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December 4, 2025, The Daily Mississippian

Daily Mississippian (all digitized issues)

No abstract provided.

Universal School Meal Policies And Perceived Stigma: Quantitative Evidence From Eight Us States, Dania Orta-Aleman, Monica D. Zuercher, Leah Chapman, Marlene B. Schwartz, Caitlin D. French, Anisha I. Patel, Lorrene D. Ritchie, Juliana Cohen, Wendi Gosliner

Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Background

Universal school meals (USMs) policies, which provide free meals to all students regardless of income, have the potential to improve child nutrition and reduce stigma. Quantitative evidence on the association between USM and stigma is limited.

Methods

Leveraging a natural policy variation in state‐level USM implementation, we surveyed 1066 middle and high school students from eight US states (four with USM, four without) during the 2022–2023 school year. Stigma was measured as self‐reported embarrassment about eating school lunch. We used generalized estimating equations to examine the associations between USM, embarrassment, and lunch participation.

Results

Overall about one in nine …

Hawk's Herald -- December 4, 2025, Roger Williams University

Hawk's Herald

No abstract provided.

A Methodology To Reconstruct The Extent And Dynamics Of Historic Wildfires (1850-1950) In The Santa Cruz Mountains Of California, David Vásquez Ospina

Master's Theses

This thesis reconstructs the extent and dynamics of historic wildfires in the Santa Cruz Mountains of California between 1850 and 1950 using qualitative archival evidence from historical newspapers, maps, and related documents. A systematically coded database of 225 reports, consolidated into 155 unique wildfire events, was developed to analyze temporal and spatial patterns, ignition sources, vegetation types, suppression strategies, and impacts on communities and infrastructure. Historical rainfall records from the Boulder Creek station were integrated using water-year totals, three-year rolling averages, and standardized precipitation indices to examine how multi-year dryness relates to fire occurrence and size. Linear regressions show only …

Examining The Influence Of Education On Job Satisfaction Among Georgia Police Officers: A Causal-Comparative Quantitative Analysis, Ebony J. Gammon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to determine if a significant difference exists between job satisfaction scores among police officers with varying levels of education. This study is important because it addresses contemporary challenges in law enforcement, will provide valuable insight into informed decision making, has broad implications and applicability, and will contribute to scant policing knowledge that informs the understanding of education level on police actions. More specifically, how higher education or the absence thereof impacts job satisfaction. The sample was composed of 180 sworn Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certified, police officers in the state …

Impact Of A Pandemic On Clinical Research Organization Ethics: A Case Study, Supakan Apiratanapimonchai

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this research is to examine the post-COVID ethical issues among clinical trials at clinical research organizations (CROs) in the Eastern region. This research is theoretically underpinned by the premise of evaluating the impact of post-COVID on data transparency, ethical guidelines, and protocol compliance. The institutional theory posits that insights gained from this comparative analysis will also contribute to the broader discourse on safeguarding research integrity. According to Yin, case studies are the most beneficial study design to be used, consisting of quantitative approaches (Yin, 2018). The data collected from clinical research associates (CRAs) with experience working with …

Discovery Of A Small Molecule Tlr3 Agonist Adjuvant, Branden Lee, Danica Dong, Etsuro Nanishi, John Mark Awad, Kimia Abedi, Yoshine Saito, Francesco Borriello, Soumik Barman, Byron Brook, Aisling Kelly, Manisha Menon, Constance Marques-Mourlet, Maansi Gupta, Ida Lister, Chiwoo Oh, Kevin Lyskawa, Morgan Goetz, Kristina Walker, Wing Ki Cheng, Spencer Brightman, Pankaj Sharma, Timothy O'Meara, Katherine Chew, Daniel Vieira, Kevin Ryff, Cali Sweitzer, Sanya Thomas, Simon Van Haren, Matthew Pettengill, Hyuk-Soo Seo, Sirano Dhe-Paganon, Wei Zhang, Ofer Levy, David Dowling

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

Pattern-recognition receptor (PRR) agonists are valuable agents across multiple medical applications, from vaccinology to immune-oncology. However, well-defined and potent small molecule agonists for many PRRs still await discovery and development. Screening of chemical libraries of ~200,000 small molecules for maturation of human monocytic cells by quantifying NF-κB activation and cell adherence was completed. From this screen, we selected a thiazole benzamide derivative, PVP-057, for its robust immunomodulatory properties, low toxicity profile, and concentration-dependent activity. In vitro investigation of pathway and receptor activation reveals that PVP-057 is a Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) agonist. As a single-component adjuvant, administered intramuscularly or intradermally …

General Education Teachers’ Attitudes Toward Students With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders: The Predictive Value Of Idea Knowledge, Teaching Experience, And Classroom-Management Self-Efficacy, Kellie N. Allen

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

General-education teachers often feel unprepared to support students with Emotional and Behavior Disorders (EBD), which can foster negative attitudes toward inclusion. Identifying teacher factors that support successful inclusion in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) is needed. This quantitative predictive–correlational study tested whether general-education teachers’ Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) knowledge, classroom-management self-efficacy, and years of experience predict attitudes toward including students with EBD. Using Facebook and LinkedIn, 83 teachers volunteered and completed the General Educators’ Attitudes toward Emotional and Behavioral Disorders Questionnaire, the Efficacy for Classroom Management Scale, and the Knowledge of Special Education Law Survey. Multiple linear regression …

Predicting Georgia Professional Standards Commission Instructional Technology Certification: A Quantitative Predictive-Correlational Study Of Georgia School Librarians’ Technology Self-Efficacy And Anxiety Levels, Ashley Osby

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative, predictive-correlational study examined the relationship between Georgia school librarians' technology self-efficacy, their anxiety levels, and whether they held a Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC) instructional technology certification. The expanding role of the school librarian has increased demands for technology integration, which can lead to heightened anxiety and lower self-efficacy. This study was significant as its findings can inform professional development and university coursework designed to better equip school librarians for these evolving responsibilities. A convenience sample of 70 certified school librarians working in public K-12 schools across Georgia were recruited through the Georgia Library Media Association (GLMA) listserv. …

A Causal-Comparative Study Of Teacher Efficacy Among Private Christian School Elementary Teachers Reporting To Principals With Various Degrees, Joanna Swofford

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to examine the association between the earned degree (special education, general education, or other program of study) of elementary principals, and the self-efficacy of the teachers who report to them, in private, Christian schools that enroll students requiring special education. This study is important in furthering an understanding of what types of principal training lead to increased levels of teacher efficacy in meeting students’ needs within inclusive school settings. The sample of 62 participants was drawn from a population of approximately 1200 teachers from 138 private Christian schools within 11 southeastern states …

Past Gang Membership, Posttraumatic Experiences, And Perpetration-Induced Traumatic Stress, Robert K. Johns

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Perpetration-Induced Traumatic Stress, or PITS, is an area of study that needs more scholarly attention. The lack of research about this mental health leads to an ineffectiveness of traditional interventions, as they fail to address the needs of people with former criminal affiliations, causing them to experience negative psychological, physical, and social health outcomes. As such this study seeks to explore, via a hermeneutic phenomenological research design- a qualitative approach that will allow this researcher to understand the lived experiences and explore PITS in the lives of past gang members and the manifestation of PITS as a prevalent and underdiagnosed …

Strategies Used By Psychiatric Hospital Directors To Reduce Readmission Rates, Increase Revenue And Improve Patient Outcomes, K'Chinwe Blanche Marie Ezeokoli

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

High psychiatric hospital readmission rates threaten patient stability, strain hospital finances, and reduce community wellbeing. Psychiatric hospital leaders need effective strategies to lower readmissions. Grounded in complex adaptive systems theory and the balanced scorecard framework, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry project was to identify and explore effective strategies used by psychiatric hospital directors to reduce readmission rates, increase revenue, and improve patient outcomes. The participants were seven psychiatric hospital directors who had implemented strategies for reduced readmission rates. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and relevant public documents. Using thematic analysis, five themes were identified: (a) establish a …

A Phenomenology Study Of African American Male’S Perception Of Black Church Leadership, Eric Lewis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Previous research has identified a gender disparity exists within the context of the Black Church. More specifically, the gender disparity focuses on the fact that there are more women than men in the context of the Black Church. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the perceptions and attitudes that African American males have about Black Church leadership. In addition to this, to also identify if there is a congruence between the perceptions that Black males have about Black Church leadership and their level of engagement or non-engagement. The theory guiding this study is hermeneutic phenomenology, also known …

Treatment Concerning Grief Disorder After Covid-19: Can Spiritual Care Help?, Tamika Marie Johnson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The phenomenological study described the experiences of spiritual care for adults who lost a loved one due to COVID-19 in Texas. The theory guiding the study was Viktor Frankl’s logotherapy, which was humanity’s search for meaning in a finite world governed by spiritual principles (García-Alandete, 2024; Parker, 2022; Seligman & Reichenberg, 2014). Grief was one of the occurrences that grappled with humanity’s understanding of life. Death was a universal phenomenon, and grief occurred as a response to a loss (Fernández & González-González, 2022). Research shows that symptoms of grief dissipate over time. When it was accompanied by prolonged time or …

Healthcare Disparities Related To Income In South Carolina, Rebekka Byrd

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Low-income individuals and families in South Carolina face significant barriers to accessing healthcare, despite the presence of public health programs like Medicaid. Many fall into the healthcare coverage gap, earning too much to qualify for Medicaid but too little to afford private insurance. This study explored the consequences of the healthcare coverage gap by examining the relationships between income, healthcare access, and the ability to afford healthcare services among 500 adults aged 19–64 who participated in the National Health Interview Survey between 2018 and 2023. Utilizing a retrospective quantitative analysis of secondary data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) …

Investigation In The Association Of Opioid Administration And Access To A Primary Care Provider In Patients Who Frequently Use The Emergency Department In A Rural And Urban Hospital In Arkansas, Cheyenne Star Lowrey-Lagrone

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The overuse of emergency department (ED) services presents challenges for hospitals and communities as valuable resources are funneled repeatedly into the same patients. Frequent ED users account for a significant portion of used resources, and efforts have been made to address this public health concern. This paper sought to identify associations between opioid administration and access to a PCP in one rural and one urban hospital in Arkansas. Through an investigation of 200 medical records of ED users identified as frequent users of one rural (n=100) and one urban (n=100) hospital between 2018 and 2023, the researcher identified associations between …

In His Own Words? An Argument For Jesus As The Origin Of The Antithesis Formula In Matthew 5:21–48, Michael W. Herbert

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation explores the origin and authenticity of the antithesis formula, “You have heard that it was said…[OT reference]…but I say to you…,” which appears only in the Gospel of Matthew (Matt 5:21–48). This uniqueness of the antithesis formula contributes to it being one of the most intriguing yet contentious New Testament phrases. As such, there is no scholarly consensus regarding the origin of the antithesis formula. The relevant English language literature presents theories concerning the origin of the antithesis formula that generally conform to form-critical, source-critical, and redaction-critical approaches. However, this literature lacks an extended argument for this formula …

Public Administration's Ability To Ensure Service Quality Through Occupational Licensing Requirements: A Multiple Linear Regression Analysis, Ryan Mcdonald

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Occupational licensing was developed to protect the public good. Public administrators are tasked with the responsibility of ensuring future workers enter their professions prepared to provide adequate service quality to the public. This study is grounded in the framework of public interest theory and seeks to evaluate whether the administration of occupational licensing and its associated requirements by public licensing boards aligns with the theory’s intended purpose of serving and protecting the public good. Public interest theory posits public administration operates in the best interest of the population, rather than for personal gain. A multiple linear regression was performed to …

The Lived Experiences Of Black Women Who Pastor Men In The Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, Karen En Bailey Garrison

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative phenomenological research project will explore the lived experiences of Black women pastoring at least three (3) who are not genetically related, weekly attending male congregants in the historically patriarchal culture of the Christian Methodist Episcopal (CME) Church with a minimum of at least one hundred (100) weekly attendees or more, and actively ordained. The CME Church has traditionally believed that the Bible prohibits women from serving as pastors or in any position of control over men. In four previous studies, Harden (2023), Morgan (2024), Tribble (2005), and Williams (2024) found that female pastors encountered obstacles throughout their journey …

Use Of The Lasater Clinical Judgment Rubric To Self-Identify Gaps In Clinical Judgment Competencies, Bev A. Wilgenbusch, Victoria Jurevic, Britt Cole Archibald, Alexis Zehler, Caitlin Jeanmougin, Katy Gilb

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Background: Providing safe patient care requires strong clinical judgement skills (American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), 2021); however, developing and assessing clinical judgement in undergraduate students has been difficult (Dickison et al., 2019). The Lasater Clinical Judgment Rubric (LCJR) has been found to be valid and reliable in assessing clinical judgment development over time (Adamson et al., 2012), but at present has not been adapted as a self-evaluation tool. The LCJR was originally intended to define clinical judgment with consistent terms and monitor student performance over time (Lasater & Nielsen, 2024).

Method: With the permission of Dr. Kathie Lasater, …

Utilizing Technology To Systematically Evaluate Curriculum And Connect Nursing Competencies, Roxanne Buterakos, Barbara Kupferschmid, Hiba Wehbe-Alamah, Denise Cooper, Jeffrey Drake

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Problem: Achieving excellence in higher education requires a rigorous and continuous evaluation process.¹ The program evaluation process should evolve and adapt to reflect the school’s culture.2 This ongoing process enhances data collection and identifies gaps in the teaching process, curriculum and practice potential for enrolled students.² Graduate Faculty at a Midwest public University implemented a comprehensive approach to evaluation of all courses in the curriculum on a continual basis. They worked with Information Technology (IT) staff to computerize the components of the ongoing program evaluation. This process could be adapted to meet the needs of any program.

Process: …

Poverty Experience To Address Clinical Outcomes In Community Health, Denise Isibel

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Simulation serves as a valuable augmentation to direct clinical care or practice within healthcare settings. In Community health, students spend time in a variety of agencies experiencing a variety of vulnerable populations. One issue that crosses over these populations is poverty.

The poverty rate in America is 11.1 % (Shrider, 2024).A key competency in nursing education related to population health is understanding how poverty affects patients. This simulation related to the poverty allows students to understand many people in poverty are not all homes less but live next door and may be one paycheck away from catastrophe.

The experience starts …

Responding To The Association Of Secondhand Tobacco Smoke And Mental Illness: A Systematic Review, Pooja Bhattarai, Bassema Abu-Farsakh, Chizimuzo T.C. Okoli

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Background: Secondhand tobacco smoke (SHS) exposure represents a significant yet often overlooked public health challenge affecting over a billion people globally (World Health Organization 2021). Individuals exposed to SHS exposure inhale over 7,000 chemicals, including nicotine and other toxic substances, which adversely impact physical health (Carreras et al., 2019; Nadhiroh et al., 2020; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2024). However, growing evidence suggests SHS exposure may increase the likelihood of poor mental health outcomes (Van der Eijk & Woh 2023, Zeng et al., 2016) Addressing SHS exposure not only requires acknowledging its impact but also respecting the …

Minutes From The December 4, 2025 Meeting Of The University Of Montana Faculty, University Of Montana--Missoula. Faculty

University of Montana Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes

Meeting minutes from the December 4, 2025 meeting of the University of Montana faculty.

Associations Between County-Level E-Cigarette-Inclusive Tobacco 21 Law Population Coverage And E-Cigarette Use Behaviors Among United States Adolescents In Monitoring The Future, James H. Buszkiewicz, Catherine A. Vander Woude, Yanmei Xie, Steven Cook, Bukola Usidame, Megan E. Patrick, Michael R. Elliott, James F. Thrasher, Nancy L. Fleischer

Department of Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Background and aims

In the United States (US), Tobacco 21 (T21) laws set the minimum legal sale age for all tobacco products to 21 years. This study aimed to examine whether e-cigarette-inclusive T21 laws were associated with e-cigarette use behaviors and related disparities among US adolescents.

Design

We used nationally representative, repeated cross-sectional Monitoring the Future data to compare self-reported current e-cigarette use (2014–2022) and first e-cigarette initiation (2015–2022) among adolescents in counties with 100% ('full') versus < 100% ('partial or no') e-cigarette-inclusive T21 law population coverage using modified Poisson regression, examining differences by sex, race and ethnicity, parental educational attainment and college educational expectations through interactions.

Setting

United States.

Participants

8th, 10th and 12th graders.

Measurements

County-level e-cigarette-inclusive T21 law population coverage was determined using Tobacco 21 Population Coverage …

Psychological Variables That Best Predict Health Related Behaviors In College Students, Arianna Gamaggio

Honors Theses

The present study examined which psychological factors best predicted health behaviors in college students. The psychological factors that were addressed included anxiety, depression, grit, and psychological flexibility. The health behaviors were examined by using a composite variable that included sleep, diet, and exercise. A total of 265 students participated in the study, but only 174 (μ age = 21) met the criteria for inclusion. Participants completed validated self-report measures such as the GAD- 7 (anxiety), PHQ-9 (depression), Short Grit Scale, Psy-Flex-6 (psychological flexibility), as well as health behavior assessments that measured eating behaviors, sleeping, and exercise habits. Correlational analyses indicated …

Characteristics Of Unintentional Injuries In Young Children In Low Socioeconomic Status Families, Annabelle Pederson

Honors Theses

Unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death among young children in the United States, with low-income families being at higher risk. This study examined seven weeks of prospective injury data from 89 caregivers of preschool-aged children enrolled in a Head Start program participating in a randomized controlled trial of a modified home safety intervention. Caregivers completed weekly interviews reporting the injury type, location, severity, pain, and caregiver in charge. Slips, trips, and falls were the most common injuries that occurred, with most occurring in the primary caregiver’s home. Mothers were the supervising adults in over half of the incidents. …

The Divided Self: Gothic Duality In Literature, Sarah Anna Meeks

Masters Theses

Gothic literature of the nineteenth century is haunting due to its frequent use of ghosts and monsters. However, the true terror lies in a deeper horror, one that is more intimate and destabilizing– a fright that leaps out of the text, looking into the heart of the reader: the fractured mind of the self torn between reality and repression, haunted by its own, newly manifested internal disunity rather than external monsters. The characters of Gothic fiction are typically caught in a psychological turmoil. They battle with split morals between duty and desire, morality and madness, and science and spirituality. Specifically, …

Planning For Power: The Role Of Architecture & Urban Form In Local Energy Generation In Dense Built-Up Areas, Chris Shing Wai Leung

Theses

This thesis explores how the urban form/building design, and a well-thought-out City Master Plan can significantly affect wind patterns and enhance on-site energy generation in dense urban areas. It will examine strategies such as modifying building heights, adjusting separations between structures, shaping urban landforms, and varying the roughness of the urban fabric to optimize wind energy generation. Additionally, the research will focus on the strategic placement of community power harvesting devices. The study of the urban forms and fabric with the impact of wind patterns is simulated by fluid mechanics with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software. The goal of this …

Methylene Blue Associated Retinal Toxicity, Sidra Zafar, Martin Calotti, Timothy T. Xu, Justin Muste, Theodore Bowe, Luis Acaba-Berrocal, Brian Cheng, Samir Patel, Yoshihiro Yonekawa, Jose S. Pulido, Jordan D. Deaner

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

BACKGROUND: To describe a case of inadvertent methylene blue use during pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for an epiretinal membrane (ERM).

CASE: A 69-year-old man presented with 1 day of severe vision loss in his left eye. Two days prior to presentation, he had undergone PPV that was complicated by accidental methylene blue use. Visual acuity (VA) at presentation to our institution was CF from his baseline VA of 20/60. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) demonstrated diffuse hyperreflectivity and thickening of the inner retinal layers. The patient was started on oral prednisone with no improvement. On postoperative month 1, VA was HM. …