Digital Commons Network^™

Accelerations And Emg Differences Between Isocaloric High-Incline Walking And Level-Grade Jogging, Taj Krieger, Motoki Sato, Lex Gidley, Justus Ortega, Eli Lankford

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 18(7): 995-1009, 2025. High-incline walking is a popular mode of exercise and often serves as an alternative to level-grade running for improving cardiovascular fitness. This study examined the muscle activation and biomechanical differences between high-incline walking (HIW) at a 20% grade and level-grade jogging (LGJ) at matched exercise intensities. Nineteen physically inactive adults (18-31 years) participated. Participants completed two isocaloric exercise trials (HIW and LGJ), each lasting ten minutes. EMG data were obtained from eight muscles: biceps femoris (BF), gluteus maximus (GM), lateral gastrocnemius (LG), tibialis anterior (TA), vastus lateralis (VL), anterior deltoid (AD), erector …

Editorial: A Step-By-Step Statistical Decision Framework For A Gender-Inclusive Approach In Sport And Exercise Science Research, James W. Navalta, Dustin W. Davis, Jafra D. Thomas, Whitley J. Stone

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 18(1): 1010-1029, 2025. The conflation of sex and gender in sport and exercise science research has led to gaps in representation and understanding of gender-inclusive outcomes. This invited editorial presents a framework to guide researchers in conducting statistical analyses that account for multiple gender identities beyond the traditional binary classification. The invited editorial guides deliberation on whether to test for sex or gender differences in sport or exercise science research. It prompts investigators to answer the question, “Is there a valid, literature-supported rationale for investigating sex or gender differences?” If “yes”, we propose approaches that …

Building Grit And Understanding Drivers Of Dropout Intentions Among Nursing Students, Marianne Biangone, Daniel Terry, Blake Peck, Jeong-Ah Kim, Linda Jones

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Introduction: Defined as a combination of passion, perseverance, and long-term commitment, grit is the sustained effort to achieve difficult goals over time.^1,2 Nursing students have grit, which continues to develop as they enter the profession. However, nearly 20% of students do not complete their studies, despite academic and pastoral support.³ Interventions designed to develop mindsets, such as the six-week ‘Grow your Grit’ program⁴, better equip students for the rigors of academia. However, limited insights regarding the granular issues that drive dropping out exist.⁵

Purpose: To understand challenges that lead to increased dropout intentions among first-year …

Empowering Nurses Through Scope Advancement: Strategies For Professional Growth, Venise Bryan, Kristin Petrovic, Kelly Decoste

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Nurses globally work within various scopes of practice, from entry-level to advanced roles, and play a vital role in meeting the health needs of individuals and communities across diverse healthcare settings. Nurses can further their education, to advance their scope, such as diploma-prepared Licensed/Registered Practical Nurses (LPNs/RPNs) completing their Bachelor of Nursing (BN) to become Registered Nurses (RN). In Canada, select BN programs use innovative pedagogies to specifically bridge curriculum that recognizes LPN/RPN experience (Chachula et al., 2020). LPN/RPN to BN learners bring rich clinical experience and diversity as they engage in career advancement and professional development (Almost, 2021).

A …

Trauma-Informed Practices In A School Of Nursing: An Assessment, Oluwatoyin Olukotun, Kala Mayer

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Trauma-informed environments have been shown to foster academic success by creating trauma-sensitive learning spaces (Crosby, 2015), aligning with nursing’s core values of empathy, patient-centered care, and holistic health. However, despite the increasing use of trauma-informed approaches in K-12 settings, their application in higher education, particularly in nursing schools, remains underexplored (Doughty, 2018; Ernest et al., 2022; Henshaw, 2022; Thomas et al., 2019). This study aimed to assess the implementation of trauma-informed practices at a U.S. school of nursing (SON) from the perspectives of faculty and staff. In Spring 2024, an online Qualtrics survey was administered to faculty and staff at …

Nurses’ Lived Experiences During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Descriptive Phenomenological Study, Kala Mayer, Jo Anne Bennett, Elizabeth Reifsnider, Jeanie Skibiski, Soojung Jo

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

The COVID-19 pandemic presented unprecedented challenges for nurses, including confronting end-of-life decisions, witnessing patient suffering, and burnout. Nevertheless, many nurses demonstrated resilience and personal growth despite adversities. Notable gaps in the literature include limited exploration of the long-term impacts of the pandemic on nurses, variations in experiences based on geographic, gender, and cultural factors, as well as the role of leadership and organizational response. Likewise, how nurses adapted to innovations such as new technologies and the impact of their pandemic experiences on patient outcomes and care quality remain underexplored. This study employed a phenomenological descriptive approach to capture nurses’ lived …

Intergenerational Programs: Reducing Loneliness Of Older Adults In Congregate Care Settings, Rachel Elaine Bagley, Yolanda Rodriguez, Jacelyn Tappert

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Loneliness is an increasingly recognized public health issue, especially among the elderly, where it contributes to the decline in both physical and mental health (WHO Commission on Social Connection, 2024). In the geriatric population, loneliness is associated with increased risks of depression, anxiety, cognitive impairment, cardiovascular disease, falls, and overall mortality (Holt-Lunstad, et al. 2015; Millett et al., 2024; National Institute on Ageing, 2019). Loneliness in congregate care settings is often exacerbated by residents' loss of physical mobility, death of spouses, removal of the individual from their neighborhood and community, and reduced autonomy. The COVID-19 pandemic intensified these issues, reducing …

Development Of A Nurse-Led Interprofessional Community Health Nursing Education Program, Kim Alexander Decker, Wendy R. Miller

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

This presentation will describe an interprofessional community health nursing education project in a 5-county region. The preliminary phase of the project was to create a nurse-led interprofessional advisory group to direct a comprehensive health needs assessment with county health departments, area clinics and school officials, to determine community-based priorities. This phase was followed by an investigation of evidence-based interventions to address the acknowledged community health needs of substance use prevention and mental health promotion. Program costs and funding were identified and obtained through alumni donor gifts and internal university grants. A trained facilitator was selected to educate community health nursing, …

Trauma-Informed Design And Student Well-Being In Higher Education: An Exploratory, Descriptive Study, Isabelle Sadorra, Kala Mayer, Cara Poor, Olivia Mattern, Bella Small

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been heightened reports of stress and trauma among students. Despite increasing evidence of the importance of trauma-informed design (TID) in healthcare and housing, its application in higher education settings remains underexplored. TID incorporates elements that create environments conducive to safety, well-being, and healing, which are critical for academic success. Design elements in the built environment that have the potential to reduce student and nurse stress and promote learning include access to nature and outside areas, safety and privacy features, and ambient noise and sound dampening features, for example. This study aims to assess students' …

Exercise Dependence: A Qualitative Study Of Fitness Enthusiasts’ Motivations For Excessive Workouts, David Paul Rubia Ramos, Edith Gili Habig, Jessica May Guillermo

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

More and more people around the globe are motivated to be physically fit and healthy. While a lack of regular physical activity can be a barrier to a healthier lifestyle, too much or excessive exercise may lead to exercise dependence and may pose serious health concerns. Excessive exercise or exercise dependence refers to a maladaptive pattern of exercise which can lead to clinically significant impairment or distress. This qualitative study explores the motivations for excessive exercise and contributing factors to exercise dependence among at-risk Filipino fitness enthusiasts. Using descriptive qualitative research, we conducted in-depth interviews with ten gym regular members …

Smooth Transitions: Helping Faculty And Staff Navigate The Implementation Of A New Lms, Miwako Hoshi, Mathew Lee Porter, Kazue Matsuo, Saiko Iizuka, Kevin Weir

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Purpose: This study presents the approach taken by our small nursing university when adopting a new learning management system (LMS), as well as an evaluation of the various activities developed and implemented to support and facilitate faculty and staff use of the system. In 2020, the global COVID-19 pandemic necessitated the transition of all classes to an online format. However, Course Power, the LMS used at that time, lacked the necessary features to fully support online learning. As a result, the Library & Information Technology Committee, composed of faculty and staff, had to explore the adoption of a new LMS. …

Exploring Cultural Dimensions Of Nurses' Experiences During Covid-19 In The Us And Hungary, Kala Mayer, Judit Staller, Jo Anne Bennett, Zoltán Balogh, Jeanie Skibiski, Anna Jeney, Soojung Jo, Elizabeth Reifsnider

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Both the Hungarian and U.S. public health and care systems were inadequately prepared to manage the COVID-19 pandemic, contributing to significant distress among nurses. The role of geographical, gender, and cultural factors, along with leadership and organizational response during the pandemic between countries, remains underexplored in the literature. Nurses around the world are now more likely than before the pandemic to leave direct patient care roles. Cultural influences and healthcare system structure play crucial roles in shaping nurses' decisions to stay in or leave the profession. To address this research gap, we are using the lens of Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions …

The Effect Of Disaggregated Country Risk On Foreign Portfolio Investment Flows In South Africa, Paul-Francois Muzindutsi, Tristan Kyle Govender, Nokwanda Nkwanyana, Sanelisiwe Zulu, Nondumiso Myeni, Sinegugu Khuzwayo, Fikile Dube

Economic and Business Review

This study explores the relationship between disaggregated country risk and foreign portfolio investment (FPI) flows in South Africa, focusing on both the long-run and short-run effects of economic, financial, and political country risk measures on net foreign purchases of shares (NFPS) and net foreign purchases of bonds (NFPB) during the period from 1995 to 2019. We employed autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) and nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag (NARDL) models to assess the relationships between the variables. The results indicate that all disaggregated country risk measures have a long-run effect on NFPS and NFPB, and the impacts of these risks are asymmetric. …

Summer 2025, Office Of Univeristy Marketing And Communications

Bryant Magazine (1997-2019)(2024-present)

In this issue of Bryant magazine: Go beyond the Archway and discover the secret history of the university's Smithfield campus; dive into international trade as students guide one of the world's oldest companies through global turmoil; learn about some of the powerful bonds that bring Bulldogs together; and more stories from the Bryant community.

Terra Lunaris: Assessment Of A Lunar Habitat For Scientific Astronauts, Space Miners, Or Space Tourists, Dirk Schumann, Robert A. Goehlich

Publications

This conceptual paper explores ground- based habitable space modules for various applications. The Terra Lunaris concept serves as the baseline and is evaluated in comparison to existing and theoretical studies in this field. Terra Lunaris is a compact hybrid habitat that expands to offer nearly four times its transport volume by combining rigid modules with an inflatable shell. With most interior elements pre-installed and foldable, setup time and complexity are minimized. The design integrates technical zones, living quarters, and shared spaces, while also supporting psychological well-being under extreme conditions. The paper provides both qualitative and quantitative analyses of lunar habitation …

Bearing Witness: Témoignage As A Tool For Child Advocacy During Armed Conflict., Anik Patel, Amber Alayyan, Heather A. Haq, Parminder S. Suchdev, Naji Hattar, Jeffrey Goldhagen, David J. Schonfeld, Tanya Haj-Hassan, Lia Harris, Seema Jilani, Ayesha Kadir, Paul H. Wise, Lisa Umphrey

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Children affected by armed conflict suffer devastating physical, emotional, and social harm. War uproots families, forcing many to flee as refugees or internally displaced persons, while others remain trapped in dangerous environments. In these crises, children face disproportionate risks-violence, exploitation, disrupted education, and collapsed healthcare systems. Their unique vulnerabilities require urgent, targeted action to protect their health, rights, and development. Beyond immediate care, the humanitarian principle of témoignage-bearing witness-is essential. Rooted in humanitarian ethics, témoignage means speaking out about injustice, amplifying the voices of those affected, and driving systemic change. It challenges traditional notions of neutrality and calls on humanitarian …

Roger Williams University Launches 12 New Academic Programs For Fall 2025 9-10-2025, Jordan J. Phelan

Life of the Law School (1993- )

No abstract provided.

Y You Go Scale (Yygs): A Tool For Measuring Religious Commitment, Camron Angell, David Heath, Noah Perry, Taylor Hales

Student Works

Psychology historically has underplayed the role of religion and has not considered its importance in treatment and research. As such, the field is in need of measures of religious commitment and a greater understanding of the religious experience. There have been general measures of religious commitment such as the Religious Commitment Scale (RCS) and the Religious Commitment Inventory (RCI-10) (Dyer et al., 2023; Fox & Bouffard, 2015; Worthington, E., 2003). The issue with general scales is that religious commitment looks different for each religion. In this context, the present study sought to develop a scale of religious commitment for students …

The Association Of Acute Stress And Lower Quarter Emg During A Single Leg Balance Dexterity Task, Ted W. Gehrig Iii, Robert I. Dudley, Jo Armour Smith, Lida Gharibvand, Lee S. Berk, Everett B. Lohman Iii

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Research Question

Methods

Motion For Order Modifying 5th Amended Plan

Catholic Dioceses in Bankruptcy

No abstract provided.

Mental Health Services For Older Hispanics/Latinos: Incorporating Culture And Context Into Clinical Approaches To Care, Denise Longoria, Romeo Escobar, John M. Gonzalez, Luis R. Torres-Hostos

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

This article discusses older Latinos and their use of mental health services. A brief history of utilization and the contributing factors, including access to services, barriers, and acceptability of mental health services, are included. Sekhon et al.’s theoretical framework of acceptability is discussed in the context of Latino clients. The authors adapt the framework and apply the elements to work with older Latinos and their families. Common stereotypes and faulty assumptions about older Latinos are examined as the Latino population grows and changes in levels of education, language, family structure, roles, religion, and alternative practices continue. Core values for working …

The "Secret Of Seven Stones": Short-Term Efficacy Of An Online Intergenerational Sexual Health Education Game For Early Adolescents And Their Parents, Ross Shegog, Christine Markham, Melissa Peskin, Robert C Addy, Sara Dube, Diane Santa Maria, Susan Tortolero Emery, Johnny M Wilkerson, Elizabeth Baumler, Laura Armistead, Pooja Chaudhary, Hsing-Yi Song, Angela Spencer, Jeffery Mclaughlin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objectives: Intergenerational games offer a potential channel to impact parent-youth sexual health communication. The "Secret of Seven Stones" (SSS) is an 18-level online adventure game and parent website designed to engage parents and youth (11-14 years) in conversations about healthy dating relationships and sexual behavior and to provide sexual health skills training to youth. Study hypotheses were that SSS exposure would increase sexual health parent-child communication, increase youth intentions to delay sexual debut, and reduce youth exposure to situations that promote sexual activity.

Materials and Methods: SSS was evaluated in the homes of parent-youth dyads randomly assigned to intervention ( …

Neurobehavioral Symptom Profiles For The Behavioral Assessment Screening Tool In Chronic Traumatic Brain Injury, Shannon B Juengst, Brittany Wright, Annalyn Demello, Leia Vos, Fedora Biney, Luis Leon Novelo, Michael Williams

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: To identify neurobehavioral symptom profiles among persons with chronic traumatic brain injury (TBI) using the Behavioral Assessment Screening Tool (BAST) and to consider participant characteristics that differ between profile groups.

Setting: Community.

Participants: Participants (n = 615) were English-speaking adults (≥18) and had a self-reported history of at least one TBI of any severity.

Design: Secondary analysis of cross-sectional data.

Main measures: The BAST measures neurobehavioral symptoms in the domains of Negative Affect, Fatigue, Executive Dysfunction, Impulsivity, and Substance Misuse.

Results: Using latent profile analysis (LPA), we identified 3 different neurobehavioral profiles. Overall symptom frequency and differences in the …

Documents From The September 10, 2025 Meeting Of The Associated Students Of The University Of Montana (Asum), Associated Students Of The University Of Montana, Kate Austin Payne

Senate Meeting Agendas and Minutes, 2007-Present

Agenda and meeting minutes from the September 10, 2025 meeting of the Associated Students of the University of Montana (ASUM).

Dental Educators’ Stress And Wellbeing In The Workplace- An International Perspective, Shannu Bhatia, Ruby Long, Sviatlana Anishchuk, Daniel Farnell, Morag Powell, Michael Bhotelo

Peninsula Dental School

Introduction: Supporting wellbeing of staff involved in dental education is vital to ensure the safe effective delivery of the curriculum and training of the dental workforce. There are only a limited number of studies on the stress and wellbeing of staff involved in dental education and the barriers they face in engaging with any wellbeing services provided. To plan strategies for the promotion of staff wellbeing, it is important to identify these and the barriers faced by staff. The aim of this study is to determine the stress and wellbeing of the staff involved in dental education and identify any …

Paternalistic Approaches To Care In Intensive Care And Its Potential Effects On Securing Consent For Organ Donation, Brian Tierney, Matt Carey

School of Nursing and Midwifery

Background: Organ Donation saved the lives of 1510 transplant recipients in the United Kingdom (UK) last year (NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT), 2024. Although over 28 million people in the UK have registered a decision to ‘opt-In’ on the Organ Donor Register (ODR) (NHSBT, 2024), and a soft opt-out system has been adopted across all parts of the UK, securing next of kin agreement remains essential to proceed with organ donation (Rees et. al., 2024).Research Aims: Data from the UK’s Potential Donor Audit continues to highlight instances of limited engagement with organ donation services teams (O’Neill et al, 2024; NHSBT, …

E-Government Utilization And The Political Logic Of Network Governance In Indonesia’S Local Administration, Dewi Anggraini, Faturachman Alputra Sudirman, Nur Atnan, Muhammad Najib Husain

Jurnal Wacana Politik

This article investigates the utilization of E-Government applications within the framework of network governance in Indonesia’s local administration. Drawing on both qualitative and quantitative methods, this study captures public perceptions of electronic information-based government services and explores the political and institutional dynamics underlying their implementation. Data were collected through questionnaires, document analysis, interviews, and focus group discussions (FGDs) with purposively selected informants, including leaders and staff from local government institutions. The findings demonstrate that e-government platforms enhance service efficiency, transparency, and public satisfaction. Moreover, these applications promote openness in financial management and intra-organizational communication, contributing to greater trust and comfort …

Prabowo Subiyanto’S Legal Political Direction: Critical Discourse Analysis On Law Enforcement In The First Debate Of The 2024 Presidential Election, Khoiron Khoiron, Ahmad Syaifudin

Jurnal Wacana Politik

This article examines how presidential candidates have produced legal discourses that are used as political instruments in winning the political contestation of the Indonesian national presidential election in 2024. Through political discourse, Prabowo Subiyanto aimed to influence the public for his victory. As a result, he emerged victorious, proving that political discourse in public debates can successfully deconstruct, influence, and steer the way of thinking and can lead voters’ preferences. The main argument in this article is that discourse as a political instrument is not empty, but behind the discourse is a form of political truth operation produced for certain …

At Stake In Each Other’S Company: A Systems View Of Compassion Fatigue In Mental Health Work, Susan S. Standen

Journal of Conscious Evolution

Traditional research on the phenomenon of compassion fatigue (CF) in mental health work tends to include recommendations for workers to build skills in psychological detachment and self-care. This puts the burden of coping with vicarious trauma on the individual caregiver, not on the systems they operate within. Alternatively, a transformative systemic perspective suggests that Western cultural assumptions about care-giving and individual resilience need to be reassessed. By broadening the exploration of CF and comparing it with human reactions to overwhelming crises across fields and disciplines, new questions can be asked, and new solutions can be proposed. This essay details how …

Longitudinal Associations Of Epigenetic Aging With Cognitive Aging In Hispanic/Latino Adults From The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study Of Latinos, Myriam Fornage, Wassim Tarraf, Rui Xia, Adriana Ordonez, Tamar Sofer, Freddie Márquez, Bharat Thyagarajan, Gregory A Talavera, Linda C Gallo, Charles Decarli, Hector M González

The Brown Foundation: Institute of Molecular Medicine

Due to the paucity of longitudinal DNA methylation data (DNAm), especially among Hispanic/Latino adults, the association between changes in epigenetic clocks over time and cognitive aging phenotypes has not been investigated. This longitudinal study included 2671 Hispanic/Latino adults (57 years; 66% women) with blood DNAm data and neurocognitive function assessed at two visits ~7 years apart. We evaluated the associations of 5 epigenetic clocks and their between-visit change with multiple measures of cognitive aging that included a global and domain-specific cognitive function score at each visit, between-visit change in global and domain-specific cognitive function score, and MCI diagnosis at visit …