Digital Commons Network^™

The Diorama Of Coexistence Hypnagogia: The Liminal Space Between Dream And Reality, Yunseok Song

Master's Theses

The “Diorama of Coexistence” explores the imagined spaces where humans and animals share the same environments, blurring the lines between reality and fantasy. This year-long photographic project is inspired by my Christian faith and the Genesis creation narrative, where the world was originally harmonious and unspoiled. Through my work, I aim to reimagine the natural world, not as it is, but as it could be a place where animals and humans coexist peacefully.

In researching human development and its impact on nature, I found that animals are often confined to spaces like zoo, far from their natural habitats. This led …

Taking The Bang Out Of The Gang: The Impact Of Catholic Schools On Gang Homicides In El Salvador, Ann Jillian Villanueva Adona

Master's Theses

This study explores the impact of Catholic presence on homicide rates in El Salvador, specifically focusing on the role of Catholic schools in reducing violence in gang-afflicted municipalities. Analyzing municipality-level data from various years, I used Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) and Instrumental Variable (IV) regressions to study the association between school enrollment and homicide rates. Results show that higher enrollment in Catholic schools is linked to a reduction in homicide rates in gang-affected areas, contrasting with an increase in homicides for non-religious schools. This research sheds light on the importance of investing in Catholic education as a strategy for violence …

Investigating Racial Disparities Within Maternal Health Care In The United States: How Race, Socioeconomic Status And Geographic Location Affect Quality And Access To Maternal Health Care, Olivia Clopton Foster

Master's Theses

In this analysis, I delve into the historical context of medical racism in the United States, including the dark history of medical experimentation on black bodies from the time of the antebellum south until now. I pose the question: What is the correlation between race, socioeconomic status and geographic location to the quality and access to maternal health care? This deeply anti black historical background has a direct correlation to the quality and access of healthcare for black mothers. I approach this analysis through both a theoretical framework and statistical research, specifically highlighting the works of black feminist and global …

Exploring The Relationship Between Load Shedding And Crime In Gauteng, Bhavesh Ram

Master's Theses

This study investigates the impact of load shedding, a recurring power outage phenomenon in South Africa, on crime rates in the densely populated Gauteng province. Using a novel dataset that combines Eskom's load shedding schedules with detailed crime statistics from 2015 to 2022, a fixed-effects regression model is employed to examine the relationship between blackout hours and various crime categories. Findings reveal that while load shedding does not significantly affect overall crime rates, it significantly increases the incidence of contact crimes and sexual offenses, particularly during daylight hours. Additionally, our results provide evidence that load shedding diminishes the ability of …

Comfortability In The Latino And Hispanic Community, Vanessa Flores

Master's Theses

Many organizations often publicize their efforts to help particular communities but, how helpful are they to those who are their targets? For this reason this research focuses on the question of, how do programs create inclusivity and accessibility to the Hispanic community? This study focuses on five specific organizations that all commonly support the Hispanic Community in California, although some do go outside of the state due to extensions. In this study I have analyzed the content presented on each organization's website and determined their accessibility and inclusivity within the Hispanic community. This research analyzes the websites content thoroughly through …

Sport As A Means Of Emancipation: A Global Feminist Perspective, Exploring The Case Study Of Sahrawi Athlete Inma Zanoguera, Olivia Alexandre

Master's Theses

This thesis explores how sport can serve as an effective means of emancipation against intersecting forms of oppression, framed in the colonial context of Western Sahara. Through the case study of Sahrawi athlete and activist Inma Zanoguera, this research examines the emancipatory potential of athletics at the intersection of feminism, decolonization and the pursuit of self-determination.

Chronicling the multidimensional journey of Inma Zanoguera, her narrative becomes the vehicle of a bigger message : How athletic pursuits provide a platform for subverting entrenched systems of patriarchal, racial and political oppression. As Zanoguera states, "I believe in the power of sports to …

Using Virtual Power Plants To Advance Decarbonization And Energy Equity In California, Cheri Tsoi Yu Tse

Master's Theses

To achieve 60% renewable electricity generation by 2030 and 100% zero-carbon electricity by 2045, California must rapidly electrify and decarbonize all sectors while ensuring grid stability to avoid power outages. Virtual power plants (VPPs) are an emerging solution that can help increase the percentage of renewable energy on California’s electrical grid. This research examined how VPPs can advance decarbonization, grid stability, and energy equity in California. The report begins by clarifying the definitions and components of a VPP, finding the crucial interactions among distributed energy resources (DERs), management systems, and prosumers (energy consumers who both produce and consume electricity). Next, …

Does Higher Socioeconomic Status Associate With Better Mental Health Outcomes Among Primary Caregivers In Rural China?, Wenwen Zhang

Master's Theses

This study explores the intricate relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and the mental health outcomes of primary caregivers in rural China, focusing on the Early Childhood Development (ECD) context in Ya'an. Anchored in a major intervention project launched in 2023, the study critically examines the hypothesis that higher socioeconomic status correlates with lower levels of negative emotions among caregivers.

Utilizing cross-sectional data, the research investigates how educational attainment and household income influence caregivers' mental health, measured through the DASS-21 score in three dimensions: stress, anxiety, and depression. The findings reveal that higher household income and educational levels are significantly associated …

Common Single-Base Insertions In The Vntr Of The Carboxyl Ester Lipase (Cel) Gene Are Benign And Also Likely To Arise Somatically In The Exocrine Pancreas, Ranveig S Brekke, Anny Gravdal, Khadija El Jellas, Grace E Curry, Jianguo Lin, Steven J Wilhelm, Solrun J Steine, Eric Mas, Stefan Johansson, Mark E Lowe, Bente B Johansson, Xunjun Xiao, Karianne Fjeld, Anders Molven

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The CEL gene encodes carboxyl ester lipase, a pancreatic digestive enzyme. CEL is extremely polymorphic due to a variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) located in the last exon. Single-base deletions within this VNTR cause the inherited disorder MODY8, whereas little is known about VNTR single-base insertions in pancreatic disease. We therefore mapped CEL insertion variants (CEL-INS) in 200 Norwegian patients with pancreatic neoplastic disorders. Twenty-eight samples (14.0%) carried CEL-INS alleles. Most common were insertions in repeat 9 (9.5%), which always associated with a VNTR length of 13 repeats. The combined INS allele frequency (0.078) was similar to that observed in …

Adsorption-Type Aluminium-Based Direct Lithium Extraction: The Effect Of Heat, Salinity And Lithium Content, Yasaman Boroumand, Amir Razmjou

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Conventional lithium production through solar evaporation is considered a time-consuming procedure, taking a substantial 12 to 18 months with significant environmental impacts such as aquifer depletion and damaging the basin's complex hydrological system. Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) has emerged as a promising alternative for lithium extraction from brines, offering reduced environmental impact. Although adsorption-type DLE with aluminium-based adsorbents is the sole commercial technology of DLE, a debate persists concerning its Technology Readiness Level (TRL), which challenges the prevailing notion that adsorption-type DLE undeniably reaches a TRL of 9. Within this narrative, we propose that adsorption is capable of attaining its …

Queering The Care Chain & Migration Discourse, Duun O'Hara

Master's Theses

Abstract

This thesis seeks to fill the gaps between migration and domestic labor discourses that lack a queer, decolonial conception of the queer migrant community in the US. Dominant conceptualizations of care work exclude LGBTQ+ migrant individuals who are forced into the “informal” sector of labor as a by-product of the settler-colonial state, neoliberalism, and globalization. Centering queer migration approaches and decolonial practices will help to illuminate how gender, race, and sexuality are consistently excluded in discussions of migrant domestic workers. To investigate how migration discourse and understandings of care work continue to impose Western heteronormative perceptions of migrants, I …

The Impact Of Female Political Leadership On Intimate Partner Violence In India, Khushboo Patel

Master's Theses

Abstract:

This study employs an instrumental variable approach to examine the impact of female political leadership on women’s experiences of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). It finds that in rural areas with more female leaders, incidents of sexual and psychological IPV increase. The analysis investigates the drivers behind this impact, revealing that entrenched gender norms and expectations, such as a husband’s preference for more sons, may exacerbate IPV. Additionally, despite the increase in female leaders, attitudes toward violence remain largely unchanged. These findings highlight the need for research and policy initiatives that not only encourage female political participation but also specifically …

Does Trust Influence Being Generous? An Empirical Study Across Five Countries, Andrew Hall

Master's Theses

This study examines whether social trust, a key aspect of social capital, influences individual generosity behaviors. Previous research has explored the relationship between social capital and philanthropic actions, but comprehensive analyses remain sparse. To address this gap, we employed a dictator game together with trust-related survey questions, collecting data from participants across five countries globally. We categorized trust into four distinct areas: social trust, ingroup trust, outgroup trust, and general trust. Similarly, we divided our dependent variable, generosity, into two types: costly generous and costless generous behaviors. Our findings were mixed and varied by location. Overall, general trust positively influenced …

The Cost Of Prosperity In China, Comparison Of Early Development Differences Between Left-Behind Children And Non-Left-Behind Children In Rural China, Yuchen Zhu

Master's Theses

This study aims to explore the cognitive development differences between left-behind and non-left-behind children in rural China, specifically in the rural villages of Ya'an City, Sichuan Province. Utilizing cross-sectional data from 570 children aged 0-3 years, the children were categorized based on parental presence into four groups: non-left-behind children (both parents present), left-behind children (both parents absent), left-behind children (mother present), and left-behind children (father present). The cognitive development of these children was assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development's cognitive subscale. Regression analyses were conducted, adjusting for village-level clustering, and controlling for demographic variables such as age in …

To Burn Or Not To Burn: Causal Effect Of Farm Stubble Burning On Air Quality., Chaitanya Pasupala

Master's Theses

National Capital Region of India (NCR) experiences adverse air quality during winters with Air Quality Index (AQI) at hazardous levels. Though various factors like industrial and automobile emissions, biomass burning, and firecrackers during festive season contribute to NCR’s adverse air quality, farm stubble burning in neighbouring agricultural regions of Punjab and Haryana is considered a prominent one. The motivation and consequences of farm-stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana have been extensively studied but the causal effect of this burning on air quality of Delhi has neither been rigorously analyzed nor the effects quantified. This study aims to bridge this gap …

Vrouwenwerk | Beyondtheglassceiling: Educate, Empower, Reimagine, Malou Lena Julia Desplenter

Master's Theses

In contemporary society, social media platforms have emerged as powerful tools for advocacy and activism. This thesis explores the potential of Instagram in raising awareness and fostering dialogue around workplace equity for women in Belgium. Inspired by influential women's advocacy accounts, I embarked on a journey to fill a noticeable gap in the digital landscape – the absence of Belgian-centric content addressing workplace empowerment for women. Grounded in the unique intersections of Belgian national policies, European Union directives, and global socio-economic dynamics, this capstone delves into the multifaceted challenges faced by Belgian women in the workplace.

Through critical historical analysis …

Matrilineal Ethnic Affiliation And Female Empowerment: Investigating Attitudes Towards Female Autonomy And Health In Ivorian Households, Martine Hind Stølan

Master's Theses

Kinship structure is a fundamental aspect of anthropology, however, there is still a gap in literature on its impact on economic research, particularly regarding female autonomy and health. This study aims to address this gap by examining the influence of matrilineal ethnic affiliation on attitudes towards female autonomy and health within Ivorian households. Using data from the 2011 IPUMS Demographic and Health Survey for the Ivory Coast, using female responses, this study investigates the complex dynamics shaping attitudes towards female autonomy and access to health care. Analysis on these aspects is done using ordinary least squares (OLS) and logistic estimations. …

Differential Impacts Of Covid-19 Policy Enforcement On Food Security Dynamics, Shiv Gargé

Master's Theses

The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified food insecurity in the United States, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations. This study examines the county-level impact of various COVID-19 policies on food insecurity using data from the U.S. COVID-19 County Policy (UCCP) Database and Feeding America's Map the Meal Gap study. Employing a Difference-in-Difference (DiD) approach and a Two-Stage Least Squares (2SLS) regression with two political instrumental variables to address potential endogeneity concerns, the findings reveal nuanced impacts. DiD estimates did not show significant effects on the rate of change in food insecurity but indicated promising signs for absolute population values. The 2SLS results suggest …

The Impact Of Index Based Livestock Insurance (Ibli) On Child Nutrition In Marsabit County, Kenya, Jackson Kadyampakeni

Master's Theses

The study uses six rounds of Index-Based Livestock Insurance (IBLI) panel surveys (2009 – 2015) for Northern Kenya’s Marsabit county to investigate the impact of IBLI on child nutrition and household food security. We employ Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) and Instrumental Variable (IV) regressions to account for potential endogeneity in IBLI uptake. The results indicate that while IBLI uptake significantly improves the intake of key nutrients such as Vitamin A, protein, iron, and fruits and vegetables, it does not translate into significant improvements in child nutrition status, as measured by Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) z-scores. Significant negative effects of age …

Reimagination And Placemaking In Cape Town: Navigating Apartheid's Legacy Through Community-Focused Placemaking Initiatives, Merhawit Mehzun

Master's Theses

This paper explores the concept of placemaking in Cape Town, South Africa, a city shaped by a complex history of displacement, segregation, and resilience. While urban planning has often prioritizes non-human factors, like economy and infrastructure, placemaking emphasizes the creation of meaningful spaces that foster a sense of "place" for people. Through examining the lived experiences of Capetonians, historical narratives at the District Six Museum, and contemporary efforts in Langa, this research aims to uncover how South Africans are reimagining their urban environment to cultivate authenticity and a sense of belonging. This leads to a larger discussion about gentrification. By …

Commencement 2024

Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Collaborating For Strength And Knowledge: A Tribal Libraries Program Field Trip To An Academic Health Sciences Library, Deirdre Caparoso, Cassandra Osterloh, Tracy Garcia, Deborah Rhue

Posters and Presentations

The poster and collaborative materials are available for download. Here are the attached materials contribution information.

File: TLP MLA Poster Narrative

Authors: Deirdre Caparoso, MLIS, Cassandra Osterloh, MLS, MA, Tracy Garcia, Deborah Rhue, MLIS, AHIP

Affiliations: HSLIC, New Mexico State Library, Santo Domingo Pueblo Library

Abstract/description: Longer narrative accompanying Collaborating for Strength and Knowledge: A Tribal Libraries Program Field Trip to an Academic Health Sciences Library, a poster presented at the Medical Library Association 2024 Annual Conference.

Abstract/description: poster, Medical Library Association, tribal libraries program, health sciences library, Health Sciences Library and Informatics Center, HSLIC, New Mexico State Library

File: …

“The World Withers And The Wind Rises”: Apocalyptic Language In 'The Homecoming Of Beorhtnoth' And 'The Fall Of Arthur', Kristine Larsen

Journal of Tolkien Research

As previously explored by the author, Tolkien’s 1930’s alliterative verses published as The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún and The Fall of Arthur make direct and repeated references to the End Times, paralleling the prominence of the apocalyptic Second Prophecy of Mandos in revisions to his Middle-earth legendarium written at that time. Similar themes can be found in Tolkien’s verse-dialogue The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth. The Homecoming’s genesis dates to the same general time period, and both The Fall of Arthur and The Homecoming describe a war-tainted world in apocalyptic tones, the environment dark (literally, figuratively, and in terms of men’s …

Secrets Of The Medicine Cabinet: How Big Pharma's Information Monopoly Influences Federal Public Health Regulations, Kyle James

Culture, Society, and Praxis

Pharmaceutical companies are the largest industry contributor to political activities in the United States. Instead of pursuing traditional routes of political influence, these firms concentrate their efforts within federal public health agencies. By directly intervening in the regulatory process, Big Pharma assumes control of the drug approval process, dictating the means by which pharmaceutical products enter the marketplace. This scheme is designed to strip agencies of their public interest mandate. The resulting political phenomenon, known as regulatory capture, creates a symbiotic relationship where federal agencies and industry mutually benefit from the swift commercialization of drugs. This thesis examines "how" Big …

Climate Migration In The United States: The Influence Of Natural Disasters, Resource Scarcity, And Perceived Climate Inhospitality, Sam Minard

Culture, Society, and Praxis

Climate change poses an urgent threat that necessitates adaptive strategies, and migration is an increasingly common choice. “Climate migration,” or migration in response to climate change, has attracted considerable attention, both scholarly and popular, but has primarily been considered an issue of the Global South. Climate migration in wealthy, industrialized nations such as the United States has been overlooked despite the rising severity of climate change impacts there. This study used content analysis of Reddit posts and comments to examine how the impacts of climate change are influencing migration decisions in the United States. Results showed that individuals migrated or …

Gender And Social Media: Delving Into Young Adults’ Daily Participation On Facebook, Masa Tantawy

Culture, Society, and Praxis

With the prevalence of social networking platforms, it is crucial to study the role that gender plays in its use, for gender, which is continuously shaped by society, plays a critical role in our identities and daily lives. This paper explores how the social construction of gender affects and is affected by social media through discussing the usage of Facebook by young adults, especially Middle Eastern cisgender males and females, and women’s limited freedom on this social networking site in the Arab countries. It is argued that despite individuals having some freedom online compared to offline, their choices, specifically that …

Between Populism And Settler Colonialism: A Us Case Study, Megan A. Morrell

Culture, Society, and Praxis

United States political history is a uniquely populist and settler one. While there is plenty of scholarship on populism and on settler colonialism separately, there is a significant gap in understanding how the political phenomena are connected. To begin to remedy this gap, I argue that particularly in the US political context, populist and settler colonial sociopolitical logics are both historically and theoretically interconnected. Both political phenomena are central to understanding the foundations of American socio-political life. Working in a theoretical-historical mode, I identify five ways in which settler colonialism and populism have intersected, and in the process produce a …

A New Case Of Pedipalp Regeneration In Scorpio Kruglovi Birula, 1910 (Scorpiones: Scorpionidae), Ersen A. Yağmur, Mehmet S. Kılıç, Eyüp Güneş

Euscorpius

A new case of pedipalp regeneration is described and illustrated in a subadult female of Scorpio kruglovi Birula, 1910. A small, regenerated part of chela is observed on the anterior aspect of a normally developed right patella. This is the second published case of pedipalp regeneration.

The Lady’S Museum Project, A Digital Critical And Teaching Edition Of Charlotte Lennox’S Lady’S Museum (1760-61), Completes Phase Two Of Its Three-Phase Development Schedule, Karenza Sutton-Bennett

ABO: Interactive Journal for Women in the Arts, 1640–1830

The Lady’s Museum (1760–61) was among the most important early periodicals largely written by one of the most important eighteenth-century authors, Charlotte Lennox, whose multigenre, proto-feminist writing is beginning to receive the critical and pedagogical attention it deserves. Yet no modern edition of the text has existed—until now. Launched in 2021, the Lady’s Museum Project is presenting the first critical edition of—and learning community around—Lennox’s Museum in three open-access formats to encourage the widest possible readership: a non-specialist digital, interactive edition of the text and LibriVox audiobook intended for public and undergraduate-student audiences, and a specialist digital edition intended for …

Review Of Sara Levy's World: Gender, Judaism, And The Bach Tradition In Enlightenment Berlin, Edited By Rebecca Cypess And Nancy Sinkoff, Jeanne R. Swack

ABO: Interactive Journal for Women in the Arts, 1640–1830

A review of Sara Levy's World: Gender, Judaism, and the Bach Tradition in Enlightenment Berlin, edited by Rebecca Cypess and Nancy Sinkoff