Digital Commons Network^™

Redesigning Outpatient Chemotherapy Scheduling: A Management Approach To Site-Integrated Operations, Dominick J. Morrone

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Outpatient infusion centers face persistent scheduling complexity driven by variable treatment durations, coordination between clinics, pharmacy lead times, and constrained staffing. This doctoral project develops and reviews a comprehensive framework for infusion scheduling transformation that integrates workforce role redesign, site‑level communication pathways, and data‑informed workqueue governance. Using a multi‑phase case at a large cancer center as an anchor, the framework specifies responsibilities across central schedulers, on‑site teams, medical coordinators, and nursing; details communication and escalation design (secure messaging and in‑basket use); and outlines training and proficiency tiers. The project synthesizes evidence from scheduling science and time-driven activity-based costing principles to …

Primary School Physical Activity Culture In The Uk: Findings From A Four-Month Rapid Ethnography In Three Schools, Robert Walker, Lydia Emm-Collison, Danielle House, Simoona Kent-Saisch, Ruth Salway, Alice Porter, Abi Howard, Tom Reid, Michael Beets Med, Mph, Phd, Frank De Vocht, Russell Jago

Faculty Publications

Introduction: Physical activity is fundamental for children’s health and well-being, yet most children are not active enough. School-based interventions aiming to increase children’s physical activity have largely been ineffective, perhaps due to a lack of consideration of the unique culture within each school. The aim of this paper is to understand the key aspects of physical activity culture in English primary schools using the organizational culture framework.

Methods: A four-month rapid ethnography study was conducted within three primary schools in Bristol, UK, between March and July 2024. The findings draw on observations, interviews, documentary data, photo elicitation, informal conversations and …

Exploring The Influence Of Environmental Motivations On Consumer Attitudes And Purchase Intentions Toward Upcycled Foods, Peng Lu, Jennifer Waldeck, Keith Weber, Hualu Zhou

Communication Faculty Articles and Research

Food loss and waste (FLW) present pressing environmental and economic challenges. Upcycling technologies provide a sustainable pathway by transforming food by-products into value-added products; however, consumer acceptance remains a critical barrier. Guided by Self-Determination Theory (SDT), this study investigates how environmental motivations influence consumers’ attitudes and purchase intentions toward milk enriched with upcycled peanut skins. Data were collected from a nationally representative sample of 1488 U.S. adults. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to test hypothesized relationships among motivational constructs, and cluster analysis was used to identify consumer segments based on motivational profiles. The results show that intrinsic motivation and …

2026 March 17 - Medical Student Education Committee Minutes, Medical Student Education Committee, East Tennessee State University

Medical Student Education Committee Minutes

No abstract provided.

The Migrant As A Pilgrim: Decolonising Identity And Belonging, Susan Nemec

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

This paper responds to pilgrimage scholar George Greenia’s assertion that meaningful intersections exist between pilgrimage and various forms of displacement, such as migration or involuntary exile due to famine, war, or political unrest. Greenia proposes that vulnerable, displaced individuals might find shelter, both conceptually and emotionally, within the framing of pilgrimage. By extending concepts of pilgrimage, it can be understood as a deliberate and intentional journey, simultaneously emphasising the transformative potential inherent in migratory movement. By adopting a working definition of pilgrimage as ‘any form of travel that is intentional, purposeful, or transformative,’ the paper considers how migrancy, particularly within …

The Pilgrimage Paradox: Accepting Hardship As A Pathway To Peace, John K. Moore

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

This essay examines the paradoxical relationship between pilgrimage and inner peace, focusing on the Camino de Santiago and referencing the Shingon Buddhist Goma fire ritual in Japan and the holy mountain of Kata Tjuṯa in Australia. While pilgrimage is often associated with physical hardship and discomfort, the paper argues that adopting a mindset of acceptance toward inevitable suffering can foster psychological and spiritual contentment. Drawing on historical, literary, and contemporary examples—including penitential practices, therapeutic walking, and rituals at the Iron Cross—the article highlights how symbolic acts of relinquishing burdens can lead to inner transformation and may set into motion one’s …

Tet Cpg Sequence-Context-Specific Dna Demethylation Shapes Progression Of Idh-Mutant Gliomas., Youri Hoogstrate, Santoesha A Ghisai, Levi Van Hijfte, Rania Head, Iris De Heer, Marta Padovan, Maurice De Wit, Wies R Vallentgoed, Angelo Dipasquale, Maarten M J Wijnenga, Bas Weenink, Rosa Luning, Sybren L N Maas, Adela Brzobohata, Michael Weller, Tobias Weiss, Maximilian J Mair, Anna S Berghoff, Adelheid Wöhrer, Albert Jeltsch, Johan A F Koekkoek, Hans M Hazelbag, Mathilde C M Kouwenhoven, Yongsoo Kim, Bart A Westerman, Bauke Ylstra, Anneke M Niers, Kevin C Johnson, Frederick S Varn, Roel G W Verhaak, Mustafa Khasraw, Martin J Van Den Bent, Pieter Wesseling, Pim J French

Faculty Research 2026

Treatment decisions in IDH-mutant oligodendrogliomas are shaped by tumor aggressiveness, underscoring the need for objective grading of these malignant brain tumors. We collect 302 primary and recurrent resections from oligodendrogliomas and perform Ki-67 staining, proteomics, and DNA methylation profiling. During tumor progression, DNA methylation of oligodendrogliomas changes along a continuum. This continuum is linked to increased epigenetic aging, methylation of transcription factors and Ki-67+ cell density, and large-scale DNA demethylation. Demethylation correlates with CpG flanking sequences preferred by TET enzymes. We confirm these findings in previously profiled astrocytomas, indicating IDH-mutant gliomas progress along a shared epigenetic axis. We develop an …

New Viability Assays For Acanthamoeba Castellanii Trophozoites And Cysts Allow Rapid Assessment Of Drug Activity., Carrie A Flynn, Rebecca I Colón-Ríos, Andrew Harmez, William F Flynn, Barbara I Kazmierczak

Faculty Research 2026

Pathogenic free-living amoebae such as Acanthamoeba castellanii are present in soil and water worldwide. A. castellanii causes systemic infections with very high mortality rates, yet drugs specifically targeting this pathogen are not available. Methods to reliably generate and assay cysts, which drive infection recurrence and drug resistance, are unavailable in a high-throughput format suitable for drug screening and testing. In this study, we developed a robust and reproducible protocol for encysting A. castellanii as well as a high-throughput, quantitative cyst viability assay using fluorescent live/dead staining coupled with microscopy and automated image analysis. These methods, coupled with optimized techniques for …

Tet Cpg Sequence-Context-Specific Dna Demethylation Shapes Progression Of Idh-Mutant Gliomas., Youri Hoogstrate, Santoesha A Ghisai, Levi Van Hijfte, Rania Head, Iris De Heer, Marta Padovan, Maurice De Wit, Wies R Vallentgoed, Angelo Dipasquale, Maarten M J Wijnenga, Bas Weenink, Rosa Luning, Sybren L N Maas, Adela Brzobohata, Michael Weller, Tobias Weiss, Maximilian J Mair, Anna S Berghoff, Adelheid Wöhrer, Albert Jeltsch, Johan A F Koekkoek, Hans M Hazelbag, Mathilde C M Kouwenhoven, Yongsoo Kim, Bart A Westerman, Bauke Ylstra, Anneke M Niers, Kevin C Johnson, Frederick S Varn, Roel G W Verhaak, Mustafa Khasraw, Martin J Van Den Bent, Pieter Wesseling, Pim J French

Faculty Research 2026

Treatment decisions in IDH-mutant oligodendrogliomas are shaped by tumor aggressiveness, underscoring the need for objective grading of these malignant brain tumors. We collect 302 primary and recurrent resections from oligodendrogliomas and perform Ki-67 staining, proteomics, and DNA methylation profiling. During tumor progression, DNA methylation of oligodendrogliomas changes along a continuum. This continuum is linked to increased epigenetic aging, methylation of transcription factors and Ki-67+ cell density, and large-scale DNA demethylation. Demethylation correlates with CpG flanking sequences preferred by TET enzymes. We confirm these findings in previously profiled astrocytomas, indicating IDH-mutant gliomas progress along a shared epigenetic axis. We develop an …

New Viability Assays For Acanthamoeba Castellanii Trophozoites And Cysts Allow Rapid Assessment Of Drug Activity., Carrie A Flynn, Rebecca I Colón-Ríos, Andrew Harmez, William F Flynn, Barbara I Kazmierczak

Faculty Research 2026

Pathogenic free-living amoebae such as Acanthamoeba castellanii are present in soil and water worldwide. A. castellanii causes systemic infections with very high mortality rates, yet drugs specifically targeting this pathogen are not available. Methods to reliably generate and assay cysts, which drive infection recurrence and drug resistance, are unavailable in a high-throughput format suitable for drug screening and testing. In this study, we developed a robust and reproducible protocol for encysting A. castellanii as well as a high-throughput, quantitative cyst viability assay using fluorescent live/dead staining coupled with microscopy and automated image analysis. These methods, coupled with optimized techniques for …

Impact Of Depression And Anxiety On Outcomes Following Muscle-Preserving Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody And Fusion., Sahil Garg, Sean M Muir, Kyle Jamar, Alexa Dietrich, Patrick Young, Sonny Gill

Surgery Articles

Background: The impact of concurrent diagnoses of anxiety and depression has not been extensively studied in spine surgery. We hypothesize that a muscle-sparing technique may be associated with decreased postoperative pain and improved strength postoperatively compared to open techniques, decreasing the stress of the postoperative recovery process. Therefore, this study aims to assess the benefits that a modified muscle-preserving lumbar fusion technique (Wiltse transforaminal lumbar interbody and fusion (W-TLIF)) would have on this subset of patients.

Methods: One hundred twenty subjects who underwent a single-level W-TLIF were identified with a recorded diagnosis status associated with mental health. The subjects underwent …

Roots In The Garden Workshop, Amelia Koenig, Nadia Lobo, Juliana Muegge, Stella Palumbo, Carly Petersen, Victoria Reyes

Public Health Science Capstones

Roots in the Garden is a hands-on community workshop designed for patients at Roots Community Health Center who are living with type 2 diabetes or heart disease. The program focuses on helping people feel more confident about eating well by building cooking skills, learning about nutrition, connecting with others, and improving access to fresh fruits and vegetables. In partnership with The Forge Garden, participants take part in cooking demonstrations, receive fresh, seasonal produce, and get simple, heart-healthy recipes that fit their health needs. The workshop also creates opportunities to connect with the garden through activities like composting and gardening.

By …

Contextualized Divergence Detection In Health Advice: A Benchmark And Analysis, Reet Kothari

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

Large language models (LLMs) are increasingly used as sources of health advice, raising urgent concerns about reliability, safety, and personalization. While prior work has studied health advice conflicts, these efforts typically ignore patient context and treat contradictions as universal. In this paper, we propose the task of contextualized divergence detection, which frames divergence not only as strict contradictions but also as context-dependent mismatches. To support this task, we introduce a novel dataset of 10,545 samples that combines user profiles, consumer medication guideline documents, and advice statements, with divergences synthetically generated across four categories: direct, conditional, temporal, and sub-typical. We benchmark …

Using Mobile Devices To Support Outdoor Stem Learning In Rural Contexts: An Embedded Mixed-Methods Study, Jayson Seaman, Amanda Bastoni, Andrew D. Coppens, Cindy L. Hartman, Courtney Lachaine, Katelyn Moscouver, Janet Gronneberg

Faculty Publications

Background: Rural youth face barriers to involvement in effective Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) learning experiences, leading to persistent underrepresentation in STEM fields. Purpose: This study examined the feasibility of using mobile devices to engage rural youth in informal STEM learning (ISL) during free-choice, outdoor recreational activities. We assessed outcomes of a 10-month intervention related to STEM interest, identity, and future planning. Method: Fifty-four youth ages 12 to 17 completed monthly STEM challenges delivered via a mobile platform, aligned with connected learning and free-choice learning principles. Surveys measured pre/post changes in STEM supports, STEM confidence, and …

Community-Led Climate Vulnerability Assessment In Alviso, Ca, Addie Chappelle, Grace Falci, Gigi Jones, Alex Crouse

Environmental Studies and Sciences Senior Capstone

Located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay, Alviso is a historically underrepresented community facing disproportionate impacts of climate change. San José has directly contributed to Alviso’s infrastructure instability, particularly after its controversial 1967 annexation, which excluded Alviso residents from municipal planning processes. Alviso currently ranks in the upper quartile statewide for environmental burden with high exposure to hazardous waste, linguistic isolation, impaired waterways, and solid waste facilities. Our study produced a Community-Led Climate Vulnerability Assessment that centers resident knowledge and integrates it with environmental data to support equitable climate planning. We used a participatory, co-production research approach that …

Take A Tour Of Unh's Health Sciences Simulation Center, Scott Ripley, David Vogt

UNH Today Archive

No abstract provided.

Unh To Lead Statewide Rural Healthcare Workforce Expansion, Tania Deluzuriaga

UNH Today Archive

No abstract provided.

Living In Liberal Areas Reduced Covid-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Among Conservatives, Brittany L. Kmush, Rachel E. Dinero

Population Health Research Brief Series

Political divisions shaped public health responses throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, with conservatives expressing higher vaccine hesitancy than liberals. But does where conservatives live matter? This brief summarizes findings from a study using survey data from 683 U.S. adults (ages 18-94) collected March-April 2023, combined with 2020 presidential election results by zip code. The authors found that liberals consistently had low vaccine hesitancy and high uptake regardless of where they lived, but conservatives living in lower Trump vote share communities reported lower vaccine hesitancy and higher vaccination and booster uptake than conservatives in high Trump vote share communities. This pattern was …

Remote Language Assessment In School-Age Children With Phelan–Mcdermid Syndrome And Genotype–Phenotype Correlation, Sarah Quadri-Valverde, Jessica Klusek Ph.D., Ccc-Slp, Linda D. Ward, Diana Ivankovic, Nancy Powers, Vijay Shankar, Rachel A. Lyman, Trudy F.C. Mackay, William Bridges, Katy Phelan, Chris Rogers, Luigi Boccuto, Sara M. Sarasua

Faculty Publications

People with Phelan–McDermid syndrome (PMS) have reduced speech and language abilities, yet little research has profiled the communication abilities in this population. The purpose of this study was threefold: identifying the language and communication profiles of school-aged children with PMS, identifying genetic contributions to language and communication abilities, and determining the feasibility of remote data collection for research purposes. A speech language pathologist used standardized assessments and direct evaluations by video conferencing to evaluate language and communication abilities. Sixteen children and adolescents were evaluated: 5 with SHANK3 pathogenic variants, 9 with 22q13 deletions including SHANK3 (PMS-SHANK3 related), and 2 …

Dexmedetomidine On Supraventricular Tachycardia In Critical Illness: A Time-Dependent Propensity Score Matching Study, Qiaonan Zhong, Marin H Kollef, Patrick G Lyons, Andrew P Michelson

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Supraventricular tachycardia affects many critically ill patients. Dexmedetomidine, a commonly used sedative, has sympatholytic and vagotonic effects that may alter atrioventricular nodal conduction and contribute to SVT. We aim to determine the association between dexmedetomidine exposure and clinically significant supraventricular tachycardia in a heterogeneous cohort of mechanically ventilated, critically ill adults. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included critically ill patients from 11 hospitals admitted between July 2018 and October 2022, who were intubated within 48 h of admission. The primary exposure was intravenous dexmedetomidine. The primary outcome was occurrence of clinically significant supraventricular tachycardia, defined as heart rate > 100 …

Avian Influenza Preparedness In Ghana: A Cross-Sectional Assessment Of Knowledge, Attitudes, And Practices Among Residents Of Nsawam-Adoagyiri Municipality, Eastern Region, Christopher Yaw Dumevi, George Boateng Kyei, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Avian influenza (AI) represents a persistent threat to public health, food security, and livelihoods in Ghana, where outbreaks of H5N1 and H9N2 have occurred. This cross-sectional study evaluated the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) related to avian influenza among residents of the Nsawam-Adoagyiri Municipality; an area characterized by intensive poultry production with the aim of delineating deficits in community-level preparedness and guiding evidence-based public health interventions. METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from May to July 2025 using a four-stage sampling technique. We surveyed 321 adults via structured questionnaires, evaluating socio-demographics and KAP related to AI. Scale reliability …

Factors Associated With Telemedicine Use By Cardiologists For Medicare Beneficiaries In 2022 To 2023: An Observational Study, Samantha Harris, R J Waken, Fengxian Wang, Khavya C Avula, Rishi K Wadhera, Jose F Figueroa, E John Orav, Uchenna Ofoma, Karen E Joynt Maddox

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services created a waiver to reimburse telemedicine services. It is important to understand factors that facilitate incorporation of telemedicine into ongoing cardiovascular practice.

METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of telemedicine and office visits delivered by cardiologists between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2023, for Medicare beneficiaries. We calculated the adjusted incidence rate ratio (aIRR) of telemedicine visits, representing the proportion of a physician's visits delivered by telemedicine, to identify factors associated with telemedicine use.

RESULTS: There were 23 334 physicians in our cohort; they were predominantly …

Assessing Misidentification Potential When Using Percent Developmental Delay As An Early Intervention Eligibility Criterion, Allison Gladfelter, Sarah Thomas, Christine Nguyen, Sarah O'Connor

CISLL Publications

Purpose:

Method:

Spartan Daily, March 17, 2026, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2026

Volume 166, Issue 23

The Road Less Traveled: The Path To A Right Of Intrastate Travel In State Constitutions, Katherine S. Leung

New Mexico Law Review

The existence of a right of intrastate travel implicates basic liberties like visiting parks, driving to visit family in another city, going to church or the doctor, or voting. In addition to its importance to everyday, basic liberties, the right of intrastate travel is important for vulnerable populations, like disaster evacuees, unhoused people subject to displacement, and people seeking abortions in states without uniform availability, like New Mexico. Despite the essential nature of the implicated actions, federal courts do not agree on whether the U.S. Constitution guarantees the right of intrastate travel. This comment argues that the right of intrastate …

Safe-Calibrated Tcn–Transformer Transfer Learning For Reliable Battery Soh Estimation Under Lab-To-Field Domain Shift, Ehab Bayoumi

Mechanical Engineering

Battery state-of-health (SoH) estimation is central to transportation electrification because it conditions safety limits, warranty accounting, power capability management, and long-horizon fleet optimization. Although deep temporal architectures can achieve high laboratory accuracy, field deployment is frequently limited by laboratory (Lab)-to-field (L2F) domain shift that alters input statistics, feature definitions, and noise regimes. Under such a shift, predictors may remain strongly monotonic, preserving degradation ordering and become operationally unreliable due to systematic output distortion (e.g., compression/warping of the SoH scale). A deployment-complete L2F transfer learning pipeline is presented, built around a gated Temporal Convolutional Network (TCN)–Transformer fusion backbone, domain-specific adapters and …

03-17-26 Bor Hsc Committee Meeting Agenda, Patricia Serna

HSC Committee (A subcommittee of the UNM Board of Regents)

03-17-26 BOR HSC Committee Meeting Agenda

Whole-Blood, Concentrated, And Micro–Dose Del Nido Cardioplegia In Adult Cardiac Surgery: A Scoping Review, Christian Iulianelli

Student Works

1. A.     Background/Introduction: Del Nido cardioplegia was originally developed for pediatric cardiac surgery to provide prolonged myocardial protection with a single-dose strategy. Its adoption in adult cardiac surgery has led to multiple modified formulations, including whole-blood, concentrated, and bloodless strategies. Given expanding clinical use and variation in technique, a structured mapping of the adult evidence base is warranted.
2. B.     Methodology: This scoping review followed PRISMA-ScR guidance. PubMed and CINAHL were searched, yielding 88 records. After duplicate removal and screening, 18 studies met inclusion criteria. Data were charted on study design, cardioplegia formulation, patient population, myocardial biomarkers, arrhythmias, renal outcomes, transfusion requirements, …

Emergent Patterns In Individual Perceptions Of Domestic Violence Among African Immigrants, Annah Ezuma

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Domestic abuse continues to be a prevalent and intricate matter within society, frequently concealed by silence. The comprehension of individuals’ perceptions of abuse is of utmost importance in the advancement of efficacious interventions and support systems. Among African immigrants in the United States, perceptions of domestic violence were often influenced by several factors like religion and migration stressors. Despite increasing concerns about abuse within this population, limited research has explored how they interpret abuse and how these perceptions shape help seeking behaviors and disclosure. The gap was significant because of the cultural transition and many immigrant experiences. This qualitative study …

Does Early Or Timely Diagnosis Benefit People With Dementia And Their Carers? A Systematic Review, Ben Hicks, Orla Phipps, Martha Pusey, Pauline Mcdonald, Courtney-Ann Dennis, Katie Barnard, Sube Banerjee, Nicolas Farina

Peninsula Medical School

Background: Global dementia policies advocate for early or timely diagnosis, yet evidence on benefits or harms remains limited. This systematic review evaluates quantitative evidence comparing outcomes of early versus late and timely versus untimely dementia diagnoses. Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, the protocol was registered on PROSPERO. Comprehensive searches of PsycINFO, Medline, Embase, SCOPUS, and CINAHL were conducted without date restrictions. Eligible studies defined diagnostic timing and examined associations with outcomes for people with dementia and/or carers. Quality was appraised using the QuADS tool, and data were narratively synthesised. Results: Four studies (2018–2021) met inclusion criteria, encompassing 37,341 individuals with dementia …