Digital Commons Network^™

Tomboys In Dystopia: An Analysis Of Gendered Traits In Ya Dystopian Literature, Bethany H. Jenkins

English Theses, Dissertations, and Student Creative Activity

This thesis explores the world of young adult dystopian literature. Katniss (Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games), Tris (Veronica Roth’s Divergent) and Tierney (Kim Liggett’s The Grace Year) are all tomboy protagonists living in a dystopian society. Apart from the expected challenges of living in a dystopia, being a tomboy means facing conflicts that are a result of their gender non-conformity. Drawing heavily from the Bem Sex-Role Inventory, each protagonist is analyzed within the context of their own story to identify feminine and masculine traits that they express. These traits’ impact on the events of the story is …

Audubon Tp4 Llc V. Clement

All Decisions

Landlord commenced this nonpayment proceeding in 2022 demanding $58,759 for rent accrued as far back as 2015. The proceeding as to one co-respondent was discontinued by stipulation in March 2023. Tenant moved to amend her answer to add a defective rent demand defense and for summary judgment dismissal. Leave to amend the answer was granted. The court granted summary judgment dismissal, finding the rent demand fatally defective: it stated only a lump sum of $58,759 without specifying monthly amounts owed, and the annexed ledger—opening with a balance forward and containing adjustments from as far back as 2015—was so replete with …

2026 Cornish Fair Exhibit Hall Ticket, Lynn Brewer

UNH Cooperative Extension

No abstract provided.

Atomistic Simulations Of Crystallographic Anisotropy And Defects In Shock Loading, Benjamin P. Helman, Andre Archer, Logan Nagy, Samuel C. Wagers, Douglas E. Spearot, Adib J. Samin

Faculty Publications

The impact of crystallographic orientation, select grain boundaries, and vacancies on the shock response of aluminum was investigated using molecular dynamics simulations. Shock loading in the [001], [011], and [111] directions was explored, revealing anisotropic behavior in shock speed, generated dislocation density, and melting. The Hugoniot elastic limit (HEL) in the [100], [110], and [111] directions were calculated as 18.7 GPa, 17.8 GPa, and 22.5 GPa, respectively. These results were found to be an order of magnitude larger than the uniaxial compressive yield strengths computed at high strain rate using an affine loading scheme. Metastable melting in the [011] and …

Plasma Gdf15 Affects Long-Term Dementia Risk And Alters Neuroimmune Signaling, Cassandra O Blew, Michael R Duggan, Dimitrios Tsitsipatis, Gabriela T Gomez, Zulema Rodriguez-Hernandez, Luke C Pilling, Jingsha Chen, Eva Jacobsen, Heather E Dark, Yifei Lu, Shannon M Drouin, Cassandra M Joynes, Minhao Yao, Murat Bilgel, Abhay Moghekar, Qu Tian, Julián Candia, Mary Kaileh, Aditi Gupta, Krystyna Mazan-Mamczarz, Myriam Gorospe, Alexey Lyashkov, Yevgeniya Lukyanenko, Mika Kivimaki, Philipp Frank, Lori L Jennings, Valborg Gudmundsdottir, Vilmundur Gudnason, Lenore J Launer, Naoto Kaneko, Shintaro Kato, Makio Furuichi, Masaki Shibayama, Masahisa Katsuno, Keita Hiraga, Yukiko Nishita, Rei Otsuka, James R Pike, Mary R Rooney, Pascal Schlosser, Yuhan Cui, Guray Erus, Christos Davatzikos, Rebecca F Gottesman, Iwao Waga, Priya Palta, Christie Ballantyne, Michael Griswold, Zhonghua Liu, Luigi Ferrucci, Allison B Herman, Keenan A Walker

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Growth/differentiation factor-15 (GDF15) is a secreted cytokine strongly associated with dementia risk. However, the extent to which GDF15 represents a biomarker and driver of dementia risk remains unclear. Across multiple cohorts, we demonstrated that plasma GDF15 is associated with greater dementia risk over 15- to 25-year follow-up periods when measured in midlife, with stronger associations observed for vascular, compared to Alzheimer's disease (AD), dementia. Two-sample Mendelian randomization supported plasma GDF15's mechanistic role in AD and related dementias, while cohort studies linked it to cerebral small vessel disease, neurodegeneration, phosphorylated tau, and a cerebrospinal fluid proteomic signature indicative of neuroimmune activation. …

Marcus Garvey Preservation Llc V. Chappelle

All Decisions

In this nuisance holdover involving an allegedly problematic dog, the court grants the tenant's motion by Order to Show Cause and dismisses the petition for failure to state a cause of action because the landlord failed to serve the VAWA notice of occupancy rights—required by applicable HUD regulations—along with the predicate notice of termination. The court observes that 'while some irregularities in a predicate notice may be overlooked, the failure to append a federally required notice to the notice of termination is not a mere irregularity.'

Kopfstein V. Hall

All Decisions

In this holdover proceeding, tenant raised de facto rent stabilization as a defense, citing HPD violations indicating the building contains more than six units and is therefore subject to the Rent Stabilization Law. The court held that HPD violations regarding occupancy constitute prima facie evidence of the existence of more than six units, and that landlord failed to contest this allegation. The holdover proceeding was dismissed. Tenant's request for an order to correct HPD violations was denied without prejudice to the commencement of an HP proceeding before the appropriate specialty part. Note: party first names are not legible in the …

Early-Stage Corticostriatal Hyperactivity Impairs Cognitive Flexibility Alongside Striatal Cholinergic Dysfunction In An Alzheimer's Disease Model, Yufei Huang, Xueyi Xie, Zhenbo Huang, Ruifeng Chen, Himanshu Gangal, Xuehua Wang, Karienn Souza, Julia Hunter, Xin Wu, Doodipala Samba Reddy, Jeannie Chin, Jun Wang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Cognitive flexibility declines early in Alzheimer's disease, yet the underlying circuit mechanisms remain unknown. Here, we report that young 5xFAD mice exhibit deficits in instrumental reversal learning prior to spatial memory impairment. This behavioral inflexibility is associated with abnormal neuronal reactivation in the medial prefrontal cortex and dorsomedial striatum. Electrophysiological recordings reveal that medial prefrontal cortex neurons are hyperexcitable and receive increased excitatory input. Furthermore, glutamatergic transmission from the medial prefrontal cortex to striatal direct-pathway medium spiny neurons is enhanced and coincides with strengthened inhibitory transmission onto striatal cholinergic interneurons, reduced spontaneous firing, and diminished striatal acetylcholine release. Critically, sustained …

Human Milk Small Extracellular Vesicles Elicit Changes In Inflammatory Response In Infant Human Intestinal Enteroids, Kacie D Waiters, Anthony S Peidl, Hailey A Mcandrew, Ashfia F Khan, Grace Adeniyi-Ipadeola, Hephzibah Nwanosike, Sana Sharif, M Funmi Babajide, Micah Castillo, Preethi H Gunaratne, Samaneh Karami, Hoa Nguyen-Phuc, Xinli Liu, Sasirekha Ramani, Tasneem Bawa-Khalfe

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Human milk (HM) is the key nutritional source for infants and the most effective preventative approach against serious gastrointestinal inflammatory diseases like necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in preterm infants. Numerous studies in animal models indicate HM-derived small extracellular vesicles (HMEV) reduce severity of inflammation; however, data on human-specific models are limited. Isolated HMEV were characterized from early-HM (colostrum and transitional), mature-HM, and a combined, pasteurized donor bank-like HM sample (pool-); pool-HMEV retains a profile aligned with HMEV from both early- and mature-HM samples. Exposure to pool-HMEV initiates unique gene signatures associated with reduction of inflammation including NFkB-driven TNFα signaling in human …

Grit, Self-Assessment, And Second Language Proficiency: A Large-Scale Examination Using Data From The Language Ability Self-Evaluation Resource, Andrew T. Skoy

Theses and Dissertations

Grit has been defined as being "perseverance and passion for long-term goals" (Duckworth et al., 2007). Research has tied grit to success in the discipline of second language acquisition (SLA), where researchers have adapted Duckworth's general grit self-assessment instrument to capture measurements of grit within second language learners (Teimouri et al., 2022). Such a scale appears on the Language Ability Self-Evaluation Resource (LASER), a standardized language proficiency test developed by researcher at Brigham Young University. With the aim of replicating the studies that were done to validate the design of the LASER, responses to the grit-measuring section of the test …

Sensorimotor Factors In Fall Risk Assessment And Prevention In Older Adults, Claire Smith

Dissertations - ALL

The primary objective of this dissertation was to test the validity and sensitivity of a novel fall risk assessment and investigate the sensorimotor factors that prevent a fall. Study 1 was designed to validate a novel reaction time test and see if it was sensitive enough to correctly assign an older adult’s fall status. The evidence showed a significant difference between young and non-faller older adults (p < 0.001) and young and faller older adults (p = 0.040), supporting the existing literature. Although there was no significant difference between the older and fallers (p = 0.037), the reaction time test was able to accurately assign adults with their fall status, accurately placing 25% of the 36% of actual fallers into the fall status category. Study 2 examined if traditionally used measures of functional health could predict an older adult’s postural performance following random perturbations at increasingly difficult intensities. Stepwise multiple regression results indicated that gait speed (p < 0.001) and balance performance (p < 0.001) were significant predictors at the lowest perturbation intensity with no distractions (single-task), and plantarflexor strength (p < 0.001) was a significant predictor at all intensities with the addition of a distraction (dual-task) for stride length performance. There were no significant predictors of bilateral symmetry performance (p > 0.05). Study 3 examined the physiological mechanisms behind postural responses following a sudden perturbation. Stepwise multiple regression results indicated that H-reflex amplitude while standing was most common significant predictor at all perturbation intensities …

Constrained Neural Intelligence: Investigations Into Deep Multi-Objective Optimization, Naveed Tahir

Dissertations - ALL

Neural intelligence is identified with complex learning problems optimized over the high-dimensional, non-convex parameter spaces of deep neural networks. Solving such problems generally requires handling competing objectives and conflicting constraints. This is traditionally dealt with using heuristic methods that collapse such complexity into unconstrained, singular objectives. While computationally convenient, this invites a tradeoff against the precision and stability afforded by non-heuristic, geometry-aware approaches. This dissertation explores constrained multi-objective learning in various applied and theoretical contexts and highlights the feasibility of approximate methods as well as the necessity of exact methods. We propose a framework for equality-constrained deep learning via approximate …

A Black Feminist Materialist Consideration Of Reconstruction Era Education In Virginia March - August 1866, Lida Colón

Dissertations - ALL

In this archival study of outgoing correspondence from the Superintendent for Freedmen's Schools in Virginia, I developed a Black feminist intervention into New Materialisms in writing studies that names the material conditions of Reconstruction era education beyond the settler colonial narratives of federal archives. In doing so, I aimed to develop a frame of reference for navigating our contemporary teaching conditions as antiracist writing pedagogues. I aimed to address three overarching research questions for this dissertation: (1) What context for our own material conditions can be provided from an examination of Reconstruction era education? (2) What context can be provided …

Per- And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (Pfas): A Global Review Of Sources, Contamination, Risks, Analytical Challenges, And Remediation Strategies Open Access, Ravi Naidu, Alvin Lal, Chuks Kenneth Odoh, Yanju Liu, Paul Nathanail, Roger Brewer, Christian Zwiener, Rainer Lohmann, Katie Richardson, Jen Martin, Ramona Iery

Graduate School of Oceanography Faculty Publications

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large class of synthetic fluorinated compounds extensively used in industrial applications and consumer products due to their exceptional chemical stability and resistance to degradation. These same properties, however, contribute to their environmental persistence, leading to global contamination and growing concern over their ecological and human health impacts. This review provides a comprehensive synthesis of current knowledge on PFAS sources, environmental distribution, and transport across water, air, soil, sediments, and biota. It highlights regional disparities in regulatory frameworks and underscores limitations in existing monitoring efforts, including analytical detection challenges and the underrepresentation of emerging …

Topical Normal Saline, Alcohol, And Petrolatum For Marsi: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Michael Hartanto Angriawan, Shannaz Nadia Yusharyahya, Rahadi Rihatmadja

Journal of General - Procedural Dermatology and Venereology Indonesia

Background: Medical adhesive-related skin injury (MARSI) is a common complication associated with acrylic-based adhesive removal. Topical agents such as 0.9% NaCl (normal saline), white petrolatum, and 70% alcohol are commonly used to assist adhesive removal; however, their effectiveness in reducing MARSI remains unclear.

Methods: This single-blind randomized controlled trial with a within-subject design included 56 healthy adults. Acrylic-based adhesives were applied to four sites on the upper arms. Adhesive removal was performed on days 3 and 6 using three interventions (normal saline, petrolatum, alcohol) and one control (no topical agent). Outcomes included MARSI incidence, clinical erythema score, erythema index, transepidermal …

A Cross-Sectional Study At A Tertiary Setting Assessing Socioeconomic Burden And Psychological Impact Of Dermatophytoses, Amrita Hongal, Varsha Manchegowda, Mohan Hebbur Naraharirao, Mahalaxmi Khatagave, Rakshitha Nandeesh

Journal of General - Procedural Dermatology and Venereology Indonesia

Background: Dermatophytosis is a highly prevalent superficial fungal infection in tropical regions, often chronic due to inadequate treatment. Its recurrent nature due to misuse of topical steroids and inappropriate treatment contributes significantly to both financial burden and deterioration in quality of life. This article aimed to assess the socioeconomic burden and psychological impact of dermatophytosis, accounting for its chronicity.

Methods: This study included 285 patients aged ≥12 years with previously treated dermatophytosis. Data on demographics, disease characteristics, and treatment patterns were collected. Quality of life was assessed using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and the Short Form-36 (SF-36) questionnaire. …

Oral Tofacitinib For Recalcitrant Lichen Planus Pigmentosus: A Hospital-Based Retrospective Study, Rashmi Singh, Prachi Sharma, Rajnish Kumar, Mugdha Kulkarni, Tripti Upadhyay

Journal of General - Procedural Dermatology and Venereology Indonesia

Background: Cutaneous lichen planus (CLP) is a chronic inflammatory disease typically involving the flexor surfaces of the extremities. It is a CD8-positive T-cell-mediated disease of the skin in which an immune mechanism targets basal keratinocytes. Lichen planus pigmentosus (LPP), a variant of CLP, predominantly involves the extensor aspect and has recently been under the umbrella term of acquired dermal macular hyperpigmentation. The primary objective of our study was to determine the effectiveness of oral tofacitinib in treating LPP, and the secondary objective was to assess its safety.

Methods: Medical records of patients attending the Dermatology Outpatient Department between …

Exploring Pediatric Leprosy In An Endemic Area: Case Series Of Eight Patients In Indonesia, Gitalisa Andayani Adriono, Tri Rahayu, Sri Linuwih Sw Menaldi, Nelfidayani Nelfidayani, Retno Sulistyo Wardani, Kahlil Gibran, Malika Sabrina Yunifananda, Kartika Qonita Putri, Yunia Irawati

Journal of General - Procedural Dermatology and Venereology Indonesia

Background: Leprosy remains a significant public health concern in endemic regions such as Indonesia. Children are particularly vulnerable due to their naive immunity and close familial contacts. This study aims to report cases of pediatric leprosy in Lembata, Indonesia, focusing on clinical characteristics and associated risk factors.

Case Illustration: A case series of eight pediatric patients (<15 >years) diagnosed with leprosy was conducted during a community-based screening program in Lembata, Indonesia, in 2022. Of 140 individuals examined, 8 were children. Most patients were male (6/8) with a mean age of 11.75 years. Multibacillary (MB) leprosy predominated (7/8), and a history …

Combination Therapy For Post-Acne Mandibular Keloid: Suprakeloidal Flap, Intralesional Triamcinolone, And Intense Pulsed Light, Miya Khalidah, Arief Budiyanto, Yohanes Widodo Wirohadidjojo, He Yeon Asva Nafaisa, Sonia Diovani, Dwinanda Almira Rizkiani, Dyah Ayu Mira Oktarina

Journal of General - Procedural Dermatology and Venereology Indonesia

Background: Keloid is a benign fibroproliferative skin disorder characterized by excessive collagen deposition resulting from abnormal wound healing that extends beyond the original wound margins. It is particularly challenging to treat, especially in areas with high mechanical tension and skin stiffness, such as the mandibular region, which is associated with increased risk of persistence and recurrence. Combination therapy has shown superior outcomes in reducing recurrence and improving keloids.

Case Illustration: A 41-year-old male with a post-acne keloid on his right mandible underwent surgical management using the suprakeloidal flap method followed by intralesional triamcinolone acetonide (TAC, 10 mg/mL, 20 mg) and …

Exploring Grit As A Contributing Factor In Social Work Retention Following Burnout, Denise Rice-Prior

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Rural U.S. Midwestern Kindergarten Through Grade 5 Elementary Teachers’ Experiences With 3d Science Instruction, Janine L. Sankar

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Investigating The Role Of Cellular Senescence On Vestibular Dysfunction In Repetitive Mild Traumatic Brain Injury, Michael Volyanyuk

Dissertations

Vestibular dysfunction is a prevalent and persistent consequence of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Clinical reports reveal that women experience vestibular deficits more frequently than men following mTBI. Despite the high prevalence and debilitating nature of vestibular symptoms, preclinical literature evaluating mTBI-associated vestibular impairments is limited. Emerging evidence demonstrates that cellular senescence is involved in the pathological molecular sequela of mTBI. It has been shown that senescence contributes to cognitive deficits following repetitive mTBI (rmTBI); however, its role in rmTBI-associated vestibular dysfunction remains unexplored. This body of work investigated the role of cellular senescence on rmTBI-induced vestibular dysfunction in both …

Charmed Baryon Spectroscopy With Λ_B^0 Semileptonic Decays, Hang Thi Thuy Pham

Dissertations - ALL

We study the charmed baryons spectroscopy of Λ_b^0 semileptonic decays: Λ_b^0 -> Λ_c^*+ μ^- ν_μ, and the most interesting is Λ_b^0 -> Λ_c^+(2765) μ^- ν_μ , using Run2 data set, years 2016, 2017 and 2018, with a total integrated luminosity is nearly 6.0 fb-1 collected by the LHCb experiment. We also study the Σc(∗)++/0 components in the Λ_c^+(2765) resonance to gain a better understanding of the state and estimate its spin-parity. We present the preliminary results for the predicted Spin-Parity of Λ_c^+(2765) as J^P (nL) = 1/2^+ (2S), the measured mass is M (Λ_c^+(2765)) = 2772.13 ± 0.87 ± 0.19 …

Thermal Aberrations And Optical Design For Current And Future Gravitational Wave Detectors, Matthew Richard Todd

Dissertations - ALL

Since the first detection of gravitational waves in 2015, the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA collabo- ration has detected over 300 gravitational-wave events. Planned upgrades to each detector will further improve gravitational wave sensitivity limits, pushing the frontier of multi- messenger astronomy and paving the way for next-generation detectors, like Cosmic Ex- plorer and Einstein Telescope. Though many challenges to reach sensitivity goals are being addressed, there are still cru- cial aspects of the detectors that are poorly understood and will inhibit gravitational wave detection commissioners from bringing future detectors to their design sensitivity. In par- ticular, increased circulating arm power targets will exacerbate …

On The Suppression Of Vortex Shedding Within A Supersonic Dual–Stream Rectangular Nozzle, Matthew Anthony Qualters

Dissertations - ALL

Within an experimental rectangular dual-stream supersonic nozzle, a vortex-shedding instability forms at the blunt trailing edge of the splitter plate separating the Mach = 1.23 core flow and Mach = 1.0 bypass flow, with the combined jet further expanded to Mach = 1.6. This instability generates large coherent vortical structures that interact with the downstream recompression shock, inducing oscillations and producing high-frequency acoustic radiation that dominates both the near- and far-field. Active and passive control techniques are applied to suppress the formation of energetic, periodic vortex shedding and thus reduce or eliminate its effects on the flow field. Three control …

Forced And Driven: Pressures And Motives Of Better Marketing, Xiaobo Lin

Dissertations - ALL

This dissertation comprises two essays examining how external pressures and internal firm characteristics jointly determine marketing decisions and their consequences for firms, stakeholders, and society at large. The first essay investigates the heterogeneous spillover effects of product quality crises on rival firms’ market value and rivals’ subsequent strategic adjustments in recruitment. Three concurrent mechanisms, the consumer switching effect, the industry demand effect, and the remedial cost effect, are proposed to derive and empirically test a nonlinear relationship between firm similarity and net spillover outcomes. Using event study methodology across 102 product quality crises among Chinese listed firms from 2017 to …

Knowing And Being Known: Monstrosity And Relationality In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Rachel Carpenter

Dissertations - ALL

This dissertation looks at Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel Frankenstein as a prime example of the ways character relations and narrative form can invite both characters and readers to renegotiate the boundaries of monstrosity and humanity, how our notions of such monstrosity and humanity are constituted dynamically, through relationships, and how this negotiation is itself a religious relational dynamic. By closely reading Mary Shelley’s novel, I consider three main facets of the work: the epistolary frame of the novel as a series of letters and stories relayed between characters, the practice of naming that takes place within the novel, and the …

Press To End Nightmare: Technology, Disfigured Labor, And Retail Grocery Work, Katherine Mott

Dissertations - ALL

This study attends to the lived experiences of retail grocery customer service workers to examine how economic forces, namely the growth of online retail and technological advancements in information systems and data collection, are reshaping retail work. It draws upon in-depth interviews, content analysis, and eight months of participant observation working alongside predominantly college-educated customer service workers at Whole Foods Market, an upscale retail grocery chain with hundreds of locations across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Prior to the 2010s, Whole Foods Market’s decentralized management structure successfully deployed a hegemonic “post-industrial work ethic” rooted in environmentalism, organic …

"That Has Been My Entire Life Of Being Invalidated," Lgbtq+ And Poor: Experiences Of Cis-Heteronormativity And Neoliberal Poverty Governance In Cities In Upstate New York, Dustin J. Satterfield

Dissertations - ALL

Social welfare provision in the United States is neoliberal, punitive, and more about controlling people than alleviating poverty. Poor people are highly regulated by the state through welfare provision, with social welfare supports reserved for “the deserving poor” (Soss et al. 2011; Katz 2013; Hughes 2019; Purser and Hennigan 2019). Poverty is viewed as a personal moral failing and those seeking benefits must demonstrate their deservedness to be approved. Simultaneously, LGBTQ+ individuals in the US are at higher risk of experiencing poverty than the general US population (DeFilippis 2016; Badgett 2018; James 2016). Queer and trans people are more likely …

Feed-Ing Identity Item Development, Observational, And Experimental Analysis To Study The Relationship Between Algorithm-Based Short Video Platforms And Identity, Sarah Elizabeth Hogenboom-Jones

Dissertations - ALL

Short video social media platforms (SVPs) such as TikTok and YouTube Shorts are distinguished from other forms of social media by two key features: video delivery and explicit algorithm-driven selection. In this project, I argue that these platform features make SVPs particularly potent at reinforcing individuals’ identities and enable more effective persuasion relative to other media. These media are sufficiently unique that to study their effects I develop novel survey items designed specifically around the key features of SVPs. These items assess both usage of SVPs and their impact on identity. I find that users of SVPs are particularly likely …