Digital Commons Network^™

The Philosophy Of Incarceration And Punishment And Its Evolvement. Is It Enough?, Katherine Sebok

Capstone Projects – Politics and Government

This research project explores the evolution of incarceration philosophies and their disconnect from outdated prison infrastructure in the United States, with a focus on Illinois. From ancient civilizations’ reliance on retributive justice to the modern era’s emphasis on rehabilitation, punishment practices have evolved, yet many facilities remain stuck in the past. The “tough-on-crime” era deepened the divide, leading to overcrowding and neglect. While recent reforms prioritize rehabilitation, progress is hindered by outdated facilities. Illinois’ plans to demolish and rebuild Logan and Stateville Correctional Centers offer renewed hope, but the lengthy process requires significant investment and commitment from all involved parties.

The Time-Dependent Association Between Irritable Bowel Syndrome And All-Cause And Cause-Specific Mortality: A Prospective Cohort Study Within The Uk Biobank, Fangyu Li, Yukiko Yano, Lola Étiévant, Carrie R Daniel, Shreela V Sharma, Eric L Brown, Ruosha Li, Erikka Loftfield, Qing Lan, Rashmi Sinha, Baharak Moshiree, Maki Inoue-Choi, Emily Vogtmann

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common functional gastrointestinal disorders, but few studies have evaluated mortality risks among individuals with IBS. We explored the association between IBS and all-cause and cause-specific mortality in the UK Biobank.

Methods: We included 502,369 participants from the UK Biobank with mortality data through 2022. IBS was defined using baseline self-report and linkage to primary care or hospital admission data. We estimated hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for all-cause and cause-specific mortality using multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models within partitioned follow-up time categories (0-5, >5-10, and >10 …

Social Media And Dermatology During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Analyzing User-Submitted Posts Seeking Dermatologic Advice On Reddit, Vivek V Shukla, Benjamin A Carper, Namasivayam Ambalavanan, Matthew A Rysavy, Edward F Bell, Abhik Das, Ravi M Patel, Carl T D'Angio, Kristi L Watterberg, C Michael Cotten, Stephanie L Merhar, Myra H Wyckoff, Pablo J Sánchez, Neha Kumbhat, Waldemar A Carlo, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute Of Child Health And Human Development Neonatal Research Network

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

HYPOTHESIS: Increased social distancing was associated with a lower incidence of extremely preterm live births (EPLB) during the initial COVID-19 pandemic period.

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective study at the NICHD Neonatal Research Network sites comparing EPLB (22

RESULTS: EPLB and EPIS percentages did not significantly decrease (1.58-1.45%, p = 0.07, and 0.08-0.06%, p = 0.14, respectively). SDI was not significantly correlated with percent change of EPLB (CC = 0.29, 95% CI = -0.12, 0.71) or EPIS (CC = -0.23, 95% CI = -0.65, 0.18). Percent change in mean gestational age was positively correlated with SDI (CC = 0.49, 95% CI = …

Expanded-Access Use Of Elamipretide In A Patient With Membrane Protein-Associated Neurodegeneration, Jorge Patino, Anna Haertling Clearman, Lindsey Miller, Mary Kay Koenig

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

This case report presents a progressively declining 17-year-old patient with membrane protein-associated neurodegeneration who demonstrated symptomatic improvements in her dysarthria, dysphagia, and gait, and objective improvements in her 6-minute walk test and 5 times sit-to-stand test during elamipretide treatment.

The Beneficial Role Of Sunitinib In Tumor Immune Surveillance By Regulating Tumor Pd-L1, Vivian L Rose, Anaga Ajoy, Craig A Johnston, Gloria R Gogola, Pranav J Parikh

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Importance: There is a need for a pediatric hand function test that can be used to objectively assess movement quality. We have developed a toy-based test, the Bead Maze Hand Function (BMHF) test, to quantify how well a child performs an activity. This is achieved by assessing the control of forces applied while drawing a bead over wires of different complexity.

Objective: To study the psychometric properties of the BMHF test and understand the influence of age and task complexity on test measures.

Design: A cross-sectional, observational study performed in a single visit.

Setting: Clinical research laboratory.

Participants: Twenty-three participants …

A Novel Treponema Pallidum Subspecies Pallidum Strain Associated With A Painful Oral Lesion Is A Member Of A Potentially Emerging Nichols-Related Subgroup, Maria Rosa Velasquez, Bridget D De Lay, Diane G Edmondson, Gary P Wormser, Steven J Norris, Kaitlin Cafferky, Eric Munzer, Ciril-Christian Rizk, Marina Keller

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Early syphilitic lesions are typically painless; however, several recent case studies have included patients with tender lesions and no evidence of concurrent infections. Here we present the manifestations and serological and molecular findings of a patient from New York State with a painful tongue lesion.

Methods: The diagnosis of syphilis was based on a combination of physical examination, serologic, pathologic, and immunohistochemical findings. DNA obtained from a formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded biopsy was used to characterize the infecting pathogen using polymerase chain reaction, multilocus sequence typing, and whole-genome sequencing methods.

Results: Polymerase chain reaction and multilocus sequence typing of the biopsy …

University Of San Diego Magazine 75th Anniversary 2024, University Of San Diego

University of San Diego Magazine (1992- )

Forging Community; Celebrating Impact; Aesthetic Aspirations; From Grassroots to the Vatican; Lighting the Way Forward; Decade of Discovery; The Stories Within; Those at Our Core; Aiming for Excellence; Twice as Nice; A Simple Yet Grand Vision

Evaluating The Efficacy Of A Passive Exoskeleton For Enhancing Ergonomics In Manufacturing, Fatemeh Davoudi Kakhki, Armin Moghadam, Arnold Nieto, Hardik Vora

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Featured Application: This study explores the integration of an occupational passive back-support exoskeleton in manufacturing, demonstrating its potential to reduce physical discomfort and physical exertion and enhance ergonomic practices. It highlights the role of the exoskeleton as a proactive tool for improving occupational health and safety in industrial settings. Manual material handling (MMH) significantly impacts worker health and productivity, often leading to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) primarily in the lower back. As a novel assistive technology, exoskeletons may serve as ergonomic tools to mitigate these work-related MSDs. It is essential to examine exoskeletons from the users’ perspectives before their widespread implementation …

A Sleep Health Education Intervention Improves Sleep Knowledge In Social Work Students, Christine E. Spadola, Danielle Groton, Minjaal Raval, Cassie J. Hilditch, Kerry Littlewood, Philip Baiden, Suzanne Bertisch, Eric S. Zhou

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Introduction: Social workers, the largest group of mental health clinicians in the United States, play a pivotal role in mental health promotion. Despite the importance of sleep for mental health, there is no empirical research on sleep education interventions for social workers. Method: We designed an online sleep health education intervention to equip social work students to promote healthy sleep practices among their clients. An interdisciplinary team of experts devised the 90 min intervention using an empirically supported behavioral change theoretical model (COM-B). The intervention discusses multi-level factors that impact sleep and emphasizes considerations for health disparities in populations commonly …

Understanding The Effectiveness Of Lifestyle Changes In Women With Gestational Diabetes Mellitus, Arianne Ortega, Michele Shaw

NURS 404/406 Research & Info Management

PICOT Research Question: How does lifestyle impact diabetes in pregnant women?

Croning Academics: Menopause Matters In Higher Education, Marie Lavelle, Joanna Haynes, Emma Macleod-Johnstone

School of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences

This writing is born out of our experiences of becoming older women, academy hags, facing the performative demands of the neoliberalising patriarchal university. We are raging. With the figure of the Crone, and feminist-killjoy-croning as our creative and livid research method (Ahmed, 2023), we squeeze time out/with impossible university spaces and schedules to tend to grey matters. The paper traces the normalisation of menopause policies in workplaces and universities, following the social trending and capitalisation of menopausal and ageing matters. We question what menopause policies do and argue they constitute a failed project for the advancement of gender equality and …

In Situ Synthesis, Characterization And Photocatalytic Efficacy Of Silver-Enhanced Mxene And Graphene Nanocomposites, Kishore Chand, M. Mustafa Azeem, Muhammad Nazim Lakhan, Mukhtiar Ahmed, Muhammad Jehanzaib Aslam, Ahmer Hussain Shah

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The emergence of 2D materials has significantly expanded the wide range of nanomaterials with diverse applications. Notably, their high conductivity, catalytic efficiency, and hydrophobicity have fueled heightened research interests for water treatment applications. This research aimed to investigate the synthesis and characterization of MXene and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanocomposites with silver nanoparticles (Ag) for enhanced catalytic activity in the decomposition of Direct Blue-24 dye. In this study, we employed well-established methods, previously documented in the literature, to prepare two distinct nanocomposites. Novel nanocomposites, namely reduced graphene oxide–silver nanoparticles (rGO–Ag) and MXene–silver nanoparticles (MXene–Ag), were synthesized using the hydrothermal and …

2024 July, Morehead State University. Office Of Communications & Marketing.

Morehead State Press Release Archive, 1961 to the Present

Press releases for July of 2024.

Hot At The Top: The Influence Of Self-Rated Attractiveness On Self-Perceived Status, Lynn K. L. Tan, Michal Folwarczny, Tobias Otterbring, Norman P. Li

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Beautism reflects the phenomenon of a widespread positivity bias that physically attractive people enjoy. This bias results in more attractive people receiving more positive social judgments, interactions, and economic outcomes. However, the literature has largely focused on third-party judgments of physical attractiveness, neglecting examinations of how self-rated attractiveness may predict self-evaluations. We sought to address this gap by examining how self-rated attractiveness predicts self-inferred social status, which is related to a myriad of psychosocial outcomes. Across one pilot test, one cross-sectional study, and a between-subjects experiment, we find converging evidence for the notion that self-rated physical attractiveness positively predicts higher …

Sexual Assault Disclosure: Understanding How The Reception Of Disclosure Effects Survivors’ Mental Health, Jade Buchanan

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

Sexual Assault is a rampant issue in the United States that affects Americans across race, gender, and lifespan. The United States’ continually fails to provide comprehensive physical and mental healthcare to Survivors post-assault. Survivors experience a lack of access to formal support systems and post-assault care that for Survivors of Sexual Assault could dramatically impact post-traumatic cognitions. Furthermore, there are several factors of a Survivors identity that interact with and shape their experience with these unique supports systems. The purpose of this research is to engage in a meta-analysis of how adult Survivors’ gender, race, support received, and experiences with …

Making Us Security Cooperation In Fragile States Work: Organizational Capital In Aid Provision, Randell Yi, Edward J. O'Connell

Journal of Strategic Security

The article examine how materiel and non-materiel organizational capital, as conveyed by military aid, differ in their effects on recipient nations with respect to governance. The authors analyze the Varieties of Democracy (vDem) dataset’s Regime Corruption Index alongside Security Sector Assistance expenditures as reported by the US Aid to Security Sector Actors (USASSA) dataset. They find that non-materiel forms of investment toward building partner nation capacity create generally better governance outcomes than materiel ones that involve transfers of weapons systems or supplies. They further contend that investments toward social cohesion and norms transmission “build the capacity to have capacity built.” …

Video Games And Radical Movements: "Ein Prozent" And "Heimat Defender", Göksel Türker, Ali Gök

Journal of Strategic Security

The far-right, which poses a threat of escalating into terrorism or inciting violence, employs a variety of tactics to spread its ideologies among the general public. In this context, "Heimat Defender: Rebellion," a two-dimensional video game supported by the far-right Ein Prozent operating in Germany, draws attention. In the study, the game in question was examined on the far-right and especially Ein Prozent ideology and subjected to discourse analysis. The analysis revealed that the game plot was shaped according to the friend-enemy perception of Ein Prozent and the far-right. Accordingly, in the game in question, opposition to multiculturalism, immigration, globalism, …

Surgical Opportunism For Hand Reconstruction Following A Mutilating Injury: A Case Report., Krishna A Patel, Tuna Özyurekoglu

Trauma and Acute Care Articles

We report our management of a 53-year-old female who suffered a wood planer hand-mutilating injury with significant dorsal soft tissue loss and partial metacarpophalangeal joint (MCPJ) amputations of the thumb, index, and middle fingers. The middle finger was deconstructed for "spare parts" and a vascularized osteochondral graft was utilized to reconstruct the metacarpal articular surface of the index finger proximal phalanx, allowing the pedicled transposition of the index finger to the third metacarpal. The middle finger's distal interphalangeal joint was transplanted non-vascularly to recreate the thumb MCPJ and the elevation of a middle finger fillet flap allowed dorsal wound coverage. …

Impact Of Lifetime Stressor Exposure On Neuroenergetics In Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders, Joshua Chiappelli, Anya Savransky, Yizhou Ma, Si Gao, Mark D Kvarta, Peter Kochunov, George M Slavich, L Elliot Hong

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

N-acetylasparate and lactate are two prominent brain metabolites closely related to mitochondrial functioning. Prior research revealing lower levels of NAA and higher levels of lactate in the cerebral cortex of patients with schizophrenia suggest possible abnormalities in the energy supply pathway necessary for brain function. Given that stress and adversity are a strong risk factor for a variety of mental health problems, including psychotic disorders, we investigated the hypothesis that stress contributes to abnormal neuroenergetics in patients with schizophrenia. To test this hypothesis, we used the Stress and Adversity Inventory (STRAIN) to comprehensively assess the lifetime stressor exposure profiles of …

Paying A Heavy Price: Costs Of Care For People With Severe Obesity In Nursing Homes, Luisa Fernandez, Bianca Shieu, Alison Trinkoff, Nicholas Castle, David G Wolf, Steven Handler, John A Harris

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background and objectives: The prevalence of resident obesity in nursing homes has increased dramatically from 22% to 28% between 2005 and 2015. To provide care for people with obesity, nursing homes have changed their admissions, staffing, and equipment, but underlying these changes are increased resources and financial costs of care. The purpose of this study is to describe nursing home organizational aspects of caring for older adults with obesity, with a focus on economic factors, from the perspective of nursing home staff and leadership.

Research design and methods: This qualitative study used descriptive approaches; data were collected through semistructured telephone …

Interstellar Neutral Hydrogen In The Heliosphere: New Horizons Observations In The Context Of Models, P Swaczyna, M Bzowski, K Dialynas, L Dyke, F Fraternale, A Galli, J Heerikhuisen, M Z. Kornbleuth, D Koutroumpa, I Kowalska-Leszczyńska, M A. Kubiak, A T. Michael, H -R Müller, M Opher, Fatemeh Rahmanifard

Faculty Publications

Interstellar neutral (ISN) hydrogen is the most abundant species in the outer heliosheath and the very local interstellar medium (VLISM). Charge-exchange collisions in the outer heliosheath result in filtration, reducing the ISN hydrogen density inside the heliosphere. Additionally, these atoms are intensively ionized close to the Sun, resulting in a substantial reduction of their density within a few astronomical units from the Sun. The products of this ionization—pickup ions (PUIs)—are detected by charged particle detectors. The Solar Wind Around Pluto instrument on New Horizons provides, for the first time, PUI observations from the distant heliosphere. We analyze the observations collected …

Multi-Link Prediction For Mmwave Wireless Communication Systems Using Liquid Time-Constant Networks, Long Short- Term Memory, And Interpretation Using Symbolic Regression, Vishnu S. Pendyala, Milind Patil

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

A significant challenge encountered in mmWave and sub-terahertz systems used in 5G and the upcoming 6G networks is the rapid fluctuation in signal quality across various beam directions. Extremely high-frequency waves are highly vulnerable to obstruction, making even slight adjustments in device orientation or the presence of blockers capable of causing substantial fluctuations in link quality along a designated path. This issue poses a major obstacle because numerous applications with low-latency requirements necessitate the precise forecasting of network quality from many directions and cells. The method proposed in this research demonstrates an avant-garde approach for assessing the quality of multi-directional …

Parker Solar Probe Observations Of Energetic Particles In The Flank Of A Coronal Mass Ejection Close To The Sun, Nathan A. Schwadron, Stuart D. Bale, J Bonnell, A Case, M Shen, E R. Christian, C M S Cohen, A J. Davis, M I. Desai, K Goetz, J Giacalone, M E. Hill, J C. Kasper, K Korreck, D Larson, R Livi, T Lim, R A. Leske, O Malandraki, D Malaspina, W H. Matthaeus, D J. Mccomas, R L. Mcnutt, R A. Mewaldt, D G. Mitchell

Faculty Publications

We present an event observed by Parker Solar Probe (PSP) at ∼0.2 au on 2022 March 2 in which imaging and in situ measurements coincide. During this event, PSP passed through structures on the flank of a streamer blowout coronal mass ejection (CME) including an isolated flux tube in front of the CME, a turbulent sheath, and the CME itself. Imaging observations and in situ helicity and principal variance signatures consistently show the presence of flux ropes internal to the CME. In both the sheath and the CME interval, the distributions are more isotropic, the spectra are softer, and the …

Persistent Behavior In Solar Energetic Particle Time Series, N V. Sarlis, G Livadiotis, D J. Mccomas, M E. Cuesta, L Y. Khoo, C M S Cohen, D G. Mitchell, Nathan A. Schwadron

Faculty Publications

We investigate the long-term persistence of solar energetic particle (SEP) time series by means of four different methods: Hurst rescaled range R/S analysis, detrended fluctuation analysis, centered moving average analysis, and the fluctuation of natural time under the time reversal method. For these analyses, we use data sets from the Integrated Science Investigation of the Sun instrument suite on board NASA's Parker Solar Probe. Background systematic noise is modeled using cross-correlation analysis between different SEP energy channels and subtracted from the original data. The use of these four methods for deriving the time-series persistence allows us to (i) differentiate between …

Parker Solar Probe Observations Of Energetic Particles In The Flank Of A Coronal Mass Ejection Close To The Sun, Nathan A. Schwadron, Stuart D. Bale, J Bonnell, A Case, M Shen, E R. Christian, C M S Cohen, A J. Davis, M I. Desai, K Goetz, J Giacalone, M E. Hill, J C. Kasper, K Korreck, D Larson, R Livi, T Lim, R A. Leske, O Malandraki, D Malaspina, W H. Matthaeus, D J. Mccomas, R L. Mcnutt, R A. Mewaldt, D G. Mitchell, Jonathan T. Niehof, M. Pulupa, Francesco Pecora, J. S. Rankin, Charles Smith, E. C. Stone, J. R. Szalay, A. Vourlidas, M. E. Wiedenbeck, P. Whittlesey

Faculty Publications

We present an event observed by Parker Solar Probe (PSP) at ∼0.2 au on 2022 March 2 in which imaging and in situ measurements coincide. During this event, PSP passed through structures on the flank of a streamer blowout coronal mass ejection (CME) including an isolated flux tube in front of the CME, a turbulent sheath, and the CME itself. Imaging observations and in situ helicity and principal variance signatures consistently show the presence of flux ropes internal to the CME. In both the sheath and the CME interval, the distributions are more isotropic, the spectra are softer, and the …

Persistent Behavior In Solar Energetic Particle Time Series, N V. Sarlis, G Livadiotis, D J. Mccomas, M E. Cuesta, L Y. Khoo, C M S Cohen, D G. Mitchell, Nathan A. Schwadron

Faculty Publications

We investigate the long-term persistence of solar energetic particle (SEP) time series by means of four different methods: Hurst rescaled range R/S analysis, detrended fluctuation analysis, centered moving average analysis, and the fluctuation of natural time under the time reversal method. For these analyses, we use data sets from the Integrated Science Investigation of the Sun instrument suite on board NASA's Parker Solar Probe. Background systematic noise is modeled using cross-correlation analysis between different SEP energy channels and subtracted from the original data. The use of these four methods for deriving the time-series persistence allows us to (i) differentiate between …

The Impact Of Peer Observational Learning On Honesty Following A Transgression, Hannah M. Sliman

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Parents and teachers concerns about the development and socialization of lying aligns with research suggesting that persistent lying is related with delinquency, aggression, and conduct problems. We were interested in examining the difference between two groups: Honest and Praise (HP), and Control Group (CG) for the extent to which exposure to the experimental condition influenced a child’s decision to be honest and confess after a transgression. The study was designed to examine the extent to which observing peers of similar age receiving praise for being honest can promote honesty amongst children. Further, the study determined if gender influences honest reporting. …

Occupational Stress And Coping During A Public Health Emergency: A Mixed-Methods Approach To Understand The Experiences Of Lactation Professionals In Clinical Settings, Mya Michele Carter

Health Services Research Dissertations

Introduction: During public health emergencies, such as the coronavirus 2019 pandemic, breastfeeding is still the recommended feeding option, and mothers and babies may need additional support to reach breastfeeding goals. Pandemic-related, clinic-level restrictions posed new challenges for postpartum mothers and their healthcare teams, including lactation professionals (LPs). The pandemic and subsequent restrictions may have impacted lactation professionals’ work-related stress and limited their ability to provide lactation support. Coping strategies to mitigate occupational stress can be useful in preventing adverse outcomes for both the provider and the patient. The need for continuous support for this profession of healthcare workers is paramount. …

Developmental Patterns And Social Determinants Of Adolescent Polysubstance Use Among Connecticut Youth, Jennika K. Jenkins

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Adolescent substance use continues to be a leading health concern in the United States. Although individual substance trends have demonstrated a decrease in use, it seems as if polysubstance use is on the rise among this population. Prior research into adolescent polysubstance use patterns tends to include only commonly used substances (e.g., alcohol, cannabis, tobacco) and neglects prescription drug misuse and illicit substances. Further, subanalyses by grade are typically not completed, leaving a gap in our understanding of developmentally appropriate prevention strategies. The present study utilized 13 substance use indicator variables to estimate substance use patterns among adolescents in grades …

Accelerating The Efficiency Of Multiscale Hybridizable Discontinuos Galerkin Methods For Flows In Heterogeneous Media, Tony Charles Haines

Mathematics & Statistics Theses & Dissertations

A plethora of scientific and engineering problems encountered are multiscale in nature. This multiscale feature often influences simulation efforts wherever large disparities in spatial scales are experienced. Notable examples include composite materials, fluid flow through porous media and turbulent transport in high Reynolds number flow. Although there are promising results from the advancement of modern supercomputer, obtaining direct numerical solution of multiscale problems is very laborious. This difficulty stems from the tremendous amount of computer memory and CPU time required. Parallel computing may be one obvious choice in remedying this issue. However, the complexity and size of the discrete problem …