Digital Commons Network^™

Incorporating Spirituality To Improve Self-Management Of Chronic Diseases, Margaret A. Burden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Chronic disease affects over 51% of Americans and often results in emotional, financial, and spiritual distress. Additionally, the exorbitant cost of managing chronic disease is creating a significant burden on healthcare systems. Self-management, which is crucial to disease outcome includes lifestyle changes and adherence to treatment regime. However, these lifestyle changes often cause emotional and physical struggles for those diagnosed with chronic disease. Spirituality is recognized as a source of support to alleviate stress and anxiety and provide the individual with the strength to make sense of the experience and move forward with their lives. The aim of this quality …

Shared Approach To Lessen Er Readmissions Of Substance Use Disorder (Sud) With Bridge Program, Losarnia Hamilton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Substance use disorders (SUD) are associated with an excessive number of hospital and emergency room visits, as well as noncompliance with medical guidance. Many low-barrier substance abuse treatment bridge clinics are hospital-based outpatient operations that are not licensed as opioid treatment facilities (OTPs). The aim of this quality improvement project is to reduce ER readmissions for patients suffering from substance abuse disorders. Improvements were seen in patients after three months of participation in the provided BRIDGE program using the shared technique. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's (AHRQ) SHARE Approach to Decision-Making assists healthcare clinicians in partnering with patients …

A Pearls Approach To Reducing Depression, Anxiety, And Loneliness In Underserved Populations, Dayana Padron

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Problem: This project addresses the prevalent mental health disparities experienced by older adults in underserved rural areas. Depression, anxiety, and loneliness can be exacerbated by factors such as social isolation, significantly impacting this population's well-being. The implementation of the Program to Encourage Active and Rewarding Lives (PEARLS) aims to bridge the gap and improve mental health outcomes in these communities. Population: The participants for this project included four older adults over the age of 50 from the underserved rural communities of Belle Glade and Pahokee all of whom reported symptoms of depression, anxiety, and loneliness.

Screening, Education, And Counseling To Address The Obesity Epidemic In Pediatric And Adolescent Populations, Sophie Lanter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Childhood and adolescent obesity are significant public health concerns in the United States, with about 19% of children and adolescents aged 2-19 years being obese. Obesity is associated with several health risks, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and mental health issues. However, in many families there is a significant knowledge deficit in terms of risks and prevention for childhood and adolescent obesity. This Doctor of Nursing Practice project aims to address the gap in knowledge and awareness of childhood and adolescent obesity by implementing a screening, education, and counseling program within the Primary care setting. The project identified overweight …

African Americans And Hypertension, Marie S. Erisme

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Purpose: Hypertension is a major concern in healthcare today, especially in African Americans. Causes of high blood pressure are multi-factorial and may include poor lifestyle choices, medication adherence, ineffective follow-up care and patient health care knowledge deficit. All aspects of blood pressure reduction are multifactorial, so they need to be addressed for adequate health control. Methods: The participants for this project included eight older adults ages 40-85 years in an Urban African American church in Port Saint Lucie. This project aims to determine if a 3-month educational class that involves Dash diet, exercise planning, and antihypertensive adherence will improve blood …

Implementing A Physical Wellness Program In Spanish In A Primary Care Setting, Heather Preciado

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

This paper presents a Quality Improvement project aimed at increasing physical activity in Hispanic patients aged 45 to 55, through a Get Active program with the goal of reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The project involves implementing a bi-weekly physical activity session as well as a Zoom session to increase activity as well awareness surrounding CVD prevention. The project's outcomes will inform medical staff on how to create more Zoom sessions to help patients implement a physical exercise program. A total of twenty-five participants were eligible to participate, and only 8 took part in the study. This initiative …

Gaining Insight Into The Experiences Of Women With Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder And Improving Outcomes, Margaret M. Reyes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Premenstrual symptoms have the potential to impact all women of reproductive age. Roughly 70-90% of women experience some level of premenstrual discomfort, while 3-8% experience the most severe, complex form, PMDD (Mishra, Elliot, and Marwaha, 2022). PMDD symptomatology is complex, and therefore overlaps with other diagnoses, which has complicated the diagnostic process. There is a growing body of evidence to support that PMDD has been misdiagnosed or disregarded, and stigmatized by providers, and improvements are needed in both the education about the diagnostic process, as well as the diagnostic process itself. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to …

Machine-Learning Based Stacked Ensemble Model For Accurate Multi Classification Of Cbc Anemia, Asmaa Mohamed El-Boghdady, Sherif Kishk, Mohamed M Ashour, Eman Abdelhalim

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Anemia Disease (AD) is one of the most common blood problems in the world. According to the World Health Organization, it leads to lack of oxygen and red blood cells. The problem of classifying anemia is crucial in prescribing an appropriate treatment plan. Unfortunately, it is difficult to accurately diagnose the type of anemia as early as possible in order to properly treat the patient. Such a diagnosis can be complicated by the exponential increase in patient numbers, priority rules set by hospitals, and issues of access to adequate medical professionals. This paper proposes the use of a computer-based model …

New Online Approach For Real-Time Precise Point Positioning Gnss Processing, Maha Fekry Elrewiny, Fawzi H. Zarzoura, Mahmoud El-Mewafi

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Real-time precise point positioning (PPP) is a promising technique for accurate position services. The merging of many systems is intended to increase real-time PPP performance. With a rising number of available satellites and progressively increased quality of real-time accurate products of satellite clocks and orbits, Platforms such as CSRS-PPP, AUSPOS, Magic-GNSS, Trimble, and PPP-MANS are reshaping the landscape of embedded solutions in a variety of sectors. the performance of real-time PPP must be tested on a regular basis. This article examines the benefits and drawbacks of real-time PPP, emphasizing its potential for high accuracy, fast decision-making, and easy interaction with …

Safety Of Domestic Ferries: A Scoping Study Of Seven High-Risk Countries, Anish Hebbar, Serdar Yildiz, Nadhir Kahlouche, Jens-Uwe Schröder-Hinrichs

Reports

Ferry accidents are fairly common globally, causing countless deaths and injuries. Whereas ferry transportation is an integral part of the domestic transport infrastructure in many countries, particularly archipelagic countries such as Indonesia and the Philippines, river deltaic countries like Bangladesh, countries with extensive riverine systems such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria and Senegal, or even a combination of great lakes, rivers and archipelago such as Tanzania, these countries are experiencing a high number of ferry accidents and fatalities over the past two decades and, therefore, considered high-risk countries in the ferry transport sector. International community continuously seeks …

Old, Nonagenarians, And Centenarians In Cilento, Italy And The Association Of Lifespan With The Level Of Some Physicochemical Elements In Tap Drinking Water., Silvana Mirella Aliberti, Richard H W Funk, Elena Ciaglia, Joseph S. Gonnella, Aldo Giudice, Carmine Vecchione, Annibale Alessandro Puca, Mario Capunzo

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

Longevity, as a complex life-history trait, shares an ontogenetic relationship with other quantitative traits, such as epigenetic and environmental factors. Therefore, it is important to identify environmental factors that may modify the epigenome to establish healthy aging. This study explored the association between tap drinking water and longevity in Cilento, Italy, to understand whether trace elements in local drinking water may have an influence on old, nonagenarian, and centenarian people and promote their health and longevity. Data on population and water sources were collected through the National Demographic Statistics, the Cilento Municipal Archives, and the Cilento Integrated Water Service. Ordinary …

Medication Initiation, Patient-Directed Discharges, And Hospital Readmissions Before And After Implementing Guidelines For Opioid Withdrawal Management, Jillian Zavodnick, Md, Nicolette M. Heinsinger, Angelo C. Lepore, Robert C. Sterling

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVES: Rising rates of hospitalization for patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) result in high rates of patient-directed discharge (PDD, also called "discharge against medical advice") and 30-day readmissions. Interdisciplinary addiction consult services are an emerging criterion standard to improve care for these patients, but these services are resource- and expertise-intensive. A set of withdrawal guidelines was developed to guide generalists in caring for patients with opioid withdrawal at a hospital without an addiction consult service.

METHODS: Retrospective chart review was performed to determine PDD, 30-day readmission, and psychiatry consult rates for hospitalized patients with OUD during periods before (July …

Perioperative Outcomes Of Patients With Bleeding Disorders Undergoing Major Surgery At An Academic Hemophilia Treatment Center, Ruben Rhoades, Zachary French, Amy Yang, Karen Walsh, Douglass A. Drelich, Steven E. Mckenzie

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

Persons with bleeding disorders (PwBD) are at high risk for bleeding with invasive procedures. However, the risk of bleeding in PwBD undergoing major surgery and outcomes of patients managed perioperatively at a hemophilia treatment center (HTC) are not well described. We performed a retrospective review of surgical outcomes among PwBD undergoing major surgery between January 1st, 2017 and December 31st, 2019 at the Cardeza Foundation Hemophilia and Thrombosis Center in Philadelphia, PA. The primary outcome was postoperative bleeding, assessed according to the ISTH-SSC's 2010 definition. Secondary outcomes included use of unplanned postoperative hemostatic therapy, LOS, and 30-day readmission rate. Results …

Small Modular Reactors, Joshua P. Schlegel, P. K. Bhowmik

Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) have been a very promising development in nuclear power over the last two decades. SMRs are defined as nuclear reactors with a power output of less than 300MWe. This is in comparison to gigawatt-size reactors, which can have electrical output of 1000–1500MWe or more. This chapter will consist of two major sections. the first will be a detailed summary of the small modular reactor designs being proposed around the world. This section will focus on those that are the furthest along in their development but will also include some information about the wide variety of proposed …

Halloween 2023: It's A Barbie World!, Jin-A Choi, Yi Luo, Bond Benton, Keith Green

College of Communication and Media Scholarship and Creative Works

Move over, black and orange, and step aside for the color that is going to dominate Halloween this year, “Barbie Pink.” And yes, Ken, “it won’t matter what you do, you will always be number two,” at least when it comes to Halloween costumes in 2023. And those wildly popular Star Wars and Marvel character costumes traditionally seen during the “spookiest” time of the year? It seems they won’t match the popularity of the fictional character, Barbie, who reemerged this year on the pop culture scene after the incredible success of the Warner Bros. film “Barbie” released in July.

Based …

2023 Scotus Report: Americans Reacted With Disgust And Sadness Toward The Scotus' Recent Rulings, Yi Luo, Bond Benton, Jin-A Choi, Keith Strudler, Keith Green

College of Communication and Media Scholarship and Creative Works

On June 29, SCOTUS struck down affirmative action, ruling the race-conscious admissions programs at colleges and universities unconstitutional. Then, on June 30, SCOTUS handed down another landmark ruling which outlawed student loan forgiveness and terminated President Biden’s plan to provide student loan reliefs for tens of millions of Americans. This high court’s decision on student loans will likely affect one in eight Americans, leaving student loan borrowers feeling frustrated, defeated, and angry. As online media have increasingly played a central role in facilitating civic engagement and shaping individuals’ decisions on contested issues, this study thus examines how social media users …

Promoting Intergenerational Harmony At The Dedham Seventh-Day Adventist Church Of The Southern New England Conference, Yves Gerald Francis

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

This field research study explored the prevalence of lack of harmony among first and second-generation Dedham Seventh-day Adventist Church members. Consequently, families may be divided, and hard feelings and lost souls. Thus, a fundamental problem is an intergenerational and cultural lack of understanding.

Method

The research was a qualitative phenomenological study based on small groups and their activities. The Dedham Seventh-day Adventist Church provided a sample of 30 members, who were split into small groups of six each. For two weeks, the researcher and church leaders held small-group activities in the fellowship hall to impart the value of cooperation …

Premarital Education : A Comprehensive Approach For Seventh-Day Adventist Pastors In The Italian Union, Roberto Ianno

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Although the Adventist Church upholds the importance of a Christlike and stable marriage, the Italian Union historically never developed a systematic and comprehensive approach to both premarital counseling and enrichment programs for married couples, whose preparation is aleatory and depends on both/either the pastor’s approach and/or the couple’s request. The results could be a weakening of both marital stability and marital satisfaction. We assume that the root problem is a naïve understanding of marriage which causes couples to put more effort into preparing for the wedding day rather than for the marital journey.

Method

An action research intervention was …

A Leadership Strategy To Identify And Reverse The Effects Of Consumerism On The Commitment To The Mission And Management Of The Village Seventh-Day Adventist Church Members, Ronald Paul Kelly Jr.

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Low levels of commitment have detrimentally affected many aspects of the Village Church's health and vitality. The present study was developed to see to what degree the leaders of the Village Church had imbibed consumer constructs of identity and ministry and to what degree those constructs could be changed when presented with a biblical construct of identity and ministry.

Method

A week of spiritual emphasis entitled "Built on the Rock" examined the principles of the church growth movement as manifest in the megachurch movement. By contrast, the scriptural paradigm of the church as a family was presented as a …

Using Christ's Method: Reshaping Evangelism In Milton Keynes International Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Sampson Osei Aboagye

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Milton Keynes International Seventh-day Adventist Church (MKI) is not able to evangelize its multiethnic/multicultural neighbors. This is because individual members of the church consider evangelism to be an annual event where speakers are invited from abroad to hold two- or three-week campaigns. Despite the high cost involved in this method, few people are baptized and even then, it is difficult to retain the new members. The culprit is the church's inability to connect with its multiethnic and multicultural community because of not using the evangelistic method of Jesus Christ effectively.

Method

A total of six hours over four Sabbaths …

Intergenerational Community Engagement Strategy To Minority Families In Urban Housing Developments Suffering From Generational Issues In The Pioneer Homes And Central Village On The Southside Of Syracuse, New York, Aaron V. Chancy

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

In the Seventh-day Adventist Churches Fundamental Beliefs, Fundamental Belief #13 The Remnant and Its Mission, pages 168-178 of the Seventh-day Adventist Church Manual (Church Manual, 172), there is no mention pertaining to the closing versus of Matthew 28. Yet within the evangelism endeavors, there is a lack of the elements of intergenerational ministry to families in low-income housing as a methodology in which to fulfill this mission. While the adage "If we get the children, we will get the parents" has been used in attempts to do ministry among low-income households, the lack of a systematic intergenerational evangelistic method …

Growing Inclusive Churches Of Belonging For Families Living With Autism In The Ontario Conference Of The Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Elizabeth Rosete-Pule

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

An assessment of the 181 congregations in the Ontario Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church revealed that there were no churches, companies, or groups working towards the inclusion of families living with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The lack of education, resources and ministry for ASD children and individuals isolates them from the life and ministry of the church community. In addition, there are no accommodations or supports available that are required for the wide range of developmental disabilities that ASD children have. Tools, education, training, and a resource guide are necessary to equip leaders and churches to grow inclusive …

Moments Of Excess: Type 1 Diabetes And The Myth Of Control In Adolescent Fiction For Girls, Michelle E. Legault

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This thesis is the first academic work to analyze the stories of the Type 1 diabetic teen girls of adolescent fiction. In novels for adolescent readers, these girls are often White, female, heterosexual, and middle class—resulting in a collective disability narrative that portrays an “every girl” and lacks cultural or political dimensions. This thesis explores the narratives of five fictional teen protagonists with Type 1 diabetes. They are: Stacey McGill from the Baby-Sitters Club series by Ann M. Martin, Rachel Deering in Lurlene McDaniel’s Will I Ever Dance Again? (1982), Mackenzie “Zie” Clark in Sarah White’s Let Me List the …

“Hideous Things Have Happened Here”: Rape Myths, Rape Culture, And Healing In Adolescent Literature, Holly J. Greca

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Adolescent novels about rape are one way to discuss rape and rape culture with a young audience. These novels can depict and challenge aspects of rape culture, including the myths that ultimately reinforce a culture hostile to rape victims. Considering the prevalence of rape in society at large, as well as its prevalence among adolescents, this thesis examines the elements of rape culture at play within adolescent rape novels, which can serve as pieces of activism as they give voice to adolescent survivors of rape. Adolescent rape novels explore the internal struggles of survivors as well as the external process …

Speech And Language Assessment Of Internationally Adopted Children, Lindsey Clifford

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This paper consists of three distinct articles, all related to the speech and language assessment of internationally adopted children. The first article, “Speech and Language Assessment of Internationally Adopted Children,” is a qualitative study that explored how speech-language pathologists (SLPs) would conduct a speech and language assessment of internationally adopted children. The assessment of this population of children can be challenging for many reasons, and there is limited knowledge of what methods SLPs are currently using. In-depth interviews were conducted with five SLPs who had at least two years of experience working in a public school setting to learn how …

A Critical Race Critique Of Campus Climate And Belonging For First-Generation Students Of Color At Historically Black Colleges & Predominately White Institutions, Samantha Gale Aaron

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to assess whether and how higher education campus climate, policy, and practice influence belonging for first-generation students of color. Through the lens of critical race theory, the study further juxtaposes those experiences through the testimony of students at predominantly White institutions (PWIs) and historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Grounded theory informed my qualitative survey and interview tools through which I examined belonging through three standards: social, which explored belonging through peers, groups, and the environment; personal, which explored belonging through the respondent’s thoughts, feelings, and emotions; and institutional, which explored belonging through practice, …

3d Cfd Simulation Of A Bubble Column With Internals: Validation Of Interfacial Forces And Internal Effects For Local Gas Holdup Predictions, Hayder Al-Naseri, Joshua P. Schlegel, Muthanna H. Al-Dahhan

Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

CFD Models (Turbulent Models and Interfacial Forces) Incorporated with the Population Balance Model (PBM) Have Been Validated, Azimuthally, with the Gamma-Ray-Computed Tomography (CT) Results to Address the Effect of the Presence of Internals with Different Arrangements and Diameters. the Superficial Gas Velocity Applied Was Varied from 0.05 to 0.45 M/s. the Results Exhibit the Capability to Predict the Hydrodynamics of the Bubble Column, Further Incorporating the Population Balance Model and Promoting the Prediction of Simulation in High Superficial Gas Velocity. the Effect of Internals Revealed that the Gas Holdup Was Significantly Enhanced in the Bubble Column's Wall Region, While the …

Android Security: Analysis And Applications, Raina Samuel

Dissertations

The Android mobile system is home to millions of apps that offer a wide range of functionalities. Users rely on Android apps in various facets of daily life, including critical, e.g., medical, settings. Generally, users trust that apps perform their stated purpose safely and accurately. However, despite the platform’s efforts to maintain a safe environment, apps routinely manage to evade scrutiny. This dissertation analyzes Android app behavior and has revealed several weakness: lapses in device authentication schemes, deceptive practices such as apps covering their traces, as well as behavioral and descriptive inaccuracies in medical apps. Examining a large corpus of …

Twitter Sentiment Analysis: Applications In Healthcare And Finance, Jiali Wang

Dissertations

This research explores the influence of Twitter sentiment on healthcare and finance industries. It assesses how Twitter sentiment and culture measure influence COVID-19 statistics, and it investigates the impact of Twitter sentiment on S&P 1500 stock mispricing. Furthermore, it examines how tweet sentiment predicts major industry returns.

The first part examines how Hofstede’s Culture Dimensions (HCD) and Twitter economic uncertainty index (TEU) relate to COVID-19 infection rate and death rate. The results show certain aspects in HCD, such as power distance index (PDI) and masculinity (MAS) both are negatively and significantly associated with the infection rate, while indulgence (IVR) and …

The Future Of The Urban Street In The United States: Visions Of Alternative Mobilities In The Twenty-First Century, Esther Zipori

Dissertations

This dissertation is concerned with the present and future of urban streets in the United States. The goal is to document and analyze current visions, policies, and strategies related to the form and use of American urban streets. The dissertation examines current mobility trends and offers a framework for organizing visions of the future of urban streets, evaluating them through three lenses: safety, comfort, and delight: assessing physical conditions in accordance with livability standards toward sustainable development. At the same time, it demonstrates the way 12 scenarios (NACTO Blueprint for Autonomous Urbanism, Sidewalk Labs: Quayside Project, Public Square by FXCollaborative, …