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Too Big, Too Soon: Investigating Black Hole Masses In High-Redshift Jwst Agn Using Belmac, Katrina Mcmaster

Theses

The masses of supermassive black holes (SMBHs) in high-redshift quasars are commonly estimated using virial mass estimations calibrated on active galactic nuclei (AGN) in the local universe. However, when applied to new James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) observations at high redshift, these methods often yield SMBH masses that exceed theoretical growth limits, implying the need for heavy black hole seeds or periods of high mass accretion rates, also known as super-Eddington accretion. This tension highlights potential limitations of the virial approach at early cosmic times. This work investigates an alternative method for estimating high-redshift SMBH masses using the Broad Emission …

Examining Clinical Educators’ Readiness For Artificial Intelligence In Medical Education: An Exploratory Qualitative Study, Tim Murphy, Ginger Vaughn, Rob E. Carpenter, Benjamin Mckinney, Rochell Mcwhorter

Human Resource Development Faculty Publications and Presentations

Artificial intelligence (AI), treated in this study as an umbrella term for AI-enabled clinical and educational technologies rather than as a single platform, is reshaping medical education, including how diagnostic skills, treatment planning, and patient care are taught. This study examines AI integration in medical education through the perceptions and readiness of clinical educators. Guided by the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, the study explores factors influencing AI adoption in medical training, including performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions. In this exploratory study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 clinical educators in the south-central …

Rethinking Preoperative Mrsa/Mssa Screening Through Molecular Triage, Rob E. Carpenter, Greg Whitlock

Human Resource Development Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Preoperative screening for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) is intended to identify patients at increased risk of surgical site infection and guide decolonization and perioperative antimicrobial prophylaxis. However, many molecular assays reduce this decision to a binary positive/ negative result, potentially obscuring clinically important distinctions in organism identity, methicillin resistance attribution, and mupirocin resistance risk. Methods: This structured narrative review organized direct perioperative evidence and indirect mechanistic, implementation, and economic evidence around one question: how MRSA/MSSA screening can move from organism detection to actionable molecular triage. Results: Useful preoperative reporting depends on assigning resistance markers …

Effects Of Targeted Interventions On Hiv Testing, Knowledge And Sexual Risk Behaviours Among Long-Distance Truck Drivers: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Cyrus Mutie, Berrick Otieno, Kawira Kithuci, John Gachohi, Grace Mbuthia

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Objectives We aimed to systematically summarise and quantify the empirical evidence on targeted interventions and their effects on various HIV prevention outcomes for long-distance truck drivers (LDTDs) globally.

Design A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Data sources We searched PubMed, PubMed Central (PMC), Cumulated Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), ProQuest Central, EBSCOhost, ScienceDirect, World Health Organisation (Global Index Medicus), Cochrane Library, Scientific Electronic Library Online (SCiELO), Japan Science and Technology Information Aggregator, Electronic (J-STAGE) and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) up to 15th May 2026.

Eligibility criteria We included original peer-reviewed interventional studies involving LDTDs of either gender …

The Risk Protection Value Of “Moral Hazard”, Angie Acquatella, Victoria Marone

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

Health insurance lowers the out-of-pocket price of healthcare, and it is well-established that this leads to higher utilization of care. This manifestation of “moral hazard” is typ ically viewed as a social cost of insurance. Within a standard model, this paper shows that a consumer’s ability to change her behavior in response to insurance can also play a central role in the ability of insurance to protect her from risk. We provide a theoretical characterization of this channel and quantify its importance empirically. Under stan dard parameterizations and estimates in the literature, we find that insurance-induced healthcare utilization can account …

Explanations For Robust Decisions, Kai Hao Yang, Nathan Yoder, Alexander K. Zentefis

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

We consider the problem of explaining a data generating process (DGP) to a decision maker (DM) who cannot understand it. Explanations are information, not approximations: they are useful because they rule out possible DGPs. If the DM maximizes her average payoff, explanations using OLS are robustly useful, and augmenting them with summary statistics makes them more so. Sampling error can destroy these guarantees, but theoretical assumptions linking that error to the DGP can restore them. If the DM is sufficiently ambiguity averse, explanations that are affine in outcomes are not robustly useful, but certificates reporting lower bounds on outcomes are.

Monthly Deflator-Based Inflation Measures Complement Cpi-Based Inflation, Neriza Chow, Andrew Adrian Pua

Angelo King Institute for Economic and Business Studies (AKI)

This study addresses the frequency mismatch by applying the dynamic temporal disaggregation framework of Poissonnier (2017) to construct monthly estimates of nominal and real quarterly national accounts series. The chosen temporal disaggregation method requires one or more monthly indicators. The number of monthly indicators, and their corresponding characteristics, as well as the number of past periods of the nominal and real series to be considered, are critical to model specification and can affect the resulting monthly estimates. The disaggregated series are then used to generate monthly deflators, which allows for the calculation of monthly inflation measures that complement CPI inflation.

Uti, Delirium, And Dementia: A Conceptual Bioinformatics Framework For Clinical Attribution, Rob E. Carpenter, Andrew Krouse

Human Resource Development Faculty Publications and Presentations

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is frequently invoked to explain delirium, confusion, and functional decline in persons with dementia. Yet urine positivity in this population often reflects asymptomatic bacteriuria, colonization, chronic pyuria, contamination, or sampling noise rather than clinically attributable infection. For biomedical informatics and computational diagnostics readers, this narrative review contributes an integrative conceptual bioinformatics framework for probabilistic clinical attribution of suspected UTI in dementia under uncertainty. We formalizes the attribution problem by distinguishing organism detection from a clinically plausible infection-related contribution to neurocognitive decline. The framework integrates clinical, laboratory, biological, and longitudinal data to clarify whether urinary findings are …

Sustainability Hub Newsletter - Summer 2026, Neyda V. Gilman, Jennifer Embree, Annaliese Santoro

Library Sustainability Resources

Happy summer Bearcats! We are hiring for the Student Assistant position. Read to learn how to apply! Also, check out our seed resources, places to look for sustainable jobs, and tips for a sustainable summer and travel!

Department Of Justice Office On Violence Against Women Campus Program Grant: Cwru Impact Evaluation, Hannah Regan, Emma Getz, Megan Gergen

Mather Center Research Briefs

This brief reviews the goals of the Mather Center's DOJ Campus Program grant and evaluates their impact on our campus. It also outlines how we intend to sustain this work following the conclusion of the grant's funding period.

The Impact Of Emergency Nurse Experience On Triage Accuracy During High-Volume Emergency Department Shifts, Grace Littlefield Rn, Mia Cianchette Rn, Benjamin Drummey Rn, Charles Stever Rn

Nurse Residency

PICOT Question: In adult emergency department patients, how does assigning an experienced emergency room nurse to the triage role compared to assigning a less experienced nurse improve triage accuracy rates during high-volume shifts?

Working Out Loud Resilience In Cooperative Extension: Results From An Internal Pilot Program, Lyndi M. Buckingham-Schutt, Debra Sellers, Barbara Dunn Swanson, Jody Catherine Gatewood

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

This study evaluates Working Out Loud (WOL) Resilience, a program designed to enhance resilience through peer-to-peer learning, targeting social isolation and self-determination. The WOL Resilience pilot program, delivered by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach facilitators, included 29 participants and 5 facilitators over 8 weeks. Participants engaged in weekly sessions focusing on 8 resilience attributes. Evaluation included baseline, midpoint, and post surveys; facilitator feedback forms; and interviews. Results showed improvements in resilience attributes from baseline to post-program and indicated high program acceptability and positive behavioral changes. The peer-to-peer learning model proved beneficial for participants and feasible for delivery through Extension …

Using Needs Assessments To Hear The Voices Of Extension Non-Clients, Odunayo O. Omotilewa, Omolola A. Adedokun

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Using data from the University of Kentucky (UK) Extension statewide community needs assessment, this study uncovers the Extension education needs of Kentuckians who are not familiar with the Extension program. Typically, the Extension program development and evaluation model begins with a needs assessment to identify and prioritize community needs, issues, and/or opportunities that can be addressed through targeted educational programming/outreach. As such, needs assessments amplify and empower the voices of community members, especially those who may not be familiar with Extension, and uncover their self-reported need for practical education and assistance. This study investigates differences in Extension education needs between …

Building Community Leadership Capacity Through Extension Partnerships: An Evaluation Case Study, Paul A. Hill, Lendel K. Narine

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

This evaluation study examines the effectiveness of the Leadership Dixie program in enhancing leadership capacity among participants in Washington County, Utah. As a program partner, Utah State University (USU) Extension conducted the evaluation on the program’s 25th class, comprising 27 participants (N = 27). The program, characterized by 10 monthly “Challenge Day” field tours, was evaluated using two instruments to collect data on participant learning and satisfaction levels, overall program experience, demographics, and impacts on social capital, interpersonal leadership skills, community engagement, and volunteerism. Results indicate strong positive outcomes in social capital, community engagement, and volunteerism while highlighting areas for …

Needs Assessment For Evaluation Competencies Among Extension And Outreach Professionals, Mariah K. Awan, Hui-Hui Wang, Rama Radhakrishna

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

We conducted an extensive literature review to develop an assessment tool with both quantitative and qualitative items that can be used to conduct a statewide needs assessment of professional development needs in program evaluation for Extension educators and similar non-profit organizations. This tool can be used to identify priority topics for evaluating professional development trainings and materials. It can be easily distributed via Qualtrics. The results of the literature review and the needs assessment survey instrument are shared.

Evaluating The Impact Of A Community-Based Prenatal Education Program On Maternal Knowledge And Intentions In Utah, Aaron T. Hunt, Jenna Dyckman, Kaylee Cox

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Maternal and infant health in the U.S. has worsened, with rising rates of maternal mortality, gestational diabetes, postpartum depression, and infant mortality. Prenatal education is a proven strategy to improve outcomes, yet many expecting parents rely on unvetted information or lack access to reliable resources. To address this gap, a pilot prenatal education program was implemented through Utah State University Extension to improve knowledge, attitudes, and intentions related to breastfeeding, nutrition, mental health, and other key topics. The program consisted of 3 1-hour, evidence-based workshops incorporating lectures and interactive activities. A retrospective pre-post survey was completed by 28 pregnant participants …

Agricultural Extension Agents’ Perceptions Regarding The Use Of Social Media In Extension Work, Howard M. Wallace Ii, K. S. U. Jayaratne, Wendy Warner, Dara Bloom, Julia Mckeown

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Social media enables Extension agents to reach a large group of clients efficiently. However, research on agricultural Extension agents’ perceptions about social media use in Extension work is limited. The purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions of agricultural Extension agents regarding the use of social media in Extension work. This was a descriptive research study conducted online. Findings confirmed that agricultural Extension agents in North Carolina State find social media helpful in Extension work, such as for the distribution of information to their clients and extending its reach to a larger audience. Extension agents perceive that using …

Affirming Farmer Assets And Visions: Results From A Pilot Appreciative-Inquiry-Based Asset-Mapping Workshop, Andrew R. Smolski, Elisabeth Ramsey, Cathy Royal, Michael Schulman

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Cooperative Extension Services and non-profit farm advocacy organizations assist farmers through network development and resource referrals to access information and services needed to operate resilient farms. One method for building networks and assessing existing resources is through participatory asset-mapping tools to document community strengths. In this research brief, we describe the results of a pilot study to test, evaluate, and refine an asset-mapping tool based on Appreciative Inquiry principles. Our goal in the pilot project was to assist the assembled farmers in identifying objectives for a sustainable future and understanding the existing set of resources that would empower them toward …

From Crayons To Career Education: Practices And Perspectives Of Elementary Educators, Christopher Sneed, Karen L. Franck, Ann A. Berry

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Career development is increasingly recognized as a lifelong process beginning in early childhood. While elementary students are developmentally ready to explore careers, few resources and strategies exist to support this age group. This qualitative, exploratory study investigates how Extension can support elementary career education by examining practices and perspectives of public-school teachers and administrators. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with educators in two urban elementary schools. Grounded theory methods revealed three key themes: barriers, facilitators, and supports/resources needed. Participants viewed career education as essential for helping students make meaningful connections between school and work. However, time constraints, state-mandated standards, and a …

Geomapping With Python: An Innovative Data Visualization Technique, Tirna Purkait, Dipti Dev

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

No abstract provided.

A Comparison Of Regional Food Systems And Food Security In Rural Mississippi And Italy, Reinhard M. Knerr, Athan M. Gregory, Anne Cafer

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

In the Mississippi (MS) Delta, more than 40% of residents are food-insecure despite predominantly agricultural land use. We hypothesized that limited social networks and non-navigable food market systems constrain MS producers, limit market viability, and hinder regional food sovereignty. This ethnography compared rural Italian and Mississippian food systems through semi-structured interviews of food producers, processors, and marketers. We described differences in social networks between groups that led to differential capacities to share capital and to overcome producer and labor constraints. We also described key differences in governmental and Extension support of local food systems. Finally, we provided suggestions for addressing …

Making Digital Connections: Extension Educators’ Perceptions And Use Of Qr Codes, Kobina D. Fanyinkah, Jefferson D. Miller, Casandra Cox, Will Doss

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

While Extension educators recognize the potential of digital tools for outreach, there are still barriers to adoption, effective implementation, and acceptance. The goal of this study was to evaluate Extension educators’ perceptions concerning quick-reponse (QR) codes in outreach activities, including their effectiveness, integration, and barriers faced when using them. The study used a qualitative approach in the form of semi-structured interviews of twelve Extension professionals purposely sampled from the Ozark region of the Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. Participants perceived the effective use of the technology to be related to their target clients’ age and technological proficiency. Additionally, Extension professionals reported …

Financial Wisdom Across Political Identities: Exploring Insights From A Convenience Sample Of Participants During The Global Pandemic, Miguel Quiñones, Virginia Zuiker, Yiting Li, Hanna Yu

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

The COVID-19 pandemic triggered a global economic crisis that magnified financial hardships and revealed how political affiliation shapes financial behavior. This study examined how U.S. residents with differing political orientations navigated financial uncertainty, drawing on open-ended survey responses collected in fall 2020. Results show both commonalities and nuanced differences across political lines. Across groups, participants emphasized saving for emergencies, living within their means, seeking financial support, and building skills to increase income—underscoring the universality of core financial principles during crises. However, distinctions also emerged: Republican participants more frequently emphasized self-sufficiency, often seeking additional jobs or withdrawing from retirement funds; Independents …

Perspectives Of Scholars, Families, And Advisors On 360-Degree Video Technology In Graduate Education, Oluwatobi A. Mogbojuri, Bridget A. Walsh, Matthew Aguirre

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

This study explored the experiences of scholars in creating and sharing 360-degree videos, as well as the perspectives of families and advisors who viewed the videos. Focus groups and individual interviews were conducted online using a videoconferencing platform. Perspectives from 20 participants (15 scholars, three advisors, and two family members) were analyzed using thematic analysis. Three primary themes were identified: (1) barriers to 360-degree video use, (2) perspective shifts and limited change, and (3) storytelling and scholar visibility. Findings suggest that 360-degree video technology may be an innovative tool for enhancing recruitment and retention, especially for historically marginalized groups, through …

Reflections On Participation In Collective Impact Initiatives: Through The Lens Of Extension Practitioners, Omolola A. Adedokun, Marian Jaitto-Jeffrey, Jacqueline Corum

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Collective Impact (CI) continues to gain recognition as a useful model for guiding the development, implementation, and evaluation of cross-sectoral efforts addressing complex social issues, including substance use recovery and workforce development. However, application of CI in Extension is very scant, and evaluation of its implementation, process, and outcomes remains a persistent challenge. Hence, the need for rigorous process and outcome evaluations of CI initiatives to build the literature base. Using a mix of focus group and survey methods, this process evaluation study examined Extension professionals’ experiences in two CI initiatives, with a specific focus on their perceptions of the …

Evaluating The Lasting Impacts Of A Dialogue-To-Change Program On Racial Understanding Using Ripple Effect Mapping, Mary Emery, Anuradha Choudhary, Mike D. Stout, Grace Langford, Eric Walcott, Marcia Ostrom

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

This paper explores the impacts of Coming Together for Racial Understanding (Coming Together), using Ripple Effect Mapping (REM). REM is a participatory evaluation tool that captures and analyzes intended and unintended outcomes. This method maps how individual change leads to wider changes in interactions and activities, from personal, interpersonal, institutional, and cultural levels to the widest ripple of the potential for change in policy, structure, and accepted practice. We adapted REM for virtual settings using Google Jamboard to hold two REM sessions with 20 participants and used mapping results to populate a follow-up survey for 2018 and 2019 training participants. …

Culturally Responsive Evaluation In Extension Programs For Indigenous Youth, Sara M. Tomis, J.C. Bunch, Amy Harder, T. Grady Roberts

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Indigenous communities, deserving and in need of salient Extension services, experience disparity in programming and culturally responsive evaluation because of historic and current social and financial barriers. An exploration of culturally responsive evaluation practices in Extension programs serving Indigenous youth audiences is warranted to identify areas for improvement. A focus group of Extension professionals was conducted to investigate evaluation practice within a federally funded Extension program. Findings indicated that Extension professionals were committed to operating and evaluating in ways that respected Indigenous culture, but improvements in culturally responsive practice are needed among both university and federal partners.

Lasting Memories: Effects Of Previous Healthcare Experiences On Young Adults’ Pain Tolerance, Emily Goldstein Sigman, Sherwood Burns-Nader

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

This cross-sectional study investigated the connections between previous healthcare experiences, young adults’ pain tolerance, and healthcare fear and anxiety. Prior healthcare experiences, current fear of medical procedures, and pain tolerance were reported by 257 young adults via a survey. Structural equation modeling revealed that increased numbers of previous healthcare experiences were associated with higher pain tolerance and decreased fear and anxiety towards healthcare procedures in young adulthood. Conversely, individuals with fewer previous healthcare experiences exhibited lower pain tolerance and heightened fear and anxiety towards medical procedures as young adults. These findings suggest that the relationship between previous healthcare experiences and …

Trauma-Informed And Culturally Responsive Teaching Practices To Support Multilingual Learners In K-12 Classrooms, Emily Johnson

Graduate Teacher Education

This Capstone paper examined how trauma-informed (TI) and culturally responsive (CR) belonging of multilingual learners (MLs) in K-12 classrooms. This study evaluated the intersection of TI education and CR teaching as a framework to support MLs. With MLs representing approximately 10% of the U.S. student population (NCES, 2024), schools faced an urgent need to address the academic, linguistic, and social-emotional challenges due to adverse childhood experiences, migration-related stress, displacement, and cultural adjustment. The literature review included qualitative, quantitative, mixed-methods, and intervention-based studies examining MLs, refugee-background students, teacher perceptions, professional development, school-based interventions, and CR instructional practices. This paper explored how …

78 | Paneas V: Paneion Excavations 1988–1993; Part I, Zvi Uri Ma‘Oz

IAA Reports—Monograph Series of the Israel Antiquities Authority

This volume is the first of two presenting the results of the excavations conducted at Paneas by Z.U. Ma'oz in the area that housed the sanctuary of Pan (Paneion) established in the Roman period. It presents the archaeological remains uncovered at the site, shedding light on activity prior to the establishment of Paneion, the construction and use of the sanctuary, and the continued human presence after the Roman period, when the site ceased to function as a cultic compound. The chapters include an introduction to the excavations, a discussion of the site's name and identification, geological aspects, the stratigraphy of …