Digital Commons Network^™

Contemporary Blackface Theatre: Exploring Split Second From An Authentic Black Lens To Combat White Stereotypes., Lamar Alonzo Hardy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This MFA thesis defines Contemporary Blackface Theatre as exemplified in Dennis McIntyre’s Split Second, which was produced in Fall 2021 by the Department of Theatre Arts at the University of Louisville. Cast as Val Johnson, I aimed to find the truth within a Black character created from the white playwright’s limited perspective. In addition to an analysis of Split Second, my study of Contemporary Blackface Theatre examines the racist ideologies from F.M. Alexander’s point of view on black people and how I create truthfulness in my own black body. I detail how I used the Black Acting Methods: …

Black Women Burdening: The Process Of "Unburdening" Realism In Dennis Mcintyre's Split Second., Brandi L. Threatt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Black women who dramatize reality can experience a transference of burdens if realistic plays reflect their lived experiences. Burdens affect truthful character development and impact the mental, emotional, physical, social and spiritual well-being of Black actresses. This thesis will use the Fall 2021 University of Louisville production of Dennis McIntyre’s Split Second as a case study. Gender and Race studies along with an auto-ethnographic research approach will be used to examine how my portrayal of Alea in Split Second contributed to Black Woman Burdening, a phrase I created to examine how Black fatigue can negatively and specifically affect Black women …

It's All Fun And—: A Rhetorical Analysis Of Space In The Pandemic., Erica Von Proctor Lewis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This exhibition and document explore spatial rhetoric during the pandemic, utilizing materiality and relational aesthetics to reflect on the different ways in which the public and private are made distinct from one another. In doing so, Lewis addresses new cultural navigations of shared spaces, both digital and corporeal, public and private. In addition, the artist also examines the faulty social and institutional systems that the pandemic brought to light, such as socioeconomic dynamics and voter suppression, while utilizing Kenneth Burke’s concept of the terministic screen. Games are a central theme throughout the exhibition, as they are often coded as “home” …

Forecasting Hypotension By Learning From Multivariate Mixed Responses.., Jodie Ritter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Blood Pressure is the main determinant of blood flow to organs. Hypotension is defined as a systolic blood pressure less than 90 mmHg or a diastolic blood pressure less than 50 mmHg. The severity and duration of hypotension is associated with low blood flow to organs often result in organ damage and a high mortality rate. Predicting hypotension prior to surgery and during the surgery can reduce the incidence and duration resulting in better patient outcomes. This thesis uses preoperative bloodwork and vital signs as well as perioperative vital signs in 5-minute increments as inputs to forecast hypotension. Hypotension can …

The Last Straw For Mixed Ensemble And Electronis., Nicholas Hall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Last Straw was composed for mixed ensemble and electronics. The main idea behind this piece is twofold: a) the treatment of the pitches, articulations, and dynamics shared between instruments and how they propagate out of phase closely resembles what I would have programed on various standalone synthesizer, and b) the processing itself is treated how I would manipulate various parameters on said synthesizers to achieve different sonic modulations. All instruments are amplified through a 4.1 sound system (4 loudspeakers and subwoofer) which is setup in a circle (see the performance layout page viii). Through processing via Max/MSP, the sound …

Dental Morphology In A Juvenile Mammal From The Late Cretaceous Of South America: Tooth Eruption And Development., Kayla E Newton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Meridiolestids are a diverse and distinct clade of Cretaceous–Miocene South American dryolestoid mammals ranging in size from small shrew-sized insectivores to large dog- sized omnivores. Cronopio dentiacutus from the Cenomanian La Buitrera locality, Rio Negro Province, Argentina (Candeleros Fm.) is the oldest and best known of them, represented by skull material and associated jaws. A juvenile skull as attributed to Cronopio dentiacutus, based on tooth size and morphology, was collected from the type locality. The specimen includes the skull and both articulated lower jaws. The fossil is poorly ossified and partially flattened; CT scanning reveals most of the dentition …

The Current State Of Diagnostic Error Education In Us Medical Schools, Dakota Hall, Brett R. Todd, Sandra Lablance

Conference Presentation Abstracts

Background: Diagnostic error has been identified by the Institute of Medicine as a major cause of patient harm. Despite this recent focus on the importance of diagnostic error, little is known about how medical schools are educating future physicians on diagnostic error, specifically if diagnostic error is taught, when in the curriculum it is taught, and the format for teaching. We aimed to investigate the current state of education on diagnostic error in US medical schools. Methods: We conducted an anonymous survey of deans of medical education at US MD and DO medical schools utilizing Qualtrics. The study was distributed …

The Interaction Between Serotonin Transporter Allelic Variation And Maternal Care Modulates Instagram Sociability In A Sample Of Singaporean Users, Andrea Bonassi, Ilaria Cataldo, Giulio Gabrieli, Moses Tandiono, Jia Nee Foo, Bruno Lepri, Gianluca Esposito

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Human social interactions ensure recognition and approval from others, both in offline and online environments. This study applies a model from behavioral genetics on Instagram sociability to explore the impact of individual development on behavior on social networks. We hypothesize that sociable attitudes on Instagram resulted from an interaction between serotonin transporter gene alleles and the individual’s social relationship with caregivers. We assess the environmental and genetic components of 57 Instagram users. The self-report questionnaire Parental Bonding Instrument is adopted to determine the quality of parental bonding. The number of posts, followed users (“followings”), and followers are collected from Instagram …

Enantiomer-Selective Characterization Of The Adsorption, Dissipation, And Phytotoxicity Of The Plant Monoterpene Pulegone In Soils, Jose Antonio Galán-Pérez, Beatriz Gámiz, Ivana Pavlovic, Rafael Celis

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Plant monoterpenes have received attention for their ecological functions and as potential surrogates for synthetic herbicides, but very little is known about the processes that govern their behavior in the soil environment, and even less about the possible enantioselectivity in the functions and environmental behavior of chiral monoterpenes. We characterized the adsorption and dissipation of the two enantiomers of the chiral monoterpene pulegone in different soils, and their phytotoxicity to different plant species through Petri dish and soil bioassays. R-and S-pulegone displayed a low-to-moderate non-enantioselective adsorption on the soils that involved weak interaction mechanisms. Soil incubation experiments indicated that, once …

Teaching And Learning Chinese Characters In The Chinese As A Foreign Language Classroom, Wanru Xue

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This portfolio covers the author’s perspectives in the field of Chinese as a foreign language when she was in the Master of Second Language Teaching program at Utah State University. The portfolio has three main sections. The first section includes the author’s teaching philosophy statement, rooted in her second language learning and teaching experience, and a reflection on classroom teaching observations. The second section contains two research perspectives on teaching and learning Chinese as a second language. The final section consists of an annotated bibliography on the topic of collaborative writing in a second-language context.

Student Centered Language Teaching: A Focus On Student Identity, Rachel Mano

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This portfolio is a compilation of essays that describe what the writer has come to see as essential topics in second language acquisition. It begins with a professional environment piece, and then a teaching philosophy statement focused on student identity and interaction in the classroom. This is followed by an essay on observations of teaching. The next two sections focus on pragmatic resistance among advanced learners and the importance of preparing learners for peer interaction. The portfolio concludes with an annotated bibliography outlining the main concepts associated with Communicative Language Teaching, a method that is commonly employed in second language …

Teaching Japanese As A Foreign Language With A Cultural Context, Naomi Fujii

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This portfolio is a compilation of the author's work during her studies in the Master of Second Language Teaching program at Utah State University. It also includes the author's reflections on her language teaching experience as a graduate instructor. This portfolio is organized into three primary sections. The first section includes the author’s teaching perspectives which include professional environment, teaching philosophy statement, and professional development through teaching observations. The second section consists of two research papers, one on refusal strategies in Japanese, the other on the use of CALL for the development of oral proficiency. The third section contains an …

Building A Positive Teacher And Student Identity In The Chinese Dli Context, Lila Jensen

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This portfolio contains a selection of the author’s research interests and learning achievements while in the Master Second Language Teaching (MSLT) program at Utah State University (USU). It represents the author’s investigation, observation, and reflection as an MSLT student and as a Chinese teacher and coordinator for the Chinese Dual Language Immersion (DLI) program in Utah.

The first section of the portfolio contains the author’s teaching perspectives including professional environment, teaching philosophy statement, and professional development through teaching observations. These perspectives represent her professional growth over the years in the field of Chinese teaching in the DLI setting. The second …

Oaths And Evasion: Variable Honesty In Tax Evasion Games, Logan Krebs

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Previous research has indicated that an ex-ante pledge of honesty reduces the likelihood that participants will lie during a lab experiment. We show that a bandwagon effect, occurring when participants know that others are acting dishonestly, can erode the positive effects of honesty oaths. Taxpayers do not make their reporting decisions in a vacuum. They have access to information concerning how others in the community are behaving and develop perceptions around this information. We add these realistic features to a tax evasion game involving an ex-ante honesty oath. Results indicate that social context can reduce the positive effects of honesty …

Analyzing Suicidal Text Using Natural Language Processing, Cassandra Barton

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Using Natural Language Processing (NLP), we are able to analyze text from suicidal individuals. This can be done using a variety of methods. I analyzed a dataset of a girl named Victoria that died by suicide. I used a machine learning method to train a different dataset and tested it on her diary entries to classify her text into two categories: suicidal vs non-suicidal. I used topic modeling to find out unique topics in each subset. I also found a pattern in her diary entries. NLP allows us to help individuals that are suicidal and their family members and close …

Paranormal Investigators: Exploring A Positive Social Construct Through Paranormal Belief And Investigations, Meagan E. Oltman

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This thesis is a case study providing a more detailed look into how a local paranormal investigation team forms a community that cultivates social benefits beyond proving the supernatural’s existence. Folklore provides a path to understanding supernatural beliefs and fears, furthering the understanding of paranormal communities and any advantages of being a part of or receiving help from paranormal investigators and investigations. The paranormal or the supernatural defies standard explanation. For example, ghosts and UFOs, at times, are not explained away with traditional scientific theories and hypotheses. Paranormal investigators, also called paranormal researchers, choose to study the paranormal phenomena considered …

Pragmatics In Game Activities, Humor, And Technology In Second Language Learning, Zachary Brandon Brown

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This portfolio compiles work the author explored and developed during the Master of Second Language Teaching (MSLT) program at Utah State University (USU). It encompasses a range of experiences from teaching abroad and at USU, insights from the observation of other classrooms, and reflections from studies in the MSLT program.

Three distinct sections comprise the portfolio: teaching perspectives, research perspectives, and an annotated bibliography. The teaching perspectives detail beliefs regarding games, computer technology, humor, and pragmatics and how they influence second language learning based on the author’s personal experiences. The research perspectives and annotated bibliography elaborate further on those topics …

Comparative Effects Of Eccentric Overload Training On Muscle Function Measures When Combined With Aquatic Plyometric Training, Cassidy Weeks

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Although there is a growing body of knowledge on eccentric resistance training and aquatic plyometric training on muscle function measures alone, no research to date has investigated the effects of a mixed training model. Aquatic plyometrics and overload eccentric training are two different training models which could work synergistically because the shortcomings of one model are the virtues of the other (i.e., plyometrics are not as effective at producing large muscle size and strength gains and eccentric-only training largely lacks the functional SSC component). The purpose of this study was to examine and compare the effects of a combined eccentric …

Sweet Nothing, Austin Riddle

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

These pots were made as companions for you and your home. A vase for your table, full of freshly picked flowers as you and your partner eat breakfast and plan your day's activities. Large platters and compartment trays to present home-cooked meals with friends on a warm summer evening. Whiskey sippers that nestle in warm hands, topped off as needed from a half-empty bottle of Jack Daniels.

As a maker, I play these moments on repeat in my mind. As a designer, these scenarios direct the formal elements I develop for each piece. Pushing out an exaggerated belly on a …

The Modern Meditation: The Effect Of Video Games And Yoga On Mindfulness Scores, Brian Ray

University Honors Program Senior Projects

This study was designed to explore the positive effects of casual video games, by comparing the mindfulness and mood scores among a) active yoga participants, b) passive yoga watchers, c) active video game players, and d) passive video game watchers. Participants were all undergraduate students recruited through Northeastern Illinois University’s participant pool. Participants began the study by being assigned to one of the four conditions. Following their interaction, participants answered an adapted mood inventory questionnaire, a Player Experience Inventory (PXI), and an Engagement Questionnaire (EQ). Demographics were also collected. It was hypothesized that the active video game condition will have …

Impact Of The Attractiveness Bias On Acceptance Of Interracial Relationships, Jackelyn Castaneda

University Honors Program Senior Projects

Even though interracial marriage became legal in 1967 changes have been slow (Field, Kimuna, & Straus, 2013): e.g., Interracial marriages have increased from roughly .7% in 1970 to about 3.9% in 2008 (U.S. Census Bureau). However, Americans have slowly become more accepting, and according to the U.S census (2010), there are over 5.3 million interracial couples in the United States. There are many factors that could have influenced this change, one of them may reside in a well-studied phenomenon that is our tendency to perceive those who are attractive as “good” (Lemay Jr., Clark, & Greenberg, 2010); that is, the …

The Indications And Potential Complications Of Supplementing With Fat-Soluble Vitamins, Krista Thielges

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Papers

There is a seemingly infinite list of available formations of over-the-counter supplements, including vitamins. According to Grand View Research, the nutritional supplement industry has grown in popularity in recent years, increasing its worth to an estimated 140 billion dollars in 2020 globally, with vitamins accounting for 31.4% of the revenue. An estimated half of Americans take a daily vitamin or supplement. With the increasing number of people supplementing, the incidence of disease should be trending down. This literature review focuses on fat-soluble vitamins, vitamin A, D, E, and K. Supplementation of these vitamins proposes the prevention of chronic diseases such …

Epigenetics As Primary Prevention Of Coronary Artery Disease, David Majewski

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Papers

This systematic literature review intended to ascertain if epigenetic testing for the primary prevention of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) decreases mortality compared to the current standard of care. This systemic review used PubMed and Cochrane medical databases to assess epigenetic variances and their association with CAD. The Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms used were as follows: CAD, genetics, epigenomics, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, dyslipidemia, primary prevention, and standard of care. Further limiting the search results to Randomized Control Trials (RCT’s), meta-analysis, peer-reviewed, and published within the last 10 years. Exclusion criteria included publications before 2011, articles that did not compare genetic …

Comparing Clozapine And Electroconvulsive Therapy In Refractory Schizophrenia, Anthony Alan Beaty

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Papers

Schizophrenia is a complicated problem that millions of Americans struggle with and unfortunately, about 50 percent of schizophrenics become resistant to medication. It is common practice to try multiple drugs to combat this resistance and many patients are placed on clozapine or given electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) as a last resort. Research has shown that many are not receiving the benefits of these treatments due to adverse effects, negative public opinion, and difficulty executing high quality research studies particularly when it comes to ECT. As a result, a significant number of patients that would benefit from these interventions are suffering with …

Best Second Oral Agent To Metformin To Manage Type 2 Diabetes, Dhana Acharya

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Papers

Diabetes is a major health concern in the United States with many long-term complications, such as heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, blindness, and amputation. According to the Center for Disease Control, as of 2020, 34.1 million of US adult had diabetes and 88 million were prediabetic. Due to the severe complications, it is important to manage diabetes with lifestyle changes and pharmacotherapies. Many oral agents such as metformin, sodium glucose transporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i), and sulfonylureas are used in the management of type II diabetes. Metformin is typically the first line pharmacotherapy. However, when metformin alone is not enough to …

Shore-To-Ship Drones: Relevance And Applicability Of Maritime Navigation Rules, Ali Movaghar, Jason Chuah

Journal of Maritime Law and Commerce

No abstract provided.

A Qualitative Review Of The Relationship Between Safety Management Systems (Sms) And Safety Culture In Multiple-Collegiate Aviation Programs, Anthony Robert Foster, Daniel Kwasi Adjekum

Aviation Faculty Publications

Safety Management Systems (SMS) implementation is currently a voluntary pursuit for collegiate aviation programs. Some programs have implemented SMS and others are beginning to consider it. An understanding of the impact of SMS on safety culture at institutions actively implementing SMS and the potential challenges posed can be useful to the entire collegiate aviation community. The safety culture perceptions across three collegiate aviation programs with varying levels and types of SMS implementation were explored through semi-structured interviews of students, certified flight instructors (CFI), and safety leaders. Emergent codes and subsequent themes derived from the semi-structured interviews suggest an apparent knowledge …

Reinventing Our Understanding Of The Left-Right Political Dichotomy: The Case Of Argentina, Sol Halle

International and Global Studies Undergraduate Honors Theses

What happens to a country’s political culture once populism takes root? Have Global North-centered methods of evaluation miscategorized Global South political party identification both historically and contemporaneously? As the world grapples with the continued rise of populism and its divisive rhetoric, scholars must thoroughly examine the movement’s spheres of influence beyond traditionally accepted frameworks. Understanding populist parties is vital, for they oftentimes create staggering disruptions within a nation’s political culture. These disturbances become starkly apparent in times of crises as challenges plunge everyday citizens deeper into the political sphere. The case of Argentina allows for an examination of the ways …

The Work Of La Via Campesina Regarding The Intersection Of Land Occupation And Food Sovereignty, Josephine Drydale

International and Global Studies Undergraduate Honors Theses

La Via Campesina (LVC), a global movement that supports small and local farmers and their communities, is one of the world’s largest food and agricultural rights movements and advocates for agricultural rights in terms of land, ecology, human rights, and more. LVC is known for its establishment of food sovereignty, defined as the right to control one’s production and consumption of food. This new concept placed them on the map, accompanied by their aggressive editorial and advocacy work against ideals they view as neoliberal and food policies that benefit large food moguls while disenfranchising the small farmer. The concept of …

The Last Leg: A Social Sustainability Assessment Of Ovine Agriculture, Sydney Golding

International and Global Studies Undergraduate Honors Theses

Post-war agricultural transformations and the rise of Sustainability discourses have dictated the trajectory of sector industries. The implications of agriculture in lateral policy schemes have neglected the careful consideration of the social health of farmers in decision-making processes, creating a greater divide between the interests of the state and our once revered providers. This study aims to capture the complexity of social matters in agriculture within the specific context of sheep farming in the United Kingdom and the United States and how the concurrent systems have adapted considering the impacts of relevant contemporary historical contexts. The principles of Janker, Mann, …