Digital Commons Network^™

What Is Clinical Excellence, And How Do Healthcare Companies Achieve It?, Lorena R. Muller

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Clinical excellence is the benchmark for quality in modern healthcare organizations, encompassing safe, effective, patient-centered, timely, efficient, and equitable care. For organizations to develop excellent care facilities, they must clearly define the roles and responsibilities of their healthcare teams. These necessities include strong leadership, a structured staff, a functioning clinical support system, and finally, a focus and strategy to help their community's population health needs. By examining existing programs and developing them in response to the needs of healthcare organizations and communities, this article explores various ways to achieve excellence.

Enhancing Stem Education With Generative Ai: A Case Study Exploring Student Learning, Motivation, And Teacher Perception In Thailand, Parin Chawalit

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This qualitative case study investigates how generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools can support STEM education in a Thai secondary school setting. Conducted during a one-day STEM camp involving 50 students (grades 9–11) and one science teacher, the study explored the use of ChatGPT and Gemini to support students’ engagement in a bridge design challenge. The research examined GenAI’s influence on student learning within the engineering design process (EDP), student motivation and engagement, and teacher perceptions of AI integration.

Thematic analysis of observations, student surveys, interviews, and AI interaction logs revealed that GenAI tools supported students primarily during the early phases …

"Esta Es Mi Tierra, Esta Es Mi Lucha" An Analysis Of The Intersectional Latino Immigrant Community Organizing In Maywood, California, Alma D. Alvarado

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The city of Maywood serves as a microscope for major systemic issues that happen on a global scale and are often magnified in the Los Angeles area. The location and timeframe serve to analyze how Latino immigrant communities in southeast Los Angeles faced discrimination in the late 90s and early 2000’s. This study shows how these communities come together and organize to combat major problems, exploring topics like immigration, housing, environmental justice, policing, and overall community organizing. This story focuses on how an underrepresented community without a voice became politicized. Maywood is a town that struggles in progress, but its …

The Relationship Between Perceived Racial Discrimination And Psychological Distress: The Role Of Psychological Inflexibility, Kyrah Breann Frank

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Research has shown that marginalized groups experience perceived racial discrimination as traumatic, humiliating, and hurtful (Brown-Iannuzzi et al., 2014). Multiple studies have associated perceived racial discrimination with physical and mental health outcomes such as depression (Brown-Iannuzzi et al., 2014.; Shallcross & Spruill, 2017; Zapolski et al., 2018), cardiovascular problems (Watson-Singleton et al., 2019; Zapolski et al., 2018), anxiety (Zapolski et al., 2018), and stress (Graham et al., 2013; Watson-Singleton et al., 2019). Studies have also shown that mindfulness buffered/moderated the relationship between perceived racial discrimination and health outcomes (Brown-Iannuzzi et al., 2014; Graham et al., 2013; Shallcross & Spruill, 2017; …

Building Safer Spaces:Exploring Supportive Leadership And Remote Work As Strategies Against Lgbtqia+ Mistreatment, Saray Valenzuela Jaime

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Organizations worldwide are undergoing significant transformations driven by employees’ demands for healthier, more inclusive workplaces (Mercer, 2022). This shift amplified by the influx of Gen Z and Millennial workers, whose higher rates of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+) identification have nearly doubled the proportion of sexual- and gender-minority employees over the past decade, reshaping work dynamics. Yet, nearly half of all LGBT employees experience unfair treatment based on their gender identity or sexual orientation (Sears et al., 2021). LGBTQIA+ identity and hostile workplace climates, marked by mistreatment and discrimination, negatively impact organizational effectiveness by undermining employee …

Clocking Out: Experiences Of Customer Sexual Harassment, Coping, And Psychological Well-Being Among Waitresses, Paola Lopez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Workplace sexual harassment (WSH) is an ongoing issue which has been growing in literature especially when looking at the effects of WSH on employees. Yet, few studies have looked at workplace sexual harassment that occurs from customers towards employees known as customer sexual harassment (CSH). The current study investigates the role of coping strategies as a moderator when responding to CSH and the effects on employees' short- and long-term psychological well-being in terms of anxiety and depression.

Breaking Barriers, Building Realities: Designing A Pedagogically Sound Onboarding Process For Immersive Media Classroom Integration, Esperanza B. Martinez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

As immersive media technologies such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR) continue to gain traction in education, the need for a roadmap for educators to adopt these new learning technologies in a manner that enhances student learning increases. This project explores essential elements of an effective onboarding process for extended reality (XR)-enabled learning environments, focusing the recommendations for an anonymous virtual reality lab located at a public, 4-year university in Southern California. The study analyzes interviews from twelve students experiencing VR for the first time under three different onboarding contexts: no onboarding, Meta’s First Steps …

Rural Peer Helpers Speak: How One Program Makes A Difference, Misty S. Whisenhunt

College of Education

The problem this mixed-methods convergent research study aimed to explore was the increasing incidence of rural high school students performing poorly academically, socially, and emotionally. This mixed-methods convergent research study aimed to examine one peer helper program as perceived by rural high school peer helpers. This research study aimed to answer the following research questions: (1) How do rural high school peer helpers perceive their experience as a peer helper? (2) What are the key elements of Thriveway’s Peer Helpers PLUS Program as perceived by rural high school peer helpers? (3) How effective is Thriveway’s Peer Helpers PLUS Program’s training …

Black Belt Football Players' Perceptions Of Their Football And Academic Environments, Paul David Kadle Jr.

College of Education

The achievement gap between rural and non-rural schools is persistent. This study examines the achievement gap problem by analyzing two groups of rural schools to better understand their ecologies and the inner workings of rural schools. Ecological Systems Theory is the framework from which this study operates while looking at the mesosystemic relationship between the microsystems of high school football teams and classrooms in the Black Belt and otherwise rural areas of Alabama and Mississippi. A non-experimental quantitative survey design was used to answer research questions that focused on the achievement gap between Black Belt and non-Black Belt rural schools …

National Immunization Awareness Month, Sandra Yvette Desjardins

TMC Library Newsletter (2015-)

August marks National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM)—a time to spotlight the vital role vaccines play in protecting people of all ages.

Explore the Power of Vaccines with Trusted Resources from the TMC Library

Book Review: Verified: How To Think Straight, Get Duped Less, And Make Better Decisions About What To Believe Online, Glenn Koelling

LOEX Quarterly

No abstract provided.

Techmatters: Affinity For Design Layout: Turning The Page On Microsoft Publisher, Krista Graham

LOEX Quarterly

No abstract provided.

Six Lineages Of Cercospora Are Responsible For Cercospora Leaf Blight And Purple Seed Stain On Soybean In Brazil, Leandro Luiz Borges, Thiago Freitas Ferreira, Marina Garofalo Lana, Isabela Delpupo Caliman, Newton Deniz Piovesan, Burton H. Bluhm, Luiz Orlando De Oliveira

Plant Pathology Faculty Publications and Presentations

The genus Cercospora is widely distributed and causes foliar diseases, including those affecting soybean. Cercosporoid species exhibit high intraspecific variation, and the lack of distinct morphological features has led to host plant association becoming a key criterion for species delimitation. Recently, in addition to C. kikuchii, other species such as C. cf. flagellaris, C. cf. sigesbeckiae, and C. cf. nicotianae have been linked to Cercospora Leaf Blight (CLB) and Purple Seed Stain (PSS) in soybean. In this study, phylogenetic and phylogeographic analyses were used to identify six Cercospora lineages responsible for causing CLB and PSS across Brazil. A total of …

Ambidexterity Leadership Behaviors And Their Impact On Organizational Immunity In The Iraqi Ministry Of Education, Donia Mohsen Abbas, Salah Abd- Alqadeer Ahmed Al- Nuiami

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

This study investigates the effect of ambidextrous leadership behaviors on organizational immunity in the Iraqi Ministry of Education. Based on ambidextrous leadership theory which is a balance between open and closed leadership behaviors, the study investigates how these two dimensions impact organizational learning, memory, and DNA. Using a descriptive-analytical approach, data was collected through questionnaires and interviews from 183 administrative leaders. The results indicate that organizational immunity is significantly affected by open leadership behaviors as well as closed leadership behaviors. Open behaviors foster innovation, knowledge sharing, and collaborative problem solving, whereas closed behaviors maintain structure, consistency, and focus on goal …

Predicting Stock Market Indicators Using A Hybrid Model (Arima-Garch): An Analytical Study Of Some Gulf Financial Market Indicators, Mohammed H. Adnan, Manaf Ahmed Ahmed

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

Purpose: The research aims to compare the results of forecasting financial market indicators in the Arabian Gulf using the hybrid ARIMA-GARCH model. This research argues for the efficiency of traditional standard models in forecasting for relatively long periods. Methodology: The hybridization technique initially depends on the selection of the best autoregressive integrated moving average model for prediction according to the automatic selection function for the proposed models that achieve the best statistical conditions. The models chosen in the previous step represent the inputs for using the (1,1,1) GARCH model for the prediction. Both models predict financial market indicators from outside …

Economic Analysis Of The Impact Of Development Programs On Buffalo Milk Producers In The Marshes Of Iraq As A Model, Mowj M. Nadhim, Osama K. Jabara, Mohammed J. Abdulradh

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

The research examined the impact of development programs on local buffalo milk ‎producers in the marsh areas of Iraq, focusing on productivity levels and residents' living ‎standards. Data was collected from 200 producers in the governorates of Dhi-Qar, Maysan, ‎and Basra, all participating in the development program. ‎ The research assumed that the introduction of modern technologies and the provision ‎of production requirements by international organizations or government initiatives would ‎enhance the production levels and productivity of the rural population. Consequently, this ‎improvement may reflect their standard of living and strengthen their connection to the ‎land, thereby reducing migration. These …

Role Of Financial Inclusion In Poverty Alleviation In Jigawa State Nigeria; The Moderating Effect Of Financial Literacy, Abdulnasir Yola Turawa, Aminu Jakada, Nadira Madaki Iliyasu, Abdullahi Dayyabu Marmara

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

A need for research that examines how financial inclusion alleviates poverty in Jigawa state with a specific focus on the moderating effect of financial literacy. The study utilizes Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Financial inclusion was found to contribute to poverty alleviation by granting access to essential financial amenities like loans, savings, and insurance. Additionally, financial literacy significantly curbs this relationship by enhancing the efficiency of financial inclusion in poverty alleviation. Individuals who utilize financial services more effectively were found to have higher financial literacy, resulting in improved financial stability, increased savings, and investments in income-generating activities. Recommendation …

Activation And Suppression Mechanisms Of The Nrg1 Helper Nlrs, Yu-Ru Wang, Ruize Zhang, Daowen Wang, Yong Wang, Zheng Qing Fu

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

2025-2026 Lindenwood University Graduate Course Catalog, Lindenwood University

Course Catalogs

Lindenwood University Graduate Course Catalog

2025-2026 Lindenwood University Undergraduate Course Catalog, Lindenwood University

Course Catalogs

Lindenwood University Undergraduate Course Catalog

A Pilot Structured Mentorship Program To Increase Pediatric Advanced Practice Provider Engagement At An Academic Institution, Erica Annotti, Dnp, Aprn, Pnp

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Introduction/Purpose: Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) transitioning into academic healthcare often face challenges related to role clarity, professional identity, and emotional support, which can hinder their engagement and retention. This quality improvement project aimed to design, implement, and evaluate a structured mentorship pilot program for pediatric APPs to increase work engagement by 10%.

Methods: Grounded in the Strong Model for Advanced Practice and Wagner’s Caring Mentorship Framework, the project employed a mixed-methods QI design. Four pediatric APPs (n=4) participated in an 8-week structured mentorship program. Interventions included the intentional pairing of mentors and mentees, biweekly one-on-one sessions, and targeted professional development …

Curved Confinement Directs Anchoring-Mediated Structural Transitions In Highly Chiral Liquid Crystal Shells, Sepideh Norouzi, Jeremy Money, Stiven Villada-Gil, José Martínez-Gonález, Monirosadat Sadati

Faculty Publications

Cholesteric liquid crystals (CLCs) confined in curved geometries exhibit a rich spectrum of defectmediated morphologies governed by the interplay between chirality, curvature, surface anchoring, and confinement. This study systematically investigates structural transitions in highly chiral CLC shells under asymmetric anchoring conditions, focusing on the effects of shell thickness and curvature on pitch axis reorientation and defect formation. Utilizing microfluidic techniques, we generate core–shell droplets with independently tunable anchoring at inner and outer aqueous interfaces. Transitioning from planar–planar to planar-homeotropic boundary conditions via surfactant-mediated modulation induces profound reorganizations in the director field, giving rise to focal conic domains (FCDs), stripe patterns, …

Reconsidering “Luxury” Bones: Comprehending The Capacity For Care Coordination In Maine’S Oral Health Policy Environment, Molly S. Williams

All Student Scholarship

Case management takes a comprehensive and coordinated approach to providing healthcare for patients who often have complex or chronic needs. It began as a practice in medical care in the early 1900s, and it has roots in both social welfare and public health. The evolution and formalization in the U.S. medical care system can be traced over time: the earliest practitioners were nurses and social workers engaging with charitable organizations; expansion of some services followed the introduction of general welfare benefits in the Social Security Act and workers’ compensation insurance (1930s); insurance companies began covering services to assist World War …

On The Garoufalidis-Kashaev State-Integral Invariant, Amelia Palmer Dusenbury

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores a construction of the family of topological invariants for certain oriented 3-manifolds based on the state-integral approach developed by Andersen, Garoufalidis, and Kashaev in the Archimedean setting. Starting from an ideal triangulation of a 3-manifold equipped with angle data, variables are assigned to the faces and tetrahedra, taking values in a so-called 'Gaussian group'. The invariant is defined by integrating a distribution defined from the combinatorics of the triangulation and a special function over a product of the Gaussian group. The special function is a quantum dilogarithm, whose valuable feature, the pentagon relation, ensures the resulting integral …

Implementation Of A Zen Room To Decrease Perceived Stress: A Quality Improvement Project, Michelle Tat

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Introduction: This quality improvement project addresses a lack of quiet space for staff to de-stress. The goal was to create a Zen room at a substance abuse treatment facility to decrease self-perceived stress in staff by 15% within three months.

Methodology: The PDSA cycle was applied to the creation of a Zen room. Stress was measured with questions from the Perceived Stress Scale at baseline, entry, and exit. 23 participants recorded Zen room entry. Limitations included small sample size and exit survey attrition. Implementation challenges included budget issues and low response rates. Stress levels were compared at baseline, room entry, …

Evaluation Of The Psychometric Properties Of The Social Communication Questionnaire In Rural Kenya, Patricia Kipkemoi, Jeanne Savage, Joseph Gona, Kenneth Rimba, Martha Kombe, Paul Mwangi, Collins Kipkoech, Danielle Posthuma, Charles Newton, Amina Abubakar

Institute for Human Development, East Africa

Children can be reliably diagnosed with autism as early as 3 years of age, and early interventions are initiated. There is often a significant gap between the age of onset of symptoms (2–3 years) and diagnosis (8–10 years) in Africa. We conducted a study to validate the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ) as a screening instrument in a rural setting in Kenya. The study was conducted along the Kenyan Coast. Study participants included 172 children with a neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD) diagnosis (84 of which were autism) and 112 controls. Internal consistency was evaluated through the use of Cronbach’s alpha, confirmatory factor …

Light & Faith: August 2025, Taylor University

Light & Faith

No abstract provided.

Promoting Understanding Of Soft Power Theory : A Case Study Of Confucius Institutes Along The Belt And Road, Dan Yang

Lingnan Theses (Doctoral degree)

This dissertation explores the function of Confucius Institutes (CI) as key tools within China’s soft power approach, particularly in the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). It provides a detailed and empirically based analysis of how these institutes operate within various national contexts. Drawing upon Joseph Nye’s soft power theory and supported by literature on public diplomacy, this study assesses the ways in which CIs translate cultural, linguistic, and educational assets into international influence. Despite the rapid expansion of CIs globally, their actual effectiveness in achieving cultural diplomacy and tangible soft power outcomes remains uncertain. Advocates emphasize the …

香港电动车的消费者行为与政策评估, Shu Ching Paul Lau

Lingnan Theses (Doctoral degree)

研究旨在找出电动车发展中影响消费者行为的各种因素，涵盖补贴政策、充电设施、消费行为和环保意识进行深入调查；分析电动车发展和政策带来的挑战与机遇；探讨电动车消费者行为与补贴政策的因果关系；评估香港电动车政策及发展带来的影响和解决方案。

本研究运用SPSS软件对问卷调查进行分析，并结合深度访谈；通过定量与定性相结合的研究方法，交叉检测和验证，增强文章的内容和深度；以“三元交互决定论” 和“决策理论”为基础，构建认知、政策、行为、反馈模型，凸显本研究的独特价值。

研究成果提出策略性、替代性和创意性的解决方案； 优化政策的前期阶段积极补贴消费者购车；第二阶段，引入并推广安装智能充电桩设施，实现快速充电以满足需求，改善充电设施供需平衡；最后阶段，加强执行力度，推动绿色出行，鼓励频繁使用电动车的消费者；避免浪费公帑，实现可持续发展。

本研究还提出了补贴政策调整方案，建议不仅在理论上具有先进性，而且在实践中也体现出高效性和清晰性，为政策制定者提供了科学、坚实的理论支撑；调整方案不仅简明扼要，而且能够增强实施效果，有利于为政策制定者提供科学依据的建议；成为本文的重要发现，为学术研究提供了科学、有价值的参考。

This research aims to find out the various factors that influence consumer behavior in the development of electric vehicles, and conduct in-depth investigations into subsidy policies, charging facilities, consumer behavior and environmental awareness; analyze the challenges and opportunities brought by the development and policies of electric vehicles; explore the causal relationship between electric vehicle consumer behavior and subsidy policies; evaluate the impact and solutions brought by Hong Kong's electric vehicle policies and development.

This study used SPSS software to analyze the questionnaire survey and combined it with in-depth interviews; through a combination of quantitative …

Serum Syndecan-1 Is Associated With Kidney And Cardiovascular Outcomes In Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome., Colin Bauer, Arshia Anand, Christine Sethna, Jonathan Troost, Tarak Srivastava, Imtiazul Islam, Audrey Fetsko, Julie A. Dougherty, William E. Smoyer, Richard J. Johnson, Gabriel Cara-Fuentes

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

INTRODUCTION: Idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (INS) is associated with important kidney and cardiovascular morbidities. We tested the hypothesis that serum syndecan-1, a marker of endothelial glycocalyx injury, can help identify patients at risk for unfavorable kidney and cardiovascular outcomes.

METHODS: We included 348 children and adults with INS (n = 35 unbiopsied, n = 141 minimal change disease [MCD] and n = 172 focal segmental glomerulosclerosis [FSGS]) from the Nephrotic Syndrome Study Network (NEPTUNE) cohort and 34 healthy participants (n = 22 adults, n = 12 children). We measured baseline serum syndecan-1 levels using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and …