Digital Commons Network^™

Ms-Gator: Multi-Scale Graph Attention With Topological Reasoning For Segmentation And Classification Of Prostate Cancer Based On Gleason Scores Using Histopathology Images, Sujata Patil, Mahadeva Swamy, Kavitha Sooda, Rajanikanth Vadigepalli, Khalid Nazim Abdul Sattar, Md Rafeeq

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

Prostate cancer is one of the prevalent and potentially fatal malignancies, affecting men globally. Accurate segmentation and classification of prostate cancer in histopathology images remain challenging due to complex tissue architecture, staining variability, and high inter-observer differences in manual diagnosis. To address these challenges, this research proposes a Multi-Scale Graph Attention with Topological Reasoning (MS-GATOR) for segmentation and classification of prostate cancer based on Gleason Scores (GS). The MS-GATOR incorporates topological reasoning with hierarchical biological structures by constructing a graph-based representation among three spatial scales such as nuclei, glands, and tissues using Delaunay triangulation to capture both geometric and photometric …

Tracing Microplastics From Polymer-Coated Urea: Urban To Agricultural Pathways And Environmental Fate, Caden Joseph Seely

Theses and Dissertations

Polymer-coated urea (PCU) is widely used as a slow-release nitrogen (N) fertilizer because it improves N use efficiency and reduces losses through leaching, denitrification, and volatilization. However, the polymer coating raises concerns about potential microplastic (MP) transport to surface waters following fertilizer application. This thesis evaluates the off-site transport of MPs and associated nutrient and sediment losses from PCU in both urban landscape and agricultural systems. In the urban landscape study, treatments included sod, mulched beds, and water-efficient ground cover receiving uncoated urea, PCU, or liquid slow-release N at 225 kg N ha⁻¹ (with reduced rates for beds and ground …

Dementia De-Escalation Staff Education Program, Gretchan Edwards

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), including agitation and aggression, present significant challenges in acute care settings and contribute to increased staff injury risk and inconsistent patient care. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to evaluate the impact of a structured dementia de-escalation education program on staff knowledge, confidence, and perceived ability to manage dementia-related behaviors. The guiding PICOT question asked: In acute care staff, how does participation in a structured de-escalation training program that incorporates environmental modifications and organizational support, compared with no formal de-escalation training, affect staff knowledge, confidence, and perceived impact …

Assistant Principals’ Perceptions Of Their University Training, District Provided Orientations, And Professional Development, Claudette Nicole Agbonkhese Parker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Existing evidence shows that instructional leadership activities are an increasingly demanding aspect of school leaders’ roles, and assistant principals (APs) often enter the position without the preparation or support needed to navigate these complex expectations. The problem addressed was the struggle encountered by some APs in their capacity as instructional leaders within a Florida Public School District (FPSD). Guided by the balanced leadership framework, the purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of current and former FPSD APs regarding their university training, district provided orientations, and professional development (PD). Semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 current …

Structured Discussions About Professionalism As Trust, Deborah Simpson, Tricia La Fratta, Kristin Ouweneel, Will Lehmann, Jacob Bidwell, Jessica O'Brien, Kathryn Agard, Nicole Salvo, Esmeralda Santana, David Hamel, William Macdonald, Kirtan Patel, Suzette Caudle, Leah Delfinado, David Irby

Aurora GME

Introduction: Unprofessional behavior in health professionals adversely affects patient care quality, safety and experience as well as teamwork and the individual enacting the behavior. If unaddressed and resolved early, the unprofessional behavior continues independent of whether it starts in medical school, residency, or practice. Yet conversations about professionalism can have limited impact on behavior change.

Aims: To reframe the ability to analyze and discuss professional behavior as entrustment focusing on consequences of adverse behaviors on patient care, teamwork, and one’s own growth and development.

Methods: Using reported behaviors perceived as unprofessional we designed a 30-90 min interactive session for medical …

The Texture Of A Threat: Adversarial Training, Cnns, And Obfuscated Malware Detection, Kaelyn Haynie

Senior Honors Theses

Accurately detecting malicious programs is an expanding field of research for machine learning (ML), with a novel approach incorporating a bytecode-to-image pipeline that produces images representative of software. These images are provided to convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to be examined for malicious pattern indicators. However, CNNs struggle to generalize these patterns effectively while still being robust against adversarial data, an issue which this research addresses with adversarial training. In this paper, three unique CNN architectures (a DBFS-MC-inspired baseline, MIRACLE, and PSP-CNN) are trained for binary classification with 15,000 benign and malicious software samples encoded into images for Android, Windows, and …

Clustering Of Internet Behaviors And Associated Mental Health Outcomes Among U.S. Adolescents, Aakansha Singh, Timothy Grigsby, Miguel Fudolig, Ying Guo, Clariana Ramos De Oliveira

School of Medicine Research Poster Showcase

Poster: Clustering of Internet behaviors and associated mental health outcomes among U.S. adolescents

Prompt Engineering For Lawyers: How Deep The Rabbit Hole Goes: The Chunking Technique And Few Shot Prompting, Cliff Mckinney

Arkansas Law Notes

There are many different strategies and techniques that can be applied to prompt engineering. However, there are six methods that are particularly useful for lawyers: Chunking, which involves dividing a large task into smaller, more manageable requests; Few-shot prompting, which involves giving artificial intelligence examples to guide a response; Iterative prompt refinement, which involves repeatedly rephrasing or refining questions to lead to a better response; Prompt chaining, which involves guiding the artificial intelligence through related multi-step reasoning; Flipped interaction prompting, which involves asking the artificial intelligence to ask the user questions to prompt new thoughts, like the Socratic method; and …

Draft Final Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit Unreclaimed Sites: Ur-03 Construction Completion Report, Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Leveraging Convolutional Neural Networks For Through-The-Wall Radar Imaging: Challenges, Impacts, And Future Directions, Tumaini Edgar, Abdulla F. Ally, Abdi T. Abdalla

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Through-the-wall radar imaging (TWRI) is an essential technology for military and rescue applications; however, its performance in detecting and visualizing high-quality images of targets behind walls is significantly degraded by multipath reflections and signal attenuation. This paper reviews the current state of TWRI and its challenges, and explores the transformative potential of deep learning, particularly convolutional neural networks (CNNs), in addressing these challenges. Peer-reviewed articles published from 2018 to 2024 were analysed to examine CNN applications in addressing TWRI challenges. The analysis reveals that using CNNs, TWRI systems can be more effective by filtering wall distortions, reducing noise, lowering computational …

Education To Increase Students’ Knowledge, Perceptions, And Interest In Occupational Therapy, Brooke Hineman

Capstone Projects

In response to the declining program fill rates across all levels of occupational therapy (OT) education, this Doctoral Capstone Experience (DCE) aimed to promote the field through development of informational resources and delivery of educational sessions for high school and undergraduate students. The primary objective was to foster deeper understanding, accurate perceptions, and career interest among participants. A thorough literature review and needs assessment exploring current OT knowledge, promotion efforts, student characteristics, and underrepresented groups revealed a need for intentional education to address gaps in student knowledge regarding the field of OT among all students, especially those without exposure to …

Advocacy, Outreach, And Expansion Of The Michigan Occupational Therapy Association Mental Health Special Interest Section, Isabel Evola

Capstone Projects

The history of occupational therapy (OT) is rooted in supporting mental health, emerging in the United States during World War I. Over time, the practice of OT has evolved in its scope and emerging specialties. The role of OT in mental health is underutilized and misunderstood by professional organizations. However, OT remains a vital service in supporting mental health in psychiatric and non-psychiatric settings. The focus of this doctoral capstone experience (DCE) was to address this gap by advocating for the presence and understanding of OT in mental health through the expansion of the Michigan Occupational Therapy Association (MiOTA) Mental …

Strengthening Leadership And Expanding Engagement: Enhancing Volunteer, Participant, And Donor Involvement In Michigan Victory Games, Abbey Smith

Capstone Projects

This doctoral capstone experience (DCE) addressed organizational development and community engagement within the Michigan Disability Sports Alliance (MiDSA), an adaptive sports nonprofit serving individuals with physical disabilities. The project is relevant to occupational therapy (OT) through its focus on promoting participation, health, and inclusion in meaningful occupations such as sport. A key gap identified was the lack of structured resources to support leadership, inconsistent outreach methods, and limited strategies to reduce barriers for participants, volunteers, and donors.

The objectives of this DCE included developing a centralized data management portal, creating a standardized community outreach presentation, establishing clear board role frameworks, …

Our Stories: Black Parents’ Experiences At K-12 Predominantly White Institutions, Jason Thompson

Dissertations

Black parents of Black children attending K–12 predominantly White institutions (PWIs) often experience stress as they navigate school environments where they may be perceived as uninterested, combative, or “token” members of the school community. These deficit-based perceptions can cause Black parents to limit school interactions, question whether their perspectives will be valued, and develop distrust toward school personnel. Although research has examined Black students’ experiences in PWIs, fewer qualitative studies have centered on Black parents’ stories. Capturing these experiences in parents’ own words helps challenge harmful stereotypes and offers schools, especially school counselors, deeper insight into strengthening relationships with Black …

The Spirit And The Letter: Performance Practice, Piano Pedagogy, And The Steinway Spirio, Rachel Chia, Jesse Puglia

25th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2026)

Steinway’s Spirio high resolution player piano combines technology and musicmaking in ways that open new possibilities for piano pedagogy. But as of yet, these have not been extensively researched. The present study focuses on how classical piano students can emulate historical style and performance through the practice of embodiment as made possible by the Spirio. Steinway’s iPad app features historically significant video performances of “Steinway Immortals” which are synched to the piano as it replays performances by these musicians, bringing the past to life on the instrument the students are practicing on. To better understand character as expressed in performance, …

Human Interactions With Artificial Intelligence: A Pilot Study, Kjersten Heinlein

25th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2026)

Emerging research shows that college students increasingly use artificial intelligence (AI) tools in academic and personal contexts; however, little is known about how factors such as computer literacy and digital comfort influence their communication with AI. This pilot study seeks to establish a protocol to investigate the influence that undergraduate students’ digital comfort and computer literacy has on the style, tone, and effectiveness of interactions with AI during socially-oriented tasks. Grounded in Margaret Newman’s Theory of Health as Expanding Consciousness, this work views students’ digital comfort and literacy as evolving factors that expand their awareness and enable more effective interactions …

Hope College Abstracts: 25th Annual Celebration Of Undergraduate Research And Creative Activity, Hope College

25th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2026)

The 25th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity was held on April 17, 2026 in the Richard and Helen DeVos Fieldhouse at Hope College and featured student-faculty collaborative research projects. This program is a record reflective of those projects between the 2025-2026 academic year.

Human Interactions With Artificial Intelligence: A Pilot Study, Miracle Yunana, Kjersten Heinlein

25th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2026)

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly integrated into daily life, understanding AI’s impact on human communication is essential for nursing education where both effective socialization and digital literacy are key components of professional development. This pilot study seeks to establish a protocol to explore the relationship between undergraduate students’ socialization and their communication styles when interacting with AI tools. Peplau’s Interpersonal Relations Theory serves as the foundation for this study, emphasizing the importance of social connectedness and communication, highlighting how interpersonal dynamics may extend to AI-mediated interactions. A mixed methods pilot study was conducted, consisting of structured sessions with seven …

A Backend Database Architecture For Persistent Epilepsy Classification Records, Attiksh A. Panda, Deep Desai, Artem Zabarov, Katrina D. Prantzalos, Satya S. Sahoo, Shuai Xu

Student Scholarship

Epilepsy affects over five million people globally each year, yet consistent clinical diagnosis remains a persistent challenge due to the lack of standardized classification workflows across medical institutions. The Four-Dimensional Epilepsy Classification (4D-EC) framework, developed by Lüders et al., provides a comprehensive structure for characterizing paroxysmal events across four dimensions: seizure semiology, epileptogenic zone, etiology, and comorbidities. Despite its clinical and educational value, no dedicated informatics platform existed to support its routine use until recently, limiting widespread adoption among clinicians and trainees. This project addresses that gap by implementing a full-stack web application that operationalizes the 4D-EC framework for clinical …

Toward A Horizonal "I": The Infinite Subject In William Wordsworth's The Prelude, Gabriella Lee Schwartz

Theses and Dissertations

In an 1805 letter to Sir George Beaumont describing his autobiographical poem The Prelude, William Wordsworth remarked that it was "a thing unprecedented in literary history that a man should talk so much about himself." Since then, critics have only affirmed Wordsworth's reputation as a poet, if not the poet, of selfhood and consciousness. Perhaps the most renowned scholarship on Wordsworthian subjectivity was produced by the so-called "Yale School" of the late twentieth century, as J. Hillis Miller, Harold Bloom, Geoffrey Hartman, and Paul de Man all published influential works on the topic. The latter two staked out stances on …

Practices, Controls And Capabilities A Thematic Analysis Of Big Data In E-Retail Fraud Management, Chiwuokem Nwoko, Maureen Meadows, Justin Okoli, Alexeis Garcia Perez

Plymouth Business School

PurposePrior Big Data and fraud research emphasises technical detection or generic analytics, offering limited empirical insight into how Big Data is operationalised as practices and controls in e-retail fraud prevention. This study examines how e-retail firms translate analytics capabilities into fraud prevention practices and controls.Design/methodology/approachThe study draws on 32 semi-structured interviews across 18 e-retail organisations and applies abductive thematic analysis to examine how Big Data resources are translated into fraud prevention practices and controls.FindingsFindings reveal that Big Data enables fraud prevention not merely through detection technologies, but through two empirically derived transformation practices: (1) Localised Exploitation, which translates complex analytics …

Assessing Readiness, Perceptions, And Behaviors Of Midlife Adults To Adopt A Dietary Pattern Associated With Cognitive Benefits, Meghan E. Sullivan

Theses

Objective:  To explore the barriers and facilitators for following a brain-healthy dietary pattern by assessing readiness, cognitive dietary adherence, eating competence, quality of life, and health beliefs in midlife adults. Design: Quantitative cross-sectional online survey. Participants: Adults aged 30-60 years (N=189) recruited through social media, flyers, email, and text. Main outcome measures: Readiness to adopt a brain-healthy dietary pattern, eating competence, health beliefs, quality of life, and dietary adherence to a brain-healthy pattern such as the MIND diet. Analysis: Descriptive statistics, ANOVAs, Chi-Square, and correlations were conducted to explore associations among readiness, eating competence, health beliefs, quality of life, and …

A Computer Vision Approach To Analyzing Taxane Effects On Prostate Cancer Cells, Diana Elizabeth Dancea

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Actin is a family of proteins that help create the structure of the cytoskeleton, which gives shape to the cell. In many chemotherapy treatments, researchers target actin because it controls the cell division process. Therefore, if they are able to understand the actin fibers, that may help in formulating methods to stop or slow down cancer cells from reproducing. Another important protein is PAK6, which regulates actin. In our research, a collaborative effort with Prof. Michael Lu’s lab at Florida Atlantic University, we use machine learning techniques to analyze cells which had their PAK6 protein knocked out, and compare them …

Unseen, Unheard, Uninvited: Black Fathers And School Access In Redeveloped Spaces, James Dejong Alexander

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Abstract This qualitative study examined how three Black fathers in South Memphis's Foote Park/Foote Homes redevelopment area navigated school access for their children amid community displacement. Rooted in Community Cultural Wealth Theory (Yosso, 2005), which highlights the diverse forms of capital—aspirational, navigational, social, linguistic, familial, and resistant—that communities of color possess but are often overlooked by mainstream institutions, the research focused on three individuals: Mister Miles, Mister Otis, and Mister Langston. These pseudonyms honor Miles Davis, Otis Kaye, and Langston Hughes and position the fathers as holders of valuable community wealth whose educational navigation experiences constitute legitimate knowledge. Documentary sources …

Enhancing The Well-Being Of Refugees With Disabilities Through Equitable Access To Essential Services: A Participatory Qualitative Study In The United States, Mustafa Rfat

Brown School Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Access to services for refugees with disabilities (RwDs) is critically important for improving their well-being and enhancing their integration. This population often faces prolonged exclusion that begins in their country of origin and often continues to worsen during displacement, leading to accumulated disparities. Because the United States (U.S.) refugee program is structured around rapid employment, refugees who do not fit the fast-track employment criteria are often left behind. RwDs are often considered unemployable, which automatically shifts resources and services away from them. Abandoning RwDs during the critical period of resettlement puts them at heightened risk of increased and long-term exclusion. …

Behind The Curtain Of The Faculty Job Interview Process, Russell T. Johnson, Natalia Sánchez

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Securing a faculty position is the final milestone for many individuals completing their PhD or postdoctoral training. However, navigating the academic job market can feel like a full-time endeavor, which often has to be balanced alongside tasks like manuscript preparation, dissertation completion, or grant applications. Despite extensive training in research and teaching, many candidates report feeling underprepared for the multifaceted and often hidden nature of the faculty interview process. Furthermore, seeking guidance about this process can be intimidating for some, as individuals may lack access to a career development mentoring team. As part of the 2024 American Society of Biomechanics …

Patient's Age Impact On Stroke Risk And Intracranial Aneurysm Occlusion: Scent Flow Diverter Study-A Nonrandomized Clinical Trial On Large And Giant Aneurysms, Ajay K. Wakhloo, Paul Jenkins, Philip M. Meyers, Alexander L. Coon, Peter T. Kan, Ajit S. Puri, Joost De Vries, Giuseppe Lanzino, Mark D. Bain, Koji C. Ebersole, Babu G. Welch, Aclan Dogan, Pascal Jabbour, J. Mocco, Adnan H. Siddiqui, Aquilla S. Turk, Philipp Taussky, Ricardo A. Hanel

Department of Neurosurgery Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The prospective single-arm nonrandomized SCENT (Surpass Intracranial Aneurysm Embolization System Pivotal) trial on flow diverter treatment of large and giant intracranial aneurysms (IA) was analyzed for patients' age and IA characteristics affecting stroke and occlusion rates over 5 years (Trial registration NCT01716117).

METHODS: Impact on major ipsilateral stroke and IA occlusion was studied by stratifying age as 65 years and younger vs older than 65. Kaplan-Meier estimates of time to both endpoints, stratified by age, were created. Univariate predictors of time-to-stroke were analyzed using univariable proportional hazards regression models. Limited bivariable modeling was also attempted.

RESULTS: Of …

Identification Of Sex Chromosomes In The Genus Lepidodactylus, Zuleihat Yusuf Idris

Master's Theses (2009 -)

ABSTRACT IDENTIFICATION OF SEX CHROMOSOMES IN THE GENUS LEPIDODACTYLUS Zuleihat Y. Idris, M.S Marquette University, 2026 Sex determination in vertebrates is remarkably diverse and is characterized by frequent evolutionary transitions between genetic sex determination (GSD) and environmental sex determination (ESD). Within reptiles, geckos (Gekkota) exhibit the most diverse sex determination mechanism in vertebrates. Although geckos are the target of more recent research, most lineages still lack identifiable sex-determining mechanisms. This gap in knowledge has limited the understanding of the diversity and evolution of sex determination in vertebrates. In this study, an automated pipeline (FnPiPER) and whole-genome resequencing from male and …

Post-Operative Delirium: A Neurocognitive Syndrome Expressed Through An Interactive Website Module Of Animations, Bailey Mikytuck

Theses

Post-operative delirium (POD) is a neurocognitive complication that can arise in patients who have undergone a surgical procedure. It is characterized by the onset of reduced attention or cognition, mood or personality disturbances, and hallucinations that occur between 10 minutes to multiple days after waking up from anesthesia. These symptoms may only be brief, but in some cases can lead to long-term cognitive impairment and dysfunction and have been associated with the development of dementias. It is estimated that rates of POD occurrence are between 13.2- 41.7% with major risk factors including being over the age of 65 and the …

Fort Hays State University Tiger Weekly, April 17, 2026, University Relations

Tiger Weekly Newsletters

No abstract provided.