Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring School-Based Early Intervention For Developmental Disabilities: A Phenomenological Study Of Parental Experiences, Brenda Nichol Webb

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Today it is estimated that one in six children in the United States has one or more developmental disabilities or other developmental delays. There is a large body of evidence pointing to the necessity of early intervention to improve both short and long-term life outcomes for individuals with developmental disabilities from both the medical and social sciences. Despite this fact, the identification process during early childhood from a parental perspective remains under- researched. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine the lived experiences of parents of children with developmental disabilities during the evaluation process and receipt of services …

Growth, Maturation, And Selection Of Elite Youth Ice Hockey Players, Ryan Podell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Maturity status may influence the selection of elite youth ice hockey teams in the United States. Assessing biological maturity status could provide insight into the prevalence of maturation related selection biases. Thus, the purpose of this study was to establish normative maturity status ranges, determine if maturity or relative age effect selection biases existed, and compare levels of agreement between methods to predict maturity status for elite youth ice hockey players in the United States. Part one of this study assessed the biological maturity status and birth months for 126 athletes, ranging 9-16 years of age, from an elite youth …

Evaluation Of Diet Quality, Physical Health, And Mental Health Baseline Data From A Wellness Intervention For Individuals Living In Transitional Housing, Callie Millward, Kyle Lyman, Soonwye Lucero, James D. Lecheminant, Cindy Jenkins, Kristi Strongo, Gregory Snow, Heidi Leblanc, Lea Palmer, Rickelle Richards

All Current Publications

Background/Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate baseline health measurements among transitional housing residents (n = 29) participating in an 8-week pilot wellness intervention. Methods: Researchers measured anthropometrics, body composition, muscular strength, cardiovascular indicators, physical activity, diet quality, and health-related perceptions. Researchers analyzed data using descriptive statistics and conventional content analysis. Results: Most participants were male, White, and food insecure. Mean BMI (31.8 ± 8.6 kg/m2 ), waist-to-hip ratio (1.0 ± 0.1 males, 0.9 ± 0.1 females), body fat percentage (25.8 ± 6.1% males, 40.5 ± 9.4% females), blood pressure (131.8 ± 17.9/85.2 ± 13.3 mmHg), and …

Parent's Help-Seeking For, And Care Of, A Sick Or Injured Child During Covid-19 Pandemic Lockdowns: A National Online Survey In Türkiye, Bahar Aksoy, Sarah Neill

School of Nursing and Midwifery

Aim: This study aimed to investigate how COVID-19 lockdowns in Türkiye influenced parents' actions when their child was ill or injured and how they perceived the impact of the lockdown on the severity of their child's illness and the treatment received. Methods: This descriptive, and cross-sectional mixed method was conducted with 104 parents whose children experienced illness or injury during the pandemic lockdowns between July and September 2022. Data was collected through online survey using snowball sampling method. Descriptive statistics and pearson's chi-square test were used for statistical analysis, while free-text data was subjected to thematic analysis. Results: Of the …

A Toolkit For Treating Obesity In Children With Metabolic Syndrome, Karen Mayers-Scott

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This doctoral project seeks to bridge the existing knowledge gap in using Metformin to manage childhood obesity in patients with metabolic syndrome. The primary goal was to develop a complete toolkit to educate healthcare providers on utilizing Metformin in obese children with metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome, characterized by higher triglycerides, decreased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, increased blood pressure, elevated fasting plasma glucose, and increased waist circumference, offers considerable health hazards for children. The practice-focused question is, Is the toolkit deemed useful to providers for treating obesity in children with metabolic syndrome using metformin?” The project employed the theory of planned behavior, …

The Association Between Unemployment, Income, Education, Healthcare Access, Mental Health And High-Risk Hiv Behavior In The United States, Tia Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

High-risk HIV behavior remains a critical public health concern in the United States, particularly among socioeconomically and psychologically vulnerable populations. Despite extensive prevention efforts, a gap persists in understanding how structural and mental health factors jointly contribute to HIV risk. This study addresses that gap by examining the association between socioeconomic status (SES), including income, education, employment, and healthcare access, and mental health status (diagnosis of depression and days of poor mental health) on high-risk HIV behavior at the individual level. Guided by the social determinants of health (SDOH) theoretical framework, the study utilized secondary data for over 40,000 adults …

Improving Exclusive Breastfeeding Rates Using Role-Play In A Suburban Hospital, Imari S. Horton

Group: Samford University Moffett & Sanders School of Nursing

The purpose of this project is to improve exclusive breastfeeding rates of newborns by developing and implementing a breastfeeding education program for staff nurses in a suburban hospital.

Reframing Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (Me/Cfs): Biological Basis Of Disease And Recommendations For Supporting Patients., Priya Agarwal, Kenneth J Friedman

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) is a worldwide challenge. There are an estimated 17-24 million patients worldwide, with an estimated 60 percent or more who have not been diagnosed. Without a known cure, no specific curative medication, disability lasting years to being life-long, and disagreement among healthcare providers as to how to most appropriately treat these patients, ME/CFS patients are in need of assistance. Appropriate healthcare provider education would increase the percentage of patients diagnosed and treated; however, in-school healthcare provider education is limited. To address the latter issue, the New Jersey Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Association (NJME/CFSA) has developed …

Establishing Operational Foundations In A Faculty-Led Clinic: Workflow Design, Role Development, And Service Planning, Rebecca Wensmann

DNP Projects

A Central Minnesota College, in collaboration with local community partners, sought to provide access to medical care for an underserved population while offering opportunities for graduate and undergraduate nursing education. They achieved this by establishing a faculty-led clinic in a high-poverty level area in Central Minnesota, where nearly 7% of the population under the age of 65 lacked health insurance (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024). Research was completed on clinic workflows and processes, as well as many interviews with clinics and community members throughout Minnesota. With this data, a clinic workflow, job description list, and services offered were created. This information …

Bacillus Isolate Compositions And Methods Of Using And Producing The Same, Billy M. Hargis, Lucas E. Graham, Kyle D. Teague, Juan D. Latorre, Samuel J. Rochell

Patents Granted

The present invention provides Bacillus isolates, as well as probiotic and animal feed compositions comprising said isolates, which may be included in the diet of poultry to improve growth performance with reduced energy diets. Methods of using these compositions to improve nutritional uptake or to reduce the incidence of footpad dermatitis in poultry are also provided.

Association Between Allostatic Load And Accelerated White Matter Brain Aging: Findings From The Uk Biobank, Li Feng, Zhenyao Ye, Zewen Du, Yezhi Pan, Travis Canida, Hongjie Ke, Song Liu, Shuo Chen, L Elliot Hong, Peter Kochunov, Jie Chen, David K Y Lei, Edmond Shenassa, Tianzhou Ma

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

White matter (WM) brain age, a neuroimaging-derived biomarker indicating WM microstructural changes, helps predict dementia and neurodegenerative disorder risks. The cumulative effect of chronic stress on WM brain aging remains unknown. In this study, we assessed cumulative stress using a multi-system composite allostatic load (AL) index based on inflammatory, anthropometric, respiratory, lipidemia, and glucose metabolism measures, and investigated its association with WM brain age gap (BAG), computed from diffusion tensor imaging data using a machine learning model, among 22 951 European ancestries aged 40 to 69 (51.40% women) from UK Biobank. Linear regression, Mendelian randomization, along with inverse probability weighting, …

Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease In People With Type 1 Diabetes., Brynlee Vermillion, Yuanjie Mao

Ambulatory and Primary Care Articles

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is increasingly recognized as a significant comorbidity in individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D), despite its historical association with type 2 diabetes. This review focuses on summarizing current findings regarding the role of insulin resistance in the development of MASLD in T1D, as well as examining the relationship between MASLD and diabetes-related complications. We will also briefly discuss the prevalence, diagnostic challenges, associated complications, and potential mechanisms underlying MASLD in T1D. Although insulin resistance is well established in MASLD among those with type 2 diabetes, its role in T1D requires further clarification. Emerging markers, …

Matters Of The Heart And Mind: Cardiovascular And Psychosocial Risk Factors For Cognitive Impairment And Dementia Among Older Adults In The Us, Markquest Jarius Ajoku

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Cognitive function decline has been associated with cardiovascular and psychosocial factors. The resulting cognitive impairment and dementia (CID), including Alzheimer’s disease and other related dementia, impose a significant burden among older adults (aged 65 or older), which is expected to increase by 55% or more. CID affected 20% of older adults in the US, and the risk of CID doubles every five years after age 65. This study examined the impact of heart diseases or stroke, depressive symptoms in middle-age, and loneliness on the risk of CID among older adults in the US. We conducted a longitudinal study using the …

Optimizing Coral Sexual Propagation Ex Situ: Synergistic Effects Of Multiple Cues On The Larval Settlement Of Caribbean Corals, Chloe Daniel

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

For coral restoration to be effective at an ecosystem scale, ex situ coral propagation needs to be optimized and cost-effective. One of the major bottlenecks to sexual propagation of Caribbean corals ex situ is low larval settlement, typically induced by the presence of crustose coralline algae (CCA) and microbial films. Previous studies found that coral larval settlement can be enhanced by colored substrates, healthy reef sounds, and the presence of food. This study assessed the potential synergistic effects of colored substrate, reef sounds, and food, along with the commonly used settlement cues (CCA and microbial films) on the larval settlement …

Increased Fungal Burden In The Gastrointestinal Tract Of Brain-Dead Organ Donors, Erika J Nachman, Colleen K Ardis, A Kyle B Ardis, Javier Nieto, Madeline M Bresson, Clare M Robertson, Maggie N Seale, Nora M Villafuerte, Zhe Lyu, Eva C Preisner, Heather A Danhof, Sara C Di Rienzi, Yolanda T Becker, Robert A Britton

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Approximately 3% of organ transplant recipients will be diagnosed with an invasive fungal infection (IFI), with 10%-47% being fatal. The source of IFI is typically not known, but Candida spp. cause the majority of IFI cases. We obtained intestines from two types of organ donors, brain-dead (BD) (n = 7) and donation after circulatory death (DCD) (n = 5), to sample microbes from the mucosal surface and the lumen. BD donors were parenterally fed and treated with corticosteroids in the days before procurement, whereas DCD donors were enterally fed and not given corticosteroids. We found fungi present in …

Improving Medication Adherence Among Patients With Anxiety, Abong Miyeh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Addres+D14sing medication non-adherence among patients with anxiety disorders is crucial in nursing practice due to its significant impact on patient outcomes and healthcare costs. This doctoral project explores the effectiveness of staff education in enhancing nurses' skills in promoting medication adherence within this population. The practice-focused question for this project is "What evidence supports the effectiveness of a staff education program in increasing nursing staff knowledge about evidence-based strategies for improving medication adherence among patients with anxiety disorders?" The purpose of this doctoral project is to investigate the effectiveness of staff education interventions in improving medication adherence among individuals with …

The Impact Of Socio-Emotional And Provider Support On Hiv Testing In Southern United States, Ijeoma Onyinyechi Nwazuruokeh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

HIV was first diagnosed over 40 years ago in the United States; however, HIV remains an epidemic. An understanding of how socio-emotional support, social isolation, and support from an individual's provider influence HIV testing in the Southern United States can be a key to increasing testing rates and ultimately reducing the incidence and prevalence of HIV in the Southern United States. The purpose of this non-experimental quantitative study was to examine the relationship between HIV testing, socio-emotional support, and social isolation, and how these variables are further moderated by an individual having provider support in the Southern United States. The …

The Shorthorn: October 13, 1967

The Shorthorn Newspaper Collection: 1960s

No abstract provided.

Understanding Hispanic Cultural Strengths Through Parents’ Voices: Insights For Interdisciplinary School Personnel, David Moran, Johana Rocha, Kristy Carlisle

Journal of Human Services Scholarship and Interprofessional Collaboration

Examining the strengths of Hispanic cultural values among K-12 school students is a generally understudied concept, and from their parents’ perspective specifically. This study sought to take a qualitative approach toward the exploration of Hispanic parents’ perspectives on how their cultural values promote strengths within their school-aged children. Hispanic parents (N = 8) participated in bilingual (i.e., Spanish and English) focus groups, with the results providing content that can inform culturally responsive prevention and intervention strategies to support the roles of interdisciplinary school personnel who regularly interact with the children. Findings pointed to (a) interaction with peers and school …

Effects Of The Case Management With Community Support Program On Health Behaviors And Outcomes In Thai Buddhist Monks With Type 2 Diabetes And Early-Stage Chronic Kidney Disease, Napawadee Tangtrongvisolkit, Noppawan Piaseu, Porntip Malathum, Basia Belza

Journal of Health Research

Background: Patient engagement and community support are vital for promoting self-care in monks with early-stage chronic kidney disease (CKD). This study investigated the impact of an 18-week Case Management with Community Support Program (CMCSP) on self-care activities and health outcomes (hemoglobin A1c, HbA1c), blood pressure, and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in Thai Buddhist monks with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and CKD.

Methods: A Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) with pretest and post-test measures was employed. Eighty-two monks with T2DM and stage 1–2 CKD were recruited from 33 subdistricts in Thailand and randomly assigned into experimental (n = …

The Impact Of Cell Phones And Social Media On Social And Emotional Development Of High School Students, Laura Nash

Masters Projects

Studies suggest that social media can have a negative impact on the social and emotional development of adolescents when overused or abused. This paper examines the benefits of social media and several of the adverse effects of problematic social media use. A few of the adverse effects can carry over into the school setting, resulting in students missing valuable instruction time and not being fully engaged in the learning environment. This project proposal is intended to educate parents and school employees about hazards of problematic social media use and the tools that are readily available to monitor the content that …

Ada News - 08/04/2025, American Dental Association, Publishing Division

ADA News

Established in 1970 as the official newspaper of the American Dental Association, the ADA News serves practicing dentists and others allied to the dental profession in the U.S. and internationally. It is the No. 1 source of news and information about the many benefits and services the ADA delivers to members daily as well as timely information on scientific, social, political and economic developments affecting dentistry and health care.

Childhood Vaccination In Mozambique Pre- And Post-Covid-19 Pandemic, Remy Mwamba

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2019, infectious diseases and other conditions claimed the lives of over 5 million children under 5. Global immunization coverage remains below prepandemic levels, leaving behind over 14 million zero-dose children in 2022, of whom 84% lived in low- and middle-income countries. This quantitative cross-sectional study aimed to examine, using two consecutive Demographic and Health Surveys, whether the most significant household characteristics and health service utilization risk factors associated with nonvaccination before the COVID-19 pandemic still hold postpandemic in Mozambique. Andersen's behavioral model of healthcare service utilization was the foundation for this investigation. The sample included N=2034 children aged 12-35 …

Gated Recurrent Unit With Decay Has Real-Time Capability For Postoperative Ileus Surveillance And Offers Cross-Hospital Transferability, Xiaoyang Ruan, Sunyang Fu, Heling Jia, Kellie L Mathis, Cornelius A Thiels, Schaeferle M Gavin, Patrick M Wilson, Curtis B Storlie, Hongfang Liu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Ileus, a postoperative complication after colorectal surgery, increases morbidity, costs, and hospital stays. Assessing risk of ileus is crucial, especially with the trend towards early discharge. Prior studies assessed risk of ileus with regression models, the role of deep learning remains unexplored.

Methods: We evaluated the Gated Recurrent Unit with Decay (GRU-D) for real-time ileus risk assessment in 7349 colorectal surgeries across three Mayo Clinic sites with two Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems. The results were compared with atemporal models on a panel of benchmark metrics.

Results: Here we show that despite extreme data sparsity (e.g., 72.2% of labs, …

Car-Macrophage Cell Therapy: A New Era Of Hope For Pancreatic Cancer, Daoyan Wei, Liang Wang, Yi Liu, Xiangsheng Zuo, Xiling Shen, Robert S Bresalier

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the deadliest malignancies, characterized by late diagnosis, early metastasis, and resistance to conventional therapies. A major barrier to effective treatment is its desmoplastic and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), which restricts T cell infiltration and dampens responses to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). These features highlight the urgent need for innovative immunotherapeutic strategies capable of overcoming PDAC's immunologic and physical barriers. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-macrophage (CAR-M) therapy has emerged as a promising approach to address these challenges. Unlike CAR-T or CAR-NK cells, CAR-Ms can efficiently infiltrate tumors, remodel the TME, phagocytose tumor cells, and stimulate …

Mechanistic Role Of Heavy Metals In Driving Antimicrobial Resistance: From Rhizosphere To Phyllosphere, Rahul Kumar, Tanja P. Vasić, Sanja P. Živković, Periyasamy Panneerselvam, Gustavo Santoyo, Sergio De Los Santos Villalobos, Adeyemi Nurudeen Olatunbosun, Aditi Pandit, Leonard Koolman, Debasis Mitra, Pankaj Gautam

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Heavy metal pollution represents a pervasive environmental challenge that significantly exacerbates the ever-increasing crisis of antimicrobial resistance and the capacity of microorganisms to endure and proliferate despite antibiotic interventions. This review examines the intricate relationship between heavy metals and AMR, with an emphasis on the underlying molecular mechanisms and ecological ramifications. Common environmental metals, including arsenic, mercury, cadmium, and lead, exert substantial selective pressures on microbial communities. These induce oxidative stress and DNA damage, potentially leading to mutations that enhance antibiotic resistance. Key microbial responses include the overexpression of efflux pumps that expel both metals and antibiotics, production of detoxifying …

Pica Syndromes And Iron Deficiency Anemia Treatment: A Mini Review, Humza Mallick, Samir Dalia

Student Publications

Background/Objectives: Pica, the compulsive ingestion of non-nutritive substances, has long been observed in patients with iron deficiency anemia (IDA). This behavior is particularly noted in adults, including pregnant women, and poses both diagnostic and management challenges. We conducted a review of studies from the past decade to evaluate the epidemiology and nature of pica in adult IDA patients and the outcome of various treatment strategies on anemia and pica behaviors. Methods: We searched PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane Library for peer-reviewed articles (including observational studies, clinical trials, and reviews) published in English between 2015 and 2025. Inclusion criteria targeted studies of …

My A-T Pack: A Qualitative Study Of The Utility, Acceptability, Design, And Content Of A Family-Designed And Owned Information Pack Relevant To The Lives Of Children And Young People Living With Ataxia Telangiectasia, Lisa Bunn, Joanne Paton

School of Health Professions

BackgroundAtaxia Telangiectasia (A-T) is a rare genetic and progressive condition, primarily affecting the neurological, immunological, and pulmonary systems. In the absence of a cure, people living with A-T require co-ordinated multidisciplinary care to manage their complex needs. This often leads to families working with a range of different professionals and feeling burdened by the amount of information and coordination of care that they manage.With the aim to inform the co-production of a family-owned healthcare pack to promote person-centered care and self-management, this study explored the views of children with A-T and parents of children and young people with A-T about …

Staff Education For Improved Diabetes Management: Enhancing Knowledge And Patient Outcomes, Carissa Martine Bolden

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

An increase in patients’ hemoglobin A1c levels in a South Mississippi organization suggests that inadequate type 2 diabetes (T2DM) knowledge among the staff hindered them from delivering competent care. The gap in practice at the site revealed a deficiency in knowledge in nutrition education for healthcare providers and staff, which led to the practice question: Does educating providers and staff on nutrition for adults with type 2 diabetes improve knowledge, as evidenced by pre- and post-surveys? This educational initiative employed the analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation (ADDIE) model, the John Hopkins evidence-based practice (JHEBP) model, the Walden University Doctor …

Non-Pharmacological Interventions For Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorders And Anxiety, Alichia Lashawn Pecks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project used a quality improvement approach to address the co-prescription of stimulants and benzodiazepines in patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and anxiety in outpatient mental health settings. The project explored whether implementing a structured non-pharmacological staff education program for mental health staff could improve knowledge of safe, evidence-based treatment alternatives. The purpose of this staff education project was to improve provider knowledge of evidence-based, non-pharmacological treatment alternatives. To address this issue, a structured non-pharmacological staff education program was implemented to improve provider knowledge of safer, evidence-based treatment alternatives. Four participants completed pre- …