Digital Commons Network^™

Mental Health Services For Foster Care Youths Aging Out Of The System, Kenya Staten Hennigan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

K–6 School Administrators’ Perceptions Of Factors Contributing To Increased Teacher Attrition In Rural K–6 Schools In Eastern North Carolina, Pierce St Orvil Lawrence

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Childcare Center Administrators’ Challenges To Using Trauma-Informed Approaches With Children Experiencing Toxic Stress, Jessica Lynn Pierce

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Instrumentality Of Developmental Coaches’ Self In Building The Coaching Relationship With Clients Seeking Leadership Development, Leslie Ann Rodríguez Díaz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Staff Education For Nurses On The Stress First Aid Continuum, Gilbert Anyangwe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Alabama Middle School Teachers’ Experiences Preparing Economically Disadvantaged Students For The Alabama Comprehensive Assessment Program, Jasmine Jeromicia Edmond

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Staff Education Introducing Music Therapy For Older Adults With Depression, Yvette Negnemboh Takwe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Deep Search For Joint Sources Of Gravitational Waves And High-Energy Neutrinos With Icecube During The Third Observing Run Of Ligo And Virgo, R. Abbasi, M. Ackermann, Mario C. Diaz, Francisco Llamas Villarreal, Soma Mukherjee, Volker Quetschke, Wenhui Wang

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

The discovery of joint sources of high-energy neutrinos and gravitational waves has been a primary target for the LIGO, Virgo, KAGRA, and IceCube observatories. The joint detection of high-energy neutrinos and gravitational waves would provide insight into cosmic processes, from the dynamics of compact object mergers and stellar collapses to the mechanisms driving relativistic outflows. The joint detection of multiple cosmic messengers can also elevate the significance of the common observation even when some or all of the constituent messengers are subthreshold, i.e., not significant enough to declare their detection individually. Using data from the LIGO, Virgo, and IceCube observatories, …

Heart Initiative January 2025-December 2025, Gabriela Murza, Ashley Yaugher

All Current Publications

This report reviews the Health, Extension, Advocacy, Research, Teaching (HEART) Initiative programming and impacts for 2025. This USU Extension initiative transitioned from a programmatic initiative addressing the opioid epidemic in the most affected counties to a statewide prevention and workforce development model, with programs focused on prevention and education, stigma and harm reduction, strengthening community ties, and resilience building. The programs and resources expand access to evidence-based health and wellness resources, promote community engagement, and support statewide education efforts.

Making The Case For Career Academies In Shaping Pre-Collegiate Students For Stem Career Pathways, Felix Quayson

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

Career academies are increasingly important in preparing pre-collegiate high school students for STEM pathways by connecting academic learning, technical skill development, career identity, and postsecondary readiness. STEM-focused career academies function as structured bridges between secondary education, higher education, and the labor market. Through small learning communities, interdisciplinary curricula, employer partnerships, work-based learning, and early exposure to college and career expectations, career academies help students understand STEM not only as school subjects but as possible futures. Research suggests that career academies can improve student engagement, support school persistence, and strengthen labor market outcomes when implemented with fidelity. The article concludes that …

When Stress Cardiomyopathy Meets Iron Deficiency: A Retrospective Cohort Study, Emmanuel Olumuyide Md, Alfredo Toll Md, Lukan Abdulraheem Md

Scientific Day

Background/Significance:

Iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) commonly complicates cardiovascular disease, but its association with outcomes in stress cardiomyopathy (SC) is not well defined.

Purpose:

We examined whether IDA in SC is associated with higher in-hospital mortality and greater resource utilization.

Methods:

Using the National Inpatient Sample (2016–2022), we identified adult SC hospitalizations and stratified admissions by IDA status. Survey-weighted multivariable logistic regression evaluated the association of IDA with in-hospital mortality (primary outcome).Key secondary outcomes—cardiogenic shock (CS), mechanical circulatory support (MCS), acute kidney injury (AKI), vasopressor use, length of stay (LOS), and total hospital charges (THC)—adjusting for demographics, comorbidities, and hospital characteristics.

Results: …

Leveraging Technology, Copyright, And Libraries To Benefit The Public Interest, Michelle M. Wu

Seattle Journal of Technology, Environmental, & Innovation Law

No abstract provided.

Infinite Regress Argument: Nāgārjuna Vs. The Naiyāyikas, Aastha Pujara

Honors College Theses

Infinite regress arguments are commonly employed within philosophical texts as an ad infinitum fallacy to disprove an argument. This argumentative tactic is described as a chain of never-ending explanations that has no beginning. In this paper, I explore the Buddhist philosopher Nāgārjuna and how he utilizes the infinite regress argument to disprove the existence of svabhāva, or essence. Unlike other philosophers, he indicates that the infinite regress argument is not a problem for him due to his philosophy, which explains that everything is devoid of essence or substance and is inherently empty, also known as śūnyatā. Nāgārjuna examines these infinite …

Music Therapy For The Treatment Of Body Image Dissatisfaction: Implications For Future Practice, Elizabeth Hope Vance

Honors Projects

Body image dissatisfaction has become a growing concern in recent decades. Negative body image has been linked to anxiety, depression, elevated stress, eating disorders, and relational problems (Smith et al, 2024). Body image can negatively affect a wide variety of populations such as cancer survivors, people diagnosed with eating disorders, and adolescents. Fortunately, recent studies have investigated ways to improve body image perceptions among those affected.  Common treatments for body image dissatisfaction include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and alternative therapies (Peng & Xie, 2021).  Despite social efforts to reduce negative body …

Conditional Product Sampling For Gaussian Process Implicit Surfaces, Song Shi

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

Gaussian Process Implicit Surfaces (GPISes) provide a powerful and unified stochastic geometry representation for rendering surfaces, volumes, and the rich continuum between them. Recent work has shown that GPISes can model a broad space of visual appearances under a unified light transport framework. However, practical rendering with GPISes remains challenging: existing estimators can become inefficient for particular correlation structures, and highly anisotropic or heightfield-like GPISes require specialized treatment to obtain robust variance reduction.

This thesis extends recent work on GPIS rendering by introducing a new next-event estimation (NEE) technique for anisotropic GPISes.We show that standard NEE provides diminishing benefits as …

Using Environmental Scans To Help Direct And Sustain Local Best Practices, Emily Lapworth, Carol Kussmann

Joseph P. Healey Library Publications

The digital landscape is in a state of constant change, and there is no one-size-fits-all formula for managing your digital assets, so understanding your local context is crucial to planning an effective digital stewardship strategy. Whether you are just starting out or have been at the same institution for 10 years, conducting an environmental scan can help. What are the internal and external changes you need to manage? What kind of stuff are you dealing with, and who are the stakeholders? Where is it located, and what systems are you using? What tools are available, and how have best practices …

From Identification To Support: Improving Postpartum Depression Detection And Referral In Postpartum Care, Jennifer M. Hall, Gail W. Salter

Group: Samford University Moffett & Sanders School of Nursing

Postpartum depression (PPD) affects approximately one in seven women in the United States and poses significant risks to maternal well being and infant development. Despite routine use of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) shortly after childbirth, gaps persist in consistent follow up, early detection, and timely referral particularly during the vulnerable period between hospital discharge and the four to six week postpartum visit. This quality improvement project implemented patient navigator services to strengthen continuity of care and enhance early recognition of PPD. Guided by Cheryl Beck’s Modified Grounded Theory of PPD, “Teetering on the Edge,” and her middle range …

From Bronchioles To Blasts: A Diagnostic Turn In A High-Risk Infant, Danielle Dejournett Md, Marie-Ellen T. Sarvida Md, Travis J. Matics Do

Scientific Day

Background/Significance:

Acute respiratory distress in infancy is commonly attributed to viral bronchiolitis; however, children with trisomy 21 represent a high-risk population in whom alternative diagnoses must be considered. In these patients, respiratory symptoms may reflect congenital heart disease, pulmonary hypertension, airway anomalies, reactive airway disease, and many more pathologies. In the setting of subtle bleeding manifestations, it is important to include hematologic and oncologic diseases in the initial diagnostic approach.

Description:

An 11-month-old male with trisomy 21, bicuspid aortic valve with aortic root dilation, laryngomalacia, and dysphagia presented to the emergency department for three days of congestion, increased work of …

Exercise Induced Raynaud's Phenomena In A Pediatric Patient, Clifford Klimas Do, Paula Gamero Kubota Md

Scientific Day

Introduction/Background:

Although rare, cardiac myxomas can present with devastating symptoms including Raynaud's phenomena, stroke or even sudden death. It is important to rule out cardiac myxomas when evaluating a pediatric patient with vasooclusive symptoms. This case illustrates an example of a pediatric patient presenting with exercise induced Raynaud’s phenomena that was found to be due to a cardiac myxoma.

Description:

A 12-year-old female with a PMH of superficial angiomyxoma and subglottic infantile hemangioma presented to the ER for acutely worsening bilateral lower extremity pain in the setting of physical activity. She also endorsed episodic bilateral lower extremity pallor, paresthesia, and …

Characteristics Associated With Tub Entry And Delivery In Water: A Secondary Analysis Of Waterbirth Intervention Participants, Emily Malloy Phd, Cnm, Facnm, Amanda Luff Phd, Jessica Jf Kram Mph, James O. Adefisoye Phd, Valerie Oliver Cnm, Cara Wolf Dnp, Cnm, Marie Forgie Do, Maryanne Scherer Cnm, Lisa Hanson Phd, Cnm, Facnm

Scientific Day

Background/Significance:

Waterbirth is a pain management option that promotes physiological birth with limited availability in US hospitals. We conducted the first US-based randomized controlled trial (RCT) of hospital waterbirth, finding it was a viable option for low-risk individuals and reduced use of intravenous narcotics and epidural analgesia while increasing satisfaction. To further support person-centered care, it is important to understand which individuals who planned waterbirth ultimately gave birth in water and how preferences and medical needs shifted during labor.

Purpose:

To identify factors linked to waterbirth tub use during labor and successful delivery in water among those planning a waterbirth. …

Characterization Of Mixed Metal Biogenic Manganese Oxide Materials For Catalysis And Rare Earth Element Sequestration, Elisa Morales, Jeremy Brown, Chloe Runge, Madeline York, Genesis Dennis, Cole Johnson, Anthony M. Baudino, Norman Paz-Ramirez, John Rey A. Romal, Kari Stone, Sarah E. Shaner

Chemistry Department Faculty Articles

This study explores the potential of utilizing biogenic manganese oxides (BMOs) produced by Mn-oxidizing Pseudomonas putida MnB1 to facilitate metal cation uptake for rare earth element (REE) sequestration and the synthesis of novel materials. Previous studies have shown that P. putida MnB1 efficiently oxidizes environmental Mn(II) to Mn(IV)-oxides, producing BMOs with unique physicochemical properties. Unlike their abiotic counterparts, BMOs exhibit high surface area, reactivity, and amorphous, poorly crystalline structures, making them promising platforms for adsorbing metal cations. This research study, building on the prior work, demonstrates the incorporation of ten different main group, transition, and rare earth metals into the …

When Lightning Strikes Twice - A Rare Case Of Siblings With Autoimmune Encephalitis, Crystal Banh Bs, Peter Awad Bs, Travis J. Matics Do, Usha Appalaneni Md, Sheena Mckenzie Md, Mba, Faap

Scientific Day

Introduction/Background:

Pediatric autoimmune encephalitis is a rare condition with high morbidity. Diagnosis requires a high index of suspicion. Earlier initiation of treatment, particularly in refractory cases, improves long-term outcomes. We describe a case of anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (anti-NMDAR) encephalitis in a child whose diagnosis and treatment were hastened due to a history of the same in her sibling, a previously described but rare occurrence.

Description:

A 4-year-old female presented with acute onset of fever, truncal ataxia, and altered speech. Her parents noted that their older daughter had similar symptoms two years ago and was diagnosed with autoimmune encephalitis. In our patient, …

Complete Radiographic Response Of Disseminated Post-Kidney Transplant Kaposi Sarcoma After Conversion From Tacrolimus To Sirolimus, Ravjot Kaur Virdi Do, Mph, Jon M. Richards Md, Eli D. Ehrenpreis Md, Agaf, Facg

Scientific Day

Introduction/Background:

Iatrogenic Kaposi Sarcoma (KS) is a human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8)-driven angioproliferative neoplasm that can occur after solid-organ transplantation. Post-transplant KS often involves lymph nodes and viscera and is managed primarily by reducing or modifying immunosuppression. Conversion from calcineurin inhibitors (CNI) to mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors is frequently employed given potential antitumor and antiangiogenic effects. This report details a unique case of disseminated, predominantly extracutaneous KS, initially concerning for post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD), which achieved complete radiographic response after CNI-tosirolimus conversion alone.

Description:

A woman with end-stage renal disease from congenital renal hypoplasia underwent deceased-donor kidney transplant at age …

A Rare Case Of Primary Breast Merkel Cell Carcinoma In A Male Gendered Patient, Sydney A. Pekarek Do, Archana Chandrashekar Do, M Bassel Attasi Md, Emily E. Klosterman Do, Joslyn Albright Md

Scientific Day

Introduction/Background:

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an aggressive, rare neuroendocrine tumor, typically arising in the skin. However, there are few documented cases of neuroendocrine tumors of breast parenchyma with Merkel cell differentiation. This accounts for less than 0.1% of all breast cancers with almost all cases being described in females.

Description:

We present here a 62-year-old, immunocompetent, Hispanic male with a palpable and painful right sided breast mass, present for three to four months. On the exam, a four-centimeter mass was palpated in the 9 o’clock region of the right breast without associated skin nodularity or dermal attachment. Diagnostic mammography …

The Problem Of Evil: Theodicy Of Afterlife, Christian C. Anyanwueze

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The problem of evil has remained a central issue in philosophical theology, prompting both ancient and contemporary scholars to propose various theodicies and defenses concerning the existence of evil in a world created by an omnipotent, omniscient, and wholly good God. While Plantinga’s Free Will Defense, Hick’s soul-making theodicy, and the Augustinian-Thomistic greater-good tradition offer significant contributions to the discussion, each faces important limitations. Plantinga’s model functions primarily as a logical defense and leaves unresolved questions concerning transworld depravity and eschatological fulfillment, while Hick’s instrumental use of evil as a means of soul-building has been criticized for potentially compromising divine …

Spiritual Health Support Groups In The Local Church: Addressing Spiritual Wellbeing In West Virginia’S Eastern Panhandle, Grant Michael Davis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Mental health services in the Appalachian region of the United States were lacking, both perennially and at the time of writing (Smith & Fisher, 2016). As the needs of this region and the nation continued to climb, the availability of trained, clinical counselors remained stagnant or worse. This lack of socially necessary services created a need that could be addressed in part by the local church. While professional counselors were in short supply and took a great deal of time to educate and train, the repercussions of the then-current mental health crisis needed to have immediate solutions and relief. The …

Delegating Authority: How Student Leadership Influences The Workload And Well-Being Of Secondary Orchestra Directors, Lori M. Buonamici

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Although it is standard practice for secondary orchestra directors to engage students in leadership roles to assist with instruction and ensemble management, music education research provides teachers with little guidance on creating and maintaining student leadership organizations. The current literature provides abundant evidence of the benefits of offering leadership opportunities to support student development. Still, little research examines the additional work this creates for the orchestra director. Drawing on Vygotsky’s constructivist worldview and the theory of the zone of proximal development, this study examines how guided support facilitates the development of student leadership skills. Granting student leaders authority may either …

The S.A.V.E. Model Of Biblically-Based Existential Therapy For Residents Of The Assisted Living Facility Casa Di Riposo Sardara In Sardinia, Italy, Gregory K. Cherven

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Christian gerontological counseling, a traditionally non-progressive field, is a crucial area of ministry, particularly for older adults in assisted living facilities and nursing homes. At Casa di Riposo Sardara in Sardinia, Italy, many residents aged 70 and older lacked a solid biblical understanding of existence and eternal life, contributing to widespread existential anxiety among this population. To address this issue, the researcher developed the S.A.V.E. (solitude, autonomy, value, eternity) model of biblically based existential therapy. This model targets the four main pillars of existential therapy: meaninglessness, isolation, freedom, and death, offering biblical solutions for each. The approach incorporates positive imagery …

Anchored In The Shifting Tides: An Interpretive Phenomenological Study Of Paramedic Resilience And Worldviews, David Eric Wolff

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore the experiences of paramedics in Western society, who self-report sustaining positive psychological well-being despite their emotionally and psychologically demanding work, examining the interplay of their narrative identity, spirituality, worldviews, and social connections. The stories paramedics construct about their realities can reveal the underlying meanings and how their role has molded who they are, best viewed through a threefold constructivist theoretical framework: narrative identity theory to understand how paramedics make sense of their experiences, transformational learning theory to identify how paramedics adjust their worldviews to while coping, and posttraumatic growth theory …

“Looking For Group”: A Qualitative Thematic Analysis Of The Uses And Gratifications Behind World Of Warcraft Player Communication, Joshua Michael Hutt

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore the uses and gratifications of in-game communication in World of Warcraft (WoW). The problem is that scholars do not precisely know how uses and gratifications motivate players to use certain channels of communication within WoW. The rationale for the research was to determine whether certain motivations are being fulfilled during in-game communication, influencing players to select certain channels over others. The data collection method for this research used semi-structured interviews conducted online via Microsoft Teams. A screening application was sent to Reddit pages and Discord groups associated with World of Warcraft …