Digital Commons Network^™

Influence Of National Policies In Addressing Intimate Partner Violence In Sierra Leone, Yatta Matilda Musa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Intimate partner violence (IPV) has been shown to be a critical public health and human rights crisis in Sierra Leone driven by patriarchal sociocultural norms. However, despite legislative frameworks like the Domestic Violence Act of 2007, IPV incidents continue to rise, revealing a gap in policy implementation and real-world enforcement. Past research has documented IPV prevalence, yet an empirical evaluation assessing how stakeholders viewed the impact of national policies on prevention and response had not been conducted. The purpose of this study was to explore frontline stakeholders' perceptions regarding the operational influence of existing IPV policies. Grounded in the narrative …

Staff Education To Improve Depression Screening Adherence Using The Patient Health Questionnaire-2/Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Jeremiah Umeh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Depression is a common mental health condition that frequently goes undetected in primary care because of inconsistent screening and follow-up practices. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice quality improvement project was to develop, implement, and evaluate an evidence-based staff education program to improve adherence to standardized depression screening using the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) in a primary care clinic. Eighteen clinical staff members, including registered nurses, medical assistants, and primary care providers, participated in a structured educational intervention focused on standardized screening, documentation, scoring, and referral procedures. Project outcomes were evaluated using pre- …

Implementation Of A Nightshift Sleep Promotion Bundle To Support Delirium Prevention In A Neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit, Pamella Simpson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) quality improvement project aimed to identify the need for a consistent sleep-promotion protocol in an adult neurosurgical intensive care unit (NSICU). Disrupted sleep is a frequent problem for patients who are seriously ill and can lead to delirium, longer hospital stays, higher health care expenses, diminished cognitive function, and death. While there was evidence supporting nonpharmacological sleep-promotion and delirium-risk-reduction interventions, they were not consistently implemented at the project site, creating a gap between evidence and clinical practice. The purpose of this project was to implement and evaluate an evidence-based night-shift sleep-promotion bundle. The practice-focused …

Staff Education To Improve Knowledge On Accurate Administration Of Medication, Deepu Pudasaini

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Medication errors have been a significant problem, primarily due to a lack of continuous monitoring and inadequate training for personnel involved in managing or administering medications in non-healthcare settings. These errors often go undetected or unreported. This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was a staff education project to improve staff knowledge of accurate medication administration of medication in a group home. The practice-focused question was: Will a staff education program on the accurate administration of medication improve certified medication technicians’ (CMTs) knowledge about the association between the medication administration process and medication error? The purpose of this DNP staff …

Hypnotherapists’ Perspectives On Using Hypnosis To Address Somatic Symptoms In Clients With Psychological Distress, Tina Wilkerson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Somatic symptoms accompany psychological distress and can affect well-being. Hypnosis has demonstrated effectiveness in reducing psychological distress and related somatic symptoms, but limited research has explored hypnotherapists’ perspectives on its clinical application. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the experiences of licensed hypnotherapists with 3 years of experience using hypnosis to treat adults experiencing somatic symptoms associated with psychological distress. Guided by Engel’s biopsychosocial model and Hilgard’s neodissociation theory, data were collected through semistructured interviews with 10 licensed hypnotherapists and analyzed using phenomenological reduction and thematic analysis. Analysis resulted in four primary themes: (a) mind–body connection …

Improving Identification And Initial Management Of Perimenopause In Primary Care, Yewande Banire

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Perimenopause is a common but frequently underrecognized stage of reproductive aging that can significantly affect women's physical, psychological, cognitive, and sexual well-being. In primary care, inconsistent provider education and the absence of standardized screening and assessment processes often contribute to delayed recognition and fragmented management. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice quality improvement project was to develop, implement, and evaluate an evidence-based clinical practice guideline to improve the identification and initial management of perimenopause in a primary care setting. Guided by the Johns Hopkins Evidence-Based Practice Model, the project involved synthesizing and critically appraising the literature to develop …

Educating Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners On Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotic Medication Management, Omonzua Mabel Eromosele

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) staff education project addressed the underutilization of long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotic medications in an outpatient mental health center. Although LAI antipsychotics improve medication adherence, reduce relapse, and decrease psychiatric hospitalization, provider knowledge deficits and inconsistent prescribing practices lead to their underuse. The practice-focused question was: Among psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNPs) in an outpatient mental health center, what is the impact of an educational program on the application of LAI antipsychotic medication management on the improvement of staff knowledge? The purpose of this project was to implement and evaluate evidence-based educational intervention to improve …

Reducing Copd Readmissions Through An Evidenced-Based Clinical Practice Guideline, Courtney Rye

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of morbidity, mortality, and hospital readmissions, with rural critical access hospitals (CAHs) facing unique challenges in delivering consistent, evidence-based care. At the pilot CAH medical–surgical unit, local chart review and practice observation revealed an approximately 18% 30-day COPD readmission rate and significant variation in discharge education, written action plans, inhaler technique assessment, and structured post‑discharge follow‑up. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice project was to develop and appraise an evidence‑based, Appraisal of Guidelines Research and Evaluation II (AGREE II) and Institute of Medicine–compliant COPD clinical practice guideline (CPG) to …

Machine Learning-Driven Prediction And Design Guidance For Asphalt Concrete Using Marshall Stability And Indirect Tensile Strength, Jianglei Xing, Xiao Tan, Mu Guo, Pengwei Guo, Yuhuan Wang, Dongzhao Jin

Michigan Tech Publications

This work addresses the simultaneous prediction of Marshall Stability (MS) and Indirect Tensile Strength (ITS) by integrating machine learning models with multi-objective optimization for the preliminary design of asphalt concrete. Based on 389 experimental samples, 15 variables were selected to describe asphalt properties, aggregate gradation, volumetric parameters and fiber characteristics, and four dual-output prediction models were developed. The models were evaluated using 50 Monte Carlo splits. TabICLv2 performed slightly better for MS prediction, with an RMSE of 1.49 ± 0.22 kN and an R of 0.85 ± 0.04, whereas TabPFN showed a slight advantage for ITS prediction, achieving an RMSE …

Hybrid Photonic–Electronic Neuromorphic Integrated Circuits, Lilian Neim

Theses

Photonic neural networks use integrated photonic circuits to perform neural network operations with high bandwidth and the potential for energy-efficient computation. In these systems, optical device responses can represent weights, and wavelength division multiplexing enables multiple wavelength channels to be processed in parallel within the same waveguide. However, scalable photonic neural network hardware needs weights that can be programmed, stored, and read reliably. Many current approaches require continuous electrical or thermal tuning to hold the optical state. This dissertation addresses this challenge by developing a hybrid photonic-electronic approach to non-volatile electro-optic memory. Here, we design and demonstrate a non-volatile electro-optic …

The Defining Role Of Ago4 And Its Catalytic Activity During De Novo Rna-Directed Dna Methylation, Tianyi Li

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Plant transposable elements and transgenes are continuously targeted for transcriptional repression via the pathway of RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM). Although perpetual RdDM of the endogenous genomic loci has been well studied in the field, much less is known about the de novo RdDM pathway, the pioneering round of DNA methylation responsible for triggering and initiating silencing of new transgenes. Despite being two distinct pathways, both perpetual and de novo mechanisms of RdDM require the production of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and the key proteins of the ARGONAUTE4 (AGO4) clade. However, the order and likely mechanism of recruitment of AGO4 to …

From Burnout To Belonging: Reintroducing Joy Through Collaborative Library Culture Change, Jason D. Phillips, Chereeka Garner, Cindy Dancel

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Libraries are often expected to create joy for others, yet many library workers continue to experience burnout, dissatisfaction, and disconnection. This session explores how one academic library implemented a staff-led, administration-supported approach to rebuilding workplace culture through collective, low-cost, and capacity-aware strategies. Centered on the work of an internal advisory group, this model creates structured opportunities for feedback, collaboration, and shared decision-making while introducing small, intentional interventions that foster connection, recognition, and belonging. Rather than relying on individual resilience or one-time morale boosts, this approach emphasizes sustainable, iterative practices that respond to staff needs and organizational realities. Attendees will leave …

Pdf Full Issue, Rosalind L. Raby

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Scalable And Accurate Computational Frameworks For Complex Genetic Variants: From Repeat Expansion Discovery To Somatic Mosaicism Benchmarking, Zitian Tang

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) offers a comprehensive view of genetic variation in human disease, but translating sequencing data into reliable biological and clinical insight depends on both the deployment of appropriate computational tools and the availability of rigorous benchmarking resources to evaluate them. This dissertation addresses both requirements through two complementary lines of work. In a cohort of 788 patients with idiopathic peripheral neuropathy (IPN) from the Peripheral Neuropathy Research Registry, a WGS-based pipeline integrating ExpansionHunter Denovo and ExpansionHunter with unsupervised genotype clustering identified biallelic RFC1 AAGGG repeat expansions in 2.3% of all IPN cases and 6.9% of patients with pure …

Interplay Between Patterning And Morphogenesis During Zebrafish Embryonic Development, Chia-Teng Chang

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Patterning and morphogenesis occur concurrently during embryonic development. In many contexts, both processes are regulated by morphogen signaling: morphogens specify spatially organized cell identities while also influencing the cell behaviors that shape tissues. This creates a reciprocal problem. Morphogen signaling can affect how cells move, while cell movement can change how cells experience and interpret morphogen signals. This dissertation investigates this reciprocal problem during zebrafish gastrulation and neurulation. First, it examines how the ventral-to-dorsal bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) activity gradient regulates germ-layer morphogenesis during gastrulation. BMP signaling is known to pattern dorsal–ventral cell fate and regulate mesodermal convergence and extension …

Threads Of The Frightening: The Uncanny, Alienation, And Horror In Otsuichi's Fiction, Kathryn Lawhon Stephens

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

The “J-horror boom” of the 1990s and early 2000s saw the international success of films like Nakata Hideo’s Ring (1998), bringing considerable and laudable attention to Japanese horror in the realm of film and media studies. Yet even Ring’s Sadako, one of the most popular contemporary figures in Japanese horror, first appeared as a literary character years before her debut on screen. The average layperson’s unfamiliarity of such a famous horror icon’s literary origins illuminates the comparative lack of literature-centric scholarship on major writers and figures of Japanese horror that this dissertation seeks to rectify.

First interrogating the fluidity …

08-19-26 Bor Hsc Committee Notice Of Meeting Revised, Patricia Serna

HSC Committee (A subcommittee of the UNM Board of Regents)

08-19-26 BOR HSC Committee Notice of Meeting Revised

Th17 Effector Cytokines Induce Shared And Distinct Microglial And Endothelial Cell Responses In A Mouse Model For Post-Streptococcal Encephalitis, Charlotte Wayne, Uğur Akcan, Travis Faust, Violeta Durán-Laforet, Danny Jamoul, Luca Bremner, Nicole Ampatey, Büşra Akcan, Sarah Ho, Bogoljub Ciric, Shannon Delaney, Wendy Vargas, Susan Swedo, Vilas Menon, Dorothy Schafer, Tyler Cutforth, Dritan Agalliu

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

Group A Streptococcus (GAS) infections cause neuropsychiatric complications in children, but the mechanisms linking peripheral infection to brain dysfunction remain unclear. Using mouse genetics, single-cell RNA sequencing, and spatial transcriptomics, we show that GAS infections induce inflammatory transcriptional programs in microglia and brain endothelial cells (BECs), accompanied by loss of blood-brain barrier (BBB) gene expression in female mice. Spatial transcriptomic analyses reveal that GAS-responsive microglia localize near infiltrating CD4+ T cells. Several microglial chemokines induced in mice are elevated in sera from affected patients. Deletion of GM-CSF in CD4⁺ T cells partially reduces microglial chemokine gene expression, without restoring BBB …

20260811: Assorted Materials, 1886-2026, Marshall University

Guides to University Archives

These items include materials from the Office of the President, University Communications, Libraries and Special Collections, Society for Yeager Scholars, TedX, College of Business, School of Library Science, the Women's and Gender Center, and other special groups and organizations. This is not an exhaustive list. Please download the finding aid for a full list of contents.

Miconazole As A Repurposed Anticancer Candidate For Prostate Cancer, Eswara Naga Hanuma Kumar Ghali, Lindsey Shim, Rajasekhar Baru, Anupam Dhasmana, Ryan Chang, Sung Yun Jung, Rahul Tiwari, Neeraj Chauhan, Vivek K. Kashyap, Sheema Khan, Diane Nguyen, Subhash C. Chauhan, Murali Mohan Yallapu

School of Medicine Publications

Prostate cancer is one of the major health concerns, with increasing incidence and persistent therapeutic resistance worldwide. Despite various available treatments (radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, cryotherapy, biological therapy, and high-intensity focused ultrasound), patients still show treatment-related side effects over many years. These challenges highlight the urgent need for novel and safe therapeutic strategies. In the present study, we repurposed five FDA-approved antifungal agents, namely natamycin (NM), terbinafine hydrochloride (TH), ketoconazole (KZ), miconazole (MZ), and clotrimazole (CZ), as they can modulate conserved cellular processes, including sterol metabolism and mitochondrial function, which are increasingly recognized as critical determinants of cancer cell …

Experiences Of Psychological Recovery From Work In Second-Generation Asian Americans, Laura Yang

Dissertations and Theses

Individuals of Asian descent make up approximately 7.4% of the U.S. population. As one of the fastest-growing minority groups, their population is projected to reach nearly 15% by 2065, with 38% being foreign-born – surpassing all other racial minority groups. Despite their increasing presence in the U.S. workforce, research on Asian workers' nonwork experiences remains limited. One key unexplored area is how Asian workers engage in recovery after work, considering their unique cultural and racialized experiences. Drawing on literature examining psychological recovery from work, this qualitative study employed multiple methods of analysis, both listening guide method and thematic analysis, to …

Full Issue

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

No abstract provided.

Awards For Outstanding Papers Written In 2026

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

African or Middle Eastern History

American Indian Studies Indigenous History Award

Bertis L. and Anna E.C. Embry Award in Global Latter-day Saint History

Cultural History Award

De Lamar and Mary Jensen Award in European History

Eugene E. Campbell Award in Utah History

Family History Award

Fred R. Gowans Award in 19th Century American West History

Faith and Reason Paper Competition

History of Empire Award

History of the Family Award

Latin American History Award

Latino/Latina History Award

Leroy R. Hafen Award in North American History

Mark R. Grandstaff Award in Military History

Sechin Jagchid Award in Non-Western History

Women’s History Award …

Co-Opting Modernity: The Semantic Retooling Of Faith At The 1893 World’S Parliament Of Religions, Erik P. Palmer

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

The 1893 World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago served as a high-stakes arena where the boundaries of religious legitimacy were redrawn through the intentional adoption of social science vocabulary. Staged within the Neo-Classical architecture of the White City of the World’s Columbian Exposition, the event was more than a civil gathering; it functioned as a “Museum of Faiths” where religious traditions were curated, categorized, and evaluated against the perceived benchmarks of Western civilization. The physical environment of the Fair, a monument to industrial triumph, was built to display things that worked. The organizers demanded that religions demonstrate they were useful …

Moving Forward, Looking Back: How Mormon Women Sought To Carry Their Polygamous Past Into A Progressive Future Article, Evan Janis

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

The influence of woman is fully recognized.” These words, spoken by Emily S. Richards, echoed the shared mission of Utah women at the World’s Congress of Representative Women: to overturn the public perception of them as ignorant, crude, and barbaric. After decades of legal and social campaigns against the so-called “second barbarism” of polygamy, the reputation of Mormon women had been one of its greatest casualties. Cast as too homely to marry a respectable man, too naive to resist deception, and too submissive to think for themselves, the Utah delegation to the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair sought to redefine their …

Letters From The Levant: An Astellian Reading, Tanner Stott

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

Among the more startling friendships of early 18th-century London’s literary scene is that of Lady Mary Wortley Montagu and Mary Astell. Their commonalities—remarkable self-education, political activism, and prolific writing—are dwarfed by vast differences of class, politics, and character. Astell, a curiously conservative woman nearly twenty-three years Montagu’s senior, spent her unmarried life squarely in the middle class. Montagu, on the other hand, began her life in England’s loftiest social echelons—the daughter of a Duke, she eloped with untitled Edward only to see him become one of England’s wealthiest men. Montagu lived colorfully with “principles,” according to Lady Irwin, “as corrupt …

Civilizing The Russian Frontier: Ferdinand And Elisabeth Von Wrangell’S Impact On Russian America, Ariel Brown

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

In the early 19th century, the Russian colonies in North America struggled due to alcoholism, limited health care, violent attacks from Native tribes, extramarital relations, rat infestations, and weather-induced architectural decay. It is no wonder then that Ferdinand von Wrangell, the sixth governor of Russian America said, “It was our duty or rather we considered it as such, to introduce the concepts of decency and mores to this remote corner of the globe.” He believed his wife Elisabeth would also play a large role in that endeavor, stating, “In the absence of European females our ideas, conventions of civilization and …

From Cotton To Canyons: An Analysis Of The Historic Industries Of Southern Utah, Brielle Beardall

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

On October 6, 1861, Brigham Young stood before Latter-day Saints gathered in the Old Salt Lake City Tabernacle and called 300 missionaries on an ambitious undertaking: Over three hundred families would leave their homes and settle in the Utahn southwestern desert; a region that earned the nickname of “Utah’s Dixie” for both its southern location and its punishing heat. Their mission was to cultivate cotton and increase Utahn economic independence from the Confederacy during the American Civil War. Allen Joseph Stout recalled in a personal journal about his experience learning of the call to Southern Utah, “My neighbors reported that …

Narrating The Bucolic South: How Southern Living Reflected And Shaped The South In The 1990s, Krista C. Wright

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

In December 1995 at a company Christmas party, previous editor Gary McCalla spoke with Emory Cunningham, sitting president and chair who oversaw the transition from the practical Progressive Farmer to a lifestyle magazine for the “New South.” Looking around the room, Cunningham remarked, “These young people have no idea where we came from.” McCalla recalled a memo he and John Logue, creative director of the magazine, had written in the early days, outlining “what we believed had to be done to save Southern Living.” At that moment, the two noticed the song playing in the background— “History” by Michael …

“Wak[Ing] Up A Sleeping Giant”: Zions Opinion’S Crusade For Independent Governance And Free Speech At Brigham Young University During The 1968–1969 School Year, Joseph Boysen

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

In 1968, university and college students across the United States demanded a larger voice in university governance. Sit-ins, rallies, and demonstrations were common, whether for civil rights, free speech, women’s rights, or against the Vietnam war and the draft. For instance, students took over the office of the President of Columbia University to protest the University’s appropriation of land that might have benefited the Black community. In this context, the students at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, had the chance to consider how they were going to pursue their own calls for change. Although they did not engage in …