Digital Commons Network^™

Physical Rehabilitation For Older Patients With Acute Hfpef (Rehab-Hfpef) Trial: Design And Rationale, Amy M. Pastva, Gordon R. Reeves, David J. Whellan, Robert J. Mentz, Haiying Chen, Alain G. Bertoni, Pamela W. Duncan, Mark A. Espeland, Shelby D. Reed, M. Benjamin Nelson, Christopher M. O'Connor, Dalane W. Kitzman

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

RATIONALE: Older patients hospitalized for acute decompensated heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) experience persistently poor outcomes, including physical disability, cognitive impairment, depression, impaired health-related quality of life (HRQOL), rehospitalizations, loss of independence, and mortality. In our previous phase 2 REHAB-HF trial, an innovative physical rehabilitation intervention, delivered across three phases-inpatient, 12-week outpatient, and 3-month home-based maintenance-produced large improvements in physical function and HRQOL, with signals of reduced clinical events among patients with acute HFpEF. These findings provide a compelling rationale for a definitive, event-powered trial to evaluate clinical outcomes.

HYPOTHESIS: Targeting physical frailty and multisystem functional impairments using …

Auditory Stimulation Rescues Cognitive Deficit In Fmr1-Ko Mice, Mohamed Ouardouz, Amanda E. Hernan, J. Matthew Mahoney, Rodney C. Scott

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

Background/Objectives: Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by a triplet repeat expansion in the Fmr1 gene leading to the loss of Fragile X Messenger Ribonucleoprotein (Fmr1 protein). The loss of Fmr1 protein modulates many cell biological processes and leads to the emergence of intellectual disability and autism. FXS is modeled in Fmr1-KO mice that display features consistent with human FXS, including hypersensitivity, cognitive and learning deficits, hyperactivity and audiogenic seizures. Here, we investigated the effect of auditory stimulation during a range of developmental stages on recognition memory and sociability deficits in Fmr1-KO mice. Methods: Fmr1-KO mice were …

Oral Pcsk9 Inhibitor Enlicitide Versus Oral Nonstatin Therapies: A Phase 3 Randomized Clinical Trial, Alberico L Catapano, Elina Mikhailova, Ann Marie Navar, Puja Banka, Pablo Corral, Manish Saxena, P Gabriel Steg, Subodh Verma, Andrew Yacoub Kordahi, Geraldine Mendizabal, Pengfei Zhu, Christie M Ballantyne, Coralreef Addon Investigators

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Many adults fail to achieve guideline-directed low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) goals on statin monotherapy, requiring additional nonstatin lipid-lowering medication. Enlicitide, an oral proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin 9 (PCSK9) inhibitor, lowered LDL-C by 60% compared with placebo; its efficacy compared with other oral nonstatin therapies has yet to be examined.

Objectives: This study assessed the efficacy of enlicitide, a novel oral PCSK9 inhibitor, vs other oral nonstatin therapies.

Methods: In this phase 3, randomized, double-blind, active-comparator trial, statin-treated adults aged ≥18 years with LDL-C ≥55 mg/dL and a previous major atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) event, or LDL-C ≥70 mg/dL if at …

Artificial Intelligence And Music Creativity: The Human Element And An Exploration Of Possibilities, Benjamin J. Guerrero, Raffaella Borasi, David Miller, Blaire Koerner, Zenon Borys, Yu Jung Han, Rachel Roberts

Journal of the Association for Technology in Music Instruction

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is widely recognized as a potential game-changer for music-making. However, the direction of these changes and the extent of their impact on the music field will depend on how musicians use AI, which partly hinges on their perceptions of AI and their willingness to engage with it. Debates are ongoing about AI’s impact on creative fields, and we anticipate that musicians’ views on these matters will significantly influence their readiness to incorporate AI into their work. We interviewed 43 participants who use technology in various roles across different music genres to gain insight into their experiences with …

James Talarico Brings Fresh Energy To Texas Politics, Mary-Esther Leblanc, The Rattler

The Rattler

Vol. 144 Iss. 3

Oceans Receive Hope Through Student Efforts, Mary-Esther Leblanc, The Rattler

The Rattler

Vol. 144 Iss. 3

Calls For Ceasefire: Palestinians Face Ongoing Crisis, Mary-Esther Leblanc, The Rattler

The Rattler

Vol. 144 Iss. 3

“Rapturetok”: Tiktok’S Newest End-Of-World Frenzy, Isabella Pizzerrato, The Rattler

The Rattler

Vol. 144 Iss. 3

Hayley Williams, New Musical Era With “Ego At A Bachelorette Party”, Isabella Pizzerrato, The Rattler

The Rattler

Vol. 144 Iss. 3

The Fast Transition From Halloween To Christmas, Why?, Rene P. Estala, The Rattler

The Rattler

Vol. 144 Iss. 3

Sweet-Diddly-Doomsday: Ai Integrated Music In The Year 2025, Malcolm Summers, The Rattler

The Rattler

Vol. 144 Iss. 3

La Caballerosidad Ya No Existe? (Chivalry Vs Machismo), Paloma Villarreal, The Rattler

The Rattler

Vol. 144 Iss. 3

Maria Corina Machado: Ganadora Del Premio Nobel, Paloma Villarreal, The Rattler

The Rattler

Vol. 144 Iss. 3

“Mictlán”, Paloma Villarreal, The Rattler

The Rattler

Vol. 144 Iss. 3

The Core-Modulation Architecture (Cma): A Structural Overview Of A 14-Paper Research Program (Preprint), Griselda Poe

Publications and Research

This document provides a structural overview of the Core-Modulation Architecture (CMA), a 14-paper research program on cognition, communication, and AI interaction.

The series specifies the conditions under which cognition operates, terminates, fails, and generates structure. Rather than describing cognition by its contents (beliefs, emotions, decisions), it defines cognition through its underlying architecture: constraint-governed processing across layers with distinct termination conditions.

The framework introduces a layered model consisting of Core processing (constraint preservation and structural coherence) and Modulation (affective calibration and social interface adjustment), extended by a Prior layer as the source of constraints. Across the series, phenomena such as miscommunication, …

Mid-Century Modern: American Songs From 1945-1965. Thomas Meglioranza, Baritone; Reiko Uchida, Piano, Department Of Music, University Of Richmond

Music Department Concert Programs

No abstract provided.

From Arrival To Opportunity: A Policy Analysis For Supporting Newly Arrived English Learners In California, Valeria Gabrielli, Stephanie Mendoza Hernandez

School of Public Policy Capstones

Newly arrived immigrant students, commonly referred to as “newcomers,” represent a notable portion of the English Learner (EL) population in California’s K–12 public schools. As of Fall 2023, the California Department of Education reported that newcomers comprised 3.27% of total student enrollment. Although enrollment is projected to decline in the near term, the potential for future increases highlights the need for sustainable, evidence-based support systems. This study examines how California K–12 public schools with large EL populations provide academic and trauma-informed support services to newcomer students, with a particular focus on early intervention in grades K–5. Using the Bardach policy …

The Effects Of Affordability And Quality Of Care On Utilization Of Primary Healthcare Among Rural Residents In Twifo Ati-Morkwaa District, Ghana: A Qualitative Study, Peter Ansah Boakye, Francis Tei-Nartey, Gideon Owusu

Michigan Tech Publications

Objective: This qualitative study examines how affordability and quality of care influence the utilization of primary healthcare (PHC) services among rural residents in the Twifo Ati-Morkwaa District, Ghana. While Ghana has implemented policies such as CHPS and NHIS to improve access, subjective experiences of rural residents regarding total costs of care and perceived quality remain underexplored. Methods: We conducted a qualitative cross-sectional study between April and September 2024 using purposive and snowball sampling. Ten gender-segregated focus group discussions (FGDs; n = 90 residents) and six in-depth interviews (IDIs) with PHC providers were conducted. Data were collected in Twi, transcribed and …

Cilia Dynamics In Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia: A Biophysical Characterization Of The Rsph4a Founder Variant, Gabriel Rosario-Ortiz, José Muñiz-Hernández, Natalia M Ortiz-Pérez, Marcos J Ramos-Benitez, Ricardo A Mosquera, Wilfredo De Jesús-Rojas

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a rare ciliopathy resulting in chronic oto-sino-pulmonary disease. PCD diagnosis can be achieved by a combination of different diagnostic and adjuvant tools, including high-speed video-microscopy analysis (HSVA). A founder variant has been described in Puerto Rico as the most common cause of PCD in the island. Background/Objectives: In HSVA, objective parameters such as ciliary beat frequency (CBF) and subjective parameters such as ciliary beat pattern (CBP) shed light on the biophysical properties of cilia. However, the subjective nature of CBP creates a gap in knowledge; characteristics such as the length, angle, and bending index of …

Response To Letter: Assessment Of Postoperative Range Of Motion In Pediatric Patients Undergoing Surgical Reduction And Fixation Of Lateral Condyle Fractures, Gabrielle Rogie, Timothy Borden, Lindsay Crawford, Surya Mundluru, Brennan Roper, Rohini Mahajan Vanodia, Shiraz Younas

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Flaked Paraffin Wax-Based Thermally Enhanced Composite Phase Change Materials: Toward A Highly Efficient Thermally Responsive Temperature-Regulating Asphalt Pavement, Feng Ma, Meng Pang, Zhen Fu, Xinye Jiang, Qiang An, Yingjie Hou, Wenhao Dong, Jenny Liu, Jiasheng Dai

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

To mitigate high-temperature distress in asphalt pavements and enhance thermal regulation, flaked paraffin wax (FPW) was selected as the PCM and incorporated into asphalt. To prevent leakage, FPW was microencapsulated (FPW-MPCM). To boost thermal conductivity, FPW-MPCM was combined with expanded graphite (EG) via two methods: One method involves using EG as an adsorption carrier to prepare EG-adsorbed FPW phase change microcapsules (FPW-MPCM-EG); the other method uses EG as the core material to prepare FPW/EG graphite phase change microcapsules (FPW/EG-MPCM). These four PCMs were added to asphalt at 3 %, 6 %, 9 %, and 12 % (wt.%) to prepare phase-change …

Constraint, Necessity, And God Beyond Structure: A Structural Account Of Suffering Under Three-Layer Cognitive Architecture, Griselda Poe

Publications and Research

The question of why humans suffer, if God exists, has persisted across philosophical and theological traditions without resolution. This paper does not approach the problem as one of justification. Instead, it specifies the structural conditions under which suffering arises. The analysis adopts a three-layer model of cognition consisting of a Prior layer, a Core processing layer, and a Modulation layer. The Prior layer supplies constraints that initiate processing but remain inaccessible to it. Under these constraints, cognition begins in a non-neutral state in which one layer is initially foregrounded. When Modulation-layer processing is foregrounded, the condition of translation demands continuation. …

2026 Women Of Color Conference, Black Women's Blueprint

Campus Events

The Women of Color Conference, created by Bryant University’s Black Women’s Blueprint, was designed to unite women of color and provide a powerful space to share stories, knowledge, and lived experiences. Centered around the theme “Healing in Color, Honoring Our Stories, Reclaiming Our Joy,” the conference aims to foster healing as an act of resistance through storytelling, sisterhood, and collective empowerment. By creating a sacred and supportive environment, the conference uplifts voices, nurtures connection, and encourages women of color to embrace their truths, restore their spirits, and step boldly into their greatness while reclaiming the joy and identity that has …

General Timing Games With Multiple Players, Alexander Matros, Vladimir Smirnov, Andrew Wait

Faculty Publications

We examine innovation in an n-player market-entry timing game with complete information and observable actions. In our novel multi-player setup, we allow for heterogeneous payoffs between players and leader payoff functions to be multi-peaked and non-monotonic, only requiring that followers’ payoffs are non-increasing with the time of the leader’s entry. We outline the conditions under which an n-player asymmetric game leads to standard second-mover advantage and preemption equilibria. In the context of a two-player game, we provide a comprehensive characterization of the pure-strategy equilibria for a general case. This includes the potential for the emergence of a new …

Association Between The Dietary Index For Gut Microbiota (Di-Gm) And Colorectal Cancer In The Plco Cohort, Bezawit E. Kase, Angela D. Liese Ph.D., Jiajia Zhang Ph.D., Elizabeth Angela Murphy, Susan E. Steck Phd, Mph, Rd

Faculty Publications

Objectives: The study aimed to examine the association between a dietary index for gut microbiota (DI-GM) and the risk of incident colorectal cancer (CRC). Clarifying the role of diet-induced alterations in the composition and function of gut microbiota on the development of CRC can contribute to prevention efforts. Methods: Participants from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening trial enrolled in the intervention arm and who completed baseline assessments were included in the analysis (n = 55,685). The DI-GM is a literature-derived index used to score diet quality in terms of maintaining healthy gut microbiota. A time-dependent Cox model …

Association Between The Dietary Index For Gut Microbiota (Di-Gm) And Colorectal Cancer In The Plco Cohort, Bezawit E. Kase, Angela D. Liese, Jiajia Zhang, Elizabeth Angela Murphy, Susan E. Steck

Faculty Publications

Objectives: The study aimed to examine the association between a dietary index for gut microbiota (DI-GM) and the risk of incident colorectal cancer (CRC). Clarifying the role of diet-induced alterations in the composition and function of gut microbiota on the development of CRC can contribute to prevention efforts. Methods: Participants from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening trial enrolled in the intervention arm and who completed baseline assessments were included in the analysis (n = 55,685). The DI-GM is a literature-derived index used to score diet quality in terms of maintaining healthy gut microbiota. A time-dependent Cox model …

Enhancing Academic And Religious Values Through Literacy: An Ethnographic Qualitative Study In A Hindu Student Community, Ni Komang Sutriyanti, I Wayan Widiana, Ni Luh Ika Windayani, I Gede Wahyu Suwela Antara

The Qualitative Report

This study explores the influence of Indonesia's school literacy initiative program, also known as the school literacy movement (SLM), on academic achievement and religious character formation among Hindu students at Bali Mandara State High School. The SLM’s effects within Bali’s predominantly Hindu community provide a perspective on how literacy initiatives intersect with cultural and religious education in a largely Muslim country. The objective of the study was to assess the transformative impact of the SLM on both educational outcomes and character development, specifically examining its alignment with Hindu teachings. A qualitative approach was employed, with data collected through semi-structured interviews …

An Atlas Of Genetic Effects On The Monocyte Methylome Across European And African Populations, Wanheng Zhang, Chuan Qiu, Xiao Zhang, Zichen Zhang, Kuan-Jui Su, Zhe Luo, Minghui Liu, Bingxin Zhao, Lang Wu, Qing Tian, Hui Shen, Chong Wu, Hong-Wen Deng

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Letter To The Editor: Evidence For A Two-Step Species-Level Pulmonary Nocardiosis Diagnostic Approach, John Halphen, Mohadese Ahmadzade, Babith Mankidy, Ashkan Berenji, Mohammad Ghasemi-Rad

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Pulmonary nocardiosis, a rare and diagnostically challenging infection, usually presents with heterogeneous radiographic findings, compounded by the low sensitivity of traditional confirmatory cultures. In their most recent work, Wang et al analyzed 102 patients with pulmonary nocardiosis to address these concerns, investigating species-characteristic imaging patterns, pathological associations, and the role of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) in the diagnostic approach. High-resolution computed tomography (CT) in adult patients with pulmonary infections caused by Nocardia wallacei was demonstrated to have a sensitive (85.71%) and specific (83.34%) presentation of bronchopneumonia in relation to the five Nocardia species in the sample with CT data. The …

Influenza Infection Has Higher Risk Of Postoperative Complications Than Covid-19 In Shoulder Arthroplasty Patients, Jad J Lawand, Umar Ghilzai, Caleb Witsken, Dion Birhiray, Abdullah Ghali, Youssef M Khalafallah, Rohan G Reddy, Sameer R Khawaja, Adil Shahzad Ahmed

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic has captured the attention of healthcare systems worldwide, and testing remains a mainstay of preoperative testing before all surgical procedures, including shoulder arthroplasty. Other viral illnesses, specifically influenza, while still having severe complications, are either overshadowed by testing for COVID-19 or not tested at all.

METHODS: A multi-institutional cohort study using the TriNetX network examined patients undergoing total or hemi shoulder arthroplasty from January 2020 to March 2024. Matched cohorts were created: one with influenza and one with COVID-19 infection, 14 days before surgery.

RESULTS: A total of 3233 and 18,209 patients were included in the …