Digital Commons Network^™

How Is The Use Of Ai Impacting Nursing Students Education?, Lorna H. Strain

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education is rapidly increasing and reshaping how nursing students learn and engage with content. This thesis proposal takes a look at the impact of AI on the education of nursing students and explores students' perceptions of its use in their learning and education. As AI becomes more prevalent, many students are using it for study aids and content personalization, while schools are using it in simulations and textbook platforms. Many recognize its benefits, such as enhanced critical thinking, improved accessibility of materials, and more immersive learning. Concerns persist around ethical use, academic integrity, …

The Role Of Mentorship In Reducing Burnout In New Nurses And Nursing Students, Omari Andry

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

Burnout among new nurses and nursing students is a consistent issue affecting the healthcare system by adding to early career turnover, emotional exhaustion, and decreased quality of patient care. Structured mentorship programs have emerged as a promising intervention to alleviate burnout by giving emotional support, professional development, and coping strategies. This proposal explores the role of mentorship in reducing burnout symptoms, improving job satisfaction, and promoting emotional resilience among new nurses and nursing students alike. Based on existing scholarly articles, the project will investigate how structured versus informal mentorship affects burnout rates, the qualities of effective mentors, and the outcomes …

Bringing Worlds Together: How Social Studies Teachers Make Content Meaningful, Harley A. Payne

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

Secondary educators in social studies classes face the challenge of maintaining the attention of twenty to thirty students while they instruct them about content that often seems irrelevant or unimportant. These educators know, however, that the material these students are disinterested in is useful and crucial for developing adolescents who are learning to interact with the world. Research suggests that bridging the gap between the classroom and the real world has been linked to greater classroom engagement (Cooper 2014, Tagliaferro, 2012). Students who are engaged and exert more effort in class derive academic benefits, such as placement in advanced pathways …

Alkaloid Profiling Of Narcissus Poeticus L. Bulbs And Their Inhibitory Activity Of Cholinesterases, Maël Gainche, Isabelle Ripoche, Elodie Jagu

Oxford ICSB

The Amaryllidaceae family is well known for its rich diversity of alkaloids, including lycorine- and galantamine-type structures with potent cholinesterase inhibitory properties. In this study, we investigated the phytochemical composition and cholinesterase inhibitory activity of alkaloids isolated from Narcissus poeticus L., a species native to the botanically rich Auvergne region of France. Phytochemical analysis and bioguided fractionation of bulb extracts led to the identification of three known alkaloids, pseudolycorine, norgalantamine, and 2-O-(3’-hydroxybutanoyl)-lycorine, as well as a newly characterized tetrahydroquinoline derivative, poeticine A. The inhibitory activities of these compounds against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) were assessed using both a standard …

Temporal Variation In Dna Methylation Over 115 Years Post Introduction Facilitate Success Of House Sparrows, M. Ellesse Lauer, J. Dylan Maddox, Kevin D. Kohl, Mark Ravinet, Lynn B. Martin, Aaron W. Schrey

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

House sparrows (Passer domesticus) have colonized most continents within the last 200 years. As such, they represent a unique study system for understanding the role that epigenetic mechanisms play in an individual’s responses to rapid environmental changes. DNA methylation facilitates the introduction success of non-native sparrows by compensating for reduced genetic diversity and supporting changes to phenotypes. In non-native populations of house sparrows, more recently introduced populations have higher variance in DNA methylation and respond to simulated infections with a greater magnitude of change in DNA methylation. To determine how DNA methylation changes temporally across 115 years post …

Evaluation Of Fasted And Fed Gastrointestinal Transformation Of Withania Somnifera Plant Extracts And Bioactive Compounds Via Uplc-Ms/Ms And Untargeted Metabolomics, Sarah Barr, Wendy Strangman, R. Thomas Williamson, Amala Soumyanath, Melissa Bollen

Oxford ICSB

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is a widely consumed botanical supplement recognized for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-aging properties. Despite its extensive use, limited information exists on how its complex chemical composition changes during gastrointestinal digestion. An untargeted UPLC-MS/MS-based metabolomics approach enables analysis of discrete changes in complex mixtures. Previous in vitro studies of W. somnifera relied on simulated gastric and intestinal models composed primarily of buffers and digestive enzymes. This study advances those methods by incorporating bile salts and phospholipids under fasted and fed conditions to better simulate physiological digestion of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of W. somnifera root and leaf. …

Unmasking Ashwagandha Controversy: Safety, Toxicity, And Adulteration, Tahir Maqbool Mir

Oxford ICSB

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is an adaptogenic shrub valued for its roots, which support systemic health. Increasing use has raised safety concerns about adulteration and hepatotoxicity. The roots of ashwagandha are primarily preferred for systemic health, while the leaves were traditionally reserved for topical applications to treat joint inflammation and promote wound healing.  Although generally considered safe, ashwagandha supplements have been linked to drug-induced liver injury, including cholestasis, jaundice, and pruritus. Reports from various organizations like LARB in the Netherlands indicate a rise in liver toxicity cases, possibly due to cytotoxic withafrin A and DNA-damaging withanone. A major concern is widespread …

Advancements In Botanical Toxicology, Characterization, And Regulatory Frameworks, Paula Brown

Oxford ICSB

No abstract provided.

Determinants Of Opioid-Relevant Exposure From 7-Hydroxymitragynine Products In The Evolving U.S. Marketplace, Igor Koturbash, Scott Alsbrook, George Pro

Oxford ICSB

Kratom’s U.S. market has rapidly evolved from largely botanical powders and capsules to products enriched in 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), a potent mu-opioid receptor agonist that is typically present only at trace levels in leaf material. To quantify downstream behavioral health burden and contextualize it with real-world signals of product diffusion, we analyzed National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) data (2021-2023) alongside public health alert trends and systematic online product surveillance. In NSDUH, 5.8% of adults met criteria for serious mental illness (SMI). SMI increased by 150% among adults with combined opioid use disorder (OUD) and kratom use between 2021 …

Naturally Derived Kratom Extracts: Toxicological Evaluation In Humans And Rodents, Sibyl Swift

Oxford ICSB

Peer-reviewed literature provides limited toxicological data on the consumption of naturally derived kratom extracts. Given the increasing use of kratom products, understanding their safety profile is critical for public health and regulatory decision-making. To address this gap, we conducted a rodent toxicology assessment and a controlled human clinical study. Human Clinical Study: Healthy male and female participants consumed specified kratom extracts daily for 14 consecutive days under controlled conditions. Clinical observations and biochemical markers were monitored throughout the study. Rodent Toxicology Study: Equivalent extract doses were administered to rodents for 90 days to evaluate subchronic exposure. Assessments included body weight, …

Cheating On Cognitive Dissonance Theory: An Investigation Of Moral Disengagement, Javier Mora, Jana Michelle Hackathorn

Steeplechase: An ORCA Student Journal

Cognitive dissonance theory (Festinger, 1957) theorizes that when individuals experience discrepancies between attitudes, actions or beliefs, the resulting psychological discomfort leads individuals to use one of many “dissonance reduction strategies” such as justification, attitude change, etc. to feel better (Mcgrath, 2017).

Moral disengagement theory refers to tendency of people to lessen the implications of their perceived immoral actions, through various behaviors such as blaming others, diffusing responsibility, etc. (Bandura et al, 1996).

However, no known research has examined whether moral disengagement is merely a dissonance reduction process.

Epigenetic Variation Of American Alligators (Alligator Mississippiensis) In The Okefenokee Swamp, Mark Hoog, Kimberly M. Andrews, Aaron W. Schrey

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

An animal's survival is heavily influenced by how well adapted it is to the environment in which it lives; however, phenotypes are only able to change so quickly. Epigenetics allows for greater phenotypic plasticity through molecular mechanisms without altering the DNA sequence. DNA methylation is the most widely studied epigenetic mechanism. It has shown the ability to alter gene expression and may even be able to compensate for a lack of genetic variation. Changes in DNA methylation are often caused by stressors that range from anthropogenic causes to natural occurrences. We sought to examine the effect of environmental factors on …

Thinking Under Pressure: Does Mindset And Mood Affect Cognitive Performance?, Pamela Kplivi, Hannah Nowicki, Emmy Carmichael, Charlie Guri, Abigail Blanda, Brandon Sookkasem, Shayne Alexander, Hope Williams, Gabriella Tossah, Meeraben Patel, Michael Woodcock, Virginia Wickline

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

Cognitive performance, particularly on tasks requiring creative problem-solving, can be influenced by both individual and situational factors. Prior research highlights intrinsic beliefs about intelligence and external factors such as mood states as determinants of problem solving outcomes (Baumeister & Vohs, 2016; Okon-Singer et al., 2015). The present study utilizes a 2 x 3 between-subjects experimental design to examine how mindset (growth vs. fixed) and temporary mood state (positive, neutral, negative) interact to shape performance on a creative problem solving task. Mindset is assessed using the Implicit Theories of Intelligence Scale (ITIS; Dweck, 1999), cognitive performance is measured using a shortened …

Machine Learning-Based Defect Identification Using Resonant Ultrasonic Spectroscopy, Abigail Richard

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

Resonant ultrasonic spectroscopy (RUS) is a common non-destructive testing (NDT) technique that is used for quality assessment of the parts and components in various applications. RUS is performed by exciting samples by an external load and capturing its vibrational frequencies to be analyzed and find irregularities to classify parts. RUS has been investigated to test additively manufactured Inconel 718 samples for the feasibility of accurate quality assessment. Frequency and amplitude data was collected, transformed using z-score normalization and then analyzed using different classification algorithms. Machine learning algorithms has been deployed for defect classification of good and bad samples. These findings …

Project Akira: Data Mining And Merging, And Training A Custom-Built Gpt To Produce Therapist-Like, Ethically Coherent Responses, Rocco Moore, Joshua Farara

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

Numerous artificial intelligence GPT models are trained on various language dataset types, including ethical and mental health dialogue, to produce ethically coherent responses, and these datasets are opened and merged together via the efficient processes of data mining and data merging. To explore how companies such as OpenAI and Microsoft achieve these goals, we implemented our own custom-built GPT, named AkiraGPT, which has recently and historically had issues generating ethical responses, simulating self awareness, and has sometimes generated incomprehensible, contextually irrelevant responses. In addition to that, AkiraGPT would sometimes have it's responses be "cut off." 

Our goal with our research …

Honoring Survivors’ Wholeness: Recommendations For University Offices Of Wellness, Maeve Jillian King

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

Rates of child abuse are nationally significant, especially after considering how much violence goes unreported. Many college students have experienced sexual violence prior to arriving on campus, where incidents of sexual victimization are prominent. With this in mind, how can university offices of wellness support survivors wherever they are in their journey of survivorship? Previous research rarely considers both realities of victimization, but displays large concerns surrounding survivor’s mental health and educational obtainment. Additionally peer and social support play significant roles in survivor outcomes. This interdisciplinary literature review examines current university practices, mental health realities, and impacts of culture on …

Natural Products As Multi Drug-Multi Target Therapeutics - From The Pharmacological Proof To New Approaches For Quantitative Quality Control, Olaf Kelber

Oxford ICSB

In the two decades since the mode of action of herbal medicinal products has been characterized as the Multi Target action of Multi Drug combinations [1,2, 3], the body of evidence supporting the general applicability of this principle to herbal health products has been exponentially increasing.  Key studies describing this principle, based on a wide range of pharmacological models, have been conducted in STW 5 and STW 5-II, herbal combinations used in the treatment of disturbances of the gut-brain interaction (DGBIs) as e.g. upset stomach and irritable bowel syndrome [2, 4]. They allow to characterize the contribution of each combination …

Medicinal Plants And One Health Drug Discovery: Plectranthus Abietanes As P-Glycoprotein Modulators, Patricia Rijo

Oxford ICSB

Cancer remains a major global health challenge, with multidrug resistance (MDR)—frequently driven by P-glycoprotein (P-gp) overexpression—significantly limiting the effectiveness of chemotherapy. Within a One Health perspective, Africa, home to five major medicinal biodiversity hotspots, represents an underexplored reservoir for natural products–based drug discovery. Among this rich flora, the genus Plectranthus (Lamiaceae) emerges as a particularly promising source of bioactive abietane diterpenes. In this work, the abietane diterpene 7α-acetoxy-6β-hydroxyroyleanone (Roy), isolated from Plectranthus grandidentatus Gürke, exhibited pronounced cytotoxic activity against several cancer cell lines. To enhance its pharmacological profile, a series of Roy ester derivatives was synthesized and evaluated for their …

Expanding Natural Product Diversity Through Biotransformation, Emerson Queiroz

Oxford ICSB

Over the past decade, natural product research has undergone a methodological revolution [1]. Modern approaches now integrate advanced metabolite profiling techniques for compound annotation and prioritization, together with high-resolution chromatographic methods that enable seamless transition from analytical to preparative scales [2]. These tools have facilitated the detection and identification of minor bioactive constituents. Nevertheless, plant extracts typically contain abundant common scaffolds with limited relevance for drug discovery. In this context, enzymatic biotransformation emerges as a promising strategy to enhance chemical diversity and unlock new structural space. Two complementary biotechnological approaches have been developed: enzymatic transformation using fungal secretomes (crude extracellular …

A Historical Analysis Of The Development Of Prenatal Care In The U. S., Kristen Montgomery Phd, Cnm, Aprn, Shelby Greene Bsn, Rn, Lauren Griffin Bsn, Rn, Destiny Lewis Bsn, Rn, Lauryn Lewis Bsn, Rn, Bryleigh Newberry Bsn, Rn, Brittany Scott Bsn, Rn

Epsilon Sigma at-Large Research Conference

Purpose: This paper examines the historical development of prenatal care in the United States, tracing its evolution from informal, home—based management to structured, evidence-based systems that are central to maternal and fetal health.

Aims: The specific aim of this project was to determine how prenatal care evolved in the United States.

Methods: A historical methods approach was used. Historical documents were reviewed using PubMed, CINAHL, and Google Scholar to find relevant resources. Relevant articles were reviewed by the research team and analyzed for components regarding the development of prenatal care. All members of the research team reviewed the articles and …

Historical Development Of Vaccines And The Public's Response, Kristen Montgomery, Samantha Prince Bsn, Rn, Melissa Ealey Bsn, Rn, Jarrad Morelock Bsn, Rn, Shelby Johnson Bsn, Rn, Kokeshia Crosby Bsn, Rn, Stephanies Himes Bsn, Rn, Theresia Hinton Bsn, Rn

Epsilon Sigma at-Large Research Conference

Purpose: Vaccines, which have become one of the most important medical accomplishments in the prevention of communicable diseases, have a history that dates to the use of variolation as early as the 11th century. The purpose of this study is to explore the historical development of vaccines and to determine the characteristics that emerged when new vaccines were developed.

Aims: The specific aim of this study is to understand if all vaccines have been received about the same by the general public or if there are certain different or diverse characteristics associated with the introduction of different vaccines.

Methods: A …

Mindfulness-Based Therapy For The Treatment Of Anxiety In Adolescents, Alicia Lemaster

Epsilon Sigma at-Large Research Conference

Abstract

Adolescent anxiety disorders represent a significant and growing public health concern, with increasing prevalence and associated functional impairment. Traditional treatments, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and pharmacologic interventions, are effective but often limited by barriers such as access, stigma, and adherence. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have emerged as a promising alternative or adjunctive approach to address anxiety symptoms in adolescents. The purpose of this literature review is to evaluate the effectiveness of structured mindfulness-based therapy programs in reducing anxiety symptoms among adolescents compared to usual care. A systematic literature search was conducted using databases including PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO, focusing …

Improving Glp-1 Ra Initiation In Primary Care Through A Paper-Based Clinical Decision Support Tool, Carissa R. Bowery, Karen Carver

Epsilon Sigma at-Large Research Conference

Title: Improving GLP-1 RA Initiation in Primary Care Through a Paper-Based Clinical Decision Support Tool

Authors: Carissa R. Bowery, MSN, FNP-C; East Tennessee State University College of Nursing. Karen M. Carver, PhD, APRN, FNP-C; East Tennessee State University College of Nursing

This quality improvement project focuses on improving evidence-based pharmacologic management of adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and obesity through implementation of a paper-based clinical decision support (CDS) tool in primary care. The aim is to increase initiation of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) among eligible patients and improve provider adherence to current clinical guidelines.

Processes: This …

A Systematic Literature Review Examining Suicide Risk Factors In Older Adults, Carolyn Bivens

Epsilon Sigma at-Large Research Conference

Introduction & Background: Suicide in older adults is a increasingly prevalent tragedy worldwide, and rates in North America have uniquely increased over the past two decades. The context of the cultural environment of North America and population-specific factors in the elderly must be explored to protect this vulnerable group.

Purpose Statement Question: In older adults living in North America, what experiences and risk factors influence the development and severity of suicidal thoughts and behaviors?

Literature Review: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) flowchart guided the search of the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature …

Hazard Vs Risk: Scientific Considerations On The Eu Clp Approach To Mocs And Whole Essential Oil Classification With Tea Tree Essential Oil As An Illustrative Example, Cecile Bascoul, Dakota Carter, Joseph Dawson, Tim Valentiner, Russell J. Osguthorpe

Oxford ICSB

The ongoing revision of the EU Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) Regulation represents a critical development for the essential oil industry. A provisional derogation has been introduced for plant-derived, non-chemically modified Multi-Constituent Substances (MOCS), including essential oils, following sustained advocacy efforts. However, the European Commission is required to deliver, by the end of 2029, a scientific report reassessing the validity of this derogation based on scientifically and regulatorily accepted safety evaluation approaches. In the absence of such a derogation, essential oils could be classified solely on the basis of individual constituents exceeding regulatory thresholds, irrespective of the whole oil safety …

Mycotoxin Trends In Cannabis Flower And Concentrates In The United States, Kyle Boyar, Yasha Kahn, Michael Esposito, Sukhikh Pavel

Oxford ICSB

Mycotoxins are toxic fungal metabolites that may pose potential health risks in cannabis products, yet limited data exists on their prevalence in regulated markets. This study analyzed multi-state compliance testing data for cannabis flower and concentrates across eleven U.S. states to evaluate detection and failure rates for aflatoxins (B1, B2, G1, and G2) and ochratoxin A. Ochratoxin A was the most frequently detected mycotoxin in both flower and concentrates; however, detections rarely exceeded regulatory action limits, with overall failure rates remaining low at 0.016% for flower and 0.017% for concentrates. After excluding outlier laboratories with unusually high detection rates, true …

Canndor Herbarium: A Comprehensive Herbarium Resource For Cannabis Identity, Diversity, And Botanical Research, Nick Batora, Laura Klein, Kerin Law, Eleanor Kuntz

Oxford ICSB

Decades of cannabis prohibition have created major gaps in our understanding of cannabis biology, especially with regard to the genomic, phenotypic, and germplasm resources that are standard in other agriculturally and medicinally important crops. Herbarium collections, which serve as archival specimens that preserve plant material for long term study, are no exception. Although herbarium specimens are meant to document plant diversity, most collections contain only a narrow sampling of cannabis and do not reflect the extensive variation present in commerce or this species at large. To address this need, the Canndor Herbarium was established in 2016 as the first dedicated …

Association Of Self-Efficacy, Preceptor Teaching, And Role Modeling With Practice Preparedness In Student Nurse Practitioners, Quinton Carroll, Pi-Ming Yeh, Jean Croce Hemphill, Melessia Webb, Alex Sargsyan

Epsilon Sigma at-Large Research Conference

Purpose: Final-semester student nurse practitioners (SNPs) often report unpreparedness for practice. Little is known about which preceptor characteristics prepare students for practice. The purpose of this study was to examine whether final-semester SNPs' practice preparedness is associated with their self-efficacy and most significant preceptor’s clinical teaching effectiveness and role modeling.

Aim: To identify which student and preceptor factors are associated with and predict SNP preparedness.

Methods: Cross-sectional correlational study of final-semester SNPs (N = 83). Participants completed the New Nurse Practitioners’ Practice Preparedness Survey, New General Self-Efficacy Scale, Cleveland Clinic Teaching Effectiveness Instrument, and Role Model Apperception Tool. Analysis …

Real World Fertility: From Participatory Research To Clinical Trial, Belinda Tan, Azure Grant, Ayla Barmmer

Oxford ICSB

Nutritional supplements are widely popular for female reproductive health, but their ingredients are typically studied in isolation in the laboratory. Finished products make claims based on these isolated studies, creating a gap in which impact of multi-nutrient formulas in the real world are not investigated, largely due to high research costs. Decentralized clinical research methods are modernizing clinical trials, leading to affordable, efficient evidence generation in large representative populations. Utilizing a decentralized research platform, we tested the hypothesis that specific supplement protocols would be associated with improved female health and fertility in a real world cohort. We present a novel …

A Historical Study Of The Nursing Role, Kristen Montgomery, Jessica Aranda Bsn, Rn, Amanda Dalton Bsn, Rn, Machea Scott Bsn, Rn, Lisa Desantis Bsn, Rn, Halle Hilton Bsn, Rn

Epsilon Sigma at-Large Research Conference

Purpose: Historically, nurses have been at the bedside simply following the direction of physicians, but much has changed since then.

Aims: The purpose of this study is to examine how the roles of nurses have changed over the decades, from pre-professional caregiving to advanced practice. This study focuses on the birth of nursing as a profession, the direct experiences of nurses from different generations, the shift in physician-directed care to collaborative care, how nurses interpret the impact of major healthcare transformations on their role, and the emergence and development of the nurse practitioner role.

Methods: The study was conducted using …