Digital Commons Network^™

Small Business Development In The Tourism Industry In Dangriga, Belize, Jonathan R. Kasper

Finance Undergraduate Honors Theses

The thesis, Small Business Development in the Tourism Industry in Dangriga, Belize, examines efforts to bolster economic opportunities and entrepreneurial resilience in a culturally rich but economically underserved town. The project focused on addressing the underperformance of Dangriga’s tourism sector relative to other Belizean destinations, despite its potential. By engaging directly with local entrepreneurs and organizations, the initiative aimed to improve marketing practices, digital presence, and long-term business viability through practical interventions.

Major accomplishments included the development of a reservation-capable website for the Bonefish Hotel, social media and marketing consultations for various small businesses, and advisory work for the …

Comparative Analysis Of The Community Reinvestment Act And The B Impact Assessment, Ella G. Claborn

Finance Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis presents a comparative analysis of the Community Reinvestment (CRA) and the B Corp Certification through the B-Impact Assessment (BIA). The CRA was enacted in 1977 and is a mandatory regulatory measure aimed at addressing discriminatory lending practices and encouraging equitable credit distribution in underserved communities. In contrast, the BIA is a voluntary assessment developed by the nonprofit B Lab to evaluate a company’s social, environmental and governance practices, which lead to B Corp Certification. This analysis explores the historical background, mission, methodology, success metrics and financial costs associated with each framework. Ultimately, this thesis highlights how both models, …

The Price Of Profit: A Literature Review On Private Equity's Impact On Patient Care And Healthcare Costs, Sahil Shrimankar

Finance Undergraduate Honors Theses

In healthcare, private equity (PE) firms have rapidly expanded their presence across sectors, acquiring and consolidating providers. They typically operate on short investment cycles and employ strategies like heavy debt financing, roll-ups of fragmented practices, and aggressive cost-cutting to maximize returns. This expansion has sparked debate: supporters argue PE provides needed capital and efficiency to struggling providers, while critics contend that profit-driven ownership risks compromising care quality and access. This literature review synthesizes current evidence on how PE’s profit-driven approach affects patient care and healthcare costs. Overall, the findings suggest that PE ownership often raises costs—through higher prices and increased …

The Role Of Social Media In Shaping Investment Trends Among College Students, Catherine C. Hammer

Finance Undergraduate Honors Theses

Social media has become an increasingly influential force in shaping financial behaviors, particularly among younger generations. This study examines the role of digital platforms in financial education, investment decision-making, and market participation among Gen Z and Millennials. Through a comprehensive analysis of existing literature, case studies, and survey data, this research explores the benefits and risks associated with relying on social media for financial guidance. While social media provides unprecedented access to financial knowledge, empowering young investors with real-time market insights and investment strategies, it also presents challenges such as misinformation, speculative trading behaviors, and the rise of unregulated "finfluencers." …

Identifying Novel Molecular Targets To Induce Ferroptosis In Drug-Tolerant Cancer Cells Through Computational Modeling, Haris J. Rana

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent, reactive oxygen species (ROS)-driven form of regulated cell death in which the cell membrane is degraded by lipid peroxidation. It is regulated by multiple enzymes, such as glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), which prevents membrane degradation by reducing lipid peroxides and protecting cells from oxidative damage. When inhibitors like RSL3 target GPX4, lipid peroxides build up, and toxic ROS compromises membrane integrity. Traditional anticancer treatments, such as most chemotherapies, aim to eliminate tumor cells by damaging DNA and triggering apoptosis. However, resistance to apoptosis is a “hallmark of cancer,” often resulting in treatment failure. As a distinct …

The Church, Transportation, And Race: Education, Involvement, And Advocacy In The Transportation Industry By Churches For The Benefit Of Dallas’ Black Community, Vonciel J. Hill

Doctor of Ministry Projects and Theses

The American transportation industry is an amalgamation of policy, planning, infrastructure, funding, contracting, employment, economic development, legislative enactments, modes [transit, rail air], and roads, highways, and bridges. Each of these components affects the daily lives of ordinary people in multiple ways, including, but not limited to, employment, education, health care, recreation, and finances. Historically, the industry has ignored, jeopardized, and adversely affected Black people, neighborhoods, and communities. Quality of life, as related to transportation, in Black communities has not been and is not now on par with that in white communities. Nevertheless, if one observes the industry, one is hard …

‘Alpha’ As A Tool Of Evangelism For Creating Christian Community In The Horizon Texas Conference Of The United Methodist Church Among South Asian Indians Living In Coppell, Texas: Challenges And Recommendations, Sumesh Jacob

Doctor of Ministry Projects and Theses

Alpha is a tool of evangelism that has been popular in its current form in the West, especially in the United Kingdom where it originated and moreover in the United States, after its global launch in 1993. It has been used by churches of various traditions and denominations over several decades to reach the ‘unchurched,’ has been translated into different languages, and over time the content has been repackaged for a modern and postmodern generation. However, it is found that Alpha is not an effective tool of evangelism to invite those of faith backgrounds and worldviews other than Christian to …

Ionizing Radiation’S Effects On Dna And Its Correlation With The Development And Incidence Of Leukemia: A Meta-Narrative Review., Henry J. Resendez, Thu Y. Doan, Imaculata E. Liyombo, Katie T. Tran

Research Methods Poster Session 2025

Exposure to ionizing radiation, particularly gamma radiation, has been linked to chromosomal damage that may lead to the development of Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) and Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML). This meta-narrative review analyzes existing literature to better understand the dose-dependent effects of radiation and how they influence leukemia risk across different populations. A total of 11 studies were synthesized for the review. The review draws from studies published between 2020 and 2025, while also incorporating historical data from the 1940s, including research on survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings. Data was collected through targeted searches of peer-reviewed literature, …

Library News May 2025, Research Medical Library

Library News 2025

• Call for Submissions: Share Your Work in MD Anderson's Scholarly Journal
• Help with Spoken English Is Available Through the Library
• The Importance of and Types of Corrections in the Literature
• 2025 Summer Reading Recommendations
• A Quick Guide to Using "or" Without Error

Empowering Through Education: Bridging The Gap In Cancer Prevention In Black Women, S Deramus, T S. Buggage, N T. Grise, Susan K. Lee, Robert Deforde

Research Methods Poster Session 2025

Healthcare Disparities, Diversity and Advocacy Program, School of Health Professions

Earthscape Ai Dataset V1.1, Matthew Massey, Abdullah-Al-Zubaer Imran

Research Data--KGS

EarthScape v1.1 Dataset Download Links:

esv1p1_smokeset.zip (197 MB)

esv1p1_splits.zip (2.5 MB)

esv1p1_usa_ky_data.zip (1 MB)

esv1p1_usa_ky_hardin_howevalley.zip (26.3 GB)

esv1p1_usa_ky_hardin_sonora.zip (26.3 GB)

esv1p1_usa_ky_warren.zip (166 GB)

Surficial geologic mapping is essential for understanding Earth surface processes and supporting applications in engineering, hazard assessment, and resource management. However, traditional mapping approaches are labor-intensive, limiting spatial coverage and introducing subjectivity. To address these challenges, we introduce EarthScape, a multimodal, AI-ready geospatial dataset designed for surficial geologic mapping and Earth surface analysis. EarthScape integrates high-resolution aerial RGB and near-infrared (NIR) imagery, digital elevation models (DEM), multi-scale terrain features derived from DEMs, and hydrologic and infrastructure vector …

A Systematic Literature Review Of Behavior Analysis In Psychiatric Inpatient Settings, Stephanie Henry, Robbie Hanson

Theses

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) may be best known for the treatment of individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities, such as those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, ABA also has a long history of effective outcomes with other populations, such as with individuals who are admitted to inpatient psychiatric facilities (Dougher, 2004; Harvey et al., 2009). In 2018, 187,877 individuals in the United States were reported as receiving treatment for mental health disorders (Lutterman, 2022). Given behavior analysis’ success implementing operant procedures with these populations, an updated review of the literature on the use of behavior analysis within these settings …

The Impact Of Irrigation On Agricultural Land Values In The United States Southeast And An Analysis Of Farmland Prices In South Carolina, Christopher L. Thomas

All Theses

Land is a key component of the agriculture industry in the United States. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, farm real estate (land and buildings) accounted for 82.8% of total US farm sector assets in 2022, consequently making land the largest source of wealth in a farmer’s investment portfolio and the primary source of collateral used for farm operating loans. The Southeastern region of the United States has seen rapid farmland appreciation and intense population growth in recent years. This research investigates the rising farmland prices across the Southeast from both a regional and state-level perspective. Chapter Two …

Modeling Dna Repair In Escherichia Coli Using A Boolean And Stochastic Framework, Gabrianne Ivey

All Theses

DNA can be damaged through both internal and external sources. Therefore, cells have created methods to repair DNA damage. In Escherichia coli, the system responsible for DNA repair is termed the SOS response. This system consists of more than 50 genes and contains three main repair pathways: nucleotide excision repair, translesion synthesis, and homologous recombination. The response is initiated when DNA lesions result in the accumulation of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA). The protein RecA is activated by binding to ssDNA and is then denoted RecA*. RecA* assists in the auto-cleavage of LexA which is the primary repressor protein involved in …

Designing For Dignity: A Model For Women And Newborn Healthcare Settings In Honduras, Ana Sandoval Aguilar

All Theses

Many women and infants in Honduras, primarily those from low-income and minority populations, lack access to dignified healthcare spaces that support the provision of quality care. Whether it is due to an unreasonable distance to the nearest healthcare facility or poor quality of the infrastructure that results in bypassing behavior, women and infants in Honduras face serious barriers to accessing quality services. This, in turn, results in adverse outcomes such as maternal mortality, low patient and staff satisfaction, and low utilization. This thesis proposes that the culturally relevant, patient-centered, and efficient design of maternity and newborn centers in Honduras can …

Silence In The Sound: Impacts Of Sound Exposure In Greenville, South Carolina, Grace Bowar

All Theses

The known environmental and health concerns have always been air, water, and dirt. Over time, human settlement introduced sound, impacting the environment and those within it. Transportation and daily interactions have continued to contribute to generated noise that is now an ever-present force. With urban planning grounded in health, safety, and well-being, the impact of sound on public health remains under recognized. This research explores the relationship between sound, health, and residential land use, with a focus on Greenville, South Carolina. This study seeks to address the gap between these variables by investigating whether elevated sound levels are present in …

Commodification And Objectification Of The Black Male Athlete In The Nfl, Jalen A. Terrell

All Theses

The black male body has often been viewed as a commodity in Western culture since the commodification of the black male body in the historical slave auction. Albeit slave owning ended in 1863 with the Emancipation Proclamation, it was not until 1946 that the National Football League (NFL) became integrated, and the commodification of black bodies became prevalent once again. As such, this study looks to understand how the X population from the data set for this study demonstrates the commodification of the black male body, the general discourse around the black and white male athletes, and explores the language …

Living Heritage Along The Ganges: Building Resilient Communities In Varanasi And Kolkata, India, Ritu G. Deshmukh

Full-Text Theses & Dissertations

This doctoral research proposes an integrative theoretical framework for understanding and managing living heritage in riverine contexts, specifically focusing on the historic cities of Varanasi and Kolkata along the Ganges River in India. The study develops a new paradigm for living heritage conservation that embraces the fluid, dynamic nature of cultural landscapes through what the author terms the “Adaptive Fluid Living Heritage Continuum” (A.F.L.H.C).

Traditional approaches to heritage management often treat cultural landscapes and living heritage as static entities requiring preservation rather than living systems capable of adaptation. This research challenges this perspective by examining how communities along the Ganges …

Fluctuations In Environmental Policy: An Example For Why Not To Despair, Seattle T. Schuessler

Whittier Scholars Program

This paper explores the historical and contemporary fluctuations in environmental policy within the United States. Emphasizing the role of political polarization in shaping legislative and regulatory outcomes within environmental policy. Through a chronological analysis of environmental policy, through legislation such as the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act, to the changing agendas of presidential administrations, the paper demonstrates that environmental protection has progressed upward in a fluctuating manner. Despite eras of regulatory rollbacks and administrative opposition, particularly during conservative presidencies, the overall trends indicate enduring support for environmental legislation. The paper further investigates the implementation challenges of California Senate …

Mls Revenue Project, Anthony Joseph Chavoya

Whittier Scholars Program

MLS soccer teams are viewed as successful franchises based on their yearly revenue profits and the quality of players they acquire to be on their teams. Top standings and having winning results do help teams to drive revenue within an organization. However, there are other external variables that play an important part in how successful a team is within MLS. These external factors can be the quality of sponsors, stadium location and design, advertising in communities, and player interactions with their fans. This research project takes into consideration what the top three MLS teams are excelling in than the bottom …

Gendered Film Criticism And “Intolerable Images”: Representation Of Female Trauma In Brady Corbet’S Vox Lux (2018), Alison Kreul

Film and Media Studies (MA) Theses

This thesis explores Brady Corbet's 2018 film Vox Lux, focusing on its portrayal of female trauma and the subsequent gendered division in its critical reception. The film centers on Celeste, a survivor of a school shooting who rises to pop stardom, depicting an eighteen-year narrative that transforms her personal trauma into a public spectacle and a critique of American culture. Through theoretical frameworks from Judith Lewis Herman, E. Ann Kaplan, Jacques Rancière and Susan Sontag, this thesis examines how the film's fragmented narrative and stylistic shifts represent the long-term psychological aftermath of trauma, manifesting as emotional dysregulation, substance abuse, …

Rural Access To Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (Ccbhcs), Aaron P. Smith, Jeffrey Talbert

Rural & Underserved Health Research Center Publications

Overview of Key Findings

▪ The number of Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) expanded from 2022 to 2023, increasing from 371 to 480. Most of the growth was driven by rural counties (57.9% increase, 126 to 199) while urban counties increased by 14.7% (245 to 281).

▪ The number of services offered at CCBHCs is similar in both rural and urban localities, but urban CCBHCs were more likely to offer services that cater to a diverse client base, such as speaking different languages, and nicotine cessation programs. Rural CCBHCs were more likely to have programs for minors, veterans, and …

Virtually Unheard Of: Why U.S. Courts Needs Rules For Virtual Reality Evidence, Mahin Mughal

North Carolina Journal of Law & Technology

No abstract provided.

The Digital War: How Ai And Blockchain Serve As Catalysts In The Fight Against Human Trafficking, Sanam Sohrabian

North Carolina Journal of Law & Technology

No abstract provided.

Research Skills: Search Strategies, Elizabeth Irvine

AFIT Library Knowledge Base

No abstract provided.

Examining The Effects Of Quercetin On Phenotypic Characteristics Of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells, Thomas M. Needy

Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Introduction A significant obstacle to mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) potency and therapeutic utility is in vitro senescence, an irreversible cessation of replication associated with age-related complications. Senolytic drugs, such as quercetin, may be helpful in selectively culling senescent cells while leaving non-senescent cells unaffected, thereby increasing potency of high-passage MSCs.

Methods The phenotypic, genotypic, and immunomodulatory effects of quercetin were assessed using in vitro models. Senescent cells, created through repeated subculturing of MSCs in vitro, and non-senescent cells were treated with 10 μM quercetin, differentiated into osteocytes, adipocytes, and chondrocytes, and analyzed to observe the effect of quercetin.

Results Quercetin …

Masthead

UC Law Environmental Journal

No abstract provided.

Collective Effervescence As Self-Organization And Enaction, Christian Kronsted

Philosophy Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Shifts In The Information Interface Between Managers And Analysts, Rebecca A. Ranucci

American Business Review

Managers navigate information asymmetries between their firm and investors in large part through securities analysts. This paper refines the model of securities analysts as information intermediaries by using shifts in the information environment to reveal how managerial behaviors impact the effectiveness of analysts as information intermediaries. Using the insurance industry as the research setting, this study offers evidence that analysts are less accurate in the years following Regulation Fair Disclosure (RegFD) as information asymmetries increased, but that negative effect moderated under the capital market scrutiny that followed the Global Financial Crisis (GFC). Risk averse managers exacerbated adverse effects on analyst …

Maternal Occupational Exposure To Noise, Kristen W. Van Buren, Carissa M. Rocheleau, I. Chen Chen, Wayne T. Sanderson, Leslie A. Macdonald, Elizabeth A. Masterson, Eirini Nestoridi, Elizabeth C. Ailes

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Objectives We investigated associations between occupational noise and gestational diabetes mellitus, pregnancy-related hypertension (including pre-eclampsia/eclampsia), preterm birth and small for gestational age (SGA) infants. Methods Data were analysed for 7889 singleton, live-born infants without major birth defects or chromosomal disorders and their mothers from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study from 1997 to 2011. Typical maternal occupational noise exposure in all jobs held from 1 month prior to conception through the end of pregnancy was estimated by expert rater and categorised as quiet (<60 A-weighted decibels (dBA)), low (60-75 dBA), moderate (76-84 dBA) or loud (>85 dBA). Multiple logistic regression was used to estimate associations (adjusted ORs and 95% CIs) between …