Digital Commons Network^™

Mythology Of Autism: Pop Culture, Rhetoric, And Vaccines, Makenzi Strate

Theses and Dissertations

Myths are stories told to provide an explanation for the unknown, reflect cultural beliefs of populations that hold them, and lack scientific evidence to support these stories. Some myths, such as the myth that vaccines cause autism, are harmful toward the groups that they target. Popularized in 1998 with the publication of the Wakefield study, the myth that vaccines cause autism continues to spread and thrive today. To understand the widespread nature and detriments of belief in harmful myths such as this, I implement mythology rhetoric to examine how celebrity Jenny McCarthy utilizes elements of myth to persuade others to …

Durability Of Lightweight Concrete Bridge Decks In Utah, Lorenzo Eusebi-Diehr

Theses and Dissertations

The objectives of this research were to document and compare properties of lightweight concrete and normal-weight concrete used for construction of bridge decks and approach slabs in northern Utah. The scope of work included field and laboratory testing to characterize concrete specimens obtained from three lightweight concrete bridge deck sites and the normal-weight concrete approach slabs at one of these sites, which were recommended by the Utah Department of Transportation for evaluation, as well as laboratory testing to characterize concrete specimens obtained through previous research on lightweight and normal-weight concrete bridge decks. For field testing, a distress survey was performed …

Advancing Global Flood Inundation Mapping From Srtm To Fabdem, Taylor James Miskin

Theses and Dissertations

This study evaluates how elevation and hydrography inputs influence flood extent accuracy using ARC (Automated Rating Curve), a raster-based flood inundation model. It focuses on how spatial resolution and vertical accuracy, reflecting the satellite mission from which each dataset was derived, and bare-earth processing of the DEM affect the accuracy of predicted flood extents. The assessment compares four dataset combinations--FABDEM with GEOGLOWS River Forecasting System Version 1(RFS1), FABDEM with GEOGLOWS River Forecasting System Version 2(RFS2), SRTM with RFS1, and SRTM with RFS2--across five study locations: the Suncook River in New Hampshire, North Fork Kentucky River in Kentucky, Nimishillen Creek in …

Teaching Information Synthesis In First-Year Writing: A Replication And Extension Study, Rachel M. Terry

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the challenges and strategies associated with teaching information synthesis to first-year college students. Synthesis, a higher-order cognitive skill described as "knowledge-transforming," is critical for academic success and informed engagement in an information-saturated society. However, many students enter college with underdeveloped foundational reading and writing skills, compounded by declining literacy rates and the prevalence of fragmented digital content consumption. This study builds on prior research in composition, education, and information literacy to address three key questions: (1) How do students understand synthesis? (2) What strategies do students employ when attempting to synthesize information? (3) What instructional implications arise …

Expired, Cindy Tran

The Alembic

No abstract provided.

When The Sun Says Goodbye, Libby Stockton

The Alembic

No abstract provided.

Passenger Seat, Ian Gualtiere

The Alembic

No abstract provided.

Hypochondria, Craig Kurtz

The Alembic

No abstract provided.

Sleeper, Matthew J. Spireng

The Alembic

No abstract provided.

What Could Possibly Go Wrong?, Jason Ryberg

The Alembic

No abstract provided.

Times Tables, Hanna Boudreau

The Alembic

No abstract provided.

In The Backyard, Madelyn Young

The Alembic

No abstract provided.

Jadriyah And Umm Al-Khanazeer Island Sites, Baghdad, Iraq: Status And Eligibility As An Important Bird Area, Aya Yaqoob Jasim, Nadheer Abod Fazaa

Baghdad Science Journal

In Baghdad, the site of Jadriyah and Umm Al-Khanazeer Island (JUKI) was the only IBA nominated by the Birdlife International in 1994 (based on data from 1984). Unfortunately, the JUKI site was deleted from the IBA list in 2017 without proper investigation. We compared our 2022 data with two previous surveys and successfully calculated the trend of the site for the first time. JUKI, as compared to 1984 as baseline data, has currently a medium level of threats (land use change and climate change). Status assessment shows that the site in 2022 has 58.9 % of its 1984 potential habitat …

Executive Committee - Agenda, 4/22/2025, Academic Senate

Academic Senate Agendas

No abstract provided.

College Council Meeting Minutes (April 22, 2025), Dmacc

College Council

No abstract provided.

Moderate Exercise And Tirzepatide Versus Tirzepatide Alone For Long-Term Weight Loss Maintenance, Edward Amoah Acheampong

Nursing Capstones

Background: Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist (RA) drugs have been transformative when managing obesity in the clinical setting. Though these medications are effective for weight loss, questions regarding their efficacy for long-term weight loss or maintenance remain unanswered.

Purpose: The purpose of this scoping review was to answer the following clinical question: Can overweight or obese patients (P) who use tirzepatide without exercise (I) as compared to those incorporating 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic exercise (C) sustain a ≥5% weight loss (O) one-year post-treatment (T)?

Methods: Five electronic article databases were searched to locate articles …

Nature's Relief: Efficacy Of Plant-Based Therapies Vs. Placebo In Easing Vasomotor Menopausal Symptoms, Megan N. Schneider

Nursing Capstones

Background: Vasomotor symptoms (VMS) impact the lives of menopausal women. Plant-based therapies are frequently used as alternatives to hormonal therapy, warranting evaluation of their effectiveness.

Purpose: This literature review evaluates the efficacy of plant-based therapies in alleviating VMS during menopause and compares their effectiveness to placebo treatment.

Methods: A literature review was conducted utilizing PubMed and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL).

Results: The review includes a synthesis of 16 primary studies, highlighting five therapies: black cohosh, soy, red clover, evening primrose, and combination therapy in managing VMS. Soy consistently reduces VMS. Black cohosh, red clover, evening …

The Effect Of Breastfeeding On Maternal Mental Health, Quinn Packineau

Nursing Capstones

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a significant public health issue impacting maternal and infant well-being, and though breastfeeding benefits both mother and baby, its effect on PPD is uncertain. This scoping literature review explores whether breastfeeding versus bottle feeding reduces PPD risk within six months postpartum using CINAHL and PubMed search of studies from the last five years on breastfeeding, bottle feeding, and PPD correlations. From 17 qualifying studies, results display exclusive and prolonged breastfeeding linked to lower PPD rates. However, the relationship is bidirectional because PPD can also prompt early breastfeeding cessation. Maternal self-efficacy, lactation support, and socioeconomic- demographic factors …

Language Choice And Russian Course Enrollment Among University Students, Emma Calderwood

Theses and Dissertations

University Russian enrollments have been steadily declining in the United States since 2009 (MLA, 2023). No research has been done to examine student motivation for studying Russian since long before the 2022 increase in conflict between Russia and Ukraine. This study surveys two groups of students at the university level: students enrolled in BYU 101-level language classes, and students enrolled in Russian classes at six universities in the United States. The findings report that the most common reasons students choose to take university Russian classes is because they have a general interest in the language, they want to travel to …

We Give Laws A Bad Name: An Empirical Examination Of How Misleading Law And Pac Names Pollute Legal Perception, Brian Sheppard, Andrew Moshirnia, Charles Sullivan, Brian C. Jones

Texas A&M Law Review

Journalists and commentators have dismissed acronym-titled laws like the SAFE Act (Secure Access to Firearms Enhancement Act) and slogan-based political action committee (“PAC”) names like Americans for America as window dressing concocted by uncreative political operatives. Beyond the fact that law titles and PAC names have become punching bags in the press, they share another quality: they both appear with frequency in political ads about ballot initiatives and sometimes appear on ballots themselves. Because of their salience in election and voting scenarios, law titles and PAC names have been used tactically in an apparent effort to increase the memorability or …

Uta Datathon 2025 Challenges (Archive), Rubab Shahzad, Srinivasa Sai Abhijit Challapalli, Ghanbarian Behzad, Mei Yang, Clivin Geju, Zecil Yogeshkumar Jain, Jay Mahavirkumar Shah, Sai Nikhitha Chandana

2025 Datathon Challenges-Archive

Timed and Model Challenges from the UTA Datathon 2025

Using Visual Discharge Instructions: How Comics Can Improve Healthcare And Outcomes For Limited English Proficient Patients, Alexandra R. Streeter

Honors Thesis

The purpose of this thesis is to demonstrate how graphic medicine could be a useful tool for communicating medical discharge instructions to populations with Limited English Proficiency (LEP). It is divided into three parts. First, it provides an overview of the biggest struggles LEP patients encounter in healthcare, which often occur around discharge instructions and medication changes. Second, the paper explores what graphic medicine is and how it has been used in healthcare. The last part of this paper consists of original graphic medicine artwork that addresses key issues for LEP populations during discharge with the goal of offering a …

Two-Stage Least Squares Estimation In A Spatial Lag Model Under A Complete Bipartite Network, Badi H. Baltagi, Long Liu

Center for Policy Research

This paper considers a spatial lag model with a complete bipartite network weighting matrix which is important in network theory. We show that two-stage least squares is equivalent to ordinary least squares and both estimators are inconsistent for the cross-section data case. This result has also been derived for the spatial lag model with an equal weight matrix by Kelejian and Prucha (2002). We also show that the fixed effects two-stage least squares estimator is consistent in case we have panel data and the spatial lag model includes time fixed effects. This is different from the result for an equal …

Ode To Old Bay Seasoning, Eleanor Phillips

The Alembic

No abstract provided.

Resting, Lenore Montanaro

The Alembic

No abstract provided.

Is This Really You?, Libby Stockton

The Alembic

No abstract provided.

A Beautiful Mess, Libby Stockton

The Alembic

No abstract provided.

When The Seasons Change, Ava Sampanato

The Alembic

No abstract provided.

Snowy Silence, Ava Sampanato

The Alembic

No abstract provided.

A Sea Of Isolation—Inspired By Francis Picabia’S Untitled (Sailboat), Nicole Hirt

The Alembic

No abstract provided.