Digital Commons Network^™

Non-Credit Certifications, Angela Brock

General Education Committee

No abstract provided.

Completed Aa/As Degrees, Angela Brock

General Education Committee

No abstract provided.

Seasonal Pollen Increases Traffic Fatalities In The United States, Monica Deza

Population Health Research Brief Series

Traffic fatalities are the among the leading causes of death in the United States. Motor vehicle crash death rates have declined overall in the U.S. in recent decades, but there is substantial variation in rates across the country. Due to climate change, exposure to pollen has increased in various parts of the U.S. The antihistamine response triggered by pollen can result in poor physical and cognitive symptoms, thus impacting an individual’s ability to drive and increasing the risk of motor vehicle fatalities. This brief summarizes findings from a study that used data from the National Allergy Bureau (NAB) Pollen and …

N-Methyl-D-Aspartate (Nmda) Receptors Control Calcium Signaling In Striatal Neurons To Guide Value-Based Learning, Alex Legaria Macal

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) play an essential role in neuronal function. Activation of NMDARs leads to calcium influx into postsynaptic neurons, which regu?late many fundamental aspects of neuronal physiology including synaptic plasticity, gene expression, and excitability. In the striatum, the input region of the basal ganglia, NM?DAR activity has been shown to regulate physiological function of striatal neurons, such as synaptic plasticity and excitability, and they also modulate behavior, particularly op?erant learning. However, there are many fundamental questions about the signaling and effects of NMDARs in vivo that have yet to be resolved. Moreover, the link between the physiological and behavioral …

Examining State Statutory Selection Methods, Term Limits, And Required Qualifications For Appellate Judges As A Model For Reform, Angelo Brown, Wesley Mccann, Ruibin Lu, Brenda I. Rowe, Craig Hemmens

Journal of Criminal Justice and Law

Several reform proposals have been pushed forward for the federal judiciary- namely the United States Supreme Court- in recent years, including term limits, changes in judicial selection, and qualification criteria. Such changes could ostensibly apply to all federal appellate judges as well. The purpose of this study is to determine if states can provide a roadmap for Supreme Court reform discussions. This study utilizes a state-level legal content analysis of all statutes pertaining to judicial selection and qualification criteria for appellate-level judges. Specifically, selection mechanisms, age limits, term limits, and qualifications for selection are examined. Whether state statutory schemes can …

Guidelines For Returning To Dance Following Concussion: Adaptations From Sport Concussion Literature, Sheyi Ojofeitimi, Lauren Mcintyre, Elizabeth Barchi, Sarah S. Rae, Brittney Winnitoy, Jeffrey A. Russell

Department of Family & Community Medicine Faculty Papers

Sport concussion receives substantial attention as a public health concern. Conversely, performing artists, including dancers, sustain concussions, but these aesthetic athletes do not receive the same level of consideration nor care for this injury as that offered to traditional athletes. The concussion literature pertaining to dance is sparse, and, to our knowledge, no recommendations exist for the crucial aspect of care related to returning to dance following a concussion. The purpose of this article is to assimilate the current knowledge about post-concussion return to activity management in sport—the closest analog of the physical demands required in dance—as a means to …

Good For Her: Catharsis And Empowerment In Contemporary Literature, Jessica Lynn Vaught

Online Theses and Dissertations

A recent trend in readership within online discourse communities is the emergence of the genre called “Good for Her,” which contains themes of transgression beyond traditional expectations of socially acceptable feminine behavior by situating revenge arcs to celebrate actions that otherwise would have been perceived as reprehensible. The emergence and popularity of the genre in the post-2016 sociopolitical climate in the United States reflects the demand for marginalized communities to see versions of themselves represented in texts in which the protagonist avenges herself in the face of patriarchal oppression. The genre stems from canonical literary tropes also created in the …

An Intervention For Youth Impacted By Parental Incarceration: A Mentoring Program Effectiveness From The Caregiver’S Perspective, Sunni Sarah Iris Ann Walters

Online Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the effectiveness of the Amachi mentoring program in supporting children impacted by familial incarceration from the caregivers perspective. Using a qualitative approach, we conducted two focus groups with three participants in each to assess the program's impact across four key areas: behavior, emotions, school performance, and social interactions. We hypothesized that Amachi would have a positive impact on the children they serve. The findings indicate that caregivers perceive the program as beneficial, suggesting potential improvements in various aspects of the children’s lives. These results highlight the potential of the Amachi program to support the development and resilience …

Factors Associated With First-Year Student Retention In Higher Education: A Quantitative Analysis Of Student Confidence And Use Of Support Services On Persistence And Success, Starr Wentzel

Online Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative study investigated factors influencing first-year student retention at a midsized regional comprehensive university. Using archival data from the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 academic years, the research examined the retention rates of Standard Admit students and conditionally admitted Success First students. The study explored student retention based on use of available support services, namely visits to the campus Student Success Center (SSC), as well as measures of cognitive and non-cognitive skills and confidence as assessed through a standardized nationally normed assessment tool. Additionally, it identified key demographic variables such as gender, race, Pell Grant eligibility, and first-generation status that impact …

Combining Alaska Forage Fish Data From Research Surveys And Predator Diets To Assess Forage Fish Response To Climatic Regime Shifts, Lindsay Turner

Fisheries

Forage fish play a crucial role in the marine ecosystems of Alaska through the transfer of energy from lower trophic levels to marine predators. Understanding and quantifying Alaskan forage fish responses to rapid climatic shifts is needed to inform adaptive management strategies under a warmer and more variable future in Alaska. However, data on the occurrence and abundance of forage fish in Alaska are limited due to the diversity of life history strategies and patchy distribution that make their capture in fisheries-independent surveys difficult. In this thesis, I address current gaps in the data available on forage fish through the …

Salmon, Stewardship, And Indigenous Livelihoods: Bridging Knowledge Systems And Reshaping Research Relationality In The Kuskokwim Region Of Southwestern Alaska, Janessa Esquible

Fisheries

This dissertation research is situated in southwestern Alaska, in the communities of Kongiganak, Quinhagak, Bethel, Aniak, and McGrath, spanning the Kuskokwim Bay and Kuskokwim River, and with Alaska Native Peoples (primarily Yup'ik and Athabascan fishing families) who have been salmon peoples and stewards of their ancestral homelands since time immemorial. This Indigenous-led project documented historical and current ways in which Yup'ik and Athabascan Peoples have served as salmon stewards, and the values and governance mechanisms pertaining to salmon stewardship. We utilized a participatory approach by involving Tribal governments, communities, and Indigenous local youth in all aspects of our research. We …

Ucc Minutes 12-17-24, Angela Brock

UCC Agendas/Minutes

No abstract provided.

Traveling Waves In Biological Population Models, Ahlam Alzahrani

Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, we examine the existence of traveling waves in population models. We begin by exploring conditions under which traveling waves exist, even when the migration probability lacks a density function or, if the density function exists, it may be discontinuous. To address this, we impose certain conditions that ensure the monotonicity of the evolution operator, enabling the application of the Monotone Iteration Method. Next, we explore the existence of monotone traveling waves in a general class of integral-difference population models that depend on both the previous state and long-term memory, allowing for the consideration of multiple past states. …

Examining Change In Burnout And Empathy Among Physician Assistant Students During The Clinical And Didactic Years, Jannelle Reynolds, Kimberly Gomes, Nicole M. Sleddens, Jana L. Wardian Phd

Innovations in Health Sciences Education Journal

Few studies investigate how burnout affects physician assistant's student empathy. This study aimed to determine the degree of burnout and empathy in didactic PA students as compared to burnout and empathy in their clinical year.

Methods: One cohort of PA students at a Midwestern university were surveyed twice during their education. Once during didactic and once during the clinical year. Two surveys were used to assess burnout and empathy.

Results: Our findings showed moderate to high levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization at the end of the didactic phase and significant improvement in lack of personal achievement and emotional exhaustion …

Skin Lesions, Weight Loss, And Facial Swelling After A Hand Injury, Abdul Hafeez Diwan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Factors Influencing The Oral Health Behaviours Of Autistic Children And Young People: A Qualitative Study, Jo Erwin, Sarah Neill, Tara Vassallo, Isaac Vassallo, Rob Witton, Martha Paisi

Peninsula Dental School

Background: Poor oral health (OH) in childhood can cause pain, affect quality of life and significantly impact adult OH. Autistic children and young people (CYP) experience inequalities in OH and are at higher risk of cavities and gum disease than neurotypical CYP. Objective: To provide evidence and insights into the factors affecting the OH behaviours of ACYP from the perspective of ACYP, their parents/carers and Dental Health Professionals (DHPs). Method: Semi-structured online or face-to-face interviews were conducted with CYP, parents/carers and DHPs in Southwest England. Results: Nineteen ACYP (aged 5–18 years old), 20 parents/carers and 16 DHPs were interviewed. The …

Evaluation Of An Artificial Intelligence-Based Intraocular Lens Calculator: Ai-Based Iol-Optimized Formula, Douglas D Koch

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Purpose: To evaluate the ZEISS AI IOL Calculator (ZEISS AI) and compare its accuracy in refractive prediction to the Barrett Universal II (BUII) and Kane formulas.

Setting: Cullen Eye Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX.

Design: Retrospective case series.

Methods: The ZEISS AI IOL Calculator (ZEISS AI) is an artificial intelligence (AI) based IOL-optimized formula. The refractive prediction errors (PEs) were calculated in the entire dataset and subgroups of short eyes (axial length (AL) ≤ 22.5 mm) and long eyes (AL ≥ 25.0 mm). The standard deviation (SD), root-mean-square absolute error (RMSAE), mean absolute error (MAE), median absolute error …

The Pace Of Biological Aging Partially Explains The Relationship Between Socioeconomic Status And Chronic Low Back Pain Outcomes, Edwin N Aroke, Jai Ganesh Nagidi, Vinodh Srinivasasainagendra, Tammie L Quinn, Fiona B A T Agbor, Kiari R Kinnie, Hemant K Tiwari, Burel R Goodin

2020-Current year OA Pubs

INTRODUCTION: Having a lower socioeconomic status (SES) is a predictor of age-related chronic conditions, including chronic low back pain (cLBP). We aimed to examine whether the pace of biological aging mediates the relationship between SES and cLBP outcomes - pain intensity, pain interference, and physical performance.

METHODS: We used the Dunedin Pace of Aging Calculated from the Epigenome (DunedinPACE) software to determine the pace of biological aging in adults ages 18 to 85 years with no cLBP (n = 74), low-impact pain (n = 56), and high-impact pain (n = 77).

RESULTS: The mean chronological age of the participants was …

Bat Activity Across Urban Forest Plantings In Lexington, Kentucky, Grayson Marie Collier

Online Theses and Dissertations

Urbanization has led to major forest loss and negatively impacts ecosystem services. Urban reforestation efforts, such as Reforest the Bluegrass (RTB) in the Lexington-Fayette metropolitan area of Kentucky, have been implemented to address these negative effects, and to create habitat for forest-dependent wildlife such as bats. My research focused on assessing differences in bat activity across a 20-year chronosequence of RTB sites. Acoustic detectors were deployed across 10 different-aged plantings at 60 randomly-defined detector locations. Each planting was surveyed across 8 sampling periods from May – August 2023. Each recording session spanned ca. 7 consecutive nights, yielding a total of …

Living Pedagogy: Redesigning The First Year Writing Classroom, Ella Johnson

Online Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis the writing pedagogies of process, critical literacy, and multimodality are used as a framework for redesigning the physical layout and aesthetics of the first-year writing classroom. The idea of embracing a fully embodied ‘living’ pedagogy is also explored as a means to develop and sustain professional identity as a college writing instructor. An examination of process pedagogy reveals a natural materiality of writing and the role of physical environment. The pedagogy of critical literacy is used to determine how issues accessibility and representation can be answered by classroom design. Current practices of multimodality in classroom design are …

A Range Extension For Carex Sartwellii In Interior Alaska, Mark A. Winterstein

Biological Sciences

Mean annual temperatures and growing season length have been increasing in northern latitudes. This has impacted permafrost thaw and the water balance of northern regions, resulting in a pattern of drying lakes in the Yukon Flats, Alaska. As lakes dry, they expose lake sediments to colonization by terrestrial vegetation. Recent interest in the terrestrial response to climate change and its effects on ecosystem services led to the formation of the Yukon River Basin project. As a part of this project, we studied plant succession and diversity in the drying lake basins. In the course of our field work we encountered …

Phytoplankton As A Bioindicator For Evaluation Of The Irrigation Water Quality Near A Metal-Coating Factory, Mimatun Nasihah, Ardyati Ardyati, Dian Siswanto, Catur Retnaningdyah

Makara Journal of Science

The irrigation water quality in Plosowahyu village, Lamongan District, Indonesia, has declined because of industrial waste disposal in irrigation canals. Specifically, waste from a metal-coating factory considerably threatens the aquatic ecosystem. To assess the impact, we evaluated water quality on the basis of phytoplankton diversity and various phys-icochemical parameters. We collected water and phytoplankton samples from four locations in Plosowahyu village: before the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) outlet of the metal-coating factory, at this outlet, and from two sites in Wahyu River, with three repetitions at each site. The study measured several physicochemical parameters, including total dissolved solids (TDS), total …

Modeling Rate Of Penetration In A South Texas Oil Field With Aggregated Well Data In A Supercomputing Framework, Timothy B. Golden

Engineering

The objective of this work is to develop an accurate and practical tool for drilling engineers supporting operations to predict rate of penetration (ROP) in the tangent section of the wellbore using easily obtainable data. Historically, tacit knowledge has been used to predict both ROP and the ideal parameters. Such a tool is valuable for planners seeking to adjust rig schedules. Further, this tool could easily be modified to also optimize parameters. This work was comprised of two major efforts: data acquisition and wrangling, and modeling. Data was obtained from three distinct sources: well files, drilling logs, and survey logs. …

Identification And Future Susceptibility Of Permafrost Degradation Near Red Dog Mine, Caitlynn Tautuk Hanna

Engineering

Permafrost degradation is a major concern in the Arctic region, and its impacts on infrastructure, ecosystems, and global climate are significant. Within recent years, 2018 to present, the level of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) has been elevated in Ikalukrok Creek in Northwest Alaska, made evident by creek discolorations known as river rusting. The current analyses indicate that changes in permafrost regimes can trigger the observed rise in TDS. Data visualization, remote sensing, and permafrost modeling were used to understand the physical mechanisms involved in the increase of TDS and to identify regions susceptible to permafrost degradation. This comprehensive approach integrates …

Extraction Of Rare Earth Elements From Coal Ash Using Supercritical Co₂, Uthej Veerla

Engineering

The increasing demand for rare earth elements (REEs) as critical components in modern technologies has led to growing interest in their efficient recovery from alternative sources. Coal ash, a waste product generated from coal combustion, has been identified as a potential reservoir of valuable REEs with reported REE concentrations varying between 270 and 1480 ppm. In this research paper, we investigate the recovery of REEs from three coal ashes: anthracite, bituminous, sub-bituminous using environmentally benign supercritical fluid (SCF) carbon dioxide (CO2). Additionally, the effect of tributyl phosphate (TBP) and nitric acid (HNO3) as complexing agents is explored to enhance the …

Seismic Site Response, Liquefaction-Induced Lateral Spreading And Impact Of Seasonal Frost On Pile Foundations In Cold Regions, Yue Zhao

Engineering

Permafrost sites are experiencing significant changes due to anthropogenic activities and climate change, leading to substantial variations in soil dynamic properties and increased seismic risks. The associated geohazards, including differential settlement, slope instability, and liquefaction of degraded, unconsolidated materials in seismically active warm permafrost regions, pose substantial threats to the built infrastructure. This study aims to assess the seismic site response of warm permafrost sites and analyze the impact of seasonal frost on liquefaction-induced lateral spreading and pile foundation behavior in cold regions. Northway Airport, Alaska, was used as the study site to characterize permafrost conditions, while the Slana River …

Ethnic Group Affiliation And Perceptions Of Ethnic Russians In Lithuania, Morgan Lindsay Hassell

Theses and Dissertations

There are many factors that influence language acquisition and use, particularly in multilingual environments. The ethnic group affiliation (EGA) of speakers, or the degree to which a speaker identifies with their native language or culture, has been shown to have a significant impact on language use (Gatbonton, Trofimovich & Segalowitz 2009, Zabrodskaja 2015). EGA can also impact the judgments of and attitudes toward these speakers by others (e.g., Trofimovich & Turuševa 2020). Lithuania is a multilingual state with a complex political and linguistic history, particularly in relation to the Russian language and people. In this study, 150 native Lithuanians and …

Developing A New Liquefaction Ejecta Prediction Model Considering Soil Properties Of Non-Liquifiable Surface Layers Using New Large Database From The 2012 Emilia Romagna, Italy Earthquakes, Jonah Bradley Dundas

Theses and Dissertations

The presence of a non-liquefied crust overlying a liquefied layer has been found to have a significant effect on sand ejecta and surficial liquefaction damage, as observed by Ishihara (1985). Following the 2010-2011 Canterbury seismic sequence in New Zealand, almost no foundation deformation occurred in areas with liquefaction susceptible soils overlain by at least a 3 meter thick crust [1]. In contrast, the 2012 Emilia-Romagna earthquake in Italy provided surface evidence of liquefaction despite 6+ meter thick crusts. Several researchers have proposed liquefaction prediction models [e.g. LPI [2], Ishihara Curves [3], LSN [4], LPIISH [5] and the methods proposed by …

Corynebacterium Minutissimum As A Rare Cause Of Tibial Osteomyelitis: A Case Report And Literature Review, Ayub Ansari, Dania Shoaib, Maher Asfour, Xiyue Wang, Pooja Sharma

Student Publications

Osteomyelitis is commonly caused by pathogens like Staphylococcus aureus, but rare organisms such as Corynebacterium minutissimum, typically associated with superficial skin infections, can also be implicated. Recognizing these atypical pathogens presents diagnostic and therapeutic challenges, especially in the presence of orthopedic hardware. We conducted a literature review yielding 25 studies and encompassing 797 patient cases, which highlights the emerging role of Corynebacterium species in osteomyelitis, particularly following trauma or surgical interventions. A 72-year-old man with a history of chronic right tibia and fibula fractures from a motor vehicle accident presented with progressively worsening leg pain over six months. …

Pathways From Socioeconomic Factors To Major Cardiovascular Events Among Postmenopausal Veteran And Nonveteran Women: Findings From The Women's Health Initiative, Rona Yu, Qian Xiao, Longjian Liu, Philippe Gradidge, Su Yon Jung, Hilary A Tindle, Shawna Follis, Robert Brunner, Jack Tsai

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a leading cause of death for women in the United States, with veterans being at potentially higher risk than their nonveteran counterparts due to accelerated aging and distinct biopsychosocial mechanisms. We examined pathways between selected indicators of socioeconomic status (SES) such as education, occupation, household income, and neighborhood SES and major CVD events through lifestyle and health characteristics among veteran and nonveteran postmenopausal women.

METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 121 286 study-eligible WHI (Women's Health Initiative) participants (3091 veterans and 118 195 nonveterans) were prospectively followed for an average of 17 years, during which …