Digital Commons Network^™

May 2, 2025 Ereporter, University Of Alabama At Birmingham

eReporter (campus newsletter)

No abstract provided.

Echoes Of Emotions Through Mindful Music: Impacting Older Adults One Song At A Time, Elisabeth Baende

Honors Projects

Music has been researched to be a positive impact on older adults with memory loss like dementia. Technology has also made a positive impact for increasing older adult functioning with tasks and communication styles. The paper provides an idea to combat memory decline and cognitive functioning with an app called Mindful Music. The paper describes what Mindful Music is and how it could be beneficial for older adults with dementia. The paper also brings the conversation on stress and struggles throughout memory loss. How music makes the impact on emotions is supplied in the methods and results section. The paper …

How The Code Of The Street Contributes To Incarceration Among Black Women, Jennifer Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Rising incarceration rates of Black women in the United States highlight the urgent need to examine factors contributing to this trend. This study investigates how Elijah Anderson’s Code of the Street influences behaviors that lead to incarceration among Black women in low-resource neighborhoods. Via the social disorganization theory, the research explored how economic instability, weakened social institutions, and community disorder contribute to adopting the street code and how adherence to the code contributes to participants’ incarceration. This qualitative study employed thematic analysis of interviews with 11 formerly incarcerated Black women, focusing on their perceptions regarding how the street code shaped …

University Of Minnesota Morris To Celebrate 62nd Commencement, Communications And Marketing

Campus News Archive

No abstract provided.

Elemental Humanity: A Hybrid Collection Of Creative Work & A Critical Introduction Exploring Relevant Genres & Themes, Haylee G. Morman

Honors Theses

This project is a creative and critical endeavor with two components: a creative portion and a critical introduction. The creative portion is a hybrid collection of poems and short prose spanning across genres and forms, linked by thematic consistencies, united by their emphasis on nature and family. Furthermore, the collection is rooted in my interest in magic realism and ekphrasis, which will be discussed in the critical introduction. The approximately 30 pages of original, creative writing reveals how delving into natural elements for inspiration spurred the creation of poems and stories that grapple with notions of familial connection, time, place, …

Double Trouble: A Case Of Persistent Left-Sided Superior Vena Cava, Lark Steafo, Kateryna Strubchevska, Olena Strubchevska, Marko Kozyk, Shazil Mahmood, Steven Timmis

Conference Presentation Abstracts

A persistent left-sided superior vena cava (PLSVC) is a rare vascular anomaly where the left superior cardinal vein fails to regress during embryogenesis, resulting in an additional venous structure that drains into the right atrium, often via the coronary sinus. It is usually asymptomatic but may be discovered incidentally during imaging or procedures, but its presence can have implications for central venous access and pacemaker placement. Our case features an 82-year-old male with a past medical history of coronary artery disease, remote esophageal cancer, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and tobacco use disorder, referred to the emergency department from his primary care doctor’s …

Reimagining Heroes: The Evolving Narratives Of Helen And Achilles In Feminist Greek Mythology Retellings, Elena A. Smith

Honors Scholar Theses

“Reimagining Heroes: The Evolving Narratives of Helen and Achilles in Feminist Greek Mythology Retellings” is an analysis of an array of novels, monographs, and critiques regarding the genre of mythology retellings. Combining feminist ideas with historical examples, this thesis delves into why retellings are so popular in the twenty-first century and why the stories of Greek Antiquity have stayed relevant.

This thesis focuses specifically on Helen of Troy, Achilles, and the events of the Trojan War in The Iliad. Comparing the epic with retellings of its events may reveal why these characters, gods, and heroes have continued to be discussed …

State Of Being, Danielle M. Koenig

Student Projects

Danielle Koenig's photographic practice is an exploration of time, memory, aging, and the inevitable transitions of life. Through the use of digital photography, she creates a visual narrative that captures the complexities of these life stages, revealing the universal experiences that tie us all together. Her work explores how time influences our identities, how memory connects us to the past, and how the constant presence of change highlights the fleeting nature of life.

As both an artist and a mother, Danielle's work revolves around the lives of those closest to her—particularly her children—capturing their growth and change while reflecting on …

The Interaction Between Physical Activity And Fruit And Vegetable Intake On Body Composition, Om S. Ghetia

Honors Scholar Theses

Objective: Fruit and Vegetable (FV) intake and Physical Activity (PA) are important lifestyle factors associated with body composition. This study assessed the combined impact of meeting FV intake and PA recommendations on body composition measures including body mass index (BMI), percent body fat (PBF), and waist circumference (WC) in adults aged 20–64 years from diverse backgrounds.

Design: A cross-sectional study conducted in Northeastern Connecticut.

Methods: A total of 124 participants completed a one-week dietary and PA record followed by anthropometric assessments. Participants were categorized into groups based on FV intake (≥400 g/day vs. < 400 g/day) and PA levels (≥600 MET-minutes/week vs. < 600 MET-minutes/week). Independent t-tests and chi-square tests were used to compare dietary intake, PA levels, and body composition outcomes across groups.

Results: Participants meeting FV recommendations had significantly …

Creative Coastal Futures: Developing Cultural And Creative Industries, Katharine Willis, Chris Bennewith, Kasper De Graaf

School of Art, Design and Architecture

The UK is a coastal country, no one lives more than 80 miles from the coast, and indeed when you get down to into Cornwall and Devon this reduces to just 20 miles. Our coasts are a rich source of natural and cultural assets replete with places people value, visit and choose to live in. Yet our coastal communities are some of the most overlooked, challenged and deprived in the country. The strengths that exist in our coastal areas – around natural resources and pockets of specialised skills – are compromised by low levels of economic capacity and activity, aggravated …

Enhancing Communication For Individuals With Complex Communication Needs: The Critical Role Of Training And Evidence-Based Aac Strategies, Rachel H. Williams

Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education Faculty Publications

Communication is a basic human right, as affirmed by the National Joint Committee for the Communication Needs of Persons with Severe Disabilities (NJC, 2024). For individuals with complex communication needs (CCN), special considerations must be taken into account to ensure equitable access to this right and must be supported through appropriate services, tools, and strategies. Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems are essential for many individuals with CCN, enabling access to expressive and receptive language. However, successful AAC implementation requires well-trained educators, speech-language pathologists, and support staff who understand how to assess, model, and support communication effectively (Brady et al., …

I Will Not Accept This Rose: "The Bachelor(Ette)," Gender Stereotypes, And Self Perception, Rylie Vann

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

Reality television is a cornerstone of modern-day TV programming, and typically features some element of competition, a makeover, or finding love. The Bachelor began airing in 2002, and the franchise that was built off the initial season continues to be a big name in romantically themed reality television. However, the show employs a variety of tactics during filming and while editing that presents a heteronormative view of contestants. The extent of this influence was explored using a mixed-method approach. A content analysis of several episodes from The Bachelor and The Bachelorette was conducted in order to determine how many instances …

The Mujahedeen E-Khalq Of Iran (Mek): Agents Of Democratic Revolution Or Cultic Oppression?, Molly Jones

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis focuses on the People’s Mujahideen of Iran (MEK), an Iranian oppositional group that has engaged in a decades-long effort to depose the Iranian government. The goal of this thesis has three parts. First, it examines if the MEK should be classified as a new religious movement/cult. It also addresses the implications of such status given the MEK’s claims that it functions as a democratic entity and that it can be trusted to govern Iran in democratic fashion. Secondly, it examines if Iranian disinformation has influenced the MEK’s reputation. Thirdly, it analyses how the MEK has been able to …

Optimizing Small Ai Models For Biomedical Tasks Through Efficient Knowledge Transfer From Large Domain Models, Girish Sundaram

Theses and Dissertations

The PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome) framework is a widely adopted methodology for structuring clinical research questions and extracting relevant information from unstructured medical texts. However, traditional approaches for PICO classification demand computationally expensive domain-specific language models, such as BioBERT and ClinicalBERT, which require extensive training and large annotated datasets. This dissertation introduces Distilled Rapid Embedding Transfer (DRET), a novel knowledge transfer method designed to enable resource-constrained domain adaptation. DRET aims to efficiently transfer biomedical domain knowledge from large, specialized models to a compact, general-purpose model, DistilBERT, thereby enhancing its ability to perform domain-specific tasks without access to the original …

Spills & Layers, Anastasya Peña

Theses and Dissertations

Spills & Layers explores how process can give a painting meaning. My work uses acrylic and oil paint to create compositions that are both visible (spilling across the canvas freely) and hidden (caught under layers of paint).

Found Words, Lost Homes: Immigration And The Language Of Identity, Ali Motamedi

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the relationship between personal experience and public space through a body of work that moves between image, text, and material. Rooted in an intimate perspective and extending into streets, landscapes, and communal environments, the practice examines how nomadism—both physical and conceptual—shapes ways of seeing and making. Drawing from my background in engineering, a deep connection to Farsi literature, and the lived experience of immigration, the work reflects on themes of displacement, belonging, and identity.

A Limit That Recedes, Chloe Wilcox

Theses and Dissertations

In "A Limit that Recedes", I discuss my art practice in terms of accumulation and techniques of reproduction, such as casting, printing, and repetitive actions. I contextualize my work among artists such as H.C. Westermann, Isa Genzken, and Paul Thek. The work featured in this thesis explores ideas of aspiration, longing, and failure, and explores themes of the fraught relationship of the human and nature.

The Impact Of Mentorship On Burnout Among Novice Nurse Faculty, Lucas Gless

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Burnout among novice nurse educators contributes to increased rates of faculty turnover and vacancies in nursing education. This is especially significant in rural settings. This quality improvement project aimed to determine the impact of mentorship on novice nurse educators’ perception of burnout at a rural community college in East Texas. Utilizing a mixed methods design, novice nurse educators with less than two years of academic nurse education experience were assigned experienced faculty mentors over an eight-week period. The Maslach Burnout Inventory-Educators Survey (MBI-ES) measured emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment, both before and after the intervention. Data analysis, using the …

Quality Improvement Project Prevention Of Perioperative Pressure Injury Utilizing Scott Triggers Education, Assessment, And Interventions, Lisette Miller

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Abstract

The quality improvement project was initiated to educate perioperative staff on the evidence-based practice of Scott Triggers to reduce perioperative hospital-acquired pressure injuries (HAPIs). The purpose of the project was to provide Scott Trigger’s education to perioperative nurses for the reduction of perioperative HAPIs utilizing Scott Trigger's risk assessment tool and recommended interventions. Using a quantitative quasi-experimental design, the project consisted of two separate three-month data collection sets, one set collected pre-educational intervention, and the second set collected post-educational intervention. The project proved the use of the Scott Triggers high-risk assessment tool and utilization of the recommended interventions to …

Quality Improvement Project Impact Of Multidisciplinary Patient Education On Heart Failure 30-Day Readmission Rate, Jeanne P. Williams

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Patients diagnosed with heart failure are at an increased risk for readmission to the hospital within 30 days of discharge, and their care costs are projected to continue to increase. This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) quality improvement (QI) project aimed to implement an evidence-based initiative to mitigate the increased heart failure 30-day readmission rate on a 30-bed medical-surgical telemetry unit in an acute care facility. Using the teach-back communication method, multidisciplinary patient education was implemented to prepare patients diagnosed with heart failure to manage their condition once discharged home. The theoretical and implementation frameworks used were Lewin’s Change Model, …

Entry-Level Physical Therapists’ Perceptions Of Initial Employment, Richard G. Hubler Jr.

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

As physical therapy (PT) grows as an autonomous profession within the ever-changing healthcare system of the United States, PT educators strive to provide students all the training that they require for a career in professional clinical practice. Although graduates of PT education programs receive a doctoral degree, their preparedness to succeed in their early career is unclear. The purpose of this qualitative research study is to investigate the perceptions of entry-level physical therapists (PTs) toward early professional practice and their initial employment choices. Entry-level PTs that have been employed full-time for one year or less were interviewed to gain an …

To What Extent Is Social Media A Tool For Political Mobilization?, Bridget Westrum

Political Science Theses and Capstones

This study looks at the potential impacts of social media advocacy on mobilizing the pubic. Drawing from the Pew Research Center’s 2018 American Trends Panel, I look at Americans’ views of technology, political involvement, and their perceptions of social media and online engagement. I found that younger respondents view social media as more important to their political engagements. I find a significant relationship between census region and perceived importance of social media on issue involvement, as well. Respondents from the southern United States who consider themselves to be "very liberal" report a greater influence of social media on their involvement …

Clinical And Autoimmune Profiles Of Omani Patients With True Versus False Positive Autoimmune Encephalitis Antibodies Panels, Ahmed Al-Qassabi, Haifa Al-Abri, Mahmood Al Kindi, Abdullah Al-Asmi, Jalila Alshekaili, Said Al Farsi, Rawan Al Hinai, Ikram Al Lawati, Arunodaya R. Gujjar

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

Objective: This study aimed to explore the clinical profiles of Omani patients with true-positive autoimmune encephalitis (AE) autoantibodies and compare them with those having false-positive autoantibodies. The incidence of AE is rising due to growing awareness and the detection of new autoantibodies. Coinciding with this rise are false positive autoantibodies without clinical correlates. Methods: The medical records of all patients who tested positive for AE antibodies in Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman, from May 2016 to December 2022 were reviewed. Cases were verified by three neurologists based on the existing criteria for AE. Results: The participants comprised …

Editorial–Special Issue On Application Of Cold Atmospheric Plasma In Human And Veterinary Disease, Katharina Stapelmann, Eloisa Sardella, Vandana Miller

Kimmel Cancer Center Papers, Presentations, and Grand Rounds

Plasma medicine is a rapidly evolving interdisciplinary field that combines plasma science and engineering, chemistry, biology, and medicine. This special issue focuses on various ways to apply cold atmospheric pressure plasma in translating plasma technology into clinical applications. Ongoing research on the redox-based mechanism of plasma action, the concept of 'plasma dose' and device control is critical for advancing plasma medicine. As these applications move toward the clinic, ensuring the reproducibility and quality control of plasma sources is essential. The articles in this issue present examples of both direct and indirect plasma applications, with indirect treatments describing cell exposure to …

Know Thyself: A History Of Ancient Neuroscience, Alex Delano

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

Neuroscience is often described as one of the youngest bodies of science, but documented study of the brain begins as early as the Neolithic period. The ancient Mediterranean was a hub for science, mathematics, philosophy, and literature, all disciplines necessary for the study of the brain. Evidence of neurosurgical procedures like trepanation and craniotomy began in the Neolithic period and were practiced and improved upon throughout the ancient Mediterranean. The first detailed studies on brain anatomy were carried out in the 3^rd century BCE in Greece which created a necessary structure for future scientists to build on. While many …

Gender Within 20th Century Lesbian Literature, Margaret A. Paulson

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

This paper examines gender identities within what is historically categorized as lesbian literature, focusing from 1928 to 1993. In The Well of Loneliness by Radclyffe Hall, Orlando by Virginia Woolf, Nightwood by Djuna Barnes, and Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg, gender is portrayed in complex ways. In The Well of Loneliness, Stephen is labeled as an invert and often viewed as a masculine lesbian, but she also states that she loves women like a man loves women. For Orlando, the character of Orlando goes through a sex change and transitions from a man to a woman for Woolf to …

A Multimodal Intervention To Improve Treatment And Clinical Outcomes In Children With Recurrent Otitis Media, Daniel Courtaney

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Acute otitis media is the number one cause for primary health care visits and antibiotic prescriptions in the pediatric population (El Feghaly & Jackson, 2023). Upwards of 27% of children experience multiple episodes of otitis media (OM) that meet recurrent otitis media (ROM) diagnosis criteria (Pelton & Marchisio, 2023). Guided by the Iowa Model (Iowa Model Collaborative, 2017), the project’s purpose was to implement a multimodal intervention to decrease recurrent OM and repeat clinic visits. A comprehensive literature search of 5 databases yielded 16 sources ranging from levels I-IV (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 2023). Using the AGREE II and JBI Critical …

Storytelling Or Telling Stories: An Analysis Of Disnarration In Music Videos, Victoria Garrett

Honors Theses

Music videos have grown in popularity in recent years and have begun to augment the stories being told by the lyrics of their songs. This is done by using narrative techniques, such as disnarration, to develop complex narratives that can conflict with the lyrical content. Through analysis of the videos "Willow" (2020 dir. Taylor Swift) by Taylor Swift, "The One That Got Away" (2012 dir. Floria Sigismoni) by Katy Perry, and "One Beer" (2020 dir. Justin Clough) by HARDY, the distinction between the plots of the videos and the lyrics can be brought into focus. This distinction in the stories …

Septic Arthritis Caused By A Rare Yeast, Lodderomyces Elongisporus, Osman Muslehuddin, Daphne Pete, Husam Muslehuddin, Hafeezuddin Ahmed

Conference Presentation Abstracts

Introduction: We present a rare case of septic arthritis caused by Lodderomyces elongisporus, a yeast rarely implicated in human infections. This case highlights the diagnostic challenges and management strategies for fungal septic arthritis in an immunocompromised patient. Case Presentation: A 63-year-old African American woman with a complex medical history, including chronic heart failure (CHF), hypertension, end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on hemodialysis, severe protein-energy malnutrition on total parenteral nutrition, duodenal switch with malabsorption, deep vein thrombosis (DVT) on warfarin, and previous sepsis episodes, presented with worsening dyspnea. She was admitted in August 2024 for acute-on-chronic CHF exacerbation. During her admission, she …

Enhancing Hospital Throughput With The Power Of Reminders: Implementing A Discharge Before Noon Strategy At An Urban Teaching Hospital, Jessie Ventura

Doctoral Projects

The doctoral project deploys a "Discharge Before Noon" strategy at an urban teaching hospital to resolve discharge delays and improve patient throughput efficiency. Hospitals experiencing overcrowding must prioritize timely patient discharges to enhance clinical results and operational performance. The project adopted the PARIHS framework to steer implementation through its emphasis on evidence-based practices, contextual factors, and facilitation strategies. The research gathered discharge data and team coordination results before and after the intervention period. The findings revealed elevated discharge numbers before noon and substantial progress in interdisciplinary team collaboration. The initiative indicated an optimizing trend for discharge procedures, even though statistical …