Digital Commons Network^™

Ripe For The Harvest: Developing Servants Through Spiritual Formation At Fairhaven Church Of Rootstown, Vincent A. Maltempi

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This action research project addresses the need to develop committed Christian servants within a church ministry context by utilizing a spiritual formation initiative focused on service as a means towards and evidence of spiritual formation and development. Fairhaven Church of Rootstown had not been instructed on the fundamental need for members to serve together. Consequently, service within the church was not a necessary part of discipleship or its spiritual growth plan. The purpose of this intervention was to create and implement a three-fold spiritual development initiative focused on Christian service that includes a sermon series, a midweek study, and a …

Predicting Loneliness From Academic Performance Of Public And Private High School Students: A Linear Regression Analysis, Jeffrey Scott Wolford

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between academic indicators (grade point average, Scholastic Assessment Test score, and type of school) and student reported loneliness. Weiss’ theory of loneliness was used as the foundation for this quantitative, correlational study. This study was conducted to create a framework for teachers, mentors, or other educational leaders to be able to locate and address student loneliness in a timely manner by understanding the educational indicators that are related to student loneliness. Loneliness is correlated to a variety of negative mental and physical health problems, along with increasing risky …

The Lived Experiences Of Student Nurses During Simulation Of Perinatal Loss, Paloma Alejandra Peña

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the experiences and perceptions of undergraduate nursing students in providing care following a perinatal loss simulation. The theories that guided this study included Malcolm Knowles’ Theory of Andragogy and the National League for Nursing Jeffries Simulation. The selected theories provide structure for adult learners’ need to experience situational learning activities that are relevant to their job while building upon the foundation of students’ knowledge. Incorporation of Knowles’ and Jeffries’ theories guides the qualitative study of the simulation of a perinatal loss and the experiences of nursing students in providing care during …

Basic Needs Fulfillment And Course Completion Rates For Online University Students With Disabilities: A Quantitative, Non-Experimental, Causal-Comparative Study, Ashleigh M. King

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, nonexperimental causal-comparative study is to determine if there is a difference in the percentage of courses completed between online university students with disabilities who are experiencing food and/or housing insecurity and those who are not. Students with disabilities at universities are less likely to complete courses than peers without disabilities, and while this discrepancy is often blamed on disability, other factors that impact student performance must be examined to determine if intersecting factors that disproportionately impact people with disabilities, specifically food and housing insecurity, may be contributing to decreased percentages of course completion. The theory …

Access To Mental Health Services Following A Use-Of-Force Encounter With Police, Justine Olivia Wells Blue

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American males are more likely to be involved in a use-of-force encounter with police yet less likely than their non-Black counterparts to seek mental health services afterwards. Little is known about the perceptions this population has about the ease/difficulty they encounter when attempting to access care following the event. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the perceptions of 11 African American males in north Saint Louis County, Missouri, about the facilitators of and/or barriers to accessing mental health care services after experiencing a use-of-force encounter with police. Participants were chosen using a purposeful sampling strategy. Data …

The Effectiveness Of Integrating Religious/Spirituality Beliefs Into Psychotherapy: An Integrative Review, Justina Anighoro-Okezie

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This comprehensive review explores how integrating religious beliefs into psychotherapy impacts mental health outcomes. Following a structured approach guided by Whittemore and Knafl's (Nov 2005) methodology, the review involves a systematic literature search across academic databases, identifying 25 studies with diverse methods. Results indicate significant enhancements in both psychological and spiritual outcomes when religious beliefs are integrated into psychotherapy, compared to no-treatment control conditions. Compared to alternate treatments, adapted psychotherapy demonstrates a small to medium effect. Particularly in an additive design, while there's no significant superiority in psychological outcomes, there is in spiritual outcomes, emphasizing the potential benefits of incorporating …

Generational Poverty And Education: Breaking The Cycle Of Ignorance, Leland Jackson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Generational poverty is a problem that is not limited by race, gender, geography, or any other demographic. It is widespread and found in every state and city in the United States. Currently, over 17% of the population of the United States lives in poverty, based on a 2019 study. Of those, the vast majority are at least second-generation poverty dwellers. There seems to be no shortage of opinions on why a person lives below the poverty line, and many are willing to share them with those they know and those living in poverty. It is not unusual for one living …

The Impact Of Christian Education On Undergraduate Nursing Students’ Levels Of Spirituality And Resiliency, Lynette Rae Fair

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Nursing education must focus on preparing nursing students to be adaptable and resilient in the face of changing circumstances. The problem is there is a lack of research studies focused on evaluating the effect of a Christian college/education setting on nursing students’ level of spirituality and resilience. The purpose of this quantitative comparative study was to examine the differences between Christian and non-faith-based pre-licensure baccalaureate nursing education programs for spirituality and resiliency. This descriptive, non-experimental, cross-sectional comparative study utilized two key self-report instruments: the Assessment of Spirituality and Religious Sentiments (ASPIRES) and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). Data collection occurred …

Recommendations To Improve The Practice Of Incorporating Emotional Intelligence Instructional Strategies Within The Marine Corps University Professional Military Education Continuum, Sarah Kirkland

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to provide recommendations to improve the practice of incorporating emotional intelligence instructional strategies at Marine Corps University (MCU) in Quantico, Virginia. The problem was that emotional intelligence needs to be consistently addressed in the curriculum at MCU since research and strategic guidance indicate that it is a critical component of leadership. This study aimed to increase technically and emotionally competent leaders in decision-making and a more unified military that strives to lead effectively. Increasing military members' emotional intelligence is crucial because this may improve military leaders' capacity to deal with traumatic and stressful situations. …

A Phenomenological Study Exploring Pastors' Experiences Counseling Younger Congregants With Changing Lifestyles, Terry L. Skepple

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Societal norms are changing, and more young adults are cohabitating with partners before marriage, engaging in premarital intercourse, and embarking on second marriages. All these activities are contrary to historical interpretations of pastoral teachings. The problem is that pastors are challenged in adapting to provide family and marriage counseling for younger congregants. With societal changes occurring rapidly, the majority of the young generation feels that there is less relevance in pastoral teachings. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe Covenant Connections International’s mature pastors’ experiences counseling younger congregants in the Northeastern United States. Eight pastors living and working …

The World Of Dungeons And Dragons As A Therapeutic Approach To Complex Trauma, Dava R. Wilson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative dissertation delves into the therapeutic potential of Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) as an intervention for individuals coping with trauma and related mental health challenges. Drawing from a diverse sample of participants with varying gender identities, age groups, and D&D experience levels, this study employs a grounded theory approach to unravel the intricate interplay between D&D engagement and mental health outcomes. The study identifies several key implications, including the importance of creating inclusive therapeutic spaces, the lifespan relevance of D&D interventions, the potential for tailored interventions addressing relationship dynamics, and the accessibility of D&D as a therapeutic tool. Delimitations …

2023 Rising Stars In Measurement Science, Shelley Minteer

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Spectrum, Volume 52, Issue 10, Sacred Heart University

Newspapers (Obelisk & Spectrum)

Highlights include: Connecticut Sec. of the State Debuts College Voter Initiatives -- Spring Concert Returns, For Real this Time -- SHU Closing St. Vincent’s College and Relaunching Associate Program -- Spring Has Sprung for the English Department -- Camous Life -- Women’s Golf Looks For Three-Peat -- Tennis Coach Mike Guastelle Celebrates 30 years

A Strategic Evaluation Of Educational Continuity For Accessibility During Uncertainty In An Educational Practicum, Mathew Nicho, Hussein Fakhry, Emad Bataineh, Shini Girija

All Works

Students from economically disadvantaged nations (EDN) face significant challenges in accessing high-quality education and securing global internships due to inadequate resources, funding, and infrastructure. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the potential of online platforms for providing accessible, remote education and internship opportunities, aligning with UNESCO's sustainability education objectives. Using the SWOT analysis tool within the context of the experiential learning-driven integrated reflective cycle model (IRC), the research compares onsite and online internship types in higher education to identify areas where interventions can be applied to enhance the online internship experience. The study analyzed 42 interns, both on-site (OSIs) and online …

Tabletized Nanomedicine: From The Current Scenario To Developing Future Medicine, Rahul Tiwari, Meghana Kolli, Sumeet S. Chauhan, Murali Yallapu

School of Medicine Publications

The limitations of conventional therapeutic treatments prevailed in the development of nanotechnology-based medical formulations, termed nanomedicine. Nanomedicine is an advanced medicine that often consists of therapeutic agent(s) embedded in biodegradable or biocompatible nanomaterial-based formulations. Among nanomedicine approaches, tablet (oral) nanomedicine is still under development. In tabletized nanomedicine, the dynamic interplay between nanoformulations and the intricate milieu of the gastrointestinal tract simulates a pivotal role, particularly accentuating the influence exerted upon the luminal, mucosal, and epithelial cells. In this work, we document the perspectives and opportunities of nanoformulations toward the development of tabletized nanomedicine. This review also unveils the notion of …

Encoding Of Visual Objects In The Human Medial Temporal Lobe, Yue Wang, Runnan Cao, Shuo Wang

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The human medial temporal lobe (MTL) plays a crucial role in recognizing visual objects, a key cognitive function that relies on the formation of semantic representations. Nonetheless, it remains unknown how visual information of general objects is translated into semantic representations in the MTL. Furthermore, the debate about whether the human MTL is involved in perception has endured for a long time. To address these questions, we investigated three distinct models of neural object coding-semantic coding, axis-based feature coding, and region-based feature coding-in each subregion of the human MTL, using high-resolution fMRI in two male and six female participants. Our …

Cellular Geometry And Epithelial-Mesenchymal Plasticity Intersect With Piezo1 In Breast Cancer Cells, Choon Leng So, Mélanie Robitaille, Francisco Sadras, Michael H Mccullough, Michael J G Milevskiy, Geoffrey J Goodhill, Sarah J Roberts-Thomson, Gregory R Monteith

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Differences in shape can be a distinguishing feature between different cell types, but the shape of a cell can also be dynamic. Changes in cell shape are critical when cancer cells escape from the primary tumor and undergo major morphological changes that allow them to squeeze between endothelial cells, enter the vasculature, and metastasize to other areas of the body. A shift from rounded to spindly cellular geometry is a consequence of epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity, which is also associated with changes in gene expression, increased invasiveness, and therapeutic resistance. However, the consequences and functional impacts of cell shape changes and the …

Estimated Health Benefits, Costs And Cost-Effectiveness Of Eliminating Industrial Trans-Fatty Acids In Nigeria: Cost-Effectiveness Analysis, Matti Marklund, Leopold N Aminde, Mary Njeri Wanjau, Boni M Ale, Adedayo E Ojo, Clementina E Okoro, Abimbola Adegboye, Liping Huang, J Lennert Veerman, Jason Hy Wu, Mark D Huffman, Dike B Ojji

2020-Current year OA Pubs

INTRODUCTION: Nigeria is committed to reducing industrial

METHODS: The effect on ischaemic heart disease (IHD) burden, costs and cost-effectiveness of a mandatory iTFA limit (≤2% of all fats) for foods in Nigeria were estimated using Markov cohort models. Data on demographics, IHD epidemiology and

RESULTS: Over the first 10 years, a mandatory iTFA limit (assumed to eliminate iTFA intake) was estimated to prevent 9996 (95% uncertainty interval: 8870 to 11 118) IHD deaths and 66 569 (58 862 to 74 083) IHD events, and to save US$90 million (78 to 102) in healthcare costs. The corresponding lifetime estimates were 259 …

Characterization Of Early Markers Of Disease In The Mouse Model Of Mucopolysaccharidosis Iiib, Katherine B Mccullough, Amanda Titus, Kate Reardon, Sara Conyers, Joseph D Dougherty, Xia Ge, Joel R Garbow, Patricia Dickson, Carla M Yuede, Susan E Maloney

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) IIIB, also known as Sanfilippo Syndrome B, is a devastating childhood disease. Unfortunately, there are currently no available treatments for MPS IIIB patients. Yet, animal models of lysosomal storage diseases have been valuable tools in identifying promising avenues of treatment. Enzyme replacement therapy, gene therapy, and bone marrow transplant have all shown efficacy in the MPS IIIB model systems. A ubiquitous finding across rodent models of lysosomal storage diseases is that the best treatment outcomes resulted from intervention prior to symptom onset. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to identify early markers of disease in …

The Brain Gene Registry: A Data Snapshot, Dustin Baldridge, Levi Kaster, Catherine Sancimino, Siddharth Srivastava, Sophie Molholm, Aditi Gupta, Inez Oh, Virginia Lanzotti, Daleep Grewal, Erin Rooney Riggs, Juliann M Savatt, Rachel Hauck, Abigail Sveden, Brain Gene Registry Consortium, John N Constantino, Joseph Piven, Christina A Gurnett, Maya Chopra, Heather Hazlett, Philip R O Payne

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Monogenic disorders account for a large proportion of population-attributable risk for neurodevelopmental disabilities. However, the data necessary to infer a causal relationship between a given genetic variant and a particular neurodevelopmental disorder is often lacking. Recognizing this scientific roadblock, 13 Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Centers (IDDRCs) formed a consortium to create the Brain Gene Registry (BGR), a repository pairing clinical genetic data with phenotypic data from participants with variants in putative brain genes. Phenotypic profiles are assembled from the electronic health record (EHR) and a battery of remotely administered standardized assessments collectively referred to as the Rapid Neurobehavioral Assessment …

Trauma Is A Wound: Demonstrating The Use Of Character Analysis To Practice Clinical Analysis, Madisyn Beare

Honors Projects

Evidence-based treatments of trauma require clinicians to base their treatments on the client’s specific and individual needs, experiences, cognitions, and place in recovery. Essentially, each new client is a new and unique case, and the practice of understanding how trauma may affect an individual only comes from clinical exposure.Literature provides the public with somewhat of an aid in these circumstances: fictional characters are not real people, and therefore can undergo limitless character analyses. Analyzing a fictional character allows clinicians the ability to practice their exploration of various behavioral indicators of mental health concerns while honoring the ethical code of non-maleficence, …

Ml241 Antagonizes Erk 1/2 Activation And Inhibits Rotavirus Proliferation, Rong Chen, Chenxing Lu, Xiaopeng Song, Qingmei Leng, Yan Li, Xiangjing Kuang, Jinmei Li, Lida Yao, Xianqiong Tang, Jun Ye, Guangming Zhang, Maosheng Sun, Yan Zhou, Hongjun Li

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Rotavirus (RV) is the main pathogen that causes severe diarrhea in infants and children under 5 years of age. No specific antiviral therapies or licensed anti-rotavirus drugs are available. It is crucial to develop effective and low-toxicity anti-rotavirus small-molecule drugs that act on novel host targets. In this study, a new anti-rotavirus compound was selected by ELISA, and cell activity was detected from 453 small-molecule compounds. The anti-RV effects and underlying mechanisms of the screened compounds were explored. In vitro experimental results showed that the small-molecule compound ML241 has a good effect on inhibiting rotavirus proliferation and has low cytotoxicity …

Surface-Functionalized Magnetic Silica-Malachite Tricomposite (Fe–M–Si Tricomposite): A Promising Adsorbent For The Removal Of Cypermethrin, Xiaobo Chen

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Surface charges of catalysts have important influences on the thermodynamics and kinetics of electrochemical reactions. Herein, we develop a modified version of the grand-canonical potential kinetics (GCP-K) method based on density functional theory (DFT) calculations to explore the effect of surface charges on reaction thermodynamics and kinetics. Using the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) on the Pt(111) surface as an example, we show how to track the change of surface charge in a reaction and how to analyze its influence on the kinetics. Grand-canonical calculations demonstrate that the optimum hydrogen adsorption energy on Pt under the standard hydrogen electrode condition (SHE) …

2024-04-17 The New College Of Arts And Sciences Dean Monica J. Casper, Caleb Stipkovits

The Spectator Online

No abstract provided.

Improved Data Quality And Statistical Power Of Trial-Level Event-Related Potentials With Bayesian Random-Shift Gaussian Processes, Dustin Pluta, Beniamino Hadj-Amar, Meng Li, Yongxiang Zhao, Francesco Versace

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Studies of cognitive processes via electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings often analyze group-level event-related potentials (ERPs) averaged over multiple subjects and trials. This averaging procedure can obscure scientifically relevant variability across subjects and trials, but has been necessary due to the difficulties posed by inference of trial-level ERPs. We introduce the Bayesian Random Phase-Amplitude Gaussian Process (RPAGP) model, for inference of trial-level amplitude, latency, and ERP waveforms. We apply RPAGP to data from a study of ERP responses to emotionally arousing images. The model estimates of trial-specific signals are shown to greatly improve statistical power in detecting significant differences in experimental conditions …

High-Performance Cementitious Composites Containing Nanostructured Carbon Additives Made From Charred Coal Fines, Yuan Gao, Viet Hung Pham, Jennifer Weidman, Ki-Joong Kim, Richard E Spaulding, Christopher S Matranga

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Carbon-based nanomaterials, such as carbon nanoplatelets, graphene oxide, and carbon quantum dots, have many possible end-use applications due to their ability to impart unique mechanical, electrical, thermal, and optical properties to cement composites. Despite this potential, these materials are rarely used in the construction industry due to high material costs and limited data on performance and durability. In this study, domestic coal is used to fabricate low-cost carbon nanomaterials that can be used economically in cement formulations. A range of chemical and physical processing approaches are employed to control the size, morphology, and chemical functionalization of the carbon nanomaterial, which …

The Post-Dobbs Reality: Privacy Expectations For Period-Tracking Apps In Criminal Abortion Prosecutions, Sophie L. Nelson

Pepperdine Law Review

The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey in June 2022 was met with waves of both support and criticism throughout the United States. Several states immediately implemented or began drafting trigger laws that criminalize seeking and providing an abortion. These laws prompted several period-tracking app companies to encrypt their users’ data to make it more difficult for the government to access period- and pregnancy-related information for criminal investigations. This Comment explores whether the Fourth Amendment and U.S. privacy statutes protect users of period-tracking apps from government surveillance. More specifically, this Comment argues that …

The Nonexistent Speedy Trial Right, Colleen Cullen

Pepperdine Law Review

The United States Constitution and all fifty states guarantee a speedy trial right for individuals accused of crimes. The controlling United States Supreme Court case, decided over fifty years ago, described the Sixth Amendment as a fundamental right with Fourteenth Amendment Due Process implications. Although the right to a speedy trial is a universally recognized right, this Article compellingly demonstrates the right is actually nonexistent throughout the United States. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted and exacerbated this previously unrecognized problem in courthouses across the country, which has led to news outlets finally covering the issue of the nonexistent speedy trial. This …

Endocannabinoids And Their Role In Renal Health Of African Americans, William L. Doss Iii, Md, Mba, Abpmr

JCHP Collaborative Capstone and Research Exchange

Abstract

The current biomarkers used for detecting renal disease Creatinine has long been seen to be inadequate in identifying the extent of renal disease in African and African American populations. CB1 and CB2 receptors are ubiquitous in the human body and their expression is increased with inflammation in the body. In response to the increased expression, the hypothalamus produces endocannabinoids in response. As a result, endocannabinoids can be a biomarker in detecting renal disease where inflammation is a significant factor in renal injury.

Biological Activity Of Essential Oils – Focus On Antibiotic Resistance, Gyorgyi Horvath

Oxford ICSB

No abstract provided.