Digital Commons Network^™

2023 Carroll County Advisory Council Minutes And Agendas, Mikayla Cerney

UNH Cooperative Extension

No abstract provided.

Black Lives Still Matter: Freedom Schools As An Embodiment Of Critical Literacy Through Reflection And Action, Elena M. Venegas, Lakia M. Scott

Bilingual and Literacy Studies Faculty Publications

The continuation of racial inequities in the United States has ignited the recent Black Lives Matter Movement, a protest of police brutality and gun violence. Black lives matter in public school classrooms, too—where students of color face barriers to equitable educational experiences. The Children's Defense Fund Freedom School program is a major component in developing critical literacy skills through critique, inquiry, and transformation through social justice and action. Critical literacy is enacted through identity—mainly as difference, self, consciousness, narrative, and positionality. Historical and contemporary relevance of Freedom Schools connects to the urgency of the Black Lives Matter Movement.

The Role Of Epigenetic Aberrations In The Cold Tumor Phenotype And Inflammatory Signaling In High-Risk Neuroblastoma, Pamela Morgan Watson

Alternative Theses and Dissertations (AETDs)

Neuroblastoma (NB) is a highly aggressive, heterogeneous disease that arises from the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and originates from neural crest cells (NCCs) (1). NB is the most common extracranial cancer in pediatric accounts for 15% of pediatric cancer deaths (2). This high mortality rate is the result of the metastatic, immune evasive, and treatment resistant characteristics of the disease (3). It has been proposed that NB arises from blocks in differentiation during development, resulting in a mixture of two distinct cell types within the tumor: mesenchymal and adrenergic (Figure 1.1) (4,5). The adrenergic cell type is more differentiated, and …

Optimizing Topical Drop Efficacy With Proper Eyelid Positioning, Yu Xia, Nathaniel A Blecher, Philip L Custer, Erin G Sieck

2020-Current year OA Pubs

PURPOSE: To report the observation that the efficacy of topical glaucoma treatment improved after surgical correction of ectropion in a 71-year-old male with a known history of glaucoma.

OBSERVATIONS: The patient initially presented for tearing and lid malposition and was found to have bilateral elevated intraocular pressures (IOP) in addition to bilateral lower eyelid ectropion. IOP control was initially prioritized over ectropion repair, with IOP remaining elevated despite topical glaucoma treatment and selective laser trabeculoplasty. Sequential unilateral ectropion repair was then carried out, with topical glaucoma treatment resumed after the first repair. It was observed that the IOP improved with …

The Provision Of Healthcare For Older Adults In A Massachusetts Jail/House Of Correction: Perspectives From Providers, Laura Driscoll

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

THE PROVISION OF HEALTHCARE FOR OLDER ADULTS IN A MASSACHUSETTS JAIL/HOUSE OF CORRECTION: PERSPECTIVES FROM PROVIDERS November 2024 Laura C. Driscoll, B.S., Boston University M.S.P.T., Boston University DPT, MGH Institute of Health Professions M.S., University of Massachusetts Boston Ph.D., University of Massachusetts Boston Directed by Professor Jan Mutchler The aging population in U.S. jails is growing rapidly presenting significant challenges for healthcare provision within carceral settings. Older adults in these facilities often experience complex health conditions, including chronic diseases and age-related impairments, that require specialized care. Despite this, limited research has explored the experiences of healthcare providers tasked with caring …

Introducing A Practitioner's Framework For Mobilizing Collective Action, Matthew Paul Bond

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

INTRODUCING A PRACTITIONER’S FRAMEWORK FOR MOBILIZING COLLECTIVE ACTION December, 2024 Matthew P. Bond, B.A. University of North Carolina Greensboro, M.S., University of Massachusetts Boston, M.P.A., Suffolk University, Ph.D., University of Massachusetts Boston Directed by Christian Weller Social dilemmas are situations in which individual and collective incentives are at odds, leading to suboptimal collective outcomes that make all individuals worse off. Modeling policy problems stuck in stasis as social dilemmas reveals new solution pathways that promise progressive change. The solution to a social dilemma is collective action, yet since the introduction of the collective action problem in the 1960’s, a solution …

Democratizing The Early Identification Of Alzheimer's Disease And Access To Care: The Role Of Psychologists In Brief Assessment, Jacqueline S. Hogan

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

As Alzheimer’s disease (AD) presents a growing public health challenge, accessible early detection tools are urgently needed. This study used data from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) (N = 1,536) to evaluate the ability of machine learning models to predict a conversion from normal cognition or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to AD. A brief neuropsychological battery, including the Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale–Cognitive Subscale (ADAS13), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), and Functional Activities Questionnaire (FAQ), was employed. The Gradient Boosted Trees model demonstrated superior performance, achieving an F1 score of 0.88, recall of 0.93, precision …

Size Matters: The Characterization Of Telomere Function In Germ Cell Development In Danio Rerio, Jessica Macneil

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Infertility is a growing problem worldwide. According to the WHO, 48 million couples across the globe suffer from infertility and many couples turn to Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) to become pregnant. One readout of gamete quality and successful ART is telomere integrity because telomeres are necessary for chromosome movements during meiosis so that the segregation of chromosomes happens correctly. Telomeres are well known for their role in aging; however, they play an important and understudied role during meiosis. In meiosis, telomeres attach to the nuclear envelope (NE) via a protein chain spanning the NE that interacts with cytoplasmic motor proteins, …

Behaviorism Literature Review On School Suspension And The School To Prison Pipeline, Joelle Tidwell

Curriculum and Instruction Undergraduate Honors Theses

An analysis of the current body of research about the school to prison pipeline demonstrates that exclusionary practices are indicators for which students will encounter the criminal justice system in their youth and adulthood. Moreover, exclusionary practices are associated with a variety of other negative outcomes such as poor mental health, poor physical health, and lower wages. This research demonstrates the need for exclusionary practices to be replaced with school-wide behavioral supports that will provide intervention and strategies for students that help keep them in the classroom instead of simply punishing them with isolation.

Behind The Screen: Exploring Parental Roles In K-12 Online Education, Barbara T. Sandberg, Charles R. Graham, Jered Borup, Richard E. West, Rocio Quiroga Velasquez

Faculty Publications

Independent engagement can be challenging for K-12 online students. Parents’ physical presence makes them an important source of engagement support. Previous research on parental support in online courses is limited and focused on asynchronous learning within a single program. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, online enrollments have grown and instructional modalities have evolved. To better understand parental support post-Covid, we interviewed 21 parents across eight online programs with asynchronous, synchronous, and bichronous course offerings. Parents identified their affective, behavioral, cognitive, and other support roles. Implications for parental roles in addressing the academic engagement gap are provided to both researchers and practitioners.

The Learning Crisis: Three Years After Covid-19, Tomasz Gajderowicz, Maciej Jakubowski, Alec Kennedy, Christian Christrup Kjeldsen, Harry Anthony Patrinos, Rolf Strietholt

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

The COVID-19 pandemic caused widespread disruptions to education, with school closures affecting over one billion children. These closures, aimed at reducing virus transmission, resulted in significant learning losses, particularly in mathematics and science. Using data from TIMSS 2023, which assesses fourth and eighth-grade achievements across 71 education systems, this study analyzes the impact of school closure duration on learning outcomes. Mixed-effect models estimate deviations from pre-pandemic trends, adjusting for demographic factors. Results show a global average decline of 0.11 standard deviations (SD) in student achievement, with longer closures linked to more severe losses. The effects on low performers, girls, and …

Flipping The Script: Active Learning In Drug Information, Albert Bach, Ivan Portillo

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

This presentation will highlight successful strategies that incorporate drug information skills into pharmacy laboratory courses across the curriculum. Attendees will gain insights on collaboration between clinical faculty and library services, active learning techniques, and drug information assignments to utilize within a laboratory based course.

Objectives:

Plan an active learning session that introduces first-year students to drug information sources.

Describe how clinical faculty and library services can collaborate to introduce drug information to students.

Explain the implementation of a DI Question during an Order Verification module in the hospital laboratory setting.

Provide students a tool for self-reflection prior to conducting …

Gc-Ms Analysis And Evaluation Of Antioxidant, Anticancer, Cytotoxicity, And Hypoglycemic Properties Of The Libyan Moringa Oleifera Leaf Extract On Alloxan-Induced Diabetes In Mice, Osama Abdel-Hafeez Mohammed Al-Bedak, Ahlam Rashed, Seham T.M. Oskandali, Nouri Kushlaf, Amal Eishebani, Samira A. Alacrouk, Fadia T.M. Oshkandale, Manal Eisheli, Zahur R. Almesai, Ameerah Shaeroun, Steven L. Stephenson, Fuad Ameen

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Libyan Moringa oleifera leaves were extracted using methanol, and the bioactive components' antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer characteristics were assessed using gas chromatography mass spectrometry analysis (GC-MS). Moringa oleifera exhibited antioxidant activity, with an IC50 of 11.53 µg/mL. Wi38 cell line's viability decreased with increasing M. oleifera extract concentration, while its cytotoxicity increased with an IC50 of 393.41±7.77 μg/mL. Alloxan-induced diabetes model in Swiss albino mice was implemented. Three different doses (100, 200, or 300 mg/kg of mice body weight) of M. oleifera’s extract were evaluated for their effects on blood sugar concentration and the histology of the pancreatic islets. …

Investigation Of Conductive Die-Top Thermal Capacitors During Short Circuit Operation Of Silicon Carbide Devices, Youssef Abotaleb

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Silicon carbide (SiC) power devices have garnered significant attention in recent years due to their superior thermal and electrical properties compared to traditional silicon devices. However, SiC power devices suffer from severe reliability issues arising from their mechanical properties. This is because the Young's modulus of SiC is about three times larger than that of silicon, which correspondingly raises the mechanical stresses acting on the bonding structure, often leading to device failure under power shock events.

Traditional packaging materials and designs tend to constrain SiC performance, as hot-spot temperature resulting from a power shock is one of the key factors …

Students’ Performance And Perceptions Of Mock Trials As A Teaching And Assessment Activity Over Three Years At Two Institutions, Ettie Rosenberg, Shih-Ying H. Hsu, Hoai-An Truong, Reza Taheri

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background: This study aimed to evaluate students’ performance and perception of a mock-trial teaching, learning, and assessment activity over three years at two institutions.

Methods: A mock trial (courtroom-style debate) implemented over three years (2017-2019) in a first professional year (P1) course at two institutions offered active learning in literature critique and evaluation, critical thinking, communication, teamwork, professionalism, and self-awareness. Student teams researched, prepared, and debated controversial topics as counsels, witnesses, or jurors for alternate mock trials. Descriptive analyses evaluated judge and juror trial scores and the 2019 Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) survey.

Results: The mock trials involved 319 student …

Evaluation Of Industrial Hemp Cultivar And Biochar Rate To Remediate Heavy-Metal-Contaminated Soil From The Tar Creek Superfund Site, Usa, Dietrich V. Thurston, Kristofor R. Brye, David M. Miller, Philip A. Moore Jr., Donald M. Johnson, Mike Richardson

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Soil contamination by cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) at the Tar Creek superfund site in northeast Oklahoma, United States, remains a threat to the environment and local ecosystem. Phytoremediation with industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) and the use of biochar (BC) have been independently shown to be effective methods to remediate heavy-metal-contaminated soils. The objective of this greenhouse study was to evaluate the effects of industrial hemp cultivar (‘Carmagnola’ and ‘Jinma’), biochar rate (0, 2, 5, and 10% by volume), soil contamination level (low, medium, and high), and their interactions on above- (AG) and belowground dry matter …

Interpreting The Spatial Distribution Of Soil Properties With A Physically-Based Distributed Hydrological Model, Zamir Libohova, Marcelo Mancini, Hans Edwin Winzeler, Quentin D. Read, Ning Sun, Dylan Beaudette, Candiss Williams, Joshua Michael Blackstock, Sergio H.G. Silva, Nilton Curi, Kabindra Adhikari, Amanda Ashworth, Joshua O. Minai, Phillip R. Owens

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Digital soil maps are commonly data-driven as the development of physically-based models for soil mapping is difficult due to the complexity of soils. However, physically-based hydrologic models have been successful in simulating water dynamics. Since water movement is a major driver of pedogenesis, the physical rules that govern water movement might help explain and predict the spatial variation of soil properties. Here, we demonstrate the novel use of a physically-based, distributed hydrologic model to inform the spatial distribution of soil properties. The Distributed Hydrology Soil Vegetation Model (DHSVM) was utilized to simulate soil moisture content (SM) and water table …

Unm Hslic Organizational Chart 2024, David Lucero

HSLIC Organizational Charts

No abstract provided.

Assessing Impact Risk To Tropical Marine Ecosystems From Human Activities With A Southeast Asian Example, Fiona Culhane, Melanie C. Austen, Matthew Ashley, Jonson Javier, Sui Hyang Kuit, Nguyen Phuc Hung, Hau Duc Tran, Radisti A. Praptiwi, Sainal Sainal, Eva Justine, Prawesti Wulandari, Stefanie Broszeit, Jean Beth Jontila, Sofia Johari, Lota Creencia, Amy Yee Hui Then, Lea Janine Gajardo, Carya Maharja, Hong Ching Goh, Wan Mohd Syazwan, Yang Amri Affendi, Lê Ngọc Thảo, Jito Sugardjito, Tom Mullier, Olivia Langmead

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Society relies on intact marine ecosystems for ecosystem services such as nutrition, livelihoods, health and well-being. Yet, to obtain these benefits, we carry out activities, introducing pressures to ecosystems, damaging and degrading habitats and reducing their capacity to optimally provide ecosystem services. Biodiversity and ecosystem services are consequently being lost globally but impact chains from these activities are poorly understood, especially in tropical marine ecosystems. We identified for the first time impact chains linking activities with pressures they introduce in five tropical coastal and marine habitats, specifically through application in four Southeast Asian case study sites. Using expert elicitation based …

The Effects Of Casein Glycomacropeptide On General Health Status In Children With Pku: A Randomized Crossover Trial, Alex Pinto, Anne Daly, Camille Newby, Abigail Robotham, Simon Heales, Simon Eaton, Helen Aitkenhead, Kimberly Gilmour, Richard Jackson, Catherine Ashmore, Sharon Evans, Júlio Cesar Rocha, Fatma Ilgaz, Mary Hickson, Anita Macdonald

School of Health Professions

In PKU, it is suggested that casein glycomacropeptide based protein substitute (GMP) may have physiological advantage when satiety, oxidative stress, renal function and inflammation are considered. Its prebiotic properties may also help gastrointestinal (GI) tolerance. In children with PKU, a randomized/crossover trial comparing phenylalanine-free amino acids (AA) vs GMP as the single source of protein substitute for 12-weeks in each arm was conducted. There was a 4-week wash out period with AA in-between. At baseline and end of each intervention, blood and fecal samples were taken to monitor gut health, oxidative stress, renal function, inflammatory markers and plasma amino acids. …

Proceedings Of The 2024 Child Language Acquisition Symposium For Indigenous Communities, Tamera C. Yazzie, Bethany G. Lycan, Alec J. Goldberg, Kayleigh L. Russell, Melvatha R. Chee

Indigenous Child Language Research Center

The proceedings of the inaugural Child Language Acquisition Symposium for Indigenous Communities, which took place at the University of New Mexico on May 17-18, 2024.

Remimazolam And Ciprofol: More Research Is Needed But Ask The Right Questions And Perhaps Aim Higher, J Robert Sneyd, Brian Anderson

More Faculty of Health Research

No abstract provided.

Correlation Between Particulate Matter 10 (Pm10) Exposure Time And Black Dots In Buccal Cells Of Medan Landfill Recycling Workers, T. K. Intan, M. Ichwan, D. Munir, N. N. Soeroso, A. P. Tarigan, Z. Yamamoto, N. C. Siregar

Baghdad Science Journal

This research explores the link between particulate matter (PM10) exposure and number of black dots in buccal epithelial cell nuclei in recycling workers (PDU), at the Medan City landfill, Indonesia. The study aims to identify the correlation PM10 levels, pollutant characteristics at the landfill, the appearance of AgNOR-expressed black dots in PDU groups. The measurements of PM10 exposure were carried out in open landfills in Medan city, and the subject of study is recycling workers who worked in landfills. Buccal epithelial cells were collected using an oral cytobrush smear, and the black dots were examined cytologically. Statistical analysis assessed the …

A Report Summarizing Hsc Faculty Participants: Ithaka S+R Coordinated Study Making Ai Generative For Higher Education, Laura J. Hall, Robyn Gleasner

Publications

This report presents findings from the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center’s (HSC) participation in the ITHAKA S+R study Making AI Generative for Higher Education. Seven faculty members from HSC disciplines including internal medicine, pathology, psychiatry, nursing, radiology, and population health were interviewed to explore their perspectives on generative AI (GenAI) in teaching and learning, research and scholarship, and institutional support. A unique theme of “practice” emerged, reflecting how GenAI is influencing clinical care, bench-to-bedside translation, and the preparation of students for future professional practice. The report highlights faculty experiences, ethical concerns, and support needs, offering insight into how …

Determinants Of Child Care Subsidy Policies In The American States: A Mixed-Method Investigation In The Era Of Covid-19, Hailey Heinz

Political Science ETDs

This mixed-method dissertation investigates policy variation in states’ administration of the federal child care subsidy program (CCDF). The quantitative chapters draw on a 50-state, ten-year dataset to examine associations between state characteristics and CCDF policy outcomes. These analyses conclude that state-level drivers of CCDF policy are distinct from drivers identified in the cash welfare literature, and that drivers vary across dimensions of CCDF policy. The qualitative chapters report results from a comparative case study examining CCDF policy in New Mexico and Nevada from 2010 to 2022. These analyses conclude that the departmental placement of the CCDF program within state government …

Impact Of The 2020 Covid-19 Lockdown On The Concentration Of Non-Methane Volatile Organic Compounds In A Uk Urban Atmosphere, Emmanuel Bernard, Rebecca L. Cordell, Robert S. Blake, Michael J. Wilde, Paul S. Monks

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

The changes in air quality brought about by the COVID-19 lockdowns can provide valuable insight into how longer-term reductions in emissions might affect atmospheric composition. In urban Leicester UK, the 2020 COVID “lockdown” brought about several notable changes in atmospheric composition, including a considerable decrease (20–60%) in concentrations of non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs). Given their varied emission sources and lifetimes, NMVOC data can give valuable insights into how behavioural change impact atmospheric composition. The total concentration of 48 NMVOCs at roadside (RS) sites decreased from a pre-lockdown (sampled 16th-24th March 2020) concentration of 181.3 ± 41.4 μg/m³ to …

Deconstructing Contemporary Disposable Vapes: A Material And Elemental Analysis, Andrew Turner, John W. Scott, Thomas Backshall-Kennedy, Maya C. Dabrowski

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Disposable e-cigarettes (vapes) are becoming increasingly popular but there are concerns about their impacts on human health, the environment and resource sustainability. A better understanding of these impacts and potential solutions requires characterisation and quantification of the materials and chemicals used in their construction. In the present study we dismantle nine types of popular, single-use vapes and analyse the components by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry and pyrolysis-gas chromatography mass spectrometry. The median dry mass of vapes was about 50 g, and the main material contribution was either plastic (up to about 80 %) or metal (up to about 85 %, and …

Piloting A Community Health And Well-Being Worker Model In Cornwall: A Guide For Implementation And Spread, John Tredinnick-Rowe, Richard Byng, Tamsyn Brown, Donna Chapman

Peninsula Medical School

Background: This paper evaluates the introduction of ten Community Health and Well-being Workers (CHWW) in four pilot sites across Cornwall. The period evaluated was from the initial start in June 2022 until June 2023, covering the project setup and implementation across a range of Primary Care Networks (PCNs) and Voluntary sector partners (VSCO). Methods: All ten CHWWs and their managers at each site were interviewed (n = 16) to understand the barriers and enablers to implementation and wider learning that could be captured around the project setup. Qualitative methods were used for data collection, including semi-structured interviews and focus groups. …

Student Misbehaviors, University Instructors’’ Mental Health, And Trauma Management: A Phenomenological Study, Abdul Karim, Bineeta Rahman, Muhammad Kamarul Kabilan

The Qualitative Report

The present study aimed to unpack student misbehaviors that instructors face inside the university campus. It also intended to unfold how student misbehaviors affect instructors’ mental health and how they overcome the trauma engendered by student misbehaviors. Adopting a phenomenological approach, we explored the phenomenon to answer the research questions by conducting semi-structured interviews with six teachers. Through a thematic analysis, we found that university instructors experience various misbehaviors presented by students inside the university campus, and as a result, their mental health suffers. However, instructors tend to ignore their mental health and focus on academic activities to overcome the …

“Engaging With Paradigmatic Stances In Social Science Research”: A Book Review Of Bunmi Omodan’S Research Paradigms And Their Methodological Alignment In Social Sciences, Norma R. Romm Prof.

The Qualitative Report

IIn the book, Research Paradigms and Their Methodological Alignment in Social Sciences, Bunmi Omodan explores in depth the philosophical foundations of five paradigms (which he points out are not fixed or univocal in their content), namely positivism; interpretivism/constructivism; transformative paradigm; postcolonial Indigenous paradigm; and pragmatism. Examples of the kinds of research questions, research designs, and attendant data collection and analytic processes, as well as ethical positions, that align with paradigmatic positions are presented to us. At the same time, we are urged to “engage with critiques and debates surrounding each paradigm” (Omodan, 2024, p. xii). The book thus hopes …