Digital Commons Network^™

Recess: Utilizing Gamification To Encourage Lifelong Creativity In Emerging Adults, Julia Schneider

Masters Theses

While creative outlets are prioritized in childhood, adults in the United States are increasingly less likely to engage their creativity during leisure time, which ultimately impacts overall well-being. This project aims to explore: (1) What is creativity, and why is it beneficial? (2) What factors contribute to the decline of creative engagement? (3) How does engaging with creative outlets impact overall well-being? (4) How can play be used as a catalyst to foster creativity? Through a literature review, case studies, and visual analyses, this thesis examined and integrated existing research on creativity and play in order to effectively create a …

Usa V. Anthony Jones

2025 Decisions

USDC for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

Experiences Of Mother-Special Educators With A Disabled Child: A Narrative Inquiry Analysis, Estyr Bomgardner

Theses and Dissertations

Women who are both special educators and mothers of one or more children with disabilities are uniquely positioned in both mothering and disability discourse. In narratives about mothering, having a child with a disability shifts the mothering discourse away from meeting the expectations of good mothering towards deficit-oriented perspectives of both the mother and their child. In narratives about disability, mothers are expected to align with broader societal views that disability is a problem that needs to be fixed. In this study, I used a narrative inquiry approach to ask mothers and special educators to share their stories about mothering, …

First-Year Experience Peer Mentors And Theory Of Generativity; A Generic Qualitative Study, Marie Haughton Flocco

Theses and Dissertations

Student retention is an intricate dilemma for all institutions of higher education. While college enrollment continues to increase, degree completion rates are not keeping pace. Research shows that most students who drop out of college do so during the first year of enrollment. In an effort to address student retention during the first year and ultimately increase completion rates, colleges and universities invest significant resources in what has become known as First-Year Experience (FYE). Peer mentoring programs, in particular, are often an essential aspect of FYE programming because of the successful outcomes reported by mentees. This generic qualitative study diverges …

A Missionary's Memoirs: Mongolia Revisited, Isaac Smith

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This is my story. It is a very personal story, but one that I want to share with others. Although it takes place predominantly in Mongolia, it is not merely a story about Mongolia, or even the Mongolian people. It is not really even a story about me. What is it then? It is a story about faith and love. It is an attempt to better understand how the gospel of Jesus Christ intricately fits into people’s lives all over the world—even in Mongolia. It is a compilation of essays, of memoirs, of my experiences. It is a story about …

Neuroinclusion In The Workplace: Leveraging The Power Of Cognitive Diversity As A Competitive Advantage, Mirudhuneka Varadarajan Senthiil

ETD Collection

No abstract provided.

The Use Of Geographical Information Systems In The Eastern United States Emergency Management Organizations, From A Public Administration Perspective, Daron Jay Keesee

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This phenomenological study explored the use of Geographical Information System (GIS) technology in federal, state, and local government emergency management organizations. Using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the research focused on understanding local governments' perceptions of GIS access. The study theorizes that GIS is underutilized by local government emergency management due to cost, perceived limited benefits, data security concerns, and lack of experience. The central question is: How do public administration professionals perceive the value and benefits of GIS in emergency management? The study involved interviews, focus groups, and writing prompts with emergency management officials from the eastern U.S. The …

Motivational Peer Influence On Behavior Change In Undergraduates: A Phenomenological Study, Heather A. Mina

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore how peer testimonies from former students who successfully completed a Behavior Change Project (BCP) influenced motivation and anxiety in 148 undergraduate health and exercise science students preparing to begin their own BCP. The study was guided by the Transtheoretical Model (Prochaska & Velicer, 1997) and Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory (1986), both of which emphasize self-efficacy, observational learning, and readiness for behavior change. Research was conducted at a public university in western North Carolina with students enrolled in a required health and wellness course. Data collection included pre-BCP surveys, four weeks of …

The Call (And Aftermath) Of The Void: Understanding Suicide Loss And Bereavement Processes Amongst Student Populaces, Saraha K. Brawner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Each year, over 800,000 people die via lethal self-harm, leaving behind millions of survivors to navigate qualitatively unique manifestations of grief. Despite the profound psychosocial and psychopathological effects associated with suicide loss, research addressing these experiences remains extremely limited. This quantitative survey study examined the relationship between suicide loss and grief-related distress among students, focusing on sociodemographic, psychosocial, and psychopathological factors influencing bereavement over time. It also explored how the individual learned about the suicide and expanded upon 1st, 2nd, and 3rd-degree relationships. Forty-one participants recruited from universities and mental health organizations across the United States completed a loss summary/death …

Rejeana Silla V. Holdings Acquisition Co Lp

2025 Decisions

USDC for the Western District of Pennsylvania

Syllabus For Com 3800 (Principles Of Public Relations), Rachel Kovacs

Open Educational Resources

This syllabus reflects the basic principles underlying the theories and practice of public relations.

Comparative Impact Of Thiazides Vs. Dihydropyridines On Heart Failure Risk In Hypertensive Patients: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Of Randomized Controlled Trials, Safaa M. Alsanosi, Yosra Z. Alhindi

Saudi Toxicology Journal

Background: Uncontrolled hypertension (HTN) is a progressive condition that significantly elevates the risk of heart failure (HF). The selection of antihypertensive agents plays a critical role in modulating HF risk. Thiazide diuretics and dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers (DHPs) are frequently utilized in clinical practice, yet their comparative long-term cardiovascular outcomes, particularly regarding HF incidence, remain underexplored. Methods: A systematic literature review was undertaken, drawing four key databases—MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane—covering the period from 1994 to October 2024. The scope was limited to randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating thiazides or DHPs, with a minimum of 100 participants diagnosed …

Dna-Damaging Chemotherapy Reshapes The Immune Landscape Of The Heart, Ruijun He

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Heart failure and ischemic heart disease represent the most common causes of death among cancer survivors. With the tremendous progress in last few decades that empowered early cancer diagnosis and treatment, the population of cancer survivors has been rapidly growing and by 2040, the number is projected to be 26 million. However, despite extensive studies on chemotherapies, there exists a limited understanding of how exposure to chemotherapy reagents impacts heart function in the long term. Moreover, while the roles of immune landscape in heart diseases have recently been revealed, how chemotherapy reagents influence the cardiac immune cells is poorly understood. …

Challenges Identified By Educators Who Teach Students With Disabilities, Christine Elizabeth Fityere

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that was addressed through this study is that educators are challenged to meet the needs of students with disabilities (SWDs) in the inclusion classrooms at a northeastern school district in New Jersey (NSD, a pseudonym). The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore educator’s experiences with the system of inclusion as well as resources needed to overcome any issues or barriers at NSD. The conceptual framework was von Bertalanffy’s systems theory. For this basic qualitative design, semistructured interviews with 13 educators that were recruited through purposeful sampling from NSD through an email sent by the director of …

Reconnecting To The Person Before Acquired Brain Injury: A Continuing Bonds Grief Intervention, Elizabeth Gilmour, Alyson Norman

School of Psychology

Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) affects millions yearly potentially altering the emotional, behavioural and physical characteristics of the person. Consequently, it can result in the person before the ABI being markedly different from the person after. Family members of individuals with ABI often report feeling grief but there is limited support to help them. This study aimed to pilot a four-week grief writing intervention based on the continuing bonds intervention ‘Hello Again’, for family members after ABI. The purpose was to determine the experience of writing the letters and the perceived benefit. Recruitment was through volunteer sampling, and three participants took …

Increasing Behavior-Specific Praise Use And Variability With Secondary Education Teachers Using Behavioral Skills Training, Tactile Prompts, And Multiple Exemplars, Cecilia Pannone

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Teachers often receive minimal training in classroom management strategies, leading to punitive-based teacher-student interactions. Negative interactions (e.g., reprimands) may decrease behaviors momentarily but do not yield lasting behavior change. Behavior-specific praise (BSP) is a low-response effort classroom management strategy that positively impacts students’ behaviors and academic performance. However, training does not guarantee that BSP will be used throughout the academic years or across student cohorts, leading teachers to revert to negative interactions to manage classroom behaviors. Limited research has investigated the components of praise that increase effectiveness and saliency. This study aimed to increase teachers’ use of BSP using tactile …

Developmental Consequences Of Benevolent Sexism: How Awareness Can Change Women’S Lives, Bianca F. Brenes Rojas

Student Works

Benevolent forms of sexism become increasingly evident as society evolves, making everyday sexism more challenging to recognize and confront (Feigt et al., 2022; Watson et al., 2018). When unaware, benevolent forms of sexism can adversely affect women’s self-esteem, create feelings of inferiority, and may potentially increase women’s psychological stressors (Becker & Swim, 2011; Becker & Wright, 2011; Moradi & Subich, 2004). According to the ambivalent sexism theory, benevolent forms of sexism, while expressed in a positive tone, can potentially affect women due to the underlying belief that women are inferior to men (Glick & Fiske, 1996). Some women perceive benevolent …

The Southern Strategy: A Study Of Southern Voter Change, Nickolas Jay Owens

Masters Theses

The American South was a political stronghold for the Democrat party until 1972. The Democrat hold over the South began to slip in the 1950s and 60s, due to Democrats embracing liberalism and Republicans embracing conservatism. In 1972, President Richard Nixon implemented the ‘Southern Strategy,’ a political strategy that appealed to Southerners through social conservatism and economic freedom. This election broke the South’s loyalty to the Democrats and flipped the region’s vote. Throughout the following decades version of the ‘Southern Strategy’ have been used by Democrats and Republicans alike, showing that Southern voters gravitate toward socially conservative and economically populist …

Quality Improvement Project: Perioperative Recruitment Process Improvement Through Nursing Student Clinical Experience, Traci Boren

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Perioperative nursing is experiencing greater shortages than any other specialty and has been largely removed from undergraduate education. This DNP quality improvement project aimed to impact the recruitment of perioperative nurses through undergraduate nursing clinical exposure and experience. The project addressed the lack of clinical nursing student opportunities in the perioperative department at the partner site to increase interest in perioperative nursing and recruit core staff nurses from the pool of new graduates. Kotter’s Eight-Step Change Model and the Social Career Cognitive Theory framed the project’s design and implementation for two cycles, between January and March 2024 and 2025. Using …

Implementing An Antibiotic Stewardship Program For Acute Respiratory Tract Infections In Urgent Care, John Childree

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Antibiotic overprescription for acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs) remains a persistent challenge in urgent care, contributing to antimicrobial resistance and increased healthcare costs. This quality improvement project evaluated whether a structured educational intervention an Antibiotic Stewardship Program (ASP) could improve providers’ knowledge and self-efficacy in evidence-based prescribing. A quasi-experimental, single-group pre-post design was used with seven urgent care clinicians. Data were collected through a custom Antibiotic Stewardship Questionnaire and a Self-Efficacy Survey administered before and after the intervention. Results demonstrated a 17% increase in knowledge scores (from 9.3 to 10.6 out of 11) and a statistically significant improvement in self-efficacy …

Quality Improvement Project Education And Implementation Of I-Pass Handoff Between Critical Care Clinicians And Anesthesia Staff, Kimberly Woody

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Medical errors, specifically communication errors, cause adverse patient outcomes, death, and an estimated annual cost to institutions of over two million dollars. Despite numerous studies highlighting the need for standardized communication during patient transfers and recommendations from regulatory bodies such as the Joint Commission, the gaps in standardized handoffs remain. The Doctor of Nursing Practice's (DNP's) quality improvement project aimed to increase knowledge of the intensive care unit (ICU) and anesthesia clinicians through interprofessional education (IPE) about the illness severity, patient summary, action plan, situational awareness/contingency plan, synthesis by receiver (I-PASS) handoff tool to promote consistent, complete tool use during …

Proceedings Of The Cuny Games Conference 11.0, Robert O. Duncan, Grace Axler-Diperte, Joe Bisz, Christina Boyle, Devorah Kletenik, Carolyn Stallard

Publications and Research

The CUNY Games Conference combines workshops, idea exchanges, interactive participant presentations, playtesting, and playing tabletop games into a one-day online event to promote and discuss game-based learning. The conference focuses on creative pedagogy, such as playful learning activities or games, that teachers can use in the classroom every day. The conference is online and features interactive presentations by attendees, informal idea exchange sessions, and workshops by the conference organizers.

Effective Strategies For Placing Underrepresented Women In Senior Management Positions: Shared Strategies, George Alexander Pegram Jr.

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Underrepresentation of women in senior management positions within the tech industry poses a significant challenge in terms of organizational equity and effectiveness. Business leaders are concerned with this disparity, as it reflects systemic barriers to women’s advancement. Grounded in the people’s capability maturity model (P-CMM), the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to explore strategies that senior executives in the Washington, DC tech industry use to promote women to senior management positions. The participants were eight senior women executives purposefully selected for their leadership roles. Data was collected using semistructured interviews. Through thematic analysis, four themes were identified: personalized …

International Space Station Deorbit: A Qualitative Study On Aerospace Employees Perceptions Of Their Job During Decommission, Jesse Hudson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The decommissioning of the International Space Station (ISS) represents a significant organizational transition. Despite parallels with previous National Aeronautics and Space Administration program closures, research has not fully examined the human impact of such mission-driven disruptions. Employees face uncertainties regarding job roles, the relevance of specialized skills, and the future within a rapidly commercializing space sector. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore how aerospace employees perceive and navigate the psychological and professional challenges associated with the ISS decommissioning. Bridges’ transition model and affective events theory grounded this study. The participants were 12 current aerospace employees who …

Wireless Bus Interconnects For Enhanced Small Satellite System Integration And Reliability, Adam Fifth

Theses and Dissertations

In small satellite engineering systems, managing numerous subsystem interconnections presents a significant design challenge directly impacting mission success. Traditional CubeSat subsystems rely on the PC/104 header system for integration, which consumes substantial board area and adds considerable vertical spacing between subsystems. This rigid wired architecture severely restricts subsystem density, complicates assembly and testing procedures, and prevents reconfiguration of interconnections after deployment. This dissertation presents a transformative approach to satellite subsystem integration by developing and validating a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) wireless interconnect system replacing traditional wired connections. This research addresses wireless implementation challenges. Through iterative prototype development, I demonstrate a …

Housing Refugees Amid Administrative Change: Local Agency Innovation, Christine Kramer

Public Administration Theses, Dissertations, and Student Creative Activity

Ongoing affordable housing and housing supply challenges in the US are presenting significant challenges for refugees. According to the US Census Bureau, the average monthly cost of rent plus the cost of utilities and fuels adjusted for inflation grew faster annually (3.8%) than real median home values (1.8%) in 2023 for the first time in 10 years. This is the largest annual increase in rental costs since 2011 (US Census Bureau, 2024). Homelessness has also increased by 18% since 2023 (USDHUD, 2024, pg. 3). Even in this current reality, the federal policies for housing refugees haven’t changed in over a …

Respectful Patient-Provider Communication And Patient Portal Usage In Pregnant People Of Color, Amy H. Goh, Christopher Lee, Chisolum Nkenke, Joyce K. Edmonds

College of Health Professions Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Patient-provider communication (PPC) increasingly occurs in online patient portals. Variations in portal usage might worsen communication inequities for pregnant people of color (POC), widening the digital divide. The objective of this study was to examine the relationships between respectful PPC, patient portal usage, and digital health literacy (DHL) in pregnant POC.

METHODS: A multimethod cross-sectional survey design was used. Ordered logistic regression was performed to determine the relationship between PPC and portal use, controlling for trimester prenatal care was initiated, insurance type, age, gestational age, and parity. The moderating effect of Digital Health Literacy Instrument (DHLI) was tested on …

Single-Cell Expression Analysis Of Ductal Carcinoma In Situ Identifies Complex Genotypic-Phenotypic Relationships Altering Epithelial Composition, Xiaodi Qin, Xiaoke Luo, Graham A Colditz, Shu Jiang, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

UNLABELLED: Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is a risk factor for subsequent invasive breast cancer (IBC). To identify events in DCIS that lead to invasive cancer, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing on DCIS lesions and matched normal breast tissue. Inferred copy-number variation was used to identify neoplastic epithelial cells from clinical specimens, which contained a mixture of DCIS and normal ducts. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated intratumoral clonal heterogeneity that was associated with significant gene expression differences. Classification of epithelial cells into mammary cell states revealed that subclones contained a mixture of cell states, suggesting an ongoing pattern of differentiation after neoplastic …

Resist!: Sustaining Forest Carbon Sequestration And Wood Production After Insect Disturbance, Christopher M. Gough, Ben Bond-Lamberty, Robert T. Fahey, Catherine Mcguigan, Brandon C. Alveshere, Cameron Clay, Erin Darby Mcclain, Charles E. Flower, Kayla C. Mathes, Ariel Johnson, Lisa T. Haber, Kalyn Dorheim, Derek M. Johnson, Lucas E. Nave, Kerstin Niedermaier

Michigan Tech Publications

Disturbances from insect pests threaten ecologically and economically important goods and services supplied by forests, including wood production and carbon sequestration. We highlight the factors that influence these services’ resistance, a term quantifying the initial response to disturbance. Insects inflict damage through a range of mechanisms, prompting distinct plant physiological responses that scale to influence ecosystem processes and, with time, goods and services. The degree and timing of tree mortality and defoliation affect the amount of residual vegetation available to support compensatory wood production and influence carbon sequestration by changing rates of detritus-fueled decomposition. Compounding, or sequential, insect attacks may …

Mining Waste Materials In Road Construction, Nuha Mashaan, Bina Yogi

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Resource depletion and environmental degradation have resulted from the substantial increase in the use of natural aggregates and construction materials brought on by the growing demand for infrastructure development. Road building using mining waste has become a viable substitute that reduces the buildup of industrial waste while providing ecological and economic advantages. In order to assess the appropriateness of several mining waste materials for use in road building, this study investigates their engineering characteristics. These materials include slag, fly ash, tailings, waste rock, and overburden. To ensure long-term performance in pavement applications, this study evaluates their tensile and compressive strength, …