Digital Commons Network^™

The Impact Of Prohibition-Induced Entry-Barrier Restrictions On The Pace Of Defense Innovation And The Mediating Effects Of Turbulent Market Dynamics, Ché Uché Logan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Since the U.S. Department of Defense implemented statutory prohibitions to mitigate risks in acquisition supply chains and to incorporate national security measures in the acquisition process, high entry barriers have emerged, raising concerns about a perceived decline in the pace of defense innovation. This study examined the impact of prohibition-induced entry barriers on the pace of innovation. It assessed the mediating influence of small business participation, market competition, supplier concentration, and supply chain risk. A concurrent mixed-methods approach was employed via 30 semi-structured interviews and 420 survey responses. The qualitative findings revealed industry experiences on how Section 889 of NDAA …

The Lived Experiences Of Micu Nurses During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study, Thomas Hopkins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of MICU nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic and how these experiences may inform disaster preparedness in the nursing curriculum. This research is guided by Watson’s (1979) theory of human caring. The theory emphasizes the importance of interpersonal relationships and emotional support in nursing practice, and how these elements can be integrated into disaster preparedness training. Using interpretive phenomenological analysis, data were collected through semi-structured interviews, field notes, and guided journaling. The interviews were conducted via digital conferencing software over the internet. Field notes were recorded during the interviews. …

The Covid-19 Pandemic And College Students' Experiences: A Phenomenological Study, Mervin L. Davis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and comprehend the lived experiences of college students at North Carolinian colleges and universities during the interruption and transitions of studies amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This research used qualitative inquiry design and employed Schlossberg’s transition theory to guide the study. Schlossberg’s transition theory correlates with this research and phenomenological exploration because it underscores the varying abilities and incapacities of students to persist through their studies during challenging circumstances. The setting for this research was North Carolinian higher education institutions within Mecklenburg County which boast 17 colleges and universities within a 50-mile …

Fueled To Succeed: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study On The Passion Of Students In Pursuit Of Success During And After College Life, Mesack Dieudonne

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study is to describe college students' experiences with passion while studying in a higher education setting in Florida. For this study, passion will be defined as a natural penchant that leads an individual to highly value something or someone, increasing persistence and thus leading to success. The theory underpinning this study is Vallerand's dualistic model of passion (DMP). The central research question guiding this research is as follows: How do college students describe their experiences with passion while studying in a higher education setting in Florida? Transcendental phenomenology was selected as the qualitative research …

Describing The Lived Experiences Of Professional School Counselors: Providing And Advocating For Services To Address Childhood Trauma, Toawondia T. Underwood

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The professional school counselor’s role is to enhance student success by implementing a comprehensive school counseling program. Professional school counselors often focus on addressing the needs of students impacted by trauma, who exhibit increased absences, behavioral challenges, and diminished academic performance. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenology study was to understand the lived experiences of professional school counselors providing and advocating for services to address childhood trauma. The American School Counselor (ASCA) National Model served as the structural framework, and the theory guiding this study was Urie Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory. The research engaged 15 practicing professional school counselors from …

The Impact Of Psychological Well-Being, Gratitude, And Self-Efficacy On Resiliency In High School Students: A Predictive Correlational Study, Jennifer Nevard-Blanco

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative predictive correlational study was to examine the impact of psychological well-being, gratitude, and self-efficacy on resiliency in high school students in a northeastern state. This study is important because the promotion of positive psychological factors such as gratitude, self-efficacy, and psychological well-being have been identified as predictors of increased resilience, buffering the negative effects of stressors and adverse circumstances. The sample was composed of 110 high school students from a public school in the northeastern part of the United States. Data was collected using four self-report instruments: Ryff's Psychological Well-being 18-item scale, the Gratitude Questionnaire …

Public Safety Injuries: Treatment And Organizational Support Variations Experienced By Injured Employees, Patrick S. Daugherty Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Public safety employees work in an environment characterized by a greater risk of injury than the workplaces of employees engaged in other professions. The deterioration of trust in public safety workers has increased both the violence against them and their risk of injury, negatively affecting their retention and recruitment efforts. The effect is exhausted and overworked employees who answer an increasing call volume with less resources, resulting in greater stress and frustration. Frustration can be expressed with negativity and isolation toward accommodated employees while they attempt to recover from their injuries. This phenomenon raises the question of “What treatment variations …

Science Unleashed: The Influence Of Science Content Implementation Within Learning Management Systems, D'Aieriean Murray

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The qualitative, phenomenological study addressed the factors secondary science teachers face in implementing the science content in online LMS while continuing to teach in traditional classrooms. The research addressed the adequate training secondary science teachers may or may not have received in LMS and technology integration into the classroom. Utilizing Bruner's constructivist theory (1966) concerning the virtual classroom to recognize the imperativeness of educators in curriculum development to answer the question, "How are science teachers' experiences regarding the effectiveness of LMS and online learning?" While conducting a literature analysis, the most frequent themes were faculty readiness, transitioning to online education …

Therapeutic Day Treatment Counselors’ Perspective Of Parental Engagement And Involvement, Dominique Rose Lynn Woods

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) study was to describe Therapeutic Day Treatment Counselors' (TDTCs) lived experiences with parental engagement and involvement (PEI) for TDTCs, within their professional collaborations in Virginia. The study focused on a specific aspect of TDTC’s lived experience: their perspective of PEI. Several theories were reviewed as a foundation for research development. Bronfenbrenner's (1979) Ecological Systems Theory has been an essential component of the research, as it emphasized that a child's development involves multiple elements of their environmental and social systems. Stroul and Friedman's (1986) Systems of Care Theory provided a foundation for understanding …

Synthetic Social Engineering Scenario Generation Using Llms For Awareness-Based Attack Resilience, Jade Webb, Faranak Abri, Sayma Akther

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Social engineering is found in a strong majority of cyberattacks today, as it is a powerful manipulation tactic that does not require the technical skills of hacking. Calculated social engineers utilize simple communication to deceive and exploit their victims, all by capitalizing on the vulnerabilities of human nature: trust and fear. When successful, this inconspicuous technique can lead to millions of dollars in losses. Social engineering is not a one-dimensional technique; criminals often leverage a combination of strategies to craft a robust yet subtle attack. In addition, offenders are continually evolving their methods in efforts to surpass preventive measures. A …

Association Of Chronic Conditions With Bladder Health In Women: Cross-Sectional Results From The Rise For Health Study, Camille P Vaughan, Gerald Mcgwin, Jean F Wyman, Siobhan Sutcliffe, Diane K Newman, Ariana L Smith, Colleen M Fitzgerald, Todd Rockwood, James Griffith, Sheila Gahagan, Alayne D Markland, Prevention Of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (Plus) Research Consortium

2020-Current year OA Pubs

INTRODUCTION: Women with multiple chronic conditions are more likely than women without them to report lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS); understanding the association of common and coexisting chronic conditions with bladder health across adulthood may inform prevention efforts.

METHODS: Data were collected from May 2022 through December 2023 from a regionally representative cohort of community-dwelling adult women in the US. Chronic conditions were assessed by self-report and bladder health, and LUTS were measured using validated questionnaires. Analyses were limited to women aged 40 years or older and included multivariable linear and logistic regression models, adjusted for age, body mass index, …

Health And Climate At Cop29: Advancing Integration And Bridging Research Gaps, Rupa R Patel, Yevheniia Varyvoda, Hiba Baroud, Philip J Landrigan, Aminata Kilungo

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Climate and health science is a rapidly growing, interdisciplinary field and holds importance during intergovernmental climate adaptation and mitigation policy negotiations. The 29th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) convened stakeholders for negotiations and scientific discourse. This viewpoint presents insights gained by the authors' participation at COP29 focused on health and climate. The authors analyze the evolving integration of health into the UNFCCC process, dissect the contributions and the role of the Research and Independent Non‑Governmental Organizations (RINGOs), a constituency to achieve this endeavor, and identify the key …

Device Registration Key Retrieval

Defensive Publications Series

The present disclosure generally relates to device manufacturing, and more particularly to security keys for device registration.

Artificial Intelligence Workload Orchestration And Execution In Software-Defined Vehicles, Eser Erdem, Markus Vill

Defensive Publications Series

This document describes techniques that enable a computing system to manage artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) workloads in software defined vehicles (SDVs) through a unified, modular operating system for SDVs. SDVs may take advantage of distributed processing and hardware abstraction through virtualization, using standardized interfaces (e.g., virtio) to allow applications to run on any compliant virtual machine (VM) or Electronic Control Unit (ECU) within the vehicle. For instance, the vehicle’s internal architecture may include a multi-node (or multi-VM) AI workload orchestration framework that distributes tasks to available hardware, supports dynamic service deployment, and facilitates updates. The computing system …

Border Gateway Protocol (Bgp) Ethernet Virtual Private Nettwork (Evpn) Route Type 2 (Rt-2) Extensions To Carry Multiple Ip Addresses, Balaji Pitta Venkatachalapathy, Neeraj Malhotra, Ali Sajassi, Chuanfa Wang

Defensive Publications Series

Techniques are proposed herein to provide Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) Ethernet Virtual Private Network (EVPN) route type 2 (RT-2) extensions and related procedures to advertise a single RT-2 per host that can carry the host's Media Access Control (MAC) address together with all Internet Protocol (IP) version 4 (IPv4) and IP version 6 (IPv6) address bindings for that MAC address.

Covid-19 Vaccine Acceptance And Hesitancy Among People Living With Hiv In Kenya: Lessons Learned, Sheila Shaibu, Constance Shumba, Peterson Kiraithe, Maureen Akolo, Eunice Wambui Ndirangu-Mugo

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

The roll out of the Covid 19 vaccine encountered vaccine hesitancy globally (Rahbeni et al., 2024). In East Africa approximately four out of ten people expressed hesitancy towards vaccination (Alie, Abebe, Negesse, Adugna, & Girma, 2024). By the end of 2023, only 21% of Kenyans had received the complete Covid primary series and only 4% had received at least one Covid dose booster vaccine (WHO, 2023). Although Covid 19 is no longer a threat, some variants may emerge (UN, 2023). People living with HIV (PLHV) are more vulnerable to COVID 19 infection and experienced worse clinical outcomes than others. Therefore, …

The Universal Humanuniverse Living Experience Of Feeling Lonely: A Parsesciencing Inquiry, Maria Elizabeth Wheelock

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Feeling lonely is a universal humanuniverse living experience. Universal humanuniverse living experiences are phenomena that occur throughout a lifetime and experienced to some degree by everyone. Feeling lonely within the context of the humanbecoming paradigm is a phenomenon concerned with living quality since individuals structure personal meaning in choosing to feel lonely or not from moment to moment. Feeling lonely has not been substantially investigated within nursing.

The purposes of this inquiry were to (a) discover the discerning extant moment of feeling lonely, (b) enhance understanding of the universal humanuniverse living experience of feeling lonely, (c) add to the body …

Empowering Black/African American And Latina/Hispanic American Women Through Lupus Awareness, Chizoba Anako, Celicia Little, Tomilola Afere, Marvel Onwumere

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: Approximately 1.5 million Americans and at least 5 million people worldwide are affected by some form of lupus (Lupus Foundation of America, 2023), and recently approved lupus therapies remain inaccessible to many patients due to the lack of coverage by healthcare systems, disproportionately affecting individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds (Mosca et al., 2024).

Purpose: Guided by the Lupus Foundation of America’s (LFA) campaign theme, "Be Fierce. Take Control.", the initiative emphasizes health empowerment and self-advocacy.

Methods: This study used a simple random sample of 36 undergraduate students at Bowie State University. Informed consent was obtained before participation. After Institutional …

Measuring Hospital Case Management Practice Environment: Adaption And Validation Of The Pes-Nwi, Kristen A. Berryman, Rula Btoush, Olga F. Jarrin

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

The Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index (PES-NWI) has been used to measure the work environment across diverse nursing populations for over two decades (Lake, 2002; Lake et al., 2023). Case management, a specialty nursing practice centered around care coordination, aims to meet the clinical and financial goals of medically and socially complex individuals across the care continuum (Luther et al., 2019). Hospital case management practice is complex, and case managers often face work barriers, including unclear scope of practice and insufficient training upon entering the specialty (Anderson & Hewner, 2021; McLaughlin Davis & Morley, 2022). There is …

Validation Of The Affiliate Stigma Scale For Asian Indian American Dementia Family Caregivers, Anju Wadhawan, Rula Btoush, Peijia Zha, Olga F. Jarrin

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background/Purpose: The Affiliate Stigma Scale is a commonly used instrument for measuring stigma experienced by caregivers of persons with intellectual disabilities and mental illness (Mak & Cheung, 2008). It is particularly relevant within the Asian Indian community, where dementia may sometimes be considered a punishment for past life sins of the patient or their loved ones (Chenug et al., 2019; Hossain & Khan 2019; Hussain et al., 2024; Krishnamurthi et al., 2022). Building on prior work to culturally adapt the affiliate stigma scale for Asian Indian American dementia family caregivers, this study aims to assess the reliability and validity of …

A Comprehensive Scoping Review On Problematic Media Use & Psychopathology In Children & Adolescents, Katelin Crane, Helene Moriarty, Guy Weissinger, Sarah Domoff, Paul Bernhardt, Sydney Harris, Sarah Hughes, Jennifer Yost

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: While existing research on psychopathology and problematic media use (PMU) in children and adolescents continues to grow and presents a complex, multifaceted issue, the direction of this relationship remains unclear. This scoping review aims to map the directionality of the relationship between PMU and psychopathology (encompassing both symptoms and diagnoses) in children and adolescents.

Methods: This scoping review examines longitudinal studies that addressed the relationship between psychopathology and PMU in children and adolescents (ages 6 to 18 years old). Searches of databases, reference lists of included studies, and relevant conference abstracts were performed to identify studies meeting the inclusion …

The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Care Experiences Of 2slgbtqia+ Parents, Ashley Bell, Roberta L. Woodgate

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Purpose: The prevailing cis-heteronormative environment of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) can negatively impact the well-being of 2SLGBTQIA+ parents.¹ The purpose of this study is to explore the lived NICU care experiences of 2SLGBTQIA+ parents in Canada, the meanings parents assign to these experiences, and their recommendations for NICU care.

Methods: Guided by van Manen’s hermeneutic phenomenology, this study utilizes semi-structured interviews with journey maps. Purposeful sampling is being used to select English-speaking participants who identify as a 2SLGBTQIA+ parent and who had an infant in a Canadian NICU within the past 5 years. Recruitment is being done …

Using Gamified Teaching Platforms In The Medical Education Of Medical Officers And Soldiers, Ming-Huei Wang, Gui-Yun Wang, Hsiao-Yun Wu, Hung-Hsun Hsu

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: Health service nursing officers and soldiers are responsible for maintaining the health of both military personnel and civilians. Their training mainly focuses on classroom lectures and technical operations. With an increase in volunteers specializing in medicine and nursing, the demand for enhanced medical education has grown. Adjusting the environment and teaching models to boost learners' intrinsic and extrinsic motivation—while balancing academics and practice and incorporating military medical experts' experience—is crucial. We aim to introduce innovative teaching into traditional models to study its correlation with learning effectiveness among military medical personnel.

Methods: We replaced traditional homework assignments with a gamified …

Book Reviews, Will Bowlin, Charles W. Eagles, Jeffery B. Howell, Amanda Lyons Lanata, Ryan Reynolds, Christopher T. Slocombe, Whitney Snow

Journal of Mississippi History

No abstract provided.

Building Grassroots Politics-The Roots And Rise Of The Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, 1961-1964, Justin Martin

Journal of Mississippi History

No abstract provided.

Shuttle Diplomacy As A Mechanism For Conflict Resolution: A Comprehensive Study, Dare Isaac Akindoyin

The Journal of International Relations, Peace Studies, and Development

Shuttle diplomacy is a distinctive form of international negotiation in which an intermediary, often a third-party mediator, travels between conflicting parties to facilitate communication and help resolve disputes. This study aims to comprehensively explore shuttle diplomacy as an effective mechanism for conflict resolution in global diplomacy. It examines the historical evolution of shuttle diplomacy, starting from its early use by figures like Henry Kissinger during the 1970s Middle East peace process, to its application in contemporary international conflicts. The paper analyses key case studies, including its use in the Iran nuclear negotiations, Sudan-South Sudan conflict and the Brexit. Through a …

Constitutional Dictatorship And Enemies Within: A Constitutional And Historical Analysis Of The Alien And Sedition Acts From John Adams To Donald Trump, Robert T.F. Downes

The Journal of International Relations, Peace Studies, and Development

This article traces the historical evolution of U.S. presidential emergency powers, examining how successive administrations have exploited national crises to consolidate executive authority and target perceived “enemies within” by criminalizing immigration, suppressing dissent, and suspending constitutional rights and liberties — including due process — in the name of national security. It begins by defining key concepts — constitutional dictatorship, states of exception, imperial presidency, and unitary executive theory — and situates these concepts within long-standing critiques of the U.S. Constitution’s flawed, anti-democratic design. The analysis surveys historical episodes, including John Adams’s 1798 Alien and Sedition Acts, Abraham …

The Effect Of Surface Treatment On The Fatigue Strength Of Sus316l Additive Manufactured Products, Hitoshi Nishijima, Yuji Kobayashi, Toshiya Tsuji, Kiyotaka Masaki

15th International Conference on Shot Peening

Rotating bending fatigue tests were conducted to investigate the effect of shot peening and barrel finishing on fatigue properties of SUS316L made by laser PBF which was one of additive manufacturing processes. Surface roughness, residual stress, and fatigue strength were investigated for each specimen. As a result, the fatigue strength of the barrel finished specimens was almost same or better than that of the shot peened specimens. Barrel finished specimens increased 4.1 times higher fatigue strength than as-built specimens. The surface roughness of the specimens after barrel finishing was reduced by up to 96% compared to the as-built specimens. On …

Enhancing The Fatigue Strength Of Am Materials Via Mechanical Surface Treatment, Fabian Keil, Jan Schubnell, Sascha Fliegener, Alexander Heiss

15th International Conference on Shot Peening

Additive manufacturing (AM) processes, while enabling the production of intricate geometries, frequently result in suboptimal surface quality, which can significantly restrict the fatigue strength of components when compared to those manufactured using traditional methods. This study explores the effectiveness of mechanical surface treatment (MST) techniques, specifically shot peening and deep rolling, in enhancing the fatigue performance of additively manufactured AlSi10Mg and 316L alloys. A combination of experimental investigations and finite element simulations was employed to evaluate the influence of these treatments on surface integrity, microstructure, and fatigue life. The results reveal that both MST approaches lead to substantial improvements in …

Dynamic Flowsheet Modeling Of Shot Peening Processes, Langdon Feltner, Paul Mort

15th International Conference on Shot Peening

Process flowsheet modeling is used to map and predict performance by integrating sub-models within a system. This paper presents a dynamic flowsheet for shot peening used to track the effects of media characteristics, removal of worn media, and replenishment thereof. Input parameters include media characteristics, media feed rate, velocity (i.e., air pressure), effective impact area (i.e., nozzle setup), and recharge replenishment. The media working mix is described dynamically using tri-modal size and shape characteristics: as-manufactured, conditioned, and worn modes, each having impact-dependent rate coefficients for transition to the next mode, i.e., as-manufactured > conditioned > worn > debris. The flowsheet includes the effect …