Digital Commons Network^™

Production & Perception Of /S/ And Pitch Of Transgender Speakers, Connor J. Ryan

Honors Theses and Capstones

Linguistic research on how transgender speakers use speech traits commonly associated with gender, such as f0 and /s/, is still limited in scope. Past research has focused primarily on singular gender groups within the transgender community, particularly transmasculine speakers, leaving gaps in how speech differs among transgender speakers. Additionally, there has been little research on how transgender identity influences perception of gender in speech. Here, I use data from reading passages by fifteen university-age transgender speakers in New England to analyze variation in /s/ and f0 among transmasculine, transfeminine, nonbinary, and multigender speakers. I then performed a perception study using …

Skeletons At Sea: Unpacking The Oceanographic And Taphonomic Variables That Impact The Remains Of Decedents At Sea, Ella Tartsa

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Sensory Need Or Treatable Behavior? Self-Stimulatory Behavior In Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematized Review, Anne Grace, Kathryne Brewer

Honors Theses and Capstones

This study examined the current dialogue about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and

self-stimulatory behavior (stimming), based on a systematized literature review. Stimming is

often framed as a maladaptive or disruptive behavior that negatively impacts autistic individuals.

It is important to investigate whether these claims are supported by current research. The

following research question was used to guide this paper: How does current research on ASD

conceptualize stimming, as a form of sensory self-regulation or a treatable behavior?

The Usual Suspects: A Review Of Common Dysbiosis Of The Human Mouth, And The Associated Microbial Species, Sophie Katherine Shields

Honors Theses and Capstones

The mouth, often referred to as the oral cavity in scientific literature, is described as the second most diversely populated microbiome in the human body, only after the gut. The cavity’s temperature, abundant water, high nutrient levels, and diversity of sites are all critical factors that make the oral cavity a space booming with life. The mouth harbors over 700 species of bacteria, in addition to numerous fungi, viruses, and protozoa species. Together, when working in harmony, these species provide critical supports to the functions of the human body. When dysbiosis occurs, however, the overgrowth of a single species may …

Development Of A Clickable Probe For Imaging Hydrogen Peroxide In The Bilayer, Erin Elizabeth Mccarthy

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Using Rna Sequencing To Examine Encephalic Gene Expression In Cactus Mice, Sarah A. Nicholls

Honors Theses and Capstones

Many of the exact mechanisms by which desert-adapted animals avoid dehydration-induced complications are unknown, though there are likely ties to the general mammalian dehydration response, a multisystem process spearheaded by the brain. Peromyscus eremicus, the cactus mouse, can survive its whole life without intaking water and is commonly used as a model to study desert adaptations. In this study, we have used bulk transcriptomics to characterize the differential gene expression across hydrated and dehydrated P. eremicus in five major regions of the brain: the cerebral cortex (referred to throughout much of this paper as the cortex), hippocampus, thalamus, midbrain, …

Molecular Simulation Studies Of Protein Interactions Associated With Aging, Charlotte Jenna Thomas

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Investigating The Dna-Binding Role Of Tbp1 In Toxoplasma Gondii: Expression And Characterization Of A Recombinant Protein, Madison T. Jeckell

Honors Theses and Capstones

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite with a complex life cycle and an unusual transcriptional machinery compared to other eukaryotes. Unlike most organisms, Toxoplasma lacks multiple well-conserved promoter motifs and has multiple TATA-binding proteins (TBPs), including TBP1, whose function in DNA binding and transcription regulation is poorly understood. This study aimed to generate and express a recombinant TBP1 protein from Toxoplasma to enable future DNA-binding assays and motif identification. Using RT-PCR, the TgTBP1 gene was amplified and cloned into a pGEX vector to produce a GST-tagged protein. The recombinant plasmid was transformed into E. coli BL21 cells, and protein …

Reconceptualizing Madness: Charlotte Perkins Gilman's Autobiography And The Cultural Landscape Of Insanity, Gender, And The Illness Experience, Claire Paley

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Targeting Stat3 In Tnbc Drug Resistance, Madison A. Henry

Honors Theses and Capstones

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is one of the most aggressive types of breast cancer and lacks the three commonly targeted receptors in breast cancer treatments. As a result of a lack of targetable receptors, the standard of care remains to be harsh chemotherapy treatments that often are successful in early TNBC cases but often result in relapsed TNBC. In addition to high rates of recurrence, TNBC is known for its aggressive metastasis and chemoresistance. Within TNBC, the transcription factor Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3) is constitutively active and increases proliferation, and metastasis, and plays a role …

Reasoning Through Change: Exploring Covariational Thinking In Student Exponential Graph Interpretation, Samantha Lynn Pearson

Honors Theses and Capstones

This study explores how life science students reason about exponential functions in the context of an introductory physics course. While exponential functions are essential in both physics and biology—appearing in scenarios like population growth and temperature cooling—students often encounter challenges in interpreting them. Using a resources framework, we examined the cognitive resources these students bring to exponential reasoning, focusing on what ideas and strategies they already possess. Our methodology involved conducting think-aloud interviews with nine students from PHYS 402. Interviews were coded using a framework informed by prior research on covariational reasoning and exponential understanding. Results show that students generally …

Waking The Witch: Exploring Gender, Magic, And Power Dynamics In Ancient Rome, Diana Gibson

Honors Theses and Capstones

This thesis explores the presence of witches and magic in the literature of the Roman Empire. The study ranges from the 1st century BCE to the 6th century CE, and relates the prevalence of female witches in the Roman literature to particularly turbulent social contexts, such as the fall of the Republic and the rise of Christianity. The piece considers the rhetorical nature of accusations of witchcraft, and how the concepts of magic and witchcraft themselves were defined and shaped by those in power to uphold imperial hegemony and structures of patriarchy. The project seeks to highlight a distinction between …

18s Metabarcode Analyses Of Eukaryotic Species In The Respiratory Microbiomes Of Wild Canids From New Hampshire, Collin Sinclair Blake

Honors Theses and Capstones

This study is of an exploratory nature and focuses on characterizing the eukaryotic microbiota present in the respiratory tissues of six wild canids and one domestic canine. The contents of this document largely pertain to dry lab analyses of 18S barcodes in bioinformatics programs – primarily QIIME2 running in the GitBash command line, service for which was hosted by the UNH Ron Bioinformatics training server. All procedures listed within the section below were performed by second parties at the UNH Hubbard Center for Genomics Studies (HCGS), the New Hampshire Veterinary Diagnostics Lab (NHVDL), and the UNH Microbial Ecology and Emerging …

Optimization Of Small-Scale Bioreactors For Increased Pdna Production And Yield, Laura M. Hills

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

What The Earth Remembers: Landscape And Materiality In The Work Of Sally Mann, Mark Bradford, And Tacita Dean, Elliot Krasnopoler

Bryn Mawr College Dissertations and Theses

This dissertation triangulates the complex relationships among materiality, place, and history in works of contemporary landscape. I analyze three case studies: Sally Mann’s photographs of the American South, Mark Bradford’s iconoclastic paintings after the Gettysburg Cyclorama, and Tacita Dean’s film of the Great Salt Lake. I contend that these contemporary works of art are capacious in their temporal and narrative reach, holding multifaceted histories of America, including those of environment, war, oppression, and extraction. A key part of my thesis is that by looking at how these works were made and what they are made of—their materials, places, and processes—we …

Eugenol Loaded Calcium Citrate Particle As A Ph Triggered Drug Release System And A Reducing Agent For Au (Iii), Sadia Afrin

Dissertations and Theses

The study demonstrated that eugenol affects the morphology of calcium citrate particles during their formation, as confirmed by SEM micrography and PXRD analysis. Coating of eugenol loaded calcium citrate particles (CaCit MPs) with casein improves their known pH-dependent drug release profile, as confirmed by UV absorption spectroscopy. The casein-coated eugenol-loaded CaCit MPs (CCaCit(eu) MPs) can effectively control and sustain drug release under different pH conditions, particularly at acidic pH values (4.8 and 5.5), which mimics the environment of tumor tissues. To further explore the biomedical applications of calcium citrate, a bulk nanostructured precursor to the known anti-cancer calcium citrate phosphate-based …

Periconceptual Nutrition And The Preimplantation Embryo: Approaches For Intervention And Generational Health, Abigail Klein

Dissertations and Theses

The typical American diet exceeds dietary fat recommendations, contributing to the rising rates of obesity. This negatively impacts fertility, pregnancy and fetal growth, and lifelong offspring health. During pregnancy, this also increases risk of co-morbidities like gestational diabetes. Despite this, lipids are not screened during pregnancy and limited research exists evaluating these co-exposures on offspring health. Our lab used a rat model of maternal high fat (HF) diet with late-gestation diabetes (DM) to demonstrate that mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress incite lifelong cardiometabolic disease risk in offspring. To determine the timing of damage, we hypothesized that maternal overnutrition incites mitochondrial …

Old Clothes, New Purpose, Nicholas Gunn

Lake Union Herald

No abstract provided.

Neutrosophic Perspectives On The Body-Mind-Soul-Spirit Fluidity, Florentin Smarandache

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

This paper examines the concepts of the ‘Body’, ‘Mind’, ‘Soul,’ and ‘Spirit’ through the lens of neutrosophy. Neutrosophy challenges traditional binary logic, positing that ‘truth’ is not a fixed entity. Through the lens of neutrosophy, which is a philosophical framework, one seeks to address and reconcile contradictions and uncertainties in various fields, including philosophy, mathematics and science in general, as well as logic. Any phenomenon or dynamic structure can exist in different degrees (of truth, indeterminacy, and falsity). By applying this triadic approach to these four components, we propose the notion of a Neutrosophic Body-Mind-Soul-Spirit as a Quadruple Fluidity, where …

Aadej Comm 11 4 2025

AADEJ - The Communicator

The Communicator is the official journal of the American Association of Dental Editors and Journalists (AADEJ), an organization founded in 1931 serving individuals and publications across the dental field, including state dental associations, component societies, specialty groups, alumni publications, student publications, allied professional organizations, and commercial publications.

AADEJ's mission is to promote the advancement of all phases of dental journalism and dental literature. Guided by its vision of "Elevating Dental Journalism and Communications," AADEJ advances ethical journalism by promoting responsible editorial practices, setting high professional standards, and providing education and services that foster the professional development of its members.

The …

Introduction To Social Work, April Diaz

All Open Educational Resources

This is a collection of instructor-created slide decks and videos and links to free course materials curated for SOCW 260: Introduction to Social Work. This course introduces students to the profession of social work and its role in supporting individuals, families, and communities. Emphasizing collaboration across systems like healthcare, education, and justice, students will explore how social workers promote well-being and access to resources. Open to all majors, the course highlights the relevance of social work values and skills in a wide range of careers and everyday life.

The Design Of A Bioinspired Impact Mitigation System Towards The Prevention Of Brain Injuries, Bryce H. Reimer

Master’s Theses

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), including concussions and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), remain a major concern across contact sports, military operations, and transportation. Despite advancements in protective equipment, current strategies often fall short in preventing the mechanical conditions that contribute to long-term neurological damage. This thesis presents the design and validation of a bioinspired impact mitigation system modeled after bighorn sheep horn structures, which have evolved to endure high-energy collisions without apparent brain injury.

Using biomimetic principles, the research integrates experimental and computational methods to evaluate how horn-like geometries reduce impact-induced accelerations. A custom drop tower was built to test dynamic …

Evaluation Of Physical And Chemical Stability In Liposomes Composed Of Mixed Phospholipids, Sharareh Rezaei, Kenny Mineart

Master’s Theses

Liposomes, spherical vesicles composed of lipid bilayers, are widely used in drug delivery due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and ability to interact with biological membranes. Despite these advantages, liposomes remain moderately unstable systems, highly susceptible to environmental stressors such as pH fluctuations, ionic strength variations, temperature changes, and interactions with other components. Addressing both chemical and physical instability is essential for translating liposomal formulations from experimental formulation to viable pharmaceutical products.

This study investigates the physicochemical characteristics of a mixed-phospholipid system in which one lipid is saturated, and the other is unsaturated (DMPC and DOPC respectively). Liposomes are prepared using …

Study Of The Hague System Of International Design Patent Protection Under The Paradigm Of Global Administrative Law, Vaidehi Bachoti

North Carolina Journal of International Law

No abstract provided.

It’S Time To Rethink The Law Of Armed Conflict, Joshua Andresen

North Carolina Journal of International Law

No abstract provided.

Ripples: An Automated Embedding Generation Algorithm For The Forward-Forward Algorithm, Spencer Connolly

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The Forward-Forward algorithm (FF) is yet another novel invention by Geoffrey Hinton, the creator of the famous backpropagation algorithm (BP). Since its proposal, many papers have been published exploring its potential, and good progress has been made in increasing its viability. Though FF continually falls short of BP, its purpose is not to replace BP and preliminary research shows that there is plenty of room for growth. In this paper, we present a literature review for FF algorithms applied to Convolution Neural Networks (CNN) for image classification tasks and set the stage for applying FF to more complex datasets. The …

The Judicial Opinions Of Sandra Schultz Newman, Joel Fishman

Law Faculty Publications

Judge Of The Commonwealth Court Of Pennsylvania, 1993-1995.

Associate Justice Of The Supreme Court Of Pennsylvania, 1996-2006.

Presented In A Special Ceremony Of The Supreme Court Of Pennsylvania In Naming Its Courtroom In Philadelphia On September 9, 2025.

compiled by Joel Fishman, PH.D., M.L.S.

The Major League Baseball Pitch Clock: One Year Position Player Injury Analysis, Troy Puga, Nicholas Scigliano, Mckenna Box, John T. Riehl

North Texas Research Forum 2025

Background In 2023, Major League Baseball (MLB) implemented the pitch clock. The effects of the pitch clock on player injury rates is largely unknown, and some, including the major league baseball players association, have suggested that pitchers may be at an increased risk of injury with its implementation. Position players have received little attention in these discussions, even though they may be at the same theorized risk of injuries. The aim of this study is to determine if implementation of the 2023 MLB pitch clock influenced the incidence of injuries in position players. It is hypothesized that implementation of the …

Granulomatosis With Polyangitis Presenting As Cavernous Sinus Thrombosis And Oculomotor Nerve Palsy: A Case Report, Kempes Chan, Nanda Gopalan

Central & West Texas and San Antonio GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

Management Of Perineal Hernia Following Abdominoperineal Resection: A Case Report Using Transperineal Repair And Mesh, Evan Chen, Anthony Macaluso, Danielle Pigneri

North Texas Research Forum 2025

Background & Significance: Abdominoperineal resection (APR) is a complex surgical procedure commonly performed for low rectal or anal cancer. A rare complication following this surgery is the development of perineal hernias, occurring in 1-26% of cases. There is no universally accepted treatment for perineal hernias, and management is often individualized. Treatment options include conservative measures, transabdominal versus transperineal repair, varying patient positioning, and the use of mesh. This case report describes a transperineal repair in a prone jack-knife position using mesh for pelvic floor reconstruction. Case Presentation: A 54-year-old female status post robotic APR for rectal adenocarcinoma presented with symptomatic …