Digital Commons Network^™

Mitigating Melanin-Induced Bias In Pulse Oximetry: Optical, Algorithmic, Engineering, Hardware And Modeling Tools, Mckenzie Bradley, Sydnee Barrett, Ty Mckelvey, Jeremiah Carpenter, Delphine Dean

Publications

Melanin, the primary determinant of skin pigmentation, absorbs light at wavelengths that can have significant impact on the accuracy of pulse oximetry and other optical biosensing methods. This narrative review examines key factors influencing melanin-dependent pulse oximetry inaccuracies, including optical interference in transmission and reflectance modes. These inaccuracies further highlight the need for use of standardized skin tone metrics in device testing and design such as the Monk Skin Tone scale and Individual Typology Angle for performance stratification. There are several approaches in development that hope to address the errors in pulse oximetry measurements on melanin-rich skin. These include algorithmic …

Single Nuclei Transcriptomics Reveals Cellular Diversity In Tsc Subependymal Giant Cell Astrocytomas, Jennie C. Holmberg, Vijay Shankar, Rachel A. Lyman, Trudy F.C. Mackay, David M. Feliciano

Publications

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a genetic disorder characterized by benign growths called hamartomas that are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Hamartomas are found along the neurocutaneous axis including along the brain’s ventricles near the boundaries of the striatum. They can be categorized by size and include small subependymal nodules (SENs) or larger subependymal giant cell astrocytomas (SEGAs). Here, we describe a quantitative analysis of SEGA cell identities based on single nuclei RNA sequencing. SEGAs contain several cell types. In contrast to unaffected samples, SEGAs have pronounced vasculature, more endothelial cells, increased perivascular macrophages, less myelination, and altered …

Epidemiology And Microbiology Of Admission Surveillance Nasal Swabs In A Level Iv Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (Nicu) And Their Association With Subsequent Infections ​, Kedar Tilak, Neena Kanwar, Rangaraj Selvarangan, Venkatesh Sampath

Posters

Background Newborns, especially preterm infants, are highly susceptible to sepsis, a major cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Known risk factors include prematurity, low birth weight, prolonged NICU stay, and use of central venous catheters. The link between early nasal colonization (within the first week of life) and later infections is unclear. Although many NICUs screen for Staphylococcus aureus using nasal swabs, the predictive value of early colonization by other Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria is not well understood. In our NICU, admission nasal swabs were sent for aerobic cultures to detect these organisms, highlighting the need for further research into …

Pursuit Of A Full Night's Sleep, Kennison Adams, Andrew Donaldson, Brian S. Harvey

Posters

This project was a literature review and reflection upon the importance of having an osteoid osteoma on the differential for adolescent hip pain. The primary objective highlighted key attributes of this pathology and instructed readers to be vigilant in their assessment so that quicker diagnosis, management, and return to sport could occur.

Integrated Systems Biology Identifies Disruptions In Mitochondrial Function And Metabolism As Key Contributors To Hfpef, Andrew A. Gibb, Kyle Lapenna, Ryan B. Gaspar, Nadina R. Latchman, Yinfei Tan, Carmen Choya-Foces, Jake E. Doiron, Zhen Li, Huijing Xia, Michael P. Lazaropoulos, Mariell Conwell, Thomas E. Sharp, Traci T. Goodchild, David J. Lefer, John W. Elrod

School of Graduate Studies Faculty Publications

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) accounts for ∼50% of HF cases. The ZSF1-obese rat model recapitulates clinical features of HFpEF including hypertension, obesity, metabolic syndrome, exercise intolerance, and diastolic dysfunction. We utilized a systems-biology approach to define the metabolic and transcriptional signatures to gain mechanistic insight into pathways contributing to HFpEF development. Male ZSF1-obese, ZSF1-lean hypertensive controls, and WKY (wild-type) controls were compared at 14 weeks of age for extensive physiological phenotyping and left ventricle (LV) tissue harvesting for unbiased-metabolomics, RNA-sequencing, and mitochondrial morphology and function. Utilizing ZSF1-lean and WKY controls enabled a distinction between hypertension-driven molecular changes …

Development Of A Geography Supplementary Book Based On The Environmental Education Approach Using An Encyclopedic Model, Badrizal Al Hazar, Muhammad Zulfi Al'ghani, Iskandar Iskandar, Fitri Handayani, Ease Arent

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

Research and development that has been carried out by researchers has the aim of producing supplement books with encyclopedia patterns in cultural diversity material and knowing the effectiveness of supplement books with encyclopedia patterns using the EE (Environmental Education) approach. The process of developing teaching materials uses the Borg & Gall model and the implementation of teaching material supplements with encyclopedias using the EE approach with a form of trial or teaching using Serial Position Effect. Based on experiments carried out to validators, the value of Indonesian language validators was 78.3%, material experts by lecturers 90.53%, material experts by teachers …

Probabilistic Modeling, Learnability And Uncertainty Estimation For Interaction Prediction In Movie Rating Datasets, Jennifer Poernomo, Nicole Gabrielle Lee Tan, Rodrigo Alves, Antoine Ledent

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

In this paper, we examine the hypothesis that the interactions recorded in many Recommendation Systems datasets are distributed according to a low-rank distribution, i.e. a mixture of factorizable distributions. Surprisingly, we find that on several popular datasets, a simple non-negative matrix factorization method equals or outperforms more modern methods such as LightGCN, which indicates that the sampling distribution over interactions is indeed low-rank. Furthermore, we mathematically prove that low-rank distributions are learnable with a sparse number of observations (where m/n and r refer to the number of users/items and the non-negative rank respectively) both in terms of the total variation …

Managing Rumors On Electronic Interaction Platforms: How Management Responses Affect Investor Reaction, Runyu Wang, Zili Zhang, Keng Siau, Ziqiong Zhang

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

This study investigates how listed firms respond to investors’ rumor-related inquiries and examines the impact of these responses on investor reactions, as indicated by subsequent daily abnormal stock returns (ARs). Using a unique dataset of question-and-answer (Q&A) interactions from China’s major e-interaction platforms, established by the stock exchanges, our study provides insights into regulated firm-investor communications in a structured Q&A setting. Unlike informal social media channels, these platforms enable official responses from firm representatives, typically board secretaries, under direct regulatory oversight. By analyzing rumor-related Q&A pairs with regression models and several robustness checks, we find that firms can benefit from …

In This Issueoriginal Articles

Saudi Medical Journal

No abstract provided.

A Systematic Review Of Physical Therapy Rehabilitation For Stroke Survivors In Arab Countries And Saudi Arabia: Current Approaches And Future Challenges, Abdullah I. Alhusayni, Abdullah H. Alzahrani

Saudi Medical Journal

ABSTRACT Objectives: To systematically review physical therapy interventions for stroke survivors in Arab countries and summarize the clinical and demographic characteristics, types and intensities of interventions, outcomes assessed, and adverse events. Methods: We conducted a systematic search of Google Scholar, ISI web of science, Scopus, Medline/PubMed, and ProQuest databasesfrom inception to 2025. Studies were eligible if they evaluated physical therapy interventions for stroke rehabilitation in Arab countries and reported clinical outcomes. We included randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, and case-control studies. Study selection followed PRISMA guidelines. Results: Five studies met the inclusion criteria. Interventions included neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES), radial …

Trends In Genitourinary Tumors: Academic Center Experience Over 16 Years, Samah N. Saharti, Fawaz M. Almutairi

Saudi Medical Journal

ABSTRACT Objectives: To analyze the trends, histopathological characteristics, and demographic distribution of genitourinary (GU) tumors at a major academic center in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, over a 16-year period (2007–2023). Methods: A retrospective review of electronic medical records was conducted, including all histologically confirmed cases of GU tumors. Data on patient demographics, tumor type, and histopathological findings were extracted and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods. Results: A total of 1,791 GU tumor cases were identified. Bladder cancer was the most prevalent (42%), followed by prostate cancer (21%) and renal cell carcinoma (21%). Testicular and ureteral tumors were less common, …

Cervical Cancer Risk And High-Risk Hpv Types Distribution In Saudi Arabia: Trends From A National Laboratory-Based Study, Hamsa J. Banjer, Hossam H. Tayeb, Khalid J. Alzahrani, Salha M. Alsufiani, Jamal M. Alrowaihi

Saudi Medical Journal

ABSTRACT Objectives: To examine the distribution of human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes, regional trends, and cytological abnormalities in Saudi Arabia. The findings aim to inform effective cervical cancer prevention strategies. High-risk HPV infections is the leading cause of cervical cancer. Methods: A retrospective, national laboratory-based study was conducted between 2016 and 2024, analyzing 9,096 medical records. Of these patients, 6,005 underwent co-testing of HPV DNA and cytology-based screening, and 3,091 underwent only cytology-based screening. The HPV genotype distribution, temporal trends, and geographic variations were evaluated. Results: The HPV positivity rate was 13.84%, with HPV-16 accounting for 25.11% and HPV-18 for 7.55% …

Unmasking Iron Deficiency And Iron Deficiency Anemia In Saudi Arabia: Data From A Large Private Sector Lab, Osman O. Radhwi, Omar M. Raslan, Eman M. Mansory

Saudi Medical Journal

ABSTRACT Objectives: This study investigates the prevalence of iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in Saudi Arabia, analyzing variations by gender, age, and geographical region. Methods: An observational, cross-sectional analysis was conducted from January 2014 to February 2024 using data from Al Borg laboratories, including ferritin levels, demographics, and routine hematological results. Results: The study included 420,956 individuals, with 73% being female and 94% over 15 years old. The IDA was found in 19.8% of patients, Non-Anemic Iron Deficiency (NAID) in 23.7%, and other anemias in 9.6%. Females represented 93% of those with IDA and NAID. All patients under 12 were anemic, …

Prevalence Of Anxiety And Depression Among Female Patients Awaiting Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosis In A Saudi Arabian Tertiary Hospital, Amani S. Alotaibi, Nouf A. Alshamlan, Lujain A. Alsubki, Lina O. Altuwaigri, Sara A. Awan, Dania Farooq, Biam A. Saydo, Hania F. Farhan, Lara M. Samhan, Laiba M. Yaseen, Khalid A. Awartani

Saudi Medical Journal

ABSTRACT Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms in females awaiting preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) as well as investigate their associated factors. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 289 female patients awaiting PGD at a large tertiary hospital in Saudi Arabia. A structured questionnaire was used to collect information on patient characteristics, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and data on PGD. Independent factors associated with anxiety and depression were identified using multivariable analysis. Results: The prevalence of anxiety was 13.5% and that of depressive symptoms was 12.1%. Odds of anxiety were higher among females with a Master’s …

Serum Levels Of Gdf-15, Betatrophin, Tnf-Α And Il-6 In Diabetic Patients With And Without Diabetic Complications, Ahmet Yılmaz, Tugce Kaymaz, Burkay Yakar, Mehtap Gömleksiz, Erhan Önalan, Mehmet F. Gürsu

Saudi Medical Journal

ABSTRACT Objectives: To investigate serum levels of growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15), inflammatory biomarkers, and betatrophin in individuals with diabetes mellitus, both with and without complications. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted involving patients with diabetes. Participants were categorized into 3 groups: Group 1 (30 healthy individuals without diabetes), Group 2 (30 diabetic patients without complications), and Group 3 (30 diabetic patients with complications). Blood samples were collected to assess standard biochemical parameters, as well as plasma concentrations of betatrophin, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and GDF-15. All serum biomarkers were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) techniques. Results: …

Clinical Outcomes Of Tetralogy Canal Repair: A Multidisciplinary Perspective, Mohamed H. Mashali, Gaser A. Abdelmohsen, Ahmed S. Baamer, Mohamed S. Elhudairy, Naif A. Alkhushi, Saud A. Bahaidarah, Mohamed H. Abdelsalam, Ahmed R. Elakaby, Khadijah A. Maghrabi, Ahmed S. Azhar, Zaher F. Zaher, Osman O. Al-Radi, Ahmed A. Jamjoom, Mohammad S. Shihata, Ahmed F. Elmahrouk, Ahmed M. Dohain, Faris A. Baamer, Samia A Bekheet

Saudi Medical Journal

ABSTRACT Objectives: To assess the surgical outcomes of atrioventricular septal defect associated with Tetralogy of Fallot (AVSD)-TOF repair performed at 2 specialized cardiac centers. Methods: From May 2012 to December 2024, 20 patients diagnosed with AVSD-TOF who underwent surgical repair were included. Results: The median age at the time of surgical repair was 13 months, with a median weight of 8.2 kg (IQR: 6.2–11.5 kg). Biventricular repair was successfully performed in 18 patients (90%), while one and half ventricular repair was required in 2 patients (10%). Before definitive repair, palliative procedures, including bidirectional Glenn shunts, were carried out in 2 …

Evaluation Of Systemic Immune Inflammation Index, Halp Score, Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio And Platelet-Lymphocyte Ratio In Pediatric Burned Patients, Gül Doğan, Hülya İpek, Mehmet Metin, Nurcan Çoşkun, Çağatay E. Afşarlar

Saudi Medical Journal

ABSTRACT Objectives: To evaluate whether there is any relationship between neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio(PLO), systemic immune -inflammation (SII) level and HALP score and the location of involvement, surface width, burn degree in pediatric burn patients to investigate the effect on prognosis. Methods: After obtaining institutional ethical committee approval, a retrospective analysis was conducted on 192 pediatric cases (under 18 years old) treated for burns in our hospital from December 2018 to December 2023. Hemoglobin, leukocyte, neutrophil, platelet and albumin levels. Simultaneously NLR, PLR, SII and HALP scores were calculated. Results: Post-hoc test results revealed that the NLR values in …

Cutting-Edge Research From The 2024 Middle East Rheumatology Conference (Mrc 2024) Of The Gulf Cooperation Council Association Of Immunology And Rheumatology (Gcc-Air), Ahmed S Zayat, Beena Hamid, Martin Lee, Fahdah Alokaily, Maryam Al Nisf, Mahmood Hachim, Hanan Al Reyes, Khalid Alnaqbi, Amal Hussain, Fiaz Alam, Ghida Al Dabi, Suad Hannawi

Saudi Medical Journal

No abstract provided.

Does A Culturally Tailored Quality Of Life Intervention Benefit Latina Breast Cancer Survivors And Caregivers?

Saudi Medical Journal

No abstract provided.

Malnutrition Rates Reach Alarming Levels In Gaza, Who Warns

Saudi Medical Journal

No abstract provided.

Borderplex Business Barometer, Volume 9, Number 9, Thomas M. Fullerton, Steven L. Fullerton, Robert Sandoval

Border Region Modeling Project

No abstract provided.

Rethinking General Appearance In Physical Examination: The C.H.R.I.S.T., Paul-Jer Chen, Fremen Chihchen Chou, Walter Chen

Journal of Medical Education

General appearance is the first step in physical examination and often the first clue to critical illness. However, this step is underemphasized in teaching and current medical record frequently uses vague and unstructured descriptions. With artificial intelligence advancing rapidly in history-taking and laboratory-testing interpretation, the irreplaceable value of this initial bedside observation must be reinforced. We developed a simple and memorable framework, the C.H.R.I.S.T., to guide medical students in making structured, high-yield observations during the initial physical examination. The acronym represents:
C – Coma or death check (consciousness, breathing, circulation);
H – Heart failure (orthopnea, edema, jugular venous distension);
R …

Fostering Humanism Through Nursing-History Tutorials, Te-Chuan Chen, Meng-Chih Lin, Pei-Yi Chou, Yi-Hui Li

Journal of Medical Education

Statement of the problem: This study designed an innovative nursing-humanities program to cultivate humanistic values, which, although overshadowed by routine clinical demands, are fundamental to nursing practice. Methods: A one-hour humanities tutorial was developed for nursing interns using the instructional design framework of analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation, incorporating principles from the self-determination theory. The program featured a curated history exhibition and guided tour. Data on participants’ perspectives were collected through pre- and post-tests, refl ective discussions, and feedback. A mixed-methods design was adopted, employing both quantitative and qualitative analyses. Results: A total of 230 participants completed the program. …

Design And Implementation Of An Interdisciplinary Course: “Communicable Disease Control And Prevention – Ethics And Laws”, Pei-Chun Chan, Chi-Tai Fang, Yu-Wei Hsieh

Journal of Medical Education

This interdisciplinary course, Communicable Disease Control and Prevention: Ethics and Laws, brings together medical, legal, and public health perspectives to examine the ethical and regulatory challenges of infectious disease governance. Through lectures, case analyses, debates, and simulated public hearings, students–primarily from law, public health, medicine and social science–engage with issues such as isolation, quarantine, vaccination responsibilities, communicable diseases-related stigma, and broader health inequalities. The curriculum emphasizes translating academic knowledge into public reasoning and advocacy, using diverse outputs including oral presentations, debates, and infographic-based policy proposals. By engaging with legal professionals, judges, and aff ected communities, students broaden their perspectives beyond …

Use Of Manga And Videos As Trigger Scenarios In Interprofessional Education For Undergraduate Medical And Nursing Students, Yukihiro Ike, Yoshiyuki Mitsui, Akiko Tanoue

Journal of Medical Education

Background: Interprofessional education (IPE) is being implemented in medical schools worldwide. Role-play, group discussion, and simulation have been among the educational methods reported, and the eff ects of each educational method have been examined. Objective: In IPE at the Faculty of Medicine and School of Nursing, we studied the use of manga and videos as trigger scenarios for group work. Methods: IPE involving manga and videos implemented in an online virtual setting. Participants filled out a questionnaire before and after IPE. Results: After IPE, students gave positive feedback about the use of manga and videos as teaching materials. Students seemed …

Boosting Symbolic Execution For Vulnerability Detection, Haoxin Tu

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Software systems written by humans tend to be unreliable and insecure, hence, bugs or vulnerabilities in them are inevitable. Symbolic execution has shown considerable potential in detecting diverse types of software bugs and also vulnerabilities that have severe security implications. However, existing symbolic execution engines still suffer from at least three fundamental limitations in memory modeling, path exploration, and structured input generation, which significantly impede existing engines from efficiently and effectively detecting software bugs and vulnerabilities.

The objective of this dissertation is to boost existing symbolic execution engines by designing a new memory model, two new path exploration strategies, and …

Memory-Efficient Graph Processing On Gpus: Reducing Intermediate Data Structure Overhead, Chang Ye

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

The increasing scale of real-world graphs in domains such as fraud detection, community detection, and biological analysis demands high-throughput, memory-efficient graph processing solutions. GPUs offer massive parallelism for accelerating such workloads, and numerous frameworks have been developed to leverage their computational power. These frameworks primarily focus on optimizing scheduling to better align graph processing with GPU architectures. It performs well for algorithms with low memory demands, such as BFS, SSSP, and PageRank. However, for algorithms that require substantial memory, such as label propagation, and subgraph counting, the limited memory capacity of GPUs often becomes a significant bottleneck.

This dissertation addresses …

Impact Of Aigc Application On E-Commerce: A Study In The Scenario Of Product Display And Recommendation, Ya Shen

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Artificial Intelligence Generated Content is widely expected to enhance efficiency and lower operation cost for e-commerce. This study aims to investigate on how AIGC technology would impact on the online shopping behavior and conversion rate, specifically in the scenario of product display and recommendations.

Experiment 1 is to evaluate which scenario would have better efficiency on e-commerce platforms when using AIGC. Using an A/B testing methodology, the effects of AIGC application were measured among key factors of six product display and recommendation scenario on Vipshop.com. Results show that AIGC application on model image has the greatest impact, increasing CTR by …

The Dual Impact Of Ict Use On Work Autonomy, Workload, Work Engagement, And Work-Family Conflict: Moderating Effects Of Perceived Organizational Support And Conscientiousness, Shenghui Han

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

This study investigates the dual impact of information and communication technology (ICT) use intensity on employee outcomes in the workplace, with a particular focus on work autonomy, workload, work engagement, and work–family conflict (WFC). Drawing upon the job demands-resources (JD-R) model and conservation of resources (COR) theory, I propose a dual-pathway framework in which ICT use intensity acts as both a job resource and a job demand. The study also examines the moderating roles of perceived organizational support (POS) and conscientiousness.

Data were collected from 414 full-time employees across six companies in China through a three-wave survey with two-week intervals …

Latinos In Massachusetts Selected Areas: Newton, Phillip Granberry, Florita Coto Tristán

Gastón Institute Publications

Established in 1989, the Massachusetts Legislature created the Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy in response to a need for an improved understanding of the Latino experience in the commonwealth. Now in its 34th year, the Gastón Institute continues its mission of informing the public and policymakers about issues vital to the state’s growing Latino community and providing information and analysis necessary for effective Latino participation in public policy development. To learn more about the Gastón Institute, visit: www.umb.edu/gastoninstitute