Digital Commons Network^™

Dynamic Functional Thalamocortical Dysconnectivity In Schizophrenia Correlates To Antipsychotics Response, Mi Yang, Liju Liu, Hongmei Cui, Chijun Deng, Weisen Xiong, Guocheng Zhao, Shulin Du, Thomas R Kosten, Huafu Chen, Zezhi Li, Xiangyang Zhang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Although many studies have showed abnormal thalamocortical networks in patients with schizophrenia (SCZ), the dynamic functional thalamocortical connectivity of individuals with SCZ and the effect of antipsychotics on this connectivity have not been investigated. Drug-naïve first-episode individuals with SCZ and healthy controls were recruited. Patients were treated with risperidone for 12 weeks. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging was acquired at baseline and week 12. We identified six functional thalamic subdivisions. The sliding window strategy was used to determine the dynamic functional connectivity (dFC) of each functional thalamic subdivision. Individuals with SCZ displayed decreased or increased dFC variance in different thalamic …

Current Oral Hygiene And Recreational Behavioral Trends In Hiv Disease, Donald E. Mercante, Emily Guarisco, Elizabeth A. Lilly, Arni Rao, Kelly Treas, Clifford J. Beall, Zach Thompson, Ann L. Griffen, Eugene J. Leys, Jose A. Vazquez, Michael E. Hagensee, Paul L. Fidel

School of Dentistry Faculty Publications

Objective: HIV disease is evolving with more HIV+ persons experiencing a high quality of life with well-controlled viremia. We recently enrolled a large cohort of HIV+ and clinically relevant HIV− persons for oral microbiome analyses that included a questionnaire related to oral hygiene and recreational behaviors. Here, the questionnaire responses were analyzed for behavioral trends within the cohort, together with trends over time by comparison to a previous geographically centered HIV+ cohort. Methods: Data were collected by questionnaire at baseline visits as cross-sectional assessments. Multivariable analyses were conducted for associations of HIV status as well as age, race, and sex, …

Exploring The Determinants Of Organic Matter Bioavailability Through Substrate-Explicit Thermodynamic Modeling, Firnaaz Ahamed, Yaqi You, Amy Burgin, James C. Stegen, Timothy D. Scheibe, Hyun-Seob Song

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Microbial decomposition of organic matter (OM) in river corridors is a major driver of nutrient and energy cycles in natural ecosystems. Recent advances in omics technologies enabled high-throughput generation of molecular data that could be used to inform biogeochemical models. With ultrahigh-resolution OM data becoming more readily available, in particular, the substrate-explicit thermodynamic modeling (SXTM) has emerged as a promising approach due to its ability to predict OM degradation and respiration rates from chemical formulae of compounds. This model implicitly assumes that all detected organic compounds are bioavailable, and that aerobic respiration is driven solely by thermodynamics. Despite promising demonstrations …

Exploring The Pre-Service Teachers Use Of Mobile Augmented Reality In Education Through An Extended Technology Acceptance Model, Mohamad Nizar Nur Nabihah, Rahmat Khairezan

Research Publications (2021 to 2025)

The popularity of Mobile Augmented Reality (MAR) has increased in recent years. However, the potential remains underexplored in education due to the massive penetration in the entertainment industry. It promotes flexibility in learning as well as enriches students’ learning experiences. Therefore, this study aims to enhance the use of MAR and formulates a model of MAR usage for pre-service teachers. Since there are limitations in achieving existing MAR technology resource, the present study developed a MAR technology, namely Mobile Augmented Reality Learning Cardiovascular (MARLCardio). In the context of this study, MARLCardio serves as an experimental tool to determine the acceptance …

Guiding Post-Hospital Recovery By 'What Matters:' Implementation Of Patient Priorities Identification In A Va Community Living Center, Katherine C Ritchey, Laurence M Solberg, Sandra Wolfe Citty, Lea Kiefer, Erica Martinez, Caroline Gray, Aanand D Naik

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Patient priorities care (PPC) is an effective age-friendly health systems (AFHS) approach to aligning care with goals derived from 'what matters'. The purpose of this quality improvement program was to evaluate the fidelity and feasibility of the health priorities identification (HPI) process in VA Community Living Centers (CLC).

METHODS: PPC experts worked with local CLC staff to guide the integration of HPI into the CLC and utilized a Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) model for this quality improvement project. PPC experts reviewed health priorities identification (HPI) encounters and interdisciplinary team (IDT) meetings for fidelity to the HPI process of PPC. Qualitative interviews …

A Transcendental Phenomenological Study Of Christian Leaders' Competency Development Experience: Prepared To Equip The Laity, Shamekia Shonta' Smith-Tucker

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Research indicates that missional or nondenominational U.S. churches may include more than 60,000 such churches, representing at least 12 million followers (Thumma, 2020). Additionally, some ministry leaders predict denominational affiliation will wane over the next decade (Earls, 2021a), as will the training and other support they offer. The purpose of this phenomenological study will be to assess and understand the experiences of missional ministry leaders after participation in a structured or unstructured competency development program and their ensuing dynamic engagement in ministry. Dynamic engagement will be defined as "fully engaged and intentional" (MacFarland, 2019, para. 1), as evidenced by implementing …

Oxytocin Attenuates Yohimbine-Induced Reinstatement Of Alcohol-Seeking In Female Rats Via The Central Amygdala, Samantha M. Wilfur, Elizabeth C. Mcneely, Aliya A. Lackan, Cassie P. Bowers, Kah-Chung Leong

Psychology Faculty Research

Alcohol use disorder is a significant public health concern, further exacerbated by an increased risk of relapse due to stress. In addition, factors such as biological sex may contribute to the progression of addiction, as females are especially susceptible to stress-induced relapse. While there have been many studies surrounding potential pharmacological interventions for male stress-induced ethanol reinstatement, research regarding females is scarce. Recently, the neuropeptide oxytocin has gained interest as a possible pharmacological intervention for relapse. The present study examines how oxytocin affects yohimbine-induced reinstatement of ethanol-seeking in female rats using a self-administration paradigm. Adult female rats were trained to …

Situational Analysis Of Gold Processing Practices At Artisanal And Small-Scale Gold Mining In Tanzania, Sospeter Maganga

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

This study reports the state-of-art situation of gold processing practices at artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) in Tanzania. It involved literature review, document review of public domain reports, and field survey during data collection. This was followed by screening of literature, reports, and field data relevant to the study topic. Further, the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges (SWOC) analysis of ASGM was conducted and discussed. The study indicates that ASGM subsector in Tanzania continues growing with people involved directly in ASGM ranging between 1 to 1.5 million. Further, the study indicates that ASGM in Tanzania contributes about 90% of …

Autism, Comorbidities, And Adaptive Functioning: A Potential Moderator, Joshua J. Montrenes

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Deficits in adaptive functioning and the presence of comorbid symptomatology are both commonly associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Previous research has identified relationships between functional level (e.g., intellectual quotient [IQ], adaptive functioning [AF]) and comorbid symptomatology in ASD. However, further insight into the relationship between AF, comorbid psychopathology, and ASD is unclear. Specifically, how AF affects the relationship between ASD and comorbid conditions is not well understood. Whether AF moderates the relationship between autism symptom severity and comorbid symptom severity in toddlers with ASD was examined. ASD symptom severity positively correlated with comorbid symptom severity across domains and negatively …

A Bayesian Network Approach To Social And Nonsocial Cognition In Schizophrenia: Are Some Domains More Fundamental Than Others?, Samuel J Abplanalp, Junghee Lee, William P Horan, Robert S Kern, David L Penn, Michael F Green

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVES: Social and nonsocial cognition are defined as distinct yet related constructs. However, the relative independence of individual variables-and whether specific tasks directly depend on performance in other tasks-is still unclear. The current study aimed to answer this question by using a Bayesian network approach to explore directional dependencies among social and nonsocial cognitive domains.

STUDY DESIGN: The study sample comprised 173 participants with schizophrenia (71.7% male; 28.3% female). Participants completed 5 social cognitive tasks and the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery. We estimated Bayesian networks using directed acyclic graph structures to examine directional dependencies among the variables.

STUDY RESULTS: After …

Self-Beliefs, Transactive Memory Systems, And Collective Identification In Teams: Articulating The Socio-Cognitive Underpinnings Of Cohumain, Gabriela Cuconato

Student Scholarship

Socio-cognitive theory conceptualizes individual contributors as both enactors of cognitive processes and targets of a social context's determinative influences. The present research investigates how contributors’ metacognition or self-beliefs, combine with others’ views of themselves to inform collective team states related to learning about other agents (i.e., transactive memory systems) and forming social attachments with other agents (i.e., collective team identification), both important teamwork states that have implications for team collective intelligence. We test the predictions in a longitudinal study with 78 teams. Additionally, we provide interview data from industry experts in human–artificial intelligence teams. Our findings contribute to an emerging …

Study On The Effectiveness Of Environmental Regulations And Its Spatial Spillover In China’S High-Quality Human Habitat Cities, Chuansheng Wu, Weixuan Fan, Lingling Qi, Levent Kutlu

School of Economics and Finance Faculty Publications

High-quality human habitat cities in developing countries are facing new urban environmental problems as a result of the significant resource footprints of wealthy urban populations in the process of rapid urbanization. These areas are desperate for solutions to the coexistence of old and new pollutants, as well as inorganic and organic compounds. The authors of this study propose a comprehensive framework and methods for evaluating the effectiveness of environmental regulation in high-quality human habitat cities for a state-of-the-art path of improving environmental governance and optimizing environmental policies in these regions. This paper aims to analyze the effectiveness of environmental regulation …

Temporal And Bidirectional Association Between Blood Pressure Variability And Arterial Stiffness: Cross-Lagged Cohort Study, Zhiyuan Wu, Haiping Zhang, Yutao Wang, Zhiwei Li, Xia Li, Lixin Tao, Xiuhua Guo

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

BACKGROUND: The causal relationship between blood pressure variability (BPV) and arterial stiffness remains debated. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the temporal and bidirectional associations between long-term BPV and arterial stiffness using a cohort design with multiple surveys. METHODS: Participants from the Beijing Health Management Cohort who underwent health examinations from visit 1 (2010-2011) to visit 5 (2018-2019) were enrolled in this study. Long-term BPV was defined as intraindividual variation using the coefficient of variation (CV) and SD. Arterial stiffness was measured by brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV). The bidirectional relationship between BPV and arterial stiffness was explored using cross-lagged …

Examining Adolescent Peer Victimization, Emotion Regulation, And Mental Health Using Path Analysis, Kelsey Ann Walker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

The adverse effects of peer victimization in adolescent development have been consistently shown, including but not limited to internalizing problems, externalizing problems, and reduced life satisfaction. Emotion regulation, a critical individual level factor to the stress-coping process, potentially affects mental health in the context of peer victimization through different mechanisms. Based on theories and relevant empirical research, in the current study, the first mechanism was examined through mediation models, in which emotion regulation strategies (i.e., cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression) were mediators in the relations between peer victimization and mental health. The second mechanism was tested via moderation models to …

Survey Headaches, Katherine Deibel

PCOM Scholarly Works

In the library profession, and in the world as a whole, the experiences of trans and gender diverse people often go unnoticed, hidden, and ignored. But we are here. Trans and Gender Diverse Voices in Libraries is entirely written and edited by trans and gender diverse people involved in the field: its fifty-seven authors include workers from academic and public libraries, special collections and archives, and more; LIS students; and a few people who have left the library profession completely.

This book is not intended to be the definitive guide to trans and gender diverse experiences in libraries, but instead …

A Word Fitly Spoken Is Like Apples Of Gold In Settings Of Silver: Removing The Veil From Inspirational Historical Fiction, Laura Louise Milcarzyk

Masters Theses

This thesis is about the importance of inspirational historical fiction writers to pen literary works that are more reflective of the diverse Kingdom of God on earth and the trials and tribulations the diverse community of followers of Christ endure in this life. The thesis also defines three literary techniques that will, if applied correctly, help lead a writer in creating novels that bring God, His love, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ to life. The artistic statement explains how the novel originated and its process, as well as the novel’s literary and biblical significance. The critical paper is the …

Kangaroo Care Impact On Maternal Health: An Integrative Review, Alexis Ann Lawson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Health care should progress and change as the needs of the population change. As light is shed on the mothers’ experiences during the postpartum period, there is an increasing need to find and implement evidence-based interventions to promote their health and wellness. As a vulnerable population, postpartum women require appropriate treatments and interventions to avoid postpartum complications. Three key themes of postpartum health and well-being that directly and significantly impact mothers are postpartum depression, maternal and infant attachment, and exclusive breastfeeding. This integrative review addressed the correlation between each of these themes and how kangaroo care, upright skin-to-skin contact, impacts …

Instructional Coaching In Schools: A Qualitative Study Exploring Teacher Experiences, Kelli Jean Crowe

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study is to describe the experiences of K-12 teachers who have participated in instructional coaching in the Applewood school district. The theory guiding this study is Kolb’s theory on experiential learning connecting it to coaching as a foundational element when adult learners are focused on improving craft and instructional prowess for the benefit of students. This hermeneutic phenomenological study used a qualitative research design to answer the following research questions: CRQ) What are the experiences of K-12 teachers who have participated in coaching in the Applewood school district? SQ1) How do coached teachers describe …

Describing The Lived Experiences Of K-12 Teachers Addressing The Unique Needs Of Black And Marginalized Twice-Exceptional Students: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Toyka-Eve Whitley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of K-12 teachers addressing the unique needs of Black and marginalized twice-exceptional students in the United States. At this stage in the research, Black and marginalized twice-exceptional (2e) students are minority students that are gifted students that have a disability. The theory guiding this study was the teacher expectancy theory. This study was a transcendental phenomenological study. The study took place in the United States. Pseudonyms were used to protect the identities of the participants. The central research question asked, what are the lived experiences of teachers addressing …

Discouragement And Supportive Relationships In Latin Pastors Planting Churches In Virginia, North Carolina, And Tennessee, Jeannette Arroyo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The present study investigated the impact of discouragement on Latin pastors planting churches in the missionary field and provided a psychological resource for pastors coping with the challenge. Due to their unique characteristics, supportive relationships were investigated regarding how it impacts the variable of discouragement due to emotional exhaustion and the absence of self-care (Williams, 2019). Since pastors and ministers face this challenge regularly (Stott, 2014), exploring networks for support and help in distress is essential. Social constructivists see motivation as a social phenomenon crucial for individuals, and the Adlerian Theory (Carlson & Englar-Carlson, 2017) calls attention to relationships and …

An Embedded Case Study To Understand The Barriers To Cultural Progression In Aviation, Scott Phillip Trepinski

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative, revelatory, embedded case study was to understand the barriers to cultural progression aviation leaders experience within airlines based in the United States. The study was guided by the research question: What can be learned about the barriers hindering the progression of safety culture within the aviation industry? The research design used a single embedded case study model utilizing participants responsible for managing, participating in, and designing programs and policies associated with an organization's safety management system. The study's theoretical framework was the cognitive dissonance theory and the dialogue-supported organizational learning theory. Data was collected utilizing …

Naturally Occurring Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus H5n1 Clade 2.3.4.4b Infection In Three Domestic Cats In North America During 2023, Sarah J. Sillman, Mary Drozd, Duan S. Loy, Seth P. Harris

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

The Eurasian strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 is a devastating pathogen for birds that also has the capacity to infect mammals. This report describes the presentation, clinical case findings (including haemogram and serum biochemistry), gross and microscopic lesions and virus detection in three HPAI H5N1-infected domestic cats from the USA in 2023. All three cats presented with neurological abnormalities and were euthanized due to a poor prognosis within 2 days (two cats) or 10 days (one cat) of known clinical disease onset. Necropsy consistently revealed pulmonary congestion and oedema, and cerebrocortical malacia with haemorrhage was also seen …

Global Assessment Of Marine Plastic Exposure Risk For Oceanic Birds, Bethany L. Clark, Ana P.B. Carneiro, Elizabeth J. Pearmain, Marie Morgane Rouyer, Thomas A. Clay, Win Cowger, Richard A. Phillips, Andrea Manica, Carolina Hazin, Marcus Eriksen, Jacob González-Solís, Josh Adams, Yuri V. Albores-Barajas, Joanna Alfaro-Shigueto, Maria Saldanha Alho, Deusa Teixeira Araujo, José Manuel Arcos, Fiona Mcduie, For Full Author List, See Comments Below

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Plastic pollution is distributed patchily around the world's oceans. Likewise, marine organisms that are vulnerable to plastic ingestion or entanglement have uneven distributions. Understanding where wildlife encounters plastic is crucial for targeting research and mitigation. Oceanic seabirds, particularly petrels, frequently ingest plastic, are highly threatened, and cover vast distances during foraging and migration. However, the spatial overlap between petrels and plastics is poorly understood. Here we combine marine plastic density estimates with individual movement data for 7137 birds of 77 petrel species to estimate relative exposure risk. We identify high exposure risk areas in the Mediterranean and Black seas, and …

Exploring The Impacts Of Funding Models On Business As Mission Organizations In Asia: A Multiple-Case Study, Jeremiah Joel Finch

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In a 2014 research study, Dr. Steve Rundle examined the impacts of business-funded versus donor-funded business as mission (BAM) organizations. The research study answers Dr. Rundle’s call for further research on funding models, and the findings from the study help to fill in gaps in the social-entrepreneurship (SE) and BAM literature. BAM organizations, like other SE-oriented organizations, seek to achieve success in multiple bottom lines. The qualitative, multiple-case study utilized a theoretical replication design to explore differences between donor-funded and business-funded BAM organizations in Asia. Specifically, the research study explored principles related to BAM funding methodology’s impact on economic outcomes …

A Phenomenological Study: Exploring African American Community College Students' First-Year Experiences With College Adjustment And Persistence, Tiffany Nicole Baker

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore African American community college students' first-year experiences with college adjustment and persistence at a two-year, predominantly White community college. Tinto's (1975) institutional departure theory which merges the constructs of social psychology and institutional climate was used in this study to analyze how social integration impacts African American community college student’s first-year college adjustment experiences. Tinto’s (1975) theory asserts that college students who experience an inadequate amount of social integration or view themselves as being of trivial value in the social and academic systems of a higher education institution, decrease in institutional …

Marital Quality And Marital Satisfaction In Protestant Haitian Americans Vs. Non-Christian Haitian Americans, Frantz Lamour

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The current study examined perceptions regarding marital satisfaction as described by Protestants Haitians Americans and non-Christian Haitian Americans. Participants were selected from married Christian and non-Christian couples that have been married for over five years within the age range of 25-53. The study used the Religion-Adapted Cognitive Behavioral Therapy theory (R-CBT) framework. R-CBT is a well-known theoretical framework that integrates religious interventions in the therapeutic relationship to educate clients about the triangular relationship between thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and cognitive restructuring (de Abreu Costa & Moreira-Almeida, 2022). Religion-Adapted Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (R-CBT) incorporates cognitive behavioral therapy methods from the perspective of …

A Phenomenological Study: Factors Influencing Faculty Attitude Toward Online Teaching During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Kelly A. Waltman-Payne

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to discover the factors that influenced the faculty’s lived experiences and perceived preparedness when transitioning to fully online courses in response to the COVID-19 crisis, for full-time faculty members at Greenhill College, North Branch. The central research question for the research was “What factors, such as professional development and other training, related to online learning, influenced faculty attitudes and perceptions of preparedness, as they transitioned to online teaching during the COVID-19 Pandemic 2020?” Ten participants were selected using a random sample drawn from full-time faculty members at Greenhill College, North Branch. Data collection …

Strategies To Prevent And Manage Peri Wound Skin Complications Associated With Compression Bandages Application In Patients With Venous Leg Ulcers: An Integrative Literature Review, Judith D. Plummer- Morgan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Skin maceration, pressure injury, skin-stripping, as well as less common dermatological problems, are frequently noted in patients treated for venous ulcers with compression bandages. Ongoing issues with infection can lead to unwanted effects, including hospitalization and unexpected expenses. This integrative review was synthesized using Whittemore and Knafl’s five-stage methodological framework. A systematic search was conducted through the following online databases: CINAHL, MEDLINE, PubMed, and ScienceDirect for articles available in English and available in full text. This integrative review aims to review, synthesize, and critique the current literature to determine what strategies have been implemented to prevent or manage dermatological problems …

The Second And Third-Year College Experiences Of Online Nontraditional Adult Learners Following An Online Remedial English Course, Jenny Marie Walter

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the experiences of nontraditional adult learners (NALs) in online education who persist after completing an online remedial English course. This study sought to answer the central question, “What is the motivation of NALs taking all online courses who persist to their second or third year of school after completing at least one remedial English course?” The theories that guided this study were Knowles’ (1977, 1980) theory on andragogy, Deci and Ryan’s (1985) self-determination theory, specifically, organismic integration theory and cognitive evaluation theory, and Tinto’s (1975) theory on attrition as there …

The Impact Of Socioeconomic Status On The Achievement Of Chronically Absent Grade 5 Students, Sakeena Alexandra Ash-Cary

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Chronic absenteeism has been shown to be a strong predictor of student achievement. However, there is a lack of research studies that examine if differences exist among chronically absent students in Title I and non-Title I settings. The purpose of this causal-comparative study was to determine if socioeconomic status imparts any additional impacts on the achievement of chronically absent students as measured by the Virginia SOLs. The data collected include achievement data from the Virginia SOLs. A quantitative research design was used to examine, analyze, and compare standardized mathematics, English, and science test scores along with attendance rates of fifth …