Digital Commons Network^™

A “Teaching As Emergent Learning” Approach To Teaching Deep Creativity, Steven Greenstein, Iain Kerr, Emily Olson

LASER Journal

Creativity is the process by which a change that is new and different emerges. We call it deep when it yields novel forms of both quantitative and qualitative change. If we are to take on the most pressing and persistent challenges to our social, global, and planetary well-being, we need novel approaches of a qualitatively different kind than those that have failed to bring about radical change in the past. In other words, we need deep creativity. The paradox at the heart of ``ideation-first" approaches to creative practice (e.g., brainstorming or ideating) is that if creativity aims to produce outcomes …

Christianity, Conception, And Consciousness: Why A Conscious Human Mind Is Necessary To Fulfill The Conception Requirement, Vittoria L. D'Addesi

Liberty University Law Review

As artificial intelligence (“AI”) advances, it not only affects our daily life, but also implicates patent law. The Federal Circuit Court of Appeals has already held in Thaler v. Vidal that only a natural human person can be an “inventor” entitled to receive a patent, thereby excluding AI. The rationale in Thaler centers on statutory interpretation, leaving open the question of whether AI is capable of fulfilling the conception requirement—an essential element of qualifying as an inventor and receiving a patent. This Comment aims to expand the rationale of Thaler and argues that AI cannot fulfill the conception requirement; thus, …

The Measure Of A Man: Considering Science Fiction And Christianity In The Regulation Of Artificial Intelligence Models, Andrew P. Connors

Liberty University Law Review

Does artificial intelligence “think,” and if it does, what should the law do about it? This article examines popular culture and the Turing Test to assess whether artificial intelligence “thinks,” applying the author’s engineering background and his Christian worldview. The author concludes that artificial intelligence mimics rather than creates and considers the risks and benefits of artificial intelligence given that conclusion. The author suggests that legal regulation should be measured, leaving important decisions to humans while at the same time encouraging development of this important, misunderstood technology.

Media Education: Growth And Controversy

Communication Research Trends

Media education has come a long way since 1977 when UNESCO made the first international survey. In industrialised countries of the West, media education is increasingly accepted as part of primary and secondary school education. In Australia and Britain, for example, it is now offered as an optional course, and in other countries it is taught as part of social studies, art or language/literature curricula. In regions such as Latin America there are programmes for working-class women in poor neighbourhoods or for rural families. There has been a boom in textbooks, teaching packs and audiovisual materials. Teacher training has long …

Determination Of The Anti-Inflammatory Activity Of The Methanolic Leaf Extract Of Strelitzia Reginae (Strelitziaceae), Lyannah Deign Hearty Delantar Hinol, Miflor De La Cerna, Decethree Gocela, Aymah Macalonto, Junnin Gay Garay

Pacific Journal of Health

Inflammation is a biological response that, if unregulated, can contribute to various health disorders. The search for new anti-inflammatory agents has led researchers to explore the medicinal potential of Strelitzia reginae, commonly known as the Bird of Paradise. This study aimed to determine the phytochemical composition and anti-inflammatory activity of the methanolic leaf extract of S. reginae. Phytochemical screening confirmed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, phenols, saponins, and steroids, while tannins were absent. The Croton Oil-Induced Ear Edema Assay in Swiss albino mice was used to assess anti-inflammatory activity, with Indomethacin as a positive control. Acute oral …

The Roots Of Our Food: Relationships Are The Seeds Of Care-Based Food Heritage, Nicole E. Post, Raena D. Parsons, Adrian Boone

Dissertations

The purpose of this co-authored, general qualitative research

study was to examine food relationships between individuals,

communities, and Earth. We explored the concept of relational food

systems pertaining to engagement ideas at EarthDance Organic Farm

School and Hawai’i Institute of Pacific Agriculture. Our research

furthers understanding about how to engage people, individually and

collectively, with the land to inspire action. We argue that care-based

relationships can inspire action, helping individuals reconnect with

their food heritage by engaging with land, community, and self.

Heritage site leaders in food systems who center interconnectedness

create places where relationships between people, land, and food …

A Study On Combined Effect Of Monoterpenoid Essential Oils And Polyphenols From Grape Pomace On Selected Pathogenic And Probiotic Bacteria Strains, Haona Bao, Cosmas Mwendwa Muasya, Fur-Chi Chen, Agnes Kilonzo-Nthenge, Ying Wu

Food and Animal Sciences Faculty Research

In the current study, the combined effects of essential oils (EOs) and polyphenols (PPs) were investigated as potential antibiotic alternatives. Thymol and carvacrol at a ratio of 1:1 was used as the EO due to their well-proven synergistic antimicrobial effect. The PPs were an extracted and freeze-dried product from grape pomace. The treatment solutions were prepared at the EO to PP ratios of 0:10, 3:7, 5:5, 7:3, and 10:0, at total concentrations ranging from 0 to 1000 ppm. The minimum inhibition concentrations were examined on the pathogenic bacteria strains, namely Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella typhimurium, and Enterococcus cloacae, and a …

Macular Thinning And Microvasculature Abnormalities In Children With Sickle Cell Disease: A Longitudinal Analysis, Sally S. Ong, Ann Nampomba, Sara Rahman, Loka Thangamathesvaran, Grace Reilly, Jianqiao Ma, Jay Vaidya, Sophie Lanzkron, Adrienne W. Scott

Cardeza Foundation for Hematologic Research

PURPOSE: To assess longitudinal changes in retinal thickness and vessel density (VD) in pediatric sickle cell disease (SCD).

DESIGN: A prospective cohort study.

PARTICIPANTS: Children (< 18 years old) with HbSS and HbS variant (HbSC and HbS thalassemia) genotypes were enrolled from a university-based retina subspecialty clinic from 2017 to 2019 and followed for ≥2 years.

METHODS: Participants received 3 × 3 and 6 × 6 mm OCT and OCT angiography scans at baseline and at each follow-up visit.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Retinal thickness, superficial capillary plexus (SCP), and deep capillary plexus (DCP) VD were compared over time.

RESULTS: Children with HbSS (n = 14) and HbS variant (n = 14) genotypes with ≥1 follow-up were included in the study (total 56 eyes). For HbSS, rates of retinal thinning per …

Hegemonic Entrepreneurial Masculinities In Patriarchal Contexts: Exploring Men's Entrepreneurship In War-Torn Territories, Doaa Althalathini, Theodore A. Khoury, Nick Rumens

Business Faculty Publications and Presentations

This article examines how the war-torn context in Iraq has affected men’s entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial masculinities. Drawing on the entrepreneurship masculinities literature, Connell’s notion of hegemonic masculinity and in-depth interviews with 21 Iraqi men entrepreneurs, this article demonstrates the complex interplay between entrepreneurship, masculinity and patriarchal dynamics in the context of wars and economic instability in Iraq. Study findings show how Iraqi men often turn to entrepreneurship out of necessity to meet patriarchal expectations of them as primary providers for their families. We contribute to the literature on entrepreneurship, men and masculinities by demonstrating how entrepreneurship not only serves as …

Quality Improvement Project Reducing Pediatric Anesthesia In Magnetic Resonance Imaging: The Role Of Preparedness And Education, Rachel Turner

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Pediatric hematology-oncology patients undergo general anesthesia (GA) for various medical procedures, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. Overexposure to GA increases the potential for long-term neurocognitive effects in pediatric patients. Despite the growing research literature on GA-related neurotoxicity and the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) warnings, advanced practice providers (APP) often lack the knowledge to advocate for and support reductions in pediatric GA use. The Doctor of Nurse Practice (DNP) quality improvement (QI) project aimed to reduce unnecessary GA in pediatric hematology-oncology patients undergoing MRI scans by addressing the primary clinic APPs' knowledge deficits through interprofessional education (IPE). Structured in …

Physiological Role And Mechanisms Of Action For A Long Noncoding Haplotype Region., Hong Xue, Manoj K Mishra, Yong Liu, Pengyuan Liu, Michael Grzybowski, Rajan Pandey, Kristie Usa, Mark A Vanden Avond, Niharika Bala, Abdel A Alli, Allen W Cowley, Qiongzi Qiu, Andrew S Greene, Sridhar Rao, Caitlin C O'Meara, Aron M Geurts, Mingyu Liang

Faculty Research 2025

Direct targeting of noncoding genomic regions harboring common sequence variants associated with human traits through in vivo animal model studies and precise genome editing in human cells is essential for closing the critical gap between genetic discoveries and physiological understanding. However, such investigation has been impractical for many of these variants as they are in haplotypes containing multiple single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) spanning thousands of base pairs and have small effect sizes. We developed an integrated approach to address this challenge, combining an efficient two-step technique to precisely edit large haplotypes in human induced pluripotent stem cells and orthologous region deletion …

Immunosuppressive Tumor Microenvironment Of Osteosarcoma., Aaron M Taylor, Jianting Sheng, Patrick Ks Ng, Jeffrey M. Harder, Parveen Kumar, Ju Young Ahn, Yuliang Cao, Alissa M Dzis, Nathaniel L. Jillette, Andrew Goodspeed, Avery Bodlak, Qian Wu, Michael S Isakoff, Joshy George, Jessica D S Grassmann, Diane Luo, William F Flynn, Elise T Courtois, Paul Robson, Masanori Hayashi, Alini Trujillo Paolillo, Antonio Sergio Petrilli, Silvia Regina Caminada De Toledo, Fabiola Sara Balarezo, Adam D Lindsay, Bang Hoang, Stephen T C Wong, Ching C Lau

Faculty Research 2025

Background/Objectives: Osteosarcoma is the most common malignant bone tumor in children, characterized by a high degree of genomic instability, resulting in copy number alterations and genomic rearrangements without disease-defining recurrent mutations. Clinical trials based on molecular characterization have failed to find new effective therapies or improve outcomes over the last 40 years. Methods: To better understand the immune microenvironment of osteosarcoma, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing on six tumor biopsy samples, combined with a previously published cohort of six samples. Additional osteosarcoma samples were profiled using spatial transcriptomics for the validation of discovered subtypes and to add spatial context. Results: …

Novice Early Childcare Educators’ Experiences Applying Pre-Service Education Knowledge And Theories In Practice At Childcare Centers, Jodi Mcbride

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some novice early childhood educators (ECEs) experience barriers to applying knowledge gained during their pre-service education in practice and experimenting with their roles at childcare centers. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore novice ECEs’ experiences of barriers to applying knowledge gained during their pre-service education in practice at childcare centers. Mezirow’s transformative learning theory grounded this study by describing adult learners’ personal transformation from obtaining and understanding new knowledge to applying it in practice. For this study, eight adult learners who completed an early childhood education program, had up to 5 years’ experience, held a current …

Apolipoprotein M Attenuates Age-Related Macular Degeneration Phenotypes Via Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Signaling And Lysosomal Lipid Catabolism, Tae Jun Lee, Andrea Santeford, Kristen M Pitts, Carla Valenzuela Ripoll, Ryo Terao, Zhen Guo, Mualla Ozcan, Dagmar Kratky, Christina Christoffersen, Ali Javaheri, Rajendra S Apte

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of blindness in people over 50. AMD and cardiovascular disease share risk factors including age, impaired lipid metabolism, and extracellular lipid deposition. Because of its importance in age-related diseases, we hypothesize that apolipoprotein M (ApoM), a lipocalin that binds sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), might restore lipid homeostasis and retinal function in AMD. In support, we find that human patients with AMD demonstrate significantly reduced ApoM compared to controls. In mice with impaired retinal cholesterol efflux, ApoM improves retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) function and lipotoxicity in an S1P- and S1P receptor 3-dependent manner. Ultrastructural evidence …

A Smart Blockchain-Based Privacy-Preserving Machine Learning Scheme In Iot Healthcare, J. Deepika, Sahana Shetty, A. Selvarani, Saroj Bala, Benita Gracia Thangam J, Pradeep G

Baghdad Science Journal

The idea of Blockchain has infused various fields of study, and its widespread adoption is projected to grow exponentially in the near future. By executing concise pre-defined code snippets known as smart contracts on the Blockchain, the need for intermediaries can be eliminated, and the number of contract executions can be significantly increased. The application of blockchain technology and smart contracts, in conjunction with machine learning methods, to IoMT-based e-healthcare is critically examined in this article. The goal of this project is to investigate how automation and decentralisation might improve healthcare. Integrating these components offers the chance to handle medical …

Common Fixed Points Results For Three Mappings Under Generalized Contraction Of Suzuki-Type In Ƀ-Metric Spaces With Application, Surjeet Singh Chauhan Gonder, Manju Devi, Manish Jain, Mohammad Sajid

Baghdad Science Journal

Suzuki used a brilliant strategy in his seminal publications to expand the Banach contraction theorem (BCT). This has undergone numerous intriguing generalizations and extensions during the past few decades and led to a new trend of coincidence and fixed points for countless Suzuki-type contractive and non-expansive maps in the various spaces. In this article, in the setup of ƀ-metric spaces, the aim is to produce a common fixed point of three mappings subjected to a generalized contraction of the Suzuki type. The present work generalizes well- known results of Suzuki, Chandra et al., Roshan et al. and several other results …

A Feedback Management System Based On Blockchain Technology For Educational Institutions, Diman M. Mohammed, Rana F. Ghani

Baghdad Science Journal

The provision of feedback is an essential element in the process of enhancing the performance of an organization. With precise feedback, errors and possibilities for improvement can be determined. The purpose of every survey is to accurately capture individuals’ real feelings. Today, the majority of feedback data is stored in a database system, However, a lack of confidence in the database system results in inaccurate or partially compromised feedback. Blockchain is an innovative and promising technology that decreases security risks, eliminates fraud, and provides unprecedented levels of transparency to ensure feedback system efficiency. It is a decentralized ledger that has …

Fantasy Novels, Romance, And Book Boyfriends: Romantic Views And Expectations Of Young Adult Women, Kennedy Dawn Morris

Theses and Dissertations

Despite its drop in popularity, reading is a pastime that is enjoyed by many. As with other forms of media, there is the question of how consuming literature impacts individuals. This research study examines how reading fantasy novels impacts the romantic views and expectations of women in emerging adulthood. Social comparison theory and parasocial relationships were utilized in order to examine how young adult women compare their relationships and relationship ideals to those of fictional characters, as well as how young adult women decide which fictional relationships and/or characters are worth their admiration. The findings of this study suggest that …

Replicating Associative Learning Of Rodents With A Neuromorphic Robot In An Open-Field Arena, Tianze Liu, Kang Jun Bai, Hongyu An

Michigan Tech Publications

This study emulates associative learning in rodents by using a neuromorphic robot navigating an open-field arena. The goal is to investigate how biologically inspired neural models can reproduce animal-like learning behaviors in real-world robotic systems. We constructed a neuromorphic robot by deploying computational models of spatial and sensory neurons onto a mobile platform. Different coding schemes—rate coding for vibration signals and population coding for visual signals—were implemented. The associative learning model employs 19 spiking neurons and follows Hebbian plasticity principles to associate visual cues with favorable or unfavorable locations. Our robot successfully replicated classical rodent associative learning behavior by memorizing …

Inverse Problem Of Class Of Delay Differential Equations And Fast Estimation Of Parameters, Ibrahim Makki Khalil, Jehan Mohammed Khudhir

Baghdad Science Journal

This article introduces an integral representation formula to solve delay nonlinear ordinary differential equations (DDEs) as an improvment to the method proposed by Tyukin I, et al. of solving a class of ordinary differential equations. The integral formula depends on the parameters of the systems explicitly as nonlinear parameterized computable functions. It features both linear and nonlinear equations and show an effective form for estimating unknown parameters. Solutions of DDEs are represented as sums of computable integrals which are implicitly dependent on the initial condition and the unknown parameters. This allows invoking parallel computational streams using Matlab tools of sums …

Mostly Oscillation For A System Of Half Linear Neutral Differential Equations Of The Second Order With Several Arguments, Noor Abdulamer Abdulkarem, Taghreed Hussein Abed, Farah Abdulameer Abdulkareem, Hussain Ali Mohamad

Baghdad Science Journal

This paper studies the oscillation properties and asymptotic behavior of all solutions of the 2×2 system of second-order half-linear neutral differential equations. Four results are obtained in this research. The first and second results are auxiliary results while the third and fourth results are main results. All possible cases of non-oscillating bounded solutions for this system are estimated and analyzed. It is noted that the parameters that affect the volatility of the solutions are Qi,Ri on the one hand and r1 and r2 on the other hand. For this purpose, and through investigation, it is shown that there are only …

Improving Golden Eagle Optimization Algorithm Through Using Wavelet Mutation, Ebtehal Talib, Abeer Salim Jamil, Nidaa Flaih Hassan

Baghdad Science Journal

The Golden Eagle Optimization (GEO) algorithm is another amazing nature inspired optimization algorithm based on the foraging behavior of the Golden Eagles. GEO is an excellent behavioral model of how Golden Eagles interact with one another while searching for prey, consisting of a population of virtual “eagles” that together represent potential solutions to the optimization problem. The “eagles” interact with one another and together communicate and move as a single unit towards something, in this case the optimal solution. In this paper, we expand upon this idea with a new version of the GEO algorithm, called Wavelet Mutation Golden Eagle …

Cancer Detection Framework Using Cellular Automata Based Segmentation And Deep Learning, Rupashri Barik, Nazma B J Naskar, Aleena Swetapadma

Baghdad Science Journal

Image processing plays vital role in medical sciences. Medical image processing reduces diagnosis time and cost. Early detection of cancer may reduce life risk. Earlier works on cancer detection mostly focused on specific organs and imaging modalities. This work aims a generalized framework for detecting tumors in various organs by analyzing different imaging modalities. Here, Cellular Automata helps in image segmentation through region growing, and deep learning algorithms made performance analysis in terms of accuracy and loss. Analyzing CT-Scan, MRI images of brain, breast, lungs, the proposed framework may assist to detect the region of mass being developed. Proposed CA-based …

Accelerating Face Mask Detection Training Model Based On Multi-Gpus And Multi-Core Cpu, Ammar Hussein Jassim, Nada Hussain Ali, Ahmed Al-Taie, Doaa Mohammad Majed

Baghdad Science Journal

Modern machine-learning applications require GPUs, and modern platforms can leverage numerous GPUs on one or more machines to increase performance. Contemporary deep-learning models are too huge for CPU or GPU training. Training these models with many GPUs without performance degradation is necessary to train them rapidly and maximize GPU consumption. Thus, training deep convolutional neural networks (DCNN) with multiple GPUs has become necessary for improving training. Therefore, we presented a parallel design and development of an efficient model for enhancing face mask CNN performance and improving resource efficiency. This DCNN model is a parallel training system over multiple GPUs, a …

Modeling Reemergence Of Vaccine-Eliminated Infectious Diseases Under Declining Vaccination In The Us, Mathew V Kiang, Kate M Bubar, Yvonne Maldonado, Peter J Hotez, Nathan C Lo

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Importance: Widespread childhood vaccination has eliminated many infectious diseases in the US. However, vaccination rates are declining, and there are ongoing policy debates to reduce the childhood vaccine schedule, which may risk reemergence of previously eliminated infectious diseases.

Objective: To estimate the number of cases and complications in the US under scenarios of declining childhood vaccination for measles, rubella, poliomyelitis, and diphtheria.

Design, setting, and participants: A simulation model was used to assess the importation and dynamic spread of vaccine-preventable infectious diseases across 50 US states and the District of Columbia. The model was parameterized with data on area-specific estimates …

Cholesterol Metabolism Regulated By Camkk2-Creb Signaling Promotes Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer, Chenchu Lin, Thomas L Pulliam, Jenny J Han, Jiaqian Xu, Carlos Vera Recio, Sandi R Wilkenfeld, Yan Shi, Manoj Kushwaha, Sarah Bench, Eduardo Ruiz, Sanjanaa Senthilkumar, Jayasurya Dileep, Peter D A Shepherd, Nora M Navone, Albert R Klekers, Elizabeth M Whitley, Michael M Ittmann, Livia S Eberlin, Wenyi Wang, Daniel E Frigo

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) remains an incurable disease in need of improved treatments. CAMKK2 is an emerging therapeutic target whose oncogenic effects in prostate cancer have, to date, been largely attributed to its activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Here, we demonstrate that CAMKK2 promotes prostate cancer growth through an alternative downstream pathway involving CAMKI and CREB. Unbiased transcriptomics identify CREB-mediated transcription as a CAMKK2-regulated process, findings that we validate using diverse molecular, genetic, and pharmacological approaches in vitro and in vivo. CAMKK2 promotes CREB phosphorylation/activation through CAMKIα independently of AMPK, CAMKIV, or other CAMKI isoforms. Functionally, the CREB family …

Safety And Efficacy Of Repurposed Smallpox Vaccines Against Mpox: A Critical Review Of Acam2000, Jynneos, And Lc16, Mohd Wahid, Raju K. Mandal, Mohammed Sikander, Mohammad Rashid Khan, Shafiul Haque, Nachiket Nagda, Faraz Ahmad, Alfonso J. Rodriguez-Morales

School of Medicine Publications

Since 2022, outbreaks of monkeypox (Mpox), which is caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV), have been documented in more than 116 nations, making it a serious danger to world health. Despite being self-limiting in most cases, Mpox can lead to severe illness and even death, especially among high-risk populations like the LGBTQI + community. Hence, there is an urgent need for effective prevention and treatment strategies, with vaccination playing a crucial role. This paper explores the safety and efficacy of three key vaccines; ACAM2000, JYNNEOS, and LC16 that are repurposed from smallpox vaccines to combat Mpox. ACAM2000, a replication-competent vaccinia …

Into The Spectrum: Investigating The Range Of Color Vision In The Foraging Behavior Of Diacamma Rugosum (Asian Bullet Ants), Manjho Aron Ricalde Broniola, Ethan Jay Ocampo Dayandante, Patricia Erin Denosta Sotto

DLSU Senior High School Research Congress

Ants showcase that size does not always matter. Through their small stature, they continue surviving in the land they live in, continuously being resourceful for their colony. In their colonial structure rises a matriarchal system led by queen ants, serving as the heart of their operation. Each ant serves their purpose of building, hunting, and growing their colony. Through this, they ensure their community remains strong and birth new generations that will serve the queen. The secret behind this seemingly perfect operation is their seamless ability to communicate. They used their heightened senses to communicate danger, routes, and food sources …

Analysis Of Ghg Emissions From Local Coconut-Based Biodiesel Supply Chain In Luzon Area Of The Philippines, Andre F. Bacod, Dmitri John A. Omahoy, Derrick Francis F. Pua, Jose Antonio M. Vidal, Jeremias A. Gonzaga

DLSU Senior High School Research Congress

As the world continues to strive for sustainability, different advancements in sources of energy have been made in hopes of reducing the dependency on non-renewable sources. These include the production of biofuels like biodiesel, which involves the conversion of different biomass. However, while the production of biodiesel has been proven to be more beneficial to the environment, there are other factors regarding their production that contribute to the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG). The transportation and distance between different sectors of the biofuel supply chain indirectly affect the total amount of GHG produced in its life cycle. This research aims …

Optimization Of Contact Time, Adsorbent Dosage, And Initial Ph For Methylene Blue Removal In Aqueous Solution Using Citrus Aurantium Peels, John Rich M. Adorna, Maria Carmela M. Lajara, Aldrin James F. Tolentino, Hiromi O. Yazaki

DLSU Senior High School Research Congress

The increasing pollution from the textile and dye industries has raised serious environmental concerns, particularly due to the discharge of synthetic dyes like methylene blue (MB), known for its toxicity, carcinogenicity, and resistance to biodegradation. This study explores the use of waste materials from the agricultural industry, namely the peels of Citrus aurantium (dalandan), as adsorbents to remove MB from simulated wastewater under low-cost and sustainable conditions. The study aimed to produce activated carbon from dalandan peels (DPAC) and characterize its surface and chemical characteristics to evaluate the effects of initial pH, adsorbent dosage, and contact time on the efficiency …