Digital Commons Network^™

Preserving The Horizon: How Henry David Thoreau And William Morris’S Environmental Aesthetics Ward Off Ecoapocalypse, Esther Kw Mack

West Chester University Master’s Theses

To add to the current the current ecodiscourse, this thesis sets out to reimagine contemporary ecological discourse through the analysis of nineteenth century figures Henry David Thoreau and William Morris, two countercultural figures who dedicated their lives to protecting nature. Where Thoreau’s “Autumnal Tints” highlights autumn’s tide through a scientific narrative, Morris encapsulates the four seasons’ companionship in “Verses for Pictures,” as well as his infamous textile “Acanthus.” By synthesizing ecoadvocates’s life works from around the world and positioning them as interlocutors to Asian philosophy, art, and practice merge to evolve into a profound ecorehetoric accompanied by aesthetics. As the …

Unveiling The Bacterial Communities Of Aphaenogaster: Taxonomic Composition, Developmental And Species Influences, And The Impact Of Climate Change, Lily Kelleher

West Chester University Master’s Theses

Ants are vital keystone species in many ecosystems because they provide ecosystem services such as: seed dispersal, soil bioturbation, and pest control. However, ant bacterial symbioses remain largely unstudied, but these interactions are crucial because microbes play a vital role in the ants’ overall health. Today, global climate change is impacting our biodiversity, and we can use information about how changing temperatures impact the symbiotic bacterial communities associated with ants to predict future impact. Aphaenogaster rudis and A. fulva remain understudied in terms of their bacterial community and are important North American species. For this study, ants from several colonies …

The Re-Criminalization Of Sexual Minorities As A Testing Ground For International Human Rights Law In Africa, Matteo M. Winkler & Ilias Bantekas

Fordham International Law Journal

This Article scrutinizes the recently enacted statutes that re- criminalize sexual minorities in Africa from the standpoint of international human rights law (IHRL). These statutes are currently justified under cultural relativism, that is, the idea that African culture abhors homosexuality, which represents a malicious import from the Western world. We argue that the re-criminalization statutes violate IHRL in multiple stances and that in no way are these violations justifiable under cultural relativism. This does not mean that there is no virtue in cultural relativism, but a limit must be fixed to the dehumanization of minorities which is the intended purpose …

Pathogenesis And Pathophysiology Of Celiac Disease, Kendall N. Reece

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Celiac Disease is an allergic response to foods that contain the protein gluten. Celiac Disease is classified as an autoimmune disorder, which specifically deteriorates the villi of the jejunal segment of the small intestine. Specific topics analyzed within this thesis include some physical attributes of Celiac Disease such as weight loss, diarrhea, dermatitis herpetiformis, etc. The basis of classification is discussed and the negative effects Celiac Disease has on the body, such as malabsorption, vitamin deficiencies, and damage to the villi. Diagnostics such as biopsy and blood tests, treatments both experimental and adhering to a gluten-free diet are discussed. Origination …

The Physiological Effects Of Anabolic Steroids On The Human Body, Aedan Kerr

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) are synthetic derivatives of testosterone used both medically and illicitly for their muscle-building and performance-enhancing properties. While clinically prescribed for conditions like hypogonadism, osteoporosis, and muscle-wasting diseases, AAS are frequently abused by athletes and recreational lifters seeking rapid physical gains. AAS increase muscle protein synthesis via androgen receptor-mediated gene transcription, but they also predispose users to tendon ruptures and various organ functions. AAS abuse is strongly associated with a host of side effects including gynecomastia, male-pattern hair loss, infertility, hepatotoxicity, erythrocytosis, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, and hypogonadism. Cardiovascular complications such as left ventricular hypertrophy, cardiomyopathy, and myocardial infarctions …

Electronic Propulsion Engines: Revolutionizing Space Travel, Isaiah Echeverria

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Most spacecrafts rely on chemical propulsion to generate thrust and venture into the depths of outer space. They rely on principles from Newton’s three laws of motion, conservation of momentum-energy, and atomic physics. However, an electronic form of propulsion also exists providing spacecrafts an alternative opposed to the sole use of chemical energy. Electronic propulsion systems or engines last longer than current chemical spacecraft engines and are improving to produce greater amount of thrusts.

Comparing the two types of spacecraft engines shows the benefits and disadvantaged obtained by using either option as well as the main differences and similarities shared …

Adding Libraries To The Equation: Mathematical Sciences’ Underutilization Of Academic Librarians, Jennifer Lc Burke, Elizabeth C. Novosel, Daniel G. Kipnis, Rasitha Jayesekere

Scholarship and Professional Work

Academic librarians do not engage with all disciplinary departments equally. Despite equal or even greater efforts, some departments are less responsive to librarian outreach. One such department is mathematics. To understand mathematics departments’ relationships with their academic librarians, three mathematics librarians created a 20-question survey that was disseminated to mathematics faculty, instructors, and instructional staff in the United States and Canada. Of the 188 survey participants, more than a third reported that they never engage with their librarians, approximately half only do so occasionally, and a mere eight percent of participants collaborated with librarians to provide information literacy instruction (IL) …

Fp-25-07 Same-Sex Married And Cohabiting Couples Raising Children, 2023, Christopher A. Julian

National Center for Family and Marriage Research Family Profiles

Using data from the 2023 American Community Survey (ACS), this Family Profile estimates the proportion of same- and different-sex couples raising children, disaggregated by relationship type (i.e., cohabiting or married) and age (i.e., 18-29, 30-39, 40-49, and 50-59). For this analysis, children are defined as biological, adopted, or stepchildren of the household head1 under the age of eighteen. Couples’ sex composition is coded directly using the recently revised household roster (Kreider & Gurrentz, 2019). To focus on couples raising minor children, we restrict our sample to those in which the younger member is under the age of sixty. This report …

Deep Learning-Based Ensemble Two-Step Classification Of Medical Images Using Cnn Architectures And Ensemble Methods, Noreliz Alorico

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Breast cancer remains one of the most common cancers amongst women globally. Early detection is crucial for improving survival rates. While mammography is widely used and an effective imaging technique, it can sometimes yield false positive or false negatives. Mammogram interpretation is highly operator-dependent, introducing variability and the potential for diagnostic errors. Additionally, mammographic images have limitations, such as low contrast in breast tissue and overlapping structures that can obscure lesions or mimic abnormalities. These limitations can lead to unnecessary biopsies or delayed diagnosis. These challenges highlight the needs for advanced and data driven diagnostic tools to support and enhance …

Spectral Divergence Prioritizes Key Classes, Genes, And Pathways Shared Between Substance Use Disorders And Cardiovascular Disease., Everest Castaneda, Elissa J Chesler, Erich Baker

Faculty Research 2025

Introduction: Substance use disorders (SUDs) are heterogeneous diseases with overlapping biological mechanisms and often present with co-occurring disease, such as cardiovascular disease (CVD). Gene networks associated with SUDs also implicate additional biological pathways and may be used to stratify disease subtypes. Node and edge arrangements within gene networks impact comparisons between classes of disease, and connectivity metrics, such as those focused on degrees, betweenness, and centrality, do not yield sufficient discernment of disease network classification. Comparatively, the graph spectrum's use of comprehensive information facilitates hypothesis testing and inter-disease clustering by using a larger range of graph characteristics. By adding a …

Response Of Cultured Primary Gingival And Periodontal Ligament Cells To Angiotensin Ii And Il1Β Challenges., Thais Francini Garbieri, Thiago José Dionísio, Bella Luna Colombini-Ishikiriama, Rafaela Alves Da Silva, Vanessa Soares Lara, Sandra Helena Penha Oliveira, Maria Helena Fernandes, Andrew S Greene, Carlos Ferreira Santos

Faculty Research 2025

Angiotensin II (Ang II) releases inflammatory mediators from several cell types. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential of Ang II to induce mRNA expression of inflammatory mediators in primary cultured fibroblast-like cells isolated from gingival and periodontal ligament tissues. A synergistic effect of co-treatment with Ang II and Interleukin-1β (IL1β) on the mRNA expression of inflammatory mediators was explored. Immunophenotyping of STRO-1, Ang II type 1 receptor (AT1R), and Ang II type 2 receptor (AT2R) was performed using flow cytometry. Cell cultures were challenged with Ang II (1 µM) for 3, 6, and 24 h with …

Opportunities And Considerations For Using Artificial Intelligence In Bioinformatics Education., Stephen R Piccolo, Aparna Nathan, Michelle D Brazas, Manoj Kandpal, Aida T Miró-Herrans, Adam J Kleinschmit, Susan Mcclatchy, Pertunia Mutheiwana, Dusanka Nikolic, Luciana I Gallo, Rolanda Sunaye Julius, Marta Lloret-Llinares, Nicola Mulder, Danielle Presgraves, Sonal Shewaramani, Jorge Xool-Tamayo, Frédéric J J Chain, Silvia Arantza Sanchez Guerrero

Faculty Research 2025

Artificial intelligence (AI) tools and techniques are undoubtedly being used in bioinformatics education, reflecting broader trends in education. However, many instructors and learners may be unaware of the full scope of potential uses for these tools within bioinformatics education, as well as effective practices for using them. Building on discussions held at the 6th Global Bioinformatics Education Summit, this perspective article provides insights about ways that AI might be used to generate or adapt instructional content, provide personalized help for learners, and automate assessment and grading. Additionally, we highlight AI skills that are important for bioinformatics learners to develop in …

From Gene Modules To Gene Markers: An Integrated Ai-Human Approach Selects Cd38 To Represent Plasma Cell-Associated Transcriptional Signatures., Basirudeen Syed Ahamed Kabeer, Bishesh Subba, Darawan Rinchai, Mohammed Toufiq, Taushif Khan, Marina Yurieva, Damien Chaussabel

Faculty Research 2025

BACKGROUND: Knowledge-driven prioritization of candidate genes derived from large-scale molecular profiling data for targeted transcriptional profiling assays is challenging due to the vast amount of biomedical literature that needs to be harnessed. We present a workflow leveraging Large Language Models (LLMs) to prioritize candidate genes within module M12.15, a plasma cell-associated module from the BloodGen3 repertoire, by integrating knowledge-driven prioritization with data-driven analysis of transcriptome profiles.

METHODS: The workflow involves a two-step process: (1) high-throughput screening using LLMs to score and rank the 17 genes of module M12.15 based on six predefined criteria, and (2) prioritization employing high-resolution scoring and …

Ct-Derived Fat Density As A Predictor Of Cause-Specific Mortality In Patients Undergoing Tavi: Findings From A Large Registry Subanalysis., Matej Pekař, Piotr Branny, Radim Špaček, Otakar Jiravský, Jan Novák, Jakub Balušík, Daniel Daniš, Jan Hečko, Marek Kantor, Bogna Jiravská Godula, Lubomír Blaha, Radek Neuwirth, Martin Šimek

Faculty Research 2025

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is increasingly performed in older and frailer patients with severe aortic stenosis. Pre-procedural computed tomography (CT) scans at the third lumbar vertebra (CTL3) can estimate overall patient survival after TAVI [1, 2]. This subanalysis investigated whether CTL3 parameters can predict specific causes of death, potentially allowing for more tailored post-operative therapy.

Marmosets As Model Systems For The Study Of Alzheimer's Disease And Related Dementias: Substantiation Of Physiological Tau 3r And 4r Isoform Expression And Phosphorylation., Hasi Huhe, Sarah M Shapley, Duc M Duong, Fang Wu, Seung-Kwon Ha, Sang-Ho Choi, Julia Kofler, Yongshan Mou, Thais Rafael Guimaraes, Amantha Thathiah, Caroline M Watson, Lauren K H Schaeffer, Gregory W. Carter, Nicholas T Seyfried, Afonso C Silva, Stacey J Sukoff Rizzo

Faculty Research 2025

INTRODUCTION: Marmosets spontaneously develop pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD) including amyloid beta plaques. However, tau expression in the marmoset brain has been understudied.

METHODS: Isoforms of tau were examined by western blot, mass spectrometry, immunofluorescence, and immunohistochemical staining.

RESULTS: 3R and 4R tau isoforms are expressed in marmoset brains at both the transcript and protein levels across ages. Mass spectrometry analysis revealed that tau peptides in marmoset corresponded to the 3R and 4R peptides in human brain, with 3R predominating at birth and an ≈40%:60% 3R:4R ratios in adolescents and adults; tau was distributed widely in neurons, with localization …

Biological Databases In The Age Of Generative Artificial Intelligence., Mihai Pop, Teresa K Attwood, Judith A. Blake, Philip E Bourne, Ana Conesa, Terry Gaasterland, Lawrence Hunter, Carl Kingsford, Oliver Kohlbacher, Thomas Lengauer, Scott Markel, Yves Moreau, William S Noble, Christine Orengo, B F Francis Ouellette, Laxmi Parida, Natasa Przulj, Teresa M Przytycka, Shoba Ranganathan, Russell Schwartz, Alfonso Valencia, Tandy Warnow

Faculty Research 2025

SUMMARY: Modern biological research critically depends on public databases. The introduction and propagation of errors within and across databases can lead to wasted resources as scientists are led astray by bad data or have to conduct expensive validation experiments. The emergence of generative artificial intelligence systems threatens to compound this problem owing to the ease with which massive volumes of synthetic data can be generated. We provide an overview of several key issues that occur within the biological data ecosystem and make several recommendations aimed at reducing data errors and their propagation. We specifically highlight the critical importance of improved …

Replacing Non-Biomedical Concepts Improves Embedding Of Biomedical Concepts., Enock Niyonkuru, Mauricio Soto Gomez, Elena Casarighi, Stephan Antogiovanni, Hannah Blau, Justin T Reese, Giorgio Valentini, Peter N Robinson

Faculty Research 2025

Embeddings are semantically meaningful representations of words in a vector space, commonly used to enhance downstream machine learning applications. Traditional biomedical embedding techniques often replace all synonymous words representing biological or medical concepts with a unique token, ensuring consistent representation and improving embedding quality. However, the potential impact of replacing non-biomedical concept synonyms has received less attention. Embedding approaches often employ concept replacement to replace concepts that span multiple words, such as non-small-cell lung carcinoma, with a single concept identifier (e.g., D002289). Also, all synonyms of each concept are merged into the same identifier. Here, we additionally leveraged WordNet to …

Merritt-Putnam Symposium | Developmental And Epileptic Encephalopathies-Current Concepts And Novel Approaches., Rodney C Scott, Jenny Hsieh, Amy Mctague, J Matthew Mahoney, Catherine A Christian-Hinman

Faculty Research 2025

Developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs) are among the most severe and difficult to treat epilepsies. Two broad strategies for understanding the etiology and impacts of DEEs include genetic and complex adaptive systems approaches. This review, inspired by the 2024 Merritt-Putnam Symposium, describes current perspectives of DEE, identifies limitations of current views, and discusses potential novel ways forward. First, we discuss the rationale for a reevaluation of the role of seizures in the pathogenesis of cognitive and behavioral impairments in DEE. Second, we discuss newly emerging methods employing neural organoids to study brain development and DEE in vitro. Third, we present …

Comprehensive Single-Cell Aging Atlas Of Healthy Mammary Tissues Reveals Shared Epigenomic And Transcriptomic Signatures Of Aging And Cancer., Brittany Lynn Angarola, Siddhartha Sharma, Neerja Katiyar, Hyeon Gu Kang, Djamel Nehar-Belaid, Sunghee Park, Rachel Gott, Giray N Eryilmaz, Mark A Labarge, Karolina Palucka, Jeffrey Chuang, Ron Korstanje, Duygu Ucar, Olga Anczuków

Faculty Research 2025

Aging is the greatest risk factor for breast cancer; however, how age-related cellular and molecular events impact cancer initiation is unknown. In this study, we investigated how aging rewires transcriptomic and epigenomic programs of mouse mammary glands at single-cell resolution, yielding a comprehensive resource for aging and cancer biology. Aged epithelial cells exhibit epigenetic and transcriptional changes in metabolic, pro-inflammatory and cancer-associated genes. Aged stromal cells downregulate fibroblast marker genes and upregulate markers of senescence and cancer-associated fibroblasts. Among immune cells, distinct T cell subsets (Gzmk⁺, memory CD4⁺, γδ) and M2-like macrophages expand with age. …

Reproductive Experience Drives Changes In Behaviour And Physiology In Male California Mice, Peromyscus Californicus, Maria E. Colt, Priyanka Agarwal, David Kolb, Erica Glasper, Heidi Fisher

Faculty Research 2025

Paternal experience improves memory and reduces anxiety-like behaviour in males, but it is unclear whether these changes are due to mating, siring offspring or caregiving behaviour. Likewise, paternal males have larger testes, a measure of sperm production, but again, the effects of siring and caregiving experience are difficult to disentangle. We examined behavioural and physiological outcomes in three groups of male mice: (1) virgins, (2) males paired with sterile females (‘nonfathers’) and (3) experienced fathers (experiment 1). Compared to virgins and nonfathers, experienced fathers exhibited increased recognition memory (novel object recognition) and decreased anxiety-like behaviour (elevated plus maze). Virgin males, …

Cell-Based High-Content Approach For Sars-Cov-2 Neutralization Identifies Unique Monoclonal Antibodies And Pi3k Pathway Inhibitors., Carly R Cabel, Briana A Guzman, Elaheh Alizadeh, Shuaizhi Li, Cameron Holberg, Chonlarat Wichaidit, Darren A Cusanovich, Andrew L Paek, Gregory R J Thatcher, Koenraad Van Doorslaer, Rachel S Nargi, Rachel E Sutton, Naveenchandra Suryadevara, James E Crowe, Robert H Carnahan, Samuel K Campos, Curtis A Thorne

Faculty Research 2025

The sudden rise of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the delay in development of effective therapeutics for mitigation made evident a need for ways to screen compounds that can block infection and prevent further pathogenesis and spread. However, identifying effective drugs that are efficacious against viral infection and replication with minimal toxicity for the patient can be difficult. Monoclonal antibodies were shown to be effective, but as the SARS-CoV-2 mutated, these antibodies became ineffective. Small-molecule antivirals were identified using pseudovirus constructs to recapitulate infection in nonhuman cells, such as Vero E6 cells. However, the impact was limited due to poor translation …

Intracranial Germ Cell Tumors: Advancement In Genomic Diagnostics And The Need For Novel Therapeutics., Kee Kiat Yeo, Joanna J Gell, Girish Dhall, Ching C Lau

Faculty Research 2025

INTRODUCTION: The outcomes for patients with intracranial germ cell tumors (GCT) has improved over the past few decades. However, there remains a lack of a consensus on a standard diagnostic and treatment approach of these tumors. The diagnostic work-up of intracranial GCT remains variable, and the treatment for patients with recurrent disease remains challenging.

METHODS: We review the current approach in the diagnosis and treatment of intracranial GCT. Given the heterogeneity of these tumors, we highlight the challenges and controversy with these conventional approaches.

RESULTS: We discuss the advancements in the understanding of the underlying genetic changes in intracranial GCT …

The Cd123 Antibody-Drug Conjugate Pivekimab Sunirine Exerts Profound Activity In Preclinical Models Of Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia., Ben Watts, Christopher M Smith, Kathryn Evans, Andrew J Gifford, Sara M A Mohamed, Stephen W Erickson, Eric J Earley, Steven Neuhauser, Timothy M Stearns, Vivek M. Philip, Jeffrey Chuang, Patrick A Zweidler-Mckay, Sribalaji Lakshmikanthan, Emily L Jocoy, Carol J Bult, Beverly A Teicher, Malcolm A Smith, Richard B Lock

Faculty Research 2025

Antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) combining monoclonal antibodies with cytotoxic payloads are a rapidly emerging class of immune‐based therapeutics with the potential to improve the treatment of cancer, including children with relapse/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). CD123, the α subunit of the interleukin‐3 receptor, is overexpressed in ALL and is a potential therapeutic target. Here, we show that pivekimab sunirine (PVEK), a recently developed ADC comprising the CD123‐targeting antibody, G4723A, and the cytotoxic payload, DGN549, was highly effective in vivo against a large panel of pediatric ALL patient‐derived xenograft (PDX) models (n = 39). PVEK administered once weekly for 3 weeks resulted …

Rapid Changes In Plasma Corticosterone And Medial Amygdala Transcriptome Profiles During Social Status Change Reveal Molecular Pathways Associated With A Major Life History Transition In Mouse Dominance Hierarchies., Tyler M Milewski, Won Lee, Rebecca L Young, Hans A Hofmann, James P Curley

Faculty Research 2025

Social hierarchies are a common form of social organization across species. Although hierarchies are largely stable across time, animals may socially ascend or descend within hierarchies depending on environmental and social challenges. Here, we develop a novel paradigm to study social ascent and descent within male CD-1 mouse social hierarchies. We show that mice of all social ranks rapidly establish new stable social hierarchies when placed in novel social groups with animals of equivalent social status. Seventy minutes following social hierarchy formation, males that were socially dominant prior to being placed into new social hierarchies exhibit higher increases in plasma …

Single-Cell And Bulk Transcriptional Profiling Of Mouse Ovaries Reveals Novel Genes And Pathways Associated With Dna Damage Response In Oocytes., Monique Mills, Chihiro Emori, Parveen Kumar, Zachary Boucher, Joshy George, Ewelina Bolcun-Filas

Faculty Research 2025

Immature oocytes enclosed in primordial follicles stored in female ovaries are under constant threat of DNA damage induced by endogenous and exogenous factors. Checkpoint kinase 2 (CHEK2) is a key mediator of the DNA damage response (DDR) in all cells. Genetic studies have shown that CHEK2 and its downstream targets, p53, and TAp63, regulate primordial follicle elimination in response to DNA damage. However, the mechanism leading to their demise is still poorly characterized. Single-cell and bulk RNA sequencing were used to determine the DDR in wild-type and Chek2-deficient ovaries. A low but oocyte-lethal dose of ionizing radiation induces ovarian DDR …

Wild Horse Overpopulation- Consequences And Environmental Effects, Tessa M. Eslick Ms.

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

When considering wild horse overpopulation, there are many different facets of the issue that need to be addressed. Wild horse overpopulation is a significant issue across the American West, particularly on lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management( BLM). The largest populations are often found in Nevada, other states include California, Oregon, Utah, Wyoming, Washington, and Arizona. Whether there are thousands of horses on many acres of land, or hundreds spread across smaller reservations or public lands, the effects of their overpopulation remain as imminent as ever. Overpopulation is causing ecological damage and strain on resources leading to concerns …

Moving Beyond Traditional Multiculturalism: Dis/Ability Awareness In Counselor Education, Alicia B. Becton, Eunae Han, Leeza Ong, Amber Johnson, Roy K. Chen, Gabriela Rangel, Stephanie Lusk

School of Rehabilitation Services & Counseling Faculty Publications

This chapter explores the experiences of individuals with disabilities, emphasizing how they navigate educational and societal norms while balancing various identities. It emphasizes the impact of societal issues, such as racism and sexism, on individuals with disabilities. The authors delve into current multiculturalism trends, advocating for culturally responsive approaches in counselor education and rehabilitation services. The goal is to advance discussions on the future directions of multiculturalism by exploring the following key areas (a) the sociopolitical aspects of disability, (b) the inclusion of disability in counselor education, (c) accessibility and the universal design for learning (UDL), (d) culturally competent counselor …

The Path To Zero Clabsis: The Benefits Of Central Line Care Teams, Supplemental Checklist, Increased Education And Utilizing Clabsi Bundles, Lauren A. Bondurant

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) result in a plethora of deaths each year and cost the U.S. healthcare system billions of dollars (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2024). CLABSIs have been a type of bloodstream infection that has affected a plethora of individuals for years and one that does not discriminate patient type. Many articles were reviewed, but they all inferred that CLABSIs bundles,supplemental checklists, and central line care teams all showed the most significant data and resulted in the most decreased CLABSI rates. Upon assessment of the project unit, it was noted that the issue that most impacted …

Exploring Law Enforcement Officers' Experiences With Athletic Trainers And Work-Related Injury, Stephanie H. Clines, Rubie Gaudette, Amanda Wheeler, Jennifer Ostrowsk

Athletic Training Faculty Publications

Law enforcement is an emerging clinical setting for athletic trainers (ATs), yet little is known regarding law enforcement officers (LEOs) perceptions of the profession. This qualitative study following a general inductive approach explored LEOs' experiences with musculoskeletal injury and their interactions with ATs. Seven officers (N = 7) participated in one-on-one semi-structured interviews. Three themes emerged: (1) roles and responsibilities of ATs, (2) education and training, and (3) impact of injury on LEOs. While participants viewed ATs positively, they demonstrated limited understanding of the profession's scope and expertise. Participants commonly described managing musculoskeletal injuries on their own due to …

Weeping In The Household: Equipping Pastoral Caregivers Among Grieving Families At Grace Presbyterian Church In Baltimore, Maryland, Charles Brandon Brewer

Doctor of Ministry Projects

This project sought to equip pastoral care ministry members of Grace Presbyterian Church to explore communal grief and deepen their own understanding of family systems in intergenerational grief. Participants engaged in a four-week training series aimed at reducing fear surrounding discussions of death, dying, and grief, empowering pastoral caregivers in the church to offer compassionate care to grieving individuals and families. Participants were trained to facilitate Bible studies, group discussions and were equipped with the skills necessary to guide and expand the church’s existing bereavement ministry beyond crisis intervention, strengthening pastoral care efforts, and the pastoral care ministry of the …