Digital Commons Network^™

Techniques To Reduce The Risk Of Malicious Operations Being Performed During Remote Control Of Network Devices, Yi Ding, Humphrey Hanfeng Cai, Geetu, Roman Volkov, Samantha Wang

Defensive Publications Series

Remote logins to network devices, such as during remote support sessions, can potentially introduce the risk of harm to network devices through human errors that could be triggered by technical support personnel during such remote logins/support sessions. Presented herein are techniques that can be implemented to fundamentally reduce the risk of human error that may occur during remote control of network equipment.

Ud Students, Professor Research 1918 Influenza, Covid-19 Pandemic Experiences, Kassidy Lammers

College of Arts and Sciences Newsroom

A century after they were written, personal letters from the 1918 influenza pandemic are helping UD students better understand the COVID-19 pandemic.

Carbon Neutral Lifestyles And Ndcs: Advice And Policy Perspectives, Laura Cavalli, Chiara Boeri

Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei Working Papers

Climate change is one of the most important challenges for the present generation, which is living in decades characterized by a drastic increase in greenhouse gas emissions, especially in the most developed countries: not only the production realities – for which policies already largely provide for mitigation measures – contribute to emissions; but also, individual citizens to whom only a small part of the envisaged measures are addressed. Among the policies in which the demand side is little addressed are the Nationally Determined Contributions, which embody the efforts of each country to reduce national emissions and adapt to the impacts …

Electric Vehicle Uptake: What Factors Are Motivating The Shift For College-Aged And Older Groups?, Jake Cardines

Honors Projects in Mathematics

Electric vehicles (EVs) arguably are the most quickly expanding form of transportation as the world races toward a greener future with advanced technology and reduced reliance on fossil fuels. This study analyzes various expected inputs to motivating consumers of particular age groups to purchase EVs, including examination of how the idea of EV ownership is currently perceived and testing which factors influence it positively and negatively. Data collected from 113 survey respondents serves as the basis for determining the responsiveness of potential future EV owners to variables such as vehicle brand and charging availability, electric range, costs associated with purchase …

Interacting With Transphobic Content On Tiktok Is A Gateway To Alt-Right Radicalization Via The Algorithm, Victoria Northrop

2023 Undergraduate Research Showcase

While the era of alt-right radicalization on YouTube is at an end, the phenomenon is reborn on TikTok; additionally, the platform’s short-form content expedites the time it takes for users to fall down the theoretical “rabbit-hole” that is alt-right radicalization. This study examines a Media Matters study whose primary focus was how Transphobia serves as a signal for the algorithm to serve users increasingly hateful ideologies, including but not limited to misogyny, antisemitism, homophobia, and racism. The paper also connects casual transphobic rhetoric in popular culture, namely political campaigns, and comedy as the primary source of the radicalization occurring on …

Thyroid Shielding In Radiographic Procedures: Fit Vs Dose, Carlie Purdom, Natalie Mourant

2023 Undergraduate Research Showcase

The thyroid gland is a vital hormone gland that plays a major role in the metabolism, growth and development of the human body. The thyroid gland is among the most radiosensitive organs. The usage of thyroid shields by healthcare professionals is an essential precaution for radiation protection. The purpose of this experiment was to determine if thyroid shield fit affects radiation dose received to the thyroid gland. The fit was recorded by measuring from the jugular notch or location of thyroid, to the inside of the thyroid shield. Qualitative data was collected by interviewing staff technologists on whether or not …

Social Support Among Student-Athletes And Coping Strategy Differences Among Student-Athletes And Non-Student-Athletes, Dillon Travis, Eric M. Martin

2023 Undergraduate Research Showcase

College student-Athletes face a variety of challenges and stressors that are unique to their academic and athletic responsibilities, and the types of support and coping strategies they utilize are often different than those of their non-student-athlete peers. For example, Cosh & Tully (2015) found that college student-athletes reported additional stress due to academic and sport schedule clashes. These additional stressors illustrate the need for student-athletes to use additional resources as they deal with their complicated schedules. Yang et al. (2010) found that college student-athletes have friends, family, teammates, coaches, athletic trainers, physicians, and counselors available to them for support. Our …

Ethnographic Analysis Of Student Media: Uplifting Creative Young Adults, Marissa Maldonado, Kendall House

2023 Undergraduate Research Showcase

My research will focus on the Student Media Department at Boise State University - a student-run organization aimed at producing hyper-local media for the student newspaper, university radio station, and an independent magazine. Through ethnographic methods, such as contextual interviews and referencing physical artifacts, I will produce a qualitative analysis of how Student Media employees actively gain professional experience. My study will encourage participants to reflect on their personal and career goals within the organization, while also informing the department how they can best uplift students transitioning into professional environments.

As younger generations increasingly prioritize meaningful work in their careers, …

Text Analysis Identified Semantic Differences In Ideologically-Motivated News, Emily Eker, Iryna Babik

2023 Undergraduate Research Showcase

In recent years, there has been a dramatic increase in polarization of public opinion on some topics of global importance, leading to increasing public reliance on partisan-based online news.¹ However, news outlets may manipulate public opinion through misinformation or subtle modifications of news text’s semantic, stylistic, and affective characteristics.^2,3 We hypothesized significant differences in news text characteristics between sources with different ideological orientations, levels of radicalism, and levels of public interest for highly divisive topics in our society: immigration, gun control, and vaccination. Data was collected from 360 articles on these topics from MSNBC News (left-leaning non-radical), Fox …

Conservation Of Sharp-Tailed Grouse (Tympanuchus Phasianellus Columbianus) Through Fecal Dna Extraction, Elizabeth Jessmore, Morgan Calahan, Michael Schroeder, Jennifer S. Forbey, Stephanie J. Galla

2023 Undergraduate Research Showcase

Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus columbianus) are the rarest of the six extant Sharp-tailed Grouse subspecies. This subspecies experienced a 90% range contraction over the last century and have been extirpated from several states (Figure 1). In Washington alone, populations that once numbered hundreds of thousands of individuals now consist of fewer than 1,000 birds. Conservation efforts—including conservation translocations and habitat management—are underway to help bolster this imperiled subspecies across their range. However, little is known about the ecology of this charismatic species and the factors that may be contributing towards higher rates of decline.

The collection of …

The Effect Of Sociocultural Factors On Body Image And Social Physique Anxiety, Magalli Landaverde Morado, Mary Pritchard

2023 Undergraduate Research Showcase

Previous research suggests that the relationship between body image is influenced by parents, peers, and media (Rodgers et al., 2011). However, those studies did not distinguish whether family, peers, or media are significantly more influential in people’s body image or propensity for social physique anxiety. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to determine whether family, peers, or media have a greater influence on body image and social physique anxiety in college students. We surveyed 943 college students (693 female, 250 male), ranging in age from 18 to 29 years of age (M = 19.03, SD = 1.59). Media …

Attraction And Adherence Of Senior Adults To Exercise Programs, Susan Copple

2023 Undergraduate Research Showcase

Older adults commonly hope to remain healthy and live independently until death. Lack of regular, sustained physical exercise results in a decline in physical functioning, impacting the elderly’s ability to perform activities needed for daily living. Previous research explored factors leading to attraction and adherence to senior exercise programs; however, few studies prioritize them. This study’s purpose was to better understand, via a prioritized list, what attracts and promotes adherence to physical exercise programs at the Treasure Valley (Boise, Idaho) YMCA. Study data collected will improve the YMCA’s ability to engage with seniors and better serve and improve community health.

Pre-Plinian Perplexity: Constraining The Transition From The Blast To Plinian Phases Of The 18 May 1980 Mount St. Helens Eruption, Justin Crevier

2023 Undergraduate Research Showcase

The Mount St. Helens 18 May 1980 eruption was a formative event for a generation of volcanologists. The eruption’s massive size, as well as its location in the Pacific Northwest, have made it the subject of countless field studies. These studies have focused on discrete eruptive phases such as the Blast and Plinian stages, but relatively little has been done to study and constrain the transitional phases. The transition period in between the Blast and Plinian phases, which occurred between 0830 and 0920 on the morning of May 18, 1980, has yet to undergo a detailed review.

My project seeks …

Addressing The Nationwide Shortage Of Radiologic Technologists, Travis Armstrong, Jeleana Loa

2023 Undergraduate Research Showcase

There is currently a nationwide shortage of radiologic technologists. Recent surveys conducted by AMN Healthcare and the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT) have found that radiologic technologists are in high demand with many current job vacancies. The purpose of this study is to determine by both division (United States Census subregion) and state, on a per capita basis, how many first-time candidates sat for the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) radiography exam for the years 2020-2022. The ARRT annually publishes data on the number of prospective radiologic technologists that sat for the registry exam by state. The data …

The Fight Against Femicide: An Analysis Of Globalization Through Instagram In #Niunamás And #Niunamenos, Madison Blatter, Lia Harelson, Christopher Courtheyn

2023 Undergraduate Research Showcase

The #NiUnaMenos movement arose in Argentina in 2013 in response to femicides throughout Latin America. The slogan #NiUnaMas began in the 2000s to fight against femicides in Mexico and the Northern Central American triangle. There have been various studies that have analyzed the role of social media, specifically Facebook and Twitter, in the spread of both movements which aim to fight against femicide. This study intends to investigate how the movement reflects the trends of globalization on Instagram. By using a qualitative critical analysis of Instagram posts under the #NiUnaMás and #NiUnaMenos hashtags, the study analyzes the various types of …

Speed And Surface Speed And Magnitude Of Knee Adduction, Mason D. Shaffer, Nicholas L. Hunt, Matthew V. Robinett, Tyler N. Brown

2023 Undergraduate Research Showcase

Frontal plane knee biomechanics, in particular speed and magnitude of knee adduction motion, are implicated in knee osteoarthritis development. Although individuals are between 50% to 90% more likely to develop knee osteoarthritis after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACL-R), it is unknown if ACL-R individuals exhibit knee adduction biomechanics related to OA development. This study sought to quantify speed and magnitude of knee adduction for knee OA and ACL-R individuals. We hypothesize that OA will exhibit larger, faster knee adduction biomechanics than ACL-R, which will increase at great walk speed and over a challenging surface. Six individuals with ACL-R and 8 …

An Intervention To Combat The Negative Effects Of Perfectionism By Incorporating Elements Of Self-Compassion For Youth Gymnasts, Ellie Cain, Eric M. Martin

2023 Undergraduate Research Showcase

In general, perfectionism means to not accept any results that are not considered “flawless”. Perfectionism is a topic that has been widely researched in clinical settings but more research is needed in the sports environment. The current project aims to investigate interventions aimed at reducing perfectionistic tendencies in the sport of gymnastics, a context that may be especially prone to developing perfectionism. There are two widely accepted dimensions of perfectionism: perfectionistic strivings and perfectionistic concerns. Perfectionistic strivings are having high personal standards and wanting to achieve high goals while perfectionistic concerns are worries about making mistakes and evaluating oneself based …

Palestini In Peter Comestor’S Historia Scholastica, Mandee Snowden-Edmonds, Nicholas Canfield, Krystian Fichat

2023 Undergraduate Research Showcase

As participants in the Historia Scholastica Project, our obligation for the 2022-2023 academic year is the advancement of the transcription, translation and contextualization of Idaho’s oldest publicly accessible book, Peter Comestor’s Historia Scholastica. Boise State University’s manuscript was printed in the mid-late 1470s, 300 years after its original composition. Because of its wide popularity, Historia Scholastica was copied multiple times in various vernaculars and served as a biblical commentary, placing the world and events of humanity in relation to the events of the old and new testaments, from Genesis to Revelation. In order to accomplish this, Comestor utilized a …

Testing For Genomic Control Of Ephemeral Leaf Phenotypes In Artemisia Tridentata, Sam Billingsley, Mia Cinello-Smith, Trinity Hamilton, Catherine Merrill, Anthony Melton, Sven Buerki

2023 Undergraduate Research Showcase

Climate change is driving ever increasing ecological stresses on native plant communities. Furthering our understanding of how plants, particularly keystone species of important ecosystems, deal with these stresses will be essential for the success of conservation and restoration efforts Artemisia tridentate is a keystone species of western North America and has experience sharp population declines in recent decades due to human activity. During the late winter and early spring months, A. tridentate grows large ephemeral leaves that provide more surface area for light capture and photosynthesis while resources are abundant. Then, during the onset of drought stress during the summer …

How Clean Is Clean Energy?, Ammon Butler, Connor Morton

2023 Undergraduate Research Showcase

Electric vehicles and clean energy production have become increasingly popular, making electric motors more in demand than ever before. Currently, the majority of electric motors use magnets created with rare earth resources such as Neodymium and Dysprosium. The supply chain for these materials is fragile, and they are not being produced in sufficient quantities to meet the needs of clean energy initiatives. With this in mind, we wanted to address the issues surrounding magnets in motors. Our objective was to determine if an environmentally friendly magnet composed of aluminum, gallium, and manganese could power an electric motor. We investigated the …

Body Dissatisfaction In College Students, Sawyer Ellis, Elaine Kozmiuk, Mary Pritchard, Heather Schoenherr

2023 Undergraduate Research Showcase

Previous literature shows that family pressure leads to drive for thinness (Green & Pritchard, 2003). Given the growth of social media, the intent of our current study was to find which sociocultural pressure: family, peers, or media relates the strongest with body shame, body surveillance, and drive for thinness. A sample of 1,049 undergraduate students, ages 18-29 (770 females and 279 males) were surveyed to better understand what predicts body dissatisfaction in young adults. Results revealed a moderate correlation between all variables, with media pressure being the main predictor of drive for thinness. In addition, our results suggest young adults …

Automaticity With Balance In Dual-Task Tests In Healthy Adolescents, Samantha Bobrowsky, Shuqi Zhang, Jiahao Pan

2023 Undergraduate Research Showcase

BACKGROUND/CONTEXT: The hallmark of healthy postural control in adolescents is automaticity which is the ability of the nervous system to successfully coordinate posture with minimal use of attention-demanding executive control resources. Automaticity plays an important role in adolescents because it is necessary to perform motor skills, motor learning and reduce the risk of sport injury. Research has shown in dual-task (DT) paradigms that the ability to use postural control and cognitive skills of the brain uses both local and global functional connectivity in the Prefrontal Cortex, which controls a healthy adolescent's ability to perform a dual-task test with adequate balance. …

Exploring The Growth Rates Of Different Bacterial Isolates Found In Purple Pitcher Plants (Sarracenia Purpurea), Kaitlyn Opland, Jessica Bernardin, Leonora Bittleston

2023 Undergraduate Research Showcase

Microbial communities are an essential part of every ecosystem, with bacteria within these microbial communities playing a crucial role in nutrient cycling. But research is lacking concerning how different microbial taxa vary in growth rate and enzyme production. By beginning to understand these microbial processes we can further develop our understanding of nutrient cycling within ecosystems, and how they promote environmental stability. We turned to Sarracenia purpurea (purple pitcher plant) as a model system for community ecology. The microbial communities within the plants can grow in a naturally enclosed and initially sterile environment, where then their growth can be monitored. …

The Justice In Frame: Photographic Narration Of Citizenship In The Chicano Movement, 1968-1971, Veronica Reynolds, Christopher Courtheyn

2023 Undergraduate Research Showcase

This paper observes four photographs in print that depict moments during the Chicano movement from 1968-1971. Each chosen image is analyzed based on its content and composition in relation to its argument for Citizenship. The framework of the analysis looks at the argument between national and global citizenship and the narratives of citizenship in the movement as communicated through the image. The Chicano movement was heavily photographed and images of marches, picketers, and portraits are abundant. The analysis of images is important because of their lasting cultural impact that they have on the general public, extending beyond the center of …

Shapes And Orientations Of Galaxy Clusters, Kaitlyn Linder, Heidi Wu, Ananth Tenneti

2023 Undergraduate Research Showcase

Galaxy clusters are large, gravitationally bound structures, primarily consisting of stars and dark matter. These two components form different shapes, which are oriented differently. Using data from IllustrisTNG, a publicly available set of hydrodynamical simulations, we calculate the 2D shapes from the inertia tensor of these clusters. Based on shapes measured from various methods, we find the misalignment between each shape. From these misalignments, we find that alignments between shapes measured based on individual particle positions tend to be much stronger than those measured with galaxy positions. We also find that shapes measured with these galaxy positions tend to be …

Α-Hemolysin As A Candidate For A Vaccine For Staphylococcus Aureus In Bovine Mastitis, Madeline B. Clark, Juliette K. Tinker

2023 Undergraduate Research Showcase

Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive bacteria responsible for many types of infections. It is abundant in nature, even present on our own skin, usually harmless. However, it is the leading cause of infection in humans. S. aureus also harms animals, and in dairy cows, causes Bovine mastitis. This disease results in a decreased quality and quantity of milk, inflammation of the mammary glands, and can even be transmitted to humans.(1) Because of this, there are massive economic ramifications estimated at $629 million annually.(2) This study focuses on a virulent factor known as a-hemolysin (Hla) and cloning this into S. …

People’S Perceptions Of Language Variation, South Korea, Subin Jang

2023 Undergraduate Research Showcase

The project was aimed at verifying the hypothesis “Do Subconscious Biases about Dialects Exist in South Korea?” It was set up based on a research method called perceptual dialectology, which examines people’s judgments and perceptions of language variation. First, on an empty map of South Korea, I asked 6 participants to draw the boundaries around each part of the country where they believe people speak differently and write down any thoughts about each region’s dialects. I looked at the collected data by dividing it into subjective representations and they attempt to describe grammatical features objectively.

Soil Carbon Decomposition In Grass Based Biofuels, Abigail Sasso, Megan Kelly Slatten, Marie-Anne De Graaff

2023 Undergraduate Research Showcase

Biofuels from cellulosic bioenergy crops, which include perennial prairie grasses such as switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) and big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii Vitman) pose as a promising potential resource to help mitigate climate change. Ecological sustainability necessitates that growing these crops for bioenergy production promotes soil carbon (C) sequestration, such that their production contributes to removing CO₂ from the atmosphere. Soil C sequestration is driven by the quantity of C that plants release into soil and by the quantity of this C that is decomposed by soil microorganisms and subsequently respired back into the atmosphere. Our …

Vertebral Body Tethering (Vbt): Quantifying Tension In A Vbt System For Scoliosis Treatment, Phoebe Cain, Christy Farnsworth, Jason Caffrey, Tony Olmert, Salil Upasani, Erin Mannen

2023 Undergraduate Research Showcase

The gold standard surgical treatment for children with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis is deformity correction with spinal instrumentation and fusion. However, there is associated significant, long-term morbidity in fusing multiple motion segments in a child. Pain, inflexibility, and degenerative arthritis are often sequelae of the surgery due to fusion sites being immobile [1], and longevity of the metal rods and screws is a long-term concern. However, an innovative approach, vertebral body tethering (VBT), was recently approved by the FDA and has since provided an alternate treatment option. VBT takes advantage of the natural growth of a child's spine to modulate spinal …

How The Covid-19 Pandemic Highlights The Effects Of Genetic Conflict During Pregnancy, Madelyn Cardwell, Jessica D. Ayers

2023 Undergraduate Research Showcase

Pregnancy is often viewed as a cooperative endeavor between mother and fetus. However, biologists have documented that under the surface, pregnancy is better characterized as a time where genetic conflict between maternal and paternal genes over fetal development can run rampant. While genetic conflict is a typical aspect of pregnancy, uncontrolled genetic conflict has the potential to result in pregnancy complications for both the mother (e.g., miscarriage, stillbirth, preterm birth) and the fetus (e.g., intrauterine growth restrictions, low birth weight). But, unexpectedly, the COVID-19 pandemic has presented researcher with a case study to investigate genetic conflict during pregnancy. Specifically, medical …