Digital Commons Network^™

April 28, 2026 Ereporter, University Of Alabama At Birmingham

eReporter (campus newsletter)

No abstract provided.

Using The Flexon Approach To Rnai To Identify Essential Genes That Affect Gonadal Development In C. Elegans, Joyce S. Lefevers

Undergraduate Theses

To elucidate the molecular role of essential genes in the gonadal development of Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) it is necessary to utilize specialized molecular techniques such that the phenotypic effects of gene knockdown can be studied while the viability of the organism is preserved. Shaffer and Greenwald (2022) developed the floxed exon (flexon), a tool that improves upon previous approaches to spatiotemporal control of gene expression. The flexon subunit is made up of an artificial exon with a stop cassette flanked by artificial introns which, when inserted into a gene of interest, prevents the expression of that gene. …

Psycho-Pathology And Links Between Neurosis And Psychosis, B. Mason Judy, John Dall'aglio

Middle Voices

Commentary

The Secretary Of Alienation: Metaphor And Metapsychology, Anna Kreienberg

Middle Voices

Commentary

Student Perspectives On Title Ix Policy Across North Texas College Campuses, Felicia Chism

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative phenomenological study examined how North Texas higher education students’ lived experiences with Title IX (TIX) shaped their perceptions of the policy’s fairness, accessibility, and implementation. The study addressed the problem that experiential perspectives of TIX remain underexplored, despite their importance for understanding institutional accountability and student trust. Guided by the social ecological model and organizational justice theory, the research investigated how individual, relational, institutional, and societal factors influenced students’ interpretations of TIX processes. Eight students from North Texas public universities who had direct involvement in a closed TIX case participated in semi‑structured interviews. Data were analyzed using Moustakas’s …

Strategies For Integrated Primary Care Clinics To Improve Administrative Costs Due To Medication Nonadherence, Michael A. Watkins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Medication non-adherence is a pervasive issue that drives up administrative costs for integrated primary care clinics. Total administrative costs for medication non-adherence account for one-quarter of U.S. healthcare expenditures. The purpose of this integrative review was to identify cost-reduction strategies that integrated primary care clinic administrators can implement to offset costs associated with medication nonadherence. The theoretical framework for this integrative review was Bertalanffy’s general systems theory. The review question was to identify strategies that primary care clinics could implement to reduce administrative costs associated with patient medication nonadherence. A comprehensive literature search yielded 1,892 potential articles. A quality analysis …

Outcomes Of Deep Peroneal Neurectomy: A Scoping Review Of Complications, Postoperative Recovery, And Patient-Reported Satisfaction, Krista Elizabeth Samreth, James Hughes, Amayrani Sanchez, Nicholas Obias, Madeleine Mehaffey, Stephanie Campbell Dpm, Aacfas

School of Podiatric Medicine - Student Research

Background: Deep peroneal neurectomy (DPN) evolved as a surgical treatment alternative for patients with painful midfoot arthritis who may not tolerate more invasive surgery such as arthrodesis. This scoping review aims to display current evidence of postoperative recovery complications and patient-reported outcomes specific to alternative surgical treatment of DPN.

Methods: A scoping review was completed using PRISMA-ScR reporting standards. Investigators searched PubMed, Google Scholar, Foot & Ankle Orthopedics, and Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery for studies from 2002 to 2025 with search terms: “deep peroneal neurectomy,” OR “deep peroneal nerve excision,” OR “peroneal neurectomies” AND “midfoot arthritis”. Exclusion criteria …

The Integration Of Mental Health Services Within The Black Church: A Literature Review Of Systematic Inequalities, Stigma, And Culturally Responsive Approaches, Grace N. Wingate

Honors College Theses

Black American Christians in predominantly Black churches often face limited access to adequate mental health resources due to historical mistrust, systemic inequalities, and cultural stigma. These barriers are rooted in longstanding distrust of psychological services, the underrepresentation of Black mental health care professionals, and the high cost and inaccessibility of care. Additionally, stigma within Black Christian communities may discourage individuals from seeking help from mental health professionals, particularly when such care is perceived as conflicting with religious beliefs. Despite these challenges, Black churches remain central and trusted institutions within their communities, positioning them as crucial sites for mental health support. …

Crave Nothing More Fervently, Jesse Gwilliam

Theses

Crave Nothing More Fervently is an expressionistic journey that struggles with my fear of time’s ceaseless advance towards death. Through the establishment of a personal visual style I call psychedelic perception, I look for a future that struggles against my personal fears of loss and death. This strategy aestheticizes the world as a strategy of pursuing a creative life that stands against fatality.  In Crave Nothing More Fervently my concept of psychedelic perception is a framework that extrapolates from the late cultural theorist Mark Fisher’s manuscript Acid Communism defined as a political ethic of adaptive creativity. Besides simply revealing the …

Guillemette, Fiona Veronique

Theses

In my photography project, Guillemette, I entertain the idea of inheriting an ability for mediumship from my maternal family lineage. As an origin, I use the question of having (or not having) these powers to explore intertwined relationships between myself and my mother, mediumship and theater, belief and entertainment, and the spirit and earthly worlds. The setting of the series moves between France, where my maternal family is from, and Western New York, where I currently reside, and the birthplace of 19th-century Spiritualism, the belief that spirit mediums can communicate with the dead. Mediumship, a central pillar in the work, …

Cultivating The Dream In African American Men Through Black Excellence And Success, Sylvia Lawan Branch

LMU Theses and Dissertations

Achieving Black Excellence has been a goal for African American men for several decades; yet this movement has been hindered by social, emotional, and discriminatory life experiences from early childhood through adulthood. Black Excellence has been a phrase used in recent years to highlight achievements for African American men in wealth, mental health, well-being, fatherhood, and academic achievement. The main objective of this dissertation was to define and examine dimensions of Black Excellence among African American men, including elements that contributed to personal fulfillment and broader social impact. To determine recommendations to achieve Black Excellence (Scott, 2017), 10 semistructured interviews …

Wavetable Modification In Frequency Domain: Fourier Analysis With Matlab Implementation, Caleb Kortens

Senior Honors Theses

One of the challenges in creating computer generated music is producing life-like sounds. Music produced through computer synthesis can often sound thin and synthetic rather than vibrant and energetic. Wavetable synthesis is a method of waveform generation that uses a wavetable, which is a set of single period waves, or frames, that have varying characteristics. This method allows a synthesizer to transition between waveforms to produce a sound with time varying tone and harmonic characteristics. This adds life and movement to computer generated sounds. Wavetable synthesis is often used to imitate actual instruments, but unique wavetables can be created that …

Establishing A Standardized Suicide Risk Screening Policy For Psychiatric Providers: Closing Gaps In Provider Accountability And Clinical Documentation, Fadekemi Olude

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Psychiatric providers in outpatient settings often experience inconsistent confidence and incomplete documentation when conducting suicide risk screening, contributing to missed opportunities for early identification of at-risk patients. This quality improvement project addressed the need for standardized suicide risk screening at an urban outpatient psychiatric clinic. The purpose was to evaluate documentation using the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS). Using a pre-post intervention design guided by Lewin's Change Theory and the Donabedian Model of Quality Improvement, a 60-minute training session was delivered to 31 psychiatric providers. Participants completed pre- and post-intervention General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) surveys. Chart audits (N = 1,970) …

A Functional Nutrition Literature Review For Brain Fog And Adhd-Like Symptoms In Adults, Natalie Elisani Aldahondo-Matos

Department of Nutrition Student Projects

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and ADHD-like symptoms, such as difficulty concentrating, mental fatigue, and problems with executive functioning, are increasingly recognized in adults. Although medication is commonly used to manage ADHD, there is growing interest in whether nutrition may also play a role in supporting brain function and attention. Several nutrients involved in brain health including omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12, magnesium, iron, and choline  have been suggested as potential contributors to cognitive performance and attention. However, the research examining the connection between diet and ADHD symptoms is still limited and sometimes shows mixed results.

The purpose of this project was …

Spartan Daily, April 28, 2026, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2026

Volume 166, Issue 38

New Nurse Faculty Mentorship: A Quality Improvement Project, Kimberly B. Porter

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

The ongoing nursing faculty shortage limits program capacity and makes it harder to retain novice nurse educators transitioning from clinical practice to academia. The literature highlights issues such as insufficient mentorship, role confusion, and a lack of structured support as key factors contributing to early faculty attrition. This quality improvement (QI) project aimed to implement and evaluate an evidence-based mentorship program to improve perceptions of mentorship effectiveness among new-to-academia nurse faculty in a School of Nursing in Arkansas. The purpose was to implement and evaluate a mentorship program designed to improve perceptions of mentorship among new-to-academia nurse faculty. The project …

Supporting Advanced Practice Providers (Apps) Through Second Victim Experiences (Sves), Al-Zada Aguilar

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Background/Significance: SVEs describe the physiological, psychological, and professional impact experienced by providers involved in near misses, adverse events, and unanticipated patient outcomes.^1-3 Studies estimate that more than half of providers have SVEs and their sequelae at least once in their lifetime, further exacerbated by a lack of institutional support, potentially contributing to burnout, compassion fatigue, and attrition.^1-4 Existing literature addresses SVE in physicians and nurses; even so, the literature is sparse when it comes to APPs, providers positioned between nursing and medical models, often navigating clinical spaces without structured support systems.

Purpose: To develop an evidence-supported, system-level framework …

Resilience, Social Support, And Burnout: Building Healthy Work Environments For Emergency Nurses, Timothy R. Burns

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Background: Emergency department (ED) nurses work in high-stakes environments that increase exposure to stress, trauma, and burnout. Identifying protective factors that strengthen well-being is essential to building and sustaining healthy work environments.

Purpose: This study examined how years of experience, social support, and resilience influence burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and compassion satisfaction among ED nurses across the United States.

Methods: A cross-sectional design was used. Participants completed a demographic form, the Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL), the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), and the Lubben Social Network Scale. Data were analyzed using multiple and hierarchical regression to identify predictive relationships …

Assessing The Feasibility Of Integrating Occupational Therapy Services Within A Pediatric Primary Care Setting For Children 0-3 Years Old., Amanda L. Wilbert, Cristina Dumitrescu, Kim Karr

Post Professional Occupational Therapy Doctoral (PPOTD) Student Capstone Projects

The objective of this capstone project was to assess the feasibility of implementing occupational therapy (OT) services within a pediatric primary care office using a manualized service delivery approach. Occupational therapy is inherently grounded in parent coaching and education, positioning the profession to play a critical role in supporting families and promoting early identification of developmental risk. This project aimed to address a documented gap in the inclusion of OT within pediatric primary care by exploring how OT services can support parenting skills and monitor children identified as at risk for developmental, behavioral, or psychosocial concerns. The project was conducted …

Impact Of Provider Confidence And Psychiatric Referrals Through Education And Implementation Of The Gad-7 Anxiety Screening Tool In An Outpatient Family Clinic, Maceline E. Check

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Gaps in provider and nurse confidence in identifying and managing anxiety disorders in outpatient family clinic settings contribute to underdiagnosis, delayed intervention, and reduced psychiatric referrals. This quality improvement project evaluated the impact of provider education and implementation of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) screening tool on provider and nurse confidence and appropriate psychiatric referral rates, with the goal of improving clinical decision-making and standardizing anxiety screening practices. The project was guided by Lewin’s Change Theory and the Iowa Model of Evidence-Based Practice. Using a quasi-experimental pre- and post-intervention design, providers and nurses in an outpatient family clinic received structured, …

Quality Improvement Project: Impacting Staff Confidence In Recognizing Hiv Medication Adherence, Joy Nwansi-Iro

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Medication adherence to antiretroviral therapy is essential for viral suppression and improved outcomes among individuals living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Despite advances in treatment, healthcare providers lack confidence in recognizing medication adherence challenges and implementing appropriate interventions. Evidence suggests that provider education using standardized adherence assessment tools improves adherence monitoring and clinical decision-making. The purpose of this quality improvement project is to evaluate whether an educational intervention and a standardized workflow using the CASE Adherence Index would impact healthcare staff confidence in recognizing HIV medication adherence. Lewin’s Change Theory guided the project through the stages of unfreezing, change, and …

Facilitators And Barriers To Engagement In A Virtual Mindfulness Program Among Healthcare Workers, Yu-Ping Chang, Tess Bernardo, Allie Nickel, Linda Steeg

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Purpose: Healthcare professionals experience ongoing stress and burnout from heavy workloads and emotional demands. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) has strong evidence for enhancing emotional regulation, resilience, and well-being. Despite its proven benefits, adoption remains limited across individuals and organizations. Identifying key facilitators and barriers is essential for sustainable integration into healthcare practice. This presentation explores healthcare workers’ perceived barriers and facilitators to participating in an eight-week virtual MBSR program.

Methods: We conducted a qualitative study using individual interviews with healthcare workers who completed the virtual MBSR program delivered by certified trainers aimed at improving workplace resilience. Four trained research staff …

Enhancing Anesthesia Clinicians’ Knowledge And Confidence In Prophylactic Antibiotic Selection For Patients Receiving Concomitant Therapeutic Antimicrobials, Nicholas Rangel, Michela Williams, Amber Theisen

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Student Projects

: Background and Review of Literature: Antibiotics are essential for preventing surgical site infections (SSIs), but improper selection can contribute to antimicrobial resistance, increased costs, and patient harm. Studies show that clinical decision support (CDS) tools can improve antibiotic prescribing practices using evidence-based guidelines.  Purpose: This project aimed to integrate a revised CDS tool into the workflow of a anesthesia clinicians at a midwestern academic medical center, incorporating allergy-specific guidelines and antimicrobial substitution recommendations for patients on concomitant therapeutic antimicrobials (CTA) to improve decision-making. Methods: This project used pre- and post-surveys to assess clinicians’ knowledge, confidence, and satisfaction in selecting …

Probing Composition Effects On The Intrinsic Energetics Of Proton Transfer In Binary (Hcl)M(H2o)N Clusters, Max R. Tucker, Sarah N. Arradondo, Olivia M. Longsworth, George C. Shields, Gregory S. Tschumper

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

This work examines the effects on intrinsic energetics as the composition of finite (HCl)_m(H₂O)n cluster families containing at least one water molecule is changed at the molecular level, where m ≥ 2 and m + n = 4 − 6, and the associated (Cl⁻)_x(H₃O⁺)_x(HCl)_m−x(H₂O)_n−x clusters resulting from the dissociation of x HCl fragments via proton transfer (PT). They are collectively labeled m:n, and xPT indicates the degree of dissociation, from 0PT (no dissociation) up to 3PT. More than 1000 unique minima …

Associations Between Smoking Habits And Weight-Related Behaviors Among People Who Smoke In The United Arab Emirates: A Cross-Sectional Study, Sharifa Alblooshi, Maryam Hassan Dawood, Dana N. Abdelrahim, Marika Lo Monaco, Falak Zeb

All Works

Background: Smoking is one of the leading global public health problems, and is complicated by multiple reasons for its prevalence and associated health problems. An understanding of the influence of smoking activity on weight management is essential to formulate successful health programs. Aim: The objective of the present study was the investigation of the association between smoking habits and weight management among adult people who smoke in the UAE. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 232 participants who completed a 36-item questionnaire assessing their smoking habits and weight management practices. Results: The sample consisted mostly of males (75.4%) aged …

Weakening Of Social Protection In Vietnam: Labour Legislation, Cicada Capital And Civil Society, Angie Ngọc Trần

SSGS Faculty Publications and Presentations

Using findings from a 2023 case study on Vietnamese workers in the wood-processing industry and critical content analysis of changes in the labour codes, social insurance laws and annual minimum wage increase policy, I demonstrate how the state’s rhetoric of ‘universal social coverage’ for workers has facilitated the recommodification phase, an authoritarian turn, in the ‘cycle of commodification’ ( Lin and Nguyen, 2021 ). I argue that the expansion of informal labour and unchecked prevalence of ‘cicada capitalism’ are enabled by weakening labour legislation, even weaker state enforcement of social protection laws, and suppression of civil society’s labour advocacy …

A Case For Mtor Pathway Screening In Early Epilepsy Diagnosis, David Seamons

Student Works

Mutations in the mTOR pathway can give rise to epileptic seizures in patients. While a variety of antiepileptic drugs are available to treat epilepsy, a large proportion of patients will experience refractory seizures (Chen et al., 2018). Additionally, patients with mTOR-related epilepsy may experience reduced efficacy in traditional therapeutic options to treat seizures (French et al., 2016; Hadzsiev et al., 2023; Kato et al., 2022; Moloney et al., 2023). Mutations resulting in mTOR-related epilepsy are genetically inherited; however, some variability in family histories of epilepsy may be due to second-hit somatic mutations in focal areas of the brain (Dawson et …

Charlotte Ku, Charlotte Ku

Faculty CVs

No abstract provided.

Changes In Clinician Time Expenditure And Visit Quantity With Adoption Of Artificial Intelligence-Powered Scribes: A Multisite Study, Lisa S Rotenstein, A Jay Holmgren, Robert Thombley, Aditi Sriram, Reema H Dbouk, Melissa Jost, Debbie Aizenberg, Scott Macdonald, Naga Kanaparthy, Brian Williams, Allen Hsiao, Lee Schwamm, Sara Murray, Maria Byron, Jacqueline G You, Amanda J Centi, Christine Iannaccone, Michelle Frits, Adam B Landman, Karandeep Singh, Ming Tai-Seale, Jie Cao, Katharine Lawrence, Devin Mann, Christopher Holland, Bryan Blanchette, Jesse Ehrenfeld, Edward R Melnick, David W Bates, Julia Adler-Milstein, Rebecca G Mishuris

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Importance: Artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled scribes have been proposed to reduce electronic health record (EHR) burden and improve clinician satisfaction. There is limited evidence about their associated results across multiple sites and relative benefits for different clinician groups.

Objective: To assess the association of AI scribe adoption with changes in EHR time expenditure and visit volume and how associations vary by clinician characteristics.

Design, setting, and participants: Multisite, longitudinal cohort study of AI scribe adoption conducted at 5 US academic health care institutions that introduced AI scribes to their clinicians between June 2023 and August 2025. Participants were ambulatory clinicians.

Exposures: …

Skull Base Foramina, Daniel Sievert

Aurora GME

No abstract provided.