Digital Commons Network^™

Child Maltreatment And Recidivism: Do Maltreatment Patterns Influence General And Violent Reoffending?, Nan Li, Matt Shelton, Elena L. Grigorenko

Psychological Science Faculty Publications

This study examined whether patterns of maltreatment predicted reoffending among 5,194 justice-involved youth (JIY) from a large Texas juvenile probation department. Using latent class analysis on five maltreatment types (physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, and exposure to domestic violence), we empirically identified three classes: “Poly-victimization” (17.8%; high across all types), “Psychological Maltreatment” (15.3%; high emotional abuse and neglect), and “Low Maltreatment” (66.9%; low/moderate across types). JIY in the “Poly-victimization” and “Psychological Maltreatment” classes were more likely to engage in general and violent reoffending within 1 year controlling for covariates. These findings highlight the varying importance of different maltreatment …

Factors Influencing The Choice Of Neurology As A Specialty Among Medical Students And Physicians In Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study, Muhannad A. Alahmadi, Moath M. Alomairi, Aseel O. Banasir, Omar Babateen

Saudi Toxicology Journal

Neurological disorders represent a substantial global health burden and contribute to the rising demand for neurologists. In Saudi Arabia, the shortage of neurologists underscores the importance of understanding how medical students and physicians perceive neurology as a career. This study aimed to explore the level of interest in neurology and identify factors influencing specialty selection. This cross-sectional study was conducted between November and December 2024 among undergraduate medical students and medical graduates (residents, fellows, specialists, and consultants) in Saudi Arabia. First-year students and those without prior exposure to neurology were excluded. Data were collected through a structured online questionnaire distributed …

Understanding Pancreatic Islet Stress Responses And Developing Strategies To Improve Transplantation Grafts, Marlie Maria Maestas

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder affecting millions worldwide, characterized by hyperglycemia resulting from defects in insulin secretion or action. While current treatments range from pharmacotherapy to experimental cell-based therapies, progress remains hampered by donor scarcity and an incomplete understanding of islet stress responses. This dissertation investigates cellular stress responses in pancreatic islets and strategies to improve stem cell-derived islet (SC-islet) transplantation. The first chapter provides an overview of diabetes pathophysiology, modeling approaches, and treatment options. In the second chapter, we use single-cell RNA sequencing to investigate cell-type-specific responses to diabetes-associated stress in primary human islets exposed to endoplasmic …

Sustainability Strategies For Independent, Quick-Service Restaurant Businesses To Survive Beyond 5 Years, Winston Daniel Pauley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Independent quick-service restaurant owners face challenges sustaining their businesses beyond 5 years of operation. Many independent quick-service restaurant owners are concerned about maintaining sustainable business operations, as failure can negatively affect owners, employees, and the communities they serve. Grounded in the resourcebased view theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry project was to explore the successful sustainability strategies that quick-service restaurant owners used to survive beyond 5 years. The participants were six independent, quick-service restaurant owners operating in the state of Maryland who employed effective sustainability strategies to survive for more than 5 years. Data were collected using semistructured …

Clinical Nurses' Perceived Educational Value Of Nursing Journal Clubs, Jennifer De Beer, Elham Alsanea, Joynalyn Barrios, Shahd Brnawi, Wejdan Barayan, Wadea Beheri, Emily Lenore Heaphy

Individual Open Access Articles

Background: Evidence-based practice plays a pivotal role in modern nursing decision-making. Healthcare organizations must ensure that nurses consistently have access to and apply the most current evidence. The journal club is a key method for evidence-based education among healthcare professionals. The study aimed to evaluate the perceived educational value of journal clubs among clinical nurses.

Methods: The study used a cross-sectional descriptive survey approach. The setting included a large tertiary hospital in the western region of Saudi Arabia. A total of 208 nurses (mean age 38.9 ± 9.1 years; 88.9% female) were randomly sampled. Participants had attended an EBP workshop …

Attitudes And Perception Of Lis Students Towards Artificial Intelligence(Ai), Shahzadi Humbhi, Shabbir Tareen, Alia Humbhi

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Artificial Intelligence refers to computer systems that can think and behave like humans. It is becoming essential in the education system as it has the potential to transform the way of teaching and learning in an academic environment. Therefore, the current study aims to investigate LIS students' attitudes and perceptions of AI, as well as how these technologies benefit their academic performance. The study also identified barriers that LIS students confront when adopting AI tools. For this purpose, a survey questionnaire was designed to assess students' knowledge and attitudes concerning AI, as well as its applications to improve academic performance. …

Rapid Detection Of Chicken Residues On Poultry Plant Surfaces Using Color And Fluorescence Spectrometry, Clark Griscom, Dongyi Wang, Corliss A. O'Bryan, Rimmo Room, Philip G. Crandall

Food Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Color and fluorescence spectrometry were evaluated as rapid, objective tools for verifying the cleanliness of poultry-processing food-contacting surfaces contaminated with a model chicken solution across six common materials. Both techniques detected chicken residues at dilutions several orders of magnitude below human visual and olfactory thresholds, with stainless steel and blue plastic yielding the largest color differences between clean and contaminated states and fluorescence measurements remaining highly sensitive on all tested surfaces. Representative limits of detection were on the order of 1:50-1:100 dilution of chicken residue for color measurements on most surfaces and approximately 1:50 for fluorescence measurements, compared with human …

Presence Of Eosinophils May Represent An Earlier Stage In Achalasia Pathogenesis, Andrea Costantini, Chandra Prakash Gyawali, Francesca Forattini, Valentina Angerilli, Matteo Ghisa, Luca Provenzano, Giovanni Capovilla, Loredana Nicoletti, Michele Valmasoni, Matteo Fassan, Edoardo Vincenzo Savarino, Renato Salvador

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Intraepithelial eosinophils have been described in patients with esophageal motor disorders. Conversely, motor disorders and even achalasia have been reported in patients with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE).

OBJECTIVES: This prospective study aimed to further investigate the association between eosinophilia and achalasia.

DESIGN: This is a prospective study.

METHODS: A series of 30 consecutive treatment-naïve achalasia patients (mean age: 45.5 years, 53% female) undergoing laparoscopic myotomy were prospectively enrolled. Preoperative demographic and clinical data, radiological findings, and high-resolution manometry (HRM) features were collected. Patients underwent upper endoscopy with biopsy sampling before surgery, and two samples of distal esophageal muscle were obtained …

Limited Agreement On Acl Tear Location Between Arthroscopy And Mri: A Prospective Evaluation, Richard Silverman, Derrick M Knapik, Matthew V Smith, Jonathan C Baker, Kelby Napier, Matthew J Matava, Robert H Brophy

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Renewed interest in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) preservation has led to increased focus on tear location within the knee joint in treatment decisions, with primary ACL repair reserved for proximal tears. Retrospective studies have reported varying tear locations in adults when assessed on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), with few studies comparing tear location on MRI versus intraoperative findings.

PURPOSE: To prospectively determine the distribution of ACL tear location assessed on MRI versus intraoperative evaluation to test the hypothesis that < 15% of ACL tears are proximal type avulsions.

STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study (Diagnosis); Level of evidence, 2.

METHODS: A total of 174 patients with clinically confirmed full-thickness ACL …

Acceptance And Commitment Therapy: A Treatment Option For Substance Use Disorders, Miriam N. Mukasa, Ashley Yaugher, Ty Aller

All Current Publications

There are many evidence-based treatments for individuals experiencing substance use disorders (SUDs) that support both individuals and families. Psychological treatments are effective for a wide range of SUDs, making them a key approach for helping people with differing needs. This fact sheet provides information on treatments and provides more detail about acceptance and commitment therapy as a SUD treatment support.

Trametinib Decreased Intracerebral Hemorrhages And Endothelial-To-Mesenchymal Transition In Kras, Ohnmar Myint, Bridger Freeman, Jae Yeong Jeong, Hyejin Park, Samantha M Wilfur, Jung-Eun Park, Jaroslaw Aronowski, Eun S Park, Peng R Chen, Eunhee Kim

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Brain arteriovenous malformations (bAVMs) are a major risk factor for intracerebral hemorrhages in young patients. Recent clinical studies have reported that the majority of human bAVMs harbor somatic KRAS mutations. In our previous study, we confirmed the causal role of endothelial KRASG12V mutation in bAVM development in mice through hyperactivation of the MEK/ERK (extracellular signal-regulated kinase) pathway. However, the treatment efficacy of targeting MEK/ERK signaling in bAVMs, regarding clinical and biological outcomes, remains unclear.

Methods: In this study, we used the Food and Drug Administration-approved MEK inhibitor, trametinib, to treat mice with bAVMs induced by brain endothelial cell (EC)-specific …

Bystander Interventions And Their Impact On Road Injury Outcomes: A Scoping Review, Nicholas Aveyard, George Stephen Russam, Jake Gluyas-Harris, Tim Nutbeam

Peninsula Medical School

Background: Road injury remains a leading global cause of death and disability, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where emergency medical services (EMS) are often limited or incur prolonged response times. In many trauma cases, bystanders are the first to respond and may play a critical role in patient outcomes. While the importance of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in cardiac arrest is well-established, the evidence regarding bystander interventions in trauma care, particularly following road injury, is less well defined. This scoping review systematically examined the prevalence, nature, and impact of bystander interventions following trauma, with particular emphasis on road …

Hybrid Machine And Deep Learning Framework For Secure Fog-Based Vanets, Hadeer Kamal, Amira Y. Haikal, Mahmoud M. Saafan

Mansoura Engineering Journal

As a conventional implementation of intelligent transportation systems (ITS), a Vehicular Ad-hoc Network (VANET) facilitates smart communication between vehicle nodes and network infrastructures. Nevertheless, the distributed and dynamic characteristics of VANETs make them vulnerable to numerous cyberattacks like DOS and spoofing. Rapid detection of these threats is crucial. It is essential to respond promptly to mitigate threats before they impact vehicle coordination or infrastructure functionality. In this context, fog computing presents an effective solution. Transferring computational tasks from centralized cloud servers to fog nodes allows for quicker detection within the VANET environment. This research utilizes computational resources for swift and …

Integration Of Algae In Buildings: Challenges And Opportunities, Marwa Said Saad, Mostafa Refaat, Ashraf Nessim

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Buildings produce 40% of energy-associated CO2 emissions and 35% of worldwide energy use which makes it one of the main factors of global warming. The use of bioactive materials on building façades is a creative way to address the aforementioned problems. The biotechnical potential of microalgae architecture to achieve net-zero energy architecture while simultaneously advancing ecological sustainability and occupant well-being has drawn attention. This paper aims to analyzing and investigating techniques of integration of algae in architecture showing the challenges and opportunities of this implementation. Analytical and Comparative analytical method were used in this paper, Initially, a thorough literature review …

Picturing Disparities: Unveiling Gendered Racism In Athletic Leadership Through Photo Elicitation, Eddie Comeaux, Ajhanai C.I. Keaton, Briana A. Savage, Dresden June Frazier, Sara Grummert

Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics

This study explored National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I athletic administrators’ views regarding the professional accomplishments of women athletic directors by race/ethnicity. More than 2,000 full-time athletic administrators (e.g., athletic directors, academic advisors/counselors for athletes, and coaches) responded to a photograph of and vignette about either a Black or white woman athletic director. The study found that although some athletic administrators were supportive of women athletic directors regardless of race, some showed signs of race evasiveness and stark differences in their perceptions of deservingness consistent with racial bias. These findings have implications for campus leaders and other higher education …

College Athlete Mental Health: Identifying Sources Of Support In Collegiate Athletics, Levone Lee, Lauren Beasley, Kaylee A. Palomino, Patricia M. Kelshaw, Joycelyn Kennedy, Deborah Chanan, Elinah Russell, Tarkington J. Newman

Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics

Despite having access to resources and services, college athletes continue to encounter negative mental health experiences and outcomes. Prior research has begun to identify key sources of social support within collegiate athletics, including teammates and athletic trainers. However, there is limited understanding of with whom college athletes feel most comfortable discussing their mental health. The current study aims to identify preferred sources of social support when athletes wish to discuss their mental health and, in turn, examine differences in preference among unique college athlete populations. In total, 247 college athletes participated in the study, representing eight universities within an NCAA …

The High Hallow: Tolkien’S Liturgical Imagination (2025) By Ben Reinhard., Tom Emanuel

Journal of Tolkien Research

Book review, by Tom Emanuel, of The High Hallow: Tolkien’s Liturgical Imagination (2025) by Ben Reinhard.

Challenges And Opportunities In Adult Group Piano Pedagogy, Sarah Faulk

Student Scholar Symposium

Poster presentation describing one teacher's experience and observations of adult group piano teaching. This addresses challenges and making the most out of the opportunities presented.

Trauma Severity And Religious Detachment In Women Who Have Experienced Intimate Partner Violence Within A Religious Context, Trevor Hulan, Trevor Glenn Hulan

Student Scholar Symposium

Intimate partner violence is often a traumatic experience that impacts all aspects of a person’s life, including their spiritual well-being. The goal of this research is to study the intersection of psychology and religion. This study assesses the severity of trauma and religious detachment in women who have experienced intimate partner violence within a religious context. The study utilizes the PTSD Checklist (PCL-5) and the Spiritual Harm and Abuse Scale (SHAS) to examine the relationship between PTSD severity and religious detachment in participants. It is hypothesized that women who have experienced intimate partner violence within a religious context will score …

Esperanto: A Universal Or Minority Language, Anna Summerville

Student Scholar Symposium

When created languages develop a community and culture, they begin to imitate the elements of natural languages. Esperanto, a language created to unite the world under one lingua franca, demonstrates this process as it shifts from its original intention to a minority language in characteristic. “Esperanto: A Universal or Minority Language” explores the dichotomy between a language created to be spoken by all, and one that has isolated itself within its own community and customs. In discussing the history of Esperanto’s creation and structure, its evolving and loyal community, and its parallels with natural minority languages like Maori, this essay …

Gamergate And The Woke Mind Virus, Gavin Graves

Undergraduate Research Symposium

This text concerns the formation of beliefs that would shape the 2014 harassment campaign of GamerGate. Specifically, how GamerGate was perpetuated by stereotypes and ideas in Geekdom that spanned from the 60’s Disco Demolition to the Internet’s Wild West that ended in 2013. These include ideas like simulated ethnicity, geek melodrama, nerd determinism, and nerd fatalism. It also discusses the views and beliefs on anonymity, critique, and social capitals of the Wild West Internet and how the changing views of these led to resentment that started the movement. Drawing from historical research, I studied the history of moral panics like …

Measuring Welfare Of Wild Tarantulas During Field Surveys Using Heart Rate, Tim Angelo Artiaga Lopez, Becky Hansis-O'Neill, Aimee Dunlap Phd

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Tarantulas (Theraposidae) are predatory arachnids that can help control populations of herbivorous arthropods. We have been monitoring populations of the Missouri brown tarantula (Aphonopelma hentzi) in Missouri glades for three seasons and have questions about their welfare during these surveys. Unlike mammals, arthropods are not extensively researched and there are only a few known facts about measuring their welfare. Managing stress for wild animals during field surveys is important for reducing the potential negative impacts of research. In mammals, increased heart rate is positively correlated with negative stress and eustress. Using the same logic, we hypothesized that heart rate could …

Examining The Relationship Between Gambling Advertising & Gambling Behavior, Ilkim Green, Eric Wickenhauser, Hannah White Ph.D

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Gambling advertising has become increasingly prevalent across various media platforms such as TV, social media, real-life advertising, etc. With advertisements designed to influence attitudes, intentions, and behaviors of potential and existing consumers, this review aims to compile existing research to examine the measurable effects of gambling advertising. Studies indicate that young people and problem gamblers are especially vulnerable to these advertisements, which normalize gambling and contribute to increases in gambling behavior. This effect on behavior is dose-dependent; increased exposure to advertising is associated with greater gambling engagement. While responsible gambling messages are often included in advertisements, they remain largely ineffective …

Nazi Propaganda From 1933-1939, Benjamin P. Robinett

Undergraduate Research Symposium

This presentation highlights the role propaganda played in Nazi Germany from 1933-1939. The party used propaganda to manipulate the public into supporting it through specialized techniques developed by Joseph Goebbels. He tailored the works to be eye-catching, based in real military involvements, and used concepts such as “name calling” and “testimonial” to reinforce the claims. Film in particular allowed a new level of manipulation through the introduction of visual and auditory cues that enhanced its effectiveness. Through the constant use of targeted media, the Nazi party gained further control of the public, influencing the people into giving their support.

How The Allies Won World War Two, Joshua Powell

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Everybody knows the story of the Allied Powers Defeating the Axis Powers, along with the major operations, however, not many know the details or the forgotten people who made that victory possible. These are just a few of those.

Jewish Resistance: Lions Not Lambs, Jacob Stein

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Characterized often as being led like lambs to the slaughter, Jews during the Shoah are further degraded by the myth that they never fought back. This research intends to investigate and track the myriad forms of resistance Jews partook in against the Nazi regime, from the ghetto wars to revolts within the death camps themselves there are countless acts of heroism and rebellion to be found in first hand accounts. By highlighting these moments the idea of Jewish passivity can be laid to rest.

Pixel-Perfect Segmentation Of Solar Filaments, Jamie Harris

Undergraduate Research Symposium

The observation and classification of solar filaments has a drastic impact on the ability to predict solar-magnetic weather phenomena that threatens to put both satellite infrastructure and astronauts at risk. Using the Hɑ filter provided by the Global Oscillations Network Group (GONG), a network of six telescopes around the world dedicated to 24/7 surveillance of the sun, we are able to get images that clearly and prominently display filament activity. With the vast amount of images the GONG takes, it is not possible to manually analyze every image. Using the U-Net model for computer vision, we were able to train …

Face Value: A Computational Approach To Subjective Impressions Of Faces, Kevin Kpankou

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Various computational models of first impressions have been developed to uncover the mechanisms driving these judgments. However, the implicit notion of a singular ``human'' often overlooks meaningful individual differences in beliefs, attitudes, and associations, as well as culturally grounded group-level constructs. In this paper, we extend Cultural Consensus Theory (CCT) to estimate culturally shared beliefs about faces by incorporating latent constructs structured around interpretable facial features extracted via computer vision algorithms. We apply our model to a large-scale dataset of people’s first impressions of faces. Our approach reveals a robust mapping between facial features and culturally constructed impressions, allowing us …

Dying To Belong? The Impact Of Thwarted Belongingness Among Those Who Attempt Suicide In Jail, Dayana R. Escobedo, Mckenzie Wood

The Guardianship Journal

Suicide and attempted suicide remain a major concern in correctional facilities. Jail personnel have developed unique ways of responding to incarcerated individuals who display signs of suicidal ideation, but may be less equipped to identify who may be suicidal upon arrival at the facility. Among potential markers for suicidal behaviors are incarcerated individuals struggling with feelings of thwarted belongingness, or a feeling of disconnection and lack of closeness. Applying a quantitative methodology, this study utilized data obtained from a mid-sized jail in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. The data, retrieved from correctional officer reports and intake …

Engaging Seminars: The Impact Of Storytelling In Public Safety Education, Mimi Gough, Glenn L. Walton

The Guardianship Journal

This paper examines the important role of storytelling in higher education as a technique for engaging students in course content and applies its relationship to the experiential learning theory (ELT) in which learners are actively seeking knowledge through authentic application. Storytelling can be a particularly effective method when used during live online seminars in public safety education, since this particular program of study often relies on verbally communicating realistic and credible information. Sharing various examples of actual encounters can help students better prepare for these types of situations when they face them in their future careers. Incorporating evidence to support …