Digital Commons Network^™

Does Valve-Sparing Repair Improve Outcomes In Tetralogy Of Fallot? A Systematic Review, Jabez David John, Tirath Patel, Monica Kharat, Jeet Hansalkumar Patel, Jubran Al Hooti, Zoya Riyaz Syeda, Rohit Anil Khare, Sonya Bhatia, Amin Ibrahim, Arjun Bellamkonda, Nikhilesh Anand, Bharathi Gadad

School of Medicine Publications

Background: The systematic review determines whether valve-sparing surgeries improve patient outcomes compared with non valve-sparing surgeries for tetralogy of Fallot. Although previous studies have reported superior outcomes in valve-sparing surgery, no systematic review has compared these outcomes with those of nonsurgical surgical methods.

Methods: In the present research, we address this gap in the literature by comparing valve-sparing and non valve-sparing surgery outcomes. PubMed, PubMed Central, and Medline served as the databases for data collection; following the PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive search strategy identified relevant articles for the review; the search strategy included Medical Subject heading (MeSH) terms and important …

2025-08-20 University Graduate Committee Meeting Minutes, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate., University Graduate Committee.

Faculty Senate Records

Meeting minutes from the University Graduate Committee from August 20, 2024.

Dominant Mid-To-High-Frequency Harmonics Predict Neural Encoding And Perception Of Concurrent Vowels With Large F0 Differences, Fan-Yin Cheng, Sarah Medina, Olaedochim Obinna, Spencer Smith

Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Concurrent vowel perception experiments have revealed the importance of fundamental frequency (f₀) differences in speech stream segregation. Understanding neural processes that support speech streaming using f₀ differences remains an active area of perceptual and neurocomputational modeling research. This study simultaneously measured subcortical neural encoding [frequency following responses (FFRs)] and cued vowel identification accuracy of 12 concurrent vowel mixtures with large f₀ differences (>8 semitones) to assess whether f₀-based neural channel selection predicted perception. Results indicated that the strength of f₀-based neural channel selection for one vowel often depended on the …

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (Eras) Protocol, Jennifer Smith

Group: Nebraska Methodist College

Problem: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols aim to minimize surgical stress, improve patient outcomes, and shorten hospital stays. While ERAS has shown benefits in various surgical disciplines, challenges were faced in implementing and customizing these protocols for specific populations. This project evaluated how ERAS interventions impact recovery metrics, including hospital length of stay, bowel recovery, and cardiac rehabilitation outcomes.

Intervention: ERAS-based perioperative care strategies were implemented focusing on early mobilization, optimized pain management, reduced opioid use, and timely enteral nutrition. The patients were monitored for compliance and adherence to protocol components to assess their effect on recovery.

Measures: Primary …

Modeling The Importance Of Life Exposure Factors On Memory Performance In Diverse Older Adults: A Machine Learning Approach, Evan Fletcher, Marianne Chanti-Ketterl, Emily Hokett, Yi Lor, Umesh Venkatesan, Ruijia Chen, Omonigho M. Bubu, Rachel Whitmer, Paola Gilsanz, Zvinka Z. Zlatar

Moss-Magee Rehabilitation Papers

INTRODUCTION: Many health life exposure factors (LEFs) influence cognitive decline and dementia incidence, but their relative importance to episodic memory (an early indicator of cognitive decline) among diverse older adults is unclear. We used machine learning to rank LEFs for memory performance in a large and diverse US cohort.

METHODS: Kaiser Healthy Aging and Diverse Life Experiences (KHANDLE) and Study of Healthy Aging in African Americans (STAR), participants underwent neuropsychological testing and answered questionnaires about multiple LEFs. XGBoost and Shapley Additive exPlanation values ranked the importance of factors influencing cross-sectional episodic memory in the full sample and by sex and …

Association Of Obesity And Body Mass Index Classification With Glycemic Control In Adults Who Are Critically Ill Receiving Parenteral Nutrition: A Retrospective Study., Erika L Mackie, Melissa Dang, Kimberly Sharpe, Justin Delic, James M Hollands, Song Oh, Stacy Pasciolla, Laura Pontiggia, Diana Solomon, Angela Bingham

Ambulatory and Primary Care Articles

BACKGROUND: Hyperglycemia is a complication of parenteral nutrition (PN), which can be exacerbated in patients with obesity. Limited data exist on glycemic control in this population. This study aims to evaluate the association of obesity and body mass index (BMI) classification with glycemic control in patients who are critically ill initiated receiving PN.

METHODS: This is a retrospective study of patients who are critically ill receiving PN from January 2013 to February 2024. The primary outcome was glycemic control in patients with BMI ≥ 30 kg/m

RESULTS: The study included 220 patients with BMI ≥ 30 kg/m

CONCLUSION: Patients who …

Ecological Drivers And Temporal Dynamics Of Daphnia In A Diverse Environmental And Spatial Landscape, Crysta A. Gantz

Dissertations and Theses

In the modern era, commonly referred to as the Anthropocene, human-caused changes to the environment are prevalent and complex. The study of impacts to biodiversity and ecosystem functioning requires multi-faceted approaches that encompass scales of organization from genes to ecosystems. It is often difficult to tease apart whether species responses to environmental change are due to phenotypic plasticity or genotypic variation. Therefore, it is important to try to understand where variation originated, that is, to link a phenotypic response to a genetic change or to gauge whether the response is from the environment. In addition, neutral genetic variation arising from …

Multi-Ancestral Genome-Wide Association Study Of Clinically Defined Nicotine Dependence Reveals Strong Genetic Correlations With Other Substance Use Disorders And Health-Related Traits, Emma C Johnson, Jared V Balbona, Alexander S Hatoum, David A A Baranger, Louis Fox, Paul W Jeffries, Laura J Bierut, Andrew C Heath, Pamela A Madden, Elliot C Nelson, Arpana Agrawal, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Genetic research on nicotine dependence has utilized multiple assessments that are in weak agreement.

METHODS: We conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of nicotine dependence defined using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-NicDep) in 61,861 individuals (47,884 of European ancestry [EUR], 10,231 of African ancestry, and 3,746 of East Asian ancestry) and compared the results to other nicotine-related phenotypes.

RESULTS: We replicated the well-known association at the

CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that combining the wide availability of diagnostic EHR data with nuanced criterion-level analyses of DSM tobacco use disorder may produce new insights into the genetics …

Examining Multi-Level Support-Related Factors Influencing School-Based Mental Health Services Across Various Types Of U.S. Public High Schools, Wendy L. Wilson

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Youth mental health is a global and national public health issue, with notable disparities in access to school-based mental health services (SBMHS; Kieling et al., 2024). This highlights the urgent need to identify supportive factors that can enhance service availability within educational settings. This cross-sectional, exploratory-descriptive study aimed to identify multi-level support-related factors (SRFs) at the student, school, and community levels that best predict SBMHS availability across different types of U.S. public high schools. The researcher conducted a secondary data analysis of a sample of 855 respondents who completed the 2017-18 School Survey on Crime and Safety. Various univariate, bivariate, …

Perceptions Of Racial Inequality And Attitudes Toward The Criminal Justice System: Results From The 2022 General Social Survey, Elizabeth A. Hien

Sociology Between the Gaps: Forgotten and Neglected Topics

No abstract provided.

Authenticity And Sustainability Of Malay Heritage Food In Kuala Lumpur, Nurzawani Shahrin

Student Works (2020-2029)

Studies on heritage food have gained widespread attention, driven by concerns about its sustainability within the community and its viability as a commodity for economic development. While often associated with tourism, heritage food is fundamentally rooted in local nutritional culture, reflecting the uniqueness of tradition amidst global food variations, particularly in urban settings. This study examines the development, commodification, and consumption of Malay heritage food in Kuala Lumpur using a mixed-methods approach that integrates systematic literature research, observation, interviews, and surveys with key stakeholders, including business actors, experts, practitioners, and consumers. Findings reveal that the development of Malay heritage food …

Towards All-Under-Heaven: China’S Geoeconomic Strategy In The Asia-Pacific Region, Alfariza Dika Azzani

Global: Jurnal Politik Internasional

This research aims to understand China’s geoeconomic strategy in reshaping the alternative international order in the Asia-Pacific region. China’s economic rise increased its geopolitical influence and significance as a global great power. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) government, under Xi Jinping, has adopted classical ideas in its foreign policymaking, including tianxia. Tianxia is a classical concept of a hierarchical Sinocentric international order. An empirical study was conducted on several cases of China’s economic policy and analysed with the congruence method to determine the correlation between the tianxia concept and China’s economic policy. Tianxia served as a paradigm and justification for …

Special Status Of African Regional States In The International Seabed Authority, Felicia Ratnasari Soedjianto, Marten Hanura, Muhammad Arief Zuliyan

Global: Jurnal Politik Internasional

Through the mandate of UNCLOS 1982 and the 1994 Agreement, the International Seabed Authority (ISA) exists as a regulatory regime for activities in the international seabed area. Interestingly, African countries are privileged over other countries by occupying the most seats on the ISA Council. In addition, the ISA's commitment to supporting the blue economy through the Africa Deep Seabed Resources project also accentuates the privileges of African countries. African countries' technological, financial, and knowledge capacity is minimal in seabed mining. Apart from this problem, this research aims to analyse the fundamental reasons for the ISA's actions that give privileges to …

Is Criticality A Unified Setpoint Of Brain Function?, Keith B. Hengen, Aaron Shew

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Brains face selective pressure to optimize computation, broadly defined. This is achieved by mechanisms including development, plasticity, and homeostasis. Is there a universal optimum around which the healthy brain tunes itself, across time and individuals? The criticality hypothesis posits such a setpoint. Criticality is a state imbued with internally generated, multiscale, marginally stable dynamics that maximize the features of information processing. Experimental support emerged two decades ago and has accumulated at an accelerating pace despite disagreement. Here, we lay out the logic of criticality as a general computational endpoint and review experimental evidence. We perform a meta-analysis of 140 datasets …

First-Line Pd-1 +/- Ctla-4 Blockade In Patients With Deficient Mismatch Repair And/Or Microsatellite Instability-High Metastatic Colorectal Cancer, Vincenzo Nasca, Gabriele Tinè, Julien Taieb, Sara Lonardi, Ben Boursi, Lisa Salvatore, Javier Ros, Margherita Ambrosini, Koen Zwart, Jeanine Roodhart, Priya Jayachandran, Michael J Overman, Maria Elena Elez, Chiara Cremolini, David Tougeron, Miriam Koopman, Thierry André, Rosalba Miceli, Filippo Pietrantonio

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Patients with deficient mismatch repair (dMMR) and/or microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) show marked sensitivity to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Dual PD-1/CTLA-4 blockade with nivolumab and ipilimumab showed superior progression-free survival (PFS) over chemotherapy and anti-PD-1 monotherapy, but data on treatment-naïve patients is not available yet.

Methods: This international multicenter study included patients with dMMR/MSI-H mCRC receiving either chemotherapy with or without biologics, or anti-PD-1 monotherapy, or dual PD-1/CTLA-4 blockade as a first-line treatment. Data were adjusted using inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) to account for baseline imbalances. IPTW-adjusted survival and subgroup analyses were conducted.

Results: …

Targeted Proteomic Analysis Identifies Acvrl1 As A Marker Of Cerebral Edema In Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage, Bosco Seong Kyu Yang, Lena O'Keefe, Sarah Hinds, Hua Chen, Athziry Paz, Han-Gil Jeong, Aaron Gusdon, Xuefang Sophie Ren, Spiros Blackburn, Huimahn Alex Choi

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Cerebral edema (CE) is a major component of early brain injury from aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Despite the utility of blood-based protein markers, biomarkers targeting cerebral edema have yet to be developed. We performed a targeted proteomic search analyzing 141 proteins in plasma samples taken from 80 adult patients within 48 hours after aneurysmal rupture to identify plasma biomarkers of cerebral edema. The protein expression profiles were analyzed for associations with a higher level of the subarachnoid hemorrhage early brain edema score measured in admission computed tomography scans. Five differentially expressed proteins-brorin, ectodysplasin A2 receptor, layilin, scavenger receptor class A …

Clinical Validity Of Foundationone Liquid Cdx For Detection Of Braf V600e In Colorectal Cancer, Rona Yaeger, Jean-François Martini, Lincoln Pasquina, Brian Tunquist, Xiaosong Zhang, Norberto Panoja Galicia, Siliang Gong, Cui Guo, Jimmy Kiely, Ta-Chou Vincent Ng, Graham Ferrier, Josep Tabernero, Scott Kopetz

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: The BRAF inhibitor encorafenib plus the anti-EGFR antibody cetuximab improved overall survival, objective response rate, and progression-free survival in previously treated BRAF V600E-mutant metastatic colorectal cancer in BEACON, a phase 3 randomized trial, leading to regulatory approval for this indication. To support rapid, plasma-based testing for BRAF V600E identification, clinical validity of a circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA)-based assay, FoundationOne®Liquid CDx (F1LCDx) was assessed, versus the reference tumor-based clinical trial assay (CTA) in liquid biopsy-evaluable samples from BEACON and commercially-obtained tissue-matched plasma samples.

Methods: Pre-treatment tissue samples were collected in BEACON to confirm BRAF mutational status using the central single …

Small Scale Analysis Of Urban Air Quality And Public Health In London, Uk, Provides Insights For Targeted Interventions, Alan Smith, Tim Daley

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Understanding the impact of scale and zonation is critical for accurately assessing population health in relation to air quality and demographic data. Using existing census geographies, we analyse spatial clustering and statistical associations across different census scales, focussing on vulnerable sociodemographic groups and temporal exposure patterns. This study aims to assess how different spatial resolutions affect the strength and interpretation of associations between air pollution, sociodemographic variables, and self-reported health. It also evaluates whether finer-scale, health-need-based zoning provides a more accurate basis for public health analysis. Exposure to higher PM2.5 concentrations, and having an undrlying disability, or long-term illness shows …

Revealing The Catalytic Mechanism Of The Fe(Ii)/2-Oxoglutarate-Dependent Human Epigenetic Modifying Enzyme Alkbh5, Fathima Hameed Cherilakkudy, Midhun George Thomas, Ann Varghese, Sodiq Waheed, Anandhu Krishnan, Vincenzo Venditti, Christopher J. Schofield, Deyu Li, Christo Christov, Tatyana Karabencheva-Christova

Michigan Tech Publications

ALKBH5 is one of only two known human non-heme Fe(II)/2-oxoglutarate-dependent oxygenases that catalyze the demethylation of N⁶-methyladenine (m⁶A) in single-stranded mRNA, underscoring its role in diverse cancers. Unlike its homolog, the fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO), which oxidizes m⁶A to a stable N⁶-hydroxymethyladenine (hm⁶A) intermediate, ALKBH5 demethylates m⁶A, yielding adenine and formaldehyde as products. Here, we integrate molecular dynamics simulations and quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics methods to elucidate ALKBH5’s complete catalytic mechanism. Two post-hydroxylation pathways were evaluated: a proton transfer pathway and a Schiff base formation pathway, with …

Performance Properties Of Treated Jute Fabric Laminated By Electrospun Recycled Pet Nanofibers, Md Abdus Shahid, Md Golam Mortuza Limon, Imam Hossain, Md Tanvir Hossain, Tarikul Islam, Md Moslem Uddin

Michigan Tech Publications

Transforming from plastic to environmentally friendly materials is essential for both human health and the protection of the environment. In this work, a modified jute fabric (MJF) laminated with electrospun recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) nanofibers with silver nitrate (AgNO3) is presented. The purpose to apply the silver nitrate and rPET nanofiber mat is to enhance the performance properties of packaging materials like mechanical strength, thermal insulation, moisture resistance, and antibacterial properties. The jute fabric was pretreated with alkali to make it compatible with rPET electrospun nanofibers, which improved breathability with a diameter of 24.70 ± 7.79 nm and an average …

Antidepressant Medication Nonadherence In Adult Patients With A Major Depressive Disorder, Sandrine Djou Kaze

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The chosen approach for the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was a clinical practice guideline (CPG) on interventions to improve antidepressant medication adherence in adults diagnosed with depression in an outpatient setting. The consequences of medication nonadherence in patients with depression are devastating for individuals and the healthcare system. Therefore, addressing it within nursing practice is essential to improve treatment efficacy and patient outcomes. The practice question related to the DNP project was to determine whether the CPG could improve antidepressant medication compliance in adults diagnosed with a depressive disorder in an outpatient setting. I aimed to develop a …

Effects Of Summer School Attendance On The Assessed Reading Proficiency Of Third Grade Students, Lydia Evers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Evidence shows students who are not reading proficiently by the end of third grade are more likely to eventually drop out of high school or be considered illiterate as adults, making it challenging to function adequately in society. The problem addressed through this study was that as many as 60% of U.S. third-grade students scored below proficiency on annual standardized reading assessments. Guided by faucet theory by Alexander et al., the purpose of this causal-comparative quantitative study was to compare reading standardized test scores of third-grade students who participated in a summer school program (SSP) in the summer following second …

The Impact Of Digital Sexual Health Education Using Social Media On African American Undergraduate Students, Valora Reid Bishop

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite making up approximately 12% of the United States’ population in 2020, African Americans ages 15 to 24 years old comprised 32% of the reported sexually transmitted diseases. The purpose of this quantitative research was to examine the impact of digital sexual health education (SHE) information on sexual health behaviors among African American undergraduate college students aged 18 to 24 years. The two research questions explored if the use of digital SHE information reduced the risk of adverse sexual health behaviors among African American undergraduate college student ages 18 to 24 years old; and if there was a relationship between …

Parents’ Perceptions Of The Influence Of Interpersonal Trauma On Children’S Academic Achievement In Low Socioeconomic Families During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Brandi Walker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic intensified the challenges faced by families from low socioeconomic (SES) backgrounds regarding their children’s academic development. Students during this time experienced disruptions in their academic development, further hindering their educational progress. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore parents’ perceptions of how interpersonal trauma and SES challenges impacted their elementary-age children’s academic achievement during the pandemic. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory served as the theoretical foundation, offering a framework to understand how environmental factors shaped children’s experiences and academic development. Data were gathered through semistructured interviews with eight parents from low-SES backgrounds. Content analysis of …

The Meaning Of Academic Achievement For Fathers Of African American At-Risk Urban Female Youth, Shurise Telesford

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Family dynamics, parenting styles, and the impact of parental involvement on children have long been studied, with much of the focus traditionally placed on the mother-child relationship. This study shifted that focus to explore the perceptions of African American fathers of at-risk female youth regarding academic achievement. Using a generic qualitative approach and guided by Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed, a theory emphasizing how the marginalized learn through critical awareness and collaboration, I sought to understand how these fathers view their daughters’ educational experiences and barriers to success. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with seven fathers living in urban …

Travel Professionals’ Successful Strategies For Implementing New Products, Mary Ashley Switzer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The rapid introduction of new and innovative travel products presents challenges for travel industry professionals striving to stay competitive in a dynamic marketplace. This is a significant concern for travel professionals and industry leaders, as effectively implementing strategies can improve client satisfaction and support sustained business growth. The purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry study was to explore the strategies used by travel industry professionals to successfully implement new, innovative tourism products to gain a competitive advantage. Grounded by the Red Queen effect competitive advantage model, six U.S.-based travel professionals with 5 years of experience and at least $1 million …

State Government Policies And Opioid Overdoses And Deaths, William Jerome Howard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, opioid deaths posed a significant public health crisis with profound social and economic implications. The opioid crisis continued despite the implementation of state-level prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMP), naloxone access laws (NALs), and Medicaid expansion programs. Existing research demonstrated opioid deaths and nonfatal overdose patterns highlight the need for targeted harm reduction strategies, but there remained a lack of quantitative studies that addressed the effectiveness of opioid harm reduction policies. The purpose of this quasi-experimental quantitative research was to evaluate the relationship between state-level PDMPs, NALs, Medicaid expansion programs, and the COVID-19 global pandemic period (2020-2023), …

Reorganization: An Exploration Of Public Workplace Outsourcing, A Strategic Plan, Joshua Bicchinella

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

An education agency experienced a decline in loan originations from 2013 to 2023, creating fiscal challenges that threatened service sustainability. This created a need for operational strategies to stabilize funding and preserve resources. The problem was significant to the organization and the community’s ability to obtain equitable educational opportunities. The practice-focused question asked: What are the perspectives of staff and management concerning the agency's strategies to downsize and realign for sustainability? The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore staff and management perspectives on downsizing and outsourcing as strategies to maintain operations. The study was informed by concepts …

Effective Strategies K–12 School Leaders Can Use To Improve Technology Integration In Classrooms, Shamila Ahmed Hashim

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

With the rapid rise in demand for effective technology integration in K-12 classrooms, particularly in nonpublic schools, strong leadership is crucial. The absence of effective strategies can hinder student learning outcomes, posing a significant challenge for educators who are striving to improve academic success. This qualitative research project included a pragmatic inquiry design was to explore the strategies that some K–12 school leaders apply to improve classroom technology integration and enhance student learning outcomes. Grounded in the technology integration matrix framework, the study involved a purposive sample of five school leaders from nonpublic K-12 institutions in Maryland. Data were collected …

Current Mechanobiological Pathways And Therapies Driving Spinal Health, Rahul Kumar, Kyle Sporn, Harlene Kaur, Akshay Khanna, Phani Paladugu, Nasif Zaman, Alireza Tavakkoli

SKMC Student Presentations and Publications

Spinal health depends on the dynamic interplay between mechanical forces, biochemical signaling, and cellular behavior. This review explores how key molecular pathways, including integrin, yeas-associated protein (YAP) and transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ), Piezo, and Wingless/Integrated (Wnt) with β-catenin, actively shape the structural and functional integrity of spinal tissues. These signaling mechanisms respond to physical cues and interact with inflammatory mediators such as interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), driving changes that lead to disc degeneration, vertebral fractures, spinal cord injury, and ligament failure. New research is emerging that shows scaffold designs that can …