Digital Commons Network^™

Transforming Advising And Improving Outcomes: Assessing Impacts Of Advising Changes, Amy S. White, Tailisha Gonzalez, Elgloria Harrison

Publications and Research

Abstract

Background: Earning full-time credit loads and persisting are how college students successfully graduate.

Objective: We measured whether credits and persistence at an urban, commuter Hispanic/Minority-Sserving Iinstitution improved after implementing a social work-based advisement strategy.

Methods: Using a quasi-experimental methodology on a college’s enrollment database, we measured the impact of a new advisement model on earned and attempted credit loads to compare traditional student advisement within control groups (n = 171 and n = 899) relative to intervention (n = 130).

Findings: In 2024, the intervention group attempted an average of 14.7 credits and earned an average of 14.3 credits, …

Reflections: The Journey Continues, Jerry L. Pitts

Faculty Publications and Presentations

Reflections: The Journey Continues is a deeply moving memoir of faith, loss, love, calling, and the quiet strength that carries a life forward when everything familiar has been shaken. In this powerful continuation of Reflections: My Personal Journey, Dr. Jerry L. Pitts invites readers into the chapters that followed his first book—the ones marked by profound suffering, unexpected grace, and a renewed sense of purpose.

This memoir traces the season when Jerry’s life was transformed by his late wife Janice’s four‑year battle with cervical cancer. With honesty and tenderness, he recounts the surgeries, treatments, setbacks, and moments of courage …

An Ecophysiological Approach To Improving Health Outcomes Of Ornamental Shrimp During Aquarium Trade And Transportation, Sancha Conway Holroyd, John Spicer, Robert P. Ellis, Lucy Turner

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Ecophysiology examines the interactions between an organism’s physiology and its environment. It seeks to understand how an organism functions and adapts under changing conditions. This has direct applications to live-trade aquaculture sectors, including the ornamental aquarium trade, where traded animals experience a variety of changing, and often stressful, environmental conditions that can threaten their health and survival. This review proposes a role for ecophysiology in managing organismal health, using Hatch (1962) theoretical framework of disease and dysfunction as a foundation for defining and distinguishing health. We focus on tropical (marine and freshwater) ornamental shrimp as an exemplar group to highlight …

Feasibility Study Of An Artificial Intelligence Chatbot-Powered Cognitive-Behavioral Lifestyle Modification Program, Evans Forman, Charlotte Hagerman, Asher Hong, Zhuoran Huang, Hannah Mccausland, Jasmine Sun, Lauren Taylor, Meghan Butryn, Preetha Chatterjee, Ramtin Ehsani, Nawal Syed

Department of Family & Community Medicine Faculty Papers

Background: Approximately 2 billion adults seek lifestyle modification to improve their health and well-being. However, because of cost and access barriers, only a tiny fraction receive gold-standard lifestyle modification programs led by trained coaches. Digital programs without human coaches are more disseminable but have limited efficacy. Recent advances in large language model (LLM) AI chatbots have the potential to revolutionize digital programs by emulating human coaches, offering a safe, low-cost, and scalable lifestyle modification intervention. Yet, no studies have developed and tested such a program. Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and user engagement of a new …

Correlating High-Resolution Terrestrial Organic Carbon Isotope Records Across The Cretaceous-Paleogene Boundary, Gregory D. Price, Rhodri M. Jerrett, Lauren K. O'Connor, Emily Dearing Crampton-Flood, Bart E. Van Dongen, Sabine K. Lengger, Marc Davies

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

The Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary (∼66 million years ago) represents the most recent mass extinction event when an estimated 75% of all species became extinct, including all non-avian dinosaurs. Here we focus on the stable carbon isotope (δ¹³C) analysis of coal and coaly sediments across the terrestrial K/Pg boundary from 10 sites, between 42 and 64°N, USA and Canada. Our δ¹³C data set shows a statistically significant positive correlation with paleolatitude that we interpret as a consequence of our lower latitude sites being relatively warmer and more humid than our higher latitude sites. Temporally, our data indicates that …

Autonomic Dysregulation Attributed To Vertebral Artery Insufficiency Secondary To Subclavian Steal Syndrome: A Case Report, Lara Zargarian, Hoang Nguyen, Manbir Sanghera, Arman Megerdechyan, William S. Hughes

Student Publications

Anatomic malformation as seen in subclavian steal syndrome leads to an alteration in the body's autonomic regulatory pattern, influencing varying physical manifestations. The autonomic nervous system provides situational regulatory feedback to the body, maintaining the body’s desired point of homeostasis. We report the case of a 68-year-old male who initially came in with X-rays indicating retrolisthesis and calcifications in his carotids. A left-sided carotid bruit was also noted, as well as right-sided upper extremity weakness. Continued imaging studies indicated structural changes to his cervical regions and continued calcifications in the remainder of his arterial supply branching off of his carotid …

Leveraging Health Information Exchange (Hie) Data To Demonstrate The Impact On Health Outcomes Of Community Based Organization Interventions: Case Studies Of Housing Placement And Medically Tailored Meal Program, Kevin Kramer, Harm Scherpbier, William Marella

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

Objective

Methods

Health Profile Of Brazilian Mothers, Carlos Eduardo Siqueira

Gastón Institute Publications

No abstract provided.

Impact Of Social Media-Driven Feeding Practices On The Gut Microbiome Of Captive Asian Elephants (Elephas Maximus) In Surin, Thailand, Pongpreecha Malaluang, Nuttapon Bangkaew, Jaruwan Chaiyakhot, Patinya Patikae, Nattaya Watwiengkam, Phimphanit Choklikitumnuey, Thanaphat Phupanna, Sudachanok Phowiset, Prim Chuesaard, Tarid Purisotayo

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

This study investigated the effects of social media-driven live-streaming dietary supplementation on the gastrointestinal microbial community of captive Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) at the Elephant Kingdom, Surin Province, Thailand. A hierarchical two-tier observational design was used: Tier 1 compared a minimal-supplementation control group (Group H, n = 6) with a frequent heterogeneous-supplementation group (Group L, n = 18); Tier 2 compared, within Group L, low-frequency (Group A, ≤ 3 sessions per week, n = 7) and high-frequency (Group B, > 3 sessions per week, n = 11) live-streaming sub-groups. Faecal microbial profiles were obtained by 16S rRNA gene (V3–V4) …

Role-Preset Pluggable Dreaming Pipeline With Reflection-Over-Prior-Dreams Operators, Gustavo Matthew Assuncao

Defensive Publications Series

Autonomous LLM personas accumulate a continuous stream of heterogeneous day events. A naive "summarize-the-day" digester compresses that stream once, weights every event identically across personas, applies one forgetting curve, and never reasons across the sequence of its own prior digests. This publication describes a role-preset pluggable dreaming pipeline: a per-persona memory-consolidation process decomposed into four named, swappable stages — scoring, clustering, synthesis, and reflection — where (a) the concrete algorithm for each stage is selected by a role preset, (b) each scoring algorithm carries its own role-specific recency half-life, and (c) a distinct reflection stage runs operators over the persona's …

Dual-Channel Domain Data-Isolation, Gustavo Matthew Assuncao

Defensive Publications Series

In a multi-domain application monolith, data is partitioned one database schema per business domain. Strong isolation is normally pushed into the database (GRANT/REVOKE, per-schema connection roles, row-level security). When all domains share one connection pool, an application-layer contract is needed that (a) denies accidental or malicious cross-schema access on the general read/write path, while (b) still permitting deliberate, controlled cross-domain reads. This publication discloses a dual-channel contract: a deny-direct channel that statically analyzes every facade-emitted SQL string and hard-denies foreign-schema references, and an allow-through-a-constrained-compiler channel that re-admits cross-domain reads only via a read-only, mutation-free pipe-query language whose compiler resolves relation …

---

Go to article

Technical Disclosure: Integrated Space Readiness Training Center (Isrtc), Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

Current ground-based deep-space environmental analogs suffer from an institutional vulnerability designated as "Escape Room Bias." When human subjects operate under an implicit institutional guarantee of safety, their cognitive, behavioral, and adaptive responses default to gamified problem-solving rather than genuine expeditionary survival. This psychological insulation limits the validity of collected behavioral datasets to less than 20% of actual deep-space operational reality, leaving aerospace organizations blind to the most critical human failure mode in high-consequence environments: the psychological freeze response under unyielding peril.

The Integrated Space Readiness Training Complex (ISRTC) eliminates this predictive gap by establishing an enduring Dynamic Test Assembly operating …

Eight-Lock Autonomous Dispatch Envelope (Self-Tripping Autonomy Breaker), Gustavo Matthew Assuncao

Defensive Publications Series

Dispatching an autonomous coding subagent against a ticket — letting a large-language-model agent edit a repository, commit, and open a pull request with no human reviewing each action — requires governance that degrades safely rather than failing in either of the two unsafe directions: refusing outright (which stalls delivery) or running unbounded (which burns spend and ships defects). This publication discloses a chained, fail-closed precondition envelope of eight ordered locks evaluated before any run is permitted to touch the repository, together with a post-run settlement step. Three of the locks carry the inventive weight of the composition: (i) a per-principal …

---

Go to article

The Host's Immune Responses Against Viruses: How We Know Our Own Bodies And How Our Bodies Defend Themselves From Viruses, Eman A. Muhsin, Neyaf Majid Alageedi, Shahrazad Ahmed Khalaf

Maaen Journal for Medical Sciences

Background: Viral infections pose a significant threat to health worldwide, requiring a coordinated and effective immune response to limit and eventually eliminate viral infection. The purpose of this review is to examine the different ways by which the immune system responds, both by innate and adaptive pathways, against viral infections, along with the mechanisms by which viruses evade host immune responses.

Method: A systematic literature review was performed with an organized search through the following databases; PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and ScienceDirect. The search was for studies published between 2015-2025. The final number of included articles was 45 as …

Talent Management Strategies For Employee Retention And Business Effectiveness In Small To Medium-Sized Businesses, Felicia Y. Coverson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

One of the most persistent and costly challenges faced by leaders of small-to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) is retaining skilled employees. SMB leaders are concerned about retaining skilled employees because employee turnover threatens organizational stability, productivity, and long-term competitiveness. Grounded in Becker’s human capital theory and Barney’s resource-based view theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to identify and explore the talent management strategies SMB leaders use to retain employees and enhance business effectiveness. The participants were eight SMB leaders with responsibility for talent management and employee retention in Columbia, South Carolina. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and …

“To Complete Our Declaration”: The American Indian Chicago Conference, The Declaration Of Indian Purpose, And The Quest For Self-Determination, Joseph W. Ferguson

Department of History

The American Indian Chicago Conference (AICC) illuminates understudied elements within twentieth century Indigenous history. Post WWII policies of termination came to frame the conference, and archival evidence from the planning and establishment of regional conferences and founding documents allows for analysis of the deeper meaning the conference held. The planning phases, schedule, events, and outcomes of the conference indicate factors of a national Indigenous community and identity that have yet to be fully explored in the historiography of this period. The implications of termination policies on Indigenous peoples in North America act as a starting point for the conference’s development. …

Association Of Malocclusion Prevalence And Gender In Lebanese Schoolchildren Aged 8 To 10 Years: An Epidemiological Cross-Sectional Study., Toufic Boutros Abou Rjeily, Nada Chedid

International Arab Journal of Dentistry

Introduction: Malocclusion is a deviation in the alignment of the teeth and jaws, which can result in an improper bite. Malocclusion can stem from various etiological factors affecting both functionality and esthetics and leading to oral health problems. An orthodontic assessment in the mixed dentition should include a comprehensive history, a thorough clinical examination, and any relevant additional examinations.

Objectives: The present study’s purpose was to assess the prevalence of malocclusion among 8-to-10-years-old Lebanese children, through a cross sectional study.

Methods: 613 child were included in the study. Clinical assessments of malocclusion, gender differences, dental substance loss, and harmful habits …

Antibacterial Efficacy Of Resin-Based Dental Composites Modified With Antibacterial Agents Against S. Mutans: A Systematic Review, Ahmad Setiawan Jarigau, Erwin Gunawan, Muhammad Akira Takashi Dharma, Fanny Dinda Nur Aulia, Lenni Indriani Hatta, Nurhayati Natsir

International Arab Journal of Dentistry

Introduction: Dental caries caused by Streptococcus mutans is a leading cause of dental restoration failure. Enhancing composite resins with antibacterial agents aims to inhibit bacterial growth and prolong restoration life.

Objectives: This review evaluates the anti-bacterial agents efficacy of these modified composites against S. mutans and explores their mechanisms and potential clinical benefits.

Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted across multiple databases following PRISMA guidelines, focusing on in vitro studies published between 2015 and 2025. Studies evaluating composites with antibacterial additives against S. mutans using standard microbiological assays were included. The quality of eligible studies was assessed using the …

Effect Of Home Bleaching With Carbamide Peroxide And Over-The-Counter Products On Stained Supra-Nano-Filled Composite: An In-Vitro Study., Lynn Harrouk, Pascale Habre, Samar Bou Jaoude, Carina Mehanna Zogheib

International Arab Journal of Dentistry

Objective: This study evaluated the impact of home and over-the-counter (OTC) bleaching products, compliant with SCCS regulations, on color changes in tea-stained supra-nano filled composite, using the CIEDE2000 formula.

Methods: One hundred Estelite® Sigma Quick discs were fabricated, thermocycled, and tea-stained for 12 days. Samples were divided into four groups: Opalescence 15% carbamide peroxide (CP) gel, White Dental Beauty 6% hydrogen peroxide (HP) strips, Pola Luminate 6% HP brush-on gel, and a control. Color was measured at baseline, post-staining, and post-bleaching using a VITA EasyShade spectrophotometer. ΔE₀₀ values were analyzed with Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn’s post-hoc tests (p < 0.05).

Results: All bleaching …

Comparison Of Three Intraoral Scanners For Digital Impressions Of Biologically Oriented Preparation: An In-Vivo Study, Lara Habli, Pascale Habre-Hallage, Hani Tohme, Dany Noujaim, Maryse Nassif, Camille Haddad

International Arab Journal of Dentistry

Introduction: The accuracy of intraoral scanners (IOSs) in capturing a Biologically Oriented Preparation Technique (BOPT) remains uncertain. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of digital impressions obtained with three intraoral scanners for recording BOPT preparations.

Methods: A maxillary central incisor was prepared following BOPT. After temporization, a conventional polyvinyl siloxane impression was scanned with a desktop scanner to obtain a reference model. Forty-two scans (n D 14 per scanner) were recorded with three IOSs—Trios 3, Sirios, and Helios 680—by a single operator under standardized conditions. Accuracy was assessed using Geomagic Control X by calculating 3D surface …

Evaluation Of Optimal Force For Intrusion Of A Periodontally Compromised Maxillary Anterior Dentition Treated With Fixed Orthodontics – A Finite Element Analysis, Tanzim Ahmed, Amrita Puri, Aatira Nair, Anshul Singla, Mathew Koshy Vaidyan, Shruti Sharma, Chhavi Singh

International Arab Journal of Dentistry

Introduction: Adult orthodontic treatment is increasingly sought due to aesthetic and functional concerns, often involving periodontally compromised patients with altered biomechanics. Reduced bone support shifts the center of resistance and necessitates lower, carefully controlled forces, while finite element modeling has become a key tool to analyze tissue response under such conditions.

Objectives: The study aimed to determine the optimal intrusive force for periodontally compromised maxillary anterior teeth using Finite Element Analysis (FEA).

Methods: A 3D finite element model of the maxillary anterior dentition was created and divided into healthy and compromised halves, the latter with one-third alveolar bone loss. A …

Impact Of Antihypertensive Medications On Implant Success: A Retrospective Cohort Study On Monomedicated Patients, Antony Chidiac, Stephanie Mrad, Charbel Kachouh, Richard M. Sadaka, Joseph Bassil

International Arab Journal of Dentistry

Objective: The aim of this study main is to analyze the influence of antihypertensive treatments on the failure and survival rates of dental implants.

Methods: Medical records of 586 patients who received a total of 1,814 dental implants between 2012 and 2022 met the inclusion criteria and were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were divided into two groups: a control group comprising 512 systemically healthy patients with 1581 implants, and a group of 74 patients taking only antihypertensive medications who received a total of 233 implants. Implant failure was assessed according to criteria defined by the International Congress of Oral Implantologists.

Results: …

The Efficacy Of Mini-Screw Rapid Palatal Expansion (Marpe) In Late Adolescents And Young Adults: A Systematic Review, Afaf El Merouani Drissi, Hajar Ben Mohimd, Hicham Benyahia, Fatima Zaoui

International Arab Journal of Dentistry

Introduction: Mini-screw assisted rapid maxillary expansion (MARPE) emerged as a less invasive alternative treatment for transverse maxillary expansion, and designed to overcome the limitations of conventional rapid maxillary expansion for patients from post-pubertal growth spurt period onwards, often presenting with an interdigitated suture. The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the efficacy of this treatment on skeletal, dento-alveolar and periodontal levels based on CBCT studies, by comparing it to the conventional rapid maxillary expansion (RPE).

Methods: a literature search of five databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect and the Cochrane library) was conducted from 2010 until July …

Employing Artificial Intelligence For Non-Invasive Diagnosis Of Craniofacial Deformities: A Systematic Review Of Non-Ionizing Radiation Methods, Nurul Mutmainnah, Harun Achmad, Lusy Damayanti

International Arab Journal of Dentistry

Introduction: Craniofacial deformities, like craniosynostosis and plagiocephaly, require early diagnosis, but traditional methods like CT scans use harmful ionizing radiation. Artificial Intelligence (AI) offers a non-invasive, radiation-free alternative, using 2D and 3D imaging for accurate diagnosis, improving safety and accessibility, especially in remote areas.

Objective: This review evaluates the use of AI in diagnosing craniofacial deformities without ionizing radiation, focusing on its strengths, limitations, and challenges in clinical implementation.

Methods: The literature was searched across five databases—PubMed, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, Wiley, and Cochrane—over the last decade, following PRISMA guidelines. Inclusion criteria were AI-based, non-invasive imaging techniques for craniofacial deformities. The …

Risk Factors Of Suicidality Among Physician Assistants, Lynn Marie Page

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Suicide is a global public health issue that affects all ages, genders, races, and social classes. Although suicide rates are higher among health care providers than in the general public, there is a gap in the literature regarding the suicidal risk factors of physician assistants (PAs), who increasingly provide health care in the United States. The aim of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to explore the association between anxiety, burnout, and depression and the stress-reducing benefits of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs), as well as the dependent variable suicidality among PAs in the United States. A self-directed questionnaire incorporated psychometrically validated tools …

Perspectives Of Power: A Qualitative Study On Teacher Empowerment In Elementary Settings, Caitlin Mattie Shuppy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to gain insight and understanding of elementary school teachers’ perspectives of teacher empowerment in relation to six key principles: self-efficacy, professional development, collaboration, communication, shared vision, and support. The teacher perspective remains underrepresented in empowerment research; this study was designed to center the voices of those most directly experiencing empowerment in their daily work. Two research questions guided the study: How do elementary school teachers perceive teacher empowerment in relation to six key teacher empowerment principles and what principle(s) do teachers identify as most influential in fostering their sense of empowerment?

A basic …

Illuminating Sanja Matsuri: Lived Religion And Festival Practice In Asakusa, Caleb R. Merckle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines Sanja Matsuri, a major Shintō and Buddhist festival in Asakusa, Tokyo, through the lenses of lived religion, participant observation, autoethnography, and anthropology. Departing from institution-centered approaches, it foregrounds the experiential dimensions of festival participation, showing how physical devotion, collective movement, and festive intensity function as expressions of spiritual meaning. Ethnographic fieldwork conducted in 2023 and 2025 included participant observation, informal interviews with local and foreign participants, and Reflexive Discourse Analysis of fieldnotes and bilingual transcripts. Analysis reveals a dynamic interplay between formal sacralization strategies — such as mitama-ire rituals and structured processions — and spontaneous, informal participant …

Paediatrics & Child Health | Newsletter Vol 8 Issue 1, Department Of Paediatrics & Child Health

Department of Paediatrics & Child Health Archives

• I write to you in unsettled times...
• Service | Clinics and Nursing
• World Autism Awareness Day 2025 — Understanding Autism: Myths, Challenges & Strategies
• Research | Conferences, Field Sites, Studies and Dissemination Strategies
• MoU with SHINE
• Three honours at the 23rd Annual
• Protecting infant gut health in early life
• Academics | PG, UG, CME
• The Science Behind a Paediatrician’s Quick Diagnosis
• Making Immunology Simple for Clinical Practice
• Achievements
• Behind the Systems That Build Great Doctors
• 15,000+ physical therapists. 1,440+ posters. One team from Pakistan.
• Awards and recognitions
• After hours
• Ramzan Iftar Dinner
• Alumni reunion
• PRISMA appreciation night
• In the media …

Four Ways Our Daily Conversations Shape Our Children's View Of The World, Abby M. Foreman

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

"Am I telling the everyday stories of life where God’s love and grace is abundant?"

Posting about modeling healthy communication styles to children from In All Things, an online hub that offers insight into maintaining and faithful and orthodox Reformed Christian worldview while fearlessly engaging in every aspect of contemporary life – until all is made new.

Four Ways Our Daily Conversations Shape Our Chldren's View of the World

Science, Uncertainty, And Stewardship: Climate Change Viewpoints In Higher Education, Jamie Jensen, Isaiah Aduse-Poku

ScholarsArchive Data

This dataset supports a Q-methodology study of climate change viewpoints among undergraduate students at Brigham Young University. Participants were recruited from an introductory non-majors biology course during Fall 2025. The study examined how students organized climate-change views across scientific evidence, human causation, uncertainty, political beliefs, religious stewardship, moral responsibility, perceived agency, climate policy, and future risks.