Digital Commons Network^™

Looking Green: A Rhetorical Analysis Of Greenwashing In Fossil Fuel Advertisements, Elizabeth Schohn Hein

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

The world’s leading oil and gas companies knew the impact of fossil fuels on climate change as early as the late 1970s. Despite this knowledge, the fossil fuel industry proceeded to invest money in publicly denying the link between burning fossil fuels and climate change. There is increasing hindrance by American consumers towards fossil fuels as the consequences of their extraction and production become more glaring and evident in the environmental destruction and consequences of climate change across the globe. Growing environmental concerns about the impacts of fossil fuels, like oil and natural gas, from the general public resulted in …

Data Portability Revisited: Toward The Human-Centric, Ai-Driven Data Ecosystems Of Tomorrow, Mark Fenwick Professor Of International Business Law, Michael Fertik Managing Partner, Paulius Jurcys Senior Lecturer, Timo Minssen Professor Of Law

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

This Article critically examines the contemporary regulatory framework and discourse surrounding data portability in the United States. Using recent regulatory developments in the European Union as an illustration, this Article suggests that although data access and portability are identified as vital issues in multiple policy instruments, in its current iteration, at least, legal conceptions of portability continue to reinforce the interests of service providers and data controller enterprises rather than individual end users. This Article argues that a paradigm shift toward a more human-centric data approach to data governance must occur, under which data would be recognized as fundamental to …

Overharvesting: The Why Of Biodiversity Loss, Andrew W. Torrance, Bill Tomlinson

Texas A&M Journal of Property Law

This Article examines the consequences of overharvesting biodiversity, focusing on its detrimental effects on biodiversity—on the biosphere, ecosystems, communities, populations, and individual organisms. It evaluates legal mechanisms designed to protect biodiversity from overharvesting and also considers legal mechanisms that lead to overharvesting to the detriment of biodiversity. The Article compares regulations and laws from multiple jurisdictions, including Europe, Oceania, Asia, Africa, and the Americas, and analyzes how these regulations and laws seek to curb overharvesting. Examples include the United States’s Endangered Species Act, Canada’s Wild Animal and Plant Protection Act, and the European Union’s Marine Strategy Framework Directive. International conventions …

Successful Management Of Human Parainfluenza Virus-3 Outbreak In A Tertiary Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Nabiha A. Bouafia, Mohammed F. Qureshi, Reham Q. Alwetishi, Naoufel M. Kaabia, Dalal Bukhari, Mohammed A. Althomali, Souad M. Alateah, Fawaz T. Kashlan, Hania M. Farhan, Ziyad H. Alhaje

Saudi Medical Journal

ABSTRACT Objectives: To describe the role of infection control measures in controlling human parainfluenza virus type 3 (HPIV-3) outbreaks in the neonatal intensive care unit of a tertiary military hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Methods: This single center, retrospective study collected clinical and diagnostic data from date to date. We collected nasopharyngeal swabs from symptomatic patients and processed using multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction assays to detect HPIV-3. Results: The HPIV-3 outbreak occurred between December 2022 and January 2023, and affected 22 patients (mean age: 13 months), among whom 18 had underlying chronic medical conditions. Most patients (n=18) presented with …

Animation Therapy, Leah Bernhardt

Honors Theses

Can viewing a meditative animation help student athletes with their mental health? My creative project involves seven one-minute animations that are based on the concept of the seven chakras found in the physical body. Each chakra has specific characteristics that can affect our emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being. If we can learn how to keep these energies stable within the body, we can learn how to become mentally and physically balanced. My animation consists of animals that best represent each chakra's characteristics. The viewer can imagine themselves as that animal and incorporate those characteristics into their daily life. I presented …

May 2025, Pacific Alumni Association

Alumni News & Events

No abstract provided.

Unl Emeriti And Retirees Association Newsletter, May 2025

UNL Emeriti and Retirees Association: Newsletters and Other Materials

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Emeriti and Retirees Association Newsletter, May 2025

Expanding and enhancing the ERA President's message

Welcome to new members

ERA Board members

Wake up your well-being

Book review, Hello Beautiful

Service awards

A look ahead to programming

Recapping past programming

Memory moments

Design And Optimization Of Aquaculture Gear: Development Of A Cage-Integrated Reeling Mechanism For Oyster Farming, Felicity Bryant

Honors Theses

This project encompasses the design, fabrication, and testing of a cage-integrated reeling system aimed at reducing the physical labor required in oyster aquaculture at Bama Bay Oyster Farm, the last operational oyster farm in Mobile Bay. The proposed system includes two primary components: lightweight, modular oyster cages and a dual-winch reeling device for automated retrieval. Three cage prototypes—rectangular, oval, and hexagonal—were evaluated for structural performance and fabrication feasibility. The oval design was ultimately excluded due to practical fabrication limitations. The rectangular and hexagonal designs were fabricated using recycled materials and tested under the most extreme environmental conditions derived from years …

News Briefs Spring 2025, Georgia Library Quarterly

Georgia Library Quarterly

No abstract provided.

Electrochemically Precipitated Struvite Effects On Extractable Soil Nutrients, Owen Collins

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Struvite recovery from wastewater streams may provide an alternative to traditional fertilizer-phosphorus (P) sources, while also providing the benefit of reducing nitrogen and P loads in wastewater effluent and reducing effects of eutrophication in surface waters. Limited research has been conducted to assess the effects of struvite fertilization on concentrations of soil micronutrients and potassium (K) compared to other traditional fertilizer-P sources in historically agricultural soils. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of fertilizer-P source (i.e., synthetically produced electrochemically precipitated struvite [ECST], chemically precipitated struvite [CPST], monoammonium phosphate [MAP], diammonium phosphate [DAP], triple superphosphate [TSP], rock …

Extraction Of Bioethanol From Seaweed Via Hydrolysis And Fermentation Using Mass-Produced Enzymes And Yeast, Timilehin Esther Oluwole

Master's Theses

The increasing global energy demand, depletion of fossil fuel reserves, and environmental concerns have driven the search for sustainable biofuel alternatives. Seaweeds (macroalgae) are promising feedstocks for bioethanol production due to their high carbohydrate content, rapid growth rates, lack of lignin, and non-competition with arable land. This study investigates the bioethanol production potential of three seaweed species, Codium fragile, Monostroma grevillei, and Fucus distichus, using enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation via Separate Hydrolysis and Fermentation (SHF) and Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation (SSF) processes. Hydrolysis was catalyzed using either α-Amylase or Celluclast 1.5L, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae was employed for fermentation. Out of …

Founders' Day And Honors Convocation Exercises - May 2025, Prairie View A&M University

Commencement and Convocation Exercises

No abstract provided.

Effects Of The Gravity Gradient On The Path Of 1i/‘Oumuamua, Hannah R. Richardson

Poster Presentations

In October 2017, the asteroid 1I/’Oumuamua first passed into viewing range [1]. The asteroid is notable for being the first interstellar object to enter the solar system. 1I/’Oumuamua was also unusual in its geometry; it is thought to have an aspect ratio of 6:1 and a length of approximately 400 m [2] [3]. The asteroid was observed to experience a non-Keplerian acceleration estimated to be on the order of 1×10−6 m s-2 Several theories have been proposed for the cause of this acceleration, all of which are non-gravitational in nature: volatile outgassing, photon pressure, and solar winds [1][4]. However, none …

How Do Simulated Phishing Attacks Impact Cybersecurity Awareness And The Enhancement Of Security Protocols Among Faculty Members In A University Environment?, Navnoor Sandhu

University Honors Program Senior Projects

Phishing attacks are cyber threats where attackers deceive users into performing actions that compromise the user’s security and benefit the attacker. In 2024 alone, phishing attacks have resulted in estimated damages of around 800 million dollars [1]. In response, many institutions have implemented internal simulated phishing attacks to enhance their employees' cybersecurity awareness. This training exercise has been proven beneficial in improving cybersecurity awareness on an enterprise scale[4]. This study aims to evaluate the potential effectiveness of a simulated phishing attack within a university setting, which is a relatively unseen practice thus far. Universities, like other secure organizations, store sensitive …

Reevaluating The Role Of Ruppia Maritima: Recruitment Dynamics And Habitat Use By Blue Crabs (Callinectes Sapidus) And Associated Benthic Fauna In A Mid-Atlantic Seagrass Community, Delaney St. Pierre

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The value of seagrasses as essential fish habitat is well recognized, but limited data exist on the value of one particular species, Ruppia maritima (widgeon grass), as habitat for fish and invertebrates. During the summer of 2024, I evaluated R. maritima, Zostera marina (eelgrass) and mixed beds to assess their relative value as habitat in Barnegat Bay, New Jersey. Results from throw traps indicated significant monthly differences for pipefish, gobies, blue crabs, grass shrimp, and sand shrimp, driven by active recruitment events. When evaluating habitat type, we found no taxa that were significantly more abundant in Z. marina habitat as …

Gaussian Process Regression And Nested Sampling For Planetary Parameter Prediction, Alexandro Balarezo

Physics

In this project, we implemented a Gaussian Process (GP) regression framework using MATLAB to model two planetary (Earth) parameters, the surface temperature and albedo, as functions of planetary rotation rate and insolation (the amount of sunlight impinging on the planet). We used simulation data from the NASA ROCKE-3D general circulation model developed by the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS). The GP model generates a joint multivariate Gaussian distribution that is entirely captured by a covariance matrix and the output of a training data set. The covariance matrix is determined by the input data and the three hyperparameters a …

Proceedings Of The 2nd Designing Retail & Services Futures Colloquium: Sustainable Retail And Services Futures, Katelijn Quartier, Valeria M. Iannilli, Alessandra Spagnoli, Tommaso Elli, Ilse Prinsloo

DRS Conference Volumes

No abstract provided.

Proceedings Of Eksig Conference 2025: Data As Experiential Knowledge And Embodied Processes, Mary Karyda, Damla Çay, Ágnes Karolina Bakk, Renáta Dezső, Jessica Hemmings, Nithikul Nimkulrat

DRS Conference Volumes

No abstract provided.

Deconstructing The Anthony Timberlands Center: Making Preparations For A Building’S End-Of-Life., Sarah Myane

Architecture Undergraduate Honors Theses

Based on a speculative future where mass timber has become a normalized structural material, integrated into the building envelope as commonplace, and material reuse and reclamation are standard practice. The Anthony Timberlands Center is slated for deconstruction due to age and necessity for more updated programing. Today in 2025 as the building has not even reached completion, how can its assembly and use influence its purpose after the initial lifespan?

This study is based on principles of design for deconstruction from two different theories: the 6 S’s of a building devised by Stewart Brand, and Philip Crowther's 10 frameworks for …

Promoting Global Collaboration To Improve Bioaerosol Exposure Assessment And Understanding Of Associated Health Impacts: Outcomes From A Series Of Workshops, Emma L. Marczylo, Simon Jackson, Christine Bell, Daniel Andrews, Martin J.D. Clift, Ian Crawford, Gyorgy Fejer, Robert M.W. Ferguson, Matthew C. Fisher, Emma Jane Goode, James Isaac, Rob Kinnersley, Julie A. Morrissey, Sofya Pozdniakova, Carla Viegas, Andrew Ward, Inge M. Wouters, Frederic Coulon, Zaheer A. Nasir, Philippa Douglas

School of Biomedical Sciences

We are surrounded, in both indoor and outdoor environments, by air containing particles of biological origin (bioaerosols). We constantly inhale them, and, depending upon their size, they deposit in different parts of our airways. Despite their ubiquitous nature and our constant exposure, bioaerosol diversity and composition of the environment are not well characterized, and we understand little about which bioaerosols we are exposed to and how this impacts our health, either positively or negatively. Indoor/Outdoor Bioaerosols Interface and Relationships Network (BioAirNet), a Clean Air Programme-funded network, has recognized the need for the bioaerosol community to reflect on the current challenges …

Sevoflurane Sedation – Blind Alley Or Cunning Plan?, J Robert Sneyd, Anthony R. Absalom

More Faculty of Health Research

Low-dose inhaled sevoflurane sedation impaired volunteers' ability to complete a button-press task, without significant cardiorespiratory compromise. Patient-controlled sedation using sevoflurane might be feasible, however regulatory hurdles require proof of safety and efficacy through clinical trials. Whilst a promising concept, it must be demonstrated that patients cannot induce unconsciousness on their own, despite any interactions with opioid analgesics. Significant steps remain before practical, patient-controlled sevoflurane sedation can be implemented.

2024 Annual Operations And Maintenance Report, Butte-Silver Bow Department Of Reclamation And Environmental Services

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Technical Difficulties: An Investigation Of Problematic Social Media Usage And Well-Being Of Emerging Adults, Sarah Swan

Honors Theses

Grounded in previous scholarship investigating the relationship between social media use and psychoemotional outcomes, this study conceptualizes and tests a comprehensive model that constellates predictive factors (i.e., time spent, platforms selected, purposes of use, and emotional regulation abilities) and negative behavioral and emotional outcomes (i.e., addiction and emotional affect), specifically among emerging adults (ages 18-29). A survey of 591 respondents revealed that high usage of certain platforms (i.e., Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook), alongside individual emotional regulation abilities and passivity of social media use, predicts higher levels of addiction and negative emotional outcomes. Additional findings indicate significant differences in social media …

Quasipseudometric Value Functions With Dense Rewards, Khadichabonu Valieva

Honors Theses

Goal-conditioned reinforcement learning (GCRL) serves as an extension of reinforce- ment learning (RL) that focuses on goals that can be adjusted, making it useful for many applications, especially in complex robotics tasks. Recent research has established that the optimal value function of GCRL, denoted as Q∗(s, a, g), has a quasipseudometric structure. This finding has led to the development of targeted neural architectures that respect such a structure. However, prior analyses have predominantly focused on sparse reward settings, which are known to increase challenges related to sample complexity. In this work, I with the guidance of my advisor show that …

Public Building Accessibility: An Expanded Access Analysis Metric, Carolyn Wilkinson

Honors Theses

Quality accessibility features significantly impact the user experience in public service facilities; however, much of the research in this area tends to focus on code compliance, limiting the ability to analyze accessibility quality in depth. Additionally, studies often concentrate on common mobility challenges, leaving less focus on other disabilities, such as cognitive and visual impairments. As a public institution, the University of Southern Mississippi depends on students' abilities to access its services, directly linking the institution’s value to the quality of its accessibility. To address this, we developed a set of survey questions to evaluate the accessibility features of campus …

The Effect Of A Peptide Targeting Ligand On Transfection Efficiency Of Polymeric Nanoparticles To Dendritic Cells, Anthony Radka

Honors Theses

Autoimmune diseases affect approximately 5-8% of the global population, leading to chronic symptoms, long-term treatment, and reduced quality of life. Current therapies primarily rely on lifelong administration of immunosuppressants, which are associated with severe side effects and heightened susceptibility to infections. This has spurred interest in cellular therapies that manipulate dendritic cells (DCs) effectively and can selectively treat these diseases. This work aims to improve the efficacy of dendritic cell-based therapies using cationic polymers that can electrostatically complex with nucleic acids, forming nanoparticles referred to as polyplexes, that can deliver therapeutic nucleic acid cargo. These particles are a favorable alternative …

Mathematical Melodies: The Exploration Of Music Using Fourier Signal Analysis, Courtney Francois

Honors Theses

Upon initial inspection, mathematics and music appear to be distinct disciplines lacking any connections to one another. However, many complex intersections lie beneath the surface. This paper seeks to explore these connections through the analysis of the Fourier series and the Fourier transformation of musical sound signals. Orthogonal functions of various frequencies are used to approximate and recover sound signals. Following the examination of the basis of Fourier signal analysis, MATLAB is utilized to visualize the connectedness of mathematics and music through sound signals from varied musical instruments and by performing Fourier signal analysis to the sound signals. Then, the …

Privacy-Aware Ai-Based Agricultural Monitoring Using Internet Of Drones, Md Benozir Hossain

Honors Theses

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a vital tool for agricultural farming. AI-based image processing models utilizing different machine learning (ML) algorithms and deep learning (DL) offer advanced functionalities in disease detection, yield estimation, land use, etc. This thesis examines AI-driven techniques utilizing Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) with the addition of Federated Learning (FL) to analyze satellite and drone images for agricultural insights, especially in detecting Cotton diseases. The AI models improve agricultural farming in many ways, such as using data to make critical decisions, reducing labor costs, pest infestations, etc. Moreover, these models allow farmers to minimize yield losses by …

Development And Characterization Of A Pro-Angiogenic Peptide Amphiphile For Deep Dermal Burn Healing Via Spray Delivery, Loria Dimartino

Honors Theses

Severe burns and other dermatological injuries are frequently accompanied by a range of comorbidities and aesthetic challenges that patients must contend with. The complexity of burn care is exacerbated by the lack of a standardized surgical protocol, as treatment strategies are tailored to individual patient factors, including overall health status, wound size and location, as well as the expertise and resources available to the surgical team. Most commonly, deep dermal burns are treated through grafting, which effectively covers the injury site, but requires the creation of a second wound on the body of approximately the same size. This produces a …

Tailoring The Morphology Of Block Copolymers Via Solvent-Vapor Annealing, Bayleigh Madelin Loving

Honors Theses

Triblock polystyrene-polyisobutylene-polystyrene (PS-PIB-PS) copolymers have widespread applications from thermoplastic elastomers to protective coatings for ballistic applications. The incompatibility between the soft PIB and hard PS phases leads to phase separation and subsequent formation of morphological domains like lamellae and cylinders. The structures are stabilized by physical crosslinks, which can greatly improve the toughness of the triblock systems by preventing chain pullout during tensile deformation. We tailored the morphologies (achieving different morphologies with the same block copolymer) by changing the annealing conditions of the block copolymers. Solvent vapor annealing was used to selectively activate the mobility of a particular block, causing …