Digital Commons Network^™

What Is The Standard Of Review For (Mixed) Constitutional Questions?, Anthony Sangiuliano, Mark Friedman

UBC Law Review

No abstract provided.

Essays On The Economics Of Farmland Valuation And Investment In U.S. Agriculture, Colson Tester

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents three empirical essays that collectively advance the understanding of farmland valuation in key U.S. agricultural regions, emphasizing the critical advantages of comprehensive, transaction-based data over traditional survey methods. Farmland represents a significant portion of agricultural wealth, and its accurate valuation is crucial for farmers, investors, and policymakers, influencing everything from credit access to investment strategies. Historically, research has often relied on subjective survey data, which can suffer from biases, inaccuracies, and insufficient granularity. This dissertation addresses these limitations by leveraging extensive datasets of arm’s-length farmland transactions, offering a more precise and market-driven perspective on land values. The …

Computational Fluid Dynamics Based Optimization Method Applied To Hydrokinetic Turbine Devices, Stuart Glenn Fletcher

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents a computational investigation of optimal kinematic operating parameters governing various hydrokinetic turbines (HKT) systems for the use of power generation within river and tidal environments. Two separate studies are performed. The first study investigates optimal cycle parameters for simple and complex kinematic modes governing the motion of oscillating foil energy harvesters (OFEH). An iterative gradient-ascent optimization method is used to search for local efficiency optima based on an initial set of kinematic parameters. To search the operational space for up to eight degrees of freedom (DOF), a maximin space filling condition was implemented to efficiently compute initial …

Integration Of Oral Health Assessment In Medicare Visits: A Survey Of Primary Care Physicians In Montana And Their Role In Patients Aged 65+, Cheyenne R. Smith

Dental Hygiene ETDs

The integration of oral health assessments into primary care settings has been strongly advocated to enhance access to care for elderly individuals. Medical and dental professionals recognize the critical connection between oral health and systemic health. Physicians can play a key role in enhancing oral health care by incorporating an oral health assessment into routine general health appointments, such as the Medicare Annual Wellness Visit (AWV). Physicians in Montana were invited to participate in an anonymous study to gather their opinions on conducting oral health assessments in primary care settings, identify barriers to providing these assessments, and evaluate their knowledge …

Health Workforce Issues And Recommended Practices In The Implementation Of Universal Health Coverage In The Philippines: A Qualitative Study, Veincent Christian Pepito, Arianna Maever Loreche, Ruth Shane Legaspi, Ryan Camado Guinaran, Theo Prudencio Juhani Z. Capeding, Madeline Mae A. Ong, Manuel M. Dayrit

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

Background

The transition towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in a devolved healthcare system such as the Philippines is beset by health workforce issues considering that it is among the world’s leading source countries for health workers. This study aims to document health workforce issues and recommended practices in the implementation of UHC in the Philippines.

Methods

We conducted focus group discussions and key informant interviews with health policymakers and UHC implementers in the national, regional, and local levels. Participants included local chief executives, healthcare facility administrators, and healthcare providers at tertiary, secondary, and primary levels, as well as patients. We …

Diagnostic Accuracy Of Nanopore Sequencing For Detecting Mycobacterium Tuberculosis And Drug-Resistant Strains: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Timothy Hudson David Culasino Carandang, Dianne Jaula Cunanan, Gail S. Co, John David Pilapil, Juan Ignacio Garcia, Blanca I. Restrepo, Marcel Yotebieng, Jordi B. Torrelles, Kin Israel Notarte

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection, remains a significant public health threat. The timeliness, portability, and capacity of nanopore sequencing for diagnostics can aid in early detection and drug susceptibility testing (DST), which is crucial for effective TB control. This study synthesized current evidence on the diagnostic accuracy of the nanopore sequencing technology in detecting MTB and its DST profile. A comprehensive literature search in PubMed, Scopus, MEDLINE, Cochrane, EMBASE, Web of Science, AIM, IMEMR, IMSEAR, LILACS, WPRO, HERDIN Plus, MedRxiv, and BioRxiv was performed. Quality was assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 tool. Pooled …

From Concept To Community: Building And Sustaining Communication Research Labs, America L. Edwards, Matthew J. A. Craig, Hannah E. Jones, Chad Edwards, Autumn P. Edwards

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

This essay explores the conceptual, practical, and relational foundations of building and sustaining communication research labs. Drawing on early models of research teams, we argue that contemporary labs function as living systems that integrate research, teaching, mentorship, and community engagement. The essay outlines practical considerations for creating and maintaining labs, including recruitment, infrastructure, leadership succession, and digital presence, while emphasizing the importance of flexibility and autonomy. Rather than viewing labs as static organizational units, we position them as relational ecosystems that evolve through connection, shared purpose, and adaptability across time and institutions. Ultimately, this work encourages scholars to view lab-building …

Making The Invisible Visible: Cultivating Contexts For Equitable Workloads, Andrea Carlile

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

Women make up the majority of degree earners and most of those teaching at higher education institutions. Yet, women are not advancing to the highest ranks. How female faculty receive credit for their work may account for the discrepancy in women advancing to the highest ranks. This single-institution case study explored institutional practices and policies as they related to workload satisfaction and rewards for female faculty. Following the framework from the Faculty Workload and Rewards Project, FWRP, the case used the constructs of equity-minded faculty workloads to shape the analysis. Three themes emerged in the analysis: context matters, transparency practices, …

Integrating Evidence Synthesis Into Doctoral Research: A Guide For Family Medicine And Primary Care, Klaus B. Von Pressentin, Jacob Shabani, Taryn Young

Family Medicine, East Africa

Given the increased complexity of healthcare needs, evidence-informed practices are needed, now more than ever. Combining the best available research evidence, the perspectives of patients and communities, and the voices of healthcare workers in guiding policy and practice is essential. All of us involved in providing and strengthening family medicine and primary care need to be good consumers (users) of research, and some will be good producers (doers) of research. In both using and doing research, a helpful starting point is evidence synthesis – a form of secondary research that collates primary research on the same research question. This short …

Impacts Of Nutrient Addition And Disturbance On Coastal Dune Arthropod Communities And Trophic Interactions, Kayla Beitzel

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

Coastal dune ecosystems face ongoing threats from human-mediated disturbance and altered resource availability. Because these dunes provide critical habitat for many organisms, including shorebirds, beach mice, and arthropods, changes in disturbance regimes or resource availability can impact plant communities and higher trophic levels by altering plant richness and productivity, which in turn influence arthropod abundance and diversity. To examine how disturbance and nutrient addition affect arthropod communities, we established twenty 5×5 m plots on Dauphin Island, crossing mechanical disturbance with a 10 g m⁻² addition of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, replicated across five experimental blocks. Arthropods were sampled using three …

Exploring Synthetic Data Generation For Machine Learning And Statistical Analysis, Aditi S. Gajjar

Master's Theses

In the data-driven machine learning and statistical analysis world, real-world data availability is often constrained by privacy concerns, access restrictions, or resource limitations. To address these challenges, synthetic data provides a groundbreaking solution, enabling academics and data scientists to generate artificial datasets that mimic real-world data for model development and testing in a controlled, privacy-preserving environment. The syntheticDatasets package represents an R-based counterpart to Python's widely-used Scikit-learn dataset generators, adapted to meet the needs of statisticians, educators, and data scientists primarily working in the R programming ecosystem.

This thesis explores the design and implementation of the syntheticDatasets package, focusing on …

Performance Enhancement For Rufa: Rapid Urban Forest Assessment, Nicholas Tan

Master's Theses

Urban forests are crucial to the livability and resilience of cities, offering critical ecosystem benefits such as air quality enhancement, temperature regulation, and biodiversity. Managing said urban forests is essential to ensure their sustainability and adaptability to rapidly changing environmental and climate conditions. The Rapid Urban Forest Assessment (RUFA) tool was developed to address the need for a standardized approach to evaluating and comparing urban and community forestry programs. By analyzing and aggregating tree-specific data across California, such as canopy cover, tree counts, and diversity scores, RUFA assigns a comprehensive urban forestry score for each city. This score allows for …

An Analysis Of Neuroidal Memory Formation Within D. Melanogaster, Jerry Chang

Master's Theses

The Neuroidal model poses a neurobiologically plausible theory for modeling the brain. This symbolic network has been shown to capture realistic memorization behaviors using the JOIN algorithm. The model has also been recently improved by incorporating Watts-Strogatz small-worlds within its base structure. From the efforts of neuroscience researchers, we have access to the Drosophila melanogaster (D. melanogaster) fruit fly’s connectome, which has been found to also contain small-worlds in this thesis. By synthesizing the Ocellar Ganglion (OCG) region of Drosophila, we compare a digitized version of a real-world brain with an instance of the Neuroidal model. In this thesis, we …

Educational Methods For Fostering Sustainability Competencies: A Toolkit For Integration Of Sustainable Education In Engineering, Clara Hallgarth

Master's Theses

This thesis proposes a framework to assist in developing educational activities targeting the longitudinal growth of sustainability skills, knowledge, and attitudes (cumulatively known as competencies), contextualized in a Toolkit for engineering educators. This framework is applied to three civil engineering classes in a teaching-oriented university to demonstrate potential applications and limitations. Sustainability integration in higher education institutions has been recognized as increasingly important as complex sustainability challenges continue to develop and arise. Sustainable education, a pedagogical framework and collection of educational methods, has been shown to produce students with the key sustainability competencies needed to address sustainability challenges and promote …

Abiotic Stress Impacts On Macrophomina Root Rot And Nano-Encapsulated Citrus Oils To Control Fruit And Foliar Pathogens Of Strawberry, Marina J. Gutierrez

Master's Theses

Disease remains one of the major constraints to the productivity and economic success of the California strawberry industry. The most important soilborne pathogen is Macrophomina phaseolina, causing Macrophomina root rot (MRR). The most economically significant airborne pathogens include Botrytis cinerea, causing Botrytis fruit rot (BFR), and Podosphaera aphanis, causing powdery mildew (PM).

Disease severity of MRR is highly dependent on environmental factors. Therefore, understanding which abiotic stressors contribute most to disease development is crucial for effective management. A two-year field experiment at Cal Poly, SLO (2024 and 2025) evaluated the effects of drought stress, two elevated chloride …

Using Scenario-Based Design Activities To Explore Sociotechnical Thinking In Engineering Professionals, James M. Whealan

Master's Theses

Sociotechnical thinking is the ability to recognize the interconnectedness of both technical and non-technical dimensions such as environmental, economic, social, cultural, and political factors. Although traditional engineering curriculum often emphasizes technical knowledge and skills, research suggests that engineering work is inherently sociotechnical. While sociotechnical thinking is a critical engineering skill, relatively little is understood about the nature of it or the different aspects comprised within it. To that end, this study addresses the following research question: What sociotechnical factors do engineering professionals consider in a collaborative scenario-based design activity? To answer this question, we conducted a qualitative study of engineering …

Storage-Dependent Variability In Alzheimer Disease-Related Plasma Biomarker Results Using The Fujirebio Lumipulse G1200 Platform, Ibrahim Choucair, Tiffany L. Lee, Linda J. Van Eldik, Jeffrey L. Dage, Brian T. Gold, Erin L. Abner, Gregory A. Jicha, Peter T. Nelson

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Alzheimer disease plasma biomarkers have emerged as minimally invasive, cost-effective tools for early diagnosis and disease monitoring yet their stability under common “real world” pre-analytical conditions remains incompletely characterized. We evaluated the stability of six plasma biomarkers, Aβ40, Aβ42, pTau181, pTau217, NfL, and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) using the Fujirebio Lumipulse G1200 platform. Plasma samples were initially collected from four healthy and cognitively unimpaired volunteers. Samples were stored under four conditions: room temperature (0-4h), +4°C (1-10days), −20°C (1-3weeks), and −80°C (4-8weeks). In this pilot study, Aβ40 and Aβ42 remained generally stable. In contrast, pTau181 readings exhibited marked elevations in …

Using Low-Cost Sensors And Gps To Assess Spatiotemporal Variations In Personal Exposure To Pm2.5 In The Washington State Twin Registry, Ningrui Liu, Ally Avery, Elena Austin, John S. Meschke, Nicola K. Beck, Graeme Carvlin, Yisi Liu, Anne V. Moudon, Igor Novosselov, Jeffry H. Shirai, Glen E. Duncan, Edmund Seto

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Epidemiological studies typically rely on exposure assessments based on ambient PM_2.5 concentrations at participants' home addresses. However, these approaches neglect personal exposures indoors and across different non-residential microenvironments. To address this problem, our study combined low-cost sensors and GPS to conduct two-week personal PM_2.5 monitoring in 168 adults recruited from the Washington State Twin Registry between 2018 and 2021. PM_2.5 mass concentration, size-resolved particle number concentration, temperature, humidity, and GPS coordinates were recorded at 1-min intervals, providing 5,161,737 data points. We used GPS coordinates and a processing algorithm for automatic classification of microenvironments, including seven land use …

Knowledge-Informed Deep Learning To Mitigate Bias In Joint Air Pollutant Prediction, Lianfa Li, Roxana Khalili, Frederick Lurmann, Nathan Pavlovic, Jun Wu, Yan Xu, Yisi Liu, Karl O’Sharkey, Beate Ritz, Luke Oman, Meredith Franklin, Theresa Bastain, Shohreh F. Farzan, Carrie Breton, Rima Habre

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Accurate prediction of atmospheric air pollutants is critical for public health protection and environmental management. Traditional machine learning (ML) methods achieve high spatial resolution but lack physicochemical constraints, leading to systematic biases that compromise exposure estimates for epidemiological studies. Chemical transport models incorporate atmospheric physics but require expensive parameterization and often fail to capture local-scale variability crucial for health impact assessment. This gap between data-driven accuracy and physical realism presents a major obstacle to advancing air quality science. We address this challenge through a novel physics-informed deep learning framework that integrates advection–diffusion equations and fluid dynamics constraints directly into neural …

Multi-Ancestry Genome-Wide Meta-Analysis Of 56,241 Individuals Identifies Known And Novel Cross-Population And Ancestry-Specific Associations As Novel Risk Loci For Alzheimer’S Disease, Farid Rajabli, Penelope Benchek, Giuseppe Tosto, Nicholas Kushch, Jin Sha, Katrina Bazemore, Congcong Zhu, Wan Ping Lee, Jacob Haut, Kara L. Hamilton-Nelson, Nicholas R. Wheeler, Yi Zhao, John J. Farrell, Michelle A. Grunin, Yuk Yee Leung, Pavel P. Kuksa, Donghe Li, Eder Lucio Da Fonseca, Jesse B. Mez, Ellen L. Palmer, Jagan Pillai, Richard M. Sherva, Yeunjoo E. Song, Xiaoling Zhang, Takeshi Ikeuchi, Taha Iqbal, Omkar Pathak

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background : Limited ancestral diversity has impaired our ability to detect risk variants more prevalent in ancestry groups of predominantly non-European ancestral background in genome-wide association studies (GWAS). We construct and analyze a multi-ancestry GWAS dataset in the Alzheimer’s Disease Genetics Consortium (ADGC) to test for novel shared and population-specific late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (LOAD) susceptibility loci and evaluate underlying genetic architecture in 37,382 non-Hispanic White (NHW), 6728 African American, 8899 Hispanic (HIS), and 3232 East Asian individuals, performing within ancestry fixed-effects meta-analysis followed by a cross-ancestry random-effects meta-analysis. Results: We identify 13 loci with cross-population associations including known loci at/near …

Nonfatal Injury Emergency Department Visits And Inpatient Hospitalizations Among Persons Under Age 65 With An Intellectual And Developmental Disability Or Deaf Or Hard Of Hearing Disability, Terry L. Bunn, Jacqueline Seals, Dana Quesinberry, Alaina Murphy, Julia F. Costich

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background: Vulnerable populations at risk of injury include persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), and persons who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH). The purpose of this study was to describe and compare emergency department and inpatient hospitalization (ED + IP) injury rates and rate ratios by injury type among persons under age 65 with IDD or with DHH to those without IDD or DHH. Methods: This is a descriptive population-based retrospective cross-sectional study of injuries among patients under the age of 65 with an IDD disability or a DHH disability using Kentucky ED + IP discharge datasets …

Preferences For Harm Reduction Vending Machine Design Among Rural People Who Use Drugs, April M. Young, Tasfia Jahangir, Susan Westneat, Chelsi Cheatom, Amanda Fallin-Bennett, Laura C. Fanucchi, Patricia R. Freeman, Jennifer R. Havens, Hannah K. Knudsen, Kathryn E. Mccollister, Susannah Stitzer, Jack Stone, Peter Vickerman, Melvin D. Livingston

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Globally, harm reduction vending machines (HRVMs) have been used for decades to dispense safe injection equipment and other supplies to people who use drugs (PWUD). However, HRVMs have only recently scaled up in the U.S. and few operate in rural settings. This study describes preferences for HRVM design among rural PWUD in two Appalachian Kentucky communities. Peer-referral and outreach were used to recruit participants (n = 731). Eligibility criteria were ≥ 18 years, residing in the target counties, and having used any drug (excluding alcohol, cannabis, and tobacco) to get high within 6 months. Interviewer-administered questionnaires elicited data on behavioral/demographic …

Prospective Cohort Study Of Fentanyl Test Strip Use And Distribution In Three States, Janet E. Childerhose, Kitty Gelberg, Rachel Vickers-Smith, Megan E. Dzurec, Emmanuel Oga, Mallory Harris, Rachel Caspar, Denise C. Babineau, Megan E. Hall, Beth S. Linas, Katherine E. Marks, Amanda Fallin-Bennett, Laura C. Fanucchi, Louisa Gilbert, James L. David, Mary Russo, Kathryn E. Lancaster, Soledad Fernandez, Michael Konstan, Redonna K. Chandler, Carter Roeber, Jennifer Villani, Rebecca D. Jackson, Bridget Freisthler, Sharon L. Walsh, Nabila El-Bassel

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background: The Stay Safe Study is the first observational prospective cohort study investigating fentanyl test strip (FTS) use by people who use drugs (PWUD) and distribution by community organizations that provide harm reduction services (e.g., naloxone distribution) in three states (Kentucky, New York, and Ohio). The purpose of this paper is to describe the study design, along with implementation successes and challenges. A related goal is to provide recommendations and encourage researchers to undertake multi-state and multilevel studies of FTS use and distribution. Methods: The Stay Safe Study has one primary, five secondary, and three exploratory objectives. From May-December 2023, …

Referrals And Utilization Of Diabetes Self-Management Education And Support (Dsmes) Among Patients With Type 1 And Type 2 Diabetes At A Regional Medical Center In Kentucky, Omer Atac, George C. Bryant, William B. Burrows, Kory R. Heier, James W. Keck, Key C. Douthitt, Mary E. Lacy

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background: The goal of this study was to examine referral and attendance patterns for diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES) among patients with both type 1 (T1D) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) at a regional medical center in Kentucky, and to identify demographic and clinical factors associated with these outcomes. Methods: We analyzed electronic health records of adults with diabetes (n = 10,587; n = 817 with T1D and n = 9,770 with T2D) who received care from 1/1/2016-12/31/2019 at University of Kentucky HealthCare. We compared DSMES referral and attendance rates by various demographic and clinical factors and used logistic …

How Fundraisers Met Goals During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Cody C. Greene

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted nearly every aspect of higher education operations, including fundraising and donor engagement. This qualitative study explored how Vice Presidents for Advancement and other senior fundraising leaders in higher education adapted their practices to meet fundraising goals during the pandemic. Using a narrative design, in-depth interviews were conducted with nine participants representing diverse institutions in the southeastern United States. Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-phase thematic analysis was used to code and interpret the data.

Seven major themes emerged: communications, technology, donor relations, managing a fundraising team, overall giving impact, successful strategies, and the future. Participants described how …

From Policy To Practice: How Institutional Interpretations Of Ferpa Shape The Campus Safety Conversation, Britney Deaver

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a foundational federal law designed to protect the privacy of student education records. FERPA includes exceptions—such as for health and safety emergencies—that institutions may interpret and apply in varied ways. This qualitative study explores how higher education professionals across diverse institutional contexts conceptualize and apply the health or safety exception, and how those interpretations influence campus safety practices and policy-making. Through semi-structured interviews with compliance officers and administrators, the research examines the intersection of federal policy, institutional culture, and individual judgment.

Findings reveal a range of interpretations shaped by institutional risk …

Practices To Possibility: A Narrative Inquiry Examining Practices Supporting Post-School Outcomes For Students With Disabilities, Joshua Reese

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative narrative inquiry was to examine how educators in high-performing districts that met or exceeded state targets for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) post-school outcomes implemented and sustained evidence-based practices to support successful transitions for students with disabilities. Despite decades of legislative mandates and educational reforms, students with disabilities continue to experience disproportionately lower rates of employment, postsecondary education, and independent living compared to their peers. This study sought to identify not only which practices are effective but also how they are operationalized and maintained within school systems.

Two Tennessee districts identified by exemplary performance …

Code Crimson Ob: A Lifeline For Maternal Health, Colleen Cowie, Elizabeth Barrera, Leah Williams-Jones, Mercy R. Banaszak, Leonor Ruiz, Arvinder Singh

Nursing & Health Sciences Research Journal

Introduction: Postpartum hemorrhage (PH) accounts for 12% of maternal deaths in the U.S. and affects approximately 5% of obstetric individuals. Despite available treatments, delays in recognition and response can lead to severe complications or death. The purpose of this evidence-based practice project was to improve maternal outcomes by implementing Code Crimson OB, a specialized obstetric rapid response team (RRT) for managing maternal hemorrhage.

Methods: An unannounced maternal hemorrhage drill revealed critical delays in mobilizing appropriate personnel. In response, the RRT protocol was revised to include Code Crimson OB, ensuring rapid, coordinated intervention. Hospital-wide education was conducted, and the protocol officially …

From Crisis To Commitment: How Covid-19 Reshaped Motivation In Small Business Organizational Culture, Boone G. Depenbrock

Honors Theses

This study examines how the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped employee motivation and organizational culture in small businesses and explores the role of job characteristics in that process. Using an online survey administered to small business employees and owners, respondents reported their experiences before, during, and after the pandemic across validated measures of motivation, organizational commitment, job satisfaction, goal internalization, turnover intentions, and core job design factors. After data cleaning, 21 responses were analyzed. Results showed statistically significant increases in organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and goal internalization after COVID-19, along with a decrease in turnover intentions. Internal work motivation showed a small, …

Beyond Baseball: A Case Study On The Multipurpose Venue Management Practices Of Giants Enterprises, Collette Grace Madden

Experience Industry Management

The success of sports organizations no longer relies on team performance and game attendance. Giants Enterprises utilizes many guest engagement and destination development strategies to expand the brand reach of the San Francisco Giants. The purpose of this study was to examine how Giants Enterprises has positioned Oracle Park and Mission Rock as premier event destinations beyond baseball, with a focus on best practices in event diversification, experience design, and placemaking. A case study was conducted on Giants Enterprises to analyze what event diversification, experience design, and placemaking tactics were utilized as well as their effectiveness. The results of this …