Digital Commons Network^™

Diabetes Self-Management Education, Jean David Thomas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractAccording to the World Health Organization, Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic, metabolic disease that can lead to damage throughout the body and development complications if self-care management is not implemented. Studies have demonstrated a lack of preparedness of nursing staff on T2DM self-care. At the federally qualified health clinic where this Doctor of Nursing Practice project occurred, a gap in practice existed related to the use of outdated American Diabetes Association (ADA) guidelines and lack of patient education documentation on self-care management of T2DM. The purpose of this staff education project was to plan, implement, and evaluate …

Reactome Pathway Analysis From Whole-Blood Transcriptome Reveals Unique Characteristics Of Systemic Sclerosis Patients At The Preclinical Stage, Chiara Bellocchi, Xuan Wang, Marka A Lyons, Maurizio Marchini, Maurizio Lorini, Vincenzo Carbonelli, Nicola Montano, Shervin Assassi, Lorenzo Beretta

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to characterize differential expressed pathways (DEP) in subjects with preclinical systemic sclerosis (PreSSc) characterized uniquely by Raynaud phenomenon, specific autoantibodies, and/or capillaroscopy positive for scleroderma pattern.

METHODS: Whole-blood samples from 33 PreSSc with clinical prospective data (baseline and after 4 years of follow-up) and 16 matched healthy controls (HC) were analyzed for global gene expression transcriptome analysis via RNA sequencing. Functional Analysis of Individual Microarray Expression method annotated Reactome individualized pathways. ANOVA analysis identified DEP whose predictive capability were tested in logistic regression models after extensive internal validation.

RESULTS: At 4 years, 42.4% subjects progressed (evolving …

Plasma Enzymatic Activity, Proteomics And Peptidomics In Covid-19-Induced Sepsis: A Novel Approach For The Analysis Of Hemostasis, Fernando Dos Santos, Joyce B Li, Nathalia Juocys, Rafi Mazor, Laura Beretta, Nicole G Coufal, Michael T Y Lam, Mazen F Odish, Maria Claudia Irigoyen, Anthony J O'Donoghue, Federico Aletti, Erik B Kistler

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Infection by SARS-CoV-2 and subsequent COVID-19 can cause viral sepsis. We investigated plasma protease activity patterns in COVID-19-induced sepsis with bacterial superinfection, as well as plasma proteomics and peptidomics in order to assess the possible implications of enhanced proteolysis on major protein systems (e.g., coagulation). Methods: Patients (=4) admitted to the intensive care units (ICUs) at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Medical Center with confirmed positive test for COVID-19 by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were enrolled in a study approved by the UCSD Institutional Review Board (IRB# 190699, Protocol #20-0006). Informed consent was obtained …

Sound Speed Estimation For Distributed Aberration Correction In Laterally Varying Media, Rehman Ali, Trevor M Mitcham, Melanie Singh, Marvin M Doyley, Richard R Bouchard, Jeremy J Dahl, Nebojsa Duric

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Spatial variation in sound speed causes aberration in medical ultrasound imaging. Although our previous work has examined aberration correction in the presence of a spatially varying sound speed, practical implementations were limited to layered media due to the sound speed estimation process involved. Unfortunately, most models of layered media do not capture the lateral variations in sound speed that have the greatest aberrative effect on the image. Building upon a Fourier split-step migration technique from geophysics, this work introduces an iterative sound speed estimation and distributed aberration correction technique that can model and correct for aberrations resulting from laterally varying …

Naproxen Chemoprevention Induces Proliferation Of Cytotoxic Lymphocytes In Lynch Syndrome Colorectal Mucosa, Charles M Bowen, Nan Deng, Laura Reyes-Uribe, Edwin Roger Parra, Pedro Rocha, Luisa M Solis, Ignacio I Wistuba, Valerie O Sepeda, Lana Vornik, Marjorie Perloff, Eva Szabo, Asad Umar, Krishna M Sinha, Powel H Brown, Eduardo Vilar

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Recent clinical trial data from Lynch Syndrome (LS) carriers demonstrated that naproxen administered for 6-months is a safe primary chemoprevention that promotes activation of different resident immune cell types without increasing lymphoid cellularity. While intriguing, the precise immune cell types enriched by naproxen remained unanswered. Here, we have utilized cutting-edge technology to elucidate the immune cell types activated by naproxen in mucosal tissue of LS patients.

METHODS: Normal colorectal mucosa samples (pre- and post-treatment) from a subset of patients enrolled in the randomized and placebo-controlled 'Naproxen Study' were obtained and subjected to a tissue microarray for image mass cytometry …

Distinct Patterns Of Auto-Reactive Antibodies Associated With Organ-Specific Immune-Related Adverse Events, Mehmet Altan, Quan-Zhen Li, Qi Wang, Natalie I Vokes, Ajay Sheshadri, Jianjun Gao, Chengsong Zhu, Hai T Tran, Saumil Gandhi, Mara B Antonoff, Stephen Swisher, Jing Wang, Lauren A Byers, Noha Abdel-Wahab, Maria C Franco-Vega, Yinghong Wang, J Jack Lee, Jianjun Zhang, John V Heymach

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

UNLABELLED: The roles of preexisting auto-reactive antibodies in immune-related adverse events (irAEs) associated with immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy are not well defined. Here, we analyzed plasma samples longitudinally collected at predefined time points and at the time of irAEs from 58 patients with immunotherapy naïve metastatic non-small cell lung cancer treated on clinical protocol with ipilimumab and nivolumab. We used a proteomic microarray system capable of assaying antibody reactivity for IgG and IgM fractions against 120 antigens for systemically evaluating the correlations between auto-reactive antibodies and certain organ-specific irAEs. We found that distinct patterns of auto-reactive antibodies at baseline were …

A Scientific Communication Mentoring Intervention Benefits Diverse Mentees With Language Variety Related Discomfort, Carrie A Cameron, Hwa Young Lee, Cheryl B Anderson, Erin K Dahlstrom, Shine Chang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

We studied social-psychological effects over time of a faculty-mentor workshop intervention that addressed attitudes associated with language variety and their impact on scientific communication (SC) skill development of PhD and postdoctoral STEM research trainees (N = 274). Six months after their mentors attended the workshop, all mentees had significant gains in productivity in speaking tasks. In particular, mentees with high language discomfort rated their quality of communication with their mentor and their enthusiasm about communicating more highly (p < .05 for both measures), compared to mentees with low language discomfort. In addition, mentees raised speaking nonstandardized varieties of English reported significant reductions in discomfort related to language use (p = .003), compared to mentees raised speaking standardized English. We conclude that training mentors to understand and respond to …

Leadership’S Impact On Employee Work Motivation And Performance, Tonia Marilu Joseph-Armstrong

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractLeadership is a major factor in terms of motivating employees, leading to enhanced performance. A study was conducted to examine the influence of supervisory leadership style on employee work motivation and job performance in organizations, specifically in a K-12 school setting. The main goal was to determine if there is a relationship between type of leadership demonstrated by school administrators and its impact on the teaching staff’s motivation and performance. Data for this quantitative study were gathered and analyzed from various public and private schools and included a sample of 100 participants. The predictor variable leadership was assessed using the …

Barriers To The Successful Implementation Of Laws In Saint Lucia, Confia Samantha Jn Paul-Samuel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractSaint Lucia experiences barriers to successfully implementing some of its enacted laws. As a developing country, when legislative efforts are hampered, the law enactment process is negatively impacted. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the potential barriers to the successful implementation of laws in Saint Lucia by examining any effective emerging practices to develop new and innovative approaches and methods in addressing the various issues involved. The conceptual framework for this study comprised parliamentary engagement, public participation and policy making in the law enactment process in similar parliamentary jurisdictions. The research questions focused on understanding the potential …

Challenges In Improving Private Early Childhood Program Quality In Trinidad And Tobago From The Perspectives Of Program Administrators, Elizabeth Josephine King Oliver

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2003, the Trinidad and Tobago Ministry of Education recommended that the early childhood care and education sector be regulated to improve the quality of programs. The problem is that the sector remains unregulated, and improving program quality in the private sector remains a challenge. This basic qualitative study examined private early childhood program administrators’ perspectives on challenges to improve program quality in Trinidad and Tobago. The research questions investigated the challenges private early childhood program administrators encountered in improving program quality and support needed for improvement. Ten purposively sampled private early childhood program administrators shared their perspectives. The conceptual …

The Alignment Between The Algebra Curriculum At A Texas High School And The Mathematics Section Of The Texas Success Initiative Assessment, Kathryn Kober

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The primary purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the Algebra I and Algebra II mathematics course curriculum documents at a local high school to determine alignment to the mathematics section of the Texas Success Initiative Assessment (TSIA) and to identify content necessary for students to demonstrate college readiness in mathematics on the TSIA. Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy (RBT) was used to analyze the curriculum documents for alignment to the TSIA content and answer the research question that look for alignment between the Algebra I and Algebra II curriculum documents and the TSIA for mathematics. This study used a qualitative …

Discipline Without Punishment For African American Male Juveniles: From The Eyes Of A Mental Health Professional, Mia Nichole Lee

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Juvenile rehabilitation and incarceration among African Americans are not equal and up to the standards and recommendations of society. This study focused on identifying the differences between the juvenile rehabilitation and incarceration punishment among African American offenders, with the goal of helping improve the way that the society looks at African Americans. The paper followed qualitative research methodology, which provided social evidence and helped in breaking down information. Data were collected from focus groups, observations, questionnaires, and interviews. The research highlights issues regarding juvenile rehabilitation and incarceration of African Americans, which can encourage change.

English Language Arts Teachers’ Motivations And Experiences Related To Incorporating Digital Texts In Grades 6-12, Leah M. Marsh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Selecting text mediums that best support their curriculum needs is a critical task for English Language Arts (ELA) teachers, who also need to choose materials aligned with state standards and district requirements. Because 21st-century learning standards require students to have more technology skills, teachers are increasingly offering digital texts in classrooms. The problem under investigation in this study was the gap in understanding of the curricular choices U.S. teachers make when incorporating digital texts in ELA classrooms for Grades 6-12 to increase literacy. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine ELA teachers’ motivation and experiences related to the …

Educators' Perspectives Of How To Support The Reading Needs Of Grade 3 Through Grade 6 Students With Low Ses Resources, Antoinette Laura Matthews

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In an urban school district in a southwestern state, the problem investigated was that elementary educators are struggling to support the reading needs of Grade 3 through Grade 6 students from families having limited access to economic resources. Students with higher socioeconomic status (SES) outperform students with low SES backgrounds. Students with proficient reading skills demonstrate higher overall academic performance and more post-secondary opportunities. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to investigate educators’ perspectives of why current reading interventions have not been successful for Grade 3 through Grade 6 students at the target site. Using Bandura’s social learning …

Primary Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Wilson Reading Fundations Program For Struggling Readers, Kianga Tene Mckinney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite 3 years of implementation, educators at McKinnley Elementary School (pseudonym) did not know teachers’ perceptions about whether the Wilson Reading Fundations Program (WRFP) was helping K-3rd grade teachers assist struggling readers with becoming proficient in reading in the elementary grades. The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to obtain primary teachers’ perceptions regarding how instructional components of the WRFP challenged or strengthened their instructional practices with assisting struggling readers gaining proficiency. Engelmann’s theory of instruction, Orton-Gillingham’s approach, and Engestrom’s activity theory were the theoretical frameworks that guided this study. Fifteen K-3rd grade teachers who implemented WRFP and …

Registered Nurses’ Perceptions Regarding Postoperative Pain Management And Opioids For Adolescents, Susan Miller

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

More than 2.4 million children undergo surgery annually in the United States and many experience postoperative pain. Poor pain management causes negative outcomes to both the individual and society. Increased rates of prescription drug misuse and rising death rates for adolescents from drug overdoses underscore the need for improvements in pain management. However, there is a lack of research, limited guidelines, and significant provider variability in managing adolescents’ acute postoperative pain. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the topic of acute postoperative pain management for adolescents through the lens of registered nurses (RNs). Nurses play an essential …

Referral Source, Visit Modality, And The Delivery Of Diabetes Education In Pennsylvania, Alan Minor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Diabetes education is a principal component of optimal diabetes care that is often underutilized despite the known benefits that include reductions in complications as well as improved glycemic control and self-management knowledge. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the association between the completion of diabetes education, referral source, and visit modality. Because the completion of diabetes education is multifaceted, Levesque’s theoretical framework of health access, which incorporates dimensions of the accessibility of services and the abilities of potential users in the utilization of health services, was used to ground the study. A retrospective chart review was conducted …

Assessing Fire Station Response And Coverage Ability In A Pennsylvania Town, Timothy Moore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThere was a gap in fire station response times in a Pennsylvania township. Although there were two fire stations located in the township, one area was contractually serviced by a nearby borough. Stations are staffed by volunteers, which creates problems with coverage and timely responses. The “nine-minute-90%-of-the-time” National Fire Protection Association standard was not always achieved. The purpose of the study was to determine what gaps in fire station response times or coverage existed. A risk-based methodology was used to develop a baseline in standards of coverage. Using a risk methodology with historical data helped in informing issue identification. This …

Comparison Of Cultural Self-Efficacy Between Urban And Rural Nurse Educators, Denise Rene Morris

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Integration of an inclusive educational environment requires nursing faculty to embrace a transformational change in academics. The cultural interactions of an educator teaching in an urban district may differ from the relations experienced by a rural nurse educator. The purpose of this quantitative study, guided by Bandura’s social cognitive theory, was to determine whether there is a difference between the cultural self-efficacy scores of nurse faculty teaching in a rural location compared to those in an urban location as well as whether the demographics of age, ethnic background, and years in the nursing profession predict cultural self-efficacy scores. Nursing faculty …

Microaggressions Against Ethnic Individuals From Minorities In Counseling, Joan Morton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractEven though the current literature addresses racial microaggressions among ethnic minority people and implications for counseling, no qualitative research that included the voices of ethnic minority individuals was found. Researchers have not fully addressed the prevalence of racial microaggressions in counseling sessions. The purpose of this qualitative narrative study was to explore the lived encounters of ethnic minorities concerning racial microaggressions in counseling. The study issue was analyzed through the lens of critical race theory. Four participants were recruited from the Walden University participation pool. Data were selected through semi-structure interviews and narrative analysis was used to analyze data to …

Pharmacy Manager System Implementation Strategies To Mitigate The Cost Of Prescription Errors, Tunde Abiodun Cardozo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractOne of the most frequent medical errors in contemporary medicine is incorrect prescriptions, and the profits from retail pharmacy operations are adversely impacted by the costs associated with prescription errors. Independent pharmacy managers are interested in finding workable strategies to mitigate the cost of prescription errors and increase profit. Using the resource-based theory of competitive advantage (RBTCA), the purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore strategies some independent pharmacy managers in Texas use to mitigate the cost of pharmacy employee prescription errors and increase profitability. The participants were five independent pharmacy managers who implemented strategies to mitigate the …

Effect Of Detention Facilities Toward Juvenile Delinquency And Exposure To Criminalization, Calvin Clark

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractDetention facility settings present opportunities and risks in relation to violent extremism. Criminalization as the main concern would increase the crime rates in the United States while allowing the formation of terrorist groups on U.S. soil. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to investigate the relationship between juveniles’ experiences in detention centers and their exposure to criminalization. The study was guided by social control theory, narrative theory, and differential opportunity theory. Data were collected using a survey of 15 juvenile detention officers. Results of correlation analyses indicated a significant relationship between detention experience and increased exposure to criminalization …

Teach-Back As An Evidence-Based Tool In Patient Education, Andrea Clyne

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractDischarge instructions are a valuable component of patient education as they can influence outcomes post-discharge, leading to positive social change through improved morbidity and mortality. The use of teach-back education by registered nurses is a best practice that assures understanding of discharge instructions. However, consistent use of this method relies on the staff’s conviction and confidence in this manner of education. The purpose of this project was to develop, deliver, and evaluate a program to educate staff on the best practice of teach-back to effectively deliver patient education. The logic model helped guide and develop the stages of the project …

Identifying And Examining Key Themes Emanating From The U.S. Legislative Tobacco Policy Subsystem, Arnon Dayak

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Americans’ continuously increasing tobacco use in the form of smoking presents an ongoing and rising negative health impact on this leading cause of preventable death. Despite existing U.S. federal level tobacco regulation through the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (FSPTCA), U.S. tobacco use remains ubiquitous demonstrating existent ineffectiveness of tobacco control legislation. Unknown underlying attributing factors present critical information gaps which, when exposed, could improve tobacco regulation. Using a case study approach, the question, “What key themes are aligned with legislative subsystem actors when voting on the FSPTCA” was examined. Multi-source data streams using existing secondary datasets including …

Use Of Lidar And Synthetic Bathymetry To Develop Stream Cross Sections For Alternative Modeling Of Streamflow In North Dakota Using Hec-Ras: A Case Study On The Tongue River In North Dakota, James Brennan Sullivan

Theses and Dissertations

Analysis of streamflow levels is critical to flood protection and management. Computer modeling software such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Hydraulic Engineering Center River Analysis System (HEC-RAS) is used to calculate water surface elevations for statistical or historical flows. A key element of modeling river hydraulics is the development of one-dimensional (1-D) cross sections or two-dimensional (2-D) terrain from elevation data. Airborne LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) is now commonly used to collect high-density digital elevation model (DEM) data. Models developed from near-infrared LiDAR DEMs alone however, do not have bathymetry since the LiDAR pulses are adversely affected …

A Study Of The Global Rare Earth Industry Transition, Al Thibeault

Theses and Dissertations

The global rare earth industry is in a period of transition. This transition, led by the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP), aims to ensure supply security for the rare earths needed to meet clean energy transition demands. Supply security requires two goals: first, in the near-term, re-establishing rare earth production and processing in the MSP nations, and second, in the long-term, finding new sources of competitive advantage to create long-term industry stability. Stimulus funding is essential to achieving the short-term goal; however, long-term industry stability requires a strategy to replace stimulus funding with private investment in a profitable industry. Government/industry collaboration …

Staff Education To Promote Probiotic Breastfeeding Therapy, José Diaz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Preterm birth is the leading cause of death in children under 5. In addition, there are 22 million babies born underweight each year which also contributes to the infant mortality rate. Some reasons for the inability to thrive and survive are the infants' immature system, allostatic load inadaptability, and undiversified and underdeveloped microbiota. Human breast milk (HBM) provides lifesaving nutrients, which prevents necrotizing enterocolitis and mortality. In addition, probiotic supplementation helps reduce late-onset sepsis, morbidities, and mortality. A literature review provided substantial evidence that HBM and probiotics can improve an infant's microbiota, thus improving thrivability and survivability. Probiotics offset the …

Perceptions Of Female Naval Officers On Combat Role Policy And Career Advancement, Cheryl Dudley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Women were officially allowed to serve in combat positions when the 1993 Combat Exclusion Policy was lifted in 2013. There was little research to date on how these changes may have influenced the recruitment, retention, and promotion of female naval officers. The purpose of this study was to explore female naval officers' perceptions on how lifting the combat exclusion policy impacted the factors of recruitment, retention, and promotion within the military. A generic qualitative study supported exploring perceptions of female naval officers who experienced combat duty regarding these issues. Using feminist security studies as the conceptual framework, this study focused …

Occupational Burnout Factors Among Correctional Mental Health Providers, Morgan Gruhot

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Burnout rates of correctional employees are higher than employees in the general public. The purpose of this study was to identify how occupational factors impact burnout rates among correctional mental health workers. Grounded in the job-demands theoretical model, this study compared burnout rates among mental health staff within county jails and state prisons. Burnout was measured using the Maslach Burnout Inventory and Occupational factors were measured using the Areas of Work life Survey and Pandemic Experience and Perception Survey. Data was analyzed using IBM SSPS software to address multiple a priori directional research questions. Research questions considered how occupational factors …

Teachers’ Experiences With Online Writing Instruction In Virtual Charter High Schools, Stacey Harrison

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

With the increase in virtual education and online learning enrollments, there is a need to examine the quality of writing instructional approaches adapted for virtual classrooms. The problem was in two online charter high schools where students' English Language Arts standardized test writing scores remained low. The purpose of the project study was to research secondary teachers’ instructional strategies for writing instruction and their classroom experiences as they implemented an online writing program and a supplementary 6+1 Traits of Writing program. This project study was framed by the constructivist approach to learning and the seminal research of Applebee and Langer …