Digital Commons Network^™

Stabilizing Bulk Lead-Free Tin Halide Perovskites, William Rice

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Tin halide perovskites are a growing candidate in the semiconducting materials field due to their band gap, and ability to be doped (specifically p-type doped). Halide perovskites are sensitive to light and air which causes the degradation of the material from its preferred cubic perovskite lattice. This thesis introduces a way of stabilizing bulk CsSnCl3 through the Goldschmidt tolerance factor. It will also introduce potential new ways to p-type dope halide perovskites. We attempted to p-type dope our halide perovskite by substitutional, interstitial, and vacancy doping to increase the carrier concentration to compete with current perovskites. During our trials of …

Evaluation Of The Physicochemical Properties And Soil Biogeochemistry Of Fire Residues, Lingqun Zeng

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Wildland fire is a main driving force in the Earth system and affects ecosystem properties and processes across spatio-temporal scales. The burning of biomass and production of solid fire residues (conventionally termed fire ash) that are a mixture of completely and incompletely burned materials (inorganic ash and pyrogenic carbon), represent the direct and prominent changes by fires. Cycling of the fire residues is an integral component of elemental cycles and can mediate other biogeochemical processes.

This dissertation aims to fill important knowledge gaps in understanding the disturbance of wildland fires to biogeochemical processes in soils. First, this work characterized and …

A Study Of Mercury Speciation Analysis Of Blood Using Liquid Chromatography Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry For Human Biomonitoring And Clinical Applications, Emily Jean Pacer

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Mercury (Hg) exposure from environmental sources and consumer products presents a significant public health concern. The toxicity of methylmercury (MeHg) differs considerably from inorganic mercury (iHg), such that their separation and quantification in whole blood is helpful in identifying sources and possible pathways of exposure. Speciation methods provide a more detailed picture regarding human exposure to toxic mercury species and their effects on human health. This dissertation focuses on advanced analytical techniques for human biomonitoring and clinical diagnosis of Hg exposure. The primary aim of this research is to address important knowledge gaps and analytical challenges in studies of Hg …

Removal Of Pfoa/Pfos In Water Using Electrocoagulation And Associated Life Cycle Impacts And Financial Costs, Tianhong Mu

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Electrocoagulation (EC) with a zinc anode demonstrated promising results to remove perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) from an aqueous solution. However, the energy requirement for EC is usually very high due to water electrolysis or aeration. The second chapter of this dissertation aims to reduce energy consumption using an air-cathode in EC (ACEC) to supply oxygen electron acceptor without aeration for attenuating PFOA/PFOS in this new configuration. For the high PFOA concentration (0.25 mM), ACEC with 45 min of the reaction time exhibited an excellent PFOA removal (99.8 ± 0.3% removal) comparable to an EC with aeration (EC-aeration, …

Body Image Development And Eating Disorder Risk In Young Children: What Do Parents Want To Know?, Anna Atchison

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Background: Body image concerns and other risk factors for disordered eating can emerge in early childhood, but no interventions specifically target these early risk factors to mitigate future eating disorder risk. This study sought to quantify parents' knowledge of factors influencing eating disorder risk in young children, their concerns about their children’s eating behaviors, and perceived need and preferences for a parent education intervention addressing these topics. Methods: Parents (52 mothers, 55 fathers) of children aged 2-6 completed measures of parental eating disorder symptoms and internalized weight bias and child eating behaviors. Open-ended questions explored parents’ concerns about their children’s …

Public - Private In Vietnamese Universities: Exploring Sectoral Distinctiveness In Program Offerings, Lan Hoang

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

The public-private issues in higher education have been a longstanding important topic of academic and policy interest, especially in the context of the public - private duality in most higher education systems. With PHE’s impressive growth over the past few decades, now enrolling one third of global HE enrollments, the study of PHE has also been expanded, with several national case studies and world/regional edited books yet being mostly ad hoc with minimal synthesis or comparative analysis (Levy, 2024). The current case study of Vietnam, employing Levy’s double distinctiveness approach in sectoral distinctiveness analysis with the intrasectoral dissection on the …

The Retention Of Urban Secondary Special Education Teachers: Why Stay?, Chelsea Quezada

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Utilizing interview data collected from six urban secondary special education teachers (SETs), this qualitative study explored why these individuals chose a teaching position in special education in urban secondary schools and why they remained in those positions despite the challenges inherent to that setting. From role and organizational theory, we know that retention is the result of a complex set of socialization factors that either support successful integration into the SET role or impede the individual’s efforts to achieve fit within the given organization. This study sought to understand how these six SETS experienced the socialization process and which factors …

Enhancing A Computer Model To Evaluate Rainwater Harvesting And Reuse Strategies For Landscape Irrigation Under Current And Future Climate Conditions, Siyu Li

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Urbanization and climate change have detrimental impacts on water quantity and quality. Rainwater harvesting/reuse for landscape irrigation with rain barrels/cisterns, which can assist urban hydrological/water quality restoration and provide a beneficial resource for irrigating landscape, holds significant potentials in urban areas under current and future climates. However, the impacts of rainwater harvesting/reuse strategies for landscape irrigation under a changing climate need to be comprehensively evaluated to assist decision-making. In addition, a comprehensive tool is needed to help stakeholders develop efficient strategies to harvest rainwater for landscape irrigation with rain barrels/cisterns.

To address the needs, the simulation of the sub-daily hydrological …

The Effectiveness Of Cybersecurity Training, Courtney Knight

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This study seeks to answer the question of what kinds of cybersecurity training are effective by reviewing the existing literature, analyzing for gaps, and bridging the connection with known learning techniques. The research is exploratory in nature, and is inductive – intending to develop a theory. Additionally, this study seeks to offer a taxonomy of cybersecurity training methods to be evaluated.

This study did not include security operation center (SOC), cyber incident response teams (CIRTs), or other types of advanced cybersecurity professional training. This research specifically focuses on training to improve the average employee and population’s tactical cybersecurity skills.

Several …

Transcription And Translation Regulation Of Germ Cell To Maternal Transition, Noor Kotb

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

In sexually reproducing organisms, the process of gametogenesis produces mature eggs and sperms required for fertilization to occur. The egg's quality is crucial for the healthy development of the next generation, making oogenesis a tightly regulated process with multiple benchmarks. To investigate the intricacies of oogenesis, we utilized the Drosophila oogenesis system as our primary model. This choice was motivated by several factors. Firstly, the process of egg development in Drosophila is conserved across species, making it a valuable proxy for understanding oogenesis in other organisms, including humans. Secondly, Drosophila melanogaster has long been established as a powerhouse in genetic …

Technological Health: A New Perspective On Individual Well-Being In The Digital Era, Tanner Skousen, J. Andrew Lear

Faculty Publications

An individual’s well-being encompasses various facets, including physical, mental, and social health. This paper proposes that in a technology-dependent world, practitioners and researchers must adopt a “technological health” perspective. Through conceptual inquiry and extensive literature review, we propose the concept of technological health, drawing from related concepts. We present an initial framework that explicates technological health through the dimensions of access to technology, ability to use technology, and autonomy over technology. Practically, this new perspective refocuses our understanding of technological challenges and invites an ideology of diagnoses and treatments to comprehensively address individual-level concerns associated with personal technology use. Academically, …

The Development And Evaluation Of A Method For Complete Collagenase I Digestion Of Bos Taurus Bone Samples, Reilly Price

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

Current methods for processing aged forensic bone samples for DNA analysis involve pulverization and organic extraction, which further destroys already degraded DNA and uses large amounts of limited samples. Additionally, the success rates for this type of analysis vary widely as homogenization incorporates PCR inhibitors into the sample. Little research has explored how pulverization results in DNA damage in profiles obtained from skeletal remains. This study proposes an enzymatic digestion method to separate osteocytes from PCR inhibitors in the extracellular bone matrix to improve the quality and quantity of DNA isolated from aged bone samples. The technique described here used …

Indigenous Practice And Community-Led Climate Change Solutions: The Relevance Of Traditional Cosmic Knowledge Systems, Rani Muthukrishnan, Ranjan Datta

All Faculty Scholarship (Archived)

This book centers Indigenous knowledge and practice in community-led climate change solutions.

This book will be one of the first academic books to use the consciousness framework to examine and explain humans' situatedness and role in maintaining ecosystems' health. Drawing on teachings from the Indigenous Adi-Shaiva community, the authors present up-to-date research on meanings and implications of South Asian traditional cosmic knowledge, which focuses on relationality and spirituality connected to climate change. This knowledge can create innovative climate change solutions in areas including land, water, traditional management, sustainability goals and expectations, and state development projects. Overall, this book provides an …

Navigating Export Control Laws In Animal Research: Key Considerations, Rani Muthukrishnan

All Faculty Scholarship (Archived)

No abstract provided.

Dna Barcoding Reveals A New Population Of The Threatened Atlantic Forest Frog Sphaenorhynchus Canga, Diego J. Santana, Andre Yves, Elvis A. Pereira, Priscila S. Carvalho, Lucio M. C. Lima, Henrique C. Costa, Don Shepard

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Species identification plays a significant role in biodiversity conservation. As many species remain unrecognized, particularly in neotropical hotspots like the Brazilian Atlantic Forest (AF), novel molecular techniques are being widely employed to bridge this gap. In this study, we used DNA barcoding and phylogenetic tools to identify a new population of Sphaenorynchus canga in the central region of the Brazilian AF. Our results extend the species’ known distribution by approximately 200 km to the south, encompassing a different mountain range than its type locality (Serra do Espinhaço). This disjunct distribution, while not uncommon among amphibians, suggests a historical connection between …

Accelerated Hypofractionated Magnetic Resonance Guided Adaptive Radiation Therapy For Ultracentral Lung Tumors, Alonso La Rosa De Los Rios, Kathryn Mittauer, Nema Bassiri-Gharb, Amy Rzepczynski, Michael Chuong, Sreenija Yarlagadda, Tugce Kutuk, Nicole Mcallister, Matthew Hall, Alonso Gutierrez, Ranjini Tolakanahalli, Minesh Mehta, Rupesh Kotecha

All Publications

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Cognitive And Social Demands On Linguistic Production For People With Moderate, Mild, Or No Aphasia, Tyson G. Harmon, Emily Mcdonald, Kyle Steele

Faculty Publications

Background: Most everyday communication occurs in situations where cognitive and social demands are present. These types of situations may compound language deficits for people with aphasia (PWA). An understanding of the language interference that may occur from cognitive and social demands is an important precursor for assessment and intervention that addresses everyday communication situations.

Aims: To determine how cognitively and socially demanding conditions affect micro- and macrolinguistic production for people with moderate, mild, or no aphasia during narrative discourse and to compare effects among groups.

Method: Thirty participants with mild (n = 9), moderate (n = 9), or no (n …

Understanding And Addressing The Individualized Emotional Impact Of Aphasia: A Framework For Speech-Language Pathologists, Tyson G. Harmon

Faculty Publications

Emotion plays an integral role in communication and has long been considered relevant to aphasia rehabilitation. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs), however, may sometimes wonder how or whether to address emotional responses. The purpose of the present tutorial was to (1) present a framework that clinicians can use to understand individualized emotional responses in aphasia and (2) discuss examples of how the framework informs practical strategies that SLPs can use to provide emotional support to PWA. Drawing upon a cognitive-motivational-relational theory of emotions perspective combined with emerging research in aphasia, I show that emotion impacts and is impacted by both language processing …

The Naci Way: Connecting Native Groups And Teachers Through Culturally Responsive Instructional Design, Stephanie West, Heather Francis, Cally Flox, Brenda Beyal, Emily Soderborg, Jason K. Mcdonald

Faculty Publications

In 2018, the BYU ARTS Partnership Native American Curriculum Initiative (NACI) was developed in response to teacher questions regarding the teaching of Native topics. Despite increased movements towards reconciliation, Native groups continue to be marginalized in Westernized educational settings. Additionally, teachers lack clear guidelines regarding the respectful teaching of Native topics. Describing the challenges we, the NACI team members, faced in our six-year journey partnering with Native groups in Utah, we outline key instructional design decisions we made and identify the culturally responsive principles that guided those decisions. We also advocate for the application of culturally responsive principles and practices …

Prevalence And Effects Of Acute Myocardial Infarction On Hospital Outcomes Among Covid-19 Patients, Atulya Khosla, Muni Rubens, Anshul Saxena, Venkataraghavan Ramamoorthy, Mukesh Roy, Md Ashfaq Ahmed, Zhenwei Zhang, Peter Mcgranaghan, Sandra Chaparro, Javier Jimenez

All Publications

Background: Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is one of the most lethal complications of COVID-19 hospitalization. In this study, we looked for the occurrence of AMI and its effects on hospital outcomes among COVID-19 patients.

Methods: Data from the 2020 California State Inpatient Database was used retrospectively. All COVID-19 hospitalizations with age ≥ 18 years were included in the analyses. Adverse hospital outcomes included in-hospital mortality, prolonged length of stay (LOS), vasopressor use, mechanical ventilation, and ICU admission. Prolonged LOS was defined as any hospital LOS ≥ 75th percentile. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to understand the strength of associations …

Effects Of Cognitive And Social Demands On Linguistic Production For People With Moderate, Mild, Or No Aphasia, Tyson G. Harmon, Emily Mcdonald, Kyle Steele

Faculty Publications

Background

Most everyday communication occurs in situations where cognitive and social demands are present. These types of situations may compound language deficits for people with aphasia (PWA). An understanding of the language interference that may occur from cognitive and social demands is an important precursor for assessment and intervention that addresses everyday communication situations.

Aims

To determine how cognitively and socially demanding conditions affect micro- and macrolinguistic production for people with moderate, mild, or no aphasia during narrative discourse and to compare effects among groups.

Method

Thirty participants with mild (n = 9), moderate (n = 9), or no (n …

Enhancing Bedside Shift Reporting: "A Transformative Approach To Elevating Patient Care And Nursing Practice”, Lourdes C. Castaneda, Diane Kramer, Shelli Chernesky, Catherina Chang Martinez, Lisette Hurtado, Harold Girado, Yessenia Muniz

All Publications

No abstract provided.

Teacher Motivational Behaviors In A Remote Versus An In-Person Class, Mariia Shishmareva, Jennifer Bown, Teresa Bell, Dr. Wendy Baker Smemoe, Dan Dewey

Faculty Publications

Motivation in language learning has been studied for quite a long time. However, until recent years, the focus has been on motivation in face-to-face (FTF) learning environments. Motivation in online learning can be different due to many factors. This study compared how a language instructor used motivational strategies in a FTF vs. in a synchronous online class; and how students reacted to these motivational strategies. For these purposes the Motivational Orientation of Language Teaching (MOLT) was used for observations. Results showed that while the teacher used many of the same motivational strategies in both sections, strategies in the categories social …

Parental Childhood Rejection: An Exploration Of Anxiety And Depression In Later Life, Rocky Ashburn, Stephanie A. Kazanas

Modern Psychological Studies

Many studies have shown parental rejection can lead to depression. However, research exploring parental rejection and anxiety has been lacking and inconsistent, with some studies suggesting a relationship, while others do not. The current study aimed to examine if the perception of parental rejection in one’s childhood could predict trait anxiety and depression scores among young adults. Our hypothesis was that higher perception of parental rejection in childhood would predict both higher trait anxiety and depression. Study participants included 123 undergraduate students from a Southeastern U.S. university, with all participants being at least 18 years old. Correlations were explored across …

Factors Contributing To Viewing Automobile Commuting As A Waste Of Time, Trishyne J. Butler, Jennifer L. Hughes

Modern Psychological Studies

Many commuters view their commute as a waste of time. Although there is an ample amount of research on commuting, there is limited research on what negatively impacts the commuting experience. The current study sought to evaluate the relationship between commuters and their everyday commute. The following factors (i.e., gender identity, age, length, unpredictability, delays, time pressures, and congestion) were evaluated to predict seeing one’s commute as a waste of time. We hypothesized that men and younger commuters, as well as those who were unsatisfied with the length, unpredictability, delays, time pressures, and congestion during the commute, would find their …

Motivated Gifts: A Self-Determination Perspective, Sharise Love, Liudmila Titova

Modern Psychological Studies

Gift-giving can strengthen relationships and facilitate favor requests. Previous researchers have found that 'motivated gifts' (gifts given with the intention of asking a favor) decrease recipients' satisfaction and willingness to help. The current study investigated the role of basic psychological need satisfaction (BPNS) in this effect. BPNS is said to facilitate the integration of autonomous motivation, which was hypothesized to mediate the relationship between motivated gifts and prosociality. In the current study, a sample of 426 undergraduate students was randomly given a hypothetical scenario in which they imagined receiving a motivated gift or not, while also being asked a favor. …

Body Dissatisfaction In College Students: Which Sociocultural Pressure Best Predicts Drive For Thinness?, Sawyer V. Ellis, Elaine M. Kozmiuk, Mary E. Pritchard, Heather Schoenherr

Modern Psychological Studies

Previous literature has suggested that family pressure is the main predictor of drive for thinness (Palladino Green & Pritchard, 2003). Given the growth of social media where thin beauty is glamorized, we wanted to test if this remains true while including multiple factors that may have been disregarded in body-centric studies. Consequently, we asked which sociocultural pressure—family, peers, or media—relates the strongest with body shame, body surveillance, and drive for thinness. A sample of 1,049 undergraduate psychology students, ages 18-29, were surveyed to better understand body dissatisfaction in college students. We predicted that each sociocultural pressure would correlate with body …

Attitude Changes Among College Students Post-Pandemic, Alex J. Goncalo, Nicholas S. Zambrotta

Modern Psychological Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic forced students across the nation to attend school virtually and thus dramatically altered the college experience for many students. Stay at home mandates and loss of social interaction may have contributed to increased isolation and poor mental health. Although mandates have been lifted, and normal college life has resumed in most places, it is unknown if a lingering social impact was left on college students. Numerous studies provide evidence through in-depth examinations indicating altered mental health and psychological behavior of adults, specifically college aged individuals. The present study measured happiness, optimism, and psychological well-being in a sample …

Body Image And Social Media In College Students, Elaine M. Kozmiuk, Sawyer Ellis, Mary Pritchard, Heather Schoenherr (Mentor)

Modern Psychological Studies

The current study assessed the relationship between social media appearance-related preoccupation (SMARP), body shame, body surveillance, and social physique anxiety (SPA). Data were collected from 1,049 participants, and a correlational analysis and a hierarchal regression were conducted. Significant relationships were found between body shame, body surveillance, SMARP, and SPA, supporting our hypotheses. Our results confirmed the relationship between SPA and SMARP, adding evidence to a mixed debate about the relationships between SPA and social media use. The researchers found that SPA moderated the relationship between body shame and SMARP. We can conclude that appearance anxieties and appearance-based social media use …

Ambiguous Situations Make Me Anxious: Personality Traits And Initiating Social Interaction, Anthony Sego, Aimee Adam

Modern Psychological Studies

Social interaction is important for human health and happiness, yet it may be in decline. In this study, we examined traits related to whether individuals interact with one another. A structured lab observation was used to determine if participants would interact with a confederate. We also measured their Need for Cognitive Closure (NFCC), Social Anxiety (SA), Intolerance for Uncertainty (IU), and the Big Five personality traits, and examined the relationship between these factors and preferred physical distance from the stranger. Only 20% of all participants interacted with a confederate. Predictors of social interaction included higher scores in the Big Five …