Digital Commons Network^™

Revitalizing Oncology By Transforming Treatment Environments By Reconnecting To Life, Lindsey Garcia

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

There is a growing consensus among researchers that human activities have profoundly reshaped the Earth's environment, to the point that our modes of living and their ecological footprint have given rise to new conditions of habitability. This transformation marks not merely the continuation of human dominance, but the emergence of a new era in which human and non-human actors are linked in shaping the future of life on Earth. Our collective actions from urban expansion to industrial processes exert influence not only on the built environment but also on the health and vitality of all species. A critical example of …

Wheelchair Worlds: [Re]Imagining Architecture For A Mobility-Centered Society, Stephanie Kim Le

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

This thesis reimagines architecture from the perspective of wheelchair users, proposing a mobility-centered design approach where ramps, movement, and sensory experience are the foundation of form — not afterthoughts. Rather than adding accessibility features to an able-bodied norm, the project designs entirely from the experience of wheeled movement. Through the creation of a Wellness and Recreation Center at East Montlake Park in Seattle, the thesis investigates how ramps can become architectural generators, how sensory-responsive materials can shape spatial dignity, and how buildings can welcome all bodies through seamless, inclusive circulation.

Drawing from both research and real-world challenges, the design replaces …

Viewing From The Sidelines: Tackling Temporality Impacting Displaced Refugees By Humanizing Border Design, Robinson Badell-Garcia

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Every day, you follow a routine that brings comfort- be it work, errands, or family care. Now, imagine the unthinkable: your stable world collapses around you, leaving you homeless and adrift. Stripped of job and shelter, what’s the best option? To leave and seek answers in unfamiliar places while grappling with the profound isolation and discrimination that comes from being displaced.

As architects, our role is to communicate people's dreams and realities, striving for a sustainable future while fostering dialogue and care. This thesis focuses on the architectural response to the increasing displacement along the Türkiye-Syria border, exacerbated by ongoing …

Weaving Of Spaces: Designing Spaces That Create Opportunities For Communication And Freedom Though Ease Of Access., Fiona Louise Duvall

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Suburban environments frequently experience spatial and temporal, fragmentation, resulting in disjointed landscapes, limited social interaction, and a weakened sense of place. This thesis explores how the strategic design and integration of interconnected destinations can counteract these issues by fostering continuous, accessible, and engaging public spaces. Focusing on an area just outside Marietta Square in Georgia, the project proposes a network of vibrant, multipurpose nodes linked through walkable corridors and green infrastructure. By enhancing physical and social connectivity, the design aims to create rhythms of use that span different times of day and appeal to a diverse range of residents. Through …

A Work[Play]Ce For All: Working Hard And Playing Hard Shouldn't Be This Hard, Mary E. Caldwell

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

62% of the United States Labor Force goes to an office every day. That means that nearly 6 out of every 10 Americans spend most of their days experiencing an ordinary office environment every week. Children, on the other hand, spend most of their days in school, where they are constantly given playful and enjoyable tasks to promote their learning. Why does this concept of promoting pleasant emotions in a person’s everyday life seem to disappear as we become older and our everyday life becomes more critical to well-being? Imagine if offices were designed to promote pleasant experiences.

This thesis …

Functional Diversification Of Rice Ago1 Proteins, Rachel Elie Jouni

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Global demand for food is outpacing gains from conventional plant breeding. Scientists have turned to molecular crop breeding techniques to increase crop output and mitigate global hunger; however, a common setback in this process is the pleiotropic effects of target genes. We need to develop strategies to specifically modulate desired traits without incurring undesired penalties. Natural evolution frequently balances such tradeoffs through extensive regulation, which we can leverage to produce more specific results. Reproductive development is an important target of breeding efforts due to its direct effect on yield. Rice, a major staple food crop for half the world’s population, …

How College Affordability Has Changed For Different Families, Peter Hinrichs

Employment Research Newsletter

No abstract provided.

May 2025 Faculty Senate Packet, University Of Nebraska At Kearney Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Packets

No abstract provided.

Using Sustained Silent Reading In The Secondary English Language Arts Classroom To Increase Reading Engagement, Hannah S. Burwell

Dissertations

Reading scores have dropped precipitously over the past twenty years, and English Language Arts (ELA) teachers are looking for in-school academic interventions to mitigate this decline. This descriptive case study explored classroom experiences and student engagement with reading in a choice-based Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) program in a high school. The study examines student experiences through Expectancy-Value Theory (EVT). EVT suggests that a student’s engagement with reading will increase when they find the task valuable and believe success is achievable. The study explores how providing students with the independence to select their reading materials influences their experience in class and …

Perspectives On Using Multimedia In Social Studies For Student Engagement In Marginalized Youth: A Case Study, Dorrian Swinger

Dissertations

Abstract

Marginalized youth are currently facing an academic crisis in schools. Research has shown that marginalized youth are statistically more likely to drop out of school and not graduate from high school (defined as the academic crisis in this study). One reason for these high drop-out rates is disengagement in what is taught and how content is delivered in school. When students cannot relate or connect to their studies, it causes disengagement and uninterest in school. The disengagement can lead to a lack of academic success, which creates negative motivation to drop out of school. The more marginalized youth are …

An Endangered Profession: Elevating The Lived Experiences Of Current And Retired Black Teachers In Georgia To Confront Retention Challenges And Reimagine The Legacy Of Teaching, Thelma Sharese Colbert

Dissertations

Black teachers have always played a critical role in shaping the educational journeys and cultural identities of students of color, yet their presence in U.S. public schools continues to decline. This study investigates what compels Black/African American educators to remain in the profession despite systemic barriers, racism, and marginalization. It centers the voices of Black/African American teachers in Georgia, a state with a long and complex history of educational inequity.

Ten participants, all self-identified Black/African American educators with at least three years of experience, shared their lived experiences through semi-structured interviews, pre-interview surveys, and observational field notes. Participants were recruited …

The Impact Of Flipped Classroom With Active Learning Model Of Instruction In Teaching Stoichiometry In Chemistry Among Black And Brown Students, Lawrence Femi Akintokun

Dissertations

Students pursuing professions in STEM sometimes encounter difficulties in General Chemistry, a semester-long foundational subject. A fundamental subject in this course is stoichiometry, which pertains to the mathematical connections between elements and compounds in chemical processes. This fundamental notion is essential for comprehending advanced chemistry subjects, although it may provide challenges for students because of its dependence on algorithms and prior knowledge. Research has predominantly concentrated on the conceptualization of stoichiometry through models endorsed by educators, rather than on student involvement. This project sought to investigate the interactions of Black and Brown students with essential stoichiometry ideas in General Chemistry …

"You Know The Rules": A Dramatic Experiment In Aromantic Literary Theory, April Chronowski

English

This paper proposes a new literary theory framework based on the zine "an aromantic manifesto" by yingchen and yingtong, as well as the work of Erving Goffman, using theater as a device to examine romantic relationships. Blending English and sociology, I focus each chapter on a different literary period and examine two plays each: early modern (Christopher Marlowe's Doctor Faustus and William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing), modern (Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and Djuna Barnes' "To The Dogs"), and contemporary (Caryl Churchill's Cloud 9 and Margaret Edson's W;t). In tandem with analysis of formal elements---like …

Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy In Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Therapy Recipients: A Case Study, Michelly Abreu, Chirag B Patel, Krina Patel, Fareed Khawaja, Sudhakar Tummala

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is a novel immunotherapy modality that has shown remarkable response rates in refractory hematologic malignancies, including multiple myeloma (MM). Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and neurotoxicity are well-described side effects of this therapy. CAR T-cell therapy recipients are also at increased risk for infections due to immune dysfunction, history of multiple lines of therapy, history of lymphodepleting chemotherapy prior to cell infusion, and prolonged B-cell aplasia. Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is an opportunistic disease of the central nervous system caused by the reactivation of JC virus (JCV) in the setting of immunosuppression, which leads to …

Lifespan Reference Curves For Harmonizing Multi-Site Regional Brain White Matter Metrics From Diffusion Mri, Alyssa H Zhu, Talia M Nir, Shayan Javid, Julio E Villalón-Reina, Amanda L Rodrigue, Lachlan T Strike, Greig I De Zubicaray, Katie L Mcmahon, Margaret J Wright, Sarah E Medland, John Blangero, David C Glahn, Peter Kochunov, Douglas E Williamson, Asta K Håberg, Paul M Thompson, Neda Jahanshad

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Age-related white matter (WM) microstructure maturation and decline occur throughout the human lifespan, complementing the process of gray matter development and degeneration. Here, we create normative lifespan reference curves for global and regional WM microstructure by harmonizing diffusion MRI (dMRI)-derived data from ten public datasets (N = 40,898 subjects; age: 3-95 years; 47.6% male). We tested three harmonization methods on regional diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) based fractional anisotropy (FA), a metric of WM microstructure, extracted using the ENIGMA-DTI pipeline. ComBat-GAM harmonization provided multi-study trajectories most consistent with known WM maturation peaks. Lifespan FA reference curves were validated with test-retest data …

Axl Promotes Inflammatory Breast Cancer Progression By Regulating Immunosuppressive Macrophage Polarization, Lan T H Phi, Yating Cheng, Yohei Funakoshi, Francois Bertucci, Pascal Finetti, Steven J Van Laere, Fang Zou, James P Long, Suguru Ogata, Savitri Krishnamurthy, James M Reuben, Jason M Foulks, Steven L Warner, Jennifer M Rosenbluth, Anil K Sood, Debu Tripathy, Naoto T Ueno, Xiaoping Wang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are key promoters of inflammatory breast cancer (IBC), the most aggressive form of breast cancer. The receptor tyrosine kinase AXL is highly expressed in various cancer types, including IBC, but its role in TAMs remains unexplored.

Methods: We examined the effects of AXL inhibitor TP-0903 on tumor growth and tumor microenvironment (TME) component M2 macrophages (CD206+) in IBC and triple-negative breast cancer mouse models using flow cytometry and immunohistochemical staining. Additionally, we knocked out AXL expression in human THP-1 monocytes and evaluated the effect of AXL signaling on immunosuppressive M2 macrophage polarization and IBC cell growth …

2025-05-06 Minutes, Morehead State University. Staff Congress.

Staff Congress Records

Staff Congress meeting minutes from May 6, 2025.

Developing A Protective Pcm Layer For An Aluminum Sheet, Rachel Foulk

Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science Independent Study

As electric vehicles (EVs) become increasingly prevalent, improving the thermal safety of battery systems is essential. This study investigates the development of a high-temperature-resistant coating for aluminum sheets, aimed at mitigating thermal runaway events by incorporating carbonate-based phase change materials (PCMs). Using a PTFE binder and calcium carbonate as the primary PCM, the coating was applied via airbrush to maintain a thin, even layer. Initial results showed the coating was thermally resilient but suffered from poor adhesion and mechanical strength, as demonstrated by failed hardness tests and inconsistent thermoconductivity data. Surface etching with sulfuric acid improved visual adhesion, suggesting potential …

Real-Time System Availability For Cyber-Physical Systems, Jinwen Wang

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Cyber-physical systems (CPSs), such as autonomous vehicles, are increasingly being deployed. The sensing, control, and actuation loop in CPSs must complete within strict timing constraints. Missing a real-time deadline can lead to catastrophic consequences, as CPSs continuously interact with the physical world. This highlights the importance of real-time system availability (i.e., timely execution) in CPS tasks, going beyond traditional security goals that primarily focus on confidentiality and integrity. From a security perspective, two factors affect real-time system availability. First, attackers with access to hardware resources in CPSs may disrupt the execution timing of real-time tasks. Second, the deployment of security …

Book Talk: Hon. Diane Kiesel Dives Deep Into Law, Celebrity, And Scandal, Jennifer Bancamper

NYLS Community News

No abstract provided.

Immigrants Reduce Unionization In The United States, Town Oh, Alex Nowrasteh

School of Business and Leadership Working Papers

Since the 1960s, U.S. union density has consistently dropped as the immigrant share of the population has risen. Using the Naylor and Cripps (1993) model of union formation, we argue that immigrants lower unionization by increasing diversity in the working population that, in turn, reduces solidarity and by having lower preferences for unionization. Empirically, we employ the skill-cell method devised by Borjas (2003) over the 1994-2020 period. Immigration can explain 30 percent of the decline in union density from 1994-2020.

Evaluating A Proprietary Tannin-Blend Product As An Alternative To Monensin And Tylosin Phosphate In Feedlot Cattle Diets, Luana D. Felizari, Luke K. Fuerniss, Jonathon L. Beckett, David S. Secrist, Guy D. Hufstedler, Bradley J. Johnson

Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

This study evaluates the effects of a proprietary tannin blend (BX), supplemented with or without sodium monensin (MON), on beef cattle performance, carcass traits, and health. Steers (n = 2986; initial shrunk body weight (SBW) 254 ± 9.2 kg) were allocated into 48 pens (61–62 steers/pen; 12 pens/treatment) fed for 230 d. Treatments included (1) no feed additives (CTL); (2) BX (7.95 g/animal daily); (3) MON + Tylosin phosphate (TYL; 437.52 mg MON/animal daily + 80 mg TYL/animal daily); or (4) MON+BX (437.52 mg MON/animal daily + 7.95 g BX/animal daily). Data were analyzed in R 4.2.1 using a …

Access To Justice For Deaf Defendants, Anna Zieba

Theses

Deaf individuals face systemic accessibility within the criminal justice system, which emphasizes the importance of the gaps in accommodations by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Inconsistent legal protection, limited access to interpreters, inadequate training for legal professionals, and a lack of technology resources obstruct effective communication for Deaf individuals. As a result, it prohibits achieving an effective and equitable legal outcome. This research paper will examine case studies, legal frameworks, and academic literature to highlight the critical need for reform, including mandatory Deaf culture training, standardized interpreting qualifications, and more resources to enable equitable access to justice.

Development Of A Miniaturized Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (Ecmo) Device On A Microfluidic Platform, Nayeem Imtiaz

Theses

This research investigates the design, performance, and optimization of blood-contacting microfluidic medical devices, with each aim contributing to a broader understanding of how engineering choices influence hemocompatibility and oxygen transfer. Collectively, the findings from Aims 1A–2B offer integrated strategies to develop safer, more effective microfluidic systems for ECMO and dialysis. Aim 1A assessed hemolysis across device geometries using computational and experimental methods. All designs showed low device-induced hemolysis (< 2 ppm), validating their hemocompatibility. However, Power-Law models frequently overpredicted hemolysis, indicating a need for refined parameters tailored to microfluidic flow conditions. Aim 1B demonstrated the effectiveness of thrombosis assay techniques in evaluating clot formation in microfluidic device geometries. Results showed that geometry and local shear patterns strongly influence thrombogenesis. While hemolysis remained minimal even in high-shear devices, thrombus formation was more geometry-sensitive—underscoring the need to account for both factors in design. Modifying surface properties and accounting for blood composition could further reduce thrombotic risk. In Aim 2A, we compared PDMS, polypropylene (PP), and nanoporous silicon nitride (NPSiN) membranes for oxygen transport. Findings showed that in ECMO devices, blood-side resistance, not membrane permeability, often dominates oxygen transfer. Thus, membrane choice must be paired with optimized blood-side flow for full performance gains. Aim 2B directly addressed these limitations by integrating staggered herringbone mixers (SHBs), which introduced secondary flows and enhanced mixing. The Single Channel Herringbone design yielded the highest oxygen transfer, confirming the synergy between flow geometry and oxygen transport performance. Altogether, Aims 1A and 1B establish a strong framework for hemocompatibility evaluation, while Aims 2A and 2B provide complementary insights into optimizing oxygen transfer. Their interconnections highlight the value of a systems-level approach to designing microfluidic blood-contacting devices.

Duodenal Diverticulitis Complicated By Pancreatitis: A Rare Case Presentation, Matthew Posen, Krishna Shah, Ahmad Mardini, Kamakshi Katwala, Regine Lim, Tarek Almouradi

Advocate GME

No abstract provided.

Reduced Vns Settings Paradoxically Decreases Seizure Burden In A Patient Following Resolution Of Sleep Disordered Breathing, Austin Sponaugle, Rebecca Stainman, Christopher M. Carosella

Abington Jefferson Health Papers

Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) can be a highly effective treatment option for patients with drug resistant epilepsy. Notably, VNS has demonstrated side effects including a unique form of sleep disordered breathing known as vagus nerve stimulator associated sleep disordered breathing (VaS). However, the ways in which VaS interacts with seizure frequency is unknown. We report a case of a 28-year-old woman who presented to our department with complaints of worsening sleep quality 3 years following VNS implantation. Upon polysomnographic (PSG) evaluation, it was discovered that she suffered from VaS. The patient’s VNS output current was then down titrated during a …

Children’S Privacy In Xr Applications – A Rights-Based Approach, Witzleb, Normann

Santa Clara High Technology Law Journal

In the extended reality (XR) of Metaverse applications, several innovative technologies converge and interconnect to blur the lines between the digital and physical worlds. The seamless operation of XR applications requires the collection and processing of huge quantities of data, including personal data, to give users a truly immersive virtual experience. One of the major intended user groups of the Metaverse are children, who increasingly use XR spaces to learn, play, create content, and engage in a wide range of other activities. This article considers the challenges to safeguarding children’s privacy in this evolving digital landscape and makes recommendations for …

The Critical Balance Between Quiescence And Reactivation Of Neural Stem Cells, Adam Elkin, Sarah Robbins, Claudia Barros, Torsten Bossing

Peninsula Medical School

Neural stem cells (NSC) are multipotent, self-renewing cells that give rise to all neural cell types within the central nervous system. During adulthood, most NSCs exist in a quiescent state which can be reactivated in response to metabolic and signalling changes, allowing for long-term continuous neurogenesis and response to injury. Ensuring a critical balance between quiescence and reactivation is required to maintain the limited NSC reservoir and neural replenishment throughout lifetime. The precise mechanisms and signalling pathways behind this balance are at the focus of current research. In this review, we highlight and discuss recent studies using Drosophila, mammalian and …

Barriers And Facilitators Of The Implementation Of Mammography Screening In The Brazilian Public Health System: Scoping Review, Danila Cristina Paquier Sala, Oswaldo Yoshimi Tanaka, Reginaldo Adalberto Luz, Alexandre Pazetto Balsanelli, Sonia Isoyama Venancio, Marília Cristina Prado Louvison, Ana A Baumann

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: There are high incidence and mortality rates of breast cancer in Brazil. Brazilian's social and economic disparities, along with complexities of its health system pose challenges to the appropriate implementation of mammography screening as a public policy for the population. In 2015, the Ministry of Health updated the recommendations for the early detection of breast cancer, which had, until then, been based on specialists' consensus, maintaining biennial screening mammography for women aged 50-69 years. However, the screening coverage did not exceed 25% of the expected number of exams for the Brazilian population who use the public health system. The …

Rag Suppresses Group 2 Innate Lymphoid Cells, Aaron M Ver Heul, Madison Mack, Lydia Zamidar, Masato Tamari, Ting-Lin Yang, Anna M Trier, Do-Hyun Kim, Hannah Janzen-Meza, Steven J Van Dyken, Chyi-Song Hsieh, Jenny M Karo, Joseph C Sun, Brian S Kim

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Antigen specificity is the central trait distinguishing adaptive from innate immune function. Assembly of antigen-specific T cell and B cell receptors occurs through V(D)J recombination mediated by the Recombinase Activating Gene endonucleases RAG1 and RAG2 (collectively called RAG). In the absence of RAG, mature T and B cells do not develop and thus RAG is critically associated with adaptive immune function. In addition to adaptive T helper 2 (Th2) cells, group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) contribute to type 2 immune responses by producing cytokines like Interleukin-5 (IL-5) and IL-13. Although it has been reported that RAG expression modulates the …