Digital Commons Network^™

Your Information Zodiac: An Information Evaluation Framework For The Age Of Generative Ai, Kevin J. Reagan, Kay Coates, Jessica Swaringen

University Libraries: Faculty Publications

Building on information evaluation mnemonics like the CRAAP Test, SIFT, and ACT UP, among others, the authors propose the ZODIAC of information evaluation for an AI-dominated information environment: Zooming in, Other opinions, Dataset, Intent, Authenticity, and Consistency. Each letter introduces students to considerations unique to the critical thinking considerations of AI-generated information, such as datasets and their large language models, evaluating the purpose of a given generative AI, and questioning the authenticity and consistency of generative AI output. Additionally, as an introductory framework geared toward first-year students, the ZODIAC evaluation method does not fully address all aspects of information literacy; …

Development And Evaluation Of Wireless Monitoring Systems For Touchless Respiratory Monitor Validation, Dustin Marquardt

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

The Touchless Respiratory Monitor (TRM) is a non-invasive system that uses contactless methods to measure respiratory rate and tidal volume. The main technologies employed are LiDAR for tidal volume measurement and a thermal camera for respiratory rate monitoring. These novel methods require validation against established techniques such as capnometry and respiratory inductance plethysmography. Commercial respiratory monitoring equipment is often expensive and dependent on proprietary software, creating barriers to widespread use. To address this, a custom, modular, and low-cost evaluation system was developed to streamline the validation of the TRM. The prototype system integrates a pulse oximeter, capnometer, spirometer, and respiratory …

How The Intake Of Pulses May Impact Metabolic Disorders And Dementia Risk: A Narrative Review, Lisa Michelle Belzer Salinas, Maricarmen Marroquin, Mariana Mendez, Isabel Omaña-Guzmán, Juan Carlos López-Alvarenga

Health & Biomedical Sciences Faculty Publications

We present a narrative review focusing on pulses’ geographical origin and distribution, their impact on human evolution and history, and their influence on human health. Pulses, including dry peas, beans, and lentils, are renowned for their richness in chemical antioxidants. Despite containing antinutrients, processing techniques preserve their health advantages. Epidemiological research has consistently demonstrated that the consumption of pulses is associated with favorable effects on metabolism. This evidence is further supported by molecular and clinical research, which has elucidated potential nutrigenomic mechanisms and effects on gut microbiota composition underlying their health benefits. However, the literature lacks randomized controlled clinical trials …

The Need For Policy Pathways To Phone-Free Schools: A Desk-Based Analysis For A Rural K-12 District, Kelsey Upton

Theses and Dissertations

This capstone project addresses the growing concern over mobile device use in secondary schools by analyzing the implications of implementing a comprehensive mobile device restriction policy. While many schools maintain cell phone policies, inconsistent enforcement reduces their effectiveness, leading to ongoing challenges such as decreased student attention, diminished face-to-face interactions, and increased mental health concerns. Guided by the Adapted Policy Analysis Triangle Framework, this study uses a qualitative, desk-based policy analysis approach to examine existing literature, district policy documents, and publicly available case studies of schools that enact mobile device restriction measures. The analysis evaluates how such policies are designed, …

Building From The Ground Up: Informing Inclusive Curriculum Design Through Qualitative Inquiry: Development Of An Early Childhood Curriculum For Children In Mississippi, Alicia Deaver

Theses and Dissertations

Curriculum is a vital component of high-quality early care and education programs. Barriers such as cost, limited education and training, and restricted access to materials often make it difficult for many programs to adopt or implement developmentally appropriate curricula. Effective curriculum implementation relies on individualization and cultural responsiveness to be fully inclusive of children of all abilities. This study addressed the formative and summative processes of the My Mississippi Adventures project, a curriculum developed for use by early childhood educators throughout the state. The curriculum was designed with direct input from early childhood educators to address the unique challenges faced …

Design, Development, And Validation Of An Automated Hole-Punching System For Precision Irrigation In Lay-Flat Poly Pipe Tubing, Micah James Foster

Theses and Dissertations

Increasing pressure on water resources in agricultural regions, particularly the Mississippi Delta, demands innovative irrigation technologies to optimize water usage while maintaining crop productivity. This research presents the design, development, and validation of an automated hole-punching system for lay-flat poly pipe tubing used in precision irrigation applications. The system ensures accurate and consistent hole placement through an integrated rotary cutting die, a PLC-based control architecture, stepper motor actuation, and distance-sensing and position-synchronization. The software logic maintains precise hole spacing despite variations in tubing speed. System performance was evaluated through extensive testing and statistical analysis of hole-spacing accuracy, repeatability, and sagitta-based …

Examining Relationships Among Teachers’ Perceptions Of School Climate And Culture And Their Sense Of School Belonging, Kimberly D. Lathan

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to examine the relationships among teachers’ views of school climate and culture and their sense of belonging within a Mississippi school district. Using a quantitative survey research design, data were collected from 99 teachers during the 2024–2025 school year through the School Climate Survey and the School Belonging Scale Survey. The researcher sought to determine whether differences in the teachers' perceptions of their schools’ climate and culture and their sense of belonging existed by gender and grade span, as well as whether significant relationships existed among the constructs of their schools’ climate and culture …

How The Advisor-Advisee Relationship Contributes To Black Student Success At Pwis, Renata Denise Roberts

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explores how the advisor-advisee relationship contributes to Black student success at Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs). Black student enrollment and retention at PWIs continue to decline, especially with national efforts to cut DEI measures. Previous research highlights that engagement and institutional support are critical to persistence and graduation; however, limited literature exists on how academic advising relationships can impede or contribute to Black student outcomes in these environments. Viewing from the lens of Black students’ perceptions, this study examines how the academic advising experience can foster trust and contribute to academic achievement for Black students or impede their …

Improvement Of Spot Spraying Treatments Using Precision Application Technologies, Steffen Telgmann

Theses and Dissertations

Chemical plant protection is widely adopted in agriculture and plays a crucial role in maximizing plant production. Several developments for site-specific applications have been implemented in chemical plant protection, driven by economic, social, and environmental considerations. Spot spraying technology, which utilizes single nozzles or a limited number of nozzles to treat specific areas, is now available and gaining market penetration. However, its performance depends on carefully optimized application parameters to ensure consistent coverage and efficacy, thereby mitigating both under- and overdosing. To address concerns including reduced efficacy, resistance evolution, and environmental impacts, this work researches the effects of nozzle selection …

The Social In The Spiritual: Non-Theistic Spirituality In 12-Step Addiction Recovery, Steph Jacobs

Theses and Dissertations

To investigate whether Western-raised Narcotics Anonymous (NA) members engage in non-theistic spirituality and non-humanist modes of sociality with non-human beings, I conducted six qualitative interviews and a small-scale survey within a Vancouver NA community. The majority of participants practice non-theist spirituality, and three interviewees relate to non-humans in ways not accounted for by Western humanism. Findings suggest that connection and sociality are intrinsically woven into recovery and well-being. This research opens conversations about non-theistic spirituality in NA recovery, non-human sociality and healing, processes of ontological negotiation, and the entanglement of spirituality, sociality, and well-being. Through daily practices of exploration and …

Improving Artificial Intelligence Literacy Among Middle School Students Using Tangible Objects, Sayantani Dutta

Theses and Dissertations

Given the rapid advancement of Computer Science (CS) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), introducing these disciplines early and effectively in education is essential. Many middle school students, however, struggle to understand these subjects when taught with traditional, abstract, and screen-based methods, which often fail to engage students or build deep conceptual understanding. This study argues that tangible, hands-on learning tools and interactive activities make AI and CS concepts more accessible, concrete, and engaging for students. The findings show that, compared to traditional lectures, hands-on activities lead to substantially improved comprehension, retention, and enjoyment. While the sample size poses limitations, the evidence …

Using Quantum Annealing For Sampling And Pattern Generation In Generative Machine Learning And Catastrophic Forgetting Mitigation, Abdelmoula El Yazizi

Theses and Dissertations

The first goal of this dissertation was to understand the reasons for the absence in previous investigations of significant and consistent improvements in the trainability of Restricted Boltzmann Machines (RBM) when the Quantum Annealer (QA) was used for sampling from the RBM probability distribution. The second goal was to address the shortcomings of those previous investigations, explore possibilities of improving RBM training, and identify other machine learning applications that could benefit from sampling or from generating patterns by the QA. The first part of this dissertation focused on a Local-Valley (LV) centered approach to assessing the quality of sampling. QA-based …

Trauma-Informed Advisement: An Examination Of Advisors’ Trauma-Informed Competencies And Responses, Alexis Jackson

Theses and Dissertations

Mental health issues are a problem among the college student population (Abrams, 2022; Andersen et al., 2021; Lipson et al., 2022; Liu et al., 2022), and trauma-informed care (TIC) strategies are being applied within higher education advising as a way to tackle student mental health problems (Bowie State University, 2025a; Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute & Hope Center for Student Basic Needs at Temple University, 2025; Olson & Sterk, 2024; Williams, 2025). However, few studies have examined TIC in the context of academic advising, particularly in the context of higher education. This dissertation aims to address this gap using a …

Faculty Adoption Of The Canvas Learning Management System: An Application Of The Utaut2 Framework, Alyssa Hutcheson Mckinley

Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to examine faculty adoption of the Canvas LMS at a public university through the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT2) framework. Survey data were collected from faculty across multiple colleges within the university and were used to explore the predictive power of the UTAUT2 constructs including hedonic motivation, facilitating conditions, performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, habit and behavioral intention. In addition to this, disciplinary differences along with discipline-specific needs were also considered in order to better understand adoption patterns. The results of this study indicated habit, hedonic motivation, facilitating conditions, and the …

Exploring The Impact Of Incorporating Artificial Intelligence Integrated Systems In The Workplace, Catherine Cruz Agosto Noda

Theses and Dissertations

This study focuses on assessing the impact of incorporating systems integrated with in the workplace by assessing the constructs of usability, cognitive load, and trust. The constructs are assessed by generation and experience level to determine which factors are relevant in a workplace setting. A workplace scenario was simulated by asking participants to complete tasks where they assumed the role of a warehouse manager assigned with assessing two scheduling systems – one with artificial intelligence and one without artificial intelligence. The participants were presented with three tasks of increasing difficulty for each prototype. Both quantitative and qualitative measures were used …

Enhancing Leadership Development For Faculty And Staff At Community Colleges, Christopher L. Haralson

Theses and Dissertations

Community colleges serve as critical gateways to higher education and workforce advancement, yet many lack formal leadership development programs tailored to their unique missions and operational challenges. This capstone project explores the need for and proposes the design of a comprehensive leadership program for community colleges, addressing three guiding questions: (1) How can community colleges build institutional support for leadership development programs? (2) In what ways can leadership programs increase faculty and staff engagement to improve student success? (3) How can structured leadership programs serve as foundations for succession planning within college administration? A desk-based research methodology was employed, anchored …

Bridging The Gap: Enhancing Novice Teacher Retention Through Logistical And Administrative Support, Denise Fleurette Harrel

Theses and Dissertations

This project examines the challenges novice teachers encounter and how structured support systems impact their job satisfaction, effectiveness, and retention. The review focuses on administrative and logistical support, highlighting gaps between teacher preparation and classroom realities that contribute to high attrition (Falk, 2017; Koca, 2016). Key challenges include insufficient time management training, inconsistent expectations, and limited district or school-level support (Fantilli & McDougall, 2009), all of which are intensified by the demands of navigating modern classroom technologies (Philipsen et al., 2019). The literature review centers on teacher perceptions to clarify what constitutes effective logistical and administrative support (Banerjee et al., …

A Mixed-Method Study Of African American Parents’ Involvement In Their Children’S Individualized Education Program Process, Dischedia Tamarisi Williams

Theses and Dissertations

The major purpose of the study was to examine the unique experiences of African American parents regarding their parental involvement in their child’s Individualized Education Program process. In addition, the study aimed to investigate the perceptions of teachers and administrators regarding the experiences of the African American parents as they worked with the parents and their children during the IEP process. Epstein’s (1987, 2008) Model of Parental Involvement was used as a theoretical framework to underpin the study emphasizing six dimensions of parental involvement. The six dimensions of parental involvement include the following: parenting, communicating, volunteering, learning at home, decision-making, …

What Makes A Good Leader? Ms Lili: Mississippi Library Leadership Institute, Anita L. Winger

Theses and Dissertations

What is leadership? The goal of this research is to develop leaders, but what does that mean? It is true that leadership is needed at every level in an organization, and a leader does not need to be at the administrative level of the organization but can lead from any role and any level in the organization. Everyone has their own style of leadership that needs to be developed. The research explored different styles and theories of leadership and focused on implementing a Character Strength-based framework of leadership. Through this research, identified topics will be presented to participants in the …

Implementation Factors For Wearable Fall Injury Mitigation Technology: A Framework For Technology Adoption, Richard G. Stefanacci, Rebecca J. Tarbert, Nicole Hemenover

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVES: To identify implementation factors influencing the adoption of wearable fall injury mitigation technology in long-term care (LTC) settings and develop a practical framework for technology implementation success.

DESIGN: Mixed-methods assessment of a multicenter evaluation examining organizational, staff, and resident factors affecting technology adoption.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Ten LTC facilities implementing the Tango Belt, a wearable airbag device for hip protection during falls. Analysis included 134 intervention participants (mean age 87.3 years, 76% female, 93% with fall history in past year) and comprehensive stakeholder feedback from staff, leadership, residents, and families.

METHODS: Quantitative measures included device adherence rates, training attendance, …

Strategies To Streamline Patient Appointments In Specialty Outpatient Care, Adama Drammeh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract Outpatient addiction treatment centers face significant challenges from inefficient appointment scheduling systems that contribute to high no-show rates, delayed care, and weakened organizational performance. These barriers affect more than daily operations; they disrupt the flow of treatment, increase patient disengagement, and place additional strain on limited healthcare resources. For patients navigating substance use disorders, a missed appointment may jeopardize continuity of care and undermine recovery efforts. This integrative review explored strategies to improve scheduling efficiency and enhance patient engagement in outpatient addiction care. A systematic search of recent U.S. studies was conducted and appraised using the Johns Hopkins Evidence-Based …

Generational Differences And Registered Nurses’ Intention To Leave An Organization, Mutabazi Sekimonyo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As baby boomers, Generation X, millennials, and Generation Z converge in healthcare settings, their distinct values and work styles influence organizational culture, communication, and collaboration, ultimately affecting patient care outcomes. This study was conducted to explore the impact of generational differences on registered nurses’ intentions to leave their organizations or the nursing profession. By examining how these generational differences shape nurses’ intentions to leave their organizations, the study can help to identify challenges and opportunities for healthcare leadership. Through an analysis of generational expectations and workforce dynamics, this research aimed to inform strategies for supporting retention, enhancing job satisfaction, and …

Agpat2 Acts At The Crossroads Of Lipid Biosynthesis And Drp1-Mediated Er Morphogenesis, Yoshihiro Adachi, Mauricio Torres, Allen H Hunter, Woo Jung Cho, Meixia Pan, Xianlin Han, Guangwei Du, Ling Qi, Miho Iijima, Hiromi Sesaki

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The morphology of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), characterized by central sheets and peripheral tubules, is controlled by membrane-shaping proteins. However, the role of lipids in ER morphogenesis remains elusive, despite the ER being the major site for lipid synthesis. Here, by examining the role of eighteen phosphatidic acid (PA)-generating enzymes in ER morphology, we identify lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase 2 (AGPAT2) as a critical factor in mouse and human cells. AGPAT2 produces PA in the glycerophospholipid/triacylglycerol biosynthesis pathway, and its mutations cause congenital generalized lipodystrophy. We find that AGPAT2-generated PA drives ER tubulation through gene knockout, 3D structural analysis by FIB-SEM, …

In The Mouth Or In The Gut? Innovation Through Implementing Oral And Gastrointestinal Health Science In Chronic Pain Management, Jo Nijs, Burel R Goodin, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Recent scientific advances point towards an important role for oral and gastrointestinal health in people with chronic pain. Poor oral health (e.g., periodontitis, tooth loss) is observed in subgroups of the chronic pain population, including abdominal pain, low back pain, fibromyalgia, and rheumatoid arthritis. In addition to poor oral health, studies have also revealed altered intestinal microbiota compositions in various types of chronic pain, including people with chronic low back pain, knee osteoarthritis, visceral pain, fibromyalgia, tinnitus, and migraine. While overweight/obesity contributes to the likelihood of gut dysbiosis, normal-weight individuals with chronic pain also more often present with poor gut …

Is Public Website Design An Administrative Burden? The Case Of Snap, Guangli Zhang, Stephen Roll, Mathieu Despard

Center for Social Development Research

How do websites for public-benefit programs affect access to benefits?

This brief examines the state websites for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), investigating whether there is a relationship between site design and experience of administrative burdens in SNAP. The authors examine page design using Google’s Lighthouse service and draw upon data from the Workforce Economic Inclusion and Mobility Survey of a nationally representative sample of 2,511 low-wage U.S. workers to examine administrative burdens in SNAP. Data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture are used to investigate the relationship between SNAP page design and SNAP quality-control measures. The finding suggest …

Understanding Outer Membrane Vesicle Biogenesis In Bacteroides Thetaiotaomicron, Evan J. Pardue

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) are small proteoliposomes generated by active protrusion of the outer membrane (OM) in Gram-negative bacteria during growth. Over 60 years of experimentation has ascribed numerous functions to OMVs produced by different bacteria. However, the mechanism(s) by which OMVs are produced is poorly understood. Due to this, the field remains controversial because many regard OMVs as byproducts of cell lysis and question their physiological relevance. Previous studies in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and related species confirmed that these microbes undergo programmed cell death that results in the stochastic release of vesicles and cellular contents. On the contrary, Bacteroides spp. …

Multiple Oceanic Sources Of Alkylamines In Southern Ocean Atmospheres, Manuel Dall´Osto, Mark F. Fitzsimons, James Brean, Preston Chebai Akenga, A. Jones, Tom Lachlan-Cope, Ana Sotomayor, Elisa Berdalet, Dolors Vaque, Roy M. Harrison, Karam Mansour, Matteo Rinaldi, Stefano Decesari, David Beddows, Marco Paglione

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Measurements of pre-industrial conditions are of paramount importance for understanding historical climate change. The Southern Ocean and Antarctic continent are some of the least polluted environments on planet Earth. Alkylamines can rapidly partition into aerosols, increasing their mass, as well as form new particles altogether. We demonstrate the importance of pelagic “open ocean” (OO) and sympagic “sea ice” (SI) regions in supplying distinct organic nitrogen aerosol components. In the aerosol phase, dimethylamine (DMA) and trimethylamine (TMA) are both secondary, though DMA likely originates mainly from pelagic regions, while TMA is associated mainly with sympagic regions. Parallel measurements in ice and …

Distributed 48 V Energy Nodes (D48en), Hieu Nguyen

Defensive Publications Series

This document introduces the Distributed 48 V Energy Node (D48EN) architecture, a modular approach to home and community-scale energy storage and power distribution. Unlike conventional DC microgrids that rely on a continuous shared bus, this architecture places independent 48 V battery nodes throughout a structure, each with its own point-of-load photovoltaic (PV) input and short-run DC distribution to nearby loads. Nodes are normally isolated electrically and do not form a high-power backbone. Instead, low-current redistribution links allow controlled, schedulable energy sharing between nodes. This configuration reduces wiring cost, improves safety, simplifies retrofits, and enables modular growth for both developed residential …

User-Customized Application Settings Using Customized Application Environments, Alexander Haubold, Clément Julliard

Defensive Publications Series

Software applications on user devices can be launched only in their default state or in a single user-configured state. This requires users to change the application state for individual use cases each time they launch an application. For example, a camera application may have multiple modes such as default, portrait, panorama, video, etc. and the user needs to switch from the default mode to other modes before using the application. This disclosure describes application containerization techniques that enable users to launch an application in any of a set of custom initial states associated with separate custom-labeled icons. Users can thus …

Satellite Service Provisioning Via Premium Pass Purchase, Thomas Nguyen, Sooraj Sasindran

Defensive Publications Series

This document describes techniques for selective satellite service provisioning. Users can opt for satellite services based on their specific requirements by purchasing a satellite service premium pass via advance purchase or on-demand purchase. Advance purchase happens when the mobile device is connected to the internet. The device is registered, and the satellite network acts as a roaming network. On-demand purchase is available when the device is out of cellular or Wi-Fi range and a non-terrestrial network (NTN) is found. Temporary satellite data is provided for completing payment during on-demand purchase. The service is suspended if the pass limits are exceeded …