Digital Commons Network^™

Homocopris Burmeister, 1846 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae): Lectotype Designation For Copris Torulosus Eschscholtz, 1822, And Correction On The Geographic Distribution Of The Two Chilean Species, José Mondaca, Fernando Z. Vaz-De-Mello

Insecta Mundi

Homocopris Burmeister, 1846 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) is a small genus of South American dung beetles composed of four species distributed in Argentina, Brazil, and Chile. Recently, a neotype was designated for Copris torulosus Eschscholtz, 1822 (currently H. torulosus) based on the assumption that the original type series had been lost. However, this designation is invalid for failing to comply with articles 75.2, 75.3, 75.3.1, and 75.3.4. of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. Furthermore, even if it had been nomenclaturally valid, the neotype now loses its type status because we found a syntype in the material of the Johann …

New Species, New Combinations, Synonymies, And Nomenclatural Discussion For Hispaniolan Longhorned Beetles (Coleoptera: Disteniidae, Cerambycidae), Steven W. Lingafelter, Norman E. Woodley

Insecta Mundi

Fifteen new species of longhorned beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae, Disteniidae) from Hispaniola (the Dominican Republic and Haiti) are diagnosed, described, and illustrated: Novantinoe pilithorax Lingafelter, new species (Disteniini); Eburiola ciferrii Lingafelter, new species (Eburiini), Eburiola konstantinovi Lingafelter, new species (Eburiini), Elaphidion jaragua Lingafelter, new species (Elaphidiini), Linsleyonides guerreroi Lingafelter, new species (Elaphidiini), Compsibidion iviei Lingafelter, new species (Tropidini: Subtribe Neoibidionina), Hormathus albisetosus Lingafelter, new species (Tropidini: Subtribe Compsina), Trichrous eryphoides Lingafelter, new species (Dichophyiini), Plectrocerum woodruffi Lingafelter, new species (Dichophyiini), Oreodera nearnsi Lingafelter, new species (Acrocinini/Acanthoderini), Acrepidopterum fuscum Lingafelter, new species (Apomecynini), Acrepidopterum giesberti Lingafelter, new species (Apomecynini), Estola touroulti Lingafelter, …

Determining The Feasibility Of An Independent Living Skills Assessment For College-Aged Students, Noah Epperson, Meghan Wright, Kaitlyn Dodson, Ava Anderson, Dr. Jacob Greenfield

Graduate Student Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Uproar, Alcuzas And Espadrilles: Arabisms In The Inquisitorial Case Of Lucrecia De Leon, 16th Century, Eva Nunez Mendez

World Languages and Literatures Faculty Publications and Presentations

Based on Lucrecia de León’s oneiric records, this study focuses on three words of Arab origin in the Inquisition manuscripts of her persecution and imprisonment. The written documents of this young woman’s dreams, collected and conserved by scribes and inquisitors at the end of the sixteenth century, comprises 415 narrative fragments, dated between 1587 and 1590. The main goal of this article is to analyze the following three Arabisms: alboroto, alcuzas and alpargatas, as examples of the Arabic influence on the Castilian vocabulary of the time.

Continuous Data Assimilation For Two-Phase Flow, Mary H. Graveman, Amanda E. Diegel

Research Experiences for Undergraduates in Computational Methods with Applications in Materials Science

Poster created as part of the Center for Computational Sciences' Research Experiences for Undergraduates in Computational Methods with Applications in Materials Science and presented at the 2024 Undergraduate Research Showcase.

We propose a numerical approximation method modeling two-phase flow (via the Cahn-Hilliard equation) that incorporates data to achieve long-time accuracy. The underlying numerical method utilizes the Galerkin finite element method for spatial discretization and a method known as continuous data assimilation to incorporate the known data. We demonstrate the method is long-time stable and long-time accurate provided enough data measurements are incorporated into the simulation, overcoming possibly inaccurate initial …

Validation And Runtime Improvements In Neural Networks For Interatomic Potentials Via Automatic Fingerprint Selection, Spencer Evans-Cole, Kip Barrett, Doyl Dickel

Research Experiences for Undergraduates in Computational Methods with Applications in Materials Science

Poster created as part of the Center for Computational Sciences' Research Experiences for Undergraduates in Computational Methods with Applications in Materials Science and presented at the 2024 Undergraduate Research Showcase.

The development of interatomic potentials via machine learning on first principles results is driven by the need to accurately and quickly analyze atomic environments. When encoding atomic environments for neural networks, a series of different two and three-body functions are used to transcribe the local environments to produce a vector of inputs, making it imperative that the local environments are encoded optimally. Given a set of atomic environments, we …

It Was Difficult To Understand The System: Developing A Coordinator Role To Support International Nursing Students- A Qualitative Study, Nick Gibson, Amanda Graf, Tania Beament, Neil Ferguson, Esther Adama, Deborah Kirk, Joyce Muge-Sugutt, Kylie Mccullough

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

International students are an important component of the host country and universities bringing economic, social, and community contributions. International students are the most vulnerable students with challenges related to academic expectations, language proficiency, and socio-cultural integration. This study explores the challenges of international students in a Western Australian School of Nursing and Midwifery. An exploratory questionnaire (n=10), three focus groups (n=15) and a quality improvement survey (n=80) informed this study. Four themes emerged: stress in the first weeks, incorrect and/or late enrolments, lack of guidance and support, and system navigation nightmares. Other issues included: accommodation, culture shock, financial concerns, information …

New Light On Sagrini, Richard M. Long

Soundboard Scholar

Reviews of a new biography of Luigi Sagrini (1809–1874) and a volume of his guitar works:

Bernard Lewis and Robert Coldwell, In Search of Luigi Sagrini (DGA, 2021)

Robert Coldwell, ed., The Music of Luigi Sagrini (DGA, 2021)

Assessment Of Tripeptides Self-Assembly & Er Stress On Cell Viability And Exosome Secretion In Mda-Mb231, Azmat Parveen

Theses and Dissertations

This study delves into the effects of tripeptides KYpF and WYpK(NBD) on MDA-MB-231 cells, uncovering KYpF's ability to reduce cell proliferation and exosome secretion in peptide treated cells. Conversely, WYpK(NBD) demonstrated significant toxicity at 10 μM. These insights pave the way for optimizing peptide-based cellular treatments for exosome secretion purposes.

Maternal And Other Social Influences On Signature Whistle Structure Of A Captive Group Of Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus), Riley Synan

Theses and Dissertations

Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) are social animals that use acoustics as a major method of communicating across a marine environment. They also live in fission-fusion groups and thus interact with many conspecifics over a lifetime. Individual dolphins have a signature whistle that functions as an identity call and serves to maintain group cohesion in murky waters or during reconciliation. Dolphins exhibit vocal learning and the signature whistle of a calf may be modeled after the whistle of their mother or another individual in the pod as they develop. Mother-calf pairs or other related animals sometimes have similar whistle types. Some …

Assessing Comprehension And Competence In Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus) On The Concept: Do Something Different, Charlotte M. Mulligan

Theses and Dissertations

Many studies have been conducted using a training paradigm based on the research of Pryor et al. (1969) wherein the participants are trained on the abstract concept: do something different. This paradigm challenges working memory and requires the participants to respond with a behavior, either previously trained or novel, which has not yet been offered within the session. The work of Braslau-Schneck (1994) expanded this concept and demonstrated the ability of dolphins to successfully complete this task in synchronized pairs, though the method of accomplishing this task remained unclear. The present research was conducted as part of a broader …

Enhancing The Visual Environment Of Indoor Housed Laboratory Cynomolgus Macaques (Macaca Fascicularis) To Reduce Stress And Maladaptive Behavior, Jeannine C. Rodgers

Theses and Dissertations

Nonhuman primates housed in indoor laboratory environments are generally exposed to nondescript background visual stimuli. This environment is not ideal for species whose primary sensory modality is visual. To provide a more naturalistic visual environment that would potentially improve their welfare, this study assessed the efficacy of a passive natural visual stimulus in the reduction of stress and stereotypy and agonistic behaviors in a cohort of four (2 male, 2 female) Cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis) housed in an indoor laboratory facility in New York City. The macaques were exposed to four different videos depicting scenes of natural landscapes that were …

The Effect Of The Lunar Cycle On The Demographics Of Asian Elephants Observed In Open Areas In A Protected Wildlife Sanctuary And Surrounding Crop Fields, Serene K. Rivera

Theses and Dissertations

Due to human development and habitat fragmentation, Asian elephants increasingly use human landscapes and encounter people. These interactions have led to negative interactions between humans and elephants, such as crop-raiding. Despite efforts to mitigate these conflicts, farmers have not been able to consistently protect their crops from elephant foraging. Therefore, it is important to understand elephant behavior in these landscapes to help create long term mitigation plans. Specifically, research regarding demographic patterns in Asian elephants’ perceived predation risk can inform wild elephant management. This study used camera traps in Salakpra Wildlife Sanctuary in Kanchanaburi, Thailand to observe the wild Asian …

Envelope Of Ruin : Material And Spatial Responses Of New York City Homeless To The Covid-19 Pandemic, Kyle C. Maxey

Theses and Dissertations

This paper attempts to understand human material responses to catastrophic urban collapse. Using Henri Lefebvre's theories of spatial production and the history of a section of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE) this paper develops a theoretical framework for understanding the dynamics present in the creation of an urban ruin. Through the observation of homeless material responses, particularly the construction of encampments under the BQE, during the COVID-19 pandemic "lock-down" in New York City, this thesis illustrates how populations respond to urban ruin and social collapse. Moving forward, this paper hopes to serve as a synthesis of urban theory and archeological observation …

Electrifying Choices: Decoding Electric Vehicle Adoption And Policy Incentives In America, William T. Ball

Theses and Dissertations

Countries, states, and municipalities are working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector by leveraging policy incentives to promote electric vehicle (EV) adoption. I study the efficacy of state-level time-of-purchase rebate incentives in the United States between 2016 and 2022, and employ a generalized difference-in-difference two-way fixed effects model that enables causal inference. I find that EV rebate incentives cause an increase of 1 EV per 1,000 vehicles. EV rebate incentives also cause a decrease in gasoline powered vehicles by 3 vehicles per 1,000, and a decrease in diesel powered vehicles by 1 per 1,000. EV rebate incentives …

Mapping Urban Tree Canopy Using Publicly Available Satellite Data, Rosemary Mcguinness

Theses and Dissertations

This project addresses the need for accessible, cost-effective tools for quantifying spatial and temporal changes in tree canopy cover in urban areas. Urban tree canopy provides a wide range of ecosystem services, including lowering air temperatures, reducing pollution, and mitigating stormwater runoff. Cities around the world have placed the expansion of their urban forests at the center of their sustainability goals. Consistent and timely data on urban tree canopy is essential for urban greening initiatives to succeed. Existing methods of accessing information about urban tree canopy are highly technical, costly, and labor-intensive, while the freely available source of tree canopy …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Mental Health- A Comparison Between Gender & Race, Taliyah Quinn

Theses and Dissertations

My study will focus on the rise of mental health toward the African American, Latinx and Asian Americans communities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The spread of the virus, the high percentage rate of infections among minorities, isolation, quarantining and socio economic disadvantages played a major role in the increase of mental disparities.

Optimizing The Protein Yield Of The Collagen Mimetic Peptide: Col108, Fahmida Akter

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

The fibril-forming collagen mimetic peptide Col108, produced in E. Coli, has shown potential for innovative biomaterial applications. However, further research is constrained by its limited yield. My study aims to enhance the experimental parameters and has successfully pinpointed rifampicin as an efficient method to boost the production of Col108.

Narcissus Goes Digital: The Impact Of Zoom’S Self-View Feature On Cognitive Load And Zoom Fatigue Among Those With High And Low Adhd Symptoms, Abigail Aris Weir

Theses and Dissertations

Individuals with ADHD may be more vulnerable to an increased cognitive load during video conferencing (e.g., Zoom) due to the distracting nature of their reflection being displayed by the self-view feature. This feature, however, may also provide stabilizing effects by offering consistent visual feedback for self-monitoring, thus reducing anxiety.

August 2, 2024 Ereporter, University Of Alabama At Birmingham

eReporter (campus newsletter)

No abstract provided.

Increasing Breast Cancer Screening Rates Among Women Ages 40 To 74 In An Urban Safety Net Primary Care Clinic: A Quality Improvement Project, Wilder Pinnock

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Background and Problem Description: Breast cancer continues to be the most common and second most lethal form of cancer among women in the U.S. Although there have been improvements in breast cancer screening in the US, major disparities persist. The national breast cancer screening rate for the year 2021 was 75.6%; the rate for the underserved and minority population was 54%. This QI project took place at a Federally Qualified Health Center that provides medical care to medically underserved and vulnerable populations.

Purpose and Aim: This project aimed to increase breast cancer screening at the proposed site to optimize early …

Kauppila, Paul (1960-2022), San Jose State University

Emeritus and Retired Faculty Biographies

University of Texas at Austin, Graduate School of Library & Information Science, MLIS, 1993

San Francisco State University, Broadcast Communication Arts, BA 1989

Cardiac Mass In A 78-Year-Old Patient With A History Of Cancer: Diagnostic And Treatment Challenges, Bihong Zhao, Ayah Zaqqa, Michelle M Mcdonald, Ismael A Salas De Armas, Igor D Gregoric, L Maximilian Buja

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

Primary cardiac angiosarcoma is a rare, aggressive malignancy that commonly metastasizes to various organs. The presenting symptoms are typically nonspecific, so a comprehensive examination is required to confirm the diagnosis promptly. This case report describes the presentation of an older patient with a history of neoplasms. Echocardiography and biopsy were performed, but despite surgical intervention to resect a large right atrial mass, the patient died. A final diagnosis of primary angiosarcoma was made based on the resected specimen.

Transient Aseismic Vertical Deformation Across The Steeply-Dipping Pisia-Skinos Normal Fault (Gulf Of Corinth, Greece), Zoe Mildon, Manuel-Lukas Diercks, Gerald Roberts, Joanna Faure Walker, Athanassios Ganas, Ioannis Papanikolaou, Vassilis Sakas, Jenni Robertson, Claudia Sgambato, Sam Mitchell

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Geodetically-derived deformation rates are sometimes used to infer seismic hazard, implicitly assuming that short-term (annual-decadal) deformation is representative of longer-term deformation. This is despite geological observations indicating that deformation/slip rates are variable over a range of timescales. Using geodetic data from 2016-2021, we observe an up to 7-fold increase in vertical deformation rate in mid-2019 across the Pisia-Skinos normal fault in Greece. We hypothesise that this deformation is aseismic as there is no temporally correlated increase in the earthquake activity (M>1). We explore four possible physical mechanisms, and our preferred hypothesis is that the transient deformation is caused by …

Incarnation And Decay: Reconciling The Organizational Decision-Making And Organizational Institutional Theory Perspectives On Budgetary Research, Zahirul Hoque, Matt Kaufman

Business Faculty Publications and Presentations

Purpose The organizational decision-making perspective (ODM) has a legacy regarding its concern for budgeting as an essential organizational routine in decision-making. Budgeting has also become a direct concern to organizational institutional theory (OIT) because of its prominent role in institution building, where budgeting can build trust in inter-organizational relationships. This paper builds on these two perspectives to explore organizational budget processes' formation, disruption, and re-creation over time. Design/methodology/approach We conducted a comprehensive review and critical analysis of the ODM and OIT perspectives, focusing on a fundamental paradox between ODM's emphasis on stability through organizational routines and OIT's focus on organizational …

G12/13 Signaling In Asthma, Elizabeth L. Mcduffie, Reynold A Panettieri, Charles P. Scott

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty Papers

Shortening of airway smooth muscle and bronchoconstriction are pathognomonic for asthma. Airway shortening occurs through calcium-dependent activation of myosin light chain kinase, and RhoA-dependent calcium sensitization, which inhibits myosin light chain phosphatase. The mechanism through which pro-contractile stimuli activate calcium sensitization is poorly understood. Our review of the literature suggests that pro-contractile G protein coupled receptors likely signal through G12/13 to activate RhoA and mediate calcium sensitization. This hypothesis is consistent with the effects of pro-contractile agonists on RhoA and Rho kinase activation, actin polymerization and myosin light chain phosphorylation. Recognizing the likely role of G12/13 signaling in the pathophysiology …

Subspace Decomposition Of Linear Secrecy Codes, David Robert Joseph Hunn

Theses and Dissertations

We introduce a new method for the study of linear codes, termed subspace decomposition, which provides new insights into code structure and performance. Briefly, subspace decomposition comprises the evaluation of complex properties of a linear code by evaluating simple properties of its constituent subspaces. We find that this technique has application to a number of problems in coding theory. When applied to the problem of evaluating the performance of secrecy codes, subspace decomposition provides an efficient method for computing the equivocation of coset codes over the binary erasure wiretap channel. It is also especially efficient in computing the chi squared …

Non-Receptor Tyrosine Kinases: Their Structure And Mechanistic Role In Tumor Progression And Resistance, Abdulaziz M. Eshaq, Thomas W. Flanagan, Sofie Yasmin Hassan, Sara A. Al Asheikh, Waleed A. Al-Amoudi, Simeon Santourlidis, Sarah Lilly Hassan, Maryam O. Alamodi, Marcelo L. Bendhack, Mohammed O. Alamodi, Youssef Haikel, Mossad Megahed, Mohamed Hassan

School of Graduate Studies Faculty Publications

Protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) function as key molecules in the signaling pathways in addition to their impact as a therapeutic target for the treatment of many human diseases, including cancer. PTKs are characterized by their ability to phosphorylate serine, threonine, or tyrosine residues and can thereby rapidly and reversibly alter the function of their protein substrates in the form of significant changes in protein confirmation and affinity for their interaction with protein partners to drive cellular functions under normal and pathological conditions. PTKs are classified into two groups: one of which represents tyrosine kinases, while the other one includes the …

The Defense Of Taiwan: Possible Legal Justifications, Raul (Pete) Pedrozo

International Law Studies

This article examines four possible interconnected legal arguments that can be used by the United States and its allies and partners to justify the defense of Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion of the island. First, the United States could recognize Taiwan as an independent nation. Second, the three joint communiqués between the United States and China are premised on an understanding that the Taiwan issue will be resolved by “peaceful” means. A Chinese invasion of Taiwan would certainly breech that understanding and allow the United States to recognize Taiwan as a sovereign State. Third, a Chinese invasion …

Examining The Dual Nature Of Post-Mission Mental Health: An Analysis Of Mental Health Symptoms And Positive Well-Being Among Returned Missionaries Of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints, Blaise Dobson

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study explores mental health and general well-being amongst returned missionaries who served and completed full-time proselyting missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Through a combination of survey data and semi-structured interviews with 15 participants, the research investigated emotional, physical, spiritual, and mental changes experienced during their missions, and how those experiences affected them post-mission. Findings show that majority of participants viewed their mission as a positive experience overall, with few reporting on negative experiences. Very few studies have explored returned missionaries and their mental health; not touching on the specific population of missionaries who finish …