Digital Commons Network^™

A Settlement By “Any Other Name”: Evaluating The Sustainability Of Settlement Mechanisms, Dorcas Quek Anderson

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

Private settlements have been consistently encouraged by the Singapore civil justice system. Depending on the context, the settlement may take on many forms, including consent orders and settlement agreements. This begs the question of whether the exact form of settlement matters, or whether a settlement “by any other name” suffices. This article proposes the concept of “sustainable settlements” – comprising the measures of ease of enforcement, finality, and confidentiality – to holistically appraise the effectiveness of settlement mechanisms. The assessment of six settlement mechanisms using these measures clearly indicates that not every mechanism is equally sustainable. Exploring settlement amidst the …

Pengembangan Model Kedekatan Pertemanan Berdasarkan Resiprositas, Kesetaraan Dan Dukungan, Wina Aulia, Faturochman, Wenty Marina Minza

Jurnal Psikologi Sosial

Individuals need close friends. How is close friendship developed? Generally, closeness in friendship can be developed and maintained if the relationship is equal and mutually supportive. The purpose of this research is to develop a model of friendship closeness, with reciprocity as the antecedent and equality and support as mediators. The participants in this research were 234 first-year students at Universitas Gadjah Mada. Data were collected by survey method. Closeness, reciprocity, equality and support were measured by Likert-like scales which met the criteria for psychometric property tests. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with four latent variables was applied to test the …

Contextualization: Old Tool, New Reach, Rogelio Paquini

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Journeys To Andrews University, Kaara Harris

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

A Metabolomics Study Of Cardiac Dysfunction In Hyperglycemia: Findings From The Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities (Aric) Study And The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study Of Latinos (Hchs/Sol), Yilin Yoshida, Ngoc Quynh Nguyen, Eun Hye Moon, Casey Rebholz, Hicham Skali, Victoria Arthur, Justin B Echouffo-Tcheugui, Christie Ballantyne, Elizabeth Selvin, Amil Shah, Robert Kaplan, Carlos J Rodriguez, Qibin Qi, Susan Cheng, Bing Yu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: Hyperglycemic states (prediabetes and diabetes) are associated with heart failure (HF) risk. We aimed to identify distinct metabolites for subclinical cardiac dysfunction, a precursor of HF, in hyperglycemic or euglycemic individuals.

Research design and methods: We conducted cross-sectional and prospective analyses of 2,492 HF-free participants from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study visit 5, 2011-2013. A total of 1,297 participants were hyperglycemic (assessed on the basis of hemoglobin A1c >5.7%, fasting glucose >100 mg/dL, use of diabetes medication, or diagnosis), and 1,195 were euglycemic. We used logistic regression for analysis of association between 790 metabolites and cardiac dysfunction, …

Exploring The Use And Misuse Of Large Language Models, Hezekiah Paul D. Valdez, Faranak Abri, Jade Webb, Thomas H. Austin

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Language modeling has evolved from simple rule-based systems into complex assistants capable of tackling a multitude of tasks. State-of-the-art large language models (LLMs) are capable of scoring highly on proficiency benchmarks, and as a result have been deployed across industries to increase productivity and convenience. However, the prolific nature of such tools has provided threat actors with the ability to leverage them for attack development. Our paper describes the current state of LLMs, their availability, and their role in benevolent and malicious applications. In addition, we propose how an LLM can be combined with text-to-speech (TTS) voice cloning to create …

Proceedings Of The 33rd United States – Japan Bridge Engineering Workshop, David Y. Yang

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

This report summarizes the 33rd United States–Japan Bridge Engineering Workshop, an event that convenes bridge engineers from both countries. The workshop serves as a platform to exchange innovative ideas and technologies, as well as to share crucial knowledge and lessons learned, all with the aim of advancing bridge engineering. The 33rd workshop specifically addressed transportation asset management and seismic retrofitting, two subjects of increasing importance to both the United States and Japan. The report details the workshop's discussions on topics relevant to bridge engineers.

“Migration Craziness!” Financial Turbulence And Transnational Families In Sri Lanka, Michele R. Gamburd

Anthropology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Why might three relatively well-off, middle-class, young adults from Sri Lanka chose to leave their parents and their village to emigrate to Australia and Italy? Why would these men and women give up promising careers and comfortable homes to start over elsewhere and endure the hardship of an immigrant’s deskilled and displaced life? To understand their decisions, I rely on anthropology’s holistic perspective to help me stitch together intimate details about family choices within a context of global economic structures and national politics. I have done ethnographic research in the village that I call “Naeaegama” since 1992. I have studied …

Steroids For Pediatric Adenotonsillectomy Pain-A Prospective Multicenter Randomized Trial, Kevin D Pereira, Wiktoria A Gocal, Anna V Borodianski, Mary E Williamson, Hengameh K Behzadpour, Sonal Saraiya, Diego A Preciado, Amal Isaiah

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: To compare postoperative caregiver-reported pain control of two steroid regimens following pediatric adenotonsillectomy. Secondary objectives assessed differences in analgesic use, return to normal diet, caregiver calls, adverse effects, and emergency room (ER) visits.

Study design: Prospective randomized pragmatic trial.

Setting: Three academic tertiary care children's hospitals.

Methods: Healthy children aged 3 to 10 undergoing adenotonsillectomy were recruited and randomly assigned to receive either 0.6 mg/kg dexamethasone on postoperative day 3 or prednisolone 0.5 mg/kg days 1 to 3. Both groups continued standard weight-based regimens of acetaminophen and ibuprofen. A blinded research team member performed postoperative telephone surveys using the …

Optimal Head-Of-Bed Positioning Before Thrombectomy In Large Vessel Occlusion Stroke: A Randomized Clinical Trial, Anne W Alexandrov, Anne J Shearin, Pitchaiah Mandava, Gabriel Torrealba-Acosta, Cheran Elangovan, Balaji Krishnaiah, Katherine Nearing, Elizabeth Robinson, Cara Guthrie-Chu, Matthew Holzmann, Bryan Fill, Dharti R Trivedi, Alicia Richardson, Sandy Middleton, Barbara B Brewer, David S Liebeskind, Nitin Goyal, James C Grotta, Andrei V Alexandrov

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Importance: Small studies show that 0° head positioning of patients with large vessel occlusion (LVO) stroke improves penumbral blood flow and clinical stability. Understanding whether 0° head position maintains clinical stability would allow for optimal patient positioning before thrombectomy.

Objective: To determine superiority of 0° over 30° head positioning at maintaining clinical stability in patients with LVO before thrombectomy.

Design, setting, and participants: This was a prospective randomized clinical trial with blinding to study enrollment/end points conducted from May 2018 to November 2023. There were 3 planned interim analyses, and the study was conducted at certified thrombectomy hospitals in the …

Patient-Centered Management Of Heavy Menstrual Bleeding While On Anticoagulation: A Survey Study, Benjamin Barnett, Rushad Patell, Dana Angelini, Leben Tefera, Jordan K Schaefer, Ang Li, Alejandra Gutierrez Bernal, Shruti Chaturvedi, Anjlee Mahajan, Leslie Lake, Jori May, Anna L Parks

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Nearly three-quarters of women experience heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) during anticoagulation treatment for venous thromboembolism (VTE). HMB can lead to medical interventions, impact school or work and diminish quality of life (QOL). While there are several management options for HMB in patients with VTE, we lack information on how patients approach HMB treatment decisions.

Objectives: We examined patients' experience with, perceptions of, and preferences for treatment of HMB while on anticoagulation.

Methods: Clinicians and patient advocates developed a web-based survey that was distributed via patient advocacy organizations and social media between May and June 2024, targeting participants 18 years …

A Fascination With Gastrointestinal Viruses, Mary Kolb Estes

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

My arrival into this world came quickly, according to my mother, and it feels like my life has mirrored that rapid beginning. I have enjoyed a rich, varied, and stimulating life and career that have gone through several phases. I credit genetics, my family, technological advances, and many environmental factors for shaping my career. Being a virologist allowed me to be curious and creative and to make several unexpected discoveries. This has been a fun and rewarding journey, but it wasn't always easy. I am not accustomed to talking about myself, but I am happy to share some scientific achievements …

A Multi-Institutional Multi-Methods Analysis Of Jeopardy Systems In Academic Hospital Medicine, Kirsten N Kangelaris, Angela Keniston, Andrew D Auerbach, Gregory Bowling, Marisha Burden, Shradha A Kulkarni, Luci K Leykum, Anne S Linker, Matthew Sakumoto, Jeffrey Schnipper, Gopi Astik

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Hospital medicine programs use backup ("jeopardy") systems to cover unexpected staffing gaps, but little is known about their structures or optimal practices.

Objectives: To describe jeopardy structures, assess clinician perceptions, and identify potential approaches across a broad sample of hospital medicine groups.

Methods: This multi-methods study, conducted within a national hospitalist consortium, used virtual focus groups and an email survey to (1) describe the presence and structure of jeopardy systems and (2) explore features perceived as fair, equitable, and tolerable. Rapid qualitative analysis identified major themes, while descriptive methods analyzed survey data.

Results: Twenty-five individuals participated in focus groups, …

Spatial Omics Enters The Microscopic Realm: Opportunities And Challenges, Yichen Si, Joo Sang Lee, Goo Jun, Hyun Min Kang, Jun Hee Lee

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Spatial transcriptomics (ST) enables systematic profiling of whole-transcriptome gene expression in tissues while preserving spatial context. Recent advances in sequencing- and imaging-based ST technologies have ushered in the era of microscopic-resolution ST (μST), allowing transcriptome mapping at cellular and even subcellular scales with unprecedented precision. Despite these advances, μST faces substantial challenges, including sparse transcript discovery per submicron (or micron)-sized spatial units and data fragmentation across platforms, hindering integration and analysis. There is also a growing demand for scalable, segmentation-free, and universally applicable analysis methods, as well as strategies for 3D mapping, multi-omics integration, and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven spatial analysis. …

A Functional Perspective On Astrocyte Heterogeneity, Wookbong Kwon, Michael R Williamson, Benjamin Deneen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Astrocytes are glial cells of the central nervous system (CNS) that perform an array of diverse functions that are essential for brain activity. Studies on the functional diversity of astrocytes suggest that such diversity may be derived from specialized populations. We provide an overview of the current state of research on astrocyte diversity and outline current challenges and knowledge gaps while also examining the developmental origins of these populations and how their interactions with neurons contribute to their functional heterogeneity. We highlight recent studies that provide evidence for functionally diverse astrocyte populations under homeostatic conditions and as an adaptive response …

The Group Interview As A Method Of Efficient Hiring: The Experience Of A Regional Medical School Campus, Matthew Mcmillin, Peter Boedeker, Kammy Contreras, Stephen Charles

Faculty and Staff Publications

Problem: In 2020, Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) established a regional campus in Temple, Texas (BCM-T), that required recruitment of multiple foundational sciences faculty members in a limited time frame. Group in-person interviews were used to fill these roles efficiently while promoting interaction between candidates and BCM faculty. This study assesses whether interviewing foundational sciences medical educators in a group setting can efficiently fill faculty positions, reducing time and financial costs while being perceived as fair and acceptable to the candidates.

Approach: Study participants were prospective foundational sciences faculty members who interviewed for a faculty position at BCM-T in a …

Heightened Risk: Childhood Trauma And Anticipatory Grief Exacerbate The Impact Of Loneliness On Depressive Symptoms And Lps-Stimulated Cytokines In Dementia Caregivers, Kelly N Brice, Jensine Paoletti-Hatcher, E Lydia Wu-Chung, Vincent D Lai, Daniel L Argueta, Michelle A Chen, Itee Mahant, Bryan T Denny, Charles Green, Luis D Medina, Paul Schulz, Jennifer Stinson, Samantha K Henry, Cobi Heijnen, Christopher P Fagundes

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Dementia spousal caregivers are at a disproportionate risk for adverse mental and physical health outcomes. Loneliness is associated with depressive symptoms and proinflammatory cytokine production among caregivers. Additionally, childhood trauma, anticipatory grief, and poor sleep quality are all associated with enhanced stress reactivity. This study used a cross-sectional design to investigate whether loneliness is associated with proinflammatory cytokine production and depressive symptoms in caregivers, and whether these relationships are strongest among caregivers who report high levels of childhood trauma, high amounts of anticipatory grief, or poor sleep quality. A sample of 111 dementia spousal caregivers provided blood samples and completed …

From Imaging To Impact: A Multi-Disciplinary T32 Program Framework And Initial Insights For Training In Image-Guided Cancer Therapy, Kari J Brewer Savannah, Stephen Y Lai, Clifton D Fuller, Kristy K Brock

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

As multi-disciplinary image-guided assessment and therapies become increasingly important for precision oncology, the need for comprehensive training opportunities that effectively prepare the next generation of clinician-scientists and scientists is evident. We present an innovative, evidence-based research training framework that integrates the following critical features: 1) intentional and personalized mentoring and career development, 2) immersive research in image-guided cancer therapy, 3) strategic mentored clinical exposure, 4) structured didactic learning and professional development opportunities, and 5) mentored grant writing. Designed to foster scientific rigor, translational thinking, and multi-disciplinary collaboration, the Image-Guided Cancer Therapy T32 Training Program (IGCT-T32) aims to prepare postdoctoral fellows …

Changes In Child Placement After Child Abuse Pediatrics Consultation For Suspected Physical Abuse, Kristine A Campbell, Antoinette L Laskey, Daniel M Lindberg, M Katherine Henry, Porcia Vaughn, James D Anderst, Megan M Letson, Angela N Bachim, Nancy S Harper, Carmen M Coombs, Lori D Frasier, Joanne N Wood

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: The association between child abuse pediatric (CAP) assessments and child welfare outcomes is unknown.

Objective: To determine the association between a CAP determination of the likelihood of physical abuse and change in child placement. We hypothesized that child race would be associated with CAP determination of abuse likelihood and child welfare outcomes.

Participants and setting: Children under age ten years with in-person CAP consultation and referral to child protective services for suspected physical abuse at a U.S. pediatric referral center participating in CAPNET, a CAP research network, from 02/2021 to 01/2023.

Methods: We created a series of generalized estimating …

Current Controversies In Prenatal Diagnosis 2: Conventional Postmortem Examination Remains The Gold Standard For The Anatomical Examination Of Fetal Loss, J Ciaran Hutchinson, Lorraine Potocki, Ignatia B Van Den Veyver

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

A comprehensive postmortem examination is an essential component of a work-up after stillbirth. Its findings can support accurate counseling of parents about causes and risk of recurrence. It also supports providers' decisions about most appropriate testing and management plans for future pregnancy to prevent recurrence. Informing parents about fetal autopsy and obtaining their consent is challenging, and conducting a fetal autopsy requires expertise that is, not universally available. Newer non-invasive or minimally invasive methods such as postmortem MRI and targeted biopsies can replace or supplement autopsies, but one must recognize that expertise in these methods is likewise not broadly available. …

Automation Of Lcmc Logistics Processes: A Delphi Approach, Kline M. Alt

Theses and Dissertations

As the U.S. Air Force confronts growing complexity in system acquisition, the implementation of digital models in system design and logistics process management allows the incorporation of digital tools and the possibility for automation of portions of logistics processes. This thesis investigates where these technologies can be most effectively integrated within the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center logistics enterprise (AFLCMC). Using a three round Delphi study, AFLCMC logistics subject matter expert (SME) opinions were solicited from program-level senior logisticians, program managers to identify high-need areas, key success factors, and potential barriers to adoption. Quantitative consensus from Likert-scale and ordinal …

Low-Cost Transfers For Cislunar Liaison Navigation, Ka'eo J. Swartzmiller

Theses and Dissertations

CubeSats have an inherent limitation on volume due to their small form factor. Naturally, this extends to the capacity of on-board ΔV, thus limiting the maneuverability of the satellites. This limited maneuverability makes it extremely important to be intentional when planning out mission trajectories. The cislunar region subjects these trajectories to the gravitational forces of both the Earth and the Moon, making it all the more necessary to deliberately plan out maneuvers. The Circular Restricted Three Body Problem (CR3BP) provides a simpler model for estimating the motion of spacecraft within the cislunar region, allowing for the gravitational forces to be …

Sustaining Progress—Investing In Adolescent Girls Amidst Global Challenges: Learnings From A Donor Roundtable, Coalition For Adolescent Girls, Akili Dada

Adolescents and Young People

The Coalition for Adolescent Girls (CAG), hosted by the Population Council, in collaboration with Akili Dada, convened a high-level donor roundtable on June 4, 2025. Against the backdrop of funding freezes, policy shifts, and widening global crises, this convening brought together funders, grassroots organizations, adolescent and youth leaders, and global experts, to reflect on emerging trends, lived experiences, and actions needed urgently to ensure adolescent girls remain at the center of global development priorities. This knowledge brief synthesizes key insights from the roundtable discussion. It underscores the critical need for long-term, flexible, and intersectional funding approaches that center adolescent girls …

The Significance Of Blockchain Technology In Preserving Digital Evidence Integrity In Forensic Investigations, Marwa Popal, Ashfaq Ahmad, Muhammad Arshad

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Digital forensics is the application of technology to the investigation and accounting of digital crime and the extraction and analysis of digital evidence from systems and networks. As the number of IoT [Internet of Things] devices has proliferated, the complexity inherent in forensic investigations has skyrocketed. While IoT forensics addresses the challenges of a lack of standardized security protocol and ensuring the integrity as well as security of evidence data, it brings to bear all the difficulties existing in classic forensics. Unfortunately, traditional digital forensic tools are generally inadequate in shielding that evidence from tampering or unauthorized access. Digital evidence …

Airway Management In Patients With Vocal Cord Paralysis: A Review Of Intubation Techniques, Intraoperative Challenges, And Outcomes., Rayyan Bhutta, Ali Osman, Tala Maya, Justin Ma, Ali Al Saeed, Sumit Sidhu, Mariya Wood, Bilal Akhtar, Sirimas Lau, Matthias Franzen

Surgery Articles

Vocal cord paralysis (VCP) presents with unique challenges when managing airways, particularly during endotracheal intubation. This literature review explores the effects of unilateral and bilateral VCP on intubation technique, first-pass success, extubation safety, and perioperative airway planning. While video laryngoscopy (VL) is becoming increasingly favored for its superior airway visualization, it does not always confirm successful placement in patients with VCP. Complications such as airway edema, aspiration risk, and cuff misplacements are increased in this patient population, and they may be more vulnerable to post-extubation complications, especially without the use of steroid prophylaxis or intensive post-operative planning. A comparison of …

Differences In Physician Electronic Health Record Use By Telemedicine Intensity: Evidence From 2 Academic Medical Centers, Seunghwan Kim, Robert Thombley, Elise Eiden, Sunny Lou, Julia Adler-Milstein, Thomas Kannampallil, A Jay Holmgren

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the association between telemedicine intensity and ambulatory physician electronic health record (EHR) use following the COVID-19 pandemic.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included ambulatory physicians in 11 specialties at 2 large academic medical centers (Washington University in St Louis [WashU], University of California San Francisco [UCSF]). EHR use measures, including time-based and frequency-based, were analyzed in the post-COVID-19 period (March 1, 2021, through March 7, 2022). Multivariable regression models with 2-way fixed effects were used to assess the association between telemedicine intensity and EHR use.

RESULTS: Fully telemedicine physician-weeks were associated with higher EHR (hours per 8 …

Enhanced Key Generation Method Using Deep Q-Networks Algorithm With Chaotic Maps, Ali A. Mahdi, Mays M. Hoobi

Mesopotamian Journal of CyberSecurity

In contemporary digital environments, exponential cyber threat growth has made cryptographic key generation a critical security challenge. Traditional Pseudo-Random Number Generators (PRNGs) and existing chaos-based methods often exhibit insufficient entropy, limited randomness quality, and inadequate resistance to statistical attacks. Current implementations frequently produce suboptimal entropy values and fail to meet modern cryptographic security standards and rigorous randomness testing protocols. This paper aims to design and implement an advanced cryptographic key generation system that combines Deep Q-Networks (DQN) algorithms with multiple chaotic maps to produce cryptographically secure stream key bits with high randomness and strong resistance to cryptanalytic attacks. The proposed …

Enhancing Internet Of Things (Iot) Network Security: A Machine Learning-Driven Framework For Real-Time Intrusion Detection And Anomaly Classification, Loiy Alsbatin, Firas Zawaideh, Basem Mohamad Alrifai, Tareq A. Alawneh, Tareq A. Alawneh

Mesopotamian Journal of CyberSecurity

The rapid proliferation of IoT devices presents serious IoT network cybersecurity threats; hence, advanced IDSs are necessary. Signature and rule-based IDS mechanisms cannot address novel attacks, generate excessive alarms, and are computationally inefficient. Therefore, in response, in this paper, a machine learning IDS for IoT network real-time intrusion detection and anomaly categorization is proposed via black widow optimization (BWO) for optimal feature and hyperparameter selection. The IDS employs standard machine learning models, such as random forest and support vector machines (SVMs), and deep models, such as long short-term memory (LSTM), to address IoT environment nuances. The framework is evaluated on …

Priflex: A Secure Federated Learning Framework For Evaluating Privacy Leakage And Defense In Cross-Modal Medical Data, Mohammad Othman Nassar, Feras Fares Al-Mashagba

Mesopotamian Journal of CyberSecurity

Federated learning (FL) enables decentralized, privacy-preserving machine learning by training models across distributed data without sharing raw patient information. However, most FL frameworks focus on unimodal data and overlook critical challenges in multimodal healthcare settings, such as privacy risks, fairness disparities, and reduced model interpretability. We present PRIFLEX (Privacy-Resilient Integration Framework for Learning Exchange), a novel FL framework designed for secure integration of structured and unstructured medical data. PRIFLEX combines 12-lead electrocardiograms (ECG) from the PhysioNet PTB-XL dataset and clinical notes from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV (MIMIC-IV), supporting early, late, and hybrid data fusion strategies. To …

Comprehensive Study Of Integrating Clustering And Adversarial Learning For Enhanced Recommender Systems: A Systematic Review Of Hybrid Methodologies And Applications, M. E. Alqaysi, Murtadha M. Hamad, Ahmed Subhi Abdalkafor

Mesopotamian Journal of CyberSecurity

Recommender systems (RSs) have become critical elements in modern instances of information and decision-support systems, resulting in a transformation of user experiences through highly personalized suggestions for an undeniably vast range of items. Although RSs have become commonplace, they continue to evolve, and their challenges, including sparsity, cold-start, scalability, and vulnerability to adversarial challenges remain. The use of clustering methods has proven highly effective in resolving these issues through the discovery and exploitation of latent user behaviour patterns, segmenting user groups that contribute more towards personalized and adaptable RSs. Additionally, adversarial learning has become a growing focus of study as …