Digital Commons Network^™

Utilization Of Pharmacogenetic Principles In Prescription Medications By Nurse Practitioners, Hyrum Wright, Karen Whitt

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Pharmacogenetics is the study of the relationship between genetics and the metabolism of medications. Some classes of drugs have been shown to be metabolized differently in people of specific genetic profiles, with gene markers correlating to the differences in metabolism. For example, patients taking simvastatin have a modest increase in myopathy risk even with lower doses of simvastatin if they have the C allele at SLCO1B1 rs4149056, compared with other alleles. This would be significant to the provider who prescribes a statin drug to patients. The provider, ideally, would be aware that certain patients have an increased risk for myopathy …

Sexual Assault Kit Submission Tracking Initiative, Sage Williams, Julie Valentine

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Sexual assault has serious community health and social consequences and is a prevalent problem throughout the United States. Although many would like to believe that this is only a national problem, recent studies have shown that Utah is not an exception. In Utah, one in three women are sexually assaulted and one in six are raped (Mitchell & Peterson, 2008). Forcible rape is the only violent crime factor in which Utah is higher than the national average (Federal Bureau of Investigations, 2013).

Healing The Hurt: Creating A Graphic Novel That Repairs The Damage Of Mental Health Problems, Alyssa Carpenter, Chris Crowe

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Since I was sixteen, I have struggled with self-harm and depression. One of my coping mechanisms was reading. I would read and read and read in search of a solution where my sadness and despondent nature would be whisked away into a made up world where all the problems were solvable and light always won out over darkness. However, many of the books I read simply thrust me deeper into my depressive state. Young adult literature is always and forever on the cusp of breaking the social taboos that exist in society, which often mean that these books deal with …

Dwarf Mistletoe And Breeding Bird Abundance In Ponderosa Pine Forests, Thomas J. Parker, Carol L. Chambers, Robert L. Mathiasen

Western North American Naturalist

Southwestern dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium vaginatum subsp. cryptopodum) parasitizes ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa). It can kill severely infected trees and induce the growth of dense masses of branches that can affect foraging and nesting habitat for wildlife. We tested the hypothesis that higher densities of breeding birds would be correlated with higher levels of southwestern dwarf mistletoe in ponderosa pine forests of Arizona. We estimated densities of 15 species of breeding birds and measured 26 habitat elements in 19 stands. Average dwarf mistletoe ratings (DMR) ranged from 0.0 (uninfested) to 3.7 (severely infested). Although we observed higher …

A First Survey Of Metazoan Parasites In The Fishes Of Lake Powell, Utah, Aaron M. Brooksby, Mehmet Cemal Oguz, Mark C. Belk

Western North American Naturalist

Lake Powell (Colorado River drainage, Utah and Arizona, USA) is an important and unique fishery comprising several nonnative fishes. There are no previous studies of the parasites of the fishes of Lake Powell. We provide a general survey of the metazoan parasites found in the numerically dominant fish species of the reservoir. We collected and surveyed for parasites in 236 fishes of 8 species. We found 832 parasites comprising 13 species. All of the parasite species we found are widespread throughout North America and other parts of the world. Six of the 13 species of parasites we found have been …

Four Year Effects Of Couple Relationship Education On Low And High Satisfaction Couples: A Randomized Clinical Trial, W. Kim Halford, Riyad H. Rahimullah, Keithia L. Wilson, Stefano Occhipinti, Dean M. Busby, Jeffrey Larson

Faculty Publications

Objective: Relationship education (RE) usually is conceived of as relationship enhancement for currently satisfied couples, with a goal of helping couples sustain satisfaction. However, RE also might be useful as a brief, indicated intervention for couples with low satisfaction. The current study evaluated the effect oof RE on couples with low and high relationship satisfaction. Method: The study was a randomized controlled trial in which 182 couples were randomly assigned to: a book reading control condition (control); RELATE online assessment with feedback and relationship goal setting (RELATE); or RELATE with CoupleCARE (RCC), a flexible delivery skill-based education program. Couples …

Latino Adolescent Substance Use: A Mediating Model Of Inter-Parental Conflict, Deviant Peer Associations, And Parenting, Sergio B. Pereyra, Roy A. Bean

Faculty Publications

Substance use among Latino adolescents continues to be a growing concern for researchers and clinicians. This paper reviews relevant literature regarding the impact of inter-parental conflict (IPC), deviant peer associations (DPA) and parenting behaviors, namely as parental support, psychological control, and parental monitoring knowledge on substance use among Latino adolescents. Although mediating models of IPC and similar parenting behaviors on adolescent externalizing behaviors have been represented in empirical studies, none have included the influence of peer associations or have analyzed these factors with substance use among Latino adolescents in the U.S. This study investigated direct relationships of IPC and DPA …

Eliciting The Functional Processes Of Apologizing For Errors In Health Care: Developing An Explanatory Model Of Apology, Marie M. Prothero, Janice M. Morse

Faculty Publications

The purpose of this article was to analyze the concept development of apology in the context of errors in health care, the administrative response, policy and format/process of the subsequent apology. Using pragmatic utility and a systematic review of the literature, 29 articles and one book provided attributes involved in apologizing. Analytic questions were developed to guide the data synthesis and types of apologies used in different circumstances identified. The antecedents of apologizing, and the attributes and outcomes were identified. A model was constructed illustrating the components of a complete apology, other types of apologies, and ramifications/outcomes of each. Clinical …

Differentiating Between Lactose Intolerance, Celiac Disease, And Irritable Bowel Syndrome-Diarrhea, Karlen E. (Beth) Luthy, Sophia G. Larimer, Donna S. Freeborn

Faculty Publications

The purpose of this article is to assist nurse practitioners (NPs) and other primary care providers in differentiating between lactose intolerance, celiac disease, and diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome in adults. Based on subtle characteristics gathered from the history and physical examination, the NP’s examination and approach to testing will help distinguish between the 3 conditions. NPs should use a sequential process of examination and testing to distinguish gastrointestinal disorders that share common symptoms. A best practice algorithm is provided.

Textural, Color And Sensory Attributes Of Fruits And Vegetables Dried Using Electric Forced-Air And Solar Dehydrators, Edward Wayne Crossen

Theses and Dissertations

Direct sun drying is one of the oldest methods of food preservation. A drying method that utilizes solar energy while minimizing negative aspects of sun drying is a solar dryer. However, research about the quality characteristics of fruits and vegetables dried using a solar dryer compared to a traditional dryer is lacking. To measure this, apple, tomato and carrot slices, and grape halves and whole peas were prepared and dried using either a solar or FA dehydrator (FA), Consumer liking was measured using two sensory panels that asked panelists 9-point hedonic questions between like products. Quality differences were analyzed using …

Preserving Optical Confinement In Pecvd Sio2 Waveguides By Control Of Thin-Film Stress, Steven Jay Hammon

Theses and Dissertations

Researchers at Brigham Young University (BYU) have developed an optical biosensor that can quickly analyze a sample to detect any type of nucleic acid based organism, such as viruses or bacteria. The biosensor's reliability over time is compromised due to water absorbing into the SiO₂ waveguides of the chip. It was hypothesized that keeping the thin-film stress of the waveguides close to zero would slow or stop water absorption from occurring. Completion of this thin-film study relied upon a new plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) machine and a new 3-D optical profilometer, both of which were installed in …

Critical Care Nurses' Perceptions Of End-Of-Life Care Obstacles: Comparative 17-Year Data, Renea L. Beckstrand, Nicole Lamoreaux, Karlen E. Luthy, Janelle L. B. Macintosh

Faculty Publications

Background: Nurses working in intensive care units (ICUs) frequently care for patients and their families at the end of life (EOL). Providing high-quality EOL care is important for both patients and families, yet ICU nurses face many obstacles that hinder EOL care. Researchers have identified various ICU nurse-perceived obstacles, but no studies have been found addressing the progress that has been made for the last 17 years.

Objective: The aims of this study were to determine the most common and current obstacles in EOL care as perceived by ICU nurses and then to evaluate whether meaningful changes have occurred since …

Parent Perception Of Systemic Success In Physical Education: A Study Of Advocacy In Action, Rachel Valletta Griffiths

Theses and Dissertations

In a search to discover effective means of reversing the marginalization in the field of physical education (PE), researchers have been studying exceptional PE programs that have not only broken down the growth-impeding barriers formed by changes in education, but have also successfully and consistently prevented new program barriers from developing. One such PE program, located in the southwestern United States, has been identified in former studies as having achieved and sustained Systemic Success in Physical Education (SSPE) for over four decades. Embedded in the SSPE model that this district uses to maintain dynamic growth and program sustainability are advocacy …

Exploring The Connections And Tensions Between Sacrifice And Self-Care As Relational Processes In Religious Families, Hilary Dalton

Theses and Dissertations

The relational processes of sacrifice and self-care both influence every human relationship and as such, every human has to learn how to engage in them. Families are one of the many communities in which one must address sacrifice and self-care. This study provides a qualitative exploration of the relational processes of sacrifice and self-care among a sample of 198 highly religious (Abrahamic faiths) families. In-depth analyses explored motivations, types, and related family processes among family relationships. Five themes from the data about how families perceived and addressed the relational processes of sacrifice and self-care are discussed: (1) tensions between sacrifice …

An Analytical Model To Predict The Length Of Oxygen-Assisted, Swirled, Coal And Biomass Flames, David Arthur Ashworth

Theses and Dissertations

Government regulations to reduce pollutants and increasing environmental awareness in the power generation industry have encouraged coal power plants to begin firing biomass in their boilers. Biomass generally consists of larger particles which produce longer flames than coal for a given burner. The length of the flame is important in fixed-volume boilers because of its influence on heat transfer, corrosion, deposition, and pollutant formation. Many pulverized fuel burners employ a series of co-annular tubes with various flows of fuel and air to produce a stabilized flame. A variable swirl burner with three co-annular tubes, each of variable diameter, has been …

Developmental Idealism And Declines In Support For Female Genital Cutting In Egypt From 2005 To 2014, Hilary Barker

Theses and Dissertations

In Egypt, female genital cutting (FGC) is illegal and declining in prevalence; however, the majority of women continue to support the practice. Using data from the 2005 and 2014 Egypt Demographic and Health Surveys, I examine changes in attitude toward FGC to explain social change through the framework of developmental idealism (Thornton 2015). Models are estimated using logistic regression to test if support for discontinuation of FGC is greater among women who have adopted progressive values or among women who are more traditional. Findings indicate that women who were Christian, rural, married younger, and that underwent FGC became supportive of …

Tweeting For A Cause: A Content Analysis Of Successful Charitable Nonprofits' Publishing Strategies On Twitter, Shaela Annice Hougaard

Theses and Dissertations

A study examining the content strategies within Twitter posts, from nine charitable nonprofit organizations was conducted. The content analysis was conducted to identify content strategies (relationship cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship) behind each Twitter post from these nine organizations, within a one-week period. The study also looked at levels of engagement on each tweet as well as interactivity from the organization. The results showed that these nine charitable nonprofit organizations were primarily using stewardship strategies and techniques in their posts. The study also found that relationship cultivation yielded higher levels of retweets and that the relationship cultivation and solicitation combination strategy …

Alterations In Tight Junctional Proteins And Their Effects On Pulmonary Inflammation, Joshua B. Lewis

Theses and Dissertations

The lungs represent one of the earliest interfaces for pathogens and noxious stimuli to interact with the body. As such, careful maintenance of the permeability barrier is vital in providing homeostasis within the lung. Essential to maintaining this barrier is the tight junction, which primarily acts as a paracellular seal and regulator of ionic transport, but also contributes to establishing cell polarity, cell-to-cell integrity, and regulating cell proliferation and differentiation. The loss of these tight junctions has been documented to result in alterations in inflammation, and ultimately the development of many respiratory disorders such as COPD, Asthma, ARDS, and pulmonary …

The 1848 Mormon Westward Migration, Jeff Davis Smedley

Theses and Dissertations

From the Pioneer Company of 1847 to the completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869, approximately 60,000 Mormon pioneers made the journey from Winter Quarters to the Salt Lake Valley. Although some years have received more attention, every footprint placed on the prairie is part of the epic pioneer story. This thesis examines the major challenges and characteristics of the 1848 Mormon pioneers crossing of the plains. The sacrifices and contributions of the 1848 pioneers are as significant to the legacy of the Mormon westward migration as any other year. In order to explore, develop, and explain the thesis statement, …

It's Not What You Say, It's How You Say It: The Role Of Evidence Type In Changing Violent Media Consumption, Felicia Lene Farley

Theses and Dissertations

The amount of violent media that is consumed on a daily basis by the average American and the empirically proven effects associated with such regular consumption have led scholars to consider violent media a public health threat, the risks of which, the public may not even fully appreciate (Huesmann, Dubow, & Yang, 2013). Previous research in the field of public health communication has found that different forms of evidence in public health risk messages are more or less effective in changing behavior depending on individual recipient characteristics (de Wit, Das & Vet, 2008; Reinard, 1988; Slater & Rouner, 1996). The …

Lkb1 Regulation Of High-Fat Diet-Induced Adaptation In Mouse Skeletal Muscle, Ting Chen

Theses and Dissertations

Ad libitum high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity leads to insulin resistance in skeletal muscle, altered gene expression, and altered growth signaling, all of which contributes to pathological changes in metabolism. Liver kinase B1 (LKB1) is an important metabolism regulator. The purpose of this dissertation was to understand how knocking out LKB1 influences HFD induced adaptations in mouse skeletal muscle. To do so, control and skeletal muscle LKB1 knock-out (LKB1-KO) mice were put on either standard diet (STD) or HFD for 1 week or 14 weeks, or put on the HFD for 14 weeks and then switched to STD for 1 week …

The Peanut Allergic Patient: Diagnosis, Treatment, And Prevention, Daniel W. Hill, Jane Lassetter Phd, Rn, Craig Nuttall

Student Works

The prevalence of peanut allergies (PAs) continues to rise through recent decades, despite the best attempts to reverse that trend. PAs are unpredictable and can be life-threatening. Therefore, it is imperative that nurse practitioners (NPs) are fully aware of the most recent guidelines and evidence regarding diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of PAs. This article presents information on current research in diagnosis and treatment of PA, as well as the latest guidelines established to prevent PA development. NPs should understand this information, allowing them to provide the best care possible for their patients.

Quizlet Flashcards For The First 500 Words Of The Academic Vocabulary List, Emily R. Crandell

Theses and Dissertations

The Academic Vocabulary List (AVL) was produced by a rationale for word inclusion improved from the methodology used to generate Coxhead's AWL (Gardner & Davies, 2014). It offers a comprehensive view of high frequency academic vocabulary that could greatly benefit ELLs if implemented into ELL curricula (Gardner & Davies, 2014). However, because of the newness of the list, there are few learning resources currently utilizing the AVL. The major objective of this thesis project was to create digital flashcards for the first 500 words of the AVL to increase the list's accessibility to ELLs and teachers worldwide. These flashcards were …

Rates And Predictors Of Adolescent Premature Termination: Applying Clinically Significant Change, Mariah Meaalii Bullock

Theses and Dissertations

Premature termination from child and adolescent psychotherapy is a prevalent problem for clients, their families, and mental health services. Rates of premature termination have been estimated at a range of 16-72%. Many variables have been examined as potential predictors of premature termination, yielding inconsistent conclusions. Researchers propose that part of this variability in rates and predictors is due to the inconsistent application of definitions of premature termination. The past literature identifies two main categories of definitions in this line of research: therapist judgment and number of sessions. This study aims to incorporate a relatively new definition, clinically significant change, in …

Border Crossing: One Teacher's Journey Toward Becoming A Culturally Competent Art Educator, Lindsay Renea Ruiz

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores one secondary art teacher's journey into multicultural education, multicultural art education and issues in holistic education. It delves into the difficulties and expectations in creating a classroom culture where all students feel validated and respected, and mutual understanding is fostered across cultural borders. Specific needs of multicultural students are addressed in regards to their education. Then due to an unexpected turn of events which led to a five week study abroad in India, the research looks at ways to incorporate a holistic approach, and spiritual dimension, to multicultural education based on Tibetan Buddhist principles. This narrative looks …

Cognitive Control Disruption And Quality Of Life In Individuals With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Isaac J. Hunt

Theses and Dissertations

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is associated with diminished quality of life and cognitive control dysfunction. Conflict adaptation is a reflection of cognitive control, and consists of the ability to detect conflict in previous trials and adjust performance on current trials. Conflict adaptation is thought to rely on interplay between the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) for detecting conflict and signaling for increases in control, respectively. We hypothesized that individuals with OCD would show reduced conflict adaptation effects in response times, error rates, ACC activation, and dlPFC activation when compared with healthy control subjects. We also expected diminished …

Search Strategy Development In A Flipped Library Classroom: A Student-Focused Assessment, Michael C. Goates, Gregory M. Nelson, Megan Frost

Faculty Publications

Librarians at Brigham Young University compared search statement development between traditional lecture and flipped instruction sessions. Students in lecture sessions scored significantly higher on developing search statements than those in flipped sessions. However, student evaluations show a strong preference for pedagogies that incorporate elements from both lecture and flipped methodologies. Reasons for lower flipped-session scores may include a lack of student accountability, strong preference for a live demonstration, and disconnections between online tutorial content and in-class collaborative activities. Librarians using a flipped classroom should consider ways to help students make meaningful connections between online tutorials and in-class activities.

Is Video Enjoyment Deeper For Those With Adhd?, Daisy Kristina Milman

Theses and Dissertations

To find if video enjoyment was deeper for people with ADHD (attention deficit/hyperactive disorder) than for their non-ADHD peers, subjects with ADHD, and without, had their eye movement tracked during video exposure to determine average saccade rates. I interviewed subjects using pre-tested statements to establish periods of flow state (a measure of enjoyment). Results indicate that there is a deeper sense of enjoyment for people with ADHD, as subjects with ADHD passed a greater average time in flow state during video consumption (27% compared to 21%). Furthermore, the effects of flow state on the eye movement of those with ADHD …

Invisible Voices: Revising Feminist Approaches To Charlotte Perkins Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper" By Including The Narrative Of Mental Illness, Rebekah Michele Hood

Theses and Dissertations

Since 1973, the year in which Elaine Hedges's groundbreaking edition of "The Yellow Wallpaper" was published, Charlotte Perkins Gilman's short story has been read primarily as one of America's leading feminist texts. With potent symbolism and a fragmented style of narration, it is easy to understand why many feminist scholars fashion the story's narrator into a proactive feminist, a courageous heroine who rebels against patriarchal oppression. While this trend of interpretation compellingly attempts to empower the narrator, it often overlooks her perspective of disability and projects the characteristics of a nondisabled, high-functioning feminist on a mentally ill woman. This paper …

The Relationship Between Relational Aggression And Sexual Satisfaction: Investigating The Mediating Role Of Attachment Behaviors, Melece Vida Meservy

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between relational aggression and sexual satisfaction, as well as the mediating role of attachment on this relationship. Data came from the Relationship Evaluation Survey (RELATE) comprised of the matched-pair responses of 797 couples in serious dating, engaged, or married relationships. Results showed the greater the perceived relational aggression the lower the sexual satisfaction for both self and partner, regardless of gender. Additionally, it appears a more satisfying sexual relationship can occur when an individual experiences a secure attachment base and can feel confident that his/her relationship is safe. For both …