Digital Commons Network^™

Digital Learning Transformation In Higher Education: International Cases Of University Efforts To Evaluate And Improve Blended Teaching Readiness, Charles R. Graham, Ganbat Danaa, Tserenchimed Purevsuren, Adriana Martínez, Cinthia Bittencourt Spricigo, Barbara Maria Camilotti, Tserenkhand Batsukh

Faculty Publications

The global pandemic of 2019 brought heightened awareness to institutions of higher education of the need to engage in a digital transformation that extends beyond university business operations to the pedagogy of the classroom. This paper is a case study that explores three international cases of universities in Colombia, Brazil, and Mongolia that are at different stages along the path of a digital pedagogical transformation. This article tells each story, including (1) what is driving the local need to engage in digital transformation, (2) what the major challenges and barriers are to achieving a transformation, and (3) what efforts are …

Barriers And Enablers To K-12 Blended Teaching, Courtney N. Hanny, Karen T. Arnesen, Qi Guo, Jordan Hansen, Charles R. Graham

Faculty Publications

The attributes of post-pandemic blended teaching (BT) will more closely resemble pre-Coronavirus conditions than the outbreak’s emergency remote teaching. Thus, barriers and enablers for teachers transitioning to BT after emergency remote teaching will be similar to those of early BT adopters. K-12 research has identified external and internal barriers and enablers to technology integration but has largely overlooked those of BT. This study involved analyzing 62 interviews of K-12 blended teachers to discover factors that enabled BT, stood as barriers to initial and continued blending efforts, and helped teachers overcome barriers. Teacher-perceived barriers included, among others, costs perceived as outweighing …

Right Hemispheric White Matter Hyperintensities Improve The Prediction Of Spatial Neglect Severity In Acute Stroke, Lisa Rohrig, Christoph Sperber, Leonardo Bonilha, Chris Rorden, Hans-Otto Karnath

Faculty Publications

White matter hyperintensities (WMH) are frequently observed in brain scans of elderly people. They are asso-ciated with an increased risk of stroke, cognitive decline, and dementia. However, it is unknown yet if measures of WMH provide information that improve the understanding of poststroke outcome compared to only state-of-the-art stereotaxic structural lesion data.We implemented high-dimensional machine learning models, based on support vector regression, to predict the severity of spatial neglect in 103 acute right hemispheric stroke patients.We found that (1) the additional information of right hemispheric or bilateral voxel-based topographic WMH extent indeed yielded a significant improvement in predicting acute neglect …

Perceived Covid-19 Threat, Perceived Healthcare System Inequities, Personal Experiences Of Healthcare Discrimination And Their Associations With Covid-19 Preventive Behavioral Intentions Among College Students In The Us, Juliana S. Sherchan, Jessica R. Fernandez, Shan Qiao, Arie W. Kruglanski, Allana T. Forde

Faculty Publications

College students are often reluctant to follow U.S. preventive guidelines to lower their risk of COVID-19 infection, despite an increased risk of transmission in college settings. Prior research suggested that college students who perceived greater COVID-19 severity and susceptibility (i.e., COVID-19 threat) were more likely to engage in COVID-19 preventive behaviors, yet there is limited research examining whether perceived COVID-19 threat, perceived U.S. healthcare system inequities, and personal experiences of healthcare discrimination collectively influence college students’ COVID-19 preventive behaviors. This study identified latent classes of perceived COVID-19 threat, perceived U.S. healthcare system inequities, and personal experiences of healthcare discrimination, examined …

Fire Influence On Regional To Global Environments And Air Quality (Firex-Aq), Carsten Warneke, Joshua P. Schwarz, Jack E. Dibb, Olga Kalashnikova, Gregory Frost, Jassim Al-Saad, Steven S. Brown, Wm. Alan Brewer, Amber Soja, Felix C. Seidel, Rebecca A. Washenfelder, Elizabeth B. Wiggins, Richard H. Moore, Bruce E. Anderson, Carolyn Jordan, Tara I. Yacovitch, Scott C. Herndon, Shang Liu, Toshihiro Kuwayama, Daniel Jaffe, Nancy Johnston, Vanessa Selimovic, Robert Yokelson, David M. Giles, Brent N. Holben, Philippe Goloub, Ioana Popovici, Michael Trainer, Aditya Kumar, R. Bradley Pierce, David Fahey, James Roberts, Emily M. Gargulinski, David A. Peterson, Xinxin Ye, Laura H. Thapa, Pablo E. Saide, Charles H. Fite, Christopher D. Holmes, Siyuan Wang, Matthew M. Coggon, Zachary C.J. Decker, Chelsea E. Stockwell, Lu Xu, Georgios Gkatzelis, Kenneth Aikin, Barry Lefer, Jackson Kaspari, Debora Griffin, Linghan Zeng, Rodney Weber, Meredith Hastings, Jiajue Chai, Glenn M. Wolfe, Thomas F. Hanisco, Jin Liao, Pedro Campuzano Jost, Hongyu Guo, Jose L. Jimenez, James Crawford

Faculty Publications

The NOAA/NASA Fire Influence on Regional to Global Environments and Air Quality (FIREX-AQ) experiment was a multi-agency, inter-disciplinary research effort to: (a) obtain detailed measurements of trace gas and aerosol emissions from wildfires and prescribed fires using aircraft, satellites and ground-based instruments, (b) make extensive suborbital remote sensing measurements of fire dynamics, (c) assess local, regional, and global modeling of fires, and (d) strengthen connections to observables on the ground such as fuels and fuel consumption and satellite products such as burned area and fire radiative power. From Boise, ID western wildfires were studied with the NASA DC-8 and two …

Relationship Between Live-In Grandparents And Grandchild’S Health And Well-Being In Palestinian Refugees In Lebanon, Olfat B. Sheikomar, Hala Ghattas Ph.D., Nadine R. Sahyoun

Faculty Publications

Grandparents (GP) play influential roles in grandchildren’s health, behavior, and life. However, this relationship has not been examined in the Arab region. This study assesses whether the presence of GP in the household is associated with grandchildren’s health and wellbeing. Health status was determined by a child experiencing chronic health conditions or an acute illness, and wellbeing was determined based on school attendance and child labor. Data were collected through surveys conducted in 2010 and 2015 of representative samples of Palestinian refugees living in Lebanon. Multivariate logistic regression showed that, even after controlling for potential confounders, including the presence of …

Do Green Policies Produce Green Jobs?, Neal Woods, Jiyoon Kang, Morgan A. Lowder

Faculty Publications

Objective

We examine the relationship between clean energy policies and green job growth.

Methods

Using a set of meta-regression analyses, we assess the green job creation performance of a wide variety of policies in the American states.

Results

Our findings indicate that renewable portfolio standards and public benefit funds are systematically associated with increases in green jobs, although the effects of other policy tools are ambiguous at best. Effect estimates in the existing literature are significantly driven by how the dependent and core independent variables are measured.

Conclusion

Overall, our findings suggest that some policies may be an effective component …

Editorial: Sustainability Of Physical Activity Interventions And Public Health, Erica Y. Lau, Maureen C. Ashe, Sharon E. Taverno, Russell R. Pate Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Women's Power In Hospital-Based Nursing: A Critical Qualitative Study, Kaitlyn C. George, Bret Lyman, Andy Pilarte Alcantara, Maya Stephenson

Faculty Publications

Aim: To understand the factors that affect power in hospital-based nursing and reveal how the female gender affects an individual's ability to feel empowered.

Design: Critical qualitative research design.

Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nurses working in inpatient hospital settings in Utah and New Mexico. Data were collected from February to March 2022. Interviews were analysed using thematic analysis.

Results: Sixteen participants were interviewed. Six themes were identified from the data, four of which related to nurses' power at work, and two of which specifically related to how gender affects a nurse's ability to use power and feel empowered. …

Surface Modification Of 3d Printed Microfluidic Devices For Controlled Wetting In Two-Phase Flow, Chandler A. Warr, Nicole G. Crawford, Gregory P. Nordin, William G. Pitt

Faculty Publications

Microfluidic devices (MFDs) printed in 3-D geometry using digital light projection to polymerize monomers often have surfaces that are not as hydrophobic as MFDs made from polydimethylsiloxane. Droplet microfluidics in these types of devices are subject to droplet adhesion and aqueous spreading on less hydrophobic MFD surfaces. We have developed a post-processing technique using hydrophobic monomers that renders the surfaces of these devices much more hydrophobic. The technique is fast and easy, and involves flowing monomer without initiator into the channels and then exposing the entire device to UV light that generates radicals from the initiator molecules remaining in the …

Andrews University 2022-2025 Strategic Plan - Storyline Three: Resilience And Change, Andrea Luxton

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

A Talker And A Doer: David Faehner's 37-Year Legacy Of Making Friends For Andrews, Douglas Jones

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Association Of Chronic Kidney Disease With Prior Tinnitus: A Case-Control Study, Shih-Han Hung, Sudha Xirasagar Mbbs., Ph.D., Yen-Fu Cheng, Nai-Wen Kuo, Herng-Ching Lin

Faculty Publications

This population-based, case-control study aims to explore the relationship between prior tinnitus and the occurrence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) using a nationwide, population-based cohort study. We used data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database to explore the association of CKD with tinnitus. We identified 15,314 patients aged >= 40 years old with a first-time diagnosis of CKD as the cases. We used propensity-scored matching to select 45,942 controls (1:3 ratio). We performed multivariate logistic regression to estimate the odds ratio (OR) of a prior tinnitus diagnosis among the CKD group vs. the control group. Analysis showed that …

Association Of Chlorhexidine Use And Scaling And Root Planing With Birth Outcomes In Pregnant Individuals With Periodontitis: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Maxwell Akonde, Rajat Das Gupta, Maxwell Akonde, Mark Reynolds, Stephanie Smith-Warner, Jihong Liu Sc.D., Fouzia Tarannum, James Beck, Donald Mattison

Faculty Publications

Importance Chlorhexidine mouthwash enhances treatment effects of conventional periodontal treatment, but data on chlorhexidine as a source of heterogeneity in meta-analyses assessing the treatment of maternal periodontitis in association with birth outcomes are lacking.

Objective To assess possible heterogeneity by chlorhexidine use in randomized clinical trials (RCTs) evaluating the effect of periodontal treatment (ie, scaling and root planing [SRP]) vs no treatment on birth outcomes.

Data Sources Cochrane Oral Health’s Trials Register, Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth’s Trials Register, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE Ovid, Embase Ovid, LILACS BIREME Virtual Health Library (Latin American and Caribbean Health Science …

Association Of Chlorhexidine Use And Scaling And Root Planing With Birth Outcomes In Pregnant Individuals With Periodontitis: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Anwar T. Nerchant, Rajat Das Gupta, Maxwell Akonde, Mark Reynolds, Stephanie Smith-Warner, Jihong Liu, Fouzia Tarannum, James Beck, Donald Mattison

Faculty Publications

Importance Chlorhexidine mouthwash enhances treatment effects of conventional periodontal treatment, but data on chlorhexidine as a source of heterogeneity in meta-analyses assessing the treatment of maternal periodontitis in association with birth outcomes are lacking.

Objective To assess possible heterogeneity by chlorhexidine use in randomized clinical trials (RCTs) evaluating the effect of periodontal treatment (ie, scaling and root planing [SRP]) vs no treatment on birth outcomes.

Data Sources Cochrane Oral Health’s Trials Register, Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth’s Trials Register, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE Ovid, Embase Ovid, LILACS BIREME Virtual Health Library (Latin American and Caribbean Health Science …

Scientometric Mapping Of Global Research On Green Retrofitting Of Existing Buildings (Greb): Pathway Towards A Holistic Greb Framework, Mershack O. Tetteh, Amos Darko, Albert P.C. Chan, Amirhosein Jafari, Ioannis Brilakis, Weiwei Chen, Gabriel Nani, Sitsofe Kwame Yevu

Faculty Publications

Green retrofitting of existing buildings (GREB) represents one of the best opportunities to reduce global energy consumption and carbon emissions, as well as improve people's health, well-being, and quality of life. It has thus received significant attention from researchers and practitioners over the years, with the proliferation of research works and publications. However, no study has attempted to comprehensively investigate the cumulative theoretical and practical value of this body of knowledge. This study aims to analyze the existing global research on GREB through the lens of a scientometric review technique and to provide pathways for future research. The scientometric mapping …

A Bayesian Susceptible-Infectious-Hospitalized-Ventilated-Recovered Model To Predict Demand For Covid-19 Inpatient Care In A Large Healthcare System, Stella Coker Watson Self Ph.D., Ms, Rongjie Huang, Shrujan Amin, Joseph Ewing, Carolina Rudisill, Alexander C. Mclain Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

The COVID-19 pandemic has strained healthcare systems in many parts of the United States. During the early months of the pandemic, there was substantial uncertainty about whether the large number of COVID-19 patients requiring hospitalization would exceed healthcare system capacity. This uncertainty created an urgent need to accurately predict the number of COVID-19 patients that would require inpatient and ventilator care at the local level. As the pandemic progressed, many healthcare systems relied on such predictions to prepare for COVID-19 surges and to make decisions regarding staffing, the discontinuation of elective procedures, and the amount of personal protective equipment (PPE) …

A Bayesian Susceptible-Infectious-Hospitalized-Ventilated-Recovered Model To Predict Demand For Covid-19 Inpatient Care In A Large Healthcare System, Stella Coker Watson Self Ph.D., Ms, Rongjie Huang, Shrujan Amin, Joseph Ewing, Caroline Rudisill, Alexander C. Mclain

Faculty Publications

The COVID-19 pandemic has strained healthcare systems in many parts of the United States. During the early months of the pandemic, there was substantial uncertainty about whether the large number of COVID-19 patients requiring hospitalization would exceed healthcare system capacity. This uncertainty created an urgent need to accurately predict the number of COVID-19 patients that would require inpatient and ventilator care at the local level. As the pandemic progressed, many healthcare systems relied on such predictions to prepare for COVID-19 surges and to make decisions regarding staffing, the discontinuation of elective procedures, and the amount of personal protective equipment (PPE) …

Survival Of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer In Black Women: A Society To Cell Approach In The African American Cancer Epidemiology Study (Aaces), Joellen M. Schildkraut, Courtney Johnson, Lauren F. Dempsey, Bo Qin, Paul Terry, Maxwell Akonde, Edward S. Peters, Hannah Mandle, Michele L. Cote, Lauren Peres, Patricia Moorman, Ann G. Schwartz, Micheal Epstein, Jeffrey Marks, Melissa Bondy, Andrew B. Lawson, Anthony Alberg, Elisa V. Bandera

Faculty Publications

Purpose

The causes for the survival disparity among Black women with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) are likely multi-factorial. Here we describe the African American Cancer Epidemiology Study (AACES), the largest cohort of Black women with EOC.

Methods

AACES phase 2 (enrolled 2020 onward) is a multi-site, population-based study focused on overall survival (OS) of EOC. Rapid case ascertainment is used in ongoing patient recruitment in eight U.S. states, both northern and southern. Data collection is composed of a survey, biospecimens, and medical record abstraction. Results characterizing the survival experience of the phase 1 study population (enrolled 2010–2015) are presented.

Results …

Investigating The Relationships Between Concentrated Disadvantage, Place Connectivity, And Covid-19 Fatality In The United States Over Time, Fengrui Jing, Zhenlong Liu, Shan Qiao, Jiajia Zhang Ph.D., Bankole Olatosi Ph.D., Xiaoming Li Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Background Concentrated disadvantaged areas have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 outbreak in the United States (US). Meanwhile, highly connected areas may contribute to higher human movement, leading to higher COVID-19 cases and deaths. This study examined the associations between concentrated disadvantage, place connectivity, and COVID-19 fatality in the US over time. Methods Concentrated disadvantage was assessed based on the spatial concentration of residents with low socioeconomic status. Place connectivity was defined as the normalized number of shared Twitter users between the county and all other counties in the contiguous US in a year (Y = 2019). COVID-19 fatality was measured …

Association Of Fabry Disease With Hearing Loss, Tinnitus, And Sudden Hearing Loss: A Nationwide Population-Based Study, Yen-Fu Cheng, Sudha Xirasagar Mbbs., Ph.D., Chin-Shyan Chen, Dau-Ming Niu, Herng-Ching Lin

Faculty Publications

Hearing loss and the related otologic manifestations are receiving increased scrutiny as significant causes of morbidity in Fabry disease. However, the relative risks of auditory deficits among patients with Fabry disease relative to the general population without a diagnosis of Fabry disease have not been studied. This study aims to explore the associations between Fabry disease and hearing-related manifestations using a nationwide population-based dataset. We identified study patients for this cross-sectional study from the 2015–2017 claims databases of the Taiwan Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2005. We first identified 2312 patients aged over 20 years with a diagnosis of Fabry disease. …

The Hypertension Cascade Of Care In The Midst Of Conflict: The Case Of The Gaza Strip, Bassam A. Abu Hamad, Zeina Jamaluddine, Gloria Safadi, Marie Elizabeth Ragi, Raeda El Sayed Ahmad, Eszter P. Vamos, Sanjay Basu, John S. Yudkin, Mohammed Jawad, Christopher Millett, Hala Ghattas Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Although hypertension constitutes a substantial burden in conflict-affected areas, little is known about its prevalence, control, and management in Gaza. This study aims to estimate the prevalence and correlates of hypertension, its diagnosis and control among adults in Gaza. We conducted a representative, cross-sectional, anonymous, household survey of 4576 persons older than 40 years in Gaza in mid-2020. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews, anthropometric, and blood pressure measurements. Hypertension was defined in anyone with an average systolic blood pressure ≥140 mmHg or average diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mmHg from two consecutive readings or a hypertension diagnosis. The mean age …

Pre-Existing Diabetes Mellitus, Hypertension And Kidneydisease As Risk Factors Of Pre-Eclampsia: A Disease Of Theories And Its Association With Genetic Polymorphism, Abdullah Salah Alanazi, Francis Victor, Kanwal Rehman, Yusra Habib Khan, Ismaeel Yunusa Ph.D., Abdulaziz Alzarea, Muhammad Sajid Hamid Akash, Tauqeer Hussain Mallhi

Faculty Publications

Pre-existing diabetes, hypertension and kidney disorders are prominent risk factors of pre-eclampsia (PE). It is a multifactorial pregnancy disorder associated with high blood pressure, proteinuria, and multiorgan failure, which develops after the 20th week of pregnancy. It is one of the most feared pregnancy disorders, as it consumes thousands of fetomaternal lives per annum. According to clinical and pathological studies, the placenta appears to be a key player in the pathogenesis of PE; however, the exact origin of this disorder is still under debate. Defective placentation and angiogenesis are the hallmarks of PE progression. This angiogenic imbalance, together with maternal …

Effects Of A Behavioral Intervention On Physical Activity, Diet, And Health-Related Quality Of Life In Pregnant Women With Elevated Weight: Results Of The Hipp Randomized Controlled Trial, Sarah Wilcox Phd, Jihong Liu, Gabrielle Turner-Mcgrievy Ph.D., Rd, Alycia K. Boutte, Ellen Wingard Msph, Rd, Ld

Faculty Publications

Background

Physical activity (PA), diet, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) are related to maternal and infant health, but interventions to improve these outcomes are needed in diverse pregnant women with elevated weight.

Methods

Health In Pregnancy and Postpartum (HIPP) was a randomized controlled trial. Women who were pregnant (N=219, 44% African American, 56% white) with overweight or obesity but otherwise healthy were randomized to a behavioral intervention grounded in Social Cognitive Theory (n=112) or to standard care (n=107). The intervention group received an in-depth counseling session, a private Facebook group, and 10 content-based …

Effects Of A Behavioral Intervention On Physical Activity, Diet, And Health-Related Quality Of Life In Pregnant Women With Elevated Weight: Results Of The Hipp Randomized Controlled Trial, Sara Wilcox Ph.D., Jihong Liu, Gabrielle Turner-Mcgrievy Ph.D., Rd, Alycia K. Boutté, Ellen Wingard

Faculty Publications

Background

Physical activity (PA), diet, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) are related to maternal and infant health, but interventions to improve these outcomes are needed in diverse pregnant women with elevated weight.

Methods

Health In Pregnancy and Postpartum (HIPP) was a randomized controlled trial. Women who were pregnant (N=219, 44% African American, 56% white) with overweight or obesity but otherwise healthy were randomized to a behavioral intervention grounded in Social Cognitive Theory (n=112) or to standard care (n=107). The intervention group received an in-depth counseling session, a private Facebook group, and 10 content-based …

Coaches Supporting Teachers Reluctant To Implement Intervention Instruction: The Role Of Reflection, Elizabeth Cutrer, Erica E. Miller

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Holistic Community: The Key To Real-Life Discipleship, Petr Činčala

Faculty Publications

The word “discipleship” carries different meanings depending on the context in which it is used. Holistic community provides a natural environment in which people can learn cognitively, emotionally, and behaviorally. In this way, discipling in the context of community (small groups) enhances and strengthens behaving and believing, as well as belonging. Additionally, a deeper understanding of the three-fold revelation of God (i.e., the Triune God, who is by nature a communal, relational God) helps us better understand how holistic small groups foster the growth and support of believers, encouraging them to bring others into God’s family. The way the members …

Diet And Disturbance: Seaside Sparrow Resource Use Driven By Oiling And Hurricane Isaac, Allison M. Snider, Andrea Bonisoli-Alquati, Anna A. Pérez-Umphrey, Stefan Woltmann, Philip C. Stouffer, Sabrina S. Taylor

Faculty Publications

The 2010 Deepwater Horizon (DWH) disaster led to extensive oil deposition in Louisiana’s coastal wetlands, followed two years later by Hurricane Isaac. These disturbances led to changes in saltmarsh invertebrate communities, potentially affecting higher-level predators and the saltmarsh food web. Seaside Sparrows (Ammospiza maritima) are ubiquitous, year-round residents of the coastal saltmarsh affected by the DWH spill, where they consume diverse invertebrates and may be considered an indicator species for the ecosystem’s integrity. We used DNA metabarcoding to evaluate prey consumed by Seaside Sparrows to understand how sparrows responded to residual contamination from the DWH oil spill and ecosystem disturbance …

Schoolhouse Rock! Rules: Orthodoxies And Unorthodoxies In Congressional Procedure, John Cannan

Faculty Publications

Is the Schoolhouse Rock! cartoon version of the conventional legislative process really dead? According to some legal academics, traditional Congressional procedures, documented in the cartoon I’m Just a Bill, have been replaced by unorthodox lawmaking—frequent and significant procedural legislative deviations. In actuality, the iconic cartoon and the traditional process are not ready for the grave just yet.

This paper documents the many nuances in orthodox and unorthodox lawmaking by reviewing over 1,500 laws passed between the 111th to116th Congresses and the information sources produced for each to evaluate how pervasive unorthodox law-making really is. The results show the true balance …

Ministerial Decision On The Trips Agreement (Wto), Ana Santos Rutschman

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.