Digital Commons Network^™

Cultivating Independence: Planting Seeds Of Education For Occupational Therapy Practitioners And Students Working With Individuals In Agriculture, Michelle I. Arens

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Agricultural work is physically demanding and culturally significant, yet most occupational therapy (OT) practitioners and students receive little preparation for supporting farmers and ranchers, especially those with disabilities. This capstone partnered with the Nebraska AgrAbility Project to expand knowledge of agricultural occupations and increase awareness of OT’s role in promoting safety, independence, and participation with this population. Using the PEO and CMOP‑E models, the project integrated immersive learning, resource development, and community outreach through farm visits, educational materials, presentations, and data collection. Results showed substantial growth across all groups: students gained confidence in treating agricultural clients and understanding OT’s role …

How Screen Time Affects Language Development In Children Ages Three To Five Years, Alyssa R. Sherman

Honors Thesis

Screen time has become an increasingly prominent part of early childhood, particularly following shifts in daily routines after the COVID-19 pandemic. This literature review examines how screen time affects language development in children ages three to five, a critical developmental period for expressive and receptive language skills. The review synthesizes current research on the use of passive and interactive screens and their associations with language acquisition, cognitive development, social communication, and physical health outcomes. Across studies, a consistent pattern emerges: excessive screen time is strongly associated with delayed language milestones, reduced social communication skills, poorer sleep quality, and increased physical …

Transitioning Home: The Role Of Occupational Therapy In Aging In Place, Syrena Meyer

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

This capstone project explored the role of occupational therapy in supporting older adults transitioning home from hospitalization to successfully age in place. With the growing population of adults over age 65 and a strong preference to remain in their homes, there is an increasing need for interventions that promote safety, independence, and quality of life. This project focused on developing advanced clinical skills in inpatient and transitional care settings while implementing evidence-based interventions and educational resources. The Person-Environment-Occupation Model was used throughout the 14-week experience to identify strategies to enhance occupational performance in patients. Key activities included patient care, use …

"First, Do No Harm": Ethical Failures And Preventive Solutions In The United States Pharmaceutical System - A Narrative Review, Rebekah R. Bailey

Honors Theses

The United States pharmaceutical system is highly advanced but faces growing ethical concerns related to drug development and marketing, overprescription, and high drug costs. This thesis examines how pharmaceutical marketing, regulatory practices, and prescribing behaviors may conflict with the ethical principle of “first, do no harm.”

Using a narrative review of interdisciplinary literature in public health, medical ethics, and applied ethics, this thesis analyzes patterns in drug development, marketing strategies, and regulatory oversight. The findings suggest that ethical issues are systemic, driven by commercial incentives, inconsistent regulatory standards, and an increasing reliance on pharmaceutical solutions. These factors contribute to overmedicalization, …

Periodontal Disease In A Classic Maya Population From Ambergris Caye, Belize: A Cej-Ac Analysis, Avery R. Mcneil

Honors Theses

Dental remains provide a durable and information-rich record of biological, dietary, and health-related processes in past populations. This study examines periodontal disease, dental wear, and morphometric variation in a Classic period Maya population from coastal Belize (ca. A.D. 700-900) using cementoenamel junction-alveolar crest (CEJ-AC) distance as one measure of periodontal health. Dental remains were assessed using standardized bioarchaeological methods, including tooth identification, crown measurements, and periodontal scoring based on mean CEJ-AC distances recorded at preserved surfaces. The results indicate widespread mild to moderate periodontal disease across the sample, with posterior teeth exhibiting greater alveolar bone loss than anterior dentition. These …

Making Sense Of Hospitalization: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Of Covid-19 Patients’ Psychological Experiences In Indonesia, Mira Wahyu Kusumawati, Heni Dwi Windarwati, Setyawati Soeharto

The Qualitative Report

While previous research has probed into the experiences of COVID-19 patients during isolation in hospitals, little is known about their psychological experiences and the meaning of such experiences. To address the gap,this study was designed to explore the psychological experiences of patients who were confirmed positive for COVID-19 while undergoing isolation in hospitals. Using a phenomenological approach, we recruited 19 COVID-19 survivors who were confirmed positive for COVID-19 in the first six months of the pandemic entering Indonesia, located in Madiun Regency, East Java Province, Indonesia. We conducted face-to-face semi-structured interviews with health protocols and analysed the data using the …

What Is Screen Apnea And How Does It Affect You?, Kristi M. Soileau

New Orleans Dental Association News

Screen apnea is a modern epidemic of significant proportions. Research suggests that nearly 80% of people unconsciously alter their breathing, often holding their breath or breathing shallowly, while working on digital devices. This subtle shift in respiration, sometimes called “email apnea,” can place the body into a low-grade stress response without being noticed by the individual at the screen. When breathing becomes restricted from poor posting or content anxiety, the nervous system enters into a sympathetic response, much as it interprets signs of threats to that person. The resultant physiological response may be exhibited by muscle tension, mental fog, increased …

Noda News April 2026

New Orleans Dental Association News

New Orleans Dental Association (NODA) News includes regular columns with regional news impacting the New Orleans membership including: columns from the President and Executive Director, feature articles relating to the field of dentistry, association events and upcoming activities, component news, continuing education opportunities, and classifieds.

Orthographic Representations In American Sign Language Fingerspelling, Zed Sehyr, Lauren Fillet, Kiana Billot-Vasquez, Emily Saunders, Karen Emmorey

Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Articles and Research

This study examined fingerspelling accuracy and error patterns in deaf American Sign Language (ASL) signers and written spelling in hearing English speakers to investigate how orthographic representations are shaped by phonological, visual, and motor encoding strategies. Deaf participants (n = 39) completed a fingerspelling repetition task, while hearing participants (n = 35) completed a written dictation task using the same word and pseudoword stimuli. While overall accuracy did not differ significantly between groups, deaf participants exhibited qualitatively distinct error patterns, including higher rates of deletions and transpositions, compared to hearing participants who made more substitution errors. Deaf participants also produced …

Mental Health Screening For The Military Spouse: Prevention In Practice, Lura Allison Mcgrath

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Translational and Clinical Research Projects

Abstract

In recent years, a focus on mental health has moved to the forefront of healthcare. This is especially true when caring for United States military service members. The military spouses of these service members also struggle and suffer from mental health disorders. However, the mental health needs of military spouses often receive insufficient attention. Research shows military spouses are at an increased risk of developing mental health disorders and/or suffering from mental illness. A large contributor is the impact of the military lifestyle and its challenges for these spouses. However, research also reveals there has been minimal effort put …

Bacteriophage Therapy For Klebsiella Pneumoniae: Phage Screening And Efficacy Assessment In Macrophages/Neutrophils And Mouse Model, Mounika Duggineni

Biotechnology Theses

Klebsiella pneumoniae causes infections such as pneumonia and urinary tract infections, necessitating alternative therapies. As an emerging MDR pathogen, evaluating newer therapeutic strategies is essential. This study utilized bacteriophages and Klebsiella pneumoniae strains kindly provided by Dr. John, who previously isolated and characterized broad-host-range bacteriophages from hospital wastewater targeting diverse clinical K. pneumoniae isolates. Among fifteen lytic bacteriophages identified across multiple genera, bacteriophage #418 was selected and purified using ultrafiltration, yielding higher functional titers than PEG-based methods. In vitro assays showed Bacteriophage #418 nearly killed bacteria after 2 hours of co-incubation. Ex vivo studies using healthy donors human macrophages …

The Effect Of A Superficial Biochar Layer On Soil Radon Exhalation: A Preliminary Investigation Into A Passive Residential Radon Mitigation Strategy, Nicholas Richmond Nelson

Honors Theses

Residential radon exposure is a leading cause of lung cancer worldwide, yet home testing and mitigation remain infrequent. Active mitigation systems can be costly, and existing passive radon-resistant construction techniques, while cost-effective, are not always sufficient to reduce indoor radon to below the recommended EPA threshold of 4.0 pCi/L (148 Bq/m3). This initial work examines the potential for a superficial biochar layer placed beneath a house foundation during construction to reduce soil radon exhalation and subsequent indoor radon concentration. Biochar is also being explored as an admixture to concrete, and this study investigates radon transmission through concrete with varying biochar …

Staff Education On Lipoprotein (A) Screening And Clinical Follow-Up In Primary Care, Deshawntae Griffin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Tunable Tripcides Suppress Virulence Factor Secretion During Staphylococcus Aureus Infection And Kill Dormant Cells, Hasan Tükenmez, Taylor M Nye, Suzanne Hickerson, Chloe L P Obernuefemann, Jerome S Pinkner, Karen W Dodson, Michael G Caparon, Scott J Hultgren, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in common bacterial pathogens, including methicillin-resistant

Challenges And Innovations In Tennis Coach Development: International Insights From Practitioners Across Continents, Miguel Crespo, Rafael Martinez-Gallego, Christine Nash

Journal of Coach Development

Tennis is a global sport with effective coaches being essential to the continued appeal, therefore the work of the coach developers within the International Tennis Federation (ITF) is crucial. This research examined the work and aspirations of coach developers in tennis using in-depth interviews with 10 ITF coach developers. Subsequently, we developed detailed pen portraits of two ITF coach developers at different levels of experience and engagement in order to highlight any differences in work, objectives or ambition. Findings from coach developers revealed three themes: support from ITF; barriers to learning; making learning less traditional. The pen portraits added further …

Colorectal Cancer Screening: Implementation And Evaluation Of A Screening Algorithm In A Rural Family Practice Clinic, Mollie M. Tate, Whitney Dubas

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects: College of Nursing

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality in the United States and disproportionately affects rural populations. Although more than 90% of cases occur in adults older than 50 years, increasing incidence among younger adults prompted an update to national guidelines recommending screening beginning at age 45. Rural residents face multiple barriers to colorectal cancer screening (CRCS), including limited access to care, transportation challenges, lack of insurance, and absence of standardized screening processes in primary care. These barriers contribute to lower screening rates, delayed diagnosis, and poorer outcomes. Evidence demonstrates that CRCS reduces CRC morbidity and …

Measuring Effectiveness Of A Mobility Aide On A Medical-Surgical Unit, Jamie L. Granatowicz, Laura N. Rogers, Leeza A. Struwe

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects: College of Nursing

Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness of a mobility aide on a medical-surgical inpatient unit to improve patients’ surgical outcomes, decrease hospital length of stay, and decrease the number of falls.

Design: A retrospective review was conducted to determine the effects of a mobility aide implemented on a medical-surgical unit. The intent was to ensure the utilization of the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocol for early mobilization before and after implementation. Two-month periods were analyzed before and after implementation.

Findings: The results demonstrated clinical significance for patients when implementing a mobility aide. The mean length of stay was 1.044 days …

Addressing Vaccine Hesitancy With Patient Education, Belle Grady, Victor Huber

Scholarship Pathways Program

Addressing Vaccine Hesitancy with Patient Education

Belle Grady, MD | Mentor: Victor Huber, PhD

Background: Vaccine hesitancy is a complex global issue, exacerbated by pandemics and social media. In addition to hesitancy, state policies loosening childhood vaccine requirements and alternative vaccination schedules may contribute to recent vaccine-preventable illness outbreaks in the United States. In South Dakota alone, kindergarten vaccination rates have gradually declined over the past decade. Such vaccine hesitancy and decreasing vaccination rates is a public health concern and must be addressed. Accessible patient education resources on the topic are necessary to increase vaccination rates.

Project Description: This project …

Visual Arts And Humanities In Medical Education, Lauren Schild, Craig Uthe

Scholarship Pathways Program

Introduction: In medicine today, physicians are expected to be impartial, emotionally intelligent, and have the observational skills to pick up on and interpret ambiguous body language, skin changes, and hygiene factors which may aid in a diagnosis. However, medical students are often not directly taught these observational or emotional intelligence skills. Art has historically been used by the artist to express thoughts and emotions for themselves and to allow viewers to explore their own feelings. The aim of this course is to provide an opportunity for students to advance their observation and communication skills through the study and creation of …

Science In Service Of Society: My Journey In Immunology And Public Engagement, Prakash Nagarkatti

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

The Intersection Of Faculty Perceptions Of Student Evaluations Of Teaching And Nursing Retention: The Challenges Of Undergraduate Nursing Programs In Higher Education Institutions, Melissa Wolff

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

For over 100 years, higher education institutions in the United States of America have been using student evaluations of teaching (SET) to evaluate course effectiveness and teaching quality. SETs are used to inform faculty about areas where course improvements are needed, if course objectives have been met, and the strength of their teaching ability. Even with the longstanding integration of SETs in higher education their reliability and validity have been questioned. Various factors negatively influence student ranking of faculty including class size, faculty appearance, ethnicity, and gender. SETs also impact faculty’s ability to earn tenure and promotion, which raises concerns …

I Am God's Masterpiece: Ministry For Adults With Idd, Kerrigan J. Creech

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Posters

Executive Summary 

My capstone Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) focus area included program development, with additional focus on education, advocacy, and leadership. For my Applied Leadership Experience (ALE), I worked with three other occupational therapy graduate students to develop and implement an inclusive Vacation Bible School (VBS) for adults with disabilities at Parkway Ministries. The purpose and overall goal of the project was to increase opportunities for adults with disabilities to participate in an inclusive Vacation Bible School through individualized supports and activity adaptations.

A needs assessment and SWOT analysis were completed and revealed that adults with disabilities …

Determining The Relatedness Of Simian Varicella Virus Strains Using Polymerase Chain Reactions And Delta Herpesvirus-Dervied Primers, Ellyn M. Waits

Honors Theses

This study examines genetic variation among strains of Simian Varicella Virus (SVV) using genomic analysis. The primary goal of this experiment was to observe potential genomic differences among the Liverpool vervet virus (LVV), the Tsukuba herpesvirus, and the Delta herpesvirus (DHV) strains using primer sets developed from the fully sequenced DHV strain. SVV strains were initially cultivated in Vero cell cultures to begin viral propagation. Viral proliferation in these cell cultures enables DNA isolation via standard purification methods. The extracted viral DNA is subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification targeting specific regions of open reading frames (ORFs) in the …

Celiac Plexus Radiosurgery For Retroperitoneal Pain In Advanced Cancer: A Pre-Specified Secondary Analysis Of Health-Related Quality Of Life In A Phase Ii Single-Arm Trial, Aisling Barry, Ronen Fluss, Laura Dawson, David Hausner, Michael Buckstein, Talia Golin, Laurence Freedman, Marcin Miszczyk, Dayssy Diazpardo, Artur Aguiar, Dror Limon, Raphael Pfeffer, Moaz Ben-Ayun, Liat Hammer, Ziv Symon, Ofir Morag, Gali Jacobson, Adam Dicker, Jerzy Wydmanski, Camilla Zimmermann, Yaacov Lawrence

Department of Radiation Oncology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Retroperitoneal pain syndrome seen in pancreatic cancer is a major clinical challenge. Celiac plexus radiosurgery, a new palliative technique for retroperitoneal pain syndrome, decreased pain levels in a phase II study. Here Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) outcomes are reported.

METHODS: Evaluable patients, who were enrolled between January 2018 and December 2021, in an international single-arm Phase II ethics-approved study (NCT03323489), were included. The pre-specified secondary endpoint-change in HRQOL from baseline to 3- and 6-weeks post-treatment, was measured by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - Hepatobiliary (FACT-Hep) version 4 questionnaire. Mean change was deemed clinically significant (CS) if …

Community Composition Of Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria On The Mississippi Gulf Coast, Marisa Martin, Colin Jackson

Honors Theses

The Mississippi Gulf Coast is an important resource for transportation, economic development, and recreation. Given its economic and cultural importance, it is crucial to maintain clean and safe conditions along the coast for public health, but other than routine beach monitoring, few studies have examined microbial contamination of coastal waters in this region. This study aimed to determine the quantity, composition, and distribution of bacteria resistant to six different antibiotics (Vancomycin, Kanamycin, Tetracycline, Ciprofloxacin, Erythromycin, or Amoxicillin) in seawater at seven public beaches along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. No bacteria resistant to Ciprofloxacin were detected, and bacteria resistant to Kanamycin …

The Library As A Partner In Wellness: A Curated Resource Collection For Medical Students, David Stewart

Posters

Medical education involves intense stress; 82% of students experience high distress, facing higher rates of burnout and mental illness than the general population2,3. This is often attributed to a medical culture prioritizing technical efficiency over humanistic care1 . Medical libraries are uniquely positioned to bridge this gap, as students perceive them as safe, confidential communal spaces2 . Despite this, only 18% of U.S. medical libraries currently offer dedicated wellness resources2 . To address this, Narrative Medicine, the engagement with patient stories, has emerged as one way to foster narrative competence1 . These interventions improve clinical connections and self-perspective, helping students …

Rational Design And Efficacy Evaluation Of A Novel Solid Dispersion-Based Bempedoic Acid–Ezetimibe Fixed-Dose Combination Tablet Versus Nexlizet®, Mohamed A. Heikal, Wael Ali, Mahmoud A. Mahdy, Eman Gomaa

Nanotechnology Research Centre

Background/Objectives: For hyperlipidemic patients with statin resistance, a fixed-dose combination of a non-statin drug such as ezetimibe (EZT) and bempedoic acid (BA) provides a significant benefit. Although both drugs exhibit poor aqueous solubility, the oral bioavailability of EZT is more critically limited by dissolution, whereas BA maintains adequate absorption due to its high intestinal permeability. With regard to the reference product, Nexlizet® (180/10 mg), our study focused on developing a novel tablet with superior in vitro performance without incorporating sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), as it may potentially alter BA absorption. Methods: The solid dispersion technique (co-precipitation) was applied using the …

Motivating Lung Cancer Screening Uptake: An Experimental Test Of Didactic Versus Narrative Messages For Lung Cancer Screening Among Individuals Who Currently Smoke Or Formerly Smoked, Honor M. Woodward

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Lung cancer is the number one cause of cancer-related death in the United States and worldwide. Lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) has been associated with a 20% reduction in lung cancer-related mortality. Despite the obvious benefits of lung cancer screening with LDCT, screening is heavily underutilized compared to other cancer screening tests. Thus, it is critically important to develop strategies that help motivate screening uptake among eligible individuals. This study explored the effectiveness of narrative messages for motivating lung cancer screening uptake among individuals eligible for lung cancer screening who currently smoke or formerly smoked. Drawing from …

Resensitization Of Clinical Isolates Of Mdr-Acinetobacter Baumannii To Antibiotics Using Bacteriophage Therapy, Priyal Gajera, Valerie J. Carabetta

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Introduction:

Antibiotic resistance poses a major global health threat, particularly with multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens such as Acinetobacter baumannii, which exhibits resistance to multiple antibiotic classes, including carbapenems.¹ As conventional treatments become less effective, alternative therapies such as bacteriophage therapy are gaining attention. Bacteriophages offer targeted antibacterial activity and may enhance antibiotic efficacy or resensitize resistant strains. This study investigates the synergistic effects of bacteriophage ΦCO03 combined with antibiotics against MDR A. baumannii.

Methods:

Clinical isolates (M20, M5) of A. baumannii were cultured in LB broth at 37°C. Bacteriophage ΦCO03 was isolated and purified using plaque assays. Synergy between phage …

Lactate-Induced Mitochondrial Magnesium Uptake And Its Metabolic Implications In The Mcardle’S Disease Model, Thiruvelselvan Ponnusamy, Jeremy Mehta, Haris Waseem, Marianne Assogba, Dianne Langford, Natarajaseenivasan Kalimuthusamy, Shanmughapriya Santhanam

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

McArdle disease, caused by mutations in the PYGM gene, impairs glycogenolysis in skeletal muscle, reducing lactate production and leading to energy deficits, fatigue, and risk of rhabdomyolysis. Using a CRISPR/Cas9-generated PYGM knockout (KO) rat model, we investigated whether reduced lactate production disrupts mitochondrial magnesium (Mg²⁺) homeostasis. KO rats failed to elevate lactate during static muscle contraction and showed diminished mitochondrial Mg²⁺ uptake, disrupted ATP synthesis, and impaired mitochondrial respiration. In vitro, caffeine-stimulated KO myotubes lacked lactate production and mitochondrial Mg²⁺ uptake despite preserved Ca²⁺ oscillations. Raising glucose concentration restored lactate levels, rescued mitochondrial Mg²⁺ transport, and improved metabolic output in …