Digital Commons Network^™

Grpa-Prs: A Risk Stratification Method To Identify Genetically-Regulated Pathways In Polygenic Diseases, Xiaoyang Li, Brisa S Fernandes, Andi Liu, Jingchun Chen, Xiangning Chen, Zhongming Zhao, Yulin Dai

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Polygenic risk score (PRS) assesses genetic risk for diseases, yet some high-risk individuals avoid illness while low-risk individuals develop it. We hypothesize that unknown counterfactors may reverse PRS predictions, offering insights into disease mechanisms and interventions.

Methods: We developed a novel framework to identify genetically-regulated pathways (GRPas) using PRS-based stratification in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and schizophrenia (SCZ) cohorts. We calculated PRS models, stratified individuals by risk and diagnosis, and analyzed differential GRPas. For AD, analyses were further conducted with and without apolipoprotein E (APOE) effects, and across APOE haplotype.

Results: In AD, we identified several well-known AD-related pathways, including …

Design And Development Of An Intervention To Improve The Quality And Safety Of Pediatric Dental Sedation: A Human-Centered Design Approach, Kawtar Zouaidi, Jan Yeager, Suhasini Bangar, Sayali Tungare, Urvi Mehta, Janelle Urata, Alfa-Ibrahim Yansane, Thomas Tanbonliong, Jungsoo Kim, Emily Sedlock, Krishna Kumar Kookal, Yan Xiao, Tokede Oluwabunmi, Heiko Spallek, Amy Franklin, Gregory W Olson, Joel White, Elsbeth Kalenderian, Muhammad F Walji

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: There are gaps in understanding the experiences of children, parents, and providers during dental conscious sedation. This study aimed to capture and analyze these experiences to identify opportunities for improvement and enhance the quality and safety of pediatric dental conscious sedation.

Methods: A human-centered design approach was used to examine the conscious sedation experience in 2 US advanced education pediatric dental clinics. Researchers conducted field observations, interviews with providers and parents, and providers focus groups to explore experiential factors. Data were transcribed and analyzed using content thematic analysis. Insights from the data were used to explore and generate new …

Factors That Influence The Implementation Of Effective Succession Planning In Nonprofit Organizations, Sharon L. Cook

Human Resource Development Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore factors influencing the implementation of effective succession planning (SP) in nonprofit organizations within a specific traditional industry—the electric utility industry. This study adopted the concept of SP as a process or system, and systems theory was selected to examine the SP process. Rothwell’s (2016) seven- pointed star model for systematic SP and management provided the conceptual framework for this study. This study used an inductive, qualitative approach to collect information from participants, with semi-structured, open-ended interviews. Face-to-face interviews were preferred, but some online interviews via Zoom were necessary. Interviews were conducted …

Introduction: Dreaming The Daily Darg, Corey Gibson

Studies in Scottish Literature

Describes the scope of the Carnegie Trust -funded project on Working Lives in Scottish Writing since 1918, discusses the topics and theoretical perspectives explored in the research phase, noting both change and continuity from the treatment dominant in early and mid-20th century Scottish literary studies, and introduces the essays in this special issue and their contributions to the wider project theme.

Scottish Workers’ Stories Of Life And Labour During Covid-19 From The Workers’ Stories Project, Hailey Maxwell, Ruth Gilbert, Suki Sangha, Ewan Gibbs

Studies in Scottish Literature

This article explores how Scottish workers narrated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their life and work, by analysing 55 fifty-five submissions to the Workers' Stories Project. Between 2020 and 2022, the project creative reflections on the pandemic from workers across Scotland, drawing on the tradition of workers' inquiry and workers' education that encouraged critical reflection and the embrace of worker creativity. Submissions were overwhelmingly literary in form, primarily short prose supplemented by poetry, with three key themes emerging: intimacy and alienation; insecurity and status; and a slower living pace. Cumulatively, the stories underline how COVID-19 magnified workplace injustices …

Masthead - Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal, Vol. 32 (2025-26)

Cardozo Journal of Equal Rights & Social Justice

No abstract provided.

Burying Weapons Under The White Pine Tree: Reducing Nuclear Weapons And Using The Monetary Savings To Compensate Native Peoples Injured By The U.S. Nuclear Weapons Complex, William Y. Chin

Cardozo Journal of Equal Rights & Social Justice

No abstract provided.

When Executions Don't Kill: The Stories Of Eight People Who Survived Their Date With Death, Austin Sarat, Julia Morgan-Canales, Aidan Gemme

Cardozo Journal of Equal Rights & Social Justice

This Article focuses on the eight people who have survived execution attempts in the last 100 years. Some of them faced a second attempt to carry out the sentence. Others escaped that fate only to die in prison; one reached an agreement with the state to allow them to remain in prison for the rest oftheir life, and the fate of another is up in the air.

By examining what went wrong in their executions and the accounts of those events offered by defense lawyers, state officials, and judges, this Article suggests that these executions fall into distinct genres. Each …

Can The Free Speech Clause Protect Transgender Expression From The Trump Administration?, Daniel Cooper

Cardozo Journal of Equal Rights & Social Justice

This Article explores how the Free Speech Clause can provide protection to speakers implicated by the Trump administration's executive orders restricting gender-related speech. Part I will provide an overview of how the Trump administration has directed executive authority to stifle gender-non-conforming identity and expression, how those efforts fit within the larger context of right-wing efforts to marginalize transgender people, and why the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution is not currently a useful tool for the protection of trans rights. Part II will examine efforts to regulate government employees' pronoun usage, focusing on whether …

The Right To "Be Whole": A Jewish Religious Liberty Argument For Gender Affirming Care For Minors, Sarah Weiner

Cardozo Journal of Equal Rights & Social Justice

No abstract provided.

Additively Manufactured Bioinspired Microstructures For Active Surface Modification, Zefu Ren

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Advancements in additive manufacturing have facilitated the development of bioinspired microstructures, which hold promise for applications, such as liquid transport, self-cleaning, and anti-icing. However, the controllability of these microstructures remains an area requiring further exploration. This research explores the design, fabrication, and active control of 3D-printed bioinspired microstructures for dynamic wettability modulation. First, the anisotropic scales of butterfly wings were replicated through optimized two-photon polymerization printing strategies, achieving directional droplet motion controlled by structural geometry and arrangement. The reversed wetting trend compared with natural wings revealed key insights into the structure–performance relationship. Next, microstructures were integrated with dielectric elastomer actuators …

Investigating Driver Perceptions Of Semi-Autonomous Vehicle Sensing And Response Characteristics, Molly Mersinger

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

As semi-autonomous vehicle (SAV) technologies become increasingly integrated into modern transportation, understanding how the public perceives their capabilities is essential for ensuring safe and effective human-automation interaction. This study examined drivers’ perceptions of SAV detection and discernment abilities across 28 driving conditions and how those perceptions related to expected vehicle behaviors in 17 corresponding scenarios. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses identified three perceptual dimensions: Traffic Infrastructure and Vehicle Recognition, Dynamic Roadway Hazards and Vulnerable Road Users, and Human Interaction and Contextual Cues. Moderate overlap between the first two dimensions suggested that participants viewed certain structured and dynamic roadway features as …

Resilience Engineering Via Bifurcation And Ecological Network Analysis: Demonstrated In An Electric Power Case Study, Rogelio Gracia Otalvaro

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Modern systems are increasingly complex, interconnected cyber-physical systems that combine digital controls with physical infrastructure. This integration, along with the constant introduction of new technologies and actors into the network, enables reliable operation but introduces vulnerabilities to unexpected and varied disruptions and cascading failures, making resilience a critical concern. Traditional risk management and resilience assessment methods often struggle with the nonlinearity and dynamic behavior of these systems. This dissertation proposes a novel approach combining Bifurcation Analysis (BA) and Ecological Network Analysis (ENA) to enhance the understanding and improvement of system resilience. BA, a mathematical method from dynamical systems theory, is …

Adaptive Control For Spacecraft With Flexible Appendages With Unknown Parameters, Nicolo Woodward

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Flexible spacecraft pose several challenges in control design due to the uncertain dynamical model and the underactuated nature of these systems. Adaptive and robust controllers are the common choice for these systems to either meet operational requirements like attitude pointing or to suppress vibrations. However, these controllers add complexity in the design of onboard Attitude Determination and Control Systems (ADCS) and the Reaction Control Systems (RCS) for spacecraft maneuvering. The objective of this research is to control a system that undergoes unpredictable and unknown disturbances through onboard derivation of an equivalent reduced order model designed around mounted sensors. The proposed …

The Weight Of Stigma, Rebekah A. King, Michael S. Sinha

Cardozo Journal of Equal Rights & Social Justice

Many health care providers, both implicitly and explicitly, perpetuate stigma in their treatment of patients classified as obese. While medical professionals understand that a one-size-fits-all approach to treatment is ineffective, patients classified as obese are frequently offered limited treatment options that fail to account for their unique needs. Access to a range of effective treatment options has historically been limited, but new GLP-1 receptor agonist medicines like Wegovy (semaglutide) and Zepbound (tirzepatide), have shown incredible promise in addressing the obesity crisis. Unfortunately, these transformative drugs are costly, in high demand, and not widely covered by insurance, rendering them inaccessible for …

Bridging The Rural Telehealth Divide, Deborah Farringer

Law Faculty Scholarship

This article examines the historical development, regulatory landscape, and post-pandemic future of telehealth in the United States, with a particular focus on its original purpose: improving access to care for rural populations. Although Congress first authorized Medicare reimbursement for telehealth in 1997 to alleviate rural health disparities, federal and state regulatory frameworks—especially restrictions on originating sites, licensure rules, and HIPAA-driven technology requirements—significantly limited adoption for more than two decades. The COVID-19 public health emergency triggered sweeping temporary waivers that removed geographic limitations, permitted the use of common communication technologies, liberalized supervision and prescribing rules, and allowed audio-only encounters. These changes …

Flies: Nature’S Hidden Helpers, A Science Literacy Project Exploring Beneficial And Pest Insects, Natalie Johnston

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

A science literacy project for elementary learners exploring beneficial and pest insects with a focus on flies, nature's hidden helpers.

This project demonstrates that science literacy can be cultivated through experiential and interdisciplinary teaching. Future developments could include digital tools for compost monitoring, citizen science participation, or expanded studies of other decomposer species. Cross-curricular collaboration with language arts and art education can further strengthen the integration of creativity and evidence-based reasoning.

Ultimately, this work reaffirms that even small organisms—like flies—can inspire big learning outcomes. By integrating science literacy with sustainability education, we prepare students to think critically about ecological relationships …

Experimental Insights Into High Background Radiation: Reduced Cancer Risks In A Murine Model Study, S. M.J. Mortazavi, M. Arshadi, B. F. Baha'addini Baigy Zarandi, J. S. Welsh, H. Mozdarani, M. Haghani, N. Jooyan, S. Nematollahi, Negar Azarpira, Lembit Sihver

Informatics and Engineering Systems Faculty Publications

Background: Natural background radiation varies geographically and has potential implications for cancer development. High-level natural radiation areas (HLNRAs), like Ramsar, Iran, offer unique opportunities to study the biological effects of radiation exposure. This study investigates the relationship between high background radiation and tumor progression in a murine model. Materials and Methods: Thirty-two C57BL/6 mice were exposed to varying levels of natural radiation (0.097 μSv/h to 9.24 μSv/h) for two months, simulating conditions in Ramsar. Mice were divided into four groups based on radiation intensity. After exposure, 1106 B16-F10 melanoma cells were injected subcutaneously, and tumor growth was monitored for 24 …

Performances In Last-Mile Deliveries Involving Cyclic Services Of Shuttles And Cargo Bikes, Byung Kwon Lee, Young Joo Kim, Joyce M. W. Low

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This study introduces a novel approximation model that integrates the ideologies of order statistics and max-plus algebra in representing the collection and distribution service schemes of a last-mile delivery system. Under the respective schemes, electric cargo bikes (e-bikes) perform the last-mile delivery near a microhub with shuttles collecting packages from multiple local logistics hubs (or local hubs, for short) and/or distributing packages to multiple microhubs. The framework is designed to estimate the cyclic capacity under varying cargo carrying capacities of the e-bikes and service network configurations. Real-world data, such as the geographic conditions of the streets around the microhubs in …

Immigrant Entrepreneurship: A Survey Of "Start-Up" & Investor Visa Programs And Their Effects, Candace Yuan

The International Law Review Association Student Forum

Entrepreneurship has positive economic benefits and allows for innovative progress within countries. Immigrants, specifically, are in a unique position to bring new perspectives, backgrounds, and ideas to their host countries, which makes them especially entrepreneurial. In particular, immigrants play key roles in their host country by starting businesses or making investments that lead to job creation, innovation, and increased national productivity. This broader phenomenon is known as Immigrant Entrepreneurship, where immigrants contribute to the economy of their host country by starting new businesses or investing. Immigrant entrepreneurship is a developing but relevant topic, as literature in this arena suggests that …

Relationship Between Quantitative Mri Ute T2* Of Acl Autografts And Bmi-Normalized Knee Laxity Within The First Year After Acl Reconstruction, Alonso Figueroa, Tomasz Bugajski, Dillon Humpal, Manickam Kumaravel, Walter Lowe, Payam Zandiyeh

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: The anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) graft undergoes a remodeling process that affects its structural properties. Ultrashort echo time T2* (UTE-T2*) imaging has been instrumental in examining this process. However, more research is needed on the postoperative relationship between UTE-T2* of the graft and its mechanical properties.

Purpose: To longitudinally examine ACL graft changes after ACLR using UTE-T2* decay coefficients and knee laxity and explore their relationship.

Study design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods: A total of 31 patients who underwent ACLR had magnetic resonance imaging of their knees at 1, 6, and 12 months after surgery …

Incorporating Balance Training Into Ankle Sprain Injury Prevention Programs: An Evidence-To-Practice Review, David Tomchuk, Jacob Meyer, Kyle Schneider, Ben Fox

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

Ankle sprains are among the most common injuries in sports and non-sporting activities. For patients, ankle sprains can result in multiple short and long-term hardships, such as financial burdens of evaluation and treatment, absenteeism from sport and physical activity, and diminished ankle and lower extremity function. However, athletic trainers and other stakeholders are also impacted by administrative and time burdens in caring for ankle sprains and how ankle sprains affect team dynamics and performance. The 2022 guiding systematic review evaluated the effectiveness of incorporating preventive balance training exercises on the incidence of ankle sprains in soccer athletes. The search performed …

Examining Burnout Among Athletic Trainers Employed In The College And Secondary School Settings, Stephanie M. Singe, Dayna Liu, Alexandrya Cairns

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

Burnout continues to be an important concern for athletic trainers working traditional employment settings. The purpose of this study was to compare the secondary school and collegiate settings in relation to burnout. Both secondary school and collegiate athletic trainers participated in a self-reported, online cross-sectional design (Qualtrics) to collect data on their experiences with burnout. Data collection occurred during the second week of October 2023 and ceased during the early weeks of November. Collegiate athletic trainers reported moderate burnout overall (54.56 ±15.89) on the CBI whereas secondary school athletic trainers reported low burnout overall (46.67 ±16.57). On the personal-related burnout …

Group-Based Sample Partitioning Knn: A Computationally Efficient Knn Algorithm For Resource-Constrained Environments, Ayad M. Dalloo, Amjad J. Humaidi

Iraqi Journal of Computers, Communications, Control and Systems Engineering

The k-Nearest Neighbors (kNN) algorithm is widely used for classification due to its simplicity and effectiveness. However, its computational cost remains a significant challenge, particularly for embedded systems with limited processing power and memory. To address this Issue, we propose the Group-Based Sample Partitioning (k²NN) Algorithm, which introduces a two-phase approach to reduce computational complexity while maintaining classification accuracy. In the first phase, the algorithm pre-groups training samples by iteratively selecting anchor points and partitioning their k-nearest neighbors, thereby reducing redundancy in the dataset. In the second phase, the test sample dynamically selects local anchor points, constructing a smaller, more …

Video Deep Fake Detection Based On Spatiotemporal Analysis, Muna Ghazi Abdulsahib

Iraqi Journal of Computers, Communications, Control and Systems Engineering

Deep fake videos are a threat to information integrity by using advanced deep learning techniques to manipulate visual content and make it hard to distinguish from real videos. This includes videos where a person’s image is changed or replaced using deep learning techniques. In this paper, we propose a hybrid approach for deep fake video detection that combines spatial and temporal features. We use a pre-trained VGG16 to extract deep spatial features from individual frames, and then global average pooling at both spatial and temporal level to convert variable length video sequences into fixed dimensional representations. A fully connected classifier …

A Review Of Post-Quantum Digital Signature Schemes Applicability And Performance In Various Environments, Marwa M. Hamood, Arwa A

Iraqi Journal of Computers, Communications, Control and Systems Engineering

The emergence of quantum computers, coupled with relentless advancements in technology, calls for the immediate transition from classical to modern cryptography for efficient data transfer across optic fibers. This paper assesses different proposed post-quantum signature schemespertaining to their plausibility of being useful against quantum computers’ capabilities. The ability of quantum computers to solve mathematical equations at speeds significantly faster than those of classical computers is remarkable. Existing cryptographic frameworks that depend on discrete logarithms and integer factorization are seriously threatened by this exceptional efficiency. In order to protect sensitive data in a post-quantum world, it may be necessary to reevaluate …

Jet Impingement And Vortex/Swirl Cooling Of Different Inlet And Outlet Geometrical Configurations For Turbine Blade Leading Edge Cooling, Irfan Ahmad Sheikh

Dissertations

Gas turbine blades operate in extreme environments, exposed directly to high-temperature combustion gases that cause severe thermal stresses, weaken material integrity, and may lead to structural failure. Proper cooling is crucial to lower blade temperatures, reduce thermal stresses, prevent failure, and improve overall engine efficiency. This work presents a detailed numerical study of various cooling configurations by applying two advanced leading-edge cooling methods, jet impingement and swirl cooling, across different inlet mass flow rates and jet Reynolds numbers (Rej) ranging from 1,000 to 20,000 to evaluate their cooling performance.

Several advanced leading-edge cooling configurations are proposed and compared with the …

Eco 4000 – Statistical Analysis For Economics And Finance [Syllabus], Dmytro Dushko

Open Educational Resources

The course introduces econometric techniques that are useful for conducting empirical analyses in economics and finance. Its purpose is to enable students to master these concepts and successfully complete an independent empirical project. The course will be structured into three roughly equal parts: the first part will cover probability and sets, providing a foundation for statistical reasoning; the second part will focus on statistics, delving into quantitative methods for analyzing economic data; and the third part will introduce econometrics, emphasizing linear models that establish relationships between two or more variables of interest. We will explore linear models from both theoretical …

The Advocate (Fall 2025), Lewis & Clark Law School

The Advocate

No abstract provided.

Richmond Law Magazine: Autumn 2025

Richmond Law Magazine

Danielle Stokes and the energy discussion

Beyond the page

The mentorship web