Digital Commons Network^™

The Role Of C-X-C Chemokine Receptor Type 5 (Cxcr5) On Sex-Dependent Neurobehavioral Changes In The Sub Clinically Sensitized Individuals With Repeated Allergen Exposure, Dilini Vimarshani Ekanayake Ekanayake Mudiyanselage

Theses and Dissertations

Food allergen consumption has been suspected to influence mood and behavior in individuals who are sensitized but tolerant to the food. Using a mouse model of subclinical cow’s milk allergy (CMA), we previously showed that C57BL/6J mice sensitized to β-lactoglobulin (BLG, Bos d 5) exhibited elevated BLG-specific IgE levels even without observable allergic reactions, suggest developing immune responses towards the allergen. We also observed elevated cytokine and chemokine levels, astrogliosis and cortical demyelination along with behavioral changes such as anxiety-like and depression-like behavior after consuming a whey-containing diet for two weeks. Furthermore, we demonstrated the possible immune cell infiltration and …

Integrating Cognitive And Visual Scanning Strategies In Flight Instruction: Effects On Student Pilots’ Learning During Approach And Landing, Hyungwoo Jo

Theses and Dissertations

This interdisciplinary study employed a convergent parallel mixed-methods design to advance innovation in aviation education by incorporating eye tracking technology with enhanced performance traceability through visual modeling and comparative feedback. Specifically, the study investigated student pilots’ scanning behavior, cognitive strategies, and proficiency development on a normal approach and landing task by modeling flight instructors’ cognitive behavior. The first research phase revealed statistically significant differences in scanning ratios between 10 flight instructors and 10 student pilots along with substantial performance variation. The result showed that student pilots exhibited excessive outside fixation, often failing to monitor or respond to energy management in …

Thermodynamic Evaluation Of The Thermal Methane Pyrolysis Process, Chinaecherem S. Okwuonu

Theses and Dissertations

Natural gas flaring is a persistent challenge which undermines global sustainability and decarbonization efforts as it leads to the waste of valuable energy resources alongside the release of harmful greenhouse gases into the environment. Even when natural gas is utilized through commonly adopted pathways, significant emission of carbon dioxide tends to be realized. Methane pyrolysis offers a promising route in which methane can be decomposed into solid carbon and hydrogen gas with no direct CO2 emissions. However, despite extensive studies of the methane pyrolysis process, a fundamental thermodynamic rationale of the process behavior remains insufficiently explored. This study 1) develops …

Microbial Communities And Host Plants Of Megachilidae In The Greater Grand Forks Area (Ggfa), Sara Margit Wallace

Theses and Dissertations

Although Megachilidae are important pollinators in the United States, there is still much to learn about the health and functionality of these bees. Megachilids are threatened by competition from non-native pollinators and other environmental factors. The species distribution and composition of the gut microbiome in megachilid bees are not well known for the Greater Grand Forks Area (GGFA). My research seeks to answer the questions: what megachilid species are in the GGFA, where are they, and what symbionts are in their gut microbiomes? I collected and identified solitary bee specimens from North Dakota and Minnesota, dissected their gut contents, and …

Supporting Career Navigation With An Online Occupational Information-Sharing Platform, Jay W. Rojewski, Janette R. Hill, Eunice Kim, Sejung Kwon, Linda Mccauley, Ikseon Choi

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

Rapid changes to the nature of work and the workplace have shifted responsibility for career success from organizations to individual workers. Successful navigation of one’s career requires a proactive perspective where individuals anticipate training needs and make decisions for achieving both short- and long-term career goals. Relevant and accurate occupational information is an essential component of career success; yet few sources of reliable and targeted information exist for adult workers. This article provides a conceptual overview of an online system (eMPACT) that provides personalized occupational information for selected health care professionals. The contributions and benefits of key stakeholders—employees, trainers, employers—in …

Employers’ Perceptions Of Workplace Readiness Skills, Tabitha S. Young, Natalie K. Ferand

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

Employability skills are continually changing, and the workforce provides the transparency needed for the success of business employment. Workplace readiness skills and human capital theory form the backbone for organizational success and sustainability. This study examined employers’ perceptions of workplace readiness skills at the expected proficiency level of an entry-level employee, the average level of skill for an entry-level employee, and the level of importance of the skill to their industry. The Virginia Workplace Readiness Skills have impacted employers and prepared students for the workplace. The results indicated that the workplace readiness skills mentioned in the literature align with the …

Exploring Human Centered Design Thinking To Develop Career And Technical Education (Cte) Programs For Incarcerated Individuals: Development And Pilot Of A Faculty Survey Instrument At A Utah Technical College, Taija Jackson, Michael Pate

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

Postsecondary Career and Technical Education (CTE) institutions are confronted with growing demands to improve efficiency while boosting student outcomes and achieving performance metrics for funding. As enrollment competition grows and funding sources change, technical colleges are looking to develop new programs and identify untapped student populations such as incarcerated individuals. Instructors of postsecondary CTE technical programs often bring industry experience but typically lack formal teaching training unlike their secondary CTE instructors which may create variable teaching success and impacts both teacher confidence and student achievement, especially for at-risk populations such as incarcerated individuals. This research explores faculty perspectives on human-centered …

Online Experiential Learning In Career And Technical Education, Matthew Bornak

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

This scoping review investigates the integration of OEL into Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs. Using Arksey and O’Malley’s five-step scoping review framework, articles were identified through ERIC and Google Scholar and managed in Zotero. MAXQDA was used for coding, revealing thematic clusters related to modalities (synchronous, asynchronous, hybrid), technologies (LMS, AR/VR, simulation tools), and learner characteristics (nontraditional students, CTE-specific learning styles). The review highlights the conceptual anchors of Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory, Carver et al.’s Experiential E-Learning Model, and Baasanjav’s online experiential design. Findings reveal that while OEL in CTE remains underexplored, it offers potential to increase accessibility, inclusivity, …

An Investigation Of The Characteristics And Uses Of School Farms In California Ffa’S Superior Region, Emily R. Fuller, Jessica M. Toombs

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

This study investigates the characteristics and uses of school farms within Northern California, focusing on their role in school-based agricultural education (SBAE). The research aims to determine the structural and operational attributes of these facilities and to identify their primary uses as experiential learning tools. Utilizing a descriptive survey design, data were collected from 74 agricultural educators. Findings reveal that school farms, averaging 21.27 acres, are predominantly managed by agriculture teachers and are primarily used for housing market animals, supporting Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) projects. The study highlights the need for diversified school farm facilities to enhance experiential learning across …

Best Practices For Local Law Enforcement In Counterterrorism: Enhancing Interagency Communication & Developing Modern Information Sharing Systems, Michael G. Fitterman

Master's Theses

Local law enforcement agencies play a critical and increasingly central role in the United States’ domestic counterterrorism architecture. While federal agencies possess sophisticated intelligence capabilities, local officers are often the first to encounter early indicators of radicalization, pre-operational planning, and suspicious behavior. Despite this frontline role, communication between local, state, and federal agencies remains fragmented, inconsistent, and sometimes informal. These gaps weaken national situational awareness and limit the ability of agencies to identify emerging threats.

This thesis examines the structural, technological and cultural challenges hat impede effective information sharing among law enforcement agencies. It outlines best practices that local departments …

Evaluating Watershed Characteristics And Land Use Patterns To Optimize Bioswale Performance In New Haven, Connecticut, Shruthika Deva

Master's Theses

Bioswales are a major component of New Haven’s green infrastructure network, designed to intercept roadway runoff and promote infiltration. Their hydrologic performance, however, varies widely due to differences in watershed loading, surrounding land use, vegetation condition, and sediment accumulation at inlets. Understanding these sources of variability is essential for improving maintenance strategies and guiding future bioswale placement. This study evaluates the hydrologic behavior of 281 roadside bioswales using field-measured infiltration rates, GIS-based watershed delineation, parcel-level land-use classification, vegetation assessments, and inlet-outlet comparisons. Contributing drainage areas were delineated from a 2-ft LiDAR derived Digital Elevation Model, land-use context was assigned using …

A Decade Of Knowledge Without Borders: Open Access And Global Reach Of School Social Work Research, Leticia Villarreal Sosa

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the International Journal for School Social Work (IJSSW), this article provides a reflection on a decade the last decade of breaking barriers and building bridges across practitioners, researchers, communities, and continents and looks forward to our responsibility for the future. This article discusses the benefits and challenges related to Open Access publishing, and addresses how Open Access is a public good—ensuring that practitioners, researchers, students, and policymakers can engage the best evidence regardless of geography, resources, or institutional affiliation. The impact of IJSSW is reviewed, including a summary of accomplishments, most downloaded …

An Exploration Of The Implementation Of Social-Emotional Lessons In The Secondary Music Ensemble Classroom, Neva Rowland

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) impacts student relationships with themselves, others, and the world around them. The researcher sought to determine the presence, level of awareness, and implementation of social and emotional lessons within the context of music education in 3A or smaller high school bands in Kansas.

An electronic survey questionnaire was emailed in October 2025 to 208 music educators, inviting them to participate. The Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) provided the list of band directors at a 3A or smaller high schools. Thirteen participants responded in detail about their observations and opinions regarding SEL in their band ensemble …

Extraction Of Cellulose From Paper Towels For Sustainable Bio-Based Polyurethane Adhesives, Yashkumar J. Patel

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

The increasing consumption of paper towels generates significant waste, necessitating sustainable recycling solutions. This study investigates the extraction of cellulose from waste paper towels and its application in bio-based polyurethane (PU) adhesives. The extraction process includes alkali treatment, bleaching, and acid hydrolysis to obtain recycled cellulose (rCL). The extracted cellulose is then used in PU synthesis alongside castor oil polyol (COP) and methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI), with performance compared to industrial cellulose-based PU. The obtained rCL and synthesized PU adhesives have been characterized with FT-IR spectra for structural confirmation. In addition, the synthesized PU adhesives demonstrated improved mechanical and thermal …

Reflection On Experiences With Primary Care Providers To Improve Patient-Centered Care, Deanna Jan Emory, Thomas Kippenbrock

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Background: The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality emphasized the assessment of the patients’ experiences along with other factors such as effectiveness and safety of care when demonstrating health care quality. To accurately gauge the patient’s experience, health care institutions must ask patients whether events in a healthcare setting occurred and how frequently they are with providers and the credentials of those providers.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate Medicaid recipients’ experiences with their respective primary care providers using responses from the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) database.

Methods: The study was …

Parents’ Awareness Of Antimicrobial Resistance: A Qualitative Study Utilizing The Health Belief Model, Aaron Lapuz Alejandro, Mieghan Bruce, Cheryl Leo

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Objective: This study aimed to determine local factors that promote or prevent parents’ responsible use of antibiotics for their children in Perth, Western Australia.

Methods: The Health Belief Model was used to guide this study. Four focus group discussions were conducted, with 26 participants. Participants were recruited purposively through a parent group organisation. The Framework Method was utilised to analyse the data.

Results: Participants agreed that antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a serious health problem. However, participants admitted that they lacked awareness of AMR, inhibiting their ability to assess the risks of developing AMR infections among their children. …

Closing The Gap: Educational Research On Secondary Traumatic Stress In The Healthcare Workplace, Natalie Noel Tracy

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Secondary traumatic stress (STS) is a post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) like phenomenon characterized by biological, emotional, and psychosocial symptoms resulting from direct exposure to someone’s traumatic experience frequently occurring in caring-based work environment. First defined in 1995 by Charles Figley, STS is classified using the same categories as PTSD: Avoidance, hyperarousal, and intrusion. Avoidance consists of numbness to or lack of participation in usual interests and avoidance of triggers that serve as reminders of the indirect trauma experienced. Hyperarousal occurs when a person becomes highly alert or has a “fight or flight” response to a triggering experience related to a …

Letter From The President, Marcia M. Ditmyer

Michigan Journal of Public Health

No abstract provided.

Letter From The Editor, Sarah J. Nechuta

Michigan Journal of Public Health

No abstract provided.

Deficiencies In Non-Emergency Medical Transportation For Aging Rural Residents Of Iosco County, Michigan, Richard L. Douglass, Donald Stansloski, James Mortimer, Sam Purdy, Dale Evilsizer, Scott Rice

Michigan Journal of Public Health

Introduction: The rural aging population in Michigan struggles to access medical care often available only at significant distances due to limited health system resources and provider shortages. Access to routine care is challenged by lack of non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT). The Iosco County Commission on Aging provides home-delivered meals to eligible county residents. The Rural Health Group investigated the needs of home-delivered meal recipients (aged ≥60 years) for healthcare transportation access. Utilizing data from this investigation, we examined if medical care needs were hindered by problems with transportation in rural Iosco County, Michigan.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey with …

Fostering Dialogue, Learning, And Reflection: The Role Of Book Discussions For Public Health Professionals, Naomi E. Ervin, Belinda Aberle, Katherine Balint, Lynn Mcdaniels, Paula Tomczak

Michigan Journal of Public Health

Background: The Public Health Nursing (PHN) Section of the Michigan Public Health Association (MPHA) works to improve public health and public health nursing practice in Michigan. In 2021, the PHN Section initiated virtual book discussions to engage public health professionals in meaningful discussion about topics of critical importance to public health and public health nursing; provide continuing education contact hours; and recruit new section members. Methods: The discussions are conducted virtually four times per year. A moderator introduces each book and leads the one-hour discussion. As an added incentive to read the books, the PHN Section sends a limited number …

A Community-Based After-School Wellness Camp’S Effect On Healthy Habit Beliefs, Staci A. O'Brien, Ranelle Brew, Madeline Krawciw, Jodie Seese, Tess Scheidel

Michigan Journal of Public Health

Introduction: Children in the United States face declining physical activity, poor nutrition, and increasing mental health concerns. As school time for wellness declines, out-of-school programs offer an alternative to promote healthy habits to students. A community-driven, multi-component after-school wellness camp was developed in response to a small-town needs assessment and implemented at a local elementary school to determine whether it would change participants’ beliefs held towards healthy habits.

Methods: Third to fifth graders at a local elementary school in Lowell, Michigan, participated in an after-school wellness camp for four weeks through education and hands-on activities focused on physical …

Physical Therapy Direct Access To Unrestricted Access In The State Of Michigan- Is Michigan Ready To Embrace Change? A Policy Analysis, Erica M. Fernandes, Mary D. Lagerwey, Kieran Fogarty

Michigan Journal of Public Health

Michigan’s Direct Access Provision of 2015 (Enrolled Senate Bill No. 690, 201), which aimed to increase patient access to physical therapy and reduce waiting times, has created hurdles for patient access and for physical therapy as an autonomous profession. The purposes of this policy analysis were: 1) to analyze the Direct Access (DA) policy including examining existing challenges resulting from implementation, 2) provide recommendations for implementing an alternative policy, and 3) outline the benefits of the alternative policy. The DA policy with provisions was examined using the Patton and Sawicki (1993) framework, which provides a basic approach that …

Associations Between Food Insecurity And Gpa Among Full-Time California State University Undergraduates During Covid-19: The Impact Of Mental Health, Lindsey Jones

Master's Theses

Food insecurity is a persistent public health concern among college students that has been associated with student’s academic and mental health outcomes. This thesis examined the associations between food insecurity, academic performance (measured by GPA) and mental health (using Kessler 6 psychological distress and self-perceived mental health impacts on academic performance), among full-time undergraduate students within the California State University (CSU) system. Cross-sectional analyses were conducted using data from the Spring 2021 CSU National College Health Assessment, administered across all 23 campuses. Of the 20,167 respondents, 12,899 students were included in the analytical sample. Bivariate analyses were conducted to analyze …

Data-Driven Evaluation Of Sustainable Waste-To-Energy Pathways For Intelligent Urban Systems, Izech Brian O. Edwin, King Harold A. Recto

Electronics, Computer, and Communications Engineering Faculty Publications

The handling of municipal solid waste (MSW) in swiftly urbanizing Philippine cities poses intricate energy and governance challenges. In Baguio City, reliance on landfills has reached critical levels due to diminishing capacity, rising transport costs, and opposition to trash transfers by nearby LGUs. Although shaped by unique topographical and governance constraints, Baguio’s situation reflects issues faced by other rapidly growing Philippine cities; therefore, analyzing it offers insights for national MSW decision-making. This study applies a triple bottom line (TBL) framework to assess three management scenarios: (1) Status Quo, where all MSW is landfilled with no energy recovery; (2) Landfill with …

Engineering Risk And Indigenous Resilience Toward Intelligent Decision Support For Mining In Ancestral Lands, Izech Brian O. Edwin, King Harold A. Recto

Electronics, Computer, and Communications Engineering Faculty Publications

Mining within ancestral territories reveals an ongoing conflict between technical viability and Indigenous consent. This collaborative study, conducted by an engineering scholar and a policy researcher of Indigenous heritage in Benguet among the Ibaloi and Kankanaey peoples, investigates how risk transparency and policy alignment can bridge existing divides, while formulating principles applicable to other Indigenous mining contexts. The study provides an initial evaluation of the feasibility of a proposed large-scale mining operation within a risk-informed, data-driven governance framework. Three elements of engineering risk were assessed utilizing literature-derived and proxy parameters: (1) Land degradation is indicated by a Soil Productivity Index …

Itadakimasu: Recipes From Japanese American Internment Camps, Alexander K. Nishida

Graphic Communication

This project presents a historical narrative told through the format of a cookbook, exploring the relationship between food, memory, and resilience during the Japanese American Internment of World War II. Using primary resources such as news publications from within the camps (Topaz Times,1943), historical interviews (Herzig, 1994), and secondary resources from an archival podcast (Campu, 2021) to highlight how food served as both a means of survival and an expression of identity under confinement.

The cookbook will combine recipes inspired by documented internment-era meals with stories and reflections gathered from interviews, archival materials, and community voices. Each section will contextualize …

Evaluating Streambank And In-Stream Erosion As Acontributors To Water Quality In Two Illinois Agricultural Watersheds, Chibueze Chigozie Iguegbe

Theses

This study investigates its contribution to sediment and phosphorus (P) export in two agriculturally dominated watersheds in south central Illinois—Lost Creek and East Fork Shoal Creek (EFS). Using cross-section surveys, and erosion pin measurements over a two-year monitoring period, we quantified bank erosion rates, sediment yields, and associated phosphorus loads. Hydrologic data from the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS), alongside local precipitation and soil data, were utilized in the interpretation of erosion dynamics in the study watersheds. Key findings from this study show spatial and temporal variability in erosion rates, which is driven by seasonal flow events, riparian vegetation type, …

Comprehensive Drought Analysis: Machine Learning-Based Meterological Drought Forecasting And Pca-Driven Agricultural Drought Monitoring., Bishal Poudel

Theses

Drought is a long-term natural disaster that affects many aspects of human life from health, water supply to ecosystems and agriculture. Drought’s occurrence and intensity has increased in recent years because of global warming, which urges for proper and accurate monitoring and forecasting of drought. For better understanding of droughts, this study uses two approaches. In first part, the study uses the historical temperature and precipitation data from period of 1960 to 2021 as input features for three different machine learning models – Artificial Neural Network (ANN), Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Random Forest (RF). The research focuses on calculating …

Survivorship In Virginia Opossums And The Management Implications For Burmese Pythons In Key Largo, Florida, Arya J. Sanjar

Theses

This study employed a telemetry-based framework, using radio-collared Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana), to quantify survival patterns and estimate detection probabilities of python predation events. Between April 2022 and January 2025, 135 adult opossums were monitored using VHF collars across protected habitats within Key Largo. Annual survival was estimated using a staggered-entry Kaplan-Meier model, producing an annual survival rate of 0.17 (SE = 0.089) for females, and male survival was estimated at 0.04 (SE = 0.032) at 10 months since no male lived 10 months after collaring. Cause-specific monthly survival analyses indicated python predation peaked during the late summer months of …