Digital Commons Network^™

September 4, 2025, James Madison University

The Breeze, 2020-

The Breeze is the student newspaper of James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

Detection Of Cancers Three Years Prior To Diagnosis Using Plasma Cell-Free Dna, Yuxuan Wang, Corinne E Joshu, Samuel D Curtis, Christopher Douville, Vernon A Burk, Meng Ru, Maria Popoli, Janine Ptak, Lisa Dobbyn, Natalie Silliman, Josef Coresh, Eric Boerwinkle, Anna Prizment, Chetan Bettegowda, Kenneth W Kinzler, Nickolas Papadopoulos, Elizabeth A Platz, Bert Vogelstein

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

To explore how early can cancers be detected prior to clinical signs or symptoms, we assessed prospectively collected serial plasma samples from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study, including 26 participants diagnosed with cancer and 26 matched controls. At the index time point, eight of these 52 participants scored positively with a multicancer early detection (MCED) test. All eight participants were diagnosed with cancer within 4 months after blood collection. In six of these 8 participants, we were able to assess an earlier plasma sample collected 3.1 to 3.5 years prior to clinical diagnosis. In four of these six …

The Causal Pivot: A Structural Approach To Genetic Heterogeneity And Variant Discovery In Complex Diseases, Chad A Shaw, C J Williams, Taotao Tan, Daniel Illera, Nicholas Di, Joshua M Shulman, John W Belmont

Center on Aging Staff Publications

We present the Causal Pivot (CP) as a structural causal model (SCM) for analyzing genetic heterogeneity in complex diseases. The CP leverages an established causal factor or factors to detect the contribution of additional suspected causes. Specifically, polygenic risk scores (PRSs) serve as known causes, while rare variants (RVs) or RV ensembles are evaluated as candidate causes. The CP incorporates outcome-induced association by conditioning on disease status. We derive a conditional maximum-likelihood procedure for binary and quantitative traits and develop the Causal Pivot likelihood ratio test (CP-LRT) to detect causal signals. Through simulations, we demonstrate the CP-LRT’s robust power and …

Implementing A Training Resource For Large-Scale Genomic Data Analysis In The All Of Us Researcher Workbench, Jasmine Baker, Erik Stricker, Julie Coleman, Shamika Ketkar, Taotao Tan, Ashley M Butler, Laterrica Williams, Latanya Hammonds-Odie, Debra Murray, Brendan Lee, Kim C Worley, Elizabeth G Atkinson

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

A lack of representation in genomic research and limited access to computational training create barriers for many researchers seeking to analyze large-scale genetic datasets. The All of Us Research Program provides an unprecedented opportunity to address these gaps by offering genomic data from a broad range of participants, but its impact depends on equipping researchers with the necessary skills to use it effectively. The All of Us Biomedical Researcher (BR) Scholars Program at Baylor College of Medicine aims to break down these barriers by providing early-career researchers with hands-on training in computational genomics through the All of Us Evenings with …

Climate Change-Related Threats To Railroads: Implications For Threat, Hazard And Risk Assessment, Frances L. Edwards, Daniel C. Goodrich

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Climate change has created new challenges for railroads around the world. The rail systems operate in open environments, subjecting them to increased heat, changing locations of heavy rains, developing sea level rise and storm surge, and a longer and stronger wildfire season. This research investigates how an updated threat and hazard identification and risk assessment (THIRA) can lead to the development of climate adaptation strategies that limit damage and disruption to the railroad enterprise. The THIRA analyzes which threats are of most concern in a specific rail segment, and which climate change adaptation strategies give a beneficial return on investment.

A Tale Of Two Schools: A Comparative Case Study Demonstrating Organizational Pathways To Educator Collaborations, Michael W. Valenti Ph.D., Duhita Mahatmya, Elizabeth Levine-Brown, Karen Celedonia, Tracy Sweet

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

Effective staff collaboration in schools maximizes educators’ collective capacity, improves educator and student outcomes, and facilitates school-wide improvement efforts. Yet, many school team members struggle to collaborate effectively. Previous studies have demonstrated individual and school-level factors that influence school-based collaborations. This study expands former research by comparing the varying administrative and environmental tools employed by two schools to shape relational networks and foster interpersonal capital. Specifically, this case study explores how school-level factors shape the development of school social networks and staff collaborative behavior. We use comparative case study analysis to explore how differences in individual-level and system-level factors influence …

Effects Of Chatbot On Surgical Patients: A Systematic Review, Chung Man Ho, Mei Ping Priscilla Choi

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of chatbots in enhancing patient knowledge, alleviating psychological distress, and improving compliance compared to traditional methods among surgical patients.

Design: A systematic review.

Methods: Randomised controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies involving patients undergoing surgeries under general anaesthesia were reviewed. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool for randomised controlled trials and the Risk of Bias in Non-randomised Studies of Interventions tool for non-randomised controlled trials.

Results: Nine studies with 1476 patients were included in this review. Conversational agents significantly improved perioperative knowledge, psychological distress and compliance with preoperative instructions, …

Faculty Newsletter Fall 2025, University Of Missouri-St. Louis Libraries

Library Publications

No abstract provided.

Daily Eastern News: September 03, 2025, Eastern Illinois University

Daily Eastern News: 2025-2026

No abstract provided.

Bartók’S Romanian Folk Dances: A Consideration Of Sound And Movement, Bailey Frame

Theses and Dissertations

Béla Bartók (1881-1945) cared deeply about authenticity in his work. He continually passed by derivative versions, and instead sought the oldest, earliest, most inaugural version of each folk tune to use as that launching point for his compositions. As he collected the Transylvanian folk tunes that would become his Romanian Folk Dances, he disregarded inconveniences like bad weather and exhausting travel, and he doggedly lugged with him a newly invented Edison phonograph. Though it was unwieldy and fickle, the device allowed him to capture folk music in the moment it was created. Not one for sterile auditoriums or music studios, …

State Of Illinois Model Programs Of Study Guides: 2025 Utilization Report, Meagan Mitchell Phd

Reports, Analyses, and other Publications

The State of Illinois Model Programs of Study Guides were developed in collaboration with the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) through a process led and facilitated by Education Systems Center (EdSystems) at Northern Illinois University. The process included extensive research into labor market information and credential programs, as well as dialogue across secondary, postsecondary, and employer stakeholders. With the support of ICCB, EdSystems researched the utilization of the State of Illinois Model Programs of Study Guides: Culinary and Hospitality and Human and Public Service.

We consulted with ICCB to receive the Perkins V …

Introduction To Sociology: Groups And Organizations, Marcia Morrison Ph.D.

Open Educational Resources

Abstract:

This comprehensive analysis explores the dynamics of social groups and bureaucratic organizations, drawing on foundational theories and empirical studies to illuminate how structure, identity, and informal culture shape collective behavior. The paper examines the essential elements of group dynamics—regular interaction, defined roles, shared norms, and collective identity—alongside the four stages of group decision-making that guide consensus and effectiveness. It distinguishes between primary and secondary groups, emphasizing their respective influences on personal identity and social cohesion, and discusses the pivotal role of reference groups in identity formation.

Further, the discussion extends to the mechanisms of group survival, analyzing concepts such …

Commonwealth Times 2025-09-03

Commonwealth Times, 1969-

No abstract provided.

September 3, 2025 General Faculty Minutes, University Of South Carolina

Faculty Senate

No abstract provided.

Writing Workshop In Prose, Kylee C. Pastore

Open Educational Resources

The Prose Workshop (Fall 2025) is a zero-textbook-cost (ZTC) course at The City College of New York that integrates open educational resources (OER) to develop students’ skills as writers, readers, and critics. Structured in two major parts, the course begins with cultural criticism, guiding students to produce a polished 750–1000 word essay that combines close observation, analysis, and creative voice. The second half focuses on longform narrative nonfiction, culminating in a 3,000-word editorial essay intended for submission to a real-world publication. Alongside these core projects, students engage in weekly homework blogs, annotated course readers, and a final creative experiment in …

Modeling Of Urea Drying And Granulation Process In Fluidized Bed, Jalolitdin Pakhritdinovich Mukhitdinov, Aleksey Viktorovich Schulz

Chemical Technology, Control and Management

This article is devoted to the mathematical modeling of urea drying and granulation processes in a fluidized bed. A brief description is provided for the functional blocks included in the mathematical model, along with the required parameters that form an integrated representation of the technological process. The SR-POLAR model is used to describe a phase equilibrium between the components involved. The interconnections between functional blocks are shown in the process flow diagram. Block diagrams for modeling a multi-chamber granulation unit and the cooling system for the resulting granules are presented. Granule growth in the fluidized bed is described using a …

Optimizing Beer Fermentation Through Intelligent Control, Azizbek Nodirbekovich Yusupbekov, Mirjalol Yusupov

Chemical Technology, Control and Management

This paper presents an intelligent control approach for optimizing the beer fermentation process using fuzzy logic and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference systems. By incorporating multivariable inputs—temperature error and pH deviation—the proposed system effectively handles the nonlinear dynamics and biological variability inherent in fermentation. Simulation results demonstrate improved control accuracy, responsiveness, and robustness compared to conventional methods, making the approach suitable for integration in modern brewery automation systems.

A C++ Library For Turbulent Mixing Simulation Using Hierarchical Parcel Swapping (Hips), Masoomeh Behrang, Tommy Starick, Heiko Schmidt, David O. Lignell

Faculty Publications

Turbulence models are crucial for simulating flows at all scales, capturing both large-scale structures and small-scale mixing. Software libraries that implement such models should support modular integration, customization, and scalability across different simulation frameworks. This paper presents Hierarchical Parcel Swapping (HiPS), a C++ library documented with Doxygen and available on GitHub. HiPS supports both mixing and reactions and can be used as a standalone model or as a subgrid model in CFD simulations. The code includes examples for users to run it as a standalone model. Additionally, considerations for using it as a subgrid model are provided.

Left Atrial Thrombus In Rheumatic Mitral Stenosis: A Case Of Therapeutic International Normalized Ratio Failure, Muhammad Salman Sabri, Carly Weber, Yanis Belkadi, Donald C. Haas, Yasotha Rajeswaran

Division of Internal Medicine Faculty Papers & Presentations

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation or flutter in rheumatic mitral stenosis (MS) increases left atrial appendage (LAA) thrombus risk despite therapeutic anticoagulation.

CASE SUMMARY: A 72-year-old woman on warfarin with moderate MS and atrial flutter presented with dyspnea. Transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) showed a large LAA thrombus despite an international normalized ratio >2.5. Cardioversion was deferred, and the international normalized ratio target was raised to a range of 2.5 to 3.5.

TAKE-HOME MESSAGES: While cardioversion can be considered in patients with uninterrupted anticoagulation without TEE, those with rheumatic MS are at high risk of LAA and LA thrombus and should undergo TEE before …

Researching Post-Industrial Political Behaviour With The National Occupation Classification In The 2019 And 2021 Canada Election Studies, Simon Kiss, Rafael Campos-Gottardo

Laurier Institute for the Study of Public Opinion and Policy

In the following note we describe coding of open-ended responses to respondent occupations in the Canada Election Studies 2019 (phone and online) and 2021 (online). 7904 unique entries were gathered from the three surveys and assigned 5- or 4-digit codes from the National Occupational Classification (NOC) using the information such as job and task descriptions and sample job titles from the NOC. 84%of entries were able to be matched to a 4-digit NOC code and 79% could be matched to a 5-digit code. The note concludes with a brief model of vote choice as a func-tion of whether respondents’ occupations …

Social Determinants Of Health In Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, And Other Sexual And Gender Minority (Lgbtq+) Older Adults: Impact Of Socioeconomic Disadvantage On Inpatient Hospitalizations, Jennifer T. May Phd, Rn, Anp-Bc, Devon Noonan, Susan G. Silva

Publications

Introduction

Little is known about the impact of socioeconomic disadvantage on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other sexual and gender minority (LGBTQ+) older adults (≥50 years). The aim of this study is to determine whether the distribution of LGBTQ+ inpatient hospitalizations are related to structural socioeconomic factors.

Methods

A secondary analysis of retrospective electronic health record data for LGBTQ+ older adults hospitalized from 2018 to 2022 was conducted at one large health system. The average county area deprivation index where the patient resided was calculated.

Results

The analysis included 2270 LGBTQ+ older adult inpatient hospitalizations, with 1508 (66.4%) from …

Genome-Wide Association Study And Genomic Prediction Of Leaf Spot (Stemphylium Vesicarium) Resistance In Spinach Diversity Panel, Gehendra Bhattarai, Bo Liu, James Cor, Ainong Shi

Horticulture Faculty Publications and Presentations

Stemphylium leaf spot (SLP), caused by Stemphylium vesicarium, has emerged as an increasing threat to spinach production in the United States, with widespread outbreaks reported across major spinach-growing regions over the past two decades. The objectives of this study were to: (1) evaluate global USDA spinach germplasm collections and commercial cultivars for resistance to S. vesicarium; (2) perform genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to identify genomic regions associated with resistance; and (3) conduct genomic prediction (GP) to enhance selection accuracy. A total of 311 diverse spinach genotypes, including USDA germplasm accessions and commercial cultivars, were evaluated under greenhouse conditions at the …

Student Activism In Post-Authoritarian Indonesia: Higher Education Reform, Movement Dynamics, And Shifting Political Narratives, Mohammad Fajar Shodiq Ramadlan, Muhammad Faishal Aminuddin

Jurnal Wacana Politik

This study investigates student activism in post-authoritarian Indonesia, focusing on the interplay between higher education reform, movement dynamics, and evolving political narratives over the past decade. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, we surveyed 497 undergraduates from social and political science faculties at 26 Indonesian universities and supplemented our analysis with a document review of student movements from 1999 to 2021. The study examines the transformation of Indonesia’s higher education system, the defining characteristics of contemporary student activism, and the predominant socio-political issues driving post-authoritarian student movements. Our findings show that student activism primarily occurs through various platforms, including social media, organizational …

Estimation Of Serially Correlated Error Components Models Using Whittle’S Approximate Maximum Likelihood Method, Badi H. Baltagi, Georges Bresson, Jean-Michel Etienne

Center for Policy Research

This chapter studies the estimation of error components models with serial correlation of the 𝐴𝑅𝑀𝐴(𝑝, 𝑞) type using Whittle’s (Whittle, 1953) approximate maximum likelihood method. This is done for the one-way and two-way error components panel data model. Monte Carlo simulations are performed that investigate the small sample performance of this method.

Neonatal Striatal Volume Is Associated With Infant Anhedonia, Melissa Nevarez-Brewster, Catherine H. Demers, Jessica L. Irwin, Laura M. Glynn, Martin A. Styner, Mercedes Hoeflich Haase, M. Camille Hoffman, Diego A. Pizzagalli, Benjamin L. Hankin, Elysia Poggi Davis

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Anhedonia is increasingly recognized as a transdiagnostic risk factor for psychopathology. New evidence demonstrates that anhedonia is present in infancy and early childhood. Structural variability in striatal regions involved in reward processing and pleasure seeking is concurrently linked to anhedonia, yet few studies have examined whether striatal differences presage anhedonia, and none have examined prospective associations before middle childhood. The present study examined whether neuroanatomical markers that confer risk for anhedonia can be detected as early as the neonatal period. Specifically, we tested whether the volume of striatal regions in neonates predicted the emergence of infant anhedonic behaviors at six …

Essays On Operational Issues Of Online Medical Consultation Platforms, Jinxin Zhang

Lingnan Theses (MPhil & PhD)

The increased demand for Online Medical Consultation (OMC) services has accelerated the development of Online Medical Consultation Platforms (OMCPs). OMCPs are third-party digital platforms on which patients can access medical consultation services with comparatively less effort and lower cost, while physicians can expand their service coverage and benefit financially from the provision of paid OMC services in their spare time. Although OMCPs have attracted a growing interest in academia, the role of various decision-making behaviors of physicians on these platforms on their patients and themselves remains unclear. To fill this research gap, we conduct two empirical studies based on proprietary …

Neonatal Striatal Volume Is Associated With Infant Anhedonia, Melissa Nevarez-Brewster, Catherine H. Demers, Jessica L. Irwin, Laura M. Glynn, Martin A. Styner, Mercedes Hoeflich Haase, M. Camille Hoffman, Diego A. Pizzagalli, Benjamin L. Hankin, Elysia Poggi Davis

Psychology: Faculty Scholarship

Anhedonia is increasingly recognized as a transdiagnostic risk factor for psychopathology. New evidence demonstrates that anhedonia is present in infancy and early childhood. Structural variability in striatal regions involved in reward processing and pleasure seeking is concurrently linked to anhedonia, yet few studies have examined whether striatal differences presage anhedonia, and none have examined prospective associations before middle childhood. The present study examined whether neuroanatomical markers that confer risk for anhedonia can be detected as early as the neonatal period. Specifically, we tested whether the volume of striatal regions in neonates predicted the emergence of infant anhedonic behaviors at six …

Dietary And Consumer Behaviors In Individuals Currently Using Substances: A Cross-Sectional Study Based On Nhanes (2013 - 2018), A Sarah Cohen, Marylou Cardenas-Turanzas, Audrey Lopez, Tiffany Champagne-Langabeer

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Substance use disorders (SUD) are associated with metabolic dysregulation and nutritional deficiencies. Studies show that incorporating nutrition interventions into treatment may improve physical and psychological health. This study sought to explore dietary and consumer behavior in individuals currently using substances.

Methods: Data from the 2013 - 2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used for this cross-sectional study. Individuals 18 - 69 who were currently using marijuana, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines, or injected unprescribed drugs were compared with individuals not using substances. Dietary and consumer behavior, including alcohol consumption was assessed. Analyses were performed using Stata I/C version 15. …

Sociodemographic Determinants Of Telehealth Visits: A Comparison Of Mental Health And Substance Use Disorders With Other Services, Stanley Nkemjika, Orman Trent Hall, Jeanette Tetrault, Ayana Jordan

Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Discrimination has wide-ranging implications, affecting patients' trust in healthcare professionals and their intentions to seek care. It can cause barriers that can affect access to care, especially among racial and ethnic minority groups in mental healthcare settings. Hence, we aim to examine the relationship between racial discrimination and reasons for using telehealth services.

METHOD: Using the 2022 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS-6), we isolated 6017 participants who reported on discrimination inquiry. The primary dependent variable in this study is self-reported discrimination in healthcare, while the main independent variable is the reason for the most recent telehealth visit, and …

Algorithms For The Synthesis Of Adaptive Control Systems Based On The Speed-Gradient Method, Oxunjon Boborayimov

Chemical Technology, Control and Management

This paper discusses the synthesis algorithms for adaptive control systems based on the speed-gradient method. Adaptive control systems with implicit reference and adjustable models are synthesized using speed-gradient techniques, which reduce the requirements for the main control loop structure and the completeness of measurement data. Stable adaptive decentralized control algorithms are developed for a class of interconnected systems with nonlinear local dynamics and uncertainties, ensuring the stability of individual subsystems and the overall system while accounting for their interactions. To incorporate inter-subsystem interactions into the overall control law, an adaptation algorithm based on the speed-gradient method is introduced. A synthesis …