Digital Commons Network^™

Effectiveness Of Chlorhexidine Dressings In Prevention Of Catheter Associated Bloodstream Infections, Kasey Cottrell

Academic Festival

No abstract provided.

Prevention Of Surgical Site Infections Through The Use Of Prophylaxis Antibiotics, Kayla Ryan, Abigail Ricker

Academic Festival

This project looks at the prevention of surgical site infections by evaluating if multidose antibiotics or single dose antibiotics are more effective in preventing surgical site infections.

Netflix Industry Analysis, Kaitlyn Lacour

Academic Festival

Netflix is a subscription-based streaming service that allows its subscribers to watch a variety of TV shows, movies, documentaries, and other forms of entertainment on demand. Netflix was founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California. Netflix began as a DVD rental-by-mail service, but in 2007 it had transitioned into a streaming platform revolutionizing the way people consume media. Today, Netflix offers a huge library offering 10,000+ titles of content, including original productions known as Netflix Originals. The platform is accessible on various devices such as smart TVs, computers, smartphones, and gaming consoles, making it …

Effectiveness Of Oral Chlorhexidine In Prevention Of Ventilated Associated Pneumonia, Harrison Scalise

Academic Festival

No abstract provided.

The Influence Of Antiseptic Catheter Caps On Reducing The Rate Of Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections, Rhiannon Lenz

Academic Festival

No abstract provided.

The Use Of Rapid Motor Imitation Antecedent Training For Increasing Spoken Phonology In Minimally Speaking Autistic Preschoolers, Bethany Mitros, Biana Blasi, Kianna Bergin, Taylor Mason

Academic Festival

Many children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) fail to acquire spoken language (Tager-Flusberg & Kasari, 2013) with spoken language predicting positive outcomes (Tager-Flusberg, 2016). Thus, the more evidence-based interventions available to clinicians, the more likely these children will acquire language. This project proposes to evaluate the effectiveness of Rapid Motor Imitation Antecedent Training (RMIA) for improving speech production in preschoolers with ASD. Twenty children, 3-4 years, diagnosed with ASD and exhibiting restricted spoken phonemic repertoires, will be recruited from early intervention programs. Participants will be randomly assigned to either an immediate treatment group or a delayed treatment group. The delayed …

The Chamber: A Proposal For An Aquarium Exhibit Showcasing Climate Change, Amanda Palma

Academic Festival

I have created an entire aquarium exhibition concept that focuses on climate change in oceans. My exhibit design invites visitors to travel through a journey that showcases the before, during, and after effects from ocean climate warming. Visitors go through an interactive tunnel that progresses as they walk through, and by the end they will have a strong understanding of the effects ocean warming is causing, and a chance to find out how they can help.

Social Media Needs To Change, Alexis Benevento

Academic Festival

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Between Arthritis And Depression In Adults 55 To 85 Years Old, Marissa N. Heinz, Emily J. Marshall

Academic Festival

No abstract provided.

Use Of Chlorhexidine Antiseptic Solution To Decrease Incidence Of Cauti’S., Erin Brann

Academic Festival

The purpose of this study is to assess the use of Chlorhexidine Antiseptic Solution to decrease the incidence of CAUTIs within hospitalized patients in comparison to routine cleaning techniques. Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections account for 30% of all hospital acquired infections which can lead to up to $450 million in additional costs in the US yearly CAUTIs may also lead to increased hospital stay lengths, discomfort, and rates of mortality (AHRQ, 2015). Therefore, this quality improvement research compares both a quantitative study and a meta-analysis of the the use of Chlorhexidine.

Evidence-Based Interventions To Prevent Surgical Site Infections, Rebecca Scali, Cara Mcdonald, Caroline Onderko, Olivia Mcnicholas, Samantha Mai

Academic Festival

Our project was originally put together in our Evidence-Based Practice nursing course in the Fall 2023 semester. We each did extensive research on our interventions for the prevention of surgical site infections. We each wrote quality improvement papers for our individual interventions and then came together to make a cohesive project on the prevention of surgical site infections.

Calling-In Vs. Calling-Out: Style Preferences For Confronting Prejudice, Michele Chu, Nick Granja, Casey Russell

Academic Festival

Confronting prejudice—directly challenging biased comments and behaviors—is an effective strategy for reducing prejudiced attitudes and instances of stereotyping. However, it remains unclear how people feel about different confrontation styles and which tactics are most comfortable and preferred. In this study, we compared two confrontation styles: “calling-out,” which aims to shame and/or correct the offender, and “calling-in,” which aims to understand and educate the offender. We recruited 400 SHU students (75.5% White, 82.3% women). Participants were randomly assigned to read one of six scenarios (covering ableism, sexism, ethnic bias, ageism, racism/classism, or homophobia), imagining a friend making a biased comment that …

Comparison Of Arm Biomechanics To Injury Predictions In High School Pitchers, Ashley Arrubla, Teegan L. Poss, Caitlin E. Mahoney

Academic Festival

The kinematic sequence for an overhead baseball pitch begins with the pelvis, trunk, arm, forearm, and ends with the hand, reducing stress on musculoskeletal structures and injury risk when executed properly.1 Shoulder injuries often result from micro-traumatic stress during throwing, exacerbated by factors like fatigue, weakness, mechanics, and instability.2,3 Marker-less 3D motion capture was utilized to analyze arm biomechanics, and arm slot, along with passive shoulder rotation. Comparing data collected before the athlete's season, we identified specific parameters indicating susceptibility to elbow injuries based on risk factors found in the reported literature.

Exercise Program Design For Engineering Professor​, Tori Chorzepa, Grace Sadd

Academic Festival

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Cardiac Rehabilitation On Lvad Patients, Abigail French

Academic Festival

LVADs are used to pump blood into the lower chambers of the heart and are placed in patients with heart failure (EF < 35%) who may not be eligible for a heart transplant. The patient’s blood pressure pre- and post-exercise were recorded, as well as during exercise after 10-15 minutes. An adaptational decrease in systolic blood pressure was the result of 24/36 sessions. There was more variation with pre-exercise heart rate, but post-exercise resting heart rate decreases with chronic aerobic exercise. Cardiac rehabilitation programs are designed to increase functional capacity and quality of life in those who suffer from various heart conditions over the course of 36 sessions (roughly within three months). Cardiac rehab programs implement cardio, weight training, and stretching, along with education on healthy living and heart health.

Program Development For 59-Year-Old Female With Knee Osteoarthritis Targeting Balance, Increased Lean Body Mass And Strength, Caitlin Knapp

Academic Festival

Our client came to us with the goal of increasing her fitness activity level. Her long-term goal was to reduce body fat while increasing her lean body mass. She is a healthy 59-year-old who isn't very active but takes daily walks on her lunch and does free weight exercises for about 20 minutes every morning. She is interested in incorporating greater resistance exercises while still partaking in her walks. With our clients goals we have created an exercise program designed to her specific needs.

The Effect Of Dance Styles On Heart Rate, Katie Zimmer, Danielle Ahern

Academic Festival

Dance is a highly aerobic form of exercise that can play a large role in heart health. Typically, the greater the tempo of a dance style, the more it will impact heart rate.1 Hip-hop and jazz are very fast and upbeat, likely to increase heart rate the most. Contemporary can be either fast or slow depending on the choreographer. Ballet can also be fast or slow, but is extremely demanding on the body, indicating that heart rate could be greatly increased. The purpose of this experiment was to determine which styles of dance increase heart rate the most in experienced …

Effects Of Seed Source And Sediment Composition On Seagrass Germination And Seedling Performance, Mason Tsaglos

Academic Festival

The global decline of seagrass meadows urgently requires finding consistently effective restoration methods. Recently, there has been increased interest in seed-based methods of seagrass restoration. However, these methods have had mixed success, with highly variable outcomes. Relatively little is known about how sediment characteristics, including soil conditioning by seagrasses, may affect seed germination and seedling success in a restoration context. To examine the effects of seed source and sediment characteristics, we conducted a laboratory experiment using eelgrass seeds collected from different source meadows and sediment collected from vegetated and unvegetated areas at restored meadows, as well as commercial sand. We …

Exploring The Interplay Among Lignin Content: A Comparative Analysis Of Age, Restoration Condition And Shoot Size In Spartina Alterniflora, Aviana Finocchiaro

Academic Festival

This study explored the role of salt marshes in supporting marine ecosystems, focusing on Spartina alterniflora and its lignin content, a key plant structural element. This research investigated how lignin correlates with age, restoration condition, and size of S. alterniflora. We hypothesized that younger, smaller plants from remnant areas would exhibit lower lignin content. Samples from remnant, recolonizing, and planted locations were collected at Stratford Point, Connecticut, and the acetyl bromide method was used to measure lignin in protein free-cell walls from each sample. A Two-factor ANOVA revealed significant differences between locations, but not between age groups or their …

Examining Factors That Impact Parasite Load In Long Island Sound Horseshoe Crabs, Alyssa Mancini, Kyra Lerner

Academic Festival

No abstract provided.

Gender Pay Equity In Professional Sports, Karsyn Berger

Academic Festival

The use of statistics to analyze various data sets describing the monetary compensation gap across men’s and women’s professional sports. Comparing pay within both individual and team sports, evaluating the pay gap between men and women in each. Determining whether there is a correlation between league revenue and player salaries.

Get Out Of The River! Rainfall And River Rise In Three Watersheds Of The Dingle Peninsula, Charlotte Ribaudo, Emma Scheibl

Academic Festival

Land-use and Land-cover (LULC), coupled with climatic conditions are important components of ecosystems that affect water quality in the streams and rivers of a watershed. The conjoined Feohanagh, Milltown, and Owenmore River basins of the Dingle Peninsula in Ireland are similar in size but vary significantly in LULC. Previous work had shown substantial differences in the microbial communities of the three main rivers in the watersheds. Our current work focuses on understanding how differences in micro-climate affects the water-level and other physical parameters of the rivers and informs investigations of the differences observed in the microbial communities between the rivers. …

Between A Rock And A Sandy Place: Habitat Preferences And Aggregation Behaviors Of Asian Shore Crabs (Hemigrapsus Sanguineus), Emily Simonin

Academic Festival

No abstract provided.

Effect Of Self-Affirmation On Emotional Memory, Kelsey Jacobsen, Macayla Sousa, Olivia Ansaldi, Isabelle Doherty

Academic Festival

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Genetically Modified Organisms On Health, Kaitlyn Greenhill

Academic Festival

Genetically Modifies Organisms have been used for decades to enhance and alter commercially produced crops. They are traditionally used to display herbicide, pesticide resistance, enhanced vitamin and nutrient content, and disease resistance. Genetic modifications could be the solution to global food scarcity by increasing crop yield and nutrient content of these crops. Many genetically modified crops are currently in experimental stages of use in pharmaceuticals and vaccines. Most genetically modified organisms demonstrate only positive effects, such as crops with enhanced nutrient content, but herbicide resistant crops can potentially have unintended effects and pesticide resistant crops show toxicity that is mostly …

Reappraisal Vs. Rumination: Emotion Regulation Shapes Reactions To Prejudice Confrontation, Sophia Rogers

Academic Festival

When called out for prejudiced behavior, people exhibit varied emotional and behavioral reactions. Emotions like guilt or empathy can drive adaptive behavioral responses like self-correction, while anger or resentment can provoke maladaptive responses, such as hostility and dismissiveness. This research explored how naturally occurring emotion regulation strategies, like cognitive reappraisal and rumination, influence these emotional and behavioral reactions. We asked 250 U.S. adults to recall a time when they had acted offensively and were consequently confronted for it. We then recorded their emotion regulation strategies and resultant responses. Our findings revealed that reappraisal led to self-correction by intensifying guilt and …

The Future Potential Of Brain-Computer Interfaces In Medicine: Current Applications, Limitations, And Improvements, Kara Mcguire

Academic Festival

Brain-computer interfaces connect the brain to an outside computer system. A communication pathway is formed where thoughts are met with tangible feedback. There are three major types of BCI that are grouped by the brain activity being used: active BCI, Reactive BCI, and Passive BCI. BCIs can be invasive, partially invasive, or noninvasive. There are four main components to a BCI system: signal acquisition, feature extraction, feature translation, and device output. Currently, the majority of BCI application and research is focused on the biomedical field, but BCI technology shows economic promise in other industries. In experimental settings, BCI technology has …

Haywire Ii: Redefining American Elections, William Kurnik, Abby Conrad, Liam Conway, Ava Hufford, Ciara Mooney

Academic Festival

This represents a longterm study regarding the 2020 presidential contest, the time during which President Trump was out of office, and his attempt to regain the presidency in 2024. The time period of the study is supplemented with an informative body of data, graphs, and photographic images.

Investigating The Relationshp Between Self-Affirmation, Defensiveness, And Narcissistic Traits, Sandra Lezcano, Sierra Marie Sailer

Academic Festival

The current study was designed to test the effect of selfaffirmation on defensive responses to a hypothetical threat among people high in narcissistic personality traits.

Self-affirmation refers to thinking about and expressing one’s core values in life and has been shown to produce myriad benefits, including reduced stress, increased self-esteem, and decreased defensiveness in response to threats (for a review, see Cohen & Sherman, 2014).

Previous research has found that grandiose narcissism is related to negative emotional responses to achievement threats whereas vulnerable narcissism is related to more negative emotional responses to interpersonal threats (Besser & Priel, 2010).

Hypothesis 1: …

Interpolation And Quadrature, Abigail Poleway

Academic Festival

In this poster, we will first examine polynomial interpolation. Interpolation allows us to construct a polynomial through a given set of data points. Interpolation is also used to develop the Newton-Cotes formulas, which are methods for numerical integration, or quadrature, that can approximate more complicated definite integrals. But, there is a way to arrive at even more precise approximations, and we will discover this through a discussion of Gaussian Quadrature.