Digital Commons Network^™

American Perspectives On The Legitimacy Of Transgender Identities, Sethe Zachman

Department of Sociology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This mixed-method project examines how Americans’ and Nebraskans’ perceptions of the validity of transgender identities varies by the demographic characteristics of respondents, and how these perceptions are justified. Two representative surveys are used to examine demographic associations with opinion on the cisgender and transgender binary: the 2023 American Values Atlas (AVA) from the Public Religion Research Institute (N=4,788) and the 2022 Nebraska Annual Social Indicators Survey (NASIS) (N=934) from the Bureau of Sociological Research. A measure from the AVA data examines the degree to which respondents believe there are only two genders versus a range of gender identities. The NASIS …

A Compilation, Analysis, And Categorization Of 403 Atmospheric And Climate Science Misconceptions, Haeli Leighty

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The National Association of Geoscience Teachers (NAGT) has listed the inaccessibility of research related to misconceptions in atmospheric and climate science as a Geoscience Education Research Grand Challenge (Cervato et al. 2018). This project was a direct response to this call for research and consisted of three distinct steps: 1) data gathering, which included reviewing the literature for relevant misconception data, 2) a qualitative analysis, which included compiling, organizing, and categorizing the data collected, and 3) a quantitative analysis, which included determining the prevalence of each misconception across topic categories, demographic categories, and over time. A total of 403 misconceptions …

Analyzing Phototaxis And Related Visual Behaviors Among Diverse Species Of Drosophila, Madeline M. Hill

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Phototaxis and related visual behaviors can vary between species, and thus members of the genus Drosophila make an excellent study system to examine the evolution of vision. While some existing research points to these phototactic behaviors arising due to mating requirements or due to their species-specific ecology or environmental factors, there exists a lack of understanding as to why striking behavioral differences can exist between closely related species, or between members belonging to the same genus. The present research seeks to uncover the specifics regarding these discrepancies in visual evolution and aims to provide a foundation of knowledge about visual …

Sarcopenia And The Importance Of Resistance Training And Protein-Rich Diets For Prevention Of Muscle Loss In Older Adults: A Literature Review And Informational Pamphlet, Madison Steele

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The growing prevalence of sarcopenia among older adults as well as youths has prompted further research aimed at developing effective preventative measures and treatment plans. Sarcopenia is often thought to occur solely due to aging, but several other factors contribute to progressive muscle loss. Previous research studies have found an effect of physical activity and dietary protein levels on the risk of developing sarcopenia as well as its onset age. This study aims to review existing knowledge in the field to compile an extensive list of sarcopenia causes and methods of prevention. The main causes identified in this review are …

Evaluating Oer Resources As An Inclusive Teaching Practice, Hannah Ray

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Open Educational Resources (OER) have become a popular alternative to traditional textbooks for university students throughout the U.S. due to their affordability and positive educational outcomes. To better determine the outcomes of OER usage, this study evaluates the implementation of OER at an individual course level and across courses at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). Student success was measured by the DFW rates, which refers to the number of students who received a grade letter of D, failed, or withdrew from the course, before and after the implementation of OER resources in various courses. At the individual course level, students’ …

Proposing Urban Agroforestry Designs For Lincoln, Nebraska: A Model From Berlin, Germany, Noah Johnson

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Given the threat of a worsening climate crisis, there is a strong need for community and ecosystem resilience. Diverse urban agroforestry systems have the potential to accomplish both and meet many of the objectives outlined in the city of Lincoln, Nebraska’s climate action plan. Additionally, Berlin, Germany could provide an effective model for Lincoln in this regard given the city’s extensive history of established urban agroforestry systems. The objective of this study then is to develop a design for an urban agroforestry site modeled on Berlin’s allotment gardens and tailored to Lincoln’s needs. The methods for creating this design included …

Biological Teleology In The Modern World, Kathryn Siena

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

In humans, the heart moves blood through the body. Does the heart therefore have a teleological explanation? Aristotelian teleology (described in Aristotle’s Physics) is the cause-for-the-sake-of-which, or the end towards which something moves. It is evident from current scientific knowledge that there is some sort of orientation of organisms toward an end. This orientation, following Aristotle’s definition of teleology, is conceptually distinct from efficient causation. This orientation is also metaphysically distinct from efficient causation because efficient causal explanations do not properly describe the orientation. However, two common ways of describing teleological explanations imply efficient causation as a metaphysical element. …

Determining The Impacts Of Corn Silage Mixing Ratios On Hydrogen Production From Beef Cattle Manure, Katya Faber-Quimby

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

With global warming becoming an increasingly serious threat and a growing population requiring additional energy resources, interest in the production of clean energy from the agricultural sector has surged in popularity. Biohydrogen, also known as green hydrogen, is H₂ that has been produced using renewable energy, such as from agricultural byproducts or waste materials. It presents a promising alternative to nonrenewable resources due to its high potential for energy storage and lack of carbon emissions when used. Cattle manure has been explored as a resource for the production of biohydrogen. Selecting for hydrogen-producing microbes in the manure serves the …

Incidence Of Physical Activity And Academic Achievement In Virtual Learning Students, Jenna Arkelian-Brown

Doctorate in Kinesiology

The research assessed whether the incidence of physical activity was correlated with academic achievement. The population of participants included 43 students enrolled in virtual schooling. Academic achievement data was collected from participants’ virtual science/biology class, including their final semester 1 grade. Incidence of physical activity was assessed using the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents (PAQ-A) created by Kowalski et al. (2004). The PAQ-A was adapted to a Google Form, and physical activity summary scores were extracted and organized on Google Sheets for data analysis. Physical activity summary scores and student achievement data were inserted into a Pearson Correlation Coefficient Calculator. …

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Role Of Pnpla3 And Its Association With Environmental Chemicals, Shakil A. Saghir, Ata Abbas, Saleh Alfuraih, Ajay Sharma, Jean Latimer, Yadollah Omidi, Rais Ansari

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Globally, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is on the rise with 30-32%, 27-33%, 35-48%, 36%, 9-20%, and 36-38% prevalence in Asia, Europe, North America, South America, Africa, and Australia, respectively. Approximately, 5-10% of NAFLD proceeds to hepatitis called non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). NASH often progresses to liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Precise mechanism(s) for the development of HCC is not fully understood in NAFLD and NASH patients. Higher insulin levels in type 2 diabetes (T2D) can result in lipolysis of adipose tissue activating lipid synthesizing enzymes such as fatty acid synthase and stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1, resulting in lipid accumulation in …

What “Doing The Work” Is Taken To Mean: Higher Education Faculty’S Conceptualizations Of Deij Work, Denise Susanne Desrosiers

Doctoral Dissertations

Many U.S. higher education institutions invest significantly in diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ)-oriented professional development (PD) to help faculty develop knowledge and skills for serving diverse student populations. However, evidence is mixed regarding the effectiveness of DEIJ PD in helping institutions make progress on educational equity issues. Little is known about why DEIJ PD efforts may not have the desired effects. This study examines one potential answer to this question, interrogating the role of “Therapeutics” in DEIJ learning experiences, a Western cultural pattern that emphasizes self-reflection and attention to individual dispositions and emotions, as opposed to community orientations. Thirty-two …

Survival Strategies In Arid Environments: Exploring Desert Adaptations In Peromyscus Eremicus, Danielle Blumstein

Doctoral Dissertations

Desert environments pose extreme challenges for organisms, necessitating the evolution of specialized physiological, biochemical, and genomic mechanisms for survival. My research focuses on the cactus mouse (Peromyscus eremicus), exploring real time long term physiological changes and multi-tissue transcriptomics. The advent of both modern metabolic and sequencing technologies has revolutionized our approach to studying whole organismal responses on a fine scale, offering the ability to analyze changes during environmental fluctuations. However, these methods bring a new viewpoint that has highlighted our lack of understanding of the associated biology. My Ph.D. research takes an interdisciplinary approach, summarizing the interaction between metabolism and …

Discovery And Characterization Of Low Current Electrospray Modes For Mass Spectrometry: Applications For Femtoesi And The Enhancement Of Relative Ionization Efficiency, Nicholas Allen

Doctoral Dissertations

The analysis of analytes using electrospray ionization (ESI) and mass spectrometry (MS) has become a widely used tool for the detection and characterization of a wide class of chemical species. Because of its utilization for liquid phase sample and its application to a wide range of flow rates, ESI-MS can be coupled with liquid chromatography (LC) to offer additional separation, desalting, and sample pre-concentration prior to detection. Recent improvements in ESI performance have come from investigating ways to improve the ionization behavior of wide classes of analytes by reducing the liquid flow rate, initially generated droplet size, and ionization current. …

Eco-Resonance At The Arctic's Edge: Unraveling Microbial Methane Mysteries And Quantifying Collaborative Research Challenges, Tamara Sade Marcus

Doctoral Dissertations

Lakes in northern latitudes, especially those formed in peatlands, play a critical role in global carbon cycling. They store a substantial amount of organic carbon (OC) in their sediments but remain a poorly understood component of the carbon cycle. Despite their significance, CH₄ emissions from lakes were once considered negligible in climate models. However, recent studies highlight their substantial contribution, prompting the need for their inclusion in climate models, yet uncertainties persist around the CH₄ contributions from these systems.

This dissertation delves into the microbial controls on CH₄ emissions from arctic lake sediments, focusing on Stordalen Mire in northern Sweden, …

Differential Roles Of Replication Protein A Large Subunit Paralogs In Dna Damage Repair, Ian Mills

Doctoral Dissertations

DNA damage is a constant threat for all organisms. The most severe form of DNA damage is a double-strand break (DSB) that can have disastrous consequences to the cell including genome truncation and programmed cell death. As such, organisms have multiple complex pathways dedicated to repairing DSBs. These repair pathways begin with a signaling cascade that results in the resecting of the ends of the break to create 3’ OH overhangs which are immediately bound by a single-stranded binding protein called Replication Protein A (RPA). This is followed by the cell either undergoing programmed cell death or utilizing non-homologous end …

Plasma Membrane Remodeling And Biochemical Mechanisms Underpinning Bacterial Persistence In Fractured Subsurface Shale, Chika Jude Ugwuodo

Doctoral Dissertations

During hydraulic fracturing, a water-based fluid containing proppants and several chemical additives is injected under high pressure into a ~2 km deep wellbore, to extend fractures in the underlying rock. This process introduces a host of microorganisms into the reservoir, some of which survive, persist for long periods of time and cause several problems including production of H2S, a corrosive toxicant and biofilm formation which clogs rock fractures. Over time, the bacterial genus Halanaerobium dominates the microbial community composition in many geologically distinct fractured formations. Our understanding of shale reservoir microbial dynamics remains limited despite extensive studies in the past …

The Splintered Man: Masculine Responses To Feminism In 20th Century Fiction, Jess Flarity

Doctoral Dissertations

Splintered masculinity is a pattern of behaviors where men engage with the rhetoric of feminism and gender equality for their own benefit rather than as an authentic commitment to advancing women’s rights. This dissertation tracks the emergence of the “splintered man,” or s-man, from 1915 to 1982 in mainstream literary fiction along with science fiction to demonstrate how this identity crosses cultural and socioeconomic barriers to uphold principles related to hegemonic masculinity. Three kinds of s-men emerged within Modernism: the anti-human s-man, the self-aggrandizing s-man, and the confused/conflicted s-man, each with different traits regarding their goals in engaging with feminism. …

Leveraging Genome Evolution To Address Questions Of Biological Function, Hannah Pare

Doctoral Dissertations

Advances in sequencing technology have facilitated a surge in the production of genome data for diverse animal species. Researchers are presented with the opportunity to create comprehensive phylogenomic datasets, which have previously not been feasible. Unfortunately, extracting biologically relevant information from such a large amount of data is time consuming and computationally expensive, often limiting the scope and possibility of such analyses. My Ph.D. research aims to establish a methodological framework for investigating questions of biological function using comparative genomic and phylogenetic methods. Using two different metazoan genomic datasets we demonstrate the wide-ranging applicability of this framework by addressing research …

What's In A Name? Plant Naming As Cultural Artifact And Story In The Midwestern United States, Sophie Wesseler

Undergraduate Theses

This project sought to collect and contextualize the historical and contemporary names given to plants by inhabitants of the Midwestern United States, understanding plant names as cultural artifacts that can offer insight into the communities in which they were created and evolved. Formatted as a series of entries, this collection gathered these names and contextualized them within other artifacts of cultural significance, such as art or poetry, and alongside historical research on their origins and cultural environments. Examining plant names through the fields of linguistics, semiology, anthropology, cultural studies, taxonomy, and ethnobotany, this work traces the names of various plants …

Open Repository @ Binghamton Monthly Additions And Top Downloads - May 2024, Caitlin Holton

Library Created Resources

Newly added work in the Open Repository @ Binghamton (ORB) from 5/1/2024-5/31/2024. Top downloads from same time frame.

The Need For Redesign Of The Shsu Active Minds Website: Usability & Ux Report: An Analysis Of The Shsu Active Minds Website, D'Ettra Johnson

RhetTech

The SHSU Active Minds website actively motivates students to seek out support to better their mental health. According to the SHSU Active Minds website, 39% of students in college experienced a significant mental health issue, and 76% of young adults turn to a friend first when they are struggling instead of institutional help. Over the course of three to four weeks, I studied the SHSU Active Minds website to find ways that might help improve its usability and attempt to answer questions such as: how does this website make a student who is struggling with mental health feel when interacting …

Evaluating The Role Of Dissolved Organic Phosphorus Uptake By Phytoplankton, Caroline Anderson

Master's Theses and Capstones

Phytoplankton form the basis of the marine ecosystem and require phosphorus (P) for growth. Typically, phytoplankton utilize inorganic phosphate (PO43-) as it is the more biologically available form of P. Many regions across the global ocean have been found to exhibit vanishingly low concentrations of PO43- including the subtropical North Atlantic and North Pacific. Dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP) has been shown to serve as an alternative P source when PO43- concentrations are low. However, the concentration of PO43- which leads to significant phytoplankton DOP uptake has not been widely established. In this work, both experimental and field DOP data were …

How New Communication Behaviors Evolve: Androgens As Modifiers Of Neuromotor Structure And Function In Foot-Flagging Frogs, Lisa A. Mangiamele, Allex Andrya Dawn, Kerry M. Lecure, Gina E. Mantica, Riccardo Racicot, Matthew J. Fuxjager, Doris Preininger

Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

How diverse animal communication signals have arisen is a question that has fascinated many. Xenopus frogs have been a model system used for three decades to reveal insights into the neuroendocrine mechanisms and evolution of vocal diversity. Due to the ease of studying central nervous system control of the laryngeal muscles in vitro, Xenopus has helped us understand how variation in vocal communication signals between sexes and between species is produced at the molecular, cellular, and systems levels. Yet, it is becoming easier to make similar advances in non-model organisms. In this paper, we summarize our research on a group …

Table Of Contents

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Proteomic Identification Of Hemp (Cannabis Sativa) Seeds By Tandem Mass Spectrometry And Evaluation Of Cytotoxic Activity, Taran Harris

Pharmaceutical Sciences (MS) Theses

Hemp (Cannabis sativa) has a long history of use globally as a source of traditional medicine, spiritual enlightenment, and recreational enjoyment. While it was commonly consumed for both medical and recreational purposes in the United States, it was classified as a Schedule 1 drug in 1937, severely restricting its use and research opportunities. Although hemp itself lacks psychoactive properties, Cannabis sativa flowers contain THC, the compound responsible for its psychotropic effects. This restriction hindered quality research into cannabis and its constituents. The study employed techniques, including top-down proteomics, size exclusion chromatography, affinity chromatography, high-resolution ESI QTOF LC/MS/MS, and …

Victim Or Villain: Female Resilience And Agency In The Face Of Trauma In Chimamanda Adichie’S, Purple Hibiscus (2003) And Tsitsi Dangarembga’S, Nervous Conditions (1988), Adaobi Juliet Chukwuma

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As long as disparities persist in the way women are treated as compared to their male counterparts, the issue of gender will continue to call forth literary productions. For this reason, female writers are on a mission to dismantle the stereotypes that keep women confined to societal roles. Grounded in a feminist framework, this study focuses on the gender disparity theme in Chimamanda Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus and Tsitsi Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions. The aim is to examine how these writers represent the trauma of women living in an African patriarchal system. The traumatic experiences of the female characters in both texts …

Project Foresight Annual Report, 2022-2023, Paul J. Speaker

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Project FORESIGHT is a business-guided self-evaluation of forensic science laboratories across the globe. The participating laboratories represent local, regional, state, and national agencies. Economics, accounting, finance, and forensic faculty provide assistance, guidance, and analysis. Laboratories participating in Project FORESIGHT have developed standardized definitions for metrics to evaluate work processes, linking financial information to work tasks, and functions. Laboratory managers can then assess resource allocations, efficiencies, and value of services—the mission of Project FORESIGHT is to measure, preserve what works, and change what does not.

The benchmark data for the 2022-2023 performance period includes laboratory submissions for a variety of fiscal …

The Future Of Academic Reference Services In The Age Of Artificial Intelligence: An Overview, Lili Li, Kay Coates

University Libraries: Faculty Presentations

The purpose of this study explores the deep impact of ChatGPT on reference services in academic libraries. Based on the identified research literature, this study used the method of descriptive content analysis to evaluate the general capabilities of generative AI applications, such as ChatGPT, to transform reference services in academic libraries. With the homepage of the Georgia Southern University Libraries, two experienced librarians examined the potential of generative AI applications like ChatGPT to impact future reference services in ever-changing academic libraries. Based on the word limit, this study only focused on a few key areas of reference services, such as …

The Relationship Between Economic Status And Patient Retention In The Physical Therapy Setting In Selected Physical Therapy Clinics And Hospitals Of Negros Oriental: Perspective Of Filipino Physical Therapists, Rey Joshua P. Osorio, Zoscheele Monica G. Pal, Clarice M. Planteras, Raymon D. Ragay, Ginea Marydawn N. Roda, Rapunzel G. Santillan, Niña Mae B. Sequita, Ulrich Tristan Weber

Student Dissertations

Patient retention has always been part of the goals in the medical field, especially in the Physical Therapy setting; there were some studies that depicted a contingent effect on its likelihood with the patients’ economic status. However, the lack of evidence-based studies in PT surrounding these variables have made it difficult to pinpoint the relationship between the two. This study investigated how economic status influences patient retention in physical therapy settings in Negros Oriental, Philippines. It combined quantitative data from surveys on participant demographics, economic status, and patient retention with qualitative insights gathered through semi-structured interviews. The data collected suggested …

Assessing The Role Of Stim1 And Stim2 In Microglial Response To Spinal Cord Injury., Sarayu Alli

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

Microglia, immune cells of the central nervous system, constantly survey their environment for damage. Once damage is detected, they are activated into become reactive, resulting in morphological changes, such as larger cell bodies, and functional changes, such as releasing inflammatory mediators. The switch from surveying to reactive occurs because the microglia received signals that sense danger in the environment. The release of Ca2+ from intracellular stores is involved in store-operated calcium entry (SOCE), a signaling pathway. Recent studies have shown that calcium release from the intracellular stores is a factor of microglial activation. SOCE is specific to monitoring low calcium …