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From Surviving To Thriving: Black Women College Athletes Excelling Beyond Academic Benchmarks At Historically White Institutions, Tracey L. Hathaway

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Black Women college athletes (BWCAs) at historically White institutions (HWIs) navigate a complex intersection of racialized and gendered experiences that shape their academic, athletic, and social lives. This qualitative study explored how BWCAs defined success, navigated systemic challenges, and leveraged holistic support to thrive. Using critical race feminism (CRF) as the guiding theoretical framework, this study centered the voices of five high-achieving BWCAs through semi-structured interviews and reflective thematic analysis.

Participants described the complex realities of balancing academic rigor, athletic participation, and social expectations while facing intersectional invisibility and contending with their status as “outsider within” in both academic and …

Resource Allocation Method For Virus Spreading Control Based On Multi-Granularity Cooperative Coevolution, Xuanli Shi, Weineng Chen, An Song, Tianfang Zhao

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: According to the principle of simplifying a complex problem into sub-problems for solution, a resource allocation method for virus spreading control based on multi-granularity cooperative coevolution (MGCC) was proposed. According to the characteristics of human's social network structures, MGCC decomposed the network into sub-networks with different scales according to different decomposition granularities. A contribution-based decomposition granularity selection strategy was proposed. Historical archives were used to record the contribution of different decomposition granularities to optimization, and the appropriate decomposition granularity was selected according to the optimization status. A projection-based constraint repairing strategy was designed to ensure the feasibility of solutions. …

Multi-Robot Hierarchical Collaborative K-Robust Path Planning For Path Interference, Kaixiang Zhang, Jianlin Mao, Niya Wang, Zhihao Xu

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: To plan collision-free paths for multiple robots in interference environments, based on the multi-robot k-robust path planning, this paper designed a multi-robot hierarchical collaborative k-robust path planning framework. In the priority optimization layer, in response to the starting predicament caused by the solution sequence, the multi-robot path solving sequence was determined based on the closure factor. In the multi-robot robust coordination layer, with the goal of improving solution efficiency, a safety interval was introduced as the basis for the design of k-robustness and collision-free avoidance. A collision-free path constraint for multiple robots in the sense of k-robustness was given. …

The Impact Of Digital Sexual Health Education Using Social Media On African American Undergraduate Students, Valora Reid Bishop

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite making up approximately 12% of the United States’ population in 2020, African Americans ages 15 to 24 years old comprised 32% of the reported sexually transmitted diseases. The purpose of this quantitative research was to examine the impact of digital sexual health education (SHE) information on sexual health behaviors among African American undergraduate college students aged 18 to 24 years. The two research questions explored if the use of digital SHE information reduced the risk of adverse sexual health behaviors among African American undergraduate college student ages 18 to 24 years old; and if there was a relationship between …

The Meaning Of Academic Achievement For Fathers Of African American At-Risk Urban Female Youth, Shurise Telesford

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Family dynamics, parenting styles, and the impact of parental involvement on children have long been studied, with much of the focus traditionally placed on the mother-child relationship. This study shifted that focus to explore the perceptions of African American fathers of at-risk female youth regarding academic achievement. Using a generic qualitative approach and guided by Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed, a theory emphasizing how the marginalized learn through critical awareness and collaboration, I sought to understand how these fathers view their daughters’ educational experiences and barriers to success. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with seven fathers living in urban …

State Government Policies And Opioid Overdoses And Deaths, William Jerome Howard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, opioid deaths posed a significant public health crisis with profound social and economic implications. The opioid crisis continued despite the implementation of state-level prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMP), naloxone access laws (NALs), and Medicaid expansion programs. Existing research demonstrated opioid deaths and nonfatal overdose patterns highlight the need for targeted harm reduction strategies, but there remained a lack of quantitative studies that addressed the effectiveness of opioid harm reduction policies. The purpose of this quasi-experimental quantitative research was to evaluate the relationship between state-level PDMPs, NALs, Medicaid expansion programs, and the COVID-19 global pandemic period (2020-2023), …

Spartan Daily, August 20, 2025, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2025

Volume 165, Issue 1

Revealing The Catalytic Mechanism Of The Fe(Ii)/2-Oxoglutarate-Dependent Human Epigenetic Modifying Enzyme Alkbh5, Fathima Hameed Cherilakkudy, Midhun George Thomas, Ann Varghese, Sodiq Waheed, Anandhu Krishnan, Vincenzo Venditti, Christopher J. Schofield, Deyu Li, Christo Christov, Tatyana Karabencheva-Christova

Michigan Tech Publications

ALKBH5 is one of only two known human non-heme Fe(II)/2-oxoglutarate-dependent oxygenases that catalyze the demethylation of N⁶-methyladenine (m⁶A) in single-stranded mRNA, underscoring its role in diverse cancers. Unlike its homolog, the fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO), which oxidizes m⁶A to a stable N⁶-hydroxymethyladenine (hm⁶A) intermediate, ALKBH5 demethylates m⁶A, yielding adenine and formaldehyde as products. Here, we integrate molecular dynamics simulations and quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics methods to elucidate ALKBH5’s complete catalytic mechanism. Two post-hydroxylation pathways were evaluated: a proton transfer pathway and a Schiff base formation pathway, with …

Bridging The Gaps: An Updated Mapping Of The Uses Of Immersive Learning Environments, Leonel Morgado, Dennis Beck, Patrick O'Shea

Curriculum and Instruction Faculty Publications and Presentations

Since publication of the 2020 survey of surveys, "Finding the gaps about uses of immersive learning environments: a survey of surveys," the field of immersive learning environments has experienced substantial growth and diversification. This updated review systematically maps recent developments by analyzing 64 new literature surveys published after the original corpus date, significantly expanding the corpus from 47 to 111 reviews. Through thematic content analysis, our study identifies and integrates five new educational use themes-Games, Observation, Personification, Storytelling, and Student Authoring-and revises existing categories based on recent research. We observed shifts in the prevalence of themes, most notably an increase …

Collaborative Proposal: Caig: Synthetic Data Generation For Solar Energetic Particle Events Via Multimodal Augmentation, Shah Muhammad Hamdi

Funded Research Records

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Different Antidiabetic Drugs On Fracture Risk In Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review And Network Meta-Analysis Of Randomized Controlled Trials With A Focus On Sglt2 Inhibitors, Bushra Admani, Fizza Z. Raza, Fatima Siddiqui, Muhammad T. Ashraf, Muhammad K. Khan, Ifra Habib, Ayesha Usman, Bareeha Mansoor, Zaira Nadeem, Rana J. Ghaffer, Muhammad Riyyan, Sawaira Sajid, Muhammad H. A. Chania, Mahnoor Saleem, Saad Javaid, Nikhil Duseja, Hussam Al Hennawi, Sunita Lakhani

Abington Jefferson Health Papers

SGLT2 inhibitors are a new class of antidiabetic drugs that have shown cardiovascular benefits in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cardiovascular disease. However, their effects on fracture risk are unclear and may depend on the type and duration of treatment. This meta-analysis compares the fracture risk of different antidiabetic drugs, including SGLT2 inhibitors, based on data from randomized controlled trials (RCTs). We searched 4 databases for RCTs that reported fracture events in patients with T2DM who received different antidiabetic drugs. We included 117 RCTs that compared 9 types of antidiabetic drugs: SGLT2 inhibitors, DPP-4 inhibitors, α-glucosidase inhibitors, …

Storage Life Assessment Methods For Long-Term Storage Products Based On Multi-Scale Simulation: A Review, Hongmin Li, Xiao Han, Shuo Huang, Shengpeng Zhang, Shuanglong Rong, Hao Li, Cheng Qian

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: Traditional experiment-based life assessment methods for long-term storage products suffer from drawbacks such as prolonged duration, high cost, and low prediction accuracy, greatly limiting the effectiveness of storage life assessment in practical applications. With the advancement of digital simulation technology, simulation analysis methods based on the physics of failure (PoF) have emerged as a research hotspot in the field of storage life assessment, as they can accurately characterize product aging behavior. The multi-scale characteristics of long-term storage products and their typical storage failure modes and mechanisms were analyzed. Multi-scale modeling and simulation analysis methods for storage failures of fundamental …

Simulation And Optimization Of Support Processes For Aircraft Fleet Launch Under Limited Resources, Feng Gong, Tao Jiang, Qin Zhang, Yu Liu

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: To address the scheduling problem of aircraft fleet support processes under limited resources, a fleet support process optimization model that covered multiple aircraft, activities, and resource constraints was developed. An activity node graph model was used to establish the temporal logic, resource competition, and other constraints in the fleet support process, forming a "time – activity – resource" multidimensional optimization model. A genetic algorithm based on priority encoding was proposed, incorporating a serial decoding strategy and a dynamic penalty function to handle the complex constraints in the model, efficiently solving the optimization problem under complicated temporal and resource constraints. …

Optimization Of Product Oil Distribution With Multiple Trips And Multiple Due Dates Under Dynamic Demand, Yong Xie, Hailong Gao, Yutao Chen, Huanjiang Wang

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: In the case of dynamic demand, considering the order due date, vehicle transportation time window, and other factors, this paper developed an optimization model of periodic product oil distribution with multiple trips and multiple due dates to maximize the distribution revenue. The paper also designed a reinforcement learning-based large neighborhood search algorithm to solve the problem. The initial solution was constructed based on the forward insertion heuristic algorithm. Then, a deep reinforcement learning model for neighborhood operator selection was designed. By fitting the action value function through the double deep Q network, the optimal neighborhood operator was selected, and …

Trajectory Planning And Tracking For Multi-Quadcopter In Dynamic Obstacle Environments, Haosheng Jiang, Fangfang Wu, Zexian Huang, Ziyue Ma, Chunyun Dong, Xubin Ping

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: Multi-quadrotor UAV systems face challenges when performing complex tasks in dynamic obstacle environments. Therefore, a comprehensive particle swarm optimization-based task allocation method, a trajectory planning integrating the traditional Informed-RRT* and A* algorithms, and a trajectory tracking method based on model predictive control were designed. The multi-quadrotor task allocation problem was constructed as a classical multiple traveling salesman problem, and then, the particle swarm optimization was used to assign the task to multi-quadrotor UAVs. A fusion algorithm that combined the advantages of traditional Informed-RRT* and A* algorithms for quadrotor UAV trajectory planning was designed, so as to ensure that a …

Research On Non-Singular Fast Integral Terminal Sliding Mode Trajectory Tracking Control Of Six-Axis Robotic Arm, Tao Chen, Lizhong Wang, Xiangjun Zou, Xiaojuan Li

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: To address the trajectory tracking control challenges caused by modeling parameter inaccuracies and disturbance uncertainties in robotic arms, a non-singular fast integral terminal sliding mode control scheme was developed. A new type of non-singular fast integral terminal sliding mode controller was designed. The non-singular fast terminal sliding mode ensured the rapid convergence of the system while avoiding the singularity during convergence. The integral term was used to enhance the suppression ability of disturbances and ensure the rapid response of the controller to errors. Lyapunov stability theory was applied to analyze the controller's convergence. The simulation results show that the …

Lightweight Driver Face Object Detection Algorithm Based On Yolov8-Df, Mingyu Li, Jiaquan Lin

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: The YOLOv8n detection algorithm has a large amount of computation and parameters in the driving environment. To address this issue, a lightweight driver facial object detection algorithm YOLOv8-DF was proposed. A lightweight multi-scale convolution module (LMCM) was proposed to replace the Conv module in the network, and the dual-channel design could reduce the computation and parameter quantity of the algorithm; the multi-scale design could enrich the feature information inside the network. The lightweight convolutional GhostConv, Fasterblock module, and C2f module were fused, and a dual-channel lightweight convolution module (DLCM) was fused with the SPPF module. The experimental results show …

Optimal Scheduling Of An Integrated Energy System Considering Demand Response And Two-Stage P2g, Xinhui Duan, Zelong Cheng, Dongchao Zhang, Xiaochong Duan

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: In the context of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals, this study aims to improve the energy utilization rate and further explore the role of user-side flexible loads and P2G equipment in energy saving and emission reduction. An optimal scheduling model for integrated energy systems considering demand response and two-stage P2G was proposed. A regional integrated energy system coupled with electricity, heating, cooling, gas, storage, and hydrogen was taken as the research object. Models for system equipment and two-stage P2G were established. Based on load characteristics, a multi-load demand response model for electricity, heating, and cooling was constructed using …

Targeted Proteomic Analysis Identifies Acvrl1 As A Marker Of Cerebral Edema In Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage, Bosco Seong Kyu Yang, Lena O'Keefe, Sarah Hinds, Hua Chen, Athziry Paz, Jude Savarraj, Han-Gil Jeong, Moon-Ku Han, Aaron Gusdon, Xuefang Sophie Ren, Spiros Blackburn, Huimahn Alex Choi

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Cerebral edema (CE) is a major component of early brain injury from aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Despite the utility of blood-based protein markers, biomarkers targeting cerebral edema have yet to be developed. We performed a targeted proteomic search analyzing 141 proteins in plasma samples taken from 80 adult patients within 48 hours after aneurysmal rupture to identify plasma biomarkers of cerebral edema. The protein expression profiles were analyzed for associations with a higher level of the subarachnoid hemorrhage early brain edema score measured in admission computed tomography scans. Five differentially expressed proteins-brorin, ectodysplasin A2 receptor, layilin, scavenger receptor class A …

Capturing Magic: Recording Emily Lubitz’S Two Black Horses At Mix Artist Studio – A Reflective Case Study In Contemporary Recording Practice, Jan Muths

Staff Scholarship - Australia & Dubai

This paper reflects on the recording of Emily Lubitz’s album Two Black Horses at Mix Artist Studio in early 2024. It outlines how I applied my core engineering values, technical precision, sensitivity to the musicians’ needs, and anticipatory readiness, to capture the energy of a live band with high acoustic separation. Beyond the technical aspects, it demonstrates how ongoing studio practice directly informs and enhances my teaching, keeping lessons current and relevant. The aim is to connect industry experience with teaching practice, showing how staying active in the field strengthens classroom delivery.

Strategies To Recruit And Retain Physicians In Rural Hospital Health Systems, Montoya Major

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Physician shortages in rural areas represent a serious and escalating challenge in the United States, with approximately 20% of the population residing in these regions while only about 9% of physicians practice there. The purpose of this integrative review was to identify key underlying factors contributing to physician shortages in rural hospital health settings and identify potential strategies to recruit and retain physicians. The review question concerned strategies and practices administrators use to attract and retain physicians in underserved rural areas. Herzberg’s two-factor theory serves as the framework and offers a perspective on employee motivation and job satisfaction. A review …

Effects Of Summer School Attendance On The Assessed Reading Proficiency Of Third Grade Students, Lydia Evers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Evidence shows students who are not reading proficiently by the end of third grade are more likely to eventually drop out of high school or be considered illiterate as adults, making it challenging to function adequately in society. The problem addressed through this study was that as many as 60% of U.S. third-grade students scored below proficiency on annual standardized reading assessments. Guided by faucet theory by Alexander et al., the purpose of this causal-comparative quantitative study was to compare reading standardized test scores of third-grade students who participated in a summer school program (SSP) in the summer following second …

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (Eras) Protocol, Jennifer Smith

Group: Nebraska Methodist College

Problem: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols aim to minimize surgical stress, improve patient outcomes, and shorten hospital stays. While ERAS has shown benefits in various surgical disciplines, challenges were faced in implementing and customizing these protocols for specific populations. This project evaluated how ERAS interventions impact recovery metrics, including hospital length of stay, bowel recovery, and cardiac rehabilitation outcomes.

Intervention: ERAS-based perioperative care strategies were implemented focusing on early mobilization, optimized pain management, reduced opioid use, and timely enteral nutrition. The patients were monitored for compliance and adherence to protocol components to assess their effect on recovery.

Measures: Primary …

Modeling The Importance Of Life Exposure Factors On Memory Performance In Diverse Older Adults: A Machine Learning Approach, Evan Fletcher, Marianne Chanti-Ketterl, Emily Hokett, Yi Lor, Umesh Venkatesan, Ruijia Chen, Omonigho M. Bubu, Rachel Whitmer, Paola Gilsanz, Zvinka Z. Zlatar

Moss-Magee Rehabilitation Papers

INTRODUCTION: Many health life exposure factors (LEFs) influence cognitive decline and dementia incidence, but their relative importance to episodic memory (an early indicator of cognitive decline) among diverse older adults is unclear. We used machine learning to rank LEFs for memory performance in a large and diverse US cohort.

METHODS: Kaiser Healthy Aging and Diverse Life Experiences (KHANDLE) and Study of Healthy Aging in African Americans (STAR), participants underwent neuropsychological testing and answered questionnaires about multiple LEFs. XGBoost and Shapley Additive exPlanation values ranked the importance of factors influencing cross-sectional episodic memory in the full sample and by sex and …

Ecological Drivers And Temporal Dynamics Of Daphnia In A Diverse Environmental And Spatial Landscape, Crysta A. Gantz

Dissertations and Theses

In the modern era, commonly referred to as the Anthropocene, human-caused changes to the environment are prevalent and complex. The study of impacts to biodiversity and ecosystem functioning requires multi-faceted approaches that encompass scales of organization from genes to ecosystems. It is often difficult to tease apart whether species responses to environmental change are due to phenotypic plasticity or genotypic variation. Therefore, it is important to try to understand where variation originated, that is, to link a phenotypic response to a genetic change or to gauge whether the response is from the environment. In addition, neutral genetic variation arising from …

Menopause-Related Changes In Sleep And The Associations With Cardiometabolic Health: A Narrative Review, Joshua R. Sparks, Xuewen Wang Ph.D., Faha

Faculty Publications

This narrative review examines the complex relationship between sleep changes during the menopausal transition and cardiometabolic risks. The most common complaint about sleep is increased awakenings during sleep. Other complaints include having trouble falling asleep, waking up too early, insufficient and non-restorative sleep, and overall poor quality. Sleep determined using objective methods also indicates that greater awakenings after sleep onset are associated with the period of menopausal transition. Polysomnography recordings suggest physiological hyperarousal during sleep. Changes in other sleep metrics, such as sleep latency and sleep duration, are less consistent, and some studies suggest they may not worsen during the …

Fatal Facial Necrotizing Fasciitis: A Case Report Highlighting Diagnostic And Therapeutic Challenges, Muhammad Sheraz Hameed, Syed Rafay Hussain Zaidi, Ali Iqbal, Muhammad Ahsan, Austin Mitchell, Azka Asad Mirza, Joshiah Gordon, Rahmat Gul Omarzai

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Facial Necrotizing Fasciitis (FNF) is a rare but aggressive, life-threatening infection involving the face's subcutaneous tissues and underlying musculature. It can rapidly progress to septic shock and multi-organ failure if not promptly recognized and treated. The clinical course, including severe pain, disproportionate tenderness, and systemic signs, is often the most crucial factor in diagnosis. While computed tomography (CT) can aid in identifying early signs such as soft tissue swelling and gas formation, clinical suspicion remains paramount and should not be delayed by reliance on imaging alone. Without early intervention, FNF may lead to devastating outcomes, including disfigurement, blindness, or …

The Promise And Peril Of Comparing Fluorescence Lifetime In Biology Revealed By Simulations, Pingchuan Ma, Peter Chen, Scott Sternson, Yao Chen

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Signaling dynamics are crucial in biological systems, and biosensor-based real-time imaging has revolutionized their analysis. Fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) excels over the widely used fluorescence intensity imaging by allowing the measurement of absolute signal levels independent of sensor concentration. This capability enables the comparison of signaling dynamics across different animals, body regions, and timeframes. However, FLIM's advantage can be compromised by factors like autofluorescence in biological experiments. To address this, we introduce FLiSimBA, a flexible computational framework for realistic

Multi-Ancestral Genome-Wide Association Study Of Clinically Defined Nicotine Dependence Reveals Strong Genetic Correlations With Other Substance Use Disorders And Health-Related Traits, Emma C Johnson, Jared V Balbona, Alexander S Hatoum, David A A Baranger, Louis Fox, Paul W Jeffries, Laura J Bierut, Andrew C Heath, Pamela A Madden, Elliot C Nelson, Arpana Agrawal, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Genetic research on nicotine dependence has utilized multiple assessments that are in weak agreement.

METHODS: We conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of nicotine dependence defined using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-NicDep) in 61,861 individuals (47,884 of European ancestry [EUR], 10,231 of African ancestry, and 3,746 of East Asian ancestry) and compared the results to other nicotine-related phenotypes.

RESULTS: We replicated the well-known association at the

CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that combining the wide availability of diagnostic EHR data with nuanced criterion-level analyses of DSM tobacco use disorder may produce new insights into the genetics …

Is Criticality A Unified Setpoint Of Brain Function?, Keith B. Hengen, Aaron Shew

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Brains face selective pressure to optimize computation, broadly defined. This is achieved by mechanisms including development, plasticity, and homeostasis. Is there a universal optimum around which the healthy brain tunes itself, across time and individuals? The criticality hypothesis posits such a setpoint. Criticality is a state imbued with internally generated, multiscale, marginally stable dynamics that maximize the features of information processing. Experimental support emerged two decades ago and has accumulated at an accelerating pace despite disagreement. Here, we lay out the logic of criticality as a general computational endpoint and review experimental evidence. We perform a meta-analysis of 140 datasets …