Digital Commons Network^™

Prescription Opioid Misuse Among High School Athletes During The Opioid Prescribing Limit Law Era: Yrbss 2017-2023, Francine R Vega, Andrea J Yatsco, Audrey Sarah Cohen, James R Langabeer, Tiffany Champagne-Langabeer, Rakshitha Vijendra, Christine Bakos-Block

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background/Objectives: School-age athletes occupy a paradoxical position in the adolescent opioid crisis, combining health-oriented activity with elevated risk of sports-related injury and prescription opioid exposure. In response to the opioid epidemic, states enacted opioid prescribing limit laws (OPLLs) beginning in 2016-2017, yet whether these supply-side policies reached high-risk youth subgroups remains unclear. This study evaluated national temporal trends in prescription opioid misuse among U.S. high school students during the period of OPLL implementation and examined differences across athletic participation, concussion history, sex, grade, race/ethnicity, and substance-use profiles.

Methods: Using four biennial waves of the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System with …

Dry After-Ripening Increases Germination Of Critically Imperilled Physaria Thamnophila (Zapata Bladderpod), Christopher A. Gabler, Jerald T. Garrett

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Effective endangered plant conservation and recovery require empirical knowledge of seed dormancy release and responses to post-collection handling, yet such information is lacking for many rare taxa. Physaria thamnophila (Zapata bladderpod; Brassicaceae), a critically imperilled (G1) species endemic to southern Texas, USA, is poorly studied, and basic questions regarding seed storage and germination remain unresolved. We evaluated the effects of short-term cool-storage duration (14–180 d), storage temperature (refrigeration vs. freezing), dry after-ripening and maternal plant identity on germination probability and timing in P. thamnophila. Dry after-ripening and increased cool-storage duration consistently increased germination and shortened germination time, whereas storage temperature …

Ardowork Corporation V. Mallari

All Decisions

Court dismissed failure-to-renew holdover because the predicate notice and petition were facially insufficient — petitioner failed to allege that it offered respondent a renewal lease 150-90 days before lease expiration, that respondent failed to execute the lease within the 60-day window, and that the holdover commenced after the 60-day window for renewal expired.

Armstrong V. Dumbo Lofts Rental, Llc

All Decisions

Appellate Division reversed Supreme Court's dismissal of tenants' claims that building owner engaged in a fraudulent scheme to deregulate J-51 apartments, holding under Burrows v 75-25 153rd St., LLC that tenants adequately pled a colorable claim of fraudulent deregulation even under the pre-2024 pleading standard. Court also reinstated claims for a rent freeze under RSL § 26-517(e) based on unreliable DHCR registrations, and declaratory relief, noting landlord had conceded the apartments are rent stabilized.

Brownsville Associates V. Mcdermott

All Decisions

Court denied landlord's motion to strike jury demand in licensee holdover proceeding following death of tenant of record, holding that respondents' counterclaim for repairs and an order to correct was incidental to the holdover proceeding and did not waive the right to a jury trial under CPLR 4101. Court directed payment of the statutory jury demand fee.

Estate Of Alfons Melohn V. Salvaggio

All Decisions

In nonprimary residence holdover, court denied respondent's motion to dismiss (finding notice of nonrenewal sufficient despite pleading alternative addresses and omitting electrical usage data), struck respondent's traverse (unopposed), but declined to strike attorneys' fees counterclaim (holding RPAPL § 702 does not bar attorneys' fees in summary proceedings). Court limited discovery to two years but noted petitioner could seek expanded disclosure if it articulates need at deposition.

2037 Hughes Avenue Llc V. Cosme

All Decisions

Tenant defaulted in a nonpayment proceeding and moved to vacate the default judgment and warrant. The court granted the motion, finding a reasonable excuse for the default and potentially meritorious defenses, including failure to comply with the CARES Act's 30-day notice requirement for Section 8 voucher tenancies, improper rent demand, and breach of the warranty of habitability. The parties were restored to the status quo and tenant was permitted to interpose a late answer.

Self-Maintenance And The Evidence For Artificial Sentience, Mads J. Hansen, Christoffer Lundbak Olesen

Animal Sentience

Birch aims to remain neutral about whether life is necessary for sentience. We argue that life can be given a role while maintaining neutrality. Markers of sentience have been identified in living systems, where some contribute to the system's self-maintenance. When such a marker is reproduced in an artificial system that is not self-maintaining it is not clear that it is as reliable as in living systems.

Assessing The Impact Dynamics Of Less Lethal Ammunition, Steven Bermejo

Student Theses

Less-lethal ammunition is widely used by law enforcement as an alternative to lethal force during crowd control, on-street confrontations, and other situations requiring force. Although these projectiles are intended to reduce risk of fatal injury, serious injuries and fatalities have been reported, highlighting the need to better understand the factors that influence their impact behavior. This study evaluated the impact dynamics of four types of 12-gauge less-lethal ammunition, including rubber buckshot, single rubber ball, double rubber ball, and Byrna kinetic projectile, using kinetic energy calculations derived from projectile mass and velocity measurements. In addition, Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared …

The Screening Tool Of Behavioral Self-Regulation “Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders” Task: A Preliminary Adaptation To Greek Older Adults, Eleni Rachanioti, Dimitra Magkavila, Olga Fragkomichelaki, Magda Dinou, Effie Katsadima, Theodora Foti, Anastasia Tzalla, Anna Dougali, Christina Bourmpou, Maria Staikopoulou, Aphrodite Papantoniou, Fotini Varlami, Irene Dinaki, Maria Tsiountala, Konstantinos Staikopoulos, Tryfon Mavropalias, Efthymia Efthymiou, Demetra Tomprou, Maria Georgiadi, Dimitra Katsarou, Georgios Kougioumtzis, Ioanna Giannoula Katsouri, Harilaos Zaragas, Despina Moraitou, Maria Sofologi, Georgia Papantoniou

All Works

The aim of the present study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders (HTKS) behavioral self-regulation (executive function) measure in a sample of Greek older population. Specifically, 88 cognitively healthy Greek older adults over the age of 65 participated in the study. The Greek version of HTKS was administered along with the Greek versions of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Raven's Educational CPM, the Number Series (NS) test, the Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS), the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11) and the Impulsive Behavior Scale (UPPS-P). Exploratory factor analysis supported the unidimensional structure of the HTKS. The …

The Effect Of Background Music On Cognitive Performance In The Stroop Task, Jakob A. Clegg

McNair Scholars Research

This experimental study aims to explore the effects of background music on cognitive performance and attention using the Stroop task. The Stroop task was first introduced by psychologist John Ridley Stroop, demonstrating how automatic processes, like reading, can interfere with controlled tasks, such as naming ink colors. Participants were tasked with correctly associating ink colors and color words. These words would differentiate between incongruent, color words different from the ink color, and congruent, color words matching the ink color. Using PsyToolKit to administer the Stroop task and Google Forms for participant intake, participants (n = 36) listened to a vocal …

The 2025 Measles Outbreak In Texas, Tamer Oraby, Martial L. Ndeffo-Mbah

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

Background

In 2025, Texas experienced its largest measles outbreak in decades, reporting 762 cases by mid-August. Measles is a highly contagious but vaccine-preventable infection transmitted mainly among unvaccinated individuals and capable of causing severe outcomes.

Methods

We investigate counterfactual measles control scenarios based on daycare and school closures and reactive vaccination of infants and children, including mixed interventions. We analyze the 2025 Texas outbreak using an age-structured multi-stage SEIR model formulated as a system of ordinary differential equations. The model is fit to case data using Bayesian inference to estimate the effective reproduction number and generate posterior predictive trajectories under …

Modeling Formation Of Turbulent Sporadic-E Clouds Using Realistic Wind Data, Aaron M. Schinder, Kenneth S. Obenberger, Jorge L. Chau, Juan M. Urco, Matthias Clahsen, Benjamin F. Akers, Daniel J. Emmons

Faculty Publications

A high resolution two-dimensional multi-fluid model of sporadic-E layers was developed and driven with physically realistic mesosphere, lower thermosphere (MLT) winds measured over Albuquerque, New Mexico. The realistic E-region winds are produced by the HYdrodynamic Point-wise Environment Reconstructor (HYPER) model that ingests meteor derived wind observations from a Spread-spectrum Interferometric Multistatic meteor radar Observing Network (SIMONe) system combined with the Navier-Stokes equations to provide high resolution three-dimensional wind fields over time. Sporadic-E dynamics are simulated using both realistic winds from HYPER as well as idealized hyperbolic tangent windshears to compare and contrast. Overall, the model shows greater inhomogeneity and irregularity …

D&R Realty Assoc. V. Lichtman

All Decisions

After trial, court finds tenants (defendants) not liable for breaking lease before term ended because landlord unreasonably rejected multiple proposed assignees under RPL § 226-b. Because tenants gave timely 30-day notice of intent to vacate, they were released from the lease by operation of law and not responsible for damages. Court enters money judgment in tenants' favor for return of security deposit.

Exam Wrappers, Test Anxiety, Demographics, And Exam Grades In First-Semester Nursing Students, Patricia L. Pence, Myoungjin Kim, Robin Rochelle Trost

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Problem- The first semester is a critical time when students decide whether to persist or leave a nursing program.

Purpose- To evaluate a) students’ responses on exam wrappers during the first semester, b) the relationship between demographic characteristics and exam grades, and c) if there was a change in students’ level of test anxiety as measured by the Westside Test Anxiety Scale (Driscoll, 2007) at three points in time during the first semester and if there was any change in relation to demographic characteristics.

Research Questions: 1) What are nursing students’ exam wrapper responses during the first-semester? 2) What is …

Psychoneuroimmunological Predictors Of Ptsd In Icu Patients, Yu-Ju Chen, Pei-Yu Hou, Ching-I Li

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: Patients in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) face significant distress, elevating their risk for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (Abdelbaky & Eldelpshany, 2024; Righy et al., 2019). PTSD arises from complex psychoneuroimmunological interactions (Katrinli, Oliveira, Felger, Michopoulos, & Smith, 2022). Autonomic dysregulation, indexed by reduced heart rate variability (HRV), is a known correlate of PTSD (Schneider & Schwerdtfeger, 2020). Evidence also links PTSD to chronic inflammation, with markers like C-reactive protein (CRP) implicated (Kim et al., 2025; Peruzzolo et al., 2022). However, integrated psychoneuroimmunological research in ICU-related PTSD is limited.

Purpose: To examine the relationships between psychological (anxiety, pain, sleep quality), …

Wildfire Risk & Preparedness For Urban Rail Operators Supporting Large Stadium Events, Karl Kim, Eric Yamashita, Daniele Spirandeli, David Rother

Mineta Transportation Institute

The project team, in collaboration with partners and stakeholders, developed a four-hour training course designed to build a foundational understanding of how wildfire hazards affect rail systems infrastructure operations and how this knowledge can help equip urban rail operators with tools and best practices for proactive risk management. Led by the University of Hawaiʻi and the National Disaster Preparedness Training Center, in partnership with Haley & Aldrich, Inc., this technical report presents an overview of the four modules and scenario planning exercise that together make up the four-hour Wildfire Risk & Preparedness for Urban Rail Operators Supporting Large Stadium Events …

Hierarchical Models Of Caring Culture, Magnet Culture, And Their Impact On Patient Experience, Alice Yan, Grissel Hernandez, Mary E. Lough, Kathleen Bradley, Cassendra Munro, Rachyl Pines

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

BACKGROUND: Empirical evidence is lacking to quantify whether Watson’s Human Caring Culture and Magnet aligned nurse behaviors influence patient-experience outcomes.¹

PURPOSE: To evaluate whether Caring Culture,¹ and nursing behaviors aligned with Magnet professional excellence,^2-4 predicts Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) outcomes, specifically: Hospital Rating and Likelihood to Recommend.⁵

METHODS: HCAHPS data (2021–2023) from a large academic hospital were analyzed. The dataset included five validated Caring Culture questions averaged as a composite measure. Magnet aligned nursing behaviors (communication, responsiveness, teamwork, and patient-centered care transition) were analyzed as predictors. Descriptive and univariate analyses were …

Using Simulation To Translate Theory Into Practice: Lessons Learned & Next Steps, Margarett Alexandre, Fern Baudo, Vanessa Carew

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

NIH notes adverse events can be avoided (Patient Safety, 2023). Simulations using high-fidelity mannequins offer an interactive environment for students to learn critical thinking skills. Simulations allow students to practice skills in a safe environment before working with real patients (Zenani, 2023; Durham & Alden, 2008). Saylor, Graber, and Trinkaus (2024) note that simulation-based learning experiences can increase confidence in undergraduate nursing students.

Purpose: To explore the impact of increase simulation with senior nursing students in an upper-level med/Surg course, incorporating guided reflective journaling to address students’ assessment of knowledge, understanding of theoretical and practical skills learned, and reflect on …

Interventions To Improve Nurse Outcomes In South African Private And Public Hospitals: A Case Study, Babalwa Tau, Siedine Knobloch Coetzee, Nicholin Scheepers

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: South African nurses face ongoing challenges, including escalating healthcare needs of a growing population, staff and resource shortages, and deteriorating infrastructure, all of which negatively affect their health and wellbeing, relationship with work, productivity and effectiveness and satisfaction with work (South Africa, 2024). Although numerous studies explore interventions to improve these nurse outcomes (Niskala et al., 2020; Ramachandran et al., 2023; Xu et al., 2020), few address the realities of developing countries such as South Africa.

Methods: An exploratory multiple-case study design was employed (Yin, 2014). Secondary data from a national hospital database (n = 143) were analysed to …

Assess The Effectiveness Of Sleep Hygiene Education Programe On Sleep Quality Among Students, Narinder Kaur Walia

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Introduction: Sleep is essential for physical, cognitive, and emotional well-being. According to WHO, good sleep involves 7–9 hours of rest, minimal sleep latency, and the absence of disturbances like insomnia. However, many students lack awareness of proper sleep hygiene. Poor sleep quality is common among nursing students due to academic pressure, clinical rotations, irregular schedules, and lifestyle habits like caffeine use and social media. These issues can affect mental and physical health, academic performance, and patient care. Sleep disturbances are a growing concern among the general population, with global prevalence ranging from 3.9% to 45%. In India, studies show 36.3% …

Decent Work In Nursing: A Walker And Avant Concept Analysis, Mu-Hsi Deborah Young, Chiu-Yueh Yang

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: Although the WHO and the International Labour Organization have repeatedly emphasized the importance of promoting decent work to ensure a sustainable nursing workforce, the concept of decent work within nursing remains insufficiently defined, creating challenges for implementation.

Objective: The purpose of this article is to analyze the concept of decent work in nursing.

Method: A literature review was conducted following Walker and Avant’s concept analysis method. Searches were performed in PubMed, EBSCOhost (including CINAHL Complete, CINAHL Ultimate, MEDLINE, APA PsycArticles, and APA PsycINFO), ProQuest, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Airiti Library through April 2025.

Result: Twenty studies were …

Transforming Nursing Practice Through Data Ownership And Leadership In A Quaternary Hospital, Nabiha Tashkandi, Merry Jo Dione Levers

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: Globally, healthcare systems are increasingly recognizing the vital contributions of nursing to safety, quality, and patient experience. However, in some organizations, nursing remains underrepresented in executive decision-making, limiting its influence on strategic priorities (Sherwood & Barnsteiner, 2021). At the Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs (MNGHA), the nursing leadership sought to overcome this challenge by using data to amplify nursing’s voice, demonstrate its value, and improve care outcomes (Dempsey et al., 2014).

Purpose: This project aimed to strengthen nursing’s visibility and credibility within the organization by aligning nursing-sensitive indicators with corporate priorities, creating a culture of transparency, and leveraging …

Supportive Technology Promotes Research Engagement Among Nurses And Allied Health Professionals, Rachael Haskell, Zoe Samson, Justin Peterson, Kristiina Hyrkas

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Nursing research can support improved clinical outcomes for patients and nursing workforce outcomes, such as workplace engagement and job retention. However, nurses report significant barriers to research engagement, such as limited time, lack of mentorship, and insufficient access to resources.1 In 2024 our Magnet-designated organization implemented Ovid® Synthesis, a structured virtual platform designed to help clinical staff complete research projects.

The aim of this project is to examine how Ovid® Synthesis addresses known barriers to research participation and influences staff perception and engagement in scholarly work.

A survey was distributed via REDCap to clinical staff registered with Ovid® Synthesis (N=591) …

Evaluating Gender Equity In The Berenstain Bears Picture Books, Christy Tisnawijaya, Geni Kurniati

Bahasa dan Seni: Jurnal Bahasa, Sastra, Seni, dan Pengajarannya

Picture books serve as a foundational medium in early childhood education, utilizing interrelated visual and verbal elements to foster linguistic, cognitive, and social development. Despite their pedagogical utility, certain literary works inadvertently perpetuate traditional gender roles, constraining children's conceptualizations of identity. This study evaluates gender representation within eleven selected titles of The Berenstain Bears series. Employing a qualitative multimodal content analysis, the study integrates Butler's gender performativity framework (1990), Callow's multimodal narrative approach (2020), and Adam and Harper's evaluative criteria (2021) to examine how domestic, social, and recreational roles are constructed. This study offers novelty by establishing a dual-lens multimodal …

The Faunal Remains From The Roman–Early Byzantine Residential Quarter At Oboda (‘Avedat), Nimrod Marom

'Atiqot

Excavations in the town of Oboda in the Negev Highlands yielded faunal remains from Roman and Early Byzantine (late third–early fifth century CE) contexts. It was found that the site’s economy in both periods relied mainly on caprine flocks dominated by sheep.

The Glass Finds From The Roman–Early Byzantine Residential Quarter At Oboda (‘Avedat), Yael Gorin-Rosen

'Atiqot

The glass assemblage from Oboda spans approximately four centuries of glass production in the Eastern Mediterranean, from the Early Roman to the early Byzantine periods. It comprises forms characteristic of Palestine, Egypt and North Sinai. Noteworthy finds are four windowpane fragments, which probably belonged to a public building nearby, and an inscribed vessel with a double-lined Greek inscription, which likely reached Oboda via the Petra–Gaza (Incense) Road, with parallels at Petra and Humayma. The predominance of bowls and beakers with cut-off rims distinguishes the assemblage from contemporary sites in the country. Overall, the assemblage reflects an interaction between Egyptian and …

Coins From The Roman–Early Byzantine Residential Quarter At Oboda (‘Avedat), Robert Kool

'Atiqot

The Roman–early Byzantine residential quarter exposed at Oboda (‘Avedat) yielded 236 coins, 113 of which were identified, spanning the Hellenistic and Byzantine periods (third–second centuries BCE–fifth century CE). The earliest coin, a bronze from Aradus, reflects Oboda’s role as a key station along the Nabataean Incense Road connecting Petra with the Mediterranean coast. Nabataean coinage, particularly issues of Aretas IV, dominates the Early Roman assemblage, attestung to intensive regional trade and economic activity during the first century CE. Roman provincial coins of the second–third centuries CE further demonstrate continued commercial links between Oboda and neighboring urban centers following the Roman …

A Roman And Early Byzantine Residential Quarter At Oboda (‘Avedat), Tali Erickson-Gini, Nir Shimshon Paran, Larissa Shilov

'Atiqot

This report presents the results of the excavation of a Roman and Early Byzantine residential quarter at Oboda (‘Avedat), offering new evidence for the occupation history of the site and challenging long-standing assumptions regarding Nabataean settlement, trade and material culture in the Negev. The excavations revealed three principal phases: Phase 1, dating from the late first century BCE–early second century CE; Phase 2, constructed after the Roman annexation of 106 CE, linked to regional rebuilding activity following a major earthquake in the early second century CE; and Phase 3, comprising five buildings with courtyards surrounded by rooms, dating to the …

The Buildings Of Muslim Al-Majdal Asqalān (Ashqelon) In Their Historical-Geographic And Economic Context, Avraham (Avi) Sasson

'Atiqot

In the course of the Mamluk and Ottoman periods, six villages were established in the al-Majdal Asqalān area in the southern coastal plain of Palestine, the status of this area enhancing in the 1830s when its geographic and economic advantages were appreciated. The small villages were built on the kurkar ridge slopes with minimal planning, traversed by two or three main arteries adjoined by narrow lanes. The houses were mostly built of mud bricks. Only the central village, al-Majdal Asqalān, developed on flat ground, where there was ample land for construction: most of its buildings were built of kurkar stones. …