Digital Commons Network^™

Race Matters: Factors That Impact Recruiting Black Teachers In Minnesota, Tonya Allen

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Black teachers are underrepresented within Minnesota and the nation. The perspective and presence of Black teachers was motivation for why this topic should be explored. This study examined factors that impact the decision making of individuals who identify as Black entering the field of education as teachers. The researcher conducted qualitative research utilizing the grounded theory approach to gain a deeper understanding of the perspectives of Black teachers. The participants of this study were from the seven-county metropolitan area in Minnesota. The researcher used semi-structured interviews of ten participants for this study.

Impact Of Brain Breaks On Student Engagement In An Upper Elementary Classroom, Hannah Jaeger, Stephanie Mcwilliams

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Educators are constantly looking for ways to increase student engagement. Due to limited attention spans in students and the academic stress that is placed on them, students often become disengaged and distracted after extended periods of academic related tasks. Brain breaks, or short periods of movement or relaxation to break up academic tasks, can improve student engagement and focus. One specific benefit was improved focus, which has a positive impact on time-on-task behavior (Cline, et al., 2021). This study will concentrate on three different types of brain breaks; physical brain breaks that involve student movement, mindfulness brain breaks that involve …

Breaking The Academic Lockstep: Dr. Samuel Clark And The Birth Of Honors Education At Western Michigan University, Tashfia Raisa

Honors Theses

The Lee Honors College at Western Michigan University has grown so rapidly over the past few decades that one may overlook its humble beginnings. The first Director of the Honors College, Dr. Samuel Clark, contributed greatly to the establishment of the college and the development of the curriculum. This thesis, which examines the origin of honors programming nationally and at Western Michigan University, will allow future researchers and administrators to better appreciate today’s honors program at Western Michigan University in light of its past.

Cotton/Soybean Insect Newsletter, April 27, 2023, Jeremy K. Greene

Clemson University Cotton/Soybean Insect Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Sandra De Alcuaz Oral History Interview, Sandra De Alcuaz, Lorenzo Spaccarelli

Raymond College

No abstract provided.

Communication And Cultural Agility/Competence Skill Training In Medical Education, Stephanie Patten, Elijah Wade, Abagail Furth, Abigail Widmer

Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)

No abstract provided.

Ido1 And Inflammatory Neovascularization: Bringing New Blood To Tumor-Promoting Inflammation, Alexander J. Muller, Arpita Mondal, Souvik Dey, George C Prendergast

Kimmel Cancer Center Faculty Papers

In parallel with the genetic and epigenetic changes that accumulate in tumor cells, chronic tumor-promoting inflammation establishes a local microenvironment that fosters the development of malignancy. While knowledge of the specific factors that distinguish tumor-promoting from non-tumor-promoting inflammation remains inchoate, nevertheless, as highlighted in this series on the 'Hallmarks of Cancer', it is clear that tumor-promoting inflammation is essential to neoplasia and metastatic progression making identification of specific factors critical. Studies of immunometabolism and inflamometabolism have revealed a role for the tryptophan catabolizing enzyme IDO1 as a core element in tumor-promoting inflammation. At one level, IDO1 expression promotes immune tolerance …

Adipose Tissue Metabolic Changes In Chronic Kidney Disease, Eurico Serrano, Prashamsa Shenoy, Maria Paula Martinez Cantarin

Division of Nephrology Faculty Papers

Adipose tissue is a complex organ whose functions go beyond being an energy reservoir to sustain proper body energy homeostasis. Functioning as an endocrine organ, the adipose tissue has an active role in the body's metabolic balance regulation through several secreted factors generally termed as adipokines. Thus, adipose tissue dysregulation in chronic kidney disease (CKD) can have a deep impact in the pathophysiology of diseases associated with metabolic dysregulation including metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance (IR), atherosclerosis, and even cachexia. CKD is a progressive disorder linked to increased morbidity and mortality. Despite being characterized by renal function loss, CKD is accompanied …

Assessing Visual Analysis Skills With Board-Certified Behavior Analysts, Marina Forsythe

Thesis Projects

Visual analysis is the technology used in behavior analysis by researchers and practitioners to interpret their data to make clinical-based decisions. Due to recent studies uncovering varied results of visual analysis reliability, we sought to assess decision-making skills based on graph inspection. Twelve behavior analysts participated in this study by taking an online survey that assessed their ability to visually analyze a series of graphs. One subset of graphs resembled graphs commonly seen in published articles whereas the second subset resembled graphs from software programs more commonly seen in practice (e.g., in practice software) to assess their ability to generalize. …

The Effect Of Embedded Professional Learning Communities On Teacher Self-Efficacy And Collective Efficacy In Plc Model Schools, Kelly S. Chaney

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) have on the measure of collective efficacy and feeling of self-efficacy of teachers. The study sample consisted of 58 teachers from seven elementary and one middle school. All schools included in the study were considered PLC Model Schools as defined by Solution Tree. Semi?structured interviews were conducted with the school principals at each school included in the study. Teachers completed the Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale – Short Form (Tschannen-Moran & Woolfolk Hoy, 2001), the Collective Teacher Efficacy Scale – Short Form (Goddard, 2002), and answered …

Synthesis And Evaluation Of 1-Substituted Imidazo[4,5-C] Quinoline Tlr7 Agonists With Improved Potency, Emma Grace Deyoung

Undergraduate Honors Theses

TLR7 agonists are small molecules that are useful within cancer immunotherapy due to their ability to stimulate the TLR7 pathway resulting in NFκB activation, and cytokine release.1 Due to the risk of toxicity when delivered systemically, our team has employed a particular type of drug-delivery technology, Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs) to deliver these payloads directly to tumor tissue. The initial focus of this work was on E104 (8a), an imidazoquinoline TLR7 agonist, which was synthesized by the Tumey lab.1 However, the agonist was not sufficiently potent for many of the proposed applications of this technology, prompting a need to develop …

Amplifying Unheard Voices: A Community-Based Approach To Preserving Black History In The Inland Empire, Eric L. Milenkiewicz

Library Faculty Publications & Presentations

This presentation discusses the "Bridges That Carried Us Over Project: Documenting Black History in the Inland Empire," a community-based, collaborative initiative between three local area universities designed to capture the accounts, experiences, and personal narratives from members of the Black community in San Bernardino and Riverside counties.

Pharmacists’ Perceptions And Knowledge Of The Legalization Of Medical Marijuana In Mississippi, Faith Houston

Honors Theses

The legalization of medical cannabis in Mississippi was a debated topic among all citizens. This thesis specifically explored pharmacists’ perceptions and knowledge as medical professionals who will be involved with patients certified to use medical cannabis. Information was gathered using a voluntary online survey on the Qualtrics platform to produce a cross-sectional, descriptive study.

From the information gathered, it was apparent that pharmacists in Mississippi have varying opinions regarding medical marijuana. Some are in favor of using these products, and some are not. However, as cannabis has been officially accepted and put into patient's medical plans both current and future …

The Effects Of Motivational Intervention On College Students In Asynchronous Classes, Abigail Perkins

Honors Theses

Procrastination is one of the most common behaviors that interfere with student success (Liu et al., 2020). It affects student performance and has long-lasting effects on motivation. Several studies have shown that motivational interventions can reduce procrastination levels (Liu et al., 2020). Goal setting has been particularly successful (Grunschel et al., 2016; Liu et al., 2020; Schwinger et al., 2009). The present study is focused on the evaluation of whether proximal goal setting will affect academic procrastination in an online, asynchronous class. Seventy-eight undergraduate students enrolled in such a class were invited to participate in this study. Participants were randomly …

Provider Perspectives On Mississippi's Child Care Payment Program, Katherine Broten

Honors Theses

The Mississippi Child Care Payment Program allocates public dollars from the Child Care Development Block Grant to decrease the cost of child care to qualifying Mississippi families. The purpose of this research is to examine how the coronavirus pandemic and ensuing policy changes from the state of Mississippi shaped child care providers' experience with the Child Care Payment Program. By surveying child care providers, this researcher assesses to analyze the effectiveness of the program and determines remaining what areas of need. Please note that this research applies to policies prior to the 2023 revision to the Child Care Payment Program …

The Efficacy Of Leadership Training: A Case Study Of The Sullivan Foundation's Inspired Leadership Workshop, Rachel Berry

Honors Theses

All too often, leaders are raised up without the proper training for the job. Although a variety of different leadership training methods have been implemented over the last few decades, the efficacy of these training methods are still in question. Therefore, this thesis serves to examine the efficacy of leadership training programs by examining a leadership workshop, conducted by the Sullivan Foundation on two separate occasions, in order to understand if leadership training improves one’s leadership ability. In order to measure the efficacy of the Sullivan Foundation’s Leadership workshop, this thesis utilized a case study approach to examine the workshop …

Effectiveness Of Perioperative Ketorolac Versus Opioids: A Scoping Review, Jamie Smith Bsn, Srna, Ashley Warner Bsn, Srna, Oran Tubre Bsn, Srna, Sherman Stauffer Bsn, Srna, Dwayne Accardo Dnp, Crna

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this project will compare the effectiveness of ketorolac over opioids alone for pain management of patients 72 hours postoperatively.

Background

In recent years, there has been overwhelming evidence of opioid abuse and its adverse effects on patients’ lives. To combat this, significant attention has been paid to multimodal analgesia throughout the perioperative period to decrease patients’ exposure to opioids. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ketorolac, are being administered intraoperatively to reduce the need for opioids in patients' post-surgical procedures.

Methods

A literature review was done on articles that evaluated perioperative adult human patients undergoing …

Telehealth By Certified Psychiatric Providers Compared To Emergency Department Healthcare Providers On Psychiatric Patient Outcomes: A Scoping Review, Lekisha C. Pride, Taylor B. Bradley, Michelle R. Porter, Sharon Little Dnp, Aprn, Fnp-Bc

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Emergency department visits for mental health disorders have increased over the years due to insufficient mental health resources. The number of ED visits for mental health disorders rose from 1.4 to 2.5 million per year in the US. Therefore, mental health patients being seen by ED physicians are more likely to have longer lengths of stay, an increase in hospital admission, and high recidivism rates. Purpose: In this scoping review, we wanted to determine the role of telehealth on ED mental health patients. outcomes regarding how telehealth can reduce the number of admissions, length of stay in the ED, …

Impact Of Mobile Text Reminders On Medication Compliance, Paul Weatherly, Haley Russell, Michelle Rickard Dnp, Cpnp-Ac

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Purpose/Background

Patient noncompliance with medication leads to longer and more frequent infections and health issues. Using mobile reminders, patients can be prompted to take their medication, schedule their followup appointments, or fill their prescription to encourage compliance and better overall health.

Methods

A search of PubMed, LibKey, and EBSCO was conducted. Articles reviewed included meta-analysis, randomized controlled trials, and systematic reviews in the use of mobile reminders on patient compliance, specifically in medication adherence. Then, we reviewed the article methods and outcomes across various health issues addressed. The articles were then reviewed for criteria such as population size, length of …

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (Eras) For Cardiothoracic Surgery, Emile Shaw, Samantha Schultz, Taylor Woods, Emma Zollmann, Dwayne Accardo Dnp, Crna, Faana

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background/Purpose

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols are multi-disciplinary approaches that optimize recovery and reduce surgical outcome variability. This scoping review compares surgical outcomes associated with traditional perioperative care to outcomes associated with an ERAS protocol for patients undergoing cardiothoracic surgery.

Methods

A literature review evaluating traditional perioperative care versus ERAS protocols in cardiothoracic surgical patients was performed to set inclusion and exclusion criteria based on current peer-reviewed journal articles for qualitative data. Group members selected 14 articles based on inclusion criteria and relevance to the PICOT question for review and placed findings in a synthesis table. Findings included compliance …

Survey Finds 97% Of 2022 Grads Employed Or Continuing Education, Julia Perez

News and Events (Discontinued Series)

No abstract provided.

Phenom Film Festival Gives Snapshot Of Student Talent, Mj Soria

News and Events (Discontinued Series)

No abstract provided.

Improving The Mental Health Of International Students In Higher Education With Holistic Self-Improvement Practices, Layth Almallah

Masters Projects

International students make up a large portion of students in the U.S. on an annual basis. Research has shown that international students face acculturative stress at high rates and struggle with mental health. International students have high rates of depression, anxiety, and loneliness, while also feeling homesick when away from home. This project provides intervention group-based strategies that are focused on individual self-improvement. The research shows that meditation, journaling, exercise, sleep, and understanding one's spirituality all have a positive impact on mental health. In focusing on these different self-improvement habits, international students may be able to use them in their …

To Buy Or Not To Buy: The Ethics Of College Clothing, Mariko Hermerding

Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)

Look back and consider your past and current wardrobe. If you are a college graduate, most likely along the way you owned an article of college apparel. It could be something as simple as a pair of socks with your school’s logo on it. Have you ever considered where you received that piece of clothing from? Have you considered who made it for you? In this essay, research will be conducted to figure out and establish where the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference colleges source their clothes from, how ethically made they are, and suggest sustainable alternatives.

Total Dominator Coloring On The Queen's Graph, Fiona Smith

Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)

A chess board of size m x n can be translated to a Queen's graph in which vertices are adjacent if their squares on the board are in the same row, column, or diagonal. In this research, the total dominator coloring of a Queen's graph is explored, yielding a conjecture for the general m x n case.

Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus Amphibius) Aggressive Behaviors In The Retima Hippo Pool, Orangi River, Tanzania, Lydia Hoffman, Connor Veldman

Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)

Hippopotamuses (Hippopotamus amphibius) are known to forage on land during the night and spend the daytime in shallow pools to thermoregulate and to protect their skin from UV radiation. Daily use of pools may lead to competition for space and facilitate aggressive interactions between hippopotamuses. In this study, we looked at the difference in occurrence of aggressive behavior in the morning and evening hours between hippopotamuses (hippos). Our hypothesis was that hippos will be more aggressive at different times of the day, and we predicted that the higher aggressive activity will be in the morning hours, as hippos …

The Effect Of Light Availability On Planktonic Communities Under The Ice In Stumpf Lake, Samantha Schug

Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)

Ice cover is a part of the yearly cycle in bodies of water that are exposed to temperatures below the freezing point. Though the body of water is completely covered, many communities under the ice are still present and active during this time. I hypothesized that as the area cleared of snow increased, the increased light availability under the ice will cause a decrease in zooplankton abundance, as they avoid light and increase the chlorophyll concentration. Three different light availabilities were imposed on the ice by clearing three different sized areas of snow on the ice (0m, 1m and 2m). …

The Role Of Sars-Cov-2 Orf8 Protein Arks Motif On Novobiocin Binding, Si Chun Chiu, My T. Nguyen

Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)

The discovery of the SARS-CoV-2 virus during the COVID-19 pandemic required scientists to develop medical solutions to reduce infectivity, severity of symptoms, and death. Although vaccines and drugs provided urgent assistance, the need to continue developing better drugs is necessary long term, and understanding the structure of the virus and finding potential inhibitors would prove vital to discovering solutions to this worldwide health problem. This experimental project focuses on targeting the unique accessory protein, Open Reading Frame 8 (ORF8) in SARS-CoV-2 through studying its interactions with a repurposable drug, novobiocin. Importantly, ORF8 specializes in helping evade immune system checks by …

Analyzing And Computing Complete Solution For Dots And Boxes Game, Carl Mcaninch

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

This thesis improves a process that analyzes all the states of a game of Dots and Boxes. We use retrograde analysis and simulations to create a solution that provides significant performance improvements over our previous best solution. Expanding upon a previous 4x4 solution using rotations, reflections, better optimization, and cloud computing to limit the processing time and gather more data efficiently. We compute a file and the number of states associated with each file and process every state starting with a completely filled board. We optimized the data for cloud computing by running simulations to find the most efficient number …

Montana Kaimin, April 27, 2023, Students Of The University Of Montana, Missoula

Montana Kaimin, 1898-present

Student newspaper of the University of Montana, Missoula.