Digital Commons Network^™

Chapter Town (Ghost-Town), Natalie Mckenty

The Prairie Light Review

No abstract provided.

St. Alphonsus, Jim Waters

The Prairie Light Review

No abstract provided.

Enhanced, Romari Jennings

The Prairie Light Review

No abstract provided.

Lighters, Polina Vyhovska

The Prairie Light Review

No abstract provided.

Factory Misprint, Megan Mandrelle

The Prairie Light Review

No abstract provided.

(Auto)Biography, Megan Mandrelle

The Prairie Light Review

No abstract provided.

Welcome To Serenity, Quinn Joy

The Prairie Light Review

No abstract provided.

The Ring, Carolyn Phillips

The Prairie Light Review

No abstract provided.

A Shade Of Rose, Cuyler Martin

The Prairie Light Review

No abstract provided.

Using Efficacious Content Area Literacy Practices To Support Student Improvement And Perception Of Self-Efficacy, Christine Mccabe

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines how students’ self-efficacy, confidence, and motivation change when students use content area literacy practices in math. This study was guided by the affective theories of Bandura, Maslow, and Guthrie & Wigfield. This study used qualitative research, focusing on collecting data through anecdotal evidence, student self-evaluation surveys, student journal responses, and a teacher research journal. Throughout the six week study, students participated in lessons focused on improving self-efficacy, confidence and motivation. Additionally, students learned to make connections between math and literacy through math literacy tasks, such as numberless word problems. Following the study, data was analyzed through triangulation …

Does Appearance Matter? The Relationship Of Perceived Body Size And Physical Appearance On Students' Attraction To Physical Activity At Recess, Danielle Belcher

Master's Theses

Drastic declines in recess physical activity (PA) have been observed within recent years (Center for Disease Control (CDC), 2017). Due to recess’ discretionary nature, psychosocial variables associated with PA are predictors of students’ PA levels. Recess is also a time of heightened bullying occurrences (Vaillancourt et al., 2010). Appearance-based bullying is the most common type of victimization that occurs in schools, transpiring more often in children with larger body max indexes (BMI), and possibly altering students’ physical self-perceptions. Physical self-perceptions have been shown to impact PA motivation, however, it is still unknown the extent to which appearance-based bullying, body size, …

Sustainable Development: What’S The Problem Here? A Post-Structural Discourse Analysis Of The Global Reporting Initiative, Jenniffer Barnett

Master's Theses

The purpose of the study was to critically analyze how the problem of sustainable development is constructed in the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and identify what underlying assumptions and historical events produced the problematization as the GRI aims to guide global behavior. The study explored how governing took place by identifying what was silenced in the problem representation and the discursive effects and subject positions it produced. Carol Bacchi's (2009) "What’s the problem represented to be?" (WPR) facilitated this Foucault-influenced poststructural discourse analysis. The interrogation revealed that (a) sustainable development is characterized as a problem of corporate transparency, and (b) …

The Role Of B Cell Activation State And Sex In Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Mediated Induction Of Chemokine Receptor 9 And Alpha4beta7 Expression In Vitro, Logan Bauerle

Master's Theses

Defense of mucosal tissues from microbial infection and allergy is reliant on continual production of antibodies. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is known to regulate B cell development and is associated with suppression of systemic humoral immunity. Recent attention has been paid to the role of the AhR in altering expression of cell adhesion molecules (CAMs). B cells express CAMs and chemokine receptors to migrate around the body for localized secretion of antibodies. AhR agonists promote B cell migration to the small intestine through upregulation of chemokine receptor 9 (CCR9) and integrin α₄β₇. Both the AhR …

The Kansas Band’S Musical Depictions Of Spiritual Quests, Elizabeth Romero

Master's Theses

The progressive rock genre has been an intriguing subject of study for the scholarly community, especially within the last 30 years. An understudied part of the progressive rock scene, however, is its manifestation in the United States through the band Kansas. The band from 1970’s Topeka is acknowledged by Mitchell Morris as troublesome for critics due to the hybrid use of European art music and blues influences. It is no wonder a large study of Kansas music has not taken place due to the maligning of the band by its critics as well as the controversial views regarding pretentiousness of …

Role Of Atp-Binding Cassette (Abc) Transporters As A Protector Of Testis Stem Cell Niche From Chemotherapy Drugs In Drosophila Melanogaster, Swagata Maity

Master's Theses

In chemotherapy treatments most tumor cells are destroyed by drugs, but some tumor cells are drug resistant, and these are known as cancer stem cells (CSCs). Normal adult stem cells are also chemo resistant. Therefore, investigation of normal stem cells can be useful to provide further knowledge of CSCs. One of the primary ways that CSCs achieve drug resistance is by drug efflux through transmembrane pumps called ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters. Many studies on ABC transporters have been performed in vitro using cultured cell lines, but very few studies have been performed on normal stem cell populations in vivo. Drosophila …

Potential Bioprospecting Within Vemons Of Rear-Fanged Snakes, Tanner Milbank Harvey

Master's Theses

Philodryas baroni (Baron’s Green Racer) and Trimorphodon lambda (Sonoran Lyre Snake) each belong to extensively studied genera of rear-fanged venomous snakes. Investigating the bioactivities and structural composition through methods not typically included in venomic workflows, which use homologous sequences and describe venoms by their constituent peptides, provides valuable insights into both the degree and extent to which venom diversity and complexity can be overlooked by many venomic workflows. This study explores the venom compositions of P. baroni and T. lambda and compares them to published toxins observed in opisthoglyphous snakes, specifically taxon-selective three-finger toxins and metalloprotease-dominated venoms.

This study underscores …

Characterizing The Nonequilibrium Driving Forces Responsible For The Emergence Of Life, Charles Davis Kocher

Electronic Dissertations and Theses, 2010-current

Uncovering the origin of life on earth remains a grand challenge problem for the natural sciences. Some headway has been made by reasoning about which biological macromolecules were the first to appear, as in the well-known "RNA world" hypothesis. However, new approaches are needed for further advances. We seek instead the physical driving forces, powered by nonequilibrium supplies of energy, that could have compelled the emergence of life from simple chemistry in the capricious environments of the early earth. This perspective leads us to examine the prebiotic origins and characteristics not of molecule types, but of the dynamical principles of …

Ototoxicity Monitoring Protocols For Common Chemotherapeutics, Megan Pamela Kennedy

Doctoral Scholarly Projects & Capstones

Cancer is a major public health concern and is increasingly prevalent worldwide. Sung et al. (2021) states that there were 19.3 million new cases of cancer across the globe, and almost 10 million deaths related to cancer in 2021. Sung et al. (2021) also notes that the United States accounts for 8% of all global cases, with an average of 1.7 million new cases annually. The top five most common adult cancers in the United States include: (1) breast, (2) prostate, (3) lung and bronchus, (4) colorectal, and (5) invasive melanoma of the skin. These cancers can be treated with …

Evaluating Auditory Processing In Adolescents And Adults Following A Sports-Related Concussion, Kelsey Danielle Kiesz

Doctoral Scholarly Projects & Capstones

Sports-related concussions (SRCs) have gained increasing attention in recent years due to the long-lasting effects. While concussions have been extensively studied, the impact on auditory processing in adolescents and adults remains an under-evaluated area within audiology. This gap in research is noteworthy as audiologists are well-positioned to conduct auditory processing disorder (APD) testing, and post-concussion auditory deficits fall within the scope of their practice. This study addresses the lack of consensus on concussion definitions, limited accurate prevalence data, and the absence of guidelines for assessing auditory processing in post-concussion individuals in the audiology field. The research aims to provide a …

Otitis Media: Parental Perspectives And Support Needs, Jordan Marie Johnson

Doctoral Scholarly Projects & Capstones

Otitis media (OM) is an infection located within the middle ear space of the auditory system and is the most common cause of hearing loss in children. Hearing loss is the disruption of the perception of an auditory signal and is further classified as conductive, sensorineural, or conductive. The effect of hearing loss can also depend on the severity, time of onset, stability, and etiology. Impairment in auditory function is linked with poorer speech and language development, educational tasks, psychosocial skills, and quality of life. Therefore, identification of hearing loss in children should be done in a timely manner to …

The Effect Of Socioeconomic Status On Adult Access To Hearing Aids, Skyler Preston Mumford

Doctoral Scholarly Projects & Capstones

Approximately 430 million people worldwide suffer from hearing loss. With Americans over the age of 65 earning a mean annual salary of less than $60,000 and the cost of a pair of hearing aids exceeding $4000, attempting to pursue hearing aids can prove to be challenging, if not an impossible task. The purpose of this project was to assess how individuals with hearing loss, above the age of majority, are impacted by their socioeconomic status with regard to accessing properly fit amplification. Evidence has shown that access to hearing aids is strongly tied to one’s socioeconomic status. In addition, there …

Strategies For Reducing Auditory Risk From A Typical Drum Set, Alyssa Marie Beatty

Doctoral Scholarly Projects & Capstones

Percussionists are at risk for noise-induced hearing loss. They are especially at risk because of the type of sound produced by their instrument – impact noise. The quick onset and offset times combined with the high peak intensity levels can create permanent damage to the auditory system. Damage to the auditory system because of excessive exposure to music is called a music-induced hearing disorder (MIHD).

A MIHD may manifest as many different permanent disorders including music-induced hearing loss, tinnitus, decreased sound tolerance, diplacusis, or dysacusis. Symptoms of these disorders may affect the musicians in their art and their jobs as …

Considerations For Virtual Reality In Architectural Design Development, Alexander White

Architecture Undergraduate Honors Theses

This is an undergraduate thesis research about the exploration of Virtual Reality (VR) in the architectural design career field at the design development stage for architectural projects. VR is a tool that is available for designers to use to make design decisions for their projects and is used to explore the design in space at a one-to-one scale. VR has proven itself to be a valuable resource for designers and clients; however, it has been personally observed that VR is not as utilized as much as it could be in the architectural design development workflow. The purpose of this research …

A Christian Perspective On Happiness: Positive Psychology And Rahner’S Theology Of Grace In The Quest For Meaning, Edwin Onyango Odhiambo

Jesuit School of Theology Dissertations

This research examines happiness from a Christian perspective, integrating theological insights with contemporary scientific understanding. It highlights the foundational role of divine grace in shaping a Christian’s approach to happiness, as articulated by one of the greatest 20th-century theologians, Karl Rahner. Rahner’s notion of uncreated grace offers a lens through which Christians can view happiness, not just as a feeling but as a stable state nurtured by a deep relationship with God and manifested in goals and actions aligned with divine will, giving a sense of belonging and purpose instrumental for lasting happiness. This study also acknowledges the relevance of …

Data Management Report May 2024, Tennessee. Department Of Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities

Compliance & System Data/Reports

This monthly report provides data on various aspects of the department's activities and programs.

A Comparison Of The Whytry Curriculum And Aggression Replacement Training In Adolescents At Risk For Family Breakdown, Grace Elizabeth Taylor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) division of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services seeks to provide evidence-based programs to prevent family breakdown. Evidence-based programs are defined as programs that have qualitative and quantitative support of positive outcomes by peer-reviewed articles. Family and Youth Success (FAYS) is a PEI program that seeks to promote resilience in families and youth by offering one-on-one skills-based counseling and group-based learning for children and parents. FAYS utilizes the WhyTry Program and Aggression Replacement Training (ART) as social skills training programs that seek to decrease social problems and aggression and increase social skills. …

Deterministic Global 3d Fractal Cloud Model For Synthetic Scene Generation, Aaron M. Schinder, Shannon R. Young, Bryan J. Steward, Michael L. Dexter, Andrew Kondrath, Stephen Hinton, Ricardo Davila

Faculty Publications

This paper describes the creation of a fast, deterministic, 3D fractal cloud renderer for the AFIT Sensor and Scene Emulation Tool (ASSET). The renderer generates 3D clouds by ray marching through a volume and sampling the level-set of a fractal function. The fractal function is distorted by a displacement map, which is generated using horizontal wind data from a Global Forecast System (GFS) weather file. The vertical windspeed and relative humidity are used to mask the creation of clouds to match realistic large-scale weather patterns over the Earth. Small-scale detail is provided by the fractal functions which are tuned to …

Synthetic Interbody Devices And Traditional Bone Graft Are Associated With A Similar Rate Of Surgical Complications After 1-2 Level Anterior Cervical Discectomy And Fusions, Geet Shukla, Abhijith V. Matur, Xu Tao, Syed Khalid, Rebecca Garner, Justin Gibson, Daryn Cass, Andrew Wu, Seth Street, Julia Garcia-Vargas, Jay P. Mehta, Kelly Childress, Henry Ofori Duah, Benjamin Motley, Joseph Cheng, Owoicho Adogwa

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Study Design:  Retrospective cohort. Objective:  To compare the rates of all-cause surgical complications of synthetic interbody devices versus allograft or autograft in patients undergoing 1-2 levels anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) procedures. Summary of Background Data:  Cervical degenerative disorders affect up to 60% of older adults in the United States. Both traditional allograft or autograft and synthetic interbody devices (polyetheretherketone or titanium) are used for decompression and arthrodesis, with increasing utilization of the latter. However, the differences in their postsurgical complication profiles are not well-characterized. Patients and Methods:  Patients who underwent 1-2 level ACDFs for cervical radiculopathy or myelopathy …

The Impact Of Severe Obesity On Image Quality And Ventricular Function Assessment In Echocardiography And Cardiac Mri., Akash Goyal, Christopher D Crabtree, Bryan C Lee, Thura T Harfi, Saurabh Rajpal, Vedat O Yildiz, Orlando P Simonetti, Matthew S Tong

Heart and Vascular Articles

This study sought to evaluate the impact of severe obesity on image quality and ventricular function assessment in cardiovascular magnetic resonance (MRI) and trans-thoracic echocardiography (TTE). We studied 100 consecutive patients who underwent clinically indicated cardiac MRI and TTE studies within 12 months between July 2017 and December 2020; 50 (28 females and 22 males; 54.5 ± 18.7 years) with normal body mass index (BMI) (18.5-25 kg/m

Three-Year Outcomes Of The Abre Venous Self-Expanding Stent System In Patients With Symptomatic Iliofemoral Venous Outflow Obstruction., Stephen Black, Marc Sapoval, David J Dexter, Kathleen Gibson, Raghu Kolluri, Mahmood Razavi, Dorian J Defreitas, Hong Wang, Stephanie Brucato, Erin Murphy

Heart and Vascular Articles

PURPOSE: To report 36-month outcomes and subgroup analysis of the ABRE study evaluating the safety and effectiveness of the Abre venous self-expanding stent system for the treatment of symptomatic iliofemoral venous outflow obstruction disease.

METHODS: The ABRE study was a prospective, multicenter, nonrandomized study that enrolled and implanted Abre venous stents in 200 participants (mean age 51.5 years [SD ± 15.9], 66.5% women) with symptomatic iliofemoral venous outflow obstruction at 24 global sites. Outcomes assessed through 36 months included patency, major adverse events, stent migration, stent fracture, and quality-of-life changes. Adverse events and imaging studies were adjudicated by independent clinical …