Digital Commons Network^™

Underrepresented Students’ Perceptions Of Precollege Programs And Challenges Of Transitioning To Postsecondary Education, Dana Truesdale

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that was addressed through this study is that underrepresented students (low-income and first generation college students) face challenges associated with the transition from secondary education to postsecondary education. Grounded in Schlossberg’s transition theory, the purpose of this study was to explore underrepresented students’ perceptions of support provided by precollege programs and remaining challenges when transitioning to higher education. For this basic qualitative design, semistructured interviews with 11 underrepresented students who participated in a precollege program were conducted. Braun and Clarke’s six-phase data analysis was used. After deductive and inductive analysis, the following themes emerged: Students indicated that the …

Public Defenders’ Challenges Representing Erroneous Prosecution Cases In The Black Community, Kayla Kristine Stephens

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Public defenders in a southern state continue to face significant challenges when representing Black individuals in the criminal justice system, particularly in cases involving erroneous prosecution. These challenges are intensified by high caseloads, limited funding, and systemic inequities, which can be stressors affecting the prosecutors wellbeing and hinder the provision of adequate legal representation. Public defenders, appointed to represent indigent defendants, frequently navigate complex legal and social circumstances that intersect with racial disparities in the justice system. For this qualitative study the research question was, how do public defenders perceive and manage any stresses representing erroneous prosecution cases in the …

Exploring The Definition Of Democracy And Rule Of Law From Afghan Women’S Perspective, Lynda Boswell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although the United States funded programs from 2001 to 2021 to promote democracy, the rule of law, and opportunities for Afghan women, existing reports and evaluations focused primarily on expenditures, implementation, outputs, and accountability rather than Afghan women’s perspectives, particularly after the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021. This study addressed that gap by exploring how Afghan women experienced and understood democracy and the rule of law before and after the U.S. withdrawal and how U.S.-supported programs influenced their perceptions and experiences. Guided by theoretical frameworks of democracy and the rule of law as applied in Afghanistan and other …

Recent Failures And Lessons In Self-Regulating Professions In Canada From A Historical Organization Perspective, Richard James Dixon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Canadian self-regulating professions govern the conduct of professionals through legislatively mandated organizations, yet the conditions under which their management fails, and self-regulatory authority is lost, remain poorly understood. Governing boards and provincial governments need to understand this concern as a leading indicator of governance failure, erosion of public confidence, and conditions that may precipitate the loss of self-regulatory authority. The purpose of this descriptive, historical, multiple-case study was to explore how recent management failures in three Canadian self-regulating professional organizations can guide decision-makers in choosing sustainable management practices and governance models. Freidson's professionalism framework, neo-institutional theory, and strategic management grounded …

Development Of A Clinical Practice Guideline For Hpv Vaccination In Low-Income Adolescents Using The Agree Ii Framework, Jariatu Fatu Bundu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is an effective strategy for preventing HPV-related cancers; however, vaccination initiation and series completion remain suboptimal among adolescents, particularly those from low-income and underserved populations. This Doctor of Nursing Practice project addressed an evidence-to-practice gap involving the absence of a standardized clinical practice guideline (CPG) for HPV vaccination in a family practice setting serving predominantly low-income adolescents. The purpose of the project was to develop and validate an evidence-based CPG to standardize provider recommendations and support improvement in HPV vaccination initiation and series completion. Evidence was appraised and synthesized using the Johns Hopkins Evidence-Based Practice Model, …

Implementation Of A Standardized Antibiotic Order Set To Improve Evidence-Based Antibiotic Prescribing In Oral Surgery, Lashundra Miles

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Inconsistent antibiotic prescribing practices in an oral surgery clinic contributed to variation in antibiotic selection, timing, dosing, redosing when indicated, and duration. This variation limited adherence to evidence-based prescribing recommendations and highlighted the need for a workflow-based strategy to support antibiotic stewardship. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to increase use of a standardized antibiotic order set through reminder-based reinforcement and to improve evidence-based prescribing practices. The practice-focused question examined whether implementing the standardized antibiotic order set, supported by workflow-integrated reminders and ongoing performance feedback, would improve order-set utilization during a 6-week implementation period. The project was guided …

Improving Rsv Vaccination Uptake Through Nurse-Led Educational Intervention, Lawrence Onuorah

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In this quality improvement project, the DNP scholar explored the impact of a nurse-led staff education approach on improving respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine uptake. RSV disease results in negative health outcomes and even death among vulnerable individuals. Despite the availability of U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved vaccines, uptake remains low due to limited provider knowledge and inconsistent vaccine recommendations. Therefore, the project question addressed whether a staff education program would increase providers’ perceived knowledge of RSV vaccine recommendation and confidence to engage in patient education. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to implement a nurse-led staff …

Strategies To Reduce Staff Shortages In A Freestanding Dialysis Clinic In Rural Georgia, Shayla Daniell Sanders

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Vacancy rates are a current problem in a freestanding outpatient dialysis clinic in rural communities. From an administrative perspective, vacancy rates increase costs associated with recruitment, onboarding, training, overtime and compromise the quality and safety of patient care. The purpose of this integrative review was to identify evidence-based strategies to decrease vacancy rates in rural Georgia dialysis clinics. Donabedian’s framework of structure, process, and outcome was used for this integrative review. The integrative review question explored evidence-based strategies that can decrease vacancy rates in dialysis clinics in rural Georgia. Out of 50 articles reviewed using the John Hopkins Evidence-Based Practice …

Nursing Staff’S Perception Of The Implementation Of The Obstetric Emergency Code Pink, Mareena Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The local nursing practice problem addressed by this DNP doctoral project was the inconsistent and uneven response to obstetric emergencies within the health care setting. The purpose of this project was to evaluate the current implementation of the Code Pink protocol, identify any gaps or barriers in its effectiveness, and gather insights from nursing staff to propose refinements that would enhance its reliability and impact., The perception of nursing staff regarding obstetric emergency codes represents a critical dimension in the domain of maternal and neonatal health care, significantly influencing the efficacy of emergency responses and patient outcomes. Obstetric emergencies, such …

Best-Practice Patient Education On Glp-1, Low-Glycemic Diet, Intermittent Fasting, And Exercise For Weight Loss In Obese Nondiabetics, Clara Green

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Executive Summary: Clinical Practice Guideline Best-Practice Patient Education on GLP-1, Low-Glycemic Diet, Intermittent Fasting, and Exercise for Weight Loss in Obese Nondiabetics by Clara Green MS, Walden University, 2020 BS, University of Texas at El Paso, 2014 Executive Summary Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Nursing Practice Walden University August 2026

Telomere-To-Telomere Genome Assembly And A Pangenome For The Rat, Kai Li, Julia L Ciosek, Sergey Koren, Adam M Phillippy, Yaming Zhu, William A Lauer, Shelise Y Brooks, Gerard G Bouffard, Brandon D Pickett, Beth L Dumont, Melissa L Smith, Theodore S Kalbfleisch, Peter A Doris

The Brown Foundation: Institute of Molecular Medicine

We report a complete rodent telomere-to-telomere genome assembly from the brown rat, Rattus norvegicus. Annotation was enriched with multi-tissue long-read RNA sequencing and uncovered numerous novel genes. Assembly of both sex chromosomes reveals the absence of gene coding in the presumed pseudo-autosomal regions and the presence of centromeric satellite repeats on distal chromosome Y (chrY). We provide evidence of meiotic conjunction between Xp and Yq. The genome assembly reveals several expanded autosomal regions enriched for testis-expressed genes. Finally, we have generated a pangenome from recent high-quality assemblies of 8 distinct inbred rat strain genomes. This allows the strain-specific distribution of …

Draining The Risk, Holding The Line: A Nurse-Driven Approach To Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection Prevention, Thy Nguyen

Master's Projects and Capstones

Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) remain among the most common preventable healthcare-associated infections, with CMS eliminating reimbursement for hospital-acquired cases since 2008. Within a five-unit, high-acuity microsystem at an urban acute care hospital, four CAUTIs were documented between January and July 2026 despite established prevention protocols. Adherence gaps were identified in catheter necessity assessment, maintenance practices, and nurse-driven removal protocol use. This quality improvement project was guided by the Johns Hopkins Evidence-Based Practice framework and Lewin's Change Theory. A targeted nursing education intervention addressing bladder scanning, dependent loop identification, and catheter care bundle adherence was implemented across the microsystem over …

The Byu Advocate, J. Reuben Clark Law School

The BYU Advocate (& Annual Reports)

"Experiential learning opportunities in law school have expanded dramatically, but pressure remains for students to graduate ready to practice. Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming education and legal practice, generating questions about how and what to teach and raising uncertainties about future employment. At the same time, big firms are interviewing students in their first semester and extending offers before or shortly after first-semester grades are out."

– David H. Moore

Dosimetric Comparison Between Geometric Centroid And Minimax Isocenter Placement In Single Isocenter Multitarget Stereotactic Radiosurgery Plans In Hyperarc, Matthew Gloudeman

Masters Projects

Single-isocenter multi-target (SIMT) stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) utilizing Varian HyperArc streamlines clinical workflows but introduces geometric sensitivity for distant outlier lesions when rotational and setup uncertainties are taken into account. The default isocenter location in the HyperArc workspace is the geometric centroid, which is inherently biased toward clusters of lesions. This study evaluates the dosimetric plan quality of an alternative minimax isocenter strategy, which minimizes the maximum lesion-to-isocenter distance, shortening the rotational lever arm to enhance mechanical robustness. Two fractionated SRS (fSRS) plans were generated for ten patients with 3-5 brain metastases using identical beam configurations: one using HyperArc’s default geometric …

The Impact Of Scar Wires On Dose Distribution Of Electron Fields, Ahmad Nour

Masters Projects

Purpose: This phantom study looked at whether changing the Hounsfield unit (HU) value for radiopaque scar wires in Eclipse changed the calculated electron dose distribution. Methods and Materials: Radiopaque wires were placed in the same abdominal area on an anthropomorphic phantom. The wires were set up in a circle. The CT images were brought into Eclipse, the wires were contoured, and the planning target volume was made 1 cm inside the circle of wire. For every wire size and electron energy, two matching plans were made: one plan with no density override and one plan with a density override applied …

Cone Vs. Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (Vmat) Stereotactic Radiosurgery (Srs) Planning For Multiple (7) Brain Targets: Dosimetric Tradeoffs And Clinical Decision Guidance, Juan Garcia

Masters Projects

Purpose: This study compared cone-based stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and single-isocenter volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) for multiple (7) intracranial targets to evaluate differences in target coverage, conformality, dose falloff, and normal brain exposure.

Methods: A phantom-based study was performed using progressively increasing configurations of 10-mm spherical targets, from one to seven targets. Cone-based SRS and VMAT plans were evaluated using D99, CI100, CI50, gradient index (GI), maximum dose, V12Gy, and V5Gy.

Results: Both planning techniques achieved similar target coverage. Cone based SRS produced a steeper dose gradient, with a mean GI of 2.99 compared with 4.66 for VMAT ( …

Documents From The August 12, 2026 Meeting Of The University Of Montana Staff Senate, University Of Montana--Missoula. Staff Senate

University of Montana Staff Senate Meeting Minutes

Agenda and minutes from the University of Montana Staff Senate August 12, 2026 Meeting. Highlights include a guest presentation from Internal Communications and Employee Engagement as well as senator reconfirmations.

Alvarez V. Z&Y Llc

All Decisions

In this Housing Preservation (HP) action, the court granted petitioner's motion to amend the petition to add a harassment claim and to add the Department of Buildings (DOB) as a nominal respondent (the DOB addition had been opposed). The court held that the proposed pleading stated a cognizable claim sounding in landlord-tenant harassment under the Housing Maintenance Code, citing Berg v Chelsea Hotel Owner, LLC, 203 AD3d 484 [1st Dept 2022]. In adding DOB, the court held that given DOB's specialized role in enforcing regulations related to structural stability, joining DOB as a nominal party would promote the public interest …

System Leadership For Sdg-Aligned Research Security In Ireland, Seán Lacey

Publications

What is new?

Research security has rapidly emerged as a priority in research governance across Europe and internationally. However, discussions frequently frame research security primarily in terms of national security or geopolitical risk, with limited attention to how security measures intersect with sustainable development objectives. This paper addresses this gap by exploring the relationship between research security and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), using the emerging Irish research security framework as an illustrative context. It argues that research security and sustainable development are not inherently in conflict; however, aligning them requires coordinated system leadership to ensure that security measures protect …

Syllabus: Political Philosophy (Philo 24600 / Polsc 20401), Georgie Malone

Open Educational Resources

This syllabus was created for Political Philosophy (PHILO 24600) (POLSC 20401) at Hunter College. It is an intermediate/advanced introduction to key texts in the history of political philosophy. Course description: In this course, we will journey through the major contributions of those thinkers that have shaped the field we call political philosophy. We will begin with Plato and Aristotle, followed by the social contract theorists of the early modern period—Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau—before turning to the critical perspectives of Fanon and Marx. We will then turn to the vastly influential work of 20th century liberal philosopher John Rawls and …

Children Second Dialect Acquisition In North America, Iqbal Nurul Azhar, Mohammad Halili

Bahasa dan Seni: Jurnal Bahasa, Sastra, Seni, dan Pengajarannya

This article aims to examine the causes, social contributing factors, and the linguistic consequences of Second Dialect Acquisition (SDA henceforth) in children in North America, drawing on relevant articles. For children growing up in a monolingual region but then must live in a new space, acquiring second dialect can pave them to improve their communication skills, adjust their social and identity belonging. Yet why, how, and the linguistic consequence of SDA require further studies. We used the thematic synthesis in reviewing the existing related literature based on three steps: article identification, selection, and analysis. Six causes of SDA were found: …

Psychological Interventions For Children With Neurodevelopmental Disabilities In The Context Of Neurodiversity: A Systematic Review, Kalliopi Megari, Dimitra V. Katsarou, Evangelos Mantsos, Soultana Papadopoulou, Efthymia Efthymiou, Maria Theodoratou, Maria Sofologi, Eugenia Toki

All Works

Highlights What are the main findings? What is the implication of the main finding?Highlights What are the main findings? What is the implication of the main finding?Abstract Background/Objectives: This systematic review examines psychological interventions for children with neurodevelopmental disabilities within a neurodiversity framework, emphasizing that variations in cognition, behavior, and neurological functioning represent natural forms of human diversity rather than deficits. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted across the PubMed, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar databases for studies published between 2010 and 2025. Studies were included if they focused on children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), learning or intellectual disabilities …

Race And Ethnicity And Overall Survival In Pediatric Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Daniel J. Zheng, Long Khuong, Catherine Aftandilian, Kira Bona, Emi H. Caywood, Caitlin W. Elgarten, Brian T. Fisher, Cody-Aaron L. Gathers, Taumoha Ghosh, M. Monica Gramatges, Gary Hettinger, Meret R. Henry, Yuan-Shung V Huang, Yimei Li, Kelly Maloney, Amir Mian, Tamara P Miller, Arunkumar Modi, Rajen Mody, Regina M. Myers, Haley Newman, Jose Ortiz, Alix E. Seif, Caroline Smith, Jamie Stokke, Naomi Winick, Jennifer J. Wilkes, Victor Wong, Richard Aplenc, Kelly D. Getz

Department of Pediatrics Faculty Papers

IMPORTANCE: Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black (hereafter, Black) children with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) have historically experienced worse survival outcomes compared with non-Hispanic White (hereafter, White) children. Understanding specific intermediate pathways underlying these outcome disparities is a critical step to directing interventional efforts and resources.

OBJECTIVE: To compare survival outcomes by race and ethnicity in a large contemporary cohort of pediatric patients with AML and to examine presentation acuity, frontline organ toxic effects, and relapse as potential mediators of any observed outcome disparities.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This retrospective cohort study was analyzed from April 2025 to January 2026 and included …

Confidence Versus Competence: Addressing Nursing Knowledge Gaps In Catheter Care To Reduce Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections, Leslie Anne Villanueva Bautista

Master's Projects and Capstones

Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) remain among the most prevalent and preventable healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), contributing substantially to patient morbidity, mortality, prolonged hospitalization, and healthcare expenditures. Most hospital-acquired UTIs are related to urinary catheters, and this burden costs the United States alone an estimated $340 to $450 million annually (Yang et al., 2022). CAUTIs are UTIs that occur in patients with indwelling urinary catheters. This quality improvement project aimed to increase adherence to existing bladder scanning protocols and strengthen urinary catheter care to prevent CAUTI. Baseline staff nurse knowledge was obtained, and reinterpretation of the facility’s existing protocols and bundles …

Pre-Implementation Factors For Active Music Engagement (Ame): Barriers And Facilitators To Integrating An Evidence-Based Dyadic Intervention Into Pediatric Oncology Care., Kristin M. Story, Elizabeth Harman, Kristin Stegenga, Jelena Golubovic, Sheri L. Robb

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Pediatric cancer treatment is a difficult and distressing experience that often results in sustained, interrelated distress in young children and parents, and traumatic stress symptoms for some parents. Few evidence-based interventions address this dyadic distress. Active Music Engagement (AME) is a manualized, evidence-based music play intervention that significantly reduces distress in child/parent dyads and mitigates traumatic stress and improves well-being among highly distressed parents and those experiencing sociodemographic risk. Successfully integrating AME into standard care requires a systematic understanding of implementation factors. This study aimed to identify site-specific barriers and facilitators that influenced successful AME delivery during a recently …

Bcg Overexpressing Ag85b Reprograms Host Immune Response Through Coordinated Transcriptional Networks, Vivek Chauhan, Rakesh Kumar, Raja Veerapandian, Enrique I. Ramos, Chinnaswamy Jagannath, Shrikanth Gadad, Subramanian Dhandayuthapani

School of Medicine Publications

Antigen 85B (Ag85B), an immunodominant protein secreted by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), induces robust T-cell-mediated immunity in host cells. Previous studies have demonstrated that recombinant BCG strains overexpressing Ag85B (BCG85B) confer significant protection against tuberculosis in mouse models. This study hypothesized that enhanced protection by recombinant BCG85B results from modulation of host immune gene expression by the Ag85B antigen. To test this, RNA-seq analysis was performed on splenocytes from mice immunized with the wild-type BCG (BCG-WT) and BCG85B strains. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the splenocytes of BCG85B-immunized mice indicated upregulation of immune-related KEGG pathways, including Th1/Th2 and Th17 differentiation, NF-kappa …

Caring Science And A Magnet Culture Positively Influence Patient Experience: A Theoretical Framework, Mary E. Lough, Grissel Hernandez, Kathleen Bradley, Alice Yan, Cassendra Munro, Rachyl Pines

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

BACKGROUND: An academic hospital implemented both Watson Caring Science and a Magnet® culture to support nurse wellbeing and optimize patient outcomes.^1-3 The goal was to create a culture of caring. The research challenge was how to measure culture, which is complex, intangible and often difficult to quantify. Few healthcare organizations deploy theory-driven quantitative evaluations. Most rely on atheoretical data mining rather than conceptually grounded frameworks.

PURPOSE: To develop a theoretical framework to test the hypothesis that: (1) Human Caring Culture directly influences Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS); (2) Human Caring Culture indirectly influences HCAHPS’ outcomes …

Generative Ai In Nursing Education: Opportunities, Challenges And Educator Preparedness, Elizabeth L. Woods, Desiree Mullis Clement, Kandice Pampuri, Maggie Pustinger, Quyen Phan

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: Generative AI is transforming clinical nursing education, highlighting the urgent need to train nurse educators with the knowledge, tools, and confidence for practical use. AI tools are quickly impacting content, student preparation, and teaching methods, creating both opportunities and challenges. AI offers both advantages and obstacles in clinical content creation; however, advantages do not replace nursing experience. Due to its rapid integration into education, many educators remain cautious about responsible implementation because of ethical concerns.

Purpose: This study examines changes in participant knowledge and confidence in the use of AI tools in clinical education among clinical nurse educators from …

Changes In Psychological Adjustment Among Laryngectomized Patients Through Nursing Intervention: Rct, Kumiko Kotake, Kaori Haba, Mami Kurita, Ichiro Ota, Kazuyo Iwanaga, Yoshimi Suzukamo, Ichiro Kai, Aya Takahashi, Yoko Ishibashi, Yoriko Hara, Hirokazu Uemura

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine changes in psychological adjustment among laryngectomized patients through nursing interventions and to verify the effectiveness of these interventions.

Methods: Of the 76 hospitalized laryngectomy patients who received the study explanation and provided consent, 74 were included. The intervention involved providing information through interviews and a guidebook. The study method involved conducting follow-up surveys at preoperative, pre-discharge, and three months, six months, and one year post-discharge to examine the temporal changes in psychological adjustment. This study used the Nottingham Psychological Adjustment Scale for laryngectomized patients. The higher the subscale score, the greater …

New Locality Records And Future Habitat Suitability Of Sassanidotus Gracilis (Birula, 1900) (Scorpiones: Buthidae) In The Iran–Afghanistan–Pakistan Arid Belt, Ersen A. Yağmur, Kerim Çiçek, Homa Barati, Mohammad Moradi

Euscorpius

This study reports new locality records from Iran and a climate-based habitat suitability assessment for Sassanidotus gracilis (Birula, 1900) (Scorpiones: Buthidae) in the Iran–Afghanistan–Pakistan arid belt. We document new specimens from Sistan and Baluchestan Province, Iran, with an updated distribution map and illustrations, and we model the species' potential distribution across south-eastern Iran and adjacent parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Habitat suitability was associated mainly with precipitation seasonality, precipitation of the wettest month, precipitation of the driest month, and slope. In an arid setting these rainfall variables are unlikely to indicate a need for moist habitat; they more plausibly track …