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Cover, Florida Field Naturalist

Florida Field Naturalist

No abstract provided.

Agent Orange: The Effect Of The Herbicide In Peripheral Neuropathy, And Assessing The Adequacy Of Veterans Affairs’ Presumptive Healthcare Policy For The Condition With The Input Of Physical Therapists And Physical Therapy Assistants, Danielle Coon

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

Agent Orange exposure has prolonged the suffering of Vietnam War veterans to this day (Peripheral Neuropathy and Agent Orange, 2025). Research has been conducted to discover different medical conditions with a possible linkage to the herbicide (Peripheral Neuropathy and Agent Orange, 2025). One condition is peripheral neuropathy; however, to qualify as a presumptive condition and gain compensation and benefits such as monthly payments and enrollment in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare in a more efficient manner, the condition must be at least 10% disabling within one year of the last exposure to Agent Orange (Peripheral Neuropathy and …

A Critical Review And Methodological Recommendations For Life Cycle Assessment Of Electrochemical Co₂ Mineralization, Dennis Dadzie, Kwame Awuah-Offei

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Purpose: While researchers have relied on life cycle assessments (LCAs) to make claims about the environmental benefits of electrochemical CO₂ mineralization, no systematic review literature exists that synthesizes what we know about the LCA of electrochemical mineralization. This review aims to synthesize established knowledge on the LCAs of electrochemical CO₂ mineralization studies, identify research gaps and discuss challenges, and suggest guidelines for applying the ISO 14040/14044 LCA methodology in this sector. Methods: This paper undertook a comprehensive review of LCA studies on CO₂ mineralization with emphasis on electrochemical mineralization. We utilized relevant keywords based on the theme to search in …

Selective Extraction Of Nickel And Cobalt From Limonitic Laterite Via Optimized Sulfation Roasting–Water Leaching And Solvent Extraction, Maryam Osali, Farid Ahani, Mohammad Reza Aboutalebi, Mandana Adeli, Javad Moghaddam, Saeid Karimi, Janaka Jayamini Wijenayake, Lana Alagha

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Limonitic laterites typically contain low Ni and Co contents and significant impurities, making the development of technical and economically feasible processes challenging. To address this challenge, this study investigates and evaluates an integrated hydrometallurgical process comprising sulfation roasting, water leaching, and solvent extraction (SX) for the selective recovery of Ni and Co from limonite-type laterite. Response Surface Methodology coupled with a Central Composite Design (RSM-CCD) was employed as a statistical experimental design tool to efficiently optimize the sulfation roasting conditions. Under the optimal sulfation roasting conditions (temperature 703 °C), selective leaching efficiencies of 87.2% for Ni and 96.6% for Co …

A Spatial Analysis Of Socioeconomic Characteristics And Community Vulnerability To Natural Hazards In Arkansas, Emma Steuber, Brad Peter

Geosciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Natural hazards have become more frequent in recent years, and because of their destructive impacts, it is crucial to locate regions that are most affected historically by hazardous events and identify what socioeconomic characteristics co-occur spatially. While many studies have analyzed this relationship at national and state scales, few have focused specifically on Arkansas, and even fewer have incorporated multiple socioeconomic characteristics. Comparing the spatial distribution of community characteristics in Arkansas with zones of common natural hazards is essential for identifying who is most at risk. This study utilizes Geographic Information Science (GISci) to examine and map the spatial relationship …

Survival Patterns Among Adult And Pediatric Bone Cancer Patients, Ethan Estes

Mathematical Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Recently noted, Huang et al. (2023), machine learning (ML) models, while offering great advantages over traditional statistical predictive modeling methods, are less explored in the analysis of survival and other similar time-to-event predictive data modeling. ML methods such as neural networks offer a great deal of promise but need to be further explored to investigate their comparative power in predicting survival outcomes. Focusing specifically on survival analysis in adult and pediatric bone cancer patients, traditional methods, like shown in Emmert-Streib and Dehmer (2019), will be shown with machine learning models using methods in Hothorn, Hornik, and Zeileis (2006). In this …

Ncaa Revenue Sharing: Implications For University Financial Reporting And Sustainability, Cal Dunham

Accounting Undergraduate Honors Theses

The NCAA's House v. NCAA settlement, finalized in June 2025, allowed Division I universities to directly share athletic revenue with student-athletes for the first time, resulting in up to $20.5 million in new annual costs per institution. This thesis explores how this model affects the athletic department's financial reporting and long-term sustainability. Using historical financial data, legal documents from the first year of revenue-sharing litigation, and relevant accounting standards, it addresses three key questions: how revenue-sharing obligations should be recognized and disclosed under nonprofit standards, how breach-of-contract disputes influence financial reporting obligations, and whether the model is sustainable across different …

The Final Edit: Strategies For Legislative Success Of The Press Act And Strengthening The Protections Of Freedom Of The Press, Tess Theisen

Barry Law Review

No abstract provided.

Effectiveness Of Reading Strategies On Middle School Students' Independent Reading Habits, Kara A. Helms

Master of Education Program Theses

This study explored the effects of specific reading strategies on sixth-grade students’ independent reading engagement. Students were taught a series of independent reading engagement strategies and asked to utilize and reflect on each strategy over the course of six weeks. Results of the study were mixed, with some students benefiting from reading engagement strategies while others did not.

The Effect Of A Structured Weekly Practice Routine On A Middle School Choir Student's Practice Behavior And Rehearsal Engagement, Sam Kim

Master of Education Program Theses

This study examined how a structured weekly practice routine influenced a middle school choir student’s practice behavior and rehearsal engagement over a six-week period. Data were collected through practice logs, weekly reflections, and rehearsal observations. Findings indicated increased consistency, greater time investment, and more intentional, strategic practice. As a result of these changes in practice behavior, the student demonstrated greater attentiveness, responsiveness, and overall engagement during rehearsal. These findings support existing research on self-regulated learning (SRL) and deliberate practice, suggesting that structured practice routines can serve as effective scaffolds for improving student engagement in ensemble settings.

Creating Space For Pleasure: The Effects Of Alternative Reading Environments On Secondary Students' Reading Attitudes, Kari Rushmer

Master of Education Program Theses

This study examined how dedicated, free-choice reading time influenced student perceptions of and enjoyment of reading in a 10th-grade classroom. The purpose of the study was to determine whether providing weekly free-choice reading time within a comfortable, book-rich, library/café-style environment influenced reading enjoyment among 10th-grade students. Results indicated modest positive shifts in students’ comfort in the reading environment and their desire for in-class reading time, with qualitative data suggesting an increase in students’ enjoyment of reading. These findings suggest that environmental factors and dedicated reading time may support increased student engagement, even over a short intervention period.

When An Untraditional Linguist Speaks - A Cultural Self-Analysis Of Untraditional Language, Justin Lambert

RhetTech

This essay presents a cultural and linguistic self-analysis that challenges dominant ideologies surrounding “proper” English in academic spaces. Through a blend of personal narrative and scholarly engagement, the author examines the legitimacy and rhetorical power of Black Language as a dynamic, historically rooted, and intellectually rigorous mode of communication. Drawing on the work of Geneva Smitherman, April Baker-Bell, and Vershawn Ashanti Young, the essay situates Black Language within traditions of contrastive rhetoric while actively applying code-meshing as both method and practice. Tracing the author’s linguistic development across familial, cultural, and academic contexts, the piece reveals how code switching and linguistic …

The Body As Architecture: Reframing Spacesuit Mobility Through Mechanical Counterpressure And Human-Centered Design, Kenza Iddir

RhetTech

For more than 60 years, the spacesuit has served as the single most critical, yet structurally constrained, element of human spaceflight. Its dual identity as both a protective exoskeleton and a life-sustaining pressure shell has shaped the design and performance of every extravehicular activity (EVA) system ever flown. As exploration shifts toward long-duration lunar and Martian missions, the limitations of these traditional “mobile pressure chambers” have become increasingly apparent, particularly in relation to mobility, metabolic cost, and environmental durability. This paper presents the historical evolution of gas-pressurized suits and the constraining biomechanical and material factors since the earliest EVA missions. …

A Curriculum To Empower And Equip Women For Leadership In The Monash City Church Of Christ In Melbourne, Australia, Devni Yasindra Attygalle

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This thesis addresses women in Christian leadership in the Monash City Church of Christ Melbourne, Australia. The problem identified within this ministry context was a lack of appropriate theological teaching around women in leadership, especially in the areas of preaching, teaching, and leading, which has led to misconceptions and prejudices in the minds of church members, negatively impacting the congregation’s mission. The purpose of the project was to develop a curriculum specific to MCCOC that provides a theological foundation for advocating for future senior leadership roles for women. The curriculum provides biblical teaching on women in leadership that will equip …

Silence Or Self-Disclosure? Examining The Psychological And Relational Factors Shaping Political Communication Between Gen Z And Their Families, Bradford E. Netherton

Communication (PhD) Dissertations

This dissertation examines the psychological and relational factors shaping political communication between Generation Z and their families. Using Communication Privacy Management (CPM) and Family Communication Patterns (FCP) theories as a dual framework, the study investigates how emotions, relational turbulence, and family orientations influence political self-disclosure during face-to-face gatherings. Data were collected via an online survey of 488 Gen Z participants (ages 18–28) following the 2025 Thanksgiving holiday. The results reveal a critical distinction between negative and positive privacy boundary strength. Negative boundary strength, characterized by defensive and restrictive regulation, was consistently associated with heightened experiences of fear, anger, frustration, and …

Identification Of Shark Size And Species Responsible For Bite Marks On Sarasota Bay Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus), Sydney Haas

Theses & ETDs

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Environmental Factors, Predation Risk, And Population Density On Neuromast Morphology And Distribution In Heterandria Formosa, Brielle Spencer

Theses & ETDs

Sensory systems play a crucial role in how fish respond to the environment, however variation in these systems are not well studied. This study examined how ecological factors influence neuromast morphology and distribution in the least killifish, Heterandria formosa. I tested the hypothesis that individuals from low density, high predation, low vegetation environments would show larger neuromast number and size than fish from high density, low predation, high vegetation populations. Neuromasts were stained and imaged in 140 fish, 10 males and 10 females from 7 different populations from northwest Florida. I stained the neuromasts using 4-Di-2-ASP and used a fluorescent …

Biblioteca: A Full-Stack Social Reading Platform For Spanish-Language Book Discovery And Community Engagement, Bilge Akyol

Theses & ETDs

Social reading platforms combine book cataloging with social networking features, enabling users to engage with literary content and other readers. While global platforms such as Goodreads dominate the market, platforms that foster a community around a shared language and culture gain readers' interest by offering a meaningful experience. Despite the large Spanish-speaking audience, there is a lack of digital platforms that effectively cultivate this type of culturally cohesive community. Existing Spanish-language platforms often suffer from outdated interfaces, cluttered layouts, and limited user experience, which can reduce engagement. This thesis represents Biblioteca, a web application built with React, Typescript, and Supabase …

A Step Into The Field Of Education : Sneak Peek Into My Career, Emma Reiser

Theses & ETDs

This senior project explored and reflected on my development as an aspiring educator through academic research and hands-on classroom experience. The goal of this project was to gain a deeper understanding of the teaching profession and to better prepare for a future career in education. To accomplish this, I combined a literature review of key educational concepts with an internship at an elementary school, where I observed and participated in classroom instruction under the guidance of a mentor teacher. The literature review focuses on the foundational components of effective teaching in education, including, teacher responsibilities, classroom management, parent–teacher relationships, pedagogy …

The Dual Erosion Of Political Identity: Nationalism And Cosmopolitianism In Transition, Jaylen Turner

Theses & ETDs

This thesis examines how nationalism and cosmopolitanism have changed as political identities under intensified globalization, treating them not as opposites but as overlapping, variably activated networks of belonging. Drawing on constructivist theory and debates on universalism, it analyzes World Values Survey data from Waves 5–7 (2005–2022) using repeated-measures ANOVAs on indicators such as national pride, willingness to fight for one’s country, national-citizenship identification, immigration attitudes, world-citizen identification, cross-national trust, and confidence in the United Nations. The findings show a dual erosion of both national and world-citizen identifications in the late 2010s and early 2020s, alongside stable or improving pragmatic orientations …

The Integrity Paradox: Reflections On Epistemic Substitution And The Ethical Failure Of Plagiarism Detection Systems, Elliott Ostler, Jeanne Surface

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

This article critiques the ethical authority granted to AI plagiarism detection systems, using humor to expose a serious contradiction in these algorithms. Through a case in which an original ethics manuscript is labeled 40.7% “non-original,” the authors argue that similarity scores are mistaken for judgments of misconduct. They introduce the concept of “epistemic substitution” to describe how tools that both judge originality and offer AI rewrites replace human authorship while mandating human accountability. The paper contends that this collapse of roles undermines scholarly integrity, conflates disciplinary fluency with plagiarism, and shifts ethical responsibility from humans to procedures. The authors call …

Digital Orientalism: Examining Eastern Practices In The Wellness Industry, Celia Golden

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

As popularity rises for global and domestic wellness retreats as tourist destinations, their predominantly Western audience invites an American offshoot of Orientalism that commodifies Asian names and practices into “mindfulness.” This paper examines the guest guide of the Miraval Berkshires wellness facility and its treatment of Eastern practices. Findings revealed 55.6% of the specialists at the Miraval Berkshires employ Eastern techniques, and 74.14% of those offerings are restricted to paid and private sessions to create exclusivity. The word “ancient” is disproportionately leveled against Eastern practices in the guest guide to further cement them as relics of the past. Alongside minimalist …

Maternal Low-Sodium Diet Impairs Hippocampal Neurogenesis And Cognition In Adult Mouse Offspring., Xingrao Ke, Connie C. Grobe, Justin L. Grobe, Wei Yu, John J. Reho, Kaela Varberg, Robert H. Lane, Jeffrey L. Segar

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Sodium (Na) homeostasis is critical for organ and cell function. Although low maternal Na intake during gestation is associated with low offspring survival rates and birth weights, the long-term impact on neurocognitive function is not known. Identifying a relationship between perinatal Na dysregulation and adult behavioral and cognitive outcomes may be important given the prevalence of both dysnatremias and neurocognitive impairment in preterm infants. This study aimed to determine the association between maternal low Na intake (LSI) and hippocampal-dependent behaviors in mice. C57BL/6J dams were fed a standard (0.30%) or low (0.04%) Na diet from postnatal day 0 until postnatal …

Promises, Pitfalls, And Paths Forward For The Pediatric Research Equity Act., Alexa L. Pagano, Danielle J. Green, Jennifer Goldman, Anjali Deshmukh

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

IMPORTANCE: Since its enactment in 2003, the Pediatric Research Equity Act (PREA) has significantly increased the number of pediatric drug studies performed and expanded pediatric drug labeling. Despite these advancements, many drugs used in children still lack pediatric-specific US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) labeling, even when pediatric studies are required by law. Recent legislative changes strengthened the FDA's enforcement authority over PREA. As these changes are implemented, persistent gaps in pediatric drug development warrant examination. Addressing these gaps may help ensure that children are systematically included in clinical research and that medications used in children are supported by rigorous …

Oral Losartan Yields Subtherapeutic Airway Exposure Compared To Nebulized Delivery And Fails To Improve Mucociliary Clearance In Cystic Fibrosis., Charles D. Bengtson, Andreas Schmid, Michael D. Kim, John S. Dennis, J Steven Leeder, Kirby L. Zeman, William D. Bennett, Juan Sabater, Nathalie Baumlin, Matthias Salathe

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) contributes to more severe pulmonary disease in people with cystic fibrosis (pwCF). Our preclinical in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrated that losartan could reverse TGF-β1-mediated mucociliary dysfunction, albeit at doses difficult to achieve by oral administration. This study therefore examined airway losartan concentrations after oral and inhaled dosing to evaluate if oral losartan could be even expected to improve mucociliary clearance.

METHODS: We conducted comparative pharmacokinetics studies in sheep assessing airway surface liquid (ASL) concentrations of losartan and its metabolites, EXP3179 and EXP3174, after oral and inhaled administration. Another pharmacokinetic study used oral losartan …

Defining The Qualities Of A Surgical Resident Who "Gets It": A Qualitative Analysis Of Faculty And Resident Perceptions, Shaleen V Sathe, Ravi R Agrawal, Jennifer Yu, Paul E Wise, Michael Awad, Kevin Y Pei

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: The phrase "getting it" is frequently used in surgical trainee assessment, yet its meaning remains undefined. This study explores how residents and faculty define the concept and whether perceptions align.

METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 residents and 13 faculty at a single institution and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis.

RESULTS: Residents described "getting it" as clinical competence, social awareness, feedback responsiveness, and team integration, while noting challenges with interpreting implicit expectations and the influence of faculty bias. Faculty described "getting it" as a gestalt recognition of initiative, insight, and sound clinical judgment. Both agreed that the concept …

Computational Fluid Dynamics-Based Risk Stratification Of Modified Blalock-Taussig-Thomas Shunt Thrombogenicity, Yi Qiao, Ethan Penn, Jacob Miller, Scott Bugenhagen, Ram Rohatgi, Kelsey Mercer, Blaire Kulp, Jinli Wang, Pirooz Eghtesady, Guy M Genin, Edon J Rabinowitz, David Bark

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: The modified Blalock-Taussig-Thomas shunt (mBTTS) is a critical palliative procedure for infants with single-ventricle physiology, but thrombosis-related occlusion affects 8% to 12% of infants and carries nearly 50% mortality. Meanwhile, existing antithrombotic strategies fail to address the hemodynamic factors driving thrombosis, highlighting the need for a deeper understanding of flow dynamics in shunt failure.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to identify how mBTTS geometry influences hemodynamics and thrombosis risk, providing quantitative guidance for surgical planning and shunt design optimization.

METHODS: We used patient-specific imaging data to test 54 idealized mBTTS configurations, systematically varying key geometric factors: pulmonary artery diameter, shunt …

Material Selection In The Mountain West: A Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (Mcda) Based Approach For Architects, Melissa Bach

Theses

With modern advancements in technology and the expansion of a globally interconnected network, architects have access to a large range of building materials. Increasing public concern for the environment has prompted architects to prioritize materials that are more sustainable, but varying definitions of sustainability, coupled with unclear guidelines for material selection, repeatedly lead to uncertainty and decision-making challenges within the profession. To address this, a comprehensive methodology such as Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) is needed for the material selection processes. Furthermore, a gap in the literature demonstrates that the application of MCDA for material selection in the Mountain West region …

Assessing Programmatic Gaps In The Community Engagement To Reduce Victimization (Cerv) Program, Sam Marino

Theses

This capstone project examines and analyzes data for the Community Engagement to Reduce Victimization (CERV) program in Rochester, New York. By developing a logic model, gap analysis, and utilizing statistical models, the project not only better understands the program design, but also assesses gaps and their patterns in the data to provide structured recommendations to strengthen the data infrastructure, improving data completeness and reliability. These improvements will strengthen the program overall, helping to reduce community violence throughout Rochester. Across three working papers, the project begins by examining the current data and analyses on the program and develops a detailed logic …

An Evidence-Based Ethical Risk Classification Framework (Ercf) For Ai Policies, Ahmad Almarri

Theses

This thesis develops and evaluates an evidence-based Ethical Risk Classification Framework (ERCF) for analyzing substantive ethical engagement in AI policy documents. The study addresses the gap between high-level AI ethics principles and reproducible computational methods for comparative governance analysis. A secondary dataset of AI ethics policy recordswas used as the starting point. After retrieval, text extraction, and validation, a corpus of 44 policy documents was constructed from an initial 112 records (110 link-bearing entries). Supervised classification was implemented for four core dimensions: Accountability, Bias & Fairness, Privacy, and Transparency. A TF-IDF + Logistic Regression baseline was evaluated using stratified 5-fold …