Digital Commons Network^™

Library Support Services At The University Of Zambia Amid The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Swot Matrix, Pailet Chewe, Zachary Zulu Mr., Mercy M. Wamunyima Mrs., Given M. Kuntumoya Ms, Celine M. Mwafulilwa Mrs., Sarah T. Gwayi Mrs., Fabian Kakana Mr., Eness M.M. Chitumbo Mrs., Gelvazio Sakala Mr., Christine W. Kanyengo Ms, Judith Banda Mrs, Francina N.S. Makondo Mrs.

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

When the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) forced learning institutions in Zambia to abruptly transition to virtual instruction, library services adapted quickly to provide research services, instruction, and access to collections. This paper details how the University of Zambia Library used a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) Analysis framework to evaluate academic support services of the Library in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Key variables included the library collections, staffing, services and technology. The analysis revealed that strengths comprised qualified staff, technology support and a rich collection of information resources. Weaknesses are in the areas of poor funding and low …

Record Management And Services Delivery Of Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) Delta State Chapter, Chibueze Norbert Onwuekwe, Awajionyi Blessing Suleiman

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

ABSTRACT This research work investigated the record management and services delivery of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Delta state chapter. The study was carried out by using descriptive survey research design. Three specific objectives, three research questions were formulated to guide the study. The population of the study comprises 452 staff of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Delta state chapter, with sample size of 213 staff. Questionnaire was used as instrument for data collection. Data was analysed with descriptive statistics. The findings of the study revealed that INEC make use of online storage, such as website/webpage and email, and the …

Investigation Of Factors Affecting Covid-19 Vaccine Acceptance Among Communities Of Universities In The United Arab Emirates., Maisa El Gamal, Ayisha Siddiqua, Waheed Kareem Abdul, Badria H Almurshidi, Fares M Howari

All Works

The COVID-19 pandemic affected the lives of people living across the world and the development of vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 is considered to be one of the most promising solutions to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. In several countries, we are witnessing hesitancy toward COVID-19 vaccines, which is a complex phenomenon influenced by a variety of factors. A cross-sectional study was performed to comprehensively investigate the impact of factors like demography, COVID-19 pandemic-induced behavior, and vaccine attitude on COVID-19 vaccine acceptance (VA) among communities of five different universities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). To investigate the effect of demography and COVID-19 …

Spring 2022 Commencement, Franklin University

Commencement Programs

This Franklin University commencement program was published for the 170th commencement ceremony on May 20, 2022 in The Battelle Grand Hall at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio.

Nsf Award Will Boost Uab Research In Machine-Learning-Enabled Plasma Synthesis Of Novel Materials, Jeff Hansen

Browse All News

No abstract provided.

Inaugural Alabama Triennial Exhibition At Uab's Aeiva To Exclusively Feature Alabama Artists, Shannon Thomason

Browse All News

No abstract provided.

A Social-Ecological-Technological Systems Framework For Urban Ecosystem Services, Timon Mcphearson, Elizabeth M. Cook, Marta Berbés-Blázquez, Chingwen Cheng, Nancy B. Grimm, Erik Andersson, Olga Barbosa, David G. Chandler, Heejun Chang, Multiple Additional Authors

Geography Faculty Publications and Presentations

As rates of urbanization and climatic change soar, decision-makers are increasingly challenged to provide innovative solutions that simultaneously address climate change impacts and risks and inclusively ensure quality of life for urban residents. Cities have turned to nature-based solutions to help address these challenges. Nature-based solutions, through the provision of ecosystem services, can yield numerous benefits for people and address multiple challenges simultaneously. Yet, efforts to mainstream nature-based solutions are impaired by the complexity of the interacting social, ecological, and technological dimensions of urban systems. This complexity must be understood and managed to ensure ecosystem-service provisioning is effective, equitable, and …

Unifying Text And Music: Applying Shurtleff's Twelve Guideposts To Operatic Arias For Soprano, Jamey J. Wright

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In the present culture of operatic performance, artistry is measured not only by singers’ musical interpretation and vocal technique, but also by their ability to communicate compelling characterization. This monograph explores a helpful technique for dramatic interpretation in opera. The discipline of musical performance provides helpful guides to characterization through elements such phrasing, rhythm, harmony, and instrumentation. Techniques borrowed from the spoken theater, particularly those pioneered by Constantin Stanislavski, include the Magic If, objectives, actions, and tactics. The literature on auditioning for the theater is useful for synthesizing these techniques for singers, because audition techniques emphasize compelling characterization with …

Do Chief Executive Officers With Higher Compensation Assume More Innovative Risk Within Their Firms? Unearthing The Relationship Between Chief Executive Officer Compensation And Firm Innovation Levels: An Analysis Of S&P 500 Companies, Hailey Kleban, Abhay Bhandari

Senior Honors Papers / Undergraduate Theses

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, executive compensation arose at a rapid scale — with many in the labor force displaced or facing unemployment, many questioned how the excessive compensation packages of Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) reflected in actual firm performance. However, executive compensation has been a mainstay topic in academic literature. Researchers have attempted to unearth the exponentially growing paychecks or the link between compensation and other firm factors (market performance, employee satisfaction, CEO perception, etc.).

This study aims to examine the relationship between S&P 500 CEO compensation and the innovation levels of their firms; through this, we hope to understand …

Duration Of Ischemia Affects Outcomes Independent Of Infarct Size In Stroke, Youngran Kim, Swapnil Khose, Osama Zaidat, Ameer E. Hassan, Johanna T. Fifi, Ashish Nanda, Benjamin Atchie, Britton Woodward, Arnd Doerfler, Alejandro Tomasello

School of Medicine Publications

BACKGROUND:

Delays in endovascular reperfusion for patients with large vessel occlusion stroke are known to worsen outcomes, and the mechanism is believed to be time-dependent expansion of the ischemic infarction. In this study, we hypothesize that delays in onset to reperfusion (OTR) assert an effect on outcomes independent of effects of final infarct (FI).

METHODS:

We performed a subgroup analysis from the prospective multicenter COMPLETE (International Acute Ischemic Stroke Registry With the Penumbra System Aspiration Including the 3D Revascularization Device; Penumbra, Inc) registry for 257 patients with anterior circulation large vessel occlusion who underwent endovascular therapy with successful reperfusion (modified …

Infographic: Student Reading In A Digital Age, Zoe Kaskamanidis

Teacher infographics

An OECD report 21st-Century Readers: Developing Literacy Skills in a Digital World analyses data from the 2018 PISA test and student survey to report on the reading habits of 15-year-olds in OECD countries. Find out more about how reading in digital and paper formats effects students' reading performance and enjoyment in today's infographic.

Open Hardware In Science: The Benefits Of Open Electronics, Michael Oellermann, Jolle W. Jolles, Diego Ortiz, Rui Seabra, Tobias Wenzel, Hannah Wilson, Richelle L. Tanner

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Openly shared low-cost electronic hardware applications, known as open electronics, have sparked a new open-source movement, with much untapped potential to advance scientific research. Initially designed to appeal to electronic hobbyists, open electronics have formed a global “maker” community and are increasingly used in science and industry. In this perspective article, we review the current costs and benefits of open electronics for use in scientific research ranging from the experimental to the theoretical sciences. We discuss how user-made electronic applications can help (I) individual researchers, by increasing the customization, efficiency, and scalability of experiments, while improving data quantity and quality; …

Pirtobrutinib Inhibits Wild-Type And Mutant Bruton’S Tyrosine Kinase-Mediated Signaling In Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, Burcu Aslan, Gorkem Kismali, Lakesla R Iles, Ganiraju C Manyam, Mary L Ayres, Mihai Gagea, William G Wierda, Varsha Gandhi

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Pirtobrutinib (LOXO-305), a reversible inhibitor of Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK), was designed as an alternative strategy to treat ibrutinib-resistant disease that develops due to C481 kinase domain mutations. The clinical activity of pirtobrutinib has been demonstrated in CLL, but the mechanism of action has not been investigated. We evaluated pirtobrutinib in 4 model systems: first, MEC-1, a CLL cell line overexpressing BTKWT, BTKC481S, or BTKC481R; second, murine models driven by MEC-1 overexpressing BTKWT or BTKC481S; third, in vitro incubations of primary CLL cells; and finally, CLL patients during pirtobrutinib therapy (NCT03740529, ClinicalTrials.gov). Pirtobrutinib inhibited BTK activation as well …

Tite-Boin12: A Bayesian Phase I/Ii Trial Design To Find The Optimal Biological Dose With Late-Onset Toxicity And Efficacy, Yanhong Zhou, Ruitao Lin, J Jack Lee, Daniel Li, Li Wang, Ying Yuan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

In the era of immunotherapies and targeted therapies, the focus of early phase clinical trials has shifted from finding the maximum tolerated dose to identifying the optimal biological dose (OBD), which maximizes the toxicity-efficacy trade-off. One major impediment to using adaptive designs to find OBD is that efficacy or/and toxicity are often late-onset, hampering the designs’ real-time decision rules for treating new patients. To address this issue, we propose the model-assisted TITE-BOIN12 design to find OBD with late-onset toxicity and efficacy. As an extension of the BOIN12 design, the TITE-BOIN12 design also uses utility to quantify the toxicity-efficacy trade-off. We …

Three-Dimensional Evaluation Of Isodose Radiation Volumes In Cases Of Severe Mandibular Osteoradionecrosis For The Prediction Of Recurrence After Segmental Resection, Haye H Glas, Joep Kraeima, Silke Tribius, Frank K J Leusink, Carsten Rendenbach, Carmen Stromberger, Clifton D Fuller, Abdallah S R Mohamed, Stephen Y Lai, Max J H Witjes

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Pre-operative margin planning for the segmental resection of affected bone in mandibular osteoradionecrosis (ORN) is difficult. The aim of this study was to identify a possible relation between the received RT dose, exposed bone volume and the progression of ORN after segmental mandibular resection.

Method: Patients diagnosed with grade 3-4 ORN for which a segmental resection was performed were included in the study. Three-dimensional reconstructions of RT isodose volumes were fused with postoperative imaging. The primary outcome was the recurrence of ORN after segmental resection. Subsequently, RT exposed mandibular bone volumes were calculated and the location of the bone …

Gli1 Activates Pro-Fibrotic Pathways In Myelofibrosis Fibrocytes, Taghi Manshouri, Ivo Veletic, Ping Li, C Cameron Yin, Sean M Post, Zeev Estrov

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Bone marrow (BM) fibrosis was thought to be induced exclusively by mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). However, we and others found that neoplastic fibrocytes induce BM fibrosis in myelofibrosis (MF). Because glioma-associated oncogene-1 (GLI1), an effector of the Hedgehog pathway, plays a role in the induction of BM fibrosis, we wondered whether GLI1 affects fibrocyte-induced BM fibrosis in MF. Multiplexed fluorescence immunohistochemistry analysis of MF patients' BM detected high levels of GLI1 in MF fibrocytes compared to MSCs or normal fibrocytes. Immunostaining, RNA in situ hybridization, gene expression analysis, and western immunoblotting detected high levels of GLI1 and GLI1-induced matrix metalloproteases …

One Size Doesn’T Fit All: Towards Optimising The Therapeutic Potential Of Endogenous Pain Modulatory Systems, K Bannister, S Hughes

School of Psychology

Introduction. Top–down processing pathways modulate neuronal transmission at the level of the spinal cord dorsal horn and thus govern, in part, the percept of pain. In health, these descending control systems can give rise to a naturally occurring form of pain inhibition. Despite a high therapeutic potential, the clinical applicability of harnessing such endogenous systems has not been fully realised. We propose that this is due to several complicating issues. First, the descending pain modulatory system (DPMS) is influenced by sensory as well as affective brain circuits. Thus, because of the bidirectional nature of the DPMS, pain may be facilitated …

Definition Of Germ Layer Cell Lineage Alternative Splicing Programs Reveals A Critical Role For Quaking In Specifying Cardiac Cell Fate, Xiaoting Chen, Katalin Modis, William K Russell, Jeffrey H Fair, Matthew T Weirauch, Benjamin J Blencowe, Mariano A Garcia-Blanco

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Alternative splicing is critical for development; however, its role in the specification of the three embryonic germ layers is poorly understood. By performing RNA-Seq on human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and derived definitive endoderm, cardiac mesoderm, and ectoderm cell lineages, we detect distinct alternative splicing programs associated with each lineage. The most prominent splicing program differences are observed between definitive endoderm and cardiac mesoderm. Integrative multi-omics analyses link each program with lineage-enriched RNA binding protein regulators, and further suggest a widespread role for Quaking (QKI) in the specification of cardiac mesoderm. Remarkably, knockout of QKI disrupts the cardiac mesoderm-associated alternative …

Microplastics Captured By Snowfall: A Study In Northern Iran, Sajjad Abbasi, Mustafa Alirezazadeh, Nastaran Razeghi, Mahrooz Rezaei, Hanie Pourmahmood, Reza Dehbandi, Meisam Rastegari Mehr, Shirin Yavar Ashayeri, Patryk Oleszczuk, Andrew Turner

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Samples of fresh snow (n = 34) have been collected from 29 locations in various urban and remote regions of northern Iran following a period of sustained snowfall and the thawed contents examined for microplastics (MPs) according to established techniques. MP concentrations ranged from undetected to 86 MP L−1 (mean and median concentrations ~20 MP and 12 MP L−1, respectively) and there was no significant difference in MP concentration between sample location type or between different depths of snow (or time of deposition) sampled at selected sites. Fibres were the dominant shape of MP and μ-Raman spectroscopy of selected samples …

Alterations Of The Gut Microbial Community Structure And Function With Aging In The Spontaneously Hypertensive Stroke Prone Rat, Joseph F Petrosino, Robert M Bryan, David J Durgan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Gut dysbiosis, a pathological imbalance of bacteria, has been shown to contribute to the development of hypertension (HT), systemic- and neuro-inflammation, and blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption in spontaneously hypertensive stroke prone rats (SHRSP). However, to date individual species that contribute to HT in the SHRSP model have not been identified. One potential reason, is that nearly all studies of the SHRSP gut microbiota have analyzed samples from rats with established HT. The goal of this study was to examine the SHRSP gut microbiota before, during, and after the onset of hypertension, and in normotensive WKY control rats over the same …

Integrative Genomic Analysis Reveals Low T-Cell Infiltration As The Primary Feature Of Tobacco Use In Hpv-Positive Oropharyngeal Cancer, Zachary L Skidmore, Sydney R Anderson, Angela Mazul, D Neil Hayes, Vlad C Sandulache, Wade L Thorstad, Douglas Adkins, Obi L Griffith, Malachi Griffith, Jose P Zevallos

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Although tobacco use is an independent adverse prognostic feature in HPV(+) oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC), the biologic features associated with tobacco use have not been systematically investigated. We characterized genomic and immunologic features associated with tobacco use through whole exome sequencing, mRNA hybridization, and immunohistochemical staining in 47 HPV(+) OPSCC tumors. Low expression of transcripts in a T cell-inflamed gene expression profile (TGEP) was associated with tobacco use at diagnosis and lower overall and disease-free survival. Tobacco use was associated with an increased proportion of T > C substitutions and a lower proportion of expected mutational signatures, but not with …

Determination Of Traffic Utilization For Dwdm Networks And Enhanced Traffic Engineering Applications, Navdeep Sood, Praveen Kumar

Defensive Publications Series

Generalized Multi-Protocol Label Switching (GMPLS) User-Network Interface (UNI) client (UNI-C) to UNI network (UNI-N) environments created overlay models which broke the isolation barriers between the dense wavelength-division multiplexing (DWDM) world and Internet Protocol (IP) router world. Techniques are presented herein that support the bridging of a gap in an IP over DWDM environment. By applying aspects of the presented techniques, a DWDM interface becomes capable of knowing the actual data rate of a given IP interface. Such information is highly useful in traffic engineering (TE) decisions and vendor network optimizations.

Using A Network Model To Control The Spread Of An Infectious Disease On A College Campus With Contact Tracing, Christopher R. Boyette

Biology and Medicine Through Mathematics Conference

No abstract provided.

Understanding Biofilm-Phage Interactions In Mathematical Framework, Blessing Emerenini

Biology and Medicine Through Mathematics Conference

No abstract provided.

A Mathematical Model For Biological Field Effect Tranistors, Ryan M. Evans, Seulki Cho, Arvind Ballijepalli, Anthony Kearsley

Biology and Medicine Through Mathematics Conference

No abstract provided.

The Case For A Liberal Communitarian Jurisprudence, Amitai Etzioni

Journal of the National Association of Administrative Law Judiciary

This article seeks to show that courts face difficulties without a principled, constitutional anchoring for the conception of the common good. Courts could divine the common good from the penumbra of the Fourth Amendment in the same way the Supreme Court created a right to privacy. In addition to creating a “common good” constitutional principle, the judicial branch should establish criteria to determine when this principle should take precedence over individual rights expressly preserved in the Constitution.

Table Of Contents & Masthead, Cara M. Macdonald

Journal of the National Association of Administrative Law Judiciary

No abstract provided.

The Fate Of The Advancing American Kidney Health Initiative In A Biden Administration, Seth Shepherd

Journal of the National Association of Administrative Law Judiciary

This article analyzes the Biden Administration’s healthcare priorities, contrasts them with those of the Trump Administration, discusses how Presidential administrations determine whether to continue policies, and examines the proper procedures for continuing previous administration policies. This article will then examine whether the Initiative will have a place in the Biden Administration’s healthcare policy. Part II considers Biden’s overall approach to healthcare. Part III discusses what the Trump Administration’s healthcare policy accomplished. Part IV dissects the Initiative and begins a discussion regarding its effectiveness. Part V explores an administration’s decision-making process regarding retention or rejection of a previous administration’s policies and …

A New Antitrust Framework To Protect Mom And Pop From Big Tech, Cara Macdonald

Journal of the National Association of Administrative Law Judiciary

While the economy declined during the COVID-19 pandemic, big technology companies like Amazon and Oracle experienced unprecedented growth and influence. Critics argue big technology companies are finding this level of success in-part due to anticompetitive practices. The crux of the debate rests on whether current, traditional antitrust laws are sufficient to cope with big technology companies. Some theorists argue that current laws are adequate, while others assert that antitrust laws are insufficient to regulate big technology companies because they are so different from the types of companies antitrust laws were designed to regulate. This article concludes that big tech companies …

May The Executive Branch Forgive Student Loan Debt Without Further Congressional Action?, Colin Mark

Journal of the National Association of Administrative Law Judiciary

On April 1, 2021, the Biden administration announced that Secretary of Education Michael Cardona will consider whether the President has legal authority to forgive up to $50,000 per debtor in student loan debt without further Congressional action. This paper interrogates the leading arguments for and against the Biden administration’s capacity to forgive this student loan debt strictly using administrative action. This article first surveys the history of federal student loan forgiveness programs in the United States. It then considers whether statutes on the books—in particular, the Higher Education Act of 1965 and the Federal Claims Collection Act of 1966—grant the …