Digital Commons Network^™

Examining Risk Factors For Early-Onset Breast Cancer, Jennifer Grace Taylor

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: There have been great advancements in screening and in the identifying of risk factors associated with breast cancer, however, there is a lack of information of these factors in women with breast cancer occurring under the age of 45, known as early-onset breast cancer (EOBC). EOBC is often found at later stages, negatively impacting young women’s careers, family planning, and mental health. Additionally, because of the health disparities that exist within the U.S. health care system, women belonging to racial and ethnic groups, specifically young Black women, tend to have poorer outcomes and higher mortality rates of EOBC …

Faith, Trust, And Pixie Dust: Understanding The Visions And Responsibilities Of The Varsity Esports Program Director, William Alan Fisackerly

Theses and Dissertations

The budding esports scene has drawn attention from higher education institutions in North America, who are growing community, competitive, and pedagogical esports initiatives. Varsity Esports Programs (VEPs) have proliferated since Robert Morris launched the first varsity program in 2014, with over 12,800 players from 650 institutions competing in the Spring 2023 National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) Starleague season alone (Butler University Set To Host NACE Starleague’s Spring 2023 Grand Finals, 2023). Despite this growth, little is known about the Varsity Esports Program (VEP), specifically from the perspective of the directors that oversee their operations. Previous work exploring the creation …

Collegiate Student-Athlete Responses To The Covid-19 Pandemic, Alexa Jenny Chandler

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Exercise imposes a physiological stressor on the body which is amplified as training intensifies. Collegiate fall-sport student-athletes return after summer break (off-season) and have approximately two weeks of training (preseason) with coaching staff before competition begins. The 2020 fall season was preceded by a five-month period away from campus due to the timing of the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This also meant all commercial gyms and training facilities were closed, and student-athletes were forced to train with the resources they had at home. Upon return to campus, significant changes were made to practice and competition structures in attempt to …

Lexical Access In Women With The Fmr1 Premutation, Nadia Sabeh Ayon

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Emergent research indicates that women carrying the FMR1 premutation (FXpm) may encounter difficulties in language skills, including increased dysfluencies, a reduction in the quantity and diversity of words produced, and increased word retrieval errors with age (Sterling et al., 2013; Bredin-Oja et al., 2021). Objectives: The present study aims to assess semantic and phonological lexical access skills in FXpm women as well as to examine the impact of cognitive load (time pressure) on lexical access.

Methods: Forty-two FXpm women and 25 control women, aged 26-65 years (M=46.22, age-matched: p=.115), participated. The Network Production Task (Oomen & Postma, 2001), featuring …

Validating An Automated Rodent Ultrasonic Vocalization Data Collator, Devin Mark Kellis

Theses and Dissertations

Rodent ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) are a key dependent measure within behavioral science that have translational relevance with respect to medical, especially neuropsychiatric, illnesses. In recent years, several programs have been developed to enable the recording, labeling, and parameterization of rodent USVs via conventional, machine learning, or deep learning approaches. However, there remains a need to further automate the downstream process of data collation so that labeled and classified USV parameters can be rapidly formatted and analyzed via statistical approaches based on experimenter preferences. The aim of this thesis was therefore to validate an automated vocalization data collator (AVDC) to expedite …

Master Of Social Work Portfolio, Courtney Marie Aadland-Lewis

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

“I Know How Much He Cares For Our Learning”: Moral Life In University Elt Classrooms, Leila Tajik, Seyyed Abdolhamid Mirhosseini, Mahsa Kashkooli

The Qualitative Report

In Iran’s higher education English language teaching (ELT) context, we explored the moral nuances embedded in two conversation courses offered to undergraduate students majoring in English Literature at one of the branches of the Islamic Azad University (IAU) in Tehran. We collected data through classroom observations, field notes, and semi-structured individual and focus group interviews. Our content analysis revealed a range of moral values embedded in significant incidents, which we categorized into five themes: (a) relations, (b) rules and regulations, (c) assessment, (d) curricular substructure, and (I) culture. These themes were further subcategorized into more specific concepts that emerged from …

Enhancing Water Sustainability In North Africa: Literature Review And Synthesis Of Current Knowledge Gaps In Sudan, Osman M. A. Adam, Aaron R. Mittelstet, Derek M. Heeren, Troy E. Gilmore

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Presentations and White Papers

This study delves into the critical role of groundwater in addressing global water challenges, with a focus on the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System (NSAS) in North Africa. Groundwater constitutes a source of potable water, irrigation, and industrial use, especially in arid regions where surface water is limited. We analyzed the status of water quantity, withdrawals, recharge, and geological characteristics in the NSAS, specifically in Sudan, Egypt, Libya, and Chad. Though the NSAS is largely an untapped resource, we evaluated various scenarios to determine the quantity of cropland that can be sustainably irrigated. The NSAS is located in an arid region, …

Wide-Field Optical Coherence Tomography Imaging Improves Rate Of Change Detection In Progressing Glaucomatous Eyes Compared With Standard-Field Imaging, Christopher Bowd, Akram Belghith, Jasmin Rezapour, Jost B. Jonas, Leslie Hyman, Robert N. Weinreb, Linda M. Zangwill

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

PURPOSE: To compare rates of retinal nerve fiber layer change over time in healthy, eyes with nonprogressing glaucoma and eyes with progressing glaucoma using single wide-field (SWF) and optic nerve head (ONH) cube scan optical coherence tomography (OCT) images.

METHODS: Forty-five eyes of 25 healthy individuals and 263 eyes of 161 glaucoma patients from the Diagnostic Innovations in Glaucoma Study were included. All eyes underwent 24-2 visual field testing and OCT (Spectralis SD-OCT) ONH and macular imaging. SWF images (up to 43° × 28°) were created by stitching together ONH cube scans centered on the optic disc and macular cube …

Biomarker For Cardiorenal Syndrome Risk In Patients With Liver Cirrhosis And Type 2 Diabetes In Saudi Arabia, Walaa Mohammedsaeed, Zain J Alghamdi

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To evaluate the correlation between different attributes, levels of biomarkers, and the probability of developing cardiorenal syndrome (CRS) in patients who have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and liver cirrhosis (LC). The hypothesis suggests that liver illness may be linked to renal impairment, cardiac dysfunction, and the development of cardiorenal syndrome Methods: The current study retrospectively assessed the medical records of patients who had LC and T2DM diagnoses and were hospitalized at Al Madina Al Munwara hospitals in 2022 and 2023. Results: This research investigated T2DM patients with physician-confirmed to have LC. Poor glycemic control is …

Patch Angioplasty Carotid Endarterectomy Versus Eversion Carotid Endarterectomy, Haris Vukas, Samra Kadić-Vukas, Dragan Piljić, Haris Vranić, Anes Jogunčić, Edina Đozić, Juš Kšela

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To compare carotid endarterectomy patch angioplasty (p-CEA) with eversion carotid endarterectomy (e-CEA) and associated risks of early cardio-cerebrovascular complications. Methods: The study was a prospective randomized single-blind trial, monocentric, clinically applicable, descriptive analytical and comparative. From June 2021 to June 2023, 62 consecutive patients with symptomatic and asymptomatic stenosis of the internal carotid artery, admitted to our department and randomized into two groups: carotid endarterectomy with patch angioplasty and eversion carotid endarterectomy. Follow-up for 30 days after surgery. Results: During surgery e-CEA, 70% patients had an arrhythmia, and 24 hours after 66.7%, seven days after 46.7% and month after …

The Effect On Back Pain, Anxiety, And Comfort Levels Of An Elevated Supine Position And Back Support Applied To Patients Undergoing Coronary Angiography: A Randomized Controlled Experimental Study, Ayşe Soylu, Medet Korkmaz

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To determine the effect of elevated supine position with back support on back pain, anxiety and comfort in patients undergoing coronary angiography. Methods: This randomized-controlled, experimental study was conducted in the Coronary Intensive Care Unit between September 2021 and January 2022, with an intervention group of 51 patients and a control group of 53 patients. Data were collected using a patient information form, a visual analog scale, the anxiety state inventory and the immobilization comfort questionnaire. Following angiography, the intervention group received pillow support to the back and the bedhead was elevated to 30 degrees. Routine nursing care was …

A Cross-Sectional Analysis Of Preterm Birth Incidence And Survival In Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia, Mshari Alghadier, Muneera Alasraj, Ragab Elnaggar, Mashael Alazmi, Asma Aldawsari, Saud Alnadah, Faisal Alqahtani, Donia Zaghamir

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To understand the prevalence and survival rates of preterm birth (PTB) is of utmost importance in informing healthcare planning, improving neonatal care, enhancing maternal and infant health, monitoring long-term outcomes, and guiding policy and advocacy efforts. Methods: The medical records of preterm infants admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) with a diagnosis of prematurity at the Maternity and Children’s Hospital (MCH), Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia, were reviewed between January 2018 and December 2022. Data were collected on birth weight (BW), gender, number of live births, gestational age, mortality, nationality, APGAR score, length of stay in the NICU, …

Decision Making For People Living With Hiv/Aids Using The Theory Of Innovation Diffusion Model At The Western Provident Association Turen Foundation, Tri N. Sasono, Esti Yunitasari, Ninuk D. Kurniawati, Nusalam Nursalam, Ainun Hurrotaini, Makhfudli Makhfudli, Ferry Efendi

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To describe how people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) make decisions using the diffusion of innovation theory model. Decisions occur when individual decision makers engage in activities that guide choices to adopt or reject a particular innovation. Methods: This is a descriptive analysis research using a survey method. Data collection was carried out using a decision making questionnaire. The subjects in this research were HIV/AIDS sufferers (PLWHA) who lived in Turen, Indonesia. The number of research subjects was 36 respondents obtained using the purposive sampling technique on January 2023. Results: The research design used the correlation method with a cross …

Efficacy Of Home Healthcare On The Management Of Tracheostomy Patients, Nura A. Almansour, Yasmeen A. Alhedyan, Nada N. Alshathri, Razan S. Alsubaie, Sara Y. Alsuliman, Aamir A. Omair, Abdullah K. Alanazi, Amjad S. Alserayaa

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To evaluated the home healthcare efficacy in managing tracheostomy patients at King Abdulaziz Medical City under the Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs. Home healthcare is care provided to patients in the convenience of their homes to ensure high-quality care based on healthcare providers’ supervision. Methods: This retrospective cohort study utilizing a non-probability consecutive sampling technique, including all available tracheal patients with no exclusion criteria, was carried out in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, between January 2019 and June 2022. The collected data included patient demographic variables and respiratory settings (ventilation type, daily ventilation need, tracheostomy duration, and ventilator settings). The …

Assessing The Prevalence And Knowledge Of Anabolic Steroid Use In Male Athletes In Al Madina Al Munawara, Saudi Arabia, Bandar D. Alrehaili, Samar F. Miski, Fahad M. Alzahrani

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To assess the prevalence of anabolic steroid use and the level of knowledge on anabolic steroids among the male athletes in Al Madina Al Munawara, Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on male athletes randomly selected from the private athletic centers in Al Madina Al Munawara over 5 months. Data were collected from all participants using a self-administered anonymous questionnaire with 33 questions. The questionnaire covered the socio-demographic characteristics of the participants, and their knowledge, attitudes, and use of anabolic steroids. Results: Of the 150 male athletes surveyed, 121 completed the questionnaire (response rate: 80.6%). Over half …

Drug-Coated Balloons Versus Conventional Percutaneous Transluminal Angioplasty For Treatment-Naïve Dysfunctional Arteriovenous Fistulas.: A 10-Year Single Center Retrospective Study, Abdulaziz Alqubaisi, Mohammad Arabi, Yousof Alzahrani, Omar Bashir

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To compare the primary patency and restenosis rates in treatment naieve dialysis arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) after drug-coated balloons (DCB) versus plain balloon angioplasty (PTA). Methods: This retrospective study included 157 patients who underwent AVF angioplasty for treatment-native AVF stenosis between January 2012 to 2022. The fistulas were Brachiocephalic (75%), Brachiobasilic (17%), and radiocephalic (8%). The index intervention was with either DCB or percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) with subsequent follow up. Patients with central venous stenosis, thrombosed fistula, fistula stents, AV graft or surgical intervention after the index procedure were excluded. Results: Arteriovenous fistula angioplasty was done in 28 patients …

Focal Dystonia In An Adult With L-2- Hydroxyglutaric Aciduria, Saleem Albalawy, Noura Tasbahji

Saudi Medical Journal

L-2-Hydroxyglutaric aciduria (L-2-HGA) is a rare disorder. The patients have psychomotor retardation, ataxia, macrocephaly, and epilepsy usually in childhood. We present a case of L-2-HGA who developed dystonia in the third decade of life. The family reported symptoms of progressive psychomotor regression since childhood. On assessment, the patient had mild impairment of higher mental functions, mild exotropia, and right-hand dystonia. Brain MRI revealed diffuse bilateral symmetrical subcortical white matter hyperintense signals. 2-hydroxyglutaric acid in urine was elevated and the whole genome sequencing revealed a homogeneous pathogenic variant of the L-2-hydroxyglutarate dehydrogenase (L2HGDH) gene. The prognosis was explained to the caregivers. …

Who And United States Food And Drug Administration Extend The Crp-Lite Pilot

Saudi Medical Journal

No abstract provided.

Borderplex Business Barometer, Volume 8, Number 7, Thomas M. Fullerton Jr., Steven L. Fullerton

Border Region Modeling Project

No abstract provided.

Can A Tobin Tax Curb Speculation In The Housing Market? A Study On The Effect In The Primary Market Of Hong Kong Tax Policy, Dinh Tuan Dang

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

This study examines the effect of Special Stamp Duty (SSD) and Buyer's Stamp Duty (BSD) on Hong Kong’s housing prices in the primary market. Using micro transaction data, I show that the Tobin tax policies were not effective in cooling the primary market. The primary market responded differently when facing the two events. Specifically, SSD Phase 1 led to a 9.4% price increase within 6 to 12 months post-implementation, suggesting a lag effect. The introduction of SSD Phase 2 and BSD initially caused a significant 13.1% price surge in the first 6 months, but was followed by a notable 9% …

Health Insurance And The Rise Of Women: Evidence From The New Cooperative Medical Scheme, Xingyu Bai

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Females are traditionally viewed as the primary providers of informal parental care in China, especially in rural areas. We investigate whether health insurance coverage in rural China, the New Cooperative Medical Scheme (NCMS), can unleash more female labor force participation by reducing the burden of informal parental care. Employing a heterogeneity-robust difference-in-differences estimation, we find that the NCMS has a significant positive impact on female labor supply, primarily in non-farm occupations. In contrast, we observe no significant changes in male labor supply. We explore the mechanism by showing that the NCMS significantly decreases both the provision and demand for parental …

Effect Of Catastrophic Medical Insurance On Healthcare Service Utilization And Quality, Ruiqi Ding

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

China implemented catastrophic medical insurance (CMI) program to provide additional reimbursement for individuals requiring extensive healthcare services due to severe illnesses. This study empirically assesses the impact of the CMI program on the healthcare utilization and quality of care for severely ill patients, using medical insurance claim data from 2012 to 2018 in a capital city in China. The analysis yields the following conclusions: First, CMI decreased the medical expenditure of severe patients, but it had no impact on alleviating the financial burden. Second, CMI curbed abuse and saved medical resources, and in the meantime, it increased the use of …

Executive Function And Feedback In Regulatory Monitoring: Towards An Understanding Of Flexible And Adaptive Emotion Regulation, Gilaine Rui Ng

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Monitoring is a process which involves attending to feedback regarding the efficacy of ongoing regulatory strategies and determining whether to switch or maintain strategies (i.e., strategy switching or maintenance) in order to maximize adaptive outcomes. While conceptual accounts underscore the critical role of monitoring in flexible and adaptive emotion regulation, empirical research remains scarce, and the cognitive factors which subserve the monitoring process remain unclear and poorly understood. To bridge this gap, we investigate how components of executive function (EF)—a set of cognitive control processes necessary for flexible, goal-directed behavior—would differentially support the monitoring process. Additionally, we examine the extent …

Examining A Regulatory Flexibility Framework Of Psychological Distress: Integrating Distress Tolerance, Emotion Differentiation, And Emotion Regulation Flexibility, Germaine Yue Qi Tng

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Several theoretical accounts identify emotion regulation (ER) difficulties, including poor abilities to withstand or distinguish negative emotions, as a transdiagnostic risk factor for symptoms of psychological distress. Considering this, nascent evidence hints that ER flexibility may be a mediating mechanism that explains the relationship between specific ER abilities (i.e., distress tolerance, negative emotion differentiation) and distress symptoms. Across time-lagged (Study 1) and three-wave longitudinal (Study 2) investigations of college-aged adults, a regulatory flexibility framework of distress was examined in which ER flexibility mediates the respective pathways from distress tolerance and negative emotion differentiation to psychological distress symptoms. Furthermore, we explored …

Decentralized Consensus And Governance For Collaborative Intelligence, Huiwen Liu

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

The data economy today is becoming increasingly collaborative in nature. Take business intelligence, for example. To unleash the full potential of big data, it is essential to integrate multi-source data depicting entities from a multi-faceted and multi-modal perspective, which, not surprisingly, is not achievable by any company alone. In collaborative intelligence, there are two core issues, namely "trust" and "incentive". The core mechanisms to solve these two problems are consensus and tokenization separately.

To solve the trust problem more effectively, we propose a systematic consensus evaluation framework to investigate whether existing consensus algorithms can do so. After a lot of …

The Complex Issue Of Taxpayer-Funded Crisis Relief For Religious Organizations: Exploring The Blurring Of Church And State And The Potential Role Of Germany's Church Tax, Sarah Batterman

Cardozo International & Comparative Law Review

The note explores the legal and ethical implications of providing taxpayer-funded crisis relief to religious organizations, particularly through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) during the COVID-19 pandemic. It highlights the tension between the Free Exercise Clause, which supports equal access to public benefits for religious groups, and the Establishment Clause, which prohibits government endorsement of religion. The note proposes that Germany's church tax system could serve as a model for a U.S. crisis relief program, allowing voluntary contributions to religious organizations without compelling taxpayer support, thus preserving individual religious liberty and compliance with constitutional principles.

Toward A Biometric Privacy Act To Protect Individual Rights: What The United States Can Learn From The European Union And China, Sophia Hilsman

Cardozo International & Comparative Law Review

The note examines the regulatory frameworks governing biometric AI technologies, particularly facial recognition, in the United States, China, and the European Union. It argues that the U.S. currently lacks comprehensive federal legislation to protect individuals' privacy and civil liberties in the face of advancing biometric technologies. The analysis advocates for a balanced regulatory approach that mitigates the risks of mass surveillance and erosion of privacy while allowing for beneficial uses of biometric AI. The author proposes that Congress should adopt federal legislation modeled after the EU's GDPR to establish a baseline for biometric data protection, ensuring consistency and stronger safeguards …

Race Against The Clock: A Comparative Analysis Of New York State's And Germany's Ambitious High-Voltage Transmission Sitting Laws And What New York Can Adopt From The German Model, Andrew Leahy

Cardozo International & Comparative Law Review

The note argues that New York should adopt elements of Germany's centralized regulatory model to streamline the approval and construction of high-voltage transmission lines, which are critical for meeting renewable energy goals. While both New York and Germany face similar challenges in expanding their grids, Germany's centralized approach, including federal oversight and coordinated planning, has proven more efficient. The note critiques New York's decentralized and uncoordinated process, suggesting that adopting Germany's methods could help New York meet its ambitious renewable energy targets and reduce reliance on peaker plants.

Functional Multivariable Logistic Regression With An Application To Hiv Viral Suppression Prediction, Siyuan Guo, Jiajia Zhang Ph.D., Yichao Wu, Alexander C. Mclain Ph.D., James W. Hardin, Bankole Olatosi Ph.D., Xiaoming Li Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Motivated by improving the prediction of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) suppression status using electronic health records (EHR) data, we propose a functional multivariable logistic regression model, which accounts for the longitudinal binary process and continuous process simultaneously. Specifically, the longitudinal measurements for either binary or continuous variables are modeled by functional principal components analysis, and their corresponding functional principal component scores are used to build a logistic regression model for prediction. The longitudinal binary data are linked to underlying Gaussian processes. The estimation is done using penalized spline for the longitudinal continuous and binary data. Group-lasso is used to …