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Guide To The Gospel Sheet Music & Songbook Collection, Columbia College Chicago

CBMR Collection Guides / Finding Aids

The gospel sheet music & songbook collection contains published music donated to the CBMR from individual donors, gathered into one collection for better access and research use.

Stacked Risks, Unequal Returns: Stratified Risk Allocation In Housing And Higher Education, Regina M. Lewis

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

In the United States, public policy does more than distribute resources. It distributes risk. The same policy can create profoundly different consequences for different people because policies operate on landscapes shaped by generations of unequal investment and opportunity.

To explore this process, I introduce the Stratified Risk Allocation (SRA) Framework to demonstrate how facially neutral policies reproduce inequality by allocating risk across populations with unequal capacity to absorb it. Drawing on risk society theory, historical institutionalism, critical race theory, intersectionality, and stratification economics, the SRA framework distinguishes between Exposure, the likelihood of encountering policy-generated risk, and Capacity, the resources available …

Legal Professional Identity Development: An Exploration Of The Social And Emotional Processes By Which Law Students Transition From Novices To Professionals, David Hall Abney Ii

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

This dissertation seeks to heed the call for expansion of instructional communication research (ICR) beyond the undergraduate classroom and undergraduate learning objectives by exploring older learners and higher-order affective learning objectives. Legal professional identity development (LPID) is a discipline-specific type of higher-order affective learning that is conceptualized as a continuous nonlinear process that begins in law school and extends throughout a lawyer’s career, involving the internalization of the legal profession’s core values and norms and their integration with an evolving identity. Using a pragmatic ICR approach and a mixed-methods design, Phase 1 employed individual interviews and focus groups to investigate …

“We Do Things A Little Different Exactly As You'd Expect Here...": Egocentric Network Structures As Predictors Of Organizational Culture Type, Ray Celeste S. Tanner

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

This dissertation examines organizational culture as an outcome of communication structures by integrating the Competing Values Framework (CVF) with egocentric network analysis. Although CVF is one of the most widely used frameworks for diagnosing organizational culture and predicting organizational effectiveness, prior research has overwhelmingly treated culture as an independent variable. Responding to calls for greater attention to the antecedents of culture, this study reconceptualizes organizational culture as a dependent variable and investigates how individuals’ perceived communication networks predict perceptions of CVF culture types. Using egocentric network data collected from employees across a diverse range of organizations and industries, this study …

Can Love Bloom On A Battlefield: An Analysis Of Queer Militaristic Fanfiction, Brandon Bost

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

It is noted that readers and fans hold unique and valid interpretations of texts, interpretations that become expressed in fan works like fan art, memes, or the subject of this study, fanfiction. This study performs textual analysis on queer fanfiction in Metal Gear Solid and Code Geass fandoms. It examines the unique relationship militarism holds with intimacy, and how intimacy intersects with violence and control in unique ways in these fan texts. Within these fanfics, militarism can serve as a barrier to intimacy, forcing relationships to adapt to militaristic structures within these fan interpretations.

Exploring The Relationship Between Self-Esteem And Communication Among Equestrians In Facebook Groups, Jenna Young

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

People’s interpersonal relationships and social groups are connected to their self-esteem. Equestrians, a social group unified around riding or working with horses, form identities based on their involvement in the equine industry, whether that be recreationally or professionally. Equestrians’ subjective views of self-esteem may be related to their overall well-being. Theories related to self-esteem and identity indicate that communication within social relationships, like within the equine industry, may impact an individuals’ sense of self-worth. Facebook groups have increased in popularity in the equine industry due to the ease of communication between equestrians. Therefore, this study investigated the relationship between self-esteem …

Conflict Management In Heterosexual Romantic Relationships: A Cognitive Dissonance Perspective, Benjamin Grissom

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

This paper examines how cognitive dissonance corresponds with conflict management strategies in heterosexual romantic relationships from the perspective of romantic partners. The paper synthesizes current findings on how conflicting beliefs and attitudes impact partners' approaches to handling disagreements. Patterns are identified in how cognitive dissonance co-occurs with competition, avoidance, accommodation, compromise, and collaboration. Findings suggest that the discomfort arising from holding conflicting cognitions corresponds to their conflict management approaches depending on the degree of discomfort. Additionally, relationship length is examined as a moderator of the connection between cognitive dissonance and conflict management. Understanding these perceptions can provide insights into enhancing …

The Role Of Fandom On Perceived Racial Stereotypes Presented By The Media’S Coverage Of Sport And Crime, Christopher F. Clements

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

This dissertation examines the intersection of sport, media, and race, focusing on the ways in which media portrayals of athletes involved in criminal activity relate to the reinforcement of racial stereotypes. Utilizing social identity theory (SIT), this dissertation employs three video clips of minority athletes at the time of their arrests to examine how media representations of minority athletes contribute to the reinforcement of viewers’ racial stereotypes and to investigate the impact of participants’ pre-existing racial stereotypes upon their perceptions of media representations of Black athletes involved in criminal activity. This dissertation utilizes focus groups to examine how fandom, as …

Students As Information Responders – Extending Our Understanding Of Students At A Pwi, Anyiah S. Chambers

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

As school shootings continue to rise across the United States, understanding how students respond to and share information during crises has become a critical concern for higher education institutions. While prior research has examined the role of students as first information responders (FIRs) during emergencies, few studies have investigated how these processes unfold among Black and non-Black students at predominantly white institutions (PWIs). This mixed methods study is a replication and extension of Omilion-Hodges and Edwards (2021), examining how undergraduate Black and non-Black students at PWIs evaluate, construct, and disseminate crisis-related messages, particularly during active-shooter events. Grounded in channel specification …

El Cristo Del Camino Hindu, E. Stanley Jones

Spanish Resources/Recursos en Español

No abstract provided.

Searching For Cause Of Unexplained Protein Interaction With Multiple Assembly Methods, Gavin Anderson

Master's Projects

Research into colistin adjuvants has identified interactions between a host of proteins and proteins found within certain strains of bacteria. BLAST, a widely adopted local sequence alignment tool, was used to create a database containing the genomes of relevant bacterial strains, which would then be used to query against the previously identified proteins. Many of these strains do not have publicly available assemblies, which makes database construction difficult. CATwalk, a new naïve fragment extender, is first described in this paper and used to extend fragments of interest. BLAST results first identified short fragments with sufficient similarity, which can then be …

Exploring Parents’ Perspective Of Outdoor Occupational Therapy Sessions, Harold Ho, Michelle Huynh, Christina Le, Amy Morrison

Master's Projects

Introduction: Outdoor play is recognized as critical for supporting children’s development across physical, cognitive, and social-emotional domains (Firby & Raine, 2022; Walker & Ray, 2024; Zhu et al., 2024). The current literature suggests that outdoor play strengthens executive functioning, early learning skills, and enhances social-emotional competency (Dinkel et al., 2019; Walker & Ray, 2024; Zhu et al., 2024). Furthermore, accessibility to outdoor play is shaped by contextual factors, including parental perceptions of safety, environmental barriers, and broader societal influences (Cox et al., 2025; Faulkner et al., 2025; Jelleyman et al., 2019). The research suggests that common parental concerns have emerged …

Combining Crispr And Nanoasv To Uncover The Rare Bacterial Communities Of The Human Oral Microbiome, Gilma Ruth Sevilla Alvarez

Master's Projects

Studying the oral microbiome is vital because its health implications are not contained to the mouth. Cariogenic bacteria cause tooth demineralization and oral microbes that translocate to extra-oral organ systems are linked to conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Some of these pathogens belong to the most abundant phyla in the oral cavity: Bacillota, Pseudomonadota, Bacteroidota, Actinomycetota, Spirochaetota, and Fusobacteriota, which together comprise 94% of the oral microbiome. This project uses CRISPR-Cas9 to deplete sequences from highly abundant phyla and the Eubacteria domain, enriching the remaining 6% of rarer taxa. Paired with NanoASV for single-nucleotide resolution, this …

Memory Effects In Many-Body Systems, Jeffrey Beckstrand

Master's Projects

This thesis investigates memory effects in many-body systems through the MoriZwanzig Formalism for projected dynamics of a Hamiltonian System which yields the Generalized Langevin Equation (GLE). The GLE is a stochastic differential equation (SDE) that studies the dynamics of observables under the effects of many other observables in the system. Although satisfying, the GLE has a term called the Memory Kernel that encodes the past of the system and introduces a computational challenge by introducing a non-Markovian property to the equation. The kernel is often approximated by introducing a delta function, which simplifies the computation, but at the loss of …

Unlocking The Power Of Cxcr2 Inhibition To Overcome Gemcitabine Resistance In Pancreatic Cancer, Caitlin Molczyk, Reegan Sturgeon, Sugandha Saxena, Esther Johnson, Rakesh Bhatia, Namita Bhyravbhatla, Sushil Kumar, Surinder K. Batra, Rakesh K. Singh

Journal Articles: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related mortality, characterized by intrinsic resistance to conventional therapies and limited effective treatment options. In this study, we investigated the role of the CXCR2 axis in PDAC therapy resistance. CXCR2, a chemokine receptor, is actively involved in inflammation, tumor angiogenesis, and metastasis. Our working hypothesis is that CXCR2 contributes to PDAC chemotherapy resistance. To test this, we generated gemcitabine-resistant (GemR) lines using T3M4 and CD18/HPAF (CD18) cell lines. Baseline expression of CXCL1, CXCL5, and CXCL8 ligands was higher in GemR cells compared to parental cells. Upon gemcitabine treatment, parental cells …

Midkine (Mdk) As A Central Regulator Of The Tumor Microenvironment: From Developmental Cytokine To Therapeutic Target, Hareesh B. Nair, Ajay Nair, Ya-Guang Liu, Dileep K. Vijayan, Ramadevi Subramani, Rajkumar Lakshmanaswamy, Suryavathi Viswanadhapalli, Gangadhara R. Sareddy, Surinder K. Batra, Ratna K. Vadlamudi

Journal Articles: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Midkine (MDK) is an oncofetal, heparin-binding cytokine that is re-expressed across diverse cancers and correlates with aggressive disease and treatment resistance. This review synthesizes current evidence on MDK as a coordinator of tumor-intrinsic signaling and microenvironmental remodeling. We summarize MDK structural features, extracellular matrix interactions, and receptor systems that mediate MDK signaling, highlighting LRP1 and PTPRZ1 with context-dependent participation of ALK, nucleolin and integrins. Downstream, MDK engages MAPK, PI3K-AKT, STAT3 and NF-κB pathways to promote tumor cell survival, epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity, and therapeutic stress tolerance. We then focus on tumor microenvironment (TME) programs shaped by MDK, including angiogenesis, fibroblast activation and …

Mucin 5ac Modulates Cancer-Associated Fibroblast Heterogeneity Through Epigenetic Reprogramming Of Precursor Cells, Rachel J. Kehrberg, Namita Bhyravbhatla, Zahraa Wajih Alsafwani, Xiaoqi Li, Gopalakrishnan Natarajan, Imran Khan, Randall E. Brand, Maneesh Jain, Surinder K. Batra, Sushil Kumar

Journal Articles: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is characterized by extensive desmoplasia, with heterogeneous cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) as a major component. However, the contribution of distinct precursor cells to CAF heterogeneity remains poorly defined. This study investigated the role of Muc5ac in modulating CAF heterogeneity by maturing precursor cells, including adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSCs), bone marrow-derived MSCs (BM-MSCs), and pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs), into different CAF subsets. RNA sequencing of precursor cells treated with conditioned media from Muc5ac-proficient or -deficient cancer cells revealed distinct transcriptional profiles. Muc5ac significantly modulated the expression of Dnmts and Tets in AD-MSCs, promoting the acquisition of extracellular matrix …

Addressing Obesity And Diabetes In Appalachian Kentucky, Hannah E. Orens

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

Type 2 diabetes and obesity are major public health concerns in Appalachian Kentucky. Populations in this region experience much higher rates of chronic disease than the rest of the state, have limited access to preventive care, and ongoing economic challenges that affect health. Many rural counties face increased poverty, transportation challenges, and shortages of healthcare professionals, all of which contributed to poor health outcomes and reduced access to evidence-based prevention programs. As a result, there is a strong need for focused, feasible, community-based interventions that improve access to evidence-based prevention while addressing the social and economic factors influencing health in …

Purchasing A Healthier Future: A Nutrition-Focused, Community-Centered Approach To Reduce Obesity And Diabetes In Graves County, Kentucky, Marissa Stephens

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

Obesity and type 2 diabetes are among the most significant public health challenges in the United States, with Kentucky consistently ranking among the states with the highest prevalence of both conditions. Together, these conditions contribute to reduced quality of life, rising healthcare costs, and increased morbidity and mortality, underscoring the need for targeted, community-centered interventions. The disease burden of obesity and diabetes is particularly pronounced in rural areas, including the state’s westernmost region, the Jackson Purchase. Among rural populations, chronic disease risk is driven by a combination of factors, including low socioeconomic status, limited access to healthcare/supermarket options, and food …

Challenging Cases In Infection Prevention And Control: Proceedings From Shea Spring 2025., Jessica Seidelman, Tsun Sheng N Ku, Anna Lafountaine, Curtis J Donskey, Edo-Abasi U. Mcgee, Rachel Pryor

PCOM Scholarly Works

Hospital epidemiologists and infection prevention professionals are frequently required to make high-stakes decisions in complex clinical scenarios where evidence-based guidance is limited or absent. These decisions often carry significant implications for patient safety, healthcare worker protection, hospital operations, and legal or financial risk. This article presents three challenging cases originally featured during the "Interesting Cases" session at the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) Spring 2025 Conference, with the goal of sharing practical lessons learned and contributing to the evolving literature in healthcare epidemiology. The first case describes the intraoperative contamination of a polyethylene liner during emergency revision total …

Intermittent Androgen Deprivation Therapy For Biochemical Recurrence Or Prostate-Specific Antigen (Psa) Persistence After Radical Prostatectomy: Efficacy And Prognostic Factors, Jian Chen, Qiming Chen, Xuzhi Yan, Ziqian Wang, Yapeng Wang, Yao Zhang, Jun Zhang, Jing Xu, Junying Zhang, Dianzheng Zhang, Qiuli Liu, Wuihua Lan, Jun Jiang

PCOM Scholarly Works

Background: The optimal protocol for intermittent androgen deprivation therapy (IAD) in managing biochemical recurrence (BCR) and persistent prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels after radical prostatectomy (RP) remains undefined. This study aimed to introduce a novel IAD protocol, conduct an initial assessment of the protocol’s effectiveness in real-world settings, and develop a risk-based model to identify patients most likely to benefit from this approach. Methods: This study included 175 post-RP patients receiving IAD, with a median follow-up of 44.77 months [interquartile range (IQR), 31.87–69.50 months] post-androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). The IAD protocol used a PSA threshold of 0.2 ng/mL to define progression …

Therapeutic Landscape Of Early Symptomatic Alzheimer's Disease Translated Into Everyday Practice For Geriatric Providers., Melissa J Bailey-Taylor, Paula Morrow, James Hendrix, Katherine E. Galluzzi, Golnosh Sharafsaleh

PCOM Scholarly Works

Alzheimer's disease (AD) accounts for 60-80% of all dementia cases. Recent advances in diagnostic biomarkers of early symptomatic AD (ie, mild cognitive impairment and mild dementia due to AD) and amyloid-targeting therapies (ATTs) have the potential to improve outcomes for patients with AD. Two ATTs (donanemab and lecanemab) are currently approved and available for use in the US. Both ATTs can slow disease progression as well as cognitive and functional decline in patients with early symptomatic AD. Treatment with ATTs is associated with specific safety concerns such as amyloid-related imaging abnormalities. Therefore, the benefit versus risk profile needs to be …

Anchoring Roots And Spreading Branches: The Growth And Regulation Of Art Therapy In Singapore, Christine Phang

Art Therapy | Doctoral Dissertations

The development of art therapy in Singapore has advanced rapidly over the last two decades. Yet, to date, there has not been a comprehensive overview of art therapy in Singapore. Additionally, more research is needed to understand how the complex component of regulation can benefit the profession of art therapy. This study therefore set out to paint a picture of art therapy in Singapore, capture the art therapy community’s thoughts and opinions concerning regulation, and identify actionable ways to advance the profession. A mixed method design was employed which utilized a survey and interviews to gather quantitative, qualitative, and arts-informed …

Creativity In A Flash: Exploring The Perceived Therapeutic Effects Of Combining Creative Arts Therapies And Flash Technique, Celia J. Gagnon

Art Therapy | Doctoral Dissertations

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, research has revealed a significant strain on mental healthcare systems and healthcare professionals. Concurrently, there has been a rapid escalation in the prevalence of anxiety, depression, loneliness, and adolescent suicide rates, all of which have reached critical levels (World Health Organization, 2025; World Health Organization, 2022; Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, 2025; American Psychiatric Association, 2024). Post-pandemic, these statistics continue to rise across all nations and socioeconomic groups (WHO, 2025). Consequently, there is an urgent need to intensify research that supports the enhancement of mental health services globally (Institute for Health Metrics …

Enhancing Self-Acceptance And Reducing Anxiety Through Tree Ring Self-Portraits In Art Therapy: A Mixed-Methods Study, Stacey Kamp

Art Therapy | Doctoral Dissertations

This mixed-methods dissertation examined the therapeutic potential of the Tree Ring Self-Portrait, a novel art therapy intervention designed to enhance self-acceptance and reduce anxiety through symbol-based, life-phase self-portraiture grounded in narrative meaning-making and image-based processing (White & Epston, 1990; Moon, 2010; Hinz, 2020). Adults who self-identified with anxiety-related concerns were recruited through community and clinical referral sources and completed a standardized three-session intervention involving reflective mapping of life phases, a watercolor-based concentric-ring self-portrait process, and a guided review of the completed artwork with semi-structured interviews. The final sample (n = 20; ages 22–74) included participants with varied engagement in psychotherapy …

Improving Hypertension Management With An Educational Patient Intervention Bundle, Gertie Silva

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects

Aim

Uncontrolled hypertension remains a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease. This quality improvement project aimed to improve hypertension knowledge and blood pressure control among adults with uncontrolled hypertension by implementing lifestyle counseling, home blood pressure monitoring, and regular follow-up.

Design

This quality improvement project used a pre- and post-intervention design.

Methods

Forty-one adults with uncontrolled hypertension took part in an eight-week educational program. Outcomes measured included weight, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and HK-LS scores. Descriptive statistics and paired-samples t-tests analyzed the results.

Results

Participants showed significant improvements in weight, blood pressure, and hypertension knowledge. Mean weight decreased from …

Reducing Live Discharges In Hospice Care Through A Bundled Intervention, Fiona P. White

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects

Introduction

 Among Medicare fee-for-service hospice beneficiaries, the national live discharge rate increased from 16.9% in FY2021 to 19.1% in FY2025. At a Medicare-certified hospice agency in a southern state, the pre-intervention live discharge rate of 35.3% substantially exceeded national norms, with 68.7% of events representing patient-initiated revocations.

Methods

 A pre-post quality improvement design guided by the Plan-Do-Study-Act framework was implemented over 8 weeks at a single site with 106 newly admitted hospice patients and 15 clinical staff. The four-component bundled intervention comprised Revocation Risk Assessment administration within 24 hours of admission, structured patient and caregiver education within 72 hours of …

Toolkit To Prevent Venous Thromboembolism Among Surgical Patients, Carine Wawa

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects

Background: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 900,000 people in the United States are affected annually by venous thromboembolism (VTE) (CDC, 2025). The surgical patient population is vulnerable to VTE due to factors such as immobility, tissue injuries, and inflammatory responses. The lack of standardized protocols for surgical patients causes practice variability among healthcare providers and potentially increases the risk for preventable VTE events.

Methods: A toolkit to prevent VTE was developed utilizing the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) National Quality Measures Clearinghouse (NQMC). A literature review was conducted, reviewed, and graded using the …

Increasing Compliance In Pain Reassessment And Documentation In An Acute Care Facilityy, Kriss S. Jones

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects

Purpose: This guideline-directed project aimed to increase registered nurse (RN) compliance with documenting pain reassessment in an adult medical-surgical unit at an acute care facility.

Background: Proper documentation is crucial for clinical decision-making and legal and ethical reasons. The Joint Commission (TJC) has standardized pain documentation requirements to ensure consistent assessment, recording, and management across healthcare settings. Non-compliance can lead to misdiagnosis, inadequate treatment, patient dissatisfaction, and legal consequences. Accreditation bodies audit medical records, and non-compliance may result in penalties, financial losses, or loss of accreditation. Adherence is a clinical best practice and strategic necessity for healthcare organizations. Methodology: A …

Enhancing Breast Cancer Screening Uptake In Hispanic Women Residing In Rural Texas Through A Quality Improvement Project, Bianca Batchelor-Salazar

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects

Background: Breast cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality among women in the United States. Despite the effectiveness of mammography in early detection, Hispanic women in rural communities experience lower screening rates due to socioeconomic, cultural, and access-related barriers. At a rural South Texas clinic, the baseline screening rate among Hispanic women aged 50–74 years was 70.6%, below national benchmarks.

Purpose: To increase breast cancer screening compliance among Hispanic women aged 50–74 years in a rural South Texas family practice clinic.

Methods: Guided by the Lean A3 quality improvement framework, this project implemented a multifaceted intervention bundle that included …