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Intention To Take Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (Prep) As An Hiv Preventive Medication: An Application Of The Health Belief Model And Theory Planned Behavior, Besuthu Nakekelwa Nkambule

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

South Africa (SA) has 7.7 million citizens (12.6% of its 2023 population) living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) as an antiretroviral medication for HIV-negative individuals is a promising HIV prevention strategy in SA that can help the attainment of an HIV free generation. PrEP offers greater than 90% protection against HIV acquisition. Despite SA’s efforts in increasing PrEP coverage for its citizens, primarily to those at substantial risk, its adoption remains relatively low. Structural barriers related to access, costs, lack of awareness, and, more recently, US funding cuts exacerbate the challenges of PrEP’s potential …

Performance And Feasibility Of Pasture Rangeland And Forage Insurance In The Delta Region, Walker Bradley Davis

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Despite being available nationwide since 2016, enrollment in Pasture, Rangeland, and Forage (PRF) insurance remains low in many regions of the country. The program's performance also presents regional discrepancies, with loss ratios varying significantly. Studies that have simplified the complexity of interval selection for producers have been shown to positively affect PRF enrollment. Such studies remain limited in several forage-producing areas. This study aims to address the lack of information in Arkansas specifically. Arkansas has among the nation's lowest participation rates and loss ratios. Low loss ratios signal that participants pay more in premiums than received in indemnities and may …

Impact Of Lighting Wavelength On Broiler Behavior, Health, And Performance, Angela Perretti

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Lighting influences broiler production, health, and behavior. Due to their advanced visual system, avian species perceive a wide spectrum of light. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of white (W, 350 to 780 nm) blue (B, 450 nm), and green (G, 560 nm) light on broiler production, processing performance, activity, fear, stress, blood cell profiles, tibiotarsi (tibia) morphology, and depth perception. Day-of-hatch by-product chicks from a Cobb 500 female line (N=600) were randomly assigned to 12 pens (N=4 treatment replicates). Body weight and feed consumption were recorded on day (D) 0, 14, 28, and 41, and …

The Bacteria Who Lived: Uncovering And Mitigating The Persistence Of Pathogens In Low-Moisture Food Processing, Kavita Shripati Patil

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Low-moisture food (LMF) processing environments pose a persistent food safety risk due to Salmonella survival and harborage on surfaces. This work investigates persistent bacterial populations (PBPs) in LMF production environments, focusing on identifying a suitable surrogate and evaluating sanitation strategies. Three potential surrogates, Escherichia coli MP 26, Enterococcus faecium, and Pediococcus acidilactici, were compared to Salmonella PBPs formed in nonfat dry milk (NFDM) on stainless steel coupons stored at 25°C under 30% or 70% relative humidity (RH) using two different inoculation methods. E. faecium showed survival patterns most similar to Salmonella, with no significant differences in log reductions (p > 0.05), …

The Connection Between Workplace Wellness Activities And Job Satisfaction In Manufacturing, Lori Scott Dreiling

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Employers in all industries are concerned with creating and maintaining a workplace where their employees are engaged in their work. Job dissatisfaction is shown to lead to higher levels of turnover, absenteeism, and presenteeism. The purpose of this quantitative study will be to examine the connection between workplace wellness activity participation and job satisfaction, specifically for manufacturers in Southwest Missouri, Southeast Kansas, and Northeast Oklahoma. Manufacturers have experienced increased global competition in the last three decades, not just for their products or services but for quality talent. The value of this study is to show manufacturing employers that by providing …

Cotton Yield And Tissue-Potassium Response To Potassium Fertilization, Maria Paula Ramos Do Prado

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Potassium (K) deficiency is a common yield-limiting factor in cotton (Gossypium hirsu tum L.) production across the U.S. Cotton Belt. Adequate fertilizer-K management is paramount to ensure optimum plant growth and development, minimizing yield losses. Currently, fertilizer K recommendations for cotton in Arkansas are derived from expected yield responses of other crops, with no calibrated fertilizer-K rates or critical tissue-K concentrations defined to maxim ize crop yield. Our research objectives were i) to investigate cotton yield response and fiber qual ity to K fertilization on soils with different K availability; ii) to correlate relative yield with tis sue-K concentrations at …

Prone To Prejudice: Trans Experiences And Structural Harm In The U.S. Prison System, Margaret-Maria Pemu

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examines transgender individuals' experiences within the justice system. This study seeks to illuminate the complex realities of incarceration using social constructionism and reflexive thematic analysis. The social constructionist perspective offers a framework for understanding how gendered identities are shaped, constrained, and policed within institutional contexts. The analysis of narratives from Large Reddit communities allows this study to examine how transgender individuals make sense of and survive correctional environments. A comprehensive analysis of the data generated the following six major themes: (1) Solitary Confinement Universally Induces Horror, (2) Discriminatory Treatment Leads to Disillusionment with the Criminal Justice System, …

Algorithmic Recourse In Sequential Decision-Making For Long-Term Fairness, Francisco Gumucio

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Algorithmic decision-making systems are increasingly being deployed in high-stakes domains such as criminal justice, education, and financial services. While machine learning models have demonstrated significant utility in automating complex decisions, they have also raised substantial concerns regarding fairness and equity. Much of the existing work in algorithmic fairness has focused on static, one-shot settings, where interventions are aimed at miti- gating bias in a single decision. However, many real-world systems operate sequentially, where decisions made at one point in time can influence future outcomes through dynamic feedback loops. In such scenarios, addressing fairness at only one decision point can be …

Supervised Machine-Based Learning And Computational Analysis To Reveal Unique Molecular Signatures Associated With Wound Healing And Fibrotic Outcomes To Lens Injury, Catherine Lalman, Kylie R. Stabler, Yimin Yang, Janice L Walker

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

Posterior capsule opacification (PCO), a frequent complication of cataract surgery, arises from dysregulated wound healing and fibrotic transformation of residual lens epithelial cells. While transcriptomic and machine learning (ML) approaches have elucidated fibrosis-related pathways in other tissues, the molecular divergence between regenerative and fibrotic outcomes in the lens remains unclear. Here, we used an ex vivo chick lens injury model to simulate post-surgical conditions, collecting RNA from lenses undergoing either regenerative wound healing or fibrosis between days 1–3 post-injury. Bulk RNA sequencing data were normalized, log-transformed, and subjected to univariate filtering prior to training LASSO, SVM, and RF ML models …

August 2025 Library News, University Libraries

Library News

No abstract provided.

Perceptions Of Ai Chatbots In Music Education, Lauren Beauchamp

Music Education Theses

Recent advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI), particularly generative AI chatbots like the Chat Generative Pre-Trained Transformer (ChatGPT), have impacted education, yet their specific implications for music education remain underexplored. This study explores general music educators’ perceptions of information provided by ChatGPT, focusing on their ability to distinguish AI-generated content, its perceived accuracy, and the perceived influence of professional experience. A qualitative multiple case methodology including six general music educators located in the state of New York was utilized. Participants were purposively sampled to ensure maximum variation in age, gender, service years, and teaching levels. During interviews, they were asked to …

From Code To Compliance: Regulating Daos In Canada: Legal Frameworks And Challenges, Gulnoza Abdurakhmonova

Canadian Journal of Law and Technology

This paper examines the regulatory challenges surrounding Decentralised Autonomous Organizations (DAOs) in Canada and argues that existing legal frameworks— primarily designed for traditional corporate entities— are inadequate for addressing the unique characteristics of DAOs. While securities regulators have taken steps to oversee aspects of DAO activity, a broader regulatory framework is needed to provide legal clarity, address governance and liability concerns, and foster responsible innovation. This study recommends a dual approach: (1) extending corporate law reforms to define the legal status and obligations of DAOs, and (2) developing a regulatory framework that balances investor protection with the flexibility needed for …

Table Of Contents

Southern Illinois University Law Journal

No abstract provided.

A Lack Of Interest: Why Illinois’ “Easily Calculable” Requirement Should Not Defeat Prejudgment Interest For Policyholders On Unpaid Defense Costs, Stanley C. Nardoni

Southern Illinois University Law Journal

Illinois’ Interest Act provides for prejudgment interest on money due on an “instrument of writing” like an insurance policy.  Although not in the statute’s language, Illinois courts have long applied a common law rule that restricts awards of such interest to cases in which the amount owed is easily calculable.  That easily calculable requirement has figured prominently in defeating interest awards in cases where insurers have breached their policy obligations to defend lawsuits against policyholders. In several such cases, courts have applied the requirement to refuse interest on defense costs those insurers owed because they disputed the reasonableness of those …

Proving Character And Fitness In Illinois Bar Admissions: An Introduction To The Substantive Requirements And The Applicable Procedures, Stephen Fedo

Southern Illinois University Law Journal

Although every applicant for admission to the Illinois bar is required to demonstrate good moral character and general fitness to be licensed to practice law, few lawyers and would-be lawyers are familiar with what constitutes proof of character and fitness or the procedures by which such proof is to be made. This Article offers a general introduction to the procedural form and substantive elements of determinations of character and fitness under Illinois Supreme Court Rules. The subjects discussed are: the character and fitness process as a litigated proceeding; the relevant matters to be proved; the four levels of evidentiary review, …

Survey Of Illinois Law: Electronic Filing And Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9, Emmet C. Fairfield

Southern Illinois University Law Journal

In 2017, the Illinois Supreme Court mandated electronic filing (e-filing) in civil cases and adopted Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9 to implement the mandate, fifteen years after the court initially authorized e-filing. Since then, the court has made multiple amendments to Rule 9 and has made other efforts to implement e-filing across Illinois. Despite the court’s efforts, the rule has fostered litigation and confusion over when a document is timely and how to seek relief when an e-filing error renders a document untimely. The goal of this Survey is to provide clarity for practitioners on e-filing by examining Rule 9’s …

Public Preferences For Flood Warning Improvements: An Inferred Valuation Approach Addressing Social Desirability Bias, Katsuya Tanaka, Kazuhide Akaishi, Takashi Yokota

Center for Public Service Publications and Reports

Despite the crucial role of flood warning systems in mitigating disaster impacts, their economic value—particularly the value of specific attributes—remains poorly understood. This study evaluates public preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for three flood warning attributes: advance notice, warning reliability, and geographical precision, using a choice experiment conducted in Tokyo's Koto 5 Wards. To address social desirability bias, the study employs both standard and inferred valuation methods, with the latter asking respondents to predict their neighbors' choices. The findings reveal that warning reliability is the most highly valued attribute, with an inferred WTP of ¥2,345 per household annually for …

Constitutional Futurisms, Jeremiah Chin

Articles

How do we reckon with the past? The Supreme Court’s recent embrace of originalism as a mode of constitutional analysis relies almost exclusively on a view of history and tradition that would bind us to an understanding of principles and ideals that legitimized the exclusion of minority voices. Cases such as New York State Pistol and Rifle Ass'n v. Bruen use flavors of originalism as a framework to define rights and governmental powers through their historical antecedents, but this broad standard of interpretation is notably absent in the Court’s recent discussions of histories and traditions of racism in the United …

Seeking Existential Meaning In The “Sea Of Trees:” A Qualitative Exploration In The Depths Of Japan’S Aokigahara “Suicide” Forest, Sophia Bates

Masters Theses, 2020-current

This thesis explores the intercultural perceptions of suicidality and the role that these perceptions have on meaning of life in Japanese culture through an exploratory, autoethnographic analysis of my journey walking through Japan’s Aokigahara “suicide” Forest. In June 2024, I traveled to Fujikawaguchiko, Japan to conduct an autoethnographic analysis of my experiences walking through Aokigahara Forest using shinrin-yoku and mindful walking (Jung, 2014) as supplemental research methodologies to make empirical observations and take notes on my journey walking through suicide forest as an embodied sensory experience. Drawing upon the research and ideas of cultural anthropologist and existential philosopher Ernest Becker, …

Possibility Of Benefiting From Malaysia's Experience In Stimulating The Private Sector ‎Through Financing Methods In Iraq, Shiama Abbas, Sabah Nema Ali

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

This research investigates the possibility of assessing and applying Malaysia's learning-information-base of successful private sector financing strategies for spurring economic growth in the Iraqi setting. The Malaysian model, especially with regard to support for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), is studied to chart the relevance and applicability of the concept to the Iraqi economy in the span of 2004-2023. Adopting descriptive-analytical and inductive method, the study brings forth Malaysia's diversified financing arrangements involving internal sources, external sources, public-private partnerships, and incentives with a specific aim. It is found that the Malaysian systems for its SME development, along with tax incentives …

Using Convolutional Neural Networks To Estimate Missing Values ​​In Univariate Time Series Data, Wasn Saad Al-Karadi

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

In this research, deep neural networks (CNNs) were used to estimate missing values ​​in a univariate time series dataset and compared with DES/Holt and (SVR) estimation methods to determine their accuracy in handling missing values ​​in the dataset. These missing values ​​directly affect the process of building mathematical and statistical models, affecting the accuracy of the final results that enable us to make the right decisions in the future. The presence of missing values ​​in the dataset is due to problems that occur during sampling, such as a malfunction in the measuring device, security attacks, or communication errors. The results …

The Effect Of Strategic Awareness On Organizational Brilliance: An Analytical Research In Dhi Qar Oil Company, Sherouk Naeem Jabbar, Suheir Adel Hamed

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

The research deals with the impact of strategic awareness and its dimensions (Reframing, System Thinking, Reflecting, and Learning Orientation) on organizational Brilliance and its dimensions (Leadership Brilliance, Service Brilliance, and Knowledge Brilliance) of Dhi Qar Oil company. The research addresses the following question: “To what extent does strategic awareness affect the organizational brilliance of Dhi Qar Oil Company?”. The study followed the descriptive analytical approach to ensure the accuracy of the results and conclusions. The sample included the general manager and his assistants, directors of bodies, department managers, and division managers. Data were collected using a questionnaire distributed to 113 …

The Impact Of Social Marketing On Sustainable Development Goals: Aims & Challenges: An Analytical Study Of A Sample Of Mosul University Students, Anas Maaroof, Zainab Alhamdani, Omar Q. Alshebly, Abdulhamid Adam, Mohammed Alblewi, Murat Dedeoğlu

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

This study aims to identify the impact of social marketing on the sustainable development goals at the University of Mosul. The study consists of two main variables: the independent variable, which includes social marketing, and the four dimensions: social product, social price, social promotion, and social distribution. The dependent variable represents the sustainable development goals, whose dimensions consist of: Goal 1: No Poverty, Goal 2: Zero Hunger, Goal 3: Good Health, and Goal 4: Quality Education. This research paper highlight on social marketing as a modern trend in business organizations linked to sustainable development goals, which has led many companies …

The Impact Of Aggregate Supply Fluctuations On Inflation In Iraq During The Period (2004-2023): An Empirical Study, Muneam Hussein Ali, Sameer Siham Dawood

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

This research examines the relationship between aggregate supply and inflation in Iraq during (2004-2023) through deviations in aggregate supply that lead to changes in output and inflation. The core issue of the research lies in how any change in aggregate supply results in a shift of the aggregate supply curve from its initial position. This study employed a deductive methodology, theoretical frameworks, descriptive and quantitative assessments, and econometric techniques to analyze the connection between aggregate supply, which is treated as a dependent variable, and inflation, categorized as the independent variable. The findings of the analysis validated the hypothesis and confirmed …

Technical Study And Conservation Treatment Of A Painted Wooden Figure, Attributed As An 18th-Century American Sternboard, Sutton Hastman

Art Conservation Master's Projects

This study focuses on the investigation of an object owned by the Memorial Art Gallery (MAG) that was cataloged as an 18th -century American sternboard. The MAG shared concerns regarding the object’s provenance and whether the object was correctly identified. Technical analysis, including multimodal photography, x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDX) and wood identification, was conducted to inform the museum on the fabrication of the object and on its material components. The information collected was examined alongside historical research regarding the authenticity of the provenance, aiming to better understand the nature of the …

Student Orientation, 1997, Uab Archives

Images of the Month from UAB Archives

Image ID: P23.3

New student orientation at UAB, August 1997

A Systematic Clinical Framework For Postimplantation Monitoring In Thalamic Neuromodulation: Insights From Twiddler's Syndrome, Shalin Shah, Ganne Chaitanya, Jeston Chin, Nicholas Delcimmuto, Jay R Gavvala

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

This case described a 25-year-old pregnant woman with refractory multifocal epilepsy, diagnosed in 2020 and treated with bilateral thalamic deep brain stimulation (DBS) targeting the centromedian and pulvinar nuclei. Prior to DBS, she experienced daily focal seizures, often progressing to generalized tonic-clonic seizures despite optimal medication. Presurgical evaluations revealed multifocal epilepsy with right hemispheric involvement and diffuse band heterotopia. Given the extensive neurophysiological and radiographic findings, DBS was chosen over resective surgery. Following implantation in December 2023, initial stimulation settings resulted in some seizure control but also development of new symptoms, including shock-like sensations down her neck. After 43 seizure-free …

Sex Differences In Etiologies, Risk Factors, And Outcomes Among Young Adult Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke, Ekta G Shah, Manish Bhojwani, Kelly Chang, Deepa Dongarwar, Nicole R Gonzales, Erica Jones, Audrey Sarah Cohen, Anjail Z Sharrief

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: The incidence of ischemic stroke is increasing among young adults. Several studies have demonstrated sex differences in risk and outcomes; however, findings are inconsistent. We sought to evaluate sex differences in stroke risk factors, etiology, and disposition in a diverse cohort of patients admitted to a comprehensive stroke center for evaluation.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of patients 18-45 years admitted between January 1, 2015 and September 30, 2021 with an acute ischemic stroke. Patient demographics, risk factors, and disposition were extracted from our institutional inpatient stroke registry and inpatient electronic medical record. Stroke etiology was assigned based …

Poor Correlation Between Inflammatory And Brain Injury Biomarkers After Neonatal Intraventricular Hemorrhage: A Pilot Study, Ankit Agarwal, Miriam Zamorano, Aidan Collier, Braden Oldham, Kaleigh Riggs-Harpur, Thao L Nguyen, David I Sandberg, Stephen A Fletcher, Manish N Shah, Brandon A Miller

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: This study investigated changes in hemoglobin and neuroinflammatory and brain injury biomarkers (tumor necrosis factor-alpha [TNF-α] and glial fibrillary acidic protein [GFAP]) in early stages of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversion in preterm neonates with intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH). We hypothesized that patients with higher CSF hemoglobin levels would have higher TNF-α and GFAP levels.

Methods: This prospective study included infants with grade 3 or 4 IVH. All had ventricular reservoirs that were placed following standard neurosurgical care. The first CSF sample was collected on the day of reservoir placement. Subsequent samples were from clinically indicated CSF withdraws to decompress ventricles. …

Telepathology In Hematopathology Diagnostics: A Collaboration Between The Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital And The University Of Texas Health-Mcgovern Medical School, Uyen Ly, Quang Nguyen, Dang Nguyen, Tu Thai, Binh Le, Duong Gion, Alexander Banerjee, Brenda Mai, Amer Wahed, Andy Nguyen

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Digital pathology in the form of whole-slide imaging has been used to support diagnostic consultation through telepathology. Previous studies have mostly addressed the technical aspects of telepathology and general pathology consultation. In this study, we focus on our experience at the University of Texas Health-McGovern Medical School in Houston, Texas, in providing hematopathology consultation to the Pathology Department at the Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital in Vietnam. Over a 32-month period, 71 hematopathology cases were submitted for telepathology. Consensus was reached for a definitive diagnosis in 97% of all cases. Diagnostic efficiency significantly improved with average turnaround times reduced …