Digital Commons Network^™

Psychological Science And Immigration Today: Apa Task Force Report On Immigration And Health, American Psychological Association, Alfonso Mercado, Amanda Venta, Dina Birman, German Cadenas, Gail Ferguson, Luz M. Garcini, Giselle A. Hass, Maryam Kia-Keating, William Martinez

Psychological Science Faculty Publications

The report emphasizes the importance of culturally competent mental health services and explores the impact of anti-immigration policies on mental wellbeing. In today’s climate in which immigration is often met with hostility, it is crucial that we, as researchers and mental health professionals, understand the unique challenges faced by immigrants and use this understanding to foster positive change. Together, we can better support the wellbeing and resilience of our immigrant communities by using psychological research to inform and advance practice and policy.

Individually Randomized Trial Mislabeled As A Cluster-Randomized Trial Comment On: “Effectiveness Of Wearable Technology To Optimize Youth Soccer Players’ Off-Training Behaviour And Training Responses: A Cluster-Randomized Trial”, Jean Michel R S Leite, Jasmine Jamshidi-Naeini, Colby J Vorland, Lilian Golzarri-Arroyo, David B Allison

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Eating Disorders And Oral Health: A Dental Professional's Role, Bree Zhang

The New York State Dental Journal

Eating disorders are more common than we think, affecting 9% of the world's population and increasing in prevalence each year. Research shows early intervention provides a greater chance of recovery. Dentists must be cognizant of signs their patients may be engaged in harmful eating behavior and be prepared to intervene.

A New Hope: Contextual Privacy Policies For Mobile Applications And An Approach Toward Automated Generation, Shidong Pan, Zhen Tao, Thong Hoang, Dawen Zhang, Tianshi Li, Zhenchang Xing, Xiwei Xu, Mark Staples, Thierry Rakotoarivelo, David Lo

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Privacy policies have emerged as the predominant approach to conveying privacy notices to mobile application users. In an effort to enhance both readability and user engagement, the concept of contextual privacy policies (CPPs) has been proposed by researchers. The aim of CPPs is to fragment privacy policies into concise snippets, displaying them only within the corresponding contexts within the application’s graphical user interfaces (GUIs). In this paper, we first formulate CPP in mobile application scenario, and then present a novel multimodal framework, named SEEPRIVACY, specifically designed to automatically generate CPPs for mobile applications. This method uniquely integrates vision-based GUI understanding …

August 2024 News Releases, University Of Montana--Missoula. Office Of University Relations

University of Montana News Releases, 1928, 1956-present

No abstract provided.

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 …

Evaluating Pressure Distribution Of Surgical Support Surfaces For Pressure Injury Prevention: Small-Cell Alternating Pressure Mattress, Standard Foam Mattress, And Gel Overlay, Victor Moreno Lozano

Theses and Dissertations

Pressure injuries are a significant problem in the health care system for patients undergoing long surgeries due to the prolonged time they spend on the surface without moving under the anesthesia effect [6]. This can lead to the occurrence of pressure injuries and can negatively affect patient outcomes and the healthcare system [3]. Current methods for preventing pressure injuries in the operating room include repositioning the patient, using sponges or small gel pads at pressure points, and the use of support surfaces [2]. There is not enough conclusive evidence that states that the use of support surfaces is effective in …

Encompassing ‘Himdag’ (Indigenous Way Of Life) To Address Cardiometabolic Disease In American Indian And Alaska Native Communities Through Research, Policy And Action, Heather Medicine Bear

Theses and Dissertations

Cardiometabolic diseases (CMD), encompassing conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, kidney disease and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, present a significant health burden within American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities. This dissertation, through the culmination of three products, including a scoping review, policy brief and strategic planning toolkit, seeks to understand and address CMD in tribal communities through an Indigenous lens. Product #1, Interventions for Cardiometabolic Health in American Indian and Alaska Native Communities: A Scoping Review, entails a thorough review of implemented CMD interventions targeting AI/AN communities to understand programmatic, clinical, and community-based prevention strategies. By synthesizing available evidence, …

Effects Of Urban Borders On Synanthropic Mesopredator Movement And Risk Of Toxoplasma Gondii Infection In The Protected Lands Of Key Largo, Florida Usa, Kelly A. Crandall

Theses

Protected lands are an important source of food, shelter, and reproductive opportunities for wildlife, especially in urbanizing landscapes. When urban development abuts the edges of protected lands, synanthropic species can alter their foraging behaviors and movement to utilize human-supplemented resources throughout the urban-wild interface. Therefore, urban edges on protected lands can have pronounced effects on animal movement and ecosystem function. There is also increased risk of disease transmission where high densities of wild animals exist, or where domestic animals and wild species are interacting. In particular, members of the family Felidae, including domestic cats (Felis catus), can transmit the pathogenic …

Analysis Of Malarial Impact: Understanding Disease Transmission, Epidemiology, And Effects On Fetal Life, Josey Sumpter

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

Malaria is a significant public health problem which mainly affects malaria endemic regions, such as parts of Africa, South America, and Western Asia. However, all hot and humid environments are susceptible to spread leading to a global scale. Malaria affects an estimated 200 million people each year, with about 600,000 cases resulting in death. Malaria is passed through the bites of infected female anopheles mosquitos, with one of the six Plasmodium genus parasites that are malarial causing. Once the parasite enters the blood stream it infects erythrocytes which can then spread throughout the entire body. Disease is often characterized by …

Trends In Central Nervous System-Active Polypharmacy Among People With Multiple Sclerosis, Hayden Naizer, Joseph Wozny, Trudy Millard Krause, Ethan Huson, Leorah Freeman

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: People with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) are at risk of concurrently using multiple central nervous system (CNS)-active drugs, yet the prevalence of CNS-active polypharmacy remains unmeasured in pwMS.

OBJECTIVE: The objective is to measure the prevalence of CNS-active polypharmacy in pwMS.

METHODS: This serial, cross-sectional study measured CNS-active polypharmacy in people with MS in the United States from 2008 to 2021 using insurance claims data. CNS-active polypharmacy was defined as the concurrent prescription of ⩾3 CNS-active drugs for >30 continuous days. CNS-active drugs included antidepressants, antiepileptics, antipsychotics, benzodiazepines, nonbenzodiazepine benzodiazepine receptor agonist hypnotics, opioids, and skeletal muscle relaxants.

RESULTS: The …

Plasma Proteins Associated With Plant-Based Diets: Results From The Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities (Aric) Study And Framingham Heart Study (Fhs), Hyunju Kim, Jingsha Chen, Brenton Prescott, Maura E Walker, Morgan E Grams, Bing Yu, Ramachandran S Vasan, James S Floyd, Nona Sotoodehnia, Nicholas L Smith, Dan E Arking, Josef Coresh, Casey M Rebholz

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background & aims: Plant-based diets are associated with a lower risk of chronic diseases. Large-scale proteomics can identify objective biomarkers of plant-based diets, and improve our understanding of the pathways that link plant-based diets to health outcomes. This study investigated the plasma proteome of four different plant-based diets [overall plant-based diet (PDI), provegetarian diet, healthful plant-based diet (hPDI), and unhealthful plant-based diet (uPDI)] in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study and replicated the findings in the Framingham Heart Study (FHS) Offspring cohort.

Methods: ARIC Study participants at visit 3 (1993-1995) with completed food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) data and proteomics …

Don't Waste Our Time: Key Transformative Structures For Fast Track Learning, Carlita S. King

All Dissertations

Following a massive wave of school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic, educators found the need to be hyper-critical of how they spend their instructional time with students. Almost all students are expected to return nearly a full grade-level behind and would likely have to learn to navigate a completely new school environment. As a result, many educators were overwhelmed to cover unprecedented amounts of instructional content in less time. High-intensity tutoring programs have been known to have the potential to help struggling students advance their skills and gain up to three additional months of learning within a few sessions. The …

Effect Of Long-Term Use Of Antimicrobials On Commonly Used Surfaces In Foodservice Establishments, Anuradhi Bandaranayake

All Dissertations

none

Mental Health Of Healthcare Workers In Kosovo During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Latif Hoxha

All Dissertations

ABSTRACT

This study explored the mental health of healthcare practitioners in Kosovo during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on the prevalence of stress, depression, and anxiety, and the associated individual, family, and work-related factors. The research employed a cross-sectional design with a sample of 449 healthcare workers from two hospitals in Kosovo. The Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) was used to assess mental health symptoms, while socio-demographic and work-related information was collected through a questionnaire.

Based on the descriptive statistics of DASS-21 scores, the prevalence of mental health issues among the participants included high levels of depression (18%), anxiety (25%), …

Ensuring The Privacy Compliance Of Voice Personal Assistant Applications, Song Liao

All Dissertations

Voice Personal Assistants (VPA) such as Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant are quickly and seamlessly integrating into people’s daily lives. Meanwhile, the increased reliance on VPA services raises privacy concerns, such as the leakage of private conversations and sensitive information. Privacy policies play an important role in addressing users’ privacy concerns and developers are required to provide privacy policies to disclose their apps’ data practices. In addition, voice apps targeting users in European countries are required to comply with the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation). However, little is known about whether these privacy policies are informative and trustworthy on emerging …

Consumer Perceptions Of Hemp-Fed Aquaculture, Jillian Hyink

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Global demand for seafood has increased significantly over the past several decades and is projected to continue rising in the future. The volume of aquaculture production has also particularly increased to meet this demand in the United States and globally, offering a relatively sustainable supplement to wild fish supplies. However, conventional fish farming uses unsustainable quantities of fishmeal and fish oil as feed inputs, which raises the cost of production and introduces safety concerns associated with fish consumption. One currently underexplored potential alternative to fishmeal is hemp grain, which can provide an affordable and nutritious feed for carnivorous fish and …

The Impact Of Reactive Oxygen Species On Bactericidal Activity And Drug Resistance In Salmonella Typhimurium Upon Chlorine And Eugenol Exposure, Mohammed Aljuwayd

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Salmonella Typhimurium (S.T) is a foodborne pathogenic bacterium which causes salmonellosis in human beings. Chicken is the most common source of S.T contamination. In chapter I, I discuss the growth of the poultry industry, the role chickens play as Salmonella reservoirs, the spread of drug-resistant strains caused by chicken husbandry and antibiotic use, and how eugenol can be used in poultry feed to decrease Salmonella infections and improve intestinal health. In chapter Ⅱ, I summarize the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in bactericidal activity. In chapter Ⅲ, I describe the killing mechanism of sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) and identify the …

Facilitating Parental Scaffolding Of Joint Book Reading With Toddlers, Tiffany Pempek Rahl

Dissertations, 2020-current

Developmental research confirms the importance of early parental language input for building children’s vocabulary and language skills (Hart & Risley, 1995). While reading with a caregiver is a common way for language input to occur, the approaches parents utilize often fail to capitalize on techniques for improving language and pre-literacy skills (Huebner & Meltzoff, 2005). The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of embedding tips for scaffolding parent reading strategies into a children’s book. Thirty-eight parent-child dyads participated in a 2-week intervention. Families were randomly assigned to receive either a book with embedded tips (experimental condition) or …

Cancer Care Terminology In African Languages, Hannah Simba, Miriam Mutebi, Moses Galukande, Yahya Mahamat-Saleh, Elom Aglago, Adamu Addissie, Lidya Genene Abebe, Justina Onwuka

General Surgery, East Africa

Importance: Effective communication between patients and health care teams is essential in the health care setting for delivering optimal cancer care and increasing cancer awareness. While the significance of communication in health care is widely acknowledged, the topic is largely understudied within African settings.

Objective: To assess how the medical language of cancer and oncology translates into African languages and what these translations mean within their cultural context.

Design, etting, and participants: In this multinational survey study in Africa, health professionals, community health workers, researchers, and scientists involved in cancer care and research and traditional healers were invited to participate …

Jacks Of All Hats: Role Complexity, Ambiguity, And The Experiences Of Short- Term Study Abroad Faculty

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Nutrient Intake And Nutritional Status Of Blood Cancer Patients At A Tertiary Hospital In India: A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Analysis Of Leukemia, Lymphoma And Multiple Myeloma, Enock Topisia, Loise Wamahiga Wang’Ondu

Haematology and Oncology, East Africa

In 2018, there were an estimated 18 million cancer cases worldwide, with lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and leukemia contributing to a significant portion of these cases. Lymphoma accounted for 79,990 cases, multiple myeloma for 159,985 cases, and leukemia for 437,033 cases globally (AICR, 2018). In the United States alone, approximately 30,770 people are diagnosed with multiple myeloma each year. Multiple myeloma comprises about 1.8% of all cancers and around 10% of all “blood cancers,” which includes leukemia (Penn Medicine, 2020). India ranks third in the highest reported cases of blood cancer, following the United States and China, affecting more than 70,000 …

Effect Of Chemical Enhancers On Transdermal Delivery Of Amiloride For Management Of Resistant Hypertension, Oluwatosin Tabitha Leshaodo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Amiloride, a diuretic used for managing resistant hypertension, is hindered by low oral bioavailability and Gastrointestinal side effects, impacting patient compliance. This study investigates transdermal delivery as an alternative to reduce pill burden and improve adherence. Using dermatomed porcine ear skin, the research examined the passive transdermal delivery of amiloride and the effect of various chemical enhancers, including oleic acid, oleyl alcohol, tocopheryl polyethylene glycol succinate, and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, individually or in combination. A validated High-Performance Liquid Chromatography method, adhering to Internal Council for Harmonized guidelines (ICH), was employed for quantitative analysis. In vitro permeation studies, conducted using porcine skin and …

Prevalence Of Chronic Kidney Disease And Awareness Levels Among Young Adults In Imo And Anambra States, Nigeria, Jacinta Okolie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) presents a significant public health concern, particularly in developing countries such as Nigeria, where health care resources are limited and awareness remains low. This quantitative study evaluated the prevalence of CKD and awareness levels among young adults in Imo and Anambra States, Nigeria. The relationship between health care access, medication adherence, and CKD diagnosis was also examined. The health belief model and the social ecological model provided the framework for the study. A sample of 800 participants was recruited from in- and outpatient facilities in Imo State and Anambra State, and sociodemographic information, awareness levels, and …

Validation Of Scores From A Telephone Administered Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale-12 In Persons With Multiple Sclerosis, Robert W. Motl, Prudence Plummer, Deborah Backus, Jeffrey R. Hebert, Whitney N. Neal, Alexander V. Ng, John Lowman, Francois Bethoux, Hollie Schmidt, Robert Mcburney, Kevin K. Mccully, Gary R. Cutter

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Background

The Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale-12 (MSWS-12) has typically been delivered through paper-and-pencil or computer-based administration.

Purpose

This study examined the validity of inferences from scores derived via a telephone administration of the MSWS-12 applied as part of screening of participants with walking dysfunction into a clinical trial of exercise training in MS.

Method

The MSWS-12 was administered on two occasions separated by approximately 2 weeks through the telephone and then in-person (i.e., computer-based administration). Participants further completed the Patient Determined Disease Steps (PDDS) scale, timed 25-foot walk (T25FW), six-minute walk (6MW), Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS), and Multiple Sclerosis …

Variability In Performance Of Genetic-Enhanced Dxa-Bmd Prediction Models Across Diverse Ethnic And Geographic Populations: A Risk Prediction Study, Yong Liu, Xiang-He Meng, Chong Wu, Kuan-Jui Su, Anqi Liu, Qing Tian, Lan-Juan Zhao, Chuan Qiu, Zhe Luo, Martha I Gonzalez-Ramirez, Hui Shen, Hong-Mei Xiao, Hong-Wen Deng

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis is a major global health issue, weakening bones and increasing fracture risk. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is the standard for measuring bone mineral density (BMD) and diagnosing osteoporosis, but its costliness and complexity impede widespread screening adoption. Predictive modeling using genetic and clinical data offers a cost-effective alternative for assessing osteoporosis and fracture risk. This study aims to develop BMD prediction models using data from the UK Biobank (UKBB) and test their performance across different ethnic and geographical populations.

METHODS AND FINDINGS: We developed BMD prediction models for the femoral neck (FNK) and lumbar spine (SPN) using both …

Effects Of Extreme Starvation On The Fasting-Adapted Western Rattlesnake (Crotalus Oreganus), Brandon R. Kong

Master's Theses

Ambush-hunting snakes have long been of great interest in the biology of fasting and starvation, as they are adapted to withstand well over a year without taking a meal. Well-justified ethical constraints have limited our understanding of their biology at the limits of these abilities. Unfortunate circumstances, in which the California Department of Fish and Wildlife confiscated over 50 Western Rattlesnakes (Crotalus oreganus) from an animal hoarder that had long neglected them, culminated in the euthanized animals ending up in the hands of our lab. Some of these snakes were extremely starved, being only one-half to one-third of …

Effect Of Enzymatic Pretreatment On Biomethane Production From Olive Pomace, Ningjing Zhong

Master's Theses

In 2023, approximately 2.36 million metric tons of olive oil were produced globally. Olive pomace, a byproduct of the flesh and pits left after olive oil extraction, presents environmental challenges when used as landfill due to its high polyphenol and organic contents, or when combusted due to greenhouse gas emissions. Its potential as animal feed is limited, yet it holds promise for methane production via anaerobic digestion (AD), providing a source of renewable energy. However, the highly crystallized polysaccharides in olive pomace, such as cellulose, hemicellulose, and pectin, impede its conversion to methane, and the high polyphenol content inhibits methanogen …

The Effect Of Intermediate Doses Of Roundup® On The Larval Development, Survival, Oviposition And Fitness Of Culex Quinquefasciatus, Abdoulaye Aziz Zerbo

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The southern house mosquito, Culex quinquefasciatus, is a vector to many pathogens in Southern California, including West Nile Virus and St. Louis Encephalitis Virus. Immature stages of mosquitoes may be exposed to Roundup^®, a frequently used herbicide worldwide, due to surface runoffs or overspraying and subsequent drifting. Previous studies have shown some negative impacts of sublethal doses of Roundup^® during the developmental stage of Culex quinquefasciatus, such as physiologic changes and prolonged larval stage or the high mortality of larvae due to exposure to the high doses of glyphosate. This study investigated the effect of …

Corn Leaf Disease Prediction Using Deep Learning, Meghana Varayuri

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Corn is a widely cultivated agricultural product, serving as a cornerstone in food production and industrial applications such as biofuels, playing a crucial role in the global economy. This study explores the application of deep transfer learning to accurately classify major corn diseases from leaf images, aiming to enhance disease management strategies for improved agricultural productivity and sustainability. The customized Dense net 201 model achieved 95% prediction accuracy on an untrained dataset. Data augmentation improved the model’s accuracy from 91% to 95%. This supervised learning approach enhances the model’s performance by increasing the diversity, leading to better generalization and accuracy. …