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Joint Senate Meeting Minutes 1-28-25, Unk Student Government

Joint Senate Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.

A Linear Periodized Resistance Training Program Is Effective At Reducing Depressive Symptoms But Not Anxiety In Females: A Pilot, Jason Sawyer, Matthew Mcpherson, Meghan Reuter, Paul A. Cacolice

Biological and Biomedical Sciences Department Faculty Journal Articles

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a periodized resistance training program would influence self-reported depression and anxiety scores in college-aged females. Methods: Eight participants participated in a six-week periodized resistance training program. The participants completed a 3–5 repetition maximum (3–5 RM) for the sumo deadlift (SDL), bench press (BP), barbell back squat (BBS), and standing shoulder press (SSP). These data were used to estimate the 1 repetition maximum (1RM), which in turn was used to develop the periodization program. Following baseline testing, participants participated in two full-body workouts per week for six weeks. Each individual was retested …

Clinical Outcomes In Patients With Cystic Fibrosis Receiving Cftr Modulators: A Comparison Of Childhood Versus Adolescent Initiation, Eman A. Toraih, Hassan A. Malik, Rahib K. Islam, Humza A. Pirzadah, Ahmed Abdelmaksoud, Rami M. Elshazli, Paul Antwi Boasiako, Shehab Ahmed Alenazi, Angelique Dabel, Jessan A. Jishu, Bandar T. Alenezi, Hani Aiash, Manal S. Fawzy

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a life-limiting genetic disorder affecting multiple organ systems. This study compared clinical outcomes, hospitalization rates, and survival between children and adolescents with CF who received CFTR modulator therapies (ivacaftor, lumacaftor, tezacaftor, and elexacaftor). METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using data from the TriNetX global collaborative network. Patients with CF aged 2-12 years (children) and 13-18 years (adolescents) who received CFTR modulator therapies were included. The propensity score matching balanced baseline characteristics between the two age groups. RESULTS: After propensity score matching, 946 patients per group were analyzed. The incidence of respiratory failure (3.81% …

A Precoding, Companding, And Nonlinearity Reduction Approach To Optimize High-Speed Ado-Ofdm For Visible Light Communication, Swaminathan S

Theses and Dissertations

Using light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for data transfer, visible light communication (VLC) presents a strong substitute for radio frequency communication. Yet, because of the non-linearity of LEDs, conventional Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) approaches in VLC are limited regarding spectrum efficiency, peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR), and system linearity. Multi-carrier asymmetrically Clipped Optical OFDM (MADO-OFDM) is introduced in this study. For VLC operations based on Optical Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (O-OFDM), a model-driven Deep Learning (DL) approach has been presented. Utilizing an Auto Encoder (AE) network technology reduced the non-linearity of the LEDs. A proposed improved ADO-OFDM protocol, called MADO-OFDM, adaptively modifies the …

Deep Learning-Based Auto-Segmentation For Liver Yttrium-90 Selective Internal Radiation Therapy, Jun Li, Wookjin Choi, Rani Anne

Department of Radiation Oncology Faculty Papers

The aim was to evaluate a deep learning-based auto-segmentation method for liver delineation in Y-90 selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT). A deep learning (DL)-based liver segmentation model using the U-Net3D architecture was built. Auto-segmentation of the liver was tested in CT images of SIRT patients. DL auto-segmented liver contours were evaluated against physician manually-delineated contours. Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) and mean distance to agreement (MDA) were calculated. The DL-model-generated contours were compared with the contours generated using an Atlas-based method. Ratio of volume (RV, the ratio of DL-model auto-segmented liver volume to manually-delineated liver volume), and ratio of activity (RA, …

"Highly Value Employees": Interpreting The World War Ii History Of The Sioux Ordnance Depot, Tatiana Painter

History Theses, Dissertations, and Student Creative Activity

Public historians strive to create relevant interpretative history for diverse audiences by finding connections between local history and national narratives. This thesis demonstrates how local historians can make history relevant to the public in the form of a digital exhibit that uses the stories of a western Nebraska military installation’s World War II employees. The Sioux Ordnance Depot was an ammunition storage site in Sidney, Nebraska, from 1942 to 1967. For over 25 years, the Depot’s mission was to receive, issue, and store Army ammunition, ammunition components, and general supplies, but little is known about the Depot and its employees …

Normal And Known: Identity And Community Amongst Queer Women Involved In The Social Reform Movements Of The Late 1800s And Early 1900s, Kathleen W. Johndrow

History Theses, Dissertations, and Student Creative Activity

The late 1800s and early 1900s saw a wave of social change in the United States, including increased urbanization, European immigration, the end of Reconstruction in the South, and new educational opportunities for women. These changes combined in various ways to contribute to ongoing social reform movements addressing education, health, and safety. Much of this reform was initiated by women, particularly those coming out of institutions of higher learning. The women described in scholarship have typically been white and of middle or upper class origins, and have been classified as being so dedicated to their work that they chose to …

Experimental And Numerical Investigation On The Seakeeping Performance Of A Pentamaran With Tilting Aft Side Hulls, Yanan Li, Ying Cui, Ying Cao, Chenyu Zhao, Penghao Li, Lupeng Wu

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

Significant potential remains for investigating the seakeeping performance of pentamarans both experimentally and numerically. In this study, a numerical model is developed on STAR-CCM+^® platform, utilizing the dynamic fluid body interaction module and overset mesh technology to integrate the vehicle model with the numerical wave tank. The numerical model is validated by experimental data for a pentamaran moving in regular head waves. Numerical simulations, as well as spectrum analysis-based short-term forecasts, are performed under various cases with different wavelengths, forward speeds, wave encounter angles, and the inclination angles of the aft side hulls. The results demonstrate that the increase …

Acceptance And Commitment Therapy With Huntington's Disease: A Narrative Review And Case Report Of A Caregiver-Assisted Intervention, Simone H. Schriger, Chelsi N. Nurse, C. Virginia O'Hayer

Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior Faculty Papers

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is an experiential, action-oriented talk therapy that emphasizes acceptance of painful inner experience through increased psychological flexibility. In this narrative review and case report, we first review the extant literature on applications of ACT to patients with a variety of mental and physical health challenges, including neurodegenerative disorders, and their caregivers. We then discuss applications of ACT to Huntington's disease (HD). We provide a case report of a 52-year-old man living with HD who, accompanied by his caregiver, received a virtually-delivered 6-session ACT intervention. We measured the patient's self-reported symptoms of depression (PHQ-9) and anxiety …

Exploring The Role Of Cyclin D1 In Regulating Thermogenic Program In Brown Adipose Tissue, Chengrui Qiu

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Abstract Adipose tissue plays a multifaceted role in regulating metabolic health and contributing to the pathophysiology of various diseases. Brown Adipose Tissue (BAT), a vital organ that senses different environmental cues such as cold stress and diet and then undergoes non-shivering thermogenesis in mammalian animals, enhancing energy expenditure to combat obesity. In our recent published study, we found that the mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling pathway exhibits doubleedge effects in regulating thermogenic function, with opposite role in BAT and white adipose tissue (WAT). To further investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the dual role of mTORC1 in thermogenic …

Nanostructured Graphitic Carbon Nitride For Photocatalytic And Electrochemical Applications, Muhammad Abdul Qadeer, Iqra Fareed, Asif Hussaine, Muhammad Asim Farid, Sadia Nazir, Faheem K. Butt, Ji-Jun Zou, Muhammad Tahir, Shang-Feng Du

Journal of Electrochemistry

Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) exhibits great mechanical as well as thermal characteristics, making it a valuable material for use in photoelectric conversion devices, an accelerator for synthesis of organic compounds, an electrolyte for fuel cell applications or power sources, and a hydrogen storage substance and a fluorescence detector. It is fabricated using different methods, and there is a variety of morphologies and nanostructures such as zero to three dimensions that have been designed for different purposes. There are many reports about g-C₃N₄ in recent years, but a comprehensive review which covers nanostructure dimensions …

Approved Programs 1-28-25, Angela Brock

Programs Committee (PC)

No abstract provided.

Increased Depressive And Anxiety Symptoms Predict Increased Severity Of Functional Impairment After Five Years: A Nationally Representative Retrospective Cohort Study, Elisabeth C. Demarco, Samantha Zocher, Blake Miyamoto, Leslie Hinyard, Divya S. Subramaniam

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Purpose: Performing self-care and domestic life tasks are key aspects of functional independence for older adults. While both depression and anxiety symptoms are correlated with increased functional limitation, these disorders are often studied separately, despite frequent co-occurrence and plausible interaction, and without the consideration of social health. This study examined the impact of comorbid depressive and anxiety symptoms, controlling for social participation and loneliness, on severity of functional limitation in a nationally representative sample of older adults to improve patient-centered care.

Methods: The National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP) Rounds 2 and 3 data were utilized. Primary outcomes …

Management Of Hip Fracture Patients On Direct Oral Anticoagulants: A Survey Of Orthopaedic Trauma Surgeons, Systematic Review, And Meta-Analysis, Clay Spitler, Robert Rutz, Nigel Blackwood, Meghan Wally, Joseph Johnson, Peter Krause, Jaimo Ahn, Zuhair Mohammed, Mark Mcclure, Rebecca Billings, Ziqing Yu, Matthew Yeager

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

OBJECTIVES: This systematic review examined the literature regarding management of fracture patients who take direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) medications, with a focus on delay in surgical treatment, and need for transfusions. In addition, a survey of orthopaedic trauma surgeons was conducted to gain insight on current practices. DATA SOURCES: A review of PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, and Scopus databases was performed from inception through March 2024, including English language publications. STUDY SELECTION: Studies were included if they reported time to surgery and transfusion rates among fracture patents who were taking DOAC medications. Additional data points were collected on an "if-reported" basis, …

Field-Scale Investigation Of Co2 Plume Dynamics Under Spatial Wettability Variations: Implications For Geological Co2 Storage, Haiyang Zhang, Mohamed Mahmoud, Stefan Iglauer, Muhammad Arif

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Subsurface formations typically exhibit heterogeneous wetting characteristics due to the complex pore system, mixed lithology, and prolonged contact with native fluids. This non-uniformity in spatial wettability distribution thus makes the subsurface formations exhibit more complex localized CO2/brine/rock interactions, introducing uncertainties in estimating trapping capacity and predicting CO2 plume migration. Field-scale investigation on the role of wettability in CO2 geo-storage has received limited attention, and previous studies typically assume an internal uniform wettability condition across the whole formation. However, the more realistic scenario of internal wettability spatial variations within a single formation is yet to be thoroughly examined. In this study, …

Policy Models To Assist Transitioning Of Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Donald Clayton Tippett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience a range of cognitive disorders and other health issues that pose significant barriers for transition from youth to adulthood, especially when they are attempting to secure employment, housing, and medical services. Federal, state, and local jurisdictions have created a patchwork of disparate standards and applications, leading to significant service gaps in needed to achieve a successful transition to adulthood. The problem is that there is a lack of criteria for service models for these individuals. The purpose of this general qualitative study was to examine the efficacy of models of assistance for …

College Faculty Perceptions Of The Challenges Of Online And Virtual Instruction, Joyceline Resha Poole-Dudley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed through this study is that faculty at a local college in the southern United States experienced challenges adjusting teaching modality from face-to-face to online following the pandemic. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of college faculty about the challenges they have experienced and recommendations for adjusting teaching modality from face-to-face to online at a local southern college. The conceptual framework was Dawis and Lofquist’s theory of work adjustment. Using a basic qualitative design, data were collected through semistructured interviews with nine faculty who were selected using purposeful sampling. Open and axial …

Policy Models To Assist Transitioning Of Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Donald Clayton Tippett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience a range of cognitive disorders and other health issues that pose significant barriers for transition from youth to adulthood, especially when they are attempting to secure employment, housing, and medical services. Federal, state, and local jurisdictions have created a patchwork of disparate standards and applications, leading to significant service gaps in needed to achieve a successful transition to adulthood. The problem is that there is a lack of criteria for service models for these individuals. The purpose of this general qualitative study was to examine the efficacy of models of assistance for …

The Golgi Complex Governs Natural Killer Cell Lytic Granule Positioning To Promote Directionality In Cytotoxicity, Evelyn Hernandez, Everardo Hegewisch-Solloa, Tabitha K Orange, Keri B Sheehan, Susan Prockop, Aaron Bodansky, Ivan K Chinn, James R Lupski, Jennifer E Posey, Emily M Mace, Yu Li, Jordan S Orange

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Cytotoxic immune cells mediate precise attacks against diseased cells to maintain organismal health. Their operational unit of killing and host defense is lytic granules (LGs), which are specialized lysosomal-related organelles. Precision in cytotoxicity is achieved by converging the many LGs to the microtubule-organizing center (MTOC) and polarizing these to the diseased cell for secretion. We identify unappreciated intimate relationships between the Golgi, MTOC, and LGs after cytotoxic cell activation, as well as the trans-Golgin protein GCC2 on the LG surface. GCC2 serves to tether LGs to the Golgi following convergence, and both GCC2 and the Golgi are required for the …

Heterogeneity Of Treatment Effect: The Case For Individualising Oxygen Therapy In Critically Ill Patients, Daniel S Martin, Michael P W Grocott

Peninsula Medical School

Oxygen therapy is ubiquitous in critical illness but oxygenation targets to guide therapy remain controversial despite several large randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Findings from RCTs evaluating different approaches to oxygen therapy in critical illness present a confused picture for several reasons. Differences in both oxygen target measures (e.g. oxygen saturation or partial pressure) and the numerical thresholds used to define lower and higher targets complicate comparisons between trials. The duration of and adherence to oxygenation targets is also variable with consequent substantial variation in both the dose and the dose separation. Finally, heterogeneity of treatment effects (HTE) may also be …

Module 4 - Project, Karon Klipple, Cheryl Hedden

Module 4 Assessments

Project 4 – Exponential Functions & Properties of Exponents

An Innovative Method Of Singular Spectrum Analysis To Conduct Gap-Filling And Denoising On Time Series Data

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Heart rate data collected from wearable devices - one type of time series data - could provide insights into activities, stress levels, and health. Yet, consecutive missing segments (i.e., gaps) that commonly occur due to improper device placement or device malfunction could distort the temporal patterns inherent in the data and undermine the validity of downstream analyses. This study proposes an innovative iterative procedure to fill gaps in time series data that capitalizes on the denoising capability of Singular Spectrum Analysis (SSA) and eliminates SSA's requirement of pre-specifying the window length and number of groups. The results of simulations demonstrate …

Screening Young Adult Cancer Patients For Vocational Rehabilitation Services: A Vocational Rehabilitation Readiness Screening Tool, Melissa Scardaville, Sha-Ron Conley, David Farris, Michael Roth, Vinh Nguyen, Lex Frieden

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: We aimed to develop an online vocational rehabilitation (VR) readiness screening (VRRS) tool for young adults diagnosed with cancer. VR readiness was defined as being physically and cognitively ready to enter or return to work or school.

Methods: We developed an initial VRRS tool informed by previous studies, a scoping review to determine such a tool had not already been developed, and consultation with subject matter experts. We iteratively refined the tool on the basis of four rounds of interviews with young adults with cancer. The refined VRRS was then administered online to patients before they attended scheduled clinic …

Quantum Phase Transition Of Non-Hermitian Systems Using Variational Quantum Techniques, James Hancock, Matthew J. Craven, Craig Mcneile, Davide Vadacchino

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

The motivation for studying non-Hermitian systems and the role of $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetry is discussed. We investigate the use of a quantum algorithm to find the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of non-Hermitian Hamiltonians, with applications to quantum phase transitions. We use a recently proposed variational algorithm. The systems studied are the transverse Ising model with both a purely real and a purely complex transverse field.

Explaining The 2022 Record Low Great Salt Lake Volume, Siiri Bigalke, Paul C. Loikith, Nicholas Siler

Geography Faculty Publications and Presentations

The Great Salt Lake reached the lowest water volume in its entire 170+ year record in 2022. To explain this record low we develop and apply a lake mass‐balance model and perform four simulations: one where all input and output variables are fixed to their mid‐20th century average resulting in an equilibrium lake volume, and three others where one of the input variables (precipitation or streamflow) or the output variable (evaporation) follows observations while the other two are fixed to their mid‐20th century average. Results show anomalously low streamflow accounting for the largest proportion of the lake volume departure from …

Distribution And Correlates Of Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotic Use Among Community Mental Health Center Patients, Matthew C. Lohman Ph.D., Victoria Scott, Mansi Verma, Paige Jones, Eve Fields

Faculty Publications

Although long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIs) are an important pharmaceutical option in the management of schizophrenia and related disorders, little is known about patient characteristics related to LAI use in real-world outpatient settings. We analyzed electronic medical records from 41,401 patients who received psychiatric services from one of 16 regional mental health centers operated by the South Carolina Department of Mental Health in 2022. We compared the use of first- and second-generation LAIs and oral antipsychotics by sociodemographic (age, gender, race/ethnicity, zip code, payment source) and clinical characteristics (psychiatric diagnoses, service use). We used logistic regression models to estimate associations between …

Behavioral And Neuroactivational Correlates Of Psychosocial Stress-Induced Cocaine Seeking In The Rat, Nicole Hinds

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract Nicole Maria Hinds BEHAVIORAL AND NEUROACTIVATIONAL CORRELATES OF PSYCHOSOCIAL STRESS-INDUCED COCAINE SEEKING IN THE RAT 2024 Molecular Cell Biology & Neuroscience Doctor of Philosophy Cocaine Use Disorder is characterized by a high risk for relapse that can persist over extended periods of abstinence. Psychosocial stressors are well-established to promote drug craving and relapse in humans but have rarely been employed in preclinical relapse models. Consequently, the underlying neural circuitry by which these stressors drive cocaine seeking has not yet been thoroughly explored. This project aimed to identify brain regions recruited during psychosocial stress-induced cocaine seeking in rats, with a …

Performance And Safety Of The Extravascular Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator Through Long-Term Follow-Up: Final Results From The Pivotal Study., Paul Friedman, Francis Murgatroyd, Lucas V A Boersma, Jaimie Manlucu, Bradley P Knight, Nicolas Clémenty, Christophe Leclercq, Anish Amin, Béla Merkely, Ulrika Maria Birgersdotter-Green, Joseph Yat Sun Chan, Mauro Biffi, Reinoud Elwin Knops, Gregory Engel, Ignacio Muñoz Carvajal, Laurence M Epstein, Venkata Sagi, Jens Brock Johansen, Maciej Sterliński, Clemens Steinwender, Troy Hounshell, Richard Abben, Amy E Thompson, Yan Zhang, Christopher Wiggenhorn, Sarah Willey, Ian Crozier

Heart and Vascular Articles

BACKGROUND: Substernal lead placement of the extravascular implantable cardioverter defibrillator (EV ICD) permits both defibrillation at thresholds similar to those seen with transvenous implantable cardioverter defibrillators and effective anti-tachycardia pacing (ATP) while avoiding the vasculature and associated complications. The global Pivotal study has shown the EV ICD system to be safe and effective through 6 months, but long-term experience has yet to be published. Our aim was to report the performance and safety of the EV ICD system throughout the study.

METHODS: The EV ICD Pivotal study was a prospective, global, single-arm, premarket clinical study. Individuals with a Class I …

Security Protection For Real-Time Cyber-Physical Systems, Yujie Wang

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Real-time cyber physical systems play increasingly important roles in the real world, operating in environments that are sensitive to timing and encompassing a wide range, from low-end embedded devices such as microcontrollers to high-end platforms such as drones and autonomous vehicles. For computational efficiency, these systems are predominantly written in memory-unsafe languages like C/C++, which can introduce numerous memory safety vulnerabilities and lead to several security issues. Since these systems are often used in safety-critical applications, it is essential to ensure security in addition to timeliness. However, existing security protection mechanisms are primarily designed for general-purpose computing systems, and can …

Mathematical Modelling Of Hybrid Photonic Structures For Holographic Sensors, Jack Lyons

Doctoral

This thesis outlines a mathematical framework for modelling the formation of holographic gratings in hybrid photopolymer based nanocomposites with the aim of optimising their holographic recording properties for optical sensing applications. Thus, the second aim of the work is to model the change in optical properties of the grating in response to exposure to a target analyte. This work has been a collaborative research project between the School of Mathematics & Statistics at Technological University Dublin and the Centre for Industrial and Engineering Optics that have done extensive experimental work with holographic gratings recorded in photopolymer materials.

In recent years, …