Digital Commons Network^™

Increasing Safety In Electric Scooter Users, Hyrum Prestwich, Blaine Winters, Daphne Thomas, Sheri Tesseyman, Michael Robinson

Student Works

Background: Electric scooters (e-scooters) have become a common form of transportation for many people in recent years. As e-scooter use has increased, so have injuries associated with accidents. Safety measures must be implemented and shared with communities to increase safe behavior and prevent injuries. This project aimed to increase safe e-scooter behaviors among Brigham Young University (BYU) students. Methods: We created a brief safety video focusing on behaviors associated with e-scooter injury prevention. A convenience sample of BYU students participated in the online survey and safety video. A pre-and post-survey was used to assess demographics, previous e-scooter use, intention …

Teachers' Belief, Values, And Practices In Collaborative Writing Conferences With Emerging Bilingual Students, Megan Hodgman

Theses and Dissertations

Emerging bilingual (EB) students are present in many mainstream secondary writing classrooms; however, little existing research addresses how best practices designed in other contexts help these students. One such practice is writing conferences. This study analyzed the responses of five middle school English Language Arts (ELA) teachers about their writing conference practices with EB students. Teachers' responses suggested that these teachers were unsure what writing conferences should look like and what to expect from EB students. When teachers prioritized what they saw as most beneficial, their writing conferences seemed more collaborative. These findings suggest that administrators, teachers, and teacher educators …

Death Stranding: A New Digital Ecology, Jordan Long

Theses and Dissertations

This essay analyzes Death Stranding, the 2019 release from contemporary game auteur Hideo Kojima. Here, I discuss the unique potentialities of this game world, detailing the ways in which Death Stranding expresses ecological perspectives. Asynchronous multiplayer serves as a unique metagame, helping to prove that play is a process of action which facilitates ecological thinking. The world of Death Stranding is filled with strange objects. The nonhuman entities that the player encounters throughout the game, for example, seem entirely alien. And yet, when these entities are properly understood, we realize that their inclusion is necessary--and natural. Your "job" in the …

Multiscale Characterization Of Dislocation Development During Cyclic Bending Under Tension In Commercially Pure Titanium, Nathan R. Miller

Theses and Dissertations

Continuous bending under tension (CBT) has been shown to increase room temperature elongation-to-failure (ETF) in various sheet metals past that of simple tension (ST). In commercially pure titanium (CP-Ti) Grade 4, up to 3x extended elongation over ST has been achieved. A greater understanding of deformation mechanisms in CBT would allow for its elongation-enhancing effects to be more fully exploited in HCP and other metals, creating potential for new forming strategies. While most of the extended ETF has been attributed to delayed localization via incremental deformation inherent to the CBT process, together with compressive stabilization and relaxation of mechanical strain …

The National Basketball Association Communications Strategy For The 2019-20 Season Restart, Trevor Dale Jones

Theses and Dissertations

This paper analyzes the NBA's communications efforts from June 4 to July 30, 2020 as it prepared for an unprecedented season restart in the early days of a global pandemic. While scholars have examined the media's framing of the NBA in this period, there is a gap in the literature when looking at the official NBA communications strategy of the organization itself. As the first study to use risk communication theory in a sports scenario while also employing corporate social advocacy as the second theoretical basis of analysis, this qualitative study is a thematic and textual analysis of 14 NBA …

Validating Boyness: How Art Education Allows Male Adolescent Students A Space For Authenticity, Vulnerability, Empathy, And Connection, Stephanie Behlke-Mcfarland

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines societal norms and unwritten rules for boys as they mature. It is hypothesized that most boys deal with emotional suppression or dissociation in varying degrees of severity due to traumas during their developmental years. This dissociation creates an inability to express their own emotions adequately and therefore affects their ability to empathize with others. A lack of vulnerability may also be a common challenge among boys society still considers vulnerability weakness. This pattern continues into adulthood and is then perpetuated through posterity and future generations. This thesis explores through a qualitative case study how using art integration …

Neural Correlates Of Emotion Word Processing In Bilinguals: An Fnirs Study, Daniela Andrea Ortega Manchego

Theses and Dissertations

Despite increasing interest in the interface between emotion word processing and bilingualism, the representation of valence during emotion word processing in the bilingual brain remains unclear. In the present study, we used functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to investigate the neural correlates of written emotion words in a first (L1) and a second (L2) language. Native English (16) and native Chinese (16) bilingual participants rated emotion words in their first and second language while we recorded their brain activity. Our results show distinct neural processing patterns between L1 and L2, with the former eliciting increased overall activation in the dorsolateral prefrontal …

Still Life Happens, Mary Ann Crabtree

Theses and Dissertations

After dedicating over two years to pursuing an MFA degree focused on ceramics and sculpture, I find myself transported back to a familiar setting from my past: a tableau reminiscent of what remained in the dining space after four young children finished a meal and exited the room. Revisiting the scene recalls happy times despite the disorder. What helped maintain my sanity during the relentless repetition of the every-day-long task was the realization that every day, innocents are learning to become aware of the world around them. For my thesis exhibition, I created a tableau as a loud reminder of …

Supplementary Data For Potential For Climate-Based Financing Of Watershed Management To Restore Streams And Improve Water Quality Following A Wildfire: A Case Study Of The Provo River Watershed, Braxton W. Porter, Robert B. Sowby

ScholarsArchive Data

Data presented in Thesis Dissertation "Potential for Climate-Based Financing of Watershed Management to Restore Streams and Improve Water Quality Following a Wildfire: A Case Study of the Provo River Watershed". Provides all inputs, results, and code used in the presented analysis.

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Dormant Season Grazing To Reduce Cheatgrass And Its Effect On Biodiversity, Curtis L. Drake

Theses and Dissertations

Invasion of cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.) into sagebrush steppe communities threatens the survival of these at-risk ecosystems. One tool available to combat cheatgrass invasion is dormant season grazing. This study investigates the effectiveness of dormant season cattle grazing to reduce cheatgrass abundance in two high-elevation sagebrush steppe communities in southeastern Idaho, as well as the impact of dormant season grazing on plant species biodiversity. Our experiment utilized a randomized complete block design with four grazing treatments – ungrazed, fall-grazed, spring-grazed, and a combination of spring- and fall-grazed. We used an ANOVA standard least squares procedure to determine differences in biodiversity …

Application Of High-Deflection Strain Gauges To Characterize Spinal-Motion Phenotypes Among Patients With Clbp, Spencer Alan Baker

Theses and Dissertations

Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a nonspecific and persistent ailment that entails many physiological, psychological, social, and economic consequences for individuals and societies. Although there is a plethora of treatments available to treat CLBP, each treatment has varying efficacy for different patients, and it is currently unknown how to best link patients to their ideal treatment. However, it is known that biopsychosocial influences associated with CLBP affect the way that we move. It has been hypothesized that identifying phenotypes of spinal motion could facilitate an objective and repeatable method of determining the optimal treatment for each patient. The objective …

Time-Dependent Strain-Resistance Relationships In Silicone Nanocomposite Sensors, Alex Mikal Wonnacott

Theses and Dissertations

Flexible high-deflection strain gauges have been demonstrated as cost-effective and accessible sensors for capturing human biomechanical deformations. However, the interpretation of these sensors is notably more complex compared to conventional strain gauges, partially owing to the viscoelastic nature of the strain gauges. On top of the non-linear viscoelastic behavior, dynamic resistance response is even more difficult to capture due to spikes in resistance during strain changes. This research examines the relationships between stress, strain, and resistance in nanocomposite sensors during dynamic strain situations. Under the assumption that both macroscopic stress and resistance are governed by microscopic stress concentrations at the …

High Data Rate Signal Processing Architectures And Compilation Strategies For Scalable, Multi-Gigabit Digital Systems, Daniel Alexander Nybo

Theses and Dissertations

In this study we present a high-performance computing architecture and hardware acceleration strategy for a heterogeneous multi-gigabit computing system. The system architecture integrates a BeeGFS distributed file system, capable of achieving 80 Gbps of sustained write throughput across five nodes, essential for managing the high data volumes generated by a 25 high performance computer (HPC) compute cluster. To ensure operational efficiency and scalability, the tasks performed on the Linux compute cluster consisting of 30 nodes are automated using Ansible, facilitating seamless deployment, management, and updates. We present compilation strategies for a hardware accelerated Polyphase Filter Bank (PFB) channelization routine optimized …

As If It Were One Day, Megan Rowley Stern

Theses and Dissertations

As If It Were One Day is a multimedia art installation that chronicles patterns of light, movement, and sound, channeling the fluidity of time within the newborn phase of familial living. After giving birth to my daughter, I spent the next seven weeks observing these elements and recording them via video. The resulting art installation acknowledges my efforts to navigate my current life as an artist and a mother, my past battle with postpartum depression, and my consequent gravitation toward light.

Comics About Organs: Social Support And Graphic Medicine In The Awkward Yeti, Jacob Gibb

Theses and Dissertations

Comic strips have always been a medium for more than humor. Many comic strips published on social media sites address mental health issues. Despite their popularity, the field of graphic medicine, which examines the intersection of health care and comics, has seen little to no examination of how these comics function on social media. Utilizing the popular comic The Awkward Yeti, this research examines how the rhetorical devices of comics make them an ideal medium for communicating about mental health issues and providing social support to social media users. This study conducts a content analysis of 15 Instagram posts from …

Can Podcasts Reduce Affective Polarization By Combating Contextomy Via Long-Form Discussions?, Luke D. Hartvigsen

Theses and Dissertations

There is a growing concern regarding political polarization in the United States, most notably the phenomenon of affective polarization, which is when polarization increases negative feelings toward those who differ politically. The current dissertation project sought to address this issue by testing a media intervention using podcasts. Podcasts allow speakers to talk for hours uninterrupted through long-form discussions, whereas other media often edit political discussions to the point of contextomy (editing and framing a quote out of its proper context). Podcasts were created for this dissertation which differed on the political message of the podcast guest (conservative vs. liberal), and …

Phase Separation And Morphology Evolution Of Multiphase Polymeric Systems, Rami Naser Fahmi Alhasan

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the intricate world of soft materials through a powerful synergy of theoretical frameworks and cutting-edge computational simulations. The research investigates how processing history, thermodynamics, and kinetics intertwine to influence the behavior and manipulation of these materials. A cornerstone of the work is the establishment of a generalized Gibbs--Duhem relationship, ensuring thermodynamic consistency within the employed models. This not only clarifies existing ambiguities but also lays the groundwork for future models with a robust thermodynamic foundation. This dissertation explores the influence of processing history on soft materials through three in-depth case studies, unveiling the critical role of processing …

Overnight Shifts And Poverty: A Look At How Money Affects Sleep, Jared Scott

FHSS Mentored Research Conference

Overnight shift work has been clearly linked to overall poorer sleep. Additionally, socio-economic status (SES) is a strong predictor of many health outcomes, including sleep health. This study looks at the intersection of shift work and SES as they relate to sleep health.

Data on 9,210 workers aged 18 years and older were acquired from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. These workers self-identified their typical shift as overnight, evening, daytime, or rotating. Data on poverty income ratios (PIR) was also collected and was used to generate SES groups of poverty (PIR ≤ 1), below median (PIR ≥ 1 …

Cmv And Brain Volume, Scott Maclean, Ashley Catchpole, Ethan Coulter, Elijah Davis, Bethany Richmond, Thomas Farrer, Dawson Hedges, Shawn Gale, Lance Erickson

FHSS Mentored Research Conference

In a sample of UK adults aged 40-69, we conducted multivariable regression analysis on the relationship between cytomegalovirus (CMV) and brain volume accounting for several health covariates. Although no main effects emerged, we found that socioeconomic status moderated the relationship, such that in low socioeconomic groups, CMV predicted lower thalamic and hippocampal volumes.

Intrinsic Vs. Extrinsic Religiosity: Implications For The Parasympathetic Nervous System, Sydnee Bond, Hannah Hornberger, Parker Mckasson, Patrick Steffen Phd

FHSS Mentored Research Conference

Background

Intrinsic religiosity is a deeply rooted connection to one's faith. Individuals with high intrinsic religiosity find purpose and meaning through their spiritual connections. Extrinsic religiosity is primarily driven by social or other superficial factors. Intrinsic religiosity has demonstrated associations with lower self-reported stress, however, associations between intrinsic/extrinsic religiosity and baseline heart rate variability (HRV), a proxy measure of the parasympathetic nervous system, have not been studied. We hypothesize that higher self-reported stress will be associated with a lower baseline HRV, higher intrinsic religiosity will be correlated with higher baseline HRV, and intrinsic religiosity will serve as a buffer, such …

Inservice Professional Development For Educators In A Democracy: Moving From Theory To Practice, Rachel Lynn Wadham

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents research that addresses the question of how professional development influences inservice teachers' professional identity. In three journal articles, specific inquiries address research questions drawn from this broader conversation. In article one, we answered the question of what unifying characteristics democratic educators exhibit in their pedagogies and methods. By conducting an integrative literature review, we find that those who indicate that they are democratic educators used four major pedagogical categories including inquiry methods, artistic methods, oral methods, and student-centered methods. In the second article, we addressed the question of how professional development influences teachers' professional civic identities. In …

Combined Radiation And Convection In Developing Flow In A Parallel Plate Channel With Real Gas Behavior, Kyle Davis Pulsipher

Theses and Dissertations

The laminar, thermally developing flow of gases in a two-dimensional parallel plate channel is studied here. Using computational fluid dynamics (CFD), the combined effects of convection and real gas radiation are explored. Gas mixtures composed of H2O, CO2, and N2 are considered. To account for radiation in the participating medium, the Spectral Line Weighted-sum-of-gray-gases model is used. The model formulation, verification, and validation are provided through published articles written by the primary author. The predictions made for the case of combined convection and radiation are compared to the solution for the classical pure convection case, known as the Graetz solution. …

Quantifying And Characterizing The Behavior Of Dissolved And Suspended Icp-Oes Detectible Elements In Utah Lake, Rachel Ann Valek

Theses and Dissertations

For Utah Lake in Utah, USA, we analyzed a uniquely comprehensive and longitudinal water quality dataset that extended over two summer sampling seasons. We measured 61 parameters using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES), YSI ProDSS water sondes, and laboratory procedures to quantify and characterize dissolved and suspended behavior of trace elements in Utah Lake. We analyzed the data using principal component analysis (PCA) and multidimensional scaling (MDS) to understand the lake geochemistry and inform Utah Lake management decisions regarding nutrients and algal blooms. We found that 1) sediments rich in phosphorus (P) act as a source for bioavailable …

Instructional Readership: A Narrative Case Study Examining How Books Influence The Professional Practices Of School Principals In One Rural/Suburban School District, Jeffrey D. Hamm

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: To explore what books school principals are reading and to determine how those books influence principals’ professional practices. A comprehensive literature review was cross-referenced with in-depth interview (IDI) results from 20 currently practicing building principals conducted at both the elementary and secondary levels. Methods: This qualitative study might be best described as a census in which 20 of the 24 principals employed in a hybrid rural/ suburban school district during the 2022–23 school year participated in the IDI process utilizing a pre-interview checklist and a semi-structured interview protocol. The data were analyzed according to Saldaña’s (2021) Codes to Theory …

Psychotherapy Client Termination Patterns And Outcomes: A Large Follow-Up Study, Including Zero-, One-, And Two-Session Cases, Adam Victor Mcdonald

Theses and Dissertations

Empirical research examining psychotherapy clients' post treatment outcomes for all case lengths and their reasons for discontinuing treatment is limited in the literature, particularly for shorter case lengths. Research indicates that clients with zero-, one-, and two-session case lengths are the most common in psychotherapy (Howard et al., 1986; Nielsen et al., 2016; Phillips, 1985; Phillips 1987); and yet, little is known about these clients. The purpose of this study is to better understand these termination patterns and outcomes for the most common case lengths. Outcomes were measured with the Outcome Questionnaire-45 total score (OQ-45; Lambert et al., 2004). Client …

Standardizing The Volunteer Experience: Mtc Interpretation Volunteer Onboarding Course, Parker Whitelock

Instructional Psychology and Technology Graduate Student Projects

This project report outlines the development and implementation of an onboarding course for volunteer interpreters at the Provo Missionary Training Center (MTC). Aimed at standardizing the introductory experience, the course covers areas such as MTC campus navigation, interpretation equipment use, and volunteer policies, alongside instilling a spiritual foundation for the volunteers' service. The course was designed to accommodate a diverse range of volunteers, emphasizing clear, accessible instructions and practical application through self-paced modules on the Canvas platform. Feedback from initial implementation indicates high relevance, clarity, and satisfaction among volunteers, with suggestions for further enhancement. This endeavor not only enhances operational …

Time Spent Jogging/Running And Biological Aging In 4,458 U.S. Adults: An Nhanes Investigation, Christina Michelle Blackmon

Theses and Dissertations

Telomere length is a good index of cellular aging. Longer telomeres are predictive of longer life, and healthy lifestyles are associated with longer telomeres. This study explored the relationship between time spent jogging or running each week and leukocyte telomere length (LTL) in 4,458 randomly selected U.S. adults. The association was studied using data collected by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), and a cross-sectional design. Total weekly jog/run time was calculated from survey responses. From the minute totals, three categories were formed: <10 minutes/week, 10-74 minutes/week, and ≥75 minutes/week. Adults in the third category met the U.S. guidelines. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA. Partial correlation was used to adjust for differences in potential mediating factors, including demographic and lifestyle/medical factors. In the total sample, after adjusting for all the potential covariates, mean LTL significantly differed across the 3 jog/run categories (F=4.1, P=0.0272). Specifically, adults who met the guidelines via jogging and/or running had significantly longer telomeres than adults who performed no jogging/running. Adults in the middle category did not differ from the other two categories. A minimum of 75 minutes of jogging/running weekly is predictive of longer telomeres when compared to adults who do not jog or run regularly.

Thriving As Educators: A Study On Cultivating Joy And Longevity In Teaching, Stephanie Anne Wilkinson Witt

Theses and Dissertations

This instrumental case study explored the phenomenon of long-term teachers of a school district in the Western United States who continue to enjoy teaching. They were asked about their well-being at work, using the elements of the PERMA theory of well-being--positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishments--and how those impacted their enjoyment and their choice to continue teaching. The case consisted of seven teachers who each had at least 10 years of experience teaching. Each participant was interviewed about what they do to enjoy and continue teaching. Through analysis, clear strategies and actionable steps that teachers can take to continue …

Can A Congregation Make A Difference? The Relationship Between Social Support And Latter-Day Saint Lgbtq+ Adolescent Well-Being, Aubrey Bardsley

Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the relationship between social support at church and the well-being of adolescents who currently or previously belonged to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS, formally known as Mormon), differentiating between LGBTQ+ and non-LGBTQ+ adolescents. Past studies show that social support is negatively related to suicidality for adolescents. However, open questions remain about if this relationship is similar for LDS adolescents who identify as LGBTQ+ compared to those who do not. To test this question, I used data from the Family Foundations of Youth Development, a project that randomly sampled adolescents from Utah, Arizona, and …

Error Processing In Adolescents With A Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (Mtbi): A Longitudinal Study, Tanner J. Jensen

Theses and Dissertations

Error processing, a neural process critical to adaptive learning during adolescence, may be disrupted by mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies of adults following mTBI indicate a variable impact of mTBI on neural correlates of error processing, including the error related negativity (ERN) and post error positivity (Pe) components of the scalp-recorded event-related potential (ERP). Existing studies of mTBI in adolescents indicate significantly decreased ERN amplitudes and nonsignificant differences in Pe amplitude between mTBI and control groups. However, no longitudinal studies of adolescents with mTBI are available to date despite the importance of these processes. We …