Digital Commons Network^™

Perceptions Of Occupational Therapy Student Fieldwork Readiness In The Acute Care Setting, Jackie Dusing, Lisa Borrero, Elizabeth Horrall Stith, Kristina Watkins

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Occupational therapy student readiness for Level II fieldwork is necessary for preparing novice clinicians and is challenging to assess, as it requires applying didactic knowledge in real-world clinical settings. There is currently a gap in the literature regarding student perceptions of their readiness for Level II fieldwork, especially in the acute care setting. The aim of this qualitative study is to better understand Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) students’ perceptions of readiness for Level II fieldwork in an acute care setting. This basic interpretive qualitative research study utilized a purposeful sampling with students completing their Level II fieldwork in various …

Comparing Occupational Therapy Students’ And Occupational Therapy Assistant Students’ Perceptions Of An Intraprofessional Class Session, Robyn Wu, Diane Tom, Domenique Embrey, Joyce M. Fries

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Intraprofessional education between occupational therapy (OT) and occupational therapy assistant (OTA) students can be a valuable component of the entry-level curriculum. Comparisons of OT vs. OTA students’ perceptions are sparse, yet this information may yield important insights about intraprofessional learning needs. This mixed methods study explored student perceptions of a three-hour joint OT/OTA class session conducted via video conferencing. Learning activities were grounded in shared leadership and two-way feedback and included collaboration on a client case. A total of 172 anonymous post-class feedback surveys were received from 121 OT students and 57 OTA students over three academic years. The study …

Fieldwork Supervision, Motivation And Competency Among Norwegian Community-Based Occupational Therapists, Even E. Edvardsen, Tore Bonsaksen, Sissel Horghagen, Cathrine Arntzen, Unni Sveen, Astrid Gramstad, Ruca E. K. Maass, Linda Stigen

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Occupational therapists’ supervision of students remains a critical component during occupational therapy education. This study aimed to examine supervision practice, motivation, and competency among community-based occupational therapists in Norway, exploring organizational and personal factors associated with formal and perceived supervision competency, willingness to serve as fieldwork educators, and collaboration with educational institutions. A cross-sectional survey was distributed among occupational therapists in community-based practice in Norway. A total of 617 occupational therapists participated in the study. Free-text responses were thematically analyzed and interpreted. Differences between fieldwork educators and non-fieldwork educators’ training, recency of being fieldwork educators, willingness to assume the role …

Women Spinning On The Edge: Finding And Redefining The “Spinster” In The Witches Of Discworld, Kathryn Ann Fitzmaurice

Masters Theses

The word “spinster” has undergone a series of evolutions over the past seven hundred years, first coined to describe the occupation of women engaged in the spinning of plant and animal fibers into thread and yarn in the Middle Ages and later a legal marital status designation used until the 21^st century. The connotation associated in social contexts became pejorative. This project’s tracing of the word spinster is used to set up the broader scope looking at how the spinster can be viewed as an archetype, what we can learn through the lenses of gender and feminist theory, and …

Margaret Collins Weitz Papers (Ms109), 1945-2015: A Finding Aid, Suffolk University Archives And Special Collections

Suffolk University Archives and Special Collections: Finding Aids and Research Guides

The papers of Professor Emerita Margaret Collins Weitz of the Humanities and Modern Language Departments at Suffolk University relate to her scholarly research in the fields of women’s studies, French women, French culture and history, women in the French Resistance during World War II, and human rights. The collection also documents her extensive teaching career at Suffolk University in the Humanities and Modern Languages Departments and at Harvard University. The research collection includes interviews, published articles and books, conference materials, original research related to her publications, and class notebooks.

The Influence Of Active Galactic Nuclei (Agn) Feedback On Star Formation In Spiral Galaxies, Moreom Akter

Theses and Dissertations

We investigate the influence of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) feedback on star formation in spiral galaxies by analyzing a sample of 324 red and 273 blue spiral galaxies from 115 low-redshift galaxy clusters. The multi-wavelength dataset combines optical emission line data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), X-ray luminosity from the Chandra X-ray & XMM-Newton observatories, and ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) measurements from GALEX and WISE. Using diagnostic emission line ratios, we constructed Baldwin, Phillips, and Terlevich (BPT) diagrams to classify galaxies based on nuclear activity. Our analysis reveals that most of the red spirals have AGNs and …

Gender And Family Differences In Faculty Motivation, Allyssa Jean Baumbach

Theses and Dissertations

This three-article dissertation examines gender and family differences in faculty motivation. Faculty motivation has primarily been studied in the context of development but has only recently begun to focus on productivity and success. Further, studies of faculty motivation do not provide in depth analysis of gender and family differences. Therefore, the current program of research uses the Self-Determination Theory to examine gender and family differences in faculty motivation and considers how traditional gender norms may contribute to these differences. The first study explored if gender difference existed. Data from a small sample of faculty (N=118) from two universities in the …

Get In The Zone: Utilizing A Food Skills Survey To Assess The Education Needs Of A Blue Zones Project Community, Sophia Kathryn Dunlap

Theses and Dissertations

Under-resourced communities often demonstrate little to basic knowledge and skills regarding food and nutrition-related practices, such as cooking and meal planning, nutrition label reading, and gardening. This can be attributed to various factors such as education level, socioeconomic status, available education programs, and overall interest in these topics. Limited research is available discussing the current knowledge, skills, and interests of nutrition topics and healthy eating patterns within Blue Zones Project (BZP) communities. To explore this gap in the literature, a cross-sectional design was implemented via a food skills survey completed by the residents of a modest-sized college town and site …

Learning To Teach Digital Literacy: Faculty As Learners, Nicole Marie Maier Derenne

Theses and Dissertations

Rapid developments in artificial intelligence technologies and widening digital divide inequities have made digital literacy instruction an urgent priority in higher education. This qualitative, interpretive case study examined how faculty learned to teach Digital Information Literacy at an instructional development workshop facilitated by academic librarians, following a mandate to integrate digital literacy into the institution’s general education program. Using transformative learning theory as a framework, data were collected from a purposive sample of faculty, librarians, and administrators involvedin the workshop through field notes, interviews, a focus group, document reviews, and journaling, and then hermeneutically analyzed. Findings revealed that although demonstrations …

Characterization Of Methylated Histone Modifications During Simian Virus 40 Early Transcription, Jacob Otto Haugen

Theses and Dissertations

Modifications of histone proteins play an important role in transcription. These modifications regulate how chromatin is compacted by the histone proteins and either made available for transcription or prevents transcription machinery from proceeding. The modifications can be added or removed by histone acetyltransferases and histone methyltransferases for the former, and histone deacetylates and demethylases for the latter. To explore the dynamicity of these modifications we used the simple but effective Simian Virus 40 (SV40) model. SV40 continues to be an important tool in understanding eukaryotic transcription. It experiences similar processes as cellular chromatin, utilizing host proteins to propagate its own …

Predicting Social Media Addiction: The Influence Of Paralinguistic Digital Affordances And Cognitive Processes On Social Media Use, Dakota Krebs

Theses and Dissertations

Social media has become an increasing staple in everyday life for numerous people. Yet, excessive and repetitive social media usage may become problematic, to the extent that the behavior takes the form of a psychological addiction. The primary objective of this study was to explore prospective factors that could predict the psychological dependency on social media applications, characterized as social media addiction (SMA). Paralinguistic Digital Affordances (PDAs) are “likes” one receives on social media and may predict SMA via the expected gratification attained when a PDA is received. Cognitive processes, assessed with a general executive functioning index and the n-back …

White Paper For Faculty Professional Development In Establishing, Addressing, And Informing, To Promote Mental Wellness For Health Careers Students, Betty J. Mcvay

Theses and Dissertations

This research utilized a qualitative case study to explore the need for faculty professional development in the health careers division at a public non-profit California community college, specifically Porterville College. Literature suggests that mental health is a crucial topic to address in contemporary higher education. College students, in general, are facing a notable deterioration in their overall mental well-being, accompanied by an increase in mental disorders. Furthermore, students in health careers programs frequently encounter even more intense stress and psychological challenges, stemming from their constant exposure to high-pressure, emotionally charged situations, and vicarious trauma. Although literature emphasizes the critical need …

Geothermal Sweep Efficiency Enhancement Potential Analysis Using Geological Modeling And Numerical Simulation On Unconventional Deadwood Formation, Ashraf Mohammed

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the potential to enhance geothermal sweep efficiency in the fractured, low-permeability Deadwood Formation using a cellulose-based biopolymer and gel treatment. A geological model was developed using well log and structural data from four wells in the Williston Basin and subsequently upscaled into a numerical reservoir simulation in CMG/STARS. Laboratory core-flooding experiments on Deadwood samples were used to calibrate gel behavior under high-temperature (160 °C) and high-salinity (17% TDS) reservoir conditions.Simulation results indicate that a short-duration gel treatment—equivalent to 0.03 pore volumes over one year—can significantly reduce channeling through high-conductivity fractures. The reduction in channeling improves thermal conformance …

Eco-Friendly Synthesis Of Anemonin From 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural, A Biomass-Derived Starting Material, Diane Zefack Tangmi

Theses and Dissertations

Anemonin, a valuable cyclobutane containing dilactone is a bioactive natural product from Ranunculaceae plants. It holds great potential for applications in pharmaceuticals and materials science. However, traditional synthesis methods are hampered by low yields, toxic reagents, and environmental concerns, limiting its practical use. This study highlights the development of green and scalable synthetic strategies designed to achieve high yields while minimizing environmental impact. Our approach focuses on sustainable methodologies, including optimized steam and fractional distillation performed under mild conditions to reduce waste and energy demands. Protoanemonin’s natural ability to dimerize under mild heating offers a green approach to anemonin synthesis, …

Identifying The Common Patterns Or Trends That Emerge When Analyzing Past Accidents And Incidents Involving Autopilot Systems, Christopher David Tracy

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated to what extent over-reliance on automation, particularly autopilot systems, contributed to incidents and accidents in commercial aviation. Despite advancements in automated technologies, there is a growing concern regarding the potential consequences of pilots’ dependency on these systems. This research analyzed past key incidents to identify patterns indicating that pilots may have been inadequately prepared to assume manual control during automation failures. This study employed a qualitative approach, including semi-structured interviews with aviation professionals such as airline flight instructors, line check pilots, flight standards evaluators, and an FAA aviation safety inspector, along with qualitative surveys with professional pilots. …

Investigating Teacher Leadership: A Phenomenological Study On Improving Teacher Efficacy Through Peer Coaching And Mentorship, Orlando Worges

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the roles of teacher leadership in enhancing teacher efficacy through mentorship and peer coaching. It examines the impact of these programs in educational settings, providing insights into their effects on efficacy. Using a phenomenological approach, in-depth interviews were conducted with mentors, administrators, and participating teachers, revealing perspectives on the strengths, weaknesses, and suggestions for improvement of the program. Thematic analysis of the data offered comprehensive insights into the experiences of participants. The findings highlight the important role of mentorship and peer coaching in enhancing teacher efficacy through five themes: Teacher Efficacy and Professional Growth, Transition and Adaptation, …

Mental Health Stigma Among Latiné Adolescents: Help-Seeking Intentions And Recommendations, Brenda D. Barragan

Theses and Dissertations

Latiné adolescents in the United States face increasing mental health challenges, including elevated rates of depression, suicidal ideation, and emotional distress, particularly in underserved regions such as the Midwest. Despite these needs, Latiné adolescents remain underrepresented in mental health research, particularly with respect to how cultural values and intersecting identities—such as gender, immigrant status, and perceived socioeconomic status—influence stigma and help-seeking behaviors. Grounded in the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), this study explored how mental health stigma and cultural factors shape help-seeking intentions and recommendations among 95 self-identified Latiné adolescents in North Dakota and Minnesota. The study examined two primary …

Congolese Refugee Narratives Of Belonging, Grief, And Cultural Continuity In Appalachia, Kayla Davis

Theses and Dissertations

This research examines the communicative challenges that Congolese refugees face after resettlement, particularly as they strive to reconstruct a sense of belonging in the United States that reflects their experiences in either their home country or secondary countries where they endured protracted displacement in refugee camps. Narrative qualitative research methods were used to conduct interviews with five Congolese refugees in Appalachia. Through qualitative thematic and lexical analysis derived from the interviews, the study reveals patterns of linguistic isolation, community continuity, and emotional displacement. A key finding is that participants often conceptualize community not as a geographic entity, but as an …

The Effects Of Chronic Sleep Deprivation On Visuomotor Performance Using Electroencephalographic Measurement, Jaxon Duane Erie

Theses and Dissertations

The present study investigated the impact of acute and chronic sleep deprivation on visuomotor performance using both electroencephalographic (EEG) and behavioral measures (Senaptec Sensory Station) in a sample of 43 college students aged 18 to 27. Participants were assigned to low or high sleep conditions based on Chronic Sleep Reduction Questionnaire (CSRQ) scores, while acute sleep deprivation was assessed via the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS). Heart rate variability (HRV) was recorded to support condition placement, but comparisons revealed no significant differences between groups. No significant differences were found in visuomotor control or eye-quickness assessments. However, visual clarity was significantly better …

Laboratory Application Of An Aircraft Particle Imaging Probe To Characterize Levitated Ice Crystals And Their Aerodynamic Drag, Cheyenne Phoenix Harrison

Theses and Dissertations

Ice crystals in the upper atmosphere range in size from a few nanometers to a few millimeters, creating potential damage to vehicles traveling at hypersonic speeds; this problem has not yet been investigated with controlled laboratory techniques. This thesis investigates ice crystal impacts on high-speed flight vehicles and their aerodynamics by exploring a new method to combine ice crystal and shock wave experimental apparatuses to achieve experiments of observing ice crystals and shock waves interacting. The objectives of this research are: (1) to consistently produce levitated ice crystals in a setup that can feasibly release the ice crystals into a …

Measuring The Clinical Effectiveness Of Telenutrition Medical Nutrition Therapy Among American Indian And Alaska Native Adults Newly Diagnosed With Type 2 Diabetes, Charisse Lindsey Holiday

Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 global pandemic was the impetus of the transition from in-person medical nutrition therapy (MNT) visits to telephone MNT. This occurred without evaluation of its clinical effectiveness, especially for American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN). It is known that in-person MNT is clinically effective at lowering hemoglobin A1c (A1c) and that people with diabetes who experience food insecurity have poorer health. However, research characterizing food insecurity among AI/ANs is limited. This retrospective observational analytical study was conducted at the Phoenix Indian Medical Center (PIMC) in Phoenix, Arizona to assess the clinical effectiveness of telephone delivered MNT services by a …

Beyond All Possible Doubt? The Shifting Of A Juror’S Conviction Threshold In Criminal Cases Based On Charge, Sentence, And Evidence, Sophie Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

In criminal trials, jurors must make a decision that will forever change the defendant’s life (Couloute & Kopf, 2018), during which jurors may consider the impact that not convicting a guilty person may have (i.e., Type II error) or if the charge is worth the crime regardless of the defendant’s guilt (i.e., Type I error). Jurors may raise their conviction thresholds if they feel a type II error is favorable to a type I error. Researchers have discovered that in cases where charge severity (e.g., Kerr, 1978) or the perceived sentence (e.g., Kaplan & Krupa, 1986) is higher, jurors shift …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Motivations, Persistence And Challenges Of African Immigrant Adult Learners In Community Colleges In Minnesota, Saah Jackson Delu Kpakar

Theses and Dissertations

African Immigrant Adult Learners (AIAL) are considered an exclusive demographic group who left Africa and obtained permanent residency in the United States. They experience a wide range of challenges in their quest for postsecondary education, which impact their access, persistence, and academic success. The purpose of this qualitative study based on a phenomenological approach was to explore the factors that motivate African Immigrant Adult Learners and enable them to persist and remain resilient in their pursuit of higher education at community colleges in Minnesota. The theories that guided this research are the Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and Schlossberg’s Transition Theory (STT). …

Impact Of Resin Grinding On Per- And Polyfluoroalkyl Substance Adsorption In Rapid Small-Scale Column Tests, Tihitna Gezahegn Mulugeta

Theses and Dissertations

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent environmental contaminants with significant health risks. Among the different technologies for PFAS removal, adsorption is preferable due to low-cost, operational simplicity, and use of regenerable adsorbents. While pilot-scale fixed-bed columns are ideal for evaluating adsorption media, they are time- and resource-intensive. Rapid Small-Scale Column Tests (RSSCTs) offer a practical alternative, yet most studies have focused on granular activated carbon, with limited insight into ion exchange (IX) resins. Due to limited literature on the effect resin preparation on the performance of RSSCTs and their prediction accuracies are unexplored. This study investigates the effect of …

Criminal Background Checks: Implications For Discrimination And Crime, Murat C. Mungan

Faculty Scholarship

Criminal background checks have recently attracted the attention of academics and policy makers alike. Recent laws and policies, like “ban the box” and expungements, focus on the availability of criminal background information as well as the permissibility of using this type of information. Quite surprisingly, policies about the content of the information –whose permissibility and availability are questioned by recent work– is not scrutinized as much.

In this article, I investigate the informational quality of existing background checks. For this purpose, I review the history and evolution of traditional criminal background checks. These checks rely on ‘rap sheets’ –documents containing …

The Great Unsettling: Administrative Governance After Loper Bright, Cary Coglianese, Daniel E. Walters

Faculty Scholarship

“Chevron is overruled.” These three words surely captured more attention than any others in the U.S. Supreme Court’s thirty-five-page opinion in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo. For forty years, the Chevron doctrine had been virtually synonymous with administrative law. Now that the Court has taken a step that many scholars thought unfathomable even just a few years ago, speculation abounds about the possible downstream impacts of Loper Bright on both what agencies will be able to do in the future and how lower courts will respond when reviewing agency action. The vast majority of early expert commentaries suggest …

From Race-Conscious To Race-Neutral: The Next Generation Of Litigation Over Selective Admissions, Rachel F. Moran

Faculty Scholarship

In the wake of the United States Supreme Court’s decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, there have been fierce debates over the meaning of colorblindness in the higher education admissions process. Setting the stage for these controversies are recent lawsuits challenging changes to admissions policies at selective public high schools. In these cases, the plaintiffs allege that although school officials relied on facially race-neutral criteria, their actions were motivated by a desire to improve the representation of Black and Latino students. According to the complaints, these revised policies are an impermissible form …

Law, Conflict, And Hybrid Warfare: A Teaching Imperative For A Changing World, Cynthia Alkon, Andrea Kupfer Schneider

Faculty Scholarship

Lawyers increasingly find themselves at the frontlines of the battlefield, just not in the traditional sense. Hybrid warfare is a conflict form that combines traditional military offensive measures with nontraditional methods, including the harnessing of legal systems to achieve strategic goals. Lawyers have always been at the frontline of typical legal risk assessment, thinking about a client's risk of liability or regulation costs generally. Now, lawyers must stand at the ready for a lot more: lawyers must be prepared for cyber-attacks, disinformation campaigns using artificial intelligence, the use of court systems to suppress reporting or shield bad actors, and so …

Barriers And Facilitators Of Integrating Cervical Cancer Screening Into Routine Hiv Care And Acceptability Of Self-Sampling For Hpv Dna Testing Among People With Hiv: An Exploratory Study In Southern Ghana, Evelyn Yayra Bonney, Emmanuel Frimpong Gyekye, Jonathan Klutse, Dzidzor Aku Attoh, Yeena Abla Tay, Nicholas Ekow Thomford, Mary Amoakoh-Coleman, Kwadwo Ansah Koram, George Boateng Kyei, Collins Stephen Ahorlu

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer poses a substantial global health challenge, disproportionately affecting low- and middle-income nations. Women living with HIV are disproportionately affected compared to the general population. Our study explored the acceptance and preferences of participants regarding cervical cancer screening procedures during their HIV clinic visits.

METHODS: Using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) to inform questions, we conducted semi-structured in-depth qualitative interviews with 85 people with HIV (PWH), across six southern Ghana sites, to identify factors that could promote or impede the integration of cervical cancer screening into HIV care in Ghana. We also explored the acceptability of …

Head-To-Head Preclinical Treatment Design Prioritizes Promising Therapies For Neurofibromatosis Type 1 Optic Glioma Clinical Translation, Talia Eligator, Jit Chatterjee, Shintaro Yamada, Anthony Kirchner, Hareesh B Nair, Jason R Fangusaro, David H Gutmann

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Authenticated preclinical brain tumor models provide unprecedented opportunities to evaluate next-generation treatments. However, some therapies with robust anti-tumor activity in mice fail in human trials, highlighting the need to better prioritize candidates for clinical translation. Herein, we implemented a head-to-head preclinical strategy using a well-characterized murine model of NF1-optic pathway glioma (

METHODS:

RESULTS: While all agents restored normal tissue architecture, reduced ON proliferation, and decreased TME soluble mediator and tumor cell marker RNA expression, only lamotrigine and mirdametinib also reduced ON volume. Everolimus, lamotrigine, and HBS-101 restored RNFL thickness to wild-type levels, whereas carboplatin showed a trend towards …