Digital Commons Network^™

Yap1-Dependent Regulation Of Cell Size In Bcam-Positive Limbal Corneal Progenitor Cells, Kosei Suzuki, Shinri Sato, Markus H. Frank, Natasha Y. Frank, Yuzuru Sasamoto

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Cell size has been associated with stem and progenitor cell states across multiple tissues, yet its regulation in the human corneal epithelium remains incompletely understood. This study aimed to characterize cell-size differences among limbal and corneal epithelial cell populations defined by the limbal stem cell (LSC) marker ABCB5 and the transit-amplifying cell (TAC) marker BCAM, and to investigate the molecular regulators of progenitor cell size. ABCB5-positive LSCs and BCAM-positive TACs were identified and isolated by flow cytometry, and the mean cell size was estimated using forward scatter (FSC). As a result, ABCB5-positive LSCs were significantly smaller than ABCB5-negative limbal epithelial …

The Ilese Project: Building An Evidentiary Database About Students' Use Of Learning Environments, W. Imms, J. E. Morris, K. Day, C. Bradbeer, L. Lockhart-Barker, C. Campbell

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This paper presents the progress of a unique study of significant scope. The industry-funded innovative Learning Environments and Student Experience (ILESE) study asked two questions: In what ways has more than two decades of learning spaces research culminated in readily used evidence that meets the needs of those involved in providing innovative education infrastructure? Second, based on perceived strengths and gaps, how do we design research to address identified gaps? This paper reports on the findings to these questions. It draws on the results of a large-scale Scoping Study that sought perspectives from experts equally distributed across (1) industries providing …

Yorga Moorditj Koort: Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander Women’S Perspectives About Heart Health On Noongar Boodjar, Elia Bidgood, Cathy Garlett, Richard Chenhall, Amie Bingham, Francine Eades, Emily Banks, Melinda J. Carrington, Grace Joshy, Sandra Eades, Tabassum Rahman

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

In Australia, despite overall declines in cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related mortality, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women develop heart disease earlier and experience more than twice the rate of related morbidity and mortality compared with non-Indigenous women. This study explores Aboriginal women’s understandings of the factors that shape their heart health and lived experiences of CVD. We spoke with 28 Aboriginal women aged ≥18 years—15 semistructured interviews and two yarning circles with an additional 13 Aboriginal women—with/without pre-existing CVD, and 10 healthcare professionals (HCPs) working with Aboriginal communities in the Perth metropolitan region, between May 2024 and April 2025. Data were …

An Open-Source Evaluation Framework For Risc-V Co-Design-Based Decimal Arithmetic, Riaz Ul Haque Mian, Michiko Inoue

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Hardware–software co-design is a balanced strategy for computationally intensive algorithms such as decimal computing. It can provide several Pareto points for the development of embedded systems in terms of hardware cost and performance. In this study, we propose an efficient and accurate evaluation framework for decimal computing. The framework was designed and developed for hardware–software co-design decimal arithmetic using the RISC-V ecosystem. New binary and decimal-oriented instructions supported by an accelerator were developed. The framework can perform cycle-accurate analysis for performance and assess hardware overhead for co-design-based decimal arithmetic. Unlike previous studies that focused primarily on implementing and evaluating individual …

Dietary Patterns And Cognitive Decline In Older Adults: Findings From The Western Australia Memory Study, Carolina Blagojevic Castro, Samantha L. Gardener, Farzana Jahan, Juliana Chen, Belinda M. Brown, Ruey L. Loo, Kevin Taddei, Stephanie R. Rainey-Smith, Michael Weinborn, Ana Caroline R.Dos Reis, Manohar L. Garg, Ralph N. Martins, Hamid R. Sohrabi

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Preventive strategies, including adherence to specific dietary patterns, have received increasing attention as approaches to reduce cognitive decline and dementia risk. However, findings remain inconsistent, partly due to differences in dietary assessment methods, cognitive outcomes, and THE consideration of genetic susceptibility factors such as apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype.

Methods: This study examined associations between dietary patterns and longitudinal cognitive change in 185 older adults without dementia from the Western Australia Memory Study. Participants completed a food frequency questionnaire at baseline and underwent comprehensive neuropsychological assessments at baseline and up to five follow-up visits at 18-month intervals. Composite scores were …

Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer With Liver-Only Metastases: A Retrospective Cohort Study Integrating Prospectively Collected Real-World Clinical And Molecular Data From An Australian National Database (2009–2024) To Guide Treatment Planning, Savio G. Barreto, Christos S. Karapetis, Shahid Ullah, Matthew Burge, Susan Caird, Angus Campbell, Azim Jalali, Ross Jennens, Muhammad A. Khattak, Belinda Lee, Stephanie H. Lim, Shehara Mendis, Louise Nott, Timothy J. Price, Jeremy D. Shapiro, Jeanne Tie, Javier Torres, Colin Williams, Rachel Wong, Vanessa Wong, Peter Gibbs

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objective: To leverage the Treatment of Recurrent and Advanced Colorectal Cancer (TRACC) registry (an Australian cancer database) to explore the ideal timing and sequence of therapies and the factors influencing these decisions in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients with liver-only metastases to inform contemporary decision-making and future trials.

Study Type: Retrospective registry-based cohort study using the TRACC registry.

Setting and Participants: Consecutive patients with liver-only metastatic CRC enrolled in the TRACC registry.

Main Outcome Measures: To explore cancer biology, intended treatment at presentation, actual treatment received and the resultant outcomes for early-onset CRC (EOCRC) (≤ 50 years) and late-onset CRC (LOCRC) …

Evaluating Echo2 Biochar As Sustainable Bitumen Binder Modifier In Road Pavements: High-Temperature Performance Characterisation, Adeel Iqbal, Nuha S. Mashaan, Themelina Paraskeva, Mohamed A. Shahin

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The incorporation of bio-derived modifiers in bitumen binders presents a practical pathway toward sustainable, carbon-sequestering road pavement infrastructure. This study evaluates commercially produced ECHO2 softwood biochar as a modifier for Australian viscosity-graded C170 bitumen, combining microstructural, thermal, physical, and rheological characterization to assess its suitability as a high-temperature reinforcing modifier. In this study, biochar was incorporated at 3%, 6%, 9%, and 12% by weight, utilizing particles smaller than 75 µm to maximize interfacial interaction. Characterization via SEM-EDS, XRD, and TGA revealed a highly stable, carbon-rich, amorphous material with a rough, porous morphology, favourable for physical interlocking with the bitumen matrix. …

A Framework For Integrating Virtual Reality Into The Curriculum Of Leadership In Physical Education And Sport Program At North Dakota State University, Justin T. Pieterick

Theses and Dissertations

There has been an increase across professional fields in the use of virtual reality (VR), a computer-generated immersive environment that allows users to interact with 3D simulations (Lowood, 2026), to increase the amount of authentic, practice-based experiential learning opportunities. In physical education and sport leadership preparation, VR offers a way to help students move beyond learning about leadership in theory and more toward practicing leadership in realistic, immersive situations. This study grew from the researcher’s professional experiences as a coach and Activities Director, where he learned that many important leadership lessons came through professional experiences involving decision-making, stakeholder relationships, conflict …

Investing In Tomorrow's Citizens: Exploring Generation Alpha Middle School Students' Perspectives On Civics And Education, Talia Luccia Vazquez

Theses and Dissertations

Democracy requires maintenance from an active, informed citizenry, yet civic literacy in the United States has been rapidly declining while its democratic structures face systematic subversion. To reverse this, educational researchers have recommended increasing time for K–12 civics education. While devoting more time to middle school civics education could help rebuild a civically literate citizenry, public middle schools face the unique challenge of teaching a student population that is experiencing rapid physical and psychological development, alongside a well-documented dip in academic motivation and engagement. Tailoring civics education to be academically motivating to the current student demographic—Generation Alpha—requires an understanding of …

A Causal Inference Protocol For Root-Cause Diagnosis In Non-Stationary Industrial Time Series, Cansu Yalim

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Industrial fault diagnosis increasingly relies on data-driven methods, yet most approaches assume process stationarity and treat association-based rankings as sufficient evidence for root-cause identification. Neither assumption holds when operating phases and fault progression create distinct behavioral regimes with shifting relationships among variables, and neither answers which feasible corrective action would alter a fault trajectory. The absence of a procedure addressing non-stationarity, causal identifiability, and decision-relevant effect estimation constitutes the gap this dissertation targets. In this context, a regime is a time period in which the process operates under a relatively consistent setting, so the relationships among variables are approximately stable …

Physics-Guided Deep Learning For Predictive Modeling Of Spatiotemporal Dynamical Systems, Niharika Deshpande

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Many physical and networked systems evolve under continuously changing spatial and temporal conditions. Transportation networks respond to fluctuating demand, atmospheric fields reorganize as storms intensify, and coastal response depends on localized forcing pathways. Modeling such systems requires learning formulations that adapt to evolving structure, operate on irregular geometries, and provide interpretable measures of predictive uncertainty. This dissertation develops a physics-guided spatiotemporal learning framework designed for structured dynamical systems whose governing interactions are neither static nor Euclidean. The central premise is that spatial relationships in these systems are dynamic and geometry-dependent. To represent this behavior, system states are modeled on time-varying …

Investigations Into The Structure-Property Relationships Of Magnetic Fe2mnsn And Gradient Copt Thin Films For Next-Generation Magnetic Technologies, Lance Griswold

Theses

e study of spin-based electronic phenomena, or spintronics, has become increasingly important in materials science and condensed matter physics due to its potentialto enable next-generation magnetic technologies, including advanced memory devices and quantum computing. Central to this field is the relationship between a material’s atomic structure and its physical properties, which requires precise control over synthesis conditions to achieve desired magnetic and electronic behavior. In this work, I investigate the structure–property relationships of several magnetic thin-film systems, each designed to address a specific technological challenge. All films were synthesized using magnetron co-sputtering from elemental magnetic and non-magnetic targets, either at …

Radiometric Dating And Isotope Analysis To Determine The Source And Timing Of Rare Earth Element-Bearing Fluid Mineralization At Hicks Dome, Hardin County, Illinois, Kristina M. Kohl

Theses

The Hicks Dome structure of Hardin County, Illinois, located within the Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District (IKFD), is one of the most perplexing geological features in the mid-continental U.S. Composed of uplifted Devonian strata intruded by a Ca-rich magma and ultramafic dikes, the dome is recognized as part of the Wauboukigou Igneous Province (WIP) and has been shown to host an abundance of rare earth element (REE) mineralization, particularly Dy, Y, and Sc. Despite extensive prior studies on REE concentrations and the link between fluorite mineralization in the IKFD and igneous activity at Hicks Dome, the absolute timing and relationship among REE …

Measurement Of Kerr Rotation Using A Variable-Angle Polarizer Method, Shusmita Podder Pooza

Theses

The magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) occurs when polarized light is reflected from a magnetized surface, causing changes in polarization angle (called Kerr rotation) and its state (linear vs elliptical, for example). In a simple version, MOKE measurement involves measuring the intensity of the reflected beam off the surface of a sample as an external magnetic field is swept through it. We record a change in the reflected intensity when the magnetization of the material changes. While easily measurable using modern electronics methods, the Kerr rotation is minimal, only of the order of milliradians (~0.1 deg), and is a characteristic of …

Probative Or Prejudicial? Juror Responses To Disgusting Photographic Evidence, Madison Adrian

Theses and Dissertations

Legal professionals and researchers have debated the admission of photographic evidence in court due to the potential for emotional prejudice to impact juror decision-making. Prior work has examined affective responses to graphic photographs, including anger, sadness, and disgust. However, disgust related to juror judgments has been primarily examined as a single construct, despite research in the affective literature suggesting that multiple types of disgust exist. Thus, in the current study, I sought to address this gap by using a mixed-design approach to examine the influence of two different disgust types, physical and moral disgust, on mock jurors’ emotions and decisions …

The Effect Of Acculturation On Equine Assisted Psychotherapy Satisfaction With Indigenous Populations, Reagan Joseph Alsbaugh

Theses and Dissertations

Past research has suggested that equine-assisted psychotherapy may be an effective, culturally relevant treatment modality for Indigenous individuals with substance-use disorders. The literature also suggests that mental health outcomes may be mediated by an Indigenous individual’s level of acculturation. It was hypothesized that individuals who were traditional or bicultural would report higher levels of satisfaction with their experiences in equine therapy than those who are assimilated or marginal. There were 17 Native American participants who had completed at least 4 weeks of an equine-assisted therapy program who participated in the study. Of the participants, 8 were traditional and 9 were …

Uncertainty And Sensitivity Analysis Of Lithium-Ion Battery Performance With Recycled Materials: A Physics-Based Computational Framework Approach, Abdurahman Ajumobi

Theses and Dissertations

The global transition to a net-zero energy economy is increasing demand for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and positioning battery recycling as an essential component of future supply chains. However, recycled battery materials exhibit variability due to mixed feedstocks, heterogeneous black-mass compositions, degradation histories, and recycling processes. The resulting uncertainty in material properties can affect battery performance, yet physics-based methods for quantifying these effects remain limited.This dissertation presents a novel computational framework for uncertainty quantification (UQ) and global sensitivity analysis (GSA) of lithium-ion battery performance using recycled cathode materials. The framework combines the Doyle-Fuller-Newman (DFN) electrochemical model, implemented in PyBaMM, with a …

Learning Through Loss: An Autoethnographic Exploration Of Ecological Ethics In Parent-Child Encounters With Death In Nature, Lacey Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

This autoethnographic study examines what it is like to raise children amid climate change, ecological loss, and uncertainty, with particular attention to how parents navigate children’s encounters with death in the natural world. Drawing on three vignette-based experiences within one family, the study explores how a parent interprets, responds to, and guides children’s meaning-making when they encounter the death of an animal. Findings suggest that parents mediate children’s understandings of death through a dynamic interplay of social modeling, cultural transmission, experiential engagement, and guided reflection. Learning emerges as relational, emotionally mediated, and place-based, grounded in everyday interactions and shaped through …

The Role Of Social Capital And Emotional Well-Being Among Collegiate Members Of Greek Life, Sonia Doulamis

Theses and Dissertations

Current literature has focused on the emotional well-being of collegiate students, specifically around feelings of loneliness and isolation, while trying to determine how to increase sense of belonging. There is research that demonstrates the importance of being involved in student organizations, as it can help students be successful both in college and when they graduate. The benefits of being involved in an organization also translate to retention and graduation rates. Research has demonstrated that students who are actively engaged in activities outside of the classroom are able to connect with friends and faculty members, get a better handle on campus, …

Consent Teachings In Sex Education: A Qualitative Study, Andrea Rose Doyon

Theses and Dissertations

The current study sought to qualitatively explore sex educator's beliefs about sexual consent and how it is included in their sex education curricula. Additionally, how sex educators perceived their sexual education curricula and, more specifically how their students responded to information regarding sexual consent, were explored. Overall, the goal of the current study was to better understand the experiences and attitudes held by sex educators in Upper Midwestern schools regarding sexual consent information in their sex education courses, and their perceptions of what role community attitudes have on the teaching of sexual consent. This study utilized a grounded theory methodology …

Cultivating Kalo In Diaspora: A Qualitative Exploration Of Growing And Harvesting Kalo And Its Connection To Health Among Native Hawaiian Adults In The United States, Nicole Lee Kamakahiolani Ellison

Theses and Dissertations

For Native Hawaiians, kalo, known in English as taro, is more than a traditional food; it is an ancestor. As Hāloa, kalo embodies genealogy, cultural identity, and foundational relationships with ʻāina. Today, the majority of Native Hawaiians live outside of Hawaiʻi, yet little research has explored the experiences of Native Hawaiians cultivating kalo while living in the continental United States. Understanding these experiences shows how Native Hawaiians in diaspora sustain cultural practices, identity, and relationships with Hāloa and ʻāina. This descriptive qualitative study explored the experiences and perceptions of growing and harvesting kalo among Native Hawaiian adults living in the …

Identification And Development Of Improved Monitoring For Wildlife-Vehicle Collisions In North Dakota, Lawson Frey

Theses and Dissertations

Wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVCs) represent a significant ecological and public safety concern across the United States, yet data collection systems in many states remain insufficient to capture the true magnitude and taxonomic breadth of collision-related mortality. North Dakota, where WVCs account for approximately 18% of all reported crashes, relies almost exclusively on law enforcement collision reports governed by high property damage thresholds, a protocol that systematically excludes the majority of species and underestimates total mortality. This study addresses these data gaps through three complementary approaches conducted in North Dakota from 2021 to 2025. First, we conducted systematic weekly carcass surveys across …

On Design Of Sustainable Additively Manufactured Composite And High Performance Ceramic Structures, Awad E Ahmed Elhassan

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents two complementary approaches for developing sustainable engineering materials through additive manufacturing and advanced ceramics. The first study investigates the utilization of recycled wind turbine blade waste as reinforcement in Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) of Nylon 12 composites. Composites containing 5 vol.% resin powder and 4.65 and 18.82 vol.% wind turbine waste were fabricated in both solid and porous configurations, and evaluated for their mechanical, tribological, and surface properties. The results demonstrated that 4.65 vol.% reinforcement provided the optimal balance between mechanical performance and sustainability, while 18.82 vol.% significantly enhanced the wear resistance. The second study focuses on …

Geographic 3d-Digital Preservation Tools And Applications In Heritage Tourism, Ricardo Alejandro Gomez-Nieto

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is more a micro-case study than usual in historical geography focused on land use change, historic preservation, heritage tourism, and informal education at the Grand Forks County Historical Society Museum Village in Grand Forks, North Dakota. The research questions focused on the interconnections of the relationships among people’slocation value, the reinterpretation of the location through historical lenses, and the sequence occupance of the area. The research methodology was grounded in traditional themes of historical geography and was a mixed methods style of data collection and data analysis. The tools of inquiry emphasized the use of 3D imaging, aerial …

Readiness To Provide Inclusive Care For Sexual And Gender Minority Patients In Rural Physical Therapy Education And Practice, Steven Halcrow

Theses and Dissertations

This research examined the readiness of physical therapists (PTs) and student physical therapists (SPTs) to provide inclusive and affirming care to sexual and gender minority (LGBTQ+) populations, with particular attention to states with substantial rural populations. Guided by the Sexual and Gender Minority Health Disparities (SGMHD) Framework, the study investigated three core constructs related to LGBTQ+ clinical competence: Basic Knowledge, Attitudinal Awareness, and Clinical Preparedness. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey design was utilized, including demographic characteristics, indicators of rurality, LGBTQ+-related educational exposure, political affiliation, generational cohort, and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Development of Clinical Skills Scale (LGBT-DOCSS). A total …

The Effects Of Deepfake Education On Detection Ability And Media Trust, Richard Hawkins

Theses and Dissertations

The proliferation of AI-generated media, particularly deepfakes, has generated growing concerns regarding misinformation, media authenticity, and public trust in digital communication. This study investigates how education about deepfakes influences the ability to detect deepfake and genuine videos as well as trust in media institutions. Drawing on Inoculation Theory, media literacy research, and sociological perspectives on misinformation and trust, this research examines whether educational materials about deepfakes enhance detection abilities while simultaneously reducing trust in media. A between-subjects experimental design was employed, with 220 undergraduate participants randomly assigned to either an educational treatment condition or a control condition. Pretest measures assessed …

Pezuta: Ceremony Assisted Treatment To Promote Recovery Among American Indians, Diana Blossom Hawkins

Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to understand and describe the role of traditional ceremonies and its impact on American Indian adults’ ongoing sobriety and recovery from substance misuse. The research focuses on the perspective of those American Indian adults seeking services from a partnering Tribal-serving organization in South Dakota. A qualitative study design was applied through semi-structured focus groups to better understand relatives’ experiences of participation in ceremony and how it contributed to their recovery. Findings indicate that ceremony fostered healing and strengthened cultural resilience. This lead to recovery-oriented changes that work across cultural, relational, and individual dimensions to support recovery. Furthermore, …

Improving Health Literacy In Diagnostic Imaging For Indigenous Populations: Evaluating Practices, Integrating Policy, And Bridging Gaps, Kimberly Harn

Theses and Dissertations

Indigenous populations in the United States and internationally experience persistent disparities in healthcare access, patient communication, and health outcomes, including disproportionate cancer mortality rates and inequitable engagement with diagnostic imaging services. Communication barriers, limited health literacy, historical trauma, cultural incongruence, and structural inequities reduce meaningful participation in imaging-related care and contribute to delayed diagnosis and poorer outcomes. Despite the critical role of diagnostic imaging in disease detection and clinical management, the intersection of Indigenous health, health literacy, patient communication, and cultural safety within diagnostic imaging contexts remains substantially understudied.

This applied dissertation addresses that gap through three integrated scholarly products …

Understanding Health Literacy In Confinement: Intersectional Perspectives And Criminal Justice Implications, Laura Mishne Heller

Theses and Dissertations

Health literacy, defined as the ability to access, understand, evaluate, and apply health information, is a critical determinant of health and health equity. Although national public health initiatives emphasize improving health literacy, incarcerated populations remain largely overlooked in health literacy research despite experiencing disproportionately high rates of chronic illness, infectious disease, mental health conditions, and substance use disorders. Using data from the 2014 U.S. Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) Prison Study, this dissertation examined health literacy among incarcerated adults through three sequential analyses. First, literacy, numeracy, and problem-solving measures were evaluated as proxy indicators of health …

Effects Of A Rear-Flank Storm Interaction On Supercell Behavior And Tornado-Like Vortex Development In Idealized Simulations, Kyle Joseph Gillett

Theses and Dissertations

Observationally, storm interactions have been associated with changes in severe convective storm behavior and evolution, including the development and maintenance of tornadoes. In particular, the interaction of neighboring convection in or near the rear flank of a supercell thunderstorm has frequently been associated with tornadogenesis. Although statistical relationships associated with these behavioral changes have been established, the physical mechanisms governing their evolution remain poorly understood. Presented are two sets of numerical experiments, each consisting of five idealized model simulations. One experiment set simulates a discrete “parent” supercell thunderstorm, while the other simulates the same “parent” subjected to a rear-flank interaction …