Digital Commons Network^™

Clinical And Laboratory Predictors Of 30-Day Mortality In Hiv-Positive Adults With Pneumonia: A Prospective Observational Study From North India, Mandip Singh Bhatia, Ankita Kumari Bhargav, Saurabh Chandrabhan Sharda, Shankar Naidu, M. R Shivaprakash, Sunil Sethi, Vikas Gautam, Arnab Ghosh

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Background: Pneumonia remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality among people living with HIV (PLHIV), particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Despite the availability of antiretroviral therapy (ART), early mortality after hospitalization for pneumonia remains high. Indian data on short-term mortality predictors in HIV-associated pneumonia are limited.

Methods: We conducted a prospective observational study of HIV-positive adults admitted with pneumonia to a tertiary-care hospital in North India between April and December 2025. Clinical, laboratory, microbiological, and radiological parameters were recorded at admission. Patients were followed for 30 days. The primary outcome was all-cause 30-day mortality. Predictors of …

Can Peripheral Angiography Be Safely Performed In Patients With Chronic Renal Insufficiency Without Significant Risk Of Contrast-Associated Renal Injury In Outpatient Settings?, Mubashar Choudry, Artem Shmelev, 0. Pierce Sebastian, Noor-E-Fatima Khan, Aleezay Farhat, Donald Wilkerson

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Contrast-associated acute kidney injury (CA-AKI) is a known complication following

coronary angiographic procedures using iodinated contrast media (ICM). The risk of CA-AKI is

multifactorial, dependent largely on estimated glomerular filtration rates. The most important

and accepted hospital-based preventive strategy involves both a reduction of iodinated contrast

and multi-hour pre- and post-intervention normal saline hydration. Because of time constraints,

neither ambulatory surgical centers (ASC), nor outpatient-based laboratories (OBL)

can provide similar degrees of pre- and post-intervention hydration. The utilization of

carbon dioxide (CO₂) imaging, intravascular ultrasonography, and limited iso-osmolar

contrast agents may provide an alternative preventive strategy.

Multicentric Cross-Sectional Study On Determinants In Choosing Subspecialties In Internal Medicine And Job Satisfaction Among Internal Medicine Trainees And Specialists In The Usa, Indira Acharya, Onyekachi Ibe-Ejiogu, Mona Alkayyali, Ashik Pokharel, Nathan C Kilian, Mina M Al-Hamadani, Ashbina Pokharel, Jiling Chou, Christopher J Haas

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Background/ Purpose:

To analyze the sex distribution of physicians in a specific subspecialty, identify factors influencing subspecialty choice in internal medicine, assess job satisfaction, and evaluate burnout levels among Internal Medicine (IM) trainees and specialists.

Methods:

A questionnaire-based study was conducted using the Abridged Job Descriptive Index (AJDI) for job satisfaction and the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) for burnout. Participants included IM residents, fellows, attendings, and hospitalists considering fellowship. Descriptive and statistical analyses, including Fisher's exact test, were performed using R to assess trends across subspecialties grouped by fellowship competitiveness.

Results:

A total of 162 IM physicians participated, with …

Palliative Care Consults In The Intensive Care Unit, Kyra Zimmer

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Student Projects

Background & Significance: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients often face serious illness or terminal diagnoses requiring invasive monitoring and life-sustaining treatments. Palliative care (PC) supports patients and their families by focusing on improving quality of life, goals of care, and symptom management. It is estimated that 14-20% of ICU patients in the United States could benefit from palliative care consults (PCCs) with potential savings of $6 billion per year. Nurses caring for these patients face unique ethical challenges and may develop secondary post-traumatic stress, emotional strain, burnout, and compassion fatigue.

Review of Literature: The review of literature supported a structured …

Pilot Intervention Of Wearable Smart Device And Coaching To Improve Sleep, Well-Being, And Professional Fulfilment Among Female Clinicians In Primary Care, Cheryl D. Stults, Sien Deng, Nina K. Szwerinski, Amandeep Mann, Sarina Le Sieur, Kimberly Ababseh, Tiffany Lam, Jill Kacher Cobb, Kelly Reilly, Stacey Upton, Dionyse Hartmann, Dennise Rosas, Laurie Gregg

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: Previous research has suggested an association between lack of sleep and well-being. Given higher rates of burnout among female clinicians, the Sutter Health “Joy of Work” team (a multidisciplinary group dedicated to improving organizational well-being) conducted a pilot among female clinicians in ambulatory services to assess factors associated with sleep, professional fulfillment, and intention to leave/reduce work hours.

Methods: The intervention consisted of several components: an Oura ring (a wearable smart ring device that tracks activity, sleep, and heart rate); health coaches who sent text messages to participants and advised those participants with additional resources and questions; and three …

Resonating Or Missing The Mark? Indigenous Students’ Perspectives On University Marketing Communications, Melissa Fong-Emmerson, Claire Lambert, Braden Hill, Maria M. Ryan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This study explores the perspectives of Indigenous Australian students on the marketing and communication materials of higher education institutions, highlighting their crucial role in attracting Indigenous students and revealing a lack of authentic engagement with Indigenous voices. While outreach and enabling programs have boosted participation, a significant gap remains in research on marketing and communication strategies that resonate with Indigenous students. This is especially relevant in the context of the Universities Australia Indigenous Strategy 2022–25 and the Australian Universities Accord, which aim to enhance Indigenous participation. Drawing on three yarning sessions with 15 students, this research identifies a disconnect between …

Childbirth Self-Efficacy And Factors Influencing Labor And Birth In The Dominican Republic, Lori Hubbard, Thomas P. Mccoy, Katherine Aquino, Franceska Charles, Julia Ricker, Gabrielle Carlson

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

At 58.1%, the cesarean birth rate in the Dominican Republic (DR) is the highest in the world (1). The World Health Organization cites the overuse of elective cesareans as a global health priority, but states reduction efforts should utilize educational interventions that incorporate local determinants of health (2,3). This descriptive, cross-sectional, convergent mixed methods study examined childbirth self-efficacy, demographics, and beliefs about labor and birth in expectant and newly postpartum parents from low resourced communities in the Dominican Republic. A demographic survey, researcher-designed items grounded in the theory of planned behavior, and the 62-item Spanish version (4) of the 4 …

Advance Care Planning In Practice: Hospital Nurses’ Experiences With Known And Unknown Goals Of Care, Ashley Hebert, Genevieve Thompson, Diana Mcmillan, Katarina Lee-Ameduri

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: Hospital continues to be the place of death for the majority of Canadians, despite the common preference for a less aggressive comfort-focused plan of care at the end-of-life. Advance care planning (ACP) is recognized as a means to prevent unwanted care for patients. However, ACP is often not occurring in acute care settings before patients lose the capacity to participate. This means that a patient’s goals of care are frequently left unknown, which may not only lead to overtreatment and patient harm, but also to moral distress in nurses.

Purpose: The purpose of this thesis study is (1) to …

Developing The Social And Legal Competence Of Future Social Counselors, Lazzat Suleimenova, Saira Zhiyenbayeva, Kamchat Yessenova, Yernar Onalbekov, Elmira Bayarystanova

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: The social and legal (also referred to as sociolegal) competence of future social counselors is one of the key factors that ensures the effectiveness of their professional activities—protecting the rights of the individual, collaborating with other professionals, and contributing to the creation of a safe social environment. The study aimed to create and implement a model and pedagogical conditions for the development of sociolegal competence of future social counselors in higher education institutions of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Methods: As part of a study conducted at L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Faculty of Social Sciences, in the social pedagogy …

Universal Screening For Measles Immunity During Pregnancy: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis, Anuradha Devabhaktuni, Sarah Boudova, Elias Kassir, Sohum Shah, Neil S. Silverman, Christina S. Han

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Measles is a highly contagious illness capable of causing significant morbidity and mortality, including adverse pregnancy outcomes. Routine screening for measles immunity is not currently recommended during pregnancy. Given the increasing frequency of measles outbreaks nationally and globally, awareness of measles immunity status can influence management of pregnant individuals who incur measles exposures and offer an opportunity for postpartum or preconception vaccination.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of universal screening for measles immunity during pregnancy in the United States.

STUDY DESIGN: A decision-analytic model was constructed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of universal screening for measles immunity during …

Prepregnancy Obesity Versus Excessive Gestational Weight Gain: A Comparative Evaluation Of Adverse Outcomes, Samuel Schultz, David Krantz, Matthew Blitz, Ashley Battarbee, Moti Gulersen

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Faculty Papers

Background/Objectives: Obesity and excessive gestational weight gain (EGWG) are known risk factors for adverse outcomes in pregnancy, but the comparative risk is less well defined and increasingly relevant in an era of increasing use of weight loss medications. We aimed to determine whether EGWG was associated with adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes, compared with prepregnancy obesity. Methods: Multicenter retrospective cohort study of pregnant patients who delivered a singleton within a single university health system from 2019–2024. Patients with missing prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) data, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2, or pregestational diabetes were excluded. Logistic regression with propensity score weights and g-computation were used to evaluate if the incidence of several adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes were impacted by prepregnancy obesity and gestational weight gain (GWG). p values were adjusted for multiple comparisons. Results: Among the 129,615 pregnancies included, 28,516 (22.0%) had prepregnancy obesity, 36,943 (28.5%) were overweight prior to pregnancy, and 64,156 (49.5%) had a normal BMI prior to pregnancy. When compared to patients with obesity, patients with normal prepregnancy BMI and EGWG had a lower risk of adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes, including gestational diabetes, gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, eclampsia, cesarean delivery, and postpartum hemorrhage, as well as large and small for gestational age birthweight, stillbirth, neonatal intensive care unit admission, neonatal mechanical ventilation, respiratory distress syndrome, intraventricular hemorrhage, necrotizing enterocolitis, and sepsis. Beneficial effects were attenuated for patients with overweight prepregnancy BMI or for larger EGWG. Conclusions: Lower prepregnancy BMI, even with the potential unintended consequence of EGWG, may be more favorable than untreated prepregnancy obesity with regard to perinatal outcomes.

Leading From The Precipice: How Academic Deans Are Navigating Artificial Intelligence In Higher Education, V. Dozier, Sarina Chugani Molina

Copley Library: Faculty Scholarship

This qualitative case study examines how associate deans at a medium-sized Catholic university respond to the rapid integration of generative artificial intelligence (AI). Guided by decolonial and feminist frameworks, the study analyzes survey data from seven academic leaders to understand their concerns, decision-making processes, and emerging practices. Our findings reveal uneven adoption, limited institutional guidance, and ongoing concerns about academic integrity, equity, and bias. The study also highlights the often-unseen relational and emotional labor involved in supporting faculty and students. We conclude by recommending flexible, collaborative approaches to AI governance that attend to context, care, and diverse ways of knowing.

The Unstoppable Wheel Of Design History: A Cycle Of Perception And Production En [Ponencia] Design In An Age Of Uncertainty, Design History Society Annual Conference 2026, Jorge Fragua Valdivieso

Congresos y Conferencias

In an era of political, ecological and epistemic uncertainty, design his tory is frequently employed to lend legitimacy to optimistic narratives of progress, or to provide readymade references for contemporary practice and education. However, this text argues that such approach es reduce historical knowledge to a linear and instrumental resource, thereby obscuring its role within longer and more complex cycles of per ception and production. Here, the historical process is examined as an iterative cycle that en compasses both material production and perception. Building on the work of David Walker and Nigel Cross, the analysis considers how ma terial production …

Dimensions Of Father-Love Absence As Predictors Of Psychological Well-Being: Evidence From University Students, Dody Hartanto, Mufied Fauziah, Zerlinda Aurora Saputri

Jurnal Kajian Bimbingan dan Konseling

Psychological well-being is a crucial aspect of university students' development as young adults. Father-love absence is believed to be one of the factors influencing this well-being. This study aimed to analyze the role of father-love absence as a predictor of university students' psychological well-being and to identify the contribution of each aspect of father-love absence. A quantitative approach with a descriptive correlational design was employed. A total of 318 active university students were selected through simple random sampling and completed an online questionnaire. Father-love absence was measured using an adapted scale based on Xiang and Zhou's theory, encompassing four aspects: …

"T.S. Stribling" And "T.S. Stribling's Ties To Lauderdale County", William Lindsey Mcdonald

Research Articles

The articles offer an overview of Pulitzer-prize winning author and Florence Normal College alum T.S. Stribling, as well as his connections to Lauderdale County, Alabama.

"A Renowned Slave In The Early Life Of Florence", William Lindsey Mcdonald

Research Articles

Dred Scott, the plaintiff in Dred Scott v. Sanford, was a confirmed resident of Florence, Alabama in the 1820s-1830s. The article gives an overview of Dred Scott's life, including his time in Lauderdale County.

Did Maryland’S All-Payer Global Budget Revenue Model Change Hospital Margins And Revenue Per Discharge? A Difference-In-Differences Analysis Of Maryland And Massachusetts, 2010–2023, Kola Adegoke

Health & Biomedical Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Maryland implemented an all-payer hospital global budget revenue (GBR) model in 2014 to decouple hospital revenue from volume and improve revenue predictability. This study evaluated whether Maryland’s 2014 GBR implementation was associated with differential changes in hospital total margins, inpatient revenue per discharge, and COVID-period margin volatility relative to Massachusetts.

Methods: A matched hospital-year panel for Maryland and Massachusetts spanning 2010–2023 (2,261 matched observations) was constructed by merging Medicare cost report-based financial measures with provider characteristics using CMS certification identifiers. Two-way fixed-effects difference-in-differences models with hospital and year fixed effects and hospital-clustered standard errors estimated post-2014 changes in outcomes …

Toward Reliable Compressive Strength Prediction Of Marble Powder-Blended Concrete: Comparative Machine Learning And Shap-Based Interpretability, Shamal Abdullah Mohammed, Aryan Far H. Sherwani, Nzar Shakr Piro

Polytechnic Journal

The production of conventional concrete has a significant impact on the environment, primarily due to the cement (C) component. To mitigate this impact, binders with reduced environmental footprints were used in concrete mixtures as a partial replacement for C, including powders of industrial byproducts. Waste marble powder (WMP) is one such alternative; however, its incorporation causes complicated interactions with cementitious materials, making the compressive strength (CS) prediction difficult. This study developed and evaluated four predictive models (multilinear regression (MLR), full quadratic regression (FQ), M5P tree, and artificial neural network (ANN)) using a dataset of 306 WMP-blended concrete mixes from 16 …

Ai-Supported Analysis Of Jury Deliberation Impact Factors, Jennifer Siciliani Phd

Generative AI Teaching Activities

Students conduct a controlled, two-run generative AI jury simulation to examine how a single socio-legal variable affects simulated jury deliberation. They compare and manually code the AI-generated outcomes against peer-reviewed human jury research to evaluate the model’s accuracy, limitations, and potential biases.

Development Of A Chip-Scale Optical Gyroscope With Weak Measurement Amplification Readout, Kagan Yanik, Meiting Song, Yuhan Mei, Jaime Cardenas, Andrew N. Jordan

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

We establish the theoretical framework and investigate the fundamental limits for an integrated optical chip design containing a rotation sensing ring resonator coupled to an inverse weak value amplified Sagnac interferometer that amplifies the signal with phase information. We achieve, for conservative parameter choices, a minimum detectable angular rotation rate of ∼0.1 °/hr and an Allan deviation of∼0.08 °/hr assuming shot noise limited performance. For matched detected optical power, our design can improve the signal-to-noise ratio, reduce the minimum detectable angular rotation rate, and Allan deviation by more than ten times compared to an ideal standard Sagnac interferometer with balanced …

Comparative Experimental Investigation Of Corrugated Solar Air Heater Using Porous Media And Twisted Tapes, Hussam J. Rashid, Mohammed K. Al-Saadi, Ameer Jaddoa

Engineering and Technology Journal

This experimental work examines the thermal, thermohydraulic, and exergetic performance of a modified revised multi duct solar air heater (SAH) under real outdoor conditions. Four configurations were examined, including a smooth collector, ducts with corrugation, porous-lined ducts, and corrugated ducts equipped with inserted twisted tapes over the investigated Reynolds number (Re) interval (2000–10,000). The airflow was supplied by a DC fan powered directly by photovoltaic modules. Introducing internal flow-modifying elements resulted in a marked enhancement of the SAH heat transfer capability, as confirmed by the experimental observations. When compared to the smooth absorber, among the tested configurations, the twisted tape …

The Radiologic Presentation Of Congenital Nephrogenic Diabetes Insipidus: Investigating The Posterior Pituitary Bright Spot, Jacob Rounkles

Annual Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

Low Rates Of Smoking Cessation Medication Prescriptions And Evidence To Support Increased Medication Utilization, Jesse Pratt

SIU Journal of Medical Science Scholarly Works

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Tobacco use remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States.  Over the past several decades, there has been a steady decline in tobacco use, however overall use remains unacceptably high.  Despite recommendations to treat people with tobacco use disorder with smoking cessation medications (SCMs), prescriptions for SCMs remain low.

Methods: A PubMed search was conducted using search terms “adult”, “smoking cessation”, “medication”, “varenicline”, “nicotine”, and “bupropion”.  Filters included publication dates within ten years, and full text.  Search results yielded 109 articles.  Thirteen articles were selected for the review.  The articles chosen either discussed prescribing …

Preoperative Urine Drug Screen To Increase Surgical Efficiency, Joseph Mashinchi

SIU Journal of Medical Science Scholarly Works

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to standardize the use of preoperative urine drug screens for adults scheduled for elective surgery in order to improve surgical efficiency and reduce perioperative and postoperative complications.

Method: A PubMed Search was conducted to review literature published within the past five years. The joint terms “urine drug screen and surgery” were used in the search. A literature review was conducted after reviewing multiple articles and screening for their quality, timeliness, and pertinence to elective surgical procedures and illicit drug use.

Results: Performing a urine drug screen prior to elective surgical procedure identified illicit …

Physician Assistant/Associate Mentorship In Academic Medical Centers: Is It Necessary? A Literature Review, Allana Lewis

SIU Journal of Medical Science Scholarly Works

ABSTRACT

Background: The number of Physician Assistants/Associates (PAs) hired in academic medicine has increased over the years. Academic medical centers provide opportunities for research, clinical practice, and educational advancement. However, the status of professional mentorship opportunities specific to PAs in academic medical settings is unclear. PAs in academic medical settings are exposed to career opportunities beyond clinical practice, including research and academic education. A greater interest in the number of PAs seeking career advancement within academic medicine may arise as the number of PAs obtaining Doctor of Medical Science degrees (DMSc) increases. The purpose of this literature review is to …

Preparation Of Physician Assistant Students To Manage Patients Living With Hiv/Aids In A Primary Care Setting, Austin Parrish

SIU Journal of Medical Science Scholarly Works

This study examined Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) educational exposure among clinical-phase physician assistant (PA) students and evaluated how well current curricula prepare future providers for HIV prevention and care. A cross-sectional survey of 109 PA students assessed HIV-related knowledge, clinical exposure, and awareness of key public health concepts, while lecture materials from 30 PA programs were analyzed for curricular content. Students demonstrated moderate but incomplete baseline knowledge, and fewer than one-quarter reported observing PrEP prescribing during primary care rotations. Awareness of Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U) was limited, with only …

Intermittent Fasting: Effectiveness In Lowering Bmi Of Postmenopausal Women, Becky Hanna

SIU Journal of Medical Science Scholarly Works

ABSTRACT

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to review the intervention of an intermittent fasting diet in postmenopausal women with a BMI greater than or equal to 30 kg/m² in comparison with a nonintervention diet for lowering BMI.

Method: A literature search was performed utilizing PubMed. Keywords such as intermittent fasting, fasting, obesity, weight loss, time-restricted feeding, postmenopausal, and menopause were used in the search. The search was limited to free full articles with dates of 2019-2024. A few combinations of terms were used to focus the results of the search. Articles examining exercise plus intermittent fasting as …

Studying Electromagnetic Wave Scattering From Small Dielectric Particles Using Neural Networks, Bryan Taylan, Patrick Corzo, Chris Velissaris, Theodoros Panagiotakopoulos

Undergraduate Scholarship and Creative Works

Physics-informed neural networks solve the Helmholtz equation without labeled data, but a low residual alone does not confirm that a solution preserves the physical distinction a downstream task depends on. We trained a four-layer SIREN with physics-based residuals, a Sommerfeld condition, Adam, and L-BFGS, modeling a Gaussian source and a plane wave scattering from a small dielectric inclusion. Fine-tuning from four base models produced 600 complex fields spanning omega = 4 to 20. A compact CNN, three ResNet-18 variants, and a frozen OpenCLIP encoder classified these fields under five random seeds. The CNN achieved (95.65 +/- 0.77)% accuracy, outperforming OpenCLIP …

Genesis And Structure Of Hegel's Phenomenology Of Spirit, Jean Hyppolite

Hannah Arendt Marginalia - All

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Short-Term Individual Development Account For Young Workers In South Korea, Intae Yoon, Dong-Ho Jang

Journal of Social Work in the Global Community

This study evaluated a short-term individual development account for young workers (SIDAY) with low income in Gwangju Metropolitan City, South Korea. SIDAY used random sampling methods to form an experimental group (n = 191) and a control group (n = 106) out of 2,589 applications. The experimental group received a 100,000 Korean Won (KRW), which is the equivalent to an $85 USD monthly savings match for 10 months, as well as financial capability programs and services, such as online financial mentoring, spending plan consultations, and electronic financial newsletters. Upon completion of SIDAY, the experimental group on average had …