Digital Commons Network^™

Using Early And Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, And Treatment (Epsdt) To Improve Access To Obesity Pharmacotherapy: A Practical Guide For Clinicians Caring For Youth With Obesity Across United States Medicaid Programs:, Jaime M. Moore, Valerie M. O'Hara, Cassie Totman, Brooke Sweeney, Sarah Hampl, Alaina P. Vidmar

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Coverage of obesity pharmacotherapy for youth varies substantially across state Medicaid programs. This variability limits access to evidence-based treatment for pediatric obesity. The Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) benefit is a federally mandated Medicaid provision requiring coverage of medically necessary services for individuals under age 21, even when such services are not included in standard state Medicaid benefits. Despite its broad scope, EPSDT remains underutilized due to limited awareness and operational complexity.

METHODS: We developed a clinician-facing, practice-oriented framework to operationalize EPSDT for pediatric obesity treatment. This approach integrates (1) review of federal EPSDT policy and …

Ovarian Cancer Tumor Immune Profiles Associated With Intrauterine Device And Oral Contraceptive Use., Jennifer M. Mongiovi, Ana Babic, Naoko Sasamoto, Mary K. Townsend, Allison F. Vitonis, Mollie Barnard, Jonathan Hecht, T Rinda Soong, Jose R. Conejo-Garcia, Lauren C. Peres, Joellen M. Schildkraut, Holly R. Harris, Jennifer A. Doherty, Francesmary Modugno, Brooke L. Fridley, Shelley S. Tworoger, Kathryn L. Terry

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Non-hormonal intrauterine devices (IUDs) create an inflammatory uterine environment while oral contraceptives (OC) suppress ovulation and have different associations with ovarian cancer risk. We have evaluated the associations of these two contraceptive exposures with ovarian tumor immune infiltration.

METHODS: This study assessed associations of IUD and OC use with tumor immune features via multiplex immunofluorescence in 24 ovarian tumor tissue microarrays from four case-control and two cohort studies. Multivariable-adjusted beta-binomial models estimated the odds of tumor T cell positivity by contraceptive history.

RESULTS: High-grade serous tumors had the highest percentage of tumor cells positive for total T cells (CD3+ …

Mir-27a Expression During Inflammatory Organ Injury Associated With Ards And A Novel Tissue-Specific Knockout Model, Jieun Kim, Synthea Horton, Oleg D Makarevich, Yan Levitsky, Thu Thien Tran, In Hyuk Bang, Xiangsheng Huang, Xuebo Chen, Katherine Figarella, Xiaoyi Yuan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Cardiovascular Disease Incidence And Cancer Risk In Two Large European Prospective Cohorts, Emma Fontvieille, Vivian Viallon, Laia Peruchet-Noray, Quan Gan, N. Charlotte Onland-Moret, Yvonne Koop, Anne Tjønneland, Nicola Bondonno, Verena Katzke, Rudolf Kaaks, Matthias B. Schulze, Catarina Schiborn, Calogero Saieva, Vittorio Simeon, Claudia Agnoli, Rosario Tumino, Fulvio Ricceri, Leila Luján-Barroso, Maria José Sánchez, Conchi Moreno-Iribas, Konstantinos K. Tsilidis, Marc J. Gunter, Adam Butterworth, Elio Riboli, Heinz Freisling, Pietro Ferrari

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Our study investigated the association between incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) and subsequent cancer risk in two large European prospective cohorts. We included 568,926 adults from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition and United Kingdom Biobank, all of whom were free of CVD, cancer and type 2 diabetes at baseline. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate cancer hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) in relation to incident CVD events. CVD was treated as a time-varying exposure, and models accounted for time since CVD diagnosis and other lifestyle factors. Study-specific estimates were pooled using …

Spatiotemporal Assessment Of Water Quality Around Western Australian Central Business District Using Satellite Multispectral Imaging, Muhammad Hassnain, Cameron Veal, Muhammad Rizwan Azhar

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Monitoring urban surface waters requires methods that preserve spatial detail while capturing seasonal and interannual variability. Multispectral satellite remote sensing provides a scalable complement to conventional field and laboratory monitoring across rivers, wetlands, lakes and coastal receiving waters. This study used Sentinel-2 Level-2A imagery processed through the Pixxel Aurora workflow to map a model-based water quality index (WQI) for the Swan-Canning River system, adjacent urban lakes and nearby coastal waters around Perth, Western Australia, from 2018 to 2025. Of 150 candidate images, 96 monthly WQI maps were accepted after software-based cloud correction, area-of-interest coverage checks and visual quality review. Satellite-derived …

How Conditions Within Immigration Removal Centres In The United Kingdom Affect The Mental Wellbeing Of Detainees: A Scoping Review, Niamh Gallagher, Tristan Price, Matthew Griggs

Peninsula Medical School

BackgroundImmigration Removal Centres (IRCs) are used to detain people for immigration control by the UK government. This scoping review aims to examine the experiences of detainees within UK IRCs, specifically how conditions within them, including the regime, affect their mental wellbeing.MethodsThe Joanna Briggs Institute guideline for scoping reviews was followed. Six bibliographic databases and additional grey literature sources were searched for quantitative and qualitative evidence. Descriptive analyses and quality assessments were conducted.ResultsFifteen research studies and nine pieces of grey literature were included, comprising a total of 1353 participants and 11 IRCs. The majority of data was qualitative in methodology and …

Implementation Brief 4 Sea And Lea Brightspots, Center On English Language Proficiency

Resources

No abstract provided.

Outcomes For Congenitally Corrected Transposition Of Great Arteries Using Various Surgical Techniques: A Systematic Review And Network Meta-Analysis., S U Hasan, Sur Usmani, S H Ahmed, A Pervez, M A Kamalia, A D Shah, Mujeeb Zubair

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

INTRODUCTION: Congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries (ccTGA) is a rare disorder. Here, we evaluated the effectiveness of physiological, anatomical and Fontan repair techniques for ccTGA.

METHODS: A systematic database search in PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials was conducted from inception to 5 June 2023. Random-effects network meta-analysis was performed, comparing mortality, postoperative arrhythmias, reintervention after definitive surgery and transplant-free survival in patients undergoing physiological, anatomical and Fontan repair.

FINDINGS: A total of 1,209 patients were included from nine studies. Fontan repair was associated with a higher rate of transplant-free survival (absolute risk [AR] 0.999 …

Vomica And Respiratory Distress: A Complicated Lung Hydatid Cyst In A Child., Riccardo Guanà, Antonella Peduto, Maria Grazia Sacco Casamassima, Marco Denina, Marco Petraz, Cristina Giuliano, Giuseppe Farruggio, Lucia Gerbaudo, Fabrizio Gennari

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Hydatid cyst, caused by Echinococcus infection, is the most common parasitic lung infection in children. Giant cysts are generally the result of a late diagnosis and are associated with a high risk of spontaneous rupture and life-threatening complications, including anaphylactic shock. We present the complex management of a large, complicated hydatid cyst of the lung in an 11-year-old boy in a nonendemic area. This case highlighted the specific work-up and surgical treatment of lung cysts as well as the differential diagnosis to consider when treating pulmonary masses or pneumonia.

Organic Pesticides: A General Overview, Marion Murray, Ann Mull

All Current Publications

Organic pesticides are naturally occurring, nonsynthetic, or minimally processed substances that control unwanted organisms in the environment. Categories include insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, and miticides.

The Freedom To Learn: Student Stories Of Challenge, Aspiration, And Accomplishment, Marjan Noori, Ata Ullah, Elizaveta Vergel, Salma Rahman, Myo Myint Maung Maung, Sisila Zafari

GHEA21 Publications

Every year, students threatened or displaced by political repression, conflict, or crisis take more than 2,000 regular, credit-bearing courses offered by GHEA21. This collection of student work is a small selection of the perspectives on the freedom to learn that have emerged from these courses. It presents a range of work—academic papers, articles written for public audiences, and creative writing—from several countries. GHEA21 compiled this collection as an initiative of its Collaborative for Threatened and Exiled Universities.

Nurses' Perspectives Of Dysphagia Screening Practices In Irish Residential Long-Term Care Settings: A Qualitative Descriptive Study, Constantino Estupiñán Artiles, Claire Donnellan, Julie Regan, Mary Mooney

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objectives To examine nurses’ perspectives on current dysphagia screening practices in Irish residential long-term care settings (RLTCS), and to investigate barriers and facilitators to nursing-led dysphagia screening within this healthcare context. Methods This study employed a qualitative descriptive design and was reported in accordance with the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research checklist. Participants were recruited through purposive sampling from RLTCS located in the northeast of the Republic of Ireland. Eleven in-person focus group interviews were conducted with thirty-four nurses working in clinical and managerial roles. A semi-structured interview guide was utilised, and the data were subsequently analysed using reflexive …

Pediatric Nurses' Perspectives Of Integrating Spiritual Care Into Everyday Practice: An Integrative Review, Yin May Htay, Mandie Foster, R. Mowat

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Aim: To explore nurses' perspectives regarding children's spiritual care in pediatric healthcare settings. Background: Spiritual care is a fundamental source of comfort and healing and an essential. component of nursing practice. However, pediatric nurses often lack the competence and confidence to incorporate spiritual care into their clinical routines. Despite its importance, the perceptions and practices of pediatric nurses across various clinical specialties regarding spiritual care remain underexplored in current literature. Methods: The integrative review methodology was chosen to provide a comprehensive and up-to-date synthesis of the literature. Four electronic databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, Scopus and Google Scholar) were used to search …

Reappraisal Of Adverse Weather As A Catalyst For Special Tourism Experiences, Valério Souza-Neto, Brent Moyle, Yawei Jiang, Gui Lohmann

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

On any given day millions of travellers find themselves contending with weather that deviates dramatically from prior expectations. Traditionally regarded as an unwelcome disruption, adverse weather has rarely been examined for its potential to enrich, rather than diminish, the value of tourist experiences. Consequently, this research critically explores how tourists positively reappraise adverse weather disruptions in tourism experiences. Based on eight focus groups (n = 42), transcript data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis within a social-constructivist paradigm, combining iterative coding with abductive reasoning. Findings demonstrate that adverse weather can function as a situational catalyst that enables tourists to reinterpret …

Recent Advances In Thermal Performance Improvement Of Parabolic Trough Solar Collectors Using Magnetic Nanofluids And Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Fluid, Taha Baig, Syeda Laraib Tariq, Furqan Jamil, Qamar Abbas, Hassan Bin Shahid, Hafiz Muhammad Ali

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Among various available types of sustainable energy sources, the role of solar energy is vital due to its safety and low cost. Multiple rigs have been designed to use solar energy to generate steam, where the parabolic trough solar collector (PTSC) is a prominent example. Numerous numerical and experimental studies have been conducted to date to improve the thermal effectiveness of PTSCs. These studies include using hybrid nanofluids, insert types, magnetic nanofluids and supercritical carbon dioxide. The current paper provides a review of these studies, including an in-depth discussion section, an account of remaining challenges, and suggestions for future directions. …

The Plastic Footprint Of Sugar: Microplastic Contamination In Bangladesh’S Commercial Sugar, Sadia Afrin, Nayon Hossain, Mostafizur Rahman

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The presence of microplastics (MPs) in food has emerged as an environmental and public health concern, yet evidence regarding their occurrence in refined dietary commodities remains limited. This study assesses microplastic contamination in commercially available sugar and estimates the daily intake of MPs. Seven branded and non-branded sugar products were analysed using stereomicroscopy for particle characterization and FTIR spectroscopy for polymer identification. Microplastics were detected in 95% of samples, with concentrations ranging from 210 to 508 particles/kg. Branded sugar contained 322 ± 109.53 particles/kg, while non-branded sugar exhibited 403 ± 148.5 particles/kg, indicating comparatively higher contamination in freely available market …

What Makes An Analogy Effective For Students’ Learning Of Mathematics? Conceptualising Analogy Effectiveness For Teaching Mathematics, Vesife Hatisaru, Steven Richardson

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Analogies are commonly used in mathematics teaching as a means to promote understanding of new potentially abstract concepts, by linking them to well-understood contexts. Despite strong intuition that analogies are helpful in supporting students’ learning of mathematics, there is a lack of agreement on how to objectively judge the utility or conceptual affordances of these analogies. In this paper, we aim to conceptualise how to assess the effectiveness of an analogy by employing Gentner’s structure-mapping theory to analogies and explore two teacher-made analogies (the ‘child-mother’ and the ‘machine’) for learning the formal definition of a function as illustrative examples. By …

Underfunded And Undervalued: Community-Based Health Promotion Practitioners’ Experiences Of Western Australia’S Prevention Sector, Ruth M. Wallace, Leesa N. Costello, Elizabeth J. Cook

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Prevention is a central policy focus of contemporary health promotion, offering cost-effective strategies to reduce disease burden and improve population well-being. Despite this, Australia allocates a small proportion of its health budget to prevention, with funding models characterized by short-term cycles and competitive tendering. While the consequences for public health are well documented, the impact on the health promotion workforce remains underexplored. Workforce health and stability are critical for program delivery, ethical practice, continuity of relationships with communities, and the capacity to sustain long-term prevention efforts. This qualitative study examined the experience of 19 community-based health promotion practitioners in Western …

Isolating Human Monocytes And Characterizing Human Macrophage Polarization Through Flow Cytometry And Morphological Analysis, Arthur Peter Klujian

Biomedical Engineering

Peripheral Artery Occlusive Disease (PAOD) is a cardiovascular disease that affects more than 200 million people. It is characterized by atherosclerosis, a biologic process where peripheral arteries are restricted due to a buildup in cholesterol and fats. This eventually leads to ischemia, developing complications such as chronic inflammation and possible limb amputation. The current standard of care for patients includes surgical revascularization and exercise therapy. These treatment strategies have had limited success with alleviating symptoms and restoring perfusion, however, many patients still experience ischemia and do not fully restore blood flow. Further exploration in pursuit of treating these shortcomings led …

September 2026 Faculty Senate Packet, University Of Nebraska At Kearney Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Packets

No abstract provided.

Puzzling Behavior In Monetary Policy Transmission: New Evidence From Central Asian Economies, Elyor Davlatov, Judit Sági

Bulletin of Monetary Economics and Banking

The misidentification of monetary policy shocks typically produces the price, and the exchange rate puzzles in empirical studies. Numerous identification approaches have been introduced in the VAR literature, and these approaches have been applied to address anomalies in various countries. This study examines how well these identification approaches have worked in resolving price and exchange rate puzzles under state dominance in the financial sector in a highly dollarized and shallow financial market environment of Central Asian Economies (CAEs). First, a baseline Vector Autoregression (VAR) model with short-run restrictions is estimated using Cholesky factorization, with anomalous results observed for both prices …

Bank Soundness Index For Indonesia: The Generalized Dynamic Principal Component Analysis Approach, Yusita Octina Budiyanti, Nasrudin Nasrudin

Bulletin of Monetary Economics and Banking

In Indonesia, the Bank Soundness Index (BSI) serves as an early warning instrument for assessing the stability of Conventional Commercial Banks (CCBs) and Islamic Commercial Banks (ICBs). This study develops the BSI employing the Generalized Dynamic Principal Component Analysis (GDPCA) methodology and incorporates the fundamental indicators from the Financial Soundness Indicators released by the IMF. The BSI for CCBs is formulated using three primary components, with the Operating Expense to Operating Income ratio assigned the greatest weight. Likewise, the BSI for ICBs is constituted by three primary components, with the Liquid Asset ratio carrying the greatest weight. The developed BSI …

Scientific Uncertainty As Political Aggression: A Manifesto For Those Who Value Science And Want To Save It From State And Corporate Control, Stephen Demeo

Publications and Research

A manifesto is an opportunity to publicly express strongly held beliefs about a topic that is personally important to an author. It is analytical as it is creative. “Scientific Uncertainty as Political Aggression” is a manifesto that intersects science and politics. It urges those interested in science to examine two different but related topics: scientific uncertainty in measurement—what it is, how it is determined, why it’s important— and the magnification of uncertainty through legal and linguistic tactics used by right-wing politicians and politically supported corporations.

For some time now, the Republican Establishment has cast excessive doubt on scientific findings through …

Heroclix®: A Multiplayer Chess Game For Teaching The Fundamentals Of Human Capital Management, Chin Heng Low, Jiunwen Wang, Paul Lim, Bernie Koh

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This article describes the adaptation and use of the HeroClix® board game to teach critical real-world principles for effective human capital management within teams. In a HeroClix® game, players pit their team of miniature figurines against other players’ miniatures in combat. This is akin to organizations striving in the business environment today, with well-structured human capital within their teams as a key competitive advantage. In this article, we suggest how the game can be applied in the classroom for undergraduate students to experience, reflect on, and learn more about the prerequisite considerations in proficient people management, the dynamic nature of …

State Of The Fisheries: Status Reports Of The Fisheries And Aquatic Resources Of Western Australia 2024/25, Stephen J. Newman, Ainslie Denham, Lebo Selemela, Jenny Moore

Status Reports of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources

The Status Reports of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources of Western Australia (SRFAR) provides an annual update on the state of the fish stocks and other aquatic resources of Western Australia (WA). These reports outline the most recent assessments of the cumulative risk status for each of the aquatic resources (assets) within WA’s six bioregions using an Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management (EBFM) approach. The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Dveelopment’s (DPIRD) risk based EBFM framework is the WA Government’s basis for management of all of WA’s aquatic resources.

Assets examined in each bioregion include the meso-scale ecosystems and aquatic …

Democracy And Public Policy Network Expert Analysis On September 2026 Ohio Likely Voters Poll, Robert Alexander

Democracy and Public Policy Network Polls

No abstract provided.

2026 Visiting Scholar Reflection: Madison Felman Panagotacos, Madison Felman-Panagotacos

Marian Fellowships and Other Sponsored Research in the Marian Library

In the summer of 2026, I had the opportunity to spend some time in the Marian Library looking for sources for my book, Alternative Maternities: Bodies, Death, and Argentine Citizenship Since 1820 (Rutgers University Press, 2027). This project explores how maternal figures have been symbols on which Argentine nationhood has been constructed since the 19^th century.

2026 Graduate Scholar Reflection: Alaina Keller, Alaina Keller

Marian Fellowships and Other Sponsored Research in the Marian Library

In the Marian Library Gallery exhibit Fiat and Faith: Symbolism of the Annunciation, the first image that greets you is an extensive, multicolored wall mural that depicts various symbols in Annunciation artwork, from an apple to a spindle to violets and lilies and the dove that often soars above the scene. One symbol in particular, the “beam of light” that symbolizes the Holy Spirit or the light of Christ, might catch your eye (as it did mine) with its extended comment: in the medieval period, Mary was believed to have conceived of Jesus per aurem, or “through the ear.” …

Tpr2 Project Survey Instruments: Teacher Intention, Initial Employment, And Follow Up Surveys, Devon Brenner, Jenn Whitfield, Dana C. Outlaw, Dana P. Franz, Keith Hubbard

Publications

TPR2 Project Survey Instruments: Teacher Intention, Initial Employment, and Follow Up Surveys

This document contains three longitudinal survey instruments developed for the Investigating STEM Teacher Preparation and Rural Teacher Persistence and Retention (TPR2) project to examine the factors that influence pre-service and early-career teachers' decisions about the geographic location in which they choose to teach, with particular attention to rural and small-town placement. The surveys track participants across three key stages of the teacher pipeline: entry into a teacher preparation program, transition into initial employment, and completion of the first year of professional teaching.

Teacher Intention Survey (TIS): Administered during …

Graduate School Blog - September 2026, Cynthia Haynes

UofM Grad School Blog

This issue spotlights Dr. Deborah Tollefsen’s latest Removing Barriers to Graduate Student Success installment on graduate students who are also parents and the importance of institutional support. We also highlight a UofM graduate alumna, upcoming graduate student events, the Fall 2026 Mastering Graduate School Webinar Series, and opportunities to connect through the Graduate Student Association.