Digital Commons Network^™

Statistically Significant Association Does Not Imply Improvement In Prediction Of Clinical Outcomes, Shu Jiang, Bernard A Rosner, Graham A Colditz

2020-Current year OA Pubs

UNLABELLED: In the current landscape of clinical studies, the concept of statistically significant association is often mixed up with the expectation of improved prediction performance. We discuss the two concepts, association and prediction, and present the epidemiologic principles and statistical constructs that underlie the discrepancy between statistically significant associations and the rationale for their lack of impact on improving prediction in terms of discrimination. This issue is illustrated using an existing breast cancer dataset. The concept of statistically significant association should not be mixed up with the expectation of improved discrimination performance. Although some markers may not markedly improve discrimination, …

Fucosylated N-Glycan Landscape Of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer, Danielle A Scott, Souvik Seal, Laura Spruill, Jaclyn Dunne, Graham Colditz, Anand S Mehta, Richard R Drake, Marvella E Ford, Peggi M Angel

2020-Current year OA Pubs

UNLABELLED: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype of breast cancer lacking targeted therapies. Although aberrant N-glycosylation is a hallmark of malignancy, the specific roles of core-fucosylated (CF) and outer arm-fucosylated (OAF) N-glycans in TNBC progression and patient survival remain underexplored. This study utilized multiplexed glycomics by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization imaging mass spectrometry to spatially profile 348 N-glycans in 59 TNBC tumors with clinical characteristics including survival data. Spatial analysis revealed distinct localization patterns of CF and OAF isomers within tumor microenvironments. Strikingly, OAF glycans, but not CF, were strongly associated with tumor stage, with expression increasing from stage …

Sex, The Body, And Learning Gender: Demons In The World Of The Five Gods, Erin E. Mcbrien

Mythopoeic Society Seminar Proceedings

“Sex, the Body, and Learning Gender” analyzes the relationship between the physical body, sexual orientation, and gender as characterized within Lois McMaster Bujold’s World of the Five Gods series, with a particular emphasis on her Penric and Desdemona novellas. Using the framework of Bussey and Bandura’s social learning theory, and a close reading of Bujold’s text, this paper explores how the demonic characters within this series are an example of gender as a learned concept rather than a biological imperative. This is further developed by examining how the demonic characters both imprint on and contrast against the more societally-bound sorcerers …

Unclos: Developments In Regulations On Deep-Sea Mining In International Waters, Logan Berg

Georgia Journal of International & Comparative Law

No abstract provided.

Lunar Servicing, Assembly, And Manufacturing; Legal And Environmental Issues, Francesca Giannoni-Crystal

Georgia Journal of International & Comparative Law

No abstract provided.

Systematic Classification Of Recent Benthic Foraminifera In Socotra Island And Hadhramout Coastline And Their Environmental Significance, Wafa’A M. Al-Qadassi, Mohammed A. Al-Wosabi, Enas A. Ahmed

Sultan Qaboos University Journal For Science

This study explores the ecological significance of benthic foraminifera in the subtropical marine ecosystems of Socotra Island and the Hadhramout coastline, located in the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea. A total of 216 species from 91 genera were identified in 32 surface sand samples collected during 2017 and 2018. The study examines how environmental factors including salinity, temperature, and substrate type affect the distribution of foraminifera. The results reveal that the assemblages and species diversity are distinct in each studied region, indicating a notable adaptability of foraminifera to specific environments. This work highlights the potential of benthic foraminifera as bioindicators …

Mineralogical, Chemical And Physical Properties Of Zeolite Minerals In The Maryah Area, Dhamar, Yemen, Amer M. Al-Sabri, Salah A. Al-Khirbash, Nabil M. Al-Areeq

Sultan Qaboos University Journal For Science

Natural zeolite minerals are a group of hydrated aluminosilicates known for their unique properties, including ion exchange, adsorption, and catalytic capabilities. This paper aims to delineate the mineralogical, chemical, and physical properties of natural zeolite minerals in the Maryah area, Dhamar, Yemen and highlight their significance in various applications such as agriculture, environment, and industry. The petrographic study indicates that the zeolitization processes occurred due to volcanic glass alteration. Based on the XRD pattern, it was found that the zeolite minerals are clinoptilolite and hollandite, which represent most of the mineral content, and they are among the common commercial types …

Enhancing Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composite Performance Through Silane Coupling Agents, Muhammad Umair, Ayesha Shahbaz, Amna Siddique, Khubab Shaker, Zulfiqar Ahmad Rehan

Sultan Qaboos University Journal For Science

The utilization of natural fibers as reinforcement in composite materials is becoming increasingly significant due to their renewable nature and capacity to biodegrade, making them a viable alternative to glass fibers. The present study aims to evaluate and compare the impact of coupling agents made of silane on the characteristics of composites derived from jute and glass fibers. To improve the adhesion between the fiber-matrix interface, a silane coupling agent was applied to the jute and glass woven reinforcements. The present study aimed to explore the effects of varying silane concentrations (1%, 2%, and 3%) on the mechanical properties, specifically …

Antioxidant Status And Lipid Profile Of Experimental Rats Fed Animal Fat And Costus Afer Plant (Ker Gawl) Part Diets, Folake Lucy Oyetayo, Bukola Oluwagbemiga, Damilola Abosede Ojo

Sultan Qaboos University Journal For Science

Costus afer is an ethnomedicinal plant used in Africa for the management of hyperglycemia. Influences of Costus afer plant parts on key indicators linked to hyperlipidemia and antioxidant enzyme status were determined in this study. HPLC analysis displayed quercetin (67.84 μg/g) as the most dominant phenolic in the leaf. Seven rats were placed on commercial diet as control while forty-two rats placed on beef fat (tallow)/Animal fat diet (AFD) for two-weeks were randomly assigned into six dietary groups (2–7) of seven rats each viz; Group 1 normal diet, Group 2 animal fat diet (AFD), while Groups 3–7 pre-fed AFD rats …

Production Of Recombinant Β-Galactosidase Protein In Bombyx Mori (Bmn1) Baculovirus Insect Cells, Shuhrat Sh. Khasanov, Jumanazar Ch Mengturayev, Jaloliddin M. Abdurakhmanov, Dilmurodjon B. Turdaliyev, Shakhnoz S. Azimova

CHEMISTRY AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

In this study we aimed to obtain a novel recombinant β-galactosidase baculovirus using the Bombyx mori baculovirus – insect cell expression system. A new recombinant plasmid was constructed on the basis of the pBacPAK8 transfer vector and cloned in E. coli cells. Subsequently, a recombinant baculovirus was generated in Bombyx mori cells, and efficient expression of the β-galactosidase gene was observed. The enzymatic activity of the protein was confirmed by the ONPG assay. The results demonstrated that the baculovirus – insect cell system expands the possibilities for producing proteins of industrial significance.

(R2136) Dimensionless Modeling And Analytical Insights Into Botanical Biofiltration Systems For Voc Reduction, N. Jeeva, K. M. Dharmalingam, M. Veeramuni

Applications and Applied Mathematics: An International Journal (AAM)

This paper investigates the mathematical modeling of volatile organic compound (VOC) removal using a botanical biofiltration system, an effective biological treatment method. It examines mass balance concentrations in the gas and biofilm phases, highlighting their significance in VOC degradation and indoor air quality enhancement. The governing equations of the proposed model are converted into a dimensionless form, resulting in second-order nonlinear differential equations. Derived from mass transfer and reaction kinetics principles, these equations incorporate specific boundary conditions to capture gas-biofilm interactions and VOC removal dynamics in biofiltration. The modified Adomian decomposition method (MADM) is utilized to derive analytical solutions for …

Using Insecticidal Compounds To Elucidate The Potential Role Of Neurotransmitters In Lepidoptera Pupal Ecdysis, Niranjana Krishnan, Cassandra Gorman, Jillian Stewart, Steven Bradbury, Russell Jurenka

Biological Sciences Faculty Research & Creative Works

Previously, we reported final-instar lepidopteran larvae exposed to low doses of imidacloprid, clothianidin, and thiamethoxam had arrest in pupal ecdysis, which is a novel adverse outcome for neonicotinoid insecticides. Since neonicotinoids disrupt acetylcholine signaling, we hypothesized that the excitatory neurotransmitter acetylcholine plays a critical role in regulation of pupal ecdysis, likely by modulating the release of peptides from crustacean cardioactive peptide (CCAP) neurons. In this paper, using two lepidopteran species, we undertook studies with five additional nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) agonists and three muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR) agonists to hypothesize the putative nAChR subunits that mediate pupal ecdysis. We also …

Aged 539 Graduate Internship Report - Mt. Whitney High School, Tule Marie Cardoza

Agricultural Education: Graduate Internship Reports

This project reviewed a high school agricultural education program with an emphasis on agricultural mechanics. Program strengths and needs were identified through curriculum and resource evaluation. Based on the findings, a budget was developed to support equipment, materials, and instructional improvements for the ag mechanics program.

Aged 539 Graduate Internship Report - Monache High School, Karli Hampton

Agricultural Education: Graduate Internship Reports

The goal of this project was to create a clear and organized Introduction to Agricultural Mechanics curriculum that gives students a strong starting point within the Monache High School agricultural mechanics pathway. The curriculum now provides students with consistent expectations related to safety, basic tool use, and appropriate behavior in a shop setting that directly supports the structure and expectations of the Monache Agricultural Mechanics Program.

Applicability Of Syntropic Agriculture To A Semi-Arid Continental Climate: Alentejo To New Mexico, Arielle Nathan, Joana Dionisio Msc, João Serra, Joseph Lanning, Cátia Magro Dr.

Journal of Critical Global Issues

Conventional industrial agriculture has detrimental effects on the environment including pollution and overconsumption of water, soil degradation, and biodiversity reduction. An environmentally sustainable future of food production requires alternative methods that limit negative environmental consequences. Syntropic Agriculture (SA) is a promising farming alternative especially for arid systems at risk of desertification. New Mexico, USA, is a semi-arid continental climate in a prolonged period of drought and predicted to experience worsening agricultural conditions including desertification, wildfire intensification, and exacerbated water scarcity. The Alentejo region of Portugal has a Mediterranean climate with similar agricultural challenges. The agroecological transition project, Terra Sintrópica, located …

Beyond The Red Pen: Investigating The Formation Of Reader And Writer Identity Development In Preservice Teachers, Sarah Rutt Williams, Pengtong Qu, Lydia Denning

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

The influence of identifying as a reader and writer in being a literacy teacher has been emphasized in the literature (Graves, 1983). However, few studies have explored how teacher education programs develop these identities in preservice teachers (PSTs). Grounded in Demerath’s (2006) epistemological identity theory, this study explored the fluid process of teacher identity formation, focusing on nurturing PSTs’ identities as readers and writers. The study took place over one semester in an English Education course. The researchers analyzed three PST participants’ weekly reflections about their beliefs regarding teaching and learning literacy. These statements revolved around topics that aligned with …

2025 Fall Commencement Program, The University Of West Alabama

Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Aged 539 Graduate Internship Report – Kerman High School, Anne Dykstra

Agricultural Education: Graduate Internship Reports

This project reviewed the agricultural education program at Kerman High School. The report highlights both program strengths and areas requiring further development, including student retention, pathways, and facility improvements. Based on the findings, the research identified additional course offerings and curriculum updates to enable the program to improve in the coming years.

Aged 539 Graduate Internship Report – San Marcos High School, Stephanie Navarrete

Agricultural Education: Graduate Internship Reports

This project report includes documentation required in meeting the quality criteria for secondary-level programs of instruction in agriculture. The supporting documents include information to prove that San Marcos High School is meeting the requirements. This document also provides an overview of San Marcos High School agriculture program.

A Novel Microfluidic Device For Preclinical Testing Of Chemotherapeutics, Kaija Saleh Ogan

Master's Theses

This work demonstrates the feasibility of a novel microfluidic tumor model that reproduces physiologically relevant nutrient gradients and endothelium–tumor interactions, validating its potential as a preclinical test platform. Finite element simulations of glutamine diffusion and fluid dynamics aligned with experimental tracer studies, and co-cultures supported directed endothelial migration toward tumor spheroids, confirming the device’s ability to mimic in vivo–like behavior.

Current preclinical models often fail to capture the complexity of the tumor microenvironment (TME), limiting their predictive value for therapeutic testing. Nutrient availability and angiogenic signaling are critical drivers of tumor progression, yet they are poorly represented in traditional …

Aged 539 Graduate Internship Report- Bear Creek High School Agriculture Department, Fatima E. Castellanos

Agricultural Education: Graduate Internship Reports

This report provides an evaluation of the Bear Creek High School Agriculture Program. The analysis highlights both program strengths and areas requiring further development, including SAE participation, pathway coherence, and student retention. Overall, the findings demonstrate that intentional planning and strong community partnerships contribute significantly to the program’s effectiveness and continued growth.

The Effectiveness Of A Chronic Care Management Program On Hospitalization Rates And Quality Of Life In Chronic Kidney Disease Patients, Sophie Burris

Doctoral Projects

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a progressive condition that distinctively affects underserved rural communities due to limited access to healthcare, provider shortages, and transportation barriers. Chronic Care Management (CCM) has emerged as a patient-centered, initiative-taking approach that emphasizes care coordination and self-management support. The purpose of this doctoral project was to evaluate the impact of implementing a CCM program in Caucasian females over the age of 40 with CKD residing in an underserved rural community post hospitalization. The Chronic Care Model (CCM) is the framework that guides the doctoral project which compared outcomes in patients enrolled in a CCM program …

Generating Predictive Gene Expression Signatures For Alzheimer's Disease Using Postmortem Brain Tissue, Ashley Duche

Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) Dissertations

Background: Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the accumulation of amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques and tau protein aggregates. These pathological features develop in specific brain regions, but why some areas are more vulnerable to early AD-related changes remains unclear. To address this, predictive gene expression signatures were developed to explore the molecular mechanisms underlying regional susceptibility to AD pathology.

Methods: This was performed using postmortem brain (PMB) tissue from participants in the Religious Orders Study and Memory and Aging Project (ROSMAP), Mayo Clinic, and Mount Sinai Brain Bank (MSBB) to generate gene expression signatures from six brain …

Gc Minutes 2025-12-01, Northern Illinois University

Graduate Council Archives

No abstract provided.

Large Language Models As Machines Of Beauty: Cognitive Averaging, Latent Space Geometry, And The Entropic Foundations Of Aesthetic Preference, Daniel Plate, James Hutson

Faculty Scholarship

This study advances the position that large language models (LLMs) and human perceptual systems are governed by a shared computational drive toward prototypicality, entropy reduction, and aesthetic coherence. Drawing on developmental evidence that infants exhibit early preferences for facial symmetry and averageness, the analysis situates aesthetic preference within broader research on processing fluency and predictive coding, emphasizing that biological perception rewards stimuli that reduce uncertainty and support efficient information compression. This foundation is used to examine how LLMs, through cross-entropy optimization, perplexity minimization, and latent space clustering, converge on high-density representational regions that operate as statistical prototypes of linguistic and …

Fisheries Research Report No. 362: Characterising Essential Benthic Habitats And Environmental Drivers Of Fishery Recruitment In The Exmouth Gulf Prawn Managed Fishery, Scott Evans, Nick Konzewitsch, Rachel Marks, Renae Hovey, Gary A. Kendrick, Lynda M. Bellchambers

Fisheries Research Reports

Fisheries management relies on the development and evolution of effective assessment and monitoring techniques that are applicable in a range of fishery contexts (Fletcher et al., 2016; L. M. Robinson et al., 2021). The assessment of fish habitats and environmental drivers that influence recruitment is central to sustainable fisheries management (de Lestang et al., 2010; Galindo-Cortes et al., 2010; Gao & Wang, 2021). Western Australia conducts robust fishery-specific monitoring and assessment programs to ensure the sustainable use of its aquatic resources (Newman et al., 2023). However, few long-term datasets exist that directly monitor critical fish habitats and environmental conditions that …

Cv: Daisy Sherry (Nursing), Daisy Sherry

Nursing Department Faculty Curricula Vitae

No abstract provided.

Molecular Pathway Dysregulation In Chronic Liver Disease: Metabolic And Mechanotransductive Drivers Of Hepatic Pathophysiology, Samantha Harvat

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) represents a rapidly growing cause of chronic liver injury, yet the molecular interactions linking metabolic stress, inflammation, fibrosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain incompletely defined. This thesis integrates transcriptomic analyses across multiple GEO datasets to identify coordinated metabolic, inflammatory, and mechanotransductive pathways that collectively drive disease progression.

Analysis of human liver biopsy datasets (GSE126848 and GSE89632) revealed consistent suppression of glycolysis, β-oxidation, and oxidative phosphorylation across MASLD and MASH samples, accompanied by modest compensatory TCA cycle activation. These alterations reflect impaired metabolic flexibility, mitochondrial stress, and increased ROS susceptibility. Concurrently, cytokine-network enrichment demonstrated activation …

Behind Closed Doors, Beyond The Cell: Supporting Children Of Incarcerated Parents, Averi R. Amaro

Honors Program Theses and Research Projects

This study examines the overlooked population of children affected by parental incarceration and evaluates intervention programs designed to support them. Grounded in Labeling Theory (Becker, 1963), Self-Fulfilling Prophecy (Merton, 1948), and the Restorative Justice framework (Zehr, 2002), this study explores how stigma, expectation, and repair shape the outcomes for the youth affected by parental incarceration. Drawing from qualitative and quantitative research, it analyzes the emotional, social, and educational effects of incarceration on families, identifying protective factors such as attachment, mentoring, and community support that mitigate delinquency risks. Program evaluations of Girl Scouts Beyond Bars, Parenting Inside Out, Project Avary, and …

The Influence Of Reactive Iron On Organic Carbon Preservation In Sediment Of The Mississippi River-Influenced Shelf, Manab Kumar Dutta, Neha A. Ghaisas, Kanchan Maiti

Faculty Publications

Reactive iron is a key driver of organic carbon preservation in marine sediments, but its participation in organic carbon remineralization complicates efforts to mechanistically constrain its role in preservation. To address this, we investigated the dual role of iron in the Mississippi River-influenced shelf sediment during low discharge (August 2016) and high discharge (May 2017). Duplicate sediment cores (30 cm depth) were collected from two stations; one core served as a natural reference, while the other was used for an incubation experiment. In the natural cores, reactive iron concentrations in the upper 9 cm were lower in August 2016 than …