Digital Commons Network^™

Perspectives Of Occupational Therapy-Led Caregiver Education On The Quality Of Life Of Caregivers Of Stroke Survivors, Yu Hsiang Liang-Paultre, Stefani Costanzo, Alaunte Major, Krisyadlee Mercado Lugo, Olivia Schrader

Occupational Therapy Annual Research Colloquium

Purpose

Occupational therapy plays a vital role in equipping caregivers with the knowledge and skills needed to support individuals recovering from a cerebrovascular accident. Caregiver training provided by occupational therapy practitioners helps families manage post-stroke care and reduce the risk of secondary complications. This study explored caregivers’ perspectives on occupational therapy-led education, focusing on the type, quality, and perceived effectiveness of training before discharge.

Methods

Originally designed as a mixed-methods study, the research was modified to a qualitative design after hurricanes affected recruitment. Using a phenomenological approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with caregivers of individuals who had a cerebrovascular accident …

Stress Management And Working Mothers, Mariana D'Amico, Ashley Ndip

Occupational Therapy Annual Research Colloquium

Abstract

Purpose: Explore evidence-based interventions to manage stress for working mothers.

Method: A scoping review was undertaken to explore and synthesize the evidence supporting occupational therapy interventions for working mothers. Select keywords were used individually and combined in EBSCOhost, ProQuest, Scopus, CINHAL, Cochrane Library Systematic Reviews, PsycINFO, PubMed, PEDro.

Results: After reviewing the 14 identified articles, eight were removed for not meeting criteria, leaving six for synthesis. Four articles were at Level IV evidence, and two articles were qualitative. Social support extended family and mindfulness training were found to be helpful as reported by working mothers.

Conclusion: There …

Tax Trends, Harry Z. Garian

Tax Adviser

No abstract provided.

Tax Trends, Harry Z. Garian

Tax Adviser

No abstract provided.

Northern Illinois University’S Child Development And Family Center “Diversity Bookshelf” Audit, Marinelle Ortega

Honors Capstones

A classroom bookshelf diversity audit allows students to find “mirrors, windows, and glass sliding doors” in the books they choose to read. This metaphor means students will find their identities reflected in books (mirrors), learn about other’s identities (windows), and finally, be put into other perspectives (glass sliding doors). In this diversity audit, a selection of 100 books at the Child Development and Family Center at Northern Illinois University were read and analyzed. Findings showed diverse representation for race, ethnicity, and family type. However, showed a need for books containing content with religion, disability, and linguistic diversity, as most books …

Southern Adventist University Commencement Winter 2025, Southern Adventist University

Commencement Programs

Program for Southern Adventist University Winter 2025 graduation. The commencement service took place on December 18, 2025 at 7 pm in Iles Physical Education Center.

Transforming Shrm; Applying The Kotter Method To Niu Shrm, Hunter J. Egelhoff

Honors Capstones

This capstone project examines how Northern Illinois University’s Society for Human Resource Management transformed its organizational structure and programming to better prepare students for today’s competitive job market. With workforce demands shifting toward practical experience, employer expectations have exceeded what traditional classroom education alone provides, creating a growing gap between student readiness and career requirements. To address this disconnect, NIU SHRM applied Kotter’s Eight-Step Change Model to restructure leadership roles, integrate experience-based learning, and enhance student engagement through workshops, partnerships, and leadership development opportunities. This change initiative resulted in increased visibility, participation, and measurable short-term successes that now serve as …

Epidemiology, Presentation, And Diagnosis Of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus In Children And Adolescents, Bisher Alsabbagh, Whard Alsabbagh

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in children and adolescents has increased substantially over recent decades, paralleling rising rates of pediatric obesity and metabolic risk. Youth-onset T2DM is characterized by significant insulin resistance accompanied by an inadequate compensatory insulin response, resulting in progressive hyperglycemia and early beta-cell dysfunction. Incidence varies widely among racial and ethnic groups, with the highest rates observed in non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, Native American, Asian American, and Pacific Islander youth. Risk factors include obesity, family history, high-risk ethnicity, pubertal insulin resistance, prenatal metabolic exposures, and comorbid conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome. Clinical presentation ranges …

The Importance Of A Pressure Injury Prevention Program In Acute Hospital Settings, Sarah Orial

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: The identified practice problem for this project was the lack of a standardized pressure injury prevention program in a 350-bed acute care hospital. The lack of a standard program could be leading to increased hospital-acquired pressure injuries. PICOT: In adult inpatients in a medical/surgical unit (P), does the implementation of a standard unit-based pressure injury prevention program (I) compared to the current practice (C) increase the percentage of nursing skin risk assessment documentation (O) over a 10-week period (T)?

Evidence: The literature supports the development of standard pressure injury prevention programs and continuing education to …

Buffer Vs. Swabs: Efficacy Of Carrier Nucleic Acids In Robotic Extractions, Shawn Cecil

Honors Projects

This study compared the efficiency of two carrier nucleic acid methods, specifically using salmon sperm DNA (spDNA), in robotic solid-phase extractions of cotton swab samples. Robotic extractions reduce processing time and workload but result in substantially lower DNA recovery than manual organic extraction. This research tested 10 µg of spDNA being added to the lysis buffer or pre-treating the swabs with it before DNA was added. Both methods showed a significant increase in recovery compared to extractions with no carrier. In the buffer extractions, recovery ranged from 69.4% to 117.5% and the swabs being pre-treated ranged from 84.2% to 125.8% …

Smart Pireps: Leveraging Technology To Simplify Pilot Weather Reporting In General Aviation, Emma Hellwege

Honors Projects

This honors project examines how emerging aviation technologies can support or automate components of Pilot Weather Reports (PIREPs) to improve reporting accuracy, reduce pilot workload, and increase participation within the general aviation (GA) community. PIREPs provide essential real-time weather observations—such as turbulence, icing, and visibility—that supplement automated systems and enhance situational awareness for pilots, air traffic control, and meteorologists. However, reports are vastly underutilized due to workload constraints, inconsistent training, voice-only submission methods, and technological disparities across the GA fleet.

Through a structured analysis of federal aviation documentation, sensor capabilities, human factors research, and recent advancements in automation, this study …

Arabic Around Us: Exploring Everyday Life Group Project, Bret Windhauser

Open Educational Resources

Students will work in small groups to create a comprehensive and engaging project that explores a particular aspect of everyday life in an Arabic-speaking country. This could include food, traditions, daily routines, or an introduction to the language itself. By the end of the assignment, students will demonstrate their understanding of Arabic vocabulary, grammar, and culture through a creative project.

Understanding Enso Through Mathematical Models, Maria I. Sanchez Muniz

Open Educational Resources

This assignment introduces students to conceptual models of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and guides them through a structured investigation of their physical and mathematical foundations. Students analyze the recharge–oscillator and delayed–oscillator frameworks, explore how differential equations capture ocean–atmosphere interactions, and evaluate parameter-driven changes in oscillatory behavior. A key component of the work is the guided use of generative AI as a research tool: students employ AI models to locate peer-reviewed literature, interrogate model extensions, and refine their understanding of complex mechanisms, while synthesizing all final explanations in their own words. By blending classical climate modeling with modern AI-supported inquiry, …

Investigating Factors That Affect Total Ige Antibody Levels Of A Canine Population In Louisville, Ky, Iris N. Gillespie

Undergraduate Theses

Canine atopic dermatitis (CAD) is a genetically predisposed condition that causes inflammatory and pruritic (itchy) skin reactions in response to environmental and food allergens. The main purpose of this study is to determine if there is a correlation between pollen counts and total canine IgE antibody levels of dogs living in Louisville, KY. Additionally, data is analyzed to look for trends documented in previous studies related to the impacts of sex, age, and allergic symptoms on total IgE count. In collaboration with the Downtown Animal Hospital, blood samples were drawn from 16 dogs at one point in February (when pollen …

The Heart Of Leadership: What Is The Importance Of Emotional Intelligence In Leadership?, Catherine E. Lee

M.S. in Leadership

Emotional intelligence is a concept that has been gaining traction in recent decades, and organizations have been trying to assess its place within leadership and training. Previous research on this topic has shown the growing importance of emotional intelligence in the workplace, with particular attention to employee retention and satisfaction. By using a mixed methods approach to understand the importance of emotional intelligence (EI), this paper explores the specific components of EI employees look for in an organization and a leader. Using a survey of almost one hundred respondents and six in-depth interviews, EI was determined to have a significant …

Systematics And Systems Theory: Reconstructability Analysis Of The Tetrad, Martin Zwick

Complex Systems Faculty Publications and Presentations

This talk discusses the relationship between systems theory, specifically Reconstructability Analysis, and Systematics, a systems theory-like framework of number symbolism developed by John G. Bennett, which he presented in his four-volume magnum opus, The Dramatic Universe. The talk, given to a community of people interested in Bennett's ideas, focuses on Martin Zwick's paper "Ideas and Graphs: the Tetrad of Activity" archived at https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/36249.

Iphone-Based Image Refocusing, Katie Jeong, Daniel Niu

Electrical and Systems Engineering Capstone Design Projects

In this project, we show that we can change the focus of a picture after we take it by using real optical physics instead of fake software blur. Modern phones try to create “portrait mode” effects, but those results are often not physically correct. Our approach uses multiple photos taken from slightly different positions to figure out the directions that light rays came from in the scene.

To collect the photos, we move an iPhone sideways on a slider in small, precise steps. Since we know exactly how far the phone moved for each picture, we can track how objects …

Health-Related Quality Of Life In The Era Of Immune Checkpoint Blockade: What Do Patient-Reported Outcomes Reveal?, Alexandra M Dunker, Neha Malik, Kathryn J Krause, Emily Z Keung, Jason B Liu, Elise F Nassif Haddad, Neeta Somaiah, Heather G Lyu, Christina L Roland

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized cancer treatment by providing durable survival gains, but understanding their effects on patient health-related quality of life (HRQL) is critical.

Methods: We performed a narrative review of cross-sectional surveys, early-phase trials, and large-scale phase II and III randomized controlled clinical trials assessing FDA-approved ICIs, including programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitors, programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors, and cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4) inhibitors, with emphasis on patient-reported HRQL. Validated HRQL instruments were summarized, and for pivotal trials, the positioning of HRQL outcomes as primary, secondary, or exploratory endpoints was taken …

Bayesian Learning To Reduce Cardiac Risk Of Patients With Locally Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Based On Personalized Radiation Therapy Prescription, Ruitao Lin, Mei Chen, Xiaodong Zhang, Tianlin Xu, Ting Xu, Rachel C Maguire, Kelsey L Corrigan, Efstratios Koutroumpakis, Joe Y Chang, Steven H Lin, Aileen B Chen, Quynh-Nhu Nguyen, Saumil J Gandhi, Matthew S Ning, Julianna Bronk, Stephen Chun, Ali Ajdari, Joshua S Niedzielski, Jinzhong Yang, Xinru Chen, Tinsu Pan, Qing H Meng, Anne S Tsao, Anita Deswal, Radhe Mohan, Zhongxing Liao

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: Radiation-induced heart damage is a significant concern in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that can have debilitating or life-threatening consequences. Current strategies focus on minimizing heart exposure, but individual susceptibility varies. Existing evidence also suggests that a uniform "one-size-fits-all" dosimetric constraint for the heart may not be optimal for all patients.

Methods and materials: We developed a prospective study using Bayesian continuous learning and adaptation to develop a framework for personalized adaptive radiation treatment (PART) to reduce cardiovascular adverse events among patients with locally advanced NSCLC. The trial includes a Bayesian personalized risk prediction model to …

Interview No. 1809, Marcos GarcíA Segundo

Combined Interviews

The interview begins with a brief introduction of who Marcos is and what he studies, which begins with how did start with dancing and for how long. Starting at 13 years and continuing to study for over 34 years. He later explains how folklore dances are mainly split between two forms, one from our distant ancestors who ruled the land first, and the one we inherit from other nations like Europe. Giving examples such as Mayan dances and how country came from Polca. Since some dances are more difficult than others, he explains how many of them are based on …

Anticonvulsant Activity Of Simvastatin On Experimentally Induced Epileptic Seizures In Mice, Uday Abdul-Reda Hussein, Nargis Amer Nayef, Baneen Adel Abdul-Hussein, Tamara Hassan Mawazi, Zahraa Kadhim Hussein, Noor Alhuda Ali Saadon, Zainab Mohammed Abd, Fatima Mohammed Alwan, Huda Bassim Latif, Hassanein Mohammed , Razak, Mohammed Rida Majeed, Mohammed Abdul-Elah Abdul-Hamid

Al-Ameed Journal for Medical Research and Health Sciences

Background: Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures. Simvastatin was recognized as a new candidate that exhibits a variety of neuroprotective effects, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects that have the ability to inhibit neuronal hyperexcitability and seizure susceptibility.

Aim: The purpose of this study is to assess the possible anticonvulsant action of simvastatin in the mouse seizure model.

Material and Methods: The eighteen adult albino mice (25–30 g) were allotted randomly to three groups (n = 6). Thirty minutes before the induction of convulsion, the groups received different intraperitoneal pretreatments: Group 1: Distilled water (0.1 ml), Group …

Economics Of The Olympics: Impact Of Bidding For And Hosting The Olympic Games On International Openness, Adalynn Cherry

Pennsylvania Economic Review

This study investigates how hosting and unsuccessfully bidding to host the Olympic Games impacts total international trade and influences a country’s openness. This relationship is analyzed using the gravity model of trade to perform a regression analysis of total trade levels from 2000 to 2018. The results of this study did not support the idea that hosting the Olympic Games impacts total trade; although, they did show a strong and permanent positive relationship between unsuccessfully bidding to host the Olympic Games and total international trade. These findings highlight the benefits of the Olympic bidding and candidature process as a policy …

Examining The Intersectional And Structural Issues Of Routine Healthcare Utilization And Access Inequities For Lgb People With Chronic Diseases, Shiya Cao, Mehreen Mirza, Sophia Silovsky, Nicole Tresvalles, Lucia Qin, Sarah Susnea

Statistical and Data Sciences: Faculty Publications

In the United States, although the gaps in health insurance coverage by sexual orientation have been closing since the implementation of the Affordable Care Act and legalization of same-sex marriage, the LGB group (i.e., lesbian, gay, bisexual) continues to report healthcare utilization and access inequities such as more delayed or unmet care. The extant research has often examined healthcare utilization and access inequities due to affordability (e.g., out-of-pocket costs). However, healthcare utilization and access inequities are only partially explained by cost reasons; there are non-cost reasons that have not been adequately empirically examined. The present study innovatively includes discrimination structural …

The Safety Kuznets Curve: Context In Occupational Safety, Andy Knickerbocker

ASEM Capstones

2025 ASEM 620 Capstone Project

Foundation Gift Benefits Children's Health Care, Bill Dabney

University of Mississippi News

OXFORD, Miss. – Some patients at Children's of Mississippi being treated for a craniofacial syndrome, cleft lip and palate or another craniofacial abnormality stand to benefit from a recent gift to the University of Mississippi Medical Center.

Operationalizing Flourishing In Bsn Nursing Education: A Cipp- Driven Strategy, Kennedy E. Hochstedler, Elizabeth Morse

DNP Projects

Operationalizing Flourishing in BSN Nursing Education: A CIPP- Driven Strategy

Double Burden Stress In Women And The Role Of Psycho-Religious Worship In Alleviating It, Fahmi Mandala Putra, Zata Ismah, Rizky Indah Syahfitri, Citra Cahyati Nasution, Az-Zahra Atika Putri, Fitria Amirah, Tri Amelia Rahmitha Helmi

Folia Medica Indonesiana

It has been recognized that women are twice as likely to experience depression compared to men. In addition to biological vulnerability, there is also a combined effect of bearing the burden of household responsibilities while contributing financially through employment. One coping strategy that helps women endure these challenges is meditation, which in Islam includes the practice of dhikr (remembrance of God). This study aims to analyze the phenomenon of double burden stress in women and how psychoreligious practices can help reduce stress levels. The study employed a prospective cohort design, tracking the respondents' dhikr habits over a 21-day period. On …

Tennyson & Contemporary Science: Herschel’S Preliminary Discourse, A Book That Got Away, Patrick Scott

Faculty Publications

Discusses the rediscovery, provenance, and authenticity of the copy of John Herschel's Preliminary Discourse on the Study of Natural Philosophy (1831), with an ownership inscription by Tennyson dated 1843, and marginal markings on multiple pages, that was previously only known from a brief catalogue description for a 1924 auction.

Adaptive Image Acquisition Algorithms For Resource-Constrained Single-Photon Cameras, Yeganeh Jalalpour, Wu-Chi Feng

Computer Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Emerging single-photon camera (SPC) technologies have unique challenges in data acquisition and processing. Unlike conventional sensors that produce a single 8- to 16-bit brightness value per pixel, SPCs record photon arrivals with many more samples per pixel, using high floating-point precision for each photon collected. This means that they must handle potentially millions of timestamps, especially at higher spatial resolutions and in the presence of ambient light, creating bottlenecks within the pixel circuitry. To address these challenges associated with SPCs, this paper proposes adaptive algorithms designed to efficiently distribute hardware resources among groups of pixels. By selectively subsampling the data …

Changing Opinions: The Supreme Court After Dobbs, Lora E. Judge

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.