Digital Commons Network^™

Understanding Hypertensive Renal Injury: A Well-Structured Approach, Peter A Doris

The Brown Foundation: Institute of Molecular Medicine

No abstract provided.

Lessons Learned From The Validation Of A Machine Learning-Based Colorectal Carcinoma Screening Pipeline In Sub-Saharan Africa, Alfred Githuka, Ulysses Balis, Ye Chan Kim, Eileen Weinheimer-Haus, Christopher Williams, Jerome Cheng, Kelou Yao, John Blau, Shahin Sayed, Mansoor Saleh

Haematology and Oncology, East Africa

Background Artificial intelligence for digital pathology may improve cancer detection and workflow efficiency in low- and middle-income countries, but most models are trained and validated in high-income settings, creating uncertainty about generalizability and real-world deployability under differing pre-analytic and infrastructure conditions.

Objective To validate a locally optimized colorectal carcinoma screening pipeline, retrained on data from a local Kenyan cohort, and to assess its feasibility as a sensitivity-forward assistive pre-screening workflow.

Methods Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded hematoxylin and eosin-stained slides from 136 biopsy-proven colonic adenocarcinoma cases and 20 normal controls from 2 Kenyan institutions were digitized at 40× using a Grundium Ocus scanner. …

Development Of An Evidence-Based Aromatherapy Policy And Toolkit For An Inpatient Psychiatric Hospital, Mia Nie

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Purpose:The purpose of this project was to develop a comprehensive, evidence-based aromatherapy policy and toolkit to guide safe and standardized use of aromatherapy as a complementary intervention in inpatient psychiatric settings.

Background: Sleep disturbances are common among psychiatric inpatients, and non-pharmacologic interventions are increasingly prioritized to support holistic care (Sazawa et al., 2022). Aromatherapy has shown potential benefits; however, the absence of standardized policies creates variability in practice and raises safety concerns, particularly in high-acuity psychiatric environments.

Methodology: This quality improvement project focused on developing an organizational policy. A review of current literature and clinical guidelines informed the foundation …

Alfred Russel Wallace Notes 42: How Accurate Are The Transcriptions Presented At The Alfred Russel Wallace Page Website?, Charles H. Smith

Faculty/Staff Personal Papers

A look is taken at the level of accuracy displayed by the transcriptions of Wallace writings offered at the Alfred Russel Wallace Page website, as determined by a ChatGPT analysis.

University Of Central Florida Undergraduate Catalog, 2025-2026, University Of Central Florida

UCF Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Clinical Machine Learning Model For Predicting Pathological Complete Response In Patients With Esophageal And Gastroesophageal Junction Adenocarcinoma After Trimodality Therapy, Kohei Yamashita, Evan Kwiatkowski, Matheus Sewastjanow-Silva, Jane E Rogers, Katsuhiro Yoshimura, Melissa Pool Pizzi, Qiong Gan, Jenny J Li, Rebecca E Waters, Mariela Blum Murphy, Masaaki Iwatsuki, Wayne L Hofstetter, Aileen Chen, Ying Yuan, Jaffer A Ajani

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Accurate prediction of pathological complete response (pCR) after preoperative chemoradiation therapy, followed by surgery (trimodality therapy) in esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) and gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma (GEJAC) may improve clinical decision-making and patient counseling before esophagectomy. This study aimed to develop predictive models for pCR after trimodality using machine learning (ML) approaches.

Patients and methods: A total of 569 patients with EAC and GEJAC who received trimodality therapy at MD Anderson Cancer Center between 2002 and 2022 were included. Clinicopathological characteristics and survival benefit of patients who achieved a pCR were reviewed via descriptive and survival analyses. Subsequently, ML models based …

Safety And Efficacy Of Tranexamic Acid In Urologic Surgery: Results From The International, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Poise-3 Trial, Kari A O Tikkinen, Maura Marcucci, Alex L E Halme, Sandra N Ofori, Flavia K Borges, Charlotte T B Kanstrup, Lily J Park, Farhad Tondroanamag, Tuomas P Kilpeläinen, Sara V Tornberg, Thomas W Painter, David Conen, Vladimir Lomivorotov, Daniel I Sessler, Matthew T V Chan, Maria Jose Martinez-Zapata, Chew Y Wang, Denis B Xavier, Michael K Wang, Wojciech Szczeklik, Kate Leslie, Luke T Lavallee, Rodney H Breau, Kumar Balasubramanian, P J Devereaux

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background and objective: Perioperative bleeding is common. Evidence for tranexamic acid (TXA) in urology remains limited and conflicting, and major urologic guidelines provide no recommendations. In an a priori planned analysis, we evaluated TXA among patients undergoing urologic surgery in POISE-3.

Methods: POISE-3 was an international randomized trial of patients undergoing surgery with bleeding and cardiovascular risk factors. Participants received TXA (1 g intravenous bolus at surgery start and end) or placebo. The primary efficacy outcome was a 30-day bleeding composite (life-threatening/major/critical organ), and the primary safety outcome was a 30-day thrombosis composite (myocardial injury after noncardiac surgery [MINS], nonhemorrhagic …

Computable Phenotypes For Research Using Real-World Data: Experiences From The Nih Pragmatic Trials Collaboratory, Marisa L Conte, Judith M Schlaeger, Guilherme Del Fiol, James R Campbell, Andrea L Cheville, Keith Marsolo, Kari A Stephens, Miriam O Ezenwa, Andrew D Boyd, Juanita E Darby, Nadine S Matthie, P Michael Ho, Alice Pressman, Morgan Justice, Carol Reynolds Geary, Keturah R Faurot, Alex Fist, Karen Staman, Hulin Wu, Rachel L Richesson

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objectives: Embedded pragmatic clinical trials (ePCTs) are conducted as part of routine clinical care and therefore use data collected from real-world data sources, such as electronic health record systems and administrative claims. A common approach for using these types of data across all phases of trial conduct is to create a computable phenotype (an explicitly defined data query data, including specified data types, data codes, and logical parameters) to capture patients with a clinical condition, exposure, symptom, characteristic, treatment, or outcome of interest.

Materials and methods: The Electronic Health Record (EHR) Core Working Group of the NIH Pragmatic Trials Collaboratory …

Indigenous Community Research Opportunities, Sharon Hausam, Aaron M. Canter

Faculty Publications

This is a working paper produced as part of National Science Foundation project #2115169, “Transforming Rural-Urban Systems: Trajectories for Sustainability in the Intermountain West,” known as the “Intermountain West Transformation Network” (TN), led by the University of New Mexico with institutional partners at three additional universities in New Mexico, two in Arizona, and one each in Utah, Colorado, and Washington. The TN’s Indigenous and Tribal engagement was supported through a contract with Dr. Sharon Hausam, additional work by Aaron M. Canter, coordination with Dr. Lani Tsinnajinnie, and an Advisory Committee on Indigenous Information Needs primarily comprised of Indigenous representatives in …

Opportunities For Leadership In Indigenous And Tribally Engaged Research At The University Of New Mexico, Sharon Hausam

Faculty Publications

This is a working paper produced as part of National Science Foundation project #2115169, “Transforming Rural-Urban Systems: Trajectories for Sustainability in the Intermountain West,” known as the “Intermountain West Transformation Network” (TN), led by the University of New Mexico with institutional partners at three additional universities in New Mexico, two in Arizona, and one each in Utah, Colorado, and Washington. The TN’s Indigenous and Tribal engagement was supported through a contract with Dr. Sharon Hausam, additional work by Aaron M. Canter, coordination with Dr. Lani Tsinnajinnie, and an Advisory Committee on Indigenous Information Needs primarily comprised of Indigenous representatives in …

Fuimos Olvidados Y Descuidados [Forgotten And Neglected]: Lessons Learned And Findings From On-Farm Covid-19 Education And Vaccine Clinics For Agricultural Workers And Their Multigenerational Families In Texas, Anabel Rodriguez, David I Douphrate, Ana L Pineda Reyes, Susana Zavala, Lus Chavez, Sofia Nicole Lopez, Andrea V Cabrera Cruz, Annie J Keeney, Nora Hernandez, Brenda Berumen-Flucker, Eva M Shipp, Matthew W Nonnenmann, Shannon P Guillot-Wright, Bethany Boggess Alcauter, G Lopez Ixta, Paula M Cuccaro, Higinio Fernandez-Sanchez, David Gimeno Ruiz De Porras

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Despite being deemed essential non-healthcare workers, agricultural workers were excluded from COVID-19 vaccine prioritization in Texas. This professional practice report describes the multifaceted worker health and safety approaches to protecting agricultural workers and their families during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Between March 2020 and January 2025, several outreach, education, and training grants from various funding agencies were leveraged to deliver training, personal protective equipment, vaccines, and economic relief to agricultural workers in partnership with community-based organizations, industry, local public health departments, and academic institutions.

Findings: Timely funding efforts led to the distribution of 1,000 PPE kits, with more than …

Market Rate Survey & Narrow Cost Analysis: 2026 Data Collection Incentive Plan, Nh Department Of Health And Human Services

New Hampshire Early Care and Education Research Consortium

No abstract provided.

The Association Between Apoe Genotype, Race, And Dementia: An Analysis Of 7 Population-Based Cohort Studies, Natalia Lakomski, Katherine Giorgio, John Stephen, Maxwell Mansolf, Aïcha Soumaré, Alden L Gross, Allison E Aiello, Archana Singh-Manoux, M Arfan Ikram, Catherine Helmer, Claudia L Satizabal, Deborah A Levine, Donald M Lloyd-Jones, Emily M Briceño, Farzaneh A Sorond, Frank J Wolters, Jayandra J Himali, Lenore J Launer, Djass Mbangdadji, David Li, Lihui Zhao, Oscar L Lopez, Stéphanie Debette, Sudha Seshadri, Suzanne E Judd, Timothy M Hughes, Vilmundur Guðnason, Michael Griswold, Paul S De Vries, Alison Fohner, Pamela L Lutsey, Rachel Zmora, Elizabeth A Peterson, Denise Scholtens, Norrina B Allen, Sanaz Sedaghat

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background and objectives: The apolipoprotein E (APOE) haplotypes are known to be associated with dementia, with the ε4 haplotype associated with higher risk. It has been suggested that the APOE ε2 allele serves as a protective factor for dementia. However, data on the effects of the homozygous APOE ε2/ε2 genotype are limited, likely due to the rarity of the APOE ε2/ε2 genotype. Furthermore, the association between APOE genotypes and dementia may differ across self-reported race. We aim to investigate the association between APOE genotypes and dementia overall and across self-reported race, with a focus on the potential protective …

"I Can See Where This Is Taking Me": Medical Students' Perceptions Of Humanities Courses At Aga Khan University, Kenya, Catherine Gathu, Marthaclaire Zammit, Urvi Saboo, Robert Opoka

Family Medicine, East Africa

Background Humanities courses in medical training are increasingly recognized as essential for developing empathetic, reflective and socially responsive physicians. Although well-established globally, their integration into medical education in African contexts remains limited. In Kenya, humanities are often peripheral within curricula dominated by biomedical sciences and clinical medicine. Aga Khan University (AKU), Nairobi, has introduced a novel medical curriculum that embeds seven core humanities courses as central components of the initial phase of its MBChB program. This study explored students’ perceptions and lived experiences of these humanities courses.

Methods A retrospective descriptive study using an embedded mixed-methods design was conducted among …

Spatial Structure And Energy Content Of Wakes Behind Single And Arrayed Undulated Cylinders, Taiga Naomi Drucker-Boisvert, OndˇRej FerˇCák, Jérémie Auzoux, Sarah E. Smith, Zein Sadek, Rowan Moore, Christain T. Murphy, Trevor Dunt, Jennifer A. Franck, Raul Bayoan Cal

Mechanical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Biologically inspired undulated cylinder geometries significantly influence wake structure and vortex-induced vibrations in turbulent flows, yet the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. It is further unknown how these influences extend to multi-cylinder arrays, where interacting wakes accumulate and mix. This study examines the wake characteristics of an undulated cylinder and a smooth elliptic cylinder in single- and multi-cylinder array configurations, using particle image velocimetry and proper orthogonal decomposition (POD). Relative to the smooth elliptic cylinder, the undulated geometry induces pronounced spanwise-axial variability, characterized by enhanced near-wake mean momentum and weak far-wake signatures, consistent with reduced turbulent kinetic energy. While …

The Third Zone Of Incomplete Rights: Spatial Compartmentalization, Expendability, And The Making Of Death Worlds In Adichie's Dream Count, Ebelenna F. Nwaobi

Research Papers

Contemporary socio-political discourses on global migration often risk misrepresenting migrant experiences by framing them mainly through the language of humanitarianism, inclusion, and identity. While these frameworks foreground protection and belonging, they may inadvertently obscure the institutional and political structures that regulate, differentiate, and expose migrants to uneven forms of precarity. In this paper, therefore, I examine Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Dream Count to explore the migrant condition as one shaped by migrants’ everyday encounters with space, law, labor, and political belonging. By so doing, I argue that the novel reveals migrant vulnerability not just as the consequence of singular acts of …

Margaret H. Vath, Margaret H. Vath

Faculty CVs

No abstract provided.

Asm And A Culture Of Sharing, Caring, And Fun In Education, David J. Westenberg

Biological Sciences Faculty Research & Creative Works

One doesn't always equate a professional scientific society with sharing, caring, and fun, but in this age of public distrust, public engagement with science and active student learning are ways to regain trust. ASM holds a leadership position in promoting and recognizing the value of education in the future of our profession and is there to support your educational journey. From K12 outreach and public engagement, to professional development, to presenting and publishing scholarship of teaching and learning, ASM has been at the forefront of biology education. Under the leadership of visionary directors such as Amy Chang and now Irene …

Laplace Factor Models In High-Dimensional Data, Siqi Liu, Xuerong Meggie Wen, Akim Adekpedjou, Guangbao Guo

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Research & Creative Works

Laplace factor models (LFMs) provide a heavy-tailed alternative to Gaussian factor models by representing high-dimensional observations through a low-rank common component and Laplace-distributed idiosyncratic errors. This paper develops an assumption-consistent finite-sample analysis of matrix concentration, covariance estimation, and Monte Carlo integration under this model. We first formulate the model with explicit dimensional, independence, covariance, and identifiability conditions. Standard matrix Laplace-transform and matrix Bernstein inequalities are then recalled with their precise applicability conditions. Because untruncated Laplace variables are neither almost surely bounded nor strongly log-concave, these standard results cannot be applied directly in the forms commonly used for bounded or Gaussian-like …

Unruly Curly Hair: The Role Of Latina Hair Stylists In Disrupting Beauty Hierarchies, Katie Duarte

Latin American and Latino/a Studies: Faculty Publications

Women of color use aesthetics to challenge and reproduce racialized, classed, or gendered marginalization, yet few sociological studies have examined women of color service workers as agents who negotiate, reproduce, and resist racialized beauty norms for their clients. This study utilizes a transnational ethnography of a beauty school course and Latina-owned curly and natural hair salons, primarily serving Latinas and Afro-Latinas, in New York City and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Through its analysis, this article identifies different forms of gendered labor that stylists perform to introduce “specialized body labor,” thereby disrupting racialized beauty norms that devalue natural and Afro-textured hair. …

A Misplaced Pocket Of Air: Intramural Gastric Air Most Consistent With Gastric Emphysema, Priyanka Panwar, Lavender Otom, Subo Marsa, Gerald Odong, Steven Idet, Irene Muchiri, Hussein Abdulsamad, John Odhiambo, Christopher Opio, Amos Mwasamwaja, Saleem Abdulkarim

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Background Gastric emphysema (GE), or gastric pneumatosis, is a rare, noninfectious cause of intramural gastric air that must be distinguished from emphysematous gastritis (EG), a highly lethal infectious entity. Despite similar radiographic appearances, these conditions differ substantially in etiology, clinical course, management, and prognosis.

Cases We report three hemodynamically stable patients with CT-confirmed intramural gastric air most consistent with GE. Two had associated portal venous gas. The cases occurred in distinct clinical contexts: infectious gastroenteritis with retching, transient midgut volvulus with obstructive gastric overdistension, and alcohol-related upper gastrointestinal bleeding with forceful vomiting and a Mallory–Weiss tear. Although early EG could …

Sari-Sari Stores As Community Pharmacies? A Qualitative Exploration Of Sari-Sari Stores Selling Medicines In The Philippines, Melissa Louise M. Prieto, Gamaliel P. Galigao, Ana Rica S. Navarra-Cruz, Louise Gabriel R. Jimenez, Gideon Lasco

Medical Anthropology

Background and Objective. Despite laws prohibiting the sale of pharmaceuticals outside licensed pharmacies, sari-sari stores continue to informally sell medicines, bridging access challenges especially in remote areas. The study explores the roles and perceptions of sari-sari stores as informal medicine providers. Methods. The study draws on ethnographic insights from key informant interviews with fourteen (14) sari-sari store owners or tinderas, probing into medicines sold in sari-sari stores and their perceived effectiveness. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results. Sari-sari stores serve as informal yet critical points of access to common medicines for everyday illnesses, especially in remote areas where …

Using Ai Strategically For Internship & Job Search: Using Ai To Think Better, Not Just Faster, Hoang Bao Han Tran

Paul English Applied Artificial Intelligence (AI) Institute Publications

This presentation examines how students can use artificial intelligence strategically throughout the internship and job search process while maintaining critical thinking and human judgment. It explores the shift from traditional job-search platforms toward AI-assisted career research, including using personal experience, career goals, leadership activities, and individual context to evaluate potential opportunities. The presentation demonstrates how AI can support students in analyzing job descriptions, identifying relevant skills and qualifications, researching employers, and preparing for interviews. It also distinguishes the role of AI from that of career advisors, emphasizing that AI can help collect and process information while career advisors help students …

Ai, Market Place Trends, & Job Search Strategy, Juan Santillan

Paul English Applied Artificial Intelligence (AI) Institute Publications

This presentation examines how artificial intelligence is reshaping the labor market, workplace expectations, and job search strategies. It explores the changing nature of work in the age of AI, including the automation and augmentation of workplace tasks, the growing importance of AI literacy, and the increasing value of critical thinking, communication, collaboration, creativity, and other human-centered skills. The presentation also considers emerging AI-related career opportunities and changes to entry-level work as routine tasks become increasingly automated. In addition, it provides practical strategies for using AI throughout the job search process, including professional branding and networking, researching prospective employers, reviewing and …

Ai For Leaders: Co-Design Your Career Workshops, Rami Huu Nguyen

Paul English Applied Artificial Intelligence (AI) Institute Publications

This presentation explores the role of career identity and leadership development in helping students navigate an increasingly AI-driven professional landscape. It introduces a framework for understanding career identity through interests, skills, motivation, experiences, and professional roles, while examining the importance of maintaining individual identity when using artificial intelligence tools. The presentation emphasizes role-based career identity as a strategy for helping students establish direction, develop leadership skills, and remain competitive in the job market. Through an interactive co-design activity, career advisors work in teams to develop career workshops or mini-projects using search engines and AI tools, considering student roles, instructional processes, …

Ethical Use Of Ai In Education: Ai-Driven Learning: Good Or Bad?, Moumita Saha

Paul English Applied Artificial Intelligence (AI) Institute Publications

This presentation examines the ethical use of artificial intelligence in education and the opportunities and challenges associated with AI-driven learning. It explores the growing adoption of artificial intelligence, concerns surrounding excessive reliance on generative AI, and issues including privacy, algorithmic bias, misuse of AI, job displacement, transparency, plagiarism, intellectual property, equitable access, and academic integrity. The presentation also considers how AI may affect critical thinking, learning processes, assessment, and student career readiness while highlighting research on the potential of AI to support personalized learning and education. Through case examples, research findings, discussion, and a hands-on group activity comparing work completed …

Graduate School Blog - August 2026, Cynthia Haynes

UofM Grad School Blog

This issue welcomes our newest graduate students and highlights Fall 2026 Graduate Student Orientation, featuring insights on navigating graduate school and connecting with the UofM community. We also spotlight Dr. Deborah Tollefsen’s latest installment of the Removing Barriers to Graduate Student Success series, upcoming graduate student events and webinars, opportunities to get involved through the Graduate Student Association and Graduate School Ambassador program, and important academic dates.

When Does Emigration Reduce Domestic Economic Activities? Evidence On The Loss Of Management Capacity From A Visa Lottery, Marup Hossain, Ahmed Mushfiq Mobarak

Discussion Papers

Economic development is often conceived as structural transformation and migration out of rural agriculture (Lewis, 1954; Fei & Ranis, 1964). Understanding development therefore requires us to identify how rural economies transform in response to emigration. We study how international migration reshapes domestic economic activity in origin households using a randomized visa lottery that gave Bangladeshi men job opportunities in Malaysia. Winning the lottery raises total household income through remittances, but income earned in Bangladesh declines due to contractions in nonfarm business activity. In contrast, crop income remains stable despite large reductions in agricultural input expenditures, because farming gets delegated through …

Co-Creation Of Global Public Health Interventions Within The Context Of Limited Resources: A Conceptual Qualitative Framework For Modest Co-Creation, Kahabi Isangula, Constance Constance Shumba

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Co-creation is increasingly promoted in global public health as a participatory methodology that centres lived experiences, the preferences, and structural realities of those most affected by health interventions. Within human-centred design (HCD), co-creation is typically operationalised through intensive cycles of qualitative inquiry, in-person workshops, facilitation, and iterative prototyping. While these approaches are methodologically robust, they are often resource-intensive and difficult to implement in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and other low resource settings, precisely where context-sensitive and equitable intervention design is most needed. Despite this tension, existing literature offers limited guidance on how co-creation can be meaningfully adapted to such …

Optimizing Few-Shot Learning In Pruned Large Language Models With Task-Specific Prompts, Danyal Aftab

Dissertations

Few-shot learning enables large language models to efficiently perform tasks given only a limited number of labeled examples. However, training these models entirely from scratch requires substantial computational resources, making it challenging for many organizations to fully leverage their potential. This thesis explores how structured pruning, task-specific prompting, and parameter-efficient fine-tuning can be combined to preserve few-shot learning capabilities in compressed LLMs, while also extending their utility to real-world recommendation systems.

In this research, we propose the Tailored LLM framework, which first reduces model size through structured pruning and then enhances few-shot learning performance using carefully designed prompts. We experiment …