Digital Commons Network^™

Acute Myocardial Infarction In Medicare Beneficiaries During And After The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jonah M Graves, R J Waken, Fengxian Wang, Rishi K Wadhera, Jose F Figueroa, E John Orav, Osvaldo J Laurido-Soto, Karen E Joynt Maddox

2020-Current year OA Pubs

IMPORTANCE: During early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, presentations for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) declined significantly, and outcomes worsened. However, the full extent and long-term sequelae of changes in AMI epidemiology during the pandemic remain uncertain, as does whether these patterns differed by rurality.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the epidemiology of AMI-related hospitalizations, interventions, and outcomes among Medicare beneficiaries throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on differences in urban and rural populations.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This retrospective cohort study included all Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries with AMI between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2023, in the analysis. Data were analyzed from …

Clostridioides Difficile Colonization And Infection In Pediatric Oncology And Stem Cell Transplant Patients, Daniel N Willis, Erik R Dubberke, Robert J Hayashi, Phillip I Tarr, David B Haslam, Tiffany Hink, Jingqin Luo, Yu Tao, Amruta Padhye, Erin M Hall, Gregory A Storch

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Pediatric oncology and hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) patients have elevated risk for

METHODS: We retrospectively studied 276 stools longitudinally collected over 34 months from 32 HSCT and 12 oncology patients treated at a single tertiary center. Specimens were cultured for

RESULTS: Baseline cultures were positive in 16 (50%) HSCT patients and 2 (12%) oncology. On subsequent samples, 64% of patients who were initially negative acquired colonization: 8 of 15 (53%) HSCT and 8 of 10 (80%) oncology. Nine clonal strains and 25 multilocus sequence types were identified by whole genome sequencing, with 4 clones found in both cohorts. …

Relationship Between Clostridioides Difficile Stool Concentration, Nucleic Acid Amplification Test Results, And Environmental Contamination, Mary Morgan Lee, Kimberly A Reske, Tiffany Hink, Skye R S Fishbein, Erin P Newcomer, Candice Cass, Margaret A Olsen, Gautam Dantas, Carey-Ann D Burnham, Erik R Dubberke

2020-Current year OA Pubs

We compared rectal swab nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT) with stool culture to detect

Exploring Early Antifungal Activity Of Rezafungin As A Stepping-Stone For Shorter Treatment Duration For Candidemia: Pooled Analysis Of 2 Randomized Trials, Luis Ostrosky-Zeichner, Jalal A Aram, Mark Redell, George R Thompson, Oliver A Cornely, James A Mckinnell, Andrej Spec, Peter G Pappas

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Guidelines recommend ≥2 weeks of antifungal therapy after candidemia clearance and for invasive candidiasis (IC). This post-hoc analysis evaluates Day 7 pooled data from the phase 2 STRIVE and phase 3 ReSTORE trials to explore early antifungal activity.

METHODS: Adults with candidemia and/or IC received weekly rezafungin 400/200 mg or daily caspofungin 70/50 mg for ≤4 weeks. Efficacy was evaluated in the modified intent-to-treat population via all-cause mortality (ACM; primary endpoint; 20% noninferiority margin), mycological eradication, and time to negative blood culture (TTNBC) at days 7, 14, and 30 (TTNBC assessed only in patients with candidemia). Day 7 safety …

Use Of Inverse Probability Weighting In Cardiovascular Surgical Outcomes Research: Principles, Limitations, And Recommendations, Zhongjian Liu, Wei-Guo Ma, Lei Liu, Prashanth Vallabhajosyula, Haibo Wang

2020-Current year OA Pubs

This statistical primer presents a comprehensive introduction to the use of inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW), a method for rebalancing group confounders at baseline in cardiovascular surgical outcomes research. We leveraged a retrospective study comparing the outcomes of 2 different surgical approaches to aortic arch pathology to illustrate the essential aspects of performing IPTW, including basic theories, application, extreme weights, underestimated variance, heterogeneity of treatment effect, and multicollinearity. The limitations of IPTW were discussed with examples of solutions. Ten practical recommendations are made on avoiding the pitfalls in the use of IPTW. Proper use of IPTW may effectively reduce …

Visual Recognition Of The Anteroposterior Female Body Axis Drives Spatial Elements Of Male Courtship In Drosophila, Ross M Mckinney, Christian Monroy Hernandez, Yehuda Ben-Shahar

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Drosophila males exhibit a highly stereotypic courtship ritual toward virgin females, which is comprised of a sequence of specific behavioral elements that depend on inputs from diverse sensory modalities. Particularly, the visual system of the male plays an important role in detecting salient patterns, colors, and motion cues from conspecifics, which can promote or inhibit specific aspects of male courtship such as chase and song production. Here, we use a computer vision and machine learning-based approach, with a simplified courtship paradigm, to show that males also depend on visual cues to determine the anterior-posterior body axis of females, which drives …

Hepatitis C Virus Testing In Perinatally Exposed Children, Rachel L Epstein, Sarah Munroe, Elizabeth A Erdman, Amy Bettano, Megan R Curtis, Laura White, Elisha M Wachman, Anthony Osinski, Alexander Y Walley, Benjamin P Linas

2020-Current year OA Pubs

IMPORTANCE: Despite rising hepatitis C virus (HCV) incidence in pregnant people, studies demonstrate that fewer than 50% of perinatally exposed infants receive HCV testing. Few studies report treatment of infected infants or factors affecting testing.

OBJECTIVE: To identify birthing parent and child factors associated with appropriate HCV testing for perinatally exposed infants and characterize HCV care for children with HCV.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This cohort study included records on testing, care, and treatment for Massachusetts children perinatally exposed to HCV between 2014 and 2021 from a statewide health database linking statewide vital statistics, infectious disease surveillance data, substance use …

Mda5-Mavs And Interferon-Lambda Signaling In The Intestinal Epithelium Limit Murine Astrovirus Infection, Heyde Makimaa, Harshad Ingle, Leran Wang, Somya Aggarwal, Hongju Deng, Elizabeth A Kennedy, Lynne Foster, Yuhao Li, Megan T Baldridge

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Human astroviruses (HAstVs) are a global cause of pediatric gastroenteritis and can cause disseminated infection in immunocompromised hosts. Murine astrovirus (muAstV) causes acute asymptomatic infections in immunocompetent mice and chronic infection in immunodeficient models and has provided important insights into AstV pathogenesis in vivo. MuAstV can protect immunodeficient mice from other enteric viruses via robust induction of antiviral cytokine interferon-lambda (IFN-λ), with recent findings implicating goblet cells and enterocytes as both cell types infected by muAstV as well as potential sources of IFN-λ in vivo. However, the viral sensing pathways that regulate induction of IFN-λ, as well as the specific …

Glp-1 Receptor Agonists Or Sglt2 Inhibitors And Nonarteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy, Taeyoung Choi, Ziyad Al-Aly, Yan Xie

2020-Current year OA Pubs

No abstract provided.

Exploring Nurses' Documentation Prioritization Strategies To Alleviate Ehr Documentation Burden: A Phenomenological Study, Rosemary Mugoya, Jennifer Thate, Fan Hao, Sarah C Rossetti, Po-Yin Yen

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to understand how inpatient nurses determine and prioritize necessary documentation within the context of the Excessive Documentation Burden (ExDocBurden) in Electronic Health Records (EHRs).

METHODOLOGY: A phenomenological approach was used to explore inpatient nurses' lived experiences of prioritizing EHR documentation. Interpretive phenomenology guided the study design, focusing on how nurses prioritize documentation. Purposive sampling recruited 14 registered nurses (RNs) from acute and critical care settings. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using Colaizzi's 7-step and Smith's Interpretive Phenomenology Analysis.

RESULTS: Five themes emerged: (1) Advocating for Quality Patient Care Environment and Patient Needs, (2) …

Automating Evaluation Of Llm-Generated Responses To Patient Questions About Rare Diseases, Min Zhao, Inez Y Oh, Aditi Gupta, Sally Cohen-Cutler, Kathryn M Harmoney, Albert M Lai, Bryan A Sisk

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVES: Patients with rare diseases often struggle to find accurate medical information, and large language model (LLM)-based chatbots may help meet this need. However, evaluating LLM-generated free-text answers typically requires physician review, which is time-consuming and difficult to scale. This study compared traditional natural language processing (NLP) metrics to emerging LLM-based evaluation approaches for assessing answer quality in the context of Complex Lymphatic Anomalies (CLAs).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We compiled 25 common patients' questions about CLAs and generated 175 responses to these questions from seven LLMs. Three expert physicians scored these responses for accuracy. We compared these physician-assigned scores with …

Multicenter Evaluation Of Ceftazidime/Avibactam In Pediatric Patients Across The United States: Real-World Insights Into The Management Of Drug-Resistant Gram-Negative Infections, Taylor Morrisette, Christine R Lockowitz, Valerie Yuenger, Evan E Facer, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial resistance among gram-negative pathogens is a global threat, with children particularly vulnerable due to limited treatment options and age-specific clinical outcomes data. Ceftazidime/avibactam (CZA) is effective against resistant gram-negative bacteria and demonstrates high success rates in adults; however, pediatric data remain limited. This study examined CZA use in children across United States medical centers.

METHODS: This multicenter, retrospective, observational cohort study included pediatric patients (< 18 years) who received ≥48 hours of CZA for suspected or confirmed gram-negative infections between February 2015 and October 2023. The primary outcome was clinical success, defined as occurrence of all 3 components: (1) absence of all-cause mortality within 30 days of CZA initiation, (2) absence of microbiologic and clinical recurrence within 30 days of CZA discontinuation, and (3) resolution or improvement of infection-related signs and symptoms during CZA therapy without modification of therapy due to clinical failure. Secondary outcomes included adverse events attributable to CZA and resistance development to CZA.

RESULTS: One-hundred patients were included, with most receiving CZA for targeted therapy (67%). The median (IQR) age and weight were 9.8 (1.9-15.9) years and 24.2 (12.2-49.9) kg, respectively. Nearly all patients (88%) had …

Neurofibromatosis Type 1-Plexiform Neurofibromas: Integrating Treatment Across Pediatric And Adult Populations, Amy E Armstrong, Andrea M Gross, Laura J Klesse, Steven D Rhodes, Shivani Ahlawat, Verena Staedtke, Camilo A Molina, Angela C Hirbe

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Plexiform neurofibromas (PNs) are a hallmark of neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), affecting ∼50% of individuals with the condition. Originating from Schwann cells and other peripheral nerve sheath components, these tumors can cause significant morbidity, including functional impairment, diminished health-related quality of life, chronic pain, and malignant transformation. Managing NF1-PNs is challenging because of disease variability, differing growth rates, and age-related differences in clinical presentation and treatment tolerability. This review examines current therapeutic strategies, including surgery, medical therapies, and emerging treatments, emphasizing individualized care. Highlighted here is the need for age-specific treatment planning, particularly as disease progression, comorbidities, and side-effect profiles …

An International Mega-Analysis Of Psychedelic Drug Effects On Brain Circuit Function, Manesh Girn, Nico Dosenbach, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Psychedelic drugs are re-emerging as promising scientific and clinical tools. However, despite a rapidly expanding literature on their therapeutic value, the neural mechanisms underlying psychedelic effects remain unclear. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging studies of acute psychedelic effects, conducted independently by several research groups, have so far yielded fragmented and sometimes inconsistent findings. Here, to help facilitate greater convergence, we conducted a 'mega-analysis' integrating 11 independent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging datasets across five psychedelic drugs (psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide, mescaline, N,N-dimethyltryptamine and ayahuasca) from research groups spanning three continents and five countries. By applying a uniform preprocessing pipeline and …

Metabolically Reprogrammed Eosinophils Impair T Cell Immunity And Cause Chronic Skin Infection, David Barinberg, Heidi Sebald, Tobias Gold, Baplu Rai, Daniel Radtke, Dominik Lerm, David Voehringer, Jonathan Jantsch, Stefan Wirtz, Alina Ulezko Antonova, Marco Colonna, Christian Bogdan, Ulrike Schleicher

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Eosinophils exhibit antimicrobial, cytotoxic and immunoregulatory effects, but our knowledge of their transcriptional and functional heterogeneity is still limited, especially in non-intestinal tissues. Here, we used a mouse model of chronic cutaneous inflammation elicited by the protozoan pathogen Leishmania mexicana to investigate the function and transcriptional dynamics of skin eosinophils. Infection of C57BL/6 mice triggered local and systemic eosinophilia that was driven by type 2 innate lymphoid cells and interleukin-5. Genetic and pharmacological eosinophil depletion led to an enhanced Th1 response, polarization towards M1-like macrophages and resolution of clinical disease, despite an unexpected simultaneous upregulation of IL-4. Single-cell transcriptomics revealed …

Mental Health Symptom Screening Among Adult Emergency Department Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study, Jacob Langkiet, Rachel M Ancona, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVES: Mental health symptoms profoundly influence healthcare outcomes and utilization. Although mental health conditions are common in emergency department (ED) patients, routine, noncrisis screening is not consistently implemented; thus, problems may go unrecognized outside of psychiatric crisis presentations. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of current symptoms of anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among ED patients using validated screening tools.

METHODS: We conducted a secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from 1305 randomly selected, adult patients from 3 urban, academic EDs. Validated survey instruments included (i) Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Anxiety Short Form 8a, (ii) Emotional Distress …

Preoperative Imaging For Cochlear Implantation: A Global Consensus, Farid Alzhrani, Craig Buchman, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVE: Preoperative imaging is vital for cochlear implant surgeries, aiding diagnosis, and surgical planning. This study evaluated global practices and the value of preoperative imaging through an international survey.

METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among international cochlear implantation experts using a 112-item questionnaire. The study explored imaging modalities, anatomical targets, evaluated parameters, and different imaging approaches' perceived value and risks. Participants were recruited from a global consortium of otolaryngology, otology, neurotology, and cochlear implant surgery professionals.

RESULTS: Thirty-nine practitioners from 36 centers in 16 countries completed the survey (95.1% response rate). All used computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance …

Neuropsychiatric Symptoms Mimicking Dementia In A Patient Treated With Imatinib, Ashley Jones, Samuele Bonomi, Keith E Stockerl-Goldstein, Randall J Bateman

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors are the cornerstone of chronic myeloid leukemia treatment. Newer agents have more potency and a broader spectrum of action, but also a higher potential for neuropsychiatric side effects. We present a case of a patient on imatinib who developed progressive cognitive, mood, and behavioral alterations. He was investigated for dementia and psychiatric disorders but ultimately improved only after discontinuing imatinib. His decompensation years after therapy start, followed by complete and rapid remission, is atypical. We also review the most recent neurobiological findings on the role of tyrosine kinase alterations in dementia and their importance for mood regulation.

Knowledge, Attitudes, And Practices Among Sexually Active Individuals Toward Trichomoniasis In The Ashaiman Municipality, Ghana: A Cross-Sectional Study, Christopher Yaw Dumevi, Percival Delali Agordoh, Yaw Osei Owusu, Josephine Afi Nukpedu Banini, Roberta Araba Amoquandoh, George Boateng Kyei, Patience B Tetteh-Quarcoo, Irene Ayi, Patrick F Ayeh-Kumi

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Trichomoniasis is a significant public health concern due to its implications for reproductive health and HIV transmission. Despite its prevalence, there is limited understanding of community knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding trichomoniasis in Ghana. This study aimed to assess KAP toward trichomoniasis among sexually active individuals in the Ashaiman Municipality of the Greater Accra Region.

METHODS: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted from February to April 2024 among 397 sexually active individuals aged 15-65 years. Participants were selected via simple random sampling. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26 and Stata version 17. Descriptive statistics summarized …

Mechano Responsiveness Of Neuroimmune Cross-Talk In Bone And Joints: A Narrative Review With Implications For Force-Based Manipulations, Karl J Lewis, Jennifer Bent, Per Gunnar Brolinson, Damian Keter, Ellen Lumpkin, Jan Mundo, Vitaly Napadow, William R Reed, Brent S Russell, Simon Y Tang, Mary F Barbe

2020-Current year OA Pubs

INTRODUCTION: Recent advances in osteoimmunology have illuminated the significant role of neuroimmune interactions in bone and joint health. The neuroimmune system critically regulates bone cell function through a complex network of molecular mediators - including signals from the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, cortisol and other hormones, and growth factors. These mediators interact within a nonlinear network where each component can influence others reciprocally, with the brain serving as a central coordinator.

AIM: Our goal in this narrative review is to: 1) Provide an overview of roles the neuroimmune system is involved in bone and joint …

Sensitivity And Concordance Study Of An Open Source Epid-Based Linear Accelerator Test Suite, Lana C Critchfield, Cory S Knill, Ellie Durussel, Justin K Mikell, Michael Barnes, Michael Pillainayagam, William P Donahue, Seng Boh Lim, John J Demarco, Mario Perez, Nilendu Gupta, Hania Al-Hallaq, Richard A Popple, Jim Irrer, Jean M Moran

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Electronic portal imaging devices (EPIDs) enhance linear accelerator (linac) quality assurance (QA) efficiency but are not universally used beyond patient-specific IMRT QA. A multi-institutional Consortium seeks to standardize linac QA utilizing an EPID-based test suite.

PURPOSE: This study evaluates the sensitivity of a test suite to intentional linac and plan errors and the concordance with linac fluctuations over time.

METHODS: Baseline and error-introduced tests were performed on a Varian TrueBeam and Clinac. Evaluated parameters included enhanced dynamic wedge factors (EDW) (6MV), central axis dose (6MV, 6MV FFF, 16MV), focal spot alignment and beam symmetry (6MV, 16MV), dose rate-gantry speed …

Apoe-Stratified Proteomic And Metabolomic Analysis Reveals Mitochondrial Dysfunction Inflammation And Lipid Dysregulation In Alzheimer's Disease, Fuhai Li, Yike Chen, Daniel Western, Muhammad Ali, Menghan Liu, Katherine Gong, Ying Xu, Joseph Lowery, David M Holtzman, Carlos Cruchaga, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 is the strongest genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, it is known that other pathways independent of APOE also play a role in AD. Disentangling APOE-dependent and independent effects is instrumental for understanding the biology of AD. We conducted an APOE-stratified multi-omic analysis in multiple large datasets to identify AD-associated plasma proteins and metabolites. More than 64% of the identified proteins were not found in non-APOE stratified studies, and 17% of the proteins showed APOE-specific trends. Mitochondrial dysfunction was associated in AD independently of APOE and was accompanied by disruptions in glucose and lipid …

The Femoral Head Edema Zone: A Novel Classification Scheme To Better Predict Osteonecrosis Progression, Deniz C Ince, Vivek P Shah, Kenichi Kikuchi, Kyle P O'Connor, Elizabeth L Yanik, John C Clohisy, Cecilia Pascual-Garrido

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: This study proposed a new classification, the Edema Zone classification, that uses magnetic resonance imaging images to grade the extent of edema in osteonecrosis of the femoral head. The purpose of the study was (1) to examine how the Edema Zone classification compared to the Japanese Investigation Committee (JIC) classification's prognostic ability for early conversion to total hip arthroplasty (THA), and (2) to determine how accurately and reliably the Edema Zone classification performed as a classification system.

METHODS: This was a retrospective study of hips that converted to THA from a core decompression within 26 months compared to hips …

Predictors Of Opioid Misuse And Abuse Among Pregnant Women In The Us, Henry Ofori Duah, Diane Von Ah, Ethan Morgan

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Introduction

Opioid misuse and abuse during pregnancy can adversely affect maternal and infant outcomes. Factors that drive the burden of opioid misuse and abuse are multifaceted and understudied. This study sought to explore predictors of opioid misuse and abuse among pregnant women in the United States.

Methods

Secondary data analysis of the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) data from 2015-2019 was performed. The primary outcomes were past-year opioid misuse, past-month misuse, and past-year opioid abuse. Data analysis included weight-adjusted univariate, bivariate, and multivariable logistic regression.

Results

The pooled weighted sample comprised 2,258,599 pregnant women. The prevalence of …

Reimagining Incarceration: Scandinavian-Inspired Policy Innovation In Pennsylvania And California, Isabel M. Mallory

College Honors Program

The United States’ decentralized system of incarceration leaves individual states largely responsible for criminal justice policy, yet the country continues to maintain the highest incarceration rate in the world, prompting growing interest in reforms that both reduce incarceration and improve outcomes. One such approach emphasizes rehabilitation over traditional goals such as deterrence and incapacitation, drawing on the example of Scandinavian prison systems as an evidence-based practice. This thesis examines how states, as laboratories of democracy, are experimenting with rehabilitation-centered models of incarceration through different mechanisms of policy change. Focusing on two case studies – Pennsylvania’s Scandinavian Prison Project as a …

Learning Techniques In Prediction Of Functional Epigenomic Events, Mohammad Shiri

Computer Science Theses & Dissertations

Accurately predicting functional epigenomic events from DNA sequences is critical to understanding gene regulation and the functional impact of non-coding variants. Despite considerable progress, critical challenges hamper the effectiveness and efficiency of existing deep learning approaches. These challenges include negative transfer in multi-task learning (MTL), suboptimal network architectures, and pervasive label noise, particularly the positive-unlabeled problem arising from data sparsity in single-cell assays. This dissertation presents a cohesive framework of novel learning techniques to effectively address these challenges. First, a highly scalable task grouping framework is presented to mitigate negative transfer in deep MTL. This method clusters tasks based on …

A Critical Discourse Analysis Of Community College Presidential Job Announcements And The American Association Of Community Colleges Competencies For Community College Leaders, Leslie M. Boon

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Women are overrepresented as students and employees of community college, yet they are underrepresented in presidential leadership roles. Prior research has examined the career trajectories and experiences of women aspiring to community college presidencies; however, less research has examined how discourse shapes expectations of leadership. Because community colleges have been described as gendered, the language used to describe leadership competencies may reinforce gendered assumptions about effective leadership. The purpose of this study was to examine the discourse of community college presidential job announcements and the American Association of Community Colleges’ (AACC) Competencies for Community College Leaders (4th edition) to examine …

Bug-In-Ear ECoaching To Enhance Parents' Use Of Embedded Learning Opportunities With Preschool-Age Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Aeshah Alturki

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

The increasing prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has heightened the need for effective communication interventions. Parents are key partners in intervention and, with appropriate support, can serve as effective intervention agents. However, parents often require ongoing support to implement evidence-based practices. The purpose of this study was to experimentally evaluate the effects of online Bug-in-Ear (BIE) eCoaching on parents’ fidelity of embedded choice-making during family routines with their preschool-aged children with ASD. This study also examined the generalization and maintenance, children’s communicative responses, and parents’ perceptions of the intervention. A single-subject nonconcurrent multiple baseline design across two parent–child dyads …

An Integrated Bayesian Network-Based Zero Trust Model To Quantify Cyber Risk In Small-Medium Businesses, Ahmed Abdelmagid

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Small-medium businesses (SMBs) play a pivotal role in the worldwide economy as they constitute the most considerable portion of businesses in developed countries like the UK and the US. As such, SMBs are likely targets of cybercrimes by malicious agents because of their vulnerable IT systems. The digital infrastructure of SMBs is more likely to be hit by cyberattacks than large businesses due to many factors that facilitate hackers’ missions. These factors include a limited financial budget devoted to cybersecurity, a lack of knowledge, an underrating of how dangerous cyber threats are, and a shortage of IT expertise. The enormous …

Identifying Professional Development Needs Of Deans At California Community Colleges, Matilda D. Chavez

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

This quantitative, descriptive study examined the professional development needs of deans, associate deans, and directors in the California Community Colleges System. Using the American Association of Community Colleges leadership competencies, the study analyzed how mid-level leaders rated the importance of leadership tasks and their ability to perform them. It also compared results by gender, race or ethnicity, years in the role, district type, and preferred professional development methods.

Data were collected with a 47-item, fixed-format survey using Qualtrics. The sample was a nonprobability quota drawn from 17 California community colleges (N = 71). Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses, including t-tests …