Digital Commons Network^™

Case Report: Cold Urticaria Diagnosed In The Emergency Department, Philip Carhart, James Espinosa, Alan Lucerna

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Cold urticaria can be primary (idiopathic) or can be due to underlying hematologic or infectious diseases. Here we present the case of a young female patient with no past medical history who was diagnosed with cold urticaria in the emergency department setting, using a cold stimulation test. Most cases are idiopathic. The reaction can be triggered in individual cases by exposure to cold objects or to generalized cold ambient temperatures, as was the case in the patient presented here. The physical response is most commonly pruritic wheals (urticaria). However, more severe symptoms may occur up to angioedema with hoarseness and …

Designing An Interactive Visual Analytics System For Precipitation Data Analysis, Dong Hyun Jeong, Pradeep Behera, Bong Keun Jeong, Carlos David Luna Sangama, Bryan Higgs, Soo Yeon Ji

Management and Decision Sciences

As precipitation analysis reveals critical statistical characteristics, temporal patterns, and spatial distributions of rainfall and snowfall events, it plays an important role in planning urban drainage systems, flood forecasting, hydrological modeling, and climate studies. It helps engineers design climate-resilient infrastructure capable of withstanding extreme weather events, which is becoming increasingly important as precipitation patterns change over time. With precipitation analysis, multiple valuable information can be determined, such as storm intensity, duration, and frequency. To enhance understanding of precipitation data and analysis results, researchers often use graphical representation methods to show the data in visual formats. Although existing precipitation analysis and …

The Archives Magazine, 2025, Siobhan Houghton, Emma Osborne, Katelynn Humbles, Joseph Tyler Nadzady, Jessi Walker, Avery Reel, Kateryna Chmil, Katie Moreno

Kutztown University Archives

No abstract provided.

Identifying Trends Among University Club Athletes, Emma M. Griffin, Laura Jean Burton

Honors Scholar Theses

This study explores the factors influencing students’ decisions to join and remain involved in club sports at the University of Connecticut. Drawing on survey data and in-depth interviews with current club sport athletes, the research investigates how demographic, socioeconomic, and personal background variables such as prior sport involvement, academic motivations, and social aspirations shape patterns of participation. Findings suggest that students from higher socioeconomic backgrounds and those with significant competitive youth sport involvement comprise most club sport athletes, often citing a desire for balance, community, and stress relief as key motivators to joining. These results align with prior literature on …

Immune Response To Long-Term Lipopolysaccharide Infusion In Sheep, Laura A. Centanni

Honors Scholar Theses

Poor maternal nutrition (restricted and over-feeding) during gestation alters metabolism, growth, and body composition of offspring. It may also affect immune function. The purpose of this study is to determine the safety and efficacy of long-term immune challenge using lipopolysaccharide in sheep. Through two challenge weeks, each consisting of five days of lipopolysaccharide treatment, monitoring, and data collection, the treatment was found to be safe in sheep and effective to elicit an immune response. The data from this study will inform future studies on maternal nutrition in the University of Connecticut Animal Science Department.

The Effect Of Non-Profit Organizations On The Passage Of Climate Change Legislation In Connecticut, John-Henry Burke

Honors Scholar Theses

Connecticut has a long history of climate action. In this study, I looked into the effect that non-governmental organizations have on the passage of climate change legislation in Connecticut. Eighteen different climate policy stakeholders, including legislatures, non-governmental organization (NGO) staff members, youth activists and state employees were interviewed to gain their perspective on how non-profits forward climate initiatives. I found that non-profit organizations do have a significant impact on the passage of climate change legislation in Connecticut by working as providers of information to legislators and mobilizers of constituents. This impact can be limited by various political factors.

Post-Secondary Educational Interventions For Youth Aging Out Of Foster Care: A Systematic Review, Catherine Ware

Honors Scholar Theses

Youth with experience in foster care (YEFC) face significant educational disparities, with only a small fraction completing postsecondary education compared to the general population. These disparities stem from a complex interplay of adversities including placement instability, financial insecurity, trauma, and lack of support systems. In recent years, campus-based support programs (CSPs) have emerged to address these barriers and promote college access and success for YEFC. This systematic review synthesizes findings from 10 studies examining 15 CSPs across the United States, with a focus on (a) student perceptions of program experiences and (b) educational outcomes associated with program participation. Results indicate …

Signal Modeling Of High Purity Germanium Detectors, Brooke Parker Thibodeau

Honors Scholar Theses

Pulse shape analysis can be used to analyze radiation incident on a semiconductor diode detector. Finite element analysis (FEA) can be used to simulate high purity germanium detectors with user-specified geometry, impurity concentration, and bias voltage. Subsequent streamline calculation can be used to conduct pulse shape analysis for single and multiple site gamma-ray interactions within the detector volume. Cross sections of the detector can be visualized by contour plots of the electric field, drift velocity magnitude, and collection time, as well as t30 and t90 rise-time values.

The Relationship Between Mindfulness, Daily Difficult Events, Perceived Stress And Anxiety Among College Students, Gabrielle Lessard

Honors Scholar Theses

Background: Mindfulness is a multifaceted psychological construct that pertains to intentionally being aware of the present moment in a non-judgmental way. Little research has examined other facets of mindfulness and their association with perceived stress and anxiety.

Objective: To evaluate between-person and within-person relationships between specific facets of mindfulness (acting with awareness and nonjudging of inner experience) and various daily difficult events, perceived stress and anxiety levels among college-aged students across a 7-day period.

Methods: A sample of 78 undergraduates at the University of Connecticut were recruited through the Participant Pool and analyzed based on their baseline mindfulness and seven …

Characteristics Of Shallow Convection In Diverse Coastal Conditions, Zackary Mages

Electronic Dissertations and Theses, 2010-current

Clouds are an important component of Earth’s climate system. In particular, shallow convective clouds contribute to the vertical transport of heat, moisture, and momentum in the troposphere, and they generally have a net cooling effect on the planet’s radiation budget. Previous studies have often been limited by a lack of large observational samples needed to understand these clouds and their characteristics. This dissertation strives to overcome this limitation by analyzing observations of shallow convective clouds in two different coastal regions and using two different measurement paradigms. First, shallow convective clouds generated by cold-air outbreaks on the northern coast of Norway …

Social Anxiety Moderates The Association Between Adolescent Irritability And Bully Perpetration, Michael T Perino, Jennifer C Harper-Lednicky, Alecia C Vogel, Chad M Sylvester, Deanna M Barch, Joan L Luby

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Preliminary work suggests anxiety moderates the relationship between irritability and bullying. As anxiety increases, the link between irritability and perpetration decreases. We hypothesize that any moderation effect of anxiety is driven by social anxiety symptoms. We sought to explicate the moderating effect of anxiety, while clarifying relations to other aggressive behaviors.

METHODS: A sample of adolescents (

RESULTS: Irritability was significantly related to bullying (

CONCLUSIONS: Understanding how psychopathology interacts with social behaviors is of great importance. Higher social anxiety is linked to reduced relations between irritability and bullying; however, the link between irritability and other aggression remains positive. …

Combining Exercise Training And Testosterone Therapy In Older Women After Hip Fracture: The Step-Hi Randomized Clinical Trial, Ellen F Binder, Peter M Doré, Camelia Guild, Kelly M Monroe, Dominic Reeds, Kenneth B Schechtman, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

IMPORTANCE: Despite receiving postacute rehabilitation services, many older women with a recent hip fracture repair are unable to return to their prefracture level of function. Whether testosterone therapy can enhance recovery after hip fracture in older women with persistent mobility impairments has not been fully examined.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of a supervised exercise program combined with topical testosterone therapy on functional outcomes in older women with a recent hip fracture.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This phase 3 double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial, Starting a Testosterone and Exercise Program After Hip Injury (STEP-HI), was conducted at 8 US sites …

Maternal Cardiometabolic Risk Factors In Pregnancy And Offspring Blood Pressure At Age 2 To 18 Years., Zhongzheng Niu, Ako Adams Ako, Sarah Dee Geiger, Caitlin G. Howe, Wei Perng, Rachana Singh, Margaret R. Karagas, Amy J. Elliott, Andrea Cassidy-Bushrow, Carlos A. Camargo, Keia Sanderson, Cynthia T. Mcevoy, Emily Oken, Dana Dabelea, Tina V. Hartert, Brian S. Carter, Annemarie Stroustrup, Andrea Lampland, Thomas G. O'Connor, Semsa Gogcu, Mark L. Hudak, Lyndsey E. Shorey-Kendrick, Qi Zhao, Yu Ni, Jeffrey Vanwormer, Assiamira Ferrara, Monique Hedderson, Yeyi Zhu, Akram Alshawabkeh, Jose Cordero, Daphne Koinis-Mitchell, Susan Carnell, Carrie V. Breton, Theresa M. Bastain, Shohreh F. Farzan, Echo Cohort Consortium

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

IMPORTANCE: Higher blood pressure in early life may signal cardiovascular disease over the life course, but determinants of blood pressure in early life are poorly understood.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association of maternal cardiometabolic risk factors during pregnancy with offspring blood pressure from age 2 to 18 years and explore whether the association is modified by offspring sex and race and ethnicity.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This cohort study analyzed data from the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes program between January 1, 1994, and March 31, 2023. Three common maternal cardiometabolic risk factors during pregnancy were examined: prepregnancy obesity, …

A Scoping Review Of Sexual And Reproductive Health Interventions With Youth In U.S. Juvenile Facilities., April Mcneill-Johnson, Jason Glenn, Nekia Ivory Daniel, Mira Menon, Basil H. Aboul-Enein, Patricia J. Kelly, Megha Ramaswamy

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Youth placed in U.S. juvenile detention facilities face multilevel barriers that contribute to disparate sexual and reproductive health (SRH) outcomes when compared to their peers in the general adolescent population. Minimal information is available about evidence-based interventions that have been effective in changing these outcomes. The aim of this scoping review was to focus on the current state of SRH and identify recommendations for SRH care. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for scoping reviews guidelines, we searched electronic databases for publications published through March 2024. The search terms were designed to find intervention studies focusing …

Funding For Public Transportation: Results From A Midwest Exit Poll, Joseph S. Lightner, Greg Vonnahme, Steven Chesnut, Nancy Ziegler, Nathan Nguyen, Christiana Sylvaine, Rian Snead, Jordan A. Carlson, Jannette Berkley-Patton, Amanda Grimes

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Public transportation can lead to increases in physical activity, access to jobs, healthcare, and healthy food, and may improve overall health. Funding for public transit is essential for a sustainable transportation system. However, most health studies have not focused on voting behavior as a mechanism for sustaining public transportation. This study employs a cross-sectional, in-person, exit poll of voters at 10 randomly selected polling locations during a local election in 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri. The voter ballot included a question to extend an existing 3/8 cent sales tax for public transportation. Participants (N = 649) overwhelmingly supported (90.6 %) …

Making Tabby, Making Place: Examining A Gullah Geechee Wattle And Tabby Daub Dwelling Through Thin Section Analysis, Jacob E. Hamill

Graduate Masters Theses

Tabby is a building material made from lime, sand, oyster shell, and water that is geographically associated with the Sea Islands of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. This material was used from the early 18^th century to end of the American Civil War to construct all-manner of buildings in the Sea Islands region. Enslaved African descendant communities constructed wattle and tabby daub dwellings within plantation landscapes, and these settlements are interpreted as spaces where enslaved people exercised greater spatial autonomy.

This thesis analyzes the remains of a wattle and tabby daub structure located on what was once Old Fort …

Predicting The Probability Of Crime Related Danger In Los Angeles, Joshua Oghenetega Okpako

Theses

This thesis examines the use of advanced machine learning to predict crime danger in Los Angeles, where 2023 violent crime rates (503 per 100,000) surpass the national average (363.8 per 100,000). Rooted in theories like social disorganization and victim vulnerability, it addresses the lack of combined victim-centric modeling by focusing on three questions: (1) Do blended ensemble models outperform individual models in predicting crime danger? (2) Can unsupervised learning techniques enhance supervised models’ accuracy through label generation or augmentation? (3) How can we interpret accurate machine learning models' decision-making processes? Using historical crime data from Los Angeles (2020–2025) and various …

Modelling And Optimization Of A Desiccant Cooling System For Industrial Applications In Dubai, Ahmad Ababneh

Theses

The study examines the modelling and optimization of solar-assisted desiccant cooling systems (SADCS) specifically designed for industrial applications in Dubai. Four system configurations were evaluated under Dubai's extreme climate using TRNSYS 18 simulation software: classic ventilation, variable percentage recirculation, ventilation with a sensible heat exchanger that utilizes exhaust air to preheat the feed of the auxiliary heating air, and recirculation with a sensible heat exchanger that also utilizes exhaust air for preheating the auxiliary heating air feed. A parametric study comprising 60 simulation cases was performed, examining variations in desiccant wheel effectiveness, airflow rates (3–5 ACH), regeneration temperatures (50–80 °C), …

Personalized Nutrition Recommendations For Arab Communities: Transforming Diet And Health Through Machine Learning, Khalfan Aldoobi

Theses

A lack of cultural understanding in traditional nutrition approaches prevents proper adherence to healthy dietary patterns among individuals. The Arab population faces unique challenges due to cultural dietary customs and lifestyle changes that have made obesity and diet illnesses major global public health challenges. The rapid shift to high-calorie but undernourished foods and less physical activity has resulted in alarming rate increases of obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and type 2 diabetes. The lack of cultural understanding in traditional nutrition approaches prevents proper adherence to healthy dietary patterns among individuals. This study focuses to fills the existing gap by applying Artificial Intelligence …

Sesp Plinko: Dynamics Of C-Shaped Particles Moving Through An Obstacle Field, Ollie Yakimow

Theses

We examine the behavior of C-shaped superellipse sector particles (SeSPs) as they travel through an obstacle field. SeSPs are two-dimensional particles parameterized by corner sharp- ness, aspect ratio, and opening angle; these parameters are sufficient to represent a large variety of shapes, including discs, rods, and concave and convex particles. Our obstacle field is a rhombic Galton Board, an array with alternating rows of pegs. Galton Boards are common not just in experiments but in popular media, such as in boardwalk games and in The Price is Right’s game segment known as "Plinko." Round particles dropped through a Galton Board …

Enhancing Third-Party Risk Management In Aviation: A Comprehensive Framework For Modern Challenges, Shamma Hussain Hammad Bin Hammad

Theses

This thesis is focused on improving the way airlines have managed risks from third-party vendors. Emirates and Etihad have been used as case studies. The thesis identifies major issues, including cybersecurity threats, slow manual processes, and the challenges in the following global regulations. To To solve such problems, the research proposes a new framework that integrates advanced tools including machine learning, blockchain, and real-time updates about threats. The framework includes different features like automatic risk scoring and detection of unusual vendor behavior and keeping the secure digital records through the blockchain. This will highlight the need for the staff to …

Future Unleashed: Reimagining Marketing Strategies With Future Foresight, Afra Sultan Al Suwaidi

Theses

In today’s fast-paced and dynamic business landscape, marketing plays a crucial role in influencing business strategy and decision-making in an organisation. Marketing not only helps organisations identify and anticipate trends, threats, and opportunities, but also enables them to formulate and implement effective strategies to capitalise on these insights and achieve the organisation’s vision and goals. Future Foresight in marketing empowers organisations to stay ahead of the curve and gain a deeper understanding of the target audience and industry landscape. The evolving nature of marketing driven by advancements in technology, particularly artificial intelligence, machine learning, and digital marketing channels, makes it …

Driving Innovations To Secure The Future Of Cell Culture Bioprocessing, Weichang Zhou

Cell Culture Engineering XIX

Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract

Here Be Dragons: The Barriers Of Korean American Female Leaders In Secondary Schools, Joyce A. Kim

Dissertations

In K-12 public schools, there is a shortage of Korean American women in school leadership roles at the secondary level. This phenomenological study explores the contributing factors to this lack of representation, how institutions can recruit and retain Korean American female leaders, and how school systems can better support them. This study examines the leadership experiences of eight Korean American women. It utilizes the socio-political contexts of Korean patriarchy, the Model Minority Myth, and mentorship to help frame the problem of existing barriers. This study explores the following questions: What factors hinder Korean American women in school leadership? What structural …

Shades Of Families: Exploring Intersectionalities Of Cross-Cultural Parenting Experiences In The U.S., Shu-Han Huang

Dissertations

As multiracial and multicultural families continue to grow across the United States, parents must navigate evolving cultural identities, systemic inequities, and increasing social and emotional pressures. These realities underscore the need for parenting resources that are both culturally responsive and emotionally supportive. This transcendental phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of 11 cross-cultural parents raising children in the U.S., with a focus on how intersecting identities and systemic forces shape parenting practices.

Guided by Critical Multiracial Theory and Intersectionality Theory, this study investigated parenting at the personal, familial, societal, and structural levels. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed …

Quantum Oscillation Studies Of The Nodal Line Semimetal Ni3in2s2-Xsex, M. M. Sharma, Santosh Karki Chhetri, Gokul Acharya, David Graf, Dinesh Upreti, Sagar Dahal, Md Rafique Un Nabi, Sumaya Rahman, Joshua Sakon, Hugh O.H. Churchhill, Jin Hu

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Ternary shandite compounds with the general formula T3M2X2 (T = Ni, Co, Rh or Pd; M = Sn, In, or Pb; and X = S or Se) have emerged as a large pool of topological semimetals. This family of compounds hosts different topological phases for various combinations of T, M and X. This paper reports the observation of quantum oscillations under the high magnetic fields in Ni3In2S2-xSex single crystals. Angular dependence of oscillation frequency suggests an evolution of the Fermi surface from three-dimensional to two-dimensional on Se substitution for S in Ni3In2S2. The effective mass obtained for each composition by …

Subclinical Atherosclerosis And Cardiovascular Events Among Patients With Colorectal Cancer, Julia A Levy, Adetunji T Toriola, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Prior studies have documented that patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) are at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

OBJECTIVES: To examine coronary artery calcium (CAC) as a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis and its association with major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with CRC across the cancer treatment trajectory.

METHODS: Adults with newly diagnosed CRC were enrolled in the prospective ColoCare study from 2017 to 2024. CAC was measured from routine diagnostic computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography-CT scans at CRC diagnosis until 5 years post-diagnosis. Atherosclerosis was defined as the presence of CAC. We used multivariable-adjusted …

Phase 1, First-In-Human, Single-/Multiple-Ascending Dose Study Of Iluzanebart In Healthy Volunteers, Andreas Meier, Spyros Papapetropoulos, Andrew Marsh, Kelly Neelon, David Stiles, Ryan O'Mara, Evan A Thackaberry, Marco Colonna, Raj Rajagovindan

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of iluzanebart, a fully human monoclonal antibody TREM2 (triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2) agonist, after single- (SAD) and multiple-ascending-dose (MAD) administration.

METHODS: Healthy adult volunteers (N = 136) received intravenous placebo or iluzanebart 1-60 mg/kg (SAD) or 10-60 mg/kg (MAD) followed by serial pharmacokinetics and safety assessments. Safety assessments included adverse events (AEs), vital signs, electrocardiograms, and clinical laboratory evaluations. Pharmacokinetics were assessed through noncompartmental analysis. The study also included open-label cohorts (3, 10, 20, 40, 60 mg/kg SAD; 10, 20, 40 mg/kg MAD) for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) collection …

Atypical Presentation Of Iars1-Related Disorder: Expanding The Phenotype And Genotype, Parith Wongkittichote, Kira E Jonatzke, Benjamin T Hyde, Lance W Peterson, Mai He, Robert C Mckinstry, Anthony Antonellis, Marwan Shinawi

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (ARSs) catalyze the formation of aminoacyl-tRNA, which is required for protein translation. A growing number of cases are associated with ARS deficiencies. Pathogenic variants in

Assessing Hypersight Iterative Cbct For Dose Calculation In Online Adaptive Radiotherapy For Pelvis And Breast Patients Compared To Synthetic Ct, Jingwei Duan, Joel A Pogue, Dennis N Stanley, Sui Shen, Natalie N Viscariello, Carlos E Cardenas, Richard A Popple, Joseph Harms

2020-Current year OA Pubs

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: Recent technological advancements have increased efficiency for clinical deliverability of online-adaptive-radiotherapy (oART). Previous cone-beam-computed-tomography (CBCT) generations lacked the ability to provide reliable Hounsfield-units (HU), thus requiring oART workflows to rely on synthetic-CT (sCT) images derived through deformable-image-registration (DIR) between the planning CT (pCT) and the daily CBCT. These sCTs are prone to errors stemming from DIR, potentially contributing to dosimetric errors. This study aims to evaluate the capability of direct dose calculation using a novel CBCT platform, HyperSight (Varian-Medical-Systems), as an alternative for sCT.

METHODS/MATERIALS: To validate the HyperSight iterative CBCT (HS-iCBCT) HU accuracy, 125 kV and 140 kV …