Digital Commons Network^™

Integrative Analysis Of Heterogeneous Genomics Data For Triple Negative Breast Cancer And High Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer, Abdelrahman Hosny Ibrahim

Master's Theses

The human body is made up of trillions of cells. Although all the human body cells contain the same DNA sequence inside their nuclei, each one carries out its own function. Normally, human cells grow and divide to form daughter cells as the body needs them. When cells grow old, or lose their ability to function properly, they die (in a very organized way called apoptosis or programmed cell death) and new cells take their role. Cancer is a disease that is caused by uncontrolled division of abnormal cells in some part of the body, breaking the natural process of …

Azeotrope Enabled Anionic Polymerization Of Ethylene Oxide Using Initiators With Different Functional Groups, Dronareddy Madugula

Master's Theses

Poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) is a nonionic hydrophilic polymer having the same repeat unit as poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). It is of interest in both biology and materials science. PEO surfaces demonstrate a unique lack of protein adhesion, and PEO block copolymers are widely used in applications such as drug delivery. Unfortunately, the synthesis of PEO homopolymers and block copolymers can be experimentally challenging, with a typical method involving air sensitive organometallics and the removal of compounds such as naphthalene from the final product. Here we report a synthetic route that avoids these difficulties by using azeotropic distillation to remove water from …

Change In Urban Fabric Through Space And Time At Differing Levels Of Automobility, Kristin A. Floberg

Master's Theses

For thousands of years cities have been centers for commerce, creativity, and livelihood, consisting of relatively unchanged characteristics such as walkable streets, diverse land-uses, and human-scaled buildings and streets. With the introduction of the automobile, this past century the desire for free-flowing traffic and convenient parking has drastically transformed the fabric of many cities. Transforming cities into places that accommodate automobiles has transformed downtowns into office parks rather than vibrant mixed-use environments and destroyed communities.

Investigation into reducing automobiles in cities has increasingly piqued the interest of stakeholders in the environmental, safety and economic development communities. This body of research …

Artists’ Expression Of Women’S Unresolvable Internal Conflict, Diedre Miles-Girod

Senior Theses

The Victorian period (1837 to 1901) was a time of great change in the United States. The country was growing with the Louisiana Purchase and the addition of several states to the Union. Railroads were connecting together the vast lands. Unprecedented economic and manufacturing changes were unfolding; it was the time of the Industrial Revolution. This period also brought about a revolution for women by opening up new possibilities in many spheres of life. However, these new possibilities, ironically, exacerbated a timeless women’s struggle of finding balance between their traditional roles as caregivers and their human need for self-­‐ expression. …

Moving After Baby: Developing Informed Dance/Movement Therapy Interventions For Symptoms Of Postpartum Depression, Tonia Levison

Creative Arts Therapies Theses

This thesis was a phenomenological study, which investigated the lived experience of four women who had changes in mood and behavior postpartum. The purpose of this study was to fully understand the actual experience of women going through the changes instead of basing interventions off of a list of symptoms in a book. The study culminated in the development of three client centered dance/movement therapy interventions to treat the changes in mood and behavior that the participants experienced in hopes of preventing a formal diagnosis of postpartum depression. This study expanded the literature related to the treatment of postpartum depression, …

Self-Care Practices For Dance/Movement Therapy Student Interns: A Multifaceted Toolbox, Stephanie N. Terrell

Creative Arts Therapies Theses

The purpose of this project was to create tools for self-care practices that help second year dance/movement therapy (DMT) students at Columbia College Chicago cope with possible risks encountered within clinical practice. The importance of developing effective self-care habits for practitioners in therapeutic professions is emphasized in literature, and it is encouraged that this self-care practice is developed during a student’s graduate training experience. Literature in the areas of therapists’ self-care practices, counselor development, burnout, compassion fatigue, countertransference, somatic countertransference, therapist distress, and vicarious traumatization are reviewed. A product development methodology was used, the Eight Stage-Gate Process for New Product …

Body Beyond Boundaries: An Auto-Ethnography On My Embodied Culture In My Work As A Dance/Movement Therapy Intern Practicing In Another Culture, Akanksha Mishra

Creative Arts Therapies Theses

This auto-ethnographic study explored how embodied cultural knowledge impacts my work as a dance/movement therapy intern, practicing in a culture different from my own. As the sole participant in the study, I am a 23 year old female, international student at Columbia College Chicago. I am originally from New Delhi, India and moved to the United States to pursue my Master’s degree. My dance/movement therapy internship was at a high school in the Northwest region of Chicago, United States. This qualitative study included data collection methods of journaling, art making and creating a movement narrative over a period of eight …

Being In Relationship: The Experience Of A Female Dance/Movement Therapy Intern On A Male Residential Unit For Sexually Problematic Behaviors, Krista Tyner

Creative Arts Therapies Theses

This study serves to explore the experience of a female dance/movement therapy intern working with males on a residential unit for sexually problematic behaviors. It enlightened me on how it was to be in relationship with them, through both a mind and body therapeutic lens. It addresses stereotypes and preconceived notions pertaining to this population. The questions attempted to be answered were as follows: How is it to be in relationship with males who are on a residential unit for sexually problematic behavior, as a female dance/movement therapy intern? How do I experience male/female relationships, gender, and sexuality on the …

Self-Care For Dance/Movement Therapy Interns Booklet, Stephanie N. Terrell

Creative Arts Therapies Theses

The booklet accompanies the theses by the same author, made available to future students enrolling in Columbia College Chicago’s program., and it provides student interns with a guided process to forming a self-care practice, including assessments and recommendations for specific activities. 29 pages.

Fall Commencement [Program], December 17, 2016, University Of Northern Iowa.

UNI Commencement Programs

The program of the commencement ceremonies, including a list of institutional leadership, a list of the departments by college, awards given at the ceremonies, and a list of undergraduate and graduate degree candidates.

December 17, 2016 (Pages 7787-7982), Pennsylvania Legislative Reference Bureau

Volume 46 (2016)

No abstract provided.

Delayed Umbilical Cord Clamping: A State Of The Science, Landynn E. Ouellette

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

The purpose of this paper is to explore the state of the science related to delayed versus early umbilical cord clamping. This interprofessional change in practice and protocol needs to take place within obstetric practice, which can be made up of obstetricians, midwives, nurse practitioners, and nurses. Patients must be educated by their providers so that they can better understand the care being performed. A search of the literature published through PubMed was conducted using the key phrases delayed umbilical cord clamping (DUCC), benefits of delayed cord clamping, and umbilical cord protocols. The search yielded 133 titles, which was limited …

A Systematic Review Of Complimentary Therapies To Treat Symptoms Of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder In The Aftermath Of Domestic Abuse, Jordan A. Meeks, Saida Byrami

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Objectives: Explore the impact of intimate partner violence (IPV) on the health of female survivors. Identify complementary therapies that alleviate symptoms of psychological health impacts of IPV on women’s health.

Method: An exhaustive search of published, peer reviewed literature on complementary therapies and IPV was conducted. Databases included PubMed and CINAHL. Each article reviewed was published between the years of 2002 and 2016. The initial search produced 112 articles, abstracts of all studies were reviewed and studies were included if they addressed; a) complementary and alternative therapies, b) post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression and, c) the impact of IPV …

Assessing The Impact Of A Constructed Wetland Biome On The Ecosystem Health Of Cedar Run, Thomas Vasilopoulos, Casey Lee

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

A wetlands ecosystem is defined as “an area saturated by surface or groundwater at a frequency or duration sufficient to support...a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions” (Batzer and Sharitz, 2007). Wetlands serve as biofilters and thus have been used to treat sewage and wastewater, as well as to restore the health of polluted water systems. Solly Walker and Lorinda Palin, owners of a certified natural and biodynamic farm called Avalon Acres located in Broadway, Virginia, constructed a wetland two years ago, using the stream, Cedar Run, that flows through their property. Pollution from agricultural …

Reintroduction Of Brook Trout To The South River Via Upwelling Springs, Sydni L. Reinhold

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Populations of brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis, throughout Virginia mountain streams have seen a rapid decline due to warmer conditions, decreased oxygen levels, and changes in the main stem streambed (Hudy et al., 2008). Current solutions have stocked more tolerant adult brook trout in the main stem rivers, which is costly and must be repeated yearly (Lennon, 1967). Finding an environment conducive for stocking brook trout eggs rather than adults would be ideal because they would return to this viable location to spawn, making them a self-sustaining population which is less costly and easier to implement. Upwelling springs connected to the …

The Fate Of Icd-1 During Misfolded Protein Induced Apoptosis In Caenorhabditis Elegans, Kyle H. Perez

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Severe misfolded protein stress initiates cellular responses that often result in the death of the affected cell, typically by apoptosis. An essential aspect of apoptosis is caspase-mediated cleavage of proteins that, once cleaved, further propagate death. One heterodimeric structure putatively targeted in this process in the nascent polypeptide-associated complex (NAC), a translational chaperone thought to help prevent misfolded protein stress in the ER. The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether the beta subunit of the NAC in C. elegans (ICD-1) is cleaved during the induction of apoptosis, with the hypothesis that ICD-1 is cleaved during stressed-induced apoptosis to …

Examining The Implementation Of The Patient-Centered Recovery Model In Psychiatric Nursing, Nicole K. Rossi

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

The Recovery Care Model is the recommended evidence-based model for delivering holistic, patient-centered care for mental health clients. The model is a more therapeutic approach than the traditional medical model and upholds the ideas that psychiatric clients are more than just their illness, should be respected as unique individuals, and provided with hope and empowerment in their care while being given the opportunity for informed and autonomous decision-making. Although research has shown support for the Recovery Care Model, its implementation has not been fully accomplished in all psychiatric facilities. Of all of the members of the health care team, nurses …

Caffeine Mouth Rinsing In The Fed State Does Not Enhance 3-Km Cycling Performance In The Morning Or Evening, Kayla Sweeney

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

PURPOSE: To assess the effect of a caffeine mouth rinse on performance at different times of day. METHODS: 12 recreational cyclists completed a simulated 3-km time trial and 4 sets of 5 leg extension repetitions, twice in the morning and twice in the evening. 25 ml of 1.14% caffeine, or placebo solution was mouth rinsed before sets 3 and 4 of the leg extension and before the time trial. Treatments include: caffeine + morning, placebo + morning, caffeine + evening, and placebo + evening. RESULTS: The caffeine rinse had a negative impact on time trial performance in both the morning …

Hemostatic Responses To Exercise In A Polycythemia Vera Patient, Allison M. Huschke

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

PURPOSE: To assess the hemostatic responses to exercise in a patient with Polycythemia Vera (PV). METHODS: Six female runners (≥15 miles/week) completed a maximal treadmill test. One subject had PV while the other five subjects made up the comparison group. Blood samples were taken before and within two minutes after exercise. VO2max was also recorded. RESULTS: Pre-exercise Factor VIII and tPA-antigen were similar in the PV subject and comparison group. Factor VIII and tPA-antigen increased dramatically in the PV subject (+100%, +1000%) in relation to the comparison group (+22.9 ± 8.7%, +108 ± 78%) after exercise. Pre-exercise PAI-1 was lower …

Implementing Post-Hospital Interprofessional Care Team Visits To Improve Transitions Of Care And Decrease Hospital Readmission Rates, Stacy M. Baldwin

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Final Clinical Projects, 2016-2019

Background: Today’s healthcare climate is comprised of a population of patients who are more complex, presenting with multiple comorbidities, and requiring frequent hospitalizations. It is imperative for acute care and primary care landscapes to bridge silos and form collaborative relationships to ensure safe and effective transitions of care from hospital to home. An interprofessional, post hospital follow-up clinic is one approach that can be utilized to improve transitions of care and decrease preventable hospital readmissions.

Purpose: The purpose of the project's discharge clinic was to improve transitions of care and decrease thirty day hospital readmission rates. The primary objective of …

Using Community Health Workers In Collaboration With Nurse Case Managers In Effecting Change In Quality Of Life For Heart Failure Patients, Patra Hull Reed

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Final Clinical Projects, 2016-2019

This project was designed to evaluate the effectiveness in improving the quality of life among heart failure patients with the addition of the role of Community Health Worker (CHW) to a current continuum case management model. The study also addressed the increased need for more appropriate and cost-effective chronic care management for heart failure patients. Hospitals and healthcare systems are being challenged to find innovative ways to decrease readmissions, decrease unnecessary emergency room visits, increase patient adherence, and manage chronic disease, all improving the patient’s overall quality of life. Studies show that approximately 76% of heart failure patients have a …

Procedural Sedation: Policy, Practice & Knowledge, Jennifer A. Martin

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Final Clinical Projects, 2016-2019

Diagnostic and invasive procedures performed outside of the operating room with nurse- administered procedural sedation are increasing. As procedural sedation practice national guidelines are evolving, there are inconsistent state regulations and a great deal of variability in staff training. These challenges lead to potential knowledge gaps and practice variation that create unsafe patient environments. A local hospital has continued to experience near miss events when procedural sedation is administered. In an attempt to investigate this issue and create improved practice, an organizational policy analysis was conducted. The aims of this project were to: 1) analyze current hospital policy content compared …

The Hemostatic Effects Of Acute Exposure To Colored Cornstarch Powder During A 5k Run, Robert C. Allsbrook

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

PURPOSE: To examine the acute hemostatic effects of particulate matter (PM) in the form of colored corn starch powder during a 5 kilometer race. METHODS: 10 recreationally active adults completed two 5k runs, one with color and one without color. 10 mL blood samples were taken 6 hours prior to the trial and immediately following the trial. PAI-1 activity, FVIII antigen, and tPA activity were measured using an ELISA. RESULTS: No significant main effects or interaction effects (P<0.05) were observed among any of the variables although a trend (P = 0.082) was observed for increased PAI-1 activity during exercise in the color condition. CONCLUSIONS: There is a trend towards increased PAI-1 activity levels during exercise during color runs that could be due to increased inflammation. Furthermore, the lack of increased FVIII:ag and tPA activity suggests that the intensity of the exercise may not have been adequate and further research should be conducted in this area.

2016 Fall Commencement, Harding University

Commencement Programs

Program for the Harding University Commencement on December 17.

Commencement Speaker: Errica Rivera

Using Brain Stimulation To Enhance Working Memory: A Charged Topic, Michael Christopher Stefan Trumbo

Psychology ETDs

Although working memory (WM) training programs consistently result in improvement on the trained task, benefit is typically short-lived and extends only to tasks very similar to the trained task. Pairing repeated performance of a WM task with brain stimulation may encourage plasticity in brain networks involved in WM task performance, thereby improving the training benefit. In the current study, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) was paired with performance of a WM task. In Experiment 1, participants performed a spatial location-monitoring n-back during stimulation, while Experiment 2 used a verbal identity-monitoring n-back. In each experiment, participants received either active (2.0 mA) …

A Framework For Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment Of Road Salt Used In Winter Maintenance Operations, Na Cui, Ning Xie, Xianming Shi

CESTiCC Project Reports

It is important to assess from a holistic perspective the sustainability of road salt widely used in winter road maintenance (WRM) operations. The importance becomes increasingly apparent in light of competing priorities faced by roadway agencies, the need for collaborative decision-making, and growing concerns over the risks that road salt poses for motor vehicles, transportation infrastructure, and the natural environment. This project introduces the concept of Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA), which combines Life Cycle Costing, Environmental Life Cycle Assessment, and Social Life Cycle Assessment. The combination captures the features of three pillars in sustainability: economic development, environmental preservation, and …

Embodying Decolonization In A Settler Faith Community: The Living Justly In This Land Curriculum, John R. Henry

Education

The curriculum project Living Justly in this Land seeks to spark a conversation among primarily non-Indigenous adults who live in a country with a history of settler colonialism. This curriculum is based on theories from the place-based education model of Land education, which has been created primarily by Indigenous scholars. Inspired by teaching styles used by many different Indigenous peoples, as well as the research method of Participatory Action Research, this living curriculum was co-created during the process of the project. I authored the basic structure of the lessons, but allowed the participants, from a majority white settler faith community, …

Nome As Place, Alyssa Marie Enriquez

Art

Inspired by finding a sense of place within the Circumpolar North this project examines this artist’s personal connection to Nome, Alaska with a contemporary photographic approach utilizing the historical Platinum Palladium photographic process. The use of the Platinum Palladium process explores the artist’s connection to place, the idea of landscape, cultural iconography, and connects it to historic trends in the field of photography.

Analysis Of Unfrozen Water In Cation-Treated, Fine-Grained Soils Using The Pulse Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (P-Nmr) Method, Aaron M. Kruse

Engineering

Unfrozen water within frozen soils is a key component that determines a soil's thermophysical response to changing physical and environmental conditions. This research focuses on the use of pulse nuclear magnetic resonance (P-NMR) for measuring unfrozen water content within frozen soils. The research is divided into two components: 1) improvements made to the P-NMR testing method, including refinements in the laboratory set up and testing procedure, and experimental validation of the normalization method; and 2) determination of unfrozen water content of fine-grained, cation-treated samples at various sub-freezing temperatures using the improved P-NMR methodology. Previous P-NMR testing used the first return …

Black Phase: A Novel Of Alaskan Alchemy, Addley C. Fannin

Arctic and Northern Studies

Black Phase is a speculative fiction novel for a young adult audience, set in and around a fictional boarding school in modern-day southeast Alaska. Our protagonist is Mara Edenshaw, an ambitious young artist of Tlingit descent who survives a mysterious illness only to find herself the primary suspect in a string of bizarre vandalisms. Her search to clear her name leads her to Alvis Norling, a shy alchemist’s apprentice living on a nearby island with only his own creation for company: a doll-sized homunculus made from a combination his and Mara’s DNA. Thus Mara’s illness and the vandalisms proved to …