Digital Commons Network^™

Accidental Left Ventricular Placement Of A Leadless Micra Pacemaker Through A Patent Foramen Ovale, Hamza Alkowatli, Mahmoud Kutmah, Adnan Shaik, Osama Hallak

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

The Micra device is a leadless pacemaker implanted in the right ventricle via a femoral vein transcatheter approach. There are several indications for and advantages to using a leadless pacemaker, and the device's role in the field of cardiology will probably continue to increase. This article presents the case of a rare complication probably due to inadvertent placement of the device in the left ventricle across an undiagnosed patent foramen ovale.

Shaping The Future Of "Cardio-Kidney-Metabolic" Health: Insights From The Texas Heart Institute's 2024 Cardiometabolic Syndrome Conference, Arjun Raghuram, Keri Sprung, Stephanie Coulter, Joseph G Rogers

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

At the Texas Heart Institute's 2024 Cardiometabolic Syndrome Conference, held on August 23, 2024, experts from diverse academic fields spoke about novel initiatives for addressing the worsening projections for cardiometabolic syndrome. Four major areas in which innovation is ongoing were highlighted: technology, policy, population health, and lifestyle and behavioral modification. This article presents a brief contextualization, summary, and analysis of the novel initiatives being implemented in each of these 4 areas to address cardiometabolic syndrome. Despite alarming projections, cardiometabolic syndrome presents a unique opportunity for innovators to drive change through collaborative, multidisciplinary efforts.

Lyme Carditis And Inflammation-Driven Plaque Erosion Presenting As Sudden Cardiac Arrest, Marco Kaldas, Moneal Shah, Diana Pashaieva, Georgios Lygouris, Anita Radhakrishnan

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

Lyme carditis represents a rare cardiac complication of Borrelia burgdorferi infection, often causing conduction disturbances but rarely causing malignant arrhythmias. Inflammatory acute coronary syndrome, driven by immune-mediated plaque erosion rather than rupture, represents a nontraditional ischemic mechanism. This case highlights their overlap. The case of a previously healthy man with Lyme disease who experienced cardiac arrest because of ventricular tachycardia is reported. Imaging showed myocardial inflammation together with coronary plaque erosion instead of plaque rupture. The patient underwent advanced diagnostic testing and received multidisciplinary medical care, which led to complete cardiac recovery and implantable cardioverter-defibrillator placement.

Navigating The Complexities Of Mitral Valve Clipping: Early Severe Mitral Valve Stenosis After Mitral Valve Clipping, Wassim Abouzeid, Ahmad Haddad, Chrystina Kiwan, Ahsan Khan, Addi Suleiman

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

This case study explores the journey of an 80-year-old male patient with a history of hypertension, diabetes, coronary artery disease after coronary artery bypass grafting, atrial fibrillation, and heart failure. Nine months before he presented to the emergency department, he had undergone mitral valve clipping for severe mitral valve regurgitation. Despite initial improvement, the patient experienced return of symptoms, including dyspnea at rest and lower limb edema. The results of this case-discovery of the need for mitral valve replacement-provides insights into the management of complications from mitral valve clipping and emphasizes that management requires a nuanced, meticulous approach.

Double Atrial Septum With Interatrial Space In Patients Experiencing Ischemic Attack, Blerim Berisha, Fadhel Hamidani, Mathias Humm

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

No abstract provided.

Sequelae And Surgical Management Of Giant Cardiac Myxoma, Norvin Hernandez, Michael Dileo, Christopher K Wong, Mahboob Alam

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

Cardiac myxomas are a rare phenomenon within the general population, and although there are reports of them, giant myxomas are not common in the medical literature. This report presents a case of a giant left atrial cardiac myxoma in a 57-year-old female patient who was largely asymptomatic until she presented with a diffuse thromboembolic stroke. This case report highlights the importance of surgical management of cardiac myxomas and discusses the difference in open vs minimally invasive surgical resection of giant cardiac myxomas.

Digital Otoscopy With Computer-Aided Composite Image Generation: Impact On The Correct Diagnosis, Confidence, And Time, Seda Camalan, Carl D Langefeld, Amy Zinnia, Brigham Mckee, Matthew L Carlson, Nicholas L Deep, Michael S Harris, Taha A Jan, Vivian F Kaul, Nathan R Lindquist, Jameson K Mattingly, Jay Shah, Kevin Y Zhan, Metin N Gurcan, Aaron C Moberly

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: This study investigated the comparative performance of ear, nose, and throat (ENT) physicians in correctly detecting ear abnormalities when reviewing digital otoscopy imaging using 3 different visualization methods, including computer-assisted composite images called "SelectStitch," single video frame "Still" images, and video clips. The study also explored clinicians' diagnostic confidence levels and the time to make a diagnosis.

Study design: Clinician diagnostic reader study.

Setting: Online diagnostic survey of ENT physicians.

Methods: Nine ENT physicians reviewed digital otoscopy examinations from 86 ears with various diagnoses (normal, perforation, retraction, middle ear effusion, tympanosclerosis). Otoscopy examinations used artificial-intelligence (AI)-based computer-aided composite image …

A Comprehensive Uhplc-Ms/Ms And Extraction Method Reveals Flavonoid Profile And Concentration Are Diverse In Spinach (Spinacia Oleracea L), Michael P Dzakovich, Elaine A Le, Alvin L Tak, Shaji K Chacko

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

INTRODUCTION: Spinach produces an array of unique flavonoids not commonly found in other fruits and vegetables. These molecules likely serve as defense agents against biotic and abiotic stress and may have health beneficial properties for humans. Current methods to analyze spinach flavonoids are incomplete and only capture a portion of this uncharacterized pathway. A comprehensive analysis method is needed to determine how genetics, environmental conditions, and other factors influence spinach flavonoid biosynthesis.

METHODS: We developed and validated a high-throughput extraction and ultra high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) method to separate and quantify 39 spinach flavonoid species in 11.5 …

Understanding The Influence Of Image Enhancement On Underwater Object Detection: A Quantitative And Qualitative Study, Ashraf Saleem, Ali Awad, Sidike Paheding, Evan Lucas, Timothy C. Havens, Peter C. Esselman

Michigan Tech Publications

Underwater image enhancement is often perceived as a disadvantageous process to object detection. We propose a novel analysis of the interactions between enhancement and detection, elaborating on the potential of enhancement to improve detection. In particular, we evaluate object detection performance for each individual image rather than across the entire set to allow a direct performance comparison of each image before and after enhancement. This approach enables the generation of unique queries to identify the outperforming and underperforming enhanced images compared to the original images. To accomplish this, we first produce enhanced image sets of the original images using recent …

Sift Feature-Based Relative Altitude Estimation Enhanced With Siamese Network, Shirin Nasr-Esfahani, S. Jagannathan

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In GPS-denied environments or when GPS signals are unreliable or unavailable, alternative methods of accurate localization with coordinate generation become critical. To address localization, the scale-invariant feature transform (SIFT) algorithm, along with its numerous adaptations, is extensively utilized in computer vision and remote sensing for matching image features to identify objects and perform localization. This article presents a novel approach for estimating the relative altitude of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) using SIFT features' scale (size), omitting the need for additional data like camera intrinsic parameters, as well as extensive image datasets are also required for training. Furthermore, the approach enhances …

Microwave Photonics-Assisted Interrogation Of Fiber-Optic Interferometric Sensors With Joint Frequency-Time Domain Analysis, Ruimin Jie, Jie Huang, Chen Zhu

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Fiber-optic interferometers are widely used in localized sensing applications due to their compact size, high sensitivity, and immunity to electromagnetic interference. In this paper, we propose and experimentally demonstrate a novel interrogation scheme for fiber-optic interferometric sensors, utilizing microwave photonics (MWP) and joint frequency-time domain analysis. As a proof of concept, a miniature fiber in-line Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) is integrated with a microwave photonic single-passband filter, enhanced by a dispersion compensation module to improve sensing performance. By applying an inverse Fourier transform to the system's complex frequency response, the time-domain representation of the signal is obtained, translating spectral shifts of …

Enhanced Multidimensional Harmonic Retrieval In Mimo Wireless Channel Sounding, Yanming Zhang, Wenchao Xu, A. Long Jin, Tianquan Tang, Min Li, Peifeng Ma, Lijun Jiang, Steven Gao

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper introduces a recursive parallel dynamic mode decomposition (RPDMD) scheme tailored for multidimensional harmonic retrieval (MHR), specifically applied to MIMO wireless channel sounding. The RPDMD algorithm is devised to address the complexities inherent in multidimensional scenarios, leveraging the dynamic mode decomposition (DMD) framework within a recursive parallel structure. Initially, the observed tensorial multidimensional harmonic data is transformed into a two-dimensional matrix format along the r-th dimension. Subsequently, DMD dissects this matrix data into eigenvalues and their associated modes. The real and imaginary components of the DMD eigenvalues yield damping factors and frequencies in the r-th dimension, respectively. Furthermore, recursive …

Miniaturized Wearable Biosensors For Continuous Health Monitoring Fabricated Using The Femtosecond Laser-Induced Graphene Surface And Encapsulated Traces And Electrodes, Homayoon Soleimani Dinani, Tatianna Reinbolt, Bohong Zhang, Ganggang Zhao, Rex E. Gerald, Zheng Yan, Jie Huang

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Wearable sensors are increasingly being used as biosensors for health monitoring. Current wearable devices are large, heavy, invasive, skin irritants, or not continuous. Miniaturization was chosen to address these issues, using a femtosecond laser-conversion technique to fabricate miniaturized laser-induced graphene (LIG) sensor arrays on and encapsulated within a polyimide substrate. The femtosecond laser-converted conductive traces can have a size of 20 to 2 μm compared to the traditionally larger CO2 laser dimensions of around 300 to 100 μm. This marks a 93-98% decrease in trace size when using a femtosecond laser. This miniaturization allows for the ability to process temperature, …

“We Were Put Out Of Good Jobs”: Women Night Workers In New York And The Origins Of The Women’S Equal Opportunity League, R.B. Tiven

Publications and Research

In the 1910s, U.S. social reformers advocated for labor laws to protect women who worked in factories. The laws included bans on women working at night. In New York, a small contingent of night-working women who had lost their jobs objected. Arguing that the laws were paternalistic and harmful, they formed the Women’s Equal Opportunity League. The group opposed all single-sex laws and ultimately won repeal of New York’s night work ban for printers, elevator operators, and transit workers. Night work was the stage on which reformers’ ideas about the greater good conflicted with arguments for women’s autonomy. Whether and …

Foundation Models Boost Low-Level Perceptual Similarity Metrics, Abhijay Ghildyal, Nabajeet Barman, Saman Zadtootaghaj

Computer Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

For full-reference image quality assessment (FR-IQA) using deep-learning approaches, the perceptual similarity score between a distorted image and a reference image is typically computed as a distance measure between features extracted from a pretrained CNN or more recently, a Transformer network. Often, these intermediate features require further fine-tuning or processing with additional neural network layers to align the final similarity scores with human judgments. So far, most IQA models based on foundation models have primarily relied on the final layer or the embedding for the quality score estimation. In contrast, this work explores the potential of utilizing the intermediate features …

Scitopic: Enhancing Topic Discovery In Scientific Literature Through Advanced Llm, Pengjiang Li, Zaitian Wang, Xinhao Zhang, Ran Zhang, Lu Jiang, Pengfei Wang, Yuanchun Zhou

Computer Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Topic discovery in scientific literature provides valuable insights for researchers to identify emerging trends and explore new avenues for investigation, facilitating easier scientific information retrieval. Many machine learning methods, particularly deep embedding techniques, have been applied to discover research topics. However, most existing topic discovery methods rely on word embedding to capture the semantics and lack a comprehensive understanding of scientific publications, struggling with complex, high-dimensional text relationships. Inspired by the exceptional comprehension of textual information by large language models (LLMs), we propose an advanced topic discovery method enhanced by LLMs to improve scientific topic identification, namely SciTopic. Specifically, we …

Formal Financing Of Small And Medium Scale Enterprises In Nigeria: A Path To Economic Development?, Kingsley Onyekachi Onyele, Eberechi Ikwuagwu, Innocent Umezurike

The Journal of Entrepreneurial Finance

This investigation assessed the influence of formal financing for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) on the economic advancement of Nigeria, utilising annual time series data ranging from 1992 to 2022. Employing the Cobb-Douglas framework, control variables, including capital formation and labour, which could influence economic development, were incorporated into the empirical model to mitigate bias. Following initial tests for stationarity, it was determined that all variables achieved stationarity upon the first difference, a finding that validated the Vector Error Correction Mechanism (VECM) application. The analysis revealed that the credit extended to SMEs by commercial banks and the loans provided by …

Size Premium In Small Business Valuation: Analysis Of Closely-Held Firms, Craig S. Galbraith

The Journal of Entrepreneurial Finance

One of the most misunderstood components of valuing a small closely-held business is how to address the impact of small size. Most closely-held enterprises are relatively small in size, with market values less than $1million. Many small mom and pop operations, or single owner-operator family businesses, often have market values even smaller. The most common method to account for size is to use the size premium reports from Kroll or another financial data service provider. However, these small firm premiums are determined exclusively from publicly-traded firms, where even the category of the smallest publicly-traded firms are still magnitudes larger than …

Ai Agents And Agentic Systems: A Multi-Expert Analysis, Laurie Hughes, Yogesh K. Dwivedi, Tegwen Malik, Mazen Shawosh, Mousa Ahmed Albashrawi, Il Jeon, Vincent Dutot, Mandanna Appanderanda, Tom Crick, Rahul De’, Mark Fenwick, Senali Madugoda Gunaratnege, Paulius Jurcys, Arpan Kumar Kar, Nir Kshetri, Keyao Li, Sashah Mutasa, Spyridon Samothrakis, Michael Wade, Paul Walton

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The emergence of AI agents and agentic systems represents a significant milestone in artificial intelligence, enabling autonomous systems to operate, learn, and collaborate in complex environments with minimal human intervention. This paper, drawing on multi-expert perspectives, examines the potential of AI agents and agentic systems to reshape industries by decentralizing decision-making, redefining organizational structures, and enhancing cross-functional collaboration. Specific applications include healthcare systems capable of creating adaptive treatment plans, supply chain agents that predict and address disruptions in real-time, and business process automation that reallocates tasks from humans to AI, improving efficiency and innovation. However, the integration of these systems …

Decolonising Outcome Measurement: A Systematic Review Of Health And Wellbeing Measures For Māori, Margaret Sandham, Maree Roche, Melissa Carey, Richard J. Siegert, Rebecca J. Jarden

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The objective of the study is to conduct a systematic review and methodological quality appraisal on studies reporting the development of health and wellbeing outcome measures for Māori (Indigenous people of New Zealand), identify common features and processes, and critically appraise the measures using the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN). Key databases were searched using key terms in May 2022 without date limiters. English or Māori language publications were included if they reported Māori health and wellbeing outcome measure development. Studies were then appraised using the COSMIN. Seven publications developed outcome measures and seven reported …

Individual Differences Provide A Nuanced Understanding Of The Contributions Of Age, Experience, And Level Played To Superior Perceptual-Cognitive-Motor Skill, Khaya Morris-Binelli, Minerva A. Westbrook, Benjamin Piggott, Sean Müller, Paola Chivers

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Theories of expertise either predict superior performance is due to monotonic and progressive exposure to a domain task or due to non-linear exposure to a domain. The aim of this study was to explore the predictions of these theories by use of an individual differences approach to investigate how age, experience, and level played within a sample of athletes with high expertise contributes to superior perceptual-cognitive-motor skill. Twenty-seven players sampled from junior rugby union high-performance pathways and professional rugby union teams in Australia completed an in-situ perceptual-cognitive-motor test involving four attackers and three defenders. Participants were presented with scenarios representative …

Signs Of Democratic Resilience Following Aotearoa New Zealand’S March 15th Mosque Attacks, Claire Fitzpatrick, Emily Beausoleil

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Political responses to extremist attacks and other forms of social trauma might be deemed ‘resilient’ insofar as they restore order and security but can undermine democratic ideals and practices. This article offers an evaluative framework for democratic resilience to make sense of public discourse in the aftermath of extremist attacks. We argue that a democratically resilient response entails five necessary dimensions, each of which is required for dialogue across difference capable of ‘working through’ social trauma within the democratic polity. We then apply this framework to analyse the March 15 2019 mosque attacks in Aotearoa New Zealand, using mixed methods …

Intrapartum Hydration Assessment And Management: A Cross-Sectional Survey Of Australian And New Zealand Maternity Units, Brianne G. Mcintyre, Debbie Massey, Nigel Lee, Lauren Kearney

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Hydration assessment and management during labour play an important role in maternal and newborn outcomes. Studies indicate that clinical practice is inconsistent, with limited consensus evident in clinical guidelines. Current practices in fluid management across public and private maternity units within Australia and New Zealand remain unknown. Respondents highlighted the importance of maternal hydration assessment and management to well-being. However, inconsistencies were noted in the documentation, medication use and adherence to clinical protocols. Aim: Our study aimed to investigate unit-level clinical practice regarding intrapartum hydration assessment and management across Australian and New Zealand private and public hospitals. The scope …

Is There A Relationship Between Rapid Weight Changes And Self-Reported Injury In Combat Sports Athletes? A 14-Month Study Of 24 Combat Sports Events, Colin S. Doherty, Oliver R. Barley, Lauren V. Fortington

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objectives: To explore the potential association between rapid weight changes and self-reported injury status (presence or absence of injury) 7 days following competitive events among male and female combat sports competitors.

Design: A 14-month study of 24 events.

Methods: A weight management questionnaire was completed 1-day post-competition, and an injury questionnaire was completed 7 days post-competition. These online questionnaires provided data on body mass and injury status. Mixed effects logistic regression models were used to analyse the odds ratios of rapid weight change variables and their impact on athletes' self-reporting as injured or non-injured.

Results: There were 172 responses (155 …

Mathematical Practices (Commonly Used By Mathematicians) In Mathematics Teachers’ Solutions To Algebraic Problems, Vesife Hatisaru, Steven Richardson, Jon R. Star

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

A teacher of mathematics knows mathematics as a teacher and as a mathematician. Whilst the existing research on teacher knowledge contributes to our understanding of the ways of knowing mathematics as a teacher, little is known about ways of knowing mathematics as a mathematician. Guided by the conceptual framework of mathematical practices (MPs) (commonly used by mathematicians), this case study aimed to contribute to fill this gap. The study examined solutions generated by two secondary teachers of mathematics to a set of algebraic problems to determine which MPs are apparent, or not, in the teachers’ work. Data were content analyzed …

Sacred Or Sacrificed Placemaking: A Contested Fan Pilgrimage Site For Rural Tourism Development, Timo Thelen, Sangkyun Kim, Tomohiro Kai, Eerang Park

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The concept of placemaking describes the transformation and development of a site directed by the local authorities. This longitudinal study examines the emergence of a fan pilgrimage site in rural Japan and the subsequent placemaking process to establish it as a popular culture tourism site. The study uncovers friction among stakeholders and backlash against the top-down placemaking approach from both residents and fans, whose attitudes are more critical and impactful than those of non-fan tourists towards making the place. The study contributes to a nuanced understanding of placemaking dynamics and complexity by drawing on a non-Western context and its particularities, …

Social Relational Notions Of Successful Aging: Contesting Dominant Individualized Conceptions Of Successful Aging By Examining Migrant Intergenerational Lived Experiences, Hien Thi Nguyen, Loretta Baldassar, Raelene Wilding, Bronte Jones

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background and Objectives: Critiques of the concept of successful aging (SA) include attention to its foundation on an individualized western medical approach that emphasizes personal choice, agency, and lifestyle. This paper aims to examine how individual notions of SA can be linked to, and co-constituted by, relational and intergenerational notions of personhood within the broader socioeconomic, familial, and cultural contexts of migration. Research Design and Methods: Qualitative research was conducted in Australia (2020–2021) with 42 Vietnamese migrants using ethnographic interviews and participant observation. Data analysis applied inductive reasoning and intersectional analysis to investigate the notion of SA from the perspectives …

Better Sleep Hygiene Is Associated With Better Sleep Health In Mining Shift Workers In Australia, Philipp Beranek, Ian C. Dunican, Travis Cruickshank, Mitchell Turner

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Australia's mine sites are largely situated in remote locations and operate around the clock. Many shift workers fly to site, where they work 12-hr shifts and sleep in camp accommodation before they return home for the period rostered off work. Mining shift workers experience poor sleep, yet limited research is available on contributing factors. This study investigated, for the first time, the relationship between the sleep health and sleep hygiene in this population. A survey was disseminated to shift workers in the mining industry, utilising a cross-sectional study design. The Sleep Health Index and Sleep Hygiene Index questionnaires were used …

Facilitators, Barriers, And Strategies For Supporting Shared Decision-Making With People With Intellectual Disability: A West Australian Primary Healthcare Professional Perspective, Kathryn Teale, Abigail Lewis, Rachel Skoss

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Shared decision-making between patients and primary healthcare professionals positively impacts health outcomes. However, people with intellectual disability face additional barriers and require supported shared decision-making (SSDM) to participate. Little is known about how healthcare professionals use SSDM with this population. This paper explores the facilitators and barriers experienced, and strategies/resources employed by healthcare professionals working with people with intellectual disability. Method: Ten purposively sampled primary healthcare professionals participated in semi-structured interviews. This descriptive qualitative study used content analysis. Findings were compared with a proposed model of factors influencing triadic (the person with intellectual disability, their caregiver and the healthcare …

Factors Influencing The Adoption Of Artificial Intelligence Systems: A Systematic Literature Review, Ahmad A. Khanfar, Reza Kiani Mavi, Mohammad Iranmanesh, Denise Gengatharen

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: Despite the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) systems to increase revenue, reduce costs and enhance performance, their adoption by organisations has fallen short of expectations, leading to unsuccessful implementations. This paper aims to identify and elucidate the factors influencing AI adoption at both the organisational and individual levels. Developing a conceptual model, it contributes to understanding the underlying individual, social, technological, organisational and environmental factors and guides future research in this area. Design/methodology/approach: The authors have conducted a systematic literature review to synthesise the literature on the determinants of AI adoption. In total, 90 papers published in the field …