Digital Commons Network^™

Occupational Therapy Holistic Admissions At A Public, Urban Research University: Process, Outcomes, And Transitions, Ashley Stoffel, Dalmina Arias, Toni Van Denend, Caitlin Smith, Jenica Lee, Maria Larson, Gail Fisher

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Implementing a holistic admissions process reflecting the mission of the university provides the means to expand enrollment of students from diverse backgrounds who have life experiences and values that are well matched to the communities they serve. This article explores the historical significance, outcomes, and transitions of a holistic admissions process in a public, urban research university.

The holistic admission process outlined in this article offers a balanced and equitable approach to student selection by considering a broad array of backgrounds, experiences, and attributes beyond traditional metrics, such as grades. With a commitment to inclusivity, access, and belonging, the department …

Feasibility Of Therapeutic Drumming Intervention For Autistic Youth: An Exploratory Study, Zahava L. Friedman, Dina Prisco, Jorge Ochoa, Talia Nuesi, Carmen Guarino, Patricia Higgins, Danielle Centi

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: There is a need to identify a wider variety of neurodiversity-affirming interventions within the scope of occupational therapy. Therapeutic drumming, percussive music-making as a therapeutic intervention, holds potential for occupational therapy practice, though few studies have explored its efficacy with this population. The purpose of this study was to explore the design and effectiveness of therapeutic drumming for autistic youth from perspectives of drumming facilitators to identify relevant outcome variables and usefulness in the study and practice of therapeutic drumming.

Methodology: This exploratory feasibility study recruited twelve facilitators and 10 autistic youth. An occupational therapy graduate student …

Service Disruptions In Early Intervention Amid Covid-19: Understanding Challenges Faced By Families And Providers, Tiana T. Nguyen, Samantha Mong, Juliana Lainez, Domenique Embrey

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Infants at risk for developmental delays require early intervention (EI) services to support their development. However, many families face barriers to receiving services, which were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objective: This qualitative study examined how COVID-19 impacted access to EI therapy services from the perspectives of families and EI providers in the San Francisco Bay Area. The study aimed to identify existing barriers and new pandemic-specific challenges to inform strategies for improving continuity and quality of EI care during future service disruptions.

Methods: Semi-structured virtual interviews were conducted with caregivers of eligible infants and EI providers. …

The Impact Of Computer Training On Confidence And Occupational Participation In Community-Dwelling Older Adults, Alicia Jones, Joseph A. Scazzero, Rosanne Dizazzo-Miller

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: It is fundamental to understand why older adults choose and use technology to fully understand how to meet the needs of an aging population in a technologically advanced society. This research aimed to design and implement a holistic technology training program for older adults that explores using a laptop beyond basic internet use.

Method: A pre-post mixed-method survey study took place at a local senior center. A classroom-style program was designed to deliver information and instruction using a digital device. An 11-item survey on attitudes toward technology using a 7-point Likert scale with qualitative responses was used to collect …

The Content Validity Of The Functional Cognition Index In Instrumental Activities Of Daily Living (Fci-Iadl) As A Screening Tool For Mild Cognitive Impairment (Mci) In Older Adults In Singapore, Namrata P. Sadarangani, Phyllis Simon

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is a syndrome that is considered a transition phase between healthy cognitive aging and dementia. The person may have subjective memory complaints, substantiated by family or caregiver and/or impaired executive function, that lead to difficulties performing complex Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs). Our objective was to develop a tool to assess functional cognition in IADLs as a screen for MCI in older adults.

Method: A Qualtrics survey questionnaire was rated by 15 content experts on the relevance of the 22 test item questions to the cognitive domains being measured using a 4-point …

Reframing Occupational Therapy In A Reactive Health System Through Prevention And Caregiver Training, Rosanne Dizazzo-Miller

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

This article explores the expanding role of occupational therapy in chronic disease management, prevention, and caregiver supported care. Occupational therapy is uniquely positioned to support health promotion and caregiver training but remains underused in prevention-focused health care models. Current literature from the Open Journal of Occupational Therapy highlights the importance of caregiver training, the systemic barriers limiting occupational therapy's role in chronic disease management, and the need for the profession to embrace a broader role within this area of practice.

A Mixed-Methods Pilot Investigation Of Act Workshops In Integrated Primary Care, Katherine Buckheit, Kyle Possemato, Mara Sindoni, Luke Mitzel, Niranjala Yogaratnam, Allyson Smith, Lilian Dindo

The Journal of Integrated Primary Care

Mental health symptoms are prevalent and associated with considerable disease burden. However, most individuals who would benefit from mental health treatment do not receive appropriate care. Barriers such as logistical challenges and stigma often prevent access to traditional services. Alternative delivery modalities and settings may reduce these barriers. This pilot study evaluated the acceptability and preliminary effectiveness of single day Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) workshops delivered in a non-traditional setting, integrated primary care. Acceptability was operationalized as  treatment engagement and treatment satisfaction. Preliminary effectiveness was operationalized as within-condition change in mental health symptoms. Participants were 32 Veterans Affairs (VA) …

Ambient Agent Swarm With Soft Contract Negotiation For Proactive Network Monitoring, Ryan Holland, Elango Ganesan

Defensive Publications Series

Proposed herein is a hybrid cloud-edge ambient agent swarm for network operations, where specialized agents coordinate through soft capability contracts rather than rigid interfaces. The proposed approach enables continuous proactive monitoring and interactive troubleshooting in one system, while reducing latency and bandwidth through edge-local diagnostics with cloud-level synthesis. It is designed for enterprise-scale operations where platform teams need independent agent evolution, graceful fallback behavior, and consistent multi-domain triage with bounded deep-dive analysis.

Graph-Constrained Code Generation For Deep Metadata Environments, Pradeep Shankara, Anil Nagalla, Richard Yang, Vinay Anand

Defensive Publications Series

Generative artificial intelligence models may face challenges generating source code for languages that rely on deep, nested metadata stored in data repositories, which can result in functionally limited or non-compilable output. A graph-constrained code generation framework can address this by extracting metadata from a target system and translating it into one or more knowledge graphs that model structural dependencies. An automated agent may traverse these graphs to perform a multi-hop context retrieval based on a developer's request. This collected context can then be used to construct a detailed, constraint-enforcing prompt for a large language model. This process of grounding the …

System For Serving A Pre-Compiled User Interface To A Host Environment Using A Local Bridge Server, Jack Livingston

Defensive Publications Series

Development in text-centric environments, such as for large language models, can present challenges in rendering complex user interfaces (UI) for simulation and debugging, which may lead to inefficient workflows. A system can integrate a pre-compiled graphical user interface application within a host development environment. This can be accomplished using a local bridge server that serves a UI application bundle to the host environment via a communication protocol. The host environment may then render the UI, for example, within a sandboxed inline frame. This approach can reduce workflow fragmentation and latency by embedding an interactive simulation and debugging tool into the …

System For Diagram Generation With Decoupled Logical Interpretation And Deterministic Rendering, Timothy Jabez, Arindam Sirohia, Stenal P. Jolly, Shreya Prabhu

Defensive Publications Series

A system for diagram generation can address potential limitations where logical interpretation and visual rendering are coupled, which could lead to inconsistent outputs. The system can employ a decoupled, multi-stage pipeline. For example, a first processing stage using artificial intelligence can transform an unstructured user input into a platform-agnostic intermediate logical artifact that defines a diagram's components and connections without spatial or visual information. Subsequently, a separate layout and rendering engine can process this logical artifact to calculate spatial positions and generate a visual diagram. This separation of logical interpretation from visual rendering may improve the reliability and accuracy of …

System And Method For Zero Copy Machine Learning Inference Using Non Owning Shared Memory Model Views, Faiz Ahmed

Defensive Publications Series

A system and method are disclosed that eliminate model loading in machine learning inference by enabling inference processes to operate directly on a shared, already‑resident model representation, wherein trained model parameters are stored as native binary structures in operating‑system managed shared memory and are accessed by inference processes through non‑owning typed memory views that require no allocation, copying, or deserialization; the shared memory region serves as the authoritative representation of the model and includes a control header and a plurality of model slots arranged in a double‑buffered configuration, wherein model updates are performed by writing a model into an inactive …

A System And Method For Data Replication With Agentic Timestamp-Based Conflict Resolution In Rdbms Cluster, Ravi Shanker Kumar Sinha

Defensive Publications Series

A system and method for autonomous data replication with conflict resolution in a distributed relational database management system (RDBMS) cluster includes a plurality of RDBMS nodes arranged in a mesh topology, wherein each RDBMS node maintains a local database, a logical clock, and a node identifier. A replication agent associated with each RDBMS node monitors change logs and propagates record modifications to other RDBMS nodes through bi-directional replication links. A conflict resolution module detects concurrent updates to a same record from different RDBMS nodes and resolves detected conflicts by comparing logical timestamps and selecting an update having a higher timestamp …

Subscribe, Follow, Save: Podcast Preservation In The Platform Era, Ben Pettis, Jeremy Morris

Rhetoric and Communication Studies Faculty Publications

Podcasting has produced a glut of cultural content. Collecting and saving these sounds for future study, however, remains challenging. This article asks: “How are recent developments in the platformization of podcasting threatening the ability of users and researchers to save, study, and sustain podcasts and the cultural insights they offer?” To answer, we focus on a podcast preservation project, PodcastRE.org, and discuss strategies for creating an (un)stable repository for future studies of podcasting. While new developments challenge preservation efforts, they also offer archivists opportunities to prioritize the cultural significance of podcasts, rather than the economic motives of the podcast industry …

Examining Hiv Testing In Black Americans In The Southern United States: Association Between Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Healthcare Access, And Hiv High-Risk Behaviors, Shavon Wolfe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Examining factors that affect HIV testing in the Black/African American population is important because socioeconomic hardship, stigma, and restricted access to healthcare all lead to gaps in early diagnosis and prevention treatment to prevent further spread of infection. However, most studies have focused on these factors separately, leaving less understanding of how they work together to influence HIV testing behavior. Guided by the health belief model, this study examined the relationship between sexual orientation, gender identity, healthcare access, and HIV high-risk behaviors. The study examined the relationship between sexual orientation, gender identity, healthcare access, and HIV testing, and the influence …

The Impact Of Super Political Action Committee Spending On Abortion Legislation In A Post-Dobbs Era, Jeni Atchley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Super political action committee (Super PAC) spending has become a prominent feature of U.S. elections, yet limited research had examined how independent expenditures related to electoral success in competitive U.S. House races and whether that relationship varied by candidates’ abortion policy positions in the post-Dobbs era. Prior research has shown that Super PAC independent expenditures expanded sharply after Citizens United and can influence candidate visibility in competitive races, yet findings on whether that spending translates into electoral success have been mixed, and few studies had examined it in relation to candidates' abortion positions after Dobbs. The purpose of this correlational …

Language Proficiency And Moves In Turkish And English Research Abstracts, Engin Evrim Önem

Khazar Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

The primary function of the abstract within a research article is to convince readers of the study's significance, encapsulating specific details such as its purpose, methodology, results, and discussions and/or conclusions. Notably, scholarly attention has been directed towards the rhetorical structures employed in abstracts found in scientific journals, as authors are believed to employ diverse structures to present their articles in an engaging manner that captures readers' interest. The varied rhetorical structures used in research article abstracts are often referred to as ``moves''. This study investigated the impact of language proficiency and translation on these moves. Six Ph.D. students from …

Enhancing Student Evaluation: A Study Of Formative And Summative Assessment Practices In Primary Schools, Niman Dreshaj, Isa Spahiu, Zarije Nuredini Spahiu, Suzana Ejupi

Khazar Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

This article explores assessment in the Kosovo primary education system, focusing on the content to be assessed and the methods used to measure student learning. The study seeks to characterize typical assessment methods, including assessment models, to determine the extent to which they contribute to the quality of teaching and to students' learning. The study focuses in particular on formative and summative assessment, exploring their use in practice and the teacher attributes within this context. Initial results indicate that the predominant use of summative assessment is sensitive to demographic characteristics, such as teacher age and level of professional training. Older …

Negotiating Laughter: Power, Gender, And Classroom Discourse In Pakistani University Settings, Maheen Zahra, Rahat Bashir, Kanwal Zahra

Khazar Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

The aim of this study is to explore how laughter is used as an interactional and socially situated discourse in Pakistani university classrooms at different academic levels. A total of 29 episodes of laughter, out of 32 observed classrooms, were documented through detailed field notes, analyzing how the laughter was initiated, processed, and regulated within the classroom. The findings revealed that laughter is not only an expression of amusement, but it is also a complicated communicative discourse, which is used as a pedagogical tool to maintain power hierarchies and relations as per socio-cultural norms. At the undergraduate level, laughter usually …

Exploring Chatgpt's Role In Developing Productive Language Skills: A Systematic Review, Milana Abbasova, Eljan Salimli

Khazar Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Although the interactive features of ChatGPT offer substantial benefits for language education, its integration presents complex pedagogical and ethical challenges. This systematic review critically evaluates the capabilities and limitations of ChatGPT in enhancing expressive language capabilities, specifically speaking and writing. Adhering to PRISMA guidelines, a rigorous search of the ERIC database and a forward snowballing technique via Google Scholar yielded an initial pool of 1,124 records, culminating in the final selection of 22 empirical studies for in-depth analysis. Grounded in Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory and the SAMR integration model, the findings conceptualize ChatGPT as a virtual ``More Knowledgeable Other'' that provides …

Exploring University Students' Acceptance Of Generative Ai For Writing: An Extended Technology Acceptance Model (Tam 3) Perspective, Ikram Ullah, Huma Batool, Sadia Irshad

Khazar Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Generative AI presents significant potential for improving students' writing, and its acceptance is influenced by varied factors. The present study aims at exploring the factors by examining six vital constructs of Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) 3 (Venkatesh & Bala, 2008)—academic relevance, output quality, self-efficacy, playfulness, anxiety, and perceived enjoyment—and their impact on perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and behavioral intention of students. Using a quantitative research approach, a sample size of 345 university students from Computer Science, Management Science, and Arts and Humanities voluntarily participated in an online cross-sectional survey questionnaire. The data was analyzed by SPSS 23.0 and …

Taxonomy As Translation: Private Law In A Plural Legal Order, Ibtisaam Ahmed

Notre Dame Journal of International & Comparative Law

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Retention Threat On Student Learning Gains: Evidence From Ohio, Sarah Souders, Robert Bifulco

Center for Policy Research

Grade retention policies create incentives for students to make adequate progress ahead of evaluation. The threat of retention thus has the potential to affect all students’ academic outcomes, increasing achievement especially among students with test scores near the retention policy’s threshold. By using unique data from Ohio which allows us to implement a regression discontinuity design, we find that students exposed to the threat of retention in Grade 3 experience larger learning gains than students who are not under retention threat. Gains in Grade 3 English Language Arts (ELA) are 0.077 SD and although effects partially fade over time, positive …

Improving Antimicrobial Stewardship In Pediatric Acute Otitis Media Management In Urgent Care Settings, Madison Haines, Gina Crudden

Group: Nebraska Methodist College

Problem: Acute otitis media (AOM) is a leading cause of pediatric antibiotic prescribing in urgent care (UC) settings. Despite guidelines recommending watchful waiting, inappropriate prescribing persists, contributing to increased antimicrobial resistance and healthcare costs. This quality improvement project aimed to enhance antimicrobial stewardship through provider education and clinical decision-making support tools.

Intervention: Utilizing the Plan-Do-Study-Act framework, the 30-day intervention was implemented across Midwestern UC centers. The intervention involved asynchronous provider education focused on evidence-based prescribing, watchful waiting strategies, and caregiver communication.

Measures: Primary outcomes included provider confidence in implementing watchful waiting and perceived adherence to clinical guidelines, measured via pre- …

Increasing Patient Education On Obesity, Claire Maddux, Linda Hughes

Group: Nebraska Methodist College

Obesity is a prevalent and undertreated chronic disease associated with significant morbidity and mortality, yet patient education and engagement in treatment remain limited in primary care. This quality improvement project aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a brief, theory-driven educational handout in improving patient knowledge, self-awareness, and readiness to engage in obesity-related care. The intervention was implemented in a Midwestern primary care clinic and targeted adult patients with a body mass index of 30 or greater. Participants were provided with an educational handout and completed pre- and post-handout tests assessing knowledge of obesity etiology, risks, and treatment options, as well …

Case Study: Feasibility Of Creating A Simulated Mobile Data Center For Cross-Disciplinary Academic Programs, Stanley Mierzwa, Christoper J. Schultz, Iassen Christov, Michael Fagioli, Thomas Ikeda, Reinaldo Jaramillo, Giolian Sanagustin

Center for Cybersecurity

This case study examines the potential to envision, create, and deploy a simulated mobile micro data center solution that can be easily replicated and transported between locations and educational settings. The coined term for this solution is the Mobile AI-Centered Data Center (Mobile ACDC), which provides students with a platform to construct, in a hands-on fashion, such a solution and navigate the product to gain greater competencies and understanding of the components found in a data center. Instructor and student feedback assessments from the pilot classroom modules and laboratory experiential learning activities indicate that such a solution helps to improve …

Toward An Integrated Framework For Character Education: A Comparative Analysis Of Character.Org’S 11 Principles, The Jubilee Centre Character Education Framework For Schools, And Primed For Character Education, Liliana Borrero

Dissertations

Abstract

Character education is widely recognized as an essential component of schooling; however, it lacks a coherent framework that draws on the shared conceptual ground underlying the current dominant frameworks. This qualitative study systematically compared three influential character education frameworks: Character.org’s 11 Principles for Schools, the Jubilee Centre’s Framework for Character Education in Schools, and PRIMED for Character Education. The purpose of the study was to determine the extent to which these frameworks converge and diverge in their conceptualizations of effective character education and to assess the feasibility of integrating their cross-cutting elements into an integrated framework. Using thematic analysis …

Ethical, Regulatory, And Equity Challenges Of Ai In Pharmaceutical Advertising, Samer Imad Mohammed, Fadia Thamir Ahmed

BioMed Visions Journal

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) and chatbots are significantly altering pharmaceutical advertising by facilitating personalized patient engagement and enhancing treatment optimization. Their adoption presents substantial ethical, regulatory, and equity challenges that require thorough analysis. Objectives: The objectives of this review are to analyze: (1) the implementation of AI technologies, such as chatbots and predictive analytics, in pharmaceutical advertising; (2) ethical risks, including algorithmic bias and misinformation; (3) deficiencies in global regulatory frameworks, specifically those of the FDA and EMA; and (4) effects on health equity, with a focus on vulnerable populations. Methods: A narrative review was conducted using several databases with …

Evaluation The Attitudes Toward Prevention Of Communicable Diseases On Health Care Workers At Al-Sadr Hospital In Iraq's Najaf Governorate, Ahmed Ali Mohammed Alshamarti, Wisam Abdul Ameer Ali Farid, Atheer Kadhim Ibadi, Sabreen Ali Hassoni

BioMed Visions Journal

Background: Communicable diseases are responsible for a heavy burden on human health. Health workers were the front line in preventing these diseases. Wrong or positive attitudes of health workers can reflect negatively or positively on infection control efforts. The primary objective of study evaluating attitudes levels between health care workers towards transferable diseases. The secondary objective, assessing association with social-demographic characteristics of health workers. Materials and Methods: The data from Al-Sadr Hospital, by use a frequency study started from the 1^st of December 2021 to the 30^th of May in 2022. The sample from 384 health care workers …

Pharmacy Students' Perceptions And Attitudes Toward Online Learning: Insights From A Cross-Sectional Study In Iraq, Heba M. Attash, Luma M. Al-Obaidy, Harith Kh. Al-Qazaz, Fahad Saleem

BioMed Visions Journal

Background: The rapid shift to online learning during the pandemic has reshaped pharmacy education in Iraq, yet student perceptions remain underexplored. This study examines how pharmacy students view online and hybrid models, with attention to gender, location, and access to technology. Method: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted between October 2024 and January 2025 with 386 fourth- and fifth-year pharmacy students from differrent universities across Iraq. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire adapted from validated tools, assessing demographics, learning preferences, and attitudes toward digital education. Descriptive and inferential statistics were analyzed using SPSS version 25. Results: Most participants were …