Digital Commons Network^™

A Study Of Cybersecurity Landscape In The United States: Trend, Regional Variations, And Socioeconomic Factors, Trang Thi Thu Horn

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Internet has become an essential part of our daily lives. Cyberspace has emerged significantly with an enormous number of users, creating a lucrative hunting field for cybercriminals. The exponential growth of internet users and online activities, along with the increased sophistication of cybercrimes, is raising significant global concerns for individuals, organizations, and governments. This research aims to explore the cybersecurity landscape in the United States, investigate regional variations, and the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the number of cybercrimes. The study utilizes a mixed research method approach, including historical analysis and a Delphi study. Historical analysis studied …

Targeted Accurate Rna Consensus Sequencing (Tarc-Seq) Reveals Mechanisms Of Replication Error Affecting Sars-Cov-2 Divergence, Catherine C Bradley, Chen Wang, Alasdair J E Gordon, Alice X Wen, Pamela N Luna, Matthew B Cooke, Brendan F Kohrn, Scott R Kennedy, Vasanthi Avadhanula, Pedro A Piedra, Olivier Lichtarge, Chad A Shaw, Shannon E Ronca, Christophe Herman

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

RNA viruses, like SARS-CoV-2, depend on their RNA-dependent RNA polymerases (RdRp) for replication, which is error-prone. Monitoring replication errors is crucial for understanding the virus’s evolution. Current methods lack the precision to detect rare de novo RNA mutations, particularly in low-input samples such as those from patients. Here, we introduce a new targeted Accurate RNA Consensus sequencing method (tARC-seq) to accurately determine the mutation frequency and types in SARS-CoV-2, both in cell culture and clinical samples. Our findings show an average of 2.68×10−5 new errors per cycle with a C>T bias that cannot be solely attributed to APOBEC …

Computationally Restoring The Potency Of A Clinical Antibody Against Omicron, Thomas A Desautels, Suzanne M Scheaffer, Bradley Whitener, James B Case, Larissa B Thackray, Michael S Diamond, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the promise of monoclonal antibody-based prophylactic and therapeutic drugs

Drivers Of Being Unhoused And The Prevalence Of Health Conditions Among Unhoused Individuals In Asheville, Nc, Andrea K. Yontz, Amber Beane, Tessa Frank, Amy Upham, Dustin V. Patil, Dan Pizzo, Steve Buie, Jacqueline R. Halladay

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Background

During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an increase in the number of unhoused individuals in Asheville, North Carolina resulting in more tent encampments.

Understanding the physical, mental, and socially determined health characteristics associated with being unhoused can help guide stakeholders with policy development, healthcare program planning, and funding decisions to support unhoused individuals.

Methods

In this study, we used an observational cross-section methodology. Using a convenience sample approach, we interviewed 101 participants who were receiving services from 2 emergency hotel shelters, a day center, and a resource center. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and open-ended responses were collected …

Evaluation Of The Efficacy Of Remdesivir For The Treatment Of Coronavirus Disease 2019, Alexandra Flannery, Anastasia Knecht, Koravangala Sundaresh

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Background

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by a novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, has accounted for more than 1 000 000 deaths in the United States alone. In May 2020, the Food and Drug Administration issued an Emergency Use Authorization to allow the investigational use of intravenous remdesivir for the treatment of suspected or confirmed COVID-19 in hospitalized children and adults. Several other agents, such as hydroxychloroquine, dexamethasone, and tocilizumab have been investigated as potential treatment options; however, dexamethasone is currently the only agent that has been proven to reduce mortality in patients who require supplemental oxygen. The purpose of this study …

Investigation Of The Effect Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Anxiety Levels And Career Satisfaction Of Dentistry Students, Furkan Kır, Ata Batuhan Bayrak, Mediha Büyükgöze-Dindar

Journal of Dentistry Indonesia

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the anxiety levels and career satisfaction of dentistry students. Methods: A total of 220 dentistry students were included in the study. A questionnaire was mailed to dentistry students at Trakya University between June 2021 and January 2022. Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) was used to evaluate anxiety levels. Data were analyzed, and p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The mean BAI scores of the participants were 14.6 ± 13.6. The anxiety levels of the females were significantly higher than the males (p = 0.004). There was a significant relationship …

Incorporating Institutions And Ideology: Why Covid Didn't Change Anything, Cullen Kendrick

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

In this paper, I investigate the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic through an economic and philosophical lens to try and understand why government aid was removed. Looking at the problem as solely a structural issue, with Jurgen Habermas’ Between Facts and Norms and Douglas North’s Institutions, Institutional Change, and Economic Performance guiding my understanding, provides useful insights. Namely, how the informal and formal structures of society interact, and their cyclical nature. However, that perspective does not provide a complete picture. And so, I developed an understanding of ideology to investigate the origins of informal societal structures. To do this I …

Association Of School Instructional Mode With Community Covid-19 Incidence During August–December 2020 In Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Pauline D. Terebuh, Jeffrey M. Albert, Jacqueline W. Curtis, Kurt C. Stange, Jill E. Miracle, Wail Yar, Prakash R. Ganesh, Heidi L. Gullett, Johnie Rose

Faculty Scholarship

Remote and hybrid modes of instruction were employed as alternatives to in-person instruction as part of early mitigation efforts in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We investigated the impact of a public school district’s instructional mode on cumulative incidence and transmission in the surrounding community by employing a generalized estimating equations approach to estimate the association with weekly COVID-19 case counts by zip code in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, from August to December 2020. Remote instruction only (RI) was employed by 7 of 20 school districts; 13 used some non-remote instruction (NRI) (2–15 weeks). Weekly incidence increased in all zip codes …

Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Remote Learning Among Second-Choice Homeschoolers In West Virginia: A Transcendental Phenomenology, Debra Dingess Brennan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of second-choice homeschoolers in West Virginia with forced remote learning and homeschooling during the COVID-19 pandemic. The label second-choice homeschoolers in this research refers to homeschooling families in West Virginia who have first-hand experience with remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The theory guiding this study was Bandura’s social cognitive theory, as it aligned with understanding parental homeschooling experiences by focusing on the impact of environmental events on human behavioral patterns. The central research question guiding this study was: What were the lived experiences of second-choice homeschoolers …

Pentecostal Hope In The Age Of Covid-19, Peter Althouse, Audrey E. Mccormick

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

This research sought to identify how Pentecostals and charismatics responded to the Coronavirus pandemic. Specifically, what role did eschatology play in provoking hope, and how did theologies on healing influence responses? Data revealed that Pentecostals were generally not casting their responses to the pandemic as a millennial expectation of a better future but were grieving their losses and seeking to provoke hope amidst suffering. While minimal miraculous healings were reported, healing was cast primarily as the ongoing presence of defiant hope amidst trauma, grief and suffering. We propose that grief and grieving is an eschatological response to loss and death.

Predictors Of Student Reenrollment And Graduation During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Student Characteristics And Circumstances, David Wutchiett, A. W. Logue

Publications and Research

The COVID-19 pandemic decreased college enrollment and disrupted academic progress, particularly among disadvantaged students and institutions. Just before the start of the pandemic in spring 2020, 31,511 undergraduate students attending colleges of The City University of New York responded to a survey detailing their circumstances. Lasso regression followed by mixed-effects logistic regression modeling were used to identify predictors of (1) fall 2020 reenrollment, (2) associate’s-degree graduation or transfer to a bachelor’s-degree program by associate’s-degree students by fall 2022, and (3) graduation with a bachelor’s-degree by bachelor’s-degree students by fall 2022. Part-time status, food insecurity, gender, and major predicted reenrollment and …

Changes In Chili Value Chain In Gunungkidul Regency Due To Covid-19 Pandemic, Muhammad Vitra Ramadhan, Widyawati Sumadio

Jurnal Geografi Lingkungan Tropik (Journal of Geography of Tropical Environments)

This study explored the changes in the chili value chain in Gunungkidul Regency due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This study used a qualitative approach by conducting in-depth interviews with chili farmers, collectors, traders, and buyers in Gunungkidul Regency. The research results show that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected all stages of the chili value chain in Gunungkidul Regency. The actors in the chili value chain in Gunungkidul Regency have successfully adapted to face disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic by using information technology to communicate between actors and obtain market price information. Before the pandemic, Gunungkidul Regency was one of …

Returning To School After A Pandemic And The Lived Experiences Of Rural High School Mathematics Teachers On Student Success, Joshua Saúl Silva

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological methodology investigation was to examine and describe rural mathematics teachers’ lived experiences on the effects of the COVID-19 global pandemic on freshman students returning to school after being online for 2 years through the lens of Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy and serves as part of a thematic dissertation with each researcher focusing on different educators in the K-12 school system.

Methodology: Through qualitative methodology utilizing one-on-one interviews of nine rural high school freshman mathematics teachers with 5 or more years of experience before, during, and after the COVID-19 global pandemic, data was analyzed …

The Healing Power Of Dietary Supplements To Prevent Long-Term Covid-19; A Prospective Observation Study, Hadi Mohammad, Tariq Sadeq, Media Ismail, Swar O Ahmed, Zana Ameen

Polytechnic Journal

The novel coronavirus which emerged from Wuhan, China, in December 2019, was first described as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and affects different systems in the body resulting in different symptoms and severity. The role of macro and micro nutrients plus gut microbiome (gut-lung axis) to boost the immune system is well documented. Therefore, this study aims to boost the immune system particularly the lung immunity to shorten the infection course and prevent post-covid complications. The study strategy depends on maintaining the maximum nutritional status for well-functioning immune system, directing immune system to focus on viral infection by …

Sars-Cov-2 Omicron Ba.1 Variant Infection Of Human Colon Epithelial Cells, Avan Antia, David M Alvarado, Qiru Zeng, Luis A Casorla-Perez, Deanna L Davis, Naomi M Sonnek, Matthew A Ciorba, Siyuan Ding

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, characterized by multiple subvariants including BA.1, XBB.1.5, EG.5, and JN.1, became the predominant strain in early 2022. Studies indicate that Omicron replicates less efficiently in lung tissue compared to the ancestral strain. However, the infectivity of Omicron in the gastrointestinal tract is not fully defined, despite the fact that 70% of COVID-19 patients experience digestive disease symptoms. Here, using primary human colonoids, we found that, regardless of individual variability, Omicron infects colon cells similarly or less effectively than the ancestral strain or the Delta variant. The variant induced limited type III interferon expression and showed …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Parish Nursing In Germany, Phyllis A. Solari-Twadell Phd, Mpa, Rn, Faan, Angela Glaser

International Journal of Faith Community Nursing

The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020/2021 had an impact globally on churches and the ministry of Parish Nurses. This article presents a brief historical overview of Germany, the uniqueness of the church in Germany, and parish nursing in Germany which is called vis-a- vis. The ministry of parish nursing in Germany is considered in light of the impact on the nursing profession and the demands created by COVID-19 within German society and the church in Germany.

Creating A Best Practice Model For Reopening Parish Nurse Sites Post-Pandemic, Mary Lynne Knighten Dnp, Rn, Nea-Bc

International Journal of Faith Community Nursing

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic brought many changes to the healthcare delivery system. Parish nurses, faith community nurses, and congregational nurses found their practice frequently adapting to comply with government issued restrictions and the changing needs of the community. QueensCare Health & Faith Partnership (QHFP), a parish nurse program which is part of QueensCare, a non-profit public benefit corporation, and St. Dominic Catholic Church in Los Angeles, California designed a replicable model for safely reopening parish nurse sites. QHFP provides supportive healthcare services and case management services at no charge to underserved and vulnerable populations in cooperation with numerous churches, temples, …

The Effects Of Covid-19 On The Mobile Payment Banking System, Sydney Mason

Senior Honors Theses

This study includes an examination of the effect of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on electronic payment apps. Ever since the pandemic caused a global shutdown, the banking industry was forced to adjust their usual operations and adopt new technological advancements that would allow for contactless payment. Consumers, worried about contracting the virus through the physical exchange of currency, resorted to utilizing payment apps. This contributed to the increase in electronic payment usage. This research addresses the effect of COVID-19 on three different electronic payment apps, Venmo, PayPal, and Zelle. A comparative longitudinal analysis shows the increase in total transactions from …

Investigating Experiences During Times Of Uncertainty: A Phenomenological Study Of High School Educators, Selinna Creasy

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the motivation to educate during times of uncertainty for high school educators at an urban Virginian public high school. This study examined the influence of different factors on job satisfaction relating to recognition, growth, relationships, and remuneration. The theory of motivation-hygiene served as the guiding principle, emphasizing the importance of internal and external factors in enhancing job satisfaction. In terms of methodology, a phenomenological transcendental approach was employed. The sample consisted of high school educators teaching students in urban Virginian schools in Grades 9 through 12. The study included 14 participants …

Enhancing Team Performance In The Digital Age: Impact Of Technologically Moderated Communication In The Interplay Of E-Leadership & Trust, Sina Eslamdoust, Ji Hoon Lee, Tahmineh Bohrani

Business Analytics Faculty Publications

As the COVID-19 pandemic concluded, anticipating future health crises underscores the urgency of effective management and adaptable organizations. This paper draws from existing literature on e-leadership, virtual teams, and organizations, and conceptualizes a foundation to explore e-leadership challenges in virtual contexts. Emphasizing the pivotal role of e-leadership competencies in bridging technology-mediated interactions and effective leadership, the study addresses communication, trust, and coordination issues within virtual teams. It illuminates the impact of technology and assesses how diversity shapes the link between employee engagement and performance. The paper contributes to theoretical knowledge in the field, highlighting the importance of trust-building, relationship cultivation, …

Shots Fired, Shots Refused: Scientific, Ethical & Legal Challenges Surrounding The U.S. Military's Covid-19 Vaccine Mandate, Shawn Mckelvy, L. William Uhl, Armand Balboni

St. Mary's Law Journal

The COVID-19 pandemic provided uncertain and challenging circumstances under which to lead a nation and the military that protects it. Those in charge and in command faced unique challenges—scientific, ethical, and legal—at our various levels of government to both keep people safe while keeping government and society functioning. While there were many successes to celebrate, there are also many criticisms for how this “whole-of-government approach” may have degraded some of our most cherished liberties along the way. The authors focus on the U.S. military’s vaccine mandate and propose military leaders may have failed to fully consider the evolving science, weigh …

Understanding Vaccine Hesitancy: An Analysis Of Caregiver Influences On Pediatric Covid-19 Vaccination Decisions, Neiki Rokni, Shu Zhao Md, Matthew Nguyen, David Liu, Harrison Jordan Do, Jory Parson, Sidharth Sahni Do, Tanner Walsh Md, Ashley Henderson Md, Jennifer Higgins Md

Tower Health Research Day

No abstract provided.

Crisis To Opportunity: The Role Of Consumer Awareness In Mergers And Acquisitions (M&As) During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Hojoon Jang, Junhee Seok, Jongdae Kim

Asia Marketing Journal

In the uncertainty fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic, mergers and acquisitions (M&As) have emerged as key strategic responses by firms. This study explores the impact of M&As on acquirers' firm value, utilizing a firm-level panel dataset from SDC Platinum. Empirical evidence recognizes the potential negative impact of transaction value in M&As and the pandemic's effect on market volatility that may occasionally exacerbate the adverse influence on acquirers' firm value. The findings indicate that effective marketing strategies, such as enhancing consumer awareness through increasing advertising expenditures, can counterbalance these influences, particularly during uncertain times. This study accentuates the importance of adaptability …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Online Teaching And Faculty Preparedness: A Case Study Of Planning And Implementing Online Learning At An R2 Public Research University, Michele Renee Haynes

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this single-site case study was to understand four distinct online learning aspects impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in a mid-sized, urban, four-year institution in the Southern United States: (1) the faculty experience with converting courses and teaching online, (2) the university-provided instructional supports available to faculty throughout the pandemic, (3) the online learning design utilized throughout the pandemic, and (4) the university's preparedness and response to the pandemic. Through an analysis of participant interviews, document analysis, and secondary analysis of an internal COVID-19 faculty and staff survey, the study findings illustrated five distinct areas that influenced teaching …

Once Upon A Fape: Contrasting The Fabled Hope Of Idea With Present-Day Pandemic Realities, Jenny Rodriguez-Fee

Belmont Law Review

Much like Hansel and Gretel in the widely known fairytale, children around the world have experienced trauma, loss, and profound impact to their physical, social, and emotional well-being due to the pandemic. Also, like Hansel and Gretel, students with unique needs have lacked the guidance, support, and prioritization by the adults who are meant to protect them. For some students, this failure to support by those adults charged with their education has been occurring for decades. For many, they were left alone in the woods in March 2020, the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Forced to isolate from teachers and …

Children Seen But Not Heard, Stacey B. Steinberg

UF Law Faculty Publications

Children are expected to abide by the will of their parents. In the last 200 years, American jurisprudence has given parents the ability to control their children’s upbringing with few exceptions. The principle governing this norm is that parents know best and will use their better knowledge to protect their children’s welfare.

The COVID-19 pandemic, public school rules, and children’s privacy laws offer modern examples of regulations in which the interests of parents and children may not align. Minors may want access to vaccines, despite a parent’s refusal to sign a consent form. Minors may want to talk to their …

A Look Back In Time: Analyzing The Success And Value Of The 2014 Amendments To Rule 2a-7 And Reporting On Form N-Cr In Light Of The March 2020 Market Events, Jocelyn Near

Catholic University Law Review

Money market funds have frequently been a target of regulation by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Perhaps the most expansive regulation came as a response to the 2008 financial crisis, in which the Reserve Primary Fund “broke the buck.” The SEC’s misguided 2014 reforms exacerbated the inherent risks of money market funds, including the risk of runs and first mover advantage, particularly with the implementation of Form N-CR. Form N-CR requires a money market fund to publicly report when various events occur, including when a retail or government money market fund’s current net asset value per share deviates downward …

When Governors Prioritize Individual Freedom Over Public Health: Tort Liability For Government Failures, Barbara Pfeffer Billauer Jd, Ma, Phd

Journal of Law and Health

Over half the states have enacted laws diminishing or curtailing the rights of the executive branch (legislatures or governors) to enact laws to preserve, protect, or safeguard public health in the wake of the COVID-19 emergency. Governor DeSantis, of Florida, for example, effectively banned mask mandates in schools during the high point of the epidemic – based on flawed science and erroneous data – and now wants to make that response permanent. The rules effectuating this Executive Order were enacted under an emergency order finding a threat to public health. Nevertheless, the response promulgated by the Florida Department of Health …

How Bodily Autonomy Can Fail Against Vaccination Mandates; The Few Vs. The Many, Jason Yadhram

Journal of Law and Health

Humans have been a communal species since inception and continue to be so to this day. Because of this, if even a small scale of a measured population becomes severely ill, the entire remaining population and surrounding area is thrown into absolute chaos. In fact, we have seen these circumstances throughout history and in the recent COVID-19 pandemic yet, some of us have forgotten that the only way this chaos can be curbed, is by enacting a mandatory vaccination policy. Since COVID-19 however, vaccination mandates have become an uneasy topic of conversation in the United States for essentially one main …

Transitioning From An In-Person Intervention To Augmented Text Messaging During Covid-19 In Mexican Americans With Prediabetes: The Starr County Diabetes Prevention Randomized Clinical Trial, Sharon A Brown, Mary A Winter, Heather A Becker, Alexandra A García, Mary M Velasquez, Hirofumi Tanaka, William B Perkison, Eric L Brown, David Aguilar, Craig L Hanis

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to explore the feasibility of using commonly available technology, such as text messaging, for diabetes prevention in rural Mexican American communities during COVID-19.

METHODS: Participants were selected from a diabetes prevention study funded by the National Institutes of Health that, prior to COVID-19, involved in-person group intervention sessions. Participants were predominantly female adults born in Mexico and Spanish-speaking. A subsample (n = 140) was divided into 3 cohorts: (1) 50 who completed the initial in-person intervention prior to the COVID-19 research pause, (2) 60 who needed additional support sessions to complete the intervention …