Digital Commons Network^™

Complexity At The Science-Policy Interface In Ethiopia’S Policy Spaces, Wondemagegnehu W. Sintayehu

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

The mechanics of interaction between science and policy in the context of complex policy spaces has remained a subject of scholarly debate. Recent focus is shifting towards promoting science-policy interfaces as spaces for integration of science into decision making. However, the question of what these spaces are and how they function remains a puzzle. While existing literature agrees on the apparent disruption of communication between knowledge generation and policy; or offers suggestions on factors that facilitate or inhibit communication, it often fails to present a comprehensive understanding on the mechanisms of actual interchange. Besides, research tends to sideline considerations of …

“You’Re On Your Own”: Examining The Wellbeing Of Unaccompanied Refugee Minors Who Have Transitioned Into Adulthood In The United States, Hannah E. Taverna

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

The United States' Unaccompanied Refugee Minor (URM) Program, which has served around 13,000 foreign-born children since the 1980s, aims to incorporate unaccompanied refugee minors (URMs) in need of international protection into the child welfare systems of 15 individual states. Despite the fact that children accepted into the URM program have access to the same benefits as those in state custody, URMs face unique challenges from their non-refugee peers. Limited research exists regarding the wellbeing of URMs who have transitioned out of the URM program and into adulthood. This study aimed to explore the experiences of participants who have transitioned out …

Negotiating Acculturation: A Qualitative Study Of Muslim American Women, Noor N. Tahirkheli

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

The estimated population of Muslims in the United States ranges from 3 to 7 million (Bukhari, 2003; Pew Research Center, 2017; Strumm, 2003), with an estimated 69-75% of Muslim Americans being 1st or 2nd generation immigrants (defined as those born abroad and those with immigrant parents, respectively), hailing from over 80 countries (Bukhari, 2003; Pew Research Center, 2017). Thus, most Muslims are navigating the complex processes of acculturation, which is the adaptation of behavioral, cognitive, and affective aspects of one’s cultural functioning, which result from consistent contact with different cultural contexts and groups (Driscoll & Wierzbicki, 2012). Research has noted …

Improving Breastfeeding Rates In A Rural And Medically Underserved Community, Kaylie D. Waters

Masters Projects

Background: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports national breastfeeding rates that are inconsistent with the recommendation of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life (CDC, 2020). The rate of infants receiving any breastmilk by six months of age in a rural Midwest County is only 16% in contrast to 55% nationally (CDC, 2020; XXXXX, 2021). This discrepancy was addressed by evaluating breastfeeding status in that Midwest community followed by strategies to improve breastfeeding rates.

Methods: A multi-intervention quality improvement project was implemented using the SEIPS framework. The project evaluated the effectiveness of documenting breastfeeding status in …

Resources For Inclusivity In High School U.S. History Classrooms, Lauren A. Read

Masters Projects

Throughout the country at this time, Social Studies curriculum has come under scrutiny, especially in areas that try to promote a diverse/inclusive or multicultural curriculum. These efforts have been met with a large amount of resistance from community members and stakeholders in many school districts. The research however has shown that by having a diverse and inclusive historical curriculum, students from all demographics benefit and have increased levels of empathy towards marginalized groups of students. Within this type of curriculum students are able to analyze and understand a multicultural history, especially when diverse or missing narratives are included that can …

Climate Change And Labor Reallocation: Evidence From Six Decades Of The Indian Census, Maggie Liu, Yogita Shamdasani, Vis Taraz

Environmental Science and Policy: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Maureen Biology: Teaching Environmentalism Through Television, Maureen Kennedy

Senior Honors Projects

Children’s television is proven to be an effective instrument for educational material for young age groups and can be utilized to teach social awareness, traditional educational content, and about worldly issues. Highly successful shows for varying adolescent ages, such as Sesame Street, Reading Rainbow, and Bill Nye the Science Guy, exist for the sole purpose of increasing young viewers’ cognition and knowledge. Differing formats are used to convey educational content, such as narrative and expository structures, depending on the material and target age group. This project will develop the script for a children’s television show in the expository format that …

Outside-In: Exploring Tennis' Most Compelling Stories, Michael Lavalva

Senior Honors Projects

There's a rich ideological history tied to the sport of Tennis, and it's full of profound stories.

This semester-long project features a four episode podcast about the history of tennis. It delves into why the sport is so important in generating intense emotion and real world change; and discusses the culture and ideology behind those who play, cover, and follow it. The stories that are explored in this podcast are told through the lens of the media they were told with — giving the simple storytelling sports podcast a more unique spin.

The podcast takes a simple shape. The first …

Mind Body And Sport- College Student Athletes, Allison Mogauro

Senior Honors Projects

No abstract provided.

U.S. Implementation Of Total Loss Absorbing Capacity And Long Term Debt Standards, Sarabeth Mcclain

Senior Honors Projects

In the fallout of the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, governments were tasked in aiding banks that were bloated by troubled assets and deeply integrated into financial markets, effectively described as “Too Big To Fail.” Moving forward following the crisis, governments were obligated to rebuild a system that would prevent the need for financial industry bailouts at such a massive scale and scope. One specific regulation introduced at the international level posed a set of regulations requiring that banks hold specific amounts of equity and debt instruments earmarked to absorb future financial losses, allowing for either continued function or limited resolution …

Antioxidant Activity And Phytochemical Profile Of Traditional Chinese Medicinal Plant Extracts, Ashley Tai

Senior Honors Projects

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), specifically the extracts of Chinese medicinal plants, has been studied for thousands of years to prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases. Our research group has initiated a program to systemically investigate the phytochemical composition and biological activities of a library of TCM medicinal plants. Herein, extracts of four commonly used TCM plants including broccoli (Brassica oleracea) seeds, horny goat weed (Epimedium brevicomu), houpu magnolia (Magnolia officinalis) bark, and golden root (Rhodiola rosea) were selected for this study. The antioxidant effects of these extracts were evaluated in a biochemical assay …

“Pinkalicious": Outer Membrane Vesicles Isolated From Pseudoalteromonas Rubra Carry Prodigiosin Antibiotics As Cargo, Margaret Hill

Senior Honors Projects

Astrangia poculata, the state coral of Rhode Island, is susceptible to infection by Vibrio coralliilyticus RE22, which is a common marine pathogen affecting various invertebrate species. The settlement of coral larvae prior to the establishment of colonies is mediated by crustose coralline algae (CCA). This process may be induced by CCA-associated protective bacteria that colonize corals in early metamorphosis; furthermore, such bacteria potentially have downstream effects in the susceptibility of corals to pathogens. Strains of Pseudoalteromonas rubra isolated from CCA have been shown to induce larval settlement of tropical corals. We hypothesize that P. rubra induces the settlement of …

War In Iraq, 2003-2011: An Exhibit From The Hagel Archives, Lori Schwartz

Criss Library Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

I’m the Chuck Hagel and Technical Services Archivist at UNO. I manage the Hagel Archives. Hagel was a U.S. senator in 1997-2009 and SecDef in 2013-2015. Lesser known is that he was deputy administrator at the VA in 1981-82.

Topics for which the Hagel Collection has dozens of cubic feet include the War on Terror broadly, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, economic downtown of 2007-2009, and climate change. The abundance of records in these areas is because Hagel was on Foreign Relations, Banking, and Intelligence.

The Influence Of Athletic, Academic, And Demographic Factors On The Persistence Of African American Males In 4-Year Universities, Aaron Donzell Young

Dissertations (2016-Present)

Abstract

Currently, African American male students’ persistence rates in four-year colleges are tremendously low in comparison to students of different ethnicities. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the predictability of selected athletic, demographic, and academic factors on the persistence of African American males attending a four-year university. A correlational research design was used for conducting this study. The data for this study consisted of secondary unidentified archival data for African American male students enrolled at a historically black university in the Southwest section of the United States. The athletic, academic, and demographic factors were all found to …

The Optimization Of Microtransit In Houston Suburban Outer Ring Ii Transit Deserts., Jamaal Schoby

Dissertations (2016-Present)

During the past decade, urban cities have been inundated with a plethora of on-demand smartphone enabled transportation services including ridesoucring, ridesplitting, and most recently microtransit. At the same time, local governments are accentuating the gentrification of blighted central city neighborhoods. While the revitalization is causing an increase in the tax base and property values, the adverse impacts are resulting in rising housing cost and the displacement of socio-economic disadvantaged African Americans. A mounting body of research is finding this demographic group migrating outward to suburban low-density spatially fragmented areas for affordable housing. However, transit coverage and supply are minimal to …

A School To Probation Pipeline: Examining The Perceptions Of Juvenile Justice Personnel With Youth In Harris County, Gloria Okere

Dissertations (2016-Present)

The school-to-prison pipeline represents a perspective in the administration of justice, where youths in an educational environment are funneled out of the public school system into the correctional institutions. There is a dearth of knowledge in the literature regarding the net-widening effects on youths brought into the juvenile and the criminal justice system that otherwise would have remained in their educational institutions without the criminal justice intervention. The expansion of the justice system's reach to the youths has become so prevalent, raising concerns that research has yet to illustrate what happens before a youth goes from school disciplinary measures and …

The Influences Of Role Stress And School-Related Factors On The General Perceived Self-Efficacy Of Elementary School Counselors, Alicia Mckinzy

Dissertations (2016-Present)

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between role stress, school related factors, and the general perceived self-efficacy of elementary school counselors. Specifically, this study was concerned with the predictability of role stress factors (role ambiguity and role conflict) and school related factors (school classification and counselor-to-student ratio) on the general perceived self-efficacy of elementary school counselors ability to effectively implement a rigorous comprehensive counseling program. The participants of this study included 90 elementary school counselors currently servicing students in grades Kindergarten – Fifth grade at public-schools within the Houston Metropolitan area and surrounding cities. A non-experimental …

The Predictability Of Selected Demographic, Academic And Family Related Factors On The Persistence Rate Among First -Year College Students, Ashley Nicole Martin

Dissertations (2016-Present)

This study examined the relationship between selected demographic, academic and family related factors on the persistence rate among college students attending an urban university in the southern region of the United States. Although there is no conclusive explanation for what affects persistence of first-year students nationally; increasing

student persistence is viewed as one of the most important issues for most colleges and universities. American College Testing (2002) reports that persistence is greatly influenced by the type of institution; if the institution is more selective, its persistence rates are also higher. Archival data on the target institution from higher education's data …

A Perception Of International Graduate Students On The Academic Advising Support In Hbcus, Juan Li

Dissertations (2016-Present)

International graduate students in Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are a particular population that needs special academic advising support. This study sought to identify international graduate students’ expectations of and satisfaction with the academic advising support at HBCUs in the Southern states of the United States. A quantitative research design was selected, and Smith and Allen’s Inventory of Academic Advising Function (Student Version) was employed as the instrument to measure students’ perceptions of the 12 academic advising functions during the Fall 2022 semester. Results indicated that students were overall satisfied with their academic advising support in HBCUs. However, they …

Teachers Perception Of Leadership Styles, Institutional Factors And Principal Demographics Related To Teacher Attrition On Suburban Middle School Campuses, Quentin K. Land

Dissertations (2016-Present)

The shortage of teachers in the country is staggering (Shuls & Flores, 2020). According to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2022), teacher shortages widen the equity gap in education; therefore, it is essential to assess and monitor

teacher attrition. This study added to the body of knowledge relating to teacher attrition by exploring the predictive relationship between attrition and instructional factors, principal demographics, and leadership styles as perceived by teachers. The study focused on suburban middle school teachers and their perception of attrition which was the dependent variable. The three independent variable sets were: principal leadership styles (transactional, transformational, Laissez-faire, and …

The Impact Of Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports On Students With Disabilities, Anthony Christopher Jones

Dissertations (2016-Present)

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of positive behavior interventions and supports for students with disabilities on school campuses compared to campuses that do not utilize PBIS. Specifically, the researcher sought to determine if campuses implementing PBIS impact students with disabilities academic performance on STAAR Reading, ENG I, ENG II EOC, attendance rates, and discipline outcomes compared to campuses that do not utilize PBIS. A causal-comparative research design was used in this investigation in an attempt to identify a cause-effect relationship between two groups. Data was provided by the urban school district to the researcher and …

Alleviating Irinotecan-Induced Diarrhea Using Locally Bioavailable Naturally Occurring Flavonoids, Imoh Etim

Dissertations (2016-Present)

Chemotherapy-induced diarrhea is a frequent side effect that occurs with several chemotherapeutic agents. However, it is an understudied area in the management of cancer. This concern is significant with irinotecan, a camptothecin derivative. Irinotecan hydrochloride (CPT-11) is a prodrug that is hydrolyzed to SN-38, a potent topoisomerase 1 inhibitor used as the first-line agent for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer. However, there is a concern regarding gastrointestinal toxicity, especially diarrhea. Many patients have reported experiencing diarrhea, and severe diarrhea episodes (grades 3 and 4) have been recorded in about 40 % of patients (J. J. Lee & Sun, 2016). …

Impact Of Physical Activity Levels On College Student Depression, Anxiety, And Stress, Sophia R. Sullivan Almquist

Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)

A moderate to high prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress have been found in undergraduate students. Physical activity has been shown to decrease anxiety, depression, and stress. Examining the impacts of physical activity on the mental health of college students might show to be beneficial. PURPOSE: To assess if self-reported physical activity levels impact depression, anxiety, and stress levels in college students. METHODS: A total of 92 college students from private institutions in central Minnesota completed an online survey. The survey collected demographics including age, gender, height, weight, and year in school. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was used …

Tert Promotor Status Does Not Add Prognostic Information In Idh-Wildtype Glioblastomas Fulfilling Other Diagnostic Who Criteria: A Report Of The Rano Resect Group, Antonio Dono, Ali M Moosvi, Puneetha S Goli, Allison C Bellman, Phyu P Aung, Yoshua Esquenazi, Leomar Y Ballester

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Genomic alterations are critical for the diagnosis, prognostication, and treatment of patients with infiltrating gliomas. Telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter ( TERT p) mutations are among such crucial alterations. Although DNA sequencing is the preferred method for identifying TERT p mutations, it has limitations related to cost and accessibility. We tested telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) immunohistochemistry (IHC) as a surrogate for TERT p mutations in infiltrating gliomas. Thirty-one infiltrating gliomas were assessed by IHC using an anti-TERT Y182 antibody. IHC results were analyzed by a board-certified neuropathologist. Tumors were analyzed by targeted next-generation sequencing. A literature review of the use of …

The Impact Of Local Broadband Access On High School Graduation Rates, Eugen Brazdil

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The United States government has been funding infrastructure expansions and upgrades to bring Internet access to schools and households. While this broadband funding has increased access and adoption, it is unclear how improvements in Internet access affect student performance because Internet access has both productivity and distraction effects. The Internet provides students with access to vast amounts of educational content, instructional videos and other valuable resources that increase productivity. It also provides students access to social media, video games and other forms of entertainment that distract students and reduce student performance. While the literature shows that advances in technology (computers) …

Noninvasive Genomic Profiling Of Somatic Mutations In Oral Cavity Cancers, Yuanxin Xi, Marcelo V Negrao, Keiko Akagi, Weihong Xiao, Bo Jiang, Sarah C Warner, Joe Dan Dunn, Jing Wang, David E Symer, Maura L Gillison

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVES: Somatic mutations may predict prognosis, therapeutic response, or cancer progression. We evaluated targeted sequencing of oral rinse samples (ORS) for non-invasive mutational profiling of oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A custom hybrid capture panel targeting 42 frequently mutated genes in OSCC was used to identify DNA sequence variants in matched ORS and fresh-frozen tumors from 120 newly-diagnosed patients. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves determined the optimal variant allele fraction (VAF) cutoff for variant discrimination in ORS. Behavioral, clinical, and analytical factors were evaluated for impacts on assay performance.

RESULTS: Half of tumors involved oral tongue (50 …

One Immune System Plays Many Parts: The Dynamic Role Of The Immune System In Chronic Pain And Opioid Pharmacology, Sanam Mustafa, Juliana E Bajic, Benjamin Barry, Samuel Evans, Kariel R Siemens, Mark R Hutchinson, Peter M Grace

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The transition from acute to chronic pain is an ongoing major problem for individuals, society and healthcare systems around the world. It is clear chronic pain is a complex multidimensional biological challenge plagued with difficulties in pain management, specifically opioid use. In recent years the role of the immune system in chronic pain and opioid pharmacology has come to the forefront. As a highly dynamic and versatile network of cells, tissues and organs, the immune system is perfectly positioned at the microscale level to alter nociception and drive structural adaptations that underpin chronic pain and opioid use. In this review, …

Impact Of Covid-19 On Homebound Adults Receiving Home-Based Primary Care., Emily J Styslinger, Mary E Kollmer Horton, Jason Burnett, Jessica L Lee

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Age-Related Changes In Left Ventricular Vortex And Energy Loss Patterns: From Newborns To Adults, Kristian C Becker, Jennifer Cohen, Jon D Nyce, Jen Lie Yau, Santosh C Uppu, Partho P Sengupta, Shubhika Srivastava

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Left ventricular vortex formation optimizes the effective transport of blood volume while minimizing energy loss (EL). Vector flow mapping (VFM)-derived EL patterns have not been described in children, especially in those less than 1 yr of age. A prospective cohort of 66 (0 days-22 yr, 14 patients ≤ 2 mo) cardiovascularly normal children was used to determine left ventricular (LV) vortex number, size (mm2), strength (m2/s), and energy loss (mW/m/m2) in systole and diastole and compared across age groups. One early diastolic (ED) vortex at the anterior mitral leaflet and one late diastolic (LD) vortex at the LV outflow tract …

Careers In Telestroke: Toward A Virtual And Tangible Purpose, Amanda L Jagolino-Cole, Alicia M Zha, Navdeep Sangha, Shlee S Song, Jennifer J Majersik

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.