Digital Commons Network^™

Neurofilament Light (Nfl) Chain Levels Predict Clinical Decline In Alzheimer’S Disease: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Kim Thomas, Paul Spin, Nikita Sir, Kevin Hou, Nicholas J. Ashton, Henrik Zetterberg, Sonya Miller, Carol Pringle, Richard G. Stefanacci, Claude M. Wischik, Serge Gauthier

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Regulatory approval of new investigational Alzheimer's disease (AD) therapies could be accelerated if reasonably likely surrogate endpoints could be used. Neurofilament light chain (NfL) has potential utility as a prognostic biomarker of neurodegeneration in AD.

OBJECTIVE: To synthesize available evidence on the relationship between baseline NfL levels and longitudinal clinical decline.

METHODS: A systematic literature review identified 19 eligible studies, contributing 37 longitudinal statistical models evaluating the association between baseline NfL (plasma or cerebrospinal fluid [CSF]) with subsequent clinical decline based on validated clinical scales including Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale, and Clinical Dementia Rating. …

Eczema Coxsackium As An Atypical Presentation Of Hand-Foot-Mouth Disease, Omar A. Ceballos, Mónica Gómez-Manzanares, Víctor H. Gónzalez-Vico, Marina Montero-García

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

No abstract provided.

Retracted: Idea Density And Grammatical Complexity As Neurocognitive Markers, Diego Iacono, Gloria Feltis

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

Language, a uniquely human cognitive faculty, is fundamentally characterized by its capacity for complex thoughts and structured expressions. This review examines two critical measures of linguistic performance: idea density (ID) and grammatical complexity (GC). ID quantifies the richness of information conveyed per unit of language, reflecting semantic efficiency and conceptual processing. GC, conversely, measures the structural sophistication of syntax, indicative of hierarchical organization and rule-based operations. We explore the neurobiological underpinnings of these measures, identifying key brain regions and white matter pathways involved in their generation and comprehension. This includes linking ID to a distributed network of semantic hubs, like …

Designing For Shalom: Deepening Faith Integration In Engineering And Technology, Fred Haan

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

Presented on 9/22/2025 at the event, Integration of Faith and Learning in the Disciplines at the University Pelita Harapan in Jakarta, Indonesia

Case Managers As A Compass: A Strategy For Influencing First-Generation College Student Success, James Riley

Student Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of case managers who use case management as a strategy for improving first-generation student retention at higher education institutions in the United States. Case managers are college or university staff members who provide non-clinical one-on-one student support, including interventions, advocacy, referrals and follow-up services for students who are experiencing significant difficulties. Guided by Tinto’s Theory of Student Departure (1975) and Pascarella’s Model for Assessing Student Change (1980), this study involved interviews with 11 case managers from institutions across the United States and a subsequent review of 24 …

The Impacts Of The Lack Of Access To Information And Communication Technologies (Ict) On African American Students, Alisha Shanta Williams

Student Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study is to examine the relationship between the lack of access to information and communication technologies and the grade point averages among African American students in Arkansas Rural Delta schools. The problem addressed in this qualitative phenomenological study is limited access to technology among African American students in the Rural Arkansas Delta and its influence on grade point averages and overall academic success. This research strived to explore and portray the experiences of students facing extenuating circumstances and barriers with technological resources and the effect on their achievement. The methodology used is qualitative, and …

One Is The Loneliest Number: The Impact Of Social Isolation On Blaberus Discoidalis, Jaden Jackson

Student Theses and Dissertations

Isolation in humans and its consequences has been documented by researchers as early as the 1700s (McNeil et al., 1984). More recently, interest in the impact of social isolation has been renewed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of the studies covering social isolation and the COVID-19 pandemic rely on self-report measures obtained through questionaries or interviews. Studying social isolation experimentally is difficult due to risk factors associated with isolating one from conspecifics. This is particularly true when studying humans. Animal models of social isolation are important as they allow for implementation of necessary controls needed to establish …

Overcoming Traumatic Barriers To Maximize The Potential Of College Students Facing Mental Health Challenges, Ashley Blanche

Student Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to explore gaps in knowledge and support for young adults with trauma, with the goal of improving their mental health and academic success. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate how past trauma contributed to mental health challenges that affected the academic success of disadvantaged undergraduate students aged 18–25 in Mississippi. The problem to be addressed in this study was the lack of mental health consciousness in the college community as it related to past trauma in disadvantaged college students aged 18-25. This study’s theoretical framework was based on Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory, linking adverse …

Exploring Mental Health Services Within Elementary Schools In The First Through Third Grades: Post-Covid-19 Pandemic Case Study, Yolanda Y. Thomas

Student Theses and Dissertations

Exploring Mental Health Services Within Elementary Schools in the First Through Third Grade: Post-COVID-19 Pandemic Case Study An overwhelming amount of research shows that youth in America are experiencing a mental health crisis (Nelson, 2020), impacting students’ ability to self-regulate and self-isolation tendencies and emotional behaviors have increased resulting in the need to address school-based mental health services, the instructional support provided to early childhood teachers, and students' well-being. The problem investigated in this study was the impact of school-based mental health services provided in response to the experience of the pandemic and the holistic relationship between instructional support and …

The Effects Of Technology On Engagement Among Stem-Based Students At Historically Black Colleges Or Universities, Matthew Evan Bellinger

Student Theses and Dissertations

This study is meant to address the positive or negative instances of student engagement through technology use among STEM students at HBCUs. The intended demographic from this includes STEM students at HBCUs, but also administrators who have a role in enrollment or retention. The wider range of relevant parties is due to the purpose of this study which is to investigate the different forms of technology on STEM students and faculty as they are implemented in higher education at HBCUs. This was accomplished by connecting the technology used by students or faculty to either a Technology-Enhanced Learning environment (engagement) or …

Perceptions Of Adulthood Preparation Among Individuals Who Aged Out Of The Foster Care System, Victor Torrez Dawson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This generic qualitative study was focused on the lived experiences of former foster care youth and their ability to acquire and retain self-sufficiency skills during their transition to adulthood. Using Bandura’s social learning theory as a framework, the research was focused on how interpersonal relationships with caregivers, mentors, and professionals influenced the development of these skills. Semistructured interviews were used to collect data from 10 former foster care youth. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data, and three key themes and 13 subthemes emerged highlighting both support and barriers that youth encountered. The analysis of the data revealed that …

Quality Improvement Project Integration Of Mentoring Into A Registered Nurse Transition To Practice Program, Sherry L. Roberson

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

New graduate nurses (NGNs), who constitute the majority of the nursing workforce, face significant challenges due to high patient acuity, staffing shortages, and long shifts, resulting in risks of burnout, turnover, and impaired patient care. Transition to practice programs, or nurse residency programs (NRPs), are evidence-based solutions designed to support NGNs effectively in their transition to the profession. A key component of NRPs is mentoring, which provides longitudinal support to ease this transition. Research shows that mentorship is associated with increased feelings of support, self-confidence, resilience, and competence among NGNs, while also reducing stress. A needs assessment at the project …

Park City; Llc V. Rosado

All Decisions

In this licensee holdover proceeding; the landlord sought possession of a rent-stabilized apartment after the tenant of record died. The respondent; the deceased tenant's son; asserted succession rights. The court deemed the respondent's incarceration an excusable temporary absence; modifying the relevant co-occupancy window. Despite the absence of admissible documentary evidence; the court found the respondent and his witnesses; particularly disinterested parties; credible and consistent; establishing co-residency by a preponderance of the evidence. The landlord failed to rebut this showing; leading the court to dismiss the petition in favor of the tenant.

Ask Me 3® In Action Advancing Health Literacy In Pediatric Acute Care, Yaseming Medina

EBP Fellowship

Background: Parents and caregivers’ understanding of how to provide safe and effective care at home is vital. However, elevated levels of stress and limited health literacy face significant challenges in understanding discharge instructions.

For parents of pediatric patients seen in an acute perioperative setting, how will the use of the Ask Me 3® health literacy tool impact understanding of medical information and communication with healthcare providers?

Literature Evidence: Patients who understand heath instructions make fewer mistakes when they take their medicine, follow treatment plans, and prepare for medical appointments (Six-Means, Amy, et al, May 2012). Patients have reported …

Empowering Nurses: A Training Initiative On Essential Oils For Pediatric Neurosurgery Patients, Sheri Sacks

EBP Fellowship

PICO Question: In pediatric neurosurgical bedside nurses, does education on lavender essential oil, compared to no education, improve knowledge, confidence and intent to integrateit as a complementary therapy for TBI patients?

Literature Review: Pediatric neurosurgery patients often face increased anxiety and agitation. Nurses may lack knowledge of non-pharmacological interventions to reduce agitation and anxiety in their patients. Literature review used MeSH Headings and keywords to find recent English articles. Evidence shows EO reduces anxiety. Lavender inhalation lowers anxiety, pain, and vital signs in pediatric dental patients. In adults, aromatherapy decreases anxiety, pain, blood pressure, and improves sleep, also …

Fierce And Focused - Virtual Reality Support For Pediatric Oncology Patients, Javarius Barber-Esparza

EBP Fellowship

Practice Problem: Pediatric oncology patients often experience anxiety during needle procedures. Even with anesthetic pain management in place, visually encountering the needle can be more distressing than the procedure itself. Virtual Reality (VR) has emerged as a nonpharmacological tool that provides immersive distraction, effectively lowering pain perception and anxiety. Studies show VR reduces anxiety during medical procedures, including accessing Implanted venous access devices (IVAD). Yet, its adoption in pediatric oncology settings remains limited.

Literature/Evidence: Search strategy in the CINAHL (EBSCOhost) database used MeSH headings and keywords, including English articles published within the last five years. Studies show that …

Improving Confidence And Competence In Treating Pediatric Peripheral Intravenous Extravasation, Ann Gosdin

EBP Fellowship

Practice Problem: Peripheral Intravenous Infiltrations and Extravasation (PIVIE) can cause severe skin and tissue damage. Prompt intervention helps prevent moderate or severe skin tissue damage. In the U.S. PIVIE complications can cost $10,895 versus $7,009 per patient without PIVIE. An Australian ED estimated the annual cost of PIV occlusion/infiltration and dislodgement of $14.01 million Australian dollars.

Quality event reviews demonstrated a staff knowledge deficit of treating extravasations per guidelines. Treatment could be delayed if the Vascular Access Team (VAT) was not available. Education on treatment of IV extravasation was needed to address this practice gap.

PICO(T) Question: In …

Enhancing Disaster Response Through Mental Health Resilience: A Force Field Analysis, Veronica Portillo-Bradford

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Having a post-disaster program in place can offer survivors and emergency responders support, resource navigation, and resiliency planning. Human services workers in the field aid in disaster recovery and crisis prevention. The problem is that rural Nevada is already limited on resources and workforce with respect to mental and behavioral health response and recovery services. The purpose of this study was to identify unknown gaps within mental and behavioral health services in rural and frontier Nevada, in order to focus on advocating to enhance community resilience-related services post-disaster and potentially bolster resilience and disaster response preparedness. The framework for the …

Immunotherapy For Precision Medicine In Colorectal Cancer, Miao Cao, Michael Xu, Zinah Bairmani, Babar Bashir, Scott A. Waldman, Adam E. Snook

Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

INTRODUCTION: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the fourth most common cancer and second leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States. The implementation of CRC screening has decreased CRC incidence in adults older than 65 years. However, among young adults who experience more aggressive disease progression, CRC incidence has been increasing for decades. Immunotherapy represents a collection of innovative and promising approaches with greater efficacy and safety. In this review, we discuss modalities and selected targets of immunotherapies for CRCs that are guided by precision medicine.

AREAS COVERED: The following review focuses on immunological approaches for CRCs, including therapeutic monoclonal …

Empowering Tomorrow’S Lawyers In The Age Of Ai: The Nyls Approach, Jennifer Bancamper

NYLS Community News

No abstract provided.

Species Delineation, Phylogeography And Conservation Of Temperate Perches (Actinopterygii: Percichthyidae) From An Endemism And Climate Change Hotspot, Michael P. Hammer, David L. Morgan, Stephen J. Beatty, Mark G. Allen, Peter J. Unmack, Sean J. Buckley, Luciano B. Beheregaray, Jon Murphy, Mark Adams

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Context: The south-western corner of Australia is a biodiversity hotspot that includes a freshwater fauna with a high proportion of endemic species. The temperate perches comprise nearly half of the obligate freshwater fishes of the region, representing important components of local ecosystems and are of significant conservation concern. Aims: Provide a spatially comprehensive molecular genetic assessment of species boundaries and major substructure for all local members of the family to better understand the interplay of ecology and environment across a common landscape. Methods: Nuclear markers (allozymes) and matrilineal (cytb) datasets were generated to infer genetic groupings and any instances of …

Comparative Neurobiology Of Vigilance And Stress Adaptation Systems In Wild And Laboratory Rodents (Rattus Norvegicus), Molly Kent, Brendan Crockett, Aditya Narayanan, Isabel Dilandro, Andrés Mauco, Gabriella Handford, Paean Luby, Troy Richter, Jonatahn Richardson, Olivia Harding, Joanna Jacob, Sarah Hartvigsen, Kelly Lambert

Psychology Faculty Publications

Although chronic stress is typically associated with disease and negative outcomes, wild animals often survive—and even thrive—in environments marked by recurring threats. In this study, we investigated neurobiological differences in vigilance-associated and stress-coping systems, as well as resilience, in wild and laboratory-bred rats (Rattus norvegicus) to explore potential survival-related adaptations in wild populations. Consistent with previous findings, wild rats exposed to chronic environmental stressors exhibited heightened hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity, evidenced by enlarged adrenal glands and elevated fecal metabolites of glucocorticoids. Brains were processed using thionin staining for neural and glial cell counts and immunohistochemistry for immunoreactive targets. Wild …

Roots Of Justice: A History Of Race And Racism In Nebraska, Kevin Abourezk, M. Dewayne Mays, Paul Olson, Gabriel Bruguier, Preston Love Jr., Adam Fletcher Sasse, Heather Fryer, J.S. Onésimo (Ness) Sándoval, Sharon Ishii-Jordan, Emira Ibrahimpašić, Julia Reilly

Zea E-Books Collection

There is much to understand about the history of Nebraska and how the past shapes the present. This book attempts to bring into clearer focus the triumphs and trials of five broad groups whose lives have often been overlooked when the state’s history is told. The authors know some of this history of racism firsthand: Most of them have lived as people of color in Nebraska. They’ve experienced “the good, the bad and the ugly” that makes up our state story. We encourage educators, scholars and family historians to continue to dig, to document and to tell these stories. And …

Associations Between Individual And Structural Level Discrimination And Psychological And Physiological Stress Indicators During Pregnancy, Özlü Aran, Melissa Nevarez-Brewster, Kimberly D'Anna-Hernandez, Julia Dmitrieva, Curt A. Sandman, Laura M. Glynn, Elysia Poggi Davis

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

In the United States (U.S.) pervasive health disparities in prenatal care disproportionately impact marginalized individuals. The present study investigates whether discrimination at the individual and structural levels are associated with indicators of psychological and physiological stress among pregnant Latinx people living in the U.S., including both U.S. and foreign-born individuals. Pregnant participants (n = 109) reported on birthplace, lifetime experiences of racial and ethnic discrimination, perceived levels of stress, acculturation, social support, and provided residential address data and hair samples for cortisol analysis. Regression analysis revealed that individual level discrimination was linked to higher psychological stress during pregnancy ( …

The Rider (2025-09-22), Daniela Martinez Salazar

The Rider Archives

Vol. 11, No. 4

Qualitative Content Analysis: A Step-By-Step Guide For Beginners To The Method, Theories, Epistemology, Ontology, And Rigour, Ingela Bohm, Joachim Sundqvist

The Qualitative Report

Qualitative content analysis (QCA) is a flexible method of analysis, applicable within many epistemologies and on many kinds of data. This makes it suitable as a general introduction to qualitative methods, but students and other beginners sometimes have trouble grasping the associated concepts and ways of thinking. To facilitate their first foray into this new territory, we propose a five-step process of QCA that does not presuppose any foreknowledge of concepts such as levels of abstraction or what coding and categorizing can look like in practice. In our step-by-step guide, we also depart from some staples of QCA, such as …

Chinese Prostitution Policies From 1949 To 2024 : An Analysis From The Perspectives Of Marxism, Political Economy, Cultural Citizenship, And Feminism, Ning He

Lingnan Theses (MPhil & PhD)

Existing scholarship on Chinese prostitution control largely focuses on limited historical periods, legal regulations, or single theoretical perspectives, leaving a gap in understanding how Chinese prostitution policies have evolved from a historical perspective across the entire post-1949 era. This study aims to fill this gap by addressing four research questions: (a) What were the main changes in Chinese prostitution policies from 1949 to 2024? (b) How far can the four approaches (Marxism, political economy, cultural citizenship, feminism) effectively explain the nature of Chinese prostitution policies in different periods? (c) What are the main factors shaping Chinese prostitution policies in different …

Robust Detection Of Watermarks For Large Language Models Under Human Edits, Xiang Li, Feng Ruan, Huiyuan Wang, Qi Long, Weijie J Su

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Watermarking has offered an effective approach to distinguishing text generated by large language models (LLMs) from human-written text. However, the pervasive presence of human edits on LLM-generated text dilutes watermark signals, thereby significantly degrading detection performance of existing methods. In this paper, by modeling human edits through mixture model detection, we introduce a new method in the form of a truncated goodness-of-fit test for detecting watermarked text under human edits, which we refer to as Tr-GoF. We prove that the Tr-GoF test achieves optimality in robust detection of the Gumbel-max watermark in a certain asymptotic regime of substantial text modifications …

Impacts Of The Conductive Networks On Solid-State Battery Operation, Shimao Deng, Yixian Wang, Tianxiao Sun, Wenlong Li, Mingyuan Ge, Jian Wang, Peter Cloetens, Piero Pianetta, David Mitlin, Yijin Liu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The micromorphology of composite cathodes is known to play a vital role in determining all‐solid‐state battery (ASSB) performance. However, much of our current understanding is derived from empirical observations, lacking a deeper mechanistic foundation. The “rocking chair” concept of battery chemistry requires maintaining charge neutrality, emphasizing the necessity of examining electrode micromorphology from the perspective of conductive networks. This study systematically investigates the microscopic electrochemical impacts of conductive network micromorphology by varying the Li+‐to‐e− channel ratio in cathodes comprising LiNbO3‐coated LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2, Li6PS5Cl, and carbon fibers. Utilizing multiscale synchrotron‐based spectro‐microscopy, we unravel that unbalanced Li+ and e− conducting channels intensify charge …

Unvaccinated By Doubt: How Covid-19 Governance Sparked A Measles Outbreak, Ellen Black

Law Faculty Scholarship

This Article examines how the erosion of public trust in government and public health institutions during the COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to the resurgence of measles in the United States. It argues that pandemic-era governance—marked by inconsistent scientific messaging, politically charged public health mandates, and the federal government’s coordination with social media platforms to suppress dissenting viewpoints—generated widespread skepticism that continues to undermine vaccination uptake. Through a detailed analysis of lockdown policies, vaccine and mask mandates, and the subsequent revelations regarding governmental influence over online content moderation, the Article demonstrates how conflicting guidance and perceived censorship fostered long-lasting public doubt. …