Digital Commons Network^™

Understanding The Afghan Diaspora: Exploring The Factors Driving Migration And The Impact Of Migration Policies On Recent Afghan Evacuees Resettling In The United States, Aya H. Mohamed

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Afghanistan has been at war with the West since the late 1900’s, remaining in a state of constant turmoil. During the Cold War (1979), Afghanistan had fought a war with the Soviet Union, known as the Soviet- Afghan War. During this time, Afghanistan was invaded by both the Soviet and US, creating a ground for terrorism and the rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan. In order to then eradicate the terrorist regime, the Taliban, the United States went to war with Afghanistan in 2001. The Taliban were suppressed by U.S. forces until August 2021, during which President Biden executed a …

A Field Of Relations: A Mixed Analysis Of Toni Morrison’S “Recitatif” With Voyant, A Text Analysis Tool, Asma A. Neblett

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Several academic and literary articles focus on the claims about identity in Toni Morrison’s posthumously published short story, “Recitatif.” However, few of them offer analyses that approach the function of the story in ways that align with Morrison’s description of it as an “experiment.” Even fewer through tools of text analysis, which is a method of distant reading. In this paper, I provide a mixed analysis of “Recitatif” through close reading and text analysis via Voyant, a digital tool. I concentrate on the recitative device, how it facilitates the message of the story, and how the results may expand the …

Only For The Pleasure Of Telling: Filling The Void In Pasolini's Trilogia Della Vita, Courtney Munson

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Since Pasolini deliberately cultivated an unrecognizable and illegible public image that embraced incoherence, much of the scholarship surrounding him is plagued by contradictions and mutual exclusivity. For some, Pasolini was a utopian prophet, for others apocalyptic, but most agree that he, through his transmedial and highly self-inscribed life-work, was responding primarily to the crises of neocapitalist consumerism, especially its degenerative effects on sexual conventions and the body. Through an investigation of Pasolini’s controversial essays on film theory, the details of his biography, and the films of the Trilogia della vita, this thesis argues that it is a mistake to …

The Effects Of Music Therapy On Elderly Adults With Dementia, Jeante J. Jackson

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

As people age, the brain is more susceptible to changes that diminish cognitive function. In recent years neuroscience has found convergent evidence between music therapy and brain architecture, as it has shown the generation of new connections in the brain or a reorganization and possible strengthening of existing connections already in the brain. However, the literature regarding music training’s effects on executive control, selective attention, and speech processing is lacking particularly when it comes to older populations.

This study investigated Verbal Working Memory, Visuospatial Attention and Task Initiation, and Auditory Selective Attention in a 91-year-old adult (B.P.) diagnosed with dementia. …

Sustainable To The Core: Essays On Strategy And Sustainability, Junghoon Park

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation investigates the intricate relationship between business strategies and sustainability. A growing awareness has emerged among firms about the importance of embracing sustainability—integrating the environmental, social, and economic implications of their actions and decisions into their core strategies—to attain long-term success and competitive advantage. In this context, strategic management research has primarily concentrated on the benefits that firms and their stakeholders can derive from adopting and executing sustainability initiatives. Despite the numerous efforts made by firms to tackle sustainability concerns, pressing issues persist. This situation raises questions about the effectiveness of strategic management research in guiding firms to embed …

Diggin’ In The Racial Literacy And Culturally Responsive And Sustaining Crates, Jordan Bell

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Racial Literacy first became scholarship in 2004 with Lani Guinier and France Winddance Twine’s racial literacy works. Likewise, Culturally Responsive and Sustaining Education’s seminal work is associated with Gloria Ladson-Billings’ (1995) introduction of culturally relevant pedagogy. While racial literacy and culturally responsive and sustaining education scholarship appeared around the late 20th and early 21st centuries, these frameworks were being developed in Black educational spaces since their inception in the United States. These frameworks were created in response to rampant antiblackness throughout various periods of United States history. In recognition of pre-21st century Black educators’ contributions to racial literacy and culturally …

Misogyny In Contemporary Populist Authoritarianism, Maxine Mannheim

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The regression of rights for women and the LGBTQ community, as well as the freedoms of religious and ethnic minorities are coinciding with the global rise in populist authoritarianism. However, the link between misogyny, gendered narratives, and populist authoritarianism remains understudied and requires further elaboration. There can be no full investigation of modern populism, nor the political leaders who utilize it, without an understanding of the gender dynamics that permeate populist and authoritarian politics. I argue that misogyny is interwoven in populist authoritarianism, and that it is a defining characteristic observable in the ways in which leaders manipulate the emotions …

Identity, Access, And Equity: An Exploratory Mixed-Methods Study Of Mathematics Identity And Socialization In Pre-Service Teachers, Ashley Renaire Davis

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Teaching practices in early childhood through post-secondary learning settings continue to reproduce inequities in mathematics education despite recognition of math’s utility and its necessity for competitiveness in the global economy. For reform efforts to be successful, teachers must change the way mathematics is presented in classrooms where students often experience differences in exposure to mathematics content and time spent covering particular mathematics topics. Therefore, teachers represent a critical component in the cycle of reproduction of unequal access to mathematics. This mixed-methods study examined the processes of mathematics identity formation and mathematics socialization in a diverse sample of pre-service elementary and …

Fighting The Invisibility Of Domestic Violence, Yesenny Fernandez

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Analyzing the invisibility of domestic violence in New York City as 32% of women in the city experience intimate partner physical violence. In this project, domestic violence refers to all different kinds of violence that occur in a home between all the members who live there regardless of whether they are intimate partners or not. The data focuses on all the daily calls received by the New York Police Department (NYPD) and NYC Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence (ENDGBV) regarding domestic violence related incidents such as physical, psychological, emotional, and sexual violence, or murder. Even though many …

A Sociology Of Gab: A Computational Analysis Of A Far-Right Social Network, Nga Than

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation examines the racial discourse circulated on Gab, a microblogging and social networking platform, by the far right to proliferate hate speech, and how the far-right discourse has evolved on the platform. Gab was created 2016 in response to mainstream social media’s increase of content moderation and deplatforming of extremist users to curtail hate speech and harassment. The platform gained a substantial number of new users after the Charlotteville incident of 2017. In this thesis, I examine the creation of Gab, as an alternative social media platform, as a strategic site of socio-technical innovation, as well as the important …

Digital Against The Digital, Gemma Stevanella

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The goal of this digital capstone is to provide the viewer with an exploratory experience designed to untangle some the ramifications of owning and using a social media account. Through the help of a journal that assumes the form of a timeline, this digital capstone illustrates how some of the technologies that power fashionable and successful ways of capturing and sharing personal moments online have hidden roots in environmental issues, communities’ exploitation, political and regulatory decisions, data surveillance practices, and psychological and emotional conditions, especially in adolescents.

Belief And Success Health Management Self-Efficacy: A National Survey Of Black Adults, Stephanie Y. Store

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Minority populations, such as Black adults of non-Latinx descent, are more likely to develop chronic diseases and complications related to disease severity when compared to Non-Latinx Whites (NLW). Furthermore, Black adults of non-Latinx descent people are less likely to engage and maintain health promoting behaviors (HPB) to prevent disease development. HPB are effective in preventing or delaying chronic disease. This research explores the relative impact of aspects of health, built environment and key demographic domains on HMSE of a national sample of Black adults. Methods: Hierarchical regression modeling was performed utilizing data from the 2018 National Survey of Health Attitudes …

Erratum To “Structure Of Tin Phosphate Glasses By Neutron And X-Ray Diffraction” [Journal Of Non Crystalline Solids:X 2c (2019) 100017] (Journal Of Non-Crystalline Solids: X (2019) 2, (S2590159119300305), (10.1016/J.Nocx.2019.100017)), U. Hoppe, Richard K. Brow, A. C. Hannon, M. V. Zimmermann

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The publisher regrets the following conflict of interest text was not published. • All the authors listed in this article have made Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work; AND drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content; AND Final approval of the version to be published. • I also undertake that the article represents valid work. Neither this article nor any part of it has been copied or plagiarized from other works. • That the article has not been published so far …

Sociodemographically Stratified Exploration Of Pancreatic Cancer Incidence In Younger Us Patients: Implication Of Cannabis Exposure As A Risk Factor, Albert S. Reece, Gary K. Hulse

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction. The aetiology for the recent increase in pancreatic cancer incidence (PCI) in the US is unknown. This paper provides an epidemiological investigation of the exponential increase in PCI in young people aged 15–34 years, particularly amongst females, with a focus on the exponential rise amongst African American females, and its relationship to substance use. Methods. National pancreatic cancer data from recent reports. Tobacco, alcohol and daily cannabis use data taken from the annual nationally representative National Survey of Drug Use and Health, response rate = 74%. Results. Amongst the 15–34-year-aged cohort, PCI was found to be significantly more common …

Candida Auris Screening In The Acute Care Setting: An Infection Control Partnership Between Hospitals And Skilled Nursing Facilities, Brittany S. Thorp Mph, Peggy Brown Mph, Cic, R. Scott Stienecker Md

Infection Control

Presented at 2023 APIC Annual Conference

Background: Candida auris (C. auris) is a drug-resistant fungus that can spread easily between hospitalized patients and nursing home residents. To mitigate risk of C. auris spread, a nine-hospital healthcare system developed a C. auris screening tool in January 2020. Infection Preventionists (IPs) use the screening tool to determine which patients qualify for C. auris screening, looking specifically at the facility type where the patient came from. The IP then initiates the isolation and testing protocol with the bedside nurse and provider.

Methods: Over the course of three years, the hospital epidemiologist collected data …

A Seven-Year Review Of Hospital- Onset Clostridioides Difficile Infection Reduction And The Case For A Multidisciplinary Taskforce Approach, Peggy Brown Mph, Cic, Michelle Charles Msn, Rn-Bc, Brittany S. Thorp Mph, Kristin Sims Mph Cic Cpps Fapic, R. Scott Stienecker Md

Infection Control

Presented at the 2023 APIC Annual Conference

Background: Hospital-onset Clostridioides difficile infection is a life-threatening disease that can prolong and complicate a patient's hospitalization. To reduce HO-CDIs and ensure positive health outcomes with reduced cost, utilization of a multi-disciplinary taskforce (MDT) is key to identify gaps, develop action plans, and implement and review interventions in the most efficient and effective manner.

Methods: Over the course of seven years, two rounds of interventions were executed consecutively across a nine-hospital healthcare system to reduce HO-CDI events. The first round (Round 1) driven solely by the Infection Prevention (IP) department spanned four years …

Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Screening Of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Staff In An Outbreak Setting, R. Scott Stienecker Md, Fidsa, Fshea, Cic, Brittany S. Thorp Mph

Infection Control

Presented at 2023 APIC Annual Conference

In December 2020, our infection prevention (IP) department noted an increase in Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates over baseline in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Our hospital sees a steady influx of parents colonized with MRSA and our weekly screening process regularly discovers neonates that subsequently become colonized with MRSA. A doubling of the number of cases per month led to deeper investigation. Epidemiologic data were collected on the neonates and matched to their mother’s screening cultures (when obtained). Sensitivity patterns were matched, and staff noted that a single sensitivity pattern predominated

L2 Writing As A Tool For Improving L2 Speaking Accuracy Through Text-Reconstruction Tasks In A Communicative Language Classroom, Natalia Sletova

Russian Language Journal

This study’s objective was to attract researchers’ attention to the potential role second language (L2) writing can play in improving L2 speaking grammatical accuracy in a communicative language classroom. Twenty-three beginner, twenty-one intermediate, and twenty advanced English learners of Russian completed a ‘noticing the gap’ activity using a text-reconstruction task in both written and spoken modalities, followed by a second text-reconstruction only in the spoken mode. The responses were measured for syntactic and semantic accuracy and complexity. The results indicated that lexical diversity and semantic complexity of produced output significantly improved with each level of proficiency in both written and …

Session Summary - The Places We’Ve Been: Nisos Interoperable System Of Controlled Digital Lending Update, Victoria Peters

Library Faculty Publications

Summary of the Friday Neapolitans session of the Charleston Library Conference titled "The Places We’ve Been: NISOs Interoperable System of Controlled Digital Lending Update." Reported by Victoria Peters, Scholarly Communication and Resource Services Librarian, DePauw University.

University Education Model: Overview, Fionnuala Darby, Shaun Ferns, Barry J. Ryan

Group Reports

The University Education Model (UEM) at TU Dublin is a transformative approach to education, designed to provide meaningful learning experiences that support the diverse needs of learners. Grounded in the university’s Strategic Intent and aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education), the UEM focuses on three key components: Learner Support, Learner Choice, and Learner Experience. These components work synergistically to foster growth, personal development, and societal contribution. The UEM creates an inclusive and sustainable learning environment where learners and staff can thrive, enabling TU Dublin to produce digitally literate graduates who are equipped to positively impact society …

Using The Hirota Method To Investigate The Integrability And New Exact Solutions Of The Non-Autonomous Nonlinear Schrodinger Equation, Islam Majed Albazlamit

Theses

In this thesis research, we investigate the existence of Hirota bilinear systems for the non-autonomous nonlinear Schrodinger equation (NLSE) with position- and time-dependent coefficients and external potentials. To that end, we employ a semi-analytical systematic method that employs some exact solutions. The Hirota bilinear system is then employed to derive new solutions to the same nonlinear differential equation. We have applied this approach to a number of different versions of NLSEs to find that each family of solutions shares the same Hirota bilinear system. Furthermore, properties of solutions such as stability are investigated.

Bismuth And Lanthanides In Mixed Metal Oxides To Metal– Organic Frameworks: Synthesis, Cherectarization, And Photocatalytic Performance, Reem H. Alzard

Dissertations

Known as rare–earth elements (REE), lanthanides (Ln) found in f–blocks of the periodic table, have gained much interest because of their unique characteristics including magnetism, photoluminescence and catalysis. Having a diverse range of coordination geometries, lanthanides can result in different complexes and materials. Herein, three classes of materials containing selected lanthanides such as lanthanide bismuth mixed metal oxides (Ln–Bi oxides), 1D lanthanide coordination polymers (Ln–CPs) and lanthanide metal–organic frameworks (Ln–MOFs) were investigated. Simple route sol– gel method was used to prepare Ln–Bi oxides while Ln–CPs and MOFs were prepared by solvothermal condition. The materials were characterized using multiple analytical, spectroscopic …

The Alternating Access Mechanism In Mammalian Multidrug Resistance Transporters And Their Bacterial Homologs, Shadi A. Badiee, Ugochi H. Isu, Ehsaneh Khodadadi, Mahmoud Moradi

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

Multidrug resistance (MDR) proteins belonging to the ATP-Binding Cassette (ABC) transporter group play a crucial role in the export of cytotoxic drugs across cell membranes. These proteins are particularly fascinating due to their ability to confer drug resistance, which subsequently leads to the failure of therapeutic interventions and hinders successful treatments. One key mechanism by which multidrug resistance (MDR) proteins carry out their transport function is through alternating access. This mechanism involves intricate conformational changes that enable the binding and transport of substrates across cellular membranes. In this extensive review, we provide an overview of ABC transporters, including their classifications …

Reducing Acute Kidney Injuries In The Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit By Implementing A Nurse Driven Hydration Protocol, Chelsea N. Singleton

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this project was to implement a nurse-driven hydration protocol to potentially decrease the risk of acute kidney injuries (AKI) in patients undergoing contrast procedures, which in turn should reduce length of stay.

Background

The project was implemented in a CVICU and Cardiac Catheterization Lab (CCL) Lab in an academic center in Houston, Texas.

Methodology

The project utilized Lean Six Sigma methodology and SBAR communication among staff utilizing a nurse-driven protocol to ensure hydration orders were activated during pre- and post- procedure. The staff were educated on how to implement the protocol prior to the start of …

Identifying Online Child Sexual Texts In Dark Web Through Machine Learning And Deep Learning Algorithms, Vuong Ngo, Susan Mckeever, Christina Thorpe

Conference papers

Predators often use the dark web to discuss and share Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) because the dark web provides a degree of anonymity, making it more difficult for law enforcement to track the criminals involved. In most countries, CSAM is considered as forensic evidence of a crime in progress. Processing, identifying and investigating CSAM is often done manually. This is a time-consuming and emotionally challenging task. In this paper, we propose a novel model based on artificial intelligence algorithms to automatically detect CSA text messages in dark web forums. Our algorithms have achieved impressive results in detecting CSAM in …

Device Assessed Activity Behaviours In Patients With Indwelling Pleural Catheter: A Sub-Study Of The Australasian Malignant Pleural Effusion (Ample)-2 Randomized Trial, Carolyn J. Peddle-Mcintyre, Sanjeevan Muruganandan, Joanne Mcveigh, Deirdre B. Fitzgerald, Leon Straker, Robert U. Newton, Kevin Murray, Yun Chor Gary Lee

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background and Objective: Device-assessed activity behaviours are a novel measure for comparing intervention outcomes in patients with malignant pleural effusion (MPE). Australasian Malignant PLeural Effusion (AMPLE)-2 was a multi-centre clinical trial where participants with MPE treated with an indwelling pleural catheter were randomized to daily (DD) or symptom-guided (SGD) drainage for 60-days. Our aim was to describe activity behaviour patterns in MPE patients, explore the impact of drainage regimen on activity behaviours and examine associations between activity behaviours and quality of life (QoL). Methods: Following randomization to DD or SGD, participants enrolled at the lead site (Perth) completed accelerometry assessment. …

Getting A Grip On Safewards: The Cross Impact Of Clinical Supervision And Safewards Model On Clinical Practice, Jennifer Hamilton, Amanda Cole, Richard Bostwick, Irene Ngune

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The Safewards model is used across various mental health settings to reduce incidents of conflict and containment and its efficacy in reducing the use of seclusion and restraint, improving patients' experiences of care, and enhancing safety within clinical settings is well documented (Bowers, Journal of Psychiatric & Mental Health Nursing, 21, 2014, 499). However, there are barriers to successful implementation, including level of staff buy-in (Baumgardt et al., Frontiers in Psychiatry, 10, 2019, 340; Price et al., Mental Health Practice, 19, 2016, 14). This mixed-method study assessed the impact of adopting a Safewards model within a clinical supervision framework in …

Mothers' Experiences Of A New Early Collaborative Intervention, The Eaci, In The Neonatal Period: A Qualitative Study, Charlotte Sahlén Helmer, Ulrika Birberg Thornberg, Thomas Abrahamsson, Evalotte Mörelius

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Aim: To explore mothers' experiences of the EArly Collaborative Intervention. Background: Preterm birth puts a considerable emotional and psychological burden on parents and families. Parents to moderate and late premature infants have shorter stays at the neonatal intensive care unit and have described a need for support. The EArly Collaborative Intervention was developed to support parents with preterm infants born between gestational Weeks 30 to 36. In this study, mothers' experiences of the new intervention were explored. Design: A qualitative design guided by a reflexive thematic analysis according to Braun and Clarke. Interviews were individually performed with 23 mothers experienced …

Identifying Adhesion Characteristics Of Metal-Polymer Interfaces: Recent Advances In The Case Of Electroplated Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene, Arief Yudhanto, Xiaole Li, Ran Tao, Ruslan Melentiev, Gilles Lubineau

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Applying thin metallic coating layers on the surface of polymeric parts or structures (metallization) that is generally performed via electroplating process aims to improve both mechanical integrity and design aesthetics. The mechanical integrity of the electroplated polymeric parts, which is greatly controlled by the strong interfacial adhesion between metal and polymer, can be measured using standardized tests, such as tape test and peel test, among others. However, various factors pertaining to the electroplating and the nature of these standardized tests affect our interpretation on the identified metal–polymer adhesion. In this paper, we reviewed the recent advances in the effective electroplating …

The Impact Of Working From Home On Employee Creativity: A Cross Cultural Comparison Of Germany And China, Andrew Heng

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

The rise of work-from-home (WFH) arrangements has brought significant changes to how employees work and interact with each other. This dissertation aims to examines the potential impact of WFH arrangements on employee creativity and investigates whether this impact varies across high-context and low-context cultures, with a particular focus on how demographic characteristics such as gender, age, and education may affect this relationship. The study is conducted within a top 10 global automotive supplier with associates in China (high-context culture) and Germany (low-context culture). As individual creativity often arises from collaboration and interaction with others, I hypothesised that as WFH frequency …