Digital Commons Network^™

The Role Of Mammography In Breast Cancer Diagnosis, Olivia J. Maniskas

Student Research Poster Presentations 2026

Abstract Breast cancer remains one of the most common cancers affecting women, making early detection through mammography essential for improving patient outcomes. Breast cancer continues to impact millions of women each year. This capstone project shows the different types of breast cancer and their appearance on mammographic imaging. The main focus includes ductal carcinoma in situ, lobular carcinoma in situ, invasive ductal carcinoma, and invasive lobular carcinoma. The display of images demonstrate the main differences within each type of breast cancer. Each type presents with distinct imaging characteristics. This research aims to improve understanding of the various types of breast …

Characteristics Of Pulmonary Vs. Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis Cases In Kentucky From 2020 To 2024, Mariam M. Alkhairat

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

Objective: Tuberculosis (TB) remains an important public health concern in the United States, especially among people experiencing social and clinical vulnerabilities. Extrapulmonary TB, which occurs outside of the lungs, can be harder to detect and diagnose than pulmonary TB. This study aimed to describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of people with active TB in Kentucky and to identify factors associated with extrapulmonary TB.

Methods: Secondary surveillance data were obtained from the Kentucky Department for Public Health (KDPH) using the National Tuberculosis Surveillance System (NTSS). The study sample included 301 confirmed active TB cases reported in Kentucky. Descriptive statistics were …

The Physiology Of Burnout: A Neuro Sustainable Model For Social Work Stability, Mindi Radtke

Social Work Student Works

The Physiology of BurnoutThis independent study introduces NeuroSustainability, a professional framework designed to move the discourse of clinician endurance away from "individual grit" and toward the preservation of Cognitive Capital. In the modern social work landscape, practitioners are trapped in an Implementation Paradox, where the biological necessity of recovery is undermined by high-friction work environments and systemic noise. This chronic friction facilitates allostatic overload, a state of biological debt that triggers structural remodeling of the brain: specifically, the atrophy of the prefrontal cortex-the seat of complex decision-making-and the hypertrophy of the amygdala, which increases reactive anxiety.  The paper identifies three …

Gone But Not Forgotten: Collaborative Telemetry Network Provides Insight Into Out-Of-System Movements Of Common Snook, Victoria S. Goldner, Mack White, Cody W. Eggenberger, Alia A. Jones, Cameron C. Atkinson, Jonathan R. Rodemann, W. Ryan James, Jordan A. Massie, Andrea M. Kroetz, Patrick M. O’Donnell, Ross E. Boucek, Rolando O. Santos, Jennifer S. Rehage

Marine Science

Objective The objective of this study was to examine the movements of Common Snook Centropomus undecimalis, a tropical euryhaline species, out of the Shark River, Everglades National Park, Florida, USA, and gain a better understanding of their long-distance regional movements. Methods This study used 7 years (2017–2023) of acoustic telemetry data from the Shark River Florida Coastal Everglades Array and from five other collaborative telemetry arrays in southwestern Florida to assess out-of-system movements for 119 Common Snook. Generalized linear models were used to assess the relationships between out-of-system movements and biological and environmental variables. Results Most Common Snook departures took …

The Effect Of Aerobic Exercise With Blood Flow Restriction On Substrate Utilization And Energy Expenditure, Jakob D. Lauver, Nathen Andrews, Chase Harris, Nelo E. Zanchi, Kelly E. Johnson, Timothy R. Rotarius, Justin P. Guilkey

Kinesiology

Purpose: This study examined the effects of intermittent blood flow restriction (LI-BFR) compared to low- (LI) and high-intensity interval exercise (HI) on substrate utilization and energy expenditure (EE). Methods: Exercise protocols consisted of 2-minute work intervals interspersed with 1-minute recovery intervals (20W), HI consisted of 5 intervals performed at a workload corresponding to 140% of ventilatory threshold intensity and LI and LI-BFR consisted of 10 intervals performed at 70% of ventilatory threshold. BFR cuffs were inflated to 80% of limb occlusion pressure during each work interval and deflated during each recovery. Following each exercise protocol subjects rested for three hours, …

Overbreadth In Medical Practice Acts: A Threat To Preventive Speech, Barbara Zabawa

Faculty Works

Many Americans consult unlicensed wellness coaches for scientifically-valid advice on diet, exercise, and lifestyle interventions. Yet state medical practice acts and ambiguous government line drawing between wellness and medical care chill the speech of these coaches as it relates to disease prevention, even though conventional medicine systematically fails to deliver the speech-heavy preventive care consumers need and want. This Article argues that medical practice acts, particularly the sixteen state statutes that include "prevention" in their definition of medical practice, are constitutionally overbroad restrictions on protected speech. Despite judicial and scholarly assumptions to the contrary, not all those working in wellness …

The American Anomaly: Feasibility Of Universal Healthcare, William Bernstein

Student Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

In Vivo Telemetry To Record Long-Term Cardiovascular Parameters, Temperature, And Activity In Spinal Cord Injury Rat Models, Sajeev Kaur, Anna M. Baur, Jillian A. Condrey, Dorottya P. Gal, Samir P. Patel, John C. Gensel

Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center Faculty Publications

Higher-level spinal cord injury (SCI) above thoracic level 6 (T6) disrupts autonomic function and contributes to secondary complications, including fluctuations in blood pressure, heart rate, and temperature. In rats, the placement of telemetric implants in the descending aorta offers a robust methodology for assessing various cardiovascular parameters, such as systolic and diastolic pressure, mean arterial pressure, and heart rate. Core body temperature and animal activity can also be recorded following telemetric implant placement. A rat with a telemetric implant is kept on the receiver plate connected to a computer system for recording various parameters. Continuous long-term recordings at defined time …

Syncretism Of Culture Through Restoration At Cyrene’S Temple Of Lykeian Zeus, Melanie Stevenson

Undergraduate Research Awards

Starting with the earliest accounts of the temple and tracking it through the cycles of destruction and reconstruction that have characterized it as a blend of time periods and constantly modernizing culture will uncover the mysteries of who exactly influenced this temple. It must have held a notable amount of significance in the ancient city, since there is a plethora of archaeological evidence—from fragmented cult statues to charred limestone remains—that marks this site as a victim of multiple bouts of religious violence. Far from being a static monument, the Temple of Lykeian Zeus in Cyrene is an intersection of Arcadian …

Missionaries And Magic: Freed People, Conjure And Reformation During Southern Reconstruction, Sanaa Belton

Undergraduate Research Awards

I argue in the pages to follow that during the Reconstruction period, reformation efforts by white northern activists attempted to shift the perception of Conjure from a dangerous yet useful spiritual tradition that served both the enslaved and their enslavers, to a spiritual tradition representative of a savage and backwards African people. Mainstream religious movements of the 1800s, the same movements that contributed to the prohibition of alcohol in the 1920s and early 1930s, were centered on the moral reformation of the United States. Missionary societies that branched off from these larger religious movements sent workers into southern states to …

Striking Out Bias: A Path Toward Ending Religion-Based Peremptory Strikes, Catherine King

Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology

Peremptory strikes, while designed to craft fair and impartial juries, carry with them the potential for discriminatory use. Cognizant of this, the Court has imposed limitations on their use, producing over time the Batson line of case law. While Batson and its progeny aimed to eliminate discriminatory peremptory strikes, the consensus forty years later is that this goal remains unfulfilled—largely due to the continued acceptance of ostensibly race-, gender-, and ethnicity-neutral justifications. Religion has emerged as a frequent rationale, creating uncertainty about its permissibility and producing a circuit split.

Despite repeated calls for finality on the question of religion-based peremptory …

Paying Financial Sanctions Via Incarceration: A Case Study Of “Sitting Out”, Beth Colgan, Jordan B. Woods

Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology

This Article provides a comprehensive statewide study of a practice by which courts order defendants to pay financial sanctions—fines, costs, and probation fees—by serving terms of incarceration. Though several states authorize these practices, to date, very little is known about the extent to which payment via incarceration occurs and the different ways it is employed. This Article examines the use of the practice in Nebraska, where it is colloquially referred to as “sitting out.” Our study specifically focuses on all misdemeanor cases in Nebraska county courts with judgments (an adjudication of guilt and/or sentencing) during the year 2019.

This study …

Foreword, Joseph Mcinerney, Olivia Babin

Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology

No abstract provided.

Connecting Mens Rea And Actus Reus: Toward A New Theory Of Correspondence, Elise Sugarman

Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology

The justifiable imposition of criminal liability requires more than possession of mens rea and performance of an actus reus. A defendant’s mens rea and actus reus must also connect in a particular way. While this is a well-recognized principle in Anglo-American criminal law, the nature of the required connection—“correspondence”—is poorly understood.

This Article identifies three conflicting existent theories of correspondence from the criminal legal literature and from judicial reasoning: contemporaneity theory, actuation theory, and normative theory. According to contemporaneity theory, correspondence requires that mens rea overlap in time with the actus reus. According to actuation theory, correspondence requires that mens …

Physician-Assisted Suicide: A Catholic Legal Tradition Perspective, David Mina Ibrahim

Student Works

No abstract provided.

One Size Doesn’T Fit All: Critical Issues Facing The Wnba Collective Bargaining Agreement, Caroline A. Staff

Student Works

No abstract provided.

“Extraordinary” Means Extraordinary: Why Courts Should Refuse To Apply Sentencing Minimum Reductions In Compassionate Release Petitions, J.M. Icasiano

Student Works

No abstract provided.

Pregnancy Discrimination In Women’S Sports: An Analysis Of What Has Been Done, And What There Is Still Left To Do, Jordan Decrescente

Student Works

No abstract provided.

Reinvestment Not Restriction: Modernizing Mlb’S Economic Framework Without A Salary-Cap, Noah J. Hagedoorn

Student Works

No abstract provided.

Increasing Temperatures And Heatwave Durations Negatively Affect The Performance Of A Dietary Generalist, Kailey G. Hicks, Claire Guzinski, Mariana Abarca, Mayra C. Vidal, Audrey M. Mitchell, Dhaval K. Vyas, Shannon M. Murphy

Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Climate variability has increased in recent decades, and this trend is predicted to continue. Globally, there is a rise in extreme temperatures, such as heatwaves, which are strengthening in both intensity and frequency. As ectotherms, insects are especially affected by temperature variation. Insects are the most speciose group of animals and important members of most terrestrial ecosystems, providing critical ecosystem services. Most studies of global change have investigated only a single stressor, yet insects rarely experience one stressor at a time. Two stressors that co-occur are heatwaves and warming temperature regimes; thus, is it important that we study their interaction …

Moving Forward Together For Cancer Recovery: Collaborative Guide For Researchers And Cancer Care Organizations, M. Madison Kindred, Karen E. Wickersham, Daneille E. Ostendorf, Bernardine M. Pinto

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Use Of Virtual Reality In Ptsd Research And Practice, Kenneth B. Abrams, Lindsay Okindo, Marta E. Bacon, Yiking Skylar Yu, Sofia Santamaria Germani, Malvika Malhotra, Nancy A. Cullen

Psychology Faculty Work

In the aftermath of traumatic events such as combat, sexual violence, or a natural disaster, individuals may develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Technological advancements in virtual reality (VR) over the past few decades have opened new avenues for improving the assessment, treatment, and understanding of PTSD. VR allows users to be immersed in interactive, computer-generated environments that simulate real-world scenarios, such as a warzone or assault location, that would be difficult or unsafe to reproduce using traditional methods. The present paper offers an overview of how VR technology has been employed in both clinical and research settings related to PTSD. …

2026 Faculty Summer Seminar - Modern Misenchantments: St. Augustine’S Wisdom For Challenging The Idols Of Consumerism And Nationalism, Center For Catholic Studies, Seton Hall University

Center for Catholic Studies Faculty Seminars and Core Curriculum Seminars

About the 2026 Faculty Seminar - p.6

Josephine De Vito - p.9 The Idolatry of Saint Augustine for College Students

Anthony Haynor - p.12 Checking Idolatry Creep in Catholic Universities

Mark Horowitz - p.20 Can the Universal Church Transcend the Tribal Chimp?

Richard M. Liddy - p.26 Cavanagh’s Distinction and Lonergan’s Intellectual Conversion

Jose Lopez - p.32 Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness Under Pressure

Jon Radwan - p.37 Idolatrous Grasp, Sacramental Encounter: Communication and Contact Before, During and After Babel

Elizabeth Brewer Redwine - p.46 Saint Augustine, Idolatry and Service: A Pedagogical Response

Lisa Rose-Wiles - p.50 Useful …

What Is A Standard? Perspectives On Acd’S Standards For Leadership In Oral Healthcare, N. Karl Haden Phd, Facd

Journal of the American College of Dentists

The American College of Dentists’ new Standards for Leadership in Oral Healthcare mark the first attempt in dentistry to articulate standards specifically for leadership, complementing the broader orientation offered by the Ethics Handbook for Dentistry. This article explores the basic question, “What is a standard?” Close reading of the document indicates at least three distinct but related senses of the term: an expectation, a norm, and a guiding principle. The article offers an interpretation of how these three senses fit together coherently. Referencing the Handbook, the article argues that the leadership standards are most impactful only when habituated, when practiced …

American College Of Dentists Team Leadership Standards, Julie Connolly Dds Mph Ms Facd, Sreenivas Koka Dds Ms Phd Mba Mas Facd Fcgdent

Journal of the American College of Dentists

Leadership standards elevate the profession of dentistry by establishing how leaders can be effective and impactful. The American College of Dentists presents 10 carefully curated team leadership standards that serve as guiding principles for team leaders in dental settings. When these standards are followed, leaders increase the likelihood of creating and sustaining a high-performing, mission-focused team. The importance of each standard is described and, where appropriate, examples are provided.

Standards For Leadership In Oral Healthcare: Applying Local And Regional Standards In Practice, Teresa A. Dolan Dds, Mph, Facd, Robin Henderson Dds, Facd

Journal of the American College of Dentists

The dental profession has well-established standards governing clinical practice, education, and research, yet has lacked comparable standards to guide leadership behavior. The American College of Dentists (ACD) Standards for Leadership in Oral Healthcare Task Force developed a comprehensive framework spanning four levels: 1) core; 2) team; 3) local and regional; and 4) national and international. This article describes the local and regional standards, which include 10 standards organized into three themes—Building Foundation, Leading with Purpose, and Developing Others—and their application through interactive workshops at the ACD Spring Leadership Conference 2026. Using structured role-playing exercises, Section leaders and Regents stress-tested the …

Injury Prevention For Farmers In Rural Areas, Kelsie Johnson

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Posters

This capstone was completed with Greenup County Farm Bureau in Greenup, Kentucky. Greenup County Farm Bureau advocates for and supports local farmers through education and community outreach. The purpose of this capstone was to reduce the risk of work-related injuries among farmers by providing evidence-based injury prevention education, promoting safer work practices, and increasing awareness of occupational therapy's role in agricultural health. The goals of the Capstone and Applied Leadership Experience were to develop and implement educational workshops, create sustainable educational resources, and collaborate with the practice site to improve community health and safety. A needs assessment, literature review, discussions, …

Eku Os/Ot Pediatric Population Video Library, Heaven L. Taylor

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Posters

The purpose of this Doctor of Occupational Therapy capstone project was to develop the EKU Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy Pediatric Population Video Library, an educational resource designed to enhance occupational therapy education through in class video instruction. Completed virtually in collaboration with site mentor Dr. Leslie Hardman, OTD, OTR/L, the project addressed the limited opportunities students often have to observe authentic pediatric occupational therapy sessions before entering clinical practice.

Research supports the use of video-based learning as an effective educational strategy for improving students clinical reasoning, and understanding by providing exposure to real-world occupational therapy practice. In response to …

The Restorative Effects Of Virtual Reality Nature Simulations: An Empirical Investigation, Isabel T. Folger, Yichen Zhang, Kenneth B. Abrams

Psychology Faculty Work

Although extensive research demonstrates that nature films can facilitate recovery from stress and cognitive overload, it remains unclear whether more immersive media, such as virtual reality (VR), are more effective than similar two-dimensional films. The present study examined the effects of immersiveness on affective, cognitive, and physiological restoration. Three levels of immersiveness for film viewing were employed: 2D (computer monitor), standard VR (visual and auditory input), and enhanced VR (standard VR plus olfactory and haptic input). All participants were exposed to parallel versions of a six-minute nature film. We hypothesized that greater immersiveness would produce stronger restorative effects. All versions …

Learning Design To Advance Human-Ai Collaboration In K-12 Education, Wing Sha Chan, Jinhee Kim, Seongryeong Yu, Rita Kay Detrick

STEMPS Faculty Publications

This chapter explores key components for designing effective Human-AI Collaboration (HAC) in K–12 education, addressing the current lack of theoretical and conceptual frameworks for structuring and implementing HAC in teaching and learning. It examines four essential areas: curriculum design, student and teacher–AI interaction, learning environments, and the evolution of HAC over time. The chapter introduces the concept of HAC in K–12 contexts, highlighting how humans and AI can leverage each other's strengths through co-evolutionary processes that foster mutual learning and collaboration. It reviews current HAC practices in schools and discusses their contributions to both teaching and learning. Finally, it presents …