May 3, 2024 | Digital Showcase | Humboldt Library
All Presenters & Abstracts
Cut It Out: Reducing Cesarean Section Rates in Low - Risk First - Time Mothers
Presentation Year: 2022
Cesarean section rates have increased 7-fold from 1965 (4.5%) and are now the nation’s most common operating – room procedure. One in five deliveries is by C – section according to the World Health Organization. A Healthy People 2030 goal, is to reduce this number to 23.6% or less, in low risk, first - time mothers. On my local unit, C - sections hit an all time high and a change is needed to better maternal child outcomes. This projects examines causes for the increase and strategies aimed at reducing the rate, using evidence based practice interventions. The proposed interventions will be targeted at the patient, nursing, and policy level.
Deciphering the Crosstalk within Human Coronary Atherosclerotic Plaque
Presentation Year: 2022
Our project investigates the cross-talk between cells contained within the human coronary atherosclerotic plaque using single-cell technologies.
We mapped the transcriptome of the plaque using 10x transcriptomics and validated our findings with immunohistochemistry and in vitro assays.
We found a predominance of memory T cells suggesting T cells were recruited by antigen engagement with their cognate peptide presented by myeloid cells.
Using in vitro assays, we also found activation of pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic pathways in smooth muscle cells after exposure to T cell cytokines.
Our analysis suggests that T cells communicate with myeloid and smooth muscle cells within the plaque
Decreasing Non-Ventilator Hospital Acquired Pneumonia
Presentation Year: 2022
Evidence shows that patients who receive oral care two to four times daily, have their chances of acquiring non-ventilator hospital acquired pneumonia (NV-HAP) decreased by thirty-seven percent. To make this a successful program at our hospital, it would be prudent to create a policy for oral care, train nursing staff and patients of proper oral care and be sure to document in the electronic medical records that oral care has been done. Pneumonia is the number one hospital acquired infection. This information points to a greater need for nurses to perform oral care with patients.
Decreasing patient readmission rates.
Presentation Year: 2022
Patient readmissions within 30 days of discharge not only cost hospitals around 15,000 dollars per incident but also indicate increased mortality rates and worse patient outcomes. Readmissions occur for multiple reasons such as, lack of clear discharge instruction, delayed primary care follow-up, medication issues, or worsening symptoms. Hospitals must take a multidisciplinary approach to addressing this issue. Interventions can be implemented to improve readmission rates, like discharge calls within 48 hours, creation of hospital policy to guide the call, and primary care follow-up within 10 days. With better transition from hospital to primary care, patient readmissions will decrease.
Delirium at end of life: Improving outcomes
Presentation Year: 2022
Terminal delirium is a common condition seen in the hospice setting. Unlike delirium, terminal delirium is usually not reversible. It manifests in the final days or weeks of life and typically causes distress and safety issues for caregivers and patients. Caregivers depend on nurses to educate them on what to expect as their loved one declines. Since terminal delirium is a common occurrence, preparing these caregivers ahead of time is essential. Since terminal agitation can be difficult to assess, organizations may adopt an assessment tool, training nurses on its use. Organizations may also create a nurse-driven protocol that utilizes evidence-based interventions.
Determining Habitat Prferences of Great Egrets through Foraging Rates
Presentation Year: 2022
My research project looked into determining habitat preferences of Great Egrets through foraging rates across Arcata, CA. The three habitats I chose were the Arcata Marsh, Mad River Slough, and Agricultural Fields.
Determining Iron Concentrations in Seawater using Flow Injection Analysis
Presentation Year: 2022
Iron concentrations in the ocean are important for the health and success of the ocean because it is an essential micronutrient for phytoplankton. However, iron is insoluble in oxygenated seawater and so most iron precipitates and sinks out of the water column. Here we present a method to analyze these low concentrations of iron using flow injection analysis, which we built following Lohan et al. (2006).
Developing a three-dimensional culture system to improve the yield of placental mesenchymal stem cell derived extracellular vesicles
Presentation Year: 2022
In this study, we developed a novel approach to produce placental mesenchymal stem cell derived extracellular vesicles (PMSC-EVs) by utilizing a three-dimensional (3D) cell culture system to potentially use in regenerative medicine applications. CELLine bioreactors are a 3D culture system that is comprised of a polystyrene scaffold, to support a high-density culture, encased in a semipermeable membrane to concentrate all proteins produced by the cells within. When conditioned medium is collected from the compartment PMSC-EVs were produced over an eight-week continuous culture. This method potentially could be used as an alternative to conventional culture methods to improve PMSC-EV yield.
Digital Dissection Table Demo
Presentation Year: 2022
Check out the library's latest simulation technology, the Digital Dissection Table on the 2nd floor to see how you can interact with high resolution images of functional anatomy and physiology to learn functional anatomy to zoology. Interact to learn biological, kinesiology, medical, and veterinary concepts and details.
Do Dabbling Ducks Forage More in the Morning or at Night?
Presentation Year: 2022
My research project looked at if dabbling ducks forage more in the morning or afternoon. My hypothesis was that they would forage more in the morning than afternoon.
Do Song Sparrows Alter Song in Noisy Natural Environments?
Presentation Year: 2022
This project studied the minimum song note frequencies of Song Sparrows in two different environments. Our results suggest that vocal plasticity arose as an adaptation in response to loud ocean surf, rivers, and wind.
DOC Sampling from Little River and Mad River
Presentation Year: 2022
Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC) is a fraction of organic carbon with size less than 0.2 micrometers. DOC comes from decomposed plants, bacteria, and algae. Abundant in marine and freshwater systems, it serves as the primary food source for aquatic webs. Generally, rivers have higher concentrations of DOC than the ocean does.
In the estuary, a linear relationship between salinity and DOC indicates that the DOC concentration is fully due to mixing of freshwater and saltwater, and not any significant additional source or removal terms. DOC concentrations decreased from river to ocean. Scholarly articles have pointed this to be normal. Interpretation of data will continue.
Drop the Ramp
Presentation Year: 2022
‘Drop The Ramp’ explores creating a landscape of the invasion on Omaha beach on D-day through immersive and intimate screenings.
Sitting in the middle of the larger projection will be a smaller screen showing a war veteran, Frank Devita as he recounts a story never told about storming the beaches of Omaha. Inverting the interview footage to make it a color negative….viewers will need to view through their phones inverting their screens to view Frank as a color positive. This plays on newer generations' relation to war and how we’ve only ever experienced it through screens. It also plays on our relationships with older generations and how their stories might go unappreciated in a modern age
Dunsmuir
Presentation Year: 2022
Dunsmuir is a small town. A film project.
Effectiveness of Trailhead Signs
Presentation Year: 2022
I went to three different trailheads to interview willing participants based on the information found on trailhead signs. Using this information, I was able to compile data to find the amount of visitors who looked at these signs, and which topics visitors answered most correctly.
Effects of Human Activity on Urban Birds
Presentation Year: 2022
The rapid expansion of urban areas has reduced and eliminated habitats for birds. For the purpose of this study, the goal was to evaluate how bird abundance and species richness varied from sunrise to sunset along a gradient of human activity, and how it influenced the presence of species richness and abundance of birds throughout the day.
Effects of Supplemental Feeding on Migratory and Resident Hummingbirds
Presentation Year: 2022
This is my Senior project where I analyzed which feeding preference hummingbirds preferred in relation to hummingbird feeders and natural flowers given equal access to the two variables. Supplemental feeding has a massive effect on foraging behavior of all species, and research on how this effects populations is needed to inform citizens on how to safely and properly partake in this popular pastime.
Electroporation of E. coli and Agar Gel Electrophoresis of FB5⍺
Presentation Year: 2022
Chitin is the second-most abundant polysaccharide after cellulose, and a rich source of nitrogen and reduced carbons which is currently underutilized. Chitinases have the potential to put this sustainable resource to use. In this experiment a plasmid purported to contain the ChiA endochitinase gene was extracted from FB5-alpha E. coli and transformed into BL21(DE3) E. coli. The plasmid was analyzed by agar gel electrophoresis to determine that the gene was not present in the plasmid. To confirm the lack of the gene, protein isolation will be attempted, and samples will be analyzed by SDS-PAGE
Equity Gaps in Basic Needs Security for CSU Students during COVID-19: Preparing for future pandemics and climate crises
Presentation Year: 2022
University students, along with programs and services that serve them have been deeply impacted by COVID-19. The goal of this study was to explore students' statuses and their ability to access campus programming and supports that helped meet their basic needs such as, food, housing, and financial supports before and during the COVID-19 pandemic to evaluate their efficacy. This study had a particular focus on the context of diverse needs of students and campuses. This research adopted a mixed-methods approach to better understand basic needs insecurity, we focused on the survey data for this report.
Evaluating the Effects of Grazed and Ungrazed Habitat on Raptor Abundance
Presentation Year: 2022
I examined the effects of ungrazed and grazed habitats on two raptor species, Northern Harriers and Red-tailed Hawks. The study evaluates how raptor abundance varies between the two habitat types, as well as, how factors such as rodent abundance and perch availability influence their distributions.