Digital Commons Network^™

Optimization Of Methane Production From Poultry Slaughterhouse Wastewater With Hydraulic Retention Time And Biochar Addition Using Response Surface Methodology, Juniarti Manova Hasibuan, Rita Purwasih, Bambang Haryanto, Dessy Ariyanti, Alfian Destomo, Agung Purnomoadi, Sutaryo Sutaryo

Baghdad Science Journal

Processing poultry slaughterhouse wastewater as a biogas substrate is a sustainable solution. The current study aimed to optimize methane production from poultry slaughterhouse wastewater at various hydraulic retention times, biochar addition levels, and biochar addition types. Optimization of the anaerobic digestion process was determined through response surface methodology with central composite design. The input variables were hydraulic retention times (10, 20, and 30 days), biochar levels (5, 10, and 15 g/L), and biochar types (chicken litter and rice straw). Meanwhile, the response variable was methane production. The results revealed that the resulting central composite design model was significant (p < 0.05) with an R-squared of 0.94, indicating a high model suitability. The analysis of variance showed that hydraulic retention times, biochar levels, and biochar types significantly affected methane production (p < 0.05). Based on optimization, the highest methane production was achieved at a 30-day hydraulic retention times, a biochar level of 15 g/L, and a biochar type of rice straw, which was 473.00 mL/g volatile solid. These results emphasize the importance of determining the correct hydraulic retention times and biochar addition (level and type) to optimize methane production.

Expression Of Some Tumor Immune Microenvironment Markers In Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma With And Without Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, Aqeel Abbas Alo, Dildar Haji Musa, Intisar Salim Pity

Baghdad Science Journal

Papillary thyroid carcinoma is the most common type of thyroid cancer, and its development has been increasingly associated with the tumor immune microenvironment. The objective of this study was to evaluate the expression of FOXP3+ regulatory T cells, CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes, and CD138+ plasma cells in papillary thyroid carcinoma, and their correlation with clinicopathological parameters and their relation to Hashimoto's thyroiditis. 44 of papillary thyroid carcinoma cases were retrieved from archives; 25 patients had multinodular goitre, and 19 patients had Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Clinical and pathological data were collected from patient files, archival data, and relevant histopathological reports. These were …

The Use Of Schanginia Arbuscula Seeds As An Adsorbent For The Removal Of Congo Red And Eosin-Y Dyes, Ali K. Al-Muttairi

Baghdad Science Journal

Water is a crucial element for human prosperity, and maintaining clean and safe water is crucial for survival, and due to the continuous human activities, the water is being drastically polluted. These pollutants require treatment to reduce or remove them, and from the different types of water treatment methods, adsorption is considered a fast, affordable, and easy to apply method. In this study, the ability of Schanginia arbuscula seeds as an adsorbent to remove two dyes, which are congo red (C.R.) dye and eosin Y (E.Y.) dye was tested, at first, the characterization of the adsorbent was studied by using …

Skeletal Abnormalities In Two Freshwater Fishes From Iraq, Fatema Ali Al Fatle, Sura Abdul Munaff Abdul Wahab, Hind Dyia Hadi, Laith A. Jawad

Baghdad Science Journal

This research addresses skeletal deformities in two freshwater fish species, namely the common carp, Cyprinus carpio, and Leuciscus vorax (also known as the Tigris asp), sampled from two Iraqi sites: The Euphrates River, Lake Al-Tharthar, and the Tigris River near Al-Zubaydiyah City. High-resolution digital radiography was used to detect skeletal deformities in 40 specimens (20 specimens per species). Five different types of deformities were observed in C. carpio: abdominal rib deformity (13.6% of the deformed specimens), ankylosis (18.8%), caudal fin ray deformity (4.6%), kyphosis (4.6%), and vertebral deformity (4.6%). In L. vorax, three categories were observed: caudal …

Levels, Human Exposure And Health Risk Assessment Of Heavy Metals In Indoor And Outdoor Dust From Basra, Iraq, Mohammed A. Al-Hilfi, Layla Salih Al-Omran, Adil A. Al-Fregi

Baghdad Science Journal

This study determined the levels and distribution patterns of Pb, Cd, Co, Cu, Ni, and Zn in indoor (n = 22) and outdoor (n = 22) dust from Basra, Iraq, and evaluated the associated human health risks. The total mean concentration of ∑ ₆HMs was 247 mg/kg in the indoor dust and 285 mg/kg in the outdoor dust. Zn was the dominant metal in both environments, with mean concentrations of 155 and 161 mg/kg, contributing 63% and 56% of the total metal burden, respectively. Pb, Cd, Co, and Ni concentrations were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in outdoor dust, indicating the influence of outdoor emission sources. Human exposure assessment showed that the average daily doses (ADD) for children through ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact were approximately 9.3-fold higher than those for adults across all metals. Zn exposure reached 1.99 × 10^-3 and 2.13 × …

2026 - Faculty & Staff Research Symposium, Elizabeth Outka, Lidia Radi

Faculty and Staff Research Symposium Programs

[Excerpt from the "Welcome"]

Dear Colleagues,

Welcome to the third Faculty & Staff Research Symposium!

The Symposium offers us the chance to come together as a community and learn about the inspiring work happening across our campus. Faculty and staff continue to push the boundaries of research, to design and maintain new learning and gathering spaces, to craft remarkable art and performances, and to develop innovative programs that enrich our collective experience. The event is meant to spark curiosity, build connections, inspire partnerships, and open new pathways for exploration. . . .

This symposium is your creation — it thrives …

Structural And Hamiltonian Properties Of The N–Array Unit Graphs Over Finite Rings, Puguh Wahyu Prasetyo, Muhammad Ardiyansyah, Joe Repka

Baghdad Science Journal

Consider a finite ring R, and let U( R ) denote the set of all its unit elements. The unit graph G_R of R is defined as follows: the vertex set V( G_R ) consists of all elements of R. Two distinct elements a,\ b∈ \ G_R are adjacent if and only if a + b∈ U( R ). Recent research has provided necessary and sufficient conditions for the unit graph G_R to have a Hamiltonian cycle. However, the property of Hamiltonicity under direct product constructions of rings has not been fully understood. This paper addresses this gap by studying …

Mass Transfer Control In Chitosan-Based Hybrid Material Incorporating Pyromellitic Dianhydride And Copper Oxide Nanoparticles: Intraparticle Diffusion And Boyd Model Analysis, Arwa Raad Ibrahim, Basma A. Abdul Majeed, Sanaa A. Al-Sahib

Baghdad Science Journal

The accelerated development of new technologies for treating pollutants has led to the emergence of numerous innovative adsorbents. These materials typically possess promising structural and surface properties suitable for a variety of applications. In the same context, the present study prepared a chitosan-based hybrid material incorporating pyromellitic dianhydride and copper oxide nanoparticles (PMDA-Cts-CuO) under ultrasonic wave conditions. It is a newly synthesized material derived from an organically degradable source for lead removal purposes. Following the confirmation of the material's structural and morphological properties, the current research effort focused on examining the PMDA-Cts-CuO for diffusion kinetic models: the intraparticle diffusion model, …

Historical Redlining, Walkability, And Green Gentrification In Baltimore, Usa, Rafael B. De Andrade, Ella Baynes, Vanessa Belt, Joseph Colasacco, Camden Speilman

The Geographical Bulletin

Historical redlining created persistent patterns of racial segregation and spatial inequality in American cities. However, urban initiatives aimed at increasing green spaces in these neighborhoods increasingly trigger gentrification that can displace original residents. In this study, we examine the spatial intersection of 1930s-era Home Owners' Loan Corporation (HOLC) redlining boundaries, current property values, and multimodal park accessibility in Baltimore, Maryland. Using geographic data from 245 properties and 13 major parks, we developed an accessibility framework incorporating walking, public transit, and automobile travel modes to estimate accessibility to green spaces across neighborhoods with different redlining histories. Our spatial analysis reveals that …

Data-Driven Risk Mapping For Safer Roads: Unincorporated Dekalb County, Georgia, Getachew B. Demisse, Stacy C. Grear, Araya D. Araya, Shimelis Gebru, Solomon Negash, Leo Ladefian, Carlo Frate

The Geographical Bulletin

This study presents a decade-long spatiotemporal analysis of more than 206,000 traffic accidents recorded between 2015 and 2024 in unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia. The primary goal of the study is to identify critical patterns of roadway risk and inform data‑driven safety interventions. Using crash records from the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) AASHTOWare Safety platform and standardized crash‑rate calculations, the analysis revealed strong temporal regularities, including elevated crash frequencies during afternoon peak hours, Fridays, and seasonal transition periods such as October. Spatial analyses further demonstrate that crashes are highly concentrated along a limited subset of corridors, consistent with High Injury …

Volume 67-1, May 2026, Nancy Hoalst Pullen, Mark W. Patterson

The Geographical Bulletin

Volume 67-1, May 2026: Complete

Diversity Of Forest Vegetation In The Quarry Landscapes Of Central Polissia, Ukraine (Eastern Europe), Ivan Khomiak, Oleksandr Harbar, Ruslana Vlasenko, Tamara Andriichuk, Oleksandr Lavryk

The Geographical Bulletin

The features of territorial differentiation of vegetation in quarry landscapes are crucial for addressing theoretical issues in landscape science and applied problems of restoration ecology. This study aims to establish the phytocenotic diversity of forest communities. The forest vegetation of the quarry landscapes of Central Polissia includes 7 classes, 9 orders, 15 unions, 24 associations, and 2 groups of undetermined rank. Based on phytocenotic diversity, the quarries of Zhytomyr Polissia fall into three distinct zones: northern, central, and southern. The northern zone necessarily includes groupings of the Vaccinio-Piceetea class and excludes Salicetea purpurea. The central zone mainly features derived forests …

The Agentic Clinical Decision Support Via Non-Contradiction Matching Against Temporal Pathways, Leonid Kuligin, Max Tschochohei

Defensive Publications Series

Clinical decision support systems using large language models can face challenges in reliability and explainability, particularly in adhering to validated clinical guidelines when processing unstructured and incomplete patient electronic health records. A described system can use an agentic pipeline to structure a patient's health data into a temporal, sequential history. This patient history can then be compared against a knowledge graph of predefined, multi-step clinical pathways using a non-contradiction matching algorithm, which considers a pathway a potential match if no patient data point directly contradicts a guideline condition. The system can then generate a ranked list of probable clinical pathways, …

Chemical Composition And Mechanism Investigation Of Subfraction From Wuwei Zijin San Guided By Anti-Hepatic Fibrosis Activity, Yazhen Guo, Zhongzhi Qi, Yajuan Chen, Lijuan Nie, Mingyu Luo, Yuechen Guo, Hui Wu, Bengui Ye, Jun He

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

BACKGROUND  Among the spectrum of hepatopathies that pose a significant global health threat, halting the progression of hepatic fibrosis is a key therapeutic objective. Wuwei Zijin San (WWZJS) is derived from a traditional Tibetan empirical formula, yet its efficacy against hepatic fibrosis, along with the underlying mechanisms and active ingredients, remains uncertain.

PURPOSE  The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of WWZJS against hepatic fibrosis, explore its underlying mechanisms and material basis, and evaluate the potential of direct interactions between the biologically active ingredients and their corresponding targets.

METHODS Chemical profiling of the active …

A Calibrated And Conformal Deep Learning Framework For Trustworthy Antinuclear Antibody Pattern Recognition With Selective Referral To Experts, Hussein Ali Hussein Al Naffakh, Ahmed Dheyaa Radhi, Raghdah Maytham Hameed, Muntaha Abdullah Reishaan, Fouad A. Majeed, Rozaida Ghazali

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Reading antinuclear antibody patterns on human epithelial cells by indirect immunofluorescence is the reference screen for systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases, but it is slow, subjective, and variable between observers. Deep learning reaches high accuracy on this task, yet most systems return a single prediction without stating how reliable it is, which is unsafe in a diagnostic workflow. This paper presents an intelligent decision support framework built around a single calibrated uncertainty signal. That signal is the control variable for four reliability modules: confidence calibration, conformal prediction, error detection, and selective referral. A feature space out of distribution detector serves as …

Study Of Primer Efficiency And Relative Genetic Band Abundance In Different Genotypes, Mundher Kh. Jabbar

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

This experiment was aimed to find some indicators related to primers and genetic variations. Six bread wheat genotypes were selected as the dataset. The RAPD marker technique was used with oligonucleotide primers as marker of study. The goal was to identify factors used for the relationship between primers and their ability to elicit DNA fragments through different genotypes, as well as the relative genetic band abundance among genotypes. After the designed factors, key findings emerged: in relative primer amplification rate, C1 genotype exhibited a higher relative primer amplification rate (RPAR) of fragments from OP-H01 but did not differ from OP-V19 …

Baseline Psychosocial Stress And Allostatic Load In Patients Initiating Cancer Therapy, Campbell Speakman, Margaret Quinn Rosenzweig, Emmanuel Komladzah

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Introduction: Racial and economic cancer treatment disparities pose a major public health challenge. Pre-existing psychosocial stressors and overall "weathering" or allostatic load are often more profound among patients of color and those from areas of high deprivation and may impact cancer outcomes.

Purpose: This study characterized baseline allostatic load, lifetime stress, perceived discrimination, financial toxicity, quality of life, distress, symptom burden, and resilience, compared by race and area deprivation.

Methods: This analysis was drawn from the prospective, observational ALLEGIANT (Allostasis, Cellular Aging, and Cancer Outcomes) study. Patients initiating cancer therapy were recruited from cancer clinics in Western Pennsylvania. Measures included …

Perceived Effects Of Cancel Culture Threat And Digital Natives’ Patterns Of Communication On Social Media, Randolph N. Townley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

"Cancel culture" is a well-known atropism that has become commonplace on social media. To many this may feel like a new phenomenon, but it has existed in various forms since antiquity. From biblical times to today, people have attempted to silence dissenting viewpoints. The cancel culture philosophy is distributed over all viewpoints that have a potentially offensive bent for the group of people who deem the content offensive. This study evaluated whether digital natives feel compelled to limit their exposure on social media to their authentic viewpoints considering the threat of repercussions. Using Albert Bandura’s social cognitive theory coupled with …

Growing Up Without A Father: A Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experience Of Black Women In The Church, Jada She'ree Adger Byrd

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of Black women who grew up in the faith community without a present father in the Southern region of the United States. The central research question that guided this study was, "What are the lived experiences of Black women who grew up in the faith community without a present father?" The theory that guided this study was intersectionality (Crenshaw, 1989, 1991), as this theory provides a framework for the understanding of how intersecting identities, including race, gender, and spirituality, shape an individual’s interpretation of father absence. This study …

An Analysis Of The Relationship Between Family Dynamics And Juvenile Delinquency: A Qualitative Case Study With Probation Officers, Sevoca Glass Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Beqo et al. (2017) discuss the correlation between juvenile delinquency and upbringing in dysfunctional and fragmented homes. The point of this study is to investigate the link between family structure and dynamics while also figuring out how likely it is that someone will commit a crime (Mwangangi, 2019). Large amounts of empirical research have clearly shown that teens who grow up in bad homes are more likely to become juvenile offenders than their peers who grow up in loving homes. The main aim of this qualitative case study is to examine the views of federal probation officials regarding the possible …

Barriers And Facilitators To Health Literacy Among Black Americans With Overweight And Obesity In South Carolina: A Mini-Ethnographic Study, Shelly Campbell-Timmons

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative mini ethnography adapted from traditional ethnography with limited time and scope, was to explore and understand perceptions of barriers and facilitators to health literacy among Black Americans with overweight and obesity in three South Carolina counties. Population data showed that approximately 40.3% of U.S. adults are obese. Moreover, Non-Hispanic Black communities are disproportionately affected by overweight and obesity despite efforts to combat the weight-related health risk. Still, limited health literacy should be the focus of public health strategies like teach-back and plain language communication, to address overweight and obesity prevalence and disparities. The study was …

Exploring The Role Of Single Pilot Operations In Night Cargo Aviation: A Phenomenological Study, Kollin Ellis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive phenomenology was to examine the lived experiences of pilots who have operated alone at night in an aviation cargo environment. The design was guided by an epistemological philosophical assumption. Extreme advancements in the technology of artificial intelligence and their applications in the aviation industry have raised the question of the value of a single operator serving in commercial cockpits. Some experts argue that a two-person crew is unnecessarily redundant. A significant gap in the current literature of experiential data existed to prompt this study. Through the contextual lens of the Dual Process Theory and …

The Effect Of Mental Health Check-Ins On Stigma And Symptoms Of Anxiety, Depression, And Post-Traumatic Stress, Benjamin Joseph Boeke

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This applied quantitative study examined whether participation in structured mental health check-ins was associated with self-stigma toward seeking psychological help and reported symptoms of anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and depression among law enforcement officers. Using a cross-sectional, nonexperimental comparative design, anonymous survey data were collected from 130 active sworn officers across 10 small and mid-sized Iowa law enforcement agencies. The agencies included those with and without mandatory check-in policies; primary comparisons were based on officers’ reported participation in at least one check-in. Measures included the Self-Stigma of Seeking Help Scale, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, PTSD Checklist for DSM-5, and Patient Health Questionnaire-9. …

What We Love Online: A Deductive Thematic Analysis Of Thoughtforms, Parasocial Agent Connection, And Bidirectional Fictophilia In The Digital Liminal, Michael P. Ross

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

As artificial intelligence (AI) systems become integrated into daily life, users are forming connections with non-human agents that are functionally useful, emotionally significant, and sometimes experienced as relational. This qualitative study examined how individuals make meaning of AI thoughtforms, how online disinhibition shapes perceived connection, and how personal histories and belief systems inform whether AI companions feel emotionally or symbolically “real.” Seven adults who reported meaningful AI interactions participated in semi-structured video interviews through Microsoft Teams. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, de-identified, and analyzed in NVivo 15 using deductive thematic analysis informed by parasocial attachment, fictophilia, social cognitive theory, and online …

The Effects Of Home Virtual Reality (Vr) Firearms Systems On Self-Efficacy, Gun Attitude, And Stress, Raffi R. Stambultsyan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Advanced virtual reality (VR) firearms training systems have demonstrated benefits for military and law enforcement personnel; however, limited research has examined the psychological effects of commercially available home-based VR firearms systems. The purpose of this quantitative quasi-experimental study was to investigate the immediate effects of the GAIM and AceXR home VR dry-fire training systems on general self-efficacy, leadership self-efficacy, perceived stress, and gun attitude among firearms-trained military and law enforcement veterans. A total of 128 participants completed validated pretest and posttest measures following participation in a VR training session using either the GAIM or AceXR platform. A one-way multivariate analysis …

Experiences Of Mozambican Women Before, During, And After Divorce: A Phenomenology, Emídio Mário Dimande

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to understand the transitional experiences of women in Mozambique from marital conflict through post-divorce life. It was guided by Schlossberg's Transition Theory (STT). The theory supported exploration of the psychological, social, and cultural dimensions of women’s lived experiences of divorce and patterns surfaced that deepened understanding of their realities. Using an interpretive phenomenological design, data were collected from 15 women, aged 19 and older, residing in Mozambique, who had experienced marriage and divorce, through a demographic questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. The data were analyzed using the Moustakas’ phenomenological approach, including horizonalization and clustering verified …

2026-09-17 Getting To Know Student Government President Dana Nguyen, Kean Mathis

The Spectator Online

No abstract provided.

The Resurrection And The Death Of Naturalism: A Philosophical And Historical Defense Of A Supernatural Event, Michael A. Youngwood

Masters Theses

This thesis evaluates the resurrection of Jesus as a historical hypothesis within a comparative historiographical framework. Rather than presupposing either naturalism or supernaturalism, the study distinguishes metaphysical commitments from historical methodology and evaluates competing explanations according to consistent criteria derived principally from C. Behan McCullagh’s account of historical explanation. After establishing the historical phenomena requiring explanation, the study examines several principal naturalistic hypotheses, including hallucination, legendary development, apparent death, and conspiracy, before evaluating the resurrection hypothesis according to the same standards. The analysis considers explanatory scope, explanatory power, plausibility, coherence, consistency with background knowledge, and freedom from ad hoc assumptions. …

A Christian's Formative Years And Their Worship Music Preferences, Cara L. Coffey Hall

Masters Theses

This study examines how Christians’ formative faith experiences influence lifelong worship music preferences. While discussions of worship music often emphasize generational differences or stylistic preferences, this study investigates whether formative spiritual experiences provide a more meaningful explanation for long-term worship preferences. The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between formative faith experiences, age of conversion, and lifelong worship music among adult members and attendees at Northwest Hills Global Methodist Church. A convergent mixed-methods design was employed. Quantitative data was collected through an anonymous survey completed by 102 qualified participants and qualitative data was gathered through interviews with …

Visualizing Equity: A Design Framework For Global Mental Health Communication For Generation Z, Jose Pena

Masters Theses

There is a lot of information about mental health available today. However, for Generation Z, those born between 1997 and 2012, the information proves both challenging to find and difficult to understand. The World Health Organization and other global groups publish a lot of information about mental health inequality, treatment gaps, and workforce shortages. However, this information is usually presented in dense, technical formats that are not meant for young people who are not experts. Many digital mental health tools, on the other hand, don’t give young people the emotional connection, cultural relevance, and visual clarity they need to deal …