Digital Commons Network^™

Pesticide Poisonings And Deadly Hazards: Using The Farm Bill To Protect Workers, Melissa Mcelroy

Colorado Environmental Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Improving Behavioral Health Counseling Scheduling Rates On Same Day Of Referral, Benjamin Rogers, Md, Rachel Pallay, Md, Edward Delesky, Md, Meg Broderick, Md, Jade Enright, Md, Eunice Choe, Md

Department of Family & Community Medicine Posters

Background

• Studies suggest 1 in 5 adults in the US suffer from mental illness, with up to 46% of Philadelphia residents reporting poor mental health.
• Care integration beginning with primary care physician evaluation and management is becoming more common.
• Behavioral health counseling (BHC), provided by a primary physician and trained psychologist, is vital in management of mental health conditions.
• Studies suggest same-day scheduling of follow up appointments improves treatment adherence.
• Goal: Improve BHC scheduling rates on same-day of initial referral.

Cargo Consolidation, Routing, And Location Optimization To Reduce Traffic Congestion By Minimizing Commercial Heavy Vehicle Trips, Mario M. Monsreal, Seckin Ozkul, Bill Prieto, Jose Rivera, William Eisele

Research Reports

Commercial heavy vehicles, given their frequency of acceleration and deceleration, impact the traffic stream more than passenger cars, leading to greater congestion on the roads. Mixed-cargo shipments, or cargo consolidation, is an operational strategy that has gained traction in many industries because it reduces transportation costs while increasing asset utilization, such as making use of all the available capacity. This practice achieves cost reductions and increased asset efficiency by reducing the number of trips that are needed to deliver the same volume of products among different companies. However, its implementation is far from optimal since it is often carried out …

Exploring E-Bikes In The Era Of Electrification: Toward A More Sustainable And Equitable Transportation System, Ipek Nese Sener, Laura Higgins, Kyuhyun Lee

Research Reports

While increasing electrification is vital, additional steps are necessary to maximize its benefits in terms of reducing congestion and promoting sustainable, accessible, and equitable transportation for all. E-bikes, operating at speeds faster than pedal-only bicycles and requiring less physical effort to ride, have the potential to offer transportation alternatives to a diverse range of users. However, many individuals who could benefit from e-bikes face barriers to accessing or using this mode of transportation. In this context, the primary objective of this study is to enhance our understanding of the barriers, concerns, and needs associated with e-bikes. Recognizing that such understanding …

Optimization, Characterization, And Comparison Of Two Luciferase-Expressing Mouse Glioblastoma Models, Louis Rodgers, Julia A. Schulz Pauly, Bryan J. Maloney, Anika M. S. Hartz, Bjoern Bauer

UK CARES Faculty Publications

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive brain cancer. To model GBM in research, orthotopic brain tumor models, including syngeneic models like GL261 and genetically engineered mouse models like TRP, are used. In longitudinal studies, tumor growth and the treatment response are typically tracked with in vivo imaging, including bioluminescence imaging (BLI), which is quick, cost-effective, and easily quantifiable. However, BLI requires luciferase-tagged cells, and recent studies indicate that the luciferase gene can elicit an immune response, leading to tumor rejection and experimental variation. We sought to optimize the engraftment of two luciferase-expressing GBM models, GL261 Red-FLuc and TRP-mCherry-FLuc, showing differences …

Influence Of Four Veterinary Antibiotics On Constructed Treatment Wetland Nitrogen Transformation, Matthew Russell, Tiffany L. Messer, Deborah A. Report, Richard L. Smith, Shannon L. Bartelt-Hunt, Daniel D. Snow, Ariel P. Reed

UK CARES Faculty Publications

The use of wetlands as a treatment approach for nitrogen in runoff is a common practice in agroecosystems. However, nitrate is not the sole constituent present in agricultural runoff and other biologically active contaminants have the potential to affect nitrate removal efficiency. In this study, the impacts of the combined effects of four common veterinary antibiotics (chlortetracycline, sulfamethazine, lincomycin, monensin) on nitrate-N treatment efficiency in saturated sediments and wetlands were evaluated in a coupled microcosm/mesocosm scale experiment. Veterinary antibiotics were hypothesized to significantly impact nitrogen speciation (e.g., nitrate and ammonium) and nitrogen uptake and transformation processes (e.g., plant uptake and …

Recovery Heros: Recruiting Recovery Coaches And Peer Support Specialists At The Coulee Recovery Center, Sascha S. Cromheecke

Strategic Communication Master of Arts Thesis Projects

No abstract provided.

A Parent's Guide To Social Media Safety, Catherine Grimley

Gator Team Child Juvenile Law Clinic

The goal of this White Paper is to provide parents and other caregivers with a compilation of literature from some of the most popular social media platforms in one convenient place. It aims to help parents understand what parental controls and account settings are available, so they can facilitate important conversations with their teens regarding social media safety.

Exploring Creative Placemaking Of Americana Outdoor Music Festivals In The Southeastern United States, Tyler Spencer

All Theses

Large outdoor music festivals have been a part of the American experience since the 1930s and are creative gatherings, economic engines, and vehicles of place attachment. This research draws on theoretical constructs of Creative Placemaking, the Biophilia Hypothesis, and Musicophilia to understand outcomes of outdoor Americana music festivals in the Southeastern United States from the perspective of the managers/organizers of these events. Interview data was collected from managers/organizers representing fifteen outdoor Americana music festivals in the Southeastern United States. The data was organized into nine thematic categories, and these were distilled into five key themes associated with the outcomes of …

Modeling Of Multi-Period Disaster Logistics Planning In The State Of South Carolina, Emma Simon

All Theses

South Carolina is one of the most vulnerable states in the United States to the impact of hurricanes. Currently, when threatened with a natural disaster such as a hurricane, the state government makes many vital decisions based on knowledge and experience. In this study, the distribution of disaster relief commodities to meet immediate needs is analyzed through two models for the case of South Carolina to generate an optimal logistics strategy that considers the social vulnerability of affected populations. The first model is a multi-objective pre-disaster logistics model that uses a four-index formulation for the multiple trip vehicle routing problem. …

Disinfection Byproducts And Their Precursors In Drinking Water Sources: Origins, Influencing Factors, And Environmental Insights, Rong Xiao, Yang Deng, Zuxin Xu, Wenhai Chu

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Tracing the contamination origins in water sources and identifying the impacts of natural and human processes are essential for ecological safety and public health. However, current analysis approaches are not ideal, as they tend to be laborious, time-consuming, or technically difficult. Disinfection byproducts (DBPs) are a family of well-known secondary pollutants formed by the reactions of chemical disinfectants with DBP precursors during water disinfection treatment. Since DBP precursors have various origins (e.g., natural, domestic, industrial, and agricultural sources), and since the formation of DBPs from different precursors in the presence of specific disinfectants is distinctive, we argue that DBPs and …

Answering The Call: How Reconfiguration Of The Nation’S Mental Health Crisis Call Line Can Facilitate Reimagination Of Community Well-Being And Public Safety, Lucy Chin

Minnesota Law Review Vols. 106:2 onward (2021-present)

When the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline went live in Summer 2022, communities across the country began to confront the question of how this new, expanded behavioral health resource would integrate into the country's preexisting, emergency response systems. The program seemed to promise the solution to an increasingly visible problem--as communities demanded changes in how we respond to emergent situations, the national government announced a solution that promised to significantly expand our mental health emergency response system. This sort of shift presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to implement innovative policy measures that provide meaningful mental health resources to a wide array …

Promoting The Integration Of Direct-To-Consumer Genetic Testing Results Into Clinical Practice, Kanesha Glenn

All Dissertations

In recent years, individuals have become interested in what insights direct-to-consumer genetic testing (DTCGT) can offer about their health. These individuals are recommended to discuss their concerns with a healthcare professional, yet most primary care professionals do not have a genetics-focused practice. This dissertation comprises five chapters to describe the integration of DTCGT results into a patient visit. Chapter I discusses the expanding demand between patients with questions about their DTCGT results and the health professionals who have been tasked to interpret these results. Chapter II is a systematic literature review that identifies what health professionals think about results from …

Mathematical Evaluation Of Population Changes Of Lactobacillus Acidophilus And Bifidobacterium Animalis Ssp. Lactis As Free And Encapsulated Cells In Butter, Rakesh Kaushik, Kritika Gaba, Sanjeev Anand, Gemechis Djira

Dairy Science and Food Science Faculty Publications: 2022 to Present

Growing butter markets, domestically and globally, provide opportunities for value-added variants of butter. Adding probiotics to butter could boosts its bioactivity; however, maintaining probiotic viability during storage is a major challenge. Mathematical analysis of probiotic population changes could help improve our understanding of how probiotics interact with butter and storage conditions. Two strains of probiotics in a 1:1 ratio as free cells or Whey Protein Hydrolysate–Maltodextrin (WPH-MD)-encapsulated cells, Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 4356 (LA5) and Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis ATCC 27536 (BB12), were separately mixed into butter at 1% levels. Using analysis of covariance, a mathematical evaluation for probiotic population changes …

Give It A Nudge: A Comparative Analysis Of The Values And Application Of Voluntary Environmental Programs In The United States, Pianpian Wang

Dissertations & Theses

In recent years, companies have increased their voluntary commitments to reducing carbon emissions and implementing sustainability goals. While existing research mainly focuses on government-organized voluntary environmental programs (VEPs), exploring corporate voluntary commitments is essential. The business sector’s active role in environmental management is noteworthy. Traditionally, governments have relied on command-and-control regulations and market incentives to compel companies to protect the environment. However, companies are now demonstrating a willingness to go beyond legal requirements. Naturally, we seek answers to whether these commitments are effective, what factors can contribute to their authenticity, and how we compare these voluntary commitments to other VEPs. …

Incorporating Equity Into Sea-Level Rise Planning: Perspectives From Practitioners Across California, Nayré Herrera

Local Reports and Publications

Scholars along with national and state governments have increasingly made calls to incorporate an equity lens into climate adaptation processes and into sea-level rise planning specifically. However, the language used in these high-level policies remains vague. There remains a need to learn from practitioners on the ground about the challenges and opportunities for effectively incorporating an equity lens into sea-level rise adaptation and planning efforts. I conducted interviews with 17 individuals who are working within their agencies or organizations to advance equity across the California coast along with a review of 17 California coastal policy documents to gain insights into …

Visit The Imprisoned: A Heuristic Inquiry Into The Experiences Of Catholic Detention Ministry Volunteers, Christopher Tran

Education (PhD) Dissertations

There exists a wide breadth of literature in regards to the harmful and dehumanizing impact of incarceration on human development and dignity. Through my years as a volunteer in detention ministry, I have witnessed firsthand these effects particularly on youths who have been incarcerated. My experiences have led me to wonder then, “Why does the prison system still exist to harm people despite the array of research condemning its practices?” Through this pondering, I critiqued the larger systems at play: the prison-industrial complex, the sociopolitical rhetoric of “tough on crime,” and the overall demonization of this population. As a response …

Global To Glocal: A Confluence Of Data Science And Earth Observations In The Advancement Of The Sdgs, Rejoice Thomas

Computational and Data Sciences (PhD) Dissertations

The United Nations' (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), part of Agenda 2030, comprise 17 interconnected goals and 169 actionable targets, providing an effective framework for addressing diverse issues ranging from individual challenges such as poverty, hunger, and health to broader corporate and global challenges like climate change and equality. Among these interconnected SDGs, this dissertation focuses on the role of climate and infrastructure in global and local sustainability. To this end, earth observations have been conducted utilizing data science techniques to advance these SDGs. For this dissertation, the author has conducted earth studies serving the following SDGs:

1. SDG 3 (Good …

Optimization Of Pre-Enrichment And Screening Methods For The Detection Of Salmonella Enterica In Meat Analog Products, Kylie Sacapano

Food Science (MS) Theses

With the growing demand and variety of meat analogs on the commercial market, there is a need to revisit the methodology for the detection of foodborne pathogens in these products. The current Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory methods for Salmonella enterica detection in meat analogs follow the Bacteriological Analytical Manual (BAM) and are time-consuming and costly, requiring pre-enrichment using lactose broth (LB) with a surfactant (e.g., Triton X-100). Therefore, this study aimed to optimize pre-enrichment and screening methods for the detection of Salmonella in meat analogs by comparing the current FDA reference methods to updated techniques. To achieve this, …

A Meta-Analysis Of Seafood Species Mislabeling Rates In The United States, Sarah Ahles

Food Science (MS) Theses

Seafood is vulnerable to species mislabeling due to factors such as complex global supply chains, varying prices, and similar appearance of species. Numerous studies have been published reporting a range of mislabeling rates for various forms of seafood. However, these studies oftentimes focus on lesser-consumed species that are vulnerable to species mislabeling. As a result, the overall mislabeling rate of commercially sold seafood in the U.S. remains unknown, especially for the most consumed species. Thus, the objective of the current study was to compile the results of seafood mislabeling studies into a single resource to provide informative statistics on U.S. …

Chlorogenic And Caffeic Acids’ Impact On Formation Of Fluorescent And Non-Fluorescent Advanced Glycation End-Products As A Function Of Temperature, Christianne Yapor

Food Science (MS) Theses

The glycation of amino acids with carbonyl groups of reducing sugars produces advanced glycation end-products (AGEs). These AGEs can be harmful to health over time. The research objective was to compare the effects of 0-1.00 mM chlorogenic acid (CGA) and caffeic acid (CA) on AGEs formed in glucose-lysine solutions at 25 °C, 63 °C and 100 °C for 30 and 60 minutes by measuring fluorescent AGEs: vesperlysine A and B, vesperlysine C, and total AGEs, and non- fluorescent carboxymethyl-lysine (CML) and carboxyethyl-lysine (CEL) with LC-MS. Chlorogenic acid inhibited the formation of AGEs to a greater extent compared to CA at …

Catastrophic Progress: A Queer Materialist Analysis Of The 2023 Trans/Bud Light Controversy, Brianna Radke

English (MA) Theses

On April 1, 2023, Dylan Mulvaney, a transgender woman and social media influencer, made a March Madness post on Instagram sponsored by Bud Light. The response from the conservative right was swift and extreme, galvanizing protests against Anheuser-Busch InBev and resulting in a massive loss in sales that is still discussed in news and pop culture circles today. The event offers unique analytic value, particularly through the nexus of queer and materialist theoretical frameworks, providing a glimpse into the growing conflict between big business and queer-allied consumers. From a materialist perspective, the Bud Light/Mulvaney controversy demonstrates how social media – …

Interior Chinatown: Chinatown As A Performative Space, Audrey Fong

English (MA) Theses

This thesis focuses on Charles Yu’s Interior Chinatown: A Novel (2020), exploring the function of Chinatown in Los Angeles within the novel as a space of creation, that of “Asia” for Hollywood and home for Taiwanese immigrants. I argue that Interior Chinatown offers a unique look at the perception or notion of Chinatown, paying attention to the way Hollywood has shaped it and used it to create a sense of China and “Asia” in the cultural imagination. Through satire and the blurring of the reel and the real, Yu is able to criticize the inner workings of Hollywood’s relationship with …

Legitimacy Competition: China And The United States Legitimization Of International Criminal Court Referral Decisions, Allison Flame

International Studies (MA) Theses

How do the United States and China legitimize their position regarding United Nations Security Council (UNSC) referrals to the International Criminal Court (ICC)? Existing literature addresses that states seek to gain and maintain legitimacy. However, there is an overall lack of attention given to how state representatives frame key decisions to legitimize the state's stance and if there are correlations between cases. Filling the gap in literature, this project examines how states legitimize their position on referrals to the ICC as permanent members of the UNSC and identifies a pattern in how they do this. Referring to the legitimacy competition …

Changes In Soil Chemical Attributes, Horticultural Performance And Fruit Yield Of Peach Cultivars Following Preplant And Annual Applications Of Composted Mulch Amendments, Jeffrey Hopkins

All Theses

Southeastern peach orchards often have poor soil quality due to native soil composition, intensive farming practices and generational replanting of trees in the same locations. This study investigated using mulch amendments to improve the chemical and physical quality of soil prior to planting a new peach orchard. At the beginning of the four-year study, a single-ground municipal composted mulch was incorporated into the soil at two different rates and three cultivars of peaches, ‘Rubyprince’, ‘Julyprince’, and ‘BigRed’ were planted on berms. Thereafter, the same mulch product was annually applied to the top of the berms at two different rates to …

Waiting For Mahanoy: Examining The Still-Unsettled Jurisprudence Of Online Student Speech, Emily Erickson, Matthew D. Bunker

William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal

This Article first explores the constitutional background of student speech rights, beginning with the Tinker decision and continuing through early court attempts to analyze online, off-campus cases. Next, it examines Mahanoy itself, unpacking the frustratingly murky majority opinion written by Justice Stephen Breyer. The Article then breaks new ground by exploring court decisions in the years since Mahanoy, as jurists continue trying to identify First Amendment boundaries in student speech cases involving bullying, threats, and otherwise offensive speech. A concluding section synthesizes the state of the law and offers perspectives on this vital area of constitutional concern.

This abstract …

Energy Efficient Development: A Comparative Life Cycle Analysis Of Retrofitted And New Housing In Lewiston, Maine, Martin Carriere, Jack Lacasse, Ned Farrington

Standard Theses

In response to aging residential buildings in Lewiston, Maine, a choice must be made between retrofitting existing residential buildings or building new homes. Renovating existing residential buildings decreases construction and material emissions, however, there are significant limitations to the energy efficiency of retrofitting residential buildings. Working through a community-engaged research approach with Raise-Op, a local housing cooperative in Lewiston, Maine, this study seeks to understand the environmental impact of retrofitting existing residential buildings in comparison to building new energy efficient homes. Employing a life cycle CO₂ assessment, this study calculates the embodied carbon of a retrofitted residential building model …

Essays On High-Frequency Financial Econometric, Qiyuan Li

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

This dissertation consists of three papers contributing to the theory of estimation and inference of high-frequency financial data. In the second chapter, a general framework is introduced for optimal nonparametric spot volatility estimation based on intraday range data, comprised of the first, highest, lowest, and last prices over a given time interval. Employing a decisiontheoretic approach together with a coupling-type argument, the form of the nonparametric estimator is directly tailored to the specific volatility measure of interest and the relevant loss function. The resulting new optimal estimators offer substantial efficiency gains compared to existing commonly used range-based procedures. The third …

Total Hip Arthroplasty Outcomes In A Patient With Moderate To Severe Scoliosis: A Case Study, Rachael Dobbs

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Introduction. The purpose of this case study is to discuss the role of physical therapy in patients who have moderate to severe scoliosis and plan to or have undergone a total hip arthroplasty. In evaluating the case of a female with moderate to severe scoliosis who recently underwent a total hip arthroplasty, it will be determined if physical therapy intervention was successful in improving her symptoms and reducing the risk of further complications.

Case Description. Patient is a 70-year-old female who presents to physical therapy evaluation several weeks post total hip arthroplasty. The patient has comorbidities of osteoarthritis and moderate …

Inpatient Physical Therapy Management Of A Patient Sustaining Multiple Fractures And A Hemorrhagic Temporal Lobe Contusion Due To An Absent Seizure And Fall: A Case Report, Kylie M. Helgeland

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Introduction: A case report for the acute care assessment and treatment of a patient after a seizure and fall that resulted in multiple fractures and a temporal lobe contusion. Every injury has an impact on a patient’s mobility and their ability to perform activities of daily living. Physical therapists need to see each injury and understand how each one can affect the patient and have a barrier on their recovery.

Case description: A 59-year-old female who fell down 3 stairs during an absent seizure resulting in multiple fractures and a temporal contusion. The patient presented with impairments of motor planning, …