Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring The Adaptation Process And Experiences Of Para Baseball Player With Physical Disabilities After An Accident, Hyundo Jun Mr., Soojung Yoo Ms., Seungeun Choi Ms., Yongho Lee Dr.

International Symposium of Adapted Physical Activity and International Symposium on Physical Activity and Visual Impairment and Deafblindness

People with physical disabilities after an accident experience greater stress and face social and psychological challenges in accepting and overcoming disability. In addition to the loss of physical function, it leads to restrictions in economic and social activities, causes confusion in self-concept and values, and may result in psychological issues such as depression, making it harder for them to accept their changed life.

The purpose of this study is to explore the process of entering and adapting to a para-baseball team for individuals with physical disability after an accident. This study aimed to gain an understanding of the common characteristics …

“I Didn’T Even Know Any Other Visually Impaired People, I Was Just On My Own”: Generative Outcomes Of Football For Visually Impaired Women, Jessica L. Macbeth, Andrew Sprake

International Symposium of Adapted Physical Activity and International Symposium on Physical Activity and Visual Impairment and Deafblindness

Introduction Men’s blind football has featured at the Paralympic Games since 2004, yet international developments for women are in their infancy. The last few years have seen nations establish representative sides, the inaugural Women’s Blind Football World Championships in 2023, and the International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) lobby for Paralympic inclusion for the women’s game. Whilst our research, adopting an intra-categorical approach to intersectionality, has examined a range of inequities in the game (Macbeth & Sprake, forthcoming), this presentation concentrates on the “generative outcomes” (Frederick, 2023) experienced by players.

Method Data was generated through a focus group and in-depth semi-structured …

Physical Activity And Gaming Activity Among Adolescents With Disabilities, Kwok Ng

International Symposium of Adapted Physical Activity and International Symposium on Physical Activity and Visual Impairment and Deafblindness

Introduction

Physical activity (PA) is protective for health, particularly for adolescents with disabilities. Less evidence is available on digital gaming activity (GA) on health, although a popular activity among adolescents. The aim of the study was to compare levels of PA and GA among Finnish adolescents, disaggregated by disabilities.

Methods

The Finnish school-age PA study is a nationally representative study of 11y-, 13y-, 15y-, and 16y-20y old adolescents. The self-report version of the UNICEF/Washington group questions on disabilities were used. Differences between with and without disabilities were analysed by Chi-square tests of independence after stratification by age and gender.

Results …

Progressive Strength And Balance Training Enhances Physical Functioning In Older Adults With Decreased Functional Capacity, Saila Hänninen Msc (Health Science), Katja Borodulin Phd, Msc In Sport Sc, Adjunct Professor,

International Symposium of Adapted Physical Activity and International Symposium on Physical Activity and Visual Impairment and Deafblindness

Progressive strength and balance training enhances physical function in older adults with decreased functional capacity

Introduction
In Finland, one third of people aged 70 and over fall each year. Each hip fracture costs approximately €30 000 (Kannus et al. 2018, Sotkanet 2025, Finnish Medical Society Duodecim 2017). Strength and balance training (SBT) improves muscle strength, functional capacity, and quality of life, and can prevent half of fall-related fractures (Sherrington et al. 2019, Levy et al. 2020, Oberholster et al. 2020, Wang et al. 2020). However, the implementation of fall prevention is still incomplete (Reis et al. 2016). Our aim was …

Parasport Development Model, Mariana Simões Pimentel Gomes, Ciro Winckler, Elke Lima Trigo

International Symposium of Adapted Physical Activity and International Symposium on Physical Activity and Visual Impairment and Deafblindness

The sports development of people with disabilities (PwD) presents unique challenges that must be considered to ensure a sustainable athletic pathway. The Brazilian Parasport Development Model (PSDM) was designed to structure and guide Parasports trajectories. This study aims to present and discuss the PSDM’s framework. Methodologically, the model’s development was based on a comparative analysis of international frameworks. The PSDM structures an athlete’s pathway into two distinct models: one for individuals with congenital disabilities and another for those with acquired disabilities. Both models incorporate pathways for participation-based parasport and high-performance parasport. The congenital model consists of eight stages: Initial Stimulation, …

The Existential Nature Of Touch Exchange For Blind People As A Bridge To Confidence And Participation In Physical Activities. A Qualitative Preparatory Study Using Reflexive Thematic Analysis, Mathias Alberton

International Symposium of Adapted Physical Activity and International Symposium on Physical Activity and Visual Impairment and Deafblindness

Title of the submission

The existential nature of touch exchange for blind people as a bridge to confidence and participation in physical activities. A qualitative preparatory study using Reflexive Thematic Analysis.

Introduction

Lack of full proprioception in visually impaired and blind people (VI) negatively affects their lifestyle and, in combination with structural and societal barriers, lead to low participation in physical activities (Alcaraz-Rodríguez et al., 2021; Lieberman et al., 2018), deemed to build confidence and social interaction with further benefit to their phycological well-being (Elsman et al., 2018; Ilhan et al., 2020). Being confident in touching and being touched by …

Contributions Of Sport To Venezuelan Refugees With Disabilities, Vinicius Denardin Cardoso, Rafaele Rodrigues Bastilha, Alyne Tavares Honorato, Allana Lithicia Oliveira Camilo

International Symposium of Adapted Physical Activity and International Symposium on Physical Activity and Visual Impairment and Deafblindness

Introduction

The practice of sports has a fundamental role in guaranteeing the rights to health and citizenship, being considered an inalienable human right for every human being and through it, it is possible to bring people together, break barriers and impositions that can limit the access of people with disabilities to the rights that are guaranteed to them. Recently, the severe humanitarian and economic crisis in Venezuela has caused many citizens of that country to migrate to Brazil, including citizens with disabilities. Considering sports as a right of every human being, the objective of this study is to describe the …

Review: Time Stops For No Mouse: A Hermux Tantamoq Adventure, Janice Delong, Rachel Schwedt

Ages 10-12

Boldness, Caring, Cleverness, Creativity, Curiosity, Dependability, Devotion, Diversity, Duty, Fearlessness, Friendship, Hope, Humility, Inquisitiveness, Kindness, Loyalty, Resilience, Survival, Work ethic

Review: The Animal Book: A Collection Of The Fastest, Fiercest, Toughest, Cleverest, Shyest, And Most Surprising Animals On Earth, Janice Delong, Rachel Schwedt

Ages 10-12

Cleverness, Creativity, Imagination, Knowledge

Training Programmes And Staff Development: A Survey Of Library And Information Science (Lis) Professional Bodies In Nigeria, Scholastica C. Ukwoma Phd, Rebecca Chidimma Ojobor (Corresponding Author) Phd, Victoria N. Okafor Prof., Ezinne Njoku Phd

Urban Library Journal

This study explores the training programs provided by the Librarian Registration Council of Nigeria (LRCN) and the Nigerian Library Association Information Technology Section (NLAIT). It evaluates their scope, relevance to the field of librarianship, challenges faced, and strategies to enhance participation. A mixed-methods approach combining quantitative and qualitative methods was utilized. From a target population of 600 librarians, a sample size of 120 respondents was randomly selected following the guidelines of Gall, Gall, and Borg (2003). Data collection was carried out through a questionnaire, achieving a 66.7% response rate (80 respondents). The collected data were analyzed using frequency counts, percentages, …

Hydrochemical Assessment And Geospatial Analysis Of Borehole Water Quality In Effurun, Delta State, Nigeria, Ojo Odunayo Tope, Ike Joy Chiaka, Austin Emeka Okoli, Namdie Joseph Inyang

Al-Bahir

Borehole water is a primary drinking water source in Effurun, Delta State, Nigeria, making its quality a critical public health concern. Contaminants such as major ions and trace metals can affect water safety, necessitating comprehensive assessment. This study evaluates the hydrochemical characteristics of borehole water, identifies contamination sources, and assesses compliance with World Health Organization (WHO) and Nigerian Standard for Drinking Water Quality (NSDWQ) guidelines. The study aims to determine the spatial distribution of major ions and trace metals in borehole water, assess water quality variations, and identify contamination patterns due to natural and anthropogenic influences. Water samples were collected …

Early Recurrent Midgut Volvulus Post Ladd's Procedure In A Newborn: A Case Report, Nicole Clarke, Joanna Sajdlowska, John Paul Bustamante, Nishith Bhattacharyya

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

Ladd's procedure is the standard surgical intervention for intestinal malrotation. Although generally curative, rare cases of early postoperative complications, including adhesions or recurrent volvulus, can necessitate reoperation. We present the case of a full-term newborn girl who underwent emergent Ladd's procedure on Day 3 of life for malrotation with volvulus. She was discharged on postoperative Day 17 but returned the following day with recurrent bilious emesis. Imaging suggested partial obstruction. Exploratory laparotomy revealed recurrent volvulus with two twists at the duodenojejunal junction, which was successfully reduced. The patient recovered well and was discharged on postoperative Day 8. This case underscores …

Cross-Cultural Inspiration Coach, Romeo Nickel, Veronica Flores, Rahul Rani, Andrew Yang

Computer Science and Engineering Senior Theses

Personal inspiration and motivation are fundamental drivers of well-being and growth, yet current digital wellness solutions predominantly reflect Western perspectives, failing to address the diverse cultural contexts through which inspiration manifests globally. This thesis presents the development of an Inspirational Coach platform that leverages artificial intelligence to deliver culturally-adaptive personal development content. The system employs a fine-tuned Llama 3.1 8B model using Low-Rank Adaptation (LoRA) techniques to generate personalized motivational content that incorporates users’ cultural backgrounds, personal themes, and individual preferences.

The platform integrates four core features within a comprehensive React-based web application: guided journaling with mood tracking, goal setting …

Teaching Computer Science Through An Educational Game, Aidan Walker, Matthew Leonard, Grant Goldman

Computer Science and Engineering Senior Theses

In our ever-evolving technological landscape, it is becoming more and more important for students of all ages to have at least a basic concept of coding fundamentals. It’s not just the basic knowledge of how to code; knowing important coding concepts is just as important. To help introduce these concepts to young students, we developed an educational game in the Roblox platform aimed at teaching foundational programming concepts—specifically recursion—to young learners through interactive and engaging gameplay. Leveraging Roblox’s accessibility and popularity among younger audiences, the game introduces players to recursive thinking in a visual and intuitive manner. Players control a …

Self Driving Robot Car, Eric Hicks, Ruby Huynh

Computer Science and Engineering Senior Theses

In the real world, vehicular crashes are the result of human error and inadequate reaction time and are often deadly. Due to the issue of accidents being frequent occurrences, using machine learning to drive vehicles has quickly become a relevant topic as it could potentially become a way to minimize fatalities and damages. Thus, the project aims to approach self-automation with the focus on maximizing the vehicle’s performance and the machine’s ability to make the best decisions within that time.

Today’s self-driving cars use radar or cameras as well as digital signal processing algorithms to sense the environment while using …

Tcras: Traffic Control Risk Analysis System, Owen Matejka

Computer Science and Engineering Senior Theses

Traffic intersections represent critical points of conflict in urban transportation networks, with over 40,000 traffic-related fatalities occurring annually in the United States alone. Traditional intersection monitoring systems, based on timer controls and inductive loop detectors, lack the sophisticated detection capabilities needed to address modern traffic safety challenges. This thesis presents the Traffic Control Risk Analysis System (TCRAS), a low-cost, computer vision-based solution that democratizes access to advanced intersection monitoring capabilities. TCRAS leverages edge AI processing through Hailo neural network accelerators combined with open-source computer vision algorithms to provide comprehensive intersection analysis. The system performs real-time multi-class object detection and tracking …

Voting And Civic Engagement Among Utah Women: A 2025 Update, Corinne Clarkson, Susan R. Madsen, Kolene Anderson

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

In 2016, the Utah Women & Leadership Project (UWLP) released a research snapshot called “Voting and Civic Engagement Among Utah Women.”¹ At the time, despite having a strong history of women’s political and civic involvement, Utah had fallen to the bottom of national rankings in terms of women’s political participation.² In 2019 and 2021, UWLP released updates of this report, which showed some improvement in voter participation rates for both the United States (US) and for Utah women. Since 2016, the level of political participation among women in Utah and the US has grown, and civic engagement—a critical …

Preserving Yucatán’S Agricultural Heritage: A Mobile App For Agricultural Sustainability, Fernando Rojas, Jason Serrano, Kavya Sharma

Computer Science and Engineering Senior Theses

We developed a mobile application that preserves Yucatán’s agricultural heritage and supports local farmers, while addressing the urgent need for the technology-driven integration of Mayan agricultural knowledge, specifically the Milpa system, into an accessible mobile platform. Our objective was to create an intuitive, culturally appropriate, and low-technology resource to support farmers in making informed, sustainable agricultural decisions, regardless of their internet connection. We saw this as critical for enhancing agricultural practices in Yucatán and beyond. We accomplished this by creating a trilingual (Spanish, English, and Yucatec Maya) mobile app with features such as agrarian cycle information, mapping and location services, …

A Four-Truth Exploration Of Memory, Social Connection, And Belonging In Fairground And Tower Grove Parks In St. Louis, Missouri, Kenya D. Womack, Adeola N. Adewale, Marie E. Boesch, Gelene M. Strecker-Sayer

Dissertations

Historic racism supported practices such as redlining, discriminatory zoning, and racial steering that separated people and determined the flow of resources and investment into neighborhoods. Communities continue to experience the long tail effects of historic patterns of racism. That is, historic inequities influence the opportunities that residents have to connect with each other and thrive in urban areas. Urban neighborhood parks have the potential to bridge social divides and bring a community together. This basic qualitative research study examines two contested heritage sites in St. Louis, Missouri: Fairground Park, a park in a Black neighborhood that has been historically disinvested …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Benefits Of Art Education For Elementary Students With Autism, Brenda Lynn Miller

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this study was the lack of knowledge regarding art teachers’ perceptions of the social and emotional benefits of art classes for elementary school students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore elementary school art teachers’ perspectives regarding the social and emotional benefits of school-based art education for elementary school students with ASD. Schweizer et al.’s art therapy model was the conceptual framework. Semistructured interviews from 12 elementary school art teachers were used to collect data. Data were analyzed using axial coding procedures and thematic analysis. Results produced the …

Effective Strategies Nursing Home Leaders Use To Implement Changes And Increase Staff Retention And The Quality Of Patient Care, Evaristus C. Chu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ineffective retention strategies for nursing home staff can negatively affect the continuity of patient care, employee morale, and patient outcomes. Nursing home leaders who struggle to implement changes and increase staff retention and quality of patient care are at high risk of business instability. Grounded in Greenleaf’s servant leadership conceptualization and Kotter’s eight-step change model, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to explore strategies nursing home leaders use to implement change, retain staff, and enhance the quality of patient care. Data sources consisted of semistructured interviews, public websites, and current and archival public documents. Thematic analysis yielded five …

Identification Of Strategies To Improve Milking Parlour Efficiency: Insights From Empirical Data And Simulation Analysis, Ryan Prendergast

Theses

The abolishment of European Union milk quotas in 2015 has increased the strain on dairy farm infrastructure and labour availability. For both pasture and confinement-based production  systems, the milking process requires the largest annual labour input. Hence, this area  represents an opportunity for achieving gains in labour efficiency. The aims of this thesis were to 1) document and quantify factors that affect milking process efficiency and 2) develop models that can simulate milking parlour efficiency with respect to these factors. Data were collected from a sample of commercial, pasture-based Irish dairy farms across the Republic of Ireland that used herringbone …

The 29th Scientific Conference Of The Society On Neuroimmune Pharmacology In Omaha, Ne, June 8–12, 2025, Allison M. Andrews, Linda Chang, Rosemarie M. Booze, Sabita Roy, Santhi Gorantla, Iiker K. Sariyer, Jerel Fields, Eliseo Eugenin, Howard E. Gendelman

Faculty Publications

The 29th Scientific Conference of the Society on Neuroimmune Pharmacology (SNIP) in Omaha, NE, will occur from June 8th to 11th, 2025. This four-day conference showcases world-renowned biomedical research, providing insights into the latest advancements in the intersecting fields of neuroscience, immunology, pharmacology, and virology. Presentation abstracts are organized into sections that include early career development investigators, mouse models, neurodegenerative diseases, therapeutics, substance use disorders, counseling, drug targeting, disease pathobiology, Blood-Brain Barrier integrity, educational opportunities, young investigator talks, and translational medicine. SNIP remains the sole global meeting dedicated to neuroimmune pharmacology. The focus of research centers on how the neuroimmune …

Predicting Single-Leg Eccentric Hamstrings Strength In Aging Athletes Using Diagnostic Ultrasound- And Survey-Derived Parameters, Lee J. Hinkle

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Eccentric hamstring strength declines with age and contributes to mobility limitations. Although Nordbord testing quantifies eccentric strength, few studies have examined it in older adults, and none have predicted strength performance on this test using ultrasound or survey- based measures. Methods: We recruited 122 senior athletes (60 female) at the 2024 Huntsman World Senior Games. Ultrasound-derived cross-sectional area (CSA), echogenicity, and subcutaneous fat thickness, along with demographic and activity data, were used to predict single-leg peak force using Bayesian regression. Models were sex-stratified, and predictors were selected using leave-one-out cross-validation (LOO IC). Results: In males, CSA, age, leg side, …

The Exaggerated Blood Pressure Response To Activities Of Daily Living And Exercise Is Dependent Upon The Fitness Of People With Hypertension, Joseph D. Larsen

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: Determine if the previously reported exaggerated systolic blood pressure response to daily activity and moderate exercise amongst hypertensive adults could be accounted for by differences in fitness. Methods: 30 normotensives adults (15 low fitness control (LFC) and 15 high fitness control (HFC)) and 15 unmedicated adults with ambulatory hypertension (HTN) participated in this study. Participants completed 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM). Lactate Threshold (LT) and estimated ����̇O2max were determined for each participant. A week later, blood pressure was measured while participants completed 5-minute bouts of treadmill exercise at fixed absolute intensities (2.5 mph 0% and 12% grade) and …

An Evaluation Of The Prevent-Teach-Reinforce Secondary (Ptr-Sec) Model For Middle School Students With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders, Kevin R. Ochoa Casas

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) may encounter a wide range of challenges in academic settings. Despite several initiatives aiming to address these challenges in the school setting, research indicates that school-based professionals are still struggling to adequately support this population, using the individualized functional behavior assessment and behavior intervention plan (FBA-BIP) process. The Prevent-Teach-Reinforce (PTR) model utilizes a manualized, team-based approach to streamline the individualized FBA-BIP process. However, more research is needed to assess the effectiveness of the PTR model to better support middle school students with EBD, particularly, in the areas of generalization and maintenance effects. This …

Digital Strolls Using Unicdent Toolkit-Part 2: Reimagining The Walking Method For Online Participation, Prashanti Eachempati, John Martin, Sally Hanks, Mona Nasser

Peninsula Dental School

Distance and remoteness no longer pose barriers to conducting meaningful research, as the adaptation of participatory methods can address these challenges effectively. This article examines the transformation of the UniCDent Toolkit, originally designed to capture patients' perceptions of uncertainty in dental environments, for online participatory interactions with dentists. The toolkit, which uses the walking method, incorporates components such as imagery, gallery walks, quadrant mapping, and trade-offs to explore uncertainty in dental practice. Initially, dentists expressed discomfort in sharing their uncertainty in a group setting, prompting a shift to an online format that maintained participant engagement and created a safe space …

Secure Composite Digital Twin For Collaborative Ecosystems, Pasindu Kuruppuarachchi

Theses

The rise of collaborative digital ecosystems and the growing adoption of Digital Twins (DTs) in sectors like smart manufacturing, energy, and autonomous sys- tems underscore the need for secure, interoperable frameworks. This research proposes a Secure Composite Digital Twin Architecture (CDT) that enables seam- less integration and collaboration among DTs, addressing key challenges in trust, interoperability, and governance. The architecture features a trust analyser to assess DT behaviour and a repu- tation model to enhance security as the ecosystem scales. It supports centralised, decentralised, and hybrid governance via distributed ledger technology, enabling dynamic policies and secure, token-based asset management. For …

What The Russia-Ukraine Conflict Tells Us About Educational Resilience, Jason Jabbari

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

Education, which can operate as a source of vulnerability or resiliency across multiple domains before, during, and after armed conflicts, is often only examined within a single domain, limiting the use and effectiveness of civil-affairs operations. This article outlines a novel conceptual framework of the primary mechanisms across seven unique domains by which education can serve as a key area of resiliency or vulnerability. A case study of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine illustrates how vulnerabilities can manifest in the seven domains and what military planners can do to build resiliency. The article concludes with a discussion of the costs, benefits, …

Martha Stringer V. County Of Bucks

2025 Decisions

USDC for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania