Digital Commons Network^™

Integrated Computer-Aided Design, Experimentation, And Optimization Approach For Perovskites And Petroleum Packaging Processes, Swapana Subbarao Jerpoth

Theses and Dissertations

According to the World Economic Forum report, the U.S. currently has an energy efficiency of just 30%, thus illustrating the potential scope and need for efficiency enhancement and waste minimization. In the U.S. energy sector, petroleum and solar energy are the two key pillars that have the potential to create research opportunities for transition to a cleaner, greener, and sustainable future. In this research endeavor, the focus is on two pivotal areas: (i) Computer-aided perovskite solar cell synthesis; and (ii) Optimization of flow processes through multiproduct petroleum pipelines. In the area of perovskite synthesis, the emphasis is on the enhancement …

Regional Variability In The Prevalence Of Food Insecurity And Diet Quality Among United States Children, Jayna M Dave, Tzuan A Chen, Alexandra N Castro, Mamie White, Elizabeth A Onugha, Sloane Zimmerman, Debbe Thompson

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Understanding the association between food security status (FSS) and diet quality in children is crucial. This study investigated regional variability in FSS, participation in the federal nutrition assistance program (FNAP), and diet quality among US children. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 2013 to 2016 were analyzed. The association between FSS, FNAP participation, and diet quality (Healthy Eating Index—HEI-2015) was assessed using multiple linear/logistic regression models. The sample included 6403 children (mean age: 7.5 years; 51% male; 33% Hispanic). Within the sample, 13% reported child food insecurity, and 30% reported household food insecurity. Additionally, 90% participated in …

Unrealvision: A Synthetic Dataset Generator For Human-Pose Estimation And Behavior Analysis, Thinh Lu

Master's Theses

For over a decade, computer vision (CV) has become an indispensable component of numerous camera surveillance applications as well as intelligent autonomous systems. Thanks to new advances in AI, Edge Computing, and IoT technologies, there is now a rapidly growing number of smart camera devices, industrial and consumer robots that are using computer vision for various applications - from human tracking and analysis, object classification, to visual inspection and anomaly detection. For most common use cases, building vision-based applications can be a straightforward and affordable task thanks to the increasing number of publicly accessible datasets and research publications. However, it …

Mass Incarceration In The State Of Louisiana And Its Impact On The Mental Health Of Incarcerated Men, Samika Treniece Miner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Minority Small Business Owner Perceptions Of Coronavirus Policies In Metropolitan Washington, Dc, Amara Omar Kuyateh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

The “Integrality” Of Integral Ecology, Jojo M. Fung

Landas

The Integrality of Integral Ecology calls for a rejection of the technocratic paradigm in favor of the relational paradigm that foregrounds the interbeingness of all humankind and other kinds rooted in their inherent values. This relational paradigm advocates the intersectional relations of cultural, economic, social, political ecology, spiritual ecology, and the ecology of daily life. This integrality is grounded in an incarnational theology that the God who has “earthyfied” Godself has sacralized and “eternalized” our common home. In Asia, this integrality is enriched by the Indigenous/Igorot’s earth spirituality, which identifies Kabunian, land, identity, being, and life as a sacred whole, …

Timely, Relevant, Practical: A Study Of Writing Center Summer Institute Alumni Perceptions Of Value And Benefits, Julia Bleakney, Mark Hall, Kelsey Hixson-Bowles, Sohui Lee, Nathalie Singh-Corcoran

The Writing Center Journal

Since its inception in 2003, the IWCA Summer Institute (SI) has been understood within the writing center field to be an important professional development opportunity for new and experienced writing center professionals (WCPs). Publications on the SI to date have focused on anecdotal perceptions of the benefits to leaders and participants or on a single outcome, such as research output. Thus, the writing center field knows little about how and in what ways participants perceive the SI’s benefits across cohorts and across a variety of professional areas. By gathering quantitative and qualitative data from every SI cohort from 2003 to …

Accidental Outreach And Happenstance Staffing: A Cross-Institutional Study Of Writing Center Support Of First-Generation College Students, Beth A. Towle

The Writing Center Journal

First-generation students (FGS) make up a significant percentage of college populations. However, they experience hardships that are less common for their continuing-generation peers. They struggle to understand the “rules” of college and lack the cultural capital that can help students succeed through generations of knowledge about how to navigate college. Writing centers attempt to lessen these burdens by providing outreach to marginalized student populations, including FGS. However, there has been a lack of cross-institutional research that examines exactly how writing centers support FGS. This article presents a mixed-methods study that begins to close that knowledge gap and demonstrate common patterns …

Vicki Jo Nelson Appellee/ Petitioner V. James Q. Nelson Appellant/ Respondent : Brief Of Appellee, Utah Court Of Appeals

Utah Court of Appeals Briefs (2020 –)

On appeal from the Third Judicial District Court, Salt Lake County, Honorable Patrick Corum, District Court No. 214905299

Douglas B. Thayer, David B. Nielson, Jessica Griffin Anderson, Attorneys for James Q. Nelson

Jonathan Good, Attorney for Appellee Vicki Jo Nelson

The Effects Of Physical Activity On Experimental Models Of Vascular Dementia; A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Ifechukwude J. Biose, Wesley H. Chastain, Rebecca J. Solch-Ottaiano, Viktoriya S. Grayson, Hanyun Wang, Somdeb Banerjee, Gregory J. Bix

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background; Physical activity is associated with improved brain health and cognition in humans. However, the validity, range, and quality of evidence for the beneficial outcomes linked to exercise in experimental models of vascular dementia (VaD) have not been evaluated. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies that assessed the effect of exercise intervention on models of VaD to provide an unbiased and comprehensive determination of the cognitive function and brain morphology benefits of exercise. Summary; A systematic search in three databases as well as study design characteristics and experimental data extraction were completed in December 2021. We investigated …

Earth Art In The Great Acceleration: Times/Counter-Times, Monuments/Counter-Monuments, Gary Shapiro

Philosophy Faculty Publications

This article attempts to situate land art in the deserts of the US Southwest in terms of the works’ relation to and rupture with more traditional genres (seventeenth to twentieth centuries) of parks, gardens, and landscape architecture. It argues that the earlier works provide implicit answers to questions concerning Earth’s meaning and offer models of flourishing habitation. In contrast, the more recent works, all constructed in the era of the great acceleration (the Anthropocene), pose questions having to do with new challenges posed by climate change and the devastation of the Earth.

Change Management Strategies For Successfully Managing The Lack Of Critical National Infrastructure In The Nigerian Telecommunication Industry, Adedoyin Adeola

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Phenomenology Of Incels With Aggrieved Entitlement Who Participate In Online Communities, Catherine Patterson-Sterling

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Peer Recovery Support Effects On Substance Abuse In Rural Outpatient Community Behavioral Health, Melissa Bruce

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Fire Department Personnel Perspectives On Avoidable Emergency Medical Services Calls And Emergency Department Visits, Nathanial Render

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

The Perceptions Of Single Parents Raising A Child Diagnosed With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder With Behavioral And Emotional Concerns, Peterann Marie Blackstock

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Teachers’ Perceptions On The Use Of Behavior Management Software Programs To Encourage Positive Student Behavior, Carla Christine White

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Social Media As A Health-Related Information Source About The Coronavirus Among A Sample Of Kuwaiti Youth Social Media As A Health-Related Information Source About The Coronavirus Among A Sample Of Kuwaiti Youth, Yagoub Yousif Al-Kandari, Maha Meshari Al-Sejari

Journal of Arts and Social Sciences

Due to the rapid dissemination of COVID-19, the public community has begun following social media as a main source of health-related information daily due to the grave, life-threatening implications on patients’ health. The current study aims to (1) detect socio-demographic differences, knowledge of COVID-19 symptoms and general health, and social media trust among youth; (2) determine the degree of using social media and traditional media among youth; and (3) examine the relationship between using social media to track COVID-19 news (symptoms, general health knowledge, and social media trust) and the degree of using social media. This is a cross-sectional study …

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis Of Favipiravir And Remdesivir As Covid-19 Treatment In South Tangerang, Banten Province - Indonesia, Wahyu G. Putro, Andriani R. Fahriyati, Gilberto A. Julian, Tania R. Amalia, Zaki M. Riski

Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy Research

COVID-19 is a contagious ailment primarily attributed to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus. Indonesia persists in confronting the COVID-19 pandemic, and South Tangerang City has emerged as one of the municipalities in Indonesia that has been significantly affected. There are two categories of medications employed for COVID-19 treatment according to government policies, namely favipiravir and remdesivir. This study aims to as- sess the cost-effectiveness of favipiravir and remdesivir medications at the South Tangerang General Hospital, Indonesia. The present study employs a retrospective research design characterized by a quantitative approach, utilizing cross-sectional methodologies. The analy- sis mostly consists of descriptive …

Molecular And Clinical Effects Of Aromatase Inhibitor Therapy On Skeletal Muscle Function In Early-Stage Breast Cancer, Tara A Seibert, Lei Shi, Sandra Althouse, Richard Hoffman, Bryan P Schneider, Kristen A Russ, Cody A Altherr, Stuart J Warden, Theresa A Guise, Andrew R Coggan, Tarah J Ballinger

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

We evaluated biochemical changes in skeletal muscle of women with breast cancer initiating aromatase inhibitors (AI), including oxidation of ryanodine receptor RyR1 and loss of stabilizing protein calstabin1, and detailed measures of muscle function. Fifteen postmenopausal women with stage I-III breast cancer planning to initiate AI enrolled. Quadriceps muscle biopsy, dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, isokinetic dynamometry, Short Physical Performance Battery, grip strength, 6-min walk, patient-reported outcomes, and serologic measures of bone turnover were assessed before and after 6 months of AI. Post-AI exposure, oxidation of RyR1 significantly increased (0.23 ± 0.37 vs. 0.88 ± 0.80, p <  0.001) and RyR1-bound calstabin1 significantly decreased (1.69 ± 1.53 vs. 0.74 ± 0.85, p <  0.001), consistent with dysfunctional calcium channels in skeletal muscle. Grip strength significantly decreased at 6 months. No significant differences were seen in isokinetic dynamometry measures of muscle contractility, fatigue resistance, or muscle recovery post-AI exposure. However, there was significant correlation between oxidation of RyR1 with muscle power (r = 0.60, p = 0.02) and muscle fatigue (r = 0.57, p = 0.03). Estrogen deprivation therapy for breast cancer resulted in maladaptive changes in skeletal muscle, consistent with the biochemical signature of dysfunctional RyR1 calcium channels. Future studies will evaluate longer trajectories of muscle function change and include other high bone turnover states, such as bone metastases.

Tweeting For Change: Social Media Narratives For Sustainable Service, Maria Petrescu, Anjala S. Krishen, Jesse L. Barnes, Shaheena Janjuha-Jivraj

Publications

Purpose–This interdisciplinary study aims to analyze how service organizations communicate sustainable beliefs in their social media narratives and use them to generate brand awareness, customer recognition and ongoing demand for sustainable service.

Design/methodology/approach– A two-phase exploratory analysis of 10,342 tweets from 2019–2020 was conducted by sustainable global corporations to identify best practices for their social media teams operating within a service-based business model. First, the significant themes were identified using an unguided machine learning approach of three types of firms: services, goods and mixed. Next, the full set of tweets with linguistic sentiment analysis was analyzed followed by a deeper …

Statistical Analysis For Water Quality Data Using Anova (Case Study – Lake Burullus Influent Drains), Dr.Aya Hassan

Civil Engineering

Lake Burullus is considered one of the most valuable northern lakes in Egypt due to its unique ecological system and special location. Over the past four decades, the lake has suffered from high contamination levels due to expansion in fish farming and increasing of agricultural drainage water entering the southern side of the lake through eight influent drains. This research aims to assess the current situation of the lake’s influent drains. For this purpose, two types of statistical analysis, Mean average method, and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were used. The water quality conditions for six major drains (Therah (Tira), Nashart, …

Milner Library: Centering Healing As An Act Of Radical Transformation, Maria Tudela, Mallory Jallas

Faculty and Staff Publications – Milner Library

Milner Library is uniquely positioned as a unit to facilitate student, faculty, and community success with our services and engagement. At this intersection, we implement critical praxis to disrupt traditional notions of academic libraries. Specifically, this poster will address shifting the concept of thriving as a form of production to one that considers how thriving can support and encourage transformational healing. This poster will highlight how our library approaches programming, collection development, instruction, and physical space and examine these concepts as tangible connections in foregrounding critical praxis. Participants can expect to develop new and deeper perspectives on how Milner Library …

The Lived Experiences Of Military Contractors And Impact Of Stress On Their Perceived Productivity And Job Satisfaction During Covid-19 Mandated Telework, Laury Hales

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

The Gospel Of Hope: Exploring The Theological Core Of The Jubilee Year 2025, Ramil Del Rosario Marcos

Landas

The Catholic Church will celebrate the Holy Year 2025 under the motto “Pilgrims of Hope,” emphasizing renewal and healing after the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper highlights the importance of Christian hope, often the least explored among the theological virtues, and turns to Pope Francis’ reflections as a key resource. Focusing on his weekly addresses from 2016–2017, it examines his theology of hope and its relevance for individuals, the Church, and the wider world. During the pandemic, Pope Francis embodied compassionate leadership, encouraging perseverance through faith in God and trust in human solidarity. His reflections present hope as rooted in the …

Ignatius Loyola’S Spiritual Exercises And Popular Religiosity: Historical Perspective, Antecedents And Ramifications, René Pio B. Javellana

Landas

The genesis of Ignatius Loyola’s Spiritual Exercises (SPEX) is closely linked to his conversion and early journey as a pilgrim, especially in Montserrat and Manresa. In Manresa, he lived a life of prayer, penance, and service, frequenting liturgies and assisting the sick. His profound spiritual illumination at the River Cardoner deepened his understanding of divine realities and became foundational for the SPEX. Initially composed between 1522 and 1523, the text underwent continuous revision until 1546 and received papal approval in 1548, confirming its importance for the mission of the Society of Jesus, approved earlier in 1540. Lacking formal training in …

Cmsi Note #2: Admiral Dong Jun Engages Friends And Foes: China’S First Naval Defense Minister Brings Joint Operational Experience, Andrew S. Erickson, Christopher Sharman

CMSI Notes

On 29 December 2023, Admiral Dong Jun (董军) was appointed China’s 14th Minister of National Defense (国防部部长) at the seventh meeting of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People’s Congress. He replaced the previously deposed Army General Li Shangfu, ending a four-month leadership gap. Admiral Dong is the first PLA Navy (PLAN) officer to head China’s Ministry of National Defense (MND). Previously the 9th People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Commander, he was likewise exceptional in achieving this position from a background in theater joint operations.

China Maritime Report No. 34: Plan Submarine Training In The "New Era", Christopher Sharman, Terry Hess

CMSI China Maritime Reports

Since 2018, there have been significant changes to People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) submarine force training, and these changes have been driven by important revisions to strategic guidance and subsequent directives that focused PLA efforts to enhance its capabilities to operate in the maritime domain. While this guidance is applicable to all services, improving PLAN submarine force capabilities appears to have been of particular interest to senior Chinese leadership. This guidance expanded the PLA’s maritime domain requirements, which demanded that China’s submarine force improve its capabilities to operate independently or along with other PLAN assets at greater distances from coast …

What Does ‘(Non)-Absoluteness Of Observed Events’ Mean?, Emily Adlam

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Recently there have emerged an assortment of theorems relating to the ‘absoluteness of emerged events,’ and these results have sometimes been used to argue that quantum mechanics may involve some kind of metaphysically radical non-absoluteness, such as relationalism or perspectivalism. However, in our view a close examination of these theorems fails to convincingly support such possibilities. In this paper we argue that the Wigner’s friend paradox, the theorem of Bong et al and the theorem of Lawrence et al are all best understood as demonstrating that if quantum mechanics is universal, and if certain auxiliary assumptions hold, then the world …

The Macrophage Autophagy-Lysosome System In Atherosclerosis Pathogenesis, Astrid Carolina Rodriguez Velez

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Cardiovascular diseases, particularly atherosclerosis, pose significant health concerns, necessitating a comprehensive understanding of underlying mechanisms for effective therapeutic interventions. In this dissertation, I studied diverse topics, ranging from dietary impacts to intracellular processes, shedding light on novel avenues for atherosclerosis research. It is divided in 4 core projects. In Chapter 2) I studied how dietary protein drives atherosclerosis and lesion complexity. We found that protein ingestion acutely elevates amino acid levels in blood and atherosclerotic plaques, stimulating macrophage mTOR signaling. This is causal in plaque progression as the effects are abrogated in macrophage-specific Raptor-null mice. Mechanistically, we find amino acids …