Digital Commons Network^™

Unh Research Finds Recent Urban Cities Are Expanding Up, Not Out, Robbin Ray

Media Relations

No abstract provided.

Understanding Athletes’ Experience When Transitioning To Life Beyond Sport: A Pilot Study, Alyssa L. Moore

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

It’S More Than Skin Deep: Evaluating Mental Health Care In Dermatology Settings, Emma Kraft

Theses and Graduate Projects

Background: There is a high prevalence of mental health comorbidities in those with dermatologic conditions given the visible nature of many conditions. However, mental health often fails to be addressed due to lack of mental health education, stigma around mental health, and lack of mental health resources for patients. Purpose: This research study aims to assess how patients and providers experience and address mental health in dermatology settings. Methods: A systematic literature review was performed analyzing the relationship between dermatologic conditions and mental health. Additionally, a survey was conducted to assess how dermatology providers approach mental health in dermatology settings. …

Preschool Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Development Of Literacy Skills In A Play-Based Learning Environment, Erica Collette Dinnocenzo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Preschool teachers are an essential part of the education system in the United Sates. The problem is that research and data about the development of literacy skills exist for kindergarten and upper grades, but there is minimal research on preschool teachers' perceptions on the development of literacy skills in a play-based learning environment. The purpose of this basic qualitative study, guided by Piaget’s constructivist theory, was to explore the perceptions of preschool teachers from a Midwestern city about the best practices and strategies used to develop literacy skills in a play-based preschool setting. Ten preschool teachers who worked in a …

Week Of August 5, 2024, Student Life

College, School and Department Newsletters, Magazines, and Journals

"Your summer hub for events, resources and updates."

August 5 Elections, Census & Redistricting Update, Jeffrey M. Wice

Elections, Census & Redistricting Updates

No abstract provided.

Education And Management Of Lymphedema, Alison Gillard, Rebecca King

Summer 2024 OTD Capstone Symposium

Lymphedema is a chronic and progressive condition whose incidence is increasing each year. This underserved population demonstrates frustration and confusion with self-managing symptoms.

This program aimed to compile evidence-based resources into an easily accessible format for the population to use as needed.

Clifford Boynes V. Limetree Bay Ventures Llc

2024 Decisions

USDC for the District Court of the Virgin Islands

Educating Nursing Faculty In Mindfulness Practices To Reduce Students’ Anxiety Pre-Simulation, Virginia Gonzalez

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

This DNP project examines how mindfulness training for associate degree nursing faculty can enhance educator self-efficacy in implementing teaching methods that reduce anxiety among nursing students before simulation exercises. The primary issue identified is the lack of faculty training in pre-simulation facilitation practices, which is crucial for ensuring students are adequately prepared. Using a pre-test/post-test design, this initiative evaluated changes in educator mindfulness self-efficacy among 14 faculty members. Results indicated a significant improvement in self-efficacy scores. The pre-test mean score was 3.36, which rose to a post-test mean score of 4.60. These project results demonstrate that mindfulness training effectively enhanced …

Modeling Knowledge Graphs And Its Applicability In Multi-Source Social Network Data, Abiola Sylvester Akinnubi

Theses and Dissertations

Social network analysis is becoming more relevant with the rise of Large Language Models and other AI frameworks, particularly as online content creation surges. However, analyzing social network data from different platforms to study online opinions and influence campaigns remains challenging. Even more complex is the concept of multi-source social network analysis. Knowledge graphs, an essential part of Web 4.0 and crucial in information modeling and encoding, offer a unique solution. They allow for a more concise encoding of relationships between entities and related discussions. However, there is limited investigation into using multi-source data for examining online information campaigns and …

Potential Contributions Of Xenobiotics To P-Glycoprotein Clearance Of Amyloid Β-Peptide From The Brain, Joseph Jr Asante

Theses and Dissertations

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an example of a neurodegenerative disease, mostly age related and characterized by cognitive decline. Currently there is no effective treatment that can prevent or slow progression of the disease. Roughly 95% of cases are sporadic, with unknown etiology. A distinguishing characteristic of the Alzheimer’s brain is the presence of amyloid plaques, with their constituent amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides implicated in causing synaptic dysfunction, memory impairment, and neurotoxicity. Although extensive research has explored the role of Aβ peptides in AD, understanding their metabolism in health versus disease remains insufficient. P-glycoprotein (P-gp), a member of the ATP-binding cassette transporter …

Adjunct Faculty's Perceptions On Teaching Online, Karin Detweiler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The importance of the study lies within the gap in practice where online education focuses primarily on the student experience and technology, leaving little focus on the successes and challenges of the instructors. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to look at the perceptions of adjunct faculty towards the successes, challenges, and resources necessary to effectively teach online within the United States. The conceptual framework utilized for the study was Lazarus’ cognitive-mediational model of emotion. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 12 participants using Zoom conferencing software with adjunct faculty members teaching in online higher education programs throughout the …

Maternal Serum Branched-Chain Amino Acids In Early Pregnancy And Offspring Growth Patterns From 1 Year To 8 Years Of Age, Ninghua Li, Junhong Leng, Rui Zhang, Hui Wang, Weiqin Li, Shuang Zhang, Yijuan Qiao, Jing Li, Zhijie Yu, Gang Hu, Zhongze Fang, Xilin Yang

Population and Public Health Science Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

A Quantitative Investigation Into Isotropic Variations Of Treatment Planning Isocenters To Model Patient Misalignment During Radiation Therapy Delivery And Its Impact On Evaluated Dose Metrics For Hypofractionated Dibh Left Breast Cancer Patients, Mckenzie Gemeiner

Masters Projects

Introduction

This research was conducted for carcinoma of the left breast without nodal involvement using the 3D deep inspiration breath hold (DIBH) treatment technique. Limiting dose to healthy tissues is crucial in radiation treatment planning. The impact of dosimetric uncertainty due to isotropic variations on constraints and goals is often overlooked. This study investigates dose metric differences due to inherent patient misalignment modeled by isotropic variations in treatment planning.

Methods

10 patient subjects were randomly selected with carcinoma of the left breast without nodal involvement, each using the 3D hypofractionated, deep inspiration breath hold (DIBH) technique. All plans had 24 …

Design Of A Portable Fast Scan Cyclic Voltammetry Device Utilizing Pulse Width Modulation For Waveform Generation, Nora Szymkowski

Masters Theses

Fast Scan Cyclic Voltammetry (FSCV) is a widely used electrochemical technique for real-time measurement of the brain’s chemical messengers, including the molecule dopamine, with high temporal resolution. Currently the financial burden of performing FSCV is quite high, ranging from $8,000 to $20,000+ making the barrier to entry nearly insurmountable for laboratories and classrooms at small institutions. The purpose of this project was to develop a Do-It-Yourself (DIY), portable, and cost-effective FSCV system for use in laboratory and classroom settings. The project aimed to create a compact and cost-effective system that could be used by researchers and educators to study dopamine …

Employing Intern-National Students: Perceived Costs And Benefits To Employers For Hiring International Student Interns, Jowei Yek

Masters Projects

International students have historically gravitated toward the United States as a higher education destination, and have subsequently been a significant source of funding for the U.S. economy. However, international students have been observed facing challenges finding employment in the United States, during or after their degree programs, which can deter prospective students from attending U.S. universities.

This study used nine semi-structured interviews to investigate what U.S. employers across various industries in Michigan perceived as the costs and benefits of hiring international students as interns.

The study found financial, procedural, and organizational costs that were seen as barriers for U.S. employers …

Evaluating The Use Of A Standardized Prebriefing Tool With Novice Simulation Facilitators, Ciara Berry

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

The International Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning (INACSL) Best Practice Standards related to prebriefing recommends establishing a prebriefing plan to prepare the learners for a simulation activity. A simulation briefing should orient the learner, promote learner engagement, and reinforce psychological safety. The nursing faculty’s unfamiliarity with an established prebriefing tool at the clinical site and reliance on the single simulation educator resulted in self-guided briefings and reduced the faculty facilitators' competency. The quality improvement project aimed to reorient nursing faculty in an associate degree nursing program to a prebriefing tool available at the clinical site. After reorientation, the PI …

Debriefing Orientation For Novice Simulation Faculty, Cindy M. Carter

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Faculty new to the simulation environment lack the knowledge, skills, and confidence to deliver proper debriefing methods. The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project’s problem is the need for a standardized, evidence-based debriefing process in the undergraduate RN program at the College of Nursing in Oklahoma. The study aims to follow the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning (INACSL) best practices to implement a debriefing simulation for novice faculty to improve faculty self-efficacy with the debriefing process (Decker et al., 2021). The DNP student evaluated faculty using pre-and post-tests containing questions from the Debriefing Assessment for Simulation in …

Navigating Change: Cultivating Faculty Support For Curriculum Revision Through The 4ms Framework, Sarah Dearing

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Public campaigns have increased awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, however, education for healthcare providers concerning brain health and appropriate screenings to identify elderly patients at risk is not present. This curricular policy change project outlines the need for faculty buy-in to complete a curriculum change that addresses the lack of geriatric-evidence based education within an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing (AASN) program. Qualitative data identifies the amount of geriatric-evidence based education present in the current AASN curriculum map. Using Lewin’s change management theory (CMT) and the Cognitive-Affective-Social Theory of Learning Environments (CASTLE), an educational module teaching the …

Enhancing Family Nurse Practitioner Education Through End-Of-Life Simulation: A Quality Improvement Project, Deborah Jamison

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Providing compassionate and effective end-of-life care is a crucial skill for Family Nurse Practitioners (FNP) students (Collins & Small, 2019). However, many students experience significant anxiety and lack confidence in such challenging situations. The problem identified for the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Quality Improvement (QI) project is the lack of training focused on end-of-life care in the FNP program at a College of Nursing (CON) within an academic clinical center. The project’s purpose was to improve confidence and anxiety levels among FNP students in providing end-of-life care. The project aimed to create an inventive and immersive end-of-life simulation with …

Quality Improvement Project: The Bidirectional Relationship Among Type Ii Diabetes Mellitus And Periodontal Disease, Sarah Martinez

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) are at increased risk for oral health conditions such as periodontal disease. Moreover, there is an established bidirectional relationship that has been well documented in the literature among periodontal disease and T2DM. However, oral health is rarely being discussed with patients who have T2DM from the primary care setting. The objective for this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to bridge the gap in this area by assessing the efficacy of implementing an educational program to promote education and awareness in individuals with T2DM who are at risk for periodontal disease. This …

Improving Hypertension Management In The Family Care Practice Through The Education Of Clinical Staff On Jnc-8 Guidelines, Shiny Michael

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Hypertension is a major public health challenge, contributing significantly to global morbidity and mortality. Despite the availability of JNC-8 guidelines, adherence in clinical practice is often lacking. This project aimed to improve hypertension management in a primary care setting by educating clinical staff on the JNC-8 guidelines to enhance adherence to evidence-based practices. The primary purpose of this project was to address the lack of knowledge and suboptimal hypertension control through targeted educational interventions for clinical staff. The methodological approach involved a pre- and post-intervention design, with educational sessions conducted for medical assistants. Data on blood pressure control and staff …

Increasing High-Alert Medication Administration Competence In Undergraduate Nursing Students Using An Unfolding Obstetrical Simulation, Jenna A. Warf

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

This DNP project aimed to increase medication competence in undergraduate nursing students through an unfolding high-fidelity simulation. Before the implementation of this project, students at the project site had experienced minimal exposure to obstetrical nursing care and medication administration. This quality improvement project occurred at a community college in Texas, with undergraduate nursing students (n=18). The participants completed an Evolve pretest, unfolding high-fidelity simulation, Simulation Effectiveness Tool-Modified (SET-M) survey, and an Evolve posttest. The unfolding simulation consisted of a three-part simulation with a preeclamptic obstetrical patient that started at a physician’s office, progressed to triage, and ended as an inpatient …

Epigenetic Associations With Neonatal Age In Infants Born Very Preterm, Particularly Among Genes Involved In Neurodevelopment., Kenyaita M. Hodge, Amber A. Burt, Marie Camerota, Brian S. Carter, Jennifer Check, Karen N. Conneely, Jennifer Helderman, Julie A. Hofheimer, Anke Hüls, Elisabeth C. Mcgowan, Charles R. Neal, Steven L. Pastyrnak, Lynne M. Smith, Sheri A. Dellagrotta, Lynne M. Dansereau, T Michael O'Shea, Carmen J. Marsit, Barry M. Lester, Todd M. Everson

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

The time from conception through the first year of life is the most dynamic period in human development. This time period is particularly important for infants born very preterm (< 30 weeks gestation; VPT), as they experience a significant disruption in the normal developmental trajectories and are at heightened risk of experiencing developmental impairments and delays. Variations in the epigenetic landscape during this period may reflect this disruption and shed light on the interrelationships between aging, maturation, and the epigenome. We evaluated how gestational age (GA) and age since conception in neonates [post-menstrual age (PMA)], were related to DNA methylation in buccal cells collected at NICU discharge from VPT infants (n = 538). After adjusting for confounders and applying Bonferroni correction, we identified 2,366 individual CpGs associated with GA and 14,979 individual CpGs associated with PMA, as well as multiple differentially methylated regions. Pathway enrichment analysis identified pathways involved in axonogenesis and regulation of neuron projection development, among many other growth and developmental pathways (FDR q < 0.001). Our findings align with prior work, and also identify numerous novel associations, suggesting that genes important in growth and development, particularly neurodevelopment, are subject to substantial epigenetic changes during early development among children born VPT.

Penentuan Jenis Senyawa Flavonoid Pada Isolat Biji Kakao (Theobroma Cacao L.) Dalam Fraksi N-Butanol Dengan Aktivitas Antioksidan Tertinggi Menggunakkan Metode Spektrofotometri Uv-Vis, I Made Wisnu Wardana, Dewa Ayu Ika Pramitha, Agung Ari Chandra Wibawa, Ni Made Sukma Sanjiwani

Chimica et Natura Acta

Kakao (Theobroma cacao L.) merupakan salah satu tanaman yang memiliki kandungan flavonoid yang sangat tinggi. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui jenis senyawa flavonoid pada isolat biji kakao dalam fraksi n-butanol yang memiliki aktivitas antioksidan tertinggi. Pengujian aktivitas antioksidan dilakukan dengan metode DPPH. Sementara itu, pengujian penentuan jenis golongan senyawa flavonoid dilakukan secara kualitatif melalui metode pereaksi geser (NaOH 2M, NaOAc, H3BO3, AlCl3, dan HCl). Penentuan aktivitas antioksidan dilihat dari nilai AAI. Isolat 1 memperlihatkan nilai AAI sebesar 4,30±0,43 (sangat kuat), isolat 2 sebesar 3,75±0,23 (sangat kuat), isolat 3 sebesar 3,04±0,36 (sangat kuat) dan isolat 4 sebesar 1,35±0,05 (kuat). Hasil penentuan …

Review: Mutasi Pada Dna Mitokondria Dan Pengaruhnya Terhadap Diabetes Melitus Tipe 2 Dan Kompleks Forforilasi Oksidatif, Mamlikatu Ilmi Azizah, Rahmaniar Mulyani, Yeni Wahyuni Hartati, Iman Permana Maksum

Chimica et Natura Acta

Diabetes melitus merupakan penyakit metabolik yang ditandai dengan peningkatan kadar gula dalam darah akibat ketidakmampuan pankreas dalam mensekresikan insulin atau tidak bekerjanya reseptor insulin. Diabetes melitus tipe 2 (DMT2) disebabkan oleh kombinasi faktor genetik, metabolisme, dan lingkungan yang berinteraksi satu sama lain dan berkontribusi dalam gangguan mekanisme kerja insulin. Studi ini mengulas tentang mutasi pada DNA mitokondria (mtDNA) serta mekanisme molekuler dan jalur yang terlibat dalam metabolisme insulin dan fosforilasi oksidatif serta kaitannya terhadap DMT2. Metode yang dilakukan dalam studi ini adalah penelusuran pustaka menggunakan basis data elektronik seperti Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, dan PubMed dengan kata kunci yang berhubungan dengan …

08.05.2024 Orsp Connect, Liz Williamson

ORED Newsletter

Dr. John C. Higginbotham, Federal Demonstration Partnership (FDP), COPE (Clinic for Outreach and Personal Enrichment)

08.05.2024 Ored Connect, Liz Williamson

ORED Newsletter

Meet the new Vice Chancellor for Research and Economic Development, Dr. John C. Higginbotham.

FDP Meeting Summaries link

Collaborate with COPE

Clarifying The Welcoming Certification Process; Contrasting Two Central Illinois Communities, Ian Murphy-Pociask

Theses and Dissertations

The election and subsequent immigration policies of the Trump Administration 2016-2020 had implications for how local governments and communities responded to immigration legislation proposing tighter control of immigration enforcement in the interior United States. Executive Order 13768 authorized the hiring and training of an additional 10,000 Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to enforce immigration policy in the interior. Among many other responses of local governments to federal immigration policies, a Georgia-based, Tennessee-founded national non-profit, Welcoming America, offers communities and local governments certification as official welcoming cities based on standardized criteria. Since 2017, Welcoming America has recognized local governments and communities …

Occupational Therapy And Self-Awareness For Adolescents With Mental Health Concerns, Deriyon Johnson, Rebecca King

Summer 2024 OTD Capstone Symposium

The project created an occupation-based program to address the unique needs of adolescents at risk of mental health concerns and promote improved occupational success. The problem presented is the lack of support available to assist adolescents experiencing profound emotional and behavioral challenges, triggering negative impacts on social participation, academics, self-care, and leisure. In addition, the program will introduce coping strategies and improve daily functions to increase motivation for engagement in desired activities. The purpose of the program was to improve these areas through a series of structured activities focusing on mental health awareness, emotional regulation, and personal development. The results …