Digital Commons Network^™

Impact Of Foreign Direct Investment On Employment In The Metropolitan Statistical Areas Of North Carolina, Matthew Y. Xiong

Doctor of Business Administration Dissertations

Foreign direct investment (FDI) is widely recognized as a catalyst for regional economic development; however, limited research has examined its relationship with employment growth at the metropolitan level within individual U.S. states. This study examined the relationship between FDI and employment growth across fifteen North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) from 2010 to 2019. Guided by Dunning's Eclectic (OLI) Paradigm (1988), Endogenous Growth Theory, the Human Capital/Absorptive Capacity Framework, and Institutional Capacity Theory, this quantitative study employed a balanced panel dataset of 150 MSA-year observations. Fixed-effects panel regression models with cluster-robust standard errors were used to examine the effects of …

The Fiduciary Game, Lauren R. Roth

Elisabeth Haub School of Law Faculty Publications

Fiduciary duties are supposed to bridge the gap between public and private law. Private actors who engage in “public or quasi-public” functions (e.g., corporate directors and pension administrators) are often subject to fiduciary constraints to protect vulnerable parties who lack power in relationships with these actors. Recently, scholars have argued that both courts and legislatures have inappropriately expanded the use of fiduciary duties to purely private relationships. But what if the problem is not the expansion of fiduciary duties to private relationships, but the increasing delegation of public powers to private actors whose behavior cannot be adequately constrained by fiduciary …

Navigating State Law In Local Climate Action, Vincent M. Nolette, Daniel J. Metzger, Olivia N. Guarna, Amy E. Turner

Sabin Center for Climate Change Law

Local governments are well-positioned to lead the fight against climate change by reducing community-wide greenhouse gas emissions, promoting renewable energy resources, and otherwise advancing climate mitigation and adaptation goals. Many local governments have already taken actions, and there is more they can do. In mitigating and adapting to the climate crisis, local governments must be aware of and act consistently with preemptive state laws that limit their authority. This report provides state-by-state information, resources, and analysis for nineteen states on key state-local preemption issues.

The states covered in this report represent several of the “swing” states that are the most …

Examining The Causes And Consequences Of Diverse Agricultural Management Practices On Land Carbon Dynamics In Eastern South Dakota, Khushboo Jain

Dissertations and Theses

Climate-smart agricultural practices such as conservation tillage, increased crop residue cover, and cover cropping play a critical role in improving soil health, enhancing climate resilience, and reducing carbon losses from croplands. However, their spatial distribution, long-term impacts on land–atmosphere carbon fluxes, and the ability to monitor them efficiently at regional scales remain insufficiently understood. This dissertation addresses these gaps through an integrated remote sensing, machine learning, and modeling framework applied across eastern South Dakota. Firstly, I developed a satellite-based approach to map tillage practices and detect cover crop presence using multisource spectral indices and environmental drivers. A machine learning classifier …

Accelerating The Discovery Of The Genetic And Molecular Bases Of Neurodevelopmental Disorders In Vivo Using Breasi-Crispr, Claire Mae Kittock

Dissertations and Theses

Many neurodevelopmental disorders occur due to perturbations in prenatal brain development. More genetic variants associated with neurodevelopmental disorders are continuously being identified. However, there is a lack of understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms. Here, we describe a novel application of the technique Breasi-CRISPR in modeling specific patient variants in the embryonic mouse brain. Breasi-CRISPR is a highly efficient system combining in utero electroporation with CRISPR-CAS9 genome editing. We hypothesized that Breasi-CRISPR would be sufficient at inserting patient analogous variants into endogenous loci to be used as a new paradigm for modeling neurodevelopmental disorders. We aimed to test if Breasi-CRISPR could …

A Poor Man's Cup: Chicory Experimentation In Nebraska,1890-1900, Rebecca Hupp

Dissertations and Theses

“A Poor Man’s Cup” explores how Nebraskans actively confronted the problems of the late nineteenth-century through experimenting with new commodities. Prolonged severe drought, economic depression, and poor grain prices created a troublesome situation that grew in complexity as U.S. markets expanded globally and agriculture underwent professionalization. Some lay farmers, like Gabriel and Philomena Bazelman of Holt County, did not wait for new methods to find their way through the experiment station system and instead conducted trials themselves. Through piecing together the story of Nebraska chicory production with periodicals from the 1890s, experiment station bulletins, and Congressional reports, this thesis demonstrates …

Exploring The Role Of Pleasure In Cognitive Tasks, Nafisa Kazi Iqbal

Dissertations and Theses

The present study investigates whether the experience of a pleasant-valenced physical stimulus will positively influence performance on a cognitive task. The concept of hedonics is explored as hedonic responses, emotional reactions to stimuli involving feelings of pleasure and displeasure, play a crucial role in various psychological processes. There is a limited amount of literature regarding pleasant smell and its impact on the performance of cognitive tasks. The reported study addresses this limitation by comparing Stroop task performance of participants in two conditions, pleasant scent and neutral scent. These findings add to our understanding of the impact of pleasant smell on …

Virginia Commonwealth University Professional Bulletin (2026), Virginia Commonwealth University

VCU Bulletins

Professional programs bulletin for Virginia Commonwealth University for the academic year 2026-2027. It includes information on academic regulations, degree requirements, course offerings, faculty, academic calendar, and tuition and expenses.

Virginia Commonwealth University Courses (2026), Virginia Commonwealth University

VCU Bulletins

Listing of courses for the 2026-2027 year.

Virginia Commonwealth University Undergraduate Bulletin (2026), Virginia Commonwealth University

VCU Bulletins

Undergraduate bulletin for Virginia Commonwealth University for the academic year 2026-2027. It includes information on academic regulations, degree requirements, course offerings, faculty, academic calendar, and tuition and expenses for undergraduate programs

Virginia Commonwealth University Graduate Bulletin (2026), Virginia Commonwealth University

VCU Bulletins

Listing of courses for the 2026-2027 year.

Economic Impacts Of Alaska Fiscal Options 2026, Brett Watson, Noah Burke, Mike Jones, Spencer Perry, Brock Wilson

ISER Reports

The State of Alaska faces persistent budget challenges resulting from declining oil prices and production. Because current major revenue sources—petroleum and the Permanent Fund (POMV)—are not explicitly tied to internal economic activity, there is an "Alaska disconnect" between state growth and public revenue. ISER researchers evaluated 11 primary fiscal options + three variations. These included changes to state spending, broad-based taxes, and business taxes. Nine of these options were selected to match those ISER evaluated in 2016. In addition, ISER modelled two new options related to business taxes. ISER also evaluated three variations of these options. Any options implemented will …

Nurse-Facilitated Cbt-I Using The Cbt-I Coach Free Application, David Berhanu Mr.

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

Chronic insomnia is a prevalent condition associated with significant physical, psychological, and functional impairment. Although Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is recommended as first-line treatment, access remains limited, resulting in continued reliance on pharmacologic therapies. This DNP project evaluated the effectiveness of a nurse practitioner (NP)-facilitated CBT-I program, supported by the CBT-I Coach, in improving sleep outcomes and reducing reliance on sleep medications among adults with chronic insomnia in an outpatient setting. Methods: A pre–post intervention design was utilized. Adult participants with chronic insomnia were enrolled in a structured CBT-I program consisting of an initial 60-minute intake session followed …

Experiences With The Criminal Justice System: How Discriminatory Policing Impact Minorities Economically, Gerard I. Boykin

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

Systemic racism is an ailment that has plagued the United States since its inception. This research will highlight previous studies on the topic of race relating to discriminatory policing and injustices within the criminal justice system. Solutions will be offered as to the best remedies to rid the criminal justice system of inequalities faced by those within minority communities. Over-policing is one tactic used within the criminal justice system that targets minorities. Further, minorities are significantly more likely to receive longer prison sentences than White male counterparts for otherwise similar crimes. This study will also engage recently released prisoners to …

Preceptor Preparedness And Its Effect On Newly Hired Nurse Retention, Nena Theresa Hatchett

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

Abstract

The transition from nursing student to professional practice is a high-risk period for newly graduated registered nurses (NGRNs), often associated with role strain, limited clinical confidence, and high turnover. Structured preceptor mentorship programs have been identified as critical interventions to support both preceptors and NGRNs, enhancing job satisfaction, instruction competence, and workforce retention. This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project employed a quality improvement design guided by Lewin’s Change Theory to evaluate the impact of a structured preceptor mentorship program in a mid-sized acute care hospital. Five preceptors and twelve NGRNs participated in an eight-week intervention that included mentor …

A Discrit And Anticapitalist Approach To Resisting Hustle Culture And Practicing Slow Education Through Book Club Professional Development, Angela Zhang

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

This thesis highlights hustle culture as a significant issue that impacts education today. While the concern stemmed from a personal experience with so-called burnout, the term “hustle culture” is used to emphasize the systemic nature of the overwork, burnout, and exhaustion that teachers and students face, particularly the intersections of capitalism and ableism. When tracing the history and current manifestations of hustle culture, it becomes clear that educational institutions, policies, practices, and interactions play a major role in normalizing, perpetuating, and romanticizing hustle culture as the pathway to individual success and wealth in a capitalist system. In reality, hustle culture …

A Dual-Emission Polymer-Dots/Gold-Nanoclusters Nanohybrid For Ratiometric Fluorescence Detection Of Hg²⁺, Sha Wu

Dissertations and Theses

Heavy metals, such as Hg, Cd, Pb, and Cr, become a serious environmental problem because they are highly toxic, bioaccumulation, and long-term persistence, required a high sensitivity and selectivity detection method. Although laboratory testing instruments, such as inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, offer high sensitivity, their practical application is limited because they rely on large-scale equipment and complex sample pre-treatment processes. Single-emission fluorescence probes are simpler but can be affected by variations in probe concentration, excitation intensity, and measurement conditions. In this study, a dual-emission nanohybrid that consists of poly(9,9-di-n-hexylfluorenyl-2,7-diyl) (PDHF) and bovine serum albumin (BSA), termed as PDHF-Pdots/BSA-AuNCs nanohybrid, …

A Literature Review Of Cultural Resource Management (Crm) Law, Matthew Glumac

A with Honors Projects

An academic poster on CRM law.

Pbms And Exploitation Of America's Prescription Drug System, Ayaan Nihal Unni

A with Honors Projects

This project aims to tackle the issue of America's disproportionately expensive  prescription drug system by tracking the issue to its powerful intermediaries: PBMs. I then analyze procedures both the government and the people can undertake in order to overcome this faulty system.

Linking Boundary Type, Storm Mode, And Tornado Intensity In Illinois, Jakob Barton

A with Honors Projects

A large dataset of tornadoes across Illinois from 2007-2024 were analyzed for different characteristics of thunderstorms and tornadoes, these characteristics were then compared with each other to find correlation and trends.

The Effect Of Different Nutrient Concentrations For Hydroponically Grown Pothos, Keaton Roether

A with Honors Projects

An experiment where Pothos plants are grown in three different solutions of water, NPK diluted into water, tap water, and distilled water. Data is recorded for multiple weeks and is then compiled into a comprehensible lab report of a minimum of 1000 words with graphs and data.

Wearable Biosensors For Continuous Monitoring Of Chronic Kidney Disease: Materials, Biofluids, And Digital Health Integration, Anupamaa Sivasubramanian, Shankara Narayanan, Gymama Slaughter

Center for Bioelectronics Publications

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a progressive and irreversible disorder affecting over 850 million individuals globally and is associated with significant morbidity, mortality, and healthcare burden. Conventional diagnostic approaches rely on intermittent laboratory measurements, including serum creatinine, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and urinary albumin, which provide limited temporal resolution and fail to capture dynamic physiological changes. Recent advances in wearable biosensing technologies offer new opportunities for continuous, non-invasive monitoring of biochemical and physiological markers relevant to renal function. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of wearable biosensors for CKD monitoring, focusing on sensing mechanisms (electrochemical, optical, and field-effect transistor), …

Image-Derived 3d Hepatic Lobule Modeling Of Acetaminophen-Induced Hepatotoxicity, Rebecca Lauren Strauss

Selected Full-Text Master Theses 2021-

The liver’s highly structured vascular microarchitecture governs blood perfusion, metabolic zonation, and the spatial distribution of xenobiotic toxicity. Current computational models of hepatic drug metabolism often oversimplify this geometry, limiting their ability to capture realistic flow dynamics and cellular injury patterns. This study develops a multiscale computational framework to predict acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity using image-derived, three-dimensional hepatic lobule geometries. The model integrates computational fluid dynamics (CFD) with a mechanistic cellular injury module to simulate the interplay between perfusion, metabolism, and hepatocellular viability.

Realistic vascular reconstruction was achieved from histopathology liver slices, and the resulting geometry was meshed and solved using ANSYS …

Deep Learning For Eeg-Based Emotion Recognition With Temporal And Spectral Interpretability, Shruti Rameshbhai Shingala

Selected Full-Text Master Theses 2021-

Electroencephalography (EEG)-based emotion recognition has emerged as a critical component of affective computing and clinical neuroscience. Existing approaches to this problem primarily reduce the multi-dimensional EEG time series to a single averaged feature vector, thereby discarding the temporal structure of the emotional response. The present work addresses three identified gaps in the literature: the absence of temporal interpretability, the uniform use of frequency bands, and the use of single-scale temporal feature extraction. A deep learning architecture, MST-Mamba-Asym, is proposed, comprising four components: Asymmetry Attention, which encodes hemispheric asymmetry by computing signed left–right channel differences, FreqBandAttention, which learns differential weights across …

Gender, And Socioeconomic Status In School-Based Speech-Language Pathology Decision-Making For Adolescents With Traumatic Brain Injury: A Critically Appraised Topic, Geneva Renee Toledo

Selected Full-Text Master Theses 2021-

Purpose: Adolescents are at greater risk for traumatic brain injury (TBI), and TBI-related symptoms may contribute to disciplinary actions that increase their risk of entering the school-toconfinement pipeline. Given the disproportionate representation of racially marginalized male adolescents within this pipeline, this critically appraised topic (CAT) examined how race, gender, and socioeconomic status may influence school-based speech-language pathology (SLP) services and clinical decision-making following TBI. Method: A structured search of five electronic databases was conducted to identify studies examining speech-language pathologists’ (SLPs’) clinical decision-making and management of adolescents with TBI in relation to race, gender, and socioeconomic status. Relevant studies were …

Impact Of Social Media On Self Esteem And Body Image, Sunayana Sri Acharya Goribidnur Sudheendra

Selected Full-Text Master Theses 2021-

This study examined how idealized self-presentation on social media relates to self-esteem and body image in young adults, and whether body dissatisfaction, general distress, or symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress help explain that relationship. Ninety-eight undergraduate students from two universities completed an online survey measuring idealized online self-presentation (Presentation of Online Self Scale), self-esteem (Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale), body esteem (Body Esteem Scale for Adolescents and Adults), general distress (Distress Questionnaire-5), and depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms (DASS-21). Contrary to expectations, greater idealized self-presentation was associated with higher, not lower, self-esteem. Idealized self-presentation was not significantly related to body esteem, …

Experiences Of Marginalization At The Intersection Of Race, Ethnicity, And Disability In Higher Education, Nora L. Portillo

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Black and Latine college students with disabilities navigate higher education at the intersection of racism and ableism, yet their experiences remain underexamined. Autism and ADHD are particularly underrepresented in research and public discourse; moreover, unlike other disability categories in which students of color are overrepresented, Black and Latine children are less likely than white children to be accurately identified, and both disabilities are often framed around white prototypes. Guided by Disability Critical Race Theory, the present exploratory qualitative study used semi-structured interviews with ten undergraduates identifying as Black and/or Latine and with ADHD and/or on the autism spectrum attending a …

Editor's Note, Emily Derrenbacker

Colorado Environmental Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Table Of Contents, Colorado Environmental Law Journal

Colorado Environmental Law Journal

No abstract provided.

On Shaky Ground: America’S Public Lands Face An Uncertain Future, John Leshy

Colorado Environmental Law Journal

No abstract provided.