Digital Commons Network^™

Return To Nicu Follow-Up: A Multiple Factor Analysis, Jenna Saviano

ETD Collection

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) follow-up programs are critical for monitoring the developmental outcomes of preterm and medically fragile infants. If deemed necessary, these programs may also provide referrals to various intervention modalities; however, loss to continued follow-up remains a concern in pediatric health care. To increase the understanding of how infants can be retained in medical and developmental follow-up programs, this study examined socio-demographic, caregiver, medical, and attendance-related predictors of loss to follow-up among infants enrolled in the NYU Langone Medical Center’s Neonatal Comprehensive Care Program (NCCP). The sample included 193 preterm infants who received neurodevelopmental follow-up between 2021 …

An Examination Of Regulatory Approaches To Artificial Intelligence In Hiring Practices, Pasqualle Yamakawa, Amber Reid

LLR Forum

This Comment explores the growing tension between innovation and accountability in the use of Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) in hiring. As employers increasingly rely on AI-driven screening tools, concerns over algorithmic bias and hidden discrimination have sparked both litigation and regulatory action. Using Mobley v. Workday, Inc. as a lens, this Comment examines the expanding scope of liability for both employers and AI vendors. It then compares emerging regulatory frameworks across the United States and European Union. This Comment concludes that Colorado’s approach to AI regulation stands out as the most comprehensive model, offering a clearer path to reducing discrimination while …

Educating Staff On The Use Of The Phq-9 Screening Tool For Depression, Clarice Malla

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Multimodal Analysis Of Content Drift And Algorithmic Bias In Youtube Recommendations, Mert Can Cakmak

Theses and Dissertations

Recommendation systems play a major role in shaping how users encounter information on digital platforms, yet their influence often unfolds through sequences of recommended content rather than isolated outputs. This dissertation investigates recommendation bias on YouTube by examining how recommendation pathways evolve across long-form videos and YouTube Shorts. Focusing on politically sensitive narratives, including the China–Uyghur conflict, the South China Sea dispute, and Taiwan’s 2024 presidential election, the dissertation develops a unified framework for understanding how recommendation systems reshape exposure across platform formats. Using an audit-based and multimodal methodology, the dissertation combines controlled recommendation collection, topic and relevance analysis, emotion …

An End To The Madness: How Justice Barrett Provides A Way Out Of The Categorical Approach, Sarah Webster

Catholic University Law Review

Is murder by omission a crime of violence? In its October 2024 term the Supreme Court of the United States was asked this very question in Delligatti v. United States. This case appeared before the Supreme Court because of its 2019 decision United States v. Davis. In Davis, the Supreme Court narrowly held the residual clause of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(3)(B) as unconstitutionally vague as a result of its interpretation that the statute required a categorical approach. As a result, federal courts have been forced to provide pages of painstaking analyses to hold that murder by omission …

The Federal Courts Jurisprudence Of Justice Clarence Thomas, Barnett J. Harris

Catholic University Law Review

In “Personal Precedent at the Supreme Court,” Professor Richard Re argues that Supreme Court justices tend to rely on their “previously expressed views of the law,” including their prior separate opinions when deciding new cases. Richard M. Re, Personal Precedent at the Supreme Court, 136 Harv. L. Rev. 824, 825–26 (2023). These “previously expressed views of the law,” which Re refers to as “personal precedent,” play an extremely important and previously unrecognized role in the development of the law. Re even contends that “though typically excluded from the law, personal precedent may actually be its building block.” Richard M. Re, …

Early Chemical Markers Of Spoilage In Thermally Processed Tomato Paste: A Rapid Approach For Shelf-Stable Foods, Hussein Ali Shaghati, Rawia Mahmood Yousif

Al-Nisour Journal for Medical Sciences

This study aims to reduce the incubation period (commercial sterility test) of tomato paste cans before the bacteriological inspection in quality control laboratories. 62 cans of tomato paste were incubated under temperatures (mesophilic 25,37°C and thermophilic 55°C) to accelerate potential spoilage. Chemical indicators(pH, titratable acidity, and lactic acid) and microbial indicators (Total plate count and yeast/molds) were monitored daily to identify the earliest reliable spoilage signals. Incubation at elevated temperatures accelerated acid buildup. D+L lactic acid levels measured using a rapid enzyme assay increased with titratable acidity, while pH decreased. Meanwhile, total platelet counts remained at very low levels, while …

Environmental Impact Of Benzo[A]Anthracene Exposure On Liver Biomarkers And Covid-19 Severity: Evaluation Of Combined Clinical And Molecular Modeling, Osamah Alkilidar, Hayder G. Jawad, Hasan K. Nimr

Al-Nisour Journal for Medical Sciences

This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between exposure to environmental pollutants, particularly benzo[a]anthracins (BaA), and the severity of the inflammatory response and liver dysfunction in COVID-19 patients, using a combination of statistical analysis and molecular modeling. Molecular docking studies revealed stable and robust interactions between benzo[a]anthracins and cytochrome P450 (CYP450) enzymes, suggesting that these interactions may contribute to increased oxidative stress and hepatocyte damage. The statistical analysis included 70 COVID-19 patients, stratified by benzo[a] anthracene exposure. The results showed statistically significant associations between exposure to this pollutant and elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, as well as a significant increase …

Predicting The Risk Of Diabetes Using Machine Learning Algorithms, Noor Ismail Ibrahim, Jamal Kamil Alrudaini, Hytham Falih Hassan, Sahar Faeq Jaafar

Al-Nisour Journal for Medical Sciences

Diabetes is a chronic disorder that many people suffer from. This disease develops when the blood glucose level is high. Serious side effects, such as harm to the heart, kidneys, eyes, and other organs may result from diabetes neglected treatment. Diabetes has numerous causes, including aging, obesity, inactivity, genetics, poor food and lifestyle choices. Early identification of this illness helps lessen its negative consequences. There are many traditional methods for predicting this disease, but they are expensive. Early prediction of diabetes benefits all those at risk by providing early treatment. With the advancement of healthcare technology, machine learning algorithms can …

Allopurinol Beyond Hyperuricemia: A Multifaceted Therapeutic Agent With Expanding Clinical, Safa Khaldoon, Emad Yousif, Khawla A. Kasar, Hazim F. Abbas

Al-Nisour Journal for Medical Sciences

Allopurinol is a well-established xanthine oxidase inhibitor widely used in the management of hyperuricemia, gout, tumor lysis syndrome, and uric acid nephrolithiasis. This review provides a comprehensive overview of its pharmacology, mechanism of action, pharmacokinetics, clinical efficacy, safety profile, and emerging insights from recent clinical and translational studies. Despite being in clinical use for over five decades, allopurinol remains the first-line urate-lowering therapy worldwide due to its proven efficacy, favorable safety profile, and cost-effectiveness. Beyond its classical role in inhibiting xanthine oxidoreductase, increasing evidence highlights additional therapeutic effects, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. The structural similarity of allopurinol to purine …

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, …

Effect Of Different Methods Of Smoking On Serum Level Of Vitamin D Among University Students In Baghdad, Sabiha Aljubory, Usama Salman Altimari

Al-Nisour Journal for Medical Sciences

Vitamin D has different biological actions in the body. Vitamin D has pleiotropic effects in multiple organ systems. Vitamin D deficiency has been found to have an inverse relationship with tobacco smoking. The objective of this study was to identify the prevalence of Vitamin D level and its correlates with tobacco smoking among University student male and female. Volunteer was conducted on a sample of university student, both males and females Iraq, during the period from January to December 2020. A pretested questionnaire was used for data collection adopted from previous standard national surveys and studies, and the questionnaire included …

‘Mic Fright’: The Dire Reality Of Employment Classification In Unscripted Television, Jessica A. Payne

Minnesota Journal of Law & Inequality

Reality television has grown over the last near-century into both a staple of popular culture and an overwhelmingly lucrative industry. While the genre had a relatively innocent beginning, what shows have become is an increasingly extreme set of formats seeking to illicit shock, jealousy, and, above all, loyal viewership from its audience. These aims are driven entirely upon the participants who vie for a place within the cast to compete for love, money, and fame. However, the participants whom audiences adore or love to critique face significant barriers in their pursuit in addition to life-altering post-production realities; in part based …

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: …

Infinite Regress Argument: Nāgārjuna Vs. The Naiyāyikas, Aastha Pujara

Honors College Theses

Infinite regress arguments are commonly employed within philosophical texts as an ad infinitum fallacy to disprove an argument. This argumentative tactic is described as a chain of never-ending explanations that has no beginning. In this paper, I explore the Buddhist philosopher Nāgārjuna and how he utilizes the infinite regress argument to disprove the existence of svabhāva, or essence. Unlike other philosophers, he indicates that the infinite regress argument is not a problem for him due to his philosophy, which explains that everything is devoid of essence or substance and is inherently empty, also known as śūnyatā. Nāgārjuna examines these infinite …

Spark (Seizure Plan For Action And Readiness In Kids): Improving Seizure Action Plan Completion For Hospitalized Children Using Quality Improvement Methodology, Lauren Amendola Do, Faap, Jennifer W. Glusman Do, Mat, Faap, Sheena Mckenzie Md, Mba, Faap, Kayla Howard Do, Radhwa Ramadan Md, Loredana Huma Phd, Acrp-Cp, Usha Appalaneni Md

Scientific Day

Background/Significance:

A Seizure Action Plan (SAP) provides individualized seizure management instructions, including medication administration and emergency protocols. SAPs are inconsistently completed at Advocate Children’s Hospital – Oak Lawn (ACH-OL) leading to missed opportunities for patient/caregiver education and potential safety risks during care transitions.

Purpose:

Using quality improvement (QI) methodology, we aimed to improve the SAP completion rate for patients admitted to ACH-OL with seizure from 13% to 75% between 9/1/2025-12/31/2025.

Methods:

English and Spanish speaking patients 0–18 years admitted to ACH-OL with seizure-related diagnoses (identified by ICD-10 codes) and discharged from a general pediatric service between 9/1/25- 12/31/25 were included. …

Improving Integration Of Intake And Output Into Patient Care For Hospitalized Pediatric Patients, Seetal Mishra Md, Sheena Mckenzie Md, Mba, Faap, Svetlana Kravtchenko Md, Jessica Panice Msn, Aprn, Pcns-Bc, Aprn, Jessica Dukats Msn, Rn, Cpn, Danielle Prate Msn, Rn, Cpn, Joel Anderson Mph

Scientific Day

Background/Significance:

Lack of a universally accepted definition of strict vs standard intake and output (Ia&nO) has led to variability in documentation and orders across the pediatric hospital medicine (PHM) team. A serious safety event (SE) occurred when severe dehydration in an infant was not recognized, resulting in hypovolemic shock. Chart review showed minimal output documentation and failure to recognize I&O imbalance.

Purpose:

We aimed to decrease the I&O SE rate by 10% over 2 years by improving the integration of I&O into the clinical care of general pediatric patients at two campuses of Advocate Children’s Hospital.

Methods:

A multidisciplinary team …

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 …

Successful Cryoablation Of An Occult Sacral Phosphaturic Mesenchymal Tumor After Delayed Localization: A Case Of Tumor-Induced Osteomalacia, Hannah Larry Do, Andrew Cecil Do, Anil Chandel Md

Scientific Day

Introduction/Background:

Tumor-induced osteomalacia (TIO) is a rare paraneoplastic disorder caused by fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23)–secreting phosphaturic mesenchymal tumors, leading to renal phosphate wasting, hypophosphatemia, and impaired bone mineralization. Patients commonly present with bone pain, weakness, and fractures, and diagnosis is frequently delayed due to nonspecific symptoms and difficulty localizing small tumors. 68Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT has the highest sensitivity for tumor detection; however, repeat imaging is often required. While complete surgical excision is curative in most cases, tumors in anatomically complex locations such as the sacrum may not be amenable to surgery. Image-guided ablation has emerged as a therapeutic alternative.

Description: …

A Rare Case Of Primary Breast Merkel Cell Carcinoma In A Male Gendered Patient, Sydney A. Pekarek Do, Archana Chandrashekar Do, M Bassel Attasi Md, Emily E. Klosterman Do, Joslyn Albright Md

Scientific Day

Introduction/Background:

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an aggressive, rare neuroendocrine tumor, typically arising in the skin. However, there are few documented cases of neuroendocrine tumors of breast parenchyma with Merkel cell differentiation. This accounts for less than 0.1% of all breast cancers with almost all cases being described in females.

Description:

We present here a 62-year-old, immunocompetent, Hispanic male with a palpable and painful right sided breast mass, present for three to four months. On the exam, a four-centimeter mass was palpated in the 9 o’clock region of the right breast without associated skin nodularity or dermal attachment. Diagnostic mammography …

Peter Pataki V. Walmart Inc

2026 Decisions

USDC for the District of New Jersey

The Law Of Christ As Eschatological Nomism: Paul’S Halakhic Framework For Gentile Inclusion In The Covenant Community, Jason Bagwell

Masters Theses

This thesis examines Paul’s “Law of Christ” as a halakhic framework for Gentile inclusion in the covenant community. It argues that Paul does not reject the Torah as God’s covenant instruction, nor does he replace it with a vague or subjective ethic. Rather, Paul reorients Torah through the Christ event and applies it to Gentile believers through Spirit-empowered covenant fidelity. By analyzing key Pauline texts, especially Galatians 6:2, 1 Corinthians 9:21, 1 Corinthians 7:17–20, and related case studies involving idolatry, sexual immorality, food, and table fellowship, this study demonstrates that Paul’s instructions to Gentiles function as concrete legal and communal …

Front Matter

Texas A&M Law Review

Front Matter.

Plutocratic Public Safety, Erin Collins

Texas A&M Law Review

Recent political events have laid bare the ways that the United States functions like a plutocracy, in which the ultra-wealthy exert influence over core governance functions. The criminal system is not immune from this influence. Big Capital shapes the operation of the criminal system in highly visible ways through its investments in policing technology, electronic monitoring systems, and correctional and detention systems. This Article shows how the economic elite shape the operation of the criminal system in a less obvious way: through philanthropic giving. Big Philanthropy provides another—albeit seemingly benevolent—avenue through which the ultra-wealthy can advance a vision of public …

Take Fair Housing All The Way Up: Navigating The Intersection Of Decentralization, Innovation, And Preemption, Melvin J. Kelley Iv

Texas A&M Law Review

Cities are the temporospatial embodiment of local economies, constructed on the scaffold of racial capitalism. Pursuant to decades of public-private ventures to entrench segregation, some cities have been given a treasure trove of resources while others have been—and continue to be—deprived. Community organizers and local governments in urban areas have attempted to disrupt enduring spatial inequities through policies advancing civil rights, economic justice, and sustainable development. But far too often these efforts have been brushed aside by sweeping state laws that intentionally, exhaustively, and punitively remove topics from the purview of local action. This Article responds to calls issued by …

Nonparty Claim Preclusion, Mark D. Rosen

Texas A&M Law Review

For nearly two centuries, American courts recited that the preclusive effects of a court’s final judgment were subject to a requirement of “mutuality,” meaning that a party in Lawsuit 2 who would not be bound by a judgment from a prior Lawsuit 1 could not benefit in Lawsuit 2 from the first lawsuit’s judgment either. While the Supreme Court eliminated the mutuality requirement for issue preclusion in the 1970s—paving the way for “nonmutual collateral estoppel”—to this date, the Court has not decided if mutuality remains a requirement for claim preclusion. Although many courts today insist there is no such thing …

Rahimi's Goldilocks Dilemma: Finding The "Just Right" Age Of Tradition, James M. Handwerk

Texas A&M Law Review

Although its edges are obscured with unresolved tension, the Supreme Court’s recent sortie into Second Amendment interpretation sparked a new era of historical scrutiny. Some question whether the various difficulties present in the new framework render the doctrine unworkable. Rahimi’s Goldilocks Dilemma examines the interpretive obstacles posed by the text, history, and tradition framework, which was brought to light in New York State Pistol & Rifle Ass’n v. Bruen and United States v. Rahimi. Particularly, this Comment focuses on the role that pre-ratification history plays in finding “relevant” historical analogs. Pre-ratification history, as defined by this Comment, includes …

Waterloo Sparkling Water And The Natural Zone Of Expansion: How Trademark Rights Can Bubble Over, Amari K. Wilson

Texas A&M Law Review

As markets expand and competitors adapt, trademark owners are forced to broaden the scope of the goods or services that are offered under their marks. But what happens when a business decides to venture into other industries in the future? How far should its initial trademark protection extend? The natural zone of expansion doctrine—as it applies to trade—seeks to answer these questions.

In Waterloo Sparkling Water Corp., Waterloo had existing senior trademark rights to its mark for sparkling water beverages, but the district court declined to extend protection for the mark’s use in connection with alcoholic seltzers. While there …

Beyond "Bad Apples": Political Identity, Moral Interpretation, And Institutional Response To Abuse, Laura Werner

Student Theses

This thesis examines how psychological explanatory frameworks and structural institutional response interact to shape how domestic violence and sexual abuse are understood and addressed. Drawing on behavioral design theory and John Dewey's transactional approach to experience, I argue that harm is interpreted through mental models that simultaneously shape both individual perception and institutional action. Using survey data from 736 participants, I demonstrate that endorsement of the "bad apples" explanatory framework, attributing abuse primarily to a small group of deviant individuals, is predicted by psychological essentialism, belief in a just world, social dominance orientation, and political conservatism. These findings suggest that …

Unpacking Barriers And Enablers To Quality Early Childhood Education And Care In Lebanon: A Multi-Level Perspective, Rana Bassaj, Caroline Floccia

School of Psychology

This article investigates the barriers and enablers to quality early childhood education and care (ECEC) in Lebanon’s complex and multilingual context. In this qualitative study, 56 stakeholders—ministry representatives, NGOs, educators, parents, and healthcare professionals—were interviewed. The study reveals a fragmented governance structure and inequitable funding that impact the quality and equitable access to ECEC provision. Despite the value placed on ECEC and OL, systemic weaknesses, including inadequate staff compensation and donor-driven priorities, constrain progress. Findings also highlight grassroots resilience, with committed educators and NGOs adapting to meet local needs. Using Kagan’s system-level framework and Torii et al.’s (2017) quality domains …