Digital Commons Network^™

Dreams Interrupted: A Mixed-Methods Research Project Exploring Latino College Completion, Kate Sablosky Elengold, Jess Dorrance, Amanda Martinez, Patricia Foxen, Paul Mihas

Faculty Publications

Latino students are entering college at record numbers; Today, almost 3.8 million Latinos are enrolled in colleges and universities across the United States. Yet Latino students trail their White and Asian peers in attaining college degrees. The overall completion gap exceeds ten percentage points.

Although scholars and advocates have pointed to several different barriers facing Latino college students, a persistent narrative focuses on Latino students’ aversion to taking on student debt. In response, researchers at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and UnidosUS undertook a multi-year mixed-method study to test and interrogate whether and how debt aversion affects Latino college …

Concurrent Associations Between Expressive Language Ability And Independence In Adolescents And Adults With Fragile X Syndrome, Leonard Abbeduto, Jessica Klusek, Julie Lounds Taylor, Nadia Abdelnur, Nicole Sparapani, Angela John Thurman

Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Few individuals with fragile X syndrome (FXS) successfully meet adult normative expectations in education, employment, peer relations, and habitation, although there is within-syndrome variability in this regard. The primary goal of this study was to determine whether expressive language skills contribute to the capacity for independent functioning in adulthood even after controlling for nonverbal cognitive ability. METHODS: Participants were 18- to 23-year-olds with FXS. Expressive language was assessed using the psychometrically validated Expressive Language Sampling (ELS) conversation and narration procedures. The language produced was transcribed and analyzed to yield measures of expressive vocabulary, syntax, and intelligibility. Parents concurrently completed …

Urban Bat Pups Take After Their Mothers And Are Bolder And Faster Learners Than Rural Pups., Lee Harten, Nesim Gonceer, Michal Handel, Orit Dash, H. Bobby Fokidis, Yossi Yovel

Faculty Publications

Background: Urbanization is rapidly changing our planet and animals that live in urban environments must quickly adjust their behavior. One of the most prevalent behavioral characteristics of urban dwelling animals is an increased level of risk-taking. Here, we aimed to reveal how urban fruitbats become risk-takers, and how they differ behaviorally from rural bats, studying both genetic and non-genetic factors that might play a role in the process. We assessed the personality of newborn pups from both rural and urban colonies before they acquired experience outdoors, examining risk-taking, exploration, and learning rates.

Results: Urban pups exhibited significantly higher risk-taking levels, …

Quantifying The Structure Of Residential Water Demand In The United States: A Generalized Exact Affine Stone Index Demand Framework, Bakhtavoryan Rafael, Vardges Hovhannisyan

Faculty Publications

We utilize a Generalized Exact Affine Stone Index system to evaluate the structure of residential water demand that recognizes demand interrelationship between residential and bottled water in the United States, allowing for precommitted consumption. Further, we address expenditure and price endogeneity by accounting for the supply side of the price determination mechanism. A significant substitutability relationship between residential and bottled water is found, while substantial precommitments are established in both residential and bottled water consumption. Residential demand becomes price-elastic once the precommitted level is reached. Finally, ignoring substitutability, precommitments, or endogeneity distorts the demand structure, resulting in erroneous policy implications.

Relationship Between Food Insecurity And Smoking Status Among Women Living With And At Risk For Hiv In The Usa: A Cohort Study, Lila A. Sheira, Edward A. Frongillo Jr., Judith Hahn, Kartika Palar, Elise D. Riley, Tracey E. Wilson, Adebola Adedimeji, Daniel Merenstein, Mardge Cohen, Eryka L. Wentz, Adaora A. Adimora, Ighovwerha Ofotokun, Lisa Metsch, Janet M. Turan, Phyllis C. Tien, Sheri D. Weiser

Faculty Publications

Objectives People living with HIV (PLHIV) in the USA, particularly women, have a higher prevalence of food insecurity than the general population. Cigarette smoking among PLHIV is common (42%), and PLHIV are 6–13 times more likely to die from lung cancer than AIDS related causes. This study sought to investigate the associations between food security status and smoking status and severity among a cohort of predominantly low-income women of colour living with and without HIV in the USA.

Design Women enrolled in an ongoing longitudinal cohort study from 2013 to 2015.

Setting Nine participating sites across the USA.

Participants 2553 …

Comparative Value Of Cholinesterase Inhibitors And Memantine In Persons With Moderate-To-Severe Alzheimer’S Disease In The United States: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis, Ismaeel Yunusa, Saud Alsahali, Amey Ranes, Tewodros Eguale

Faculty Publications

Background: Pharmacological treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) involves symptomatic improvement of cognition using cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEIs) and memantine. The cost-effectiveness of these medications will guide decision-makers in making judicious use of scarce healthcare resources, particularly during the advanced disease stages.

Objective: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of ChEIs, memantine, and ChEI-memantine combinations in persons with moderate-to-severe AD from the US healthcare perspective.

Methods: This pharmacoeconomic evaluation study used a state-transition Markov cohort model to simulate the costs and effectiveness of ChEI-memantine combinations compared with monotherapies of ChEI (donepezil, galantamine and rivastigmine) and memantine in persons with moderate-to-severe AD over a lifetime …

Isotopic Evidence For Dominant Secondary Production Of Hono In Near-Ground Wildfire Plumes, Jiajue Chai, Jack E. Dibb, Bruce E. Anderson, Claire Bekker, Danielle E. Blum, Eric Heim, Carolyn E. Jordan, Emily E. Joyce, Jackson H. Kaspari, Hannah Munro, Wendell W. Walters, Meredith G. Hastings

Faculty Publications

Nitrous acid (HONO) is an important precursor to hydroxyl radical (OH) that determines atmospheric oxidative capacity and thus impacts climate and air quality. Wildfire is not only a major direct source of HONO, it also results in highly polluted conditions that favor the heterogeneous formation of HONO from nitrogen oxides (NOx= NO + NO2) and nitrate on both ground and particle surfaces. However, these processes remain poorly constrained. To quantitatively constrain the HONO budget under various fire and/or smoke conditions, we combine a unique dataset of field concentrations and isotopic ratios (15N / 14N and 18O / 16O) of NOx …

A Dichotomy Of Sport Sponsorships: Does The Nature Of Competition Among Sponsors Matter?, Thomas Doellman, Brian Walkup, Adrien Bouchet, Brian Chabowski

Faculty Publications

In this paper, we argue that the firm value implications of sport sponsorships for sponsors may depend on the competitive environment during the bidding process for different types of sponsorships. More specifically, we contend that the bidding environment for professional football (soccer) kit sponsorships represents a form of common value auction, while the bidding environment for corporate logo sponsorships on teams’ shirts does not. As common value auctions are prone to winner’s curse, the firm value implications should be different for kit sponsorship announcements than for shirt sponsorship announcements. Our results suggest that shareholders indeed perceive the value derived from …

Examining Associations Between Knowledge And Vaccine Uptake Using The Human Papillomavirus Knowledge Questionnaire (Hpv-Kq), Sayward Harrison, Valerie Yelverton, Yunfei Wang, Jan Ostermann, Laura J. Fish, Charnetta L. Williams, Lavanya Vasudevan, Emmanuel B. Walter

Faculty Publications

Objectives: Understanding the relationship between human papillomavirus (HPV) knowledge and vaccination behavior is important to inform public health interventions, yet few validated HPV knowledge scales exist. This study describes development of the Human Papillomavirus Knowledge Questionnaire (HPV-KQ) and its validation with parents residing in the southern United States (US). Methods: Drawing on previously published measures, we developed the 13-item HPV-KQ and administered the scale via Web-based survey to parents (N=1105) of adolescents ages 9 to 17 years. Dimensionality, internal consistency, model fit, and predictive validity were assessed. Results: The scale was bidimensional. One factor captured general HPV knowledge, and the …

Examining Associations Between Knowledge And Vaccine Uptake Using The Human Papillomavirus Knowledge Questionnaire (Hpv-Kq), Sayward Harrison, Valerie Yelverton, Jan Ostermann Ph.D., Laura J. Fish, Charnetta L. Williams, Lavanya Vasudevan, Emmanuel B. Walter

Faculty Publications

Objectives: Understanding the relationship between human papillomavirus (HPV) knowledge and vaccination behavior is important to inform public health interventions, yet few validated HPV knowledge scales exist. This study describes development of the Human Papillomavirus Knowledge Questionnaire (HPV-KQ) and its validation with parents residing in the southern United States (US). Methods: Drawing on previously published measures, we developed the 13-item HPV-KQ and administered the scale via Web-based survey to parents (N=1105) of adolescents ages 9 to 17 years. Dimensionality, internal consistency, model fit, and predictive validity were assessed. Results: The scale was bidimensional. One factor captured general HPV knowledge, and the …

An Extended Essay On Church Autonomy, Carl H. Esbeck

Faculty Publications

The doctrine of church autonomy has its own exclusive line of precedent running from Watson v. Jones (1872) through Kedroff v. St. Nicholas Cathedral (1952) - where the doctrine was first recognized as having First Amendment stature - and culminating with renewed vigor for religious institutional autonomy in the unanimous decision of Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church and School v. EEOC (2012). Attention to church autonomy has expanded rapidly since the Supreme Court’s decision in Hosanna-Tabor, and its scope is much disputed as it pushes aside other claims and interests. In its most familiar form—the “ministerial exception” - it is …

Realigning The Clean Water Act: Comprehensive Treatment Of Nonpoint Source Pollution, Robin M. Rotman, Ashley A. Hollis, Kathleen M. Trauth

Faculty Publications

Nonpoint source pollution is the biggest threat to water quality in the United States today. This Article argues for stronger federal controls over nonpoint source pollution. It begins by examining the history of water quality regulation in the United States, including the passage and amendment of the Clean Water Act and the evolving definition of “navigable waters” over time. The Article then discusses recent rulemaking and litigation developments, including the Clean Water Rule, the Navigable Waters Protection Rule, and the County of Maui, Hawaii v. Hawaii Wildlife Fund case. It offers three recommendations. First, the Article calls for a congressional …

Genome-Wide Association And Selective Sweep Studies Reveal The Complex Genetic Architecture Of Dmi Fungicide Resistance In Cercospora Beticola, Rebecca Spanner, Demetris Taliadoros, Jonathan Richards, Viviana Rivera-Varas, Jonathan Neubauer, Mari Natwick, Olivia Hamilton, Niloofar Vaghefi, Sarah Pethybridge, Gary A. Secor, Timothy L. Friesen, Eva H. Stukenbrock, Melvin D. Bolton

Faculty Publications

The rapid and widespread evolution of fungicide resistance remains a challenge for crop disease management. The demethylation inhibitor (DMI) class of fungicides is a widely used chemistry for managing disease, but there has been a gradual decline in efficacy in many crop pathosystems. Reliance on DMI fungicides has increased resistance in populations of the plant pathogenic fungus Cercospora beticola worldwide. To better understand the genetic and evolutionary basis for DMI resistance in C. beticola, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) and selective sweep analysis were conducted for the first time in this species. We performed whole-genome resequencing of 190 C. beticola …

Trapping Soybean Looper (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) In The Southeastern Usa And Implications For Pheromone-Based Research And Management, Daniel E. Fleming, Jeffrey A. Davis, Fred R. Musser, Silvana V. Paula-Moraes, Ronald C. Stephenson, Christopher A. Wheeler, Earl Eugene Ringpis, Tyler S. Crum, J. Khai Tran

Faculty Publications

Novel strategies for the management of soybean looper, Chrysodeixis includens (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), are needed due to its increasing importance, costs, and challenges of management in soybeans (Glycine max [L.] Merr.; Fabaceae) in the Americas. Pheromone-mediated mating disruption may be 1 such novel strategy, but an effective tool for estimating mating disruption success must be found. The technique of trapping male moths using pheromone baited traps is a common method for assessing mating disruption technology. This paper reports on the testing of 2 trap types and 3 commercially available lures containing (Z)-7-dodecenyl acetate as the major active component. Trapping was …

Managing Corpses From Different Castes In The Eastern Subterranean Termite, Jizhe Shi, Chi Zhang, Sirui Huang, Austin Merchant, Qian Sun, Chuan Zhou, Kenneth F. Haynes, Xuguo Zhou

Faculty Publications

Corpse management is essential for social animals to maintain colony health. In the eastern subterranean termite, Reticulitermes flavipes, workers carry out undertaking behaviors to mitigate the risks associated with the dead. In this study, we hypothesized that termites would respond differently to the corpses from different castes based on their postmortem chemical signatures. To test this hypothesis, we 1) documented the behavioral responses of the workers toward corpses from different castes, and 2) profile the chemical signatures of these corpses. Corpses from all castes were retrieved inside the nests and cannibalized when they were decomposed <64 >h, regardless of the presence …

Development Of A Method For Rearing Nezara Viridula (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) On A Semi-Solid Artificial Diet, Maribel Portilla, Gadi V.P. Reddy

Faculty Publications

A method for rearing the southern green stinkbug, (Nezara viridula L.) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae), using a modified lygus semi-solid artificial diet was developed. First to second-instar nymph were reared in a density of 631.5 ± 125.05 eggs per Petri-dish (4 cm deep × 15 cm diam). Second instar to adult were reared in a density of 535.0 ± 112.46 s instar nymphs per rearing cage (43 × 28 × 9 cm). Mating and oviposition occurred in popup rearing cages (30 × 30 cm), each holding 60-90 mixed sex adults of similar age. Adults emerged 35.88 ± 2.13 d after oviposition and …

A 3d Printed Vitrification Device For Storage In Cryopreservation Vials, Yue Liu, Andy Lin, Terrence R. Tiersch, William Todd Monroe

Faculty Publications

Sperm cryopreservation by vitrification is a promising approach for small-bodied animals such as zebrafish (Danio rerio). However, most vitrification tools adopted in aquatic research were initially designed for applications other than sperm (such as human embryo freezing) and, thus, pose challenges for adoption to sperm vitrification. Three-dimensional (3D) printing combined with open hardware sharing is an emerging strategy to address challenges in the development of cryo-preservation tools. The goal of this study was to develop a 3D printed Vitrification Device for Cryo-Vials (VDCV) that can be integrated with the existing vial storage systems. The VDCV combined the vitrification and handling …

Population Structure, Gene Flow, And Sex-Biased Dispersal In The Reticulated Flatwoods Salamander (Ambystoma Bishopi): Implications For Translocations, Steven T. Williams, Jean P. Elbers, Sabrina S. Taylor

Faculty Publications

Understanding patterns of gene flow and population structure is vital for managing threatened and endangered species. The reticulated flatwoods salamander (Ambystoma bishopi) is an endangered species with a fragmented range; therefore, assessing connectivity and genetic population structure can inform future conservation. Samples collected from breeding sites (n = 5) were used to calculate structure and gene flow using three marker types: single nucleotide polymorphisms isolated from potential immune genes (SNPs), nuclear data from the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), and the mitochondrial control region. At a broad geographical scale, nuclear data (SNP and MHC) supported gene flow and little structure (FST …

Global Flash Drought Monitoring Using Surface Soil Moisture, Vinit Sehgal, Nandita Gaur, Binayak P. Mohanty

Faculty Publications

Abrupt onset and swift intensification characterize flash droughts. Global surface soil moisture (θRS) from NASA's Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellite can facilitate a near-real-time assessment of emerging flash droughts at a 36-km footprint. However, a robust flash drought monitoring using θRS must account for the (a) short observation record of SMAP, (b) nonlinear geophysical controls over θRS dynamics, and (c) emergent meteorological drivers of flash droughts. We propose a new method for near-real-time characterization of droughts using Soil Moisture Stress (SMS, drought stress) and Relative Rate of Drydown (RRD, drought stress intensification rate)—developed using SMAP θRS (March 2015–May 2021), …

Family Resilience: Being Refined By The Fire, Alina M. Baltazar

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

A Baker's Dozen Of Top Antimicrobial Stewardship Intervention Publications In 2020, Sarah B. Green, Kayla R. Stover, Katie Barber, Jeannette L. Bouchard, Matthew L. Brown, Connor R. Deri, Bailey J. Francis, Timothy P. Gauthier, Jillian E. Hayes, Ashley H. Marx, Edoabasi U. Mcgee, Krutika Mediwala, Rachel J. Musgrove, Douglas Slain, Stefanie A. Stramel, Christopher M. Bland, P Brandon Bookstaver

Faculty Publications

The number of articles related to antimicrobial stewardship published each year has increased significantly over the last decade. Keeping up with the literature, particularly the most innovative, well-designed, or applicable to one's own practice area, can be challenging. The Southeastern Research Group Endeavor (SERGE-45) network reviewed antimicrobial stewardship-related, peer-reviewed literature from 2020 that detailed actionable interventions. The top 13 publications were summarized following identification using a modified Delphi technique. This article highlights the selected interventions and may serve as a key resource for teaching and training, and to identify novel or optimized stewardship opportunities within one's institution.

Organic Cotton Clothing Purchase Behavior: A Comparative Study Of Consumers In The United States And Bangladesh, Md Nakib Ul Hasan, Chuanlan Liu, Bulbul Ahmed

Faculty Publications

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the differences and similarities of organic cotton clothing (OCC) purchase behaviors of the consumers who lie at the top and the bottom of the apparel supply chain. The influences of consumers’ sustainability knowledge and social norms on consumers’ attitudes and purchase intentions were examined to understand within the framework of the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA). Sample data were collected from the United States and Bangladesh and, finally, 136 useable responses were used for the data analysis. Among the useable responses, 85 samples were from the US (containing 91.76% female participants and …

Eye Movement Desensitization And Reprocessing (Emdr) Practitioners’ Beliefs About Memory, Sanne T.L. Houben, Henry Otgaar, Jeffrey Roelofs, Ineke Wessel, Lawrence Patihis, Harald Merckelbach

Faculty Publications

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a widely used treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder. The idea behind EMDR is that lateral eye movements may mitigate the emotional impact of traumatic memories. Given the focus on changing patients’ memories, it is important that EMDR practitioners have detailed knowledge about human memory. We explored beliefs and ideas about memory in samples of EMDR practitioners (Study 1: n = 12; Study 2: n = 41), students (Study 1: n =35; Study 2: n = 24), and researchers (Study 2: n = 30). All groups seemed to be aware of the fallibility of …

Prevalence And Subgroup Comparisons Of Obesity And Severe Obesity Among Mississippi Public School Students, Lei Zhang, Xiaoshan Z. Gordy, Jerome Kolbo, Jacquelynn Johnson

Faculty Publications

This study examined the prevalence of obesity and severe obesity among Mississippi K-12 public school students and the obesity rate differences within subgroups categorized by sex, race, and grade level. Anthropometric data from a weighted, representative sample of Mississippi public school students were collected through the biennial Child and Youth Prevalence of Obesity Survey (CAYPOS). Overall prevalence rates and those of the subgroups were calculated and compared. The 2017 data indicated that overall 23.7% of Mississippi public schools students met the criterion of class I obesity, 9.1% met the criterion of class II obesity, and 3.2% met the criterion of …

Setting The Research Agenda For Nursing Administration And Leadership Science: A Delphi Study, Esther Maria Chipps, M Lindell Joseph, Catherine Alexander, Bret Lyman, Logan Mcginty, Heather Nelson-Brantley, Joy Parchment, Reynaldo R. Rivera, Mary Anne Schultz, Danielle M. Ward, Susan Weaver

Faculty Publications

Objective: The aim of this study was to identify and prioritize research topics for nursing administration and leadership science.

Background: Nursing administration and leadership research priorities should provide a framework for building the science needed to inform practice.

Methods: The Association for Leadership Science in Nursing (ALSN) and American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL) Foundation (AONL-F) for Nursing Leadership and Education collaborated on a Delphi study. Initial input on research priority items were received from ALSN and AONL members. National experts participated in a 3-round Delphi study.

Results: Top-ranked priorities included: 1) nurses' health, well-being, resiliency, and safety in the …

Organizational Learning During Covid-19: A Qualitative Study Of Nurses' Experiences, Bret Lyman, Morgan K. Horton, Alyssa Oman

Faculty Publications

Aim: The aim of this study is to test the validity of the Organizational Learning in Hospitals model in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: Organizational learning is especially crucial in circumstances of intense, complex, enduring change, as with the COVID-19 pandemic. Nurse managers need additional guidance for fostering organizational learning under such circumstances. The Organizational Learning in Hospitals model may be a helpful resource but requires additional validation.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather 19 nurses' first-hand experiences of organizational learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were analysed using deductive thematic analysis.

Results: Nurses' experiences of organizational …

What Factors Influence Hiv Testing? Modeling Preference Heterogeneity Using Latent Classes And Class-Independent Random Effects, Jan Ostermann Ph.D., Brian P. Flaherty, Derek S. Brown, Bernard Njau, Amy M. Hobbie, Tara B. Mtuy, Max Masnick, Axel C. Mühlbacher, Nathan M. Thielman

Faculty Publications

Efforts to eliminate the HIV epidemic will require increased HIV testing rates among high-risk populations. To inform the design of HIV testing interventions, a discrete choice experiment (DCE) with six policy-relevant attributes of HIV testing options elicited the testing preferences of 300 female barworkers and 440 male Kilimanjaro mountain porters in northern Tanzania. Surveys were administered between September 2017 and July 2018. Participants were asked to complete 12 choice tasks, each involving first- and second-best choices from 3 testing options. DCE responses were analyzed using a random effects latent class logit (RELCL) model, in which the latent classes summarize common …

Demographic Disparities In Clinical Outcomes Of Covid-19: Data From A Statewide Cohort In South Carolina, Xueying Yang, Jiajia Zhang Ph.D., Shujie Chen, Bankole Olatosi Ph.D., Larisa Bruner, Abdoulaye Diedhiou, Cheryl Scott, Ali Mansaray, Sharon Weissman, Xiaoming Li Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Background:

Current literature examining the clinical characteristics of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients under-represent COVID-19 cases who were either asymptomatic or had mild symptoms.

Methods:

We analyzed statewide data from 280 177 COVID-19 cases from various health care facilities during March 4-December 31, 2020. Each COVID-19 case was reported using the standardized Case Report Form (CRF), which collected information on demographic characteristics, symptoms, hospitalization, and death. We used multivariable logistic regression to analyze the associations between sociodemographics and disease severity, hospitalization, and mortality.

Results:

Among a total of 280 177 COVID-19 cases, 5.2% (14 451) were hospitalized and 1.9% (5308) …

Prevalence, Awareness, And Control Of Hypertension Among Bangladeshi Adults: An Analysis Of Demographic And Health Survey 2017-18, Gulam Muhammed Al Kibria, Rajat Das Gupta Ph.D., Jannatun Nayeem

Faculty Publications

Background

The prevalence of hypertension is increasing in Bangladesh, however, few recent studies investigated the proportion of people and factors associated with prevalence, awareness, and control of this condition in this country. This study investigated these among Bangladeshi adults.

Methods

Using Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2017–18 data, a cross-sectional study was conducted. Multilevel logistic regression analysis was employed after descriptive analysis and prevalence estimation.

Results

Among 12,926 persons (mean age: 40 years, 57% women), the prevalence of hypertension was 27.4% (n = 3551), it was 28.4 and 26.2% among females and males, respectively. Among hypertensive people, about 42.4% …

Evaluating The Vulnerability Of Farming Communities To Winter Storms In Iowa, Us, Yiyi Zhang, Bingquing Liang

Faculty Publications

Winter storms have been reported as the second-most frequent catastrophe in the Midwest of the United States and can create non-negligible impacts on farming communities that highly rely on climatic-sensitive resources and activities. However, few studies have attempted to assess the vulnerability to winter storms in rural contexts. Focusing on all counties in Iowa, US, as the study area, this research aimed to evaluate the vulnerability of farming communities to winter storms and its major determinants. It first identified both climatic and non-climatic indicators for quantifying winter storm exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity by reviewing previous related studies and examining …