Digital Commons Network^™

Building Artistic Identity, Visual Heritage, And Contemporaneity Of The Arab World: Case Studies Of The 1974 Arab Art Biennale And 'Calligraphy In Contemporary Arab Painting' At The 1989 Havana Biennial, Amanda Msallem

Theses and Dissertations

The 1974 Arab Art Biennale held in Baghdad, Iraq, and the exhibition Calligraphy in Contemporary Arab Painting of the 1989 Havana Biennial in Cuba are unique biennial initiatives that represent a decisive transitional period of modern art of the Arab world, during which Arab artists moved from the aspirations of the Pan-Arab collective and toward increasingly individualized, experimental practices with local cultural specificity.

From Guyana To Queens: The Formation Of The Indo-Guyanese Ethnoburb In New York City, 1970-1990, Lianne R. Persaud

Theses and Dissertations

Expanding on Li’s concept of ethnoburbs, this study examines Indo-Guyanese settlement in Little Guyana, Queens (1970–1990). I propose the Vertical Enclave Model, which suggests that multi-family homeownership and internal rental markets facilitated the residential permanence of working-class individuals. The IPUMS Census microdata corroborates this community’s reliance on metropolitan integration, thereby refuting traditional self-sufficient ethnic enclave theories.

Isabel I Of Castile And Her Portapaz: A Queenly Expression Of Sovereignty, Legacy, And Piety, Alina Cui

Theses and Dissertations

What is a pax, and why does it matter to a queen? I argue that in the Portapaz Gótico at the Royal Chapel of Granada, Queen Isabel I of Castile drew from Rogier van der Weyden’s Miraflores Altarpiece to craft a new iconography, reflecting her unique political and devotional interests.

Hanne Darboven: Bismarckzeit (Bismarck Time), Lindsey J. Poremba

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines post-war German artist Hanne Darboven’s 1978 work Bismarckzeit (Bismarck Time). Bismarckzeit is a significant work where images, quotations, and equations meet and explore history. This thesis studies the different visual languages in Darboven’s installation, comparing her work with that of Walter Benjamin’s Arcades Project.

Voyager, Ben K. Voss

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores painting as a site of meditation, time and (un)knowability.

Neuroprotective Effects Of Prophylactic Brivaracetam On Memory And Anxiety Following Traumatic Brain Injury, Sofia Dumic

Theses and Dissertations

Prophylactic brivaracetam (BRV) was evaluated in a rat TBI model for effects on behavior and serum tau. BRV reduced anxiety-like behavior with optimal dose-dependent effects at 2.1mg/kg, but did not affect working memory. Serum tau was detectable early post-injury, supporting its use as a biomarker.

Containment, Quin Mittelstead

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores “containment" (the act of keeping something within limits) as both oppressive control and a mode of self-regulation, grounded in the author’s experience with epilepsy. Paintings deploy grayscale grounds, restrained palettes, and contrasting rapid/slow gestures; emergent color, texture, and altered substrates map psychological states, bodily impulses, and reactive processes. Research into witchcraft, remedial items, and eugenics (notably Buck v. Bell) informs works that link historical censorship and institutional violence to contemporary stigma. Sculptural installations (nets, jute, flawed Faraday-like enclosures) and cannibalized studio materials probe systems that restrain thought, media, and bodies. By introducing unpredictable variables with found supports, …

A New Electroencephalography Electrode Design For Curly And Kinky Hair Types, Elena Butler

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Medical discrimination and implicit bias are present in both societal systems and into the design and validation of medical devices. Traditional electroencephalography (EEG) systems often fail to provide reliable physiological recordings on curly and kinky hair types (3B–4C), associated typically with Black American and others of African descent. EEG on these hair types often results in high electrode-scalp impedance, poor signal quality, and participant discomfort. Consequently, such technical biases contribute to the underrepresentation of these populations in neuroscience research and clinical diagnostics, while simultaneously limiting equitable access to EEG-based medical care.

To address this gap, a novel conductive electrode attachment …

Beyond Local Pathology: Exploring The Role Of Gut Microbiota In Chronic Low Back Pain Using An Integrated Behavioral And Microbiological Approach, Adan L. Redwine

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Chronic low back pain (LBP) affects millions worldwide, often originating from intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration. While the gut microbiome modulates musculoskeletal pain, prior studies of the gut-disc axis have focused entirely on structural changes. This leaves a critical gap: does the microbiome influence the experience of discogenic pain? To answer this, an integrated approach using longitudinal gut microbiome profiling, machine learning-based behavioral phenotyping, and structural disc assessments in a rat model of discogenic LBP was utilized.

Female Sprague Dawley rats underwent one of four conditions: sham surgery, IVD injury, antibiotic-mediated microbiome depletion + IVD injury, or IVD injury + treatment …

Multi-Stakeholder Perspectives On Gender-Based Violence In Marital Relationships: A Qualitative Study In Rural India, Soumya Singh, Aneel Brar, Urvita Bhatia, Devika Gupta, Abhijit Nadkarni

Brain and Mind Institute

In India, an estimated 41% of women report experiencing domestic violence in their lifetime and up to 28% report violence during pregnancy. Our study aims to understand local perceptions/attitudes towards GBV and lived experiences of GBVvictimisation and perpetration in marital relationships in rural Rajasthan. We conducted a focus group discussion with community health workers (n = 7) and interviews with young married men (n = 17) and women (n = 21), and local government officials (n = 2). The data was analysed using thematic analysis with triangulation conducted across methods and researchers. Our findings reveal that women experience multiform violence, …

Enhancing Healthcare Communication With Artificial Intelligence Translation Methods For Improved Patient Healthcare Satisfaction, Mireille Signe

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Purpose:

To evaluate whether artificial intelligence (AI) verbal translation improved communication-related satisfaction during routine nurse–patient interactions.

Background:

In the ICU, brief, frequent conversations with patients with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) often occur without timely access to professional interpreters, contributing to delays, improvised communication, and lower satisfaction. AI tools offer immediate access for low‑complexity exchanges but require evaluation for feasibility and effectiveness as a supplement to certified interpreter services.

Methodology:

Twelve nurse-LEP proxy patient dyads were evaluated using a mixed-methods design (8/2025-12/2025) in a 16-bed ICU during QI PDSA cycles. Standardized care communication scenarios were completed using the AI tool. Process …

Acute Metabolic And Molecular Responses To Sprint Interval Versus Moderate-Intensity Continuous Exercise In Healthy Young Men, Enda Murphy, Claire Laurens, Laurie Frances, Marie-Adeline Marquès, François Crampes, Isabelle De Glisezinski, Javier Monedero, Helena Kenny, Noel Mccaffrey, Francis M. Finucane, Cedric Moro, Donal O'Gorman

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Exercise intensity is a key determinant of the physiological responses in skeletal muscle that lead to improvements in human health. Whether a bout of brief supramaximal acute exercise has similar effects on muscle physiology and metabolic health to a longer bout of continuous acute exercise remains unclear. In a randomized cross-over design, 12 healthy young recreationally active men completed single acute bouts of either sprint interval exercise (SIE; seven repeated 30 s maximal sprints at 130% over 35 min) or moderate-intensity continuous exercise (MICE; cycling at 65% effort over 60 min), or a nonexercise control (CON) session, on separate days. …

Same-Sex Marriage In Taiwan: Soft Sovereignty, Threat Management, And The Politics Of Recognition In Asia, Olga Shalaeva

University Honors Program Senior Projects

Why did Taiwan as a contested state with no seat in the United Nations (UN), shaped by Confucian conservatism and the world’s longest period of martial law become the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage, while other Asian democracies with stronger institutional track records have not? This paper argues that democratic maturity alone cannot answer this question. What explains Taiwan’s 2019 marriage equality achievement is the strategic management of threat, operating simultaneously at the geopolitical and psychological levels, and the utilization of “soft sovereignty” as the “weapon of the weak.”

The paper introduces “soft sovereignty” as an in-progress …

The Muse Of Modern Day Celebrity Endorsements, Cassaundra Garcia

University Honors Program Senior Projects

Kim Kardashian has redefined what it means to be a celebrity endorser in the modern age. It is not just about putting a celebrity face to a product, or in this case a Luxury Fashion Brand, but instead about embodying the brand itself. Kim Kardashian has served as the epitome of a ‘Modern Muse’, one who shapes and inspires brands. This thesis proposal takes an exploratory case study approach to Kardashian’s partnerships with Luxury Fashion Brands. It focuses on her Instagram social media presence and how it transforms traditional endorsement strategies into brand collaborations. By analyzing her posts, engagement, and …

No More Loopholes: The Story Of The 13th Amendment Exception Clause : Its Effects And How To Challenge It, Nur Johnson

University Honors Program Senior Projects

This study examines the harms of exploitative prison labor through examining the loophole in the 13th amendment of the United States Constitution. I build an argument that the wording of the 13th amendment needs to be modified to close this loophole in all states. Additionally, through framing prison labor as a form of human trafficking, I argue that prisoners could potentially sue to challenge the 13th amendment by applying the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA). I present several case studies to describe the conditions that prisoners are exposed to, compare them to other forms of trafficking, and conclude that we …

Measuring School Anxiety In Pediatric Chronic Pain: Initial Investigation Of The Psychometric Properties Of The School Anxiety Inventory For Chronic Pain (Sai-Cp), Caitlyn Maye, Robert C. Gibler, Kristen E. Jastrowski, Dustin Wallace Phd, Cara M. Hoffart, Jenny Scheurich Phd

Posters

Introduction: School anxiety is common among adolescents with chronic pain and often impacts academic and social functioning. Existing anxiety measures lack specificity for capturing the unique sources and symptoms of school-related anxiety in this population. To address this gap, a bank of new potential measure items (the School Anxiety Inventory for Chronic Pain [SAI-CP]), was developed based on the original School Anxiety Inventory (SAI), qualitative interviews with adolescents with chronic pain, and expert clinician input. The objective of this study was to evaluate the construct validity and internal consistency of the SAI-CP and identify avenues for future measure refinement. Method: …

Recognizing What Matters Most: Using Safety-Critical Tasks To Strengthen Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infection (Clabsi) Prevention Rounds, Lacey Bergerhofer, Christian Anthony Schneider, Emily Evans

Posters

Background: Our CLABSI improvement team developed high-risk rounding processes on the Hematology/Oncology unit. Expanding this model to additional Med/Surg units was challenging due to limited staffing and time-intensive tasks required during rounds. Concurrently, CLABSI rates across other Med/Surg units increased, necessitating a scalable approach. Objectives: Apparent Cause Analysis (ACA) review in Med/Surg units identified an opportunity to strengthen surveillance by engaging Vascular Access subject-matter experts. Our proactive high-risk rounds pilot led to CLABSI rate reduction. The objective was to expand service coverage without compromising established high-risk rounding quality standards. Our goal is to assess > 90% of central lines in Med/Surg …

A Qualitative Exploration Of The Military Veteran Teaching Experience In A Public High School Setting, Denise R. Embrey

Dissertations

This coded qualitative study examines whether military veterans as second career teachers can help address the ongoing shortage of qualified public high school teachers in the United States. Focusing on three Midwestern public high school systems with at least 10% of military veteran teachers employed in their high school. I explored veterans as second-career educators. I personally interviewed five public high school principals, to find that these five strongly favor hiring veterans, citing their discipline, teamwork, and willingness to engage with students and parents are outstanding character qualifications for the public high school to have on staff. I noted and …

Newly Registered Nurses With Neurodiversities: A Qualitative Study Of Their Experiences During Transition To Professional Practice, Heather Wallace

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Abstract Introduction: Transition-to-practice (TTP) programs play a crucial role in bridging the academic-to-practice gap for newly licensed Registered Nurses (NLRNs) and improving first-year retention rates. However, these programs may fall short in addressing the specific needs of NLRNs with neurodiversities (NLRN-ND). Neurodiversity (ND) encompasses Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Tourette Syndrome, and the 3 Ds – Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, and Dysgraphia. Unsupportive environments for disclosing neurodiversity and requesting accommodations may contribute to the 10-25% NLRNs leaving their jobs within the first year, with 1-3% exiting the nursing profession altogether. Objectives: This study aimed to (1) explore NLRN-ND …

Exploring Teamwork Between Virtual And Bedside Nurses, Caitlin Weinheimer

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Background: Advancing technologies and the use of telehealth have expanded in hospitals to include telenursing. Telenursing introduces a unique dynamic where virtual and bedside nurses work together as a remote team to provide patient care. Published literature reports that teamwork among nurses and healthcare professionals impacts patient and workforce outcomes. However, there is a gap in exploring teamwork between virtual and bedside nurses. Addressing this knowledge gap is critical to ensure positive patient and nursing workforce outcomes in hospital-based telenursing settings.

Objective: To generate a grounded theory that explains teamwork between virtual and bedside nurses in the hospital setting. A …

Breastfeeding Education Preferences Of Pregnant People With Low Incomes, Megan Kindred

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Background: The proportion of infants breastfed at 1 year in the United States remains below the Healthy People 2030 goal. Longer breastfeeding durations are important due to dose-response benefits, but disparities are greater among those with low incomes. Prenatal breastfeeding education (PBE) interventions can increase breastfeeding duration. Additionally, incentivization and gamification can be used to increase use of educational technology but are underexplored in this domain. Prior studies examining PBE format preferences do not reflect currently available technology. PBE format preferences of childbearing people should be reexamined.

Purpose: This purpose of this study is to: (1) identify PBE format preference …

Using Publicity To Encourage Course Materials Reporting At Unc, Nancy A. Henke, Caterina Azzarello

About OER

The University of Northern Colorado (UNC), like many institutions, relies on instructors to report on which learning materials they plan to use in their courses, whether those materials are Open Education Resources (OER), other Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) materials, or cost-bearing commercial resources. This information ensures the institution is meeting federal and state mandates for cost transparency, supports students as they plan for the upcoming semester, helps in assessing the use of OER/ZTC at an institution, and aids in planning open education outreach and advocacy. Yet getting faculty to report their course materials in a timely manner (or at all) …

Phases Of The Moon, Larry Browning, Kay Cutler

Astronomy Activities

As viewed from the earth, the moon appears to move through an orbit around the Earth. There are eight different phases of the moon, (1) New Moon, (2) Waxing Crescent, (3) First Quarter, (4) Waxing Gibbous, (5) Full Moon, (6) Waning Gibbous, (7) Last Quarter, and (8) Waning Crescent. Then the moon moves to the “new” phase and the cycle repeats. This is a month of phases. Let’s explore the phases!

Ethnic And Sex Differences In Salt Sensitivity Amongst Normotensive Young Adult Nigerians: Implications For Hypertension Prevention, Ahmed Oloyo, Abdullahi Adejare, Oluwakemi Odukoya, Simiat Elias, Oyewole Kushimo, Olusoga Sofola

Biomedical Sciences, East Africa

Background: High dietary salt intake is a well-established modifiable risk factor for hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Salt sensitivity – a blood pressure (BP) phenotype defined by exaggerated BP response to salt loading, remains underrecognised in normotensive populations despite its strong link to adverse cardiovascular outcomes. The burden and determinants of salt sensitivity amongst young Nigerians remain poorly understood.

Aims: This study aimed to identify demographic and behavioral risk factors associated with salt sensitivity, explore potential ethnic and sex-related differences, and determine the independent predictors of salt-sensitive (SS) BP response amongst normotensive young adult Nigerians.

Subjects and Methods: An …

2026 The Lindenwood Gateway Reader, Lindenwood University

The Lindenwood Gateway Reader - Full Issues

No abstract provided.

The Resurgence Of Nationalism In Germany And The Alternative Für Deutschland, John L. Wardlaw Jr

International and Global Studies Undergraduate Honors Theses

I examine the rise of the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) within the broader historical and ideological course of German nationalism. In doing so, I argue that following the Prussian-led unification of Germany in 1871, nationalism became entrenched as a constitutive feature of the German identity, not only as a political ideology, but also as a foundational sociocultural framework. Rather than emerging sporadically, nationalism persisted in a latent form throughout Germany’s modern history; latent in that nationalism could be reactivated and shaped through the intentional efforts of particular political parties during periods of sociopolitical and economic strain. To analyze this phenomenon, …

A Comparative Analysis Of Direct Air Capture And Geologic Co2 Storage Technologies, Sarah Fettig

Environmental Studies Honors Theses

Centuries of greenhouse gas emissions have led to anthropogenic climate change and an increased average global temperature. The 2015 Paris Agreement committed the signatory countries to take action to limit global warming to at most 2°C, with a lower maximum warming target of 1.5°C. Climate data shows the 1.5°C target is out of reach, and that aggressive greenhouse gas mitigation needs to be undertaken to reach the 2°C goal. A rapid shift to renewable energy and lifestyle changes will not be effective, however, and in fact, CO₂ needs to be removed from the atmosphere for the 2°C goal to …

Exploring The Direct (Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion In Medical Research, Education And Care For Transparency) Index And Its Translation To Meaningful Clinical Encounters, Karla J Felix Phd, Maya Mills Md, Nicole M. Burgess Bs, Roya Hamadani Mph, Ashwini Kamath Mulki Md, Mbbs, Mph

Department of Family Medicine

No abstract provided.

Faith Leaders’ Guide To Adolescent Protection, Population Council, Zambia Interfaith Networking Group (Zingo), Faith Mother Bodies

Adolescents and Young People

No abstract provided.

Martha Mitchell: Loud Mouth Of The South, Emma Bernice Kolker

History Undergraduate Honors Theses

In this paper, I will argue how Martha‘s Arkansas identity presents itself as a double edge sword, with her personality attracting the attention of the public with the consent of powerful men in the Republican party, while at the same time her comments and actions were the very reason she was blamed and marginalized by the same men who allowed her to speak in the first place.