Digital Commons Network^™

Discrete Fracture Network Application To Rock Slope Stability In An Open Pit Mine, Elvis Karikari Mensah, Erzah Ackah, Reginald Hammah, Hani Mitri

Journal of Sustainable Mining

The stability of rock slopes in open pit mines is crucial for the safety and efficiency of the mining operation. Conventional stability analysis methods, such as kinematic and limit equilibrium analyses, primarily focus on identifying structural failure mechanisms and evaluating their factors of safety. Although insightful, these approaches do not accurately estimate failure volumes and block locations due to their limited consideration of joint frequency and persistence, which are key parameters in understanding block geometries. Discrete fracture network (DFN) modelling addresses these limitations by explicitly simulating rock mass discontinuities in 3D, which automatically incorporates joint spacing and persistence.

This paper …

Vector-Borne Viral Diseases In Horses, Sunutcha Suntrarachun

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

Vector-borne viral diseases are major threats to equine health worldwide. These infections are transmitted by arthropod vectors such as mosquitoes, biting midges, and horseflies, resulting in clinical manifestations ranging from mild febrile illness to severe neurological, respiratory, circulatory, or hematologic disorders with high mortality rates. Major equine vector-borne viral diseases include African horse sickness (AHS), equine infectious anemia (EIA), equine encephalomyelitis (Eastern: EEE, Western: WEE, and Venezuelan: VEE), West Nile virus (WNV), and Japanese encephalitis (JE). Each disease is caused by a distinct viral pathogen and transmitted by specific vectors that influence their epidemiology and geographic distribution. Transmission occurs through …

Reference Values For Intraocular Pressure In Collared Scops Owls (Otus Lettia) Measured Using Rebound Tonometry, Yun-Shan Chiu, Chau-Hwa Chie, Pin-Huan Yu, Chung-Tien Lin

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

In this study, we aimed to establish species-specific reference values for intraocular pressure (IOP) in clinically healthy collared scops owls (Otus lettia) using rebound tonometry. Twelve free-living owls were included, and twentyfour eyes were examined. All owls were physically restrained in an upright position without sedation. Intraocular pressure was measured in both eyes using rebound tonometry (TONOVET; iCare Finland Oy, Vantaa, Finland) in d mode. No significant difference in IOP was observed between the right and left eyes. The mean IOP values were 10.42 ± 1.24 mmHg (median, 11 mmHg; range, 8–12 mmHg) in the right eye and 10.75 ± …

A Storm-Ai Primer With An Operationally Representative Example, Shiu-Kai Chin, Matthew Clark, Garrett Katz, Jae C. Oh, William Young

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science - All Scholarship

A STORM-AI Primer with an Operationally Representative Example presents the Systems-Theoretic Technical and Operational Risk Management with Artificial Intelligence (STORM-AI) methodology, a transdisciplinary framework for establishing the trustworthiness of mission systems that may incorporate AI components. The core value proposition of STORM-AI is mission assurance—ensuring that mission systems behave with the predictability and proportionality required by senior leadership and demanded by international humanitarian law. STORM-AI achieves this by faithfully preserving commander's intent from high-level mission descriptions down to hardware-level behavioral specifications through a structured sequence of four formally grounded models: a Mission Model, a Protection (Loss Control) Model, a Security …

From Compliance To Regulation: Comparing Sensory And Behavioral Approaches For Elementary Students With Emotional Behavioral Disorders (Ebd), Morgan M. Lassila

Graduate Teacher Education

Traditional elementary classroom management often relied on top-down behavioral compliance models, which frequently proved insufficient when a student with an Emotional Behavioral Disorder (EBD) experienced physiological dysregulation. This systematic research synthesis examined literature from the past 15 years to evaluate how proactive, bottom-up, sensory-based interventions (SBIs) compared with traditional behavioral supports in reducing emotional dysregulation among public school elementary students (K-5). The findings indicated that the most effective methodology required a dual-approach framework. Integrating conventional behavioral tools, such as Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support (PBIS), with proactive sensory strategies effectively targeted the neurological roots of behavior. Furthermore, the literature demonstrated …

Split Alliance And Relationship Satisfaction In Couples Therapy: Examining Split Alliance As A Process Variable, Kyla Yetter

Theses and Dissertations

The present study examined how different patterns of alliance development impact couples' relationship satisfaction, with a particular emphasis on split alliances. The retrospective sample of 1149 couples was taken from the IRB approved Marriage and Family Therapy Practice Research Network. Alliance was measured at each session with the Intersession Alliance Measure- Couples version (IAM-C). The outcome variable, relationship satisfaction, was measured before the first and last sessions of therapy with the Couple Relationship Scale (CRS). Split alliance was operationalized using standard deviation differences in partners' alliance scores, and couples were divided into three groups: 1) Never had a split alliance, …

Maternal Perspectives On Support Needs: Insights From The Fonofale Model, Sara Lani Ditto

Theses and Dissertations

This interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) explored the lived experiences of parents raising children with disabilities in American Samoa. Five participants across two focus groups shared their perspectives on navigating educational, healthcare, and community systems while supporting their children with disabilities. Using the fonofale model as a cultural framework, the study incorporated culturally responsive methodology including card sort activities to facilitate dialogue on potentially sensitive topics. Analysis followed the Nizza et al. (2021) IPA approach, progressing from exploratory notes to experiential statements, clustered themes, and finally overarching themes. Findings revealed four major themes: systemic burden on parents, structural and service gaps, …

Respect And Aggression In Intimate Relationships: A Grounded Theory Of Relational Responsiveness, Aaron T. Fife

Theses and Dissertations

The negative effects of aggression in intimate relationships have been well documented through research and clinical literature (Lawrence & Bradbury, 2001; Shortt et al., 2006). Conversely, the positive effects of respectful behavior are well-known (Gottman, 1994; Dew & Wilcox, 2013). This important dimension of relationships is crucial to understanding what makes up healthy and unhealthy relationships. However, little is known about how couples understand the varying types of respect and aggression within intimate relationships, nor how they are lived and experienced relationally. The purpose of this study is to explore the dyadic processes behind respect and aggression as well as …

Toward Passwordless Document Encryption, Isaac Henry Teuscher

Theses and Dissertations

Document files with sensitive information are used across nearly every industry. In recent years, cyberattacks targeting cloud-based file transfer applications have resulted in millions of sensitive documents being exposed. Although document encryption methods exist, they are often limited in usability, security, or deployability. Password-based encryption, the most widely available option, remains vulnerable to brute-force attacks, unauthorized sharing, and human error. We address these gaps in three phases. First, we present a structured comparative framework adapted from the usability-deployability-security model to evaluate nine document encryption methods across 15 design properties, identifying the benefits and limitations of current approaches. Second, we design …

Likes, Lies, And Body Esteem: The Moderating Effects Of Age, Concealment, And Gender Between Social Media And Body Esteem For Utah Adolescents, Talise Hirschi

Theses and Dissertations

Social media use has become common among adolescents and contains many messages about one's body such as the thin and muscular ideal. Many parents are learning how to help their adolescent learn how to use social media, and some adolescents may conceal their social media use for various reasons. 588 adolescents (ages 11-18; 77% White; 55% female) from Utah filled out surveys about their social media use and body esteem each school year. In a two-wave cross lag panel model, specific aspects of social media use such as time spent on social media, problematic media use (PMU), and social media …

I Will Defend My Self, Emily Ward Hawkins

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines caregiving and motherhood as forms of load-bearing infrastructure. Cultural narratives often portray motherhood through sentimental images of joy, tenderness, and devotion, obscuring the structural labor that sustains family life. This project examines maternal labor as a largely unseen system of support that organizes family life while often remaining backgrounded. Caregiving reorganizes time, space, ambition, embodiment, and future orientation within maternal life. Through sculptural works using architectural materials and construction systems, such as oriented strand board, blueprint racks, metal armatures, and graph paper, the project visualizes caregiving as a structural condition. These materials reference the language of architecture …

Practical Implementation Of Ethnomathematics To Increase The Engagement, Math Self-Efficacy, And Hawaiian Cultural Identity Of HawaiʻI Algebra 2 Students, Kamalani George Mamatuki Kaluhiokalani

Theses and Dissertations

The underrepresentation of Hawaiian cultural practices in mathematics education has contributed to a disconnect between students' cultural identities and their academic experiences, resulting in diminished engagement among Native Hawaiian learners. This design-based research examines the integration of ethnomathematics into high school mathematics curricula, with a focus on Hawaiian cultural practices as frameworks for teaching mathematical concepts. Participants include approximately 100 students in Hawaiʻi from a public school and a private school, as well as two mathematics teachers with varying degrees of experience in culturally responsive pedagogy and ethnomathematics. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the study collects data through classroom observations, teacher …

Influence Of Timed Repeated Readings On Grade 2 French Immersion Students' Reading Fluency And Comprehension, Kathryn Rosie Baldwin

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effects of Timed Repeated Reading (TRR) on reading fluency, comprehension, and reading attitudes among second grade students in a French Dual Language Immersion (DLI) program in Utah. Forty-one students from two pre-existing classroom groups participated over 11 weeks, with one class receiving TRR and the other serving as a control. Fluency was measured in correct words per minute (CWPM), comprehension through cloze tests, and attitudes using a seven-item affective survey with a four-point visual scale. A mixed between-within subjects ANOVA analysed pre- and post-test data across four intervals. Results showed significant fluency gains over time for …

Beyond The Bell Curve: Understanding Native American Academic Placements, Sarah-Margaret Clark

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined biases regarding the referrals that teachers make regarding student placement recommendations for Native American students. Special education teachers (n = 97) from around the United States completed a digital card sort task involving 24 fictitious student record cards. The student record cards contained subtle information about the ethnicity of the student, as indicated through the use of racial identification (Native American, Asian, or White) on the student records and the use of student names that may be associated with these three categories. Academic information was equal among each of these three groups. Each group contained identical male …

Calibration And Validation Of An Ogden Material Model For Thermoplastic Polyurethane In 3d-Printed Tensegrity Structures, Caleb C. Swain

Theses and Dissertations

This work is motivated by ongoing efforts within the Smart Materials, Adaptronics, and Shock Laboratory (SMASH Lab) at Brigham Young University (BYU) to develop variable-stiffness, external fixators using 3D-printed tensegrity structures. In the process of designing and evaluating these systems, the need arose to accurately model the nonlinear mechanical behavior of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), the primary material used in prototype fabrication. This thesis investigates how accurately a calibrated Ogden material model can predict the nonlinear mechanical response of TPU in 3D-printed tensegrity structures. Experimental data were used to calibrate the parameters of the hyperelastic constitutive model through nonlinear optimization. An …

Urban Indian Parents' Occupational Perceptions Of Play And Governance Of Children's Excessive Screen Time Preferences And Behaviours In This Digital Era, Joanna Priyadarshini Udaykumar, Tony Sam George

International Journal of Playwork Practice

Abstract

Children’s innate urge to engage in joyous, self-directed, meaningful, iterative activities embodies their unique play experiences and facilitates their holistic development. However, the exponential growth of digital technology in an urbanized world has transformed their social landscape by offering them a plethora of novel play opportunities that ‘pushes children away from the outdoors and pulls them indoors’. Moreover, the radical transition from nature-based recreation to media-centric activity insinuates the surge of a global pandemic characterized by low physical activity, sleep deprivation and sedentary, lifestyle diseases. This emerging trend reflects children’s predilection for videophilia over biophilia due to the dominance …

Integration Of Intraoperative Data In Interpretable Machine Learning Models To Predict Postoperative Aki In Noncardiac Surgery Patients, Justin Do, Karan H. Shah, Melissa Xu, Andrew Hyunwoo Kim, Vivaswat Suresh, Nidhir Guggilla, Michael Li, Rishi Kothari

Department of Anesthesiology Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to (1) quantify changes in discrimination when adding intraoperative data to preoperative data and (2) compare tabular machine learning with feature engineering against a time-aware LSTM-based model.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective cohort of 46 204 adults undergoing 57 055 eligible noncardiac surgery in the INSPIRE database. We extracted 38 preoperative and 49 intraoperative variables; acute kidney injury (AKI) was defined by KDIGO serum creatinine criteria and modeled as stage 2/3 postoperative AKI. Models were trained on preoperative-only and combined pre- and intraoperative data. Intraoperative series were summarized using eight statistical features for tabular models or integrated directly …

Hormonal Shifts And Structural Strain: A Literature Review Of Menopause And Perimenopause In Relation To Overuse Injuries And Stress Fractures, Mustafa Ansari, Faisal Hussain, Mutasem Shopon, Hanfa Ajmal, Mueez Asif, Sharon David

Student Publications

Musculoskeletal injury risk in midlife women has traditionally been attributed to estrogen decline, but this narrow focus overlooks the broader biomechanical, neuromuscular, and structural changes associated with menopause. Estrogen plays a multisystem role in maintaining trabecular bone integrity, collagen turnover, and neuromuscular coordination. Its abrupt loss causes bone demineralization (2%-5% annually in early menopause), impairs tendon repair, and contributes to sarcopenia. Fluctuating estradiol levels during perimenopause may transiently increase ligament laxity, further destabilizing joints. Common injuries such as Achilles and rotator cuff tendinopathies, plantar fasciitis, and stress fractures are amplified by low bone mineral density, prior fracture history, aromatase inhibitor …

Exploring Generative Artificial Intelligence Perceptions And Information Retrieval Behaviors Among Students: An Investigation Of Google Search And Chatgpt Queries, Annie Kiele Brown

Theses and Dissertations

Generative AI tools are rapidly reshaping how undergraduate students seek and engage with academic information, yet empirical understanding of what drives adoption and how students behave when using these tools relative to traditional search engines remains limited. This study examined undergraduate students’ information-retrieval behaviors and perceptions when using ChatGPT compared to Google Search, using the technology acceptance model (TAM; Davis, 1989) extended to include trust (Gefen et al., 2003) as the guiding framework. An embedded mixed-methods design was employed, in which Likert-scale perception ratings provided a structured quantitative signal and thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews, structured information-retrieval tasks, and concurrent …

Unlocking Potential: Teachers' Perspectives On 504 Accommodations For Students With Adhd, Haley Stubbs

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined high school teachers' perspectives on the development, implementation, and effectiveness of Section 504 accommodations for students with ADHD. Five secondary teachers from a public high school participated in a focus group, and data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Findings indicate that teachers report limited understanding of the 504 process, minimal involvement in eligibility decisions, and little training on how to implement accommodations. Teachers describe accommodations as vague and difficult to apply consistently within the constraints of secondary classrooms, often relying on universal classroom practices and student self-advocacy to meet student needs. Teachers also question whether accommodations …

Evolution And Assessment Of Employee/Workplace Services, David L. Groves

Visions in Leisure and Business

No abstract provided.

Motivational Interviewing Impact On Outcomes Is Affected By Level Of Interventionist Training: A Review Of Systematic Reviews, Sneha Gaonkar, Jan Kavookjian, Heqin Yang

Podiums

ackground: Motivational Interviewing (MI) involves interviewing a person in an autonomy-supporting, person-centered, encouraging way, eliciting the individuals internal change motivations. Thirteen modified Cochrane method (MCM) systematic reviews of MI impact on outcomes included varied populations, interventionist types, and target outcomes with a lens for whether MI training of interventionists was reported and/or met evidence-based MI training guidelines. The objective of this study was to review MI training reported in 126 retained articles across MCM MI reviews and describe level of evidence-based MI training reported. Methods: Each MCM review, published between 2012 to present, aimed to explore and report evidence and …

Quality Improvement Project: Implementation Of The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 Modified For Teens, Hedy Gerber, Leah Buchko, Jennifer Van Winkle

All Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Background: Adolescent depression is a prevalent and significant public health concern, strongly linked to increased suicidality, poor health outcomes, impaired psychosocial functioning, and substantial societal costs. Although measurement‑based care using validated screening instruments is recommended by clinical practice guidelines, routine use of standardized depression screening tools remains limited in mental health settings.

Objective: The purpose of this quality improvement project was to assess the impact of implementing the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 modified for teens (PHQ-9M) in depression screening rates among adolescents aged 11-17 years at an outpatient mental health clinic in Southern Colorado.

Methods: A quantitative, quasi‑experimental pre- and post-intervention …

Prmt5 As A Key Driver Of Stemness And Metastatic Potential In Triple-Negative Breast Cancer, Jae Jin Jeong, Mauli Maniar, Shahrzad Ghane, Sakshi Deshpande, Claire Ellis, Ashakumary Lakshmikuttyamma

College of Pharmacy Faculty Papers

Protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) mediates arginine methylation of a wide range of proteins and plays context-dependent oncogenic or tumor-suppressive roles. In cancer, PRMT5 represses several tumor suppressor genes, including E-cadherin, TP53BP1, ST7, PTEN, and RB (retinoblastoma). Elevated PRMT5 expression has been reported across multiple cancer types, notably triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). In TNBC, high PRMT5 levels are associated with enhanced cancer stem cell self-renewal, increased tumor growth and metastasis, and reduced patient survival. Mechanistically, PRMT5 promotes breast cancer stem cell maintenance and proliferation through stabilization of the transcription factors KLF4 and KLF5. Disruption of the PRMT5-KLF4 axis results in …

Open Data From Ligo, Virgo, And Kagra Through The First Part Of The Fourth Observing Run, Ligo Scientific Collaboration, Virgo Collaboration, Kagra Collaboration, Marc Favata, Shoan Ghosh, Rodica Martin

Department of Physics and Astronomy Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

LIGO, Virgo, and KAGRA form a network of gravitational-wave observatories. Data and analysis results from this network are made publicly available through the Gravitational Wave Open Science Center. This paper describes open data from this network, including the addition of data from the first part of the fourth observing run and selected periods from the preceding engineering run, collected from 2023 May to 2024 January. The public dataset includes calibrated strain time series for each instrument, data from additional channels used for noise subtraction and detector characterization, and analysis data products from version 4.0 of the Gravitational-Wave Transient Catalog.

Gw230814: Investigation Of A Loud Gravitational-Wave Signal Observed With A Single Detector, Ligo Scientific Collaboration, Virgo Collaboration, Kagra Collaboration, Marc Favata, Shoan Ghosh, Rodica Martin

Department of Physics and Astronomy Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

GW230814, detected by the LIGO Livingston observatory with a signal-to-noise ratio of 42.4, represents the loudest gravitational-wave signal in the GWTC-4.0 catalog. Its source is consistent with a binary black hole coalescence with component masses m(1) = 33.7(-2.2)(+2.9) M-circle dot and m(2) = 28.2(-3.1)(+2.2) M-circle dot and a small effective inspiral spin chi(eff) = -0.01(-0.07)(+0.06). The high signal-to-noise ratio enabled us to detect an l = vertical bar m vertical bar = 4 mode in the inspiral-merger-ringdown signal for the first time (with Bayes factor approximate to 10), as well as enabling a range of tests of consistency between theoretical …

Factors Associated With Discharge Against Medical Advice Among Patients Attending The Emergency Departments In Babylon Governorate, Hasan Alwan Baiee, Ali Mohsen Al-Jobury, Ola Mosheb

Hilla University College Journal For Medical Science

Background: With the increasing number of patients leaving the emergency department against medical advice, morbidity, mortality, and readmission rates have risen, placing a strain on the healthcare system.

Objectives: This study aimed to identify the demographic characteristics and the reasons why patients left against medical advice among those attending the emergency departments of teaching hospitals in Babylon Governorate.

Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in Babylon Governorate, encompassing three hospitals. using a convenience sample of patients who left the hospital against their physician's advice. Data were collected between August 2024 and February 2025 using a semi-structured questionnaire …

Molecular Characterization And Genotyping Of Candida Species Isolated From The Nasal Cavity Of Patients With Nasal Infections In Iraq, Amran M. Al-Erjan, Hind Tahseen Ibrahim

Hilla University College Journal For Medical Science

Background: Nasal infections are commonly associated with opportunistic microorganisms, particularly Staphylococcus aureus and Candida species.

Objectives: This study aimed to molecularly characterize Candida species isolated from the nasal cavity of patients with nasal infections and to determine their phylogenetic relationships using the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region.

Methods: A total of 88 nasal swab samples were collected from patients aged 1–80 years in Thi-Qar Province, Iraq, between December 2023 and March 2024. Samples were cultured on Sabouraud Dextrose Agar and Mannitol Salt Agar. Yeast isolates were identified phenotypically using CHROMagar Candida and germ tube tests. Molecular identification and genotyping were …

Malondialdehyde And Ceruloplasmin: A More Sensitive And Specific Marker Than Other Obesity Markers For Diagnosis Of Obese Individuals, Sawen Tahseen Taha

Hilla University College Journal For Medical Science

Background: Higher levels of lipid peroxidation are associated with obesity. Malondialdehyde (MDA) is a byproduct of this process and acts as a biomarker. Plasma ceruloplasmin (Cp) is also connected to obesity and is considered a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Objectives: This study aimed to measure MDA and CP levels in obese people and compare them with levels in people of normal weight, including both men and women.

Methods: Case and control study was conducted on a total (90) participants, consisting of (45) Normal individuals with BMI <25 Kg/m2, (45) Obese individuals with BMI ≥ 30 Kg/m2 were enrolled in the study. Serum MDA and CP were estimated using the ELISA technique. The present study was carried out from 8th January 2024, to 1st May 2024, at Rizgary Hospital, Cardiac Center, and Cihan University.

Results: Malondialdehyde (MDA) was assessed in both groups. Sensitivity and specificity for MDA …

Association Between Stress And Prolactin Hormone Levels: A Mini-Review, Sara Salah Mahdi, Huda S. Abdulghani

Hilla University College Journal For Medical Science

The physiological functions of prolactin are highly varied, despite the fact that it is most commonly recognized for its participation in the inhibition of reproduction and the regulation of breastfeeding. The conditions known as hyperprolactinemia can have a variety of origins, some of which are physiological and others of which are pathologic. The following are examples of physiological causes: pregnancy, breastfeeding, sleep-related, stimulation of the nipples and sexual orgasm, stimulation or trauma to the chest wall. Another significant physiological factor that contributes to hyperprolactinemia is stress, and the clinical importance of this factor is currently being investigated. This paper aims …