Digital Commons Network^™

Guarding The Black Womb: A Qualitative Case Study Exploring Improving Black Maternal Health Through Increased And Equitable Doula Support, Adeanna Tazell

Education Doctoral

Black maternal health is a critical topic in health care. Black women are at a disproportionately high risk of maternal death and morbidity compared to their White counterparts, highlighting the need for change in healthcare systems (Declercq & Zephyrin, 2020). Research also shows that supporting Black mothers with Black doulas can improve the mother’s birth outcomes and disrupt the racial inequities of maternal health (Horton & Hall, 2020). This qualitative case study explored the lived experiences of 11 Black women who utilized doula support and the perspectives of the doulas and program administrators. The primary objective was to evaluate the …

Designing And Installing A Disability Accessible Teaching Garden, Annabelle D. Denham

Horticulture Undergraduate Honors Theses

As horticulture becomes increasingly popular as a subject, activity, and form of therapy, its inclusivity has not kept up with the pace of its growth. In order to address the need for inclusivity and accessibility, gardens must adopt universal design. Individuals with special needs continuously face discrimination. While horticulture therapy has long been studied and catered to primarily neurotypical and able-bodied individuals, there is limited research on creating gardens specifically to include those with disabilities. This project aimed to create a garden that could serve the needs of all participants, regardless of their ability and sensory needs. The garden was …

Quick Response Codes In Extension Outreach Communications: Insights From A Visual Content Analysis And Educators’ Perceptions, Kobina Danful Fanyinkah

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Increased smartphone use presents an opportunity to enhance the creative inclusion of Quick Response (QR) codes in extension outreach efforts. Tailoring extension programs to communicate with specific audiences has been identified as essential, highlighting the need for targeted and context-specific strategies. The development of QR code technology has provided a unique approach that allows extension professionals to target clientele with specific extension messages and programs. While extension has a commendable record in educational delivery through traditional forms of outreach, research on how best to employ digital tools with extension audiences is thin at best. Though the rising popularity of QR …

Recreational Runner Participation: Barriers, Benefits, And Best Foot Forward In Josephine County, Adam Boothe

Leadership Education Capstones

Running, a simple yet powerful activity, has the potential to significantly enhance physical and mental well-being. While many individuals in Josephine County enjoy running as a recreational pursuit, a cohesive running community remains absent. This research aims to delve into the factors hindering the formation of such a community and explore the potential benefits of participating in a recreational running club.

The Coping Strategies Of Collegiate Football Student-Athletes With Mental Health, James Williams

Leadership Education Capstones

This study explores the mental health challenges faced by Division II collegiate football players, their coping mechanisms, and the adequacy of institutional resources. Through qualitative interviews with student-athletes, the research examines their experiences, stress levels, and perceptions of support systems. Findings indicate that anxiety, stress, and performance pressure are prevalent among players, with 58.3% reporting anxiety symptoms and 50% experiencing football-related stress. Despite 91.7% of respondents being aware of campus mental health services, comfort levels in discussing mental health remain moderate, and coaching support is perceived as only somewhat effective. The results highlight that while individual coping strategies exist, psychological …

Bullet Ricochet And Tunnelling Of Wood Substrates, Abdelrahman Khalifa

Student Theses

With the overall rise in shooting incidents throughout the country, most notably in urban areas, the capabilities and limitations of current forensic examinations of firearms-related incidents have become more apparent. An underappreciated aspect of shooting incidents is the phenomenon of bullet ricochet, which has led to ricochet-related injuries, with some cases proving fatal. Although there are processes and generally accepted standards for bullet trajectory analysis, ricochet analysis typically requires outside input from firearm examiners. Additionally, current research regarding ricochet on wood surfaces remains less thoroughly investigated than ricochet analysis on other yielding surfaces. The goal of this research was to …

Exploring The Biasing Effects Of Gender On Personality Disorder Diagnoses Formulated By Artificial Intelligence, Zoe Colclough

Student Theses

Gender bias is prevalent in personality disorder assessments, and while artificial intelligence has been posited as a solution to improve diagnostic objectivity and accuracy, the potential for such technologies to propagate human gender bias in mental health contexts remains underexplored. This study investigated the influences of gender bias on the diagnostic performance of ChatGPT-4o for personality disorders using three factorial research designs, which involved experimentally manipulating patient gender in a combined sample of 360 vignettes and case studies. Vignettes were synthesized through a novel artificial intelligence-assisted methodology established for this research, and case studies were identified from the literature. Significant …

Transfer Of Material Derived From Polymer-Jacketed Bullets During Cycling And Discharge, Ethan A. Frazer

Student Theses

The goal of this study was to determine alternative ways to connect a polymer-coated bullet to the handgun from which it was fired. Polymer-coated bullets are lead projectiles encased in a synthetic coating, which may vary between brands and/or models, to reduce barrel friction and heavy metal exposure. Federal Syntech^® Total Synthetic Jacket (TSJ) ammunition presents unique challenges to firearms examiners as its synthetic coating may not retain the individualizing striations found in traditional unjacketed or metal-jacketed bullets.

In this study, 9mm TSJ ammunition was fired through multiple traditionally rifled aftermarket Glock barrels. Cloth targets were set up at …

Examining Portrayals Of Gender In The Design Of Ai Voice Assistants, Olivia Fratangelo

Student Theses

This capstone project provides a theoretical framework for shifting the ways in which we think about and discuss anthropomorphized features of technological products, focusing specifically on applying this framework to the gendered design of AI voice assistants. The goal in providing this framework is to prompt readers to consider how we can think more critically about technology beyond our “preferences” and biases. Our roles as consumers of technology do not have to be passive ones. In fact, the dialectical relationship between humanity and technology makes everyone who contributes to society not just a consumer, but a developer of technology in …

Aspiring Leaders And Future Visions About Leadership Communications, Conner Haggerty, Dylan A. Sawicki, Jared Gerke, John Langan, Kaitlyn Mj Calabrese, Kyle Borske, Mattie Schimenz, Barbara Holmes

Leadership Education Books

The spring 2025 Leadership Education LDRS 615 graduate course student writing project focuses on the leadership communications and the future. Graduate students enrolled in this class chose as a topic: Aspiring Leaders and Future Visions about Leadership Communications. Interest in this topic emerges from discussions regarding the new digital tools and mediums implemented in the 21st century.

Upon completion of the Organizational Leaders program, new leaders will add voice and expertise to creating new visions for the workplaces of tomorrow. These graduate students point out that the future is here and the requirement to send clear communications to others remains …

The Effectiveness Of Services In California For Youth Who Have Experienced Commercial Sexual Exploitation Of Children (Csec), Rebecca A. Mcgill

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) remains a pervasive issue with profound consequences for affected youth, yet research on effective service interventions remains limited. This study examines the perceived effectiveness of existing services in California for youth who have experienced CSEC, providing critical insights to inform best practices. Seventeen professional service providers participated in one-hour, semi-structured interviews, sharing their expertise on service strengths, challenges, and areas for improvement. Using thematic analysis, ten key themes emerged as central to effective service provision, including individualized interventions, the therapeutic value of relationships, trauma-informed providers, opportunities for healing experiences, multi-agency collaboration, and access to …

Prediction Of Sleep Disorders Using Novel Decision Support Neutrosophic Based Machine Learning Models, Nihar Ranjan Panda, Surapati Paramanik, Prasanta Kumar Raut, Ruchi Bhuyan

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

Cling To The Saints : Facilitating Spiritual Growth Through Community Spiritual Direction, Laura L. Descalzo

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Keeping The Faith : Spiritual Formation During The College Years, Ricardo A. Rodriguez

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Establishing Traditional Methodism : Teaching Free Methodist History, Theology, And Practices To A Former United Methodist Congregation, D. Stanley Cushing

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Flourishing In The Field : Best Practices For Missionary Health And Effectiveness, Matthew H. Rasch

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Gospel For Generation Z : Best Practice For Missionally Proclaiming The Christian Faith To 18-27-Year Old's, Andrew Gardner

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Change Of Knowledge, Attitude, And Behavior On Evangelism : Measuring The Changes Of Knowledge, Attitude, And Behavior On Pastors And Mission Leaders From Churches In Meru Town In Kenya, Esayas Solomon Wechefo

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

What Shapes The Political Worldview Of The Preacher?, Randy Saultz

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Discipleship Among The Everyday And Ordinary : Cultivating A Culture Of Discipleship Among Lay Leaders, Bryan D. Sallee

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Women In Christian Leadership : Promoting Women To Lead Within A Complementarian Setting, Swarn Kaur Potter

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Making Of Disciples : Developing An Effective Discipleship Process For Current And Emerging Lay Leaders At Crossroads Community Cathedral, Ermias Feleke

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Embodying Biblical Hospitality : Threshold Moments For God's Welcome In Secular Workplaces, Sandra Lynn Blumanhourst

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Inviting Hospitality : An Incarnational Model Of Pastoral Care For Chaplains, Martha M. Cramer

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Holistic Discipleship Groups : The Importnace Of Integrating Confession And Evangelism Into Discipleship, Joseph H. Tillman Jr.

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Holy Art : Reclaiming The Visual Arts For Worship And Spiritual Formation, Joey Fitzgerald

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Effective Intergenerational Preaching : Preaching Effectively Across Generational Lines Effecting Holistic Transformation, Immanuel Vasudevan

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Ndp 54 V1 - National Diagnostic Protocol For Meadow Spittlebug (Philaenus Spumarius), Melinda Moir

Biosecurity research reports

National Diagnostic Protocols (NDPs) are diagnostic protocols for the unambiguous taxonomic identification of plant pests. NDPs:

• are a verified information resource for plant health diagnosticians
• are consistent with ISPM No. 27 – Diagnostic Protocols for Regulated Pests
• provide a nationally consistent approach to the identification of plant pests enabling transparency when comparing diagnostic results between laboratories; and,
• are endorsed by regulatory jurisdictions for use (either within their own facilities or when commissioning from others) in a pest incursion.

Where an International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) diagnostic protocol exists it should be used in preference to NDPs, unless it is shown …

Identifying Individuals At Risk Of Post-Stroke Depression: Development And Validation Of A Predictive Model, Saeed A. Alqahtani

Saudi Medical Journal

ABSTRACT Objectives: To identify the factors associated with post-stroke depression (PSD) and develop a machine learning predictive model using a large dataset, considering sociodemographic, lifestyle, and clinical factors. Methods: Our 2025 study used data from the 2023 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, released in September 2024. Data processing was carried out using Google Colab and Python. We carried out descriptive statistics, logistic regression, and feature importance analyses (mutual information and adjusted mutual information). A total of 4 machine-learning models were trained and evaluated: random forest, decision tree, gradient boosting, and logistic regression. Model performance was assessed using the accuracy, precision, …

Prolonged Flight Exposure And Its Effects On Sinonasal Health Among Aircrew Members, Mohammad H. Al-Bar

Saudi Medical Journal

ABSTRACT Objectives: To investigate the effects of prolonged air travel on sinonasal symptoms among aircrew members. Methods: This study was carried out among airline aircrew members over 4 months, between May 2023 and August 2023. The collected data encompassed demographic and clinical characteristics, including age, gender, and a history of sinus, nasal, or ear surgery. A validated sino-nasal outcome test-22 data collection sheet to measure the presence of sinonasal symptoms was carried out. Results: Of the 184 aircrew members, 81% were male and 34.8% were aged 20-30 years. Sinonasal symptoms after the flights were reported by 68.5% of participants. Symptom …