Digital Commons Network^™

The Prospector, February 4, 2025, Utep Student Publications

The Prospector

No abstract provided.

February 2025 Faculty Senate Packet, University Of Nebraska At Kearney Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Packets

No abstract provided.

Infection-Related Hospitalization And Incident Heart Failure: The Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities Study, Rebecca L Molinsky, Amil Shah, Melana Yuzefpolskaya, Bing Yu, Jeffrey R Misialek, Bruno Bohn, David Vock, Richard Maclehose, Barry A Borlaug, Paolo C Colombo, Chiadi E Ndumele, Junichi Ishigami, Kunihiro Matsushita, Pamela L Lutsey, Ryan T Demmer

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: The immune response to infections may become dysregulated and promote myocardial damage contributing to heart failure (HF). We examined the relationship between infection-related hospitalization (IRH) and HF, HF with preserved ejection fraction, and HF with reduced ejection fraction.

Methods and results: We studied 14 468 adults aged 45 to 64 years in the ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities) Study who were HF free at visit 1 (1987-1989). IRH was identified using select International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes in hospital discharge records and was treated as a time-varying exposure. HF incidence was defined as the first occurrence …

Police Culture Influence On Mental Health Of Federal Law Enforcement Officers, Ania Amat

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Occupational stressors are inherent in police work. Left unmitigated, these stressors may have deleterious effects on officers’ overall health. Police agencies throughout the country offer organizational resilience programs to aid officers navigate stressors. A constraint keeping officers from seeking mental health wellness are the unspoken social norms of police culture. Police culture stigmatizes mental health seeking behaviors, deterring officers from accessing organizational resilience programs. The purpose of this study was to understand the perceptions and lived experiences of federal law enforcement officers regarding mental health-seeking behaviors and the influence of the police culture. Study participants included 16 federal law enforcement …

The Link February 4, 2025, Access To Justice Institute

The Link Newsletter

No abstract provided.

What Podcasting Taught Me About Writing: Revelations From Behind The Mic, Alicja Syska

School of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences

This chapter explores the transformative impact of podcasting on writing, drawing on the author’s experimentations with technology during the pandemic when new communication methods with students became necessary. The analysis reveals a series of lessons and revelations applicable to both teaching and scholarly development. Key insights include: the significance of voice and audience in writing; developing effective writing strategies; shifting focus from product to process; navigating the permanence of written work; addressing vulnerability in self-expression; and cultivating resilience and consistency in writing practice. Through reflexive analysis, the chapter demonstrates how these revelations at the intersection of podcasting and writing can …

Novel Approach For Women’S Self-Management Of Rectal Emptying Difficulty, Sharon Eustice, Ruth Endacott, Bridie Kent

School of Nursing and Midwifery

Aim To pragmatically investigate rectal emptying difficulty in women to identify if managing their symptoms with an innovative device is more effective and satisfactory than their usual care. Background Rectal emptying difficulty has a mostly unknown influence on women and frequently a hidden issue. Self-management alternatives are underappreciated. Despite the magnitude of the problem and its influence on women’s lives and healthcare, non-surgical alternatives have received little attention. Methods This cohort study of 35 female participants, recruited via secondary care outpatient clinics, used composite questionnaires before and after an 8-week intervention using the device. The questionnaire comprised of a quality …

Estrogen Receptor-Α Ablation Reverses Muscle Fibrosis And Inguinal Hernias, Tanvi Potluri, Tianming You, Ping Yin, John Coon, Jonah J Stulberg, Yang Dai, David J Escobar, Richard L Lieber, Hong Zhao, Serdar E Bulun

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Fibrosis of the lower abdominal muscle (LAM) contributes to muscle weakening and inguinal hernia formation, an ailment that affects a noteworthy 50% of men by age 75 and necessitates surgical correction as the singular therapy. Despite its prevalence, the mechanisms driving LAM fibrosis and hernia development remain poorly understood. Using a humanized mouse model that replicates the elevated skeletal muscle tissue estrogen concentrations seen in aging men, we identified estrogen receptor-α (ESR1) as a key driver of LAM fibroblast proliferation, extracellular matrix deposition, and hernia formation. Fibroblast-specific ESR1 ablation effectively prevented muscle fibrosis and herniation, while pharmacological ESR1 inhibition with …

Large-Bore Mechanical Thrombectomy Versus Catheter-Directed Thrombolysis In The Management Of Intermediate-Risk Pulmonary Embolism: Primary Results Of The Peerless Randomized Controlled Trial, Wissam A Jaber, Carin F Gonsalves, Stefan Stortecky, Samuel Horr, Orestis Pappas, Ripal T Gandhi, Keith Pereira, Jay Giri, Sameer J Khandhar, Khawaja Afzal Ammar, David M Lasorda, Brian Stegman, Lucas Busch, David J Dexter, Ezana M Azene, Nikhil Daga, Fakhir Elmasri, Chandra R Kunavarapu, Mark E Rea, Joseph S Rossi, Joseph Campbell, Jonathan Lindquist, Adam Raskin, Jason C Smith, Thomas M Tamlyn, Gabriel A Hernandez, Parth Rali, Torrey R Schmidt, Jeffrey T Bruckel, Juan C Camacho, Jun Li, Samy Selim, Catalin Toma, Sukhdeep Singh Basra, Brian A Bergmark, Bhavraj Khalsa, David M Zlotnick, Jordan Castle, David J O'Connor, C Michael Gibson, Peerless Committees And Investigators

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: There are a lack of randomized controlled trial data comparing outcomes of different catheter-based interventions for intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism.

Methods: PEERLESS is a prospective, multicenter, randomized controlled trial that enrolled 550 patients with intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism with right ventricular dilatation and additional clinical risk factors randomized 1:1 to treatment with large-bore mechanical thrombectomy (LBMT) or catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT). The primary end point was a hierarchal win ratio composite of the following (assessed at the sooner of hospital discharge or 7 days after the procedure): (1) all-cause mortality, (2) intracranial hemorrhage, (3) major bleeding, (4) clinical deterioration and/or escalation to …

Heteronormative Factors That Affect Black Lesbian Women’S Parenting Desires, Keona Nicole Prude

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Stigma, prejudice, and stereotypes, key components of heteronormativity, impact the perceptions, behaviors, health, and psychosocial well-being of lesbian women, potentially undermining self-acceptance, causing internalized homophobia. The generic qualitative study aimed to understand the experiences of Black lesbian women navigating heteronormativity in relation to their parenting desires. Participants included Black lesbians, aged 25-35, who spoke English and had parenting desires within a lesbian relationship. Recruitment occurred via social media and local queer-supporting and parenting organizations. Guided by queer theory and minority stress theory, data were collected through semistructured interviews with 15 African American women in lesbian relationships with desiring parenthood. Thematic …

Algebra 1 Teacher Experiences Implementing Illustrative Mathematics With Linguistically And Culturally Diverse Learners, Paula R. Potter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Without a curriculum that directly addresses the needs of all learners, students from linguistically and culturally diverse (LCD) backgrounds will continue to have inequitable educational experiences in high school mathematics. It is unknown if adopting the Illustrative Mathematics (IM) curriculum engages students from LCD backgrounds or will assist in narrowing the achievement gap between students of color and their White counterparts in a high school Algebra 1 course. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore teachers’ experiences implementing the IM Algebra 1 curriculum with LCD learners using situated cognition, problem-based learning, and a culturally relevant pedagogy framework. …

Durable Responses To Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor-Based Regimens For Metastatic Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma Stratified By Imdc Risk Groups: A Pooled Analysis Of Four Randomized Phase 3 Trials, Albert Jang, Jeffrey Y. Zhong, Hamsa L.S. Kumar, Kevin K. Zarrabi, Alec Zhu, Abby L. Grier, Adam Calaway, Jonathan E. Shoag, Laura Bukavina, Angela Y. Jia, Prateek Mendiratta, Iris Y. Sheng, Santosh Rao, Jason R. Brown, Jorge A. Garcia, Seunghee Margevicius, Pingfu Fu, Pedro C. Barata

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

Background: An immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) backbone is a standard of care for frontline metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma, involving either ICI doublet or tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) with ICI. These phase 3 trials used a sunitinib control arm. The optimal regimen is uncertain. Objective: To compare long-term responders of these trials using extended follow-up data stratified by International Metastatic RCC Database Consortium risk group. Methods: Phase 3 trial data (CheckMate 214, KEYNOTE-426, CheckMate 9ER, and CLEAR) with a minimum follow-up of four years was used. Pseudo individual patient data (IPD) was obtained from Kaplan-Meier curves using the graph …

The Misalignment Of Incentives In Academic Publishing And Implications For Journal Reform, Jennifer S Trueblood, David B Allison, Sarahanne M Field, Ayelet Fishbach, Stefan D M Gaillard, Gerd Gigerenzer, William R Holmes, Stephan Lewandowsky, Dora Matzke, Mary C Murphy, Sebastian Musslick, Vencislav Popov, Adina L Roskies, Judith Ter Schure, Andrei R Teodorescu

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

For most researchers, academic publishing serves two goals that are often misaligned-knowledge dissemination and establishing scientific credentials. While both goals can encourage research with significant depth and scope, the latter can also pressure scholars to maximize publication metrics. Commercial publishing companies have capitalized on the centrality of publishing to the scientific enterprises of knowledge dissemination and academic recognition to extract large profits from academia by leveraging unpaid services from reviewers, creating financial barriers to research dissemination, and imposing substantial fees for open access. We present a set of perspectives exploring alternative models for communicating and disseminating scientific research. Acknowledging that …

Discovery And Functional Characterization Of Biomarkers In Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma, Wagma Caravan

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Not all tumors are created equally, nor should they be treated as such. Modern research has uncovered a multitude of genetic aberrations, genomic dysregulation, and epigenetic modifications that contribute to cancer. While cancers are classified based on their tissue of origin and may share common features or pathways, the tumor microenvironment is far from uniform. It comprises a dynamic network of cell populations with divergent genomic profiles, all of which collectively drive tumor progression—with some tumors more efficient and aggressive than others. The heterogeneity within these tumors makes it notoriously harder to treat, as standard therapies fail to address the …

Diet Therapy Abates Mutant Apc And Kras Effects By Reshaping Plasma Membrane Cholesterol Nanodomains, Eunjoo Kim, Alfredo Erazo-Oliveras, Mónica Muñoz-Vega, Natividad R Fuentes, Michael L Salinas, Miranda J George, Roger S Zoh, Martha E Hensel, Bhimanagouda S Patil, Ivan Ivanov, Nancy D Turner, Robert S Chapkin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Cholesterol-enriched plasma membrane domains are known to serve as signaling platforms in a diverse array of cellular processes. However, the link between cholesterol homeostasis and mutant APC-KRas-associated colorectal tumorigenesis remains to be established. Thus, we investigated the impact of Apc-Kras on 1) colonocyte plasma membrane cholesterol homeostasis, order, and receptor nanoclustering, 2) colonocyte cell proliferation, and 3) whether these effects are modulated by select membrane active dietaries (MADs). We observed that oncogenic APC-KRas increased membrane order by perturbing cholesterol homeostasis when cell proliferation is upregulated, in part by altering the expression of genes associated with cholesterol influx, export and de …

Exenatide Once A Week Versus Placebo As A Potential Disease-Modifying Treatment For People With Parkinson's Disease In The Uk: A Phase 3, Multicentre, Double-Blind, Parallel-Group, Randomised, Placebo-Controlled Trial, Nirosen Vijiaratnam, Christine Girges, Grace Auld, Rachel Mccomish, Alexa King, Simon S Skene, Steve Hibbert, Alan Wong, Sabina Melander, Rachel Gibson, Helen Matthews, John Dickson, Camille Carroll, Abigail Patrick, Jemma Inches, Monty Silverdale, Bethan Blackledge, Jessica Whiston, Michele Hu, Jessica Welch, Gordon Duncan, Katie Power, Sarah Gallen, Jacqueline Kerr, K Ray Chaudhuri, Lucia Batzu, Silvia Rota, Edwin Jabbari, Huw Morris, Patricia Limousin

Peninsula Medical School

Background: GLP-1 receptor agonists have neurotrophic properties in in-vitro and in-vivo models of Parkinson's disease and results of epidemiological studies and small randomised trials have suggested possible benefits for risk and progression of Parkinson's disease. We aimed to establish whether the GLP-1 receptor agonist, exenatide, could slow the rate of progression of Parkinson's disease. Methods: We did a phase 3, multicentre, double-blind, parallel-group, randomised, placebo-controlled trial at six research hospitals in the UK. Participants were aged 25–80 years with a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease, were at Hoehn and Yahr stage 2·5 or less when on dopaminergic treatment, and were on …

Reflexive Pedagogy: A Closer Look At Saudi College Students’ Responses To English Poetry, Haifa Almufayrij

International Journal for Research in Education

This study aims to explore Saudi college students’ analytical abilities by focusing on their engagement with English poetry through reflective learning practices. The study employed a multimodal approach and multimedia to interpret poetry, focusing on enhancing students' understanding of poetry while also examining the effectiveness of this instructional method. The poems selected for the study are from the British Romantic Period (1789–1830). It is a strategic implementation of a culturally appropriate pedagogy that utilises visual language to interpret poems in English. Independently constructing their own videos provided students with a chance to replace traditional written interpretation of poems in the …

Identifying Research-Based Practices For Increasing Peer Interaction In Children With Hearing Impairment: A Review Of The Literature, Amal Aldawoud

International Journal for Research in Education

Establishing peer interaction is critical for all childhood development, especially for children with hearing impairment (HI), who tend to experience a lot of difficulties in interaction. Practices aiming to promote peer interaction in children with HI need to be informed by evidence from quality research. This paper aims to review and evaluate research studies that focus on interaction between children with HI and their peers (with or without HI) in self-contained and inclusive classrooms. Seven empirical studies published in peer-reviewed journals from 1990 to 2023 were examined and evaluated, using the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC, 2014) quality indicators. Several …

Methodological Quality Of Grounded Theory In Mathematics Education Researches: A Systematic Review, Bandar M. Al-Mutairi

International Journal for Research in Education

This study aimed to provide a systematic review by evaluating the accuracy and quality of mathematics education research that employed the grounded theory methodology. A systematic search was conducted in the databases (EBSCO), (SAGE Journals), (Google Scholar), (Springer), and (Eric) to identify studies in the field of mathematics education that mentioned the use of grounded theory methodology and/or methods in the title, abstract, or methodology. The descriptive characteristics and methodological quality of eligible studies were examined using evaluation guidelines developed by (Hutchison et al., 2011). The review included eighteen research papers conducted between 2010 and 2023. The results showed that …

Messianic Judaism And The Church, Robert C. Greer

Liberty Theological Review

One of the more curious phenomena within the Protestant Evangelical Church is Messianic Judaism. Its gospel is essentially the same as Protestant evangelicalism since Messianic Jews worship Jesus as Messiah, Savior and Lord. Yet many shun the label "Christian," preferring such titles as "fulfilled" or "completed Jews." Messianic Jews typically worship on Saturdays and observe a kosher diet. The symbol of the cross, which is ubiquitous in Protestant Evangelicalism and regarded as its most sacred symbol,, is problematic with many Messianic Jews. Messianic Judaism therefore maintains an arm's distance from Gentile Christianity. This paper is an exploration of that separation …

Public Theology And Political Polarization: Environmental Policy, Jean Golicz, Leonard S. Momeny

Liberty Theological Review

The purpose of this article is to explore the impact of public theology on potentially polarizing political views. Specifically, the historical and contemporary interpretations of the Lynn White Thesis (1966) are examined as well as the practical implications for developing environmental policies that align with a biblical worldview. The authors propose the application of multiple paradigms to the study of religiosity and environmental activism as a way of addressing the complexity and diversity of various viewpoints. Understanding the multiple ways Jesus operated in an equally contentious and polarized society creates a path forward for churches. By rejecting the supposition that …

James' Warning Against Inauthentic Faith: Confronting The Actions Of The Wealthy (James 5:1-6), Joseph Daniel Peters, Bradley Wayne Ellison

Liberty Theological Review

The primary message of James is that one’s faith should be reflected by their actions. The author of James argues that helping the needy is what pure religion and genuine faith looks like (1:27; 2:14-18). He contrasts this with his description of the wealthy who oppress the poor by hoarding their wealth and defrauding their employees of their wages (5:1-6). The author criticizes the oppressive and greedy actions of the wealthy, arguing that their actions will testify against them and lead to their misery. One major question is whether these wealthy are within the church (i.e., self-identify as Christians). If …

Defending The Doctrine Of Hell, Jordan P. Ballard

Liberty Theological Review

The doctrine of hell, or the final state of the wicked, has become one of the most objectionable Christian doctrines because it depicts God as vengeful and wrathful, which is offensive to human sensibilities. As an extension of the problem of evil, where God is put on trial for allowing what may appear to be gratuitous pain and suffering in the world, many Christians and non-Christians alike wonder how a loving God could consign people to suffering in hell forever. After all, why didn’t God make a world where all would be saved if He is truly loving? Belief in …

God's Sovereignty In Jeremiah's Call (Jer. 1:4-19), Joseph Peters

Liberty Theological Review

In Jeremiah 1:4-19, God reveals to Jeremiah that God had chosen him to be a prophet over the nations before Jeremiah was even born. Even though Jeremiah presents objections to his commission, God assures Jeremiah that he will proclaim God’s message and does not need to fear as God will be with him. The message is concerned with both destruction and reconstruction, especially concerning Judah. Knowing that such a message would inevitably meet with opposition, God reassures Jeremiah that he has given Jeremiah the words to say and the protection that he needs to fulfill his task. This article will …

"Restoration Under The Davidic Shepherd-King": An Exposition Of Ezekiel 37:15–28, Angela Gloria Erum

Liberty Theological Review

Considering what is happening to Israel in the Middle East these days, this exposition of Ezekiel 37:15–28 provides hope for the people of Israel as well as the Gentile believers in Christ. Ezekiel 37:15–28 exhibits Yahweh’s covenantal promise to gather His people (the people of Israel) from other nations, restore them to their land, and reunify them (both northern and southern kingdoms) as one nation under one king, the Davidic shepherd-king; thus, other nations would realize that Yahweh is God. By examining Ezekiel 37:15–28, this paper will attempt to demonstrate the exegesis and the theological implications of the passage through …

The Decalogue As A Transitional Model For Fear, Pamela Jensen Ikasalo

Liberty Theological Review

God’s original intention for relationships was disrupted by the fall of man as recorded in Genesis 3. From that point, fear of man played an intricate role in both interpersonal relationships and decision-making. The purpose of the Decalogue was to moderate relationships among the people and with their God. However, there is an additional purpose as well. The Decalogue serves as a transitional model from fear of man to fear of the Lord. When God’s people live according to the precedents found in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5 their lifestyle no longer follows the pattern set by fallen humanity. Both …

The Role Of Social Media In Climate Change Information, Patrick Peralta

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

This presentation explores the role of social media in spreading misinformation and disinformation about climate change and the consequences that can result from it at the individual and societal levels. it explains how cognitive, social, and algorithmic biases can create an environment where false information and narratives can spread across social media platforms fast. while a lot of the misinformation can be attributed to people misinterpreting the information and therefore misinforming their social circles, a lot more is attributed to parties who benefit from climate change such as fossil fuel companies funding false narratives to deter any significant change on …

The Rhetoric Of Answers In Genesis: An Analysis Of Science Denial In Online Media, Thomas Phillips

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

This research project performs a rhetorical analysis of a series of articles published by Answers in Genesis in order to develop a greater understanding for how the science denial of Young Earth Creationism operates in online media. The research ultimately seeks to demonstrate the manner in which Answers in Genesis employs a patterned usage of a variety of recognizable rhetorical devices in its argumentation as a means of attempting to frame its religious claims as properly scientific and to continue to propagate science denial in its online content.

Voices From Roger's Park: How Entrepreneurs Navigate Cultural And Language Challenges With Community-Focused Advising, Fatimah Amaturraheem

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

This study explores the cultural and linguistic challenges of entrepreneurs and business-serving organizations (BSOs) in Rogers Park, Chicago, highlighting how community-focused advising supports resilience and growth. Drawing on qualitative interview data, we analyze how entrepreneurs navigate language barriers, adapt to cultural expectations, and leverage community networks. Findings reveal that cultural and language differences create unique operational challenges, addressed through tailored, community-based advising that fosters social capital and business acumen. This research underscores the value of culturally sensitive advising in supporting diverse, immigrant-rich communities.

A Review Examining The Factors Contributory To The Socialization Of A Culture Of Environmental Stewardship, Colby Nixon

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

Environmental stewardship is an ambiguous but significant term meaning that responsibility for the environment — and its quality — is shared between all individuals who interact with it. As a culture-wide phenomena, it is correlated with a mutualistic relationship with nature and the Earth. My study responds to a question as to which and how variables contribute to a societal mindset of environmental stewardship. This review synthesizes numerous studies across diverse cultures and contexts to examine trends therein. In doing so, I discovered that religion, policy, human development, linguistics, and economic roles play a part in socializing environmental stewardship into …