Digital Commons Network^™

Prepregnancy Overweight And Obesity In Kuwait Birth Cohort Study, Abdullah Al-Taiar, Ali H. Ziyab, Eelaf A. Husain, Maryam M.Y. Mohammad, Maryem A. Shamsah, Noor Salah Alali, Reem Sharaf-Alddin, Majeda S. Hammoud

Epidemiology, Biostatistics, & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Objectives: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of prepregnancy obesity and overweight, and to identify a set of sociodemographic factors that could guide weight management interventions for women prior to conception.

Design, Sample, and Measurements: Pregnant women (N = 989) were recruited in the Kuwait Birth Cohort Study during the period June 2017 to February 2020. Prepregnancy weight and height were self-reported, while current weight and height were measured in a standardized procedure. Data on sociodemographic factors were collected through face-to-face interviews conducted by a trained data collector. Multinomial logistic regression was used to investigate the association between sociodemographic …

A Cross-Sectional Study Investigating The Relationship Between The Fto Gene Polymorphism In Relation To Obesity Traits And Vitamin D Status In Adolescence, Ahmad Al-Serri, Rabeah A. Al-Temaimi, Abdullah Al-Taiar, Lemia Shaban, Reem Al-Sabah, Abdur Rahman, Ali H. Ziyab

Epidemiology, Biostatistics, & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background and Objective: Obesity affects 18%-25% of adolescents globally and represents a major public health challenge. Genetic factors contribute to obesity susceptibility, with the FTO gene variant rs9939609 consistently associated with obesity in adults; however, evidence in adolescents is limited. This study examined the association between FTO and obesity traits in adolescents and explored potential interactions with vitamin D status.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 509 adolescents aged 10-15 years were genotyped for FTO rs9939609. Obesity traits, including BMI, BMI z-score, and waist circumference, were assessed. Associations with genotype were analyzed using an additive genetic model, and potential interactions with …

Spectral Frequency And Broadband Noise Analysis Of The Firefighter Environment: Potential Implications For Cardiac Health, James Blando, Catherine Reed, Amya Turner

Epidemiology, Biostatistics, & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Firefighters are well known to have elevated risk of adverse health outcomes across a wide range of diseases and injuries, including cancer, hearing loss, fatal cardiac events, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), sleep disorders, and many other adverse outcomes. It has been speculated that the noise environment is a significant risk factor for several of these diseases. In particular, the impact of noise on cardiac outcomes has recently been identified. An environmental survey of noise that included spectral and broadband analysis was conducted across all 14 firehouses in a southeastern city in the United States as a first step to investigate …

Characteristics Of Women Who Fast During Pregnancy: Findings From The Kuwait Birth Cohort Study, Abdullah Al-Taiar, Ali H. Ziyab, Reem Al Sabah, Ahmed N. Albatineh, James Blando, Majeda S. Hammoud

Epidemiology, Biostatistics, & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Fasting during pregnancy is a widespread practice in Muslim communities, yet its health implications remain poorly understood. A lack of conceptual frameworks and limited understanding of the characteristics of women who fast during pregnancy have hindered research in this area. This study examines the differences in several nutritional biomarkers between women who fasted and those who did not and identifies factors associated with fasting behaviour. We analysed data from the Kuwait Birth Cohort in which information on fasting, sociodemographic characteristics and health behaviours was collected via structured interviews between 2017 and 2021. Clinical and laboratory data were extracted from medical …

Examining The Association Of Maternal Oral Health Experiences With Adverse Birth Outcomes: Findings From Virginia's Prams Survey, May Salama, Abdullah Al-Taiar, Denise C. Mckinney, Li-Wu Chen, Anwar T. Merchant

Epidemiology, Biostatistics, & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background

Preterm birth (PTB) and low birth weight (LBW) are significant public health challenges globally, contributing to neonatal morbidity, mortality, and long-term complications. Maternal oral health has been increasingly recognized as a potential contributor to PTB and LBW, yet there is inconclusive evidence about the effectiveness of dental cleaning in preventing PTB and LBW. This study examined the association between dental cleaning during pregnancy and the prevalence of PTB and LBW using data from the Virginia Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS).

Methods

We analyzed data from Virginia PRAMS Phases 7 and 8, spanning a 10-year period from 2012 to …

Paneugenesis: A Regenerative Systems Hypothesis For Advancing Health Promotion, Craig M. Becker, Leslie Hoglund, Beth Chaney, Joseph G. L. Lee, Michael Stellefson, Alex Davis

Epidemiology, Biostatistics, & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Despite major advances in health promotion science, dominant approaches remain largely prevention-and risk-reduction-oriented. The prevailing orientation creates a substantial opportunity to advance generative, system-design strategies that intentionally produce well-being rather than merely prevent disease. This article proposes paneugenesis as a regenerative systems framework and a testable theoretical model for the intentional creation of net-positive outcomes, thereby extending health promotion beyond its traditional pathogenic emphasis. Paneugenesis integrates systems science, salutogenesis, behavioral science, complexity theory, and quality management principles into a unified four-function process: operationalizing idealized outcomes, identifying key precursors, optimizing processes, and continually plotting progress through feedback mechanisms. The central hypothesis …

Prevalence Of Dengue Infection In Bangladesh: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Md. Estiar Rahman, Abdullah Al-Taiar, May Salama, Michele A. Kekeh, Ahmed N. Albatineh

Epidemiology, Biostatistics, & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Objective: 

To estimate the pooled prevalence of dengue infection in Bangladesh.

Methods:

Literature search was conducted across PubMed, Web of Science, and Hinari between December 2024 and April 2025, supplemented by references searching. The Joanna Briggs Institute checklist was used for evaluating study quality. A random effects meta-analysis of proportion, including subgroup analyses, was performed with R software (version 4.5.1).

Results:

Out of 2 087 records, 28 studies were included. The pooled prevalence of confirmed dengue infection among clinically suspected patients was 49.3% (95% Cl 36.1-62.6), with a significant high heterogeneity (I²=99.2%, τ²=1.81, P< 0.001). Stratified analysis showed a pooled prevalence of 47.9% (95% Cl 34.0-62.2, I2=99.1%, …

First-Job Contract Review Cheat Sheet, Johanna Jones-Morris, Ashlee Martellacci

Teaching and Learning Resources

This cheat sheet helps first-time employees understand what to review before signing an employment contract. It highlights job duties, compensation, scheduling, employment terms, benefits, restrictive clauses, worker classification, and common red flags so that individuals can ask informed questions and recognize potentially unfair or unclear terms.

Pay Stub Decoding Guide, Johanna Jones-Morris, Ashlee Martellacci

Teaching and Learning Resources

This guide explains the primary sections of a pay stub and helps employees understand how their earnings and take-home pay are calculated. Using a sample format, it reviews employee and pay-period information, regular and overtime earnings, deductions, year-to-date totals, and net pay while encouraging workers to check their records for accuracy.

Parents’ Perspectives On Trajectories Of Well-Being For Immigrant Youth From Central America., Tatiana Londoño, Lauren E. Gulbas, Luis H. Zayas

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

This study explored the trajectories of well-being among immigrant youth in the United States using an ecodevelopmental and posttraumatic growth perspective. Immigrant youth were from the Northern Triangle of Central America and had recently been released from immigration family detention in the United States. Through time-ordered matrix thematic analysis of interviews with 15 mothers at baseline and follow-up (N = 30 interviews), the research revealed a complex landscape of challenges and adaptations during resettlement. While initial adverse emotional outcomes were common, these tended to improve over time as families gained stability in the United States. Family structure emerged as …

Behind The Curtain: A Literature Review Of Personal And Ecological Risk Factors And Current Multi-Level Interventions For Performing Artists, Christopher A. Robles

Social Work Theses

Performing artists experience psychological distress, including anxiety, depression, burnout, and substance use disorders, at rates significantly exceeding those of the general population. Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory (EST) and the Person-in-Environment (PIE) perspective, this structured literature review synthesizes research published between 2010 and 2026 to examine individual personality traits, environmental stressors across meso- and macro-systems, and existing multi-level mental health interventions for performing artists. Findings reveal that while traits such as high openness to experience, sensory processing sensitivity, and perfectionism foster artistic expression, they also heighten vulnerability to occupational stressors, financial precarity, social isolation, and venue-based substance exposure. Current …

A Multi-Case Qualitative Study Exploring Counseling Skills Courses For The Presence Of The Practice Of Counselor Reflexivity, Timothy Marlin Olsen

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Counselor reflexivity is an integral component of the skill set and professional identity of the effective counselor. However, counseling skills and methods courses often do not include the teaching of this practice within their curriculum of valuable counseling techniques. Further, there also exists a gap in scholarly counseling literature about counselor reflexivity. Through this qualitative multi-case study of five counseling skills/counseling methods courses I sought to discover if counselor educators understood and subsequently taught this practice which seems to be underrepresented in such courses. First, through a review of supporting literature my study revealed no clear delineation of counselor reflexivity …

The Current State Of Behavioral Health Curriculum Within Professional Athletic Training Programs, Bethany R. Rohl

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Behavioral health concerns among adolescents and young adults have increased in recent years, placing greater expectations on athletic trainers (ATs) to recognize and respond to these conditions in clinical practice. Although accreditation standards require behavioral health competencies within professional athletic training education, variability may exist in how faculty are prepared to teach this content. This study examined athletic training faculty preparation for teaching behavioral health, how programs implement and assess behavioral health content, and faculty perceptions of student satisfaction with behavioral health education.

Consensual qualitative research method was used. Eleven athletic training faculty (9 females, 2 males; age = 37.91 …

Management-Driven Shifts In The Bison Fecal Microbiome And Its Relationship To Stec Prevalence, Ritesh Ray

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Contamination of meat samples from pathogens such as Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), especially in ruminants, is an ever-growing issue for the safety of global meat production. Recent studies have reported STEC in the livestock and food industry with a limited focus on wildlife. Although cattle serve as the primary reservoir for STEC, American bison (Bison bison bison) is the largest ruminant inhabiting North America, sharing similar genetics, and grazing habits, making them an ideal alternative STEC reservoir. Re-introduction for prairie conservation and meat farming has brought bison herds closer to anthropic environments than before. Recently bison meat has become …

Empowering State-Level Multilingual Education Leaders: Harnessing Generative Artificial Intelligence For Program Administration, Geqigula M. Dlamini

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to understand how generative artificial intelligence could empower program staff at the California Department of Education (CDE) who support state-level multilingual programs by providing training and opportunities to review existing practices and identify promising use cases. With limited fiscal and personnel resources, state program staff had to rethink and intentionally consider how to enhance their own capacity to keep program momentum and support practitioners in the growth area of multilingual education.

With empowerment theory as the theoretical framework, this qualitative, participatory action research study involved 11 members of the Multilingual Support Division at the CDE. These co-researchers …

Exploring The Impact Of Social Identity-Based Support Groups On Students' Sense Of Belonging In Higher Education, Jasmine D. Patel

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Students who hold marginalized social identities report experiencing a lower sense of belonging at their institutions of higher education than their peers. A low sense of belonging has in turn been linked to lower academic performance, lower scores on mental health and well-being measures, and lower rates of degree completion. Utilizing a mixed method approach, this researcher examines the experiences of students who participated in a social identity-based support group intervention intended to improve the sense of belonging of students who hold marginalized social identities. Eight university students participated in the support group intervention over the course of one academic …

(Critical) Hope As An Arrow: A Mixed Methods Study On Student-To-School Counselor Ratios And Student Outcomes In High-Poverty School Districts, Hien Pham

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

School counselors serve on the front line of student support in K-12 public school settings. However, not all school districts are adequately resourced nor require school counselors as essential members of the school team. Review of extant literature found that school counselors’ service delivery is affected by issues related to role clarity, program evaluation and existing policy. A lack of understanding of school counselors’ work and inconsistent training in program evaluation hinders the implementation of a comprehensive school counseling program, with high student-to-school counselor ratios remaining the status quo. In California, the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) legislation holds local …

Supporting First-Generation College Student Success Through Increased Participation In High-Impact Academic Practices, Michael Daly

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

First-generation college students, those with neither parent having earned a bachelor’s degree, represent approximately one-third of all students attending college in the United States. Many enter college not fully prepared for success and, despite decades of research and the development of a variety of student support interventions, substantial and lasting improvements in their institutional retention and graduation rates on a national level have been elusive. This persistent issue creates a variety of negative consequences for the students, the institutions they attend, and society. The purpose of this action research study was to develop recommendations for improving the practice of supporting …

Crypto Kleptocracy, W. Robert Thomas, Jeffery Y. Zhang

Michigan Law Review Online

Many Americans are worrying about whether they will soon be living in a postdemocracy autocracy. But in the meantime, they may already be living in a crypto-fueled kleptocracy. Less than one year into his second presidential term, Donald Trump has reportedly taken his wealth to new heights by embracing, both as a businessman and a politician, the crypto industry. Trump’s family businesses are involved in minting Trump-themed meme coins, creating America- themed stablecoins, and mining crypto assets—so successfully that most of Trump’s wealth is likely now from crypto, not real estate. All the while, the Trump Administration is rolling back …

The President And The Power Grid, Alexandra B. Klass, Dave Owen

Michigan Law Review Online

There is a sharp discontinuity between the second Trump Administration’s electricity policies and those of previous presidential administrations. President Trump has directed the Department of Energy to use statutory authority designed for wartime conditions and sudden emergencies to prevent electric utilities from retiring aging coal plants. In doing so, he has elevated the president’s role in electric-grid governance and reduced the primacy of the expert regulatory agency—the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission—that Congress authorized to govern electricity markets and grid reliability.

This Essay places these actions in historical context. It recounts the executive branch’s role in electricity policy during the first …

Reflux Micro-Aspiration: Natural History, Pathophysiology, Clinical Presentation And Treatment, Oleksandr Khoma

Theses

Background

The accurate diagnosis of gastro-oesophageal reflux pulmonary micro-aspiration has only become possible recently with the introduction of a novel technique of reflux micro-aspiration scintigraphy study combined with single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) combined with x-ray tomography (CT) in a hybrid instrument (1-3). This has allowed the accurate diagnosis of pulmonary and airway contamination with refluxate. Previously only patients with large volume symptomatic reflux aspiration were diagnosed clinically (Mendelson syndrome) or by 2-dimentional barium meal or an older plantar (2 dimensional) technique of scintigraphic aspiration studies. The concept of reflux micro-aspiration has been implicated in multiple pulmonary diseases but …

A Qualitative Case Study Exploring The Processes And Criteria For Presidential Leadership Selection In Three United States Higher Institutions Of Learning, Gabriel Kofi Boahen Nsiah

Dissertations

Background of the Problem

Today, research on U.S. higher education presidential search processes is limited, and existing literature characterizes these searches as reactive postures that are secretive, closed-door practices that have not adapted to the early signals of external seismic change. According to Quincy Martin (2021), “the world has evolved (p. 99).” Therein lies the problem. Quincy Martin insists, “Higher education has entered a period of upheaval, aided by new technologies, but hampered by political and cultural shifts. These are only amplified by modern, warp-speed information-sharing practices. All of this has exacerbated the consequences of scandals that threaten the stability …

Examining Preoperative Health And Lifestyle Risk Factors In Patients Awaiting Surgery During Covid-19 In Western Australia, Nadine Radin

Theses

This study investigated the prevalence of modifiable preoperative lifestyle risk factors among patients undergoing upper gastrointestinal and colorectal surgery at a metropolitan hospital in Perth, Western Australia (WA). It aimed to characterise behaviours such as smoking, alcohol and drug use, nutritional risk, physical fitness, frailty, and body mass index (BMI), and to examine whether these changed during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 compared to 2019.

A retrospective audit of 2,340 patient medical records was conducted, with data extracted from routinely collected preadmission documentation. Regression models compared the prevalence of risk factors across matched calendar periods, adjusting …

Velocity Based Training In Athletic Development, Ross Martin Sangalang

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The foundation of high-level sport performance is the ability to produce and express force rapidly across the task-specific temporal demands of sport. Traditional percentage-based prescription methods have long been used to develop hypertrophy, maximal strength, and power; however, fixed %1RM prescriptions fail to account for daily undulations in athlete readiness, accumulated fatigue, and changes in neuromuscular capacity. Velocity based training (VBT) offers a practical framework to regulate training through measurement of concentric velocity, allowing coaches to more accurately prescribe loads, stringently monitor repetition quality, and precisely regulate fatigue. This review discusses the neuromuscular qualities underpinning success in athletic endeavors, limitations …

Patterns Of Decision-Making And Stakeholder Prioritization In International Education Leaders At American Higher Education Institutions, Daniel C. Evans

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This quantitative study was conducted using a stakeholder theory analysis method to determine what patterns of decision-making exist in international educational leadership. The existing demands on international education leaders and recent geopolitical events have placed existing funding and ideological pressure on these individuals. This research was significant by reducing feelings of leadership isolation and providing data-driven analysis on how practitioners are responding to these pressures.

Participants were recruited from the membership of the Association of International Education Administrators, with the delimitation criteria that they have working experience in a managerial role in international education programming in the United States. In …

Expectations In The Preservation Of Dna And Bacterial Organisms In Differential Montana Burials, Kaylee M. Hinds

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This study investigates patterns of decomposition and biomolecular preservation in domestic pig (Sus scrofa domesticus) proxies under varying burial conditions in a cold, seasonal climate. Conducted at the Lubrecht Experimental Forest in western Montana, the project aims to evaluate DNA degradation, microbial activity, and environmental influences across shallow, deep, surface, and secondary burial contexts. Three pigs were placed in distinct burial treatments (surface exposure, partial burial, and full burial), with a fourth site later added following bear disturbance and carcass relocation. Environmental monitoring included temperature, and soil sampling before and throughout the decomposition process. Systematic sampling of bone, soft tissue, …

Title: The Impact Of Intergenerational Program Participation On First-Year Physical Therapy Students’ Beliefs, Attitudes, And Anxiety About Aging And Older Adults: A Mixed Methods Study, Catherine Staloch

Dissertations and Theses

As the aging adult population continues to grow, the utilization and need for medical services for this population are increasing. These trends have raised concerns about the impact of ageist beliefs among health care providers on the health and well-being of older adults. Physical therapists are health care providers who care for aging adults across health care settings. Given the large percentage of physical therapists who care for older adults and the known negative health implications of ageist beliefs among providers, it is imperative that educators in physical therapy programs use learning activities that positively influence students’ beliefs, attitudes, and …

An International Framework For Marriage Promotion, Jessica Tueller

Faculty Articles

Governments across the globe lately have been raising the alarm about declining marriage rates and adopting a wide variety of measures to increase these rates. This article presents a framework, distilled from human rights law, for assessing whether such measures are in keeping with States’ international obligations to eliminate all forms of coercion and discrimination in their policies and practices concerning diverse family structure and composition. The framework draws clear boundaries between measures that are permissible under human rights law and measures that are prohibited by human rights law. It also provides a tool for evaluating marriage-promotion measures that, although …

3 Years Of School In 30 Hours, Nicholas Thanh Morrow Nguyen

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

The academic, professional, and personal development throughout the Master of Social Work program within the University of Montana demonstrates natural progression when getting a masters degree early in the years of professional development. The portfolio examines how coursework, field practicums, supervision, and critical self-reflection contributes to individual development as a social worker professional. Through these experiences, the portfolio demonstrates the development of knowledge and skills related to ethical practice, advocacy, assessment, intervention, evaluation, research, policy, and leadership. The different practicum experiences provided opportunities to apply concepts learned within the classroom to real-world situations while working with individuals with different needs …

Msw Portfolio, Marcus Chiaretto

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.