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Evaluation Of High-Moisture Ear Corn As A Roughage Source In Finishing Diets Fed To Beef Steers, Riley J. Leeson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study was to evaluate the feedlot performance, rumination activity, and carcass characteristics of high moisture ear corn (HMEC) as a roughage source in finishing diets fed to beef steers. Backgrounded steers (n = 191; initial shrunk weight [4% BW] = 449 kg  23.9 kg) were assigned randomly to 1 of 24 pens (8 steers/pen) with pens randomly assigned to one of four dietary treatments (6 pens/treatment): control diet with hay fed at 10% roughage equivalency (RE; HAY10), or HMEC at either 14% (EAR14), 10% (EAR10), or 6% (EAR6) RE. High-moisture ear corn was assumed to …

Finishing Location And Forage Diversity Influences Carcass Characteristics, Meat Quality Attributes, Terroir, And Color Stability Of Grass-Finished Bison Bulls, Garrett Tyler Weldy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The overall objective of this thesis is to determine the influence of finishing location and forage diversity on carcass characteristics, meat quality, terroir, and color stability of grass-finished bison bulls. The specific objectives were 1) Determine the effect of finishing location on carcass characteristics, meat quality attributes, and terroir of grass-finished bison bulls, 2) Investigate the effect of forage diversity on the carcass characteristics, meat quality attributes, and terroir of grass-finished bison bulls, and 3) Determine the effect of finishing location on the meat color stability of grass-finished bison bulls. Overall, results indicate that finishing location influenced carcass characteristics, objective …

The Influence Of Bottom-Up And Top-Down Effects On The Density And Distribution Of Common Leopards In The Eastern Himalayas, Karma Choki

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Leopards (Panthera pardus fusca) are widely distributed across Asia, yet their conservation is overshadowed by the conservation status of other flagship predators like tigers (Panthera tigris), in the Eastern Himalayas. Despite their ability to coexist with other large carnivores, leopard populations are shaped by intricate ecological interactions and increasing human pressures. This thesis investigates the abundance and density, habitat use, and drivers of persistence of leopards across Bhutan to inform multi-species carnivore conservation planning. My first chapter provides an overview of the ecological roles of large carnivores and how they persist on the landscape. I review the mechanisms that facilitate …

Impacts Of Early/Mid-Gestation Shearing On Umbilical Blood Flow And Lamb Birth Weight, Mara Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Studies outside the USA have reported that shearing pregnant ewes during mid to late gestation increases lamb birth weight. Our hypothesis was that shearing pregnant ewes on day 50 of gestation would increase umbilical blood flow (UBF), fetal size, lambing and placental weights. Twenty-eight Polypay ewes were randomly assigned to two treatments: shorn (S) and sham-shorn (Control, CON) and divided in singleton (S: n=4; CON: n=4), twins (S: n=5; CON: n=5) and triplets (S: n=5; CON: n=5). Umbilical BF and fetal and placental measurements were obtained via ultrasonography every 10 days from day 50 to 110 of gestation. Lamb birth …

Impact Of Parental Involvement On Children’S Mental Health, Syeda Tasnime Kabir

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study estimates the causal effect of parental involvement on the mental health of primary school children in Bangladesh. Using an instrumental variables strategy that leverages local parental involvement norms, I find that increased parental involvement significantly reduces cognitive and emotional difficulties. Notably, I find that the protective effect of parental involvement varies by socio-economic context, showing weaker effects for children of mothers who married at an older age and those whose fathers live outside the household, but stronger effects in joint families. Furthermore, I identify two key mechanisms underlying these effects: accommodating parenting style and improved household hygiene practices. …

Isolation And Characterization Of Rhizobia Bacteria From Midwest Soils, Jr Loya

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Symbiotic bacteria, known as rhizobia, can colonize the roots of legume plants and then convert atmospheric nitrogen into a usable form by the host through the process called biological nitrogen fixation (BNF). Many of these bacteria produce other plant-growth-promoting benefits, such as nutrient acquisition, phytohormone production, and the modification of plant stress responses. Agricultural inoculants made from these bacteria have helped reduce the need for man-made nitrogenous fertilizers, known causes of pollution and eutrophication. There are additional benefits in developing bacteria inoculants local to regional soils. The ability to survive and compete in Midwest soil and climates present an opportunity …

Critical Appraisal Of Language Assessment Tasks For African American Children, Tamara Diana Jacobs

Selected Full-Text Master Theses 2021-

Language assessment is a fundamental aspect of the speech-language therapist's role. However, a critical examination of standardized assessments reveals their historical association with constructing disability and exerting control over individuals with a disability, often rooted in the medical model of disability (Nair et al., 2023). As a result, there has been a growing interest in developing alternative methods for evaluating language and speech, particularly in diverse populations (Hyter, 2022). This interest has extended to the study of assessment methods within urban communities, including African American English (AAE) speakers.

Language assessment is a fundamental aspect of the speech-language therapist's role. However, …

Survey-Weighted Ordinal Modeling Of Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease Severity Through Social Determinants Of Health, Jaylene Viveros Cruz

Selected Full-Text Master Theses 2021-

Alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) is a condition that describes the spectrum of disease and liver injury attributed to the consumption of alcohol. ALD diagnosis is heavily dependent on alcohol use, making it challenging to test for, as alcohol use is often self-reported, and early-stage ALD can present asymptomatically. This study aims to explore how social determinants of health associated with alcohol use behaviors predict ALD-related liver stress risk. MEC participants included in the two two-year cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2014-2014 and 2015-2016, were assigned liver stress labels based on clinical thresholds for ALD diagnosis. …

Electrostatic Effects On The Transport And Dispersion Of Micro-Nano Pharmaceutical Powders, Mohammed Ali

Technology Faculty Publications and Presentations

A predetermined amount of micro-nano powder particles contributes to the treatment during a patient’s inhalation of the bolus of respiratory micro-nano pharmaceutical powders in an aerosolized state from commercially available inhalers. The most popular inhalers are the metered dose inhalers (MDIs) and dry powder inhalers (DPIs). While inhaling, the complicated inlet velocity profile and turbulent flow in the mouth-throat significantly impact the gaining of electrostatic charge through triboelectric charging. The inhaled particles are not only varying sizes but also polarities of charges. However, few studies have been conducted to investigate electrostatic charge force effects on particle losses in the oral, …

Librarians In U.S. Public Schools Without Other Kinds Of Specialist Educators: The Scale Of Opportunities For Instructional Leadership, Keith Curry Lance, Caitlin Gerrity

Learning Hub

This article explores the unique instructional leadership opportunities for school librarians in U.S. public schools that lack other specialist educators, such as technology specialists, instructional specialists, and instructional coaches. Drawing on data from the 2020–21 National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS), the study highlights the prevalence of schools with librarians operating without full-time or part-time technology specialists, subject-specific instructional specialists, or instructional coaches. The absence of these roles often places librarians in a central position to support both students and teachers in areas such as literacy development, STEM education, and technology integration. Additionally, the article examines the potential for librarians …

Exploring The Benefits, Barriers, And Sustainability Of Community Stem Partnerships: A Qualitative Case Study On Stem Collaboration In Elementary Education, Katherine M. Blagden

Open Access Dissertations

In an era of increasing emphasis on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, elementary schools often face significant challenges in implementing high-quality, integrated STEM instruction. These challenges include limited resources, inconsistent professional development, and a lack of access to real-world, community-based learning experiences (Dorph et al., 2018; National Science Board, 2024). This dissertation explores how collaborative partnerships among elementary schools, community organizations, and industry professionals can overcome these barriers and foster meaningful, sustainable STEM learning opportunities for young students. Drawing on the Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) model (Kretzmann & McKnight, 1993) and informed by a constructivist theoretical framework (Vygotsky, …

Shifting Seas And Greener Cities: Public Preferences For Climate-Driven Changes In Food Systems And Urban Infrastructure, Natalie Meyer

Open Access Dissertations

Climate change is one of the principal challenges humanity and policymakers face. Climate-related impacts are known to have adverse effects on fish populations (Mills et al., 2013), sustainable urban development (Wamsler et al., 2013; Coutts et al., 2008), and the abundancy and availability of agriculture (Briceño, 2018; Malhi et al., 2021a; Malhi et al., 2021b).

Rising ocean temperatures brought about by climate change (Mills et al., 2013; Klein et al., 2017) are altering fish population abundancy and distribution. As a result, fishing industries may be landing a different composition and volume of fish species at unusual times of the year. …

Consumer And Environmental Preferences: Discrete Choice Experiments And Machine Learning Applications In Ev Battery Adoption And Aquatic Invasive Species Management, Lufan Helen Liu

Open Access Dissertations

As climate change and resource scarcity drive a global shift toward cleaner energy systems and environmental conservation, understanding how individuals value sustainability-related interventions has become increasingly important. This dissertation contributes to this growing body of knowledge by applying and advancing discrete choice experiment (DCE) methodology to assess consumer and public preferences for two key environmental policy domains: (1) repurposed electric vehicle (EV) batteries for residential energy storage and (2) aquatic invasive species (AIS) management in New York State. Across all three chapters, the study examines how traditional econometric models and emerging machine learning (ML) methods can complement each other in …

High School Counselor Perceptions Of Trauma-Informed Professional Development And Implementation Of Trauma-Informed Practices In Schools, Kimberly Faulkner-Camacho

Theses and Dissertations

This non-experimental phenomenological study aimed to delve into school counselors’ perspectives on what motivates them to participate in trauma-informed professional development, the necessary supports for implementing trauma-informed practices in schools (TIPS), and the barriers that impede implementation. Drawing on situated learning theory and adult learning theory, this study sought to enhance the understanding of school counselors’ views on trauma-informed professional development and implementation. These frameworks offered valuable insights into how to support counselors and shed light on existing barriers. The study involved 10 traditional public high school counselors from non-charter schools in Los Angeles County, selected through snowball and purposive …

The Assessment Of Implicit Bias Among Police Personnel: A Systematic Review, Emily Deutsch

Theses and Dissertations

Due to the essential and powerful role police officers play within the communities they serve, systematic racism in law enforcement has become a key topic of public discourse, including increased demand for evidence-based changes in police selection. This includes recommendations or requirements to assess implicit bias in police candidates (e.g., California Assembly Bill 846). Implicit bias refers to the spontaneous/automatic associations or evaluations made of members of a particular group (Kim & Roberson, 2021). The California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training’s (POST’s) Bias Assessment Framework provides recommendations to police psychologists on the assessment of implicit bias, but curiously …

Resilience And Stress: Trauma, Grit, Resilience And Perceived Organizational Support In First Responders, Paige Gallas Parker

Theses and Dissertations

First responders comprise an underserved and under-researched population, despite consensus that their work involves exposure to potentially traumatic events. Inconsistent definitions of “first responder” and unclear prevalence rates of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) limit efforts to assess and promote resilience. This study examined the relationships between grit, resilience, perceived organizational support, and trauma symptoms in a sample of 234 first responders (69% firefighters, 29% lifeguards) employed by a large West Coast fire department. Measures included a demographics questionnaire, the Professional Exposure to Traumatic Events (PETE), the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL-5), the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10), the Short Grit Scale …

Evaluating The Early Impact Of Ab 617: Air Pollution, Health Disparities, And Environmental Justice In California, Cherry Cheuk Lam Cheung, Adam Eckerd

School of Public Service Faculty Publications

This study evaluates the initial effectiveness of California’s Assembly Bill 617 (AB 617), enacted to address air pollution impacts in communities designated as environmental justice priorities, a policy approach that has recently been touted as a successful start. These claims of initial success stand in contrast to much of the research on remediation of environmental justice, particularly with respect to air pollution. Despite well-documented disparities in air pollution exposure and its health impacts among racial-ethnic minorities, previous policy efforts to mitigate these effects have had, at best, marginal effects. AB 617 mandates local air districts and the California Air Resources …

Case—Optimizing Transportation And Equity In A District Zoning Problem For Orville Public Schools, Kelly M. Sullivan, Ashlea Bennett Milburn

Industrial Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

ORPS is highly regarded in the ORville community for providing a quality education that inspires and equips all students to achieve success in their learning and life endeavors. Population growth in the region and strong demand for an ORPS education have led to growing student enrollments. Accommodating this growth is a challenge for ORPS. When new campuses are needed, the process of acquiring land and building a new school takes years. The district must continually anticipate where in town enrollments will grow and monitor existing capacities against projected enrollments to ensure that capacity is in the right locations and at …

An Analysis Of Covid-19 Vaccine Hesitancy In The U.S., Hieu Trung Bui, Sandra Eksioglu, Ruben Proano, Sarah Nurre Pinkley

Industrial Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Reluctance or refusal to get vaccinated, commonly known as Vaccine Hesitancy (VH), poses a significant challenge to COVID-19 vaccination campaigns. Understanding the factors contributing to VH is essential for shaping effective public health strategies. This study proposes a novel framework for combining machine learning with publicly available data to generate a proxy metric that evaluates the dynamics of VH faster than the currently used survey methods. The metric is input to descriptive classification models that analyze a wide array of data, aiming to identify key factors associated with VH at the county level in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic …

Human Rights In Technology -- A Need For A New Norm, Els De Busser

Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law

The field of cyber security has relied on norms quite heavily to govern the behavior of states and non-state actors in cyberspace. However, existing norms do not offer guidance on integrating attention to human rights into the design and development of digital consumer products. This Paper introduces a way to foresee the human rights impact of new technology combined with a form of governance that regulates problems we do not know exist yet. (Abstract from author.)

The Geneva Conventions At 75: An Argument That New Legal Authority Is Needed To Fill Critical Gaps, Sandra Hodgkinson

Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law

For seventy-five years, the Geneva Conventions have served as the gold standard of treatment for military forces that take part in hostilities. However, modern developments on the battlefield, including the rise of non-state actors in today’s conflicts, have exposed gaps in the Geneva Conventions that require new legal authority. States should pursue avenues to fill these gaps with binding new legal authority, as well as continue the development of customary international law, and soft-law projects. (Abstract from author.)

Space Warfare: Do We Need Additional Treaties?, Col. Stuart A. Pettis (Ret.)

Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law

With the growth in counter-space weapons and military services dedicated to space, should International Humanitarian Law be expanded to address a “war in space?” This Paper will examine what a conflict in space would look like and existing laws that govern military activities in space. Ultimately, this paper will argue that International Humanitarian Law is already flexible enough to address this new venue for conflict. (Abstract from author.)

Maine Law Magazine - Issue No. 99, University Of Maine School Of Law

Maine Law Magazine

• A Letter from the Dean
• Alaskan residents granted resident tuition status at Maine Law
• ‘I wasn’t doing it alone’: Students find mentorship and direction in Maine Law’s 3+3 Program
• A Place to Call Home: Three journal symposium addresses housing crisis in Maine and beyond
• Maine Law community honors founding Dean Edward Godfrey’s lasting legacy
• How Maine Law’s Economic Justice Fellowship is Shaping the Next Generation of Advocates
• New fellowship broadens scope and reach of Maine Law’s Refugee and Human Rights Clinic
• The Clinics at Maine Law: Renamed to Reflect Our Expansive Reach
• Prisoners’ Assistance Clinic - Providing Much Needed Access …

Bioinspired Gradient Porous Hip Implant Design To Prevent Stress Shielding Using Stress Mapping And Bone Remodeling Theory, Babak Ziaie, Xavier Velay, Waqas Saleem

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Total Hip Arthroplasty (THA) is a widely performed surgical procedure, with increasing frequency worldwide. Despite its high success rate, many patients require revision surgeries due to complications such as aseptic loosening, primarily resulting from stress shielding, cortical hypertrophy, and micromotion. These issues often stem from a mechanical mismatch between the bone and the solid dense implant, particularly a mismatch in stiffness. A potential solution lies in the use of porous or lattice structures in implant design, which offer lower stiffness and improved biocompatibility by facilitating bone ingrowth, cell seeding, and vascularization. Among these designs, Triply Periodic Minimal Surfaces (TPMS), especially …

A Demographic Description Of Children And Adolescents With Concomitant Autism And Anxiety Along With A Comparison Of Receipt Of Psychological Services, Elizabeth Salt, Amanda T. Wiggins, David N. Toupin, Emma Parks, Chizimuzo Okoli, Mary Kay Rayens

Biostatistics Faculty Publications

Objective:(1) Evaluate differences in demographic distributions between those with autism alone and those with autism concomitant with anxiety and (2) assess demographic factors associated with receipt of psychological therapy in patients with autism.Methods:Using deidentified health care claims data, we extracted all encounters among children with the International Classification of Diseases-10-CM for Autism Spectrum Disorder (F84) and flagged those with concomitant anxiety (F41.9). Extracted data included age, sex, race, ethnicity, insurance status, and Rural-Urban Continuum Codes. Current procedural terminology codes for psychological services were extracted. Data were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U tests, χ² tests of association, and logistic regression.Results:Demographic differences …

Leveraging Machine Learning Models To Explore Disparities In Prostate Cancer Diagnosis, Treatment, And Survival, Reuben Adatorwovor, Rasaq Oladapo, Parisa Ghasemi, Gaurav Kumar, Daniel J. Morton, Motolani E. Ogunsanya, Olufunmilola Abraham

Biostatistics Faculty Publications

Introduction: Prostate cancer (CaP) is the second most common cancer in men globally and a leading cause of cancer-related mortality, particularly among older men. In the United States, disparities in incidence, stage at diagnosis, and outcomes persist across racial, socioeconomic, and geographic lines. Men in medically underserved regions like Appalachia experience higher mortality due to limited access to timely screening and treatment. Given the complex interplay of clinical, behavioral, and sociodemographic factors, machine learning (ML) offers promise in identifying survival predictors that traditional models may overlook. This study applies ML models to assess the impact of age at diagnosis, treatment …

Outcomes Of A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial Testing Brief Interventions To Increase Hiv Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Uptake Among Rural People Who Inject Drugs Attending Syringe Services Programs, Hilary L. Surratt, Sarah Brown, Abby L. Burton, Will Cranford, Laura C. Fanucchi, Christie Green, Stephanie M. Mersch, Rebecca Rains, Philip M. Westgate

Biostatistics Faculty Publications

Background: Kentucky is one of seven states with high, sustained rural HIV transmission tied to injection drug use. Expanding access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has been endorsed as a key HIV prevention strategy; however, uptake among people who inject drugs (PWID) has been negligible in rural areas. Syringe services programs (SSPs) have been implemented throughout Kentucky’s Appalachian region, providing an important opportunity to integrate PrEP services. Objectives: The primary objective was to examine preliminary efficacy and effect sizes of the study interventions on PrEP initiation among HIV-negative PWID. Design: Parallel group randomized controlled trial. Methods: Eighty participants were enrolled from …

Clinical Criteria For Limbic-Predominant Age-Related Tdp-43 Encephalopathy, David A. Wolk, Peter T. Nelson, Liana Apostolova, Konstantinos Arfanakis, Patricia A. Boyle, Cynthia M. Carlsson, Nick Corriveau-Lecavalier, Penny Dacks, Bradford C. Dickerson, Kimiko Domoto-Reilly, Brittany N. Dugger, Rebecca Edelmayer, David W. Fardo, Michel J. Grothe, Timothy J. Hohman, David J. Irwin, Gregory A. Jicha, David T. Jones, Claudia H. Kawas, Edward B. Lee, Karen Lincoln, Gladys E. Maestre, Elizabeth C. Mormino, Chiadi U. Onyike, Ronald C. Petersen, Gil D. Rabinovici, Rosa Rademakers, Rema Raman

Biostatistics Faculty Publications

Limbic predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy neuropathologic change (LATE-NC) is highly prevalent in late life and a common co-pathology with Alzheimer's disease neuropathologic change (ADNC). LATE-NC is a slowly progressive, amnestic clinical syndrome. Alternatively, when present with ADNC, LATE-NC is associated with a more rapid course. With the emergence of anti-amyloid therapeutics, discrimination of LATE-NC from ADNC is critical and will lead to greater clinical recognition of amnestic patients without ADNC. Furthermore, co-pathology with LATE-NC may influence outcomes of these therapeutics. Thus there is a need to identify patients during life with likely LATE-NC. We propose criteria for clinical diagnosis of …

Code Status Discussions, Hunter Bechtold, Reagan T. Smith, Peter Wallenhorst, Kaylee Gouge, Sarah Schaefer, Kelsey Karnik, Kristen Mcquerry, Kristen E. Fletcher

Biostatistics Faculty Publications

Introduction: Residents frequently conduct code status discussions (CSDs) with patients, but many report not receiving formal training in this skill. While institutions have attempted to address this, there remains a need for a curriculum that uses standardized patients (SPs), is generalizable to students interested in different medical specialties, and has been tested on a large sample of students. Methods: We trained 192 fourth-year medical students across four different campuses in how to conduct CSDs during one 2-hour workshop as part of their Transition to Residency course in April 2024. Students worked with SPs as part of this workshop. Students at …

How Patient, Infection, And Cysticercus Characteristics Impact The Evolution Of Taenia Solium Larva In The Human Brain, Hongbin Zhang, Meghana G. Shamsunder, Pryanka Bawa, Arturo Carpio, W. Allen Hauser, Karina Quinde-Herrera, Alex Jaramillo, Elizabeth A. Kelvin

Biostatistics Faculty Publications

Neurocysticercosis is a poorly understood infection of the central nervous system with Taenia solium larva and treatment often fails to kill all the parasitic larva. Most research on this infection has used patient-level data, looking at summaries of the encysted parasitic cysticercus burden. Cyst-level analysis is needed to identify factors that impact individual cyst trajectories and how that may vary based on characteristics of the patient, infection, and cyst being followed. We disaggregated data on 221 cysts from 117 patients who participated in a trial evaluating the impact of albendazole treatment to identify factors that impact cyst evolution over time …