Digital Commons Network^™

A Clinical Practice Guideline For Screening For Insomnia In College Students, Ashly Bliss

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Insomnia and sleep deprivation are highly prevalent issues among the U.S. college student population, contributing to a significant health care gap due to the inconsistent performance of routine clinical screening. This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project sought to determine the rigor and applicability of a Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) designed for the early identification of insomnia in college students using a best-evidence screening tool within a rural health clinic. The primary practice-focused question was: In a rural health clinic, will a CPG for implementation of a screening tool based on best evidence for early identification of insomnia in college …

Transition-To-Practice Program For Aprn Msn Graduates, Jennifer Nneoma Nwosu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The transition from graduate education to clinical practice marks a pivotal point in the professional journey of advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs). Despite rigorous preparation, many APRN MSN graduates struggle to adapt to the complex expectations of autonomous practice. The lack of structured mentorship, inconsistent orientation processes, and unclear performance expectations contribute to high stress, role confusion, and early turnover. This Doctor of Nursing Practice Executive Leadership project addressed this critical issue by evaluating whether an interprofessional team could achieve consensus on developing a best practice program to guide APRN MSN graduates’ transition to independent clinical practice. This initiative was …

Contributors - The Crown, Vol. 2, The Crown

The Crown: Syracuse Honors Research Journal

No abstract provided.

The Last Hero: Analyzing Kino’S Rock Album As A Representation Of Youth Sociopolitical Perspectives In The Late Soviet Period, Anna Meehan

The Crown: Syracuse Honors Research Journal

Viktor Robertovich Tsoi (1962-1990), co-founder, frontman, and lyricist of the band KINO, is per-haps the most beloved figure to have emerged from the Leningrad underground rock music scene of the late Soviet period. Known for his masterful lyricism and creative use of abstract themes, Tsoi remains a cultural icon in Russian-speaking communities around the world. However, the ambiguity of his lyrics, as well as the complex political history of his song “Khochu peremen!” (I Want Changes), has led these communities to ascribe a variety of political persuasions to Tsoi’s artistry and image posthumously. This paper seeks to further explore Tsoi’s …

Listening To Life In A Noisy World: The Pitfalls And Promise Of Urban Acoustic Ecology, Leah O'Barr

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis examines the application of soundscape ecology principles to urban settings. Soundscape ecology is the study of the entire sonic makeup of a community, composed of biophony (biological sound), geophony (environmental sound), and anthrophony (human-generated sound). By examining the changes in and qualities of the soundscape, researchers can gain information about the biological makeup and ecological quality of an area, and the temporal and spatial distribution of resident species. Recent technological advances in recording equipment and machine learning methods are making soundscape ecology an increasingly relevant and practical tool.

Applying soundscape ecology methods to urban ecosystems introduces unique challenges, …

Rsv In Pediatrics: Immunization Strategies And Treatment Insights, Mike Smith, Maria Deza Leon

Pediatrics in Practice: A CME Podcast

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) remains a leading cause of hospitalization in infants and young children. In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Maria Deza Leon to explore the latest in RSV prevention and treatment. From maternal immunization and monoclonal antibodies like Nirsevimab to practical guidance on managing severe cases, we’ll cover what pediatricians need to know this season. Tune in for evidence-based strategies, emerging therapies, and tips to navigate supply and coverage challenges—helping you protect your patients and stay ahead of RSV trends.

Click here to stream the podcast episode.

Give Unto Caesar?: The Politicization Of The Internal Revenue Service And Its Potential Impacts, Tanner Boshart

The Crown: Syracuse Honors Research Journal

This article, excerpted and adapted from an Honors thesis, explores the politicization of the In-ternal Revenue Service and its budgetary implications. It identifies instancess of politicization of the IRS at a national level throughout different election cycles in the modern era. The Inter-nal Revenue Service is tasked with collecting over $4.9 trillion in annual revenue, yet it has be-come a political lightning rod. Over the years, it has become increasingly vulnerable to partisan manipulation, budgetary constraints, and shifting public trust. This section specifically looks at the modern political manipulation of the IRS’s reputation in the post-2008 political landscape.

Rethinking Education: A Lesson On Critical Thinking From A Non-Western Perspective, Sarah Schreiber

The Crown: Syracuse Honors Research Journal

Drawing on the author’s experience and research in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, this paper explores study abroad in a non-western country as a means to seek opportunities to examine one’s biases and beliefs (think critically) and learn about perspectives different from their own lived experi-ences by asking questions. The experience allowed the author to reflect on the importance of com-munity in Bishkek as opposed to American hyper-independence, as well as the widening political rift in the United States, instigated by a decline in face-to-face communication and empathy, and a lack of diverse opinions and disagreement in American society. Through limited survey and …

Genocide In Guatemala: The Massacres In The Ixil Region, Barbara Recinos

The Crown: Syracuse Honors Research Journal

This paper examines the state-sponsored genocide against Indigenous communities in Guatemala’s Ixil and Ixcán regions between 1980 and 1983, analyzing how geographical, ethnic, and political factors con-tributed to the multiple massacres committed in these regions. By tracing the historical trajectory from the 1954 CIA-backed coup that overthrew President Jacobo Árbenz Guzmán to the counterinsurgency op-erations under General Efraín Ríos Montt, this research highlights how Cold War geopolitics, entrenched racism, and disputes over Mayan territories converged to justify mass extermination. Drawing on de-classified military documents, historical archives, and scholarly works on Latin American conflict and mem-ory, this study challenges the “Dos …

Expanding Access To Justice: The Case For Remote Victim And Family Access To Criminal Trials, Linda Baguma

The Crown: Syracuse Honors Research Journal

No abstract provided.

The Sociology Of Motherhood In The Workplace, Katharine Batista

The Crown: Syracuse Honors Research Journal

Key themes in this paper include delayed childbearing, uncertain career trajectory, role conflict, and identity blending. These topics highlight the idea that childbearing while possessing a position of power in the workplace is uncommon, which can deter mothers from returning to work after maternity leave. Role conflict is the tension between competing demands of being a mother and a professional. This develops the concept that due to this conflict, women are often expected to adopt a motherly role in the workplace. This extremist ideology surrounding the roles women possess in the workplace, leaves them feeling as though their jobs expect …

A Spatial Understanding Of Calcium Carbonate Saturation Along The Eastern Coast Of Aotearoa New Zealand: Pacific Oysters Case Study, Anna Isabel Kaufman, Angelina Arcidi

The Crown: Syracuse Honors Research Journal

As ocean acidification continues to become a pressing issue as a result of climate change and increased carbon uptake in the ocean, many species, including the Pacific Oyster, are at risk. This may be due to a decrease in pH levels and, therefore, a decreased calcite saturation state, which in turn hinders their ability to grow and maintain their calcium carbonate shell. The aquaculture in Aotearoa, the Māori word for New Zealand, has become an important socio-economic component for both Māori and Pākehā Aotearoa New Zealand (ANZ) citizens. The following research geographically focuses on the eastern coast of ANZ around …

The Dangers Of Being "Reef Safe": How "Reef Safe" Marketing Fails Consumer Protection Laws At Federal And State Levels, Molly Thorpe

Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review

The rise of the environmentally-conscious consumer has a corresponding side effect: environmentally-friendly advertising. Because environmental marketing is largely based on science, the average consumer lacks the requisite scientific literacy to determine whether a company’s product claims are legitimate. Although there are consumer protection laws that govern environmental marketing at both the federal and state levels, some forms of advertising fail to meet these standards, including “reef safe” sunscreen claims. “Reef safe” marketing alleges that certain types of sunscreen are better for the coral reefs than others.

This Note argues that “reef safe” advertising violates national and state consumer protection laws. …

Care Court: Unconstitutional And Ineffective, Samantha Moulton

Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review

The Community, Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment Act (CARE) subjects Californians with schizophrenia and related disorders to a grueling, invasive, and coercive court process that strips them of their fundamental rights. Worse yet, CARE forces people into this process for no reason because involuntary outpatient commitment does not work to reduce hospitalization, increase compliance with medication, or improve treatment outcomes. CARE is not only unconstitutional—it is morally objectionable. This Note first analyzes how CARE violates the due process clause by subjecting individuals who are not dangerous to themselves or others to a court proceeding and to potential involuntary commitment. Then, it …

Diagnosis Of Platelet Dysfunction In Children: Clinical Predictors And Test Methods, Bhavya S. Doshi, Eric N. Thompson, Walter Faig, Abigail Wax, Amrom E. Obstfeld, Michele P. Lambert

Student Papers, Posters & Projects

Evaluation for platelet function disorders (PFD) in children is complicated by their limited exposure to hemostatic challenges, large volumes needed for light transmission aggregometry (LTA) testing, and limited data on the performance characteristics of whole-blood methods such as whole-blood impedance lumiaggregometry (WBILA). The objective of this study was to determine the clinical variables associated with the diagnosis of a PFD. A single-center, retrospective, cohort study of children evaluated for PFD was conducted. Medical charts were abstracted for demographics, medications, testing indications, bleeding sites and severity, and laboratory results. Univariate odds ratios (OR) and multivariable modeling were conducted for association of …

Teachers’ Emotional Appraisals And The Reframing Of Student Change In Post-Pandemic Schools, Rachel Gaines, Mei-Lin Chang, Kristen Mosley

Faculty Articles

Introduction:

The return to “normal” schooling after the COVID-19 pandemic reactivated many of the emotional, instructional, and moral tensions teachers experienced during emergency remote teaching. Yet, little is known about how teachers’ emotional appraisals of post-pandemic classrooms intersect with deficit-oriented “learning loss” discourses. Guided by appraisal theory and Frenzel’s reciprocal model of teacher emotions, this qualitative study examined how mid- and late-career teachers interpreted perceived changes in students and how these appraisals shaped their emotions, emotion regulation, and adoption of or resistance to deficit framings.

Methods:

Ten K–12 teachers from the southeastern United States participated in semi-structured interviews. Data were …

Multiple Application Models For Monte Carlo Analysis In Excel, Tom Arnold, Deniz Besik, Xia (Summer) Liu, Nancy Tran

Finance Faculty Publications

Monte Carlo simulation techniques are performed in Excel with multiple applications for option pricing: a single Geometric Brownian motion (GBM) process, a GBM process with volatility bootstrapping, and two correlated GBM processes.  This leads to the creation of a “generic” Monte Carlo simulation framework that can be applied to many different models in addition to the demonstrated commercial real estate valuation/transaction model.   Because the models are all programmed in Excel with minimal VBA programming, the techniques become very accessible for practitioners.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Various Monte Carlo simulation techniques are implemented in Excel to perform option pricing applications with (1) a …

Platforms, Privacy, And Power: Examining Predictors Of Online Intimate Information Disclosure And Expression, Alexis Shore Ingber, Danielle Keats Citron, Jonathon W. Penney

Articles & Book Chapters

When intimate privacy is violated, self- and relational development is impaired to the detriment of individuals and society. Despite these costs, there is a lack of systematic empirical and theoretical study of intimate privacy and efforts to protect it. This research helps fill this void through two complementary studies. Through a longitudinal experimental design, results from Study 1 highlight that partner trust and response-efficacy were not only positively predictive of online intimate disclosure, but also strengthened following knowledge of intimate privacy protections. In Study 2, we find individuals are more likely to engage in public-facing online sexual expression if the …

Genomic Ascertainment Of Chek2 -Related Cancer Predisposition, Sunyoung Kim, Jung Kim, Mark Ramos, Jeremy Haley, Diane Smelser, H. Shanker Rao, Uyenlinh L. Mirshahi, Katherine L. Nathanson, Barry I. Graubard, Hormuzd A. Katki, David Carey, Douglas R. Stewart

School of Graduate Studies Faculty Publications

Importance: There is clear evidence that deleterious germline variants in CHEK2 increase risk for breast and prostate cancers; there is limited or conflicting evidence for other cancers. Objective: To quantify the prevalence of as well as cancer risk and survival associated with CHEK2 germline pathogenic and likely pathogenic variants using genomic ascertainment. Design, Setting, and Participants: This case-control study used 2 electronic health record-linked and exome-sequenced biobanks: UK Biobank (n = 469765) and Geisinger MyCode (adults only; n = 167050). Variants were classified according to American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics and the Association for Molecular Pathology criteria. Cases …

The Impact Of Social Media On Social Inclusion: A Case Study On Gun Violence, Ruolin Xu

Honors Scholar Theses

As TikTok increasingly becomes a primary platform for everyday communication and even an important venue for political communication, concerns have emerged about the potential negative effects of its algorithmic design. Prior research suggests the effect of echo chamber that social media may reinforce users' pre-existing attitudes by repeatedly exposing them to belief-consistent contents and limiting opportunities to encounter diverse viewpoints. Such selective exposure can undermine social inclusion by reducing individuals' openness toward people who hold different backgrounds or political beliefs. Meanwhile, gun control, as one of the most polarizing sociopolitical issues in the US, provides a particularly relevant context for …

Decisions That Shape Supply Chains, Nicole J. Olynk Widmar, Michael L. Smith, Erin Robinson

Purdue University Press Books

What drives consumer decisions, and how do those decisions ripple through our food and agricultural systems? In Decisions That Shape Supply Chains, readers are invited to look beyond conventional models of behavior and explore the complex, sometimes counterintuitive factors influencing real-world consumer choices. Drawing on behavioral science and applied research, this volume examines how decisions made in grocery aisles, drive-through lines, and online shopping carts ultimately inform what gets planted, processed, packaged, and promoted across the food-supply chain. From attitudes toward GMO foods to parenting as a form of consumerism and emotional decision-making under stress to the environmental tradeoffs consumers …

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Minutes December 15, 2025, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• Call to Order
• University Business
• Faculty Senate Business
• Information
• Reports
• Council on Teacher Education
• Scholarship Annual Report
• University Studies Report
• Old Business
• New Business
• Adjourn 4:33

Forecast: A Helmet Visor Hud, Qigao Zhong

Theses

High-performance track-day driving requires drivers to maintain situational awareness while operating vehicles at high speeds. During these conditions, drivers must continuously monitor track signals, surrounding vehicles, and changing hazards while maintaining precise vehicle control. Missed or delayed recognition of critical information can increase safety risks and disrupt traffic flow on the racetrack. This thesis explores the design of a helmet-mounted visor head-up display (HUD) intended to support experienced track-day drivers by selectively presenting critical information in real time. The system prioritizes contextually relevant alerts and minimizes visual distraction through a simplified visual hierarchy. Hazards are categorized by severity and communicated …

Understanding Crime Through Harm: A Multi-Stage Study Of Rochester, Ny, Hayder Alhafedhi

Theses

This capstone project develops, critiques, and applies a Crime Harm Index (CHI) for the City of Rochester, New York, as an alternative to traditional crime measures that rely solely on raw counts. Rather than treating all offenses as equal “one crime = one unit,” the project weights crimes by the severity of harm they cause, using New York State sentencing guidelines as the core metric. Across four working papers, the project moves from conceptual foundations and limitations of harm-based metrics, to the construction of a Rochester-specific Crime Harm Index, and finally to a set of spatial regression models that link …

Understanding The Relationship Between Mental Health And Criminal Justice Involvement: Pathways, Disparities, And Improving System Responses, Haley Bly

Theses

This capstone project examines the complex relationship between mental health and involvement in the criminal justice system, emphasizing how pathways, external conditions, structural inequities, and system responses interact to shape long-term outcomes for persons with mental illness (PwMI). While mental illness alone is not a predictor of criminal behavior, the intersection between psychological disorders, social strain, stigma, and systemic failures significantly heightens the risk of criminal justice involvement. Combining four working papers, this capstone examines these relationships across individual, environmental, institutional, and community levels, ultimately arguing that treatment and rehabilitative-centered reforms are essential for improving the experiences of individuals with …

Tangible Recommendations To Execute California Assembly Bill 3099: A Proactive Approach To Combatting The Missing And Murdered Indigenous People Crisis, Hannah Marquis

Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review

Indigenous people across the United States experience disproportionately high rates of violence and relatedly high rates of murders and disappearances. This phenomenon has been coined the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples Crisis (MMIP), and as a state with one of the largest Indigenous populations, California also has one of the largest MMIP caseloads. While California has recently taken action towards combatting the MMIP crisis, these have been largely “reactive” steps aimed at bolstering law enforcement responses to already occurring MMIP cases. As it stands, there is a gap in solutions that have a “proactive” focus aimed at lessening the risk …

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.

The Double Patenting Puzzle, Michael Risch

Faculty Publications

It’s a simple rule: one patent per invention. This is easy to enforce when patent claims in two patents are identical, but what if the second patent claims something close but not quite the same? For more than 150 years, courts have held that obvious improvements over the prior art cannot be patented. But when inventors seek a small improvement in their own follow-on patents, there may not be any prior art because the law does not typically count inventors’ work against themselves. Inventors can include two similar claims in the same patent without objection, but if they split them …

Crisis Response In Nursing Education: An Integrative Review Of Nursing Programme Adaptation To Covid-19, Monina A. Hernandez, Gina B. Diaz, Pearl Ed G. Cuevas

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Purpose: To synthesize and examine published research on the ways in which undergraduate Nursing education programmes in various countries adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Whittemore and Knafl’s (2005) integrative review approach informed this review. This approach was chosen by the researchers because it allows inclusion of various research methodologies to highlight different perspectives regarding a research problem. The five-stage framework includes: problem identification, literature search, data evaluation, data analysis and presentation of findings.

Key words were used in conjunction with Boolean operators, truncation, and spelling variants to search three electronic databases. The search terms used were: “nursing education” OR …