Digital Commons Network^™

Short-Term Preeclampsia Prediction: Cutoff Variations For Sflt-1/Plgf In U.S. Patients With Or Without Hypertensive Disorders, Yaxin Li, Kristen Cagino, Jim Yee, Caroline Andy, Dajana Borova, Ayush Shah, Isla Racine, Tracy Grossman, Zhen Zhao

Student Papers, Posters & Projects

BACKGROUND: Preeclampsia (PE) is a complex disorder with significant maternal and fetal risks. The soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) and placental growth factor (PlGF) ratio shows promise as a diagnostic tool, but its adoption in the U.S. remains limited due to the lack of accessible testing platforms, U.S.-based studies, and evidence-based implementation guidelines.

PATIENTS/MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a cohort study to evaluate the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio for predicting PE within two weeks among pregnant individuals ≥18 years, ≥20 weeks gestation. Serum samples were obtained from routine prenatal visits or triage evaluations. sFlt-1/PlGF ratios were measured using Roche Elecsys assays, and …

Understanding Dental Hygienists’ Knowledge, Attitudes, And Practices Regarding Hpv Vaccination, Paula M Cuccaro, Jihye Choi, Kawtar Zouaidi, Efrat K Gabay, Michael Mackert, Josefine Ortiz Wolfe

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The American Dental Association and American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry encourage oral health professionals to strongly recommend human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination to prevent HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer. This study examined oral health professionals' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding HPV vaccination. We used purposive sampling to recruit participants through state and national oral health societies and social media platforms. Flyers outlining eligibility criteria were distributed, and eligible participants completed an online survey. Primary measures included participants' HPV-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices, and willingness to receive HPV-related training and recommend HPV vaccination to patients, including parents of adolescents. Only responses from dental hygienists …

Combine Ebis: A Novel Collaborative Method For Building Interventions From Existing Evidence-Based Interventions, Justin Knox, Kara Portier, Christopher Magana, Maggie Denning, Christopher M Ferraris, Emily Dove-Medows, Cho-Hee Shrader, Ohemaa Poku, Phil Kreniske, Robert Remien, Efrat Aharonovich, Jennifer C Elliott, Denis Nash, Kathryn Lancaster, Till Baernighausen, Kayo Fujimoto, Adam Carrico, John A Schneider, Alida Bouris, D Scott Batey, Sheree R Schwartz, Jose Bauermeister, Patrick S Sullivan, Joseph G Rosen, Gina Wingood, Milton Wainberg, Deborah Hasin, Elvin Geng, Patrick A Wilson, Stefan D Baral

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: Combining evidence-based interventions (EBIs) is a discrete process from adapting EBIs, and specific guidance for how to combine EBIs could be helpful amidst the proliferation of frameworks that combine and stage EBIs and calls for services to be combined or bundled. To address this gap, we developed and applied the COllaborative Method for Building INterventions from Existing Evidence-Based Interventions (COMBINE-EBIs) approach, a five-step process for combining EBIs.

Methods: The five steps of COMBINE-EBIs are: (1) Identify and Select EBIs, (2) Develop a Shared Conceptual Model, (3) Evaluate the Conceptual Model, (4) Create a Single Combined Protocol, and (5) Refine …

Learning To Accelerate Tightening Of Convex Relaxations Of The Ac Optimal Power Flow Problem, Faith Cengil, Harsha Nagarajan, Russell Bent, Sandra Eksioglu, Burak Eksioglu

Industrial Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

We propose a novel machine learning (ML)-based approach to significantly reduce the run times of the optimality-based bound tightening (OBBT) algorithm for strengthening the convex relaxations of the non-convex Alternating Current Optimal Power Flow (AC-OPF) problem. While OBBT can yield near-global solutions via tight convex relaxations, its runtime remains a critical bottleneck on large-scale power grids. Our key contribution is a dynamic policy that selects smaller subsets of voltage magnitude and phase-angle difference variables for sequential bound tightening at every iteration of the OBBT algorithm. This ensures that the bound-tightening process remains adaptive, thereby circumventing the stalling in the optimality …

Effect Of Material And Processing Lag Time On Radiant Energy Penetration And Modulus Of 3d-Printed Indirect Bonding Jig Materials, Megan Meyer, Kamal Awad, Baylie Subjeck, Joe C Ontiveros, Venu G Varanasi, F Kurtis Kasper

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: To investigate the effect of the time between 3D printing and post-print processing (lag time) on the modulus and radiant energy penetration of 3D-printed indirect bonding jig materials.

Materials and methods: Three 3D-printed resins (Formlabs IBT Resin, SprintRay IDB 2, Pro3dure GR-18.1 IB) were tested for three lag times (0, 16 and 64 h; n = 10 per group). Radiant energy penetration was measured using a power meter, and Vickers hardness was assessed for composites cured through the samples. Mechanical properties were evaluated using uniaxial testing and three-point bending.

Results: Both the resin type and lag time significantly affected …

Undergraduate Awareness Of Sexual Harassment Law In Tanzania's Higher Learning Institutions: Case Studies Of Two Universities, Salma Ramadhan Fundi Phd Candidate

Tanzania Journal of Sociology

This study examines undergraduate students' awareness of legal provisions and guidelines concerning sexual harassment in Tanzanian higher education, focusing on the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) and the Open University of Tanzania (OUT) as case studies. Sexual harassment significantly impacts students’ well-being, safety, and academic success. Despite the existence of legal frameworks, students' knowledge of these provisions is often limited. The study employed a qualitative approach with a phenomenological research design to explore students’ experiences and perceptions of harassment policies. This design allowed participants to share the meanings they attach to their experiences and how such policies are understood …

The Lived Experiences Of Clinicians Who Treat Black Males Who Have Experienced Intimate Partner Violence, Gifty A. Acheampong

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a global issue that negatively affects humanity. The harmful effects of IPV often result in lifelong consequences for victims. Researchers have consistently identified women and children as the primary victims of IPV, although men can also be affected. The social stigma around men seeking formal help as victims is that they must endure physical, emotional, financial, sexual, and psychological abuse in intimate relationships. Because psychological abuse is the most common form experienced by male IPV victims, there is a higher prevalence of IPV within the Black community. However, research on help-seeking behaviors among Black men …

The Rider (2025-12-01), Daniela Martinez Salazar

The Rider Archives

Vol. 11, No. 13

Systematic Review Of Instruments Measuring Teachers' Tpack, Jose Ruben Avalos

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The study examines the assessment of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK), a framework that integrates technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge for effective teaching. Given the increasing integration of technology in education, it is crucial to understand how TPACK is assessed and the tools used to measure teachers' proficiency in these areas. This study aims to review and analyze tools used to assess TPACK, evaluate their validity and reliability, and provide a synthesis of existing research to inform future developments in TPACK assessment. A systematic review of literature was conducted, focusing on studies related to the evaluation of TPACK. Four research …

¡Maestra, Ya Le Entiendo! Teachers And Students Creating A Language-Rich Learning Environment With Available Language Resources And Students’ Funds Of Knowledge, Yolanda D. Castro

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative study investigates how dual language educators in elementary schools along the U.S.–Mexico border create language-rich learning environments with the Spanish resources available to them. Motivated by longstanding shortages of adequate Spanish instructional materials in bilingual classrooms, this study examines the extent to which this challenge persists in contemporary educational contexts. Grounded in translanguaging theory (de la Piedra, Araujo, & Esquinca, 2018; Flores & Chaparro, 2018; Otheguy, García, & Reid, 2015) and the funds of knowledge framework (González, Moll, & Amanti, 2005), the study explored: (1) the materials provided by districts and schools, (2) the challenges teachers face with …

Under Pressure: The Effects Of Stress And Cognitive Load On Interrogative Suggestibility, Claudia Cota

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

High-stakes situations, like police interrogations, can impair critical thinking due to stress and cognitive demands, making individuals more susceptible to suggestion. While much research focuses on children, young adults are also at risk for interrogative suggestibility, which can have serious legal consequences. This study experimentally manipulated stress and cognitive load to test whether both factors increase suggestibility in young adults, both independently and interactively, with the highest suggestibility among those experiencing both greater stress and cognitive demands. This was evaluated by examining both condition effects and self-reports of stress and cognitive load. College students (N = 230), aged 18 to …

¡Más Fuertes Y Resilientes! Strengthening Latino Occupational Resilience Through Career-Focused Support Services At Texas Hispanic Serving Institutions, Claudia Cochran-Miller

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Latinos face many threats to their occupational resilience. Occupational displacement is looming due to technological advances that threaten jobs where Latinos are overrepresented such as in manufacturing, retail, construction, agriculture, and food services. As technological advances, labor practices, and other factors disproportionately affect the Latino population, more will be seeking better employment opportunities and will turn to higher education. Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) are in position to significantly impact Latino occupational resilience. This correlational study examines the various career-focused support services offered by HSIs and how they relate to post-graduation outcomes for Latino graduates. Career-focused support services include alignment-driven career …

Exploring The Impact Of Stem Degree Attainment On Intragenerational Social Mobility Among Hispanic Students And Graduates In Two Texas-Mexico Border Universities, Pilar Gonzalez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This research employed a two-phase, sequential, explanatory, mixed-methods design to answer the research questions. The first research question examined how obtaining a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) higher education degree affects the socioeconomic advancement of current Hispanic students and alumni of the Louise Stokes Alliance for Minorities in Participation (LSAMP) within the context of two higher education institutions located along the Texas-Mexico border. The second research question explored the determinants shaping the professional pathways of Hispanic STEM students and graduates in the geographic vicinity of the Texas-Mexico border. For this study, STEM degrees refer to those recognized by the …

Encoding Of Inferences Into Long-Term Memory In Bilinguals, Bianca Valentina Gurrola

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

When reading and listening to information, people often make inferences to facilitate their comprehension and the creation of a discourse representation. However, because such inferences are not explicitly stated, they can lead to distortions in the memory representation known as inference-based memory errors. The present study investigated the encoding of inferences in bilinguals while considering the effects of language proficiency, presentation modality, and working memory load. In Experiment 1, Spanish-English bilingual participants read and listened to narratives composed from common schemas (e.g., going to eat at a restaurant) before completing a recognition test on the details from narratives. In Experiment …

The Misadventures Of Popcorn And Zelda, Lori Lynne Kullberg

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The Value of Animal Protagonists for Young Readers in Children’s Literature. This series is about my rescue cat and dog, Popcorn and Zelda, who are brought together at different ages and stages of their life. Witnessing their sweet interaction, mischievous playfulness, and close bond, I am immediately provided the inspiration for the early reader series of my thesis, The Misadventures of Popcorn and Zelda. My animals offer a constant stream of entertainment in watching how they interact with not only one another, but with me, as well. Oftentimes, Popcorn and Zelda’s behavior mirrors how I think a person would act …

“War Is God” And “Unguessed Kinships”: Blood Meridian And Cormac Mccarthy’S “Border Tetralogy”, Seth Reeves

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis applies the metaphysics of philosopher Gilles Deleuze to Cormac McCarthy’s novel Blood Meridian, arguing that the novel initiates a thread of immanent subjectivity that unfolds throughout the Border Trilogy that follows it. Against a hierarchical metaphysics of transcendence, specifically an inverted Platonic Idealism, Blood Meridian dramatizes an immanent world of “optical democracy,” a prose style that levels the human and nonhuman and eludes subject and object categories. The kid’s autonomy from Judge Holden’s violent domination marks the truncated beginning of a Deleuzian subjectivity of becoming-other and immanent kinship. This incomplete gesture continues in the Border Trilogy, where …

(How) Is Plea Bargaining Justified?, Palma Paciocco

UBC Law Review

No abstract provided.

Rights, Contract, And Consideration In The Civil Law And Common Law Traditions, Stéphane Sérafin

UBC Law Review

No abstract provided.

Some Conditions Apply: Domesticating Aboriginal Title, Kerry Wilkins

UBC Law Review

No abstract provided.

Hiring Expectations For New And Future Workers In Animal Genetics Careers, Meghan C. Wulster-Radcliffe, James N. Macleod, Robert J. Coleman, John S. Radcliffe, Rebekah B. Epps, Carol D. Hanley, Cheyenne S. Summers, Steven A. Zinn, Sarah A. Reed

Animal and Food Sciences Faculty Publications

To better align educational outcomes with workforce demands in animal and equine genetics, this study surveyed 65 industry professionals on entry-level competencies, hiring trends, and graduate preparedness of undergraduate students. The survey assessed employer ratings on the importance and perceived proficiency of seven core competencies: critical thinking, communication, teamwork, leadership, professionalism, career/self-development, and equity/inclusion, as well as technical knowledge and broader skills relevant to animal breeding and genetics. Results revealed oral communication, teamwork, and work ethic were rated as the most critical transferable skills, though notable proficiency gaps persist, particularly in leadership and professionalism. Foundational technical knowledge in genetics, molecular …

Exploring The Foundational Pillars Of The International Baccalaureate (Ib) Through Pre-Service Teacher Experiences During B.Ed. Practica, Cody Alderson, Mark Hirschkorn

Journal of Global Education and Research

The International Baccalaureate (IB) is experiencing rapid growth, resulting in demand for IB teachers in both public and independent schools. Since teaching IB requires specific knowledge of the language and pedagogy of the IB programmes, initial teacher education programs are well-positioned to prepare pre-service teachers to teach IB. This paper shares the results of a study conducted following the completion of an IB Educator Certificate by pre-service teachers attending a Canadian initial teacher education program, where their experiences during practica in mostly public IB schools were reflected upon and documented in relation to IB philosophy. Several themes were identified and …

Examining Grade 10 Students’ Ict Utilization In Bhutan, Gembo Tshering, Thinley Phuntsho

Journal of Global Education and Research

In today’s educational landscape, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) presents immense potential for reshaping pedagogical practices and equipping students with essential skills for the digital era. This study delves into assessing Grade 10 students’ ICT proficiency in Bhutan, a nation renowned for its dedication to Gross National Happiness (GNH) and sustainable development. The study also explores affective factors, including attitudes and confidence. Despite strides in promoting digital literacy and widening access to ICT resources, challenges persist in ensuring equitable access and meaningful utilization of technology, particularly at the secondary education level. Through a thorough analysis of survey data collected from …

Internationalization Of Indian Higher Education: Mapping The Origins And Academic Choices Of International Students, Sanjeev Kumar Jha

Journal of Global Education and Research

This study explores the geographical origins, academic preferences, and key factors influencing the enrollment of international students in Indian higher education institutions. Drawing on primary data from interviews with 25 international students and secondary data from All India Survey on Higher Education reports, it provides an in-depth analysis of student mobility trends and factors shaping their choices. The results indicate that the international student enrollment is significantly below the Indian government’s target of 500,000 by 2024. Students come from Nepal, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Bhutan, and Nigeria, with Karnataka and Punjab emerging as the most preferred states within India. Engineering, particularly …

Hes V20 Surpasses Galad For Hcc Detection: A Review Of Multi-Dimensional Biomarker Scores And Studies, Fouad Jaber, Hashem B El-Serag

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

This was a narrative review of select studies published through September of 2024. We review the shift toward multi-dimensional scores such as HCC early detection screening (HES), GALAD, ASAP, and mt-HBT represents a significant advancement in biomarker research for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) detection. Unlike single biomarker approaches, these scores integrate various clinical and biochemical factors to enhance predictive accuracy by reflecting different complementary aspects of disease progression and HCC oncogenesis. Proper testing and validation of biomarker scores in phase 3 biomarker studies is essential before wide use can be recommended. We also review the comparative performance of biomarker scores in …

Using Robotic Single-Port Vnotes For Gynaecological Oncology: Omentectomy In A Patient With An Ovarian Granulosa Cell Tumor-A Case Study, Chunhua Zhang, Qing Li, Fang Fang, Xiaoming Guan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Robotic single-port transvaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (RSP-vNOTES) is an emerging minimally invasive approach that combines the advantages of robotic surgery with scarless transvaginal access. Its application in gynecologic oncology remains limited, particularly for omentectomy during ovarian cancer staging.

Methods: We present the case of a 45-year-old woman with an ovarian granulosa cell tumor (GCT) who underwent supplemental staging surgery following unilateral oophorectomy. Using a single-port robotic system via the transvaginal route, hysterectomy, right salpingo-oophorectomy, and omentectomy were performed. Key technical steps included enhanced visualization with gauze placement and use of an additional robotic arm for omental traction. …

Addressing Critiques Refines Global Estimates Of Reforestation Potential For Climate Change Mitigation, Kurt A. Fesenmeyer, Erin E. Poor, Drew E. Terasaki Hart, Joseph W. Veldman, Forrest Fleischman, Pooja Choksi, Sally Archibald, Mohammed Armani, Matthew E. Fagan, Evan C. Fricke, César Terrer, Natalia Hasler, Christopher A. Williams, Peter W. Ellis, Susan Cook-Patton

Geography

Reforestation is a prominent climate change mitigation strategy, but available global maps of reforestation potential are widely criticized and highly variable, which limits their ability to provide robust estimates of both the locations and total area of opportunity. Here we develop global maps that address common critiques, build on a review of 89 reforestation maps created at multiple scales, and present eight reforestation scenarios with varying objectives, including providing ecosystem services, minimizing social conflicts, and delivering government policies. Across scenarios, we find up to 195 Mha (million hectares) are available (2225 TgCO2e (teragrams of carbon dioxide equivalent) per year total …

Biochemical And Clinical Response To A Sulfur-Restricted Diet In Ethylmalonic Encephalopathy, Steven H Lang, Andres Caceres Salgado, Matthew T Snyder, Brandy Rawls-Castillo, Aaron Williams, Charul Gijavanekar, Sarah H Elsea, Xia Wang, Mary Elizabeth M Tessier, Claudia Soler-Alfonso, Fernando Scaglia

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: Ethylmalonic encephalopathy (EE) is an often-severe inborn error of metabolism caused by biallelic variants in the ETHE1 gene leading to impaired detoxification of hydrogen sulfide (H2S). H2S is produced both exogenously by anerobic intestinal bacteria as well as by the endogenous catabolism of the sulfur-containing amino acids methionine and cysteine. Existing therapies including metronidazole, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), and orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) have been pursued with the objective of reducing or detoxifying exogenously produced H2S. However, strategies to reduce endogenously produced H2S using a methionine and cysteine restricted diet are an understudied therapeutic avenue.

Methods: We performed an open-label, …

Lilrb4 Regulates Circadian Disruption-Induced Mammary Tumorigenesis Via Non-Canonical Wnt Signaling Pathway, Olajumoke Ogunlusi, Mrinmoy Sarkar, Kayla Carter, Arhit Chakrabarti, Devon J Boland, Tristan Nguyen, James Sampson, Christian Nguyen, Danielle Fails, Yava Jones-Hall, Loning Fu, Gus Wright, Da Mi Kim, James J Cai, Bani Mallick, Alex C Keene, Jeff R Jones, Tapasree Roy Sarkar

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Epidemiological studies have shown that circadian rhythm disruption (CRD) is associated with the risk of breast cancer. However, the role of CRD in mammary gland morphology and aggressive basal mammary tumorigenesis and the molecular mechanism underlying CRD-induced carcinogenesis remain unknown. To investigate the effect of CRD on aggressive tumorigenesis, a genetically engineered mouse model of aggressive breast cancer was used. The impact of CRD on the tumor microenvironment was investigated using the tumors from LD12:12 and CRD mice via scRNA-seq, flow cytometry, multiplexing immunostaining, and realtime PCR. The effect of LILRB4-immunotherapy on CRD-induced tumorigenesis was also investigated. Here we investigated …

Benchmarking Empirical Severity For The Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale-Second Edition, Caitlin M Pinciotti, Juliana Avery, Chencheng Zhang, Josselyn S Muñoz, Dayan Berrones, Vanessa Zavala Cruz, Andrew D Wiese, Jacey L Anderberg, Renee M Frederick, Tomás Miño, Nuria Lanzagorta, Juan Camilo Restrepo, Marcos E Ochoa-Panaifo, Wayne K Goodman, James J Crowley, Eric A Storch, Matti Cervin

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) is considered the primary instrument for assessing the presence and severity of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Conceptual and empirical critiques inspired the development of an updated version of the instrument, the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale-Second Edition (Y-BOCS-II), with a higher ceiling of OCD severity to better differentiate between severe and the most debilitating OCD presentations, among other revisions. The Y-BOCS-II has demonstrated sound psychometric properties across diverse samples. Empirically derived severity benchmarks have been proposed for the original Y-BOCS, yielding somewhat different ranges than what has been commonly used in clinical and research settings, yet …

Differential Microrna Profiling Of Blood L1cam And Bulk Extracellular Vesicles In Bipolar Disorder, Gabriel R Fries, Salahudeen Mirza, Jun Wang, Camila N C Lima, Wei Zhang, Marcela Carbajal Tamez, Giselli Scaini, Jair C Soares, Joao Quevedo

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: This preliminary study aimed to identify microRNA (miRNA) signatures associated with bipolar disorder (BD) by profiling blood-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) of both putative neuronal origin and from all sources.

Method: In two parallel studies of individuals with BD and controls (CON), we characterized miRNA expression profiles of blood EVs selected for L1CAM, a putative marker of neuronal origin (n = 20 BD/20 CON), as well as bulk EVs (n = 21 BD/20 CON). For each study, analyses identified miRNAs differentially expressed between groups, followed by functional interrogation and testing for associations with clinical features.

Results: Results of …