Digital Commons Network^™

Temperature And College Life, Porsha Purkiss, Quiniyah Shumpert, Olivia Lane

Scholars Week

Temperature and College Life

Absenteeism in college students can be caused by a variety of factors ranging from personal attitudes to environmental factors. Considering that, on average, American college students spend over $20,000  per semester on tuition, absenteeism is unlikely to be random (Barragan Torres, 2025). This study aims to explore how climate, mental health, socioeconomic status, and basic demographic information correlate with academic attendance, with an overall focus on outdoor temperature. Research observes that temperature is a key factor of absenteeism, determining that many students are incentivized to skip class if the temperature is warm enough for leisure activities …

Against The Coloniality Of Sport For Development And Peace (Sdp), Isra Shahid Iqbal

Journal of Global South Sport Studies

This paper critically investigates how historical colonial practices and capitalist structures continue to influence the roles, relationships, and spaces related to gender and race within Sport for Development (SDP) initiatives in Global South contexts. While sport is commonly approached as an avenue to promote positive youth development and post-conflict reconstruction, these discourses often overlook how colonial capitalist imperatives are perpetuated through sport, influencing gender and race hierarchies, oppressive relations, and the direct “Othering” of actors in Global South contexts (Samie et al., 2015; Oxford, 2017). Indeed, SDP initiatives are not immune from capitalist and colonial imperatives nor the racial and …

Six-Week Time-Restricted Eating Lowers Premature Mortality Risk In Overweight Early Elderly Adults: Evidence From A Body Shape Index, Przemysław Domaszewski, Mariusz Konieczny

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: A Body Shape Index (ABSI) is an anthropometric indicator combining waist circumference, weight, and height, providing a BMI-independent measure of central obesity and a recognized predictor of mortality. Despite its relevance, research on ABSI in early elderly populations remains limited. This study assessed the impact of a six-week time-restricted eating (TRE) intervention on ABSI z-scores in overweight adults aged 65–74, with attention to gender differences. Materials and Methods: A total of 116 participants were randomized into a TRE group (16:8 fasting window from 8:00 PM to 12:00 PM) or a control group maintaining habitual eating. ABSI z-scores were evaluated …

Reproducing Advantage: Inequality In Ncaa Leadership Programming, Jessica K. Brougham, Elizabeth A. Taylor

Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics

Leadership programming in NCAA Division I athletics is designed to support holistic athlete development, including career readiness, financial literacy, and personal growth. However, participation in selective initiatives like the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) is often limited, raising concerns about equality and access. Through the theory of social reproduction, our study examines how these programs reflet and reinforce structural inequalities. Interviews with athletic staff reveal selection procedures (or lack thereof) privilege athletes who already possess social and cultural capital and therefore reproduce existing hierarchies rather than serve as a developmental tool. The findings highlight the importance of transparent selection criteria, intentional …

Chrononutrition: A Beginner’S Guide For Mental Health Professionals, Jerrod Brown Phd, Ma, Ms, Ms, Ms, Ms, Ms, Jeremiah Schimp Phd, Ma, Lpcc, Leanne Skehan Dcn, Msacn, Mph, Mba, Shelley Mydra Dmft, Lmft, Jonathan Ward Dc, Phd(C), Ms, Dibcn, Kelly Rain Collin Ed.M.

Nutritional Neurocriminology Today

Chrononutrition focuses on how nutritional timing influences biological rhythms (Castro-Mata et al., 2025; Kim et al., 2025; Raji et al., 2024). This includes examining how dietary patterns (e.g., timing, frequency, and regularity) affect the circadian system and metabolic health (Cart & Pauling, 2025; Juliana et al., 2023; Negri et al., 2025). Sleep schedule, shift work, substance use, malnutrition, and other external factors, which will be discussed in this article, can disrupt the circadian rhythm. This disruption increases the risk for serious mental health problems (Baron & Reid, 2014; Castro-Mata et al., 2025; Franzago et al., 2023). Alternatively, consistent and nutritious …

Ncaa’S Mental Health Best Practices Still Need Coaching: Perceptions Of Division I Student-Athletes On Strategies And Support Offered By Their Universities, Christopher C. Boyer, Jason Bocarro, Corey Johnson, Austin Thompson-Spain, Lulu Black

Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics

The NCAA has recognized the growing mental health crisis among student-athletes over the last decade and responded by publishing best practices, passing related legislation, and conducting surveys with student-athletes and coaches regarding mental health. This qualitative study explored the perceptions and insights of 22 Division I student-athletes on current strategies and resources designed to provide the best mental health support to them, along with what they perceive as the barriers or resource deficiencies related to seeking help. This applied research was done in the context of the best practices outlined in the NCAA’s Interassociation Consensus Document: Mental Health Best Practices, …

Game Without A Voice: College Athletes’ Symbolic Participation In Institutional Decisions, Eric G. Kramer, Karina Jolly, Chris Corr, Sarah Stokowski

Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics

This study examined decision-making by student-athlete advisory committee (SAAC) members within a hegemonic characterization of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Findings revealed that athletes prioritized decisions with tangible, immediate impact – such as mental and physical health and peer support – over broader systemic issues like NCAA legislation. While athletes actively participated in select areas, their perceived influence remained low, particularly within athletic department policy decisions, where findings indicated the greatest gap between participation and desired influence. Such findings reflect a systemic power imbalance that limits athlete agency, reinforced by fears of retribution and structural exclusion from meaningful governance. …

Measuring The Influence Of Ai Decision Support On Organ Procurement Coordinators’ Workflow, Amaneh Babaee

Miners Solving for Tomorrow Research Conference

Approximately 30% of deceased-donor kidneys remain unused, representing missed opportunities for transplantation. One potential solution is identifying hard-to-place kidneys earlier in the allocation process to reduce late-stage reassessment and allocation inefficiencies. Over a four-year project, our team developed an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm that provides Organ Procurement Organization (OPO) coordinators with an AI score indicating the likelihood that a kidney will be transplanted. This study evaluates the impact of this AI score on kidney placement decisions. Using a pre–post experimental design, participants will first evaluate four donor kidneys without AI support. After watching a training video explaining the AI score, …

Changes In 25(Oh)D Concentration, Bone Resorption Markers And Physical Performance Due To Sun Exposure, Diet And Training Load Among Professional Women Handball Players During The Half-Year Training Season, Sorin Dacian Buhas, Zbigniew Jastrzębski, Paul Florian Dragos, Marius Alin Marinau, Maria Skalska, Mirela Stef, Joanna Jastrzębska, Mihai Sandra, Dana Ioana Cristea

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: The aim of the study was to demonstrate changes in 25(OH)D concentration, bone resorption indicators and physical fitness in female handball players as a result of their exposure to the sun, diet and exercise load during the six-month training period from mid-March to mid-September, i.e. the time when the sun exposure is the highest during the calendar year. Twenty-two women handball players participated in the study. Due to the random occurrences and exclusion criteria, 20 players completed the project. Biochemical analysis of blood, aerobic capacity, running speed and power tests (Wingate test, squat jump, counter movement jump, etc.) was …

There Is Turbulence In The Vuca World: A Path To Learning From The Micro- Environments Of Decision-Makers And Their Leadership Acumen, Bernard L. Simonin, Paul Lambert

Arab Economic and Business Journal

Decision-makers and researchers continue to ponder on how to cope with today’s volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous environments (VUCA). The catch-all expression “it is a VUCA world” has gained popularity while raising some concerns on its applicability. To date, much of the focus has been in association with large-scale events of a negative nature; research has remained mostly conceptual with almost no extensive empirical investigation centered on the fully unpacked VUCA construct. This study examines the interplay between VUCA elements, turbulence, and disruption; it introduces a turbulence diagnostic tool for leadership and explores patterns of variability across types of triggering …

Examining The Influence Of Organisational And Leadership Knowledge On Resilience During Economic Downturns-A Case Study For Sme Success, Dr. Aloma Jayasundera, Dr. Rubhesh Jha

Arab Economic and Business Journal

This study investigates how organisational and leadership knowledge impacts the resilience of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) during economic downturns, focussing on a foreign-owned business processes and Information Consulting (IT) consulting company in Bahrain. This is a mixed-methods approach that integrates qualitative and quantitative data, including thematic analysis and Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). This study shows that an emphasis on external problems caused the company to disregard important internal challenges. The findings highlight the need for better crisis management and digital strategies to strengthen the organisation from within and create a better workplace culture. This study contributes new insights into …

Drd2 Rs6276 Polymorphism And Trait Impulsivity In Individuals With Mixed Behavioral And Substance Addictions, Gabriela Zdunek, Remigiusz Recław, Aleksandra Suchanecka, Krzysztof Chmielowiec, Dariusz Larysz, Patryk Ilków, Kinga Łosińska, Jolanta Chmielowiec, Łukasz Jaworski, Anna Grzywacz

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background/Objectives: Impulsivity is a key transdiagnostic trait linked to dysregulated reward processing in both behavioral and substance-related addictions, as recognized in DSM-5. Dopaminergic genes, including DRD2, may modulate individual differences in impulsivity, particularly under conditions of increased addiction vulnerability. This study examined whether the DRD2 Exon 8 rs6276 polymorphism predicts impulsivity levels in men with mixed addictive behaviors compared with healthy controls. Methods: A total of 328 males (128 with mixed behavioral and substance addictions and 200 controls) were assessed. Diagnoses were confirmed using the MINI interview, and impulsivity was measured with the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11). Genotyping of …

Cal Poly Student Protests And Activism: A (Republished) Research Guide, Kyle Tanaka, Lucia Moratinos-Chu

Library Scholarship

This research guide discusses, among other topics, protests and activism at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Some of these protests arose in response to specific incidents related to racism, sexism, homo/transphobia, etc.

Out In The Arena: Examining The Lgbtq+ Experience In Ihsa, Katharine C. Didier

Honors College Theses

This study investigated factors influencing Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) LGBTQ+ riders’ perceptions of inclusion, safety, and belonging, with the hypothesis that teams with diversity and inclusion policies would be perceived as more accepting. An online survey was developed to gather information from self-identified LGBTQ+ IHSA students. Questions covered demographics, team environment, and perceived inclusivity within their equestrian programs. Question types included multiple choice, Likert-type, short answer, and open-ended. IHSA coaches were asked to share the survey link with team members. Students were able to respond anonymously. The survey was open for 8 weeks. Reminders were sent out at 3 …

Breaking Barriers: Advancement Toward Practical Nursing Licensure For Certified Medication Assistants In Long-Term Care--A Descriptive Study, Aleshia L. Maxwell

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

The persistent nursing shortage across the United States, particularly in Long-Term Care (LTC) settings, has complicated the healthcare system’s ability to meet the needs of an aging population. While existing research often examines progression from Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) to Registered Nurse (RN), limited research explores factors influencing progression from entry-level LTC healthcare workers to Practical Nursing (PN) licensure. This quantitative descriptive study examined the barriers and supporting factors influencing advancement toward PN licensure for Medication Assistants-Certified (MA-Cs) in Arkansas LTC facilities. A convenience sample of N=100 participated in the study. Results indicated that financial and structural barriers often …

Exploring The Well-Being Of Students: Mental Health Symptoms And Help-Seeking In Students With And Without Disabilities, Delaney M. Havrylkoff

LSU Master's Theses

Students with learning-related disabilities (LRDs) are a growing population in schools worthy of more holistic attention. This vulnerable population often receives support for their academic needs, while their mental health needs tend to get overlooked or untreated. Students with LRDs often face more negative experiences (e.g., lower academic performance, bullying, and peer victimization) in school compared to their peers without disabilities. As a result, they may experience higher levels of mental health issues. The purpose of this study was to examine the mental health status and service utilization of students with LRDs in schools compared to their peers without disabilities. …

Florence S.T.C. Building Starts, Birmingham News

Documents

Student health at Florence State Teachers College to be enhanced with new gymnasium for the school

Media Center Gets New Studio, Name, Timesdaily

Documents

New Media Center and grand opening for the new Communications Building (former Gymnasium) in 1988

Health, Physical Education Program At College Will Be Aided By New Gym And Pool, The Florence Times

Documents

Construction of new Gymnasium and Pool at Florence State Teachers College

Influence Of Moral Development, Religiosity, Achieved Belongingness, And Collective Narcissism On Conspiracy Theory Beliefs, Barbara Mahoney Lee

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Belief in conspiracy theories has been linked to prejudice and societal instability, underscoring the importance of understanding the psychological factors that shape such beliefs. This quantitative correlational survey research examined the extent to which moral development, religiosity, achieved belongingness, collective narcissism, and political party affiliation predict conspiracy theory beliefs. Wood’s three-tier model of conspiracy theory beliefs provided the conceptual framework for the study. Using validated quantitative measures in an anonymous, demographically stratified sample (N = 279), a stepwise regression analysis assessed how individual and group-level factors contribute to conspiratorial thinking. Although political party affiliation was not an initial focus, preliminary …

The Impact Of Police Corruption On National Security In Liberia, Yontonson Deddeh Kollie Kesselly

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African countries are grappling with policies and laws to mitigate widespread police corruption. However, for decades, corruption within the police force has drawn intense criticism from citizens. Prior research has indicated that state officials are likely to benefit from police corruption, including bribery, thereby undermining Liberia's economic and social stability and prosperity. The issue that prompted this research is that despite extensive police reforms in Liberia’s national police, corruption cases remain prevalent, raising national security concerns. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to investigate Liberians' perceptions of the impact of police corruption on national security in Liberia through …

Exploring The Ethical And Practical Considerations Of Artificial Intelligence In Real-World Health Care Settings: Stakeholder Focus Group Study, Carmen Wendy Ulizio, Devika Dua, Naya Meenkashi Mukul, Santosh Areti, Kristin Kostick-Quenet, Vasiliki Nataly Rahimzadeh

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies continue to transform how we research human disease, diagnose and treat patients, and operate hospitals. However, emerging ethical dilemmas surrounding their design, use, and oversight demand both policy attention and empirical research.

Objective: This study aims to explore current AI development, integration, and use activities across the Texas Medical Center (TMC), the largest medical center in the world, and identify emerging ethical priorities.

Methods: We conducted a total of 3 qualitative focus groups via Zoom (Zoom Video Communications, Inc) between May and June 2025 to gauge the perspectives of 19 clinicians, developers, administrators, and patient …

Empirical Benchmarks For Interpreting Effect Sizes In Violent Crime Interventions, Kohta James Matsukawa Hansen

Theses and Dissertations

Criminal justice researchers apply Cohen’s (1988) benchmarks to classify effect sizes as small, medium, or large, despite these standards never being meant for broad, decontextualized use (Cohen, 1988; Gies et al., 2024; Goulet-Pelletier & Cousineau, 2018; Lakens, 2013; Milner et al., 2023). Repeatedly doing so may weaken statistical validity, distort findings, and impede effective policymaking. This study introduces the first effect size benchmarks specifically designed for violent crime interventions.

Using a quasi-meta-analysis framework, 1,605 effect sizes from 104 violent crime intervention studies from the CrimeSolutions clearinghouse were converted to Cohen’s d. Three new discrete benchmarking methods were created using a …

Geographic Variation In Adrd Prevalence And Mortality And Their Association With Social Vulnerability Across Us Counties: A Spatial Epidemiological Analysis Using Norc And Cdc Svi Data, Dean Kyne

Sociology Faculty Publications

Introduction: Geographic disparities in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRDs) remain insufficiently understood at the national scale, limiting efforts to address inequities in dementia burden across USA communities. This study examined county-level variation in ADRD prevalence and mortality and evaluates the association between social vulnerability and these outcomes.

Methods: This cross-sectional ecological study analyzes 2020 county-level ADRD prevalence and all-cause mortality among Medicare beneficiaries from the NORC Dementia DataHub. The analytic sample included 3,108 USA counties in the contiguous USA and the District of Columbia. ADRD outcomes included (1) prevalence of highly likely ADRD and (2) prevalence of all determinations, …

A Qualitatively Driven Approach Integrated With Quantitative Analysis Applied To Decision Making In Institutional Administration Of Higher Education, Cristo Leon Ph.D., James Lipuma Ph.D., Michelle Kudelka

STEM for Success Resources

A qualitatively driven mixed methods study on decision-making in higher education administration. The article integrates Constructivist Grounded Theory, thematic analysis, participatory design, and quantitative dashboard analytics to examine interdisciplinary collaboration, institutional research management, and user-centered data visualization. It offers a practical framework for designing accessible and context-sensitive academic dashboards that support evidence-informed governance, resource allocation, and research strategy in universities

Dual Mechanisms Of External Pressure: The Impact Of Sanctions And Aid On State Capacity In Iraq And Jordan, Emily P. White

Global Tides

This essay examines the influence of external economic pressures on state capacity in the Middle East through a comparative analysis of Iraq and Jordan. In the late twentieth century, both states faced fiscal shocks, including rising prices for staple goods, elevated unemployment, and revenue shortfalls that constrained regime distributive capacity. Against this backdrop of mounting domestic volatility, contrasting instruments of international economic statecraft were employed, namely, comprehensive UN sanctions against Iraq and sustained Western-led foreign aid to Jordan. Through exogenous state-building, foreign actors sought to exert punitive leverage in Iraq and pursue an agenda-setting partnership in Jordan. Despite pursuing different …

Economic Analysis On Healthcare Costs With Ai, Kemi Daramola

Research Days

This research paper analyzes rising healthcare costs in the United States through core economic concepts in public administration, including market failure, public goods theory, externalities, cost-benefit analysis, and price elasticity. These frameworks explain persistent inefficiencies such as information asymmetry between providers and patients, high administrative expenses, limited price transparency, and restricted competition among healthcare systems and pharmaceutical companies.   The paper integrates the growing role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) as both a response to and driver of economic change in healthcare. AI technologies—including predictive analytics, automated claims processing, and clinical decision-support systems—have the potential to reduce administrative waste, improve diagnostic accuracy, …

Alignment Of Servant Leadership Dimensions With Desirable Job Characteristics Drives Team Performance, Noah T. Currie

Servant Leadership: Theory & Practice

Organizations creating cultures of servant leadership continue to experience immense success in the business world and the nonprofit sector despite an ongoing lack of clarity of the concept. The aim of this paper is twofold, first to provide clarity by proposing an improvement to the definition offered by Laub (1999; 2004) and second to provide a conceptual model describing how servant leadership, mediated by intrinsic motivation as described by the Job Characteristics Model (Hackman & Oldham, 1980) and perceived organizational support, is positively related to team performance. Relating servant leadership to motivation, perceived organizational support and team performance provides leadership …

Cotheorizing Healing With Undergraduate Queer And Trans Latina Survivors Of Power-Based Violence, Kimberly Correa

Dissertations

Current research on healing from power-based violence highlights the importance of integrating victim-survivors’ personal culture and identities into healing approaches, yet few studies actually focus on the culturally distinct healing processes of victim-survivors (O’Brien & Macy, 2016; Sinko et al., 2023). Grounded in Jotería theory (Alvarez, 2023) and Latina/Chicana feminist frameworks (Garcia, 1989), this qualitative study employs queer pláticas as both a methodology and method to center culturally rooted dialogue, reciprocity, and cariño as a political praxis. This study explores how six queer and trans Latina undergraduate victim-survivors conceptualize healing from power-based violence and how their identities, cultural values, and …

Himmelfarb Library Liaison Letter - April 2026, The George Washington University, Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library

Himmelfarb Library Liaison Letters

No abstract provided.