Digital Commons Network^™

Affordable Housing Policies In The Washington D.C. Metropolitan Area, Olivia Personeni

Honors Thesis

Affordable housing for many is a right; for others, it is an unjustified public expense. Each country, state, and city have their own policies with merits and demerits. The provision of affordable housing can offer numerous benefits, including improved access to safe housing, reduced homelessness and housing insecurity, and economic and social well-being. However, there are also significant challenges associated with affordable housing policies, including financial sustainability, inadequate supply, segregation, and the concentration of poverty. This thesis investigates the affordable housing policies in the metropolitan area of Washington D.C. It discusses their effectiveness, inclusiveness, and sustainability, and how these policies …

Read Like A Dyslexic Sort Of..., Margaret Prost

Honors Thesis

READ is an interactive art exhibition created by artist and designer, Margaret Prost. Prompted by the neon sign, the audience is encouraged to pick up READ Like a Dyslexic Sort of… and enjoy the lighthearted presentation of a beginner’s guide to dyslexia. With its simple yet selective choice of words, READ Like a Dyslexic Sort of… is reminiscent of a children’s book — something you would have read when first learning the “dos and don’ts” of society. It is a manual for understanding dyslexia and is meant to evoke a sense of curious kinship with dyslexic people rather than an …

Equity Research: Vf Corporation, Mya Thuraisingam, Hai Tran, Joshua Spizman

Honors Thesis

No abstract provided.

Off The Beaten Path - A Podcast Interview Series, Shaun Holmes, Jason D'Mello

Honors Thesis

For my Honors Senior Thesis, I created a podcast-style interview series called "Off The Beaten Path". In this podcast, I interview individuals who have been unafraid to grab life by the horns and choose a riskier, less traditional path in pursuit of their passion or the goal of bringing their own new creation to life. My interest in this would be to hopefully integrate any takeaways relevant to this mindset into my own personal perspective, and to disseminate the insights from these interviews to others who may benefit from hearing them.

Ud In The News April 29-May 5, University Of Dayton

News Releases

The Associated Press, The Conversation and Bloomberg publications are among the national news outlets tapping UD faculty expertise. Regional and local media featured May graduates, Flyer Pitch winners and new technology in The Emporium.

Isolating The Electronic Effects Of Systematic Twist In Highly Substituted Aromatic Hydrocarbons Using Density Functional Theory, Grace Tully, Emily A. Jarvis

Honors Thesis

Density functional theory (DFT) was employed to investigate dodecaphenyltetracene as well as similar molecules containing differing backbone lengths and electron withdrawing groups with interest in manipulating the twist to lower the LUMO level for increased electron mobility. Optimization and frequency time-independent calculations followed by time-dependent (TD-DFT) energy calculations were performed at the B3LYP/G-311G level of theory to analyze electronic trends as a result of increased backbone length and consequently distorted end-to-end molecular twist. These calculations demonstrate a linear relationship with negative slope between the estimated HOMO-LUMO, fundamental, and optical gaps as a function of the number of fused rings along …

Investigation Of A Possible Switch Of Benthic Photosynthetic Organisms And Phytoplanktonic Organisms In White Point Swash, South Carolina, Nathan Easterling

Honors Theses

This research study examined the possible switch from benthic photosynthetic organisms to phytoplankton in the water column at White Point Swash, Long Bay, South Carolina, and what is causing this switch to occur. During Dr. Hannides’ and his group’s studies at this and other swashes in the past, they noticed this phenomenon of the benthic photosynthetic organisms taking over during a certain time and then the phytoplankton in the water column taking over during a different time. In this study, I measured the relative benthic macroalgal area coverage and sedimentary chlorophyll a concentration as measures of the abundance of benthic …

Suboxic And Anaerobic Respiration Across A Sandy-Shore-To-Estuarine Gradient, Jacey Ballard

Honors Theses

Sulfate is an inorganic ion that is one of the major ions of seawater. Sulfate is also an essential reactant in microbially mediated anaerobic respiration that produces sulfide, an energy source during chemosynthesis. Sulfide is widely found in sediment, and water rich in decaying organic material, as well as hydrothermal vents. While sulfate reduction occurs extensively in muds, such as those of marshes, it is not expected to occur in sand which is much better aerated. Recent research in our group documented extensive sub aerobic respiration in coastal sands which suggests that sulfate reduction may have also been happening. This …

A Cooperative Business Analysis Of Starbucks Corporation & Reflection By Principal Financial Investigator, Abigail R. George

Honors Theses

The purpose of this research is a business analysis of Starbucks Corporation. The company is commonly known for its distinctive coffee shops and operates over 31,000 stores worldwide. Starbucks is also known for extreme brand loyalty, strong market position, high quality products, and premium service. The Company's weaknesses include expensive raw material and product costs, overcrowding in the US, and overdependence in the US market. If Starbucks positions themselves correctly, they have an opportunity to expand into new markets and establish brand loyalty across the globe, with expansion comes diversifying products which would expand their product mix and make them …

Digital Dna: The Ethical Implications Of Big Data As The World’S New-Age Commodity, Clark H. Dotson

Honors Theses

In the emerging digital world that we find ourselves in, it becomes apparent that data collection has become a staple of daily life, whether we like it or not. This research discussion aims to bring light to just how much one’s own digital identity is valued in the technologically-infused world of today, with distinct research and local examples to bring awareness to the ethical implications of your online presence. The paper in question examines anecdotal and research evidence of the collection of data, both through true and unjust means, as well as ethical implications of what this information truly represents. …

Uber, The Gig Economy, And African Americans: Digital Anti-Blackness In The New Technological Age, Bill Kaso

Theses and Dissertations

The digital objects and processes of the new technological age have been found to reproduce anti-Blackness, specifically among African Americans, in the United States. To understand and remedy these trends, this thesis looks at digital technology as the product of anti-Black material culture.

Neuronal Effects Of Cocaine In An Animal Model Of Social Stress: Analysis Of Neuronal Recordings, Eboni Eddins

Honors Theses

Studies that use Intermittent (episodic) Social Defeat (ISD) in rats demonstrate that ISD increases cocaine-self administration several weeks after the end of the adverse experience and suggest that a history of social stress makes individuals more vulnerable to substance abuse in the long term. The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) plays a key role in regulating drug-seeking behavior. The present study investigates whether ISD enhances the response of mPFC neurons to cocaine. Male Long Evans rats (3-4 months) were implanted with electrode arrays in the mPFC (prelimbic area) and divided into two groups (Control, n= 4; Stress, n= 4). They were …

Functional Connectivity Of The Cerebellar Vermis In Bipolar Disorder And Associations With Mood, Arshaq Saleem, Gail Harmata, Shivangi Jain, Michelle W. Voss, Jess G. Fiedorowicz, Aislinn J. Williams, Joseph J. Shaffer, Jenny Gringer Richards, Ercole John Barsotti, Leela Sathyaputri, Samantha L. Schmitz, Gary E. Christensen, Jeffrey D. Long, Jia Xu, John Wemmie, Vincent A. Magnotta

Faculty and Staff Publications

Purpose: Studies of the neural underpinnings of bipolar type I disorder have focused on the emotional control network. However, there is also growing evidence for cerebellar involvement, including abnormal structure, function, and metabolism. Here, we sought to assess functional connectivity of the cerebellar vermis with the cerebrum in bipolar disorder and to assess whether connectivity might depend on mood.

Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled 128 participants with bipolar type I disorder and 83 control comparison participants who completed a 3 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study, which included anatomical as well as resting state Blood Oxygenation Level Dependent (BOLD) imaging. …

Black Male Educator Shortage In The Mississippi Public School System: Impact, Challenges, And Intervention Strategies, Jilkiah Bryant

Honors Theses

The shortage of Black male educators in Mississippi's public school systems is a critical issue with far-reaching implications for the state's education system. Despite the state's sizable Black population, the percentage of Black male teachers remains disproportionately low, and there is little evidence of progress being made to address this issue. This paper examines the impact of the Black male educator shortage on Mississippi's education system, the challenges faced by Black male educators, and related intervention strategies to increase the number of Black male teachers in Mississippi's public school systems. Through a comprehensive literature review and interviews with Black male …

Microwave Regeneration And Thermal And Oxidative Stability Of Imidazolium Cyanopyrrolide Ionic Liquid For Direct Air Capture Of Carbon Dioxide, Yun-Yang Lee, Eda Cagli, Aidan Klemm, Ruth Dikki

Faculty Scholarship

Understanding the oxidative and thermal degradation of CO2 sorbents is essential for assessing long-term sorbent stability in direct air capture (DAC). The potential degradation pathway of imidazolium cyanopyrrolide, an ionic liquid (IL) functionalized for superior CO2 capacity and selectivity, is evaluated under accelerated degradation conditions to elucidate the secondary reactions that can occur during repetitive absorption-desorption thermal-swing cycles. The combined analysis from various spectroscopic, chromatographic, and thermal gravimetric measurements indicated that radical and SN2 mechanisms in degradation are encouraged by the nucleophilicity of the anion. Thickening of the liquid and gas evolution are accompanied by 50 % reduction in CO2 …

Standardization Of The Workflow For Collecting And Intervening On Social Determinant Of Health Data In A Community-Based Ambulatory Clinic, Tenzin Yangchen, Hamza Altaie, Ashten Duncan

Quality Improvement/Patient Safety Symposium

Problem identification: Social determinants of health (SDOH) are community-related social, economic, and physical conditions that influence patients’ health far in excess of what the direct provision of health care can achieve. Although the Joint Commission (TJC) recently published requirements for universal SDOH screening and intervention for accreditation purposes, many medical practices in New Mexico still have very low rates of screening and intervention, leading to suboptimal health outcomes for our patients. At CHRISTUS St. Vincent Family Medical Center in Santa Fe, the rates of SDOH screening and intervention have been around 2-3% based on current workflow processes and competing …

Differences In Length Of Stay (Los) For The Adult General Medicine Population Compared To Patients With Social Determinants Of Health For The University Of New Mexico Hospital (Unmh), Vanessa Krajeck, Joshua M. Garcia

Quality Improvement/Patient Safety Symposium

Introduction:

The University of New Mexico Department of Internal Medicine Office of Quality & Safety evaluated the differences in length of stay (LOS) for the adult general medicine population compared to patients with social determinants of health (specific ICD-10 z-codes) for the University of New Mexico Hospital (UNMH). The hypothesis was patients with documented social determinants of health had a longer LOS index compared to patients that did not have social determinants of health. A LOS >1 index indicates a higher than expected LOS based on risk models. A LOS >1 indicates an opportunity for documentation or system process changes. …

Improving Patient Safety With A Pressure Injury Prevention Bundle In A Urban Intensive Care Unit, Radha Denmark, Cassie Belzer, Christopher Bartlett

Quality Improvement/Patient Safety Symposium

Gap Identification/Background

About 2.5 million Americans in acute care facilities develop a hospital-acquired pressure injury (HAPI) each year, with an incidence up to 45% in intensive care settings (ICUs)¹ costing $75,000-$150,000 per patient². They are painful, reduce quality of life, and increase morbidity and mortality, resulting in 60,000 deaths annually in the United States.²

Guideline recommendations are that HAPI prevention begins with a comprehensive risk assessment that is not dependent on a single risk tool since no single tool is comprehensive. However, a chart audit conducted in a 24-bed trauma-surgical intensive care unit (TSICU) of a …

Difficult Conversations: Practicing Delivering Bad News With Pediatric Residents Through Simulation Curriculum, Morgan Day, Jodi Mayfield, Justin Hessinger, Lanier Lopez

Quality Improvement/Patient Safety Symposium

Problem (Gap) Identification/Background

Students, residents, and attendings report that delivering bad news is stressful.¹ In a study of pediatric residents, only 27% reported that they felt comfortable delivering bad news to parents of a seriously ill child, though 90% perceived this to be a very important skill.² Given that up to 10% of children can be expected to have a moderate or severe long-term health problem, this is a skill that should be developed during training.² Additionally, reports have indicated that initial communication of bad news can negatively³ or positively⁴ affect adjustment to the diagnosis. …

Examining Interprofessional Communication In Healthcare, Devin Alexander Maez

Quality Improvement/Patient Safety Symposium

INTRODUCTION

Interprofessional communication is an essential tool for providing strong patient care in healthcare settings, particularly in large public hospitals like University of New Mexico Hospital. Several care teams are often involved in the care of one patient (physicians, nurses, PT/OT, pharmacy, etc.). When communication breaks down between care teams, patient care can be greatly diminished or compromised. Lack of coordination and communication amongst different care teams can either affect the patients both directly or indirectly in many ways, potentially leading to extended hospital stays and various poor health outcomes. Several challenges specifically within healthcare settings exist that best exemplify …

The Ethical Contribution Of Cultural Diversity As A Social Determinant Of Health, Pooja Patel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The dissertation examines how cultural diversity as a social determinant of health, aligned with human life, human dignity, human rights, and human equity provides an ethical contribution. My explanation of the ethical contribution of cultural diversity as a SDOH refers to a quadrant of topics that expands the approach of the UNESCO Declaration of Bioethics and Human Rights. The UNESCO approach addresses cultural diversity in relation to human dignity and human rights. I adopt a quadrant of topics that aligns human dignity with human life and human rights with equity. Aligning these topics in the quadrant (dignity/life and rights/equity) explains …

Economic Analysis Of Western Corn Rootworm Injury To Continuous Corn In Northeast Nebraska, Isadora Vercesi Bethlem

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The most economically significant corn pest in the US Corn Belt is the Western Corn Rootworm (WCR), Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte. This study compares a field experiment outcome of 4 different treatments against WCR, which consist of a rootworm Bt corn pyramid (SmartStax®) and non-rootworm Bt trait hybrid (VT2P), with or without the addition of the rootworm soil insecticide (Aztec®) to identify the risk-reward trade-off for each one of them. Observed prices were used for the years in the study (2020, 2021, and 2022), and low and high price scenarios were simulated for the period, to incorporate different dynamic relations …

Reviving Agricultural Growth : Part - Vi, Ishrat Husain Dr.

Faculty Research - Newspaper and Magazine Articles

Pakistan will have to develop a unified market linking the farms to retail outlets covering the full supply chain particularly in high-value commodities. Corporate investment and competition in on-farm storage, refrigerated vans and specialized trucks, silos and warehouses, wholesale distribution channels supplying to the processors, and opening up the highly inefficient and regulated marketing will eliminate the excessive rents earned by those involved in the present arrangements. This ‘unearned’ premium under a reconfigured modern value chain bolstered by competitive forces will then accrue to the farmers and the consumers while acting as a restraint on food inflation.

Primary Care Providers’ Practices And Attitudes Towards Brca Genetic Testing For Unaffected 19- To 24-Year-Old Patients., Madison C. Groene, Terri Blase Ms, Cgc, Jessica Maxwell Md, Frcsc

Capstones: Genetic Counseling

Prior literature has described unique psychosocial considerations for emerging adults (18- to 25-year-olds) considering predictive BRCA genetic testing. Due to these unique concerns, the Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO) recommends waiting until individuals are older than 21 before offering testing. While primary care providers (PCPs) are important stakeholders in increasing access to hereditary cancer genetic testing, their approach for emerging adults has not been previously described. We surveyed PCPs in Nebraska regarding their pre- and post-test clinical practices as well as attitudes towards BRCA genetic testing for unaffected 19- to 24-year-olds. Pre-test clinical practice questions and attitudes questions were asked …

Critical Nematic Correlations Throughout The Superconducting Doping Range In Bi2−Zpbzsr2−Ylaycuo6+X, Can-Li Song, Elizabeth J. Main, Forrest Simmons, Shuo Liu, Benjamin Phillabaum, Karin A. Dahmen, Eric W. Hudson, Jennifer E. Hoffman, Erica W. Carlson

Purdue University Libraries Open Access Publishing Fund

Charge modulations have been widely observed in cuprates, suggesting their centrality for understanding the high-Tc superconductivity in these materials. However, the dimensionality of these modulations remains controversial, including whether their wavevector is unidirectional or bidirectional, and also whether they extend seamlessly from the surface of the material into the bulk. Material disorder presents severe challenges to understanding the charge modulations through bulk scattering techniques. We use a local technique, scanning tunneling microscopy, to image the static charge modulations on Bi2−zPbzSr2−yLayCuO6+x. The ratio of the phase correlation length ξ …

Death Of A Salesman: Nostalgia Refracted Through The Language Of Light, Abbey Lynn Smith

Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film: Theses, Student Research, and Creative Work

The purpose of this thesis is to provide an in-depth look at the design process for the Nebraska Repertory Theater’s production of Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, which performed in November 2022. This process includes research that facilitated early design conversations, documentation that relayed information necessary for implementation, and additional materials typically used as reference for a lighting designer. This thesis includes research images, hand-drawn renderings, previsualization, light plots, lighting paperwork, and production photos of the final product.

Adaptive Multirate Infinitesimal Time Integration, Alex Fish

Mathematics Theses and Dissertations

As multiphysics simulations grow in complexity and application scientists desire more accurate results, computational costs increase greatly. Time integrators typically cater to the most restrictive physical processes of a given simulation\add{,} which can be unnecessarily computationally expensive for the less restrictive physical processes. Multirate time integrators are a way to combat this increase in computational costs by efficiently solving systems of ordinary differential equations that contain physical processes which evolve at different rates by assigning different time step sizes to the different processes. Adaptivity is a technique for further increasing efficiency in time integration by automatically growing and shrinking the …

Weight Loss Communication And Treatment In Primary Care, Courtney Russell, Sarah Puckett, Jessica Mcrill

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Obesity is undertreated in the primary care setting as a single medical condition. Obese patients are higher risk for comorbid conditions including heart disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and stroke. There is no universal screening tool implemented in the primary care setting for obesity management. An extensive literature review was completed to identify barriers in the primary care settings for providers to treat obesity as a disease state, assess current practices for weight management in these settings, and to identify health behaviors of adult patients with obesity. This project implemented the Five A’s Communication Tool to identify patients willing to discuss …

Use Of Anticipatory Guidelines In Late Infants And Toddlers 12 To 24 Months In Primary Care, Claire E. Eller

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Anticipatory guidance is a well-known and utilized method that has been implemented in a majority of pediatric primary care offices. As the need for efficiency grows and increasing patient volumes climb, there is a growing need for strategies to provide this information effectively and efficiently. Prior evidence can be utilized to identify the most critical knowledge caregivers and parents will require. Our findings indicate safety, communication, nutrition, social development, and behavior as cornerstone topics for anticipatory guidance. To increase the volume of education provided to parents and caregivers, alternate methods beyond verbal discussion could be used. After gathering scientific literature …

Implementing The Timed Up And Go Test To Prevent Falls, Shamika Allen

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Falls are the most reported injury within the geriatric population. Behavioral health patients have the most injurious falls, with falls impacting multiple things such as staffing, cost, injury, and quality of life for the patient (Ocker et al., 2020). Currently, the standardized fall assessment for new patients upon admission is the Morse Fall Scale (MFS). This fall assessment was intended to assess the level of fall risk for patients who are on an acute medical floor during their hospital stay. The Timed Up and Go test (TUG) is a fall assessment that has been used in geriatric patients to assess …