Digital Commons Network^™

An Intersectional Investigation Of Gendered Racial Microaggressions And Asian American Women’S Body Appreciation, Liujun Chen, Xiaoyin Liu, Thomas P. Le, Lydia H.R. Ahn

Psychology Faculty Research and Scholarship

While some research has explored the cultural correlates of negative body image among Asian American women, fewer studies have addressed what may contribute to body appreciation among Asian American women. We recruited a sample of 234 Asian American women via Prolific, who completed an online survey. Specifically, the present study examined (1) whether gendered racial microaggressions were associated with body appreciation among Asian American women, (2) whether resistance and empowerment against racism moderated this association, and (3) whether three subscales of internalized racism—self-negativity, weakness stereotypes, and appearance bias—mediated this association. A regression analysis showed a negative association between gendered racial …

The Impact Of Intimate Partner Violence On Victims’ Mental, Physical, And Economic Well-Being: A Comprehensive Literature Review (2012–2022), Kerry Lee, Jennifer L. Mezzapelle, Lyric N. Russo, Emily M. Douglas, Denise A. Hines

Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research Faculty Research and Scholarship

Intimate partner violence (IPV) remains a significant global public health concern, drawing increasing attention due to its profound impact on victims. A systematic review by Lawrence et al. (2012) demonstrated that IPV victims of physical and psychological abuse experience higher rates of physical injuries, poorer health outcomes, poorer physical functioning, and increased psychological symptoms compared to non-victimized individuals. Building on this work, we conducted a systematic review of 159 quantitative studies published between 2012 and 2022.

Across the included studies, more than half had samples ranging between 100-500 (52.8%, n=84) in size, were cross-sectional (84.9%; n=135), and utilized …

Shared Decision-Making And Coping During Fertility Treatments: Understanding Black Women’S Experiences Using A Reproductive Justice Lens, Lindsay Griffin

Bryn Mawr College Dissertations and Theses

Black women are up to twice as likely to experience infertility requiring fertility treatment to conceive, however Black women’s experiences of infertility and seeking medical treatment to become pregnant is sparsely represented in current empirical literature. Research on the topic of infertility and seeking fertility treatments has correlated infertility and fertility treatments with anxiety and depressive symptoms, but few studies have explicitly examined how Black women cope with these experiences. This dissertation study applied a Reproductive Justice lens to explore and understand 15 Black women’s experiences with seeking and receiving fertility treatments, experiences with shared decision-making for treatments to become …

Examining Structural Stigma In American Policy Making: A Case Study Of California Senate Bill 403, Anjali Bushan

Bryn Mawr College Dissertations and Theses

The South Asian American community is one of the fastest growing communities in the United States (Budiman & Ruiz, 2021). While research has explored various aspects of the South Asian American diaspora, limited research has focused on the caste system in the diaspora. This study examined caste on a macro level in American policy making. Using a qualitative case study design, it explored how the policy making process of California Senate Bill 403, a bill intended to prohibit caste discrimination, impacted structural stigma on caste and demonstrated interest convergence between caste supremacy and white supremacy in the United States. Findings …

Feasibility Of Brief Behavioral Telehealth Interventions For Sleep And Pain In Adults With Chronic Musculoskeletal Orofacial Pain: An Idiographic Clinical Trial, Linda Sangalli, Gabriel Gilmore, Isabel Moreno-Hay, Lauren N. Whitehurst, Anna Alessandri-Bonetti, Ian Andres Boggero

Oral Health Science Faculty Publications

Objective: Brief behavioral interventions targeting pain (Physical Self-Regulation, PSR) or sleep (Brief Behavioral Intervention for Insomnia, BBTI) show promise for interdisciplinary management of chronic pain, though their feasibility with chronic musculoskeletal orofacial pain (MSK-OFP) populations remains underexplored. This pilot study assessed the feasibility of a randomized clinical trial (RCT) of these interventions in a university-affiliated tertiary OFP clinic and explored clinical changes in pain, sleep, and other secondary outcomes.

Methods: Treatment-seeking participants (N=19) with chronic MSK-OFP and insomnia were randomized to three-session PSR or BBTI. At pre- and post-intervention, participants completed questionnaires (assessing pain intensity, insomnia symptomatology, sleep …

Expression Pattern Of The Hifα-Family In Equine Chorioallantois During Pregnancy And Placental Pathology, Yatta Boakari, Hossam El-Sheikh Ali, Gustavo Henrique Doná Rodrigues Almeida, Kirsten E. Scoggin, Claudia Barbosa Fernandes, Sophia Panelli Marchio, Mats H. T. Troedsson, Ana Claudia Oliveira Carreira

Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center Faculty Publications

Equine placental dysfunction impairs fetal growth and disrupts pregnancy outcomes. Despite many advances in diagnosis, the molecular pathophysiology of equine placentitis and premature placental separation remains poorly understood. However, the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF-α) pathway is related to placental hypoxia, and its modulation in placental diseases has been shown in other species. Therefore, we hypothesized that in conditions marked by equine placental dysfunction, oxygen deprivation in the chorioallantois membrane triggers the activation of the HIF-α pathway, which is related to molecular alterations associated with placental insufficiency. Accordingly, we compared the expression of HIF1A, HIF2A, HIF3A, and HIF1AN genes in equine chorioallantois …

Teaching Kitchen Safety Using A Modified Coach In The Kitchen Curriculum Paired With Behavioral Skills Training Procedure With Young Adults With High Functioning Autism, Ryan Michael Groeneweg

Dissertations and Theses

Few intervention studies address the needs of young adults with high‑functioning autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as they transition toward adulthood. This study used a single‑subject multiple‑baseline design across participants and skills to evaluate the effects of a modified Coach in the Kitchen curriculum paired with Behavioral Skills Training (BST) on the acquisition of kitchen safety behaviors. Three adults with high‑functioning autism were taught task‑analyzed steps for safe use of a kitchen peeler, knife, and hot liquids. Instruction incorporated modeling, rehearsal, feedback, prompting, and strategies for generalization and maintenance. Performance was measured as the percentage of safety steps correctly completed during …

Health Care Fraud And The End Of Chevron, Joan H. Krause

Faculty Publications

What do the Environmental Protection Agency’s “plantwide” definition of a “stationary” pollution source,” a National Marine Fisheries Service determination of who pays for fishing boat observers, and a Department of Health and Human Services rule governing the marketing of prescription drugs have in common? In short, a government agency’s interpretation of a federal statute. All three cases go to the heart of the administrative state: the ability of an agency, staffed by experts in the field, to interpret static statutory language to offer practical guidance to an ever-evolving industry.

The same is true of health care fraud, although it is …

From Rwanda To Montreal To Cedar Lake, Shane Niyonzima, Beverly Matiko

Lake Union Herald

No abstract provided.

Major Grant Received For Online School Psychology Program, Andrew Francis

Lake Union Herald

No abstract provided.

A Meta-Narrative Review: Advancements In Mycobacterium Tuberculosis And Their Impact On Healthcare Professionals, Nadine Duran, Mehwish Khalil, Alexandria Ramirez, Link Summers-Perry, Mary Coolbaugh-Murphy, Denise Juroske Short

Research Methods Poster Session 2026

No abstract provided.

Advanced Practice Radiation Therapy: A Needs Assessment In Texas, Jennifer Navas, Vanessa Sorto, Cindy Tran, Rachel Gallagher, Ramsi Rodriguez

Research Methods Poster Session 2026

No abstract provided.

Evaluating Robustness Of Let-Optimized Proton Therapy Pelvic Plans​, Savannah Demus, Christopher Rosas, Colton Schubert, Ella Peterson, John Low, Jamie Baker, Luis Perles

Research Methods Poster Session 2026

Assessing robustness of linear energy transfer (LET)-optimized pencil beam scanning (PBS) proton therapy plans for whole pelvis irradiation treatment (WPRT) of anal cancer.

A Meta-Narrative Review: Digital Analysis Of Stained Tissue Slides Influences Diagnostic Accuracy And Quality Control In Histology, Sofia A. Alvarado, Linh N. Dinh, Brooklyn S. Johnson, Marisol Palacios

Research Methods Poster Session 2026

No abstract provided.

​​The Effect Of Bacteroides Species Dysbiosis In Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Meta-Narrative Review, Janiece Chan, Ashlyn Kerns, Katherine Truong, Jazmin Ysaguirre, Mary Coolbaugh-Murphy, Denise M. Juroske Short

Research Methods Poster Session 2026

No abstract provided.

A Meta-Narrative Review Of Histological Evaluation As The Gold Standard For Lung Adenocarcinoma Diagnosis Using Ttf-1 Biomarkers, Sebastianz P. Nguyen, Ariana C. Fonseca, Sylvia Zavala Rideaux

Research Methods Poster Session 2026

No abstract provided.

Meta-Narrative Review: The Role Of Pen-A And Other Genetic Mutations In Ceftriaxone-Resistant Neisseria Gonorrhoeae, Elizabeth Calderon, Alejandra D. Coreas, Bereniz A. Esmeralda, Jianne A. Peregrino, Denise M. Jursoke Short, Mary Coolbaugh-Murph

Research Methods Poster Session 2026

No abstract provided.

Harding University Spring Sing Program 2026

Spring Sing

Program for the 2026 Spring Sing performance at Harding University

Theme: Destinations

Host & Hostesses: Miriam Bennett, Callie Disch, Weston Eades, and Isaac Linnett

The Disability History Of Brown V. Board Of Education, Britney R. Wilson

Washington and Lee Journal of Civil Rights and Social Justice

In 1952, two years before the Supreme Court of the United States decided Brown v. Board of Education, Black deaf students in Washington, D.C., who had been prohibited from attending the local school for white deaf students and forced to go to school in Maryland, won the right to be educated in their hometowns in Miller v. Board of Education of District of Columbia. Brown is heralded as one of the most important racial justice cases of all time. It overturned Plessy v. Ferguson’s longstanding “separate but equal” mandate and ruled that the segregation of students based …

Bad Parenting On Trial: How Gender, Race, And Class Shape Parental Responsibility Prosecutions And Laws For School Shootings, Makayla R. Foust

Washington and Lee Journal of Civil Rights and Social Justice

In 2021, James and Jennifer Crumbley became the first parents in the United States to be found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in connection with their son’s school shooting that killed four people and injured multiple others. As school shootings continue to devastate communities across the country, prosecutors are increasingly holding parents criminally liable for their children’s actions. This development raises fundamental questions about justice, accountability, and the limits of criminal liability. While these laws aim to curb gun violence by enforcing parental accountability, they will disproportionately affect marginalized communities, particularly along gender, racial, and socioeconomic lines. As legal precedent expands, …

Dignity By Design: A Human-Centered Framework For Ethical Ai, Armin Tadayon

Washington and Lee Journal of Civil Rights and Social Justice

The launch of ChatGPT in November 2022 has triggered a global arms race–both among private technology companies and between nation states–for dominance in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI). If this nascent technology, which is permeating every aspect of our lives as more companies across multiple sectors deploy it for a variety of functions, malfunctions or behaves in unanticipated ways, it can severely affect individuals in their day-to-day lives with broader consequences for society at large. As such, as AI permeates every aspect of our lives, and in some instances, begins to replace humans and human decision-making, it is imperative …

Chevron Deference, Prospective Gay Parents, And The Need For A Centralized Child Welfare System, Mantas Grigorovicius

Washington and Lee Journal of Civil Rights and Social Justice

For over four decades, Chevron deference allowed federal agencies to exercise considerable discretion in interpreting laws, enabling them to implement broad regulatory agendas. This deference was pivotal for administrative agencies, such as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in shaping public policy. However, in 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court decided to overturn this precedent, shifting power from agencies to courts and potentially reshaping the regulatory landscape. This Article examines the implications of this change within the context of child welfare, focusing on HHS’s role in foster care. As states often rely on taxpayer-funded private child-placing agencies to …

Imprisoned Without A Verdict: The Constitutional Crisis Of Pre-Trial Solitary Confinement, Symone R. Gibbs

Washington and Lee Journal of Civil Rights and Social Justice

Kalief Browder’s name endures as a chilling reminder of the human cost of pre-trial solitary confinement. His story reveals the constitutional paradox and moral failure at the heart of this practice: Individuals who remain legally innocent are subjected to one of the harshest punishments the state can impose. This practice strips people of their liberty twice over, first through incarceration itself, and again through prolonged isolation that inflicts devastating psychological harm. Despite its severity, the use of solitary confinement against pre-trial detainees remains largely overlooked in legal scholarship and reform, even as it undermines the presumption of innocence, exacerbates systemic …

Fecal Microbiota Transplantation Modulates Gut Microbiota And Lipid Metabolism To Reduce Diarrhea In Low-Birth-Weight Neonatal Calves, Zhanhe Zhang, Duo You, Donglin Wu, Xintong Li, Yang Jia, David L. Harmon, Ming Xu

Animal and Food Sciences Faculty Publications

This study aimed to elucidate the mechanism by which colonic fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) improves lipid metabolism in low-birth-weight neonatal calves via modulation of the gut microbial ecosystem. In a completely randomized design, seventy newborn Holstein calves (1 day old, 32.63 ± 3.13 kg BW) were assigned to two groups (35 calves/treatment; 30 females and 5 males per group). A healthy calf was used as a fecal donor. A 10% fecal bacterial suspension was prepared and administered colonically (50 mL, twice daily for 5 days). All calves were fed the same milk replacer and weaned using a step-down protocol at …

Summary Of Beaver And Iron Counties’ Water Conservation And Provisioning Strategies, Lisa Welsh, Joanna Endter-Wada, Burdette Barker, Bethany Neilson, Anna Mcentire, Melissa Stamp, Brian Steed

Reports

This report focuses on water conservation and provisioning strategies that both Beaver and Iron Counties are pursuing to help meet their citizens’ current and future water needs and to contribute to statewide water conservation efforts. It primarily relies on publicly available data from state, county, conservancy district, and city databases, plans, and documents. The purposes of this document are to provide regional context for understanding water use in Beaver and Iron Counties and to describe water conservation strategies that can influence the trajectories of their future water use. 

In both Beaver and Iron Counties, agriculture remains the primary user of …

Previsit Ai: A Retrieval-Augmented Generation For Patient Readiness In Clinical Encounters, Rolande Umuhoza

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

With healthcare systems under growing pressure from rising patient volumes and shrinking consultation windows, improving how patients communicate with physicians has become essential to delivering quality care. Yet patients routinely arrive at appointments unable to clearly describe their symptoms, recall their medical history, or articulate concerns, contributing to miscommunication, diagnostic inefficiency, and pre-visit anxiety. This study introduces PreVisit AI, a conversational system designed to address this gap through structured, knowledge-based patient preparation. The system is built on a Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) architecture combining HuggingFace sentence embeddings (all-MiniLM-L6-v2), a Chroma vector store, and Google’s Gemini language model over a curated seven-document …

Dordt Launches Nurse Practitioner Program, Sarah Moss

The Voice

No abstract provided.

Three Faculty Members Begin Retirement, Jennifer Vermeer

The Voice

No abstract provided.

Lessons Of The Body, Sarah Moss

The Voice

No abstract provided.

Parents’ Differential Perception Of Siblings’ Risky Play, Emma Smith

Master’s Theses

Parents differentiate their perceptions of risk between first- and second-born children. This study used a mixed methods approach for a novel comparison of parents’ views of risk between their first- and second-born children. Parents in the United States (n = 175, 111 mothers and 63 fathers, M age = 36), all with two biological children (excluding twins) between the ages of 3-10 (first-born M age =7; second-born M age = 5) answered self-report survey measures, including the Tolerance of Risk in Play Scale (TRiPS) and subsections of the Parent Supervision Attributes Profile Questionnaire (PSAPQ), in which they expressed their tolerance …