Digital Commons Network^™

Nonsingular Quantum Gravitational Dynamics Of An Lemaitre-Tolman-Bondi Dust Shell Model: The Role Of Quantization Prescriptions, Kristina Giesel, Bao-Fei Li, Parampreet Singh

Faculty Publications

We study some consequences of the loop quantization of the outermost dust shell in the LemaitreTolman-Bondi spacetime with a homogeneous dust density using different quantization strategies motivated by loop quantum gravity. Prior work has dealt with loop quantizing this model by employing holonomies and the triads, following the procedure in standard loop quantum cosmology. In this work we compare this quantization with the one in which holonomies and gauge-covariant fluxes are used. While both of the quantization schemes resolve the central singularity, they lead to different mass gaps at which a trapped surface forms. This trapped surface which is matched …

Cure-On-Demand And Time-Lapse Polymerization, John Anthony Pojman

College of Science Patents

The present invention provides compositions, methods and kits for the temporal control induction time for a polymerization reaction.

Let's Read: Designing A Smart Display Application To Support Codas When Learning Spoken Language, Katie Rodeghiero, Yingying Yuki Chen, Annika M. Hettmann, Franceli L. Cibrian

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

Hearing children of Deaf adults (CODAs) face many challenges including having difficulty learning spoken languages, experiencing social judgment, and encountering greater responsibilities at home. In this paper, we present a proposal for a smart display application called Let's Read that aims to support CODAs when learning spoken language. We conducted a qualitative analysis using online community content in English to develop the first version of the prototype. Then, we conducted a heuristic evaluation to improve the proposed prototype. As future work, we plan to use this prototype to conduct participatory design sessions with Deaf adults and CODAs to evaluate the …

Optimizing Hvac Energy Consumption Through Occupancy Detection With Machine Learning Based Classifiers, Vibhu Sharma, Abhimanyu Singh

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Graduate Student Publications

Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems are pivotal for maintaining indoor comfort and air quality in buildings. However, inefficient HVAC operation can lead to unnecessary energy consumption and increased costs. This research explores the application of machine learning (ML) techniques for occupancy detection using environmental factors to optimize HVAC energy consumption. Analyzing a dataset comprising environmental observations like temperature, humidity, light, and CO2 levels alongside occupancy status, we evaluate various ML algorithms, including K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), Support Vector Machines (SVM), and others, for accurately predicting room occupancy. Additionally, we conduct exploratory data analysis (EDA) using box plots to visualize …

Conservation Law Center Receives Grants For Internships, James Owsley Boyd

Keep Up With the Latest News from the Law School (blog)

No abstract provided.

The Experience Of Nursing Care For Female Medicaid Recipients, Sara K. Kaylor

Dissertations

This phenomenological study is guided by a feminist-informed critical theory for the purpose of exploring the experiences of nursing care for female Medicaid recipients. The goals of this research were to understand how nurses' attitudes and behaviors towards female Medicaid recipients influence the ways in which these patients receive and act upon their health care, and to consider what those understandings suggest for nursing education. Semi-structured interviews with female Medicaid recipients were conducted to understand their experiences of nursing care, and a focus group interview with nurse educators was conducted to consider what those understandings suggest for nursing education.

Current …

November 30, 2021 Ereporter, University Of Alabama At Birmingham

eReporter (campus newsletter)

No abstract provided.

Disqualifying Qualified Immunity, Nicholas Mcgill Hudnell

Et Cetera

The relationship between municipal responsibility and municipal liability in civil suits concerning local police officer misconduct is flawed. Cities have almost unlimited control over their police departments but lack almost any control over the civil litigation of their officers, aside from city attorneys representing them. In police misconduct cases, city attorneys representing police officers are required to invoke any available affirmative defenses, either common law or statutory, regardless of the moral convictions of the city attorneys, city legislators, or local citizens. To bridge the logical gap between municipal responsibility and the lack of municipal control over police misconduct litigation, this …

Nutrition, Atherosclerosis, Arterial Imaging, Cardiovascular Risk Stratification, And Manifestations In Covid-19 Framework: A Narrative Review., Smiksha Munjral, Puneet Ahluwalia, Ankush D Jamthikar, Anudeep Puvvula, Luca Saba, Gavino Faa, Inder M Singh, Paramjit S Chadha, Monika Turk, Amer M Johri, Narendra N Khanna, Klaudija Viskovic, Sophie Mavrogeni, John R Laird, Gyan Pareek, Martin Miner, David W Sobel, Antonella Balestrieri, Petros P Sfikakis, George Tsoulfas, Athanasios Protogerou, Prasanna Misra, Vikas Agarwal, George D Kitas, Raghu Kolluri, Jagjit Teji, Mustafa Al-Maini, Surinder K Dhanjil, Meyypan Sockalingam, Ajit Saxena, Aditya Sharma, Vijay Rathore, Mostafa Fatemi, Azra Alizad, Vijay Viswanathan, P K Krishnan, Tomaz Omerzu, Subbaram Naidu, Andrew Nicolaides, Jasjit S Suri

Heart and Vascular Articles

Background: Atherosclerosis is the primary cause of the cardiovascular disease (CVD). Several risk factors lead to atherosclerosis, and altered nutrition is one among those. Nutrition has been ignored quite often in the process of CVD risk assessment. Altered nutrition along with carotid ultrasound imaging-driven atherosclerotic plaque features can help in understanding and banishing the problems associated with the late diagnosis of CVD. Artificial intelligence (AI) is another promisingly adopted technology for CVD risk assessment and management. Therefore, we hypothesize that the risk of atherosclerotic CVD can be accurately monitored using carotid ultrasound imaging, predicted using AI-based algorithms, and reduced …

An Intimate Portrait Of An Iconic Poet, Ferial J. Ghazoul

Faculty Journal Articles

No abstract provided.

Utility Of Blood Cellular Indices In The Risk Stratification Of Patients Presenting With Acute Pulmonary Embolism., Brett Slajus, Yevgeniy Brailovsky, Iman Darwish, Jawed Fareed, Amir Darki

Division of Cardiology Faculty Papers

Pulmonary embolism (PE) clinical manifestations vary widely, and that scope is not fully captured by current all-cause mortality risk models. PE is associated with inflammatory, coagulation, and hemostatic imbalances so blood cellular indices may be prognostically useful. Complete blood count (CBC) data may improve current risk models like the simplified pulmonary embolism severity index (sPESI) for all-cause mortality, offering greater accuracy and analytic ability. Acute PE patients (n = 228) with confirmatory diagnostic imaging were followed for all-cause mortality. Blood cellular indices were assessed for association to all-cause mortality and were supplemented into sPESI using multivariate logistic regression. Multiple blood …

Student Senate Meeting Minutes November 30, 2021, Student Senate-Winona State University

Student Senate Meeting Minutes

This document is the official Winona State University Student Senate Meeting Minutes for November 30, 2021.

Culture And Social Change In Mothers’ And Fathers’ Individualism, Collectivism And Parenting Attitudes, Jennifer E. Lansford, Susannah Zietz, Suha M. Al-Hassan, Dario Bacchini, Marc H. Bornstein, Lei Chang, Kirby Deater-Deckard, Laura Di Giunta, Kenneth A. Dodge, Sevtap Gurdal, Qin Liu, Qian Long, Paul Oburu, Concetta Pastorelli, Ann T. Skinner, Emma Sorbing, Sombat Tapanya, Laurence Steinberg, Liliana Maria Uribe Tirado, Saengduean Yotanyamaneewong, Liane Peña Alampay

Psychology Department Faculty Publications

Cultures and families are not static over time but evolve in response to social transformations, such as changing gender roles, urbanization, globalization, and technology uptake. Historically, individualism and collectivism have been widely used heuristics guiding cross-cultural comparisons, yet these orientations may evolve over time, and individuals within cultures and cultures themselves can have both individualist and collectivist orientations. Historical shifts in parents’ attitudes also have occurred within families in several cultures. As a way of understanding mothers’ and fathers’ individualism, collectivism, and parenting attitudes at this point in history, we examined parents in nine countries that varied widely in country-level …

Minutes, Curriculum Committee Meeting, Tuesday, November 30, 2021, Curriculum Committee

Curriculum Committee Minutes

No abstract provided.

Deepfakes Generated By Generative Adversarial Networks, Olympia A. Paul

Honors College Theses

Deep learning is a type of Artificial Intelligence (AI) that mimics the workings of the human brain in processing data such as speech recognition, visual object recognition, object detection, language translation, and making decisions. A Generative adversarial network (GAN) is a special type of deep learning, designed by Goodfellow et al. (2014), which is what we call convolution neural networks (CNN). How a GAN works is that when given a training set, they can generate new data with the same information as the training set, and this is often what we refer to as deep fakes. CNN takes an input …

Non-Medical Use Of Adhd Prescription Drugs Among Us College Students At A Public Research University In A Small Rural Town, Laura A. Witteveen

Honors College Theses

Some previous studies have shown that college students abuse ADHD prescription stimulants, such as Adderall, Ritalin, Vyvanse, or Dexedrine. This research attempts to highlight how often college students use these prescription drugs for nonmedical purposes, how they acquire these prescription drugs, and for what intended purposes they are taking them. This information is gathered through an anonymous Qualtrics survey which was sent out to 200 undergraduate college students enrolled in nursing school at a public research university in a small rural town. A completed survey was received from 45 students. Out of these students, 22.2% are diagnosed with ADHD or …

Impact Of Covid-19 On Mental Health Of Physicians In Baghdad, Iraq, Lubna Naji, Hussein Meften, Marwa Ahmed, Jawad Al-Diwan, Nesif Al Hemiary, Mushtaq Hashim

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

BACKGROUND: Healthcare professionals are vulnerable to adverse mental health consequences explained by their working in close contacts with COVID-19 patients. Publication on mental health of healthcare professional in Iraq is scarce. OBJECTIVE: To comment on mental health disorders among healthcare professional dealing with COVID-19 patients. METHODS: A total of 100 healthcare professionals were included in the study. They were selected conveniently. Hospital anxiety and depression scale was used. Data collected by a physician. RESULTS: The age of participants was 35.5 ± 8.7 years with a male to female ratio of 1.7:1. Of the participants, 63% got COVID-19. Anxiety and depression …

Periorbital Defect Reconstruction Following Malignant Tumor Resection, Marwan Alqasem, Haider H. Jaleel

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

BACKGROUND: Since the ocular adnexa contains almost every tissue type, any malignancy may occur in this area, however, the majority are carcinomas, from which basal cell carcinomas (BCC) are the most frequent, followed by; squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), sebaceous gland carcinoma, malignant melanoma. Reconstructing periorbital defects should aim at restoring functional as well as aesthetic improvement (1). Planning of the surgical reconstruction is tempered by several factors including; nature of the defect, integrity of the surrounding tissues, in some cases multiple choices of repair available making planning more complex, as in the medial canthal area (2).  OBJECIVE: Analyze the most …

Palmoplantar Keratoderma: A Clinico-Epidemiological Study, Hayder Al-Hamamy, Maysaa Mahdi

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

BACKGROUND: palmoplantar keratoderma (PPK) is an umbrella term for any form of persistent thickening of                     the epidermis at palmar and/or plantar surfaces, and includes hereditary and acquired conditions.  PPK can manifest clinically as diffuse, focal and punctate forms. OBJECTIVE: To study the frequency, clinical features and etiological correlation of hereditary and acquired PPK. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study is observational, descriptive and cross-sectional. It was conducted at the Dermatology Center, Medical City, Baghdad Teaching Hospital, during the period from February 2019 to April 2020 patients with hereditary and acquired PPK were included in this study. Detailed history, clinical examinations and …

Evaluation Of Noninvasive Biomarkers In Staging Of Hepatitis B-Related Fibrosis, Rasha Salih, Hedef Elyasin, Raghad Al-Akayshee

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

BACKGROUND: Infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a public health problem worldwide; it is the main cause of fibrosis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).  Early detection of significant fibrosis is essential for reaching antiviral therapy decisions. Considering the limitations of liver biopsy, noninvasive methods to identify significant fibrosis in chronically HBV infected patients are needed in clinical practice. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the performance of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) to platelet ratio index (APRI) and fibrosis index based on four factors (FIB-4) as simple noninvasive markers for staging of liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B in comparison with liver biopsy and …

Which Is Better? Guy’S Versus S.T.O.N.E. Nephrolithometry Scoring Systems In Predicting The Outcomes Of Ultrasonic Guided Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (Pcnl), Hassan Abd-Alhassan, Ula Al-Kawaz

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

BACKGROUND: Stone disease of the renal system is a challenging problem in urologic practice particularly in our area because of the large stone burden and recurrence. Scoring systems are beneficial to counsel the patients about the success and complication rates before surgery. OBJECTIVE: To compare two widely used scoring systems, namely Guy's and S.T.O.N.E. nephrolithometry scores in predicting the outcomes of ultrasound-guided PCNL. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this prospective study, a total of 50 patients underwent PCNL in Al-Imamein Kadhimein Medical City from 1st of October 2018 to 1stof August 2019 and were enrolled. Guy's and S.T.O.N.E. scores were based …

Allergic Fungal Rhinosinusitis In Patients With Nasal Polyposis, Sazan Azadeen, Mohammed Ahmed

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

BACKGROUND: Nasal polyps are considered to be the end results of a chronic inflammatory process in the sinonasal mucosa which are commonly seen in our routine ENT practice. Allergic fungal rhinosinusitis may be present with unilateral or bilateral polyps, it is important to be aware of the prevalence of allergic fungal rhinosinusitis in patients with nasal polyps. OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of allergic fungal rhinosinusitis among patients having nasal polyposis.  METHODS: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study carried out in Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ghazi Al-Hariri Hospital for surgical sub-specialties, during October 2018 to October 2019. …

Risk Factors And Clinicopathological Characteristics Among Patients With Gastric Cancer In Oncology Teaching Hospital, Sherin Hussein, Azher Alzubaidi

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer is a rare tumor and one of the leading causes of death worldwide, unfortunately most of patient present late.  PATIENTS AND METHODS: Case -control study conducted on patients affected with gastric cancer presented to oncology teaching hospital. Data regarding their family history of gastric cancer, smoking and blood group were collected for patients and for participants in Control group matching in respect to age, sex, number and geographical area.           OBJECTIVE: Assess the most important risk factors of gastric cancer  Assess clinicpathologic and their histological subtypes RESULT: 77 patients with stomach cancer and 77 control participants their age …

Prevalence Of Incomplete Vaccination Andassociated Factors In Children (2-5 Years) Attending Primary Health Care Centers In Diyala, 2019, Shaimaa Ali, Yousif Abdul Raheem

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

BACKGROUND:  Childhood immunization is one of the most cost-effective interventions in health care delivery. OBJECTIVE: Prevalence of vaccinated, partially vaccinated and unvaccinated  children  (2-5 years) attending Primary Health Care and the possible risk factors  for incomplete vaccination among them and to assess mothers’ knowledge about vaccination and finding out if it was associated with incomplete vaccination. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional survey carried out in three primary health care centers in Khanaqin district/ Diyala Province/ Iraq from the first of March until the end of June /2019. The immunization status of children was obtained from mothers and verified by their …

Statistical Analysis Of Tympanometry, Otoendoscopy And Myringotomy Of Pediatrics Otitis Media With Effusion, Sumaya Oleiwi, Naser Naser

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

BACKGROUND: Otitis media with effusion (OME) is a common treatable cause of hearing impairment in children. Although it is a self-limiting condition in the majority of cases, OME may become chronic to the extent that it affects child education and quality of life. Thus, early detection of this condition is a paramount issue for its treatment and improve the hearing of the effected child. OBJECTIVE: This study is aimed to evaluate the efficiency of tympanometry in the detection of fluid in the middle ear in comparison with myringotomy in children with OME as well as to evaluate the efficiency of …

Prevalence And Severity Of Stress Among Under Graduate Medical Students After Application Of Integrated Curriculum In University Of Kufa. A Comparative Cross Sectional Study, Ghufran Abd-Ali, Salam Mohammed

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

BACKGROUND: Stress is a process by which the environmental demands are more than the adaptive capability of                   a human leading to biological and psychological changes that make the individuals at risk for disorders. Medical students experience elevated stress level throughout their medical school life, and more liable to psychological distress and mental health problems than non-medical students, so that, stressors that confront medical students should be identified early for enabling interventions before development of more serious complications like burnout and depression. OBJECTIVE: Measure stress level among medical students of Kufa and Jabir ibn Hayyan medical colleges by using Kessler10 Psychological …

Rate Of Prescribing Statins For Primary Prevention Of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease In Diabetic Patients, Wathiq Mohammed, Sarah Alwash

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular diseases are the major contributor to morbidity and mortality in patients with diabetes. Dyslipidemia, a com­mon condition coexisting with type 2 diabetes, is a major cause of atherosclerosis and a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Statin therapy plays an important role in the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular events in populations at elevated risk. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to examine the extent to which statins are used for primary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease by diabetic patients, to identify gaps between guidelines and current daily practice, and to offer rational approach toward enhancing guideline adherence and improving …

Effect Of Chronic Use Of Proton Pump Inhibitors On Bone Mineral Density, Qusay Shandookh, Khudair Albedri, Nada Abdullateef

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

BACKGROUND: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are widely used drugs for the treatment of many diseases. Prolonged use was believed to have an effect on bone mineral metabolism. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of PPIs on bone mineral density and to identify risk factors affecting bone mineral density among users of PPIs. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A cross sectional study was conducted in Rheumatology Consultancy Clinic of Baghdad Teaching Hospital /Baghdad Medical City during the period from 1st of November, 2017 to 31st of October, 2018 on convenient sample of 100 patients were selected; first group was 50 PPI users and 50 …

The Relationship Of Urocortin 2 With Insulin Resistance, Clinical, And Biochemical Hyperandrogenism In Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Alia Mohamad Ali, Najah Yassen

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

BACKGROUND:  Polycystic ovary syndrome is the most common endocrine and metabolic disorder in women. Urocotin-2 is thought to be involved in the pathophysiology of Polycystic ovary syndrome by paracrine and autocrine pathways. OBJECTIVE:   To assess the Urocortin-2 level in women with Polycystic ovary syndrome and to assess the relation of urocotin-2 with insulin resistance, clinical and biochemical hyperanderogenism. PATIENTS AND METHOD:  a case control study that involved; forty-five polycystic ovary patients according to Rotterdam criteria as a case group, and forty-five healthy women as a control group. Ferriman-Gallwey score was used to evaluate hirsutism, in addition to measurement of Body …

Prognostic Significance Of Plasma April Level In Patients With Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, Haithem Al-Rubaie, Zainab Hasan

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

BACKGROUND: A proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL) is a member of tumor necrosis factor family which plays an important role in B-cell development. It activates chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells by reacting with its receptors, enhancing immune recognition, proliferation, and survival of the leukemia cells. OBJECTIVE: To assess the level of APRIL in newly diagnosed CLL patients in comparison with the control group and to correlate between the plasma APRIL level and hematological parameters and clinical Binet stages. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This case-control study was conducted on 40 adult newly diagnosed CLL patients with 40 healthy individuals served as controls.  Plasma APRIL …