Digital Commons Network^™

African American Women’S Perceptions And Experiences With Weight Management And Ensuing Health Outcomes, Brenda Louise Gill

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American women (AAW) experience disproportionately high rates of obesity and chronic disease compared to all other demographic groups in the United States. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the experiences of AAW aged 36–64 residing in Nashville, Tennessee, regarding food, weight management, and chronic disease management. The social-ecological model (SEM) served as the theoretical framework, providing a multilevel lens through which individual, interpersonal, organizational, community, and societal factors are examined. Three research questions guided the inquiry, examining individual-level experiences, parental and caregivers’ influences, and community and societal-level factors shaping participants’ relationship with food, weight management, …

Penilaian Safety Climate Di Area Quarry Pada Pabrik Semen Di Indonesia, Andrizqa Andrizqa, Mufti Wirawan, Raden Ismail Haq, Asep Zaenal Muttaqien, Muhammad Arifin Ramzy Lubis

National Journal of Occupational Health and Safety

Work in the quarry area of the cement industry has a high risk of occupational accidents. Workers' understanding of the safety climate is important to prevent workplace accidents and injuries. This study aimed to assess the safety climate in the quarry area of a cement plant in Indonesia while identifying aspects that still require improvement. This study employed a descriptive quantitative approach using a questionnaire adapted from the Loughborough Safety Climate Assessment Toolkit (LSCAT). The sample consisted of all workers in the quarry area, including 49 permanent workers and 90 contract workers. The results showed that the average safety climate …

Pseudodifferential Absorbing Boundary Conditions For Waves, Lauren Taylor

Mechanical Engineering Theses

Absorbing boundary conditions (ABCs) are required to truncate the computational domain when performing Finite Element Analyses of exterior acoustic problems where physical domain is unbounded. ABC is applied on a fictitious boundary containing the scatterer and ideally allows outgoing waves to leave without non-physical reflections. Preventing artificial reflections is essential to benefit from the accuracy of the numerical method used. Otherwise, ABC acts as a reflective surface, and artificial reflections distort the solution in the entire domain which is not recoverable by any type of refinement. Pseudodifferential ABCs were used to describe the Dirichlet-to-Neumann map which maps known boundary values …

“Anything Can Have Life”: An Interview With Everett Quinton About Charles Ludlam’S Ridiculous Puppetry, Jungmin Song, John Bell, Everett Quinton

Ballard Institute Publications

This Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry conversation, via Zoom, with

Everett Quinton, Dr. John Bell, and Dr. Jungmin Song was recorded March 21,

2021, and edited by Tom Tuke and John Bell. Everett Quinton (1952-2023) was an

actor, director, and—after the death of his partner Charles Ludlam (1943-1987)—

the leader of the Ridiculous Theatrical Company, the landmark ensemble which

helped define queer theater in the late 20th century. While mostly known for his

acting, playwriting, and directing, Charles Ludlam was also an active puppeteer

and ventriloquist. Many of his puppets are now part of the Ballard Institute and

Museum …

Biophysical Insights Into A Cryptic Ligand Site In The Hydrophobic Core Of Human Pcna, Alexis N. Dispensa, Sharon N, Greenwood, Jason Yang, Daniel E. Logatto, James Fusco, E. Railey White, Roderic G. Eckenhoff, Zhiwei Liu, Brian P. Weiser

Department of Anesthesiology Faculty Papers

Proteins contain small pockets that form due to imperfections in residue packing or the rotational and conformational movement of amino acids. In this work, we used the fluorescent probe 1-aminoanthracene (AMA) to detect a small ligand pocket in the hydrophobic core of human proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), which is a critical protein for DNA replication and repair. Fluorescence measurements of AMA reported that the core of PCNA had a dielectric constant (ε) of 4, which was very apolar and similar to cyclohexane (ε = 2). Protein mutagenesis, photoaffinity labeling, and molecular dynamics simulations localized the binding site for AMA …

Depaul Digest

DePaul Magazine

James Bort, assistant professor at the Driehaus College of Business, levels the playing field for underdog entrepreneurs. Arieahn Matamonasa Bennett, associate professor at the School of Continuing and Professional Studies, helps connect to the natural world through equine-assisted therapy. Plus, alumni pitch in during Vincentian Service Day and the latest news from DePaul's 10 colleges and schools, from music education students teaching youth to law students engaging in international human rights work.

Beyond The Classroom

DePaul Magazine

DePaul's Irwin W. Steans Center, celebrating its 25th anniversary, has evolved into a national higher-education leader in community-engaged service learning, connecting faculty, students and community organizations to foster mutually beneficial initiatives and outcomes.

Therapy With Empathy

DePaul Magazine

DePaul's Speech Language Pathology and Occupational Therapy graduate programs, newly aligned in the Department of Rehabilitative Sciences and Professions at the College of Science and Health, employ a community assets-based approach to serving diverse populations and individuals' needs across the lifespan.

Class Notes

DePaul Magazine

From promotions to performances, see the latest accomplishments by DePaul alumni across class years and generations. Plus, read alumni spotlight profiles of Derrick M. Robinson Jr. (SCPS '11), who battles bullying through sneakers donations, and Alessandra Swanson (JD '09), a first-generation alumna who rose to partner at a prominent national law firm.

Effect Of Virtual Reality Intervention Of Postoperative Pain In Pediatric Surgical Patients, Tara L. Kempker

Dissertations

Problem: Pediatric surgical procedures are associated with preoperative anxiety. Preoperative anxiety is associated with higher postoperative pain. Multiple studies have found that decreasing preoperative anxiety using Virtual Reality (VR) Intervention also decreases postoperative pain scores and use of rescue analgesics in postoperative care units (PACU). However, there is no standardized protocol for use of VR interventions and in our institution, VR was not utilized at all.

Methods: This quality improvement (QI) initiative utilized a quasi-experimental design and convenience sampling. Quantitative data was collected during visits for scheduled operative visits for pediatric surgical patients ages seven to 18 years …

Sleep Disturbances Affect Sleep Quality Of Hospitalized Adults, Tonjia Hardesty

Dissertations

Abstract

Background: Sleep disturbances affect the quality of sleep hospitalized adults experience, possibly extending patient recovery time. Treatment of insomnia frequently includes pharmacological interventions exposing patients to potential side effects, leading to negative patient outcomes.  The purpose of this project was to determine if a sleep hygiene toolkit including eye masks, earplugs, advocacy cards, and removal of nicotine patches at bedtime would improve patient sleep quality without use of pharmacological interventions.

Methods: A descriptive observational design was used in this quality improvement (QI) project. A convenience sample of 37 (N =37) participants over the age of 18 years and …

Psychotropic Medication Use In Older Adults In A Long-Term Care Facility: Implications For Screening Tool, Callie M. Johnson

Dissertations

Psychotropic medication use in older adults aged 65 years and older residing in the long-term care facility has a complex issue in the high use of psychotropic medications. Older adults residing  in long-term care (LTC) facilities are affected and prescribed at least one psychotropic or antidepressant medication.

Enhancing Well-Being: Implementing Weekly Social Interventions For Older Adults In Independent Living, Rosa Huang

Dissertations

Loneliness and social isolation significantly impact the physical and mental well-being of older adults. This quality improvement project implemented an eight-week social intervention designed to reduce loneliness and enhance well-being through weekly sessions incorporating mindfulness exercises, gratitude journaling, and structured socialization activities. The intervention was delivered by nursing students to a sample of residents in a Midwestern independent living community. While most standardized measures of loneliness and mood did not show statistically significant changes, the project resulted in a statistically significant increase in social network engagement as measured by the Lubben Social Network Scale-6 (LSNS-6). The findings suggest that group-based …

[Excerpt From] The Nurse Manager's Guide To Budgeting & Finance, 4th Edition, Annmarie Papa

Sigma Publications: Book Excerpts

Nurses focus on the art and science of caregiving, so stepping into a nurse manager role brings new challenges—especially when it comes to the economic reality of patient-staffing ratios, budgets, reports, accounting, and financial decision-making. Acronyms such as FTEs and ADCs can feel like a foreign language, but thankfully, this book is here to help. The Nurse Manager’s Guide to Budgeting and Finance, 4th Edition, provides real-world tools, tips, and strategies nurses need to manage resources wisely, support their team, and keep their unit on track in an increasingly complex healthcare environment. In this practical, on-the-job handbook, author AnnMarie Papa …

Board Mtg Minutes 2026-04-08, Cassandra Osterloh

Executive Board

No abstract provided.

An Early Lexical Screening Tool For British English: Psychometric Properties And Clinical Utility, Allegra Cattani, Dora Bianchi, Caroline Floccia

School of Psychology

BackgroundExisting direct measures of vocabulary for ages 2–3 years are insufficient as vocabulary increases to include nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs, reflecting qualitative changes that support emerging grammatical abilities.AimsThe present study aims to establish the psychometric properties and validate a lexical screening tool for 19–36-month-old British English-speaking children, the WinG (Words in Game) test. Specifically, it examines gender differences in internal consistency, concurrent validity and predictive gender invariance across comprehension and production tasks. In addition, the study evaluates the diagnostic accuracy of the tool by establishing clinical cut-off scores to distinguish children with typical versus at-risk language development. Finally, it …

Vocabulary Acquisition Through Developmental Play, Amy Storlie

Graduate Teacher Education

As the population of English learners in the United States grew, there was a greater need for linguistically and developmentally appropriate instructional approaches for young learners. The question that guided this research on appropriate instructional approaches was: How does developmental play support the acquisition of academic vocabulary among early-emergent multilingual students in kindergarten and first grade? The research review examined peer-reviewed research across three interconnected bodies of literature: play-based learning, interactions in developmental play, and vocabulary instruction. The findings indicated that purposeful, guided play strengthened executive function, expressive language, and academic growth. In addition, collaborative practices such as translanguaging supported …

Identification Of Prognostic Factors For Disease Recurrence-Free Survival (Drfs) In Breast Cancer Patients Using The Cox Proportional Hazards Model, Dwi Cahyaning Putri, Veny Prabaningrum, Samsul Arifin

Jurnal Biostatistik, Kependudukan, dan Informatika Kesehatan

Breast cancer remains one of the most common malignancies among women worldwide, with recurrence remaining a major clinical challenge. Despite various treatment efforts, the mortality rate from breast cancer remains high, particularly among patients with worse clinical and molecular conditions. This study aims to identify factors influencing the survival of breast cancer patients using the Cox proportional hazards model. The study analyzes clinical and molecular data of breast cancer patients to identify key risk factors affecting Disease Recurrence-Free Survival (DRFS). Analysis was conducted using Kaplan-Meier, the Log Rank test, and the Cox proportional hazards model. The results showed that nodal …

Norman Wang V. University Of Pittsburgh

2026 Decisions

USDC for the Western District of Pennsylvania

Early Identification Of Skin Breakdown In The Medical-Surgical Setting, Brandi S. Paul, Kathryn Justice, Nic Money

Group: Samford University Moffett & Sanders School of Nursing

Hospital-acquired pressure injuries (HAPIs) remain a significant patient safety concern in acute care settings. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to reduce HAPI rates through a multidisciplinary intervention focused on the early identification of high-risk patients and improved adherence to pressure injury prevention practices.

Guided by the Iowa Model of Evidence-Based Practice, this quality improvement project was implemented over eight weeks on one medical-surgical unit at two southeastern U.S. hospitals. Adult patients with Braden scores ≤14 were identified as high risk. Nurses initiated the Pink Paper Initiative (PPI), which included visual bedside reminders, multidisciplinary checklists, …

Implementation Of A Follow-Up Call To Improve Glp-1 Medication Compliance, Hanna Weitzman-Flanigan

DNP and Student Works

Background: Obesity is a major driver of healthcare spending in the United States. GLP-1 receptor agonists are effective for weight management; however, high rates of early discontinuation reduce both clinical and economic value.

Methods: A pre–post quality improvement project implemented a nurse-led follow-up call at four weeks.

Results: Adherence improved significantly (p=0.009), weight decreased by 10 pounds (p=0.023), and estimated annual savings per patient were $6,472, contingent on sustained long-term adherence. Total estimated project savings were $80,141.

Conclusion: Nurse-led follow-up calls are a high-value intervention supporting economic sustainability.

Security Architecture Decision Framework For Endpoint Protection In Resource-Constrained K-12 Environments, Jason Folker

Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

K-12 educational institutions face an ongoing challenge in protecting endpoints when budgets and staffing prevent the implementation of standard security best practices. Technology directors routinely make difficult decisions about administrative rights, software controls, and security tooling, but they lack frameworks designed for the constraints and priorities specific to educational environments. This paper develops a security architecture decision framework tailored for K-12 endpoint protection. The framework integrates five weighting dimensions to help technology directors evaluate competing architectural choices. These dimensions include educational impact, security risk reduction, resource requirements, compliance obligations, and operational feasibility. The framework creates structured documentation that helps decision-makers …

Coherent Two-Photon Backscattering And Induced Angular Quantum Correlations In Multiple-Scattered Two-Photon States Of The Light, Nooshin M. Estakhri, Theodore B. Norris

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

We present the emergence of coherent two-photon backscattering, a manifestation of weak localization, in multiple scattering of maximally entangled pure and fully mixed two-photon states and examine the effect of entanglement and classical correlations. Quantum correlations in backscattering are investigated for finite three-dimensional disordered structures in the weak localization regime, as well as systems of a small number of scatterers with specified spatial arrangements. No assumptions are made about the statistical behavior of the scattering matrix elements. Furthermore, we study the interplay between quantum correlations induced by multiple scattering and the correlations that may be present in the illumination fields, …

Full Issue: Summer 2026

DePaul Magazine

In DePaul Magazine's summer 2026 issue, learn how DePaul is living its Vincentian mission through innovative community engagement and service learning, exemplified by its Irwin W. Steans Center and Speech Language Pathology and Occupational Therapy graduate programs. Also, meet alumna Kate Steinberg who revisits her youth and DePaul days as a rising social media influencer, get the latest news from DePaul's 10 colleges and schools, and much more.

Examining Inmate Labor In Emergency Management: Contributions, Challenges, And Ethical Considerations, Boris Eugene Valiance

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Incarcerated individuals remain inconsistently engaged in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery, creating both an operational gap and an ethical challenge regarding labor equity, safety, voluntariness, and human dignity. Guided by RBT and EMT, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how incarcerated individuals are utilized in emergency management and to examine stakeholder perceptions of the operational, ethical, and policy implications of inmate labor programs. The research questions examined current utilization patterns, stakeholder-perceived benefits and drawbacks, and ethical concerns influencing participation decisions. Data were collected through semi structured interviews with purposefully sampled emergency management professionals, policymakers, and correctional …

Relationship Between Employee Engagement, Gender, And Intention To Quit In The Retail Industry, Lataya V. Mills

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Intention to quit remains a significant challenge for retail organizations, contributing to recruitment and training costs, workforce instability, and operational disruptions. The purpose of this quantitative correlational research project was to examine the relationship between employee engagement, gender, and intention to quit among frontline retail employees in the Mid-Atlantic United States. Grounded in employee engagement theory, participants included 71 frontline retail employees. Data were collected using the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, an Intention to Quit Scale, and demographic questions. Composite scores were calculated for employee engagement and intention to quit, and the data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, …

Cytoskeletal Protein Expression In Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Psychoneuroimmunological Perspective On Sars-Cov-2, James Birch

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic heightened concerns about health disparities among individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Limited understanding of the biological factors underlying health variability may hinder efforts to reduce disparities and improve care for neurodivergent populations. Guided by the psychoneuroimmunology framework, this quantitative study investigated whether cytoskeletal gene expression was associated with neuroimmune variability in ASD and SARS-CoV-2 populations. Three genes –Nck-associated protein 1 (NCKAP1), WAS/WASL-interacting protein family member 1 (WIPF1), and actin-related protein 2/3 complex subunit 1B (ARPC1B)—were evaluated using two publicly available Gene Expression Omnibus datasets GSE212645 (ASD vs. sibling-matched controls, N = 40) and GSE152641 (SARS-CoV-2-positive vs. …

Apala Best Of The Best Booklist 2025, Apala Best Of The Best Booklist 2023 - 2024 Authors Asian Pacific American Librarians Association, Family Literacy Focus Committee, Jessea Young (Co-Chair), Jennifer Woo, Nicole Fernandez, Erika Fitzpatrick, Alvina Lai, Cathy Lin, Patty Sumire Mcgowan, Kim Nguyen

Librarian Publications & Presentations

The Best of the Best Booklist celebrates stories from across the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) diaspora. All APALA members were invited to nominate picture book titles about AANHPI communities and experiences that were published between September 1, 2024–August 31, 2025. The Family Literacy Focus Committee selected books aligned with the Talk Story mission and used the APALA Rubric for Evaluating Asian American and Pacific Islander Youth Literature to guide the curation of the list. Eligible titles that earned a 2025-2026 APALA Literature Award or Honoree designation have been included at the end of this list.

Message From The President, Georgia Southern University

Messages from the President

No abstract provided.

Fostering Active Learning In Reproductive Health Classes Among Undergraduates Of A Nigerian Public University: The Role Of Cognitive Restructuring Health Education, Ndubuisi Friday Ugwu, Adewumi Segun Igbinlade, Adijat Bolanle Adams, Uchenna Anselm Anibueze, Gabriel Aderibigbe Oyegbami, Chinyere Chrysantus Onwurah, Sabina Nwakaego Igwilo, Olufemi M. Olubamise, Folasade Adediran, Oladipo Adeyeye Olubodun Phd, Jacob Kehinde Opele, Loveth Nnenna Ugwu, Amos Olorunwa Agbojo

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objective: This study examined the efficacy of the cognitive restructuring health education (CRHE) intervention in improving participatory learning in sexual and reproductive health classes among students at a Nigerian public university.

Methods: The study employed a randomized pretest/posttest control group design involving 130 undergraduates from Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Nigeria. Participants were randomly assigned to either a 2-week intensive health education–based cognitive restructuring program (n = 65) or a waitlist control group (n = 65). Interaction behavior was assessed at pretreatment, at post-treatment, and at a 6-week follow-up using the 14-item Interaction Behavior Checklist (reliability = 0.85). …