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Betwixt Two Dams: Persistence And Angler Use Of Two Trout Taxa In A Western Nebraska Tailwater Fishery, Lauren R. Allex

Biology Theses, Dissertations, and Student Creative Activity

Stocking catchable-sized trout is a widely used management strategy to create and maintain recreational fisheries. However, the success of these programs relies on if the fish is caught and how long the fish remain available to anglers. Lake Ogallala is a dynamic tailwater cool-water reservoir that has been managed as a salmonid fishery since 1941 where Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC) has stocked 8 different salmonids to maintain a recreational fishery. Currently, NGPC is stocking Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss and Cutbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss x clarkii.

In order to understand the angler dynamics of this fishery, creel surveys collected …

Bridging Change: The Role Of The Pont-Neuf In A Transforming Paris, Mathilde M. Oscarson

Undergraduate Honors Theses

In a twist of irony, the Pont Neuf (“New Bridge”) stands today as the oldest bridge crossing the Seine River in Paris, France. This paper examines how artistic representations of the Pont-Neuf such as etchings, early photography, painting, and art installations embody shifting views of the bridge’s function, the role of public space, and community building even as the bridge itself has not changed. The Pont-Neuf is important to Parisians, as evidenced by how often it has been represented in art, both as an integral aspect of the city’s infrastructure as well as the center of cultural and public life. …

Retrospective Comparison Of Prostate Vmat Boost Plans With Central Versus Offset Isocenter Placement, Carly Shefffield

Masters Projects

This retrospective study evaluated the effects of isocenter placement on dosimetric outcomes for sequential prostate boost planning using volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT). Ten patients previously treated with whole pelvis radiation therapy (WPRT) followed by a sequential boost were selected. For each patient, two VMAT boost plans were created using identical planning objectives and beam arrangements. One plan was optimized using the original WPRT isocenter, while the second plan had the isocenter placed at the center of the boost planning target volume (PTV). Target coverage, conformity, and organ-at-risk (OAR) dose metrics were compared between the two planning techniques. Both plans …

Effects Of Exposure To Opposing-Party-Aligned And Same-Partyaligned News On The Tone Of Cross-Cutting And Intraparty Online Political Discussions, Alexa Chen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Five-hundred twenty-one participants completed an online study to assess the effects of exposure to highly polarized news sources on the tone of intraparty and crosscutting political discussions. Participants watched five randomly selected news clips from Fox News or MSNBC and then completed a discussion task with an AI chatbot. News clips were matched by tone and topic across news sources and each participant watched the same number of positive, negative, and neutral news clips. Participants were randomly assigned to engage with one of two chatbots: the liberal chatbot or the conservative chatbot. Semantic analysis was conducted via LIWC-22 to produces …

Educator Perspectives Of Available Special Education Transition Programming Through High School Career And Technical Education Organizations For Female Students In Self-Contained Classrooms, Cassandra L. Aungst

Theses and Dissertations

The problem addressed in this study was that there is a lack of research regarding alignment between special education student transition assessments, transition goals, and transition programming and specifically those who identify as female students. While career readiness programs are accessible to all students, regardless of gender, female students in special education remain underrepresented in career and technical education programs. The purpose of this research was to review educational practices that influence female students with disabilities in relation to their individualized education plan transition goals and programming by addressing (a) educators’ perceptions, (b) systemic challenges, and (c) policy gaps influencing …

The Use Of A Sepsis Escape Room Simulation To Enhance Undergraduate Nursing Student's Clinical Judgment, Alaina Peterson

Dissertations

Background: Less than 10% of new graduate registered nurses meet practice-ready expectations for clinical judgment competencies, and 52% of critical care nurses are unable to adequately define sepsis. Traditional clinical rotations offer inconsistent exposure to high-acuity, low-frequency events such as sepsis, leaving new graduates unprepared for independent practice. Escape room simulations use the proven effectiveness of high-fidelity simulations with gamification to develop clinical judgment through active learning, teamwork and problem-solving.

Objective: The purpose of this project was to determine the effectiveness of a sepsis escape room simulation to improve perceived clinical judgment skills of undergraduate nursing students. The intervention was …

Decision Making For Community Resilience: Applications In Flooded Transit Systems And Shared Housing, Mubarak Iddrisu

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Addressing climate-induced flooding and housing insecurity requires decisions that are technically sound, locally meaningful and feasible to implement. In public transit systems, flooding can damage infrastructure, increase travel time and reduce access to essential destinations, especially for older adults. Shared housing offers an alternative housing model where staff must balance affordability, compatibility, service exchange and participant choice when pairing home providers with housing seekers. In this dissertation, I examine how analytics and decision modeling can support community resilience across these two domains. I use spatial analysis, machine learning, optimization and matching theory to develop practical decision-support workflows. Chapter 2 proposes …

Empowering Communication And Understanding In Healthcare Relationships With Human-Centered Ai, Songyun Tao

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Healthcare communication depends not only on what information is available, but on how it is interpreted, communicated, and acted upon across different roles. AI can support these processes by summarizing, transforming, and organizing information, but it can also change what becomes visible, who is expected to act, and where responsibility resides.

This dissertation examines how human-centered AI can support communication and understanding across healthcare relationships through three independently developed systems. MusicalPT supports self--body communication in physical rehabilitation through adaptive musical feedback. CareInsights supports communication among professional caregivers in long-term dementia care by preserving and surfacing person-specific context across shifts. Family …

Online Mindfulness Training And Work-Related Outcomes: A Randomized Waitlist Controlled Trial, Conner Lee Deichman

Theses and Dissertations

Mindfulness-based interventions improve employee well-being, yet few studies have examined their impact on work-specific outcomes in private-sector samples. Online mindfulness programs offer a promising, accessible alternative to in-person training. This randomized waitlist-controlled trial evaluated the efficacy of Mindfulness for Humans (MfH), a fully online, self-directed 15-session program, on job satisfaction, burnout, work engagement, subjective well-being, and mindfulness skills among private-sector employees. Participants were randomly assigned to a training-first group or a waitlist-first group and completed measures at baseline, 30 days, and 60 days. Results showed significant improvements in job satisfaction, burnout, subjective well-being, and mindfulness following course participation. The training-first …

Model-Free Sliding Mode Control On Dc Motor Modules Using Coulomb Friction Simulation, Donovan Barros

Theses

Classical control methods such as PID control are effective for simple systems where the system model is well-known and tuning can be completed without significant time and financial investment. However, systems in the modern world have become more intricate and complicated to model, which also results in more extensive tuning being required to develop effective controllers. Sliding Mode Control was developed as a more robust way to handle nonlinear systems while ensuring global asymptotic stability using Lyapunov’s stability theorem. Traditional Sliding Mode Control does still require a well-known system model, necessitating the development of a new control method. Model-Free Sliding …

Increasing Postpartum Appointment Attendance Rates, Tanya Lister

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Background: Postpartum visits provide an opportunity to detect and address potential complications, monitor healing and recovery, and offer guidance and support during the transition into motherhood. Current research shows that appointment reminders increase healthcare appointment attendance rates, whether delivered via text messages or phone calls.

Purpose: The purpose of this academic project was to plan, implement, and evaluate a process change within a single health facility to increase postpartum visit attendance rates.

Methods: This evidence-based scholarly project used telephone calls to remind patients scheduled for postpartum visits of their appointment dates and times. Appointment reminder phone calls were completed the …

Mental Health Professional Preparedness To Address Mental Health Stigma And Challenges In Military Populations, Scott Martin Katzka

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Veterans and service members often delay or avoid engaging in mental health services because of stigma experienced during military service and after transitioning to civilian life, contributing to worsening mental health outcomes. Although mental health professionals (MHPs) with military cultural competence can reduce stigma and improve engagement in care, little is known about how newly trained MHPs perceive their preparedness to effectively serve this population. The purpose of this hermeneutic, phenomenological study was to answer the question of what the lived experiences of new MHPs regarding their preparedness were to support veterans and service members experiencing mental health stigma. Seven …

The Impact Of Risk Management Strategies On Financial Forecasting In Small Businesses, Lakisha Hatcher

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many small businesses are prone to fail because of ineffective or non-existing financial risk management practices. This problem is important to small business owners because ineffective risk management can hinder financial forecasting, decision-making, and long-term operational sustainment. The purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry is to explore effective financial risk management strategies used by small business owners to identify and mitigate risk to improve financial risk management activities. The conceptual framework was enterprise risk management. The participants consisted of seven service-based small business owners located in Central Maryland who successfully implemented financial risk management practices. Data were collected through semistructured …

From Osbcurity To The Stage: A Stylistic And Pedagogical Exploration Of The Four Concert Etudes By Mikhail Bukinik, Luis Bernardo Castro

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This research examines Mikhail Bukinik’s 4 Konzertetüden (concert etudes) for solo cello through both a stylistic performance and pedagogical approach. Despite Bukinik’s historical presence as a cellist and composer, these specific works have fallen into obscurity and remain largely absent from the standard pedagogical and performance canon. The research has two primary objectives. The first is to reintroduce these works to the modern repertoire, focusing on dissemination and performance practice. This involves a stylistic analysis of the four etudes, culminating in a recorded live performance during the lecture recital and the creation of a professional studio recording to serve as …

Dosimetric Impact Of Eclipse’S Entrance Avoidance Tool On Salivary Gland Sparing In Head And Neck Vmat Plans, Shannon Diederichs

Masters Projects

Medical dosimetry is constantly evolving as new techniques emerge to improve plan quality. The Eclipse treatment planning system (TPS) is equipped with the entrance and exit dose avoidance tool commonly used to prevent beam interaction with implanted metals or steer the beam away from anatomical regions. Current literature shows this tool has not been thoroughly investigated for more fundamental applications such as routine organ at risk (OAR) sparing. Xerostomia remains a lasting side effect for head-and-neck cancer (HNC) patients after the salivary glands receive substantial radiation. This study takes a more detailed look at the tool’s effectiveness when applied to …

Microplastic Effect On Behavior Of Nudibranch (Berghia Stephanieae); A Trophic Transfer Study, Isabela Salina Fernandes Beneli

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With the continuous rise in economic supply and demand, an enormous increase in waste, litter, and pollution has been seen globally, with plastic pollution being the most abundant category. Microplastic (< 5 mm), derived from larger plastics, pollution is intensely widespread across marine ecosystems and can be transferred across trophic levels through predator-prey interactions. Recent studies have shown that ingestion of MPs can damage cells, tissues, and internal organs and increases oxidative stress leading to malformations, reduced feeding and growth, , and slower developmental rates in a wide array of organisms. This study examined the trophic transfer of microplastics (MPs) from the anemone Exaiptasia pallida to its specialist predator Berghia stephanieae, and evaluated the effects of exposure on predator behavior. A dose-response experiment demonstrated that MP retention in E. pallida decreased over time, although higher exposure concentrations resulted in greater initial microplastic concentrations. Trophic transfer to B. stephanieae was confirmed through feeding experiments. Behavioral assays revealed that B. stephanieae did not exhibit a preference between MP-exposed and control prey. However, microplastic …

Improving Intake Efficiency In Inpatient Behavioral Health Facilities To Reduce Delays In Care, Lakisha Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Delays in inpatient psychiatric admissions represent a significant and persistent challenge within U.S. behavioral health systems, contributing to emergency department boarding, reduced quality of care, increasing risk, resource strain, and inefficiencies. The purpose of this integrative review was to examine evidence-based operational strategies that improve intake efficiency and reduce admission delays in inpatient behavioral health facilities. The Lean Healthcare Framework was used, which emphasizes eliminating waste, improving workflow efficiency, and enhancing value. The review question focused on what operational and systems-management evidence-based strategies are most effective in improving intake efficiency. The Johns Hopkins Evidence-Based Practice appraisal tool was used to …

Exploring The Relations Between Sleep And Mental Health Through The Constructs Of Sleep Health, Psychological Well-Being, Depression, And Anxiety, Taylor G. Wandtke

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Sleep and Mental Health have a variety of definitions and underlying constructs, as well as questionnaires to measure them. This study analyzed sleep and mental health constructs using a variety of questionnaires to examine how they may influence one another, providing valuable insight into the utility of both newly developed and established measures. With an analysis sample of N = 27, this study assessed the reliability of the novel Sleep Health Item Bank (SHIB) across its 14 dimensions and its correlations among psychological well-being, depression, and anxiety scores. Psychological well-being (PWB) was assessed by Ryff’s (1995) 18-item scale, and depression …

Craniospinal Irradiation Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (Vmat) Planning: A Dosimetric Contrast Utilizing Anterior Avoidance Sectors, Ashleigh M. Sammataro

Masters Projects

Purpose: Craniospinal irradiation (CSI) is essential for treating pediatric and adult central nervous system malignancies, yet it exposes large volumes of normal tissue to low‑dose radiation, contributing to significant long‑term toxicity. This study evaluated whether incorporating anterior‑avoidance sectors (AVD) into volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) planning would improve normal tissue sparing while maintaining target coverage and plan quality.

Materials and Methods: 8 previously treated CSI patients were retrospectively replanned using two VMAT techniques: Full Arc and AVD. All patients were simulated supine with standardized immobilization and planned in Eclipse. Identical target volumes, optimization structures, and planning objectives were used for …

School Counselor Preparedness With Mass School Shootings, Lidia Oviedo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mass school shootings represent a significant threat facing K–12 schools, yet the lived experiences of school counselors as they engage in prevention efforts and prepare to respond to and recover from these incidents remain unexplored. This study addressed the discrepancy between the increasing prevalence of mass school shootings and the limited understanding of school counselors' preparedness. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences of school counselors regarding their preparedness to prevent, respond to, and recover from mass school shootings. This study was grounded in Giorgi's descriptive phenomenological method and informed by the U.S. Department of Education's …

Secondary Special Education Teachers’ Perspectives On Professional Socialization In A Maryland School District, Darice Mattie Holmes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this study was the insufficient professional socialization of novice secondary special education teachers (SSETs), undermining their ability to adapt to school culture in a Maryland school district (MSD, a pseudonym). Grounded in Mayo's theory of human relations, the purpose of this study was to explore novice SSETs' perceptions of professional socialization through peers, professional development, or mentoring to adapt to the school culture at MSD. For this basic qualitative design, semistructured interviews were conducted with seven novice SSETs. The data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis with Saldaña's coding strategies, yielding four themes: (a) …

Strategies To Engage Volunteers For Financial Sustainability Within The Nonprofit Industry, Judith Walker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nonprofit organizations experience significant challenges in recruiting, engaging, and retaining volunteers. The issue is critical for nonprofit leaders because insufficient volunteer support can undermine day-to-day operations and threaten long-term financial sustainability. Grounded in social exchange theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry research project was to identify and explore effective strategies that leaders in the nonprofit industry use to engage volunteers to increase financial sustainability. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with six nonprofit leaders in the northern United States, as well as public documents. Through thematic analysis, four themes were identified: (a) building relationships and personal connections, (b) …

Recognizing Appropriate General Inpatient Hospice Patients Time To Stop Normalizing Suffering, Oliver Charles Roth

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Hospice patients experiencing uncontrolled pain, dyspnea, agitation, anxiety, delirium, or other severe symptoms may require General Inpatient (GIP) hospice care for intensive symptom management. However, inconsistent recognition of symptom crises can delay escalation to the appropriate level of care, contributing to unnecessary patient suffering, caregiver distress, and avoidable emergency department or hospital utilization. This Doctor of Nursing Practice executive leadership project evaluated the implementation of an educational framework designed to improve clinician recognition and timely escalation of patients who may be appropriate for GIP hospice care. Education emphasized early identification of uncontrolled symptoms, interdisciplinary communication, documentation, and escalation for clinical …

Artificial Intelligence And Autonomous Systems Adoption Strategies For Employees’ Jobs And Self-Worth In Nigerian Banks, Nnamdi Cyriacus Onyebuchi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As the Nigerian commercial banking sector navigates rapid financial technology disruption and rising regulatory compliance demands, many institutions have accelerated the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomous systems. Banking executives need to understand these concerns as a primary indicator of employees’ readiness to adapt to AI-enabled workplace changes, sustain their self-worth, and navigate evolving job roles. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory multiple-case study was to explore the understanding of the AI and autonomous systems adoption strategies bank executives may employ to enhance employees’ jobs and self-worth in Nigerian banks. Anchored in sociotechnical systems and stakeholder theories, purposive sampling …

Demographic And Socioeconomic Factors Related To Visceral Leishmaniasis Infection In South Sudan, Duncan Ochieng Ochol

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Visceral leishmaniasis, a severe parasitic disease that is invariably fatal, is characterized by frequent outbreaks, and is associated with poverty. South Sudan is among the countries with the highest burden of visceral leishmaniasis. However, few studies have investigated factors associated with visceral leishmaniasis in the country. This study investigated demographic (age, gender, marital status, education level and occupation) and socioeconomic factors (transport, access to health services and residence) that may be associated with visceral leishmaniasis infection in South Sudan. The study was anchored on the socioecological model conceptual framework, which describes the interaction between individual and their social environment and …

Staff Education To Improve Geriatric Mental Health Screening And Pharmacotherapy, Andy Wu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) quality improvement project addressed the lack of standardized workflows and clinical confidence regarding geriatric mental health screening and safe antidepressant initiation at a rural primary care clinic. Utilizing the FOCUS-PDSA framework, a 15-minute staff education module and a clinical pocket guide were implemented to train Medical Assistants (MAs) on integrating PHQ-9 and GAD-7 screenings during triage, and to equip providers with EHR SmartPhrases and 2023 AGS Beers Criteria prescribing guidelines. A pre- and post-intervention 5-point Likert scale survey evaluated the knowledge and clinical confidence of the clinic staff (n = 12). Results demonstrated a …

Effective Techniques In Equine Assisted Therapies From The Facilitators Perspective, Emily Dolezal

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Equine assisted therapies have been shown to be an effective treatment approach for individuals experiencing mental health issues. However, there have been rising challenges in standardization and nomenclature throughout the field. Current research supporting the benefits of equine assisted therapies is often from the client perspective. There is a gap in understanding what occurred in session that made it beneficial to their mental health. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of equine assisted therapy facilitators in terms of mechanisms that produce positive changes in their clients. The theories and concepts that ground this study …

Evaluation Of A Streamlined Insurance Advocacy And Pre-Authorization Process For Hormone Replacement Therapy, Ellison Edwards

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This organizational process evaluation project addressed the high rate of insurance denials for hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for women with symptomatic menopause and "normal" laboratory values within a private primary care setting. The practice problem involved bureaucratic barriers in the front office and a lack of structured advocacy, which delayed patient access to evidence-based care. The purpose of this project was to evaluate the impact of a streamlined insurance advocacy and pre-authorization process on access to therapy. The project utilized a standardized "Insurance Advocacy Toolkit" and evidence-based templates aligned with the 2023 North American Menopause Society (NAMS) guidelines. Analytical strategies …

Improving Post-Rehabilitation Discharge Outcomes Through A Care Coordination Bundle, Cavene Facey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Hospital readmissions remain a significant quality and patient safety concern across the United States, particularly among patients transitioning from rehabilitation settings to home or community-based care. Ineffective care transitions, fragmented communication, inconsistent discharge planning, and inadequate follow-up contribute to preventable hospital readmissions, increased healthcare costs, and poorer patient outcomes. Evidence consistently demonstrates that structured transitional care interventions and standardized care coordination processes improve continuity of care while reducing readmissions and enhancing patient satisfaction The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to develop an evidence-based Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) designed to improve post-rehabilitation discharge outcomes through implementation …

A Proposal For A Nurse-Led Continuity Of Care Program, Belinda Siri Mesape

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

At an outpatient primary care and behavioral health clinic, the practice problem is the high rate of patient no-shows and late appointment cancellations. Missed appointments are a problem, disrupting continuity of care and follow-up and potentially affecting patient outcomes. A comprehensive literature search was performed using PubMed/MEDLINE, CINAHL Complete, the Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar. The search revealed 26 peer-reviewed studies. Literature consistently supports the use of multifaceted interventions to improve appointment adherence in outpatient settings. The project proposal consists of the development of an evidence-based practice (EBP) program proposal to address the gap in practice in improving appointment …