Digital Commons Network^™

Until They're Gone, Sophia S. Chesner

Student Publications

Creative writing fiction piece

Environmental Receipts: The Ecological Footprint Of Multilateral Development Banks, Mike Wigdor

Student Publications

This paper assesses whether membership in multilateral development banks (MDBs) is associated with lower ecological footprints. Drawing on country-year data from the 2025 Quality of Government (QoG) Basic Dataset and the Correlates of War (CoW) IGO Dataset, I analyze 1,714 observations from 1970–2008. Ecological footprint (global hectares per capita) is used as the dependent variable, while the central explanatory variable is the total number of MDB memberships annually. I utilize an OLS regression model controlling for logged GDP per capita, regime type, oil production value, urbanization, and economic globalization. Contrary to my hypothesis that MDB safeguards, norm diffusion, and pooling …

Arms Up Or Down? The Effect Of International Organization Membership On Military Expenditures, Maria Christina Kardash

Student Publications

In this paper, I investigate the relationship between the total number of international organizations a state is involved in and its military expenditures as a percentage of GDP. Utilizing both qualitative and quantitative analysis, I find support for my hypothesis that the more international organizations a state is a member of, the less a state will expend on its military. Qualitatively, I focus on the three main theories of international relations (realism, liberalism, and constructivism) to construct a theoretical foundation for my paper. Under realism, I focus on free riding behavior, under liberalism, I center on non-military priorities, and under …

Trust And Ethics In Ai-Driven E-Commerce: Persuasion Vs. Privacy, Akriti Nepal

Student Publications

This study examines how AI-driven features in e-commerce influence user satisfaction and the role of trust in these interactions. Using a survey-based dataset of 100 consumers, we investigated whether trust moderates or mediates the impact of AI persuasiveness and perceptions of bias, intrusiveness, and preference understanding on satisfaction. Results indicate that AI’s perceived ability to understand user preferences strongly predicts satisfaction, while trust partially mediates the relationship between helpful AI features and urgency messages and user satisfaction. Conversely, trust did not significantly moderate these relationships, and concerns about bias and intrusiveness had minimal impact. Findings suggest that AI-driven satisfaction is …

An Analysis Of Consumer Behavior In The Brazilian E-Commerce Market: An Investigation Of Customer Loyalty, Seasonality, And Regional Preferences, Hai Doan

Student Publications

This paper investigates key drivers of consumer behavior within Brazil's emerging e-commerce market by analyzing the Olist Public Dataset. As technology increasingly allows for data-driven marketing strategies, understanding the nuanced behaviors of diverse consumer bases, especially in an emerging market like Brazil, is critical for firm success. This study tests three hypotheses regarding the relationship between positive customer reviews and e-loyalty, the fluctuation of seasonal sales during holiday periods, and the influence of geographic urbanization on product preferences. Utilizing regression analyses on 100,000 orders from 2016 to 2018, the results showed no significant relationship between positive review scores and repeat …

Effectiveness Of Chinese Dual-Use Shipbuilding Within State-Owned Enterprises, Naveen Wineland

Student Publications

This paper examines how effectively China’s state-owned enterprises (SOEs) have leveraged dual-use shipbuilding to support the naval modernization of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). While China’s commercial shipbuilding sector now dominates the global market and provides SOEs with massive economies of scale, workforce continuity, and supply chain depth, the ability to translate these advantages into advanced naval shipbuilding has been uneven. Drawing on theoretical frameworks of the developmental state and hidden developmental state, this analysis distinguishes between commercial and naval shipbuilding requirements and examines hull-level production data for major U.S. and Chinese surface combatant classes. The evidence suggests that …

Analyzing Attitudes On Social Welfare: Partisanship Versus Self-Interest, Jack D. Ryder

Student Publications

What influences Americans' attitudes on social welfare? Why do some Americans vote seemingly against their interests? Using data from the 2020 National Election Survey, this paper will test hypotheses examining how rurality and Republican partisanship are associated with lower favorability toward social welfare spending. This paper will also analyze the current literature on immigration, locality, and partisanship to see how they shape attitudes toward welfare spending. Overall, the regression models show that Republican partisanship is more correlated with support for social welfare cuts than an individual’s rurality. This study is important for understanding how partisanship shapes attitudes on policy and …

A Narrative Review Of The Ileal Pouch In Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease And Familial Adenomatous Polyposis, Brad Pasternak, Lisa Mcmahon, Kalyani Patel, Richard Kellermayer

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Ileal pouch-anal anastomosis is a surgical intervention in patients with medically refractory inflammatory bowel disease and familial adenomatous polyposis syndrome. Reported outcomes in children have been limited by both the retrospective nature and sample size of the investigations. In addition, there is a lack of consensus on surveillance guidelines in this patient population. Delay or lack of surveillance may increase the risk of complications (pouchitis, Crohn's disease-like inflammation, dysplasia, etc.). This narrative review aims to summarize the most recent literature (2013-2023) on short-term, long-term, and quality of life (QoL) outcomes in pediatric ileal pouch (J-pouch) patients. A proposed surveillance guidance …

Effective Enforcement Of Laws Prohibiting Underage Tobacco Product Sale Is Needed

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Natriuretic Peptide Cut Points For Heart Failure Classification In Individuals With And Without Obesity, Sophie M Nemeth, Emily S Lau, James L Januzzi, Thomas J Wang, Daniel Levy, Chiadi E Ndumele, Elizabeth Selvin, Christie M Ballantyne, Bruce M Psaty, John S Gottdiener, Jorge R Kizer, Christopher R Defilippi, Norrina B Allen, Rudolf A De Boer, Sanjiv J Shah, Jennifer E Ho

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: The 2022 American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology/Heart Failure Society of America guidelines introduced elevated natriuretic peptide (NP) levels as a criterion for defining stage B heart failure (HF), or pre-HF, to identify individuals at greatest risk for future HF. Given the known NP deficiency in obesity, we aimed to assess whether a single NP cut point would disproportionately up-classify individuals with versus without obesity to stage B HF.

Methods: Participants free of HF from 5 community-based cohorts were included. We examined the reclassification of individuals to stage B HF using the 2022 versus 2013 guidelines, stratified by obesity …

Visual And Quantitative Interstitial Lung Abnormality Progression In Copdgene, Ann-Marcia C Tukpah, Claire C Cutting, Takuya Hino, Akinori Hata, Mizuki Nishino, Stephen M Humphries, David A Lynch, Edwin K Silverman, Michael H Cho, Ivan O Rosas, George R Washko, Hiroto Hatabu, Raúl San José Estepar, Gary M Hunninghake

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Rationale: Interstitial lung abnormalities (ILAs) are visually identified changes on chest computed tomography (CT) scans that may represent early or mild pulmonary fibrosis. Quantitative interstitial abnormalities (QIAs) measure potential parenchymal lung injury on chest CT scans using an automated algorithm. It is not known if combining these visual and quantitative assessments improves prediction of imaging progression.

Objectives: To assess the utility of quantitative imaging to predict imaging progression of ILAs and adverse clinical outcomes in a cohort of smokers.

Methods: ILA presence, subtypes, and progression, as well as QIAs, were assessed on chest CT scans from participants ∼5 years apart …

Movement- And Posture-Based Measures Of Sedentary Patterns And Associations With Metabolic Syndrome In Hispanic/Latino And Non-Hispanic Adults., Marta M. Jankowska, Calvin P. Tribby, Paul R. Hibbing, Jordan A. Carlson, Mikael Anne Greenwood-Hickman, Dorothy D. Sears, Andrea Z. Lacroix, Loki Natarajan

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Sedentary behavior has been identified as a significant risk factor for Metabolic Syndrome (MetS). However, it is unclear if the sedentary pattern measurement approach (posture vs. movement) impacts observed associations or if associations differ for Hispanic/Latino communities, who have higher risk of MetS.

METHODS: Participants from the Community of Mine (CoM) study (N = 602) wore hip-based accelerometers for 14 days and completed MetS-associated biomarker assessment (triglycerides, blood pressure, fasting glucose, HDL cholesterol, waist circumference). Sedentary patterns were classified using both cutpoints (movement-based) and the Convolutional Neural Network Hip Accelerometer Posture (CHAP) algorithm (posture-based). We used logistic regression to …

Proceedings Of The 2025 Santa Fe Bone Symposium: Current Concepts In The Care Of Patients With Osteoporosis, Parathyroid Disorders, And Rare Bone Diseases., E Michael Lewiecki, Robert A. Adler, Paul A. Anderson, John P. Bilezikian, David W. Dempster, Pouneh K. Fazeli, Michael R. Mcclung, Eric T. Rush, Christine M. Swanson, S Bobo Tanner

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

The 2025 Santa Fe Bone Symposium (SFBS) was a combined in-person and virtual "hybrid" meeting based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA, on August 8-9, 2025. There were an equivalent number of in-person and remote attendees from throughout the USA and other countries. The SFBS was immediately preceded, on August 6-7, 2025, by the 2-day Endocrine Fellows Foundation-Santa Fe Bone Symposium Workshop on Metabolic Bone Diseases. This preceptorship included basic bone biology, osteoporosis, parathyroid and rare bone diseases. Most of the fellows attended the SFBS, for a total of 4 days of non-stop education in skeletal health. The topics covered …

Metabolic Acidosis And Cardiovascular Disease Risk In Children With Ckd., Denver D. Brown, Jennifer Roem, Kimberly Reidy, Susan Furth, Bradley A. Warady, Michal Melamed, Tammy Brady, Ckid Study Investigators

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

KEY POINTS: Metabolic acidosis may be associated with adverse cardiovascular disease risk. Prospective studies of the benefit of alkali therapy on cardiovascular disease risk are needed.

BACKGROUND: The link between metabolic acidosis (MA) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes has been studied in adults but not in children with CKD where MA is a common and early finding. Using longitudinal BP and cardiac measurement data, we evaluated whether low serum bicarbonate (a surrogate for MA) is associated with adverse CVD risk.

METHODS: This study used data from children age 1 year and older with eGFRs between 30 and 90 ml/min per …

Recent Advancement In Conformal Cooling Channels: A Review On Design, Simulation And Future Trends, Soroush Masoudi, Barun K. Das, Muhammad Aamir, Majid Tolouei-Rad

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The cooling phase of a moulded part plays a crucial role in the injection moulding (IM) process, accounting for 50 to 80 % of total cycle time, and significantly impacting the quality of moulded parts. During the last decade, the advancement of different additive manufacturing (AM) processes, especially metal 3D printing, has facilitated the production of mould parts, such as cores and cavities, with complex-shaped internal conformal cooling channels (CCCs). These innovative cooling systems exhibit significant potential to replace traditional straight-drilled cooling design, as they offer more efficient and uniform cooling performance by facilitating more effective heat transfer, considerably enhancing …

Defective Mil-88b(Fe) Metal-Organic Frameworks: Peculiar Photocatalysts For Enhanced Degradation Of Organic Pollutants, Samira Sadeghi, Ahmad Najafidoust, Seyedeh Zahra Haeri, Masoumeh Zargar

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Environmental pollution, particularly water contamination from organic compounds like synthetic dyes, poses a major global challenge. In this study, defective MIL-88B(Fe) MOFs under varying solvothermal conditions (70–150 °C) for 12 and 24 h were synthesized to enhance methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO) dye degradation. The MOF synthesized at 100 °C for 24 h showed the highest efficiency, achieving 97 % and 40 % degradation of MB and MO, respectively, in 60 min due to increased porosity, surface area, and optimized crystal growth along the [100] direction. A 24-h synthesis produced well-formed particles with the highest surface area and …

Implementation Fidelity Of A Smartphone Application For Population-Based General Movement Assessment: The Early Moves Study, Caroline F. Alexander, Sarah E. Hall, Alison Salt, Alicia J. Spittle, Catherine Morgan, Tiffany Grisbrook, Alishum Ali, Natasha Amery, Sue Anne Davidson, Ashleigh Thornton, Mary Sharp, Emily Young, Robert S. Ware, Desiree Silva, Roslyn Ward, Nadia Badawi, Samudragupta Bora, Roslyn N. Boyd, Susan Woolfenden, Catherine Elliott, Jane Valentine

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objective: To describe the infant and maternal characteristics of the Early Moves cohort and to assess representativeness to the general population, and to evaluate the implementation fidelity of an application-based collection of General Movement Assessment (GMA) videos at writhing and fidgety age. Study design: Prospective observational study. Mothers who had recently delivered or were enrolled to deliver at maternity hospitals in Perth, Western Australia, were recruited from November 2019 to December 2023. Sociodemographic and infant clinical characteristics were extracted from hospital records. Parents were invited to record GMA videos using the Baby Moves smartphone application, which were assessed for scorability …

Woman-Centred Ethical Grid For Midwifery Education: A Content Analysis, Kate Buchanan, Darcie Bygraves, Emma Ritchie, Krystyl Toneycliffe, Sara Bayes, David Seedhouse

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Midwives across the world are required to practice in accordance with an internationally agreed set of ethical principles. Midwifery education for many students includes ethics theory content, but this does not necessarily provide them with the skills toward ethical competence in practice. Aim: To understand students' perception of ethical issues and to use these findings as foundational information with which to create an ethical deliberation tool for practice. Methods: Qualitative Content Analysis was used for this study. Purposive sampling provided twenty-one ethics-focused reflective assignments from one Western Australian university. Ethical considerations: Institutional review board approval was obtained. Findings: Three …

Evaluating The Impact Of The ‘Blow, Breathe, Cough’ Health Promotion Intervention In Resolving Otitis Media With Effusion In Children: An Adaptive Randomized-Controlled Trial Protocol, Jaimee R. Rich, Michael Dymock, Elke J. Seppanen, Elena Montgomery, Tanisha Cayley, Tamara Veselinović, Greta Bernabei, Anri Lester, Amy Hannigan, Nicole Irvine, Kerryn Gidgup, Edna Ninyette, Steph Bray, Tu Trang Tran, Valerie M. Swift, Melinda Edmunds, Natalie Strobel, Daniel Mcaullay, Julie Marsh, Evelyn Tay, Lea Ann S. Kirkham, Ruth B. Thornton, Robyn S.M. Choi

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: Otitis media with effusion (OME) affects hearing, speech development, and quality of life (QoL) in children. The ‘Blow, Breathe, Cough’ (BBC) intervention promotes nasal, respiratory, and middle ear clearance through nose blowing, deep breathing, coughing, and hand hygiene. It shows promise in resolving OME but lacks randomized-controlled trial (RCT) evaluation. This paper presents a RCT protocol evaluating BBC's effect on OME resolution, hearing, speech, and QoL in children aged two to seven years. Methods: This parallel-group, 1:1, outcome assessor-blinded, individual adaptive RCT investigates whether completing the BBC intervention plus hand hygiene twice-daily at home increases OME resolution after 4-to-6 …

Global Perspectives Of Midwifery Ethics: Crucial Features For Practice Via An International Delphi Study, Kate Buchanan, Sara Bayes, Elizabeth Newnham, Mavis Kirkham, Marianne Nieuwenhuijze

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Practising ethically as a midwife is essential for providing high quality care during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. Whilst midwives may have theoretical knowledge of ethics, applying ethical care in practice may be challenging. There is a gap in the literature that describes how midwives themselves conceptualise, interpret, and apply ethics in their practice. Aim: To describe midwives’ perceptions, and experiences of ethics in midwifery practice, and to determine the crucial features of midwifery ethics. Methods: Fifty participants from 21 countries participated in the study. A two-round Delphi approach was employed. Round Two required participants to enter the …

My Mum Sometimes Helps Me With My Writing: Parents' And Children's Perspectives Of Home-Led Writing, Bronte Kelso-Marsh, Anabela Abreu Malpique, Helen Davis

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This qualitative study aimed to explore parents' and children's perspectives of parental involvement in children's writing. Theoretical models argue for the benefits of parental involvement to supporting children's learning. Research has placed little attention in examining parental involvement in children's writing. Participants included 27 Australian Year 2 parent-child dyads, who were interviewed about their home-led writing. Results suggested parents and children valued parental involvement. Despite this, parents reported little communication from teachers about supporting their child's writing. Implications include encouraging stronger partnerships and more frequent communication between parents and schools to help support children's writing across home and school fronts.

Problematic International Aviation Safety Data?: Icao's Online Usoap Cma Compliance Database And Iso 9001:2015 – Quality Management Systems, Kym Bills, Leesa Costello, Marcus Cattani

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

No abstract provided.

Co-Design Of A Weekly Meal Box For Neurological Conditions: Findings From Consumer And Healthcare Provider Collaborative Workshops, Joanna Rees, Kelly Moes, Amanda Devine, Melanie Clark, Ros Sambell, Simon Laws, Travis Cruickshank

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: This study explores the collaborative co-design process for developing a weekly meal box tailored for individuals with neurological conditions. Recognising the critical role of nutrition for this community, the research addresses the challenges posed by cognitive and physical impairments in meal preparation. Methods: Through two co-design workshops involving consumers, healthcare providers and industry experts, insights were gathered on dietary preferences, nutritional needs and practical challenges. Results: The workshops emphasised the importance of convenient, easy-to-prepare meals with simple instructions, flexibility and customisability. Consumers expressed preferences for convenient, easy-to-prepare meals with simple, easy-to-follow recipe instructions that align with optimal dietary patterns …

Decarbonising The Uk Pulp, Paper And Printing Sector: Balancing Sustainability And Global Competitiveness Through Insights From Lmdi And Mrio Analysis, T. Ibn-Mohammed, A. C. Serrenho, H. Fujii, A. Acquaye, A. Morrison-Saunders

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The United Kingdom's pulp, paper, and printing sector (UKPPP) contributes ∼6 % of the nation's industrial CO2 emissions. While these emissions have declined since 2000, mainly because roughly half its paper mills closed due to global competitiveness challenges, other factors influencing emission dynamics (e.g., carbon intensity, energy intensity, fossil fuel dependency, economic structure, and activities) remain quantitatively unevaluated in comparison to other top global PPP countries (TGPPP). Additionally, the UKPPP relies on imports from TGPPP. Yet, a comprehensive modelling of the ecological CO2 emission exchanges and a comparison of sectoral production structures and emission dynamics between these entities have not …

Exploring Preferences For Interventions To Increase Active School Transportation Among Children And Adolescents In Australia, Anna Gannett, Paula Hooper, Julie Saunders, Gina Trapp

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: The observed decline in children's active school transport (AST) across numerous countries over recent decades necessitates targeted, multi-level interventions to reverse this trend. However, data on young people's preferred AST interventions is lacking. This study aimed to explore children's preferences for AST interventions and assess differences between AST users and non-users among primary and secondary school students. Methods: In 2023, a cross-sectional survey was conducted in Perth, Western Australia with n = 742 primary school students from 23 schools and n = 412 secondary school students from 9 schools. The survey assessed AST frequency, preferred transport mode, and AST …

Factors Influencing The Effectiveness Of Machine Learning Algorithms In Predicting Raw Wastewater Characteristics: An Analysis Based On Weekly Field Data, Hoda Khoshvaght, Ratish Ramyad Permala, Amir Razmjou, Mehdi Khiadani

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Accurate prediction of raw wastewater characteristics can reduce laboratory costs, enable optimized chemical dosing, and improve the overall efficiency of wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) operations. This study evaluates machine learning (ML) models as a fast, sustainable, and cost-effective alternative for predicting Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Ammonia Nitrogen (NH4⁺-N) in raw wastewater. Seven ML algorithms, including tree-based, neural, and regression approaches, were trained using standard wastewater indicators, including organic load, nutrient levels, and pH, with hyperparameters tuned via grid search cross-validation. Model performance was evaluated using correlation-based (R²) and error-based metrics (RMSE, MAE, MAPE) to ensure …

Soft Sensing Of Biological Oxygen Demand In Industrial Wastewater Using Machine Learning Models, Muhammad Hassnain, Sarada M.W. Lee, Muhammad Rizwan Azhar

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Traditional methods for determining biological oxygen demand (BOD) from industrial water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs) are time-consuming and often impractical for real-time process control. This study explores the application of machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) models for the prediction of final effluent BOD (F-BOD) based on physicochemical and operational parameters by leveraging nineteen years of historical laboratory and instrumentation data from the WRRF of an essential oil manufacturing plant. The predictions from these models are then used to simulate the process dynamics, assessing the optimal operational boundary conditions for all input parameters at which the target (F-BOD) falls …

A Risk-Averse Data-Driven Distributionally Robust Optimization Method For Transmission Power Systems Under Uncertainty, Mehrdad Ghahramani, Daryoush Habibi, Asma Aziz

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The increasing penetration of renewable energy sources and the consequent rise in forecast uncertainty have underscored the need for robust operational strategies in transmission power systems. This paper introduces a risk-averse, data-driven distributionally robust optimization framework that integrates unit commitment and power flow constraints to enhance both reliability and operational security. Leveraging advanced forecasting techniques implemented via gradient boosting and enriched with cyclical and lag-based time features, the proposed methodology forecasts renewable generation and demand profiles. Uncertainty is quantified through a quantile-based analysis of forecasting residuals, which forms the basis for constructing data-driven ambiguity sets using Wasserstein balls. The framework …

Assessing Compliance With Evolving Exposure Standards: Respirable Crystalline Silica (Rcs) Exposure In Western Australian Mining, Adelle Liebenberg, Kiam Padamsey, Kerry Staples, Matthew Oosthuizen, Marcus Cattani, Andy Mccarthy, Jacques Oosthuizen

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The link between occupational exposure to Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS) and silicosis, a potentially fatal respiratory disease, has been well-established, leading to global reductions in RCS Exposure Standards (ES). In Western Australia (WA), RCS data have been collected by the Department of Energy, Mining, Industry Regulation and Safety (DEMIRS) from 1986 to 2024 (n = 144,141). These results were analysed to assess the impacts of recent changes to the ES on compliance. Findings suggest that the WA mining sector, regardless of commodity type, is compliant with RCS exposures as assessed against the 0.05 mg/m³ ES (2019). Laboratory technicians, exploratory …

Effects Of Exercise On Inflammation In Female Survivors Of Nonmetastatic Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Francesco Bettariga, Dennis R. Taaffe, Anita Borsati, Alice Avancini, Sara Pilotto, Stefano G. Lazzarini, Pedro Lopez, Luca Maestroni, Umberto Crainich, John P. Campbell, Timothy D. Clay, Daniel A. Galvão, Robert U. Newton

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Despite advances in breast cancer treatment, recurrence remains common and contributes to higher mortality risk. Among the potential mechanisms, inflammation plays a key role in recurrence by promoting tumor progression. Exercise provides a wide array of health benefits and may reduce inflammation, potentially reducing mortality risk. However, the effects of exercise, including mode (ie, resistance training [RT], aerobic training [AT], and combined RT and AT) and program duration, on inflammatory biomarkers in breast cancer survivors remain to be elucidated. Methods: A systematic search was undertaken in PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, SPORTDiscus, and CENTRAL in August 2024. Randomized controlled trials examining …