Digital Commons Network^™

Re: Comment Letter For The Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) 2022 Draft Final Insufficiently Reclaimed Sites Sampling: Bres No. 37 – Josephine Shaft Site Evaluation Summary Report (December 6, 2024), Molly Roby

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Response To Comment Letter For The Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Butte Reclamation Evaluation System (Bres) Draft 2024 Field Evaluation Summary And Technical Recommendations Report (Dated April 10, 2025), Abby Peltomaa

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Antifungal Efficacy And Flexural Strength Of Silver Nanoparticles Reinforced Cad/Cam And Heat-Cured Pmma Polymers: An In-Vitro Study, Himanshi Aggarwal

All ETDs from UAB

Background: PMMA denture base resins have high propensity for C. albicans growth. Previous studies have found that silver nanoparticle (SNP) addition into conventional PMMA resin improves fungal resistance without interfering with its flexural strength. Recently, CAD/CAM dentures have become highly popular, but they are also prone to fungal in-growth. However, little is known about the effect of addition of silver nanoparticles in CAD/CAM printed PMMA resin material. Objective: To compare the effect of the addition of cytocompatible concentration (1 µm/ml) of SNP on the antifungal efficacy and flexural strength of CAD/CAM printed and heat-cured PMMA polymers. Materials and methods: A …

Student Use Of Public Access Computers In The Library: A 10-Year Comparison Study, Holt Zaugg

Faculty Publications

Why did you do this activity, project, or research?

In 2014, across the BYU campus, the use of student-accessible public computer labs was declining. At this time, the library was not experiencing this decline; rather, public computer use in the library was increasing. Ten years later, we re-administered a similar survey in the same manner to determine what, if any, changes occurred.

How did you do this?

Initially (2014), we used a pop-up survey to help determine similarities and differences. When students logged on to a library computer, an invitation to participate in the survey popped up with the option …

Autism Spectrum Disorder-Specific Knowledge And Self-Efficacy Among Early Interventionists In Alabama, Greta R. Conlon

All ETDs from UAB

Young children diagnosed with autism and those who will go on to receive an autism diagnosis are frequently enrolled in early intervention services under Part C of IDEA. ASD-specific knowledge and self-efficacy have been shown to vary among providers working with autistic children, including those providing early intervention services (i.e., early interventionists). The current study aimed to characterize ASD-specific knowledge and self-efficacy in a sample of early interventionists in Alabama. In addition, it sought to identify differences in knowledge and self-efficacy between early interventionists serving different roles and to identify predictors of identified knowledge levels and self-efficacy ratings among participants. …

Development Of Aldot's Worker Safety Assessment, Risk Identification, And Control Program, Lana Marji

All ETDs from UAB

This research examines the safety challenges faced by Transportation Maintenance Technicians (TMTs) at the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT). By ana-lyzing extensive injury data from 2009 to 2024, along with insights from surveys and interactions with ALDOT personnel, this effort highlights significant trends and relation-ships among injury characteristics such as nature, cause, source, and affected body parts. The findings reveal considerable costs and productivity losses associated with common injury types that warrant the need for targeted interventions. By reviewing successful safety programs across various state Departments of Transportation (DOTs), the study identifies opportunities to enhance safety within ALDOT. This effort …

Best Practices For Preparing Urban High School Students For College Readiness, Chin Nou Khang

Graduate Teacher Education

Low-income urban students in the United States exhibit limited college and career readiness opportunities (Yavuz et al., 2019). College preparation coursework and career training in low-income urban secondary settings are essential to creating inclusivity in education. The disparities of marginalized students in these institutions highlight the urgency for educational leaders to effectively produce the next generation of student achievement. This meta-analysis secondary research paper examined the best practices for educational leaders to ensure college and career readiness opportunities are being implemented for low-income urban high school students. When students have access to college readiness materials, their scholastic goals can be …

Eph Receptors Activate Myeloid Checkpoint Receptor Lilrb5 To Support Tumor Development, Yubo He, Chengcheng Zhang, Lingxiao Tan, Mi Deng, Xiaoye Liu, Ryan Huang, Xing Yang, Jingjing Xie, Qi Lou, Meng Fang, Caroline Smith, Samuel John, Wei Xiong, Xin Li, Cheryl Lewis, Jade Homsi, Ankit Gupta, Ningyan Zhang, Zhiqiang An, Cheng Cheng Zhang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Immunosuppressive myeloid cells are critical obstacles to T cell-centered immune checkpoint blockade therapies, which have been successful in treating a fraction of patients with cancer. How tumor cells interact with myeloid cells to regulate immune responses and tumor development is unclear. In this study, we report that certain membrane tyrosine kinase Eph receptors, including EphA7 and EphB1, specifically bind the immune inhibitory receptors leukocyte Ig-like receptor family B 5 (LILRB5) and LILRB2. These Eph receptors induce LILRB5-mediated signaling activation, and LILRB5 also activates Eph receptor signaling. Activation of LILRB5 promoted immunosuppressive marker expression and inhibited activating marker expression on myeloid …

The Present And Future Of Precision Oncology And Tumor-Agnostic Therapeutic Approaches, Nakul M Shah, Funda Meric-Bernstam

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Precision oncology has transformed the treatment landscape for patients with advanced solid tumors. Tumor-agnostic therapies, those that have been approved based on genetic mutations or biomarkers across tumor histology types, are important examples of how the implementation of precision oncology can expand therapeutic options for patients, especially those with rare cancer types and treatment-refractory disease. In this review, we first discuss how advances in next-generation sequencing and molecular profiling have enabled the identification of shared actionable alterations. Subsequently, we explore the current landscape of tumor-agnostic therapies that have received approval from the Food and Drug Administration. We discuss the strengths …

Deep Learning Based Rapid X-Ray Fluorescence Signal Extraction And Image Reconstruction For Preclinical Benchtop X-Ray Fluorescence Computed Tomography Applications, Amrit Kaphle, Sandun Jayarathna, Sang Hyun Cho

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Recent research advances have resulted in an experimental benchtop X-ray fluorescence computed tomography (XFCT) system that likely meets the imaging dose/scan time constraints for benchtop XFCT imaging of live mice injected with gold nanoparticles (GNPs). For routine in vivo benchtop XFCT imaging, however, additional challenges, most notably the need for rapid/near-real-time handling of X-ray fluorescence (XRF) signal extraction and XFCT image reconstruction, must be successfully addressed. Here we propose a novel end-to-end deep learning (DL) framework that integrates a one-dimensional convolutional neural network (1D CNN) for rapid XRF signal extraction with a U-Net model for XFCT image reconstruction. We trained …

Mesenchymal Stem Cells And Fibroblasts Contribute To Microvascular Proliferation In Glioblastoma And Are Correlated With Immunosuppression And Poor Outcome, Candice C Poon, Shelley M Herbrich, Yulong Chen, Anwar Hossain, Gregory N Fuller, Sonali Jindal, Sreyashi Basu, Daniel Ledbetter, Marc Macaluso, Lynnette M Phillips, Joy Gumin, Zhong He, Brittany C Parker Kerrigan, Sanjay K Singh, Pratishtha Singh, Mohammed Fayyad Zaman, Derek Ng Tang, Sangeeta Goswami, Frederick F Lang, Padmanee Sharma

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Microvascular proliferation (MVP) is a disease-defining hallmark of glioblastoma and other World Health Organization grade 4 gliomas. MVP also serves as a poor prognostic marker in various solid tumors. Despite its clinical significance, the mechanisms and biological consequences of MVP are controversial and remain unclear. In this study, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing on paired CD45-CD105+ vascular/perivascular stromal cells (PVSC) and CD45+CD105± immune cells from 16 primary glioma patient samples, both with and without MVP. This analysis revealed the presence of developmentally related mesenchymal stem cells alongside cancer-associated fibroblasts, pericytes, fibromyocytes, and smooth muscle cells within the CD45-CD105+ compartment. RNA …

2025-06-04 The Central District’S New Garfield Superblock: Gentrification Or Greater Good?, Kayla Okonu

The Spectator Online

No abstract provided.

“Did I Say That?”: Introducing An Oral Process To Reflective Practice To Enhance Student Learning In A Final Year Project, Bairbre Brennan, David Gaul

Irish Journal of Academic Practice

This paper reviews the introduction of an oral reflective component to a final year class practical assignment. Drawing on the theory of student involvement, feedback literacy, and the literature relating to reflective practice, the redesign of the assignment repositions the student at the centre of their own learning journey and as a sense-maker of their learning from their applied experiences. The positive outcomes in this case study suggest the approach is worthy of trialling in a wider context, to see if it is replicated and has an impact on learner attainment.

Prediction Of Methotrexate Neurotoxicity Using Clinical, Sociodemographic, And Area-Based Information In Children With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Rachel D Harris, Olga A Taylor, Maria Monica Gramatges, Amy E Hughes, Mark Zobeck, Sandi Pruitt, M Brooke Bernhardt, Ashley Chavana, Van Huynh, Kathleen Ludwig, Laura Klesse, Kenneth Heym, Timothy Griffin, Rodrigo Erana, Juan Carlos Bernini, Ashley Choi, Yuu Ohno, Melissa A Richard, Alanna C Morrison, Han Chen, Bing Yu, Philip J Lupo, Karen R Rabin, Michael E Scheurer, Austin L Brown

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Background: Methotrexate is a critical component of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) therapy that can result in neurotoxicity which has been associated with an increased risk of relapse. We leveraged machine learning to develop a neurotoxicity risk prediction model in a diverse cohort of children with ALL.

Methods: We included children (age 2-20 years) diagnosed with ALL (2005-2019) and treated in Texas without pre-existing neurologic disease. Clinical information was obtained by medical record review. Neurotoxicity occurring post-induction and prior to maintenance therapy was defined as neurologic episodes occurring within 21 days of methotrexate. Suspected cases were independently confirmed by 2 …

Oxygen Saturation Targeting In The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Faeq Almudares, Bheru Gandhi, Jonathan Davies, Xanthi Couroucli, Natalie Villafranco, Nidhy Paulose Varghese, Milenka Cuevas Guaman, Charleta Guillory, Binoy Shivanna

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Oxygen (O2) is vital for cellular development, function, proliferation, and repair, underscoring its critical role in organogenesis. Both hypoxia (reduced tissue O2) and hyperoxia (excess tissue O2), when prolonged, can trigger inflammation and oxidative stress, contributing to acute and long-term cardiopulmonary and neurodevelopmental morbidity. In sick neonates, immature defense mechanisms and coexisting morbidities demand nuanced and sometimes opposing strategies for O2 saturation targets and therapeutic titration. Most current neonatal O2 targeting guidelines are based on animal models or small clinical studies, resulting in recommendations with limited evidence. This narrative review aims to provide an updated overview of the physiological roles …

Sunrise At The Salton Sea: Environmental Justice, Land Use Change, And Hydrosocial Dynamics Of Solar Energy Transitions In The Imperial Valley, California, Dustin Mulvaney, James J. A. Blair, Alida Cantor

Geography Faculty Publications and Presentations

California's Imperial Valley, with lithium-rich geothermal brines, extensive flat agricultural fields with abundant desert sunshine, and access to transmission lines, is a leading case to explore interconnected themes around just energy transitions. Despite being the poorest county in California and one of the smallest, Imperial already provides 15% of the state’s solar electricity, and the region as a whole represents on the order of 25% of the state’s electric power capacity. This paper brings to light frictions over solar energy development that have emerged over the history of solar power development in the southern Salton Sea region. It describes the …

Linking Dna Methylation In Brain Regions To Alzheimer’S Disease Risk: A Mendelian Randomization Study, Hua Zhong, Jingjing Zhu, Shuai Liu, Dan Zhou, Quan Long, Chong Wu, Bingxin Zhao, Chao Cheng, Yaohua Yang, Qing Wu, Yong Wu, Changwei Li, Zhaoming Wang, Jianyong Wu, Xingyi Guo, Degui Zhi, Youping Deng, Lang Wu

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Aim: DNA methylation in brain regions represents a potential mechanism linking genetic variation to Alzheimer's disease (ad) risk, yet most studies have focused on blood-derived methylation markers. In this study, we conducted a systematic Mendelian randomization (MR) study to evaluate associations between predicted brain region-specific DNA methylation levels and ad risk, using methylation quantitative trait loci (mQTL) as genetic instruments.

Methods: We analyzed mQTLs from five human brain regions: cerebellum (CRBLM), frontal cortex (FCTX), causal pons (PONS), and temporal cortex (TCTX) from 600 individuals in Gibbs et al's study, as well as mQTLs from dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) of 543 …

Augmented Reality Platform To Improve Last-Meter Arrival Using Visual Navigation, Jaydeep Untwal, Rakhi Parekh, Yash Dave, Aakanksha Parameshwar

Defensive Publications Series

This document describes an augmented reality (AR) platform designed to enhance last-meter arrival experiences through visual navigation. The platform leverages computer vision techniques and mobile device capabilities to provide users with real-time guidance in complex or unfamiliar environments. The AR system analyzes the user's surroundings, performs a visual frame matching, and overlays contextual information onto the user's view, thereby facilitating seamless navigation. The platform includes components such as a visual tracking module, a route planning algorithm, and an AR rendering engine. By utilizing the system, users may experience improvements in wayfinding efficiency and reduced cognitive load during the final stages …

System, Method, And Computer Program Product For Evaluating Generative Machine Learning Models, Yang Wang, Alberto Garcia Hernandez, Roman Kyslyi, Nicholas Kersting, Ajit Vilasrao Patil, Ranjan Dutta

Defensive Publications Series

Systems, methods, and computer program products are provided for evaluating generative machine learning models. An example system includes a processor configured to determine queries and ground-truth answers associated with the queries. The processor is also configured to generate generated answers based on the queries using a model that is being evaluated. The processor is further configured to input the queries, the ground-truth answers, and the generated answers to an evaluator model trained to evaluate the generated answers in comparison to the ground-truth answers and based on a grading scale associated with accuracy, honesty, and completeness of a generated answer. The …

Wise Minds Wanted: Calling For Intellectual Virtue In A Post-Truth Era, Lisa Devall-Martin

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

In Healthy Christian Minds, Elmer Thiessen offers a thought-provoking exploration of intellectual virtues and vices, challenging readers to cultivate wisdom, humility, and principled openness in an age of division. While not written specifically for educators, this book holds deep relevance for those shaping minds inside and outside the classroom. Thiessen argues that true intellectual excellence is not just about acquiring knowledge but about developing character; an idea that resonates with those committed to fostering critical thinking and integrity in their students. Drawing from theology and philosophy, he examines the dangers of closed-mindedness and arrogance while encouraging a love of truth …

Exploring The Relationship Between Classroom Management And Relational Leadership, Genie Kim, Nancy Ross

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

Our research examines teachers’ capacity to cultivate a learning environment conducive to students’ academic and social-emotional flourishing, specifically as it pertains to love and its intersection with classroom management. Utilizing Ross’ (2023) Relational Leadership Scale (RLS), coupled with an adapted version of Tschannen-Moran’s Teacher Efficacy Scale, we measured loving leadership, from the perspective of Teacher Candidates, as they observed their Associate/Host teachers’ behaviors/dispositions within the context of teaching students. The results of our study revealed a moderate positive correlation between classroom management and the overall RLS scores. It was found that teachers who engage in loving leadership behaviors were perceived …

“Any Black Man Will Do”: A Transparency Framework For Eyewitness Identification In The Facial Recognition Technology Era, Ariam O. Kiflemariam

Washington Journal of Social & Environmental Justice

No abstract provided.

Freedom To Choose Planned Parenthood? Private Enforcement Of Medicaid’S Freedom Of Choice Provision Post-Talevski, Danica Dabelstein

Washington Journal of Social & Environmental Justice

No abstract provided.

(Environmental) Justice For All: Rethinking Environmental Disaster Remedies, Alyssa Umberger

Washington Journal of Social & Environmental Justice

No abstract provided.

Factors Affecting Integration Of The Nurse Practitioner Workforce Into Health Systems: A Delphi Consensus Study, Joshua Porat-Dahlerbruch, Rebecca Clark, Brandon Dutchess, Nancy P. Blumenthal, Moriah E. Ellen

General Submissions: Clinical Settings Materials

Research has documented the positive impact of the nurse practitioner workforce on patient and system outcomes in multiple countries. Achieving these outcomes relies on successfully integrating the workforce into the health system. Research has reported negative effects of integration barriers on the ability for nurse practitioners to improve outcomes. Barriers include scope of practice restrictions, organizational climates inconducive to nurse practitioner care, and lacking mentorship. To design efficacious policies, organizational and national policy decision-makers require knowledge of the factors affecting the integration of this human resource into care settings. No research has synthesized these factors into an easily understandable and …

Women's Learning For Community Peacebuilding, Robin Neustater

Peace and Conflict Studies

Around the world, every day, women work on building peace in their communities. Through various roles, paid and unpaid, women’s community care work is significant to the lives of individuals, families, communities, and the women themselves. Understandings of peace are varied, and often nuanced to the context and experience of who is defining peace. How women define peace will inform how they think about peacebuilding. Women engage in learning about peace and for their peacebuilding work, through nonformal and formal programs, and through experience and role models. Their learning to do peace is vital to getting things done. This article …

A Study Of The Management Of The Herders-Farmers Conflict-Induced Internal Displacement In Nigeria, Rita Iorbo, Dick Taverishima Andzenge

Peace and Conflict Studies

The management of the herdsmen-farmers conflict-induced internal displacement in Nigeria was characterised by remote factors that affected the protection and assistance of internally displaced persons (IDPs). This qualitative study was conducted on 12 participants comprising humanitarian workers, IDPs, and lawmakers who were conversant with the persistent herdsmen-farmers conflict-induced internal displacement. The study explored the inter-connected relationship among stakeholders within the humanitarian ecosystem. It found that though the herdsmen-farmers conflict led to mass displacement, remote factors such as unwillingness of government, data challenges, the undiplomatic approach of government in the management of the displacement failed to win support of other stakeholders …

Enhancing Iot Decentralization With Iota 2.0: A Dag-Based Fast Probabilistic Consensus Framework, Ayat N. Kadhum, Ahmed M. Al-Salih

Journal of Intelligent Informatics, Networking, and Cybersecurity

The integration of IoT and blockchain enhances security, trust, and data integrity but is hindered by security attacks, scalability, and high latency. In this work, a more efficient method of consensus using Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG)-based Fast Probabilistic Consensus (FPC) and Edwards-Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (EdDSA) is proposed to yield better security, efficiency, and decentralization. By eliminating mining, resource use is optimized, and consensus is hastened. Experimental results show a high throughput of 7228.05 Transactions Per Second (TPS), rapid consensus formation in just 7.62 rounds on average, and high adversary resilience, with the system successfully mitigating 89% of adversarial attacks. …

Detecting Physical Activity Using Wearable Sensor Data, Dipok Deb

Data Science and Data Mining

This study focuses on detecting physical activity using wearable sensor data, specifically distinguishing between walking and running. A dataset comprising accelerometer and gyroscope readings is used to train and evaluate various machine learning models, including logistic regression, random forest, k-nearest neighbors, naïve Bayes, and XGBoost. Extensive preprocessing, such as creating lag features and rolling statistics, is performed to enhance temporal data representation. The models are evaluated using metrics like accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 score. Incorporating lag and rolling features significantly improves model performance, with logistic regression achieving perfect scores across all metrics. These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of enhanced …

Transforming Heritage Narratives: Harnessing The Power Of Four Truth Inquiry To Reclaim Women’S History And Reinvent Climate Communication At Interpretive Sites, Pamela Blair-Bruce

Dissertations

Abstract

Heritage sites, particularly national parks, serve as powerful spaces for storytelling that shape public understanding of American history, cultures, ecological processes, and diverse landscapes. However, their narratives often omit critical aspects of women’s history and climate change, perpetuating historical erasure and selective storytelling. This qualitative research study applies the Four-Truth Framework developed by the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission to examine how heritage interpretation can improve the recognition of women’s contributions and strengthen climate communication at heritage sites. To explore approaches to women’s history interpretation, the study employed semi-structured, focus group interviews with educators, historians, and interpreters across …