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Ud In The News June 7-13, University Of Dayton

News Releases

Sociologist Art Jipson and education law expert Charles Russo contributed to The Conversation and School Business Now, respectively. Regional and local media highlighted UD research, the Greater West Dayton Incubator and onMain.

Utilizing Spatial Criteria To High-Grade Wyoming Eor Opportunities Along Proposed Pipeline Corridors: A Value Driven Approach, Jack Borski

Geography and the Environment: Graduate Student Capstones

Oil and gas development has played a critical role in human civilization, and continues to bring drive economies around the world. One such economy is the state of Wyoming that has seen oil and gas production generally decline of the last several decades due to the depletion of high volume conventional reservoirs. A proven secondary technique such as CO2 enhanced oil recovery (EOR) may serve as a method to arrest declining production, and increase economic activity. Wyoming has recognized this opportunity, and has attempted decrease the barriers of entry for oil and gas operators to invest in field-level CO2 EOR …

Global Patterns Of Genetic Diversity And Species Delimitation In The Lichen-Forming Fungus Cladia Aggregata: A Restriction Site Associated Dna Sequencing (Rad-Seq) Analysis Across Neotropical, Australasian, And Asian Populations, John De Abreu

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Cladia aggregata is a group of lichen-forming fungi comprising multiple species which are difficult to differentiate. C. aggregata has a wide distribution on several different continents but is primarily found in the southern hemisphere. We aimed to further delimit the species complex while also investigating the relatedness of the different species, where they can be found geographically, and what phenotypic traits they possess. We used Restriction Site Associated DNA Sequencing (RAD-seq) to compare thousands of loci across 91 individuals from the Americas, Asia, and Australasia. All Asian samples formed a distinct clade in all phylogenetic trees. Asia, as a distinct …

Mental Healthcare For Us: Examining Awareness Of, Barriers To, And Recommendations For Mental Healthcare Among Immigrant-Origin Chinese American Adolescents, Mengxue (Fiona) Sun

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Background. Ethnic minority adolescents face elevated mental health challenges and encounter significant barriers to accessing mental healthcare compared to their non-Hispanic White counterparts. Despite these challenges, limited research has explored culturally responsive mental healthcare for adolescents from specific Asian American communities, and even fewer studies have actively incorporated adolescents' perspectives to inform treatment and policy. This study aimed to examine the experiences of immigrant-origin Chinese American adolescents with mental health and mental healthcare.

Method. Ten immigrant-origin Chinese American adolescents, aged 14 to 17, were recruited through community organizations and participated in semi-structured individual interviews. Open-ended questions focused on …

Enhancing Neuronal Viability: The Protective Role Of 10% Human Cerebrospinal Fluid In Primary Neuronal Cultures, Vineet Arora, Alicia Bernhardt, Alessandro Naopli, Mijail Serruya

Farber Institute for Neuroscience Faculty Papers

Human cerebrospinal fluid (hCSF) is a physiologically rich medium containing neurotrophic factors, signaling molecules, and essential metabolites that support neuronal development, survival, and function. While its neuroprotective properties have been demonstrated in organotypic brain slices and human iPSC-derived models, its application in primary rodent cortical neuron cultures-a foundational system for studying synaptic development and neurodegeneration-remains underexplored. In this study, we systematically evaluated the effects of hCSF supplementation on neuronal viability in primary cortical cultures derived from embryonic day 18 (E18) rat embryos. To determine the optimal concentration, we tested a range of media:hCSF ratios and identified 90:10 (i.e., 10% hCSF) …

Using The Token Economy To Improve Show Rates In An Outpatient/Community Mental Health Clinic, Gertrude Nabila Ndansi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The type of project was a quality improvement intervention. The identified practice problem was limited appointment shows among patients with appointments. Outpatient clinics often struggle with patients not showing up for appointments. Addressing this gap was critical for improving patient outcomes and resource efficiency. The practice problem must be addressed within the context of nursing practice by enhancing access to consistent mental health care and giving patients more timely support, leading to better outcomes and overall wellbeing.

Immobilization Of Bromelain On Fe3O4-Sa/Cs Microspheres And Its Enzymatic Properties, Wang Dan, Geng Lijing, Huang Wei, Fu Hang, Liu Xiaoyu

Food and Machinery

［Objective］ To improve the immobilization technology of bromelain which has poor stability to enhance its utilization,stability,and storage performance.［Methods］ The preparation process of magnetic chitosan/sodium alginate immobilized bromelain (Fe3O4-SA/CS -Br) is optimized by the response surface methodology.The Fe3O4-SA/CS -Br is characterized and its Km value,operational stability,thermal stability,storage stability,and application effectiveness are determined.［Results］ The optimal preparation conditions for Fe3O4-SA/CS -Br are as follows:mchitosan∶msodium alginate ratio of 1∶4,Fe3O4 mass concentration of 10 mg/mL,CaCl2 mass concentration of 32 mg/mL,immobilization time of 106 min,pH value of 7.0,and enzyme mass concentration of 1.0 mg/mL.According to the results from scanning electron microscopy,infrared spectrum,and X -ray diffraction spectrum,the …

Implementation And Evaluation Of A Weight Management Programme For Overweight Or Obese Pregnant Women: A Randomised Controlled Trial, Elahe Banafshe, Nahid Javadifar, Zahra Abbaspoor, Saeed Ghanbari, Majid Karandish

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

Objectives: Obesity is a major health concern, particularly among women of reproductive age. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a psychosocial-based intervention on weight management and pregnancy outcomes in overweight or obese pregnant women. Methods: This randomised controlled trial included overweight or obese pregnant women from healthcare centres affiliated with Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences in Ahvaz, Iran and was conducted from June to December 2023. Participants were randomly assigned to an intervention or control group. The intervention group received a comprehensive weight management programme during pregnancy, while the control group received standard prenatal care. Results …

Il-6 Induces Cd45 Expression On Myeloid Cells, Maryam Ahmed Al Barashdi, Ahlam Ali, Mary Frances Mcmullin, Ken Mills

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

Objectives: Activation of IL-6 facilitates CD45 expression in myeloma cells, but little has been reported for myeloid malignancies. This study aimed to investigate whether IL-6 enhances CD45 expression on myeloid malignancies and whether myeloid cells are dependent on IL-6 activation to express CD45 on their cell membrane. Methods: This study was conducted from January to March 2022 at the Queen's University Belfast, UK. Myeloid cell lines such as HEL and OCI-AML3 which expressed higher levels of CD45, and UT-7 and the pro-B NALM-6 cell lines that had lower CD45 levels as well as primary cells were used. The …

Enhancing Delirium Prediction And Prevention In Elderly Patients Through Machine Learning-Based Analysis, Abdullah M. Al Alawi, Juhaina S. Al Maqbali

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

Objective: This study aimed to identify predictors of delirium within 24 hours of admission in elderly patients using machine learning (ML) models and evaluate their performance. Methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted among patients aged 65 years and older admitted to the general medical unit of Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman, from January 2022 to May 2023. Clinical and demographic data were collected and analysed using 4 ML models: logistic regression, random forest, gradient boosting and support vector machine. Model performance was evaluated using accuracy, precision, recall, F1 score and area under the curve-receiver operating characteristic …

Optimising Healthcare Delivery: Efficiency Analysis Of Oman’S Governorate Hospital Networks, Sultana M. Al-Sabahi, Avinash D. Pinto, Qasem Al-Salmi, Hilal A. Al-Sabti

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of the healthcare facilities in the Oman to guide the decision-making process and benchmarking. Methods: Input-oriented data envelopment analysis (DEA) was used to assess the relative efficiency of governorate hospitals in Oman using 2022 data extracted in December 2023. In the second stage of data analysis, the Tobit model was applied to assess determinants of governorate hospital inefficiency; 3 DEA models were created (staffing, structure and budget). Results: A total of 10 governorate hospitals were included in this study. The efficiency score change was small for the governorate hospitals …

Prognostic Accuracy Of Red Blood Cell Distribution Width In Predicting Mortality Among Acute Pancreatitis Patients: A Systematic Review And Hierarchical Bivariate Meta-Analysis, M.S. Deepthy, K.T. Harichandrakumar, Kalesh M. Karun, Tamilarasu Kadhiravan, N. S. Nair

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

Acute pancreatitis (AP), often requiring hospitalisation, is mild in most cases but severe in approximately 20% of cases. Early severity and mortality risk identification are crucial. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the prognostic utility of red blood cell distribution width (RDW) for predicting mortality in AP. A comprehensive literature search from 1990 to 2023 was conducted across MEDLINE, SCOPUS and ScienceDirect databases along with Google Scholar. Methodological quality of included studies was assessed using the Quality in Prognostic Studies tool. Prognostic accuracy measures were pooled using a bivariate random-effects meta-analysis model, and hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve …

Chest Wall Chondromyxoid Fibroma: A Case Report And Literature Review, Waad Al Farsi, Yaseen Al Lawati, Hilal Al Sabti, Zakiya Al Ajmi, Humaid Al Farii

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

Chondromyxoid fibromas (CMFs) are rare tumours that comprise less than 2% of benign bone tumours; approximately 5-7.9% occur in the ribs. We report a 28-year-old female patient with CMF in the 4th rib that presented to a tertiary care hospital in Muscat, Oman, in 2023. She complained of pain in the right posterior chest wall for 6 months. A chest computed tomography showed posterior 4th rib expansile lesion measuring 3×2 cm without soft tissue involvement. A percutaneous biopsy suggested a diagnosis of chondomyxoid fibroma. The tumour was resected with a free-margin and assistance of video-assisted thoracic surgery approach. The diagnosis …

A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis On The Role Of Somatostatin Therapy In Non-Variceal Gastrointestinal Bleeding, Magnus Chun, Tahne Vongsavath, Sneh Sonaiya, Lily Liu, Kyaw Min Tun, Kavita Batra, Robert G. Gish

Department of Internal Medicine Faculty Research

Background and Aims: Non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding (NVUGIB) is a common cause of hospitalizations, with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) being the mainstay treatment. However, there is a lack of high-level evidence to show if adjunctive medical therapy (somatostatin and its analogs) can improve outcomes. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to evaluate the outcomes of PPIs with adjunctive therapy versus PPI monotherapy in treating NVUGIB in an in-patient setting. Methods: Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist, major databases were systematically searched to retrieve English-only, original studies, published from 1 January 2000 to 31 December …

Clinical Profile Of Patients With Monocular Elevation Deficiency Undergoing Strabismus Surgery, Mohamad Reza Akbari, Babak Masoomian, Elham Azizi, Mohammed Omer Mahmood, Arash Mirmohammadsadeghi, Ali Majdi, Masoud Khorrami-Nejad

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

PURPOSE: To provide a comprehensive evaluation of the visual, refractive, and strabismic characteristics of patients with monocular elevation deficiency (MED) undergoing strabismus surgery.

METHODS: The medical records of patients at a single institution who were diagnosed with and underwent surgery for MED were reviewed retrospectively. Visual acuity, refractive error, angle of deviation, abnormal head posture (AHP), presence of ptosis, prevalence of amblyopia and strabismic patterns were analyzed, with MED eyes compared with fellow eyes.

RESULTS: A total of 105 patients were included. Mean cylindrical refractive error was significantly higher in MED eyes compared with fellow eyes (-1.40 ± 1.70 D …

Exploring The Relationship Between Country Socioeconomic Characteristics And Electronic Waste, Keliiakekaipuka Aria Mccomber

Theses and Dissertations

Electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) is one of the fastest-growing and most hazardous waste streams globally. Despite efforts to improve global e-waste management, 77.7 percent of e-waste remains improperly disposed of, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where environmental and health risks are greatest (Baldé et al., 2024). This study evaluates whether national socioeconomic, cultural, and governmental characteristics can predict three key e-waste outcomes: generation per capita, formal collection rates, and resulting burden per capita. Using data from 2015-2022 for 127 countries, we applied mixed effects models incorporating variables such as GDP, Human Development Index, institutional integrity, financial openness, and …

Between Breaths: Healing And Being, Corina Yu Zhao

Journal of Wellness

Burnout among healthcare professionals is an increasingly recognized crisis, yet pathways to resilience remain underexplored. This narrative chronicles the author’s personal journey from profound exhaustion to self-discovery and renewal. Through the integration of contemplative practices, nature exposure, and mindful nourishment, the author navigated the challenges of residency and emerged with a deeper understanding of well-being. By incorporating Isha Kriya meditation, Surya Kriya yoga, and self-inquiry practices rooted in Advaita Vedanta, the experience evolved into a transformative path of inner resilience. This report highlights the necessity of prioritizing self-care within the medical profession and offers evidence-backed insights into holistic wellness practices, …

We Are Still Here: Intersectional Collaborations In Research, Practice, And Resistance Among Mfp Scholars, Antonia R.G. Alvarez, Sameena Azhar, Tyrone M. Parchment, Judith Perrigo, Anne S. J. Farina, Tania Paredes, Jonathan P. Edwards, Susan Klumpner

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

As Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) scholars, we formed meaningful connections as academics, students, and friends. Throughout this reflective article, we explore the profound impact of our intersectional and critical race-informed scholarship on our professional practice and pedagogy while highlighting the ways that collaborating on this work enriched our journeys as scholars of color. These collaborations have expanded our perspectives and fostered new ways of thinking about the unique health and mental health experiences of ethnoracial communities. Through these partnerships, we have advanced diverse scientific literature and addressed critical gaps within the existing canon of …

Exploring The Effects Of Africana Studies On Black Undergraduate Students: A Qualitative Case Study, Lanaya M. Butler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Particularly in the context of American K-12 schools, education has been manipulated to control—rather than liberate—students through the erasure and distortion of Black history, experiences, perspectives, and capabilities. Additionally, American schools prioritize memorization and obedience while failing to equip students with critical thinking skills. As a result, students are trained to become workers rather than innovators, worldbuilders, and change-makers. For nearly a century, Black educational critics have stated that these systems were designed to subjugate Black community members through dehumanization and enslavement of the mind. These critiques are foundational to the aims of Afrocentric education which posits the life experiences …

Conceptualizing The Explanatory Fully Longitudinal Mixed Methods Case Study Design: A Demonstration With An Arithmetic Education Trial With Kindergarten Children, Menglong Cong

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In employing longitudinal mixed methods designs, researchers have commonly used the fully longitudinal mixed methods design. This has occurred mostly in the health sciences but less in education. The current investigation proposes a novel longitudinal mixed methods research design, explanatory fully longitudinal mixed methods case study design. It demonstrates its potential for addressing research inquiries in educational research using the arithmetic learning trajectories datasets. This study is presented in three components. The first is a quantitative phase, selecting an exploratory case from a previous arithmetic learning trajectories study (Clements et al., 2021) for qualitative analyses based on maximizing the …

Computational Fluid Dynamics And Fluid Structure Interaction Modeling In Healthy Vertebral Arteries: A Comparative Study, Bryce Clinkenbeard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cerebral perfusion is critical for maintaining proper brain function, with each cerebrovascular artery playing an integral role in the overall cerebrovascular system. When these arteries become damaged or develop plaque, cardiovascular disease (CVDs) such as atherosclerosis can arise, leading to conditions like arterial stenosis. While CVDs are most prevalent in older individuals, they are also observed in young adults, particularly those engaged in high-endurance occupations such as military service. Diagnosis and prediction of CVDs often rely on imaging modalities supported by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) which account for low resolution in fluid flow. CFD models assume rigid arterial walls, which …

Supercritical Co2 Technology For Biomass Extraction: Review, Bahare Nozari, Ron Kander

School of Design and Engineering Papers

Supercritical carbon dioxide extraction is increasingly recognized as a green and efficient alternative to conventional solvent-based techniques for valorizing plant biomass. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in a scCO₂ extraction method, focusing on its advantages in isolating high-value compounds from agricultural feedstocks. The unique physicochemical properties of scCO₂, combining gas-like diffusivity with liquid-like solvating power, enable selective extraction under mild and tunable conditions, which preserves the integrity of thermally sensitive molecules. In addition, scCO₂ reduces energy consumption, eliminates toxic solvent residues, and offers greater extraction precision than traditional methods. These features have …

Minority Stressors And Internalizing Symptoms In Sexual And Gender Minority Adolescents: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Anni R. Subar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sexual and gender minority (SGM) adolescents are at elevated risk for internalizing symptoms, such as anxiety and depression, due in part to chronic exposure to minority stress. To provide a comprehensive synthesis of this literature, we conducted a meta-analysis of 32 studies, yielding 162 effect sizes from 41,360 participants aged 8– 22. All included studies examined the association between minority stress, defined as stigma-related stressors such as discrimination, victimization, and internalized stigma, and internalizing outcomes in SGM youth. The random-effects meta-analysis revealed a small but significant association (r = .25) between minority stress and internalizing symptoms, consistent across stressor …

Effects Of Heat Moist Treatment On Γ-Aminobutyric Acid Accumulation , Polyphenol Content , And Antioxidant Activity Of Red Kidney Beans, Zhang Siqi, Zhou Sumei, Hou Dianzhi, Cui Yajun, Wang Li

Food and Machinery

［Objective］ To investigate the effect of heat moist treatment on the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA ) content of different varieties of red kidney beans and to screen out the red kidney bean varieties with the strongest GABA accumulation capacity.At the same time,the changes in phenolic content and antioxidant activity of red kidney beans after heat moist treatment are investigated.［Methods］ This paper determines the GABA content in red kidney beans before and after heat moist treatment by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC ) and conducts correlation analyses of GABA accumulation with free amino acid content and GABA key metabolic enzyme activities in …

Research Progress On Methods For Evaluating The Effect Of Milk Desensitization, Xu Chenyu, Lu Dingqiang, Wang Qian, Li Ming, Wu Wenling, Song Qingwei

Food and Machinery

Food allergies are becoming an increasingly serious issue,and milk,as one of the major allergens,severely affects the daily lives of individuals with allergies.This article reviews the recent research progress on methods for assessing the desensitization of milk allergenicity from the perspectives of protein structural changes,IgE/IgG binding capacity,animal sensitization models,in vitro digestion models,and cell degranulation assays.It also looks forward to the future directions of research on methods for evaluating the effectiveness of milk desensitization.

When Electrification Meets Reindustrialization: The First Eu Green Electric Vehicle Subsidies And The Wto Consistency, Mandy Meng Fang

Duke Journal of Comparative & International Law

The French Government recently reformed the "Ecological Bonus" scheme, which has generously supported its domestic consumers in purchasing electric vehicles ("EVs"), by introducing a new criterion based on the amount of carbon emitted in the vehicle's manufacturing. Starting in 2024, the scheme strictly sets the production carbon footprint ceiling at 14.75 tons of CO2, effectively denying the subsidy eligibility of more than one-third of EVs sold in France. Other European Union ("EU") Member States, including Italy, have considered taking similar policy actions. Criticized as the French version of the discriminatory United States Inflation Reduction Act, the new Ecological Bonus scheme …

Countering The Demand Side Of Foreign Bribery: An Analysis Of The Foreign Extortion Prevention Act, Noah Buyon

Duke Journal of Comparative & International Law

The United States has long criminalized bribery of foreign officials but not bribery by foreign officials. Under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act ("FCPA"), an American may be criminally liable for paying a bribe to another country's official, but the official commits no corresponding crime. The official might face criminal charges if they launder the proceeds of the bribe through the United States and could find themselves the target of Executive Branch sanctions for their corrupt behavior. But until 2023, the United States largely left the official's punishment, if any, to the official's home country. Then, Congress passed the Foreign Extortion …

The Shōnen Apocalypse: An Analysis Of The Shōnen Power System And Its Narrative Functions, Mario Da Silva Melo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

My thesis has two primary goals. First, it provides an overview of the history of manga as a medium, and manga studies as a field. In doing so, I observe a lack of terminological and methodological specificity. As a result, I provide a formalist approach to thematic criticism in order to address the above issues. Second, my thesis primarily centers on shōnen power systems and their narrative functions. Power systems are "magic rules" that determine how superhuman abilities mechanically function. I identify two main power systems in shōnen manga: spiritual manipulation and transformations. My thesis posits that shōnen manga authors …

The Embodiment And Experiences Of Gender Euphoria Among Transgender And Nonbinary Communities: A Mixed Methods Inquiry, Brendon T. Holloway

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Gender euphoria is a critical aspect of embodiment for transgender and nonbinary (TNB) people that has long been overshadowed in academic research by deficit narratives and gender dysphoria. While gender dysphoria is the distress an individual may experience related to their gender, gender euphoria encapsulates the positive emotions a TNB person may experience because of positive gendered experiences. Despite community documentations of gender euphoria since the 1970s, academic research on gender euphoria has only recently begun to emerge. This three-paper dissertation advances this body of scholarship by exploring how gender euphoria is conceptualized, experienced, and embodied in TNB communities. Utilizing …

Excellence Gaps: A State-Based Review Of Policies, Jonathan M. Jennings

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates how state education policies address excellence gaps among student subgroups in gifted education. Using a multiple case study design, it examines the policy mechanisms, identification practices, and funding models employed across states to promote equity in advanced academic access. Grounded in critical policy analysis, the study highlights systemic disparities perpetuated by inconsistent definitions, underfunding, and limited accountability structures. Findings reveal that while some states adopt promising interventions - such as universal screening and dual enrollment support - many fall short in ensuring sustainable, inclusive practices. This research calls for reform grounded in transparency, comparability, and justice for …