Digital Commons Network^™

Cultivating Community-University Partnerships Within The Chicago Region Food System, Hanan Abdillahi, Vivian Cossey, Tania Schusler, Kevin Erickson, Karen Schauwecker, Sarah Ku, Ray Dybzinski

School of Environmental Sustainability: Faculty Publications and Other Works

We interviewed 22 organizations in the Chicago Regional Food System to gain insights on their current initiatives, assets, challenges, future visions, and perceived roles of universities in advancing their work. We analyzed themes to report on strong consensus or varied perspectives related to this work. This report aims to advise Loyola’s School of Environmental Sustainability's future work and collaboration activities with Chicago Food System organizations.

The Effect Of Social Hierarchy And Captivity On Behavior In Cercopithecus Petaurista, Haley Bombard

Undergraduate Scholarship and Creative Works

The social hierarchy within three Cercopithecus petaurista individuals was studied to determine how the influence of captivity affects behavior. The three individuals were monitored from August-November, and the data retained was focused on aggression and allogrooming behaviors. The group consisted of one dominant male and two females in the Central Florida Zoo, and behavioral observations were recorded at 10-minute intervals. Results showed that the dominant male infrequently engaged in allogrooming behavior but more often received it from the less dominant females. The hierarchy and social status of the females was shown and influenced by the allogrooming given and received between …

Homeschooling And Online Learning Technologies From A Parent’S Perspective, Karla M. Forti

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative, predictive correlational research study was to examine the relationship between homeschooling parents’ use of educational technology tools and their instructional behaviors and perceptions, with additional consideration of virtual school participation. Survey-based data from 22 parents of over 40 homeschooled children were used to examine technology adoption and instructional preferences across non-traditional learning settings. The study addressed four research questions through descriptive statistics and correlational analysis, while quantitative themes from open-ended responses enriched the findings. Results provided insight into parental motivations and trends influencing homeschooling and virtual school choices, highlighting the expanding role of online learning …

Overcoming Challenges In Obtaining And Presenting Evidence In Federal Sex Trafficking Prosecutions, Jason Brumbelow

Theses and Dissertations

Sex trafficking is a complex and under-prosecuted federal crime (Cook, 2019). Misunderstandings about how this exploitation happens can “frustrate the criminal justice response to trafficking” (Murphy, 2022, p. 4). Investigating and prosecuting the crime of sex trafficking includes understanding concepts such as consent and coercive control. Proving these concepts within the federal criminal justice system is not straightforward (Albanese et al., 2022).

This study will examine the challenges law enforcement professionals face in identifying and putting forth the elements of force, fraud, and coercion in federal sex trafficking investigations and prosecutions. Investigating and prosecuting the crime of sex trafficking requires …

“A Bond As Strong As A Lock And Chain”: Youth Of Color In Low-Income Communities Use Photovoice To Theorize Developmentally Nurturing Processes Of Their Cross-Age Mentoring Programs, Kevin M. Miller, Katherine Tyson Mccrea, Victor Sarna, William Donnelly, Grace Ann Fitzgibbons, Jamie Kessler, Cynthia Onyeka, Chana Matthews, Maryse Richards, Elijah Daniels, Dreyce Denton

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

Youth of color experiencing low-income in the United States face multiple human rights violations: over-policing, community violence, racial discrimination, and insufficient voice in the programs and policies that impact their current and future lives. To accomplish transitional justice, participatory processes are needed that elicit youths’ cultural strengths and wisdom about themselves, their social conditions, services they find helpful, and why those services are helpful. This study highlights findings from a photovoice that elicited youths’ perspectives about a crossage mentoring out-of-school-program. Responding to “What does mentoring mean to you?” 147 youth took photographs in their communities and wrote narratives about the …

Self-Efficacy Is Not Just About The Self: African American Cross-Age Youth Mentors, Amzie Moore, Maria Wathen, Katherine Tyson Mccrea, Maryse Richards

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

Objective: Self-efficacy, a belief in one’s capacity to achieve specific outcomes despite obstacles, is tied to a myriad of positive outcomes in the educational, relational, mental health, and future achievement of Black youth. Black youth living in racially segregated, low-income urban communities face greater obstacles than other youth. This study examines how participation as mentors in a cross-age mentoring program influences self-efficacy, and what social and environmental factors are related to changes in self-efficacy

Method: The study employs growth-curve analyses to investigate the impact of participation on self-efficacy and to examine the effects of the strength of the mentor-mentee relationship, …

Pre-Migration Victimization And Fear Of Violent Crime Among New Arrivals In Chicago / Victimización Y Miedo Al Crimen Violento En El País De Origen De Los Migrantes Recién Llegados A Chicago, Cristian L. Paredes, Keyla Navarrete, Anna E. Bullock, Brianna Hernandez, Raymond A. Akumbilim

Sociology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

This project explores the situations and experiences of new arrivals/asylum seekers who have recently arrived in Chicago. Chicago has experienced a significant increase in the number of newcomers, due to Operation Lone Star, launched by Texas Governor Greg Abbott in March 2021. Since August 2022, Governor Abbott has bused more than 30,000 migrants to Chicago. The City of Chicago has acknowledged its responsibility to welcome everyone regardless of immigration status, adopting a proactive stance toward this humanitarian emergency. However, newcomers still struggle to get access to basic needs in the city. We have conducted a face-to-face, cross-sectional survey to collect …

Nutritional Management Of Low Birth Weight And Preterm Infants In Low- And Low Middle-Income Countries, Maha Azhar, Rahima Yasin, Sawera Hanif, Sharib Afzal Bughio, Jai K. Das, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta

Institute for Global Health and Development

Introduction: Preterm and low birth weight (LBW) infants are at an increased risk of morbidity and mortality compared with their term counterparts, with more than 20 million LBW infants born each year, the majority in lower middle-income countries (LMICs). Given the increased vulnerability and higher nutritional needs of these infants, optimizing feeding strategies may play a crucial role in improving their health outcomes.
Methods: We updated evidence of Every Newborn Series published in The Lancet 2014 by identifying relevant systematic reviews, extracting low-income country (LIC) and LMIC data, and conducting revised meta-analysis for these contexts.
Results: We found 15 reviews; …

An Integrative Bioinformatics Approach To Investigating Timp3 And Immune Cell Infiltration: Prognostic And Clinicopathological Implications, Neelam Bhola, Amit K. Jaiswal, Daman Saluja

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 3 (TIMP3) serves as a prominent endogenous inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), playing a crucial role in inhibiting metastasis, and angiogenesis. However, its exact contributions to colorectal cancer (CRC) remain largely unidentified. We aimed to ascertain the prognostic significance of TIMP3 in CRC patients through a bioinformatic approach. GEPIA, UALCAN, Kaplan–Meier plotter, LinkedOmics, cBioPortal, GeneMANIA, TIMER, TISIDB, the ScTIME database, TISMO, TIDE, CAMOIP, and TISCH2 were employed to comprehensively analyze the differential expression, prognostic value, genetic alterations, signaling pathways, immune cell infiltration, tumor microenvironment (TME) and associated genes of TIMP3 in CRC patients. Compared to adjacent …

Seaweed (Laminaria Digitata) And Honey Kombucha: A Fermented Antioxidant-Rich Beverage: Fermentation, Anastasia Karpova, Deborah Adesina, Furong Tian, Azza S. Naik

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Kombucha is a sweetened tea infusion fermented using a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY). Recently, kombucha has gained popularity due to its potential health benefits, attributed to its high antioxidant and probiotic properties. The aim of this research was to formulate a novel antioxidant-rich beverage with symbiotic benefits by utilizing ingredients such as Laminaria digitata (brown seaweed), cinnamon, and lavender adjuncts, alongside alternative substrates like acacia honey and conventionally used ingredients such as ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe). This study comprehensively evaluated parameters including pH levels, acidity, alcohol content, color, and antioxidant potential of the beverages. All kombucha beverages …

A Review Of The Efficacy Of Prostate Cancer Therapies Against Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer, Shengxin Zhang, Tao Zhang, Gemma Kinsella, James Curtin

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

The standard treatments for prostate cancer (PCa) include chemotherapy, hormone therapy, targeted therapies based on androgen receptor (AR) and/or gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) receptor antagonists, and radiation therapy. But PCa therapeutic resistance remains an unsolved challenge, leading to progression to castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Emerging PCa therapies – including poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors, AR crosstalk signalling pathway inhibitors, B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) inhibitors, cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4)/CDK6 inhibitors, CRISPR/Cas9, epigenetic inhibitors, and nanotechnology-based drug-delivery approaches – provide promising targeted solutions. Targeted protein degradation therapy, particularly AR degradation therapies, effectively inhibits resistance at its source. This review summarises the established and emerging …

Development Of Novel Anticancer Pyrazolopyrimidinones Targeting Glioblastoma, Kate Byrne, Natalia Bednarz, James Curtin, Ciara Mcevoy, John C. Stephens, Gemma Kinsella

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and aggressive malignant grade IV brain tumour and is one of the most difficult types of brain cancer to treat with a high incidence of resistance to traditionally used chemotherapeutics. Pyrazolopyrimidinones are fused nitrogen-containing heterocyclic systems which are a scaffold in several bioactive drugs and drug candidates. Here, a structure activity relationship (SAR) study was performed where 23 substituted pyrazolo[1,5-α]pyrimidinones were screened for cytotoxicity against the GBM U-251 MG cell line and the non-cancerous embryonic kidney HEK293 cell line to assess their potential as anti-glioblastoma agents capable of selectivity for cancer cells. Through analogue …

Enhancing The Functional Properties Of Chitosan-Alginate Edible Films Using Spent Coffee Ground Extract For Fresh-Cut Fruit Preservation, Oghenetega Lois Orhotohwo, Paolo Lucci, Amit K. Jaiswal, Swarna Jaiswal, Deborah Pacetti

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

The developed edible film, formulated using sodium alginate, mushroom-derived chitosan, and bioactive-rich coffee ground extract, offers an environmentally friendly approach to food preservation. By utilizing agro-industrial byproducts, the formulation demonstrates potential economic and social benefits aligned with sustainable development goals. This study developed and optimised a sustainable edible film incorporating spent coffee ground extract (SCGE) as an active ingredient. The formulation was optimised through response surface methodology employing a central composite design, wherein chitosan (0.5–2.5 % w/v), sodium alginate (0.5–2.5 % w/v), glycerol (0.5–2.5 % v/v), and SCGE (4–12 % v/v) were systematically varied. The optimal film (1.49 % chitosan, …

‘Like A 6-Year-Old Dropped On Mars Without Parents’: Faculty Members’ Intercultural Competence And Cultural Adaptation In The Uae, Mustafa Aydogan, Esra İzmir, Hana Shahin

All Works

This study examines the intercultural competence and sociocultural adaptation of international faculty members (IFMs) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a highly multicultural educational setting. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study explores IFMs’ adaptation experiences and the impact of multicultural teaching training. Quantitative analysis of 167 IFMs revealed a significant relationship between intercultural competence and sociocultural adaptation, with training enhancing both. Participants from Muslim or Arab backgrounds adapted better, emphasizing the role of cultural familiarity with the host culture. Qualitative findings from 14 interviews identified five key themes: (a) UAE’s diverse environment, (b) cultural distance, (c) language and communication challenges, …

An Explainable Ai And Optimized Multi-Branch Convolutional Neural Network Model For Eye Anemia Diagnosis, Kamel K. Mohammed, Nadia Dahmani, Rania Ahmed, Ashraf Darwish, Aboul Ella Hassanien

All Works

This paper proposes a novel, non-invasive approach to diagnosing eye anemia using deep learning techniques. Traditional methods, reliant on invasive procedures like venipuncture, are costly and can cause patient discomfort. Our model leverages a multi-branch convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture, incorporating the Hippopotamus Optimization (HO) algorithm and multiclass support vector machines (SVMs) for enhanced accuracy. To address data imbalance, we employ the Synthetic Minority Oversampling Technique (SMOTE) and data augmentation. The model is trained and evaluated on a dataset of 211 eye images. The model achieves a remarkable 97.06% accuracy, with a Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve demonstrating an Area …

Digital Transformation Of Education: An Integrated Framework For Metaverse, Blockchain, And Ai-Driven Learning, Mousa Al-Kfairy, Omar Alfandi, Ravi S. Sharma, Saed Alrabaee

All Works

The integration of Metaverse, Blockchain, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to revolutionize the educational landscape by providing immersive, secure, and personalized learning environments. This study proposes a conceptual framework that combines these technologies to address the key challenges faced by contemporary education systems, including accessibility, engagement, security, and personalization. The Metaverse serves as the immersive platform, offering virtual classrooms, interactive simulations, and gamified learning experiences. Blockchain provides the foundation for secure and transparent academic records, enabling tamper-proof credential verification and decentralized data management. AI enhances the educational experience by powering adaptive learning systems, predictive analytics, and intelligent tutoring …

Leveraging Sentiment Analysis Of Food Delivery Services Reviews Using Deep Learning And Word Embedding, Dheya Mustafa, Safaa M. Khabour, Mousa Al-Kfairy, Ahmed Shatnawi

All Works

Companies that deliver food (food delivery services, or FDS) try to use customer feedback to identify aspects where the customer experience could be improved. Consumer feedback on purchasing and receiving goods via online platforms is a crucial tool for learning about a company’s performance. Many English-language studies have been conducted on sentiment analysis (SA). Arabic is becoming one of the most extensively written languages on the World Wide Web, but because of its morphological and grammatical difficulty as well as the lack of openly accessible resources for Arabic SA, like as dictionaries and datasets, there has not been much research …

Performance Based Scheduling In Distributed Mixed Criticality Systems, Amjad Ali, Saud Wasly, Asad Masood Khattak, Ihsan Ali, Shahid Iqbal, Bashir Hayat

All Works

With a focus on computationally intensive, distributed, and parallel workloads, scheduling in mixed-criticality distributed systems presents significant challenges due to shared memory and resources, as well as the diverse demands of tasks. The system’s efficiency is heavily dependent on the overall scheduling duration (make span), while individual task deadlines impose strict timing constraints. When the tasks need to simultaneously access the shared memory, then these tasks interfere the execution of one another. For managing the scheduling of interfering tasks in distributed mixed-criticality systems, a novel Interference-Aware Partitioning Fixed Priority (IAP-FP) approach is proposed, which effectively handles task partitioning among cores …

Wearing The Veil In The Web: Transformations Of Social Norms And Everyday Practices In The Digital Sphere Within The Mena Region, Cristina Greco, Massimo Leone

All Works

In the digital era, the meaning of different kinds of veil, including the hijab, undertakes significant transformations due to the interaction between laws, norms, everyday practice, and digital technologies. At the same time, the digital sphere intensifies the manifestation of diverse cultural expressions, including veiling practices, leading to new trends, meanings, and layers of complexity. Through the lens of the semiotic of culture, this contribution aims to explore how these practices, traditionally associated with certain notions of modesty and religious identity, are now subject to new translations and dynamic reinterpretations within digital spaces. The digital sphere appears as a semiotic …

Investigation Of Symptom-Specific Functional Connectivity Patterns In Parkinson’S Disease, Ani Kicik, Ali Bayram, Emel Erdogdu, Elif Kurt, Dilek Betul Saridede, Sevim Cengiz, Basar Bilgic, Hasmet A. Hanagasi, Esin Ozturk-Isik, Hakan Gurvit, Erdem Tuzun, Tamer Demiralp

All Works

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a complex neurodegenerative disease, characterized by pronounced heterogeneity in symptoms. This study investigates the functional connectivity (FC) patterns associated with distinct symptom clusters, aiming to elucidate the heterogeneity in PD and uncover the neural mechanisms underlying its motor and cognitive symptoms. Resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) data from 55 non-demented PD patients and 24 healthy controls (HC) were used to perform seed-to-seed FC analyses. A clustering algorithm was applied to the cognitive and motor scores of all PD patients to generate relatively homogeneous symptomatic subgroups. PD patients exhibited a general decrease in FC within a network comprising …

Empowering Women On Screen: Exploring The Influence Of Female Protagonists On Contemporary Culture And Gendered Enjoyment In Film, Fokiya Akhtar, Azmat Rasul

All Works

A prevalent notion in the film industry across the globe suggests that female-led films may underperform, leading producers to avoid casting women as leads. This fear of alienating male audiences perpetuates patriarchal ideologies, objectifies female bodies, reinforces gender stereotypes, and alters perceptions of femininity. Examining this perception, the present study investigated the impact of the gender of the protagonist on the audience preference, challenging the misconception that exists in the film industry globally that films starring females as protagonists are less commercially successful. The study conducted an online experiment of 434 participants who were assigned different movies starring male and …

Improving Public Sector Procurement Methods In International Practices: A Comparative Study, Karem Sayed Aboelazm, Fady Tawakol, Emad Ibrahim, Hanadi Sharif

All Works

Objective: This paper presents the methods of public sector procurement in some public procurement laws such as UNITRAL law, Egyptian Law, Indian Law, Kenyan Law, and UAE law. Theoretical Framework: Some of the modern methods used by many countries, the research also sought to develop a clear definition of public sector procurement and relied in this research on the comparative approach as a significant approach to study for comparing the laws of countries. Method: This paper used descriptive-analytical methodology to analysis the legal frameworks of public sector procurement methods in Egypt, UAE, and other laws in comparison, the research reached …

Ai Innovations In Rppg Systems For Driver Monitoring: Comprehensive Systematic Review And Future Prospects, Soha G. Ahmed, Katrien Verbert, Nazar Zaki, Ashraf Khalil, Hamad Aljassmi, Fady Alnajjar

All Works

Advanced technologies, notably camera-based systems using remote photoplethysmography (rPPG), are increasingly used in automotive safety to non-invasively monitor driver well-being and fatigue by measuring physiological metrics like heart and respiration rates. This review examines recent advancements in machine learning algorithms and signal processing for rPPG in driver monitoring. A literature search up to April 2, 2024, across major databases, identified 344 studies; 29 were analyzed in depth, focusing on: 1) rPPG signal extraction and heart rate estimation, where deep learning improved accuracy; 2) fatigue detection, showing benefits of multimodal data fusion; 3) mental state monitoring, with machine learning classifying cognitive …

Preliminary Validation Of Two Math Screening Tools To Identify Gifted Students In Grades 3–5 In Jordan, Bashir Abu-Hamour, Hanan Al Hmouz

All Works

Introduction: Early screening for mathematically gifted students (MGSs) in Jordan and other Arab countries is limited, posing challenges in identifying and providing appropriate educational services. This study evaluates the validity and reliability of the Arabiya Calculation Test and Math Curriculum-Based Measurement (M-CBM) as tools for effectively screening and supporting MGSs in inclusive education settings. These tools were developed based on the Jordanian curriculum and international assessment tools and require further validation for use in other Arabic-speaking countries. Methods: A quantitative research design was employed, using the Arabiya Calculation Test and M-CBM to assess 78 MGSs in grades 3, 4, and …

Prevalence, Phenotype, And Correlates Of Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder Symptoms In The Gulf Cooperation Council: An Underserved Region, Bernou Melisse, Hassan Fakhri, Lynne Kennedy, Maria J. Figueiras, Munirah Alshebali, Hala Abu Taha, Carine El Khazen, Dalal Alkazemi, Sandra Mulkens

All Works

Introduction: Prevalence estimates and correlates of ARFID in non-Western samples are lacking. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of ARFID symptoms, identify its phenotypes, and explore its correlates in a community sample from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Method: Participants were parents of children aged 4–13 years (n = 87) and individuals of ≥ 14 years old (n = 433). They completed the Pica, ARFID, and Rumination Disorder Interview-ARFID-Questionnaire (PARDI-AR-Q), the Nine Item ARFID Screen (NIAS) and the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q). Multiple regression analyses were performed with body mass index or its standard deviation score, comorbid psychopathology, EDE-Q …

Females On Board, Stakeholder Orientation, And Esg Disclosure: An Evidence From The Tourism And Transportation Industries, Akrum Helfaya, Phuong Bui, Ahmed Aboud

All Works

In the tourism and transportation (T&T) industries, female directors' contributions are undervalued despite the strong emphasis on board gender diversity in management research. We investigate whether the impact of multiple board gender diversity measures on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices varies between shareholder- and stakeholder-oriented countries and between T&T industries, drawing on insights from both managerial and psychological perspectives. Using an international sample of 790 firm-year observations representing 79 listed firms from 16 countries, we find that gender diversity is positively associated with ESG disclosure practices, and this relationship is more pronounced in shareholder-oriented countries and the transportation sector. …

Llm-Driven Apt Detection For 6g Wireless Networks: A Systematic Review And Taxonomy, Muhammed Golec, Yaser Khamayseh, Suhib Bani Melhem, Abdulmalik Alwarafy

All Works

Sixth Generation (6G) wireless networks, which are expected to be deployed in the 2030s, have already created great excitement in academia and the private sector with their extremely high communication speed and low latency rates. However, despite the ultra-low latency, high throughput, and AI-assisted orchestration capabilities they promise, they are vulnerable to stealthy and long-term Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs). Large Language Models (LLMs) stand out as an ideal candidate to fill this gap with their high success in semantic reasoning and threat intelligence. This paper presents the first systematic review and taxonomy for LLM-assisted APT detection in 6G networks. It …

Deep Learning Approaches For Eeg-Based Biometrics: A Systematic Review, Ali E. Albaiati, Muhammad Firdaus Akbar, Murtadha D. Hssayeni, Ashraf Khalil, Mohd Nadhir Ab Wahab, Sundus Sulaiman Weli, Enas A. Raheema

All Works

Biometics such as fingerprint, face, and iris are vulnerable to spoof attacks. The unique characteristics of Electroencephalography (EEG) make it a promising biometric modality especially because of its resistance to spoofing attacks. Many deep learning methods have been proposed for EEG-based biometric systems. This systematic review examines these methods in terms of their feature extraction ability and authentication performance. We follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines to search IEEE Xplore, PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and Springer databases. Initially, we identified 285 relevant articles published between 2018 and 2024. After removing duplicates and applying …

Ultrasound-Assisted Sequential Processing Of Barley Straw Using Binary Acidic And Hydrated Ternary Deep Eutectic Solvents For Nanocellulose Production, Dileswar Pradhan, Swarna Jaiswal, Brijesh K. Tiwari, Amit K. Jaiswal

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

This study aimed to valorise barley straw by using a binary acidic deep eutectic solvent (DES) made from choline chloride and lactic acid for biomass pretreatment, and a hydrated ternary DES (HDES) composed of betaine, oxalic acid, and water (BOW HDES) for downstream processing to produce nanocellulose. The ultrasound-assisted DES pretreatment significantly enhanced lignin and hemicellulose solubilisation, achieving an average lignin removal of 70.54 % and hemicellulose solubilisation of 69.58 % under optimal conditions. Purification of US-DES-treated solid residue resulted in a cellulose yield of 39.81 ± 1.47 % with a purity of 91.31 ± 0.93 %, comparable to or …

Assessing The Microbial Community Composition In Roof-Harvested Rainwater Intended For Crop Irrigation, Michael Arthur, Elena Alexandra Alexa (Oniciuc), Amy Mckenna, Michael Gaffney, Jesus Frias, Catherine M. Burgess

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

No abstract provided.