Digital Commons Network^™

Effectiveness Of A Six-Week Nutrition And Cooking Education Program On Nutrition Knowledge And Cooking Skills In Unhoused Families, Lucy Mehlhaff

Health and Nutritional Sciences Graduate Students Plan B Capstone Projects

Objective: establish a nutrition and cooking education program at a transitional housing facility in Sioux Falls, SD and evaluate its effect on both nutrition knowledge and cooking skills in participants.
Methods: Using the nutrition education curriculum “Families Eating Smart and Moving More” (FESMM), we conducted a 6-week nutrition and cooking education program at the transitional housing facility, Bishop Dudley Center for Families (BDCFF), in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Participants attended didactic sessions led by a master’s student in nutrition and dietetics that encouraged healthy and cost-effective eating, as well as took part in hands on cooking lessons with assistance from …

Parental Knowledge, Attitudes, And Practices Related To Interoception And Feeding Behaviors In Children With Adhd: A Cross-Sectional Survey, Hayleigh Young

Health and Nutritional Sciences Graduate Students Plan B Capstone Projects

Objective: Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often experience challenges related to interoceptive awareness, which can impact feeding behaviors and overall nutrition. Parents play a critical role in supporting the development of these skills, however limited research has examined parental knowledge and practices related to interoception and child feeding behaviors. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the association between parental knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to interoception and child feeding behaviors in children with ADHD to help inform the development of parent-focused educational resources.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was developed based on a targeted review of literature examining ADHD, interoception, and …

Flow Injection Determination Of Fluoride For Total Organic Fluorine Analysis, Memona Zulafiqar

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses

Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are anthropogenic chemicals that have gained increasing attention due to their association with a wide range of adverse health effects. These compounds are highly diverse, with approximately 15,000 PFAS reported. Their exceptional environmental stability and strong tendency to bioaccumulate result in environmentally relevant concentrations that typically occur at very low levels, often in the ng L⁻¹ range. This chemical diversity presents a major analytical challenge, as reference standards are available for only a limited number of PFAS. Consequently, conventional targeted analytical methods frequently quantify less than 1% of the total PFAS present, leading to a …

Liutex - A Fluid Vortex, Oscar Alvarez

Mathematics Dissertations

Fluid vortices are found everywhere in our universe. A vortex can take the form of almost anything - from the classical spiral vortex to chaotic plumes. Defining a vortex physically and mathematically is absolutely necessary if we desire to study vortices and their interactions with each other as well as our physical world. Fluid vortices are incredibly important in the study of turbulent flows. From determining wear, optimizing design for better flow, efficiency, etc., to even predicting the weather on Earth or other planets, having the ability to measure vortices in fluid flow is invaluable. In this study, I investigate …

The Effects Of Strong Parental Support And Societal Support Compared To Low Or Absent Support In Lgbtqia+ Youth, Kassandra Bautista

Nursing | Senior Theses

Background: LGBTQIA+ youth with unsupportive backgrounds face negative outcomes in their mental health. Past studies share that LGBTQIA+ youth have increased symptoms of mental illness including depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors related to unsupportive environments among parents, peers, and society. Objective: By advocating for this minority group through education and culturally competent care, healthcare providers can reduce negative outcomes in the mental and physical well-being of the youth. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to address the impact of parental and societal support in LGBTQIA+ mental health, and to implement interventions and increase awareness of this issue. …

Comparing Nurse-Led Holistic Pain Relief Strategies And Sole Pharmacological Use In Enhancing Maternal Satisfaction, Reducing Pain, And Lowering Obstetric Interventions During Childbirth, Jessica C. Moore

Nursing | Senior Theses

Background: Childbirth has become heavily reliant on pharmacological management and obstetric interventions such as epidural use, labor induction, and cesarean deliveries (C-sections) even among low-risk pregnancies. While necessary in some cases, excessive reliance on pharmacological interventions can negatively impact the experience of birthing as a whole. Non-pharmacological interventions (NPIs) such as breathing techniques, positioning, hydrotherapy, massage, aromatherapy and continuous support have shown to be effective in reducing pain and supporting physiologic labor. The gaps in education and lack of standard implementation result in inconsistent application in practice. Purpose: This research proposal aims to evaluate the effectiveness of nurse-led NPIs compared …

How Social Media And Cyberbullying Correlate To Eating Disorders In Adolescents, Nicoli A. Panelo

Nursing | Senior Theses

Background: Social media is very prevalent in today’s society, particularly in adolescents. This time period is crucial for this age group in terms of developing a sense of purpose and identity. Although social media may keep many of our children entertained, they also can create negative impacts on them and ultimately hinder their overall development both mentally and physically through negative body image and unrealistic self-expectations. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to find the correlation between social media use and the rise of eating disorders in adolescents. Doing so would allow us to find ways to lower the …

Supporting New Graduate Nurses: Residency, Mindfulness, And Simulation, Shaianne Kaye S. Intal

Nursing | Senior Theses

The purpose of this research proposal is to examine the effectiveness of support systems in helping new graduate nurses bridge the potential gap between nursing education and clinical practice. It aims to address the inconsistencies in nursing education and clinical practice, and how these strategies can better support new graduate nurses. This study will focus on new graduate nurses within their first 2 years of practice in an inpatient setting. A mixed-methods convergent parallel design approach will be used by combining quantitative questionnaires with qualitative interviews at the same time. This will evaluate the effectiveness of nurse residency programs, mindfulness-based …

Bridging The Language Gap: The Impact Of In-Person Versus Remote Interpreter Services On Medication Adherence And Patient Safety In Adult Spanish-Speaking Patients, Ashley E. Alarcon Martinez, Jocelyn N. Lopez Maradiaga

Nursing | Senior Theses

Background: Significant health inequities are caused by language barriers between patients and health care staff, resulting in miscommunication among adult Hispanic patients with low English proficiency, reducing medication adherence, impairing patient safety, and raising the possibility of medical errors. To address this issue, interpreter services, both in-person and remote translation, have been introduced in healthcare settings to enhance communication. Objective: The purpose of this study is to investigate the differences in patient safety and medication adherence between in-person and remote translation services for adult Hispanic individuals with limited English proficiency in healthcare settings. Methods: The proposed research involves five local …

The Impact Of Parental Mental Health On Infant Outcomes In The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: Length Of Stay, Feeding, Bonding, And Developmental Progress, Andee L. Plaskett

Nursing | Senior Theses

Background: The neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) can be a highly stressful environment for both infants and their parents. Poorer infant outcomes, including longer hospital stays, feeding difficulties, and delayed developmental progress can all be a reflection and outcome of elevated parental distress. Currently, mental health distress and infant screening tools are used in most NICUs but are not seen in all practices, it is also important to provide interventions based on the screening results. Screening tools are used to identify a problem but interventions should be implemented to try to alleviate the problem. Objective: By implementing a standardized screening …

Health Disparities In Cardiovascular Care: The Impact Of Diabetes Education And Post-Discharge Interventions For African American Adults At Risk For And After Myocardial Infarction, Trinity L. Billingsley

Nursing | Senior Theses

Background: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, affecting African American adults at higher rates compared to other racial and ethnic groups. Diabetes as a comorbidity is one of the risk factors of experiencing a myocardial infarction, remaining one of the leading causes of death among individuals with diabetes. Objective: To examine the effectiveness of structured diabetes education tailored to African American adults who are at risk for and after a myocardial infarction. Additionally assessing the complications of a myocardial infarction, the outcomes associated with structured education will be compared to the outcomes of …

Human Milk Feeding And Its Impact On The Incidence Of Necrotizing Enterocolitis, Maya C. Kern

Nursing | Senior Theses

One of the leading causes of morbidity and death for preterm and very low birth weight (VLBW) newborns is still necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Existing literature consistently shows that the bioactive, anti-inflammatory, and microbiome-supporting components of human breast milk, including donor human milk, significantly lower the incidence of NEC. However, a lot of infants are forced to rely on formula and nutrient fortifiers because they cannot obtain maternal or donor milk. A critical gap persists regarding whether human milk derived fortifiers offer greater NEC protection than bovine derived fortifiers in infants who must receive formula. This thesis examines three interconnected themes; …

Blister Packaging Versus Bottles: Caregiver Accuracy And Child Safety In Pediatric Medication Gummy Administration, Paolo Olimpiada

Nursing | Senior Theses

The safety of medication in pediatric settings has become an increasing concern as gummy-formulated medications have gained popularity in children’s care. Gummy-formulated medications have a close resemblance to candy, and this may mislead children to ingest additional doses or more than what was prescribed. Children also depend a lot on their caregivers for medications. Therefore, the design of packaging would be impactful in supporting medication dosing accuracy. And studies have evaluated safety features of packaging related to adherence, misuse, and unintended administration. However, limited studies have examined the influence of medication packaging on the dosing accuracy at the time of …

Black Americans' Interactions With Law Enforcement: The Black Church's Response, Shalanda Ehiozee

Doctor of Ministry

This research interrogates the disproportionate frequency of lethal law enforcement encounters involving Black Americans, contextualizing these fatalities within the systemic racial hierarchies foundational to the United States. By tracing the historical evolution of policing from antebellum slave patrols to contemporary practice, this study contends that modern law enforcement serves as a sophisticated mechanism of racial and social control.

To examine this phenomenon, the research employs a qualitative, multidimensional methodology that synthesizes Comparative Caste Analysis, case study examination, and a Christological framework. This inquiry is further bolstered by a longitudinal analysis of African American ecclesiological activism, culminating in a theological reflection …

Sanctioned By God, Opposed By Man: The Denial Of The Homiletic Practice Of Women In The Pulpit By The Madison County Baptist Association Of Churches, Linda Johnson Dunigan

Doctor of Ministry

The ongoing resistance to women’s full participation in church leadership, rooted in biblical and cultural interpretations, continues to marginalize women and uphold systemic inequality within the body of Christ. The debate over women’s preaching and ordination, shaped by differing biblical and cultural understandings, illustrates the complexity of the issue. This study examines the theological and ecclesiastical conflicts surrounding the Madison County Baptist Association of Churches’ (MCBA) prohibition on women’s homiletical practice in the pulpit, citing restrictive interpretations of texts such as 1 Timothy 2:11-15 and 1 Corinthians 14:34-35.

This study aims to demonstrate that opposition to women preaching is shaped …

The Emmaus Conversation: A Cohort Model For Building Bridges Between Lgbtq+ Lived Experience And Church Leadership, Jon Ciccarelli

Doctor of Ministry

Need Problem Opportunity (NPO) Statement

Adventism fosters a harmful culture for LGBTQ+ individuals who want to grow as beloved disciples of Jesus.

Key Insights from Research

• Religious trauma greatly impacts LGBTQ+ individuals.
• Adventism is not pursuing the inclusion of LGBTQ+ individuals.
• The Adventist Church is not benefiting from the fruit of the Spirit experienced and expressed through Adventist LGBTQ+ individuals as part of the body of Christ.
• Empathy, reconciliation, and healing were experienced during the project's prototyping.
• Many Southeastern California Conference pastors and leaders want to grow and engage in this area and be proactive in including LGBTQ+ individuals in …

Turn On The Light Of Life(Tll) Pastoral Theology For Integrated Mental And Spiritual Health In The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church Perspective, Leulekal Akalu Alemu

Doctor of Ministry

This study explores a unified framework for integrating mental health counseling with spiritual guidance within the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church pastoral theology, emphasizing the essential role of clergy in promoting both spiritual and mental well-being. The initiative aims to establish a structured approach that aligns mental health strategies with theological principles, thereby enhancing the connection between mental wellness and spiritual vitality.

Current observations indicate that many clergy members lack adequate training in pastoral counseling, which significantly impedes their ability to effectively address the mental and social issues faced by their communities. This research seeks to empower church leaders by providing …

Betrothed To Jesus: Embracing Uncertainty As The Key To A Lasting Romance, Kyle H. Chase

Doctor of Ministry

NPO:

Churches are not giving college students the tools they need to navigate uncertainty with Jesus.

Key Insights:

For college students who decide to follow Jesus, the experience of uncertainty after college can result in a deconstruction of faith. Church leaders often respond by equipping students with tools aimed at eradicating uncertainty (biblical and cultural apologetics, catechisms, formulaic practices, etc.). The solution is more elegant: If students are to remain adaptable and resilient for a lifetime, they do not need to eradicate uncertainty but to embrace it—not as an occasion for explanation but as an opportunity to encounter the living …

Re-Imagining Church As A Spiritual Family, Abraham Acosta-Newball

Doctor of Ministry

The contemporary Christian church faces a crisis of belonging; many members are opting out for non-theologically related reasons or differences. The claim for this exodus is a lack of genuine community that serves as an extended spiritual family. Modern churches function as event-centered gatherings, and less like a multigenerational community, reflecting instead a culture of individualism and spiritual consumerism. The purpose of this project is to explore strategies for churches to assume a more biblical role of a spiritual family. Particularly focusing on practical ways for building stronger community within multigenerational and multiethnic Worship settings. The project culminates in three …

Ai-Powered Lawyering: Ai Reasoning Models, Retrieval Augmented Generation, And The Future Of Legal Practice, Daniel Benjamin Schwarcz, Sam Manning, J.J. Prescott, Patrick Barry, David R. Cleveland, Beverly Rich

Articles

Generative AI is set to transform the legal profession, though its most promising uses and ultimate effects are still unclear. While AI models like GPT-4 improve efficiency, they can also “hallucinate” and may undermine legal judgment, particularly in complex tasks typically handled by skilled lawyers. This article examines two emerging AI innovations that may mitigate these concerns: Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG), which grounds AI-powered analysis in legal sources, and AI reasoning models, which structure complex reasoning before generating output. We conduct the first randomized controlled trial assessing these technologies, assigning upper-level law students to complete legal tasks using a RAG-powered …

Grading Machines: Can Ai Exam-Grading Replace Law Professors?, Kevin L. Cope, Jens Frankenreiter, Scott Hirst, Eric A. Posner, Daniel Schwarcz, Dane Thorley

Articles

In the past few years, large language models (LLMs) have achieved significant technical advances, enabling legal-advocacy organizations to adopt them as complements to—or substitutes for—lawyers and other human experts. The role of LLMs in legal education, however, is underexplored. While several studies have examined LLMs’ performance in taking law school exams, finding mixed results, there have been no published studies systematically analyzing LLMs’ competence at one of law professors’ chief responsibilities: grading law school exams. This paper presents results of an analysis of how LLMs perform in evaluating student responses to legal analysis questions of the kind typically contained in …

Assessing Interdisciplinary Learning And Knowledge: A State-Of-The-Art Review And Heuristic, Kacey Beddoes, Kristi Bartlett

Product Design Faculty Publications

Background – The need for interdisciplinary training is increasingly important, but assessing the effects of interdisciplinary education initiatives remains challenging. One of the leading difficulties is identifying and selecting the best instrument or technique for a given purpose.

Purpose -- To help researchers and educators identify available options and determine the best options for their purposes, we conducted a literature review and created a heuristic table of available techniques. Our review addresses the questions: 1) What domain-general techniques and instruments exist for assessing interdisciplinary learning or knowledge? 2) What research scenarios, populations, and questions are each technique or instrument most …

Data From: Mass Mortality Of Avian Migrants In New Mexico, Usa, That Coincided With An Extreme Weather Event, Dylan M. Osterhaus, Allison J. Salas, Patricia L. Cutler, Mara E. Weisenberger, Kerry Mower, Abigail J. Lawon, Timothy F. Wright, Jeanne M. Fair, Martha J. Desmond

Fish, Wildlife, & Conservation Ecology: Datasets

No abstract provided.

The Transport Of New Make Spirits Through American White Oak, Taylor E. Scott, Jarrad Gollihue, Michael P. Sama, Michael Shaffer, Brad J. Berron

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Why was the work done: The reduction of maturation loss is a significant opportunity for increased revenue in aged spirits and varies through several factors. This work aims to better understand maturation loss by isolating and measuring spirit flow through wood.

How was the work done: Bourbon stave disks were fabricated by computer numeric control milling and loaded into a sealed module consisting of flanges holding the stave disk over a liquid filled pipe. The modules were filled with new make spirit at 50, 62.5 or 70% ABV, with either liquid or vapour contact with the stave disk. Further, the …

The First Resurrection, James M. Taylor

Heritage Material

No abstract provided.

Development Of Stronger, More Extrudable 6xxx Series Alloys For Automotive Applications, Eli A. Harma

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

6xxx alloys are widely used in automotive extrusion structures for their high specific strength and formability. Advanced designs require greater formability and strength, creating an opportunity for high-strength, formable alloys. The 6xxx series forms β”-Mg₅Si₆ precipitates during age hardening and develops a fibrous microstructure during extrusion, both strengthening the alloy. Increasing Mg and Si to form more β” decreases formability. Thus, modifying texture can increase strength without reducing formability. Current alloys like 6005A add Mn and Cr to form dispersoids that inhibit recrystallization and promote strengthening textures; however, high Mn and Cr concentrations reduce formability. Replacing Mn …

An Investigation On Downwind Impacts Of The Keweenaw Peninsula On Lake-Effect Snow Events, Thomas M. Pavell

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Lake-effect snow (LES) produces copious amounts of snow across the Great Lakes region. While mechanisms and impacts are well-understood, they remain difficult to observe and study over Lake Superior and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan due to a large gap in radar coverage and sparse in-situ measurements. The goal of this project aimed to characterize variables present across Lake Superior and counties on and downstream of the Keweenaw Peninsula that contribute to the formation and evolution of lake-effect snowbands. Nine different lake-effect snow events were analyzed in this project, identifying structures and features resulting from upstream passage over the Keweenaw …

Modeling Determinants Of Significant Noncompliance In The U.S. Mining Sector: A Fixed Effects Logistic Regression Approach, Eli Johnson

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

This study examines environmental compliance behavior among mining facilities regulated under the U.S. Clean Water Act (CWA). Using a national quarterly panel of National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)-permitted mining facilities, the analysis evaluates whether local socioeconomic and demographic indicators are associated with the likelihood that a facility enters significant noncompliance (SNC) status. Facility compliance histories are compiled from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO) database and is merged with county- and state-level socioeconomic indicators and election data. A fixed-effects logistic regression model is used to account for time-invariant facility heterogeneity. The results suggest that …

A Reevaluation Of South Korea’S Economic Rise: The Defense Industrial Base, Timothy Lee

CMC Senior Theses

This paper seeks to reexamine how the Republic of Korea (ROK) was able to rise from one of the world's poorest economies after the Korean War to a leading international defense exporter today. Existing development theories—such as dependency theory, export-led industrialization, and world-systems theory—each offer partial explanations but none fully accounts for the ROK's rapid economic growth. To address this gap, the paper analyzes U.S. foreign aid data, U.S. national security documents, and the economic data of the ROK’s chaebols, family-owned business conglomerates, to reevaluate two key variables: the United States' strategic imperative to contain communism during the Cold War, …

Adolescent Binge-Like Feeding And Neuroinflammation: Effects Of Intermittent Palatable Diet Access On Microglial Activation In The Brain In Adolescents, Jaimie T. Yu

CMC Senior Theses

Binge eating disorder (BED), one of the most common eating disorders in the United States (Definition & Facts for Binge Eating Disorder - NIDDK, n.d.), is characterized by recurrent episodes of consuming large quantities of food in a short period of time accompanied by a sense of loss of control. The intermittent access (INT) model reliably produces binge-like eating in adult rodents, with animals showing episodic hyperphagia upon time-limited access to a high-fat, high-sugar (HFHS) diet. In adult female rats, INT access produces elevated meal size and reduced satiety ratio relative to controls (Maske et al., 2020), and promotes microglial …