Digital Commons Network^™

Attentional Prioritization And Refreshing As Pathways To Long-Term Memory Formation, Pouria Rahgosha

Theses and Dissertations

Attention regulates which information in working memory becomes stabilized in long-term memory. Two candidate mechanisms are attentional prioritization and attentional refreshing. Although both reliably benefit working memory, their contribution to long-term memory remains unclear. Two experiments examined this issue using an associative memory paradigm in which participants encoded image-keypress pairs, maintained them under varying conditions, and completed both working memory and unexpected cued-recall tests. Experiment 1 manipulated refreshing indirectly by varying attentional load during maintenance, whereas Experiment 2 contrasted implicit and explicitly cued refreshing. Across both experiments, prioritization consistently improved working memory performance. However, prioritization benefited long-term memory only when …

Remote Sensing Techniques For Soil Moisture Retrieval And Crop Yield Estimation: Employing Multi-Sensor Receiver Systems From Uas And Ml For Precision Agriculture, Mohammad Abdus Shahid Rafi

Theses and Dissertations

Accurate soil moisture (SM) measurement and crop yield estimation are critical components of modern precision agriculture (PA) management. Efficiently observing SM at high resolution on a sub-field scale can enhance irrigation planning and management, leading to improved yields and product quality while also conserving environmental resources. Yield predictions provide insights into expected production, facilitating optimized resource allocation, improved agricultural management strategies, and enhanced profitability. Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) based multi-sensor receiver systems offer promising solutions in obtaining high-resolution SM measurements across large fields where satellite remote sensing falls short, as well as collecting necessary data over corn and cotton for …

A Cradle To Grave Life Cycle Assessment Of Captured Landfill Methane Abatement Strategies, Joshua Caleb Richard

Theses and Dissertations

Landfill methane mitigation strategies are commonly evaluated using percentage-based leakage assumptions and linear scaling models. These approaches may misrepresent system performance at varying throughput levels and real-world operating scenarios. This thesis develops a system-level life cycle assessment framework that incorporates both fixed infrastructure losses and employs sensitivity analysis to more accurately characterize emissions from landfill gas management pathways. Three scenarios are evaluated: methane capture and flare, methane capture and combustion for electricity generation, and methane upgrading with pipeline injection as renewable natural gas. Results demonstrate that emissions models over- dependance on static factors may inadvertently lead to under-reporting and provide …

No-Till Versus Conventional Tillage Cover Crop Systems Effects On Cotton In The Blackland Prairie Region Of Mississippi, Mallie West Rivenbark

Theses and Dissertations

Nitrogen (N) plays a critical role in cotton production systems. Management practices such as tillage systems and cover crops (CC) can influence nutrient cycling and availability within the soil. The present study assessed the effects of CC in a conventional tillage (CT) vs. no-tillage (NT) system on cotton yield, fiber quality and N use efficiency. Ramifications for CC and N rates on lint yield and cotton N uptake were investigated during the 2024 and 2025 growing seasons in Verona, MS. Cover crop treatments include cereal rye (Secale cereale), crimson clover (Trifolium incaranatum) and a mix of cereal rye and crimson …

Intersection Of Food Insecurity And Housing Among Veterans And Disabled Adults, Julie Anne Stepp

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines how housing tenure is associated with food insecurity (FI) among veterans and adults with disabilities, utilizing the housing-food insecurity nexus framework. Previous research documents elevated FI among veterans and individuals with disabilities, yet few studies assess housing tenure as a mechanism connecting these statuses to food hardship. Using data from the 2024 National Health Interview Survey Adult Sample (n=32,629), logistic regression models estimate the independent and interactive effects of renting, veteran status, and disability status on FI. Results suggest renters have significantly higher odds of FI than homeowners, even after adjusting for poverty status, SNAP participation, and …

Evaluating The Spatial Relationship Between Geomorphology And Subsurface Structures On The Us Atlantic Margin With Applications To Other Terrestrial Planets, Andrea Caitlyn Stiles

Theses and Dissertations

High-resolution digital elevation models (DEMs) are widely available for terrestrial planetary bodies, but subsurface structural data remain limited. This research evaluated whether surface geomorphology could predict subsurface features, specifically faults and methane seeps, along the US Atlantic continental margin as an analog site. Faults were mapped with seismic interpretation and compared with quantitative geomorphic classifications derived from 100-m bathymetry including slope, aspect, rugosity, bathymetric position index, and geomorphon classes. Maximum-entropy modelling was used to predict fault occurrences from surface data. Results indicated that specific geomorphic landforms and slopes had the strongest control on fault presence, reflected in topographic expression of …

Liposomal Bupivacaine Caudal Epidural In Horses Results In Adverse Effects Without Analgesia, Christopher Stokes

Theses and Dissertations

Liposomal bupivacaine (10 mL; 1.3%) was administered into the caudal epidural space via an indwelling epidural catheter. Mechanical nociceptive threshold (MNT) testing with pressure algometry was used to measure analgesia at 4 anatomic locations for 72 hours following injection. Physical examinations were performed and ataxia scores recorded every 4 h to monitor for adverse effects, and fecal and urine output were recorded. There were no significant differences at any time point in rectal temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, or MNT at any anatomic site compared to baseline. Ataxia scores were significantly elevated from 24 to 36 h following epidural injection. …

Impacts Of Goat Grazing On Coastal Upland Understory, Maya Stratman

Theses and Dissertations

Coastal upland pine savannas and flatwoods along the northern Gulf of Mexico are biodiversity hotspots degraded by woody encroachment following fire suppression and loss of herbivory. Conservation grazing has been proposed as a management tool, yet its effectiveness in these systems remains understood. This study evaluated how goat grazing frequency and duration influence understory vegetation structure, diversity, productivity, and light availability in an Ilex-dominated coastal upland in Mississippi. Five grazing treatments (monthly, every three months, biannual, seasonal, and ungrazed control) were applied across 25 plots over one year. Vegetation percent cover, genus richness, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, light penetration, and …

Variation In The Sonographic Appearance Of The Liver In Cats With Lymphomatous Hepatic Infiltration., Charlee Sturkie

Theses and Dissertations

Lymphoma is the most diagnosed neoplasm in domestic cats, and abdominal ultrasound is often included as a component of the diagnostic plan. The aim of this study was to determine if changes in sonographic appearance of the liver as well as the presence of free fluid, lymphadenopathy, and splenic abnormalities increase the likelihood of diagnosis of lymphomatous hepatic infiltration in cats diagnosed with lymphoma. Fifty-eight cats were enrolled in this combined retrospective and prospective study, 22 with lymphomatous infiltration in the liver and 36 without. In the current population hypoechogenicity, heterogeneous echotexture, hepatomegaly, and the presence of nodules within the …

Exploring The Effect Of Students' Exclusionary Discipline On Their Academic Achievement In A Rural High School., Danya Turner

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the extent to which exclusionary discipline practices, specifically in-school suspension and out-of-school suspension, are associated with academic achievement among high school students. More specifically, the study investigated the relationship between students’ exclusionary discipline days and performance on Mississippi Academic Assessment Program (MAAP) assessments in Algebra I, Biology, English II, and U.S. History. The study was guided by the Opportunity to Learn (OTL) framework, which emphasizes the importance of access to instructional time for student academic success. Archival discipline and assessment data were collected from a rural public high school in east-central …

Investigating The Evolution Of Shear Failure In Cross Laminated Timber (Clt) Transverse Layer Using Acoustic Emission, Harika Undadi

Theses and Dissertations

Cross-laminated timber (CLT) is susceptible to rolling shear failure in the transverse layers. This study evaluated the rolling shear failure in southern pine (Pinus spp.) and yellow poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) CLT panels using block shear, delamination, and interlaminar shear tests. Acoustic emission (AE) monitoring was integrated with video recording to capture structural damage while loading. The results showed rolling shear failure as the dominant failure mode in the transverse layer. The AE energy and the load-displacement curve were classified into stages і) deformation stage with negligible AE signals (elastic behavior); ⅱ) crack propagation stage with increased AE signals; and ⅲ) …

A Qualitative Content Analysis Of Research On Principal Internship And Residency Design, Stephen Vanderford

Theses and Dissertations

Principal preparation programs continue to demonstrate variation in internship structure, mentoring quality, and alignment between field-based experiences and the complex demands of school leadership. Although national research emphasizes immersive, year-long clinical practice, internship expectations remain inconsistent across preparation programs. This capstone project synthesizes research identifying essential components of educational leadership internship and residency experiences. The purpose of this study is to examine exemplary content, instructional strategies, and mentoring practices associated with high-quality internship and residency models. Guided by the Talent Development Framework and informed by the PSEL, the study examines how internship structure, experiential learning, and mentoring processes align with …

Tracing Hazing Across Adolescence: Examining How Prior Hazing Experiences Shape Hazing Motivation And Tolerance Among Newly Initiated Ifc Fraternity Members, John Michael Vanhorn

Theses and Dissertations

Hazing remains pervasive and underreported, disproportionately affecting adolescent and emerging adult men, particularly within athletic teams and fraternity contexts. Although hazing is most often studied within collegiate organizations, many students encounter hazing behaviors prior to college, yet little is known about how these early experiences shape later hazing perceptions, motivations, tolerance, and masculine norms. Grounded in Bronfenbrenner’s Process-Person-Context-Time (PPCT) model, this dissertation conceptualizes hazing as a developmental process shaped by repeated social interactions, individual characteristics, contextual environments, and time across adolescence and emerging adulthood. Using a two-paper approach with a quantitative, longitudinal survey design, study 1 examined fraternity new members’ …

Experimental Investigation Of The Effectiveness Of Various Stitching Methods On Arresting Mode-Ii Interlaminar Damage Propagation In Geometrically-Scaled Stitched Resin-Infused Composites, Allison Jean White

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents an experimental and analytical investigation of mode-II interlaminar fracture in geometrically-scaled quasi-isotropic resin-infused composites, with emphasis on through-thickness stitching as reinforcement. A global-local framework integrating load-displacement response, size effect fracture energy analysis, and digital image correlation-based separation measurements enabled direct comparison between unstitched and stitched configurations. Unstitched laminates exhibited pseudo-ductile behavior but significant post-peak load drops (16.7–26.8%) and a small fracture process zone (FPZ) of 0.73 mm, limiting stable crack growth. Stitching preserved pre-peak stiffness while reducing post-peak load drops by 43–95%, increasing effective fracture energy by 39.7% (to 2.413 N/mm), and expanding the FPZ to 2.85 …

Durham Police Captain Discusses Safety, Transparency And The Importance Of Community Outreach, Valerie Reynolds

Digital Edition

No abstract provided.

Senior Farewell: Chandler Blaisdell, Chandler Blaisdell

Digital Edition

No abstract provided.

Radical-Humanistic Institutionalism Ir Theory—Reimagining Neoliberal Institutions To Improve The Upholding Of Human Dignity And Flourishing, Jonathan Wallace Myers, Jennifer Ramos

Honors Thesis

This paper explores a thought experiment regarding the international system's nature and its potential for improvement and reconstruction. It is grounded in two inquiries: (1) how state dynamics influence actors in an interconnected international system, and (2) whether hegemony and realism, which foster combative dynamics in international anarchy, can be transcended for more productive relations. The realist foundation of international relations prioritizes state security over individual security, shaping even the most human-centered neoliberal institutions like the United Nations and the International Criminal Court. The rise of far-right populism in the Western world has led to many state-created institutions failing to …

Accuracy Of Parameter Estimation For A Simple Gene Regulatory Network Model Is Sensitive To Network Motif, Number Of Parameters Estimated, And Magnitude And Direction Of Regulatory Relationships, Nikki C. Chun, Kam Dahlquist

Honors Thesis

A gene regulatory network (GRN) is a set of transcription factors that regulate the expression of genes encoding other transcription factors. The dynamics of a GRN explain how gene expression changes over time. GRNmap is a MATLAB software package that uses ordinary differential equations to model dynamics of small-scale GRNs. We used the program to estimate production rates, expression thresholds, and regulatory weights for each transcription factor in three related literature-derived GRNs based on yeast cold shock microarray data previously collected in the Dahlquist Lab. We noticed large differences in estimated weight values when 1-2% of the expression values were …

Class Of 2026 Hooding Of Candidates For The Degree Of Juris Doctor And Advanced Degrees, Southern Methodist University, Dedman School Of Law

Law School Commencement / Hooding Programs, 1942-present

No abstract provided.

Phase Field Modeling And A Fully Discrete Numerical Scheme For Two-Phase Incompressible Mhd Flows With Different Densities, Electric Conductivities And Viscosities, Xiaoyong Chen, Rui Li, Jian Li, Xiaoming He, Yanping Lin

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Research & Creative Works

This article establishes a phase field model for governing the two-phase incompressible MHD flows with different densities, electric conductivities, and viscosities. In addition to the coupling between the Cahn–Hilliard phase field equations and the single-phase MHD equations together with the varying parameters, it is physically faithful and mathematically rigorous for the modeling to incorporate a relative flux term, which is related to the diffusion of the components, into the coupled system, inspired by Abels et al. and Shen and Yang. We present a linear fully discrete numerical scheme for this complex multi-physics system, which leverages the artificial compressibility method, an …

Increasing Evolution Acceptance Among Religious Adults Through Targeted Education, Jamie Jensen

ScholarsArchive Data

These data come from a study measuring the effectiveness of the Shareable Home Application for Reconciling Evolution (SHARE) tool, which consists of five short videos addressing the nature of science, compatibility between doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and evolution, evolutionary mechanisms, and evidence for evolution, including human evolution.

Reducing Maternal Morbidity In Black Women In Massachusetts, Priya Thorat

Capstones

Racial disparities in severe maternal morbidity (SMM) represent a persistent and preventable public health crisis in Massachusetts. Black women experience SMM at two to three times the rate of White women, disparities driven primarily by structural racism, fragmented perinatal care, and unaddressed social determinants of health rather than individual clinical risk. This systematic review examines the evidence supporting Community Health Worker (CHW) home visiting programs as a targeted intervention to reduce racial disparities in SMM among Black MassHealth enrollees, and evaluates the policy mechanisms necessary to sustain this intervention at scale. For this systematic review, peer-reviewed literature published between 2020 …

Fort Hays State University Tiger Weekly, May 15, 2026, University Relations

Tiger Weekly Newsletters

No abstract provided.

Within These Walls, Nicholas J. Roberts

LSU Master's Theses

I was raised to understand home through labor. In the working-class household I grew up in, in rural Southeastern Pennsylvania, value was earned through work, identity took shape through trade, and rest was often an afterthought. That framework was not chosen. It was inherited. And it has not been easy to see it clearly from the inside.

The Exhibition, Within These Walls, examines that inheritance through printmaking and sculpture, using the material and spatial language of domestic construction as both subject and method. Through fragile paper structures that resemble wood but cannot hold weight, a staircase that cannot be climbed, …

College Of Fine Arts Outreach And Health Promotion For Injury Prevention: A Service Learning Project, Andrea Bejaran-Choto, Emily Horner, Marlene Quirarte, Shaye Robles, Dora Segura, Duc Tu, Trevor Williams

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Introduction: This community-based academic initiative targeted a significant deficiency regarding rehabilitative care and wellness assets for Southern Nevada's fine arts practitioners. Despite possessing trauma frequency rates similar to those of collegiate-level athletes, this demographic lacks sufficient infrastructure for health support. The endeavor sought to bolster the University of Nevada, Las Vegas College of Fine Arts (CFA) and the regional performance art sector utilizing the UNLV College of Fine Arts Physical Therapy Clinic (CFA-PTC).

Description: The initiative focused on three essential objectives: (1) augmenting student consciousness and utilization of therapeutic care at the CFA-PTC, (2) broadening health-related guidance for the artistic …

Fallen Through The Cracks: The Experiences Of Dually-Involved Youth, Kaylee Dawn Faria

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Dually-involved youth (DIY) are a uniquely disadvantaged population, simultaneously involved with both the juvenile justice and child welfare systems. Information regarding the system experiences of DIY and how they compare to their single-system, juvenile justice-only involved (SSY) counterparts is sparse, particularly through a criminal justice lens. Additionally, no research on the within-individual differences between DIY pre- and post-DIY identification is currently available. The present study seeks to bridge current gaps in the literature by (a) establishing a baseline comparison of DIY and SSY in Clark County, Nevada, (b) assessing depth of system penetration differences via case processing outcomes, and (c) …

At The Crossroads Of Traditional And Nuclear Forensics: Decontaminating Radiologically Contaminated Dna Evidence Using Magnetic Beads, Rin Nyx Ruby

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Known for its impressive discriminatory power, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) fingerprinting stands as the “gold standard” of forensic investigation. However, complications arise when such evidence is contaminated with radioactive material. Though biological samples exposed to ionizing radiation can still yield comprehensive DNA profiles, most forensic laboratories lack the facilities which meet the safety and security requirements necessary for handling radioactive material. While nuclear facilities can decontaminate samples prior to forensic analysis, conventional methods for radiological decontamination – such as mechanical cleaning and chemical washes – may degrade the quality of the forensic evidence. The purpose of this study is to evaluate …

Disparities Between Rural And Urban Patients With Epilepsy In Oregon From Time Of Seizure Onset To Genetic Testing And Surgical Treatment, Bahar Madani

University Honors Theses

Drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) is associated with significant morbidity and worsened outcomes when access to specialized epilepsy care is delayed. Rural populations may face additional barriers to neurological evaluation, genetic testing, and epilepsy surgery due to geographic and healthcare access limitations. This retrospective cohort study evaluated disparities in epilepsy care timelines among rural and urban patients treated at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), one of Oregon's two Level 4 epilepsy centers. Electronic health record data were reviewed for 110 patients, including 80 urban and 30 rural patients. Variables included age at seizure onset, age at genetic testing, age at epilepsy …

Realizing Reality — C.S. Lewis And The Hierarchical Model Of Christian Neo-Platonism, Jordan Spina

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Spina, Jordan, H. “Realizing Reality: C.S. Lewis and the Hierarchical Model of Christian Neo-Platonism.” Ph.D. diss., Concordia Seminary, 2025. 253.

In recent years there has been a growing interest in C.S. Lewis’ intellectual relationship to the Medieval cosmological model. Scholars have demonstrated that, for Lewis, the Medieval cosmological model represented more than a scientific picture of earth in relation to other heavenly bodies. Its significance was not dependent upon the number of planets or the order in which they were positioned. Instead, it represented a philosophically robust view of reality

However, what has yet to be demonstrated is the roadmap …

Losing The Body: Tracing Corporeality As A Component Of The Imago Dei Through Early Christian Exegesis, Andrew Kneeland

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Kneeland, Andrew R. “Losing the Body: Tracing Corporeality as a Component of the Imago Dei Through Early Christian Exegesis.” Ph.D. diss., Concordia Seminary, 2025. 252pp.

This dissertation examines the interpretation of imago Dei in Gen. 1:26 across early Christian history, revealing both a robust tradition of corporeal emphasis and a shift toward a spiritual consensus that was driven not by immediate, unanimous consensus but a variety of pastoral and polemical factors. Far from a fleeting, anthropomorphic error, a bodily understanding of the image of God spans diverse provenances and contexts. Organized diachronically and topically, the study begins with textual exegesis …