Digital Commons Network^™

Production & Perception Of /S/ And Pitch Of Transgender Speakers, Connor J. Ryan

Honors Theses and Capstones

Linguistic research on how transgender speakers use speech traits commonly associated with gender, such as f0 and /s/, is still limited in scope. Past research has focused primarily on singular gender groups within the transgender community, particularly transmasculine speakers, leaving gaps in how speech differs among transgender speakers. Additionally, there has been little research on how transgender identity influences perception of gender in speech. Here, I use data from reading passages by fifteen university-age transgender speakers in New England to analyze variation in /s/ and f0 among transmasculine, transfeminine, nonbinary, and multigender speakers. I then performed a perception study using …

Good Forestry In The Granite State: Silviculture, Cooperative Extension

UNH Cooperative Extension

No abstract provided.

Good Forestry In The Granite State: Wildlife Habitat, Cooperative Extension

UNH Cooperative Extension

No abstract provided.

Design And Implementation Of A Nursing Peer Practice Case Review Program In An Academic Surgical/Trauma Icu, Natalie Tredway

DNP Scholarly Projects

Background: Peer review has been in use in healthcare for many years, primary by physicians. Recently, however, nursing has adopted a framework for peer review within the profession. According to the American Nurses Association (admin, 2011), organizations are required to maintain a systematic peer review process aimed at evaluating nursing care and nursing care providers to obtain/maintain Magnet designation. According to Foster (2015) nursing peer review (NPR) is “process by which practicing registered nurses systematically assess, monitor, and make judgments about the quality of nursing care provided by peers as measured against professional standards of practice”. The focus is on …

Optimizing Electronic Health Record Capability To Provide Mindfulness Education To Oncology Patients Experiencing Anxiety, Cynthia Arcieri

DNP Scholarly Projects

Background: The impact of a cancer diagnosis is significant. In 2020, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported over 1.6 million new cases of cancer (National Institutes of Health, 2023). Non-traditional approaches to supporting patients should be considered in providing high-quality cancer care. Mindfulness can help reduce stress reactions and may be beneficial for individuals with anxiety (Vinci et al., 2019). To best support patient care in the landscape of mobile health (mHeatlh) technology, it is essential to adopt best practices that promote patient engagement and empowerment.

Purpose: This quality improvement project aimed to provide oncology patients with a cognitive …

Development Of An Educational Toolkit For Washington State Nursing Professionals Regarding Climate-Related Impacts On Health, Margaret "Maggie" Pinson

DNP Scholarly Projects

BACKGROUND: Most healthcare professionals (HCPs) know that climate change poses a serious threat to human health, but few physicians and nurses actually discuss climate-related impacts on health with their patients. This knowledge-practice gap poses a risk to patient safety.

PROBLEM: Patients who are unaware of environmental threats to health may develop new illnesses, experience unnecessary exacerbations of underlying health problems and may die.

METHODS: A quality improvement intervention that addressed the educational needs of HCPs as described in the literature was developed and hosted on an online survey platform.

INTERVENTION: Preintervention survey questions captured baseline attitudes, beliefs, and knowledge. The …

A Quality Improvement Project To Enhance Chronic-Condition And Self-Care Knowledge In Adolescents With Spina Bifida, Ann Paris

DNP Scholarly Projects

Background: Spina Bifida is the most common central nervous system disorder in the United States (CDC, 2024). Even with early surgical repair, patients may have chronic, disabling, multisystem needs (Phillips et al., 2017). Adequate care of Spina Bifida requires a multidisciplinary approach. As such, patients with spina bifida require multiple specialty providers, clinic appointments, care-tasks, and interventions (CDC, 2024, Phillips, et al., 2017). Synthesizing information from multiple care providers can be daunting, especially for adolescents as they grow more autonomous in their care, and especially as they enter the age of pediatric-to-adult transition (Psihogios et al., 2015).

Purpose: …

Effective Measurement-Based Care For Depression Within Va Health Systems: A Quality Improvement Initiative, Amie L. Doyle

DNP Scholarly Projects

Background: Depression is highly common among U.S. veterans, surpassing civilian rates. Measurement-Based Care (MBC), including the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), facilitates systematic symptom monitoring and treatment enhancement. At Manchester VA Medical Center (VAMC), PHQ-9 completion in primary care was low (18.93% in May 2025) due to workflow inefficiencies, provider workload, and dependence on Mental Health Service Line (MHSL) referrals.

Local Problem: Underutilization of the PHQ-9 in primary care hampers early detection and effective treatment of depression among veterans.

Methods: Four primary care teams received training on using the Behavioral Health Laboratory (BHL) software, which facilitates pre-visit electronic completion of the …

Implementation Of A Standardized Educational Training Series For Anaphylaxis Recognition And Epi-Pen Administration To Non-Licensed Personnel In A School Setting, Katherine T. Darak

DNP Scholarly Projects

Background: Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening allergic reaction that requires early recognition and administration of intramuscular epinephrine. In the elementary school setting, non-licensed personnel are often the first staff to identify this, making training and preparedness essential. This quality improvement project aims to enhance school personnel knowledge, confidence, and competence in recognizing and managing anaphylaxis through a standardized educational training series.

Purpose: The purpose of this quality improvement project aimed to increase the knowledge, confidence, and competence of non-licensed personnel in managing and responding to anaphylaxis in the school setting. Participants accessed the educational module and hands-on training interventions …

Implementation Of Outpatient Cervical Ripening In The Community Hospital Setting: A Quality Improvement Process, April St Hilaire

DNP Scholarly Projects

Background: Cervical ripening is a critical component of labor induction. Outpatient cervical ripening using mechanical dilators offers a safe patient- centered alternative to inpatient management, with potential benefits in efficiency and patient satisfaction and cost savings.

Local Problem: At a community hospital setting with increasing induction rates, prolonged admission-to-delivery times and prolonged patient stays were observed in patients undergoing inpatient cervical ripening, prompting a need for more efficient, patient centered approaches.

Methods: Using the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) framework, an outpatient cervical ripening protocol was implemented over a 15-week period to compare inpatient versus outpatient cervical ripening using mechanical …

Hemp Pests In New Hampshire, Amber Vinchesi-Vahl, William Hastings

UNH Cooperative Extension

No abstract provided.

4-H Pledge To Create Smart Goals, Kristen Lyons

UNH Cooperative Extension

No abstract provided.

Nightmare, Phoebe E. Bowen

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

The Financialization Of The American Dream: Private Equity’S Rise In The Single-Family Rental Market, Colby Sherwin

Honors Theses and Capstones

This thesis examines how private equity firms and other institutional investors are reshaping the single-family rental market in the United States, and what that shift means for homeownership, affordability, and community stability. What began as a short-term strategy to acquire foreclosed homes after the 2008 financial crisis has evolved into a long-term business model, with firms now owning hundreds of thousands of properties across the country. Leveraging their financial scale, these investors often outbid individual buyers, particularly in fast-growing cities. While proponents argue that institutional ownership brings professionalism and much-needed supply to tight housing markets, data shows that it has …

The Impact Staphylococcus Aureus Has On Conventional And Organic Dairy Herds In New Hampshire And New York, Jacqueline Rose Holmes

Honors Theses and Capstones

Staphylococcus aureus is a potentially virulent bacterium that causes mastitis in dairy cattle. The toxins produced from S. aureus impact host immunity, damage the mammary gland, and can adapt to cause antimicrobial resistance. It is important to manage both organic and conventional farms correctly by practicing proper hygiene while milking and providing a clean environment. There is a significant increase of S. aureus cases on organic farms compared to conventional, so there may be ways in which organic management and treatment options could be altered to reduce economic loss and animal suffering. The thesis focuses on the involvement S. aureus …

Skeletons At Sea: Unpacking The Oceanographic And Taphonomic Variables That Impact The Remains Of Decedents At Sea, Ella Tartsa

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Evaluating The Causes Of Land Subsidence On The U.S. Mid-Atlantic Coast Measured With Insar, Jordan Leigh Diprima

Honors Theses and Capstones

Land subsidence is a frequently overlooked geologic hazard that is caused by natural processes and anthropogenic stressors. The goal of this study is to quantify vertical land motion (VLM) on Long Island, New York and Virginia’s Eastern Shore and evaluate the potential causes of subsidence. The causes considered in this work are glacial isostatic adjustment, groundwater extraction, infrastructure loading, and land cover. This study utilizes interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) satellite data from Sentinel-1 to calculate linear VLM trends from 2017 to 2023. Datasets for each hypothesis were qualitatively compared to VLM data. Subsidence rates in both regions were found …

Effect Of Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy On Milk Quality In Organic Dairy Cows, Kayla A. Young

Honors Theses and Capstones

Organic dairy systems are limited when it comes to the use of antibiotics and pharmaceuticals which creates opportunities to explore alternative treatments to promote cow health. Pulsed electromagnetic field therapy (PEMF), a form of electromagnetic stimulation, promotes various types of healing for both animal and human medicine. Our objective was to explore the effect of PEMF on milk yield and composition in organic dairy cows. Mid-lactation Jersey cows (n = 35) of various parities were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatments: 1) control (CON; n = 12); no PEMF, 2) once daily PEMF (PEMF1; n = 12), …

The Effects Of Heat Stress On The Rumination In Lactating Dairy Cows, Kailey Anne Deighan

Honors Theses and Capstones

This study aimed to (1) investigate the association between Temperature-Humidity Index (THI) and rumination activity patterns in lactating dairy cows, and (2) explore the breed-specific impacts of THI on rumination time in Holstein and Jersey cows. The first hypothesis was that higher THI values would be associated with decreased rumination time (RT). The second hypothesis proposed that Holsteins, due to their lower heat tolerance, would experience greater reductions in RT than Jerseys under heat stress. From June 1 to October 1, 2024, daily climatic data were collected in New Hampshire using VisualCrossing to calculate THI. Each day was categorized into …

Molecular Simulation Studies Of Protein Interactions Associated With Aging, Charlotte Jenna Thomas

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Noise In The Acute Care Patient Setting, Taylor A. Cota, Brynn Roberts

Honors Theses and Capstones

Noise levels in hospital environments can negatively impact patient satisfaction and recovery, particularly in high-acuity units such as Progressive Care Units (PCUs) (Choiniere, D. B., 2010). Patient satisfaction surveys at the PCU at Exeter Hospital have consistently identified noise as a concern, highlighting the need for rigorous quality improvement (QI) planning phase to determine whether a structured intervention, such as white noise implementation, is indicated.

This project focuses on the initial planning phase of the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle (Institute for Healthcare Improvement, n.d.) to assess the feasibility and necessity of introducing white noise machines to enhance patient experience on the …

Investigating The Dna-Binding Role Of Tbp1 In Toxoplasma Gondii: Expression And Characterization Of A Recombinant Protein, Madison T. Jeckell

Honors Theses and Capstones

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite with a complex life cycle and an unusual transcriptional machinery compared to other eukaryotes. Unlike most organisms, Toxoplasma lacks multiple well-conserved promoter motifs and has multiple TATA-binding proteins (TBPs), including TBP1, whose function in DNA binding and transcription regulation is poorly understood. This study aimed to generate and express a recombinant TBP1 protein from Toxoplasma to enable future DNA-binding assays and motif identification. Using RT-PCR, the TgTBP1 gene was amplified and cloned into a pGEX vector to produce a GST-tagged protein. The recombinant plasmid was transformed into E. coli BL21 cells, and protein …

Project Tackle 12 Years Of Cia And Taiwanese Joint Reconnaissance Overflights, Maximilian Digiovanni

Honors Theses and Capstones

Project TACKLE was a joint collaborative project between the CIA and the Taiwanese government to facilitate U-2 spy plane missions flown by Taiwanese pilots over China. These missions, conducted from 1962 to 1974, provide critical insights regarding the US and Taiwan’s fluctuating relationship during this period. TACKLE missions played a crucial role in informing policymakers on a variety of subjects, such as the progress of China’s rapidly evolving nuclear weapons program. This paper situates the TACKLE missions within the broader political context of their time to highlight the constant prioritization challenge that plagued the program.

Hit Me, Baby, One More Time: A Critical Discourse Analysis Of The Celebrity Gossip Magazine Shaming Of Britney Spears, Anna Rae Drabik

Honors Theses and Capstones

Britney Spears is an American pop star who rose to fame in the late 1990s at the age of 17 with her music, performances, and fashion. Spears was a prominent figure in celebrity gossip magazines, a genre which grew to prominence alongside and, in many ways, because of Spears. The distinct aesthetic and style of celebrity gossip magazines involved stories, blurbs, and images which wielded praise and shame—directly and indirectly—as tools to enforce norms and expectations for both female celebrities and female readers. Through a critical discourse analysis of 378 People and Us articles throughout the first ten years of …

Investigating The Mechanisms Of Freeze Tolerance In Lemna Minor, Tamara Bouchard

Honors Theses and Capstones

Freezing presents a significant abiotic stress to aquatic plants, yet little is known about the mechanisms by which species like Lemna minor (duckweed) survive subzero temperatures in nature. This study investigates whether L. minor employs freeze-avoidance or freeze-tolerance strategies and explores the potential role of its microbiome in enhancing cold resilience. Using both field-collected fronds from naturally frozen ponds and controlled freezing experiments in the lab, I assessed survival through viability staining and post-thaw survival. Results showed that L. minor can survive natural ice encasement and that prior cold acclimation significantly improves tissue survival under induced freezing. Trypan blue staining …

Poetry Is Change: Close Reading In The Context Of Trauma Research, Maeve Cecilia Tobin Flusser

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

18s Metabarcode Analyses Of Eukaryotic Species In The Respiratory Microbiomes Of Wild Canids From New Hampshire, Collin Sinclair Blake

Honors Theses and Capstones

This study is of an exploratory nature and focuses on characterizing the eukaryotic microbiota present in the respiratory tissues of six wild canids and one domestic canine. The contents of this document largely pertain to dry lab analyses of 18S barcodes in bioinformatics programs – primarily QIIME2 running in the GitBash command line, service for which was hosted by the UNH Ron Bioinformatics training server. All procedures listed within the section below were performed by second parties at the UNH Hubbard Center for Genomics Studies (HCGS), the New Hampshire Veterinary Diagnostics Lab (NHVDL), and the UNH Microbial Ecology and Emerging …

Investigating The Lyoprotective Properties Of An Antifreeze Protein From A Broadleaf Desert Shrub, Alexzandria Sheppard

Honors Theses and Capstones

Lyophilization, or freeze-drying, is an important preservation method for protein-based products, such as protein pharmaceuticals. However, the process introduces both freezing and drying stresses that can harm proteins. Here, we have studied the efficacy of AnAFP, a dehydrin-like antifreeze protein isolated from the broadleaf desert shrub Ammopiptanthus nanus, in reducing enzyme damage during freeze-drying, or lyophilization. We have shown that AnAFP can protect the model enzyme lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) from both freezing and dehydration damages during lyophilization with similar or better efficacy than 10% w/v sucrose and superior to that of another known antifreeze protein.

Backyard Chimeric Microbiomes: K-12 Participatory Science, Abigail Saucier

Honors Theses and Capstones

The US education system has seen a recent push for more secondary school curriculum to include STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) materials and activities. Middle and high school is a pivotal time when academic and personal experiences affect the development of student attitudes towards STEM (Christensen et al., 2015; Moreno et al., 2016). Teachers often utilize hands-on activities to promote student engagement with science curriculum (Brooks & Poles, 2021; Christensen et al., 2015). Hands-on activities improve student learning, but impacts vary by type of activity. When students work towards a known outcome they can feel disconnected from the work …

The Fate Of Coffee: A Socioeconomic Analysis Of Peruvian Coffee Management In The Face Of Usaid Withdrawal And Climate Change, Sophia E. Elliott

Honors Theses and Capstones

Coffee is one of the most widely traded commodities globally, with the market valued at over USD 223 billion in 2023. The cultivation and management of this crop are largely carried out by small-scale farmers, who make up approximately 80% of producers and rely heavily on coffee farming for their livelihood. Despite the relevance of this crop for producers and consumers alike, these producers often live in conditions of extreme poverty. Variability within climatic conditions has increased the vulnerability of coffee plants to pests and pathogens, in particular Coffee Leaf Rust (CLR) (Hemileia vastatrix). This, in turn, has led to …