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INFLUENCE OF DIFFERENT RATES OF BIOCHAR AND DEER BROWSING ON POLLINATOR PLANT PRODUCTIVITY
No full textBiochar, a carbon-rich material produced from biomass, has received wide attention for soil amendment to improve plant growth. However, its specific effects on pollinator friendly plants remain poorly understood. In this study, we evaluated the effects of four biochar application rates (0, 10, 20, 40 tons/acre) and deer exclusion (fenced vs. unfenced) on the productivity of three pollinator species; Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum), Plains Coreopsis (Coreopsis tinctoria), and Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) in a utility right of way with a history of mining. A split-plot randomized design was used, and the results were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models. Fencing had a significant effect on height for both buckwheat and plains coreopsis (p \u3c 0.0001), while biochar showed no statistically significant effect on growth in any species. However, the tallest plants were observed in fenced plots with 10–20 tons/acre biochar. Black -eyed Susan showed minimal response to either treatment across both measurements (p \u3e 0.05). One-way ANOVA results revealed that biochar application significantly influenced soil pH, SOM, and potassium (K) levels (p \u3c 0.05), suggesting biochar’s potential to enhance soil fertility even when short-term growth responses are limited. Findings from this study suggest that although biochar can enhance soil qualities, successful restoration of pollinator plants also requires protection from deer browsing. Integrating soil amendments with fences may be critical for enhancing the success of pollinator plantings
A New Electronic Handoff Tool to Facilitate Patient Transfer from the OR to SICU: A Quality Improvement Initiative
Full text linkIntroduction/Background: Transfer of care is a vulnerable time for patients. Continuity of care depends on good communication from the transferring team to the receiving team. Communication failures contribute to frustration among medical staff and poor patient outcomes. Purpose: The purose of this project was to improve handoff communication and satisfaction between the anesthesia team in the operating room (OR) and the receiving surgical intensive care unit (SICU) nurses. Intervention: A new electronic handoff tool was developed for the Epic electronic health record (EHR) to provide SICU nurses with patient information (name, age, allergies), procedure and diagnosis, intubation status, reversal status, medications administered and last doses, and the last set of vital signs taken in the OR prior to patient transfer to SICU. Methods: The new electronic tool was implemented in a 12-bed SICU at Ruby Memorial Hospital. Data collection in the form of Likert-scale surveys took place over a period of six months and was analyzed for statistical significance. Results: There was significant improvement in both SICU nurse and anesthesia provider satisfaction with handoff with the addition of the electronic handoff tool. Conclusion: Use of an electronic handoff tool in addition to bedside verbal report improves provider satisfaction with handoff. This intervention would be easily expandable to other units in the hospital
Community-wide impacts assessment of Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) in the Ohio River
Full text linkInvasive species can cause measurable impacts on the properties of recipient ecosystems, with effects that often vary spatially and temporally. One of the most complex and pressing invasion cases in the United States involves invasive carp. Invasive carp have quickly expanded throughout the Mississippi River Basin, with ecological impacts that may vary across space and time. Silver Carp has the potential to provoke community-wide impacts on native fish abundances and food webs of native fish communities. My study area ranged from the confluence of the Mississippi River and the Ohio River to R.C. Byrd Lock and Dam. The Ohio River is divided into sections that reflect invasion status of invasive carp based on differences in density, reproduction, and recruitment. Fish assemblage data used in this study are part of a long-term monitoring program conducted by the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO). I utilized data from 2015 to 2023 collected through annual fish surveys to assess taxonomic and trophic guild structure variation in response to Silver Carp relative abundance. I used distance-based and multivariate model-based analysis to detect species-specific and trophic guild-specific changes in abundance. pRDA results suggest that Silver Carp explains little variation in fish (0.47%) and trophic guild (0.17%) communities. Several species were positively associated with increasing Silver Carp relative abundance (RA): Moxostoma erythrurum (0.006), M. anisurum (0.005), Lepomis macrochirus (0.004), Dorosoma cepedianum (0.004), Sander canadensis (0.003). Conversely, some species were negatively associated with increasing Silver Carp RA, including Morone chrysops (-0.0055), Ictalurus punctatus (-0.005), Cyprinella spiloptera (-0.004), Micropterus dolomieu (-0.004) and Notropis atherinoides (-0.004). These results suggest that the effect of spatial and temporal components are important drivers of fish (9.9% total variation) and trophic guild community (8.2%) structuring in the Ohio River. pRDA results indicate no statistically significant change in trophic guild levels composition (p-value = 0.22). Modeling indicates that Silver Carp may have negatively impacted Mississippi silvery minnow (Hybognathus nuchalis), Smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu), White bass (Morone chrysops), and primary and tertiary consumers. The use of species and trophic guild responses to assess community-wide impact allowed for a better understanding of overall patterns of response at an assemblage level. Our results suggest that Silver Carp are not yet impacting fish or trophic guild communities in the Ohio River, as we only observed weak associations and limited species-level responses. We recommend future research to account for factors such as land use, temperature, hydrological variables and habitat availability as previous research suggests these factors to be key drivers of community structuring reflecting the river natural longitudinal gradient in the Ohio River. Finally, we encourage the use of approaches that consider not only species identity but also trophic guilds, as these complementary approaches can provide more accurate insights on ecological impacts
Exploring applications of organic and organic-based complexes for real-world outcomes
No full textAdvances in technology demand not only cutting-edge research but also innovative educational approaches that prepare students to engage in complex, interdisciplinary challenges. This thesis provides both such imperatives by integrating a robust research investigation with a complementary educational component to familiarize graduate and undergraduate student populations with the application of organic and organic-based complexes in biotechnology.
For the research component of the thesis, applications in gas sensing are considered. Presently, the sensing and detection of gases rely on the implementation of optical, acoustic, and gas chromatography systems; however, these systems face challenges related to their miniaturization, flexibility, portability, sensitivity and specificity to environmental changes. Recent research proposed that hybrids combining organic (carbon-based) and inorganic (non-carbon-based, often metallic) components can be used to create systems with enhanced or novel properties for sensing as conferred by the high flexibility, tunability, and biocompatibility of the organic materials, complemented by the stability of the inorganic materials. Two types of complexes are considered for this research component: one based on metal-organic ligand and the second based on a metal-enzyme-based complex. Metal-organic ligand was explored through a systematic review, specifically in the application of ammonia, hydrogen, and carbon dioxide gas sensing, while the metal-enzyme-based complex was explored through a meta-analysis of synthesis with the exploration of its consequential characterizations. The interest in organic-based complexes was motivated by their potential to lead to the next generation of systems that allow for increased sensitivity and specificity towards greenhouse gases, as well as their ability to be user-designed and functionalized to allow usage over multiple cycles, all with high efficiency and sustainability. The research helped gain insight into how coordination of organic and inorganic compounds and user-controlled synthesis and optimization influences chemical and physical properties of such frameworks through, while also emphasizing how structure-function relationships can be used to create co-function for sensing.
The educational component of the thesis addresses a persistent gap in freshman engineering education, namely the difficulty of introducing real-world topics into inquiry-based learning in the engineering curriculum. By designing and implementing educational tools that incorporate current novel research findings related to the applicability of organic and organic-based complexes in biotechnological applications, the educational work demonstrated enhanced student engagement, increased understanding of abstract concepts, all while building a stronger bridge between academic research, engineering education and practical applications.
Together, these two facets of the work presented in this thesis demonstrate that research and teaching are strongly interconnected to generate knowledge that trains the next generation of engineers both at the graduate and undergraduate levels while making long lasting professional growth impacts
Keep It Quiet: A Quality Improvement Initiative to Reduce Noise in the Operating Room during Anesthesia Induction
Full text linkProblem: Excessive noise during the critical phase of anesthesia induction in operating rooms (OR) can significantly impact anesthesia providers\u27 ability to focus, potentially compromising patient safety and quality of care.
Objectives: This project aimed to reduce anesthesia providers\u27 perception of distraction caused by noise during induction by implementing educational interventions and visual cues. The objectives included educating anesthesia and surgical staff on the impact of noise, introducing visual reminders to minimize distractions, and evaluating the effectiveness of these strategies through survey data collection.
Methods: A quality improvement initiative was conducted in the OR department of a nearby hospital. Certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) nurses, and surgical technicians were provided with an educational session, followed by the implementation of laminated signage indicating induction in progress in each OR. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) survey was used to assess anesthesia providers\u27 perceived workload before and after the interventions. Data were collected over an eight-week period.
Results: Eighteen responses were recorded, with nine (n=9) collected during the pre-intervention phase and nine (n=9) during the post-intervention phase. Analysis of the pre- and post-intervention survey responses revealed significant improvements in the perceived mental, physical, and temporal demands of anesthesia induction. Frustration (p=0.001) and effort (p=0.003) levels also decreased significantly. The overall workload decreased significantly from 11.8 to 6.1 (p = 0.00000008), indicating a meaningful reduction in perceived noise-related distractions.
Conclusion: The project successfully reduced anesthesia providers\u27 perceived distraction due to noise during anesthesia induction, enhancing their focus and reducing stress. These findings suggest that noise reduction strategies, such as education and visual reminders, can improve anesthesia practice and patient safety. Future studies should focus on increasing participation and exploring additional ways to maintain a quiet OR environment. This project contributes to the nurse anesthesia profession by emphasizing the importance of improving the work environment for anesthesia providers and enhancing patient care
Media Framing of the Local and National News Coverage of the East Palestine Train Derailment
No full textThis research examined digital news coverage of the East Palestine train derailment to determine the frames and dominant frames used in both local and national coverage of the disaster, and whether these frames differed over time. Specifically, this research used a content analysis of digital newspaper articles from five media outlets—three national level and two local level—and applied the frames identified from Colistra’s (2010) study of print news coverage of the 1972 Buffalo Creek mine disaster. Results revealed significant differences between the most frequently used frames between local and national coverage, shifts in frame usage over time within each media level (i.e., local versus national), and differences in the dominant frames that shaped the overall narrative of articles across media levels. The findings from this research help improve understanding of frames used in disaster news coverage and different coverage and roles of local versus national media covering such disasters, with additional insight into how the East Palestine train derailment was framed in media coverage of the disaster in the current digital era
ACADEMIC AGENCY WITHIN THE CURRICULAR REFORM OF GATEWAY STEM COURSES: A FACULTY PERSPECTIVE
Full text linkThe research regarding faculty agency during curricular reform is a burgeoning field within higher education as the faculty perspective within the current research concerning curriculum reform is limited. This study seeks to illuminate the faculty perspective of the curricular reform process of gateway STEM courses and how faculty experienced the reform process through a qualitative case study. The site of the case study is a public four-year institution on the eastern coast of the United States that has undergone and continues to undergo significant academic restructuring. The research utilized a structured survey and semi-structured interviews with seven total participants from Biology, Physics, and Mathematics departments. This provided a range of perspectives of how faculty members from different STEM departments experienced curricular reform. Utilizing the Academic Plan alongside the Political Frame, this research demonstrated the pressures and circumstances that impact faculty utilizing their agency within the curricular reform proces
Expanding the Vibrating Sharp-Edge Spray Ionization Toolkit for Oligonucleotide Characterization
Full text linkA gentle or soft Ionization process is a critical component in native mass spectrometry (MS) to lift the biomolecules from the bulk solution into the gas phase environment of the mass spectrometer preserving their shape, topology and non-covalent interactions. Electrospray ionization (ESI) facilitates structural preservation of proteins, nucleic acids and their complexes and as a result it has been extensively used in native MS. However, in negative ion mode, ESI is somewhat limited in sensitivity due to corona discharge effect resulting from the requirement of a high amount of voltage. This often disrupts the ESI process and may not preserve the native conformations. To overcome such limitations, a novel spray-based, soft ionization called capillary vibrating spray ionization has been introduced which is simple to operate, doesn’t require nebulization gas and offers superior sensitivity for oligonucleotide analysis in negative ion mode. cVSSI features a wider operational range of applied voltage to the sample solution which allows the observation of folding/unfolding/refolding transitions of proteins and DNA. Another groundbreaking feature of cVSSI is that it can be easily coupled with ultrafast, in droplet hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) in a dual emitter tip fashion. This unique HDX-MS method can differentiate co-existing conformational states of different types of DNA and proteins in a robust fashion. Another key feature of in-droplet HDX is that it reveals structural flexibility. Additionally, when combined with techniques such as molecular dynamics (MD) simulations it can suggest individual exchange sites of the biopolymers. A remarkable finding of this study is the distinguishing of linear vs globular forms of folded DNA species. In general, most globular G-quadruplex DNA structures protect exchange sites to a greater degree than the linear duplex DNA. Comparatively, another complex form of linear structure such as triplex DNA exhibits greater protection than duplex DNA even rivaling that of the most stable G-quadruplex structures. More interestingly, this in-droplet cVSSI-HDX-MS technique can capture subtle structural differences between different topologies and sub-topologies of globular G-quadruplex DNA. Currently, the differentiation has been ascribed to differences in conformer flexibility. In separate studies, the structural compactness of these therapeutic target G-quadruplexes is also susceptible to droplet charge tuning in the VSSI system in a conformer stability manner. Overall, structures remain in more unfolded or partially folded states in the low to mid voltage regions while more folded states predominate under high voltage settings. Observation of this folding/unfolding transition led to the development of a new method to study the stability of G-quadruplex DNA structure by changing (tuning) droplet charge using cVSSI. The elucidated in-droplet structural stability displays the following order: 23TA
Drowning in the Patent Pool: Is Statutory Invention Registration a Lifeguard?
Full text linkPatents for inventions, available since the first Congress enacted the Patent Law of 1790, have been controversial. Defenders justify patents on the grounds that they are necessary to protect inventors from free riding—copying that would deprive the inventors of an opportunity to recover the costs of development. Detractors attack patents as unnecessary monopolies, thwarting innovation. The debate continues, even as the law itself has remained remarkably constant. Technology and industry structure have not remained constant, however. Patents have proliferated, resulting in patent thickets that make it impossible to create and market any innovative product without infringing hundreds of patents. Patent trolls have arisen, salivating at the money they can earn from holdups when they threaten infringement suits. Innovative firms struggle with defenses. They engage in cross licensing arrangements and patent pools to deal with the patent thicket problem. They encourage state legislatures to enact statutes giving them new defenses against patent trolls. Increasingly, at least in some industries, they look for ways to disclaim patent protection. Even then, they also must erect defenses against other patent holders that might sue them for infringement. For nineteen years, the Patent Act provided a way to do this, but the Statutory Invention Registration (“SIR”) alternative was little used. Now, the problem has gotten worse, and it is time to bring back the SIR, or to erect a private substitute for it
Artificial Intelligence and Art
Full text linkThis section gives an overview of the opportunities and risks with using AI in art, media, literature, and more. Includes two creative student submissions using AI