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Using Herpetofauna To Determine Wetland Health And Function In The Red River Watershed, Shelby Rodriguez-Edwards

Biology Theses

Reptiles and amphibians are commonly used indicator species in wetlands because of their increased sensitivity to environmental conditions and use of both aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Herpetofauna can reflect wetland ecological functionality through their community composition and responsiveness to environmental stressors. This study evaluated reptile and amphibian communities in natural and ACEP-WRE wetlands within the Red River Watershed of northeastern Texas and Northwestern Louisiana to assess whether restored wetlands support herpetofaunal assemblages compares to their natural counterparts. Fifteen wetlands were surveyed from February to June 2024 using visual encounter surveys, call surveys, and standardized trapping methods to document species richness …

Community-Driven Stakeholder Engagement Strategies In Public Health Projects, Kelia N. Olughu

Harrisburg University Dissertations and Theses

Community-driven stakeholder engagement is vital for the success and sustainability of public health initiatives, yet its implementation is often hindered by significant challenges. This qualitative study explored the strategies, barriers, and lessons learned in stakeholder engagement within public health projects. Guided by Project Stakeholder Management from the PMBOK Guide and the Social-Ecological Model (SEM), this research conducted a thematic analysis of in-depth, semi-structured interviews with eleven public health professionals. The findings reveal that effective engagement strategies include early and continuous involvement, co-creation of solutions, and building on existing community trust. Key challenges identified were overcoming deep-seated community mistrust, navigating complex …

Potential Impact Of Dotted Paropsine Beetle And Other Leaf Beetles On Eucalyptus In Utah, Marion Murray, Victoria Xiong, Megan Kast

All Current Publications

Dotted paropsine leaf beetle (DPLB) is an invasive eucalyptus pest native to Australia. Its first U.S. detection was in California in 2022. DPLB feeds on several eucalyptus species, with blue gum as its primary host. Feeding damage includes semicircular notches on leaf edges, defoliation of young leaves, and dieback of shoot tips. DPLB poses a threat to eucalyptus plantings across the western U.S. and to cut foliage producers in Utah.

Digital Marketplace For Mitigating The Negative Impacts Of Mass Tourism, Raza Noman

Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Economics and Administration

Mass tourism is a significant and rapidly expanding sector worldwide; however, it has resulted in numerous negative impacts. Therefore, this study proposes and evaluates an economically viable solution to mitigate these negative impacts. The proposed solution is a digital marketplace that allows local residents to offer freebie e-coupons to tourists at overcrowded locations. To assess this marketplace, an extended model of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) is designed as a conceptual framework. This model fills a gap in existing literature by focusing on factors that can impact socially and environmentally conscious tourists. To collect the required data, an online questionnaire …

Angioedema: Is Icu Admission Warranted? A Single Institution Assessment, Madeleine Brill-Edwards, W. Chase Hamilton, Erika J. Yoo, Jennifer Costello, George J. Koenig, Murray J. Cohen, Joshua A. Marks

Department of Surgery Faculty Papers

INTRODUCTION: Angioedema has potential for rapid airway decompensation requiring intervention. Patients are often admitted to an ICU for "airway watch." There is a lack of evidence to support which patients require this.

AIM: We aimed to characterize admission patterns and outcomes of angioedema patients at our institution to assess resource utilization and necessity of ICU use. We hypothesized that patients not requiring intubation upon presentation are safe to manage outside the ICU.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective chart review of patients admitted to our urban academic quaternary referral institution with angioedema ICD-10 codes between 2017 and 2020. Charts reviewed for demographics, …

Teaching With The Electronic Literature Collection Volume 4, Rui Torres, Kathi Inman Berens, Maria C. Zamora, Lyle Skains, John Murray

English Faculty Publications and Presentations

This article surveys the four ELCs – Electronic Literature Collections (2006- 2022), reviews pedagogical approaches to teaching ELCs, and situates ELCs and electronic literature pedagogy into higher education’s course management systems. ELCs’ increasing accessibility serves its global audience and centers the ethical values of diversity, equality, and inclusion. The ELC4’s user experience design manifests these values. The article discusses the history of the Collections’ experience design. Volume Four (2022) expanded reader accessibility and linguistic diversity by including video playthroughs and collecting 132 works from 42 author nationalities in 31 languages. This article surveys those evolving design changes. It engages a …

Employing A Longitudinal Study Design In A Post-Conflict Zone: Strategies And Lessons Learned From The Field, Asia Mohamed Mohamud, Jennifer Sdunzik, Wilella D. Burgess, Abdirisak Dalmar, Mohamed Jimale

Somalia Education Evaluation Publications

Longitudinal methodology is a powerful study design that focuses on processes and patterns of change; yet it is rarely deployed in research to understand post-conflict circumstances. This article describes experiences and lessons learned from a longitudinal study of an education intervention programme in a post-conflict setting. It illustrates both challenges and successful mitigation strategies for conducting a longitudinal study in a fragile and demanding research environment. Our study identified both methodological (participant recruitment, attrition, contextual variability, instrument modifications and record-keeping) and contextual (community, environmental, security and civil perturbations) challenges that impact longitudinal studies in post-conflict societies. By describing the challenges …

A Retrospective Data Analysis Of Factors Contributing To Surgical Patients Not Achieving Normothermia, Joseph P. O'Rourke Jr, Megan Casselberry

Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (DNAP) Manuscripts

Postoperative hypothermia, defined as a core temperature below 36°C, is a prevalent and underrecognized complication in surgical settings, contributing to increased patient morbidity, prolonged recovery, and higher healthcare costs. This program evaluation project aimed to identify and address factors contributing to intraoperative and postoperative hypothermia by retrospectively analyzing patient records from a local hospital’s EPIC electronic health record system. Guided by the Iowa Model of Evidence-Based Practice and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation Program Evaluation Model, the project systematically reviewed perioperative temperature management protocols and warming interventions across diverse surgical specialties. Data extraction and analysis focused on patient demographics, procedural variables, …

Direct And Indirect Associations Of Childhood Adversities With Functional Impairment And Life Stress Among Military Personnel, Laura Campbell-Sills, Emily R. Edwards, Sam D. Strizver, Karmel W. Choi, Jason D. Kautz, Santiago Papini, James A. Naifeh, Pablo A. Aliaga, Paul B. Lester, Ronald C. Kessler, Robert J. Ursano, Murray B. Stein, Paul D. Biese

Faculty Publications

Background

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with physical and mental health difficulties in adulthood. This study examines the associations of ACEs with functional impairment and life stress among military personnel, a population disproportionately affected by ACEs. We also evaluate the extent to which the associations of ACEs with functional outcomes are mediated through internalizing and externalizing disorders.

Methods

The sample included 4,666 STARRS Longitudinal Study (STARRS-LS) participants who provided information about ACEs upon enlistment in the US Army (2011–2012). Mental disorders were assessed in wave 1 (LS1; 2016–2018), and functional impairment and life stress were evaluated in wave 2 …

Coastal Archaeological And Environmental Experimental Education At Florida Atlantic University Lab Schools, Katharine Napora, Tricia Meredith, Katherine Henderson, Lauren Simonitis, Jamie Knaub, April A. Watson, Sara Ayers-Rigsby, Alanna L. Lecher, Christian Davenport, Kaiden Merchant, Peter De Witt

Faculty and Staff Publications & Presentations

This presentation focused on a multi-organization project to create an educational midden that students that excavate to learn archaeological and environmental methods.

Biotechnology Research Incubator For Teachers (Brite) Pilot Program: Advancing Technology Research Education For Secondary School Teachers, Zhongcheng Shi, Katherine A Harris, Alana D Newell, Michael Nguyen, Yuan Yao, Joel Sederstrom, Cynthia C Hallmark, Sherita Love, Fred A Pereira, Shixia Huang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: Advanced technologies have transformed diagnostics and therapeutics, improving disease management. Secondary school educators play a vital role in fostering critical thinking, problem-solving, and inspiring students in science, technology, engineering, math, and medicine (STEMM) innovations. Comprehensive teacher training enhances education delivery and ensures long-term advancements in science education, empowering future generations.

Materials and methods: We launched the Biotechnology Research Incubator for Teachers (BRITE) pilot program to train secondary school teachers. This 3-week program immerses teachers in Advanced Technology Core facilities, providing hands-on experience with cutting-edge technologies, such as protein array technology, next-generation sequencing, and flow cytometry. It also offers collaborative …

Using Vizient Database For Benchmarking Pulmonary Resection Outcomes, Anuj Shah, Duc T Nguyen, Swetha Mulpur, Sayali Kelkar, Ray K Chihara, Warren Naselsky, Edward A Graviss, Min P Kim

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Benchmarking pulmonary resection outcomes is critical for the evaluation of hospital performance and enhancing the quality of patient care. Both the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) and Society of Thoracic Surgeons General Thoracic Surgical Database (GTSD) provide outcomes after lung resection, but each database had its own limitations. We aimed to determine whether the Vizient database can be used to benchmark lung resection outcomes.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort analysis of pulmonary resection cases at a single institution using the Vizient dashboard and GTSD. We examined whether all pulmonary resections were captured and …

Characterizing Gastric Cancer Tumor Immune Microenvironment Through Extracellular Vesicles, Claire Elizabeth Bruno

Theses and Dissertations

The tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) critically influences cancer progression and determining therapeutic response. As immunotherapies continue to improve and reshape cancer treatments, there is a need for tools that can more efficiently and accurately assess and monitor the TIME. Extracellular vesicles (EVs), especially small EVs (sEVs), are lipid-bound nanoparticles that carry proteins, DNA, and RNA reflective of their cell of origin, offering a novel, non-invasive biomarker of the TIME. This makes them a promising candidate for immune profiling and treatment monitoring in cancer. This thesis investigates the potential of EVs as biomarkers for TIME composition and immune activity. An analysis …

Women’S Empowerment And Household Decision-Making: The Role Of Socioeconomic Status In Indonesia, Irvel Christa Fabian, Rafa Fayza Afrizal

Jurnal Ekonomi Kependudukan dan Keluarga

Understanding how women's economic, educational, and social positions influence their roles and choices within households is crucial for promoting gender equality and sustainable development. Despite significant advancements in women's rights and gender equality globally, women in Indonesia continue to face substantial barriers in achieving true empowerment. These barriers are particularly evident in domestic settings, where traditional gender roles often persist, limiting women's influence in household decisions. This research aims to investigate the relationship between women's socioeconomic status and their empowerment in domestic decision-making, examining how various factors such as income, education, and employment status contribute to or hinder their ability …

Determinan Kesejahteraan Anak Usia Dini Dalam Keluarga Dengan Kepala Rumah Tangga Perempuan Di Indonesia, Axellina M. Setyanti, Wildan Syafitri

Jurnal Ekonomi Kependudukan dan Keluarga

This study analyzes the determinants of early childhood well-being in female-headed households in Indonesia using data from the 2022 National Socioeconomic Survey (SUSENAS), covering 85,074 households with children aged 0–5 years. Using binary logistic regression, the analysis focuses on four key indicators: complete immunization, food adequacy, access to improved sanitation, and access to safe drinking water. The results show that children in female-headed households are significantly less likely to receive adequate and diverse food as well as complete immunization, compared to those in male-headed households. However, these households are more likely to provide access to improved sanitation and safe drinking …

Kemiskinan Multidimensi Dan Ketahanan Pangan: Analisis Multilevel Di Kalimantan, Lina Agustina Pujiwati, Afriyanni Afriyanni, Dewi Harfina, Zainal Fatoni

Jurnal Ekonomi Kependudukan dan Keluarga

Food security is a crucial issue for sustainable development and is highly influenced by multidimensional poverty. This study measures food security and multidimensional poverty in Kalimantan Island, analyzes the determinants of household food security through a multilevel approach, and explores the influence of multidimensional poverty and regional context on food security. Data were obtained from the March 2022 National Socio-Economic Survey, comprising 33,201 households and integrated with district-level characteristics. Multidimensional poverty was measured using the Alkire-Foster method, while food security was measured based on energy consumption and the proportion of food expenditure. A multilevel ordinal logistic regression was employed to …

Side-Hustle Dalam Dinamika Kemiskinan Pekerja: Tinjauan Empiris Di Indonesia, Christiayu Natalia, Fx Gugus Febri Putranto

Jurnal Ekonomi Kependudukan dan Keluarga

Working poverty remains a persistent issue in Indonesia. The high prevalence of working poor underscores the urgent need for effective poverty alleviation efforts. This study analyzes the relationship between side hustles, excessive working hours, and working poverty in Indonesia. Utilizing microdata from the March 2023 Susenas and applying binary logistic regression, the study assesses the effect of side hustle status and excessive working hours on the likelihood of being categorized as working poor, based on the international working poverty line. The results indicate that engaging in a side hustle without excessive hours actually increases the risk of working poverty, while …

Unpaid Parental Caregiving And Employment Status In Indonesia, Christopher Willy, Rafa Fayza Afrizal, Irvel Christa Fabian, Muhammad Farras Samith

Jurnal Ekonomi Kependudukan dan Keluarga

This study examines the impact of unpaid parental caregiving on employment status and formal sector employment opportunities in Indonesia, using panel data from the 2007 and 2014 waves of the Indonesia Family Life Survey (IFLS). Propensity Score Matching (PSM) was applied to mitigate selection bias and estimate the Average Treatment effect on the Treated (ATT) for three caregiver categories: temporary, recent, and continuous. Results indicate that, after controlling for baseline characteristics, none of the caregiver categories significantly affected the probability of being employed or employed in the formal sector in 2014. The findings suggest that caregiving practices in Indonesia generally …

On The Microeconomics Of Zakāh As Redistribution, Lukman Hanif Arbi

International Journal of Islamic Economics and Business Sustainability

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to compare zakāh with more mainstream forms of public finance both on the collection and redistribution side in order to gain a deeper appreciation of zakāh as a redistribution instrument through the perspective of modern microeconomics.

Design/methodology/approach - A literature review of the modern public finance and fiscal literature is conducted and used to highlight the public finance aspects of zakāh. The general equilibrium framework is then used to model zakāh as part of a 2x2 pure exchange economy. Comparative statics are then conducted in order to examine how an economy with …

Volatility Spillover From Largest Muslim Countries: Determinant From Palestine-Israel War, M. Fathur Rahman

International Journal of Islamic Economics and Business Sustainability

Background: This study investigates how sentiment related to the Palestine–Israel conflict influences volatility spillovers among selected Islamic equity markets. Methods – Weekly data on Islamic stock indices from seven major Muslim-majority countries (Indonesia, Nigeria, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Turkey) are collected for the period 2013W1 through 2025W21. Geopolitical risk sentiment regarding the Palestine–Israel conflict is proxied by BlackRock’s conflict sentiment indicator. Volatility spillovers are measured via a Time-Varying Parameter VAR (TVP-VAR) joint connectedness framework. An Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) approach is then employed to assess the short-run and long-run impact of conflict sentiment (and energy price controls) on the TCI …

Tackling Data Quality Challenges In Remote Sensing: Solutions For Reliable Urban Heat Island Analysis, Wei Xia, Aqil Tariq, Hesham El-Askary, Rana Waqar Aslam, Elgar Barboza, Dmitry E. Kucher, Youssef M. Youssef, Habib Kraiem

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Urban heat islands (UHIs) pose critical challenges to public health, energy demand, and environmental sustainability, particularly in rapidly expanding urban regions. This study examines the complex relationship between building configurations and integrated green spaces, as well as their combined impact on thermal regulation. It focuses on addressing data quality issues commonly encountered in remote sensing applications. Using high-resolution multispectral and thermal imagery, we developed an integrated modeling approach that captures the collective influence of built form and green infrastructure on urban microclimates. A key finding is the significant linear inverse relationship between green space coverage and land surface temperature, underscoring …

Potential Of Institutional Zakāh Management In Socio-Economic Development Of Bangladesh, Md. Muhibur Rahman

Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Islamic Economics

This article presents a comprehensive analysis of the potential of Bangladesh's institutionalized Zakāh system in driving socio-economic advancement. The research meticulously evaluates the impact of the Zakāh fund, managed by both institutional and non-institutional entities, in providing substantial financial capital and income-generating assets. It aims to draw a clear comparison between the two systems, highlighting the institutional model's ability to ensure long-term self-sufficiency, income generation, employment opportunities, and support for training and scholarships. This study employs a descriptive-analytical strategy to facilitate these comparisons. The data for the current study were obtained through comprehensive field research. A total of 385 individuals …

Social Reporting By Saudi Islamic Banks: A Longitudinal Approach, Faisal A. Otaibi

Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Islamic Economics

This study aims to assess the social reporting practices of Saudi Islamic Banks (IBs) over a 15-year period. It seeks to evaluate the effectiveness with which Saudi IBs meet their social reporting expectations, including Sharīʿah disclosure requirements. A longitudinal content analysis method was utilized, underpinned by a specifically developed research instrument that is culturally relevant and reflects the unique characteristics of Islamic banking. This approach allows tracking of changes over an extended period and captures the dynamic nature of disclosure practices influenced by both internal ethical mandates and external regulatory pressures. The findings reveal a moderate disclosure rate of 51.11% …

Conceptualizing The Limits Of The Use Of Generative Ai In Economic Analysis Via A Deep Meaning Of Habs, Abderrazak Said Belabes

Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Islamic Economics

Generative AI is increasingly integrated into economic analysis by researchers, economic institutions, and companies specializing in real-time forecasting through macroeconomic intelligence. This development poses a challenge to specialists in the analysis of economic life in Muslim societies. In this research, I ask the following question to ChatGPT: What is the relationship between the Zamzam well and the Kaʿaba as ḥabs, and what are your sources? After showing the limits of the AI chatbot's response, both in terms of the answer to the question and in terms of the sources on which it claims to rely, the research explains why …

Evaluation Of Sustainability Reporting In Islamic Banks: The Case Of Albaraka Türk Participation Bank, Arzu Meriç

Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Islamic Economics

Sustainability refers to the capacity to meet the needs of both present and future generations. Given the serious dimensions of environmental destruction, sustainability is primarily associated with environmental concerns. Organizations that pursue sustainability goals usually disclose these goals to the public via sustainability reports. The objective of this study is to assess the compliance of sustainability reports published by Islamic banks in Türkiye within the framework outlined by the Capital Markets Board. The sample for this study consists of several sustainability reports published by Albaraka Türk Participation Bank in 2019, 2020, and 2021. These reports have been selected based on …

Assessment Of Covid-19 Risks Related To Behaviour And Body Resistance In The Remote Area: Case Study In Jeneponto, Basri Basri, Andi Tilka Muftiah Ridjal, Lukman Setiawan, Renaldi M

Journal of Environmental Science and Sustainable Development

COVID-19 has posed significant global health threats, with responses varying across populations due to differences in risk perception, behaviour, and biological vulnerability. In Indonesia, most research has focused on urban settings, with limited attention paid to rural or remote communities. This study assesses COVID-19- risks related—specifically behavioural and immunity-related-factors—in the remote area of both Bontoramba Subdistrict, Jeneponto Regency. A cross-sectional study was conducted using cluster random sampling across eight villages, with 183 participants selected from a total of 12,242 households. Data were collected between November to December 2020 using a validated structured questionnaire, administered both online and face-to-face interviews. The …

Finite Element Methods With Anderson Acceleration And Its Application To Image Denoising, Amanda E. Diegel, Spence Hanegan, Hyeona Lim, Hoang Tran

Research Experiences for Undergraduates in Computational Methods with Applications in Materials Science

Image denoising is an important computational tool with applications in the medical, material science, and defense fields where CT-scans have a lot of noise that degrades quality and clearness. While there are several methods of solving image denoising problems, the one we focused on is total variation where we solve a difficult nonlinear partial differential equation that minimizes noise. There are also many numerical methods to find an approximate solution to this nonlinear partial differential equation, but the one we focus on is the finite element method. In addition, we used a fixed-point iteration method to handle the nonlinearity and …

Itinerarios Y Vicisitudes De Blogueras Colombianas De Lo Materno: Una Etnografía Digital, Catalina Echeverri Gallo

The Qualitative Report

Los escenarios digitales se han convertido en espacios relacionales significativos para mujeres y madres en la contemporaneidad, integrándose en sus interacciones cotidianas. Sin embargo, la forma en que estas plataformas se utilizan en contextos latinoamericanos para compartir experiencias, emociones, aprendizajes y malestares sobre las maternidades aún no ha sido suficientemente explorada. A partir de una etnografía digital, esta investigación ofrece conocimientos contextualizados sobre cómo siete blogueras colombianas comparten sus maternidades en entornos digitales y crean comunidades que se sirven de sus saberes y trayectorias.

Los hallazgos muestran que las madres blogueras utilizan sus relatos digitales para desafiar los mandatos históricos …

Becoming Culturally Responsive: Cultivating Reflexive Ethics And Inclusive Practices In Qualitative Research, Tito Dimas Atmawijaya

The Qualitative Report

Maria K. E. Lahman's An Introduction to Qualitative Research: Becoming Culturally Responsive (2025) offers a compelling framework for conducting qualitative inquiry with cultural humility, reflexivity, and ethical rigor. This review examines how Lahman interweaves theory and practice across three parts—foundations, data collection, and making the most of qualitative data—to guide researchers toward inclusive, justice-oriented scholarship. By analyzing the book’s structure, key themes, and pedagogical features, this review highlights its transformative potential for scholars, students, and practitioners committed to meaningful, culturally responsive research.

Strengthening Qualitative Research With Visualization: A Review Of Visual Displays In Qualitative And Mixed Method Research: A Comprehensive Guide, Dian Permatasari

The Qualitative Report

Visual Displays in Qualitative and Mixed Method Research: A Comprehensive Guide by Elizabeth G. Creamer (2025) offers a new perspective on the use of visualization to enhance qualitative and mixed methods research. This review examines the book’s content, which includes a variety of examples of visual displays (tables, diagrams, models) at various stages of research, from study design to reporting results. The book demonstrates how visual displays can be used not only to report results but also to enrich the research process from planning to analysis. With real-world examples from a variety of studies, the book is a valuable resource …