Digital Commons Network^™

The Splintered Man: Masculine Responses To Feminism In 20th Century Fiction, Jess Flarity

Doctoral Dissertations

Splintered masculinity is a pattern of behaviors where men engage with the rhetoric of feminism and gender equality for their own benefit rather than as an authentic commitment to advancing women’s rights. This dissertation tracks the emergence of the “splintered man,” or s-man, from 1915 to 1982 in mainstream literary fiction along with science fiction to demonstrate how this identity crosses cultural and socioeconomic barriers to uphold principles related to hegemonic masculinity. Three kinds of s-men emerged within Modernism: the anti-human s-man, the self-aggrandizing s-man, and the confused/conflicted s-man, each with different traits regarding their goals in engaging with feminism. …

From Garvey To King: How Jamaica Influenced The Us Civil Rights Movement, Charlotte Helen Richard

Doctoral Dissertations

“From Garvey to King: How Jamaica Influenced the US Civil Rights Movement” interrogates the influence of Jamaica on African Americans during the Long Freedom Movement. While many historians have focused on the influence of African American leaders on other countries, such as Martin Luther King, Jr.’s global impact or the inspirational leadership of Stokely Carmichael on the African diaspora, no scholars have yet examined the significance of Jamaican activism, ideologies, and actions on African Americans. “From Garvey to King” situates Jamaica as central to transnational Black Nationalist and Black liberation ideologies, from the bottom up. From grassroots organizing to every-day …

Breathing Inequity: A Mixed Method Analysis Of Rubbertown's Air Quality Problem, Mikayla Pitmon

Undergraduate Theses

Louisville Metro Government has a multitude of quantitative data on demographics, health, and air quality in Rubbertown fenceline communities. This study explores how community-level research allows us to have a more robust understanding of the impact of environmental injustice. Spatial data was utilized to map various health variables, zoning, and community spaces relative to Rubbertown chemical facilities. A semi-structured interview was then conducted with a local environmental justice activist to gain a better understanding of their experience and the barriers to environmental justice for the residents of West Louisville. This study improves our understanding of community needs and adds a …

How New Communication Behaviors Evolve: Androgens As Modifiers Of Neuromotor Structure And Function In Foot-Flagging Frogs, Lisa A. Mangiamele, Allex Andrya Dawn, Kerry M. Lecure, Gina E. Mantica, Riccardo Racicot, Matthew J. Fuxjager, Doris Preininger

Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

How diverse animal communication signals have arisen is a question that has fascinated many. Xenopus frogs have been a model system used for three decades to reveal insights into the neuroendocrine mechanisms and evolution of vocal diversity. Due to the ease of studying central nervous system control of the laryngeal muscles in vitro, Xenopus has helped us understand how variation in vocal communication signals between sexes and between species is produced at the molecular, cellular, and systems levels. Yet, it is becoming easier to make similar advances in non-model organisms. In this paper, we summarize our research on a group …

Technology Development And Materials Research To Enable A Sustainable D-T Fusion Energy Fuel Cycle, Brenda L. Garcia-Diaz, David Babineau, James Klein, Robert Allgood, George Larsen, Holly B. Flynn, Dale Hitchcock, Tim Krentz, Chris Dandeneau, Lucas Angelette, Robert Sindelar

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Enhancing Monthly Streamflow Prediction Using Meteorological Factors And Machine Learning Models In The Upper Colorado River Basin, Saichand Thota, Ayman Nassar, Soukaina Filali Boubrahimi, Shah Muhammad Hamdi, Pouya Hosseinzadeh

Computer Science Student Research

Streamflow prediction is crucial for planning future developments and safety measures along river basins, especially in the face of changing climate patterns. In this study, we utilized monthly streamflow data from the United States Bureau of Reclamation and meteorological data (snow water equivalent, temperature, and precipitation) from the various weather monitoring stations of the Snow Telemetry Network within the Upper Colorado River Basin to forecast monthly streamflow at Lees Ferry, a specific location along the Colorado River in the basin. Four machine learning models—Random Forest Regression, Long short-term memory, Gated Recurrent Unit, and Seasonal AutoRegresive Integrated Moving Average—were trained using …

Affirming Black Girls: Creating And Sustaining Affirming And More Inclusive Learning Environments For Black Girls Through Professional Learning, Demetria Green Walters

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

This Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice (ISDiP) qualitative research study aimed to investigate targeted interventions and resources designed to enhance educators' cultural awareness and competence, fostering the creation of identity-affirming learning environments for Black girls as a lever for reducing racial discipline disparities. Identity validation and the provision of inclusive learning environments are necessary elements for promoting academic success while positively impacting the needs of Black girls. The intersectionality of being both Black and female poses an educational challenge that is often misunderstood and overlooked, yet it deserves significant attention to improve outcomes for this student group. Without intervention, racially …

The Relationship Between Economic Status And Patient Retention In The Physical Therapy Setting In Selected Physical Therapy Clinics And Hospitals Of Negros Oriental: Perspective Of Filipino Physical Therapists, Rey Joshua P. Osorio, Zoscheele Monica G. Pal, Clarice M. Planteras, Raymon D. Ragay, Ginea Marydawn N. Roda, Rapunzel G. Santillan, Niña Mae B. Sequita, Ulrich Tristan Weber

Student Dissertations

Patient retention has always been part of the goals in the medical field, especially in the Physical Therapy setting; there were some studies that depicted a contingent effect on its likelihood with the patients’ economic status. However, the lack of evidence-based studies in PT surrounding these variables have made it difficult to pinpoint the relationship between the two. This study investigated how economic status influences patient retention in physical therapy settings in Negros Oriental, Philippines. It combined quantitative data from surveys on participant demographics, economic status, and patient retention with qualitative insights gathered through semi-structured interviews. The data collected suggested …

Assessing The Role Of Stim1 And Stim2 In Microglial Response To Spinal Cord Injury., Sarayu Alli

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

Microglia, immune cells of the central nervous system, constantly survey their environment for damage. Once damage is detected, they are activated into become reactive, resulting in morphological changes, such as larger cell bodies, and functional changes, such as releasing inflammatory mediators. The switch from surveying to reactive occurs because the microglia received signals that sense danger in the environment. The release of Ca2+ from intracellular stores is involved in store-operated calcium entry (SOCE), a signaling pathway. Recent studies have shown that calcium release from the intracellular stores is a factor of microglial activation. SOCE is specific to monitoring low calcium …

Investigating Pre-Health Students’ Science Identity And The Factors That Influence Them To Change Programs Or Tracks., Taylor Humphreys

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

Retention is a particularly pressing issue for undergraduate students, specifically those in pre-health programs or tracks. This can be affected by a students’ science identity, which is referred to as viewing oneself as a “science person.” This study focused on investigating science identity and influencing factors that can cause program or track change of pre-health students. Previous studies have investigated these factors regarding pre-health students applying to medical school, but this study opened the investigation to a variety of pre-health students and focused on characterizing students’ experiences prior to their health professional school applications. The analysis of peer-led focus group …

The Determination Of Macrophage Localization In Muscle Injuries Using Spatial Transcriptomics, Julliana Renales

Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The repair of traumatic muscle injury is often a long process which can in many cases be insufficient and incomplete. In such cases, scar tissue may form, leading to high risk of re-injury and the prevention of muscle regeneration. An important part of decreasing this risk is gaining a better understanding of the cellular complexities of injury repair. More specifically, macrophage cells are an important piece in the regulation of inflammation and repair. In this project, computational analysis spatial transcriptomic data was performed to examine mouse muscle injury and its development over time. This analysis was used to examine the …

Exploring Teacher Agency And Student Engagement: A Case Study Of An Urban High School In The United States, Alexandra M. Kirby

Educational Studies Dissertations

Using a mixed-methods case study design, this study explored teacher agency, student engagement, and the relationship between these two complex constructs at a Northeastern urban high school, “City High School” (CHS). Teacher agency refers to the level of control or power teachers have in their classrooms and in a school system as well as to feelings of belonging, of being supported, and of competency. Fredricks et al. (2004) suggest student engagement is an intricate construct that includes behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement. A social constructivist and critical theory lens informed the research. Three guiding research questions focused on teacher agency …

Sexual Exploitation: The Crisis And Eradicative Solution, Tonnie Adams Bracey

Nonprofit and NGO Studies Student Projects

French writer Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr wrote, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” I find this to be true in our current era of the digital age. Although technology has gifted a newly improved and vast method of making worldwide connections and broadening our perceptions and views, a change in how we communicate has conveniently presented itself, but the historic pattern of how we handle these new advancements have indeed stayed the same.
Smart phones are a mainstream vessel employing the world with a plethora of information while giving all sorts of people access to individual’s lives …

Lack Of Access To Healthcare And Neurology Within East Texas, Ashton Arlen

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

Within East Texas, there is a critical shortage of physicians and lack of access to healthcare that is taking a major toll on the health of residents. For Texas as a whole, almost 70% of their 254 counties are classified as a rural. Within the United States, Texas has the largest amount of hospital closures and rural areas including East Texas have lost over half of their hospitals since 1960 (Nevins et al. 2021). The area endures some of the highest rates of chronic health conditions such as obesity, diabetes, cancer, and mental health conditions.

In knowing about the many …

A Photo-Elicitation Of The New Orleans Mardi Gras Costume Tradition And An Exploration Of The Impact This Tradition Has On The Identity Of Participants, Celeste Falgoust

Apparel Merchandising and Product Development Undergraduate Honors Theses

Mardi Gras organizations, known as krewes, organize yearly tableaus to present their maids, queens, and debutantes in lavish costumes (Dessens, 2018). For two centuries, the city of New Orleans was the stage for a rich Mardi Gras tradition, (Madden, 1874), however, the existing body of literature failed to establish a consensus on the meanings of the tableau. To explore this tradition, interviews were conducted with women who participated in New Orleans Mardi Gras as debutantes, maids, queens, and costume designers (Bates et al., 2017). After transcribing the interviews, the researcher communicated patterns in data through a thematic analysis. …

Investigation Of Early Stage Wound Healing In Volumetric Muscle Loss, Sean Ong

Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Volumetric muscle loss (VML) refers to the substantial removal of tissue from skeletal muscle due to surgery or lesions. This condition disrupts the normal regenerative process of injured muscles, leading to significant loss of muscle function. This study examines the progression of VML injury, approximately 20% of the muscle mass being removed, in the tibialis anterior (TA) muscle of a mouse model over a 15-day post-injury period. The injured muscles exhibited discoloration indicative of reduced blood flow and experienced a decrease in muscle mass throughout the study duration. Furthermore, the maximum force output of the injured TA was significantly lower, …

2023-2024 Common Data Set, Systems Intelligence And Data Analytics, University Of Nebraska At Omaha

Common Data Sets

The Common Data Set (CDS) initiative is a collaborative effort among data providers in the higher education community and publishers as represented by the College Board, Peterson’s, and U.S. News & World Report. The combined goal of this collaboration is to improve the quality and accuracy of information provided to all involved in a student’s transition into higher education, as well as to reduce the reporting burden on data providers.

The Unspoken Words Of Fashion: Movements Behind Harajuku’S Avant-Garde Fashion Trends, Alastair Leon

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Over the past 50 years, the Harajuku neighborhood in Tokyo, Japan, has become an epicenter for innovative fashion trends that have reached global audiences. Fashion, as a medium, is an art form that can be as powerful as traditional work. It can convey a multitude of messages, and most notably, it can be a wordless statement against dominant culture and societal norms. Social groups have used fashion as an identifier, and they are commonly linked with a subcultural identity. Self-expression is a powerful tool to fight against the status quo, and fashion enthusiasts in Japan have advocated for a rebellion …

Do Heat Waves Drive Natural Selection In Damselflies?, Adam Baranyk

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Climate change has led to changes in both mean temperatures and temperature extremes over the recent years. These changes have had differential effects on animals throughout the world. Ectotherms depend on their external environment for thermal regulation, making them especially susceptible to temperature extremes. It is not yet clear whether there is a relationship between physical traits in ectotherms, and survivorship throughout a heat wave. That is, whether or not temperature extremes driven survival selection. In this study, a heat wave was simulated artificially using thermally regulated mesocosms at different temperatures (18°C, 22° C, 26° C, 30° C) with a …

Analyzing Racial And Structural Disparities In U.S. Maternity Leave Policies, Edie A. Frantzen

Political Science Theses and Capstones

Maternity leave policy in the United States is a rising social issue for mothers. Contrary to all other developed nations, the United States does not mandate any form of paid maternity leave for new mothers, ensuring financial hardships for women and their families. Current studies have supported the lack of coverage that new mothers receive from their employers throughout the United States. To analyze this disparity, I use data from recipients of the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) in 2022. Using different statistical tests, I evaluated the commonalities of diverse recipients receiving paid maternity leave by different variables: …

Juvenile Diversion Programs In Minnesota Counties And Their Effect On Arrest Rates, Victoria Floden

Political Science Theses and Capstones

The rise of juvenile diversion programs in Minnesota has sparked widespread discussion, especially as the nation addresses its concerns about overcrowded jails and prisons stemming from past "tough-on-crime" policies. Minnesota has responded by creating alternative pathways for juvenile offenders, aiming to keep them out of the traditional justice system while still holding them responsible for their actions. However, research and existing literature are unclear as to which of these diversion programs help reduce juvenile arrest rates. Different factors in each case could provide insight into which programs are most effective. I seek to explain why certain Minnesota counties have been …

Curriculum Response To An Evolving Society: An Analysis Of Family And Consumer Sciences Education At Murray State University From 1928 To 2023, Lauren Ervin

Honors College Theses

This research aims to identify and explore the changes in the family and consumer sciences (FCS) education program at Murray State University from 1928, when the major was first offered, until 2023. The following questions were answered:

• What are the notable changes in Murray State University's FCS education program, involving curriculum, from 1928 to 2023?

• What are the notable themes, topics, and changes to the overarching FCS field from 1928 to 2023?

• How have the events in society and the FCS field influenced the FCS Education program at Murray State University?

The researcher noted the changes in the Murray State …

Stem Cell Therapy For Canine And Feline Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease, Seth Clark

Honors College Theses

This research aimed to statistically analyze the relationship between stem cell therapy and chronic renal failure in a sample of canine and feline patients. Stem cell therapy is a burgeoning field in both human and veterinary medicine, seeking mainly to better understand disease incidence and repair damaged tissues, such as those involved in spinal cord injuries and Alzheimer’s disease. In relation to veterinary medicine, prior research suggests that stem cell therapy has potential to be an effective tool against diseases such as acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease. This project examined how autologous adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells affected the …

Selective Partitioned Regression For Accurate Kidney Health Monitoring, Alex Whelan, Ragwa Elsayed, Alessandro Bellofiore, David C. Anastasiu

Computer Science and Engineering

The number of people diagnosed with advanced stages of kidney disease have been rising every year. Early detection and constant monitoring are the only minimally invasive means to prevent severe kidney damage or kidney failure. We propose a cost-effective machine learning-based testing system that can facilitate inexpensive yet accurate kidney health checks. Our proposed framework, which was developed into an iPhone application, uses a camera-based bio-sensor and state-of-the-art classical machine learning and deep learning techniques for predicting the concentration of creatinine in the sample, based on colorimetric change in the test strip. The predicted creatinine concentration is then used to …

Carl Schmitt’S Loneliness And Hannah Arendt’S Action, J. Lynne Nelson

Philosophy Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Scholarship As Fun, Thomas Schultz

Dalhousie Law Journal

One theme that traverses much of Pierre Schlag’s work is a sense of profound humanity—the idea that thinking and writing about the law can and should be a deeply, genuinely human activity—an activity for which we can, and should, break up many of the barriers that stand between us, between who we really are, and what we think and write. It is an activity for which we should put aside our pretences and insecurities and the attached formalisms and exaggerations behind which we so often hide, and which in the end constrain our humanity so much, as they take on …

Un Ésprit Sérieux, Pierre Schlag

Dalhousie Law Journal

It was a sunny day when we all met in a classroom at McGill University The gathering went on all day and at the end someone proposed writing up the discussion as essays. Hence, this collection.

I’d like to take a moment of gratitude to express heartfelt thanks to all the participants. And especially to Vincent Forray and Jean d’Aspremont for organizing the event, and to Genevieve Renard Painter and Liam McHugh-Russell for bringing this collection over the finish line. I don’t know whether the intellectual generosity of the participants was because of Canada, or Montreal, or McGill, or the …

Length Of Time Differences Between Genders In Factors Of Movement From Suicidal Ideation To Suicidal Action, Carina Anderson

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

While women are more likely to take suicidal action, men are more likely to die of it. This difference has been partially, but not completely explained by the methods of suicide generally chosen by men and women. While this and other factors have been explored, there is no conclusive answer for the difference in death rates. Research suggests that men and women make decisions differently, and if these differences contribute to variations in their movement from suicidal ideation to suicidal action, we might expect to see these differences reflected in the amount of time it takes men and women to …

Foxo1 Inhibitor, As1842856, Induces Cell Cycle Arrest And Reverses Anticancer Drug-Induced Cytotoxicity In Osteosarcoma Cells, Antanay Hall

Theses (2016-Present)

Forkhead box class O (FOXO)-1 transcription factor controls cell proliferation, apoptosis, oxidative stress, and other cellular activities; FOXO1 has also been implicated in cell cycle regulation. This research project aims to determine the contribution of FOXO1 to cell cycle regulation and response to anticancer drug treatment in osteosarcoma. Osteosarcoma is the most common bone cancer, with most cases occurring in people younger than 30 years old. The study explores the impact of FOXO1 inhibitor AS1842856 on the cytotoxic effects of anticancer drugs in CCHOSD, Hos, and LM7 osteosarcoma (OGS) cell lines. Following chemical inhibition of FOXO1 and anticancer drug treatment, …

Inhibition Of Foxo Induces Oxidative Stress In Osteosarcoma, Kai K. Brown

Theses (2016-Present)

Redox homeostasis is a balance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and neutralization by antioxidants. Oxidative stress (OS) results when the generation of ROS exceeds the neutralizing capacity of endogenous antioxidants. Reactive oxygen species are generated during cellular processes such as mitochondrial activity or metabolism of drugs. Expression of endogenous antioxidants is driven by redox-sensitive transcription factors; therefore, redox-sensitive transcription factors are essential for the maintenance of cellular redox homeostasis. There are several redox-sensitive transcription factors that contribute to the expression of endogenous antioxidants. These redox-sensitive transcription factors include nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factors (Nrf-2), hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF), activator protein-1 …