Digital Commons Network^™

Health Inequities In An Undocumented Immigrant Woman With Scleroderma: A Case Report Of Uninsured Care Challenges, Jorge Aboytes, Jose Loayzam, I Cantu

Gulf Coast Division GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

Severe Hypokalemic Paralysis Following Rituximab Infusion In A Patient With Type I Rta, Ayham Alsaab, Yousuf Sherwani, Emily Devine, Sarah Faheem, Vikas Gullapalli, Mohan Sengodan

North Texas Research Forum 2025

Rituximab is a CD-20 monoclonal antibody used in the treatment of _. Rituximab is a steroid-sparing agent that can be used to control a variety of diseases. (find sources but I found several possible uses). As with any therapy, there are side effects. One potential side effect of Rituximab that has only been described a few times in the literature is hypokalemia. One such report is a case report from 2020 that describes symptomatic hypokalemia in an 18-year-old female with steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome after her 6th rituximab infusion, with K dropping from 4.0 prior to infusion to 2.3 at the …

Enhancing End Of Life Care Through Recognition & Flagging Of Imminence To Increase Visits, Ali Ahmed, Guru Chinnaraj, Ana Goncalves, Ahad Ahmed, Ezekiel Ijaopo, Joseph Shega, Diana Tren

North Florida Division GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

Would Exercise, Household Income, Nutritional Education, Or Transportation Play A Pivotal Role In Decreasing Prevalence Of Obesity In Hidalgo County, Chijoke Anyaehie

Gulf Coast Division GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

Mimicking Malignancy: A Case Of Non-Traumatic Myositis Ossificans In The Calf, Fatima Safi, Artur Amirkhanyan, Amnah Andrabi, Madeline Doucet

North Texas Research Forum 2025

Objective: This case report highlights the diagnostic challenges of non-traumatic myositis ossificans (MO), a rare benign heterotopic ossifying lesion, and emphasizes its potential to mimic malignancy. Case Presentation: An 18-year-old female with no trauma history presented with a one-month history of progressive right calf pain, ankle weakness (4/5 strength), and difficulty ambulating. Initial ultrasound suggested a hematoma, but the persistence of symptoms prompted advanced imaging. CTA revealed arterial extravasation, while MRI identified a heterogeneously enhancing soleus muscle mass, raising suspicion for sarcoma. Core biopsy demonstrated focal bone formation, mitotically active stroma, and a "zone phenomenon" (central cellularity with peripheral osteoid …

Large Mesenteric Cyst Casting Wide Differential Across Specialties, Jessica Harper, Katherine Kleinberg, Jose S. Saldivar

Central & West Texas and San Antonio GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

Reverse Halo Sign On Imaging - What Can It Be?, Arjun Kamath, Jorge Garza, Ethan Goldberg, Deekshita Valiveti, Abhay Vakil, Zuhair Ali

Gulf Coast Division GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

A Case Of Severe Synodic Stenosis In A Patient With Granalomatosis With Polyangitis Requiring Tracheostomy, Yousuf Sherwani, Mohan Sengodan

North Texas Research Forum 2025

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) is characterized by vasculitis of small and medium sized blood vessels and granulomatous lesions of the upper respiratory tract. A rare condition associated with GPA, subglottic stenosis, presents in about 20% of cases on inpatient GPA. Symptoms such as stridor, hoarseness, dyspnea and dysphagia are hall marks of subglottic stenosis. Here we present the case of a male patient with life threatening subglottic stenosis that required tracheostomy.

Primary Hepatic Tuberculosis Mimicking Hepatocellular Carcinoma And Cholangiocarcinoma, Dj Jiang, Aarohi Parikh, Eric Riha, Kevin Garnepudi

Gulf Coast Division GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

The “Ob Guide”: A Proposed Adjunct To The “Intern Survival Guide” And Its Effect On Resident Wellness, Aaishah Vohra, Lola Adeleye, Zara Soomro, Maria Crompton, Tasaduq Mir

North Texas Research Forum 2025

Background: Residency is defined by constant change. The expectations, specialty, preceptor teaching styles and varied knowledge sets needed for each rotation differ greatly. As a result, residents are forced to adapt their learning styles quickly, to ensure they optimize the small amount of time allotted to them. Multiple studies have shown the high levels of stress, depression, anxiety and impostor syndrome that run rampant throughout medical learners, residents included. Our residency program has recently started a new obstetrics rotation with many requirements still unknown. This study evaluates the efficacy of the update to the “The Intern Survival Handbook” in mitigating …

Endovascular Repair With A Vbx Device Covered Stent In A Patient With Leriche Syndrome, Angelo Piazza, Micheline Tantchou

Central & West Texas and San Antonio GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

Painfully Obvious: Expanding Inpatient Buprenorphine For Opioid Use Disorder, Aline Levy-Sitnoveter, Mark Delic, Jonathan Aires Pinheiro, Eleana Estrella, Sankalp Goberdhan, Lauren Hundley, Richard Henriquez, Shamol Williams

North Florida Division GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

Complete Gastric Transection After Blunt Force Trauma, Sydney Parker, Sophia Jimenez, Riley Blanton, Samprit Karra, Alejandro Garcia

Central & West Texas and San Antonio GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

Albuterol: An Often-Forgotten Cause Of Lactic Acidosis, Sania Moonnumackel, Sameera Muqueet, Machaiah Madhrira

North Texas Research Forum 2025

Introduction Lactic acid (LA) is a commonly used biomarker and is often indicative of severity of disease in critically ill patients. Lactic acidosis which is defined as LA > 4.0 can be divided into two categories: Type A which is the more common type is caused by systemic tissue hypoperfusion most likely due to shock and Type B which is caused by impairment of cellular metabolism and or decreased clearance of LA. An important cause of Type B lactic acidosis is medications including acetaminophen, anti-retroviral drugs, antibiotics and beta-adrenergic agonists including albuterol. Often patients with severe lactic acidosis are given fluid …

Splenic Laceration And Hematoma In The Setting Of Acute Pancreatitis And Decompensated Cirrhosis, Rasmeet Kaur, Eric Romero, Oscar Garcia

Central & West Texas and San Antonio GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

Thyrotoxic Periodic Paralysis And Pesticide Exposure, Vinh Ngo, Huy Vuong, Oscar Garcia

Central & West Texas and San Antonio GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

When Appendiceal Obstruction Looks Metallic: An Unusual Radiologic Presentation Of Appendicitis, Nathan Cohen, Gary Padilla-Maldonado

East Florida Division GME Research Day 2025

Introduction: Right lower quadrant pain is a common presentation of acute appendicitis, but presentations in elderly patients may be subtle. Appendiceal obstruction is frequently caused by fecaliths; however, not all radiopaque findings in the appendix represent fecaliths. Rarely, these obstructions can mimic metallic foreign bodies on imaging, complicating interpretation and management. This case highlights an unusual radiologic presentation of appendiceal obstruction with metallic appearance, underscoring the importance of careful image analysis in atypical cases of appendicitis.

Case Description: An elderly man presented to the emergency department with a three-day history of constant right lower quadrant abdominal pain. He denied associated …

Towards Cost Effective Autonomous Mapping Of Invasive Aquatic Plants Using Deep Learning And A Gpu Enabled Microcomputer, Swarup Bhattarai, Sathishkumar Samiappan, Piyush Chaudhary, Ashutosh Shah

GRI Publications

We present a dataset for the autonomous identification of invasive aquatic plant species using deep learning techniques. The dataset includes high-resolution images captured using a Canon EOS REBEL T3 DSLR camera for model training and low-resolution images captured with a Raspberry Pi camera for evaluating model performance under real-world conditions. Eight invasive aquatic plant species: Alternanthera philoxeroides, Cyperus blepharoleptos, Salvinia molesta, Ludwigia peploides, Panicum repens, Pontederia crassipes, Pistia stratiotes, and Nymphaea odorata were cultivated in mesocosms at the R.R. Foil Plant Research Center, Mississippi State University. The controlled environment of mesocosms serve as …

The Banner - V. 160, No. 1 - (January 2025), Christian Reformed Church In North America

The Banner

No abstract provided.

Ashwagandha And Sexual Health In Women With Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder: Exploring Extent Of Adaptogenic Properties, Rhea Chatterjee

AUCTUS: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship

Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD) affects 40% of women and potentially decreases their quality of life. Currently, the primary treatment for HSDD is Flibanserin, which is a serotonergic agonist and an antidepressant. However, the limited efficacy of Flibanserin encourages the exploration of the utilization of traditional drugs such as Withania somnifera, otherwise known as Ashwagandha, as an alternative treatment for HSDD. Minimal studies examine ayurvedic medications or the symptoms of illnesses that traditional Western medicines are unable to treat. This comprehensive literature review investigated the efficacy of Ashwagandha in improving sexual function in women with HSDD. The paper evaluated …

Dim Theory Applied To Law: The Disintegration Of American Law, Tristen Fleig

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Plato, Aristotle, and Montesquieu each argued the importance of law to political regime and Constitution. The ancients emphasized the law as the rational component of the regime and Montesquieu applied some of the first political science to show how political regimes rely upon law. Still, the exact connection between law and politics, and law and philosophy more broadly has remained largely obscured. In my account, legal system ought to be understood as the institutional framework that supports and protect a particular kind of life accepted by the intellectuals and the people of a nation. Using DIM theory from The DIM …

Personal Wisdom And Coping: Insights From The Covid-19 Pandemic, Noah Ringler

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Much of personal wisdom research has focused on the relationship between personal wisdom and difficult life events (DLEs). Research indicates that those high in personal wisdom cope more effectively with DLEs. However, these studies primarily focused on older adults and assessed coping through well-being measures. Seeking to address these limitations, Ringler (2021) found that mindfulness partially mediates the relationship between personal wisdom and coping with DLEs (measured through meaning-making) in a more age-diverse sample. Despite this progress, several gaps in knowledge remain. For example, there is still a lack of understanding about how wisdom relates to the use of specific …

Bridging Generations: Shou-Yi Ch’En, Yanshuo Zhang, And Their Contribution To Asian Studies In American Higher Education, Zhen Zhou

CGU Theses & Dissertations

This thesis examines the lives and academic legacies of Dr. Shou-yi Ch’en (1899–1987) and Dr. Yanshuo Zhang (b. 1988), two Chinese scholars whose contributions have shaped Asian Studies in American higher education across nearly a century. Dr. Ch’en, educated in both China and the United States, played a foundational role in establishing Pomona College’s early Asian Studies program, fostering East–West intellectual exchange through extensive correspondence, and mentoring a generation of scholars. Dr. Zhang, also educated in China and the U.S., represents a new generation of interdisciplinary scholarship, focusing on China’s Qiang ethnic minority through oral history and a multicultural lens. …

Sermons In Stones: Mormon Chosenness And The Politics Of Land In The American West, Emily Mclean

CGU Theses & Dissertations

This study explores the intersection of religion, land use, and political resistance in Latter-day Saint culture, arguing that Mormon land ethics are shaped by a ritualized process I term the “Cycle of Chosenness.” Through historical and ethnographic analysis, I trace how collective memory of the pioneer era informs symbolic labor that reaffirms Mormon exceptionalism. Three case studies illustrate the cycle in action: Brigham Young’s integration of labor and theology, Walter Cottam’s unsuccessful push for ecological restoration, and the Sagebrush Rebellion’s successful reframing of anti-federal activism as sacred labor. I show how the Sagebrush Rebellion marked a turning point by legitimizing …

The Moderating Roles Of Ethnic-Racial Identity Components In The Association Between Adverse Childhood Experiences And Cannabis Use: Exploring Ethnic-Racial Differences Between Black, Asian, & White Students, Julianna Florez, Kaelen Diaz, Llorielle Gregory-Jerome, Abhinaya Sridhar, Arlenis Santana Ph.D., Kiara Brown, Aya Caballero, Chelsea Derlan Williams Ph.D., Spit For Science Working Group

IRBEH/Spit for Science Publications and Presentations

Background: There has been a significant rise in cannabis use among emerging adults. This study focuses on the risk factor that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) pose in predicting cannabis use and whether dimensions of ethnic-racial identity (ERI) act as a significant moderator. Prior research has shown that ACEs predicts a higher risk of cannabis use. Still, limited research has been done on whether ERI exploration, affirmation, and/or resolution mitigates this risky pathway. Methods: The sample included a total of 733 participants who were predominantly female (72.2%). Participants were 18 – 22 years of age when they began participating in the …

Exploring The Role Of Pain Severity Versus Central Sensitization In Predicting Opioid-Related Outcomes Among Adults With Chronic Pain, Miyah Taylor, Taylor Crouch Ph.D.

IRBEH/Spit for Science Publications and Presentations

Chronic opioid therapy is widely used for managing persistent pain, yet its long-term efficacy is questionable and often associated with adverse outcomes such as opioid misuse and dependence. This study investigated whether central sensitization (CS), a condition of heightened neural response to pain stimuli, better predicts opioid-related outcomes compared to self-reported pain severity. Among adults with chronic pain currently using long-term opioid therapy, participants completed measures assessing CS, pain severity, and opioid-related outcomes including readiness and confidence to change opioid use, misuse, and dependence. Regression analyses revealed that while CS did not significantly predict readiness or confidence to change opioid …

Lived Narratives Of Educators: Emotional Intelligence For Dei In Early Adolescent Classrooms, Colette Bozek

CGU Theses & Dissertations

This study explores how teachers with high Emotional Intelligence (EQ) integrate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) principles into their instructional practices in early adolescent classrooms. Using narrative inquiry, the research examined the lived experiences of seventh- and eighth-grade educators in the Crestview Heights District (pseudonym), who were nominated for their emotionally responsive and inclusive teaching approaches. Through classroom observations and semi-structured interviews, the study captured how EQ-based strategies—such as self-regulation, empathy, storytelling, and culturally responsive pedagogy— shape classroom climates and influence student engagement, emotional development, and academic resilience. Findings revealed that educators with high EQ not only fostered safe and …

From Self-Determination To Decolonization: How American Indian Activism Reshaped Museum Spaces, Daniel A. Gruber

CGU Theses & Dissertations

The American Indian self-determination movement of the 1960s and 1970s catalyzed fundamental transformations in how museums represent Indigenous cultures, histories, and peoples. Through analyzing the demands for tribal sovereignty, cultural authority, and equitable representation during this pivotal era, I show how these principles were applied in contemporary museum practice through an exhibition analysis of the Autry Museum of the American West. This thesis traces how federal American Indian policy evolved from legal and socio-cultural assimilation toward self-determination while also examining how anthropology and museums historically reinforced colonial and imperial narratives that positioned American Indians as federally dependent, scientific specimens. Through …

¡Adelante Mujer!: Testimonios Of Chicana And Latina High School Principals, Blanca Rocio Esquivel

CGU Theses & Dissertations

As the Latinx student population in U.S. public schools grows incrementally, equitable representation in school leadership remains disproportionately limited. Despite accounting for over 25% of high school enrollments nationwide, Latinas hold only around 4-6% of public high school principal positions (NCES 2022). This lack of proportional leadership representation restricts a school system’s capacity to provide optimized culturally responsive environments, benefiting Latinx youth. Furthermore, it limits advancement opportunities for aspiring Chicana and Latina leaders despite research confirming their effectiveness in spearheading academic improvements. While past scholarship has broadly explored facilitators and barriers for women educational leaders, few studies specifically document the …

The Women’S Legal Rights Index: A New Approach To Measuring Women’S Autonomy, Mona Shadia

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Existing indicators of women’s empowerment focus on women’s educational attainment. Yet theories of women’s empowerment in politics, in particular their role in democratization, extend beyond the consequences of education to require agency and autonomy in their lives. In the first chapter of this dissertation, I argue that in an effort to measure women’s citizenship and standing in their respective societies, access to legal rights should be measured and considered. My theoretical framework builds on literature that demonstrates that while education is critical to women’s prosperity in many facets of life, other measures related to their legal rights can provide a …