Digital Commons Network^™

The Use Of Antecedent-Based Interventions To Increase Compliance Related To Physical Activity In Children With Down Syndrome, Kaylee Nicol Christensen

Theses and Dissertations

Children with Down syndrome often have high body mass index scores, brought on by hypothyroidism, poor mastication, decreased metabolic rates, and inconsistent physical fitness routines. Along with various genotypic characteristics, several behavioral tendencies accompany the diagnosis of Down syndrome. People with this condition often engage in noncompliant behaviors in an attempt to escape work-related tasks such as exercising. A lack of a consistent fitness regimen may result in additional health complications for this particular group of people, as well as ensuing concerns from the parents or guardians who care for them. Because of the propensities for poor physical health in …

Hot Springs Inflow Controlled By The Damage Zone Of A Major Normal Fault, Steven Benjamin Godwin

Theses and Dissertations

Spring water inflow is distinct at Pah Tempe Hot Springs (also known as Dixie Hot Springs) situated within the damage zone of the Hurricane Fault in Timpoweap Canyon in Hurricane, Utah. Excising of the footwall by the Virgin River has created Timpoweap Canyon and allowed an unusual opportunity to study the spring inflow in relation to the fault damage zone. While correlation of these springs with the damage zone and visible fracture patterns on the canyon wall has been made, no subsurface faulting has been imaged to verify connection to these visible fractures and spring inflows (Nelson et al., 2009). …

A Discovery Of Social Impact Categories For The Sustainable Design Of Engineered Products And Their Consideration By Industry Professionals, Andrew Taylor Pack

Theses and Dissertations

Sustainable design is often practiced and assessed through the consideration of three essential areas: economic sustainability, environmental sustainability, and social sustainability. For even the simplest of products, the complexities of these three areas and their trade-offs cause decision making transparency to be lost in most practical situations. Additionally, the models and tools available to consider social sustainability are severely underdeveloped. This thesis is separated into three parts: 1) a design tool to consider all three aspects of sustainability simultaneously, 2) a literature survey to characterize social impact as it relates to products, and 3) interviews with engineering professionals regarding how …

Uncovering One Teacher's Knowledge Of Arts Integration For Developing English Learners' Reading Comprehension: A Self-Study, Tina Ralinn Mcculloch

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore what I, a general education classroom teacher, know about using arts integration to build English Learners (ELs) reading comprehension. As the primary researcher, I am a fifth-grade, general education teacher in an intermountain West, Title 1, urban school where the typical classroom contains over 50% EL students. The studys two other participants were Martha, the director of the universitys arts partnership, and Camilla, a fellow faculty member who integrates arts into her curriculum. This qualitative Self-Study of Teaching and Teacher Education Practice research methodology was utilized to uncover my knowledge of teaching …

Walt Before Leaves: Complicating Whitman's Authorship Through Jack Engle, Christopher Preston Burright

Theses and Dissertations

The rediscovery of a number of Walt Whitman's early fictions prompts a discussion of where they belong within the larger web of Whitman scholarship. Though we have been aware of the existence of these writings for quite some time, frequently these works return to obscurity soon after being discovered due to the lack of research regarding them. This thesis presents an alternative framework whereby these novels can be integrated into a hypertextual model centered on Leaves of Grass (1855) and Whitman's overall authorial identity. I build on Ed Folsom and Kenneth Price's work creating a hypertext archive incorporating Whitman's works, …

A Content Analysis Of Scientific Practices In A Fourth-Grade Commercial Literacy Program, Hailey A. Oswald

Theses and Dissertations

Increasing science literacy among all students is a longstanding goal of science education. The most recent national attempt to improve science education, and thereby increase science literacy, came in the form of the Framework for K-12 Science Education and the Next Generation Science Standards, which include 3 dimensions: scientific and engineering practices, crosscutting concepts, and disciplinary core ideas. The purpose of this content analysis was to examine the alignment between 4 of the scientific practices (Asking Questions; Constructing Explanations; Engaging in Argument from Evidence; and Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information) and a widely used commercial literacy program, Reading Wonders, with …

Uniting And Dividing Influences Of Religion In Marriage Among Highly Religious Couples, Heather H. Kelley, Loren D. Marks, David C. Dollahite

Faculty Publications

Previous research has suggested that religion can be both helpful and harmful. However, much oof the research on religion and families has employed relatively simple, distal measures of religion and has focused on predominantly only one side of the dualistic nature of religion. Drawing upon interviews with 198 religious couples (N = 396 individuals), the purpose of this study was to better understand how religion can have both a unifying and a dividing influence on marital relationships. Three overarching themes, accompanied by supporting primary qualitative data from participants, are presented. These themes include (a) how religious beliefs unite and …

Paternal Self-Efficacy: A Parenting Resilience Factor For Fathers With Depression, Mark Herrick Trahan, Kevin Shafer

Faculty Publications

Parental depression has a negative effect on child development including mental and physical health, language and development, and externalizing and internalizing behavior. This quantitative research study examined the relationship between paternal self-efficacy (PSE) and parenting behaviors often associated with paternal depression. Data from the Survey of Contemporary Fathers were used and responses from self-identified fathers (n = 1,156) on paternal involvement, warmth, harsh parenting practices, and parenting self-efficacy were analyzed to assess the association between depression and PSE on fathering behavior. Ordinary least squares regression analysis indicated that depression was associated with harsh parenting and parenting warmth, while parenting self-efficacy …

Eight New Provincial Species Records Of Mayflies (Ephemeroptera) From One Arctic Watershed River In British Columbia, Dezene P.W. Huber, Claire M. Shrimpton, Daniel J. Erasmus

Western North American Naturalist

We repeatedly sampled 8 sites on the Crooked River in British Columbia’s Arctic watershed for adult and nymph mayflies (Ephemeroptera) over the course of 2 years. Using taxonomic keys and DNA barcoding, we report 8 new species records for the province: 5 members of the family Baetidae (Acerpenna pygmaea, Baetis phoebus, Baetis vernus, Iswaeon anoka, and Procloeon pennulatum), 1 Heptageniidae (Leucrocuta hebe), 1 Leptohyphidae (Tricorythodes mosegus), and 1 Siphlonuridae (Siphlonurus alternatus). Three of these, Acerpenna, Iswaeon, and Leucrocuta, are also new genus records for the province. In total, we detected …

Sexual And Gender-Based Violence Against Arab Women Refugees: Yazidi Minority In Northern Iraq, Amanda Solomon

Undergraduate Honors Theses

In addition to being at risk of violence from war and conflict, Arab refugee women also have an increased vulnerability to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). Aspects inherent to the refugee experience such as a breakdown of the legal system, camp environments, and economic challenges exacerbate the already-pervasive phenomenon of SGBV. This human rights violation is physically, mentally, socially, and economically harmful to women. This thesis utilizes a case study specifically looking at the Yazidi ethnoreligious minority population in northern Iraq, which has been targeted for genocide by Islamic State forces since August 2014. To address the continuing trauma and …

Quality Of Hispanic Oral Health In The U.S.: Perceptions Of Dentists And A Call For Improvement, Mitchell Merrill

Undergraduate Honors Theses

An examination of the perceptions of U.S. dentist’s regarding the quality of Hispanic oral health in the United States. This thesis investigates both the dentist’s potential for making positive change and the challenges that stand in the way of improving the state of Hispanic oral health. Twelve dentists were spoken with by phone to discuss three main questions. Those chosen for the calls practice in the ten states with the highest percentage of Hispanics. An analysis was conducted of the recorded calls that consisted of comparing each response with patient demographics, practice location and years of experience. Responses were categorized …

Functional And Transcriptomic Characterization Of Carboplatin-Resistant A2780 Ovarian Cancer Cell Line, Tamara Viscarra, Kurt Buchegger, Ignacio Jofre, Ismael Riquelme, Louise Zanella, Michel Abanto, Alyssa C. Parker, Stephen R. Piccolo, Juan Carlos Roa, Carmen Ili, Priscilla Brebi

Faculty Publications

Background

Ovarian cancer is a significant cancer-related cause of death in women worldwide. The most used chemotherapeutic regimen is based on carboplatin (CBDCA). However, CBDCA resistance is the main obstacle to a better prognosis. An in vitro drug-resistant cell model would help in the understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying this drug-resistance phenomenon. The aim of this study was to characterize cellular and molecular changes of induced CBDCA-resistant ovarian cancer cell line A2780.

Methods

The cell selection strategy used in this study was a dose-per-pulse method using a concentration of 100 μM for 2 h. Once 20 cycles of exposure to …

Familiarity With Homosexuality “Changes Hearts”: What Lay Members And Former Members Of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints Think About Lgbp Issues, John Garbero

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Recently, the United States has become increasingly accepting of lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals and their relationships. However, some conservative religions are hesitant or even unwilling to condone or to accept non-traditional lifestyles in their congregations. One such religious institution is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (from here on known as the LDS Church, the Mormon Church, or the Church). A recent body of research has attempted to gain a general understanding of these religious groups and their teachings regrading homosexuality. While these contributions are significant, a more detailed understanding regarding the views of lay members of …

On The Persecution Of The Salvadoran People, Jacob Newman

Undergraduate Honors Theses

El Salvador is the focal point of an American refugee crisis. This crisis owes its origins to protracted abuse and negligence suffered by the Salvadoran people. They are confronted with violence, apathy, and corruption in their homeland and throughout the international sphere. A complex system of harms has come to a concentrated fruition in the form of governments and gangs, histories and happenstance. The purpose of this thesis is, first, to document the persecution faced by Salvadorans and, second, argue that the conditions in El Salvador put many Salvadorans in need of asylum.

Further Understanding Of Bacteriophages That Infect The Bacterial Family Enterobacteriaceae, Paul Flake

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Despite the eclectic nature of bacteriophage genomes, nucleotide comparison is an effective method for grouping phages into cluster and subcluster classifications. This process is facilitated by making preliminary cluster assignations based on the identity of the major capsid protein. As more phages continue to be sequenced and integrated into cluster/subcluster groupings, adjustments may need to be made to the genomic similarity percentages that have previously defined cluster/subcluster classifications. Implementing proteomic comparison in addition to nucleotide homology may provide added clarity to this process. Protein conservation and diversity among lytic phages that infect the bacterial family Enterobacteriaceae is discussed and the …

Seeing The World Through Humility-Tinted Lenses: Exploring Social Cognitive Explanations For Outcomes Of Humility, Chayce Baldwin

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Past research on humility has focused largely on describing the what of humility, but has made little headway in terms of explaining the why of humility. In describing humility, psychological research has accrued evidence suggesting that humble people are more prosocial and characterized by low self-focus. One group of researchers has even described humility as the core value that “binds society together” (Worthington et al., 2017, p. 3). Understanding why humble people act differently may help provide insight into the essence of humility and what factors can help solve important social issues and, indeed, “bind society together”. One reason why …

Educating Patients About Opioid Disposal: A Key Role For Perianesthesia Nurses, Katreena C. Merrill, Valynn Christina Haslam, Karlen E. (Beth) Luthy, Craig Nuttall

Faculty Publications

Purpose: To examine opioid prescription practices, patient use of opioids after laparoscopic cholecystectomy, and patient knowledge about disposal of unused medication.

Design: Mixed methods design with a chart review and structured phone interview.

Methods: Thirty-four patients were interviewed by phone and asked how many opioids were prescribed, how many excess pills they had 6 to 10 days postoperatively, and if they knew how to dispose of them.

Findings: Average number of excess pills ranged from 0 to 42 (mean = 14; SD = 11.7). Nearly half of patients (47%) perceived the prescribed quantity as “too many.” Seventy-one percent of patients …

Program Coordinators’ Experiences With Introducing Parent-Focused Health Lessons To A Child-Centered Micronutrient Supplementation Program: An Exploration Of Recent Programmatic Changes In Liahona Children’S Foundation, Shannon Barham

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This paper utilizes survey responses from local coordinators of LCF, an international micronutrient supplementation humanitarian organization, to provide insight into the challenges and personal rewards of providing nutrition education to parents of malnourished children. LCF is based in Utah and operates in 19 countries throughout the world. LCF recently introduced a series of health lessons geared toward parents of malnourished children. A survey was sent to LCF workers in 12 countries in order to gather feedback about the health lessons. Qualitative survey responses are explored, and potential suggestions for future changes to the health lessons are proposed. Additionally, data gathered …

Evaluating The Impact Of Federal R&D Spending On Patent Registration: A Nasa Case Study, Jack Davis

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This paper examines the question of what impact federal R&D spending has on patent registration and future technological innovation. Because the causal relationship between federal R&D and patent grants is difficult to determine given aggregate trends and endogeneity, I use the sharp changes in NASA R&D funding between 1959 and 1975 as an interrupted time series. These unique circumstances, caused by the Space Race, make this time period a valuable event study in which to consider the impact of federal R&D. 1,996 unique patents granted to NASA and NASA-affiliates are considered, as well as an additional 19,845 unique patents which …

Лол—Comparing Expressions Of Humor Used In Memes By Russian And English Speakers, Teya Jensen

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis explores trends in the types of humor used by Russian and English speakers in the creation and perpetuation of internet memes. The purpose of this project is to better understand the impact of the globalizing effects of the internet on social identity. Most current scholarship addressing the effects of memes on social communication and research into the specific trends of humor on the internet, focuses on the meme culture of English-speakers. Some researchers have focused on analyzing meme use in other countries, but they have not compared American and Russian humor.

This project demonstrates how patterns of pastiche, …

Does Family Communication Matter? Exploring Knowledge Of Breast Cancer Genetics In Cancer Families, Deborah Himes, Sarah H. Davis, Jane Lassetter Phd, Rn, Neil E. Peterson, Margaret F. Clayton, Wendy C. Birmingham, Anita Y. Kinney

Faculty Publications

Purpose: Knowledge of breast cancer genetics is critical for those at increased hereditary risk who must make decisions about breast cancer screening options. This descriptive study explored theory-based relationships among cognitive and emotional variables related to knowledge of breast cancer genetics in cancer families. Methods: Participants included first-degree relatives of women with breast cancer who had received genetic counseling and testing. Study participants themselves did not have breast cancer and had not received genetic counseling or testing. Data were collected by telephone interviews and surveys. Variables analyzed included numeracy, health literacy, cancer-related distress, age, education, and the reported amount of …

Legal Supremacy: The Translation Between Tsarist And Communist Constitutions And Criminal Codes, Jennifer Kimball

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis examines the constitutions and criminal codes which appeared at the end of the Tsarist regime of Nicholas II and the beginning of the new regime of the Bolsheviks led by Vladimir Lenin. It contrasts the constitutions and criminal codes of each regime to demonstrate the changes between state ideologies and laws, but also highlight the similarities between the two in terms of their concerns for the state. It shows that despite the changes that occurred in the written law, each regime was primarily concerned with establishing the supremacy of the ruling government.

Computationally Modeling The Trophic Cascade In Yellowstone National Park, Emily Menden

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Many of the world’s ecosystems are facing species elimination (2). Whether this elimination is intentional or accidental, the consequences need to be understood in order to make better resource management decisions. Computational models can be helpful in making these management decisions. Yellowstone National Park gives ecologists a unique opportunity to study species elimination and reintroduction.

In the 1920s, wolves were extirpated from the Greater Yellowstone Area. The absence of wolves allowed the elk population to increase unbounded by a natural predator. Over the years, Yellowstone management took various measures to control the elk population. In the 1970s, the National Park …

Computational Modelling Of Peptides Containing Non-Standard Amino Acids, David W. Kastner

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Peptides represent a class of abundant and potent pharmaceutic compounds. Despite their appeal, the design, synthesis, and engineering of biologically relevant peptides remain a challenge. Chapter 1 introduces the various computational methods that will be used. Chapter 2 focuses on the incorporation of a special class of amino acids called bulky dehydroamino acids into the turn of β-hairpins to proteolytically stabilize peptides. Our results suggest that dehydroamino acids confer proteolytic stability by favoring a more folded state. Chapter 3 describes the structural calculations of a rare anticancer peptide called Yaku’amide using a combined molecular mechanics/quantum mechanics hybrid method. The …

Exercises For Older Adults With Knee And Hip Pain, Neil E. Peterson, Kay D. Osterloh, M. Nichole Graff

Faculty Publications

Half of all older adults report knee and/or hip pain. Obesity and sedentary lifestyle contribute to the incidence and prevalence of painful knee and hip conditions. Weight loss should be a priority in overweight or obese patients. Improving joint function over time requires a balance of rest and usage. Practitioners should assess joint disorders and recommend exercises for reducing knee and hip pain with patients when appropriate. Instruction should include a combination of 1) stretching and flexibility, 2) strength training, and 3) endurance conditioning exercises. Even small improvements in exercise can make meaningful improvements in pain, movement, endurance, and quality …

Genetics Beyond The Classroom: An Analysis Of Undergraduate Students’ Understanding Of Genetics And Attitudes Towards Clinical Genetics, Jessica Mcclintock

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Genetics is a field of study that has been difficult for high school students, college students, and the general public to fully grasp, comprehend, and apply to clinical settings. Other studies show that students who are given hands on experiences with difficult concepts, like personalized genomics, have a better attitude towards and retention of those concepts. The purpose of this study was to determine if an in-class lecture specifically discussing clinical genetics concepts and benefits in solving difficult polygenic diseases would increase student attitudes towards genetic testing and prenatal testing and their knowledge of genetics in general. Students were asked …

Adult Vaccination Rates In The Mentally Ill Population: An Outpatient Improvement Project, Leslie W. Miles, Nathalia Williams, Karlen Beth Luthy, Lacey Eden

Faculty Publications

Background: Adults who suffer with severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI) rarely access medical care to receive preventive vaccines. Aims: To increase the rate of vaccines among the SPMI population in an outpatient community mental health center (CMHC). Methods: A review of the literature identified a gap between the general population and SPMI clients in receiving preventive vaccinations. An initial mixed-method convenience survey of SPMI clients (n = 392) provided information on current vaccination status, demographics, beliefs, and interest in receiving vaccines. A vaccination program was developed to address identified barriers and increase vaccination rates. Postintervention data were collected …

Youth Perspectives Of Healthcare In Central Mexico: An Application Of Massey’S Critical Health Literacy Framework, Steven Hoffman, Heidi Adams Rueda, Lauren Beasley

Faculty Publications

Attention to health literacy is essential more now than ever given the recognition, attention, and resources being dedicated to addressing health disparities throughout the world. Unfortunately, health literacy research is scarce in many parts of the world, particularly among youth. Using focus group discussions with junior high school students (N = 98) in a rural town of Central Mexico, we sought to learn about their experiences utilizing healthcare services at a local health clinic. The themes that naturally emerged from focus group discussions aligned with Massey’s framework on critical health literacy among US youth, and included problems navigating the health …

Using Electropalatography To Analyze Intra-Speaker Variability In German Second Language Fricative Production, Elizabeth D. Young

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Electropalatography (EPG) is a biofeedback system that tracks tongue contact with the palate during speech. The current study uses EPG data to examine the variability that occurs in speech production for individuals speaking a second language (L2). Five native German speakers and twelve native English speakers learning German as a second language were asked to produce the fricatives [ç], [x], and /ʃ/ in various linguistic contexts. Variability in center of maximal contact across the anterior-posterior dimension (“Center of Gravity” – COG) and duration for L2 production across sound type, L2 production across task type, L2 production across subject, and native …

The Effects Of Multi-Tiered Systems Of Language Support On Oral Language, Reading Comprehension, And Writing In Second And Third Grade Students In India, Brenna Scadden Nelson

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study investigated whether multi-tiered narrative intervention improved oral language comprehension, reading comprehension, and writing in second and third-grade students in India. There were 121 participants across second and third grade. Classrooms were randomly assigned to a treatment, an alternate-treatment, or a no-treatment condition. The treatment group participated in 8 weeks of Story Champs intervention, the alternate-treatment group participated in 8 weeks of shared storybook intervention, and the no treatment group served as a control. Results indicated that oral narrative intervention delivered through a multi-tiered system of language support (MTSLS) causally impacted the oral language, reading comprehension, and narrative writing …