Digital Commons Network^™

To Move Home Or Move On? Investigating The Impact Of Recovery Aid On Migration Status As A Potential Tool For Disaster Risk Reduction In The Aftermath Of Volcanic Eruptions In Merapi, Indonesia, Jonathan A. Muir, Michael R. Cope, Leslie R. Angeningish, Jorden E. Jackson

Faculty Publications

Disasters are associated strongly with forced migration. Indeed, migration is a standard survival strategy for those facing disruptions of this kind. Such is the case with Mt. Merapi, Indonesia, where a series of eruptions occurred in 2010. Mechanisms related to forced migration in such scenarios are fairly well understood, yet it remains less clear what factors may influence return migration. Given local interest in facilitating resettlement out of hazardous areas as a means of risk reduction, our objective in this study is to explore the extent to which recovery aid may create incentives for households to move on rather than …

Using Simulation To Develop Clinical Teaching Competencies In Nurse Educators, Julie Fitzwater

Faculty Publications

This report describes a research study to measure the effect of simulation on clinical educators’ knowledge and skills about effective formative feedback for prelicensure nursing students.

Subject Population: Clinical nurse educators who teach prelicensure nursing students in clinical education were recruited.

Research Design: Pre-test and post-test design with a simulation workshop for educators as the intervention. This was a pilot study.

Theoretical Frameworks: The theoretical frameworks guiding the research study include Meleis’ Transitions theory and the NLN Jeffries Simulation theory. Transitions theory addresses the situational transition when a nurse clinician takes on the new role of nurse educator. Simulation theory …

Multi-Mode Guided Wave Detection Of Various Composite Damage Types, Hanfei Mei, Robin James, Victor Giurgiutiu

Faculty Publications

This paper presents a new methodology for detecting various types of composite damage, such as delamination and impact damage, through the application of multimode guided waves. The basic idea is that various wave modes have different interactions with various types of composite damage. Using this method, selective excitations of pure-mode guided waves were achieved using adjustable angle beam transducers (ABTs). The tuning angles of various wave modes were calculated using Snell’s law applied to the theoretical dispersion curves of composite plates. Pitch–catch experiments were conducted on a 2-mm quasi-isotropic carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composite plate to validate the excitations of …

A Role For Oncostatin M In The Impairment Of Glucose Homeostasis In Obesity, Irene Piquer-Garcia, Laura Campderros, Siri D. Taxerås, Aleix Gavaldà-Navarro, Rosario Pardo, María Vila, Silvia Pellitero, Eva Martínez, Jordi Tarascó, Pau Moreno, Joan Villarroya, Rubén Cereijo, Lorena González, Marjorie Reyes, Silvia Rodriguez-Fernández, Marta Vives-Pi, Carles Lerin, Carrie M. Elks, Jacqueline M. Stephens, Manel Puig-Domingo, Francesc Villarroya, Josep A. Villena, David Sánchez-Infantes

Faculty Publications

© 2019 Endocrine Society 2019. Context: Oncostatin M (OSM) plays a key role in inflammation, but its regulation and function during obesity is not fully understood. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship of OSM with the inflammatory state that leads to impaired glucose homeostasis in obesity. We also assessed whether OSM immunoneutralization could revert metabolic disturbances caused by a high-fat diet (HFD) in mice. Design: 28 patients with severe obesity were included and stratified into two groups: (1) glucose levels /dL and (2) glucose levels >100 mg/dL. White adipose tissue was obtained to examine OSM …

“Estamos Aquí Pero No Soy De Aqui”: American Mexican Youth, Belonging And Schooling In Rural, Central Mexico, Eric Ruiz Bybee, Erin Feinauer Whiting, Bryant Jensen, Victoria Savage, Alisa Baker, Emma Holdaway

Faculty Publications

This article explores notions of belonging and citizenship for “American Mexican” students— Mexican-heritage youth born in the United States who return to Mexico with their families. Our findings reveal belonging as a sociocultural practice that participants negotiated spatially and relationally, chiefly by making their US-born status more and less visible within particular spaces at school. The experiences of American-Mexican youth reveal the crucial roles of migration and belonging in shaping civic identities and future potentials in a transnational world.

Catalysts For Polymer Membrane Fuel Cells, William E. Mustain, Bryan Pivovar

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Granulins Modulate Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation And Aggregation Of Prion-Like C-Terminal Domain Of The Neurodegeneration-Associated Protein Tdp-43, Anukool A. Bhopatkar, Vladimir N. Uversky, Vijay Rangachari

Faculty Publications

Tar DNA binding protein 43 (TDP-43) has emerged as a key player in many neurodegenerative pathologies including frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Hallmarks of both FTLD and ALS are the toxic cytoplasmic inclusions of the prion-like C-terminal fragments of TDP-43 (TDP-43 CTD), formed upon proteolytic cleavage of full-length TDP-43 in the nucleus and subsequent transport to the cytoplasm. Both full-length TDP-43 and its CTD are also known to form stress granules (SGs) by coacervating with RNA in the cytoplasm during stress and may be involved in these pathologies. Furthermore, mutations in PGRN gene, leading to haploinsufficiency …

Implementing Routine Communication About Costs Of Cancer Treatment: Perspectives Of Providers, Patients, And Caregivers, Marie Haverfield, A. E. Singer, C. Gray, A. Shelley, A. Nash, K. A. Lorenz

Faculty Publications

Objectives Rising costs in oncology care often impact patients and families directly, making communication about costs and financial impacts of treatment crucial. Cost expenditures could offer opportunities for estimation and prediction, affording personalized conversations about financial impact. We sought to explore providers’, patients’, and caregivers’ preferences towards implementing communication about cost, including when, how, and by whom such information might be provided.

Methods We conducted semi-structured phone interviews with a diverse population including 12 oncology providers, 12 patients, and 8 patient caregivers (N = 32). The constant comparative method was used to identify mutually agreed upon themes.

Results Participant groups …

Carbon-Based Artificial Sei Layers For Aqueous Lithium-Ion Battery Anodes, Usha Subramanya, Charleston Chua, Victor Gin He Leong, Ryan Robinson, Gwenlyn Cruz Cabiltes, Prakirti Singh, Bonnie Yip, Anuja Bokare, Folarin Erogbogbo, Dahyun Oh

Faculty Publications

Replacing flammable organic electrolytes with aqueous electrolytes in lithium-ion batteries (LIB) can greatly enhance the safety of next-generation energy storage systems. With the extended electrochemical stability window of electrolytes, 'water-in-salt' (WIS) electrolytes containing LIB presented significant performance improvements. However, the solubility limits of lithium salts in water restrain the extent of kinetic protection offered by the high salt concentration. Here, we report design strategies of anode structure to improve the cycle life of LIB with WIS electrolytes. We introduced partially graphitic protective carbon layers on anode particles using a versatile coating method. This protective layer not only improved charge transfer …

Effects Of The Affordable Care Act On The Receipt Of Colonoscopies Among The Insured Elderly, Minjee Lee, M Mahmud Khan, Heather M. Brandt, Ramzi G. Salloum, Brian Chen

Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: The Affordable Care Act (ACA) waived deductibles and eliminated coinsurance for colonoscopies for Medicare beneficiaries beginning in January 1, 2011. This study investigated the effect of the ACA's directive to remove the financial barriers on the receipt of colonoscopies among the elderly insured, who are predominantly covered by Medicare. METHODS: Data from the 2008-2016 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) were used to examine the receipt of colonoscopies in two years prior to the implementation of the ACA (2008 and 2010) and three years after the change (2012, 2014, and 2016). Multivariate logistic regressions were estimated to examine the …

The First Complete Mitochondrial Genomes Of Sawtail Surgeonfishes (Acanthuridae: Prionurus), William B. Ludt, Luiz A. Rocha, Prosanta Chakrabarty

Faculty Publications

© 2019, © 2019 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. Surgeonfishes of the family Acanthuridae are primarily large-bodied herbivores that provide critical ecosystem services to coral reefs. Five out of the six genera that comprise the family have had mitochondrial genomes sequenced, with the exception of the genus Prionurus. Here, for the first time, we assemble and annotate the mitochondrial genomes of two sawtail surgeonfishes. The circular genomes of P. biafraensis and P. laticlavius are 16,552 bp and 16,531 bp in length, respectively, and contain 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, 2 …

Thermal Degradation Of Azobenzene Dyes, Thao L. Nguyen, Mahmoud A. Saleh

Faculty Publications

Ten azobenzene dyes were tested for their thermal degradation products from ambient temperature to 800 °C using a thermogravimetric technique. Degradation products were analyzed at each 100 °C increment using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Products were identified based on their mass spectral data and their retention times. Thermal degradation from all dyes resulted in loss of the azo group as nitrogen gas and aromatic free radicals. Electron withdrawing groups enhance the dissociation of the phenyl nitrogen bond at the benzene moiety carrying the electron withdrawing group. On the other hand, electron donating groups inhibited the dissociation of the phenyl-N bond of …

Simulation Studies Of Combustion In Spark Ignition Engine Using Openfoam, Lucky Anetor, Edward E. Osakue, Kendall Harris

Faculty Publications

The open source Field Operation and Manipulation (OpenFOAM) software was used to investigate the performance of a fully premixed, modern high-performance 4-valve, iso-octane, dual overhead cam (DOHC) engine with quasi-symmetric pent roof combustion chamber running at 1500 revolutions per minute. The peak pressure occurred at the TDC and had a value of about 30 bar. The results from this study show that the maximum combustion temperature occurred at approximately 95 degrees crank angle ATDC and has a volume averaged value of about 2700° K, whereas the actual computed peak temperature was found to be about 3000° K and it occurred …

Simultaneity Of Synchronization And Antisynchronization In A Class Of Chaotic Systems, Zhi Liu, Rongwei Guo, Yi Qi, Cuimei Jiang

Faculty Publications

In this paper, a new synchronization phenomenon, that is, the simultaneity of synchronization and antisynchronization, is investigated for a class of chaotic systems. First, for a given chaotic system, necessary and sufficient conditions for the simultaneity of synchronization and antisynchronization are proved. Then, based on these conditions, all solutions of such synchronization phenomenon for a given chaotic system are derived. After that, physical controllers that are not only simple but also implementable are designed to realize the simultaneity of synchronization and antisynchronization in the above system. Finally, illustrative examples based on numerical simulations are used to verify the validity and …

Methods For Identifying Truck Crash Hotspots, Wenrui Qu, Shaojie Liu, Qun Zhao, Yi Qi

Faculty Publications

The goal of this study was to develop a new method for identifying the actual risky spots by using the geographic information system (GIS). For this purpose, in this study, three different methods for detecting hotspots are developed, i.e., (1) the annual average daily traffic (AADT) normalization method, (2) AK crashes (A is the incapacitating crash, and K is the fatal crash) percentage method, and (3) distribution difference method. To evaluate the performances of these three hotspot detection methods along with a baseline method that only considered the frequency of crashes, we applied these three methods to identify the top …

Methanol Leaf Extract Of Momordica Charantia Protects Alloxan-Induced Hepatopathy Through Modulation Of Caspase-9 And Interleukin-1Β Signaling Pathways In Rats, Sunday Oluwaseun Ofuegbe, Ademola Adetokunbo Oyagbemi, Temidayo Olutayo Omobowale, Aduragbenro Deborah Adedapo, Abiodun Emmanuel Ayodele, Momoh Audu Yakubu, Oluwafemi O. Oguntibeju, Adeolu Alex Adedapo

Faculty Publications

Background and Aim: Momordica charantia is a highly valued plant, widely distributed in the tropical and subtropical regions. The plant is reported to have a wide range of medicinal uses. This study was designed to explore the ameliorative potential of M. charantia methanol leaf extract in alloxan-induced diabetic animal model with a particular focus on the liver. Materials and Methods: Hepatoprotective effect of methanol leaf extract of M. charantia was assessed in alloxan-induced toxicity in 50 rats divided into five groups (A-E) (n=10). Group A normal control, Group B was toxicant group, and Group C animals received glibenclamide treatment while …

Pressure Control Of High-Pressure Oil Pipe, Wenrui Qu, Lei Liu, Qun Zhao

Faculty Publications

In this paper, to realize the pressure stability control of high-pressure oil pipe, the dynamic differential equation of fuel oil inlet and outlet is established based on the theory of mass conservation. According to the change of the pressure in the high-pressure tubing, an optimization model is established to achieve precise control of the working time of each part of the high-pressure oil pipe.

Improving Bus Transit Services For Disabled Individuals: Demand Clustering, Bus Assignment, And Route Optimization, Jianbang Du, Fengxiang Qiao, Lei Yu

Faculty Publications

Bus transit provides shorter-distance public transportation services, which are subject to various disability discrimination acts with various dedicated features. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that disabled individuals shall have equal rights to receive fare bus transit services, including fixed-route and door-to-door bus services. Most previous studies were mainly focused on policy aspects as part of the efforts of disability rights. The proper planning of demand requests from disabled individuals has been a critical issue but has gained insufficient attention. The existing methodologies in planning route for special transit buses for disabled individuals normally do not consider passengers' waiting …

Effect Of Cocoa Powder On Hypertension And Antioxidant Status In Uninephrectomized Hypertensive Rats, Olayinka Christianah Jayeola, Ademola Adetokunbo Oyagbemi, Omolara Ibiwunmi Okunlola, Olayiwola Olubamiwa, Temidayo Olutayo Omobowale, Temitayo Olabisi Ajibade, Foluso Bolawaye Bolaji-Alabi, Blessing Seun Ogunpolu, Olufunke Olubunmi Falayi, Adebowale Benard Saba, Adeolu Alex Adedapo, Momoh Audu Yakubu, Afolabi Oluwadun, Oluwafemi Omoniyi Oguntibeju

Faculty Publications

Background and Aim: High salt diet and uninephrectomy are associated with high blood pressure with attendant cardiovascular disease conditions such as hypertension, renal damage, myocardial infarction, and stroke. The aim of this study was to investigate the beneficial effects of consumption of cocoa and cocoa-containing products in the management of high blood pressure in uninephrectomized hypertensive rats. Materials and Methods: The effect of cocoa powder on blood pressure, markers of inflammation, oxidative stress, and histopathology were investigated in uninephrectomized animals fed with cocoa feed alone or in combination with a high salt diet. Male rats were randomly divided into five …

A Parametric Study Of Frictional Load Influence In Spur Gear Bending Resistance, Edward E. Osakue, Lucky Anetor, Kendall Harris

Faculty Publications

A revised Lewis bending fatigue stress capacity model for spur gears is presented and used to study the influence of mesh friction on root stress. It took the original Lewis formula and made modifications for dynamic loads, shear stress, and mesh friction in spur gear design. The study reveals that mesh friction may increase bending stress by up to 6% in enclosed cylindrical gear drives when an average mesh friction coefficient of 0.07 is assumed. A possible increase of 15% in root stress may occur in open gear drives when the mesh friction coefficient is taken as 0.15, a value …

Verification Of Cryptocurrency Mining Using Ethereum, Dong Her Shih, Ting Wei Wu, Tzu Hsin Hsu, Po Yuan Shih, David C. Yen

Faculty Publications

With advancement in computer technology, financial technology has also evolved. Blockchain technology has evolved over the past decade; however, this has also resulted in some malicious attacks. To earn mining rewards of a blockchain, a new type of attack, called cryptojacking, has emerged in the online world. This attack uses the computer resources of a victim to obtain mining rewards without user confirmation. However, this monetization model was originally intended to replace advertising as a source of revenue for a website. To resolve such problems, a storage verification architecture based on smart contracts was proposed in the study. The decentralized …

Knock Down Of Fas-Associated Protein With Death Domain (Fadd) Sensitizes Osteosarcoma To Tnfα-Induced Cell Death, Mario G. Hollomon, La Nisha Patterson, Janice Santiago-O’Farrill, Eugenie S. Kleinerman, Nancy Gordon

Faculty Publications

Fas-associated protein with death domain (FADD) was first identified for its role in linking death receptors to the apoptotic signaling pathway with subsequent cell death. Later studies reported non-apoptotic functions for FADD in normal cells and cancer cells. Non-apoptotic functions for FADD in osteosarcoma (OS) have not been reported. In this study, FADD protein expression was knocked down in human CCHOSD, LM7, and SaOS2 OS cell lines followed by assessment of sensitivity to TNFα- or TRAIL-induced cell death. Knock down of FADD significantly increased TNFα-induced cell death in LM7 and SaOS2 cell lines. The mode of TNFα-induced cell death was …

Design Sizing Of Cylindrical Worm Gearsets, Edward E. Osakue, Lucky Anetor

Faculty Publications

A method for the design sizing task of cylindrical worm gearsets is presented that gives an estimate of the initial value of the normal module. Expressions are derived for the worm pitch diameter of integral and shell worms as well as for the active facewidth of the gear and the threaded length of the worm. An attempt is made to predict the contact strength of bronze materials against scoring resistance. Four Examples of design sizing tasks of cylindrical worm gears are carried out using the approach presented and the results are compared with previous solutions from other methods. The results …

Current Trends In The Pharmacotherapy Of Cataracts, Segewkal H. Heruye, Leonce N.Maffofou Nkenyi, Neetu U. Singh, Dariush Yalzadeh, Kalu K. Ngele, Ya Fatou Njie-Mbye, Sunny E. Ohia, Catherine A. Opere

Faculty Publications

Cataracts, one of the leading causes of preventable blindness worldwide, refers to lens degradation that is characterized by clouding, with consequent blurry vision. As life expectancies improve, the number of people affected with cataracts is predicted to increase worldwide, especially in low-income nations with limited access to surgery. Although cataract surgery is considered safe, it is associated with some complications such as retinal detachment, warranting a search for cheap, pharmacological alternatives to the management of this ocular disease. The lens is richly endowed with a complex system of non-enzymatic and enzymatic antioxidants which scavenge reactive oxygen species to preserve lens …

A Manifesto: Black Identity, Protest, And Art, Awendela Grantham

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Whistleblower 211: A Study Guide For African American History Exams, Awendela Grantham

Faculty Publications

This study guide reveals the secrets of increasing your knowledge in African American History. It includes 211+ essential multiple choice and critical thinking questions. Topics are African History, Antebellum America, Reconstruction, the Civil Rights Movement, Black Women’s History, the Black Arts Movement, Sports, Quantitative History . . . and more! - Abstract from Amazon.com

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Luther Seminary, Church Music, And Hymnody, Paul Westermeyer

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Media Technology And The Dissemination Of Hate, Fordham University

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Interpretability Of Api Call Topic Models: An Exploratory Study, Puntitra Glendowne, Dae Glendowne

Faculty Publications

Topic modeling is an unsupervised method for discovering semantically coherent combinations of words, called topics, in unstructured text. However, the human interpretability of topics discovered from non-natural language corpora, specifically Windows API call logs, is unknown. Our objective is to explore the coherence of topics and their ability to represent the themes of API calls from malware analysts’ perspective. Three Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) models were fit to a collection of dynamic API call logs. Topics, or behavioral themes, were manually evaluated by malware analysts. The results were compared to existing automated quality measures. Participants were able to accurately determine …

Activist 101 Activities For Pre-Service Teachers, Heather K. Olson Beal, Lauren Burrow, Chrissy Cross, Amber Wagnon

Faculty Publications

This Teaching Note briefly describes three activities that can easily be integrated into any teacher education course.