Digital Commons Network^™

Truest Potential Of Canvas: Self-Actualization And Art In The Criminal Justice Classroom, Rachel Johnnie Dimonda

Master’s Theses and Projects

No abstract provided.

Greed, Corruption, And Beauty: The Power Of Magical Artifacts In J.R.R. Tolkien's Legendarium, Brendan Foley

Master’s Theses and Projects

No abstract provided.

Awareness, Perception, And Acceptance Of Ai Technology In Healthcare Among Pilgrims In Makkah: Understanding Applications And Willingness To Adopt Solutions, Omar Babateen, Aljofool Daood Aldandani, Sari Abdulrahman Alrehaili, Afnan Mousa Alhawsawi

Saudi Toxicology Journal

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) represents a major technological advancement in the last decade and enables the analysis of complex data to help physicians in disease diagnosis and treatment of patients with greater efficiency and accuracy. This study aims to evaluate awareness, perceptions, and acceptance of AI technology in healthcare among pilgrims with a focus on how these factors relate to education levels. Methods: A general population based cross-sectional study was conducted in Makkah region included 457 adults aged 18 and above. Data was collected through structured questionnaire. Data analysis employed descriptive statistics and chi-square tests with significance at p<0.05. Results: The study population was predominantly aged 18-30 years (55.8%), followed by those aged ≥50 years (22.3%) and 31-49 years (21.9%). Most participants were female (69.6%), and 82.3% were Saudi nationals. While 78.6% were familiar with artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare, only 42.7% believed AI could surpass traditional physicians in diagnosis and treatment. However, 85.1% thought AI could enhance administrative tasks. Concerns about trusting AI with patient care were notable, with 73.7% expressing doubts. Participants with lower education levels were significantly more likely to believe AI would outperform physicians in diagnosis (53.7% vs. 36.6%, p < 0.05) and professionalism (42% vs. 30.2%, p < 0.05). Conversely, those with higher education were more concerned about trusting AI with patient lives (77.3% vs. 67.3%, p < 0.05). Conclusion: While most participants recognize AI’s potential in healthcare, many doubt it might outperform physicians Yet support its use during Hajj and Umrah.

The Nicu Nurse’S Aptitude In Teaching Neuroprotective Care To Caregivers Of Neonates, Lucy Bradley

Honors College Theses

Preterm neonates are at risk of developmental delays, behavioral problems, and mental health challenges. Neuroprotective care is essential to mitigate these risks, and nurses play a crucial role in educating caregivers on these practices. This study aims to investigate neonatal nurses' knowledge and confidence in teaching caregivers about neuroprotective care and to determine the extent to which caregivers implement these practices. A mixed-methods research design will be employed, using a survey to collect data from neonatal nurses who have at least one year of experience working in a NICU. The survey will assess nurses' understanding of neuroprotective care, their confidence …

Reconfiguration-Driven Assembly Of Inorganic Nanomembranes, Divya Jyoti Prakash

Chemical and Biological Engineering ETDs

This thesis focuses on the guided self-assembly of metastable nanomembranes (NMs) that are either amorphous or polycrystalline. Guided self-assembly of NMs is a robust and scalable method to obtain a variety of three-dimensional structures such as helices, rolled-up tubes, and networks of interconnected channels. These 3D structures have important applications as on-chip actuators, sensors, inductors, transformers, waveguides, and antennas. Furthermore, a large amount of strain and strain gradient can be imparted in NMs by bending them to a nanoscale and microscale radius of curvature, making guided self-assembly on NMs a viable route to extreme strain engineering of amorphous and polycrystalline …

Africanism In America: Exploring Hybrid Identities Of African Students In The Us, Ruth A. Yeboah

Masters Theses

This study interrogates the intercultural experiences of African international students (AIS) in a US Midwestern University. With a focus on West African students, the project explores how students confront and overcome linguistic, cultural, and systemic barriers as they create new dynamic spaces which are neither American nor African, but a mixture of both in a predominantly White institution. Drawing on the theoretical constructs of hybridity and language ideology, the findings reveal how AIS actively negotiate identity by using traditional African cultural traits, rooted in Africanism—with new cultural influences, generating unique, fluid and constantly-evolving hybrid identities. I utilized ethnographic observations …

Critical Editing Studies: A Textual-Intertextual Approach To Editing, Rhetoric, And Cultures Of Sensitivity, Amanda Keren-Happuch Yaa Emefa Anka

Masters Theses

This study explores how editing influences public discourse and perception by analyzing two major editing controversies, one involving the written word and the other, image. The method of analysis I employ is close textual-intertextual analysis in which I rely on the original source, that is, the written word and image in question, and supplement the analysis with secondary sources, such as media articles, scholarly works, and public reactions. The first case study focuses on the issue of bowdlerization as regards Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl and the second artifact focuses on digital editing as it relates to …

Degrees In Action: Utilizing Public Relations Students' Expertise To Expand The Reach Of Oer, Taylor "Lainie" Allen, Shelley Wigley

UTA Libraries Staff Publications - Archive

Students' expertise plays a crucial role in promoting Open Educational Resources (OER). The “Degrees in Action: Utilizing Public Relations Students' Expertise to Expand the Reach of OER” poser presentation highlights a collaboration between a Public Relations (PR) Campaigns Course and OER and Digital Scholarship Department. PR students were empowered to apply their skills in developing and executing a public awareness campaign that highlighted the benefits and availability of OER on the University of Texas in Arlington campus.

Through strategic planning, creative messaging, event coordination, and student/faculty surveys, the PR students gained hands-on experience in communication and advocacy while addressing the …

Federal And State Governments Can Help Solve The Employment Problems Of People In Distressed Places To Spur Equitable Growth, Timothy J. Bartik

Upjohn Institute Policy Papers

Places in the United States differ greatly in their residents’ access to jobs, especially good jobs. Although the federal and state governments provide about $80 billion annually to create jobs through multiple programs, these job-creation initiatives are rarely targeted to economically distressed places, where the job-creation benefits for local residents are greatest. Moreover, many of these programs take the form of business tax incentives, which are less effective at job creation than customized services for businesses and workers. I argue that the prime-age employment rate of places should be used to target job-creation programs and review which such programs are …

Exercise And Its Regulation Of Toll-Like Receptor 4 Expression And Intracellular Signaling, Jeremy B. Ducharme

Health, Exercise, and Sports Sciences ETDs

Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) activation increases pro-inflammatory cytokine production and upregulation of muscle atrophy signaling pathways. Exercise is recommended to reduce TLR4 expression and intracellular signaling, but the mechanisms for how this occurs are unknown, and even less is known regarding the effect of exercise on TLR4 expressed in skeletal muscle. Activation of TLR4 expressed on skeletal muscle can elicit local metabolic and atrophic effects in addition to systemic inflammation from TLR4 activation on immune cells. Therefore, the purpose of this dissertation project is to better uncover the nature and mechanisms by which exercise affects TLR4 expression and intracellular signaling …

Ethics In The Age Of Digital Trading: Rethinking Responsibility In Modern Investing, Kennedy Solomon, Melissa Fitzpatrick

Honors Thesis

The rise of digital trading platforms such as Robinhood has transformed retail investing into an accessible activity for the general public. While these platforms claim to democratize investing through commission-free trading and intuitive interfaces, their gamified designs and aggressive marketing raise significant ethical concerns. This paper explores how such apps target inexperienced users, encouraging potentially reckless financial behavior under the guise of empowerment.

Intraspecific Sensory Diversity And The Decapod Claw: Patterns Of Sensillation Are Heterochelic And Sexually Dimorphic In Pagurus Bernhardus, Ari Drummond, Summer Nash, Tianna Holloway, Alexander Wilson, Lucy Turner, Mark Briffa, David T Bilton

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Information detection affects physiological performance and behaviour and is vital to survival and fitness. Despite the recognised importance of sensory adaptations in information acquisition and manipulation, many forms of sensory variation—from within individuals to between species—remain underexplored. To better understand the role of information in evolution, it is important to examine sensory variation as part of a cohesive framework of sensory diversity. Using the decapod claw, a structure well-recognised for its morphological variation, we investigated sensory diversity at the intraspecific level by assessing heterochely and sexual dimorphism in the chelar morphologies of Pagurus bernhardus hermit crabs. We employed a novel …

Academic Senate - Minutes, 5/13/2025, Academic Senate

Academic Senate Minutes

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Relationship Between Diet And Mental Health, Emory Layne

Honors Theses

Dietary patterns in Western societies have shifted over the past century due to the rise of food manufacturing and technological advancements. Ultra-processed foods now account for approximately half of the daily energy intake in high-income countries. Similarly, the national mental health crisis emerged in the 21st century and worsened after the COVID-19 pandemic. The changes in diet have impacted the gut microbiome, which interacts with the brain through the bidirectional gut-brain axis. Research suggests the concept of the gut-brain axis is a principal indicator of diet’s impact on mental health. However, this area of research is still emerging and requires …

Ovarian Cancer G Protein-Coupled Receptor-1 Signaling Bias Dictates Anti-Contractile Effect Of Benzodiazepines On Airway Smooth Muscle, Dominic R. Villalba, Arun K. Jannu, Elham Javed, Isha Dandekar, Ruping Wang, Deepak A. Deshpande, Steven S. An, Reynold A. Panettieri, Dale D. Tang, Raymond B. Penn, Ajay P. Nayak

Center for Translational Medicine Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: We recently reported that the ovarian cancer G protein-coupled receptor-1 (OGR1) can be pharmacologically biased with specific benzodiazepines to couple with distinct heterotrimeric G proteins in human airway smooth muscle (ASM) cells. Lorazepam stimulated both G

METHODS: Models of histamine (His) -stimulated contraction included imaging of ex vivo human precision cut lung slices (hPCLS) and Magnetic Twisting Cytometry (MTC) analysis of human ASM cell stiffness. To explore mechanisms of regulation, we examined effects on myosin light chain (pMLC) phosphorylation and PKA activity in primary human ASM cultures, as well as actin cytoskeleton integrity as defined by changes in the …

Biochar Suppresses Growth, Pupation And Eclosion Success Of A Specialist (Manduca Sexta) And A Generalist (Spodoptera Frugiperda) Insect Herbivore, Nischal Wagle, Soumya Unnikrishnan, Satinderpal Kaur, Engil Pereira, Rupesh Kariyat

Entomology and Plant Pathology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Biochar is a charcoal-like substance made by the pyrolysis of organic material from agricultural and forestry waste. While biochar is well documented for altering soil physicochemical conditions, few studies have investigated its possible effects on the management of arthropod pests. Tobacco hornworm (Manduca sexta) and fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda, FAW) are specialist and generalist insect herbivores respectively, that can cause significant defoliation in natural and agricultural ecosystems. In this study, we examined whether walnut shell biochar can affect growth and development of these herbivores. Specifically, we investigated how biochar influences parameters such as mass gain, length of pupation, pupal mass, …

Accumulation Of Nitrogen Species From Industrial Wastewater By Vetiver Grass (Chrysopogon Zizanioides), Arash Aliasghar, Zhiming Zhang, Rupali Datta, Christos Christodoulatos, Dibyendu Sarkar

Michigan Tech Publications

Industrial munition facilities are increasingly manufacturing insensitive high explosives (IHEs) to improve safety. The explosive residues in wastewater from these facilities are treated to meet regulatory standards. However, the resulting effluent contains elevated levels of mineralized nitrogen species. This study evaluated the potential of vetiver grass (Chrysopogon zizanioides), a non-invasive perennial species, to remove high concentrations of nitrate, nitrite, and ammonium from munition plant wastewater. Vetiver was grown hydroponically in synthetic wastewater containing high levels of nitrogen compounds simulating munitions plant effluents. Vetiver plants were treated with one nitrogen species at a time, with concentrations ranging from 165 to 24,700 …

Normobaric And Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy In Pediatric Dog Bite Nasal Tip Avulsion/Replantation, Paul G. Harch, Adam Shalek, Jen Karen Erbil, Brett J. King, Abigail E. Chaffin

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

A 4-year-old healthy girl sustained a composite dog bite avulsion of the tip of her nose that was intraoperatively replanted without vascular reanastomosis 2 hours and 45 minutes after the avulsion. The replanted tip initially appeared viable, but became dusky at 16 hours and cyanotic at 32 hours postreplantation. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy commenced at 40 hours postreplantation, and intermittent normobaric oxygen was added at night after the fourth hyperbaric oxygen treatment. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy was dosed according to tissue response/appearance and signs of patient oxidative stress with progressive improvement in viability. The patient received 30 hyperbaric oxygen treatments in 26 …

Minimal Anti-Cancer Effects Of Mushroom-Derived Compounds Hispidin And Chaga Extract On Ewing Sarcoma Cells, Jordan Cosgrove, Fiona Coulbourne, Iris Reyna, Giselle Serna-Flores, Terry Jo Shackleford

Cell and Molecular Methods

Ewing sarcoma is a rare and aggressive cancer of adolescents and young adults driven by the EWSR1–FLI1 gene fusion. Standard treatments include chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation, though survival rates remain low. Natural compounds such as hispidin, derived from fungi, and Chaga mushroom extract have shown potential anti-cancer effects by disrupting cell cycle progression and promoting apoptosis in other cancer models. In this study, we tested the effects of hispidin and Chaga extract on Ewing sarcoma cells to evaluate their ability to suppress cell growth and identify potential therapeutic benefits.

The Effects Of Hispidin And Eribulin Mesylate On Cell Proliferation Of Ewing Sarcoma Cell Lines, Elena Mares, Angelina Juarrita, Sierra Munoz, Terry Jo Shackleford

Cell and Molecular Methods

Ewing sarcoma is a type of cancer that targets the cells within bones and soft tissue and is most prevalent in younger populations. It is important to look at this specific cancer because there is no cure yet, and the risks increase, even after a patient has completed their treatment. We hypothesize that if we treat Ewing sarcoma cell lines with natural compounds, specifically Hispidin and Eribulin Mesylate, then the cell lines will decrease in cell viability and there will be an increase in apoptosis of the cancerous cell lines. We performed a series of experiments, which included IC50 analysis, …

The Legal Framework For Sexual Harassment At Work In Australia And In Québec: Case Studies Of Complexity And Its Countervailing Forces, Rachel Cox

Comparative Labor Law & Policy Journal

This paper analyses the complex legal framework for sexual harassment at work in Australia and Québec using Peter Schuck’s (1992) definition of complexity and drawing on Alejandro Camacho and Robert Glicksman’s (2019) model of the dimensions of authority and how they combine with the different functions an authority carries out.

In both Australia and Québec, overlapping institutions and approaches can improve enforcement, especially when they are coordinated. overlap is less likely to improve matters if the focus is on standard-setting, where uniformity is important to ensure the clarity, transparency, and legitimacy of the rules for duty holders and workers.

Harmonisation …

When Digital Platforms Intrude Into The Regulation Of Paid Domestic Work: The Case Of Formalisation In Argentina, Lorena Poblete

Comparative Labor Law & Policy Journal

Paid domestic work is governed simultaneously by several normative frameworks that have different sources. Traditionally, it has been regulated by what Adelle Blackett defines as the “law of the household workplace,” as well as by state law. Thus, the tension between these two normative frameworks makes effective access to rights uncertain for domestic workers, even those with formal labour contracts. In addition, when digital platforms intervene, their rules also apply. From a sociological perspective, and using the categories forged by historical institutionalism to study dynamics of institutional change, this article aims to understand how different normative systems — formal and …

Platform Capital And The City: Governing Uber In Buenos Aires And Manchester, Mathew Johnson, Angel Martin-Caballero

Comparative Labor Law & Policy Journal

Recent literature has drawn attention to the various regulatory battles and flashpoints triggered by the entry of platform Transportation network Companies such as Uber and Lyft into cities around the world. Drawing on original case study analysis of Uber in Buenos Aires and Greater Manchester, we explore the increasingly complex and dynamic nature of local regulatory responses to platforms, and how they evolve over time. We develop a three-fold analytical framework that illustrates the important interactions between the competencies of local regulatory actors, the power of different interest groups, and the legitimacy of institutional rules. Our findings suggest that balancing …

Microlearning As An Effective Training Method For Healthcare Employees To Improve Competencies And Organizational Success, Laqurandra Weeks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Challenges in keeping healthcare employees motivated raise concerns to organizational leaders because of healthcare’s changing and complex environments. Healthcare leaders are concerned because, without the proper training, an employee’s level of competence may negatively affect the quality of care they provide and patient safety. The specific research problem is the lack of lived experiences regarding the effectiveness of microlearning that have not readily had access to healthcare employees’ feedback and their preference for learning to apply skills and knowledge in the workplace. Grounded in microlearning theory, the purpose of this qualitative hermeneutic study was to explore the lived experiences of …

Perceptions Of Perinatal Depression Among Immigrant Mothers: Screening Practices In Nurse Home Visitation, Silvia E. Arabia

Doctoral Projects

Screening for perinatal depression is a recommended strategy aimed at prevention and timely management of mood disruption in pregnancy and the postpartum (ACOG, 2024). Screening for perinatal depression is often integrated in evidence-based home visitation curriculums. The aim of this qualitative descriptive quality improvement project was to explore perceptions of perinatal depression among immigrant mothers engaged in nurse home visitation to identify barriers, if any, to disclosure and treatment of perinatal depression among a group at increased risk of developing perinatal depression (Gennaro, S., et al, 2016). Immigrant mothers residing in a large urban county in the San Francisco Bay …

Lived Experiences Of Hispanic Parents Considering Early Intervention Services For Developmentally Delayed Children, Karina Proffer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Studies have demonstrated that children benefit significantly from Early Intervention (EI) services due to brain plasticity and rapid early development. EI supports growth and establishes foundational skills in cognitive, social, emotional, motor, language, and daily living domains. Research indicates that children who participate in EI programs experience positive outcomes in their academic trajectories. However, limited studies examine the lived experiences of Hispanic parents with children diagnosed with autism or intellectual disabilities who did not utilize EI services. This study explores the factors influencing these parents' decisions and experiences that hinder their children’s participation in the program. The Theory of Planned …

Faculty And Administrator Perceptions Of The Implementation Of The International Baccalaureate Diploma Program In Relation To Roger’S Theory Of Diffusion Of Innovation, Kyle Roddey

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This study examined the perceptions of both teachers and school administrators of the implementation of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program in High Schools in the northeastern United States. Using a qualitative design, data was collected through an anonymous survey of teachers who presently teach International Baccalaureate Diploma Program courses. Additional data was collected through conducting semi-structured interviews of acting principals of schools that offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. Results of this data collection was reviewed through the lens of Roger’s Theory of Diffusion of Innovation. Qualitative results indicated that both teachers and administrators alike viewed teacher leadership and teacher …

Perceptions Of Bullying In A Public Charter School, Ana I. Perea

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

ABSTRACT

Bullying is perceived in different ways according to the experience or training of individuals. In my practice, adults often misidentify disputes or incidents as bullying due to a lack of evidence or varying perceptions. This problem must be a theme of reflection for all stakeholders in traditional or charter schools. My study aimed to understand how teachers and parents perceive bullying in terms of social implications, cultural factors, and professional training. In my research, I provided insight into how the stakeholders in a public charter school perceive this phenomenon. The participants highlighted their perceptions and topics of communication, exclusion, …

2025 North Haverhill Fair 4-H Exhibit Hall Packet, Extension

UNH Cooperative Extension

No abstract provided.

How Soil Fungal Communities Respond To Invasive Plant Species Treatments In Soil From Banksia Woodland, South-Western Australia, Aaron J. Brace, Katinka X. Ruthrof, Joseph B. Fontaine, Ben P. Miller, Anna J.M. Hopkins

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Context. Invasive plants are one of the most significant threats to woodlands globally. Methods of invasive plant control include manual removal and herbicide application. While the impacts of control methods on invasive and off-target native plant species are often explored, the impacts on below-ground organisms, such as fungi, are less well understood. Aims. We conducted a glasshouse trial to investigate the responses of soil fungal communities to herbicides and manual removal that are used to control common invasive plant species in Banksia woodland in south-western Australia. Methods. Broad spectrum (glyphosate and pelargonic acid) and grass-specific (fluazifop-p-butyl) herbicides were separately applied …