Digital Commons Network^™

Translating A Storybook Into Spanish: From Wilma On The Wing To Wilma En La Ala, Kaitlin Herres, Anna Connington

2025 Undergraduate Research Showcase

The main objective of this project was to properly translate a children’s book from English to Spanish. Boise State graduate, Anna Connington, previously wrote and illustrated a science storybook for local school children. Connington’s book describes the migration of a warbler from Alaska to Mexico with a stopover in Boise, Idaho adding a local example of migration that fosters a deeper connection for local children. But the original book was not accessible to Spanish-speaking students. With many different dialects and variances between countries, this book focused on Mexican Spanish since that is the largest group in Idaho. My work consisted …

Rooted Resilience: Global Gardens And Sustainable Agriculture, Alice Mwamba, Maci Mattravers, Lisa Meierotto, Kelly Hopping, Rebecca Som Castellano

2025 Undergraduate Research Showcase

While small-scale agriculture can provide diverse benefits, producers are often disadvantaged in these agrifood systems. Climate change, globalization, and other forces exacerbate local challenges. Here, we discuss preliminary findings of an ongoing project focused on challenges to sustainable agriculture facing farmers from refugee backgrounds in Boise, Idaho. Using an interdisciplinary, mixed methods approach, we aim to illuminate sources of vulnerability and adaptive capacity for farmers producing food for markets and home consumption. We co-developed this research with multiple community partners, who are helping us connect with and support a historically excluded group, while fostering pathways for knowledge co-production and action.

Warriors And Guardians: Police Recruit Role Orientation And Heterogeneity, Robert Boxerman

Dissertations

American police have experienced an expansion of duties over the last century, and their function has become increasingly diverse. As a result, researchers have developed role orientation typologies to understand how officers view themselves, their attitudes toward their work, and their responsibilities. One such typology is the warrior/guardian framework, where warrior-oriented officers see themselves as crime-fighting soldiers in conflict with criminals, while guardian-oriented officers view themselves as protectors of the community and providers of broader public services. Despite its popularity, there is limited empirical evidence supporting this framework. Further, little research examines how police recruits differentially view their role as …

Leveraging Agent-Based Modeling And A Randomized Intervention To Advance Childhood Physical Activity: A Study Protocol, Matt Kasman, Adam B. Sedlak, Lydia Reader, William J. Heerman, Russell R. Pate, Amelie G. Ramirez, Evan C. Sommer, Shari L. Barkin, Ross A. Hammond

Faculty Publications

This study (1R01HD107002-01A1) protocol describes the planned creation and use of an agent-based model (ABM) of early childhood physical activity (PA). Successful early childhood PA interventions can potentially play an important role in both increasing overall population health as well as closing health disparities across subpopulations. At present, effective strategies for doing so are currently unknown. In large part, this is because PA determinants operate across levels dynamically, interact with one another, and can differ substantially across children. A complex systems approach—specifically, ABM—can be used to provide important insights about effect pathways driving child PA. Design of the proposed ABM …

A Levinasian Investigation Of Leaders Learning Humility, Spencer Fumio Yamada

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the development of humility in individuals and business organizations. Humility in business leadership has received increased attention in recent years; however, little is known regarding how individuals and organizations become more humble. The first article in this dissertation is a theoretical examination of humility and argues that the philosophy of ethicist and phenomenologist Emmanuel Levinas provides a theoretical lens by which the development of humility could be productively explored. Levinas argued that the human experience is based on the ethical responsibility that individuals have towards one another, providing a set of assumptions for an examination of professional …

Supporting Female Nontraditional Students In Higher Education: Exploring Instructors And Instructor Leads' Experiences, Adriana Alba

Theses and Dissertations

Women nontraditional students--defined as those who are over 25, delay college enrollment after high school, attend part-time, have dependent children, are single parents, work full-time while studying, or are financially independent--face unique challenges balancing academic pursuits with family and professional responsibilities in online education, yet research on effective support practices remains limited. This study examined the experiences of six BYU-Pathway Worldwide instructors and instructor leads (four instructors and two instructor leads) who support predominantly women nontraditional students in online courses. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) of in-depth interviews and follow-up conversations, the research explored how instructors navigate supporting these students. …

Integrating Temperature-Dependent Tissue Properties Into Hifu Computational Models For Enhanced Treatment Planning, Christian Kevin Valencia Narva

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a non-invasive therapy that ablates diseased tissues with high precision. Computational simulations using the Pennes Bioheat Transfer Equation (PBTE) can guide HIFU treatment by predicting temperature distributions and thermal dose volumes. Traditional simulations assume constant thermal and acoustic properties, which may oversimplify tissue behavior. Methods: This study evaluates the impact of integrating temperature-dependent thermal properties (thermal conductivity, specific heat capacity, and perfusion) in finite-difference time-domain HIFU simulations. Three scenarios were simulated: (1) a homogeneous liver with both high- and low-power sonications, (2) a rabbit thigh muscle validated against preclinical MRTI data, and (3) an …

Development Of A Qualitative Spot Assay For Zinc Detection In Fortified Cereal Grain Matrices, Ashley L. Lamborn

Theses and Dissertations

The present thesis is a compilation of a literature review, journal manuscript, and two standard operating procedures (SOP) on the qualitative determination of zinc in fortified cereal grain products and matrices. The literature review addresses the premise of the research as well as potential solutions for the development of a rapid qualitative spot assay for zinc determination. Quality assurance assays affirm the presence of micronutrients in food fortification initiatives, but no rapid qualitative spot methods for the assessment of zinc currently exist. Chromogenic reagents that may perform a key role in the rapid determination of zinc are identified. The journal …

The Effects Of Cyclic Peptide [R4w4] In Combination With First-Line Therapy On The Survival Of Mycobacterium Avium, Melissa Kelley, Kayvan Sasaninia, Ali Badaoui, Ira Glassman, Arbi Abnousian, Nadia Rai, Rakesh K. Tiwari, Vishwanath Venketaraman

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background: Mycobacterium avium (M. avium) is a nontuberculous mycobacterium (NTM) that can cause pulmonary and extrapulmonary infections mostly in immunocompromised individuals, such as those with HIV and diabetes. Traditionally, rifampicin (RIF) and azithromycin (AZ) have been used for a 12-month duration as first-line antibiotics against M. avium. Due to the increased multidrug resistance, novel ways, such as enhancement of macrophages response, are needed to provide adequate immune response required to clear M. avium infection.

Methods and findings: In this study, we aim to study the effects of using THP-1 cells, which are monocyte-like cells, to induce a …

How Politicians Use Public Relations Strategies To Manipulate The Political Opinions Of Young People, Kylie O’Neil

Honors Theses

With the rise of the internet and social media, politicians have begun to utilize evolving public relations (PR) strategies in the online sphere to sway the political opinions of young people who can or will one day vote. This thesis will analyze these public relations strategies and how they are intended to manipulate the people consuming the content and answer the question of how politicians use public relations strategies to manipulate the political opinions of young people. The data will be collected by monitoring the news as well as social media profiles of multiple politicians on both sides of the …

Evidence-Based Practice Guidelines For Perioperative Insulin Pump Usage And Glycemic Control During The Perioperative Period, Duane Robinson

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

According to the International Diabetes Federation, Diabetes Mellitus (DM) affects approximately 537 million people, representing approximately 10% of the worldwide population aged 20 to 79. Approximately 400,000 people with DM use continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) pumps. CSII pump therapy mimics pancreatic insulin release, aiding in maintaining adequate insulin levels. Individuals with DM are more likely to require surgery than individuals without the disease. Among diabetics, people with Type 1 DM (T1D) are more likely to need medical interventions than individuals with Type 2 DM (T2DM). CSII therapy maintains blood glucose levels within a programmed range and decreases blood glucose …

Artificial Intelligence In The Secondary Classroom: Exploring Teacher Perceptions, Malachi Windemuller

Honors Theses

This qualitative study explores secondary school teachers' perceptions and attitudes toward artificial intelligence (AI) integration in classroom settings. Through in-depth interviews with educators at three diverse high schools across Colorado, Indiana, and Michigan during Fall 2024, the research investigates how teachers understand, implement, and wrestle with AI technology in their pedagogical practice. The study specifically examines four key areas: school dynamics around AI adoption, teachers' personal use of AI tools, student engagement with AI, and recommendations for new educators entering the field.

Key findings reveal that fear and uncertainty remain significant barriers to AI adoption among educators, particularly regarding its …

G-Protein-Coupled Estrogen Receptor 1 And Pregnancy Confer Protection Against Hypertension In Older Females, Ravneet Singh, Supaporn Kulthinee, Victoria L Nasci, Elvis A Akwo, Chibundu Juliet Umunna, Rawan N Almutlaq, Oleh M Pochynyuk, Cassianne Robinson-Cohen, Eman Y Gohar

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Life After Death: Investigating The Resistance And Recovery Of Fungal Communities To Foundation Tree Mortality, Jessie F. Marlenee

Biology ETDs

Tree mortality can have cascading effects on the composition and resilience of interacting fungal communities. Yet, little is known about the impact tree mortality, distinct from abiotic drivers (i.e., drought), has on these communities. This dissertation focuses on the resilience of fungal communities to experimental tree mortality in a piñon-juniper woodland. In chapter one, I found that piñon mortality reduced piñon fine root biomass and piñon mycorrhizal fungal diversity, whereas juniper mycorrhizal fungi were unaffected by juniper mortality. In chapter two, I revealed that piñon mortality altered the composition and spatial structure of mycorrhizal and saprotrophic fungi in the soil, …

Themes Of Moral Injury In The Field Of Asl Interpreting, Samantha Michaelson

Undergraduate University Honors Capstones

This research project explores connections between a moral injury framework and the recognition and mitigation of ethical stress and trauma experienced by ASL-English interpreters. I have employed strategies such as thick description, textual analysis, and a narrative synthesis of existing literature on moral injury and ethical stress in interpreting to arrive at my findings. The study explains Demand Control Schema (DCS) and the Code of Professional Conduct (CPC) as valuable tools for interpreters to discuss and address ethical stresses that arise in their work. Additionally, I examine the concept of role space and its relevance to the experience of ethical/moral …

Plasma Proteomic Biomarkers Of Physical Frailty In Heart Failure: A Propensity Score Matched Discovery-Based Pilot Study, Quin Denfeld, Noelle Pavlovic, Christopher Lee, Jon Jacobs, Mary Roberts Davis, Samantha Powell, Marina Gritsenko, Susan Joseph, Beth Habecker

Division of Cardiology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Physical frailty is highly prevalent in heart failure (HF), but we lack an understanding of the underlying pathophysiology. Proteomic evaluation of plasma samples may elucidate potential mechanisms and biomarkers of physical frailty in HF.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to identify plasma proteomic biomarkers that are differentially expressed between physically frail and non-physically frail adults with HF.

METHODS: This was a secondary analysis of a subset of data and plasma samples from a study of frailty among patients with New York Heart Association (NYHA) Functional Classification I-IV HF. Physical frailty was measured using the Frailty Phenotype Criteria. Propensity score matching was …

Waite And See: The Problem With Class Action Litigation To Enforce Copyright Termination Rights, Justice Slone

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Waite And See: The Problem With Class Action Litigation to Enforce Copyright Termination Rights is piece of legal scholarship written by Belmont College of Law’s Justice Slone. The article explores the various challenges that artists face when trying to exercise their rights of copyright termination. Copyright termination is a mechanism that was introduced as part of the Copyright Act of 1976 and allows authors who have transferred ownership of their copyrighted works to third parties to reclaim that ownership after 35 years. Often times, at the time that an artist is making a transfer of ownership, they have vastly inferior …

Perinatal Mood And Anxiety Disorders (Pmads): A Scoping Review, Christina Willis Bsn, Rn, Nia Wells Bsn, Rn, Miranda Smith Bsn, Rn, Kate Fouquier Cnm, Phd, Facnm

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Purpose/Background Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs), including postpartum depression, anxiety, and psychosis, significantly impact maternal and infant health. This scoping review consolidates current literature on PMADs, emphasizing prevalence, risk factors, screening, and treatment. The primary aim is to identify research gaps and inform clinical guidelines to enhance perinatal care.

Methods A literature search followed PRISMA guidelines from August 2022 to November 2024. Databases searched included PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, and Google Scholar, using terms such as "perinatal mood disorders" and "maternal mental health." Inclusion criteria were English-language studies from the past decade addressing PMADs during pregnancy and up to one …

Effects Of Vacuum-Assisted Venous Drainage In Cardiopulmonary Bypass: A Scoping Review, Brandon Williamson

Student Works

Introduction: The use of Vacuum-assisted Venous Drainage (VAVD) in cardiopulmonary bypass is a standard in many perfusion practices. This scoping review targets the need for all positive and negative effects to be accounted for when using VAVD. A well thought out scoping review is the basis for additional research like a systematic review to be assembled. The goal of this scoping review is to encompass this topic to the best of its ability and supply relevant data in this field.

Methods: This scoping review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping …

Coping With Distress In Athletes: Strategies And Barriers, Julianna Cheney

Student Works

Cognitive techniques and mental strategies are utilized by athletes to enhance performance in their sport, particularly when it comes to managing physical distress or discomfort. This literature review aims to both compile the most current literature on the cognitive strategies athletes implement to counter physical distress, as well as address the mental barriers they may face. Searches conducted in Google Scholar and PsycINFO as well as articles drawn from the reference sections of chosen articles yielded a total of 11 peer reviewed articles related to the main focus of this literature review. Within the available literature on mental strategies,, there …

Feature Typology And L2 Proficiency Matter: L3 Acquisition Of Portuguese, Mila Tasseva-Kurktchieva, Danielle Fahey

Faculty Publications

To determine the source of transfer in third language acquisition (L3A), we tested the effects of grammatical feature typology and L2 Spanish proficiency on the comprehension and production of grammatical [gender] and [number] in the early stages of L3A of Portuguese. We distinguish between the two features based on their participation in the lexical-conceptual structure of the lemma and its interaction with the morpho-syntactic derivation. L1 English speakers were tested on their knowledge of the features in both their L2 and their L3 through a grammaticality judgment task and an elicited production task. Results show that L3 learners transfer only …

Department Of Managed Health, Zoe Bulls, Marcus Friedman, Erol Kilic

California Regulatory Law Reporter

No abstract provided.

Anchoring ‘Neo-Hahnian Outdoor Education’ In The Cold War Era: A History Of Character Building In The Outward Bound Movement, Jayson Seaman

Faculty Publications

The invitation to comment on a foundational early article from the JAEOL provided a welcome opportunity to engage with Andrew Brookes’s trilogy of ‘neo-Hahnian outdoor education’ critiques (Brookes, 2003a, 2003b, 2023). In this article, I approach outdoor education’s character building ideology by using archival and secondary sources to situate its evolution in four periods corresponding with major geopolitical and cultural movements: (1) 1941–1945 when Outward Bound (OB) was established; (2) 1946–1952 when Hahn exported OB from his perch at Gordonstoun; (3) 1953–1967 when OB expanded to the U.S. and replicated globally, and (4) 1968–1976 when human potentialism replaced muscular Christianity …

Behere Nevada: Partnership And Policy, Sara Hunt

Community Engagement Expo Research Posters

Partnership: Nevada ranks 51st in the nation for mental illness prevalence and access to care (Mental Health America). Significant shortages in mental health professions, especially in rural areas. Other states using policy and funding to implement a “grow our own” model for behavioral health workforce development. Proposed a behavioral health workforce development center for Nevada.

Marjorie Barrick Museum Of Art, Zida Wang

Community Engagement Expo Research Posters

This poster presents Bus to Barrick, a museum education initiative at the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art that provides free access to arts-based learning experiences for students across the Clark County School District. Through funded transportation, guided exhibition tours, and hands-on workshops, the program removes barriers to museum participation and promotes creativity, critical thinking, and cultural engagement. The poster outlines program operations, participation data, educational outcomes, and future goals while demonstrating how university museums can support equitable access to arts education and strengthen connections between higher education institutions and local communities.

A Winning Strategy: Sports For Advancing Health In Underserved Communities, Chia-Liang Dai

Community Engagement Expo Research Posters

Prevailing disparities in health outcomes underscore the urgent need for targeted interventions tailored to the unique needs of underserved students. An after-school sports program plays a vital role in promoting comprehensive school health by offering structured team sports alongside social-emotional lessons and academic support.

Del Policial Clásico Al Post-Neopolicial: La Estética Del Crimen En La Narrativa Mexicana, 1940–2020, Maria Carpio-Manickam

Purdue Studies in Romance Literatures

Del policial clásico al post-neopolicial: La estética del crimen en la narrativa mexicana, 1940–2020 is a comprehensive study of Mexican crime fiction from cultural, gender, social, political, and literary perspectives. This book covers the different phases Mexican crime fiction has evolved through in the past eighty years: classical detective fiction (1940–1960s), género negro (1970s), neopolicial (1980–2000), narconarrative (1990s to the present), and post-neopolicial (2000 to the present). The first half of the book offers an overview of the development of crime fiction in the United States, how it was adopted by Mexican writers in the 1940s, and the changes it …

Development And Evaluation Of Canbench: A Testbed For Assessing The Security Of Automotive Can Buses, Trevor S. Mcclellan

Theses and Dissertations

Modern vehicles rely heavily on electronic control units (ECUs) that communicate via the controller area network (CAN) bus, a protocol developed in the 1980s with minimal security considerations. The growing number of ECUs has heightened the risk of cyberattacks on vehicles. Although CAN bus security has been extensively researched, the CAN standard still lacks built-in security measures. Furthermore, testing proposed security mechanisms is challenging due to the proprietary nature of automotive systems. To address this, an open-source physical testbed was developed using inexpensive, off-the-shelf components to support automotive CAN bus security research. The testbed provides a controlled environment for simulating …

Reservoir Characterization And Basin Modeling Of Mesozoic Siliciclastic Strata For Sedimentary Geothermal Exploration, Iron County, Utah, Theodore L. Morgan

Theses and Dissertations

The transition zone between the Colorado Plateau and Basin and Range provinces of southwestern Utah provides excellent opportunities for future geothermal resource development. A combination of large fault-controlled extensional basins with outcrop analogs along basin margins, an elevated heat flow and thermal regime and the presence of porous and permeable sedimentary formations within extensional sedimentary basins allow for sedimentary geothermal exploration and development. Utilizing a reservoir-centered approach has the potential to dramatically expand the economic limits of geothermal plays in both established and frontier basins. This study characterizes a sedimentary geothermal system in Iron County Utah, centered on the Escalante …

Compositionally Complex Diborides: Competing Solubility During Sintering And Properties, Laura Silvestroni, Carlo Baldisserri, Jacopo Matteo Tabaglio, Nicola Gilli, Jeremy Watts, Steven M.I. Smith, Gregory E. Hilmas, William G. Fahrenholtz

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

An ultra-high temperature ceramic based on ZrB2, TiB2, and SiC was hot pressed to full density at 1850 °C. Addition of 5 vol% of different metal-compounds, in the form of HfC, VC, NbC or CrB2, increased the densification temperature to 1910 °C. The resulting compositionally complex ceramics had homogeneous microstructures with boride grains exhibiting core-shell features. The shell was a solid solution containing variable amounts of the three metals. Notably, TiB2 remained as a discrete phase in the reference material and in the presence of the V- and Cr- based additions, whilst it dissolved into the main ZrB2-based grains for …