Digital Commons Network^™

Medical Monitoring Working Group Focused Call Summaries, Mike Mcanulty

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Temporal Changes In The Surface Chemistry And Topography Of Reactive Ion Plasma-Treated Poly(Vinyl Alcohol) Alter Endothelialization Potential, Ryan A. Faase, Novella M. Keeling, Justin S. Plaut, Christian Leycam, Gabriela Acevedo Munares, Monica T. Hinds, Joe E. Baio, Patrick L. Jurney

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Synthetic small-diameter vascular grafts (<6 mm) are used in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, including coronary artery disease, but fail much more readily than similar grafts made from autologous vascular tissue. A promising approach to improve the patency rates of synthetic vascular grafts is to promote the adhesion of endothelial cells to the luminal surface of the graft. In this study, we characterized the surface chemical and topographic changes imparted on poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), an emerging hydrogel vascular graft material, after exposure to various reactive ion plasma (RIP) surface treatments, how these changes dissipate after storage in a sealed environment at standard temperature and pressure, and the effect of these changes on the adhesion of endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFCs). We showed that RIP treatments including O2, N2, or Ar at two radiofrequency powers, 50 and 100 W, improved ECFC adhesion compared to untreated PVA and to different degrees for each RIP treatment, but that the topographic and chemical changes responsible for the increased cell affinity dissipate in samples treated and allowed to age for 230 days. We characterized the effect of aging on RIP-treated PVA using an assay to quantify ECFCs on RIP-treated PVA 48 h after seeding, atomic force microscopy to probe surface topography, scanning electron microscopy to visualize surface modifications, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to investigate surface chemistry. Our results show that after treatment at higher RF powers, the surface exhibits increased roughness and greater levels of charged nitrogen species across all precursor gases and that these surface modifications are beneficial for the attachment of ECFCs. This study is important for our understanding of the stability of surface modifications used to promote the adhesion of vascular cells such as ECFCs.

Development Of A Xenograft For Annular Repair Using Pulsed Electric Field Exposures For Enhanced Decellularization, Prince Mensah Kwaku Atsu

Theses and Dissertations

Severe back injuries and chronic pain necessitate surgical replacement of damaged intervertebral disc (IVD) cartilage in advanced disease stages. Bovine IVD tissue has been exposed to an upper threshold pulsed electric field (PEF) dose, causing cell death without thermal damage to the tissue. Subsequent PEF exposures at lower magnitudes have accelerated the removal of immunogenic biomolecules though electrokinetic extraction using optimized aqueous solutions. This approach yields a natural scaffold, ready for biocompatibility and mechanical strength assessment. The effects of microsecond pulsed electric fields (µsPEF) on primary bovine AF fibroblast-like cells have been characterized in vitro. PEFs of 10 and 100 …

Integrated Computer-Aided Design, Experimentation, And Optimization Approach For Perovskites And Petroleum Packaging Processes, Swapana Subbarao Jerpoth

Theses and Dissertations

According to the World Economic Forum report, the U.S. currently has an energy efficiency of just 30%, thus illustrating the potential scope and need for efficiency enhancement and waste minimization. In the U.S. energy sector, petroleum and solar energy are the two key pillars that have the potential to create research opportunities for transition to a cleaner, greener, and sustainable future. In this research endeavor, the focus is on two pivotal areas: (i) Computer-aided perovskite solar cell synthesis; and (ii) Optimization of flow processes through multiproduct petroleum pipelines. In the area of perovskite synthesis, the emphasis is on the enhancement …

Regional Variability In The Prevalence Of Food Insecurity And Diet Quality Among United States Children, Jayna M Dave, Tzuan A Chen, Alexandra N Castro, Mamie White, Elizabeth A Onugha, Sloane Zimmerman, Debbe Thompson

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Understanding the association between food security status (FSS) and diet quality in children is crucial. This study investigated regional variability in FSS, participation in the federal nutrition assistance program (FNAP), and diet quality among US children. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 2013 to 2016 were analyzed. The association between FSS, FNAP participation, and diet quality (Healthy Eating Index—HEI-2015) was assessed using multiple linear/logistic regression models. The sample included 6403 children (mean age: 7.5 years; 51% male; 33% Hispanic). Within the sample, 13% reported child food insecurity, and 30% reported household food insecurity. Additionally, 90% participated in …

Unrealvision: A Synthetic Dataset Generator For Human-Pose Estimation And Behavior Analysis, Thinh Lu

Master's Theses

For over a decade, computer vision (CV) has become an indispensable component of numerous camera surveillance applications as well as intelligent autonomous systems. Thanks to new advances in AI, Edge Computing, and IoT technologies, there is now a rapidly growing number of smart camera devices, industrial and consumer robots that are using computer vision for various applications - from human tracking and analysis, object classification, to visual inspection and anomaly detection. For most common use cases, building vision-based applications can be a straightforward and affordable task thanks to the increasing number of publicly accessible datasets and research publications. However, it …

The “Integrality” Of Integral Ecology, Jojo M. Fung

Landas

The Integrality of Integral Ecology calls for a rejection of the technocratic paradigm in favor of the relational paradigm that foregrounds the interbeingness of all humankind and other kinds rooted in their inherent values. This relational paradigm advocates the intersectional relations of cultural, economic, social, political ecology, spiritual ecology, and the ecology of daily life. This integrality is grounded in an incarnational theology that the God who has “earthyfied” Godself has sacralized and “eternalized” our common home. In Asia, this integrality is enriched by the Indigenous/Igorot’s earth spirituality, which identifies Kabunian, land, identity, being, and life as a sacred whole, …

Timely, Relevant, Practical: A Study Of Writing Center Summer Institute Alumni Perceptions Of Value And Benefits, Julia Bleakney, Mark Hall, Kelsey Hixson-Bowles, Sohui Lee, Nathalie Singh-Corcoran

The Writing Center Journal

Since its inception in 2003, the IWCA Summer Institute (SI) has been understood within the writing center field to be an important professional development opportunity for new and experienced writing center professionals (WCPs). Publications on the SI to date have focused on anecdotal perceptions of the benefits to leaders and participants or on a single outcome, such as research output. Thus, the writing center field knows little about how and in what ways participants perceive the SI’s benefits across cohorts and across a variety of professional areas. By gathering quantitative and qualitative data from every SI cohort from 2003 to …

Accidental Outreach And Happenstance Staffing: A Cross-Institutional Study Of Writing Center Support Of First-Generation College Students, Beth A. Towle

The Writing Center Journal

First-generation students (FGS) make up a significant percentage of college populations. However, they experience hardships that are less common for their continuing-generation peers. They struggle to understand the “rules” of college and lack the cultural capital that can help students succeed through generations of knowledge about how to navigate college. Writing centers attempt to lessen these burdens by providing outreach to marginalized student populations, including FGS. However, there has been a lack of cross-institutional research that examines exactly how writing centers support FGS. This article presents a mixed-methods study that begins to close that knowledge gap and demonstrate common patterns …

Vicki Jo Nelson Appellee/ Petitioner V. James Q. Nelson Appellant/ Respondent : Brief Of Appellee, Utah Court Of Appeals

Utah Court of Appeals Briefs (2020 –)

On appeal from the Third Judicial District Court, Salt Lake County, Honorable Patrick Corum, District Court No. 214905299

Douglas B. Thayer, David B. Nielson, Jessica Griffin Anderson, Attorneys for James Q. Nelson

Jonathan Good, Attorney for Appellee Vicki Jo Nelson

The Effects Of Physical Activity On Experimental Models Of Vascular Dementia; A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Ifechukwude J. Biose, Wesley H. Chastain, Rebecca J. Solch-Ottaiano, Viktoriya S. Grayson, Hanyun Wang, Somdeb Banerjee, Gregory J. Bix

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background; Physical activity is associated with improved brain health and cognition in humans. However, the validity, range, and quality of evidence for the beneficial outcomes linked to exercise in experimental models of vascular dementia (VaD) have not been evaluated. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies that assessed the effect of exercise intervention on models of VaD to provide an unbiased and comprehensive determination of the cognitive function and brain morphology benefits of exercise. Summary; A systematic search in three databases as well as study design characteristics and experimental data extraction were completed in December 2021. We investigated …

Earth Art In The Great Acceleration: Times/Counter-Times, Monuments/Counter-Monuments, Gary Shapiro

Philosophy Faculty Publications

This article attempts to situate land art in the deserts of the US Southwest in terms of the works’ relation to and rupture with more traditional genres (seventeenth to twentieth centuries) of parks, gardens, and landscape architecture. It argues that the earlier works provide implicit answers to questions concerning Earth’s meaning and offer models of flourishing habitation. In contrast, the more recent works, all constructed in the era of the great acceleration (the Anthropocene), pose questions having to do with new challenges posed by climate change and the devastation of the Earth.

Group 14 Metallocene Catalysts For Carbonyl Hydroboration And Cyanosilylation, Haley J. Robertson, Mallory N. Fujiwara, Allegra L. Liberman-Martin

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

A series of six Group 14 metallocene compounds (M = Ge, Sn, Pb) were studied as catalysts for carbonyl hydroboration and cyanosilylation reactions at room temperature. Both bis(pentamethylcyclopentadienyl) and tetramethyldisiloxa[3]metallocenophane compounds were compared. The tin and lead metallocenophanes exhibited the highest reactivity in hydroboration and cyanosilylation reactions. Hammett analysis of aldehyde hydroboration provided a ρ value of 0.73, suggesting a buildup of negative charge during the turnover-limiting step, consistent with the transition state for hydride transfer to the carbonyl center. NMR studies of Lewis acidity indicate that the Ge, Sn, and Pb tetramethyldisiloxa[3]metallocenophane compounds are weak Lewis acids.

What Does ‘(Non)-Absoluteness Of Observed Events’ Mean?, Emily Adlam

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Recently there have emerged an assortment of theorems relating to the ‘absoluteness of emerged events,’ and these results have sometimes been used to argue that quantum mechanics may involve some kind of metaphysically radical non-absoluteness, such as relationalism or perspectivalism. However, in our view a close examination of these theorems fails to convincingly support such possibilities. In this paper we argue that the Wigner’s friend paradox, the theorem of Bong et al and the theorem of Lawrence et al are all best understood as demonstrating that if quantum mechanics is universal, and if certain auxiliary assumptions hold, then the world …

Social Media As A Health-Related Information Source About The Coronavirus Among A Sample Of Kuwaiti Youth Social Media As A Health-Related Information Source About The Coronavirus Among A Sample Of Kuwaiti Youth, Yagoub Yousif Al-Kandari, Maha Meshari Al-Sejari

Journal of Arts and Social Sciences

Due to the rapid dissemination of COVID-19, the public community has begun following social media as a main source of health-related information daily due to the grave, life-threatening implications on patients’ health. The current study aims to (1) detect socio-demographic differences, knowledge of COVID-19 symptoms and general health, and social media trust among youth; (2) determine the degree of using social media and traditional media among youth; and (3) examine the relationship between using social media to track COVID-19 news (symptoms, general health knowledge, and social media trust) and the degree of using social media. This is a cross-sectional study …

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis Of Favipiravir And Remdesivir As Covid-19 Treatment In South Tangerang, Banten Province - Indonesia, Wahyu G. Putro, Andriani R. Fahriyati, Gilberto A. Julian, Tania R. Amalia, Zaki M. Riski

Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy Research

COVID-19 is a contagious ailment primarily attributed to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus. Indonesia persists in confronting the COVID-19 pandemic, and South Tangerang City has emerged as one of the municipalities in Indonesia that has been significantly affected. There are two categories of medications employed for COVID-19 treatment according to government policies, namely favipiravir and remdesivir. This study aims to as- sess the cost-effectiveness of favipiravir and remdesivir medications at the South Tangerang General Hospital, Indonesia. The present study employs a retrospective research design characterized by a quantitative approach, utilizing cross-sectional methodologies. The analy- sis mostly consists of descriptive …

Tweeting For Change: Social Media Narratives For Sustainable Service, Maria Petrescu, Anjala S. Krishen, Jesse L. Barnes, Shaheena Janjuha-Jivraj

Publications

Purpose–This interdisciplinary study aims to analyze how service organizations communicate sustainable beliefs in their social media narratives and use them to generate brand awareness, customer recognition and ongoing demand for sustainable service.

Design/methodology/approach– A two-phase exploratory analysis of 10,342 tweets from 2019–2020 was conducted by sustainable global corporations to identify best practices for their social media teams operating within a service-based business model. First, the significant themes were identified using an unguided machine learning approach of three types of firms: services, goods and mixed. Next, the full set of tweets with linguistic sentiment analysis was analyzed followed by a deeper …

Statistical Analysis For Water Quality Data Using Anova (Case Study – Lake Burullus Influent Drains), Dr.Aya Hassan

Civil Engineering

Lake Burullus is considered one of the most valuable northern lakes in Egypt due to its unique ecological system and special location. Over the past four decades, the lake has suffered from high contamination levels due to expansion in fish farming and increasing of agricultural drainage water entering the southern side of the lake through eight influent drains. This research aims to assess the current situation of the lake’s influent drains. For this purpose, two types of statistical analysis, Mean average method, and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were used. The water quality conditions for six major drains (Therah (Tira), Nashart, …

Milner Library: Centering Healing As An Act Of Radical Transformation, Maria Tudela, Mallory Jallas

Faculty and Staff Publications – Milner Library

Milner Library is uniquely positioned as a unit to facilitate student, faculty, and community success with our services and engagement. At this intersection, we implement critical praxis to disrupt traditional notions of academic libraries. Specifically, this poster will address shifting the concept of thriving as a form of production to one that considers how thriving can support and encourage transformational healing. This poster will highlight how our library approaches programming, collection development, instruction, and physical space and examine these concepts as tangible connections in foregrounding critical praxis. Participants can expect to develop new and deeper perspectives on how Milner Library …

The Gospel Of Hope: Exploring The Theological Core Of The Jubilee Year 2025, Ramil Del Rosario Marcos

Landas

The Catholic Church will celebrate the Holy Year 2025 under the motto “Pilgrims of Hope,” emphasizing renewal and healing after the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper highlights the importance of Christian hope, often the least explored among the theological virtues, and turns to Pope Francis’ reflections as a key resource. Focusing on his weekly addresses from 2016–2017, it examines his theology of hope and its relevance for individuals, the Church, and the wider world. During the pandemic, Pope Francis embodied compassionate leadership, encouraging perseverance through faith in God and trust in human solidarity. His reflections present hope as rooted in the …

Ignatius Loyola’S Spiritual Exercises And Popular Religiosity: Historical Perspective, Antecedents And Ramifications, René Pio B. Javellana

Landas

The genesis of Ignatius Loyola’s Spiritual Exercises (SPEX) is closely linked to his conversion and early journey as a pilgrim, especially in Montserrat and Manresa. In Manresa, he lived a life of prayer, penance, and service, frequenting liturgies and assisting the sick. His profound spiritual illumination at the River Cardoner deepened his understanding of divine realities and became foundational for the SPEX. Initially composed between 1522 and 1523, the text underwent continuous revision until 1546 and received papal approval in 1548, confirming its importance for the mission of the Society of Jesus, approved earlier in 1540. Lacking formal training in …

Cmsi Note #2: Admiral Dong Jun Engages Friends And Foes: China’S First Naval Defense Minister Brings Joint Operational Experience, Andrew S. Erickson, Christopher Sharman

CMSI Notes

On 29 December 2023, Admiral Dong Jun (董军) was appointed China’s 14th Minister of National Defense (国防部部长) at the seventh meeting of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People’s Congress. He replaced the previously deposed Army General Li Shangfu, ending a four-month leadership gap. Admiral Dong is the first PLA Navy (PLAN) officer to head China’s Ministry of National Defense (MND). Previously the 9th People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Commander, he was likewise exceptional in achieving this position from a background in theater joint operations.

The Macrophage Autophagy-Lysosome System In Atherosclerosis Pathogenesis, Astrid Carolina Rodriguez Velez

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Cardiovascular diseases, particularly atherosclerosis, pose significant health concerns, necessitating a comprehensive understanding of underlying mechanisms for effective therapeutic interventions. In this dissertation, I studied diverse topics, ranging from dietary impacts to intracellular processes, shedding light on novel avenues for atherosclerosis research. It is divided in 4 core projects. In Chapter 2) I studied how dietary protein drives atherosclerosis and lesion complexity. We found that protein ingestion acutely elevates amino acid levels in blood and atherosclerotic plaques, stimulating macrophage mTOR signaling. This is causal in plaque progression as the effects are abrogated in macrophage-specific Raptor-null mice. Mechanistically, we find amino acids …

Schools’ Records Management Also Matters: An Information Governance Maturity Model Assessment Of Records Management Practices At Mufakose 4 Secondary School In Harare, Zimbabwe, Patrick Mandizha, Samson Mutsagondo

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

There has been a tendency to focus on universities and colleges each time researchers look at records management within the educational sector. Primary and secondary schools have many times been left behind, yet schools’ records management also matters. Using the ARMA International’s Information Governance Maturity Model, this study assesses how Mufakose 4 Secondary School in Zimbabwe fared in its records management programme with special focus on the eight principles of the ARMA International’s Information Governance Maturity Model, that is, accountability, transparency, integrity, protection, compliance, availability, retention and disposition. Each of these principles were further assessed on a scale of 1 …

The Influence Of A Cognitive-Behavioral Counselling Program On Marital Adjustment In Sudan The Influence Of A Cognitive-Behavioral Counselling Program On Marital Adjustment In Sudan, Abdelbagi Dafa Allah Ahmed, Aisha Elbalola Hasona

Journal of Arts and Social Sciences

This study aims to examine the effects of a cognitive behavioral therapy counseling program on couples' adjustment and their relationship to variables such as their marital status, age, and number of children. In a semi-experimental design, a purposive sampling procedure was used to select a sample of ten couples attended counseling centers in Khartoum State who ranged in age from 20 to 50 years. T-tests, Cronbach's alpha, and Pearson's correlation coefficients in SPSS were used to analyze data collected by the basic information sheet, marital adjustment scale, and counseling program. Based on the study's most important findings, the program proved …

Evaluation Of Peer Bullying In Cartoons: The Case Of Miraculous: Tales Of Ladybug & Cat Noir, Melisa Daşdeler, Alev Üstündağ

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Our research aimed to determine in a multiperspective way how peer bullying is addressed in animated cartoons. The basic data source of the research was 51 episodes of the Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir cartoon. We used the Bullying Checklist in the document analysis design of the research. We analyzed the research data by determining the repetition of the items involved in the control list within the episodes. Our findings indicated that bullying was included in all of the cartoon’s episodes. The results of our research in the episodes investigated showed that bullying was mostly indirect, followed by …

Mass Incarceration In The State Of Louisiana And Its Impact On The Mental Health Of Incarcerated Men, Samika Treniece Miner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Change Management Strategies For Successfully Managing The Lack Of Critical National Infrastructure In The Nigerian Telecommunication Industry, Adedoyin Adeola

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Phenomenology Of Incels With Aggrieved Entitlement Who Participate In Online Communities, Catherine Patterson-Sterling

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Peer Recovery Support Effects On Substance Abuse In Rural Outpatient Community Behavioral Health, Melissa Bruce

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.