Digital Commons Network^™

A Phenomenological Study Of Transition Services And Self-Advocacy For The Visually Impaired, Catherine S. Holloway

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to discover the self-advocacy skills used in transition services for visually impaired (VI) students who graduated from a public school in the southeastern United States. Bandura’s social cognitive theory expands on the importance of self-efficacy. It highlights the self-advocacy skills utilized to empower VI individuals to achieve goals and progress in post-secondary employment or education. The description of VI students’ self-advocacy experiences expanded on the exploratory nature of transition services and how they impacted VI students’ self-advocacy. The study used a hermeneutical phenomenological approach to the lived experiences of VI students from G …

Staff Education And Competency Assessment For Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infection Reduction, Shabana Ali

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This Doctor of Nursing Practice project was an educational initiative to provide comprehensive central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) prevention education program for staff working in an intensive care unit (ICU). CLABSIs pose a significant threat to patient safety, contributing to increased morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs, with annual expenditures estimated at $300 million to $2.3 billion and mortality rates ranging from 10% to 30%. Despite existing protocols, the project site facility experienced persistent CLABSI rates. The purpose of the project was to provide a comprehensive educational program to ICU staff members on the unit. The practice-focused question guiding this project …

13. Ideal Quantum Gases I: Bosons, Gerhard Müller

Equilibrium Statistical Physics

Part thirteen of course materials for Statistical Physics I: PHY525, taught by Gerhard Müller at the University of Rhode Island. Documents will be updated periodically as more entries become presentable.

Updated with version 2 on 1/682026.

Quaker Campus, October 16, 2025 (Vol. 24, Issue 4), Whittier College

Quaker Campus

No abstract provided.

Design Of A Snp Panel For Highly Accurate Paternity Identification In Eşme Sheep, Onur Yilmaz, İbrahi̇m Cemal, Orhan Karaca, Cengi̇z Elmaci, Nezi̇h Ata

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

SNP paternity testing panels offer high-resolution capabilities for determining livestock paternity, thereby enhancing the reliability of genetic verification and ensuring pedigree record accuracy. In this study, we aimed to develop a SNP-based paternity test panel utilizing a 50K SNP chip for paternity testing and pedigree verification in the Eşme sheep breed. Additionally, the study sought to validate the paternity test panel. Based on data from 26 rams and 524 lambs of the Eşme sheep breed, the results indicated that the 50K SNP chip used demonstrated a very high genotyping rate, with the majority of its 53,738 SNPs exhibiting significant polymorphism. …

Therapy Dogs As A Catalyst To Physical Exercise And The Effect On Transgender Adolescents’ Mental Health, Tatiana Sokolik

Doctorate in Kinesiology

This dissertation examines the effects of therapy dog interactions on physical activity levels and mental health outcomes among transgender adolescents. Using a quasi-experimental mixed- methods design, participants engaged in three weekly sessions with a certified therapy dog, with data collected through validated measures of anxiety, depression, affect, and physical activity, supplemented by qualitative feedback. Quantitative results indicated no significant increases in physical activity, though participants reported feeling motivated to spend more time outdoors. Notably, negative affect decreased significantly post-intervention, suggesting short-term emotional benefits. Qualitative findings further highlighted enhanced mood, self-awareness, and coping strategies. While improvements in anxiety and depression were …

Preparing New Life Pentecostal Ministries Young Adults For God’S Design Of Marriage Through Identity Development, Ameerah Brown

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis project, Preparing New Life Pentecostal Ministries Young Adults for God’s Design of Marriage Through Identity Development, addresses the growing crisis of identity, purpose, and relationship instability among young adults within NLPM and beyond. The purpose of this action-oriented research is to provide a theological and spiritually formative framework that prepares young adults for marriage by biblical principles. The project identifies key spiritual and emotional barriers, including unresolved wounds and distorted self-identity. Lack of discipleship and cultural confusion hinder spiritual maturity and readiness for God-ordained relationships. Grounded in Scripture and supported by human development theory and spiritual formation scholars, …

Disruption In International Oil Supply Chains, Michael E. Everton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The specific problem addressed by this study was the possible failure of globally integrated oil and energy supply chains in the Gulf Coast region of the United States when responding to operational disruptions, resulting in the possible inability of firms to balance risks and investments. The research, using a flexible qualitative case study, examined industry executive management perspectives on how energy supply chains balance risk and investment due to unanticipated operational risk events. This study's key findings and conclusions from literature and the research are that strategic global energy supply chains continuously seek aggressive investment in agility, resilience, and restorative …

Round The Tárrega Bend, Julian Bream

Soundboard Scholar

In this previously unpublished talk from 2004, delivered two years after his retirement from public performance, Julian Bream traces his own career in relation to the evolution of the modern guitar, recounting his early encounters with nineteenth-century guitars, the introduction of nylon strings to replace gut, innovations in guitar construction, and a transformative meeting with Andrés Segovia. But at the heart of the talk is his approach to sound. Bream discusses the essential elements of his tone production, including his right-hand position with its characteristic “three-quarter Tárrega bend” of the wrist, and his strong preference for the rest stroke. He …

Montana Kaimin, October 16, 2025, Students Of The University Of Montana, Missoula

Montana Kaimin, 1898-present

Student newspaper of the University of Montana, Missoula.

The Exploration Of The Housing Exclusion Impact Among Michigan Ex-Offenders, Jackie Adam Harris

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ex-offenders possibly felt excluded when private landlords or property managers conducted background checks and decided to immediately deny ex-offenders housing opportunities. The problem this study addressed was how landlords and property managers’ exclusion of ex-offenders impacted reentry post-incarceration. There was a gap regarding how Michigan private landlords impacted ex-offenders’ success factor in securing safe housing upon reentry back to society. The key findings related to the literature in ways that showed how landlords acknowledged outside biases, yet described ex-offender tenants as appreciative, positive, and respectful. The purpose of this general qualitative study was to explore how state and federal policies …

Towards A Standard Assessment And Treatment Protocol For Firefighters: A Delphi Study, Amy K Gearhard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Firefighters are 5 times more likely than civilians to experience depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Firefighters have suicidal ideation and attempt rates that are 2 to 3 times higher than the general population, yet most do not seek treatment. The purpose of this qualitative Delphi study was to develop an expert consensus on psychological assessment and treatment practices with firefighters through the lens of an expert panel of 19 psychologists who work with this population. Siebert’s normative theory was used with the assumption that the panelists would provide feedback based on their clients’ best interests. The expert panel was recruited …

Clinicians’ Perceptions Of Adverse Childhood Experiences, Resiliency, And Treatment Engagement With Criminal Offenders, Aaron Pena

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study investigated the pervasive impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on clinicians, particularly those who provide services to criminal offenders. ACEs contribute to a range of mental and physical health issues that can extend into adulthood, affecting not only individuals who experienced these adversities, but also clinicians who treat them. Despite the growing body of research on the consequences of ACEs, there remained a significant gap in terms of understanding how clinicians’ own histories influence their professional resilience and treatment efficacy. Garmezy’s resiliency theory, the framework for the study, emphasizes the role of positive contextual, social, and individual factors …

Lived Experiences Of Postdoctoral And Licensed Psychologists Diagnosing Bipolar Disorder In Adolescents, Kim Colleen Anaya

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was conducted to explore the lived experiences of licensed psychologists in diagnosing adolescents with bipolar disorder, aiming to answer two key questions: How do psychologists make sense of diagnosing bipolar disorder in adolescents? And do they rely on their education and lived experience in the diagnostic process? Drawing from developmental psychology, clinical decision-making theories, and ethical considerations, the study highlights the complexities and challenges of diagnosing bipolar disorder in youth. Semi-structured interviews with four psychologists were transcribed and analyzed to identify recurring themes, which emphasized the importance of collateral information, developmental context, and professional judgment. …

Institutional Belonging And College Success In A Neoliberal Environment, Alicia C. Figueroa

Dissertations

As higher education evolves in response to various pressures, adult learner graduate students, particularly women who are mothers, find themselves navigating a complex landscape shaped by neoliberal ideals of belonging. This research aimed to explore the multifaceted notions of belonging within a neoliberal environment and provide insight into a growing sector of this college student population. The project sought to illuminate the unique experiences of female adult learner graduate students, especially mothers, as they increasingly return to college post-COVID-19. Employing a qualitative phenomenological research design, this study gathered diverse narratives from this sub-population. The methodology utilized purposeful sampling for semi-structured …

Spartan Daily, October 16, 2025, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2025

Volume 165, Issue 24

Evaluating The Impact Of Starch Intake On Fecal Consistency Scores In Equines, Gülşah Kaya Karasu, Hidir Gümüş

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Horses, as monogastric hindgut fermenters, primarily engage in microbial activity in the large intestine. Although starch is not inherently harmful, excessive intake can lead to digestive disturbances and health issues due to insufficient digestion in the small intestine, resulting in overflow into the large intestine. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the use of rapid fecal analysis, including fecal score, pH, and dry matter (DM) analysis, to understand the effects of high starch intake. The study was conducted in May 2023 at a private sport horse farm in İzmir, Türkiye and involved 24 sport horses aged 4 to …

Development And Validation Of A High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Method For The Simultaneous Determination Of Selected Varroacidal Active Substances In Bee Health Products, Onur Demi̇r

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The presence of substandard and counterfeit veterinary medicinal products represents a significant concern from a One Health perspective, given the potential consequences for human and animal health, as well as the environment. In this study, an isocratic flow liquid chromatography method was developed for the simultaneous determination of thymol, coumaphos, amitraz, tau-fluvalinate, and flumethrin in bee health products used for varroosis control. The chromatographic separation was conducted at a wavelength of 276 nm, utilizing an RP18e column and an acetonitrile:water mobile phase ratio of 75:25 (v/v), with a flow rate of 0.75 mL/min. The validation of the method was conducted …

A Case Study Of Ai-Enabled Software As A Medical Device Cleared By The Fda For Assessing Hemorrhage Risk Index (Appraise-Hri) After Trauma, Andrew Frock, Jeffrey T Robbins, Francisco G Vital-Lopez, Valmik Desai, Gheorghe Doros, Barry E Sands, Arunkumar Prabhakaran, Christopher Nemeth, Gregory T Rule, Jason L Sperry, Francis X Guyette, Stephen R Wisniewski, Ernest E Moore, Martin Schreiber, Bellal Joseph, Chad T Wilson, Bryan Cotton, Daniel Ostermayer, Brian G Harbrecht, Mayur B Patel, Suzanne Tamang, Sanjay Malunjkar, David A Spain, Andrew T Reisner, Jonathan D Stallings, Jaques Reifman

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Hemorrhage is the leading cause of preventable death on the battlefield, yet combat medics lack clinical decision support systems to help stratify hemorrhage risk in trauma casualties. We previously trained the Automated Processing of the Physiological Registry for Assessment of Injury Severity - Hemorrhage Risk Index (APPRAISE-HRI) software to associate patterns in vital signs (heart rate and blood pressure) collected from trauma patients with three HRI levels: I (low), II (average), or III (high). To independently validate APPRAISE-HRI and obtain U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance, we collected trauma registry and continuous vital sign data from 5895 trauma patients …

User Behaviour Prediction In E-Commerce Using Logistic Regression, Wei-Wen Lee, Noramiza Hashim, Shaymaa Al-Juboori

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

From a psychological perspective, human behaviourreflectsunderlyingthoughtsand decision-making patterns, for example, consumer behaviour may correlate with the purchase decisions. In the fast-evolving e-commerce industry, predicting user behaviouris essential for enhancing marketing strategies, improving customer experiences, and increasing sales. However, traditional heuristic (e.g.market basket analysis) approaches to analysebuyer behaviour are often rigid and fail to adapt to complex consumer interactions. This research work develops a predictive model that analysesuser behaviour based on data such as historical purchasing patterns and demographic attributes. Based on a review of previous studies, Logistic Regression (LR) is utilized as theprimarymachine learning algorithm to estimate the likelihood of …

Prevalence And Predictors Of Depression And Other Mental Health Disorders In Brazilian Adults With Intellectual Disabilities: A Population-Based Secondary Analysis, Gabriela A. Wagner, Pedro Cesar Lopes Gerum, Luiz Felipe Martins, Hugo Rafel Souza Silva, Mauricio Lima, Fernando Ribeiro Duraes, Luciene Covolan

Business Faculty Publications

Objectives To investigate the occurrence of depression and mental health disorders other than depression among Brazilian people with intellectual disabilities, analysing data from a national household survey.

Design Cross-sectional epidemiological study using data from the 2019 National Health Survey (PNS).

Setting Brazil, nationwide data collection in urban and rural private households.

Participants 272 499 individuals, among whom 1.2% (n=3198) reported intellectual disabilities.

Primary outcome measures Self-reported depression and mental health disorders other than depression (anxiety, panic, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, psychosis or obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD)), either isolated or comorbid.

Results Among people with intellectual disabilities, 43.2% reported at least one mental …

Invited But Not Welcome: Assimilation, Emotional Labor, And The Limits Of Belonging For Middle-Class Haitians, Jodie Boisvert

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

The problem of the 21st century is not simply that of the “color line,” but rather of how diverse groups of Blacks (Americans and immigrants alike) experience the “color line.” This interview-based dissertation project addresses this problem by examining how thirty-eight first-, 1.5-, and second-generation middle-class Haitian immigrants engage with and reconcile the color line in their lives. This dissertation finds that these immigrants “performatively assimilate” to access privileged middle- and upper-class spaces. Through strategies of strategic ethnicity, code switching, and signifying Haitian exceptionalism, they are able to achieve stable and fulfilling careers and financial security. This dissertation proposes a …

“It’S Like Having That Supervisor In The Room”: Examining Ai As A Reflective Partner, Elizabeth Matthews, Dania Lerman, N. Beach, Dana Wiczyk, Lauri Goldkind

Social Service Faculty Publications

Objective: Reflective practice is vital to high-quality therapeutic work, enabling clinicians to critically examine their professional practices. Increasing opportunities to engage in reflective processes stands to increase clinician wellbeing and thereby improve quality of care. Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI), specifically large language models, provide new ways for clinicians to gain insight into their work. This study explores a unique unintended consequence of GAI clinical notetaking platforms, the support of reflective practice among mental health clinicians.

Method: Semi structured interviews were conducted with clinicians (n = 17) to learn about their experience using GAI clinical note-taking platforms. Interviews were recorded …

Secondary School Science, Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics Student Readiness To Engage In Self-Directed Learning Strategies: A Causal-Comparative Quantitative Study, Michael Benitez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to examine the relationship between science, technology, engineering, and mathematics students’ self-directed learning readiness and their current course grade in flipped classrooms, fully online courses, and classes with traditional instructional methods. Participants were high school students in central Texas. This study is important because self-directed learner readiness directly impacts student engagement and motivation, leading to better academic results in self-directed student-led instructional contexts, such as flipped classrooms and online learning. This study adds to the literature regarding self-directed learner readiness by examining the differences between three different instructional methods: traditional, flipped, and …

Impact Of Trauma-Informed Care On The Restorative Justice Ecosystem, Amy Kight

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Created and titled as the ARTIC Project (Activating Restoration through Trauma-Informed Courts), this research addresses the gap between industrial/structural realities and relationship/nurturing realities within Substance Use Disorder (SUD) recovery and restorative justice paradigms. Grounded in Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI), the project emphasized that sustainable behavioral change requires balancing connection with correction (KPICD, 2022). Through a biblical lens, the researcher posits complete healing only comes from our Heavenly Father and occurs on an individual level. With this in mind, TBRI research affirms that organizations do not change people - people change people (KPICD, 2022). This intentional relationship between God, Creation, Others, …

The Relationship Between Transformational Leadership Skills And Telecommunication Organizations’ Project Success, Robert Buhr

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Low project success rates are a significant issue for telecommunications organizations and project managers, as they can negatively impact operational efficiency and profitability. Grounded in transformational leadership theory, this quantitative project aimed to investigate the relationship between transformational leadership and project success within the telecommunications industry. A priori power analysis was conducted using G*Power, yielding a noncentrality parameter of 2.54, a critical t value of 1.68, degrees of freedom (df) equal to 49, a total sample size of 51, and an actual power of 0.80. The 51 participants were project managers in leadership positions, with two or more years of …

An Integrated Decision Support System For Bim Level 3 Implementation, Lama Abumoeilak, Salwa Beheiry, Serter Atabay

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

The Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) sector accounts for 39% of greenhouse gas emissions, 40% of solid waste, and 12% of potablewater usage globally, underscoring the need for sustainable, efficient practices. Building Information Modeling (BIM) offers a digital framework to address these challenges through lifecycle management, collaboration, and efficiency gains. However, most organizations remain at BIM Level 2 maturity, which limits their potential for full integration. This study proposes a comprehensive Decision Support System (DSS) to facilitate the adoption of BIM Level 3, with an emphasis on collaboration, sustainability, and data interoperability. The DSS integrates Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), Analytical …

Greening The Future: Reducing Regulated Medical Waste On L&D, Haley Primuth, Kari Schmidt Oliver, Anne Getzin, Deborah Simpson

Aurora GME

No abstract provided.

Pardon Me Please: Evaluating Clemency For Marijuana Offenders, Mitchell F. Crusto

Washington and Lee Law Review Online

Since 2012, several states and municipalities have decriminalized the non-violent use and possession of small amounts of recreational marijuana by adults. These criminal law reforms raise the issue of whether individuals who were convicted in the past should be exonerated retroactively by way of pardons or clemency. Consequently, many past marijuana offenders remain in state prisons for committing acts that are no longer deemed illegal in many states. Furthermore, these prisoners, as well as persons who were formerly accused or imprisoned, suffer from the stigma and negative collateral consequences of their alleged criminality. In response to these injustices, many governors …

Qualitative Ethnographic Research On The Efficacy Of A Christian-Based Approach To Mentorship For Black Males, Arnold M. Campbell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study advanced qualitative research by identifying several statistical gaps in the social sciences related to leadership development, learning principles, character traits, and spiritual formation for a specific demographic of Black males. This researcher aimed to understand the efficacy of Christian-based actions through mentorship programs that intend to address social deficits. From a theological and theoretical context, this research literature review and observations focused on the practical Christian-based approaches to mentorship that provided a model to improve the lives of a specific demographic of Black males considered high-risk and vulnerable. The target group was raised in single-parent homes and attended …