Digital Commons Network^™

Multiple Application Models For Monte Carlo Analysis In Excel, Tom Arnold, Deniz Besik, Xia (Summer) Liu, Nancy Tran

Finance Faculty Publications

Monte Carlo simulation techniques are performed in Excel with multiple applications for option pricing: a single Geometric Brownian motion (GBM) process, a GBM process with volatility bootstrapping, and two correlated GBM processes.  This leads to the creation of a “generic” Monte Carlo simulation framework that can be applied to many different models in addition to the demonstrated commercial real estate valuation/transaction model.   Because the models are all programmed in Excel with minimal VBA programming, the techniques become very accessible for practitioners.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Various Monte Carlo simulation techniques are implemented in Excel to perform option pricing applications with (1) a …

Platforms, Privacy, And Power: Examining Predictors Of Online Intimate Information Disclosure And Expression, Alexis Shore Ingber, Danielle Keats Citron, Jonathon W. Penney

Articles & Book Chapters

When intimate privacy is violated, self- and relational development is impaired to the detriment of individuals and society. Despite these costs, there is a lack of systematic empirical and theoretical study of intimate privacy and efforts to protect it. This research helps fill this void through two complementary studies. Through a longitudinal experimental design, results from Study 1 highlight that partner trust and response-efficacy were not only positively predictive of online intimate disclosure, but also strengthened following knowledge of intimate privacy protections. In Study 2, we find individuals are more likely to engage in public-facing online sexual expression if the …

Genomic Ascertainment Of Chek2 -Related Cancer Predisposition, Sunyoung Kim, Jung Kim, Mark Ramos, Jeremy Haley, Diane Smelser, H. Shanker Rao, Uyenlinh L. Mirshahi, Katherine L. Nathanson, Barry I. Graubard, Hormuzd A. Katki, David Carey, Douglas R. Stewart

School of Graduate Studies Faculty Publications

Importance: There is clear evidence that deleterious germline variants in CHEK2 increase risk for breast and prostate cancers; there is limited or conflicting evidence for other cancers. Objective: To quantify the prevalence of as well as cancer risk and survival associated with CHEK2 germline pathogenic and likely pathogenic variants using genomic ascertainment. Design, Setting, and Participants: This case-control study used 2 electronic health record-linked and exome-sequenced biobanks: UK Biobank (n = 469765) and Geisinger MyCode (adults only; n = 167050). Variants were classified according to American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics and the Association for Molecular Pathology criteria. Cases …

The Impact Of Social Media On Social Inclusion: A Case Study On Gun Violence, Ruolin Xu

Honors Scholar Theses

As TikTok increasingly becomes a primary platform for everyday communication and even an important venue for political communication, concerns have emerged about the potential negative effects of its algorithmic design. Prior research suggests the effect of echo chamber that social media may reinforce users' pre-existing attitudes by repeatedly exposing them to belief-consistent contents and limiting opportunities to encounter diverse viewpoints. Such selective exposure can undermine social inclusion by reducing individuals' openness toward people who hold different backgrounds or political beliefs. Meanwhile, gun control, as one of the most polarizing sociopolitical issues in the US, provides a particularly relevant context for …

Decisions That Shape Supply Chains, Nicole J. Olynk Widmar, Michael L. Smith, Erin Robinson

Purdue University Press Books

What drives consumer decisions, and how do those decisions ripple through our food and agricultural systems? In Decisions That Shape Supply Chains, readers are invited to look beyond conventional models of behavior and explore the complex, sometimes counterintuitive factors influencing real-world consumer choices. Drawing on behavioral science and applied research, this volume examines how decisions made in grocery aisles, drive-through lines, and online shopping carts ultimately inform what gets planted, processed, packaged, and promoted across the food-supply chain. From attitudes toward GMO foods to parenting as a form of consumerism and emotional decision-making under stress to the environmental tradeoffs consumers …

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Minutes December 15, 2025, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• Call to Order
• University Business
• Faculty Senate Business
• Information
• Reports
• Council on Teacher Education
• Scholarship Annual Report
• University Studies Report
• Old Business
• New Business
• Adjourn 4:33

Loss Of Mfap5 And Its Effect On Skin Homeostasis And Wound Healing, Chen Han, Heidi Yuan, Timothy J Koh, Lin Chen, Robert P Mecham, Luisa A Dipietro

2020-Current year OA Pubs

MFAP5, also known as microfibrillar-associated glycoprotein-2 (MAGP2), may influence parameters of skin wound healing related to scar formation. To further elucidate its role in skin wound healing, we assessed skin wound repair in Mfap5

Structural Basis For Genome-Wide Site-Specific Dna Recognition By Nuclear Factor Ia, Ci Zhu, Ding Xiao, Zhipu Luo, Jie Zhang, Shuang Liu, Yueyu Wang, Xi Chen, Hejin Xiao, Xiaofeng Li, Juyu Tang, Xianyang Fang, Jie Shen, He Song

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Nuclear Factor IA, a member of the long-studied Nuclear Factor I family of DNA-binding proteins, plays pivotal roles in development and metabolism. Dysregulation or loss of Nuclear Factor IA is associated with severe neurological defects in humans and disruptions in fatty acid metabolism linked to conditions such as osteoarthritis. Despite extensive study, the DNA recognition mechanism of Nuclear Factor I family proteins remains unresolved. Previous studies have proposed that these proteins dimerize via their DNA-binding domains to bind TGGCA-containing dyad sequences. In this study, we demonstrate that both full-length Nuclear Factor IA and its isolated DNA-binding domain are monomeric in …

Forecast: A Helmet Visor Hud, Qigao Zhong

Theses

High-performance track-day driving requires drivers to maintain situational awareness while operating vehicles at high speeds. During these conditions, drivers must continuously monitor track signals, surrounding vehicles, and changing hazards while maintaining precise vehicle control. Missed or delayed recognition of critical information can increase safety risks and disrupt traffic flow on the racetrack. This thesis explores the design of a helmet-mounted visor head-up display (HUD) intended to support experienced track-day drivers by selectively presenting critical information in real time. The system prioritizes contextually relevant alerts and minimizes visual distraction through a simplified visual hierarchy. Hazards are categorized by severity and communicated …

Understanding Crime Through Harm: A Multi-Stage Study Of Rochester, Ny, Hayder Alhafedhi

Theses

This capstone project develops, critiques, and applies a Crime Harm Index (CHI) for the City of Rochester, New York, as an alternative to traditional crime measures that rely solely on raw counts. Rather than treating all offenses as equal “one crime = one unit,” the project weights crimes by the severity of harm they cause, using New York State sentencing guidelines as the core metric. Across four working papers, the project moves from conceptual foundations and limitations of harm-based metrics, to the construction of a Rochester-specific Crime Harm Index, and finally to a set of spatial regression models that link …

Understanding The Relationship Between Mental Health And Criminal Justice Involvement: Pathways, Disparities, And Improving System Responses, Haley Bly

Theses

This capstone project examines the complex relationship between mental health and involvement in the criminal justice system, emphasizing how pathways, external conditions, structural inequities, and system responses interact to shape long-term outcomes for persons with mental illness (PwMI). While mental illness alone is not a predictor of criminal behavior, the intersection between psychological disorders, social strain, stigma, and systemic failures significantly heightens the risk of criminal justice involvement. Combining four working papers, this capstone examines these relationships across individual, environmental, institutional, and community levels, ultimately arguing that treatment and rehabilitative-centered reforms are essential for improving the experiences of individuals with …

Methylation-Based Signature To Distinguish Indolent And Aggressive Prostate Cancer, Muheng Liao, Jace Webster, Amy Ly, Emily Rozycki, Christopher A Maher

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Prostate cancer management faces significant challenges in distinguishing indolent from aggressive disease, particularly since most patients are intermediate-risk and therefore hinders the ability to recommend standardized treatment recommendations. Moreover, current prognostic tools including Gleason scoring and tumor staging demonstrate limited accuracy for predicting disease progression and tumor recurrence. DNA methylation serves as a stable epigenetic modification that directly regulates gene expression, making it an ideal biomarker for cancer prognosis. Therefore, this study leveraged whole-genome enzymatic methylation sequencing on 120 patients to develop a novel prognostic signature for aggressive prostate cancer progression. We analyzed 20,849 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) and employed …

Tangible Recommendations To Execute California Assembly Bill 3099: A Proactive Approach To Combatting The Missing And Murdered Indigenous People Crisis, Hannah Marquis

Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review

Indigenous people across the United States experience disproportionately high rates of violence and relatedly high rates of murders and disappearances. This phenomenon has been coined the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples Crisis (MMIP), and as a state with one of the largest Indigenous populations, California also has one of the largest MMIP caseloads. While California has recently taken action towards combatting the MMIP crisis, these have been largely “reactive” steps aimed at bolstering law enforcement responses to already occurring MMIP cases. As it stands, there is a gap in solutions that have a “proactive” focus aimed at lessening the risk …

Development Of An Evidence-Based Nutrition Protocol For Professional Pickleball Athletes, Laura Morales

Department of Nutrition Student Projects

Professional pickleball has expanded rapidly, yet sport-specific nutrition guidance remains absent. Current information available to athletes comes largely from non-professional or industry sources and lacks an evidence-based foundation. This project aims to address that gap by developing a nutrition protocol tailored specifically for professional pickleball players. The approach synthesizes data from pickleball workload studies, racket-sport physiology, and established sports nutrition consensus statements. Key focus areas include fueling strategies, protein distribution for recovery, hydration and sodium planning, heat acclimation and cooling practices, travel and jet-lag management, altitude considerations, and evidence-based supplementation. By integrating findings from racket-sport analogs and intermittent high-intensity training …

Commonthought (2025), Commonthought Staff

Commonthought

This issue features works created by Lesley University students and covers a broad range of topics. The work itself crosses many disciplines from creative writing to visual arts.

The Double Patenting Puzzle, Michael Risch

Faculty Publications

It’s a simple rule: one patent per invention. This is easy to enforce when patent claims in two patents are identical, but what if the second patent claims something close but not quite the same? For more than 150 years, courts have held that obvious improvements over the prior art cannot be patented. But when inventors seek a small improvement in their own follow-on patents, there may not be any prior art because the law does not typically count inventors’ work against themselves. Inventors can include two similar claims in the same patent without objection, but if they split them …

Crisis Response In Nursing Education: An Integrative Review Of Nursing Programme Adaptation To Covid-19, Monina A. Hernandez, Gina B. Diaz, Pearl Ed G. Cuevas

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Purpose: To synthesize and examine published research on the ways in which undergraduate Nursing education programmes in various countries adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Whittemore and Knafl’s (2005) integrative review approach informed this review. This approach was chosen by the researchers because it allows inclusion of various research methodologies to highlight different perspectives regarding a research problem. The five-stage framework includes: problem identification, literature search, data evaluation, data analysis and presentation of findings.

Key words were used in conjunction with Boolean operators, truncation, and spelling variants to search three electronic databases. The search terms used were: “nursing education” OR …

Leveraging Social Capital For Value Creation In Public Procurement: The Role Of Strategic Purchasing Integration, Iryna Malacina, Jad El Bizri, Frederik G. S. Vos, Elina Karttunen, Aki Jaaskelainen

Business Faculty Publications and Presentations

Purpose Although the integration of the purchasing function within strategic decision-making has been extensively studied in the context of the private sector, its significance for the effective functioning of public procurement (PP) remains underexplored. Effective PP is critical for suppliers, users of public services and society at large. This study investigates how the strategic integration of PP influences operational, environmental and innovative value creation by developing social capital in buyer–supplier relationships. Design/methodology/approach This study empirically examined how strategic purchasing integration contributes to the development of social capital in buyer–supplier relationships, which in turn affects value creation. It utilizes survey data …

Transdiagnostic Links Of Reward Processing In Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder And Depression, Kevin M Wagner, Matti Cervin, Jessica S C Cheng, Jasmine Arriaga, Vanessa Zavala Cruz, Dayan Berrones, Josselyn S Muñoz, Renee M Frederick, Jacey L Anderberg, Belinda E Núñez Bracho, Victor R Adorno, Leonardo F Fontenelle, Andrew D Wiese, Latin American Trans-Ancestry Initiative For Ocd Genomics (Latino), Brazilian Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorder Working Group (Gttoc), James J Crowley, Eric A Storch

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objectives: Transdiagnostic models aim to uncover shared mechanisms across mental disorders. Reward responsiveness (the ability to experience pleasure from rewarding stimuli) is a plausible, yet underexplored, transdiagnostic mechanism linking obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and depression. This study used network analysis to (1) examine how key reward responsiveness domains are interlinked in individuals with OCD and (2) explore how each domain is uniquely associated with OCD and depression.

Methods: A total of 1345 individuals with a history of OCD symptoms (ages 18-88, 71 % women) from Latino communities in the United States (including Puerto Rico) and nine Latin American countries completed validated …

Tumor Mirna Signatures Associate With Outcomes Of Patients With Stage Ii/Iii Melanoma, Jennifer M Wiggins, Qiao Zhang, Yian Zhang, Fatemeh Vand-Rajabpour, Douglas Hanniford, Linchen He, Yuting Lu, Jessica M Kenney, Keimya D Sadeghi, Diana Argibay, Irene Orlow, Klaus J Busam, Cecilia Lezcano, Tim K Lee, Li Luo, Ivan P Gorlov, Christopher Amos, Marc S Ernstoff, Venkatraman E Seshan, Anne E Cust, James Wilmott, Richard A Scolyer, Graham J Mann, Allison Reiner, Caroline E Kostrzewa, Eduardo Nagore, Pauline Funchain, Jennifer Ko, Sharon N Edmiston, Kathleen Conway, Paul B Googe, David W Ollila, Jeffrey E Lee, Judy R Rees, Cheryl L Thompson, Meg Gerstenblith, Marcus Bosenberg, Bonnie E Gould Rothberg, Iman Osman, Yvonne Saenger, Adam Z Reynolds, Tawny Boyce, Sheri Holmen, Shaofeng Yan, Elise Brunsgaard, Paul Bogner, Pei Fen Kuan, Nancy E Thomas, Colin B Begg, Ronglai Shen, Marianne Berwick, Yongzhao Shao, David Polsky, Eva Hernando

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Purpose: Patients with stage II and resected stage III melanomas have variable clinical outcomes, providing evidence of underlying biological differences in tumors and/or the patients themselves, beyond stage. The approval of adjuvant immunotherapy for stage IIB/C and resected stage III/IV disease (and adjuvant targeted therapy for resected stage III disease) has created a pressing need to develop biomarkers to accurately distinguish patients at low risk versus high risk for recurrence and death from melanoma. miRNAs are promising biomarkers because of their stability in tissues and fluids and their demonstrated functional and prognostic roles in melanoma. We hypothesized that miRNA expression …

The Hidden Toll: Atrophy Of Key Central Nervous System Relays In African American Women With Multiple Sclerosis, Nabeela Nathoo, Nur Neyal, Jiye Son, Christopher G Schwarz, Elizabeth J Atkinson, Holly A Morrison, June Kendall Thomas, John D Port, Kejal Kantarci, Orhun H Kantarci, Burcu Zeydan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: African American persons with MS (AApwMS) have more aggressive clinical and imaging outcomes than White American pwMS (WApwMS), including lower brain and spinal cord (SC) volumes. However, imaging studies are lacking considering the effects of sex, race, and ethnicity together.

Objective: Compare MS clinical and imaging features among AApwMS and WApwMS, incorporating the modifying effects of sex, race, and ethnicity.

Methods: Clinical variables and MRI were obtained for AApwMS and WApwMS.

Results: Thirty-five MRIs in 28 AApwMS (61 % female) and 255 MRIs in 91 WApwMS (68 % female) were evaluated. AApwMS had a shorter MS disease duration (median …

Inelastic Behavior Of Three-Story Buildings With Concrete-Filled Composite Plate Shear Walls Subjected To Wind Loads, Joshua John Blom

Theses and Dissertations

Although elastic design of the main wind force resisting system in a building is the conventional approach it is not always desirable. In this study, nonlinear static and dynamic analyses are used to predict the inelastic behavior of a three-story building with concrete-filled composite plate shear walls subjected to wind loads. To explore the potential for inelastic design, two types of planar composite shear wall buildings are examined: individual shear walls designed using an elastic approach, and coupled shear wall pairs designed using an inelastic approach adopted from seismic design provisions. Nonlinear static "pushover" analyses are run using an assumed …

Experimental Testing Of Axially Loaded Fuse Plates Without Continuous Buckling Restraint, Rebekah Elizabeth Higgins

Theses and Dissertations

Current seismic design practice is to design structures to avoid collapse and protect life. Buildings are designed to resist seismic loading through strength and ductility. In moment frames, this ductility traditionally comes from inelastic deformation of beams. Moment frame connections move inelastic deformation away from the column and allow a plastic hinge to form in the beam. This plastic hinge prevents collapse but leaves the building difficult to repair. Some proprietary moment frame connections address this issue with replaceable fuse plate connections. These fuse plate connections move the plastic hinge out of the beam and into the replaceable fuse, allowing …

Using It And Accounting Education Pedagogy To Address Smaller Firms' Cybersecurity Concerns, Darlene A. Adkins, William Lyle, Walter Smith

The North American Accounting Studies

This study begins by exploring the cybersecurity activities and practices of small public accounting firms. It also examined how a cross-disciplinary curriculum design could be useful to accounting programs that are challenged to integrate cybersecurity-related content while preserving the core accounting knowledge valued by smaller accounting firms. Through interviews with current practitioners from small and regional firms, the research investigated the extent to which cybersecurity concerns impact their practice, how cybersecurity activities are staffed, and the perceptions of current practitioners on the state of accounting education related to information technology (IT) and cybersecurity. The participants expressed a desire for accounting …

Medical Cannabis Conversation Between Adult Oncology Patients And Provider: The Impact Of Provider Education, Jodi Mcclain

DNP and Student Works

Background: It is estimated up to 40% of adult oncology patients use medical cannabis (MC) for a myriad of symptoms, including not limited to, nausea, pain, appetite, and anxiety. Conversely, less than one-third of oncology health care providers (HCPs) feel confident making cannabis recommendations. Furthermore, studies have shown low disclosure rate and poor communication between oncology patient and provider regarding integrative medicine, which includes cannabis. This study sought to examine the degree of correlation between the desire for information regarding cannabis in the adult oncology population, the level of communication regarding cannabis between patients and providers, and educational efforts to …

Results Of The 2024 Immunization Status Survey Of 24-Month-Old Children In Tennessee, Tennessee. Department Of Health.

Immunization Rates

No abstract provided.

Back To Normal? Perspectives Of Faculty And Teaching Librarians On Information Literacy Instruction After The Lockdowns, Catherine Baird, Cara Berg, Anthony C. Joachim, Drew Wallace

University Libraries Scholarship and Creative Works

Objective - While LIS scholars have extensively studied the widespread disruptions to library instruction during the lockdown period of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a relative dearth of research concerning the longer-term implications for teaching information literacy (IL). This exploratory survey sought to examine how faculty have introduced IL skills to students before, during, and after the COVID-19 lockdowns. After returning to in-person operations in 2021, the authors observed a change in how faculty have engaged with libraries to teach IL to their students. Methods - Utilizing parallel survey instruments, we asked faculty and librarians for their perceptions of current …

Pronatalism In The United States: How Political Ideals Surrounding Family And Reproductive Health Care Contribute To Neglect In The Foster Care System, Carson Sebree

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Within the past decade, conservative reproductive politics in the United States have experienced an ideological shift from pro-life toward pronatalism. This has been intensified through the rollback of reproductive rights and the rise of Christian nationalism. However, there has been no commensurate additional funding for the foster care system. This project asks the interrelated questions of: “how is pronatalism linked to neglect within the foster care system?; and, how do theories of democratic care highlight the necessity to rethink support for the foster care system and create policies that will address its shortcomings, given the rise of pronatalist aw and …

The Effects Of Educational Materials On Knowledge And Attitudes Toward Psilocybin, Lindsey Elise Wade

Master's Theses

Depression is one of the most prevalent and burdensome mental health conditions worldwide, affecting millions and contributing to over 700,000 deaths by suicide annually. Nearly half of patients with major depressive disorder fail to respond adequately to standard antidepressant treatments such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Psilocybin-assisted therapy (PAT) has emerged as a promising alternative for treatment-resistant depression (TRD), yet public understanding of this therapy remains limited. The present study examined whether a brief psychoeducational intervention could affect knowledge and attitudes toward PAT among members of the general public in the United States. Participants were randomly assigned to read …

The Gray Bird Sings: The Extraordinary Life Of Betty Kwan Chinn (Second Edition), Karen M. Price Ph.D.

Trade & Scholarly Monographs

“Touched by childhood tragedy, Betty Chinn brings hope to those who have fallen on hard times. Left homeless as a child in China, Chinn became mute. When she came to America, she found both her voice and her mission: aiding those without shelter on our own shores. ” -Barack Obama, awarding Betty the Presidential Citizens Medal

As a child during the Chinese Cultural Revolution, she was separated from her family, imprisoned, and ruthlessly tortured. As an immigrant to the United States, she worked tirelessly to shelter and feed thousands in her community. How she survived monstrous conditions, challenged impossible odds, …