Digital Commons Network^™

Challenging Behavior In Inclusive Postsecondary Education Programs, Samantha J. Nercesian

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Inclusive postsecondary education programs – higher education programs that are specifically designed for individuals with intellectual disabilities – have grown exponentially in the last 10 years. With this growth has come the emergence of several barriers to inclusive postsecondary education admission and completion. Given the relatively short time inclusive postsecondary education programs have existed, only a small amount of research has looked into barriers that prevent graduation from inclusive postsecondary education programs. One barrier in particular has received little to no attention from researchers – challenging behavior. Challenging behavior is a construct that includes socially inappropriate behaviors, which may harm …

Novel Horticultural Approaches For Reduced Gravity And Controlled Environment Agriculture, Sarah Elizabeth Schreck

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

On July 16, 1969, Apollo 11 achieved the first successful moon landing, marking a significant milestone in human space exploration. This historic moment effectively ended the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union, and since then, countries around the world have continued to advance their space programs. While the space race has evolved, the next major challenge lies in sending humans to Mars—a journey that could take 6 to 9 months each way, presenting numerous challenges, including the critical issue of nutritional sustainment for the crew.

This thesis addresses key aspects of a broader effort to support …

The Effect Of Dietary Protein Source On Gut Health, Spencer Lawson Schow

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

We investigated the impact of protein source in a western-style diet on colon cancer, colitis, and the gut microbiome. The Western dietary pattern is energy-dense, low in fiber, and has a sub-optimal micronutrient profile. Our group has formulated the Total Western Diet (TWD) that emulates the Western dietary pattern using survey data (NHANES), and we have demonstrated that this diet increases gut inflammation and colorectal cancer relative to a healthy control diet (AIN-93G), which is optimized for mouse health. However, the effect of protein source in the TWD and its effects on gut health have yet to be investigated.

Recent …

Analyzing Sedentism In The Built Environment: A Case Study In Archaeological Geophysics At Boundary Village, Uintah County, Utah, Alix Sofie Piven

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This thesis presents a case study that evaluates the ability of near-surface remote sensing to generate archaeological data suitable to answer questions about human behavior. Specifically, this project assesses the ability of two remote sensing methods, ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and magnetic gradiometry to resolve subsurface archaeological features that are markers of sedentism. In this study, the markers of sedentism are features of village sites where their variability is linked to the anticipated and actual length of time spent occupying a domestic site. A comparative dataset was generated to assess how specific subsurface archaeological features would look in GPR and magnetic …

Uv-A Light And Heat-Activated Antimicrobial And Biodegradable Materials For Food Packaging And Preservation, Michael J. Bodily

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Current food packaging materials are often non-biodegradable and harmful for ingestion, which poses a threat to the environment and public health. Thus far, the dangers of microbial contamination of food on human health have outweighed the risks associated with using these conventional packaging plastics. A possible solution to these issues is to use a combination of innovative materials and microbial inactivation methods that can potentially both reduce plastic waste and combat harmful microorganisms. In this study, two antimicrobial, biodegradable composites were developed and tested for their ability to inactivate two types of bacterium, Escherichia coli K12 and Listeria innocua, …

Managing For Disturbance: Trade-Offs Associated With Population Resilience And Ecosystem Size, Ellie Wallace

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Populations can recover from and withstand disturbance through characteristics such as reproduction and maintaining large abundances. While these traits are beneficial to native species conservation, they can simultaneously challenge effective invasive species management. Effective invasive species control requires sufficient efforts to overcome a population's ability to recover from disturbance, such as harvest. My dissertation aimed to address how the size of an invasive population and its ability to recover from disturbance impact a suite of invasive species control methods, including those that (1) target mainly larger and older individuals (i.e., mechanical removal), (2) target all sizes of individuals (i.e., targeted …

Greater Sage-Grouse Habitat Dynamics And Grazing, A Study Of Vegetation Indices And Survival, Codi R. Backen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

North American rangelands are vast, open landscapes that support diverse ecosystems and provide many ecosystem services. Many wildlife call sagebrush rangelands home, including the Greater sage-grouse (sage-grouse; Centrocercus urophasianus). Sage-grouse habitat encompasses 165 million acres across western North America, and this bird has been of conservation concern as their populations drastically declined since the 1960s. Rangelands are also grazed by livestock, which has the potential to negatively affect sagebrush ecosystems when overgrazed or overstocked, which could be detrimental to sage-grouse nesting habitat. Additionally, sagebrush rangelands undergo annual variations in precipitation, temperature, growing season length, and vegetation vigor, which has …

The Impact Of Visually Presented Distractor Taboo Words During A Bilateral Attention Task, Chloe Taylor

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Attention is a limited resource. Some events are able to capture one’s attention more efficiently than others, such as swear or sexual words. These events have preferential access to attentional resources and increase our arousal levels due to the activity of a neurotransmitter called norepinephrine. We investigate how well swear/sexual words capture peoples’ attention and interpret these effects in terms of norepinephrine activity.

Participants performed a visual task where they responded to different shapes presented while ignoring neutral or swear/sexual words presented on opposing sides of the computer screen.

Participants were significantly more inaccurate in identifying the shape present when …

Disentangling Factors Contributing To Population Performance Of Zion Bighorn Sheep, Ian Montgomery

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Bighorn sheep populations across the western United States face increasing challenges from habitat loss, disease, and predation. In Zion National Park and surrounding areas, survey-based estimates indicate that the desert bighorn sheep population declined from over 800 individuals in 2018 to fewer than 500 in 2021. Understanding what drives these population changes is critical for effective wildlife management and conservation. This research examined key factors influencing population growth and individual survival to inform strategies for recovery in this bighorn population.

First, we analyzed which vital rates contributed most to population trends by estimating survival and reproduction rates from ground and …

Optimizing Nutrient Recycling To Achieve Zero–Discharge Management For Controlled Environment Agriculture, Noah James Langenfeld

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Controlled environment agriculture (CEA) allows for human control of one or more environmental factors affecting crop production. Optimizing nutrient management in such systems allows for translation and predictions of sustainable management strategies in the field. These systems will be used to supply fresh food as public and private space agencies are planning to send humans to the Moon and Mars in the near future. Food resupply becomes increasingly difficult as the distance from Earth increases. Plants can be grown off-Earth as a food source, but their growth must be carefully managed to ensure long-term sustainability. I describe a model used …

Development Of The Sexual Mindfulness Measure For Abstinent Persons, Kaitlyn Zito

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Sexual wellbeing plays a crucial role in overall health, influencing physical, emotional, social, and even spiritual aspects of life. One key factor in sexual wellbeing is sexual mindfulness, or the ability to be aware and accepting of one's sexual thoughts, feelings, and sensations. While previous research has focused on sexual mindfulness in romantic relationships, little is known about how it applies to abstinent individuals. To address this gap, I developed a 16-item validated measure of sexual mindfulness specifically for abstinent individuals: the Sexual Mindfulness Measure for Abstinent Persons (SMM-AP). This tool adapts key elements from the Five Facets of Mindfulness …

"Once Our Land Is Gone, It's Gone": Farmer Perspectives On Growth, Embeddedness, And The Future Of Food In The Great Salt Lake Basin, Bryn Noelle Watkins

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The Great Salt Lake Basin hosts a knot of intensifying pressures on agriculturalists—including economic constraints, as even arable land is increasingly valuable for development, and ecological constraints, as aridification and climate change affect the conditions in which food can grow. Given the unique relationship farmers have with the land as its modern-day stewards, their perspectives on the nature and consequences of these pressures offer profound insights into how the region might responsibly navigate its resource management and food systems moving through the future. In the first paper, I draw upon 15 interviews with commodity farmers to understand their experiences with …

Effects Of Plant Biostimulants On Onion Growth And Production Under Greenhouse And Field Conditions, Prakriti Nepal

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The escalating impact of climate change on agricultural production underscores the need to investigate sustainable crop enhancement methods. This research explores the use of plant biostimulants to grow onion (Allium cepa L.) under varying environmental conditions. In the initial germination and greenhouse screening, seven biostimulants were tested on ‘Vaquero’ onion seeds: three bacterial products (Continuum, Spectrum DS, and Tribus Original), two mycorrhizal products (Mighty Mycorrhizae and Myco Apply), one seaweed extract product (Seaweed), and one product containing humic acid (Huma Pro 16). Mighty Mycorrhizae, Continuum, and Myco Apply supported faster germination, while seeds treated with Spectrum and Seaweed took …

Understanding The Impact Of Colloidal Calcium Phosphate On The Ph Variation In Cheddar Cheese During Early Stages Of Aging, Rachel Lindstrom

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The Cheddar cheese industry has recently observed variation in the pH of their cheese during the early stage of storage. This variation may be due to the addition of the faster acid producing thermophilic starter culture Streptococcus thermophilus which was recently introduced into the Cheddar cheese making process. This starter culture may impact the calcium buffering properties of the cheese due to more retention of the insoluble calcium (INSOL Ca) within the cheese. To investigate this problem, we studied how insoluble calcium affects cheeses with pH ranging from 4.8 to 6.6 and found that INSOL Ca was positively correlated with …

Gone With The Flow: Flow Reduction Coincides With Reduced Metabolism And Standing Stock Of Benthic Algae And Macroinvertebrates In Desert Rivers, Chloe E. Lyles

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

River metabolism, the measure of energy flow in a river, is driven by hydrological and physicochemical regimes (e.g., temperature, turbidity, and nutrients). However, these regimes are increasingly altered by human water demand and climate change-driven drought. These stressors alter the magnitude, timing, and duration of critical spring-snowmelt floods with poorly understood consequences on ecosystem function, particularly in desert rivers. To investigate the linkages between flow reduction, river metabolism, and basal food resource productivity (i.e., algae and aquatic invertebrates), we measured metabolism and basal resource availability in seven desert tributaries with varying degrees of flow reduction during low-flow conditions in 2023 …

A Survey Of Master's Qualifying Exam Practices And Content In Real Analysis, Zachary M. Coverstone

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Graduate programs in mathematics are intended to develop experts in mathematics. As part of a graduate program, many students are expected to engage in a qualifying examination that can serve myriad purposes. This dissertation investigates real analysis qualifying examinations at the master's level through a nation-wide survey of institutions in the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU). This study reveals the practices in administration of real analysis qualifying exams, institutions reported offering traditional, pencil-and-paper exams and generally asked students to prepare individually using previously administered exams. The survey results show that approximately two in three APLU institutions offering master's …

Maximizing Dryland Seed-Based Restoration Success Via Retrospective Analyses Of Species-Use Patterns And Field Testing Of Seed Mix Composition, Spencer J. Good

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Due to harsh and variable environmental conditions, successful plant establishment in "dryland" ecosystems – areas with scarce precipitation – is a major challenge for restoration. One of the most important decisions influencing restoration outcomes is choosing which species to plant (i.e., species selection). Here I explored two opportunities to improve restoration success related to species selection. First, I examined recent restoration projects across Utah, USA to understand species selection patterns by site conditions (e.g., precipitation, elevation) and seed costs, and to identify tools for matching species to sites. Second, I tested how commonly used non-native species – those not originally …

Determining The Structure And Function Of Type Iv-A Anti-Crisprs, Olivine Redman

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Bacteria face a constant existential threat in the form of infection by viruses along with other forms of mobile genetic elements, such as bacteriophage and transposable elements. To survive, bacteria and other prokaryotes have evolved various immune systems to evade these would-be invaders. One such immune system is the CRISPR-Cas system, an adaptive immune system able to record the genetic signature of invading viruses in order to recognize and destroy them should they be encountered again in the future. In this thesis I present data that sheds light on the mechanism of one particular subtype of CRISPR-Cas systems: the type …

The Impact Of Stigma On Individuals Affected By Leprosy: A Pilot Study, Mardo Tarr

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Background: Leprosy, while a treatable condition, continues to be associated with significant stigma, which adversely influences the physical, psychological, social, and economic well-being of affected individuals throughout their lives. The stigma linked to leprosy leads to social exclusion, mental health difficulties, and obstacles to accessing healthcare and employment opportunities (Brakel et al., 2019; Sermrittirong & Van Brakel, 2014). This research employs Life Course Theory to describe the long-term experiences of stigma, coping strategies, and social support individuals living with leprosy. By synthesizing findings from existing literature and conducting a qualitative interview, the study offers an in-depth understanding of how various …

A Comprehensive Literature Review Of Barriers And Facilitators To Alcohol Use Disorder Screening And Treatment, Lizette M. Orihuela

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Background: Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) remains a significant public health issue with extensive personal, societal, and economic impacts. Recent studies indicate that no amount of alcohol consumption is entirely safe, linking it directly to increased chronic disease risks, including cancer. Despite well-documented negative health outcomes, clear guidance on what constitutes AUD through diagnostic criteria provided by the DSM-5, AUD continues to be underdiagnosed and undertreated.

Objectives: This comprehensive literature review explores the key barriers and facilitators influencing AUD screening and treatment engagement.

Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted, gathering from various databases including, PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, Google Scholar, and …

Focus Group Study Of Racial Disparities And The Effects Of Parental Marijuana Use On Youth Marijuana Use, Avina K. Mahroke

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Marijuana has become one of the most used drugs in the United States. There has been an increase in use among both adults and youth during the past several years. Public health interventions are needed to address marijuana use because of its detrimental effects on youth well-being. Research shows that marijuana can lead to problems with memory, learning, attention, and even depression among youth. Furthermore, marijuana exposure in-utero can lead to developmental issues and problems with other organs such as the lungs. Youth are influenced to start using drugs, like marijuana, for numerous reasons, and parents are one of those …

Transgender And Gender-Diverse Health Care Access And Availability Of Care According To Resident Leaders In The Mahoning County, Ohio, Robin A. Perry

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

BACKGROUND: Transgender and gender diverse health is significantly under attack in the United States and there is a continued need to further research to identify ways to increase their access to both inclusive care as well as gender affirming care. The purpose of this study was to explore barriers and supportive factors that professionals and community leaders perceive surrounding the availability and accessibility of inclusive and gender affirming care for transgender and gender diverse people in Mahoning County, Ohio.

METHODS: Key informant interviews were conducted with professionals and community leaders who could be considered “facilitators” helping transgender and gender diverse …

Active Shooter And Radiological Contamination Full-Scale Exercise, Elise M. Lowe

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Planning and conducting exercises in rural settings highlights the unique features and challenges of emergency preparedness in rural America. Exercise designers must employ creative solutions to plan for player/controller contingencies, limited resources, and patient management across large geographical areas. This paper outlines the process by which a full-scale mass casualty exercise was conducted in a small Wyoming town. It analyzes some of the major problems encountered in rural exercise development and the solutions employed. The focus is on the success and failures of the exercise design based on direct observation/participation, hotwash forms, the after-action review, and direct feedback from participants. …

Examining The Association Between Diabetes And Hypertension Among Women 40 Years And Older Using The Framingham Study, Stefanie F. Starinsky

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Objectives: To investigate the association between diabetes and hypertension over 24 years using the Framingham Heart Study in women 40 or older.

Methods: The study utilized a subset of data from the Framingham Study (initiated in 1948), a longitudinal prospective cohort study, which followed participants for 24 years. The exposure was diabetes, while hypertension was the outcome. Women aged 40 years or older who had no missing data on diabetes or hypertension were included (N=2,187). Logistic regression was used to estimate unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Adjusted models controlled for body mass index, smoking, …

A Landscape Analysis Of Rapid Evidence Curation During The 2022 Sudan Virus Disease Outbreak In Uganda, Jemimah J. Wachap

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Uganda's 2022 Sudan Virus Disease (SVD) outbreak emphasized the need for rapid and effective evidence curation in public health emergencies. This analysis examines evidence curation practices during the SVD response, identifying challenges and assessing the timeliness and effectiveness of strategies in low-resource settings. While global responses to previous outbreaks, like COVID-19, have advanced evidence synthesis, the SVD outbreak revealed infrastructure and data integration gaps. The study aims to map the evidence curation landscape, focusing on models and tools, such as data-sharing platforms, mobile Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) labs, and Integrated Management Systems (IMS). It will also address gaps in surveillance, …

Sex Differences In Upper- And Lower-Limb Muscle Strength In Children And Adolescents: A Meta-Analysis, James L. Nuzzo, Matheus D. Pinto

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

On average, adult men are physically stronger than adult women. The magnitude of this difference depends on the muscle tested, with larger sex differences observed in upper- than lower-limb muscles. Whether body region-specific sex differences in strength exist in children is unclear. The purpose of the current meta-analysis was to determine whether sex differences in muscle strength in children and adolescents differ between upper- and lower-limb muscles. Data were extracted from studies of participants aged ≤ 17 years who completed tests of maximal isometric or isokinetic strength of upper-limb muscles (e.g., elbow flexors and elbow extensors) or lower-limb muscles (e.g., …

Ecological Specialisation Of Reef Fishes Peaks In Global Biodiversity Hotspots, Zoé Delecambre, Renato A. Morais, Alexandre C. Siqueira, Emma Paul Costesec, Caroline E. Dubé, Sergio R. Floeter, Alan M. Friedlander, Fabien Leprieur, Yves Letourneur, Lucas T. Nunes, Jordan M. Casey, Valeriano Parravicini

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Aim: The role of ecological specialisation in shaping biogeographic and evolutionary patterns remains unresolved. To date, few studies have quantitatively examined consumer niche breadth at a global scale. We describe global biogeographic and diversification patterns of specialisation, measured using trophic and thermal niches, for a highly diverse assemblage of consumers: reef fishes. First, we investigated the confluence of specialisation with global biogeographic patterns in species richness and reef area. Then, we tested whether these patterns could be explained by differences in diversification rates and geographic ranges. Location: Tropical reefs across the globe. Time Period: Present. Major Taxa Studied: Reef fishes. …

Strength And Conditioning Society (Scs) 7th Annual Meeting, Murcia, Spain, 2024, Pedro E. Alcaraz, Konstantinos Spyrou, Anthony J. Blazevich, Tomás T. Freitas, Elena Marín-Cascales, Aarón Manzanares Serrano

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

On behalf of the Strength and Conditioning Society (SCS), we are pleased to present the abstracts submitted for the SCS 7th Annual Meeting. The event was held at the Universidad Católica de Murcia (UCAM) headquarters in Murcia, Spain, on 9–11 October 2024, and comprised several invited sessions by international and national speakers on a variety of topics related to biochemistry and exercise physiology, strength and conditioning practices and their application to health, injury prevention, and sports performance. These included strength training in high-performance sports, sport science and training–competition load management in elite environments, biochemistry and exercise physiology and prescription, nutrition …

The Shared Experiences Of Mental Health Providers Delivering Faith-Accommodated Interventions In A Public-School Setting In Rural Central Texas, Thomas Andrew Lolley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the lived experience of counselors around providing faith-accommodated counseling interventions in a school-based mental health setting in rural Central Texas. The theory guiding this study was Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) bioecological systems theory (EST) as it gives a framework for illustrating the impact of graduate academic institutions and governing bodies on faith-accommodated counseling in a public-school setting. Data was collected and analyzed using the conceptual mapping task (CMT) protocol. The CMT protocol is a four-phase transtheoretical interview process with built-in-member-checking features. Member checking is a qualitative technique using participant feedback on the data …

Safety, Efficacy, And Adjacent-Level Fracture Risk Following Vertebral Augmentation And Radiofrequency Ablation For The Treatment Of Spine Metastases In Patients With Cancer, Andrew Niekamp

All Publications

Purpose To evaluate the safety and efficacy of vertebral augmentation (VA) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for treating pathologic spinal fractures in patients with cancer and adjacent fracture risk following treatment. Materials and Methods This single-institution retrospective study, conducted from January 2017 to September 2020, included patients with cancer who underwent percutaneous VA with or without spine RFA for pathologic spine compression fractures. The primary outcome was pain reduction, assessed using the 10-point visual analog scale before the procedure, at first follow-up, and 2-4 weeks after the procedure. Logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with epidural cement leak. Results …