Digital Commons Network^™

The Relationship Between Oral Contraceptives And Soft Tissue Injuries In Women: Tailoring Reproductive Care For Female Athletes, Katy Smith

Summer Interdisciplinary Research Symposium

a)     Objective: The purpose of this paper is to determine the effects of the menstrual cycle and hormonal contraceptives on ligamentous injuries in female athletes, and if treatment/counseling should be tailored accordingly.

b)     Methods: A literature search for this narrative review was conducted using UpToDate, Google Scholar, and the Christopher Center library databases. Search terms included OCPs, ligament injuries, female athletes, menstruation, menstrual cycle, and follicular phase. English-language studies published from 2017 onward examining soft tissue or musculoskeletal injuries in female athletes of reproductive age were included. Relevant articles were identified with ligamentous, soft tissue, and MSK injuries as the …

Terrence Colbert V. Allstate Property & Casualty Insurance Co

2026 Decisions

USDC for the Middle District of Pennsylvania

The Relative Strength Of Social Media Motives, Perceived Race Relations, And The Centrality Of Black Identity In Predicting Black Community Activism, Johnnie Gordon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As social media has become a central context for identity development, sociopolitical awareness, and civic engagement among Black emerging adults, exposure to racialized content, experiences of online discrimination, and competing narratives regarding racial progress may heighten awareness of systemic inequities and strengthen collective racial identity. To date, the potential of these experiences to motivate engagement in Black community activism to advocate for community empowerment has not been investigated. Informed by social identity theory, this quantitative study assessed the relative importance of motives for social media use, perceived racial progress, and Black identity centrality in predicting Black community activism among emerging …

Global Performance Of Remote Sensing-Based And Reanalysis-Driven Models To Estimate Open Water Evaporation, Júlia Brusso Rossi, Ayan Santos Fleischmann, Leonardo Laipelt, Bruno Comini De Andrade, Joshua B. Fisher, Justin L. Huntington, Christopher Pearson, R. Iestyn Woolway, Roseilson Vale, Júlio Tota, Gabriel B. Senay, Huilin Gao, Anderson Ruhoff

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Evaporation plays an essential role in the water cycle, influencing local and regional climates while directly impacting water availability in lakes. However, directly measuring evaporation over water bodies remains challenging due to the high costs of installing and maintaining the required in situ instrumentation. Although several remote sensing algorithms have been providing evaporation estimates, the lack of a global validation hinders our understanding of their relative uncertainties and performances across different regions. Here, we analyze the performance of a suite of models that leverage satellite data and meteorological reanalysis to estimate evaporation over lakes worldwide. We compare 3 remote sensing‐based …

Segmented Profile Analysis (Sepa): Plane-Wise Decomposition Of Within-Person Variation Via Ipsatized Singular Value Decomposition, Se-Kang Kim, Joe Grochowalski

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Traditional profile analyses summarize multivariate person data with overall mean levels and relative patterns, but existing methods often blur these sources of variation or reduce each individual to a single best-fitting profile. Segmented Profile Analysis (SEPA) offers a unified, ipsatized singular-value decomposition (SVD) framework that decomposes individual profiles into orthogonal level (LE) and pattern (PE) effects and, crucially, introduces plane-wise segment profiles (summaries of each person's response pattern within each variable-contrast dimension) as primary person-oriented objects. Within each low-dimensional plane, SEPA defines a projected response pattern (segment profile), domain-person cosines that index variable-by-variable alignment, and plane-fit correlations that summarize how …

Unh Launches Statewide Initiative To Study Ticks, Diseases And The Environment, Beth Potier, Robbin Ray

UNH Today Archive

No abstract provided.

Diabetic Alert Dogs As Glucose Monitoring Tools: Detection Accuracy For Hypoglycemic And Hyperglycemic Events, Dianne C. Dollison

Summer Interdisciplinary Research Symposium

Objective: The purpose of this review was to determine whether trained diabetic alert dogs (DADs) provide detection accuracy comparable to continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) for hypo- and hyperglycemic events in adults with type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

Methods: A narrative literature review was conducted using UpToDate and Google Scholar. Studies involving adults with type 1 or type 2 diabetes that reported glucose detection accuracy for DADs or CGMs were included. Pediatric-only and non-glucose-detection studies were excluded. Because few direct head-to-head studies lasting 6 months or longer were available, shorter-duration studies were included as supporting evidence. Outcomes included sensitivity, specificity, …

Reframing The Conversation: Evidence-Based Communication Strategies To Address Parental Vaccine Hesitancy, Azucena Hernandez

Summer Interdisciplinary Research Symposium

Objective: The purpose of the literature review is to identify factors that contribute to vaccine hesitancy and evaluate evidence-based communication techniques. Effective communication techniques can be implemented in clinical practice to address hesitancy and improve parental attitudes toward vaccination.

Methods: A literature review was conducted using PubMed and Google Scholar to identify studies examining parental vaccine hesitancy and provider communication strategies. Search terms included vaccine hesitancy, parental attitudes, childhood immunization, communication strategies, motivational interviewing, and vaccination uptake. Peer-reviewed English-language articles published between 2012 and 2025 were reviewed. Seven studies were selected based on relevance, methodological quality, and applicability …

A Guide To Pain Management Options In Childbirth, Julia Renay Purtell

Summer Interdisciplinary Research Symposium

Objective: To evaluate evidence on pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic labor pain management strategies and provide clinicians with an evidence-based framework for patient counseling on analgesic methods and the associated maternal, obstetric, and neonatal outcomes.

Methods: A structured literature search was conducted using Research Rabbit to identify studies on labor analgesia using keywords related to labor pain, pain relief, epidural analgesia, pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic pain management, and pain intensity. Studies evaluating parturients undergoing labor with the intention of vaginal birth and examining various pain management strategies were included. Studies involving non-laboring patients or analgesia outside the context of active labor and intended …

More Than Rest: The Impact Of Sleep On Cardiovascular Disease, Jane S. Thomas

Summer Interdisciplinary Research Symposium

Objective: The purpose of this literature review was to evaluate whether < 6 hour sleep duration and poor sleep quality, compared with normal >7 hour sleep duration, increase the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in adults. Outcomes included cardiovascular disease, coronary artery disease, stroke, heart failure, cardiovascular mortality, and related cardiovascular health measures. Methods: A literature review was conducted using Google Scholar to evaluate the relationship between sleep parameters and cardiovascular outcomes. English-language, full-text studies published since 2019 involving adults were included, while pediatric studies and non-cardiovascular outcomes were excluded. The review included three prospective cohort studies, two meta-analyses, and one interventional study. Results: Evidence consistently demonstrated that short sleep duration …

Impact Of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist On Reducing Major Adverse Limb Events In Patients With Peripheral Artery Disease, India A. Harris

Summer Interdisciplinary Research Symposium

Objective:

The purpose of this paper is to explore the efficacy of utilizing Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists (GLP-1RA) to prevent major adverse limb events (MALE) in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) versus standard treatment.

Methods:

A narrative literature review was conducted using systematic searches of MEDLINE and Google Scholar for studies evaluating GLP-1RAs and vascular outcomes. English-language, full-text studies published since 2020 assessing GLP-1RA use and limb-related outcomes were included; older studies and those not involving GLP-1RAs were excluded. Primary outcomes include a reduction in MALE and a decrease in risk factors associated with MALE. Secondary outcomes include transcutaneous …

Exploring Aquatic Therapy And Scuba Diving As Adjunctive Rehabilitation Strategies In Neurorehabilitation, Katelyn Kolkebeck

Summer Interdisciplinary Research Symposium

Objective: To evaluate the evidence surrounding aquatic therapy and scuba diving as adjunctive rehabilitation strategies for adults with neurological disorders and to assess whether these interventions improve balance, fatigue, gait, motor function, pain, quality of life, and psychosocial well-being compared with conventional rehabilitation.

Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted using PubMed, Google Scholar, the National Library of Medicine, the Cochrane Library, and ScienceDirect. English-language studies involving adults with neurological disorders who participated in aquatic therapy or scuba diving interventions were included while studies involving pediatric populations, non-neurological conditions, severe cognitive impairment, or contraindications to aquatic therapy were excluded. Outcomes …

Ai Vs. Licensed Psychologists: A Comparative Analysis Of Treatment Plan Quality For Treating Psychological Distress, Michael Edward Maloney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The study was conducted to investigate whether statistically significant differences exist in the quality of treatment plans developed by artificial intelligence (AI) platforms versus treatment plans generated by licensed psychologists, with a focus on intervention specificity and clinical appropriateness. Given the rapid proliferation of digital mental health technologies and the persistent shortage of licensed mental health professionals, empirical evaluation of AI-driven clinical tools has become a critical area of inquiry. Grounded in dual process theory (DPT), which conceptualizes decision making as the product of both intuitive and analytical cognitive systems, the study employed a quantitative, between-groups design. Sixty-six licensed psychologists …

Pharmacogenetic Testing In Mood Disorders: A Narrative Review Of Clinical Efficacy And Real-World Utility, William M. Spence

Summer Interdisciplinary Research Symposium

Objective:

Pharmacogenetic-guided treatment is a recent innovation which attempts to improve the variability in individual response to pharmacological treatment. In patients with MDD, pharmacogenetic-guided treatment was evaluated for improvements in remission, symptom reduction, and drug side effect rates compared to the standard of care.

Methods:

A structured literature search was conducted using Google Scholar and Research Rabbit. Studies published within the past 10 years evaluating pharmacogenetic-guided treatment in major depressive disorder and reporting remission, symptom improvement, or adverse effects were included. Eligible studies were qualitatively synthesized to assess the clinical utility of pharmacogenetic-guided antidepressant treatment.

Results:

Three randomized controlled trials …

The Influence Of Prenatal Exercise On Pregnancy Outcomes, Nadhia M. Manthuruthil

Summer Interdisciplinary Research Symposium

Objective: To evaluate the effects of prenatal exercise among pregnant individuals on pregnancy complications and to determine whether exercise modality influences pregnancy outcomes.

Methods: A narrative literature review was conducted using Research Rabbit and PubMed to identify studies examining exercise during pregnancy and associated maternal and fetal outcomes. Eligible studies included English-language, full-text, peer-reviewed articles and systematic reviews published after 2020 involving healthy pregnant patients, with pregnancy outcomes as the primary outcome measure. Studies without measurable outcomes or involving pre-existing comorbidities were excluded.

Results: Prenatal exercise was consistently found to be safe and associated with improved maternal outcomes. Four studies …

Oxybenzone In Sunscreen: Examining Human Health Implications, Madelyn Landsteiner

Summer Interdisciplinary Research Symposium

Objective: The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the current evidence regarding the human health effects associated with exposure to oxybenzone (benzophenone-3) containing sunscreen in individuals using sunscreen products. This review examined outcomes, including systemic absorption, endocrine function, and reproductive health, while considering established benefits of sunscreen for skin cancer prevention.

Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted using peer-reviewed publications identified through PubMed, Google Scholar, and the Valparaiso University library database. Selected studies included systematic reviews, meta-analyses, pharmacokinetic studies, observational studies, and toxicological research. Literature evaluating systemic absorption, endocrine disruption, reproductive health effects, biomonitoring data, and regulatory safety …

Neurokinin-3 Receptor Antagonists: A Non-Hormone Alternative For Vasomotor Symptoms Of Menopause, Trisha Elizabeth Abu

Summer Interdisciplinary Research Symposium

Objective: The purpose of this paper is to determine whether the class of Neurokinin -3 Receptor Antagonists (NK3) are efficacious in managing vasomotor symptoms in women who have contraindications to the gold standard treatment of hormone therapy. This research specifically includes menopausal or perimenopausal women experiencing vasomotor symptoms and compares NK-3 Antagonists to placebo, non-HRT medications, and HRT. The primary endpoints of the research include impact on VMS frequency and severity.

Methods: A narrative literature review was conducted using Google Scholar, PubMed, and EBSCO to identify studies evaluating NK-3 antagonists as nonhormonal treatments for menopausal vasomotor symptoms. Studies involving peri- …

Food For Thought: Evaluating The Mind Diet’S Impact On Cognitive Decline, Alayna Pleckham

Summer Interdisciplinary Research Symposium

Objective: 

This paper aims to analyze current research and outcomes of the MIND diet on preventing and slowing neurocognitive decline in adults with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. A literature review was conducted to evaluate the correlation between the MIND diet and slowed neurodegenerative disease through structural change, transcriptomics, biomarkers, and cognitive function testing.

Methods:

A narrative literature review was conducted using Google Scholar, PubMed, and JAMA to identify studies published between 2020 and 2025 examining the MIND diet and cognitive outcomes in adults with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. Studies using validated cognitive assessments and comparison groups were included, while studies …

The Therapeutic Effects Of Bee Venom And Its Implication For Future Practice, Anna Speckhard

Summer Interdisciplinary Research Symposium

Objective: Bee venom acupuncture (BVA) has been used in Asia for its anti-inflammatory effects for hundreds of years, and recently it has proposed anti-cancer effects. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects of bee venom to determine its use in future medical practice.

Methods: A literature search was conducted using the databases PubMed and Google Scholar with search terms including bee venom therapy, BVA, pain, cancer, and melittin. Inclusion criteria were studies investigating bee venom in the context of pain or cancer. Exclusion criteria were studies with no evaluation of bee venom and endpoints …

From Movement To Metabolism: The Role Of Exercise In Pcos, Dalilah J. Garcia-Rojas

Summer Interdisciplinary Research Symposium

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of aerobic exercise compared with resistance training in improving metabolic and reproductive outcomes in adult women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Primary outcomes included body mass index (BMI), insulin resistance, and menstrual regularity.

Method: A structured literature search was conducted using PubMed, the National Institutes of Health database, and ScienceDirect. Studies published from 2020 onward involving adult women diagnosed with PCOS were included. Adolescent populations or studies published before 2020 were excluded. Five studies met inclusion criteria, consisting of three systematic reviews with meta-analyses, one randomized controlled trial, and one retrospective secondary analysis.

Results: Both …

Broadening The Integration Of Regional Citrate Anticoagulation In Icu Patients On Crrt, Joshua R. Sylvester

Summer Interdisciplinary Research Symposium

Objective: To evaluate whether alternative approaches to regional citrate anticoagulation implementation may be more broadly integrated into continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) for critically ill intensive care unit patients compared to systemic heparin or no anticoagulation by assessing mortality, filter lifespan, electrolyte and metabolic complications, and monitoring intensity.

Methods: A narrative literature review was performed including studies from PubMed, Google Scholar, and the National Center for Biotechnology Information. Studies were included if they involved adults in the intensive care unit (ICU), patients undergoing CRRT or continuous venovenous hemofiltration (CVVHF), and evaluated anticoagulation strategies such as RCA, unfractionated heparin, or no …

“Beyond Weight Loss: Evaluating The Anti-Inflammatory Potential Of Glp-1 Receptor Agonists In Hidradenitis Suppurativa”, Lindsey Roos

Summer Interdisciplinary Research Symposium

Objective: The purpose of this narrative literature review was to evaluate the role of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) as adjunctive therapy in adults with moderate-to-severe Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). The clinical question explored whether GLP-1 RAs improve disease severity, flare frequency, quality of life, and metabolic outcomes in patients with obesity or metabolic dysfunction.

Methods: A literature review was conducted using Google Scholar, PubMed Central, Christopher Center Library, NIH resources, Research Rabbit, and JAMA Dermatology. Studies published from 2019 to 2025 were reviewed. Inclusion criteria included adults with clinically confirmed moderate-to-severe HS (Hurley stage II–III), measurable baseline disease severity, …

Epidural Analgesia And Postpartum Depression: Is There An Association?, Hannah E. Schoner

Summer Interdisciplinary Research Symposium

Postpartum depression (PPD) affects 1 in 8 women with only 50% diagnosed by a medical professional. Epidural analgesia use during the intrapartum period has been found to have a possible effect on decreasing the risk of PPD. This paper aims to answer the question of if epidural use has a negative association with PPD. A narrative literature review was conducted to evaluate the association between epidural analgesia and PPD. A comprehensive search of Google Scholar and UpToDate was performed using relevant keywords with studies included if they compared PPD outcomes in antepartum women undergoing normal spontaneous vaginal delivery with and …

Cognitive Impairment In Heart Failure: Implications For Clinical Practice And Patient Care, Shiya Kamra

Summer Interdisciplinary Research Symposium

Objective: The purpose of this literature review was to evaluate whether adults with heart failure, compared with adults without heart failure, have an increased risk of cognitive impairment and dementia.

Methods: A narrative literature review used Google Scholar to identify studies evaluating cognitive outcomes in adults with congestive heart failure. Inclusion criteria: English-language full-text articles published since 2020, with one 2018 longitudinal study also selected due to its strong methodology. Studies involving pediatric populations or lacking cognitive outcomes were excluded. Five studies met the inclusion criteria.

Results: The review included three systematic reviews/meta-analyses, one cross-sectional study, and one longitudinal cohort …

War Profits Or Safe Havens? Defence Etfs During The Russia-Ukraine Conflict, Nikita Sharma

Critical Letters in Economics & Finance

Financial markets have traditionally relied on assets such as gold to protect investment portfolios during periods of uncertainty. However, prolonged geopolitical conflicts create economic conditions that affect industries in fundamentally different ways, raising the possibility that certain sector-specific investments may also exhibit defensive characteristics. This paper investigates whether the iShares US Aerospace & Defence ETF (ITA) exhibits safe-haven behaviour during the Russia-Ukraine war, offering an alternative perspective on conventional safe-haven assets and war profit-making. The results indicate that ITA did not meet all the criteria for a conventional safe-haven. Nevertheless, it displayed greater resilience than the broader equity market, maintaining …

Exploring Best Practices In Evaluating Clinical Skills Amongst Nursing Students: A Scoping Review, Kateryna Metersky, Tommy Lin, Tina Lam, Areej Al-Hamad, Daria Romaniuk

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Undergraduate nursing students are required to perform a high-stakes clinical skills test that determines their ability to progress in the program and engage in clinical practice. Nursing students have perceived skills testing to be a stressful and high-pressure situation, leading to a decreased sense of confidence when performing the required skills (Monson et al., 2021). Thus, faculty should not rely solely on students passing a checkoff test as an indicator of safe skill performance, raising questions about the value and utility of such skill checkoffs (Aldridge, 2024). As nursing student enrollment numbers increase to keep pace with human healthcare resource …

Ervin Domingo-Felipe V. Attorney General United States Of America

2026 Decisions

Agency

Personality Traits, Work Values, And Organizational Commitment Predict Retention In Emergency Nursing, Boyu Wang, Bo-Cyuan Wang, Jun-Yu Fan, Li-Chen Chen, Li-Chin Chen, Yi-Ting Wang

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Purpose: Retention of skilled emergency nurses has become a growing challenge worldwide. This study examined how personality traits, work values, and organizational commitment relate to the intention to remain in the workplace. The findings aim to help nursing leaders identify practical approaches to improve retention and strengthen organizational culture.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in the emergency department of a medical center in northern Taiwan. Data were collected from 120 emergency nurses between December 1 and 31, 2023, using validated Chinese versions of the IPIP-15 Big Five Personality Scale, Work Values Questionnaire, Organizational Commitment Scale, and Intent to …

Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Nurse Well-Being Among Clinical Nurses In The Inpatient Setting, Annabelle Arnston, Ora Asheton, Malorie Brooks, Julie Van Orne

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: Nurse well-being is a critical factor influencing patient safety and the sustainability of the nursing profession. Organizations that foster nurse well-being report improved staff retention, satisfaction, and engagement. Low nurse well-being can lead to burnout, compassion fatigue, job dissatisfaction, and high turnover. A nursing evidence-based practice and research council at a pediatric hospital conducted a concept analysis of nurse well-being, which guided the development of a mixed-methods study protocol to examine and enhance nurse well-being. This study explores the lived experiences of clinical nurses regarding wellness in an inpatient pediatric hospital, with the aim of informing the development of …

Secondary Traumatic Stress In Baccalaureate Nursing Students, Kristen N. Oakley, Linda Carman Copel, Jennifer Gunberg Ross

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Nursing students undergoing clinical training are at risk of developing negative physical and psychological secondary traumatic stress (STS) symptoms. However, the study of STS in this population has been limited by both a lack of clarity on the concept of STS and the lack of generalizable findings. Therefore, the purpose of this multi-method study was to determine the prevalence, severity, and experience of STS in traditional, non-accelerated prelicensure baccalaureate nursing students in the United States. The relationship between STS and personal and clinical learning environment factors was also explored. A descriptive, correlational multi-method survey design was used. Instruments included a …