Digital Commons Network^™

You Are Here: Defining Our Hidden Born-Digital Backlog, Andrew Mcdonnell

Library Presentations

The digital archivist position was created at the University of Kentucky two years ago to help create and refine workflows and process born-digital collections in our manuscripts and university archives collections. While much of the initial work of these last two years was on newly acquired collections and materials, in the decades prior, a variety of born-digital materials on physical media had been gathered in hybrid collections and stored and described in myriad ways. This presentation will demonstrate my processes for discovering and assessing unmigrated born-digital materials on physical media hidden throughout our collection. The process is built on documentation …

Bereavement Needs Of Parent-Child Dyads Following Sibling Death, Shannon V. D'Alton

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

In the United States, nearly 62,000 children and adolescents experience the death of a sibling each year and sibling bereavement is one of the most distressing life events during childhood; however, it has received less attention in research compared to other forms of childhood loss. Bereaved siblings and parents are at increased risk for negative physical and psychological outcomes, yet little is known about their support and resource needs during the early years following the death. A limitation in understanding sibling bereavement is the methodological and ethical challenges of researching this vulnerable population. Consequently, the bereavement needs of surviving siblings …

Indigenous Science Network Bulletin - June 2025

Indigenous Science Network

The editorial for this issue of the indigenous Science Network Bulletin has been provided by Woppaburra Elder Bob Muir, who works with the Australian Institute of Marine Science in Townsville, adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef. Bob explores his journey in promoting Indigenous cultural perspectives and working closely with communities when monitoring and supporting the health and long-term future of sea country.

Neural Representations Of Valence And Arousal In Kung Fury, Jason A. Davis

Cognitive Science Senior Theses

Emotions are a core component of human experience and behavior, yet after decades of scientific research, it is still difficult to uncover the neural substrates related to emotion. Recent advances in neuroscience have examined how we interpret emotional signals from static images of facial expressions, but less work has sought to understand how the brain constructs our emotional experiences (Chen, 2020). To investigate such idiosyncratic experiences across participants, we employed naturalistic stimuli to model the real-time, reliable changes in activity that correspond to changes in emotional experience. A primary element of emotional experience is core affect, defined as the mental …

Se Quema: Burnout In Undergraduate Latiné Students, Shirley Victoria Celi-Landeo

Theses and Dissertations

Over the past five years, Latiné students have contributed most of the nation’s increase in college degrees earned. But even with more people enrolling in college, undergraduate retention remains a concern, raising critical questions about equity in higher education (The Pell Institute, 2023). This thesis examines burnout among Latiné undergraduates, who face financial strain, familial responsibilities, and lack of representation in resources, contributing to their underrepresentation in graduation rates. The study emphasizes the need to understand and address these stressors to support the success of Latiné students, who are under-represented in graduation rates compared to their counterparts (Excelencia in Education, …

Engineered Peptide Biomaterials And Synthetic Transmembrane Receptors For Native And Programmable Cell Interactions, Matthias Recktenwald

Theses and Dissertations

Peptide-functionalized biomaterials enable cell-material interactions through peptide-induced activation of native and synthetic receptors. This dissertation expands the clinical potential of biomaterials by harnessing native and synthetic receptor-peptide interactions. Key advancements include: (1) developing a novel method to functionalize rigid biomaterials with peptides, (2) designing antimicrobial peptide-modified hydrogels and plastics, (3) functionalizing hydrogels with N-cadherin peptides to improve stem cell manufacturing, and (4) engineering synthetic mammalian transmembrane receptors that initiate non-native intracellular responses to peptide-ligands. Using thiol-norbornene click chemistry, we functionalized rigid plastics and soft hydrogels using therapeutic peptides with spatial and temporal control. While advances in synthetic biology have enabled …

Reproductive Rights At Work: The Role Of Organizations In Menstrual Support, Emily Julia Ready

Dissertations and Theses

Painful menstrual symptoms affect up to 90% of people with uteruses globally. These symptoms can result in lost productivity at work and absenteeism for working individuals. Normative work structures have not been designed with accessibility and inclusivity for those with uteruses in mind. Therefore, women and those with uteruses have often had to work through barriers with no accommodations or systematic change. Currently, there is no published research in the United States on the nuances of the relationship between menstruation and work with the intention of exploring effective solutions. There has been discussion related to menstrual supportive policies, but there …

Boys In A Box: A Mixed Methods Study Examining The Masculinity Of Boys In A Private School, Shavar Ryan Bernier

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

My name is Shavar Bernier, and the title of my thesis is Boys in a box: mixed methods study examining boys' masculinity in a private boarding school. I wrote the paper with guidance from my advisors and readers at Dartmouth, Mary Turco, Andrew Garrod, and Douglas Moody.

This mixed-methods study examined masculinity and how it was displayed at a private boarding school in Watertown, Connecticut. The purpose of the study was to use the experiences of students and teaching faculty to understand how masculinity was evident on Taft’s campus. The study participants consisted of 15 former students and forty-five teaching …

Enhancing Gpr Reliability For Concrete Infrastructure: Integrating Signal Processing And Deep Learning For Defect And Corrosion Assessment, Priyam Chowdhury

Theses and Dissertations

This research addresses the critical issue of deteriorating civil infrastructure by utilizing GPR integrated with advanced signal processing and machine learning. Employing the Conquest 100 system, four concrete slab configurations were tested: multi-layer rebar with defects, single- and double-layer rebar setups, varied rebar spacing, and pre-corroded rebars (0–30% mass loss). GPR B-scans collected over 3–60 days demonstrated that detection accuracy varied significantly with curing time, structural complexity, and moisture levels. A custom-developed Python script surpassed EKKO_Project software in rebar localization, achieving lower position errors (0.4–0.7 inches compared to 0.5–1.25 inches). Notably, the amplitude of GPR signals unexpectedly increased with corrosion …

Long-Term Nitrogen Fertilization Inhibits Carbon And Nitrogen Loss During Late-Stage Fungal Necromass Decomposition Depending On Necromass Chemistry, Lang C. Delancey, Craig R. See, Katherine Heckman, Peter G. Kennedy, Sarah E. Hobbie

Michigan Tech Publications

Fungal necromass is increasingly recognized as a key component of soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling. However, how C and N loss from fungal necromass during decomposition is impacted by global change factors such as anthropogenic N addition and changes to soil C supply (e.g. via changing root exudation and rhizosphere priming) remains unclear and understudied relative to plant tissues. To address these gaps, we conducted a year-long decomposition experiment with four species of fungal necromass incubated across four forested sites in plots that had received inorganic N and/or labile C fertilization for two decades in Minnesota, USA. We …

Critical Race Theory And Higher Education In Ireland: An Exploration Of The Experiences Of Black Minority Ethnic Social Care Students, Margaret Fingleton

Irish Journal of Academic Practice

This paper examines the experiences of Black Minority Ethnic students studying in higher education in Ireland, contextualizing them by key global events that occurred over the last decade. The research was underpinned by the core principles of Critical Race Theory (CRT) with a particular focus on the tenets of storytelling and intersectionality. Based on a qualitative approach, a participatory research methodology informed all phases of the study. Using a combined semi-structured interview/storytelling method, twenty-one female social care students in five higher education institutions participated in the study. In collaboration with a participatory advisory group, reflective thematic analysis was utilised to …

Couples And Pornography: A Dyadic Latent Profile Analysis Of Romantic Partners And Pornography Use, Michelle E. Haddock Edwards

Theses and Dissertations

Research on the outcomes of pornography use for romantic couples has been extensive yet inconclusive. Studies have examined pornography use in a wide variety of contexts, leading to a wide variety of outcomes and well-being. The current study uses latent profile analysis to account for many contextual factors at once, dyadic data to examine the perspective of both partners simultaneously, and a range of individual and relational well-being outcomes to understand how different relational pornography use patterns lead to well-being. Results provided evidence for six unique profiles of couples based on pornography use patterns (personal use frequency, perceived partner use …

Unsettling Home: Traces Of An Unrepaired Settler-Colonial Past In "Redding, California," 1846-1924, Celeste Hegy

University Honors Theses

This thesis critically reads primary documents from the settler-colonial past of "Redding, California," my hometown. In this paper, I sketch out a series of moments of historical trauma which continue to cry out for repair. Through a series of episodes from the mid-nineteenth through the early-twentieth centuries, I examine how original settler thirst for land wrought a contested hegemony in principally genocidal flows of power between the settler-state and its settler inhabitants and the pre-existing local Indigenous nations and peoples. In the first chapter, I argue for an understanding of the dispossession of the northern valley as genocidal. In the …

Competition In The Global Law Market: Offshore Development Of The Statutory "Rule In Hastings-Bass", Andrew P. Morriss

Minnesota Journal of International Law, Vols. 28:2 onward (2019-present)

This Article examines the competitive dynamics in the global law market through the lens of the statutory evolution of the Rule in Hastings-Bass across various International Financial Centers (IFCs). Following the UK Supreme Court’s 2013 decision in Pitt v Holt and Futter v Futter, which significantly restricted the judiciary’s ability to void trustee decisions under the Rule, seven IFCs (Jersey, Bermuda, The Bahamas, the Dubai International Financial Center, the Cayman Islands, and the British Virgin Islands) enacted statutes to preserve and clarify the Rule within their jurisdictions. These legislative actions highlight the strategic adaptations by IFCs to enhance their legal …

The End Of The Khmer Rouge Tribunal: Its Success And Legacy, Choongman Lee

Minnesota Journal of International Law, Vols. 28:2 onward (2019-present)

This note critically examines the effectiveness of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (“ECCC”), in achieving justice against members of the Democratic Kampuchea, also known as the Khmer Rouge, and explores areas where the ECCC could influence international criminal law in the future. The analysis explores the structural flaws, political interference, and challenges faced by the ECCC, particularly in Cases 003 and 004. Despite these challenges, the court successfully convicted three individuals in Cases 001 and 002, providing a degree of justice for victims. Also, the ECCC’s unique features, such as the super-majority rule, victim-centered approach, and residual …

Influence Of Filler Content And Polishing On Candida And Streptococci Biofilm Formation In Resin-Based Composites: An In Vitro Evaluation, Zahra Zareshahrabadi, Sarina Sahmeddini, Marzieh Meimandinezhad, Afsoon Tondari, Kamiar Zomorodian

Pacific Faculty Work

Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of filler content and polishing of resin-based composites on in vitro biofilm formation of Candida and Streptococci species. Materials and Methods: Specimens of four commercially available resin-based composites including Z100, P60, Z250, and Z350, with different filler amounts and volumes, were prepared according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Each group was divided into polished and unpolished specimens, which were then placed in a 24-well tissue culture plate with microbial suspension and incubated. The XTT technique was used to evaluate biofilm formation. Results: Z250 resin-based composites, which had the highest percentage …

Econ100 Economics And Society Course -- Queens College, Clive Belfield

Open Educational Resources

This is a syllabus for a contemporary course on Economics for students with no background in Economics. The course blends theory and up-to-date evidence.

Community Perspectives On Cancer And Cancer Research: Findings From Listening Sessions With Diverse Groups In Philadelphia, Karen Glanz, Emma A. Soliva, Krista Scheffey, Yawei Song, Charnita Zeigler-Johnson, Evelyn T. González, Thierry Fortune, Nilsa Graciani, Amy E. Leader

Kimmel Cancer Center Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Listening sessions are useful for understanding community perspectives on cancer disparities. The Philadelphia Communities Conquering Cancer (PC3) coalition conducted listening sessions to identify community priorities for cancer prevention and control research among diverse communities in Philadelphia.

METHODS: Guided by a Stakeholder Advisory Committee, PC3 partnered with community-based organizations to conduct 8 listening sessions with diverse communities (including Black, Hispanic, Asian, Russian, LGBTQ + , and veterans) to learn about perceptions of cancer, research priorities, and training and communication preferences. Sessions were facilitated by community members or PC3 members in the primary language of participants. Sessions were audio recorded, transcribed, …

Determining Accurate Pore Structures Of Polypropylene Membrane For Ecmo Using Fe-Sem Under Optimized Conditions, Makoto Fukuda, Yoshiaki Nishite, Eri Murata, Koki Namekawa, Tomohiro Mori, Tsutomu Tanaka, Kiyotaka Sakai

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Long-term ECMOs are expected to be put into practical use in order to prepare for the next emerging severe infectious diseases after the novel coronavirus pandemic in 2019-2023. While polypropylene (PP) and polymethylpentene (PMP) are currently the mainstream materials for the hollow fiber membranes of ECMO, the PP membrane coated with a silicone layer on the outer surface has also been commercialized. In this study, we sought a method to accurately observe the detailed pore morphologies of the PP membrane by suppressing irreversible changes in the morphology in SEM observation, which is a general-purpose observation with higher resolution. As a …

Human Rights And Foreign Policy: South Africa's Genocide Complaint Against Israel At The International Court Of Justice, Penelope Andrews

Minnesota Journal of International Law, Vols. 28:2 onward (2019-present)

No abstract provided.

Draft Final 2025 Residential Metals Abatement Program (Rmap) Quality Assurance Project Plan (Qapp) Annual Update (Residential Parcels), Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Radiotherapy Promotes Cuproptosis And Synergizes With Cuproptosis Inducers To Overcome Tumor Radioresistance, Guang Lei, Mingchuang Sun, Jun Cheng, Rui Ye, Zhengze Lu, Amber Horbath, David Huo, Shengrong Wu, Anagha Alapati, Sadhna Aggarwal, Zhihao Xu, Chao Mao, Yuelong Yan, Jun Yao, Qidong Li, Xiong Chen, Hyemin Lee, Li Zhuang, Dadi Jiang, Apar Pataer, Jack A Roth, Nicholas Navin, Albert C Koong, Mingjian James You, Steven H Lin, Boyi Gan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Cuproptosis is a recently identified form of copper-dependent cell death. Here, we reveal that radiotherapy (RT) induces cuproptosis in cancer cells, independent of apoptosis and ferroptosis, and depletes lipoylated proteins and iron-sulfur (Fe-S) cluster proteins-both hallmarks of cuproptosis-in patient tumors. Mechanistically, RT elevates mitochondrial copper levels by upregulating copper transporter 1 (CTR1) and depleting mitochondrial glutathione, a copper chelator, thereby triggering cuproptosis. Integrated analyses of RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) from radioresistant esophageal cancer cells and single-cell RNA-seq from esophageal tumors of patients unresponsive to RT link radioresistance to the downregulation of BTB and CNC homology 1 (BACH1). This downregulation de-represses the …

Transformative Integration: Navigating Opportunities And Challenges In A Medical School's Evolution Into Integrated Service Units, Chelsea Chang, Everardo Cobos, Michael Sander, Beatriz Tapia, Michael Hocker

School of Medicine Publications

Medical schools must evolve with the changing healthcare landscape and financial pressures. Academic Health Centers have responded to these changes with a novel organizational model known as an integrated service line. Traditional medical school departments often create silos, lack of alignment, and financial burdens. To our knowledge, we were the first medical school to implement an integrated structure combining the tripartite missions of academics, research, and clinical services.

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine accepted its charter class of 55 medical students in 2016 with a traditional medical school department model. By 2023, it had 154 …

Cannabis Concentrate Vaping Chemistry, Kaelas R. Munger, Killian M. Anreise, Robert M. Strongin

Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background:

This review article addresses the vaping chemistry of manufactured cannabis concentrates—a topic that remains under-researched despite the widespread availability and growing popularity of these products. Given their current prevalence and the fact that many of the findings discussed herein are from early-stage investigations, further research is essential to fully assess the public health risks associated with concentrate use. The purpose of this article is to help begin to bridge this knowledge gap by outlining the technical challenges of studying cannabis concentrates and to present evidence-based data concerning toxicant exposures as a foundation for future investigations.

Methods:

A search of …

A Forward Genetic Screen Identifies Potassium Channel Essentiality In Shh Medulloblastoma Maintenance, Jerry J Fan, Anders W Erickson, Julia Carrillo-Garcia, Xin Wang, Patryk Skowron, Xian Wang, Xin Chen, Guanqiao Shan, Wenkun Dou, Shahrzad Bahrampour, Yi Xiong, Weifan Dong, Namal Abeysundara, Michelle A Francisco, Ronwell J Pusong, Wei Wang, Miranda Li, Elliot Ying, Raúl A Suárez, Hamza Farooq, Borja L Holgado, Xiaochong Wu, Craig Daniels, Adam J Dupuy, Juan Cadiñanos, Allan Bradley, Anindya Bagchi, Branden S Moriarity, David A Largaespada, A Sorana Morrissy, Vijay Ramaswamy, Stephen C Mack, Livia Garzia, Peter B Dirks, Xuejun Li, Siyi Wanggou, Sean Egan, Yu Sun, Michael D Taylor, Xi Huang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Distinguishing tumor maintenance genes from initiation, progression, and passenger genes is critical for developing effective therapies. We employed a functional genomic approach using the Lazy Piggy transposon to identify tumor maintenance genes in vivo, and applied this to SHH medulloblastoma (MB). Combining Lazy Piggy screening in mice and transcriptomic profiling of human MB, we identified the voltage-gated potassium channel KCNB2 as a candidate maintenance driver. KCNB2 governs cell volume of MB-propagating cells, with KCNB2 depletion causing osmotic swelling, decreased plasma membrane tension, and elevated endocytic internalization of EGFR, thereby mitigating proliferation of MB-propagating cells to ultimately impair MB growth. …

Cultural Continuity And Identity Preservation In Diaspora: The Role Of African Pentecostal Churches In Maintaining Traditions Within African Communities In The United States, Olamide T. Awoyemi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the role of African Pentecostal churches in preserving cultural traditions andshaping identities among African diaspora communities in the United States, focusing specifically on Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) and Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC) in Tampa, Florida. Through detailed participant observation and in-depth qualitative interviews, this thesis examines how rituals, religious practices, and community engagement within these churches facilitate cultural continuity and identity negotiation among Nigerian and Ghanaian immigrants. Findings reveal that these religious institutions serve as critical sites for resisting cultural erasure, navigating the complex tensions between maintaining African heritage and adapting to American society, and providing …

Regulation Of Myogenesis By Mechanomir-200c/Foxo3 Axis, Junaith S Mohamed, Aladin M Boriek

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Cyclic mechanical stretch has been shown to inhibit myoblast differentiation while promoting proliferation. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are not well understood. Here, we report that mechanical stretch inhibits the differentiation of mouse primary myoblasts by promoting the cell cycle program and by inhibiting the expression of the myogenic regulator MyoD. Stretch alters the miRNA expression profile as evidenced by miRNA microarray analysis. We identified miR-200c as one of the highly downregulated mechanosensitive miRNAs (mechanomiRs) whose expression level was increased during differentiation. This suggests that mechanomiRs-200c is a myogenic miRNA. Overexpression of mechanomiR-200c revoked the effect of stretch on myoblast …

Lrrc8 Channel Complexes Counterbalance Katp Channels To Mediate Swell-Secretion Coupling In Mouse Pancreatic Β Cells, Tarek Mohamed Abd El-Aziz, Chen Kang, Litao Xie, John D. Tranter, Sumit Patel, Rahul Chadda, Maria S. Remedi, Rajan Sah

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Insulin secretion from pancreatic β cells is initiated by membrane potential depolarization, followed by activation of voltage-gated Ca2+ channels to trigger Ca2+-mediated insulin vesicle fusion with the β cell plasma membrane. Here, we show that β cell swelling associated with glucose metabolism was sensed by LRRC8 channel complexes and contributed to insulin secretion. Hypertonic perfusate (360-380 mOsm) dose dependently impaired glucose-stimulated insulin secretion by counteracting β cell swelling. Hypotonic perfusate alone, independent of glucose stimulation or KATP channel closure, was sufficient to increase β cell intracellular Ca2+ and trigger insulin secretion. Inhibition of sodium-potassium-chloride cotransporter-1 with bumetanide, which diminished the …

Current Cutting-Edge Omics Techniques On Musculoskeletal Tissues And Diseases, Xiaofei Li, Liang Fang, Sade W Clayton, Dakota R Kamm, Cuicui Wang, Farshid Guilak, Simon Y Tang, Gretchen A Meyer, Jie Shen, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Musculoskeletal disorders, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, bone fracture, intervertebral disc degeneration, tendinopathy, and myopathy, are prevalent conditions that profoundly impact quality of life and place substantial economic burdens on healthcare systems. Traditional bulk transcriptomics, genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics have played a pivotal role in uncovering disease-associated alterations at the population level. However, these approaches are inherently limited in their ability to resolve cellular heterogeneity or to capture the spatial organization of cells within tissues, thus hindering a comprehensive understanding of the complex cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying these diseases. To address these limitations, advanced single-cell and spatial omics techniques …

Designing For Dissemination Through Community Advisory Board Engagement In An Implementation Mapping Process: A Case Study, Gabriella M Mcloughlin, Yerusalem Yohannes, Molly Kerstetter, Omar Martinez, Alex Dopp, Jennifer O Fisher, Maura Kepper, Rachel G Tabak, Ross C Brownson

2020-Current year OA Pubs

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to document the development of a Community Advisory Board (CAB) to enhance equitable dissemination of research findings within an implementation mapping study to enhance equitable impact of Universal School Meals (USM) through the Designing for Dissemination and Sustainability (D4DS) process.

METHODS: The D4DS process comprises 7 key elements to facilitate meaningful dissemination. To accomplish Step 1: Identify Partners, the research team conducted snowball recruitment methods within the local Philadelphia community and with existing connections. To Empathize and Outline the Problem (Step 2) and Understand the Context (Step 3), an interest meeting was held …