Digital Commons Network^™

Enhancing Pump Efficiency And Reducing Energy Consumption At The Sea Water Distillation Plant Of An Aluminium Company, Essa Binshaqooi

Theses

The objective of this project is to enhance pump efficiency by at least 10% and reduce energy consumption by 5% in the Sea Water Distillation Unit of a major Aluminium Company. Challenges include progressive wear, abrasion, and sea water scaling, which contribute to major losses in pumps, leading to inefficient performance and increased operational costs. Failure Mode Analysis (FMA) and Root Cause Analysis (RCA) were conducted on both Sea Water Pumps (SWPs) and Brine Circulation Pumps (BRPs) to identify these major losses. Strategic improvements recommended for both pumps include the required pump rating, changes in composition, and performance monitoring. Detailed …

Rotational Magnetoelectric Switching In Orthorhombic Multiferroics, Xu Li, Hao Tian, Hongjun Jiang, Jun-Ming Liu, L. Bellaiche, Yurong Yang

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Controlling the direction of ferromagnetism and antiferromagnetism by an electric field in single-phase multiferroics will open the door to the next generation of devices for spintronics and electronics. The typical magnetoelectric coupling such as the linear magnetoelectric effect is very weak in type-I multiferroics and therefore the magnetoelectric switching is rarely achieved. Here, using first- principles simulations, we propose a magnetoelectric switching mechanism to achieve such highly desired control in orthorhombic multiferroics. One class of two-dimensional proper multiferroics (CrX2Se3 and MnX2Te3, X = Sn, Ge) and perovskite multiferroics (EuTiO3 and BiFeO3/LaFeO3 superlattice) are taken as examples to show the mechanism. …

Nursing The Wright Way: A History Of Nursing At Wright State University, 1973-2023, Donna Miles Curry

Books Authored by Wright State Faculty/Staff

This book explores the history of an innovative nursing education program in Dayton, Ohio from its creation in the 1970s until 2023. On the cutting edge with a theory driven curriculum this program went from BSN, adding the master's degree with advanced practice options and also a DNP.

Sustainable Fashion In New Era: Exploring Consumer Resilience And Goals In The Post-Pandemic, Joohye Hwang, Xun Sun, Li Zhao, Song-Yi Youn

School of Business Faculty Papers

Abstract: This study examines the underlying mechanisms that lead to sustainable fashion consumption in the post-COVID-19 pandemic era. Particularly, this study explores the complex relations between resilient coping mechanisms, consumer life goals, and sustainable fashion consumption, combining Goal Content Theory and the Consumer Sustainability Orientation framework. The findings obtained from partial least squares structural equation modeling analysis using 503 responses confirm that resilient coping positively influenced both intrinsic and extrinsic life goals. While intrinsic goals reinforce all aspects of sustainability orientation (ecological, social, and economic), extrinsic goals show a contrasting effect—positively affecting economic orientation but negatively impacting ecological and social …

Time Spent Jogging/Running And Biological Aging In 4,458 U.S. Adults: An Nhanes Investigation, Christina Michelle Blackmon

Theses and Dissertations

Telomere length is a good index of cellular aging. Longer telomeres are predictive of longer life, and healthy lifestyles are associated with longer telomeres. This study explored the relationship between time spent jogging or running each week and leukocyte telomere length (LTL) in 4,458 randomly selected U.S. adults. The association was studied using data collected by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), and a cross-sectional design. Total weekly jog/run time was calculated from survey responses. From the minute totals, three categories were formed: <10 minutes/week, 10-74 minutes/week, and ≥75 minutes/week. Adults in the third category met the U.S. guidelines. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA. Partial correlation was used to adjust for differences in potential mediating factors, including demographic and lifestyle/medical factors. In the total sample, after adjusting for all the potential covariates, mean LTL significantly differed across the 3 jog/run categories (F=4.1, P=0.0272). Specifically, adults who met the guidelines via jogging and/or running had significantly longer telomeres than adults who performed no jogging/running. Adults in the middle category did not differ from the other two categories. A minimum of 75 minutes of jogging/running weekly is predictive of longer telomeres when compared to adults who do not jog or run regularly.

Implementing Occupational Therapy Principles Into The Linden Waldorf Neurodivergent Student Population, Brooke M. Bledsoe

OTD Capstone Projects

This doctoral capstone project was completed through partnership with Linden Waldorf School in Nashville, TN. The focus of this project was development, implementation, and advocacy regarding occupational therapy techniques for the neurodivergent student population. The goal of this project was to provide direct observations, educational presentations, and various educational materials on a variety of neurodivergent deficits and diagnoses in order to help empower Linden Waldorf faculty and staff to best meet the needs of their students. The deficits and diagnoses covered in this project are as follows: executive dysfunction, emotional dysregulation, dyslexia, autism spectrum disorder, anxiety, and attention deficit hyperactivity …

The George-Anne Daily, Georgia Southern University

George-Anne Media Group: Newsletters & Magazines

No abstract provided.

Post-Modeling Adjustments And Delivered Dose Verification Of The 6fff Beam Model Commissioned For The Monaco Treatment Planning System, Grant C. Debevec

LSU Master's Theses

External beam radiation therapy has been shown to be an effective treatment method for tumors and abnormalities of the spine and vertebral region. Treating the spine using a stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) technique can reduce toxicity to the spinal cord. The 6 MV flattening filter free (6FFF) beam model is currently used to plan and calculate dose for SBRT treatment plans, and the treatment plans are delivered using a linear accelerator (LINAC).

The commissioned beam model represents an invariant component of a LINAC. For volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) treatment plans, the multileaf collimator (MLC) positions are changing throughout …

Exploring The Impact Of Mindfulness Practices On Positive Habit Formation And Individual Well-Being: A Literature Review, Lori Barnes

2024 Student Academic Showcase

Mindfulness practices have been recognized as an important tool for cultivating positive habits and enhancing overall well-being. This literature review begins with a brief overview of what mindfulness practices are and explores a wide range of research demonstrating the effectiveness of mindfulness practices on personal growth and well-being. Furthermore, various aspects of well-being, including mental health, stress reduction, emotional regulation, and physical health are examined in relation to mindfulness practices. Additionally, this review discusses the use of technology applications to facilitate mindfulness practices and explores the utility of mindful practices during high stress times such as during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gaining Cultural Competency Through Partnering With The University Of Mosul, Kara Kimery

2024 Student Academic Showcase

My project is a proposal outlining the steps to take in order to build a partnership between a team from Lindenwood and a team from Mosul. In my project, I use the Lindenwood field hockey team and a Moslawi women's team. The project outlines how the partnership will help the women gain insight into women's experiences at university in Iraq and in America, as well as build cultural competency for the teams. It discusses the barriers to international partnerships and how to navigate through them for the most successful outcomes.

The Development Of An Electrochemistry Experiment For Analytical Chemistry, Kaitlin Hickman

2024 Student Academic Showcase

The analytical chemistry course at Lindenwood University discusses the use of electrochemistry as part of the course curriculum. Much of the course content has practical lab experiments that teach the students the skills that they need if they enter the workforce as analytical chemists. The current lab curriculum does not have an experiment in electrochemistry. Dr. Delgado and Ms. Hickman are working on the redesign of an experiment that was intended for a physical chemistry class as a new lab that uses available technology and analytical techniques that can be written for the use in future semesters of the analytical …

Using Gis Applications To Monitor Post Ohio Train Derailment, Lillian Nix

2024 Student Academic Showcase

This research investigates the multifaceted impacts of the East Palestine, Ohio train derailment on February 3rd, 2023, with a specific focus on utilizing GIS applications for post-event analysis. The study aims to analyze the locations of soil, sediment, and water samples in relation to the landscape, as well as the potential effects on agricultural land use in the vicinity during the year prior to the accident and the year of the accident. Employing GIS overlay and spatial analysis techniques, the research constructs a visual representation of the data. This research aims to offer a comprehensive spatial approach and visual understanding …

Research Proposal: Examination Of Bacterial Communities In Soil Beneath Decaying Organic Matter And The Effect Of Insect Succession, Olivia Fotiadis

2024 Student Academic Showcase

Bacterial species of the Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Bacteroidetes phyla are key components in decomposing organic matter by secreting specialized enzymes into decaying material, facilitating its breakdown and nutrient release. Diverse microbial communities in areas of decomposition are known for their efficiency in decomposition and nutrient cycling. Less is understood about the effect of insects introducing unique microbes alongside initial soil bacteria, like Bacillus subtilis, in the decomposition process. Studying the decomposition of pork samples as a human analog will explore variations in bacterial populations in soil before and after the introduction of insect-mediated microbes and provide information on the efficiency …

Understanding The Relationship Between Choice Of Pet And Priorities In An Intimate Relationship - A Research Proposal, Kaitlyn Guthrie

2024 Student Academic Showcase

This proposed research study aims to see if an individual’s choice of pet reflect the things that they value most in an intimate relationship. Pets have become more popular over the years, and a common theme for choosing a pet is whether or not the animal will be a good fit for the individual’s lifestyle. Since dogs are known to be social and affectionate creatures, I believe that individuals who have pet dogs may require more physical affection and a sense of togetherness in an intimate relationship in order to feel satisfied. I believe that individuals who own cats, though …

The Conformable Information Filter, Sophia Hungerford, Joseph E. Smith

2024 Student Academic Showcase

In this project, we construct an information filter associated with a linear continuous control system corrupted by some noise. Here, the system is defined in terms of a conformable derivative introduced by Khalil et al. in 2014. This time-weighted derivative shares many of the same properties as the classical derivative but lacks the usual semigroup property associated with the exponential. Mathematically, this conformable information filter is a backward-time counterpart of the recently constructed conformable Kalman filter. Here, the inverse of the error covariance associated with the Kalman filter becomes the information matrix for the information filter. The conformable information filter …

Youth In Need Data Analysis, Drew Barnes, Ryan Eckman, Abi Waters

2024 Student Academic Showcase

Youth In Need is a nonprofit that offers mental and physical health resources to kids under the age of 19 in the St. Charles area. They have been in operation for 50 years. Youth In Need is concerned that their services may have been negatively impacted by the pandemic. They have asked Lindenwood’s PIC Math group to review their data over 2015-2023 and identify trends. Identifying these trends may help the client optimize their resources. So far, the group has identified trends when the intake of new clients occurs as well as trends between the counselors’ client-scores and clients’ self-scores …

An Exploration Of Companion Robots, Annelyse Lockhart

2024 Student Academic Showcase

Japan and the United States have a drastically different view towards artificial intelligence and smart machines. Within my project, I did an exploratory analysis of robotics within the United States and Japan, and posed the question as to why Japan has substantially more robotics within their day-to-day life. I took an in-depth look at Japanese robotics that do not exist within the United States, as well as explored the biases behind smart machines in both cultures. Judging Category: Exploratory

Evaluating The Impact Of Cyber Seniors On The Mental Health And Connection Of College Students, Paige Julius

2024 Student Academic Showcase

Mental health issues on college campuses have reached an all-time high. Intergenerational programs that facilitate interactions between aging adults and college students are a promising strategy to improve mental health of college students. This project evaluates the impact of an intergenerational technology program called Cyber Seniors at Lindenwood University. The mixed method evaluation analyzes changes in overall perceived wellness and social connectedness of college students. To date many studies have looked at the impact of intergenerational programs on seniors, but few have focused on college students. Results show a statistically significant improvement in overall perceived wellness and the subscale of …

Quandle Rings, Idempotents And Cocycle Invariants Of Knots, Dipali Swain

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Quandles are sets with self-distributive binary operations that axiomatize the three Reidemeister movesin classical knot theory. In an attempt to bring ring theoretic techniques to the study of quandles, a theory of quandle rings analogous to the classical theory of group rings where several interconnections between quandles and their associated quandle rings have been explored. Functoriality of the construction implies that morphisms of quandle rings give a natural enhancement of the well-known quandle coloring and quandle 2 cocycle invariant of knots and links.

The dissertation is structured into two main parts. In the first part, we delve into quandle rings …

Understanding Nurses' Experience Of The Covid-19 Pandemic Through The Lens Of Trauma, Grace Simmons

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The destructive effects of the trauma experienced by nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic left nurses with long-term psychological and physical effects that impaired their ability to effectively care for their patients, their families, and themselves. Although researchers have described the nurses’ experiences using generalized psychological and physiological trauma-related symptomatology, none have grounded their studies within the context of trauma theory. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore the lived experience of nurses caring for critically ill COVID-19 patients during the pandemic through the lens of trauma theory. The constructivist self-development theory (CSDT) provided the framework for understanding …

A Multi-Directional Smart Hip Implant With Wireless Connectivity For Enhanced Health Monitoring, Leila Donyaparastlivari

Mechanical Engineering Theses

The thesis presents the culmination of the smart hip implant project, which signifies a significant stride in orthopedic technology. By integrating piezoelectric and triboelectric systems into conventional implants, this study demonstrates the feasibility and effectiveness of creating intelligent implants. Through a meticulous design process and rigorous testing, novel configurations were developed to optimize energy harvesting efficiency and enable precise detection of mechanical loads experienced during various physical activities. The application of Finite Element Analysis provided critical insights into the localization of contact points, informing the strategic placement of harvesters within the implant for enhanced performance. Utilizing a cam follower and …

Fair Housing Justice Center, Inc. V. Beach Haven Apartments Associates Llc

All Decisions

The fair housing organization and individual tenant sued the landlord co-op corporation and individuals alleging housing discrimination based on source of income in violation of city and state human rights laws. The landlord's pre-answer motion to dismiss was denied, allowing the discrimination claims to proceed based on allegations that the landlord's real estate agent refused to show an apartment to prospective tenants with rental subsidy vouchers.

Examining Confidence In Scientific Literacy Amongst General Biology And General Chemistry Students, Amy Sullivan

Honors Theses

Scientific literacy is a term used to describe a person’s ability to understand scientific concepts, read and write those concepts, and link those concepts to situations outside of the classroom in order to make informed decisions in their daily lives. This research paper details a study observing how scientific literacy confidence varies among general biology and chemistry students at the University of Mississippi. The goal of this research is to determine if students in general biology and chemistry classes will have similar self-reported confidence in their science literacy. This research took place at the University of Mississippi amongst Biology 160/161 …

Simulation In Interprofessional Education: A Case Study With Baccalaureate Nursing Faculty, Sherleena Ann Buchman

Dissertations

Nursing programs across the country are facing the challenge of providing students with optimal clinical skill learning experiences. Faculty members are rising to this challenge in a variety of ways, and current research in nursing education advocates the addition of interprofessional education to the nursing curriculum. History and governing bodies explain how nursing education can achieve this goal but faculty have to implement required and suggested changes. Further research is needed to gain insight into perceptions of the baccalaureate nursing faculty of interprofessional education and how the simulation in interprofessional experience contributes to overall patient safety. Patient safety is a …

Strategies To Decrease Separation Rates Among Highly Skilled Manufacturing Employees To Gain A Competitive Advantage, Rebecca J. Mileham

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Company leaders have a decreased competitive advantage when losing their highly skilled manufacturing employees due to separation from the company. Grounded in Herzberg’s two-factor theory, the purpose of this qualitative single-case study was to explore strategies aeronautical leaders used to decrease separation rates among highly skilled manufacturing employees to gain a competitive advantage. The participants comprised eight frontline managers in southern California with 2 years or more experience using strategies to decrease separation in their organization. Data were collected through face-to-face semistructured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis, resulting in four themes: pay and promotion; benefits and feedback; treatment from …

“Middle Schoolers Are Just This Special Kind Of Human Being”: Middle School Teacher Perspectives On Creating Hope For Their Students And Themselves, Sheeba Jacob

LMU Theses and Dissertations

Anxiety and depression have increased for adolescent youth, particularly since the pandemic. For certain students, this anxiety and depression connects to trauma because of inequity and bias in schools. This qualitative study examined successful urban middle school teachers and their perspectives on conditions they created for hope in their classrooms and ways they created hope for themselves. Eight middle school teachers who taught humanities shared their insights through semi-structured interviews. Findings aligned with pedagogical practices the teachers used that centered hope and voice for students: culturally responsive practices, relational practices, and justice-oriented practices. These specific teachers cared deeply about their …

Leadership In Uncertain Times: An Analysis Of Decision-Making Processes Among Catholic Elementary School Principals In Low-Income Serving Communities, Gina Aguilar

LMU Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examined the decision-making processes among principals of parish-based Catholic elementary schools in low-income communities within the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, against the backdrop of a decentralized governance structure and increased financial pressures intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was grounded in a conceptual framework derived from contingency theories of leadership and decision-making research and investigated three areas: (1) the principals’ decision-making processes, (2) the situational factors influencing these processes, and (3) the pandemic’s impact on their decision-making processes. The findings revealed dynamic integration of cognitive, social, and procedural processes, rooted in faith and community collaboration. The …

All-Optical Probes Of Particle-Like Charge Migration Dynamics, Kyle A. Hamer

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Particle-like charge migration (CM) is the coherent, back-and-forth motion of a positively-charged electron hole along the backbone of a molecule following a sudden ionization. CM in small molecules generally occurs on an Angstrom (10^-10 m) spatial scale and an attosecond (10^-18 s) timescale. I use time-dependent density-functional theory (TDDFT) to simulate CM modes in organic molecules, and to explore all-optical probes of this attosecond electron dynamics using high-harmonic spectroscopy (HHS). By leveraging my results from previous studies of two-center interferences in carbon dichalcogens, in which I separated the harmonic signal into contributions from individual Kohn-Sham orbitals, I first …

The Role Of Computational Methods In Cardiovascular Medicine: A Narrative Review, Salvatore Facciorusso, Stefania Spina, Alessandro Picelli, Alessio Baricich, Gerard E Francisco, Franco Molteni, Jörg Wissel, Andrea Santamato

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Botulinum toxin type-A (BoNT-A) has emerged as a key therapeutic agent for the management of spasticity. This paper presents a comprehensive bibliometric and visual analysis of research concerning BoNT-A treatment of spasticity to elucidate current trends and future directions in this research area. A search was conducted in the Web of Science database for articles focused on the use of BoNT-A in spasticity published between 2000 and 2022. We extracted various metrics, including counts of publications and contributions from different countries, institutions, authors, and journals. Analytical methods in CiteSpace were employed for the examination of co-citations, collaborations, and the co-occurrence …

Efficacy Of Patient Education And Duloxetine, Alone And In Combination, For Patients With Multisystem Functional Somatic Disorder: Study Protocol For The Edulox Trial, Cecilia Pihl Jespersen, Heidi Frølund Pedersen, Maria Kleinstäuber, Per Fink, Kaare Bro Wellnitz, Eva Ørnbøl, Andreas Schröder, Johanne Liv Agger, Lene Vase, Nanna Brix Finnerup, Lise Kirstine Gormsen

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background

Multisystem functional somatic disorder is characterized by specific patterns of persistent physical symptoms with a complex biopsychosocial etiology. The disorder can lead to disability and personal suffering. Current treatment options require specialized settings, therefore patients often wait a long time to receive specific treatment.

Patient education is considered important in most treatment programs, but has only been investigated sparsely as a stand-alone treatment. Pharmacological treatment is limited to tricyclic antidepressants in low doses with not antidepressant properties. Duloxetine has been found effective in single organ functional disorders. As a treatment for multisystem functional somatic disorder, duloxetine could reduce symptoms …