Revitalizing Rural Grocery Stores In Northern New Mexico: A Community Handbook, Emily Arasim

Student Publications

Rural grocery stores are cornerstone institutions that are central to the health and well-being of their communities - not only providing food, but also serving as spaces of economic development, cultural and historic preservation, social connection, and resilience. In response to the loss of many rural stores over recent decades, the ‘Revitalizing Rural Grocery Stores in Northern New Mexico’ handbook brings together community histories, political analysis, and practical strategies to support their protection and resurgence. The handbook shares findings on the multi-faceted importance of rural grocery stores and the causal factors in their loss; maps and photographs documenting the condition …

Employee Perception Of Administrator Leadership Behaviors In Southeastern U.S. Hospitals That May Contribute To Employee Turnover, Kim Steele

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Given the increasing significance of employee turnover, administrative leadership in U.S. Southeastern hospitals stands at a critical turning point. The specific research problem is that leadership behaviors may create an intolerable environment for employees, leading to an intent to leave and turnover. The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study was to explore administrative leadership behaviors that contribute to employee turnover, with a specific focus on leadership behaviors in U.S. Southeastern hospitals. The conceptual framework included grounded theory, which examines underlying social processes, and behavioral theory, focusing on leadership practices and behavior change. Fifteen administrative employees, four men and 11 women, …

Intimate Partner Violence: Serving Heterosexual Male And Same-Sex Victims, David Welch

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is an ongoing social problem across nationalities, cultures, socioeconomic statuses, sexual orientations, and genders. Historically, research into IPV has focused on the heterosexual female victim and male perpetrator paradigm, including identifying the root causes of this phenomenon and appropriate treatment models. There is a distinct gap in the current literature addressing how therapists in the psychological community approach working with heterosexual male and same-sex victims of IPV, beginning with case conceptualization. To explore the unique case conceptualization considerations of therapists as they encounter heterosexual male and same-sex IPV victims in their practice, a general phenomenological research …

Is The Game Rigged? Why Sports Betting Is Becoming A Legal Time Bomb, Lawrence Kirzhner

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal (AELJ) Blog

The International Olympic Committee defines “competition manipulation” as “when the result of a tournament or competition is partially or completely decided in advance and the match is played to ensure the pre-determined outcome.” Considering the Olympics hosts 43 sports, this definition can probably be applied to many, if not all, sports around the globe. While it is against the rules of sportsmanship as well as against the law, athletes “who bet on their sport might be tempted to fully or partially manipulate their competition in order to receive financial gain.” The sports world has experienced many scandals of manipulated competition …

Air Emissions From Combustion And Incineration Processes: Insights Into Air Quality And Us Epa Regulations, Madjid Delkash

All Faculty Scholarship (Archived)

The escalating global generation of waste necessitates robust and environmentally sound management strategies. Among these, combustion and incineration processes play a crucial role in waste volume reduction and energy recovery. Nevertheless, these thermal treatment methods are significant sources of atmospheric pollutants, impacting air quality and public health. This review systematically examines air emissions from four major incineration types regulated under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Air Act (CAA) Sects. 111 (New Source Performance Standards [NSPS]) and 129 (National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants [NESHAP]). These categories include Large Municipal Waste Combustors (LMWC), Hospital/Medical/Infectious Waste Incinerators (HMIWI), Commercial …

An Integrated Ca–Markov Modeling Framework For Forecasting Land Use And Land Cover Dynamics In Arkansas, Usa, Rasool Vahid, Mohamed H. Aly

Environmental Dynamics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Land use and land cover (LULC) changes significantly shape urban environments and directly impact ecological and socioeconomic systems. This study aims to explore these interconnections by employing the Cellular Automata–Markov (CA–Markov) model to assess and predict LULC dynamics in Arkansas. Historical LULC datasets from 2001 to 2021, obtained from the National Land Cover Database, were simplified from 11 into 5 classes to facilitate analysis and effectively map transitions. The model was validated by predicting LULC for 2016 and 2021 and comparing the predictions with the real maps, achieving an overall accuracy of approximately 91.9%, using model validation metrics, including precision, …

On Influence Tail Bounds In Online Social Networks, Michael Simpson, Laks V. S. Lakshmanan, Venkatesh Srinivasan

Mathematics and Computer Science

The influence estimation and maximization problems study the expected reach of a seed set in social networks under a stochastic propagation model. Motivated by the practical utility of characterizing the distribution of reach values, we systematically analyze the tail behaviour of the reach of a seed set. We study tail bound query problems that, for a given seed set, compute either the maximum reach for a given probability threshold or the highest probability of achieving a target reach. We prove #P-hardness and propose algorithms that balance efficiency and accuracy. We also examine tail bound optimization problems that find a seed …

Improving Healthcare Providers’ Knowledge On Heart Failure Self-Care Management, Linda Nkeiruka Ukwu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

N/A

Strategies To Reduce Emergency Department Overcrowding At Hospitals In Puerto Rico, Nicole Melissa Rivera Sánchez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Emergency department (ED) overcrowding has become an increasingly critical issue for the healthcare system of Puerto Rico, resulting in delayed care and increased patient morbidity, among other challenges faced by hospital leaders and administrators. This paper explores evidence-based strategies tailored to the Puerto Rican healthcare context to alleviate ED overcrowding. An integrative review of literature published between 2020 and 2025 was conducted. For this review, 15 articles were selected and appraised using the Johns Hopkins Evidence-Based Practice Model for Nursing and Healthcare Professionals. The strategies gleaned from the literature comprised six themes and 21 subthemes, centered on two major outcomes: …

Implementing A System- Wide Program To Reduce Burnout Among Healthcare Providers, Caroline Njeri Munene

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project addresses the pervasive health issue of burnout among healthcare providers, focusing on a community mental health clinic where internal data revealed high levels of staff turnover, absenteeism, medication errors, financial constraints, poor patient outcomes, and low staff satisfaction. Shortage of healthcare providers, exposure to patient trauma, high emotional demands, and administrative burdens are the systemic stressors of burnout at the project site mental health facility. These factors collectively underscored the need for a system-wide burnout reduction program to safeguard provider well-being and ensure the delivery of high-quality patient care and safety.

Contrasting Effects Of Impervious Cover On Riparian Plant And Soil Bacterial Communities In A Rapidly Urbanising Himalayan City, Karma Jamtsho, Mark A. Lund, David Blake, Eddie Van Etten

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Rapid urbanisation—particularly the expansion of impervious surfaces—is reshaping riparian landscapes worldwide. These areas are frequently targeted for development due to their favourable topography, abundant water resources, and aesthetic appeal. However, the impact of increasing impervious cover on soil bacterial communities in biodiverse urban riparian zones remains poorly understood, especially in developing countries, raising concerns about potential declines in essential ecosystem functions. In this study, we investigated the effects of impervious cover, quantified as the Percentage of Total Impervious Area (PTIA), on the taxonomic and functional diversity of riparian soil bacteria in Thimphu City, Bhutan. Using plot-based taxonomic profiling and metagenomic …

Editorial: Bridging Inflammation, Oxidative Stress, And Metabolic Dysfunction In Brain Disorders, Ansab Akhtar

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

We present this Special Issue of Brain Sciences, titled "Role of Inflammation, Oxidative Stress, and Metabolic Dysfunction in Neurodevelopmental and Neurodegenerative Diseases: Pharmacological Targets and Therapeutic Interventions", which brings together research and review articles that explore the molecular crosstalk between neuroinflammatory, oxidative stress, and metabolic pathways underlying both neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders [...].

Vermonters Wary Of Artificial Intelligence, Expect Detrimental Effect On Jobs, Relationships, And Elections 11/10/2025, Unh Survey Center

All UNH Survey Center Polls

Nearly two-thirds of Vermont residents expect artificial intelligence to have a negative impact on the country over the next decade, particularly on personal relationships, elections, and the news. Despite this, two-thirds of Vermonters say that they use AI in their personal lives at least occasionally, most often for answering questions, web searches, and to help with creativity. Young people report using AI more frequently than others but also are less satisfied with their experiences with it and are more pessimistic about its effects on the country. A majority of workers in Vermont believe AI will make little or no difference …

Granite Staters Happy With Their Artificial Intelligence Experiences But Gloomy On Wider Effects Of Ai 11/10/2025, Unh Survey Center

All UNH Survey Center Polls

New Hampshire residents largely predict that artificial intelligence will have a negative effect on the United States over the next ten years, particularly regarding elections, personal relationships, and the news. Young people are particularly pessimistic about the effects of AI while older people are most optimistic. Nevertheless, a majority of Granite Staters report currently using AI at least sometimes in their personal lives, and most are generally happy with the experience. State residents most often report using AI to answer questions, as part of a web search, and to assist with writing. Nearly half of working Granite Staters say they …

Tackling The Burden Of Envenomation In Africa: Advances, Challenges, And Strategic Priorities For Enhanced Diagnosis And Treatment, Khawla Ammouch, Nihal Mesmoudi, Noureddine Hammani, Jacob Galan, Abdellah Moustaghfir, Reto Stöcklin, Naoual Oukkache

Human Genetics Publications

Venomous animal envenomation remains a significant but neglected public health problem worldwide, with an estimated 5.4 million cases and up to 138,000 deaths annually. The burden is particularly acute in tropical and subtropical regions, especially sub-Saharan Africa, where rural and vulnerable populations face limited access to effective antivenoms and healthcare. Despite this, comprehensive data on envenomation incidence, clinical management, and outcomes remain scarce, hampering efforts to develop effective prevention and treatment strategies. This review synthesizes current knowledge on venomous animal diversity, epidemiology, and clinical manifestations globally, with a focus on Africa’s unique challenges. We examine critical gaps in antivenom production, …

Nanofiber-Enabled Rapid And Non-Destructive Sensors For Meat Quality And Shelf-Life Monitoring: A Review, Karna Ramachandraiah, Elizabeth M. Martin, Alya Limayem

Food Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

The meat industry faces significant economic losses and environmental impacts due to spoilage and waste, much of which results from inadequate, delayed, or inefficient quality assessment. Traditional methods used for assessing meat quality are often time-consuming, labor-intensive, and lack the ability to provide real-time information, making them insufficient for modern supply chains that demand safety, freshness, and minimal waste. Recent advances in nanotechnology position nanofibers (NFs) as promising materials for addressing these challenges through smart sensing and active packaging. NFs, characterized by their high surface-to-volume ratio, tunable porosity, and small diameter, enable superior encapsulation and immobilization of sensing agents. These …

The Employment Situation Of Veterans: September 2025, Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

The September 2025 employment report shows veteran unemployment falling from 3.1% to 2.6%, with Post‑9/11 veterans declining from 3.0% to 2.4%. Veteran unemployment remained lower than nonveterans across most age groups, especially among young veterans ages 18–24, whose rate dropped sharply to 1.1%. Male veteran unemployment decreased, while female veteran unemployment rose slightly to 4.6%. Trends varied by race and ethnicity, with Hispanic veterans experiencing a notable increase. Nationally, employment rose modestly, with gains in health care, food services, and social assistance, while transportation, warehousing, and federal government roles saw job losses.

Chronic Rhinosinusitis Is A Risk Factor For Interstitial Lung Disease In Sjogren’S Syndrome, Brian Schonewald, Christopher Xie, Andrew Engel, Ross Summer, Giorgos Loizidis

Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Sjögren's syndrome (SS), but its risk factors remain unclear. Although SS affects both the upper and lower respiratory epithelium, it is unknown whether this occurs simultaneously or separately. In other autoimmune conditions-such as eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis and granulomatosis with polyangiitis-upper airway disease precedes lower lung involvement by months or even years. We hypothesized that chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), as an upper airway disease, may be a risk factor for ILD in SS.

METHODS: We analyzed the TriNetX Research Network database to compare incident ILD in SS …

Genome-Wide Crispr Screens Identify Critical Targets To Enhance Car-Nk Cell Antitumor Potency, Alexander Biederstädt, Rafet Basar, Jeong-Min Park, Nadima Uprety, Rejeena Shrestha, Francia Reyes Silva, Merve Dede, John Watts, Sunil Acharya, Donghai Xiong, Bin Liu, May Daher, Hind Rafei, Pinaki Banerjee, Ping Li, Sanjida Islam, Huihui Fan, Mayra Shanley, Jingling Jin, Bijender Kumar, Vernikka Woods, Paul Lin, Silvia Tiberti, Ana Karen Nunez Cortes, Xin Ru Jiang, Inci Biederstädt, Patrick Zhang, Ye Li, Seema Rawal, Enli Liu, Luis Muniz-Feliciano, Gary M Deyter, Elizabeth J Shpall, Natalie Wall Fowlkes, Ken Chen, Katayoun Rezvani

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Adoptive cell therapy using engineered natural killer (NK) cells is a promising approach for cancer treatment, with targeted gene editing offering the potential to further enhance their therapeutic efficacy. However, the spectrum of actionable genetic targets to overcome tumor and microenvironment-mediated immunosuppression remains largely unexplored. We performed multiple genome-wide CRISPR screens in primary human NK cells and identified critical checkpoints regulating resistance to immunosuppressive pressures. Ablation of MED12, ARIH2, and CCNC significantly improved NK cell antitumor activity against multiple treatment-refractory human cancers in vitro and in vivo. CRISPR editing augmented both innate and CAR-mediated NK cell function, associated with enhanced …

Whole-Exome Sequencing-Based Linkage Analysis Of Multiple Myeloma (Mm) And Monoclonal Gammopathy Of Undetermined Significance (Mgus) Pedigrees, Alyssa I Clay-Gilmour, Nicola J Camp, Xiaomu Wei, Angel Earle, Aaron Norman, Jason Sinnwell, Delphine Demangel, Rosalie Griffin, Charles Dumontet, James Mckay, Ken Offit, Vijai Joseph, Siwei Chen, Daniel O'Brien, Vincent Rajkumar, Robert Klein, Shaji Kumar, Steve Lipkin, Celine M Vachon

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background/objectives: Family history is a known risk factor for multiple myeloma (MM) and its precursor condition, monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS). Previous genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have identified 35 common loci associated with MM risk and 21 associated with MGUS. The objective of this study was to identify less common and rare genetic loci predisposing to MM/MGUS through whole-exome sequencing (WES)-based linkage analysis.

Methods: Multipoint linkage analysis was conducted using the Multipoint Engine for Rapid Likelihood Inference (MERLIN) with the Lander-Green algorithm on germline WES data from 79 pedigrees with 2 or more affected relatives (120 MM, 86 MGUS, …

Peripheral Microvascular And Cerebral White Matter Dysfunction In Schizophrenia: Implications Of A Body-Brain Endothelial Pathophysiology, Eric L Goldwaser, Alexa Yuen, Wyatt Marshall, Bhim M Adhikari, Joshua Chiappelli, Andrew Van Der Vaart, Mark Kvarta, Yizhou Ma, Xiaoming Du, Si Gao, Heather Bruce, Patrick Donnelly, Braxton Mitchell, Charles Hong, Danny J J Wang, Peter Kochunov, L Elliot Hong

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background and hypothesis: Schizophrenia spectrum disorder (SSD) is a chronic neuropsychiatric illness accompanied by significant brain structural and functional abnormalities and higher rate of cardio- and cerebrovascular comorbidities. We hypothesized that genetic and environmental risk factors that led to SSD act throughout the body and demonstrated the association between lower integrity of peripheral vascular endothelium and white matter (WM) microstructure.

Study design: Microvascular endothelial function was evaluated using brachial artery post-occlusive reactive hyperemia (PORH), in which endothelial responses are measured under reduced blood flow and after blood flow is restored. White matter microstructure was assessed by multi-shell diffusion tensor imaging …

Investigating Prognostic Features In High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer Through Gene Regulatory Network Inference With Single-Cell Transcriptomic Profiles, Toshiyuki Itai, Yulin Dai, Wendao Liu, Dung-Fang Lee, Zhongming Zhao

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

This study aimed to identify prognostic features in high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) through the application of gene regulatory network (GRN) inference with single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) profiles. To achieve this goal, we developed a workflow comprising scRNA-seq analysis, metacell construction, GRN inference, and a binary classification task for prognosis prediction. We curated 118,173 cells from HGSOC patients in three conditions (Before-chemotherapy, After-chemotherapy, and control samples) from previous studies, and then constructed 1,211 metacells. GRN inference analysis revealed 312 regulons, each consisting of one transcription factor and its targeted features. For prognosis evaluation, we used bulk RNA-seq data covering 342 HGSOC …

Development Of A Targeted Bioprotac Degrader Selective For Misfolded Sod1, Christen G Chisholm, Rachael Bartlett, Mikayla L Brown, Emma-Jayne Proctor, Natalie E Farrawell, Jody Gorman, Fabien Delerue, Lars M Ittner, Kara L Vine-Perrow, Heath Ecroyd, Neil R Cashman, Darren N Saunders, Luke Mcalary, Jeremy S Lum, Justin J Yerbury

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The accumulation of misfolded proteins underlies a broad range of neurodegenerative diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Due to their dynamic nature, these misfolded proteins have proven challenging to target therapeutically. Here, we specifically target misfolded disease variants of the ALS-associated protein superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), using a biological proteolysis targeting chimera (BioPROTAC) composed of a SOD1-specific intrabody and an E3 ubiquitin ligase. Screening of intrabodies and E3 ligases for optimal BioPROTAC construction reveals a candidate capable of degrading multiple disease variants of SOD1, preventing their aggregation in cells. Using CRISPR/Cas9 technology to develop a BioPROTAC transgenic mouse line, we …

Spots, Stripes, And Strains: A Case Report Of Multidrug-Resistant Salmonella Newport In Exotic Felids, Brianna L S Stenger, Daniel R. Evans, Sarah J. Gefroh, Alyssa Breuer, Heidi L. Pecoraro, Kelli J. Maddock

APC Fund Awardees

Background

Shedding of Salmonella is not unusual in captive exotic animals; however, few cases link Salmonella to chronic disease or death of exotic felids.

Case Summary

We report a multidrug-resistant (MDR) Salmonella enterica serovar Newport, persisting strain REPJJP01, isolated from exotic felids from two separate regional zoos and potentially contributing to the death of a snow leopard (Panthera uncia) and a Pallas’s cat (Otocolobus manul). REPJJP01 strains of S. Newport are a recurring cause of human enteric disease outbreaks associated with travel to Mexico and beef products.

Conclusion

This case highlights the value of genotypic and phenotypic techniques to identify …

“You’Re Getting A Little Big For This”: Fat Characters In Disney Animated Films, Rachel Casey, Grace Brenner

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

To further develop the literature regarding representations of larger bodies in popular culture, this quantitative content analysis describes demographic and stereotypic depictions of fat characters in all 54 Disney animated films theatrically released from 1937 to 2023. The 124 identified fat characters were most commonly depicted as sidekicks of the protagonist (n = 38, 30.65%), with only four (3.23%) depicted as protagonists. Demographically, fat characters were most frequently male (n = 95, 76.61%), white (n = 92, 74.19%), middle aged (n = 57, 46.00%), and of lower social class (n = 50, 40.32%). Compared to …

Design And Implementation Of Home Energy Management System (Hems) In Smart Grid Through Demand Side Management (Dsm), Nirmala Jegadeesan Ms

Theses and Dissertations

The rising global energy demand, combined with environmental concerns and the depletion of conventional energy sources, has driven the need for the development of smarter and more sustainable energy systems. This research focuses on Home Energy Management System (HEMS) using soft computing techniques to optimize load scheduling, enhance energy efficiency, and integrate Renewable Energy Sources (RES) such as solar and battery storage. The primary goal is to balance supply and demand, reduce peak loads, and minimize energy costs while ensuring consumer comfort and system reliability.

Smart grids provide enhanced capabilities compared to conventional grids by enabling bidirectional flows of energy …

Only One In Six Mainers Expect Positive Impact From Artificial Intelligence 11/10/2025, Unh Survey Center

All UNH Survey Center Polls

Very few Mainers expect artificial intelligence to have a positive impact on the country over the next decade, with young people particularly pessimistic. Medical care is the lone area where Maine residents are somewhat optimistic about the effects of AI but more than two-thirds predict negative consequences for news, relationships, and elections. While a majority of Mainers say they use AI at least occasionally, only a quarter report using it once a week or more often and only half say that their experience using it has been positive. Web searches and answering questions are the two most common uses for …

Epithelial Collective Response To Immune Cells, Matrix Proteins, And Mechanical Cues, Hannah Maria Zmuda

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Epithelial cells form complex and dynamic tissue structures within the human body. During these processes, cells must come in contact with a variety of dissimilar cell types, extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, and mechanical changes not aligned with homeostasis. In this thesis, we explore how changes to the surrounding environment can impact mechanoresponse of epithelial cells. We developed an in vitro system by using elastically tunable polyacrylamide substrates with collagen coating to understand how mechanics can affect collective cell migration. In the first aim, we added macrophages chemically polarized as M0, M1, or M2-like macrophages co-cultured with epithelial cells. We found …

Chimes: November 10, 2025, Calvin University

Chimes

Trinity Christian College closes, teach-out program to offer students a place at Calvin by Ashley Hamons & Ian Tjoelker

Vice President for Enrollment Strategy Lauren Jensen to step down by Ian Tjoelker

Third annual FAST conference held at Calvin by Ian Tjoelker

Federal government shutdown the longest in US history: How is Calvin holding up? by Ian Tjoelker & Joe Toly

Remembering the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald by Maya Oeverman

Exploring Children's And Their Parents' Experiences In Urgent Treatment Centres: A Qualitative Study Protocol, Danielle Edge, Sarah Neill, Lucy Bray, Martha Paisi

School of Nursing and Midwifery

BackgroundYoung children are frequent users of urgent and emergency care (UEC) services (Blair et al., 2025). The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC, 1989) highlights children’s rights to healthcare (Article 24), to express their views (Article 12), and to receive information to support participation (Article 13). Existing research in UEC has primarily focused on parental decision-making and help-seeking behaviours when accessing care (Neill et al., 2016). While there is increasing evidence on children’s experiences and involvement in their healthcare, there is limited research which has examined children’s experiences in UTCs and even less which has engaged …