Digital Commons Network^™

Tlr4 Asp299gly Snp (Rs4986790) Protects From Periodontal Inflammatory Destruction By Altering Tlr4 Susceptibility To Lps Stimulation, Franco Cavalla, Cláudia Cristina Biguetti, Ariadne Letra, Renato Silva, Alexandre R. Vieira, Franz J. Strauss, Gustavo P. Garlet

School of Podiatric Medicine Publications

Simple Summary

Periodontitis is a common disease that affects the gums and the bone supporting the teeth, often leading to tooth loss. It results from a complex interaction between bacteria and the body’s immune response. Some people are more susceptible than others, and genetics may play a role. In this study, we focused on a genetic variation (called a polymorphism) in a gene known as TLR4, which helps the immune system recognize harmful bacteria. We examined over 1400 individuals from different populations and found that people carrying this specific variation, known as Asp299Gly, were less likely to develop severe periodontal …

Black Men And Health Literacy: Strategies For Improvement In A Digital Age Through The Adaptation Of A Chronic Disease Self-Management Program, Evelina Weidman Sterling, Laura Stevens, Vanessa Robinson-Dooley, Tyler Collette

Faculty Articles

Health literacy is a critical determinant of health outcomes, yet it is often overlooked, particularly among marginalized groups. This paper explores the significance of health literacy, with a particular focus on low-income African American and Black (AA/B) men, a population that faces unique challenges due to intersecting factors such as race, gender, socioeconomic status, and educational disparities. We examine how these factors contribute to health literacy gaps, highlighting adverse effects on health outcomes for AA/B men compared to the general population. Additionally, we stress the growing importance of digital literacy in an increasingly technology-driven world. Not actively addressing digital health …

Bold New Bioweapons: Part 1 — The Burdens Of Detection And Attribution, James Giordano

Strategic Insights

This commentary, Pt. 1 of the Bold New Bioweapons series, examines how advances in gene editing, synthetic biology, and artificial intelligence are reshaping the biological weapons threat landscape and challenging the effectiveness of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC). Dr. Giordano argues that decentralized research ecosystems, AI-enabled pathogen design, and dual-use biotechnology complicate detection, attribution, and deterrence. Emerging techniques can produce synthetic or modified biological agents that evade traditional surveillance systems and blur distinctions between legitimate research and weaponization. The absence of clear adjudication mechanisms within the BWC creates governance gaps exploitable by state and non-state actors. The article emphasizes that …

Exploring Reciprocal Determinism, Behavior Capability, Observational Learning, And Self-Efficacy On Protective Behaviors For African American Millennial Women With Cardiovascular Disease And Depression, Ja’Sent Angelic Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cardiovascular disease plays a significant role in the number of death and disabilities around the world. While there have been marginal gains in positive health outcomes for women who suffer from cardiovascular disease, African American women continue to fall behind compared to their White counterparts. There is a comorbidity of cardiovascular disease and depression in older African American women. The purpose of this qualitative study was to gain an in-depth understanding of how the comorbidity of cardiovascular disease and depression uniquely present in young African American women, how these two diseases influence cardiovascular health protective factors, and how components of …

Parents’ Experiences With Their Child’S Psychotherapy And Mental Illness, Valerie Marsman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Low parental engagement—especially among fathers and ethnic minority groups like Latinx parents—in child psychotherapy increases the risk of treatment dropout, behavioral issues, and poorer outcomes, contributing to persistent disparities. More research was needed on perceptual barriers and facilitators to parental engagement such as attitudes, beliefs, and expectations. The purpose of this study was to gain an in-depth understanding of parents’ experiences with their child’s psychotherapy and mental illness to facilitate parental engagement in services that support the child. An interpretative phenomenological approach and multiperspectival focus group design were used to illuminate each participant’s voice and explore overarching themes. Hill’s theory …

Monitoring The Kinetic Evolution Of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Differentiation Using Raman Microspectroscopy, Francesca Ravera, Esen Efeoglu, Hugh J Byrne

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Raman microspectroscopy (RMS) offers a powerful, non-destructive approach for in situ monitoring of dynamic biochemical processes within cells. However, the ability to reliably data-mine the spectroscopic signatures and their evolution and extract meaningful information can be challenging. Multivariate Curve Resolution-Alternating Least Squares (MCR-ALS) regression analysis is a powerful chemometric technique that can potentially address this challenge by deconvoluting the spectra into individual component spectra, each representing a specific biochemical species, and regressing the solutions against kinetic constraints. In this study, MCR-ALS analysis was performed on spectral data of differentiation process of mesenchymal stem cells into chondrocytes, carried out on two …

Fundamental Exploration Of Soot Formation And Morphology From A Molecular Modeling Perspective, Khaled Mosharraf Mukut

Dissertations (1934 -)

Soot formation remains one of the least understood phenomena in combustion science, posing significant challenges due to its complex physicochemical nature and considerable environmental and health impacts. This dissertation presents a comprehensive molecular-level investigation into the fundamental mechanisms governing soot inception, particle growth, and morphological evolution through state-of-the-art reactive molecular dynamics (RMD) simulations of acetylene pyrolysis. A novel computational analysis utility, Molecular Arrangement and Fringe Identification and Analysis from Molecular Dynamics (MAFIA-MD), was developed to accurately characterize soot particle formation, providing detailed insights into chemical composition, internal structure, and surface characteristics. Critical physicochemical markers defining the boundary between gas-phase species …

What Happened To The Creative In The Creative Curriculum?, Lacey Peters, Mark K. Nagasawa, Maria Mavrides Calderon, Abigail Kerlin, Helen Frazier, Beth Ferholt, Erica Clarke Yardy, Margie Brickley, Alisa Algava

Straus Institute for Thriving Children & Families

This empirically-grounded commentary questions the basis for New York City Public Schools’ (NYCPS) adoption of the Teaching Strategies products—the Creative Curriculum (CC) and Teaching Strategies GOLD—as the mandated curriculum and assessment systems for early childhood education (ECE) programs administered by the New York City Public Schools. In an analysis shaped by our hybrid positionalities as early childhood educators, parents, policy makers, and researchers, we argue that this decision is a local case of neoliberalism’s simultaneous narrowing of educational quality and a transfer of public funding into private hands under the guise of the free market. Our commentary, …

Towards Sustainable Community-Designed Ai Systems In The Public Sector, Victoria Chui, Kelly Mcconvey, Erina Seh-Young Moon, Maya Ghai, Shion Guha

Health Services and Informatics Research

Advancements in data-driven modeling and artificial intelligence applications in public sector settings can lead to increased ten sions between stakeholder needs and tangible model capabilities from developers. Engaging multiple stakeholder groups in model development through the gleaning of sociotechnical, theoretical in sights using qualitative methods can contribute to more impactful, beneficial model solutions. Qualitative methods can complement quantitative model development, emphasizing stakeholder priori ties, informing model design choices, and promoting sustainable connections and model longevity. We are excited to discuss human centered qualitative methods, sustainable modeling practices, and community engagement in this workshop, engaging with scholars on system-level modeling strategies.

Resilient Safe Control Of Autonomous Systems, Hongchao Zhang

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics famously outlined fundamental safety principles governing human-robot interaction. This foundational concept of safety is paramount for today's autonomous systems, such as robots, which possess inherent cyber-physical properties. With the increasingly widespread application of autonomous systems in real-world environments, the challenges facing research on formal safety verification have grown even more significant. However, end-to-end verification of such complex, integrated systems remains an open and formidable challenge due to their high dimensionality, nonlinearity, and the use of learning-based components. This thesis approaches this challenge by pursuing verifiably safe autonomy from two complementary directions: (i) safe control of …

Dosimetric Comparisons For Determining Optimal Arc Geometry In Multi Target Thoracic Vmat Sbrt Treatment Plans For Patients With Locally Advanced Inoperable Nsclc, Alexandrea M. Reeves

Masters Projects

Non-coplanar beam arrangements have been used for many years in radiation treatment planning. Their use has been known to show an increase in target conformity and gradient index. However, by using non-coplanar beam arrangements, the treatment planning time as well as the treatment delivery time can increase. Despite the increase in treatment planning and delivery complexity and time, previous studies have shown a decrease in OAR doses resulting in a desire to use non-coplanar beams. Previous studies have looked at various body sites and target locations, though no research has been found specifically studying non-coplanar beam arrangement in multi-target treatment …

Kenyan Perspectives Of Trauma: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study On The Lived Experiences Of Helping Professionals, Megan Flinn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This research addresses the critical gap in counseling literature regarding multicultural and trauma-informed training, particularly relevant given Kenya’s documented trauma and limited mental health resources, highlighting the need for incorporating lived experiences into research to equip counselors for increasingly globalized practice. The present hermeneutic phenomenological study aims to fill a gap in the literature by exploring the lived experiences of Kenyan helping professionals as they care for survivors of trauma in their country of origin. A previous data set was used, consisting of interviews from four Kenyan helping professionals in 2019, all whom worked actively with survivors of trauma at …

Mythopoeic Society Digital Downloads Surpass One Million Downloads Since 2017, Phillip Fitzsimmons

Faculty Articles & Research

In less than eight years, the Mythopoeic Society’s publications have been downloaded more than one million times by readers from around the world. What started as fan-produced lithographs in southern California a few decades ago is now a highly respected print and digital collection of scholarly and artistic works.

A Multi-Proxy Reconstruction Of Environmental Conditions During Termination 1 In Central New Hampshire, Anne Hannah Randall

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

The collapse of the Northern Hemisphere ice sheets subsequent to the Last Glacial Maximum (~26-19 ka) marked one of the largest natural climate change events in recent time. In response to global warming, the Laurentide Ice Sheet (LIS), the ice sheet that covered much of northern North America, receded almost completely during a time known as “Termination 1” (~19-11 ka). The climate changes during this time also caused significant changes in landscape morphology, ecology, and the lifeways of indigenous peoples. This project characterizes the timing of deglaciation and major post-glacial landscape changes across New Hampshire using lake sediment cores. I …

An Effective Whistleblowing System Model For Regional Inspectorates: A Qualitative Study In Fraud Prevention, Asep Muhyidin, Farah Latifah Nurfauziah, Sri Suharti

Journal of Accounting Auditing and Business

Abstract: This study examines the effectiveness of the Whistleblowing System (WBS) in fraud prevention at the Government Inspectorate of Garut Regency, Indonesia. Using a qualitative approach and thematic analysis with NVivo, the research identifies key factors influencing WBS success, including structural, operational, and human resource aspects. Findings indicate that WBS significantly enhances transparency and accountability through accessible reporting mechanisms, whistleblower protection, and investigative follow-up. Critical determinants of effectiveness include: (1) technological support for whistleblower anonymity, (2) personnel competence in handling reports, and (3) compliance with Regulation of the Garut Regent No. 50 of 2020 on WBS implementation guidelines. Thematic nodes …

A Comprehensive Deep Learning System With Mgrf Modeling For Predicting Breast Cancer Response To Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy, Ahmed Sharafeldeen, Fatma Taher, Norah Saleh Alghamdi, Eman Alnaghy, Reham Alghandour, Khadiga M. Ali, Sameh Shamaa, Abdelrahman Gamal, Mohammed Ghazal, Sohail Contractor, Ayman El-Baz

All Works

Accurate prediction of breast cancer (BC) response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is critical for tailoring treatment strategies and improving patient outcomes. This study introduces a novel deep learning-based framework that integrates multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (i.e., T1, T2, STIR, and DWI), along with clinical and molecular subtype markers, to classify tumor response into pathological complete response (pCR), partial response (PR), and stable disease (SD). First, tumor regions are delineated across MRI modalities and then modeled using a translation-invariant Markov-Gibbs random field (MGRF) with analytical parameter estimation to capture modality-specific spatial appearance patterns correlated with NAC response. Subsequently, diffusion-weighted MRI …

Effect Of Instructional Guidelines On The Parents’ Care Of Neonates With Neural Tube Defects, Asmaa Khamis, Safaa Salah Ismail, Hayam Tanatwy

Nursing

Abstract Background Neural tube defects (NTDs) represent the most common congenital anomalies of the central nervous system in pediatric populations, posing significant challenges for both neonatal care and parental wellbeing. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of instructional guidelines on improving parental care practices for neonates with NTDs. Methods A quasi-experimental design was employed at the neonatal intensive care unit and Neurological Department of the Children's Hospital affiliated with Ain Shams University, and at Helwan General Hospital. A convenience sample of 40 parents of neonates diagnosed with NTDs participated. Data were collected over a complete 12 years using three …

Three-Stage Latent Dynamics Forecasting (T-Ldf) Framework For Shenzhen Metro Passenger Flow Prediction, Tianze Zhang

Lingnan Theses (MPhil & PhD)

Accurate forecasting of metro passenger flow is vital for efficient urban transportation management and optimal resource allocation in modern cities. Traditional ARIMA-based models effectively capture regular, cyclical patterns but struggle with sudden, nonlinear fluctuations caused by random events such as weather disruptions, special events, or service interruptions. Moreover, existing research predominantly focuses on individual stations, overlooking the complex cross-station interactions inherent in networked metro systems where passenger flows are interconnected across the entire network.

To address these critical limitations, we propose the Three-Stage Latent Dynamics Forecasting (T-LDF) Framework, a novel approach that systematically integrates temporal decomposition, latent dynamics extraction, and …

We Are Tectonic! A Queer Geophysics For Intra-Solidarities And Resisting The Cloud Regime, Helen Pritchard, Femke Snelting, Seda Gürses, Jara Rocha, Miriyam Aouragh

School of Art, Design and Architecture

This paper analyses how Big Tech and global consultancy firms are asserting control over carbon removal certification and governance through infrastructure solutions and technical standards. We argue that defining gaps in the underground constitutes a global takeover of material sovereignty, encompassing both knowledge and geological formations. We unearth Big Tech’s strategies of infra-solutionism to demonstrate, drawing on the work of inhuman geographer Kathryn Yusoff, how this takeover reinforces geological grammars and essentialises racialised and sexualised categories that disconnect us from the Earth. Drawing on queer poetry together with work of Marxist agronomist Amílcal Cabral we advocate for resistance to dominant …

Trusted Professional Multi-Agency Transitions For Young People Facing Multiple Disadvantage – Learning From Co-Production By A Third Sector Partner In The Plymouth Alliance, Uk, Gemma Doyle, Sean Mitchell, Sue Hawley, Katy Krysiak, Felix Gradinger

Peninsula Medical School

Introduction: This case study provides practice-based reflections on challenges and potential solutions for young people with multiple disadvantages across housing, substance misuse, mental health, criminal justice, and domestic abuse systems, informed by 4 local principles: trauma informed, learning based, an alliance commissioning ethos, and workforce development.Description: To improve the current experiences of 17–25-year-olds in service transition iterative insights drew from networking staff across sectors, clinical audit and following live cases, and appreciative enquiries with young people. This was conducted by a practitioner researcher in a local Young Person’s charity and was supported by peer researchers with lived experience and embedded …

Creative Processes In Visual Arts In Education: A Conceptual Framework, Enock Swanzy-Impraim

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The diversity and uniqueness of individuals and the multifaceted nature of creativity necessitate new models in various domains. This study reviewed previous studies and models of the creative process and presented a combined model (Swanzy-Impraim panoramic creative process model) of the creative process applicable to the visual arts in education and other artist-expressive domains. It positions the creative process in seven phases: (1) immersion, (2) problem/task identification, (3) ideation, (4) production, (5) outcome, (6) evaluation, and (7) responses. This conceptual paper explores creativity as a concept and its significance in the artists’ expressive domain, reviews and maps creative process models, …

When Culture Becomes Law: Mayan Heritage And The New Constitutional Recognition Of Collective Rights In Mexico, José Israel Herrera, Victor Manuel Colli Ek

Journal of Maya Heritage

Abstract. The constitutional reform of September 30, 2024 to article 2 marks a substantive change in the recognition of indigenous peoples as subjects of public law, with their own patrimony, valid normative systems and express right to conserve, protect and develop their cultural, material and immaterial heritage. This article analyzes the legal implications of this reform in the context of the Maya people, especially with regard to collective intellectual property, the right to prior consultation and the constitutional recognition of bioculturality. A critical reading of the new normative framework is proposed, with emphasis on its transformative potential for the territorial …

Spartanburg County School Integration Project: Cynthia Godfrey Interview, Cynthia Godfrey, Clayton Whisnant, Dallas Green, Wade Toth

Oral History Interviews

Spartanburg County School Integration Project

Narrator: Cynthia Godfrey (CG)

Interviewers: Dr. Clayton Whisnant (CW)

Dallas Green (DG) and Wade Toth (WT)

at Wofford College

July 10, 2025

Enhancing Medication Communication In The Acute Care Setting To Strengthen Patient Comprehension And Retention, Ashleigh C. Christensen

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: Research has shown that breakdowns in communication, especially in the context of medication education, play a critical role in the delivery of safe and effective patient care. These findings underscore the need to prioritize effective communication in medication education. In the acute care setting, effective communication is essential for ensuring patient safety, adherence, and improved patient-centered outcomes.

PICOT: In clinical staff providing direct patient care in the acute care setting (P), does the implementation of the evidence-based teach-back method (I), as compared to current practice (C), improve patient knowledge, understanding, and self-management upon discharge (O), over ten weeks …

A Model Intercomparison Study Of Aerosol-Cloud-Turbulence Interactions In A Cloud Chamber: 1. Model Results, Sisi Chen, Steven K. Krueger, Piotr Dziekan, Kotaro Enokido, Theodore Macmillan, David Richter, Silvio Schmalfuß, Shin Ichiro Shima, Fan Yang, Jesse C. Anderson, Will Cantrell, Dennis Niedermeier, Raymond Shaw, Frank Stratmann

Michigan Tech Publications

This study presents the first model intercomparison of aerosol-cloud-turbulence interactions in a controlled cloudy Rayleigh-Bénard Convection chamber environment, utilizing the Pi Chamber at Michigan Technological University. We analyzed simulated cloud chamber-averaged statistics of microphysics and thermodynamics in a warm-phase, cloudy environment under steady-state conditions at varying aerosol injection rates. Simulation results from seven distinct models (DNS, LES, and a 1D turbulence model) were compared. Our findings demonstrate that while all models qualitatively capture observed trends in droplet number concentration, mean radius, and droplet size distributions at both high and low aerosol injection rates, significant quantitative differences were observed. Notably, droplet …

Pharmacogenetic Exploration Of Burenorphine And Related Metabolites In Umbilical Cord Blood, Amelia Monfared, Derek E. Murrell, Darshan S. Shah, Melissa Hoang, Stacy D. Brown, Sam Harirforoosh

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

The goal of this study was to explore associations between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and umbilical cord blood concentrations of buprenorphine and its metabolites following maternal administration. This is a sub-study of a prospective observational cohort investigation which included pregnant women receiving buprenorphine for opioid use disorder during pregnancy. Following delivery, umbilical cord blood samples were collected and genotyped using a pharmacogenetic panel. The drug and metabolite concentrations were analyzed through liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and genetic association analysis was completed using PLINK software. The included neonates (n = 14) had a mean birth weight of 3.00 ± 0.39 kg and were …

Investing In Change: Understanding The Motivations And Impact Of Young Black Alumni Donors To Pwis In The South, Evante C. Topp

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Researchers have historically overlooked Black philanthropy in higher education discourse, particularly in relation to predominantly White institutions (PWIs). This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences, motivations, and giving behaviors of young Black alumni who donate to PWIs in the American South. Using critical race theory (CRT) and the philanthropic mirroring model as guiding frameworks, in this study I examined the intersections of racial identity, institutional engagement, and alumni giving

Through in-depth interviews with twelve participants aged 30–40, five key themes emerged: (1) undergraduate experiences as a catalyst for philanthropy, (2) philanthropy as both a monetary investment and a demand for …

Community And School Programs, Policies And Environments Related To Child Dietary Intake:The Healthy Communities Study, Gail Woodward-Lopez, Alexander C. Mclain, Edward A. Frongillo Jr., Natalie Colabianchi, Vicki Collie-Akers, Lorrene D. Ritchie

Faculty Publications

Background

To reverse the epidemic of unhealthy eating and related chronic disease in the United States, intervening early in life is essential.

Objective

Identify features of community- and school-based programmes, policies and environments related to child intake of fruits and vegetables (FV) and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB).

Methods

Dietary intake of children 4–15 years old (n = 5138) from elementary and middle schools in 130 US communities was collected by survey (of parent and/or child) in 2013–2015. Features of community programs and policies (CPPs) and school environments were collected by staff surveys, direct observation, key informant interviews, and/or document review. …

Responding To The Needs Of Dementia Care Partners: Recommendations For Policy Change At The State And Federal Levels., Walter D. Dawson, Jenn Reed, Allison Lindauer, Sherril B. Gelmon

Institute on Aging Publications

The need to optimize supports of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) care partners through policy innovation is high. This study sought to frame the care and support needs of multiple historically underrepresented populations who may be underserved and/or have difficulty accessing culturally specific services and determine specific policies that may reduce ADRD care partner burden and improve wellbeing. Qualitative data were gathered through interviews ( = 24) with leaders of organizations that support people living with ADRD and focus groups ( = 5) with dementia care partners from four communities historically underserved in the United States (Asian, Black, Indigenous, …

Academic Stress Among Jss High School Students In Mysuru And Chamarajanagar Districts: A Cross-Sectional Study, Lathika R, Dr Sunil Kumar D, Krishnamurthy K V, Dr Rakshitha J

Digital Journal of Clinical Medicine

Background

In today's world, students face academic stress which leading to anxiety, poor performance in academics and many other issues like nervousness, panic attacks and depression mainly derived from grades, parental pressure, and competition between the students. With the above background study aims to estimate the prevalence and assess the associated factors of academic stress among high school adolescents.

Method

A cross-sectional study was conducted to explore the academic stress among JSS high school students of Mysuru and Chamarajanagar districts. A total of 379 were selected through Probability proportional to size (PPS) sampling. Structured questionnaire was used to assess the …