Digital Commons Network^™

Roses And Concrete: Black Teachers' Roles And Challenges In Marginalized Communities, Alyse N. Barry

Dissertations

Black educators play a vital role in schools that serve marginalized communities, yet their stories are often overlooked in academic research. This phenomenological study explores how Black teachers interpret their roles and navigate challenges within these spaces. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), I centered the voices of ten Black educators to better understand the emotional, cultural, and professional layers of their experience.

Through in-depth interviews, participants described themselves as more than just instructors. They saw themselves as cultural connectors, advocates, and protectors for their students. Their presence helps affirm student identities and bridge cultural divides, but they also carry significant …

Authentic Leadership As Predicted By The Fisher Temperament Inventory Scales, Stephanie J. Giddings

PhD in Organizational Leadership

Authentic leadership has garnered increasing attention from scholars and practitioners for its emphasis on ethical and transparent leadership practices that foster positive organizational outcomes. Despite its popularity, research into its antecedents remains underdeveloped. This study is a response to calls to examine potential psychometric predictors of authentic leadership, focusing on temperament as a biologically-rooted factor. This quantitative research involved surveying 338 U.S. leaders on temperament and authentic leadership. Temperament, as measured by the Fisher Temperament Inventory (FTI), offers a neuroscience-based perspective and resolves the potential crossover issues found in the widely studied Five-Factor Model (FFM). Using the Authentic Leadership Questionnaire …

Construction Of Stock Portfolios By Machine Learning Methods, Alfan Gehad Abulehia

Theses

We study the theory and application of two machine learning (ML) algorithms: Long-Short Term Memory Network (LSTM) and Random Forest. The study begins by providing an overview of mathematical foundation, highlighting the significance of mathematics in machine learning. We study and explain the mathematical details involved in these two algorithms. We also study closely related subjects which include but not limited to gradient descent, automatic differentiation, and recurrent neural network. The main ideas behind these topics form the foundation of any ML algorithms.

As an application of the ML algorithms, we focus on the U.S. stock market. We build stock …

Rethinking Reverse Logistics: Neutrosophic Strategies For Warehouse Management Challenges, Thanh- Ngan Le, Quoc-Hieu Phan, Phi Hung Nguyen, Lan-Anh Thi Nguyen

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

Implementing warehouse management platforms (WMPs) in Vietnam's smart reverse logistics (SRL) sector faces numerous barriers, hindering operational efficiency and competitiveness. This study develops a robust multi-stage decision-making framework to identify, analyze, and address these barriers, filling a critical research gap in SRL practices. The proposed model integrates Neutrosophic Sets (NS) for managing uncertainties in expert evaluations with the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method to examine cause-and-effect relationships among barriers. Additionally, the Neutrosophic Combined Compromise Solution (NS COCOSO) method ranks solutions for overcoming these challenges. In the first stage, key barriers—such as insufficient strategic planning, lack of expertise in …

Enhancing Medical X-Ray Image Classification With Neutrosophic Set Theory And Advanced Deep Learning Models, Walid Abdullah

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

The classification of medical images presents significant challenges due to the presence of noise, uncertainty, and indeterminate information. Traditional deep learning models often struggle to manage this, leading to reduced diagnostic accuracy, especially when dealing with low-quality or ambiguous conditions. This paper proposes a hybrid approach that integrates Neutrosophic Set (NS) theory with deep learning models to enhance X-ray image classification under uncertain conditions. NS theory introduces three domains: True (T), Indeterminate (I), and False (F) to manage image uncertainty and noise, allowing deep learning models to better interpret complex, ambiguous visual information. To evaluate the approach, five state-of-the-art deep …

Defining Diversity: Challenges To Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion Efforts In A Post-Affirmative Action America, Hannah Brown

Missouri Law Review

Finals season is a time of high stress in law schools. In fact, it is not uncommon for students to fantasize about miraculously convincing a court that a four-hour exam constitutes a form of intentional infliction of emotional distress. Such commentary remains firmly in comedic territory, not reality. Occasionally, however, law students with grievances beyond those expressed in the dramatic remarks above devote time and energy to seeking legal action against their respective law schools. The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York encountered such a situation in Doe v. New York University, where a student alleged …

Understanding The Interactive Effects Of Mindfulness Practices And Sleep Quality On Nightmare Frequency And Severity, Jessica M. Guerra

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Mindfulness and high-quality sleep can lessen nightmare frequency and severity. Sleep quality and nightmares are negatively correlated, and some studies have shown that mindfulness lessens nightmares. However, less is known about the combined effect of mindfulness and sleep quality on nightmare frequency and severity. This study aims to fill this gap by asking the question, does the combination of mindfulness and high-quality sleep have a stronger effect in lessening nightmare frequency and severity than either variable alone? Mindfulness practices should be explored alongside high-quality sleep to lessen the frequency and severity of nightmares using quantitative data analysis. A Qualtrics survey …

Electronic Hearing Protection: Advancements And Applications, Amanda Mattei

Doctoral Scholarly Projects & Capstones

Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) represents a significant and irreversible public health concern and is classified as the most prevalent occupational illness in the United States (Masterson et al., 2013). Prolonged exposure to hazardous noise levels precipitates auditory impairment and correlates with other comorbid health risks, including tinnitus (Tufts & Berger, 2022). While traditional hearing protection devices (HPDs) have been implemented extensively to mitigate NIHL, persistent issues such as user discomfort, barriers to effective communication, and compromised situational awareness impede their optimal utilization (Melamed et al., 1994; Neitzel & Seixas, 2005).

Recent innovations in electronic HPDs have emerged, targeting these limitations …

Unraveling Early Onset Disparities And Determinants: An Analysis Of Colorectal Cancer Outcomes And Trends In Texas, Tyler Torres, Elias Arellano Villanueva, Yossef Alsabawi, Demba Fofana, Manish Tripathi

School of Medicine Publications

Introduction: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S., with disparities in incidence, survival, and age at diagnosis across racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups. The rising incidence of early-onset CRC (< 50 years) has amplified concerns regarding access to care, screening disparities, and outcomes, particularly among minorities. This study examines the impact of race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status (SES), and sex on CRC survival and age at diagnosis in Texas from 1995 to 2016.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study utilized Texas Cancer Registry (TCR) data, including 235,076 CRC cases diagnosed between 1995 and 2016. Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank tests assessed 10-year survival by race and ethnicity and time period (1995-2005 vs. 2006-2016). Kruskal-Wallis tests with Bonferroni correction were used to compare survival years between racial/ethnic groups within each period. Age at diagnosis was analyzed by race and …

Small-Molecule Mitotic Inhibitors As Anticancer Agents: Discovery, Classification, Mechanisms Of Action, And Clinical Trials, Yazmin Salinas, Subhash Chauhan, Debasish Bandyopadhyay

School of Medicine Publications

Despite decades of research, cancer continues to be a disease of great concern to millions of people around the world. It has been responsible for a total of 609,820 deaths in the U.S. alone in 2023. Over the years, many drugs have been developed to remove or reduce the disease’s impact, all with varying mechanisms of action and side effects. One class of these drugs is small-molecule mitotic inhibitors. These drugs inhibit cancer cell mitosis or self-replication, impeding cell proliferation and eventually leading to cell death. In this paper, small-molecule mitotic inhibitors are discussed and classified through their discovery, underlying …

Baseline Associations Of Office And Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring With Cognitive Function And Dementia Prevalence, Jesus Melgarejo, Dhrumil Patil, Sokratis Charisis, Kristina P. Vatcheva, Silvia Mejia-Arango, Luis J. Mena, Claudia Satizabal, Eron G. Manusov, Sudha Seshadri, Gladys E. Maestre

School of Medicine Publications

Background: High blood pressure has been associated with dementia prevalence and incident. However, it is unclear the relationship of office and ambulatory BP monitoring with cognitive function and dementia and in particular, it remains unknown whether ambulatory BP variability relates to dementia.

Objective: To investigate the associations of office and 24-h blood pressure (BP) with cognitive function and dementia prevalence.MethodsCross-sectional population-based study of 1435 participants aged ≥40 years with office BP/24-h BP, and cognitive assessments (Mini-Mental State Examination [MMSE] and Selective Reminding Test [SRT]). Dementia was diagnosed with a clinical dementia rating ≥1.0. Statistics included logistic and linear regression models. …

Three Reference Genomes For Freshwater Diatom Ecology And Evolution, Wade R. Roberts, Andrew J. Alverson

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Diatoms are an important component of marine and freshwater ecosystems. Although the majority of described diatom species live in freshwater systems, genome sequencing efforts have focused primarily on marine species. Genomic resources for freshwater species have the potential to improve our understanding of diatom ecology and evolution, particularly in the context of major environmental shifts. We used long- and short-read sequencing platforms to assemble reference genomes for three freshwater diatom species, all in the order Thalalassiosirales, which are abundant in the plankton of oceans, lakes, reservoirs, and rivers worldwide. We targeted three species that cover the breadth of phylogenetic diversity …

Local Stabilising Density Effects In The Context Of Ecological Disturbance And Community Assembly, Cole J. Doolittle, Joseph A. Lamanna

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

The maintenance of species diversity in ecological communities has many promising explanations, including certain types of local biotic interactions that generate differential effects on the performance of conspecific and heterospecific individuals. To date, most studies of these local biotic interactions have focused on relatively stable systems, such as mature forests or undisturbed grasslands. However, many ecosystems are far from a stable state, especially under accelerating global climate change. Here, we present a synthesis of local differences between conspecific and heterospecific interactions following disturbances—and how disturbances may alter the strength and scaling of these effects to population growth and species diversity. …

Open Educational Resources For A More Just Romanticism, Leila Walker

Publications and Research

Efforts to diversify the field of Romanticism, long overdue, have intensified

recently, and many Romanticist organizations now sponsor programmes

aimed at amplifying Black and Brown voices. Most of these efforts have

focused on content: how to present Romanticism as a global movement

and include non-white authors in our anthologies and syllabi. While these

much-needed changes address some of the field’s traditional blind spots,

they do little to materially benefit our most vulnerable students or to

address the structural barriers that maintain Romanticism’s exclusionary

status quo. Open educational resources, or OERs, are one way to begin

productively transforming the way the …

Evaluation Of Marginal Gap And Fracture Resistance Of Different Cad/Cam Blocks For Indirect Restorations Of Mutilated Molar Teeth, Hend Sayed Ahmed, Hossam El Mandouh Tawfeek, Ahmed Refaat Mohamed

Dentistry

No abstract provided.

Gastroesophageal Reflux And Gastrointestinal Symptoms After Metabolic And Bariatric Surgery In Adolescents: An 8-Year Follow-Up Analysis, John B Rode, Suhail A Zeineddin, Jane C Khoury, Todd M Jenkins, Stephanie R Sisley, Anita P Courcoulas, Justin R Ryder, Marc P Michalsky, Thomas H Inge

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Importance: Vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG) and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) are the most commonly performed metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) procedures in adolescents and adults. Despite their safety and effectiveness, there is concern over postoperative gastrointestinal symptoms (GIS), especially gastroesophageal reflux symptoms (GERS), in those undergoing VSG.

Objective: To evaluate the long-term prevalence of GIS in adolescents who underwent RYGB or VSG.

Design, setting, and participants: This is a prospective, multicenter, observational cohort study at five academic referral centers in the United States. Patients were enrolled from February 28, 2007, through December 30, 2011. The analysis included 228 adolescents: 161 …

Glucose Uptake In Pigment Glia Suppresses Tau-Induced Inflammation And Photoreceptor Degeneration, Mikiko Oka, Sho Nakajima, Emiko Suzuki, Shinya Yamamoto, Kanae Ando

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

Brain inflammation contributes to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Glucose hypometabolism and glial activation are pathological features seen in AD brains; however, the connection between the two is not fully understood. Using a Drosophila model of AD, we identified that glucose metabolism in glia plays a critical role in neuroinflammation under disease conditions. Expression of human MATP (hereafter referred to as Tau) in the retinal cells, including photoreceptor neurons and pigment glia, causes photoreceptor degeneration accompanied by the formation of dark-stained round inclusion-like structures and swelling of the lamina cortex. We found that inclusion-like structures …

Single-Cell Transcriptomic Analysis Of Kaposi Sarcoma, Daniel A. Rauch, Paula Valiño Ramos, Mariam Khanfar, John Harding, Ancy Joseph, Anam Fahad, Paul Simonson, Isabel Risch, Obi Griffith, Malachi Griffith, Lee Ratner

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Kaposi Sarcoma (KS) is a complex tumor caused by KS-associated herpesvirus 8 (KSHV). Histological analysis reveals a mixture of "spindle cells", vascular-like spaces, extravasated erythrocytes, and immune cells. In order to elucidate the infected and uninfected cell types in KS tumors, we examined twenty-five skin and blood samples from sixteen subjects by single cell RNA sequence analyses. Two populations of KSHV-infected cells were identified, one of which represented a CD34-negative proliferative fraction of endothelial cells, and the second representing CD34-positive cells expressing endothelial genes found in a variety of cell types including high endothelial venules, fenestrated capillaries, and endothelial tip …

Dynein Light Chains 1 And 2 Are Auxiliary Proteins Of Ph-Sensitive Kir4.1 Channels, Sun-Joo Lee, Jian Gao, Ellen Thompson, Jonathan Mount, Colin G Nichols

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Inward rectifier Kir4.1 potassium channels are abundantly expressed in cells that are important for electrolyte homeostasis. Dysregulation of Kir4.1 underlies various neurological disorders. Here, through biochemical and structural studies of full-length Kir4.1, we show that dynein light chain 1 and 2 proteins, also as known as LC8, copurify with Kir4.1 at stoichiometric levels. Direct interaction between Kir4.1 and LC8 is supported by in vitro binding assays and reiterated with native Kir4.1 proteins from mouse brain. Notably, we identify a LC8 binding motif in the unstructured N terminus of Kir4.1. Among Kir subtypes, the motif is unique to Kir4.1 and is …

Applying Results Of Extended Genotyping To Management Of Positive Cervicovaginal Human Papillomavirus Test Results: Enduring Guidelines, L. Stewart Massad, Megan A. Clarke, Rebecca B. Perkins, Francisco Garcia, David Chelmow, Li C. Cheung, Teresa M. Darragh, Didem Egemen, Thomas S. Lorey, Ritu Nayar, Morgan Newman, Carolann Risley, Robert A. Smith, Nicolas Wentzensen, Enduring Consensus Cervical Cancer Screening And Management Guidelines Committee

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVE: The Enduring Consensus Cervical Cancer Screening and Management Guidelines Committee developed recommendations for the use of extended genotyping results in cervical cancer prevention programs.

METHODS: Risks of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 3 or worse were calculated using data obtained with the Onclarity HPV Assay from large cohorts. Management recommendations were based on clinical action thresholds developed for the 2019 American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology Risk-Based Management Consensus Guidelines. Risk estimates were reviewed in relation to clinical action thresholds and used as the basis for draft recommendations. After an open comment period, recommendations were finalized and ratified through …

First-In-Human Phase I Study Of A Cd16a Bispecific Innate Cell Engager, Afm24, Targeting Egfr-Expressing Solid Tumors, Anthony El-Khoueiry, Todd A Fehniger, Mark Foster, Melissa M Berrien-Elliott, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

PURPOSE: Innate immune cell-based therapies have shown promising antitumor activity against solid and hematologic malignancies. AFM24, a bispecific innate cell engager, binds CD16A on NK cells/macrophages and EGFR on tumor cells, redirecting antitumor activity toward tumors. The safety and tolerability of AFM24 were evaluated in this phase I/IIa dose-escalation/dose-expansion study in patients with recurrent or persistent, advanced solid tumors known to express EGFR.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: The main objective in phase I was to determine the MTD and/or recommended phase II dose. The primary endpoint was the incidence of dose-limiting toxicities during the observation period. Secondary endpoints included the incidence …

Genomic Analysis Of 11,555 Probands Identifies 60 Dominant Congenital Heart Disease Genes, Michael C Sierant, Sheng Chih Jin, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is a leading cause of infant mortality. We analyzed de novo mutations (DNMs) and very rare transmitted/unphased damaging variants in 248 prespecified genes in 11,555 CHD probands. The results identified 60 genes with a significant burden of heterozygous damaging variants. Variants in these genes accounted for CHD in 10.1% of probands with similar contributions from de novo and transmitted variants in parent-offspring trios that showed incomplete penetrance. DNMs in these genes accounted for 58% of the signal from DNMs. Thirty-three genes were linked to a single CHD subtype while 12 genes were associated with 2 to …

Acute Trem2 Inhibition Depletes Mafb-High Microglia And Hinders Remyelination, Jinchao Hou, Roberta Magliozzi, Yun Chen, Junjie Wu, John Wulf Ii, Gregory Strout, Xiangming Fang, Marco Colonna

2020-Current year OA Pubs

We investigated the role of Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) in myelin regeneration in the brain. TREM2 is a receptor that activates microglia, which are crucial for clearing myelin debris and promoting remyelination. Previous studies in a mouse model of demyelination induced by the copper-chelating agent Cuprizone (CPZ) have shown that stimulation of TREM2 with a monoclonal antibody reduces demyelination, while deleting the

Bcl-Xl Protects Ass1-Deficient Cancers From Arginine Starvation-Induced Apoptosis, Prashanta Kumar Panda, Ana Carolina Paschoalini Mafra, Alliny C S Bastos, Li Cao, Maria Serra Bonet, Caitlyn B Brashears, Ethan Yang Chen, Heather M Benedict-Hamilton, William Ehrhardt, John Bomalaski, Carina Dehner, Leonard C Rogers, Toshinao Oyama, Brian A Van Tine

2020-Current year OA Pubs

PURPOSE: Argininosuccinate synthetase 1 (ASS1) silencing in carcinomas and sarcomas leads to a dependence on extracellular arginine for survival. Arginine deprivation therapies, such as PEGylated arginine deiminase (ADI-PEG20), have shown limited effectiveness, which may be due to underlying mechanisms that inhibit apoptosis.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: The effects of ADI-PEG20 on cell-cycle regulation, apoptosis, and BCL-XL-mediated survival pathways in ASS1-deficient cancer cells were determined. The mechanism of cell death protection was determined by assessing caspase and PARP cleavage, CDK2 activity, MCL1 expression, and the interactions among BCL-XL, BAX, and BAK. In vitro synergy was determined, and in vivo efficacy was modeled.

RESULTS: …

Safety And Efficacy Of Fecal Microbiota, Live-Jslm, In Preventing Recurrent Clostridioides Difficile Infection In Participants Who Were Mildly To Moderately Immunocompromised In The Phase 3 Punch Cd3-Ols Study, Carolyn D Alonso, Glenn S Tillotson, Monique R Bidell, Beth Guthmueller, Frederikke Hoeyer, Monika Fischer, Erik R Dubberke

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Fecal microbiota, live-jslm (RBL; Rebyota), is the first Food and Drug Administration-approved, single-dose, microbiota-based live biotherapeutic to prevent recurrent

METHODS: Participants with rCDI who had immunocompromising conditions and/or were taking immunosuppressive medications were included. Treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were collected for up to 6 months following RBL administration. Efficacy outcomes included treatment success at 8 weeks and sustained clinical response at 6 months.

RESULTS: Overall, 793 participants were enrolled in PUNCH CD3-OLS and 697 received RBL; 141 were included in the immunocompromised subgroup. TEAEs within 8 weeks were reported by 44.7% and 48.0% of participants in the immunocompromised and …

Patient- And Community-Level Characteristics Associated With Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccination, Diya Surie, Jennie H Kwon, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

IMPORTANCE: In 2023, the first respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccines were recommended for US adults 60 years or older, but few data are available about which patients were most likely to receive vaccine to inform future RSV vaccine outreach efforts.

OBJECTIVE: To assess patient- and community-level characteristics associated with RSV vaccine receipt and patient knowledge and attitudes related to RSV disease and RSV vaccines.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: During the first season of RSV vaccine use from October 1, 2023, to April 30, 2024, adults 60 years or older hospitalized with RSV-negative acute respiratory illness were enrolled in this cross-sectional …

Patients' Attitudes To Magnetic Resonance Imaging In Perianal Fistulizing Crohn's Disease: A Global Survey, Easan Anand, Jalpa Devi, Anna Antoniou, Shivani Joshi, Jaap Stoker, Phillip Lung, Ailsa Hart, Phil Tozer, David H Ballard, Parakkal Deepak

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: There is limited patient involvement in radiological research for perianal fistulizing Crohn's disease (pfCD), despite magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)'s critical role in diagnosis and management. Patient and public involvement is essential for aligning research with patient priorities. This study aimed to gather patient perspectives on the use of MRI in pfCD.

METHODS: A mixed-methods approach was used, following Guidance for Reporting Involvement of Patients and the Public (GRIPP2) guidelines. An online survey, co-developed with a patient representative, included open and closed questions on MRI experiences, advantages, challenges, and the potential for Artificial Intelligence (AI)-generated reports. This was followed by …

Engineering Adhesive Hydrogels For Hemostasis And Vascular Repair, Juya Jeon, Shri Venkatesh Subramani, Kok Zhi Lee, Santiago Elizondo-Benedetto, Mohamed Adel Zayed, Fuzhong Zhang

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Adhesive hydrogels with tunable mechanical properties and strong adhesion to wet, dynamic tissues have emerged as promising materials for tissue repair, with potential applications in wound closure, hemorrhage control, and surgical adhesives. This review highlights the key design principles, material classifications, and recent advances in adhesive hydrogels designed for vascular repair. The limitations of existing adhesive hydrogels, including insufficient mechanical durability, suboptimal biocompatibility, and challenges in targeted delivery, are critically evaluated. Furthermore, innovative strategies-such as incorporating self-healing capabilities, developing stimuli-responsive systems, integrating functional nanocomposites, and employing advanced fabrication techniques like 3D bioprinting-are discussed to enhance adhesion, mechanical stability, and vascular …

Extremist Threats To Food And Agriculture Critical Infrastructure, Jennifer Carson, Michael K. Logan

Reports, Projects, and Research

In this report, NCITE researchers explore the current threat domestic extremists pose to the Food and Agriculture (FA) critical infrastructure sector. We pay specific attention to three threat actors, including 1) animal rights and environmentally motivated extremists, 2) racially/ethnically motivated violent extremists, and 3) anti-institutionalist extremists. Additionally, we elaborate on several security considerations that are unique to the FA sector and the role that precision agriculture technologies play in this ever-evolving threat landscape. We conclude by recommending strategies that national security leaders should consider to strengthen and fortify the FA sector.

Rapid Review B: Risk Factors In Terrorist Use Of Unmanned Aerial Systems, Suat Cubukcu

Reports, Projects, and Research

The National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology, and Education Center (NCITE) has been tasked by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to support evidenced, novel frameworks that accurately represent the current nature and future trajectory of the terrorist use of unmanned aerial system (UAS) threat. In support of a subject matter expert summit meeting to be hosted in early 2025, the project team has completed three rapid review reports, which focus on key dimensions of the issue, which include emerging trends, the logic of terrorist UAS exploitation, and related risk factors.