drivers and the need for policy reforms to advance health equity.

Non-Instrumented Dva: Assessment Of Performance And Clinical Feasibility In Children Ages 2 Through 13 Years, Cathey P. Norton, Nancy S. Darr, Mary Katherine Beshears, Katherine Catalano, Tyra Dillard, Mahayla J.K. Gamble, Magdalene Olerich, Sadie Rodell Rupp

Funded Scholarship

Background/Objectives: Vestibular disorders can have functional consequences for children, including balance and gross motor delays, academic difficulties and behavioral manifestations; however, they are frequently undiagnosed in children. The purposes of this study were to evaluate the feasibility and clinical utility of performing a non-instrumented dynamic visual acuity (DVA) test as a primary screening tool for children and to examine typical performance on this non-instrumented DVA test in a large sample of children ages 2 through 13 years.

Methods: A clinical DVA test was administered to a convenience sample of 208 children aged 2–13 years. Static visual acuity was assessed using …

Business Week Program, February 23-27, 2026, Illinois State University, College Of Business

Business Week

No abstract provided.

Failure Rates And Patient-Reported Outcomes Are Similar Across 5 Arthroscopic, Suprapectoral Biceps Tenodesis Fixation Techniques, Senah E. Stephens, Samantha M. Strohm, Rachael M. Shaughnessy, Katherine S. Worcester, Kevin F. Bonner

Department Surgery Faculty Publications

Purpose

To compare failure rates and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) across 5 arthroscopic, suprapectoral biceps tenodesis fixation techniques: tenodesis screw, tenodesis anchor, expanding tenodesis anchor, onlay with single all-suture anchor, and soft tissue tenodesis in the bicipital groove with suture.

Methods

This was a retrospective cohort study approved by the Institutional Review Board, including patients age 18 years or older who underwent arthroscopic, suprapectoral biceps tenodesis between 2014 and 2024 with a minimum of 6 months of clinical follow-up. Exclusion criteria included cervical pathology, chronic pain syndromes, revisions, and workers' compensation cases. Patients completed PROMs including pain Visual Analog Scale …

Investigating The Potential Neurotoxic Effects Of Cell-Free Factors By Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis On Locomotion In Xenopus Laevis, Anna Lennon, Laura K. Reinert, Louise A. Rollins-Smith, Will Best, Chase T. Kinsey Phd

Funded Scholarship

Chytridiomycosis is a contributor to amphibian population declines. Diseased amphibians show symptoms of lethargy and loss of righting reflexes, likely due to ion imbalance across the skin. However, it is possible developing zoosporangia release toxins that affect neuromuscular activity. Using Xenopus laevis as a model, we hypothesized that locomotor performance would be affected by injection of Bd supernatant factors. X. laevis were injected and then filmed performing a swimming escape response with high-speed cameras at 4 hours, 24 hours, and 1- week post-injection. Average maximum swimming velocity and escape latency were digitized using high speed video. Despite no difference in …

The Impact Of Remittances On Food Security In Times Of Crisis—Evidence From Covid-19 In Latin America And The Caribbean, Colin Cannonier

Funded Scholarship

This study examines the association between workers’ remittances and food insecurity in Latin America and the Caribbean using data from a Coronavirus survey covering over 100,000 individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results indicate that receipt of remittances is associated with an 8.8% decrease (2.5% points) in overall food insecurity. Heterogeneous effects are observed among females, individuals in Latin America, and households with children. Remittances from the USA exhibit a stronger influence on reducing food insecurity. The findings underscore the potential importance of remittances in improving food security at both extensive and intensive margins. Policy issues are also discussed.

Correlates Of Recovery Capital Among Women In Jails: Leveraging A Dimensional Recovery Framework, Amanda Fallin-Bennett, Martha Tillson, Jaxin Annett, Hartley Feld, Michele Staton

Nursing Faculty Publications

Background: Recovery capital encompasses internal and external factors that support recovery from substance use disorder, such as employment, social support, and physical and mental health. There is a need for more research on recovery capital among women who are incarcerated, who often face complex barriers to recovery, such as poverty, unemployment, and histories of trauma.

Methods: Women (N ¼ 900) were recruited from Kentucky jails as part of the broader NIDA-funded Kentucky Justice Community Opioid Innovation Network (JCOIN) cooperative project. Measures from baseline interviews (during incarceration) were selected in alignment with the Substance Abuse Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA)’s four …

“Being Treated As The Expert:” A Blueprint For A Community Advisory Board Approach To Elevate The Voice Of People With Living Experience With Substance Use In Academic Research, Trevor Moffitt, Survivors Union Of The Bluegrass, Bryson Henson, April M. Young, Sharon L. Walsh, Rachel Vickers-Smith, Junior Cruz, Jeremy Byard, Brook West, Amanda Fallin-Bennett

Nursing Faculty Publications

Introduction: Researchers have traditionally engaged Community Advisory Boards (CABs) to meaningfully involve community members in the research process. However, CABs are often formed only after a grant is funded, leading to criticisms of functioning merely as “ethical approvers.” For substance use researchers, the inclusion of people with living experience (PWLE; current experience with drug use) across all stages of research is especially important as they have historically been the experts in the needs of their community.   Methods: In response to this need for community engagement in research, the University of Kentucky, in partnership with a local recovery community center (RCC; …

Coalition Building And Citizen Science For Radon Risk Reduction, Stacy Stanifer, Kathy Rademacher, Whitney Sedio, Naomi Cheek, David Gross, Caitlyn Curtis, Amanda Thaxton-Wiggins, Mary Kay Rayens, Ellen J. Hahn

Nursing Faculty Publications

We evaluated the implementation of local coalitions led in partnership with citizen scientists, community-based organizations, and public libraries in four rural communities to lower exposure to radon in the home. The objectives were to (1) describe the Reach-Effectiveness-Adoption-Implementation-Maintenance (RE-AIM) of four radon coalitions, and (2) compare RE-AIM factors among citizen scientists who participated in the coalitions and those who did not. A larger community-engaged research project embedded coalition building using a citizen science approach. Three of the four coalitions focused on health and wellness more broadly (18–34 members); one focused solely on radon (10 members). Coalition membership and activities varied …

Evaluation Of A Tobacco Treatment Specialist Training Program Targeted To Behavioral Health Professionals, Chizimuzo T. C. Okoli, Sarret Seng, Bassema Abu Farsakh, Emily Koyagi, Heather Beck, Audrey Darville

Nursing Faculty Publications

Tobacco use remains disproportionately high among adults living with mental illnesses (MIs), contributing to excess morbidity and mortality, particularly in high-burden states such as Kentucky. Behavioral healthcare providers are well-positioned to address this disparity but often lack formal training in evidence-based tobacco treatment. Tobacco Treatment Specialist (TTS) training provides healthcare providers with skills to deliver evidence-based tobacco treatment; however, traditional TTS training models often rely on synchronous, in-person or live virtual formats, which may limit accessibility for some healthcare workforces. Asynchronous, web-based delivery models may reduce these barriers. This study evaluates a targeted, asynchronous TTS training program designed for providers …

Financial Status, Fatalism, And Self-Care Of Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors Among Rural Adults Living In Socioeconomically Distressed Areas, Ashmita Thapa, Geunyeong Cha, Dustin Hodges, Jia-Rong Wu, Misook L. Chung, Martha J. Biddle, Jennifer L. Smith, Debra K. Moser

Nursing Faculty Publications

Purpose: Adults with fewer financial resources often have poor self-care. Rural dwellers commonly have fewer financial resources than urban dwellers and are often stereotyped as fatalistic about health. We examined whether fatalism mediates the association of financial status with cardiovascular disease (CVD) self-care in rural adults in economically distressed areas. We hypothesized that those with fewer financial resources would have poorer self-care, and fatalism would mediate this relationship.

Methods: We enrolled 1,122 adults (53 ± 15 years) at risk for CVD. Financial status was reflected by individuals’ perceptions of how well they made “ends meet” with their financial resources, fatalism …

The Effects Of Pornography On Romantic Relationships, Jade A. Green

McNair Scholars Research

This study examined the relationship among pornography use, attitudes toward pornography, and romantic relationship outcomes among adults in the United States. The hypotheses are as follows: 1. Pornography use is negatively associated with relationship satisfaction. 2. Positive attitudes toward pornography are negatively associated with relationship satisfaction. 3. Men will report more positive attitudes toward pornography than women, 4. Higher pornography use is associated with being single.  A convenience sample of 165 adults from central Arkansas completed measures assessing pornography use/acceptance and relationship satisfaction. Statistical analyses included a correlation matrix, an independent-samples t-test, and a chi-square analysis. Results showed that pornography …

Cybersecurity Risk Shifting, Deborah R. Farringer

Law Faculty Scholarship

This article analyzes the growing problem of ransomware attacks in the healthcare sector and evaluates the evolving legal frameworks used to address cybersecurity risks affecting patient data. The authors trace the rapid increase in ransomware incidents, driven in part by the rise of digital health records and cryptocurrency-enabled extortion, and highlight the significant operational and privacy harms resulting from such attacks. The article critically examines existing federal and state legal mechanisms—including statutes such as HIPAA, criminal fraud provisions, and emerging state-level immunity laws—and argues that current approaches are insufficient due to jurisdictional challenges, particularly the transnational nature of cybercrime and …

Tick Lipocalin Triggers Mammalian Igfbp-3-Mediated Apoptosis In Macrophages And Keratinocytes, Krittika Nandy, P. P. Mahesh, Lichao Liu, Daniel E. Sonenshine, Hameeda Sultana, Girish Neelakanta

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Ticks secrete several molecules, including lipocalins, in their saliva during blood feeding on a vertebrate host. In this study, we provide novel evidence on the role of Ornithodoros turicata americanus tick lipocalin (Otlip) in modulating cytokine expression and in triggering apoptosis in mammalian macrophages and keratinocytes. The cytokine array analysis revealed significantly increased secretion of insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 3 (IGFBP3) from murine macrophage cell line upon treatment with recombinant Otlip protein (rGST-Otlip) when compared to the secretion noted from cells treated with a control protein (rGST). Similar observation with cytokine protein array analysis was noted when murine macrophages were …

Microarray Analysis Of Human Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm With Emphasis On Cardiovascular Genes Revealed Differentially Expressed Genes, Song Lu, Li Ping Li, John V. White, Xiaoying Zhang, Ifeyinwa Nwaneshiudu, Adaobi Nwaneshiudu, Nectaria Ntaoula, John Gaughan, Dimitri S. Monos, Wan-Lu Lin, Charalambos C. Solomides, Emilia L. Oleszak, Chris D. Platsoucas

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Background/Aim: We examined gene expression profiles in abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) lesions vs. normal aortas by cDNA microarray and real-time quantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR).

Materials and Methods: Phosphorus (32P)-labeled cDNA from AAA specimens (mean AAA size 6.65 cm) and normal aortas were hybridized with a 588-gene microarray primarily of the cardiovascular system. The results were validated by qRT-PCR.

Results: A total of 35 out of the 588 genes were differentially expressed, with either log2 ratio of AAAs/controls ≥1 (upregulated; 20 genes) or ≤−1 (downregulated; 15 genes) in AAA lesions vs. normal aorta, and 25 of these were significantly …

Students With Vision And Hearing Loss: Successful Strategies For Teachers And Families, Karen A. Waldron, Michael Steer, Dolly Bhargava

Education Faculty Research

Students with Vision and Hearing Loss: Successful Strategies for Teachers and Families is an eBook containing extensive online Activities, Research, and Resources to support children and adolescents who are Vision Impaired or Blind, and those who experience a Hearing Loss or are Deaf.

This collaborative project was administered by Dr. Karen A. Waldron (Trinity University, San Antonio, Texas) and Dr. Michael Steer, with the support of graduate student Dolly Bhargava (Renwick College, New South Wales).

It includes the work of many experts at universities, schools, and regional service centers across the United States, Australia, and New Zealand, and provides specific …

Fluid Agency In Ai Systems: A Case For Functional Equivalence In Copyright, Patent, And Tort, Anirban Mukherjee, Hannah H. Chang

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Modern Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems exhibit fluid agency in multi-step workflows: lacking human-like consciousness or culpability, yet they display behavior that is (i) stochastic (probabilistic and path‑dependent), (ii) dynamic (co‑evolving with user interaction), and (iii) adaptive (able to reorient across contexts). These properties generate valuable outputs but collapse attribution, irreducibly entangling human and machine inputs. Doctrines that assume traceable provenance—authorship, inventorship, and liability—fracture under this unmappability, yielding ownership gaps and moral “crumple zones.”This Article argues that only functional equivalence stabilizes doctrine under unmappability: Where provenance is indeterminate, legal frameworks should treat human and AI contributions as equivalent for allocating rights …

The Charity Capacity Curse, Shirley (Lijun) Zhang, Thomas Allard, David Hardisty, Shane Wang

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Can displays of charity capacity cues paradoxically harm charities' fundraising efforts? Six pre-registered studies provide evidence of a charity capacity curse whereby donors penalize charities for displaying capacity cues, such as human resources capacity, organizational capacity, and financial capacity cues. This curse occurs because donors perceive higher-capacity charities as needing less help. As donors typically donate based on need, they donate less to charities with superior capacity signals. This effect is attenuated when: (1) higher-capacity charities' needs are made salient, and (2) donors reflect on how their decision impacts end-beneficiaries. This research contributes to the literature on effective altruism and …

Optimal Control Analysis Of Malaria Transmission In The Presence Of Insecticide Resistance And Climate Variability In Kenya, Lorna Chepkemoi, Titus Okello Orwa, Samuel Mwalili, Rachel Waema Mbogo, Steeven Belvinos Affognon, Daisy Salifu, Henri E.Z. Tonnang

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Malaria remains a major public health concern in Kenya, where changing climatic conditions, insecticide resistance, and mosquito behavioral adaptations continue to challenge control efforts. This study develops and analyzes a climate-sensitive malaria transmission model that incorporates mosquito behavior, insecticide resistance, and vector–human ecological dynamics to identify optimal control strategies for the Kenyan context. The model’s well-posedness was established, the basic reproduction number (R0) computed using the next-generation matrix method, and the stability of equilibrium points assessed. Spatial analysis of R0 was performed using temperature and rainfall raster data to map transmission risk across Kenya under varying insecticide use scenarios. Results …

Behavioral And Electrophysiological Responses Of Fall Armyworm Larval Parasitoid Coccygidium Luteum To Maize And Companion Plant Volatiles, Emmanuel Peter, Sevgan Subramanian, Abdullahi Yusuf, Samira A. Mohamed, Baldwyn Torto, Emily A. Martin, Amanuel Tamiru

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Companion cropping and biological control are among the best agronomic practices recommended for ecologically sustainable management of the invasive fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda J.E. Smith (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Companion plants may suppress the FAW population by repelling the pest, disrupting host-plant location and recruiting biocontrol agents such as parasitoids. These interactions are primarily mediated by plant-derived volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Understanding parasitoids’ responses to VOCs emitted by companion plants enables selection of suitable cultivars to enhance biological control and design appropriate intercropping systems for effective FAW management. This study investigated behavioral and electrophysiological responses of a key FAW larval parasitoid, …

Taxonomy, Distribution And Ecology, Biology, Nutritional Composition, And Conservation Status Of Critically Endangered Lake Chala Tilapia Oreochromis Hunteri (Günther, 1889): Implications For Aquaculture Development, Jonathan Munguti, Mavindu Muthoka, Domitila Kyule, Esther Magondu, Jacob O. Iteba, Kevin Obiero, Paul Orina, Menaga Meenakshisundaram, Tanga M. Chrysantus

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Oreochromis hunteri Günther, 1889, commonly known as Lake Chala tilapia, is an endemic cichlid restricted to the small crater lake, Lake Chala, on the border of Kenya and Tanzania. This review synthesizes existing knowledge on the taxonomy, and phylogenetic placement, distribution and ecology, and biology including nutritional composition, and conservation status of O. hunteri and identifies knowledge gaps to assess its potential for aquaculture development. The knowledge gaps include its reproductive biology, population structure, and adaptive capacity to environmental and climatic variability. As the type species of the genus Oreochromis, O. hunteri is a unique, genetically isolated lineage within a …