Digital Commons Network^™

Practicing With Intent: How To Teach An Old Dogma New Tricks, Matthew C Phillips, Kusha Davar, Sarah Freling, Steven Y C Tong, Todd C Lee, Emily G Mcdonald, Travis B Nielsen, Noah Wald-Dickler, Alfredo J Mena Lora, Rachael A Lee, Fergus Hamilton, Daniel M Musher, Rodrigo P L Costa, Bassam Ghanem, Rachel Baden, Brad Spellberg

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Clinicians are constantly bombarded with an onslaught of newly published data, yet they must make clinical decisions despite a dearth of clinical data. Sometimes, they may fall back on clinical practices entrenched by experience, unaware that they are upheld by dogmatic tradition rather than robust evidence. Ideally, the totality of evidence must be assessed and utilized for clinical decision-making, irrespective of entrenched orthodoxy. Here, we explore the questions, how much evidence is needed to revise established clinical practices and, more fundamentally, can data alone truly catalyze such shifts.

Atg Conjugation-Dependent/Independent Mechanisms Underlie Lysosomal Stress-Induced Tfeb Regulation, Shiori Akayama, Takayuki Shima, Tatsuya Kaminishi, Mengying Cui, Jlenia Monfregola, Kohei Nishino, Andrea Ballabio, Hidetaka Kosako, Tamotsu Yoshimori, Shuhei Nakamura

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

TFEB, a master regulator of autophagy and lysosomal biogenesis, is activated by several cellular stresses including lysosomal damage, but its underlying mechanism is unclear. TFEB activation during lysosomal damage depends on the ATG conjugation system, which mediates lipidation of ATG8 proteins. Here, we newly identify ATG conjugation-independent TFEB regulation that precedes ATG conjugation-dependent regulation, designated Modes I and II, respectively. We reveal unique regulators of TFEB in each mode: APEX1 in Mode I and CCT7 and/or TRIP6 in Mode II. APEX1 interacts with TFEB independently of the ATG conjugation system, and is required for TFEB stability, while both CCT7 and …

Strain-Specific Variability In Viral Kinetics, Cytokine Response, And Cellular Damage In Air-Liquid Cultures Of Human Nasal Organoids After Infection With Sars-Cov-2, Gina M Aloisio, Trevor J Mcbride, Letisha Aideyan, Emily M Schultz, Ashley M Murray, Anubama Rajan, Erin G Nicholson, David Henke, Laura Ferlic-Stark, Amal Kambal, Hannah L Johnson, Elina A Mosa, Fabio Stossi, Sarah E Blutt, Pedro A Piedra, Vasanthi Avadhanula

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

SARS-CoV-2 variants have demonstrated distinct epidemiological patterns and clinical presentations throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding variant-specific differences at the respiratory epithelium is crucial for understanding their pathogenesis. Here, we utilized human nasal organoid air-liquid interface (HNO-ALI) cell cultures to compare the viral replication kinetics, innate immune response, and epithelial damage of six different strains of SARS-CoV-2 (B.1.2, WA, Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron). All variants replicated efficiently in HNO-ALIs, but with distinct replication kinetic patterns. The Delta variant exhibited delayed replication kinetics, achieving a steady state at 6 days post-infection compared to 3 days for other variants. Cytokine analysis revealed …

Improved Allele Frequencies In Gnomad Through Local Ancestry Inference, Pragati Kore, Michael W Wilson, Grace Tiao, Katherine Chao, Philip W Darnowsky, Nicholas A Watts, Jessica Honorato Mauer, Samantha M Baxter, Genome Aggregation Database Consortium, Heidi L Rehm, Mark J Daly, Konrad J Karczewski, Elizabeth G Atkinson

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The Genome Aggregation Database (gnomAD) is a foundational resource for allele frequency data, widely used in genomic research and clinical interpretation. However, traditional estimates rely on individual-level genetic ancestry groupings that may obscure variation in recently admixed populations. To improve resolution, we applied local ancestry inference (LAI) to over 27 million variants in two admixed groups: Admixed American (n = 7612) and African/African American (n = 20,250), deriving ancestry-specific allele frequencies. We show that 78.5% and 85.1% of variants in these groups, respectively, exhibit at least a twofold difference in ancestry-specific frequencies. Moreover, 81.49% of variants with LAI information would …

Chimes: October 6, 2025, Calvin University

Chimes

Invading Hope: Embodying the Calvin community through tradition by Zach Kern & Hendrik Beelen

Calvin professors join lawsuit against Anthropic AI by Jorie Cho

"Think deeply and engage": New artwork on second Hiemenga by McKenna Wilkinson

Calvin acrobatics and tumbling rebuilds after coaching change by Evangeline Anga

Calvin's orchestra begins next chapter under new leadership by Ellery Johnson

Commitment, gratitude and celebration: Synod 2025 by Joe Toly

"In the round": How Calvin University's chapel was built to shape worship by Ella Vanden Berg

The Taxonomy And Origins Of Folia: A Brief Review, Donald G. Davis, Louise D. Hose, Harvey R. Duchene

International Journal of Speleology

All folia demonstrate a few common elements: folia (singular, folium) are planar or sub-planar speleothems, slanting downward and away from cave walls and ceilings, and genetically associated with fluctuating environmental interfaces. They were first identified and named from examples in western USA hypogenic caves but have since been identified elsewhere in the world. Folia shelves are typically composed of calcite and interweave smoothly along sub-horizontal contours. Calcite accretion, both chemical and mechanical from suspended particles, follows water-surface fluctuations to form protrusions in arrays along walls and ceilings where new accretion tends to follow the water-surface downward during descending phases, gradually …

The Effectiveness Of A Training Program Based On Social Skills In Reducing Attention Deficit Symptoms Among Students With Learning Disabilities In Riyadh Region, Abdullah Munahi Hudib Alqahtani

University of Bisha Journal for Educational Sciences

The current study aimed to reveal the effectiveness of a training program based on social skills to reduce attention deficit of students with learning disabilities in the primary stage in Riyadh region. The study sample consisted of (12) students with learning disabilities in the primary stage and their ages ranged between (9-10) years, with an average age of (9.42) years and a standard deviation of (0.515). They were divided into two groups, one experimental and the other controlling, each consisting of (6) students. The study used attention deficit scale, and the training program. The results revealed that there were statistically …

The Donut Hole Fall 2025, Medicare Donations & Design Committee

Donut Hole Newsletter

• 🗓 Fall 2025 Event Calendar – 11 total events (nine in-person across six cities and two virtual events).
• 🌞 Oak Park Summer Event – Experiences and outcomes from our Summer Medicare Health Fair.
• 💆 Class Wellness Activities – Highlights of faculty- and staff-led sessions and student experiences.
• 🤝 Mentor-Mentee Program – CV review, mock interviews, and longitudinal mentorships based on shared interests, including interviews with current participants.
• 👩‍🏫 New Medicare Faculty Introductions
• …and much more!

From Batches To Flow: Transforming Downstream Processing Into A Continuous Enterprise, Alois Jungbauer

Integrated Continuous Biomanufacturing VII (ICB VII)

Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract

Cpi’S End-To-End Continuous Intensified Biomanufacturing Platform: Accelerating Innovation In Bioprocess Development And Sustainability, Liam Nattrass, Joseph Zeguer, Kevin Kokkad

Integrated Continuous Biomanufacturing VII (ICB VII)

Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract

25 Conference Program - Integrated Continuous Biomanufacturing Vii, Kevin Brower, Alois Jungbauer, Mark Brower, Irina Ramos

Integrated Continuous Biomanufacturing VII (ICB VII)

No abstract provided.

Promising The First Amendment: (De)Regulating Speech In Higher Education, Max M. Schanzenbach, Kimberly A. Yuracko

Northwestern University Law Review

The war between Hamas and Israel has caused havoc in higher education. Amid student unrest, alumni pressure, congressional hearings, civil rights investigations, and student lawsuits, universities stand at a crossroads. The current situation, in which most private universities unevenly regulate student speech under ambiguous student codes, is not sustainable politically or legally. A tsunami of litigation and regulatory actions has already begun. One increasingly favored response is for private universities to more vigorously enforce existing codes or expand their scope. An alternative is for private universities to deregulate student expression and commit by contract to the First Amendment. This Article …

Causal Ai-Based Clinical And Radiomic Analysis For Optimizing Patient Selection In Combined Immunotherapy And Sabr In Early-Stage Nsclc: A Secondary Analysis Of The Phase Ii I-Sabr Trial, Maliazurina B Saad, Eman Showkatian, Vivek Verma, Qasem Al-Tashi, Muhammad Aminu, Xinyan Xu, Muhamed Qayati Mohamed, Morteza Salehjahromi, Sheeba J Sujit, Yuliya Kitsel, Steven H Lin, Zhongxing Liao, Saumil Gandhi, David Qian, David Jaffray, Caroline Chung, Natalie I Vokes, Jianjun Zhang, J Jack Lee, John V Heymach, Jia Wu, Joe Y Chang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: The recent phase II randomized stereotactic ablative radiotherapy with and without immunotherapy (I-SABR) trial has shown improved event-free survival (EFS) when adding immunotherapy to stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) for early-stage inoperable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, optimizing patient selection thereof is critical, because not every patient benefits from immunotherapy. Leveraging the powerful use of artificial intelligence, this secondary analysis of the I-SABR trial developed a modeling system (named "I-SABR-SELECT") based on clinical and radiomic factors to address which patients should receive additional immunotherapy.

Methods: The discovery/validation cohorts were from the I-SABR trial, with external validation from the single-arm …

Bridging The Gap: Awareness Of Healthy Menstrual Practices Among Married And Single Women In Baghdad Teaching Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Study, Ban Yousif Yaaqoob

Al-Nisour Journal for Medical Sciences

Background: Menstruation is a natural biological process that significantly impacts women’s physical and emotional well-being. Despite its universality, misconceptions and unhealthy practices surrounding menstruation persist, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This study aimed to assess the knowledge and practices of married and single women regarding healthy menstrual habits in Baghdad, Iraq.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from December 20, 2022, to February 25, 2023, involving 100 women divided into two groups: 50 single females from the College of Health and Medical Techniques and 50 married employees from Baghdad Teaching Hospital. Data were collected through structured interviews and …

Enhancing Automated Lung Disease Detection From Chest Radiography: An Interpretable Deep Learning Approach With Integrated Preprocessing And Ensemble Modeling, Ahmed Mohammed Abdulkarem, Jamal Kamil K. Abbas, Qamar Ali Abdulridha

Al-Nisour Journal for Medical Sciences

In this study, we tackled the problem of early pulmonary disease detection in chest radiography by developing and evaluating a sophisticated deep learning framework. Our goal was to improve diagnostic precision for conditions like cancer and pneumonia. To do this, we combined insights from current literature with a rigorous experimental protocol using a 5,000-image sample from the well-known NIH Chest X-ray dataset. A core component of our work was the implementation of a multi-stage preprocessing pipeline, featuring both lung segmentation and targeted contrast enhancement, designed to focus the model’s attention on relevant clinical features.

We assessed our models, which were …

Assessment Of Some Cardiac Markers (Ck-Mb, Myoglobin And Troponin) In Iraqi Type-2 Diabetic Patients With Metabolic Syndrome, Hayder Bassim Najeb

Al-Nisour Journal for Medical Sciences

Cardiovascular diseases in the context of diabetes represent a main cause of morbidity and mortality with a two to three times higher risk of cardiovascular diseases in T2DM patients than in people without the condition (normoglycemia). The current study aimed to assess some Cardiac markers (CK-MB, myoglobin and troponin) in Iraqi type two diabetic patients with metabolic syndrome. The study was carried out on (60) patients with type-2 Diabetes mellitus who were divided into 2 groups: (30) subjects having metabolic syndromes and (30) subjects without metabolic syndromes. Venous blood samples were taken from patients who visited the Medical City Hospital-Baghdad …

Longest Gift Funds Transfer Scholarships, Bill Dabney

University of Mississippi News

OXFORD, Miss. – An estate gift from a former University of Mississippi faculty member has added almost a quarter of a million dollars to an endowment established in 2019 to help offset tuition expenses for students who transfer to Ole Miss from a community college.

The Impact Of Storage Duration And Elevated Temperature On The Biological And Chemical Characteristics Of Whole Milk Powder, Hussein Ali Shaghati, Rawia Mahmood Yousif, Asmaa Ali Awad

Al-Nisour Journal for Medical Sciences

A total of 45 Whole milk powder(WMP) samples from the same brand and batch were collected and tested pre and post-storage under closed conditions at 45–50 °C. during 60, 90, 120, and 150-day intervals. For the chemical indicators of the WMP, there were no significant differences in the content of fat during the different storage intervals, as the fat value was 30.00–29.99%, while the protein percent was 23.23% and did not change significantly during the storage at 60, 90, 120, and 150 days respectively. On the other hand, significant differences occurred in the moisture content, where the moisture value ranged …

Nanoseal-X: A Theoretical Design For A Phase-Aligned Multifunctional Wound Dressing Based On Chitosan–Ha–Nanoparticle Composite, Mohammed Mahdi Salman Ghadban

Al-Nisour Journal for Medical Sciences

Chronic wounds pose major clinical and economic challenges, especially in patients with comorbidities or impaired healing responses. This study presents NanoSeal-X™, a bioinspired multifunctional wound dressing engineered to address distinct biological demands at each phase of healing. The theoretical construct integrates a dual-layer matrix: a hyaluronic acid-based hydrogel embedded with silver nanoparticles, amoxicillin, and lidocaine, supported by a chitosan-based scaffold. Each component is strategically selected to provide hemostasis, infection control, tissue regeneration, and pain relief. This work presents a theoretical design framework to guide the development of multifunctional wound dressings. NanoSeal-X™ integrates pharmacological and bioactive components aligned with distinct healing …

Shohani Hormonal Guard (Shg): A Multifunctional Nutraceutical Approach To Treating Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Through Metabolic, Hormonal, And Anti-Inflammatory Pathways, Mohammed Mahdi Salman Ghadban

Al-Nisour Journal for Medical Sciences

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a complex endocrine-metabolic disorder affecting women of reproductive age. It is characterized by ovarian dysfunction, insulin resistance, and hyperandrogenism, often accompanied by an overactive hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. “Shohani Hormonal Guard” (SHG) is a nutraceutical formulation designed to target PCOS pathophysiology via multiple ingredients. We present a comprehensive review of SHG’s components – including inositols, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), berberine, ashwagandha, omega-3 fatty acids, and micronutrients (zinc, magnesium, vitamin B6, vitamin D3/K2, resveratrol, chromium, probiotics, etc.) – and their mechanistic roles and clinical benefits in PCOS. The literature demonstrates that SHG’s ingredients improve insulin sensitivity, modulate cortisol and …

Correlation Of Immunological Biomarkers And Severity Of Pneumonia In Pediatric Patients, Dhifaf Abdulrhaman, Mohammed B Hassan

Al-Nisour Journal for Medical Sciences

Among children under five, pneumonia stands as a major contributor to both illness and death, creating a significant challenge for global health efforts. This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between radiological severity, clinical parameters (such as fever and oxygen saturation), and laboratory markers (including CRP levels, white blood cell count, and the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio) in pediatric patients with pneumonia. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 51 hospitalized children with severe pneumonia admitted to Al Mansour Pediatric Hospital in Baghdad from July 2024 to February 2025. The results revealed a strong association between radiologic severity and clinical indicators, with higher …

The Role Of Regulatory T Cells In Ischemic Heart Disease Patients, Duha Alaa Hassan, Hayfaa Mahmood Fahad, Saad Fadhel Nassar

Al-Nisour Journal for Medical Sciences

Background: Regulatory T cells (Tregs) represent 5–10% of the total T cell population and are known as potent suppressors of the immune system. They are crucial for managing immune activation, ensuring peripheral tolerance, and supporting tissue repair and overall homeostasis. These cells are characterized by the expression of specific biomarkers, including CD4+, FOXP3+, and CD25+. While CD4 and CD25 were initially used for their identification, the discovery of CD25 on other T cell types led to a more precise evaluation of Tregs through the assessment of the intracellular Foxp3 transcription factor.

Objective: The primary goal of this study was to …

Advanced Strategies And Solutions Towards More Secure And Effective Two-Factor Authentication In Networking, Zahraa Sameer Jawad

Al-Esraa University College Journal for Engineering Sciences

With the rapid increase in cybersecurity threats targeting network systems, traditional two-factor authentication (2FA) methods are insufficient to address advanced attacks. Vulnerabilities such as phishing, SIM-swapping, and social engineering exploit the limitations of SMS-based and email-based 2FA. This paper examines advanced strategies and solutions for securing networked environments through robust 2FA mechanisms, focusing on approaches like elliptic curve cryptography (ECC), digital certificates, and biometric verification. This article offers a comparative review of various strategies about their effectiveness in enhancing security, while also highlighting their capacity to optimize user-friendliness and adaptability to emerging threats. Research findings promote an effective countermeasure strategy …

Advancements In Ultrasound Technology And Iot Security: A Physics-Based Approach To Enhanced Imaging With Lightweight Encryption Algorithms, Noor Fawzi Shafiq

Al-Esraa University College Journal for Engineering Sciences

The rapid advancements in ultrasound technology, coupled with the growing significance of IoT security, present a unique opportunity to enhance imaging systems while ensuring data integrity. This study explores the integration of physics-based principles in ultrasound imaging, focusing on how lightweight encryption algorithms can secure data transmitted from IoT devices.Ultrasound technology has evolved significantly, benefiting from improved imaging techniques and the incorporation of IoT devices. As these devices proliferate across various applications, including healthcare and industrial monitoring, the need for secure data transmission becomes paramount. This paper proposes a framework that combines advanced ultrasound imaging with robust lightweight encryption methods …

Groundwater Quality Analyses For Irrigation Purposes In Salah Al-Din, Iraq: A Review, Noor A. Radhi, Dawood E. Sachit, Abdul-Sahib T. Al-Madhhachi

Al-Esraa University College Journal for Engineering Sciences

The focus of this study is the effect of the physical and chemical characteristics of groundwaters on plants and agricultural crops, following the last studies on this matter. The results underscore the necessity for groundwater treatment before its utilization in irrigation for sustainable agricultural farming. It is also possible to identify which crop type can be grown in well-watered land, according to the characteristics of irrigation water and the yield of each crop. The study also introduces some ideas about irrigation water quality parameters such as Electrical conductivity (EC), Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), pH, Chloride (Cl^–), Sodium (Na …

Review Of Against Sex: Identities Of Sexual Restraint In Early America, Colby Townsend

Communal Societies

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Plastic Mulch And Irrigation On Hemp Chemistry And Leaf Endophytes, Allison Rietman, Connor Morozumi, Robert C. Pearce, Natalie Christian

Journal of Agricultural Hemp Research

As an emerging crop, cultivation techniques for industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) are still being developed and optimized. For example, irrigation and plastic mulching are some management practices that have been touted for their benefits in improving crop quality. Both techniques ensure ample water availability, which has often been attributed to improving hemp cannabinoid and terpene composition. In this study, we examined how supplemental irrigation implemented in a plastic mulch system influenced the cannabinoid and terpene profiles of one cultivar of CBD hemp, Lifter. We grew industrial hemp in field with plastic mulch and applied regular irrigation to one group …

The Student Movement Volume 110 Issue 3: Alumni Weekend Was A Slam Dunk, Jj Nixon, Melanie Webb, Lia Glass, Ember Clark, Andrew Francis, Isa Demoraes, Joey Carrion, Reagan Westerman, Aiko J. Ayala Rios, Anna Rybachek, Melissa Moore, Maya Thomas, Alyssa Caruthers

The Student Movement V. 110 (2025-2026)

HUMANS

Alumni Spotlight: Denry White, JJ Nixon

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Supporting Student Business: The 269 Flea Market, Melanie Webb

HamilTEN, Lia Glass

Howard Center Presents: Heritage Singers, Ember Clark

Matcha, Fashion, and Masculinity: Andrews Hosts a Performative Male Contest, Ember Clark

NEWS

Alumni Sweep First Cardinal Basketball Games of New School Year, Andrew Francis

Tradition Marches On at Alumni Weekend Parade, Isa DeMoraes

IDEAS

Forgiveness or Hate: Tragedy in America and an Inflection Point, Joey Carrion

Scrolling Less, Thinking More: The Long-Form Revival, Reagan Westerman

Question of the Week #3, Aiko J. Ayala Rios

PULSE

Dorm Decor: Fall Edition, Anna …

Livingness As A Liberatory Framework For Decolonizing Lis Praxis, Sarah Appedu

School of Information Studies - Post-doc and Student Scholarship

The fields of library and information science (LIS) are in a pivotal moment. While the stakes may seem higher than ever, Indigenous, Black, and queer communities have long anticipated this moment, demonstrating how libraries and archives are not yet equipped to meaningfully participate in the project of decolonization. I build on existing calls for decolonization in our discourse and practices by drawing attention to the living/non-living dualism in our ontologies and the ways it constrains our ability to reconcile with our fields’ colonizing origins. I contemplate what it would mean to treat all information as endowed with a sense of …

Lived Experiences Of Obese Women In Mississippi Concerning The Role Of Psychosocial Factors In The Development Of Obesity, Temitope Olabode

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

One of the highest rates of obesity in the United States is in Mississippi, where middle- aged obese women deal with a variety of social, cultural, and personal issues, including shame, discrimination, and stigma based on weight, mental anguish, cultural norms, financial limitations, and restricted access to healthcare. This study investigated the psychosocial factors that contribute to obesity in women aged 40- 60 years, and the effects of obesity on body image, self-esteem, health behaviors, and quality of life. A qualitative phenomenological study using the social ecological model (SEM) framework looked at the individual, interpersonal, and policy levels of the …