Digital Commons Network^™

Simulated Oral Environment Affects Zirconia Aging And Mechanical Strength, Danyal A. Siddiqui, Smriti G. Natarajan, Bhuvana L. Chandrashekar, Danieli C. Rodrigues

School of Podiatric Medicine Publications

Background: Zirconia is an emerging alternative to titanium for dental implant systems. However, zirconia surfaces can deteriorate under aqueous conditions, thereby compromising mechanical performance. The goal of this study was to assess the impact of biological exposure or aging simulating the oral cavity on the surface integrity and mechanical strength of surface-treated zirconia.

Methods: Partially yttria- or magnesia-stabilized zirconia specimens were polished, acid-etched, or sandblasted. Zirconia disks were exposed to mammalian cells or bacteria. Surface degradation via tetragonal-to-monoclinic phase transformation was assessed by Raman microscopy. Zirconia bars were subjected to accelerated aging by exposure to autoclave steam. Surface morphology was …

Simulation In Occupational Therapy Graduate Programs, Donna Walls, Lillie Thomas, Melinda A. Underwood, Kendall Davis

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The purpose of this study was to identify the use of simulation in occupational therapy graduate programs. A national survey was analyzed from participants who were faculty members of graduate programs in the United States. The survey questions focused on the characteristics of the simulated experiences, student skills addressed, faculty collaboration efforts, and the debriefing process. Over 1,750 emails were sent to faculty of accredited graduate occupational therapy programs and yielded a response rate of approximately 9.5% from faculty of 80+ programs in 31 states that were included in the responses. Survey data were analyzed with cross-tabulation and statistical analyses, …

Structuring Role-Emergent Level Ii Fieldwork Placements For Success: A Framework Grounded In Collaboration, Accountability, Supervision, And Site Integration (The Cass Framework), Lisa A. Fyffe, Amy Van Camp

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

We propose a framework for implementing role-emergent fieldwork grounded in four structural principles identified in the literature and refined through professional reflection: collaboration, accountability, supervision, and site integration. Occupational therapy students report positive experiences with role-emergent fieldwork placements, citing benefits such as professional development, increased autonomy, and opportunities for innovation. However, studies have found that role-emergent placements often lack the structure students need to develop traditional documentation skills, manage complex practice dynamics, and implement occupational therapy programs in a novel setting. Consequently, occupational therapy students describe challenges with role-emergent placements in defining their professional role, managing high levels of responsibility, …

Using Video Analysis To Support Development Of Therapeutic Use Of Self In Occupational Therapy Education, Cynthia L. Selim, Katharine A. Ricks

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Despite recognition of the importance of therapeutic use of self, there remains limited research on effective, evidence-informed approaches within occupational therapy education. Video analysis has emerged as a method to enhance students’ critical thinking, interpersonal communication, and observation skills, however, its direct impact on therapeutic use of self has not been examined. This study evaluated the effectiveness of structured video analysis assignments in improving occupational therapy students’ self‑efficacy for therapeutic use of self and explored student perceptions of the learning experience. Two cohorts of first-year occupational therapy students (n=62) participated in a 10-week course based on the Intentional Relationship Model …

Assessment Of Level Ii Fieldwork Performance (Alf): Development And Refinement Of A Level Ii Assessment Tool For Use In Occupational Therapy Curricula, Suzanne Marasco, Karen Weis, Zachary A. Myers

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The Assessment of Level II Fieldwork Performance (ALF) is a new tool developed for use in occupational therapy programs to evaluate students’ performance during Level II fieldwork. The present study reports on the development of the ALF and revisions of the tool based on two rounds of expert review utilizing a modified Delphi methodology. An expert panel of sixteen occupational therapists who had previously utilized the tool while serving as fieldwork educators was recruited to review the ALF and complete online surveys related to the tool’s content, pragmatics, and clinical value. Based on expert consensus, the ALF was modified and …

Predictors Of First-Attempt Nbcot Success: A Multivariable Analysis Of Occupational Therapy Graduates, Kristina Hartsook, Sean Brim, Arlenys Loffredo

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

First-time pass rates on the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) examination have declined in recent years, highlighting the need to better understand factors associated with licensure readiness. This study examined academic, internal, and external predictors of first-attempt NBCOT success among occupational therapy graduates. A retrospective, cross-sectional survey design was used with a sample of 40 graduates from a single institution. Participants completed a post-examination survey assessing academic performance (graduate grade point average [GPA]), self-management skills (time management), external demands (workload, stress, support), study behaviors, and engagement with preparation resources, including the Occupational Therapy Knowledge Examination (OTKE). Descriptive, …

Information Law Pluralism, Hannah Bloch-Wehba

Faculty Scholarship

Information-intensive activities are reshaping political, social, and economic institutions. As they respond to these shifts, legislators and regulators are embracing information as a regulatory device for tech. Far from limiting themselves to public disclosure, consumer notice, and other traditional mechanisms of fostering transparency and information flows, however, legislators are using other, more nuanced tools to incentivize regulated entities to obtain, generate, and share information.

This Article maps the landscape of the emerging information-based regimes for regulating tech and assesses their conceptual and practical implications. It canvasses an extensive set of recently enacted laws regulating the information economy and shows that, …

Preparing Clinician-Educators: Otd Students' Perceptions Of An Intraprofessional Teaching–Learning Experience, Dianna Lunsford, Anne M. Moscony, Blair Carsone

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Professional communication and the educator role are essential entry-level competencies in occupational therapy. To date, and to the authors' knowledge, no published study has used an inductive qualitative approach to examine how entry-level occupational therapy doctoral students describe and make meaning of a structured teaching-learning assignment that pairs them with occupational therapy assistant students and casts them in the role of teacher and evaluator. This retrospective qualitative study examined occupational therapy doctoral students' perceptions of a structured peer teaching–learning assignment grounded in the Learning by Teaching framework. Participants included entry-level occupational therapy doctoral students in their final year of study …

Equal Justice & Generative Ai, Milan R. Markovic

Faculty Scholarship

The United States has long suffered from unequal access to justice, with countless low-and middle-income Americans forced to navigate the legal system alone. Recently, prominent judges, lawyers, and scholars have seized on generative AI as a potential corrective. These techno-optimists maintain that ChatGPT and other large language models can demystify the law and address unmet legal needs. Chief Justice John Roberts has proclaimed that AI-based tools "have the welcome potential to smooth out any mismatch between available resources and urgent needs in our court system."

Although AI will be an increasingly important source of legal assistance for underserved populations, the …

Playfulness, Leisure Motivation, And Coping Skills As Contributors To Graduate Health‑Professions Academic Performance, Amiya Waldman-Levi, Ruth Peer, Noah Frydman, Piermiline Datilus, Suzan Khavkin, Anita Bundy

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Poor mental health affects graduate allied health students’ academic performance. Playfulness, leisure motivation, coping skills, and engagement in leisure activities may contribute to coping with academic stressors. The purpose of this study was to understand the role of leisure participation, playfulness, coping strategies, and anxiety on academic performance of entry-level graduate health professions students. We used a mixed method, exploratory, correlational cross-sectional design to study the relationships between anxiety, playfulness, leisure motivation, coping skills, and academic performance (grade point average) among 108 entry-level occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech-language pathology students. Measures included the Intrinsic Leisure Motivation Scale, Adult Playfulness …

Recalibrating Readiness: Pandemic Impact On Ot Admissions, Bridget J. Hahn, Kajol Patel, Jacquelyn A. Siegel, Jessica Rappaport, Michelle Mcfall-Johnsen, Kia A. Burks

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

This study explored shifts in occupational therapy applicant characteristics across two distinct time periods: pre- and post-COVID-19, while also describing admissions policy changes implemented by an urban Midwestern Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) program. Retrospective data from admissions records from 917 applicants (2017 – 2024) were grouped into pre-COVID (2017 – 2020) and post-COVID (2021 – 2024). Academic, pre-professional, interview, and underrepresented minority (URM) status was compared using independent t-tests and chi-square analyses. Cumulative grade point average (GPA) and research experience increased post-pandemic, while pre-professional experience and interview performance declined. The proportion of URM applicants rose significantly from 8.1% pre-COVID to …

Comparing Pre-Occupational Therapy Student Intercultural Competence Through Local And Global Service Learning, Leah S. Dunn, Diane Ceo-Difrancesco

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

This study examined undergraduate pre-occupational therapy student intercultural competence (ICC) development through a local or global service-learning experience. Using a mixed-method approach, responses to the Inventory for Assessing the Process of Cultural Competence among Healthcare Professions-Student Version (IAPCC-SV) were compared as well as a content analysis of student essays before and after the service-learning experience to determine ICC growth. Both groups demonstrated ICC growth, but global participants continued their development past the experience. Student essays revealed themes of dissonance, reflection, transformation, and advocacy, with local students focusing on clients and global students adopting broader advocacy goals. Immersive experiences in occupational …

Perceived Impacts Of Confucianism On Placement Experiences Of Hong Kong Pre-Registration Occupational Therapy Students In The United Kingdom, Hin Yuet Li, Sarah Louise Mcginley, Rachel Dadswell, Rachel Houweling

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

This study explored the views of Hong Kong pre-registration occupational therapy (OT) students in the United Kingdom (UK) about how Chinese culture influenced their practice placement experiences. Students from diverse cultural backgrounds may encounter various challenges during OT placements, but little is known about how OT students from Hong Kong—where Confucianism traditionally shapes workplace expectations and the hierarchical teacher‑student relationship—experience placements in the UK. Two online focus groups to collect qualitative data were conducted in November 2022 with four participants who were UK-based OT students from Hong Kong (N=8 in total), two facilitators (OT students from Hong Kong, based in …

From Classroom To Care: A Pilot Level I Fieldwork Experience Building Acute Care Self-Efficacy, Hannah Y. Oldenburg, Jennifer Bergstrom, Traci Kruse, Tamra Trenary, Corey Mcgee

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Level I fieldwork provides an opportunity for occupational therapy students to be exposed to the occupational therapy framework and process across various practice settings. This study addresses a gap in the literature regarding introductory fieldwork experiences for occupational therapy students in complex medical settings, specifically acute care. Researchers implemented a seven-week Level I fieldwork experience at two Midwest trauma centers, utilizing a mixed-methods, two-cohort design with 12 students and 16 practitioners. The program featured a blended Level I fieldwork supervision model, combining faculty-led and traditional on-site supervision. Over the seven-week period, students showed significant improvement in their perceived self-efficacy regarding …

Effectiveness Of The Aota Fieldwork Educator Certificate Program: A Cross-Sectional Survey Of Participants, Susan M. Higgins, Tiffany Benaroya

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Fieldwork educators are essential in educating future occupational therapy practitioners, yet they are often not formally trained for this role. Fieldwork educator preparation programs may help strengthen educator effectiveness; however, limited research has examined the impact of these programs. The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) Fieldwork Educator Certificate Program (FWECP) is a two-day professional development course designed to enhance the supervisory and teaching competencies of fieldwork educators. This study examined the effectiveness of the FWECP from the perspective of participants who completed the program between June 2019 and June 2024. An anonymous retrospective survey was distributed to past participants, yielding …

Psychosocial And Behavioral Health Fieldwork: Impact On Occupational Therapy Assistant Student Stigma And Confidence, Tiffany L. Benaroya, Ann A. Murphy, Michelle Zechner, Meredith Cimmino, Margaret Swarbrick

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

This study examined the impact of psychosocial and behavioral health fieldwork experiences on occupational therapy assistant students’ attitudes toward individuals with serious mental illness and their confidence in working with this population. The study compared different fieldwork experiences among 30 occupational therapy assistant students from multiple cohorts to assess potential changes in stigmatizing attitudes and confidence across four different measures: the Attribution Questionnaire – 9, the Mental Illness Clinician’s Attitudes Scale v 4, the Knowledge Test of Mental Illness, and the Student Confidence Questionnaire. Repeated measures ANOVA indicated a statistically significant reduction in stigma from pre- to post-placement (p=0.04) on …

Nbcot First-Time Pass Rates At A Hispanic-Serving Institution: The Role Of Academic Metrics And Primary Language, Timothy Tu

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

This retrospective study examined academic and demographic predictors of first-time success on the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) exam among graduates (N = 82) from the classes of 2019 through 2022 at a Hispanic-Serving Institution. Despite demographic growth, Hispanic and linguistically diverse practitioners remain underrepresented in the profession. Analyzed variables included self-reported primary language, undergraduate GPA (UGPA), prerequisite GPA (PGPA), Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores, and Occupational Therapy Knowledge Exam (OTKE) performance. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted using SPSS 31. Three factors significantly predicted first-time NBCOT pass status: UGPA (p = .010), OTKE scores …

Boosting Visibility And Engagement: How Social Media Transforms Recruitment For A Doctorate-Level Occupational Therapy Program, Rebecca Ozelie, Ashley Hong, Rachel Lowenthal, Ava M. Robinson, Grace Steffen

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Social media use has become an essential strategy for university recruitment and admissions to attract prospective students and influence their graduate school acceptance decisions. Platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook play a significant role in shaping students’ perceptions and research about universities. While other allied health professions have benefited from increased social media use for recruitment, the impact on occupational therapy programs remains underexplored. Research indicates that social media advertising strategies can enhance program visibility and outreach, yet systemic barriers, financial challenges, and post-coronavirus disease enrollment declines continue to affect admissions. This study examines the influence of social media …

Health Truth To Power: Professional Collaboration To Bolster Trust Against Misinformation, William M. Sage, Keegan D. Warren

Faculty Scholarship

This Article is about health, leaving aside more general challenges to shared civic information today. The Article begins by surveying the principal challenges for health information in post-pandemic, arguably post-truth America, and then describes briefly the sources and limits of medical professional authority. Noting the double-edged sword of free speech guarantees under the U.S. Constitution, the Article continues by commenting on speaking truth to government, to industry, and to the crowd. Next, the Article considers the physicians’ role in speaking truth to power from the perspective of standard medical professional ethics and identity, comparing it to that of lawyers. Finally, …

Surface Marker Identification To Capture Live Circulating Tumor Cells In Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer, Bree M Lege, Khushali J Patel, Brendan Panici, Ping Gong, Michael T Lewis, Matthew J Ellis, Chonghui Cheng

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is highly aggressive and lacks targeted therapies. Circulating tumor cells (CTC) are invaluable for monitoring metastatic tumor progression and treatment response but are difficult to capture because of their rarity and heterogeneity. Surface-based staining for live CTCs is essential to preserve RNA quality in single cells, but current markers tend to perform poorly on more mesenchymal tumor cells such as TNBCs. To enhance live TNBC CTC detection, we developed a workflow for live CTC capture and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). Using a mouse model of metastatic TNBC, we identified four new CTC surface markers, AHNAK2, …

Lysine Demethylase 4a Is A Centrosome-Associated Protein Required For Centrosome Integrity And Genomic Stability, Pratim Chowdhury, Xiaoli Wang, Richard I Han, Manga Motrapu, Ashley G Boice, Yuya Nakatani, Sofia Vargas-Hernandez, Julia F Love, Claude Chew, Sandra L Grimm, Dereck Mezquita, Frank M Mason, Elisabeth D Martinez, Cristian Coarfa, Cheryl L Walker, Anna-Karin Gustavsson, Ruhee Dere

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Centrosomes play a fundamental role in nucleating and organizing microtubules in the cell and are vital for faithful chromosome segregation and maintenance of genomic stability. Loss of structural or functional integrity of centrosomes causes genomic instability and is a driver of oncogenesis. Here we identify lysine demethylase 4A (KDM4A), an epigenetic 'eraser' of chromatin methyl marks, as a centrosome-localized protein, visualized at the nanometer-scale resolution. We additionally uncovered that KDM4A demethylase enzymatic activity is required to maintain centrosome homeostasis and integrity; a previously unknown functionality unlinked to altered expression of genes regulating centrosome number. We find that KDM4A interacts with …

Therapeutic Potential Of Hookworm Proteins In Promoting Regulatory Immune Responses To Modulate Trypanosoma Cruzi Induced Liver Inflammation And Oxidative Stress, Maria Jose Villar, Cristina Poveda, Bin Zhan, Maya Gonsoulin, Kathryn M Jones

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Chronic Trypanosoma cruzi infection causes significant liver pathology, and current antiparasitic treatments often worsen hepatic damage. Hookworm-derived proteins have shown immunomodulatory effects in inflammatory diseases, including T. cruzi-induced myocarditis.

Objective: This study evaluates recombinant hookworm proteins AIP-1 and AIP-2 for treating liver inflammation in a murine model of chronic Chagas disease (CD).

Methods: Female BALB/c mice infected with T. cruzi were treated with AIP-1 or AIP-2 (1 mg/kg) for seven days. Controls were untreated or received aspirin (25 mg/kg) for 14 days. Liver tissues were analyzed for parasite burden (quantitative polymerase chain reaction - qPCR), histopathology (H&E, Picrosirius Red), …

Rewiring The Immune Response In Lung Cancer: Current Progress In Bispecific Antibodies, Car-T Therapy, And The Rise Of In Vivo Car-T Platforms, Lei He, Yi Sun, Bowen Ma, Guojun Lang, Jianguo Wen, George R Blumenschein, Hong Ma

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide and continues to impose a major clinical burden, particularly in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). Although targeted therapies, antiangiogenic agents, immune checkpoint inhibitors, and antibody-drug conjugates have improved outcomes in selected patients, durable responses remain limited by primary and acquired resistance. Here, we comprehensively review recent progress in immunologically oriented therapeutic strategies for lung cancer, focusing on bispecific antibodies, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, and emerging in vivo CAR-engineering modalities. We further elaborate on the clinical rationale, latest translational and early clinical evidence, …

Deep Learning To Predict Future Cognitive Decline: A Multimodal Approach Using Brain Mri And Clinical Data, Tamoghna Chattopadhyay, Pavithra Senthilkumar, Rahul H Ankarath, Christopher Patterson, Emma J Gleave, Sophia I Thomopoulos, Heng Huang, Li Shen, Lei You, Degui Zhi, Paul M Thompson

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Predicting the trajectory of clinical decline in aging individuals is a pressing challenge, especially for people with mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, or vascular dementia. Accurate predictions can guide treatment decisions, identify risk factors, and optimize clinical trials. In this study, we compared two deep learning approaches for forecasting changes, over a 2-year interval, in the Clinical Dementia Rating scale 'sum of boxes' score (sobCDR), as a continuous outcome (regression). This is a key metric in dementia research and clinical trials, and scores range from 0 (no impairment) to 18 (severe impairment). To predict decline, we trained a …

Modeling Hepa Filter Media Performance And Evaluation Of Filtration Leak Test Success, Daniel M. Abraham, Steven J. Eckels, Shahin N. Amiri

Civil & Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

This research presents a cost-effective microscale modeling analysis of high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter media. We analyzed leak-free and leaking media with known leak sizes. A three-dimensional fibrous model with non-homogeneous fiber diameters (0.2–2 µm) and a packing density of 7.5% was developed to replicate a HEPA filter sheet (H14) microstructure. The objective was to simulate and analyze the pressure drop and collection efficiency of nanofibrous media for aerosol particles with a diameter of d_p ≤ 0.5 µm. The results were compared to prior experimental and theoretical models, exhibiting a high level of agreement with pressure drop and efficiency …

Discipline With Due Process: Constitutional Safeguards For Student Speech After Plaintiff A, Sarah Stich

Missouri Law Review

When fifteen-year-old Louie posted a TikTok video criticizing his school’s disciplinary policies from his bedroom, he faced a month-long suspension despite having no notice of which policies he had violated. Across the country, Kaitlin shared a Snapchat criticizing her chemistry teacher with friends at a local coffee shop and faced expulsion with minimal opportunity to explain the context. In both cases, students received limited procedural protections before suffering severe academic consequences.

Designing A Study To Evaluate The Impact Of Webxr With Genai On Student Engagement In Distance Education, Kamran Mir, Geraldine Gray, Ana Elena Schalk, Muhammad Zafar Iqbal

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

This study aims to evaluate how immersive content can enhance student engagement, learning outcomes, and satisfaction in an open and distance learning context. The paper gives an overview of the background research and study design that investigates the impact of immersive virtual learning environments on distance education by integrating WebXR with GenAI into Moodle, a widely used virtual learning environment (VLE). The design considers two groups of learners, an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group will engage with WebXR having GenAI agents and the control group will experience the same course content delivered through conventional online teaching …

Bridging Divides In The Twin Transition: Governance For Equity And Inclusion, Olga Kolotouchkina, Paloma Piqueiras, Sara Clavero

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

This thematic issue critically engages with the complexities and challenges of the governance of the twin transition through the lens of inclusion and social justice. Scholars and practitioners from Belgium, Ireland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and Taiwan examine the origins, determinants, and dynamics of inequalities associated with the twin transition process across different contexts and policy domains. The contributions highlight key governance challenges, identify emerging forms of vulnerability, and bring into focus opportunities to ensure that no one is left behind in the ongoing technological and sustainable transformation.

From Clinic To Code: Using Clinician Insights To Develop A Framework For Fair And Representative Datasets In Women’S Health Ai, Andrea Heaney, Emma Murphy, Eugene Hickey

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

The development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare is largely dependent on the quality of medical datasets. However, these datasets often fail to accurately represent women (and those seen as women) due to historic, implicit and biological biases. This under-representation can lead to biased, inequitable and even harmful models. Building upon the findings of previously conducted qualitative semi-structured semantic interviews with clinicians on their perceptions of women’s health, this paper presents a framework for translating qualitative findings to dataset characteristics via operationalisation. This framework outlines the key characteristics and considerations a dataset should include or consider to more accurately represent …

Blood Flow Regulates Metabolism In Hematopoietic Development, Pamela L Wenzel

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Blood flow modifies oxygen availability and biomechanical forces within the vasculature of the embryo as the hematopoietic system develops. The aorta-gonad-mesonephros (AGM) envelops the largest artery in the body and is a critical site for the emergence of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Herein, I discuss the role of hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) and force as determinants of metabolism and fate determination. To address the effects of blood flow on hematopoietic development, I employ mouse embryo models and biomimetic culture. Real-time cell metabolic analyses show that oxygen consumption rates (OCR) and extracellular acidification rates (ECAR) are altered by flow in cultures of …