Digital Commons Network^™

K-Means Clustering Optimization Of Toddler Malnutrition Status Using Elbow Method, Femmi Widyawati, Ahmad Yahya Dawod, Heru Agus Santoso

Journal of Informatics and Web Engineering

The problem of nutritional status is still a major challenge in the health sector in developing countries, including Indonesia. Malnutrition in toddlers can have serious long-term impacts on children's growth and development, including increased risk of disease, impaired cognitive function, and low productivity in the future. To overcome this problem, an in-depth analysis is needed to determine the distribution of nutritional status of toddlers in one of the provincial capitals in Indonesia, which can be used as a basis for planning more effective interventions. This study uses the K-Means algorithm to classify areas based on the prevalence of malnutrition in …

Integrating Explainable Machine Learning And Transcriptomics Data Reveals Cell-Type Specific Immune Signatures Underlying Macular Degeneration, Arko Barman, Rinki Ratnapriya

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have established key role of immune dysfunction in Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD), though the precise role of immune cells remains unclear. Here, we develop an explainable machine-learning pipeline (ML) using transcriptome data of 453 donor retinas, identifying 81 genes distinguishing AMD from controls (AUC-ROC of 0.80, CI 0.70–0.92). Most of these genes were enriched in their expression within retinal glial cells, particularly microglia and astrocytes. Their role in AMD was further strengthened by cellular deconvolution, which identified distinct differences in microglia and astrocytes between normal and AMD. We corroborated these findings using independent single-cell data, where …

The Magdala Moms Of La Jolla, Rebecca Shepard

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

The Magdala Moms of La Jolla is a satirical novel set at The Magdala School, an elite Christian academy in La Jolla, California, where social status, curated faith, and community performance are indistinguishable. The story follows Mitzi Madigan, a brash, ambitious mother whose carefully constructed persona hides a troubling past. Her world begins to unravel when Caroline—a single mother working in construction—is granted a scholarship for her daughter, Emma, to attend Magdala.

As Emma enters the private school’s polished social ecosystem, she begins to uncover the secrets buried beneath the sun-drenched surface. The Mag Moms, a clique of hyper-polished, scripture-quoting …

Image-Based Detection And Classification Of Poultry Diseases From Chicken Droppings In Open House Poultry Farms, Md Najmul Hasan, Zu Jun Khow, Vik Tor Goh, Sarina Mansor, Yi-Fei Tan

Journal of Informatics and Web Engineering

Monitoring chicken health is essential for maintaining the production efficiency of poultry farms and meeting the demand for poultry products. Previous studies have explored various methods, including utilizing sound, behaviour, and the shape of the chickens, as well as the conditions of their droppings, to assess chicken health. In this research, we monitor chicken droppings as a reliable indicator of chicken health. We develop an automated system for detecting chicken droppings and identifying health conditions, specifically in open house poultry farms in Malaysia. Open poultry houses are the most common design in Malaysia due to their lower construction and maintenance …

Evolutionary Dynamics Of Artificial Agents: Exploration And Learning In Games, Brian Mintz

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

The natural world abounds with examples of complex behavior in humans and many other species. Evolutionary game theory is a powerful mathematical framework to understand the origins of many such behaviors like cooperation. Since these behaviors are often selected against initially, understanding why they are so widespread has been a longstanding question. Rather than assuming agents' rationality, like in traditional game theory, this approach studies the mutation and selection of strategies themselves. However most behavior is neither perfectly rational nor entirely determined by genetics. This dissertation works to bridge the gap between these two perspectives by analyzing models where individuals …

Machine Learning Model For Assessing Human Well-Being Using Brain Wave Activities, Sellappan Palaniappan, Rajasvaran Logeswaran, Yoke Leng Yong

Journal of Informatics and Web Engineering

This study presents a novel machine learning approach to assess human well-being through the analysis of brain wave activities. We developed a Random Forest classifier to categorize brain wave patterns into three states of well-being: good, normal, and bad. Using synthetic data simulating electroencephalography (EEG) readings, our model achieved an overall accuracy of 96.17%. The feature importance analysis revealed that alpha waves (34%) and beta waves (29%) were the most significant predictors of well-being states, which aligns with existing neuroscientific literature linking alpha activity to relaxation and beta activity to cognitive engagement. The confusion matrix demonstrated the model's particular strength …

Evaluation Of Ecostress Collection 2 Evapotranspiration Products: Strengths And Uncertainties For Evapotranspiration Modeling, Zoe Amie Pierrat, Adam J. Purdy, Gregory Halverson, Joshua B. Fisher, Kanishka Mallick, Madeleine Pascolini-Campbell, Youngryel Rye, Martha C. Anderson, Claire Villanueva-Weeks, Margaret C. Johnson, Brenna Hatch, Evan Davis, Yun Yang, Kerry Cawse-Nicholson

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

The ECOsystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station (ECOSTRESS) collects thermal observations from the International Space Station to support evapotranspiration (ET) research at fine spatial resolutions (70 m × 70 m). Initial ET from ECOSTRESS Collection 1 was used in scientific research and applications, though subsequent analyses identified areas for improvement. This study outlines updates to ECOSTRESS Collection 2 ET and presents an accuracy assessment of ET and auxiliary variables validated against in situ data from AmeriFlux. Key updates in Collection 2 include use of four independent model estimates of instantaneous latent energy (LE) and improved auxiliary forcing data. …

Virus Against Cancer: Paradigm-Shifting Biological Concepts, Dong Ho Shin, Marta M Alonso, Candelaria Gomez-Manzano, Juan Fueyo

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose of review: Virotherapy has emerged as a promising approach to cancer treatment. Over the past two decades, early-phase clinical trials have demonstrated the safety and promising efficacy of virotherapy in subsets of cancer patients. However, a significant knowledge gap needs to be filled to propel the field further and achieve substantial anti-cancer benefits for more than the current 10-20% of treated patients. This article reviews the most relevant current challenges in cancer virotherapy.

Recent findings: Recent clinical observations suggest that patients who respond to virotherapy experience a shift in their immune response from an initial or concomitant response against …

Support For The Us Endangered Species Act Is High And Steady Over The Past Three Decades, John Vucetich, Jeremy T. Bruskotter, Robyn Wilson, L. Mark Elbroch, Adam Feltz, Thomas Offer-Westort

Michigan Tech Publications

Conservation professionals expect increased attempts to weaken the US Endangered Species Act (ESA) during the second Trump administration. As such, it is important to understand Americans’ level of support for the ESA. Prior research indicates that support for the ESA remained consistently strong across four studies conducted over a two-decade period, 1996–2015. The research presented here extends those observations to six studies conducted over a three-decade period, 1996–2025. We find that support of the ESA over that period has remained consistently high, at about 84%, and opposition has remained consistently low, at about 12%. We also report on other trends …

Joyce’S Genealogy, Ryan Kerr

James Joyce Literary Supplement

No abstract provided.

Fems And Thems, Jasmin Shirazian

Redwood Roots Digital Magazine

No abstract provided.

Full Issue

Redwood Roots Digital Magazine

No abstract provided.

Yiqi Yangyin Tongluo Prescription Targets Lncrna Vim-As1 To Regulate Foxk2/Mtor To Promote Autophagy And Inhibit Renal Tubular Epithelial Cell Apoptosis, Rucui Yu, Ruiying Wu, Tingting Chen, Jingwei Xu

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is one dominating reason for death in diabetic patients, and its incidence is high. It has been reported that Yiqi Yangyin Tongluo prescription (YYTP) can relieve inflammation, and it owns better clinical effects in the treatment of DN. However, the molecular mechanisms of YYTP in the treatment of DN still keep unclear, and deeply investigations are needed. In this study, it firstly was manifested that YYTP can repress the lncRNA VIM-antisense 1 (VIM-AS1) expression in high glucose (HG)-evoked HK-2 cells. Overexpression of VIM-AS1 roll-backed the inhibitive impacts of YYTP on cell apoptosis in HG-triggered HK-2 cells. Additionally, …

Evaluating The Cost-Effectiveness Of Atezolizumab-Bevacizumab In Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Insights From Taiwan, Tsung-Wei Chang, Wei-Chiao Chang, Wan-Hsuan Chou, Wei-Pin Chang, Chun-Nan Kuo

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Following the observed significant improvements in overall survival and progression-free survival in clinical trials, the combination of atezolizumab and bevacizumab has been recommended as a first-line therapy for patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. Despite its clinical benefits, the high cost associated with this treatment poses a substantial challenge in routine practice in Taiwan. This study aims to assess the cost-effectiveness of atezolizumab plus bevacizumab in comparison to sorafenib monotherapy. This study utilized partitioned survival analysis and extrapolated survival over a 20-year horizon to conduct a cost-effectiveness analysis from the perspective of the National Health Insurance Administration. Efficacy and utility data …

Ping-Chong-Jiang-Ni Formula Effectively Inhibits Migration And Invasion Of Endometriosis 12z Cell Line Via Trip13, Jiahua Peng, Shuzhen Liu, Yunxiang Xie, Min Xiao, Chichiu Wang, Ruining Liang

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

The Ping-Chong-Jiang-Ni Formula (PCJNF), a compound of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), has demonstrated remarkable clinical effectiveness and is widely utilized in the treatment of endometriosis (EMs). Previous studies have shown that PCJNF inhibits the proliferation and induces the apoptosis of ectopic endometrial stromal cells (EESCs) by modulating the JNK signaling pathway. In our most recent study, published in January 2024, we found that PCJNF effectively alleviates EMs-associated pain by reducing inflammatory mediators, including tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and nerve growth factor (NGF). Furthermore, PCJNF down-

regulates the expression of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1), phosphorylated TRPV1 (p-TRPV1), and protein …

In Vitro Metabolic Profiling Of Methylenedioxy-Substituted Synthetic Cathinones For Enhanced Detection In Urine Sample Analysis, Ya-Ling Yeh, Chin-Lin Hsieh, Yi-Jia Huang, Yu-Hsiang Chang, Sheng-Meng Wang

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Synthetic cathinones are a widely abused class of new psychoactive substances that pose significant challenges in forensic toxicology owing to their complex metabolic pathways and lack of verified reference standards. This study investigated the in vitro metabolism of nine methylenedioxy-substituted synthetic cathinones, including methylone and eight structural isomers, which were categorized into three groups: Group 1 (dimethylone, ethylone, and butylone), Group 2 (dibutylone, pentylone, and eutylone), and Group 3 (N-ethylpentylone and dipentylone). Pooled human liver microsomes, cytosol, and uridine diphosphate glucuronic acid were used to identify phase Ⅰ and Ⅱ metabolites by liquid chromatography–quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Key pathways included …

Integrating Network Analysis And Experimental Validation To Reveal The Ferroptosis-Associated Mechanism Of Velvet Antler In The Treatment Of Chronic Atrophic Gastritis, Quan Liao, Zhenzhen Guo, Chenchun Ding, Renjie Zuo, Guoyan Liu

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) is precancerosis with limited treatment options. This study investigated the therapeutic effects of velvet antler (VA), a traditional natural medicine, on CAG, with a focus on ferroptosis. In vivo experiments demonstrated the efficacy of VA in alleviating CAG, and network pharmacology analysis revealed its involvement in related terms, including inflammation, oxidative stress, and cell proliferation. Analyses further confirmed the modulation of ferroptosis by VA, particularly via the Keap1-Nrf2/HO-1/GPX4 pathway. In vitro assays supported these findings, demonstrating the ability of VA to reduce methylnitronitrosoguanidine-induced inflammation, oxidative stress, and ferroptosis in GES-1. This study provides a basis for …

Jiao San Xian Granule Containing Prebiotic Alleviate Functional Dyspepsia By Regulating Intestinal Flora And The Secretion Of Inflammatory Response, Huimin Pei, Mengyuan Zhao, Hongyue Wang, Xindi Zhang, Caihong Shi, Xiangrong Zhang

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Jiao Sanxian (JSX) consists of three traditional Chinese medicine including charred hawthorn, malt and Liu Shen Qu, they are also from Chinese medicine homologous food. It is commonly used to relieve functional dyspepsia (FD). The present study aims to explore the mechanism of JSX (granule), with the addition of prebiotics for the treatment of FD using mice model. The network pharmacology and molecular docking were used to forecast therapeutic targets for JSX. Based on the protein-protein interaction (PPI) results, thirteen targets exhibited strong interactions with each other. The results of network pharmacology and molecular docking revealed therapeutic activity of JSX …

Regulatory Framework And Challenges For Live Biotherapeutic Products In Taiwan, Shirley Pan, Jia-Chuan Hsu, Kuo-Teng Hung, Ching-Jung Ho

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Products containing live microorganisms may be classified as food or drugs depending on their intended use; live biotherapeutic products (LBPs) with therapeutic claims are defined as medicinal products containing live bacteria or yeasts intended to prevent or treat disease. Based on their characteristics, LBPs are classified as biological drugs and must be registered as biological drugs before they can enter the Taiwanese market. As research into the microbiota and its role in health and disease continues to advance, LBPs are expected to play an increasingly important role in medicine and biotechnology. With the growing popularity of microbial applications in recent …

Aspergillosis: A Comprehensive Review Of Pathogenesis, Drug Resistance, And Emerging Therapeutics, Amanpreet Singh, Jeewanjot Singh, Sandeep Kumar

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Aspergillosis stands as a primary opportunistic fungal infection which mainly results from Aspergillus fumigatus events that have gained more importance because of its multiple infection patterns and developing antifungal resistance. Healthcare providers identify two main ends of the aspergillosis spectrum which include allergic responses and invasive systemic infections that affect mainly immunocompromised subjects. This review presents a detailed summary for understanding the epidemiology of aspergillosis along with its risk factors as well as pathogenesis and host immune response and diagnostic difficulties. The analysis puts significant weight on increasing azole and echinocandin resistance that has become worse because of agricultural and …

Predictive Model For Hemoglobin Levels Using Multiple Linear Regression, Dien Gusta Anggraini Nursal, Muhammad Daffa Atthariq Winata, Nohan Arum Romadlona, Noura Rizki, Sabillah Nasitoh, Muhammad Sakhi Baretta

Journal of Health Research

Background: Anemia is a condition in which the number of red blood cells or hemoglobin (Hb) levels fall below normal, limiting the ability of blood to transport oxygen effectively. This study aimed to develop a predictive model for Hb levels by identifying significant risk factors.

Method: This observational analytic study was conducted among 103 randomly selected students of Bung Hatta University in Padang, Indonesia. Data were collected with a questionnaire and a hemoglobin test between April to May 2024. Pearson’s correlation analysis and multiple linear regression were performed in this study.

Results: Bivariate analysis showed significant correlations between Hb levels …

The Prevalence And Prediction Of Uncontrolled Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus In The Lower South Of Thailand, Akemat Wongpairin, Apiradee Lim, Haris Khurram

Journal of Health Research

Background: Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is a major health issue globally, particularly in middle-income countries. This study assessed the prevalence and factors linked to uncontrolled T2DM and proposed a machine learning model for early prediction in southern Thailand.

Methods: Data from 60,903 T2DM patients (2016–2023) were obtained from Thailand's National Health Data Center. Multiple logistic regression identified associated factors, and machine learning models were compared for prediction.

Results: Uncontrolled T2DM prevalence was 53.5%, highest among patients ≤44 years (69.5%) and in Pattani (61.6%), Satun (58.1%), and Narathiwat (56.7%). Risk factors included being female, younger age, early or long disease duration, …

Individual- And Contextual-Level Factors: A Multilevel Analysis Of Colorectal Cancer Risk In Thai Older Adults, Jiranya Bureemas, Jarin Chindaprasirt, Pongdech Sarakarn

Journal of Health Research

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a growing public health concern, especially among older adults. In Thailand, CRC risk is influenced by individual and environmental factors. This study investigates the association between individual- and contextual-level factors and CRC risk in Thai older adults.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study included 11,167 adults aged ≥60 years from the Khon Kaen Cohort Study (1990–2001), followed through 2020. CRC cases were histologically confirmed. Multilevel Cox regression estimated hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results: Over a median follow-up of 21.7 years, 100 CRC cases were identified. At the individual level, unemployment (HR = …

Renal Function Associated With Mortality Among Patients With Leptospirosis In Upper Southern Thailand: A Hospital-Based Case-Control Study, Lamoon Saengsuwan, Somkiattiyos Woradet, Bhunyabhadh Chaimay

Journal of Health Research

Background: Leptospirosis is a major public health issue in tropical regions. This study investigated the association between renal function and mortality among leptospirosis patients in upper southern Thailand.

Methods: A hospital-based case-control study was conducted on leptospirosis patients from 2012 to 2018. Cases were patients who died, while controls were survivors (1:3 ratio). A total of 42 cases and 126 controls were included. Data were sourced from the Office of Disease Prevention and Control 11, Nakhon Sri Thammarat, and medical records. Key renal function indicators included blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (Cr), and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). In-hospital mortality …

Erectile Function And Quality Of Life Among Undergraduate University Students In Almaty, Kazakhstan, Malik Safargaliyev, Denis Vinnikov

Journal of Health Research

Background: Erectile function (EF) in healthy young adults and students is underexplored, as erectile dysfunction (ED) is typically linked to aging. This study aimed to quantify EF in university students and examine its association with quality of life (QL).

Method: This cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1,556 undergraduate students (aged 16 to 22 years; median: 18, IQR: 18–19) at the largest university in Kazakhstan, Almaty. Participants completed a web-based anonymous survey assessing EF using the IIEF-5 and QL using the WHOQOL-BREF. The association between EF and QL was analyzed using multivariate linear regression.

Results: Quality of life (QL) scores were …

Versatile Imidazole Scaffold With Potent Activity Against Multiple Apicomplexan Parasites, Monique Khim, Jemma Montgomery, Mariana Laureano De Souza, Melvin Delvillar, Lyssa J. Weible, Mayuri Prabakaran, Matthew A. Hulverson, Tyler Eck, Rammohan Y. Bheemanabonia, P. Holland Alday, David P. Rotella, J. Stone Doggett, Bart L. Staker, Kayode K. Ojo, Purnima Bhanot

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Malaria, toxoplasmosis, and cryptosporidiosis are caused by apicomplexan parasites Plasmodium spp., Toxoplasma gondii, and Cryptosporidium parvum, respectively, and pose major health challenges. Their therapies are inadequate, ineffective or threatened by drug resistance. The development of novel drugs against them requires innovative and resource-efficient strategies. We exploited the kinome conservation of these parasites to determine the cellular targets and effects of two Plasmodium falciparum inhibitors in T. gondii and C. parvum. The imidazoles, (R)-RY-1-165 and (R)-RY-1-185, were developed to target the cGMP dependent protein kinase of P. falciparum (PfPKG), orthologs of which are present in T. gondii and C. parvum. Using …

Murine Tbk1 Regulates Mpp3-Type Hspcs And Circulating Leukocytes In Normal Hematopoiesis And Flt3+ Lscs In Mll-Af9-Driven Leukemia, Austin P. Runde, Joseph Cannova, Ryan Mack, Kanak Joshi, Mark Sellin, Rohit Thalla, Allan Youmaran, Mattias Lenz, Peter Breslin, Wei Wei, Jiwang Zhang

School of Medicine

BACKGROUND: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive hematologic cancer with a notoriously bleak prognosis; for non-M3 AML, the overall 5-year survival rate is ∼30%. While 60-70% of newly diagnosed AML patients will achieve complete remission (CR), half of these patients will experience relapse (secondary resistance) by three years from their diagnosis. Moreover, 30-40% of AML patients present with refractory disease (primary resistance) and cannot respond to frontline treatments. Leukemia stem cells (LSCs) are implicated in both primary and secondary resistance, and their eradication is necessary to maintain CR. LSCs have unique transcriptomes and immunophenotypes, thus can be identified relatively …

Young Adults’ Metaperceptions Of Their Childhood Caregivers’ Appraisals And Young Adulthood Mental Health, Cassandra Svelnys

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Early experiences and relationships have enduring impacts on the development of self and later mental health and wellbeing. In social relationships and interactions, the developing individual is continuously assessing how they view themself, how they view the other person, and how they believe the other person views them. Metaperceptions represent the latter construct: how an individual thinks another person perceives them. Childhood self-esteem, parent-child attachment, and metaperceptions are foundational constructs for the developing individual, yet metaperceptions have not previously been tested as a predictor for adulthood mental health while also accounting for childhood self-esteem and parent-child attachment. This study introduced …

Management Of Embedded Unexploded Ordnance In Low-Resource Settings: A Scoping Review, Eric S. Weinstein, David Nitsch, Chris Leboa, S. Yves G. Sanou, Yves Aziz Nacanabo, Serhii Tertyshnyii, Amila Ratnayake, Akul Gupta, David T. Walker, Paul Amoroso, Barclay Stewart, Hannah Wild

College of Health Professions Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVES: When unexploded ordnance (UXO) is embedded in the body, the effect of explosive weapons used in conflict is amplified. Though relatively rare, such events present potentially devastating consequences for the patient and medical providers as routine diagnostic and therapeutic procedures hold potential to initiate detonation of the embedded UXO (eUXO). The objective is to identify and synthesize available literature relating to the management of eUXO in low resource settings.

METHODS: A scoping review was conducted using PRISMA-ScR methodology to evaluate literature in all languages from all date ranges until January 31, 2024, discussing the management of casualties with eUXO, …

The Spring 2025 Issue, Destiny Dehart, Laura K. Clark Hunt, Crystal Walker, Austin Bello, Lauren Nimon-Viola, Sarah Gonzalez

Fonds and Feathers

This issue, edited by Destiny DeHart, features “Advances in Storytelling” by Assistant Professor Laura K. Clark Hunt, Ph.D., “Evolving Storytelling in Libraries: Project Techne” by Crystal Walker, “Who’s Rewriting History” by Austin Bello, “Soldiers in Disguise: Women’s Stories from the Civil War” by Lauren Viola, “Once Upon a Map: Storytelling in Libraries with ARCGIS Storymaps” by Sara Gonzalez, “Mold in the Archives: How Bias Influences Stories” by Destiny DeHart, and interview with managing reference archivist Devin McGeehan Muchmore of the GLBT Historical Society. In addition, upcoming conferences are listed. A list of students who will graduate in December 2024 with …