Digital Commons Network^™

Airpower Theory, Close Air Support, And A New Approach To The Forward Air Controller In The Vietnam War, Morgan Mccrackin

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Since the Vietnam War’s conclusion, scholars have stubbornly concentrated on campaigns like LINEBACKER I and II instead of diverse close air support missions. The consequent ignorance of close air support’s maturity and forward air controllers’ contributions during Vietnam obscures the Air Force’s greatest success in Southeast Asia. A new way of looking at airpower in Vietnam is required as few historians have addressed the relationship between evolving close air support practices and United States Air Force (USAF) doctrine. These omissions must be addressed if scholars are to offer counterarguments to the historiographical primacy of interdiction. Otherwise, those who formulate Air …

A Computational Method For Detecting Compound Promiscuity In Early-Stage Pharmaceutical Discovery, John Allen Ringer

Computer Science ETDs

Modern drug discovery and chemical biology research relies heavily on analyzing bioassay data. One of the many challenges in bioassay data analysis is identifying false trails, i.e., chemical compounds which initially appear to have desirable activity but are found to be problematic upon further investigation. Badapple (the BioAssay-Data Associative Promiscuity Pattern Learning Engine) was created over ten years ago to help researchers identify promiscuous compounds and thus avoid a common source of these false trails. Through an effort involving software engineering, cheminformatics, and biomedical data science we have developed Badapple 2.0, which incorporates updated assay records and expanded data semantics. …

Modal Investigation Of The Usibelli Building Using Spectral And Dynamic Analysis, David Kulikovskiy

Engineering

The purpose of this master’s project is to complete a modal analysis of the Joseph E. Usibelli Engineering Learning and Innovation Building. The modal analysis was conducted in two ways: by completing a spectral analysis using data collected from 7 seismometers and using a computer model of the building’s structural Lateral Force Resisting System. Power spectrum density plots were generated using a Fast Fourier transform routine within MATLAB to identify the natural periods of the building. A building model was created in RISA-3D using construction plan sets to apply a dynamic load and then to find the natural periods of …

Power Dynamics In Arctic Community And Citizen Science: Perspectives From Youth, Educators, And Scientists, Clement Sarah

Arctic and Northern Studies

Arctic research is shifting from a culture of scientist-driven inquiry and extractive relationships with Indigenous communities to a culture more conscious of local priorities and reciprocal research relationships. Today, Arctic research has dual goals of studying circumpolar issues through large-scale research and collaborating with local individuals and communities. The emergence of methods like community and citizen science (CCS), in which non-scientists participate in research, has risen in popularity to meet these priorities. The broad aims of CCS are to advance scientific understanding; aid decision-making; and support individual outcomes. I address the third aim by investigating three growing, yet understudied, groups …

An Exploration Of Panarctic Lake Formation And Methane Emission Since The Last Glacial Maximum, Laura Brosius

Biological Sciences

Polar ice cores show that atmospheric methane concentrations nearly doubled in response to rapid climate warming over the last deglacial transition. Since concentrations of this potent greenhouse gas are tightly coupled to the Earth’s climate system, understanding the climate­ ecosystem interactions that precipitated this event may help predict feedbacks to current and future warming. This work reconstructs panarctic lake areas and methane emissions to assess their contribution to global atmospheric methane budgets since the Last Glacial Maximum. In the first two chapters of my dissertation, I show that climate warming and deglaciation caused widespread lake formation across land surfaces poised …

Searching For Seismic Precursors: The Barry Landslide Hazard, Gabrielle Davy

Geosciences

Landslides pose a serious geohazard, particularly when they occur in steep coastal or fjord environments where they can generate tsunamis. Barry Arm, located in Prince William Sound, Alaska, exemplifies this threat. The unstable slope, with an estimated failure volume of 500-700 million cubic meters, could produce a tsunami capable of devastating communities such as Whittier, Valdez, and Cordova. Recognizing the potential consequences, the region has been intensively monitored since 2020, providing a valuable opportunity to study the interactions between seismic activity, environmental drivers, and slope stability. Monitoring landslide-prone regions with seismic and geophysical instruments can offer insights into the processes …

Implementing A Schematic Word Problem Process In A Fourth-Grade Classroom, Anna R. Vidlak

Journal of Curriculum, Teaching, Learning and Leadership in Education

Abstract Word problems represent a culmination of mathematical skills which often pose significant challenges for students who struggle with logical reasoning. The purpose of my study was to determine if implementing a word problem process in my math whole group would increase students’ ability to solve multistep math word problems. The word problem process implemented in this study was a schematic process called FOPS. In this process, students learned to identify three word problem types and their respective schematic diagrams in order to organize and solve word problems. This action research took place in a 4th-grade classroom. Students underwent a …

Small-Groups To Enhance Student Achievement And Confidence In Mathematics, Catie Tangeman

Journal of Curriculum, Teaching, Learning and Leadership in Education

The purpose of this study was to focus on enhancing math instruction for a group of second-grade students. I saw a large gap in students’ skills at the beginning of the year and wanted to identify a way to strengthen instruction for their success. This study specifically focused on implementing differentiated small groups in math instruction to see if student achievement and confidence would increase. Data was collected in these small-groups through a pre/post-test, exit tickets, and surveys. The surveys helped measure confidence. All three methods helped progress monitor and track the effectiveness of small-group instruction for students. When the …

Introduction: Action Research In The Pk-12 Classroom, Julie Bell, Amanda L. Steiner, Christina L. Wilcoxen

Journal of Curriculum, Teaching, Learning and Leadership in Education

This is an introduction to the special issue of the Journal of Curriculum, Teaching, Learning and Leadership in Education on action research in PK-12 classrooms. The editor and guest editors provide commentary and describe each article in the issue.

Diagnostic And Clinical Utility Of Oncoscan Microarray And Ngs-Based Sequencing In Pediatric Solid Tumors: Children’S Mercy Hospital’S Experience, Aravindh Nagarajan, Lisa Lansdon, Midhat Farooqi, Lei Zhang, Elena Repnikova

Research Days

This papers attempts to evaluate the diagnostic and clinical utility of microarray-based OS+ in detecting clinically relevant genetic alterations in FFPE solid tumor samples and to compare the yield of somatic mutation detection by WGS/WES in pediatric solid tumors at Children’s Mercy Hospital - Kansas City.

A Novel Surgical Technique For The Management Of Recurrent Thyroglossal Duct Cysts Using Dakins Solution Packing, Jay Szekely, Meghan Tracy, Janelle R. Noel-Macdonnell, Elie Khalifee

Research Days

Background: Thyroglossal duct cyst (TGDC) is the most common congenital midline neck anomaly occurring in 7% of the population more commonly in infants or adolescents with no predilection to sex. [1] This anomaly consists of epithelial remnants due to failure of obliteration of the thyroglossal duct, a structure that forms as the thyroid gland originates at the foramen cecum of the tongue and is displaced caudally, anterior to or through the hyoid bone, towards its final position in the lower neck. Successful surgical management of TGDCs requires complete removal of the cyst and the duct. Initial surgery for these lesions …

Time From Triage To Imaging In Stroke Activations At Children’S Mercy Hospital, Annie Altschul, Marcie Files, Jennifer Flint, Brooke Fridley Phd

Research Days

Background: Stroke affects 2-3 per 100,000 children annually. Timely diagnosis is vital to provide the highest quality care to pediatric stroke patients. Features that contribute to delays in diagnosis of pediatric stroke include complex or subtle signs and symptoms, limited exams in young children, broad differential and frequent stroke mimics, low awareness in the community, and sedating or paralytic medication use in critically ill children. The establishment of stroke activation protocols for children has led to improvements in care for pediatric stroke across numerous centers, expediting time to imaging and treatment.

Objective: We aimed to quantify the time …

But, It's Just A Uti, Gillian Long

Research Days

A case report of a 12 year old female presenting to the emergency room with rash, hematuria and shortness of breath, ultimately found to have a life changing diagnosis.

What Happens After They Leave The Ed? Following Up Acute Asthma Exacerbations After Changes In Clinical Practice Guidelines For Treatment, Phillip S. Wozniak, Jade B. Tam-Williams

Research Days

In 2022, Children’s Mercy Hospital (CMH) implemented a new clinical practice guideline (CPG) recommending single-dose dexamethasone as the first line oral steroid for treatment of mild to moderate acute asthma exacerbations. We assessed the impact of this CPG change on readmission rates after discharge from emergency department/urgent care (ED/UC). We hypothesized that single-dose dexamethasone would be non-inferior to a 5-day course of prednisone/prednisolone with respect to 7-day and 30-day acute care readmission rates and need for additional outpatient steroid courses.

Bilateral Buccal Myomucosal Flap Palatoplasty For The Management Of Velopharyngeal Dysfunction In Children, Jay Szekely, Meghan Tracy, Janelle R. Noel-Macdonnell, Jill M. Arganbright

Research Days

Background: The use of bilateral myomucosal buccal flap palatoplasty (BMBFP) for velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) has increased in popularity. Despite the increasing popularity, there is a paucity in research examining their outcomes, especially in reference to the pediatric population.

Objectives/Goal: The objective of this paper was to investigate the utility of BMBFP for the correction of VPI in children.

Methods/Design: Retrospective chart review was performed using CPT codes to locate patients with BMBFP performed at our pediatric institution between July 2020 to July 2024. Data collected included demographics, associated syndromes, complications, pre-operative and post-operative resonance outcomes, and the need for revision …

Posterior Pharyngeal Flap For The Management Of Velopharyngeal Dysfunction: Comparing Outcomes For Children With 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome To Those Without, Jay Szekely, Meghan Tracy, Janelle R. Noel-Macdonnell, Jill M. Arganbright

Research Days

Introduction (including objectives): Velopharyngeal dysfunction (VPD) is one of the most common clinical features of 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS) and often requires surgical intervention; due to the multifactorial nature of VPD, these patients present unique and often complex surgical challenges. Prior studies have generally demonstrated poorer speech outcomes postoperatively in children with 22q11.2DS. The posterior pharyngeal flap (PPF) is often considered first-line surgical choice for correction of VPD in children with 22q11.2DS. The aim of this study is to compare PPF outcomes for children with 22q11.2DS to those without.

Methods: Retrospective review for pediatric patients diagnosed with VPI who underwent …

Examining The Therapeutic Potential Of Somatostatin: A Paracrine Potentiator Of Islet Calcium Pulsatility, Ben Stiadle

Student Research and Creative Activity Expo

Somatostatin has been demonstrated to induce oscillatory calcium patterns in pancreatic islets, prompting an investigation as to whether exogeneous application of the hormone can prevent or reverse deleterious adaptations to elevated glucose

Sub-Surafce Damage Detection In Concrete Structure Using Topology Optimization And Digital Image Correlation, Aayush Poudel

Student Research and Creative Activity Expo

This project explores new and innovative method of sub-surface damage detection in concrete structures using optimization and digital image correlation.

Beyond Lecturing: Revealing Faculty Perceptions Of Technology Expectations And Job Satisfaction In Christian Higher Education, Jerry L. Pitts, Charlene Geisler, Mark D. Granger, Jessica E. Kuehne, Roger W. Mackey, Erica D. Moore

Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

The purpose of this phenomenological study aimed to understand higher education faculty perceptions and job satisfaction related to technology integration expectations in a changing academic environment. This study asked two research questions: 1. What are the perceptions of Christian higher education faculty regarding technology expectations? 2. How do Christian higher education faculty’s perceptions of these technology expectations affect their job satisfaction? Six full-time residential faculty members participated in the study. The lived experiences of faculty were studied using individual interviews, focus groups, and journal entries. Data analysis revealed that faculty perceived that institutions have additional technological expectations that go beyond …

Faith Learning Integration In Christian Higher Education And Faculty Job Satisfaction: A Hermeneutical Phenomenological Study, Brad Burgess, Grace Michele Baker, Jamaica Conner, Jonathan Giles, Rachel Joseph, Kevin Layell

Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

Faith learning integration (FLI) in Christian institutions of higher education contributes to job satisfaction (JS) for faculty. This study explores FLI and JS among interdisciplinary faculty in a Christian university in the Southeast US. Researchers used a hermeneutical phenomenological approach to collect data from six faculty from varying disciplines, using interviews, focus group discussions, and journaling. Manual coding was utilized to uncover three primary themes: (a) clear expectations for FLI; (b) challenges to implement FLI; and (c) faculty JS from FLI. Two subthemes emerged from the primary theme of clear expectations for FLI: standards set by the organization and classroom …

Enhancing Digital Accessibility For Deaf Or Hard Of Hearing Learners- Innovative Strategies For Inclusive Education, Felicia Rutledge Ph.D.

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

This research-to-practice brief explores innovative strategies to enhance digital accessibility for Deaf or Hard of Hearing (D/HH) learners, focusing on practical applications for inclusive K-12 education. Despite advances in digital learning, D/HH learners face unique barriers due to auditory-centered designs. Accessibility legislation such as the ADA, Section 504, and IDEA mandate educational inclusion for these learners. Key strategies include the integration of assistive technologies (e.g., captioning, ASL video interpretation), the application of the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) 3.0 guidelines, and adherence to WCAG 2.1 principles for accessible content design. The research-to-practice brief provides actionable insights for educators, administrators, and …

Shifting To A Culture Of Inclusion By Design: Applying A Mixed-Methods Approach To Advance Accessibility Of Public Health Emergency Information & Communication Technology, Jessica L. Franks, Erin Vinoski Thomas

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) experience inequities in access to timely, accurate, and understandable information and communication technology (ICT), which increases risk for public health emergency (PHE)-related health disparities and impedes opportunities to achieve optimal health. This study assessed federal COVID-19 webpage accessibility levels and explored existing knowledge of and experience with filing accessibility complaints for federal ICT among adults with IDD. Through a mixed-methods approach, we evaluated compliance with accessibility standards for 18 federal agencies’ COVID-19 webpages (study 1) and interviewed 16 adults with IDD about experiences accessing federal webpages and filing accessibility complaints (study 2). We …

Enhancing Online And Blended Course Design Through Conversations And Observations: The Role Of Stakeholders, Chris Smith, Darlene Schaefer, Geetanjali Soni, Thomas Cooper, Meghan Mcgrath

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Online course enrollment for K-12 students has increased dramatically since the early 2000s. This has resulted in promising opportunities for students with disabilities but also requires careful consideration of accessibility in course design and instructional delivery. This mixed-methods study investigated how stakeholder feedback influences the design of blended courses at North Carolina Virtual Public School (NCVPS), a graduation pathway for students with disabilities requiring significant support. Data was collected through surveys of NCVPS online teachers and co-teachers, analysis of course history documents, and the NCVPS student registration system. Findings revealed that educators often modify course templates to accommodate diverse learning …

The Creative Classroom: A Phenomenological Study Of Engagement In Students With Adhd, Kathleen A. Johnson

Art 895 Research Papers

Qualitative research guides this engagement study with a Phenomenological approach. The researcher aims to examine how creative expression fosters increased engagement among students with ADHD. Students with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often approach their education differently than neurotypical students. Neurodivergent students frequently encounter challenges related to focus, impulse control, and organization. However, the cognitive benefits of art education enable these students to utilize their creative thinking and problem-solving skills, resulting in engagement that aligns with their natural abilities. The art classroom provides experiential learning opportunities that benefit engagement. By exploring the unique intersection of creativity and learning, this research highlights the …

Commencement [Program], May 16-17, 2025, University Of Northern Iowa

UNI Commencement Programs

Contents:

Board of Regents --- 2
Institutional Leadership --- 2
Ceremony Symbols & Traditions --- 3
Academic Honorary Organizations --- 4
University Ambassador Organizations --- 5
University Honors Program --- 6
Graduation with Honors --- 6
Legacy Graduates --- 6
Military Science --- 7
Merchant Scholarship --- 7
Outstanding Student Leader --- 7
Commencement Student Speakers --- 7
Purple and Old Gold Awards --- 8
Lux Service Award --- 9
7 p.m. Program --- 10
College of Social & Behavioral Sciences --- 11
Division of Online Education & Individual Studies --- 24
10 a.m. Program --- 27
College of Education …

Evaluating San Francisco Urban Green Spaces And Policy To Inform Future Decision-Making: How Climate Change Adaptation Strategies Can Be Prioritized And Incorporated In Urban Park Design And Planning Through A Decision-Making Tool, Holley Anne Maassen

Master's Projects and Capstones

Amid the current climate crisis, enhancing urban green spaces (UGS), parks, and open spaces with climate change adaptation (CCA) as a strategic pillar in San Francisco’s urban planning is an essential strategic pillar to develop more resilient cities. However, in complex bureaucratic landscapes, integrating CCA strategies that meet project goals while ensuring inclusive stakeholder engagement presents a challenge. This project presents the identification, development, and application of a holistic decision-making tool (DMT) in the form of a Pugh matrix/decision matrix and with a focus on urban planning in San Francisco, California. Key decision-making criteria are identified and weighted through a …

Floating Pv In Bulawayo: Evaluating Evaporation Mitigation, Energy Yields And Economic Viability., Fidelis Hazvineyi Dambudzo Gorogodo

Master's Projects and Capstones

Water scarcity and energy shortages are critical challenges in Zimbabwe, particularly in the semi-arid regions reliant on reservoir-based water supply systems. Evaporation losses from water reservoirs amplified by rising global temperatures has become a concern, particularly for Zimbabwe which has a relatively low water per-capita (776 liters). Electricity blackouts extending to 12-20 hours per day further worsens the situation by failing to pump available water, calling for solutions to enhance water and energy security. This study evaluates the feasibility of integrating Floating Photovoltaics (FPV) on the Umzingwane catchment dams (Umzingwane, Upper and lower Ncema, Insiza, Mtsabezi and Inyankun) to mitigate …

Who Owns The Wind: The Absence Of Community Wind Farms In California, Sky Berry-Weiss

Master's Projects and Capstones

Community ownership structures for wind farms have been around for decades, particularly in European countries, due to high socioeconomic benefits. Given these significant benefits, one might expect community wind to thrive in the United States—especially in a state like California, which prides itself on progressive climate policy and renewable energy leadership. Yet utility-scale community wind remains largely absent from research on California’s energy system, raising questions about its existence in the state. To pinpoint how many utility-scale community owned wind farms are in California, this study surveys every operational wind turbine in the state. After classifying each wind farm by …

University Of Nebraska At Omaha Commencement: May 2025, University Of Nebraska At Omaha

Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

2025 Forces, Collin College

Forces

No abstract provided.