DRUM - Digital Repository at the University of Maryland
DRUM collects, preserves, and provides public access to the scholarly output of the university. Faculty and researchers can upload research products for rapid dissemination, global visibility and impact, and long-term preservation.
Submit to DRUM
To submit an item to DRUM, login using your UMD credentials. Then select the "Submit Item to DRUM" link in the navigation bar. View DRUM policies and submission guidelines.
Equitable Access Policy
The University of Maryland Equitable Access Policy provides equitable, open access to the University's research and scholarship. Faculty can learn more about what is covered by the policy and how to deposit on the policy website.
Theses and Dissertations
DRUM includes all UMD theses and dissertations from 2003 forward.
List of Communities
Collections Organized by Department
UM Community-managed Collections
Recent Submissions
Composers and Disability: Prevalence in Classical Music
(2022) Boguslaw, Nicole J; Kutz, Eric; Sprinkle, Robert; Music; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
The purpose of my paper is to consider cello repertoire written by Western classical composers with disabilities. I chose to focus on several composers from various backgrounds, although there are many more left unmentioned for the sake of scope.
The most well-known composer with a disability was Ludwig van Beethoven, whose fifth Cello Sonata I researched. I also studied Ethel Smyth and her Cello Sonata, and Ralph Vaughan Williams and his Six Studies in English Folk Song. All three composers lost their hearing at different points in their lives.
Franz Schubert suffered from syphilis and experienced severe physical and mental health issues in his last few years. This project includes his sonata written for arpeggione and piano, which is often played on the cello.
It is assumed that Frederick Delius also contracted syphilis, leading to paralysis and blindness. Nevertheless, he composed the Caprice and Elegy for Cello and Orchestra in the last few years of his life.
Robert Schumann suffered from depressive episodes, poor health, and hallucinations. I have included his Fantasiestucke for clarinet and piano, which is also often played on the cello.
Maurice Ravel developed a rare type of dementia and could not keep composing as he desired. One of the first pieces he wrote after World War I was the Sonata for Violin and Cello.
Sergei Prokofiev dealt with severe health problems as he aged. He wrote his Cello Sonata during the last few years of his life with the help of Mstislav Rostropovich.
Bohuslav Martinu was diagnosed with autism by one author in recent years, despite Martinu passing away in 1959. The diagnosis is controversial, and there have been several publications on the matter.
The piece Como un Fantasia was written by Joaquin Rodrigo, who had minimal eyesight from the age of three.
Using the new models and perspectives on disability, we can rethink the experiences of classical composers. To combine these disciplines, I researched my subjects through the field of disability studies, music history, and musicology.
Resilience and Strengths in the Black Autism Community in the United States: A Scoping Review
(NIH, 2024) Davis, Amber M.; Telfer, Nicole A.; Artis, Jonet; Abubakare, Oluwatobi; Keller-Bell, Yolanda D.; Caruthers, Carmen; Jones, Desiree R.; Pierce, Nigel P.
Gaps in research knowledge pertaining to resiliency factors and strengths among the Black autism community, inclusive of autistic persons and their support system exist. A scoping review was conducted to further explore quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods studies that investigate resiliency factors and related strengths in the Black autism community in the United States. A total of 436 articles were identified, with 28 studies included in the final review. Results demonstrated that (1) strengths of Black autistic persons across the life course have been disregarded in research; (2) Black caregiver advocacy, while common, is also a developmental process that can be supported by community-based interventions; (3) informal supports including family and friends play an instrumental role in supporting the well-under investigated being of Black parents of autistic children; and (4) spirituality is often endorsed by Black caregivers of autistic children, such as playing a role in acceptance of the autism diagnosis and with coping with difficult life situations. Research and practice implications are discussed.
Role of amino acid substitutions on proteolytic stability of histatin 5 in the presence of secreted aspartyl proteases and salivary proteases
(Wiley, 2024-12) Makambi, Wright K.; Chiu, Victoria L.; Kasper, Lydia; Hube, Bernhard; Karlsson, Amy J.
Histatin 5 (Hst5) is a 24-amino-acid peptide naturally present in human saliva that has been proposed as a potential antifungal therapeutic. However, Hst5 is susceptible to degradation by secreted aspartyl proteases (Saps) produced by Candida albicans, which could limit its efficacy as a therapeutic. To better understand the role of the lysine residues of Hst5 in proteolysis by C. albicans Saps (Sap1, Sap2, Sap3, Sap5, Sap6, Sap9, and Sap10), we studied variants of Hst5 with substitutions to leucine or arginine at the lysine residues (K5, K11, K13, and K17). Sap5, Sap6, and Sap10 did not degrade Hst5 or the variants. However, we observed degradation of the peptides by Sap1, Sap2, Sap3, and Sap9, and the degradation depended on the site of substitution and the substituent residue. Some modifications, such as K11L and K13L, were particularly susceptible to proteolysis by Sap1, Sap2, Sap3, and Sap9. In contrast, the K17L modification substantially increased the stability and antifungal activity of Hst5 in the presence of Saps. We used mass spectrometry to characterize the proteolysis products, which allowed us to identify fragments likely to have maintained or lost antifungal activity. We also evaluated the proteolytic stability of the Hst5 variants in saliva. Both K17L and K5R showed improved stability; however, the enhancements were modest, suggesting that further engineering is required to achieve significant improvements. Our approach demonstrates the potential of simple, rational substitutions to enhance peptide efficacy and proteolytic stability, providing a promising strategy for improving the properties of antifungal peptides.
A profile of urban agricultural growers, organizations, their needs, and challenges in the Northeastern United States
(PLoS, 2024-04) Richardson, Matthew L.; Taylor, John R.; Thompson, Megan J.; Rangarajan, Anusuya; Hanumappa, Mamatha; Little, Neith G.
Urban agriculture is increasingly valued as a strategy for improving quality of life in cities, but urban growers face challenges and often lack coordinated support from governments and the agricultural industry. We surveyed urban growers through an online survey, primarily in the Northeastern United States, to develop a profile of growers and associated organizations, assess the current state of urban agriculture, and determine how universities could help meet their needs. A total of 394 respondents completed the survey and most urban growers were white (non-Hispanic) and younger than 45 years old. Women and men were in almost equal proportion. Urban growers were well-educated, but most did not receive a degree in agriculture. Urban agriculture in our study area was dominated by relatively small non-profit organizations and home and community gardens were the most common types of organizations. Urban agricultural organizations want to improve environmental sustainability and socio-cultural conditions through food access and security, regardless of their tax status. Urban growers face diverse barriers and challenges and the most ubiquitous barriers and challenges reported by respondents were related to availability of land and long-term access in urban areas. Many respondents received low revenue or were operating at a net loss even though they reported diverse income streams. Respondents need a wide range of training, including in traditional agricultural topics as well as financial management and business trainings. Universities can play a key role in promoting urban agriculture by offering training and research. Workforce development is a large priority among universities, so urban growers should regularly be consulted, and the results shared with career and workforce development professionals and researchers in urban areas to identify training and research that meets the needs of stakeholders.
Strategically Ambiguous Identities Evidence from Evangelical Clergy in Brazilian Elections
(University of Chicago Press, 2023) Hurst, Reuben
Existing research illustrates how electoral incentives shape candidates’ decisions to reduce ambiguity by cultivating specific group identities. Extending this literature, I argue that electoral contexts may instead incentivize candidates to cultivate ambiguity around their group identities. Drawing on theories of policy platform ambiguity, I argue that by cultivating an ambiguous identity candidates enhance their ability to attract voters across groups by reducing aversion they would otherwise experience from out-group voters. Accordingly, candidates will tend to cultivate ambiguous identities when electoral victory requires attracting voters across social groups, which will tend to be the case under less proportional rules and when their group is small. I examine this theory in the context of Brazilian municipal elections and show that office-seeking Evangelical Christian clergy tend to cultivate Evangelical identities when electoral victory can be achieved by narrowly targeting Evangelical voters, but ambiguous identities when victory requires attracting both Evangelical and non-Evangelical voters.