Digital Commons Network^™

Improving Anesthesia Provider Confidence In The Identification, Management, And Treatment Of Postoperative Delirium, Brittany M. Whistle, Charles Dustin Phelps

Scholars Week

Purpose: Postoperative Delirium (POD) is a potentially devastating complication of anesthesia that is poorly understood by clinical staff leading to poor outcomes for surgical patients. This study is meant to determine if a focused knowledge presentation accompanied by visual aids could increase anesthesia providers confidence in identifying, diagnosing, and treating Postoperative Delirium.

Methodology: Utilizing a statistical model to analyze respondents results on a standardized test administered before and after an informational presentation with visual aids on the topic of Postoperative Delirium.

Results: Results indicated a statistically significant difference between pretest and posttest scores, with a p-value of .002, t(11) = …

Intersecting Determinants Of Health: Correlating Food Insecurity And Sleep Deprivation Across Southern Adventist University Demographics*, Heaven Robles, Jesica Paralafox Ramirez, Kimberly Mongare, Joshua C. Jenkins, Melany Castillo, Philip Chen Dr, Aaron Corbit Dr

Campus Research Month

For university students, social determinants of health such as food security and sleep patterns heavily dictate both health outcomes and academic success. Using a cross-sectional study design, statistical analyses will be conducted using the Jamovi software platform to compare mean sleep durations and food access scores across multiple academic departments and ethnic demographic groups. The study evaluates four primary hypotheses: (1) Consistent food access positively correlates with sleep quality; (2) Food security and sleep metrics vary significantly across academic departments; (3) Systemic ethnic disparities exist in food accessibility; and (4) Underrepresented ethnic groups experience a compounded burden of food insecurity …

Comments On Proposed Regulations Reg-117002-25: Trump Accounts Contribution Pilot Program, Jin Huang, Margaret Clancy, Michael Sherraden, Lissa Johnson, Stephen Roll

Center for Social Development Research

In March 2026, the Internal Revenue Service announced issued a notice of proposed rulemaking on the Trump Accounts Contribution Pilot Program and solicited comments on the proposed regulations. This testimony presents comments submitted in response to that call. The comments focus specifically on auto¬matic enrollment as addressed in the proposed regulations and provide recommendations for regulatory amendments to imple¬ment automatic enrollment within the existing legal framework for 530A accounts (known as Trump Accounts).

Bridging The Justice Gap: A Comparative Analysis Of Legal Aid Access In Putnam County And Beyond, Hailey Nowak '26

Honor Scholar Theses

This project examines how Putnam County can more effectively address the justice gap by examining its current legal landscape alongside the legal aid policies implemented by comparable counties. It begins with a local case study of Putnam County to identify the specific legal needs, structural characteristics, and barriers to accessing justice within the county. Building on this information, a comparative analysis is conducted with two theoretically similar counties to determine which legal aid interventions could be the most successful. Guided by these findings, practical, evidence-based policy recommendations are offered to improve the availability and quality of legal services within Putnam …

Monitoring Koyna Dam Displacements Using Persistent Scatterer Interferometry, Sara Zouriq, Gehan Hamdy, Amr Fawzy, Rejoice Thomas, Hesham El-Askary, Eehab Khalil, Mohamed Elsayad, Tarik El-Salawaky

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Monitoring dam stability is critical to ensure structural safety and operational reliability. This study integrates Persistent Scatterer Interferometry (PSI) based on Sentinel-1 SAR imagery (2020–2023) with Finite Element Method (FEM) simulations to assess the behavior of the Koyna Dam in India. PSI detected crest displacements between −1.0 and −1.8 mm yr−1, while FEM simulations predicted a maximum vertical displacement of approximately −3.2 mm at the crest. Although these results represent different quantities (time-averaged displacement rates versus peak static displacement), both approaches indicate millimeter-scale deformation and a consistent pattern of settlement at the dam crest, supporting the interpretation of hydrologically driven …

Does What Happens In Vegas Increase Pedestrian Safety? A Longitudinal Study On The Effectiveness Of Pedestrian Bridges, Jalen Paulos, Joaquin Miguel Del Mundo, Brock Wentz, Janel Pietryga

Department of Orthopaedics Faculty Research

Urban populations continue to rise and the frequency that pedestrians are exposed to vehicular traffic continues to increase. The result is an increase in automobile versus pedestrian collisions. This study aims to determine the efficacy of pedestrian bridges in reducing the rates of automobile‒pedestrian collisions. Data for all automobile versus pedestrian collisions and injuries from July 1997 through December 2023 at four distinct intersections along Las Vegas Boulevard were retrieved from the Nevada Department of Transportation. These sites were chosen because of their historically high rates of automobile versus pedestrian incidents and the construction of pedestrian bridges at three of …

Cowpox And Counterpublics: A Rhetorical Analysis Of Anti-Covid Vaccine Conspiracy Theories On Social Media, Cole Melton '26

Honor Scholar Theses

In order to better understand why people construct and perpetuate anti-COVID vaccine conspiracy theories, I perform a rhetorical analysis of some conspiracy theories widespread on social media during the height of the COVID vaccination effort. I begin with a literature review, highlighting the history and efficacy of vaccine technology, gathering characteristics and definitions of conspiracy theories, and reviewing the history of the anti-vaccine movement. Ultimately, I argue that anti-COVID vaccine conspiracy theorists understand vaccination as an attack on personal rights by the U.S. government, prompting the conspiracy theorists to establish an ideological institution rival to the U.S. government that would …

Regulating Dogs Or Protecting Industry? A Critical Analysis On The Animal Welfare Act And The Federal Oversight Of Commercial Dog Breeding In The United States, Ava Knight '26

Honor Scholar Theses

To evaluate whether existing federal laws adequately protect the welfare of dogs, this research relies on publicly available inspection records and enforcement data from the United States Department of Agriculture and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA, APHIS), federal oversight reports from the United States Department of Agriculture and Office of Inspector General (USDA, OIG), and data collected by animal welfare organizations including Humane World for Animals and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). These sources expose how current regulations function in practice and reveal gaps in oversight that allow harmful breeding conditions to …

Lanthorn, Vol. 60, No. 14, April 6, 2026, Grand Valley State University

Volume 60, August 4, 2025 – April 20, 2026

Lanthorn is Grand Valley State's student newspaper, published from 1968 to the present.

Family Support And Counseling: Predicting Family Relationship Quality And Self-Management In Women With Epilepsy, Tiffany A. Winch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Epilepsy, a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures, can impede many aspects of daily life for individuals diagnosed with it (Beghi, 2020; Kanner & Bicchi, 2022). The problem is that women with epilepsy may struggle with family relationships and epilepsy self-management, and it is not known to what extent family support and epilepsy counseling ameliorate this detriment. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the extent to which family support and epilepsy counseling predict family relationship quality and epilepsy self-management among women who suffer from the condition. Surveys measuring the variables family support, epilepsy counseling experience, family …

The Intricate Dance Of Emotions And Psychophysiology: Unveiling The Secrets Of Microexpressions, Jaiteg Singh, Deepika Sharma, Babar Shah, Sukhjit Singh Sehra, Farman Ali, Irfan Hussain

All Works

Background: Emotion recognition plays a pivotal role in behavioral analysis, mental health assessment, and human-computer interaction. Micro-expressions, which are brief and involuntary facial movements, offer valuable insights into concealed emotions. However, validating micro-expressions remains a challenge due to their subtlety and short duration. This study aims to enhance the validation and classification of micro-expressions by integrating electromyogram (EMG) signals with facial action units (AUs). Methods: EMG data was collected using the EMG Muscle Sensor Module V3.0, interfaced with an Arduino Mega 2560 microcontroller. To ensure signal clarity, various data filtration techniques were applied to eliminate noise, motion artifacts, and baseline …

Shu World Review- April 6th 2026, Diplolab, Seton Hall University

SHU World Review

No abstract provided.

Unveiling The Intersection Of Institutional Racial Identity And Student Loan Debt: An Analysis Of The State University System Of Florida’S Higher Education Institutions, Valerie Marie Moore

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Federal student loan patterns in Florida’s State University System (SUS) from 2013/14 to 2022/23 reflect differences in institutional revenue capacity rather than individual borrowing behavior. Using data from all 12 SUS institutions, this study examined how institutional wealth and revenue composition shape student loan outcomes through both race neutral and race considerate analyses informed by Ray’s (2019) theory of racialized organizations. Overall, the SUS operates as a racialized organizational field in which inequities in funding flows, access to capital, and institutional logics sustain long term disparities in wealth and debt. Results show that borrowing levels closely track how institutions assemble …

Systemic Poverty Amongst Puerto Ricans In New Jersey, Karen M. Acevedo-Quintana

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Puerto Ricans account for over 20% of Hispanics in New Jersey. It is estimated that 27.8% live below the poverty line. The poverty rate amongst this community is higher than the state average. Prior to this study, no known study examined what advocates for improving socioeconomic conditions amongst Puerto Ricans in New Jersey believed were the barriers to and/or facilitators of reducing poverty. The purpose of the generic qualitative study was to identify and analyze the perceptions of expert advocates regarding the current barriers to and/or facilitators of reducing poverty amongst Puerto Ricans in New Jersey using interpretivism through the …

Long-Term Impact Of Covid-19 On Burnout, Turnover, And Job Satisfaction Among Hospital Nurses, Delaney Corona Martinez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Hospital industry workforce separation has remained a persistent concern in the United States, with uncertainty regarding how national hospital industry separation patterns changed following the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this quantitative, nonexperimental retrospective study was to examine whether national hospital industry monthly separation rates differed between the prepandemic period (2018–2019) and the postpandemic period (2023–2024), whether separation rates demonstrated a statistically significant linear trend from 2018 through 2024, and whether separation rate variance differed between periods. The conceptual framework for this study was grounded in Maslach’s Burnout Theory and Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory of Job Satisfaction, which explain how workplace …

Gender Equality, Diversity, And Social Inclusion: Validation And Development Of An Instrument For Higher Education, Nilo Jayoma Castulo, Maryfe M. Roxas, Arlyne C. Marasigan, Jayson L. De Vera, Ma. Laarni D. Buenaventura, Starr Clyde Sebial, John Michael Aquino, Bonjovi H. Hajan, Mark Ponce C. San Juan, Karen Abegail C. Lee

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

Gender Equality, Diversity, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) are critical in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals number 4 (Quality Education), number 5 (Gender Equality), and number 10 (Reduced Inequalities), impacting various aspects of society, organizations, and individual well-being. While GEDSI remains a pressing concern worldwide, this study aims to design an instrument for the GEDSI situationer tool for students, administrative staff, and faculty members. The instrument undergoes a thorough validation and development process utilizing a mixed-method design. First, the item is designed through Focus Group Interviews (FGIs) on GEDSI in a prominent state university in the Philippines. Through exploratory Factor Analysis …

Crime, Consumers, And Clustering: A Geomarketing Analysis Of Retail Behavior Across Urban Markets, Mark J. Sciuchetti Dr., Jianping Huang

Atlantic Marketing Association Proceedings

No abstract provided.

Lexical Selection And New Word Formation In Apex Legends, Genevieve Dickerson

SPARK Symposium Presentations

This research observes the use of language within FPS gaming. Data was collected by solo queuing into the battle royale FPS, Apex Legends, and analyzing the way the player group develops different verbiage to meet the communication needs of the game. Four forms of word-formation mechanisms were observed: compounding (hitbox), borrowing (heaven), noun-verb conversion (spawn), and new-word formation (int-ing). This work supports the hypothesis that the lexical formations which are most-opted for within these games result from noun-verb conversion, due to the fact that these formations are typically monosyllabic and thus more efficient within time-sensitive gameplay. This research explores …

Riparian Ecosystem Condition And Impaired Floodplain Assessment In The Congaree River Watershed, South Carolina, Olusola-Ige O. Adetoro, Cuizhen Wang, Ayobami T. Salami, Olusegun O. Awotoye

Faculty Publications

Floodplain riparian ecological zones (FREZs) are transitional environments that facilitate interactions among hydrological, geomorphological, and environmental processes within aquatic and terrestrial systems. In the context of climate change, urban growth, and increased hydrologic modifications, these systems are experiencing accelerated degradation. This study employed a multi-criteria Riparian Condition Assessment (RCA) framework that combined the Riparian Condition Assessment Tool (RCAT) and a fuzzy inference system (FIS) to evaluate riparian corridor health in the Congaree River watershed, South Carolina, USA. Using 30 m LANDFIRE land-cover data, hydrologic segmentation (at 500 m reach scale), and transport infrastructure overlays, we quantified riparian vegetation deviation, land-use …

Balneotherapy For Sleep Improvement And Reducing Depression In Knee Osteoarthritis Patients, Anca Paula Ciurba, Alexandru Bogdan Ilieș, Ionel Haidu, Doriana Ioana Ciobanu, Theodora Ursu, Florin Mihai Marcu, Dorina Ianc

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common chronic condition and a leading cause of global disability, often associated with pain, depression, and sleep disturbances. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of warm mineral water combined with physical therapy on sleep quality, depression and pain intensity in patients with knee osteoarthritis. Materials and Methods: The study involved 101 subjects (68.78±6.92 years) who were assigned to  a control group (CG) or an experimental group (EG). All subjects benefited from physical therapy and electrotherapy for 10 days. The experimental group additionally benefited from therapy with hot mineral water. …

Physical Space And Democratic Citizenship: Third Place Usage And Civic Engagement Among Undergraduates, Justin L. Fintel

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This thesis examines the relationship between third place usage and civic engagement levels among undergraduate students at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Drawing on urban planning and political science literature, I hypothesize that students who more frequently use and interact with campus third places—which are informal communal spaces that foster community, such as coffee shops, libraries, and student unions—demonstrate higher levels of civic engagement. Using survey data from thirty-eight undergraduates and ordinary least squares regression analysis, I find strong support for my hypothesis. Third place usage significantly predicts civic engagement (β = 0.609, p < 0.001) statistically, and this relationship remains robust even after controlling for family socialization and socioeconomic status. The findings suggest that physical spaces on college campuses play an independent role in promoting democratic citizenship beyond students' pre-existing characteristics. These results have important implications for university and urban planning, while highlighting the value of investing in communal campus spaces as mechanisms for promoting civic participation.

Assessing Environmental Changes Before And After The 2018 Kilauea Eruption In Leilani Estates, Hawaii, Rokeya Akter Liza

Scholars Week

The 2018 Kilauea eruption in Hawaii significantly impacted the natural landscape, especially in the Leilani Estates region. The aim of this study was to analyze and compare the environmental conditions of before and after eruption by applying remote sensing techniques. Landsat 8 satellite imagery was used for two different time periods as before the eruption (February 2018) and after the eruption (March 2019). ERDAS Imagine was used to process these images to evaluate the changes in vegetation and land cover. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was calculated for both pre- and post-eruption images to evaluate vegetation changes. Higher NDVI …

Mental Health Rates Across Ethnic Groups In A Small Midwestern Christian University, Arianna Torres

Honors Theses

This study aims to find if there is a significant difference in depression, anxiety, trauma, and suicidality among students of different ethnic backgrounds at Andrews University. By focusing on ethnic disparities, this research aims to target the mental health issues rising among college students and bring to light the importance of cultural competency in relation to mental health. Results from this study may aid Andrews University in developing more inclusive and culturally responsive mental health services and inform broader discussions about mental health equity in higher education. It can also add insight into how mental health rates may vary by …

Reinvesting In A Lived Experience Workforce: An Exploration Of Why Peer Support Specialists Leave The Field, Morgan Rae Pelot

Dissertations and Theses

Peer support specialists (PSSs) are individuals who use their lived experience of mental health challenges along with formal training to provide peer support to other individuals experiencing similar challenges. PSSs have only become integrated into the mental health care system within the last several decades. Recently, a study reported a trend of PSSs leaving the field of peer support, but there is a gap in the literature exploring factors that may influence this decision. This study examined if self-efficacy, motivations to join the workforce, and negative work experiences were related to workforce retention. A secondary cross-sectional analysis was conducted on …

The Employment Situation Of Veterans: March 2026, Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

Employment rose by 178,000 in March, while the overall unemployment rate held steady at 4.3 percent, with notable job gains in health care, construction, and transportation and warehousing. Veteran unemployment declined slightly to 3.9 percent, though younger veterans continued to experience higher unemployment rates than older veterans and their nonveteran peers. Male veteran unemployment fell, while female veteran unemployment rose and remained above that of nonveteran women. Unemployment trends varied across racial and ethnic groups, with some veteran subgroups showing higher rates than their nonveteran counterparts, though these monthly estimates can fluctuate significantly.

Maps Behind Bars: A Spatial Study Into Wrongful Convictions And Social Equality, Bailee Kinghorn, Emma Milne, Camille Heaton

FHSS Mentored Research Conference

Wrongful convictions are representative of errors in the criminal justice system. Often reflecting broad patterns of social inequality, prior research suggests that structural factors may influence the likelihood of conviction and access to legal resources. This project investigates how these social equality indicators correlate with wrongful convictions at the county level across the United States. Using data from the National Institute of Health and the National Registry of Exonerations, we aggregate measures of education, poverty, and non-English-speaking populations normalized by population density and combine them with exoneration records to create a series of comparative maps. Through spatial analysis in ArcGIS, …

Gender-Based Violence And Botswana's Constitutional Failure To Protect Women's Rights, Cameron Mcdonald

Immigration and Human Rights Law Review

Gender-based violence (“GBV”) remains a pervasive human rights issue throughout Botswana. When it comes to gender equality, Botswana’s dual constitutional and customary legal system is a paradox. Despite its commitment to equality and nondiscrimination, Botswana’s Constitution allows customary courts to discriminate freely to preserve traditional practices that disadvantage women. These traditional practices affect women’s right to property, inheritance, marriage, legal representation, and personal safety. Customary law continues to constrain women’s right to economic autonomy and access to justice, leaving many women dependent on the men who abuse them. As a result, many Batswana women experience structural discrimination in both their …

Silencing Liberty: Why Curtailing Noncitizens' Speech Is Un-American, Erin Gray

Immigration and Human Rights Law Review

Since the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel thousands of students across the world protested Israel’s involvement in the war on Gaza. Many of these protests occurred at American universities. When President Trump returned to the White House in 2025, he publicly threatened to and deport noncitizen students who participated in these protests. Following through with his promise, President Trump revoked multiple students’ visas after they participated in some form of Pro-Palestine advocacy. This Article explores whether President Trump’s actions are constitutional under the First Amendment. Ultimately, this Article concludes that President Trump violated the First Amendment by targeting noncitizen …

The Myth Of The Immigrant As A Criminal: Rhetoric, Otherness, And The Legal Construction Of Danger, Katerina Fernandez

Immigration and Human Rights Law Review

The figure of the “criminal immigrant” occupies a central place in contemporary U.S. immigration discourse, shaping public perception, enforcement priorities, and legal doctrine. Yet a substantial body of empirical research consistently demonstrates that immigrants—both documented and undocumented—commit crimes at lower rates than native-born citizens. This Note examines why the narrative of immigrant criminality persists despite this evidence and how it influences the development and operation of immigration law. It argues that “immigrant” functions not only as a legal category but also as a socially constructed marker of Otherness, encompassing perceived differences in race, language, culture, and religion. Through this lens, …

The Expanding Digital Border: Ai, Surveillance, And The Fight For Justice, James Chesser

Immigration and Human Rights Law Review

As artificial intelligence transforms the mechanisms of immigration control, the modern border has become a digital filter—one governed less by geography and more by code. This Article examines the legal, technical, and ethical implications of AI-driven systems now central to global border enforcement, including biometric surveillance, algorithmic risk scoring, and predictive profiling. It explores how states use these technologies not only to manage irregular migration, but to compete for global talent—constructing migration regimes that reward capital and compliance while eroding transparency, due process, and equality.

Through an international and comparative lens, the piece highlights the expansion of algorithmic decision-making across …