Digital Commons Network^™

Practicing Contemporary Documentation: An Analysis Of Historic Influences And Personal Inspirations, Zoee D. Rasso

Theses and Dissertations

For my Honors Thesis, I proposed and created a solo exhibition of my artwork, researching the inspiration behind this work to determine its place within in the context of contemporary art history. My work as an artist centers on stylized, psychologically charged portraits of birds. Looking at art history, birds as artistic subjects are historically rooted in documentation, from scientific illustrations and game paintings to ukiyo-e. Analyzing my own creative influences such as James Audubon, Walton Ford, and Safet Zec, this Thesis explores my artistic background and influences, examining how I have developed as an artist over my tenure at …

The Returns On Educational Investment: Military Retention Among Mid-Grade Enlisted Soldiers After Army-Funded Degree Completion, Robert Kenneth Bandy Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

The U.S. Army Tuition Assistance (TA) program represents a substantial investment in the education and professional development of enlisted soldiers, yet limited empirical research has examined retention outcomes among soldiers who complete degrees using TA. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between selected demographic and educational characteristics and time-to-separation among enlisted U.S. Army soldiers who completed a degree using TA between fiscal years 2023 and 2025. Guided by Human Capital Theory, the study used archival administrative data from the Army Continuing Education Division (ACED) and the Integrated Personnel and Pay System-Army (IPPS-A). A stratified …

Analysis Of Risk Factors And Current Programs For Addressing Injuries In Children And Adolescents, Jahfel Nial Jones Iii

Theses and Dissertations

Unintentional injuries are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among children and adolescents in the United States. These injuries result from various causes, including motor vehicle crashes, falls, suffocation, and poisoning. This capstone project examines the prevalence, risk factors, and prevention strategies for unintentional injuries among infants, children, and adolescents. Using a public health approach, this research explores evidence-based interventions and community-based programs that effectively reduce injury-related mortality. The project also incorporates data and insights from the Safe Kids Columbus program at Piedmont Columbus Regional, where various injury prevention initiatives have been implemented.

Findings revealed that motor vehicle crashes …

Metagenomic Polymorphic Toxin Effector And Immunity Profiling Predicts Microbiome Development And Disease-Related Dysbiosis, Hunter W. Schroer, Francesco Beghini, Juan Antonio Raygoza Garay, Nicholas A. Christakis, Dustin E. Bosch

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Bacteria use antagonistic interbacterial weapons, such as polymorphic toxin secretion systems (TSS), to compete for niches in the human gut microbiome. We hypothesized that TSS influence gut microbiome development and disease-related dysbiosis. We developed a bioinformatic marker gene approach (PolyProf) to quantify TSS including ~200 effector and immunity genes and applied it to ~15,000 publicly available human metagenomes. PolyProf alpha and beta diversity readily distinguished 12 different human disease states and enabled the construction of highly accurate linear regression classifier machine learning models. Elastic net machine learning models integrating bacterial taxonomy with PolyProf had strong predictive value for 12 disease …

Dynamics Of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes In Structured Complex Fluids, Sepehr Yari

Open Access Master's Theses

Cancer survival depends strongly on the stage at which the disease is detected, motivating the development of biosensors capable of identifying early changes in cellular state. Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are promising intracellular biosensors because their intrinsic near-infrared fluorescence, photostability, and tunable surface chemistry and lenght enable prolonged measurements in living cells. Disease such as cancer can progress and alter intracellular physical properties, suggesting that SWCNT motion may provide a physical readout of changes in cellular state. Interpreting this motion is challenging, however, because the cytoplasm is structurally heterogeneous and contains both passive fluctuations and active transport processes. As a …

Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma With Cervical Lymph Node Metastasis Case Study, Dasaani Brown

Bachelor of Science in Diagnostic Ultrasound Projects

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most common form of thyroid malignancy and typically presents as a painless, progressively enlarging neck mass. This case study describes a 25-year-old male presenting with a palpable left-sided neck mass, unexplained weight loss, and shallow breathing during sleep. Diagnostic evaluation with ultrasound and computed tomography (CT) revealed bilateral thyroid nodules and extensive cervical lymphadenopathy. The findings were deemed highly suspicious for malignancy. Ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of PTC. The patient subsequently underwent total thyroidectomy with bilateral neck dissection. The overall prognosis is favorable, as PTC is amenable to treatment …

Papillary Muscle Rupture: Case Study, Mandy Wu

Bachelor of Science in Diagnostic Ultrasound Projects

This study evaluates how effective echocardiography is in diagnosing papillary muscle rupture and guiding management in patients with suspected acute cardiac complications. This case study describes a 43-year-old autistic male presenting with pneumonia and progressive respiratory distress. Diagnostic evaluation included transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography to assess cardiac function and valvular integrity. Echocardiography confirmed papillary muscle rupture with severe mitral regurgitation. Due to high surgical risk, the patient underwent MitraClip placement as a less invasive intervention. Despite treatment, the patient experienced rapid clinical deterioration and ultimately passed away shortly after intervention. Papillary muscle rupture is a life-threatening condition requiring rapid recognition, …

Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (Adpkd) Case Study, Nhu P. Tang

Bachelor of Science in Diagnostic Ultrasound Projects

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is the most common inherited renal disorder that is present in adults and is characterized by progressive cyst development. It leads to chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) due to loss of renal function. This case presents a 54-year-old male with known ADPKD and nephrolithiasis who presented with left flank pain and hypertension. Ultrasound evaluation demonstrated enlarged bilateral kidneys with numerous cysts replacing normal renal tissue and a kidney stone within the left kidney. For management, the patient was placed on medications and has been on the transplant list. This case …

Perioperative Role Of Vascular Ultrasound In Sta–Mca Bypass For Moyamoya Disease: A Case Study, Madeleine Ramos

Bachelor of Science in Diagnostic Ultrasound Projects

Moyamoya is a chronic progressive cerebrovascular disorder characterized by gradual stenosis and eventual occlusion of the intracranial vessels. The disease most commonly begins in the intracranial internal carotid arteries and may extend to involve the anterior, middle, and posterior cerebral arteries. As arterial narrowing progresses, a network of fragile collateral vessels forms at the base of the brain, creating the characteristic “puff of smoke” appearance seen on angiographic imaging.

This case study reviews a 43-year-old male who presented with an acute ischemic stroke involving a functionally occluded right M1 segment of the middle cerebral artery (MCA), later determined to be …

Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia: A Case Report, Keira Martin

Bachelor of Science in Diagnostic Ultrasound Projects

The Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia is an uncommon fetal defect of the diaphragm discovered in utero, where it does not complete development, allowing abdominal viscera to herniate into the thorax. This case study describes the procedure of using ultrasonography on a 41-year-old female who is pregnant with a fetus with a congenital diaphragmatic hernia. The procedure completed was a detailed anatomy scan, which is a transabdominal ultrasound to rule out pathology of the fetus, uterus, cervix, and ovaries. The ultrasound discovered a defect in the left side of the fetal diaphragm, allowing the stomach and a portion of the left liver …

Progression To Critical Stenosis In An Unmonitored Bicuspid Aortic Valve: Case Report, Rylen Manuel

Bachelor of Science in Diagnostic Ultrasound Projects

Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is the most common congenital heart defect, but it can remain undiagnosed until adulthood. This case study describes a 36-year-old male who presented for a transthoracic echocardiogram to evaluate systolic murmur without any symptoms. The patient vaguely recalled a diagnosis of BAV in his childhood but had not received any cardiac evaluation for over two decades and no documentation of the diagnosis was available in his medical record. Echocardiography confirmed a BAV with cusp fusion and revealed critical aortic stenosis, moderate aortic regurgitation, mild dilation of the ascending aorta, and severe left ventricular hypertrophy. The severity …

Medullary Nephrocalcinosis In A Patient With Medullary Sponge Kidney: A Case Report, Sagal Khalif

Bachelor of Science in Diagnostic Ultrasound Projects

Medullary nephrocalcinosis is characterized by calcium deposition within the renal medulla and is often associated with recurrent nephrolithiasis, metabolic, or congenital renal conditions. This case involves a 70-year-old female patient whose medical history includes both a prior diagnosis of medullary sponge kidney and multiple occurrences of kidney stone formation. She presented for evaluation of dysuria and hematuria. Renal ultrasound was performed and demonstrated echogenic renal pyramids, consistent with medullary nephrocalcinosis. Additional computed tomography (CT) imaging was performed to assess the extent of the calcification and evaluate for new or persistent kidney stones. This case demonstrates the importance of continued imaging …

The Critical Role Of Transthoracic Echocardiography In The Evaluation Of Acute Renal Infarction, Gurjeet Dosanjh

Bachelor of Science in Diagnostic Ultrasound Projects

Acute renal infarction is a rare and frequently misdiagnosed condition that often presents with nonspecific abdominal or left flank pain. Renal infarction is commonly associated with cardioembolic etiologies, making echocardiography evaluation essential. In the case presented, a 60-year-old male had presented with a sudden onset of left flank pain, and a computed tomography (CT) confirmed renal infarction. A transthoracic echocardiogram was performed to assess cardiac structures, function, and potential intracardiac thrombus. Results showed the diagnosis of moderately reduced left ventricular systolic dysfunction with exclusion of a cardioembolic source, timely investigation of anticoagulant therapy, and a reduced risk of irreversible damage. …

An Ovarian Cancer Case Study, Amina Farah

Bachelor of Science in Diagnostic Ultrasound Projects

Ovarian epithelial carcinoma (OEC) is the most common and lethal form of ovarian cancer, often presenting with subtle or nonspecific symptoms. This report describes the case of a 31-year-old postpartum woman with a six-month history of abdominal pain and bloating. This case highlights the limitations of imaging modalities in the evaluation of large lesions. A focused abdominal ultrasound examination was performed, revealing an intra-abdominal vascular mass. Findings were compared with prior and subsequent Computed Tomography (CT) scans to assess the lesion’s origin, given the limitations of ultrasound. Sonographic evaluation demonstrated a large mixed heterogenous mass with thick septations and internal …

Renal Cysts On Ultrasound, Jocelyn Rios De La Cerda

Bachelor of Science in Diagnostic Ultrasound Projects

Renal cell carcinoma is a malignant condition that impairs kidney function and is commonly associated with risk factors such as smoking and hypertension. This case study examines an 83-year-old female with a significant medical history who presented for further evaluation of an indeterminate renal mass previously identified on CT and MRI imaging, which revealed a benign cyst and a separate solid lesion with concerning characteristics. A renal ultrasound demonstrated a simple cyst and a distinct hypoechoic, ill-defined lesion, raising concern for possible neoplasm. Follow-up imaging with contrast-enhanced CT was recommended for further characterization. This case highlights the importance of ultrasound …

A Large Recurrent Pseudoaneurysm Of The Superficial Femoral Artery: A Case Report, Virginia Engel

Bachelor of Science in Diagnostic Ultrasound Projects

Peripheral arterial aneurysms are rare vascular pathologies characterized by dilation of all three arterial wall layers within an extremity. When a peripheral aneurysm ruptures, the extravasation can be contained by the surrounding soft tissues of the extremity, forming a pseudoaneurysm that can continue to grow. In this case report, a 60-year-old male presented with a ruptured left superficial femoral artery (SFA) aneurysm that formed a large recurrent pseudoaneurysm, with concomitant right SFA and popliteal artery aneurysms. Multiple imaging modalities (computed tomography angiography (CTA), angiography, ultrasound) and treatment methods (autologous vein bypass, endovascular stent) were used throughout this case. This case …

New Meaning Of Hope, Avery Wilcoxon

Voice/Craft

Age 13, Grade 8

Using Network Models To Understand Biological Signaling Architecture, Russ White, Emily Brown Reeves, Gerald L. Fudge

Faculty Publications

Engineers have developed abstract network models to better understand the recurring problems faced by communication systems. This paper argues that these models can be generalized to describe biological communications systems given that they share many requirements with human-designed systems, including functional requirements and physical constraints. Leveraging collaboration, biologists and engineers can work together to use well-understood communication systems, designed to carry data across a computer network, as a model for analyzing less well-understood biological communication systems in order to make predictions and uncover previously unknown functionalities. To illustrate this approach, we apply the Recursive Internet Network Architecture model (RINA) to …

Pullulan Production From Lignocellulosic Plant Biomass Or Starch-Containing Processing Coproduct Hydrolysates, Thomas P. West

Faculty Publications

The complex polysaccharide pullulan is characterized as a glucose-containing biopolymer that is both water-soluble and neutral in polarity. A variety of commercial applications exist for pullulan, including its utilization as a flocculant, a blood plasma substitute, a food additive, a dielectric material, an adhesive, or a packaging film. The fungus Aureobasidium pullulans has used several hydrolysates derived from plant biomass or starch-containing processing coproducts to support polysaccharide production. These include various plant biomass or processing coproduct streams such as lignocellulosic-containing peat, prairie grass, stalks, hulls, straw, shells, and pods or starch-containing coproducts from the processing of corn, rice, jackfruit seeds, …

Promoting Three-Dimensional Printed Assistive Devices For Occupational Therapy Through Online Resources, Luke M. Shotts, Alex Orkwis, Blanche Leeman, Jacie Schneider

Occupational Therapy Student Scholarship

Three-dimensional (3D) printing gives occupational therapists (OTs) a way to make low-cost, customizable assistive devices, but it remains underused in practice because most OTs have little training in it and the open-source designs that exist are scattered across sites not built for clinical use. This capstone project developed OT 3D Resource (https://www.ot3dresource.org), a free website that teaches OTs, students, and educators how to use 3D printing to create assistive devices for hand-related needs. The site includes beginner tutorials, a library of open-source printable device files with print settings and clinical considerations, and links to established 3D printing communities. …

Advancing Occupational Therapy In Sports: Bridging The Gap In Mental Performance, Gianna N. Scarantino

Occupational Therapy Student Scholarship

Occupational Therapy’s (OT’s) role in sports mental performance remains an underrecognized and emerging area of practice, with limited awareness among OTs, a lack of available educational resources, and currently no established pathway into the field. The purpose of this doctoral capstone project was to increase awareness of OT’s role in sports mental performance through the development and evaluation of a comprehensive educational resource. The educational resource included a digital portfolio, recorded PowerPoint lecture, educational Instagram content, and a Linktree that organized all project materials into one accessible location. Four licensed OTs completed a Qualtrics pre-resource knowledge checklist, reviewed the educational …

Preparing Future Occupational Therapy Practitioners To Provide Culturally Responsive Care For Hispanic Populations, Abraham Ramirez

Occupational Therapy Student Scholarship

As the United States becomes increasingly culturally diverse, occupational therapy practitioners must be prepared to provide culturally responsive, client-centered care to individuals and families from diverse backgrounds. This doctoral capstone addressed an identified gap in occupational therapy education related to students’ preparedness to work with Hispanic/Latino populations through the development and dissemination of educational resources grounded in cultural humility. Guided by Agner’s Cultural Humility Framework, the project emphasized lifelong self-reflection, recognition of personal biases, collaboration, and openness to clients’ lived experiences rather than mastery of cultural knowledge. A mixed-methods approach was utilized, incorporating a literature review, needs assessment, faculty consultation, …

Connecting Through Art: A Collaborative Art Program For The Deaf Community, Andrey Meg Bacal, Cristina Dumitrescu, Gary Dennis, Regina Brejda, Maija Vizvary, Jacie Schneider

Occupational Therapy Student Scholarship

This doctoral capstone project developed, implemented, and evaluated a Deaf-centered, ASL-accessible community art program at the Jessye Norman School of the Arts in Augusta, Georgia. The project addressed communication and environmental barriers that may limit participation in meaningful leisure and community-based occupations. Two ASL-interpreted art sessions and a community art show were completed, with evaluation using adapted PROMIS-based survey items, implementation observations, and quality improvement feedback. Because only two usable anonymous survey responses were available at each time point, findings were summarized descriptively and interpreted as feasibility and implementation information rather than evidence of effectiveness. The project supported the feasibility …

Enhancing Ot Practice: A Podcast Approach To Improve Culturally Responsive Care, Tobin J. James

Occupational Therapy Student Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Investigating Ui Based And Ai Based Interactions In Vr Environments For Human Anatomy Education, Siddharth Sondhi

Master's Projects

Traditional approaches to learning and simulation often struggle to convey the complexity of three dimensional structures. In anatomy education, methods such as textbooks, lectures, and cadaver based learning are used, but can make it difficult to understand the complex structure of organs within the human body. Virtual Reality (VR) offers a promising alternative by providing immersive and interactive 3D environments that allow users to explore and manipulate anatomical structures more intuitively. These environments can be further enhanced by integrating large language models (LLMs) as intelligent agents capable of guiding users through natural language interaction. This project presents a Unity-based VR …

Emotional Patterns In Conversational Social Media Using Graph-Based Context, Sai Sanjay Yerunkar

Master's Projects

Most social media datasets for emotion detection have not been constructed to account for conversational structure‚ so we investigate whether it carries signal for emotion prediction. Using Sentiment140 and GoEmotions Reddit threads‚ we construct their thread-based conversation graphs and compute the aggregated features of neighbors as well as the transformer and TF-IDF representations of comments. Connected comments are 4.5× more similar in emotions than expected by chance. Pairwise emotional similarity decays exponentially with geodesic distance (e.g.‚ after 2 hops). Pairs separated by a 30s timestamp difference have the highest emotional similarity. These results suggest that emotion is structured locally and …

Exploring Parents’ Perspective Of Outdoor Occupational Therapy Sessions, Harold Ho, Michelle Huynh, Christina Le, Amy Morrison

Master's Projects

Introduction: Outdoor play is recognized as critical for supporting children’s development across physical, cognitive, and social-emotional domains (Firby & Raine, 2022; Walker & Ray, 2024; Zhu et al., 2024). The current literature suggests that outdoor play strengthens executive functioning, early learning skills, and enhances social-emotional competency (Dinkel et al., 2019; Walker & Ray, 2024; Zhu et al., 2024). Furthermore, accessibility to outdoor play is shaped by contextual factors, including parental perceptions of safety, environmental barriers, and broader societal influences (Cox et al., 2025; Faulkner et al., 2025; Jelleyman et al., 2019). The research suggests that common parental concerns have emerged …

Microstructure And Properties Of Oxide Dispersion-Strengthened Alloys, Ertugrul Demir, Seung Min Ha, Anish Ranjan, Xingshuo Zhang, Aaron Penders, Mukesh Bachhav, Xiaochun Li, Lin Shao, Alexander Demblon, Haiming Wen, Enrique Lavernia

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Oxide dispersion-strengthened (ODS) alloys are a critical class of structural materials for extreme environments, owing to their unique combination of high-temperature strength, thermal stability, and radiation tolerance, enabled by a very high density of nanoscale oxide dispersoids. These features make ODS alloys attractive for advanced nuclear systems, aerospace applications, and other harsh-service conditions where conventional alloys rapidly degrade. Despite decades of development, key challenges remain in understanding how nanoscale oxides interact with matrix microstructures, alloy chemistry, and irradiation-induced defects to control macroscopic performance. This review provides a focused, mechanism-based synthesis of the microstructural features that govern the properties of ODS …

Catalytic Hydropyrolysis Of Beetle Killed Trees For The Production Of Transportation Biofuels, Oluwanisola Makinde, Fernando L.P. Resende, Michael Asama, Demian F. Gomez

Jasper Department of Chemical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

We conducted catalytic hydropyrolysis of beetle-killed trees: Pine, Ash tree, and Redbay in a micro-pyrolyzer (Py/GC–MS) and investigated the performance of heterogeneous catalysts like HZSM-5, NiMo-HZSM- 5, and NiRe-HZSM- 5. We also investigated the effects of temperature, catalyst-to- biomass ratio, and hydrogen pressure on product yield. Our findings reveal that aromatic yields increase with temperature and catalyst-to- biomass ratio but decline at higher hydrogen pressures; additionally, higher catalyst acidity enhances both total hydrocarbon production and selectivity toward C7–C8 aromatics, with each feedstock exhibiting distinct optimal conditions. The type of metal doped on the HZSM-5 zeolite plays an important role in …

Blooming Pride, Elli Hubner

Voice/Craft

Age 13, Grade 8