Digital Commons Network^™

On Being Femininely Me, Bella Hynniman

Kentucky English Bulletin

No abstract provided.

The Mangler, Mason Jenkins

Kentucky English Bulletin

No abstract provided.

Ensuring Safe Mri Examinations And Earlier Detection Of Recurrent Cancer: A Scoping Review To Identify Breast Tissue Expanders That Are Safe For High-Risk Breast Cancer Survivors, Kristin E. Westmore

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Purpose

This capstone project aims to conduct a scoping review to identify breast tissue expanders that are safe for high-risk breast cancer survivors, ensuring safe magnetic resonance (MR) examinations. The goal is safe MR examinations for early detection of recurrent cancer, post-operative evaluation, monitoring, and reducing preventable morbidity and mortality.

Background

The MR safety of manufacturers' tissue expanders is defined according to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines and regulations as MR Conditional or MR Unsafe. Before 2023, there was a safety concern about using tissue expanders containing a magnetic port during the first stage of breast …

Reducing Greenhouse Gases Through Food Waste Reduction: A Literature Review Of Programs And Behavior Change, Schafer Flowerday

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions significantly contribute to climate change. Methane is a potent GHG emitted in landfills as organic material breaks down. Food waste is the single most common item disposed of in Lincoln’s Bluff Road Landfill (LTU, 2022). As such, food waste disposal in the landfill is a preventable issue that could dramatically reduce GHG emissions in Lincoln. This project seeks to determine what barriers and motivations exist for reducing food waste at a consumer level. A literature review was conducted to find what behavior change campaigns and interventions have taken place nationwide to encourage residential food waste …

Utilizing Morphology Instruction To Improve Students’ Reading Proficiency, Michelle Marie Sweigart

Masters Projects

Many adolescent learners face difficulties with reading comprehension as grades progress. Research suggests that this is due to a variety of contributing factors, including deficits in decoding, fluency, and vocabulary, in addition to content-area vocabulary becoming increasingly challenging. While research has shown the vast benefits of utilizing morphology instruction across grade levels to improve vocabulary, especially in secondary education, it is a largely underutilized area for intervention. This project explores the potential benefits of offering adolescents a morphological intervention to make grade-level vocabulary across content areas more accessible. Through the use of explicitly-taught strategies to systematically break down and employ …

Linking Research To Action To Address Unintended Pregnancy In Refugee Settings In Uganda, Baobab Research Programme Consortium

Humanitarian Task Force

The evidence available to support and shape improved family planning (FP) programming in refugee settings is sparse, and little is known about how to effectively deliver such programming to the most vulnerable, including women and girls. Baobab is responding to these questions through two complementary formative studies on unintended pregnancy and abortion incidence in refugee settings in Uganda. The findings pointed to a critical mass of non-users who intend to use an FP method in the future, and of non-users who have no such intention, but are still supportive of FP use. To expand access to FP services using existing, …

On-Site Provision Of Family Planning Services In Factory Settings In Egypt [In Arabic], Nahla G. Abdel-Tawab, Reham Abou El-Fadl, Noha El-Khorazaty, Tarek Alam El Din

Sexual and Reproductive Health, Rights, and Choices

Between February 2023 and May 2024, the Population Council, in partnership with the Egyptian Chamber of Apparel and Home Textile Industries (ECAHT) and with support from the Ministry of Health and Population (MOHP) and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Cairo, assessed the acceptability, effectiveness and cost of an intervention that combines raising awareness of family planning/reproductive health with on-site provision of family planning services. The intervention, known as the “Our Health is Our Capital” project, was implemented in 10 garment factories in El Amereya Free Investment Zone. Results showed that this model of public–private partnership is …

Infographic: On-Site Provision Of Family Planning Services In Factory Settings In Egypt, Nahla G. Abdel-Tawab, Reham Abou El-Fadl, Noha El-Khorazaty, Tarek Alam El Din

Sexual and Reproductive Health, Rights, and Choices

Under the project titled "Offering Family Planning Services in Factory Settings in Egypt: Examining Feasibility, Acceptability, and Cost," this set of infographics describe the intervention conducted in Alexandria, Egypt, aimed at addressing male and female workers' needs for family planning and reproductive health (FP/RH) information and services. These infographics provide an overview of the intervention components, the results of the quantitative evaluation, as well as the cost and return on investment analysis.

Vengeance As Piety: The Heroic And Elegiac Devil Of Genesis B, Alisa Heskin

Masters Theses

In Christian theology, the fall of Lucifer and his fellow rebel angels details the origins of angelic sin and prefigures the fall of humanity. The narrative had a strong literary tradition in early medieval England, appearing frequently in both poetry and prose. The Junius manuscript, one of four codices preserving the majority of Old English poetry, contains three accounts of the fall of the angels, with the most extensive versions being found in the poems known by scholars as Genesis B and Christ and Satan. Much of the scholarly attention Genesis B receives pertains to its interpolation into the longer …

Language Ideologies And Use Among Latine Children In A Dual Language Program In Southern California: A Qualitative Approach, Xochitl Morales

Education (PhD) Dissertations

Through a critical race and LatCrit framework, this research examined the language ideologies of young Latine children enrolled in Spanish dual-language programs. Specifically, I examined how and why the children chose to speak English and Spanish at home and school. A qualitative approach was used to understand the participants in their natural environment. The participants were five third-grade students (two males and three females), and their parents, five females and one male, and a the student’s third-grade teacher. The data collected included participant observations at home and at school as well as both formal interviews and informal conversations with students, …

New Ways Of Being White: White Families Striving To Raise Young Antiracists, Katie Kitchens

Education (PhD) Dissertations

In asking the questions “How are white families striving to create antiracist family cultures simultaneously resisting reifying white dominant culture, and how are white children making sense of their racial identities in those families?” I had the opportunity to deepen previously established relationships with three families asking similar questions. Our collective querying resulted in data collected using critical ethnographic methods rooted in culturally responsive methods including fieldwork, formal and informal conversations, and written narrative. Unique themes emerged from each family’s data, from which I drew three major theoretical conclusions: the importance of (1) Critical Consciousness (2) Antiracist Community, and (3) …

Project Turnkey Evaluation, Anna Rockhill, Sarah Mercurio, Franklin Holcomb Spurbeck

Homelessness Research & Action Collaborative Publications and Presentations

In 2020-2021 Oregon legislators approved $74.7 million to assist communities to purchase local motels and convert them into emergency shelters. The goal was to help keep people safe during COVID and to address the need for housing for victims of the wildfires in light of the deficit of appropriate shelter resources facing the state. A total of 19 projects received funding, and by 2023 all of the projects were providing services to people experiencing homelessness. Combined, this resulted in 865 new units of emergency shelter-- a 20% increase in the state’s supply. According to an analysis done by Oregon Community …

An Exploration Of The Lived Experiences And Decision-Making Processes Of Alternative Education Teachers Using An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis, Ashley Irene Zehner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Students with behavioral challenges and mental health concerns have unique academic, behavioral, and emotional needs. Due to high student to teacher ratio and lack of mental health and behavioral resources, some students may not have their needs met in a public school general education setting. An option that can be a better solution for these students due to lower student to teacher ratio, mental health resources, and behavioral support is schooling in alternative schools. This study explored the daily routines and the decision-making process of alternative educators as they work to meet the multifaceted needs of their students. Using an …

Structure-Function Relationships In Neurodegenerative And Infectious Diseases: Biophysical Characterization Of Rna Secondary Structures By Computational Techniques, Kendy Guarinoni

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The research described in this dissertation focuses on the investigation of the structure and dynamics of regions of RNA implicated in two diseases: COVID-19 and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/frontotemporal dementia (ALS/FTD). Both studies sought to create experimentally corroborated models that were used to characterize the structure and dynamics of the C9orf72 repeat expansion and the s2m region in coronaviruses, respectively and provided the foundation for future work. In our work involving the s2m region of SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, we determined that the homology modeling approach commonly used to derive atomistic structures when no coordinates are available yields a …

Environmental Factors (Rurality, Distribution Of Prescribers, And Altitude) Of People Who Died By Suicide In Montana, 2013- 2022, Anne N. Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Suicide is increasingly prevalent in rural areas across the United States, especially in the western Rocky Mountain states. The connection between suicide and rural residency is not well understood, nor is the relationship between the distribution of prescribers, altitude, and suicide. Purpose: This retrospective quantitative study aimed to describe the characteristics of individuals who died by suicide in Montana and investigate the associations among rurality, distribution of prescribers, altitude, and suicide rate. Methods: Montana suicide mortality data for 2013-22 was used to describe individual characteristics. A second dataset was created for each Zip Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA) level in …

Validating The Empirical Distress Prediction Models Within The Aashtoware Pavement Mechanistic-Empirical Design, Using Tennessee Pavement Performance Data From The Long Term Pavement Performance Database, Maxine Otieno

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) represents a recent pavement design approach, developed to address the shortcomings of the 1993 AASHTO Guide for Design of Pavement Structures. The Pavement Mechanistic-Empirical Design (PMED) software is set to operationalize the mechanistic-empirical principles outlined in MEPDG. However, empirical distress prediction models integrated into PMED were developed and calibrated using national data, necessitating validation and local calibration before implementation on a local scale. Moreover, updates to PMED present possibilities for continuous evaluation to account for improvements in the distress prediction models. This study validates PMED version 2.6.2.2’s prediction models using Tennessee pavement performance data …

The Impact Of Teaching Residency Programs On Burnout In Urban Schools, Jessica Ghazi

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This doctoral research investigates burnout of urban educators in a large southeastern district for a mixed methods study. Research questions one and two investigate demographic and organizational variables to determine if they are predictors of burnout or any of the three subcomponents, respectively. In research question three, teaching residencies were explored to determine if they provide appropriate preparation for teaching in urban schools which can limit burnout of educators. Variable data was collected through surveys and analyzed quantitatively of a sample of 69 urban teachers across 12 schools. For research question four, a subsample of teachers participated in focus groups …

Analyzing Anuran Diversity In Urban And Rural Wetlands Using Frog Call Citizen Science Data, Jeremiah Rhodes

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Amphibians are currently experiencing a crisis of high extinction rates because of habitat destruction, and climate change. Citizen science, the incorporation of citizens in data collection or management of scientific research, has become necessary to monitor populations widely. The Tennessee Amphibian Monitoring Program is a citizen science program, at the state-level that conducts manual calling surveys in Tennessee. The TAMP dataset was analyzed to see if there was a difference in diversity and abundance of anurans in urban wetlands compared to rural wetlands in the Ridge and Valley ecoregion. A Hutchenson’s t-test and a Mann-Whitney U test found that the …

Topology And Geometry-Based Methods For Quantifying The Complexity Of Protein Structures, Masumi Sugiyama

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

New topological and geometrical methods in knot theory provide a way to rigorously measure the entanglement of open curves in 3-space for the first time. These methods enable the topological analysis of physical systems of filaments, such as those formed by proteins. In this dissertation we employ tools from knot theory in combination with available experimental data and molecular simulations to analyze the topological complexity of tau proteins. These proteins are involved in a class of neurodegenerative diseases, called tauopathies. The methods developed in this dissertation are general and applicable to other proteins as well as any physical systems of …

Stress And Vigilance Toward Social Approval Versus Disapproval: Assessing The Interactions Between Childhood Maltreatment Severity And Coping Styles Among Highly Socially Anxious Young Adults, Griffin Akira Thomas Randolph

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Childhood maltreatment (CM) can impact the development of social anxiety (SA), influencing behavioral, cognitive, emotional, and social outcomes. This study explored the relationship between CM severity and SA among young adults through real-time social interaction using Zoom. This approach combined objective behavioral and physiological data with self-report measures. Results showed a significant positive relationship between CM severity and trait SA. Higher CM levels were linked to increased state anxiety during anticipation and peak levels of a speech task. No significant correlations were found between CM severity and mean skin conductance levels (SCLs), indicating SCLs may not reflect emotional responses. Similarly, …

Reentry Roadblocks: Investigating The Unique Reintegration Challenges Of Rural Offenders, Brenda Zaragoza

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The reintegration process for inmates entails multifaceted challenges, with rural offenders experiencing even more unique obstacles. Factors such as limited employment opportunities, housing options, reliable transportation and prevalent substance use issues are significant obstacles that rural ex-offenders must navigate during reintegration. These challenges are only multiplied given the geographical location where rural ex-offenders will reintegrate (Garland et al., 2011; Harley & Dunkley, 2018). Compared to their urban counterparts, rural ex-offenders may experience lower wages, little to no drug treatment programs, or the inability to reach mental health services within their rural setting (Chan et al., 2016; Mohatt et al., 2005). …

Meteorological Data Mining And Synthesis For Supplementing On-Site Data For Regulatory Compliance, Ben Sonpon, Shoaib Usman, Joseph Smith, Sarah Kovaleski, Jason Wibbenmeyer

Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Many regulatory requirements add significant delay in the licensing of new nuclear power stations. One area of particular interest is the environmental impact of potential atmospheric release. the purpose of this research is to demonstrate effectiveness of meteorological data mining and synthesis from offsite locations to reduce need for onsite data, hence allowing rapid licensing. the automated procedures tested for data mining and extraction of meteorological data from multiple offsite sources and the data analytic tool developed for data fusion are presented here. Three important meteorological parameters from regulatory compliance are considered for this analysis: wind velocity, wind direction, and …

In Vivo Study The Cytogenetic Effect Of Ammi Majus Methanolic Extract On Mitotic Index, Micronucleus Formation And Dna Damage On Mitoxantrone Treated Albino Male Mice, Ruqaya Mohammed Al-Ezzy, Maysaa Hamid Ahmed, Hadeel Mohamed Khalaf

Baghdad Science Journal

Medicinal plants or their secondary metabolites have shown different biological effects with a wide range of pharmacological properties; for instance, immune stimulator, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-mutagenic, anticancer, hepatoprotective, and many other properties. One of these medicinal plants is Ammi majus. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the cytogenetic impact of a methanolic extract of the Ammi majus plant on micronucleus formation, mitotic index and DNA damage in mice that had been given intraperitoneally mitoxantrone medicine (anticancer drug). Mice were divided into four groups, each group consisting of four mice: group I (positive control), mice treated with 0.008 …

Investigating Nature-Based Mindfulness In Nurse Anesthesia Students: A Pilot Study, Douglas Lovern

Dissertations

Across the country, the mental health crisis continues to rage. Varying degrees of depression, stress, and anxiety are commonly found in college-age students. The COVID-19 pandemic augmented this crisis, but the pandemic is not the sole culprit for the escalation of mental health disorders in the United States. Students across the globe suffer mental health disorders that include depression, anxiety, and stress. Research has shown that graduate students are six times more likely to develop anxiety and depression than the general population. Student registered nurse anesthetists (SRNAs) are vulnerable to mental health disorders. SRNAs enter labor-intensive doctoral programs fraught with …

Evaluating Conflict In Collaborative Environmental Governance: A Study Of Environmental Justice Councils, Graham Ambrose, Jangmin Kim, Saba Siddiki

Center for Policy Design and Governance

This brief summarizes "Evaluating conflict in collaborative environmental governance: A study of environmental justice councils," co-authored by Graham Ambrose, Jangmin Kim, and Saba Siddiki in the Policy Studies Journal.

Developing Recommendations For More Inclusive Academic Librarian On-Site Interviews, Christina M. Miskey, Kathryn M. Houk, Jason Aubin

Library Faculty Research

This chapter will discuss the work of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), library faculty Ad Hoc Committee for Diverse Recruitment and Retention: Campus Visits and Interviews (hereafter referred to as the campus visits committee), which was formed by the library faculty in 2020 to recommend ways for the faculty interview process to be more inclusive and to allow candidates from diverse backgrounds to excel during their interview process. The culmination of the committee’s work was the internal report for library faculty, Recommendations for Hosting UNLV Library Faculty Candidates, which is in the process of being implemented for …

American Rescue Plan Act (Arpa) Local Government Investments In Nevada, Sean Curry, Madison Dwyer, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Economic Development & Workforce

This fact sheet examines data from the Brooking Institution’s Local Government ARPA Investment Tracker, an online database that tracks the spending of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund dollars at the local government level. This fact sheet examines ARPA spending data from six Nevadan cities and counties: Washoe, NV; City of North Las Vegas, NV; City of Las Vegas, NV; City of Reno NV; City of Henderson, NV; and Clark County, NV.

Offensive Content Detection In Online Social Platforms, Ebuka Okpala

All Dissertations

Online social platforms enable users to connect with large, diverse audiences and the ability for a message or content to flow from one user to another user, user to followers, followers to user, and followers to followers. Of course, the advantages of this are apparent, and the dangers are also clearly obvious. The user-generated content could be abusive, offensive, or hateful to other users, possibly leading to adverse health effects or offline harm. As more of society's public discourse and interaction move online and these platforms grow and increase their reach, it is inherently important to protect the safety of …

Half Past Primrose, Laura E. Wilson

Theses

Half Past Primrose is a climate memoir in verse, exploring the experiences of growing up with climate change in Wisconsin and the fundamental life shifts it poses.

Exploring The Interplay Of Psychological And Biological Components Of Stress Response And Telomere Length In The Transition From Middle Age To Late Adulthood: A Systematic Review., Jn Souza-Talarico, S Chesak, N Elizalde, W Liu, C Moon, Ndcf Oberfrank, Aj Rauer, Cl Takao, C Shaw, Anitha Saravanan, Fg Longhi Palacio, H Buck

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

Ageing and chronic stress have been linked to reduced telomere length (TL) inmixed‐age groups. Whether stress response components are linked to TL during the midlife‐to‐late adulthood transition remains unclear. Our study aimed to synthesize evidence on the relationship between psychological and biological components of stress response on TL in middle‐aged and older adults. We conducted a systematic review of studies obtained from six databases (PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, Psy-cINFO, Web of Science, and Scopus) and evaluated by two independent reviewers. Original research measuring psychological and biological components of stress response and TL in human individuals were included. From an initial pool …