Digital Commons Network^™

Suppression For The Sake Of Democracy: Brazil’S Judiciary And The Fight To Control The Internet, Isaiah Hinton

Maryland Journal of International Law

No abstract provided.

Native Hawaiians And Environmental Stewardship: Reclaiming The ‘Āina In The Face Of A Western System, Lauren Wiederkehr

Maryland Journal of International Law

No abstract provided.

Diffusion Model For Medical Image Denoising, Reconstruction And Translation, Wei Wang, Shuo Li

Faculty Scholarship

Diffusion models, as a class of generative models, have demonstrated significant performance in image generation since their inception. The fundamental principle behind diffusion models is the definition of a forward process and a reverse process. The input data is progressively perturbed by adding random noise during the forward process, and the expected noise distribution is learned. In the reverse process, noise is gradually reduced from a Gaussian distribution to generate the image. Recently, diffusion models have been widely adopted in various image processing tasks, including text-to-image synthesis, denoising, segmentation, and object detection. In medical image analysis, diffusion models have shown …

Shutdowns And Startups: How Covid-19 Policies Shaped Entrepreneurial Trends Across U.S. States, Mia Sideris

Business and Economics Summer Fellows

The COVID-19 pandemic had an unprecedented impact on the US economy. Severe restrictions were placed on nearly every state, culminating with the declaration of a national emergency in March 2020. The intent of these restrictions was to safeguard public health, while unintentionally imposing operational burdens on businesses. This paper explores how heterogeneity in state level policy responses influenced entrepreneurial activity. Using the synthetic control method and data on mandated workplace closures, we estimate the impact of these actions on business applications per capita in the state of South Carolina, which was late to impose these measures. We find that if …

Allied Health Student's Attitudes And Beliefs On Health Literacy Issues Focused On The Non-Native English-Speaking Community, Amy I. Thompson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

Today's allied health students and their professors are faced with many challenges, including the low level of health literacy among the United States population. Healthy People 2020 defined health literacy as “the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions” (Healthy People 2030). This definition was expanded in Healthy People 2030, to include concepts related to personal and organizational health literacy. Social determinates, such as a language barrier, further complicates an already complex situation with health literacy levels. This focus group, interview-based qualitative …

Exploring Physician Associates’ Perceptions Of Motivational Interviewing: A Phenomenological Study, Thaddeus Riley

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

Longer lifespans across the population are contributing to a rise in chronic illnesses that require ongoing treatment. This increase has furthered the need for evidence-based clinical tools to effectively treat long-term diseases. Motivational Interviewing (MI) is an evidence-based method used by physicians and other healthcare practitioners, including physician associates (PAs), to help patients facilitate health behavior changes. PAs are licensed, highly trained healthcare professionals who practice medicine across all specialties and settings. PAs focus on patient-centered, team-based care and play a key role in expanding access to healthcare and improving overall health outcomes (AAPA, 2023b). While MI’s efficacy has been …

Cognitive Fatigue Assessment For Human-Robot Collaboration: Review & Open Challenges, Manizheh Zand, Sally Wood, Fatemeh Davoudi Kakhki, Maria Kyrarini

General Engineering

As Human Robot Collaboration (HRC) technologies continue to advance, robots are increasingly being deployed to assist in various settings, including manufacturing, healthcare, and home environments. A critical aspect of designing safe and adaptable HRC systems is the ability to assess and monitor an individual’s Cognitive Fatigue (CF) during interactions with robots. This is especially important in ensuring safe and effective environments, as fluctuations in CF can affect both performance and safety. Although prior research has explored cognitive workload and fatigue, a significant gap exists in understanding how to effectively measure and manage CF in real-time during HRC. This paper reviews …

Tailoring Hiv/Aids Communication To The Cultural Contexts Of The Borana Pastoral Community In Ethiopia, Dano Olana, Sabihah Moola

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

The HIV/AIDS health communication approach in sub-Saharan Africa has often overlooked sociocultural specificities. The current approach follows a generalist notion that does not consider the specific contextual domains accordingly. Similarly, the cultural appropriateness of HIV/AIDS health communication among the Borana pastoral community in Ethiopia is not clear. In this study, we aimed to explore whether HIV/AIDS communication among the Borana pastoral community was tailored to the cultural contexts of the community. A qualitative case study was used to unpack the cultural communication contexts for HIV/AIDS. We collected data using three methods, namely, in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and document analysis …

Effect Of Margin Thickness And Cement Gap On The Fabrication And Fit Accuracy Of Additively Manufactured Crowns In Definitive Resins With Different Filler Content, Mustafa Borga Dönmez, Gülce Çakmak, Çiğdem Kahveci, Amir H. Nejat, Burak Yilmaz, Pinar Altinci

School of Dentistry Faculty Publications

PURPOSE: To evaluate how commercially available composite resins in varying filler content affect the fabrication and fit accuracy (trueness and precision) of additively manufactured (AM) definitive crowns with different margin thickness and cement gaps by comparing them to subtractively manufactured (SM) polymer-infiltrated ceramic crowns. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two identical unprepared mandibular right first molars were prepared by an experienced prosthodontist for crowns with either 0.5 mm or 1.0 mm chamfer margins, verified using silicone indexes and a periodontal probe, and then digitized with an industrial-grade scanner. These scan files were used to design reference crowns with either 50-µm or 80-µm …

Patient-Centered, Theory-Based, Online Intervention To Promote A Physically Active Lifestyle For People With Multiple Sclerosis: Protocol For A Randomized Controlled Trial, Chungyi Chiu, Vaishnavi Sridharan, Mojtaba Khaliji, Md Refat Uz Zaman Sajib, Xiaotian Gao, Kathleen Zackowski

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Background: People with multiple sclerosis (MS) experience life challenges due to the nature of disease progression. Although an active lifestyle has been shown effective for symptom and relapse management, most people with MS lead a sedentary lifestyle and do not reach the recommended physical activity (PA) guidelines.

Objective: This study aims to test the preliminary efficacy of a codeveloped, online self-management intervention based on the health action process approach (HAPA) adapted for people with MS to cultivate a physically active lifestyle.

Methods: The 8-week intervention program was developed using community-based participatory research based on the HAPA. The program includes increasing …

A Series Of Successful Emergency Department Thoracotomies With Expeditious Recovery, Jessica A. Nicholson, Mahmoud K. Abd-El-Hafez, Andrew G. Nicholson, Tanya J.T. Starr, Celeste Murtha, Mark J. Lieser, John M. Chipko

Student Publications

Resuscitative thoracotomy is an invasive, morbid procedure indicated in the emergent management of blunt or penetrating trauma to the chest. It allows for rapid access to the thoracic cavity and treatment of the underlying pathology. Survival following traumatic cardiac injury relies on a near-impeccable combination of rapid assessment by properly trained emergency medical services personnel, rapid transport to a capable emergency center, accelerated access to the thoracic cavity within 10 min of cardiopulmonary resuscitation initiation, and excellent perioperative resuscitation. Overall survival rate following resuscitative thoracotomy in the United States is 9.6%. In addition, not all who survive make an acceptable …

Engaging Trusted Messengers In Public Health Response: Key Strategies To Building Community Trust Among Cdc’S Prevention Research Center’S Vaccine Confidence Network, Emily Stiehl, Amy Borg, John P Cullen, Anaïs Mendiola, Olivia Dominguez, Danielle Pester, Shan Qiao, Pooja Gandhi, Nicole Kuiper, Princilla Minkah, Shekwonya Samuel, Stephen Flores, Richard Quartarone, Grace W Ryan, Paula Cuccaro, Maria E Fernández, Sage Kim

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

As part of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Prevention Research Center (PRC) Vaccine Confidence Network (PRC VCN), 26 academic institutions were funded to increase COVID-19 vaccine confidence and uptake in their communities. Six sites (in communities located in Alabama, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, South Carolina, and Texas) formed a workgroup to identify emergent themes, and share challenges and opportunities across projects. This essay describes their efforts to engage trusted messengers in vaccine activities, and discusses strategies to develop and sustain these types of partnerships in the future. All sites recruited trusted messengers with strong community relationships to engage …

Effects Of Dietary Supplementation With Codium Fragile And Fennel Essential Oil On Growth, Enzyme Activity, And Hepatopancreas Histology In Juvenile Narrow-Clawed Crayfish (Pontastacus Leptodactylus Eschscholtz, 1823), Yavuz Mazlum, Meti̇n Yazici, Şehri̇ban Çek, Mehmet Naz, Musa Türkmen, Oğuz Yaşar Uzunmehmetoğlu, Kemal Dede

Turkish Journal of Zoology

This study investigated the impact of different levels of Codium fragile macroalgae (CF) dietary supplementation combined with a fixed concentration of 0.05% fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill. var. dulce Mill.) essential oil (FO) on the growth performance, enzyme activity, and hepatopancreas histological changes of juvenile narrow-clawed crayfish Pontastacus leptodactylus (initial average weight = 0.25 ± 0.04 g). A 90-day feeding trial was conducted using four experimental groups: CF + FO (control), 1% CF + FO, 2% CF + FO, and 4% CF + FO. The essential oil yield obtained from the fennel seeds was 2.4%. Anethole was the most abundant component …

Monitoring And Control Of Red Palm Weevil Infestation Using Iot Technology, Harun Çi̇men, İbrahi̇m Çakmak, Mustapha Touray, Selçuk Hazir

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Palms are slow-growing arboreal monocots predominantly distributed across warm regions and are frequently incorporated into parks, gardens, and roadsides. The red palm weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus, is a highly destructive invasive insect that threatens palms. This field study investigated the effectiveness of a seismic sensor system to detect R. ferrugineus larvae on palm trees in the İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Culture Park. This park is home to a diverse collection of palm species, including Washingtonia sp. and Phoenix dactylifera. Seismic sensors were attached to the trunks of palm trees to detect the vibrations caused by feeding R. ferrugineus larvae and calibrated to …

Risk Factors For In-Stent Stenosis After Flow-Diverter Implantation For Intracranial Aneurysm: A Single Center Analysis Of 161 Consecutive Patients, Rabab Alshahrani, Spyridon Karadimas, Mohammed Ali Alvi, Patrick Joseph Nicholson, Timo Krings

Department of Neurosurgery Faculty Papers

INTRODUCTION: Flow diverters (FD) are used for the treatment of intracranial aneurysms, by redirecting flow and serving as a scaffold for endothelial coverage of the aneurysm ostium. However, in-stent stenosis has been observed in some patients treated with these devices, the cause of which and the epidemiology remaining elusive. In the current study we aimed to elucidate potential factors leading to higher degree of in-stent stenosis including gender, location, and type of FD.

METHODS: The authors queried their institutional Electronic Health Record (EHR) for all patients undergoing FD for intracranial saccular aneurysms. We excluded cases where an FD was performed …

July 17, 2025 Minutes, Swosu Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Minutes

No abstract provided.

Effective Communication Strategies For Behavioral Health Leaders In A Telework Setting, Belinda Preston-Cash

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

See attached

Spatiotemporal Responses To A Rural Highway By Four Mammal Species, Caitlin K. Brett, Anna Rose Mehner, John H. Young Jr., Sarah E. Lehnen, Richard J. Kline

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Roads can negatively impact the wildlife communities they transect. Road mortalities from wildlife-vehicle collisions are one direct effect, but roads may also indirectly affect wildlife behavior, movement, or local distribution. Quantifying the spatial extent of these road-effects is important for understanding how roads indirectly affect species of concern, identifying potential sources of disturbance, and for estimating the effectiveness of road mitigation structures. Farm-to-Market Road (FM)106, which transects part of the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge in Cameron County, Texas, has been identified as a potential source of wildlife road mortalities, particularly for one of the two remaining breeding populations of …

A Rapid Method For Identifying Plant Oxidative Stress And Implications For Riparian Vegetation Management, Mizanur Rahman, Takashi Asaeda, Kiyotaka Fukahori, Md Harun Rashid, Hideo Kawashima, Junichi Akimoto, Refah Tabassoom Anta

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Native and invasive plants of the riverain region undergo a range of environmental stresses that result in excess reactive oxygen species (ROS). Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a relatively stable and quickly quantifiable way among different ROS. The herbaceous species including Artemisia princeps, Sicyos angulatus, and Solidago altissima were selected. The H2O2 and photosynthetic pigment of leaves were measured, soil samples were analyzed to quantify macronutrients such as total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), and soil moisture, and photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) was also recorded at different observed sites of Arakawa Tarouemon, Japan. The H2O2 concentration of S. altissima significantly …

“Rj Is About Learning How To Be Together”: A Qualitative Study Of School-Based Restorative Justice And Pandemic Recovery, Annmary S. Abdou, Ashley M. Mayworm

Education Faculty Articles and Research

The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted educational landscapes by disrupting instructional modalities, widening equity gaps, and accelerating the mental health needs of students and educators. This qualitative study explores the perspectives of school-based restorative justice (RJ) practitioners as they navigated challenges and opportunities during the pandemic and reflected on its potential role in recovery efforts. Through a participatory action research (PAR) process, survey data were collected from RJ practitioners and leaders across diverse educational settings to examine (1) the impact of the pandemic on RJ implementation, (2) the priorities of educators in pandemic recovery, and (3) the role RJ can …

First National Study On Genomic Profiling Of Escherichia Coli In United Arab Emirates (Uae) Aquatic Environments Shows Diverse Quinolone And Cephalosporin Resistance, A. Papadopoulou, C. A. Moubareck, D. Ryder, A. L. Powell, M. Stone, A. W. Joseph, M. A. Khan, E. Light, D. W. Verner-Jeffreys, J. H. Stahl, W. J.F. Le Quesne

All Works

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a serious threat to human, animal and plant health, and over recent years the role of the aquatic environment as a hotspot and dissemination route for resistant bacteria has been increasingly recognised. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has identified AMR as a critical area of concern; however, limited studies have been conducted regarding the presence of AMR in aquatic environments in the region. This study addresses this gap by conducting a national surveillance to better understand the prevalence of aquatic AMR. We investigated the phenotypic and genotypic resistances in Escherichia coli (E. coli) isolates (n= 256) …

Association Between Antioxidant Defense Systems And Celiac Disease, Saad Kadhim Taher Yahya

Hilla University College Journal For Medical Science

Background: Intake of gluten activates the immune system in CD patients resulting in tissue damage to their digestive system.

Objectives: The oxidative stress status as well as antioxidant defense mechanisms in persons with CD and non-CD individuals while evaluating gluten-free dietary impact.

Methods: A total of 100 CD patients along with 100 healthy participants received inclusion for this study. The laboratory analysis determined oxidative stress through MDA, AOPP, and 8-OHdG examinations of bloodstream markers. The study measured antioxidant defenses using FRAP and TEAC techniques to examine SOD, CAT, GPx, and TAC. Tissue examination and blood tests were used to measure …

The Prevalence And Correlates Of Aberrant Opioid-Related Behaviours Among Patients With Sickle Cell Disease In Oman: A Cross-Sectional Study, Abdullah Al Abulsalam, Khawla Al Kindi, Abdullah Al Ghailani, Hamed Al Sinawi, Naser Al Balushi, Salam Al Kindi, Sathiya P. Murthi, Amal Al Fahdi, Mohammed Al Alawi

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of aberrant opioid-related behaviours (AORB) among patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) in Oman and identify associated risk factors. Methods: This cross-sectional analytical study was conducted at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman from June to December 2022. Patients with SCD aging 18–65 years old were included and clinically observed for more than 3 months. The Current Opioid Misuse Measure (COMM) was used to evaluate AORB with scores of ≥9 indicating high risk. Demographic and clinical data were collected. The association between AORB and clinical-demographic variables was examined using the Chi-square test. …

Haljamar Realty Corp. V. Mizrachi

All Decisions

In this nonpayment case, the court awarded the tenants a substantial rent abatement of over $76, 000 for the landlord's breach of the warranty of habitability. The tenants successfully proved the existence of numerous conditions, including leaks, mold, and defective surfaces, using HPD violations and trial testimony. While the landlord was granted a final money judgment for the remaining arrears, the court significantly reduced the amount owed. The decision underscores the importance of a fact-based defense in abatement cases to meet the preponderance of the evidence standard.

Nrg Oncology Liver Proton Sbrt And Hypofractionated Radiation Therapy: Current Treatment Technical Assessment And Practice Patterns, Minglei Kang, Paige A Taylor, Jiajian Shen, Jun Zhou, Jatinder Saini, Theodore S Hong, Kristin Higgins, Wei Liu, Ying Xiao, Charles B Simone, Liyong Lin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Efficacy Of A Novel Bcl-Xl Degrader, Dt2216, In Preclinical Models Of Jak2-Mutated Post-Mpn Aml, Zhe Wang, Anna Skwarska, Gowri Poigaialwar, Sovira Chaudhry, Alba Rodriguez-Meira, Pinpin Sui, Emmanuel Olivier, Yannan Jia, Varun Gupta, Warren Fiskus, Cassandra L Ramage, Guangrong Zheng, Alexandra Schurer, Kira Gritsman, Eirini P Papapetrou, Kapil Bhalla, Daohong Zhou, Adam J Mead, Raajit K Rampal, Jeffrey W Tyner, Hussein A Abbas, Naveen Pemmaraju, Qi Zhang Tatarata, Marina Konopleva

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) that evolves from myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) is known as post-MPN AML. Current treatments do not significantly extend survival beyond 12 months. B-cell lymphoma-extra large (BCL-xL) has been found to be overexpressed in leucocytes from patients with MPN, making it a potential therapeutic target. We investigated the role of BCL-xL in post-MPN AML and tested the efficacy of DT2216, a platelet-sparing BCL-xL proteolysis-targeting chimera, in preclinical models of post-MPN AML. We found that BCL2L1, the gene encoding BCL-xL, is expressed at higher levels in patients with post-MPN AML than in those with de novo AML. Single-cell multiomics …

Comparative Mitogenomics Of Clitellata Reveals Mitogenome Organization Can Affect The Mode Of Phylogeny, Deni̇z Mercan, Austin Horenkamp, Merve Nur Aydemi̇r, Habeş Bi̇lal Aydemi̇r, Kurt Neubig, Nai̇me Arslan, Frank E. Anderson

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Clitellata is a major clade of Annelida that includes almost all freshwater and terrestrial annelids as well as many marine species. Aquatic oligochaetes include the union of the two multispecies families: Naididae and Tubificidae. There has been much debate regarding the phylogeny and classification of the cosmopolitan and diverse Naididae. In this study, the total mitogenome sequences of Potamothrix hammoniensis (Naididae: Tubificinae), Stylaria fossularis, Stylaria lacustris, Chaetogaster diaphanus, Chaetogaster diaphanus sp. B, and Slavina appendiculata (Naididae: Naidinae) were sequenced and characterized and can be accessed from NCBI under accession numbers OQ654101, PP909790, PP909791, PP909792, PP909793, and PP893275, respectively. For comparative …

Bridging The Mind And Body: Functional Neurologic Symptom Disorder Following Sexual Trauma In An Adolescent Girl, Ariel E. Sosa Gomez, Daniel Gutierrez

School of Medicine Publications

Functional neurologic symptom disorder (FNSD) is a multifaceted condition that can present with neurologic symptoms inconsistent with recognized neurological disease, often in the context of psychosocial stressors, though these are not required for diagnosis. We report the case of a 12-year-old Hispanic female who developed episodes of limb paralysis, motor unresponsiveness, and self-injurious behaviors following a history of sexual abuse by a family member. Despite the initial absence of depressive symptoms, the patient later met criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Her neurological symptoms lacked identifiable medical findings, following unremarkable results from comprehensive blood work, …

Amicus Curiae Brief Of Law Professors In Support Of Plaintiffs-Appellees, Jeffrey Lubbers

Amicus Briefs & Court Filings

No abstract provided.

The Response Of Mitochondrial Position To Glucose Stimulation In The Min6 Model System, Luis Perez

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

The compartmentalization of eukaryotic cells into membrane-bound organelles with specific subcellular positioning enables precise spatial and temporal control of cellular functions. While functionally significant mitochondrial localization has been demonstrated in cells such as neurons, it remains unclear how general these cell principles are. Here, we examine the spatial organization of mitochondria within MIN6 pancreatic beta cells under variable glucose conditions. We observe glucose-dependent redistributions of mitochondria, favoring peripheral localization at elevated glucose levels when insulin secretion is also elevated. Our results suggest that active mitochondrial transport along microtubules and calcium activity, but not ATP synthesis, are critical regulators of this …