Digital Commons Network^™

First Experience With Third-Party Validations: A Robust Calibration And Qa Procedure For Proton Flash Delivery, Chih-Chiang Chang, Balaji Selvaraj, Xingyi Zhao, Jacob Rembish, Paige A Taylor, Alexander Bookbinder, Chingyun Cheng, J Isabelle Choi, Charles B Simone, Haibo Lin, Minglei Kang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Proton FLASH radiotherapy, delivering ultra-high dose rates, shows promise in reducing normal tissue toxicity while maintaining tumor control. However, accurate dosimetry and quality assurance (QA) for FLASH remain challenging due to the extreme dose rates involved. Developing reliable calibration and QA procedures is crucial for advancing FLASH towards clinical implementation.

Purpose: To present an effective routine calibration and QA procedure for proton FLASH delivery to ensure high-quality dosimetry performance for preclinical and clinical delivery.

Methods: A high temporospatial resolution strip ionization chamber array (SICA) detector was mounted to the treatment nozzle, which was calibrated using an Advanced Markus ion …

From Nociception In Aneural Animals To Human Suffering: Toward A Comparative Biology Of Pain, Edgar T Walters

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Pain is a core feature of human life, but systematic comparisons of this biological trait across taxa have been rare. A broadly accepted definition based on human experience emphasizes dual features of pain: a sensory (discriminative) component for sensing and monitoring tissue injury, and an affective (emotional) component to motivate avoidance of tissue distress. Conscious pain is coupled to unconscious nociception (detection of incipient or existing injury). This Review considers nociception and pain across phyla within a comparative framework, addressing basic questions about evolutionary origins, mechanisms and functions of pain. The occurrence of adaptive cellular responses to injury in virtually …

Herthena-Pantumor01: A Phase Ii Study Of Patritumab Deruxtecan (Her3-Dxd) In Previously Treated Advanced Solid Tumors, Thomas Powles, Aarti Bhatia, Barbara Burtness, Takahiro Kogawa, Tomohiro Nishina, Izuma Nakayama, Christos Fountzilas, Dani R Castillo, Meredith Mckean, Funda Meric-Bernstam, Nicoletta Colombo, James W Smithy, Jérome Fayette, Sunandana Chandra, David W Sternberg, Fan Jin, Kendall Sullivan, Sue Yueh, Graham Clinthorne, Ariel E Aguilo, Ragini Kudchadkar, Hidetoshi Hayashi

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 3 (HER3) is a receptor tyrosine kinase that is expressed in numerous solid tumors. Higher levels of HER3 expression in multiple tumor types are associated with adverse clinical outcomes, such as reduced survival. However, there is currently no HER3-directed antibody-drug conjugate approved for the treatment of any cancer. Improved treatment options are needed, in particular for patients who progress on standard therapies. HER3-DXd is an investigational HER3-directed antibody-drug conjugate composed of an anti-HER3 monoclonal antibody linked to a topoisomerase I inhibitor payload via a stable tetrapeptide-based cleavable linker. In previous clinical trials, HER3-DXd demonstrated a …

Experimental Insights Into High Background Radiation: Reduced Cancer Risks In A Murine Model Study, S. M.J. Mortazavi, M. Arshadi, B. F. Baha'addini Baigy Zarandi, J. S. Welsh, H. Mozdarani, M. Haghani, N. Jooyan, S. Nematollahi, Negar Azarpira, Lembit Sihver

Informatics and Engineering Systems Faculty Publications

Background: Natural background radiation varies geographically and has potential implications for cancer development. High-level natural radiation areas (HLNRAs), like Ramsar, Iran, offer unique opportunities to study the biological effects of radiation exposure. This study investigates the relationship between high background radiation and tumor progression in a murine model. Materials and Methods: Thirty-two C57BL/6 mice were exposed to varying levels of natural radiation (0.097 μSv/h to 9.24 μSv/h) for two months, simulating conditions in Ramsar. Mice were divided into four groups based on radiation intensity. After exposure, 1106 B16-F10 melanoma cells were injected subcutaneously, and tumor growth was monitored for 24 …

Objectively Monitored Sleep In School-Age Children With Cystic Fibrosis And Their Parents., Andrea L. Fidler, Casey Lawless, James Peugh, Dean W. Beebe, Silvia Delgado, Robin S. Everhart, David A. Fedele

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

No abstract provided.

Association Between Weight Stigma Experiences In Healthcare And Self-Reported Healthcare Avoidance In A National Sample., Kathleen M. Robinson, Aaron M. Scherer, Alithea N. Zorn, Michelle A. Mengeling, Helena Laroche

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

OBJECTIVES: Although weight stigma in healthcare is common, existing measures may not capture the full range of patients' weight stigma experiences in clinical practice. We aimed to examine how physical examination by healthcare providers, communication, and the built environment perpetuate weight stigma and impact healthcare avoidance. Items from the previously developed Weight Stigma in Healthcare Inventory (WSHCI) were tested to assess weight stigma experiences and assess association with healthcare avoidance.

METHODS: Two sample groups, identified through ResearchMatch and a Qualtrics survey panel, completed the WSHCI online. We analyzed the association between individual items and healthcare avoidance, and between a summation …

Metabolic Acidosis And Cardiovascular Disease Risk In Children With Ckd., Denver D. Brown, Jennifer Roem, Kimberly Reidy, Susan Furth, Bradley A. Warady, Michal Melamed, Tammy Brady, Ckid Study Investigators

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

KEY POINTS: Metabolic acidosis may be associated with adverse cardiovascular disease risk. Prospective studies of the benefit of alkali therapy on cardiovascular disease risk are needed.

BACKGROUND: The link between metabolic acidosis (MA) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes has been studied in adults but not in children with CKD where MA is a common and early finding. Using longitudinal BP and cardiac measurement data, we evaluated whether low serum bicarbonate (a surrogate for MA) is associated with adverse CVD risk.

METHODS: This study used data from children age 1 year and older with eGFRs between 30 and 90 ml/min per …

Draft Card Battler, Brian Moore

Theses

This project investigates how design transparency and player interaction mechanics can enhance emotional connection and strategic depth in competitive digital card game environments. Draft Card Battler transforms traditional sequential turn-based Trading Card Game (TCG) gameplay into a structured round-based system featuring asymmetric card-play patterns (1-2-2-1) and simultaneous combat resolution. Beginning with a physical card game prototype, the project evolved through iterative design and digital implementation, informed by research in social capital theory and player psychology. Through reflective playtesting and technical development, this study explores whether visibility, pacing, and commitment mechanics foster trust, fairness, and cooperation alongside competitive tension. The implementation …

Discovering An Effective Disciple-Making Method For Men, Clifton J. Hefley

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

This dissertation explores the development of an effective disciple-making method for men by integrating insights from early church discipleship practices and modern missional strategies such as Disciple Making Movements (DMM) and Church Planting Movements (CPM). Rooted in biblical theology and the teachings of the Patristic Fathers, the study evaluates how obediencebased, relational discipleship shaped early Christianity and compares it with contemporary missional frameworks promoted by leaders like David Garrison, Alan Hirsch, and Steve Addison. Against the backdrop of a sharp decline in church attendance and male engagement in Western Christianity, this research identifies the need for a reproducible, movement-oriented model …

An Effective And Organized Mentorship Model: Does It Affect The Emerging Leaders’ Call To Ministry And The Longevity Of The Universal Church?, Linda F. Parker

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

The concept of mentorship is undeniably a fundamental tool for personal and professional growth. Statistics show that mentorship has a vital impact on both individuals and organizations. Could having a strategic mentoring plan in ministry make a meaningful difference for individuals and the Universal Church? This dissertation has explored the effects of mentorship and models based on experiences and strategies from those who identify as ministry leaders. For the Apostle Paul, Christ's life serves as a model and example, as he states, “Follow my example, as I follow Christ” (1 Cor 11:1). These words are the exact phrase that Jesus …

'In A Mirror, Dimly, Then Face To Face:' Reflecting On Bodily Sin And Spiritual Purity In The Central Female Figures Of Hugo Van Der Goes' Vienna Diptych, Sara Kluka

Theses

This thesis seeks to examine the so-called Vienna Diptych (1478/1479) by Hugo van der Goes. The two panels of the diptych have been displayed together since the 19th century, yet difficulties in provenance and the dating of the artist’s oeuvre have resulted in the continued questioning of its intended creation as a single campaign. This research seeks to assert the diptych’s thematic unity through a concentrated analysis of its leading female figures, a vantage point that has not yet been fully addressed in the literature. This paper will therefore examine the iconographic precedents for the unique imagery of the panels …

Ambiguous Bodies: Third Gender Expressions In Ancient Maya Art, Jayme Horne

Theses

This thesis examines the interpretations of Lintels 23, 24, and 25 from Yachilán, Drawing 18 from Naj Tunich, and Stela H from Copán, with a specific focus on third gender expression. These artworks depict figures that blend masculine and feminine attributes, from costuming to actions, to present intentionally ambiguous representations of the body that all ancient Maya people would have understood. Third gender expression is defined through the blending of masculine and feminine signifiers. It is a gender identity for people who do not identify as male or female, but rather as neither, both, or a combination of male and …

Immersive Art, Nature, And Afrofuturism: Cultivating Wellness And Cultural Awareness, Jojo Abenaavi Wright

Theses

This research demonstrates how Afrofuturistic art, combined with nature and scent, enables powerful methods to transform African Diaspora perceptions and support holistic wellness through sensory-emotional engagement. The project introduces The Next Narrative: An Immersive Journey Through Black Time as a multisensory immersive exhibition that combines Afrofuturistic aesthetics with Harlem Renaissance cultural elements. The exhibition presents salons as a sequence that allows visitors to experience time through visual, sonic, and atmospheric transitions. The three senses of touch, scent, and sound operate as fundamental tools for grounding and transformation, which disable analytical thinking while using bodily experiences to perform decolonial memory work. …

Your Consolation Brings Joy: How Private School Employees Support Students Experiencing Trauma, Virginia L. Rose

PhD in Education

Trauma caused by adverse childhood experiences is a growing and pervasive issue. Researchers have found trauma may have physical, emotional, behavioral, academic, and spiritual effects on children. School employees are in a unique position to teach students about resiliency and can mitigate the effects of traumatic stress. Although multiple studies have examined teachers’ definition, perspective, and experiences of trauma, few studies have taken place in faith-based schools. The following qualitative study used a phenomenological approach to discover the lived experiences of faith-based school employees in identifying and supporting students who have experienced trauma. Eleven faith-based school employees participated in a …

Effects Of Musical Participation On Senior Adult Musicians' Quality Of Life, M. Seth Mcgee

PhD in Education

As the global population of senior adults expands, so does the need for research-based strategies for maintaining health and well-being in this growing demographic. Current research has shown that musical involvement can provide benefits for senior adults’ physical health, cognitive function, emotional well-being, and sense of social connection. This study followed six senior adult musicians aged 60-82 who engaged in weekly musical activities in both individual and group contexts and examined their perceptions of how their daily participation in music-making affected their health and well-being. Participants were observed by the researcher interacting during rehearsals within the context of an active …

Capitalizing On Teacher Retention: The Role Of Human, Social, Structural, And Positive Psychological Capital, Mary A. Hamner

PhD in Education

This study explored the influence of psychological, social, human, and structural capital on teacher retention within a large Florida school district, guided by Mason and Matas’s (2015) four-capital framework. Using a nonexperimental quantitative design, the research examines how demographic variables and perceptions of professional capital relate to educators’ decisions to remain in the profession. Findings revealed that most demographic factors—gender, age, years of service, and degree type—did not significantly affect perceptions of the four capitals, suggesting a relatively equitable distribution of organizational supports. However, educational degree status was associated with higher perceptions of social, human, and structural capital, indicating that …

What Can Trends In Emergency Department Visits Tell Us About Child Mental Health?, Han Choi, Adriana Corredor-Waldron, Janet Currie, Chris Felton

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

Increases in mental health diagnoses and suicidal behaviors in Emergency Departments are often cited as evidence of an accelerating child mental health crisis. We ask whether trends in ED visits provide an accurate picture of changes in U.S. child mental health. These measures have been profoundly affected by changing conventions about screening, defining, and coding of mental illness. We conclude that child mental health has been deteriorating, but not by the startling magnitudes suggested by jumps and trends in some measures such as suicidal ideation. Although reported suicidal behaviors rose 228% from 2006–2021, the true rise in mental health disorders …

Advancing Cybersecurity Assurance: A Novel Outcome-Based Approach For Evaluating Cybersecurity Controls, Yousuf M. Muhammad

Masters Theses & Doctoral Dissertations

The growing frequency and complexity of cyberattacks pose a serious and escalating risk to both individuals and organizations. Current cybersecurity assurance approaches often fall short in effectively measuring the adequacy of cybersecurity controls in terms of mitigating risks and providing measurable value to organizations. The current approaches are often focused on measuring compliance with predetermined requirements as defined in government regulation or an industry standard, thereby overlooking the need for a holistic approach that incorporates all aspects of security. This dissertation is an attempt to address this gap by developing a novel outcome-based cybersecurity assurance approach.

The research problem focused …

Exploring The Relationships Between Childhood Emotional Neglect, Attachment, Perfectionism, And Adult Mental Health Struggles Across The Socioeconomic Spectrum, Jordan Biedrzycki

Dissertations

This mixed-methods, cross-sectional study investigated the associations between childhood emotional neglect, perfectionism, attachment insecurity, and internalizing symptoms (depression and anxiety) among adults from varying socioeconomic (SES) backgrounds. Participants (N = 210) aged 18 years or older completed five validated self-report instruments for the quantitative analyses and answered two optional open-ended questions that yielded qualitative data. Data from the self-report measures were analyzed using independent samples t-tests, linear regressions, and moderation analyses conducted with the PROCESS macro. Three hypotheses were tested in this study. First, participants from high-SES backgrounds reported experiencing emotional neglect more frequently than other maltreatment subtypes (t = …

The Impact Workplace Violence Has On Nurse Burnout, Olivia Merryman Rn

Nurse Residency

In nurses working in the healthcare field, how does increased exposure to workplace violence, in comparison to an environment with effective violence prevention affect the rates of nurse burnout and retention of staff?

Through His Eyes: The Life Of American Pows In Germany And Ben Phelper’S Diary, Bianca Shah

Armstrong Undergraduate Journal of History

This paper aims to examine the treatment American prisoners of war experienced at the hands of their German captors during World War II. Ben Phelper, a US Airman who was taken captive by the Germans from 1943-1945, wrote a diary detailing his daily life while living in the stalags. This research uses Phelper’s diary to understand what life was like for Americans in German POW camps and compares Phelper’s experience to existing literature on how Germans treated their American POWs. This paper specifically focuses on four aspects of Phelper’s life in relation to the provisions of the Geneva Convention, the …

One Last Victory: The 1980 Moscow Olympics And The Ussr’S Final Golden Moment, Pablo Boluda

Armstrong Undergraduate Journal of History

While much of the existing scholarship on the 1980 Moscow Olympics focuses on Jimmy Carter’s infamous boycott, a closer examination from the Soviet perspective reveals a distinctive moment in Cold War history. Set against escalating global tensions following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the Kremlin capitalized on the Games to project strength, unity, and international legitimacy. Although the Western boycott affected the Games, it created an opportunity for the USSR to showcase socialist athletic excellence and strengthen diplomatic ties with Non-Aligned nations, many of which resisted U.S. pressure to abstain. The Games were transformed into a carefully orchestrated ideological spectacle. …

Building The Housing Justice Pipeline: Law Schools’ Role In The Right To Counsel Movement, Erica Braudy, Andrew Scherer, Thomas Honan, Tuhfa Begum ’23

Articles & Chapters

No abstract provided.

Dignity And Deepfakes, Michael Goodyear

Articles & Chapters

Today, we face a dangerous technosocial combination: AI-generated deepfakes and the Internet. Believable and accessible, these deepfakes have already spread sex, lies, and false advertisements across the Internet and targeted everyone from Taylor Swift to middle school students. Dissemination of deepfakes inflicts multifarious dignitary harms against their victims—especially women and LGBTQ+ persons—stripping them of control over their own identities, harming their reputations, and ostracizing them from society through shame.

Yet this is not the first time a new technology for capturing one’s likeness and a method for disseminating images threatened individuals’ dignity. In the late nineteenth century, the right of …

Common Law Notice-And-Takedown, Michael Goodyear

Articles & Chapters

Platform liability is a complex landscape under U.S. law. The immunity for users’ torts provided by Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act has understandably garnered the most attention. In addition, many intellectual property law scholars have also examined the requirements of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (“DMCA”), which provides safe harbors for users’ copyright infringements. The DMCA enumerates a long series of requirements that online platforms must satisfy to be immunized for their users’ infringements, including a notice-and-takedown regime, a repeat infringer policy, and a prohibition on having the right and ability to control and a direct financial benefit. …

The Validity, Reliability And Clinical Utility Of The Alternative Dsm-5 Model For Personality Disorders (Ampd) According To Dsm-5 Revision Criteria, Carla Sharp, Lee Anna Clark, Kennedy M. Balzen, Tom Widiger, Stephanie Stepp, Mark Zimmerman, Robert F. Krueger

Psychology Faculty Publications

A substantial body of empirical evidence has accumulated over the last 12 years since the publication of the Alternative Model for Personality Disorders (AMPD) in the DSM-5. As yet, this evidence has not been organized and reported using the criteria required by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) for proposals submitted to revise the DSM-5. These criteria are based on the Kendler-Kupfer update and expansion of the classic Robins-Guze criteria for establishing psychiatric diagnostic validity. We have been invited by the APA to undertake a review of the last decade of research on the AMPD and to propose a revised, simplified …

Use Of Modified Z-Domain Peptides To Specifically Label The Constant Region Of Immunoglobulin G And Vegf, Madeline Allen

Department of Chemistry: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Antibodies are increasingly being used in medicinal therapies due to their ability to specifically bind to a target antigen. This fundamental behavior of antibodies has been used as a key component in drug development to address common problems with traditional drug molecules such as off-targeting, fast drug clearance, and low efficacy. This thesis provides some background into how antibodies can be used as potential treatments for a few diseases. Chapter 1 begins with an overview of the human immune system, and the role antibodies play within it. Then, the variety of ways in which antibodies can be used as medicinal …

Ge0.95sn0.05 On Si Avalanche Photodiode With Spectral Response Cutoff At 2.14 Μm, Justin Michael Rudie, Xiaoxin Wang, Rajesh Kumar, Grey Abernathy, Sylvester Amoah, Steven Akwabli, Hryhorii Stanchu, Perry C. Grant, Bao-Hua Li, Wei Du, Jifeng Liu, Shui-Qing Yu

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

GeSn-based avalanche photodiode operating in shortwave infrared wavelength was demonstrated in this work. A separate absorption and charge multiplication structure was employed to take advantage of long wavelength absorption in GeSn and low impact ionization ratio of Si. Due to lattice mismatch between Si and GeSn that would degrade GeSn material quality if with direct growth, a 240-nm-thick Ge buffer was utilized, which simultaneously allows for the transporting photo generated electrons from the GeSn absorber to Si multiplication layer. Spectral response showed the cutoff wavelength beyond 2.1 mu m at room temperature. Dark current and capacitance-voltage measurements indicated a punch-through …

The Adventures Of Pip! The Culex Pipiens: An Educational Mosquito Comic Book For Kids, Victoria Garziano

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

“The Adventures of Pip! The Culex pipiens” is an educational comic book series designed to engage a younger audience (4th grade – 5th grade) while introducing them to key topics related to mosquitoes. Although mosquitoes are often viewed solely as a nuisance, they are also fascinating creatures. A better understanding of their life cycle and behavior can improve our ability to manage them effectively. Early education on these topics can raise long-term awareness and behaviors that continue into adulthood. This comic book series offers an accessible and enjoyable format for a science lesson and can be effectively integrated into a …

Society Of Tennessee Archivists Annual Meeting Program, 2025, Society Of Tennessee Archivists, Christopher Ryland, David R. Sowell, Carol Roberts, Brigitte Billeaudeaux, Lori Lockhart, Jill E. Anderson, Dusty Bryan, Zachary Johnson, Heath Overton, Janine Winfree

Society of Tennessee Archivists Annual Meeting programs

Program of the Annual Meeting of the Society of Tennessee Archivists held in Nashville, Tennessee on 2025 October 16-17.