Digital Commons Network^™

Limitations In Speech Recognition For Young Adults With Down Syndrome, Franceli L. Cibrian, Yingying 'Yuki' Chen, Kayla Anderson, Cecilia Marie Abrahamsson, Vivian Genaro Motti

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

Speech recognition has the potential to make technology more accessible to users. However, the accuracy of speech recognition remains limited for users with disabilities, including those with Down Syndrome, and the types and frequencies of recognition errors are poorly understood. This paper characterizes these problems, focusing on errors occurring when recognizing Down Syndrome speech. We analyze the transcripts from six speech recognition algorithms (Google, IBM, Otter.ai, Microsoft, AssemblyAI, OpenAI) using the audio content of 15 individuals with Down Syndrome (331 dialogues; 3428 words). Our analysis shows: (1) significant difference in speech recognition accuracy for people with Down Syndrome compared to …

Skyline Holdings Group, Appellant V. Francisco Payan, Eunice Ivonnet Castro Alonso, Security Home Mortgage, Llc, Appellees : Brief Of Appellant, Utah Court Of Appeals

Utah Court of Appeals Briefs (2020 –)

ON APPEAL FROM THE FOURTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT FOR UTAH COUNTY, STATE OF UTAH Trial Court Case No. 220300149 Honorable JARED ELDRIDGE

Spencer Macdonald, Attorney for Appellant

Sara E. Bouley, Court J. Klekas II, Brett Anderson, Attorney for Appellees

Perceived Hbv-Related Stigma Is Associated With Lower Antiviral Medication Adherence In Patients With Chronic Hepatitis B, Hee-Soon Juon, Daniel Yang, Cindy Xin Fang, Hie-Won Hann, Ho Bae, Mimi Chang, Ann C. Klassen

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

Medication nonadherence among patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) can lead to severe liver disease progression, including liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Yet the factors that influence adherence in high-risk groups, like Korean Americans, remain unclear. Thus, this study explored the psychosocial and clinical factors affecting medication adherence in CHB patients. A cohort of 365 Korean American patients with CHB from two clinics in Philadelphia and Los Angeles was studied. The 8-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8) gauged their adherence to antiviral medication. Using descriptive and multivariable logistic regression analyses, we identified factors associated with MMAS-8 scores. Of the …

Ai Culture ‘Profiling’ And Anti-Money Laundering: Efficacy Vs Ethics, John W. Goodell, Cal B. Muckley, Parvati Neelakantan, Darragh Ryan

University Research

Using extensive transaction and money laundering detection data, at a globally important financial institution, we investigate the efficacy of including facets of national culture in formulating anti-money laundering predictions. For corporate and individual accounts, Hofstede individualism scores of the country in which a customer is resident, or from which a wire is sent/received, are of first-order importance in the detection of money laundering. When combined with account and transaction data; as well as even a proprietary institutional algorithm, individualism scores continue to determine the models’ predictive performances. The efficacy of cultural profiling in money laundering detection underscores the need for …

Evans V. Nfojoh

All Decisions

The landlord commenced a no-grounds holdover proceeding against the tenant after the expiration of the lease. The tenant moved to dismiss based on ambiguous language in the 90-day termination notice, arguing it was contradictory. The court denied the motion to dismiss, granted the landlord's motion for summary judgment, and awarded a judgment of possession. The tenant's retaliatory eviction defense was rejected as the tenant had not made any formal complaints to a government agency.

The Vrkc: A Newly Updated Tool To Help 4-H Volunteers Develop Foundational Competencies, Jennifer Lobley, Gemma Miner, Meggan Franks

Journal of Extension

Volunteers play a pivotal role in enhancing the effectiveness of the 4-H program. Research demonstrates that offering professional development opportunities to volunteers contributes to retention. The Volunteer Research Knowledge Competency Taxonomy (VRKC) is a framework that pinpoints essential competencies for proficiently delivering 4-H youth development programs. This article provides an overview of newly refined VRKC resources and discusses their application with volunteers for virtual and in-person delivery.

An Inventory Of Private Well Programs Across The United States, Bethany G. Foust, Ann S. Ojeda, Jessica Curl, Eve Brantley, Stephanie R. Rogers

Journal of Extension

Private well owners comprise approximately 15% of the United States (US) population and are responsible for managing their well water. Management of domestic wells can be burdensome, requires knowledge, and is critical for maintaining clean drinking water. Management resources vary by state and the resource landscape across the US is unclear. Thus, our objective was to inventory where resources exist, while also highlighting geographic areas that may need improved resources to ensure that people have the ability to safely manage their drinking water. Results of this inventory showed that 64% of states have programs; 72% of which were Cooperative Extension.

Treated Wastewater Reuse For Non-Direct Food Consumption Crops In Nebraska: Barriers And Benefits Of Municipal Irrigation Lagoons, Sussan Moussavi, Bruce Dvorak

Journal of Extension

Reusing treated wastewater for agricultural purposes can provide local benefits to small, rural communities. Additionally, irrigation lagoons can be an attractive wastewater treatment technology in areas with high agriculture demands and low water availability. This descriptive study used stakeholder discussions to identify barriers and benefits of irrigation lagoons. Dissemination materials were developed to help Extension professionals distribute information regarding these systems to the communities they work closely with.

Tailor-Designed Oxalic Acid-Crosslinked Poly(Vinyl Alcohol)/Chitosan Biodegradable Films For Active Food Packaging Applications, Reem Hazem Fathy Anwar Elaasar

Theses and Dissertations

Food packaging plastic waste is posing great threats to ecosystems, human health, and the planet's overall sustainability; therefore, research has been directed towards the fabrication of biodegradable food packaging materials. In this study, active and biodegradable oxalic acid (OA) crosslinked poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/chitosan (CS) composite films of different weight ratios were synthesized via the solvent casting technique and their food packaging properties were investigated. Owing to its water resistance and antibacterial superiority, the composite film with the ratio of OA chemically crosslinked PVA/CS 80:20 was elected to be coated with green tea extract (GTE) to ameliorate its antibacterial and antioxidant …

The Effect Of Age Of Acquisition On The Development Of Lexical Attainment And Oral Proficiency In English As L2 In Adult Native Arabic Speakers, Mona Ahmed Kamar El-Zaman

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the influence of the age of acquisition (AoA) on the development of lexical attainment and oral proficiency in English as a second language (L2) among adult native Arabic speakers, focusing on classroom foreign language learners within the Egyptian context. AoA, a critical variable in second language acquisition (SLA) research, is explored in relation to two key domains: lexical knowledge and oral proficiency. The study examines the role of AoA and AoA related effects, such as the order of bilingualism and the length of exposure to rich language input (LoE) as a confounding factor. Through a mixed-methods approach, …

Menstrual Poverty In Egypt: Padding The Way To Period Equity, Sara Hesham Nasr

Theses and Dissertations

With approximately 800 million women menstruating daily worldwide, a significant portion of this demographic experiences barriers to accessing sanitary products. In Egypt, despite having around third of the population in reproductive age and menstruating monthly, an economic turmoil in 2017 opted the government to label menstrual products as luxury items and the prices have increased since then.

The current study aimed to investigate menstrual poverty in Egypt, focusing on the economic and social challenges faced by women during menstruation. Key objectives include assessing the financial challenges related to menstruation, exploring existing policies aimed at alleviating these challenges, and proposing evidence-based …

Copyright Law And Metaverse: A Comparative Study Of Challenges And Opportunities Of The Egyptian Copyright Law Entering The Virtual Era, Ayat Khalaf

Theses and Dissertations

Metaverse invokes legal challenges of Intellectual Property Rights in a limitless world of imagination for both entertainment and business aspects. The virtual world requires special devices and technologies to be accessed such as VR (virtual reality) and AR (augmented reality) appliances. The creation and protection of these devices cannot operate without patents. Besides, the protection of their software and platforms goes through copyright protection. Moreover, this imposes a non-traditional sense of trademark protection for new categories of goods and services. The peculiarities of copyright in the metaverse lie in two main challenges: firstly, copyright in the virtual world is usually …

The Hypocrisy Behind The Absolute Banning Of Torture: Historical Fallacies, Factual Necessities, And Judicial Artifices, Abdelalim Morsy

Theses and Dissertations

The absolute and non-derogatory prohibition of torture is embedded in almost every international or regional human rights instrument that deals with civil rights. However, this ban witnesses a diversion between theory and practice. While this diversion is comprehendible in authoritarian states, democratic regimes also implement it in some instances. This usage notably arose in the wake of the 11th of September 2001 and the accompanying usage of physical coercion in the interrogation processes. Simultaneously, some scattered, though notable, scholarly voices started challenging the absolute prohibition against torture. This pro-torture school of thought echoed in some legislative and executive works. The …

Supporting Egypt's Industrial Decarbonization: The Role Of Dfis In Cbam Alignment, Malak Elsaid

Theses and Dissertations

The European Union’s (EU) Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) introduces a new linkage between trade and climate policy by requiring importers to report and pay for embedded emissions. For Egypt, characterized by high trade exposure to the EU through the export of carbon-intensive products, CBAM serves as a regulatory catalyst for industrial transformation, posing significant competitiveness risks. Recent assessments indicate that the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region faces a significant CBAM burden, approximately three times that of other emerging market and developing economies.

Utilizing the Institutional-Capacity Response Model as an analytical tool, this study examines how such external …

Understanding The Accuracy And Best Use Of The Woodland Stick As A Tree Height And Diameter Measurement Tool: A Case Study In Oregon, Francisca Belart, Lauren Grand, Alicia Christiansen

Journal of Extension

We conducted a study to assess the accuracy of the Woodland Stick in determining tree diameter and height as compared to professional measurements and how bias can affect tree volume calculation. After comparing professional measurements with five non-professionals (NP’s) using the Woodland Stick, we found that three out of five NP’s had significant differences in mean dbh, and all of the NP’s had significant differences in mean total height. The overall bias for dbh across users was +0.5 inches and +5.1 ft for height. These deviations can result in volume differences between 0 and 30 bf on a single tree.

Youth Public Speaking Self-Efficacy Survey Tool, Roshan Nayak, Steven M. Worker, Nicole Marshall-Wheeler

Journal of Extension

Extension has a role to play in workforce development by preparing the next generation to be successful communicators. While Extension 4-H youth programs have contributed to public speaking development since their inception, there has not been a validated instrument to assess young people’s public speaking self-efficacy. We utilized an iterative-scale development process to develop, test, and refine such a tool. We hope youth development professionals will consider using the Youth Public Speaking Self-Efficacy (PSSE) survey tool to measure and report youth’s PSSE skills, along with the sources influencing these skills, to help with program planning, implementation, and professional development activities.

Leveraging Community Partnerships And Resources To Address Food Insecurity In A Rural County During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Kristen Johnson, Amy Elizer, Karen L. Franck, Soghra Jarvandi

Journal of Extension

Extension professionals are skilled at connecting with community partners and community members to identify needs and address challenges. This paper outlines how Extension professionals quickly responded to address rising rates of food insecurity in a rural Tennessee County during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through an extensive network of state, regional, and local partners, Extension professionals and partners planned and implemented mobile food distributions through the United States Department of Agriculture’s Farmers to Families program. These Extension-led efforts resulted in sustainable, community-driven initiatives to improve food insecurity. Lessons learned can help Extension professionals respond to emerging needs.

Promoting Equity: Embracing Food Justice In The Transformation Of The Food Systems For Bipoc Communities, Frank Yeboah Adusei

Journal of Extension

The food justice movement addresses systemic food inequities impacting BIPOC communities, rooted in civil rights and environmental justice movements. It advocates for fair access to culturally relevant food, combating food deserts, and promoting food sovereignty. Recognizing intersectionality, it emphasizes collaboration to dismantle systemic barriers. This study aims to understand BIPOC communities' challenges and effective strategies, stressing the importance of collaborative efforts for lasting systemic change. Extension professionals face challenges but can contribute through equity-focused strategies, community engagement, and partnerships, advancing food justice and fostering inclusive food systems.

Beer And Biology, A Perfect Pairing: Using Beer To Spread Awareness About Invasive Species, Samuel Nutile, Adam Simpson, Sara Stahlman, Lynne E. Beaty

Journal of Extension

Managing the spread of introduced invasive species relies on educating recreationists that currently or potentially harbor such species. By partnering with a local brewery, we developed the Lagers for Lakes Draft Series to facilitate outreach about aquatic invasive species in Erie, Pennsylvania. To date, Lagers for Lakes drafts and associated launch events have reached over 230 individuals and increased awareness of invasive species by 86%. With the materials provided here and the lessons learned from these events, we hope similar outreach efforts can be developed elsewhere to educate and minimize the spread of invasive species.

Woman Warns Against Popular Immunity Boosting Vitamin-C Supplement Because Of Common Ingredient Woman Warns Against Popular Immunity Boosting Vitamin-C Supplement Because Of Common Ingredient, Staff

Browse All News

No abstract provided.

Review Essay: Anthony Valerio's Writer's Life And The Truth Of Distortion, George Guida

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

9-Aminominocycline Potentiates The Efficacy Of Eidd-1931 And Pf-332 By Targeting The Papain Like Protease Enzyme Of Sars-Cov-2., Kabita Pandey, Devin Shane M Lewis, Kyeongin Heo, Arpan Acharya, Travis Fields, Kritika Gowda, George Dean, Srujana Rayalam, Siddappa N Byrareddy, Vicky Mody, Shashidharamurthy Taval

PCOM Scholarly Works

The 3-chymotrypsin-like protease (3CLpro), papain-like protease (PLpro), and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) are key enzymes in SARS-CoV-2 replication and serve as critical targets for an antiviral drug. Currently, Paxlovid® and Lagevrio™ specifically target 3CLpro and RdRp, respectively, for COVID-19 treatment. However, no antivirals target for the SARS-CoV-2 PLpro enzyme, essential for viral replication and suppression of the host antiviral immune response. This study identified 9-aminominocycline (9-AMN) as a potent inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 PLpro. Unlike the parent compound minocycline, 9-AMN inhibits PLpro's proteolytic and deubiquitinase activities by approximately 90%, with IC

Single-Cell Rna Sequencing Identifies Molecular Biomarkers Predicting Late Progression To Cdk4/6 Inhibition In Patients With Hr+/Her2- Metastatic Breast Cancer, Linjie Luo, Peng Yang, Sofia Mastoraki, Xiayu Rao, Yan Wang, Akshara Singareeka Raghavendra, Senthil Damodaran, Kelly K Hunt, Jing Wang, Ziyi Li, Khandan Keyomarsi

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6is) in combination with endocrine therapy are the standard treatment for patients with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer (mBC). Despite the efficacy of CDK4/6is, intrinsic resistance occurs in approximately one-third of patients, highlighting the need for reliable predictive biomarkers.

Methods: Single-cell RNA sequencing analyzed metastatic tumors from HR+/HER2- mBC patients pre-CDK4/6i treatment at baseline (BL) and/or at disease progression. BL samples were from CDK4/6i responders (median progression-free survival [mPFS] = 25.5 months), while progressors were categorized as early-progressors (EP, mPFS = 3 months) and late-progressors (LP, mPFS = 11 months). Metastatic sites included liver, …

Reassessing Estrogen Receptor Expression Thresholds For Breast Cancer Prognosis In Her2-Negative Patients Using Shape Restricted Modeling, Wenli Dong, Takeo Fujii, Jing Ning, Toshiaki Iwase, Jing Qin, Yu Shen

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

We used a novel shape-restricted Cox model to determine the desirable ER expression cutoff to predict breast cancer prognoses. Our model treats ER as a continuous variable using a flexible monotone-shaped Cox regression to assess its association with survival outcomes holistically. The study included 3055 patients with stage II/III HER2-negative breast cancer. The primary outcomes were time to recurrence or death (TTR) and overall survival (OS). The shape-restricted Cox model identified 10% ER as the preferred cutoff to predict TTR. The finding was confirmed by the log-rank test and standard Cox model that patients with ER ≥ 10% had TTR …

Outcomes Of Arteriovenous Malformation Patients With Multiple Versus Single Feeders: A Multicenter Retrospective Study With Propensity-Score Matching, Stavropoula I Tjoumakaris, Christopher S Ogilvy, Howard Riina, Sandeep Kandregula, Adam A Dmytriw, Kareem El Naamani, Ahmed Abdelsalam, Natasha Ironside, Deepak Kumbhare, Cagdas Ataoglu, Muhammed Amir Essibayi, Abdullah Keles, Sandeep Muram, Daniel Sconzo, Arwin Rezai, Omar Alwakaa, Salem M Tos, Ufuk Erginoglu, Johannes Pöppe, Rajeev D Sen, Christoph J Griessenauer, Jan-Karl Burkhardt, Robert M Starke, Mustafa K Baskaya, Laligam N Sekhar, Michael R Levitt, David J Altschul, Malia Mcavoy, Assala Aslan, Abdallah Abushehab, Christian Swaid, Adib A Abla, Saman Sizdahkhani, Sravanthi Koduri, Elias Atallah, Spyridon Karadimas, M Reid Gooch, Robert H Rosenwasser, Christopher Stapleton, Matthew Koch, Visish M Srinivasan, Peng R Chen, Spiros Blackburn, Joseph Cochran, Omar Choudhri, Bryan Pukenas, Darren Orbach, Edward Smith, Pascal J Mosimann, Ali Alaraj, Mohammad A Aziz-Sultan, Aman B Patel, Hugo H Cuellar, Michael Lawton, Bharat Guthikonda, Jacques Morcos, Pascal Jabbour

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: The impact of multiple feeding arteries on clinical outcomes of cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) is not well understood. This study aims to compare outcomes between AVMs with multiple versus single feeding arteries.

Patients and methods: Data from the Multicenter International Study for Treatment of Brain AVMs (MISTA) consortium were analyzed. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to balance cohorts. Subgroup analysis was conducted for ruptured and unruptured AVMs and different treatment options, and multivariable logistic regression was applied to assess the impact of feeding artery origin.

Results: Among 953 patients, 661(69.4%) had multiple feeding arteries, and 292 (30.6%) had …

How Electricity Utility Practitioners In The United States Approach Power System Resilience, Shardul Tiwari, Aritra Chakrabarty, Chelsea Schelly, Mostafa Sahraei-Ardakani, Gaby Ou, Jianli Chen

Michigan Tech Publications

This study explores the understanding and practice of resilience among electrical utilities in the United States, focusing on how practitioners in the utility sector conceptualize and apply resilience in their work. As electricity becomes increasingly central to modern life, powering critical infrastructure and essential services, the resilience of power systems has gained prominence in energy policy and planning. However, there is a lack of standardized definitions and approaches to resilience in both academia and practice, particularly from an energy service perspective. The research employs a qualitative approach, utilizing semi-structured interviews with experts (practitioners) from transmission and distribution utilities in the …

Inadequate Intensification Of Ldl-Cholesterol Lowering Therapy After Coronary Revascularization: Insights From The Gould Registry, James A De Lemos, Robert S Rosenson, Mikhail N Kosiborod, Christopher P Cannon

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Patients with a history of coronary revascularization are at a higher risk for subsequent cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality. Lowering LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels post-revascularization significantly reduces these risks.

Methods: This analysis compared LDL-C-lowering therapies at baseline and over time among patients with and without prior coronary revascularization in the GOULD registry (a prospective multicenter cohort study). Baseline- and 24-month follow-up characteristics-including LDL-C levels and strategies for lipid-lowering therapy (LLT)-were evaluated.

Results: Out of 5006 patients, 2195 (43.8%) had prior coronary revascularization. At baseline, these patients had lower LDL-C (99.2 mg/dL vs. 102.5 mg/dL; p < 0.001) and were more likely to be on intensive LLT (52.8% vs. 42.7%; p < 0.001). At 24 months, they had small reductions in LDL-C (-15.6% vs. -13.7%; p = 0.145) and were more likely to be on intensive LLT (61.9% vs. 51.5%; p < 0.001). Similar LDL-C reductions were observed in the PCSK9i group regardless of revascularization status.

Conclusions: Despite slightly better baseline …

Genetic And Environmental Contribution To Phenotypic Resemblance Between Iranian Couples: Tehran Cardiometabolic And Genetic Study (Tcgs), Carolyn T Hogan, Michael March, Kamran Guity, Mahmoud Amiri Roudbar, Asieh Zahedi, Maryam Zarkesh, Farideh Neshati, Mehdi Hedayati, Fereidoun Azizi, Hakon Hakonarson, Maryam S Daneshpour, Mahdi Akbarzadeh

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: To provide an applied framework for assessing the genetic contribution to assortative mating (AM) using height as a model trait and disclose the trace of certain pieces of evidence of AM in the form of the shared environmental effects from long-term cohabitation on spouses' anthropometric traits and lipid serum levels.

Methods: 2315 genotyped couples were extracted from the Tehran Cardiometabolic Genetic Study (TCGS). Pearson correlation analysis was used to assess the relationship between spouses' height. The GCTA-GREML was used to assess the SNP-based heritability of individual and spousal heights with AM adjustments. We used a recent GWAS meta-analysis of …

Safety And Immunogenicity Of Ascending Doses Of Influenza A(H7n9) Inactivated Vaccine With Or Without Mf59®, Sharon E Frey, Rebecca Brady, Lisa Jackson, Paul Goepfert, Hana M El Sahly, Robert L Atmar, Richard Rupp, C Buddy Creech, Getahun Abate, Grant Paulsen, Julia Weiss, Ashley Wegel, Paul C Roberts

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: While it remains impossible to predict the timing of the next influenza pandemic, novel avian influenza A viruses continue to be considered a significant threat.

Methods: A Phase II study was conducted in healthy adults aged 18-64 years to assess the safety and immunogenicity of two intramuscular doses of pre-pandemic 2017 influenza A(H7N9) inactivated vaccine administered 21 days apart. Participants were randomized (n = 105 in each of Arms 1-3) to receive 3.75 μg, 7.5 μg or 15 μg of hemagglutinin (HA) with MF59® adjuvant, or 15 μg of HA unadjuvanted vaccine (n = 57, Arm 4).

Results: The …

Anti-Neuraminidase And Anti-Hemagglutinin Stalk Responses To Different Influenza A(H7n9) Vaccine Regimens, Hana M El Sahly, Evan J Anderson, Lisa A Jackson, Kathleen M Neuzil, Robert L Atmar, David I Bernstein, Wilbur H Chen, C Buddy Creech, Sharon E Frey, Paul Goepfert, Jeffery Meier, Varun Phadke, Nadine Rouphael, Richard Rupp, Jack T Stapleton, Paul Spearman, Emmanuel B Walter, Patricia L Winokur, Inci Yildirim, Tracie L Williams, Jennifer Oshinsky, Lynda Coughlan, Haye Nijhuis, Marcela F Pasetti, Florian Krammer, Daniel Stadlbauer, Raffael Nachbagauer, Rachel Tsong, Ashley Wegel, Paul C Roberts

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: Pandemic influenza vaccine development focuses on the hemagglutinin (HA) antigen for potency and immunogenicity. Antibody responses targeting the neuraminidase (NA) antigen, or the HA stalk domain have been implicated in protection against influenza. Responses to the NA and HA-stalk domain following pandemic inactivated influenza are not well characterized in humans.

Material and methods: In a series of clinical trials, we determine the vaccines' NA content and demonstrate that NA inhibition (NAI) antibody responses increase in a dose-dependent manner following a 2-dose priming series with AS03-adjuvanted influenza A(H7N9) inactivated vaccine (A(H7N9) IIV). NAI antibody responses also increase with interval extension …