Determination Of Accuracy In Forensic Phenotyping With Implementation Of Microspectrophotometry And Snp Testing, Kayla Schuler

Honors Theses

Forensic DNA phenotyping and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) testing has been a recent tool practiced in the field of forensic science, especially for identification purposes. DNA phenotyping had drawn debate in terms of its legislation and use, as it is practiced more in private sectors compared to local, state and federal laboratories (Schneider et al., 2019). When looking at specific SNPs, some are better associated in accurately predicating phenotypes for hair and eye color than others. Microspectrophotometry was combined with SNP testing in this study to determine if there was an improved accuracy in determination of genetic hair color vs …

Tensile Techonics, Jesus A. Vielma

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Architecture has traditionally responded to seismic threats with mass, rigidity, and fortification. However, in an era of increasing seismic volatility and material innovation, the architectural response must evolve from resisting nature to coexisting with it.

This thesis reimagines earthquake-resilient design through the framework of tensile technicism — the strategic use of tension-based systems, lightweight materials, and dynamic structural strategies to create flexible, adaptive environments that breathe with the earth’s movements rather than fracture under them.

By integrating structural engineering principles with emerging material technologies, this approach offers a lighter, more sustainable, and more resilient architecture for seismic zones. Tensile systems …

Gut Dysbiosis Patterns In Cvid Patients With Noninfectious Complications Observed In A Germ-Free Mouse Model Through Fecal Microbiota Transplantation., Joud Hajjar, Anita Y Voigt, Margaret E Conner, Alton G Swennes, Stephanie Fowler, Chadi Calarge, Danielle D Mendonca, Dominique Armstrong, Chen-Yen Chang, Jolan E Walter, Manish J Butte, Tor Savidge, Julia Oh, Farrah Kheradmand, Joseph F Petrosino

Faculty Research 2025

Patients with common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) who develop noninfectious complications (NIC) have worse clinical outcomes than those with infections only (INF). While gut microbiome aberrations have been linked to NIC, reductionist animal models that accurately recapitulate CVID are lacking. Our aim in this study was to uncover potential microbiome roles in the development of NIC in CVID. We performed whole-genome shotgun sequencing on fecal samples from CVID patients with NIC, INF, and their household controls. We also performed fecal microbiota transplants from CVID patients to germ-free mice. We found potentially pathogenic microbes

Fayetteville State University Spring Commencement May 9, 2025, Fayetteville St University

Graduation Exhibit

Program for Fayetteville State University Spring Commencement May 9, 2025

Keynote Speaker: Mayor Mitch Colvin, City of Fayetteville Mayor 2017-2025

May 5 Elections, Census & Redistricting Update, Jeffrey M. Wice

Elections, Census & Redistricting Updates

No abstract provided.

University Of New Hampshire 2024-2025 Faculty Senate Xxix - May 5, 2025 Minutes Summary, Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Agendas & Minutes

No abstract provided.

Winter Is Coming: What States Should Do Now, Part I, David Gamage, Darien Shanske

Faculty Publications

This Article addresses the unprecedented fiscal challenges facing state governments as federal policy shifts threaten to create a perfect storm of revenue losses and increased service demands. As states confront potential federal cuts to essential services like Medicaid, reduced tax enforcement capacity, and possible tariff-driven economic disruption, we argue that piecemeal responses will prove insufficient.

We propose a seven-step framework for state fiscal resilience: (1) pausing automatic conformity to federal tax changes to preserve revenue bases; (2) enhancing state tax enforcement capacity by hiring federal personnel as the IRS sheds expertise; (3) maintaining and expanding taxpayer service innovations like direct …

The Effects Of Healthcare Professionals Wearing Nail Enhancements, Sydney Johnson

Honors Capstones

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) continue to be a major concern in hospital settings, with one in thirty-one patients affected daily in the United States (CDC, 2020). While hand hygiene is widely promoted, the impact of nail enhancements worn by healthcare workers is often overlooked. Acrylics, gels, and other artificial nails can harbor bacteria even after handwashing and glove use, increasing the risk of infection transmission.

The purpose of this study was to explore whether hospitals with stricter nail enhancement policies have better staff hygiene practices and potentially lower rates of HAIs. This research used an original survey distributed to registered nurses …

Unh Faculty Senate Motion # Xxx-M1 Motion To Endorse The Shared “Statement In Support Of The Core Mission And Values Of Higher Education” With Preamble, Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Motions

No abstract provided.

Unh Faculty Senate Motion # Xxix-M17 Constitutional Amendment For The Formation Of A New Shared Governance Committee, The University Undergraduate Education Committee (Uuec), Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Motions

No abstract provided.

Antiamyloid Monoclonal Antibodies In Alzheimer’S Disease, Part 1: Patient Selection, James R. Bateman, Tara C. Carlisle, Yanghong Yang, Christian Lachner, Melissa D. Stockbridge, Laura A. Flashman, Zeina Chemali, Nasir Alzbeidi, Peter S. Pressman, Carlos J. Martinez-Menendez

School of Medicine Publications

The availability of monoclonal antibodies directed against amyloid beta, for use as disease-modifying therapies for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), represented a major shift in the field of AD research and treatment. U.S. Food and Drug Administration approvals for the monoclonal antibody–based medications lecanemab and, more recently, donanemab provide clinicians with two antiamyloid therapy (AAT) options for targeting early symptomatic AD. The emergence of AAT has made careful biomarker-informed diagnosis of AD paramount, which was once reserved for highly specialized centers and research settings. Patient selection is complex, and although appropriate-use recommendations have been published, clinicians caring for patients with AD across …

Hybridize Functions: A Tool For Automatically Refactoring Imperative Deep Learning Programs To Graph Execution, Raffi Khatchadourian, Tatiana Castro Vélez, Mehdi Bagherzadeh, Nan Jia, Anita Raja

Publications and Research

Efficiency is essential to support responsiveness w.r.t. ever-growing datasets, especially for Deep Learning (DL) systems. DL frameworks have traditionally embraced deferred execution-style DL code—supporting symbolic, graph-based Deep Neural Network (DNN) computation. While scalable, such development is error-prone, non-intuitive, and difficult to debug. Consequently, more natural, imperative DL frameworks encouraging eager execution have emerged but at the expense of run-time performance. Though hybrid approaches aim for the “best of both worlds,” using them effectively requires subtle considerations to make code amenable to safe, accurate, and efficient graph execution—avoiding performance bottlenecks and semantically inequivalent results. We discuss the engineering aspects of a …

David Pryce, Iii V. Primecare Medical

2025 Decisions

USDC for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

Sean Burke V. Edward Bachert

2025 Decisions

USDC for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

A Time To Build And A Time To Break: Processing Grief Through Art With Older Adults, Kasriel Zlochower Linzer

Expressive Therapies Theses

Grief comes in many forms and is an expected part of living as an emotion-oriented being. Within this framework exists forms of grief most commonly understood and accepted in society and others that often go under the radar, especially for older adults. A wealth of literature exists for the exploration of grief and a sizeable subsection in grief around older adulthood, but few explore a breadth of grief-based experiences through the lens of art therapy in an assisted living environment. This thesis explores how arts-based directives can be used to process grief with older adults in an assisted living setting. …

An Adaptive Paradox: Improvised Drama Therapy And Dialectical Behavior For Eating Disorders In Teens, Krystany Taylor

Expressive Therapies Theses

The complexity of treating eating disorders compels professionals to investigate collaborative and integrative approaches to address psychological rigidity and emotional aversion in affected individuals. Mindfulness within Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and improvisational theater techniques may contribute to advancing emotional flexibility. This thesis study explored spontaneity in expressive therapy and gauged budding adaptive skills related to emotion regulation in minors with eating disorders. At a behavioral health center in Southern California, I held a dual role as a group facilitator and trainee drama therapist; I therein joined DBT and improvised drama therapy methods into a group treatment setting for ages 14 …

Exploring The Benefits Of Expressive Arts Therapy With Spoonies: Building Connection In The Endometriosis Community, Samantha L. Dedian

Expressive Therapies Theses

The aim of this thesis is to explore, through expressive arts therapy and its techniques, the power of the arts to build community, dispel depression and anxiety in relation to social isolation, and combat the traumas of living with and in chronic pain; more specifically, this thesis explores the power of the arts and community to improve the mental health of those living with endometriosis and chronic pelvic pain. Extensive research reveals a significant gap in the literature in relation to mental health care catered to those living with endometriosis, across continents, practices, and languages. By using theoretical frameworks from …

Community Music Among Brazilian Culture: A Community Engagement Project, Ayla Tedeschi

Expressive Therapies Theses

Although community music eludes a fixed definition due to its fluid and context-dependent nature, its effects are found to be beneficial throughout the world. An example of this is seen among native and emigrant Brazilians where music is part of the individual, community, and culture. This thesis explores the therapeutic value of community music among current residents of Brazil and Brazilians that have emigrated to the United States. Through a community engagement project, this research hypothesized that although music may serve different purposes occasionally, the primary function-to create community and culture-remains the same. Participation in two key community music making …

Beyond Stigma: Role Theory And Drama Therapy In Reentry And Rehabilitation, Mackenzee Donham-Stradling

Expressive Therapies Theses

To be system-impacted often means facing stigmatization. The experience of incarceration is profoundly dehumanizing, eroding self-worth and identity. This thesis examines the application of a 3-week drama therapy method for formerly incarcerated women residing in a transitional facility with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. This project integrated a drama therapy framework with Robert Landy’s Role Theory to create a method aimed at assisting formerly incarcerated clients in expanding their role repertoire and discarding those roles that perpetuate their disempowerment. This thesis begins with a literature review of role in drama therapy, the experiences of incarcerated women in the …

Religious Trauma Healing Through Expressive Arts Therapy: A Literature Review, Abigail S. Whitman

Expressive Therapies Theses

This literature review discusses religion, spirituality, religious trauma, and mental health treatment through expressive arts therapy. The research highlights a prevalence of religious trauma within adults in the United States and a need for mental health care targeted toward the complexities of religious harm. Expressive arts therapy is an evidence-based and trauma-informed method of treating religious trauma. A somatic and well-rounded approach to processing religious trauma promotes self-regulation, building confidence, and finding affirming community. This research also outlines the interconnected systems of power that harm marginalized communities through religion: capitalism, white supremacy, and the patriarchy. Lastly, the literature review discusses …

Integrating Nature And Creativity: Exploring The Therapeutic Potential Of Expressive Arts Therapy In Eco-Retreats, Concetta Codding

Expressive Therapies Theses

This capstone examines the therapeutic potential of integrating expressive arts therapy and eco-therapy in immersive retreat settings. It highlights how combining creative expression with nature-based practices can holistically address emotional well-being, promote self-discovery, and foster communal support. Drawing on current research and insights from both brief and extended retreats, the study emphasizes the synergistic benefits of practices such as somatic movement, yoga, art-making, journaling, and guided engagement with the natural environment. Qualitative research and observations indicate that participants experience enhanced creativity, emotional release, a deeper connection to nature, and increased mindfulness. These outcomes are linked to trauma-informed approaches and an …

The Role Of The Jester: The Subversive Power Of Humor And Performance In Challenging Misogyny, Sarah E. Price

Expressive Therapies Theses

Humor has long occupied a complicated place in systems of power, sometimes reinforcing oppressive norms and other times offering a way to push back against them. This thesis explores how the archetype of the jester can be used in drama therapy to help individuals reclaim agency within misogynistic structures. Drawing from role theory, feminist performance studies, and Theatre of the Oppressed, the project examines how jestering, through satire, parody, and play, can act as a vehicle for resistance, healing, and empowerment. A review of existing literature shows that while humor has historically been used to uphold patriarchal norms, it has …

Couples In The Playspace: Community Engagement With Developmental Transformations, Amanda Roberts

Expressive Therapies Theses

Couple therapy is an evolving field in the modern therapeutic landscape. With that evolution comes an opportunity to study the application of drama therapy with couples. Although there is limited evidence supporting the use of drama therapy with couples, there is no research on the use of Developmental Transformations (DvT), a play-based improvised form of drama therapy, with couples. As a first step in exploring this gap, this community engagement project invited two monogamous couples to engage in two separate brief DvT sessions. Given that this project was community-oriented rather than clinical, the focus of this capstone was self-reflective in …

Practical Jokes: A Drama Therapy Process Between Comedians, Therapists, And Those Affected By Grief/Loss On The Ongoing Development Of Therapeutic Humor, Abby T. Michel

Expressive Therapies Theses

Previous studies on humor in therapy suggest that some types of humor are more beneficial than others. This author found humor to be an essential part of coping with the loss of her mother and wondered why humor is broken down into good and bad parts, when humor can be subjective and dependent on culture and context. Using Robert Landy’s Role Theory and Dintino’s theory of Playing with the Unplayable, the author aimed to neutralize humor by exploring the roles that humor plays in therapy and hoped to find a practical definition of humor that could be appropriate in a …

How Can Art Therapy Help Veterans And Service Members With Ptsd? A Literature Review, Shira Espo

Expressive Therapies Theses

This paper seeks to research the usefulness of art therapy with veterans and service members with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Theoretically, art therapy is thought to work by allowing access to non-verbal memories to be expressed and transformed into a trauma narrative, to be stored in memory in a way that does not interfere with daily life the way PTSD symptoms do. The method used is a literature review, which studied research articles about art therapy being used to treat veterans and service members with PTSD. Other included topics are the history of PTSD, current theories about PTSD and the …

Abracadabra: Empowering Trans And Gender Nonconforming Adolescents’ Identities Through Integrated Narrative Expressive Arts Therapy: A Literature Review, Alexandra Douglas-Deutsch

Expressive Therapies Theses

This literature review is an exploration of how a blended narrative and expressive arts therapeutic framework can be utilized to best suit the mental health needs of transgender and gender non-conforming adolescents as they develop their identities. Areas of research include an examination and analysis of the established bodies of research that pertain to transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) populations, adolescent identity development, relevant critical sociocultural theories, narrative and expressive arts therapy frameworks, and future directions of mental health counseling with TGNC youth as it pertains to identity.

It is this author’s intention to scaffold the areas of research in …

Embedded Roots: Exploring Healing Through Digital Storytelling: Application And Training, Joselyn M. Carvalho

Expressive Therapies Theses

This review examines digital and expressive storytelling in a clinical, community-based health center, focusing on its impact and relationship with trauma. Existing research has explored how digital storytelling serves as an intervention for addressing intergenerational trauma, trauma transmission, identity development, and social systems affecting youth. This community engagement project integrates these ideas with reflections from clinicians, exploring how clinicians' involvement in digital storytelling may influence care, confidence, and cultural understanding. Theories central to this research include Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory and systems-based awareness maps, which help examine the broader systems that influence youth as they develop their narratives. The transmission …

Playing With Fire: Exploring Burnout In The Mental Health Field Through Developmental Transformations Play, Abigail E. Dufresne

Expressive Therapies Theses

Although professionals from many different fields experience the phenomenon of burnout, it is especially prevalent amongst human service workers. This is concerning because it not only impacts the professionals themselves, but potentially also the clients they work with. Burnout is a complex phenomenon due to the variability of each individual and workplace; however, it is commonly characterized by exhaustion, cynicism/depersonalization, and a reduced sense of professional efficacy. This community engagement project sought to gain deeper insight into burnout by exploring the lived experience of mental health professionals using the drama therapy technique of Developmental Transformations (DvT). The research consisted of …

More Than Dress-Up: A Literature Review Of The Function Of Costume In Drama Therapy, Bretny M. Seamon

Expressive Therapies Theses

This literature review examined the role of costume as a therapeutic tool in drama therapy; an area that, despite its potential, remains underexplored. The studies located focused on how costume may facilitate identity exploration and emotional expression. The paper synthesized existing literature on drama therapy's core processes, particularly embodiment and dramatic projection, while expanding the definition of costume to include masks and puppets. The literature illuminated the psychological and cultural significance of dress and identity, with studies that investigated how costume influenced both self-perception and external perception. The literature addressed the evolution of costume use in virtual therapy settings, illustrating …

Development Of A Method: Expressive Arts Therapy As A Means Of Transformation For Incarcerated Individuals And Carceral Institutions At Large, Morning Amani-Roe

Expressive Therapies Theses

This thesis examines the transformative potential of expressive arts therapy within carceral settings as an alternative to punitive approaches. As the United States maintains the highest incarceration rate globally with high recidivism rates, this research proposes rehabilitation through creative expression rather than punishment. This study details a six-week pilot program at Whatcom County Jail incorporating dance/movement therapy, music therapy, drama therapy, and visual arts with incarcerated individuals diagnosed with serious mental illness. The curriculum focused on nervous system regulation, emotional awareness, relationship-building, and conflict resolution through experiential learning. Qualitative observations revealed three key outcomes: increased emotional vulnerability, improved impulse control, …