Digital Commons Network^™

Using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Monitoring To Diagnose Acute Compartment Syndrome, Andres Yanez

Yale School of Medicine Physician Associate Program Theses

Acute compartment syndrome is a condition of increased pressure in injured extremities leading to decreased oxygen delivery and tissue death in the limb. This condition requires prompt diagnosis to avoid complications such as muscle death and amputation. The current diagnostic standards rely on clinical findings, which are subjective, or compartment pressure measurements, which are painful, invasive, and prone to error. Near-infrared spectroscopy has shown promise as a direct, objective, and non-invasive alternative in identifying compartment syndrome. Tibia fractures are the most common predisposing injury to compartment syndrome. We propose a randomized controlled trial evaluating near-infrared spectroscopy to test for compartment …

Targeted Temperature Management Device Initiation Time And Neurologic Outcomes After Cardiac Arrest, Alexandra Liberti

Yale School of Medicine Physician Associate Program Theses

Targeted temperature management has been shown to improve neurologic status after cardiac arrest; however, recommendations for the timing of its initiation are unclear. Clinical trials have not directly studied time to targeted temperature management initiation, causing wide variability in protocol implementation. We propose a randomized, controlled, multi-center clinical trial to study the effect of early initiation of targeted temperature management in patients who achieve return of spontaneous circulation after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Data will be compared among patients who received initiation of targeted temperature management within 3 hours to those in whom initiation occurred after 3 hours. The primary outcome …

Photodynamic Therapy For Early Prevention Of Actinic Keratoses And Skin Cancer Post-Organ Transplant, Megan Karoly

Yale School of Medicine Physician Associate Program Theses

Immunosuppressed solid organ transplant recipients are at a significantly increased risk of skin cancer and precursor actinic keratoses. Guidelines to protect against these lesions are not well-established. Existing data suggests that photodynamic therapy could be effective in the prevention of new actinic keratoses and skin cancers in this population. Therefore, we propose early intervention with photodynamic therapy to combat actinic keratoses and skin cancer in transplant recipients. We will conduct an intrapatient randomized clinical trial comparing two treatments of topical five-aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy to placebo on the face as adjuvants to standard sunscreen in transplant recipients within the first …

Memantine For Preservation Of Neurocognitive Function During Reirradiation Of Recurrent Glioblastoma, Yeun Hiroi

Yale School of Medicine Physician Associate Program Theses

Glioblastoma is the most common malignant primary brain tumor in adults. This disease has a dismal prognosis with a median overall survival between 12-18 months. Recent analyses of salvage therapies for recurrence suggest that reirradiation may improve survival. A possible adverse effect is radiation-induced neurocognitive decline. There is a dearth of literature investigating neuroprotective strategies, like using memantine. Our aim is to investigate whether memantine protects neurocognitive function in this population, with an additional goal to show that memantine does not reduce overall and progression free survival. Subjects were randomly assigned to reirradiation plus memantine or reirradiation alone, and the …

Prolonged Metformin For Managing Postpartum Weight Retention In Women With Gestational Diabetes, Ashley Manning

Yale School of Medicine Physician Associate Program Theses

Gestational diabetes is one of the most common obstetric complications and causes both intrapartum issues and increased long-term cardiometabolic risk of type 2 diabetes. Overweight and obese populations are more likely to develop gestational diabetes, which manifests as increased gestational weight gain and postpartum weight retention, perpetuating the cycle of obesity and diabetes in future pregnancies leading to further type 2 diabetes risk. Metformin has become more widely accepted for use during pregnancy and has been associated with decreased gestational weight gain; however, its long-term effects in the postpartum period remain poorly understood. This randomized controlled trial seeks to determine …

Subject Analysis Ex Machina: Developing A Subject Heading Recommendation Service For Jmu Libraries, Steven W. Holloway

Libraries

Results of a 2022 evaluation of ANNIF, open-source software designed to generate controlled vocabulary subject headings, using James Madison University Libraries resources.

Portable Water Filtration System, Tori Abbott, Lucas Arsenith, Sondra Miller

2024 Undergraduate Research Showcase

Access to potable water has become increasingly difficult due to climate change, infrastructure failures, and urbanization. There are sustainable materials within our natural environment well suited for drinking water treatment. Our goal was to design a portable water filtration column that could be implemented under emergency conditions to provide communities with a resource for treating unsafe drinking water. We chose a scenario that involved a response to the potential contamination of rivers by mine tailings. Our system efficiently reduced turbidity, iron, color, and odor while raising pH, with an effluent water discharge rate of 10 gallons per hour. Previous studies …

Macro For Underwater Data Centers, Alex Anta, Tyler Baker, Marina Durfey, Daniel Strilets

2024 Undergraduate Research Showcase

Over the years, technology has skyrocketed and the need for space to store data has increased drastically. Data centers require energy to keep the system at a certain temperature to prevent overheating. By deploying the data center underwater, we can utilize the water's cool temperature to keep the computer and electrical components cool without using nonrenewable resources to power and cool the data center. Nonconventional materials, like fluoroelastomers and argon within the data center, can be used to help with the electrical, thermal, and cooling properties of the system. By using different materials for electrical component casing and as seals, …

Microbial Supplements For Dairy Cows To Reduce Enteric Methane Emissions, Phaedra Roby, Jared L. Talley

2024 Undergraduate Research Showcase

This project uses the biotechnology of rumen-native Microbial Feed Supplements (M.F.S.) to decrease enteric methane emissions (E.M.E.) and analyze the use of this Climate Safe Agriculture (C.S.A.) tool. We aim to look at the impacts of usage on an environmental, economic, and social level. Dairy cattle contribute significantly to the amount of methane released into the atmosphere and current tactics to work on the effects are not long-term nor cost efficient solutions. This climate-smart solution aims to mitigate E.M.E. and develop an understanding for dairy industries and how they operate. This M.F.S. will be implemented and analyzed to determine its …

Surveillance Of Animal And Patient Samples For Pathogens, Miranda K. Trester, Tate A. Gallegos, Alex G. Hardy, Stephanie F. Hudon

2024 Undergraduate Research Showcase

This past Spring, Dr. Stephanie Hudon and I analyzed pathogens in patient and wild animal samples using Next Generation Sequencing with the Illumina Respiratory Pathogen ID/AMR Enrichment Panel (RPIP). We found that Coronavirus OC43 was prevalent in many clinical samples in patients who had tested negative for COVID-19 and Influenza but were still exhibiting respiratory and other symptoms. I also found Coronavirus OC43 through surveillance of a ground squirrel. This may suggest the pathogen has a zoonotic origin. I analyzed the base pair alignment of each of our patients’ pathogen samples to the strains found in NCBI to determine if …

Investigating How Secondary Metabolites Change During Interactions Among Fungi And Bacteria, Miranda Trester, Chih-Yun Chen, Rachel Capezza, Leonora Bittleston

2024 Undergraduate Research Showcase

Sagebrush leaves host microbial communities that produce secondary metabolites likely to be important for plant health and function. Previous research demonstrated the antagonistic properties of B. amyloliquefaciens against fungal microbes, possibly attributable to its secretion of secondary metabolites. This study investigates the chemistry of three sagebrush-associated microbes—C. hebarum, A. pullulans, and B. amyloliquefaciens—during their interactions. Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis confirmed differential metabolite profiles among monocultures and co-cultures. Additionally, the widespread distribution of B. amyloliquefaciens in various environments underscores its importance. The objective of this research was to investigate the chemistry of three sagebrush-associated microbes, and how …

Influencing Beauty: The Impact Of Tiktok Influencers On Gen Z The Cosmetic Industry, Lauren Barry

Honors Projects in Mathematics and Economics

This study analyzes the impact that influencers on TikTok have on the cosmetic industry through Generation Z. The study aims to find, through research on economic trends and purchasing behaviors of Generation Z, strategies companies can use towards marketing and production in the cosmetic industry to better understand their consumers. Data will be collected through surveys and analysis of economic trends for the popular cosmetic brand, Tarte Cosmetics. The findings and results of the data collected will offer recommendations for companies in the cosmetic industry to adjust their strategies to work along with Gen Z’s engagement on social media, focusing …

Evidence-Based Recommendations For The Use Of Neostigmine Versus Sugammadex In Patients Undergoing Thoracic Surgery, Ostap Dvorakevych

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Neuromuscular blocking agents play a vital role in the safe delivery of modern anesthetic practice. These medications provide patient paralysis for anesthesia staff to perform tracheal intubation and for surgeons to have a motionless surgical field. At the end of surgery, the effects of these paralytic agents must be fully reversed by reversal agents. Incomplete reversal impairs the patient’s ability to maintain an airway, which can lead to various postoperative pulmonary complications such as respiratory failure, pneumonia, and atelectasis. Patients undergoing thoracic surgery are at high risk for this incomplete reversal due to deep levels of paralysis required to keep …

Analysis Of Circular Design Principles For The Sustainable End-Of-Life Management Of Renewable Energy Assets: Investigation Of Illinois And Germany Renewable Energy Policies And Programs., Samuel N. Nimaful

2024 Student Research and Creativity Conference

This poster presents an analysis into the integration of circular design principles within renewable energy policies, comparing the approaches of Illinois, USA, and Germany. With the global shift towards renewable energy to combat climate change, the sustainable management of end-of-life (EoL) renewable assets has become crucial. The study utilizes a thematic analysis to explore seven key policies from Illinois and five from Germany, employing NVivo software to dissect aspects such as design strategies, support for innovation, and enforcement mechanisms.

Ua80/1 Meeting Agenda & Minutes, W Club

University Organizations

Agenda and minutes of the April 2024 W Club Board of Directors meeting.

Improving Patients’ Perception Of Provider Trust And Communication With Birth Plans, Christelle Reeves, Nicole Tenzel, Timothy Kremer

North Texas GME Research Forum 2024

Objective: Birth plans are an effective tool for a pregnant person to express their desires and expectations for labor and postpartum. Shortcomings of birth plans can be found whenever there is a lapse in communication between provider and patient. In the management of labor and emergent situations, it has been observed by patients that obstetric providers can communicate in authoritarian and dismissive manners. In response to this, birth plans were developed to serve as a guide in these scenarios. Birth plans allow a pregnant person to design a thoughtful plan of action with their healthcare provider before giving birth, rather …

2024 North Texas Research Forum Program, Hca Healthcare

North Texas GME Research Forum 2024

No abstract provided.

Breaking The Sound Ceiling: An Empirical Investigation Of Gender Discrimination In The Music Industry, Alexia Brandao

Honors Projects in Mathematics and Economics

This study investigates women's representation, or lack thereof, in the music industry by examining Billboard charts from 2016-2023, which corresponds with the years that Spotify began their "Wrapped" program. The studied years are also directly related to the timeline in which algorithms have generated personalized recommendations, playlists, and radio stations based on users' previous listening history and preferences. In recent years, the demographic makeup of the music industry has been benchmarked by equity imbalance and gender inequality. The research being conducted analyzes how the significance of male artist dominance brings forth the main barriers that female producers, songwriters, and artists …

Performance Orientations: A Critical Inquiry With The Mmai In An Urban High School, Kenneth Butler

Thomas C. Hunt Building a Research Community Day

In this study, the Motivation for Mathematics Abbreviated Instrument (MMAI) was administered to students in an urban high school in one Midwestern city. Demographically, the vast majority of these students identify with categories other than white. There is a strong emphasis on college readiness and high expectations within the school’s culture. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) of the 168 responses revealed strong fit to a four-factor model. The items within each factor are shown to discriminate between factors, converge together within factors, and to reliably measure their individual factors. This model strongly aligned with the four intended motivational constructs; however, EFA …

Assessing The Need For A Mental Health Task Force For Aviation Science Students At Bridgewater State University, Cooper Castellone

Honors Program Theses and Projects

In the current landscape of aviation, the issue of mental health is of great concern, particularly among flight training students who have shown to grapple with depression in silence. A report issued by the Pilot Mental Health Aviation Rulemaking Committee in April 2024 underscored seven significant barriers impeding pilots from seeking necessary support for mental health concerns. Consequently, we completed a study aimed at understanding the prevailing mental health challenges among flight training students and identify strategies for institutions such as Bridgewater State University (BSU) to offer meaningful assistance. Our study consisted of a survey distributed to 14 institutions in …

Evidence-Based Recommendations For The Use Of Neostigmine Versus Sugammadex In Patients Undergoing Thoracic Surgery, Ostap Dvorakevych

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Neuromuscular blocking agents play a vital role in the safe delivery of modern anesthetic practice. These medications provide patient paralysis for anesthesia staff to perform tracheal intubation and for surgeons to have a motionless surgical field. At the end of surgery, the effects of these paralytic agents must be fully reversed by reversal agents. Incomplete reversal impairs the patient’s ability to maintain an airway, which can lead to various postoperative pulmonary complications such as respiratory failure, pneumonia, and atelectasis. Patients undergoing thoracic surgery are at high risk for this incomplete reversal due to deep levels of paralysis required to keep …

Development Of Evidence-Based Practice Guidelines For Perioperative Multimodal Analgesia During Spine Surgery, Jonathan Wagner

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

The most common cause of adult disability is chronic back pain. As medication maintenance therapy becomes ineffective, surgical intervention is the last resort for treatment. Patients with chronic pain often rely on pain medication such as opioids for relief. The exposure and dependency of opioids can create unique challenges for anesthesia providers to deliver safe and adequate anesthesia for surgery. Patient’s dependent on chronic opioids develops many adverse effects including sleep disordered breathing, suppression of the immune system, and higher risk of developing cardiovascular events under stress. There is a lack of consistent perioperative guidelines for patients undergoing spinal surgery …

The Beacon, April 19, 2024, Beacon Staff

The Beacon, 2023-2024

Martha Fern Smith Rowenhorst; History behind Colenbrander Hall; Vampire Weekend's wistful new release; New "Ghostbusters" film leaves viewers dead; NW takes on Shakespheres "Hamlet"; Chapel worship music selections explained; More campus transitions come to NW; The legacy of Martha Fern Smith; Students prepare for cross cultural serving; Who were the Colenbranders?; Christians have no enemies; Sports consumption and love; Tennis and golf seasons coming to close; New raider award show to be on May 5; Caitlin Clark is a source of inspiration for campus; Celebrating Northwestern research;

From Content To Composition: Equipping Non-Writing Instructors For Interdisciplinary Writing Proficiency, Taylor Weintrop

Theses

Academic writing is a fundamental component across disciplines in higher education, serving as a critical mode of communication and assessment of student understanding, proficiency, and mastery of course content. Despite its ubiquity, the responsibility for explicit writing instruction is often regulated to composition courses frequently housed within English departments, leading to a systemic and normative view that isolates writing development to a single field. This thesis critically explores the literature on writing studies, focusing on disciplinary attitudes toward writing, interdisciplinary movements, and how writing transfer occurs as students traverse academic fields. Along with the comprehensive literature review, this project includes …

Is Manual Lateralization Associated With Manual Performance?, Kylie Llamas, Iryna Babik

2024 Undergraduate Research Showcase

Manual lateralization, or hand preference, emerges in infancy and gets manifested in object acquisition and manipulation. The magnitude of manual lateralization refers to the strength of hand preference, irrespective of its direction (right vs. left). Manual lateralization has evolved as a useful adaptation, but does it improve manual performance? Previous research showed inconsistent results on the relation between manual lateralization and manual performance. This may have been due to differences in measures of hand preference, with some research looking at the direction rather than magnitude of manual lateralization. The aim of this research was to determine whether the magnitude of …

Genomic Data Analysis Of Sars-Cov-2 Variants And Trends, Makenna A. Potter, Alex G. Hardy, Maureen L. Welcker, Stephanie F. Hudon

2024 Undergraduate Research Showcase

The objective of this study was to analyze SARS-Cov-2 sequence variants and trends during the pandemic. This study was done using SARS-Cov-2 positive patient samples from Boise State University and the surrounding community. For variant analysis, Next Generation Sequencing was performed and the sequences were analyzed using the DRAGEN COVID Lineage (version 3s) pipeline on Illumina’s BaceSpace software. Any sequences with low-quality control were removed from the data. Some of the factors that were analyzed included symptoms by clade, campus positivity rates and the amount of campus and community tests run each semester. Individuals from the Boise State campus were …

Dynamic Plant-Soil Relationships Determine Forage Nutrition For Sheep Grazing In A Degraded Landscape, Jacob Scott, Madelyn Sorrentino, Kloe Walter, Kelly Hopping

2024 Undergraduate Research Showcase

Invasive grasses, such as cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum), compete with native plants and are a hazardous fuel source for wildfires that degrade sagebrush steppe ecosystems. Beginning in July 2022, in partnership with sheep producers and with the Sawtooth National Forest, we began conducting an experiment investigating if and how targeted grazing with sheep can be used for cheatgrass suppression. Targeted grazing is a regulated practice in which sheep herders guide sheep through designated plots with high cheatgrass abundance, at a higher grazing intensity, and at different seasonal timings than their traditional summer grazing practices. In our 32 experiment plots, …

With Pride: Lgbtq+ Rights & Advocacy In Legal Education Summit, Center For Civil & Human Rights, School Of Law, Gonzaga University

Gonzaga School of Law With Pride Summit

Event program for the 2024 With Pride Summit held by the Center for Civil & Human Rights at Gonzaga Law.

The program includes the summit schedule and bios for panelists and moderators, including the keynote speaker, Kellye Testy. Featured speakers include:

• Luke Boso
• Stewart Chang
• Ashlyn Hannus
• Sarah Harmon
• Heather L. Johnson
• Courtney Joslin
• Sheldon Lyke
• Dallas Martinez
• Ikál Nico Quintana
• Brad Sears
• Sarah Steadman
• Kyle Velte
• Danaya C. Wright
• Mary Yu

No Tremors Or Totality, But Still, Lots Of Wonder, Cara Mcdonough

Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop Blog

Two unique events shaped our lives recently: a rare earthquake that hit the northeast, and last week's solar eclipse.

Minutes (4-19-2024), Associated Students, Incorporated

Associated Students, Incorporated records

No abstract provided.