Digital Commons Network^™

Votes, Drugs And Violence: The Political Logic Of Criminal Wars In Mexico. By Guillermo Trejo And Sandra Ley. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2020. Isbn 978-1-108-79527-2., Howard Campbell

Journal of Strategic Security

No abstract provided.

A Hierarchical Multi-Authority Access Control Scheme For Secure And Efficient Data Sharing In Cloud Storage, Smita Athanere, Dr. Ramesh Thakur

Journal of Strategic Security

Enterprises choose to keep their data on the cloud to allow for flexible and efficient data exchange among their authorized staff when dealing with huge data. However, during the sharing of sensitive data, data security and users privacy has become major challenges. Most of the existing studies have several limitations, including weak model security, single point of failure, and lack of efficiency during user revocation. This article proposes cloud storage based Hierarchical Multi-authority Access Control Scheme (HMA-ACS) for secure and efficient data sharing. Through theoretical analysis, this article proves that the proposed mechanism efficiently performs cryptographic key operations and secured …

Cip Newsletter Spring 2022, Center For Innovative Pedagogy

Annual Reports and Newsletters

No abstract provided.

Otterbein Aegis Spring 2022, Otterbein Aegis

Aegis: The Otterbein Humanities Journal

Contents: Editors' Introduction, Editorial Board Members, Art in Dire Times, From Dust to Destruction, "Get Up, Peter; The Revolution's Calling:" Revolutions, Sexuality, Feminism, and LIFE Magazine in 1968, Having It All: Ladies Home Journal and Post-feminism in the Early 1990s, Mythic England and the Deranged Empire: Using Wide Sargasso Sea to Understand the Moral Illness of the Colonial Agent, On the Perversion and Commodification of Blackness: Spike Lee's Bamboozled, You've Come a Long Way, Baby: Media Messages of Women's Liberation, An Interview with Dr. Amy Sheeran, Book Reviews: "A Lot of People Are Saying: The New Conspiracism and the Assault …

Mental Health First Aid (Mhfa): Implementing An Evidence-Based Practice Change Initiative In A School Setting, Kate Wachutka Msn, Aprn, Fnp-C

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: School-aged children with unidentified mental illnesses experience poor health outcomes and increased medical costs. Successful management of this public health threat requires a collaborative community approach with a focus on enhancing adults’ mental health literacy (MHL) to improve outcomes.

Objectives: The objectives of this project were to implement an evidence-based mental health education (utilizing MHFA) and sustainment program within a school setting for staff and parents supervising children to optimize the adults' MHL over a three month period.

Methods: A pretest-posttest design was used. Participants were recruited from a school in the Western United States. Inclusion criteria consisted of: …

Implementing Sskin Bundle For Pressure Ulcer Prevention In Long-Term Care Facility, Funmilayo Oni

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Pressure ulcers are a major challenge in long-term care (LTC) facilities. Adult patients in LTC setting are at risk for developing pressure ulcers due to chronic medical conditions and comorbidities. Preventing the onset of these wounds is more cost-effective than treating pressure ulcers.

AIM/Objectives: The primary objective was to decrease the number of pressure ulcers by 50% within a three-month period. Secondary objectives were to achieve 100% compliance with completion of mandatory staff education, score on the posttest questionnaire, and compliance with mandatory staff documentation as instructed by the SSKIN protocol.

Methods: This DNP Project used a pretest and …

Antibiotic Stewardship For Asymptomatic Bacteriuria In Older Adults Residing In Long-Term Care At End-Of-Life, Kimberly Madison Agpcnp-Bc

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Differentiating between asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) and urinary tract infections (UTIs) in older adults is challenging due to their atypical presentation. There is a critical gap in practice to adhere to clinical guidelines advising against treating ASB with antibiotics.

Objectives: The purpose of this Quality Improvement project was to implement an antibiotic stewardship program at a hospice organization to standardize judicious use of antibiotics at the end-of-life. The outcome measures were designed to evaluate clinician knowledge, prescribing policies and practice changes, the completeness of documentation, the appropriate usage of antibiotics, and clinician antibiotic use attitudes and beliefs.

Methods: Hospice clinicians …

Structured Type 2 Diabetes Education To Improve Self-Monitoring Blood Glucose, Self-Care Management, And Diabetes Knowledge In A Multicultural Family Practice Clinic, Deedee Foster Fnp-C

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: The family practice providers at the family medicine residency clinic (FMRC) have neither sufficient time nor continuity of care to provide diabetes education to effectively reduce A1c levels. The FMRC has 500 multicultural type 2 diabetes patients with an A1c >7% that has increased by 23.2% in the previous five months. Multiple studies have demonstrated that structured diabetes education can significantly decrease blood glucose readings, improve self-care management, and diabetes knowledge to attain optimal glycemic control.

Objectives: To implement an evidence-based practice (EBP) project in the FMRC to improve participants blood glucose readings, self-care management, and diabetes knowledge.

Methods: …

Effect Of A Web-Based Educational Intervention In Improving Depression Knowledge And Help-Seeking Behaviour In Women, Chibuzo Efuribe Rn Msn Fnp-Bc

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Depression is of global concern and one of the leading causes of disability in the United States. Based on a needs assessment conducted in a faith-based organization, we noticed a gap in depression knowledge, an unwillingness to seek help, and a lack of open dialogue among the women. Studies have shown that low depression literacy impedes early recognition, prevention, and willingness to seek help (Brijnath et al., 2016; Reavley et al., 2014).

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of web-based educational intervention in improving depression knowledge and help-seeking behavior among women in a faith-based organization.

Methods: Using …

Effectiveness Of Provider Education To Improve Screening, Diagnosis, And Management Of Postpartum Depression, Gina M. Tytula

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Postpartum depression (PPD) effects approximately 15% of new mothers after the birth of their child which results in feelings of anger, fear and being overwhelmed. In the practice setting for this project there were low rates of PPD screening, leading to missed diagnoses and inadequate management of PPD.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to implement and evaluate the effectiveness of an education program to increase providers’ perceived knowledge and improve screening, diagnosis and management of PPD for a multicultural patient population at an urban obstetrics practice.

Methods: This pre-post design project evaluated the effectiveness of an educational …

Evaluating Telehealth As A Means Of Communicating With Living Donors And Its Effect On Quality Of Care, Ashley Anne Hamby Rn Msn

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Despite the advantages of living donor kidney transplantation (LDKT), there are barriers that potential donors face that make living donation less appealing. Research supports the use of telehealth as an effective method of enhancing access to care and building efficiencies.

Aims/Objectives: To evaluate access to care, effectiveness, financial impact, and experience after implementing telehealth as a means of communicating with living donors.

Methods: Utilizing a pretest-posttest design, an analysis was performed among medically cleared donors evaluated in-person between January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2019 (Control Group; N=64) and donors evaluated via telehealth (Zoom®) between January 1, 2021 to …

Implicit Bias Training: Improving Racial/Ethnic Disparities In Maternal Care, Marilyn Mapp

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Racial and ethnic disparities persist in the United States leading to adverse maternal outcomes. Nationally, the maternal mortality rates in black women are two to three times higher than white women. Implementing implicit bias training, recommended by the Council on Patient Safety in Women’s Health, is a key intervention that may help to reduce these disparities.

Objectives: This quasi-experimental/mixed methods project evaluated the effectiveness of training on implicit bias to increase awareness of implicit bias among a convenience sample of registered nurses in labor and delivery and postpartum units at two community hospitals.

Methods: Quantitative data was analyzed with …

Blanket Statements, Issue 153, Spring 2022

Blanket Statements: News Publication of the American Quilt Study Group

Blanket Statements, Issue 153, Spring 2022

The Effect Of Scan And Patient Parameters On The Diagnostic Performance Of Ai For Detecting Coronary Stenosis On Coronary Ct Angiography, Rebecca Jonas, Emil Barkovich, Andrew D Choi, William F Griffin, Joanna Riess, Hugo Marques, Hyuk-Jae Chang, Jung Hyun Choi, Joon-Hyung Doh, Ae-Young Her, Bon-Kwon Koo, Chang-Wook Nam, Hyung-Bok Park, Sang-Hoon Shin, Jason Cole, Alessia Gimelli, Muhammad Akram Khan, Bin Lu, Yang Gao, Faisal Nabi, Ryo Nakazato, U Joseph Schoepf, Roel S Driessen, Michiel J Bom, Randall C Thompson, James J Jang, Michael Ridner, Chris Rowan, Erick Avelar, Philippe Généreux, Paul Knaapen, Guus A De Waard, Gianluca Pontone, Daniele Andreini, Marco Guglielmo, Mouaz H Al-Mallah, Robert S Jennings, Tami R Crabtree, James P Earls

Division of Internal Medicine Faculty Papers & Presentations

Objectives: To determine whether coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) scanning, scan preparation, contrast, and patient based parameters influence the diagnostic performance of an artificial intelligence (AI) based analysis software for identifying coronary lesions with ≥50% stenosis.

Background: CCTA is a noninvasive imaging modality that provides diagnostic and prognostic benefit to patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). The use of AI enabled quantitative CCTA (AI-QCT) analysis software enhances our diagnostic and prognostic ability, however, it is currently unclear whether software performance is influenced by CCTA scanning parameters.

Methods: CCTA and quantitative coronary CT (QCT) data from 303 stable patients (64 ± …

Differences In Covid-19-Related Testing And Healthcare Utilization By Race And Ethnicity In The Veterans Health Administration, Javad Razjouyan, Drew A Helmer, Ang Li, Aanand D Naik, Christopher I Amos, Venkata Bandi, Amir Sharafkhaneh

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

IMPORTANCE: Recent reports indicate differences in COVID-19-related care and outcomes between Black and White Americans.

OBJECTIVE: We examine the COVID-19-related healthcare utilization and mortality by race and ethnicity of patients tested for SARS-CoV-2 in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).

DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study.

SETTING: We used the VHA COVID-19 shared data resources between February 1 and June 30, 2020.

PARTICIPANTS: Veterans tested for SARS-CoV-2 virus by VHA.

EXPOSURE(S): Three racial-ethnicity groups of Black, Hispanic, and White (as reference) veterans.

MAIN OUTCOME(S) AND MEASURE(S): Main outcomes are testing rate, positivity rate, hospitalization rate, ICU admission rate, and in-hospital mortality. Controlling …

Perturbed Hematopoiesis In Individuals With Germline Dnmt3a Overgrowth Tatton-Brown-Rahman Syndrome, Ayala Tovy, Carina Rosas, Amos S Gaikwad, Geraldo Medrano, Linda Zhang, Jaime M Reyes, Yung-Hsin Huang, Tastuhiko Arakawa, Kristen Kurtz, Shannon E Conneely, Anna G Guzman, Rogelio Aguilar, Anne Gao, Chun-Wei Chen, Jean J Kim, Melissa T Carter, Amaia Lasa-Aranzasti, Irene Valenzuela, Lionel Van Maldergem, Lorenzo Brunetti, M John Hicks, Andrea N Marcogliese, Margaret A Goodell, Rachel E Rau

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Tatton-Brown-Rahman syndrome (TBRS) is an overgrowth disorder caused by germline heterozygous mutations in the DNA methyltransferase DNMT3A. DNMT3A is a critical regulator of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) differentiation and somatic DNMT3A mutations are frequent in hematologic malignancies and clonal hematopoiesis. Yet, the impact of constitutive DNMT3A mutation on hematopoiesis in TBRS is undefined. In order to establish how constitutive mutation of DNMT3A impacts blood development in TBRS we gathered clinical data and analyzed blood parameters in 18 individuals with TBRS. We also determined the distribution of major peripheral blood cell lineages by flow cytometric analyses. Our analyses revealed non-anemic macrocytosis, …

A Non-Coding Insertional Mutation Of Grhl2 Causes Gene Over-Expression And Multiple Structural Anomalies Including Cleft Palate, Spina Bifida And Encephalocele, Georgia Pitsava, Marcia L Feldkamp, Nathan Pankratz, John Lane, Denise M Kay, Kristin M Conway, Charlotte Hobbs, Gary M Shaw, Jennita Reefhuis, Mary M Jenkins, Lynn M Almli, Cynthia Moore, Martha Werler, Marilyn L Browne, Chris Cunniff, Andrew F Olshan, Faith Pangilinan, Lawrence C Brody, Robert J Sicko, Richard H Finnell, Michael J Bamshad, Daniel Mcgoldrick, Deborah A Nickerson, James C Mullikin, Paul A Romitti, James L Mills

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Sacral agenesis (SA) consists of partial or complete absence of the caudal end of the spine and often presents with additional birth defects. Several studies have examined gene variants for syndromic forms of SA, but only one has examined exomes of children with non-syndromic SA.

METHODS: Using buccal cell specimens from families of children with non-syndromic SA, exomes of 28 child-parent trios (eight with and 20 without a maternal diagnosis of pregestational diabetes) and two child-father duos (neither with diagnosis of maternal pregestational diabetes) were exome sequenced.

RESULTS: Three children had heterozygous missense variants in ID1 (Inhibitor of DNA …

Identification Of An Optimal Dose Of Intravenous Ketamine For Late-Life Treatment-Resistant Depression: A Bayesian Adaptive Randomization Trial, Marijn Lijffijt, Nicholas Murphy, Sidra Iqbal, Charles E Green, Tabish Iqbal, Lee C Chang, Colin N Haile, Lorna C Hirsch, Nithya Ramakrishnan, Dylan A Fall, Alan C Swann, Rayan K Al Jurdi, Sanjay J Mathew

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Evidence supporting specific therapies for late-life treatment-resistant depression (LL-TRD) is necessary. This study used Bayesian adaptive randomization to determine the optimal dose for the probability of treatment response (≥50% improvement from baseline on the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale) 7 days after a 40 min intravenous (IV) infusion of ketamine 0.1 mg/kg (KET 0.1), 0.25 mg/kg (KET 0.25), or 0.5 mg/kg (KET 0.5), compared to midazolam 0.03 mg/kg (MID) as an active placebo. The goal of this study was to identify the best dose to carry forward into a larger clinical trial. Response durability at day 28, safety and tolerability, and …

Targeting Calcium-Mediated Inter-Organellar Crosstalk In Cardiac Diseases, Mohit M Hulsurkar, Satadru K Lahiri, Jason Karch, Meng C Wang, Xander H T Wehrens

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

INTRODUCTION: Abnormal calcium signaling between organelles such as the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), mitochondria and lysosomes is a key feature of heart diseases. Calcium serves as a secondary messenger mediating inter-organellar crosstalk, essential for maintaining the cardiomyocyte function.

AREAS COVERED: This article examines the available literature related to calcium channels and transporters involved in inter-organellar calcium signaling. The SR calcium-release channels ryanodine receptor type-2 (RyR2) and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (IP

EXPERT OPINION: Enhanced SR calcium release via RyR2 and reduced SR reuptake via SERCA2a, increased VDAC and MCUC-mediated calcium uptake into mitochondria, and enhanced lysosomal calcium-release via lysosomal TPC and TRPML …

Purpose, Subject, And Consumer Comment On "Perceived Burden Due To Registrations For Quality Monitoring And Improvement In Hospitals: A Mixed Methods Study", Sylvia J Hysong, Patrick O'Mahen, Jochen Profit, Laura A Petersen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Zegers and colleagues’ study codifies the perceived burden of quality monitoring and improvement stemming from the work by clinicians of registering (documenting) quality information in the medical record. We agree with Zegers and colleagues’ recommendation that a smaller, more effective and curated set of measures is needed to reduce burden, confusion, and expense. We further note that focusing on validity of clinical evidence behind individual measures is critical, but insufficient. We therefore extend Zegers and colleagues’ work through a pragmatic, tripartite heuristic. To assess the value of and curate a targeted set of performance measures, we propose concentrating on the …

Comparing The Job Satisfaction Of Virtual School Educators To That Of Traditional Educators, Eric L. Sierra

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

Virtual education in the K-12 environment is a growing field in the education industry. Not only does virtual education provide new opportunities for students, it also changes how teachers work in the industry and how they perceive the job satisfaction. Using the Teacher Job Satisfaction Questionnaire (TJSQ), this study compares perceived job satisfaction of virtual educators to that of traditional educators in the K-12 environment. Data collected from 112 educators suggested that both virtual and traditional educators were satisfied with their jobs. When teachers in both environments were compared to one another, there was no statistically significant difference in their …

The Confidence Of High School Special Education (Sped) Teachers To Deliver Instruction In A 100% Virtual Learning Environment Due To Covid-19, Darius E. James

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic had substantially altered others' daily social interactions and the delivery of education globally. From preschool to universities, educational institutions worldwide temporarily closed their brick-and-mortar facilities to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The transition from in-person to virtual learning was very abrupt, and the transition forced teachers of all experience levels to adapt to a new normal of virtual instruction due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the perceptions of high school special education teachers’ confidence to deliver virtual instruction to students within a school district that was …

Understanding The Technology Support Needs Of High School Teachers Implementing A Learning Management System, Neil L. Trahan

All Theses And Dissertations

In this study, the researcher explored high school teachers’ perceptions of various types of professional development, training, and support provided to and received by them during the implementation of a learning management system. Additionally, the researcher sought to explore the impact support may have on teachers’ beliefs about technology and its role/impact on their instructional practice. Data were collected on teachers’ perceptions of technology, as well as the most effective types of support (and frequency) they recalled were most useful for their respective skill level with technology. To identify participants’ skill level with technology, the Survey of Preservice Teachers' Knowledge …

A Phenomenological Study: Covid-19 And Administrators At A Christian Higher Education Institution, Robert D. Pocai

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to describe the lived experience of administrators at a Christian higher education institution during the COVID-19 crisis. The theoretical framework used for this study was revolutionary change theory (RCT). Qualitative data was gathered from structured interviews with executive administrators who led during the COVID-19 pandemic at an evangelical Christian liberal arts university that offered multiple degrees at the associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral levels. Study findings described four main themes that emerged from the data: unpredictability, holistic community disruption, decisive adaptation, and team collaboration. These main themes described the lived phenomenon that …

Kenyon Collegiate - April 1, 2022

Kenyon Collegiate

No abstract provided.

2021-2022 Lindenwood University Honors Convocation, Lindenwood University

Honors Convocation Programs

2021-2022 Lindenwood University Honors Convocation

Finding Aid For The Guy Sterling Collection (Mum00147)

Archives & Special Collections: Finding Aids (alphabetical)

No abstract provided.

The Archives Magazine, 2022, Matthew Bandy, Jenna Sala, Hannah Abatemarco, Michael Alberto, Jakob Lemke, Dillon Hamilton, Gabby Kane, Michelle Kamienski

Kutztown University Archives

No abstract provided.

What They Are Really Saying: An Analysis Of The Messages In Full-Time Virtual School Television-Length Advertisements, Dennis Beck, Seth D. French, Johnny B. Allred, Christian Z. Goering

Curriculum and Instruction Faculty Publications and Presentations

Virtual schooling in America is a complex notion, one riddled with simultaneous claims of provenance coupled with poor achievement results when compared to other forms of schooling. Recruitment practices for virtual schools, specifically available television-length advertisements from a national list of fully online schools, comprised a data set around which this study revolved. We examined how virtual school television-length advertisements represented or misrepresented their approach to schooling by utilizing a cultural studies technique of performing preferred, negotiated, and oppositional readings. Qualitative analysis—including an independent interrater process—led to findings that often directly contradicted the messages present in the television-length advertisements, as …

Narratives Bridge The Divide Between Distant Events In Episodic Memory, Brendan I Cohn-Sheehy, Angelique I Delarazan, Jordan E Crivelli-Decker, Zachariah M Reagh, Nidhi S Mundada, Andrew P Yonelinas, Jeffrey M Zacks, Charan Ranganath

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Many studies suggest that information about past experience, or episodic memory, is divided into discrete units called "events." Yet we can often remember experiences that span multiple events. Events that occur in close succession might simply be linked because of their proximity to one another, but we can also build links between events that occur farther apart in time. Intuitively, some kind of organizing principle should enable temporally distant events to become bridged in memory. We tested the hypothesis that episodic memory exhibits a narrative-level organization, enabling temporally distant events to be better remembered if they form a coherent narrative. …