Digital Commons Network^™

Teaching Documentary Filmmaking As Social Advocacy: The Case Of The Yangon Film School, Violet Valdez, Mon Mon Myat

Department of Communication Faculty Publications

This is a descriptive case study of Yangon Film School (Yangon, Myanmar) in a setting of protracted civil conflict that has persisted since 1968. It examined the school’s approach in the teaching of documentary filmmaking and analyzed key aspects of the school’s operations. Findings show that the documentary filmmaking taught in the school was informed by social advocacy. This was fostered through the students’ participation in films commissioned to the school by civil society organizations and the practice of participatory filmmaking. The school stood out in the Myanmar setting for its dual character as a training center and a production …

Effects Of Interventions For The Prevention And Management Of Maternal Anemia In The Advent Of The Covid-19 Pandemic: Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, John Kyalo Muthuka Dr., Diana Kageni Mbari-Fondo, Francis Muchiri Wambura, Kelly Oluoch, Japheth Mativo Nzioki, Nabaweesi Rosemary Dr

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Environmentally Persistent Free Radicals Lead To Selective Inhibition Of Cyp1 Monooxygenase Activities, And Increased Production Of Reactive Oxygen Species By Reaction Uncoupling, John Patrick Connick, Amari A. Stepter, George F. Cawley, Marilyn K. Eyer, Wayne L. Backes

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

This study focuses on the effect of Environmentally Persistent Free Radicals (EPFRs) on the P450 enzymes of the CYP1 family. EPFRs are a component of particulate pollutants, that are stable in the environment, but can generate free radicals, leading to oxidative stress and subsequent toxicity of the respiratory, cardiovascular, and immune systems once they enter an organism. The results show differences in the ability of EPFRs to inhibit CYP1-dependent substrate metabolism, with CYP1B1 being inhibited to the greatest extent. There also were differences in the ability of EPFRs to disrupt the POR•CYP1 complex, with CYP1B1 being the only form where …

Chronic Administration Of A Cannabis-Derived Mixture At An Antihyperalgesic Dose Does Not Significantly Enhance Hepatotoxicity Or The Development Of Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis In Male Mice, Kim B. Pedersen, Tomislav Jelesijevic, Tamara M. Morris, Sarah M. Melton, Ashley S. Henderson, John F. Glenn, Gregory J. Davenport, Martin J.J. Ronis, Peter J. Winsauer

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Cannabis and cannabinoid mixtures have been linked to a variety of health benefits including pain mitigation, suppression of nausea produced by chemotherapeutic agents, anti-inflammatory effects, and effects on energy homeostasis, glucose, and lipid metabolism. The latter properties have led to the suggestion that these products could have therapeutic effects on the development of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) - a severe type of liver pathology in obese and diabetic patients. However, varying agonist and antagonistic properties of different cannabinoids on the endogenous cannabinoid system make prediction regarding hepatic effects and diet interactions difficult. The current study was designed to examine hepatic …

Multi-Modal Neo-Adjuvant Anti-Obesity Medications May Be More Effective Than Medically Supervised Weight Loss Or Glp-1 Therapy Alone In Preparing Bmi ≥ 70 Patients For Metabolic Surgery, Michael Kachmar, Florina Corpodean, Iryna Popiv, Kyle B. Lapenna, Denise M. Danos, Michael W. Cook, Brian A. Saunders, Jean J. Domercant, Vance L. Albaugh, Philip R. Schauer

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background/objectives: Optimizing patients with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 70 kg/m² for metabolic surgery (MS) is challenging. However, pre-operative weight loss may be important for improving the safety of MS for these high-risk patients. Multi-modal anti-obesity medications (mmAOM) may enhance preoperative weight loss compared to non-pharmacologic medically supervised weight loss (NP-MSWL) or glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist monotherapy (Mono-GLP-1) alone. Subjects/methods: This retrospective study analyzed 113 patients with BMI ≥ 70 kg/m² at a single metabolic disease treatment institute. Interventions/methods: Patients were categorized into NP-MSWL (n = 13), Mono-GLP-1 (n = 54), and mmAOM (n = 46) groups. The primary …

Advancing Special Needs Oral Healthcare In Southeast Asia Through Taiwan's New South Bound Project: Institutional Feedback And Sustainable Strategies, Chuan-Hang Yu, Chia-Tze Kao, Tsui-Hsien Huang, Ming-Yi Lu

Journal of Dental Sciences

Abstract Background/purpose Providing oral healthcare to individuals with special needs remains inadequate in Southeast Asia. This study evaluated the outcomes from five universities across three Southeast Asian countries participating in Taiwan's “New South Bound Special Needs Patients Oral Care Project” after its four-year implementation (2018–2021). Materials and methods The questionnaires distributed to participating universities collected data on dental professionals' demographics, patient characteristics, and project satisfaction. Descriptive statistics analyzed the responses. Results All universities reported excellent satisfaction with the project. Dental professionals’ ages ranged from 31 to 60 years, and their service experience varied from 1 to 10 years. Special needs …

Tomatoes, Sea Cucumbers, And Ai. Conceptualizing A Casual Loop Diagram For Assessing Challenges And Opportunities Of The Urban Ocean, Elisa Fernández Ramos, Andrés Jaque Ovejero, Eva Hurtado Torán, Oz Sahin

Capítulos de libros

Could the combination of tomatoes, sea cucumbers, and AI be the glocal recipe for sustainable urban development systems? In this text, we review some of the implications of oceanic expansion, proposing an experiment to extract these and other conclusions that may help us realize its importance and the role of architects and urban designers in it. This research assumes that the coastline is fictitious, just like the boundary of cities that usually coincides with it. The city is part of the marine ecosystem and sprawls over it, primarily for productive purposes. Productivity models have shaped our cities since the beginning …

From Lithuania To Mobile: An Immigrant’S Memoir Comes To Light, Deborah Gurt

University Faculty and Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Methyl-Cpg-Binding Domain As A Protein Interaction Partner In Promoter Regulation And Neurodevelopment Through Evolutionary Expanded Entanglement, Stephanie M. Bilinovich, Surya B. Chhetri, Jackson T. Mitchell, Gage O. Leighton, Vladislav Jdanov, Jacob K. Zieba, Taylor W. Cook, Krysta L. Engel, Robert M. Vaughan, Humza Bhatti, Sadie L. Heeringa, Amy M. Wilstermann, Sophie Vanderweele, Akansha S. Das, Emily C. Sherry, Stephen A. Duncan, Katie L. Uhl, David C. Hinds, Mark Mackiewicz, Sarah K. Meadows, Kimberly M. Newberry, E. Christopher Partridge, Sara G. Cline, C. Joy Shepard, D. Casey Smith, Antonio Bradley, Daniel Vogt, Daniel B. Campbell, Lucas Pozzo-Miller, Caleb P. Bupp, Austin J. Goodyke, Surender Rajasekaran, Rebecca C. Knickmeyer, Benjie Blair

Research, Publications & Creative Work

There is increasing evidence that the methyl-binding domain (MBD) is a protein-protein interaction motif that can function independently of methylated DNA binding. The MBD proteins found throughout plants and invertebrates duplicated into multiple vertebrate DNA and non-DNA-binding members (MBD1, MBD2, MBD3, MBD4, MBD5, MBD6, MECP2, BAZ2A, BAZ2B, SETDB1, andSETDB2). Although many invertebrate species possess MBD proteins that can bind and recognize DNA methylation, the DNA-binding function has been independently lost multiple times, with only minor alterations to the protein interaction residues. The nucleosome remodeling and deacetylase (NuRD) complex, which interacts with MBD2/3 and is colocalized with MBD1/4 ChIP-Seq, is maintained …

Master Of Social Work Portfolio, Kinley Mae Pope

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Accurate Body Weight Class Prediction From Mirna And Gene Expression In Blood And Saliva Samples, Kimberly Lettner

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

miRNA interference on protein abundance related to glucose uptake and lipid production has been evaluated in biomedical research and linked to metabolic disorders like severe obesity. The direct regulation of protein abundance caused by miRNAs on a person’s metabolism can lead to an increased weight and overall size. Body size, measured by BMI, provides additional physical descriptions that can be combined with hair color, eye color, age, and skin pigment to aid investigations of unidentified remains or unknown suspects not found in a database. The purpose of this project was to evaluate the miRNA expression of target biomarkers in dried …

Enhancing Engagement In Cardiovascular Risk-Reducing Behaviors Through Motivational Text Messaging (Mtm) In An Underserved Population Of Memphis, Tennessee, Lindsey H. Dao

DNP Projects

Enhancing Engagement in Cardiovascular Risk-Reducing Behaviors Through Motivational Text Messaging (MTM) in an Underserved Population of Memphis, Tennessee

The Impact Of Teaching Students Stress And Trauma Alleviation Techniques For Coping With Distressing Materials In First-Year Composition, Faye Monique Scott

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Trauma can impact the way a student learns and focuses. In higher education, without instructors realizing it, classes may retraumatize or trigger students with the texts, media, or materials utilized. Research suggests that little attention is given to helping students deal with potentially traumatizing course materials and students inside the classrooms may be impacted by trauma whether the teacher is aware or not. This dissertation examined the effects of teaching students specific coping strategies—Trigger Warnings (TWs) and Stress and Trauma Alleviation Techniques (STATs) —while reading, writing, and reflecting on possibly distressing materials in First-Year Composition courses through a mixed methods …

Functional Characterization Of The Hdt5 Gene In Aspergillus Flavus Morphogenesis, Mycotoxin Production, And Fungal Phytopathogenicity, Brenda Omburo

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The present study aimed at elucidating the role of hdt5 in fungal morphology, mycotoxin production and in plant virulence in Aspergillus flavus. Currently, methodologies to prevent the negative impact of A. flavus are insufficient. It is known that expression of the hdt5 gene is dependent on hbx1, a master regulatory gene that affects expression of hundreds of genes in the A. flavus genome, controlling both development and secondary metabolism. However, while the aflatoxin gene cluster has been elucidated, the genetic regulatory mechanisms controlled by hdt5 are not fully understood. For this study, therefore, a complete strain set composed of a …

An Analysis Of Mental Health And Workplace Absenteeism, Kristin Marie Vrona

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation examines the effect of mental health on own health-related absenteeism among employed adults in the United States, using data from the 2010–2014 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). The MEPS uniquely differentiates between absences due to one’s own health and those due to another person’s health, enabling causal estimation of individual-level factors influencing absence decisions.

The analysis incorporates both mental and physical health measures, including diagnostic indicators and self-reported general well being, which are used as proxies for severity that may affect both diagnosed and undiagnosed individuals. Results reveal a consistent pattern: individuals experiencing high psychological distress but lacking …

Water Quality And Microplastic Contamination In An Urbanizing City Nakhon Pathom, Thailand, Boonyarak Chuanchit

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Microplastics (MPs) are synthetic polymer particles less than 5 mm in size that originate from both primary manufacturing and the breakdown of larger plastics. Extensive studies have examined their occurrence in other environments, while little is known about their presence and behavior in groundwater, especially in urbanizing regions in Southeast Asia. This study investigates the occurrence and abundance of microplastics within groundwater systems of Nakhon Pathom, an urbanizing province in central Thailand.

Groundwater was collected representing shallow and deep aquifers between May 2023 and May 2025. The analyses included physical-chemical parameters, major ions, heavy metals, and microplastic abundance and composition. …

An Exploration Of Social Isolation’S Effects On The Gastrointestinal And Metabolic Health Of A Social Mammal, Daniel Adam Nuccio

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Human health can be impacted considerably by subjective feelings of loneliness, resulting in mental illness and the dysregulation of normal cardiovascular, immune and endocrine functioning. This occurs because social isolation serves as a form of chronic stress for social mammals, spurring physiological responses akin to those associated with more standard forms of stress. On account of their highly social nature, prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) subsequently have become one of the model organisms of choice for investigating the effects of social isolation on the development of disease in social mammals.

This dissertation seeks to expand the scientific community’s understanding of the …

Audit Culture And A Nonprofit In Northern Illinois, Onyenum Ruth Udoh

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Audit culture has become a defining feature of nonprofit life, shaping how organizations balance accountability to donors with responsibility to their communities. While existing scholarship often highlights large or international NGOs, less is known about how small and mid-sized nonprofits in the United States experience these pressures. This study focused on nonprofit in DeKalb County, Illinois, to examine how audits, donor restrictions, and accountability demands influence nonprofit practices, priorities, and relationships with their communities. Grounded in ethnographic fieldwork and organizational anthropology, I conducted eight weeks of participant observation and semi-structured interviews with seven staff across leadership, finance, program, and administrative …

Occupational Choice And Social Mobility, Samuel Solomon

Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Dissertations

This dissertation examines how individuals make occupational choices and how that shapes economic success, social mobility, and the labor market.

The first chapter uses population-wide administrative data from Finland to examine the underlying drivers and aggregate implications of occupational following—when children enter into their parent’s occupation—for the labor market, social mobility, and total output. I first document that occupational following is a widespread feature of the labor market. Second, I show that pre-labor market multidimensional skills and educational choice statistically explain 19% of following among all 43 two-digit occupations, and 53% among white collar ones. Third, I use an instrumental …

Hypnosis: An Evidenced Based Treatment, Gregory P. Brown

Psychiatry & Behavioral Health Faculty Research

Review of meta analyses and systemic review level studies of hypnosis in the treatment of anxiety, burnout, and depression.

Co-Parents With Benefits, Jessica Feinberg

Faculty Publications

The relationshipbetween individuals who share a common child merits significant legal and societal attention. An increasingly high percentageofchildren are being raisedby parents who are not married to each other, and modern social science research demonstrates that the quality of the relationship between co-parents has serious implications for children's well-being. When co-parentage is unaccompanied by marriage, however, the law historically has attachedfew, if any, rights and obligations to the relationship. This historical disregard for the relationship between non-marital co- parents fails to promote children's best interests. Children whose parents are not marriedto each other should not be excludedfrom the benefits that …

Partial Additionality: The Blunt Metric Distorting Carbon Market, Anthony L. Moffa, Joseph Newlen

Faculty Publications

The widespread recognition that climate change presents an existential threat to humanity has spurred the development of numerous technologies, regulatory structures, and voluntary actions aimed to mitigate the pending disaster.

Functional And Traditional Medical Management Of Endometriosis: An Integrative Review, Madison G. Daniels

Senior Honors Theses

Endometriosis, a progressive disease that affects many women worldwide, has been managed primarily through hormonal medication, pain management and surgical intervention. However, there is a growing desire among women to use more natural and holistic methods to control the progression of this disease as well as effectively manage the severe symptoms that accompany it. This integrative review examines the efficacy of functional management as compared to traditional medical management. The pathophysiology of each treatment method and provide statistical evidence as to its efficacy. The progression of the disease, symptom management, and related side effects are all taken into consideration in …

Perspectives On Demyelinating Disease: An Overview Of Multiple Sclerosis, Nathaniel Howard Williams

Senior Honors Theses

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disease of central nervous system (CNS), primarily concerning oligodendrocytes, the myelinating cells of the CNS and the neurons that are ensheathed in myelin. MS is the most common demyelinating disease, affecting as many as 300,000 yearly in the United States alone. Much debate centers on whether MS onset is primarily caused by autoimmune reactions or intrinsic dysfunction in oligodendrocytes, which prompts an immune-mediated response. Those who review the current literature on MS may become quickly overwhelmed by the volume and variety of available material. The purpose of this review is to present a …

Cardiac Timing Effects On Response Speed Are Modulated By Blood Pressure But Not Heart Rate Variability In Healthy Young Adults, Xiao Yang, Catalina Roldan, Michael Gazzanigo, Yasmine Nabulsi, Fang Fang

Research and Infrastructure Service Enterprise (RISE) Faculty Publications

Cardiac timing effects reflect the dynamic interplay between interoceptive and exteroceptive processes. Human information processing tends to be facilitated during cardiac diastole and inhibited during systole, reflecting autonomic regulation and the neuromodulation by baroreceptor afferents. Thus, blood pressure (BP) and vagally-mediated heart rate variability (vmHRV) are potential modulators of those effects. Additionally, cognitive control appears to play a critical role in the processes. However, whether cardiac timing effects are influenced by those factors remains unclear. The present study aimed to clarify these relationships. Fifty-one healthy young adults completed three experimental sessions to assess BP, short-term HRV, and cardiac timing effects. …

Α Novel Ai-Based Modeling With Bias Classification Hybrid Risk Evaluation System For Confidence Enhanced Network Meta-Analysis Of Occupational Hazards And Burnout Risk Among Public Health Inspectors, Ioannis Adamopoulos

Mesopotamian Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare

Public Health Inspectors (PHIs) serve a critical role in enforcing health and safety regulations, particularly under the growing pressures of climate change. With rising exposure to occupational hazards such as heat waves, air pollution, and vector-borne diseases, PHIs now face escalating stress and burnout. Geographical variability, limited resources, and institutional gaps in training and support further shape their complex risk profile. Despite growing concern, systematic, confidence-based evaluations of these occupational risks—especially tailored to PHIs—remain rare. This study addresses that gap using a Confidence in Network Meta-Analysis (CINeMA)-enhanced framework to assess domain-specific occupational risk profiles of PHIs working in climate-stressed environments. …

Chemoproteomic Profiling Of A Carbon-Stabilized Gold(Iii) Macrocycle Reveals Cellular Engagement With Hmox2, Sailajah Gukathasan, Chibuzor Ngozi Olelewe, Libby Ratliff, Jong H. Kim, Alyson M. Ackerman, J. Robert Mccorkle, Sean Parkin, Gunnar F. Kwakye, Jill M. Kolesar, Samuel G. Awuah

Chemistry Faculty Publications

In this work, we discovered a novel organometallic gold(III) macrocycle, Au-Mac1, that demonstrates anticancer potency in a panel of triple-negative breast cancer cells (TNBC), and based on this complex, a biotinylated-Au-Mac1 probe was designed for target identification via chemoproteomics, which uncovered the engagement of HMOX2 of the heme-energy metabolism pathway. Using orthogonal chemical biology and molecular biology approaches, including immunoblotting, flow cytometry, and cellular thermal shift assays, it was confirmed that Au-Mac1 engages HMOX2 in cells. Downstream effects of Au-Mac1 on the depletion of mitochondrial membrane proteins and bioenergetics point to the potential role of HMOX2 in cancer. Importantly, Au-Mac1 …

Pathways To Nursing And Midwifery Education In Tanzania With Reflection To The Global Perspectives: A Narrative Review, Tumbwene Mwansisya, Mary Lyimo, Eunice Pallangyo

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Background/Objectives:

This review aimed to explore the pathways of nursing and midwifery education in Tanzania and compare them with global perspectives. The goal was to identify similarities, differences, and areas for potential improvement to align with international standards.

Methods:

A narrative literature review was carried out through databases with published studies in nursing and gray literature. The database search included Medline, PubMed, Google Scholar, EBSCO, PsycINFO, clinical nursing, and gray literature from January 2014 up to December 2024. The search process was carried out by the authors with the following key words: admission, pathway to nursing profession, delivery mode, …

Caspase-11 And Nlrp3 Exacerbate Systemic Klebsiella Infection Through Reducing Mitochondrial Ros Production, Yuqi Zhou, Zhuodong Chai, Ankit Pandeya, Ling Yang, Yan Zhang, Guoying Zhang, Congqing Wu, Zhenyu Li, Yinan Wei

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Introduction: Klebsiella pneumoniae is a Gram-negative bacterium and the third most commonly isolated microorganism in blood cultures from septic patients. Despite extensive research, the mechanisms underlying K. pneumoniae-induced sepsis and its pathogenesis remain unclear. Acute respiratory failure is a leading cause of mortality in systemic K. pneumoniae infections, highlighting the need to better understand the host immune response and bacterial clearance mechanisms. Method: To investigate the impact of K. pneumoniae infection on organ function and immune response, we utilized a systemic infection model through intraperitoneal injection in mice. Bacterial loads in key organs were quantified, and lung injury was assessed. …

Iodinated Disinfection Byproduct Formation From Iohexol In Sunlit And Chlorinated Urban Wastewaters, Reagan Patton Witt, Marcelo I. Guzman

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Iodinated disinfection by-products (I-DBPs) are of growing concern due to their elevated toxicity compared to their chlorinated counterparts, with links to adverse health effects such as bladder cancer and miscarriages. Medical imaging agents like iohexol, commonly used in healthcare facilities, introduce iodine into wastewater systems. This study investigates the photodegradation of iohexol and the subsequent formation of products, including I-DBPs, during simulated final wastewater treatment under chlorination and sunlight exposure. Experiments were conducted with solutions containing 30 μM iohexol, 3 mg L⁻¹ humic acids, and 5.5 mg L⁻¹ hypochlorite. Samples were irradiated at λ ≥ 295 nm and …