Digital Commons Network^™

A Pooled Sample Study Of Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Wait Time Among A Pregnant Population In New York, Stanley Nkemjika, Gulshan Begum, Bolaji Yoade, Vaibhav Vyas, Henry Onyeaka, Olubusola Olatunji, Olaniyi Olayinka, Ayana Jordan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background and Aim: Opioid use disorder (OUD) during pregnancy has become a major public health issue, with its prevalence rising significantly in recent years. The incidence of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) has also surged, from 1.5 cases per 1000 hospital births in 1999 to 6.0 cases per 1000 in 2013. This study aims to identify and analyze the concerns faced by pregnant people in accessing OUD treatment on time, specifically focusing on New York.

Methods: The pooled sample of 225,275 individuals represents pregnant patients with OUD who received treatment at substance use disorder (SUD) facilities across New York State between …

A Case Study Of Ai-Enabled Software As A Medical Device Cleared By The Fda For Assessing Hemorrhage Risk Index (Appraise-Hri) After Trauma, Andrew Frock, Jeffrey T Robbins, Francisco G Vital-Lopez, Valmik Desai, Gheorghe Doros, Barry E Sands, Arunkumar Prabhakaran, Christopher Nemeth, Gregory T Rule, Jason L Sperry, Francis X Guyette, Stephen R Wisniewski, Ernest E Moore, Martin Schreiber, Bellal Joseph, Chad T Wilson, Bryan Cotton, Daniel Ostermayer, Brian G Harbrecht, Mayur B Patel, Suzanne Tamang, Sanjay Malunjkar, David A Spain, Andrew T Reisner, Jonathan D Stallings, Jaques Reifman

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Hemorrhage is the leading cause of preventable death on the battlefield, yet combat medics lack clinical decision support systems to help stratify hemorrhage risk in trauma casualties. We previously trained the Automated Processing of the Physiological Registry for Assessment of Injury Severity - Hemorrhage Risk Index (APPRAISE-HRI) software to associate patterns in vital signs (heart rate and blood pressure) collected from trauma patients with three HRI levels: I (low), II (average), or III (high). To independently validate APPRAISE-HRI and obtain U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance, we collected trauma registry and continuous vital sign data from 5895 trauma patients …

Addressing Language Challenges In Bilingual Neuropsychological Assessments At The South Texas Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (Adrc), Stephanie Santiago-Mejias, Gabrielle Hromas, Ashley Laroche, David A. Gonzalez, Robin C. Hilsabeck, Katya Rascovsky, Silvia Mejia-Arango, Amy Werry-Mcfarlin, Claudia Satizabal, Hector Trevino

School of Medicine Publications

Introduction: Neuropsychological assessment of bilingual (English/Spanish) individuals presents challenges that can impact test validity. Language proficiency influences cognitive performance, yet clear guidelines for determining the appropriate test language are lacking. We describe our experiences at the South Texas Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (STAC) in addressing these challenges within the context of National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center (NACC) Uniform Data Set (UDS) assessments and broader Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (ADRC) protocols. We outline steps toward a structured language assessment approach.

Methods: We implemented a process to assess language proficiency, integrating self-reported and objective measures, including the language dominance index (LDI). Case examples …

Genetic Screening Of Genome-Wide Association Studies-Derived Risk Loci For Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Confirmation In The North Indian Population, Zoya Shakir, Kauser U. Siddiqui, Dandu Himanshu, Wahid Ali

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

Objectives: This case–control study investigated the association of three novel South Asian genome-wide association studies (GWAS)-derived type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) susceptibility gene polymorphisms in the North Indian population. Methods: The study was conducted at King George’s Medical University, Lucknow, India, between January 2022 and December 2023. Three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were genotyped: rs2028299 (C>A) near the AP3S2 gene, rs1802295 (C>T) near the VPS26A gene, and rs16861329 (C>T) near the ST6GAL1 gene. Genotyping was performed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by Sanger sequencing of PCR amplicons. The relationship between T2DM and various anthropometric …

October 16, 2025, The Daily Mississippian

Daily Mississippian (all digitized issues)

No abstract provided.

Robust Regression Rescues Poor Phylogenetic Decisions, Mataya Duncan, Michael Degiorgio, Raquel Assis, Richard Adams

Entomology and Plant Pathology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Comparative biology seeks to unlock the power of cross-species trait variation to learn the rules of life. In this venture, modern studies increasingly leverage large datasets spanning many traits and levels of biological organization and complexity. To analyze these complex data in a statistically-sound manner, researchers must choose a phylogeny that is assumed to model the mean trait values across species-an assumption that may be tenuous depending on the true evolutionary architecture of the traits. Yet the consequences of this decision remain poorly understood, particularly for modern studies seeking to analyze multiple, distinct traits within the same framework. Here, we …

2025-10-16 Faculty Senate Newsletter, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate.

Faculty Senate Records

Faculty Senate newsletter from October 16, 2025.

2025-10-16 Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate.

Faculty Senate Records

Faculty Senate meeting minutes from October 16, 2025.

2025-10-16 Faculty Senate Scoop Newsletter, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate.

Faculty Senate Records

Faculty Senate Scoop newsletter from October 16, 2025.

Staying Connected To The Vine As A Means Of Leading Worship In A Christ-Like Manner, Paul Edward Bryant

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

With a society focused on performance-driven worship, most worship leaders today have difficulty maintaining a God-focused, Christ-centered, and Spirit-filled worship experience during worship services. Worship leaders are having difficulty leading worship because they do not follow Christ daily to produce fruit that will help the leader effectively lead worship that honors God. This qualitative research explores the Bible, explicitly using John 15:1-11, Galatians 5:22-23, and 1 Corinthians 2:14-15 as the foundation for the worship leader to remain in Christ to produce the fruit of the Spirit and lead with Godly wisdom and understanding. Worship and leadership textbooks and dissertations covering …

Agency Cost And Smart City Initiatives In Virginia: A Case Study, Jordan M. Peters

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study will be to solve the problem of agency costs in three of Virginia’s largest Smart Cities and to formulate a solution for public administrators to implement during smart city development. This case study contributes to existing public administration knowledge by expanding upon post-progressive public administration theory by acknowledging the preferences of public administrators and the role those preferences play in the adoption of SCI priorities. While scholarly literature increasingly insists that the preferences of citizens drive SCI, this clashes with the post-progressive public administration theory proposed by Miller (1994) which acknowledges the influence of …

Advanced Artificial Intelligence Software In Mental Health Field Integrating Into Practice, Nazanin Azimi Hagjoo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The integration of artificial intelligence software in health care has delivered revolutionary changes by enhancing efficiency, increasing accuracy, saving time, and improving clinician life balance. In very recent years, the mental health field also has started to be transformed by AI software; the adoption of AI technologies has helped to meet the demand for mental health services. AI tools have great potential to improve the efficiency and efficacy of clinicians, as they can provide diagnostic tools, smart treatment plans, improved medication refill processes, and monitoring of patient outcomes and well-being, as well as prevent medication errors. Such exciting innovations help …

Additive Mindfulness: A Systematic Review And Thematic Analysis, Whitney M. Crawford

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Mindfulness is a state of present moment-focused non-judgmental awareness, the purposeful practice of which has been shown to promote psychological well-being by alleviating past-oriented rumination, future-focused worry, and experiential avoidance. Because the most widely adopted mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) were developed based on Buddhist meditation practices, there have also been developed various religiously modified iterations of mindfulness–especially those tailored to Christian clients who are wary of engaging with Buddhist-derived practices. While secular and Buddhist MBIs promote non-judgmental awareness for the sake of mere nonattachment to external and internal experiences, Christian mindfulness promotes detachment from these things in order that one may …

A Phenomenological Exploration Of The Lived Experiences Of Educators In Nursing Programs Experiencing Changes In Academic Nurse Administrators From High Attrition, Anny Dionne

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutical study was to describe and interpret the lived experiences of educators in nursing programs who experienced changes in academic nurse administrators at colleges and universities in a southern state in the United States. Nursing academic administrators influence the quality of nursing programs. Changes in academic administrators are experienced by educators of nursing programs, who, in turn, contribute to the students' learning experience. Stress is perceived differently in individuals. Lazarus and Folkman's transactional theory of stress and coping (TTSC) is the theory guiding this study. This theory examines how individuals interpret and react to events. The …

Barriers To Online Education: A Qualitative Study Of First-Generation Online Community College Students And The Barriers They Face, Caleb D. Leal

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the barriers that first-generation community college students face when enrolling in online courses. The theory guiding this study is Bourdieu’s capital theory, which details possible barriers students may face when enrolling in online courses. The barriers associated with Bourdieu’s capital theory include economic, cultural, social, and technical. The method employed in this research is a qualitative phenomenological approach, focusing on the lived experiences of first-generation community college students enrolled in online courses. Using a hermeneutical approach, the research was focused on the stories and lived experiences of each participant. The study …

The Impact Of X On Economic Policy Communication, Ray Harris Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study investigates how U.S. presidential candidates use the platform X (formerly Twitter) to frame and communicate their economic policy during the election campaign period. The research uses a quantitative content analysis method to select candidates' posts and systematically examine the frequency and patterns of economic themes posted by the candidates, drawing from the agenda-setting and framing theories. Moreover, this study aims to measure audience engagement (likes, reposts, comments) to see which message strategy resonates best. The literature review underlines how this media tool can direct political communication and influence public opinion on significant issues. Existing research lacks a systematic …

Police Officers’ Perception Of The Anti-Police Movement And How That Affects Officer Retention In Minnesota, Kimberly Wood

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The research aims to investigate the perceived mass exodus of police officer departures alongside police officer retention rates throughout Minnesota. The study investigates whether high-profile police officer prosecutions together with national news incidents directly cause police officers to leave their jobs along with the Ferguson Effect taking place. The profession of policing has become more challenging and dangerous for its practitioners. The combination of recruitment challenges and increased assaults on police officers without punishment for perpetrators and elevated arrest resistance from suspects has led to the perceived mass exodus of police officers. The number of officer shootings and assaults combined …

A Phenomenological Study Of Secondary Music Teachers And Their Experiences With Class Schedules In Central Virginia, Aliza Marie Nogueras

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There is currently a lack of recognition for the unique influence of class schedules on music educators’ lived experiences in public-schools. This study examines how middle and high music class schedules play a role in music teacher’s curriculum development and overall well-being. Class schedules created without regard to musical instruction may create significant challenges for music teachers, reducing instructional time, disjointing curricula, and causing inconsistencies in delivering high-quality music education. Focusing on music teachers in Central Virginia, this hermeneutic phenomenological study highlights the specific lived experiences of public-school music educators. The central research questions explore how class schedules shape instructional …

Exploring How Collaboration Between General And Special Education Teachers Affects Self-Efficacy When Teaching Students Diagnosed With Emotional Disabilities In The Inclusive Classroom: A Qualitative Case Study, Liza K. Hyde

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study was to explore the self-efficacy of general education and special education teachers at XYZ school district. The theory guiding this study was Bandura’s self-efficacy theory. The central research question was: How does collaboration between general and special education teachers affect their self-efficacy when working with students with emotional disabilities? This qualitative case study explored general and special education teachers’ real-life experiences while collaborating and teaching students with emotional disabilities in the secondary inclusive classroom. The total number of participants (10) were interviewed, allowed to collaborate in focus groups, and completed a reflective letter writing …

Qualitative Ethnographic Research On The Efficacy Of A Christian-Based Approach To Mentorship For Black Males, Arnold M. Campbell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study advanced qualitative research by identifying several statistical gaps in the social sciences related to leadership development, learning principles, character traits, and spiritual formation for a specific demographic of Black males. This researcher aimed to understand the efficacy of Christian-based actions through mentorship programs that intend to address social deficits. From a theological and theoretical context, this research literature review and observations focused on the practical Christian-based approaches to mentorship that provided a model to improve the lives of a specific demographic of Black males considered high-risk and vulnerable. The target group was raised in single-parent homes and attended …

Psychologist-Federal Agent Approaches To Supporting Veterans And Police With Mental Health Challenges, Ismith Bocaille

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study explored how federal agents and psychologists collaborate to assist veterans and police officers receive offer mental health care. The study paid attention to the potential interplay of artificial intelligence and faith-informed models. Following IPA-based qualitative interviews with federal agents and psychologists and an extensive literature review, the study pointed out some barriers to seeking mental health services, including stigma, rigidity inside organizations, and less peer support. Intervention models that involve patients intensely have emerged as more effective ideas, which are used sparingly. The results indicate that peer support should be incorporated into departmental policies, and closer contact and …

1-2-1 Reciprocal Discipleship: A Transformation Strategy For Effectively Growing Mature Disciples Of Jesus Christ, Scott M. Whitley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are called to be transformed into the image of Christ through the intimacy of knowing the Father (Eph. 4:13; 2 Cor. 3:18; John 17:3). This can be taught and experienced through one-on-one discipleship, thus fulfilling the Great Commission. Unfortunately, many different discipleship models have become the prevailing stratagem, leaving one-on-one discipleship less emphasized or wholly abandoned. This has resulted in significant transformation through intimacy being lost in many churches and leading to a departure from scriptural discipleship. Therefore, this action research project assumed that consistent participation in the 1-2-1 Reciprocal Discipleship: A Transformation Strategy …

Job Burnout And Executive Leader Turnover, David Zayas

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Executive leadership roles are characterized by increasing organizational demands that necessitate substantial cognitive and physical effort, thereby elevating the risk of emotional exhaustion, diminished work engagement, decreased job satisfaction, and increased turnover intention. This study investigates the impact of organizational and occupational stressors on executive clergy leader burnout and turnover intentions. A qualitative single case study was undertaken to delve into the challenges faced by executive clergy leaders (senior, executive, or associate pastors) in the religious sector, where demanding workloads are exacerbating role ambiguity, creating work-life balance conflicts, fostering unhealthy work practices, and influencing job burnout. Three organizational theories (e.g., …

Experiences Of A Simulated Medical Malpractice Lawsuit On Nursing Students' Documentation Practices: A Transcendental Phenomenological Approach, Heide Thorne

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative, transcendental phenomenological study is to understand the perspectives of first semester nursing students participating in a simulated medical malpractice lawsuit and documentation practices. The theory guiding this study is Kolb’s experiential learning theory (ELT), as it explains the relationship of learning and knowledge transfer through a simulation-based learning activity (SBL). Data collection approaches included observations, anonymous reflective journals, and individual interviews or questionnaire capturing students’ personal experiences and emerging themes. Bracketing enhanced reflexivity, reduced bias, and strengthened the study’s credibility and dependability. Results of the study support the efficacy of a specific, powerful SBL activity …

Impact Of Trauma-Informed Care On The Restorative Justice Ecosystem, Amy Kight

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Created and titled as the ARTIC Project (Activating Restoration through Trauma-Informed Courts), this research addresses the gap between industrial/structural realities and relationship/nurturing realities within Substance Use Disorder (SUD) recovery and restorative justice paradigms. Grounded in Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI), the project emphasized that sustainable behavioral change requires balancing connection with correction (KPICD, 2022). Through a biblical lens, the researcher posits complete healing only comes from our Heavenly Father and occurs on an individual level. With this in mind, TBRI research affirms that organizations do not change people - people change people (KPICD, 2022). This intentional relationship between God, Creation, Others, …

From Food Desert To Food Security: Implementing Change Through The Augusta Dream Center, Marté Antione Gifford

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this project is to design and implement a community garden, supplemented by local farmer partnerships, at the Augusta Dream Center (ADC) to address food insecurity in the Central Savannah River Area (CSRA) by providing fresh produce, fostering nutrition education, and promoting long-term health equity. This project is driven by the urgent need to reduce health disparities that result from limited access to healthy foods, particularly the elevated risks of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease in low-income and minority communities. The CSRA faces unique challenges as it contains both food deserts, where healthy food options are scarce, and …

An Intellectual History Of The American Right To Keep And Bear Arms, John Charles Davis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation presents an examination of the intellectual history of the American right to keep and bear arms, as well as its embodiment in the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution. The document presents the history of ideas surrounding the concept of the right to keep and bear arms, from early Western Civilization through various channels, including English traditions, and how they contributed to the unique perspective on the right to keep and bear arms that emerged in America. Explores not only English contributions, but those of the Scots, and philosophers throughout Europe and Western Civilization, as well as …

Secondary School Science, Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics Student Readiness To Engage In Self-Directed Learning Strategies: A Causal-Comparative Quantitative Study, Michael Benitez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to examine the relationship between science, technology, engineering, and mathematics students’ self-directed learning readiness and their current course grade in flipped classrooms, fully online courses, and classes with traditional instructional methods. Participants were high school students in central Texas. This study is important because self-directed learner readiness directly impacts student engagement and motivation, leading to better academic results in self-directed student-led instructional contexts, such as flipped classrooms and online learning. This study adds to the literature regarding self-directed learner readiness by examining the differences between three different instructional methods: traditional, flipped, and …

Generation Z And The Church: A Phenomenological Study Of Perceptions, Barriers, And Opportunities For Church Engagement, Hector Albert Soto

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine the perceptions, barriers, and opportunities that shape the relationship between Generation Z and the Christian church, with particular attention to how these factors influence patterns of engagement. Recent trends indicated a significant decline in church engagement among Generation Z, contributing to the erosion of vital resources necessary for the sustained vitality of contemporary Christian congregations (Barna, 2020; Braddy, 2021; Earls, 2020). The study was guided by three research questions: 1) What Generation Z variables did the church need to focus on to attract and retain Gen Z (e.g., social concerns, leadership …

Bacterial Identification, Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing (Ast), And Epstein-Barr Virus (Ebv) Testing To Increase Organ Transplantation Within A Western Regional Community, Vedarrius D. Williams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Clinical transplantation demands have increased immensely in recent years and, along with increasing supply shortages, many barriers to successful organ donation arise from a lack of dedicated testing to rule out microbial or bloodborne infections. There are currently minimal, federal regulatory requirements for transplantation specimen testing. The purpose of this study is to explore how to increase the viability and success of transplantations in the Western regions of the United States using kidney, pancreas, and kidney/pancreas transplant data from University Medical Center Southern Nevada (UMCSN) transplant center. UMCSN transplant center and Donor Services Laboratory (DSL) in Las Vegas perform bacterial …