Digital Commons Network^™

The Experiences Of The Free Application For Federal Student Aid In Parents Of First-Generation College Students: A Phenomenological Study, Travis Anthony Richard

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate the experiences of parents of first-generation college students in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid process. The theory guiding this study was the Cultural Capital Theory, initially conceptualized by Pierre Bourdieu, as it focused on how cultural capital was transmitted within families and how it reinforced class distinction. With the increasing emphasis on higher education as a pathway to socioeconomic mobility, understanding the barriers and facilitators faced by these parents was crucial. The central research question guiding this study is: "What are the lived experiences of parents of first-generation college …

The Impact A Dynamic Team In Ministry Has On Seniors At Cornerstone Church: Discipleship Reviving Gadsden, Alabama, Abraham Gonzalez Ii

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Discipleship is a directive handed down through generations for the last two thousand years, as provided in Matthew 28:18-20. It has contributed to the growth of the universal church. As the church progressed, a recurring issue from within was recorded in the Bible. The ideology of traditions and culture being placed above the Scriptures is not foreign to the church; the Bible reflects this in the Gospels, like Matthew 23 (NASB, 1971/2020, Matthew 23). Jesus provided a visualization of discipleship that would aid the church in redirecting its trajectory back to focusing on him. Biblically, God has always provided senior …

Online Simulation To Build Competence In Assessment And Documentation With Clients Experiencing Opioid Use Disorder, Lauren B. Mcinroy, Jacyln Kirsch, Oliver Beer, Katie Klakos, Catherine Hechmer, Julie Holston

School of Health Professions

Synchronous simulation—an experiential learning approach replicating “real-world” practice contexts—offers important opportunities for social work students to apply course concepts, rehearse skills, and increase their competence. However, scant research has considered approaches to delivering synchronous simulation opportunities to students online. This case study examines the experiences of master of social work (MSW) students (n = 52) who participated in a synchronous online simulation activity designed to promote the development of students’ assessment and documentation skills in the context of working with a client with suspected opioid use disorder. Multiple data sources were leveraged, including activity recordings, exit surveys, and submitted materials. …

The Barriers For Special Education Teachers During Covid-19: Beyond Instructional Changes, Eunjoo Kim, Jeongae Kang, Eunyoung Jung

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

Although special education teachers faced many challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, far less is known about those details. This study investigated the barriers that special education teachers encountered during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using an online survey, the researchers gathered information about technology-related questions and three domains of the barriers: the teachers themselves, students, and parents/caregivers. The findings are: (1) the barriers extended beyond mere technology issues; (2) the barriers were multi-dimensional; (3) stronger collaboration between SETs and caregivers as needed; and (4) the home environment was highly dependent on the district’s support.

Hurdles To Retirement Security: Exploring Race, Religion, And Savings Behavior, Mamoud A. Jalloh, Sedefka Beck

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

Retirement savings have become increasingly central to household financial security as defined contribution plans replace traditional pensions. Using nationally representative data from the 2019 Panel Study of Income Dynamics, this study applies a double‑hurdle model to examine the distinct factors shaping participation in retirement plans and contribution intensity. Results reveal persistent racial and ethnic inequalities: Hispanic, Black, and Mixed‑Race workers are significantly less likely to save and contribute markedly less than White workers, even after accounting for income, wealth, and employment characteristics. Religious affiliation also influences savings behavior, with Jewish contributors saving more and several other groups saving less than …

Author Biographical Notes

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Interferon-Induced Protein Ifit3 As A Molecular Nexus Of Neuroinflammation In Alzheimer’S Disease And Hiv-Associated Neurocognitive Disorders, Ranjit Kumar Das, Nirakar Sahoo, Deepa Roy, Lauren Nguyen, Hansapani Rodrigo, Asim K. Duttaroy, Jerel Adam Fields, Upal Roy

Health & Biomedical Sciences Faculty Publications

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND) are significant global health concerns characterized by cognitive impairment and shared pathological features, including chronic neuroinflammation, amyloid deposition, and immune dysregulation. However, the precise molecular connections between these disorders remain unclear. Here, we identify IFIT3 as a critical shared mediator of neuroinflammatory responses in both AD and HAND. Using complementary approaches, including neuronal and microglial cell cultures, the APP/PS1 mouse model, and human postmortem brain tissues, we demonstrate consistent IFIT3 upregulation in response to amyloid-beta (Aβ) and HIV-1 exposure, with notably enhanced expression under combined conditions. Treatment with combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) …

Editor-In-Chief's Note, Surekha Rao

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Emotional Disclosure Dilemmas: How Personal And Relational Factors Predict Ambivalence Over Emotional Expression, Julie A. Tobin, Camilla S. Øverup, Qian Lu

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

Ambivalence over emotional expression (AEE) has been associated with various health and wellbeing outcomes, yet the relational factors that may be associated with AEE have been underexplored. The current study explored the associations between social support, conflict, gender, and AEE across a variety of different relationship types. Participants (N = 135) read scenarios describing situations where they imagined either expressing or suppressing different emotions (anger, pride, apprehension, appreciation) to five different people and then indicated the amount of regret (AEE) they anticipated over that expression decision. The results suggest that although social support was particularly related to emotional expression, …

Rising Numbers, Rising Risks: Population, Growth, And Natural Disasters, Sophia Becker-Toro, Yu Ouyang

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

How does population size and growth affect the risk of natural disasters? On October 7, 2024, before Hurricane Milton makes landfall in the Tampa Bay area, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor issues a dire warning to affected citizens: “I can say without any dramatization whatsoever. If you choose to stay in one of those evacuation areas, you’re going to die.” While there is an extensive literature which focuses on the impact of climate change and/or natural disasters, there is a dearth of works on how population affects the risks of natural disasters. As both the frequency and severity of storms and …

Developing Endpoints For The Cardiac Burden In Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1: A Workshop Report, Julia M Hartman, Samuel Carrell, William J Groh, Thomas A Cooper, Jordana Kron, Greg Hundley, Jennifer Jordan, Amy Ladd, Man Hung, Nicholas E Johnson

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Cardiac disease is a well-established manifestation of myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1), characterized by progressive cardiac conduction slowing with increased risk of atrial and ventricular arrhythmias, heart block, and sudden cardiac death. Multiple disease modifying therapies are in clinical trials for DM1 and show promise in improving skeletal muscle weakness and myotonia. Testing the effects of these medicines, or others, in the heart is of critical importance, but requires identification of endpoints of cardiac function that accurately reflect the state of DM1 cardiac disease. To better define cardiac endpoints, the Myotonic Dystrophy Clinical Research Network (DMCRN) and the Myotonic Dystrophy …

Versatile Smad2 And Smad3 Epitope-Tagged Mouse Models For Genomic Profiling Of Tgfβ Signaling: Uncovering Gdf9-Smad2/3 Targets, Zian Liao, Qian Zhang, Keisuke Shimada, Kaori Nozawa, Suni Tang, Masahito Ikawa, Diana Monsivais, Martin M Matzuk

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) signaling pathways are integral for a plethora of biological processes. SMAD2 and SMAD3 are the principal transcriptional effectors of TGFβ superfamily ligands, yet quantitative, genome-wide mapping of their DNA-associated complexes under physiological contexts has remained limited due to the lack of specific, robust models. Here, we generated two versatile epitope-tagged mouse models in which endogenous SMAD2 and SMAD3 proteins are globally tagged with hemagglutinin (HA) and podoplanin (PA) sequences, respectively, enabling high-fidelity profiling of SMAD2 and SMAD3 binding across tissues. To demonstrate the broad application of our models, we exemplified the usage of our lines …

Multi-Organ Physiologic Deficits During Exercise Identify Clinical And Molecular Predisposition To Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction, Isabela Landsteiner, Lindsey K Stolze, Tess E Peterson, Andrew Perry, Phillip Lin, Quanhu Sheng, Shilin Zhao, Kaushik Amancherla, Michael Y Mi, Takenori Ikoma, Laura P Cohen, Ilya Giverts, Joseph Campain, Joao A C Lima, Wendy S Post, Kent D Taylor, Robert Gerszten, Stephen S Rich, Russell Tracy, Peter Durda, Alexis C Wood, Rajeev Malhotra, Jerome I Rotter, Clary Clish, Matthew Nayor, Eric R Gamazon, Ravi V Shah, Gregory D Lewis

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Exercise unmasks limitations in multi-organ system reserve capacity characteristic of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). However, the metabolic and genetic underpinnings of exercise deficits, and their cumulative contribution to HFpEF severity and prognosis, remain incompletely understood.

Methods: We used invasive cardiopulmonary exercise testing (iCPET), metabolite profiling, and genomics to simultaneously characterize seven exercise physiologic deficits in HFpEF patients: reduced exercise stroke volume and heart rate, steep pulmonary capillary wedge pressure/cardiac output (PCWP/CO) slope, elevated pulmonary vascular resistance, pulmonary mechanical limitation to exercise, impaired peripheral oxygen extraction, and obesity-related exaggerated metabolic cost of initiating exercise. We first mapped …

Structure-Preserving Multivariate Hypothesis Testing For Mass Spectrometry Imaging And Single-Cell Data, Keziah E Liebenberg, Erin Craig, Robert Tibshirani, Livia S Eberlin

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Motivation: Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) offer high-resolution views into tissue and cellular heterogeneity. However, conventional statistical analyses often treat sub-measurements (pixels or cells) as independent, ignoring their nested origin from individual samples. This assumption inflates the effective sample size, increases false discoveries, and undermines biological interpretation. Pixel- or cell-level averaging avoids this but sacrifices spatial or cellular resolution.

Results: We evaluated block-SAM on both simulated and real-world datasets. In DESI-MSI data from kidney, lung, and ovarian tumors, block-SAM consistently identified fewer-but more reliable-differential features compared to traditional-SAM. For example, in the kidney dataset, traditional-SAM identified …

Editorial: Publishing Impact Awarded, Frazer Underwood

South West Clinical School Journal

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Experiences Of Undergraduate Nursing Students Using E-Workbooks: A Qualitative Study, Jo Boote

South West Clinical School Journal

#400words: reasearch report

An Llm-Based Agentic Network Traffic Incident-Report Approach Towards Explainable-Ai Network Defense, Chia Hong Chou, Arjun Sudheer, Younghee Park

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Traditional intrusion detection systems for IoT networks achieve high classification accuracy but lack interpretability and actionable incident-response capabilities, limiting their operational value in security-critical environments. This paper presents a graph-based multi-agent framework that integrates ensemble machine learning with Large Language Model (LLM)-powered incident report generation via Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG). The system employs a three-phase architecture: (1) a lightweight Random Forest binary pre-detection, achieving 99.49% accuracy with a 6 MB model size for edge deployment; (2) ensemble classification combining Multi-Layer Perceptron, Random Forest, and XGBoost with soft voting and SHAP-based feature attribution for explainability; and (3) a ReAct-based summary agent that …

Guide To Drought Tolerance Of Utah Field Crops, Matt Yost, Tina Sullivan, Dakota Boren, Luree Johnson, Melanie Mills, Earl Creech, Boyd Kitchen, Randall Violett

All Current Publications

Crop variety selection is one of the most important choices on the farm. Crop genetics determine a significant portion of the yield potential and resource use efficiency. Crop types and genetics that use water more efficiently will become increasingly important as water becomes scarcer. Throughout Utah and the Western United States, water availability is decreasing due to various factors, including reduced snowpack and rapid urban growth. Alfalfa, other hay, small grains, and corn are grown on more acres than any other crops in Utah and much of the Intermountain West. These crops all have varieties, hybrids, and cultivars with the …

Small Grain Forage Production Guide, Matt Yost, Megan Baker, Earl Creech, Justin Wyatt Clawson, Michael Pace, Kalen Taylor, Cory Farnsworth, Jacob Hadfield, Corey Ransom, Steven Price, Claudia Nischwitz, Clara Anderson

All Current Publications

Small grain forages can be used for pasture, hay, and silage and have become more common in cropping systems in Utah and the western United States. The most common small grain species used for forage production are barley, oat, rye, triticale, and wheat. Although there has been an increase in the use of small grains for forage production in the western U.S., little published information is available on best management practices for small grain forage production. This guide will discuss the key production practices for small grains used for forage.

Irrigation, Crop, And Soil Management Impacts On Water Use In Pivots/Laterals, Tejinder Singh, Matt Yost, Masoumeh Hashemi, Burdette Barker, Cheyenne Reid, Rebekah E. Iverson

All Current Publications

In this fact sheet, we describe evapotranspiration (ET), introduce a new tool, the soil moisture evapotranspiration (SMET) model, and share results from multi-year trials across Utah evaluating different center-pivot irrigation technologies, deficit irrigation strategies, crop types, drought-tolerant crop genetics, and conservation agriculture practices. These findings highlight how Utah growers can improve water productivity and maintain profitable production under limited water supplies.

Correction: The Formation Of Tau Pore-Like Structures Is Prevalent And Cell Specific: Possible Implications For The Disease Phenotypes, Cristian A Lasagna-Reeves, Urmi Sengupta, Diana Castillo-Carranza, Julia E Gerson, Marcos Guerrero-Munoz, Juan C Troncoso, George R Jackson, Rakez Kayed

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

This corrects the article "The formation of tau pore-like structures is prevalent and cell specific: possible implications for the disease phenotypes" in volume 2, 56.

Relative Impact Of Multidomain Lifestyle Interventions On Deficit Accumulation Frailty Over 24 Months In The U.S. Pointer Trial, Mark A Espeland, Kayloni Olson, Christy C Tangney, Darren R Gitelman, Maryjo Cleveland, Amber A Thro, Yitbarek N Demesie, Heather M Snyder, Rachel A Whitmer, Pankaja Desai, Rifat Alam, Lucia Crivelli, Thomas M Holland, Olivia Preissle, Rema Raman, Michele K York, Laura D Baker

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Multidomain lifestyle interventions hold promise as approaches to slow aging. Deficit accumulation frailty indices (FIs) are increasingly used to capture aging processes. Frailty is highly associated with increased mortality and chronic disease risk, but the degree to which multidomain lifestyle changes impact frailty is not clear.

Methods: The U.S. Study to Protect Brain Health through Lifestyle Intervention to Reduce Risk (U.S. POINTER) was a 2-year randomized clinical trial to compare two multidomain lifestyle interventions designed to increase exercise, improve diet, and promote social and cognitive stimulating activities and health monitoring. The Structured intervention incorporated greater structure, intensity, and accountability …

Ex Vivo Effect Of Apixaban On Hemostatic Biomarkers In Children With Heart Disease: A Saxophone Trial Substudy, Ghada A Aborkhees, Amy J Barr, Kevin Dietrich, Christoph Male, Zhaoqing Wang, Chen Yao, R Mark Payne, Andrew C Glatz, Paul Monagle, Kristin M Burns, Alison M Reedy, Joshua L Dyme, Peter H Schafer, Antoinette Ajavon-Hartmann, Lesley G Mitchell

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: The SAXOPHONE (Safety of Apixaban on Pediatric Heart Disease on the Prevention of Embolism) trial demonstrated the safety of apixaban for thromboprophylaxis in children with heart disease. Included a priori in the trial design was an exploratory biomarker substudy to evaluate the effects of apixaban on surrogate biomarkers of efficacy, thrombin generation capacity, and hemostatic proteins. The study assessed changes in d-dimer, thrombin generation assay parameters, factor VIII, fibrinogen, protein C, and protein S in children receiving apixaban compared with standard-of-care vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) or low-molecular-weight heparin.

METHODS: SAXOPHONE participants aged >1 year (n=182) had blood samples for …

Validate-Perianal: An International Real-World Multi-Centre Exploratory Validation Of The Topclass Definition Of A Radiologically Healed Fistula In Perianal Fistulising Crohn's Disease, Easan Anand, Thirza J Van Croonenburg, Sami Samaan, Phil Tozer, Ailsa Hart, Parakkal Deepak, David H Ballard, Jaap Stoker, Phillip Lung

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVES: Radiological healing on MRI is the ultimate therapeutic goal in Class 2a perianal fistulising Crohn's disease (pfCD). The TOpClass consortium recently defined radiological healing (TOpClass-RH) by the absence of T2 hyperintensity, a completely fibrotic fistula tract, and the absence of contrast enhancement when used. This study aimed to validate TOpClass-RH in real-world clinical practice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: VALIDATE-PERIANAL was a retrospective, multi-centre international study. Patients with pfCD with a baseline MRI scan showing active disease and follow-up MRI evidence of radiological fistula healing between 2021 and 2023 were identified. Paired scans were independently reviewed by three gastrointestinal radiologists using …

Emerging Paradigms In Connectome-Guided Neurosurgery For Central Nervous System Tumors: A Narrative Review Of Structural And Functional Connectomics, Tirath Patel, Hamza Yousuf Ibrahim, Muhammad Abbas, Muzna Amir Ali, Sana Sohrab, Kinza Nawaz, Syeda Ramish Zehra Kazmi, Bhumi Daishik Patel, Nikhilesh Anand

School of Medicine Publications

Connectomics is a comprehensive mapping of structural and functional brain networks. It has introduced a paradigm shift in neurosurgery by redefining brain tumors as network disorders rather than isolated lesions. Unlike traditional surgeries, connectome-guided neurosurgery conceptualizes brain tumors as network disorders and aims to preserve brain function in resection. The objective was to study the role of connectome-guided neurosurgery in the management of Central Nervous System tumors and the use of structural and functional connectomics in tumor resection while preserving neurological function. Articles have been identified by searches of PubMed, Scopus and Google scholar from January 2000 to May 2025, …

Machine Learning In Architecture: A Bibliometric Analysis Approach Of Trends, Influential Authorship, And Research Gaps From 2020 To 2024, Emokpae Erebor, Damilola Adesina, Benjamin Moral, Modi Zango

Architecture and Planning Journal (APJ)

This paper presents the findings of the bibliometric analysis investigating how the current research landscape of machine learning in the discipline of architecture has evolved between 2020 and 2024. This study employs a bibliometric methodology, drawing insights from peer-reviewed journal articles from 2020 to 2024, which were sourced from databases such as Web of Science, Scopus and Science Direct. Keywords were refined using Boolean operators to identify dominant trends, key application areas and ongoing research gaps. The goal of this paper is to provide a structured knowledge base that can guide future research by highlighting emerging directions. This study serves …

Tanggung Jawab Llngkungan Perusahaan, Mas Ahmad Santosa, S.H.

Jurnal Hukum & Pembangunan

Abstract

An Assessment Of Biophilic Design Strategies Application In Selected Hostels In A Typical Tertiary Institution, Nigeria., Emokpae Erebor, Foluke Jegede, Pontip Nimlyat, Benjamin Moral

Architecture and Planning Journal (APJ)

Designing spaces that incorporate the principles of biophilic design enhances the buildings occupants closeness to nature while also enhancing spaces connectivity and place conditions. It has environmental, health and other important benefits not only for the environment but also for the human beings that domicile around them. Firstly, this study was carried out using quantitative data obtained from 120 female students of two selected hostel facilities in a typical private University in South-West Nigeria. Secondly, observation is in identifying the actual applications where these strategies have been applied within these hostels through photographic images. This was done by identifying different …

The Effect Of Livelihood Capital Accessibility On The Financial Security And Financial Well-Being Of Sheep Farming Households (Survey In Wanaraja Subdistrict, Garut Regency), Suhendarsyah Suhendarsyah, Unang Yunasaf, Sondi Kuswaryan

Jurnal Ilmu Ternak Universitas Padjadjaran

This study analyzed the influence of livelihood capital accessibility on the financial security and financial well-being of sheep-farming households in Wanaraja Subdistrict, Garut Regency. A quantitative approach was used through a survey with organized interviews of 95 sheep farmers. The research variables include livelihood capital accessibility (X), financial security (Z), and financial well-being (Y). The livelihood capital accessibility construct was built as a Higher-Order Construct with five dimensions: human, natural, financial and physical capital. Data analysis used Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS_SEM) with a two-stage approach. The results evince that social capital are the most influential dimensions in …

Reproductive Performance Of Friesian Holstein Crossbred Dairy Cattle After A Foot-And-Mouth Disease Outbreak In Lembang, Indonesia, Hanunghanindito Pamungkas, Septiyani Septiyani, Nurcholidah Solihati

Jurnal Ilmu Ternak Universitas Padjadjaran

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious viral disease that may impair reproductive efficiency in dairy cattle. This study aimed to evaluate changes in the reproductive performance of Friesian Holstein crossbred dairy cows following an FMD outbreak at UPTD BPTSP and HPT Cikole, Lembang, West Java, Indonesia. A retrospective study was conducted using reproductive records collected from 2019 to 2023. The reproductive parameters analyzed were calving interval, service per conception, conception rate, service period, and first mating postpartum. Differences between the pre- and post-FMD periods were assessed using paired sample t-tests. The results showed significant differences in calving interval, service …