Digital Commons Network^™

Almost Home: Creating Design For Community, Kayla Burch

Liberty University Research Week

I was tasked with creating a visual brand, identity package, and collateral for a fictitious company of my choosing. The project’s main concept was to avoid the cliches of typical food industry businesses. For my project, I created a fictitious coffee shop called “Almost Home” and placed the business on Main Street in Lynchburg, Virginia. Coffee shops can contain cliches by using coffee puns in their names or by having a copy and paste aesthetic. “Almost Home” avoids food industry and coffee shop cliches by building an identity that is not seen in other coffee shops (specifically in Lynchburg, Virginia). …

The Role Of Group Guidance With Psychodrama In Promoting Self-Adjustment: Does It Really Work For Adolescents?, Hanifa Salsa Bila, Dian Ari Widyastuti, Sri Tutur Martaningsih, Agungbudiprabowo Agungbudiprabowo, Taquddin Abd Mukti

Buletin Konseling Inovatif

This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of group guidance using psychodrama techniques in improving self-adjustment among students. The study employed a quantitative approach with an experimental research design, specifically a pretest–posttest control group design. The participants consisted of ten students, divided into an experimental group of five students and a control group of five students. The experimental group received group guidance with psychodrama techniques, while the control group received treatment as usual. The research participants were selected using a simple random sampling technique. Data were collected using a self-adjustment scale, which had been analyzed for validity and reliability using …

The Enhancement Of Learning Inspiration By Strategic Life Planning Using After Model Assembly With Goodness Based Learning For The Lower Secondary Students In Buriram’S Private School, Adisorn Bansong

Journal of Education Studies

This pre-experimental research aimed to compare the students’ learning Inspiration before, and after using AFTER model assembly with Goodness Based Learning (GBL) on the Strategic Life Planning lesson plans to enhance student’s learning inspiration, A one-group pretest-posttest design was conducted on 40 lower secondary students using a lesson plan with IOC = 0.80-1.00, high-level quality was implemented 1 period a week for 15 weeks. The Learning Inspiration Scales with IOC = 0.90-1.00 and Cronbach's Alpha Coefficient = .86 were utilized as instruments for data collection. Percentage, mean, standard deviation, and t-test were used for data analysis. The findings were as …

Du Statut Juridique De L’Embryon Humain En Droit Libanais, Roula El-Husseini Begdache

Proche-Orient, Études juridiques

The legal status of the human embryo has not been specifically studied in Lebanon and is the subject of an uncertain regime resulting from scattered texts and very few court decisions. As the moment marking the beginning of human life remains debated, the recent issues relating to bioethics accompanying scientific advances, particularly in relation to reproductive medicine techniques and their corollaries, including surplus embryos, do not find clear-cut answers in Lebanese law. As scientific progress is at the heart of concerns relating to human life before birth, an abdication of legal experts in favour of doctors and ethics committees can …

The Public Private Partnership (Ppp) Method: Insights From The Arab Region Context In General And Dubai Market In Particular, Rita Waked

Proche-Orient, Études juridiques

The Public Private Partnership (PPP) as a form of association involving a public entity and a private person has become a global innovative trend for governments seeking to finance their infrastructure, and has gradually established itself as a driving force of the economic recovery in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. This article examines the PPP’s main features and the pillar of its success, at a time where it is experiencing a resurgence of interest in Arab countries, and in particular in Dubai where the adoption in 2015 of a PPP law reflects the Emirate’s consciousness of the importance of …

Public Budget Laws And Economic Performance In The Uae, Carole Ibrahim

Proche-Orient, Études juridiques

This paper aims to examine the impact of the public budget laws implemented in the UAE on the country’s economic performance, by studying the relationship between government spending and the country’s economic activity during the last four decades. The results show that since 2001, government spending has strongly impacted the non-oil economic growth. These results can be explained by the implementation of the “Program and Performance-based Budgeting” method, the medium-term budget cycle, and the functional classification of the government expenditures.

50 Years Of Constitutional Judicial Review In The United Arab Emirates: Key Features, Nisrine Abiad

Proche-Orient, Études juridiques

On the 50th anniversary of the enshrinement of judicial review within the UAE Constitution, this paper explores its main features. The analysis of the constitutional provisions and the jurisprudence of the Federal Supreme Court reveals that constitutional judicial review in the UAE is intrinsically rooted in federalism as it is mainly designed as a tool preserving the adjudication of powers between federal and local authorities. It is nevertheless also destined by the Constitution for a wider purpose of constitutional justice endorsing the individuals and the courts as key players in its process.

Autonomous Multi-Agent Intelligent Container Orchestration For Resource-Constrained On-Premises Environments, Pavankumar Bandanakanti, Srikar Chaitanya Nistala, Ashish Pb

Defensive Publications Series

Current edge computing is stuck in a 'static' trap.  Containers with fixed limits are deployed, and, when demand spikes, either the system crashes because there are no cloud resources in which to scale additional containers or auto-scaling is orchestrated by a central manager. This submission proposes an agentic architecture to facilitate container orchestration. The proposed agentic architecture enables a shift from passive containers to 'Self-Aware Agents'.

Perlindungan Llngkungan Hidup Dalam Perdagangan Internasional, Atifah Kusumadara

Jurnal Hukum & Pembangunan

Abstract

Establishment Of A Hek293t Cell Model System To Investigate Direct Intracellular Interactions Between Amyloid-Β (Aβ) And The Nlrp3 Inflammasome, Cristina Sinobas Pereira

Dissertations

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder and the leading cause of dementia worldwide. While Amyloid-β (Aβ) aggregation is a defining pathological feature, increasing evidence highlights chronic neuroinflammation as a critical contributor to disease progression. Soluble Aβ assemblies can act as damage associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) including activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome, which links amyloid pathology to sustained inflammatory responses in the brain (Heneka et al., 2015; Nakanishi et al., 2018). However, the molecular mechanisms by which specific Aβ conformations influence inflammasome assembly remain incompletely understood.This study aimed to investigate whether distinct aggregation states of amyloid β42 (Aβ42) are …

Usa V. Mychael Saunders

2026 Decisions

USDC for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

Understanding Hospital-Based Nurses’ Perspectives On Workplace Well-Being, Frankie B. Hale, Holly B. Fontenot

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Purpose: Uncover nurses’ perspectives related to factors associated with well-being and garner opinions for interventions in the workplace.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly impacted nurses and has led to a potential crisis in staffing. Poorer mental health and well-being stemming from personal and organizational issues have driven nurses to leave the profession. In a recent survey of nurses in Hawaii, individual factors such as working 36 hours or more per week, reports of burnout, having primary caregiving responsibilities outside of work, and lower self-reported physical health, along with organizational factors like the experience of workplace violence, all contributed to an …

Impact Of Stress On Novice Nurses During The Transition To Practice: A Literature Review, Ilona L. Ilyayev

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Background: The transition from being a student to a registered nurse is a challenging and stressful period for novice nurses. Stress is a universal human response to difficult situations, and it is important to recognize early on, as failure to do so can negatively impact nurses' well-being and decrease their long term ability to effectively function.

Purpose: The purpose of this literature review was to examine the impact of stress on novice nurses during the transition to practice.

Methods: An analysis of peer-reviewed literature from 2021 to 2025 was conducted using databases such as PubMed and CINAHL. The research studies …

Beyond The Numbers: Supporting Young Adults With Diabetes In The Transition To Adulthood, Alexis Salkovick

Honors Projects

This project focuses on the transition to adulthood for young people with diabetes, a chronic medical condition. Both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are included. The main research focus is two-part: first examining this transition including barriers to health care, changes in lifestyle, and mental health, and then creating a new, innovative tool to support young adults with diabetes. An independent literature review was conducted to investigate diabetes management, barriers to health care, how transitioning to adulthood impacts diabetes care, and the importance of patient support systems. Then, a board game was developed with the dual purpose of educating …

Analyzing 24-Hour Diet Recalls To Assess Dietary Changes Among Children Who Complete Oral Food Challenges (Ofcs), Hannah Plank, Wan Shen, Heesoon Lee

Honors Projects

Pediatric food allergies are a growing public health concern in America due to their potential association with long-term nutritional impacts and reduced quality of life in those affected. Oral food challenges (OFCs) are considered the gold standard for clinical food allergy diagnosis, but few studies have examined if passing or failing an OFC affects overall diet quality in infants. This clinical observational study examined differences in diet quality, measured by the Healthy Eating Index (HEI), among 39 children aged 0–6 years who participated in OFCs at ProMedica Allergy and Immunology Clinic in Perrysburg, Ohio. Parents and caregivers reported daily dietary …

Aquinas, Wilson, And Continuity On Crime And Punishment, Brian M. Murray

Catholic University Law Review

This Article compares the legal thought of James Wilson, a leading jurisprudential figure during the American Founding, and Thomas Aquinas, perhaps the most well-known medieval philosopher, on crime and punishment. It argues their theories are closer than the historical gulf between them suggests would be the case. Both limit the definition of crime to morally culpable acts involving public harm. Each considers redressing the public disorder crime causes as the primary justification for punishment. While Wilson defers to the English common law to emphasize protecting certain natural rights and to prevent crime, Aquinas points to his understanding of natural law …

Reasonable, Legal, Voluntary? Grants Pass Decision Sparks Need For A Revised Fourth Amendment Search Analysis In The Context Of Homelessness, Hali R. Woods

Catholic University Law Review

On June 28, 2024 the Supreme Court decided City of Grants Pass, Oregon v. Johnson.  The case addressed whether the enforcement of city ordinances regulating camping on public property against individuals including respondents, unhoused individuals residing in the city of Grants Pass, constituted cruel and unusual punishment under the Eighth Amendment.  The Court upheld enforcement of the ordinances and since then approximately 150 cities across the United States have passed similar ordinances or strengthened existing similar laws.  This comment evaluates how Grants Pass is an Eighth Amendment case with Fourth Amendment consequences which sparks a need for a revised …

Zova, Javier Villa, Viviana Osorio De Jesus, Jennifer De La Rosa

Pacific Innovation and Entrepreneurship Summit (PIES)

ZOVA is an innovative dissolvable supplement pod designed to simplify daily wellness routines for busy individuals. Many consumers struggle to maintain consistent supplement habits due to inconvenience, time constraints, and the complexity of managing multiple products such as pills, powders, and bottles. This gap in the market highlights a need for a more efficient and user-friendly solution.

ZOVA addresses this problem by offering a portable, easy-to-use pod that dissolves in water to create a nutrient-rich drink within seconds. The product eliminates the need for traditional supplement formats, making it more convenient for users to stay consistent with their health routines. …

Powercatchat‑Dentistry: An Ai Clinical Coach For Pacific Dental Students, Han Nguyen, Vivek Krishnamani Pallipuram, Parvati Iyer Dr.

Pacific Innovation and Entrepreneurship Summit (PIES)

Ever wonder what would happen if every dental student had a seasoned medical risk consultant in their pocket? One that never gets tired, never forgets a guideline, and always explains the “why” behind every decision? That’s PowerCatChat‑Dentistry. Built by Dugoni and SOECS, it does not just answer questions; it ingests a patient’s medical history, medications, and clinical findings to deliver a comprehensive, structured risk assessment with clear rationale and step‑by‑step chairside management strategies. Drawing on medical association guidelines, current literature, and Pacific’s own lectures, PowerCatChat can detect student emotions, putting them at ease in a stressful clinical setting and nudging …

Matché, Maria Segovia, Jasmine Stallworth

Pacific Innovation and Entrepreneurship Summit (PIES)

Maché is a countertop matcha-making machine designed to deliver a perfect matcha every time. As matcha consumption continues to grow globally, consumers face challenges such as inconsistent preparation, lack of tools, and inconvenience. Traditional matcha preparation requires multiple steps including measuring, whisking, heating water to the correct temperature, and achieving the proper consistency. Many consumers find this process time-consuming and difficult, leading to inconsistent results and reduced adoption. Maché solves this problem by automating the matcha preparation process into a simple “one button” experience. The device integrates a heating system, whisk motor, water pump, and matcha pod system to create …

Endowmentball, Doron Narotzki

Northwestern Journal of Law & Social Policy

This Article presents a policy and a structural response to a national capacity failure in American higher education: the concentration of endowment wealth in a handful of elite institutions, while most colleges, those that educate the majority of Americans, including most low-income, first-generation, and underrepresented students, operate under permanent financial constraint, and remain drastically underfunded. This imbalance carries a profound social cost. It weakens equity, limits inclusion, and undermines the promise of upward mobility that higher education is supposed to deliver.

The proposed framework introduces a progressive excise tax on endowment investment returns, scaled by per-student wealth. Universities with excessive …

Frozen Identity: How Rigid Conceptions Of Sexuality Endanger Lesbian Asylum Claims, Mariajose De La Hoz

Northwestern Journal of Law & Social Policy

Bias, stereotypes, and antiquated conceptions of sexual orientation erect systemic barriers for lesbian women seeking asylum in the United States. Decision-makers with a limited understanding of LGBTQI+ identities impose expectations that reinforce stereotypes while discrediting applicants’ lived experiences. This results in adverse credibility determinations that distort evidentiary burdens and deny relief to applicants with legitimate claims. This Note examines how fixed conceptions of identity endanger the asylum process for lesbian women fleeing persecution based on their sexual orientation. Proposed solutions include statutory reforms, updated training for asylum officers, and a shift toward evaluating claims through the applicant’s lived experiences rather …

“As Though You Could Never Sink”: Gender Euphoria Through Aquatic Embodiment In The Sun Also Rises, Devan Edwards

Honors Theses

Recent scholarship in disability studies and queer theory (2007-2024) reveals that Jake Barnes's war wound in Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises functions as something more complex than tragic loss. This paper argues that Jake's swimming and fishing scenes constitute moments of gender euphoria, a term borrowed from contemporary transgender studies, enabled specifically by aquatic embodiment. In these scenes, water functions as the physical and symbolic medium through which Jake's war-wounded body transcends the performative demands of 1920s heteronormative masculinity. Building on Michael Anesko's provocative reading of Jake as "accidentally transgendered" (Literature and Medicine, 2015) and Martina Kübler's argument that impotence …

Erin Bartholomay Analysis Of Self, Erin Bartholomay

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The process of self-analysis has challenged me to reconnect with my past by reflecting on previous experiences in my life, interviewing significant people within my personal life as well as contesting my perception of myself and how others view me. Using several self-assessment tools- including the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and the Strong Interest Inventory allowed me to reflect on my individual benefits that I bring to the counseling position as well as highlighted my possible shortcomings to be aware of when starting within the field. Completing this program has pushed me to question previously held beliefs and values and has …

Modulating Acute Stress Reactivity: Behavioral Interventions And Caffeine-Linked Stress Physiology In College Students, Kaitlyn Smith

Honors Theses

College students frequently rely on caffeine to manage academic demands, yet its physiological and psychological effects on acute stress remain poorly understood. Although caffeine is known to increase cardiovascular arousal and self‑reported anxiety, little research has compared different caffeine sources within the same individuals or examined whether brief behavioral interventions can buffer these effects. Self‑affirmation, a short writing exercise centered on personal values, has been shown to reduce stress reactivity, but its interaction with caffeine‑induced arousal has not been tested. This within‑subjects study examines how coffee, energy drinks, and a no‑caffeine control influence acute cardiovascular and self‑reported stress responses, and …

Three Bacterial Endophytes Enhanced Plant Growth And Yield And Reduced The Severity Of Phytophthora Capsici In Bell Pepper And Tomato Plants In The Field, Daniel Ambachew, Margaret T. Mmbaga Mmbaga, Richard Hall, Peter Eyegheleme, Mustapha Olawuni, Jamille Robinson, Emily Rotich

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

Naturally abundant endophytes colonize plants internally without causing harm to their host plants. Endophytes are likely to occupy the same ecological niches as phytopathogens and thus have a high potential to be effective biological control agents. Their demonstrated ability to suppress more than one plant pathogen suggests that they can offer a viable alternative to chemical fungicides and a strategy for decreasing the inoculum potential of soil-borne pathogens. Some biocontrol endophytes are also known to improve soil health and the overall health of plants. However, the results in greenhouse studies do not always translate to consistent field efficacy. In this …

Reforming Academic Publishing To Support The Sustainable Development Goals: A Call For Leadership, Seán Lacey

Publications

Paywalls and high article processing charges in academic publishing restrict access to scientific knowledge, limiting who can produce, use, and benefit from research. These barriers disproportionately affect researchers and institutions in low- and middle-income countries, reinforcing global inequalities in research capacity and evidence-informed policymaking. Addressing these challenges requires determined system leadership to reform funding models, expand equitable open access pathways, and ensure publicly funded research is freely available. Without coordinated action, the promise of inclusive, globally shared scientific progress central to the Sustainable Development Goals will remain unrealised.

Professional Commitment As A Mediator Between Proqol, Resilience And Turnover Among Filipino Nurses, Ejay H. Ignacio

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

The current global nursing shortage is a significant issue with substantial implications for nursing practice. Increased nurse turnover will yield five percent of the total annual hospital operating costs, estimated to be around 5 trillion dollars annually, due to the cost of hiring and training new nursing staff. In the United States, Filipino immigrant nurses play an integral part in the healthcare systems to patch the critical staffing gaps. The changing landscape of healthcare system delivery in the US, threatens Filipino nurses to stay at their current jobs. This study aimed to explore the mediating effects of professional commitment in …

Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative Movement In Healthcare Settings: What Are The Practical Solutions?, Shela Hirani

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Introduction: Implementation of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) in all healthcare facilities is valuable to protect, promote and support breastfeeding and the well-being of young children. Besides prioritizing patient care, the BFHI movement in healthcare settings supports well-being, job satisfaction and productivity of healthcare providers working in those workplaces. Saskatchewan, Canada, has 70 healthcare settings, out of which only one healthcare facility implements the WHO’s ‘Ten steps to successful breastfeeding’ and has a BFHI accreditation. This preliminary study aimed at exploring facilitators and barriers surrounding the successful implementation of BFHI in healthcare settings of Saskatchewan and identifying practical solutions and …

Institutional Timidity: Reading Len Rubinowitz Toward A Structural Theory Of Civil Rights Enforcement, Sheldon Bernard Lyke

Northwestern Journal of Law & Social Policy

This Article first documents institutional timidity in fair housing enforcement through Rubinowitz’s empirical account of HUD and then extends the analysis to higher education admissions. It shows that universities defending affirmative action uniformly adopted the diversity rationale while declining to argue that race-conscious admissions correct for bias embedded in their own criteria. These choices did not merely weaken outcomes; they also helped produce the doctrinal frameworks that later constrained them. In identifying institutional timidity as a mechanism of doctrinal production, this Article extends Rubinowitz’s insights across domains and into constitutional law. It concludes by proposing strategies that shift civil rights …