Digital Commons Network^™

Ethics And Interventions In Substance Abuse Treatment For Military Service Members, Ken Marfilius, Allyson Donovan

Voices of Service Symposium

Substance use disorders (SUDs) among military service members and veterans remain critically underdiagnosed. Ethical barriers such as stigma and fear of career repercussions contribute heavily to this gap in treatment-seeking behavior. Culturally informed, evidence-based interventions, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Motivational Interviewing, are essential to addressing SUDs within this population in an ethically grounded manner.

Hazardous Alcohol Use And Chronic Pain Co-Occurrence And Comorbidity Rates: A National Study Of Veterans Affairs Primary Care Patients, Dezarie Moskal, Jacob L. Scharer, Jennifer S. Funderburk, Joseph W. Ditre, Gregory P. Beehler

Voices of Service Symposium

Hazardous alcohol use (HAU) and chronic pain are each common among U.S. veterans and are associated with poorer health outcomes when they co-occur. Primary care plays a central role in the identification and management of both conditions. However, national estimates of their co-occurrence and related comorbidity burden are limited. Accordingly, this study aimed to estimate the prevalence of HAU and chronic pain and compared comorbidity patterns in a national Veterans Affairs (VA) primary care sample.

This national retrospective VA electronic health record study included 3,900,633 veterans aged 18+ seen in primary care between July 2022 and December 2023. HAU was …

Enhancing Occupation-Based Engagement For Adults With Idd, Miranda Brown, Mary Jan Greer

Spring 2026 OTD Capstone Symposium

This study aimed to explore the importance of occupation-based engagement for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) through the lens of occupational therapy (OT). Literature review and needs assessments informed the development of client-centered interventions and program modules. Project outcomes highlighted the benefit of increased opportunity and appropriate grading of occupation-based engagement for adults with IDD, as well as education for community-based site staff and caregivers.

An Innovative Curriculum To Empower Trainees And Faculty To Address Patient-Initiated Identity-Based Misconduct In The Clinical Learning Environment, Nkanyezi Ferguson, Lauren E. Hock, Patrick Barlow, Aisha S. Jamison, Marcy E. Rosenbaum, Nicole Del Castillo

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

Introduction: Training residents and attending physicians on effective communication strategies to manage biased patient and visitor comments is lacking. The I-RESPOND toolkit curriculum provides strategies for addressing identity-based misconduct in the clinical setting. Methods: Resident physicians and faculty in 12 departments at a single academic center participated in the workshop between June 2021 and February 2022. The workshop consisted of interactive didactics, an introduction to the I-RESPOND toolkit, and opportunities to practice communication strategies with formative feedback. Retrospective pre/postworkshop survey instruments and a follow-up survey were used to evaluate the workshop and subsequent experiences. Results: Sixty-six (32%) of 204 participants …

Otolith Stable Isotopes And Maaori Archaeology: Marine Paleoclimate Data For Northern Aotearoa New Zealand, Reno Nims, Caitlin Smith, Matthew Campbell

Anthropology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Marine paleoclimate records for the last 1,000 years are scarce in the southwest Pacific, limiting our understanding of complex environmental changes that may have affected Ma ori seascapes and fisheries. We seek to begin filling this knowledge gap by studying stable oxygen (δ18O) and carbon (δ13C) isotopes in archaeological and modern otoliths from ta mure (Australasian snapper, Chrysophrys auratus), which provide information about water temperature, salinity, and fish diet and metabolism. Our results show that fourteenth and fifteenth century ta mure otoliths recorded environmental conditions that are comparable to twentieth century temperatures, with some evidence for anomalously warmer seas and/or …

Cognitive Warfare And The Changing Character Of Engagement: A Neurostrategic Perspective, James Giordano

Strategic Insights

This commentary explains how cognitive warfare goes beyond traditional information and psychological operations. Instead of trying to change what people think, it focuses on how they think - such as shaping perception, judgment, and decision-making using advances in neuroscience, artificial intelligence, and data. Dr. Giordano argues that the human mind is becoming a key battleground in modern conflict. These approaches can affect individuals and societies by weakening decision-making, trust, and cohesion. As a result, conflict is increasingly defined by the ability to influence thinking and behavior, raising important strategic and ethical questions for future military operations.

Exploring The Role Of Cine-Virtual Reality In Empathy And Awareness Of Social Determinants Of Health Among Occupational Therapy Students, Leah M. Stade, Madison Mckeever, Emma Gardner, Jana L. Wardian Phd

Innovations in Health Sciences Education Journal

Understanding social determinants of health (SDOH) is crucial for Occupational Therapy students to develop empathy and deliver optimal healthcare. This study explores using web-based 360° cinematic virtual reality (cine-VR) simulations in Level I fieldwork to address SDOH education and occupational engagement before community-based exposure.

This mixed methods study involved surveys and thematic analysis of written reflections from fifty students in a distance-based program at a Midwest university. Students viewed 12 web-based immersive cine-VR modules about a client experiencing multiple SDOH impacts. Surveys were conducted at baseline, post-intervention, and 6-weeks post-intervention, measuring empathy using the Jefferson Empathy Scale and attitudes toward …

Navigating High-Stakes Transition: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Study Of The Information Experiences Among Green Berets During Military Transition, Christian Teodoro, Ken Marfilius

Voices of Service Symposium

Transitioning Service members face a complex mix of challenges as they transition back to civilian life, including the need to make sense of career-related information while renegotiating identity, belonging, trust, and purpose. Often overlooked, however, is the informational side of that experience and how leaving the military, either voluntarily or involuntarily, impacts one's ability to judge relevance, evaluate credibility, and act on guidance when familiar military structures no longer exist. This is especially true for our nation's elite U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers. Special Forces are mission-driven and possess highly distinct character traits that allow them to perform effectively under …

Examining Tobacco Use Among Student Servicemembers And Veterans: The Unique Role Of Hazardous Duty Exposure, Holly Schmidt, Victoria E. Carlin, Emily Rabinowitz, Joon Kyung Nam, Joseph W. Ditre

Voices of Service Symposium

Introduction: Student servicemembers and veterans (SS/V) use tobacco products at higher rates than the general college student population. These students face unique stressors during and after military service, which may influence their health behaviors, including tobacco product use. One such stressor is hazardous duty exposure, as previous research indicates that veterans with riskier deployments and greater deployment stress are more likely to engage in tobacco use. However, no prior research has examined the relationship between hazardous duty exposure and tobacco use among SS/V. Method: Participants included 4,626 SS/V who completed the 2023-2025 National College Health Assessment (NCHA) III. Participants were …

Occupational Therapy And Periodontics Collaboration To Improve Hand Health And Fine Motor Skills In Dental Student, Zainab Alsuwaiyan

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Background: A study conducted in 2023 by the Occupational Therapy (OT) Department and Marquette University school of dentistry (MUsoD) demonstrated that many student participants scored below average on hand function testing, indicating a need for occupational therapy intervention. Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of occupational therapy–led training for periodontics and registered dental hygienist faculty on the performance of dental students in the Introduction to Clinical Practice course (DEIN 7114). Methods: Faculty teaching in DEIN 7114 were recruited for this study. They participated in educational sessions led by occupational therapy faculty focusing on musculoskeletal disorders …

Tax Avoidance And Esg Disclosure Mandates: International Evidence, Sadok El Ghoul, Omrane Guedhami, Yongtae Kim, Hyo Jin Yoon

Faculty Publications

This paper examines how regulations mandating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) disclosure affect corporate tax behavior. Using a difference-in-differences analysis on a sample of firms from 48 countries, we find that ESG disclosure mandates lead to significant reductions in tax avoidance, with stronger effects for mandates that include tax-relevant provisions. We identify increases in ESG information transparency and improvements in firms’ ESG performance as channels through which ESG disclosure mandates reduce tax avoidance. We further find that the decrease in tax avoidance following ESG disclosure mandates is more pronounced in countries with weaker financial disclosure requirements, legal and tax enforcement, …

Identifying Major Sources Of Leptospira Interrogans In San Juan Bay And Río Grande De Loíza Estuaries Of Puerto Rico, Logan Mccullers, Dave Bachoon

Biology Theses

This study evaluated the presence of pathogenic Leptospira interrogans, potential carriers, and environmental factors influencing their occurrence in the San Juan Bay Estuary (SJBE) and Río Grande de Loíza (RGDL) watersheds of Puerto Rico from 2024–2025. Detection of this pathogen from water samples was performed using the lipL32 PCR assay. The likely hosts of L. interrogans were determined using fecal source tracking (FST) assays for human (HF-183), canine (BacCan-UCD), equine (HoF597), and rat mitochondrial DNA NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 gene (RatMt) markers. In 2024, 91 samples were collected (March: 50; June: 41), and in 2025, 124 samples were collected …

Identifying Factors Influencing Nurses' Decision To Remain In The Clinical Setting, Shoug Alsobhi, Soud Sbehat, Naomi Tuifao

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Background: The healthcare industry, especially in clinical settings, is heavily reliant on the availability of skilled nursing professionals. Despite the increasing demand for nurses, many clinical settings face challenges related to nurse retention. High turnover rates not only affect the quality of care but also result in financial and operational inefficiencies for healthcare institutions. Understanding the factors that influence a nurse’s decision to remain in the clinical setting is critical to addressing these issues and improving retention strategies.

Aim: The aim of this study is to identify and analyze the key factors influencing nurses' decisions to remain in the clinical …

Empowering Well-Being Advocates: Activating Peer Supporters To Build A Well-Being Focused Team, Joel R. Anderson

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Background: A large academic health system developed a Team Well-Being Advocate (TWA) training curriculum emphasizing proactive peer support and strategies to address stress injury, unnecessary stressors, and workplace challenges known to erode healthy work environments. Grounded in the research of Dr. Richard Westphal on the stress continuum and Dr. Peggy Plews-Ogan on wisdom practices, the program integrates structured peer support with team-specific data to guide evidence-based well-being interventions at the microsystem level.

Purpose: To describe the design and implementation of a scalable, peer-driven model that promotes healthy work environments across an academic healthcare system using data to identify and reduce …

Exploring Healthcare Career Pathways: Survey Findings From The Unmc High School Alliance Program, Jana L. Wardian Phd, Rachael Jaixen, Jaynie Bird, Heidi Kaschke

Innovations in Health Sciences Education Journal

The ongoing demand for a well-prepared and adequately staffed healthcare workforce in the United States highlights the value of effective educational pipeline programs. The University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) High School Alliance (HSA) was created as an immersive, academic enrichment initiative to expose motivated high school students from a range of educational and socioeconomic backgrounds to health professions, with the long-term aim of strengthening the healthcare workforce in Nebraska. This article evaluates the design, curriculum, and measurable impact of the UNMC HSA over its 16-year history. Students participate daily throughout the school year, engaging in courses such as patient …

The Role Of Mentorship: The Lived Experience Of Black Women In Higher Education Leadership, Joseph Fahrney

JWU Dissertations & Theses

The persistent underrepresentation of Black women in higher education leadership raises important questions about how institutional environments shape leadership advancement, belonging, and sustainability. This qualitative phenomenological study explored the role of mentorship in the lived experiences of Black women leaders in higher education in shaping leadership trajectories, professional development, and institutional engagement. Participants included senior leaders serving in roles such as president, vice president, chief officer, and other executive administrative positions across higher education institutions. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants (N=17), generating narrative data reflecting their experiences navigating leadership environments and mentorship relationships. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis …

Supporting Commuter Students In Uk Higher Education: Opportunities To Enhance Policy And Practice, Rebecca Turner, Rao Namrata, Christie Pritchard, Oliver Webb, Pinn E, Asal Baharloo, Harriet Ball

Professional Services

Commuter students represent a significant, yet often overlooked, demographic within English higher education (HE). Historically, national policy and institutional practice have failed to adequately acknowledge distinct challenges they face. Using a novel participatory mapping activity, and focus group discussions with 19 commuter students, this paper identifies how commuters are excluded by dominant models of university participation. We examine students’ interactions with campus, peers and staff. Findings reveal how structural norms—such as attendance expectations, financial support, and spatial assumptions—can marginalise learners who do not follow the residential model. Participants described feeling peripheral to university life, with their legitimacy as students sometimes …

Female Indentured Servants And The Law In The Colonial Chesapeake, Jennifer Daniel Corbitt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Abstract In colonial Virginia and Maryland, indentured servants were the primary engine of the colony's economy. In theory, the temporary exchange of labor for passage and potential social mobility offered women and men a similar opportunity to rise above their original station. However, the historical research of the past few decades has revealed that women had a distinctly different experience with the law than men. This thesis will argue that colonial law defined a particular and punitive form of servitude for white indentured women, viewing them as reproductive liabilities rather than as purely in economic assets. While The author has …

The Line Goes Up, Wilson Timothy Whitlock

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

The Line Goes Up is about anxiety of the contemporary condition my generation and future one faces in America in the current moment. The work that I make is a direct response to the reality in which my generation and many others experience the contemporary condition of the United States of America. Creating exaggerated snapshots based on mundane real-world locations and twisting them into nightmarish and uncomfortable versions. Americans are still going about their lives like nothing is wrong despite incredibly overwhelming upheavals in our lives. Inflation has risen 37% on all food since 2017, while the federal minimum wage …

Β-Glucan Mitigates Valproic Acid-Induced Hepatorenal Toxicity In Rats, Maha Mohammad Almutairi, Hussein Mohammad Ali, Mohamed Abdelbakky, Ahmad Hamad Alhowail

Saudi Toxicology Journal

Valproic acid (VPA) is a common medication used to treat epilepsy, known for its broad-spectrum efficacy but also associated with hepatotoxicity and metabolic disturbances. β-glucan, a natural polysaccharide with hepatoprotective properties, may mitigate druginduced liver damage. The study sought to assess hepatorenal toxicity of VPA and investigate the potential protective and therapeutic effects of β-glucan. Forty male rats were randomly distributed into four groups. The treated group received VPA (500 mg/kg), β-glucan (50 mg/kg), or combinations for 14–21 days via intraperitoneal injection. Serum biochemical parameters (ALT, AST, ALP, urea, creatinine, lipids) were measured. Histopathological evaluation of hepatic tissue was performed. …

Hands-On Learning And Design Thinking In Secondary Design And Technology Education, Carol K. Puddicombe

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Design and Technology (D&T) education occupies a distinctive position within the secondary curriculum through its historical emphasis on designing, making, and evaluating tangible artefacts. Drawing on a doctoral study, this article examines how the secondary school experiences of ten pre-service D&T teachers in Western Australia shaped their engagement with the subject. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, data were generated through in-depth interviews. Analysis revealed three interrelated themes: the power of practical engagement, experiences of success in the workshop, and limitations in opportunities for explicit design thinking. Findings indicate that hands-on, workshop-based learning played an important role in fostering confidence, motivation, and …

Tunable Shock And Vibration Damping In Metal Laser Powder Bed Fusion Components Via Controlled Post-Print Compaction Of Particle Damper Cavities, Joud N. Stame, Yanzhou Fu, Samuel Roberts, Austin Downey, Tianyu Zhang, Lang Yuan, Daniel Kiracofe

Faculty Publications

Components manufactured by Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) can incorporate particle dampers (PDS) by retaining unfused powder within internal pockets, providing inherent vibration suppression without added mass or separate damping components. This study investigates the damping performance of such LPBF-integrated PDs through two complementary approaches: (1) quantifying the effect of post-printing volume compression on energy absorption by mechanically indenting the damper pocket, and (2) evaluating how variations in particle packing density influence the dynamic response under both sinusoidal and transient impulse excitation. Experimental results from shaker and shock testing demonstrate that increased packing density, whether by compression or tighter confinement, …

Effective Strategies For Sustaining Massage Small Businesses Beyond 5 Years, Steven Brian Glover

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ineffective business strategies can lead to premature closure. Small business owners who struggle to develop long-term strategies may experience failure as a result. Grounded in the resource-based view and dynamic capabilities theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry research project was to identify and explore practical strategies used by massage therapy small business owners to sustain their businesses for more than 5 years. The participants were 10 massage therapy small business owners who had sustained their businesses for more than 5 years. Data were collected through semistructured interviews, business documents, and public records. Through thematic analysis, six themes were …

Choice-Aya: Adapting An Evidence-Based Contraceptive Counseling Intervention For Adolescents And Young Adults Experiencing Homelessness., Mariah E. Brewe, Anna Burns, Nikolaus Schuetz, Taylor Stephens, Emma Francis, Haylie Yost, Stephani L. Stancil

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

INTRODUCTION: Adolescents and young adults (AYA) experiencing homelessness face an increased risk of reproductive violence, unintended pregnancy, and barriers accessing healthcare. While interventions focused on efficacy-first contraceptive counseling are successful at increasing rates of long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) use, little is known about how an efficacy-first approach is received by AYA experiencing homelessness given unique factors associated with their reproductive health care. We aimed to adapt the evidence-based CHOICE contraceptive counseling approach for AYA experiencing homelessness.

METHODS: Focus groups discussion with AYA experiencing homelessness were conducted to understand prior reproductive health care experiences and contraception counseling preferences, comparing efficacy first …

Utility Of Right Ventricular Mass Ratios In Recipients With Pulmonary Hypertension: A United Network For Organ-Sharing Database Analysis, Matthew P. Weber, Danial Ahmad, Howard J. Eisen, Eugene Storozynsky, René J. Alvarez, J. Eduardo Rame, Keshava Rajagopal, John W. Entwistle, Charles Hoopes, Vakhtang Tchantchaleishvili

Division of Cardiology Faculty Papers

PURPOSE: There is a lack of data reviewing the role of predicted cardiac mass ratio (PCMR) in transplant recipients with pulmonary hypertension (PH). In particular, the right ventricular (RV) mass ratio (RVMR) is a component of PCMR not yet studied separately for this purpose. We aimed to review the relationship of PCMR and RVMR with PH in terms of post-transplant overall survival.

METHODS: The United Network for Organ-Sharing (UNOS) database was queried for primary heart transplant (HTx) patients from 2004 to 2023. Predicted RVMR was calculated for donors and recipients. A parsimonious multivariable model Cox model was formed for risk …

Hydrologic History Regulates Microbial Biofilm Diversity And Ecosystem Function, Allison R. Rober, Leah C. Reese, Shawn P. Brown, Katherine D. Mcmahon, Stilianos Louca, Jillian Cieslik, Evan Kane, Merritt R. Turetsky, Kevin H. Wyatt

Michigan Tech Publications

Aquatic biofilms are an understudied component of northern peatlands and are expected to play a more prominent role in ecosystem processes in areas where aquatic habitat is expanding. The goal of this study was to investigate how hydrologic history influences biofilm diversity and functional genes. This study was conducted in a long-term water table manipulation that simulates drought (lowered water table treatment) and flooding (raised water table treatment) conditions relative to a control treatment (no manipulation). We used a combination of metabarcoding and metagenomic approaches to (1) examine the diversity of eukaryotic algae, cyanobacteria, bacteria and fungi within the biofilm …

Spectator 2026-04-09, Editors Of The Spectator

The Spectator

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Teachers In Developing The Interpersonal Skills Of Elementary School Students In Pekanbaru, Marcella Sari Dewi, Siti Quratul Ain

Jurnal Pendidikan Humaniora

This study examines the multifaceted role of teachers in fostering interpersonal skills among 4th-grade students at SDN 42 Pekanbaru. Employing a qualitative approach through naturalistic inquiry, the research aims to provide an in-depth understanding of how teachers contribute to the social and emotional development of students in this context. Data were collected through interviews, observations, and documentation, with analysis conducted using the Miles and Huberman model, which includes data collection, reduction, display, and conclusion drawing. Findings reveal that teachers play diverse roles—as instructors, educators, mentors, coaches, and advisors—in promoting students’ interpersonal skills. As instructors, teachers deliver knowledge and prepare structured …

The Effectiveness Of Classical Guidance Service Program In Developing Empathy In Students, Siti Cahyati, Ananda Rachmaniar, Syariih Fitrah Rayaginansih

Jurnal Pendidikan Humaniora

Empathy is a crucial aspect in social professions such as counseling and psychotherapy, acting as a bridge in building an effective therapeutic relationship between counselors and clients. This study aims to test the effectiveness of classical guidance services in developing empathy in students of the Guidance and Counseling study program, Ma'soem University, class of 2023. The study used a quantitative method with a one-group pre-test post-test pre-experimental design, involving 42 students with a saturated sample technique. The instrument used was the Empathy Scale for Prospective Counselor (ESPC) based on Segal's theory (2018). The results of the analysis showed a significance …

The Influence Of Lay Catholic Understanding Of Politics And Peace Education On Fraternitas Et Amicitia, Vinsensius Florianus Dalu Sogen, Krisantus Minggu Kwen, Benedikta Yosefina Kebingin, Akhmedova Mehrinigor Bahodirovna

Jurnal Pendidikan Humaniora

Referring to the issue of unity and brotherhood, various actions of Catholic lay people prioritize ego attitudes, prioritizing personal interests rather than common interests in political life. The aim of this research is to find out how the influence partially and simultaneously the Catholic lay understanding of politics and Peace Education on Fraternitas et Amicitia. The research method used is quantitative research with a correlational type of research with the test used is the multiple linear regression test, with SSPS V. 26. The research location was carried out in the Parish of Sta. Maria Immaculata Lewolaga with a total of …