Carolyn Wilson Digital Collections (Lipscomb Univ.)
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1413 research outputs found
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The ‘No Best World’ Argument: A Strong Or Weak Objection to the Possibility of Perfect Goodness?
No full textThe ‘No Best World’ argument is often used as an objection to the possibility of perfect moral goodness. This paper will seek to undermine the ‘No Best World’ argument in three ways: (1) with a certain understanding of what makes a world ‘morally best,’ there is a best world; (2) if the argument for our world being the uniquely best world is not compelling, at the very least, there are no better worlds than ours; and (3) God could have had reasons for creating a world that are not based on the objective moral value. I will first define key terms, outline the \u27No Best World\u27 argument, and discuss its implications if successful. Next, I will examine a framework for objecting to the argument based on the views of Leibniz, Climenhaga, and Raz, alongside counterarguments primarily from Rowe and Wielenberg. Finally, I will conclude that even if the created world is morally surpassable, this does not negate the possibility of perfect moral goodness
PPP Dataset
No full textDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, 11.5 million U.S. businesses applied for relief from the federal government. Collectively, these entities received just under 800 billion dollars. It was one of the largest fiscal intervention policies directed at businesses in American history. Though substantial scholarly and public attention has gone toward investigating participant fraud, other participant behavior has been less examined. This includes the relatively small number of individuals and businesses (128,304) that chose to repay their forgivable government loans. This dataset is used to investigate this question, with variables testing hypotheses relating to altruism, patriotism, and self-interest. Results are analyzed in the article Explaining COVID-19 Loan Repayment in the United States
Working Conditions of Perfusionists in North America: A Scoping Review
Full text linkPerfusionists face significant challenges, including long hours, high workloads, burnout, and workplace risks like sleep deprivation and discrimination, which impact both their well-being and patient outcomes. Despite these concerns, no comprehensive review has mapped workforce trends, and the lack of widespread American Society of Extracorporeal Technology (AmSECT) guideline implementation worsens the situation. This scoping review highlights these issues, emphasizing the need for standardized assessments, better enforcement of guidelines, and proactive strategies to improve perfusionist well-being and patient safety. This scoping review aims to describe the working conditions of North American Certified Clinical Perfusionists (CCPs)
Stretching the Limit: A Comparative Study on the Various Stretching Modes and their Effects on Hip Mobility
No full textThe Metabolic Effects of Carbon-Plated Shoes on D1 Runners
No full textBackground: This study looks at the metabolic effects of carbon plated shoes compared to non plated shoes in NCAA Division 1 male cross country/track athletes. Carbon-plated shoes, like the Nike Vaporfly 3 (NVF3), have become popular, but it’s important to understand how they impact oxygen use (VO2) and running efficiency.
Methods: Ten NCAA Division 1 male cross-country runners (n = 10) participated in two treadmill tests using indirect calorimetry to measure oxygen consumption. Each runner completed a 1 mile jog warm up followed by appropriate dynamic stretching. Each runner completed a 6-minute run at 10 mph (6:00 per mile) in two different shoes: the Nike Vaporfly 3 (NVF3) and a regular training shoe without a carbon plate. Heart rate (HR) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were measured at the 3-minute mark and at the end of each run. Runners were randomly assigned to the order of shoes, they had full recovery between tests, and both runs took place on the same day. A dependent t-test will be used to compare VO2, HR, and RPE between shoe types.
Results: We expect that running in the NVF3 will result in a lower submaximal VO2 compared to the regular running shoe, meaning better running efficiency. Differences in HR and RPE will also be analyzed to see how the shoes affect effort and perception.
Conclusion: This study will help researchers and athletes understand how supershoes impact running metabolism and performance.
Key Words: Submaximal VO2, Carbon-plated shoes, Non-plated shoes, runnin
Understanding the role of HD5 in Colonic Epithelial Cell Death
No full textInflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an autoimmune disorder where the immune system attacks healthy tissue. IBD can occur in both adults and children, describing Ulcerative Colitis (UC) and Crohn’s Colitis (CC). Our lab studies human alpha defensin 5 (HD5), an antimicrobial peptide that normally maintains small intestinal sterility. However, in CC patients, HD5 is overexpressed in the colon. Preliminary data suggests that HD5 increases colonic cell death. This project aims to determine if HD5 induces apoptosis and its mechanisms. To this end, we will test if the suppression of caspase enzymes with a pan-caspase inhibitor reduces cell death triggered by HD5. We will use the XTT assay to assess cell viability and Western blotting to detect caspase activation, avoiding autofluorescence issues that were encountered before. These methods will allow us to verify if HD5 triggers cellular death via caspase-dependent apoptotic pathways and which are affected. We expect that cellular apoptosis will be reduced upon treatment with both HD5 and the caspase inhibitor, and we hope to prove by Western blotting which caspases are activated by HD5. These findings will clarify HD5’s role in CC and its apoptotic effects on colonic epithelial cells. By using non-fluorescent techniques, we aim to eliminate some of the limitations seen in earlier studies and clarify the effects of HD5 in more detail. The results will provide new insights into the impact of HD5 on gastrointestinal health and inform future approaches to treating inflammatory bowel disease
The Fast and the Nutritious: Rapid LC-MS/MS Analysis of Vitamin B Complex Pharmacokinetics
No full textDeveloping NLP-Based Open-Source Tools to Improve Medication Order Interpretation in EHR Systems
No full textInterpreting free-text medication orders in Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems is challenging due to variability, increasing the risk of errors and non-compliance with Joint Commission (TJC) standards. This research develops Natural Language Processing (NLP) tools to enhance medication order accuracy, particularly for Duplicate PRN orders. Our open-source, vendor-neutral approach ensures broad applicability across healthcare institutions while maintaining data security.
Using Python and the Natural Language Toolkit (NLTK), we implemented a four-phase methodology. First, the NLP framework was developed on Google Colab for collaborative accessibility. Next, models were trained on 10,000 anonymized synthetic free-text medication orders to detect non-compliant entries. Model validation was conducted using precision, recall, and F1 score metrics, achieving high accuracy. The precision score of 1.000 demonstrated no false positives, while a recall of 0.989 indicated minimal missed duplicates, resulting in an F1 score of 0.995. These findings highlight the model’s strong reliability in identifying non-compliant PRN orders.
Our NLP tools flagged 12.7% of PRN orders as potential duplicates, underscoring the prevalence of therapeutic duplication in free-text entries. These results validate the potential of NLP-driven automation for improving TJC compliance and medication safety. Future work will focus on real-world validation and integration into educational resources to enhance healthcare professionals’ understanding of compliance standards
Fermented Foul Play: A Real-World Forensic Scenario to Enhance Student Engagement and Understanding of Instrumentation and Analytical Data Analysis
No full textA forensic-style investigation was introduced in an upper-level instrumental analysis course to foster collaboration and application of theoretical concepts in a laboratory setting. Students were provided with kombucha samples collected from a simulated crime scene and tasked with determining ethanol concentrations using Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). By independently preparing serial dilutions, establishing calibration curves, and interpreting mass spectra, they practiced quantitative analytical techniques and engaged in evidence-based problem solving. Notably, Sample C demonstrated elevated ethanol levels (6.4% v/v), suggesting possible adulteration and deepening the forensic narrative. Through this scenario-driven format, students strengthened both their technical competencies and their ability to form data-supported conclusions, reflecting the value of immersive approaches in chemistry education
Investigating the Impact of Humanitarian Engineering Projects Across Demographic Groups
No full textThis poster presents a statistical analysis of a research project studying the impact of humanitarian engineering projects (HEPs) on the views of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). The authors aim to investigate the deeper effects of HEPs across engineering students, alumni, and professionals. Data from participants were gathered through a survey, using both qualitative and quantitative methods, to assess participants’ attitudes toward DEI in engineering.
The survey included two instruments: the Engineering Professional Responsibility Assessment (EPRA) and the Views on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Engineering (VDEIE). The EPRA measured participants’ perspectives on professional responsibility, while the VDEIE focused on assessing their views and attitudes toward inclusive behaviors. The responses were recorded using a Likert scale, allowing for statistical analysis of significant differences within the data.
To analyze group differences, the authors categorized the participants into majority (White and Asian males) and minority (non-White/non-Asian males and all females) groups, based on underrepresented demographics in engineering. Comparisons were conducted between the two subgroups within each primary group—students, alumni, and professionals—as well as across the combined groups. Findings revealed that the only significant difference in attitudes occurred among the student subgroups. In contrast, no significant differences were seen between the alumni and professional groups. The authors suggest that factors such as age, maturity, and team experiences may have contributed to the differences between students, alumni, and professionals