Digital Commons Network^™

Beyond Barriers: Supporting Formerly Incarcerated Students In American Higher Education, Carly Jean Colbert

Journal of Prison Education Research

The United States prison industry is the largest in the world. With the reintroduction of Second Chance Pell in 2015, more people are starting their education while incarcerated, and some attempt to finish after release. However, they are faced with numerous barriers that may prevent graduation. Drawing on Astin’s theory of student involvement, this mixed-methods study examines the challenges that formerly incarcerated people face while pursuing college degrees. Rather than focusing on access, this research focuses on the supports that institutions of higher education can establish to help formerly incarcerated students persist and successfully complete their undergraduate degrees. The findings …

‘I Want To Break Free’ - Reflecting On The Use Of Educational Escape Rooms For Entrepreneurial Education And The First Year Experience, Jennifer Cowman

Irish Journal of Academic Practice

This reflective case study explores the use of Educational Escape Rooms (EERs) within a first-year business module at TU Dublin, developed in response to persistent engagement and retention challenges (Shah et al., 2021; Byrne et al., 2012). Using BreakoutEDU kits and guided by best practice principles including alignment, narrative, and debriefing (Nicholson, 2016; Veldkamp et al., 2020a), sequential EERs were implemented over two academic years. The design focused on key entrepreneurial competencies such as collaboration, communication, and problem-solving (Duggins, 2019; Hartman-Caverly, 2022), with tasks embedded in module topics on environmental analysis and introduction to marketing. Observational insights suggest EERs yielded …

Analysis Of Gold Nanoparticles To Develop The Rapid Antigen Biosensing Strips For Detection Of Toxins, Trang Nguyen Minh Long, Perveen Akhtar, Gayathree Thenuwara, Vinayak Sharma, Furong Tian Dr., Bilal Javed Dr.

Level 3

No abstract provided.

Dewey And Merleau-Ponty: Science, Experience, And Nature, Michael Timm

Center for Dewey Studies Essay Award

This paper defends comparisons between pragmatist and phenomenological philosophies of science by comparing Dewey and Merleau-Ponty’s philosophies of science or scientific method. Merleau-Ponty might be said to “answer the phenomenological tradition’s criticism of naturalism” from within the Husserlian phenomenological tradition itself, revindicating the consensus between pragmatism and phenomenology set forth by Rosenthal and Bourgeois. In the absence of an argument that “methodological inconsistency” amounts to methodological illegitimacy, phenomenology ought not reject pragmatist philosophies of science because the Husserlian phenomenological tradition espouses a relative naturalism not unlike pragmatist naturalism. More importantly, this consensus with pragmatism sustains phenomenology’s own critique of scientism.

Analysis Of Distributed Generator Consumption Capacity Of Distribution Networks Considering System Flexibility, Bo Tang, Yilong Liu, Ruijin Zhu, Xuejiao Gong

Journal of Electric Power Science and Technology

With the continuous growth of electricity demand, the high penetration level of renewable energy has become a trend in the development of distribution networks. However, the large-scale integration of distributed generators (DGs) has results in more prominent problems of power flow, congestion, and voltage fluctuations, which brings challenges to the flexible operation of distribution networks. At the same time, it is necessary to further consider the capacity of lines and the voltage deviation of terminal nodes, so that distribution networks can still retain schedulable space, that is, system flexibility. Therefore, it is necessary to rationally analyze the DG consumption capacity …

A Literature-Informed Nutrition Patient Communication Toolkit For Hashimoto’S Thyroiditis, Kieren Ritter

Department of Nutrition Student Projects

This project is intended to help bridge the gap in nutrition education and treatment for the autoimmune disease Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT). Current research was synthesized and converted into a communication tool for adults diagnosed with HT. The toolkit was based on 33 articles, from three databases, that passed the inclusion and exclusion criteria for analysis. The education toolkit was intended to be practical and valuable for below a high school reading level. The aforementioned articles reviewed the effects of dietary changes on HT with vitamin D, selenium, gluten removal, dietary patterns such as the Mediterranean diet and Autoimmune Protocol, and …

Violent Tenderness, Aimilia Amalia Matthildi Tsopela

Comparative Literature Undergraduate Senior Theses

This thesis concerns itself with a single question: “What is love?” Specifically, it constitutes an account of love as a failed failure. The first chapter proposes a conceptualization of love as a subject-to-subject relation, through sustained engagement with the work of Alain Badiou. Specifically, the nature of the love relation as an intersubjective construction is articulated through a critique and reworking of Badiou’s conceptualization of love as an evental phenomenon. The second chapter explores the failed failure of love in relation to language, wherein the lovers’ discourse is understood to be linguistic play, operating according to the principles of Bataillean …

A Pre–Post Study Evaluating An Online Cbt-Based Intervention To Improve Academic Performance In Students With Low Mood, Suheir Awadalla, E. Bethan Davies, Cris Glazebrook

All Works

Online cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT)-based interventions have shown the potential to improve the mental health of university students. However, their impact on West Asian cultures and educational achievement has yet to be fully investigated. This study explores the feasibility, acceptability, and potential effectiveness of a self-directed, internet-delivered, cognitive–behavioural skills training programme (MoodGYM) in reducing depression and improving academic performance among university students in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This exploratory pre- and postintervention study with a historical control group recruited 50 students, having a GPA <2 and self-reporting at least one of two key depressive symptoms, from one UAE university. The results demonstrated that the total Hospital Depression and Anxiety Scale (HADS) depression score (HADS-D) decreased after the intervention (P = 0.004), and the proportion of participants scoring above the cutoff for depression (HADS-D ≥8) decreased from 77.2 to 27.3% (p < 0.001). There was also a significant reduction in HADS-anxiety scores (p < 0.001), and the proportion of participants above the cut-off for anxiety (HADS-A ≥8) decreased from 50% to 11.4% (p = 0.001). GPA improved significantly over time (p < 0.001, d = 1.3), and attendance warnings decreased (p = 0.008, d = 0.6). Most students (79.6%) evaluated MoodGYM as useful, and all students completed at least two MoodGYM modules. This study shows that MoodGYM, a web-based mental health promotion intervention, improves academic achievement in university students with depressive symptoms. Further research is needed to explore how MoodGYM can be best implemented within university settings.

Cognition And Behavior In Neurofibromatosis Type 1: Report And Perspective From The Cognition And Behavior In Nf1 (Cabin) Task Force, David H Gutmann, Corina Anastasaki, Aditi Gupta, Yang Hou, Stephanie M Morris, Jonathan M Payne, Jacob Raber, Seth M Tomchik, Linda Van Aelst, James A Walker, Kaleb H Yohay

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Individuals with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) are prone to the evolution of neurodevelopmental symptomatology including motor delays, learning disabilities, autism, and attention deficits. Caused by heterozygous germline mutations in the

Patterns Of Late Holocene And Historical Extinctions On Madagascar, Laurie R. Godfrey, Zachary S. Klukkert, Brooke E. Crowley, Robin R. Dawson, Peterson Faina, Benjamin Z. Freed, Evon Hekkala, Cortni Borgerson, Harimanjaka A.M. Rasolonjatovo, Patricia C. Wright, Stephen J. Burns

Department of Anthropology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Around 1000 years ago, Madagascar experienced the collapse of populations of large vertebrates that ultimately resulted in many species going extinct. The factors that led to this collapse appear to have differed regionally, but in some ways, key processes were similar across the island. This review evaluates four hypotheses that have been proposed to explain the loss of large vertebrates on Madagascar: Overkill, aridification, synergy, and subsistence shift. We explore regional differences in the paths to extinction and the significance of a prolonged extinction window across the island. The data suggest that people who arrived early and depended on hunting, …

California Prison Reentry Service Providers’ Views On Rehabilitation And Its Impact On Recidivism, Kimberly A. Clisbee

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative review used a convergent-parallel design to explore the perspectives of prison administrators and nonprofit reentry program providers regarding inmate rehabilitation iii and reentry services. In 2021, 76,000 inmates were pardoned due to changes in California legislation (Fritz, 2024, p. 1 ). According to a 2024 report, 89,898 inmates are residing in California State prisons- 119% over capacity (Morris, 2024, p. 1 ). This study investigated two key aspects: (1) What rehabilitation and reintegration services are offered to inmates in the California State prison system, and are these services provided upon release? 2. Are inmates required to participate in …

A Case Study Of An Instructional Design Model For Creating Scalable Courses In Healthcare, Zoaib Mirza

Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

This case study examines the instructional design model used to develop scalable online courses in the Healthcare Information Management (HIM) program at an online healthcare education institution. With the growing demand for healthcare professionals, heightened by global crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, scalable and efficient online education solutions are vital. The study explores how collaboration between Curriculum and Academic departments ensures alignment with industry standards, promotes efficiency, and maintains academic rigor. Using a case study methodology, the research analyzes the roles, phases, and outcomes of the instructional design process, emphasizing reductions in development time, cost, and resources while preserving …

Leadership Attributes To Guide The Adoption And Curricular Design Process Of Environmental Sustainability Education For Ec-12 Public School Districts, Katherine Marie Seguino

Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

Though awareness of environmental issues increases, limited resources are available as guidance for public school leadership to introduce and implement Environmental Sustainability Education (ESE) into their curriculum. Increasing evidence exists supporting the why ESE should be part of the curriculum, however few resources are available on the how to successfully implement it. This study seeks to provide insight to public school leaders regarding attributes beneficial to gain support of their communities and points to consider for crafting culturally relevant ESE curriculum. Public schools serve over 90% of American students, if this environmental crisis is to be solved, ESE must be …

A Cascading Effects Model Of Early Sensory Development In Autism, Natalie Russo, Carissa J. Cascio, Grace T. Baranek, Tiffany G. Woynaroski, Zachary J. Williams, Shulamite A. Green, Roseann Schaaf

Department of Occupational Therapy Faculty Papers

Autism has historically been defined by the presence of differences in social communication and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities (RRBs). Since 2013 when the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders was published, sensory features were added as one of the polythetic restricted and repetitive behavior diagnostic criteria of autism, though it has remained understudied. Here, we summarize theory and research to provide support for the perspective that early sensory functions and experiences play a primary role in autism and have downstream effects on social communication and repetitive behavioral features of autism. The …

The Role Of Gender And Sexual Identity In Mental Health Outcomes For Asylum-Seeking Survivors Of Sexual Torture, Samantha A. M. Doerr

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Millions of people worldwide flee violent persecution each year, with more than 6.8 million estimated to have sought asylum in 2023 alone (United Nations High Commission on Refugees, 2025). Up to 40% of refugees and asylum-seekers are reported to be survivors of torture, with sexual torture one of the most commonly-reported means of torture, particularly among women and LGBTQ+ populations (Abu Suhaiban, 2019; Hopkinson et al., 2017; United Nations High Commission on Refugees, 2017). Sexual torture has been associated with severe impacts on mental health, including posttraumatic and depressive symptoms. Despite marked differences in sexual torture risk across gender and …

Patterns Of Late Holocene And Historical Extinctions On Madagascar, Laurie R. Godfrey, Zachary S. Klukkert, Brooke E. Crowley, Robin R. Dawson, Peterson Faina, Benjamin Z. Freed, Evon Hekkala, Cortni Borgerson, Harimanjaka A. M. Rasolonjatovo, Patricia C. Wright, Stephen J. Burns

EKU Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Around 1000 years ago, Madagascar experienced the collapse of populations of large vertebrates that ultimately resulted in many species going extinct. The factors that led to this collapse appear to have differed regionally, but in some ways, key processes were similar across the island. This review evaluates four hypotheses that have been proposed to explain the loss of large vertebrates on Madagascar: Overkill, aridification, synergy, and subsistence shift. We explore regional differences in the paths to extinction and the significance of a prolonged extinction window across the island. The data suggest that people who arrived early and depended on hunting, …

A Novel Approach To Treat Trastuzumab Resistant Her2+ Breast Cancer: Activation Pkcδ, Maria Grazia Mejia Monroy

Master's Theses

In the United States, approximately one in eight women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in her lifetime and one in forty will die from breast cancer. From among all the different subtypes of breast cancer, HER2+ can be found in approximately 20% of breast cancer tumors. HER2 overexpression has been associated with an aggressive form of breast cancer, increasing the risk of metastasis or recurrent tumors in 50% of patients. The standard of care for HER2 positive breast cancer, trastuzumab, has been effective for some patients; however, others develop resistance over time, leading to disease progression and metastasis. …

Swi/Snf Atpase Silenced Hlf Potentiates Lung Metastasis In Solid Cancers, Jin Zhou, Austin Hepperla, Jeremy M Simon, Kangsan Kim, Qing Hu, Chuanhai Zhang, Lei Dong, Lianxin Hu, Cheng Zhang, Chengheng Liao, Alice Fang, Yayoi Adachi, Haoyong Fu, Tao Wang, Qian Liang, Fangzhou Zhao, Hongyi Liu, Masashi Takeda, Jun Fang, Hua Zhong, Peter Ly, Lu Wang, Payal Kapur, Lin Xu, Liwei Jia, Srinivas Malladi, James Brugarolas, M Celeste Simon, Bo Li, Qing Zhang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Metastasis is the main cause of cancer-related deaths, yet the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Here, using clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), a tumor type with frequent lung metastases, we conduct an in vivo genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 screen and identify HLF as a potent suppressor of lung metastasis. HLF depletion enhances ccRCC cell migration and lung metastasis, whereas HLF overexpression abrogates these effects. In ccRCC patients, HLF expression is reduced at metastatic sites and associates with epigenetic silencing mediated by the SWI/SNF ATPase subunit BRG1. HLF levels negatively correlate with migration potential in collagen. Mechanistically, HLF regulates LPXN expression, modulating the …

Senescence Caused By Telomerase Inactivation In Myeloid, Mesenchymal, And Endothelial Cells Has Distinct Effects On Cancer Progression, Joseph Rupert, Zhanguo Gao, Yongmei Yu, Mikhail G Kolonin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The effects of cell senescence in individual cell populations of the tumor microenvironment (TME) on cancer progression remain unclear. Here, we investigated the effects of cell senescence caused by inactivation of the catalytic subunit of telomerase (Tert) in distinct TME components. We generated genetic Tert knockout (KO) mice driven by the LysM promoter in myeloid cells, by the Pdgfra or Pdgfrb promoter in mesenchymal cells, and by the Tie2e promoter in endothelial cells. We compared the effect of the Tert KOs in syngeneic models of orthotopically grafted E0771 breast adenocarcinoma, RM1 prostate adenocarcinoma, and KPC pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Tumors in LysM-Tert …

Development Of Antimicrobal Formulations From Natural Extracts And Silver Nanoparticles, Ellen Hoey, Lily Jaiswal, Shiv Shankar

Level 3

No abstract provided.

Childhood Myopia Part Ii: Treatment Mechanisms, Emerging Options, And Considerations, Safal Khanal Dr, Erin S. Tomiyama Dr, Síofra Harrington Dr

Articles

Abstract

The rapidly increasing prevalence of myopia and its association with vision-threatening complications in later life has intensified efforts to identify treatments that can prevent the onset and slow the progression of myopia in children. These efforts have led to the development of several optical, environmental, and pharmacological myopia control treatments. Investigations of additional treatment options are ongoing and have shown great promise for clinical translation. Although significant progress has been made in identifying potential pathways and modes of action of these treatments, a complete mechanistic understanding is still lacking. This critical review article explores the potential mechanisms underlying the …

Multi-Omic Spatially Resolved Analysis Of The Neuroinflammatory Response To Intracortical Microelectrode Arrays, E. Ricky Chan, Jeffrey R. Capadona

Faculty Scholarship

Intracortical microelectrode arrays (MEAs) are devices implanted into the brain's cortex with the ability to record or stimulate neuronal activity. Unfortunately, MEAs tend to fail over chronic time points, limiting their clinical utility. Chronic failure has largely been attributed to the brain's neuroinflammatory response. Until recently, most of what was understood about the neuroinflammatory response to MEAs was learned through immunohistochemical analysis of small numbers of proteins. More recently, gene expression studies have sequenced thousands of mRNA molecules that contribute to neuroinflammation, but few studies have performed large-scale proteomic analyses. To expand the knowledge of molecular mechanisms involved, we have …

Loss Of Function Of The Zinc Finger Homeobox 4 Gene, Zfhx4, Underlies A Neurodevelopmental Disorder, María Del Rocío Pérez Baca, María Palomares-Bralo, Michiel Vanhooydonck, Lisa Hamerlinck, Eva D'Haene, Sebastian Leimbacher, Eva Z Jacobs, Laurenz De Cock, Erika D'Haenens, Annelies Dheedene, Zoë Malfait, Lies Vantomme, Ananilia Silva, Kathleen Rooney, Xiaonan Zhao, Amir Hossein Saeidian, Nichole Marie Owen, Fernando Santos-Simarro, Roser Lleuger-Pujol, Sixto García-Miñaúr, Itsaso Losantos-García, Björn Menten, Gaia Gestri, Nicola Ragge, Bekim Sadikovic, Elke Bogaert, Kris Vleminckx, Thomas Naert, Delfien Syx, Bert Callewaert, Sarah Vergult

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

8q21.11 microdeletions involving ZFHX4 have previously been associated with a syndromic form of intellectual disability, hypotonia, unstable gait, and hearing loss. We report on 63 individuals-57 probands and 6 affected family members-with protein-truncating variants (n = 41), (micro)deletions (n = 21), or an inversion (n = 1) affecting ZFHX4. Probands display variable developmental delay and intellectual disability, distinctive facial characteristics, morphological abnormalities of the central nervous system, behavioral alterations, short stature, hypotonia, and occasionally cleft palate and anterior segment dysgenesis. The phenotypes associated with 8q21.11 microdeletions and ZFHX4 intragenic loss-of-function (LoF) variants largely overlap, although leukocyte-derived DNA shows a mild …

Global Tracking Of Marine Megafauna Space Use Reveals How To Achieve Conservation Targets, Ana M.M. Sequeira, Jorge P. Rodríguez, Sarah A. Marley, Hannah J. Calich, Mirjam Van Der Mheen, Michelle Vancompernolle, Lucy M. Arrowsmith, Lauren R. Peel, Nuno Queiroz, Marisa Vedor, Ivo Da Costa, Gonzalo Mucientes, Ana Couto, Nicolas E. Humphries, Sara Abalo-Morla, Scott R. Benson, Scott A. Shaffer, For Full Author List, See Comments Below

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

The recent Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) sets ambitious goals but no clear pathway for how zero loss of important biodiversity areas and halting human-induced extinction of threatened species will be achieved. We assembled a multi-taxa tracking dataset (11 million geopositions from 15,845 tracked individuals across 121 species) to provide a global assessment of space use of highly mobile marine megafauna, showing that 63% of the area that they cover is used 80% of the time as important migratory corridors or residence areas. The GBF 30% threshold (Target 3) will be insufficient for marine megafauna’s effective conservation, leaving important areas …

Triterpenoid Cddo-Ea Protects From Hyperglycemia, Hyperinsulinemia, And Obesity By Decreasing Energy Intake, Austin E. Cantu, Cordelia Rasa, Shizue Mito, Denae Cantu, Juan Lopez-Alvarenga, Leslie L. Rivera-Lopez, Israel Rios, Ashley Abrego-Gonzalez, Sara M. Reyna

School of Medicine Publications

Obesity is a significant factor in the development of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Treatment of obesity is pivotal in the prevention and management of T2D, and the development of new pharmacological therapies are studied for improving insulin resistance and glucose intolerance. Oleanolic acid-derived triterpenoids, 2-cyano-3,12-dioxoolean-1,9-dien-28-oic acids (CDDOs), are studied to elucidate the mechanisms by which they protect against obesity. However, fundamental knowledge gaps remain regarding the physiological and molecular mechanisms by which CDDOs protect against obesity. Our recently published studies showed that CDDO-ethyl amide (CDDO-EA) prevents skeletal muscle inflammation by inhibiting activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling. Moreover, CDDO-EA …

Television As Myth And Ritual

Communication Research Trends

Main issue abstract:

Every nation and culture finds a way to continually retell its folktales and myths. If once we did this around camp-fires and through wandering bards, today we recast our traditional stories in modem clothes through our most popular medium, television. Throughout the world the highest audience ratings are for folktale- like soap operas that embody our historical contests, heroes and villains, and, usually, happy endings. The American-produced Dallas and Dynasty are set in the old 'wild West' states ofTexas and Colorado - but extended into new frontiers of high finance and international intrigue. The BBC'sEastEnders celebrates the …

Sample Storage Method And Collection Time Effects On Horse Hair Cortisol Concentrations, Grace Robertson, Savannah Rivers, Thomas Powell, Shea Porr

Steeplechase: An ORCA Student Journal

Serum cortisol concentration is the gold standard for evaluating stress in horses. However, it can be affected by circadian rhythms, environmental factors, and other excitatory events. Hair cortisol is less subject to these variables and is less invasive to collect, but there is a lack of published information on hair cortisol concentrations in horses. The objectives of this study were to examine 1) the impact of sample storage (Room temperature vs. Frozen) and 2) the effect of collection date (spring vs. fall), on cortisol concentration in equine hair. It was hypothesized that Frozen samples would yield higher concentrations than Room …

Changes In Morphology, Phenology, And Demography Of Several Avian Species Over 18 Years At A Restored Grassland, Ashley Mcmahon, Katie Stumpf

Georgia Journal of Science

In response to a changing climate and the loss of habitat, avian species are displaying changes in body size, migration phenology, and demography. Several species have adhered to Allen’s and Bergmann’s rules by displaying increased wing length and decreased mass, respectively, over time in response to higher temperatures. Climate change has also resulted in earlier spring migration and depending on species, either earlier or later fall migration. Finally, species affected by habitat loss often display male-skewed sex ratios and juvenile skewed age ratios. Our goal was to determine how body size, migration phenology, and demography have changed for grassland birds …

Evaluating The Profile Of Most Bacterial Species Isolated From Samples Containing Β-Lactamase Gene, Mohammed Farah Mohammed Abdelhameed, Ahmed Eltigani Almansoori, Mohamed T. Ibrahim, Fatma Al Otaibi, Louai Ahmed, R. H. Zayed

Journal of Agricultural and Marine Sciences

The primary cause of antibiotic use in dairy herds is mastitis, which requires microbiological identification for successful treatment and raises concerns due to increased antimicrobial resistance. This study aimed to highlight the profile of most bacterial species isolated from samples containing the β-lactamase gene from a dairy farm located in Dubai Emirate, UAE. We aseptically obtained a total of 83 milk samples from the herd of 9,000 Holstein milking cows that had clinically confirmed mastitis in March and April 2019. The real-time PCR and DNA extraction were done using the King Fisher™ Duo Prime Purification System, the Mag MAX™ CORE …

Productivity Of Common Bean (Phaseolus Vulgaris L.) And Availability Of Phosphorous Under Different Sources Of Phosphorous, Walelign Demisie, Tesfu Mengistu, Tigist Abrham

Journal of Agricultural and Marine Sciences

Common bean is the most widely grown nutritious pulse in the world and is favored by small-scale farmers in Ethiopia to ensure food security. However, the crop yield is low due to the lesser availability of phosphorous (P) in soil caused by P fixation (formation of insoluble compounds due to reaction of P with other minerals), and use of mineral fertilizers at a rate less than recommended because they are unaffordable for the poor farmers. Thus, a pot experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of different source of P on productivity of common bean and availability of P. An …