Referral Protocol For Women At High Risk For Breast Cancer, Ashley Johnson

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Breast cancer is the predominant type of cancer affecting females in the United States. Individualized population screening is widely recommended to detect cancer as quickly as possible. The use of an objective risk assessment tool is endorsed to achieve a more precise, personalized breast health plan. Women at high risk for breast cancer are eligible for close surveillance with more frequent clinical exams, breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRIs), and genetic counseling and testing. At the clinical site for this DNP project, Vanderbilt Breast Center (VBC), the Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool (BCRAT) was completed during each mammogram visit, yet the …

Implementing A Preventive Reproductive Screening And Intervention Program In A Primary Care Clinic To Improve Women’S Health During The Preconception Period, Wienelmine Estime-Joiner

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Unintended pregnancy, a significant public health concern in the United States, is linked to poor health outcomes due to inadequate preconception care. This DNP project aimed to enhance preventive reproductive health services for reproductive-age women (ages 18 to 44) in a primary care clinic in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia. Recognizing the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Academy of Primary Care Physicians, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and Healthy People 2030's recommendations for preventive reproductive screening, and daily folic acid intake pre- pregnancy, the project focused on implementing a reproductive screening tool to assess pregnancy risk, and folic acid …

Abortion Pills: Us History And Politics, Carrie N. Baker

Open Educational Resources: Textbooks

This is the first book to offer a comprehensive history of abortion pills in the United States. Public intellectual and lawyer Carrie N. Baker shows how courageous activists waged a decades-long campaign to establish, expand, and maintain access to abortion pills. Weaving their voices throughout her book, Baker recounts both dramatic and everyday acts of their resistance. These activists battled anti-abortion forces, overly cautious policymakers, medical gatekeepers, and fearful allies in their four-decade-long fight to free abortion pills. In post-Roe America, abortion pills are currently playing a critically important role in providing safe abortion access to tens of thousands of …

Balancing Abortion, Ball, Carlos A.

Santa Clara Law Review

Critics of Roe v. Wade and its progeny repeatedly contended that, in recognizing a fundamental right to choose an abortion, the Supreme Court ignored or significantly undervalued the states’ interests in regulating abortions. This Article’s examina- tion of the Court’s abortion jurisprudence during the Roe era, however, shows how it called for a meaningful balancing of the interests of both sides in ways that led the justices to uphold roughly as many abortion laws as they struck down between 1973 and 2020. In exploring the crucial role that the balancing of the interests of both the state and pregnant individuals …

Survival Times Of Transplanted Kidneys Among Different Donor–Recipient Cohorts: The United States Registry Analysis From 1987 To 2018, Part 1: Gender And Ethnicity, Nezamoddin N. Kachouie, Alain Despeignes, Daniel Breininger

Mathematics and System Engineering Faculty Publications

Over seven thousand people on average die each year in the United States waiting for an organ transplant due to the shortage of donated organs. With this alarming concern, efforts from the health organizations like the United Network Organ Sharing (UNOS) and government officials, by sharing the transplant data, inspire the investigation of the characteristics among donors and recipients that affects the longevity of donated organs. The goal of this study is to investigate the survival time of transplanted kidneys from 1987 to 2018 regarding the donors’ and the recipients’ characteristics. Survival analysis is performed to determine the characteristics associated …

No Orthopathy Without Orthoaesthesis: On The Necessity Of Negative Effort, Ryan G. Duns

Theology Faculty Research and Publications

Theologians have become increasingly attentive to the role emotion and experience must play in theological reflection. Several thinkers have recently done so by appropriating and developing Jon Sobrino’s understanding of orthopathy, or “right affect.” A close examination of these efforts, however, reveals inconsistencies in the way the category is understood and deployed. This article redresses these inconsistencies by complementing orthopathy with orthoaesthesis, or “right perception.” The article opens by considering various appeals to orthopathy before suggesting how William James’s theory of emotion might provide the category with clarifying content. The second stage engages Simone Weil and Iris Murdoch as practitioners …

The Role Of Information Communications In The Educational Environment Of Higher Education Institutions, Nataliia Shetelia, Fedir Apshay, Oksana Telep, Yaroslav Ahiy, Valerii Maslov

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

In a rapidly evolving world with advancing technology and digital tools, understanding the role of information communications in higher education has become highly relevant. This study aims to determine the impact of information communications on the educational process and student communication and proceeds from the need to understand this impact in the context of the growing digitalization of society. The research objective was accomplished through the utilization of an analytical approach, involving the examination of available data and relevant literature in the field. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were employed to analyze the data, enabling the formulation of impartial conclusions …

Performance And Perception Disparities In Blended Learning Across Varied Vocational Academic Backgrounds, Yujie Cao, Azhan Abdul Aziz, Wan Nur Rukiah Mohd Arshard

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

With rising popularity of vocational education in China, the study investigates how academic backgrounds influence vocational students’ perceptions and learning outcomes in a blended SketchUp course, guided by Blended Learning framework and Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Quantitative data from 71 undergraduate and 71 junior college interior architecture students was analyzed using statistical methods, including descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and t-tests. The analysis showed no significant differences between academic groups in academic achievements, but differences in several perceptions, suggesting equitable learning experiences in the blended course. Tutorial videos may have contributed to personalized pacing, reducing variations among learners. Applying TAM to …

Human Cell Modeling Of Cdkl5-Deficiency Disorder With Patient-Derived Organoids And Hd-Mea, Alyssa Paynton

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

CDKL5 deficiency disorder (CDD) is an X-linked disorder that leads to severe cognitive impairments as well as infantile epilepsy. The only FDA approved therapy helps to reduce seizure frequency, however there are currently no cures approved. While murine models have proven useful in characterizing CDD, there are limitations due to differences in brain structure and development across species that may lead to the reported lack of spontaneous seizures in the mouse, a hallmark in humans affected by this disorder. By the utilization of patient-specific iPSCs generated into cerebral organoids, a more comprehensive and in-depth analysis into rare neurological disorders, such …

Illuminating Function And Enabling Inhibition At The Protein-Membrane Interface Of Glutathione Peroxidase 4., Courtney L. Labrecque

Theses and Dissertations

Membrane proteins act as gateways to cells and are responsible not only for signaling, lipid transport, and cellular homeostasis, but they are also integral in disease pathologies. One class of membrane proteins, peripheral membrane proteins (PMPs), reside in aqueous compartments of the cell until they are recruited to the membrane to perform their function. Glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPx4) is a PMP enzyme responsible for engaging the membrane and reducing lipid hydroperoxides, thereby preventing cellular death via ferroptosis. Due to its central function surrounding ferroptosis, GPx4 is an interesting drug target that has recently gained interest for inflammatory diseases as well …

Latent Profiles Of Child Coping And Perception Of Experience Processes To Predict Long-Term Symptoms Of Depression, Intrusive Grief, And Suicidality Outcomes In Parentally Bereaved Children, Rebecca Hoppe

Theses and Dissertations

Childhood bereavement is a significant public health issue and the most distressing form of childhood trauma. The death of a parent can disrupt the course of a children's development and potentially predispose them to enduring adverse mental health outcomes, such as depression, intrusive grief, and suicidality. Recognizing grief as a dynamic process, theories have suggested that children’s unique coping and perceptions of experience can contribute to variations in individual adaptations to the death and the onset of mental health problems. The goals of this study were to (a) use latent profile analysis to empirically group recently bereaved children into distinct …

Assessing Relocation Habitats And Assisted Migration Of The Lassics Lupine, An Endangered California Serpentine-Endemic, Caitlyn M. Allchin

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The Lassics lupine, Lupinus constancei, is a serpentine species endemic to the Lassics Mountains of northern California, listed as critically imperiled and federally endangered. Increased encroachment from reduced fire intervals has led to elevated herbivory from small mammals. While deployment of exclosure cages has decreased negative impacts, diminishing snowpack from shifting climate continues to threaten the Lassics lupine. To locate possible refugia, I evaluated alternative sites for assisted migration. I built a habitat suitability model (HSM) using MaxEnt software and WorldClim variables to predict optimal habitat. I then evaluated aerial imagery, topography, and geology to identify areas for microhabitat …

Characterizing The Beneficial Uses Of The Arcata Marsh Constructed Wetland Treatment System And Wildlife Sanctuary, Andrew S. Wolff

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The Arcata Marsh Constructed Wetland Treatment System and Wildlife Sanctuary, located in Arcata California, has been in operation since 1986. Not only has it served as the wastewater treatment facility for the city, it has also provided other beneficial uses such as acting as a sanctuary for bird, mammal, amphibian, and macroinvertebrate species. With facility upgrades currently underway, it has become important to revisit the beneficial uses of the Arcata Marsh. This project aimed to identify and characterize these beneficial uses. Literature review was conducted, and eleven beneficial uses were identified. Existing and newly obtained data were analyzed to characterize …

Environmental Implications Of Modern Food Production: An Analysis For The Conscious Consumer, Jessica T. Coming

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This project explores the pathways by which agriculture affects the environment and determines which foods have the greatest climate, water, and land impacts. Agricultural effects on the environment are extensive, from loss of habitat and declines in regional biodiversity to disruption of global nutrient cycles and climate change. Global food production accounts for 26-34% of annual anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, makes up 38-46% of habitable land, and is responsible for 70% of freshwater extraction. The effect of agriculture on the environment is most significantly dictated by what type of food is being produced. Animal-based food products consistently have the highest …

Pond Characteristics That Influence Oviposition Site Selection By Two Pond-Breeding Amphibians, Northern Red-Legged Frog (Rana Aurora) And Northwestern Salamander (Ambystoma Gracile), Jessica Jones

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Pond-breeding amphibians connect aquatic and terrestrial habitats through their biphasic life cycle, and understanding pond characteristics that support oviposition sites for multiple species is important for amphibian conservation. Two common amphibians in the Pacific Northwest, Northern red-legged frog (Rana aurora) and Northwestern salamander (Ambystoma gracile) often oviposit in the same pond; however, prior studies have focused on pond use by one species or the other, but not both together. I surveyed pond and oviposition site characteristics of 26 ponds in Humboldt County, CA, 10 of which were used only by R. aurora and 16 of which …

Characterizing New Plant Fossils With Woody Growth From The Battery Point Formation Of Quebec (Canada), Emma T. Casselman

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The oldest woody growth has been recognized in several Early Devonian (ca. 410-395 Ma) euphyllophytes. Their taxonomic diversity is difficult to evaluate due to a lack of quantitative methods for comparing plants based on secondary xylem anatomy. In turn, this hinders understanding of their implications for the evolution of plant development. To develop metrics that quantify secondary xylem anatomy and allow for conclusive comparisons, I investigated extant taxa and Early Devonian fossil woody taxa. I developed multiple metrics for quantifying tracheid size as a function of position in the secondary xylem and tested them on a dataset of extant gymnosperms. …

A Post-Colonial Criticism Of Ernest Callenbach's Ecotopia, Kaitlyn R. O'Dell

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The representation of Indigenous land-based cosmologies within Ernest Callenbach’s Ecotopia communicates a real perception of our world through the constructed imaginative society within this speculative fiction novel. Ecotopia is an alternative Pacific West Coast society that counters the dominant United States model in its holistic and green approach. This green society relies heavily on Indigenous ideology but lacks actual Indigenous voices or communities within this white idealized society. This research provides an example of the deconstruction of this popular novel to its main problematic components, establishing why the use of Indigenous beliefs and values can cause negative implications to the …

"Kindness Eases Change / Love Quiets Fear": Mapping Change And Movement In Octavia Butler's Parable Of The Sower, Elizabeth Hershey

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

In this project I take a digital mapping approach to reading and analyzing Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower. A lot has been said about this novel’s relevance to our own world, and the ways it forces us to think about possible futures. To contribute to the conversations surrounding this novel, I add a digital humanities element to the conversation in order to see what digital mapping has to offer in the way of literary analysis and connecting this novel to our own world. Since the novel is so focused on movement and change, I mapped out the movement of …

Domestic Supply (A Feminist Proposal), Jennifer S. Hendricks

Publications

No abstract provided.

Shift In Algal Blooms From Micro‐ To Macroalgae Around China With Increasing Eutrophication And Climate Change, Yuan Feng, Yonglong Xiong, Jm Hall‐Spencer, Kailin Liu, John Beardall, K Gao, Jingke Ge, Juntian Xu, G Gao

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Blooms of microalgal red tides and macroalgae (e.g., green and golden tides caused by Ulva and Sargassum) have caused widespread problems around China in recent years, but there is uncertainty around what triggers these blooms and how they interact. Here, we use 30 years of monitoring data to help answer these questions, focusing on the four main species of microalgae Prorocentrum donghaiense, Karenia mikimotoi, Noctiluca scintillans, and Skeletonema costatum) associated with red tides in the region. The frequency of red tides increased from 1991 to 2003 and then decreased until 2020, with S. costatum red tides exhibiting the highest rate …

Explainability And Understandability Of Artificial Neural Networks, Jan Stodt

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics Theses

Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) have achieved significant success in fields likehealthcare, but their "black box" nature challenges transparency and user trust.Existing Explainable AI (XAI) methods aim to interpret ANN decisions, yet manyare not understandable to non-AI-experts, emphasizing the need for approachesthat prioritize both accuracy and usability, especially in high-stakes environments.This thesis investigates the reliability and usability of selected existing XAI meth-ods, evaluating how effectively they convey meaningful explanations to users withAI varying expertise. Assessments of methods like LIME, GradCAM, and Fast-CAM identify key limitations, such as inconsistent visual saliency maps and a lackof user-centred design. These findings underpin the need …

“We’Ve All Come Together”: A Board Game Intervention For Children And Adults With Autism And Other Developmental Disabilities, Gray Atherton, Emily Dawson, Liam Cross

School of Psychology

The authors discuss how board games offer individuals with autism (whooften struggle with social settings and require structured outlets for building relationships) an affordable, naturalistic, collaborative environmentthat is stimulating, engaging, and educational. Board games, they assert,provide opportunities to practice social skills, including cooperation andsocial deduction, essential skills for both neurotypical and atypical people.The authors include recommendations for introducing board games intospecial educational settings. K

Contrasting Species-Specific Stress Response To Environmental Ph Determines The Fate Of Coccolithophores In Future Oceans, Nishant Chauhan, Craig J. Dedman, Chloë Baldreki, Adam A. Dowle, Tony R. Larson, Rosalind E.M. Rickaby

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Molecular mechanisms driving species-specific environmental sensitivity in coccolithophores are unclear but crucial in understanding species selection and adaptation to environmental change. This study examined proteomic and physiological changes in three species under varying pH conditions. We showed that changing pH drives intracellular oxidative stress and changes membrane potential. Upregulation in antioxidant, DNA repair and cell cycle-related protein-groups indicated oxidative damage across high (pH 8.8) and low pH (pH 7.6) compared to control pH (pH 8.2), and correlated with reduced growth rates. Upregulation of mitochondrial proteins suggested higher metabolite demand for restoring cellular homeostasis under pH-induced stress. Photosynthetic rates generally correlated …

Language Change At The Intersections Of Movement, Economy, And Orientation, Joseph A. Stanley, Margaret E. L. Renwick, Monica Nesbitt

Faculty Publications

A growing amount of research on North American English varieties shows that many sociolinguistic variables peaked among the Baby Boomer Generation (born approximately 1946–64). By “peak,” we mean that a linguistic phenomenon in one community has reached its point of greatest intensity and is maximally divergent from realizations of that same variable in most other North American communities. Similarly, we also find studies that describe a “cliff” beginning among Generation X (born approximately 1965–82) such that after generations of relative stability, local dialect features are lost. Nesbitt (2021, 359) observes that “the Baby Boomer–Gen X transition appears to be a …

Informing Standardized Wood Turtle (Glyptemys Insculpta) Population Monitoring: Influences Of Sampling Approach And Turtle Behavior On Model Estimation, Allyson N. Beard

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

To better understand wood turtle (Glyptemys insculpta) population trends, two standardized population survey protocols were recently developed for use by state monitoring programs. The protocols were independently developed, tested, and deployed for population monitoring in the eastern and upper midwestern United States. It was unknown if the sampling designs result in similar detection success or if data from the two protocols are compatible for broad-scale analyses. Additionally, neither monitoring protocol includes a sampling design that allows for the separation of detection (p) into availability (p_a), and detection given availability (p_d). …

Modeling, Control, And Fault Detection Of Energy Systems Under Limited High-Confidence Data Scenarios, Selorme K. Agbleze

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Abstract

Modeling, Control, and Fault Detection of Energy Systems under Limited High-Confidence Data Scenarios

Selorme K. Agbleze

Utilizing process measurements for fault detection is an established approach for processes with adequate datasets. For systems with limited high-confidence data representing fault cases and some amount of low-confidence data, few quantitative hybrid techniques exist for performing fault detection. In real systems, it is time-consuming, expensive, and sometimes not productive to generate enough high-confidence data with fault characteristics of a specific process. The problem of limited high-confidence data scenarios may also arise due to process novelty, the need for new operating conditions, or …

Structural And Functional Consequences Of Pde6 Prenylation In Rod And Cone Photoreceptors, Faezeh Moakedi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Phosphodiesterase-6 (PDE6) serves as a pivotal component in the phototransduction pathways of both cone and rod photoreceptors. In cones, PDE6 consists of tetrameric subunits: inhibitory (γ') and catalytic (α'). The catalytic subunit, PDE6α', contains a C-terminal prenylation motif. Deletion of this motif is associated with achromatopsia (ACHM), a form of color blindness. The mechanisms underlying the disease and the roles of PDE6 lipidation in vision remain elusive. Meanwhile, rod PDE6 is composed of α and β catalytic subunits and γ inhibitory subunits, with alterations in the C-terminal "prenylation motif" of PDE6β linked to retinitis pigmentosa (RP) pathology. In this comprehensive …

Associations Among Psychosocial Factors, Health-Related Quality Of Life, And Adherence In Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Cecelia I. Nelson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a prevalent disorder among youth in the United States. IBD is one of the leading causes of chronic pain in adolescence and symptoms can lead to reduced quality of life, social embarrassment, and lower self-esteem. Adherence to medical regimens for IBD is incredibly important to prevent morbidity, mortality, and impaired health-related quality of life (HRQOL). However, adolescents struggle generally with adherence and the regimen for IBD can be complicated and include aversive side effects. Psychological factors, such as depressive symptoms, are key factors associated with non-adherence. Nevertheless, gut-specific anxiety (GSA) is a psychological factor that …

Evaluation Of Probable Maximum Precipitation (Pmp) For West Virginia To Predict Current And Future Pmp & Utilizing Acid Mine Drainage (Amd) Sludge In Reclamation, Grace Katherine Kerr

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis includes two main topics: 1) evaluation of probable maximum precipitation (PMP) for West Virginia to predict current and future PMP, and 2) utilizing acid mine drainage (AMD) sludge as a reclamation plan.

Probable maximum precipitation (PMP) is essential for dam design as well as for the inspection, operation, maintenance, and repairs of these facilities. West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection Dam Safety utilizes the 6-hr, 10-mi² (26-km²) PMP established by Hydrometeorological Report (HMR) 51 based on the analysis of extreme rainfall. These PMP are outdated because there have been unaccounted for extreme rainfall events that …

Theorizing Mathematical Proof As Becoming: A Deleuzio-Guattarian Investigation, Joshua P. Case

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In this dissertation, I utilize the post-structural philosophy of Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari as a lens for investigating the proof process. Deleuze and Guattari were both post- structural philosophers who, like many in this tradition, troubled traditional notions related to stable identities, meaning, language, and mathematics. For Deleuze, sense and meaning is not the result of a sterile, transcendent effect or condition that is associated with propositions and states of affairs. Rather, it is the result of a material production that emerges from the world and that has independence from language and the mind. I apply this framework to …