Digital Commons Network^™

Corrigendum: Diatom Transcriptional And Physiological Responses To Changes In Iron Bioavailability Across Ocean Provinces (Frontiers In Marine Science, (2017), 4, (360), 10.3389/Fmars.2017.00360), Natalie R. Cohen, Kelsey A. Ellis, Robert H. Lampe, Heather Mcnair, Benjamin S. Twining, Maria T. Maldonado, Mark A. Brzezinski, Fedor I. Kuzminov, Kimberlee Thamatrakoln, Claire P. Till, Kenneth W. Bruland, William G. Sunda, Sibel Bargu, Adrian Marchetti

Faculty Publications

In the published article, there was an error in Figure 3 as published. The initial (T0) phytoplankton community composition at site C2 was incorrectly displayed, with prasinophytes erroneously appearing as relatively abundant taxa. The corrected Figure 3 appears below. The average transcript proportions of phytoplankton taxa (outer charts) and diatom genera (inner charts) from initial seawater (T0) and during the first time point (T1; see Supplementary Table 1) within the Fe addition (Fe) and DFB addition (DFB) treatments at each site. Note that for site O5, the T2 control (Ctl) treatment is provided as the Fe-limited comparison. A text correction …

Photogrammetric Determination Of Movement Speed Of Invasive Indo-Pacific Lionfish In The Florida Keys, Neal Kolonay, Cassandra N. Glaspie

Faculty Publications

As a key determinant of how efficiently lionfish (Pterois sp.) locate and capture prey, swimming speed plays a crucial role in shaping the predator-prey interactions and broader ecological dynamics within the invaded ecosystems. Swimming speed on a small temporal and spatial scale is difficult to measure because of the need for precise measurements of both distance and duration of the behavior. Using photogrammetry by way of stereo-camera setups is ideal for analyzing the minutiae of lionfish behaviors because it can include the benefits of remote video traps coupled with precise measurements of movements in three-dimensional space and time. The primary …

Comparison Of Two Benthic Assemblage Sampling Gears For Use On Intertidal Oyster Reefs In Louisiana, Finella M. Campanino, Stephanie K. Archer, Jillian C. Tupitza, Cassandra N. Glaspie, Megan K. La Peyre

Faculty Publications

Background: Estuarine biodiversity plays a vital role in supporting ecosystem functions yet remains threatened by climate change and anthropogenic activity. Tracking and identifying estuarine biodiversity trends helps management ensure long-term provisions of human and environmental benefits by contributing to the estimation of habitat loss and the monitoring of restoration and conservation progress. However, results obtained using different sampling gears and different biodiversity metrics may lead researchers to reach different conclusions, which can lead to uncertainty in the actual state of the ecosystem-level biodiversity. Sampling benthic biodiversity in complex estuarine habitats, such as oyster reefs, is particularly challenging because no one …

Identification And Characterization Of Novel Crispr-Cas Immune Effectors, Christian Fredrick Baca

Student Theses and Dissertations

Bacteria are under constant threat by the viruses that infect them called bacteriophages or phages for short. It is predicted that phages outnumber bacteria by an order of magnitude, producing a tremendous pressure for resistance mechanisms against this threat. One of the most abundant immune systems bacteria have evolved to combat this are CRISPR-Cas systems, which have been studied extensively due to their fascinating biology and usefulness in biotechnology and therapeutics. My thesis focuses on the discovery and characterization of three new CRISPR-Cas effector proteins that provide immunity in bacteria in response to phage challenge with highly diverse activities. CRISPR-Cas …

Understanding Of Intrinsic Sources Of Dna Damage That Drive Human Disease: A Foray Into The Study Of Dna Interstrand Crosslinks And Genome-Embedded Ribonucleotides, Nicolas Johannes Georg Blobel

Student Theses and Dissertations

Sources of damage to deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) can be categorized broadly into exogenous and endogenous. Exogenous sources range from environmental (e.g., air pollution, tobacco and alcohol, ultraviolet (UV) radiation due to sun exposure), to pharmaceutical sources (e.g., chemotherapeutics such as cisplatin). The other main category of DNA damage is endogenous, which can range from metabolites such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced in the cells as byproducts of metabolic pathways, to incorrect bases incorporated into the genome. In this thesis, I will focus on two types of endogenous DNA damage: 1) interstrand crosslinks (ICLs) formed by DNA damaging aldehydes and …

Comparisons Of The Effects Of White Noise And Classical Background Music On Student On-Task Engagement During Work Cycles In A Lower-Elementary Montessori Class, Lee Ellis

Doctor of Education (EdD)

This study compares the effects of classical and white noise background music, played during in-class work cycles for lower elementary students (grades 1-3) at a Montessori school in Pennsylvania. I aim to measure academic on-task engagement and overall classroom behavior. I will observe and record notes on their progress when there is no background sound, white noise, or classical music playing. Research has shown that introducing different sounds to the background of a classroom can positively affect student focus and retention of information (Levitin, 2006; Williams, 1961). Manipulation of sound or music played in the background can have a sizable …

Bs Biological Science, Pre-Veterinary 2025-26, Arkansas State University - Jonesboro

Bachelor of Science and Education

No abstract provided.

Covid-19 And Capitalism: The Shunning Of Evidence In Sam Friedman’S “House Organ”, Victor Wallis

Faculty Works

Sam Friedman’s September 2025 “House Organ” is devoted to criticizing my writings on COVID-19. Friedman begins by attributing to me a more definitive position than I have actually taken in regard to COVID origins. He then denies that there was censorship around the injection agenda and contends that the negative effects of the jabs were minimal. I present counter-evidence to all these assertions, along with a critique of his argumentation.

Autism Is Black Too! Intersectional Experiences With Service Provision For Black Autistic Individuals And Their Families, Brea M. Banks, Tyra Jackson, Randi Goodwin, Raven Moore

Faculty Publications – Psychology

We aimed to address a gap in the literature surrounding the experiences of Black autistic individuals and their families, specific to their engagement in the diagnostic process and service provision broadly. Our study was theoretically oriented in critical theories, as we aimed to push back against the dominant narrative about autism. We used qualitative methods and conducted interviews with Black autistic people (n = 2) and parents of Black autistic people (n = 9) to learn about their experiences. We employed an inductive approach to interpretation of data and used MAXQDA to engage in analysis. Results demonstrated that …

A New "Administrative Law Approach" To Social Rights? Learnings From Environmental Litigation In Colombia, Maria Emilia Mamberti

American University International Law Review

Social rights are at present profusely recognized in international and domestic law. Latin American countries are frontrunners in the field, as virtually all constitutions in the region acknowledge social rights, often in ambitious manners. In many countries, courts have been active and creative in adjudicating social rights cases.

The increasing importance of social rights has led to copious debates in comparative law, which have initially focused on the convenience of constitutionalizing them, and on assessing their nature and core characteristics. With relevant exceptions, more current debates—largely revolving around the decisions of high courts from a handful of jurisdictions—have focused on …

From Resistance To Remission: Transforming Recalcitrant Plaque Psoriasis With Secukinumab And Methotrexate, Rabia S. Mahfooz, Annmary Behanan, Amita J. Dsouza, Naser Elkhalili

Gulf Coast Division GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

Prevelence Odds Of Melanoma In Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease: An Observational Cross-Sectional Study, Nilay Bhatt, Kumail Rizvi

Gulf Coast Division GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of The Impact Of Secondhand E-Cigarette Aerosols On Ros-Mediated Alterations Of Epigenetic Events: Implications For Copd Pathogenesis And Assessment Of The Efficacy Of Cold Atmospheric Plasma In Degrading Organophosphate Pesticides On Kevlar Materials, Ta-Chun Lin

Masters Theses

"We explored 1) the toxicological impacts of e-cigarette aerosols and 2) the decontamination efficacy of Cold Atmospheric Plasma (CAP) technology over organophosphates. In examining the effects of firsthand and secondhand e-cigarette aerosol exposure on A549 and BEAS-2B lung cells, we observed significant cytotoxicity, increased ROS levels, and epigenetic modifications, including heightened DNA methylation and downregulation of histone deacetylases (HDACs). These molecular alterations may contribute to chronic respiratory conditions, such as COPD, underscoring the health risks of e-cigarette exposure.

We investigated CAP’s effectiveness in degrading organophosphate pesticide (OP) residues on fabric surfaces, revealing that CAP treatment effectively decomposes OPs such as …

Humoral Influences On The Heart: A Case Of Overt Hypothyroidism And Dilated Cardiomyopathy With Acute Heart Failure, Shana-Kay Lambert-Johnson, Rui Zhang, Brian Yu, Tasaduq Mir

North Texas Research Forum 2025

BACKGROUND/INTRODUCTION: Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) affects approximately 7 in 100,000 adults annually, with a mortality rate of 50%. It is typically idiopathic, progressive, and irreversible. However, in the context of hypothyroidism, DCM can be reversible. Hypothyroid-induced DCM with coexisting systolic dysfunction is a rare occurrence. This case report presents an exceptional instance of this phenomenon, highlighting the critical role of thyroid hormone replacement in improving patient outcomes. CASE PRESENTATION: A 48-year-old female with a medical history of hypothyroidism (post-thyroidectomy) was transferred for higher-level care due to new-onset heart failure. Over the past five months, she experienced worsening dyspnea on exertion, fatigue, …

Liver Metastasis Of Immature Teratoma And Portal Vein Embolization: A Case Report, Rohan Gupta

Gulf Coast Division GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

Potential Of Anogenital Distance As A Genetic Selection Trait In Canadian Holstein, G.R. Dodd, F.S. Schenkel, F. Miglior, T.C. Bruinjé, M. Gobikrushanth, J.E. Carrelli, M. Oba, D.J. Ambrose, C.F. Baes

Dairy Science and Food Science Faculty Publications: 2022 to Present

Maintaining optimal fertility in dairy cattle herds is a global challenge that is typically addressed through the genetic selection of fertility indicator traits. However, many of the traits currently implemented in breeding programs are heavily influenced by environmental factors, resulting in a slow rate of genetic improvement. Anogenital distance (AGD) has recently emerged as a promising fertility indicator trait due to its association with favorable reproductive outcomes and its higher heritability estimates compared with currently evaluated traits. This study aimed to enhance the understanding of AGD's genetic potential by estimating its genetic parameters in Canadian Holsteins, assessing the reliability …

Ashwagandha And Sexual Health In Women With Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder: Exploring Extent Of Adaptogenic Properties, Rhea Chatterjee

AUCTUS: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship

Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD) affects 40% of women and potentially decreases their quality of life. Currently, the primary treatment for HSDD is Flibanserin, which is a serotonergic agonist and an antidepressant. However, the limited efficacy of Flibanserin encourages the exploration of the utilization of traditional drugs such as Withania somnifera, otherwise known as Ashwagandha, as an alternative treatment for HSDD. Minimal studies examine ayurvedic medications or the symptoms of illnesses that traditional Western medicines are unable to treat. This comprehensive literature review investigated the efficacy of Ashwagandha in improving sexual function in women with HSDD. The paper evaluated …

Dim Theory Applied To Law: The Disintegration Of American Law, Tristen Fleig

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Plato, Aristotle, and Montesquieu each argued the importance of law to political regime and Constitution. The ancients emphasized the law as the rational component of the regime and Montesquieu applied some of the first political science to show how political regimes rely upon law. Still, the exact connection between law and politics, and law and philosophy more broadly has remained largely obscured. In my account, legal system ought to be understood as the institutional framework that supports and protect a particular kind of life accepted by the intellectuals and the people of a nation. Using DIM theory from The DIM …

Personal Wisdom And Coping: Insights From The Covid-19 Pandemic, Noah Ringler

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Much of personal wisdom research has focused on the relationship between personal wisdom and difficult life events (DLEs). Research indicates that those high in personal wisdom cope more effectively with DLEs. However, these studies primarily focused on older adults and assessed coping through well-being measures. Seeking to address these limitations, Ringler (2021) found that mindfulness partially mediates the relationship between personal wisdom and coping with DLEs (measured through meaning-making) in a more age-diverse sample. Despite this progress, several gaps in knowledge remain. For example, there is still a lack of understanding about how wisdom relates to the use of specific …

Associations Between Initial Alcohol Sensitivity And Problematic Nicotine Or Cannabis Use In Emerging Adults Who Co-Use Substances, Erwin Murray, Spit For Science Working Group, Karen Chartier

IRBEH/Spit for Science Publications and Presentations

Background: Co-use of alcohol and nicotine or cannabis is prevalent among emerging adults. Alcohol sensitivity is associated with problematic alcohol use. Here, we examined whether alcohol sensitivity is associated with problematic nicotine or cannabis use in those who use these substances in addition to alcohol.

Methods: Data were from first-year college students who reported alcohol and nicotine (N=599) or alcohol and cannabis (N=787) use in Spit for Science’s Fall 2014 survey, an ongoing longitudinal cohort study of students at a large, urban public university. The Self-Rating of Effects of Alcohol scale (SRE) measured initial alcohol sensitivity, and the Fagerstrom Test …

Cultivating Quality Of Life: Assessing Diet, Physical Activity, And Mental Health Among Arab-American Breast Cancer Survivors - Uncovering Barriers And Facilitators For Holistic Well-Being, Nouf Ali Alhomaidhi

CGU Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation examines the quality of life among Arab-American breast cancer survivors, with a particular emphasis on dietary practices, physical activity, and mental health. Despite increasing survivorship rates in this population, there remains a significant gap in the literature addressing their unique post-treatment experiences and needs. Employing a convergent parallel mixed-methods design, this study integrates quantitative survey data and qualitative narrative interviews to assess adherence to health behavior guidelines and to identify culturally specific barriers and facilitators to well-being. Quantitative findings indicated suboptimal adherence to recommended dietary and physical activity guidelines and highlighted prevalent psychological distress among participants. Thematic analysis …

The Women’S Legal Rights Index: A New Approach To Measuring Women’S Autonomy, Mona Shadia

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Existing indicators of women’s empowerment focus on women’s educational attainment. Yet theories of women’s empowerment in politics, in particular their role in democratization, extend beyond the consequences of education to require agency and autonomy in their lives. In the first chapter of this dissertation, I argue that in an effort to measure women’s citizenship and standing in their respective societies, access to legal rights should be measured and considered. My theoretical framework builds on literature that demonstrates that while education is critical to women’s prosperity in many facets of life, other measures related to their legal rights can provide a …

An Evolving Standard Of Decency: Examining The American Juvenile Justice System And The Constitutionality Of Youth Incarceration, Mark S. Smith

CGU Theses & Dissertations

The United States incarcerates more children and adolescents than any other developed nation in the world. Studies have shown that juvenile detention is generally ineffective at rehabilitating delinquent youth, which places the practice at odds with the stated intent of modern juvenile justice. Similar to the adult criminal justice system, there is a significant and widespread disparity in the incarceration rate between that of minority youth and their white counterparts in the juvenile system. Finally, a substantial and growing body of medical and behavioral research concludes that trauma associated with juvenile detention can cause long-term or even lifetime negative neurological …

What Did Independent Study Do For Me? Perspectives Of Latine Graduates Of A California Independent Study High School Program, Monique R. Escobedo

CGU Theses & Dissertations

The independent study model in K-12 education has rarely been studied as an opportunity to meet the needs of diverse learners who require access to education outside of the traditional school day and brick and mortar settings (Anderson & Amesse, 2022). This multimethod study (Cram & Mertens, 2016) explores the experiences of 15 Latine graduates of an independent study high school that serves four counties in southern California. The study takes a critical approach both theoretically and methodologically to understand how the independent study model as carried out at the school site met the intersectional needs (e.g. cultural, linguistic, geographic, …

Dispossession, Adoption, And (Dis)Inheritance: The Sympathetic Sublime In George Eliot’S Fiction, Beth Ann Jones

CGU Theses & Dissertations

The aim of this dissertation is to explore the promise and the peril of George Eliot’s sympathetic sublime in her fictional writing. To arrive at this designation for Eliot’s literary project, the dissertation synthesizes three distinct yet interconnected strands within Eliot scholarship: her emphasis on building absorbing sympathetic relationships between individuals, communities, and readers; her use of inheritance plots to develop the personalities and destinies of her protagonists; and her dependence upon the sublime aesthetic inherent in the poetry of William Wordsworth and the philosophy of Immanuel Kant, Edmund Burke, and Ludwig Feuerbach. Eliot’s drive to create sympathetic connections which …

Unseen Journeying: Latinx Mothers’ Experiences And Navigation Of Pre-Referral Home-School Collaboration, Yoné Rodríguez

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Research has documented various home-school collaboration obstacles faced by Latinx mothers whose children receive special education services. However, minimal attention has focused on Latinx mothers of students in the pre-referral stage—the time when students facing significant academic difficulties may be struggling in the classroom but have not yet been referred to special education evaluation. Responding to this gap in the literature, this qualitative study investigated how Latinx mothers experienced and navigated pre-referral home-school collaboration, which was conceptualized as the dynamic process occurring between family members and school personnel working towards common goals related to student growth. In alignment with Chicana …

A Study Of The Parental Decision To Homeschool, Leonard Cheung

CGU Theses & Dissertations

This phenomenological qualitative study provides context and understanding of why parents choose to homeschool their children using Rational Choice Theory as the framework. As of 2024, while there is quantitative data that breaks the reasons why parents homeschool down into several categories, scholars often criticize these data for being poorly done because these studies lack context. There have also been many qualitative studies that investigate certain reasons why parents homeschool, but almost all of them do not use a decision-making framework nor were they studying the decision-making process on why parents choose homeschooling. The literature has shown that parents homeschool …

Innovating Government The Open Way: Modeling The Open Data Ecosystem, Jeanne Holm

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Governments around the world are releasing open data with the aim of stimulating innovation, driving economic development, and advancing social good. Despite significant investment in data infrastructure and technology, many open data initiatives struggle to effectively engage stakeholders or deliver on their intended outcomes. Thus, this dissertation targets the research question: How can a human-centered open government data ecosystem be modeled to ensure that stakeholders are engaged and find data? It also explores which stakeholders should be engaged and what methods are most effective in engaging them. To address the research questions, this dissertation adopts a design science methodology and …

The Role Of Multiracial Identity Integration In Developing Leader Adaptability, Ashley M. Watterson

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Today’s global economy and diverse workforce require leaders to navigate complex environments, demanding that they be highly adaptable. However, few studies have examined the cognitive resources needed to support this adaptability. This study examined the relationship between multiracial identity integration (MII) and leader adaptability, exploring the cognitive mechanisms of paradox mindset and attributional complexity. Using a sample of 182 multiracial leaders in the United States, results of a path analysis revealed that MII did not significantly predict leader adaptability, paradox mindset, or attributional complexity when controlling for other factors. Unexpectedly, attributional complexity had a significant but negative relationship with leader …

What We Talk About When We Talk About Race: Racial Discourses, Nationalism And Identity In Nineteenth Century Ireland, Timothy Werlinger

CGU Theses & Dissertations

The 19th century witnessed the rise of race and racism as a dominant framework of worldwide identity politics. These politics shaped the various social hierarchies and nationalist contexts across Europe and the world. Racial constructs adopted cultural, economic, and political components and did not rely exclusively on biological determinism. This had the effect of reinforcing or hardening boundaries between groups. This dissertation examines how racial identity was negotiated within an Irish context. It does this by considering social, scientific and nationalist discourses that engaged race as a device of inclusion and exclusion. By examining how racialized language permeated the Irish …