Digital Commons Network^™

Weathering Of Black Doulas In Hospitals: Challenges And Opportunities, Denise Elaine Bolds

Education Doctoral

Black maternal health continues to face significant disparities in the United States, highlighting the crucial role of Black Doulas in promoting birth equity (Declercq & Zephyrin, 2020; K. Taylor et al., 2023). This qualitative, phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of 10 certified Black Doulas working in hospital settings nationwide. Guided by the weathering hypothesis (Geronimus, 1992, /2023), critical race feminist theory (Wing, 2020), Black feminist theory (Collins, 2000), Sojourner syndrome (Bailey, 2017), and the looking-glass self (Cooley, 1902), the study examined how systemic racism, occupational challenges, and advocacy fatigue intersect to shape their professional experiences.

Using semi-structured interviews, participants …

Few-Shot Anomaly Detection And Classification Through Reinforced Data Selection With A Combinatorial Reward, Xiaolei Hn, Depeng Xu, Shuhan Yuan, Xintao Wu

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Due to the scarcity of anomalies, deep anomaly detection models are typically trained in an unsupervised or semi-supervised manner, depending on the availability of a small number of labeled samples. Currently, most unsupervised approaches detect anomalies by identifying the deviant patterns from normal samples, and some semi-supervised studies also use labeled anomalies to improve performance. However, few studies have focused on how to take advantage of potential anomalies in an easily obtained and large-scale unlabeled dataset. Meanwhile, in a semi-supervised setting, although we assume there will be a small number of labeled anomalies, the task of anomaly classification is under-exploited, …

A Multimodal Non-Invasive Approach For Intracranial Pressure Assessment: A Single-Center Study, Dana Klavansky, Helaina Lehrer, Aris Desai, Gabriela Keeton, Neha Dangayach, Alexandra Reynolds, Spyridoula Tsetsou

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring is an integral part of acute brain injury management. While invasive ICP monitoring is the gold standard, there are several medical conditions that preclude its placement. The aim of the present study is to validate a multimodal approach for increasing ICP detection.

Material and methods: In this retrospective study, patients with acute brain injury who had an external ventricular drain (EVD) placement were included. We measured bilateral optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) and assessed for optic nerve disk elevation (ONDE) by using ocular ultrasound, bilateral middle cerebral artery pulsatility index (PI) by using transcranial Doppler, …

The Influence Of Task Type And Learner Language Background On Writing Production And Anxiety: A Bayesian Linear Mixed-Effects Analysis, Mahmoud Abdi Tabari, Xinya Liang, Agnes Albert

Counseling, Leadership, and Research Methods Faculty Publications and Presentations

Despite growing interest in task-based language teaching (TBLT), limited empirical work has examined how different rhetorical task types influence second language (L2) writing development, especially in relation to affective variables, such as writing anxiety. Existing research in TBLT has largely focused on cognitive dimensions, often neglecting individual differences in learners' emotional responses. Moreover, Long's (2014) call to use first language (L1) data as a benchmark in TBLT remains underexplored, complicating the interpretation of L2 performance patterns. To address these gaps, we examined the impact of task type and writing anxiety on the written performance of 140 university students (70 L1 …

Where Is Gender In The Historiography Of Lgbtq+ College Students?, Michael S. Hevel, Timothy Reese Cain

Counseling, Leadership, and Research Methods Faculty Publications and Presentations

This forum contribution considers the complexities and importance of gender in the historiography of LGBTQ+ college students. After a brief introduction, we focus on four key areas in the existing historiography: women's romantic relationships in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, higher education leaders' enforcement of gender norms and purges of LGBTQ+ students through the mid-twentieth century, the gender dynamics within LGBTQ+ student organizations from the 1970s onward, and trans and other LGBTQ+ students' expansion of gender possibilities, including through the use of drag. In so doing, we argue that gender analysis is important to the historiography of LGBTQ+ …

An Audio Data-Driven Roadway Digital Twin And Its Underlying Framework For A Digitized Transportation Construction Environment, Anisha Deria, Pedro J. Chacon Dominguez, Yong-Cheol Lee, Jin W. Choi

Michigan Tech Publications

The increasing need to build and maintain transportation systems has led project managers to manage multiple projects simultaneously. Roadway projects often entail several miles of job site, making it difficult to keep track of progress and maintenance activities. To improve the situation, this study proposes an audio data-driven roadway digital twin framework for real-time and remote monitoring of construction projects. The latent characteristics of a digital twin required for establishing a digitized work environment were investigated. As a primary method of seamlessly linking virtual and physical environments, audio data classified and analyzed by deep neural network (DNN) has been employed …

Definition Of The 3d Position And Motion Status Of The Moving Heart Based On 2d Projections, Lawrence D. Orijuela

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This thesis presents a novel application of deep learning to the estimation of pulmonary vein coordinates using X-ray image pairs from a FORBILD Thorax phantom derived motion dataset. A Siamese neural network was developed to predict the 3D coordinates of one pulmonary vein at a time, specifically the Right Superior Pulmonary Vein (RSPV), Left Superior Pulmonary Vein (LSPV), Left Inferior Pulmonary Vein (LIPV), or Right Inferior Pulmonary Vein (RIPV), based on two-dimensional projection images.

The input data consisted of over 1.6 million grayscale X-ray image pairs across 1331 virtual patients, each annotated with ground truth 3D coordinates. To manage memory …

Bilingualism Matters: A Critical Discourse Analysis Of California Language Policy, Benjamin V. Roath

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

In June 1998, California voters passed Proposition 227, a ballot initiative mandating that all public school instruction be conducted in English, with over 61% approval. This policy imposed additional challenges on students with limited English proficiency (LEP), many of whom are immigrants or children of immigrants. At the margins of these political and educational agendas lies the issue of bilingual education. This study examines the role of bilingual education in multilingual contexts and critiques the continued reliance on monolingual frameworks that marginalize linguistic diversity. Focusing on Proposition 227 (1998) and its repeal through Proposition 58 (2016), the research explores shifting …

Bricks, Bushes, And Bones: Urbanization Influence On Western Fence Lizard (Sceloporus Occidentalis) Morphology And Performance, Daisy P. Xiong

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

With increasing urbanization due to rising human populations, organisms may be forced to adapt rapidly to changing environments. Urbanization is replacing natural surfaces with more impervious substrates which can result in morphological changes affecting organismal locomotion, then also impact fitness. This study compares urban and natural habitat impact on Western Fence Lizards (Sceloporus occidentalis) and their adaptations in such settings. We captured lizards from three locations in inland Southern California with both urbanized and natural habitats in order to compare the morphological differences between lizards, and then measured their performance to determine the possible impacts from their morphology. …

Nene Leakes As A Modern Medea, Jazzlyn L. White

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This paper examines how The Real Housewives of Atlanta functions as a modern form of Greek tragedy through its portrayal of Nene Leakes, whose rise and fall within the Bravo franchise mirrors the tragic arc of Euripides’ Medea. Both Medea and Leakes represent women who defy the systems that once empowered them Medea through her rebellion against patriarchal and familial structures, and Leakes through her public confrontation with the television industry that made her a star. By analyzing these two figures through rhetorical, feminist, and media studies frameworks, this paper argues that reality television operates as a contemporary stage …

Housing Programs And Resources Available For Transitional Age Youth Population: A Scoping Review, Amanda N. Esquivel

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Transitional Age Youth (TAY), are defined as individuals aged 16 to 24 transitioning from adolescence to adulthood. TAY face unique challenges in securing stable housing and developing the life skills necessary for independent living. This population often encounters significant barriers such as a lack of affordable housing, limited access to supportive services, and the residual effects of childhood trauma, systemic inequities, or time spent in foster care or juvenile justice systems. Without adequate support, TAY are at a heightened risk of homelessness, unemployment, poor mental health outcomes, and continued cycles of instability. This research paper explores and identifies effective housing …

Potential Adverse Effects On Lifestyle And Food Intake Pattern In Night Shift Workers, Stacie L. Coleman

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Abstract

Night shift work is prevalent in healthcare and other industries, yet its effects on lifestyle factors such as food intake, sleep quality, and mental health remain underexplored. This study investigates the impact of night shift schedules on nurses’ wellness, focusing on eating patterns, sleep, physical activity, and mood. A sample of 13 nurses were divided into two shift groups: day (n=5) and night (n=8); and they completed a questionnaire to assess the variables related to their behavior, food choices, eating habits, sleep patterns.

The results of previous research studies indicate that night shift nurses are more likely to adopt …

The Effects Of Green Orientation And Technological Agility On Sustainable Competitive Advantage Under Environmental Uncertainty: Organizational Agility As A Pathway, Sahilali Saiyed, Vimal Kumar, Abdul Waaje, Adi Prasetyo Tedjakusuma

Michigan Tech Publications

Despite the strengthened efforts on sustainability and technological activities by firms, the existing literature lacks a clear picture regarding how green orientation (GO) and technological agility (TAG) can be transformed into sustainable competitive advantage (SCA) and at what time the conversion process may be most efficient. This paper conceptualizes organizational agility (OGA) based on the resource-based view (RBV) and dynamic capabilities theory (DCT) and hypothesizes that GO and TAG indirectly affect SCA with the mediating impact of environmental uncertainty (ELU). A moderated-mediation model was tested based on a sample of 200 managers (HR, marketing, accounting/finance, quality control, R&D) of auto-parts …

A Narrative Review Of Dual Loyalty Conflicts In Custodial Settings And Implications For Community Practice, Michelle Suh, Marc David Robinson, Holland Kaplan

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Dual loyalty dilemmas are conflicts between health care professionals' obligations toward their patients and third-party interests. These conflicts are more common and starker in custodial settings, such as jails and prisons, military detention facilities, immigration detention centers, and involuntary psychiatric institutions. Despite encountering patients in custody, health care professionals (HCPs) in community settings have limited knowledge and training. In this narrative review, we examined dual loyalty conflicts faced by HCPs working in custodial settings and then applied the identified themes to community-based hospitals where HCPs care for patients in custody. We searched databases for original papers relating to patients in …

Survey Of U.S. Reproductive Medicine Clinicians’ Attitudes On Polygenic Embryo Screening, Rémy A Furrer, Dorit Barlevy, Aayushi Gandhi, Shai Carmi, Todd Lencz, Stacey Pereira, Gabriel Lázaro-Muñoz

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Polygenic embryo screening (PES) is used to screen embryos for their genetic likelihood of developing complex conditions and traits. We surveyed 152 U.S. reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialists (REIs) on their views of PES. While most respondents (97%) were at least slightly familiar with PES, general approval of PES was low (12%), with the majority expressing disapproval (46%) or uncertainty (42%). A majority (58%) believed risks outweigh benefits, while only 16% felt benefits outweigh risks. Most clinicians (85-77%) were very or extremely concerned about low accuracy, confusion over results, false expectations, and eugenics. Nonetheless, when asked to vote on whether …

Differential Microrna Profiling Of Blood L1cam And Bulk Extracellular Vesicles In Bipolar Disorder, Gabriel R Fries, Salahudeen Mirza, Jun Wang, Camila N C Lima, Wei Zhang, Marcela Carbajal Tamez, Giselli Scaini, Jair C Soares, Joao Quevedo

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: This preliminary study aimed to identify microRNA (miRNA) signatures associated with bipolar disorder (BD) by profiling blood-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) of both putative neuronal origin and from all sources.

Method: In two parallel studies of individuals with BD and controls (CON), we characterized miRNA expression profiles of blood EVs selected for L1CAM, a putative marker of neuronal origin (n = 20 BD/20 CON), as well as bulk EVs (n = 21 BD/20 CON). For each study, analyses identified miRNAs differentially expressed between groups, followed by functional interrogation and testing for associations with clinical features.

Results: Results of …

Representing The Incommunicado Client: Regulating The Attorney-Client Relationship In A Civil Rights Emergency, Michael Kagan

Washington and Lee Law Review Online

When the government obstructs a detainee’s ability to communicate with attorneys, normal rules governing the formation of attorney-client relationships break down. While some work-arounds exist to allow lawyers to bring such cases to court, they have significant limitations and can create problems of their own. The legal profession and the courts should adopt new rules modeled on emergency medicine to facilitate the filing of urgent civil rights claims for clients who are not in a position to consent. In emergency medicine, physicians can presume client consent for certain narrow and urgent purposes. Certain lawyers, in extreme cases, should be able …

Integration Of Fluorescence Imaging And Advanced Analytical Techniques For Reliable Contamination Detection, Mahsa Aliee

Theses and Dissertations

Effective surface contamination detection in food processing and healthcare environments is hindered by the limitations of visual inspection and ATP bioluminescence testing, both of which struggle to identify thin, transparent, or spatially irregular organic residues. These constraints contribute to inconsistent hygiene verification and create a need for objective, scalable, and real-time detection methods capable of operating under variable environmental conditions.

This dissertation develops an integrated framework that combines UV-induced fluorescence imaging with advanced analytical techniques to improve contamination detection reliability. A UV/UVC fluorescence imaging system was engineered with synchronized pulsed excitation (275 nm, 365 nm, 405 nm), adaptive exposure control, …

Road Surface And Subsurface Monitoring Using Machine Learning, Koduah Amoako

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents a comprehensive, non-invasive framework for real-time monitoring of road surface and subgrade conditions using acoustic sensing and machine learning. Traditional Tire-Road Coefficient of Friction (TRCF) estimation techniques often rely on intrusive sensors, offline data analysis, or laboratory measurements, making them impractical for real-time applications. The present research introduces an alternative approach that utilizes the acoustic emissions generated by tire-road interaction to infer both surface friction and subsurface integrity dynamically.Measurement microphones were mounted beneath a test vehicle to record tire-road noise signatures across different pavement textures and vehicle speeds. The collected acoustic signals were processed using Fast Fourier …

Thermal Desorption-Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Method Development For The Determination Of Wood Preservatives, Nafisa Bala

Theses and Dissertations

A thermal desorption-pyrolysis gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection (TD-Pyr-GC-MS) method was developed, enabling a comprehensive analysis of preservatives as well as native wood constituents in treated wood. The developed method is based on thermal desorption, i.e., extraction of wood preservatives, followed by pyrolysis to investigate changes in the occurrence of characteristic wood building blocks (e.g., guaiacol derivatives). We implemented a combined MS data acquisition (i.e., SITI) consisting of selected ion monitoring (SIM) and total ion current (TIC), allowing for low limits of detection of preservatives in SIM mode and TIC detection of any evolving species. The matrix detection limits …

Differential Photometric Analysis Of Exoplanet Candidates Toi-1362.01, Toi-2290.01, Toi-6010.01, And Toi-6324.01, Samantha Buck

Theses and Dissertations

To maximize the science return from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), the TESS Follow-up Observing Program (TFOP) was created to network scientists and observatories to conduct follow-up observations of potential exoplanets. As members of TFOP-Subgroup 1, we observed four exoplanet candidates: TOI-1362.01, TOI-2290.01, TOI-6010.01, and TOI-6324.01 using the University of North Dakota Space Studies Observatory. The TOI observations were conducted from 31 October 2024 – 15 November, 2024 UTC. AstroImageJ software was used to perform differential photometry and, if a transit event was observed, determine orbital parameters and physical characteristics. Each of the target’s light curves was modeled and …

Spaceflight Safety Regulations: The Case For Implementing Safety Management Systems In The Developing U.S. Commercial Human Spaceflight Industry, Carly Davidson

Theses and Dissertations

Accidents have historically accompanied the development of new transportation systems, often due to technical failures; but human factors – such as organizational culture and management decisions – are increasingly recognized as significant contributors. A strong safety culture, prioritizing safety at all organizational levels, effective management procedures, and open reporting of violations, is believed to improve outcomes by proactively reducing risk in highly technical organizations. These elements form the basis of Safety Management Systems (SMS), which include safety policy, risk management, assurance, and promotion. As commercial spaceflight expands public access to space, US regulators must develop flexible safety regulations that protect …

Evaluating Hail Spectrometer Data Quality And Uncertainty For Calculating Radar Reflectivity Factor, James Klinman

Theses and Dissertations

Reliable in situ measurements are essential for accurately forecasting and nowcasting hailstorms, as they provide insight into storm processes, improve predictions that protect public safety, and help assess potential damage to agriculture and infrastructure. This study evaluates the reliability of in situ hail measurements from the T-28 aircraft’s Hail Spectrometer and assesses their feasibility for radar reflectivity validation and parameterization. Data from 14 flights across five field campaigns were analyzed, focusing on comparisons between one-dimensional (1D) 1-Hz accumulated particle counts and two-dimensional (2D) particle images produced by the Hail Spectrometer. The 2D data were processed using the System for Optical …

Dynamic Wellbore-Integrity Framework For Post-Blowout Capping Of Offshore Wells, Abdelhakim Khouissat

Theses and Dissertations

In the aftermath of a blowout, a well undergoes a period of unrestricted fluid discharge (de facto primary recovery) followed by pressure buildup after its shut-in, which can adversely impact wellbore integrity. The quintessential example is Union Oil’s 1969 “A-21” well blowout in California’s Santa Barbara Channel, where seafloor-broaching incidents (oil “boilups”) kept taking place from the sides of the well following several failed well-capping attempts, until reservoir depletion eventually allowed a successful shut-in.Analytical and numerical reservoir depletion models are coupled with near-wellbore geomechanics to quantify yardsticks related to the post-blowout discharge utilized to indicate dangers for underground blowouts, in …

Toward An Anthropological Ecocriticism, Grant Mcmillan

Theses and Dissertations

Environmental storytelling has increasingly reckoned with concepts and assumptions about (N/a)ture inherited from the Western intellectual tradition. The late 2010s and early 2020s in particular have seen an explosion of fiction that interrogates the limits of these past ideas. Relatedly, ecocriticism of this period has entered a self-reflexive mode that has sought to deal with its own limitations while offering insights that may prove generative for a more general audience of environmentally minded readers. This project adds to ongoing ecocritical discourse by tracing a series of implicit affinities between the broad traditions of anthropology and environmental fiction through their shared …

Thermodynamic Evaluation Of The Thermal Methane Pyrolysis Process, Chinaecherem S. Okwuonu

Theses and Dissertations

Natural gas flaring is a persistent challenge which undermines global sustainability and decarbonization efforts as it leads to the waste of valuable energy resources alongside the release of harmful greenhouse gases into the environment. Even when natural gas is utilized through commonly adopted pathways, significant emission of carbon dioxide tends to be realized. Methane pyrolysis offers a promising route in which methane can be decomposed into solid carbon and hydrogen gas with no direct CO2 emissions. However, despite extensive studies of the methane pyrolysis process, a fundamental thermodynamic rationale of the process behavior remains insufficiently explored. This study 1) develops …

Data-Driven Evalutation And Optimization Of Fishbone Well Configurations For Geothermal Energy Recovery In The Red River Formation, Cedar Creek Anticline, Candace Proksch

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis evaluates the geothermal potential of the Red River C interval at the Cedar Creek Anticline and develops a workflow for screening fishbone multilateral designs in a heterogeneous carbonate reservoir. Regional heat-flow and depth maps delineated Cedar Creek as a thermally favorable site and the lower dolomite as the primary reservoir target, supporting construction of a 3D Petrel model that captured the five-member C-interval architecture, petrophysical properties, and temperature field. A multi-stage Particle Swarm Optimization and fast-marching framework used this model to generate and rank fishbone injector–producer configurations, and a line-source approximation combined with a fixed-efficiency Organic Rankine Cycle …

Impacts Of Intensifying Wildfires On Boreal Forest Ecosystems: Exploring Forest Regeneration, Wildlife Habitats, Carbon Storage, And Engineering Solutions, Mckenzie Belle Schewe

Theses and Dissertations

Wildfire activity across Alaska’s boreal forests has intensified in severity and frequency in recent decades, altering one of Earth’s most significant sources of carbon sequestration (Pan et al, 2011). This thesis examines how wildland burns influence post-fire carbon sink capacities and vegetation recovery near Fairbanks, Alaska. Three fire sites were selected to represent distinct successional stages: the 2006 Parks Highway Fire, the 2013 Stuart Creek 2 Fire, and the 2022 Clear Fire. Each site was evaluated through a combination of remote sensing analysis, LiDAR-derived canopy height data, and field measurements collected within each burn perimeter, developing a replicable framework for …

Exploratory Study Of Relationships Between Law Students' Well-Being, Academic Success, And Perceptions Of Passing The Bar Exam And Admission, Pamela Shea

Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the experiences of law students that impact their perception of being prepared for the Bar Exam and Bar admission. Analyzing the stressors law students face during law school reveals the essential need to incorporate the eight dimensions of well-being into curricular, co-curricular, and extra-curricular activities for students to flourish as they prepare for post-graduation success. Using the data from the 2021 Survey of Law Student Well-Being, which surveyed 5,865 law students from thirty-nine ABA-accredited law schools, a three-factor model was created to group students’ concerns into academic and health concerns, social and environmental concerns, and well-being behavioral …

Examining The Utility Of Haptic Feedback To Improve Pilot Situational Awareness & Performance: A Psychophysiological Approach, Jessica Van Bree

Theses and Dissertations

Pilot situational awareness (SA) has been deemed to be a critical component of flight efficacy, efficiency, and overall mission success. Studies have shown that several incidents and accidents have been the result of level-one SA errors, meaning that members of the flight crew have failed to accurately perceive the elements in their environments. As such, several strategies have been investigated to improve pilot SA. One potential avenue of research is the addition of haptics in to the flight deck. In some studies, the implementation of haptics have shown to improve piloting tasks, pilot safety, and aircraft control. The current study …