Digital Commons Network^™

"I'Ve Never Felt A Pain Like This" A Dialogic Analysis Of Parent-Child Estrangement Narratives On Reddit, Grant W. Lane

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

How do adult children estranged from their parent(s) create meaning and make sense of their estrangement in Reddit posts on the subreddit r/EstrangedAdultChild? This study analyzed Reddit posts written by estranged adult children for a presumed audience of other estranged adult children. Using relational dialectics theory (RDT) as a lens for analysis, this research examined the competing discourses that influence the meaning-making and sense-making processes of estranged adult children in their posts when the intended audience is fellow estranged adult children. Seventy-four posts from r/EstrangedAdultChild, authored by adult children who self-identified as estranged from at least one parent, were collected …

The Association Of Human Milk Intake And Outcomes In Biliary Atresia, Mary Elizabeth M Tessier, Jeremy M Schraw, Stacey Beer, Sanjiv Harpavat, M Kyle Jensen, John C Magee, Vicky Ng, Michael E Scheurer, Sarah A Taylor, Benjamin L Shneider

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objectives: Human milk intake has many benefits which could influence outcomes in biliary atresia (BA). However, the role of human milk in BA has not been examined. We hypothesized that human milk intake would be associated with improved outcomes in BA.

Methods: We assessed the impact of any human milk (AHM) as compared to formula only (FO) intake before Kasai portoenterostomy (KP) on outcomes in 447 infants with BA using the PROBE database (NCT00061828) post hoc. The primary outcome was clearance of jaundice (COJ = total bilirubin (TB) < 2 mg/dL by 3 months post-KP). Secondary outcomes included 2-year survival with native liver (SNL), bilirubin levels, cholangitis, ascites, and growth. We assessed the fecal microbiome (n = 8) comparing AHM versus FO.

Results: At baseline, 211 infants received AHM and 215 received …

Love At First Words: A Communication Competency Approach To Romantic Relationship Initiation, Grace E. Wiegand

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Initial interactions are essential to romantic relationship formation, and both parties must desire a second interaction after an initial encounter for the relationship to advance. Many studies have explored the communication styles and tactics that are effective in a person desiring a second interaction from a dating initiation scenario. However, existing research has yet to explain why some communication strategies do or do not result in second interactions. The current study seeks to examine this phenomenon further, testing the extent to which perceived partner communication competence influences a person to want to see another again after an initial interaction. In …

Delayed Excretion Of High-Dose Methotrexate In Pediatric Acute Leukemia Correlates With Laxative And Constipation Management, Jennifer A Belsky, Ashley Chavana, Ankona Banerjee, Mark Zobeck, Eric S Schafer, Karen R Rabin, Monica Gramatges, Alex Sim, Audrey Leisinger, Trisha Reddy, Megan J Parod, Philip Lupo, Michael Scheurer, Austin L Brown, M Brooke Bernhardt

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Delayed excretion of high-dose methotrexate (HD-MTX) in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) can result in significant morbidity. While methotrexate is primarily renally excreted, HD-MTX may overwhelm renal excretion and increase reliance on fecal elimination. This study evaluated the association between laxative use for constipation and delayed excretion of HD-MTX.

Methods: This multisite chart review included pediatric patients with ALL (2010-2020) who received HD-MTX (5 g/m2). Delayed excretion was defined as a serum MTX concentration greater than 0.4 µM at Hour 48. We identified use of laxative medications after each HD-MTX infusion, with receipt of two or more doses considered …

An Interdisciplinary Unit For Today's Learners: Integrating Science, English, And Art To Teach Climate Change, Sydney M. Ruby-Pasternak

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

As today’s global challenges grow increasingly complex, interdisciplinary thinking is essential for students to make meaningful connections in their learning. Despite this need, high school students continue to have educational experiences in one-subject classrooms, often preventing them from engaging in integrated learning models. This professional project addresses the gap by developing a five-week interdisciplinary unit titled Brushstrokes of Change, which combines climate science with English language arts and visual arts to amplify student understanding of climate change concepts. This unit was designed for grades 9-12 and prioritizes 21^st-Century skills in critical thinking, communication, creativity, and collaboration through …

Effect Of Exercise In Children, Jessica L. Moler

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Although the health benefits of exercise in adults are well established (Ruegsegger & Booth, 2017), the role of physical activity in promoting health in children is often overlooked. This narrative review synthesizes current research on the physical, cognitive, and emotional benefits of exercise in children aged 5 to 18, with a focus on providing practical, evidence-based guidance for families, educators, and healthcare providers. Studies consistently show that moderate-to-vigorous physical activity reduces cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors (Dias et al., 2017; Kovács et al., 2009; Migueles et al., 2023), improves insulin sensitivity (Bell et al., 2007; Davis et al., 2012), and …

A Culture-Centered Approach To Exploring The Impact Of Culturallyappropriate Communication On Patient-Provider Communication Satisfaction For Blackfeet Patients With Type 2 Diabetes, Zita K. Ottersbach

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This study explores how culturally appropriate communication influences perceived quality of care and communication satisfaction among patients with T2D. Grounded in the Culture-Centered Approach (Dutta, 2008), this study explores how cultural identity, systemic structures, and communication practices shape the ways that Amskapi Pikuni individuals navigate their care, and seeks to ask: How, if at all, does a provider’s culturally competent communication influence a Blackfeet patient’s management of their T2 Diabetes? This project is based on in-depth, qualitative interviews with 13 Blackfeet participants, most living within the exterior boundaries of the Blackfeet reservation and receiving their primary healthcare at the local …

The Devil In The Bakken, Kennedy Lorraine Delap

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

In 2008 the oil boom hit North Dakota. The oil brought wealth and human health concerns to the state and specifically, the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. In July of 2024 the largest Clean Air Act Settlement of its kind happened on the reservation due to Marathon Oil emitting thousands of tons more pollutants that regulations outlined. This story dives into the human health effects, advocacy and the difficulty in balancing health and wealth on the reservation.

An Exploration Of Resilience In Native American Older Adults, Georgie Victoria Ferguson

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Native American older adults remain underrepresented in psychological research. The unique cohort of participants in this study (born 1924 - 1957) possesses experience and knowledge that can greatly enhance the knowledge base and contribute to the overall understanding of culturally embedded resilience. Participants contributed to the identification of Spirituality and Humor as positive, culturally embedded coping factors through a set of qualitative interviews, and the present study further investigates those specifically identified coping processes using quantitative measures. This research explores how these constructs (measured by the Spiritual Well-Being and Multidimensional Sense of Humor Scales) might counteract (main effect) or buffer …

Structural Optimization And Stability Enhancement Of Uba(2) And Ntl9 Using The Computational Tool: Emcast, Bahar Ghazi Esfahani

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This study enhances protein stability prediction by refining EmCAST (Empirical C-Alpha Stability Tool), a computational tool used to identify stabilizing mutations in protein domains. We applied EmCAST to two model proteins: the α-helical ubiquitin-associated domain 2 (UBA(2)) and the α/β N-terminal domain of ribosomal protein L9 (NTL9). Protein stability is critical for proper function, and mutations can lead to misfolding and disease. To validate EmCAST’s predictions, guanidine hydrochloride-induced denaturation was monitored using circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy for both wild-type and mutant variants. Results guided refinements to EmCAST’s algorithm, incorporating new experimental datasets to improve accuracy. Additionally, we examined the assumption …

Designing And Implementing Solution-Oriented Team Science Initiatives-A Chronic Pain Example, Nele A Haelterman, Armen N Akopian, Kyle D Allen, Yenisel Cruz-Almeida, Christopher R Donnelly, Brendan Lee, Rebecca Lenzi, Anne-Marie Malfait, Marie Mancini, Maryann E Martone, Joost B Wagenaar, Kim C Worley

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Large, collaborative projects that combine researchers from multiple scientific disciplines have become an integral part of the scientific endeavor. While transdisciplinary team science projects hold great potential, they also come with a unique set of challenges compared to monodisciplinary projects. The Science of Team Science (SciTS) field has developed multiple conceptual models and frameworks that guide the design, implementation, and evaluation of team science initiatives to maximize their potential for making breakthrough discoveries and creating solutions for complex problems. While these conceptual models contain a trove of valuable information for successful team science, guidance on how to effectively implement them …

Mitochondrial Dna Diversity In West Mexico, Emma Zoiss

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The long-standing movement of people, exchange of goods, and transmission of cultural traits are imprinted not only in the archaeological record but also within the genomes of individuals, making ancient DNA a powerful tool for uncovering past interactions and population dynamics. Despite attempts at systematic research, we are still missing critical information about pre-Columbian Mesoamerican populations in the Aztatlán region. This research will focus on those individuals recovered from archaeological sites located both in the highlands of the Lake Chapala Basin, as well as the coast of the Aztatlán core region. The integration of genetics into our understanding of the …

Exploring The Potential For Cynophagy, Working Dogs, And Village Dogs At Housepit 54, Daniel O. Nohren

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Several field seasons at the Bridge River Archaeological Site have recovered a vast faunal assemblage subject of numerous archaeological and genetic investigations, several of which have focused on potential roles of domestic dogs (Canis familiaris). In order to examine the highly fractured nature of the Housepit 54 canid assemblage, the calculation of a fracture freshness index was performed which created quantitative units of measure useful in the comparison of bone fracture taphonomy over time and across taxonomic groups. This method has been employed specifically to investigate the potential for exploitation of within-bone nutrients among both a sample of …

Comparative Bioinformatic Methodologies In Paleogenetic Pathogen Identification In The Casas Grandes, Victoria Lynne Giovannangelo

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The application of metagenomic tools to further elucidate ancient DNA (aDNA) holds promise in paleopathology, particularly for inferring disease patterns in ancient populations, especially in those that are understudied. This study conducts a comparative analysis of the efficacy of taxonomic pipelines--Kraken 2, HOPS/MALT, and HAYSTAC--in detecting pathogens within highly degraded aDNA samples extracted from 22 Medio Period Paquimé individuals from the Casas Grandes archaeological site in Northwest Mexico. The taxonomic results from the pipelines are compared with contamination detection program mapDamage, although concerns arose about the latter program’s ability to work with prokaryotes. Additionally, the findings are compared against prior …

Water Justice, Emily Ann Senkosky

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

My portfolio will be centered around the theme of “Water justice,” which aims to unpack people’s manipulation of riverways and the environmental costs of this practice. Rivers, and their watersheds, have served as lifeblood for human and ecological populations the world over since the dawn of man. Derived from these watersheds is a multitude of ecosystem services and freshwater necessary for the sustainability of life. But freshwater makes up only 3% of the globe’s total water supply, making it a limited and dwindling resource. As the world’s population accelerates, climate change quickens, and societal needs for freshwater advance, the manipulation …

Understanding The Factors That Influence University Environment: Gender Differences In Perceptions Of Female And Male Stem Graduate Students., Rachel Robinson

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Despite increasing female representation in higher education, women remain underrepresented in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields. This thesis investigates gendered perceptions of university environment among STEM graduate students, focusing on the role of faculty-student interaction as a form of social capital. The survey was developed and administered with Qualtrics Online Survey Software by members of the Social Science Research Group of the Pacific Northwest Circles of Success: Mentoring Opportunities in STEM. All graduate students in the participating universities pursuing master’s and doctoral degrees in a National Science Foundation STEM recognized program were eligible to complete the survey. Using …

Fungal Symbionts As Hidden Architects Of Forest Health: From Tree Immunity To Beetle Nutrition, Lorinda Sabin Bullington

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Symbioses of fungi with trees and insects play outsized roles in forest ecosystems, influencing tree growth, defense, physiology, and nutrient cycling. While their functional contributions are widely recognized, they remain poorly understood. I integrate findings from three studies examining fungal interactions with conifers and with bark beetles to highlight their significance in tree resistance to disease, nutrient redistribution within the tree, and forest ecology.

First, I demonstrate that foliar fungal endophytes and ectomycorrhizal fungi, together and independently, can enhance resistance in Pinus monticola seedlings against Cronartium ribicola, the pathogen responsible for white pine blister rust. Symbiont inoculation induced host terpene …

Jurisprudence Of Problem-Solving Courts: A Study Of Structure, Success, And Sociological Theory, Lauren M. Boos

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

In response to the failures of mass incarceration and its disproportionate impact on marginalized communities, Problem-Solving Courts (PSCs) have emerged as alternatives to traditional prosecution. These courts employ therapeutic-informed and rehabilitative practices aimed at addressing the root causes of criminal behavior. While widely regarded as more effective than traditional courts, PSCs have developed largely without a formal theoretical foundation. This is notable given their alignment with Sociological Jurisprudence (SJ) and Therapeutic Jurisprudence (TJ), which view the legal system as a vehicle for promoting individual and community well-being.

Despite being celebrated as therapeutic innovations, PSCs often embody these principles unevenly. Using …

Visual Semiotics In Parks: Assessing Pictorial Symbol Effectiveness In Outdoor Recreation Settings, Miranda Jane Foster

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

As interest in outdoor recreation grows, so does the need for effective communication in parks and protected areas. With a larger, more diverse visiting population, managers face new challenges, including intensified recreational use, staffing demands, and barriers to communication presented by cultural and linguistic diversity (Manning et al., 2017; Perry et al., 2021). Effective, indirect communication tools, such as pictorial symbol signage, are essential for addressing these challenges. Pictorial symbol signs are widely used in recreational signage and serve as vital indirect management strategies for communicating to diverse visitors as a universal visual language (Davies et al., 1998). However, research …

Slaying The Windigo: Fear And Faith In The Anthropocene, Daniel J. Irwin

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This thesis examines the changing affect of fear in the environment and how it is influencing writing in the Anthropocene. Chapter one lays the groundwork for the present moment of ecocriticism, examining how the relationship with the environment has changed throughout the history of ecocritical writing. The second chapter examines how fear has been an intrinsic element of environmental storytelling, starting with the romantic ideas of the sublime. With the recognition of the impact that humanity has had on Earth over the past several centuries, and the accelerating acceptance of the idea of the Anthropocene since the turn of the …

Acl Prevention Programming For Female Athletes, Julia Korklewski

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

No abstract provided.

"A Changed Understanding Of Our Present": Moby-Dick As Prophetic Ecological Activism, Katie Ann Schini

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Moby-Dick: Or, The Whale is a classic of American literature, spanning multiple genres and remaining culturally relevant nearly 175 years after its original publication. Though on the surface Moby-Dick reads as an adventure story of a man who experiences the whaling industry firsthand, Herman Melville’s text continues to invite new generations of readership through the framework of the twenty-first century climate crisis.

In this thesis, I position Moby-Dick as a text that can be used to understand our modern society’s current dispositions of ecological grief. My thesis operates at the intersection of three main literary critical theories: ecocriticism, affect, and …

Adaptation And Resilience: How Beginning Farmers Navigate Land And Climate Crises In Western Montana, Kyla Ivana Fugate

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Montana is home to a growing number of beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers (BSDFRs), yet they face substantial barriers to accessing resources, from farmland to federal farm support programs. Rising land prices and climate-induced drought further exacerbate the challenges that farmers already face, posing a “twin crisis” that is especially severe for beginning farmers who have operated their farms for fewer than 10 years. This research draws on ethnographic data, including 24 in-depth interviews with BSDFRs and five informational interviews with farm service providers in Western Montana. I find that while federal USDA programs support farmers on paper, they often …

Nanoparticle Contrast Agents For Photon-Counting Computed Tomography: Recent Developments And Future Opportunities, Laxman Devkota, Rohan Bhavane, Cristian T Badea, Eric A Tanifum, Ananth V Annapragada, Ketan B Ghaghada

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The clinical availability of photon-counting computed tomography (PCCT) has ushered in a new era of CT imaging. Spectral imaging coupled with superior contrast resolution, and ultrahigh spatial resolution (200 μm) offered by PCCT has the potential to revolutionize value-driven imaging. The potential of multicolor PCCT has generated excitement, and renewed interest, in novel contrast agent development for comprehensive disease interrogation, prediction and monitoring of treatment outcomes. Nanoparticles provide a versatile and powerful platform for the development of next generation contrast agents for spectral PCCT. In this article, we review recent developments and use of nanoparticle contrast agents for PCCT. We …

Examining Rural Second-Graders' Literate Identities In Relationship To Reading Proficiency: A Mixed Methods Case Study, Ashley R. S. Olsen

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Although the act of reading is inherently multi-faceted, encompassing an array of interrelated cognitive, social, and cultural processes, the bodies of reading research typically align to either qualitative or quantitative methodologies. This routinely bifurcated approach to reading research reflects the ongoing disagreement surrounding best practices for literacy instruction. Numerous quantitative findings have supported the use of systematic and explicit foundational skill instruction to improve students’ reading proficiency. On the other hand, previous qualitative studies have emphasized the existing identities that children bring to any learning community and the benefit of nurturing literate identity formation in the classroom. Intersecting a modified …

Spatial And Temporal Patterns Of Nutrient Limitation In A Western Montana River, Matthew T. Nichols

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Enhanced loading of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) is pervasive in rivers around the world. As a consequence of nutrient-rich conditions, many well-lit rivers experience severe algal blooms, which threaten water quality and aquatic habitats. Nutrient enrichment in the upper Clark Fork River, located in western Montana, has increased the productivity of benthic algae, Cladophora glomerata, which routinely forms extensive blooms during summer growing seasons (July – September). Addressing eutrophication in rivers begins with identifying the nutrients that contribute toward algal productivity. I deployed nutrient diffusing substrates (NDS), collected bi-weekly surface water samples, and conducted algal surveys at four …

Social Connection And Disability: A Longitudinal Experimental Study Of Intervention Effectiveness And Moderators, Krys Standley

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Background: Social disconnection is an epidemic-level problem that is exacerbated for people with disabilities. There is a pressing need for theory-based research to illuminate the factors that contribute to effective interventions for improving social connection in this population.

Objectives: The objectives of this study were 1) to test the hypothesis that the Peer Collective, a six-week, online, group-based intervention centered on social support topics, would result in increased levels of social connection among community-dwelling adults with any types of disabilities and 2) to examine potential moderating effects in this hypothesized relationship.

Method: A longitudinal intervention study design with random assignment …

Mutations In Retinal Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated Channels Identified In Familial Cases Of Inherited Retinal Dystrophies From Pakistan, Zainab Akhtar, Kiran Afshan, Yumei Li, Sumaira Altaf, Aleesha Asghar, Ume Sughra, Wajid Ali Khan, Haiba Kaul, Rui Chen, Sabika Firasat

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Purpose: Cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) channels are ligand-gated ion channels that transduce light signals into electrical signals in the retinal photoreceptors. Pathogenic variants in CNG channel genes are reported to cause inherited retinal dystrophies (IRDs). The current study used targeted panel sequencing to describe the mutational spectrum of CNG channel genes in familial cases of IRDs from eight consanguineous Pakistani families.

Methods: The current study included consanguineous Pakistani families with at least two affected members. DNA was extracted from whole blood samples by the phenol-chloroform method. Two affected members from each family were initially analyzed using targeted panel sequencing of 344 …

The Resource Curse And U.S. Timber Harvest In Western Rural Economies, Lucas Paul Koch

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

There is limited understanding of the relationship between timber harvest and economic outcomes in the western United States. I use resource curse theory to examine the connection. The theory assumes a negative relationship between timber harvest and economic performance at the county level, and similar methods have been used to look at other natural resources and geographic areas. I use timber harvest intensity—the ratio of timber harvest volume to timberland acres—alongside several common economic controls including education, poverty, and competing industry activity to estimate wage and employment performance in a fixed-effects econometric model. Also estimated are least squares dummy variable …

Linking Empirical Data And Numerical Simulation To Characterize Dynamic Fire Behavior Associated With Interacting Firelines, Marta Sergeevna Jerebets

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Understanding fuel pattern-fire process relationships is key for predicting fire behavior and effects with follow-on benefits to proactive fire management and model validation. To characterize dynamic fire behavior, this thesis leverages empirical data and numerical simulation through two complementary studies.

In the first study, longwave thermal sensors aboard unmanned aerial systems (UAS) were used to capture fine-scale fire behavior in two experimental grass burns. A novel paired design was used to quantify the effects of fuel arrangement on fire behavior with 3.66 m diameter treatments cut to a height of 0.15 m. The treatments ephemerally reduced fire rate of spread …