University of Southern Mississippi
Aquila Digital Community (University of Southern Mississippi, USM)Not a member yet
11361 research outputs found
Sort by
Rivers to the Deep Sea – Thoughts on my Career and Profession
No full textAbstract: In this essay I review my 45+ year career and some of the significant changes I have observed. This journey involved research in rivers and streams, estuaries, coastal systems (including the continental shelf), and the deep sea to a depth of about 4,000 m. After completing undergraduate (BS, Duke University) and graduate (MA, University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill and PhD, NC State University) degrees in zoology, I found jobs as a Fishery Biologist (NC Division of Marine Fisheries), a program Research Coordinator (NC National Estuarine Research Reserve), and a Research Professor (University of NC – Wilmington). Between 1971 and 2023 I participated in 49 offshore research cruises using 19 different research ships, eight submersibles, six ROVs, and a diverse array of gear. The first cruise I led as Chief Scientist was in 1980, and since then I have led 32 other cruises. Between cruises my lab and colleagues analyzed, presented and published data, participated in meetings in a variety of capacities, advised graduate students, and conducted research in inshore ecosystems not requiring ships. Some of this work contributed to long term monitoring programs and large scale marine protected areas. I review some of the changes I have observed in both technological and sociological arenas during my career
Revolutionizing Higher Education: A Literature-Driven Exploration of AI-Based Student-centered Learning System
No full textArtificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly advancing, driving improvements in performance and productivity across various sectors, including higher education (HE). Recently, AI has played a transformative role in enhancing student-centered education. However, recent studies indicate a lack of comprehensive understanding of AI-based student-centered education in HE and the key educational tools that underpin this system. This study systematically reviews the current literature from three highly reputable databases—ScienceDirect, IEEE Xplore, and EBSCOhost—based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The key articles are derived and aligned with the predefined main educational tasks to derive key AI-based student-centered education tools. Accordingly, the holistic AI-based student-centered education system in HE is introduced, highlighting its impact. This finding aims to guide HE stakeholders in adopting the AI-based student-centered system and its tools to support and improve the student-centered education system
Smoking and Oral Health in the Tipu Maya: A Study of Nicotine in Dental Calculus
No full textTobacco smoking was a deeply rooted tradition in Maya society, often associated with ritual and daily life, and may have contributed to patterns of dental health. However, despite its cultural significance, direct biological evidence of tobacco use in ancient populations is rare. This study addresses that gap by analyzing nicotine residues preserved in dental calculus from the Tipu Maya, offering new insight into both cultural practices and potential health impacts.
Mass spectrometry identified molecular peaks corresponding to nicotine and its degradation products within the calculus samples. Analysis revealed that over two-thirds of the individuals tested positive for nicotine, supporting the idea that tobacco use was a routine part of life at Tipu. Interestingly, nicotine was detected in nearly equal levels in both males and females, challenging the assumption that tobacco use would be more common among men due to their greater involvement in religious rituals. The study also explored whether nicotine exposure correlated with poorer oral health. Individuals with nicotine-positive calculus exhibited slightly higher rates of caries, periodontitis, and ante-mortem tooth loss (AMTL), although none of these associations reached statistical significance. However, the mean Index of Oro-dental Disease (IOD) score was essentially the same between those with and without nicotine in their calculus.
These findings offer biological evidence of the ability to detect nicotine—and by extension, tobacco use—in human remains. Moreover, this study is among the first to compare nicotine detection directly with markers of dental disease, providing new insights into the potential health impacts of tobacco use in past populations. They also demonstrate widespread tobacco use in the Tipu Maya and suggest that smoking may have played a role in oral health outcomes, adding a new dimension to our understanding of both ancient Maya culture and health
Neural RRP6 Depletion Drives circRNA Accumulation and Motor Impairment in Drosophila melanogaster Neurons
No full textCircular RNAs (circRNAs) are a class of ubiquitous eukaryotic RNAs created by back splicing. These noncoding RNAs can modulate gene expression and are implicated in aging and neurodegenerative diseases. To limit the contribution of circRNAs to aging and pathobiology, it is essential to understand how turnover of these molecules is regulated, as it is not clear which enzymes are chiefly responsible for degrading circRNAs in neurons. This study evaluates the roles of ribonucleases potentially involved in neural circRNA turnover using the model fly Drosophila melanogaster. A mifepristone-activated GAL4/UAS GeneSwitch expressed RNAi transgenes and inactivated the ribonucleases. Flies were evaluated on overall neural circRNA accumulation with RT-qPCR, biological fitness with climbing and lifespan assays, and neurodegenerative changes in brain morphology via immunofluorescence. Of the candidate enzymes that were assayed, the nuclear exoribonuclease RRP6 was affirmed to have the largest role in the regulation of circRNA levels in neurons. When this enzyme was depleted, the expression of genes linked to circRNA biogenesis was heavily upregulated, adult flies showed diminished motor activity, but no major morphological changes were observed. These results exhibited by this sublethal phenotype build on prior exosome studies by confirming RRP6\u27s neural role in flies
Life History and Distribution of Two Species of Cownose Ray, Rhinoptera bonasus and Rhinoptera brasiliensis, in Mississippi Coastal Waters
No full textHistorically, the American Cownose Ray (Rhinoptera bonasus) was considered the only rhinopterid residing in the northern Gulf of Mexico (GOM); however, recent studies have confirmed the presence of the Brazilian Cownose Ray (Rhinoptera brasiliensis) throughout this region. The current study investigated the life history and distribution of both species within Mississippi waters, an area that previously represented a data gap for both species. From April 2016 – July 2025, 193 R. bonasus and 94 R. brasiliensis were analyzed to describe the reproductive biology. Reproductive timing, mating, gestation length, and parturition were similar among species. Although more samples are needed to confirm, we provide evidence of a larger size-at-maturity and size-at-birth for R. brasiliensis. Age and growth estimates were determined from 106 R. bonasus and 68 R. brasiliensis. Ages ranged from 0+ to 10+ years for R. bonasus and 0+ to 12+ years for R. brasiliensis. Rhinoptera brasiliensis showed evidence of maturing at a later age, reaching a larger size, a higher theoretical age, and growing faster than R. bonasus. Lastly, drivers of distribution were investigated between March 2010 – July 2025. Salinity and depth were the main predictors of occurrence for both species; however, increased salinity was negatively associated with R. bonasus and positively associated with R. brasiliensis within a certain threshold. The current study provides updated life history estimates for R. bonasus and initial estimates for R. brasiliensis within the northern GOM. Additionally, this study provides the first investigation of drivers of co-occurrence of both species within Mississippi coastal waters
The Wretched State of My Nerves: Hysteria and Sympathy in Wilkie Collins\u27s The Woman in White
No full textThis thesis explores the sympathy shown to disabled characters in Wilkie Collins’s 1860 novel The Woman in White with an emphasis on hysteria. Using disability studies framework and historical context of hysteria in the Victorian era provides a nuanced reading of the novel which subverts gendered stereotypes relating to hysteria and supports a reading of Mr. Fairlie, the only male disabled character, as a hysteric. Close reading passages of the text reveal that the sympathy shown to the disabled female characters is not given to Mr. Fairlie because of his appearance and actions: he is described as having feminine features and he often proclaims his suffering, which does not conform to conventions of traditional masculinity. The dismissal of Mr. Fairlie’s symptoms is akin to the dismissal of the symptoms of a hysterical woman, while the disabled women of the novel are believed and treated with kindness rather than skepticism. Reading Mr. Fairlie as a man with hysteria complicates his role in the novel and raises questions about which disabilities are worthy of sympathy
Mississippi Dugout Canoes: An Ethnohistorical and Archaeological Analysis From 1538-1900s
No full textWatercraft remains an overlooked aspect of Southeastern historical and archaeological scholarship. A more complete understanding has the potential to illuminate aspects of the human social process in anthropology and a more accurate construction of historical events. Recent Developments in Southeastern Archaeology, published in 2012, mentions the importance of the connections that water travel facilitated, but the work does not mention any serious investigation. While history has investigated the role native trails played in the development of the region, and while Andrew Lippmann has illustrated the agency that boat skills and watercraft gave Natives in the coastal North American region during the contact period, Native watercraft in the South remains an under-researched aspect.
The Great Lakes Region has a well-documented trend of increased size and frequency of birchbark canoes after French contact in response to market pressures. Frenchmen depended on native birchbark canoes to the extent that Natives began building canoes to supply the market for this demand. This thesis investigated southeastern ethnohistoric accounts and the archeological canoe repository in the state of Mississippi to see if this same trend characterized the dugouts of the Southeast. My results suggest that, in addition to incorporating a range of European forms and attributes, dugout canoes increased in width and reduced in depth but did not increase in length or volume. This work also updates the Mississippi dugout compendium for the first time since 1986. This thesis demonstrates morphological changes to dugouts in Mississippi that may be reflected in other Southeastern dugout archaeological repositories
Personality and Perceived Police Legitimacy
No full textPolice legitimacy refers to one’s trust in the police to be fair and make just decisions in their interactions with the public. Individuals’ perceptions of police legitimacy play a crucial role in predicting how they interact with police. More positive perceptions are associated with cooperative behaviors; less favorable views are associated with resisting behaviors. Few studies have examined the relationship of broad personality traits with perceptions of police legitimacy. The current study examined the HEXACO model of personality and right-wing authoritarianism as predictors of perceived police legitimacy among college students (N = 268). While taking gender, race, and social desirability into account, HEXACO Agreeableness and Openness predicted perceived police legitimacy. Additionally, right-wing authoritarianism accounted for additional variance in police legitimacy beyond the contribution of the HEXACO model. Exploratory analyses showed that both race and political orientation predicted police legitimacy. Black participants scored lower on perceived police legitimacy than White participants. Individuals who self-identified as conservative scored higher on perceived police legitimacy compared to their liberal leaning counterparts. In addition, participants who perceived religion as more important in their lives scored higher on police legitimacy while taking gender, race, and social desirability into account
Lack of Consistent Diurnal Trends in Acoustic Metrics from Restored Coral Reefs
No full textOnce vibrant ecosystems, coral reefs are degrading at unprecedented rates due to natural and human—induced disturbances, necessitating immediate restoration and conservation efforts. Evaluating the success of these projects often involves assessing changes in reef biodiversity. Bioacoustics has emerged as a promising, non—invasive method for such evaluations, though its efficacy remains debated. This study aimed to determine whether the diurnal soundscapes of restored coral reefs are consistent across different time frames (months) and spatial scales (reefs), which is crucial for developing reliable monitoring tools for reef health. To achieve this, 2 commonly used acoustic indices, the Acoustic Complexity Index (ACI) and Mean Sound Pressure Level (SPL), were employed to describe the underwater soundscape of 3 restored coral reefs in Culebra, Puerto Rico. The results showed that neither acoustic index followed a clear diurnal pattern, with considerable variation across studied locations and sampling days. The lack of consistent diurnal patterns across space and time suggests that ACI and SPL alone may not be ideal for comparing coral reef health, particularly as indicators of biodiversity. Instead, these sounds metrics should complement other monitoring methods, such as visual and video census techniques, when evaluating the biodiversity of coral reef ecosystems