Digital Commons Network^™

Teacher Growth Through Professional Development Centered On The Teaching For Robust Understanding Framework, Eileen Murray, Helene S. Leonard, Victoria D. Bonaccorso

Department of Mathematics Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Research on teacher learning has continually defined tenants of effective professional development. However, sweeping overhauls and mandates have not yielded the intended results. Instead, transforming approaches to teaching can and should be achieved through innovative and incremental changes that build upon teachers’ existing expertise. Informed by Communities of Practice theory, we employed case study methodology to describe, explain, and assess the experiences of one middle school mathematics teacher’s longitudinal participation in an innovative and incremental continuous PD model focused on the Teaching for Robust Understanding (TRU) framework. Based on classroom observations and interview data, our findings show evidence of TRU-aligned …

High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Ablation For Primary Or Salvage Prostate Cancer Therapy: Initial Outcomes In The Veteran Healthcare Setting, Sagar Patel, Ali Antar, Aly Alrabaa, Gal Saffati, Broderick Fleming, Neel Srikishen, Jeremy Slawin, Jennifer Taylor, Jeffrey Jones

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) provides comparable oncologic, erectile, and urinary outcomes to standard-of-care options for localized prostate cancer. This study reports the largest United States series of HIFU in veterans for both primary and salvage therapies. We retrospectively analyzed the outcomes of 43 veterans treated at the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center from 2018 to 2022. Primary endpoints included prostate-specific antigen (PSA) reduction and local recurrence rates. Secondary endpoints included 30-day complications, Sexual Health Inventory for Men (SHIM), and American Urological Association Symptom Score (AUASS). In our study, 31 veterans (72.1%) received primary treatment and 12 (27.9%) received …

Equations To Predict Carbon Monoxide Emissions From Amazon Rainforest Fires, Sarah M. Gallup, Bonne Ford, Stijn Naus, John L. Gallup, Jeffrey R. Pierce

Economics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Earth systems models (ESMs), which can simulate the complex feedbacks between climate and fires, struggle to predict fires well for tropical rainforests. This study provides equations that predict historic carbon monoxide emissions from Amazon rainforest fires for 2003–2018, which could be implemented within ESMs’ current structures. We also include equations to convert the predicted emissions to burned area. Regressions of varying mathematical forms are fitted to one or both of two fire CO emission inventories. Equation accuracy is scored on r², bias of the mean prediction, and ratio of explained variances. We find that one equation is best …

Molecular Docking, Molecular Dynamics Simulation, And In Vitro Evaluation Of Hydroxythioxanthone Derivatives As Antimalarial Agents, Faris Hermawan, Jumina Jumina, Teni Ernawati, Puji Budi Setia Asih, Ismail Ekoprayitno Rozi, Elisabeth Farah Novita Coutrier, Din Syafruddin

The Thai Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Background: In 2022, there were 247 million malaria cases spread across 84 malaria-endemic countries. One of the biggest obstacles to controlling malaria is the disease due to drug resistance. Objectives: In this study, we evaluated the antimalarial activity of hydroxythioxanthone derivatives based on the molecular docking study, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation outcome with in vitro antimalarial evaluation. Materials and Methods: The molecular docking and MD were performed to assess the inhibition activity of hydroxythioxanthone derivatives toward Plasmodium falciparum dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (PfDHODH). Afterward, those compounds were evaluated the antimalarial activity against P. falciparum 3D7. Results: The docking result showed …

Seeing The Strange: Science Fiction, Critical Pedagogy, And Future Teachers, Jeremy Delamarter

Dialogue: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Popular Culture and Pedagogy

Critical pedagogy, which is the branch of critical theory devoted to uncovering hidden power differentials in educational settings, is too often taught in abstract terms, and future educators fail to understand its relevance to praxis in their future classrooms. As a genre, science fiction is particularly adept at helping students consider the power structures and dynamics occasioned by scientific advances. Even more specifically, science-fiction is a powerful tool for teaching future educators the fundamentals of critical pedagogy. This article provides a philosophical exploration of why science fiction is such a useful tool for teaching critical pedagogy and uses the specific …

Association Of Socio-Demographic Profile And The Underlying Risk Factors Of Hypertension Among The Locals Of Prosperidad, Agusan Del Sur, Philippines, Florence Jhun F. Almadin

Chulalongkorn Medical Journal

Background: Hypertension is a leading risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, including heart disease and stroke, which are significant causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Its prevalence varies across regions and is influenced by genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the socio-demographic profile, the prevalence of hypertension, and the risk factors and associate these with the prevalence of hypertension in Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur.

Methods: Data was gathered via a survey of respondents aged 25-75 from November 2022. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the association between the sociodemographic profile and the risk factors for …

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor-Associated Cutaneous Adverse Events: Mechanisms Of Occurrence, Abdulaziz M. Eshaq, Thomas W. Flanagan, Abdulqader A. Ba Abbad, Zain Alabden A. Makarem, Mohammed S. Bokir, Ahmed K. Alasheq, Sara A. Al Asheikh, Abdullah M. Almashhor, Faroq Binyamani, Waleed A. Al-Amoudi, Abdulaziz S. Bawzir, Youssef Haikel, Mossad Megahed, Mohamed Hassan

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Immunotherapy, particularly that based on blocking checkpoint proteins in many tumors, including melanoma, Merkel cell carcinoma, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), triple-negative breast (TNB cancer), renal cancer, and gastrointestinal and endometrial neoplasms, is a therapeutic alternative to chemotherapy. Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-based therapies have the potential to target different pathways leading to the destruction of cancer cells. Although ICIs are an effective treatment strategy for patients with highly immune-infiltrated cancers, the development of different adverse effects including cutaneous adverse effects during and after the treatment with ICIs is common. ICI-associated cutaneous adverse effects include mostly inflammatory and bullous dermatoses, as …

Magnetized Neutral 2sc Color Superconductivity And Possible Origin Of The Inner Magnetic Field Of Magnetars, Shuai Yuan, Efrain J. Ferrer, Alejandro Pinero

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

In this paper, the neutral 2SC phase of color superconductivity is investigated in the presence of a magnetic field and for diquark coupling constants and baryonic densities that are expected to characterize neutron stars. Specifically, the behavior of the charged gluons Meissner masses is investigated in the parameter region of interest, taking into account, in addition, the contribution of a rotated magnetic field. It is found that up to moderately high diquark coupling constants the mentioned Meissner masses become tachyonic independently of the applied magnetic-field amplitude, hence signalizing the chromomagnetic instability of this phase. To remove the instability, the restructuring …

Effects Of Missing Data Imputation Methods On Univariate Blood Pressure Time Series Data Analysis And Forecasting With Arima And Lstm, Nicholas Niako, Jesus D. Melgarejo, Gladys E. Maestre, Kristina Vatcheva

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Missing observations within the univariate time series are common in real-life and cause analytical problems in the flow of the analysis. Imputation of missing values is an inevitable step in every incomplete univariate time series. Most of the existing studies focus on comparing the distributions of imputed data. There is a gap of knowledge on how different imputation methods for univariate time series affect the forecasting performance of time series models. We evaluated the prediction performance of autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) and long short-term memory (LSTM) network models on imputed time series data using ten different imputation techniques. …

Stereotactic Cardiac Radiotherapy For Refractory Ventricular Tachycardia In Structural Heart Disease Patients: A Systematic Review, Amulya Gupta, Zeeshan Sattar, Nourhan Chaaban, Sagar Ranka, Cameron Carlson, Farhad Sami, Clifford G Robinson, Phillip S Cuculich, Seth H Sheldon, Madhu Reddy, David Akhavan, Amit Noheria

2020-Current year OA Pubs

AIMS: Among patients with structural heart disease with ventricular tachycardia (VT) refractory to medical therapy and catheter ablation, cardiac stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) is a paradigm-changing treatment option. This study aims to assess the efficacy of cardiac SBRT in refractory VT by comparing the rates of VT episodes, anti-tachycardia pacing (ATP) therapies, and implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) shocks post-SBRT with pre-SBRT.

METHODS AND RESULTS: We performed a comprehensive literature search and included all clinical studies reporting outcomes on cardiac SBRT for VT. Treatment efficacy was evaluated as random-effects pooled rate-ratios of VT episodes, ATP therapies and ICD shocks post-SBRT (after 6-week …

A Collection Of Works Related To Greenleaf’S Distinction Between Persuasion And Coercion, Jiying Song

International Journal of Servant-Leadership

Compiled by Jiying Song

Servant-Leadership, Self-Reflection, And Self-Transcendence, Ryan Schmidt

International Journal of Servant-Leadership

Whether it be income, gender, or race inequity, the gap between the haves and have-nots in the United States continues to increase, yet most people remain only concerned with themselves (Singh, 2012). Even without intention, injustice can fester. Following Robert Greenleaf’s (1977/2002) premise that caring for others is the foundation of a good society, servant-leadership provides a vision for doing the necessary inner work to achieve self-awareness before engaging with the outer work of the world. When individuals better understand the conditions governing their thoughts, feelings, and actions, the potential exists to achieve self-transcendence, re-orienting their lives outward in the …

Mechanisms And Influential Factors Of Rock Bursts In Tunneling Roadways Of Extra-Thick Coal Seams, Peng Yujie, Wang Qiang, Cao Anye, Xue Chengchun, Lyu Guowei, Hao Qi, Liu Yaoqi, Bai Xianxi, Li Dong

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective Rock bursts occur frequently in tunneling roadways of extra-thick coal seams, significantly constraining safe coal mining. Investigating their mechanisms and influential factors is crucial to preventing and controlling such disasters in tunneling roadways of extra-thick coal seams. Methods Focusing on the tunneling roadway of mining face 250107-1 for an extra-thick coal seam within a coal mine in Gansu Province, this study established the discriminant indices for rock burst-induced roadway instability. By simulating the energy distribution patterns of surrounding rocks in the tunneling roadway using the FLAC^3D software, this study revealed the zonal energy characteristics of the surrounding rocks …

Coal Gasification Through Microbial Degradation In A Low-Pressure Co2 And H2 Environment: An Experimental Study, Jian Kuo, Fu Xuehai, Liu Mingjie, Liu Jian, Li Jin, Ru Zhongliang, Ji Xiaofeng, Wang Qiang

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective and Methods This study aims to investigate the characteristics of CO₂ biomethanation and coal gasification through microbial degradation in a low-pressure environment. With low-rank bituminous coals (R_max = 0.67%) as fermentable substrates, this study conducted a 96-day gas production experiment through microbial fermentation in a low-pressure CO₂ and H₂ environment. Using techniques including gas chromatography, 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and low-temperature liquid nitrogen adsorption, this study delved into the intrinsic variation patterns of biogenic gas production, microbial communities, and coal structures. Results and Conclusions The results indicate that compared to conventional fermentation, the injection …

Application Of D-Insar In Monitoring The Impacts Of Shaft Grouting On Surface And Building Deformations, Liu Hui, Lu Rumeng, Su Lijuan, Cheng Shiguang, Zhang Pengfei, Cheng Hua

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective In coal mining engineering, damaged well walls pose a threat to the safety of production facilities and mines. Comprehensively monitoring the impacts of shaft grouting on the deformations of mine surface plants and surface buildings is critical for ensuring the safe production of mines. Methods This study investigated a coal mine in the mining area within northern Anhui Province. Using the 15 scenes of Sentinel-1A image data covering the coal mine and the differential interferometric synthetic aperture radar (D-InSAR) technology, this study comprehensively monitored the subsidence of mine surface plants and surface buildings before and after shaft grouting, obtaining …

Fracture Structure Of The Overburden In The Layered Mining Of Extremely Thick Coal Seams: Developmental Patterns Of Caving Zones And Hydraulically Conductive Fracture Zones And Fracture Characteristics, Zhang Xin, Chen Youkuo, Meng Hailun, Qin Qifa, Cheng Xianggang, Huang Rongjie, Dong Hairui, Sun Wenbin, Qiao Wei

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective The Zhunnan Coalfield, a coalfield on the southern margin of the Junggar Basin in Xinjiang, boasts abundant coal resources. However, water hazards in mines severely constrain the safe and efficient coal production in the coalfield. Since hydraulically conductive fractures in roofs serve as primary hydraulically conductive channels formed in the mining of the mining face, it is particularly crucial to investigate the developmental patterns of these fractures during the layered mining of extremely thick coal seams. Methods This study explored the (9-15)08 mining face of the Liuhuanggou Coal Mine in Xinjiang. Using ground exploration holes and borehole televiewers, this …

An Integrated Ecosystem Monitoring Technology For Coal Mining Subsidence Areas And Its Application In The Shendong Mining Area, Cheng Yang, Liu Wei, Zhang Na, Li Guanjie, Liu Kai, Zhang Chengye, Li Jun

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background The ecosystem monitoring of arid and semi-arid coal mining subsidence areas acts as a significant prerequisite for regional ecosystem conservation and management, holding critical significance for accelerating green mine construction. Methods Based on the Chinese government's regulatory requirements for mine ecosystems, this study analyzed the difficulties in ecosystem monitoring in the coal mining subsidence area of the Shendong mining area (also referred to as the Shendong coal mining subsidence area). By detailing the integrated coal-rock-water-soil-air-vegetation-carbon monitoring technology system, this study determined the factors, principal methods, and technology roadmap for the integrated ecosystem monitoring in the Shendong coal mining subsidence …

Predicted Water Yield Of Open-Pit Metal Mines Based On A Bi-Rnn And Gms Coupling Model, Zhao Yuxing, Li Xiangwen

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective Accurately predicting water yield of mine before mining can provide directive guidance for preventing potential water hazards and ensuring safe production. Methods To enhance the prediction accuracy and stability of water yield of open-pit metal mines, for which atmospheric precipitation acts as the primary recharge source of water, this study developed a prediction model that coupled a bidirectional recurrent neural network (Bi-RNN) and the Groundwater Modeling System (GMS) software. Specifically, based on historical forecasted precipitation data provided by the Global Forecast System (GFS), the fluctuation pattern of differences between predicted forecasted and actual precipitation was analyzed. After being corrected …

An Experimental Study Of The Application Of The Spectral Acoustic Method To The Advance Detection Of Geologic Structures In Tunnelling Working Site, Zhang Jianguo, Feng Zhicheng, Wei Fengqing, Ma Ji, Zhao Kai, Wang Man, Guo Minggong, Шилов Владимир Иванович

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective The practice of coal mine production has proved that the vast majority of coal and gas outbursts are controlled by geological structures, and mainly occur in tunnelling working site. Therefore, continuous advanced detection of geological structures is an important technical means to prevent and control coal and gas outbursts in tunnelling working site, and is of great significance to ensure safe production in mines. Methods Based on the research results of spectral acoustic method in Russia for many years, the resonance phenomenon generated at the weakened contact surface of the roof rock layer by the artificial acoustic signal excited …

Application Of Microseismic Monitoring In The Optimization Of Control Strategy For Roofs Composed Of Composite Hard Sandstone Masses, Zhang Yin, Li Jiajun, Zhao Qian, Yang Chenchen, Liu Jiaqi, Zhou Yu

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective With a gradual increase in the coal mining depth in China, the movement of overlying thick and hard rock layers exerts increasingly complex impacts on the mine pressure. Methods In the Ordos area, the overburden of the mining face of most mines hosts composite hard sandstone masses, serving as key layers characterized by considerable thicknesses, high hardness, and close proximity. Results and Conclusions As a result, the risks of mine earthquakes and dynamic manifestation co-exist in the mining face. With the roof of mining face11-3106 in a coal mine within the Ordos mining area as the engineering background, this …

Spatiotemporal Response Characteristics Of Transient Electromagnetic Field In Water-Bearing Goaves And Their Applications, Song Guilei, Gong Xufei, Yang Fuqiang, Cui Jianting, Li Zhanling, Liu Lina

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective and Methods This study aims to enhance the accuracy of the mine transient electromagnetic method (MTEM) in of imaging of water-bearing goaves. Based on the geological conditions of the Gaojialiang Coal Mine, this study simulated the spatiotemporal response characteristics of the induced magnetic field in the water-bearing goaf model under varying stratigraphic spacings using finite element software COMSOL. Accordingly, this study analyzed the distribution patterns of the induced magnetic field on the apparent resistivity pseudosections and the plots of the differentials of longitudinal apparent conductivity. Using the results, the water-bearing conditions of goaves in the Ordos Gaojialiang Coal Mine …

Biomimetic Technologies For Drill Rods: Advances In Research And Development Trends, Wang Chuanliu, Ju Pei

Coal Geology & Exploration

Significance Drill rods are recognized as core tools in drilling engineering, and their performance exerts a significant influence on drilling efficiency and safety. Over recent years, applying biomimetic technologies to drill rod design has gradually emerged as a hot research topic. By imitating the remarkable structures, morphologies, and material properties of living organisms in nature, biomimetic technologies provide entirely new philosophies and approaches for the innovative design of drill rods. Advances This study summarizes the advances in research on biomimetic technologies for drill rods in terms of the biomimetic design of structures, morphologies, and materials. Regarding the biomimetic design of …

A Dc-Unet-Based Image Processing Method For Detecting Fractures Along Roadway Sections Of Coal Mines, Dong Zheng, Zhang Xuhui, Yang Wenjuan, Kang Le, Tang Duwei, Tian Chenhui

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective Detecting fractures along roadway sections of coal mines allows for the characterization of the geologic conditions of roadways, thus providing guidance for roadway tunneling and support engineering. However, conventional image processing methods for fractures along roadway sections are susceptible to complex environments in underground coal mines, exhibiting a low fracture detection efficiency. Methods This study proposed a novel image processing method for detecting fractures along roadway sections based on a DC-UNet model. This method can be deployed on a mobile terminal and an embedded device, thereby allowing for real-time and effective detection of fractures along roadway sections and enhancing …

Development Of A Power Recovery-Based Dynamic Loading System For Full-Size Drill Rods In Coal Mines, Zhang Jing, Wang Jie

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective This study aims to simulate the actual forces applied to drill rods during the borehole drilling for gas drainage from underground coal mines to satisfy the requirements of drill rods’ fatigue tests. Methods This study designed a dynamic loading system for full-size drill rods in coal mines. This system consists of a drill rod loading platform, a hydraulic pump unit with power recovery, and a measurement and control system, allowing for the composite loading of dynamic torque, axial force, and radial displacement on drill rods of different specifications. In this system, torque is loaded to drill rods using the …

Commingling Production Of Deep Coal-Measure Gas Through Hydraulic Fracturing: Propagation Patterns Of Induced Fractures And Their Determinants, Chen Hao, Li Guozhang, Qin Yong, Wang Jianguo, Shen Jian, Sun Yuqi, Yuan Erjun, Li Dian

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective The commingling production of coal-measure gas represents a pivotal approach to enhancing the single-well production of unconventional gas in China. However, coal-measure gas reservoirs exhibit distinctly different material compositions and physical properties, leading to uncertainty of the propagation modes and developmental degrees of fractures in different reservoirs during the hydraulic fracturing of coal-measure gas reservoirs subjected to commingling production. Therefore, effectively coordinating the stimulation of multiple reservoirs for multi-gas commingling production is crucial for minimizing production costs and maximizing production capacity. Methods This study investigated the Linxing block along the northeastern margin of the Ordos Basin as an example …

Microscopic Fracture Characterization And Permeability Evolutionary Patterns Of Granites Under Cyclic Thermal Shock, He Jiangfu, Ren Chengcheng, He Kun, Yu Qihang, Li Xinru, Deng Xu

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective This study aims to reveal the microscopic damage characteristics and permeability evolutionary patterns of high-temperature granite reservoirs fractured under cyclic thermal shock produced by low-temperature fluids like drilling fluids and circulating heat recovery media in the exploitation process of the enhanced geothermal systems (EGSs). Methods Using experiments on the fracturing characteristics of high-temperature granites under the conditions of varying cooling methods, numbers of thermal shock cycles, and cooling temperatures, this study determined microstructural characteristic parameters such as compressional wave (P-wave) velocity, pore volumetric fraction, and fractal dimension of granites across a temperature range of 25 to 700 ℃ under …

Identifying The Lithologies And Thicknesses Of Coal Seam Roofs And Floors Based On Multiparameter Logging Of Boreholes, Li Zhe, Gao Baobin, Lei Wenjie, Li Donghui, Li Zixin

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background In the process of coal mining, effective exploration methods for stratigraphic characteristics are crucial to underground operations. The reason is that the accurate stratigraphic characteristics of coal seams, along with the surrounding rocks of coal seam roofs and floors, facilitate the treatment of gas in coal seams, thereby ensuring safe and efficient coal mining. Methods Based on the multiparameter logging of boreholes crossing strata in a bottom drainage roadway, this study highlighted the lowstand, upgoing borehole trajectories, as well as the variations in parameters including natural gamma rays, spontaneous potential, and resistivity. By comprehensive comparison of the trajectories, video-derived …

End-To-End Autonomous Quadcopter Using Reinforcement Learning, Mohamed Marwan Chawa

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates the potential of Reinforcement Learning (RL) for achieving robust and adaptable quadcopter control, focusing on trajectory and attitude stabilization. We compare state-of-the-art RL algorithms, specifically Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO), against traditional Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controllers across three tasks: hovering, slow trajectory following, and fast trajectory following. To enhance realism, we employ a modified PyFlyt simulation environment with a high-fidelity Crazyflie 2.x model, accounting for motor dynamics, noise, wind disturbances, and aerodynamic drag.

The challenge of operating a quadcopter can be divided into two distinct parts: planning a flight path and actually following that path. Our focus is on …

Microbial Diversity And Biogeochemical Interactions In The Seismically Active And Co2-Rich Eger Rift Ecosystem, Daniel Lipus, Zeyu Jia, Megan Sondermann, Robert Bussert, Alexander Bartholomäus, Sizhong Yang, Dirk Wagner, Jens Kallmeyer

College of Life Sciences Faculty Papers

The Eger Rift subsurface is characterized by frequent seismic activity and consistently high CO2 concentrations, making it a unique deep biosphere ecosystem and a suitable site to study the interactions between volcanism, tectonics, and microbiological activity. Pulses of geogenic H2 during earthquakes may provide substrates for methanogenic and chemolithoautotrophic processes, but very little is currently known about the role of subsurface microorganisms and their cellular processes in this type of environment. To assess the impact of geologic activity on microbial life, we analyzed the geological, geochemical, and microbiological composition of rock and sediment samples from a 238 m deep drill …

Table Of Contents, The Editors

Coal Geology & Exploration

No abstract provided.