Digital Commons Network^™

The Unfulfilled Promise Of Obergefell For Children Of Lgbtq+ Parents: Advancing Non-Discrimination Laws For Familial Association, Jeffrey Dodge

Faculty Scholarship

Since the 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision, same-sex marriages have increased significantly in the United States. The American Community Survey data collected in 2022 shows that there are around 1.3 million same-sex couple households in the country, up from 565,000 in 2028. Just over half of these couples are legally married, up nearly 400% from prior to Obergefell. This data not only shows the significance of Obergefell for the LGBTQ+ community, but it also frames a generational shift in attitudes on marriage and family.

With the rise in same-sex couples accessing marriage has come greater visibility, representation, and acknowledgement. …

Effect Of Nonsurgical Periodontal Therapy On Oxidative Stress Biomarkers And Glycemic Control In Type 2 Diabetic Patients, Eman Taha, Eman Shawki, Fady Kyrillos, Mohamed A. Al-Shahat

Mansoura Journal of Dentistry

Objective Reactive oxygen species are increasingly being linked to the pathophysiology of periodontal tissue damage. The one of the sensitive significant markers used for assessing oxidative damage in several conditions is 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine (8- OHdG). The current study aims to estimate the effects of non-surgical treatment for periodontal disease on the concentrations of 8-OHdG in plasma and saliva as oxidative stress biomarker, as well as its impact on glycemic control in individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and periodontitis. Subjects and Methods The study involved 50 nonsmoking patients. 20 T2D patients with periodontitis. 20 nondiabetic with periodontitis. 10 healthy non-diabetic without …

Evaluating Minority Clinical Trial Participation In Radiation Oncology: Impact Of Covid-19 Across An Academic Satellite Network, Jovita Echere, Oladipo K. Alfolayan, Molly K. Tate, Qatalina Hubbard, Shalin Shah, Stephen G. Chun, Chidinma Anakwenze

APRN Week 2025

No abstract provided.

More Than Miscommunication: Rethinking Interpretation At The Asylum Office, Pooja R. Dadhania, Hillary Mellinger

Faculty Scholarship

The United States requires asylum applicants to provide their own interpreters for their interviews at the Asylum Office, barring exceptional circumstances. Applicants can face significant hurdles in finding suitable interpreters, who play a critical role in giving them a voice in the asylum process. Inaccurate interpretation can have serious ramifications such as denial of an applicant’s asylum claim. Despite the critical need for meaningful language access in the asylum process, interpretation at the Asylum Office remains understudied. This article represents a first attempt at bringing the scholarly and practitioner communities together to rethink interpretation at the Asylum Office, with the …

The Importance Of Preserving The United States Department Of Education's Authority Under Title Ix In The Fight To Protect Lgbtq Rights, Natali Banducci

Maryland Law Review Online

No abstract provided.

An Economic Comparison Of Succession Law Systems: Prioritizing Spouses Vs. Forced Shares For Children And Proposal For A Standards Based Approach To Child Disinheritance

Florida A & M University Law Review

In the United States (“U.S.”), the foundation of succession law is the freedom of disposition. Priority is placed on the testator’s freedom to choose what happens with their property after they die. Thus, laws governing the distribution of property in both testate and intestate situations are aimed at honoring the testator’s intent. In the U.S., spouses are given preferential treatment under succession laws and intestacy laws. However, children are not given as great a level of protection as spouses and a testator can legally disinherit a child. This approach is unique because several other countries, along with one U.S. state, …

A Quantitative Study Comparing The Effects Of Physical And Digital Mandala Coloring On Anxiety In High School Students, Amy Bainton

Art Therapy | Master's Theses

Through the frameworks of Solution-Focused School Counseling (SFSC) and art therapy, this quantitative research paper compared the potential effects of using a physical versus a digital mandala coloring page with high school students experiencing test anxiety before a final exam. Participants took part in one of two experimental tasks before taking their exam, where they either used colored pencils to color a preset mandala or used a cellphone-based website to color in a mandala digitally. Participants completed a brief pretest-posttest State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and answered an independent questionnaire to further understand their experience after artmaking. Data results were analyzed …

Mixed Methods Study On The Impact Of Coloring Mandalas On Emotional Regulation, Mindfulness, And Attachment Style In Adults, Rachel N. Faas

Art Therapy | Master's Theses

Abstract
This mixed methods study investigates the impact of coloring pre-drawn mandalas on adult emotional regulation, mindfulness, and state attachment style. Drawing from Attachment Theory and Art Therapy frameworks, the research evaluates whether adult coloring interventions—specifically structured mandala designs—can serve as accessible tools for improving psychological well-being. A sample of adult participants engaged in a mandala coloring intervention and completed pre- and post-assessments measuring emotional regulation, mindfulness, and attachment style, including qualitative interviews to capture subjective experiences. Results suggest that mandala coloring may promote increased mindfulness and adaptive emotional regulation strategies, with preliminary evidence indicating shifts toward more secure attachment …

Altered Book Making With Siblings Of Adults With Schizophrenia: A Mixed Methods Approach, Anna-Marie M. Vargas

Art Therapy | Master's Theses

Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness that affects the entire family unit. Due to deinstitutionalization, families are often left to care for their loved ones the best they can without the structured support offered by long-term hospitalization. As parents age and become less able to care for adult children with schizophrenia, the task of ongoing support in various capacities falls to the next of kin, most often, to siblings. There is limited research on the experiences of siblings of adults with schizophrenia, and to date, there have not been any published studies with this population in the field of art …

A Guide To Occupational Therapy Intervention Planning For Individuals With Migraines In Rural Communities, Angelina M. Caron

Occupational Therapy Capstones

One in ten individuals in the world experience migraines (Amari et al., 2022). Migraines are a debilitating condition that presents with symptoms of intense head pain, aura, and nausea (American Migraine Foundation, 2018; Mayo Clinic, 2023). These symptoms have a global effect on an individual’s life and affect the meaningful and necessary tasks they do each day including work, school, family and social life, and their emotional health and cognitive functioning (Buse et al., 2019; Estave et al., 2021). Occupational therapy (OT) can be used with individuals with migraine by addressing factors such as routines, migraine self-management, cognitive strategies, and …

Keynote Address - Intimate Privacy, Expressive Power, And Trust: Essential Inputs For A Healthy Democracy, Danielle Keats Citron

Case Western Reserve Law Review

No abstract provided.

A Happy Medium?: Using Image Generators To Explore Solution-Focused Art Therapy’S Miracle Question, Daniel A. Hernried

Art Therapy | Master's Theses

This mixed methods, randomized, single-session study tested whether integrating text-to-image generations into Solution-Focused Brief Art Therapy alters therapeutic rapport and short-term outcomes relative to traditional artmaking materials. Participants were assigned by coin flip to create using either a text-to-image generator or convention media (23 per group), completing immediate and three-day follow-ups. Alliance was measured using DREAM (Dimensions of Regard, Empathy, and Authenticity Metric), and problems were rated pre/post; groups did not differ significantly on DREAM total or facets, and both modalities produced reliable pre-to-post reductions in problem severity. At the same time, process differences were pronounced: the AI condition showed …

Rad Reduction Reveals Therapeutic Potential Of Targeting Cardiomyocyte L-Type Calcium Channel Regulation For Heart Failure, Garrett Elmore

Theses and Dissertations--Physiology

Heart failure (HF) is prevalent and is predicted to increase with the aging population. Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a common cause of systolic HF. Current therapies fail to address principal issues: compromised systolic function and dysfunctional Ca²⁺ handling. No therapeutic approach exists for direct, positive modulation of cardiomyocyte L-type calcium channels (LTCC). RAD (Ras associated with diabetes) is a key regulator of the cardiac LTCC. RAD is a downstream phosphorylated target of the ß-adrenergic receptor (ß-AR)/cAMP/protein kinase A pathway; phosphorylation augments LTCC activity, contributing to chronotropy, inotropy, and lusitropy. RAD overexpression results in LTCC inhibition, whereas knockout positively modulates …

“It’S An Honor To Be In This Body”: A Black Feminist Grounded Theory Of Embodiment Among Black Womxn Yoga Practitioners (Bwyps), Natalie Malone

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

Black womxn (i.e., individuals whose experiences align with Black girlhood/womanhood or whose bodies are perceived as Black, female, womanly, femme, or a combination) experience significant health and well-being challenges that may hinder their embodiment. Yoga is a complementary therapy that may help Black womxn improve their embodiment. This dissertation qualitatively explores the processes Black womxn yoga practitioners (BWYPs) engage in to cultivate positive embodiment. Participants were N=30 Black womxn who were short- (≤ five years; n=11), medium- (five–10 years; n=10), and long-term (>11 years; n=9) yoga practitioners. Participants completed individual interviews as part of the …

Assessment Of Cerebrospinal Fluid And Blood-Based Biomarkers In Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy: Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Harshit Arora, Hassan Darabi, Cassandra C. Wolsh, Kelsey N. Karnik, John C. Gensel, Francis Farhadi

Neurosurgery Faculty Publications

Study Design: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objectives: Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM), the leading cause of spinal cord injury globally, may clinically manifest with hand numbness and tingling, loss of hand dexterity and impaired balance and gait. Biomarkers have been identified as disease indicators with recent studies exploring the role of structural and inflammatory biomarkers in diagnostic and treatment outcome prediction. The review aims to identify relevant cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood-based biomarkers associated with DCM diagnosis and prognostication.

Methods: The systematic review was conducted as per PRISMA guidelines. A comprehensive search strategy was devised to identify articles evaluating biomarkers in …

Frailty Indices In Patients Undergoing Functional Neurosurgical Procedures: A Systematic Review, Carmelo Venero Jr., Joanna M. Roy, Nirbha Ghurye, Akshay Warrier, Muhammad Usman Khalid, Niels Pacheco-Barrios, Farhan A. Mirza, Christian A. Bowers

Neurosurgery Faculty Publications

Introduction: Functional neurosurgery covers a wide array of neurological disorders with an equally vast array of treatment modalities, including neuromodulation, decompressive, and ablative therapies for disparate pathologies such as pain, neuromodulation, disconnection, and refractory epilepsy. One of the most common functional treatments is deep brain stimulation for movement disorders and select psychiatric diseases. Functional neurosurgery treats patients with reduced quality of life from pathological neuronal pathways. Optimal patient selection by preoperatively identifying high-risk patients is critical for avoiding as many operative complications as possible, in addition to managing complications better once they occur. Frailty indices have demonstrated superior discrimination in …

College-Specific Policies And Procedures: College Of Optometry, Nova Southeastern University

Health Professions Divisions Course Catalogs and Course Descriptions

No abstract provided.

College-Specific Policies And Procedures: Ron And Kathy Assaf College Of Nursing, Nova Southeastern University

Health Professions Divisions Course Catalogs and Course Descriptions

No abstract provided.

Dr. Kiran C. Patel College Of Osteopathic Medicine Handbook: Graduate Section, Nova Southeastern University

Health Professions Divisions Course Catalogs and Course Descriptions

No abstract provided.

College-Specific Policies And Procedures: Dr. Kiran C. Patel College Of Osteopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University

Health Professions Divisions Course Catalogs and Course Descriptions

No abstract provided.

College-Specific Policies And Procedures: Dr. Kiran C. Patel College Of Allopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University

Health Professions Divisions Course Catalogs and Course Descriptions

No abstract provided.

Kiran C. Patel College Of Allopathic Medicine Handbook Mbs Section, Nova Southeastern University

Health Professions Divisions Course Catalogs and Course Descriptions

No abstract provided.

College-Specific Policies And Procedures: Dr. Pallavi Patel College Of Health Care Sciences, Nova Southeastern University

Health Professions Divisions Course Catalogs and Course Descriptions

No abstract provided.

College-Specific Policies And Procedures: College Of Dental Medicine Predoctoral Degree And Master Of Dental Science Certificate Programs, Nova Southeastern University

Health Professions Divisions Course Catalogs and Course Descriptions

No abstract provided.

College-Specific Policies And Procedures: College Of Dental Medicine Postdoctoral Programs, Nova Southeastern University

Health Professions Divisions Course Catalogs and Course Descriptions

No abstract provided.

College-Specific Policies And Procedures: Barry And Judy Silverman College Of Pharmacy, Nova Southeastern University

Health Professions Divisions Course Catalogs and Course Descriptions

No abstract provided.

Building Design - Bsc App Tools For Thermal Comfort, Control, Heat Flow And Solar Energy, Jens G. Pohl

Architecture

Relationship to Building Science (BSc) App: In the domain of Building Science (BSc), this paper focuses on thermal comfort fundamentals, climate concepts and design principles, and solar energy opportunities that should be considered during the early stages of building design. It provides direct access to a BSc App that offers more than 420 calculation and information functions (https://research.chobugroup.com/buildingscience/analyzer/) in the entire range of building science areas, comprising daylighting, artificial lighting, noise control, room acoustics, climate and thermal comfort, solar energy, and structural systems.

Information Content: The paper briefly explains the principles of biology and physics that underlie thermal comfort at …

Identity Formation In Adolescents Using Assemblage And Found Objects, Sahar Mozaffar

Art Therapy | Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore a gap in current research that reveals how art therapy, using assemblage with found objects, empowers adolescents to explore their identity by creating a personal narrative. Identity formation is a critical step in adolescence that involves the development of a coherent sense of self and identity (Erikson, 1968, as cited in Branje et al., 2021). For the adolescent to be successful in this stage, they must synthesize both their personal and social identities (Erikson, 1950, as cited in McLean & Syed, 2014). Using this understanding of adolescent identity, this study utilized a …

Parents With Low Mood And Their Child: Exploring The Effects Of Group Art Therapy, Allison M. Pierce-Gay

Art Therapy | Master's Theses

This qualitative study examines the effects of group art therapy on postpartum depression (PPD) symptoms, specifically focusing on reducing isolation and improving parent–child attachment. The participants included two parents with self-reported low mood and one child (aged 2–2.5 years), and insights from eight multidisciplinary experts (clinicians, educators, and parents) were also gathered. Interventions included a somatic body scan, collage-making, and dyadic handprint painting. The results indicated reduced isolation (Likert scores improved from 3.5 to 4.75) and enhanced attachment through nonverbal co-creation; however, structural barriers (e.g., time poverty) limited sustained impact. Expert interviews identified seven themes, including grief, systemic isolation, and …

Death, End-Of-Life Doulas, And Art:
Exploring Connections Between Death Competency And Art Making, Jill K. Hoefgen

Art Therapy | Master's Theses

Death in the United States is often viewed as a medical event rather than the natural course of life, which results in avoidance of planning for the inevitable. The emergence of Hospice in the 1970s, Medical Aid in Dying (MAID) laws in several states, and the positive death movement have demonstrated a shift in attitudes and priorities about death and dying. Since the early 2000s, end of life doulas (EOLDs) have emerged as practitioners who help people plan for and transition to death. Emotional and existential coping skills are components that emerge from death work, and these elements can be …