Digital Commons Network^™

Panitumumab-Based Egfr Blockade In Smarcb1-Deficient Renal Medullary Carcinoma: Preclinical Basis And Prospective Clinical Activity, Niki M Zacharias, Eric S Rupe, Xinyue Chen, Ritesh R Kotecha, Damian T Rieke, Bradley A Mcgregor, Pedro Pesquera, Zhiyuan Yu, Abha Grover, Najat C Daw, Emily Wang, Sze Wah Samuel Chan, Dorothea Douglas-Lindsay, Alice C Fan, Eric M Knoche, Christos E Kyriakopoulos, Aly-Khan A Lalani, Charlene M Mantia, Amartej Merla, Martin H Voss, Nicklas Pfanzelter, Sneha Ramakrishna, Neil M Reaume, Tianyi Tang, Davis R Ingram, Diana Shamsutdinova, Khalida M Wani, Wei-Lien Wang, Alexander J Lazar, Rahul A Sheth, Priya Rao, Sandra L Grimm, Cristian Coarfa, Rong He, Jing Qian, Fei Duan, Deepa Bisht, Pankaj K Chauhan, Luigi Perelli, Giannicola Genovese, Liuqing Yang, Chunru Lin, Jose A Karam, Ludovica La Posta, Eleonora Dondossola, Rafet Basar, Nadima Uprety, Katayoun Rezvani, Jianjun Gao, Linghua Wang, Luisa M Solis Soto, Bora Lim, Nizar M Tannir, Menuka Karki, Pavlos Msaouel

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Purpose: SMARCB1-deficient renal medullary carcinoma (RMC) is an ultra-rare, lethal malignancy refractory to therapies approved for other renal cell carcinomas, and its rarity makes randomized trials logistically unfeasible. We investigated whether wild-type epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a therapeutically actionable dependency in RMC and translated this insight into a deployable clinical regimen.

Experimental design: EGFR expression was assessed by CLIA-certified immunohistochemistry in RMC tumors and by integrated RNA- and chromatin immunoprecipitation-sequencing of primary tumors and adjacent kidney. Panitumumab was compared with erlotinib in patient- and cell line-derived xenografts, and its mechanism defined by immunoblotting, confocal colocalization, cell-cycle and apoptosis …

Does Our Economy Cultivate Beauty?, Joshua Hollinger

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

"Wherever we’re failing to build and preserve beautiful places, the answer lies in fostering a society of people who have a taste for beauty and a loving desire to share it with others, and in finding mechanisms for cooperating and negotiating with each other amid our sin and finitude."

Posting about true beauty in an advertising-focused world ­­­­­­­­from In All Things, an online hub that offers insight into maintaining and faithful and orthodox Reformed Christian worldview while fearlessly engaging in every aspect of contemporary life – until all is made new.

Does Our Economy Cultivate Beauty?

The Use Of Psilocybin For Managing Refractory Behavioral Health Conditions: A Narrative Review, Rachel N. Clark

Lynchburg Journal of Medical Science

The purpose of this review is to evaluate the possible benefits of using psilocybin (C₁₂H₁₇N₂O₄P), a naturally occurring psychoactive compound found in certain species of mushrooms, in the treatment of multiple forms of mental illness and substance use disorders, either as monotherapy or in conjunction with traditional psychiatric medications. The compound has high affinity for several serotonin receptors, including 5-HT_1A, 5-HT_2A, and 5-HT_2C, which are located throughout the cerebral cortex and thalamus. A comprehensive search of electronic databases was conducted, identifying studies that assessed pharmacokinetics, therapeutic …

Countering Hpv Vaccine Misinformation On Social Media: Practical Strategies For Healthcare Providers, David Baldwin

Lynchburg Journal of Medical Science

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is a highly effective strategy for preventing cervical and other HPV-related cancers; however, vaccine hesitancy remains a significant barrier to optimal vaccination rates. Social media has become a major source of health information while simultaneously amplifying misinformation that influences parental attitudes toward HPV vaccination. This narrative literature review examined the relationship between social media misinformation and HPV vaccine hesitancy and identified evidence-based strategies healthcare providers can use to improve vaccine confidence.

A literature search of PubMed and Google Scholar identified 31 articles published between 2016 and 2025, of which 19 met inclusion criteria. The literature demonstrates …

Multi-Stage Artificial Intelligence-Based Quality Evaluation Of News Channels Using Aggregated Video Analysis, Rohit Patwa

Defensive Publications Series

A multi-stage machine-learning architecture assesses the quality of news channels based on substantive media content. A set of recent media items satisfying a news-content criterion is selected from a candidate channel. Multimodal features of the selected media items are processed using a first AI model to generate respective news quality assessments and qualitative information. The news quality assessments are aggregated using weighted metrics to generate aggregated news quality information. The aggregated news quality information and channel-level features are processed using a second AI model to generate a channel-level quality classification. The channel-level quality classification is used to determine whether the …

The Multi-Agent Ai System For Automated Media Ingestion And Metadata Enrichment, Shravan Nayak

Defensive Publications Series

The process of ingesting and cataloging large volumes of digital media can be inefficient and difficult to scale, often relying on manual workflows that may be slow and error-prone. A multi-agent artificial intelligence framework may be used for automated media content ingestion and metadata enrichment. Such a system can comprise a central orchestrator agent that analyzes incoming media and delegates processing tasks to multiple specialist agents that operate in parallel. A confidence-based routing mechanism can assign a score to generated metadata, where high-confidence results may be automatically committed and low-confidence results can be directed to a human-in-the-loop review process. This …

Artificial Intelligence-Assisted Retinal Imaging For Chronic Disease Detection, Prediction, And Screening, Shivani Gandhi

Master's Projects and Capstones

A retinal image may reveal more than eye disease; it may also show early signs of chronic illness elsewhere in the body. Diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and chronic kidney disease can develop before symptoms become noticeable, making earlier detection an important public health goal. Advances in artificial intelligence have created new possibilities for using retinal images to identify patterns linked to these conditions. This scoping review examined how Artificial Intelligence -assisted retinal imaging has been used for chronic disease detection, prediction, and screening, along with the practical and health-equity factors that may influence its use.

To map the current evidence, …

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Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

No abstract provided.

Comparing Student-Centered And Traditional Approaches In Mandatory Middle School Music, Charmian Cavanagh

Masters Theses

The purpose of this applied research study is to examine the effectiveness of a traditional theory-based music curriculum compared with an alternative, practice-centered curriculum on the motivation, engagement, and learning outcomes of middle school students enrolled in mandatory general music classes at an inner-city school in Camden, New Jersey. Theory instruction has long served as a foundation of music education; however, many students in required general music settings demonstrate low engagement and limited long-term connection to musical study. Research will explore whether a curriculum that prioritizes creativity, cultural relevance, and active music-making better supports student interest and achievement. Findings will …

Co-Dominion: The Changing Nature Of The Adamic Covenant In An Age Of Artificial Intelligence, Corey Hastings

Masters Theses

Theologians and religious bodies attest to the rising influence of artificial intelligence (AI) in governments, the economy, and the lives of the people of God. Through the covenant with Adam, God gave humans the blessing of dominion and capabilities unique to creation to till the earth. Today, humans retain the image of God but AI increasingly displaces human functions with coordinated agency. Using Hebrew language exegesis of passages from Genesis, Exodus, and Leviticus, this study compares capabilities gifted to humans with the scope of current and near future AI models. It incorporates direct artifact analysis of a large-language model as …

Spn 313: Advanced Communication Skills, Aleksin Ortega, Aleksín H. Ortega

Open Educational Resources

This syllabus for SPN 313 (Advanced Communication Skills) at the College of Staten Island, CUNY, presents a zero-textbook-cost, OER-based course in advanced academic writing in Spanish designed for a mixed population of heritage speakers and advanced second-language learners. The course follows a genre-based progression through four textual forms — description, narration, exposition, and argumentation — organized around a recursive writing process of drafting, instructor feedback, and revision. Its signature assignment, the Autobiografía lingüística (Linguistic Autobiography), serves as the Spanish program's ACTFL-aligned assessment artifact and is supported by a structured independent-inquiry project on dialectal variation. The syllabus foregrounds the dialectal diversity …

Exploring How School Leaders Support The Academic Resilience Of Foster Youth: A Case Study, Melissa Gasser Myers

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study was to understand the resilience of foster care students in Oklahoma public schools. The study was guided by Garmezy’s resilience theory, which highlights the critical role of resilience in helping children recover from past trauma and thrive in academic settings. The central research question was: How do school leaders nurture academic resilience in foster children? This study was conducted using qualitative research methods. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, physical artifacts, and journal prompts. The data first underwent analysis through open coding, followed by a round of axial coding and finally selective coding. Informed …

Forbear That Wicked Cant: Malthusian ‘Zero Sum’ Theory, Eugenics, And World Population Control, Aidan Grogan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation traces the history of an idea: the “zero-sum” theory of human nature and humanity’s relationship with the natural world that lies at the core of the Malthusian worldview. Grounded in the belief that life is a ruthless struggle over scarce resources and that human beings are destined to reproduce beyond the earth’s “carrying capacity,” Malthusianism provided the key intellectual foundations for Darwin’s theory of evolution, which later informed the rise of eugenics. Although eugenics lost much of its scientific legitimacy and moral authority after the Holocaust and the Nuremberg Trials, many American eugenicists and eugenics organizations remained committed …

Navigating The Maternal Health Crisis: Enhancing Maternal Health Outcomes In New Jersey, Nyrobi Barnes

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of the study was to better understand the implications of race and ethnicity on perinatal health experiences and maternal health outcomes in non-Hispanic Black women (nHBw) in New Jersey and mitigate the maternal health crisis. A secondary outcome was to propose an evidence-based initiative to elicit equitable care in New Jersey via grant-funded programs at the New Jersey Department of Health. Although New Jersey has made progress in improving maternal and infant health outcomes, racial disparities continue to persist. The research aims to further understand implications of race and ethnicity on adverse perinatal health experiences and maternal health …

Stem Afterschool Enrichment Programs On Post-Secondary Minority Students In Southern California And Their Educational And Professional Pathway: A Phenomenological Qualitative Study, Lavar Jamaall Watkins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of ethnically and racially minority students who participated in STEM afterschool enrichment programs at middle schools in Southern California. Guided by social cognitive career theory (SCCT), this phenomenological study addressed how participation in STEM supplemental programming served as a predictive motivator that encouraged ethnically and racially minority students to pursue careers in STEM professions. SCCT provided the theoretical framework for understanding how self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and contextual influences shaped students’ perceptions, motivations, and career decision-making related to STEM. The central research question guiding this inquiry was: What …

A Natural Fit: Reconceptualizing The Work Of Oregon's Silent Era Sister Exhibitors, Karen Caverly-Molineaux

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Inspired by the quadrupling of women theater owners in Census reports between 1910 and 1920, this dissertation focuses on women theater owners in the state of Oregon and brings their experiences of theater ownership to the forefront for historical inquiry. The 1920 Census reported nineteen women theater owners for Oregon, yet the research here only found eighteen. Of the eighteen found, only two women’s Census records indicate them as theater owners – meaning this dissertation’s study found more than the Census accounted for. However at the same time, many have yet to be located. Scholarship claims women’s work as happening …

Keepers, Surfmen, Wives, And Daughters: A Gender And Kinship Study Of The United States Life-Saving Service In North Carolina, 1874-1915, Tammy M. Woodward

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The Outer Banks of North Carolina is both a beautiful and dangerous place. Its region is filled with descendants of the Keepers and Surfmen who once manned the lifesaving stations that the federal government built along America’s coastlines. It is also home to one of the most dangerous stretches of American coastline known as the Graveyard of the Atlantic. The United States Life-Saving Service, established in 1871, was a government solution to the growing public outcry over the staggering number of deaths by shipwreck during the nineteenth century. While the Life-Saving Service has fostered a small but detailed historiography, its …

The National Law Enforcement Staffing Shortage’S Impact On Central Texas, Mark Vincent Valli

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the relationship between perceived support from public administrators and law enforcement supervisors/executives and staffing levels in Central Texas law enforcement agencies. Guided by Social Exchange Theory (SET) and Public Service Motivation (PSM), the research investigated how administrative and supervisory support influences vacancy and turnover rates, two key indicators of staffing stability. A convergent parallel mixed-methods design was employed to integrate quantitative and qualitative perspectives. Quantitative data were collected from agency records and surveys administered to sworn law enforcement personnel across the Central Texas region (defined for this study as the Capital Area Council of Governments (CAPCOG) associated …

The Experience Of Sleep And Academic Performance Among African American College Students: A Case Study, Jamean Alma Alexander

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The transition to college presents significant challenges for African American college students, particularly in developing effective study habits and maintaining healthy sleep behaviors that support academic success. Despite growing evidence linking sleep and academic performance, limited research has explored how African American students attending historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) perceive these experiences. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the perceptions and experiences of African American college students regarding sleep habits, study habits, and academic performance. Guided by three research questions, data were collected through semi structured interviews with 12 African American students attending HBCUs in …

Examining High School Special Education Teachers’ Experience Implementing Social-Emotional Curriculum In Public Schools: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Trisha Rae Dorsey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This transcendental phenomenological study examined the experiences of high school special education teachers implementing social-emotional learning in Capitol County Public Schools, guided by Bandura’s social cognitive theory. The study explored how professional development, teacher self-efficacy, institutional support, and perceived student outcomes influenced social-emotional learning implementation. A transcendental phenomenological design examined the shared experiences of 11 teachers using interviews, follow-up surveys, and document analysis. Three themes emerged: (a) instructional practices and social-emotional learning integration, (b) implementation experiences and challenges, and (c) perceived student outcomes. Participants identified positive teacher–student relationships, behavioral modeling, and embedded SEL instruction as essential to implementation, while professional …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Perceptions Of Teachers On Utilizing Art Therapy To Help Students With Ieps And Emotional Dysregulation, Lisa Marie Powell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study is to focus on the perceptions of teachers observing and implementing art therapy interventions with their students in the classroom setting. This study will aim to provide students with IEPs between the ages of 5 and 18 more support with emotional dysregulation by bringing more awareness to teachers on how to manage these concerns in their classroom using art therapy (Bosgraff et al., 2020). The study will aim to unveil the challenges of art therapy efficacy, based on teachers' perception of therapeutic art interventions for elementary through high school-level students. Through teacher observations …

A Causal-Comparative Study Of Communication Competence Among Adult English As A Second Language Learners Taught Using Communicative, Content-Based, And Task-Based Instruction, Aymen Al-Dujaili

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to examine how English as a second language curriculum and instruction strategies impact interpersonal communication competence among adult learners. This study addresses gaps in the literature by investigating differences in interpersonal communication competence among adult ESL learners taught using communicative, content-based, and task-based instruction, providing empirical evidence to inform educators, policymakers, and employers. The sample consisted of 159 ESL adult learners. Instrumentation included the Interpersonal Communication Competence Scale to assess interpersonal communication competence, a Likert-scale survey to evaluate the potential effects of their communication style. Data collection involved recruiting ESL adult learners, …

Assessing The Feasibility Of An Online Gaming Ministry And Developing An Action Plan To Train Apologists For Outreach., Alexander R. Mooney

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this research project is to assess the feasibility of an online gaming ministry and to develop an action plan to train apologists for outreach. This study is necessary due to several key developments over the last few years, including the growth of social media and digital platforms, the rise of content creation on platforms like YouTube, Twitch, Facebook, and X, the COVID-19 pandemic, which increased the need for digital ministry, and the overall growth of Gen Z in religion and faith. Because of these points, the need for developing digital ministry and online gaming ministry has grown. …

Exploring Experiences Of Home Education Parents In Homeschool Curriculum Modification: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Anne Elizabeth Smoak

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study is to explore the experiences of home education parents modifying the curriculum at their homeschool. The theory guiding this study is the expectancy-value theory, as it shows the connection between attainment value, intrinsic value, and utility value in the context of parents who choose to modify home education. The central research question is as follows: What are the lived experiences of parents modifying curriculum at their homeschool? The examination of these experiences was explored using a qualitative methodology for the research, and the chosen research design for this study is a transcendental phenomenological …

Exploring Instructional Strategies To Foster Responsible Translation Application Use In Developmental English Hybrid Courses At A Community College: A Case Study, Leah Carmona

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative instrumental single case study was to explore how instructors in Developmental English (DE) hybrid courses reinforce the understanding of ethical implications and responsible decision-making when using translation applications for first-year college students who are English language learners (ELL) at a community college. Guided by Ajzen's theory of planned behavior, this study explored how instructors can shape ELLs' attitudes, social influences, and perceived ability regarding responsible decision-making in hybrid learning environments. The central research question guiding this case study was: How do instructors in Developmental English hybrid courses at a community college reinforce first-year college ELLs' …

A Causal-Comparative Study Of The Differences Existing Between Elementary, Middle, And High School Faculty And Staff Members Perceptions Of Their Mtss/Rti Skills, Vanessa F. Harriman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, causal-comparative study was to explore the relationships between the independent variable, school level (elementary, middle, high), and the dependent variables of faculty and staff perceptions of his/her own ability to implement MTSS/RTI when applied to academic content (Null Hypothesis One), behavioral content (Null Hypothesis Two), and the construction and use of data displays (Null Hypothesis Three). This study was critical because it added to the literature concerning MTSS/RTI implementation in middle and high schools while comparing their data to elementary schools. This study used a convenience sample of faculty and staff of public-school districts in …

Recommendations To Solve The Problem Of High Levels Of Burnout Among Special Education Teachers At Waite High School In Ohio, Byron Scott Swartz

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to provide recommendations to solve the problem of high levels of burnout among special education teachers at Waite High School in Ohio. The problem was that 45% of special education teachers at Waite High School reported feeling burned by their current jobs. The rationale for this study was that it was critical to reduce feelings of burnout among special education teachers since improving feelings of burnout may lead to better performance in the classroom teachers and fewer staffing shortages. The central research question was as follows: How can the problem of high levels of …

For Love Or Green Card: Exploring Intermarriage Experiences Of African American Women To West African Men In The First Decade Of Midlife From A Historical, Cultural, And Psychosocial Perspective, Kelley Owusu Asante

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This transcendental phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of African American women who married West African men during the first decade of midlife. It investigated the historical, cultural, and psychosocial factors that shaped the women’s perceptions and experiences of intermarriage. The guiding theories were social exchange theory, competitive market theory, marital paradigm theory, and sex ratio imbalance theory. Social exchange theory, developed by George C. Homans in 1958, provided a framework linking behavioral psychology and microeconomics. The study centered participants’ narratives to understand how love, commitment, and cultural negotiation unfolded in these unions. The sample comprised 12 African American women …

Digital Forensic Skill Gaps Among Law Enforcement And Implications For Modern Criminal Investigations, Chip Thornsburg

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Digital evidence has become a routine component of modern criminal investigations; however, many law enforcement agencies face challenges in developing the personnel, training, and resources needed to manage increasingly complex digital evidence. The purpose of this explanatory sequential mixed-methods study was to examine digital forensic skill gaps among Texas local law enforcement agencies and their implications for modern criminal investigations. Guided by Human Capital Theory and Routine Activities Theory, Phase I employed a statewide survey of agencies to assess digital forensic resources, training, competency, and digital evidence usage. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Kruskal–Wallis tests, chi-square tests of …

Faculty Members' Lived Experiences Using Generative Ai During Course Development At A Midwest Faith-Based Institution Of Higher Education In The United States: A Phenomenological Study, Cassandra J. Huckstep-Spangler

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of course developers using generative AI during course development at a Midwest faith-based institution of higher education in the United States. The theory guiding this study was the Technology Acceptance Model and subsequent extensions to the model including TAM2 and TAM3 as it explores the perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use, contextual factors that align with social influence processes, and experiences with implementation interventions. The central research guiding this study was: What are the experiences of faculty members using generative AI during course development at a …