Digital Commons Network^™

Demographic Characteristics Of The Covid-19 Vaccine Trial Participant Population, Mortality Population, And Individuals Fully Vaccinated In The United States: A Comparative Analysis, Lisa Walters

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare the demographic variables of three populations, COVID-19 vaccine trial participants, COVID-19 deaths, and individuals vaccinated for COVID-19, to determine if the trial participants were appropriately representative. Demographic data (age, sex, race and ethnicity, and presence of comorbidities) were collected from publicly available datasets, organized, and compared. The demographic characteristics of the vaccine clinical trials participants were comparable to those who died due to COVID-19, but less comparable to those who were the first to receive a COVID-19 emergency-use-authorized vaccine.

What Is The Relationship Between Vigorous Physical Activity And Physical And Mental Health Indicators In Young Adults?, Fatimah Aldarwish

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Young adults (18-24 years) are only slightly older than adolescents but are encouraged to follow adult physical activity (PA) guidelines. PA guidelines for adults do not specifically recommend regular vigorous-intensity PA (VPA), unlike guidelines for adolescents. This thesis aimed to conduct a systematic review to ascertain the influence of VPA on anxiety, body mass index [BMI], and blood pressure [BP] in young adults. Literature searches were conducted in PubMed, CINHAL, and MEDLINE. After applying inclusion/exclusion criteria and removing duplicates, 21 studies were reviewed (6 for anxiety, 10 for BMI, 8 for BP). The reviewed studies indicate that VPA can reduce …

A Systematic Review Of The Efficacy Of Hydroxychloroquine In Covid-19 Patients, Soumy Maria Joseph

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Hydroxychloroquine is a highly effective and commonly used disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMRD) for the treatment of various autoimmune diseases. Recently this medication received lot of attention in the medical world as a potential treatment for COVID-19. The goal of this research is to perform a systematic review of literature to focus on the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine in COVID-19 patients and any evidence of adverse reactions. The database used to conduct this research was PubMed, using four keywords and phrases: effects, side effects, adverse events, and serious adverse events of hydroxychloroquine in COVID-19 patients. Out of the 15 articles selected for …

The White Gap In Culturally Relevant Pedagogy Towards Integrity: An Autoethnography Of White Racial Identity, Kelly Weingust

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

It has been over two decades since the theory of culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP) was posed by Ladson-Billings (1995), yet little has changed in the lives of Black students and students of color. Across the literature, researchers revealed many White teachers lack awareness of self and others. This qualitative analysis utilized the narrative form and process of autoethnography to examine how my White racial identity evolved across context and time and how this racial identity impacted my teaching practice. This study began with journal entries of significant cultural experiences and events I recalled from early childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. I …

Sleep And Athletic Performance Of Formula 1 Race Car Drivers During The 2019 Season, Alexander Pollack

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Sufficient, good quality sleep is associated with better performance in many sports; however, this relationship has not been examined among motorsport athletes. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the relationship between sleep quality (SQ), sleep duration (SD), and performance metrics among professional racecar drivers. During the 2019 season, five Formula 1 drivers reported SQ, SD, and hours of time change for each race. Performance data (finishing position and points earned) were obtained from a public website. Relationships between sleep variables and driving performance were examined using correlations. Correlations between SQ and driving performance were not significant. SD and …

Nurturing Creativity And Innovation Through Activity-Based Courses For Undergrad Interior Design Curriculum, Katherine Jean-Maxim Sword

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Different strategies that have the capability of encouraging creative and innovative thought need to be evaluated by traditional literature review methodology. This study designed a four-part course to better teach creativity and innovation through design by using two principle questions. (a) What learning models are most effective at teaching creativity and innovation? (b) What teaching strategies are most effective at teaching creativity and innovation? The spectrum of research on creativity and innovation revealed four principles: fostering mastery of a discipline, reducing internal barriers, encouraging people to have divergent thinking, and crossing over disciplines can make new ideas emerge.Using the above …

The Blackbird's Sonnet And Other Tales: Stories Imagining An Art-Eco-Mad Ethic, Jacquie Pruder St. Antoine

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Writing about experiences as a white, middle-class Madwoman, this dissertation explores the intersections between Mad studies and EcoJustice education using an arts-based, specifically poetic inquiry and fiction-based research, and autoethnographic approach. Weaving together the creative and academic, this writing is combined memoir, fiction, poetics, and theory on living Mad in a saneist, anthropocentric culture. In considering hierarchized thinking across disciplines, this collection of manuscripts examines how arts-based and autoethnographic approaches provide holistic, engaged, and accessible opportunities to Mad scholars to resist and explore experiences of oppression, Othering, and dominance while exploring how these ideologically relate to the larger living world. …

Lifelines Winter 2021, Southern Adventist University

Lifelines - Biology Department Newsletter

The Winter 2021 issue of Lifelines contains articles on Insights from the Professor, Alumni Spotlight, Students in Service, and Department Happenings.

Epanorama December 2021, Southern Adventist University

Panorama Parent Newsletter

This electronic issue of Panorama includes information on Southern Adventist University's students participating in evangelical meetings in Cancun, Mexico, over Thanksgiving break. It also features new lab equipment that has been added to learning centers.

The Subdelegation Doctrine As A Legal Tool For Establishing Tribal Comanagement Of Public Lands: Through The Lens Of Bears Ears National Monument, Daniel Franz

Colorado Environmental Law Journal

No abstract provided.

What's Mine Is Yours: An Analysis Of The Federal Laws Used To Compensate The Navajo Nation And Remediate Abandoned Uranium Mines And Mills On The Reservation, Cody Philips

Colorado Environmental Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Green Infrastructure: Strengthening Federal Policy For Flood Mitigation, Ecosystems, And Community Well-Being, Mckenzie Brandon

Colorado Environmental Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Examining Teacher Leadership As A Model For Improvement In Science Education, Brooke A. Whitworth, Shunderla Wilson, Shelby Watson

Publications

The current mixed method study examined a Teacher Leadership Program (TLP) to determine to what extent participating teachers had changes in content knowledge (CK), practices, leadership skills, and leadership knowledge. The purpose was to determine if this program could be utilized to suggest a sustainable model for improving science education by utilizing teacher leaders to influence changes in their classrooms and at the school level. Participants included 65 K-8 participating teachers and 70 K-8 comparison teachers. Surveys, CK assessments, lessons, observations, and artifacts were analyzed using a-priori coding and descriptive statistics. Participating teachers had statistically significant gains over comparison groups …

Gender And Sexuality Alliance Advisors' Perceptions Of Self-Efficacy And Social Emotional Competency: An Exploratory Study, Kelly Marie Davis

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Background: Literature consistently demonstrates mental health disparities among sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth due to their unique experiences of discrimination, victimization, and rejection on the basis of their sexual and/or gender identity. Findings from the resilience literature highlight the importance of emotion regulation skills, supportive communities, and a relationship with at least one supportive, stable adult in mitigating risk and thriving despite adversity. Relationships with adults confer tremendous benefit for youth and provide opportunities for youth to learn important social and emotional skills. However, due to the rates of family and school rejection that SGM youth often experience, they …

The Influence Of Ancestry, Sex, And Age On The Morphology Of The Frontal Sinus In Black And White Individuals, Hope Annelise Vance

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The frontal sinus is a cavity located in the frontal bone and is completely unique to every individual. The morphology is influenced by a number of factors, such as environment, genetics, and perimortem injury. This study focuses on the role that ancestry, sex, and age play in the appearance of this feature; the morphology and shape of an individual’s frontal sinus is influenced by their sex and ancestry to some degree. The following analysis observes the relationship between the maximum width (MW), maximum depth (MD), degree of asymmetry (DOA), and maximum height (MH) of the frontal sinus and the individual’s …

2020 Lgbtq Specific Substance Use Service Survey: A Study On The Availability And Perceived Helpfulness Of Treatment Programs, Chonghui (Gabriella) Ji

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Health disparities researchers have identified elevated rates of difficulties among gender and sexual minorities (GSM). In addition to a higher rate of general mental health issues, there is also a higher prevalence rate of substance misuse among GSM individuals when compared to the general population. Specific issues, such as stigma and oppression faced by GSMs, might have a direct linkage with the higher prevalence rate and might also impact treatment outcomes. To understand the specific factors that lead to substance misuse, as well as to understand the unique patterns of treatment-seeking and adherence among GSM clients, the development and dissemination …

Ungulates Search For The Ideal Home: How Predation And Forage Differentially Affect Males And Females In A Partially Migratory Population, Hans William Martin

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Migration is a strategy used across taxa to access resources in temporally heterogenous landscapes. Migratory species can attain higher abundances because access to higher quality resources, and/or reduction in predation risk. However, most migratory species occur in partially migratory populations, a mix of migratory and non-migratory, resident individuals. I first investigate the potential mechanisms maintaining partial migration in a partially migratory elk (Cervus canadensis) population. I test whether the theory of Ideal Free Distribution (IFD) can explain the coexistence of different migratory tactics in a partially migratory population. IFD predicts that individuals exhibit density-dependent vital rates and should select different …

Effects Of Weather, Parental Behavioral Plasticity, And Life History Traits On Offspring Growth, Development, And Energy Expenditure In Songbirds, Adam Elliot Mitchell

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Weather creates energetic and survival challenges for organisms that can influence demography. Harsh weather often causes increased energy expenditure in adults, but how weather affects other life stages is less well understood. Juveniles are especially vulnerable because they must use energy to survive weather effects and maintain growth and development while having poorly developed thermoregulatory capabilities. Juveniles that spend energy overcoming harsh weather can have delayed growth and maturation, which can negatively affect competitive abilities, survival, and lifetime fitness. Understanding weather effects on offspring is particularly challenging in altricial species because parents have evolved strategies to ameliorate such effects. However, …

Modeling Stromatolite Formation With Diffusion-Limited Aggregation, Laura E. Stevens

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Stromatolites, microbialites, and other microbially induced sedimentary structures exist in the rock record as far back as 3.6 billion years ago and continue to form in the present day. Better characterizing these structures and better understanding how they form is crucial in distinguishing these biosignatures from similar, abiotic structures, which can help us to understand the conditions of early Earth and early Mars. To that end, I have modified DLA 3D EXT, an open-source stromatolite modeling program, to more closely reflect the process of microbial trapping-and-binding by filamentous microbes in a calcite-precipitating hot spring system. This modified program includes a …

Investigating Surface Temperature From First Principles: Seedling Survival, Microclimate Buffering, And Implications For Forest Regeneration, Robin Rank

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Forests are extremely important ecosystems with large impacts on global water, energy, and biogeochemical cycling, and they provide numerous ecosystems services to human populations. Even though these systems consist of long-lived vegetation, forests are constantly experiencing changes to their extent and composition through the interacting forces of disturbance dynamics and climate change. In semi-arid landscapes like the western United States, patterns of recurring wildfire and subsequent seedling recruitment and forest regeneration are important in establishing the distribution of forests on the landscape. In this context, climate, hydrology, and existing vegetation all act together to limit the current and potential range …

Identifying And Measuring Resilience Factors Among Children With Prenatal Substance Exposure In A Tribal Nation And In Association With Covid-19 Mortality, Helen Cecelia Russette

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Background: Historical and contemporary trauma among Native Americans is linked to disparate health outcomes across the lifespan including the very recent coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. Early and prolonged exposure to positive family-child engagement activities and the natural environment (greenspace) act as protective factors against a range of maladaptive development across the lifespan. Yet, little is known regarding specific activities relevant among high-risk families in Tribal Nations and no evidence exists in terms of measuring that impact of greenspace against risk of COVID-19 mortality.

Purpose: 1) Partner with a Tribal Nation to develop a study to identify resilience promoting factors in …

Community-Based Deer Management: A Case Study In Missoula, Mt, Taylor Ingle Mudford

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Human development and expansion have led to urban sprawl and fewer, less developed areas suitable for wildlife habitat. Populations of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) have adapted to urban communities; however, their prevalence can lead to myriad of ecological and social issues, necessitating communities to pursue comprehensive urban deer management strategies. These strategies have increasingly been pursued via community-based deer management (CBDM) and are an example of collaborative natural resource management (CBNRM). Despite the growth in urban white-tail deer populations and the interactions with humans, there are few studies that explore the CBDM and the acceptability of diverse deer …

Calcium Signaling And Alg-2 In The Regulation Of Constitutive Secretion, John Robert Sargeant

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The constitutive secretory pathway influences almost every aspect of cellular function: generation and maintenance of subcellular compartments; cell growth and differentiation; and production and deposition of the extracellular matrix. Classically, constitutive trafficking was thought to be continuous and unregulated—in contrast to regulated secretion, wherein vesicles are stored intracellularly until a Ca2+ signal causes synchronous membrane fusion. However, early studies demonstrated a Ca2+ requirement for endosome fusion, ER to Golgi, and intra- Golgi trafficking, demonstrating that Ca2+ is a regulator of constitutive trafficking steps as well. In Chapter 1, I review recent evidence for Ca2+ involvement and the specific Ca2+-related machinery …

A Comprehensive Forensic Case Report For The Bonner County Coroner Case #20-100, Megan Copeland

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This report consists of an inventory of the skeletal remains of case #20-100, assessment of the minimum number of individuals (MNI), a biological profile if possible, and a literature review of ­­­the use of DNA in ancestry estimations. The skeletal remains are consistent with an MNI of one. The remains are likely from a male individual, and skeletal features display a mixture of European and Asian characteristics. The individual is estimated to be between of 25-35 years old with an estimated stature of between 5’1” and 5’6”.

School Mental Health Professionals' Perceived Efficacy Of Violence Prevention Programs And School Climate In Rural Schools, Jennifer Rotzal

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

In the United States, incidents of school violence increased 113 percent during the 2017-2018 school year from the 2016-2017 school year (Klinger, 2019). This increase in violence in schools makes the current movement for safer schools all the more critical. Although high-profile school shootings often obtain media attention, school violence remains a significant problem in the United States. Further, aside from the tragic but statistically rare school shootings, school violence encompasses several forms of physical violence, such as assaults; sexual violence, such as rape and sexual harassment; varying forms of bullying, including cyberbullying, and bringing weapons to school. The increase …

Estimating Wolf Predation Metrics, Patterns, And Dynamics Across Time And Space In The Multi-Prey System Of Yellowstone National Park, Matthew Caldwell Metz

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Predation is a fundamental driver in ecology, structuring ecosystems across the globe. However, understanding the effects of large carnivore predation is limited by both the observation process and the shorter duration of many studies. I used data from 23 years in Yellowstone National Park to disentangle both the importance of wolf predation on prey, and the imperfect observation process of studying predation. I first used field observations to test whether a sexually-selected trait, antlers in male elk, deterred wolf predation. I found that antlers reduced predation risk, emphasizing the selective nature of predation. Next, I used GPS data and ground-based …

Biobehavioral Predictors Of Executive Function Decline In Mid- And Late Life Adults, Cali Anne Caughie

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Using data from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) Longitudinal Study of Health and Well-Being, this study examined high frequency heart rate variability as a longitudinal predictor of cognitive change in key executive function domains: inhibition, shifting, and updating. This study further explored the interactions between HF HRV and important health factors (inflammation, stress, sleep, and mood and anxiety) in predicting executive function decline.

The results of this investigation demonstrated that while high frequency heart rate variability and inhibition decline were correlated, HF HRV was not a significant predictor of decline in any executive function. However, results did show …

Schizophrenia Classification Using Resting State Eeg Functional Connectivity: Source Level Outperforms Sensor Level, Sima Azizi, Daniel B. Hier, Donald C. Wunsch

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

Disrupted Functional and Structural Connectivity Measures Have Been Used to Distinguish Schizophrenia Patients from Healthy Controls. Classification Methods based on Functional Connectivity Derived from EEG Signals Are Limited by the Volume Conduction Problem. Recorded Time Series at Scalp Electrodes Capture a Mixture of Common Sources Signals, Resulting in Spurious Connections. We Have Transformed Sensor Level Resting State EEG Times Series to Source Level EEG Signals Utilizing a Source Reconstruction Method. Functional Connectivity Networks Were Calculated by Computing Phase Lag Values between Brain Regions at Both the Sensor and Source Level. Brain Complex Network Analysis Was Used to Extract Features and …

Repeated Electromagnetic Field Stimulation Lowers Amyloid-Β Peptide Levels In Primary Human Mixed Brain Tissue Cultures, Nipun Chopra, Felipe P. Perez, Bryan Maloney, Jorge J. Morisaki, Debomoy K. Lahiri

Biology Faculty publications

Late Onset Alzheimer’s Disease is the most common cause of dementia, characterized by extracellular deposition of plaques primarily of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide and tangles primarily of hyperphosphorylated tau protein. We present data to suggest a noninvasive strategy to decrease potentially toxic Aβ levels, using repeated electromagnetic field stimulation (REMFS) in primary human brain (PHB) cultures. We examined effects of REMFS on Aβ levels (Aβ40 and Aβ42, that are 40 or 42 amino acid residues in length, respectively) in PHB cultures at different frequencies, powers, and specific absorption rates (SAR). PHB cultures at day in vitro 7 (DIV7) treated with 64 …

Retinoblastoma Transfection For Vegf Synthesis By Malat 1 (Preliminary Study), Ronkino T. Mccoy, Laura Valdez, Kyle Doxtater, Andrew Tsin

MEDI 9331 Scholarly Activities Clinical Years

Metastasis associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT 1) is a long non-coding RNA that has been implicated as a promotor of neovascularization in patients with diabetic retinopathy. The upregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy by increasing angiogenesis, vasculogenesis, and vascular permeability. The purpose of this experiment is to investigate the relationship between MALAT 1 and VEGF in high and low glucose conditioned environment. Based on previous studies, MALAT 1 has been determined to be a possible target for treatment in patients with diabetic retinopathy. Further examination needs to be …