Digital Commons Network^™

Developing Four-In-One Genetic Engineering System To Improve Production Of Bioenergy In Sorghum, Oluchukwu Jecinta Onyemaobi

Tennessee State University Alumni Theses and Dissertations

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) is a C4 crop of significant agricultural and industrial importance, known for its high biomass yield, drought tolerance, and adaptability to marginal lands. However, the high lignocellulosic biomass content of sorghum, particularly its lignin component, poses a significant challenge for efficient biomass conversion. Genetic engineering offers a powerful approach to achieve such improvements by targeting the modification of lignin biosynthetic pathways. However, progress in sorghum genetic improvement has been hindered by the crop’s recalcitrance to genetic manipulation, transformation, and regeneration. To overcome these limitations, we developed a four-in-one genetic engineering technology for sorghum by establishing an …

Tennessee’S Green Industry: An Economic Impact Assessment, Savannah R. Lewis

Tennessee State University Alumni Theses and Dissertations

This study estimates the economic contributions of the greenhouse and nursery industry, commonly known as the "green industry," in Tennessee for 2023. Utilizing data on employment, labor income, value added, and industry output, alongside economic multipliers generated from the Input-Output modeling software, IMPLAN (Impact Analysis for Planning), we provide a comprehensive analysis of the green industry's impact on the state's agricultural economy. The findings are presented in 2025 dollars, highlighting the industry's significance for informing future policy decisions. The primary objectives were to assess total contributions at the state, regional, and county levels. Direct employment across all sectors was estimated …

Predicting First-Year Retention Rates Of First Generation College Students, Trena Barksdale

Tennessee State University Alumni Theses and Dissertations

First-generation college students (FGCS) often encounter academic, financial, and social commitments that elevate their risk of attrition. Although academic preparation and engagement are recognized persistence factors, predictive research at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) remains scarce. This quantitative study utilized binary logistic regression to identify key predictors of first-year retention among FGCS at a public HBCU. The analysis specifically tested the influence of high school GPA, Pell Grant status, and on-campus housing. Findings confirmed that both GPA and on-campus housing were strong, statistically significant predictors of retention, while Pell Grant status was not. These results underscore the vital role …

Teachers' And Administrators' Perspectives On Discipline, Prison Pipeline, And African American Males., Latonya Shonette Bridges-Davis

Tennessee State University Alumni Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to examine the perceptions and experiences of high school teachers and administrators, regarding the impact of disciplinary policies on African American males within an urban Middle Tennessee high school. The study focused on systemic, institutional, and cultural factors influencing how educators interpret their roles in either reinforcing or challenging the school-to-prison pipeline. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, observations, and document review. Findings revealed six major themes: Disproportionate Discipline, Importance of Relationships, Cultural Competency and Bias, Restorative Practices, Resource Gaps, and Need for Policy Reform. These findings demonstrated that disproportionate discipline, …

Exploring The Autofermented Cyanobacterial Crude Extract As Antimicrobial Animal Feed Additives., Mohana Krishnan Neelakrishnan

Tennessee State University Alumni Theses and Dissertations

Overexploitation of antibiotics in the animal industry has driven the need for reduced usage, but this reduction has intensified the challenge posed by Salmonella enterica and Campylobacter jejuni to livestock systems and public health. This situation underlines the need for sustainable antimicrobial alternatives. Although cyanobacteria are promising in this respect, since they may produce a variety of bioactive metabolites, the amounts of these metabolites in their natural state are insufficient to elicit potent antibacterial action. In this study, autofermentation was investigated as a means of enhancing antibacterial efficacy in Fischerella ambigua and Nostoc muscorum by promoting the synthesis of organic …

Power Resilience In Utah's Water Sector: A Survey Of Stakeholder Practices, Preferences And Potential, Tyler Christopher Peterson

Theses and Dissertations

Drinking water and wastewater services are vulnerable to disruptions because they rely heavily on the electric grid. As a result, power outages can lead to water outages, creating cascading failures that compromise sanitation, firefighting, healthcare, and daily routines. Although an important topic, there are little to no studies of water and wastewater power resilience at a geographic or state level. In this study we investigate the extent of existing backup power and renewable energy integration as well as the motivations and barriers around their power resilience. We collect our data through semi-structured interviews with staff at 19 urban and rural …

Zotpri Llc V. Burton

All Decisions

In this nonpayment proceeding, the tenant, after retaining counsel, moved to amend their pro se answer to assert affirmative defenses of payment, laches, and breach of the warranty of habitability, along with counterclaims. The landlord opposed, arguing untimeliness and insufficient pleading of laches. The court granted the tenant's motion, allowing the amended answer with the payment and warranty of habitability defenses and counterclaims. However, the laches defense was stricken for insufficient pleading, as it failed to demonstrate lack of notice or prejudice to the tenant, beyond mere delay, which are essential elements for an equitable laches claim.

Implementation And Evaluation Of A Wellness Program In A First-Year Medical Student Anatomy Course, Gina R. Lepore, Gavin Turner, Benjamin Abramoff, Daniel Depietro, Nicole Robinson

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: Cadaveric dissection is a central component to anatomy education. However, for many students, dissection can be emotionally taxing, highlighting a potential area for increased support. This project evaluated the implementation of a wellness program within a dissection-based anatomy course.

Methods: Throughout a 12-week first-year medical student anatomy course, two teaching assistants (TAs) served as “Wellness TAs” and implemented a structured wellness program that included weekly office hours, supportive emails to students that addressed emotionally challenging coursework, and scheduled “wellness breakfasts/snack breaks.” An anonymous survey was distributed following the course. The survey assessed demographics, perceptions of the anatomical …

The Cowl - V. 89 N. 10 - December 11, 2025

The Cowl

The Cowl - student newspaper of Providence College. Vol. 89 No. 10 - December 11, 2025. 24 pages.

Mechanical Quality Of Hemp Fiber As Influenced By Tillage, Cover Crop, And Nitrogen Management In Regenerative Organic Systems, Parinaz Heydar, Alyssa Pierce, Gabriella Fioravanti, Ronald Kander

School of Design and Engineering Papers

Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is an emerging crop for renewable fiber materials. For farmers, finding a balance between agronomic performance and economic return is crucial, especially when targeting specific markets like the textile industry, which values not just fiber quantity, but overall quality. This field study, conducted at the Rodale Institute in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, assessed the effects of tillage (till vs. no till), cover crop (with cover vs. no cover), and nitrogen (N) rate (0, 50, 100, 150 kg ha⁻¹) on hemp fiber yield, N concentrations in leaf and stalk, and mechanical performance under regenerative organic conditions. Fiber mechanical …

Dental Care Utilization And Expenditures Among Individuals With Asthma, Shillpa Naaval, Vaibhavi Mone

Health Services and Informatics Research

Objectives To examine dental care utilization and health and dental care expenditures among individuals with asthma.

Methods Data from the 2022 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) (n = 21,405) were used to examine dental care utilization (any dental, preventive dental, and treatment dental visit) among individuals ≥ 1 year with and without asthma, and mean expenditures were summarized.

Results Overall, the asthma diagnosis was 13.2%, 14.7% in working-age adults compared to 9.5% in children. The percentage of treatment dental visits was higher overall (17.0% vs. 14.5%, p <  0.05) among the asthma group compared to the non-asthma group. Among individuals with asthma, those who had preventive dental visits had lower dental expenditures compared to those who had treatment dental visits for all age groups.

Conclusion Individuals with asthma had a higher prevalence of using dental treatment services. …

Guest Editors’ Introduction, Maurits Bastiaan Meerwijk, Nicolo Paolo P. Ludovice

Philippine Studies: Historical and Ethnographic Viewpoints

This introduction examines the historical evolution of health messaging in the Philippines, tracing its roots from early twentieth-century colonial public health campaigns to contemporary pandemic responses. It argues that health messaging, initially termed “medical propaganda,” has consistently served as a tool for persuasion and governance, intertwining communication, politics, and medicine. The introduction highlights how visual technologies and simplified narratives have been used to normalize biomedical authority, often obscuring complex realities. It concludes by emphasizing the need for a broader epistemic repertoire to navigate health knowledge in an era of misinformation.

Emg-Guided Human-Machine Interaction Training Develops New Intermuscular Coordination Patterns In Stroke: A Pilot Study, Gang Seo, Manuel Portilla-Jiménez, Michael Houston, Jeong-Ho Park, Hangil Lee, Sheng Li, Yingchun Zhang, Hyung-Soon Park, Jinsook Roh

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Stroke survivors often experience impaired upper extremity motor function due to abnormal muscle synergies. This pilot study evaluated the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of electromyography-guided human-machine interaction training designed to expand the repertoire of intermuscular coordination patterns and improve upper extremity motor function in chronic stroke survivors.

Methods: Four chronic stroke survivors with mild-to-moderate upper extremity motor impairment and three age-matched healthy controls participated in a six-week electromyography-guided training intervention. Participants practiced selectively activating one elbow flexor muscle while suppressing another (brachioradialis or biceps brachii). Throughout the course of the intervention, the effect of the training on intermuscular coordination, …

Self-Connection As A Mediator Between Exercise And Well-Being, Lauren Esmay

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Scientists and health professionals have established the connection among physical activity and overall wellbeing. In more recent years, scholars have also researched the correlation among increased self-connection with increased overall well-being. Nevertheless, insignificant data has been gathered to investigate the impact of predictor variables upon the connection between exercise and wellbeing. This research study examined the mediating effect of self-connection among the relationship between exercise and wellbeing. The current study’s purpose was to gain better insights on how self-connection predicts a person’s physical activity, contributing to comprehensive insights how exercise habits may predict a person’s wellbeing by using a cross-sectional …

Educator Experiences With Implementing Every Student Succeeds Act Equity Mandates For Students With Autism, Jameelah S. Lewis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Educating students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in under resourced schools remains a persistent equity concern in the United States. This study addressed a gap in the existing research, as prior studies have examined special education policy and school-level implementation challenges, but few have explored the experiences of general education teachers implementing inclusion in low-socioeconomic public schools. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore the barriers general education teachers encounter in providing equitable education and their recommendations for improving inclusion. The study was guided by Ingram and Schneider’s (1993) social construction theory, which explains how marginalized groups …

Small Business Owners’ Effective Strategies For Retaining Childcare Workers In Private Daycare Centers, Velma Williams Sanders

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ineffective retention strategies can lead to employee turnover. Private childcare business owners who struggle to improve employee retention may find their business confronting attrition as a result. Grounded in job embeddedness theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry research project was to identify and explore effective retention strategies used by private childcare business owners to reduce high employee turnover rates. The participants were eight private childcare business owners who had implemented retention strategies. Data were collected through semistructured interviews, public websites, and public documents. Through thematic analysis, five themes were identified: (a) providing competitive rewards and family support; (b) …

Examining Job Demands And Resource Factors Impacting Job Satisfaction Amongst School Social Workers, Charmagne Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate the relationship between job demands and resources and job satisfaction among school social workers in North Carolina. School social workers are vital members of the school ecosystem, supporting the development and well-being of students, families, and communities. Grounded in the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) theoretical framework, the impact of years of experience, caseload size, role ambiguity, burnout, and job autonomy on job satisfaction among school social workers was examined. The current study included 92 school social workers from twelve counties in the Sandhills and Research Triangle regions of North Carolina who completed …

Factors Affecting School Readiness And Level Of Distraction Among Black Children During Virtual Learning In The United States, Imani Barnes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated an shift to mandatory virtual learning (VL) for kindergarten through grade 12 students, disrupting educational systems globally and exposing systemic inequities. Although researchers had explored health and education disparities separately, they had not adequately examined the intersection of child health, specifically body mass index (BMI) and health-affected ability, with school readiness and level of distraction in VL environments. The purpose of this quantitative, cross-sectional study was to examine associations between BMI, health affected ability, school readiness, and distraction levels among U.S. Black children engaged in VL in the 2020 school year, controlling for gender, age, and …

Brain–Computer Interface Integration In Mental Health: Clinician Perspectives On Diagnostic Efficacy And Ethical Implications, Serena D. Sanders

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study explored the integration of brain–computer interface (BCI) technology into mental health care, focusing on clinicians' perceptions, ethical concerns, and the practical challenges associated with its adoption. As technological advancements in healthcare continue to reshape clinical practices, understanding how emerging technologies like BCI can be incorporated into therapeutic settings is essential. The purpose of this research was to examine clinician perspectives on the potential benefits of and barriers to BCI and to explore the ethical implications of its use in therapy. Guided by the technology acceptance model and the ethical decision-making framework, this qualitative study utilized semi structured interviews …

Acceptability, Appropriateness, Willingness To Use, And Perceptions Towards Hiv Self-Testing Among Adolescent Girls And Young Women In Rural Northern Uganda: A Baseline Formative Cross-Sectional Study, Ronald Olum, Morrish Obol Okello, Freddy Eric Kitutu, Elvin H Geng, Philippa Musoke

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in Uganda are at higher risk for and bear a significant HIV burden, accounting for 25% of new infections. Despite improved HIV testing services, AGYW in rural areas face barriers to facility-based testing due to stigma, physical access barriers, and confidentiality concerns. This study assessed the acceptability, appropriateness, willingness to use, and perceptions of HIVST among AGYW in Northern Uganda.

METHODS: This cross-sectional study was part of a baseline assessment for a quasi-experimental trial evaluating community-led HIVST among AGYW aged 15-24 years in 5 sub-counties in Omoro District. Data were collected using systematic …

Structural Basis Of Panx1 Permeation And Positive Modulation By Mefloquine, Yangyang Li, Zheng Ruan, Junuk Lee, Ian Orozco, Edward Zhou, Juan Du, Wei Lü

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty Papers

Purinergic signaling relies on ATP release through exocytosis and large-pore channels. Large-pore channels permeate both small anions like chloride and large signaling molecules like ATP, but how this broad cargo selectivity is structurally controlled remains elusive. Here we investigate PANX1, a prototypical large-pore channel, and uncover structural plasticity at the extracellular entrance formed by seven tryptophan (W74) residues. The W74 sidechains are flexible, sampling conformations that range from a constricted state permissive only to chloride to a dilated state compatible with ATP. These states are coupled to variable cation-π interactions between W74 and arginine 75 (R75), suggesting a mechanism for …

Reflecting On Ai Use Through Syllabus Statement Development, Jason Blomquist

Biennial Convention (CONV)

As artificial intelligence (AI) tools become increasingly prevalent in higher education, nursing faculty face the complex task of developing comprehensive course policies that address both the opportunities and challenges these technologies present. This presentation provides guidance for crafting effective AI policies via course syllabi through faculty reflection on course content, pedagogy, and enhancing active learning.

Faculty will learn a structured practice for developing AI syllabi statements that align with course objectives while preserving essential nursing competencies. The practice framework addresses five critical elements: clear policy articulation, pedagogical rationale, specific usage guidelines, transparency requirements, and integration within existing academic integrity policies. …

Integrating Ai Tools For Literature Searches: Implementation In An Evidence-Based Practice Course, Ryoko Kausler

Biennial Convention (CONV)

This interactive session presents practical strategies for incorporating AI tools in undergraduate nursing research/evidence-based practice (EBP) education, specifically focusing on literature search processes. EBP is fundamental for safe and effective patient care, yet nurses often struggle with implementing EBP in their daily practice.^1,2 Over 50% of nurses rely on Google searches or peer advice rather than scholarly databases, highlighting the critical need to strengthen research competencies beginning at the undergraduate level.³ Similar to practicing nurses, undergraduate nursing students struggle with foundational EBP skills, particularly in efficiently searching and critically analyzing research literature.^4,5 It is essential to develop …

Fostering Nursing Professional Identity Through A Comprehensive Teaching Strategy, Kathleen M. Williamson

Biennial Convention (CONV)

OBJECTIVES:

• Describe the significance of developing a strong professional identity in nursing.
• Explore methods for incorporating reflective practice as a teaching strategy to help nursing students internalize professional values.
• Integrate reflective practice to support the development of professional identity among students.

The development of a strong professional identity is crucial for nursing students as it shapes their values, behaviors, and attitudes towards patient care. This presentation will share a teaching strategy that was designed to incorporate the concept of professional identity in nursing. The strategy employed reflective practice to foster understanding of professional identity among nursing students.

This presentation will …

Using Well-Being, Professional Identity, And Civility Best Practices In A Nursing Academic Setting, Jennifer Louise Embree

Biennial Convention (CONV)

OBJECTIVES:

• Discover perspectives of well-being in academics
• Describe methods for determining Professional Identity in Nursing
• Determine methodology to detect aspects of academic civil work environment

Identifying perspectives is critical to intervention implementation and strategy. Authors describe the Mini-Z General, the Healthy Work Environment Index, the Civility Work Index, and Professional Identity in Nursing (PIN) Survey to identify and measure well-being, PIN, a healthy work environment, and civility among faculty and staff.

Data demonstrated a stress and best practice intervention was need for well-being, PIN, and civility. Identifying well-being and envisioning the future programming state can guide change and support various …

Living The Balance Theory Of Wisdom With Leadership Values In Mind, Daniel J. Pesut

Biennial Convention (CONV)

In creating the Balance Theory of Wisdom, Sternberg (1) defined wisdom as the application of intelligence, creativity, and knowledge to the common good by balancing and mediating the values of self (intrapersonal), others (interpersonal), and institutional (extra-personal) interests over the long and short terms in service of adapting, shaping, and selecting environments, that is, to represent, respect, reflect, and respond in shaping the future. The functional consequences of this definition suggest that wise people have exceptional insight into human development and life matters, look for deeper meaning, tolerate ambiguity, have compassion, are other- and purpose-focused, and recognize the limits of …

Caring Science As Embodied Wisdom: Balancing Intrapersonal, Interpersonal, And Extrapersonal Factors, Sara Horton-Deutsch

Biennial Convention (CONV)

The intersection of caring science and the balance theory of wisdom reveals profound connections between therapeutic practice and theoretical frameworks of human understanding. We examine how caring science inherently encompasses explicit knowledge—systematic, teachable aspects of healthcare—and tacit knowledge—intuitive, experience-based understanding practitioners develop over time. Exploring these knowledge domains with the lens of the balance theory of wisdom aligns caring science with the theory's core principles of balancing multiple interests, adapting to environmental contexts, and pursuing the common good (1).
Practicing through the lens of caring science implicitly aligns with wisdom-based decision-making by balancing intrapersonal (self), interpersonal (others), and extrapersonal (institutional) …

A Nationwide Registry Study Of Surgical And Patient-Reported Outcomes Following Anterior Cervical Discectomy And Fusion: Part 2 - Cage With Versus Without Local Bone Graft, Daniel De Wilde, Victor Gabriel El-Hajj, Patrick Vigren, Victor E. Staartjes, Elias Atallah, Erik Edström, Adrian Elmi-Terander

Department of Neurosurgery Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Local bone grafts are commonly used as filling material in cages during anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). Alternatively, cages without filling materials can be used. The literature comparing these approaches is limited, and their respective effects on patient-reported outcomes (PROM) have been scarcely studied. This study was conducted to compare surgical outcomes and PROMs between local bone graft-packed cages and empty cages in ACDF surgery.

METHODS: This observational study utilized data from the Swedish nationwide registry, Swespine. All adults who underwent ACDF between 2006 and 2020 were considered for inclusion. Exclusion criteria included missing baseline or outcome data. …

First-In-Child Phase I Trial Of P-Stat3 Inhibitor Wp1066 In Pediatric Brain Tumor Patients, Robert C Castellino, Hope L Mumme, Andrea T Franson, Bing Yu, M Hope Robinson, Kavita Dhodapkar, Dolly Aguilera, Matthew J Schniederjan, Rohali Keesari, Zhulin He, Manoj Bhasin, Waldemar Priebe, Amy B Heimberger, Tobey J Macdonald

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: WP1066 is an orally bioavailable, small molecule inhibitor of activated p-STAT3 that has demonstrated preclinical efficacy in pediatric brain tumor models.

Methods: In a first-in-child, single-center, single-arm 3+3 design Phase I clinical trial, ten patients were treated with WP1066 twice daily, Monday-Wednesday-Friday, for 14 days of each 28-day cycle to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD)/maximum feasible dose (MFD) of WP1066. Compassionate use treatment with WP1066 in three pediatric patients with H3.3 G34R/V-mutant high-grade glioma (HGG) is also described.

Results: There was no significant toxicity and the MFD was determined to be 8 mg/kg. Treatment-related adverse events were Grade …

Delayed Delivery Of Antibiotics By Ultrasound-Mediated Rupture Of Polylactic Acid Pockets: In Vitro And In Vivo Studies, Selin Isguven Billmyer, Priscilla Machado, Ryan Tomlinson, Lauren J. Delaney, Ji-Bin Liu, Alexander H Harris, Eric Mclaughlin, Noreen J. Hickok, Flemming Forsberg

Department of Radiology Faculty Papers

Surgical site infections are a devastating complication of instrumented orthopaedic surgery, particularly in the spine. Bacterial biofilms, once formed on the implant surfaces, exhibit antibiotic tolerance and immune escape, which lead to treatment challenges. Up to 9% of instrumented spine surgeries result in infection, despite the use of systemic antibiotics and local, powdered antibiotics for prophylaxis. The bacteria that survive the initial prophylaxis may be susceptible to a second, high dose of antibiotic prophylaxis prior to establishing at the site. Hence, we designed a local drug delivery system consisting of polylactic acid (PLA) film pockets that can be noninvasively triggered …