Digital Commons Network^™

Developing And Validating A Measure For Recovery Motives, Julia Anglin

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

“Workplace Recovery” refers to the replenishment of workers' energetic resources which is an important process for bettering workers’ personal lives and their organization. Regularly engaging in workplace recovery has significant benefits for work and home domains. Yet, there has been little to no research on what motivates employees on an individual level to participate in recovery behaviors. The present study identified individual motivations to engage in recovery through interviews. Responses were used to create a Motives for Recovery scale which was then validated in a survey study. Three common motivational themes were identified; self-regulation, social and personal development, and externally …

The Impact Of Teaching Residency Programs On Burnout In Urban Schools, Jessica Ghazi

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This doctoral research investigates burnout of urban educators in a large southeastern district for a mixed methods study. Research questions one and two investigate demographic and organizational variables to determine if they are predictors of burnout or any of the three subcomponents, respectively. In research question three, teaching residencies were explored to determine if they provide appropriate preparation for teaching in urban schools which can limit burnout of educators. Variable data was collected through surveys and analyzed quantitatively of a sample of 69 urban teachers across 12 schools. For research question four, a subsample of teachers participated in focus groups …

Meteorological Data Mining And Synthesis For Supplementing On-Site Data For Regulatory Compliance, Ben Sonpon, Shoaib Usman, Joseph Smith, Sarah Kovaleski, Jason Wibbenmeyer

Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Many regulatory requirements add significant delay in the licensing of new nuclear power stations. One area of particular interest is the environmental impact of potential atmospheric release. the purpose of this research is to demonstrate effectiveness of meteorological data mining and synthesis from offsite locations to reduce need for onsite data, hence allowing rapid licensing. the automated procedures tested for data mining and extraction of meteorological data from multiple offsite sources and the data analytic tool developed for data fusion are presented here. Three important meteorological parameters from regulatory compliance are considered for this analysis: wind velocity, wind direction, and …

Peptidomics Analysis Of In Vitro Digested Wheat Breads: Effect Of Genotype And Environment On Protein Digestibility And Release Of Celiac Disease And Wheat Allergy Related Epitopes, Mélanie Lavoignat, Angéla Juhász, Utpal Bose, Thierry Sayd, Christophe Chambon, Miguel Ribeiro, Gilberto Igrejas, Sébastien Déjean, Catherine Ravel, Emmanuelle Bancel

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Wheat proteins can trigger immunogenic reactions due to their resistance to digestion and immunostimulatory epitopes. Here, we investigated the peptidomic map of partially digested bread samples and the fingerprint of epitope diversity from 16 wheat genotypes grown in two environmental conditions. Flour protein content and composition were characterized; gastric and jejunal peptides were quantified using LC-MS/MS, and genotypes were classified into high or low bread protein digestibility. Differences in flour protein content and peptide composition distinguish high from low digestibility genotypes in both growing environments. No common peptide signature was found between high- and low-digestible genotypes; however, the celiac or …

Adopting A Systems-Thinking Approach To Optimise Dietary And Exercise Referral Practices For Cancer Survivors, Ria Joseph, Nicolas H. Hart, Natalie Bradford, Fiona Crawford-Williams, Matthew P. Wallen, Reegan Knowles, Chad Y. Han, Vivienne Milch, Justin J. Holland, Raymond J. Chan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: Service referrals are required for cancer survivors to access specialist dietary and exercise support. Many system-level factors influence referral practices within the healthcare system. Hence, the aim of this study was to identify system-level factors and their interconnectedness, as well as strategies for optimising dietary and exercise referral practices in Australia. Methods: A full-day workshop involving national multidisciplinary key stakeholders explored system-level factors impacting dietary and exercise referral practices. Facilitated group discussions using the nominal group technique identified barriers and facilitators to referral practices based on the six World Health Organisation (WHO) building blocks. The systems-thinking approach generated six …

Purpose In Life And Associated Cognitive And Affective Mechanisms, Louis Fang, Alfred Allan, Joanne M. Dickson

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose in life is a well-established contributor to positive well-being. However, for a more comprehensive understanding of purpose in life, further exploration is needed about the processes implicated in purpose from a cognitive and affective perspective. This scoping review aims to identify the cognitive and/or affective mechanisms (CAMs) correlating with purpose in life and to examine these relationships based on relevant existing literature. Using search terms related to CAMs and purpose in life, we conducted a comprehensive search across five databases (Web of Science, Medline, Pubmed, Scopus, and psycinfo) to identify those examining the relationship between these constructs. Ninety-nine manuscripts …

Research Trends In Production, Separation, And Identification Of Bioactive Peptides From Fungi: A Critical Review, Tanvir Ahmed, Angéla Juhász, Utpal Bose, Netsanet Shiferaw Terefe, Michelle L. Colgrave

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Fungal-derived bioactive peptides (BPs) are increasingly attracting significant academic and industry research interest due to their high-quality protein content and potential environmentally friendly credentials. Fungi encompass a diverse range of species, some of which remain underexplored with demonstrated the ability to synthesise complex peptides with unique and potent bioactivities. While some recent reviews have focused on fungal protein sources and BPs, there remains a knowledge gap in the technologies and methods used to produce, isolate, and identify BPs from various fungal species. This article critically evaluates the strengths, challenges, and future directions of the recent methods and technologies employed in …

Detection Of Arrhythmias And Myocardial Infarction Using Svm And Ann Algorithms, Mohammad Issa, Ghada Saad, Mohammad Abdo, Aous Mohammad

Baghdad Science Journal

The heart is one of the most vital organs in humans, and any defect in its function is reflected in the general health of the patient. Therefore, the heart and its diseases have been largely studied in order to help the doctors diagnose heart diseases and reduce errors as much as possible. This study aims to investigate and suggest a method for diagnosing heart diseases from electrocardiogram (ECG) signals. Initially, noise was removed from the signal and the morphological and dynamic features of the ECG signal were extracted by an appropriate feature extraction algorithm and wavelet transformation. A support vector …

Wavelet-Attention Swin For Automatic Diabetic Retinopathy Classification, Rasha Ali Dihin, Ebtesam N. Alshemmary, Waleed A. M. Al-Jawher

Baghdad Science Journal

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a complication of diabetes that affects the eyes by damaging the blood vessels in the retina. High blood sugar levels can cause leakage or blockage of these vessels, leading to vision loss or blindness. Early detection of DR is crucial to prevent blindness, but manually analyzing fundus images can be time-consuming, especially with a large number of images. Swin-Transformers have gained popularity in medical image analysis, reducing calculations and yielding improved results. This paper introduces the WT Attention-Db5 Block, which focuses attention on the high-frequency domain using Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT). This block extracts detailed information …

Synthesis, Structural, Morphological Characterization, And Cytotoxicity Assays Of Metal Complexes Decorated Sio2 Nanoparticles Against Breast Cancer Cell Lines (Mda-Mb-231), Alya'a J. Ahmed, Mahasin F. Alias

Baghdad Science Journal

This study examines the new synthesis of Pt (IV) and Au (III) Mannich base complexes derived from ciprofloxacin. The complexes were then used as precursors to prepare SiO2/PtO2 and SiO2/Au2O3 nanoparticles by depositing the synthesized complexes on porous silica nanoparticles. Elemental analysis, FT-IR, UV-vis, molar conductivity measurements, and melting point were used to characterize this ligand and its metal complexes. Elemental analysis data show that the general formula of the metal complexes formed is [M(L)2Cl2] nCl.H2O, where L = Mannich base ligand and M = Au(III) and Pt(IV), and n = 1,2 respectively with octahedral structure. The chemical structure and …

Continuous Flow Injection Analysis Method For The Determination Of A Drug Diphenhydramine Hydrochloride By Using Phosphomolybdic Acid, Muntadhar M. Jabbar, Elham N. Mezaal

Baghdad Science Journal

The study presented a new method for determining diphenhydramine hydrochloride (DPH) in its pure form and some pharmaceutical preparations, within CFIA technique. The method is simple, fast, sensitive, easy to operate, and of a low cost. It is based on the reaction of DPH with phosphomolybdic acid (PMA), in aqueous media, forming a white, slightly yellowish precipitate. The precipitate formed was studied using an Ayah 6S×1-ST-2D solar cell CFI analyzer, by the reflection of incident light off the surfaces of the deposited particles at (0–180°), expressed as the response measured in (mV) . Some chemical and physical variables were studied …

The Expression Of Genes Tlr2 And Tlr10 In The Gastric Tissue Of Patients With Gastroduodenal Disorders Caused By Helicobacter Pylori, Samara Kadhim Mohammed, Marrib N. Rasheed, Basim Ahmed ِAsker

Baghdad Science Journal

The bacterium Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is the key etiological agent in gastritis, peptic ulcer, and gastric cancer disease. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) contribute to the innate immune response through pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) derived from H. pylori and other microorganisms as well as damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) derived from host cells, such as tumour cells, dead or dying cells, or products released from cells in response to signals such as hypoxia. The study involved gastric biopsies taken from 88 gastroduodenal disorder patients and 21 healthy individuals. The clinical diagnoses of these groups after endoscopy examination included gastritis, peptic ulcers, and …

G-Small Intersection Graph Of A Module, Ahmed H. Alwan

Baghdad Science Journal

Let be a commutative ring with identity, and be a left -module. The g-small intersection graph of non-trivial submodules of , indicated by , is a simple undirected graph whose vertices are in one-to-one correspondence with all non-trivial submodules of and two distinct vertices are adjacent if and only if the intersection of the corresponding submodules is a g-small submodule of . In this article, the interplay among the algebraic properties of , and the graph properties of are studied. Properties of such as connectedness, and completeness are considered. Besides, the girth and the diameter of are determined, as well …

In Vivo Study The Cytogenetic Effect Of Ammi Majus Methanolic Extract On Mitotic Index, Micronucleus Formation And Dna Damage On Mitoxantrone Treated Albino Male Mice, Ruqaya Mohammed Al-Ezzy, Maysaa Hamid Ahmed, Hadeel Mohamed Khalaf

Baghdad Science Journal

Medicinal plants or their secondary metabolites have shown different biological effects with a wide range of pharmacological properties; for instance, immune stimulator, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-mutagenic, anticancer, hepatoprotective, and many other properties. One of these medicinal plants is Ammi majus. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the cytogenetic impact of a methanolic extract of the Ammi majus plant on micronucleus formation, mitotic index and DNA damage in mice that had been given intraperitoneally mitoxantrone medicine (anticancer drug). Mice were divided into four groups, each group consisting of four mice: group I (positive control), mice treated with 0.008 …

Mathematical Modeling Of Tumors Growth: Competition Based On Gompertz Model In Two Dimensions, Aya Khamis Jabbar, Hayder M. Al-Saedi

Baghdad Science Journal

This article studies the competition between cancer cells within the human body depending on Gompertz’s growth. This model depends on two types of cancer cells, which grow to a certain extent, termed the carrying capacity. The carrying capacity is taken into account and defined as the number of cancer cells in which a certain density of cells eventually reaches stability. When this happens, the growth rate fluctuates, either it goes a little above or a little below the carrying capacity. This paper will cover the mathematical modeling aspects of Gompertz growth and a means to determine how competition creates growth …

Apr-246 Enhances The Anticancer Effect Of Doxorubicin Against P53-Mutant Aspc-1 Pancreatic Cancer Cells, Ali Haider Alhammer, Shaymaa Ismael Al-Juboori, Shahad Ali Mudhafar

Baghdad Science Journal

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a disease with a high mortality rate, and the early diagnosis of PC is still challenging. The 5-year relative survival rate remains below 8%, and therapeutic strategies are ineffective at increasing patient survival rates. In PC cells, resistance to treatment has been associated with genetic changes that initiate aberrant developmental signaling pathways; therefore, new strategies for treating PC are warranted. Here, we sought to explore the small molecule p53 reactivator, APR-246, either as a mono-drug or combined with doxorubicin (Doxo) in the p53 mutant (p53-mut) AsPC-1 PC cell line. Cytotoxicity of APR-246 and Doxo was studied …

Aggression And Violence In The Emergency Department: A Qualitative Study Exploring The Perspectives Of Frontline Healthcare Professionals, Joshua Johnson, Sara Hansen, Luke Hopper, Luke Brook, Jess Watson, Brennen Mills

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Aggression and violence (AV) towards frontline healthcare professionals (FHPs) represent a rapidly increasing strain on hospitals, impacting clinician mental health and the provision of patient care. Little is known about the perceptions of healthcare professionals on current aggression management practices. Aim: This study aimed to investigate the perceptions of FHPs on AV in hospital emergency departments (EDs). Methods: Eight semi-structured focus groups consisting of 6–10 participants from five hospital EDs were held. Participants included medical doctors, nurses, and work health safety staff. Focus groups were audio-recorded and transcribed before undergoing thematic analysis. Findings: Four main themes were identified: (i) …

Upscaling Relative Permeability And Capillary Pressure From Digital Core Analysis In Otway Formation: Considering The Order And Size Effects Of Facies, Masoud Aslannezhad, Mohammad Sayyafzadeh, David Tang, Zhenjiang You, Stefan Iglauer, Alireza Keshavarz

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Digital Core Analysis (DCA) has emerged as a crucial instrument in reservoir characterization in recent times. With the advent of high-resolution micro-CT imaging, it is now possible to visualize the three-dimensional microstructures of in-situ pores and flow patterns within rocks. DCA offers several notable benefits over traditional techniques, such as a higher density of measurements, faster processing times, and the preservation of rock samples. It also demonstrates considerable flexibility with challenging core conditions and can derive numerous parameters from each individual sample. The objective of this work is to utilise DCA data from Otway formation to enhance reservoir characterisation and …

An Assessment Of Latrine Front-End Characteristics And Associated Surface E. Coli Indicated Faecal Contamination In Rural Fiji, Sabita Adhikari, Shylett Anthony, Ponipate Baleinamau, Jeremaia Coriakula, Thompson Daurewa, Rachel Devi, Sikeli Gavidi, Pierre Horwitz, Erin C. Hunter, Aaron Jenkins, Stacy Jupiter, Maria Lalamacuata, Kinikoto Mailautoka, Sangeeta Mangubhai, Kelera Naivalu, Timoci Naivalulevu, Vilisi Naivalulevu, Nabeela Nasim, Sikeli Naucunivanua, Joel Negin, Paul Van Nimwegen, Anaseini Ratu, Mereia Ravoka, Andrew Tukana, Jack Van De Vossenberg, Donald Wilson

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

In Fiji, 90% of the population has access to basic sanitation; however, there are still persistent health risks from endemic faecal-oral diseases such as typhoid fever. There is a need to assess the contribution of existing sanitation facilities in the faecal pathogen transmission pathway. This study was conducted as part of a larger planetary health study across 29 rural communities within five river catchments. This specific research aimed to characterise latrine front-ends, both infrastructure and usage behaviour, and to assess the faecal contamination levels on various frequently contacted latrine surfaces in rural Fiji. A sanitation survey, along with observation and …

Global Management Of Serious Bacterial Infections In Young Infants Aged 0 To 59 Days: An Overview Of Systematic Reviews, Karen M. Edmond, Georgia R. Whisson, Derek C. Swe, Natalie A. Strobel

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

BACKGROUND: To inform World Health Organization guidelines for the management of serious bacterial infection (SBI) (suspected or confirmed sepsis, pneumonia, or meningitis) in infants aged 0–59 days. OBJECTIVE: To conduct an “overview of systematic reviews” to: (1) understand which systematic reviews have examined diagnosis and management of SBI in infants aged 0–59 days in the last 5 years; and (2) assess if the reviews examined PICOs (population, intervention, comparator, outcomes) and regimens currently being recommended in low and middle income countries (LMICs) by the World Health Organization. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE; Embase; Cochrane Library; Epistemonikos; PROSPERO. STUDY SELECTION: Systematic reviews of …

Positive Association Between Patients’ Perception Of Chronic Pain Rehabilitation As A Personally Meaningful Experience And The Flourishing Aspect Of Well-Being, Katrina J. Liddiard, Cary A. Brown, Annette J. Raynor

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Chronic pain rehabilitation helps to reduce pain and restore valued life roles. Patients may have more positive outcomes when they perceive rehabilitation to be personally meaningful. This study examined associations between self-reported, personally meaningful rehabilitation and well-being. A pilot study was conducted using an online survey of people with chronic pain and experiences of rehabilitation. The PROMIS Pain Interference Short Form 8a and The Flourishing Scale were used to explore well-being. A modified self-report measure, the Meaningfulness in Rehabilitation Scale, was pilot-tested for construct validity and used in the survey. Of the 48 participants (81% female; 19% male), most attended …

Protocol For The Development And Initial Validation Of The Cog-Impact Tool: A Purpose-Built Unmet Needs Assessment For Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairment, Darren Haywood, Moira O’Connor, Frank D. Baughman, Alexandre Chan, Raymond J. Chan, Evan Dauer, Haryana M. Dhillon, Ashley M. Henneghan, Blake J. Lawrence, Maryam Lustberg, Janette L. Vardy, Susan L. Rossell, Nicolas H. Hart

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

(1) Background: A significant proportion of cancer survivors report experiencing a cognitive ‘fog’ that affects their ability to think coherently and quickly, and reason with clarity. This has been referred to as cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI). CRCI has extensive impacts on the daily lives of people living with or beyond cancer, including occupational, social, and psychological functioning. Oncology health professionals report feeling under-resourced to effectively assess the needs of an individual with CRCI and then provide optimal care and referral. (2) Methods: The objective of this project is to develop and provide an initial validation of the first purpose-built unmet …

Slurry Infiltrated Low-Quality Construction And Demolition Coarse Aggregate Waste In Concrete - A Sustainable Construction, Vishnu Vijayan, Sanjay Kumar Shukla, K. M. Mini

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Exponential growth in infrastructure projects, stimulated by emerging sophisticated technologies have been instrumental in the salutary proliferation of the construction sector, globally. An indubitable adversity of the rapid boom in the construction industry has been the rampant cumulative fallout of burgeoning waste during the demolition and construction phases of restoration. The current study explored the propriety of replacing natural coarse aggregate by low-quality recycled coarse aggregates (RCA) with varying proportions, along with silica fume (SF) and polypropylene (PP) fibers as admixtures, for the preparation of concrete. As the quality of RCA is determined by the history of its parent demolished …

Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Sensors: A Comparative Study Of Copper And Palladium Nanostructures For Nitrite Detection, Intisar Naseef, Alwan Alwan, Mehdi Zayer, Layla Wali

Journal of Applied Sciences and Nanotechnology

In scientific research, the search for cost-efficient and scalable functional materials for substantial and practical applications is necessary. Therefore, metallic materials at the nanoscale represent a rapidly growing area of research, especially as plasmonic materials in the field of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). In this study, the potential of copper nanowires (CuNWs) and palladium nanoparticles (PdNPs) as thin films on the porous silicon (PS) surface was investigated and compared. Their parameters as plasmonic SERS sensing materials were investigated by detecting sodium nitrite (NaNO2) molecules as the analyzing material. CuNWs and PdNPs were locally deposited on the PS substrate by the …

A Non-Envelope Theorem With Linearly Homogeneous Constraints, Eduardo Dávila, Andreas Schaab

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

This paper shows that it is possible to define an unambiguous notion of the direct effect of a parameter perturbation on the value of an optimization problem’s objective away from an optimum for problems with linearly homogeneous constraints. This notion of the direct effect relies on reformulating the optimization problem using shares as choice variables, and has the interpretation of holding choice variables — when formulated as shares — fixed. This short paper contains one formal “non-envelope” theorem and four applications to i) consumer demand, ii) cost minimization, iii) planning in exchange economies, and iv) planning in production economies.

Evaluating Conflict In Collaborative Environmental Governance: A Study Of Environmental Justice Councils, Graham Ambrose, Jangmin Kim, Saba Siddiki

Center for Policy Design and Governance

This brief summarizes "Evaluating conflict in collaborative environmental governance: A study of environmental justice councils," co-authored by Graham Ambrose, Jangmin Kim, and Saba Siddiki in the Policy Studies Journal.

What It Means To Be Gifted: Quantitative Analysis Of The Characteristics Of Gifted Students, Ben Ellis

Senior Honors Theses

Past research has studied giftedness from theoretical, educational, and practical perspectives. The theoretical perspective informs an understanding of how gifted students uniquely comprehend and process information. The educational perspective informs the context surrounding gifted students in the educational environment. The practical perspective informs techniques and curricula that are effective in educating gifted students in a way that is tailored to their distinctive social and emotional characteristics. Together, these three perspectives provide an understanding of the unique characteristics of gifted learners. However, there remains a gap between developing this hypothetical understanding of giftedness in the literature and empirically testing this understanding …

Effects Of Cafestol And Enterolactone On Glucose Uptake In 3t3-L1 Differentiated Adipocytes, Sierra Hall

Senior Honors Theses

A review of current literature has revealed that moderate habitual coffee consumption is inversely associated with the risk of T2D development. Cafestol (CF) and enterolactone (ENL), two bioactive compounds found naturally in coffee, have been shown to promote glucose disposal in skeletal muscle and basal glucose uptake in L6 myotubes, respectively. However, the anti-diabetic effects of these compounds on adipose tissue and the mechanisms they utilize have not yet been characterized. Thus, in this study, the effects of CF and ENL on adipose tissue were determined by differentiating 3T3-L1 fibroblasts into adipocytes and treating them with either compound in a …

Analyzing Hubble Space Telescope Images Of Agn Host Galaxies With Keck Integral Field Spectra, Sebastian Contreras

Physics

In the center of most massive galaxies is a supermassive black hole (SMBH) with a mass that can range from millions to billions of solar masses. It has been observed that more massive SMBHs have a more massive host galaxy bulge, as evidenced by the larger bulge luminosity and stellar velocity dispersion, a correlation known as the BH mass - host-galaxy scaling relation. It suggests a close evolutionary connection between the growth of the SMBH and the growth of its host galaxy. If a SMBH develops an accretion disk to fuel an active galactic nucleus (AGN), it will emit radiation …

Frameworks For The Techno-Economic Assessment Of Membrane-Based Bioprocessing Platforms, Juan Jose Romero Conde

All Dissertations

This dissertation describes developing and implementing computational frameworks for simulating and optimizing purification processes in the biopharmaceutical industry. The framework performs techno-economic analyses to establish value propositions for new process alternatives, especially membrane technologies. Initially, the focus is developing a framework capable of simulating monoclonal antibody (mAb) capture using membrane and resin media in multi-column chromatography (MCC) platforms for continuous manufacturing. Subsequently, the impact of capture MCC is compared against other intensification strategies in established mAb manufacturing facilities. Finally, the framework application expands to simulate the purification of adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors for gene therapy.

Chapter 2 details the framework …