Digital Commons Network^™

Co-Inhibition Of Tgli1 And Gp130 Using Fda-Approved Ketoconazole And Bazedoxifene Is Synergistic Against The Growth And Metastasis Of Her2-Enriched And Triple-Negative Breast Cancers, Sara Manore, Chuling Zhuang, Mariana K Najjar, Grace L Wong, Shivani Bindal, Kounosuke Watabe, Jiayuh Lin, Hui-Wen Lo

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Breast cancer stem cells (CSCs) are resistant to most cancer therapeutics and contribute to tumor recurrence and metastasis. Two breast CSC-promoting transcription factors, truncated glioma-associated oncogene homolog 1 (tGLI1) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), have been reported to be frequently co-expressed in HER2-enriched breast cancer and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), undergo protein-protein interactions for gene regulation and activation, and functionally cooperate to promote breast CSCs. STAT3 can be activated by activated interleukin-6 receptor/glycoprotein-130 (IL-6R/GP130). Co-targeting of tGLI1 and IL-6R/GP130 has not been investigated in breast cancer or any tumor type. Here, we report that tGLI1 and …

Degradation And Digestion Of Polypropylene, Polyethylene, And Styrofoam By Tenebrio Molitor L. (Coleoptera, Tenebrionoidae) Larvae, Wachju Subchan, Abdu Rohman, Jekti Prihatin, Fahriyah Ulimatus Salma, Rohima Novianti Halimah, Alifia Wardhatul Jannah, Risa Rosita

Makara Journal of Science

The increasing use of disposable plastic bags is affecting environmental problems because it requires thousands of years to degrade naturally. To overcome these problems, mealworms (larvae of Tenebrio molitor L.) become an alter-native solution. They can be considered as biodegradation agents of plastic because of the presence of symbiont bacte-ria in its gut that secretes plastic-depolymerizing enzymes. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the degradation and digestion ability of T. molitor in consuming various plastic types and thickness. Two designs have also been used: first, comparing the degradation and digestion of various plastic types, and second, comparing the degradation and …

Morphological And Molecular Identification Of Saurida Spp. (Teleostei: Synodontidae) From Saudi Arabia And Indonesia, Muhammad Browijoyo Santanumurti, Suciyono Suciyono, Mohamed Ahmed Abu El-Regal

Makara Journal of Science

Saurida is a unique fishery commodity because it is difficult to differentiate visually. They can be only effectively con-served once accurately identified. This study aimed to determine the morphology and molecular characteristics of Sau-rida spp. from Banyuwangi (Indonesia) and Jizan (Saudi Arabia). Meristic and morphometric analysis was performed for morphological identification, whereas COI gene analysis was performed for molecular identification. Morphological analysis was performed to identify Saurida in this study, such as S. tumbil (Jizan, Saudi Arabia) and S. micropectoralis (Banyuwangi, Indonesia). S. tumbil did not have dark brown spots on the lateral line and upper caudal fin, whereas S. …

Synthesis Of Activated Carbon From Coconut Shell And Recycled Styrofoam Nanofiber For Water Filtration, Rahma Dani, Ismet Ismet, Leni Marlina, Rona Alisya, Muhamad Abel Kirana Aldi, Anggi Ludiansyah, Lintang Auliya Kurdiati, Meutia Kamilatun Nuha Ap Idjan, Agung Mataram, Muhammad Rama Almafie, Ida Sriyanti

Makara Journal of Science

Water pollution affects life sustainability; hence, several efforts have been exerted to overcome this problem. For ex-ample, nanofiber membrane technology is introduced to retain solutes while allowing only water molecules to pass through the system. Therefore, this study aimed to maximize the technology for water filtration using the electrospin-ning method by combining Styrofoam waste-based polymer with activated carbon from coconut shell waste (ACCS). The nanofiber diameter produced ranged from 590 nm to 610 nm with porous characteristics and without beads. The carbon content varied from 68.04% to 69.84%, according to the energy dispersive X-ray measurement, demonstrating the composite’s effectiveness. The …

Analysis Of Dense Metals Accumulation In Shikaripara Stone Mines, Gopinath Gorai, Nirajan Kumar Mandal

Makara Journal of Science

This study aimed to measure the amount of dangerous substances in the cultivated area of the Shikaripara stone mines in Jharkhand, India, which are well known for their stone quarrying. Sixteen soil samples were collected at varying dis-tances from the Shikaripara stone mines in the Dumka District of Jharkhand. The metals found in these samples in-clude Pb, As, Zn, Mn, Cd, Cu, Fg, and Fe. The combined amount of the elements was calculated by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Enrichment factor, accumulation index, contamination factor, pollution load index (PLI), Nemerow index, and ecological risk index (RI) were employed to assess …

Silent Stories: Exposing The Controversial Themes Behind Banned And Challenged Books, Catherine Chipongian

Masters Theses (Archived)

This study, titled Silenced Stories: Exposing the Controversial Themes Behind Banned, and Challenged Books, captures the recurring themes of characteristics in books that have been banned or challenged in various contexts. The research dives deep into the cultural and socio-political aspects that target censorship; many of the challenged and banned texts include I Am Jazz, The Lorax, and The Name Jar. The study identifies the common themes that have been perceived as controversial or improper, such as LGBTQ Identities, Cultural Heritage, Stereotypes among children’s books, and Social Justice. These themes have been censorship targets and are examined due to their …

Development Of A Health Education Intervention And Its Effectiveness In Improving Mmr Vaccination Confidence, Attitude And Uptake Among Parents Attending Public Health Clinics In Kuala Lumpur, Aida Mohd Azlan

Student Works (2020-2029)

Despite the progress made in Malaysia's vaccination programmes, measles continues to persist. Parental confidence in measles vaccines plays a pivotal role in ensuring successful immunisation. However, there is currently limited research on effective interventions to measure outcomes related to parental trust in MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccination programmes in Malaysia. Hence, this study aims to determine the effectiveness of Health Education Intervention in improving MMR vaccination confidence, attitude, and uptake among parents attending Public Health Clinics in Kuala Lumpur. Methods: This multi-phase quantitative study, conducted from June 2022–March 2024, utilised the Health Belief Model to assess parental vaccine confidence and …

Mammalian Trait Evolution: Macroevolutionary And Comparative Genomic Analyses Of Diet And Ursid-Specific Adaptations, Matthew David Pollard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Complex traits such as diet have shaped the evolutionary success of species, driving the diversity of form and function that we observe across the tree of life. My research investigates the genomic and macroevolutionary forces behind diet and other complex traits, revealing how they mediate evolutionary change across Mammalia. I utilized two complementary approaches for understanding the evolution of diet in mammals. First, I created two continuous dietary variables—degree of carnivory and degree of dietary specialization—to quantify the impact of diet on mammalian speciation. I found that degree of carnivory, rather than dietary specialization, significantly influenced speciation, but did not …

Improving Clinical Information Extraction From Electronic Health Records: Leveraging Large Language Models And Evaluating Their Outputs, Kriti Bhattarai

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Accurate extraction of clinical entities and phenotypes from unstructured electronic health record (EHR) text is crucial for various clinical research tasks, including cohort identification, tracking temporal patterns in disease progression and deciding treatment course. However, this task remains challenging due to the complexity and ambiguity of medical language. This dissertation explores the application of advanced generative pre-trained transformer (GPT) models, such as GPT-4, GPT-3.5-turbo, Llama-3.1, Llama-3 and Flan-T5, for clinical entity and phenotype extraction from EHRs. Building upon these findings, this dissertation also investigates a hybrid approach where integration of external knowledge sources, such as Unified Medical Language System (UMLS) …

The Revised Cdc Chronic Pain Guidelines And Payer Opioid Analgesic Policies In Michigan, Victoria Tutag Lehr, Cynthia L. Arfken

Michigan Journal of Public Health

Abstract

The 2016 publication of A Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention motivated commercial and Medicaid payers to restrict their opioid prescribing policies including the imposition of hard limits on opioid daily dosages and duration. One result of these policies was an increase in abrupt opioid discontinuation and rapid tapering events for patients receiving long-term opioid therapy. Responding to this misapplication of the 2016 guideline, the 2022 revised guidelines emphasized individualized opioid therapy and exclusion of certain chronic diseases. However, it is not known if the payers changed their policies to …

Next-Generation Compositional And Chronological Sample Analysis Of Lunar Low-Ti Basalts And Volcanic Glasses, Christopher Yen

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

The Moon, our celestial satellite, has been a source of awe and inspiration persistent through the course of humankind’s existence. Scientific exploration of the Moon began with terrestrial observations, and since the dawning of the space age has accelerated alongside technological advancements. Analysis of lunar samples has marked the remarkable advancement of our knowledge of not just our Moon, but also the formation and evolution of Earth and planetary bodies. Beginning with the Apollo program, human exploration has returned samples from the Moon that allow sophisticated laboratory studies that led to the development of major theories in the field of …

Letter To The Editor [Rev. Michael S. Mulberry ], Michael S. Mulberry

Postville Project Documents

Opinion letter from a religious leader from north central Illinois reflecting on the response of the people of Postville to the Agriprocessors raid he saw on a visit. he expresses gratitude on how they supported those impacted by the raid while the town is going through the aftershocks of the raid.

Corporate Social Responsibility Strategies For Retaining Skilled Talent To Enhance Competitive Advantage, Linwood Corneilus Cottner Jr.

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Aviation business leaders often lack effective corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies to retain highly skilled employees, a crucial factor in gaining a competitive advantage. To maintain this advantage, aviation leaders must consistently recognize employee retention as a critical challenge and a key element in sustaining long-term success. Grounded in Herzberg’s two-factor theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore the corporate social responsibility strategies aviation business leaders use to retain highly skilled employees to enhance their competitive advantage. The participants were three aviation business leaders from the Midwest United States who successfully implemented corporate social responsibility strategies …

Influence Of Demographics, Health, And Self-Objectification On Body Acceptance And Body Appreciation In Older Adults, Heather Russell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Prior research has examined the demographic, health, and activity factors influencing how young people, particularly young women, see themselves concerning body appreciation and acceptance. However, body appreciation and acceptance as perceived by older men and women have not been well-studied. The purpose of the study was to examine the extent to which gender, age, quality of life assessment of physical and mental health, physical activity, and self-objectification influence body acceptance by others and body appreciation in adults ages 55-75. Self-objectification theory (SOT) was the framework used to examine the influence of two aspects of self-objectification (lack of autonomy and invisibility) …

Meaning As Process And Product: Hybridizing Metamodern Hylosemiotics With Postmodern And Contemporary American Poetry, Zeke Shomler

English

This thesis expands on Jason Storm’s theory of metamodern hylosemiotics by addressing contemporary American poetic strategies and their relationship to modernism and postmodernism, especially through Cole Swenson and David St. John’s definition of the “American hybrid.” In modifying Storm’s theoretical system, I offer a hybridized semiotics that locates meaning both in the information or “content” inferred through the act of reading and the related processes of interacting with the text. Through readings of poetry by John Ashbery, Terrance Hayes, Clark Coolidge, and William Stafford, I show that hybridizing semiotics is not only necessary for the consistency and viability of metamodern …

The Teacher Mental Health Crisis: A Mixed Methods Examination Of The Factors Contributing To Teacher Burnout, Minerva Carrasco

Masters Theses (Archived)

For decades, teachers' mental health and burnout have been an issue nationwide (Sewell, 1971). This has been an even larger struggle in the education field in recent years because turnover is high, the COVID-19 pandemic, and districts are struggling to find ways to retain teachers to stay in their profession. There are things that administrators and teachers can do to guide districts to ensure that teachers are comfortable in their classrooms and their school campus. There are coping strategies that teachers can do to prevent teacher mental health and burnout and there are ways that administrators can support their teachers …

New, Derivative: Third-Party Litigation Finance And Derivatives Regulation, Martin Flores

Washington and Lee Law Review Online

Litigation finance is globally abundant and largely unregulated in the United States. The mechanics behind third-party litigation finance are simple: The funder fronts litigation costs in exchange for a promised share of the proceeds if the litigant succeeds. While the normative debate about the value of these contracts in society endures, the litigation finance industry has new players in hedge funds and other opaque investment firms seeking high returns from risky litigation. Many scholars agree on whether to regulate these third-party litigation finance firms. The key debate rages on how to rein in an unbridled industry.

To add to this …

Stitch Incoming: Lindke V. Freed’S Impact On Social-Media-Blocking Litigation, Clare R. Norins, Mark L. Bailey

Washington and Lee Law Review Online

Since at least 2016, social-media-blocking litigation against government officials who censor their online critics has been an evolving battleground for First Amendment rights of free speech and petition. In 2024, the United States Supreme Court issued its first substantive opinion on social media blocking, holding that government officials’ social media activity, even on a personal account, constitutes state action triggering constitutional scrutiny if (1) the official possessed actual authority to speak on the State’s behalf, and (2) purported to exercise that authority when she spoke on social media.

In this Article, we explain the Court’s novel two-part test for determining …

Participatory Longitudinal Qualitative Interview Study To Understand Autistic Gynaecological And Obstetric Health: The Autism From Menstruation To Menopause Study Protocol, Amy Brown, Kathryn Williams, Aimee Grant, Gemma L. Williams, Harriet Axbey, Abigail Wilkins, Ellen Firth, Hazel Lim, Helen Cave, Christina Nicolaidis, Multiple Additional Authors

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Autism is a lifelong minority neurotype present from birth. There is a dearth of credible evidence to suggest gender variation in Autism prevalence, despite historical under-diagnosis of women. Autistic people Assigned Female At Birth (AFAB) have worse physical and mental health compared with non-Autistic peers. To date, the reproductive health experiences of Autistic AFAB people have been under-investigated.Methods and analysis This study aims to co-develop a quality improvement intervention to improve the reproductive health of Autistic people. The study uses Community Partnered Participatory Research (an approach similar to Community-Based Participatory Research), largely through a Community Council that co-governs the study. …

Towards A Global Civil Liability Regime For Nuclear Damage: Potential Selected Consequences Of Poland’S Accession To The Convention On Supplementary Compensation For Nuclear Damage (Csc), Patrycja Nowakowska

internetowy Kwartalnik Antymonopolowy i Regulacyjny (internet Quarterly on Antitrust and Regulation)

The purpose of this paper is to present the development steps of the international regime of civil liability for nuclear damage, by recalling the most important stages of this process, and considering the reasons for the changes that led the international community to adopt specific legal acts in this area. The central point of the analysis is to show the moment of the conclusion of the Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage (CSC) in 1997. The article imparts the most important assumptions of the CSC Convention, leading to the analysis of the potential consequences of Poland’s accession to this …

Entire Issue Vol. 13 No. 3

internetowy Kwartalnik Antymonopolowy i Regulacyjny (internet Quarterly on Antitrust and Regulation)

Vol. 13(3)

Staff Education To Improve Depression Management Using Mindfulness Meditation Intervention, Ndubuisi Chimezie Obioha

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Executive Summary: Staff Education Project Staff Education to Improve Depression Management Using Mindfulness Meditation Intervention by Ndubuisi Obioha MSN, Walden University, 2021 BSN, Grand Canyon University, 2017 Executive Summary Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Nursing Practice Walden University November 2024 Summary The problem of poor depression management guided this quality improvement staff educational project due to treatment nonadherence issues. The providers at the project site had minimal knowledge of self-help interventions that can be used to assist individuals with depression who often face treatment barriers. Failing to address the problem could result …

Strategies Business Owners Use To Comply With Federal State And Local Taxes, Olohigbe O. Abaya

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Tax regulations are constantly changing, increasing complexity for business owners to meet federal, state, and local obligations. Non-compliance can lead to severe consequences, including fines, legal action, and damage to a company’s reputation. Grounded in the planned behavior theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to identify and explore practical steps small business owners take to comply with federal, state, and local tax requirements. Participants were seven business leaders in the United States. Data were collected through semistructured interviews, as well as a review of public websites and documents. Through thematic analysis, three themes were identified: professional assistance, …

Exploring Effective Employee Engagement Strategies During Times Of Crisis In Small Social Assistance Nonprofits, Andrea Purnell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Engaging employees during crises is an important issue in the nonprofit sector, where resource limitations constrain leaders’ options. Leaders of small assistance nonprofits are often concerned that disengaged employees may negatively affect productivity and organizational performance. Guided by the transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry project was to explore effective strategies used by leaders of small social assistance nonprofits in Northern California to enhance employee engagement during crisis situations. The participants consisted of eight chief officers and executive directors from small social assistance nonprofits in Northern California, all of whom had developed effective strategies to mitigate …

Small- And Medium-Sized Enterprises Strategies For Sustainability And Profitability Beyond 5 Years, Bawi Ming

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Up to 80% of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) fail within the first 5 years due to factors like financial mismanagement, market challenges, and insufficient long-term planning. To prevent these failures, organizational leaders must adopt effective sustainability strategies, as SME closures lead to job losses, economic instability, and lost innovation opportunities. Grounded in the resource-based view and general systems theories, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry project was to explore successful strategies that SME leaders in Maryland used to sustain their businesses beyond their initial 5 years. Data were collected from six SME leaders using semistructured interviews and reviews …

Corporate Social Responsibility Strategies For Retaining Skilled Talent To Enhance Competitive Advantage, Linwood Corneilus Cottner Jr.

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Aviation business leaders often lack effective corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies to retain highly skilled employees, a crucial factor in gaining a competitive advantage. To maintain this advantage, aviation leaders must consistently recognize employee retention as a critical challenge and a key element in sustaining long-term success. Grounded in Herzberg’s two-factor theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore the corporate social responsibility strategies aviation business leaders use to retain highly skilled employees to enhance their competitive advantage. The participants were three aviation business leaders from the Midwest United States who successfully implemented corporate social responsibility strategies …

Skincare Brands Strategies To Maintain A Competitive Advantage, Tracey Hicks-Kearse

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Skincare companies are facing significant challenges in remaining competitive due to a lack of brand loyalty. To stay competitive, skincare brand leaders must adopt innovative strategies to increase product awareness and foster brand loyalty. Grounded in Michael Porter's Theory of Management, this qualitative multiple case study was to explore the strategies skincare brand leaders use to strengthen brand loyalty and sustain a competitive advantage. The study involved five skincare brand leaders in New York City who implemented these strategies. Data were collected from semistructured interviews, social media, and websites. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Three themes emerged: …

Avian Adaptation To Thermal Gradients, Justin Wheeler Baldwin

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Life on Earth has adapted to extremely different temperatures worldwide. However, across distant branches of the tree of life, animals in similar temperature environments often share similar phenotypic traits. Specifically, traits that bear on the ratio between an individual’s surface area (e.g. appendage length) and its volume (e.g. body size) are particularly important for temperature regulation and are codified in canonical biogeographical rules. Although these global patterns of finding larger-bodied (Bergmann’s Rule) and shorter-limbed (Allen’s Rule) animals in colder regions are widely upheld, they also show substantial variation. It remains poorly understood why some animals conform to these biogeographical rules …

Understanding Sequence Determinants Of Functional Protein Dynamics Using Biophysical Simulations And Experiments, Upasana Lakshmi Mallimadugula

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Mutations in the sequence of proteins associated with a disease often increase its risk or severity. They can also be a barrier to developing effective therapeutics for such diseases. One way in which mutations affect function is by altering dynamics that elude structural studies. Observing these changes requires methods that can report on movements of the protein on various timescales and is an ongoing challenge in biophysics and biochemistry. In this study I will use both experimental and computational techniques that can report on such dynamics to explore how small sequence changes shift the conformational landscape and consequently the function …

Factors Influencing The Oral Health Behaviours Of Autistic Children And Young People: A Qualitative Study, Jo Erwin, Sarah Neill, Tara Vassallo, Isaac Vassallo, Rob Witton, Martha Paisi

Peninsula Dental School

Background: Poor oral health (OH) in childhood can cause pain, affect quality of life and significantly impact adult OH. Autistic children and young people (CYP) experience inequalities in OH and are at higher risk of cavities and gum disease than neurotypical CYP. Objective: To provide evidence and insights into the factors affecting the OH behaviours of ACYP from the perspective of ACYP, their parents/carers and Dental Health Professionals (DHPs). Method: Semi-structured online or face-to-face interviews were conducted with CYP, parents/carers and DHPs in Southwest England. Results: Nineteen ACYP (aged 5–18 years old), 20 parents/carers and 16 DHPs were interviewed. The …