Digital Commons Network^™

Tax Clinic, William T. Diss

Tax Adviser

No abstract provided.

Estate Planning For Controlling Shareholders, Allan H. Savage, Mason P. Dillaway

Tax Adviser

No abstract provided.

Like-Kind Exchanges Of Real Property: The Element Of Intent, Paul J. Streer

Tax Adviser

No abstract provided.

Comparative Study Of Drone Simulation Frameworks: Ardupilot With Gazebo Vs. Airsim With Px4, Lisette Casas, Natalia Chowaniec, Julio Galvan, Fridaos Opoola, Ahmad Ruman, Alex Liu

Research Days

The increasing adoption of drones across industries such as logistics, agriculture, disaster response, and surveillance necessitates robust simulation environments for testing autonomous flight capabilities. Simulation frameworks provide a safe and cost-effective way to develop and test drone behaviors before real-world deployment.

Analyzing The Effectiveness Of Dance Movements In Enhancing Activities Of Daily Living For Geriatric Patients And Relevant Implications For Nursing Care, Rachel Ann Bruce

Student Scholar Showcase

Within the healthcare industry, the geriatric population holds a unique set of patient-care needs due to a myriad of physical and cognitive challenges. The presentation of these challenges can negatively impact the quality of a patient’s life and overall independence. One specific challenge providers must account for when providing care to geriatric patients is a decreased range of mobility as age increases. Reasons as to why mobility decreases varies, and include but are not limited to degenerative musculoskeletal conditions, poor nutrition, poor physical mobility or lack thereof, and other comorbidities.

According to peer-reviewed resources, by engaging in frequent Dance Movement …

Gentlemen Raiders: Plotting The Origins And Proliferation Of European Hussars From The Late Middle Ages To The Great War, Christian Mumpower

Liberty University Research Week

The ubiquitous horse soldier has existed as a fixture of warfare since time immemorial, and in Europe since the emergence of the Scythian host on the Eurasian Steppe, many millennia before the birth of Christ. Their role on the battlefield transformed greatly with time, as did the arms and armor they used and the tactics they employed. The introduction of firearms to European militaries from the mid-15th century onward forced cavalrymen to adopt a dressed-down approach to mounted warfare, strategically and literally. Out of this transitional period emerged the hussar—or Huszár—a light cavalry unit originating in Hungary that became renowned …

The Gamble For America: Why General Charles Cornwallis Decided To Attack Virginia In 1781, Gabriel Stisser

Liberty University Research Week

After the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, General Charles Cornwallis was able to gain a minor victory against Nathanael Greene but had suffered great losses during the battle. Instead of making the cautious decision to retreat to Charleston, Cornwallis decided to make an ambitious attack into Virginia. While this offense was met with initial success, his army was ultimately destroyed at the Siege of Yorktown, thereby causing Britain to lose the War for America. This research seeks to understand why Cornwallis made the risky decision to move into Virginia at this late stage of the war. This study will utilize a …

“Germany’S Noble Cause Must Prevail”: General August Von Mackensen On The Great War's Eastern Front, 1914-17, Christian Mumpower

Liberty University Research Week

English-language accounts and appraisals of the Western Front have long dominated the historiography of the Great War. This prevailing interpretation tends to cast a shadow over other, nonetheless critical sectors of fighting and diminish contributions made on these fronts by less well-known commanders and the men who served under them. While the Western Front boasts a rich catalog of scholarship, few popular accounts exist about those who carved out a legacy for themselves on the Eastern Front, a sector of the war that saw some of the most desperate fighting but has since been relegated to the footnotes of history. …

Hepatocellular Carcinoma And Car-T Cell Therapy In Appalachia And Beyond, Rupert Congmon

Dr. Jay W. Boland Research Day

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality without effective treatment. The Appalachian region is identified as a likely high-risk area. Surgical resection is the current leading treatment despite drawbacks such as recurrence and decreased post-op quality of life. While CAR-T cell therapy has shown promising results in hematological malignancy, employing it for solid tumors like HCC is now a growing field of interest. Ballad Health HCC data sets (n=40) were analyzed to compare characteristics of HCC patients in Appalachia against the general U.S. Key variables included age, gender, prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and tumor …

Gendered Body Descriptions In U.S. Children's Literature: A Corpus-Based Analysis Of Feminist And Mainstream Narratives (20th-21st Century), Gabriella Collins

Dr. Jay W. Boland Research Day

This study examines how male and female bodies are described in US children’s literature across the 20th and 21st centuries, comparing feminist and mainstream books. By analyzing repeatedly occurring five-word phrases related to the body, such as the top of her head and opened his mouth to speak, the study explores the construction of gendered characters. Earlier research (Čermáková and Mahlberg 2022) has shown that recurring body part clusters help to construct a gender binary by means of quantitative and qualitative differences in British children’s literature, but the distinction lessens in the 20th century, as female bodies are described more …

Scientific Authorial Voice: Incorporating Explicit Instruction In Undergraduate Chemistry Courses, Emma Becker

Liberty University Research Week

The effective development of undergraduate chemistry students for success in professional and academic careers involves emphases on content knowledge and on writing and authorial voice. Unfortunately, most undergraduate chemistry instruction wholly neglects writing and authorial voice instruction in favor of content knowledge instruction. This results in the development of chemistry students who know the content of their field but not how to communicate that knowledge or how to enter the chemistry discourse with their own research. This integrative review identified 71 pieces of scholarly literature and synthesized these sources to reconceptualize writing instruction in undergraduate chemistry and propose explicit instruction …

Memories Of The Lost War Memoir: Genre Subversion, Pilgrimage, And Reflections On Memoir In Tobias Wolff And Tim O’Brien, Peter Rogati

Liberty University Research Week

When a flood of literature creates a new genre, as in the 90s with personal accounts of the American War in Vietnam, the question of value demands attention. Value partially materializes from the cultural and literary context of a narrative, and the nineties brought a post-modern landscape littered with self-indulgent celebrity memoirs. Many scholars point to Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried as the most well-renowned and best-received piece of literature emergent out of Vietnam. Marlyin Wesley describes O’Brien’s metafiction as valuable because of its subversion of the American War Novel. Edward Linenthal pinpoints the confessional mode as a prime …

Clarity In Christ: Oscar Wilde’S Revelation Through Imagination, Humility, And Suffering In De Profundis, Leah Besser

Liberty University Research Week

In studying De Profundis, some scholars – Max Beerbohm, Molly Robinson Kelly, and Carol Schnitzer, among others – have either claimed Oscar Wilde’s encounter with Christ to be inauthentic or altogether failed to address Christ’s prominence in the letter. This study, however, excavates the text with a more spiritual eye. Moving from a direct address of Sir Alfred Douglas to an intense self-observation, and finally, to a focus on the person and deity of Christ, Wilde’s letter leads him to increasingly spiritual and authentic realizations. He threads three main characteristics of revelation – imagination, humility, and suffering – throughout the …

Of Cicada's And Ducks: Humor In Emmanuel Chabrier's "Les Cigales" And "Villanelle Des Petits Canards", Hope Dornfeld

Liberty University Research Week

The goal of this performing arts presentation is to analyze the use and presentation of humor in Emmanuel Chabrier’s “Les cigales” and “Villanelle des petits canards,” two French mélodies. The program notes that accompany the performance detail the historical context of Chabrier’s work and give a brief summary of the mélodie genre. In addition, they trace the steps inherent in presenting a work of performance art. The primary research question behind the study is, “How can a vocalist successfully portray the humorous qualities of Chabrier’s work through performance art?” Subquestions include the following, “In what ways, if any, is the …

Research Positioning: Identifying Focus Areas And Collaboration Opportunities, Ibis Anette Moreno-Lozano

Day Family Research Lab Workshop Series

This workshop is designed to help researchers, PhD students, and faculties enhance their academic visibility and discover potential collaboration opportunities by analyzing their research positioning. Participants will learn how to use bibliometric tools and scientific communication networks can help to identify their core research focus.

From Oral Traditions To Digital Screens: The Evolution Of Folklore In The Modern Age, Echo Padgett

Student Scholar Symposium

This research explores how folklore and oral traditions adapt within digital spaces, focusing on Native American Skinwalker narratives and Biblical parables. By exploring these stories’ transformation on modern platforms, we are able to see the impact of digital media on traditional storytelling. In Navajo mythology, Skinwalkers are individuals, typically male, who practice the Witchery Way, gaining the ability to transform into animals to cause harm and disrupt the natural order. However, modern media often portrays them as monstrous, alien-like creatures, stripping away their cultural significance. The rise of sensationalized narratives, such as those surrounding Skinwalker Ranch, further these misconceptions, linking …

The Effects Of Stress On Injury And Sickness Rates Of Middle-Distance And Distance D3 Athletes, Hailey D. Smith Ms.

Student Scholar Showcase

A runner intentionally stresses their body to experience an adaptation, however, issues occur when the body does not have time to recover. Male athletes (n = 14) on the University of Lynchburg’s distance and middle-distance team participated in this study. For 6 weeks, heart rate variability (HRV4training app), resting heart rate, perceived stress, and cortisol levels were assessed as indicators of recovery and stress. It was anticipated that indicators of physical stress such as higher resting heart rates and higher cortisol levels, would correspond with greater perceived stress and higher occurrence of injury and sickness. Cortisol (n = 2, p …

Shepherds Of The South: An Introduction To The Life And Service Of Military Chaplains In The Confederacy, Micah Velarde

Liberty University Research Week

The experience of chaplains in the Confederate States of America was very different from that of the chaplains in the Union. Unlike the Union, their establishment was very rushed and not detailed. Facets such as pay, benefits, requirements, and expectations all spelled major differences between the two sides’ chaplains. Additionally, other Confederate officers did not have much respect for them. Despite being overlooked, misunderstood, and underdeveloped, the Confederate chaplains were able to rise into a position of unparalleled influence. Whether it was doing their primary duties, such as a ministry, or superseding those and putting themselves in harm’s way on …

An Integrative Approach To The Existential Problem Of Evil In A Post-Pandemic World, Jacob Byrd

Liberty University Research Week

Only a few years have passed since the world experienced a unique manifestation of suffering brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic. The problem of evil and suffering has always been a difficult topic to address for Christian pastors and theologians who have now been left to address this problem in the wake of the pandemic. In addition to the suffering from millions of lives being lost, studies have shown a correlation between the pandemic and a significant increase in mental illness in the United States. This is one data point among many instances that add to the uniqueness of the …

Exodus 20:13 & The American Civil War: The Etymological Importance Of ‘Kill’, Christina Banker

Liberty University Research Week

Translating the Bible from Hebrew into the living English language has allowed word choice in translations to impact historical events. The American Civil War serves as a case study where the word choice of biblical translation led to questions of faith and duty among Christians. The etymological debate during the Civil War over ‘kill’ in Exodus 20:13 directly affected Civil War-era Americans, causing documented crises of faith among soldiers. The King James Version was carried into war by Civil War soldiers with the Hebrew word ratsach, translated as kill instead of the more accurate English translation of murder, allowing for …

The Build-A-Child Market: The Problematic Promulgation Of Commercial Surrogacy, Catalina Lowers

Liberty University Research Week

Surrogacy is an arrangement for a woman to become pregnant, carry, and deliver a child on behalf of intended parents. Surrogacy is often seen as a neutral facet of family-building. However, the proliferation of commercial surrogacy has birthed an industry which prioritizes profits over the protections of children. This reality is easily revealed through contemplation of existing laws, specifically those which regulate adoption. In comparison to the institution of adoption, the surrogacy industry is unregulated and prone to abuse. Furthermore, the patchwork of state laws across the United States allow for a chaotic free-for-all in which children are disregarded or …

Caregiver Adversity And Mental Health Predicting Children’S Healthy Psychosocial Functioning Data Are Fully Collected:, Emily Hatcher

Dr. Jay W. Boland Research Day

In this study we aimed to explore the impact of both caregiver and child adversity, alongside caregiver mental health, on children’s psychosocial outcomes. While existing literature highlights the role of childhood adversity in predicting later psychosocial difficulties, less is known about the combined influence of caregiver adversity and mental health on children’s functioning. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the relative contributions of caregiver adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), child ACEs, and caregiver anxiety and depression to children’s mental health, as measured by the Pediatric Symptoms Checklist (PSC-17). Data were collected from 148 caregivers (N = 148), predominantly white and female, …

The Impact Of Isolation In Medical Students As A Function Of “Percentage At Risk” For Adverse Psychological Outcomes, Hannah Smith

Dr. Jay W. Boland Research Day

Medical students are more susceptible to experiencing stress, anxiety, depression, and subsequent burnout relative to their peers in other professional fields. The Medical Student Well-Being Index (MSWBI) is a standardized and validated survey that represents the percentage of medical students “at risk” for adverse psychological outcomes, including but not limited to depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. At Quillen College of Medicine (QCOM), the MSWBI data has been collected annually in an attempt to better understand the factors that contribute to and mitigate medical student burnout. Through the use of the Medical Student Well-Being Index (MSWBI), we compared the changes in …

Assessing The Utilization Of Building Information Modelling (Bim) In The Preservation Of Cultural Heritage: A Case Study Of Ashe-Street Courthouse, Boluwatife Oluwamakinde

Dr. Jay W. Boland Research Day

This study examines how Building Information Modeling (BIM) was used in the Ashe Street Courthouse restoration, with an emphasis on how it contributes to heritage preservation. The study employs a case study methodology, following a systematic four-step approach: an initial review of relevant literature and historical records, semi-structured interviews with architects involved in the renovation, and analysis of project documentation. The study assesses the accuracy of documentation, the enhancement of collaboration and coordination among stakeholders, and the efficiency and time savings enabled by BIM by comparing BIM to conventional techniques. Results show that BIM allows for real-time adjustments while maintaining …

Conceptions Of Ghosts In Renaissance England, Elizabeth Jaques

Dr. Jay W. Boland Research Day

Literature, treatises, and theatrical plays disclose information about the cultural concept of ghosts in Renaissance England. Shakespeare’s Hamlet provides an exemplary examination of the attributes given to ghosts. Hamlet conveys the following characteristics: ghosts can communicate, appear at night, have the form of the deceased, appear to a person known in life, died in violent manners, and were labelled as “ghosts.” Other plays, treatises, and other similar documents from the period share these characteristics, reflecting broader societal belief. By examining these sources, deeper insight can be gained into the beliefs and attitudes of people from Renaissance England regarding ghosts. Furthermore, …

Determining Function Of Cntnap5 Gene Using Pediatric Patient With Isolated Deletion, Harper Kirby

Dr. Jay W. Boland Research Day

There have been few case reports detailing the clinical presentation associated with contactin-associated protein-5 (CNTNAP5) mutations, especially those in isolation from other genetic abnormalities. Although elucidation of this gene’s function has proven difficult, research supporting its suspected role in the nervous system may prove useful in screening for developmental and intellectual disabilities like autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Therefore, we present a case of a pediatric patient that has had difficulty gaining weight throughout childhood and carries anomalous facial features including orbital hypertelorism and retrognathia. Mild learning difficulties were noticed at 4 years old alongside the onset of seizures. These observations …

Validating Dermal Corticosterone Swabs With Blood Assays In Green Frogs (Lithobates Clamitans), Emily Mcdavid

Dr. Jay W. Boland Research Day

Amphibian populations are declining globally due to numerous factors such as habitat disturbances, emergence of disease, and climate change. The stress caused by these factors can influence the endocrine system of affected individuals, resulting in changes in hormone levels associated with a “fight or flight” response. In amphibians, the primary stress hormone or glucocorticoid, corticosterone (CORT), is a quantitative marker of stress levels in the body. CORT is released into the bloodstream when faced with a stress event with the purpose of increasing the chance of survival. While the effects of corticosterone can aid in increasing survival during a stressful …

Changes In Mental Health And Insurance Coverage Status Among Women Reporting Opioid Use During Pregnancy In Tennessee And Kentucky, Christina Tarasidis

Dr. Jay W. Boland Research Day

The CDC advises against opioid use during pregnancy due to its severe risks to maternal and fetal health. For mothers, opioid use increases the risk of overdoses, potentially leading to death, and raises the likelihood of serious pregnancy complications. For infants, opioid exposure in the womb can result in poor growth, birth defects, and neonatal abstinence syndrome, causing withdrawal symptoms. Opioids are not recommended in pregnancy; however, they are still being used in certain situations which may correlate with various mental health and socioeconomic factors such as insurance coverage. To assess insurance coverage and mental health changes among pregnant women …

The Moderating Role Of Adversity Duration On Adverse Childhood Experiences, Social Support, And Mental Health, Jessica Templeton

Dr. Jay W. Boland Research Day

Cumulative adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been linked to diagnoses of anxiety and depression in adulthood. However, less attention has been paid to the role of individual difference measures of adversity such as duration. In this study we specifically explored whether duration of adversity might moderate previously identified associations between cumulative adversity in childhood and anxiety and depression symptomatology in adulthood. Participants (N = 230) completed an anonymous online survey. ACEs were measured via a modified Health-Resiliency-Stress Questionnaire (Wiet et al., 2019), which included duration measures for 9 of the 19 items. Perceived social support was measured with the Multidimensional …

Eating Dirt Does Not Hurt: Antimicrobial Properties Of Tajx1901, Katelyn Whitwell

Dr. Jay W. Boland Research Day

Antibiotic resistance is becoming an increasing problem due to bacteria evolving faster than the rate of new antibiotic discovery. Finding a new compound that could be used as an antibiotic would be beneficial for limiting the overuse of commonly prescribed antibiotics. This often means exploring environments that have gone unexplored in years. The compound secreted by the soil bacterium, Janthinobacterium lividum strain TAJX1901, which was found in a previously unexplored environment, has been shown to have antimicrobial effects in a lab setting. The compound was isolated and resolubilized into a solution and added to a disk to test for antimicrobial …