Digital Commons Network^™

Age, Gender, And Length Of Stay For Copd Patients In Florida Community Hospitals For 2019, Dr. Carol-Ann Miller

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Hospital administrators have been challenged due to length of stay (LOS) among patients suffering with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine whether there was a relationship between age, gender, and length of stay for COPD patients in Florida during the year 2019. The dependent variable was COPD length of stay, and independent variables were age and gender in Florida community hospitals during 2019. The Donabedian model was selected as the theoretical framework for this study to address structure, process, and outcomes associated with COPD readmissions. Secondary data was obtained from the Healthcare …

A Systems Engineering Approach To Improve Alarm Management And Nurse Mental Workload, Benjamin D. Elmore

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Alarm fatigue has been a consistent problem nurses have experienced for decades. The effects of excessive nuisance alarms leads to adverse effects such as desensitization, missed alarms, frustration, and increased risk to patient safety. Other research has provided explanations on alarm fatigue causes and developed solutions for reducing nuisance alarms or minimizing effects, but few have examined the problem from a sociotechnical systems perspective. This study applied the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) framework to define, design, and test an alarm management intervention compatible with a Progressive Care Unit (PCU)’s sociotechnical subsystems. The SEIPS application is unique from …

Ethnicizing Europe: Hate And Violence After Versailles, Éva Kovács, Raul Cârstocea, Gábor Egry

Central European Studies

Ethnicizing Europe focuses on the dynamics of interethnic violence in Europe between the two world wars. The new international system that was enshrined by the Versailles peace treaties after World War I did not bring stability to East-Central Europe. Rather, it resulted in a host of conditions like self-determination, international oversight, revolutionary political ideas, and democratic processes, which eventually gave new meaning to already established conflicts, as well as igniting new conflicts in the region. This book opens with a discussion of the theoretical scholarship on ethnicity before proceeding to specific case studies investigating the different ways in which ethnicity …

Can Mere Possession Of A Consumer Product Boast Your Self-Efficacy? : A Cultural Perspective, Yixuan Gao

Lingnan Theses (MPhil & PhD)

Beggan (1992) introduced the mere ownership effect, suggesting that people evaluate owned objects more positively. Beggan argued that ownership fosters a psychological bond between people and their possessions, driven by self-enhancement motives (e.g., “I am good, thus my object must be good”). Yeung et al. (2017, 2020) extended the mere ownership effect, showing that ownership influences self-evaluations (e.g., I own a book so I am knowledgeable). Previous studies on the “person-based” mere ownership effect have primarily focused on East Asian participants. This thesis aims to compare cross-cultural differences, if any, in the “person-based” mere ownership effect (Study 1), and systematically …

Patients Journey To Hemodialysis Centers: Multi-Center Study, Ali Al Saedi, Dalia Ali, Anas Aljboori, Anas Mansour, Zahraa Mahdi

Iraqi National Journal of Medicine

Background: Hemodialysis is used to restore electrolyte balance (sodium levels, potassium in the body, bicarbonate, chloride, as well as magnesium, calcium, and phosphate) and filters the waste products and excess fluid. Unfortunately, developing nations continue to have a severe shortage of resources, which makes it difficult to provide highly technical and costly care like dialysis. Aim: The study's objective is to reveal and trace the journey of patients with end stage kidney disease who are on regular hemodialysis program and how they reach to dialysis centers. Methods: the study was to be conducted in many dialysis centers in different regions …

Barriers To Diet And Exercise Among Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus In Basrah Hospitals, Jhood Abdul Samad Molan, Fatima K. Hassan, Miaad K. Khaddam, Zainab A.R. Antesh, Hudaa S. Karim

Iraqi National Journal of Medicine

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is growing health concern globally, particularly in the Middle East. To encourage individuals to adopt a healthy lifestyle essential for managing diabetes, it is imperative to thoroughly understand the barriers, especially those that can be modified, encountered by patients following nutritional and exercise medical advice. Aim: The primary objective of this study was to investigate the barriers related to nutrition and exercise among patients with T2DM in hospitals located in Basrah. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 194 adults with history of T2DM who were visiting the outpatient departments of internal medicine in four selected …

Pattern Of Cancer Mortality In Basrah Governorate From 2018–2022, Huda Hassan Al-Abboodi, Jafar Fawzi Al Badran, Nada Hasan Abdulraheem

Iraqi National Journal of Medicine

Background: Cancer is the second leading cause of death globally, with an estimated 9.6 million fatalities reported in 2018. Thus, understanding the impact of cancer rates and examining how cancer deaths are distributed by age and have changed over the years is crucial. Aim: This descriptive statistical study aimed to identify the most prevalent cancer types responsible for deaths in the Basra Governorate from 2018 to 2022, along with their distribution across various age groups and geographical areas. Methods: The study utilized a descriptive statistical approach based on death certificate data from Basra Governorate, encompassing all cancer-related deaths from 2018 …

Evaluation Of Anatomic And Dosimetric Changes During Simultaneously Integrated Boost Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy For Head And Neck Cancer, Farah Dirar Yousif, Raad Hefdhi Abedtwfeq

Iraqi National Journal of Medicine

Background: Volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) is the most commonly used radiotherapy (RT) technique for locally advanced head and neck cancers (HNC), concurrent with chemotherapy. Aim: This study aims to evaluate the anatomical changes that may arise in patients undergoing VMAT treatment. Methods: The study involved 20 patients with locally advanced HNC who received VMAT treatment concurrently with chemotherapy. Prior to the initiation of radiotherapy treatment, computed tomography (CT) simulation was conducted for all patients. The prescribed doses for the primary target (PTVP), high-risk lymph nodes (PTV60), and low-risk lymph nodes (PTV54) were 69.96 Gy, 60 Gy, and 54 Gy, …

Reviewing Of Radical Radiotherapy To The Mediastinum In Patients With Lymphoma, Zeina Abd-Aljabbar Mahdi Jaber, Manwar Al-Naqqash

Iraqi National Journal of Medicine

Background: Historically and clinically, lymphomas are categorized into two major groups: Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Over the years, radiotherapy techniques have advanced from extended-field to involved-field and more recently to involved-site/involved node radiation therapy (RT) (ISRT/INRT). Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of mediastinal radiotherapy in lymphoma patients in Iraq. Methods: A prospective study was conducted to assess clinical and dosimetric changes in various radiotherapy planes and dosimetry between January 2023 and December 2023. The data collected included The data collected included patient demographics, medical history, treatment details, lymphoma characteristics, staging, radiotherapy plans, dose/fraction, and …

Integrating Artificial Intelligence And Machine Learning Technologies Into Common Operating Picture And Course Of Action Development, C. Anthony Pfaff, Christopher John Hickey

Books, Monographs & Collaborative Studies

C. Anthony Pfaff and Christopher John Hickey, Principal Investigators

©2025 C. Anthony Pfaff. All rights reserved.

Integrating Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Technologies into Common Operating Picture and Course of Action Development explores the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to revolutionize military planning processes by enhancing situational awareness and expediting course of action development within the Joint planning process. The study delves into technical, organizational, and resource considerations that are critical for AI integration. In addition, the study highlights the importance of clean, structured data in training AI systems, addresses challenges in data collection across varying formats …

Baseline Characteristics Of Newly Registered Diabetic Patients In Primary Care Settings In Oman, Fathiya Al-Shariqi, Shaima Al-Mazoori, Zaher Al-Kharusi, Mohammed Al-Hinai, Samira Al-Maimani

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

Objectives: This study aimed to identify the baseline demographic characteristics, clinical profile and cardiovascular risk factors of newly registered diabetic patients in Muscat Governorate, Oman, in 2022. Methods: This cross-sectional study included newly registered diabetic patients attending all primary care centres in Muscat Governorate in 2022. Data regarding sociodemographic characteristics and clinical and laboratory parameters were collected from the national diabetic registry and Al-Shifa health information system. Results: A total of 1,309 patients were included and their data analysed, of which 51% were male and the mean age was 53.89 ± 12.47 years. Approximately 50% of the participants were obese …

Technology Roadmap Of Micro/Nanorobots, Xiaohui Ju, Chuanrui Chen, Cagatay M Oral, Semih Sevim, Ramin Golestanian, Mengmeng Sun, Negin Bouzari, Xiankun Lin, Mario Urso, Jong Seok Nam, Yujang Cho, Xia Peng, Fabian C Landers, Shihao Yang, Azin Adibi, Nahid Taz, Raphael Wittkowski, Daniel Ahmed, Wei Wang, Veronika Magdanz, Mariana Medina-Sánchez, Maria Guix, Naimat Bari, Bahareh Behkam, Raymond Kapral, Yaxin Huang, Jinyao Tang, Ben Wang, Konstantin Morozov, Alexander Leshansky, Sarmad Ahmad Abbasi, Hongsoo Choi, Subhadip Ghosh, Bárbara Borges Fernandes, Giuseppe Battaglia, Peer Fischer, Ambarish Ghosh, Beatriz Jurado Sánchez, Alberto Escarpa, Quentin Martinet, Jérémie Palacci, Eric Lauga, Jeffrey Moran, Miguel A Ramos-Docampo, Brigitte Städler, Ramón Santiago Herrera Restrepo, Gilad Yossifon, James D Nicholas, Jordi Ignés-Mullol, Josep Puigmartí-Luis, Yutong Liu, Lauren D Zarzar, C Wyatt Shields, Longqiu Li, Shanshan Li, Xing Ma, David H Gracias, Orlin Velev, Samuel Sánchez, Maria Jose Esplandiu, Juliane Simmchen, Antonio Lobosco, Sarthak Misra, Zhiguang Wu, Jinxing Li, Alexander Kuhn, Amir Nourhani, Tijana Maric, Ze Xiong, Amirreza Aghakhani, Yongfeng Mei, Yingfeng Tu, Fei Peng, Eric Diller, Mahmut Selman Sakar, Ayusman Sen, Junhui Law, Yu Sun, Abdon Pena-Francesch, Katherine Villa, Huaizhi Li, Donglei Emma Fan, Kang Liang, Tony Jun Huang, Xiang-Zhong Chen, Songsong Tang, Xueji Zhang, Jizhai Cui, Hong Wang, Wei Gao, Vineeth Kumar Bandari, Oliver G Schmidt, Xianghua Wu, Jianguo Guan, Metin Sitti, Bradley J Nelson, Salvador Pané, Li Zhang, Hamed Shahsavan, Qiang He, Il-Doo Kim, Joseph Wang, Martin Pumera

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Inspired by Richard Feynman’s 1959 lecture and the 1966 film Fantastic Voyage, the field of micro/nanorobots has evolved from science fiction to reality, with significant advancements in biomedical and environmental applications. Despite the rapid progress, the deployment of functional micro/nanorobots remains limited. This review of the technology roadmap identifies key challenges hindering their widespread use, focusing on propulsion mechanisms, fundamental theoretical aspects, collective behavior, material design, and embodied intelligence. We explore the current state of micro/nanorobot technology, with an emphasis on applications in biomedicine, environmental remediation, analytical sensing, and other industrial technological aspects. Additionally, we analyze issues related to …

Synergistic Activity Of Combined Flt3-Itd And Mdm2 Inhibition With Quizartinib And Milademetan In Flt3-Itd Mutant/Tp53 Wild-Type Acute Myeloid Leukemias, Weiguo Zhang, Li Li, Muharrem Muftuoglu, Mahesh Basyal, Noriko Togashi, Koichi Iwanaga, Fumie Tanzawa, Masashi Numata, Dale L Bixby, Harry P Erba, Nikolai Podoltsev, Gary J Schiller, Prasanna Kumar, Arnaud Lesegretain, Takeshi Isoyama, Takahiko Seki, Naval Daver, Michael Andreeff

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is characterized by frequent mutations in FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3), overexpression of murine double minute 2 (MDM2), and TP53 wild-type (WT). Monotherapies targeting FLT3 frequently result in the development of resistant disease. In this study, we investigated the antileukemic efficacy of co-targeting FLT3 and MDM2 with quizartinib and milademetan (Q/M) in FLT3 internal tandem duplication (FLT3-ITD) AML cell lines, xenograft and patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models, and a phase I clinical trial.

Experimental design: Preclinical studies used human and murine cell lines carrying FLT3-ITD and/or tyrosine kinase domain mutations, TP53 WT/knockdown, leukemia cell xenograft models, …

Facts And Hopes: Toward The Next Quantum Leap In Melanoma, Keith T Flaherty, Andrew E Aplin, Michael A Davies, Nir Hacohen, Meenhard Herlyn, Dave Hoon, Patrick Hwu, Michal Lotem, James Mulé, Jennifer A Wargo, David E Fisher

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Outcomes from advanced melanoma, the deadliest of the skin cancers arising from melanocytes and capable of widely metastasizing, have greatly improved, with death rates decreasing for patients with American Joint Committee on Cancer stage 4 melanoma by 3% to 5% annually over the past 10 years. This improvement is a result of advances in both targeted therapy and immunotherapy. BRAF and MEK inhibitors for advanced melanoma have led the way for targeted cancer strategies and first-in-class approvals for immune checkpoint blockers targeting CTLA4, PD-1, and LAG3; T-cell engager therapy targeting the antigen gp100; and tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte therapy. All of these …

Experiences Of Supervisees Developing Culturally Responsive Skills Through Clinical Supervision, Jaime Lyn Parker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Culturally responsive supervision has been shown to be beneficial to supervisees (Adams et al., 2023). A research gap exists in culturally responsive clinical supervision through the lens of supervisees’ experiences; as a result, supervisors are ill-equipped to offer culturally responsive clinical supervision. The purpose of this narrative inquiry study was to explore supervisees’ culturally responsive experiences in clinical supervision. Grounded in critical race theory, this study highlights the narratives of marginalized voices as they share their stories of developing culturally responsive skills through clinical supervision. That is, the research question explored the experiences of counseling supervisees as they develop culturally …

Cancer Vaccination And Immune-Based Approaches In Pancreatic Cancer, Matthew D. Bloom, Ali Raza Shaikh, Zhengyang Sun, Babar Bashir, Adam E. Snook

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive malignancy with high recurrence rates even after curative resection and adjuvant chemotherapy. Although immunotherapeutic approaches, such as immune checkpoint blockade (ICB), have revolutionized the treatment of some solid tumor malignancies, this has not been the case for PDAC. Several characteristics of PDAC, including its distinctive desmoplastic tumor microenvironment (TME), intratumor heterogeneity, and poor antigenicity and immune cell infiltration, contribute to its dismal immunotherapeutic landscape. Cancer vaccines offer one approach to overcoming these barriers, particularly in the resectable or borderline resectable settings, where tumor burden is low and immunosuppression is less pronounced. Various vaccination …

Everyday Life In The U.S.: An Intersectional Approach To A North Korean Refugee Woman’S Identities, And Experiences, Lyounghee Kim

Communication ETDs

This dissertation examines everyday experiences of a North Korean refugee woman in the U.S., centering her narratives as sites of critique, resistance, and meaning-making. Grounded in Critical Refugee Studies, Asian American Studies, and Critical Intercultural Communication and framed by intersectionality, it explores how interlocking structures of power shape and are shaped by her life. Rather than focusing solely on trauma or assimilation, this study highlights her digital storytelling, faith, and mutual aid practices as acts of survival, dignity, and moral agency. Using a qualitative, narrative inquiry approach grounded in critical reflexivity, it thematically analyzes her stories to reveal how she …

Distribution Of Alkylamines In Surface Waters Around The Antarctic Peninsula And Weddell Sea, Arianna Rocchi, Mark F. Fitzsimons, Preston Chebai Akenga, Ana Sotomayor, Elisabet L. Sà, Queralt Güell-Bujons, Magda Vila, Yaiza M. Castillo, Manuel Dall'osto, Dolors Vaqué, Charel Wohl, Rafel Simó, Elisa Berdalet

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Alkylamines, volatile organic nitrogen compounds with low molecular weight, are present in the surface ocean and participate in the marine biogeochemical nitrogen cycle, atmospheric chemistry and cloud formation. Alkylamines have been detected in polar regions, suggesting that these areas constitute emission hotspots of these compounds. However, knowledge of the sea surface distribution patterns and factors modulating alkylamines remain limited due to their high reactivity and low concentrations, which hamper accurate measurements. We investigated the presence and distribution of alkylamines in seawaters around the Antarctic Peninsula and the northern Weddell Sea during the late austral summer and explored their potential links …

The Ethics Of Mass Communication

Communication Research Trends

Recent years have seen an unprecedented uncertainty and debate over the ethics of mass media. James Thomson, curator of Nieman fellowships for journalists at Harvard University, detects in experienced journalists increasing doubt - even cynicism - regarding the morality of many accepted media practices. John Birt, associated with ITV in London, notes much more questioning of the morality of television programming in Britain.

One might expect the churches to help in clarifying issues of media ethics. The Catholic Church, for example, has a strong tradition of philosophical analysis of ethical problems. Yet, surprisingly, except in Spain, one finds little involvement …

The New International Information Order

Communication Research Trends

In the Nineteenth Century the lines of international communication tended to follow the paths of the NorthAtlantic empires. The cartel of European and American news agencies divided up the world according to the political and economic spheres of influence of the day. Reuters in London took the British Empire; Havas in Paris, the Latin world and French-speaking dependencies; Wolff in Berlin, the Scandinavian countries and Eastern Europe; the American Associated Press and United Press followed U.S. expansion. Just as roads held together the Roman Empire, so transoceanic cables, radio frequencies and satellites have been the lifelines of modern empires.

After …

Bias In The News

Communication Research Trends

Over the past 100 to 150 years, print and now broadcast news have built an image as the vital support of democratic public decision-making. Journalists have presented themselves as the watchdog of government, a Fourth Estate. The ideals of freedom of the press and objectivity of news are revered as sacred institutions.

Current research on newsmaking is questioning profoundly the validity of these claims. Some researchers conclude that the snippets ofinformation in the evening news cover over deeper issues and only create an illusion of being informed. TV news is increasingly designed as entertainment, little different &om the soaps that …

Broadcasting Policy And Media Reform

Communication Research Trends

In some nations broadcasting evolves steadily and organically into a system that serves the information and leisure needs of an ever broader range of social groups. The media stimulate a widespread, critical and informed debate on national issues. In other countries broadcasting tends to become the preserve of powerful minority interests, and all information is slanted, often subtly, to serve the power strategies of these interests. Wave after wave of public "media reform" protest crashes against these privileged minorities, hut the established controls remain virtually intact. What has communication research to say to this problem?

The Philosophical Foundations Of The Civil-Military Relationship, John Mark Mattox

Joint Force Quarterly

This article reexamines civil-military relations through a philosophical lens, arguing that they are far more complex than simple military subordination to civilian authority. Drawing on foundational models from Hobbes, Plato, medieval Christendom, and Clausewitz, it reveals a recurring tripartite structure of society: rulers, warriors, and citizens bound together by mutual responsibility and moral obligation. From Plato’s emphasis on virtue and justice to Clausewitz’s "paradoxical trinity" of people, military, and government, the article shows that the strength of any state depends on trust and collaboration among all three. True civil-military relations, it concludes, must be understood as a dynamic moral partnership …

From High Seas To Highlands: Framing U.S. Defense Strategy With Southeast Asia’S Geography, Caitlin P. Irby

Joint Force Quarterly

The 2022 United States National Security Strategy prioritized competing with China and this focus seems likely to continue with the new administration.[i] Southeast Asia’s growing economic relevance and proximity to China mean that the US can secure significant gains on numerous goals by focusing on this region. To support developing an appropriate strategy, this paper identifies what features make Southeast Asia relevant to the US, potential flashpoints for conflict, and outlines the characteristics of a potential conflict. With this information the author then proposes specific steps to ensure that the United States military maintains the capability to protect US …

Is Mobilization A Major Question?, Evan J. Ward

Joint Force Quarterly

The combination of the Supreme Court’s new Major Questions doctrine and its decision in Loper Bright v. Raimondo threatens to hobble the Executive Branch’s ability to effect a major mobilization under the Defense Production Act. The Defense Production Act followed the War Powers Acts of WWII to consolidate and update the presidential powers that were so famously marshaled to mobilize the arsenal of democracy. The Department of Defense has long planned to rely on Defense Production Act authority to mobilize should the need arise, but the risk of litigation brought about by new legal developments means that the authorities the …

Joint Force Quarterly, Issue 118, 3rd Quarter 2025, National Defense University Press

Joint Force Quarterly

This issue of Joint Force Quarterly addresses key strategic, operational, and doctrinal questions shaping the future of the joint force. Articles examine mobilization as a strategic imperative, PLA Air Force modernization, Southeast Asia’s geographic role in U.S. defense strategy, and leader development for strategic lethality. Contributions also explore AI’s role in detecting deepfakes, the civil-military relationship, and innovations in military logistics and cyber force design. A retrospective on the Joint Warfighting Concept and critical reviews of recent defense literature provide context and continuity. Collectively, these pieces offer insight into how the joint force must evolve to meet emerging challenges.

Techniques For Detecting Contraflow On Divided Roadways And Adjusting Vehicle Routes, Daniel Klein

Defensive Publications Series

Navigation systems may encounter routing anomalies when one side of a divided highway is closed, for example for construction, and traffic is temporarily rerouted into a two-way flow on the remaining side. In such situations, detecting the temporary traffic pattern can allow a navigation system to avoid providing erroneous instructions, such as "make a U-turn" or undesirable detours. A disclosed method relates to using aggregated geospatial data, such as Global Positioning System (GPS) data, and traffic flow data to detect these temporary traffic patterns. A system can identify anomalies such as a threshold number of vehicles traveling on the "wrong" …

The Interpretation Of Wisc-V Gai-Cpi Discrepancies In Adolescents: Cognitive, Attentional, And Symptom Correlates, Cierra Hernandez

ETD Collection

No abstract provided.

Parenting Behaviors During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Examining Covid-19 Pandemic Related Stress On Parenting Behaviors With Implications For Family Systems Theory, Ilana Bergman

ETD Collection

No abstract provided.

Igda Foundation Alumni Weekend: Multiclassing For Better Leadership, Matthew Dyet

Staff Scholarship - Australia & Dubai

This talk was presented at the IGDA Foundation Alumni Weekend, an annual event that is run by and for recipients of the IGDA Foundation scholarship. The talk covered the fundamentals of leadership through the lens of multiclassing as covered in my book, Great Games Need Great Leaders.