Digital Commons Network^™

Comparison Of Pediatric Diabetic Ketoacidosis In Newly Diagnosed Versus Known Patients With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: A Single-Center Study, Nagham Alsolaimani, Mawadah Kattan, Zahia Algabbani, Ghram Awlia, Yara Alhamdani, Abdulmoien Alagha

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To compare the demographic, clinical, and biochemical characteristics of newly diagnosed versus known patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) presenting with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) in a tertiary care center in the Western region of Saudi Arabia. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 147 children and adolescents diagnosed with T1DM who presented with DKAs between January 2019 and December 2023. Data on age, gender, nationality, economic status, episode severity, presenting symptoms, and biochemical markers were collected and analyzed. Results: The mean patient age was 7.24 years, with known patients being older (mean age: 8.24 years) than newly diagnosed patients (mean age: …

Rising Epidemiological Trends In Prevalence And Mortality Of Mpox: Global Insights And Analysis, Muhammad Os. Meo, Muhammad Zs. Meo, Isra M. Khan, Muhammad As. Butt, Adnan M. Usmani, Sultan A. Meo

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To explore the global epidemiological trends in the prevalence and mortality due to mpox in various regions worldwide. Methods: In this cross-sectional study the data about mpox outbreak were recorded by the “World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and GSAID” from August 2023 to August 2024, analyzing the epidemiological trends from different countries worldwide. Results: The total number of mpox cases has reached 99,518 (95,196 cases from 115 countries that have not historically reported mpox; and 4,322 cases from 07 states that have traditionally reported mpox), from a total of 122 countries. The top 10 countries …

Prevalence Of Hyperlipidemia In Psoriatic Arthritis Patients In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Khalid Altalhi, Sara Otaywi, Mohammed Alotaibi, Hanan A. Alhamzi, Seham Alrashedi, Mosaab Makkawy, Fahdah Alokaily

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of hyperlipidemia in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and to investigate the relationship between PsA and hyperlipidemia. Methods: This retrospective study examined medical records of PsA patients from January 2010 to May 2023 at 2 medical centers in Riyadh. Patients over 18 years old with a lipid profile were included. Hyperlipidemia cases were determined using Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III) guidelines and European Association of Preventive Cardiology definitions based on lipid profile results. Results: A total of 141 patients were included in the analysis. The prevalence of hyperlipidemia in patients …

Assessment Of Contraceptive Methods Choice Among Women During Childbearing Age In Mosul, Iraq, Ruqaya Adnan Salih

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To assess factors influencing choice of contraceptive methods among women in Mosul, Iraq. Methods: An analytic cross-sectional study was conducted during the period extending from July 2022 to March 2023, and a convenience sample of 100 women at child-bearing age (15-49 years) was collected from those attending the Family Planning Clinic at Al-Khansaa Teaching Hospital in Mosul. A direct interview was used to collect data required by using a special questionnaire form. Data was tabulated and analyzed using Excel 2010 and Statistical Package of the Social Sciences, version 24.0. The frequency and percentage of variables have been calculated. Together …

Comparing Tele-Pharmacy And Standard Clinic Follow-Up For Newly Initiated Warfarin Anticoagulation Therapy: A Retrospective Study, Sumaiah J. Alarfaj, Sara Alsulami, Ebtehaj Alashjaey, Reema Albulayhi, Faisal Alqarni, Abeer Alharbi

Saudi Medical Journal

ABSTRACT Objectives: To compare the effectiveness of providing telepharmacy anticoagulation to on-site clinics in achieving optimal outcomes for patients newly starting warfarin. Methods: This single-center retrospective cohort study included adult patients who started warfarin for the first time and were monitored by clinical pharmacists either on-site or via telepharmacy anticoagulation clinics between January 2017 and March 2024. The primary outcome is to compare the time in therapeutic range (TTR) between the 2 groups. The secondary outcome is the occurrence of anticoagulation therapy–related complications. Results: We included 191 patients, with 77 in the telepharmacy group and 114 in the on-site group. …

Assessing The Accuracy And Efficiency Of Chat Gpt-4 Omni (Gpt-4o) In Biomedical Statistics: Comparative Study With Traditional Tools, Anusha S. Meo, Narmeen Shaikh, Sultan A. Meo

Saudi Medical Journal

ABSTRACT Objectives: To assess the accuracy of ChatGPT-4 Omni (GPT-4o) in biomedical statistics. The recent novel inauguration of Artificial Intelligence ChatGPT-Omni (GPT-4o), has emerged with the potential to analyze sophisticated and extensive data sets, challenging the expertise of statisticians using traditional statistical tools for data analysis. Methods: This study was performed in the Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in May 2024. Three datasets in a raw Excel file format were imported onto Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 29 for data analysis. Based on this analysis, a script of 9 questions …

Silent Reactivation Of Varicella Zoster Virus In Hemodialysis Patients.: A Management Dilemma, Bandar A. Suliman, Hassan T. Alhazmi, Hamzah A. Alamri, Ahmed A. Aljuhani, Mohammed S. Younis, Khalid H. Mahallawi, Fayez H. Alsehli, Ibrahim T. Alomani, Bashayer A. Almoutairi, Yasser S. Asar, Mohammed A. Alkhaily, Walaa A. Momena, Waleed H. Mahallawi

Saudi Medical Journal

ABSTRACT Objectives: To determine the seroprevalence of Varicella Zoster virus (VZV) immunoglobulin (Ig)G and IgM antibodies among hemodialysis patients (HDP). Additionally, the presence of VZV viral DNA has been investigated for possible reactivation status. Methods: Sera from 265 individuals were collected and tested. The study was carried out from November 2023 to February 2024. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay was accomplished to determine the VZV IgG and IgM antibody levels. The viral DNA was tested by qPCR. Results: We found a significantly higher proportion of Host defense peptides (HDP) have positive antibody levels compared to healthy controls (HC) (92.0% of HDP …

Does Work-Related Stress Compromise Cardiovascular Health?

Saudi Medical Journal

No abstract provided.

Measles Cases Surge Worldwide, Infecting 10.3 Million People In 2023

Saudi Medical Journal

No abstract provided.

Borderplex Business Barometer, Volume 8, Number 12, Thomas M. Fullerton Jr., Steven L. Fullerton

Border Region Modeling Project

No abstract provided.

Correlation And Causation Analysis For Cross-Sectional And Panel Data, Barry Nuqoba

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

This dissertation investigates how data, algorithms, and expert knowledge can be harnessed to better understand human behavior and enhance well-being. It emphasizes the critical importance of interdisciplinary collaboration to bridge knowledge gaps and foster insights that support preventive care, causal theory advancement, and policy development.

The first study, part of the SHINESeniors project, shed light on the potential usefulness of passive, unobtrusive sensors for detecting nocturia and poor sleep quality, symptoms commonly observed in chronic diseases, thereby enabling live-alone older adults to age in place. Utilizing machine learning techniques on sensor-derived features, the study can identify nocturia and poor sleep …

Political Embeddedness And Organizational Resilience: Empirical Investigation And Theorisation Of Institutional Translation Mechanisms In Chinese Private Enterprises, Shuai Shao

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

China is governed by the Communist Party of China (CPC), which embodies the nation's core values, mission, and ideological framework. The CPC organization embeddedness represents a distinctive governance arrangement, reflecting the state's Political Integration Imperatives. In the context of significant external shocks such as Covid-19, how does this political embeddedness influence private enterprises' organizational resilience - specifically their capacity to withstand disruptions and their ability to recover? What are the underlying mechanisms driving these effects?

This study employs a mixed-methods approach to investigate how CPC organization embeddedness shapes organizational resilience within China's unique institutional context, and the mechanisms through which …

Alpine Jubilance, Justine Vandenberg

A Midwestern Review: A Magazine of the Arts and Issues at DePauw University

Justine Vandenberg is an Environmental Fellow student at DePauw University majoring in Sustainability Science and Environmental Studies. She is also a writer, poet, and photographer who is passionate about using artistic forms to advocate for the health of ecosystems and human communities. She finds beauty in hiking, gardening, and mountain life.

An Account Of The 1453 Ce Ottoman Siege Of Constantinople Interpreted Through A First Century Bce Jewish Text: How An Ancient Collection Of Second Temple Period Poems Changed The Course Of Western Civilization, Kenneth Atkinson

Faculty Publications

On 29 May 1453 CE, the besieged Christian occupants of Constantinople — the capital of the Byzantine Empire and the last surviving portion of the former Roman Empire — knew the end was near when they heard 50,000-80,000 angry Ottoman soldiers, including 5,000 to 10,000 of the elite Janissaries — the Sultan’s shook troops — preparing to breach its walls after a 53-day siege. The 7,000-man army defending the city knew that all was lost. The 21-year-old Sultan Mehmet II — given the sobriquet “the Conqueror” for capturing the city — leveled the roads so his army could reach Constantinople’s …

An Ode To My Brother, Ruby Tugeau

A Midwestern Review: A Magazine of the Arts and Issues at DePauw University

Ruby Tugeau is a Freshman at DePauw majoring in Public Health and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies! She enjoys long hikes, oldies music, and warm soup. Ruby’s been writing all her life, and wants to thank A Midwestern Review for allowing her to share her work.

Investigating Nekton Response To Changing Salinities In The Mississippi Sound: An Experimental And Statistical Approach, Adam Murray

Master's Theses

The Mississippi Sound provides nursery habitats for many coastal species and is recognized for its commercial fisheries. Previous freshening events linked to the Bonnet Carré Spillway, a Mississippi River flood diversion structure, proved catastrophic for oyster populations in the Mississippi Sound, but effects on mobile fish and shellfish species are not well-defined. The planned Mid-Breton Sediment Diversion (MBSD), an initiative to combat wetland loss, is also forecasted to lower salinities in the region, increasing the need to better understand responses of commercially and ecologically important species to freshening events. The objective of this study was to characterize effects of salinity …

Soldiers In The Sideshows: The 409th Infantry Regiment In World War Ii, Nicholas Garrett

Master's Theses

In the European Theater of World War II certain battlefields or campaigns such as Operation Overlord, Operation Market Garden, and the Battle of the Bulge are core aspects of American memory. However, the men of the 409^th Infantry Regiment of the 103^rd Infantry Division do not fall into this image. This unit fought as part of the U.S. Seventh Army across eastern France through the Vosges Mountains, defended against the German Operation Nordwind and broke through the Siegfried Line into southeastern Germany. Though the 409^th represents a small portion of the men of the 103^rd, …

Increasing Pride Skills For Child Engagement Using Ipcit With Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Jordan Etherington

Master's Theses

Many children with autism spectrum disorder display elevated levels of problem behaviors, such as aggression and defiance, in addition to symptoms characteristic of autism, such as deficits in social communication and interaction. Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is a behavioral parent training program designed to improve problem behavior in young children by teaching parents to use skills that reinforce appropriate behaviors. In addition, the interactive nature of PCIT may help children with autism increase the rates at which they engage and interact with their caregivers. There are many barriers to treatment completion in PCIT, including high attrition rates due to …

Effects Of Concrete With The Implementation Of Spent Coffee Grounds, Nathan Limon

Construction Management

During this study, compression tests were performed on three different concrete mix designs to evaluate the effects of spent coffee grounds as an admixture. The initial mix design was the control mix, composed of a general concrete mix design containing aggregate, cement, and water. The second mixture utilized was high strength concrete; this included aggregate, cement, and water, fly ash. The third mixture tested consisted of aggregate, cement, water, and spent coffee grounds. The purpose of evaluating these three different mixtures is to see whether spent coffee grounds can be implemented into concrete without compromising the compressive strength. Substituting 15% …

Understanding The Performance And Perception Of Odawa Warfare, 1615–1700, Eric P. Morningstar

Masters Theses

This research employs the ethnohistorical method to explore how the Odawa people perceived and carried out warfare from 1615 to 1700. While historians have examined the Odawa, these Native peoples have frequently not been the central focus in the secondary literature. Many primary sources also offer a vague answer as to how the Odawa conceived and carried out warfare. This study aims to clarify historiographical inconsistencies by quantitatively analyzing a database, constructed by the author, of specific primary references to known hostilities between the Odawa, other Native groups, and Europeans. The analysis includes specific variables germane to hostilities such as …

Assessment Of Pedestrian Safety At Roundabout Slip Lanes: A Study On Design Configurations And Surrogate Safety Measures, Norran Kakama Novat

Masters Theses

The implementation of slip lanes at roundabouts has been widely adopted to improve traffic flow and reduce vehicle conflicts. However, the presence of slip lanes introduces significant risks for pedestrians, influencing vehicle speeds, merging behaviors, and increasing the potential for pedestrian-vehicle conflicts. This study investigates pedestrian safety at roundabouts with various slip lane designs, focusing on their impact on vehicle speeds, pedestrian-vehicle conflicts, and yielding behavior. Also, the study evaluates commonly used surrogate safety measures by employing extreme value models to assess their efficiency.

The study addresses two primary objectives: (1) analyzing the effects of different slip lane configurations on …

Next Steps In Online Courts: Accelerating Access To Justice Through Court Technology, J.J. Prescott

Articles

For more than a decade, state courts have been expanding access to justice by adopting online dispute resolution (ODR) platforms and other outward-facing communication technologies. At a deep level, these reforms aim at improving society by bolstering the rule of law. At a surface level, these innovations recognize that the justice system works better when courts and law are easier and less costly to understand and use. In important respects, these efforts have been a success. The accessibility of many state courts is considerably more robust today than it was ten years ago, at least for small-stakes cases, like traffic …

Appreciative Inquiry: Guiding Principles For Majority And Minority World Teams Conducting Research In Majority World Countries, Kendall Cotton Bronk, Lindsey C. Blom, Seren Fryatt, Flomo Mau Maiwo, Yabadel Appleton

Journal of Youth Development

The vast majority of youth development research takes place in minority world cultural contexts. To understand and nurture the optimal development of young people living in majority world countries, cross-cultural research teams are uniquely suited to conduct careful and culturally sensitive research in these settings. However, this is difficult. Navigating research in a new language, a different cultural context, and a far-away geographic location is challenging, and the risks of getting it wrong are high. We argue that the guiding principles of Appreciative Inquiry can help teams navigate many of the challenges inherent in conducting youth development research in majority …

Facilitate The Awesome:Creating Capacity For Teen Programs In Youth Development, Michael L. Wallace, Ashley M. Hall, Gary Frank Varrella, Pamela Watson, Kelly Anne Stewart, Brian Brandt

Journal of Youth Development

A critical need exists for adults who are properly prepared to meaningfully engage with adolescents. While utilizing teens in leadership and teaching roles has been gaining popularity and application, a developmental and skills-based approach for improving “trusted adult” capacity to engage with adolescents has not been comprehensively addressed in other programs or curricula. The “Facilitate the Awesome” short course focuses on advancing adult knowledge and skills related to supporting the physical, emotional, and social needs of adolescents. In an evaluation of 113 participants statistical significance was established for all the learning variables tested, using a sign test and estimated effect …

Mental Health Services In A Camp Setting: Choices, Challenges, Change, Johnathan Meier, Erinn J. Victory, Rebecca I. Laquaglia, Matthew J. Kasopsky, Jeongwi An, Gabriella R. Johnson, Andrew D. Mendonsa, Stephanie Mcwilliams

Journal of Youth Development

The prevalence of mental health issues among youth, with nearly half meeting diagnostic criteria for a mental health disorder and suicide being a leading cause of death, underscores the urgency for effective intervention (National Institute of Mental Health, 2023). Summer camps, hosting millions of children annually, are urged by the American Camp Association to establish mental health support, ranging from trained counselors to licensed therapists (ACA, 2009; 2022). At the 2023 National Scout Jamboree, mental health services were offered for the first time. During the Jamboree, 82 participants received individual or group mental health services in the Mental Health Clinic. …

From “At-Risk” To “Aspiring” Youth:Locating Positive Youth Development In Kenya, Kennedy Karani Onyiko, Justine Amadi Orucho, Lawrence Asige, Dennis Omuse Obushe, Aden Ang'aba Esokomi, Faith Inyele Olita, Simon Kitiyo

Journal of Youth Development

The youth population bulge in Kenya comes with so many challenges such as poverty, gender inequalities, political inequities, the absence of adequate health and medical resources, low educational attainment, homelessness, increased involvement in violence, drugs, and alcohol, poor physical and mental health, a lack of key life skills, premature sexual involvement. Using inductive or “bottom up” thematic analysis, we explored experiences of the youth aged 18-34 (n=36), youth workers (n=26) and administrators of youth programs (n=22) on existing youth development programs and their alignment to the positive youth development principles. Six key findings from the study sufficed as follows: (1) …

The Association Between Sports Camp Participation And Perceivedcompetence And Independence Among Visually Impaired Youth, Mary A. Keene, Justin Haegele, Xihe Zhu

Journal of Youth Development

Research on sport camps for visually impaired youth is limited. The purposes of this study were to examine if visually impaired campers’ self-perception of their perceived competence and independence changed as a result of attending a one-week sports camp. Forty visually impaired campers ranging from 10-15 years of age, who attended a one-week sports camp, completed a survey study from two outcome measures of the American Camp Association Youth Outcomes Battery. A bivariate correlation analysis and descriptive analyses were conducted. The campers reported relatively high levels of perceived competence (5.48 ± .57) and moderate levels of perceived independence (4.94 ± …

Resilience And Grit: What They Are And Why They Matter For Youth Development Professional, Christine Wood, Claire Sponseller, Saundra Wever Frerichs, Mark W. Demorra

Journal of Youth Development

The challenges faced by youth can hinder them from reaching their full potential or help them grow and develop as they overcome their challenges. Grit and resilience provide young people with the skills, confidence, and perseverance to overcome challenges, pursue their goals and thrive. In this article, the authors examine the complex constructs that make up resilience and grit, draw connections to positive youth development practices, and propose a model of how these constructs can be enacted by youth development professionals in their work. The article offers specific educational practices that can support young people in developing the skills and …

Do Horse Breed Association Youth Programs Promote Life Skills And Goaldevelopment For Youth With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?, Julius Culwell, Makenna Foster, Molly Christine Nicodemus, Molly Friend, Holly Evans, Dean Jousan, Katherine Agbigail Holtcamp, Clay Cavinder, Toree Williams

Journal of Youth Development

Almost 10% of American youth are diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). While not a learning disability, this diagnosis results in youth being labeled academically “at-risk.” While equine assisted services (EAS) promote an emotionally safe learning environment for at-risk youth, program availability is limited. Horse breed associations, however, offer programs nationwide for all youth, although these programs do not have a therapeutic intention. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to utilize a survey to determine program participation and associated development of life skills and goals for ADHD youth. A survey was developed with the following: 15 fixed-response multiple-choice …

Nature-Based Solutions For Flood Risk Mitigation: Mapping And Hydrological Modeling In An Under-Resourced Urban Area On The Mississippi Gulf Coast, Jennifer Makenzie Holifield

Master's Theses

Flooding is the most frequent and costly disaster in the United States, affecting people disproportionately based on environmental, societal, and economic limitations. Through stakeholder engagement, open-access research, and nature-based solutions (NBS), ecology and hydrology can be bridged with local-scale politics to raise awareness of local issues and form strong interdisciplinary bonds. I approached nature-based equity from a ground front, in which I engaged with local stakeholders and city officials to gain insight and calibration on flooding experiences and flooding presence within Moss Point, MS. This engagement helped calibrate GIS models, from which, I found that the flooding hazards of Moss …