Digital Commons Network^™

The Impact Of Point Of Care Hepatitis C Virus Rna Testing On Diagnosis, Treatment Initiation, And Linkage To Care In Marginalized Populations, Maria Simpson

Medical Laboratory Science Independent Study Projects

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) remains a major public health concern, particularly among marginalized and high-risk populations who experience barriers to timely diagnosis, treatment initiation, and linkage to care. Traditional laboratory-based HCV testing often requires multistep workflows and follow-up visits, contributing to delayed confirmation of active infection and loss to care. This literature review examines how point-of-care HCV ribonucleic acid (RNA) testing affects time to diagnosis, treatment initiation, and linkage to care compared with standard laboratory-based testing. Evidence from systematic reviews, community-based trials, correctional settings, supervised consumption sites, diagnostic performance studies, and cost-effectiveness analyses indicates that point-of-care RNA testing shortens turnaround …

Standardized Training Methodologies For Medical Laboratory Science Students And Their Importance For Student Success, Maria Simpson

Medical Laboratory Science Independent Study Projects

Clinical education is a critical component of Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) programs, serving as the primary bridge between academic instruction and professional practice. However, traditional clinical rotation training models often struggle to keep pace with rapid advancements in laboratory technology, expanding professional responsibilities, workforce shortages, and heightened patient safety expectations. The purpose of this capstone project is to examine the key factors driving the need to update training methodologies in MLS clinical rotations and to evaluate contemporary educational approaches that better prepare students for entry-level practice. This project addresses systemic challenges faced by clinical laboratories, such as staffing constraints, heavy …

Exploring Instructor Engagement With Aviation Safety Messaging At Und: A Pilot Study, Brendan Aug

Aviation Student Publications

Effective communication of safety information is critical in fostering a strong safety culture within collegiate aviation. This pilot study explores how flight instructors at the University of North Dakota (UND) engage with two safety communication tools: The ASAP Spotlight email update and the 60-Seconds for Safety flyers. A 25-question survey distributed to active UND Line Flight Instructors examined engagement levels, behavioral impact, perceived effectiveness, and preferred communication methods. Descriptive statistics, correlations, and an exploratory factor analysis were used to evaluate responses across four constructs: engagement, behavior, perception, and communication preference. Results indicate that while instructors do generally engage with and …

Double-Scoring: Reliable Extraction Of Strong Lottery Tickets, Bryce Christopherson, Jack Baretz, Darian Colgrove, Salah Dandan

Mathematics Faculty Publications

The lottery ticket hypothesis proposes that large random neural networks contain sparse subnetworks that can match the performance of dense models after compara- ble training. A stronger version asserts that sufficiently overparameterized random networks contain subnetworks that are already accurate before any weight training. Existing theory establishes that such strong lottery tickets exist, but reliable ex- traction remains difficult. We revisit edge-popup, a frozen-weight score-training method for extracting strong tickets, and identify layerwise sparsity selection as a central bottleneck. We introduce double-scoring, an augmented score-space parameterization that replaces a layerwise sparsity search with optimization over enlarged score tensors. We prove …

Post, Anna Unser

Floodwall Magazine

No abstract provided.

Picture Perfect, Brenden Kimpe

Floodwall Magazine

No abstract provided.

Post, Anya Unser

Floodwall Magazine

No abstract provided.

"My Two Legs Are Broken, But Look At Me Dance", Korbyan Chavez

Floodwall Magazine

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Oral Adherence Education From Pharmaceutical Nurse Educators, Joshua David Boss

Nursing Capstones

The project investigates the impact of pharmaceutical nurse educators providing oncology practice nurses with education on oral anticancer medication adherence. A sample of nine registered nurses and advanced practice nurses participated in the pre-education survey and educational intervention, whereas seven participated in the post-education survey. Using a quantitative, quasi-experimental design, the project found an increase in understanding of the role pharmaceutical nurse educators play on the multidisciplinary team following the educational intervention. The findings support the need for an industry-wide naming clarification for the pharmaceutical nurse educator role, including the title across companies. Additionally, the need for the pharmaceutical nurse …

Responsible Ai Practices In Engineering Programming, Mohamed Elfaham

AI Assignment Library

This project demonstrates how responsible AI tools can be integrated into engineering programming assignments to support learning, debugging, verification, and critical evaluation while maintaining student accountability and independent problem-solving skills.

Nature As The Foundation: A Shift In Pedagogy, Mary Moroney-Fernandez

The Cicadian

Somewhere in the United States right now, a child is sitting beneath fluorescent lights while the world outside continues without her. This paper argues that her confinement is not accidental, but rather theoretical. Examining the divergent frameworks of Friedrich Fröbel and Jean Piaget, it traces how American public schooling absorbed a vision of learning organized around cognitive individualism while displacing Fröbel's relational vision of child and nature. Drawing on reflection, historical analysis, and research, this paper contends that lasting reform requires confronting the foundational assumptions that built the classroom in the first place.

The Pebble In The Shoe, Marcos Fernandez Tous

The Cicadian

This piece offers an introspective reflection by an educator at the University of North Dakota, blending phenomenological perspectives on the nature of education with the embodied experience of participating in a sweat lodge. Framed by a meandering walk across campus, the narrative interweaves several thematic threads: the tension between clarification and explanation, the values that should guide technology education, and the role of nature with its inherent, chaotic vitality. Although the text adopts a stream‑of‑consciousness approach, it does so without leaning on the established stylistic traditions of Proust, Joyce, or Faulkner. The work is also poetic in tone, suggesting that …

Jacksonian Democracy: Triumph Or Tragedy?, Gabe Blumer

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

This capstone paper analyzes Andrew Jackson's presidential impact on democracy and discusses its strengths and weaknesses as a whole. It goes over the impact on white men, black Americans, and Native Americans in particular.

Establishing The Inter-Rater Reliability Of The Titleist Performance Institute (Tpi) Movement Screen, Ian Henry Dahners, Matthew Fetner, Carlan Haugrud, Hunter Johnson, Braeden Lee Knutson, Erica Jo Peters, Dana Jayde Zarn

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background: The Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) Movement Screen is a golf-specific physical assessment widely used by professionals to identify physical limitations that may influence swing mechanics and injury risk. Despite its popularity, there is limited peer-reviewed evidence regarding the screen’s inter-rater reliability. Without established reliability, clinical and performance decisions based on TPI scores may be questionable. Prior research on similar tools, such as the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) and Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA), shows that reliability varies based on evaluator experience, scoring objectivity, and standardization—all relevant concerns for the TPI Movement Screen.

Purpose: To determine the inter-rater reliability of …

Assessing The Preparedness Of New Graduate Physical Therapists For Primary Care Physical Therapy Roles, Hannah Ellen Snobeck, Olivia Mavis Manuel, Rachel Jean Dukart, Samantha Marie Krogfoss, Logan Nicole Redding, Haley Paige Hase, Reese Paige Richards

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose: The growing shortage of primary care providers in the United States has led to increased discussion about expanding the role of physical therapists (PTs) in primary care. Physical therapists have advanced diagnostic and musculoskeletal expertise that helps them succeed in these roles. This study aimed to assess how new graduates perceive their readiness to practice as primary care providers and to identify the education and experiential factors that shape this.

Methods: Using a qualitative research design guided by self-perception theory, semi-structured interviews were conducted with three physical therapists who graduated between 2022 and 2024. Participants were asked …

Electromyography (Emg) Of Lower Extremity Muscles During The Spanish Squat In Varied Foot Positions, Matthew Feddema, Jake Graf, Jenna Hildebrant, Allison Jepson, Jake Marciniak, Benjamin Oie

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background: Knee injuries are among the most common sports-related injuries, often linked to weakness or imbalance in the quadriceps and gluteal muscles. Squat variations are frequently prescribed in rehabilitation to strengthen these muscle groups and enhance knee and hip stability. The Spanish squat (SS) has shown to be effective for increasing quadriceps activation while reducing joint stress. However, limited research has examined how different stance widths during Spanish squats may effect lower extremity muscle activation.

Purpose: This study aimed to compare surface electromyography (EMG) activity of selected lower extremity muscles during Spanish squat variations (narrow, shoulder-width, and wide stances) and …

Pedagogical Strategies In Medical Laboratory Science Student Learning Outcomes: A Comparative Study Of Learner-Centered And Lecture-Based Instruction, Kasey Kuker

Medical Laboratory Science Independent Study Projects

Learner centered teaching (LCT) has gained prominence across the health sciences, yet its specific impact on Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) education remains underexamined. This comparative literature review synthesizes findings from various empirical studies to evaluate how active, learner centered pedagogies - such as flipped classrooms, blended learning, team based learning, simulation, gamification, and structured feedback - perform relative to traditional lecture based instruction. Across diverse MLS and allied health contexts, LCT consistently improved cognitive outcomes including examination performance, laboratory skill proficiency, and long term retention. Equally significant were gains in affective outcomes: heightened self efficacy, motivation, engagement, teamwork, and professional …

Is It Altruism Or Codependency? A Dive Into Our Relationships With Others, Livia Dietrich

Psychology Student Publications

Codependency is characterized by the tendency to put others’ needs ahead of your own. It can affect anyone; but is typically most common in mothers. This paper explores many reasons someone may fall into these patterns, such as low self-esteem or an abusive partner. Trends of relationships in one’s past, like their relationship with their parents, could also affect the likelihood of codependent tendencies. These examinations can help to identify what codependency looks like in order to repair relationships moving forward

Effective Interventions On Gambling Disorder While Reducing Social Stigma, Kayla Tretter

Psychology Student Publications

This paper examine effective interventions on gambling disorder and how stigma can derail an individual's recovery. It specifically focuses on the integration of motivational interviewing (MI) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) as treatments.

Why Last-Minute Studying Fails, Ava Oberg

Psychology Student Publications

This paper discusses why last minute cramming is ineffective and can be detrimental if you are trying to remember the information long term. It highlights the benefits of spaced practices and retrieval -based Practices to improve your long term retention. This paper states that adopting more effective study strategies can improve your academic performance and help with long term retention.

The Benefits Of Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Agonists In Adult Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Bethany A. Johnson

Nursing Capstones

Background: PCOS is the most common endocrinopathy in women of reproductive age, affecting 5-6 million women in the United States. Symptoms include hirsutism, acne, hormone imbalances, menstrual irregularity, obesity, infertility, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. GLP-1s are being studied for their benefits in women with PCOS.

Purpose: To review the current evidence on the efficacy of GLP-1 receptor agonists in improving symptoms and complications of PCOS.

Methods: This scoping literature review used three databases, including CINAHL Ultimate, PubMed, and ClinicalKey. Inclusion criteria were women 18 and older diagnosed with PCOS and studies that evaluated any type of GLP-1 and their effect on …

Beyond Words: Photovoice As A Tool For Inclusive Research, Lauren Stone

Psychology Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Present And Future Effects Of Parental Discipline - What's The Best Way To Parent?, Erica Morrison

Psychology Student Publications

Different parenting styles can have different and long lasting effects on one's children. How we parent can largely shape who your child will become.

Effects Of Screen Time On Childhood Development, Elizabeth Bridge

Psychology Student Publications

This science communication paper explores the psychological effects of screen time on childhood development. It emphasizes the effects on childhood intelligence, social skills, language skills, emotional regulation skills, and mental health.

Privacy Preserving Anomaly Detection System For Der Solar Inverters, Tanzim Jim Hassan, Prakash Ranganathan

Graduate Research Achievement Day Posters

Reliable operation of solar inverters depends on maintaining a stable frequency. Recent cyber attacks on solar DERs are concerning and increase the likelihood of such stealthy attacks leading to anomalies in DER. Therefore, a robust anomaly detection system (ADS) is crucial for solar inverters used in distributed energy resources (DERs), enabling timely detection and correction of frequency anomalies. Additionally, preserving data privacy is essential for the security and reliability of the power grid. This paper proposes a privacy-preserving anomaly detection system (PP-ADS) based on a multi-stage hybrid machine learning (MSHML) model specifically designed for solar inverter data in DER environments. …

Trends In Health-Based Drinking Water Violations For Coliform Bacteria In The United States, Amber Lyon-Colbert, Kshipra Sharma

Public Health Faculty Publications

This research seeks to determine whether health-based drinking water violations for total coliforms have increased since the Revised Total Coliform Bacteria Rule established in 2013 and fully implemented in 2016 by the Environmental Protection Agency under the Safe Drinking Water Act; as well as determine the geographic regions, states and territories in the United States with the highest number of health-based Total Coliform Rule and Revised Total Coliform Rule violations. We obtained data for drinking water violations involving total coliform bacteria from the Safe Drinking Water Information System for 2000-2019 and trend analysis was completed by state, region, water source, …

Communication Between North Dakotan's And Their Government, Harrison Nuelle

History Hawks: A North Dakota History Zine

This historical analysis follows the story of a fictional character, Dan Barnes. Dan Barnes is a combination of three real people and their struggles during the Great Depression in North Dakota. We see his letters with Governor Langer, and also get some background information on how the Great Depression hit North Dakota. The purpose of this story is to highlight the dialogue that was had between North Dakotans and their elected officials.

V-22 Osprey Proprotor, Derek Krieger, Carson Running

Mechanical Engineering Student Publications

This paper covers an aerodynamic analysis of the Boeing Bell V-22 Osprey proprotor blade by utilizing thin-airfoil theory (TAT) and lifting-line theory (LLT). The primary focus is how the coefficient of lift and induced drag respond to changes in the angle of attack of the proprotor blades. The proprotor blade is modeled as a finite wing based on the NACA 63-212 airfoil. The wing has a geometric twist of -35 degrees from root to tip. The theories used to evaluate the blade design are limited by the assumption of incompressible, inviscid flow. The results of the analysis indicate that lift …

Supporting Reentry: An Occupation-Based Approach, Savannah B. Ullyott

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Introduction: Individuals transitioning back into the community following incarceration need holistic care to support a successful reintegration process (National Institute of Justice [NIJ], 2023). There are a variety of supports and barriers to successful reintegration that should be considered when guiding programming for this population, as these individuals often face many challenges when transitioning back into the community (Galletta et al., 2021). Specific supports facilitating successful transitions back into the community includes those of basic or daily needs, often related to housing, employment, transportation, social supports, food security, and access to mental and physical health services (Galletta et al., 2021; …

Enhancing Interdisciplinary Care In Functional Cognition, Madison Anne Thomas

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: Functional cognition plays a critical role in determining a patient’s ability to safely perform daily activities, manage medications, and discharge from acute care settings. Functional cognition refers to the integration of cognitive processes and performance skills necessary for completing real-world tasks safely and independently (American Occupational Therapy Association [AOTA], 2023). Occupational therapy practitioners are uniquely positioned to assess functional cognition using performance-based measures and support safe discharge planning. Limited awareness and understanding of functional cognition impairments among hospitalists and interdisciplinary team members may lead to inconsistent occupational therapy referrals and potential safety concerns during discharge planning (D’Cruz et al., …