Digital Commons Network^™

Measuring The Effects Of The Leaves On Stalk Strength And Dynamic Response In Maize, Grant C. Ogilvie

Theses and Dissertations

Maize is one of the most widely cultivated grains in the world, making it crucial to world food security and important economically. One major problem in maize production is stalk lodging (greensnap), which results in billions of dollars in lost harvests annually for maize farmers in the US alone. Understanding the mechanical properties of maize plants is crucial to addressing this problem. Previous studies have suggested that the leaf blades and leaf sheaths affect maize mechanical properties. The objectives of this thesis are twofold: to present measurement techniques for the stalk bending strength, damping ratio, and natural frequency of maize …

Using Human Computation And Harmonic Expansions For Characterization And Design Of Grain Boundary Networks, Christopher W. Adair

Theses and Dissertations

Grain Boundary Networks (GBNs) are a high-dimensional feature in polycrystalline microstructural materials that are formed from the crystallographic degrees of freedom. This feature affects multiple material properties such as diffusivity, fracture, elasticity, heat transfer, and others. The link between the crystallography and the material properties is called the structure-property linkage, and allows for simulation and design of materials. While it is possible to use the structure-property linkage to design materials for better performance, the high-dimensional nature of the interconnected grain boundaries preclude the use of many common optimization algorithms for efficiency or local minima considerations. This work shows how the …

A Levinasian Investigation Of Leaders Learning Humility, Spencer Fumio Yamada

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the development of humility in individuals and business organizations. Humility in business leadership has received increased attention in recent years; however, little is known regarding how individuals and organizations become more humble. The first article in this dissertation is a theoretical examination of humility and argues that the philosophy of ethicist and phenomenologist Emmanuel Levinas provides a theoretical lens by which the development of humility could be productively explored. Levinas argued that the human experience is based on the ethical responsibility that individuals have towards one another, providing a set of assumptions for an examination of professional …

Integrating Temperature-Dependent Tissue Properties Into Hifu Computational Models For Enhanced Treatment Planning, Christian Kevin Valencia Narva

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a non-invasive therapy that ablates diseased tissues with high precision. Computational simulations using the Pennes Bioheat Transfer Equation (PBTE) can guide HIFU treatment by predicting temperature distributions and thermal dose volumes. Traditional simulations assume constant thermal and acoustic properties, which may oversimplify tissue behavior. Methods: This study evaluates the impact of integrating temperature-dependent thermal properties (thermal conductivity, specific heat capacity, and perfusion) in finite-difference time-domain HIFU simulations. Three scenarios were simulated: (1) a homogeneous liver with both high- and low-power sonications, (2) a rabbit thigh muscle validated against preclinical MRTI data, and (3) an …

Development Of A Qualitative Spot Assay For Zinc Detection In Fortified Cereal Grain Matrices, Ashley L. Lamborn

Theses and Dissertations

The present thesis is a compilation of a literature review, journal manuscript, and two standard operating procedures (SOP) on the qualitative determination of zinc in fortified cereal grain products and matrices. The literature review addresses the premise of the research as well as potential solutions for the development of a rapid qualitative spot assay for zinc determination. Quality assurance assays affirm the presence of micronutrients in food fortification initiatives, but no rapid qualitative spot methods for the assessment of zinc currently exist. Chromogenic reagents that may perform a key role in the rapid determination of zinc are identified. The journal …

Analysis Of Nitrogen Accumulation And Gene Expression In Hydroponically-Grown Chenopodium Genotypes, Teal Kalt

Theses and Dissertations

Nitrogen (N) is an essential macronutrient required by all plants to complete their life cycles. Inefficient N uptake contributes to over fertilization and subsequent environmental and sustainability issues resulting in the need for improved nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). Chenopodium quinoa is a resilient pseudocereal crop that is relatively adapted to N-deficient soils. Previous studies have uncovered the unique genetic structure of quinoa and its physiological responses to N availability; however, gaps remain in understanding its molecular mechanisms for NUE. This study investigates four quinoa genotypes (Real-1, 0654, KU-2, and QQ74) hydroponically grown in N-deficient conditions. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis identified …

"Because He Was A Cripple": Collective Care And The Theory Of Complex Embodiment In Dickens's A Christmas Carol, Briley Wyckoff

Theses and Dissertations

Published in 1843, Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol planted itself squarely into a society that depended upon physical labor and valued able-bodiedness. The crutch-bearing Tiny Tim is iconized for his angelic nature and positive outlook on his impairment, prompting critical conversation about narrative prosthesis and poster children, yet the other illustrations of disability in the novella are rarely explored. Contrary to the tendency of disability scholars to conclude that A Christmas Carol leans too heavily into the trope of inspirational disability or diminishes disabled agency, Dickens's incorporation of disability actually extends far beyond Tim as each member of the Cratchit …

Failure For Avon, Failure For Labour A Waterworks Project And The Shortcomings Of Left-Wing Groups In Pre-Wwi Aberdeen, Garrett Mast

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

On September 16th, 1909, the Aberdeen Daily Journal ran a single article that encompassed one and a half pages of the ten- page printing. This article did not discuss any national or international news, but rather a town council meeting for the city of Aberdeen in northern Scotland. This meeting was anything but standard procedure, lasting six and a half hours, a record for the council with at least 27 of the 34 councillors participating in the debate. The debate discussed the rather mundane question of from which river the council should seek approval for pumping new drinking water.1 “The …

Pain For Profit The Motivations Of Slave Surgeons In The Eighteenth To Nineteenth Century Caribbean, Gabe Smock

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

When late eighteenth- century British surgeon Dr. Alexander Falconbridge ventured belowdecks to check on the hundreds of slaves chained there, he had no illusions about the horrors of the Middle Passage. After all, this was not his first voyage providing medical care for slaves until they disembarked at the infamous markets of colonial Kingston, Jamaica. He took a moment to brace himself, then ventured down into the damp air below only to encounter a sight so awful that it was difficult to put into words when he recounted the experience years later to Parliament. As a consequence of being packed …

The Disrupted Symphony Of Speech: A Lesion Network Mapping Analysis Of Apraxia Of Speech, Payton Harris, Harrison Moore, Milija Grotenhuis, Jared Nielsen, Michael A. Ferguson

FHSS Mentored Research Conference

Apraxia of Speech (AOS) is a motor speech disorder that causes difficulty planning and coordinating the movements necessary for speech. This study uses lesion network mapping to identify the neural connections of AOS by tracing lesion data and analyzing their functional connectivity patterns. Our data indicates strong connectivity between the left primary motor cortex and right premotor cortex. The findings of the left primary motor cortex differ from most AOS research but still correlate with regional functions found in healthy populations. However, results related to the right motor cortex were much less expected, and suggested a larger, understudied role in …

Measures Of Verbal Comprehension Patterns In Autistic Females, Savanna Leigh Parady

Theses and Dissertations

Although a rapidly growing body of scientific literature is leading to more understanding of autistic traits in women and girls, their diagnosis continues to occur at later ages. Diagnosis received at later ages limits access to early intervention and related positive outcomes. The purpose of this study was to add data to the weight of evidence approach in differential diagnosis of autism in females and other underserved groups. Specifically, I set out to identify patterns between verbal comprehension tasks measuring vocabulary knowledge (crystallized knowledge) and analogous verbal comprehension (similarities) tasks drawing on additional cognitive abilities. Verbal analogy tasks measure knowledge …

Elucidating The Antibiofilm Characteristics Of A Carbon Infiltrated Carbon Nanotube Surface And A Copper-Coated Carbon Infiltrated Carbon Nanotube Surface, Lucy Christena Bowden

Theses and Dissertations

Post-surgical implant-associated infections cause considerable patient morbidity and mortality. These infections are often caused by biofilm-forming bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Bacterial biofilms are resistant to immune clearance and are a reservoir of antibiotic resistance. Implant materials that resist bacterial colonization may be able to improve patient outcomes. Carbon infiltrated carbon nanotubes (CICNT) are a potential surface modification for medical implants. The work presented in this dissertation focuses on characterizing the antibiofilm effect of the CICNT surface, better understanding its mechanism of action, and characterizing the enhanced antibiofilm effect of a copper-coated CICNT surface. S. aureus biofilms …

Enhancing Eye Anatomy Education: Integrating 3d Models In Open Educational Resources, Hayley Nickels Yancey

Instructional Psychology and Technology Graduate Student Projects

This project explores how interactive 3D models can enhance eye anatomy education within the framework of open educational resources (OER). Recognizing that students in anatomy and physiology courses often struggle to recognize anatomical structures from multiple perspectives—and frequently lack access to high-quality, low-cost study tools—this project addressed these gaps by designing and developing a custom, interactive 3D model of the human eye. Created using Blender and embedded into a web interface via Verge3D, the model allows users to rotate, zoom, highlight, and isolate structures of the eye, including both external and internal components. The tool was designed specifically for students …

Security Or Suppression? Rethinking U.S. Policies Regarding Foreign Tech Firms And National Security, Gordon Mccreadie, Cade Morris

Brigham Young University Prelaw Review

Increasingly adversarial relationships between the United States and countries such as China, Russia, and Iran have resulted in legislative efforts to ensure the National Security of the United States by banning foreign technology firms deemed to pose a threat. Certain high profile bans, such as the ban of Huawei and potential ban of Tik Tok, have raised concerns that these bans are motivated by factors other than a legitimate national security threat. Failure to protect the rights of affected foreign firms could result in an anticompetitive, isolated U.S. market. This paper will analyze the legality of different efforts to ban …

Offering Alternatives To Biblical Literalism May Be The Key To Increasing The Public’S Acceptance Of Evolution, Jamie Jensen, Dalton Bourne, Kenneth Harrington, Grant Rousseau, Jessica Abele, Daniel Ferguson

ScholarsArchive Data

These are data from two cohorts: a nationwide dataset, and a BYU-specific student dataset. We gathered information on evolution acceptance (using the I-SEA), biblical literalism (using the EALS) and religiosity (using the Sethi and Seligman instrument).

Poor Cancer Prevention And Detection In Zimbabwe, Kenyon C. Chipman

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Abstract

In the aftermath of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly Zimbabwe, has witnessed a surge in noncommunicable diseases such as cancer. Despite the decline in HIV/AIDS and other cancer-associated illnesses like HPV, these diseases have set the stage for a growing cancer epidemic. Key contributing factors to this rise include a lack of knowledge about cancer among both patients and health professionals, the prevalence of cancer-associated communicable diseases, and limited accessibility to early detection and prevention services and resources. These factors have led to late diagnoses, increased burden on the healthcare system, and adverse effects on individuals and families. …

"Very Important Stuff For The Ladies": Examining Gender Differences In Celebrity Journalism, Payton E. Pingree

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores gender differences in celebrity journalism by analyzing 44 YouTube video interviews from the Oscars red carpet between 2014 and 2024. Using framing theory and feminist theory, the study examines how interviewers interact with male and female celebrities, focusing on four key behaviors: infantilizing, ambivalence, sexualization, and heteronormativity. Through qualitative thematic analysis of interview transcripts, the research reveals that female celebrities are often sexualized through questions about their appearance and subjected to heteronormative expectations when discussing their fashion choices and familial roles. These patterns suggest persistent sexism in celebrity journalism, potentially influencing public perceptions of women in the …

Characterizing The Effects Of Rage Upregulation In Lung Development, Derek Michael Clarke

Theses and Dissertations

The Receptor for Advanced Glycation End-products (RAGE) is a transmembrane, multi-ligand cell surface receptor highly expressed in pulmonary tissue, where it plays a critical role in mediating inflammatory responses. Under chronic toxicant exposure, often associated with cigarette, e-cigarette, and diesel particulate, RAGE transitions from a protective to a deleterious state, contributing to pathological processes. In adult models, RAGE's role in the development of lung disease has been well studied, yet in the context of lung development RAGE has not been well studied with a small number of clinical papers finding increased levels of RAGE in bronchopulmonary dysplasia(BPD) and respiratory distress …

Transgenerational Impacts Of Covid-19: Exploring The Epigenetic Impacts Of Sars-Cov-2 Infection On Parental Reproductive Health And Offspring Development, Isaac Mckay Stirland

Theses and Dissertations

The mechanisms and consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infection, including clinical manifestations, immune response, pathogenicity, long-term sequelae, etc., have been studied in detail following the 2019 pandemic however, very little has been done to explore the interplay between SARS-CoV-2 and host DNA methylation. Given the role of DNA methylation in genetic regulation, genomic imprinting, and induction of transgenerational effects, an understanding of viral interaction(s) with the host methylome is imperative in promoting reproductive and developmental health. Numerous reports describe infections with similar pathogenicity to SARS-CoV-2 and their correlation to altered host tissues at the epigenetic, physiologic, and macroscopic level. These reported epigenetic …

Intermittent Pneumatic Compression And Heart Rate Variability, Bethany Elisabeth Hartwell

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Intermittent Pneumatic Compression (IPC) technology has historic use in promoting fluid movement throughout the body, specifically the legs following surgery. When used in athletics and sports performance training, IPC boots help athletes recover faster and reduce soreness in the lower legs. Research has demonstrated that these boots can significantly shorten recovery times after use. However, the specific mechanisms through which these boots promote recovery remain unclear. One possibility is that IPC boots enhance parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) activity, which may reduce physiological stress; however, this hypothesis has not yet been formally tested. Heart rate variability (HRV) is a measure of …

Regulation Of Cell Cycle Proteins At The Extremes Of Copy Number Variation In Cancer, Hannah Tran

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Copy number variation is one of the main forms of genomic alteration in cancer genomes. The amplification of oncogenes or deletion of tumor suppressors commonly drives tumor formation. Average copy number variation events vary across cancer types; ovarian cancer has the highest average number of copy number changes, and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma has the least. With the copy number differences between cancer types, it is likely that different mechanisms of producing copy number changes exist. We propose that a possible mechanism is cell cycle reversal, which was recently shown to potentially occur during the G2 phase of the cell cycle …

Machine Learning For Time Series Prediction In Psychotherapy, Ian Goodwin

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The need for quality mental health care is great, but many clinics face limited resources as they work to help clients. Predictions of a client’s future mental state during a course of therapy have the potential to inform decisions by individual therapists and counseling clinics. In this paper, we use archival OQ-45 data from a large university counseling center to examine the ability of many simple, rule-of-thumb predictive methods, as well as more complex methods (ridge regression, random forests, and LSTMs), to predict the next value in a time series of distress scores based on the previous scores. Learned inference …

More Than A Vessel: Presentations Of The Mother In Lucie Delarue-Mardrus’ Marie, Fille-Mère; Pagu’S Parque Industrial; And Nella Larsen’S Quicksand, Sophie Hirtle

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis explores portrayals of the pregnant female mind in early 20th-century literature completed by female authors in the francophone, lusophone, and anglophone tradition. The three cited authors—Lucie Delarue-Mardrus, Pagu, and Nella Larsen—have each produced novels which include explicit references to childbirth and maternity, as well as veiled references to the mother’s mental state before, during, and after pregnancy. A close analysis of these scenes reveals an underlying discourse of the effects of pregnancy on cognition and mental health, suggesting that the contemporary discourse on the self-sacrificing mother was over-simplistic and placed women within strict categories of “good mother” or …

The Effects Of Social Learning On Second Language Acquisition And Memory: An Fnirs Study, Siena Christensen

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis addresses the question of what effect social learning has on successful second language acquisition behaviorally and neurologically. Participants were taught novel L2 words in a social learning condition and a non-social translation condition. They were then tested with a social testing condition and a non-social translation condition right after learning and at a later date, either 1 week, 4 weeks, or 2 months after learning. Brain activity was measured by comparing oxygenated hemoglobin levels with an fNIRS device. A significant positive effect of sociality was found for response accuracy, as words learned in the social condition performed better …

Determining The Influence Of Habitat Complexity On Fish Diversity And Abundance In Hawaiian Coral Reefs, Gabrielle Reece Demarco

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Since AUVs maintain heightened levels of identification, advanced system complexity coverage, low taxonomic selectivity, while maintaining large sample sizes and exceptional navigational accuracies, AUVs could be beneficial in certain circumstances. However, since UVC’s tend to have higher biomass identification accuracies and AUVs lack of agility and reactivity increase unidentifiable fish (While increasing biomass coverage), its costs may not justify the means. However, with advances in camera and drone technologies, it may be possible to heighten the identification abilities of AUVs, thus offering a low-interruption solution to fish surveying

Lgbtq+ Identity Development And Individual Vs Group Psychotherapy Experience: A Consensual Qualitative Analysis, Aileen Marie Rands

Theses and Dissertations

Multicultural topics, such as LGBTQ+ experience, have accrued predominance within the field of psychology. It has become clear that better understanding minority experience is of utmost importance. Pervasive stigma, discrimination, and mistreatment culminate into minority stress; thus LGBTQ+ individuals face greater risk for poor mental health and seek out psychotherapy at higher rates. Despite this reality, limited psychotherapy research exists in this area generally and essentially no research has looking into the experience of LGBTQ+ individuals in group therapy. The current study investigated experiences of LGBTQ+ clients who have participated in both individual and group psychotherapy. Eleven participants were interviewed …

Enhancing Mucus Flow And Clearance By Grafting Zwitterionic Hydrogel Films To Luminal Surfaces, Ryan Horne, Caleb Escudero, Morgan Ellerman, C. Allan Guymon, Marlan Hansen

Faculty Publications

Objective

To determine the effects of zwitterionic hydrogel films on mucus contact angles, flow, and stasis with respect to medical polymer surfaces, both flat and tubular.

Methods

A zwitterionic hydrogel thin film was photografted onto medical rubber surfaces and compared against non-zwitterionic hydrogel thin films and untreated surfaces to determine its impact on mucus contact angles, mucus flow on sheets and tubes, and mucus plugging.

Results

Zwitterionic and conventional hydrogel films significantly reduce the mucus contact angles and the tilt required to initiate mucus flow on sheets and in tubular systems. Preliminary experiments show that these films may also shorten …

Guide To Facilitate Service Learning, Yoshihiko Ariizumi

Learning, Teaching, & Researching Optimization

This guide contains the list of 10 links to richly useful information that I have accumulated spending hundreds of hours.

Creative Ideas For Incorporating Service Learning In Biology And Chemistry Classes, Yoshihiko Ariizumi

Learning, Teaching, & Researching Optimization

The inspiration obtained by reading this article helps faculty members generate their own ideas to facilitate service learning in the courses they teach.

A Randomized Controlled Study Of Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback In An Older Adult Sample, Whitney D. Allen

Theses and Dissertations

Heart rate variability biofeedback (HRVB) is a controlled breathing treatment designed to increase the variation in consecutive heartbeats leading to improved regulation of one's autonomic nervous system thereby improving one's ability to self-regulate and maintain homeostasis. Changes in heart rate variability (HRV) are seen in those of increased age and lower HRV is associated with poorer outcomes (e.g., increased mortality, worse emotional functioning, cardiovascular risk factors). As such, older adults are a group that stands to benefit from HRVB principles. The current randomized control trial was designed to understand the impact of HRVB in an older adult population on resting …