Digital Commons Network^™

Development Of An Evidence-Based Nutrition Protocol For Professional Pickleball Athletes, Laura Morales

Department of Nutrition Student Projects

Professional pickleball has expanded rapidly, yet sport-specific nutrition guidance remains absent. Current information available to athletes comes largely from non-professional or industry sources and lacks an evidence-based foundation. This project aims to address that gap by developing a nutrition protocol tailored specifically for professional pickleball players. The approach synthesizes data from pickleball workload studies, racket-sport physiology, and established sports nutrition consensus statements. Key focus areas include fueling strategies, protein distribution for recovery, hydration and sodium planning, heat acclimation and cooling practices, travel and jet-lag management, altitude considerations, and evidence-based supplementation. By integrating findings from racket-sport analogs and intermittent high-intensity training …

Commonthought (2025), Commonthought Staff

Commonthought

This issue features works created by Lesley University students and covers a broad range of topics. The work itself crosses many disciplines from creative writing to visual arts.

Inelastic Behavior Of Three-Story Buildings With Concrete-Filled Composite Plate Shear Walls Subjected To Wind Loads, Joshua John Blom

Theses and Dissertations

Although elastic design of the main wind force resisting system in a building is the conventional approach it is not always desirable. In this study, nonlinear static and dynamic analyses are used to predict the inelastic behavior of a three-story building with concrete-filled composite plate shear walls subjected to wind loads. To explore the potential for inelastic design, two types of planar composite shear wall buildings are examined: individual shear walls designed using an elastic approach, and coupled shear wall pairs designed using an inelastic approach adopted from seismic design provisions. Nonlinear static "pushover" analyses are run using an assumed …

Experimental Testing Of Axially Loaded Fuse Plates Without Continuous Buckling Restraint, Rebekah Elizabeth Higgins

Theses and Dissertations

Current seismic design practice is to design structures to avoid collapse and protect life. Buildings are designed to resist seismic loading through strength and ductility. In moment frames, this ductility traditionally comes from inelastic deformation of beams. Moment frame connections move inelastic deformation away from the column and allow a plastic hinge to form in the beam. This plastic hinge prevents collapse but leaves the building difficult to repair. Some proprietary moment frame connections address this issue with replaceable fuse plate connections. These fuse plate connections move the plastic hinge out of the beam and into the replaceable fuse, allowing …

Using It And Accounting Education Pedagogy To Address Smaller Firms' Cybersecurity Concerns, Darlene A. Adkins, William Lyle, Walter Smith

The North American Accounting Studies

This study begins by exploring the cybersecurity activities and practices of small public accounting firms. It also examined how a cross-disciplinary curriculum design could be useful to accounting programs that are challenged to integrate cybersecurity-related content while preserving the core accounting knowledge valued by smaller accounting firms. Through interviews with current practitioners from small and regional firms, the research investigated the extent to which cybersecurity concerns impact their practice, how cybersecurity activities are staffed, and the perceptions of current practitioners on the state of accounting education related to information technology (IT) and cybersecurity. The participants expressed a desire for accounting …

Medical Cannabis Conversation Between Adult Oncology Patients And Provider: The Impact Of Provider Education, Jodi Mcclain

DNP and Student Works

Background: It is estimated up to 40% of adult oncology patients use medical cannabis (MC) for a myriad of symptoms, including not limited to, nausea, pain, appetite, and anxiety. Conversely, less than one-third of oncology health care providers (HCPs) feel confident making cannabis recommendations. Furthermore, studies have shown low disclosure rate and poor communication between oncology patient and provider regarding integrative medicine, which includes cannabis. This study sought to examine the degree of correlation between the desire for information regarding cannabis in the adult oncology population, the level of communication regarding cannabis between patients and providers, and educational efforts to …

Results Of The 2024 Immunization Status Survey Of 24-Month-Old Children In Tennessee, Tennessee. Department Of Health.

Immunization Rates

No abstract provided.

Back To Normal? Perspectives Of Faculty And Teaching Librarians On Information Literacy Instruction After The Lockdowns, Catherine Baird, Cara Berg, Anthony C. Joachim, Drew Wallace

University Libraries Scholarship and Creative Works

Objective - While LIS scholars have extensively studied the widespread disruptions to library instruction during the lockdown period of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a relative dearth of research concerning the longer-term implications for teaching information literacy (IL). This exploratory survey sought to examine how faculty have introduced IL skills to students before, during, and after the COVID-19 lockdowns. After returning to in-person operations in 2021, the authors observed a change in how faculty have engaged with libraries to teach IL to their students. Methods - Utilizing parallel survey instruments, we asked faculty and librarians for their perceptions of current …

Pronatalism In The United States: How Political Ideals Surrounding Family And Reproductive Health Care Contribute To Neglect In The Foster Care System, Carson Sebree

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Within the past decade, conservative reproductive politics in the United States have experienced an ideological shift from pro-life toward pronatalism. This has been intensified through the rollback of reproductive rights and the rise of Christian nationalism. However, there has been no commensurate additional funding for the foster care system. This project asks the interrelated questions of: “how is pronatalism linked to neglect within the foster care system?; and, how do theories of democratic care highlight the necessity to rethink support for the foster care system and create policies that will address its shortcomings, given the rise of pronatalist aw and …

The Effects Of Educational Materials On Knowledge And Attitudes Toward Psilocybin, Lindsey Elise Wade

Master's Theses

Depression is one of the most prevalent and burdensome mental health conditions worldwide, affecting millions and contributing to over 700,000 deaths by suicide annually. Nearly half of patients with major depressive disorder fail to respond adequately to standard antidepressant treatments such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Psilocybin-assisted therapy (PAT) has emerged as a promising alternative for treatment-resistant depression (TRD), yet public understanding of this therapy remains limited. The present study examined whether a brief psychoeducational intervention could affect knowledge and attitudes toward PAT among members of the general public in the United States. Participants were randomly assigned to read …

The Gray Bird Sings: The Extraordinary Life Of Betty Kwan Chinn (Second Edition), Karen M. Price Ph.D.

Trade & Scholarly Monographs

“Touched by childhood tragedy, Betty Chinn brings hope to those who have fallen on hard times. Left homeless as a child in China, Chinn became mute. When she came to America, she found both her voice and her mission: aiding those without shelter on our own shores. ” -Barack Obama, awarding Betty the Presidential Citizens Medal

As a child during the Chinese Cultural Revolution, she was separated from her family, imprisoned, and ruthlessly tortured. As an immigrant to the United States, she worked tirelessly to shelter and feed thousands in her community. How she survived monstrous conditions, challenged impossible odds, …

Artificial Intelligence: A Double-Edged Sword In Support And Subversion Of The Biological Weapons Convention; Part Two: Implications And Recommendations, Diane Dieuliis, Elise Annett, James Giordano

Strategic Insights

This commentary is Pt. 2 of the "Artificial Intelligence: A Double-Edged Sword in Support and Subversion of the Biological Weapons Convention" series. This piece analyzes how artificial intelligence (AI) interacts with the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) in both supportive and potentially adversarial ways. The authors explain that AI can strengthen biodefense by improving detection, biosurveillance, and compliance monitoring of biological threats. For example, AI can integrate large datasets to identify anomalies in genomic sequences or global research activity that indicate misuse. However, the same capabilities can be exploited to develop, conceal, and disseminate biological agents, automate laboratory processes that lower …

Teaming With Insects: Entomology For Grades 3-12, Natalie J. Carroll, Christian Y. Oseto, Timothy J. Gibb

Purdue University Press Books

Teaming With Insects: Entomology for Grades 3–12 is written for youth who enjoy learning about and studying science and nature. Insects have been around for millions of years and have evolved and adapted to many different habitats. Adaptations involving their anatomy, physiology, and behavior are what make insects so diverse and interesting. More than 1 million species of insects are known to scientists, and they believe there may be up to 40 million more we have yet to discover. Most people consider insects pests, and some insects do damage to homes, plants, crops, and stored foods. Others harm humans and …

A Shattered World: Jews And Israel After October 7, Michael Berenbaum, Gilbert N. Kahn

The Jewish Role in American Life: An Annual Review

October 7, 2023, was a watershed event in contemporary Jewish history. What took place on that date challenged the two most basic assumptions of post-Holocaust Jewish life: that the future security of the Jewish people would be assured by an independent Jewish state backed by an army, and that the freedom for Jews in the Diaspora to live as Jews would be secured by democratic rights and liberties. The pogroms of October 7 and the worldwide explosion of antisemitism that followed—even preceding Israel taking military action against Hamas—challenged both assumptions. The Israel Defense Forces could not prevent a slaughter from …

Fundamental Hydraulics Principles For Agricultural Systems Management And Technology, Robert M. Stwalley Iii, Roger Tormoehlen

Purdue University Press Books

Hydraulic systems have spread throughout modern technology, particularly in mobile equipment. The exercises presented in Fundamental Hydraulic Principles for Agricultural Systems Management and Technology are designed for the second-generation Parker Hydraulic Trainer to provide a basic understanding of hydraulic components and systems for technology and engineering students. Readers will learn how hydraulic pumps function, how linear actuators and their control circuits work, and how hydraulic motors operate and are controlled. Readers are also provided with the opportunity to attempt more advanced exercises. Aligned with beginning technology-based experiential hydraulics courses, this book emphasizes familiarity with common hydraulic components and circuit diagrams, …

Latino Economic Inequality In New York City: Income And Snap Recipiency, 2013–2023, Oswaldo A. Mena Aguilar

Center for Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies

This Latino Data Project Report analyzes trends in the economic well-being of Latino households in New York City between 2013 and 2023, focusing on household income and participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The findings reveal a paradoxical pattern: although median Latino household income increased over the decade, economic inequality within the Latino community widened substantially. Income gains were unevenly distributed, with higher-income households pulling further ahead while the lowest-income households experienced stagnation or decline. Over the same period, Latino households fell further behind all other racial and ethnic groups in the city. Additionally, Latinos consistently exhibited the …

Ankimedbench: Evaluating Hierarchical Medical Knowledge In Language Model Embeddings, Neel Patel

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Despite achieving over 90% accuracy on medical benchmarks, recent studies show physicians cannot effectively leverage language models to improve clinical reasoning. Current benchmarks test isolated factual recall, but clinical practice requires hierarchical navigation through diagnostic categories—starting broad and narrowing systematically from chest pain to cardiovascular pathology to myocardial infarction to specific STEMI types. Existing evaluations cannot measure whether models preserve this taxonomic structure essential for clinical reasoning.

We introduce AnkiMedBench, built from 16,512 medical flashcards used by students preparing for licensing exams. Cards are organized across six hierarchy levels spanning 16 broad medical specialties to 672 specific diseases and conditions. …

“I Can Gossip With Anybody, I Can’T Chisme With Everybody”: Chisme, Gossip, And Identity In Latina-Americans, Alexa B. Romero

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

As individuals adjust to their belonging to two distinct cultures, there are various ways of adapting to their navigation of the two cultures (Berry, 1980). The way(s) an individual chooses to adjust to their two cultures can have varying effects on identity. When directly translated, chisme (Spanish) means gossip. Although the two include overlap in function and uses, chisme offers unique purposes for the Latinx community and further, Latina-Americans (González Ybarra & Player 2024; Gutierrez, 2017; Uribe, 2025). By using the communication theory of identity (Hecht, 1993) the purpose of this thesis was to investigate the role of chisme and …

Las Voices: The Impact On Black Young Males In A Critical Mentorship Program In The Las Vegas Valley, Sean C. Tory

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In America, Black young males face an enormous amount of pressure regarding their social and racial identity. They battle with racial macro/microaggressions, stereotypes, racism, and socialization from various industries and systems. The community organization, King of Jewels, has been able to adopt effective strategies to help Black young males navigate these issues through critical mentorship. This paper will first demonstrate the importance of critical mentorship, Black Racial Identity Development, and will then outline the steps necessary to fill the gaps found in mentorship and Black Racial Identity Development literature. This qualitative study investigates the use of critical mentorship (CM) and …

Trauma Beyond Time: Temporal Constructs In Holocaust Testimonies, Sarah Seiselmyer-Snyder

Purdue University Press Books

Trauma Beyond Time: Temporal Constructs in Holocaust Testimonies challenges our understanding of what it means to be a Holocaust survivor, arguing that the term “post-Holocaust” fundamentally misrepresents survivors’ experiences. Through careful analysis of Holocaust literature and testimony, this book reveals how trauma persists across generations, defying conventional historical timelines. For those who perished, there can be no “after” to the Holocaust—their stories were violently ended. Yet for survivors, the Holocaust didn’t simply conclude in 1945. Their experiences demonstrate how trauma continues to shape lives decades later, making “post-Holocaust” a misleading concept that fails to capture their ongoing reality. Using the …

Building Your Epic Life: Your Journey, Your Way, Your Masterpiece, Luciano Castillo

Purdue University Press Books

Building Your Epic Life empowers young people to understand that failure is an inevitable—and essential—part of the journey to success. The author shares his own challenges and struggles, showing that no path to success is linear and without setbacks. The book teaches the value of building a healthy body, mind, and spirit, and includes exercises that offer actionable plans for individuals to realize a meaningful, self-defined life based on their core values. A proven roadmap workbook and short lectures guide readers through a series of practical steps to discover their purpose, vision, and understand the value of mentorship—and why each …

Markets We Thought We Knew, Nicole J. Olynk Widmar, Michael L. Smith, Erin Robinson

Purdue University Press Books

Markets We Thought We Knew explores the evolving nature of markets and how they shape—and are shaped by—consumer behavior. From essential life necessities such as water to everyday commodities and products including locally sourced foods, this book covers a variety of topics and invites readers to examine a diverse range of markets through a reflective lens. By revisiting past market dynamics and real-world examples, readers are encouraged to rethink how preferences are formed, how opinions shift over time, and how value is assigned—sometimes in unexpected ways. What insights might you gather from a deeper understanding of local and global markets, …

Shattered Liberation: Sexualized Violence Against Holocaust Survivors, 1943–1946, Nina Paulovicova, Anna Cichopek-Gajraj, Joanna Beata Michlic

Purdue University Press Books

Shattered Liberation: Sexualized Violence Against Holocaust Survivors, 1943–1946 challenges the notion of joyous liberation of Holocaust survivors by the Red Army, which is often embedded in popular imagination and collective memory. This is one of the first volumes to shine light on the sexualized violence that some Holocaust survivors endured in the hands of the Soviet Army, partisans, rescuers, and army personnel in filtration camps during the liberation process. By focusing on testimonies and memoirs, this book discusses in detail a wide range of interactions, including sexual violence, rape, forced cohabitation, sex barter, aid, and romance. The book addresses methodological …

Engaging Learners Everywhere: The Interactive Synchronous Hyflex Method, Nathan Mentzer, Abdul Moeed Asad, Adrie A. Koehler, Lakshmy Mohandas, Elnara Mammadova

Purdue University Press Books

Initially conceived as a workaround related to the crisis precipitated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting lockdown of 2020, Interactive Synchronous HyFlex reimagines an active-learning, team-based classroom, making it possible for any student to participate fully, whether they are seated in the back row or joining from elsewhere in the world. Developed and refined by the authors through five years of classroom experimentation and National Science Foundation–funded research, this forward-facing approach—which refers to online synchronous hybrid delivery and combines the terms “hybrid” and “flexible”—brings together learners in a single classroom who have the daily option of meeting face-to-face or …

Applied Research For Corn Production In Indiana, 2024, Daniel Quinn

Purdue University Press Books

The 2024 edition of Applied Research for Corn Production in Indiana offers accessible, research-based tips for farmers who want to improve corn production practices by using applied field-research trials. Daniel Quinn and the Purdue University Corn Agronomy team reveal practical ways to boost yields, reduce costs, and improve sustainability on the farm. Their findings are derived from applied research trials across the state and relate to important topics such as planting practices, fertilizer use, crop nutrition, cover crops, and new technologies. Applied Research for Corn Production in Indiana distills complex research into clear insights and supplies corn producers with effective …

150 Years Of Purdue Engineering: Celebrating Our Consequential Impact On The World, Arvind Raman, Jim Small

Purdue University Press Books

Since its founding 150 years ago, Purdue University’s College of Engineering has profoundly shaped and improved the world, amassing breakthroughs spanning nearly all facets of society. Highlighting the indomitable spirit, ingenuity, and achievements of more than 100 Boilermaker alumni and faculty members, 150 Years of Purdue Engineering describes the program’s journey to become one of the most consequential engineering colleges in the United States. Richly illustrated with archival and contemporary images, this book includes stories that focus on Purdue innovators who have created everything from the barcode and the electronic TV receiver to the soft-serve ice cream machine and artificial …

Applied Research In Field Crop Pathology For Indiana, 2022, Darcy E. P. Telenko, Sujoung Shim

Purdue University Press Books

Applied Research in Field Crop Pathology for Indiana, 2022 serves as a summary of the applied field crop pathology research trials conducted in 2022 under the direction of the Purdue Field Crop Pathology program in the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology at Purdue University. In Indiana, there are more than 57,600 farms, 16,000 crop producers, and 900 certified crop advisers, Extension educators, and crop-protection industry representatives who manage more than 11.4 million crop-production acres with a total value of $6.3 billion annually. There are more than twenty diseases affecting corn, soybeans, and wheat that may decrease crop production and …

Soil And Water Education For Grades 3-12, Natalie J. Carroll, Christian Y. Oseto, Timothy J. Gibb

Purdue University Press Books

Soil and Water Education for Grades 3–12 was written for youth who enjoy learning about science and two critical natural resources: soil and water. Level 1 introduces basic terms and concepts, and is intended for youth in grades 3–5. Activities focus on understanding important soil and water processes. Designed for students in grades 6–8, Level 2 offers readers more concrete examples of advanced soil and water concepts. The exercises in Level 3, which is geared toward grades 9–12, are divided into sections based on how readers might use the information they have learned, placing them in the shoes of homeowners, …

Teaching And Learning In Envisioning Byu, Volume 1: Foundations And Dreams: A Latter-Day Saint University Educative Perspective, Nicholas P. Bown

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis outlines the principles of teaching and learning found within Envisioning BYU, Volume 1: Foundations and Dreams, a collection of foundational texts on education at Brigham Young University (BYU). In doing so, this thesis addresses a gap in internal university discourse about how to apply “gospel methodology” to teaching and learning at BYU. This study aims to elucidate these principles based on the assumption they may be of philosophical and practical value within BYU, as well as higher education more generally. In order to identify the salient teaching and learning principles found within Foundations, I conducted a qualitative textual …

Assessing Leadership In Business: A Critical Investigation Of Michelle Obama, Narineh Gevorkian

Honors Scholar Theses

Michelle Obama, the former First Lady of the United States, has emerged as a powerful figure in politics, social advocacy, and public service. During her time in the White House, she worked on initiatives in education, health, and military family support while inspiring millions of people worldwide through her authenticity and advocacy. What distinguishes Michelle Obama as a leader is how her influence comes not from authority or hierarchy, but from connection, empathy, and moral purpose. This approach allows her to lead with authenticity, motivate others, and address inequalities within communities. As the first African American First Lady in US …