Digital Commons Network^™

Let’S Be Friends: Black Theology, Climate Change, And Trust, Nathaniel Holmes Jr.

Journal of the Black Catholic Theological Symposium

Climate change is a worldwide issue with ramifications for all ethnic groups. Yet, there is a dearth of engagement of climate change issues by Black theology and Black churches, even though the effects of climate change are predicted to affect African Americans and other racial minorities to a greater extent than other groups. Given the history of mistrust of the uses of scientific research and practices that have themselves caused negative impacts within the African American communities (e.g., Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment), this disconnect is not surprising. Furthermore, some view the attention given to anything other than criminal justice reform, police …

Regrouping In The Clearing: Resisting Liturgiam Authenticam And Reconsidering An African American Rite, Kenneth L. Crowe Hamilton

Journal of the Black Catholic Theological Symposium

In light of the move to the right manifested in the recent changes to the Roman Rite, this essay seeks to add an Africentric and postcolonial critique to other recent liturgical and linguistic critiques of the new rite by liturgy scholars and pastors. I argue that the new translation is an attack on not only Vatican II principles but also on black Catholic theological principles, the black Catholic community, and oppressed populations in general. The essay seeks to locate the racism, sexism, heterosexism, and classism behind the imperialist nostalgia of Liturgiam Authenticam by revisiting the 1960s and the issues and …

Priestly Formation And Sexual Abuse In The Roman Catholic Church: In Dialogue With The Nigerian Church, Simonmary Asese Aihiokhai

Journal of the Black Catholic Theological Symposium

Reading the signs of the times today cannot be done legitimately without a critical look at the current sex abuse crisis perpetuated by the clergy of the Roman Catholic Church. To deny the fact that the Church has a crisis on its hands is to trivialize the pain and sorrow experienced by all in the Church, and most especially by the victims of the crisis. This work provides an x-ray vision of some of the factors shaping this crisis and boldly offers some interventions that can help the Church to navigate its way out of the crisis. There is an …

Review — Mitzi J. Smith, Womanist Sass And Talk Back: Social (In)Justice, Intersectionality And Biblical Interpretation, Anna Kasafi Perkins

Journal of the Black Catholic Theological Symposium

No abstract provided.

Review — Courtney Hall Lee, Black Madonna: A Womanist Look At Mary Of Nazareth, Claudine Pannell-Goodlett

Journal of the Black Catholic Theological Symposium

No abstract provided.

Chronology, Black Catholic Theological Symposium

Journal of the Black Catholic Theological Symposium

Listing of BCTS annual meetings from 1978 to 2019

The Angel Oak Tree Of Johns Island, Charleston, South Carolina, Steven Hamilton

Journal of the Black Catholic Theological Symposium

The legend of the Angel Tree.

Review — Darren W. Davis And Donald B. Pope-Davis, Perseverance In The Parish? Religious Attitudes From A Black Catholic Perspective, Kimberly M. Lymore

Journal of the Black Catholic Theological Symposium

No abstract provided.

Profile: Lori B. Duff, Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop

Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop Blog

Lori B. Duff's work has been compared (not by her mom) to Erma Bombeck and David Sedaris. Recently named "Atlanta's Funniest Lawyer," Lori is a national award-winning author of four humor collections, including the recently published If You Did What I Asked in the First Place.

Expert Search For "Antibiotics For The Urgent Management Of Symptomatic Irreversible Pulpitis, Symptomatic Apical Periodontitis, And Localized Acute Apical Abscess", Kelly K. O'Brien

Expert Search Strategies

This search strategy was constructed to support the research for the peer reviewed article listed above. Full article abstract:

Background

Patients with pulpal and periapical conditions often seek treatment for pain, intraoral swelling, or both. Even when definitive, conservative dental treatment (DCDT) is an option, antibiotics are often prescribed. The purpose of this review was to summarize available evidence regarding the effect of antibiotics, either alone or as adjuncts to DCDT, to treat immunocompetent adults with pulpal and periapical conditions, as well as additional population-level harms associated with antibiotic use.

Type of Studies Reviewed

The authors updated 2 preexisting systematic …

The Effect Of Adverse Childhood Experiences On Psychosocial Wellbeing, Gabrielle C. Yundt

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

As a result of adversity, trauma, or maltreatment, a child’s primary defense is to engage in self-blame in order to maintain a belief in a safe world. Without intervention, these adaptive strategies may continue to shape the way survivors relate to themselves and make meaning out of negative events. This study hypothesized that participants with adversity in childhood have an increased likelihood of low self-compassion (indicating tendencies towards self-judgment, overidentification, and isolation). This study further hypothesized a positive correlation between posttraumatic growth, resilience and hardiness. Participants in this study were adults recruited from three online sites (social networking, online forum, …

Phenotypic Study Of Anthracnose Resistance In Black Walnut And Building A Mapping Population, Sadie D. Land

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Black walnut anthracnose, caused by Gnomonia leptostyla, is the most widespread and destructive disease affecting black walnut trees (Juglans nigra). Breeding cultivars for a higher resistance to anthracnose is a natural and efficient strategy for improving the health and production quality of black walnut trees. The two goals of this study were to reveal that the ‘Sparrow’ cultivar of black walnut contains a significantly higher resistance to anthracnose than the ‘Football’ cultivar when separated from environmental factors, and to expand the ‘Football’ × ‘Sparrow’ F1 mapping population to evaluate how the trait of resistance is inherited in the progeny. A …

Ultrafast Relaxation Dynamics In Graphene Oxide-Dye And Perovskites Nanocomposites, Abubkr A. Arzaq Abuhagr

Dissertations

Novel materials such as graphene oxide (GO), reduced graphene oxide (RGO), and Perovskites nanocomposites nanosheets have shown interesting electrical and optical properties. These materials have shown prominence in research regarding optical sensing applications. The interaction of different fluorescent molecules like dye molecules with GO, and RGO have been studied recently to develop novel optical sensors, photo-catalysts, and light-harvesting agents. In this study, we have monitored the excited state interactions of dyes covalently attached to GO and RGO nanosheets. Three amine derivatives of anthracene, pyrene, and coumarin were covalently bound to different systems via amide bonds and diazotization. Characterization of different …

An Experimental Comparison Of Visual And Statistical Analyses, Stevie A. Collini

Dissertations

Visual analysis is the favored method for analyzing single-subject research data in more traditional behavior analysis programs of study; however, some critics of the practice argue that it should not be the only method used to analyze data given the previous research demonstrating significant inconsistencies in conclusions drawn based on the practice (Bulté & Onghena, 2012; Campbell & Herzinger, 2010; Kazdin, 2011). Supporters of statistical analysis have argued that although statistical analyses are not free from subjectivity and bias, the decision-making processes and criteria are more straightforward than those offered by the complexities involved in visual analysis (Kazdin, 2011). It …

Behavioral Skills Training And Literacy: Supporting Reading Instructors In Adult Education Centers, Mya L. Hernandez

Dissertations

The present study evaluates the effects of a behavioral skills training package (BST) on training adult literacy tutors to implement the steps of BST when teaching parents with low literacy. Four adult literacy tutors participated in the study along with one parent with low literacy. The primary dependent variable was the percentage of steps of the BST package implemented correctly during tutor training probe measures. Secondary measures were taken on the parent’s performance of each step of the literacy activities on which they were trained. In baseline, all tutors were provided with instructions for performing two literacy activities and tutors …

“Called Forth By Imminent Dangers”: The American Gothic In Mysteries Of Detection And Detective Fiction (1799-1929), Keli Masten

Dissertations

The period from 1799 through 1929 marks a remarkable era of development for gothic themes in American mystery and investigative fiction. From early “mysteries of detection” through more structurally formalized detective stories, this project examines the differences in the gothic modes and devices employed by Charles Brockden Brown, Edgar Allan Poe, Anna Katharine Green, Mark Twain, and Dashiell Hammett, and their significant contributions to the progression of the popular gothic detective genre. Through the study of each author’s specific style and focus, there is much to learn about literary development and cultural influence. All of the authors mentioned here address …

Scalable Algorithms And Hybrid Parallelization Strategies For Multivariate Integration With Paradapt And Cuda, Omofolakunmi Elizabeth Olagbemi

Dissertations

The evaluation of numerical integrals finds applications in fields such as High Energy Physics, Bayesian Statistics, Stochastic Geometry, Molecular Modeling and Medical Physics. The erratic behavior of some integrands due to singularities, peaks, or ridges in the integration region suggests the need for reliable algorithms and software that not only provide an estimation of the integral with a level of accuracy acceptable to the user, but also perform this task in a timely manner. We developed ParAdapt, a numerical integration software based on a classic global adaptive strategy, which employs Graphical Processing Units (GPUs) in providing integral evaluations. Specifically, ParAdapt …

Smart Sensors With Dual Modes Of Signal Transduction For Monitoring Molecules Pertinent To Health And The Environment, Jared T. Wabeke

Dissertations

The dissertation focuses on the design and synthesis of smart materials for the detection of molecules pertinent to environmental protection and healthcare. The use of computational simulations is pivotal toward advancing molecular design for targeted applications. Research was conducted to investigate the use of simulations to develop novel sensors with dual modes of signal transduction. The molecular properties were determined using computational modelling, and then used to elucidate the binding mechanism of the corresponding sensor complexes. Several molecules were produced that respond to important organic analytes, such as glucose and fenthion, an organophosphorus pesticide. Glucose is an exceedingly important biological …

Multiple Ssid Framework For Rss-Fingerprint Based Indoor Positioning Systems, Ahmed Kareem Abed

Dissertations

Location-Based Indoor positioning systems significance stems from the bloom of recent applications in various fields such as in tracking services for an elder or a patient within large living communities, mobile robot localization, and several other security applications. Currently, Global Positioning Systems (GPS) are the most widely used location-sensing technique. However, satellite-based GPS signals require line of sight (LOS) to work correctly, which is something cannot be achieved inside buildings. Fortunately, wireless LAN can be employed in indoor positioning systems (IPS), and since all large buildings such as malls, hospitals, airports, schools, and museums have hundreds of Wi-Fi access points, …

Special Education Teachers Use Of Reading Strategies To Support Students With Learning Disabilities In Reading, Ali A. Alhamdan

Dissertations

This research captures how special education teachers select, use, and monitor reading strategies for 4^th and/or 5^th grade students who have learning disabilities in reading. A multiple case study, the research focused on five different southwest Michigan classrooms where special education teachers teach students with learning disabilities in reading. Data was collected through teacher interviews, classroom observations, and document review. The study results include that small group instruction is the approach teachers value most for Tier II instruction, while direct instruction is valued most for Tier III instruction. At both Tier II and III, teachers select interventions and …

Measurement Of Defusion: Further Validation Of The Drexel Defusion Scale, Christopher A. Briggs

Dissertations

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) seeks to develop psychological flexibility through the engagement of the six interrelated processes. Four processes employ mindfulness and acceptance strategies and consist of acceptance, defusion, present moment awareness, and the contextualized self. Two other processes, values and committed action, are grouped with present moment awareness and the contextualized self and are termed behavior change strategies. One issue encountered by contemporary behavioral approaches in general, and ACT in particular, is the measurement of the proposed processes. Measurement is complicated by the functional nature of some of the repertoires described making the development of instruments for assessment …

Analyzing Impacts Of Transportation And Non-Transportation Activities On Human Health With An Advanced Platform For Collecting Travel And Physical Activity Data, Raed Abdullah Hasan

Dissertations

Recently much attention is paid to the lack of physical activities that may cause the health problems in many counties. Travel activities provide a certain amount of physical activities, and the active transportation, such as walking and cycling, becomes more important as an essential element of transportation. The active transportation is expected to contribute to improving human health by reducing cardiovascular disease, obesity, and premature death. However, detailed relationship between the transportation choices and human health has not been well understood. Therefore, there is a need for investigating traveler behaviors and how their choices affect physical activities and public health. …

A Reinforcement Learning Approach To Spacecraft Trajectory Optimization, Daniel S. Kolosa

Dissertations

This dissertation explores a novel method of solving low-thrust spacecraft targeting problems using reinforcement learning. A reinforcement learning algorithm based on Deep Deterministic Policy Gradients was developed to solve low-thrust trajectory optimization problems. The algorithm consists of two neural networks, an actor network and a critic network. The actor approximates a thrust magnitude given the current spacecraft state expressed as a set of orbital elements. The critic network evaluates the action taken by the actor based on the state and action taken. Three different types of trajectory problems were solved, a generalized orbit change maneuver, a semimajor axis change maneuver, …

Simultaneous X-Ray Emission Accompanying Two Electron Capture For Fluorine On Gas Targets, David S. La Mantia

Dissertations

The collision between a charged ion and an atom resulting in the capture of two electrons, simultaneous with the emission of a single photon is referred to as radiative double electron capture (RDEC). For ion-atom collisions, this process can be considered the inverse of double photoionization. The study of either process, where just two electrons are involved without influence from neighboring electrons, promises new insight into electron correlation and the role it plays in quantum mechanics. Such a study for photoionization has not yet been done experimentally for two-electron ions because the only target system for which two electrons are …

Toward Self-Reconfigurable Parametric Systems: Reinforcement Learning Approach, Ting-Yu Mu

Dissertations

For the ongoing advancement of the fields of Information Technology (IT) and Computer Science, machine learning-based approaches are utilized in different ways in order to solve the problems that belong to the Nondeterministic Polynomial time (NP)-hard complexity class or to approximate the problems if there is no known efficient way to find a solution. Problems that determine the proper set of reconfigurable parameters of parametric systems to obtain the near optimal performance are typically classified as NP-hard problems with no efficient mathematical models to obtain the best solutions. This body of work aims to advance the knowledge of machine learning …

The Era Of Trump: How Jamaican Daca Recipients Are Coping With The 2017 Daca Policy Change, Rachele M. Hall

Education Doctoral

The topic of undocumented immigrants living in the United States stimulates consistent national and local debate. In 2012 President Barack Obama signed an executive order creating the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy which provided undocumented immigrants work authorization and reprieve from deportation. In 2017, newly elected President Donald J. Trump announced the removal of the DACA policy. Researchers have focused on the impact of the removal of the DACA policy on undocumented Latino/a immigrants, but limited to no research has focused on the impact for Black immigrants, specifically those identifying as Jamaican. The purpose of this study was …

A Discussion And Mathematical Formula For The Impact Of Working Hours And Overtime Pay After The Residents Included In The Labor Standard Law In Taiwan, Ming-Yu Hsieh, Kuo-Shu Huang, Tzu-Ling Wang, Hui-Ying Low

Journal of Medical Education

To the inclusion of residents in Labor Standard Law, the first step is to figure out different combinations of working hours and numbers of duty in residents under the latest regulations. This study mainly converts the latest resident working hours regulations into mathematical formulas to check the different combinations of duty numbers and working hours, and the overtime pay. According to the guidelines announced by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, we formulated them as mathematic formulas. We also conducted the concepts of expected value to deal with the effect of saving time by PM off in different combinations of …

Using The Audience Response System To Improve A Lecture-Based Pathology Course: Students' And Teachers' Perspectives, Jing-Jou Yan, Cheau-Jane Peng, Chyi-Her Lin

Journal of Medical Education

Purpose: This study investigated the effects of the audience response system (ARS) on medical students' learning outcomes and teachers' performance in a traditional lecture-based pathology course. Methods: We introduced the ARS to teachers in the Department of Pathology in a medical school and invited them to use it during pathology lectures voluntarily. Those not using the ARS were non-ARS controls. Each student had a clicker to vote for questions or count attendance in classes conducted using the ARS. Student attendance for classes not using the ARS was counted by a research assistant. Student's opinions regarding ARS use in classes, attendance, …

Aku Research 2019, Office Of Research And Graduate Studies

Office of Research and Graduate Studies

Content

- Messages

- AKU: Leadership in aligning research with the SDGs

- Nutrition survey highlights stunting crisis in Pakistan

- KITAB project: using machine learning on ancient texts

- Analysing policy to address the burden of NCDs

- ECD interventions for marginalised communities

- Gut bacteria: exploring new avenues in malnutrition

- Uncovering the expression of Islam in popular culture

- Identifying at-risk fetuses through artificial intelligence

- Detecting and combating XDR typhoid in Pakistan

- Reducing maternal and newborn deaths in Kenya

- Assessing the impact ofteachers’ low status on education

- High impact research

- Facilitating research …

Improving Learning Outcomes And Course Satisfaction Of Nutrition Interns Through Game-Based Learning, Ying-Ru Chen, Shih-Ching Lo, Hsing-Chun Lin

Journal of Medical Education

Nutrition internships provide the opportunity for college students to work in the field of their choice and receive hands-on training from nutrition professionals, preparing them for a job in healthcare following graduation. Professional knowledge courses for nutrition interns have mostly been lecture-based. This has led to passive learning, making it difficult for students to pay attention and to retain knowledge. In response, one clinical nutrition course was modified to include Game-Based Learning (GBL). Through this modified course, interns acquired knowledge and developed problem-solving skills. The games, training process and effectiveness of this course are the focus of this article. Based …