Digital Commons Network^™

Winning Entry For 2026, Kiera Tallas

Library Research Prize

No abstract provided.

Occupational Exposure To Pesticides Increases The Risk Of Amyotrophyc Lateral Sclerosis: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, France Labrèche, Pamela Prudhomme, Maryse Gagnon, Nicolas Dupré, Sabrina Gravel

Études primaires

Objective To systematically review the evidence on the association between occupational exposure to pesticides and the risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Methods A systematic search, conducted in eight bibliographic databases for publications between 1990 and 2025, identified observational studies estimating the risk of ALS after occupational pesticide exposure. Study quality was assessed using the WHO Risk of Bias (RoB) assessment instrument for systematic reviews, with the ROBINS-E (RoB in non-randomised studies of exposure) tool domains of bias. Pooled risk estimates were produced using random-effects models with restricted maximum likelihood, heterogeneity was assessed with I² statistics, and meta-regressions and publication …

Rest Or Rot: Gen Z’S Search For Meaning, La'tasia Love

Honors Theses - Providence Campus

This thesis explores the cultural phenomenon known as “bedrotting,” and its prevalence among many members of society, but particularly Gen Z. Through an extensive content analysis using thematic coding, this study will look through the lenses of psychology, sociology, and philosophy to investigate the opinions, motivations, and impacts of this phenomenon. The results show that the main motivations behind it are depressive tendencies, an aversion to the current state of our society, and existentialism. The research concludes that bedrotting is a spectrum, and though it is often talked about in a neutral or even positive manner by those who participate …

Suicidal Mental Imagery And Its Association With Suicide-Related Disclosure And Suicidal Severity, Elisheva S. Rosensweig M.S.

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

People utilize two different modes of cognition, experiencing thoughts as mental images or verbal thoughts. Mental imagery tends to be more emotionally arousing and vivid than verbal thoughts, and most suicidal individuals report experiencing suicidal imagery in addition to verbal thoughts. Increasing evidence suggests that suicidal mental imagery is associated with heightened suicide risk, including greater likelihood of prior suicide attempts (e.g., Lawrence et al., 2021). However, suicide risk assessments primarily focus on verbal suicidal thoughts and rarely assess suicidal mental imagery, potentially contributing to the low rates of suicide-related disclosure and challenges identifying individuals at risk. The present study …

2026-2027 Graduate Catalog, Morehead State University. Registrar's Office.

Morehead State Catalog Archive

2026-2027 graduate catalog for Morehead State University.

Beyond The Identified Patient: Sibling Attachment, Burden, And Coping In The Context Of Mental Illness, Blaire Fauser M.S.

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

A “mental illness” is defined as a condition that causes clinically significant disturbance in cognition, emotion regulation, or behavior. Mental illness is growing increasingly more prevalent and has been found to not only impact the affected individual but also the broader family system. This study examined the impact of having a sibling with a mental illness on the non-diagnosed sibling. Specifically, the study focused on the relationship between siblings’ (sibling attachment), coping mechanisms, and caregiver burden. Previous research has shown that siblings of individuals with mental illness are at a higher risk of developing psychiatric conditions themselves, which is due …

A Comparative Analysis Of The Ecophysiology Between The Invasive Macroalgae Starry Stonewort And The Native Macroalgae Chara To Predict Invasion Potential, Thomas J. Zellmer

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Starry stonewort (Nitellopsis obtusa) is an invasive macroalga from Eurasia. Currently, starry stonewort’s invasive range consists of the upper Midwest and Great Lakes region, including the Mississippi River. Starry stonewort poses recreational and ecological problems by forming dense canopies that extend through the water column. Starry stonewort occupies a late-season niche space with dense biomass occurring in late July and persisting well into autumn. There is a lack of information on the ecophysiology of starry stonewort. In this study, two populations of starry stonewort, Minnesota and New York, were analyzed to compare regional differences in ecophysiology, along with chara (native …

Seeing Public Health In Color: Phenomenological Perspectives Of Bipoc Women In Leadership, Jasmyn Spicer

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Public health is a complex, ever-changing industry that holds pivotal capacity to impact society on a larger scale. For the United States, disparities and inequity in public health have had significant consequences for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities. Effective leadership in public health has the potential to impact roles, policy development, and the overall scope of oversight regarding the quality of care that communities are provided in the industry. While BIPOC women are underrepresented in public health leadership roles, they have the capacity to advance equity in the field and contribute to culturally responsive care in foundational …

Secure Base Script Behaviors In Romantic Couples As Predictors Of Romantic Relationship Quality, Ben N. Zigelstein

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

Attachment representations guide expectations about the availability and responsiveness of attachment figures during times of need. These representations are shaped by early experiences of consistent, reliable caregiving and influence how individuals seek and receive support from close others across the lifespan. Secure base script knowledge, a temporal-causal sequence of events encompassing the essential elements of seeking and receiving support at times of need, is increasingly used to capture attachment representations. Research indicates that secure base script knowledge significantly predicts the quality of self-reported and observed romantic relationships. However, the extent to which secure base script behaviors (i.e., bidding for support, …

A Few Words From Our Staff

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

No abstract provided.

Echos Of Renewal, Jasmine Diaz-Marquez

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

No abstract provided.

Sedona, Az, Inchara Kumar

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

No abstract provided.

Antelope Canyon, Auston Hsieh

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

No abstract provided.

Full Issue

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

No abstract provided.

This House Is Not The Same, Daniella M. Acosta Reyes

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

No abstract provided.

Ethnoracial Disparities In Treatment-Seeking Among Suicidal Adults: Stigma As A Mediator, Yiming Huang M.S.

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

Despite the disproportionate increase in their suicide risk in recent years, ethnoracially minoritized individuals utilize mental health treatment less frequently than their non-Hispanic, White counterparts. Understanding the underlying mechanisms is crucial to identify strategies to mitigate such disparities. While mental health-related stigma has received attention as a potential mechanism, select types of stigma have been examined in isolation, leaving it unclear which forms of stigma are most relevant to the observed ethnoracial disparities in treatment-seeking among suicidal individuals. The current study assessed and examined a range of stigma constructs as potential mediators of ethnoracial differences in treatment-seeking outcomes among suicidal …

A Neurophenomenological Perspective On The Self And Spirituality: The Role Of The Affective Core Self, Michael J. Winkleman, Andrew B. Newberg

Marcus Institute of Integrative Health Faculty Papers

The self is central to spirituality because the self is necessary for consciousness, and spiritual relations are fundamentally about the self. Diverse research illustrates the role of the downregulation of the right parietal lobe (rPL) in the spontaneous manifestation of spiritual experiences and during meditative practices. The functions of the rPL are central to the self, especially the embodied self. Disturbances of the rPL and embodied self-functions are associated with spiritual experience, exemplified in their association with “selflessness.” Many forms of self appear incompatible with spiritual and mystical experiences. An exception is the affective core self, the most ancient form …

Michael Ruse, Evolution And Christianity, Samuel Mckee

Faith and Philosophy: Journal of the Society of Christian Philosophers

No abstract provided.

Civil Litigation Notes, Arthur S. Leonard

Other Publications

No abstract provided.

Enzyme Susceptibility And Functionality Of High Protein Retentates And Reconstituted Ingredients, Khushi Dubey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the effects of processing history on the enzymatic susceptibility and functional properties of high-protein dairy ingredients, with a specific focus on ultrafiltered (UF) and microfiltered (MF) retentates and spray-dried powders. While retentates and powders are often used interchangeably in industrial applications, processing steps, such as drying, can induce structural and physicochemical changes that affect protein functionality and enzyme accessibility. Milk protein concentrates (MPC) and micellar casein concentrates (MCC) were standardized to 10% protein and subjected to enzymatic treatments, including proteolysis (Alcalase and rennet) and crosslinking (transglutaminase and laccase). Structural modifications were evaluated using capillary gel electrophoresis, non-protein …

Ai Privacy And Security In Healthcare: A Systematic Literature Review, Diane Dolezel, Karima Lalani, Valerie Watzlaf, Kerryn Butler-Henderson, Elise V Z Lambert, Mary Morton, Jamie Sand, David Gibbs, Susan Fenton

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Artificial intelligence is expanding into telemedicine and telerehabilitation, yet significant privacy and security concerns persist.

Scope: To synthesize empirical evidence on privacy and security approaches in health care, particularly those relevant to distributed home care.

Methodology: A systematic review identified 80 studies (2019 to 2025), and Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) topic modeling characterized the privacy and security themes.

Results: Sixty-six studies addressed privacy, only seventeen addressed security, and three studies addressed both. LDA identified four themes: patient data privacy, federated learning for medical imaging, encrypted training and secure computation, and healthcare data governance. Most studies emphasized privacy-preserving approaches, like …

A Simple Guide To Responsible Authorship And Publication, Julie Simpson, Patricia B. Condon, Bonnie Brown, William C. Clyde, James J. Connell, Ramonda Kindle, Nathan A. Schwadron, John E. Sparrow, Xueting Sun, Engin Taze, May-Win Thein, Anita R. Tucker, Karen T. Van Gundy, James Wible

Integrity in Research and Scholarship

This guide examines the following aspects of responsible authorship and publication practices:

1. The significance and goals of publication
2. Publication mechanisms and responsible practices
3. The importance and guiding principles of authorship
4. The definition and responsibilities of an author
5. Responsible writing practices

Please note that throughout this document there are links to examples of concepts/issues within certain disciplines for illustrative purposes. The examples may not be relevant to all disciplines so check guidance specific to the applicable discipline before proceeding. This guide was adapted from an online training module that was part of the University of New …

Advancing Virus-Associated Lymphoma Research In Latin America: A Global Opportunity For Cancer Science, Irene Tamí-Maury, Bryan Valcarcel, Maria Alejandra Torres, Arlett Hernandez Chavez, Luis Malpica

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Nasal Cavity Microbial Makeup And The Influence On Psychiatric Symptoms Following Fire Exposure In Firefighters, Paul Grunsted, Chao Xu, Amanda Janitz, Jessica Reese, Janis Campbell, Tasha M Santiago-Rodriguez, Sara J Javornik Cregeen, Joseph F Petrosino, Jooyeon Hwang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Firefighters experience high levels of occupational stress and trauma, increasing their risk of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Although microbial communities may influence brain function and behavior through neural pathways, the nasal microbiome remains understudied. This study examined associations between nasal microbiome characteristics and psychiatric symptoms among firefighters.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 34 firefighters recruited from Texas fire stations. Participants completed validated questionnaires assessing depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Nasal swabs were collected before and after fire suppression and 16S rRNA sequencing was used to characterize microbial communities. Alpha and beta diversity, relative abundance, and …

Algorithmic Medicine And The Duty To Disclose: Informed Consent Through The Lens Of Radiology, Lee Rodriguez

Michigan Law Review

Informed consent is the law’s mechanism for protecting patient autonomy by requiring disclosure of facts that bear on the decision to accept or refuse care. Artificial intelligence now helps decide what is medically true for patients, yet informed consent law still assumes that diagnostic judgment is rendered by a human mind whose reasoning is at least in principle communicable. Radiology has become the leading setting for this tension. AI systems triage worklists, flag suspected abnormalities, and anchor first-pass impressions in ways that guide radiologists’ attention and, in practice, can coauthor diagnostic conclusions while remaining invisible to patients. When patients are …

An Integrated Lifestyle-, Genetic- And Metabolomics-Based Prediction Model For Mild Cognitive Aging In The Hchs/Sol, Annah B Wyss, Yana Hrytsenko, Linfeng Hu, Iris J Broce, Robert C Kaplan, Wassim Tarraf, Bing Yu, Eric Boerwinkle, Qibin Qi, Myriam Fornage, Charles Decarli, Hector M González, Tamar Sofer

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Prediction models for cognitive aging measures have largely evaluated demographic variables and APOE carrier status in populations of European ancestry. To comprehensively assess prediction models among Hispanic/Latinos, we considered 12 models (6 predictor sets and 2 methods) for global cognitive score change (GCSC) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in the Study of Latinos-Investigation of Neurocognitive Aging (SOL-INCA) (N = 5856). Based on the average mean squared error (MSE) for GCSC or average area under the curve (AUC) for MCI across 100 randomly split testing and training sets, performance was similar across models, but slightly better for the following models: …

Enhancing Data Compatibility In An Evolving Landscape: Medical Cannabis And Polysubstance Use Protocols In The Phenx Toolkit, Anne Buu, Johannes Thrul, Amanda Bunting, Tamara Haegerich, Wayne Huggins, Christian Hopfer, Denise Vidot, Cataia Ives, Ryan Mcneil, Sarah Zemore, Corrie Vilsaint, Elizabeth Fallon, Christine Hill, Carol Hamilton, John Kelly

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: With increasing legalization of medical cannabis and prevalence of polysubstance use in the United States comes the need for standard psychometrically validated measures to study these substances' health effects in the population. The PhenX (consensus measures for Phenotypes and eXposures) Toolkit (www.phenxtoolkit.org) is a freely accessible catalog of recommended measurement protocols to promote data compatibility across studies, but this extensive catalog did not include measures in these important areas.

Methods: In 2024, a PhenX Working Group of experts followed a well-established consensus process to identify and recommend measurement protocols suitable for inclusion in studies on medical cannabis and polysubstance …

Macroinvertebrates As An Indicator Of Water Quality At A Constructed Marsh, Amelia Jensen

IdeaFest 2026

My project is to test to see if macroinvertebrates are a good indicator of water quality. I will need to sample at each 2 marshes, West Pond and Brackish Pond, for macroinvertebrates using a D-Frame net and a bucket. At each location, I will collect 8 macroinvertebrate samples, with 4 taken to the right of my starting point and then 4 to the left. In addition to macroinvertebrates, I will also be collecting pH, dissolved oxygen, and salinity from the water as well. To be able to classify the macroinvertebrates I will be using shallow bins to place the invertebrates …

Habitat Use Of Gray Foxes In Coastal California, Jillian Arcadi

IdeaFest 2026

This project sought to determine if land-use type has an impact on when and how frequently gray foxes are active in the Humboldt Bay.

Cryptic Mechanisms Of Post-Fire Nitrogen Recovery In Northern Conifer Forests, Robert Edward Heumann

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

In recent decades, northern conifer forests have experienced larger, more frequent and more intense wildfires. Severe, stand-replacing wildfire substantially reduces forest nitrogen (N) stocks, a critical nutrient that often limits net primary productivity on land. Continued increases in wildfire activity may exacerbate forest N limitation in the future. Yet, while research shows N stocks in northern conifer forests recover following severe wildfire, the processes that contribute to rapid increases in N during post-fire regeneration are unclear. Atmospheric deposition of N and known sources of biological N fixation cannot explain the observed post-fire N accumulations. This paradox raises the question: How …