Digital Commons Network^™

Factors Influencing Blockchain Implementation In Supply Chain Management: An Exploratory Pilot Study, Aravindh Sekar, Deb Tech, Patti Brooks, Cherie Noteboom

Research & Publications

This study presents findings from a pilot study investigating key factors influencing the successful implementation of blockchain technology in supply chain organizations. Based on data collected from five participants, the pilot study offers valuable insights into the complex dynamics surrounding blockchain implementation. Through semi-structured interviews and grounded theory analysis, the study identifies key factors such as user adoption and acceptance, data integrity and protection, organizational strategy, strategic leadership, training, change management, and a supportive ecosystem. The findings highlight the multifaceted nature of blockchain implementation challenges and underscore the importance of comprehensive strategies for fostering user acceptance, aligning organizational goals, and …

A Comparative Analysis Of The Interpretability Of Lda And Llm For Topic Modeling: The Case Of Healthcare Apps, Omar El-Gayar, Mohammad Al-Ramahi, Abdullah Wahbeh, Tareq Nasralah, Ahmed Elnoshokaty

Research & Publications

This study compares the interpretability of the topics resulting from three topic modeling techniques, namely, LDA, BERTopic, and RoBERTa. Using a case study of three healthcare apps (MyChart, Replika, and Teladoc), we collected 39,999, 52,255, and 27,462 reviews from each app, respectively. Topics were generated for each app using the three topic models and labels were assigned to the resulting topics. Comparative qualitative analysis showed that BERTopic, RoBERTa, and LDA have relatively similar performance in terms of the final list of resulting topics concerning human interpretability. The LDA topic model achieved the highest rate of assigning labels to topics, but …

Improving The Affirmative Disclosure Of Agency Legal Materials, Bernard W. Bell, Cary Coglianese, Michael E. Herz, Margaret B. Kwoka, Orly Lobel

Articles

It is axiomatic that in a democratic society the law must be broadly accessible. Administrative agencies produce a plethora of materials imposing legal obligations on commercial or individual actors in the private sector. Other materials bind the agencies themselves in ways that affect the rights or interests of private parties. Still other materials provide the public with information about how agencies interpret and apply the statutes and rules they administer, or how agencies seek to deploy their discretion or take other actions that can affect private individuals or organizations. This Article focuses on improving the public availability of all of …

Crypto: The Prospect Of Regulatory Competition, Charles M. Yablon

Articles

No abstract provided.

Climate Change Concerns And Mortgage Lending, Tinghua Duan, Frank Weikai Li

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

We examine whether beliefs about climate change affect loan officers’ mortgage lending decisions. We show that abnormally high local temperature leads to elevated attention to and belief in climate change in a region. Loan officers approve fewer mortgage applications and originate lower amounts of loans in abnormally warm weather. This effect is stronger among counties heavily exposed to the risk of sea-level rise, during periods of heightened public attention to climate change, and for loans originated by small lenders. Additional tests suggest that the negative relation between temperature and approval rate is not fully explained by changes in local economic …

Politics Speak Louder Than Skills: Political Similarity Effects In Hireability Judgments In Multiparty Contexts And The Role Of Political Interest, Franz W. Moenke, Filip Lievens, Ursula Hess, Philipp Schaepers

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Recruiters increasingly cybervet job applicants by checking their social media profiles. Theory (i.e., the political affiliation model, PAM) and research show that during cybervetting, recruiters are exposed to job-unrelated information such as political affiliation, which might trigger similarity-attraction effects and bias hireability judgments. However, as the PAM was developed in a more polarized two-party political system, it is pivotal to test and refine the PAM in a multiparty context. Therefore, we asked working professionals from the United States (two-party context, N = 266) and Germany (multiparty context, N = 747) to rate an applicant’s hireability after cybervetting a LinkedIn profile …

Airway Epithelium Respiratory Illnesses And Allergy (Aerial) Birth Cohort: Study Protocol, Elizabeth Kicic-Starcevich, David G. Hancock, Thomas Iosifidis, Patricia Agudelo-Romero, Jose A. Caparros-Martin, Yuliya V. Karpievitch, Desiree Silva, Lidija Turkovic, Peter N. Le Souef, Anthony Bosco, David J. Martino, Anthony Kicic, Susan L. Prescott, Stephen M. Stick

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: Recurrent wheezing disorders including asthma are complex and heterogeneous diseases that affect up to 30% of all children, contributing to a major burden on children, their families, and global healthcare systems. It is now recognized that a dysfunctional airway epithelium plays a central role in the pathogenesis of recurrent wheeze, although the underlying mechanisms are still not fully understood. This prospective birth cohort aims to bridge this knowledge gap by investigating the influence of intrinsic epithelial dysfunction on the risk for developing respiratory disorders and the modulation of this risk by maternal morbidities, in utero exposures, and respiratory exposures …

Enhancing Marketing Students’ Indigenous Cultural Competencies Through A Decolonisation And Authentic Assessment Approach, Claire Lambert, Melissa Fong-Emmerson, Sonja Coetzee, Steven D’Alessandro

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

To prepare students for multicultural environments and understand consumers from different backgrounds, marketing educators must incorporate diversity into their curricula and recognise the importance of decolonisation by considering First Nations’ perspectives to promote reconciliation and better outcomes. This paper reports on a novel approach of students working directly with First Nations businesspeople to gain an applied understanding of Indigenous cultural learning. The study examines the influence of this approach on students’ learning and cultural understanding, as well as how the teaching approach and authentic assessment design within the unit improve the confidence of students to apply these learnings and engage …

Parents’ Experiences Of Their Child’S Best Interests During A Hospital Stay In Australia, Angela A. Quaye, Mandie Foster, Lisa Whitehead, Inger K. Hallström

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Determining the child’s best interests in a hospital setting will ideally involve the combined views of children, parents, and healthcare professionals. However, few studies have explored parents’ experiences of their child’s best interests when they engage with the healthcare system. Therefore, this study aimed to explore parents’ experiences of their child’s best interests during hospitalisation. A descriptive qualitative inductive design using face-to-face parent–child combined interviews, analysed by latent content analysis, was used. Sixteen parents recruited from a tertiary hospital in Western Australia were interviewed. Collaboration, development of trustworthy relationships, and effective communication were essential in shaping parents’ experiences of their …

Queering Primary Initial Teacher Education, David Rhodes, Matt Byrne, Jason Boron

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This research was designed to raise awareness, access and understanding of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer/questioning, asexual/aromantic and others who sit outside of the heteronormative binary (LGBTIQA+), inclusion for pre-service educators studying in Bachelor of Education (Primary) and Master of Teaching (Primary) ITE courses in one Australian university. The project involved the production of three video resources intended for inclusion in existing teacher education units. Whilst originally conceptualized as ’bite-sized‘ resources intended for use by pre-service educators, initial survey data from academic staff indicated the need to first develop the collective understanding of primary education LGBTIQA+ inclusion for the …

Event Technology And Attendee Experience: A Systematic Review And Research Agenda, Jijun (Jackie) Chen, Shinyong (Shawn) Jung

ICHRIE Research Reports

The events industry is experiencing growth, both as a sector of the tourism industry and in the technology that impacts the attendee experience during an event. While research into event-related technologies is robust, there is not much research on the specific roles that technology can play in facilitating attendees’ experiences at an event. This study proposes to use the PRISMA approach to gain a comprehensive understanding of technology-enabled experiences within the context of events. Results will drive future research in this area of study.

Cases And Materials For A Survey Of Government Procurement Law, Joshua I. Schwartz

School of Law Open Educational Resources

Before beginning to immerse yourself in the materials presented in this resource, consider the following fundamental questions:

1) What should the overall objectives of government procurement law be?

2) How could we tell if the system is working well or if it, on the other hand, requires significant reform?

3) What groups in society ought to be protected by the body of government procurement law? What are their interests that ought to be protected? (There is room for some real debate on this issue: Consider what a “Tea Party” advocate might say? What a defense industry advocate might say? What …

Thei Student Applied Research Presentations Sarp 2024, Research Office Thei

THEi Student Applied Research Presentations (SARP)

No abstract provided.

Stop, Collaborate, And List ‘Em: Creating Local Metadata To Promote User Discovery Of Minoritized Identities In A Stem Collection, Paige Dhyne, Alyssa Nance

Libraries Publications

Historical and modern scientific thought is dominated by the English language, colonized science, patriarchal norms, and Westernized “ways of knowing.” By making materials that lie outside that narrative discoverable (e.g., non-Western science, Indigenous/Aboriginal knowledge, women in science, etc.) we can assert that science is a global endeavor by representing diverse scientists on physical library shelves or ebook “shelves.” The Cataloging and Metadata Librarian and Science and Outreach Librarian at Furman University, a small liberal arts college, collaborated on a project to address discriminatory practices in the catalog records of a subset of the libraries’ STEM collection. Spurred by another project …

Knowledge Gap Analysis For Efficient Form-Finding Of Lightweight Structures, Shorouk Mohamad Khedr, Mohamed Esmat Elattar, Ahmed Eltantawy, Esraa Elazab

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Historically, Performance assessment of temporary structures’ form was substantially dependent on how loads transfer along geometry. Fortunately, the development of tools has enabled designers to explore more design variations as well as testing their feasibility. This study aims to address the knowledge gap between design process, tool contributions and feasibility requirements of temporary structures. This will be achieved through analyzing the evolution of temporary structures’ design approaches including early form finding approaches, geometrical properties dependencies, reflections of both bottom -top and top-bottom approach as well as linking them to material innovations, structural contributions and manual experiments. As a result, the …

Measuring The Effectiveness Of Ai Tools In Clinical Research And Writing: A Case Study In Healthcare, Sani Salisu, Osamah Mohammed Alyasiri, Hussain A. Younis, Thaeer Mueen Sahib, Ahmed Hussein Ali, Ameen A. Noor, Israa M. Hayder

Mesopotamian Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare

This article investigates the capabilities and limitations of ChatGPT, a natural language processing (NLP) tool, and large language models (LLMs), developed from advanced artificial intelligence (AI). Designed to help computers understand and produce text understandable by humans, ChatGPT is particularly aimed at general scientific writing and healthcare research applications. Our methodology involved searching the Scopus database for ’type 2 diabetes’ and ’T2 diabetes’ articles from reputable journals. After eliminating duplicates, we used ChatGPT to formulate conclusions for each selected article by inputting their structured abstracts, excluding the original conclusions. Additionally, we tested ChatGPT’s response to simple misuse scenarios. Our findings …

Machine Learning Helps In Quickly Diagnosis Cases Of "New Corona", Maad M. Mijwil, Ioannis Adamopoulos, Pramila Pudasaini

Mesopotamian Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare

Machine learning is considered one of the most significant techniques that play a vital role in diagnosing the Coronavirus. It is a set of advanced algorithms capable of analysing medical data and identifying patterns and behaviours of diseases. It is used to interpret medical images, giving details of each image with high accuracy and efficiency, such as chest X-ray images. These algorithms are trained on a large set of images to recognise patterns that indicate the presence of infection with the Coronavirus (COVID-19). This article will provide a brief overview of the importance of machine learning in diagnosing COVID-19 by …

Exploring Deep Learning Methods Used In The Medical Device Sector, Fredrick Kayusi, Benson Turyasingura, Petros Chavula, Orucho Justine Amadi

Mesopotamian Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare

The healthcare sector is witnessing significant development in many aspects thanks to the effects of artificial intelligence or software, which has turned out to be the centre of attraction all over the world. This is evidence of a simple development in acquiring deep knowledge of the methods and areas in which they are used. Face detection, voice recognition, autonomous use, the defence industry, the security industry, and other fields may be displayed as examples that help complete tasks. This article surveys the impact of deep learning methods and practices in the medical device industry, and we also examine the distribution …

An Exploration Of The Depictions Of Queerness In Yuri!!! On Ice, Kenneth Broughton

Honors Theses

This thesis examines the show Yuri!!! On Ice, specifically its portrayal of gay men. It 1) explores the themes present in the work, with a focus on the depiction of queerness as a transformative force, 2) examines the audience’s opinion of the work via content analysis, and 3) discusses the representation of queer people within the work. The representation of gay men in the show is discussed within the larger framework of Western media, and I also provide context from histories of queer representation in both America and Japan, review common trope usage (both within the story and in Western …

Ddr2-Regulated Arginase Activity In Ovarian Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Promotes Collagen Production And Tumor Progression, Favour A Akinjiyan, Zainab Ibitoye, Peinan Zhao, Leah P Shriver, Gary J Patti, Gregory D Longmore, Katherine C Fuh

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Ovarian cancer has poor survival outcomes particularly for advanced stage, metastatic disease. Metastasis is promoted by interactions of stromal cells, such as cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in the tumor microenvironment (TME), with tumor cells. CAFs play a key role in tumor progression by remodeling the TME and extracellular matrix (ECM) to result in a more permissive environment for tumor progression. It has been shown that fibroblasts, in particular myofibroblasts, utilize metabolism to support ECM remodeling. However, the intricate mechanisms by which CAFs support collagen production and tumor progression are poorly understood. In this study, we show that the fibrillar collagen receptor, …

Morphometry Of The Superior Ophthalmic Vein Unaffected By Dilating Factors, Farida Mehrhoff, Melissa Zolnierz, Alla Barry, Shelby Kuhnert, Mary Kilmer, Dmitry E. Tsyplakov, Robert Hillard

Faculty and Staff Publications

Context:
Data on the superior ophthalmic vein (SOV) dilation captivate the attention of neurologists as an early sign of several neurovascular disease manifestations, but measurements vary widely in publications.

Aims:
This study attempts to shed light on disparate data and develop more stringent criteria for determining the dilation of these veins.

Settings and Design:
To this end, 44 orbits of 25 formalin-embalmed human cadavers without risk factors for SOV dilation were dissected.

Materials and Methods:
The SOV branching pattern and length were photographed, and multiple segments were analyzed microscopically, histologically, and statistically.

Statistical Analysis Used:
Simple descriptive statistics as well …

Autophagy Determines Distinct Cell Fates In Human Amnion And Chorion Cells, Mary Elise L Severino, Lauren Richardson, Ananth Kumar Kammala, Enkhtuya Radnaa, Kamil Khanipov, Leslie Michelle M Dalmacio, Indira U Mysorekar, Marian Kacerovsky, Ramkumar Menon

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Human fetal membranes (amniochorion) that line the intrauterine cavity consist of two distinct cell layers; single-layer amnion epithelial cells (AEC) and multilayer chorion trophoblast cells (CTC). These layers are connected through a collagen-rich extracellular matrix. Cellular remodeling helps support membrane growth and integrity during gestation and helps to maintain pregnancy. Preterm prelabor rupture of the human amniochorionic (fetal) membrane (pPROM) is antecedent to 40% of all spontaneous preterm birth. Oxidative stress (OS) induced activation of the p38 MAPK due to various maternal risk exposures and the amniochorion cells' senescence are reported pathological features of pPROM. Our transcriptomics analysis implicated dysregulated …

5-Htp Inhibits Eosinophilia Via Intracellular Endothelial 5-Htrs; Snps In 5-Htrs Associate With Asthmatic Lung Function, Matthew T Walker, Jeffrey C Bloodworth, Timothy S Kountz, Samantha L Mccarty, Jeremy E Green, Ryan P Ferrie, Jackson A Campbell, Samantha H Averill, Kenneth B Beckman, Leslie C Grammer, Celeste Eng, Pedro C Avila, Harold J Farber, William Rodriguez-Cintron, Jose R Rodriguez-Santana, Denise Serebrisky, Shannon M Thyne, Max A Seibold, Esteban G Burchard, Rajesh Kumar, Joan M Cook-Mills

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Previous research showed that 5-hydroxytryptophan (5HTP), a metabolic precursor of serotonin, reduces allergic lung inflammation by inhibiting eosinophil migration across endothelial monolayers.

OBJECTIVE: It is unknown if serotonin receptors are involved in mediating this 5HTP function or if serotonin receptor (HTR) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associate with lung function in humans.

METHODS: Serotonin receptor subtypes were assessed by qPCR, western blot, confocal microscopy, pharmacological inhibitors and siRNA knockdown. HTR SNPs were assessed in two cohorts.

RESULTS: Pharmacological inhibition or siRNA knockdown of the serotonin receptors HTR1A or HTR1B in endothelial cells abrogated the inhibitory effects of 5HTP on eosinophil …

Changes In Patterns Of Referral For Inpatient Rehabilitation Cancer Patients Due To Covid-19: A Retrospective Study, Ekta Gupta, Amy H Ng, Aline Rozman De Moraes, Jack B Fu, Jegy M Tennison, Maaheen Ahmed, Bryan M Fellman, Eduardo Bruera

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

There is a paucity of literature on the effect of COVID-19 on hospital processes. We hypothesized that COVID-19 was associated with decreased cancer physiatry referrals in 2020. This is a retrospective cohort study of consecutive patients from April to July 2019 and 2020 admitted at an academic quaternary cancer center. The main outcomes were number of hospital admissions, rate, and characteristics of inpatient rehabilitation admissions and change in percentage of physiatry referrals as the primary endpoint. Results showed that in 2019, there were 387 referrals from 10,274 inpatient admissions (3.8%; 95% confidence interval, 2.4-4.2), compared with 337 referrals from 7051 …

Green Synthesis Of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles From Althaea Officinalis Flower Extract Coated With Chitosan For Potential Healing Effects On Diabetic Wounds By Inhibiting Tnf-Α And Il-6/Il-1Β Signaling Pathways, Sammar Fathy Elhabal, Nashwa Abdelaal, Saeed Abdul Kareem Saeed Al-Zuhairy, Mohamed Fathi Mohamed Elrefai, Ahmed Mohsen Elsaid Hamdan, Mohamed Mansour Khalifa, Sandra Hababeh, Mohammad Ahmad Khasawneh, Gehad M Khamis, Jakline Nelson, Passant M Mohie, Rania A Gad, Amira Rizk, Soad L Kabil, Mohamed Kandeel El-Ashery, Bhaskara R Jasti, Nahla A Elzohairy, Tayseer Elnawawy, Fatma E Hassan, Mohamed A El-Nabarawi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Diabetes Mellitus is a multisystem chronic pandemic, wound inflammation, and healing are still major issues for diabetic patients who may suffer from ulcers, gangrene, and other wounds from uncontrolled chronic hyperglycemia.

METHOD AND RESULTS: First, develop eco-friendly green Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) and incorporate them into a 2% chitosan (CS) gel. In-vitro study performed by UV-visible spectrum analysis showed a sharp peak at 390 nm, and Energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectrometry showed a peak of zinc and oxygen. Besides, Fourier transforms infrared (FTIR) was used to qualitatively validate biosynthesized ZnO-NPs, and transmission electron microscope (TEM) showed spherical nanoparticles with mean …

Revolutionizing Psoriasis Topical Treatment: Enhanced Efficacy Through Ceramide/Phospholipid Composite Cerosomes Co-Delivery Of Cyclosporine And Dithranol: In-Vitro, Ex-Vivo, And In-Vivo Studies, Sammar Fathy Elhabal, Nashwa Abdelaal, Saeed A S Al-Zuhairy, Mohamed Fathi Mohamed Elrefai, Mohamed Mansour Khalifa, Mohammad Ahmad Khasawneh, Ahmed Mohsen Elsaid Hamdan, Passant M Mohie, Rania A Gad, Soad L Kabil, Mohamed Kandeel El-Ashery, Bhaskara R Jasti, Nahla A Elzohairy, Nehal Elfar, Tayseer Elnawawy, Fatma E Hassan, Mohamed Ahmed El-Nabarawi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

PURPOSE: Improving the treatment of psoriasis is a serious challenge today. Psoriasis is an immune-mediated skin condition affecting 125 million people worldwide. It is commonly treated with cyclosporine-A (CsA) and dithranol (DTH). CsA suppresses the activation of T-cells, immune cells involved in forming psoriatic lesions. Meanwhile, DTH is a potent anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative drug that effectively reduces the severity of psoriasis symptoms such as redness, scaling, and skin thickness. CsA and DTH belong to BCS class II with limited oral bioavailability. We aim to develop a drug delivery system for topical co-delivery of CsA and DTH, exploring its therapeutic potential. …

Everything But The Kitchen Sink: An Analysis Of Bacterial And Chemical Contaminants Found In Syringe Residue From People Who Inject Drugs, John A Wildenthal, Drew J Schwartz, Nathanial S Nolan, Lingxia Zhao, John I Robinson, Erin Jones, Raagini Jawa, Jeffrey P Henderson, Laura R Marks

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: People who inject drugs (PWID) are at high risk of severe wounds, invasive infections, and overdoses. To date, there are few data on the bacterial and chemical contaminants PWID are exposed to when using illicitly manufactured fentanyls and stimulants.

METHODS: Previously used injection drug use equipment was recovered in St Louis, Missouri, by harm reduction organizations over a 12-month period. Syringe residue was analyzed for bacterial contaminants by routine culturing followed by whole genome sequencing of single bacterial isolates. Chemical adulterants in syringe residue were identified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

RESULTS: Bacteria were cultured from 58.75% of 160 syringes …

Health System Barriers To Hypertension Care In Peru: Rapid Assessment To Inform Organizational-Level Change, Kendra N. Williams, Lindsay J. Underhill, Lisa De Las Fuentes, Elvin H. Geng, Victor G. Davila-Roman, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Traditional patient- and provider-level hypertension interventions have proven insufficient to halt hypertension as the leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally. Systems-level interventions are required to address factors challenging hypertension control across a social ecological framework, an under-studied topic particularly salient in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) such as Peru. To inform such interventions, we sought to identify key health systems barriers to hypertension care in Puno, Peru. A participatory stakeholder workshop (October 2021) and 21 in-depth interviews (October 2021-March 2022) were conducted with 55 healthcare professionals (i.e., doctors, nurses, midwives, dentists, nutritionists), followed by a deductive qualitative analysis of …

Disruption Of The Nascent Polypeptide-Associated Complex Leads To Reduced Polyglutamine Aggregation And Toxicity, Leeran B. Dublin-Ryan, Ankan K. Bhadra, Heather L. True

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The nascent polypeptide-associate complex (NAC) is a heterodimeric chaperone complex that binds near the ribosome exit tunnel and is the first point of chaperone contact for newly synthesized proteins. Deletion of the NAC induces embryonic lethality in many multi-cellular organisms. Previous work has shown that the deletion of the NAC rescues cells from prion-induced cytotoxicity. This counterintuitive result led us to hypothesize that NAC disruption would improve viability in cells expressing human misfolding proteins. Here, we show that NAC disruption improves viability in cells expressing expanded polyglutamine and also leads to delayed and reduced aggregation of expanded polyglutamine and changes …

“How Did Guernica Become The Important Painting And The Universal Symbol It Is Today?", Or Lebel

MA Theses

This thesis explores the intriguing journey that propelled "Guernica" from the initial obscurity of a commissioned artwork to its current status as a globally recognized symbol. The research unravels the multifaceted processes that have contributed to the transformation of a relatively overlooked artwork into an important painting and a universal emblem of protest, antiwar, and hope. The research addresses the fundamental question of how "Guernica" evolved into an important and universally recognized painting. Answering this question allows me to explore and explain how "Guernica," despite its lack of immediate recognition, grew to possess an enduring significance. The research also tackles …