Digital Commons Network^™

Patient-Provider Communication In Ckd Care: Patient Experiences And Nursing Implications, Christin Iroegbu, Sheridan Leak, Sam Bartolone, Celsea Tibbitt

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a complex condition that requires extensive knowledge for adequate patient self-management. Many individuals with CKD lack sufficient understanding of their diagnosis, leading to poorer health outcomes. Effective patient-provider communication is crucial in closing this knowledge gap, particularly given the intricacies of managing CKD, other comorbidities, and complex medication regimens. This communication is essential in primary care settings, where most patients with CKD are managed. Yet, little is known, from the patient’s perspective, about how these critical conversations unfold during the clinical encounter. Understanding patients' experiences communicating with primary care providers about CKD can offer …

Effects Of Chin Tuck Against Resistance Exercise On Patients With Dysphagia After Stroke: Rct, Chia-Chi Kuo, Kuo-Li Chao

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Purpose: Stroke patients often experience dysphagia, which can significantly impact nutritional intake and lead to complications such as aspiration pneumonia, prolonged hospitalization, and increased mortality. In clinical stroke rehabilitation, swallowing training is primarily conducted by physical therapists or speech therapists; however, the effectiveness of this rehabilitation is often limited by constraints related to time, space, and available personnel. The Chin Tuck Against Resistance (CTAR) exercise is safe and easy to learn, allowing patients to perform it independently. The aim of this study is to explore the effects of the CTAR exercise on stroke patients with dysphagia.

Methods: This is a …

Guiding With Love: Building Self-Regulation Through Structure And Warmth, Kylie Collette

Family Perspectives

No abstract provided.

The Value Of Play In Improving Children’S Experiences With Healthcare, Kylie Howes

Family Perspectives

Hospitalization can be a distressing experience for children, often resulting in heightened anxiety and pain due to unfamiliar environments, procedures, and personnel. This literature review examines the effectiveness of Child Life Play Interventions—specifically Developmentally Supportive Play, Psychological Preparation Play, and Distraction Play—in reducing pediatric patients’ healthcare- related anxiety and pain. Developmentally supportive play provides children with familiar, age-appropriate activities that help maintain normalcy and routine, thereby reducing stress during extended hospital stays. Psychological preparation play uses role-playing and hands-on demonstrations to enhance children’s understanding of medical procedures, alleviating anxiety and decreasing perceived pain. Distraction play shifts children’s attention away from …

When Evidence Is Shocking: The Value Of Struggling With Uncomfortable Ideas, Cortney Evans-Stout, Christin L. Porter

Family Perspectives

No abstract provided.

Marital Conflict And Male Depression: The Role Of Emotional Withdrawal And Hostility, Nicolas Enzo Mouhsen

Family Perspectives

This literature review investigates the relationship between marital conflict and male depression, focusing on emotional withdrawal and spousal hostility as key contributing factors. Male depression, often underreported due to differences in symptom expression such as anger and irritability, is explored in the context of marital dynamics. Emotional withdrawal, characterized by avoidance behaviors during conflict, is particularly prevalent among men and linked to rigid gender role perceptions. This behavior correlates with increased depressive symptoms and reduced well-being. Additionally, spousal hostility, including verbal aggression and criticism, exacerbates male depression through both the perception of aggression from a partner and self-awareness of hostile …

Divorced After Age 50: What Gray Divorced Women Can Do To Move Forward, Sheri Duvall

Family Perspectives

No abstract provided.

The Benefits Of Combining Center-Based And Home-Based Care For Preschool Children, Savannah Christensen

Family Perspectives

Abstract: Research shows that the quality of care children receive in early childhood—whether from a parent, relative, or formal child care provider—significantly influences their cognitive, behavioral, and emotional development. This article analyzes several peer-reviewed sources to examine how different caregiving environments impact development and how these effects are moderated by the quality of care and the home environment. It also addresses how socioeconomic status can shape the quality of care children receive and the long-term outcomes associated with each caregiving type. While parents are typically seen as the ideal caregivers, children in nonparental care, such as with relatives or in …

Goal-Oriented Aesthetic Treatment (Goat): A Systematic Framework For Three-Dimensional Facial Aesthetic Assessment — Part 2: Sagittal Dimension, Heng-Ming Chang, Yu-Chun Su, Min-Hsun Hsu, Yu-Ting Lin, Chih-Wei Wang

Taiwanese Journal of Orthodontics

Facial aesthetics is a multidimensional concept that requires an integrative assessment of the sagittal, vertical, and transverse planes to achieve balance and harmony. Following the evaluation of the vertical dimension in Part I, this review focuses on the sagittal plane, which plays a pivotal role in facial profile balance and anteroposterior skeletal relationships. The Goal-Oriented Aesthetic Treatment (GOAT) framework provides a structured methodology for diagnosing and addressing sagittal discrepancies, incorporating clinical reference lines, chin morphology, incisor inclination, and anchorage considerations. A comprehensive assessment of the sagittal dimension involves the use of key diagnostic tools such as the Barcelona Line (BL), …

Goal-Oriented Aesthetic Treatment (Goat): A Systematic Framework For Three-Dimensional Facial Aesthetic Assessment — Part 1: Vertical Dimension, Heng-Ming Chang, Yao Chen, Kwok-Hing Ho, Kai-Long Wang, Chih-Wei Wang

Taiwanese Journal of Orthodontics

Facial aesthetics is a multidimensional concept that requires an integrative assessment of the sagittal, vertical, and transverse planes to achieve balance and harmony. Among these, the vertical dimension plays a crucial role in determining facial proportions, occlusal function, and overall aesthetic perception. This review introduces the Goal-Oriented Aesthetic Treatment (GOAT) framework as a systematic approach to evaluating the vertical aspects of facial aesthetics, providing a structured methodology for clinical assessment and treatment planning. A comprehensive evaluation of the vertical dimension encompasses several key parameters, including facial pattern classification, vertical proportions, lip competency, and overbite analysis. Traditional cephalometric indices, such as …

The Indiana Statesman, September 11, 2025, Indiana State University

Student Newspaper

Terre Haute in rememberance of 9/11; JCPenney Suit-Up Event: Q&A with Darby Scism

The Current - Volume 36 Issue 2, Nova Southeastern University

Student Newspapers

No abstract provided.

Wmu Board Of Trustee Board Meeting, Thursday September 11, 2025, Wmu Board Of Trustees

WMU Board of Trustees Meetings

Acceptance of the Agenda

Approval of the Minutes (June 26, 2025 and August 13, 2025

Remarks by the Chair of the Board

Remarks by the President

Updates by the Faculty Senate President

Updates by the Western Student Association President

Updates by the Graduate Student Association President

Western Michigan University Employee Graduates

Presentation: A History of Teaching and Learning; Zhang Legacy Collections Center

Public Comments Regarding Action Items

Action Items

Professional Instructors Organization (PIO) 2025-2029 Agreement

Remarks following vote by PIO Contract Enforcement Officer

Delegated Board of Trustees Authority to Confer Degrees

Consent Items

• Personnel Report
• Amendment to the Brian Schott …

The Resilience In Black Families Scale: A Validation Study, Destiny Kelly

All ETDs from UAB

The Resilience in Black Families Scale (RBFS) was developed to be a culturally relevant measure designed to assess the family resilience processes utilized within Black families. The purpose of this study was to validate the RBFS, which consists of a three-factor structure modeled after Walsh’s family resilience framework and is further enhanced with culturally relevant protective factors. Using a sample of 200 participants, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to test the theoretical hierarchical factor structure of the Resilience in Black Families model, consisting of 13 first order factors (making meaning of adversity, positive outlook, religiosity and spirituality, ethnic-racial socialization, …

2025.09.11 - Academic/Student Affairs, Enrollment, And Technology Committee Meeting Minutes, Northeastern Illinois University Board Of Trustees

Board of Trustees - 2025

Meeting materials for the NEIU Board Trustees

Spatial-Temporal Variation Of Diarrhea Among Children Under 5 Years Old Between 2010-2020 In Rwanda, Amans Ntakarutimana Dr., Patrick A. Tschida Dr., Elias Nyandwi Dr.

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

We used secondary data from the Rwanda Demographic and Health Surveys of 2010, 2015, and 2020 to assess the spatial-temporal variation of diarrhea among children under 5 years old between the years 2010 and 2020 in Rwanda. Stratified descriptive statistics, pairwise comparisons, and logistic regression designs were used for data analysis in SPSS. A statistically significant variation of diarrhea among children under 5 years old was observed across districts, regions, and urban–rural areas but not at the national level between 2010–2020. Some districts of the Western region, including Nyabihu (OR = 2.5), Ngororero (OR = 2.3), and Karongi …

How Medical Mistrust Serves As A Barrier To Mental Health Treatment In The African American Community, Nicholas Young

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Throughout history, research has depicted the notion that African Americans do not make use of mental health treatment, even when their mental health status may deem it clinically necessary. One of the most prevalent deterrents to African Americans seeking treatment is the mistrust of the medical system. In the African American community, medical mistrust has a longstanding history that stems from the discrimination, racism, lack of representation in the field, and medical mistreatment that African Americans received as test subjects by the medical community over time. Various instances, throughout history, of African Americans being unjustly treated— for the sake of …

Sex Differences In Symptom Presentation Among Children And Adolescents Referred For An Autism Spectrum Disorder Evaluation, Jeremy John Cottle

All ETDs from UAB

The current study aimed to examine item-level sex differences in the diagnostic evaluation of ASD traits for children and adolescents referred for an ASD evaluation. By including all those referred for an ASD evaluation, the study aimed to include females who may be mis- or under-diagnosed by current ASD diagnostic procedures. Participants included 458 children and adolescents who were referred for an ASD evaluation at a tertiary care clinic. In this sample, 118 participants (25.8%) were female, 282 (61.6%) were diagnosed with ASD, and the average age was 6.67 years (SD = 3.65). MIMIC models were used to examine differential …

Exploring The Influence Of Leadership On The Organizational Performance Of Federally Qualified Health Centers In The United States Through The Lens Of The Upper Echelons Theory, Devdutt Shriram Upadhye

All ETDs from UAB

This study examines the influence that leaders have on the performance of Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) in the US. The framework through which the study examines this relationship is the Upper Echelons Theory (UET), which posits that managers and leaders take actions that shape the organization they lead, and these actions are based on a confluence of experiential and characteristic factors. The current study focuses on a leader’s influence through three proxies, viz. educational background, role tenure, and sex, on the organizational performance of FQHCs. Performance is captured using both financial and quality metrics. Data for the study was …

A Short Trip: A Mixed Methods Investigation Of The Perceived Effects Of Vaporized Dmt Vs Vaporized 5-Meo-Dmt, Cynthia Estrella Ortiz

All ETDs from UAB

The rise in psychedelic use has been accompanied by increased interest in alternative routes of administration, including vaporization. However, little is known about the characteristics and outcomes associated with vaporized forms of N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT). This mixed-methods study examined the subjective experiences and mental health correlates of individuals who reported using vaporized DMT, vaporized 5-MeO-DMT, or psilocybin mushrooms in the past six months. A total of 209 adults completed an online survey assessing demographic variables, substance use, and psychological functioning, including measures of global health (PROMIS), subjective happiness, magical ideation, spiritual connection, psychosis-like experiences (CAPE-42), and hypomanic symptoms. …

Bridging Fact And Fiction: Lawrence Alma-Tadema’S And Georg Ebers’ Visions Of Ancient Egypt, Elizabeth Casement

All ETDs from UAB

Existing research on the methodology behind the production of ancient Egyptian-themed paintings of Lawrence Alma-Tadema (1836-1912) has centered on his use of an extensive cache of reference materials. This thesis suggests that Alma-Tadema’s sources of historical information and creative influence far exceeded his private reference library, also hinging on his vast personal network and specifically examining the collaborative friendship he maintained with German author and professor of Egyptian studies Georg Ebers (1837-1898). A thorough reading of letters from Alma-Tadema to Ebers elucidates the impact of the German author on the artist’s understanding of Egypt from the Pharaonic to the Roman …

Access To Care, Structural Barriers, And Recovery Identity In Mental Health And Substance Use Disorder Treatment, Yahya Alnashri

All ETDs from UAB

Substance use disorders (SUDs) remain one of the most pressing public health and economic challenges in the United States, with growing recognition that recovery is a multidimensional process shaped by clinical, social, and structural factors. This dissertation explores recovery at the levels of health policy, population, and experiential levels to assess gaps in access to recovery support services, identify patterns and predictors of recovery identity, and highlight the lived experiences of individuals with opioid use disorder. First, we evaluated whether state Medicaid expansion under the ACA (2010–2019) was associated with changes in the availability of consumer-run peer support services in …

Proteasome Augmentation Is Protective Against Alzheimer’S Disease And Agerelated Cognitive Decline, Kanisa Davidson

All ETDs from UAB

Proteostasis is essential for the degradation of oxidized, misfolded proteins and proper function of neuronal plasticity. Proteasome inhibition has been shown to exacerbate cognitive and behavioral deficits in aging and Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) models. Proteasomal activity is decreased across human and animal models of AD. We hypothesize that aging and AD markers, β-amyloid and/or hyperphosphorylated tau, impair proteasome function, thereby preventing the proteasome’s capacity to degrade critical synaptic proteins essential for memory formation. We investigated the role of pharmacological and genetic augmentation on proteasomal function, to rescue aging and AD-like cognitive deficits in cell culture, Drosophila, and mice. We demonstrate …

Promoting Mental Health And Social-Emotional Development In Underserved Families, Brianna Paquette

All ETDs from UAB

The overarching goal of this dissertation was to investigate interventions that aimed to support mental health and child development in underserved families. Individuals from low-income households often experience mental health difficulties, such as higher rates of caregiver depression. Additionally, children from disadvantaged backgrounds are more likely to face difficulties with social and emotional development. This dissertation is comprised of three papers exploring interventions to facilitate child development and well-being in low-income families. The first paper is a systematic review and meta-analysis on home visiting interventions aimed at supporting the social-emotional development of children from birth to five years of age. …

Identifying Functional Regional Changes In Patients With Parkinson’S Disease And Freezing Of Gait, Taylor Robin Davis

All ETDs from UAB

Freezing of gait (FOG) affects anywhere from 20-80% of those with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) with the prevalence increasing with disease severity and length. This detrimental symptom is unpredictable and poorly characterized, which adds to the negative experience of FOG as it is difficult to treat. Using resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI), we set out to determine the functional changes in those with PD-FOG and map onto regions of the brain where signal power, measured using fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF), synchronicity, as measured by regional homogeneity (ReHo), and strength and direction of intra-network connections as measured by static effective connectivity, are …

Understanding Visual Memory Encoding And The Effects Of Endurance Exercise In Healthy Adults And People With Temporal Lobe Epilepsy, Brandon Steve Mitchell

All ETDs from UAB

The visual memory encoding (VME) of indoor and outdoor scenes is a complex cognitive process that primarily utilizes the bilateral hippocampi and medial temporal lobe (MTL) structures along the parahippocampal gyrus. Alpha and theta frequency band oscillations are important in the processing of visual information and memory formation, respectively. We completed hree studies investigating the cognitive process of VME in healthy adults and people with temporal lobe epilepsy (pwTLE). The first study was cross-sectional and utilized a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)-constrained magnetoencephalography (MEG) analysis in healthy adults to explore VME. The fMRI results were used as spatial priors to …

Measuring Emotional Well-Being Across Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Alecia Mercier

All ETDs from UAB

Emotional well-being has emerged as a crucial determinant of both physical and mental health, with implications for public health initiatives aimed at improving quality of life and reducing mortality. However, a clear and consistent understanding of emotional well-being, its components, and optimal measurement strategies remains lacking, especially for individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders. This dissertation investigated how emotional well-being is conceptualized and measured in individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders. Paper one was a scoping review that identified 20 emotional well-being measures developed or adapted for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Findings demonstrated that many existing measures do not include emotional well-being …

Bayesian Mediation Analyses For Zero-Inflated Data, Jinhong Cui

All ETDs from UAB

Mediation analysis is a fundamental tool in causal inference, enabling researchers to disentangle the pathways through which an exposure affects an outcome via intermediate variables (mediators). It has been widely applied in social sciences, psychology, and healthcare-related studies. Traditionally, mediation analysis has been conducted within the linear structural equation modeling (LSEM) framework. However, recent advances have shifted attention toward the counterfactual framework due to its flexibility in defining causal effects and its capacity to accommodate non-linear relationships, parametric and non-parametric models. Building on this foundation, methodological developments in mediation analysis have expanded to address more complex data structures, such as …

Differential Susceptibility: How Parenting Behaviors Predict Adolescent Antisocial Behavior In The Context Of Candidate Plasticity Genes, Amanda Moore

All ETDs from UAB

Adolescent antisocial behavior (ASB) has been consistently linked to parenting behaviors, yet individual variability in response to parenting remains poorly understood. Grounded in the differential susceptibility theory, this study examined how candidate plasticity genes interact with poor parenting to predict ASB in adolescents. A sample of 272 youth from the Birmingham Youth Violence Study provided genetic data and participated in two waves of behavioral and parenting assessments. Parenting behaviors were measured using a composite index of harsh, inconsistent, and low-nurturance parenting. ASB was assessed through self- and parent-reported measures of delinquency, aggression, and conduct problems. The study tested whether individual …

Psychedelics And Psychosis: An Interdisciplinary Re-Examination, Haley Maria Dourron

All ETDs from UAB

Psychedelics have long been described as potential drug models of psychosis. There is also concern that psychedelics might worsen psychotic symptoms in individuals with a history of psychotic disorders. This dissertation examines the overlap between psychedelic-induced states and non-affective psychotic disorders (NAPD) from both subjective and neurological perspectives, as well as the perceived impact of psychedelic use in people with a history of NAPD. Nineteen people with a history of NAPD who had used psychedelics were interviewed about their experiences. Participants generally described psychedelic and psychotic experiences as distinct, though both affected similar experiential domains, such as sensory alterations. Altered …