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Reservoir Characterization Of The Clarksville Formation In Red River County, Texas, Matthew Allen Parker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Upper Jurassic Clarksville Formation in northern Texas and southern Oklahoma is a productive but poorly understood sandstone–conglomerate unit with unresolved questions regarding its depositional environment and sediment provenance. This study evaluates the depositional setting, spatial distribution, and diagenetic controls of the Clarksville Formation using integrated core and well log analyses in Red River County, Texas. Three cores (Lennox Unit #1, Reeder Oil Unit #2, and Reeder Oil Unit #7) were analyzed for lithology, mineralogy, porosity, permeability, and fluid saturation, and correlated with 137 well logs to map formation thickness and regional trends.

Four lithofacies were identified based on core …

Mass Spectrometry- And Genomic-Based Characterization Of Novel Glycosphingolipid-Producing Bacteria And Their Glycosyltransferases, Tahir Ali

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Glycosphingolipids (GSLs) are a type of membrane-lipids commonly found in eukaryotes, as well as in bacteria from the order Sphingomonadales. In these bacteria, GSLs replace lipopolysaccharides as key structural and functional components of the outer membrane. These molecules play a crucial role in maintaining membrane integrity and helping bacteria adapt to environmental stresses. Additionally, they hold significant potential in biomedical research due to their ability to modulate the immune response through interactions with the CD1d receptor. Despite their important biological and biomedical roles, the diversity and biosynthesis of bacterial GSLs are far less understood compared to their eukaryotic counterparts. In …

Essays On Corporate Finance And Dark Pool Trading, Sarath Valsalan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the first essay, we analyze how dark pool trading changes surrounding one of the largest corporate informational events, mergers and acquisitions. Alfarhoud, Bowe, and Zhang (2021) and Ye and Zhu (2020) suggest that the ability to hide trading is most valuable when the cost of information leakage is high. Since recent studies (e.g. Brolley, 2020; Ye and Zhu, 2020) find detrimental effects of dark pool trading on market quality, we expect that trading surrounding mergers and acquisitions will be opportunistic. We find that the share of dark pool trading rises significantly prior to an announcement compared to trading on …

International Panther Monthly, December 2025, University Of Northern Iowa. Office Of International Engagement.

Office of International Engagement newsletter

Contents:

--- From the Director's Desk
--- Fall 2025 with OIE
--- Student Spotlight
--- UNI's World Window
--- Did You Know?
--- Behind the Scenes
--- Find Connection at OIE
--- Get Involved

The Fungal Microbiota Modulate Neonatal Oxygen-Induced Lung Injury, Isaac Martin, Mary Silverberg, Ahmed Abdelgawad, Kosuke Tanaka, Brian A. Halloran, Teodora Nicola, Erin D. Myers, Jay P. Desai, Catrina T. White, Ibrahim Karabayir, Oguz Akbilgic, Laura Tipton, Samuel J. Gentle, Namasivayam Ambalavanan, Brian M. Peters, Luan D. Vu, Viral G. Jain, Charitharth V. Lal, Stephania A. Cormier, Joseph F. Pierre, Tamás Jilling, Ajay J. Talati, Kent A. Willis

Division of Basic Science Faculty Publications

Background: The immature lungs of very preterm infants are exposed to supraphysiologic oxygen, contributing to bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), a chronic lung disease that is the most common morbidity of prematurity. While the microbiota significantly influences neonatal health, the relationship between the intestinal microbiome, particularly micro-eukaryotic members such as fungi and yeast, and lung injury severity in newborns remains unknown. Results: Here, we show that the fungal microbiota modulates hyperoxia-induced lung injury severity in very low birth weight premature infants and preclinical pseudohumanized and altered fungal colonization mouse models. Instead of fungal communities dominated by Candida and Saccharomyces, the first stool …

“The Goal Is To Help The Community”: Motivations And Experiences Of Diverse Families In A Special Education Parent Advocacy Program, Diana Cruz

Dissertations

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 2004) entitles parents of eligible students with disabilities to meaningful participation in their children’s educational planning. Despite this mandate, many parents encountered barriers that limited their ability to participate in special education processes. These challenges were amplified for culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) families who often lacked the social and cultural capital needed to navigate the system (Trainor, 2010b). Culturally and linguistically diverse parents experience systemic barriers such as limited interpretation, discrimination, and cultural differences that restrict their engagement (Buren et al., 2018; Doucet, 2011; Harry, 2008; Kalyanpur et al., 2000; Sanders-Smith et …

Narrative Economics Of Sports Gambling Legalization: A Case Study Of The United States, Tyler John Hajek

Dissertations

Following the end of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act in 2018, legalized sports betting has become prevalent in the United States (U.S.). Most states legalized the activities due to consumer interest and financial potential for tax revenue generation. The purpose of this study was to explore how legalized sports betting influenced tax revenues in the initial years of expanded adoption in the U.S. To address this purpose, the research questions were structured to uncover if states collectively benefited from the introduction of legalized sports betting, what states have financially benefitted from the implementation of legalized sports betting, and …

A Lineage Of Contemporary Jazz Violin, Tsu Hao Kuo

Dissertations

The development of jazz violin has always been multifaceted. Not only has it followed the evolution of jazz, but it has also established its own parallel genres. Since the swing era, the violin no longer remains a top choice for jazz musicians as opposed to early jazz musicians who often doubled on string instruments. Intriguingly, the decline of its popularity in larger ensembles did not inhibit the growth of the jazz violin. Not only did jazz violinists thrive in small jazz ensembles, but its distinct blend with other string music genres also reached styles beyond the common narrative of jazz …

Exploring The Integration Of Social And Emotional Learning In Chinese High School Music Courses, Yao Lu

Dissertations

Social and emotional learning has become increasingly important in recent years, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. The mental health and emotional well-being of students have received unprecedented attention. However, in China, social and emotional learning is still a relatively new concept. High school students are in a critical period for self-identification and the development of values. Academic competition and peer comparisons have increased significantly, making them more in need of systematic, operational SEL support. Music, as a “natural carrier” of emotions, can externalize, identify, and regulate individual emotions, and can also cultivate empathy and relationship skills in collaborative settings such …

The Road To Regulation: A Literature Review Of The Influences On The Updated Silica Standards, Skye M. Medcraft

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Silica is a hazardous compound that poses a risk to human health resulting from dust creating activities across various industries. Several agencies, including OSHA (Occupational Health and Safety Administration) and MSHA (Mine Safety and Health Administration) have adopted regulatory oversight of silica exposure in the workplace. As more research has been conducted on silica exposure, the health effects are becoming better described, which has led to the creation and updating of exposure regulations to protect worker health. The objective of this literature study is to review the data presented to the Department of Labor and discuss how the factors that …

Creating Actionable, Culturally Appropriate Interventions From Survey Data: A Community-Driven Capstone Pilot Project, Nicole Placke

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

The Community-Driven Capstone Track is a pilot program designed as an alternative to the traditional capstone track. With this track, students are able to engage with community partners through an integrative learning experience. The goal is to address real organizational needs in a way that demonstrates the mastery of foundational and concentration competencies.

Unlike the traditional capstone track, the CDC offers flexibility in both project type and deliverables. Rather than one formal written report, students might produce a series of products or tools. Deliverables are decided collaboratively between the student, community partners, and the faculty committee to ensure they are …

Influence Of Food Insecurity On Adolescent Mental Health: A Comprehensive Literature Review, Sarah Foss

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Food insecurity is a growing public health concern with significant implications for adolescent mental health. This literature review provides an overview of current research on the relationship between food insecurity and adolescents’ mental health in the United States. A literature review was completed to identify studies examining the association between food insecurity and anxiety, depression, or attention deficit disorder (ADD)/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Evidence shows that the experience of food insecurity in adolescence is associated with a higher risk of developing or experiencing an exacerbation of anxiety, depression, or ADD/ ADHD. This review utilizes the socioecological model to explain …

Linking Training To Confidence: A Literature Review On Advancing Nutrition Environments In Child Care Programs, Jeanne M. Vanorsdal

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

This comprehensive literature review examined child care nutrition training interventions using the Health Belief Model (HBM) to understand how to increase providers’ ability to serve nutritious food. By analyzing HBM constructs such as perceived severity, benefits, and barriers, the review assessed how training influences provider abilities and identified barriers and facilitators to consistently offering healthy meals and snacks. Studies were 1) published in English; 2) research conducted in the United States; 3) population involved home-based or center-based child care providers caring for children from birth to age 5; 4) articles published from January 1, 2015, to October 5, 2025; 5) …

Wildfire Smoke And Public Health: Comparing 2023 Canadian Wildfire Events With Hospital Admissions In Douglas County, Nebraska, Jeremy Poell

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Wildfires are becoming increasingly common in Canada and the United States. Smoke produced from these fires creates a multitude of air pollution constituents that can cause breathing and other health issues for humans, particularly those with asthma and other respiratory conditions. Of these pollutants, PM2.5 (particulate matter that is 2.5 microns or smaller) is particularly problematic as these particles are inhaled deep into lung tissue, where they create inflammation and oxidative stress. Poor air quality can also trigger asthma and respiratory issues, leading to an increase in emergency department admissions for breathing treatments. The goal of this study is to …

Reducing Sleep-Related Infant Deaths In Douglas County, Lauren J. Maskin

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Douglas County, including the city of Omaha, covers 339.6 square miles along the border of the Missouri River in Nebraska with a population of 517,110 (https://www.douglascounty-ne.gov/) and is one of seven large urban counties in the state. There are approximately 8,000 infants born in Douglas County annually (Nebraska Vital Statistics Birth Dashboard). The Douglas County Health Department (DCHD), established in 1854, is one of the oldest county health departments in the state and manages multiple public health projects annually. In 2024-2025, a renewed focus for DCHD has been its infant mortality rate (IMR). In 2024, 44 infant mortalities occurred in …

A Literature Review: Back Injuries Affecting Certified Nursing Assistants In Nursing Facilities, Nesta Nsembene-Ntoutoume

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Certified nursing assistants (CNAs) are at a higher risk of back injuries in healthcare, particularly in long-term care settings. This literature review assessed the primary causes of these injuries and the efficacy of current interventions, particularly Safe Patient Handling and Mobility (SPHM) programs. A total of 26 peer-reviewed articles were published between 2014 and 2025, including experimental simulations, cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, quasi-experimental training interventions, and evaluations of SPHM programs. Across the literature, the primary contributors to back injuries included high physical workload, inadequate ergonomic design, limited access to assistive devices, and staff shortage.

Experimental and biomechanical studies have demonstrated …

Analysis Of The Hospital Medical Surge Preparedness Index In Relation To Hospital Characteristics And Social Determinants Of Health, Philipp Lirk

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Objective

Substantial investments have been made in hospital emergency preparedness. The Hospital Medical Surge Preparedness Index (HMSPI) has been proposed as a metric to assess health system readiness. This index summarizes hospital system characteristics, space and facilities, staff availability, and supply planning.

Methods

The primary objective was to evaluate the relationship between the HMSPI and characteristics of the respective hospitals, including size, type, location, performance on the Hospital Resilience Index (HRI), and Social Determinants of Health (SDoH).

Results

Higher HMSPI scores were found in suburban compared to rural hospitals, a higher HMSPI in larger hospitals with greater patient volumes and …

The Impact Of Social Media Use On Postpartum Depression, Jaila Randle

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a serious form of depression that affects one in eight women. Symptoms include feeling sad all the time, being anxious, and having trouble bonding with their child. As social media sites like Facebook and Twitter become more important for moms to find support and health information, it has become a public health concern to learn how they affect mental health after giving birth. This literature review explores the positive and negative impacts of social media use on postpartum depression among mothers. A systematic search identified peer-reviewed studies published between 2014 and 2025. Studies were selected using …

Utilization Of Tricare’S Childbirth And Breastfeeding Support Demonstration: Access To Lactation Services Among Military Families, Holly Johnson

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

In January 2022, the Department of Defense launched a five-year pilot program called the TRICARE Childbirth and Breastfeeding Support Demonstration. This demonstration aimed to cover lactation services for Tricare beneficiaries. This project included an electronic survey and was created and completed by 577 participants. Eligible participants needed to have given birth in the last 24 months and have TRICARE as their primary insurance. Participants completed this survey to help understand if they were aware of lactation benefits, if they utilized the service, and if it improved their breastfeeding experience.

Out of the 577 participants, 485 were eligible for the project. …

A Replication Study- Frequent Social Media Use And Experiences With Bullying Victimization, Persistent Feelings Of Sadness Or Hopelessness, And Suicide Risk Among High School Students- Youth Risk Behavior Survey, United States (2023), Diana C. Andrade

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

This replication study examines the association between frequent social media (SM) use and bullying victimization, persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, and suicide risk among U.S. young adults using data from the 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. The study replicates the findings of Young et al. (2024), the first CDC report to incorporate SM into national adolescent behavioral surveillance. Using a weighted, cross-sectional sample of 15,203 students, the replication analysis estimated unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios for outcomes, controlling for age, sex, race/ethnicity, and sexual identity. 77% of students reported frequent SM use. It was significantly associated with higher odds …

Revolutionizing Teacher Preparation Through Gender- Responsive Pedagogy In Tanzania’S Teacher Education System, Jane Rarieya, Mary Oluga, Nyagwegwe Wango

Institute for Educational Development, East Africa

This study investigates the revolutionization of teacher preparation throughthe integration of Gender Pedagogy within a Teacher Training College inTanzania. Recognizing the urgent need for teachers equipped with gender-responsive skills, this initiative seeks to establish effective teaching methods,enhance student motivation, and cultivate gender-sensitive educationalleadership. The core objective is to understand how this pedagogical shiftcan create a community of educators capable of significantly improvinglearning outcomes across diverse educational contexts. Employing aqualitative research design, this study explored the insights and experiencesof participants regarding the implementation of the revolutionized teachereducation program. Findings indicate the practical application of Gender,Diversity, and Inclusion Pedagogy by student teachers, …

Enhancing Management Of Transportation Projects: Integration Factors For Using Smart Contracts, Mariam Elazhary, Islam H. El-Adaway

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The US Department of Transportation (USDOT) delivers a wide range of infrastructure projects, backed by a fiscal year 2023 budget exceeding $100 billion. These projects face mounting pressures to meet performance, accountability, and delivery standards, driven by their dependence on public funding and their operational complexity. Transportation infrastructure presents sector-specific challenges - such as time-sensitive user disruptions, multiparty coordination, and asset intersection risks - that demand more robust, automated, and transparent project delivery mechanisms. Blockchain-enabled smart contracts have emerged as a promising solution to address these operational pain points through real-time automation, immutable data records, and decentralized transaction processing. However, …

The Equity Implications Of Pecuniary Externalities On An Electric Grid, Charles Sims, Gasser G. Ali, J. Scott Holladay, Tim Roberson, Chien Fei Chen, Islam H. El-Adaway

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The adoption of rooftop photovoltaic (PV) systems can create upward pressure on retail electricity rates as utilities are forced to spread their fixed costs of generation and transmission across a smaller customer base. Since high-income households are more likely to purchase PV systems, low-income households may be disproportionately impacted by these rate increases. Using a novel combination of agent-based computational economic modeling and a choice experiment of rooftop solar adoption, we show how this pecuniary externality between low- and high-income customers increases low-income electricity bills by 10% in an area with some of the highest poverty rates in the United …

Evaluating Crumb Rubber Modified (Crm) Asphalt As A Sustainable Binder Alternative For High-Friction Surface Treatments, Abdallah Aboelela, Alireza Roshan, Magdy Abdelrahman

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

High-friction surface treatments (HFSTs) are widely applied to improve pavement safety by enhancing long-term skid resistance. Although epoxy resins are commonly used due to their strength and durability, their high cost, susceptibility to delamination, incompatibility with substrates of flexible pavements, and adverse environmental concerns limit their long-term performance. This study presents crumb rubber modified (CRM) asphalt as a sustainable alternative binder for HFST applications. CRM binders offer high performance and compatibility with existing pavement surfaces, cost effectiveness and reduced environmental impacts as compared to epoxy binders. In addition, the binder development utilizes enhanced recycling technologies for interacting with used tire …

Masthead - Vol 50 Fall 2025

Southern Illinois University Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Field Goals, Carolyn Young Larmore

Southern Illinois University Law Journal

Externship faculty agree that goal setting is a key part of the externship learning experience, for example, helping students to become self-directed learners by deciding what they want to get out of a learning experience and then taking an active role in working toward that end. But while the literature advocating goal setting is based on years of experience and anecdotal evidence, one thing it is lacking is empirical support. In this paper, I report on my study of the pedagogical tool of student goal setting. This study included the review and coding of hundreds of student reflective journals in …

Reinsuring Ai: Energy, Agriculture, Finance & Medicine As Precedents For Governance Of Frontier Artificial Intelligence, Nicholas Stetler

Southern Illinois University Law Journal

Federal reinsurance for advanced artificial intelligence offers a credible foundation for managing risk at scale. Traditional legal tools such as regulation, litigation, and voluntary guidelines, lack the institutional capacity to address deep uncertainty, widespread spillover effects, and low-probability but catastrophic harms. A public financial infrastructure distributes risk, incentivizes responsible development, and enables earlier detection of emerging threats. Precedent exists in nuclear energy, agriculture, healthcare, and finance, where federal reinsurance enabled markets to function despite underlying volatility. The same institutional logic applies to frontier AI.

Part I explains how general-purpose and frontier AI models work, and why they have become a …

Policy - Vol. 50, Fall 2025

Southern Illinois University Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Educational Experiences And Educational Attainment Of Elementary Students From Low Socioeconomic Status Backgrounds: Sequential Mixed Methods Evidence From Texas, Morgann L. Hawkins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Students from low socio-economic status (SES) backgrounds face significant challenges in their educational experiences and educational attainment, and this is due to barriers related to their identity and background, inadequate support systems, and a lack of understanding of the traumas they experience. This sequential mixed methods study contains the perceptions of teachers, teacher leaders, counselors, and campus leaders in four high-poverty elementary schools in one Texas school district about the educational experiences and educational attainment of students from low SES backgrounds. The informal literature review focused on six spaces: 1) child, family, and community; 2) students from low SES backgrounds; …

Metamorphosis: An Original Jazz Guitar Concerto Exploring Improvisation And Polystylistic Strategies In The Modern Concerto, Ronnie J. Whitt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The electric guitar is underutilized in large ensemble art music. Some composers have sought to alleviate this deficiency by expanding the literature through the electric guitar concerto. Few electric guitar concerti are written for improvised jazz guitar, therefore presenting a need for this research. In this thesis, I explore the development of the jazz guitar concerto and nine compositional strategies that benefit composers writing a multi-genre jazz guitar concerto. I analyze selected jazz guitar concerti through lenses, including phrase-level compositional devices, textural and timbral schema, and musical hybridity, to identify these strategies. These concerti include: D.J. Sparr’s Katrina, Jake …