Digital Commons Network^™

Draft Final Solid Media Management Program Plan, Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Using Machine Learning To Identify The Most Critical Factors Affecting Maintenance Of Tunnels, Muaz O. Ahmed, Ramy Khalef, Gasser G. Ali, Islam H. El-Adaway

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Having well-maintained transportation infrastructure systems, including tunnels, is essential for the functioning and growth of the US economy. As such, monitoring the condition of tunnels through structural evaluation and inspections is essential to maintain their level of service. However, there is a lack of research that utilizes data from previous formal inspections to model and understand the condition of tunnels in the US. Being the case, this paper tackles this research need by developing a tunnel condition rating model that identifies the most critical factors affecting maintenance of tunnels. To this end, the authors utilize random forest (RF), which is …

Unfriendly Fire: How The Tobacco Industry Is Destroying The Future Of Our Children, Andrew Bush, Thomas Ferkol, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Tobacco has long been known to be one of the greatest causes of morbidity and mortality in the adults, but the effects on the foetus and young children, which are lifelong, have been less well appreciated. Developing from this are electronic nicotine delivery systems or vapes, promulgated as being less harmful than tobacco. Nicotine itself is toxic to the foetus, with permanent effects on lung structure and function. Most vapes contain nicotine, but they also contain many other compounds which are inhaled and for which there are no toxicity studies. They also contain known toxic substances, whose use is banned …

Undergraduate Catalog, Georgia Southern University

Undergraduate & Graduate Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Rethinking Immune Checkpoint Blockade: Beyond The T Cell, Xiuting Liu, Graham D Hogg, David G Denardo

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The clinical success of immune checkpoint inhibitors has highlighted the central role of the immune system in cancer control. Immune checkpoint inhibitors can reinvigorate anti-cancer immunity and are now the standard of care in a number of malignancies. However, research on immune checkpoint blockade has largely been framed with the central dogma that checkpoint therapies intrinsically target the T cell, triggering the tumoricidal potential of the adaptive immune system. Although T cells undoubtedly remain a critical piece of the story, mounting evidence, reviewed herein, indicates that much of the efficacy of checkpoint therapies may be attributable to the innate immune …

Disease-Modifying Therapy Prescription Patterns In People With Multiple Sclerosis By Age, Yinan Zhang, Amber Salter, Shan Jin, William J Culpepper, Gary R Cutter, Mitchell Wallin, Olaf Stuve

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) for multiple sclerosis (MS) are approved for their ability to reduce disease activity, namely clinical relapses and signal changes on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Disease activity appears age dependent. Thus, the greatest benefit would be expected in younger people with MS (PwMS) whereas benefits in the elderly are uncertain.

METHODS: Real-world data were obtained from PwMS from the North American Research Committee on Multiple Sclerosis (NARCOMS) registry and the US Department of Veterans Affairs Multiple Sclerosis Surveillance Registry (MSSR).

RESULTS: 6948 PwMS were surveyed from NARCOMS, and the MSSR had 1719 participants. In younger adult PwMS …

Improved Gastrointestinal Profile With Diroximel Fumarate Is Associated With A Positive Impact On Quality Of Life Compared With Dimethyl Fumarate: Results From The Randomized, Double-Blind, Phase Iii Evolve-Ms-2 Study, Annette Wundes, Sibyl Wray, Ralf Gold, Barry A Singer, Elzbieta Jasinska, Tjalf Ziemssen, Jerome De Seze, Pavle Repovic, Hailu Chen, Jerome Hanna, Jordan Messer, Catherine Miller, Robert T Naismith

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Diroximel fumarate (DRF) is a novel oral fumarate approved for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). DRF demonstrated significantly improved gastrointestinal (GI) tolerability

METHODS: A

RESULTS: In total, 504 patients (DRF,

CONCLUSIONS: The improved GI tolerability with DRF translated into clinically meaningful benefits to QoL, as patients experienced less impact on daily life and work and required less concomitant symptomatic medication use.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: [ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03093324].

Veterans Health Administration's Whole Health System Of Care: Supporting The Health, Well-Being, And Resiliency Of Employees, Kavitha P Reddy, Tamara M Schult, Alison M Whitehead, Barbara G Bokhour

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is implementing a Whole Health System (WHS) of care that empowers and equips Veterans to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest, and increasingly leaders recognize the need and value in implementing a similar approach to support the health and well-being of employees. The purpose of this paper is to do the following: 1) provide an overview of the WHS of care in VHA and applicability in addressing employee resiliency; 2) provide a brief history of employee well-being efforts in VHA to date; 3) share new priorities from …

Development Of A Digital Toolkit To Improve Quality Of Life Of Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Jerik Leung, Laura Kloos, Alfred H Kim, Elizabeth A Baker

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this manuscript is to detail development and initial usability testing of an e-toolkit designed to provide skills and knowledge around self-management behaviors for individuals living with systemic lupus erythematosus.

METHODS: Researchers worked with a steering committee of patients and providers to (1) develop a clickable prototype of an e-toolkit and (2) conduct alpha (individuals not affiliated with an academic clinic as patient or provider) and beta (individual patients with systemic lupus erythematosus as well as members of the clinic healthcare team and individuals who work in patient advocacy organizations) usability testing through semistructured interviews.

RESULTS: During …

Electrospun Fiber Scaffolds For Engineering Glial Cell Behavior To Promote Neural Regeneration, Devan L. Puhl, Jessica L. Funnell, Derek W. Nelson, Manoj K. Gottipati, Ryan J. Gilbert

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Electrospinning is a fabrication technique used to produce nano-or micro-diameter fibers to generate biocompatible, biodegradable scaffolds for tissue engineering applications. Electro spun fiber scaffolds are advantageous for neural regeneration because they mimic the structure of the nervous system extracellular matrix and provide contact guidance for regenerating axons. Glia are non-neuronal regulatory cells that maintain homeostasis in the healthy nervous system and regulate regeneration in the injured nervous system. Electro spun fiber scaffolds offer a wide range of characteristics, such as fiber alignment, diameter, surface nano topography, and surface chemistry that can be engineered to achieve a desired glial cell response …

Teaching For Implementation: A Framework For Building Implementation Research And Practice Capacity Within The Translational Science Workforce, Aaron L Leppin, Ana A Baumann, Maria E Fernandez, Brittany N Rudd, Kathleen R Stevens, David O Warner, Bethany M Kwan, Rachel C Shelton

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Implementation science offers a compelling value proposition to translational science. As such, many translational science stakeholders are seeking to recruit, teach, and train an implementation science workforce. The type of workforce that will make implementation happen consists of both implementation researchers and practitioners, yet little guidance exists on how to train such a workforce. We-members of the Advancing Dissemination and Implementation Sciences in CTSAs Working Group-present the Teaching For Implementation Framework to address this gap. We describe the differences between implementation researchers and practitioners and demonstrate what and how to teach them individually and in co-learning opportunities. We briefly comment …

Human Cortical Serotonin 2a Receptor Occupancy By Psilocybin Measured Using [11c]Mdl 100,907 Dynamic Pet And A Resting-State Fmri-Based Brain Parcellation, Frederick S Barrett, Yun Zhou, Theresa M Carbonaro, Joshua M Roberts, Gwenn S Smith, Roland R Griffiths, Dean F Wong

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Psilocybin (a serotonin 2A, or 5-HT

2021 Fall Commencement, Georgia Southern University

Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

2021 Spring Commencement, Georgia Southern University

Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Motivation For Participating In Continuous Professional Development Among Selected General Practitioners In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: An Exploratory Case Study, Low Kien Yong

Student Works (2020-2029)

Continues Professional Development (CPD) activities are life-long learning engagements for general practitioners. It can enhance their medical competencies across cognition, psychomotor and affection domains, hence upholding safety and quality of healthcare services. Literature reported that motivation drives learning among general practitioners. However, limited studies explored the motivation from an educational lens. This study explored motivation(s) from the Andragogy and Self-Determination Theory perspectives in promoting active learning among general practitioners. This study also explored their perceptions of the amended law enforcement in Malaysia that mandates CPD participation. Three private general practitioners in Kuala Lumpur consented to participate in this study. In-depth …

Perception Of Stakeholders On Current Perfusion Education In Malaysia, Rafiq Sumardi Omar

Student Works (2020-2029)

Perfusionist is known as a certified medical technician liable for extracorporeal oxygenation of the blood during open-heart surgery. Current curriculum is believed to be at par and is aligned with the National Occupational Skills Standard, however, the scope of perfusion practice keeps changing with the advancement of technology and procedures, and there is a demand for specialty area such as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Therefore, current curriculum should be re-evaluated by taking consideration from multiple stakeholders’ perception on current needs, content, educational strategies, teaching methods, assessment methods, and curriculum management. Hence, this study aimed to explore perception of stakeholders in …

Transition To E-Learning In A Malaysian Dental School During Covid-19 Pandemic: Faculty Experiences And Future Recommendations, Sahar Fatima

Student Works (2020-2029)

During COVID-19 pandemic e-learning has emerged as the primary mode of continuing teaching and learning activities in health professions education including dental education. Due to its high reliance on clinical and skill-based teaching the dental education has encountered challenges in maintaining quality and academic integrity ensuring competent future clinicians. The present study aims to analyze the challenges and opportunities experienced by the faculty in adversity of rapid and unprepared transition to e-learning from conventional pedagogy in order to address future strategies for efficient e-learning. A qualitative phenomenological research approach is adapted for the study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with purposefully …

Investigating The Development Of Perceptions And Behavioural Intentions Towards People Living With Hiv (Plhiv) Among Pre-Clinical Medical Students In The University Of Malaya, Calvin Christopher Willims Fernandez

Student Works (2020-2029)

Since the beginning of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the 1980s, there has been a high prevalence of stigma and discrimination towards people living with HIV (PLHIV). They manifest in people’s attitudes and behaviour, and in various contexts including education, employment and healthcare. For the latter specifically, stigma-driven behaviours by healthcare practitioners have resulted in poorer health outcomes for PLHIV, where they are humiliated, isolated and in some cases, even refused treatment. This subsequently leads to an increase in mental health issues and other damaging health behaviours among PLHIV. Numerous studies have explored the manifestation of these stigmatizing attitudes and behaviours …

Perception Of Students And Insructors On The Impacts Of Gamification On Motivation And Teamwork Among Pharmacy Students By Using Kahoot!, Nadia Inez Junazli

Student Works (2020-2029)

There is an increased used of game-based student response system (GSRS) such as Quizziz and Kahoot! in Malaysian Pharmacy Schools where it has become a tool to increase motivation, engagement and facilitate collaborative learning. Although it is widely used in pharmacy schools across government and private Universities in Malaysia, there is little evidence to understand pharmacy students and their instructor’s perceptions and experiences on using Kahoot! in pharmacy subjects such as pharmaceutics and pharmacology. This qualitative study adopted a phenomenological approach to evaluate students’ and instructors’ experiences through in-depth interview sessions(N=11) to understand their change of attitude, experience, and perception …

Perceptions Of Paediatric Surgeons On The Selection & Admission Processes In Master Of Paediatric Surgery : A Qualitative Study, Anand Sanmugam

Student Works (2020-2029)

The selection and intake criteria for the paediatric training surgery training program (Master of Paediatric Surgery) has undergone changes. Changes were instituted to ensure a more robust selection system to ensure that the best candidates were selected into the program. However, there has not been any data to show that these changes have resulted in selection of candidates that could graduate on time and possess the attributes that predicted the development of competencies required. The aim of this study aim was to explore the perspectives of senior paediatric surgeons on the Master of Paediatric Surgery selection and intake process. The …

A Qualitative Study On The Perception Of Undergraduate Nursing Students On Online Learning During The Covid-19 Pandemic At A Public University In Malaysia, Muhammad Hibatullah Romli

Student Works (2020-2029)

The COVID-19 pandemic and Movement Control Order have restricted learning activities in traditional face-to-face classrooms. Subsequently, these learning activities have shifted to full online learning, and these activities are conducted in the student’s own environment namely dorm room and home. The present researcher conducted a meta-synthesis, and the result shows that full online learning is receiving resistance, however, it begin to gain better reception. Past studies show that online learning is a potential approach in allowing active and dynamic learning experience especially on the acquisition of theoretical knowledge, despite having limitations to developing technical skills. Therefore, the present study aimed …

Prevalence Of Neurophobia And Its Related Perceptions On Neurology Among Junior Doctors In Malaysia, Nor Azam Ismail

Student Works (2020-2029)

The phenomenon of neurophobia, which is described as the fear of neurological subjects, is not well studied among Malaysian doctors. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of neurophobia among Malaysian junior doctors, to determine the perceived level of interest, knowledge, confidence and phobia in Neurology, to assess the association and prediction between different demographic backgrounds of the junior doctors, reasons for Neurology being perceived as a difficult subject, and perceived usefulness of different methods of learning neurology on their perceived difficulty of neurology. The study employed an online, questionnaire-based data collection method distributed among junior doctors …

Social And Emotional Competence And Its Association With Cyberbullying Among Adolescents, Sivabalan Thava Viknaraj

Student Works (2020-2029)

Cyberbullying is a growing menace especially in countries like Malaysia which highly focuses on digital industry development. Adolescents are at greater risk since their higher usage of internet mainly on the grounds of social networking. The aim of this study is to describe cyberbullying through various factors and the relationship with social and emotional competence (SEC) using the General Aggression Model as a theoretical framework. The study, conducted through June 2019 to November 2019, adopted a cross sectional study design, among 889 adolescents aged 13 and 14 years old of national secondary schools in Penang, Malaysia. Two-stage random sampling was …

Association Between Life Course Social Determinants Of Health And Metabolic Syndrome Among Female Secondary School Teachers In Johor, Mohammad Fadzly Marzuki

Student Works (2020-2029)

Metabolic syndrome, a cluster of multiple risk factors, is known to increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and certain cancers. Poor health behaviours such as poor dietary intake and physical activities are known risk factors of metabolic syndrome. However, very little is known if the social determinants of health throughout the life�course are associated with metabolic syndrome. The study aimed to explore the association between life-course social determinants of health and metabolic syndrome. The cross-sectional study involved female secondary school teachers living in the state of Johor, Malaysia. The study used available data from the Clustering of Lifestyle risk …

Antioxidative And Lipid-Reducing Activities Of Ficus Deltoidea In Palmitic Acid-Induced Wrl68 Cells, Noor Nazirahanie Abrahim

Student Works (2020-2029)

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a series of liver disorder caused by deposition of fat without involving alcohol. This chronic liver disease has become a major concern globally due to its high mortality and morbidity rate. This situation leads to the quest of finding natural remedy to overcome this condition. Ficus deltoidea or commonly known as mistletoe fig or Mas Cotek, is a plant that is very well known especially in Malaysia for its blood glucose lowering effect. However, the potential value of F. deltoidea has not been fully evaluated, and no studies have been published on the effects …

Non-Traditional Component Of Metabolic Syndrome In Children With Obesity: Assesment Of Tg:Hdl-C Ratio As Insulin Resistance Component, Nur Zati Iwani Ahmad Kamil

Student Works (2020-2029)

Paediatrics metabolic syndrome (MetS) is on the rise parallel to the increased prevalence of childhood obesity. Although insulin resistance (IR) is an important variable in the diagnosis of MetS, the existing paediatric definition of MetS only measures elevated fasting blood glucose (FBG). Arguably, many children with severe IR can still regulate their FBG, especially in children with obesity. Therefore, this study aims to assess the utility of triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (TG: HDL-C) ratio as an IR marker in the modelling of paediatric MetS among children with obesity using structural equation modelling (SEM). This is a cross-sectional study in which …

Prevalence Of Dental Caries, Oral-Health Related Quality Of Life, And Oral Health Inequalities Among Libyan Pre-School Children In Benghazi, Lamis Abdelrahim Fathulla Ballo

Student Works (2020-2029)

Background: Dental caries persists as a public health problem that significantly affects individuals and societies. Oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) is significantly identified as a serious worldwide public health concern. Oral health inequalities exist in most countries, and these disparities in health vary between and within countries. Aim: This study aimed to investigate dental caries prevalence and experience, oral health related quality of life and oral health inequalities and the associated factors among six-year-old children in Benghazi, Libya. Methods: This study was a secondary data analysis of Benghazi Children Dental Health Survey conducted in the year 2017. The survey …

Understanding And Assessing Dental Anxiety And Fear In Malaysia, Rashidah Esa

Student Works (2020-2029)

Dental anxiety refers to a vague, unpleasant feeling that something undesirable awaits whereas dental fear is a normal response to a threat or danger. Anticipation of a dental visit can induce dental anxiety whereas the most fear-provoking situations were the sight of injection needles and the drilling procedures. Nevertheless, the terms are often used interchangeably. Dental anxiety and fear (DAF) are perpetual problems worldwide and their assessment is important to assist dentists in the management of highly anxious patients. In Malaysia, more studies are needed to add to the growing body of DAF research. The aim of this thesis was …

Illness Perception And Social Support Among Cardiac Patients Attending Rehabilitation Programme And Their Experiences, Sukhbeer Kaur Darsin Singh

Student Works (2020-2029)

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and coronary heart disease (CHD) have emerged as the leading causes of death in Malaysia. In developed countries, heart disease is the leading cause of death in men and women in Europe, CHD accounts for an estimated 1.95 million deaths each year. In Europe, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO 2012), it is recorded that 42 percent of deaths were caused by CVD and 41 percent was by CHD which was 2,655,364 people has died. Secondary prevention through cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a key component of the ongoing care of these patients, immediately following discharge from …

Analysis Of Periodontal Parameters, Subgingival Bacteria And Levels Of Ll-37 In Periodontitis Subjects With Rheumatoid Arthritis, Cheah Chia Wei

Student Works (2020-2029)

Associations between rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease of the joints, and periodontitis (PD), a chronic inflammatory disease affecting tooth supporting tissues have been reported. Antimicrobial peptide cathelicidin LL-37 besides being antibacterial, is also involved in inflammatory process. It has been suggested as a possible mechanistic link for these diseases. This study aimed to investigate the subgingival microbial profile of RA subjects and its correlation with levels of salivary and serum LL-37. A total of 104 subjects were allocated into RA (n=49) or non-RA (NRA) (n=55) groups. Three subgroups, PD, gingivitis (G) and periodontal health (H) were further …