Digital Commons Network^™

Ucc Minutes 11-18-25, Angela Brock

UCC Agendas/Minutes

No abstract provided.

Icc Agenda 11-18-25, Angela Brock

Individual Course Committee (ICC)

No abstract provided.

Approved Courses 11-18-25, Angela Brock

Individual Course Committee (ICC)

No abstract provided.

Preparing For The Artificial Intelligence (Ai) Economy In The Mountain West, 2025, Kian Parikh, Taylor Volk, Maisoon Faris, Kristian Thymianos, William E. Brown Jr.

Economic Development & Workforce

This fact sheet presents data from the Brainly report, “Here Are the States Most (and Least) Prepared to Win the AI Race in 2025” for the five Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah. This fact sheet highlights the national and individual rankings of four key metrics for each Mountain West state: the fixed percentage of businesses using artificial intelligence (AI); the number of AI jobs per 1,000 workers; the number of AI-related degrees per 10,000 people ages 20-24; and federal funding for small business technology innovation per $1 million of gross domestic product (GDP).

Generational Differences Among Nurse Leaders And The Development Of Nurse Leader Role Competence, Hephzibah Sophie Edwin, Cassandra Lawrence

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Background: Nurse leaders practice under extreme stressors and poor organizational support decreases their job satisfaction, increasing their intention to quit^1,5. As nurse leaders’ role continues to expand, it is crucial to enhance their role competence through comprehensive training and ongoing support for their successful transition ^2,4.

Purpose: Nurse leaders differ in their competence based on experience and generational diversity. This study is about the development of a leadership academy to promote nurse leader development, and retention through ongoing training, while also targeting generational differences in building nurse leader-role competence.

Methods: This project was instituted with the mission …

Interprofessional Team Training: In-Person Or Online, Does The Learning Environment Matter?, William E. Somerall Jr., Allison Shorten, Peter E. Bosworth, Shelly E. Camp, David T. House, Brett E. Shorten, Penni Watts, Tera L. Webb

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Interprofessional education (IPE) prepares students from different health professions to work collaboratively within interprofessional care teams. Based on a post-event survey, this presentation compares student experience and satisfaction with an in-person experience with an online experience.

In the decade before the COVID-19 pandemic, over 4000 graduate and undergraduate students from an urban medical educational institution including nursing, medicine, dentistry, optometry, physical therapy, social work, nutrition, pharmacy, occupational therapy, laboratory science, public health, and physician assistants participated in a half-day in-person Interprofessional Team Training (IPTT) event. Following the presentation of a simulated patient in a large auditorium, 15-18 groups of 20-25 …

Self-Calibrating Passenger Flow Simulation And Spatial Optimization For Public Building Based On Gru-Sa, Jinglin Xu, Qianru Chen, Yang Peng, Fangqiang Yu

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: Real-time and precise passenger flow simulation provides critical data support for the optimal allocation of resources in public building facilities and the rational design of spatial layouts. This study proposed a self-calibrating passenger flow simulation and spatial optimization method for public buildings based on the GRU-simulated annealing algorithm. A simulation model incorporating spatial structures and flow lines was constructed using Anylogic. A self-calibrating passenger flow simulation method for public buildings was designed based on the GRU-simulated annealing algorithm and applied to the outpatient department of a hospital in Shanghai for passenger flow simulation. The effectiveness of the method was …

Apathy Self-Awareness And Its Neural Correlates In Parkinson’S Disease, Ana Marin, Xi Zhu, Seonjoo Lee, Edward Huey, Ratko Radakovic, Sarah R Heilbronner, Nora Vanegas-Arroyave

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Apathy is a prevalent non-motor symptom in Parkinson's disease (PD) that negatively impacts quality of life. Impaired self-awareness of apathy (ISA-a) further impacts patient care by limiting engagement. While apathy has been associated with reduced fronto-striatal functional connectivity (FC), the neural basis of ISA-a remains unclear. We examined ISA-a in 52 individuals and the neural basis of ISA-a in 35 individuals with PD using a dimensional approach (i.e., initiation, executive, and emotional apathy) and resting-state fMRI (3T scanner). Apathetic PD patients (42%) showed poorer self-awareness than non-apathetic peers. Apathetic PD patients showed a trend towards reduced FC between the left …

The Perceptions And Lived Experiences Of German Volunteers Aged 55 Or Older In Development Service In Tanzania, Barbara Wohanka

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As global aging trends and longer life expectancy encourage many seniors to seek meaningful engagement through volunteering, this research examined how such activities influence their perceptions and experiences. While much of the existing literature on volunteering in later life has concentrated on individuals involved in local community service, little research has addressed what motivates seniors to volunteer abroad. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the perceptions and lived experiences of German volunteers aged 55 or older in development service in Tanzania and the influence of these experiences on their lives. The theoretical framework examined the guiding approaches …

Stigma Associated With Using Mental Health Services Among The Igbos In Nigeria, Emmanuel Okoye Sr

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study addressed the impact of stigma and cultural beliefs on help-seeking behaviors among the Igbo tribe in Nigeria. The importance of this issue lies in its potential to increase access to mental health services and foster well-being among Igbo community members who might be harmed by stigma and cultural barriers. The study's theoretical framework was the cultural theory of mental illness, which emphasizes how cultural values and beliefs influence how people perceive and express their mental health. This study aimed to offer guidance for interventions and programs that address mental health disparities in the Igbo community by comprehending the …

Depth-Variant Deconvolution Applied To Widefield Microscopy For Rapid Large-Volume Tissue Imaging, Daniel D Lee, Kevin A Telfer, Mark A J Koenis, Yim K Lee, Kevin W Namink, Brian T Saunders, Heyun Lee, Hailey Kelley, Heather S Ruiz, Joseph P Gaut, Gwendalyn J Randolph, Bernd H Zinselmeyer

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Innovations in 3D tissue imaging have revolutionized research, but limitations stemming from lengthy protocols and equipment accessibility persist. Widefield microscopy is fast and accessible but often excluded from 3D imaging workflows due to its lack of optical sectioning. Here we combine tissue clearing with a commercial depth-variant deconvolution approach that we optimized for large-volume widefield imaging. By implementing prefiltering with z-brick splitting, we achieve subnuclear axial resolution in tissues to a depth of 500 µm in multi-tile scan images. We illustrate the utility of this method in a model of ileitis and to gain a 3D perspective in thick brain …

Elastic Cytomatrix Dynamics Influences Metabolic Rate And Tumor Microenvironment Formation, David Y Graham

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

In healthy cells, the cytomatrix mechanics utilize mitochondrial respiration to control cytosolic motion and fine-tune the chemical processes. In cancer, the cytosolic motion is energized by glycolytic fermentation (the Warburg effect), which provides additional energy to supply the needs of the cytomatrix. Here, we describe the physical and chemical processes of the integrated and cooperative cytomatrix cytoarchitecture, in which structure and function are inseparable. The extracellular matrix is interconnected with the intracellular cytomatrix and functions as two integrated elastic solid phases. This finding led us to propose mechanisms of tumor microenvironment formation resulting from the mutational burden, in which altered …

Cooperative Guidance Method Considering Impact Time And Area Sealing, Zheng Guo, Guofei Li, Hua Xiong, Yunjie Wu

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: To address the problem of multi-vehicle cooperative strike against maneuvering targets, a cooperative guidance method considering impact time control and terminal area sealing was proposed. The distributed disturbance observer was utilized to estimate target maneuvers. Based on the consensus errors of the impact time, the cooperative guidance law in the line-of-sight direction was proposed to achieve simultaneous hits on targets at a specified time. By considering the motion states of targets, the instructions of the terminal area sealing were designed to construct the sliding mode surface and design the line-of-sight guidance law, so as to ensure the convergence of …

Estimated Impact Of 2022–2023 Influenza Vaccines On Annual Hospital Burden In The United States, Spencer J Fox, Lauren Ancel Meyers

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

During the COVID-19 pandemic early years, infection prevention measures suppressed transmission of seasonal influenza and other respiratory viruses. The early onset and moderate severity of the US 2022-2023 influenza season may have resulted from reduced use of nonpharmaceutical interventions or lower population immunity after 2 y of limited influenza virus circulation. We used a mathematical model of influenza virus transmission that incorporates vaccine-derived protection against both infection and severe disease to estimate the impact of influenza vaccines on healthcare burden. Assuming reported levels of past vaccine effectiveness (VE) against infection and hospitalization, we estimate that influenza vaccines prevented 69,886 (95% …

Efficacy And Safety Of Glibenclamide Compared With Insulin In Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Alifia Fauziyyah Haifa, Khairunnisa Qomariyanti, Ratu Ayu Dewi Sartika, Rani Sauriasari

Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a prevalent pregnancy complication associated with an increased risk of maternal and neonatal complications compared with non-diabetic pregnancies. Pharmacological treatments, such as glibenclamide, are expected to provide optimal glycemic control and reduce these risks. However, concerns regarding its safety persist and some regulatory agencies have not approved glibenclamide for GDM treatment. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to synthesize the most recent evidence on the efficacy and safety of glibenclamide compared with insulin in the management of GDM, with a focus on maternal and neonatal outcomes based on the most recent RCT. The objective is …

Assessing The Role Of Lead And Wax Shielding In Electron Beam Dose To Facial Tissue, Emma Abiri

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

External Beam Electron Therapy is frequently used to treat facial cancers. Wax and lead shields protect the eye lens and adjacent structures, reducing long term-complications and exposure to healthy tissues. Although these materials attenuate radiation behind the shielding, their impact on surface dose to nearby tissue requires further investigation.

This project evaluated how shielding materials influence surface dose to facial structures using MOSFET detectors on a paraffin wax phantom developed from a patient’s Dot Decimal compensator. Relative surface doses were compared for 6MeV and 9MeV electron beams under varying wax and lead shielding configurations. Results indicate that while wax and …

Predicting School Readiness In Head Start Children: The Role Of The Home Literacy Environment, Executive Function, And Cumulative Risk Factors, Danielle Davis-Newman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Children from low-income families often begin school behind their more affluent peers, showing delays in cognitive, social-emotional, and academic skills. This study examined how variations in the home literacy environment (HLE) and executive function (EF) contributed to school readiness gaps among children facing multiple risk factors. The purpose was to understand whether the HLE supported children’s EF skills, how cumulative family risk shaped these associations, and whether EF was a pathway linking the HLE to school readiness outcomes. Data were drawn from the 2019 Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES 2019), using a nationally representative sample of 1,482 …

Heat And Kidney Health: Exploring The Impact Of Rising Temperatures On Kidney Health And Vulnerable Populations, Hoimonty Mazumder

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

This dissertation examines how ambient temperature influences renal health across three complementary chapters by exploring: sex-stratified temperature-urine biomarkers relationships, a global comprehensive synthesis of evidence on renal colic, and mediation effect of BP in the biological pathway between ambient temperature and proteinuria. We used repeated measurements of urinary electrolytes, 24-h urine total protein (UTP), and volume as outcomes from a stepped-wedge RCT conducted in southwest coastal Bangladesh and collected daily ambient temperature data from Bangladesh Meteorological Board (BMD). We employed piece-wise linear mixed effect models using random intercepts to demonstrate ambient temperature and urine biomarker’s relationships. We summarized global evidence …

Examining The Longitudinal Association Of Weight-Adjusted Waist Index With Risk Of Arthritis, All-Cause Mortality, And Covid-19 Pandemic Related Effect On Wwi: Evidence From Health And Retirement Study, Edmore Madondo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

The weight-adjusted waist index (WWI), calculated as waist circumference (cm)/√weight (kg) is positively associated with arthritis and all-cause mortality. However, its longitudinal association with arthritis and all-cause mortality among older population, where excess abdominal fat plays a key role in disease development and death, remains underexplored. Thus, the aim of this dissertation was to investigate the longitudinal association between WWI and the risk of arthritis and mortality among U.S aging population. We analyzed data from 3,765 participants aged 51+ in the Health and Retirement Study (2006–2022). Group-based trajectory modeling was used to create WWI trajectories. The relationship between WWI trajectories …

Improved Understanding Of Microplastic Transport In Agricultural Farms And Its Environmental Impact, Alireza Bakhshaee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

The global escalation of plastic production has led to widespread microplastic (MP) contamination across terrestrial and aquatic environments, posing a growing environmental challenge. MPs, defined as plastic particles smaller than 5 mm, originate from the degradation of larger plastics as well as from direct inputs such as synthetic fibers, biosolids, and agricultural mulching films. Despite their ubiquity, limited knowledge exists regarding their behavior in soils and their influence on soil–water–plant interactions. This dissertation addresses this gap through an integrated series of controlled laboratory experiments and modeling analyses that examine how MPs modify soil–water–plant dynamics, how they are transported through infiltration …

Situated Learning And Social Capital In Rural Appalachia: An Ethic Of Care Among Women, Erika Marie Adams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

The purpose of this narrative study was to describe how older women of rural Appalachia learned their cultural ways of care and caregiving. Using Situated Learning (Lave & Wenger, 1999; Lave, 2019), Care Focused Feminism (Noddings, 1984, 2002) and Bonding Social Capital (Putnam, 2000) theories, four women of rural Appalachia narrated stories from all stages of life. Findings supported the presence of Legitimate Peripheral Participation (LPP) (Lave & Wenger, 1991) as the primary method of learning as the women learned types of care and caregiving while in participation with family and friends. Types of care analyzed from the narratives were …

Assessing Culinary Education With A Gardening Component In Children Ages 7-13, Cassy Tigner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Abstract Background Culinary education with a gardening component teaches individuals how to cook and grow their own food. The findings of this study are intended to assess the effectiveness of culinary education in children on healthy eating patterns and lifestyle changes. Objective The research aims to determine how effective Camp Chef, a culinary education camp with a gardening component, is at changing the lifestyle habits of children aged 7-13. Study Design Children in Shelby County, Tennessee completed one week of Camp Chef. Their healthy lifestyle habits were surveyed before and after camp. Participants There were 48 children, ages 7-13, that …

Purposeful Presence: Faculty Perspectives On Social Presence In Online Learning, Thomas D. Dyer

International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

Social presence is a critical component of effective online education, fostering engagement, connection, and a sense of community among students and instructors. This qualitative descriptive study explored how online faculty conceptualize and operationalize social presence in their virtual classrooms. Through interviews and focus groups, faculty described practices that cultivated connection, responsiveness, and authentic interaction. The findings informed the development of the Social Presence Literacy Framework (SPLF), which offers a lens for understanding the varied ways instructors approach presence in online environments. This study provides insights for professional development and instructional design by grounding pedagogical strategies in the lived experiences of …

The Impacts Of A First-Year Seminar On Academic And Career Planning And Community Building For Geoscience Students, Elizabeth D. Crook, Julie E. Ferguson

International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

Retention of students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields, particularly of traditionally underrepresented groups, remains a nationally recognized concern. Many studies have shown that first-year seminars can have a positive effect on a student’s transition to college, persistence in their chosen degrees, and ultimate success and retention in the geosciences and other related STEM fields. We created a one-unit first-year seminar to assist our geoscience students with academic and career planning, increase student awareness of opportunities on campus, and increase a sense of belonging in their major. We present pre and post survey data to assess the effectiveness …

Machine Learning Glucose Forecasting Models For Septic Patients, Xiang Cao, Dong Wang, Jue-Xia He, Jun Li, Jianguo Hou, Jun Li, Hua Jiang, Qi Wang

Faculty Publications

Sepsis-induced glucose fluctuations present major challenges in critical care, underscoring the importance of accurate glucose monitoring and forecasting to improve patient outcomes. This study introduces a suite of forecasting models trained using continuous glucose monitoring data from a diabetic patient with sepsis (19,621 data points). The models include four transformer-based ones (iTransformer, Crossformer, PatchTST, FEDformer), a dynamic linear model (DLinear), and an ensemble zero-shot inference method leveraging ChatGPT-4. Model performance was evaluated for 15-, 30-, and 60-minute prediction horizons with an optimized 30-minute lookback window. PatchTST achieved the lowest mean maximum percentage error (MMPE) for short-term forecasts (3.0% at 15 …

Convergent Critical Technologies Part 1: The Integrative Transformation Of Warfighting, James Giordano

Strategic Insights

This commentary examines how the Department of War’s six designated Critical Technology Areas: Applied Artificial Intelligence, Biomanufacturing, Contested Logistics Technologies, Quantum and Battlefield Information Dominance, Scaled Directed Energy, and Scaled Hypersonics are collectively transforming military operations. Rather than focusing only on the individual capabilities of these technologies, the author argues that their most strategic value lies in convergent integration across domains and conflict phases. When combined, these technologies can accelerate decision-making, sustain forces in contested environments, enhance sensing and strike capabilities, and optimize operational logistics. The article highlights how integrated technology effects can reshape both kinetic and non-kinetic warfare, challenge …

Academic Senate - Minutes, 11/18/2025, Academic Senate

Academic Senate Minutes

No abstract provided.

Examining The Motivational Climate In An Anatomy Course: Instructional Practices To Engage Students In Learning, Emily M. Holt Foerst, Brett D. Jones, Meghan Byrnes

International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

Anatomy education presents a complex motivational environment, yet little is known about how medical students experience this climate. Grounded in the MUSIC Model of Motivation framework, this study explored students’ perceptions of the motivational climate in a first-year medical anatomy course. Using a mixed-methods design, we surveyed students early in the course and conducted interviews following course completion. Although students reported strong Caring perceptions on the survey, their Empowerment, Usefulness, Success, and Interest perceptions were more variable, and some were suboptimal. Interview findings revealed specific instructional practices (e.g., lecture format, lab group dynamics, alignment with clinical goals) that either supported …

A Multi-Case Study Of Peer Tutoring Programs: Program Structure, Faculty-Tutor Partnerships, And Access To Instructional Knowledge, Becky W. Packard, Amanda Xu, Teah Shi

International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

Peer tutors make important contributions within higher education institutions, yet the tutoring program structures vary widely with regard to how tutors are positioned, which in turn, affords and constrains access to instructional knowledge. Using a multi-case method, this study contrasts the structures of four tutoring programs: two programs within a private four-year college and two programs within a public two-year college. Two primary factors, the nature of faculty-tutor partnership and connection to a peer mentoring community, were examined and found to shape access to instructional knowledge. In addition, the results suggested that tutor prior experience as students in courses, experience …

Humeral Head Retroversion On A Contemporary Skeletal Population With Known Physical Activity To Investigate The Differential Expressions Of Biological Sex, Elizabeth Hightower

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Retroversion is an angled measurement of the humerus that is indicative of habitual overhand activity. Elevated retroversion measurements (in degrees) indicate overhand activity. Overhand activity indicates subsistence gathering from spear or atlatl throwing. Most retroversion research is conducted in populations where men perform more physically demanding labor. Therefore, bioarchaeologists are producing the same data over and over. Additionally, contemporary retroversion data is used as comparative figures. These subjects range from youth to professional baseball players, but the data on women is nearly obsolete. Bioarchaeology needs contemporary female retroversion data. Research was conducted at the University of Tennessee Knoxville where humeral …