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China Maritime Report #49: The Plan Corruption Paradox: Insights From The 1st Destroyer Flotilla, Ryan D. Martinson

CMSI China Maritime Reports

Main Findings

• Like all organizations led by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the People Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) suffers from endemic corruption, defined as the personal abuse of power for selfish ends.
• Corruption occurs when PLAN leaders use their power to: 1) influence personnel decisions in exchange for money and/or favor; and 2) extract kickbacks for influencing decisions in the contracting/procurement process for equipment and materiel, construction projects, and other service requirements.
• Despite widespread corruption in the PLAN, the service has continued to grow and modernize at an astonishing rate. One explanation for this paradox is that the PLAN has …

Adherence To Inhaled Corticosteroid Medications After An Asthma Exacerbation And The Risk Of Subsequent Exacerbations, Mina Khezrian, Marjan Kerkhof, Tham T Le, Tim Harrison, Tianshi David Wu, Bill Cook, Jonatan Hedberg, Kirsty Rhodes, Nicole Zubizarreta, Joshua Enxing, Trung N Tran

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Data on the duration of improved adherence to controller medications after an exacerbation and its impact on asthma outcomes are inconsistent.

Objective: To describe levels and changes in adherence to inhaled corticosteroid (ICS)-containing medication after a severe exacerbation and the association with future exacerbation risk.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study used data from Optum's deidentified Clinformatics Data Mart Database (October 2015-December 2023). Patients with asthma, 1 or more severe exacerbations, and adherence to ICS-containing therapy (proportion of days covered [PDC]) of less than 80% in the 3 months before an exacerbation were included. Primary and secondary end points were …

Established And Emerging Asthma Biomarkers With A Focus On Biologic Trials: A Narrative Review, Philip F Lavere, Kaitlin M Phillips, Nicola A Hanania, Muhammad Adrish

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Chronic airway inflammation with variable airflow obstruction is clinical asthma, and it arises from distinct molecular and pathological mechanisms called endotypes. Biomarkers allow for precise endotype characterization and have been used in clinical trials to design, monitor, and evaluate outcomes for asthma biologic therapies. This review will highlight the central and evolving role of biomarkers for past, present, and future asthma, with a focus on regulatory-approved biologic therapies and emerging biomarkers. Established biomarkers, including serum immunoglobulin E (IgE), blood eosinophils, the fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), and serum periostin, helped elucidate the complex pathophysiology of the eosinophilic type 2 …

Macrophage Phagocytosis Of Human Norovirus-Infected Cells In An Ex Vivo Human Enteroid-Macrophage Coculture Model, Ngan Fung Li, Sue E Crawford, Sydney R Mittiga, Cristian Coarfa, Hoa Nguyen-Phuc, Budi Utama, Sarah E Blutt, Sasirekha Ramani, Mary K Estes

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Human norovirus (HuNoV) causes acute gastroenteritis in immunocompetent hosts and chronic infection in immunocompromised individuals. Many recent studies of replication and innate immune responses following HuNoV infection have utilized epithelium-only human intestinal enteroids (HIEs), which lack immune cells. Here, we utilized an ex vivo enteroid-macrophage coculture model consisting of HIEs and different subtypes of human peripheral blood mononuclear cell-derived macrophages to better recapitulate in vivo gut biology and explore the role of macrophages in HuNoV replication and pathogenesis. We show that HuNoV infection in HIEs polarized on Transwells leads to bilateral release of the viral genome, with predominant apical virus …

Spatial And Clinical Epidemiology Of Spotted Fever Rickettsioses And Ehrlichiosis, North Carolina, 2010–2019, Amanda Brown Marusiak, Dana A. Giandomenico, Brandon D. Hollingsworth Ph.D., Neha V. Mokashi, Paul L. Delamater, Michael Reiskind, Alexis M. Barbarin, Carl Williams, Ross M. Boyce

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Four Nebraska Public Power District (Nppd) Irrigation Electricity Purchase Options, Matt Stockton

Cornhusker Economics

Farm managers are destined to face a myriad of choices while looking for and seeking the right balance between methods and outcomes that satisfy their individual farm’s needs. Successful farms require productivity, profitability, and continuity. This holds true for the many production choices made throughout the year. One of these opportunities is the purchase of electricity for irrigation. Nebraska is a unique state in that its electric power is generated and delivered by public power companies. The largest single entity in that system is NPPD, which serves all or part of 84 of the 93 counties within the state. NPPD …

High School Teachers’ Experiences Using Data-Driven Decision Making To Implement Supplemental Accelerated Instruction, Stephen Courtney Smith, Sr.

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that was addressed in this study was that high school teachers in a Texas school district struggle to use data-driven decision making (DDDM) to meet the requirements of Texas HB 1416, which mandates specific interventions to address instructional loss. Grounded in the theory of DDDM, by Mandinach et al., the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore high school teachers’ experiences using DDDM to implement supplemental accelerated instruction (SAI) for students who failed to demonstrate proficiency on state exams. Data were collected using semistructured interviews with 12 high school teachers from a Texas school district. Using …

Staff Education Program On Medication Reconciliation In Primary Care, Virginia Ann Bloomer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Medication errors represent a persistent threat to patient safety, particularly during transitions of care in outpatient settings. Despite recognition of the problem, standardized medication reconciliation practices among primary care physicians and nurse practitioners (NPs) remain inconsistent, hindered by varied workflows, unclear responsibilities, and knowledge gaps. To address these issues, a staff education program focusing on medication reconciliation was introduced to seven NPs and three physicians in a primary care clinic. Pre- and post-intervention surveys measured participants’ knowledge and confidence in conducting medication reconciliation and documenting medications in electronic medical records. The average test score improved from 68% to 92%, demonstrating …

Servant Leadership’S Influence On Job Satisfaction And Personal Well-Being Of Teleworking Employees, Michael Cottam

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Employees who suffer from telework often experience physical and psychological isolation, anxiety, loss of sleep, stressors, and burnout. The availability of digital spaces with advancements in information and communication technologies has created a trend of accepting teleworking in many job functions and industries. Managing these digital teams following the enhanced deployment of telework during the years affected by COVID-19 is a primary concern to prevent poor working conditions and deteriorating mental health for teleworking employees. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between servant leadership and job satisfaction and personal well-being of teleworking employees in …

The Lived Experience Of Bariatric Patients During The Pre-Surgical Evaluation, Nathan Paul Wharton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Patients undergoing bariatric surgery have no standard of care for the pre-surgical evaluation process (PSE). Often, these patients look at the PSE as just another hurdle to jump through before reaching surgery. The PSE, however, offers an opportunity for mental health professionals to prepare the patient for the challenging lifestyle changes necessary for weight loss maintenance in the long term. The problem being studied is whether patients feel they are prepared for the unique mental health challenges, eating disorder challenges, and strict lifestyle changes during the PSE. The study followed a qualitative interpretative phenomenological analysis approach to explore the lived …

Exploring The Perceptions Of Organizational Justice Issues On Job Satisfaction And Organizational Commitment Of State Prison Staff, Stefani Trajceski

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

High turnover among correctional staff is a persistent challenge faced by institutions across the United States. Previous research has identified various factors influencing staff turnover intentions, with perceptions of fairness in the workplace playing a key role. Organizational justice theory offers a valuable framework for understanding how these perceptions influence job satisfaction and organizational commitment—factors linked to lower absenteeism and turnover intentions, as well as improved job performance and work-life balance. However, limited qualitative research has explored how these dynamics shape correctional staff experiences within state correctional facilities. The purpose of this study was to examine how correctional staff in …

Educators’ Perceptions Of Multitiered Systems Of Support For Improving Reading And Math Achievement In An Urban School District, Denice Yvonne Garrett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Multitiered systems of support (MTSS) has been shown to benefit students’ academic and behavioral performance in schools. However, despite 4 years of MTSS implementation in one local urban school district, English language arts (ELA) and math underachievement among students remained evident. Guided by Hall and Hord’s concerns-based adoption model, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore educators’ perceptions of MTSS for improving ELA and math achievement in the local urban school district. Ten educators purposively sampled from the local district participated in semistructured interviews. Thematic analysis using inductive, open coding of the interview data was conducted. Themes …

Stock Market Responses To Us Presidential Cycles (2013–2025): From Blue To Red And Back Again?, Ajai Palanichamy

Critical Letters in Economics & Finance

This paper examines the role of presidential election periods and their effect on long-run interdependence and volatility of the S&P 500 and the NASDAQ Composite indices from 2013 to early 2025. The study comprises four subsamples that cover four US Presidential Administrations, namely, the second term of President Obama, the first term of President Trump, the first term of President Biden, and the initial stage of the second term of President Trump, examining daily closing prices. The GARCH (1,1) model is implemented to examine volatility patterns. The evidence shows how market volatility differs in different election years, with the most …

Implementing Nurse-Led Late Life Depression Screening In An Acute Care Setting, Kate A. Barba, Shannon Mahoney

General Submissions: Clinical Settings Materials

Aims of the study were: (a) examine the effectiveness of a geriatric-specific depression screening and referral protocol in identifying depression in hospitalized older adults; (b) assess outcomes when a patient screens positive for depression and is referred to a social worker; and (c) evaluate nurses’ perceptions of the acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility of the GDS-5 in an acute care setting.

Intersystem Crossing Outcompetes Triplet-Pair Separation From1(Tt) Below 270 K In Anthradithiophene Films, Eman M. Bu Ali, Arnau Bertran, Gabriel Moise, Shuangqing Wang, Rachel C. Kilbride, John E. Anthony, Claudia E. Tait, Jenny Clark

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Singlet fission (SF) and triplet–triplet annihilation (TTA) are processes which may be exploited to boost the efficiency of solar energy technology. Despite being studied since the late 1960s, the mechanism of singlet fission is still not fully understood. This is partly because the main technique used to study singlet fission, optical or visible/near-IR transient absorption spectroscopy, cannot distinguish between the strongly coupled triplet-pair state¹(TT), weakly interacting triplet pairs (T..T), and independent triplet states T₁+ T₁. To solve this problem, we combine transient optical spectroscopy performed as a function of magnetic field and transient electron …

Re: Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Final Insufficiently Reclaimed Sites Field Sampling And Investigation Plan (Fsp) For Ur-19 – Butte, Anaconda & Pacific Railway From Montana Street To South Arizona Avenue – Montana Street Adjacent Parcel, Mike Mcanulty

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Mathematics Student Teachers' Curricular Reasoning During Planning, Erika Breann Miller

Theses and Dissertations

Teaching is a complex practice, in part because of all the decisions teachers make daily. This is especially true for student teachers who have little to no prior teaching experience to inform them about the decisions that need to be made in the classroom and how to reason through all those decisions as they plan and enact the lessons. Secondary mathematics student teachers were introduced to the Instructional Pyramid (Dingman et al., 2021) which organizes and maps teacher’s mathematical reasoning onto four elements of a classroom—teacher, student, mathematics, and curriculum—to examine which curricular reasoning aspects they use while planning mathematics …

What If The Swans Wreaking Havoc In Supply Chains Are Grey Not Black?, Tony N.K. Lynch, Adrian E. Coronado Mondragon, Joo Y. Jung

Management Faculty Publications

Grey Swan is a relatively new construct that has not been adequately operationalised in supply chain management research. This work provides a supply chain management explanation and perspective on Grey Swans by distinguishing their characteristics relative to their more inconspicuous kindred, the Black Swans. Predictability and consequences are used to differentiate between the types of risk represented by black and grey swan events, as these are precursors to a set of descriptive and prescriptive (normative) views resulting from two pilot studies. Pilot studies were conducted to establish the validity and reliability of four types of supply chain disruptions comprising: labour …

An Assessment Of Basic Needs Insecurities In Grand Valley State University Residence Halls, Matthew Bristol

Masters Theses

Basic needs insecurity scholarship in higher education consistently highlights the need to provide more and better support to students. Little research has been done to address basic needs insecurity in residence halls, and this study is the first to use the #RealCollege survey to evaluate basic needs insecurity among residential students. I use the results of the survey tell the story of what it is like for Grand Valley State University students to face basic needs insecurity while living on campus, to assess what resources participants use to secure their basic needs and offer recommendations for improved support offerings to …

Determining The Origin Of An Isolated Great Lakes Plant Species, Agoseris Glauca (Asteraceae), Seth Paul Hiers

Masters Theses

Small, isolated populations often have low genetic diversity and low potential for adaptation in response to environmental changes. Alternatively, isolated communities are often more likely to display local adaptations and over time speciate. The Great Lakes Region is home to over 50 vascular plant species that are disjunct from the species’ core populations. Agoseris glauca (Asteraceae) is a Great Lakes disjunct and Michigan state threatened species geographically isolated from its core range by 900 km. This study uses Genotyping by Sequencing to assess the population genetics of A. glauca for two Michigan disjunct populations and five western populations in the …

Clinical Outcomes Following Endoscopic Carpal Tunnel Release With The Arthrex Nanoscopic Release System-A Single Surgeon Experience, Sina Ramtin, Asif M. Ilyas

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Faculty Papers

PURPOSE: Endoscopic carpal tunnel release (ECTR) is a minimally invasive alternative to open release, offering faster recovery and reduced postoperative discomfort. The Arthrex NanoScopic ECTR system, a novel single-use device using chip-on-tip digital imaging and designed for use under local anesthesia without arthroscopic equipment, may further streamline care and expand surgical access.

METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted of the first 50 consecutive ECTR procedures performed using the Arthrex NanoScopic system by a single hand fellowship-trained hand surgeon. All procedures were completed under wide-awake local anesthesia no tourniquet technique in an outpatient surgical center. Outcomes included operative times, adverse events, …

The Impact Of Family Violence On Bullying Behaviour Among Secondary School Students In Ilorin Metropolis, Oyedotun Dolapo Ilori, Patrick O. Akerele, Ifeoluwa Blessing Michael

Buletin Konseling Inovatif

Family violence remains a significant social issue with far-reaching consequences for adolescents, particularly in shaping their behavioural tendencies, including bullying. This study examines the impact of family violence on bullying behaviour among secondary school students in Ilorin Metropolis, which comprises three Local Government Areas (Ilorin South, Ilorin West, and Ilorin East). The study adopts a descriptive survey research design to assess the extent to which exposure to family violence influences students' bullying behaviours, while also considering the role of peer influence. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed to select 417 students from both public and private secondary schools in Ilorin …

Trishna Paulson, Petitioner/ Appellant V. Christopher Paulson, Respondent/ Appellee : Reply Brief, Utah Court Of Appeals

Utah Court of Appeals Briefs (2020 –)

Appeal from the Fourth Judicial District Court, Utah County, Utah Honorable Christine S. Johnson, Presiding

Rodney R. Parker, Attorneys for Appellant

The Effects Of Moderate-Intensity Physical Exercise And Yoga Interventions On Stress In Hispanic College Students: A Pilot Study, Hongxing Lu, Florentino Saenz, Preethi Raju, Ednia Gutierrez, Sue Anne Chew, Saraswathy Nair

Health & Biomedical Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Hispanic college students face high stress, which may increase their risk for chronic stress-related health issues. Effective and accessible stress management strategies for this population remain limited. Objective: This pilot study filled a gap by studying the effects of psychological stress on diet and physical activity habits and evaluating the impact of moderate-intensity physical exercise (MIPE) and yoga interventions on chronic psychological stress and acute stress responses among Hispanic college students. Methods: A total of 18 Hispanic college students participated in a 6-week intervention consisting of either MIPE or yoga, conducted twice weekly. Anthropometric measurements and lifestyle data were …

The Association Between Sunlight Exposure Duration, Region Of Birth And Skin Conditions Linked To Skin Cancer Risk Among Migrant Hispanic Farmworkers, Uchechukwu Fidelia Nnoruka

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Prolonged exposure to sunlight increases the risk of developing skin conditions linked to skin cancer. Migrant Hispanic farmworkers are especially at risk due to extended outdoor labor, limited access to preventive care, and minimal occupational protections. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the association between sun exposure duration and region of birth with the presence of skin conditions associated with skin cancer among migrant Hispanic farmworkers in the United States. This study was grounded by the Social Ecological Model, which provided a comprehensive framework for examining multilevel factors influencing skin health outcomes. Using a cross-sectional design, secondary …

Counselors’ Competency Development In Suicidal Ideation Assessments Of Black American Adolescents, Salita Mcclelland Wynn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Black American adolescents have increased rates of suicidal ideation above what is noted in the general U.S. youth and adolescent population. An in-depth literature supports the notion that many counselors and mental health clinicians, post-graduation from their training programs, feel ill-equipped to assess suicidal ideation in Black American adolescents. The purpose of this qualitative, hermeneutic phenomenological study was to examine the lived experiences and competence of counselors who have clinical experience working with Black American adolescents who have suicidal ideation. Prior to the inception of this research, no other documented study addressed counselor competence with assessing suicidal ideation in Black …

Role Of Perceived Social Support And Knowledge Of Postpartum Depression Among Women In Anambra State, Eastern Nigeria, Raphael Oluwasina Babatola Folorunsho

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Postpartum depression (PPD) is an increasingly pressing public health issue, particularly in low-resource settings like Nigeria, where maternal mental health tends to receive limited attention. This study explored the relationship between maternal awareness of PPD, perceived social support, and prevalence of depressive symptoms among postpartum women in the Nnewi North Local Government Area (LGA) of Anambra State. Grounded in the social support theory, health belief model, and socioecological model, the study used a descriptive cross-sectional research design. A total of 406 postpartum women attending primary healthcare centers were surveyed using validated instruments, including the PHQ-9 and MSPSS. Statistical analyses included …

Successful Strategies To Attract And Retain Library Staff, Tamesha Renee Cunningham

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Public and private libraries in the Midwestern United States are experiencing a significant staff shortage, a problem that concerns community members, library directors, and policymakers. Staff shortages hinder access of community members to essential library services, including literacy programs, informational support, job application assistance, research assistance, and safety during community crises. This qualitative, pragmatic inquiry study explored effective strategies successful library leaders used to attract and retain qualified employees. Grounded in Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene theory, this study explored successful retention practices applied by six purposively sampled library managers and directors in the Midwestern United States. Data included interview transcripts and a …

School-Based Peer Mentoring Programs To Support New Teacher Retention, Denisha Logan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

An increased rate of attrition among new educators underscores the urgency of addressing the challenges faced by early career teachers. The problem addressed in this study was the high attrition rate of new teachers in middle-low-income urban schools in Maryland. Guided by Kram’s mentoring theory and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of new teachers regarding how the school-based peer mentoring program contributed to them remaining at their schools. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 novice teachers who had fewer than 3-years of experience teaching at the study site. Thematic …

Cardiometabolic Outcomes In The Obese African American Population With Rheumatoid Arthritis, Cecilia Jillo Walan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disproportionately impacts African American adults, particularly those with obesity, due to overlapping cardiometabolic risks and health care disparities. The intersection of RA, obesity, and chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease (CVD) and hypertension underscores the need for targeted public health interventions. This study investigated the association between RA and cardiometabolic outcomes among African American adults with obesity, aiming to identify significant predictors within this high-risk population. This quantitative study employed a cross-sectional design to analyze data from the 1999–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey undergirded by the social ecological change framework with N=23644 African American adults …