Digital Commons Network^™

Endotoxin Burden In Dialysis Water: Seasonal Trends And Public Health Implications From A Year-Long Study In Iraq, Yasamen R. Humudat

Al-Nisour Journal for Medical Sciences

Dialysis water quality is critical to patient safety, particularly in relating to bacterial endotoxins, which can pose major health hazards. Environmental variables, such as seasonal flocculation, may influence endotoxin levels in treated water. Purpose of this study was to evaluate the seasonal fluctuation in endotoxin concentrations in dialysis water across a number of hospital-based dialysis centers. Over a 12-month period, water samples were collected monthly from various places and tested for endotoxin levels using the Limulus Amebocyte Lysate (LAL) assay. The findings demonstrated considerable seasonal changes, with almost 55.5% of the samples surpassing the international threshold of 0.03 EU/mL. Peaks …

The Ramification Of Mutations In Sonic Hedgehog Gene On The Occurrence Of Deformities In The Course Of The Embryonic Development Stage, Umalbaneen Hilal Hadi, Safa J. Al-Yassiri

Al-Nisour Journal for Medical Sciences

Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) is one of the most significant genes regulating embryonic development in mammals, playing a pivotal role in cell differentiation, tissue fate determination, and regulating lateral symmetry of the embryo. The results of this research show that any mutation whether, a loss of function or a change in the regulation of gene expression in SHH gene leads to severe and highly complex consequences for embryonic development.as a result for that, severe disorders of CNS development SHH is a morphogen essential for germline formation and neuronal differentiation. Mutations in this gene result in failure to develop properly the cerebellum, …

Human Service Professionals’ Perspectives Of Family Reunification Programs, Tasha Tolbert

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

When Stress Cardiomyopathy Meets Iron Deficiency: A Retrospective Cohort Study, Emmanuel Olumuyide Md, Alfredo Toll Md, Lukan Abdulraheem Md

Scientific Day

Background/Significance:

Iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) commonly complicates cardiovascular disease, but its association with outcomes in stress cardiomyopathy (SC) is not well defined.

Purpose:

We examined whether IDA in SC is associated with higher in-hospital mortality and greater resource utilization.

Methods:

Using the National Inpatient Sample (2016–2022), we identified adult SC hospitalizations and stratified admissions by IDA status. Survey-weighted multivariable logistic regression evaluated the association of IDA with in-hospital mortality (primary outcome).Key secondary outcomes—cardiogenic shock (CS), mechanical circulatory support (MCS), acute kidney injury (AKI), vasopressor use, length of stay (LOS), and total hospital charges (THC)—adjusting for demographics, comorbidities, and hospital characteristics.

Results: …

When Metabolism Meets Mind: The Diagnostic Challenges Behind Late-Onset Otc Deficiency, Rebecca Hoshaw Do, Lauren Amendola Do, Faap, Catherine Raquel Bs, Mallory Logsdon Do, Faap

Scientific Day

Introduction/Background:

Ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency (OTCD) is the most prevalent urea cycle disorder (UCD), affecting ~1 in 60,000 people. As an X-linked condition, it was historically associated with severe neonatal disease in males. However, newer data shows females often present postnatally with highly variable symptoms and age of onset, frequently causing mis- or delayed diagnosis.

Description:

We report a case of a 10-year-old female with cyclic vomiting syndrome, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and recent orthopedic surgery who presented with acute onset altered mental status, lethargy, and visual hallucinations without focal neurologic deficits on exam. Initial labs were notable for normal glucose and …

Effects Of Rnai Of Ribophorin 1, Eukaryotic Translation Initiation Factor 2 Beta And Peptidylprolyl Isomerase A In Acyrthosiphon Pisum, James Balthazor Ph.D., Brandon Kenemer

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Graduate research using dsRNA to knockdown three genes of the unfolded protein response in pea aphids supported by the NIH K-INBRE Program.

Three genes found in the Unfolded protein response, Ribophorin 1, Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 beta, and Peptidylprolyl isomerase A are thought to be potential targets for RNA Interference (RNAi) in Acyrthosiphon pisum.  Ribophorin 1 (RPN1) is a transmembrane glycoprotein that assists in anchoring ribosomes to the rough endoplasmic reticulum membrane.  It acts as a substrate-specific chaperone.  It facilitates N-glycosylation by delivering newly synthesized proteins to the oligosaccharyltransferase (OST) complex.  Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 beta (eIF2B) is …

Mtdna Analysis Of The Genetic Origin Of Jordanian Indigenous Chickens In Comparison With Ancient, Commercial, And Fancy Breeds, Raed Mahmoud Al-Atiyat

Baghdad Science Journal

Jordan indigenous chickens (JIC) are threatened with extinction since they are crossed with exotic chickens to enhance their low levels of production. The study objective was to investigate the origin, biodiversity, and phylogeographic structure of JIC using mtDNA sequencing in reference to exotic chickens. We sampled 483 males and females by taking a blood spot on an FTA card. We also sampled ancient, commercial, and fancy chickens from Jordan as references. The sampling regions were the main cities and rural areas of the Middle, North and South governorates of Jordan. The extracted DNA from blood samples was sequenced for the …

Distributional Dynamics And Patterns Of Co-Existence In Dung Beetles (Tribe: Onitini) Across Agricultural Landscapes Of Punjab, Pakistan, Takhmina Nazir, Mubashar Hussain

Baghdad Science Journal

Dung beetles (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) play a crucial role in dung removal and nutrient cycling. We assessed the distributional patterns of diversity of the tribe Onitini across 12 subdivisions in Gujranwala, Gujrat, and Sialkot districts of Punjab, Pakistan. Surveys were conducted twice a month with an inter-visit interval of ∼2 weeks by placing three pitfall traps along each 1000 m transect, each spaced ∼330 m apart. Data were collected from nine traps placed along three transects at each location within the subdivisions. Gujrat district demonstrated the highest species richness, recording all 11 species, followed by Sialkot and Gujranwala. Onitis castaneus was …

The Heat Of The Moment: Rethinking The Endangered Species Act Amidst The Sixth Mass Extinction, Sarah Morton

Texas A&M Law Review

The biggest natural disaster facing humans today likely won’t be on the front page of the news. That doesn’t mean its impacts aren’t already being felt. Despite other disasters, like wildfires and hurricanes, dominating headlines, extreme heat is the leading cause of weather-related mortality in the United States. Even worse, extreme heat makes other natural disasters more severe and is decimating the Earth’s biological diversity at a rate that could soon become irreversible. The cost of widespread biodiversity loss is incalculable. Depleting ecosystems eradicates crucial services that nature provides for humanity, including clean air and water, food security, and cooling. …

Every Night We Tell This Story: Remembering, Remaking, And Re-Remembering Paula Vogel's Indecent, Sam Plattus

Student Theses

Vogel’s subtitle calls Indecent “the true story of a little Jewish play,” Sholem 4 Asch’s The God of Vengeance. A Jewish man is arranging a marriage for his daughter; that man is a brothel owner who raised his daughter in a home just upstairs from his place of business; his daughter falls in love with a girl working downstairs, and they dance naked, together, in the rain. Indecent follows the journey of Asch’s play from its first reading in his bedroom in 1906, through its European tour in the 1910s, to its debut on Broadway in 1923 when the cast …

Artrepreneurs & Business Survival: Bridging The Gap To Creative Success, Ryan Michael Moore

Masters Theses

Artrepreneurs — freelance artists and small studio owners within creative industries — frequently lack training in essential business management skills in financial management, client pipeline development, and business sustainability. These factors exacerbate already statistically high business failure rates, adding to the burdens experienced by creative entrepreneurs. Conventional wisdom and guidance for entrepreneurs is found in experience-based advice from books, blogs and business mentors. While these offer valuable insights, the lack of data-driven advice highlights an opportunity to close the knowledge gap. This research investigates visually engaging educational systems to guide the creation of new visual solutions which address these challenges. …

Refuting Ruscism: A Critique From Biblical Social Ontology, Paul Miles

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation argues that the ideology of Ruscism is incompatible with biblical Christianity on the basis of God’s design for the individual, the family, and the country. Indeed, the extent of incompatibility between these two worldviews renders any attempt to syncretize them a significant departure from biblical Christianity. God’s design for society is an absolute standard by which political ideologies may be evaluated, and these three societal units will suffice to demonstrate that Christians must reject Ruscism.

This dissertation will describe these three societal units—the individual, the family, and the country—as they are described in biblical Christianity and contrast their …

Mitochondrial Ca2+ Uniporter (Mcu) Variants Form Plasma-Membrane Channels, Iuliia Polina, Jyotsna Mishra, Michael Cypress, Maria Landherr, Nedyalka Valkov, Isabel Chaput, Bridget Nieto, Brian Rhee, Ameneh Ahrari, Nathan Demichaelis, Kye-Im Jeon, Ulrike Mende, Peng Zhang, Bong Sook Jhun, Jin O-Uchi

Center for Translational Medicine Faculty Papers

MCU, originally known as CCDC109A, is widely recognized as the gene responsible for encoding a pore-forming subunit of a Ca2+-selective channel, mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter complex (mtCUC). While MCU expression is typically highly mitochondrial-specific, we report here a protein variant derived from the MCU gene, termed MCU-S, which lacks the mitochondria-targeting sequence (MTS) and forms a Ca2+-permeable channel outside of mitochondria. The mRNA of MCU-S was ubiquitously expressed in all cell types/tissues tested, with particularly high expression in human platelets. MCU-S protein formed Ca2+ channels at the plasma membrane, which exhibited similar channel properties to those observed in mtCUC. MCU-S channels …

Impact Of Dissolved Organic Carbon And Temperature On Phytoplankton Biomass In An Outdoor Study, Ruaa Abass Lafta, Mohammed Hamdan

Baghdad Science Journal

Altered environmental conditions in aquatic ecosystems through Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC) input and increased temperature influence phytoplankton communities. To assess the impacts of climate change as both single and combined effects of DOC inputs and temperature on phytoplankton growth, we conducted an outdoor experiment including four sets of conditions in triplicate: a) control, b) DOC treatment, c) temperature treatment, and d) DOC and temperature treatment. We added 10 mg/L of glucose (C₆H₁₂O₆) as a source of DOC. The warming treatment increased the water temperature by 3°C above the control (p-value < 0.05). The DOC treatment significantly affected pH, CO₂, and DOC …

Deep Screens (1): Reliability-Driven Correction Of 3d Pose Estimation For Animation, Emma Vejcik

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

Modern 2D and 3D human pose estimators silently fail on archival film footage. Their confidence channels do not surface these failures, and no annotated ground truth exists in the domain against which to evaluate or correct them. The result, in pipelines that lift archival 2D detections to 3D for downstream applications, is animation output with jittering limbs, hallucinated skeletons, and anatomically implausible poses. This thesis addresses these failures through three interventions, working from the data foundation upward.

First, we construct a hand-annotated reliability dataset of over 50,000 joint-frame rows across six segments from four films spanning multiple eras (1910, 1960, …

Winning Formula: The Life Of Colonel Edward R. Bradley, Lorraine Potter

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Edward R. Bradley was a towering cultural icon of the early twentieth century. He is best known as the owner and breeder of four Kentucky Derby winning horses and as the owner and operator of the longest-running illegal casino in American history. However, Bradley's story has rarely been told, due to both his characteristic humility and the dubious nature of his profession. Bradley worked, lived, and invested in nearly every pivotal American region during the Progressive Era, plying his trade as a highly successful gambler, speculator, and horse breeder. Though his accomplishments were immense, his demeanor remained dignified, plainspoken, and …

Exploring The Modality Delivery Experiences Of K-12 Teachers In Instructional Practice Professional Development: A Transcendental Phenomenology Study, Nayonda T. Gibson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative transcendental phenomenological study will be to describe the modality delivery experiences in instructional practice professional development for K-12 teachers at MGM School System. The central research question that will guide the study is: What are the modality delivery experiences of K-12 teachers participating in instructional practice professional developments? In addition, guiding questions will be implemented to understand the phenomenon of professional development. The guiding questions will be: What are the rules experiences of K-12 teachers participating in instructional practice professional development? What are the activities experiences of K-12 teachers participating in instructional practice professional development? What are the …

A Qualitative Case Study Of Equine Assisted Services At Healing Strides Facility, Erica Lynn Gray

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative case study is to portray how a well-run facility conducting equine assisted services works from an intra-organizational perspective. It is a bounded qualitative case study that focuses on the equine assisted services provided, the program and services designed and the rationale for choosing those programs, how services are operationalized and facilitated by practitioners, how equine welfare is considered, and the experiences and perspectives of those participating in the organization, development, or facilitation of equine assisted services at Healing Strides. This study uses Robert K. Yin’s theory driven methodological approach to qualitative case studies that focuses …

The Herd: Shepherd Leadership Development Program, Ronald Dean Axworthy

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation-in-praxis focuses on the development and implementation of a Shepherd leadership development program for high school students, grades 9-12, in a private Christian high school setting. This program examines how the intentional integration of leadership curriculum shapes students’ views and perspectives on leadership and their ability to lead others as Shepherd leaders. Drawing on the Shepherd leadership motif found throughout the Bible, educational philosophy, and Christian pedagogy, this program examines various methods and curriculum strategies used in the Christian high school setting to build future Christian leaders. The study focuses on understanding how the Shepherd leadership curriculum impacted the …

Canine And Equine Behaviors In Therapy: An Exploratory Multiple Case Study, Sarah E. Montano

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) utilizes animals in the treatment of clients with mental health disorders. Dogs and horses are often used in this modality, but studies have not explored the use of these two types of animals in AAT to discover if there are similarities and differences in the behaviors the animals display during therapeutic sessions. The present study utilized interviews with clinicians providing canine-assisted therapy or equine-assisted therapy to investigate similarities and differences. The interviews were audio and video recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was used to identify key themes regarding the behaviors of the animals. The analysis showed …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Experience Of Nigerian Christian Clergy Of Persecution And Insecurity In Nigeria, John Ekwoanya

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of Nigerian Christian clergy and persecution and insecurity in Nigeria using an online site. The central research question was: How do Nigerian Christian clergy describe their experiences in meeting the expectations of their congregants and communities amidst persecution and insecurity? Interviews were conducted to collect data from 10 participants and an analysis was performed. The results showed that Nigerian Christian clergy, under threats of fear, still meet the needs of their congregants, and that the congregants continue to seek support from their clergy. It was also found that …

Contending With The Digital Age: Faculty Insights On Collaborating With Administrators For Technology Integration In Higher Education – A Qualitative Study, Letty N. Kisten

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the experiences and perceptions of higher education faculty members who collaborate with administrators to integrate technology into the classroom. The study was designed to inform administrative decision-making by highlighting ways to align institutional technology goals with teaching practices that promote faculty effectiveness and student academic success. Through the lens of Bruner’s (2004) constructivist theory, the study framed technology integration as a means of fostering active learning and student engagement. The central question guiding this study was: What are the experiences and perceptions of higher education faculty members who collaborate with …

Barn To Brain: Relationship Between Farm Animal Interaction And Well-Being In Rural Adults, Tiffany N. Hendershot

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the relationship between naturally occurring farm animal interactions and overall well-being among rural adults living in the central Appalachian region, specifically western Maryland, south-central Pennsylvania, and the eastern panhandle of West Virginia. A cross-sectional, correlational design was used to compare adults with at least five hours of naturally occurring farm animal contact per week to those with less than one hour of contact per week. Overall well-being was measured with the PERMA-Profiler, and heart rate variability (HRV) was measured using wearable devices as a physiological indicator of autonomic health. Grounded in polyvagal theory, the biophilia hypothesis, and …

Ethnicity And Evangelism: Understanding The Crucial Role Of Ethnic, Social, And Cultural Factors In Proclaiming The Gospel, Bernardo Salcedo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation examines the pivotal role of ethnic and socio-cultural backgrounds in proclaiming and expanding the gospel to the nations during the early church's formative period. Building upon the theological foundation of God's overarching mission plan throughout Scripture, the research examines how these factors influenced the development of early Christian evangelism, particularly concerning the context of Jewish, Samaritan, and Gentile cultures. The study argues that the early church’s approach to spreading the gospel was profoundly influenced by the ethnic and cultural contexts of the people it encountered. Thus, the dissertation proposes that understanding these cultural dynamics is essential for a …

Given The Systematic Theological Analysis With A Practical Theological Target Of Creation Care, A Christian Worldview Provides Robust Reasons For Protecting And Promoting The Fecundity Of Non-Human Animals, Joshua Forystek

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

When a systematic theological analysis with a practical theological target of creation care is taken, a Christian worldview provides robust reasons for protecting and promoting the fecundity of non-human animals. This multifaceted approach brings cohesion and specificity into the area of Christian stewardship toward creation care.

The Problem Of Evil: Theodicy Of Afterlife, Christian C. Anyanwueze

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The problem of evil has remained a central issue in philosophical theology, prompting both ancient and contemporary scholars to propose various theodicies and defenses concerning the existence of evil in a world created by an omnipotent, omniscient, and wholly good God. While Plantinga’s Free Will Defense, Hick’s soul-making theodicy, and the Augustinian-Thomistic greater-good tradition offer significant contributions to the discussion, each faces important limitations. Plantinga’s model functions primarily as a logical defense and leaves unresolved questions concerning transworld depravity and eschatological fulfillment, while Hick’s instrumental use of evil as a means of soul-building has been criticized for potentially compromising divine …

Discipleship-Led, Servant Leadership: A Process For Equipping And Training Simultaneously In The Local, Revitalizing Church, Joseph Raymond Noel Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Church revitalization has been a topic of conversation in church circles for the better part of the last two decades. While numerous books and trainings have been produced to facilitate the many necessary components of church growth required for revitalization, still more than 3400 churches close their doors annually (Rainer, 2020). Additionally, 39% of professing Christians are not currently engaged in any form of discipleship (Barna, 2022) while 45% of churches are utilizing volunteers to accomplish the work of the ministry (The Unstuck Group, 2017). These numbers indicate a substantial need within the church for a program which can simultaneously …

A Phenomenological Study Of Early Educator Experiences Regarding The Educational And Developmental Benefits Of Play-Based Learning For Children Identified With Special Needs In Inclusive Early Education Classrooms, Karen Renée Gallagher

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study is to understand what are the lived experiences of early childhood educators with providing play-based learning experiences in inclusive classrooms. The theory guiding this study is Jean Piaget’s Cognitive Development theory. This phenomenological study focused on understanding the perceptions and experiences of early childhood educators in regard to how play-based learning supports school readiness within early care and education environments. The focus of the study included educators who care for and teach children between the ages of birth to five years old within inclusive, state licensed early childhood learning environments located in the …

A Reappraisal On The Use Of Mechanical Circulatory Support In Acute Coronary Syndrome And High-Risk Percutaneous Coronary Intervention—Lessons From Stemi-Dtu And Chip-Bcis3, Marwan F. Jumean, Mir Babar Basir, Biswajit Kar

Journal of Shock and Hemodynamics

None.

The Torture Never Ends: Stories, Mackintosh Willingham

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

The Torture Never Ends is a darkly funny, emotionally charged collection of short fiction that peers beneath the surface of ordinary lives to reveal the private absurdities, quiet devastations, and fleeting redemptions we carry with us. A housewife’s diary becomes a record of rebellion against domestic invisibility; an institutional history of a medical consortium turns into a satire of ambition, scandal, and failed benevolence; a devoted reader’s love for pirate romance collapses into sinister obsession. What first appears to be a tender, if somewhat desperate, epistolary courtship becomes a study in delusion, entitlement, and violent self-mythology; and a young haunted-house …