Digital Commons Network^™

Pet/Ct Variants And Pitfalls In Malignant Melanoma, Nicolas Aide, Amir Iravani, Kevin Prigent, Diane Kottler, Ramin Alipour, Rodney J Hicks

2020-Current year OA Pubs

No abstract provided.

Pivoting To Be Patient-Centered: A Study On Hidden Psychological Costs Of Tele-Healthcare And The Patient-Provider Relationship, Adam Neufeld, Vishal Bhella, Clark Svrcek

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: While the COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated a shift toward virtual medicine, there are some potentially important limitations with this modality of healthcare. One such concern, which has not yet been elucidated, is how telephone-based versus in-person visits differentially impact patients’ perceived autonomy and the resulting patient-provider relationship. Grounded in self-determination theory (SDT), this pilot study addresses this question by investigating the association between patients’ perceived autonomy support and relationship needs satisfaction (autonomy, competence, relatedness) in both types of visits with their family doctor and care team. Methods: Running from Sept. 2020 to Feb. 2021, data was collected via convenience …

2022-01-03_Michiganoverview_Covidstats, Michigan Department Of Health & Human Services

Cumulative Michigan COVID-19 Data

The COVID Overview page was obtained from Michigan's main COVID-19 page: https:/www.michigan.gov/coronavirus/0,9753,7-406-98163-520743--,00.html.

The State of Michigan is working around the clock to test and treat COVID-19 patients. Below is the most recent data healthcare experts across the state have compiled. COVID case and testing data will be posted three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

This report is provisional and subject to change. City of Detroit and Wayne County are reported separately. MDHHS began tracking probable cases April 5, 2020. FCI indicates federal correctional institute. MDOC indicates Michigan Department of Corrections. Diagnostic tests, including nucleic acid amplification/real-time …

Covid-19’S Impact On Financial Markets In Spain, Billy Fleurima

CISLA Senior Integrative Projects

Late December 2019, emerged what would be recognized as the world’s worst global pandemic since the Spanish Flu. In a 23 month period, roughly 4 million people have died. Everyone’s life has now forever been changed as we move to a virtual world. Remote learning and remote work have dominated both 2020 and 2021. Surprisingly, markets in the United States flourished, dominated by a relatively new trend: Special Purpose Acquisition Companies or SPAC. Across the globe, as countries enforce strict lockdown restrictions, major trends start to emerge worldwide such as a global dearth of semiconductor chips, rise in inflation and …

Lineage Abundance Estimation For Sars-Cov-2 In Wastewater Using Transcriptome Quantification Techniques, Jasmijn A. Baaijens, Alessandro Zulli, Isabel M. Ott, Ioanna Nika, Mart J. Van Der Lugt, Mary E. Petrone, Tara Alpert, Joseph R. Fauver, Chaney C. Kalinich, Chantal B. F. Vogels, Mallery I. Breban, Claire Duvallet, Kyle A. Mcelroy, Newsha Ghaeli, Maxim Imakaev, Malaika F. Mckenzie-Bennett, Keith Robison, Alex Plocik, Rebecca Schilling, Martha Pierson, Rebecca Littlefield, Michelle L. Spencer, Birgitte B. Simen, Yale Sars-Cov-2 Genomic Surveillance Initiative, William P. Hanage, Nathan D. Grubaugh, Jordan Peccia, Michael Baym

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

Effectively monitoring the spread of SARS-CoV-2 mutants is essential to efforts to counter the ongoing pandemic. Predicting lineage abundance from wastewater, however, is technically challenging. We show that by sequencing SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater and applying algorithms initially used for transcriptome quantification, we can estimate lineage abundance in wastewater samples. We find high variability in signal among individual samples, but the overall trends match those observed from sequencing clinical samples. Thus, while clinical sequencing remains a more sensitive technique for population surveillance, wastewater sequencing can be used to monitor trends in mutant prevalence in situations where clinical sequencing is unavailable.

College Adjustment In Ftic Students During Covid-19, Roksan Aydelman

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study looked at First Time in College (FTIC) students’ overall college adjustment and whether modality of instruction during students’ senior year of high school relates to subsequent college adjustment. Those high school seniors who completed the entire year virtually experienced greater social isolation and restrictions that may have further limited navigation of developmental tasks and experiences that prepare students for college. Due to the novelty of the COVID-19 pandemic, this is the first cohort where such a marked split in high school experiences could impact future college adjustment. College students (N=294) attending a large public university completed the College …

Exploring The Effects Of Masks On Student Engagement In Ece And Ese: A Literature Review Of Related Research, Anna M. Frahm

Honors Undergraduate Theses

During the advancement of COVID-19, safety protocols (including facial masks) were incorporated into public settings. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), due to safety regulations, recommend wearing face masks when in close contact with other people in public environments, such as in a classroom, where social distancing is difficult. Understanding these CDC recommendations is still critical when looking for effective and safe alternative forms of masking for particular industries. Many industries smoothly transitioned to daily use of traditional cloth masks, but other industries (such as education) serving clients with high communicational needs and communication-centered services sought masking alternatives. …

Covid-19: A Review Of Random Testing As An Augmentation Of A Close-Contact Testing Regime In Response To The Covid-19 Pandemic, John Mcdonnell

Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented the world with a huge challenge to balance the health of the population with the scale of stringent response measures. Policy makers need evidence based recommendations to inform their response to the pandemic and the ever changing landscape it creates. Testing and isolation of infected individuals plays a critical role in containing the spread of the disease, but is aimed primarily at detecting symptomatic individuals. However, asymptomatic individuals are much more difficult to detect. This study presents the augmentation of a close contact testing regime with random testing to examine the elect on the number …

Rethinking Constitutionally Impermissible Punishment, Nadia Banteka

Scholarly Publications

Prisons and jails endanger the health and wellbeing of incarcerated individuals and their communities. These facilities are often overcrowded and unsanitary,1 with limited access to medical care, 2 and no basic sanitation and personal hygiene products unless a person can pay the spiked prices of the jail's commissary.3 Public health emergencies compound these dangers. Most recently, the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic created a crisis for people in detention, their families, and the communities surrounding jails and prisons. For over a year, there were no vaccines against COVID-19, new strains of the virus continue to evade vaccine-induced immunity, and there …

To Mask Or Not To Mask: Debunking The Myths Of Mask-Wearing During Covid-19 Across Cultures, Rong Chen, Bih-Jen Fwu, Tong-Rong Yang, Quang-Anh Ngo Tran

Psychology | Faculty Scholarship

Mask-wearing is the simplest yet most effective preventive behavior during COVID-19. However, it has sparked great controversy, particularly in America. Little is known about what psychosocial factors predict people’s decision to mask. This research challenges three myths about mask-wearing. First, does mask-wearing provide a false sense of security? Second, is knowledge of COVID-19 a more robust predictor than political ideology of mask-wearing behavior? Third, does resistance to masks reflect anti-authoritarianism or a lack of trust in government? With nationally representative samples across two cultures (N = 1,121), findings reveal a significant positive correlation between mask-wearing and other preventive behaviors. …

Insect Cell Expression And Purification Of Recombinant Sars-Cov-2 Spike Proteins That Demonstrate Ace2 Binding, Lucas R. Struble, Audrey L. Smith, William E. Lutz, Gabrielle Grubbs, Satish Sagar, Kenneth W. Bayles, Prakash Radhakrishnan, Surender Khurana, Dalia El-Gamal, Gloria E. O. Borgstahl

Journal Articles: Pathology and Microbiology

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection has led to socio-economic shutdowns and the loss of over 5 million lives worldwide. There is a need for the identification of therapeutic targets to treat COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2 spike is a target of interest for the development of therapeutic targets. We developed a robust SARS-CoV-2 S spike expression and purification protocol from insect cells and studied four recombinant SARS-CoV-2 spike protein constructs based on the original SARS-CoV-2 sequence using a baculovirus expression system: a spike protein receptor-binding domain that includes the SD1 domain (RBD) coupled to a fluorescent tag (S-RBD-eGFP), spike ectodomain coupled …

From A Distance: An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis Of Sixth To Twelfth Grade Stem Teachers’ Perceptions Toward Teaching English Learners Remotely During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Michelle Angela Figueiredo

Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic that emerged in China and spread globally in early 2020 caused schools to shut down and forced educators to adapt their curricula to an online format. For many students, especially English language learners (ELs), this disruption exposed vast disparities to access and equitable instruction. For science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) educators, this presented several challenges and barriers in adapting science content that required hands on experiential learning to a virtual, two-dimensional format. For English learners (ELs) in STEM classes, it has been particularly challenging learning in this new remote modality. The study used Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis …

Governors State University Operating Plan - Academic Year 2021-2022, Governors State University

President Cheryl Green

Throughout the pandemic, Governors State University (the “University” or “GSU”) has prioritized the health and safety of the GSU community while focusing on providing high-quality instruction and advising, no matter the delivery platform. It will continue to do so for Academic Year 2021-22 (AY22) as outlined in this plan. The times are unprecedented, and the campus has drawn on its history of innovation and flexibility to construct the Academic Year 2021-2022 Operating Plan (the “Operating Plan”) with its models of working and learning that meet campus needs. The University has been monitoring current public health conditions, including the recent rise …

Impacts Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Elementary School Teachers’ Practices And Perceptions Across The Spring And Fall 2020 Semesters, J. Marc Goodrich, Michael Hebert, Jessica M. Namkung

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Following the closure of schools in the spring 2020 semester due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we developed two surveys to understand how the pandemic affected elementary education in the U.S. First, we distributed a survey at the end of the spring 2020 semester to understand how school closures impacted delivery of instruction. Second, we conducted a follow up survey in November 2020 to determine the nature of instruction provided to students when schools did or did not re-open in Fall 2020 and understand teachers’ perceptions of student learning and achievement during the pandemic. Each survey was sent to a sample …

Football In Dr Congo: A Critical Account Of “Congolese Football”, Tamba Nlandu

2022 Faculty Bibliography

Among the giants of African football, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has had, since its first participation in continental and world competitions, its moments of glory and demise. The paradox of Congolese football is epitomized by its success during times of political dictatorship, winning two African Cup of Nations (1968 and 1974) under the Mobutu regime, and its decline during times of democratic trials, failing to either qualify for or advance beyond the group stage of Confederation of African Football (CAF) and FIFA competitions. Without any doubt, the DRC has always been blessed with both human and natural resources. …

An Exploratory Study On The Impact Of Covid-19 On U.S. State Boards Of Accountancy, J Gregory Jenkins, Velina Popova, Mark D. Sheldon

2022 Faculty Bibliography

In the United States (U.S.) individual state boards of accountancy govern the accounting profession within each state. When COVID-19 struck the U.S., state boards worked to maintain normal operations. This study examines how COVID-19 affected the regulatory and oversight activities of the state boards of accountancy and the ways in which boards adapted to the pandemic. We interview executive directors from 21 state boards to determine the pandemic’s impact on board operations and continuing professional education requirements. We also evaluate whether state boards implemented guidance from parties such as theNational Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA), and the resources …

Identification Of Distinct Immune Cell Subsets Associated With Asymptomatic Infection, Disease Severity, And Viral Persistence In Covid-19 Patients, Xiaorui Wang, Han Bai, Junpeng Ma, Hongyu Qin, Qiqi Zeng, Fang Hu, Tingting Jiang, Weikang Mao, Yang Zhao, Xiaobei Chen, Xin Qi, Mengyang Li, Jiao Xu, Jingcan Hao, Yankui Wang, Xi Ding, Yuanrui Liu, Tianlong Huang, Chao Fang, Changli Ge, Dong Li, Ke Hu, Xianwen Ren, Baojun Zhang, Binghong Zhang, Bingyin Shi, Chengsheng Zhang

Faculty Research 2022

The cell-mediated protective and pathogenic immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection remain largely elusive. Here we identified 76 distinct cell subsets in the PBMC samples that were associated with various clinical presentations of COVID-19 using scRNA-seq technology coupled with a deep and comprehensive analysis of unique cell surface markers and differentially expressed genes. We revealed that (TRAV1-2CD8)MAIT cells and (NCAM1CD160)NK cells significantly enriched in the asymptomatic subjects whereas (LAG3CD160CD8)NKT cells increased in the symptomatic patients. We also observed that (CD68CSF1RIL1BCD14)classical monocytes were positively correlated with the disease severity. Moreover, (CD33HLA-DMACD14)classical monocytes and (CLEC10AS100A9)pDC were associated with the viral persistence. The GO …

Really Proper Dangerous One: Aboriginal Responses To The First Wave Of Covid-19 In The Kimberley, Kathryn Thorburn, Kate Golson, Catherine Ridley, Rosanna Angus, Melissa Marshall

Nulungu Reports

No abstract provided.

The Blind Spots Of Sociotechnical Imaginaries: Covid-19 Scepticism In Brazil, The United Kingdom And The United States, Renan Gonçalves Leonel Da Silva, Larry Au

Publications and Research

During the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, experts and policymakers mobilised various slogans to compel the public to help defeat COVID-19. By comparing Brazil, the United Kingdom and the United States, this study shows how dominant sociotechnical imaginaries tied to the slogans were mobilised. We argue that the blind spots of these dominant sociotechnical imaginaries contributed to subversive sociotechnical imaginaries and made room for COVID-19 scepticism. In Brazil, calls to ‘take care of yourself’ contributed to a sceptical stance that individualised responsibility. In the United Kingdom, calls to ‘protect the NHS’ contributed to sceptical accusations of whataboutism …

The Influence Of Human Facial Obstruction On Canine (Canis Familiaris) Begging Preferences, Natalie George

Honors Program Theses

Research on the ability of dogs (Canis familiaris) to recognize human attentional states has shown that dogs are inconsistent in successfully begging to humans who can see them. The current study expanded on this research in relation to the ongoing pandemic and analyzed whether dogs preferred begging to masked, unmasked, or blindfolded individuals. We recruited dog owners from a small liberal arts college and the surrounding area. Dogs chose to beg for a treat from a researcher in one of three separate testing conditions: no facial occlusion versus blindfolded, masked versus blindfolded, or no facial occlusion versus masked. The study …

Investigating The Relationship Between Mental Health And Co- Morbidity Management During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Literature Review, Alejandra Soto

Theses and Graduate Projects

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic caused many disruptions to millions of lives, especially with the enforcement of government shutdowns, isolations, and social distancing. These measures lead to increased anxiety and depression in the general population. With many high- risk patient populations having chronic comorbidities, accessing routine medical care and supplies became difficult during the pandemic.

Purpose: How has mental health affected the management of pre-existing comorbidities during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted using the research engine PubMed using the search terms: “pandemic”, “COVID-19”, “comorbidities”, “mental health”, “morbidity”, and “mortality”. Inclusion criteria were studies …

Evaluation Of Interactions Of Covid Nonstructural Proteins 3, 5, And 6 With Human Proteins And Potentially Therapeutic Molecules, Jessica Huitsing

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2, or SARS-CoV-2, has been ongoing for over two years. The virus spreads easily and is more unpredictable than well-known viruses like the flu, making it important to have reliable combative measures before we fully drop non-vaccine preventive actions, like mask-wearing.Therefore, we used computational protein modeling to investigate the interactions of three nonstructural proteins (abbreviated Nsp) encoded in the viral RNA genome– Nsp3, Nsp5, and Nsp6 – which are involved in the viral life cycle, with human P-type polyamine transporting ATPases ATP13A2 and ATP13A3, whose disease symptoms when mutated mimic …

Flashbulb Memories Among College Students During Covid-19, Sabah Qureshi

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Flashbulb memories are formed through widely shared events that have affected the culture and community. The “flash” in flashbulb memories refers to the specific details that individuals have developed in their memories. The presented research focuses on the specific event of college students at the University of Central Florida (UCF) hearing about university closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This research study sought to identify the variables that have affected the accuracy of flashbulb memories formation regarding the event of college students hearing about university closure because of the pandemic. The variables of the students’ relevance to the university, location, …

Blockchain-Based Digital Trust Mechanism: A Use Case Of Cloud Manufacturing Of Lds Syringes For Covid-19 Vaccination, Trupti Rane, Jingwei Huang

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

Trust is essential in the digital world. It is a critical task to build digital trust for the ongoing digital engineering transformation. Aiming at developing a blockchain-based digital trust mechanism for Cloud Manufacturing or Manufacturing-as-a-Service (MaaS), in this paper, we use the manufacturing of low dead space (LDS) medical syringes through Cloud Manufacturing as a motivating scenario to develop a basic framework. To meet the need of optimally saving COVID-19 vaccine doses to save more lives, the medical device manufacturing community needs to make a swift move to meet the surged need for LDS syringes. Cloud Manufacturing is a form …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Stock Market And Exchange Rate Uncertainty In Pakistan, Ateeb Akhter Shah Syed, Kaneez Fatima, Mannan Zaheer

Business Review

This paper examines the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) on exchange rate (EXU) and stock market uncertainty (SMU) in Pakistan while controlling for the effects of interest rate and policy interventions by the Government and the Central bank to combat the pandemic. We employ the vector autoregressive (VAR) model over a sample period ranging from February 25, 2020 to May 6, 2021. We find that a shock to total daily coronavirus cases in Pakistan has a positive and significant impact on both the EXU and SMU. However, this impact is short-lived which may be attributed to a timely policy response and …

Narrative Inquiry Of Early Career Teachers’ Experiences Teaching During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Kinsey Ann Wright

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study utilized narrative inquiry to learn the stories of early career teachers of students with disabilities as they navigated teaching during a global pandemic. Five early career teachers participated in a series of three semi-structured virtual interviews. Interviews were transcribed then analyzed using a six-phase approach to thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006). Nine themes were identified: Teaching, Communication, Parents, Special Education, Workload, Resources, Training and professional development, job satisfaction, and teacher preparation. Themes were organized and presented to answer the research questions of the study. The findings contribute to understanding pandemic-related challenges faced by early career teachers of …

Locked Up And Locked Down In The Land Of Free: A Look At The United States' Prisons And Covid-19'S Disproportionate Effect On Black Americans' Right To Health, Zachary Parrish

American University International Law Review

The United States is infamous for having a large percentage of its population in prison. Each year since 2002, the United States has reported a higher incarceration rate than any other country in the world. Another unfortunate but widely prevalent issue that the United States has is systemic racism. The combination of the United States’ struggles with systemic racism and mass incarceration makes for a disproportionately devastating impact on Black Americans. As a result, Black Americans make up a disproportionate amount of the prisoners that fill American prisons.

Supporting Mastery Learning Through A Multiple-Submission Policy For Assignments In A Purely Online Programming Class, Joseph Benjamin R. Ilagan, Marianne Kayle Amurao, Jose Ramon Ilagan

Quantitative Methods and Information Technology Faculty Publications

The Learning Edge Momentum (LEM) theory suggests that once students fall behind, it gets more difficult to catch up with the course material. It then becomes increasingly more difficult to connect new, higher-level concepts to those solid edges of knowledge with mastery of basic concepts. Learning for Mastery (LFM) acknowledges that students learn at different paces by allowing students unable to master tests the first time to catch up eventually. This paper describes how an online introductory Python programming course offered to business students followed a multiple-submission policy for assignments to support LFM. The multiple submission policy contributed to the …

When Exemptions Discriminate: Unlawfully Narrow Religious Exemptions To Vaccination Mandates By Private Colleges And Universities, Ronald J. Colombo

Western New England Law Review

Numerous colleges and universities have imposed COVID-19 vaccination mandates upon their students. Most of these mandates also include language purporting to recognize medical and religious exemptions. With regard to religious exemptions, some are unjustly discriminatory. Most notably, some give preference to students who are members of organized religions over students who are not. And even facially neutral exemptions can be administered in an unjustly discriminatory way by, for example, giving preference to one set of religious denominations over another, or by engaging in “religious profiling” (whereby students of a particular denomination are held completely beholden to the beliefs of that …

Exploring Late Adopter Motivation: A Corona Virus (Covid-19) Vaccine Quality Improvement Project, Brandi D. Giles

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Lower than ideal COVID-19 vaccination rates are problematic nationally. As of March 4th, 2022 65% of eligible Americans were fully vaccinated (CDC, 2022). South Carolina fell below the national rate with only 57% of eligible South Carolinians were fully vaccinated at the same time period (SCDHEC, 2022). Both rates are below the national goal that was set for nation of 70% of eligible Americans being fully vaccinated by July 4th, 2021. This project aimed at exploring the motivation of individuals who would be considered late adopters. It was found that motivation to become vaccinated was varied and personal. The conclusion …