Digital Commons Network^™

Community Members’ Experiences Training As Medical Journal Reviewers, Jeri Jewett-Tennant, Kurt C. Stange, Ashwini R. Sehgal

Faculty Scholarship

Purpose: Although medical research dissemination is intended to benefit members of society, few members of society actually participate in the process of publishing findings. This study shares findings from community members’ (including patients and the public) experiences being trained as medical journal reviewers. Methods: We analyzed findings from two focus group interviews of community reviewers (N = 29) to identify themes in their experiences with the training program. Results: Community members trained as journal reviewers appreciated learning the context under which manuscript development and review occur from authors and funders, the value of the community member perspectives to science, and …

A Novel Approach To Legacy Donations With Long-Term Benefits Supported By Mathematical Analysis, Daniel Solow, Robin Symes

Faculty Scholarship

A novel approach to legacy donations, called the “Master Fund Strategy,” is proposed. Potential long-term financial benefits for both donor and nonprofit organizations (NPOs) when compared to a “Traditional Fund Strategy” are established through mathematical analysis and computer simulations, providing nonprofit marketing and fundraising professionals an alternative way to lock in bequest funding. In particular, formulas are developed for computing relevant financial quantities associated with the two strategies. Conditions are presented under which the Master Fund Strategy is better than the Traditional Fund Strategy, in the sense that there is a point in time when the net present value of …

Polyethylene Glycol-Mediated Directional Conjugation Of Biological Molecules For Enhanced Immunoassays At The Point-Of-Care, Dheerendranath Battalapalli, Purbali Chakraborty, Disha Jain, Umut A. Gurkan, Robert A. Bonomo, Mohamed S. Draz

Faculty Scholarship

Rapid and reliable point-of-care (POC) diagnostic tests can have a significant impact on global health. One of the most common approaches for developing POC systems is the use of target-specific biomolecules. However, the conjugation of biomolecules can result in decreased activity, which may compromise the analytical performance and accuracy of the developed systems. To overcome this challenge, we present a polymer-based cross-linking protocol for controlled and directed conjugation of biological molecules. Our protocol utilizes a bifunctional thiol-polyethylene glycol (PEG)-hydrazide polymer to enable site-directed conjugation of IgG antibodies to the surface of screen-printed metal electrodes. The metal surface of the electrodes …

Prescribed Fire Use Among Black Landowners In The Red Hills Region, Usa, Cynthia Twyford Fowler, La’ Portia J. Perkins, Adam Coates, J. Kevin Hiers, Seth W. Bigelow

Faculty Scholarship

The Red Hills Region of southern Alabama, northern Florida, and southwestern Georgia is one of the most prominent areas in the United States for conducting prescribed fire research and is the birthplace of fire ecology. The culture of prescribed burning in the Red Hills has been influenced by multiple ethnic groups, including the Seminole and Creek nations, Black landowners, and White researchers. Given the distinctive reliance of the region on prescribed fire, it is noteworthy that the combined issues of Black land loss, underrepresentation, and incentives for using prescribed fire on private lands in the southeastern United States have generated …

Apheresis Collection Of Mononuclear Cells For Chimeric-Antigen Receptor Therapies, Robert W. Maitta

Faculty Scholarship

Collections of lymphocytes to be genetically modified to treat hematologic malignancies have seen a dramatic increase over the last few years as commercial products have been approved. Reports of new products in development that can possibly treat solid organ malignancies represent a massive change in the field. Apheresis is at the center of the collection of cells for the manufacture of these chimeric-antigen receptor therapy products. The expansion of these collections represents one of the areas of apheresis procedures growth. This review will summarize concepts important to this type of collection and variables that need to be optimized to obtain …

Neuroaffirmative Approaches To Extended Reality: Empowering Individuals With Autism Spectrum Condition Through Immersive Learning Environments, James Hutson, Caitlyn Mcginley

Faculty Scholarship

Traditional teaching and working environments often prioritize extroverted qualities, disadvantaging individuals with conditions that impact social engagement, such as autism spectrum condition (ASC). These individuals usually thrive in calmer, low-key learning environments but face challenges in lecture-style classes, and traditional office environments leading to marginalization in academic and professional settings. This study explores the neuroaffirming potential of extended reality (XR) in creating immersive learning and working environments tailored to the unique needs of individuals with ASC. By focusing on four key factors—indirect social engagement, digital communication preferences, sensory sensitivity, and avatar-based communication—XR technologies can provide a supportive and accommodating environment …

Sex Differences In Resting Metabolic Rate Among Athletes And Association With Body Composition Parameters: A Follow-Up Investigation, Andrew R. Jagim, Margaret T. Jones, Andrew T. Askow, Joel Luedke, Jacob L. Erickson, Jennifer B. Fields, Chad Kerksick

Faculty Scholarship

The purpose of this study was to examine sex differences in resting metabolic rate (RMR) and associations between measured RMR and body composition parameters in athletes. One-hundred and ninety collegiate men (n = 98; age: 20.1 ± 1.6 yr.; body mass: 92.7 ± 17.5 kg; height: 181.6 ± 6.2 cm, body mass index: 28.0 ± 4.7 kg/m2) and women (n = 92; age: 19.4 ± 1.1 yr.; body mass: 65.2 ± 11.0 kg; height: 168.0 ± 6.6 cm, body mass index: 23.0 ± 3.6 kg/m2) athletes volunteered to participate in this study. Athletes completed a body composition assessment using air …

A Randomized Controlled Trial To Examine The Impact Of A Multi-Strain Probiotic On Self-Reported Indicators Of Depression, Anxiety, Mood, And Associated Biomarkers, Kylie E. Walden, Jessica M. Moon, Anthony M. Hagele, Leah E. Allen, Connor J. Gaige, Joesi M. Krieger, Ralf Jäger, Petey W. Mumford, Marco Pane, Chad M. Kerksick

Faculty Scholarship

Objective: To examine the efficacy of supplementing with a multi-strain probiotic (MSP) on changes associated with mood, anxiety, and neurotransmitter levels.

Method: In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled fashion, 70 healthy men and women (31.0  ±  9.5  years, 173.0  ±  10.4  cm, 73.9  ±  13.8  kg, 24.6  ±  3.5  kg/m2 ) supplemented with a single capsule of MSP (a total daily dose of 4 × 109 colony forming units [CFU] comprised of a 1 × 109   CFU dose from each of the following strains: Limosilactobacillus fermentum LF16, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus LR06, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum LP01, and Bifidobacterium longum 04, Probiotical S.p.A., Novara, …

Virtual Learning Environments And Digital Twins: Enhancing Accessibility, Diversity, And Flexibility In Training Secondary Educational Administrators, James Hutson, Robert Steffes, Joe Weber

Faculty Scholarship

This study investigates the potential of Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) and digital twins to overcome geo-graphical, scheduling, and diversity barriers in the training of secondary educational administrators. Recognizing the limitations in traditional in-person visits to schools-particularly for graduate students in rural areas and those working fulltime with dependents-and the current ethnic composition of educational administrators, where White individuals comprise 64.5% of the population in the US (71.01% for principals), this research explores how VLEs can democratize access and foster diversity in educational leadership training. Over the academic year 2022–2023, pre- and post-engagement surveys were administered to students in a Visionary …

Legal Clutter: How Concurring Opinions Create Unnecessary Confusion And Encourage Litigation, Meg Penrose

Faculty Scholarship

Good judges are clear writers. And clear writers avoid legal clutter. Legal clutter occurs when judges publish multiple individually written opinions that are neither useful nor necessary. This essay argues that concurring opinions are the worst form of legal clutter. Unlike majority opinions, concurring opinions are legal asides, musings of sorts—often by a single judge—that add length and confusion to an opinion often without adding meaningful value. Concurring opinions do not change the outcome of a case. Unlike dissenting opinions, they do not claim disagreement with the ultimate decision. Instead, concurring opinions merely offer an idea or viewpoint that failed …

Tutorial: Using Neuron For Neuromechanical Simulations, Hillel J. Chiel, Peter J. Thomas

Faculty Scholarship

The dynamical properties of the brain and the dynamics of the body strongly influence one another. Their interaction generates complex adaptive behavior. While a wide variety of simulation tools exist for neural dynamics or biomechanics separately, there are few options for integrated brain-body modeling. Here, we provide a tutorial to demonstrate how the widely-used NEURON simulation platform can support integrated neuromechanical modeling. As a first step toward incorporating biomechanics into a NEURON simulation, we provide a framework for integrating inputs from a “periphery” and outputs to that periphery. In other words, “body” dynamics are driven in part by “brain” variables, …

Aggressive End-Of-Life Care Across Gradients Of Cognitive Impairment In Nursing Home Patients With Metastatic Cancer, Siran M. Koroukian, Sara L. Douglas, Long Vu, Hannah L. Fein, Nicholas K. Schiltz, Jennifer Cullen, Cynthia Owusu, Martha Sajatovic, Johnie Rose

Faculty Scholarship

Background: Studies examining end-of-life (EOL) care in older cancer patients are scarce, and prior studies have not accounted for gradients of cognitive impairment (COG-I). We examine EOL care patterns across COG-I gradients, hypothesizing that greater COG-I severity is associated with lower odds of receiving aggressive EOL care. Methods: Using data from the linked Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) -Medicare -Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0, we identified patients with nursing facility stays (NFS) and who died with metastatic cancer from 2013 to 2017. Markers of aggressive EOL care were: cancer-directed treatment, intensive care unit admission, >1 emergency department visit, or …

Scalable Production Of Peptides For Enhanced Struvite Formation Via Expression On The Surface Of Genetically Engineered Microbes, Jacob D. Hostert, Quincy A. Spitzer, Paola Giammattei, Julie N. Renner

Faculty Scholarship

A promising method for recycling phosphate from wastewater is through precipitation of struvite (MgNH4PO4·6H2O), a slow-release fertilizer. Peptides have been shown to increase the yield of struvite formation, but producing peptides via solid phase synthesis is cost prohibitive. This work investigates the effects of peptide-expressing bacteria on struvite precipitation to provide a sustainable and cost-efficient means to enhance struvite precipitation. A peptide known for increased struvite yield was expressed on a membrane protein in Escherichia coli(E. coli), and then 5 mL precipitation reactions were performed in 50 mL culture tubes for at least 15 min. The yield of struvite crystals …

Differential Expression Of Genes Involved In The Chronic Response To Intracortical Microelectrodes, Sydney S. Song, Lindsey N. Druschel, E. Ricky Chan, Jeffrey R. Capadona

Faculty Scholarship

Brain-Machine Interface systems (BMIs) are clinically valuable devices that can provide functional restoration for patients with spinal cord injury or improved integration for patients requiring prostheses. Intracortical microelectrodes can record neuronal action potentials at a resolution necessary for precisely controlling BMIs. However, intracortical microelectrodes have a demonstrated history of progressive decline in the recording performance with time, inhibiting their usefulness. One major contributor to decreased performance is the neuroinflammatory response to the implanted microelectrodes. The neuroinflammatory response can lead to neurodegeneration and the formation of a glial scar at the implant site. Historically, histological imaging of relatively few known cellular …

Zbtb16::Rara Variant Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia (Vapl) Treated With Gemtuzumab Ozogamicin (Go) With Unique Pathology And Genetic Findings, Jason A. Adler, Ramya Gadde, Benjamin K. Tomlinson, Shahirekha Shetty

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Thieno[3,4-D]Pyrimidin-4(3h)-Thione: An Effective, Oxygenation Independent, Heavy-Atom-Free Photosensitizer For Cancer Cells, Luis A. Ortiz-Rodríguez, Sean J. Hoehn, Heather J. Folkwein, Liraz Levi, Carlos E. Crespo-Hernández

Faculty Scholarship

All-organic, heavy-atom-free photosensitizers based on thionation of nucleobases are receiving increased attention because they are easy to make, noncytotoxic, work both in the presence and absence of molecular oxygen, and can be readily incorporated into DNA and RNA. In this contribution, the DNA and RNA fluorescent probe, thieno[3,4-d]pyrimidin-4(1H)-one, has been thionated to develop thieno[3,4-d]pyrimidin-4(3H)-thione, which is nonfluorescent and absorbs near-visible radiation with about 60% higher efficiency. Steady-state absorption and emission spectra are combined with transient absorption spectroscopy and CASPT2 calculations to delineate the electronic relaxation mechanisms of both pyrimidine derivatives in aqueous and acetonitrile solutions. It is demonstrated that thieno[3,4-d]pyrimidin-4(3H)-thione …

Teaching Spatial Data Analysis: A Case Study With Recommendations, Duncan J. Mayer, Robert L. Fischer

Faculty Scholarship

Learning from data is a valuable skill for nonprofit professionals and researchers. Often, data have a spatial component, and data relevant to the nonprofit sector are no exception. Understanding spatial aspects of the nonprofit sector may provide immense value to social entrepreneurs, funders, and policy makers, by guiding programmatic decisions, facilitating resource allocation, and development policy. As a result, spatial thinking has become an essential component of critical thinking and decision making among nonprofit professionals. The goal of this case study is to support and encourage instruction of spatial data analysis and spatial thinking in nonprofit studies. The case study …

Field Studies Of Perc And Al-Bsf Pv Module Performance Loss Using Power And I-V Timeseries, Alan J. Curran, Xuanji Yu, Jiqi Liu, Laura S. Bruckman, Roger H. French

Faculty Scholarship

We have studied the degradation of both full-sized modules and minimodules with PERC and Al-BSF cell variations in fields while considering packaging strategies. We demonstrate the implementations of data-driven tools to analyze large numbers of modules and volumes of timeseries data to obtain the performance loss and degradation pathways. This data analysis pipeline enables quantitative comparison and ranking of module variations, as well as mapping and deeper understanding of degradation mechanisms. The best performing module is a half-cell PERC, which shows a performance loss rate (PLR) of −0.27 ± 0.12% per annum (%/a) after initial losses have stabilized. Minimodule studies …

Field Studies Of Perc And Al-Bsf Pv Module Performance Loss Using Power And I-V Timeseries, Alan J. Curran, Xuanji Yu, Jiqi Liu, Laura S. Bruckman, Roger H. French

Faculty Scholarship

We have studied the degradation of both full-sized modules and minimodules with PERC and Al-BSF cell variations in fields while considering packaging strategies. We demonstrate the implementations of data-driven tools to analyze large numbers of modules and volumes of timeseries data to obtain the performance loss and degradation pathways. This data analysis pipeline enables quantitative comparison and ranking of module variations, as well as mapping and deeper understanding of degradation mechanisms. The best performing module is a half-cell PERC, which shows a performance loss rate (PLR) of −0.27 ± 0.12% per annum (%/a) after initial losses have stabilized. Minimodule studies …

Moral Framing And Affirmative Outreach As Drivers Of Health Insurance Enrollment In Medicaid And A State Exchange: A Randomized Field Experiment, Wendy Netter Epstein, Hansoo Ko, Christopher Robertson, Kevin Wilson, David Yokum

Faculty Scholarship

Legal efforts to expand health insurance coverage have relied on traditional economic theory. Despite expanded subsidies and some state mandates, nearly 30 million Americans are uninsured, including many who could afford it. Where economic self-interest has not fostered enrollment, we test whether moral framing around community or responsibility could be more effective.

We present a pre-registered field experiment with a state government (Maryland) dataset of uninsured residents (N=16,477). We randomized to four conditions: (a) no-contact control, (b) affordability messaging (status quo), (c) responsibility messaging, or (d) community messaging, and found responsibility and community messages most effective (an 18.5% change).

Isolation Of Genomic Dna From Mammalian Cells And Fixed Tissue, Kristy L.S. Miskimen, Penelope L. Miron

Faculty Scholarship

Examination of DNA variation is central to understanding the function of mammalian cells, tissues, and whole bodies. Extraction of high‐quality DNA from cells and tissues is necessary for innumerable different experiments. We present protocols for the extraction of DNA from both fresh samples and formalin‐fixed tissue. Methods for extracting DNA have been standardized and streamlined over the past couple of decades and many extraction kits are available for a reasonable cost. In addition, many of the extraction procedures can also be automated for even higher throughput sample preparation.

Autism In Females: Understanding The Overlooked Diagnoses, Unique Challenges, And Recommendations, Piper Hutson, James Hutson

Faculty Scholarship

Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects individuals of both sexes. However, females with ASC frequently remain undiagnosed or misdiagnosed due to a range of factors, including gender bias in the medical profession, societal expectations, and a lack of knowledge about the unique challenges they face. For instance, the gendered subset of the population often struggles with social interaction and communication, relying more on analytical thinking, which can lead to difficulty in generating acceptable responses and behaviors. At the same time, females are more adept at masking their innate behaviors associated with the condition and hyper-focus on …

Dying In Isolation: Public Health Implications Of Transportation And Burial Of Human Remains During A Pandemic A Fifty State Survey, Christopher Ogolla

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Faculty In Durable Skills Development In Higher Education, James Hutson, Mark Valenzuela, Shannon Wright, Elizabeth Melick

Faculty Scholarship

Although Emsi and other market researchers have found that employers desire durable skills (formerly known as “soft skills”) in new hires, there have been few studies dedicated to identifying how faculty perceptions of skill development differ in degree and by area, and how that might impact how such skills are embedded in classroom instruction. This study proposes to investigate the perceptions of faculty from different academic backgrounds and how their disciplines and experiences may contribute to their perceived role in curricular, cocurricular or extracurricular offerings that support durable skill development. Results from the study demonstrate the differing perspectives and expectations …

Editorial: Pre-Workout Nutrition, Chad Kerksick, Jamie N. Pugh

Faculty Scholarship

Unavailable.

Negotiation Theories Engage Hybrid Warfare, Nancy Welsh, Sharon Press, Andrea Kupfer Schneider

Faculty Scholarship

The concept of hybrid warfare has arisen recently to describe the efforts, short of outright war, used by nations to disrupt and destabilize each other. This Article reviews available negotiation theories, concepts and skills to determine whether they can help governmental actors and business organizations targeted by hybrid warfare respond effectively. In other words, can negotiation theories, concepts and skills be used to engage effectively in “hybrid conflict management”? The Article urges that international diplomacy and multiparty negotiation theories and skills, as well as the more recent scholarship that has developed regarding hostage negotiation and “wicked problems,” are likely to …

"Knock-Knock" ... "Who's There?": The Fourth Amendment Dilemma Posed By Warrantless Police Encounters At Home, Meg Penrose

Faculty Scholarship

In a world where police abuses of power seem more common, where are the judges-particularly the originalist judges-who strive to protect the Founder's intentions? How is it that people living in certain states seemingly have less robust Fourth Amendment protections than others? This essay seeks to answer these questions and urges the Supreme Court to reassert its constitutional commitment to the Fourth Amendment so that all of us are, in fact, secure in our homes. The Court should accept the responsibility it has to provide uniform protection to all Americans and clarify the limits on constructive entry. If the Court …

On The Aesthetic Of Diagrams In Byzantine Art, Justin Willson

Faculty Scholarship

Byzantine art has a reputation for being less based in diagrams than Western medieval art. The present essay offers a reassessment of this view through an examination of debates between Greeks and Latins from the eleventh to the fifteenth century. This cultural give-and-take led to a reconceptualization of Trinitarian iconography among Greek theologians. Taking as its case study an overlooked class of theological diagrams, this paper suggests that late Byzantine art may in fact be more “diagrammatic” than has typically been assumed. Exploring the relation between these diagrams and two types of Trinitarian images, the Synthronoi and Paternitas, it shows …

A Theory Of Interests In The Context Of Hybrid Warfare: It's Complex, Cynthia Alkon, Sanda Kaufman

Faculty Scholarship

We will begin with a discussion about how the hybrid warfare context is different from other conflict contexts. We will describe some complexity aspects that make hybrid warfare challenging to negotiators. We will then discuss whether classical negotiation theory prescriptions apply to a hybrid warfare context, especially regarding interests. We will argue that these prescriptions related to classical negotiations are unlikely to work in this context. We will focus our analysis on a subset of hybrid warfare attacks, consisting of short-term, time-sensitive, high-risk crises, where negotiations are possible and necessary, such as ransom demands, rather than on hybrid warfare situations …

Initiation Payments, Scott Hirst

Faculty Scholarship

Many of the central discussions in corporate governance, including those regarding proxy contests, shareholder proposals, and other activism or stewardship, can be understood as a single question: Is there under-initiation of corporate changes that investors would collectively prefer?

This Article sheds light on this question in three ways. First, the Article proposes a theory of investor initiation, which explains the hypothesis that there is under-initiation of collectively-preferred corporate change by investors. Even though investors collectively prefer that certain corporate changes take place, the costs to any individual investor from initiating such changes through high-cost proxy contests, or even low-cost shareholder …