Digital Commons Network^™

Sustainability Leadership In Schools: A Success Case Method, Sohail M. Sukhera, Christopher R. Gordon, William L. Sterrett

Journal of Organizational & Educational Leadership

Environmental unpredictability has become a crisis for the 21st century. In response, organizations from the local to international level are addressing the issues by creating, supporting, and promoting initiatives. Schools and school leaders play an important role in this work. An example of a multi-scaled initiative is the U.S. Department of Education’s Green Ribbon Schools (ED-GRS) which recognizes local academic institutions, upon state recommendation, that have implemented three pillars of sustainability: (a) reduce environmental impacts and costs; (b) improve the health and wellness of schools, students, and staff; and (c) provide effective environmental and sustainability education. This evaluation analyzed ED-GRS …

Healing Relationships In The Kitchen: A Food Memoir, Sara Medeiros

Master’s Theses and Projects

No abstract provided.

Podcasts In Mental, Physical, Or Combined Health Interventions For Adults: Scoping Review, Elizabeth M. Dascombe, Philip J. Morgan, Ryan J. Drew, Casey P. Regan, Gabrielle Turner-Mcgrievy, Myles D. Young

Faculty Publications

Background:

The increasing prevalence of poor mental and physical health in adults is a global health concern. Given the scope of this problem, scalable and effective treatment interventions are needed. While podcasts (online digital audio files) are becoming more popular, the extent of podcast use in mental, physical, or combined health interventions has not been reviewed.

Objective:

This scoping review primarily aims to summarize the available evidence regarding the use of podcasts in health promotion interventions. A series of 5 research questions was designed to systematically review and accurately represent podcast use in current research interventions.

Methods:

We conducted a …

Lindenwood Digest, May 7, 2025, Lindenwood University

Lindenwood Digest

The Lindenwood Digest has been a digital employee newsletter since 2009.

Spartan Daily, May 7, 2025, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2025

Volume 164, Issue 42

Spring 2025 Student Scholar Symposium Abstract Volume, Chapman University Center For Undergraduate Excellence

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

No abstract provided.

Characterising Acute And Chronic Care Needs: Insights From The Global Burden Of Disease Study 2019, A. A. Asadi-Pooya

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

Chronic care manages long-term, progressive conditions, while acute care addresses short-term conditions. Chronic conditions increasingly strain health systems, which are often unprepared for these demands. This study examines the burden of conditions requiring acute versus chronic care, including sequelae. Conditions and sequelae from the Global Burden of Diseases Study 2019 were classified into acute or chronic care categories. Data were analysed by age, sex, and socio-demographic index, presenting total numbers and contributions to burden metrics such as Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs), Years Lived with Disability (YLD), and Years of Life Lost (YLL). Approximately 68% of DALYs were attributed to chronic …

A Honduran Prevalence Study On Soil-Transmitted Helminths Highlights Serological Antibodies To Tm-Wap49 As A Diagnostic Marker For Exposure To Human Trichuriasis, Neima Briggs, Leroy Versteeg, Rojelio Mejia, Jeroen Pollet, Maria Jose Villar, Bin Zhan, Graeme Segal, Stephanie Novak, Patricia Lenihan, Paul Musgrave, Viviana Ellis, Carol Florencia Coello, K Jagannadha Sastry, Joe Craft, Peter J Hotez, Maria Elena Bottazzi

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections rank among the most prevalent communicable diseases of humans, yet detection of these parasites is mostly restricted to identifying active infection through fecal examinations. Currently, there are no commercial diagnostic tools to identify a prior whipworm or hookworm exposure, and the few serological assays for roundworm infection have not been well validated for crossreactivity or infections in humans. Such diagnostic restrictions limit the range of scientific and clinical questions that surround STH exposures and their implicated relationship to chronic diseases, such as autoimmunity, allergy, and cancer. The goal of this investigation was to evaluate the diagnostic …

Foreign Investment And Repression In Lesotho, Amir Azarvan

Journal of African Policy Studies

According to neoliberal theory, foreign direct investment enhances socioeconomic conditions in host countries, which in turn leads to democratization and greater protection of human rights. The structuralist theory, in contrast, holds that, in interaction with domestic unrest, foreign investment fosters repression. Lesotho serves as a fitting laboratory in which to test these competing theories. In 1995, the country had experienced a huge surge in foreign direct investment. In the period leading up to and during this increase, Lesotho was among the most impoverished countries in the world, and had a relatively poor human rights record. This confluence of factors makes …

Regional Variations In Maternal Mortality, Infant Mortality, And Infants With Low Birth Weight: Implications For Sub Sahara Africa And Gender-Sensitive Policies, Guang-Zhen Wang

Journal of African Policy Studies

The paper examines regional variations in maternal mortality, infant mortality, and percentage infants with low birth weight in relation to economic development, gender equality, and women's rights by using data obtained from 137 developing countries (or areas). The 137 developing countries are divided into six regions: sub-Saharan Africa (N=45), Arab states (N=20), East Asia/Pacific (N=28), South Asia (N=9), Latin America/Caribbean (N=33), and Southern Europe (N=2). To examine regional variations, this paper is divided into four parts. The first part discusses regional variations in maternal mortality, infant mortality, and infants with low birth weight across and within regions. Part two focuses …

Social Determinants Of Health In Patients With Diabetes Mellitus Ii, Iman N. Ashraf, Donald Penney

Research Day

Introduction: More than 37 million people in the United States have diabetes, the majority 90-95% with type 2 diabetes. The social determinants of health (SDH) are the non-medical factors that influence health outcomes. They are the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live, and age, and the wider set of forces and systems shaping the conditions of daily life. These forces and systems include economic policies and systems, development agendas, social norms, social policies and political systems. The SDH have an important influence on health inequities - the unfair and avoidable differences in health status seen within and …

A Prehabilitation Protocol For The Asymptomatic, Newly Diagnosed, Stage Iv Colon Cancer Patient., Scott Salters, Kaitlyn Wright, Sumana Moole

Research Day

Introduction

Prehabilitation is defined as the process of optimizing a patient’s health prior to a medical or surgical intervention. Although this is an emerging concept and is not yet standard of care, literature has shown prehabilitation to be a potentially useful tool in medicine. In the field of gastroenterology, it has been primarily used for patients undergoing surgery to remove cancers. We want to utilize prehabilitation and apply it towards patients that are awaiting oncological treatment for asymptomatic, advanced gastrointestinal malignancies. This case report highlights the need for a specific prehabilitation protocol in these scenarios and discusses evidence-based recommendations based …

Perforated Duodenal Ulcer In A Patient With Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 1: A Case Report, Ahad Y. Khatri, Andrew A. Kramer

Research Day

Introduction: Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 1 (MEN1) is a hereditary syndrome characterized by tumors of the parathyroid, pancreas, and pituitary gland. Among its gastrointestinal manifestations, gastrinomas are particularly concerning due to their association with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (ZES), which leads to excessive gastric acid secretion and peptic ulcer disease (PUD). These symptom overlaps can lead to misdiagnosis of MEN1 as peptic ulcer disease and gastroenteritis. Additionally, while ulcers are a well-recognized consequence of gastrinomas and MEN1, perforation remains a rare but life-threatening complication.

Case Presentation: A 36-year-old female initially presented with diffuse abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. She had a …

The Influence Of Christianity And Islam On Educational Attainment In Africa: Using Literacy Rates As An Indicator, Natalia A. Castaner

Journal of African Policy Studies

This is a quantitative research study using current data from the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) World Factbook and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Member States through its Institute for Statistics (UIS) annual data collection for the 57 countries in Africa. This study shows that a religious factor, i.e., Christianity and Islam, has a significant effect on the levels of educational attainment within each specific country in Africa. This study illustrates the need to consider the impact religion has on educational attainment in Africa.

Micro Finance In Eritrea: A Catalyst For Women Development, Ravinder Rena

Journal of African Policy Studies

The microfinance refers to small-scale financial services (primarily credit and savings) provided to people who engage in the farming, fishing and operate micro-enterprises to gain subsistence income from these activities and subsequently support the rural economy. Microfinance is a highly accepted and recognized development tool. It has been playing a vital role in many developing countries of the world. The women are considered to be a pillar of the society and economy. For example, 45 per cent of the measurable Gross Domestic Income comes from the work of women in the world's richest countries. Eritrea, a poor but young nation …

Fostering Constructive Public And Private Sector Linkages For Agricultural Research And Development In Sub Saharan Africa, Kefasi Nyikahadzoi, Adewale Adekunle

Journal of African Policy Studies

Investing in agricultural research and development is critical for improving livelihoods of the resource poor in Sub Saharan Africans and also for the conservation of natural resource. While on the global level, the contribution of public sector to agriculture research and development investment is declining; the private sector is coming in to fill the gap. In Sub Saharan Africa, private sector involvement in agriculture research and development is still very limited. This paper uses secondary data and information coming out of the Sub Saharan Africa Challenge Programme to discuss the constraints that inhibit private sector involvement in agriculture research and …

Population Increase, Environment, Food Access And Development In Africa: The Role Of The African Union, Amado J. Kaba

Journal of African Policy Studies

This paper examines the impact of the massive population increase in Africa in the post World War II era and the environmental challenges the continent confronts in trying to feed such a high number of people. The paper is divided into three sections. The first section examines the demographics of Africa, which show that the continent has increased its total population by 750 million people from 1950 to 2008. The second section of this paper then presents arguments by scholars pertaining to the environmental challenges, especially for agriculture, facing Africa as it finds ways to feed this massive number of …

2025 Conference Program, Georgia Southern University

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

No abstract provided.

Governing Climate Mobility: A Case Study Of Urban Education Policies In Mexico City, Mattie Carroll

Working Papers

Mexico’s migration landscape is shaped by internal displacement, return migration, and transit migration, increasingly influenced by the social and environmental pressures of climate change. Mexico City, as both the capital and most populous urban center, plays a central role in receiving and shaping the experiences of mobile and displaced populations.This paper uses climate mobility as an entry point to examine the intersection of migration, education policy, and integration in Mexico City.
Drawing on the mobilities paradigm, the study challenges fixed categories of migration and settlement, emphasizing how movement is embedded in everyday life and reshapes both people and places. Rather …

Sculpting Healing Spaces: Bridging The Gaps In Cancer Care Facilities, Mayra B. Mendez

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Healthcare environments become a vital component in patient outcomes, particularly in Cancer Care Facilities, where the emotional and physical requirements of treatment are profound. Exploring how the reconsideration of cancer care facilities can reshape the patient’s experience and improve the healing outcomes. Traditional clinical spaces, often sterile and impersonal, can increase patient stress, anxiety, and discomfort. Cancer care facilities in the Atlanta region are struggling to meet the demands of modern cancer treatment due to architectural limitations such as overcrowded spaces, inefficient layouts, and a lack of patient-centered environments. How can the integration and experience of Biophilic Design Principles bridge …

Rectifying Historical Wrongs: The Case For The Indigenous’ Inherent Right To Self–Govern Child Welfare In Canada, Ariana Kravetz

University of Miami Inter-American Law Review

No abstract provided.

Grafted Symbiosis: Strategically Revitalizing The Abandoned Atlanta Medical Arts Building Via Jeanne Gang’S Theory Of Grafting, Matthew Reddick

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

The Atlanta Medical Arts building, vacant for decades, stands at risk of demolition amid large-scale redevelopment efforts. Without an existing program to sustain it, how can we activate the site in a way that ensures both its immediate utility and long-term viability? This thesis explores a strategy for adaptive reuse, drawing from both parasitic architectural methodologies and Jeanne Gang’s concept of architectural grafting—while also critiquing the shortcomings of each approach. Rather than opting for a seamless integration, the design embraces disjunctive architecture by introducing a contemporary addition that is intentionally distinct from the historic Beaux-Arts shell, yet strategically …

Jtc 25: Hands-On Experience Fuels Hospitality Dream, Staff Report

University of Mississippi News

This story is part of the 2025 Journey to Commencement series, which celebrates the pinnacle of the academic year by highlighting University of Mississippi students and their outstanding academic and personal journeys from college student to college graduate.

Cardiovascular Health In The Transition From Adolescence To Emerging Adulthood: A Scientific Statement From The American Heart Association, Jewel Scott Phd, Rn, Fnp-C, Anandita Agarwala, Carissa M. Baker-Smith, Matthew J. Feinstein, Karen Jakubowski, Jill Kaar, Niyati Parekh, Kershaw V. Patel, Janna Stephens

Faculty Publications

Cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of death in the United States, with an alarming rise in the proportion of young adults experiencing cardiovascular events. Many adolescents enter adulthood with significant cardiovascular disease risk factors. This scientific statement addresses the critical need for cardiovascular health promotion during emerging adulthood, a transitional stage between the ages of 18 and 25 or 29 years of age. We discuss the significance of social determinants of health and the interplay between individual-level risk factors and developmental changes, including shifts in substance use, social connections, and emotional well-being. We conclude by outlining strategies for optimizing …

Filling The Gap: Facial Anatomy And Safe Lower Lip Injection Practices, Makayla M. Swancutt, Aaron J. Allard, Alex Ho, Sara Sloan

Student Publications

Background/Objectives: Anatomical knowledge of the arterial supply to the lower face is critical to prevent unnecessary harm to patients seeking cosmetic procedures, particularly lower lip dermal filler injections. Our study sought to characterize the prominent vascular structures of the lower lip: inferior labial (ILA), labiomental (LMA) and mental (MA) arteries.

Methods: Forty-eight hemiface specimens from 30 formalin-embalmed donors were utilized in this study. Dissection was performed of the LMA, ILA, and MA to determine their diameter, branching pattern for characterization, and to assess their supply to the lip distally.

Results: The ILA (mean diameter, 1.5 ± 0.49 mm) was found …

Christian Church Leaders’ Perceptions Of Improving Their Congregations’ Self-Efficacy, Well-Being, And Membership, Joseph M. Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Declining church membership has reduced congregational engagement, and challenges in fostering self-efficacy and well-being have created significant concerns for Christian church leaders in the United States. Understanding how church leaders perceive and address these challenges is crucial for sustaining faith-based organizations and their impact on communities. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the Christian church leaders’ perceptions of improving their congregation’s self-efficacy, well-being, and membership in Westchester, New York. Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy and Seligman’s theory of well-being grounded this study. The participants comprised 10 Christian church leaders. Data were collected using semistructured interviews. Through Braun …

Impact Of Ohio Senate Bill 265 On Infant Mortality Rate In Ohio, Lauren Crawford

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a problem with the infant mortality rate among Black women living in Ohio. Despite programs such as the Ohio Infant Mortality Reduction Initiative and Celebrate One, the infant mortality rate among Black women continues to persist, and a rate disparity between White women and Black women remains. The purpose of this generic qualitative inquiry was to explore retail pharmacists’ behavioral beliefs and attitudes toward providing prenatal care as a reimbursed service in Ohio. Currently, no studies exist that explore retail pharmacists' behavioral beliefs and attitudes toward expanding their services to include prenatal care. Using Ajzen’s theory of planned …

Functional Diversification Of Rice Ago1 Proteins, Rachel Elie Jouni

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Global demand for food is outpacing gains from conventional plant breeding. Scientists have turned to molecular crop breeding techniques to increase crop output and mitigate global hunger; however, a common setback in this process is the pleiotropic effects of target genes. We need to develop strategies to specifically modulate desired traits without incurring undesired penalties. Natural evolution frequently balances such tradeoffs through extensive regulation, which we can leverage to produce more specific results. Reproductive development is an important target of breeding efforts due to its direct effect on yield. Rice, a major staple food crop for half the world’s population, …

Evaluating A Proprietary Tannin-Blend Product As An Alternative To Monensin And Tylosin Phosphate In Feedlot Cattle Diets, Luana D. Felizari, Luke K. Fuerniss, Jonathon L. Beckett, David S. Secrist, Guy D. Hufstedler, Bradley J. Johnson

Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

This study evaluates the effects of a proprietary tannin blend (BX), supplemented with or without sodium monensin (MON), on beef cattle performance, carcass traits, and health. Steers (n = 2986; initial shrunk body weight (SBW) 254 ± 9.2 kg) were allocated into 48 pens (61–62 steers/pen; 12 pens/treatment) fed for 230 d. Treatments included (1) no feed additives (CTL); (2) BX (7.95 g/animal daily); (3) MON + Tylosin phosphate (TYL; 437.52 mg MON/animal daily + 80 mg TYL/animal daily); or (4) MON+BX (437.52 mg MON/animal daily + 7.95 g BX/animal daily). Data were analyzed in R 4.2.1 using a …

The Critical Balance Between Quiescence And Reactivation Of Neural Stem Cells, Adam Elkin, Sarah Robbins, Claudia Barros, Torsten Bossing

Peninsula Medical School

Neural stem cells (NSC) are multipotent, self-renewing cells that give rise to all neural cell types within the central nervous system. During adulthood, most NSCs exist in a quiescent state which can be reactivated in response to metabolic and signalling changes, allowing for long-term continuous neurogenesis and response to injury. Ensuring a critical balance between quiescence and reactivation is required to maintain the limited NSC reservoir and neural replenishment throughout lifetime. The precise mechanisms and signalling pathways behind this balance are at the focus of current research. In this review, we highlight and discuss recent studies using Drosophila, mammalian and …