Digital Commons Network^™

2024 Usd Baja Sae, Ethan Dixon

Creative Collaborations: Annual Showcase of Undergraduate Research

The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Baja collegiate design series allows engineering students to design, build, and test a single-seat, 4WD vehicle in multiple competitions with other universities from around the world. The goal is to build an all-terrain sporting vehicle to be a prototype for a reliable, maintainable, ergonomic, and economical production vehicle intended for sale to the nonprofessional weekend enthusiast. The 2023-2024 USD Torero Racing Baja has begun construction on a new vehicle, targeting steering improvements, a more robust gearbox, and continuously variable transmission (CVT) testing, as well as the inclusion of a shaft-driven 4WD system.

Rat Spatial Discounting And Value Appraisal, Rachel Conley, Malia Fesler, Leah Friedman, Victor Lysenko

Creative Collaborations: Annual Showcase of Undergraduate Research

In psychology, the Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) is used as a spatial task that requires the selection of an efficient route among multiple targets. One strategy rats may use to solve the TSP is the nearest neighbor strategy. This technique is founded on two key assumptions: first, that rats possess the perceptual acuity to compare relative target distances, and secondly, that they are motivated to select routes that optimize efficiency. This study aims to investigate rats' ability to compare relative distances of targets. Each rat underwent eight trials, five in an open maze and three in a T-maze. Each rat …

Automated Hypodermic Tube Cleaning System, Dan Carqueville, Alfonso Ruiz, Mia Tabladillo, George Waltz, Ryan Young

Creative Collaborations: Annual Showcase of Undergraduate Research

Glaukos, a medical device company specializing in glaucoma treatments, aims to reduce time and labor costs associated with cleaning hypodermic tubes ranging from 21-32 gauge that are used in various Glaukos products. The tubes are direct patient contacting components, so ensuring cleanliness is critical to overall quality. The team developed various prototypes for each critical function. Some of these critical functions include tube individualization, tube identification, and tube transportation and handling. Key performance metrics include tube washing time, cleanliness, and minimal operator involvement.

Maps And Navigation In Spatial Cognition, Jayne Brandt, Rachel Conley, Olivia Fox, Kanan Levy

Creative Collaborations: Annual Showcase of Undergraduate Research

The purpose of our study is to compare the cognitive processes used to solve spatial problems on a large scale (moving through space) and on a small scale (on a sheet of paper). We are using a problem called the Traveling Salesperson Problem (TSP), in which the participant is asked to find the shortest path that travels to multiple destinations before returning home. Previous research has indicated that humans do surprisingly well on this mathematically complex task, producing nearly optimal solutions quickly and easily. Most previous research on this problem has used computerized or paper versions of the TSP, in …

Solar Turbines: Mars Solonox Fuel Injector Serviceability, Ava Boughey, Andrew Salinas, Musashi Nozaki, Legend Matautia, Jason Navarrete

Creative Collaborations: Annual Showcase of Undergraduate Research

The ability to remove a fuel injector from a Solar Turbines Mars 100 Engine has been a strenuous and demanding task for Field Service Representatives (FSRs). Not only is it physically demanding for an FSR, taking an average of 2-3 hours to remove a single fuel Injector, with 14 located radially around the combustor section of the engine, it is also a costly one. Due to the large amount of time consumed when removing, the company using the turbine can lose a sizable amount of money. FSRs are requested to complete maintenance cycles every 5,000 hours the engine is run …

A Computational Analysis Of Gratian’S Decretum (C. 1140), Jake Bayon

Creative Collaborations: Annual Showcase of Undergraduate Research

In the expanse of medieval history, amidst the crisis of the church and state, Gratian emerges as a pivotal yet often overlooked figure, renowned for his pioneering work in canon law. His seminal text, Concordia Discordantium Canonum (The Harmony of Discordant Canons), brought order to the cacophony of contradictory laws within the Catholic church that had accumulated over centuries. The discovery of the text’s first recension—an earlier edition that is approximately half of the size of its more widely known counterpart—has opened new avenues of inquiry. Our research delves into the evolution of Gratian's magnum opus, particularly exploring the topical …

Southcrest Cooperative Energy Feasibility Initiative, Avery Aquino, Katie Temple, Nicolette Agajanian, Isabella Maciel

Creative Collaborations: Annual Showcase of Undergraduate Research

This research project provides an overview and feasibility analysis of a community-based project emerging in the Opportunity Zone of Southcrest, San Diego, California. Virgil Lorenzo (EdD), CEO of GLOBE Education Consultants, proposes a project inspired by the Mondragon Cooperative Corporation, aiming to introduce renewable energy to Southcrest. Lorenzo seeks Distributed Energy Resources (DER) Project Teams to kickstart the initiative, which involves outfitting homes with renewable energy sources like solar panels and micro wind turbines. Eventually, these homes will form a microgrid, potentially selling excess energy back to the main grid during peak usage. The project adopts a community-first approach, engaging …

‘Lucy Ngarbal Marshall Oration By The Nulungu Chair Of Indigenous Studies’, Stephen Kinnane

Workshops and Presentations

In the second Lucy Ngarbal Marshall Oration, Chair of Indigenous Studies, Steve Kinnane, will explore the historical context leading up to the Crocodile Hole Meeting in 1991 at Rugan in the East Kimberley, and intervening historical arc of self-determination over the past 30 plus years. Following the 1967 referendum and the resultant 1972 Aboriginal Affairs Planning Authority Act, Kimberley Aboriginal leaders pivoted to Canberra as they sought a regional voice beyond the colonial frame of Western Australia. These hopeful beginnings of speaking as a region beyond the often-empty promises of bilateral entanglements that characterised the Kimberley’s relationship with the nation …

Does Medical School Prepare Doctors To Treat Sexual Health?, Sonjia Kenya, Breanne Young, Fabiola Joseph, Olveen Carrasquillo

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

Does Medical School Prepare Doctors to Treat Sexual Health?

Abstract

Introduction: Sexual function is a normative process warranting the equal attention of preventive and treatment services throughout the lifespan. Despite growing recognition of the value of human sexuality in clinical settings, there is no standardized sexual wellness curriculum universally administered in medical schools. Accordingly, many current and future physicians feel underprepared when taking care of patients’ sexual health needs.

Methods: To strengthen sexual health knowledge among medical students in Miami, we conducted a brief workshop in February 2020 and March 2021. The workshop provided an introductory overview of the physiology …

Sexuality, Sex Education, And Intellectual Disability: Guidance For Counselors, Julie C. Hill, Jill M. Meyer, Lindsay E. Stokes, J.C. Ausmus, Brandon Worthey, Jamie Carney

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

Sexual health and sexuality can be an important component of an individual’s identity. Sexual health and sexuality are a vital part of an individual’s quality of life and overall health and well-being. Individuals with intellectual disabilities have been viewed as asexual, lacking sexual interest, or have an inability to engage in sexual activity. These views have led to individuals with intellectual disabilities to be excluded from sexual education programs or lack appropriate knowledge of sexuality, sexual health, and healthy relationships. It is important for parents, medical providers, mental health professionals, and caregivers to have the knowledge needs to have conversations …

We Are Family: Queer And Transgender Family Building, Jennifer M. Gess, Nattalie Wolff-Tseng, Kaitlin J. Phelps, Madison Morley

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

LGBTQ+ people experience resiliency and discrimination when attempting to build families. There are massive systemic barriers and oppressive walls LGBTQ+ people face when forming either a blended family, trying at-home insemination, using assisted reproductive technology, working with a gestational carrier, or attempting to become a foster parent or adopt a child. Queer reproductive justice provides a foundation for counselors to support clients by using affirmative counseling, providing positive mandatory interactions clients are ordered to during family building, and advocating with and on behalf of their LGBTQ+ clients building families.

Can A Course On Sexuality Counseling Increase Empathy When Working With Sex- And Gender-Minoritized Individuals?, Betty Cardona, Robinder P. Bedi

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

This study examined whether a sexuality counseling course could increase self-perceived empathy for working with Sex and Gender minoritized (SGM)individuals. Forty-two students enrolled in a sexuality counseling course completed empathy assessments prior to starting the course and after completing it. Statistically significant increases in empathy towards gay/lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals were found (moderate to a large effect sizes). Results indicate that, at least under some circumstances, empathy levels for SGM individuals in counselors-in-training (CITs) could be increased through coursework. Increases in practitioner empathy for SGM individuals can translate into lower uniliteral termination rates and better counseling and psychotherapy outcomes.

Sexological Ecosystemic Assessment: A Systems Approach To Understanding Sexual Issues In Individuals And Couples, Stephanie Buehler

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

Sexuality is a complex construct made up of the influence of systems upon the individual and counterinfluence of the individual upon systems, which can make sexual history taking problematic. The adaptation of Bronfenbrenner’s developmental ecological systems model has been employed to create a Sexological Ecosystemic Assessment. The Sexological Ecosystemic Assessment is described as a means of gathering and organizing information about an individual’s sexual development and current sexual expression across five subsystems that range from the microsystem, wherein interactions take place among and between family members and close caregivers, to the chronosystem, which is the effect of time across the …

Ceremonial Sexual Sacrifice To Commercial Prostitution: The History Of Prostitution And The Social, Economic, And Religious Progress That Revolved Around The Profession, Katelyn E. Crowell

Young Historians Conference

From its believed origin in Ancient Mesopotamia, prostitution has not only survived but is a profession that has continued to play a culturally defining role through the centuries. While its initial emergence was through an act of religious ritual and sacrifice, it transformed into a commercial profession. Prostitution, despite it becoming a representation of sexual deviance, not only persevered but thrived across vast regions, cultures, and time periods. The profession's social ‘taboo’ and the forbiddenness of being associated with the institution has carried forward through time and across varying societal constructs, the attempts to hide or extinguish prostitution has never …

The Influence Of Plato’S Symposium: Love And Beauty Throughout Media & Culture, Anna E. Roberts

Young Historians Conference

The Ancient Greek philosopher Plato is unquestionably one of the most influential writers of philosophy in history. Through his various writings and works, Plato influenced the entire world's ways of thinking and discussion. In his dialogue The Symposium, Plato explores the humanistic complexities of love, beauty, and desire and shows various approaches to these topics, from mythological ideas to complex philosophical thought. The Symposium has managed to stretch far beyond the world of ancient Greece and has influenced the works of many different authors, artists, and writers. From Shakespeare in Renaissance-era England, to Freudian thought, the idea of Platonic Love, …

Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations And Its Interpretation With Christian Contemporary Thought, Audrey Kelley-Henroid

Young Historians Conference

Often regarded as one of the key Stoic works, Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations is a demonstration of the importance of self-reflection and Stoic ideals. His life was one of war and turmoil that influenced his possibly autobiographical writings over the years during his time campaigning during the Marcomannic wars. Since his death, the manuscripts remaining have been altered and interpreted in various ways. I speculate that Meditations being framed in the Christian lens is one of the most significant ways it's relevant today as it demonstrates the way contemporary ideas are imprinted onto classical work. Translators and readers of Meditations such …

Marshlands And Monasteries: The Impact Of Weapon Deposition On Medieval British Christianity, Maia Lippay

Young Historians Conference

This paper, using proven archeological evidence, time-specific literature, and references on monastic life, local tradition, and social concepts of mythology, draws a clear connection between the prevalent European Iron Age practice of ritual votive and weapon deposition into bodies of water and the state of Christianity in middle ages Great Britain. The ceremonial county of Lincolnshire, particularly the Witham Valley, is featured heavily for its high concentration of deposition and monastic sites in a verifiably close distance of each other. The paper explores the possibility that the existence of these pre-Christian ritual sites remained relevant throughout the Roman period through …

Letter From The Editor: Inaugural Issue, Jj Pionke

Disability in LIS (DisLIS)

Celebrating the inaugural issue of DisLIS.

Fragments Of A Dream: Armenia And The Shadow Of Genocide, Ada A. Camp

Young Historians Conference

Amidst the shadows of the war in Ukraine, in September of 2023, Azerbaijan’s military advancement into an ethnic Armenian enclave called Nagorno-Karabakh ended a thirty year conflict in just one violent day. The next morning, hundreds of thousands of Armenians fled, fearing ethnic cleansing and retaliatory killings. While the more recent history of this conflict is tied to the fall of the Soviet Union, Armenia and Azerbaijan’s disagreements have lasted for generations. The threat of ethnic violence and forced migration is not new to the Armenian people, and unfortunately still remains relevant. This paper deals not only with questions of …

The Cambridge Five Spy Ring: The Notorious Bane Of The British Government, Jenna G. Mccomas

Young Historians Conference

Beginning with the communist recruitment of Kim Philby in 1934, this paper traces the decades-long espionage journey of the notorious Cambridge Five spy ring. Exploring the reach they had from the halls of the British government to Washington D.C, this paper highlights the building blocks of the Five’s legacy and their implications. This paper details the levels of and effects of British governmental incompetence in cementing the Five as international spy celebrities and enabling their Soviet espionage endeavors. Overall, it seeks to explore how the British were the agents of their own humiliation regarding espionage, and unnecessarily increased tension with …

Identity In Question: Middle Eastern Americans In Dearborn, Michigan, Julian F. Balsley

Young Historians Conference

In the 2020 United States Census, fifty-four percent of the population of Dearborn, Michigan, identified as being of Middle Eastern or North African descent. The story of how a small Detroit suburb became the American city with the largest proportion of Middle Eastern citizens is one of transnational relations between the U.S., its ally Israel, and the Middle East. The city’s Arab American community grew out of continuous wars that pushed people out of their homelands throughout the second half of the twentieth century, as well as the rise of the American auto industry. What makes Dearborn unique is that …

A Matter Of Ultra Importance: How Ultra’S Decryption Of Enigma Impacted The Outcome Of World War Ii, Lia S. Hansen

Young Historians Conference

During World War II, one of the most prominent unsung heroes were the Allied codebreakers of Ultra who, under the thick blanket of absolute secrecy, worked tirelessly throughout the war to decrypt the German Enigma cipher. Efforts to break the Enigma cipher were underway since the beginning of the war but yielded little success until 1943 and Alan Turing’s Bombe. After this point, Allied forces were able to more effectively combat Axis forces, especially German U-boats in the Atlantic ocean, while keeping the whole operation under wraps to avoid suspicion and changing of the code. This paper explores how Ultra’s …

A History Of The Bracero Program As An Agent Of Transnational Modernity In The 20th Century, Lea H. Yonago

Young Historians Conference

The Bracero Program was an agreement devised between Mexico and the United States which provided a state-sanctioned avenue for Mexican men to work as contract laborers in the United States. It was originally intended to alleviate the World War II labor shortage in the United States, but would continue past the war until 1964. Its longevity was due to the central role it played in bringing Mexico and the United States into a modern, transnational relationship. I aim to examine the relationship between the two nations in two contexts: an historical-economic one, and an ethnographic one. These lenses are two …

The Freedom And Danger Of Crinoline, Kaiya Williams

Young Historians Conference

“Hoop skirt” is a broad term encompassing many underskirt garments changing the shape of the skirt. Crinoline is often used interchangeably, but such use is incorrect. Crinoline is a specific design of hoop skirt. The developments of other forms of hoop skirts, such as farthingales and panniers led to the crinoline. The crinoline then led to more garments that fall under the term of “hoop skirt”, such as the crinolette and bustles. Just as women’s fashion today is debated as to the balance between the freedoms it offers and the “scandalous” nature of it, crinoline was debated when it was …

Virtual Support For Bereaved Parents: Acceptability, Feasibility, And Preliminary Efficacy Of Hope Group, Emma Archer, Bs, Amelia Hayes, Mpg Ccls, Kristin Drouin, Lcsw, Elissa G. Millier, Md, Aimee Hildenbrand, Phd

Health Equity and Quality Improvement (HEQI) Summit

Background

• Bereaved parents demonstrate increased risk for long-term psychological problems and poorer overall quality of life. Bereavement support programs can promote improved coping and are positively received by parents but remain underutilized.
• Virtual programs may help address barriers to accessing bereavement resources, such as families’ physical distance to the hospital and trauma reactions when exposed to a setting where the child received care.
• The objective of this quality improvement study is to examine caregivers’ bereavement experiences and perspectives on HOPE Group, a virtual group program for bereaved caregivers administered by the palliative care team at Nemours Children's Hospital, Delaware.

Identification And Management Of Exposure Keratopathy In The Critical Care Setting, Susanna Betti, Harrison Bell, Erika Yoo, David Oxman

Health Equity and Quality Improvement (HEQI) Summit

Background

- Exposure keratopathy (EK) refers to corneal damage and ocular epithelial breakdown.

- It can result from prolonged exposure of the eye to the outside environment, often from incomplete eyelid closure or tear film defect.

- Increasingly common in critical care settings, up to 60%

• Mechanical ventilation, sedation, paralysis
• Medications (neuromuscular blockade)
• Impaired blink reflex, reduced tear production
• Fluid imbalance, increased vascular permeability

- Complications include corneal scarring, perforation, and blindness.

- Current recommendations: scheduled artificial tears with nightly lubricating ointment, tarsorrhaphy to close lids

Opportunities For Quality Improvement In A Smoking Cessation Program For Patients With Lung Cancer, Amman Bhasin, Md, Garrett Melby, Nicole Bassounas, Crnp, Ida Micaily, Md

Health Equity and Quality Improvement (HEQI) Summit

Background

• Smoking cessation improves mortality in patients with lung cancer
• Low rates of smoking cessation have been observed and are rarely effective in absence of formal interventions (counseling, nicotine replacement, medication, etc.)
• Referrals to formal counseling can significantly impact cessation. Particularly in patients with lung cancer, cancer centers have the opportunity to serve as a central actor for referrals
• In this study we aimed to assess the efficacy of the Tobacco Cessation Program at the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center and to identify opportunities for quality improvement to improve smoking cessation rates in these patients

Assessment Of Obgyn Department Research Collaboration And Satisfaction, Anne Bocage, Md, Melanie Hotz, Md, Julia Switzer, Md

Health Equity and Quality Improvement (HEQI) Summit

Background

• There are many simultaneous and similar research projects ongoing within the OB-GYN department, but with little collaboration. Additionally, it can be difficult to identify faculty, residents, and students with similar research interests.
• Collaboration between residents is shown to improve research productivity (1) and co-residents serve as effective research mentors (2).
• This project is aimed to assess the department's satisfaction with ongoing research and collaboration and to purpose an intervention for improvement.

Effect Of Education Level On Adequacy Of Bowel Preparation Prior To Colonoscopy, Anna Chen, Md, Michael Dimarino, Md, Akash Patel, Do, Katherine Duffey, Md, Gregory Habig, Md, Aaron Martin, Md, Cuckoo Choudhary, Md, Stephanie Moleski, Md

Health Equity and Quality Improvement (HEQI) Summit

Background

• Adequate bowel preparation is crucial for obtaining a high-quality colonoscopy.
• Inadequate preparation leads to impaired visualization, which can lower adenoma detection rate, increase the risk of complications and potentially necessitate repeating the procedure.¹
• Patients with higher health literacy and a higher level of education have been associated with better bowel preparation quality.^2,3,4,5

The Utility Of The Pap Nap For Increasing Patient Utilization Of Positive Airway Pressure Therapy, Erin Creighton, Md, Nicole Molin, Md, Dimitri Markov, Md, Ritu Grewal, Md

Health Equity and Quality Improvement (HEQI) Summit

Background

Problem Statement:

• An estimated 9-38% of adults have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and about 80% is undiagnosed.
• OSA has been linked to excessive sleepiness, neurocognitive impairments, reduced quality of life, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, hypertension, and motor vehicle and workplace accidents
• Approximately85% of people with diagnosed OSA receive PAP and only 35-60% remain compliant long term
• Many factors impact CPAP use: disease and patient characteristics, titration procedures, device factors, side effects, psychological and social factors

Project AIM: Evaluate whether a daytime, abbreviated cardio-respiratory sleep study (AKA the PAP NAP -developed to help improve adherence in patients with OSA and …