Digital Commons Network^™

Information Use And Decision-Making For Evacuation At Fuego Volcano, Guatemala, Beth A. Bartel

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

For populations living with risk to rapid-onset environmental hazards, an effective early warning system (EWS) may be the most viable short- to mid-term solution for risk reduction. At Fuego volcano, Guatemala, more than 60,000 people distributed between more than 30 small communities live within the identified hazard zones for pyroclastic density currents (PDCS), highly lethal hot avalanches and surges of volcanic gases, rock, and ash. Despite ongoing risk reduction efforts by scientific and civil protection authorities, more than 400 people died during a paroxysmal eruption on 3 June 2018 when PDCs reached populated areas. A high-end resort, La Reunión, evacuated …

Supporting Team Innovation With Design Thinking Cognitive Strategies, Lisa M. Casper

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Innovation is a 21st-century skill needed to design new systems, solve challenging problems, and develop novel solutions. Design Thinking (DT) is a tool used to support team innovation. In this experiment, 145 students (47 teams) used one of two DT methods during a semester-long project to come up with an innovative solution to one of the UNESCO 17 sustainable development goals. The key experimental manipulation was during the DT Ideate phase where teams brainstormed potential solutions. Teams either used a baseline DT Ideate strategy or an expanded one with additional prompts during a 10-minute period. Results indicated that teams using …

A Chinese Fallacy Of Communist Lynchpin And American Retort In Nepal, Ashis Adhikary

Himalayan Research Papers Archive

Why are Chinese and American activities escalating in Nepal? This research question frames the objective of this study. To opt for an answer, the paper delves into two distinct areas: the rise of Nepal’s communist forces and the corresponding influence of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and the historic role of America in curbing communism inside Nepal. It argues, the visible Chinese intent of forming a favorable communist power in Nepal, especially during and after the general elections of 2017, is a fallacy as it undermines American presence to limit the communist influence. Conceptually, the paper claims that the recent …

Urban/Rural Differences In Food Security In America’S East North Central Region, Eva Marie Long

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

The literature on food insecurity in America is extensive, but there is still a lack of understanding of urban/rural differences. Food insecure populations in urban communities undoubtedly experience different and unique challenges to food access than food insecure populations in rural areas. While urban households may face a lack of options for fresh produce, rural households may find that they live an inaccessible distance from the nearest grocer. Through analysis of the Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey and Food Security Supplement, this project seeks to discover common, underlying variables in food-insecure communities in metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas in America’s East …

A Revised Provenance Model For The Elk Mound Group In South-Central Wisconsin Based On Detrital Zircon Analysis, Itai S. Bojdak-Yates

Lawrence University Honors Projects

The Late Cambrian Elk Mound Group consists of three supermature sandstone formations deposited in and on the shores of a shallow, tropical sea: the Mount Simon, Eau Claire, and Wonewoc formations, in ascending order. Workers have used detrital zircon (DZ) U-Pb analysis to constrain the sources of the sand grains and build a regional provenance model. This study considers new samples from the Mount Simon Sandstone in the context of previous DZ studies in Wisconsin and Illinois. The samples reveal a transition from Mesoproterozoic source provinces towards Late Archean source provinces over time, which is understood to represent a shift …

Plastics And The Limits Of U.S. Environmental Law, Robert W. Adler, Carina E. Wells

Utah Law Faculty Scholarship

Plastics are among the most ubiquitous materials on the planet, used for functions ranging from single-use cups to medical syringes to industrial equipment. The properties that make plastic useful, however, also make them highly persistent in the environment when improperly disposed. Moreover, although plastic polymers are inert, they break down in the environment into harmful microplastics and nanoplastics, and plastics are often made using toxic chemicals or include toxic additives. These properties have caused a plastic pollution crisis. Massive amounts of plastics and breakdown chemicals contaminate the oceans and other ecosystems throughout the globe. The United States continues to contribute …

Racial Disparities In Access To Dbs: Results Of A Real-World U.S. Claims Data Analysis, Michael Frassica, Drew S Kern, Mitra Afshari, Allison T Connolly, Chengyuan Wu, Nathan Rowland, Juan Ramirez-Castaneda, Mwiza Ushe, Claudia Salazar, Xenos Mason

2020-Current year OA Pubs

INTRODUCTION: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an effective and standard-of-care therapy for Parkinson's Disease and other movement disorders when symptoms are inadequately controlled with conventional medications. It requires expert care for patient selection, surgical targeting, and therapy titration. Despite the known benefits, racial/ethnic disparities in access have been reported. Technological advancements with smartphone-enabled devices may influence racial disparities. Real-world evidence investigations can shed further light on barriers to access and demographic disparities for DBS patients.

METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional study was performed using Medicare claims linked with manufacturer patient data tracking to analyze 3,869 patients who received DBS. Patients were …

The Impact Of Climate Change On Environmental Sustainability And Human Mortality, Xingzhi Mara Chen, Andrew Sharma, Hua Liu

Political Science & Geography Faculty Publications

Climate dictates the critical aspects of human environmental conditions. The frequency and intensity of extreme weather conditions due to human-induced climate change have alarmingly increased. Consequently, climate change directly affects environmental sustainability and human mortality in the short term and creates prolonged and complicated long-term indirect grave risks. This paper examines three-level environmental impact risks associated with climate change on human mortality. It proposes a conceptual framework for developing an empirical event-based human mortality database related to climate change and communication strategies to enhance global environmental adaptation, resilience, and sustainability.

Assessment Of Spatio-Temporal Variations In Pm2.5 And Associated Long-Range Air Mass Transport And Mortality In South Asia, Md Sariful Islam, Shimul Roy, Tanmoy Roy Tusher, Mizanur Rahman, Ryley C. Harris

Political Science & Geography Faculty Publications

Fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) is associated with adverse impacts on ambient air quality and human mortality; the situation is especially dire in developing countries experiencing rapid industrialization and urban development. This study assessed the spatio-temporal variations of PM_2.5 and its health impacts in the South Asian region. Both satellite and station-based data were used to monitor the variations in PM_2.5 over time. Additionally, mortality data associated with ambient particulate matter were used to depict the overall impacts of air pollution in this region. We applied the Mann–Kendall and Sen’s slope trend analysis tool to investigate the …

Ems Administration Of Systemic Corticosteroids To Pediatric Asthma Patients: An Analysis By Severity And Transport Interval, Lauren Riney, Sam Palmer, Erik Finlay, Andrew Bertrand, Shannon Burcham, Phyllis Hendry, Manish Shah, Kathryn Kothari, David Ashby, Daniel Ostermayer, Olga Semenova, Benjamin N Abo, Benjamin Abes, Nichole Shimko, Emily Myers, Marshall Frank, Tim Turner, Mac Kemp, Kim Landry, Greg Roland, Jennifer Fishe

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

INTRODUCTION: Pediatric asthma exacerbations are a common cause of emergency medical services (EMS) encounters. Bronchodilators and systemic corticosteroids are mainstays of asthma exacerbation therapy, yet data on the efficacy of EMS administration of systemic corticosteroids are mixed. This study's objective was to assess the association between EMS administration of systemic corticosteroids to pediatric asthma patients on hospital admission rates based on asthma exacerbation severity and EMS transport intervals.

METHODS: This is a sub-analysis of the Early Administration of Steroids in the Ambulance Setting: An Observational Design Trial (EASI AS ODT). EASI AS ODT is a non-randomized, stepped wedge, observational study …

Affirming Care: Lessons From Minority Stress Model To Bolster Mental Health Outcomes For Lgbtq+ Youth In Primary Care, Kyrie Lampert

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

Individuals in positions of power influence youth wellbeing, self-perception, and overall mental health. According to the minority stress model, individuals who hold marginalized identities, such as LGBTQ+ youth, face unique, chronic, and socially based additive stressors. Research shows that these additive stressors contribute to LGBTQ+ youth experiencing disproportionate rates of mental health concerns. Queer youth are more than four times as likely to attempt suicide than their non-queer identifying peers. Additive stressors that LGBTQ+ youth face include prejudiced events, stigma, decisions of concealment or disclosure, and internalized homophobia and transphobia. This paper will review and integrate research, utilizing the minority …

Refereed Research - Impact Of Covid-19 On Subsistence Consumer-Merchants: A Study Of Tourism In The Himalayan Region, Sheetal Kapoor, Jigmet Wangdus, Shikha Upadhyaya

Subsistence Marketplaces

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted global production and consumption patterns, affecting all anthropogenic activities. Findings from in-depth interviews with subsistence entrepreneurs in the Himalayan region highlight how the pandemic exacerbated the day-to-day challenges of the locals and the strategies they utilized to tackle uncertainties. Implications are derived for research and practice.

Key Words: Pandemic, tourism, subsistence consumer merchants (SCM), subsistence entrepreneurs

Threats Detection In The Internet Of Things Using Convolutional Neural Networks, Long Short-Term Memory, And Gated Recurrent Units, Naomi A. Bajao, Jae-An Sarucam

Mesopotamian Journal of CyberSecurity

Security for IoT gadgets is an undertaking that has been made more troublesome by the far-reaching utilization of network safety in different applications, including wise modern frameworks, homes, individual devices, and vehicles. The fact that has been introduced makes deep learning for interruption recognition one productive security method. I thought about a few relevant systematic reviews that had already been written. Recent systematic reviews may include older and more recent works on the subject. For better IoT security, late exploration has focused on improving deep learning calculations. The ideal methodology for carrying out interruption recognition in the Internet of Things …

Scalable Neural Network Algorithms For High Dimensional Data, Mukesh Soni, Marwan Ali Shnan

Mesopotamian Journal of Big Data

The boundary for machine learning engineers lately has moved from the restricted data to the algorithms' failure to involve every one of the data in the time permitted. Due of this, scientists are presently worried about the adaptability of machine learning algorithms notwithstanding their exactness. The key to success for many computer vision and machine learning challenges is having big training sets. A few published systematic reviews were taken into account in this topic. Recent systematic reviews may include both more recent and older research on the subject under study. Thus, the publications we examined were all recent. The review …

Climate Changes Through Data Science: Understanding And Mitigating Environmental Crisis, Ahmed Hussein Ali, Rahul Thakkar

Mesopotamian Journal of Big Data

Climate change represents an urgent environmental crisis with far-reaching risks to ecosystems and human communities worldwide. Rapid development of mitigation strategies and solutions is imperative but relies profoundly on advancements in detection, attribution, and prediction derived from climate data analytics. This paper examines the growing role of data science in not only quantifying anthropogenic climate change but also informing impact assessment and targeted intervention across climate-sensitive sectors. First, we survey established and emerging techniques for climate characterization, including machine learning applications on Earth systems data. Next, we discuss how sophisticated climate models alongside statistical analysis of multi-domain datasets—from migration patterns …

Informal Stem Learning: Examples From Everyday Spatial Behaviors, Yingying Jennifer Yang, Sonia Conde Santiago, Daria Lasc, Arielle Hershkovich, Lauren Grove

Department of Psychology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Introduction: Extensive research has shown a close relationship between spatial abilities and success in STEM disciplines because many STEM problems often require students to reason about spatial information. Everyday spatial behaviors may predate and facilitate the development of spatial skills. Therefore, the current study examined children’s everyday spatial behaviors and their associations with broader child development outcomes and individual differences. Methods: Based on previous research, we developed an everyday spatial behaviors questionnaire for children (ESBQC). A total of 174 parents and their children aged 4–9 years old participated. In ESBQC, parents rated how much difficulty their children experience with different …

Contemplative Nearby Nature: A Design Proposal For Peralta Hacienda Historical Park, Russell Corbin

Pomona Senior Theses

In this Environmental Analysis thesis project, I analyze what contemplative landscapes are, why they are important, and how to design them, and then implement those learnings in a design proposal for a contemplative landscape at Peralta Hacienda Historical Park. In addition to this writing component of the thesis, I created diagrams, drawings, section renderings, a plan, and two 3d models that all help inform the intentions, meaning, and components of my design. These elements have been woven into the writing and attached as additional documents. Five key contemplative design elements have been identified which I hope can prove useful for …

For Everyone's Eyes Only: Digital Art As Public Art (Agency, Accessibility, And Aura), Linda Dai

Pomona Senior Theses

Should digital art qualify as public art? This thesis aims to explore the significance of this question in a contemporary context by cross-examining the two genres in terms of creative agency, accessibility, and aura. Through various interviews and case studies with global artists, I examine similarities and differences in materiality and engagement in public and digital art and the implications of my findings under broader, theoretical frameworks. I further seek to understand how the relationship between technology, art, and society has shifted over time. Ultimately, I argue that the fluidity of digital art allows to exist in public and private …

Upwelling, Climate Change, And The Shifting Geography Of Coral Reef Development, Richard Aronson, Victor Rodriguez-Ruano, Lauren T. Toth, Ian C. Enochs, Carly J. Randall

Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

The eastern tropical Pacific is oceanographically unfavorable for coral-reef development. Nevertheless, reefs have persisted there for the last 7000 years. Rates of vertical accretion during the Holocene have been similar in the strong-upwelling Gulf of Panamá (GoP) and the adjacent, weak-upwelling Gulf of Chiriquí (GoC); however, seasonal upwelling in the GoP exacerbated a climate-driven hiatus in reef development in the late Holocene. The situation is now reversed and seasonal upwelling in the GoP currently buffers thermal stress, creating a refuge for coral growth. We developed carbonate budget models to project the capacity of reefs in both gulfs to keep up …

The Correlation Between Perceived Maternal Parenting Style And Perceived Emotion Regulation In Seventh-Day Adventists In Southern Brazil, Camila Cardoso Masotti

Master's Theses

Problem.\

One's ability to regulate his/her emotions utilizing coping mechanisms and dissuasive mental strategies is partly attained due to the correct functioning of innate biological systems and to life experiences that promote learning/training in this area (cf., e.g., Matsumoto & Hwang, 2012). The field of emotion regulation studies has extensively elaborated on a multivalent description of human emotional development, in which emotions are part of essential mental strategies for an individual's conscious and unconscious goals in life (cf., e.g., Lang & Bradley, 2010; Levenson, 1999). Therefore, as a partly learned ability, one's emotion regulation skills have been shown as positively …

Placing The Evolutionary History Of Desmognathus Salamanders In Context: A Phylogeographic Approach, Kara Jones

Theses and Dissertations--Biology

Patterns of genetic variation do not arise in a vacuum but are instead shaped by the interplay between evolutionary forces and ecological constraints. Here, I use a phylogeographic approach to examine the role that ecology played in lineage divergence in the Desmognathus quadramaculatus species complex (Family: Plethodontidae), which consists of three nominal species: D. quadramaculatus, D. marmoratus, and D. folkertsi. Previous phylogenetic studies have shown that individuals from these species do not form clades based on phenotype. My approach to reconciling phylogenetic discordance was two-fold, using (1) genome-wide markers to provide insight into the …

An Assessment Of Actual Evapotranspiration And Soil Moisture Functions Based On Local-Scale Data In Alabama, Lisa Lugo Kuzy

Dissertations

Large-scale models and remote technology are widely used for the estimation of the energy budget at a global scale. The interaction of energy fluxes and soil water at the vegetation root zone is the driving force that controls the evapotranspiration process. Although the importance of soil moisture, it can only be measured at a point scale, given the great heterogeneity of soil profile. Large-scale models struggle to capture the spatial heterogeneity of soils, and remote sensing can only observe the surface level soil moisture, omitting the root zone. Studies have shown evapotranspiration estimates (specifically from Remote Sensing) and can provide …

Exploring Moral Distress Among Nurse Leaders, Preston H. Miller

Dissertations

Moral distress (MD) occurs when an individual knows the ethically correct action to take in a situation but institutional constraints prevent the individual from acting. MD is a well-documented phenomenon among nurses and occurs at a high frequency in the critical care setting. When MD is not adequately addressed and actions are not taken to mitigate precipitating factors within an organization, moral injury, moral residue, and burnout may consequentially result in nurses leaving their role or the profession. Nurse leaders are positioned to exemplify ethical leadership and provide support for their staff when MD is experienced; however, nurse leaders experience …

Measurements Of Terrestrial Gamma-Ray Flashes, Gamma-Ray Glows, And A Direct Lightning Strike From Eight Flights Of The High Energy Lightning Emission Network (Helen), Christopher Helmerich

Dissertations

The High Energy Lightning Emission Network (HELEN) campaign involved 8 balloon flights into thunderstorm environments to measure high-energy radiation phenomena like gamma-ray glows and terrestrial gamma-ray flashes (TGFs). Multiple flights detected elevated radiation levels providing evidence for theories on gamma-ray glow generation. Flight 7 measured multiple TGFs coincident spatially and temporally with lightning strikes, supporting theories of TGF origins in lightning leaders and/or return strokes. The same flight also sustained a direct lightning strike, enabling first-of-its-kind energetic radiation measurements during the propagation of the lightning strike. Radiation production was evident in both stepped leaders and return strokes, with higher flux …

Nonparametric Identification Of Differentiated Products Demand Using Micro Data, Steven T. Berry, Philip A. Haile

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

We examine identification of differentiated products demand when one has “micro data” linking the characteristics and choices of individual consumers. Our model nests standard specifications featuring rich observed and unobserved consumer heterogeneity as well as product/market-level unobservables that introduce the problem of econometric endogeneity. Previous work establishes identification of such models using marketlevel data and instruments for all prices and quantities. Micro data provides a panel structure that facilitates richer demand specifications and reduces requirements on both the number and types of instrumental variables. We address identification of demand in the standard case in which non-price product characteristics are assumed …

In A Free, Rural Primary Care Practice : Implementation And Evaluation Of A Depression Screening Tool For Adult Individuals In Rural Primary Care, Amy Snow

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

There is a high prevalence of depression in the rural primary care population. This project aimed to identify patients suffering from depression in a rural primary care clinic. The project’s goal was to improve the diagnosis and treatment of major depression in adults through the implementation of the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2) and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Follow-up visits were conducted over a 12-week period to assess patients’ response to pharmacotherapy and/or psychotherapy established by the current American Psychological Association guidelines. Identification of depression through the use of screening protocols assists in appropriate diagnosis and treatment plans. The project …

Is Knowledge Enough? Exploring Mental Health Literacy And Other Factors Of Help-Seeking In Rural And Urban Emerging-Adult Males, Chris Haydock

Theses

Background and Aim: There is strong evidence to support that mental health concerns become most prevalent among emerging adult males (18-25 years) due to their reluctance to seek-help. Mental Health Literacy (MHL) comprises knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes towards mental health with some evidence suggesting it also enhances help-seeking. However, research has reported that rural residents are less likely to seek help compared to their urban counterparts, despite similarities in MHL. Other factors that impact help-seeking include self-stigma towards mental illness, masculine norms, wellbeing, and access to care. Despite this, there is limited research investigating the influence of MHL in unison …

How Transnationally Effective Are The Uk Migration Policies In Relation To Missing Migrants? A Transnational Law Perspective, Luke N. Eda

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

All over the world, several thousands of migrants go missing when they attempt to flee from war, violence, persecution, repressive regimes, systematic human rights violations, etc. Thousands die each year in deadly shipwrecks in a desperate attempt to enter Europe and the United Kingdom. In these instances of deaths and loss, international human rights law imposes duties on states to account for people missing in transnational migration and to respect the rights of members of their families. Despite such provisions, states sometimes deny that they have obligations to deal with cases of migrants reported missing in transnational migration until migrants …

Co-Op To Cafeteria: Building A Food Value Chain For Farm To School, Blake D. Lineweaver

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

The central theme of this M.S. Environmental Studies portfolio considers farm-to-school as a medium for food system transformation within an innovative regional partnership of producer-owned food hubs and a state education agency. The portfolio consists of three main elements.

The first element is a literature review that examines the holistic farm-to-school model, with a particular focus on local food procurement.

The second element is a strategic communications plan, which was developed as part of an internship project with the Northwest Food Hub Network and the Mission Mountain Food Enterprise Center. The aim of this plan is to promote value-added products …

Engl 157: Great Works Of Global Literature, Scott R. Kapuscinski

Open Educational Resources

Syllabus for a general education course bringing together celebrated texts by Joseph Conrad, Chinua Achebe, Bessie Head, and Marjane Satrapi. Survey of perspectives beginning during the "scramble for Africa" via Conrad, through postcolonial writers Achebe and Head, and finally making a connection via dehumanization to Orientalism and undoing monocultural presumptions in the near East through Satrapi's Persepolis.