Digital Commons Network^™

Compositional And Functional Shifts In Fish Community Structure In Response To Low-Head Dam Removals, Joshua D. Bruegge

Masters Theses

Low-head dams serve as intermittent barriers to aquatic connectivity and directly alter both upstream and downstream habitats and biotic communities. In 2018 and 2019, two low-head dams in the Vermilion River watershed of eastern Illinois were removed, reconnecting over 1,700 kilometers of upstream habitat within the basin. To determine the impacts of these dam removals, fish community surveys were conducted at 12 fixed sites across three reaches in two rivers from 2012-2022. This study assessed reach-specific temporal responses of the fish community and habitat characteristics. I linked trait expressions within the fish community to abiotic variables using the co-inertia RLQ …

The Role Of International Student Office Directors In Facilitating The Transitional Adjustment Of International Students In U.S Higher Education, Agnes Afi Yigah

Masters Theses

This qualitative study explored how International Student Office Directors facilitate the transitional adjustment of international students in U.S. higher education institutions. Guided by Schlossberg’s Transition Theory (1981) and Schlossberg’s Mattering and Marginality Theory (1989), this study examined the challenges international students face, the support strategies implemented by International Student Office Directors, and the institutional factors influencing student adjustment and well-being. International students experience challenges related to housing and logistical adjustment, financial and immigration-related stressors, academic system adjustment and self-advocacy, and social integration and emotional adjustment. Proactive and holistic support approaches, including pre-arrival communication, orientation programs, academic support, emotional support, and …

Artificial Light At Night Extends Pollen Season And Elevates Allergen Exposure, Brandt Geist, Lin Meng, Daniel S W Katz, Huidong Li, Franz Hölker, Qian Xiao

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Artificial light at night (ALAN), a growing environmental stressor in urban ecosystems, disrupts natural light-dark cycles and alters plant phenological events such as leaf-out and flowering. However, the extent to which ALAN influences airborne pollen season timing and exacerbates allergy-related health risks remains largely understudied. This study investigates how ALAN influences the timing and duration of the airborne pollen season across the Northeastern United States from 2012 to 2023 and the consequences of allergenic pollen exposure. Using daily pollen concentrations from the National Allergy Bureau, ALAN data from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite product, and gridded Daymet climate data, …

Carbon Nanotube/ Thermoplastic Polyurethane (Cnt/Tpu)-Based Triboelectric Nanogenerator With Self-Charge Pumping For Implantable Knee Load Sensing And Energy Harvesting, Osama Abdalla, Maryam Hosseini, Milad Azami, Amir Ameli, Emre Salman, Milutin Stanacevic, Ryan Willing, Shahrzad Towfighian

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Scholarship

Aseptic loosening and joint instability remain the primary modes of failure in total knee arthroplasty (TKA). To provide real-time biomechanical load monitoring, this study presents a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) utilizing a carbon nanotube/foamed thermoplastic polyurethane (CNT/TPU) composite dielectric layer paired with a Kapton tape between dual electrodes. By leveraging the triboelectric effect, the device functions simultaneously as an energy harvester and a self-powered load sensor. To overcome power density limitations, a self-charge pumping mechanism via a multi-stage voltage multiplier circuit (VMC) was integrated and evaluated under physiological cyclic loading (2100 N at 1 Hz). The system’s charge dynamics were further …

Eco-Friendly Solvent-Based Fabrication Of Single-Layer And Polydopamine-Modified Bilayer Pvdf-Hfp Membranes, Eesh M. Kulshrestha

Theses and Dissertations--Chemical and Materials Engineering

The growing global demand for clean drinking water has intensified the need for advanced water treatment technologies capable of efficiently removing contaminants while maintaining environmental sustainability. Polymeric membrane systems have emerged as an effective approach for water separations due to their high separation efficiency, simplicity, and adaptability to a wide range of water treatment applications. However, traditional membrane fabrication processes often rely on toxic organic solvents, such as N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) and diemethylacetamide (DMAc), which pose environmental and health risks. These concerns have led to an increase in regulatory restrictions, primarily through the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) …

Investigation Of Succinylated Zwitterionic Polyethylenimine/Dna Complexes: Performance In Serum, Internalization, And Intracellular Fate, Levi Lampe

Theses and Dissertations--Chemical and Materials Engineering

Gene therapy has promised to revolutionize medicine since the earliest clinical trials, but a lack of delivery methods that are both safe and efficient has hampered progress. Gene therapy with viral vectors is effective at delivering nucleic acids to cells, but is associated with dangerous immunogenic responses and cancer-causing insertions into the genome. Viral vectors are also among the most prohibitively costly therapeutics in medicine. Polymeric vectors avoid these dangers and are made from inexpensive, off-the- shelf materials, but have been hindered by poor efficiency compared to viral vectors.

A benchmark polymer for in vitro nucleic acid delivery has been …

Aqueous Synthesis Of Luminescent Semiconductors For Opto-Electronic Applications, Saurabh Singh

Theses and Dissertations--Chemical and Materials Engineering

The advancement of opto-electronic and scintillation technologies relies heavily on developing low-temperature, eco-friendly, and scalable synthesis routes for high performance luminescent halide-based semiconductor materials. However, traditional synthesis methods for halide-based semiconductors, including hot-injection, solvothermal, solid-state reactions, Ligand-Assisted Reprecipitation (LARP), microwave-assisted synthesis, and thin film deposition techniques (spin coating, physical vapor deposition (PVD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), etc.), often demand toxic organic/inorganic solvents, elevated processing temperatures, and high vacuum/inert environments. Such constraints limit their scalability, raise environmental concerns, and impede their commercial-level device integration. This research overcomes these long-standing challenges by employing water as a powerful crystallization-directing, and environmentally benign medium …

Measuring The Efficiency Of The Arts And Culture Sector Relative To Gdp: A State-Level Analysis Of The United States, Ameerkhan Jaffar Khan Khader Khan

Selected Full-Text Master Theses 2021-

Arts and cultural production contributed $1.17 trillion to United States gross domestic product in 2023, 4.2% of the national total, but that contribution is spread very unevenly across states, and the official statistics describe how large the sector is rather than how efficiently it operates (Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024). This study asks how efficiently each state convert growth in arts and culture employment into growth in value added, how many inputs the efficiency model can carry before it stops distinguishing 51 observations, and whether observable state characteristics explain the differences found. The analysis uses 2023 state-level data for all …

Anaerobic Digestion Of Food Waste Components: Modeling Biogas Production, Opeyemi E. Adelegan

Civil Engineering Dissertations

Food waste constitutes the single largest component of municipal solid waste landfilled in the United States — approximately 22% of 292.4 million tons generated in 2018 — and its anaerobic decomposition releases methane, a greenhouse gas with global warming potential approximately 27–30 times that of carbon dioxide over a 100-year horizon (IPCC, 2021). Anaerobic digestion (AD) offers an alternative management pathway that recovers energy and produces nutrient-rich digestate, but AD performance varies by as much as five-fold across food waste streams (130–630 m³ CH₄ per Mg VS added), and existing predictive tools either treat food waste as a …

Immuno-Toxic Effects Of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles And Protective Role Of Moringa Olifera On Thymus Of Male Albino Rats, Marwa Abdelsalam Abdallah, Alaa Fehaid, Aml Abdelmonem Halawa, Mmdouh Mohammed Abou Ealmagd

Mansoura Veterinary Medical Journal

Background and Aim The present study aims to evaluate the protective role of Moringa olifera (MO) extract against Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) induced immunotoxicity in male albino rats. Methods Forty-eight Male albino rats were divided into six groups. The 1st group (control) orally received distilled water. The 2nd group received 100 mg/kg of MO extract. The 3rd group was administered 200 mg/kg B.W ZnO NPs. The 4th group received 200 mg/kg B.W ZnO NPs in combination with 100 mg/kg of MO extract. The 5th group received 400 mg/kg B.W ZnO NPs. The 6th group received 400 mg/kg B.W ZnO …

Using Market Research To Teach Durable Skills, Zachary Miller, Justin R. Dodd

Pedagogicon Conference Proceedings

This paper is a case study on the use of a market research assignment to develop durable skills that directly transfer to professional environments. By engaging students in the development of a personal financial budget, the assignment provides a practical context for applying quantitative reasoning and critical thinking.

Harnessing Ai For Medical Education: A Faculty Development Series For Pre-Clinical And Clinical Educators, April Hatcher, Tama The

Pedagogicon Conference Proceedings

This manuscript describes a faculty development series designed to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into medical education. Faculty participants discussed practical applications of AI, student perspectives on their use of AI, and innovative collaborative projects with local faculty. This short series was scaffolded as an introduction to AI for medical educators.

Rhetoric Meets Remedy: A Collaboration Of Health And Writing, Angela Hardin, Melanie Smith

Pedagogicon Conference Proceedings

Explore how interdisciplinary projects like infographics, magazine articles, and PSAs merge media literacy with health education, inspiring high school students to think critically and creatively. This presentation highlights a collaborative approach that empowers students to address real-world health and safety challenges and engages them in meaningful and transferable experiences.

Analyzing Changes In Russian Olive Distributions Along The Missouri River In Response To Flooding, Zachary Schild

Dissertations and Theses

Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia; RO) is an invasive, nitrogen-fixing tree that has spread across riparian ecosystems in the western United States, potentially hindering native tree recruitment, reducing species richness, and impacting wildlife. RO has established within the Missouri National Recreational River (MNRR) in part due to modified flow regimes following dam construction. This study aimed to map the spread of RO using high-resolution National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP) imagery (2010, 2012, 2018, 2022) and evaluate the effects of the 2011 and 2019 floods on RO distributions in the Missouri National Recreational River (MNRR). RO cover in this area has expanded …

Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Fields For Extracellular Vesicle Engineering: From Electro-Exocytosis To Cargo Modulation, Art Neal, Teresa Graham, Mohamadmahdi Samandari, Arash Ghorbannia, Anca Dobrian, Stephen J. Beebe, Ruben M. L. Colunga-Biancatelli

Bioelectrics Publications

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), including small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) and medium/large extracellular vesicles (MVs), have emerged as promising therapeutic vectors and diagnostic biomarkers across various branches of biomedicine. However, the clinical translation of EV-based technologies remains constrained by persistent challenges in manufacturing: insufficient yield from primary cell sources, limited control over cargo composition, and the absence of scalable, standardized production platforms. Nanosecond pulsed electric fields (nsPEF) represent an emerging biophysical approach that can address several of these limitations. Unlike conventional electroporation, which targets the plasma membrane using microsecond-to-millisecond pulses, nsPEF delivers ultrashort (1–300 ns), high-amplitude (10–300 kV/cm) pulses that penetrate intracellularly …

Diffusion Of The Internet And Digital Divide In Post-Soviet Countries, Behrooz Asgari, Cosmos Amoah, Sudipa Majumdar

DLSU Business & Economics Review

This study explores the diffusion process of the internet in countries that were previously known as the U.S.S.R. and are currently divided into 15 countries. Utilizing the S-shaped logistic curves, this paper forecasts future trends in internet diffusion in these economies. Data varied in range, with each country having different time frames for similar variables. The logistic curves for each country determined the length of time of internet diffusion, maximum carrying capacity, and different stages of the diffusion process, namely, emerging, growth, maturity, and saturation. The results show that all countries have exceeded the emerging and growth phases, with 13 …

G Willis Tyson, Report Of Death In Fly Paper August 27, 1943, Jenifer A. Harding

Documents: George Willis Tyson

Death of G Willis Tyson, General Manager, 5BFTS, Riddle Field, who died after a plane crash in Tallahassee on August 31, 1943. He is buried at Inglewood Park Cemetery, Inglewood, California. Reported in Fly Paper, Vol VI, No 19, August 27, 1943.

G Willis Tyson, General Manager 5bfts - Biography, Jenifer A. Harding

Documents: George Willis Tyson

Biography of G Willis Tyson, General manager, 5BFTS, Riddle Field, who died after a plane crash in Tallahassee on August 19, 1943. He is buried at Inglewood Park Cemetery, Inglewood, California.

Allied Professionals In (Academic) Law Libraries, Part I: Evolving Roles, Skills, And Professional Development Needs, Sarah E. Ryan, Mads Ball, Agnes G. Pearcy, Diana Quinones, Dawn L. Smith

Library Staff Publications

Allied professionals comprise a significant portion of the law library workforce, yet their experiences and career pathways are often overlooked in discussions about the profession’s future. This article presents findings from a survey examining how allied professionals pursue professional development, upskilling, and career mobility. While respondents demonstrated a strong commitment to growth, opportunities varied widely and were often limited by institutional support. The authors discuss the survey findings, explore the implications for the profession, and offer recommendations for better supporting allied professionals and recognizing their essential contributions to law librarianship. This is the first in a two-part series.

Óol. The Root Of Aroma, Ximena Delgado Santiago

Grado en Diseño de Interiores

ÓOL is a key term in the Mayan language that translates as the soul, the heart, or the spiritual center of a living person. It goes beyond the physical organ; it represents vital energy, willpower, fortitude, and the totality of emotions and feelings. The project aims to bring México to Madrid through its scents, creating a space for sensory transformation. The intervention aims to create a contrast between the pre-existing rectangularity and a space with a more organic and fluid geometry. The design uses botany, nature, and scent as inspiration for the configuration of the space, creating an atmosphere of …

Cima. Climbing Center, Cristina López Extremo

Grado en Diseño de Interiores

The interior spaces are designed to reflect the identity and values of the mountannering clubs and the wider culture of climbing and mountain sports. Through both materiality and atmosphere, the project seeks to create an environment strongly connected to the experience of mountaineering and the community it supports. Elements such as tensioned ropes, climbing cords, carabiners, metal details, and topographic elements reference the equipment commonly associated with climbing and alpine activities. The overall aesthetic is clean and functional, with restrained use of colour inspired by the visibility of climbers against rocky mountain landscapes. Together, these spaces reinforce the identity of …

Osmosis “Where Nature Encourages Becoming”, Jimena Cuevas Tello

Grado en Diseño de Interiores

Osmosis proposes the transformation of “Casa del Marqués de Villora,” designed by Rafael Bergamín, into a cultural and recreational centre dedicated to art, nature, and thought. Located on Calle Serrano in Madrid, the project reimagines the historic building as a “living ecosystem” where visitors can engage with culture while reconnecting with themselves and the environment. The project creates an opportunity to provide not only functional spaces but also spaces capable of supporting reflection, learning, creativity, and renewal in a contemporary city such as Madrid, where there is constant movement, stimulation, and acceleration that often leave little room for contemplation and …

The Third Space, Aitana Ariza Aguilera

Grado en Diseño de Interiores

Today’s children inhabit two worlds: Home, where there is often overprotection or a lack of time, and School, where there are rules and schedules to follow. This project was born to fill the gap between them. “The Third Space” is a childhood territory designed to give children back their autonomy, quality free time, and the right to learn without being taught. It is not a place to “be,” it is a place to “be.”

The House That Builds A Book, Mercedes Vergara Urquijo

Grado en Diseño de Interiores

The project proceeds from the hypothesis that a house can build a book: architecture does not passively house writing but actively participates in its production through physical and sensory variables, height, light, colour, texture, acoustics, correlated with specific cognitive states in the writing process. This hypothesis draws on Michel Foucault’s theory of heterotopia, on Evidence-Based Design (EBD), on the phenomenology of architecture, and on cognitive-behavioural research into creativity and attention. The theoretical framework that follows sets out, in full, the four bodies of theory the project relies on before turning, from section 2.8 onward, to the resulting programme

Beyond The Square Pulse: Waveform Shape, Eeg Correlates, And The Pursuit Of Natural Sensation In Tens, Jason Whitson

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study investigates the relationship between electrical stimulus characteristics of shape and charge on evoked sensations and electroencephalogram (EEG) data during multi-waveform transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) of the median nerve. Neuromodulation methods have traditionally had little control over the location and quality of their associated evoked sensation (e.g., electric, vibration, touch). This experiment utilized five unique stimulus waveforms during TENS stimulation. EEG data were collected concurrently to provide an introductory objective measure of the neural responses underlying these sensory changes. Eleven participants completed three tasks (thresholding, super-threshold stimulation, two-alternative forced choice) using a two-electrode TENS approach. Stimulus waveforms were …

From Ship To Shore: The Impact Of Sailor Resistance On The Anti-Vietnam War Movement, Trent Chamberlain

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis explores the often-overlooked role of United States Navy personnel in the broader anti-Vietnam War movement. While civilian protests dominate historical narratives of the era, the impact of active-duty sailor resistance remains underexplored. To address this gap, this thesis examines shipboard and shore-based dissent to determine how Naval resistance influenced both military operations and domestic anti-war efforts. By conducting a historical analysis of primary source materials, including military records, underground press publications, and personal accounts, this research traces the evolution of sailor organizing and its intersections with civilian peace movements. The thesis shows that Naval dissent not only posed …

Artificial Intelligence In Cybersecurity: Applications, Threats, And Implications, Brandon A. Rodriguez

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The point of this thesis is to analyze the growth of artificial intelligence in the world of cyber security, highlighting the specific impacts it has in the use of defense and offensive misuse. The way that this research was done was by using three main methods, those being interviewing cybersecurity specialists, testing the uses of public AI models and by reviewing peer-reviewed studies. Some of the findings that were discovered with the research were that AI can be a great asset in supporting defensive systems with such things as assisting in the creation of scripts, but there are also negatives …

A Chicken Model For Non-Invasive Diagnosis Of Infant Developmental Dysplasia Of The Hip (Ddh) Using Acoustic Transmission Measurements, Aliza Shah

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is a condition characterized by abnormal development and stability of the hip joint. In a healthy infant, the femoral head (ball) fits securely within the acetabulum (socket of the pelvis), allowing for proper joint function. In DDH, the relationship is disrupted, ranging from mild acetabular dysplasia to partial (subluxation) or complete dislocation of the femoral head. This condition represents a range of structural abnormalities that develop during early growth. The integrity of the hip joint is essential for physical mobility, and disruption of this structure can lead to significant functional impairment. DDH may result …

Phytoremediation Potential Of Selected Plant Species (Ambrosia Artemisiifolia L. And Erigeron Canadensis L.) For Reducing Priority Heavy Metal And Metalloid (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, Zn) Contamination In Anthropogenically Impacted Soils Of Ukraine, Volodymyr Laptiev

Theses

Soil contamination with priority heavy metals and metalloids of anthropogenic origin represents one of the most pressing environmental challenges of the present day, directly associated with risks to public health, ecosystem degradation, and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those of the World Health Organization and the United Nations aimed at ensuring a healthy environment, safe ecosystems, and sustainable land management. Under conditions of long-term technogenic pressure, compounded by the additional impact of military activities on the territory of Ukraine, the search for scientifically substantiated, environmentally safe, and economically feasible approaches to reducing soil contamination has become especially …

Mystics, Oracles, And Bones: Spiritual Resistance For Justice, Healing, And Resolution, Leah Hollis

Comparative Civilizations Review

This conceptual essay examines the enduring human impulse to seek meaning, justice, and healing through mystical traditions in response to suffering and harm. When traditional solutions through grievance, the law, or mediation fails, some individuals may turn to spiritual practices not as superstition, but as embodied strategies of survival, reclamation, and clarity. Comparing diverse traditions from a variety of cultures, including oracle bone divination in ancient China, the Oracle at Delphi in Greece, West African Ifá, Benin’s Voudou, diasporic Hoodoo, Celtic Druidic law, and Sufi mysticism, this paper explores how mystics have long served as interpreters of suffering and perceived …