Digital Commons Network^™

Clinician Perspectives On The Multilevel Impacts Of Pediatric Early Warning Systems (Pews) In Resource-Variable Hospitals, Amela Siječić, Sayeda Islam, Sara Malone, Kim Prewitt, Bobbi J Carothers, Douglas A Luke, Virginia Mckay, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Pediatric Early Warning Systems (PEWS) are evidence-based interventions that monitor hospitalized pediatric patients to improve outcomes and prevent complications, particularly in children with cancer. However, there is limited data on how clinicians perceive the impact of PEWS on patient care across healthcare centers in resource-variable settings. Understanding clinicians' perceptions of PEWS is crucial, as their recognition of its benefits can enhance adoption and sustainability across various healthcare settings.

OBJECTIVE: To assess clinician perceptions of impacts following PEWS implementation across pediatric oncology centers in Latin America and Spain.

METHODS: We conducted a secondary analysis of a study assessing capacity for …

Overcoming Recruitment Barriers Through Meaningful Community Engagement: Lessons Learned From A Maternal-Child Food Insecurity Assessment In Underserved Communities, Gabriela Buccini, Cristina Hernandez, Kristen N Herlosky, Shannon Rabb, Lizette Guillen, Dodds Simangan, Jyoti Desai, Alison Brown, Juanita Chinn, Timothy Grigsby, Jason Flatt, Ana A Baumann

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Recruiting participants from underserved communities for research can be challenging due to multilevel barriers. We conducted a maternal-child food insecurity needs assessment within underserved communities in urban Las Vegas, Nevada, and numerous barriers were faced to recruiting participants. This study aimed to examine barriers to participant recruitment, identify practical strategies for engaging participants, and analyze these strategies guided by the Meaningful Community Engagement Framework.

METHODS: This case study used an ethnography approach to analyze data collection barriers and community engagement strategies employed from March 2022 to February 2023 during a maternal-child food insecurity needs assessment. Inductive and deductive qualitative …

Tracking The Evolving Role Of Artificial Intelligence In Implementation Science: Protocol For A Living Scoping Review Of Applications, Evaluation Approaches And Outcomes [Version 2; Peer Review: 2 Approved], Guillaume Fontaine, Byron J Powell, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Artificial intelligence (AI) offers significant opportunities to improve the field of implementation science by supporting key activities such as evidence synthesis, contextual analysis, and decision-making to promote the adoption and sustainability of evidence-based practices. This living scoping review aims to: (1) map applications of AI in implementation research and practice; (2) identify evaluation approaches, reported outcomes, and potential risks; and (3) synthesize reported research gaps and opportunities for advancing the use of AI in implementation science.

METHODS: This scoping review will follow the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology and the Cochrane guidance for living systematic reviews. A living scoping …

Comparison And Clinical Applicability Analysis Of All-Posterior, Combined Anterior-Posterior, And Combined Lateral-Posterior Approaches In Adult Spinal Deformities: A Narrative Review, Garrison P. Bentz, Christopher Diaz, Nicholas A. Pollatta, Mark J. Lambrechts

2020-Current year OA Pubs

No abstract provided.

Validating A Novel Measure For Assessing Patient Openness And Concerns About Using Artificial Intelligence In Healthcare, Bryan A Sisk, Alison L Antes, Sunny C Lin, Paige Nong, James M Dubois

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVES: Patient engagement is critical for the effective development and use of artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled tools in learning health systems (LHSs). We adapted a previously validated measure from pediatrics to assess adults' openness and concerns about the use of AI in their healthcare.

STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey.

METHODS: We adapted the 33-item "Attitudes toward Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare for Parents" measure for administration to adults in the general US population (AAIH-A), recruiting participants through Amazon's Mechanical Turk (MTurk) crowdsourcing platform. AAIH-A assesses openness to AI-driven technologies and includes 7 subscales assessing participants' openness and concerns about these technologies. The openness …

Improving Outcomes Of Single-Sided Deaf Cochlear Implant Users By Reducing Interaural Frequency And Loudness Mismatches Through Device Programming, Laura K Holden, Rosalie M Uchanski, Noël Y Dwyer, Ruth M Reeder, Timothy A Holden, Jill B Firszt

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The study aimed to improve outcomes in Nucleus cochlear implant (CI) recipients with single-sided deafness (SSD) by reducing interaural frequency and loudness mismatches through device programming. In Experiment 1a, a modified frequency allocation table (FAT) was created to better match the tonotopicity of the contralateral ear and reduce interaural frequency mismatch. Twenty experienced SSD-CI users completed localization and speech recognition tests with their everyday FAT. Tests were repeated after 6 weeks' use of the modified FAT. Participants compared both FATs for 2 weeks before being tested again with each. For 10 newly implanted SSD-CI recipients (Experiment 1b), Group A was …

Schistosomiasis Interventions In Africa: Assessment And Systematic Review, Christopher Yaw Dumevi, George Boateng Kyei, Patience B Tetteh-Quarcoo, James-Paul Kretchy, Irene Ayi, Patrick F Ayeh-Kumi

2020-Current year OA Pubs

No abstract provided.

Qualitative And Quantitative Analysis Of A Novel Dental Health Education Program To Improve Dental Care Utilization By Bhutanese-, Burmese-, And Swahili-Speaking Refugees In A Midwestern United States City, Chandra Swanson, Katherine Gordon, Kelly Kreisler, Elizabeth Montgomery Collins

2020-Current year OA Pubs

No abstract provided.

Plasma Nfl And Cognitive Functioning In Older Adults: The Moderating Role Of Hdl Cholesterol, Ramkrishna K Singh, Semere Bekena, Yiqi Zhu, Carlos Cruchaga, Steven E Arnold, Beau M Ances, Ganesh M Babulal

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Plasma neurofilament light chain (NfL) is a marker of neuroaxonal injury associated with cognitive decline. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol has neuroprotective properties, but its interaction with neurodegeneration remains unclear. This study examined whether HDL moderates the association between NfL and cognitive performance.

METHODS: Baseline data from 417 participants in the Aging Adult Brain Connectome study were analyzed. Plasma NfL and HDL were measured via Simoa and enzymatic assays; cognition was assessed using Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and Preclinical Alzheimer Cognitive Composite (PACC). Generalized linear models were used to evaluate NfL and HDL interactions, adjusting for demographics. Sensitivity …

Psychosocial Behavioral Phenotypes Of Racially/Ethnically Minoritized Older Adults Enrolled In Habs-Hd Differ On Neuroimaging Measures Of Brain Age Gap, Hippocampal Volume, And Cortical Thickness, Alexandra L Clark, Makenna B Mcgill, Alexandra J Weigand, Julie K Wisch, Kalen Petersen, Beau Ances, Meredith N Braskie, Sid O'Bryant, Kelsey R Thomas, Habs‐Hd Study Team

2020-Current year OA Pubs

INTRODUCTION: This study examined whether previously identified psychosocial behavioral phenotypes differed on structural neuroimaging markers.

METHODS: Latent profile analysis (LPA) employed in a sample of 1820 community-dwelling older adults (1118 Hispanic and 702 Black) replicated previous Low Resource/Low Distress, High Resource/Low Distress, and Low Resource/High Distress phenotype classifications. Analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs) adjusting for relevant factors examined phenotype differences on neuroimaging outcomes of predicted brain age gap (BAG) (DeepBrainNet

RESULTS: The Low Resource/Low Distress and Low Resource/High Distress phenotypes had significantly higher predicted BAGs relative to the High Resource/Low Distress phenotype, and the Low Resource/High Distress group displayed significantly lower …

Stated Preference Research In Otolaryngology: A Scoping Review, Lucy Xu, Molly N Huston, Victoria S Lee, John D Cramer, Deborah Goss, Matthew R Naunheim

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVE: Stated preference research methods, including discrete choice experiments (DCEs), conjoint analysis (CA), best-worst scaling (BWS), and willingness-to-pay/contingent valuation (WTP/CV) studies, are excellent tools for understanding patient preferences in healthcare. Their application in otolaryngology has yet to be described. This work encompasses a scoping review assessing the field of stated preference research in otolaryngology, to identify gaps in the current literature and identify areas of future applications of such methodologies.

DATA SOURCES: Embase, Medline, and Web of Science.

REVIEW METHODS: A search of three databases for all relevant publications through 2023 was performed using relevant search terms. Eligibility criteria for …

Usability Of The Mayo Test Drive Remote Self-Administered Web-Based Cognitive Screening Battery In Adults Aged 35-100 With And Without Cognitive Impairment, Jay S Patel, Jason Hassenstab, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Mayo Test Drive (MTD): Mayo Test Development through Rapid Iteration, Validation and Expansion, is a web-based remote cognitive assessment platform for self-administered neuropsychological measures with previously demonstrated validity and reliability. We examined the usability of MTD and hypothesized that completion rates would be greater than 90%. We explored whether completion and participation rates differed by cognitive status and demographic factors.

METHODS: A total of 1,950 Mayo Clinic Study of Aging and Mayo Alzheimer's Disease Research Center participants (97% White, 99% Non-Hispanic) were invited to participate in this ancillary, uncompensated remote study. Most invitees were cognitively unimpaired (CU;

RESULTS: Baseline …

Atomic Physics For Everyone: An Introduction To Atomic Physics, Quantum Mechanics, And Precision Spectroscopy With No College-Level Prerequisites, Will Raven

Open Educational Resources: Textbooks

This open access textbook introduces beginning undergraduate students and high school students to the world of quantum mechanics and atomic spectroscopy. Requiring no previous knowledge of physics and no math beyond basic algebra and sines and cosines, this book focuses on concepts to make the excitement of atomic physics more accessible for learners than ever before. It comes replete with learning goals, exercises and solutions, and an optional experimental component, making this text readily adoptable for both the classroom and the undergraduate lab. The book takes the reader on a lively and engaging tour through topics at the forefront of …

The Disengagement Of Black High School Students In English Language Arts Classrooms, Michelle Chanda Singh

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation explored how high school English Language Arts (ELA) teachers understand and respond to the disengagement of Black students. Racial disparities in literacy achievement persist across the United States. Despite reform efforts, many Black students continue to experience academic and emotional disconnection in ELA classrooms. Few studies have centered on teachers’ perspectives to understand the classroom-level conditions contributing to this disengagement. This qualitative study addressed that gap by examining the beliefs, practices, and experiences of four veteran ELA teachers in the southeastern United States.

Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, the study examined how teachers make sense of Black student …

Tech-Forward Learning: Text-To-Speech Impact On Catholic High School Students, Dennise A. Leyva

Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological study was conducted to improve instructional support for diverse learners in a Southeast Florida Catholic high school by exploring teachers’ use of the Apple iPad accessibility feature, text-to-speech (TTS). Although this Catholic high school implemented a 1:1 iPad program, many teachers had limited experience using the built-in TTS feature to meet the diverse needs of students, including English Language Learners and those with reading difficulties. Teachers often used conventional approaches that failed to integrate assistive technology for inclusive and equitable learning.

The researcher conducted in-depth semi-structured interviews with six high school teachers to examine their experiences implementing the …

Effects Of Parent Involvement In Their Children’S Academic And Behavioral Performance, Megan Menozzi

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to investigate the best practices to increase parental involvement in their children’s school activities by recording and scribing the experiences of certified teachers. Prior to this study, the current school experienced a decrease in parental involvement with their child’s scheduled school activities. As the school carry on with planning scheduled events for parental involvement, teachers were still expected to be prepared to implement curriculum in the classrooms, while ensuring children’s needs were being met by way of continuous communication with families.

The researcher developed a qualitative phenomenological approach. The design allowed the researcher to interview …

Intimate Partner Violence Against American Indian/Alaska Native Women, Jessica Sanchez-Cowan

Theses and Dissertations

Intimate partner violence is not a new problem. Many forms of intimate partner violence can be found worldwide, and evidence of its occurrences can be traced back as far as history goes. However, while intimate partner violence may have been recognized and treated as a private family matter in earlier years, current research shows that it is coming to the forefront as it becomes an increasing issue in the United States and its marginalized communities. With the victimization rate being much higher for American Indian/Alaska Natives in comparison to other races, addressing the issue of intimate partner violence should be …

The Relationship Of Parent Iep Meeting Attendance On African American And Hispanic Middle School Students’ Attendance And Behavior, David W. Johnny

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation investigated whether there was a significant difference in behavioral and attendance outcomes among African American and Hispanic middle school students with disabilities, depending on parental attendance at Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings. The study was grounded in Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler’s parent involvement theory. This quantitative study used archival data from a southeastern U.S. middle school to examine whether variations in parental participation corresponded with students' disciplinary incidents and school absences.

The study included 96 students in grades 6–8 whose IEP attendance, behavior referrals, and absence data were analyzed. Independent samples t-tests were conducted to determine if statistically …

Effects Of Interventions For The Prevention And Management Of Maternal Anemia In The Advent Of The Covid-19 Pandemic: Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, John Kyalo Muthuka, Diana Kageni Mbari-Fondo, Francis Muchiri Wambura, Kelly Oluoch, Japheth Mativo Nzioki, Everlyn Musanga Nyamar, Rosemary Nabaweesi

Faculty Publications

Background:The COVID-19 pandemic presented many unknowns for pregnant women, with anemia potentially worsening pregnancy outcomes due to multiple factors.

Objective:This review aimed to determine the pooled effect of maternal anemia interventions and associated factors during the pandemic.

Methods:Eligible studies were observational and included reproductive-age women receiving anemia-related interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Exclusion criteria comprised non-English publications, reviews, editorials, case reports, studies with insufficient data, sample sizes below 50, and those lacking DOIs. A systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, and Google Scholar identified articles published between December 2019 and August 2022. Risk of bias was evaluated …

Which University Faculty Are Successful Researchers? Developing And Testing Measures Of Research Competence To Predict Faculty Research Motivation And Success, Muhammad Salahuddin

Theses and Dissertations

University faculty play a pivotal role in producing research that leads to positive social change through the creation of new knowledge, enhancement of higher education quality, and improved university rankings. Faculty produce more when they feel competent, autonomously motivated, and acknowledged. Past studies have measured faculty research competencies using self-report scales that may contain biases, potentially leading to significant discrepancies in research outcomes. My program of research – a three-article dissertation – aimed to develop and validate the test-based measures of faculty research competence that can more reliably predict faculty research success. The three studies provide an enhanced understanding of …

Advancing Human-Computer Interaction Systems Through Explainable And Secure Ai Integration, Ifiok Udoidiok

Theses and Dissertations

As artificial intelligence (AI) systems increasingly shape how humans interact with digital environments, the need for transparency, security, and robustness in intelligent decision making has become critical. This thesis explores how explainable and secure AI techniques can be integrated into modern human-computer interaction (HCI) systems to enhance trust, resilience, and alignment with human operators.

We present three related studies, each addressing a distinct challenge in the design of human-centered AI. First, we apply XAI methods, specifically Local Interpretable Model-Agnostic Explanations (LIME), to deep learning (DL) based CAPTCHA solvers. By interpreting model attention patterns, we uncover exploitable weaknesses in text CAPTCHA …

Public Perceptions Of Fracking And Anti-Fracking Activism: A Theory Of Planned Behavior Approach And Its Implications For Environmental Policy, Okhumode Hector Yakubu

Theses and Dissertations

Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, has become one of the most contentious energy technologies of the 21st century, drawing support for its economic and energy security benefits and opposition due to its perceived environmental and health risks. This study applies the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to examine the psychological, social, and informational factors that shape public perceptions of fracking and motivate anti-fracking activism. Using a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults (N = 522), this research investigates how attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and domain-specific knowledge predict support or opposition to fracking, as well as intentions to engage in …

Mindfulness And Modification Therapy (Mmt) Group Feasibility And Acceptability Among Prison Residents With Dysregulated Behaviors, Leslie Unger

Theses and Dissertations

Mindfulness and Modification Therapy (MMT; Wupperman, 2019) is a transdiagnostic therapy that systematically integrates aspects of six empirically supported treatments for impulsive and dysregulated behavior. As such, MMT may offer an efficient approach to addressing a variety of dysregulated behaviors, thereby supporting increased safety within carceral settings and enhancing goals of rehabilitation. To date, MMT has demonstrated positive results in community settings when treating substance misuse and anger/aggression, but it has not yet been examined in a prison setting. The present research examines the feasibility and acceptability of using a 14-session version of group MMT as a voluntary treatment option …

2025-2026 Usf Libraries Annual Report, Usf Libraries

Library Annual Reports

No abstract provided.

Optimizing Ai Language Models: A Study Of Chatgpt-4 Vs. Chatgpt-4o, Md Nurul Absar Siddiky, Muhammad Enayetur Rahman, Md Fayaz Bin Hossen, Muhammad Rezaur Rahman, Md. Shahadat Jaman

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

This paper presents a comparative analysis of OpenAI's GPT-4 and its optimized variant, GPT-4o, focusing on their architectural differences, performance, and real-world applications. GPT-4, built upon the Transformer architecture, has set new standards in natural language processing (NLP) with its capacity to generate coherent and contextually relevant text across a wide range of tasks. However, its computational demands, requiring substantial hardware resources, make it less accessible for smaller organizations and real-time applications. In contrast, GPT-4o addresses these challenges by incorporating optimizations such as model compression, parameter pruning, and memory-efficient computation, allowing it to deliver similar performance with significantly lower computational …

Leveraging Large Language Models To Create Learner Personas For Training Design, N. Lovett, M. Yang, K. Herman, B. Li, M. Sosonkina, W. Purwanto, P. Jiang, M. H. Wu

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

This case examines the innovative use of Large Language Models (LLMs) to generate learner personas for developing learner-centered cybersecurity training materials when direct access to initial learner data is not available. The team developed a nine-stage iterative process for creating and refining AI-generated personas to address this constraint, integrating ethical review, stakeholder feedback, and action research principles. The process expanded upon Kouprie and Visser’s (2009) empathic design framework to ensure cultural responsiveness and mitigate potential biases in LLM outputs. Through multiple refinement cycles, initial generic personas evolved into detailed, context-rich archetypes which informed the development of effective and context-responsive training …

Women Of The Fairy Tale Resistance: The Forgotten Founding Mothers Of The Fairy Tale And The Stories That They Spun, By Jane Harrington, Illustrated By Khoa Le. Reviewed By Ruth Berman., Ruth Berman

Mythprint Book Reviews

Mythprint is the quarterly bulletin of the Mythopoeic Society, a nonprofit educational organization devoted to the study, discussion, and enjoyment of myth and fantasy literature, especially the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Charles Williams. To promote these interests, the Society publishes three magazines, maintains a World Wide Web site, and sponsors the annual Mythopoeic Conference and awards for fiction and scholarship, as well as local discussion groups.

The Good Guys, Veronica Ordaz

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

A routine patrol around the Tallil air force base takes a sharp turn when our narrator is confronted by a grieving mother, screaming in a language she cannot understand.

Despair transcends language, and guilt sticks around like desert gnats on tape.

Articles, stories, and other compositions in this archive were written by participants in the Mighty Pen Project. The program, developed by author David L. Robbins, and in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia, offers veterans and their family members a customized twelve-week writing class, free of charge. The program encourages, supports, and …

God Of Baghdad, Phillip Trezza

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

In a powerful one-act play, a young Army medic rushes to a crowded Baghdad street corner destroyed by an IED hidden in a truck. The human carnage is everywhere; he must choose who will live and who will die. In those moments, in that place, he must be the God of Baghdad.

Articles, stories, and other compositions in this archive were written by participants in the Mighty Pen Project. The program, developed by author David L. Robbins, and in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia, offers veterans and their family members a customized …

Twenty Years Later, John Price

Mighty Pen Project Anthology & Archive

Twenty years after the death of his son, a grieving father has a chance to meet the soldiers his son had lead in combat. This story serves as a recollection of those few days, and what it means to be loved into the future.

Articles, stories, and other compositions in this archive were written by participants in the Mighty Pen Project. The program, developed by author David L. Robbins, and in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia, offers veterans and their family members a customized twelve-week writing class, free of charge. The program …