Digital Commons Network^™

Witnessing Intellectual Humility: How A Peer’S Humble Introduction Affects Feedback Receptivity And Social Perception, Stephanie A. Barrientos

Theses and Dissertations

Might intellectual humility (IH) be contagious? Across two studies, we examined how individuals respond to constructive criticism depending on whether the feedback-giver demonstrated IH—defined as acknowledging one’s limitations and valuing learning. We focused on outcomes related to intellectual (or epistemic) openness in the context of writing, including self-focused state IH (acknowledging one’s own knowledge limitations), other-focused IH (valuing the insights of a peer expert), corrigibility (comfort with being corrected), feedback engagement, and attitudes toward future academic help-seeking in writing (AHS).

In Experiment 1, participants received feedback from a peer who conveyed IH through a brief self-descriptive statement. This subtle manipulation …

Characteristics Of Permanent Teeth Undergoing Surgical Endodontic Evaluation: A Retrospective Study, Yasamin Mojarad

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: This study examines the pre-surgical clinical and radiographic characteristics that may influence the choice of apicoectomy over nonsurgical retreatment in a more detailed approach, focusing on the clinical factors that come into the evaluation phase. We hypothesize that there are certain patterns observed through a pre-operative CBCT that may impact the decision for surgical intervention. The study aims to assess patterns in the decision-making in surgical treatment planning.

Methods: Retrospective review analyzing 142 cases treated or planned for apicoectomy by VCU endodontic residents. Data collected from CBCT and PA radiographs included: restorations, quality of prior root canal treatment, presence …

The Impact Of Using Artificial Intelligence (Ai) On Employer Branding, Doaa Ayoub, Sherine Fathy El-Fekey, Malak Walid

Business Administration

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing Human Resource Management, enhancing efficiency, accuracy, and strategic capabilities as companies want to stay competitive in the global market. In recent years, AI has transformed numerous facets of business operations, especially in the development of employers’ branding strategies. Additionally, one-third (36%) of HR professionals anticipate a high use of AI in the next two years, while 61% expect at least moderate use within a year. AI enhances employers’ branding - fostering a work culture that attracts and retains top talent in the global market. Furthermore, the contribution of AI in improving employers’ branding strategies has …

Comparative Study Of Single Imputation Techniques For The Prediction Of Missing Dairy Data, Ahmed M. Gad Prof, Ahmed Abdelhakim Ahmed Mr, Eman Manaa Prof, Basant Shafik Dr, Sakr Mostafa Prof

Business Administration

Dairy farm records are a crucial component of effective livestock business management. Record analysis allows a farm’s owner to make informed decisions. Incomplete records are less useful for data analysis, so it's important to handle missing values correctly. This study compares different imputation methods for handling missing values in a dataset of dairy records comprising 997 records collected from 234 cows between 2012 and 2022. The dataset was screened against records with missing values and then deleted, resulting in 858 observations from 200 animals. There were missing values in two variables, with a missing percentage of 13.9%: days in milk …

Integrating Medical Plastic Waste Pyrolysis And Circular Economy For Environmental Sustainability, Attia Attia, Mohamed Bassyouni Prof., Reem Nasser Eng., Moataz El-Bagoury Eng., Islam Shaker Eng., Yasser Elhenawy Prof., Dina Aboelela Dr.

Biochemical Engineering

A critical assessment of pyrolysis technologies and reactor designs was discussed, highlighting various reactor configurations. This study explored the influence of catalysts, temperature, heating rate, and residence time on the pyrolysis process, and addressed their effects on product distribution and composition. Safety considerations and strategies for mitigating the potential environmental impacts of pyrolysis were presented. Comparative analyses of the environmental impacts of traditional waste disposal methods versus pyrolysis-based approaches provided insights into the potential reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants. The circular economy approach was explored in the context of medical plastic waste pyrolysis. The potential for closing …

Power Flow Control Of The Triple Active Bridge Converter, Lauryn Reece Morris

Masters Theses

With the rise of renewable energies, electric vehicles, and microgrids, the development of power electronic topologies that can seamlessly integrate these systems into the grid is crucial. The triple active bridge is an extension of the dual active bridge topology and is capable of energy storage or renewable energy integration into a power electronic converter and thus the power grid. Consisting of three H-Bridge converters, the triple active bridge topology is an expanding area of research to meet these growing demands. With the addition of the third bridge, the system has additional nonlinear characteristics which introduce complexity in solving for …

Critical Behavior Ofthedilutedquasi-Onedimensionalquantum Ising Model, Logan Bradley Sowadski

Masters Theses

We explore the phase transition in the diluted quasi-one-dimensional quantum Ising model. We begin by giving an introduction to the Ising model followed by derivations of the properties and observables. A brief overview of Monte-Carlo simulations is also given focusing on two algorithms that make simulations for physically realizable systems possible, the Metropolis and Wolff algorithms. We finally discuss the concept of random disorder in the system and the effects this can have on the bulk of the system.

These concepts are then directly applied to a quasi-one-dimensional Ising model. Motivated by recent experiments on the spin-chain material cobalt niobate, …

Performance Of Standard Medical Mllms On Ecg Image Data, Prisha Anil

Masters Theses

This work presents a structured benchmarking study of multimodal large language models (MLLMs) applied to electrocardiogram (ECG) interpretation tasks. We evaluate three representative architectures: MedGemma, HuatuoGPT-Vision, and LLaVA-Med, across progressive experimental stages involving text-only structured prompt normalization, text–image fusion with ECG plots, and full multimodal fusion incorporating time-series signals. A standardized five-section cardiology prompt was designed to enforce consistent output structure and SCP-code alignment, enabling reproducible metric computation across models. Quantitative evaluation using BERTScore, token-level F1, and diagnostic accuracy demonstrates that HuatuoGPT-Vision achieves the highest semantic and diagnostic alignment, while MedGemma exhibits superior formatting stability and reproducibility. In contrast, LLaVA-Med …

Development Of Stalling Detection Algorithms And Operator Behavior Models For Evaluating Hydraulic Excavator Performance, Mateo Fernando Montenegro Defaz

Masters Theses

This study aims to develop a reliable algorithm for stalling detection and investigate how operator behaviors impact the truck-loading process, focusing on swing and bucket rotations. While the study of excavator digging conditions and equipment performance is well understood, describing stalling from telemetry data and the influence of operators’ behavior on overall system efficiency remain underexplored. This study seeks to: (i) develop a reliable algorithm for stall detection by analyzing key operational variables such as velocity and angles; (ii) implement statistical and machine learning techniques, specifically a Support Vector Machine (SVM) classification algorithm, to differentiate between ideal and non-ideal digging …

Meme Wars As Socially Situated Learning: Learning In Online Communities Of Hate, Conspiracy, And Insurgency, Kevin M. Clark

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

Learning is important in a pluralistic democracy, to enable citizens to make informed decisions. However, with the rise of the internet and social media, we need more than ever to understand how learning is shaped by social context and intertwined with issues of identity and belonging. One theoretical framework that addresses these social aspects of learning comes from the work of Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger on socially situated learning in communities of practice. This article focuses on what many would consider to be the darker side of learning—the rise of hate, disinformation/conspiracy, and insurgency in online communities. Specifically, it …

Strabismus And Amblyopia Disrupt Spatial Perception But Not The Fidelity Of Cortical Maps In Human Primary Visual Cortex, D. Schluppeck, D. Arnoldussen, Z. Hussain, J. Besle, S. T. Francis, P. V. Mcgraw

School of Psychology

Amblyopia is a common disorder of spatial vision and is frequently associated with the presence of anisometropia, strabismus, or both, during visual development. For highly visible stimuli, subjects with strabismic amblyopia often report marked spatial distortions, but the neural basis of this supra-threshold deficit is not well understood. Here, we used a combination of behavioural measurements and visual field mapping with high spatial-resolution functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) at 7 T to assess perceptual distortions in 12 participants with strabismic amblyopia and 9 control subjects. We measured both behavioural and cortical visual field maps monocularly through each eye. Although amblyopic …

Understanding The Role Of Pluralistic Ignorance In Biodiversity Conservation: A Research Agenda, Sandra J. Geiger, Hirotaka Imada, Carya Maharja, Nattavudh Powdthavee, Valeria Vitale, Lei Zhang, Claudio D. Rosa, Zenith N. C. Delabrida, Kristian S. Nielsen, Franz Essl, Mathew P. White

School of Psychology

Most people believe that biodiversity loss is human-caused, yet they may not realize how many others share this belief. Such collective misperceptions—known as pluralistic ignorance—may hinder individual and system changes required to address biodiversity loss. At the same time, reducing pluralistic ignorance may promote positive change. In this Perspective, we provide a brief overview of existing work on pluralistic ignorance about environmental topics and propose an agenda for impactful pluralistic ignorance research in the biodiversity domain. We highlight several research gaps and offer recommendations, including (a) investigating different forms of pluralistic ignorance, (b) improving our understanding of consequences and determinants, …

ผลของโปรแกรมการจัดการอาการร่วมกับการยืดเหยียด กล้ามเนื้อต่ออาการปวดในผู้ที่มีอาการปวดหลังส่วนล่าง, วชิราภรณ์ ชาติครบุรี, ปชาณัฏฐ์ นันไทยทวีกุล

Journal of Nursing Research, Innovation, and Health

วัตถุประสงค์: เพื่อเปรียบเทียบอาการปวดในผู้ที่มีอาการปวดหลังส่วนล่างก่อนและหลังได้รับโปรแกรมการจัดการอาการร่วมกับการยืดเหยียดกล้ามเนื้อ และเปรียบเทียบคะแนนอาการปวดในผู้ที่มีอาการปวดหลังส่วนล่างหลังได้รับโปรแกรมฯ กับผู้ที่ได้รับการพยาบาลตามปกติ

รูปแบบการวิจัย: การวิจัยกึ่งทดลองแบบสองกลุ่มวัดผลก่อนและหลังการทดลอง

วิธีดำเนินการวิจัย: กลุ่มตัวอย่าง คือ ผู้ป่วยที่มีอาการปวดหลังส่วนล่าง ทั้งเพศชายและเพศหญิง คัดเลือกกลุ่มตัวอย่างตามเกณฑ์ที่กำหนดแบบเฉพาะเจาะจง แบ่งเป็นกลุ่มควบคุมที่ได้รับการพยาบาลปกติจำนวน 21 คนและกลุ่มทดลองที่ได้รับโปรแกรมการจัดการอาการร่วมกับการยืดเหยียดกล้ามเนื้อต่ออาการปวด จำนวน 21 คน ผู้วิจัยพัฒนาโปรแกรมโดยได้นำกรอบแนวคิดการจัดการอาการของ Dodd et al. (2001) ร่วมกับเทคนิคการยืดเหยียดกล้ามเนื้อสำหรับผู้ป่วยปวดหลังส่วนล่าง การประเมินอาการปวด ใช้แบบประเมินมาตรวัดความปวดด้วยสายตา (Visual analog scale: VAS) สถิติที่ใช้ในการวิเคราะห์ข้อมูล ได้แก่ ค่าความถี่ ร้อยละ ค่าเฉลี่ย ส่วนเบี่ยงเบนมาตรฐาน สถิติเปรียบเทียบค่าเฉลี่ยอาการปวดของผู้ป่วยที่มีอาการปวดหลังส่วนล่างก่อนและหลังการทดลอง ในกลุ่มทดลอง และเปรียบเทียบค่าเฉลี่ยอาการปวดหลังการทดลองระหว่างกลุ่มควบคุมและกลุ่มทดลอง

ผลการวิจัย:    1. ผู้ที่มีอาการปวดหลังส่วนล่าง หลังได้รับโปรแกรมการจัดการอาการร่วมกับการยืดเหยียดกล้ามเนื้อ มีอาการปวดต่ำกว่าก่อนได้รับโปรแกรมการจัดการอาการร่วมกับการยืดเหยียดกล้ามเนื้อ อย่างมีนัยสำคัญทางสถิติที่ระดับ .05

1. 2. ผู้ที่มีอาการปวดหลังส่วนล่าง หลังได้รับโปรแกรมการจัดการอาการร่วมกับการยืดเหยียดกล้ามเนื้อ มีอาการปวดต่ำกว่าก่อนได้รับการพยาบาลตามปกติอย่างมีนัยสำคัญทางสถิติที่ระดับ .05

สรุป: โปรแกรมการจัดการอาการร่วมกับการยืดเหยียดกล้ามเนื้อสามารถลดอาการปวดในผู้ที่มีอาการปวดหลังส่วนล่าง ซึ่งเป็นไปตามสมมุติฐานที่ตั้งไว้

Exploring Leadership Capabilities Developed As A Mother: Toward A New Theory Of Mother-Leader Intuitionship, Melinda Abel Ursino, Laura Marie Rivera

Educational and Organizational Learning and Leadership Dissertations

Your perspective as a Mom changes the way you lead in every aspect.

— Liuba Grechen Shirley, VoteMama Founder

Throughout the history of the United States, there has never been such a substantial rise in the number of Mothers in the paid workforce as in the last 3 decades. Yet, despite this growth they remain underrepresented in leadership positions. This underscores why we, as both researchers and Mothers, believe it is critical to apply a Mother's lens to conversations about workplace leadership. Our research begins by examining contemporary leadership theories, focusing on parallels between Motherhood and four of the popular …

Harmonizing Copyright: Navigating Pop Music's Creative Landscape In The Era Of Arnstein And Krofft, Evan Joseph

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

This Note explores how the Arnstein and Krofft tests negatively impact pop music in an age where pop music is constantly evolving. It discusses the specific ways in which the tests can discourage creativity, innovation, and fair competition in the pop music industry. It also argues for reform of copyright law to address the shortcomings of the Arnstein and Krofft tests. Part I defines and provides a brief overview of the history of pop music and copyright infringement, while also discussing the importance and economic value of pop music in society. This Part also explains the gravity behind these claims, …

Antitrust And Console Gaming: Preventing Macrocompanies With Microtransactions, Cameron Brody

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

The note examines antitrust concerns in the console gaming industry, focusing on corporate consolidation and the impact of microtransactions. It argues that traditional antitrust strategies, such as foreclosure arguments, have proven ineffective in addressing these issues. The analysis suggests that microtransactions, particularly their role in exploiting consumers and consolidating market power, should be a focal point for new antitrust enforcement strategies. Regulators are urged to consider the broader implications of microtransactions on market structure and consumer welfare to develop innovative approaches to antitrust law.

Time For A Clean Finish? Analyzing A New Path To Collective Bargaining At The Wwe, Paige Green

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

The note argues that professional wrestlers in the WWE face significant challenges in achieving fair compensation and better working conditions due to their classification as independent contractors, which denies them protections under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). It proposes that leveraging antitrust law could provide an alternative and effective strategy for wrestlers to collectively bargain and improve their circumstances, drawing parallels to successful efforts by UFC fighters.

Artificial Intelligence And Its Exploitation By The Fashion Industry, Stephanie Solis-Kepes

Cardozo International & Comparative Law Review

The note explores the transformative impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the fashion industry, highlighting its potential to enhance efficiency, innovation, and customer experience. However, it underscores the critical legal and ethical challenges, including data privacy, intellectual property rights, supply chain transparency, and diversity issues, that must be addressed to ensure responsible and equitable adoption of AI technologies.

Reframing Puerto Rican Advocacy: How The Emerging U.S.-China Rift Can Help Puerto Rico Realize Greater Autonomy, Michael Angelo Tabrizi

Cardozo International & Comparative Law Review

The note advocates for reframing Puerto Rican decolonization efforts as a foreign policy issue rather than solely a domestic matter, leveraging the U.S.-China rivalry to gain international support and alignment with the United Nations' principles on self-governance.

Reducing Risk Of Preeclampsia By Increasing Midwives’ Confidence And Motivation To Screen Patients For Eligibility For Low-Dose Aspirin, Kennedy Johnson

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Preeclampsia (PreE) is a major concern for prenatal care providers treating pregnant patients due to the potentially fatal risks associated with the disorder for both the patient and the fetus. Evidence suggests that recommending low-dose aspirin (LDA) screening and prescribing can reduce PreE risk; however, this practice is often overlooked during new and repeat prenatal visits.

Objective: The purpose of this DNP project is to enhance Certified Nursemidwives' (CNMs) knowledge of consistent and accurate LDA screening practices for patients a moderate to high risk of developing PreE.

Methods: Project implementation consisted of two parts: a 20-minute in-service education designed …

Reducing Perinatal Mood And Anxiety Disorder (Pmad) Amongst Latina Women Through A Nurse-Led Intervention In A Clinic Setting, Daniella Navarrao Naujokt

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of the implementation of the Reach Out, Stay Strong, Essentials for mothers of newborns (ROSE) curriculum amongst pregnant Latina’s in their third trimester, and to determine if participation in these classes increases patient awareness and management of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. Using a nurse-led prenatal group setting, pregnant Latinas who are 18 years of age or older, are Spanish speakers, and at least 28 weeks gestation in pregnancy were presented with information about the intervention by their provider. Following informed consent, patients were to be asked to participate in …

Improving Dementia Literacy In Direct Care Workers In Independent Senior Communities, Rachael Kauffung, Rosalie Monkono

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

No abstract provided.

End-Of-Life Care Educational Program For Neuro Nurses, Shiyue (Sophie) Wang, Thu Le

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Introduction: High-quality end-of-life (EOL) care necessitates both effective symptom management and therapeutic communication with patients and families. Nurses often report knowledge gaps in symptom management and discomfort when engaging in sensitive conversations during EOL care.

Methods: Neuro-nurses at a tertiary care hospital were invited to participate in an educational intervention focused on EOL symptom management and communication. The training occurred during both day and night clinical shifts. Effectiveness was measured using pre- and postintervention assessments adapted from validated questionnaires. All responses collected anonymously via REDCap.

Results: Post-intervention, 83% of participants showed improved scores in the knowledge assessment, with an average …

Optimizing Patient Outcomes: The Essential Role Of A Consolidated Nutrition Platform, Hugo Lam

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background and Purpose: Current research identifies a gap in the data regarding electronic health records (EHRs), signage, and digital tools to improve outcomes for patients on modified diets, as well as a lack of government reports on clinically related events (Hoggle et al., 2006; Limketkai et al., 2021; Prgomet et al., 2019). EHRs can facilitate data sharing, but often overlook clinical realities and user needs, which leads to inefficiencies in nutritional care. This quality improvement project examines the experiences of bedside providers in acute trauma settings to inform evidence-based recommendations for enhancing nutritional care practices and system design.

Methods: This …

Nurse Initiated Objective Iv Screening Tool: Ea-Diva Application In The Emergency Department, Benjamin C. Miller

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

No abstract provided.

Hegel Meets The Corleones: Critical Racket Theory And The American Crime Family, Gary Shapiro

Philosophy Faculty Publications

This essay interrogates Frankfurt School “racket theory.” While sympathetic to its claim that the most pervasive form of hegemony is the hierarchical and authoritarian group, the paper explores the School’s apparent blind spot in underestimating the crime family’s resurgent significance (e.g., the Trumps or culture industry sagas from The Godfather to Ozark). Early racket theory was limited by Horkheimer’s intensified version of Hegel’s concept of the modern family, its nuclear form and early dissolution. A brief genealogy of the US crime film—from early 1930s individual rogue gangsters to the present—confirms the need to rethink this aspect of racket theory.

Fostering Collaboration And Synergy: Utilizing The Lorna Model Of Problem Solving To Assist New Leaders With Pre-Existing Teams, Kennetia A. Brooks

Doctor of Leadership Projects

New leaders can face several challenges that hinder their ability to succeed. Ranking high on these challenges is the absence of developed skills to manage others, make strategic decisions, and navigate new workplace cultures. Another hurdle can be an inability to build effective, synergetic teams. Specific leadership training is necessary to establish collaboration and success amongst team members. Through literature research and leadership experiences, one training has been developed and used to equip new leaders for these tasks. The LORNA Model is a prescriptive approach to problem-solving that intentionally navigates through workplace relationships and incorporates elements of team members’ recognition, …

A Nurse-Driven Protocol To Increase Music Therapy Referrals To Manage Patient Pain And Anxiety In The Medicine Intensive Care Unit, Ashley Fox

DNP Projects

Background: Critically ill patients often suffer from pain and anxiety. Music therapy is a safe and effective treatment option. However, most nurses never receive education or training on it, resulting in a lack of awareness of its value and its actual usage in care.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to increase the number of music therapy referrals to manage pain and anxiety in eligible medicine intensive care unit (MICU) patients via a music therapy protocol that increased nurses’ knowledge, attitudes, and skills related to the use of music as an alternative treatment option for pain and anxiety in …

Implementation Of A Process To Improve Compliance With A Nurse Driven Foley Catheter Removal Protocol In Nursing Staff Of A Medicine Intensive Care Unit, Kendall L. Pfister

DNP Projects

Background: Catheter associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) are the most prevalent healthcare acquired infection (HAI) in the acute care setting. Unfortunately, CAUTIs can lead to high morbidity and mortality rates, longer length of stay (LOS) and increased healthcare costs. Unfortunately, in critically ill patients which often suffer multi-organ failure/injury, there remains an increased risk for infection and poor outcomes.

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to increase medical intensive care unit (MICU) nursing staffs’ knowledge of existing nurse driven indwelling urinary catheter removal protocol and to implement an electronic medical record (EMR) prompt for removal of unnecessary urinary catheters …

Implementation Of A Pilot Post-Code Debrief Tool Initiated By The Chaplains And Unit Lead Nurses Within The Medicine Intensive Care Unit, Sarah Stigall

DNP Projects

Background: Post-code debriefs are shown to improve teamwork and communication, increase performance, and reduce burnout. According to the University of Kentucky HealthCare (UKHC) policy, teams are to perform a post-code debrief immediately after an in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA). However, the current policy does not provide guidance on what to include during a debrief session. At UK post-code debrief sessions are documented as occurring 60-72% of the time; however, personal observation and discussions with other bedside and rapid response nurses suggest that post-code debriefs are underperformed when compared to the documentation. Purpose: This study aimed to explore barriers to post-code debriefs …