Digital Commons Network^™

Addressing Nursing School Retention: The Necessity Of Orientation In Nursing Education, Kerstin A. Queen

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Nursing schools have been challenged to impact attrition and retention by creating an environment that increases student success. This DNP project was created to impact the current nursing shortage by increasing the number of nursing students who were retained after the first semester of nursing school. The DNP Project Leader designed a structured orientation program consisting of a 2-day in-person orientation and an online repository of resources. The DNP project sought to increase retention and provide pre-licensure students with gained skills to progress in the nursing program after the first semester in nursing school. The in-person orientation program provided participants …

Eastern Australian Farmers Managing And Thinking Differently: Innovative Adaptation Cycles, David K. Mckenzie, Janine Joyce, Kerstin K. Zander, Penelope A.S. Wurm, Kim M. Caudwell

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The uncertainty of climate change is a significant challenge prompting Australian farmers to create different thinking and different management systems that ensure sustained farm business viability and continuity, particularly in extreme environments. The purpose of this study was to explore the conditions and adaptive processes for managing farm resilience and cyclic adaptation pathways, in response to climate change. A positive deviance sample of farmers was interviewed, and data was collected from a cohort of twenty-two climate change innovators across Eastern Australia. Grounded theory analysis of data identified three processes and two transactional maps of climate change adaptation, in this under …

Sex, Drugs, And Tbi: The Effects Of Sex Hormones And Trkb Activation On Alcohol-Related Behavior Following A Traumatic Brain Injury, Robin B. Oliverio

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and alcohol use disorder (AUD) exhibit a bidirectional relationship: AUD increases the risk of incurring a TBI and, inversely, a history of TBI increases the risk of future AUD. The second portion of this relationship has not been as thoroughly investigated. Our lab previously demonstrated that a juvenile TBI significantly increases alcohol self-administration in females compared to uninjured females and the injured females developed a conditioned place preference (CPP) for ethanol. Given this stark sex difference, this dissertation will examine the mechanism through which this occurred by investigating how manipulations of sex steroids might affect this …

Something From Nothing: Reimaginings, A Resource Guide For The Horn Sonata By Frank Gulino, Albert J. Houde Iii

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Since publishing his first work in 2006, American composer Frank Gulino has been the driving force behind some seventy new pieces of music. With music commissioned and performed by top professionals around the world, Gulino’s star has risen quickly backed by his prowess for writing music for brass instruments in solo works and chamber music. The subject of this document is a sonata for horn and piano entitled Reimaginings, a work commissioned by the author in 2020. This document presents a biographical sketch of the composer, an interpretation for performing the work, and suggestions for learning key skills needed …

Risk Of Parasiticides To Dung-Associated Beetles In West Virginia, Haylie J. Brown

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Ecosystem services provided by dung-associated beetles, such as reducing pasture fouling, parasite suppression, supporting nutrient recycling, and increasing water infiltration, contribute to animal and pasture health. However, parasiticides used to manage cattle parasites, particularly flies and helminths, in West Virginia, can adversely affect these non-target beetles. We assessed the exposure and impact of some parasiticides used in WV including Clarifly^® (active ingredient [a.i.] diflubenzuron), Cydectin^® (a.i. moxidectin), LongRange^® (a.i. eprinomectin), and Safe-guard^® (a.i. fenbendazole). In Chapter 1, we review the use of parasiticides in the US and their non-target effects on beneficial dung-associated beetles. In Chapter …

Genetic Knowledge And Causal Beliefs: Implications For Health Behavior In Clinical And Non-Clinical Samples, Jamey T. Brumbaugh

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Objective: As the genomic era in healthcare continues to surge, it is vital to examine genetically-related psychological concepts, such as genetic knowledge and genetic causal beliefs, in genetically relevant clinical groups. Parents /caregivers of children born with cleft lip and/or palate represent a population whose knowledge and beliefs about genetics may be influenced by their frequent utilization of genetically-related healthcare services (e.g., genetic testing and genetic counseling). To date, little is known about how such beliefs vary across disease types. Even less is known regarding how disease-specific genetic causal beliefs relate to perceived behavioral control for disease development. Method: A …

Guiseppe De Nittis's Cityscapes Of Paris: Images Of Modernity 1875-1875, Catherine W. Jones

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The artist Guiseppe De Nittis (1846-1884) created paintings between 1874-1875 reflecting his own experiences while living in and around the sixteenth arrondissment in Paris, France. De Nittis produced a distinctive perspective of Paris as it was being shaped by modernity and populated by the growing bourgeoisie. De Nittis’ interpreted fleeting views of Paris undergoing renovations. For example, De Nittis’ depicted freshly widened streets, public parks, and landmarks shrouded in scaffolding. De Nittis’ transient subject matter was further characterized by the portrayal of bourgeois figures in temporary Parisian moments. In summation, De Nittis’ compositions are a distinctive representation of Paris’s evolution …

Measuring And Modeling Riparian Wetland Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity, Nutrient Concentrations And Shallow Groundwater Dynamics In An Appalachian Mixed Land Use Catchment, Bidisha Faruque Abesh

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The paucity of research on accurate predictions of saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat), spatiotemporal analysis of nutrient concentrations relative to water source types (stream and shallow groundwater (SGW)), water flow directions, and land use in riparian wetlands of Appalachian mixed land use catchments underscored the need for this study. Additionally, the lack of SGW flow simulations and stream-SGW interactions using three-dimensional (3D) numerical models (i.e., MODFLOW) in these riparian wetlands further highlighted the research gap. Observed data including soil properties, Ksat, surface water (SW) and SGW levels, and nutrient concentrations, including nitrate (NO3-N), nitrite (NO2-N), ammonium (NH4-N), orthophosphate (PO43-P), total nitrogen …

Diet And Population Genomics Of River Otters (Lontra Canadensis) In West Virginia, Eden Grace Nitza

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

North American river otters (Lontra canadensis), hereafter, otters, are apex predators in aquatic ecosystems across Appalachia, and thus have important impacts on their ecosystems such as food web regulation, nutrient cycling, and reducing the impacts of invasive species. Otters were extirpated from most of Appalachia, including all of West Virginia, by the mid-1900’s due to habitat destruction and overharvest. The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR) began an otter reintroduction program in 1984 which translocated approximately 250 otters into the state by 1997. This reintroduction program was largely considered successful, and a regulated harvest season was opened …

An Examination Of The Underlying Implications Of Environmental, Social, And Governance Measures On Firm Practices, Lewis James Hardway

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation is comprised of three studies that seek to determine the impact environmental, social, and governance (ESG) policies and initiatives have on different levels within the firm. The first study takes a page from business management research. It proposes a moderated mediation model of leader-member exchange and its effects on corporate entrepreneurship. Corporate entrepreneurship seeks to engage employees in bringing forward new ideas to enhance the firm’s position and aligns with the social aspects of ESG, especially those concerning employee stakeholder matters. This study finds that through psychological empowerment, high-quality relationships can bring forward increased engagement by individuals in …

Machine Learning-Driven Quantification Of Co₂ Plume Dynamics At Ibdp Sites Using Microseismic Data, Ikponmwosa Bright Iyegbekedo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis delves into the utilization of machine learning methodologies to quantify the spatial extent of CO₂ plumes by leveraging microseismic data obtained from the Illinois Basin Decatur Project (IBDP) site spanning November 2011 to June 2018. This initiative, focused on the geological sequestration of carbon dioxide, furnishes a unique and comprehensive dataset comprising well logs, microseismic activity records, and CO₂ injection metrics, all crucial for quantifying the subsurface CO₂ saturation plume dynamics. The primary objective is to forecast the temporal evolution of CO₂ saturation plumes in the subsurface, a critical undertaking for ensuring both the environmental integrity and operational …

Historical Evolution Of The Late 20th-Century Maritime Claims, The Concept Of The Nine-Dash Line, And The Dispute In The South China Sea, Kamil Nowak

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study discusses the origins and development of the South China Sea dispute. It briefly analyzes the overlapping maritime claims, their justifications and legal aspects, and key clashes between the actors across the second half of the 20th century. It uses a historical perspective to assess the present-day conflict. The study discusses the impact of international agreements, national policies, claimants' domestic factors, and external influences connected to the geopolitical situation of the period to determine how they influenced the dispute. The analysis reveals that amidst more pressing global events, the South China Sea issue was frequently overlooked by the international …

Reimagining The Refugee Figure: Survival Migration And Its After-Affects, Gabriella Pishotti

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

As the refugee crisis continues to worsen, so too will the field of refugee literature continue to expand into new directions to account for shifts in the refugee figure and developing concerns of survival migrant writers. Drawing from the foundational work of scholars such as Sianne Ngai and Sara Ahmed, I use affect theory as an intervention into these contemporary refugee texts to posit a rethinking of how we analyze refugee stories as narratives of crisis. I employ an affective approach to demonstrate how the emergency of forced migration can be narratively depicted in an embodied way that fosters connection …

Rural Student Postsecondary Decision-Making: Navigating Narratives Of The Purpose And Value Of Higher Education, Ashley Renee Leggett-Bradley

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The narrative surrounding the purpose and place of higher education has shifted dramatically over the past few decades, despite the persistent perceptions of the necessity of an educated society. With these shifts and conflicting narratives comes the question of how students are influenced by these narratives as they make their postsecondary decisions. This study seeks to illuminate the unique way that rural students receive, understand, and are influenced by these potentially conflicting narratives through a qualitative multi-site case study. All three sites are located within the North Central Appalachian portion of the state of West Virginia, and encompass a range …

Evaluation Of Probable Maximum Precipitation (Pmp) For West Virginia To Predict Current And Future Pmp & Utilizing Acid Mine Drainage (Amd) Sludge In Reclamation, Grace Katherine Kerr

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis includes two main topics: 1) evaluation of probable maximum precipitation (PMP) for West Virginia to predict current and future PMP, and 2) utilizing acid mine drainage (AMD) sludge as a reclamation plan.

Probable maximum precipitation (PMP) is essential for dam design as well as for the inspection, operation, maintenance, and repairs of these facilities. West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection Dam Safety utilizes the 6-hr, 10-mi² (26-km²) PMP established by Hydrometeorological Report (HMR) 51 based on the analysis of extreme rainfall. These PMP are outdated because there have been unaccounted for extreme rainfall events that …

Anti-Listeria Of H2o2-Peroxyacetic Acid Anti-Listeria Efficacy Of A Hydrogen Peroxide-Peroxyacetic Acid Mixer In Bacterial Buffered Solution And On Bell Peppers, Peighton Denae Foster

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study aims to 1) evaluate the efficacy of H₂O₂-peroxyacetic acid (PAA) mixer to inactivate Listeria monocytogenes in 0.1% buffered-peptone-water; 2) evaluate the reduction and mitigation of cross-contamination on peppers. For the study-1, aliquots of 1.0-ml mixer solutions (0.25, 0.50 and 0.84%) were added to the first 3-well of 8-strip-deep-well microplates. Then, the 0.1 ml of 10-fold dilution the Nalidixic-acid-resistant (NaL) L. monocytogenes was added and mixed immediately with a multichannel pipette. After exposure for 0, 5, 15, 30, and up to 120-s, 1 ml of 2×D/E neutralized solution was added to terminate the reaction followed …

Fluid-Rock And Fluid-Steel Interaction In Geothermal Energy Development In The Appalachain Basin, Samuel H. Bowman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The ever-increasing demand for clean energy requires creative solutions. In the United States, unconventional energy sources such as geothermal are conventionally limited to the western half of the country. The Appalachian Basin in the Eastern United States is one such possible creative solution, although the comparatively low temperature gradient presents a significant challenge to delivering economically feasible geothermal energy. An emerging technology is enhanced geothermal systems, these are engineered reservoirs where a working fluid (typically water) is cycled between the subsurface energy source and the energy collection facility at the surface. The liquid water interacts with the geothermal reservoir rock …

Building Better Biofuel Crops: A Field Evaluation Of Transgenic Populus Modified To Improve Feedstock Performance For Bioenergy Use, Molli Elisabeth Coombs

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A transition away from fossil fuel use is necessary for the future of energy production, and biofuels are a renewable energy option that can mitigate the impacts of fossil fuels through lowered carbon emissions and possible carbon sequestration. In order to successfully compete with fossil fuels, the production of biofuels must be sustainable and cost effective. Populus species are a biofuel crop used for bioenergy conversion from lignocellulosic biomass that have been proposed for use in feedstock plantations on marginal lands, which would avoid competition with agricultural production. Two challenges of feedstock production being faced are recalcitrance to chemical processing, …

Expropriation Of Shares Via The Corporate Constitution, Stephen Bull

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

Company constitutions sometimes include powers to effect compulsory share acquisitions from members. Where these are introduced into the constitution after incorporation, the amendment, like all constitutional alterations, must be able to satisfy the common law “bona fide test” in order to be valid. The content of this test has been much debated since the first cases a century ago, and differences in view have emerged from the English and Australian courts. While there is no local case law on such expropriations per se, the High Court recently confirmed for the first time the applicability in Singapore of the common law …

The Geoeconomics Of Belt And Road Disputes: A Case Study On The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, Mark Mclaughlin

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

This article argues that the dovetailing economic, geopolitical, and security interests that underpin the Belt and Road Initiative demands a dispute resolution mechanism that focuses on broader interests and legal rights. Using the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as a case study, it identifies the conditions in which Chinese investors could have initiated an investment arbitration but did not. This can be explained by the rights-based orientation of investment treaties failing to reflect the interests of multi-project initiatives. Instead, alternative methods of home state intervention, such as state-funded political risk insurance, are used to protect investors. In other words, the political …

Evaluation Of Patients With Acute Pancreatitis By Using The Modified Computed Tomography Severity Index, Raya Ghazal, Raad Abed Alkhayat

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

ABSTRACT:BACKGROUND:Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas. Pancreatitis can appear in its acute form, that is,                       it appears suddenly and lasts a few days. Some people may develop chronic pancreatitis, which lasts for many years. Mild cases of pancreatitis get better with treatment, but severe cases can cause                 life-threatening complications.OBJECTIVE:To assess the modified Baltazar score Computed tomography severity index of acute pancreatitisPATIENTS AND METHOD: A cross sectional analytic study was performed at Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital in Department of Radiology in the period from 1st of January 2021 to the end of November 2021. The current study involved 50 patients (male and …

Informing Academia: Predictors Of Decision Fatigue Among Nursing Students, Mohammed Munther Al-Hammouri, Jehad Rababah, Jorn Dormans

Health Professions Education

Objectives: The academic life of health professions students, especially nursing, is highly demanding and involves frequent and sequential critical decisions, leading to decision fatigue (DF) and declining decision-making quality. While decision fatigue has been studied in other fields, its implications in health professions, especially nursing, are relatively new. This study aimed to identify predictors of decision fatigue among nursing students, focusing on behavioral, psychological, and spiritual aspects.

Methods: The current study employed a cross-sectional design, recruiting nurses from three major referral hospitals in Jordan via online surveys using valid and reliable measures.

Results: The data from 446 …

Attitudes Toward And Readiness For Medical Artificial Intelligence Among Medical And Health Science Students, Jonas Preposi Cruz, Anara Sembekova, Dinara Omirzakova, Srinivasa Rao Bolla, Ejercito Mangawa Balay-Odao

Health Professions Education

Purpose: This study assessed general attitudes toward artificial intelligence and medical artificial intelligence readiness among medical and health sciences students and examined the factors that influence the medical artificial intelligence readiness of the students.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional quantitative online survey was conducted among medical and health sciences students. We employed the 'General Attitudes Toward Artificial Intelligence Scale' (GAAIS) to assess students' artificial intelligence attitudes and the 'Medical Artificial Intelligence Readiness of Students Scale for Medical Students' (MAIRS-MS) to measure student readiness for medical artificial intelligence.

Results: Nearly all students did not receive/ attend any experience of …

A Comprehensive Study Of The Literature On The Implications Of Covid-19 Epidemic On Pupils' Academic Performance In The Educational System, Md Sarfaraz Alam, Milap Sharma, Waseem Ahmad, Zulquernain Mallick

Health Professions Education

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 epidemic negatively affected every aspect of society on a global scale, including the economy, healthcare, and education. This affected "1.6 billion" students and "63 million" teachers globally, as "191 countries" closed schools nationwide.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to review the state-of-the-art and emerging trends in the field of COVID-19 and student academic performance (SAP).

METHODS: A comprehensive analysis considering various factors has been utilized to evaluate the current level of research on COVID-19 and the SAP. In this study, “content analysis” approach was used for a “systematic literature review (SLR)” on …

Preparing Health Professionals For Interprofessional Practice: A Survey Of University Staff Perspectives, Patrick Broman, Julie Collis, Sarah , Barradell, Sharon Brownie

Health Professions Education

Purpose

The need for healthcare students to develop collaborative practice competencies is well established, but organizational and faculty buy-in are essential precursors to successful IPE initiatives such as student-led clinics (SLCs). Potential for failure is high if staff support is not present.

Method

To understand perspectives on IPE and SLCs, an online survey was undertaken of faculty and staff of a school of health sciences at an Australian university. The survey included Likert-scale (quantitative) and open-ended questions.

Results

Results showed variable understanding, buy-in and support for IPE delivery and SLC options. Where support was present for SLC developments, an offsite …

Structural Conditions Influencing Postgraduate Education Uptake By South African Emergency Care Practitioners, Naseef Abdullah, Simpiwe Sobuwa, Patricia Mcinerney

Health Professions Education

Background

The prehospital field of Emergency Medical Care urgently requires a generation of practitioners capable of engaging in research and advancing the profession through evidence-based practice. The paucity of prehospital-specific research necessitates a deeper understanding of the factors that influence agency in Emergency Care Practitioners (ECPs) to pursue or eschew postgraduate education, as this impacts the development of the prehospital emergency medical care field in South Africa.

Objective

To identify the structural conditions that influence Emergency Care Practitioners to pursue or eschew postgraduate education.

Methods

This study employed a mixed-method exploratory sequential research design, integrating a qualitative phase framed by …

An Empirical Study Of The Dmca's Anti-Circumvention Provisions, Clark Asay

Faculty Scholarship

The DMCA has been a flashpoint during most of its twenty-five-year existence. One of the most controversial parts of the DMCA is Section 1201. Among other things, Section 1201 prohibits third parties from circumventing certain controls to copyrighted content or trafficking in tools that enable circumvention of technological controls. However, despite its nearly quarter-of-a-century lifespan, we know very little about Section 1201 empirically. While certain aspects of the broader DMCA have received empirical assessments, Section 1201 has not. Our understanding of Section 1201 is largely based on anecdotal evidence, in the form of leading opinions from historically prominent copyright circuits. …

Extra-Legal Uses Of Tm, Clark Asay, Lareina Hingson, Stephanie Plamondon

Faculty Scholarship

Theoretical accounts of trademark law suggest that trademarks serve multiple marketplace functions, including protecting consumers and producers from unfair dealing, reducing consumer search costs, and incentivizing higher quality goods and services. Producers of goods and services often use the ‘TM’ symbol to signal their assertion of legal rights in a mark, arguably helping advance these goals. But recently, an interesting phenomenon has arisen in which individuals not engaged in typical commercial activities have been using the TM signifier in ways that don’t necessarily correspond to the symbol’s legal function. These so-called “extra-legal” uses of the TM symbol can offer insights …

Protocol For A Pilot Clinical Trial Of The Senolytic Drug Combination Dasatinib Plus Quercetin To Mitigate Age-Related Health And Cognitive Decline In Mental Disorders [Version 2; Peer Review: 1 Approved, 2 Approved With Reservations], Abigail Schweiger, Breno Diniz, Ginger Nicol, Julie Schweiger, Andes E Dasklakis-Perez, Eric J Lenze

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Major depressive disorder (MDD) and schizophrenia are linked to accelerated aging leading to reduced lifespan, health span and cognitive decline. Cellular senescence, in which cells lose proliferative capacity and develop a senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), plays a role in this process. Emerging research suggests that the senolytic regimen of dasatinib+quercetin (D+Q) reduces senescent cells, potentially mitigating age-related health and cognitive decline. This pilot study aims to assess the feasibility and safety of D+Q in older adults with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and treatment-resistant depression (TRD).

METHODS: This single-center study will recruit 30 participants total aged 50 years or older with …

Researching Covid To Enhance Recovery (Recover) Pediatric Study Protocol: Rationale, Objectives And Design, Rachel S Gross, Deanna M. Barch, Andrew C. Heath, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

IMPORTANCE: The prevalence, pathophysiology, and long-term outcomes of COVID-19 (post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 [PASC] or "Long COVID") in children and young adults remain unknown. Studies must address the urgent need to define PASC, its mechanisms, and potential treatment targets in children and young adults.

OBSERVATIONS: We describe the protocol for the Pediatric Observational Cohort Study of the NIH's REsearching COVID to Enhance Recovery (RECOVER) Initiative. RECOVER-Pediatrics is an observational meta-cohort study of caregiver-child pairs (birth through 17 years) and young adults (18 through 25 years), recruited from more than 100 sites across the US. This report focuses on two of …