Digital Commons Network^™

Blended Family Dynamics And Executive Functioning In Preschoolers: A Cross-Sectional Study, Kayla Butler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Obstetric Access In Rural And Urban Areas In The United States, Sandali Chandradasa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Predictors And Outcomes Of Reading Intervention Success In Autistic Children: Memory And Brain Connectivity, Meagan Elizabeth Beckerson

ETDs from 2020-2029

Reading comprehension is a complex skill that relies on linguistic and cognitive abilities, including executive control processes. Creating a cohesive representation of text involves maintaining visual and verbal information in short term memory (STM) and using executive control skills to integrate information, apply it to questions, and draw inferences. Many autistic children demonstrate strong individual word reading (decoding) but poor comprehension, resulting in a discrepant reading profile. The role of STM and executive control—along with the underlying neural systems that support these processes—in reading comprehension and response to intervention has not been examined in autistic children with this profile. The …

Bad Mothers In Translation: Early Motherhood In Contemporary Turkish Editions, Merve Sevtap Süren

Journal of Feminist Scholarship

This article examines how three recent Anglophone novels of early motherhood, namely, Szilvia Molnar’s The Nursery (as Süt Lekesi), Rachel Yoder’s Nightbitch (as Gece Kancığı), and Claire Kilroy’s Soldier Sailor (as Asker ile Denizci), circulate in Turkish translation in a context shaped by pronatalist moral economies. Pairing peritextual analysis (covers, back-cover copy, blurbs, and bio notes) with close readings of selected key scenes of postpartum crisis, feral transformation, and toddler-year burnout, I show how Turkish editions both render and manage maternal negativity: translation choices modulate voice, affect, and register, while peritexts frame these mothers for local readability …

Performing Nefertiti: Feminist Afterlives Across Museum, Digital, And Cosmetic Cultures, Zaryab Khan

Journal of Feminist Scholarship

This article examines the afterlives of Nefertiti’s bust as performances that stage the intersections of gender, empire, and visual culture. Moving beyond biographical reconstruction, it argues that the bust operates as a repertoire of performances continually re-scripted across cultural sites. Three case studies structure the analysis: the staging of Nefertiti in Berlin’s Neues Museum, which performs colonial possession and the aestheticization of feminine beauty; the digital intervention The Other Nefertiti (2015), which performs resistance through the circulation of unauthorized 3D scans; and the cosmetic “Nefertiti lift,” which performs the queen’s visage through contemporary bodies, inscribing antiquity as a template for …

Fixing Furiosa’S Feminism: Gender And Genre In Feminist Criticism Of Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), Maik Stanitzke

Journal of Feminist Scholarship

This article examines how the figure—or genre—of “woman” is produced and contested within the traditionally masculine action film through the critical reception of Mad Max: Fury Road. While debates over whether the film is feminist appear to center on representation, they reveal a deeper investment in stabilizing “woman” as a coherent political object. Drawing on feminist film theory, I argue that if the film seems nostalgic for a regenerative birth mother at a moment when sexual difference is reconfigured by queer and trans studies, feminist criticism’s investment in what Robyn Wiegman calls “the world-making stakes of identity knowledge” (2012, …

“Subjugated Knowledge And Narrative Justice”: An Interview With Grace M. Cho, Anupama Arora, Yuni Kim

Journal of Feminist Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Beyond Liberal Apologies, Toward Abolitionist Trans Politics, Koda Sokol, Kaden Paulson-Smith

Journal of Feminist Scholarship

In the wake of Trump’s second election, the liberal fantasy of a benevolent state reared its head: the right policy, politician, or police officer will end anti-trans oppression. This article heeds the warning from generations of abolitionists before us that violence is not a defect of the state but endemic to it. By consequence, reforms that strengthen the state by expanding avenues for criminalization, resourcing the police, and incorporating more people into the military further jeopardize those subject to premature death, trans or otherwise. The current U.S. political regime’s overt cruelty provides an opening for widespread reckoning with the state’s …

From Dysbiosis To Resistome: Antibiotic-Driven Selection Pressure And Multi-Class Resistance Gene Enrichment In The Autism Gut Microbiota, Dalia Abuljadayel, Reem Farsi, Bodoor Alotibi, Asma Almuhammadi

The Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Science

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is associated with alterations in the composition of the gut microbiota, which have been implicated in neurological manifestations via the gut–brain axis. Early-life exposure to antibiotics constitutes a key environmental factor shaping microbiota development; however, the resistome profile underlying ASD-associated dysbiosis remains insufficiently defined. In this metagenomic investigation, we assessed the abundance and diversity of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in fecal samples obtained from four children with ASD and their four neurotypical siblings. High-throughput shotgun sequencing generated 10-15 Gb of data per sample. Resistome characterization was performed using the Comprehensive Antibiotic Resistance Database (CARD) and the …

Novel Meristic Changes In The Flowers Of Ziziphus Spina-Christi (Rhamnaceae), Tawfiq Alfaifi

The Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Science

The study focuses on the Flower meristic changes that occur in Ziziphus. DNA analysis was conducted for the Ziziphus species in the study area to determine the species. Then, the flowers were pictured for the species that frequently exhibit changes in flower structure. The results show that Z. spina-christi exhibits this phenomenon while the other species do not. In addition, the study shows that not all flower organs change; the ovary retains the same structure in both pentamerous and tetramerous flowers.

Saudi Vision 2030: How Can Mobile Pet/Ct Imaging Enhance Healthcare Delivery In Saudi Arabia?, Khalid G. Alsafi, Mahmoud A. Ahmed, Omar F. Iskanderani, Amirah A. Alolaymi, Arwa A. Alahdal, Hadeel H. Sofi, Shahd I. Almzarqah, Tala S. Shaath, Samia F. Aboushoushah

The Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Science

Objective: To address the PET/CT scanner shortage in Saudi Arabia amid rising cancer incidence by evaluating a mobile PET/CT unit. This study quantifies cancer burden and projected scanner needs by region and simulates radiation safety using American Association of Physicists in Medicine Task Group-108 (AAPM TG-108) guidelines. Methods: Cancer data (2001–2020) were extrapolated to 2030 using an exponential model. PET/CT distribution was analyzed against population projections to estimate needs at one scanner per 500,000 people. A mobile PET/CT using Fluorine-18 was modeled per AAPM TG-108. Dose distribution was calculated for 40 patients per week, using 555 MBq 18F-FDG per patient …

Differential Gene Expression Profiling Of Drought-Tolerant And Sensitive Rice Genotypes Identifies Key Regulatory Networks And Metabolic Pathways, Najla Bint Saud Al-Saud

The Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Science

Drought stress represents a critical constraint to rice productivity worldwide, necessitating a comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying stress tolerance. This study employed RNA sequencing to investigate drought-responsive transcriptional networks in root tissues of two contrasting rice genotypes: Azucena (drought-tolerant) and IR64 (drought-sensitive). Twenty-day-old seedlings were subjected to 14-day drought stress treatment, and transcriptomic profiles were analyzed using high-throughput sequencing. Quality-filtered reads achieved >95% Q30 scores with alignment rates of 94.48–96.55% to the reference genome. Differential expression analysis identified 30,419–31,052 differentially expressed genes across four comparison groups, with the drought-sensitive IR64 exhibiting approximately 15% more differentially expressed genes (DEGs) …

Algal-Mediated Green Synthesis Of Silver Nanoparticles And Their Antibacterial Activity, Yahya B. Alyoubi, Hassan A. Ewais, Magda M. Aly, Walied M. Alarif

The Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Science

A green, low-cost, and straightforward method was implemented for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using Digenea simplex Algal Extract (D. simplex). The formation of AgNPs was initially indicated by a golden yellow color of the solution and UV-Vis λ_max at 410 nm. Key factors such as reaction time, temperature, pH, concentrations of Ag⁺ and algal extract was also investigated. FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of alga-derived biomolecules which assets the reduction of silver ions. TEM analysis revealed the successful synthesis of spherical AgNPs with an average size of 12.86 ± 4.84 nm. The biosynthesized AgNPs exhibited a …

The Spiderweb Strategy: Building Strengths In All Directions, Nora Alu, Kerri Green Edd, Ms, Diane Hegedus Msn, Rn, Phrn, Cen, Npd-Bc, Lisa Keller Med, Jeanne M. Reilly M.Ed.

Department of Education

No abstract provided.

Revisiting Representation Learning For Natural Language Processing From The Fundamentals For Misinformation Detection, Vishnu S. Pendyala

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

While existing language embeddings achieve high accuracy on benchmark tasks, recent studies suggest they often struggle to distinguish true from false statements. This work argues that new representation learning and aggregation strategies are needed, especially those that adapt to misinformation's evolving patterns and incorporate explainability. As a first step, we explore two directions: (1) aggregation strategies inspired by signal processing, where word embeddings are transformed into spectrogram-like representations for classification to overcome context window limitations, and (2) future extensions using dynamic neural architectures such as Neural ODEs, Liquid Time-Constant Networks (LTCs), Kolmogorov-Arnold Networks (KANs), and Legendre Memory Units (LMUs). Preliminary …

The Pragmatics Of Emoji: A Multimodal Investigation Of Politeness And Sarcasm In Student Interactions On Facebook, Twitter, And Reddit, Wesam Khairy Morsi

English Language and Literature

This study investigates the pragmatic functions of emojis as multimodal resources in students' interactions on Facebook, Twitter (X), and Reddit, with a focused distinction between politeness and sarcasm. Drawing on a corpus of 4000 naturally occurring student-generated posts (Facebook: 1200; Twitter/X: 1500; Reddit: 1300), the study applies a qualitative-quantitative coding framework grounded in Brown and Levinson's politeness theory and Gricean pragmatic models. Emojis are analyzed as components of semiotic bundles rather than isolated affective markers. Statistical analysis reveals significant gendered patterns (χ2 (1, N = 420) = 89.2, p < 0.001), with female students demonstrating greater use of emojis for politeness and solidarity functions (70.0%) compared to male students (35.0%), while male students show higher utilization for sarcasm and irony (65.0%) versus female students (30.0%). Platform-specific affordances significantly shape these pragmatic functions, with Facebook favoring politeness strategies, Reddit enabling ironic communication through anonymity, and Twitter facilitating compressed evaluative expressions. The findings suggest that emoji competence constitutes a fundamental component of digital pragmatic literacy requiring integration into higher education curricula.

Performance Comparison Of Machine Learning Across Metal, Cuda, And Software-Based Neuromorphic Simulation, Ryan Saini, William B. Andreopoulos

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Machine learning’s computational demands necessitate optimal performance and utilization across diverse hardware architectures. This research compares computing as spiking neural networks (CSNNs, or simulated neuromorphic computing) and regular CNNs on Apple Silicon M3 Pro with Metal Performance Shaders (MPS), and NVIDIA RTX 3070 GPU with CUDA. We run Convolutional Spiking Neural Networks (CSNNs) and traditional CNNs on two datasets (frame-based CIFAR-10; and sequential event-based DVS) to evaluate the suitability of neural net architectures and platforms for different data problems. For both CSNNs and traditional CNNs, Apple Silicon with MPS delivers better energy efficiency but longer processing times for training and …

Note From The Editor

Alaska Law Review

No abstract provided.

Protecting Bearded Seals In Alaska: The Esa, Critical Habitat Designations, And Climate Change, Caitlyn Leary

Alaska Law Review

Rapid climate change in the Arctic has accelerated the loss of sea ice, threatening the survival of one of Alaska's most vital species: the bearded seal. In 2012, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) listed the bearded seal as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Ten years later, the agency designated approximately 174 million acres of occupied critical habitat for the seals on the northern coast of Alaska, along the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort Seas. NMFS reasoned that a large designation was necessary to account for the dynamic and seasonal nature of sea ice. In 2024, however, the U.S. …

Carbon Cash Back: A Green Ubi For A Decarbonized Future, Lily Skopp

Alaska Law Review

This Note supports a framework for climate governance that transforms carbon tax revenues into equal per‑capita cash distributions for all United States residents: a green universal basic income (UBI). It examines how the institutional structure of the Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) can guide the design of a federal resource‑based dividend. By combining economic analyses of efficiency and distribution with legal scholarship on political salience and administrative design, the Note uses Alaska's PFD as an empirical case study to connect two often separate literatures. The Note introduces the PFD's key features—universality, independent fund management, and a narrative of collective resource …

Journal Staff

Alaska Law Review

No abstract provided.

Implementation And Evaluation Of A Nurse-Led Telehealth Protocol To Reduce No-Show Rates Among Chronic Care Patients, Yaneisy Puig

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

The Relationships Between Adult Cyberbullying Victimization, Introversion, Extroversion, And Demographic Variables, Amber Paige Arrington

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Limitations And Alternative Applications Of Carbohydrate Fatty Acid Esters As Food Antimicrobials: A Review, Valeria Rodríguez Monge, Namhyeon Park

Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Science Student Research

Carbohydrate fatty acid esters (CFAs) are nontoxic food additives with reported antimicrobial activity and growing interest as a potential safer alternative to conventional preservatives. However, their translation into real food systems remains limited. This review examined the main factors that restrict the antimicrobial performance of CFAs in foods and evaluated emerging alternative applications, particularly edible coatings, antibiofilm strategies, and synergistic combinations with other cleaning agents or processing techniques. Overall, the available evidence indicates that the antimicrobial efficacy of CFAs is often reduced in real food matrices compared with in vitro conditions. This loss of activity has been mainly associated with …

Impact Of Lumen Origin And Gap Distance On Target Vessel Outcomes Following Fenestrated-Branched Endovascular Aortic Repair Of Postdissection Thoracoabdominal Aortic Aneurysms, Armin Tabiei, Jesse Chait, Andrea Vacirca, Randall R Demartino, Emanuel R Tenorio, Fahad Shuja, Dora Babocs, Guilherme B B Lima, Naveed Saqib, Gustavo S Oderich, Bernardo C Mendes

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: This study evaluated the role of target vessel (TV) lumen origin and fenestration gap (FG) distance between the endograft and the aortic wall on TV outcomes following fenestrated-branched endovascular aortic repair (FB-EVAR) for postdissection thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (PD-TAAAs).

Methods: A multicenter review of prospectively and retrospectively collected data of patients undergoing FB-EVAR for PD-TAAAs between 2013 and 2023 was performed. Lumen origin was retrospectively analyzed on preoperative imaging studies and classified as true lumen (TL) only, false lumen (FL) only, or both TL and FL. The FG distance was retrospectively measured on postoperative imaging studies and included as a …

Global Burden Of Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis In Children: A Systematic Analysis For The Global Burden Of Disease Study, Xuhui Liu, Peierdun Mijiti, Lu Xia, Sylvia M Lacourse, Wulan Talafuhan, Alexander W Kay, Yang Yang, Huarui Liu, Dan Ye, Leonardo Martinez, Shuihua Lu, Adong Shen, Anna M Mandalakas, Feng Li, Christoph Lange, Zhen Huang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Paediatric tuberculosis (TB), particularly drug-resistant TB (DR-TB), is associated with significant mortality. However, the global burden of childhood TB remains poorly understood.

Methods: We analysed incident cases, deaths, and age-standardised incidence and mortality rates among children (0-14 years) with multidrug-resistant/rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis (MDR/RR-TB) and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) using the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 database. Data were stratified by age, sex, region, country, and HIV/AIDS status. Annual and average annual percentage changes were assessed using joinpoint regression analysis. Secondary analyses compared adult and paediatric TB trends in the End TB era and evaluated the potential impact of the …

Trial Of Oxaloacetate In Als (Toals), Katie Lillig, Andrew Heim, Jeffrey Statland, Mazen M. Dimachkie, Russell H. Swerdlow, Sachini P. Karunaratne, In-Young Choi, Phil Lee, Edina Kosa, Abdulbaki Agbas, Heather M. Wilkins, Richard J. Barohn, Omar Jawdat

Faculty and Staff Publications

Background: Mitochondrial dysfunction is a critical therapeutic target in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Oxaloacetate (OAA) is a promising candidate therapy as it crosses the blood brain barrier, reaches motor neurons, and enhances mitochondrial bioenergetics with positive preclinical data in ALS.

Methods: We conducted a prospective, phase 1B, dose escalation study using a standard 3+3 design to assess the safety profile and determine the maximum tolerated dose. Dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) was defined as any serious adverse event (SAE) requiring hospitalization or any adverse event (AE) attributed to OAA that required discontinuation of the medication. Dosages evaluated started at 1000 mg twice …

New American Women (Immigrants And Refugees) In Utah, Robyn C. Blackburn, Vanessa Tuttle, Yvette Young, Susan R. Madsen

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

Year after year, the topic of immigration features centrally in US public policy discussions and debates. This focus is not surprising, given that the US is home to more immigrants than any other country in the world. While policy discussions often focus on immigrants who lack legal authorization to be in the US, most immigrants are legal residents (77.0%).¹ An immigrant is any person who lives in a country that is not their country of usual residence or nationality.² The US immigrant population includes naturalized citizens (i.e., those who entered the US legally and became citizens), lawful permanent …

Regimes Of Pain: Violence, Silence, And The Reproduction Of Power In Indonesia, Andi Achdian, Erna Ermawati Chotim

Jurnal Politik

This article examines political violence in Indonesia as a continuing mode of governance that extends beyond periods of open repression. Focusing on three historical episodes—the mass violence of 1965–1966, militarised rule in Aceh during the Military Operations Zone, and the racialised violence of May 1998—it argues that violence does not disappear after formal repression ends, but is reorganised within everyday life through bodily injury, social silence, fear, and learned endurance. To explain this process, the article develops the concept of regimes of pain, defined as forms of power that produce and normalise bodily suffering in order to sustain political order. …

Ischaemic Conditioning To Improve Patient And Organ Outcomes After Kidney Transplantation, Robert Stabler, Helen Mckenna, Madelaine Gimzewska, Dan Harvey, Muhammad A Khurram, Kieran Mccafferty, Kristin Veighey, Jeremy Fabes

Peninsula Medical School

This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To evaluate the benefits and harms of ischaemic conditioning on patient and organ outcomes in kidney transplantation.