Digital Commons Network^™

Development Of Computational Imaging Pipelines To Advance Virtual Pet Imaging Trials, Suya Li

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Positron emission tomography (PET) provides functional information that is essential for disease diagnosis, treatment assessment, and biomedical research. However, the development and validation of PET imaging methods often require simulated imaging data with known ground truth, as well as large clinical datasets that are realistic and scalable. These requirements are difficult to satisfy using clinical studies alone, motivating the development of virtual PET imaging techniques. Physics-based simulation can model PET acquisition with high accuracy, but its computational cost limits its large-scale usage. Meanwhile, conventional digital phantom-based image generation approaches often lack the anatomical diversity and heterogeneous tracer uptake patterns observed …

Re: Conditional Approval Letter For The Draft Final 2024 Unreclaimed Sites Sampling: Ur-21 Site Evaluation Summary Report, Molly Roby

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Secondary English Teacher Experiences Implementing Culturally Responsive Teaching With Black Students In Maryland, Angela James

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite state mandates requiring culturally responsive teaching (CRT) implementation, the problem addressed by this study was that urban high school teachers are not consistently integrating CRT practices with Black students in Reading/English language arts (RELA) courses. Guided by the CRT framework, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the experiences of urban high school teachers with incorporating CRT practices with Black high school students in RELA courses in Maryland. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with 10 RELA teachers. Through open coding, the following three themes emerged: the need for increased and targeted professional development, structured opportunities …

Global Humanitarian Aid Sector Leaders’ Perceptions Of Leadership Development Programs To Support Humanitarian Aid Workers, Stephen J. Thomspon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed through this study is that current leadership development programs for global humanitarian aid sector (GHAS) leaders fail to adequately address the unique circumstances of humanitarian aid work. Grounded in trauma-informed care and adaptive leadership, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore GHAS leaders' perceptions of the essential components and opportunities for improving leadership development programs, as well as their recommendations on how to address the unique contexts of humanitarian aid workers. Semistructured interviews with eight GHAS leaders who had at least 10 years of sector experience were conducted. Through qualitative content analysis with a …

Plant Diversity Modifies Multi-Trophic Interactions In Croplands, Grasslands And Forests, Nian Feng Wan, Muyao Li, Siyuan Shen, Jun Xiang Zhou, Yu Tong Zhu, Ben A. Woodcock, Yue Qing Hu, Shinichi Nakagawa, David Tilman, Andy Hector, Michel Loreau, Peter B. Reich, Matteo Dainese, Forest Isbell, Bernhard Schmid, Kris A.G. Wyckhuys, Geoff M. Gurr, Linsheng Wan, Nico Eisenhauer, Yann Hautier, Anu Eskelinen, Richard D. Bardgett, Paul Kardol, Lauchlan H. Fraser, Qi Su, Shiyun Qiu, Yavanna Aartsma, Ramon Albajes, Matthias Albrecht

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Multitrophic interactions can strongly influence the structure and functioning of ecosystems, but how plant diversity influences the direction and predictability of multitrophic interactions across agricultural and natural ecosystems remains unclear. Using 149 field studies across five continents, we found that, on average, increasing plant diversity tended to exert differential top-down and bottom-up effects in croplands versus grasslands and forests. Organic and nonorganic croplands exhibited 846 and 148% higher invertebrate natural enemy-to-herbivore abundance ratios under increased plant diversity, consistent with top-down control patterns where predator gains cause herbivore declines, enhancing crop outcomes. In grasslands and forests, increasing plant diversity was associated …

Safety Of Early Discharge And Abbreviated Nimodipine Course In Patients With Good-Grade Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage, Patrick R. Toyota, Alexander D. Rebchuk, Michael A. Rizzuto, Hugh Mchugh, Kelsey Cruz, Charles S. Haw, Gary J. Redekop, Peter Gooderham

Department of Neurosurgery Faculty Papers

Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) remains a devastating cerebrovascular emergency associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Current guidelines recommend 14-21 days of inpatient monitoring and a 21-day course of nimodipine following aSAH. This retrospective study evaluates early outcomes early discharge (≤14 days post-ictus) and an abbreviated nimodipine course in highly selected patients with good-grade aSAH managed under a standardized institutional protocol. Consecutive patients enrolled in the Vancouver Ruptured Aneurysm Database (VRAD) at Vancouver General Hospital between 2022 and 2025 were included. Inclusion criteria were good-grade aSAH (WFNS Grade I-III) and discharge home within 14 days of ictus. The primary outcome was …

Look Mom, You Made It: Navigating The Uncharted Waters Of Social Media Labor Laws, Morgan Kloster

Journal of Science & Technology Law

No abstract provided.

The Case For Virtual Prison Games In The Fourth Industrial Revolution, Colleen M. O'Toole, Calvin V. Nguyen

Journal of Science & Technology Law

This paper, a shortened version of an article which will be published in the Northern Illinois University Law Review in Fall 2024, aims to reframe the debate over how best to address the enormous financial and social costs of a criminal justice system which relies on traditional, brick-and-mortar prisons to control criminal behavior.

The first part of the paper presents a comparison of the current system of incarceration and the system of electronic monitoring that exists alongside it.  It first evaluates the type of offenders any alternative solution would be appropriate for.  It then compares the cost of the current …

Quantum Leap In The Legal Paradigm, Katri Nousiainen, Joonas Keski-Rahkonen

Journal of Science & Technology Law

No abstract provided.

Exposing The Wizard Of Oz: Transparency And Testing Of Artificial Intelligence Systems, Henry H. Perritt

Journal of Science & Technology Law

The press and media, elected officials, some high-tech entrepreneurs, and a new breed of “ethicists” are calling loudly for governments to regulate artificial intelligence (“AI”), especially generative AI, popularized by ChatGPT and Google Gemini. Much of the clamor is ill-informed about the technology and based on exaggerated concerns about its risks. Nevertheless, the pressure for regulation is real and is already evoking governmental responses. Transparency requirements are far better than command-and-control regulation. The technology is far too new, however, for any form of command-and-control regulation. Would-be regulators need to take a deep breath and sit back for a while to …

Genetic Equity: How Crispr Gene-Editing Technology Will Reshape Society And Healthcare, Aaron Cranston

Journal of Science & Technology Law

No abstract provided.

Trademark Law: Insights From Hermès Int'l V. Rothschild For The Fashion Industry In The Metaverse, Bruna Graff

Journal of Science & Technology Law

No abstract provided.

The Advance Act: A Revival Of Nuclear Power In The United States, Or Too Little Too Late, Daniel Smith

Journal of Science & Technology Law

No abstract provided.

Glassy Magnetic Freezing Of Interacting Clusters In Materials Related To The Lk-99 Family, Serafim Teknowijoyo, Domenico Napoletani, Vahan Nikoghosyan, Armen Gulian

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

We report reproducible magnetization anomalies appearing below room temperature in copper-doped apatite materials belonging to the LK-99 family synthesized via hydrothermal methods. These anomalies are observed consistently across samples prepared under comparable conditions. Although the extracted Mydosh parameter lies within the range often associated with vortex-glass behavior in superconductors, a detailed analysis of DC magnetization, AC susceptibility, field dependence, and magnetic memory effects demonstrates that the observed phenomena are not related to superconductivity. Instead, the data are consistent with glassy magnetic freezing of interacting clusters. Compositional and structural analysis identifies covellite (CuS), one of the constituent phases in these multiphase …

Determinants Of Waste Management Behavior And The Potential Role Of Doorstepping As An Intervention, Nurdiana Darus, Maya Tamimi, Nuraeni Nuraeni, Khairunnisa Syafira Dumbi

Journal of Environmental Science and Sustainable Development

This study aims to evaluate factors associated with community participation in Waste Bank activities and waste management behavior, while exploring the potential role of doorstepping interventions to improve community engagementThis study was conducted in South Jakarta, a densely populated area with a large volume of daily waste. A quantitative approach with a cross-sectional design was used. The study involved guided interviews with 201 respondents who were customers of Gesit Main Waste Bank. Binary logistic regression was used to evaluate the influence of independent variables on waste management behavior as the dependent variable. The results showed that 42.8% of respondents had …

Epigenetic Regulators Mll3 And Mll4 Sustain Hematopoietic Stem Cell Multipotency, Helen Chenwei Wang

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) maintain lifelong blood production by balancing self-renewal and multilineage differentiation. They are sustained by networks of transcription factors and epigenetic regulators that prime lineage-specific programs while simultaneously preventing activation of any one program up until the moment of lineage commitment. Despite extensive study, it remains unclear how these complex transcriptional programs are coordinated and how specific epigenetic regulators are deployed to reinforce specific cell fate decisions. Epigenetic regulators, MLL3 and MLL4, play a central role in pluripotent embryonic stem cell fate transitions, but their functions in multipotent somatic stem cells are less well characterized. MLL3 (also …

Ƒ(Enlightenment): A Complex Adaptive Systems Model Of Recursive Causality And Human Meaning-Making, Daniel Lambert

Dissertations and Theses

Conflict Resolution has developed as a richly interdisciplinary field; however, its theoretical architecture remains fragmented across distinct bodies of scholarship. Existing approaches offer valuable but often isolated explanations of conflict behavior, limiting their ability to account for its complexity. This thesis addresses this limitation by advancing systems science as an organizing framework for integrating these perspectives. It introduces the Human-Complex Adaptive Systems (H-CAS) framework, which conceptualizes human behavior as a recursive adaptive process operating across interconnected regulatory domains. Within this model, conflict is not treated as a discrete event or purely deliberative process, but as an emergent property arising from …

Depressive Cognitions, Resourcefulness, And Sleep In Informal Caregivers Of Persons With Dementia, Rayhanah R. Almutairi

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: Family or informal caregivers always provide support to their family members or others who are diagnosed with dementia. The increase in the aging population has led to a growing reliance on family members, often informal caregivers, who are increasingly responsible for providing care for older adults. Poor sleep and high levels of depressive cognition experienced by caregivers of persons with dementia (PWD) can negatively affect their physical and psychological health, which can lead to declining caregiver health, which can diminish their ability to provide optimal care. Currently, there are limited empirical studies supporting the usefulness of non-pharmacological sleep interventions …

Voice-Activated Technology Intervention And Well-Being In Older Adults Living Alone: A Meta-Analysis, Yu Shin Park, Dahye Hong, Min Kyung Park, Sikyeong Park, Suyeon Jeong, Dayoung Lee, Minsub Kim, Seojin Kim, Bada Kang

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Older adults living alone are particularly vulnerable to declines in their physical, psychological, and social well-being (1). Voice-activated technology (VAT) has emerged as a promising approach to enhance accessibility, social connectedness, and independent living among older adults. This holds significant potential for nurses to optimize care delivery systems and support the overall well-being of older adults (2). However, evidence on its impact on multidimensional well-being, particularly for those living alone, remains limited. (3, 4). Therefore, this study aimed to examine the effects of VAT interventions on the multidimensional well-being of older adults living alone.

A meta-analysis was conducted in accordance …

Preparing Tomorrow’S Providers: A Simulation Addressing Workplace Violence In Clinical Settings, Julie Kurkowski, Danielle Yocom, Nancy Barker, Patrick Heagey, Alexa Moran, John Fisher

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: Workplace violence is a growing global problem, with healthcare and social service professionals experiencing the highest rates, reaching epidemic levels in the United States (Emergency Nurses Association (ENA),n.d.; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024). Academic institutions must prepare students for these realities by integrating workplace violence education into prelicensure curricula, especially as students are also at risk during their clinical rotations (Johnston & Fox, 2020).

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an interprofessional high-fidelity simulation to increase prelicensure healthcare students’ confidence in managing aggressive behaviors within the simulated clinical environment.

Methods: Nursing, Physician …

Chemical Composition Stability Of Cu–Sn And Cu–Zn Journal Bechemical Composition Stability Of Cu–Sn And Cu–Zn Alloys Fabricated By Sand And Permanent Mold Casting With Nickel Alloying, Erwin Erwin, Didik Sugiyanto, Juan Pratama, Trisna Ardi Wiradinata, Abdul Rachmadhan, Muhammad Fikri Andika

Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science and Technology (JMEST)

The processes of moulding and reinforcing chemical elements have a big impact on the balance of chemical composition in copper-based bearing alloys. This has a direct impact on how well the material works. This study examines Cu–Sn alloys produced via sand casting and Cu–Zn alloys fabricated through permanent mould casting, with the incorporation of nickel, which remains uncommon. The objective was to examine the variations in the equilibrium of the chemical composition and the performance potential of the bearing alloy metal when subjected to different casting techniques and nickel concentrations ranging from 0% to 4%. Some of the methods used …

Effect Of Concentration And Temperature Of Tio2-Al2o3 Hybrid Nanofluid On The Corrosion Rate Of Aluminum Radiator, Ratna Monasari, Rizky Maulana Ramadhan, Nike Nur Farida, Ahmad Hanif Firdaus, Supa Kusuma Aji, Yuniarto Agus Winoko, Rizkyansyah Alif Hidayatullah

Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science and Technology (JMEST)

Corrosion of aluminum radiators can reduce cooling system reliability and shorten service life in automotive applications. This study examines the effect of TiO₂-Al₂O₃ hybrid nanofluid concentration and temperature on the corrosion rate of commercially available aluminum radiator material. Hybrid nanoparticles with a TiO₂-Al₂O₃ mass ratio of 50:50 were dispersed in distilled water at concentrations of 0.6 wt.%, 0.8 wt.%, and 1.0 wt.%. Corrosion behavior was evaluated using a 14-day accelerated immersion test at 60°C and 80°C, and the corrosion rate was determined using the gravimetric mass loss method. The results …

Re: Comment Letter For The Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) 2025 Butte Reclamation Evaluation System (Bres) Field Evaluation Summary Report And Technical Recommendations Proposal, Molly Roby

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

The Undergraduate Students' Rate Of Bisexuality And Its Acceptance In Their Own And Others' Romantic Relationships, Na'ni Machenry Caliste

SMU Journal of Undergraduate Research

This research explores SMU’s undergraduate students in their own identities and romantic relationships in the realm of the bisexuality spectrum using the Kinsey Scale. I developed a 46-item online survey comprised of six component parts, which incorporated previous scales of Kinsey, Consensual Non-Monogamy, Self-Acceptance of Sexuality Inventory, and Experience in Close Relationships scales, to measure respondents’ sense of attraction and preferences as well as attachment scales and assess the participants’ relationship beliefs pertaining to consensual non-monogamy. A total of 312 undergraduate students started the survey, but only 250 consented and completed it. I present descriptive and inferential statistics on participants’ …

Developing A Natural Language Interface For Knowledge Graphs, Ruth Assefa, Sarah Mendoza, Luke Voinov, Oyku Serap Ogut, Nurcan Yuruk

SMU Journal of Undergraduate Research

This paper proposes to solve the challenge of making databases more user-friendly by interfacing them with OpenAI's ChatGPT-3.5 model. We implemented this solution to assist researchers in easily finding others with similar research interests. Our study involves 184 researchers from 14 departments at Southern Methodist University (SMU). We collected researchers' areas of expertise and biographies and stored them in a Neo4j graph database. We used OpenAI's embedding models to create vector representations of the collected data, allowing for accurate similarity assessments via Neo4j's built-in algorithms. By integrating this system with LangChain, we enabled natural language queries. The results demonstrated high …

Stylometric And Formal Patterns In The Scholarly Impact Of Scientific Literature, Joshua Ange, Eric Godat, Rajani Sudan

SMU Journal of Undergraduate Research

Scientific communication is typically tied to promoting public engagement and interest in science, increasing scientific literacy, and playing an essential role in policymaking. The success of public communication of scientific findings is largely associated with secondary characteristics of research (e.g. the style of writing and presentation), rather than the primary content or research quality. But it is unclear to what extent the success of scientific literature intended for working scientists is influenced by those same secondary characteristics. Does the writing style of scientific articles impact their success in academic spheres? In this study, we explore the stylometric and formal characteristics …

What Factors Do Patients Consider When Choosing A Hand Surgeon?, Monik Debkowska, Jeremy Ruskin, Brian Lynch, Samuel Caradonna, David Komatsu, Edward Wang, Samantha Muhlrad

Introduction: Many patients find themselves frustrated wasting time and money when searching for the right hand specialist, only to be referred to a different one. There has been little research evaluating patient decision making when choosing a hand surgeon. Specialists would benefit from learning how to optimize their practice to reach their appropriate patient population for maximum benefit and minimum resource waste, both for the patients and physicians. We therefore conducted a survey study to evaluate which factors patients consider important when choosing a hand surgeon, and if these factors differ based on patient demographics. Our hypothesis is that patients …

Book Review - Ayodeji Olukoju And Tokunbo A. Ayoola (Eds.), Politics, Economy, And Society In Twentieth Century Nigeria, (Lanham, Md: Lexington Books, 2023), Xvii + 328 Pp. $120.00. Hardback. Isbn: 978-1-66692-996-6., Omon M. Osiki

Global Africa: Journal of African and African Diaspora Studies

No abstract provided.

Myth, Spirituality, And Thought Patterns In Two African And Brazilian Ritual Dramas, Dele Layiwola

Global Africa: Journal of African and African Diaspora Studies

This essay conceptualizes and historicizes the phenomena of religion, custom, and belief systems by utilizing two celebrated dramatic texts and performances as practical illustrations of the complex roles they play in the social, political, and cultural lives of human beings, irrespective of their geographical locations. The arguments demonstrate that religion or spirituality is a given phenomenon in the personal and public lives of the denizens of various societies. It possesses its own logic and rules, which may not be mutually compatible, nevertheless constitute a constant universal principle. The paper employs dramatized examples to show that in classical or modern times, …

Ikenga: Symbolism, Spirituality, And Sociocultural Importance In Igbo Traditional Belief Systems, Chinyere Ndubuisi

Global Africa: Journal of African and African Diaspora Studies

The Ikenga, a noteworthy relic of the Igbo people of southern Nigeria, is examined in this paper as a major art object for a better understanding of African traditional religions and belief systems. Ikenga is a wooden sculpture traditionally made to represent an individual's power, achievements, and spiritual essence among the Igbo. Ikenga is ascribed the embodiment of the relationship between personal action, ancestral respect, and divinity within Igbo mythology. Within the framework of Igbo traditional religion, this paper examines the ontological significance, spiritual purposes, and social consequences of the Ikenga. The symbolic relevance of Ikenga as both a personal …