Digital Commons Network^™

Harnessing Team Science In Dementia Research: Insights From The Alzheimer’S Disease Research Group In South Carolina, Sayema Akter, Eric Mishio Bawa, Nicholas Riccardi, Daniel A. Amoatika, Margaret C. Miller Ms, Ph.D., Otis L. Owens Mph, Ph.D., Caps, Lorie Donelle Phd, Rn, Fcan, E Angela Murphy, Daping Fan, Melissa Moss, Mihyun Lim Waugh, Sue E. Levkoff Scd, Msw, Sm, Freda Allyson Hucek, Jean Neils-Strunjas Ph.D, Ccc-Slp, Swann Arp Adams Ph.D., Ms, Face, Roger Newman-Norlund, Sarah Newman-Norlund Ph.D., James Hardin Ph.D., John Absher, Bankole A. Olatosi Ph.D., Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Lumi Bakos Ph.D., Quentin Mccollum, Chris Rorden, Leonardo Bonilha, Daniela B. Friedman

Publications

Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) are complex and rapidly growing public health challenges that require integrative, collaborative approaches. To meet this need, the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (ADRC) of South Carolina, a state-funded partnership across multiple institutions, has embraced a team science model that brings together expertise from four key disciplines: neuroimaging-neurology, health sciences, molecular biology, and engineering. This paper highlights the work at the University of South Carolina (USC) and how each discipline contributes uniquely yet collaboratively within a recurring loop model framework. Extending from USC's Cancer Prevention and Control Program, the framework guides scientific growth through four …

Variations In Postpartum Readmission By Individual Race, Ethnicity, And Rurality In South Carolina, Curisa M. Tucker Phd, Rn, Yunqing Ma, Jiajia Zhang Ph.D., Md Utba Rashid, Jihong Liu Sc.D., Berry Campbell, Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Peiyin Hung Ph.D, Msph

Publications

Importance Racial and ethnic disparities in postpartum readmission (PPR) remain a critical public health concern, with non-Hispanic Black individuals experiencing rates up to 3 times as high as non-Hispanic White individuals. PPR is often associated with mental health disorders (MHDs) and substance use disorders (SUDs), and barriers to care are particularly acute in rural communities. Objective To investigate intersections in the associations of individual residential rurality and race and ethnicity with all-cause, MHD-, and SUD-related PPR throughout 1 year post partum. Design, Setting, and Participants This statewide retrospective cohort study used data from birth certificates linked to all-payer hospital data …

Poor Little Woman And Sybil Of The Rhine: Code Switching In Hildegard Of Bingen’S Writing, Bridgett Meskis

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Hildegard of Bingen (1098- 1179) was a twelfth century German Benedictine abbess, mystic, author, composer, and theologian. Despite the heavily patriarchal and restrictive culture of her day, Hildegard managed to gain autonomy and authority within her community. She benefited from a boom in popularity in the mid-1990s, which saw a broadening of research subjects, including focus on the gender dynamics at play in Hildegard’s life. This scholarship has died down significantly since. Given the breadth and depth of her work, Hildegard of Bingen’s work deserves to be revisited through more recent theoretical lenses that can provide significant insights into her …

Exploring The Impacts Of Secondary/Foreign Language Development On Childhood Development, Malone A. Ingram

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

The central topic of my research project explores the positive impacts that early second language acquisition has on childhood development . I examine its effect through the lens of bilingual education in Missoula County Public Schools, identifying possible shortcomings in the language education programs in elementary schools, as well as feasible solutions. I approach this research from two distinct directions: a literature review and original data collection. I will analyse existing studies and information relating to bilingualism and its positive impact on childhood development. This will provide context and support for my interview questions. Next, for my own independent research, …

A Good Neighbor Gone Bad: Exploring U.S. Foreign Policy, Corporate Interests, And The Rise Of Communist Activity In Guatemala And Honduras, 1954, Ava Mae Debourg

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

This paper examines the U.S. foreign policy response to the 1954 Honduran General Strike, where nearly 15% of the workforce mobilized against the exploitative practices of the United Fruit Company (UFCO). What began as a labor dispute among dock workers on Honduras’ northern coast quickly escalated into a nationwide protest, drawing support from students, teachers, and artisans against the UFCO and the national oligarchic elite. Using State Department documents, CIA reports, and media coverage from Time and The New York Times, this study analyzes how U.S. officials in Honduras and Washington, D.C. responded to the strike. Despite a history …

Using Wida English Language Development Standards Framework To Make Language Visible In An International Baccalaureate Unit Of Inquiry, Wanqing Zhao

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis discusses the integration of the theory and practices of International Baccalaureate (IB) programs with those of the World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) English Language Development (ELD) Standards Framework (2020) to enhance language learning for English Language Learners (ELLs) in an IB Primary Years Program (PYP) in China. Focusing on a fourth-grade Unit of Inquiry (UOI) that concerns human migration, this paper explores two core areas: alignment between IB’s holistic, inquiry-driven approach and the WIDA ELD Standards Framework (2020), and strategies for making language visible to ELLs through WIDA’s Key Language Use of Explain genre family. The Teaching …

The Impact Of Trauma-Informed Teaching In A Middle School Classroom, Kathleen M. Wittig

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Student trauma has become more prevalent in the classroom setting since the COVID-19 pandemic. More and more schools are adopting a trauma-informed/sensitive approach to teaching to serve the growing number of students with trauma in the classroom. Educators are finding themselves faced with more emotional and behavioral issues in the classroom, teacher burnout is increasing daily, and more students are being referred to special education. It is not that these students are bad kids; rather, it is that they lack certain skills to allow them to be successful. Instead of trying to change the child, educators need to look at …

Dementia Caregivers’ Perspectives On Technology’S Place In Care Practices: Mixed Methods Survey, Julia A. Scott, Emma Cepukenas, Mckenzie Himes, Kennedy Anderson, Kiren Grewal, An Mai, Sheila Yuter, Patricia M. Simone

Psychology

Background:

As the number of individuals diagnosed with dementia continues to grow, collective caregiving capacity is simultaneously declining. As a result, caregivers often face significant stress and burnout, which negatively impacts both their well-being and the quality of care they are able to provide. To address these challenges, various forms of technology have been developed to support caregiving responsibilities for people with dementia. Barriers to widespread adoption include the cost of technology, lack of caregiver training, limited awareness of available solutions, privacy and ethical concerns, and resistance to change from both caregivers and care recipients. By identifying these key insights, …

Kenyon College Course Catalog 2025-2026

Kenyon College Course Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Chasing Dreams In Modern America: Can We All Still Reach The Stars?, Selina Osebre Yawson

Tredway Library Prize for First-Year Research

Judges' Statement

"Chasing Dreams in Modern America: Can We All Still Reach the Stars?" is an excellent and timely examination of the American Dream during a time of political polarization and economic uncertainty. Yawson synthesizes systemic social critique with close literary analysis, applying a reading of Langston Hughes' poetry to address the current moment. Her unique selection of sources and well-reasoned call to action earned the paper an honorable mention.

The Struggle For Equity In Education: Affirmative Action And Systemic Change, Derek Truong

Tredway Library Prize for First-Year Research

Derek’s paper analyzed both the oppressive and liberating roles the education system holds within society. He grounded this research by examining this paradox within the case study of affirmative action, particularly alongside the experiences of Asian Americans and other historically marginalized perspectives. By examining educational theories, Derek argued that a critical analysis of affirmative action demystifies this paradox and exposes deeper systemic inequities in the education system. With a nuanced view of affirmative action based on theory, Derek concluded that systemic and pedagogical changes can occur with internal reforms, such as integrating a more inclusive curriculum that reflects a diverse …

Victim Advocacy For Latina Women: Addressing Barriers Situated In The Scholarly And Public Spheres, Alejandra Aleannie Tavarez

Honors Senior Capstones and Theses

This research will explore how machismo, marianismo, and mental health stigma impact victim advocacy for Latina women. By analyzing existing literature and systemic challenges, this study will advocate for culturally informed solutions that address the legal, social, and psychological barriers Latina survivors face. Through a critical lens, this paper will examine the ways in which existing victim services can be improved and expanded to better serve this underrepresented population.

Academic Freedom Under Attack: How Faculty And Students Can Protect Their Rights Situated In The Scholarly And Public Spheres, Emma Hansen

Honors Senior Capstones and Theses

This thesis project challenged me to apply my learning to the larger community and accomplish something that would make a lasting impact at Roger Williams University. When I was attempting to come up with my topic, I tussled with how my project could accomplish my main goal, to help people. With the current threats to academic freedom and institutional autonomy from the Trump Administration, I recognized that the faculty were expressing concern about the permanence of their jobs. The general feeling on campus and in the news was fear. So, I thought to myself, “How do I put these fears …

Rebecca’S Silence: The Rebecca Riots And Why They Vanished For Three Years, Andrew Carl Finch

Theses

No abstract provided.

Rabble: A Companion To Pwa-Tem (2025)

Rabble, 2014-

Rabble is a companion chapbook publication to the magazine Pwatem. From the preface of most issues: "'Tell the rabble my name is Cabell."- James Branch Cabell to his editor, to help people learn how to pronounce his name. Cabell used the word derogatively but we are taking it back. These pages will showcase the writing and illustrations of our rabble-the ordinary students of VCU."

The Relationship Between Motor Abilities And Cultural Factors In Autistic Children, Lindsey Marie Anderson

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Autism and motor abilities have been found to be closely related. Culture affects motor development as well as the various diagnostic criteria for an autism diagnosis, yet it is rarely considered in research and in diagnostics. This study aimed to explore the relationship between cultural factors, the social characteristics of autism, and motor abilities in autistic and non-autistic children by utilizing a demographic survey, the SRS-2, and the MABC-2 Balance subtest. The information and scores were analyzed to determine if the relationship between autism characteristics still stands when cultural factors are considered, and to determine which cultural factors mediate the …

The Relationships Between Learner Socio-Demographic Factors, Self-Efficacy, Culture, And Student Engagement In The Online Learning Environment, Nikki L. Lagrone

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The continuing need to understand and evaluate student engagement, specifically in the online learning environment, is critical for researchers and instructional designers. To design online learning for optimal learning outcomes, researchers must account for the individual cultural and cognitive characteristics of the learner. By examining cultural attributes of the learner, instructional designers will be able to design online instruction as a more inclusive learning environment. This quantitative, explanatory correlational research study aimed to investigate the relationship between learner cultural attributes and online student engagement. Additionally, how learner socio-demographic factors and online learning self-efficacy are related to online student engagement were …

Historicity And Axiology: Temporal Implications For Axiology, Bennett Gilbert

History Faculty Publications and Presentations

To develop the axiology of moral (or ethical) values, phenomenological analysis must look at temporality in a way that is unfamiliar to it. This way is through knowledge and experience of the actual historical past, from which it has been separated by the Heideggerian conception of historicity and its classical Husserlian analysis of time consciousness. The development of historical studies helps to make this possible. A simple sample model of the diachronesis of the awareness of ethical significance, value, and obligation is presented. It moves the analysis from a presentist focus to the field of experience in which subjects develop …

The Prophetic Role Of The Church In The Associations Of Nagaland Baptist Churches Council (Nbcc) To Address The State Of Morality And Spiritual Transformation In The Land, Imti Lithrongla

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Meteoric Rise In The Privatization Of Space Meets The Dark Side Of The Moon, Sarah R. Yee

California Western International Law Journal

No abstract provided.

But For Borders: The Protection Gap For Internally Displaced Persons, Anita Sinha

Scholarly Articles in Law Reviews & Journals

Internal displacement, the phenomenon of people who are dislocated from their homes but remain within the border of their countries of origin, was once a forced migratory occurrence interchangeable with cross-border migration. This changed after the Second World War with the promulgation of the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, which was premised on an insistence on drawing a legal line in the sand based on which side of a border displacement transpires upon. Internally displaced persons (IDPs)-both in recent history and in the projected future-far outnumber people displaced across borders. Both rhetorical maneuverings and traditional international legal …

Effect Of Laparoscopic Intracorporeal Reinforcing Sutures To Prevent Anastomotic Leakage: A Meta-Analysis, Feng-Bing Wang, Min-Min Song, Nian-Wen Zhang, Wei-Feng, Bin-Liu, Peng-Fei Zhang

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To assess the effectiveness of reinforcing sutures after surgery for rectal cancer and its associated impact on postoperative recovery. Anastomotic leakage (AL) is a common and serious complication after anteriorrectal resection. It is currently unclear whether laparoscopic intracorporeal reinforcingsutures can effectively reduce the incidence of AL. Method: From inception to 2024, the literature search was conducted using a variety of databases, including PubMed, the Chinese biomedical literature database (CBM), Wanfang, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, VIP, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), to identify relevant articles. Free-text forms were used to search the literature: “rectal cancer”, “rectal neoplasms”, “reinforcing sutures”, …

"In This House, We Pull Ourselves Up By Our Bootstraps": The Foundations Of Parliamentary Sovereignty In The United Kingdom, New Zealand, And Sweden, Andrew Hull

Emory International Law Review Recent Developments

This paper considers the legal foundations of parliamentary sovereignty in three states: the United Kingdom, the Realm of New Zealand, and the Kingdom of Sweden. Two of these countries hail from the common law legal family, while Sweden is a civil law country with Nordic legal characteristics. After initial discussion of parliamentary sovereignty and Carl Schmitt’s theory of sovereignty, I will consider each of these states’ examples of parliamentary sovereignty in turn. We shall see the historical development of these three countries’ parliamentary sovereignties deeply implicates the other four of Zweigert and Kötz’s factors for defining legal styles: legal thinking, …

Framing Legal Systems In New And Emerging Statelets: Autonomous Projects Of The Zapatistas Of Chiapas And The Democratic Autonomous Administration Of Northern And Eastern Syria, Samuel Wolff

Emory International Law Review Recent Developments

Autonomous movements within states are disruptions in the normal order and control that a state exerts over its territories. While there are some groups that aim to achieve autonomy and recognition while staying within the structure of the existing state, other groups seek to succeed and establish their own autonomous area completely succeeding and divorcing from the state. For a variety of reasons- from mistrust of a corrupt central government to violent repression of ethnic minorities- movements arise offering an alternative to the existing state. As these movements break, sometimes violently, from the state, they also break from the legal …

"Double-Sided Shareholder Primacy": Even More Powerful Corporate Governance Machine In China Than The United States?, Wenhan Tang

Emory International Law Review Recent Developments

This article examines the emergence of a “double-sided shareholder primacy” in China’s corporate governance, contrasting it with the U.S. “single-sided shareholder primacy”. While the U.S. emphasizes shareholder interests as the corporate purpose but centralizes governance power in boards, China’s system uniquely combines shareholder-centric corporate objectives and concentrated shareholder control, reinforced by a more powerful “Corporate Governance Machine.” This machine integrates legal transplants (e.g., extreme shareholder meeting authority), ternary controllers (state, family, and minority stockholders), cultural ideologies favoring power concentration, and political metaphors likening meetings of shareholders to sovereign bodies. Despite its entrenchment, China’s 2024 Company Law revisions reveal efforts to …

Two Americas, Across Two Americas: A Comparative Analysis Of Indigenous Law In The United States And Guatemala, Thomas Jiwon Lynch

Emory International Law Review Recent Developments

The United States and Guatemala are home to some of the largest indigenous populations on earth. They are also home to some of the worst transgressions against these peoples. Though superficially distinct, the two states share the same violent colonial history and their differing approaches to modern indigenous rights both miss the mark. The question is why. Is it because US judges routinely misinterpret existing case law? Because the rule of law is weaker in Guatemala? Or is there something far more deeply rooted in each state’s shared history that prevents true recognition of indigenous rights? This paper attempts to …

Medieval Misinformation And Disinformation: Filling A Gap In Medieval Studies, Kristin B. Leaman

Libraries Faculty and Staff Scholarship and Research

Misinformation and disinformation are well-known terms that bring a plethora of topics to mind, such as fake news, conspiracy theories, social media, economic inequity, power imbalances, social justice, confirmation bias, political polarization, and/or health information within a more modern/contemporary context. While it is no secret that mis/disinformation have been present in our societies for centuries, it is not an area that has been fully examined in Medieval Studies. This article argues that the lack of scholarship on medieval mis/disinformation stems from a gap in the medieval studies curriculum and provides solutions to this problem, including a brief outline of a …

Race, Diversity, And The Development Of Political Attitudes On College Campuses, Nathan Chan, Tanika Raychaudhuri

Political Science and International Relations Faculty Works

Faced with demographic change, many colleges are offering courses about race and ethnicity. How does taking race-focused courses affect public opinion? We theorize that while White,Latino, and Asian American students develop more inclusive political attitudes through race-centered coursework, Black Americans may enter college with a deeper understanding of racial issues. We test these expectations using two longitudinal multi-racial datasets. First, using a national longitudinal survey of college students, we find that ethnic studies coursework is associated with increased recognition of racial discrimination among Whites, Latinos, and even Black Americans. Second, using an original panel survey from a public university, we …

Patient-Clinician Discussions On Lung Cancer Screening In The United States Before And After 2021 Guidelines, Timothy J. Williamson Phd, Mph, Whitney M. Brymwitt Ma, Mckenzie T. Reese, Erin A. Hirsch, Lisa Carter-Bawa

Psychological Science Faculty Works

Background Screening for lung cancer via low-dose computed tomography of the chest can promote early detection and reduce mortality. However, since the United States Preventive Service Task Force (USPSTF) issued lung cancer screening guidelines in 2013, uptake has been low. The USPSTF revised the guidelines in 2021 to expand eligibility. Purpose To determine whether patient-clinician discussions about lung cancer screening differs from 2017 to 2022 following 2021 revisions to the guidelines for lung cancer screening. Methods Data were obtained from the Health Information National Trends Survey (2017, 2020, and 2022). Community-dwelling US adults (N = 2973) were in the eligible …

Minding The Gap: How Do New Lcap Requirements Address Equity For English Learners?, Magaly Lavadenz, Ph.D., Raquel Gonzalez, Ph.D., Elvira G. Armas, Ed.D., Gisela O'Brien, Ph.D., Hannah Catron, M.A., Jeimee Estrada-Miller, Ph.D., M.P.P.

Reports

California’s Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), signed into law in 2013, centers equity as a key to increased and improved services for three targeted student subgroups, including English Learners (ELs), low-income students, and foster youth. As a component of LCFF, districts develop Local Control and Accountability Plans (LCAPs) to specify their goals and strategies for using LCFF funds for equity and continuous improvement purposes. In this report, Lavadenz and colleagues use a sample of 26 California public school districts with high numbers/percentages of ELs, finding that although some progress has been made, public schools continue to miss the mark in …