Digital Commons Network^™

Reflection, Tania Blanco

The Prairie Light Review

No abstract provided.

Prologue: Bread, Dakoda Mccallum

The Prairie Light Review

No abstract provided.

Morning Solitude, Devona Barnes

The Prairie Light Review

No abstract provided.

I Feel Sorry For You, Noemi Hernandez

The Prairie Light Review

No abstract provided.

The Napping House Fucked Me Up, Emily Shank

The Prairie Light Review

No abstract provided.

Kinetic Barriers For Leakage Reduction In Dna Autocatalytic Strand Displacement Networks, Drew Lysne

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Currently medical diagnostic methods suffer from the need for skilled labor, bulky, sophisticated and expensive equipment, ideal lab environments and ample time. A point-of-care biosensor can alleviate these problems and allow for more mobile disease detection. To meet this need, researchers have looked to DNA strand displacement networks to perform molecular level computation through a series of DNA strand displacement reactions in which disease associated biomarker inputs can trigger a cascaded signal to produce a readable output downstream in a matter of minutes. Such quick readable outputs require signal amplification. While amplification can be achieved through enzymatic activity, enzymes introduce …

Recurringly Hypoxic: Bottom Water Oxygen Depletion Is Linked To Temperature And Precipitation In A Great Lakes Estuary, Nathan M. Dugener, Anthony D. Weinke, Ian P. Stone, Bopaiah Biddanda

Open Access Publishing Support Funded Articles

Hypolimnetic hypoxia is expanding globally due to anthropogenic eutrophication and climate warming. Muskegon Lake, a Great Lakes estuary, experiences annually recurring hypoxia, impairing ecological, social, and economic benefits. Using high-frequency, time-series Muskegon Lake Observatory (MLO) data, we quantified the dynamics of hypoxia and developed a hypoxia severity index to estimate the spatiotemporal extent of hypoxia during 2011–2021. We also analyzed United States Geological Survey’s temperature and discharge data on the Muskegon River to explain the annual variability in the hypoxia severity index. Severe hypoxia occurred in warmer years with greater stratification, fewer wind mixing events, warmer winter river temperatures, and …

Investigating The Influence Of Periodontal Disease On The Association Between Complex Multimorbidity And Health: A Cross-Sectional Study, Hussam M. Alqahtani, Siran M. Koroukian, Kurt C. Stange, Nicholas K. Schiltz, Nabil F. Bissada

Faculty Scholarship

Aims and Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether periodontal disease (PD) moderates the association between complex multimorbidity (MM) and fair/poor general health in a US representative sample of older individuals. Materials and Methods: This study identified 937 participants who were at least 60 years of age from the 2013-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to estimate the association between complex MM (including chronic conditions, functional limitations, and geriatric syndromes) and self-reported fair/poor general health. Subsequently, we specified interactions between complex MM and PD to determine whether PD moderates …

Is Closing The Agricultural Yield Gap A "Risky" Endeavor?, Nicolas Gatti, Michael Cecil, Kathy Baylis, Lyndon Estes, Jordan Blekking, Thomas Heckelei, Noemi Vergopolan, Tom Evans

Geography

CONTEXT: Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has the climatic and biophysical potential to grow the crops it needs to meet rapidly growing food demand; however, agricultural productivity remains low. While potential maize yields in Zambia are 9 t per hectare (t/ha), the average farmer produces only 1–2. OBJECTIVE: We evaluate the contribution of responses to weather risk to that gap by decomposing the yield gap in maize in Zambia. While we know that improved seed and fertilizer can expand yield and profit, they may also increase the variance of yield under different weather outcomes, reducing their adoption. METHODS: We use a novel …

Optimizing Sepsis Care In A Medical Surgical Telemetry Unit, Rezart Chili

Master's Projects and Capstones

Problem: Sepsis is a potentially fatal condition that must be identified and treated immediately. Sepsis is a significant concern at Hospital X in California, as it is in many healthcare facilities worldwide. Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that occurs when the body's response to infection becomes dysregulated, leading to widespread inflammation and organ dysfunction. At Hospital X, efforts are made to identify and treat sepsis promptly and effectively. The hospital employs various strategies, such as implementing early recognition protocols, educating healthcare providers on sepsis identification, and utilizing evidence-based interventions to improve patient outcomes. By enhancing sepsis awareness, providing timely interventions, …

How Provider Education On Identification And Referral Of Eligible Patients To A Care Management Program Affects Readmission Rates: An Evidence-Based Project, Kosisochi Agube

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Hospital readmissions cost the U.S. healthcare system approximately $17.4 billion each year. Minimizing hospitalizations among Medicare beneficiaries is therefore a high priority. This study aimed to evaluate how identifying patients at high risk of hospital readmission—i.e., patients with complex health needs, such as those with chronic conditions—and referring them to a transitional care program impacts readmission rates in a primary care clinic. The PI hypothesized that identifying high-risk individuals and enrolling them in a care management program to improve their health would lessen their need for inpatient and other high-cost healthcare services.

The PICOT question for this project is as …

Effects Of Reporting Fever Sessions And Caresense On Fever Reporting By Gastrointestinal Cancer Patients Receiving Chemotherapy, Odasy Elejarde

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Patients with cancer who undergo chemotherapy are at risk of immune system compromise. Fever in a patient with cancer who receives chemotherapy can indicate presence of an infection. In patients with a compromised immune system, an infection requires immediate further evaluation and management. Thus, patients receiving chemotherapy must understand when to notify physicians of a fever for prompt evaluation and management.

Purpose. This project aimed to increase the number of fevers gastrointestinal oncology patients receiving chemotherapy reported within 24 hours of detection to MyChart messaging, CareSense, or by calling the physician's office.

Methodology.All gastrointestinal oncology patients who underwent chemotherapy …

Medication Compliance And Decreases In Viral Load Status In Patients With Hiv, Tangela Woodland- Ballard

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic has been a worldwide challenge for several decades. Proper medication adherence, following the Centers for Disease Control guidelines, has proven effective in decreasing patients’ viral load, thus improving their quality of life, and reducing the spread of the disease. The current literature identifies a lack of knowledge, support, and resources as barriers to medication compliance.

Purpose: To increase medication compliance among persons with HIV.

Methods: This evidence-based practice project utilized the Modified Morisky Scale to help minority HIV patients adhere to strict medication regimens. Repeated measures analysis of variance was conducted to …

Impact Of Teamstepps Training On Teamwork Perception In Two Primary Care Clinics, Brittaney Shaw

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Most healthcare delivery involves teams. After teamwork and communication breakdowns, poor patient care, errors, and inefficiencies follow. Employee engagement surveys from two Galveston County clinics showed concern with teamwork and value. TeamSTEPPS, a team training program, improved attitudes, knowledge, and outcomes, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Purpose: The project examined how TeamSTEPPS training affected healthcare professionals’ and administrative employees at two Galveston County primary care clinics' teamwork perspectives. PICOT Question: Among entire staff in two primary care clinics (P), what is the impact of TeamSTEPPS (I) on improving teamwork perception (O) comparing pre-post TeamSTEPPS Teamwork …

La Carol X Naïs (2023), Carolina Palacios López

Grado en Diseño de Moda

El presente proyecto se basa en la creación de una plataforma de venta multimarca con marca propia, además de otras externas, para mujer en la que se ofrecen opciones de estilismos completos (ropa, accesorios, calzado…), además de asesoramiento personalizado. Venta exclusiva online. Como objetivos generales principalmente se basa en dos: en ayudar a facilitar la compra de looks completos sin necesidad de usar diferentes plataformas y en dar visibilidad a marcas emergentes. Como específicos, generar un asesoramiento particular de estilismo, crear variedad de productos amplia contemplando la demanda del consumidor y crear una sección de tips y tendencias para el …

Land Use Analysis On Vertiports Based On A Case Study Of The San Francisco Bay Area, Wenbin Wei, Kerry Rohrmeier, Tiffany Martinez, Michael Winans, Heungseok Park

Mineta Transportation Institute

Vertiport research and development trails in the emerging commercial air taxi sector known as Advanced Air Mobility (AAM). Published scholarship remains limited as federal, state, and local governments have yet to create or implement policies for the rapidly progressing larger AAM ecosystem, which is designed around autonomous electric vehicle takeoff and landing aircraft. With the potential for frequent low altitude flights, long-range planning must demonstrate awareness, knowledge, and utilization of geographic information science to select safe and just vertiport locations. This study summarizes the AAM literature and offers planners a set of stakeholder-informed parameters to use in a no-cost preliminary …

Perceived Safety And Equitable Access: An Investigation Of The Northwest Arkansas Regional Greenway, Jessica Shearman

Landscape Architecture Undergraduate Honors Theses

In today’s world, designers, planners, and policymakers are grappling with conflicts of climate change, habitat loss, and increasing diversity all during a migratory trend towards urban areas and higher densities of living. Creating public spaces that are both resilient ecologically and environmentally, while also creating a sense of place is essential for providing a higher quality of life equitably for all citizens. Through case studies and literature review, the public’s safety perceptions when accessing public spaces is key to equitable access. Specifically, differing perceptions of safety based on gender, race, and backgrounds. Perceived safety can be defined as an awareness …

Smart Transportation In Small- And Medium-Sized Cities In Central California, Hongwei Dong

Mineta Transportation Institute

The research on smart transportation in the United States has centered on large metropolitan areas. The adoption of smart transportation technologies in small-and medium-sized cities outside of large metropolitan areas is less studied and understood. This study examined the adoption of smart transportation technologies in small-and medium-sized cities in Central California. The analysis was based on the online survey responses from 29 transportation officials and professionals who worked for 18 municipal government departments and six metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) in Central California as well as in depth semi-structured interviews with seven of them. The study showed that smart transportation in …

Framing How We Think About Curves, Megan Sattler

Mathematical Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

A frame defines a basis at a point in R^n, and we can frame a curve by placing one at every point along it. This thesis investigates adapted framed curves in R^2 and R^3 in which they are used to provide information about how a curve twists and turns. We derive differential information from the frames that describe how they change and consequently how the curve changes. We also deduce special properties of each framing and discuss how the differential information suffices to describe the shape of curves.

Digital To Phygital: An Analysis Of How A Better Collaboration Between Interior Designers And Mobile App Developers Could Improve The Future Of Retail, Hayden Wyrick

Interior Design Undergraduate Honors Theses

Interior designers and mobile app developers equally play a role in the design of omnichannel retailing spaces (either within the physical or digital realm) where retailers and consumers interact with each other; yet they hardly work in tandem. Omnichannel retailing creates a seamless experience for consumers when interacting with a retailer and allows them to purchase items in a cross-channel setting. Consumer expectations of retailers’ omnichannel approaches are increasing, and therefore this study investigates two of the most successful retailers, Walmart and Amazon, through a qualitative approach of case studies, interviews, and public observations. This study intended to explore the …

Go And Grow Business Plan For A Social Media Application, Piper Duke

Information Systems Undergraduate Honors Theses

Go and Grow proposes to develop a new iOS social media application to connect students studying abroad with students in the destination country. With the use of geolocation, in-app communication, and multi-language support, Go and Grow allows students to make the most of their once in a lifetime experience and give local people and businesses a chance to show off their home country. With Go and Grow, users will create relationship networks by posting questions, connecting with locals, and accessing information not provided by their program, making the student feel more comfortable before they depart and while they are in …

Discovering Data-Driven Solutions: A Practical Guide For Small Businesses Implementing Data Analytics, Katherine Richoux

Information Systems Undergraduate Honors Theses

In today’s highly competitive business environment, small businesses are under growing pressure to fight for market share. To do this, a competitive advantage must be established to outperform other business competitors both big and small. One way that small businesses can create a competitive advantage is by utilizing their data and applying basic data analytics. Data analytics is the process of collecting and analyzing large sets of raw data using statistical tests to identify patterns and insights to make conclusions that inform business decisions. The use of data analytics is not exclusive to large corporations and can be greatly beneficial …

Automated Visualization Pipeline For Near Real-Time Risk Management System, Paris Joslin

Industrial Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

In modern society, technological capabilities and the amount of data readily available to users continue to grow exponentially. Many have adopted these new capabilities but lack the infrastructure needed to efficiently utilize high-powered software and programs. Without a method to collect, store, and process large datasets in real-time, individuals and businesses can quickly become overwhelmed, inhibiting effective decision-making processes. There is potential to improve decision-making abilities by enhancing the computing infrastructure. To accomplish this task, we will explore the ideas surrounding High Performance Computing (HPC) and data visualization software. High Performance Computing is the ability to process data and perform …

Lead Distribution Modeling For Supply Chains With A Large Number Of Items, Wesley Tate

Industrial Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Adding randomness into a simulation model allows for a better understanding of the variation that can occur in a real-life setting. This paper documents the methodology used to recommend a set of distribution models to cover administrative and production lead times for the simulation program involving hundreds of thousands of items. The problem of distribution fitting for large datasets is addressed, with histograms, Q-Q, and P-P plots being used to verify models in addition to goodness-of-fit test statistics. Variable level reduction using frequency and distribution matching approaches are outlined followed by the use of random forest modeling to identify key …

Stream Processor Development Using Multi-Threshold Null Convention Logic Asynchronous Design Methodology, Wassim Khalil

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Decreasing transistor feature size has led to an increase in the number of transistors in integrated circuits (IC), allowing for the implementation of more complex logic. However, such logic also requires more complex clock tree synthesis (CTS) to avoid timing violations as the clock must reach many more gates over larger areas. Thus, timing analysis requires significantly more computing power and designer involvement than in the past. For these reasons, IC designers have been pushed to nix conventional synchronous (SYNC) architecture and explore novel methodologies such as asynchronous, self-timed architecture. This dissertation evaluates the nominal active energy, voltage-scaled active energy, …

Effect Of Nanobubble-Oxygenated Water For Irrigation Of Sand-Based Golf Course Putting Greens, Eric Deboer

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Nanobubbles (NBs) are sub-micron, stable cavities of gas. The properties of NBs theoretically allow long bubble residence times and high gas dissolution rates resulting in the supersaturation of oxygen in water. Adequate soil aeration is a constant concern for producers of agricultural and horticultural crops. Because of their unique properties, NBs have been investigated for oxygenating water used in the irrigation of various agricultural and horticultural crops to increase soil oxygen concentration. Creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.) is the most widely used turfgrass for golf course putting green surfaces. Golf course superintendents use various methods to increase soil oxygen in …

The Growth And Characterization Of Inn Quantum Dots Using Droplets Epitaxy In Mbe, Malak Refaei

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

III-nitride semiconductor material systems offer great potential for next-generation optoelectronic devices due to their direct bandgaps, which vary from 0.7 eV (InN) to 3.5 eV (GaN) to 6.2 eV (AlN), as well as their other unique properties. InN has gained much less attention than GaN and AlN within this family of semiconductors due to its complicated low-temperature growth. However, the prediction that an InN quantum well on GaN can become a two-dimensional (2D) topological insulator has resulted in expanding the research interest in InN. At the same time, this renewed interest has begun to reveal that the formation of an …

Nutritional Ecology Of The Western Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon Piscivorus Leucostoma), Jason Ortega

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Nutritional ecology aims to understand the factors that shape the diets of animals, how these ingested meals are processed, and how the assimilated nutrients are used to shape an organism’s interactions with its environment. As environmental parameters are altered due to anthropogenic changes, the availability and quality of prey may be altered. The alteration of the nutritional landscape can be devastating to nutritional specialists, yet generalist predators may be able to cope with these changes. The western cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma) is a unique semiaquatic pitviper that can both forage along the land-water interface and in upland habitat when faced …

Effects Of Land Use On Soil Microbial Communities In Tropical Montane Forests Of Malaysian Borneo, Yang Kai Tang

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Land use, such as logging and forest conversion to agriculture, can modify soil physicochemical and biological properties, and affect soil health. To understand how land use change can impact soil properties and canopy structure, we used a land use gradient in Malaysian Borneo consisting of six sites, including old growth forests, mixed forests, and agriculture fields. Specifically, we aimed to answer the following questions: (1) How do soil physicochemical properties vary across land use types? (2) Does bacterial diversity and composition vary across different land use types? (3) Does fungal diversity and composition vary across different land use types? We …

Insights Into Star Formation And Agn Activity In Protocluster Environments From Morphological Studies And Sed Fitting, Erik B. Monson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation I present work done from 2018-2023 to investigate the growth of galaxies and supermassive black holes (SMBH) in high redshift overdensities (protoclusters) by studying the star-forming galaxy and active galactic nucleus (AGN) population in the SSA22 protocluster. I examined possible environmental sources of the enhanced star formation and AGN activity in the z = 3.09 SSA22 protocluster using Hubble WFC3 ∼ 1.6 μm observations of the SSA22 field, including new observations centered on eight X-ray selected protocluster AGN. To investigate the role of mergers in the observed AGN and star formation enhancement, quantitative and visual morphological classifications …