Digital Commons Network^™

Introduction – Academic Freedom And Vulnerability, Elizabeth L. Rosenblatt

Case Western Reserve Law Review

No abstract provided.

Banned, Burned, And Bound: Increasing Protections Surrounding Students’ Right To Receive Information In K-12 Schools, Catherine A. Mcclure

Case Western Reserve Law Review

No abstract provided.

When To Bite Back: Queerness, Resistance, And Reclamation Of The Monstrous Identity In Andrew Joseph White’S Hell Followed With Us, Aster J. Mehigan Mx.

English

Who gets the right to define morality? Who gets to define what is monstrous? Frankenstein’s Creature, the vampires of Lost Boys, The Craft’s head witch Nancy Downs; these characters follow a pattern through the decades of those alienated from society, in this case being written with queer subtext, being deemed as monstrous. These queer monsters become the villains of the story, causing chaos, death and destruction in their wake, seeking revenge against a world that ostracizes them. The 2022 dystopian YA horror of Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White challenges the villanized monstrous identity through its transgender protagonist …

Dog Waste Creates A Preference-Performance Mismatch For Urban Dung Beetles, Erin L. Mccullough, Beatrice M. Altopp, Daniel F. Kellogg, Madelyn S. Mcinnis, Luna J. Pagan

Biology

Urban environments expose animals to novel conditions that may favor behavioral flexibility but can create preference-performance mismatches when attractive resources are associated with reduced reproductive success. Dung beetles are often considered dietary generalists, yet little is known about how they respond to altered food availability in human-dominated habitats. We combined field surveys and laboratory experiments using two domestic dung types to examine diet preference, maternal provisioning, and offspring performance in the urban dung beetle Onthophagus orpheus. Beetles strongly preferred dog dung over cow dung, and offspring reared on dog dung developed faster and emerged as larger adults. Despite these apparent …

Clinical Challenges Associated With Enhancing Hypertension Among The Underserved African American Population, Ashley Richardson

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects

Background 

African Americans face a significantly higher prevalence of hypertension, tend to develop complications at younger ages, and have disproportionately higher mortality rates. Key social determinants of health (SDoH)—including food deserts, unequal access to healthcare, and geographic disparities in healthcare resources—contribute to these ongoing inequities. Addressing both systemic and individual barriers is crucial for effective hypertension management.

Objective

This study aims to assess the effectiveness of a culturally relevant, community-based intervention designed to reduce both systolic and diastolic blood pressure among Black adults with uncontrolled hypertension.

Methods 

Quality improvement (QI) initiatives typically employ multicomponent, equity-focused models. The primary components of …

The Postsynaptic Scaffolding Protein Sapap3 Shapes Mitochondrial Activity: The Case Of Huntington's Disease, Patrícia Coelho, Ildete Luísa Ferreira, Ana Sofia Lourenço, Daniela Marinho, Sandra Isabel Anjo, Zongwei Fang, Lígia Fão, Sandra I. Mota, Philippe J. Mas, Mário Carvalho, Rui Jorge Nobre, Carina Henriques, Joana Fraga, Dongqing Wang, Sandra Macedo Ribeiro, Luís Pereira De Almeida, Patrícia Monteiro, Isaura Simões, Darren J. Hart, Bruno Manadas, João Peça, Pedro Castanheira, A. Cristina Rego

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Postsynaptic scaffolding protein SAP90/PSD95-associated protein 3 (SAPAP3) modulates cortico-striatal signalling and regulates the maintenance of synaptic structure. Notably, SAPAP3 defects have been reported in several human psychiatric disorders that share pathophysiological features with Huntington’s disease (HD), a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the expression of mutant huntingtin (mHTT) and marked dysfunction of cortico-striatal synapses and mitochondria. However, the role of SAPAP3 in mitochondrial function and HD pathophysiology remains unexplored. SAPAP3 was extracted from striatal synaptoneurosomes and analyzed by SWATH-MS proteomics to identify potential interactors, revealing SAPAP3 association with several mitochondrial proteins, particularly Mic60. These data were further complemented with proximity ligation …

Herbivore Identity And Species Richness Shape Fruit Chemical And Quality Responses To Foliar Herbivory, Xavier Ozowara, Taylor M. Sloey, Susan R. Whitehead

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The cascading consequences of foliar herbivory on fruit chemistry and quality remain relatively underexplored, with most existing studies focusing on the effects of only one or two attackers. In this study, we examine how increasing herbivore species richness during foliar herbivory alters strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch) fruit quality and phenolic chemistry. We conducted a greenhouse experiment with single species feeding and different combinations of feeding by three generalist lepidopteran species: Spodoptera frugiperda, Heliothis virescens, Helicoverpa zea. Species fed on leaves for 72 h as fruits ripened, and fully ripe fruits were harvested 72 h after …

Passenger Pigeons, Dodos, Neanderthals, Jordan Alexander

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Passenger Pigeons, Dodos, Neanderthals is a short story collection rooted in Afrofuturism and Southern literature. Passenger Pigeons centers the experiences of queer Black American women in various settings, from Mars to rural Florida. The title story of the collection follows Teri, a human on Mars, attempting to integrate into a society of Martians who exoticize and tokenize her. In this story, I use science fiction as a vehicle to confront the microaggressions and overt racism people of color often experience in professional environments. “Rather Be the Devil,” is a fabulist story detailing the character Man’s journey to find his missing …

Understanding The Potential Biogeochemical Effects Of Alternative Restoration Materials: A Study Of Basalt And Other Materials, Cadie L. Barnes

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Concern over the effects of microplastics on estuarine ecosystems and public health has prompted many restoration practitioners to switch from plastic materials to more “natural” substrates. These natural (BESE-biopolymer, cement-jute structures) and non-plastic (basalt fiber) materials should not contain harmful substances; however, their chemical composition is unknown. Natural materials may degrade faster in subtropical environments and release nutrients into surrounding waters, which is concerning for eutrophic restoration areas. Basalt fiber bags, made from melted basalt rock spun into fibers, have not been evaluated for biogeochemical impacts within estuaries. To address this knowledge gap, two field experiments and two laboratory experiments …

Establishing And Testing Experiential Critical Theory (Ect), Dolores M. Batten Mrs.

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

There is a current gap in academia which has been largely overlooked in both pedagogy and assessment: the value of personal experience as key evidence of interpretation and meaning-making correlation. Aside from narrative writing, most current methods of literary analysis writing do not place a high value on personal experience beyond the inclusion of brief anecdotes. Yet experience is the major pathway by which an individual forms their worldview, which then informs the ways in which they interpret the world—and by extension, text. This dissertation both establishes and examines the use of Experiential Critical Theory (ECT) in pedagogical application for …

Carbaryl Exposure Alters Gut Microbiome Composition Without Affecting Morphometrics In Eastern Purple Martin (Progne Subis Subis) Nestlings, Stephanie A. Gaspar

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Eastern purple martins (Progne subis subis) rely entirely on human-provided nesting structures throughout their breeding range in eastern North America. To control haematophagous mites that commonly infest these nests, many landlords apply the carbamate insecticide, carbaryl. Although effective at reducing ectoparasite populations, carbaryl exposure may have unintended effects on the gut microbiome, growth, and condition of developing birds. This study examined the effects of carbaryl exposure on gut microbial communities and morphometric condition in wild nestlings. Nests were experimentally treated with carbaryl, and nestling morphometrics and fecal microbiomes were compared between treated and untreated groups at 18 days …

I, Cock-A-Doodle-Do: Reclaiming Masculinity Through Queer Joy And Humorous Self-Exploration, Nelson J. Garcia

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

I examine the contemporary norms of masculinity. My research wrestles with ultimately unresolvable stereotypes and imagery influencing current masculine behavior. I unearth queer potential through the physicality and behavior of the stereotypical “man’s man”. I infuse my own queer identity into my studio practice with an emphasis on humor and joy to subvert traditional models of male performance. This process drives self-exploration that allows me to personally respond, react, be directed, and redirected by the interactions between queerness and masculinity. Masculine and queer representations across various media, such as film, music, and television, historically and continuously inform restrictive cultural norms. …

Governing Harm: Three Essays On Anti-Lgbtq+ Legislation In The United States, Kathryn Hickey

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

In the United States, over 140 state bills were passed between 2014 and 2024 that directly targeted the lives of LGBTQ+ individuals. Drawing on administrative evil and the minority stress model, this dissertation demonstrates how policy environments that normalize discrimination through the passage of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation can lead to devastating consequences. Using a three-essay format, the first study conducts a qualitative content analysis of state level anti-LGBTQ+ laws passed between 2015 and 2024 to identify how administrative evil is woven into the language of the legislation. The results of this analysis show these laws systematically dehumanize LGBTQ+ individuals, restrict their …

Computational Methods For Rna 3d Structure Classification And Structural Motif Discovery, Nabila Shahnaz Khan

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Non-coding RNAs perform diverse and essential cellular functions, and the study of RNA structures is expanding rapidly. The growing volume of RNA 3D structures highlights the need for efficient computational methods to identify recurring structural motifs, which are often conserved and critical to RNA function. However, the complexity and redundancy of RNA structures in existing databases pose significant challenges for motif discovery and structural analysis. To address these challenges, this dissertation presents three complementary computational approaches. First, a non-redundant RNA structural dataset, RNA-NRD, was developed to systematically reduce redundancy in RNA structural data and provide a reliable foundation for downstream …

Reliability Of Staged Maximal Aerobic Capacity Protocol Using A Combined Upper- And Lower-Body Air-Braked Ergometer, Jack J. Livingston

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂max) is widely recognized as the preeminent measure of aerobic capacity and is typically assessed using graded exercise testing (GXT). This study examined the test–retest reliability of VO₂peak and associated physiological responses during a staged GXT performed on a combined upper- and lower-body air-braked ergometer. Fifteen recreationally active adults (9 males, 6 females; age: 26.9 ± 7.2 years; body mass: 75.1 ± 11.0 kg) completed one familiarization session and two trials separated by ≥72 hours. Participants performed a staged GXT (40 RPM start, +3 RPM every 3 min to exhaustion) on a combined upper- and lower-body air-braked …

Behavioral Economic Factors Implicated In Young Adult Drinking In The Natural Environment: An Ema Study, Tatiana Magri

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Background: Young adult (YA) alcohol use remains a prominent public health concern. Despite research efforts aimed at mitigating harms related to drinking, rates of alcohol use and adverse outcomes related to use, remain high among YAs. Previous research has identified alcohol demand, craving, and delay discounting as risk factors for problematic drinking among YAs. However, few studies have concurrently examined these constructs using methodologies that maximize ecological and contextual validity. Method: YA individuals (N=104) completed an ecological momentary assessment (EMA) protocol assessing three demand indices (i.e., intensity, Omax, and breakpoint), delay discounting, craving, and alcohol use and problems. Participants received …

Exploring The Role Of Hes4 During Retroviral Infection, Raphael Opoku

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection disrupts immune homeostasis and impairs antiviral defenses, partly by compromising natural killer (NK) cell activity, with simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection in rhesus macaques serving as a valuable model to investigate these mechanisms. This research examines the regulatory role of HES4 and its isoforms in NK cell function during retroviral infection, with particular focus on how Notch signaling–dependent regulation of HES4 shapes NK effector responses. HES4, a downstream effector of the Notch signaling pathway, encodes transcriptional repressors central to immune cell differentiation, yet its contribution to NK cell biology remains poorly understood. Using molecular and …

La Enseñanza En Línea Para Superar La Deficiencia En El Aprendizaje De La Biología En Estudiantes Del Primer Año De Una Universidad En Puerto Rico, Sergio Medina Ríos

Theses and Dissertations

Esta investigación aplicada se desarrolló a partir de una preocupación concreta observada por el investigador en su trayectoria como educador universitario en Puerto Rico: la dificultad persistente de los estudiantes de primer año para comprender conceptos fundamentales en biología. Muchos de estos jóvenes ingresan a la universidad con lagunas formativas que limitan su aprovechamiento académico, especialmente en disciplinas científicas que demandan razonamiento crítico y conceptualización abstracta.

Frente a esta realidad, el estudio propuso la implementación de estrategias de enseñanza en línea como respuesta pedagógica a dicha deficiencia. Con base en la experiencia adquirida en la impartición de cursos virtuales, se …

Teacher Perceptions Of Social-Emotional And Behavioral Factors That Impede Preschool Adjustment, Allease J. Glamore

Theses and Dissertations

Children with behavioral and social-emotional challenges struggle to adjust to the preschool environment which places increased demands on preschool teachers to implement effective strategies. The purpose of the study was to assess teachers’ perceptions regarding social-emotional and behavioral factors implicated for successful preschool adjustment. The theoretical framework guiding this study is grounded in the integration of Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, social-emotional learning theory, and behavior theory. A case study design was used to examine the perceptions and use of social-emotional and behavior interventions and supports by four early childhood teachers across two programs.

Data were collected using qualitative in-depth one-on-one …

We’Re The Aunties Now: Intersections Of Mourning Practices, Intergenerational Trauma, And Matrilineal Responsibility In Oneida Life, Marena Bridges

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation examines how Oneida and broader Haudenosaunee mourning practices, as I have lived and understood them, shape grief, healing, and matrilineal responsibility in my family. Using Indigenous autoethnography and storywork, I first present a crafted narrative, then return to that narrative through reflexive thematic analysis. The analysis identifies patterned meanings in how grief is structured, shared, and carried across closely stacked deaths in the maternal line. Mourning practices function as community infrastructure that organizes time, redistributes labor, transmits knowledge, and sustains continuing bonds with the dead. At the same time, repeated loss produces a form of matriarchal ascension, concentrating …

Navigating An Uncharted Path: Chief Diversity Officer Challenges In Creating And Implementing A Dei Strategy Plan Within Major Hospital Systems, Diane Shines Mcdaniel

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This qualitative phenomenological study investigated the major challenges Chief Diversity Officers (CDOs) face when creating and implementing DEI strategy plans within major hospital systems in the United States. The study was guided by one research question: What are the major challenges that Chief Diversity Officers face in creating and implementing a DEI strategy plan within major U.S. hospital systems? A phenomenological design was used to examine the challenges of six Chief Diversity Officers serving in major U.S. hospitals as they led DEI strategy planning and implementation. Data were generated through semi-structured interviews consisting of eight open-ended questions designed to elicit …

Predicting Dementia Risk: Progress, Pitfalls, And Priorities, Patricia Nistor, Osvaldo Espin-Garcia, Zul Merali, Shehzad Ali

Brain and Mind Institute

As populations age, identifying individuals at high risk for dementia has become a cornerstone of prevention-oriented public health policy. Accurate and scalable risk stratification could enable early intervention and resource targeting. However, existing models face methodological limitations, including constraints in available data and follow-up duration, challenges in dementia ascertainment, heterogeneity in modelling approaches, and limited external validation. This commentary discusses these challenges and identifies methodological priorities for developing dementia risk algorithms that are robust and suitable for real-world implementation.

Interpersonal Reckoning: The Liminal Space Between Rupture And Repair In Counselor Education, Phoenix E. Rosewood

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The purpose of this study is to understand and explore the phenomenon of the rupture, reckoning, and when possible, the repair process with racial, ethnic, and cultural (REC) microaggressions in counselor education. Participants (n = 14) included counselor educators who had either enacted a REC microaggression and attempted repair, or had been the recipient of an REC rupture and a meaningful attempt at repair. This study utilized a thematic analysis as a methodological framework in interpreting the data with the perspective of borderlands theory, critical embodied phenomenology, relational cultural theory and relational neuroscience analytical frameworks to account for and explain …

A Qualitative Study Of Existential Paralysis As A Pathway To Meaning And Purpose Among Generation Z, Oksana V. Panchenko

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study examines the lived experiences of emerging adults from Generation Z (N = 26) with a qualitative reflexive thematic analysis. Data was collected with an online survey and open ended prompts. Twelve themes were identified as part of data analysis: (1) Feeling Lost, Immobilized, Isolated and Overthinking, (2) Feeling Depressed and Experiencing Identity Erosion and Functional Disruption, (3) Anxiety, the Struggle for Authentic Connection, and Fear About the Future, (4) Social Media, Comparison, and Fear of Missing Out, (5) Cultural and Sociopolitical Pressures on Self-Expression, (6) Ambiguous Loss and Disconnection in Social Presence, (7) Social Skills, Self-Confidence, and Adaptation …

Boys Will Be Empathetic: How Does Media Literacy Education Impact Adolescent Boys’ Empathy?, Karley A. Betzler

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many adolescent boys are using social media each day for a variety of reasons. How social media is being utilized by these students, what they are being potentially exposed to online, and how it is impacting their offline lives has raised questions and concerns for many educators. This literature review explores how teaching media literacy skills to adolescent boy students impacts their empathy. This review specifically focuses on research done around the impact of social media use on the development of empathy and masculinity, how the impacts of boys’ exposure to the manosphere are being felt and perpetuated in schools, …

How Does Recreational Screen Time Affect Student Academic Performance, Trever Nordlund

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This literature review examined how recreational screen time affects academic performance among students. Drawing on research addressing cognitive effects, motivation, cognitive exhaustion, persistence, technology habits, and pedagogical interventions, the review found that recreational screen time is reliably associated with modest negative effects on academic performance rather than severe ones. Digital interruptions carry a measurable cognitive cost that persists beyond the interruption itself, though the size of that cost varies by student. Self-regulation and the relevance of competing content emerged as the strongest explanatory factors. Neither restriction-based policies nor self-regulation interventions fully resolved the problem on their own. Implications for professional …

Breaking The Perpetual Social Injustice Cycle By Implementing Race-Neutral Alternatives As A Means To Create Equitable Admissions Practices In Higher Education, Jazmin B. C. Jardim-Phipps

Cardozo Journal of Equal Rights & Social Justice

The article argues that higher education institutions can still achieve the compelling state interest of diversity while complying with the Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) rulings by replacing race-based admissions with narrowly tailored, race-neutral alternatives. It proposes a model that redefines merit and prioritizes socioeconomic and first-generation status while eliminating legacy preferences to break cycles of systemic social injustice.

The Crucial Role Of Machine Learning Models In Predicting Current Childhood Asthma: Model Comparison, Calibration, And Shap-Based Interpretation, Aditya Chakraborty, A. K.M. Raquibul Bashar

Epidemiology, Biostatistics, & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background: Asthma is one of the most prominent chronic diseases in children and one of the most challenging ailments to diagnose in infants and preschoolers in the United States. Predictive models can be instrumental in improving early diagnosis, personalized treatment strategies, and disease progression. By utilizing nationalized data, this study focuses on building and comparing high-performing analytical predictive models based on the relevant risk factors and identifying the most influential predictors.

Methods: We analyzed cross-sectional BRFSS Asthma Call-Back Survey data (2011-2020; N = 9,813) and randomly split participants into training and testing sets. An XGBoost model (hyperparameters tuned via grid …

Intratracheal Interleukin-10 Administration Reduces Acute Lung Injury Induced By Sulfur Dioxide Exposure In Mice, Amy J. Nelson, Todd A. Wyatt, Bradley W. Richmond, Belinda Diaz, Angela Gleason, Michael J. Duryee, Geoffrey M. Thiele, Ted R. Mikuls, Jill A. Poole

Journal Articles: Environmental, Agricultural & Occupational Health

Therapies capable of reducing acute high-consequence airborne chemical exposure-induced lung disease are lacking. This study seeks to determine the therapeutic potential of interleukin (IL)-10 administered following acute sulfur dioxide (SO₂) exposure in mice. C57BL/6 male and female mice were exposed to SO₂ gas at 125 ppm for 4 h and subsequently treated 2-3 h later with IL-10 (1 μg) or vehicle control by intratracheal instillation for a total of 3 doses over 2 days with comparisons to sham-treated mice (N = 20 mice/group). IL-10 treatment reduced SO₂-induced weight loss with corresponding reductions in SO_{2 …}

Microbiota Characterization Of Zostera Marina Seeds At Early Stage Development, Gina Chaput, Torrie Hanley, Jonathan A. Eisen, E. Maggie Sogin, A. Randall Hughes, Cynthia G. Hays

Biology Faculty Publications

Understanding seagrass seed microbiomes is crucial for developing microbial-mediated methods to improve germination in restoration efforts. Here, we used 16S rRNA gene and ITS2 amplicon sequencing to characterize the bacterial and fungal communities of seeds from the model seagrass, Zostera marina.