Digital Commons Network^™

Body Dysmorphia In Post-Weight Loss Surgery Patients, Theresa M. Niles

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although there is a known link between weight loss surgery and body dysmorphic disorder, research has not been conducted on the experiences of individuals experiencing these two phenomena. Using a phenomenological approach, this study examined the research question: What are the lived experiences of post-weight loss surgical patients with diagnosed body dysmorphia? Self-discrepancy theory was used as the overarching theoretical framework. Interviews were conducted with ten participants, and the data were analyzed using Quirkos software and inductive coding, examining clusters of themes within the narrative transcripts. Themes emerging included focusing on physical rather than mental health in the post operative …

A Qualitative Exploration Of The Milwaukee Chapter Of My Brother’S Keeper Community Challenge Program, Courtney Santanna Hayward

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although the mayor of Milwaukee and other stakeholders launched and committed resources to the My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) program, it was unclear whether the program was meeting its goal of increasing graduation rates and college readiness of young Black males in Milwaukee. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore administrators’ perspectives on whether the current funding resources of the MBK program in Milwaukee were adequate to ensure the program’s ability to meet its goal of increasing graduation rates and college readiness of its participants. Resource dependence theory and the teleological process theory guided the study. Braun and …

Assessing The Influence Of An Eastern State's Disciplinary Alternative Education Program On Secondary Student Behavior, Alicia Michelle Gallaway

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Services at the local disciplinary alternative education program (DAEP) include counseling and behavioral services to referred secondary students, aiming to improve their behavior. The problem addressed in this quantitative study was that a DAEP was in place in the local district since 2009, but there had been no formal assessment to determine whether differences in student discipline occurred in the semester before and the semester after students attended the DAEP. Guided by Bandura’s social cognitive theory, the purpose of this ex post facto, causal-comparative, quasi-experimental study was to investigate if there was a difference in student discipline as measured by …

Staff Education Project Staff Education To Increase Confidence In Administering Methadone Maintenance, Christelle Meli

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Education of health care providers is fundamental in deterring the upward trend in deaths related to opioid drug overdoses. The aim of this staff education project was to educate clinical staff on the importance of administration, and monitoring of methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) to improve treatment rates and patient outcomes in patients with opioid use disorder (OUD). The practice-focused question was, Does an educational program on the importance, administration, and monitoring of MMT increase clinical staff's self-rated confidence in administering MMT? Evidence supported the gap in practice, barriers to MMT, and the need for educational interventions to address gaps in …

Religious Identity, Sexual Identity, And Internalized Homophobia In Adults Who Have Deidentified From Christianity, Kevin Roum

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Over the past three decades, the percentage of the United States population that identifies as Christian has dropped significantly. At the same time, the level of acceptance of gay, lesbian, and bisexual identities has increased. However, this overall acceptance does not necessarily lead to an acceptance of these identities within specific Christian communities, leading to gay, lesbian, and bisexual individuals having contradictory experiences between their Christian upbringing and secular society. Individuals who no longer identify as Christian after being so raised may experience additional dissonance as their sexuality identity conflicts with the teachings they were raised to believe yet no …

Strategies To Manage Supply Chain Disruptions In The Aircraft Manufacturing Industry, Tanya V. Payne

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Supply chain disruptions result in reduced organizational productivity. Supply chain leaders in the aircraft manufacturing industry who cannot manage supply chain disruptions risk financial losses from reduced organizational productivity. Grounded in Lewin’s change management theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry study was to explore strategies aircraft manufacturing industry supply chain leaders use to manage disruption in the supply chain process to maximize organizational productivity. The participants were six supply chain leaders from Fortune 500 aircraft manufacturing companies located in South Carolina and California who successfully managed disruption in the supply chain disruptions to enhance productivity. Data were collected …

Neurological Assessment Skills For Acute Care Nursing Staff, Kathleen Libke

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The ability to perform a rapid and comprehensive neurological assessment is an important tool for the nurse at the bedside when a patient has changes in their neurological state. According to the American Heart Association, it is essential for the bedside nurse to ensure they have the necessary skills to improve recovery, survival, and quality of life when experiencing changing neurological symptoms. The focus of this project was to answer the question of whether a self-learning staff education program on neurological assessment increases staff knowledge towards the ultimate goal of increasing competence when conducting a focused neurological assessment. The project …

The Experience Of Help Seeking For African American Pastors In Personal Crises, Jason Leon Hanna

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The U.S. population faces enormous challenges coping with disease, financial stress, failure, and general mental health concerns. Rather than seeking care from psychotherapists, increasing numbers of people in religious communities seek help from clergy, who must then balance the needs of their constituents while navigating their own personal crises and need for support. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the meaning of help-seeking for African American clergy during personal crises, guided by Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 20 African American senior pastors of congregations in the United States. Study participants defined help-seeking …

Virtual Reality Simulation In Nursing Program: A Staff Education Initiative, Nekpen Isibor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Summary This executive summary highlights critical aspects of a Doctor of Nursing Practice staff education initiative. The doctoral project aimed to measure faculty members’ knowledge and confidence in using virtual reality (VR) simulation to address nursing students limited clinical opportunities. The initiative sought to align faculty practices with the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) recommendation of 25% clinical training through simulation. The guiding practice-focused question was, “Among nursing department faculty members, would staff education enhance simulation knowledge and confidence?” Sources of evidence were peer-reviewed literature and pre/post-test surveys administered to assess faculty knowledge and confidence changes. The …

Depression Screening, Heather Apling Rowell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Depression is a common but serious mood disorder and healthcare professionals need to include depression screening during routine health visits. The gap in practice at a primary care clinic was the lack of routine screening and the lack of knowledge of the medical assistant staff in conducting and documenting depression screening. The purpose of this project was to develop, implement, and evaluate an education program on depression screening and appropriate documentation in the patient’s electronic medical record (EMR). The practice-focused question centered on whether healthcare staff demonstrated increased knowledge of depression screening and how to appropriately document in the patient’s …

Enhancing Patient Understanding And Engagement Through The Ask Me 3 Teach-Back Method, Ria Thomas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Effective nursing communication considers health literacy, which is the patient’s ability to understand and make health decisions based on the information given. Effective staff education is critical in how well the staff can educate patients. Nurses must help ensure that patients and their families understand and can apply health care information. In an adult psychiatric unit, there was low compliance for patients following up with the community resources to which they were referred. This staff education project aimed to teach the Ask Me 3 teach-back method to increase staff knowledge and improve how they teach and engage patients in understanding …

Staff Education To Icu Staff Toward The Goal Of Decreasing The Rate Of Pressure Ulcers, Carolyn Jean Jimmerson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Summary This project is a staff education intervention focused on decreasing ICU pressure injury rates. The main purpose of this project was to increase staff nurses’ knowledge of preventing pressure injuries. Hospital Acquired Pressure Injury (HAPI) was noted to be a serious problem in this critical care unit. It was essential to address this problem within the context of nursing practice because it impacts the cost to this facility and reduces patient length of stay. This DNP project focused on the extent to which educating nurses about current evidence-based pressure injury prevention practices increased the knowledge of staff nurses on …

Staff Education To Increase Awareness And Readiness Of Clinicians To Use The Clinical Decision Support For Immunization (Cdsi) Tool, Lemlem Erketa Ejo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Accurate evaluation and forecasting of immunization and ensuring the right vaccines are administered at the right time are essential for the success of immunization programs. Interpreting the clinically written Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice (ACIP) recommendations by individual clinicians is time-consuming and complex, increasing the risk of misinterpretation, inconsistent practice, and inaccurate immunization evaluation and forecasting. Thus, the purpose of this project is to introduce clinicians at the selected project site to an evidence based clinical decision support tool and evaluate participants readiness to utilize the tool. Staff education on the clinical decision support for immunization (CDSi) tool was conducted …

Exploring The Predictive Powers On Instructional Domain Scores For Universal Prekindergarten Programs, Nicole Marie Ickes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this quantitative study was that 80% of universal prekindergarten (UPK) programs in the Northeast United States did not meet the quality threshold in the instructional supports (IS) domain of the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS). This study was grounded in systems theory and Garira’s unified framework for education quality to examine the relationship between child-to-teacher ratios and IS domain scores, with student-gender ratios as a moderating factor. Two research questions guided this study: (a) How does the child-to-teacher average UPK program ratios predict the UPK programs’ IS domain score of CLASS? and (b) How does the …

Pediatric Immunization Program To Lessen The Lack Of Services In Rural Communities, Shannon London Nowiski

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The lack of resources in rural communities encourages new programs to improve outcomes in health and wellness. This project aimed to reduce the vaccination barriers of transportation and time by bringing vaccines to the children in the existing medical clinic. The purpose of this doctor of nursing practice project was the development of a sustainable vaccination program for rural communities. The practice-focused question was: Can a community team develop a sustainable plan to provide education and the provision of vaccines in a rural community? This included proposing clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for providers regarding the education of patients, families, and …

Depression Screening, Heather Apling Rowell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Depression is a common but serious mood disorder and healthcare professionals need to include depression screening during routine health visits. The gap in practice at a primary care clinic was the lack of routine screening and the lack of knowledge of the medical assistant staff in conducting and documenting depression screening. The purpose of this project was to develop, implement, and evaluate an education program on depression screening and appropriate documentation in the patient’s electronic medical record (EMR). The practice-focused question centered on whether healthcare staff demonstrated increased knowledge of depression screening and how to appropriately document in the patient’s …

Pediatric Immunization Program To Lessen The Lack Of Services In Rural Communities, Shannon London Nowiski

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The lack of resources in rural communities encourages new programs to improve outcomes in health and wellness. This project aimed to reduce the vaccination barriers of transportation and time by bringing vaccines to the children in the existing medical clinic. The purpose of this doctor of nursing practice project was the development of a sustainable vaccination program for rural communities. The practice-focused question was: Can a community team develop a sustainable plan to provide education and the provision of vaccines in a rural community? This included proposing clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for providers regarding the education of patients, families, and …

Bridging Classrooms And Communities: The Transformative Impact Of Community-Based Dental Education On The Learning Experiences Of Undergraduate Students, Kamran Ali, Sruthi Sunil, Nidhi Gupta, Rebecca Glanville, T. Vanishree, Sadeq Ali Al-Maweri, Asmaa Al Khtib

Peninsula Dental School

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of community-based dental education (CBDE) on the learning experiences of undergraduate dental students and recent dental graduates from two diverse geographical regions. Methods: The study followed a cross-sectional design, conducted online using Google Forms, with ethical approval from Qatar University. A non-probability purposive sampling method was used to recruit dental students and recent graduates from three institutions in India and one in Qatar. A questionnaire based on 20 closed-ended items and two open-ended questions, developed by a team of dental academics, was used for data collection. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics, analysis …

Exploring The Integration Of Artificial Intelligence In Math Education: Preservice Teachers’ Experiences And Reflections On Problem-Posing Activities With Chatgpt, Young Rae Kim, Mi Sun Park, Eunmi Joung

All Faculty Scholarship (Archived)

This study addresses the need for research that incorporates educational perspectives and theories to understand the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on learning and teaching. Utilizing AI-integrated mathematical problem-posing (AIM) activities and the AI-powered scaffolding (AIS) strategy, the research investigated preservice teachers’ (PTs’) experiences with AI and their capacity for error recognition and correction in problems posed by ChatGPT. The findings reveal that while the PTs excelled at verifying error-free problems, they struggled significantly with identifying and correcting errors, indicating a gap in their instructional preparedness. The study demonstrates that AIM activities are effective tools for assessing and developing PTs’ …

Naphthalene Decomposition On Fe(110)─Adsorption, Dehydrogenation, Surface Carbon Formation And The Influence Of Coadsorbed Oxygen, Lea Hohmann, Franzika Dahlmann, Giorgio Bruno Braghin, Léonie Laviron, Layal Hussein, Jakob Martinez, Anton Harrer, Haley Robertson, Jona Guiborat, Xiaoming Hu, Jonas Weissenrieder, Klas Engvall, Jerry Larue, Tony Hansson, Mats Göthelid, Amirreza Ghassami, Dan J. Harding, Henrik ÖStröm

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Tar is an undesirable byproduct of biomass gasification, which can be removed through catalytic reforming to syngas components. Iron is a promising, abundant alternative to highly active but toxic nickel catalysts. The results observed so far in catalytic studies with iron have been mixed. In this paper, the decomposition of naphthalene, a representative model compound of tar, was studied on the catalytic Fe(110) surface using temperature-programmed desorption (TPD), sum frequency generation spectroscopy (SFG), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Napthalene adsorption, dehydrogenation and the formation of surface carbon were investigated, as well as the influence of oxygen. In comparison with previous …

Exploring Gendered Perspectives On Personality Traits And Entrepreneurial Performance In Lebanon During The Covid-19 Crisis, Moustafa Haj Youssef, Nagham Sayour

All Works

We investigate the impact of gendered personality traits on the entrepreneurial performance of male and female entrepreneurs in Lebanon during the COVID-19 crisis. Using the Big Five personality model and survey data from 500 entrepreneurs, the research examines how traits such as agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, extraversion, and openness to experience influence business outcomes in high-pressure environments. The findings reveal that agreeableness and neuroticism benefit female entrepreneurs more than males during crises, while conscientiousness significantly deteriorates the financial performance of female entrepreneurs. Extraversion and openness exhibit no differential effects on financial performance by gender. By examining the interplay between gendered personality …

20250127: Help Program, 1981-2015, Academic Affairs

Guides to University Archives

These items include materials Marshall University's H.E.L.P. Center from 1981-2015. Items were received in 2025. This collection contains materials connected to Marshall University’s H.E.L.P. Program and, more broadly speaking, Marshall University. The collection includes photographs, video tapes, newspapers, news clippings, newsletters, internal documents, books/booklets, correspondence, training materials, and other memorabilia. The collection is presently organized into one series of four boxes:

• Box 1: Dr. Barbara Guyer, Photographs, Publications, Correspondence, Medical H.E.L.P., Articles, and News clippings
• Box 2: Newspapers, News clippings, Newsletters, Photographs, Photo-slides, and Plaque
• Box 3: Materials Related to Myers Hall and Construction/Expansion of H.E.L.P. Building
• Box 4: Video …

Bridging Indigenous And Hispanic Knowledge Systems Through Collaborative Panel Discussions: Stem Teachers’ Perceptions Of Culturally Sustaining Nature-Based Pedagogy, Uma Ganesan

Critical Proceedings of the STEM ED Conference (2024)

This paper presents findings from a transformative collaborative panel discussion session at the 2024 STEM Education Conference, examining how nature-based, environmentally conscious, and culturally sustaining science teaching practices implemented at the Umonhon Nation Public School (UNPS) in Nebraska can inform teaching practices in the Rio Grande Valley. The session was co-facilitated by University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) Associate Professor Dr. Amanda Morales and UTRGV Assistant Professor Dr. Uma Ganesan. The study combines panel discussion analysis with qualitative survey data from participating STEM educators, providing rich insights into teachers’ perceptions of implementing culturally and linguistically sustaining (CLS) practices in diverse contexts. By …

Cerrando La Brecha: Difusión Virtual De La Cultura Maya Para La Conciencia Pública Y La Preservación, Ana María Vera Arias, Dr. Lilia Lucia Lizama Aranda, Brenda Marin, José Montesino

Journal of Maya Heritage

En este artículo se aborda el origen, los métodos y el resultado del ciclo de conferencias de divulgación virtual organizado por el Centro del Patrimonio Maya en colaboración con Arqueólogos sin Fronteras del Mundo Maya, esto con el objetivo de compartir conocimientos y generar conciencia sobre diversas facetas de la cultura maya. La pregunta central gira en torno a cómo se pueden comunicar efectivamente las complejidades y la rica herencia de la cultura maya a una audiencia no especializada. Como resultado, encontró que las conferencias de divulgación virtual fueron un método adecuado para ampliar el interés sobre la cultura maya …

Multimodal Pain Recognition In Postoperative Patients: Machine Learning Approach, Ajan Subramanian, Rui Cao, Emad Kasaeyan Naeini, Seyed Amir Hossein Aqajari, Thomas D. Hughes, Michael-David C. Calderon, Kai Zheng, Nikil Dutt, Pasi Liljeberg, Sanna Salanterä, Ariana M. Nelson, Amir M. Rahmani

Student Publications

Background: Acute pain management is critical in postoperative care, especially in vulnerable patient populations that may be unable to self-report pain levels effectively. Current methods of pain assessment often rely on subjective patient reports or behavioral pain observation tools, which can lead to inconsistencies in pain management. Multimodal pain assessment, integrating physiological and behavioral data, presents an opportunity to create more objective and accurate pain measurement systems. However, most previous work has focused on healthy subjects in controlled environments, with limited attention to real-world postoperative pain scenarios. This gap necessitates the development of robust, multimodal approaches capable of addressing the …

Early-Onset Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease, Idine Mousavi, John Suffredini, Salim S Virani, Christie M Ballantyne, Erin D Michos, Arunima Misra, Anum Saeed, Xiaoming Jia

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Recent trends indicate a concerning increase in early-onset atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) among younger individuals (men aged < 55 years women aged < 65 years). These findings highlight the pathobiology of ASCVD as a disease process that begins early in life and underscores the need for more tailored screening methods and preventive strategies. Increasing attention has been placed on the growing burden of traditional cardiometabolic risk factors in young individuals while also recognizing unique factors that mediate risk of pre-mature atherosclerosis in this demographic such as substance use, socioeconomic disparities, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and chronic inflammatory states that contribute to the increasing incidence of early ASCVD. Additionally, mounting evidence has pointed out significant disparities in the diagnosis and management of early ASCVD and cardiovascular outcomes based on sex and race. Moving towards a more personalized approach, emerging data and technological developments using diverse tools such as polygenic risk scores and coronary artery calcium scans have shown potential in earlier detection of ASCVD risk. Thus, we review current evidence on causal risk factors that drive the increase in early ASCVD and highlight emerging tools to improve ASCVD risk assessment in young individuals.

Tfap2e Is Implicated In Central Nervous System, Orofacial And Maxillofacial Anomalies, Jeshurun C Kalanithy, Enrico Mingardo, Jil D Stegmann, Ramgopal Dhakar, Tikam Chand Dakal, Jill A Rosenfeld, Wen-Hann Tan, Stephanie A Coury, Audrey C Woerner, Jessica Sebastian, Paul A Levy, Leah R Fleming, Lea Waffenschmidt, Tobias T Lindenberg, Öznur Yilmaz, Khadija Channab, Bimaljeet K Babra, Andrea Christ, Britta Eiberger, Selina Hölzel, Clara Vidic, Felix Häberlein, Nina Ishorst, Juan E Rodriguez-Gatica, Behnaz Pezeshkpoor, Patrick A Kupczyk, Olivier M Vanakker, Sara Loddo, Antonio Novelli, Maria L Dentici, Albert Becker, Holger Thiele, Jennifer E Posey, James R Lupski, Alina C Hilger, Heiko M Reutter, Waltraut M Merz, Gabriel C Dworschak, Benjamin Odermatt

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Previous studies in mouse, Xenopus and zebrafish embryos show strong tfap2e expression in progenitor cells of neuronal and neural crest tissues suggesting its involvement in neural crest specification. However, the role of human transcription factor activator protein 2 (TFAP2E) in human embryonic central nervous system (CNS), orofacial and maxillofacial development is unknown.

Methods: Through a collaborative work, exome survey was performed in families with congenital CNS, orofacial and maxillofacial anomalies. Exome variant prioritisation prompted TFAP2E gene for functional analysis in zebrafish embryos. Embryonic morphology and development were assessed after antisense morpholino (MO) knockdown (KD), CRISPR/Cas9 knockout and overexpression …

Registration Of Tx3499-Tx3503 Sorghum Germplasm Resistant To Acetyl-Coenzyme A Carboxylase-Inhibiting Herbicides, Daniel Crozier, Muthukumar Bagavathiannan, George L. Hodnett, Jason K. Norsworthy, Kayla A. Beechinor, William L. Rooney

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

The sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench ssp. bicolor] germplasm lines Tx3499-Tx3503 (Reg. no. GP-948-Reg. no. GP-952, PI 706257-PI 706261) were developed by the Texas A&M AgriLife Research sorghum breeding program in 2024. These lines are resistant to acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase (ACCase)-inhibiting herbicides used for post-emergence control of common grass weeds. Genetic resistance to aryloxyphenoxypropionate and phenylpyrazoline class herbicides was introgressed into Tx3499-Tx3503 from a donor line that contained a single partially dominant gene. These lines represent diverse pedigrees and an array of combinations of grain color, plant color, maintenance of sterility or restoration of fertility to A1 male-sterile cytoplasm, as …

Hispanic Patients Undergoing Spinal Fusion For Neuromuscular Scoliosis Sustain Health Inequalities, Armando S Martinez, David Momtaz, Travis Kotzur, Alexandra Mclennan, Abdullah Ghali, Farhan Ahmad, Ebubechi Adindu, Alan C Santiago-Rodriquez, Ali Seifi, Brian Smith

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

INTRODUCTION: Pre- and postoperative optimization remains a complex process impacted by various demographic factors. Our study aims to identify and describe those demographic factors associated with poor outcomes after spinal fusion with instrumentation in neuromuscular scoliosis to reduce health disparities and improve postoperative outcomes.

METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted using Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project data from 2016 to 2020, encompassing a random sample of 20% of procedures in the United States. Data included demographic and hospital variables, including days from admission to the procedure, length of stay, recovery time, total charge, discharge disposition, and mortality rates. In addition …

From Λ-Hollow Frames To Λ-Repletions In W: Ii. Λ-Repletions In W, Richard N. Ball, Anthony W. Hager, Joanne Walters-Wayland

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

In this article we analyze the fine structure of the essential extensions of an object of W, the category of divisible archimedean lattice ordered groups with designated weak units. In particular, we show that an object Ghas an ordinally indexed sequence {τ^α_G}_δG of essential extensions with the following features. τ⁰_G is (isomorphic to) the identity function on G.

• For every α>0, τ^α_G is an essential extension of G into a W-object which is of the form RLfor some frame L, and which is λ-replete for some λ.

• Every such …