Digital Commons Network^™

Are The Kids Alright? An Analysis Of Sex Education, The Sexual Behaviors Of Minors And Age Of Consent Laws In The United States, Monica L. Johnston

Senior Theses

This paper explores the sexual development of children, the sexual education they receive, as well as the history of sex laws in the United States, to determine whether the laws regarding education and age of consent adequately protect children. A qualitative survey is also conducted with undergraduate students at the University of South Carolina to determine what topics were discussed in their sexual education curriculum, as well as their sexual behaviors as a minor. While the push for comprehensive sexual education models has been growing, millions of dollars are still being allocated to promote Abstinence Only Until Marriage programs, which …

How Do Children Learn How To Learn? Promoting Early Development At Home Through Play: A Scoping Review, Annika J. Larson

Senior Theses

Early childhood is a critical time in human development, during which children are discovering and practicing countless skills, from basic motor and language skills to problem-solving, self-regulation, memory, and other foundational abilities like literacy and math skills. From infancy through childhood, play is thought to be the primary condition under which most early skills are developed and perfected. During this time, young children are especially vulnerable to adversity and negative environmental influences due to their brains’ high plasticity; adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) impact an individual well beyond early childhood, specifically in early skills deficits. Play is known to be a …

Raising Red Flags: Exploring Phenotypic Change In Tiger Moths (Apantesis) Of Coastal Sc Over 50 Years' Time, Allison K. Fletcher

Senior Theses

Organismal phenotypes play a critical role in ecological interactions and individual fitness, and they may undergo rapid shifts through evolutionary adaptation or phenotypic plasticity in response to climate change and environmental disturbances. As morphological traits such as body size, melanization, and aposematic coloration are especially significant for thermoregulation and predator deterrence, it is important to understand the ways in which these traits may be changing on a regional level. Here, I examined the change in phenotype in populations of three tiger moth (Apantesis) species from a single site in coastal South Carolina over a fifty-year period, testing for differences in …

Physiological Indicators Of Social Anxiety In Preschoolers With The Fragile X Premutation, Olivia Cyburt

Senior Theses

The Fragile X premutation (FXpm) is a common genetic disorder often characterized by psychiatric impairments, including anxiety. It results from a trinucleotide repeat expansion (CGG) of 55-200 repeats on the FMR1 gene. Despite its association with psychiatric symptoms, there is limited research regarding the relationship between FXpm and anxiety, particularly social anxiety. Early detection of social anxiety is essential for timely intervention, yet it remains challenging to identify in young individuals with FXpm due to limited research. The present study aimed to bridge this gap by examining social anxiety in preschoolers with the FXpm, utilizing both a physiological and behavioral …

Examining Genomic Islands To Trace The Evolution Of The Urinary Microbiome, Elena G. Renshaw

Senior Theses

There has been a longstanding misconception that the healthy human urinary tract is sterile; however, increasing evidence demonstrates the presence of a dynamic resident urinary microbiota. Emerging research suggests that the urinary microbiota plays a protective role against urological symptoms and infection, but interactions between urinary bacterial species remain understudied. Genomic islands (GIs) are large DNA segments acquired through horizontal gene transfer between bacteria and can provide fitness advantages, particularly to uropathogens. This research utilizes 1,301 genome sequences isolated from urine samples representing the bacterial diversity found within the human urinary tract. GIs were annotated using IslandViewer 4 and TreasureIsland. …

Exploring The Impact Of Pharmacy Education On Pharmacy Residents' Confidence & Knowledge Of Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy, Grace Thompson, Jordan Ballou, Chao Cai

Senior Theses

This thesis will examine the relationship between pharmacy school education about gender-affirming hormone therapy and the confidence and knowledge of PGY1 and PGY2 pharmacy residents at ASHP-accredited or candidate pharmacy residency programs across the United States. This cross-sectional study was completed through an analysis of de-identified survey data, including demographics, confidence-based questions, and knowledge-based questions. The study survey and thesis were compiled by reviewing the current literature regarding the perceptions of pharmacists, pharmacy residents, and student pharmacists on transgender and gender diverse topics. The survey was sent to pharmacy residents through residency program directors (RPDs) and program contacts. After considering …

An Analysis Of Sim1 Variants Associated With Diabetes, Elaine Vanterpool, Jasmine Tomlin

Student Posters

SIM1, known as Drosophila single-minded 1, Is a homologous gene. It resides within chromosome 21 and was originally detected in fetal kidneys and fetal diseases. It is a transcription factor that is involved in the development of the paraventricular nucleus in the hypothalamus. These are two clusters of neurons that play a vital role in many functions such as growth and metabolism. This includes the control of food intake and regulation of energy homeostasis. The Haploinsufficiency of SIM1 affects the expression of the gene and causes early-onset obesity due to its poor regulation. Due to its role in drosophila genetics …

An Analysis Of Vhl And Its Relation To Leukemia, Elaine Vanterpool, Marquise Develde

Student Posters

Leukemia is the cancer of the body’s blood-forming tissues, including the bone marrow and the lymphatic system. Mainly, leukemia effects the white blood cells. The malignancy known as leukemia damages the body's capacity to make healthy blood cells and starts in the bone marrow. White blood cells, which are essential to the immune system, are its main target. Leukemia disrupts normal blood function by causing an aberrant multiplication of immature blood cells, in contrast to other malignancies that create solid tumors. The disease is divided into various categories according to the particular blood cells impacted, and it can develop either …

An Analysis Of Sco2 Variants Associated With Dilated Cardiomyopathy, Elaine Vanterpool, Mitspah Eshette

Student Posters

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is characterized by severe damage to the heart muscle. The left ventricle becomes enlarged and then thins, causing it to pump with less force than it should. After each beat, more blood remains in the heart, making it challenging for the heart to supply blood to other parts of the body. If the patient is younger than 50, Black, male, and has a family history of dilated cardiomyopathy, they may be at higher risk. DCM has various causes, including coronary artery disease, diabetes, heart attacks, and high blood pressure. However, one of the major causes of DCM …

An Analysis Of Pdgfra Variants Associated With Fibroids, Elaine Vanterpool, Nadja Hunt

Student Posters

Fibroids is a genetic disease where benign masses grow within the wall of the uterus. When the PDGFRA gene has a missense mutation or is not coding for the right processes, it can lead to the development of tumors that are nonmalignant but still have effect a patient's quality of life. Fibroids can affect women in many ways including a heavier and prolonged menstrual cycle, pelvic pain, and even infertility. This disease affects 20-30% of women ages 30-50 and black women are more likely to be affected. This study focuses on how fibroids is related to the PDGFRA gene. This …

Analysis Of Cd36 Variants Associated With Heart Disease, Elaine Vanterpool, Lemanisha Adams

Student Posters

Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) affects an estimated 47-54% of Black adults in America. CVD is characterized when coronary arteries struggle to supply the heart with enough blood, oxygen, and nutrients. CVD refers to a various disorders affecting the heart and blood vessels, which includes disease like stroke, coronary artery disease, and heart failure. Risk factors can include diabetes, high cholesterol, and hypertension. Some symptoms include chest pain, shortness of breath, pain in the neck, numbness, weakness, or coldness in the arms or legs, dizziness or fainting, and fatigue or exhaustion. Unfortunately, Heart disease remains one of the leading causes of mortality …

Ctsc Gene Correlation With Dental Disease Periodontitis, Elaine Vanterpool, Misiel Garcia

Student Posters

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory and non-communicable disease that poses a major public health challenge worldwide. In the United States alone, approximately 50% of adults are affected by this condition. It results from bacterial infection and dental plaque buildup, leading to gum inflammation, bleeding, bone loss, and, if left untreated, tooth loss. Beyond its effects on oral health, periodontitis is linked to systemic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes, making it a significant health concern. Treatment involves professional dental care, including oral hygiene education, deep cleaning of root surfaces, and reducing risk factors like smoking. In addition to environmental …

Implementing Biomimetic Technology In Today’S Architectural World, Emily Behm

Honors Projects

An interdisciplinary project exploring the correlation between nature and the built environment. This project provides a comprehensive overview of biomimicry principles and their application to architecture. D’Arcy Wentworth Thompson, the pioneer of mathematical biology, will emerge as a central research figure in the exploration of biomimetic technology. With inspiration drawn from Thompson’s accomplishments, contemporary architects have been more thoroughly integrating these approaches into their own architectural designs. The following research addresses a fundamental limitation in contemporary architectural practice: the insufficient integration of biomimetic principles into architectural design approaches. This project proposes a systematic methodology to more effectively integrate biomimetic technology …

Kinship, Memory, And Migration In The Work Of Zhang Xiaogang, Feng Mengbo, And Kurt Tong, Lin Zhang

Art History Theses and Dissertations

In the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, several Chinese and Hong Kong artists began engaging with family photographs to explore questions of kinship, memory, and personal identity. While existing scholarship on Chinese art has provided important insights into ancestral values and Confucian lineage systems, it has largely focused on pre-twentieth-century works and overlooked how contemporary artists reinterpret familial imagery to address shifting cultural and political conditions. This thesis offers a complementary perspective by examining three case studies, Zhang Xiaogang’s Bloodline: Big Family (1993-2010), Feng Mengbo’s My Private Album (1996), and Kurt Tong’s The Queen, The Chairman and I (2009-2013), …

The Myth Of The Best Interest Of The Child, Victoria Mikesell Mather

West Virginia Law Review

One of the basic tenets of Family Law as applied to children is consideration of “best interest of the child” in making decisions. Standards for custody, termination, adoption, and all other matters affecting children are overlaid with consideration of best interest. Unfortunately, the promise of best interest is lost in the actual mechanics of making these critical decisions involving children. This Article explores the disconnect between the ideal of using the best interest of the child as a key factor in legal decisions affecting children and the practicalities of competing interests. The Article first explores the common concern of the …

“Everybody Else Seems To Be Able To Get Help”: Rural Regulation, Access Loss, And Antigovernment Sentiment, Jennifer Sherman

West Virginia Law Review

This Essay draws upon two decades of the author’s research on rural United States communities to explicate ways in which the regulatory state has intervened in rural areas and economies, often with the claim of protecting land, natural resources, and/or wildlife. The outcomes are frequently disastrous for the human populations of those communities and generally are not planned for or mitigated by policy. The Essay argues that rural distrust of and aversion to government oversight is not caused primarily by ideological or cultural stances, but rather is an outcome of experiences of abandonment by the agencies that are meant to …

Demographic Variations In Long Qt Syndrome: Analyzing The Impact Of Gender, Ethnicity, And Environmental Factors On Prevalence And Risk, Heidi Bosch

Senior Honors Theses

Long QT syndrome (LQTS) is an arrhythmic condition characterized by delayed repolarization of cardiomyocytes, identified by prolonged QT interval on an electrocardiogram (ECG). LQTS can be caused by congenital mutations of ion channels or acquired through conditions, medications, and environmental factors. Prolongation of the QT interval can trigger deadly arrhythmia including torsade de pointes (TdP). LQTS has been named the top cause of sudden cardiac death (SCD) for young individuals with anatomically normal hearts. The incidence of LQTS has been reported to be between 1:2000 and 1:2500. The demographic differences in LQTS prevalence have not been thoroughly researched. The incidence …

Autonomous Vehicles: Security And Privacy Concerns, Christopher Z. Shiu

Senior Honors Theses

The rapid development of self-driving vehicles provides many benefits. Even then, there are various security and privacy concerns that must be addressed. Autonomous vehicles are dependent on advanced machine learning systems in order to communicate. However, concerns about cyber threats and the misuse of data are not studied adequately enough. With the integration of technical and human factors, these developments can address communication and regulatory compliance weaknesses to offer safer implementations to autonomous vehicles. It is only after understanding these challenges, can strategies be developed to counteract threats. As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, autonomous vehicles have the potential to …

A Rhetorical Analysis Of The Emasculation Of Men Through Televised Forums Of Entertainment, Skylar G. Sexton

Senior Honors Theses

What constitutes manliness stands on the brink of collapse. Society wages war on the idea of biological men and women. This simultaneously blurs the lines of the distinctive characteristics that define a man such as initiative, protective instincts, self-control, and leadership. Media forums act as a reflection as well as an influencing medium for a cultural body. Films have fundamentally changed their depiction of men in television since the 1960s and 1970s. Manliness is being redefined through films' depictions of a man, as well as by societal movements such as feminism. Men are being emasculated in society today, which is …

When Can We Detect Lianas From Space? Toward A Mechanistic Understanding Of Liana-Infested Forest Optics, Stefan A. Schnitzer

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Lianas, woody vines acting as structural parasites of trees, have profound effects on the composition and structure of tropical forests, impacting tree growth, mortality, and forest succession. Remote sensing could offer a powerful tool for quantifying the scale of liana infestation, provided the availability of robust detection methods. We analyze the consistency and global geographic specificity of spectral signals—reflectance across wavelengths—from liana-infested tree crowns and forest stands, examining the underlying mechanisms of these signals. We compiled a uniquely comprehensive database, including leaf reflectance spectra from 5424 leaves, fine-scale airborne reflectance data from 999 liana-infested canopies, and coarse-scale satellite reflectance data …

Rural Access To Multidisciplinary Cancer Care Center For Patients With Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma, Irene Gielen

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Background
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the most common type of pancreatic cancer and among the most aggressive malignancies. It is projected to be the second leading cause of cancer related mortality in the United States by 2030. Due to its nonspecific early symptoms, PDAC often remains undetected until advanced stages, limiting treatment options and reducing survival rates.

Purpose
This project evaluated the impact of geographic distance on diagnostic staging and treatment initiation for patients with PDAC referred to the Providence Cancer Institute of Oregon (PCIO) from 2018-2023.

Methods
A retrospective chart review assessed the relationship between geographic distance, demographics, …

Environmental Health Disparities In Pediatric Cancer: A Report From The Fourth Symposium On Childhood Cancer Health Disparities, Thanh T Hoang, Zdenko Herceg, Don W Coulter, Adam De Smith, Manish Arora, William E Funk, David Haynes, Stephen H Linder, Leticia M Nogueira, Amy E Hughes, Lindsay A Williams, Jeremy M Schraw, Michael E Scheurer, Philip J Lupo

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The 4th Symposium on Childhood Cancer Health Disparities was held at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston, Texas, on September 26, 2023. The symposium registered 94 attendees from different backgrounds (e.g. clinicians, epidemiologists, exposure assessment scientists, geospatial experts) with an interest in environmental health disparities of pediatric cancer susceptibility and treatment outcomes. The focus of the symposium was to provide an overview of the role of environmental risk factors in studies of pediatric cancer, introduce novel exposure assessment tools that can be applied to the field, and highlight opportunities to study the impact of environmental health disparities in pediatric cancer susceptibility …

An Equitable End: Meeting The Needs Of Queer Families Within Deathcare, Nyssa Peck

University Honors Theses

This thesis seeks to explore end-of-life care experiences of queer families, focusing on interactions with palliative and hospice caregivers. Currently, end-of-life (EOL) practitioners in institutional and medical care settings are often poorly equipped to interact with queer families due to inadequate cultural training models, personal biases, and ignorance regarding the queer identities of their clients. This manifests in substantial inequities within deathcare systems regarding the accommodation of the unique needs of queer familial structures. Drawing upon multidisciplinary scholarship, I sought to examine these needs, which diverge from that of heterosexual families due to queer families’ absence of legal protections and …

Upper-Level Undergraduate Pre-Healthcare Students’ Journeys To Graduation And Health Professional Graduate Programs, Holly L. Sisson

Dissertations

Despite decades of research on undergraduate student retention and persistence, only a handful of researchers, such as Dumke et al. (2018) and Stull et al. (2021), have looked specifically at pre-health students preparing for graduate health professional programs and the complex challenges these students face while trying to achieve their goals. Very little research focused on upper-level undergraduate students pursuing graduate health professional programs, such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, physician assistant, or similar graduate health professional programs excluding medical school. To help fill this gap, my study focused on the experiences of pre-healthcare students as they navigated their undergraduate …

Authentic Leadership As Predicted By The Fisher Temperament Inventory Scales, Stephanie J. Giddings

PhD in Organizational Leadership

Authentic leadership has garnered increasing attention from scholars and practitioners for its emphasis on ethical and transparent leadership practices that foster positive organizational outcomes. Despite its popularity, research into its antecedents remains underdeveloped. This study is a response to calls to examine potential psychometric predictors of authentic leadership, focusing on temperament as a biologically-rooted factor. This quantitative research involved surveying 338 U.S. leaders on temperament and authentic leadership. Temperament, as measured by the Fisher Temperament Inventory (FTI), offers a neuroscience-based perspective and resolves the potential crossover issues found in the widely studied Five-Factor Model (FFM). Using the Authentic Leadership Questionnaire …

University Revolution: Artificial Intelligence And The Transformation Of Learning, Kevin P. Hallinan

Books and Book Chapters by University of Dayton Faculty

Grounded in the rich traditions of disrupting the historical roles of faculty, curriculum, and institutional structures, this text challenges the very core of what a university is, advocating for a future where AI empowers the ideals of education to enable learning beyond what has heretofore been possible, as well as knowledge creation to meet the rapidly evolving demands of society. This transformation is not optional—it’s inevitable, and it’s happening now.

The Role Of Race/Ethnicity On The Association Between Neighborhood Deprivation And Breast Cancer Outcomes Among Kentucky Patients With Breast Cancer (2010–2022), Breyanna Walker, Elinita Pollard, Sydney P. Howard, V. Morgan Jones, Kathleen L. O’Connor, Eric B. Durbin, Pamela C. Hull, Samantha R. Jones, Adebola Adegboyega, Xiaoqin Wang, Wendi A.B. Owen, Margaret M. Szabunio, Lovoria B. Williams, Justin X. Moore

Surgery Faculty Publications

Background: Kentucky is within the top five leading states for breast cancer mortality nationwide. This study investigates the association between neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage and breast cancer outcomes, including surgical treatment, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and survival, and how associations vary by race and ethnicity in Kentucky. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis using data from the Kentucky Cancer Registry for patients with breast cancer diagnosed between 2010 and 2017, with follow-up through December 31, 2022. We linked Kentucky Cancer Registry data with census tract data to examine the relationship between area deprivation index (ADI) and breast cancer outcomes. Logistic regression and …