Digital Commons Network^™

The Influence Of Social, Demographic And Economic Factors On Fertility Trends In Gulf Cooperation Council Countries: A Longitudinal Time Trend Analysis-1980-2021, Sultan A. Meo, Narmeen Shaikh, Anusha S. Meo

Saudi Medical Journal

Abstract Objectives: To analyze the fertility rate trends in the GCC countries and their association with socioeconomic factors so that policymakers may use the study findings for future healthcare plans. Methods: Total population, crude death rate, life expectancy, literacy rate, human development index (HDI), female employment, unemployment rate, urbanisation, gross domestic product (GDP) per capita and inflation were chosen as possible predictors of TFR trends. The data were collected for the Global Burden of Disease 2021 study and other official databases such as the World Bank, the United Nations Development Program and Our World in Data for the 6 Gulf …

Middle East Immunology Summit Of The Gulf Cooperation Council Association Of Immunology And Rheumatology (Gcc Air), 2023 Dubai, United Arab Emirate. Scientific Abstracts And Case Reports, Ahmed S. Zayat, Saadeya Naji, Omar Syed, Adeeba Al-Herz, Ahmed Elasareeri, Mira Merashli, Mahdi Abusalameh, Waleed Hafiz, Elsadeg Sharif, Martin Lee, Fahdah Alokaily, Suad Hannawi

Saudi Medical Journal

No abstract provided.

Do Dieticians Have Weight Biases Towards Themselves And Others?

Saudi Medical Journal

No abstract provided.

Who Director-General Declares Mpox Outbreak A Public Health Emergency Of International Concern

Saudi Medical Journal

No abstract provided.

Who Prequalifies The First Self-Test For Hepatitis C Virus

Saudi Medical Journal

No abstract provided.

Climate Change Prediction Model Using Mcdm Technique Based On Neutrosophic Soft Functions With Aggregate Operators, Kainat Muniba, Muhammad Naveed Jafar, Asma Riffat, Jawaria Mukhtar, Adeel Saleem

Neutrosophic Systems with Applications

The increasing impact of climate change necessitates innovative approaches in modeling and prediction to mitigate its adverse effects. This paper introduces a novel methodology integrating Neutrosophic Soft Functions (NSFs) into climate change prediction frameworks. NSFs, a hybrid of Neutrosophic Set Theory and Soft Set Theory, provide a flexible framework for handling uncertain and imprecise information inherent in climate data. This study explores the application of NSFs in capturing the complex interplay of various climatic variables, including temperature, precipitation, humidity, and atmospheric pressure, thereby enhancing the accuracy and reliability of climate change predictions. By incorporating NSFs into existing predictive models, such …

Exploring The Potential Of Neutrosophic Topological Spaces In Computer Science, A. A. Salama, Huda E. Khalid, Ahmed K. Essa, Ahmed G. Mabrouk

Neutrosophic Systems with Applications

Neutrosophic topological spaces (NTS) offer a novel framework for uncertainty modeling by incorporating degrees of truth, indeterminacy, and falsity. This paper investigates the potential applications of NTS in computer science. We provide background on neutrosophic sets and their extension to topological spaces. We then explore how NTS could be used for uncertainty modeling in data analysis (e.g., handling noisy data in sensor networks), pattern recognition (e.g., improving image classification with imprecise features), and information retrieval (e.g., enhancing search results by considering relevance uncertainty). We discuss the challenges associated with applying NTS and highlight promising areas for future research, such as …

Use Of Koha Integrated Library System In Public University Libraries In Southwest Nigeria, Thomas Aanu Ojo

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Koha is an open-source integrated library system (ILS) used for managing library functions. However, it is observed that Koha has not been fully utilised to carry out library operations by university libraries in the southwest, Nigeria. Therefore, this study examined the use of Koha ILS in public university libraries in southwest, Nigeria. The study adopted descriptive survey. Twelve public university libraries in Southwest Nigeria where Koha was in use were used. All the 264 library personnel were enumerated. Self-designed instruments were used to collect data. Data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics. Cataloguing 181(76.4%), circulation 175 (73.8%) and OPAC modules …

Food Insecurity Cost Estimates For El Paso: 2023, Thomas M. Fullerton Jr., Gregory S. Schober, Steven L. Fullerton, Eva Moya

Border Region Modeling Project

Food insecurity is a fairly pervasive problem throughout the United States that is especially burdensome for low-income regions. While the latter is generally recognized, there have been very few efforts to quantify the dollar costs of food insecurity, especially at the regional level. This study attempts to do so for El Paso County, Texas. This is achieved by first adjusting for inflation cost estimates in a prior national level study. Regional differences with respect to the nation are then utilized to calculate comparable costs for El Paso. Results indicate that the economic damage wrought by food insecurity in El Paso …

Borderplex Business Barometer, Volume 8, Number 9, Thomas M. Fullerton Jr., Steven L. Fullerton

Border Region Modeling Project

No abstract provided.

Leads Data Insights: Learning — September 2024, University Of North Dakota

LEADS Development Documents

September 2024 Data Insights presentation for the LEARNING core value of UND LEADS. The slides summarize Learning-related Activity Inventory items and feature data on undergraduate experiential learning course enrollments, nationally competitive scholarship and fellowship applications, and student participation in campus-based presentations, performances, and papers.

From A Treasure Seeker To A Guide: The Journey Of The Resident-As-Teacher, Yu-Hung Tung, Jin-Hui Chen, Yu-Chun Chiu

Journal of Medical Education

Although residents are still in training, they play very important roles in the clinical care team as they are the frontline caregivers and also undertake teaching tasks. This article explores the key concepts, literature, and practical implementation of the Resident-as-Teacher (RaT) model. Additionally, we invite a chief resident and a senior medical student to share their experiences and reflections from their perspectives. This article may serve as a learner-centered reference for the planning and promotion of RaT programs and curricula.

Enhancing Pediatric Assessment Skills In Medical Students Through Scaffolding And Simulation-Based Learning, Chih-Wei Ten, Chun-Chih Peng

Journal of Medical Education

Background: The incidence of critically ill pediatric patients has declined due to decreasing birth rates and advancements in healthcare, resulting in limited clinical exposure for medical students. Nonetheless, the ability to assess and manage critically ill children remains an essential competency in pediatrics. Therefore, a simulation course was developed that integrates scaffolding theory to enhance pediatric assessment among medical students. Methods: The simulation course was designed based on flowcharts and clinical cases with the learning materials being case based featuring first-person roleplays and video simulations. The medical students during rotation in the pediatric department of a teaching hospital in Taiwan …

The Effect Of Ageing On The Surface Roughness Of Varseosmile Crown Plus And Lithium Disilicate / Suhaenih Budin, Budin Suhaenih

Student Works (2020-2029)

This in-vitro study aims to investigate the effect of artificial ageing on the surface roughness of two groups: 3D printed ceramic-filled hybrid material (VarseoSmile Crown plus) (VSplus group) and milled lithium disilicate glass ceramic (IPS e.max CAD) (Emax group). A total of 20 samples with a sample size of n=10 per group were determined, accounting for a 15% dropout rate. The sample preparation involved fabricating rectangular-shaped samples of both groups with dimensions of 14×12×3 mm. For VSplus (Bego, Bremen, Germany), the samples were 3D printed using a 3D printer (Ackuretta SOL 3D printer), followed by a cleaning process with ethanol …

The Effect Of Dietary Nitrate On The Oral Microbiome And Salivary Biomarkers In Individuals With High Blood Pressure, Lisa Du Toit, Michaela L. Sundqvist, Alvaro Redondo-Rio, Zöe Brookes, Patricia Casas-Agustench, Mary Hickson, Alicia Benavente, Gemma Montagut, Eddie Weitzberg, Toni Gabaldón, Jon O. Lundberg, Raul Bescos

Peninsula Dental School

Background: Green leafy vegetables (GLV) contain inorganic nitrate, an anion with potential prebiotic effects on the oral microbiome. However, it remains unclear whether GLV and pharmacological supplementation [potassium nitrate (PN)] with a nitrate salt induce similar effects on the oral microbiome. Objectives: This study aimed to compare the effect of GLV with PN supplementation on the oral microbiome composition and salivary biomarkers in individuals with high blood pressure. Methods: Seventy individuals were randomly allocated to 3 different groups to follow a 5-wk dietary intervention. Group 1 consumed 300 mg/d of nitrate in form of GLV. Group 2 consumed pills with …

Multi-Modal Alignment Via Hyperbolic Geometry, Suyu Liu

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Strong capabilities of generalization to unseen domains are vital for deep neural networks. While existing methods have shown promising results without source domain access, they mostly rely on models that are extensively pre-trained on source domains or overlook the intricate hierarchical structures inherent in visual and textual features. These limitations may have bad impacts on performances, especially on datasets with many classes. To overcome this, in this paper we propose a novel approach that projects the model onto hyperbolic geometry and employs geometric optimal transport to align cross-modal features in an unsupervised manner. Unlike Euclidean geometry, hyperbolic geometry is characterized …

Quality Assurance In Software Engineering: A Journey Towards Explainable Automated Solutions, Ratnadira Widyasari

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

In today's digital era, the pervasive influence of software on daily life underscores the necessity for high-quality and reliable systems. Software failures can result in substantial harm and financial losses, highlighting the pivotal role of Software Quality Assurance (SQA). While automated SQA techniques have evolved to aid developers in ensuring software quality, the necessity for explainability in these automated solutions has become equally important. For example, in automated fault localization, only identifying suspicious locations is insufficient; it is essential to provide reasoning on why these locations are suspicious. This dissertation presents a series of interconnected studies aimed at developing explainable …

Essays On Corporate Finance, Su Hee Yun

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Chapter 1. The impact of ESG disasters on Green and Brown firms

I investigate the effect of a firm’s prior ESG reputation on the market impact of ESG incidents. I find that firms with a better ESG reputation, i.e., higher ESG ratings, experience less negative stock-market reactions and analysts' forecast revisions compared to firms with a poorer ESG reputation. But managers of Greener firms, when producing earnings guidance, do not forecast a lower impact of these incidents on future earnings. Similarly, actual decreases in future earnings following these incidents are not significantly different between Green and Brown firms. Altogether, the …

Team Development Through Leader Mindfulness And Authentic Leadership: Leader Mindfulness As An Antecedent To Authentic Leadership And Its Relationship With Team Development As Seen In Actual Turnover, Turnover Intention, Performance, Internal Mobility, And Promotions, Stefan Juerg Wermelinger

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

The following research examines leader mindfulness as an antecedent to authentic leadership and its relationship with team development seen in actual turnover, turnover intention, performance, internal mobility, and promotions. The study has a significant advantage as team leaders and team members could be surveyed in a real company, and data from the human resource department could be linked to reconstruct the team settings. In addition, insights into internal mobility, actual turnover, and promotions could be calculated.

The study uses a theoretical framework that builds on leader mindfulness as an antecedent of authentic leadership and authentic leadership as a root concept …

Optimal Timing Of Delivery For Pregnant Individuals With Mild Chronic Hypertension, Torri D Metz, Hui-Chien Kuo, Lorie Harper, Baha Sibai, Sherri Longo, George R Saade, Lorraine Dugoff, Kjersti Aagaard, Kim Boggess, Kirsten Lawrence, Brenna L Hughes, Joseph Bell, Rodney K Edwards, Kelly S Gibson, David M Haas, Lauren Plante, Brian Casey, Sean Esplin, Matthew K Hoffman, Kara K Hoppe, Janelle Foroutan, Methodius Tuuli, Michelle Y Owens, Hyagriv N Simhan, Heather Frey, Todd Rosen, Anna Palatnik, Susan Baker, Phyllis August, Uma M Reddy, Wendy Kinzler, Emily J Su, Iris Krishna, Nguyet A Nguyen, Mary E Norton, Daniel Skupski, Yasser Y El-Sayed, Dotun Ogunyemi, Ronald Librizzi, Leonardo Pereira, Everett F Magann, Mounira Habli, Shauna Williams, Giancarlo Mari, Gabriella Pridjian, David S Mckenna, Marc Parrish, Eugene Chang, Joanne Quiñones, Zorina S Galis, Namasivayam Ambalavanan, Rachel G Sinkey, Jeff M Szychowski, Alan T N Tita

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: To investigate the optimal gestational age to deliver pregnant people with chronic hypertension to improve perinatal outcomes.

Methods: We conducted a planned secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial of chronic hypertension treatment to different blood pressure goals. Participants with term, singleton gestations were included. Those with fetal anomalies and those with a diagnosis of preeclampsia before 37 weeks of gestation were excluded. The primary maternal composite outcome included death, serious morbidity (heart failure, stroke, encephalopathy, myocardial infarction, pulmonary edema, intensive care unit admission, intubation, renal failure), preeclampsia with severe features, hemorrhage requiring blood transfusion, or abruption. The primary …

Episodes Of Acute Methotrexate-Related Neurotoxicity Linked To Compromised Long-Term Neurocognitive Function, Rachel D Harris, Olga A Taylor, Kimberly P Raghubar, Mariana Matheus Gonzalez, Mark Zobeck, M Monica Gramatges, Karen R Rabin, Michael E Scheurer, Austin L Brown

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Methotrexate is a critical component of curative chemotherapy for pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), but is associated with neurotoxicity. Information on long-term outcomes following an acute neurotoxic event is limited. Therefore, this report compares neurocognitive performance more than 12 months post diagnosis (mean = 4 years) between ALL patients with (n = 25) and without (n = 146) a history of acute neurotoxicity. Compared to children with no documented on-treatment neurotoxic event, children who experienced a neurotoxic event during treatment exhibited poorer performance on measures of fine motor function (p = .02) and attention (p = .02). Children with ALL …

Correction: Predicting Wait Time For Pediatric Kidney Transplant: A Novel Index, Alexandra Alvarez, Ashley Montgomery, Nhu Thao Nguyen Galván, Eileen D Brewer, Abbas Rana

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

This corrects the article "Predicting wait time for pediatric kidney transplant: a novel index" on page 2483.

Thickened Submucosal Adipose Tissue Layer During Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection Of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Dysplasia, Motasem Alkhayyat, Ashwin Akki, Emre Gorgun, Florian Rieder, Amit Bhatt

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Initiation Of Metformin In Early Pregnancy Results In Fetal Bioaccumulation, Growth Restriction, And Renal Dysmorphology In A Primate Model, Erin Bolte, Tyler Dean, Brandon Garcia, Maxim D Seferovic, Kristin Sauter, Gwendolynn Hummel, Matthew Bucher, Feng Li, John Hicks, Xuan Qin, Melissa A Suter, Enrico R Barrozo, Michael Jochum, Cynthia Shope, Jacob E Friedman, Maureen Gannon, Stephanie R Wesolowski, Carrie E Mccurdy, Paul Kievit, Kjersti M Aagaard

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: In recent years, pragmatic metformin use in pregnancy has stretched to include prediabetes mellitus, type 2 diabetes mellitus, gestational diabetes mellitus, and (most recently) preeclampsia. However, with its expanded use, concerns of unintended harm have been raised.

Objective: This study developed an experimental primate model and applied ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography coupled to triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry for direct quantitation of maternal and fetal tissue metformin levels with detailed fetal biometry and histopathology.

Study design: Within 30 days of confirmed conception (defined as early pregnancy), 13 time-bred (timed-mated breeding) Rhesus dams with pregnancies designated for fetal necropsy were initiated on …

Determining Predictors Of Actual Living Kidney Donation Based On Potential Donor Characteristics, Andrea M Meinders, Edward A Graviss, Duc T Nguyen, Jonathan Daw, Krista L Lentine, John Devin Peipert, Ahmed Osama Gaber, David A Axelrod, Francis L Weng, Amy D Waterman

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Living donor kidney transplantation is the optimal treatment for end-stage kidney disease; however, few living donor candidates (LDCs) who begin evaluation actually donate. While some LDCs are deemed medically ineligible, others discontinue for potentially modifiable reasons.

Methods: At five transplant centers, we conducted a prospective cohort study measuring LDCs' clinical and psychosocial characteristics, educational preparation, readiness to donate, and social determinants of health. We followed LDCs for 12 months after evaluation to determine whether they donated a kidney, opted to discontinue, had modifiable reasons for discontinuing, were medically ineligible, or had other recipient-related reasons for discontinuing.

Results: Among 2184 …

Mint Registry: Rationale And Study Design, Kaustubh Limaye, Sami Al Kasab, Jaydevsinh Dolia, Mohamad Ezzeldin, Daniel Vela Duarte, Vinodh Doss, Sourabh Lahoti, David Hasan, Alejandro Spiotta, Khaled Asi, Vasu Saini, Tapan Mehta, Ameer Hassan, Diogo Haussen, Dileep Yavagal, Jesse Jones, Omar Tanweer, Waleed Brinjikji

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Mechanical thrombectomy has become the standard of care for treatment of acute ischemic stroke secondary to large-vessel occlusion up to 24 hours from last known normal time. Multiple different techniques for mechanical thrombectomy have been described, including a direct aspiration first-pass technique and stent retriever thrombectomy. With a direct aspiration first-pass technique, classically, a large-bore aspiration catheter is delivered over a microcatheter and microwire to the clot. Recently, a novel macrowire has been introduced as a potential alternative to the use of microwire-microcatheter to allow the delivery of the aspiration catheter. The aim of this study is to develop …

Endovascular Thrombectomy With And Without Preceding Thrombolysis In Posterior Circulation Stroke-Insights From Star, Ev-Christin Heide, Sami Al Kasab, Ali Alawieh, Adam Arthur, Waleed Brinjikji, Shakeel Chowdhry, Roberto Crosa, Hugo Cuellar, Reade De Leacy, Travis Dumont, Marielle Ernst, Mohamad Ezzeldin, Isabel Fragata, Brian Howard, Pascal Jabbour, Peter Kan, Joon-Tae Kim, Michael R Levitt, Justin Mascitelli, Charles Matouk, Mark Moss, Pedro Navia, Joshua Osbun, Min S Park, Adam Polifka, Marios-Nikos Psychogios, Ansaar Rai, Daniele G Romano, Amir Shaban, Robert M Starke, Omar Tanweer, Richard Williamson, Stacey Q Wolfe, Shinichi Yoshimura, Alejandro M Spiotta, Ilko L Maier

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Multiple randomized trials could not establish the noninferiority of endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) alone without preceding intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) or superiority of IVT followed by EVT in anterior circulation large-vessel occlusion stroke. The role of prior IVT in posterior circulation large-vessel occlusion remains controversial.

Methods: In this multicenter, retrospective study, patients with stroke with large-vessel occlusion in the posterior circulation who received EVT alone or with IVT were selected from the stroke thrombectomy and aneurysm registry between 2013 and 2022. Effects of IVT followed by thrombectomy on favorable functional outcome (defined as modified Rankin scale≤3 at 90 days) and safety …

Molecular Detection Of Intestinal Parasites In A Rural Community Of Colombia: A One Health Approach To Explore Potential Environmental-Zoonotic Transmission, Sergio Castañeda, Claudia Patricia Acosta, Luis Reinel Vasquez-A, Luz H Patiño, Rojelio Mejía, Juan David Ramírez

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Aims: Protozoan and helminth parasitic infections pose significant public health challenges, especially in developing countries with rural populations marked by suboptimal hygiene practices and socio-economic constraints. The parasites are the etiological agents of these infections and have a notably elevated global prevalence. Therefore, this study focuses on estimating the frequency and transmission dynamics of several parasitic species, including Blastocystis, Giardia, Cryptosporidium spp., Entamoeba histolytica, Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, Taenia spp. and hookworms, within a rural community in southwest Colombia with a particular emphasis on the One Health framework, considering environmental and zoonotic transmission potentials.

Methods and results: This study involved …

Older And Better: A Narrative Review Of Successful Aging And Adaptation To Pain In Late Life, Emanuel Narcis Husu

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

"Invariably, the self-assessed QoL was far better than I, as a physician, would have anticipated from the diseases and disabilities that you reported." -Ben Eiseman, MD, based on a survey of his octogenarian Yale University classmates.

Background: Chronic pain control is a high priority for the elderly; it is one of the most frequently encountered medical problems in this group. Chronic pain affects 60%-75% of people aged 65 years and older. Chronic pain's prevalence is even higher in those living in assisted living or nursing homes. Based on epidemiological data, the prevalence of chronic pain is directly proportional to age …

How We Do It: Biatrial Maze, Marc R Moon, Puja Kachroo

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.