Digital Commons Network^™

Closing Dichloramine Decomposition Nitrogen And Oxygen Mass Balances: Relative Importance Of End-Products From The Reactive Nitrogen Species Pathway, Huong T. Pham, David G. Wahman, Julian L. Fairey

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

In drinking water chloramination, monochloramine autodecomposition occurs in the presence of excess free ammonia through dichloramine, the decay of which was implicated in N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) formation by (i) dichloramine hydrolysis to nitroxyl which reacts with itself to nitrous oxide (N₂O), (ii) nitroxyl reaction with dissolved oxygen (DO) to peroxynitrite or mono/dichloramine to nitrogen gas (N₂), and (iii) peroxynitrite reaction with total dimethylamine (TOTDMA) to NDMA or decomposition to nitrite/nitrate. Here, the yields of nitrogen and oxygen-containing end-products were quantified at pH 9 from NHCl₂ decomposition at 200, 400, or 800 μeq Cl₂·L …

A Multicenter Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial Using A Virtual Reality Application Of Pain Neuroscience Education For Adults With Chronic Low Back Pain, Ryan Mcconnell, Elizabeth Lane, Grace Webb, Dana Lapeze, Hailey Grillo, Julie Fritz

Funded Scholarship

Background

Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a highly prevalent condition among adults and is correlated to high levels of pain, high disability, and lower quality of life. Pain neuroscience education (PNE) helps to explain the pain experience and can affect psychosocial factors, such as fear of movement, anxiety, socioeconomic status, work life satisfaction, etc. More recently, virtual reality (VR) programs have emerged allowing for immersive PNE experiences.

Objective

The purpose of this randomized clinical trial is to determine the feasibility of using a VR application for the delivery of immersive PNE (VR-PNE) and other activity training for patients with …

The Influence Of Apoe Status On Rate Of Cognitive Decline, Cassandra Morrison, Michael Oliver, Virginia Berry, Farooq Kamal, Mahsa Dadar

Funded Scholarship

Background

Apolipoprotein (APOE) ɛ4 positivity and subjective cognitive decline (SCD) both increase risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) development. However, few studies have examined the relationship between SCD and APOE status, especially using longitudinal data. The current study examined whether APOE is associated with the rate of cognitive change in SCD and mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

Methods

A sample of 3494 older adults (1990 normal controls, NC, 775 SCD, and 729 MCI) with a mean follow-up of 9.09 years were included from the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center Research Sharing Hub. Linear mixed effects models examined the relationship between APOE status and …

True Confession Of An Artificial Intelligence System, Chester Gary Dds, Jd

The New York State Dental Journal

A technology that makes clinical recommendations and gives advice requires practitioners to engage in ethically guided clinical judgment to guard against its weaknesses.

The Effect Of Remittances On Indonesia’S Economic Growth And Exchange Rate, Rahma Annisa, Akhmad Jayadi

DLSU Business & Economics Review

This study aims to measure the effect of remittances by Indonesian workers from abroad on Indonesia’s economic growth and exchange rate. This study uses the vector autoregression (VAR) model to see the interrelationship between the variable and the error-correction model (ECM) in the short term and the long term. The results show no causal relationship between remittances and economic growth in Indonesia. Remittances have also proven to have no effect on Indonesia’s economic growth, both in the short and long term. The Granger causality test on remittances has been proven to affect the exchange rate significantly. However, there is no …

How To Connect The Unconnected: Broadband Policy In Colorado, Nicole Genevieve Ela

Colorado Technology Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Settlement As Construct: Defining And Counting Party Resolution In Federal District Court, Charlotte S. Alexander, Nathan Dahlberg, Anne M. Tucker

Scholarly Works

Most civil cases settle. Yet generating a definitive settlement rate presents complex definitional and empirical problems, both in what should count as a settlement and how to count it. This Essay makes three contributions to better understanding and defining settlement. First, we propose a flexible, empirically informed, operationalizable definition of settlement as party resolution. Second, we exploit a new federal litigation data source to count party resolutions using machine learning models trained on 11 million docket sheet entries. Third, we offer new findings on party resolution frequency and distribution in the federal courts. Settlement is more widely and differently deployed …

Resilience And Resistance: Culture, Conversion, And Survival Among The Stockbridge Mohicans, Mariah N. Ramdeen

Dissertations and Theses

This thesis investigates the history of conversion among the Mohican band in Stockbridge, Massachusetts from the 1730s to the 1740s. Focusing on the praying town under the ministry of Reverend John Sergeant at Stockbridge in 1736, I seek to reconstruct the resistance and survivance at the heart of the Stockbridge Mohicans’ experience. My research will explore why the Mohicans chose to establish the Stockbridge praying town and why they chose to convert to Christianity, the religion of the Puritan colonizers. I will also explore how they used their conversion to promote their own community goals. While praying towns were designed …

Change Of Metal Oxidation State At High Temperature, Impact Of Temperature And Reactive Gases, Yegor Nikitin

Dissertations and Theses

The fundamental understanding of gas-solid reactions enables a wide range of applications to be developed and improved. Specifically, the use of metal-based materials is critical to ensuring robust, safe, and long-term operations. For example, in power systems where boilers are used to generate steam for heat or electricity generation the use of stainless metal alloys is critical to allow high quality steam to be produced in a very harsh environment. Alternatively, in catalysis, the use of metal doped heterogeneous catalysts are essential in achieving selectivity and conversion performance for chemical synthesis to emissions abatement. Typically, these metal alloys must withstand …

Optimizing Transcranial Focused Ultrasound: Calibration, Neuro Navigation, And Bold Fmri Evidence Of Neuromodulation, Amilcar J. Malave

Dissertations and Theses

This thesis presents the development, calibration, and initial implementation of transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) for neuromodulation in a human study. The primary objectives were to design a system capable of delivering precise and safe ultrasound stimulation to targeted brain regions and to conduct preliminary trials to assess its effects on brain activity. A custom calibration device was developed to ensure accurate measurement of acoustic pressure, addressing challenges such as voltage alterations caused by changes in system impedance. Additionally, a neuro-navigation tool was created to facilitate precise targeting of the right subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (right sgACC), enabling accurate placement of …

Modulation Of Motor Learning With High-Intensity Transcranial Electric Stimulation, Gavin Hsu

Dissertations and Theses

Research thus far on noninvasive, transcranial electric stimulation have produced mixed results from in vivo human experiments. This work tests the hypothesis that applying higher stimulation intensities would induce intracranial electric fields that more closely match the higher magnitudes used in animal and in vitro studies and subsequently yield more robust effects. As done commonly in the literature, we targeted the motor cortex (M1), specifically in the context of neuroplastic changes taking place during motor learning in healthy adult humans. This work also seeks a better understanding of the neural correlates underlying motor skill learning.

Through multiple large-sample studies, this …

Orbital And Spin Angular Momentum Light Generation, Interactions, Special Photons, And Applications In Liquids, Solids, Vapors And Biological Tissue Media, Sandra Mamani Reyes

Dissertations and Theses

Photons possess many characteristics such as wavelength, coherence, speed, polarization and wavefront. The aim of this thesis is the study of two salient properties of light exploring light carrying polarization and space degree of freedom of the wavefront. The wavefront of light is complex with different states of polarization. Special light beams are generated and characterized for interaction with liquids, solids, vapors, and bio- materials to understand fundamental processes such as Transmission, Raman scattering, and Optical Kerr Effect in steady state and temporal domains.

It has been more than hundred years since it is known that light can carry other …

The Racial Disparities Of The Gamma-Secretase/Notch Pathway And Inhibition In Triple Negative Breast Cancer, Jobin Joseph

Dissertations and Theses

Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) continues to be a formidable challenge in oncology, characterized by its aggressive phenotype and limited treatment options. Alarming racial disparities in TNBC outcomes persist, with underrepresented populations experiencing disproportionately higher rates of mortality and poorer prognoses. This master's thesis aims to delve into the molecular intricacies that contribute to these disparities, with a specific focus on gamma secretase activity, a key regulator of cellular processes.

The research methodology encompasses a multi-faceted approach, amalgamating clinical data analysis with extensive in vitro and in vivo experimentation. The study employs cutting-edge molecular profiling techniques and gene expression analysis …

Hydrodynamics Of Drops And Particles Driven By Marangoni And Diffusiophoretic Forces, Subramaniam Chembai Ganesh

Dissertations and Theses

This study investigates the hydrodynamics of particles and drops driven by forces generated by an asymmetrical physical and chemical surrounding environment. In the first part, a novel colloidal motor design driven by surface tension forces is proposed, utilizing an active Janus particle encapsulated in an immiscible liquid drop to form a compound drop/particle. Marangoni forces induced by asymmetric solute adsorption at the liquid-liquid interface of the drop propels the compound system. The propulsion speeds of the motor are analyzed for various relative sizes and configurations of the Janus particle and the encapsulating drop and the effects of varying the transport …

Hyperspectral And Polarimetric Imaging Of The Ocean For The Characterization Of The Surface Effects And Measurement Uncertainties, Mateusz Malinowski

Dissertations and Theses

Ocean and coastal waters are monitored by Ocean Color satellite sensors to determine concentrations of chlorophyll and water properties and identify areas of algal blooms and other events. The light radiance from the ocean is weak in comparison with the sky radiance, which requires very accurate atmospheric correction of the radiance measured at the top of the atmosphere (TOA) on the satellite and heavy validation of the derived water leaving radiance by field measurements from the ships and ocean platforms. For TOA and especially above water radiance the skylight reflected from the ocean surface represents one of the main sources …

Therapist Engagement With Patient Nonverbal Behavior: Exploring These Interactions As A Mechanism Of Change In Virtual And In-Person Short-Term Psychotherapy, Elliana Sheriwn

Dissertations and Theses

The individual (intrapsychic) and dyadic (interpersonal) implications of nonverbal behavior have kindled interest among psychologists for decades. Many researchers and clinicians have studied nonverbal communication in the context of attachment and moment-to-moment interactions between parent and infant (Stern, 1977; Beebe et al., 2000). Theorists have also explored nonverbal behavior in the clinical setting as a dynamic relational dimension co-created by patient and therapist (Freedman and Lavendar, 1995). Although the extant literature highlights how nonverbal communication can inform psychotherapy outcome (e.g., by fostering empathy and building rapport), the topic of therapist engagement with patient nonverbal behavior—specifically, how these interactions serve as …

Unveiling Chagas Disease: An In-Depth Analysis Of Epidemiological Patterns In High Burden Latin American Nations, Nicole Del Castillo

Public Health Theses

Background: Chagas Disease, endemic to 21 countries in Latin America, is transmitted by triatominae insects infected with parasites known as Trypanosoma cruzi.1–3 It is the most prevalent tropical disease in Latin America, affecting about 6 million individuals across the Americas.1 This literature review aims to summarize unique epidemiological patterns over a 9-year time period from 2010 to 2019 across three nations in South America that experienced the highest Chagas Disease burden in 2019: Bolivia, Venezuela, and Argentina.4

Methods: For this rapid literature review, one independent reviewer extracted all data for publications reviewed within a 9-year time period: 2010 to 2019. …

Examining Factors Associated With Covid-19 Disruptions To Tuberculosis Services, Tejaswini Dharmapuri Vachaspathi

Public Health Theses

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic posed unprecedented challenges to global health systems, significantly impacting the delivery of essential health services, including tuberculosis (TB) care. It is important to analyze the factors associated with the reductions in TB notifications during the pandemic, with a focus on high TB burden countries, to inform strategies for making TB programs more resilient to health system shocks.

Methods: Amongst 98 selected high-burden countries, a GLM analysis was employed to examine the association between ‘missed’ TB case notifications from 2020 to 2021, and various country-level factors including: COVID-19 mortality estimates, lockdown stringency index, GDP per capita, health …

Evaluation Of One Health Education Materials: A Scoping Review And Quality Assessment, Sydney Jones

Public Health Theses

The increasing risk of zoonotic spillover, driven by climate change and evolving human behaviors, requires a systematic shift in pandemic prevention strategies towards a One Health approach. Central to this approach is effective health communication intended to translate knowledge into actionable recommendations for the most vulnerable populations. This thesis aims to systematically evaluate the quantity and quality of existing One Health communication materials through a scoping review and two distinct methods of quality evaluation: the CDC Clear Communication Index and content analysis. Among 82 communication materials identified in the scoping review, the median overall CDC Clear Communication Index score was …

Light At Night And Cancer Incidence: A Gis-Based Study In The Us, Linshuoshuo Lyu

Public Health Theses

Aims: Light at night (LAN) can cause circadian disruption and was found to be a potential risk factor for several cancers. This study aims to confirm the adverse effect of LAN on hormone-related cancers and explore the association between LAN and the prevalence of various cancer types under an ecological study design. Methods: County-level age-adjusted cancer incidence data was obtained from the CDC Cancer Statistics (2016 to 2020), while LAN data (1996 to 2000) was obtained from the satellite imagery of Version 4 Defense Meteorological Satellite Program. Linear mixed effect regression models (LMMs) were performed to assess the relationship of …

Evaluating Knowledge And Attitudes Towards Dengue Fever And Its Vaccination Among Medical Staff In China: A Questionnaire-Based Study, Ip Man Lam

Public Health Theses

Dengue, a mosquito-borne tropical disease caused by the dengue virus, has seen a significant increase in global incidence in recent decades. China has experienced a rapid rise in dengue cases since 2013, posing a serious threat to population health and increased economic burden. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge and attitudes towards dengue fever and dengue vaccination among medical staff in China. A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online questionnaire survey targeting medical professionals in Zhejiang, Yunnan, and Hainan provinces, which are known endemic areas for dengue virus infection in China. The questionnaire assessed participants' understanding of dengue …

Analysis Of Mercury Exposures In The United States Reported To The National Response Center (2018-2022), Abigail E. Mcdonald

Public Health Theses

Introduction

The frequency and extent of environmental elemental mercury exposures in the U.S. are unknown. Due to its marked toxicity, elemental mercury has been phased out of many newer commercial products. However, mercury-containing products are still available, and a variety of religious, cultural, decorative, cosmetic, and illicit uses have been reported in the community. Small quantities of mercury can be highly toxic, and mercury toxicity can present nonspecifically and multi-systemically with the potential to be easily missed. Therefore, it is important to characterize the settings where mercury exposures occur and the extent of such exposures. The overall aim of this …

Indoor Air Pollution In Nomadic Himalayan Highlander Communities, Charles Minicucci

Public Health Theses

Indoor air pollution (IAP) from burning solid biomass fuel is a major global health challenge, especially in resource-limited settings without access to electricity or reliable fuel sources. In the Kingdom of Bhutan, where, despite a reported 99% of households having access to electricity, the vast majority of rural households still use biomass fuels for cooking and indoor heating. Given the resource limitations and access challenges associated with Bhutan’s remote highlander and herding communities, few solutions for or details about their exposure to IAP are available – especially during nomadic periods where families may spend months beyond the reach of infrastructure …

Exploring The Connections Between The Arts And Mental Health In The Face Of Climate Change, Marla Joy Minkoff

Public Health Theses

Objective: This study aims to explore how engagement with art may shape emotions related to the climate crisis and expand the conception of art as a mechanism of public health practice.Background: Climate change impacts human health not only physically but also psychologically, manifesting in symptoms of climate emotions (e.g., ecological grief, eco-anxiety, eco-paralysis) that arise as a result of changes to the earth and our relationship to the natural world. These symptoms are among the pressing mental health effects of climate change. Methods: A qualitative approach utilizing the Rapid Assessment Process (RAP) was employed to conduct semi-structured interviews (N=10) with …

Exploring The Association Between The Supplemental Nutrition Program For Woman, Infants And Children (Wic) And Gestational Weight Gain, Oyinlola Obatolu

Public Health Theses

Background: The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) has been an impactful federal public assistance program that has provided nutrition education and support to millions of low income women and children around the country. Despite its positive impact on perinatal and birth outcomes, the precise mechanisms between WIC and these outcomes remain unclear. Past studies have looked at the relationship between WIC and gestational weight gain (GWG), a potential mediator of the effect of WIC on birth outcomes, but they have mainly focused on city or state level data or Medicaid enrollees. This study aims to …

A Climate Change Calamity: Assessing The Impact Of Flooding On Waterborne Disease Burden In Pakistan, Haleigh Schultz

Public Health Theses

Background: Pakistan ranks among the countries most vulnerable to climate change. In 2022, extreme flooding ravaged the country as a result of unprecedented monsoon rains, resulting in widespread environmental and health devastation. As flooding events damage water, sanitation and health (WASH) infrastructure, contribute to disaster conditions, and strain healthcare systems, heavy rains can impact waterborne disease transmission and outbreak events. Extreme flooding events are expected to increase in prevalence, severity, and scope as the climate continues to change in the future. This study aims to assess the impact of monsoon seasons and flooding events on waterborne disease burden in Pakistan …

Behind The Produce Curtain: Exploring Occupational Health Of Connecticut Migrant Farmworkers In A Changing Climate, Nicole-Kristine Limlingan Smith

Public Health Theses

Due to climate change exacerbating high heat days, it is speculated that farmworkers will bear the brunt of this in the fields. High heat is only one of many consequences of climate change but was chosen as the occupational exposure of study due to its lack of literature in northeastern states like Connecticut. This study has three aims. The first aim is to explore the health impacts of extreme and prolonged heat exposure in Connecticut migrant farmworkers. Second, understand the current awareness among health care providers and the intervention methods that are being taken, if any. Finally, understand what barriers …

“I Don't Work For The Prison. I Don't Work For The Hospital Either. I’M Yours. Who Else Here Is Yours?” A Qualitative Analysis Of Facilitators And Barriers Of Launching Enhanced Perinatal Programs In Seven State Prisons, Karenna Thomas

Public Health Theses

The United States incarcerates women at the highest rate globally (Fair & Walmsley, 2022), while simultaneously failing to provide incarcerated individuals with adequate reproductive health care. Perinatal programs, including a combination of one-on-one and group prenatal and postpartum education, labor and birth support with a doula, separation support, and lactation care have been implemented as an alternative to standard care in around 21 states (Wilson et al., 2022). While the efficacy of these programs among incarcerated individuals has been established (Bard et al., 2016; Barkauskas et al., 2002; Schroeder & Bell, 2005; Shlafer et al., 2018; Shlafer, Saunders, Boraas, et …

Cost-Effectiveness Of Helicobacter Pylori Screenings In Asian Americans In The United States, Qin Wang

Public Health Theses

Background: Gastric cancer remains a significant public health concern, particularly for Asian Americans in the United States, who are at higher risk. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is a known risk factor for gastric cancer (GC) and peptic ulcer disease (PUD), and its eradication has proven effective in preventing both conditions. Due to the lack of clinical standards in H. pylori screening for this high-risk group of Asian Americans, we explore whether population-based screening using carbon-13 urea breath test (C-UBT) and/or endoscopy is cost-effective in the United States for Asian Americans. Methods: We built a cohort state-transition Markov model to …

Assessment Of Suicide Risk In Emergency Department Settings For Adults In Nepal: Validation Of The Nepali Ask Suicide-Screening Questions, Pei Wang

Public Health Theses

Objectives: Suicide is a severe public health crisis around the globe. Low-middle-income countries (LMICs) bear 77% of the global suicide burden. Screening is a significant component of suicide prevention, but there is a dearth of suicide screening tools, especially in LMICs. This study focused on validating the Ask Suicide-Screening Questions (ASQ) within an adult Emergency Department (ED) population in Nepal. Although the validation occurred in an ED setting, the Nepali ASQ is designed with the flexibility to be useful in a variety of healthcare contexts, extending its applicability beyond just emergency care.Methods: We systematically translated and adapted the 4-item ASQ, …