Digital Commons Network^™

Cholera, Community, And Commiseration: A Social Historical Look At The 1854 London Cholera Epidemic, Emily Meisenzahl

Proceedings of GREAT Day

Although people are most impacted by epidemics, a majority of the existing scholarship on Victorian London, public health, and the London cholera epidemics are based in political and economic history rather than lived, bottom-up narratives. The scholarship on the 1854 cholera epidemic, for instance, almost exclusively centers physician John Snow and largely ignores social history. Therefore, my thesis builds upon and contributes to these existing fields by focusing on the lived experience of the 1854 cholera epidemic among everyday urban residents. Through this paper, I intend to highlight how Londoners utilized letters and petitioning, Punch Magazine, and the “To the …

Icu Decision Tool Impact On Rebound Hyperglycemia, Daniel J. Donovan, Emily Highsmith, Sonya Khan, Michelle Horng

Advances in Cancer Education and Quality Improvement

Hyperglycemia, defined as a blood glucose level ≥180 mg/dL in the hospitalized patient, is linked to negative outcomes including longer hospital stays, increased infection risk, and higher morbidity and mortality rates. In addition to critically ill patients with diabetes, hyperglycemia can develop in individuals without diabetes due to factors such as steroid use, continuous tube feedings, and an elevated stress response. Patients who have uncontrolled hyperglycemia are often placed on continuous insulin infusions (CII), but rebound hyperglycemia frequently occurs after CII discontinuation if the maintenance insulin regimen (MIR) is insufficient. Implementation of a MIR decision support tool integrated within an …

Metabolite Profiling Of Chamaelirium Luteum (False Unicorn) Roots And Related Commercial Products By Hptlc And Lc-Msms, Wendy Strangman, Wilmer Perera, Wilmer Perera

Oxford ICSB

Throughout history, medicinal plants have been used as herbal treatments in women’s health.  However, they remain poorly characterized at the chemical level, limiting standardization and safety assessment. Chamaelirium luteum (false unicorn), traditionally used for reproductive health in the Eastern United States, has previously been shown to possess both conventional steroidal saponins as well as more rare open-chain saponins whose bioactivities are largely unexplored. Incorporation of C. luteum into commercial products, and subsequent overharvesting of wild populations has increased the urgency for robust methods to verify authenticity and detect adulteration. In this study, we coupled HPTLC-based profiling with detailed LC-MSMS analyses …

The Texture Of A Threat:: Convolutional Neural Networks & Obfuscated Malware Detection, Kaelyn Haynie

Liberty University Research Week

Accurately detecting malicious programs is an expanding field of research for machine learning (ML), with a novel approach incorporating a bytecode-to-image pipeline that produces images representative of software. These images are provided to convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to be examined for malicious pattern indicators. However, CNNs struggle to generalize these patterns effectively while still being robust against adversarial data, an issue which this research addresses with adversarial training. In this paper, three unique CNN architectures (a DBFS-MC-inspired baseline, MIRACLE, and PSP-CNN) are trained for binary classification with 15,000 benign and malicious software samples encoded into images for Android, Windows, and …

Dynamic Structural Load Identification, Sam Kim

Liberty University Research Week

Structural Health Monitoring is a critical tool for analyzing infrastructure resilience. However, measuring dynamic external loads, such as wind, traffic, or seismic activity, remains a major engineering challenge. In order to address this “Inverse Problem” in structural dynamics, this study proposes a deep learning-based approach for structural load identification. To precisely reconstruct unknown force histories from vibration responses, a hybrid Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) architecture is created. Convolutional layers can filter raw data, and LSTM takes the refined features from the CNN and reconstructs the time-history force distributions. Combined, these two methods create an effective …

Understanding International Student Retention With Hope And Social Connectedness: A Mixed Methods Study, Elizabeth Mathews, Isabel Deitch, Nathaniel Hastings, Stephen Ellison

Liberty University Research Week

With the rise of internationalization in higher education, universities often face the issue of international student attrition due to adjustment-related issues. Previous research has identified a variety of potential contributors to international student retention, mostly relating to integration into the university’s social and academic systems. Additionally, intentional social interactions in the host culture have been found to catalyze international student adjustment and are associated with long-term outcomes such as higher life satisfaction. Research on hope in college students supports the idea that higher levels of hope are associated with better academic outcomes (e.g., higher grade point averages; GPA). The international …

Environmental Limitations Of A Low-Cost, Cots Lora Meshcore Node Network, Robert Thompson, Alexander Weir, David Zelinsky, Hannah Murai, Judah Sotomayor

Liberty University Research Week

No abstract provided.

Notification Efficiency, Lashundra Rucker

Liberty University Research Week

No abstract provided.

Short Time, Lasting Impact: Teaching Pediatric End-Of-Life Care In One Day, Mckenzie Taliaferro

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

Background: Pediatric nurses working in specialities that experience end-of-life, death, and post-mortem care, often feel unprepared for the emotional toll and lack adequate support systems (Camera et al., 2024). Nurses report feeling under prepared due to a lack of hands-on opportunities before graduation (Richoux, et al., 2022).  Pediatric death is a traumatic experience for families and nurses. Previous studies have shown that hands-on education increases nurses' confidence in caring for patients at the end of their lives (Cole & Foito, 2019; Noyes et al., 2023).

Method: A one-day, hands-on workshop on pediatric end-of-life was created and offered to nursing students …

Hptlc: The New Front Line Of Global Botanical Surveillance, Tiên Do, Ilona Trettin, Ehab Mahran, Sonja Drobnjak

Oxford ICSB

Quality control of botanicals is approaching a breaking point. Regulators, industry, and pharmacists are now forced to answer questions faster and at larger scale than ever before: What plant is actually in the product? Is it the right species—or a look-alike? Is it pure or adulterated? Is it safe? Is the chemistry consistent? And how can labs make confident decisions when analytical capacity and staffing are finite? This presentation demonstrates how modern HPTLC— far beyond its historical role as a simple identity test— now provides clear, interpretable chemical evidence that supports analyst with a practical tool for risk-based surveillance of …

Shame, Blaming Others, Forgiveness, And Depression, Louis Alvey, Bonnie Mckinney, Caroline Vaile, Hannah Murch, Jichan Kim

Liberty University Research Week

Depression is a pervasive mental health disorder often worsened by the damaging effects of shame. This creates a critical need for applied research to identify protecting coping mechanisms for use in clinical settings. To address this problem, this study employed a rigorous cross-sectional quantitative methodology, surveying adults to test whether forgiveness and blaming others moderate the well-established relationship between shame and depression. The study's robust statistical analysis revealed that while the maladaptive tendency to blame others worsens depressive symptoms, self-forgiveness acted as a significant moderator that effectively deactivated the harmful impact of shame. Ultimately, this research provides actionable, real-world solutions …

The Beauty Of Uniquity: A Biomechanical And Statistical Analysis Of Pitchers With Anomalous Arm Angles, Benjamin Marshall

Liberty University Research Week

In today’s modern age of analytics, fans have more information than ever before about anything in the world of sport. Starting with the introduction of Statcast to Major League Baseball, the push toward analytics has reached new heights in the last decade. One such analytical addition is new metrics for pitching mechanics, specifically a comprehensive understanding of things like release point, spin, rotational axis, and arm angle. This initial study examined the factors that contributed to the success of qualified pitchers from the 2025 MLB season with unique arm angles, specifically below 30°, compared to their counterparts with a more …

3d Printed Square Packing: Making Math Accessible For Everyone, Joseph Holt, Jacob Drambi

Liberty University Research Week

Making math tangible and accessible to everyone has always been an ongoing process, and as a part of that process this study aims to take steps forward in the area of square packing. Mathematics can often seem theoretical and aloof, something only for those in their “ivory tower.” Making mathematics into something tangible, something that anyone can see and, more importantly, play with, brings the extensive and invaluable field of mathematics down to an accessible level for everyone to use and enjoy. This study investigates square packing, the problem of deducing the smallest square that can contain a given number …

Faith-Informed Practice And The Challenge Of Religious Trauma: Insights From Christian Residents In Counseling, Nicole Taylor, Breanna Mcneal

Liberty University Research Week

This study explored the perceptions and emotional experiences of Christian counseling residents working with clients affected by religious trauma. Residents brought personal faith perspectives into their clinical roles, shaping how they understood and engaged with clients’ harmful or distressing religious experiences. Participants described empathy alongside moments of cognitive and emotional dissonance when clients’ narratives conflicted with their own beliefs. They highlighted challenges related to value conflicts, countertransference, bracketing personal convictions, and discerning appropriate spiritual integration. Findings underscore the need for targeted supervision and training to strengthen clinical preparedness for navigating faith-informed tensions in work with religious trauma.

Faith-Based Practices And Health: The Role Of Faith-Based Guided Meditation In Managing Type 2 Diabetes, Willie Velasquez

Liberty University Research Week

The purpose of my study was to investigate how faith-based guided meditation influences health management behaviors and individuals with Type 2 diabetes. Specifically, I examined its effects on glycemic control, stress levels, and emotional well-being. Current diabetes management approaches, such as medication, diet, and exercise, often fail to address psychological and spiritual aspects critical for effective self-management. Grounded in the Biopsychosocial Model of Health, this mixed-method study explored the potential of faith-centered meditation to promote improved self-care behaviors and enhance emotional resilience. The research included a sample size of 40 participants, male and female, ages 18-60, of diverse backgrounds, divided …

National Trends And State-Level Correlates Of Medications For Opioid Use Disorder Utilization Among Treatment Admissions In The United States, 2014-2023, Prince Osei Sarpong, Emmanuel Owusu, Manasvi Shiyani, Michael Ago Tetteh, Naa Komley Commey

Liberty University Research Week

Background: Medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) reduce overdose risk and improve retention in care, yet implementation at treatment entry remains uneven across the United States. Study objectives and hypotheses: To examine national and state-level patterns in MOUD use at treatment admission from 2014 through 2023 and to identify state-year characteristics associated with higher utilization. We hypothesized that MOUD use would vary substantially across states and would be lower in state years with greater structural disadvantage.

Methods: A repeated cross-sectional ecological study was conducted using the Treatment Episode Data Set-Admissions public use file. The analytic sample included adult admissions from …

Analyzing The Association Of Coated Gold Nanoparticles Utilizing Yeast Cells, Olivia A. Greiner

Linfield University Student Symposium: A Celebration of Scholarship and Creative Achievement

Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) have proven to be versatile technological tools, especially in the field of biomedicine. GNPs can be functionalized through different coatings for tasks like drug delivery, diagnostics, and biosensing. To further understand how GNPs can be altered for use as a biomedical tool, the cellular association of GNPs coated in different combinations of polyethylene glycol (PEG), sodium citrate, bovine serum albumin (BSA), and rabbit anti Saccharomyces Cerevisiae (antibody) with yeast cells was evaluated. This was tested through two main sample groups coated in either a base layer of sodium citrate or PEG. Each group had three samples that …

Advancements In Extraction And Co-Extraction Of Botanicals For Standardization And Efficacy, Rory Coleman

Oxford ICSB

Historically, botanicals have served human health in traditional medicine and supplementation due to their bioactive components. Efficient, clean extractions and clinical validation have become fundamental technologies, rendering access to libraries of efficacious products. However, cost, regulatory status, and speed to market have kept many botanicals in single or simple form. Mixtures of such single botanical extracts often require large quantities for effect, influenced by chemical composition, concentration, and delivery format. During the extraction and concentration process, exogenous "bioenhancers," e.g. piperine or oil blends for hydrophilic molecules, often become a necessity, exasperating the problem.   Here, we will delve into the development …

Botanical Hepatotoxicity: Are We Accurately Characterizing Risk Vs. Hazard, Rick Kingston

Oxford ICSB

No abstract provided.

Decades After Exposure: The Continuing Burden Of Asbestos-Related Diseases In The United States, Hannah Mnayarji, Luke Montgomery, Tunde Adebola

Liberty University Research Week

Many consider diseases caused by asbestos exposure to be antiquated conditions that are rarely observed today. However, asbestos-related diseases (ARDs) have long latency periods, meaning that the time between exposure to asbestos and the onset of disease typically ranges between 20-40 years. Since the last import of asbestos to the United States was in 2023, occupational exposure has continued into recent history. This study hypothesizes that there has not yet been a decline in asbestosis and mesothelioma incidence and mortality–two conditions primarily caused by asbestos exposure–indicating that the latency period between asbestos exposure and disease occurrence persists into the modern …

Sanctions-Resilient Reserve Architecture: The Convex Monetary Anchor Framework (Cmaf), Kutelleugo Yatsliach

Liberty University Research Week

This study develops a political economy framework for reserve asset composition under conditions of geopolitical fragmentation. Following the 2022 Russian reserve freeze, traditional reserve adequacy models centered on safety, liquidity, and return fail to account for jurisdictional risk and the potential immobilization of sovereign assets. This research argues that sanctions resilience must be incorporated as a core objective of reserve management. It examines whether non-sovereign monetary assets, particularly gold and secondarily silver, can enhance reserve accessibility in emerging markets. The study hypothesizes that gold functions as a primary sanctions-resilient monetary anchor due to its non-counterparty structure and global liquidity, while …

Developing A Polymerization Reactor Punctuated Equilibrium Model, Ryan Learn

Liberty University Research Week

Chemical reactors are vital in industrial operations; yet, experimental investigations of these processes are resource intensive. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations are beneficial over chemical simulation packages, because they capture spatiotemporal gradients of velocity, temperature, and species concentrations. However, due to the additional computational load of kinetics implementation into rigorous meshes, CFD simulations of chemical reactions can be prohibitively time consuming. Flow fields may reach quasi-steady state quickly, but convergence of kinetic solutions may take longer. This work aims to develop a punctuated equilibrium model (PEM) of a verified/validated free radical polymerization reaction in CFD to decrease solver runtime without …

Ai-Augmented Leadership: Examining The Influence Of Generative And Agentic Ai Decision-Support Tools On Leadership Decision Quality And Psychological Safety In Organizational Teams, Michael Areola

Liberty University Research Week

In today’s ever-evolving digital transformation business environment, market leaders are expected to make decisions at the speed of light, and those who have mastered the science of market disruption remain competitive. The quest to be a market leader and the ability to respond to market changes have become driving factors for decision makers who are increasingly integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into business processes and workflows, transforming how leaders analyze information, evaluate alternatives, guide teams, and remain responsive to digital evolution. Organizational decision-making processes, too, are not lagging in this ever-evolving digital transformation market. While AI-enabled decision-support tools eliminate or reduce …

Miracles Or Mirages? A Study Of The Rhetorical Use Of Miracle Language Within Medical Communication, Thomas Yu

Liberty University Research Week

The current study seeks to understand how miracle language exists as a persuasive tool by examining the usage of miracle language in the discourse surrounding the release of Xolair for individuals with food allergies. This was accomplished by conducting a qualitative analysis of the miracle language employed by those engaged in the Xolair discourse. An extensive literature review was conducted to gain a foundational understanding of medical persuasion and miracle language, as well as an understanding of the theoretical foundations of this study. Twenty-five pieces of literature from pharmaceutical companies, and food allergy community members were chronicled and studied utilizing …

Securing America’S Critical Mineral Future, Benjamin Ellis

Liberty University Research Week

Securing critical minerals will prove essential to protecting America’s energy security and national defense. China currently dominates the mining and production of critical minerals. Given the unpredictability of U.S.-China relations, it is necessary to develop alternative supply chains. The U.S. should prioritize domestic production of critical minerals and supplement demand with imports from countries more friendly than China.

Paradise Reimagined: A Reception Theory Analysis Of Viewer Responses To Bachelor In Paradise’S New Era, Cathryn Thomas

Liberty University Research Week

Broadcast television ratings are declining due to the popularity of streaming platforms (Attest Media, 2024; Bauder, 2025). Shows must adapt to survive in this increasingly digital environment. In 2025, Bachelor in Paradise (Teti, 2025) hired a new showrunner, Scott Teti, who adjusted the show’s format, structure, location, cinematography, and editing with the hope of boosting viewer engagement (Franklin, 2025). This study applied Stuart Hall’s (1973, 1980, 2021) encoding/decoding model to analyze audience Instagram comments in response to Teti’s premiere episode of Bachelor in Paradise. This study explored how audiences decoded and responded to these changes, and whether social media commentary …

Voices From The Pacific: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study Of Paraprofessionals’ Experiences Using Aac Devices To Support Students With Autism In The Northern Mariana Islands, Edieson Louie Aguirre

Liberty University Research Week

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of paraprofessionals implementing augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices to support students with autism in K–12 schools within the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Public School System (CNMI PSS). The theory guiding this study was Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, which framed AAC as a cultural tool that mediates social interaction and explained how paraprofessionals scaffold communication within students’ zones of proximal development. The central research question was: What are the lived experiences of paraprofessionals implementing AAC devices to support students with autism in the Northern Mariana Islands? …

Teaching Hope As A Measurable Skill: Building Resilience In Students And Educators, Cathleen Beachboard

Liberty University Research Week

Schools are experiencing rising levels of disengagement, stress, and declining connectedness, while simultaneously facing high rates of educator burnout and attrition. Psychological hope is strongly associated with engagement, well-being, and resilience. It is often treated as an emotional trait as opposed to a cognitive skill that can be intentionally developed through systems and environments. Grounded in Snyder’s hope theory, which proposes hope in quantifiable terms as a goal-directed thinking process composed of agency, pathways, and goals, this project proposes and examines measuring hope and utilizing a tier-based system of support designed to strengthen psychological hope among both students and educators …

Polite But Simple: Social Perception And Morphosyntactic Variation In Southern American English, Jamie Forgey

Liberty University Research Week

Southern American English (SAE) occupies a unique sociolinguistic paradox: it simultaneously evokes warmth and regional identity while serving as a target for stigma tied to perceived lack of education. This mixed-methods study examined whether morphosyntactic variation in SAE functions as a strategic response to that stigma. Combining diachronic and synchronic corpus analysis — drawing from COHA, LAMSAS, and CORAAL — with a between-subjects matched-guise perception survey of 36 participants, this study investigated both the structural integrity of SAE and listener attitudes toward its speakers. Corpus data revealed near-total erasure of high-frequency nonstandard features such as leveled was/were and completive done …

Direct Numerical Simulation Of Turbulent Flow In A Wavy Channel: A Validation Study, Kent Gingerich, Ryan Learn

Liberty University Research Week

Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) is an important tool in fluid mechanics as it directly solves the governing equations and resolves the turbulent structures in a flow. Surprisingly, this foundational method has not yet been validated in ANSYS Fluent, especially for separated boundary layers. This study investigated the capability of Fluent to resolve turbulent flow in a wavy channel using DNS. The results were compared with data from previous numerical studies on this canonical flow. The simulation was performed at a fixed bulk Reynolds Number of 6760 over a wavy wall with an amplitude-to-wavelength ratio of 0.05. Under these conditions, the …