Digital Commons Network^™

Optimizing Palliative Spine Radiation: A Dosimetric Comparison Of Hybrid Arc Therapy And Conventional Appa Techniques, Alaina Vaneaton

Masters Projects

This study aimed to evaluate the dosimetric impact of Hybrid Arc Palliative Radiation Therapy (HART) versus conventional anterior-posterior/posterior-anterior (APPA) beam arrangements for thoracic spine metastases. The primary objective was to assess differences in conformity, homogeneity, and organ-at-risk (OAR) sparing between the two techniques. A retrospective plan comparison was conducted using anonymized datasets from twenty patients previously treated with HART. Each case was replanned using a standard APPA technique, normalized to match the target coverage of the original HART plan within 0.1%. All plans were prescribed 20 Gy in 5 fractions. Plan quality was evaluated using conformity index (CI), homogeneity index …

Overcoming Challenges In Mapping Hydrography And Heterogeneity In Urban Landscapes, Kristina G. Hopkins, Rebecca L. Hale, Krista A. Capps, John S. Kominoski, Jennifer L. Morse, Allison H. Roy, Andrew Blinn, Shuo Chen, Liz Ortiz Munoz, Annika Quick, Jacob Rudolph

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Understanding how water moves through a watershed is one of the most fundamental yet often complicated aspects of hydrology, especially in urban areas. Urban infrastructure and water management alter natural hydrological pathways in developed watersheds, which can violate assumptions of a watershed approach to ecosystem science. We focus on two aspects of urban landscapes that often create challenges to model watershed processes within and among urban areas: (1) accurate delineation of urban flow paths and (2) consistent characterisation of the urban landscape within and among cities. Here, we describe these challenges and identify how certain components of these challenges can …

Waking Up The Youth: Sleep Is Essential For Health, Mansoor A. Rahman Mr

Manipal Journal of Medical Sciences

Letter to editor:

Waking Up The Youth: Sleep Is Essential For Health

According to the World Sleep Society, sleep, like good food and exercise, is a behavior essential to physical, mental and social well-being. Adequate sleep at appropriate time is necessary for optimal health and safety, while changes in sleep time and duration are intertwined with a variety of metabolic, cardiovascular, endocrine, and neurological disorders^1,2.Therefore,sleep, which is directly related to health and quality of life, is considered a basic human need to maintain his/ her bio-psycho-social and cultural functions³.

The timing and duration of sleep for …

Polo-Like Kinase 1 Inactivation Enhances Pi3k Inhibition-Mediated Apoptosis Of Notch1-Mutant Head And Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Pooja A Shah, Tuhina Mazumdar, Soma Ghosh, Lacin Yapindi, Reid T Powell, Yong S Park, Li Shen, Anne M Fernandez, Clifford C Stephan, Jing Wang, Andrew G Sikora, Jawad Kazi, Mitchell J Frederick, Faye M Johnson

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

PI3K inhibition causes apoptosis selectively in NOTCH1-mutant head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), but modest single-agent responses and acquired resistance (AR) limit the clinical efficacy of targeted agents. To address these limitations, we investigated novel combination therapies. We tested the efficacy of 5768 compounds as single agents and 139 in combination with PI3K inhibitors in sensitive and AR NOTCH1-mutant HNSCC cell lines. We generated synergy/efficacy classifications for the combinations using multiple metrics of statistical drug synergy and growth rate indices. The PLK1/PI3K combination's efficacy was validated using orthogonal in vitro methods and in two HNSCC xenograft models. Compound efficacy …

Developing Resilience In First Year Collegiate Athletes: The Effectiveness Of A Resilience And Strengths Based Course, Dorian J. Hayden

Dissertations, 2020-current

Research shows that college students have increased levels of mental health difficulties with freshmen transitioning into college experiencing even more strain. What further contributes to these difficulties includes having experienced the COVID pandemic in high school, low socioeconomic status (SES), and racial minority status. Student-athletes, although known to have better mental health than non-student-athletes, still underutilize their abundance of resources. Generally, a skill that has been established as beneficial in managing the difficulties related to college is resilience, suggesting the implementation of a more accessible resource to support the mental health of student-athletes transitioning into college. One such resource is …

It Shucks To Be Inbred: Effects Of Small Population Sizes On Genomic Diversity Of Hatchery Reared Olympia Oysters (Ostrea Lurida), Anna S. Heasley

Master's Theses

Olympia oysters (Ostrea lurida), critical members of estuarine ecosystems along the California Current Ecosystem (CCE), have faced significant population declines due to historical overfishing and habitat deterioration. Today, managers from multiple estuaries across the CCE are focusing on conservation aquaculture breeding efforts to aid in restoration; however, the genetic implications of these efforts remain unexplored. As with other Ostrea spp, Olympia oysters have a viviparous reproductive strategy that creates unique challenges for aquaculture-mediated restoration. This study evaluates the genetic impact of current captive breeding practices on Olympia oyster cohorts produced in three California estuaries: Elkhorn Slough (EHS), Morro Bay (MB), …

Proceedings Of The 2025 Undergraduate Research Day, Rebecca Day Babcock Dr., Mohamed Zobaa

UTPB Student Research Day 2026

No abstract provided.

Impact Of Primary Preventive Initiatives To Reduce Burnout And Compassion Fatigue In Emergency Department Nurses, Kelley Molandes

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Manuscripts

Background and significance: It is estimated that 20% of nurses leave the profession within the first year due to an onset of burnout (Henson, 2020). Prior to the pandemic of 2020, workforce projected models estimated large-scale shortages in full time employee (FTE) registered nurses as demand continued to outpace supply (Lauer, 2022). Researchers estimate projections from 2024 into the year 2032 are now skewed, as pandemic-related contributors and their effects on burnout in the nursing profession have not been thoroughly assessed (Saravanan et al., 2022). When considering the data, an underlying need for burnout prevention amongst nurse residents emerges. Interventions …

Development Of A Cure In Principles Of Cell And Molecular Biology, Heather Seitz

Sabbatical Projects

This project presentation highlights the work done during sabbatical to develop an authentic research experience into BIOL135 Principles of Cell and Molecular Biology. The sabbatical allowed for development time but further work was done to measure impact and outcomes for future implementation.

Impact Of A Multi-Strain L. Crispatus-Based Vaginal Synbiotic On The Vaginal Microbiome: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial, Jacques Ravel, Sheri Simmons, Eleni Greenwood Jaswa, Sara Gottfried, Miriam Greene, Susan Kellogg-Spadt, Dirk Gevers, Diane M. Harper

Institute of Emerging Health Professions Faculty Papers

A clinical trial of a multi-strain vaginal synbiotic (NCT05659745, registered 12/19/2022 at clinicaltrials.gov) led to an optimal vaginal microbiome dominated by L. crispatus (CST I). The synbiotic led to a significant increase in L. crispatus compared to placebo (p <  0.05), and conversion to CST I was significantly higher with the vaginal synbiotic than with placebo (90 vs 11%; p <  0.002). Mechanistically, the synbiotic reduced Gardnerella vaginalis and Candida, clinically important microbes.

Sea Otter Behavior And Prey Composition Across Alternative Reef States In Monterey, Ca: Applying Ecological Theory To Kelp Restoration, Carter Hawkins

Master's Theses

Due to a myriad of factors, giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) abundance along the California coast has decreased in select areas, leading to the formation of lower-diversity ecosystems dominated by purple sea urchins (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus), known as “urchin barrens.” While sea otters (Enhydra lutris) are keystone predators that help maintain kelp forests through predation on sea urchins, in Monterey, they avoid barren sea urchins due to their low energetic value and abundance of other habitat types, limiting their influence in these areas. From 2021-2023, sea urchin culling at Tankers Reef, a former barren site in Monterey Bay, was conducted to promote …

Enhancing Target Dose Conformity While Effectively Sparing The Spinal Cord In Proton Arc Treatment Plans For Cervical Chordomas And Chondrosarcomas, Jon Blalock

Masters Projects

Cervical spinal chordomas and chondrosarcomas present significant therapeutic challenges due to their proximity to the spinal cord and resistance to conventional radiotherapy. This retrospective study investigated the capability of proton arc therapy (PAT) to maintain or improve adequate target coverage while reducing dose to the spinal cord for cervical spinal chordomas and chondrosarcomas over standard fixed beam intensity modulated proton therapy (IMPT). While both IMPT and PAT use pencil beam scanning (PBS) to with energy modulation to deliver dose in discrete layers, IMPT relies on a limited number of fixed beam angles, whereas PAT delivers dose over an arc trajectory. …

Ai-Driven Biomedical Perspectives On Mental Fatigue In The Post-Covid-19 Era: Trends, Research Gaps, And Future Directions, Saba Parveen, Md Belal Bin Heyat, Umair Tariq, Faijan Akhtar, Hafiz Muhammad Zeeshan, Seth Christopher Yaw Appiah, Shang-Ming Zhou, Huang Lei

School of Nursing and Midwifery

Mental fatigue is a complex condition arising from various neurological processes and influenced by external factors such as stress and cognitive demands. This comprehensive review elucidates the primary neurological mechanisms underlying mental fatigue, particularly emphasizing how it was elevated or otherwise affected during the COVID-19 pandemic. We explore the intricate relationship between prolonged cognitive tasks, chronic stress, and the development of mental fatigue, emphasizing the impacts that mental fatigue has on mental health across diverse populations. Utilizing advanced artificial intelligence techniques, including machine learning and deep learning, this study identifies and quantifies the patterns of mental fatigue. The innovative approach …

Vaccination With Acinetobacter Baumannii Adhesin Abp2d Provides Protection Against Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection, Morgan R Timm, Kevin O Tamadonfar, Taylor M Nye, Jesús Bazán Villicaña, Jerome S Pinkner, Karen W Dodson, Ali H Ellebedy, Scott J Hultgren

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) contribute greatly to the burden of healthcare-associated infections. Acinetobacter baumannii is a Gram-negative bacterium with high levels of antibiotic resistance that is of increasing concern as a CAUTI pathogen. A. baumannii expresses fibrinogen-binding adhesins (Abp1D and Abp2D) that mediate biofilm formation on catheters, which become coated with fibrinogen upon insertion. Here we develop a protein subunit vaccine against the Abp1D and Abp2D receptor binding domains (RBD) and show that vaccination significantly reduces bacterial titers in a female mouse model of CAUTI. We further demonstrate that immunity to Abp2D

Visio Dei, Vision Pro: Beatific Vision And Technological Singularity, John Paul Arceno

Liberty Theological Review

This paper offers a retrieval of the classical Christian theology of beatific vision. The reason behind this is the challenges posed by the progress of digital technology, including Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Reality, and robotics, which are prevalent today. This rapid progress somehow threatens the classical view of beatific vision with its version of technological singularity. Hence, the retrieval of the beatific vision, which is grounded in divine ontology, is much needed. The paper is divided into three parts: (1) Visio Dei, which discusses the doctrine of beatific vision, (2) Vision Pro, which discusses technological singularity, and (3) conclusion, which …

Tracking The Type Of Specimens Of Parazoanthus Axinellae (Hexacorallia: Zoanthidea) And Its Subspecies, Annika Markovich

DoMES Seminar Series

No abstract provided.

Building Climate Resilience: Community Gardens And Environmental Education In Christchurch, New Zealand, Caleb T. Mccauley

Capstone Collection

The socio-political movements in post-earthquake Christchurch are studied to better understand the interplay of community gardens, climate, environmental, and land-based education, and to analyze their relevance to entrenching climate resilience in the region. Social networks and community responses to natural disasters like an earthquake are leveraged to understand their ability to influence the pillars of climate resilience, those being community, economic, and ecological resilience, respectively. The central hypothesis and research question of this paper will seek to answer: Can social cooperation in the wake of a natural disaster influence the ability of a community to respond to similar disruptions caused …

From Larvae To Livelihoods: Examining The Realities Of Black Soldier Fly Farming In Malawi, Emily Herriott

Capstone Collection

Black Soldier Fly (BSF) larvae offer a cost-effective, nutrient-rich alternative to synthetic fertilizers and conventional feed inputs such as soy, fishmeal, and maize bran in sub-Saharan Africa. In Malawi, where smallholder farmers grapple with declining soil fertility, high input prices, chronic food insecurity, and livestock nutritional challenges, BSF farming is emerging as a promising circular agricultural innovation. Despite its technical promise, the social, economic, and ecological realities of BSF adoption remain underexplored.This study investigates the early implementation of BSF farming in Malawi through the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework, focusing on farmer experiences, challenges, and the social and structural processes shaping uptake …

Learning To Treat The Whole Person: Assessing Spiritual Care Curriculum Inclusion At Faith And Non-Faith-Based Doctor Of Physical Therapy And Master Of Athletic Training Programs In Texas, Tricia Blalock, Heather Hudson, Andrew R. Meyer, Ryan Hebdon

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Given the identified importance of assessing the spiritual domain of health as a component of cultural competence and holistic care in physical therapy and athletic training and the importance that their governing bodies have indicated that spiritual care should play in treating patients, this current study examined how faculty, at entry-level Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) and Master of Athletic Training (MAT) programs in Texas, perceive the importance and inclusion of spiritual dimensions of care in their programs. Methods: We disseminated an online, cross-sectional, mixed-methods survey to a total of 289 faculty members from a total of 27 programs …

Holistic Approach To Managing Grade 3 Vaginismus: An Obg Physiotherapy Perspective, Nagma Khan

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Background: Vaginismus is a condition characterized by involuntary pelvic floor muscle contractions, which can make vaginal penetration painful or impossible. This disorder has both physical and psychological components, often leading to significant emotional distress, anxiety, and relationship difficulties. Effective management requires a holistic, multidisciplinary approach, combining physical therapy with psychological support. This case report examines the treatment of a 29-year-old woman with grade 3 vaginismus, highlighting the role of Obstetrics & Gynaecology (OBG) physiotherapy in improving both physical symptoms and emotional well-being.

Case Presentation: A 29-year-old female presented with grade 3 vaginismus, with a history of severe pelvic floor tension …

A New Lightweight Encryption Method Based On The Dna-Rc4 Substitution For Resource-Constrained Iot Devices, Athraa J. H. Witwit, Ahmed Fanfakh, Ali Kadhum Idrees

Iraqi Journal for Computer Science and Mathematics

Technology's impact on daily life necessitates increased data protection. Cryptographic systems improve security, ensuring confidentiality and legitimacy of Internet of Things systems. However, resource-constrained devices face challenges like memory, battery life, processing power, and small size. In light of this, lightweight cryptography (LWC) provides techniques specifically tailored to the constraints of resource-constrained Internet of Things devices. However, the presence of a fixed S-Box in some LWC algorithms, such as Advanced Encryption Standard, or the absence of one in others, such as Speck and Tiny Encryption Algorithm, renders them more susceptible to attacks. In this paper, we suggest a new lightweight …

Hybrid Organic–Inorganic Corrosion Inhibitors: Bridging Performance And Eco-Safety, Hasan M. Luaibi, Saja S. Al-Tweel

AUIQ Technical Engineering Science

Corrosion leads to global economic losses exceeding $2.5 trillion annually and accounts for up to 30% of infrastructure failures. Conventional corrosion inhibitors face limitations such as aquatic toxicity (LC50 <100 mg/L), moderate efficiencies (65–82%), and poor long-term durability (<500 hours). This review critically evaluates hybrid organic–inorganic corrosion inhibitors, focusing on their composition, mechanisms, performance metrics, and eco-safety. Hybrid systems comprising organic molecules integrated with inorganic matrices like sol–gel networks, nanocomposites, and layered double hydroxides (LDHs) demonstrate enhanced functionality through barrier effects, self-healing, and controlled release. These materials achieve inhibition efficiencies of 88–98.5%, outperforming conventional systems by 18–35%. Sol–gel coatings protect carbon steel at 92–98% efficiency in 3.5% NaCl, while LDHs sustain 94–97% protection over 1200–1500 hours. Nanocomposites reduce corrosion rates from 0.95 mm/year to 0.002–0.004 mm/year. Electrochemical techniques (EIS, PDP) show increased charge transfer resistance (500–2500 Ω·cm²) and coating resistance up to 10⁸ Ω·cm². Surface analysis reveals smoother films (Ra = 15–35 nm), higher contact angles (95–125°), and adhesion strengths of 12–18 MPa. Case studies report 90–96% protection in marine settings, 88–94% in acidic media, and over 92% under atmospheric conditions. Durability tests confirm >90% efficiency after 1000 hours, significantly higher than the <60% for conventional coatings. Overall, hybrid inhibitors offer a high-performance, eco-conscious alternative for corrosion control, combining efficiency, environmental safety, and scalability. Their superior metrics and adaptability position them as next-generation solutions for diverse industrial applications.

Beyond A Monoracial Paradigm: Parents Practicing Racial Humility In The Racial Socialization Of Mixed-Race Children, Katherine Johnson

Sociology

Interracial parents face unique challenges in racially socializing their mixed-race children, but this socialization is imperative to their overall well-being and self-esteem. Using critical multiracial theory, the author argues that the interracial parents included in this study overwhelmingly understand the harm of promoting a monoracial paradigm of race when raising their children. They demonstrate this by implementing racial humility in their socialization practices to support and encourage the formation of a positive racial identity in their children. Drawing upon in-depth, semistructured interviews with 19 sets of interracial parents in the United States, the author identifies four themes related to how …

Integrating Neuroaesthetic Design Into Brain-On-Chip Research: Toward Enhanced Neural Engagement And Cognitive Accessibility, Piper Hutson, James Hutson

Faculty Scholarship

This study examines the potential for neuroaesthetic design and adaptive neurofeedback principles to enhance brain-on-chip (BoC) research, with an emphasis on optimizing neural engagement and cognitive accessibility for diverse populations. Existing BoC platforms have transformed neuroscience through high-fidelity modeling of neural circuits, yet cognitive accessibility and sensory inclusion remain comparatively underexplored. Drawing upon recent studies in neuroinclusion, multisensory interface design, and adaptive feedback, this work synthesizes findings from biophilic interface architecture, neurofeedback literature, and embodied cognition frameworks. The manuscript outlines a multidisciplinary research agenda that prioritizes sensory diversity and ethical considerations in the evolution of BoC systems. Instead of making …

Challenges In Modelling The Impact Of Frost And Heat Stress On The Yield Of Cool-Season Annual Grain Crops, Jonathan Richetti, Victor Oscar Sadra, Di He, Brenton Leske, Pengcheng Hu, Yacob Beletse, C. Mariano Cossani, Ha Nguyen, Bangyou Zheng, David Matthews Deery, M. Fernanda Dreccer, Jeremy Whish, Julianne Lilley

Grain and Other Field Crops Research Articles

Frost and heat events at critical growth stages could cause large yield losses. These temperature extremes are increasing in frequency and intensity due to climate change in many parts of the broadacre cropping regions globally, presenting challenges to food production. For cool-season grain-growing regions, where summers are already too hot, heat and frost risks can limit adaptation options. Capturing these stresses in crop models accurately is increasingly important for evaluating the timing, severity, and yield consequences of extreme events. However, most existing process-based models were not designed to simulate short-duration temperature extremes, limiting their ability to assess climate risk and …

Illness Terminable And Interminable: A Lacanian Exploration Of Medical Assistance In Dying, Matthew Devine

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

More and more people worldwide are requesting euthanasia, physician-assisted suicide (PAS), or medical assistance in dying (MAiD). Arguments in favor of expanding access to MAiD tend to prioritize the rational, competent, autonomous subject who has the right to make decisions about their body, including their death. Some have argued that this perspective – common in biomedical and bioethical literature – tends to neglect the fact that requests for assisted dying involve a relational structure: a relationship between the subject who requests an assisted death and the Other to whom this request is addressed. After reviewing relevant psychoanalytic approaches to suicide …

Summer Commencement: August 8, 2025, University Of North Dakota

UND Commencement Programs

UND Summer Commencement program from August 8, 2025.

Effect Of Histidine Tag On The Enzymatic Activity Of Pseudolysin And Its Interaction With The Streptomyces Metalloprotease Inhibitor (Smpi) Protein, Adewale Adeboye Adewole

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Pseudolysin (PLN) protein is a major virulent factor in Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection. PLN belongs to the family of zinc-dependent metalloproteases. It is naturally inhibited by a smaller protein called streptomyces metalloprotease inhibitor (SMPI), secreted by Streptomyces nigrescens. Previous and current studies demonstrate that the interaction between PLN and SMPI offers unique mechanistic insights for drug development against infections caused by P. aeruginosa. This study investigated the effect of N-terminal Histidine (His) tag on the enzymatic activity of PLN and its interaction with SMPI. His-tagged PLN and SMPI proteins were expressed in bacteria and purified by affinity chromatography …

Diagnostic Imaging-Based Radiation Therapy Planning (Dbrp) For Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (Nsclc) Patients, Joshua Langer

Masters Projects

Purpose

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients benefit by starting radiation therapy (RT) promptly upon diagnosis. Diagnostic scan-based radiation therapy planning (DBRP) eliminates the need for computed tomography (CT) simulation. This is a retrospective study comparing dosimetric differences between volumetric arc therapy (VMAT) diagnostic scan-based plans recalculated onto simulation CT scans.

Methods

Radiotherapy (60 or 66 Gy in 20-30 fractions) for eight NSCLC patients was planned on diagnostic CTs. The plans were recalculated onto the fused simulation CTs, mimicking first treatment setups. Dose-volume histogram (DVH) were used to compare the minimum dose received by 95% of the planning target volume …

Comparison Of Left Breast Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation Plans: Flattening Filter Free Vmat Vs. Standard Vmat In Deep Inspiration Breath Hold And Free Breathing Techniques, Monica Albeck

Masters Projects

This retrospective planning study compared dosimetric outcomes and treatment efficiency between flattening filter free (FFF) and standard volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) plans for left breast accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) under deep inspiration breath hold (DIBH) and free-breathing (FB) conditions. Ten patients with early stage left breast cancer were replanned to create four plans each: FFF VMAT and standard VMAT in DIBH and FB. All plans prescribed 30 Gy in 5 fractions. Measures included planning target volume (PTV) coverage, mean heart dose, ipsilateral lung V30%, contralateral breast maximum dose, and monitor units (MUs). Statistical analysis used repeated-measures ANOVA with …