Digital Commons Network^™

Buprenorphine Utilization Following Removal Of Prior Authorization Requirements In The Kentucky Medicaid Population, Dustin K. Miracle, Lindsey R. Hammerslag, Svetla Slavova, Michelle R. Lofwall, Sharon L. Walsh, Jeffery Talbert, Patricia R. Freeman

Pharmacy Practice and Science Faculty Publications

Purpose: To evaluate changes in buprenorphine dispensing for treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD) among Kentucky Medicaid enrollees following the removal of prior authorization (PA) requirements for the transmucosal buprenorphine combination product.

Methods: We analyzed Kentucky Medicaid claims from 1/1/2016 through 6/30/2023 to identify enrollees with OUD during each quarter (Q1/2017–Q2/2023), using a 12-month lookback window. Segmented regression analysis was used for statistical modeling of an interrupted time series (ITS) design to assess changes in the quarterly proportion of enrollees with OUD receiving buprenorphine for OUD treatment, focusing on the effect of PA removal. The effective date of the PA …

Contemporary Trends In High-Potency P2y12 Receptor Inhibitor Use Among Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention, Ayman R. Fath, Binish Qureshi, Amro Aglan, Osamah Altaee, Hend Mansoor, Ahmed Almomani, Karim Al-Azizi, Marwan Saad, Andrew M. Goldsweig, Hani Jneid, Islam Y. Elgendy

Pharmacy Practice and Science Faculty Publications

Background: High‐potency P2Y12 receptor inhibitors (ticagrelor and prasugrel) reduce ischemic outcomes compared with clopidogrel among patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). This study aims to examine contemporary trends and identify predictors of their use among patients with AMI undergoing PCI in the United States.   Methods: This observational study used electronic health records from >95 US‐based health care organizations. Adults with AMI who underwent PCI between 2016 and 2023 were included. The primary outcome was the prescription of high‐potency P2Y12 receptor inhibitors versus clopidogrel. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify independent predictors of P2Y12 inhibitor …

Contraceptive Method Provision Patterns Among Rural And Urban Kentucky Medicaid Enrollees, Dustin K. Miracle, Svetla Slavova, Jeffery Talbert, Daniela C. Moga, Patricia R. Freeman

Pharmacy Practice and Science Faculty Publications

Purpose: To characterize contraceptive provision among the Kentucky Medicaid population and assess for rural−urban disparities.

Methods: Kentucky Medicaid claims from the calendar year 2019 were used to identify females at risk for unintended pregnancy (via a modified version of the criteria defined by the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Population Affairs). Multinomial logistic regression was used to assess the impact of rural−urban residence on contraceptive outcomes, while adjusting for relevant covariates. Outcomes for the multinomial regression model were provision of a: (1) less effective method (i.e., condoms) or no contraceptive; (2) moderately effective method (oral, transdermal, …

The Ukrainian Refugee Crisis And The Double Standard Of Western Humanitarianism, Masume Krol

Schultz-Werth Award Papers

The rapid displacement of almost six million Ukrainians following Russia’s 2022 invasion triggered one of the most significant human migration movements in contemporary history (UNHCR 2024). The refugee crisis has been widely praised as a landmark humanitarian achievement. Across Western powers, governments enacted emergency laws, expanded benefits, removed bureaucratic barriers, and framed Ukrainian displacement as a moral imperative demanding immediate action. However, this remarkable mobilization also reveals a double standard in migration governance. The treatment of Ukrainians is not merely generous; it is exceptional. By comparing the institutional, media, and civil society responses to Ukrainians with those extended to earlier …

Play Without Pain: A Comprehensive Overview About Playing Injuries In Instrumentalists, Emily Hofer

Schultz-Werth Award Papers

Clara Schumann, renowned composer and pianist, writes to Johannes Brahms while on her annual English tour: “I have good news for you in that I am being afforded an enthusiastic reception, people say I have never played so well, etc.; but I am suffering terribly with rheumatism in my arm and finger muscles…I am absolutely exhausted” (Altenmüller & Kopiez 110). Clara had been enduring concert after concert to financially support her family, and though she received high praise for performances, her health was deteriorating because of it. Many musicians like Clara train rigorously, dedicating thousands of hours to master their …

Tuning In To The New Deal: A Regional Analysis Of American Responses To The Fireside Chats, Ashlyn Goodall

Schultz-Werth Award Papers

Franklin Delano Roosevelt took office for his first term in March 1933. Within the first week of his presidency, he received nearly half a million letters from constituents who, amid the crisis of the Great Depression, reached out to voice their concerns to the new chief of state.1 On his eighth day in office, he addressed the unsettled American public by radio, marking the first of many Fireside Chats. Although Roosevelt was not the first president to use this medium to speak to the public—Warren G. Harding initiated this practice and both Calvin Coolidge and Herbert Hoover continued it—his use …

Muted Trumpets As A Sonic Representation Of Isolation Or Solitude, Caroline Reyner

Schultz-Werth Award Papers

The sound of a trumpet can be used in a variety of applications. This is due to its ability to adjust its timbre to fit different situations. Among the most common adjectives applied to brass instruments, especially trumpets, are terms associated with bright, metallic, or brassy qualities (Wallmark 587-588). While these are timbral qualities of the trumpet, they are not the only ones of which the trumpet is capable. According to ACTOR Research, the following timbres of the trumpet have been extracted from various orchestration treatises – agile, blaring, brassy, bright, brilliant, crisp, flexible, piercing, powerful, responsive, sharp, smooth, and …

A Societal Critique: Reading Lady Audley’S Secret Through Its Periodical Context, Alison Marshall

Schultz-Werth Award Papers

Lady Audley’s Secret has been defined as a sensation novel, a melodramatic genre from the 1860s. It depicts the life and many personas of Helen Talboys. Helen lived a poor life with her father until she married her husband, George Talboys, a man with access to his father’s fortune. Upon hearing of this union, George’s father revokes access to those funds, leaving them with very little money. After George leaves with a promise to make his own fortune in the gold mines, Helen fakes her death and becomes Lucy Graham. While working as a governess, Lucy marries above her class, …

Evaluating The Effects Of Biochar-Based Slow-Release Nitrogen Fertilizers On Camelina Growth And Development In Greenhouse, Lily Geffre

Schultz-Werth Award Papers

The world’s dependence on conventional fertilizers such as urea allows for significantly increased crop yields but has also greatly contributed to the environmental degradation of agricultural lands and surrounding areas. Biochar-based slow-release fertilizers (SRFs) are an ideal alternative to conventional fertilizers, as they enhance nutrient uptake and retention, improve soil properties, and reduce nutrient leaching and volatilization. This study evaluated the effects of biochar-based SRFs, in comparison with traditional non-SRF fertilizers, on the vegetative growth, physiological growth, and yield of Camelina sativa under greenhouse conditions. Conventional urea yielded the best overall crop results, but a coated biochar-based urea SRF achieved …

Prevalence, Perception, And Prevention: Tobacco And Nicotine Use Amongst Middle And High School Students, Samantha Fischer

Schultz-Werth Award Papers

This study examines data from a survey conducted with South Dakota middle and high school principals about tobacco and nicotine use on school grounds and school district tobacco policies. The project was implemented through the South Dakota State University Population Health Evaluation Center and was sponsored by the South Dakota Department of Health Tobacco Control Program. Over 1.58 million high school students and 640,000 middle school students reported using some type of tobacco product in a 2024 report (United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), 2024). Of the middle and high school students who previously used tobacco products sometime in …

Inflation Dynamics: An Integrated Exploratory And Econometric Analysis, Adrián Calderón

Schultz-Werth Award Papers

This paper examines the drivers of U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation using a novel, integrated approach on high-frequency monthly data from 2003 to 2025. The analysis focuses on a comprehensive set of variables: money growth, a fiscal stance measure, long-term inflation expectations, labor market conditions, and real activity; to identify which forces consistently push inflation higher or lower. Our methodology begins with a Random Forest model to rank predictors, establishing lagged money growth and breakeven inflation expectations as dominant, while the fiscal stance shows weaker predictive power. This ranking guides the specification of a robust ARIMAX model that successfully …

Spanish Speakers And Healthcare: Experiences And Perceptions, Ainsley Boucher

Schultz-Werth Award Papers

The Spanish-speaking population in the United States is large and diverse. As such, individual perceptions regarding healthcare access and quality held by native Spanish speakers vary widely. In order to provide insight into local healthcare access, a customized survey was developed and distributed to a workplace in the Brookings area. Responses varied considerably, reflecting a diversity of experiences and perceptions. Determinants such as language barriers, occupational health risks, and various socioeconomic factors may affect healthcare access and quality for native Spanish speakers in the United States.

Homemaking In Hashtags: A Rhetorical Study Of Hannah Neeleman’S #Tradwife Narrative Across Social Media, Emma Areson

Schultz-Werth Award Papers

In a media landscape saturated with curated images of domesticity, the emergence of the “tradwife” aesthetic demands critical scrutiny as a site where gender, consumption, and ideology converge. Hannah Neeleman, better known to her followers as Ballerina Farm, has become a central figure in this phenomenon, leveraging Instagram and TikTok to craft an idealized vision of rural homemaking, motherhood, and faith. A former Juilliard-trained ballerina and beauty pageant winner, Neeleman now manages a multimillion-dollar farm brand that combines self-reliance with aspirational aesthetics. Her image gained even wider visibility and scrutiny after The Times published an in-depth profile that sparked debate …

The Dietary Burden Of Phosphorus And Aluminum In Ready-To-Eat Wheat Flour Tortillas Exceeds That Of Corn Tortillas: Implications For Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease, Kate Chander Chiang, Robert Yokel, Jason M. Unrine, Kamyar Kalantar-Zadeh, Ajay Gupta

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Ready-to-eat, shelf-stable tortillas contain several phosphorus- and aluminum-containing additives that may increase the risk of adverse events in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Objective: The present study aimed to measure the dietary aluminum and phosphorus burden in store-bought corn and wheat flour tortillas. Design: This cross-sectional study analyzed the elemental content of commercially available corn and wheat flour tortillas collected from 2019 to 2020.

Setting: Twenty-one elements were quantified by ICP-MS and ICP-OES from 14 corn and 13 wheat flour tortilla brands purchased from local supermarkets in Southern California in 2019–2020.

Statistical analyses performed: Multiple group comparisons were …

Altered Bile Acid Transport In Liver Disease, Sarah Cayton, Lindsay C. Czuba

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Background/Objectives: Bile acids, synthesized from cholesterol in the liver, are amphipathic molecules that play an integral role in lipid digestion and absorption, while also serving as systemic endocrine hormones. They continuously undergo enterohepatic circulation, where they interact with various transporter proteins. Dysregulated bile acid transport is associated with the pathogenesis of liver disease. This review summarizes the key findings relating to bile acid transport expression and activity in the pathogenesis of liver disease.

Methods: A review of the literature was performed using PubMed and relevant terms including, but not limited to, “bile acid transporters”, “liver disease”, and “bile acid uptake …

Chronic Alcohol Consumption Disrupts The Gut Microbial And Metabolic Landscapes, Madison B. Blanton, Ethan G. Napier, Katelyn E. Keen, Ethan V. Stuart, Isaac R. Cinco, Hami Hemati, Ronald C. Bruntz, Landon Wilson, Stephen Barnes, Rupak Khadka, Kathleen A. Grant, Ilhem Messaoudi

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Introduction: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) increases incidence of infections, organ damage, and cancers. Aberrant inflammation is likely a driver of these adverse outcomes. Indeed, chronic alcohol consumption (CAC) rewires macrophages/monocytes toward a hyper-inflammatory phenotype. Prior studies showed increased gut permeability and dysbiosis. Translocation of host- and microbial-derived metabolites could trigger the hyper-inflammatory responses generated by macrophages/monocytes. However, the exact changes in these metabolites remain poorly defined due to confounders that complicate clinical studies and the differences between human and rodent gut microbiomes.

Methods: Here, we utilized a non-human primate model of ethanol self-administration to characterize alcohol-induced alterations in gut microbes …

Optimized Nano-Bilosomes Loaded Ocular Insert As A Promising Approach For Boosting Voriconazole Ocular Bioavailability: In-Vitro, Microbiological, And In-Vivo Assessments, Eman Gomaa

Nanotechnology Research Centre

The eye possesses numerous physiological barriers that significantly limit the absorption of administered drugs, as only < 5 % get through. These barriers restrict drug bioavailability, often necessitating multiple dosing, which can lead to poor patient compliance. The study goal is to efficiently incorporate Voriconazole (VRC), a wide-spectrum antifungal candidate with a short half-life, into stable, biocompatible, non-irritating bile salt nanoparticles (Bilosomes, BLOs) to enhance its ocular delivery. Bilosomes were prepared by the ethanol injection method. Experimental (33) Box–Behnken Design (BBD) was employed; the amount of bile salt, cholesterol, and span-60 were chosen as independent variables, while entrapment efficiency (EE%), cumulative VRC release (Q8h), particle size (PS), zeta potential (ZP), and polydispersity index (PDI) were the dependent variables. The formula of optimization showed EE% (59.04 ± 1.88 %), cumulative release after 8 h (81.35 ± 0.69 %), PS (222.53 ± 2.04 nm), ZP (−72.53 ± 1.75 mV), and PDI (0.225 ± 0.03). It was chemically characterized using DSC and FTIR. Its spherical arrangement was confirmed using TEM. For ophthalmic application, the optimized formula was included in ocular inserts to extend ocular residence time while minimizing dosing frequency. The optimal VRC-loaded bilosomal ocular insert met the acceptable physicochemical criteria, was sterilized using UV radiation for conducting microbiological assay, in-vivo study, and pharmacokinetic analysis. For safety evaluation, an eye irritation study and histopathological examination were conducted. The results confirmed its effectiveness as evidenced by a significantly larger inhibition zone and 8.39-fold enhancement in VRC bioavailability compared to its suspension. These findings support the potential of bilosomes-loaded ocular insert as an effective ocular delivery of VRC.

Infantile Epileptic Spasms Syndrome: Clinical Profile And Outcomes At A Tertiary Hospital In Kenya, Peninah Mwangi, Katherine Oyieke, Sam Gwer, Pauline Samia

Paediatrics and Child Health, East Africa

Background: Infantile epileptic spasms syndrome (IESS) is characterised by onset of epileptic spasms between 3 and 12 months, with or without typical hypsarrhythmia, and developmental stagnation or regression. There are limited data on the clinical profile and treatment outcomes of IESS in sub-Saharan Africa.

Objective: To describe the clinical profile and treatment outcomes of infants diagnosed with and managed for IESS at Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi.

Methods: Records of children aged 3–24 months diagnosed with IESS between January 2012 and December 2021 were identified from the hospital information system using the terms “infantile spasm”, “epileptic spasms”, …

Beyond Fixed Thresholds: Per-Label Calibration For Fine-Grained Emotion Detection On The Goemotions Dataset, Sai Puneet Naga Venkata Subramanyam Patchipulusu

Selected Full-Text Master Theses 2021-

This study investigates the effectiveness of five community fine-tuned transformer models for fine-grained emotion detection on the GoEmotions dataset: SamLowe/roberta- base-go_emotions (RoBERTa-base), cirimus/modernbert-base-go-emotions (ModernBERT), mrm8488/deberta-v3-base-goemotions (DeBERTa-v3-base), bhadresh-savani/bert-base-go- emotion (BERT-base-cased),and tasinhoque/distilbert-go-emotions (DistilBERT) . While the original GoEmotions research by Demszky et al. (2020) established a BERT-base baseline with a macro-F1 of 0.46, this thesis extends that work through independent empirical evaluation of five derivative models, systematic per-label threshold optimization, and comparative analysis of architectural trade-offs across the full transformer model family. Using the GoEmotions simplified test split (5,427 examples across 28 categories), all five models were evaluated at a fixed 0.5 …

Solving The Middle School Math Problem To Increase Achievement, Andre Goodlow

Educational Leadership Professional Doctorate Dissertations

This study used improvement science to address persistent and disproportionate low mathematics achievement among middle school students, particularly Black/African American and Hispanic students, in an urban school district in the Pacific Northwest. Local data indicated significant deficiencies in math proficiency, with the target district exhibiting achievement disparities exceeding state averages. The project investigated root causes of low math achievement, prioritizing the enhancement of foundational math skills and the implementation of evidence-based interventions. The improvement theory centered on deploying an evidence-based core math curriculum and intervention program for incoming middle school students, tested through cycles during a four-week summer school program. …

Pláticas Of Latinas In Educational Leadership: Stories Of Identity, Resilience, And Transformation, Vanessa Davalos

Educational Leadership Professional Doctorate Dissertations

Despite federal and state equity laws that prohibit discrimination based on sex and national origin, women remain significantly underrepresented in K–12 educational leadership, with Latina leaders experiencing even greater disparities. While the number of Hispanic students in public schools continues to grow, the representation of Latina leaders has not kept pace, creating a critical gap between those leading schools and the communities they serve.

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study is to provide insight into the lived experiences of Latina educational leaders in order to deepen understanding of how identity, role, and leadership intersect (Hernandez & Murakami, 2016). Centering …

Establishing A Public Health Surveillance System For The Opioid Crisis: The Experience Of The Healing Communities Study, Bridget Freisthler, Daniel J. Feaster, Charles Knott, Marc Larochelle, John Mccarthy, Svetla Slavova, Sharon L. Walsh, Jennifer Villani

Biostatistics Faculty Publications

Introduction: Efforts to reduce opioid overdose deaths in the United States have been stymied by the lack of timely and standardized population-level data for local, state, and national levels. The U.S. has a strong national need for linking opioid and other drug overdose surveillance data to service utilization data for overdose prevention and treatment to inform resource allocation and response planning.

Methods: We provide insight on the challenges of identifying, obtaining, and harmonizing administrative outcome data across four states using the collective experience from the HEALing Communities Study to test a community-engaged, data-driven, population-level intervention to reduce opioid overdose deaths. …

Pediatric Clinical Reasoning Labs’ Impact On Student Self-Efficacy In Pediatric Physical Therapy Education, Bethany Early

Dissertations

All graduates of entry-level Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) programs must be competent to work with patients across the lifespan and high levels of perceived self-efficacy (SE) may be a predictor of future success. Experiential learning is an effective teaching and learning strategy used within Pediatric PT education (PedPTE). This study examined the extent to which pediatric clinical reasoning labs impact student SE within PedPTE, and to what extent does previous experience or interest in pediatrics have on perceived SE.

The methodology was a sequential explanatory mixed methods research design. Quantitative data collection included 27 second year DPT students, utilizing …

Correspondence, To President Johnson, From The Citizens To Preserve Overton Park, 1964

Documents

A copy letter to the United States President Johnson, Washington, D.C., from the Citizens to Preserve Overton Park and Chairman, Mrs. Ralph W. Handy (Marie Handy), Memphis, Tennessee, 1964 July 6. This is about the concern of the routing of Interstate Highway 40 through Overton Park in Memphis. Marie wrote, "no ans!" on the letter.

From Voice To Noise: Accented Speech, Constructed Languages, And Subtitling Practices As Markers Of Difference, Alice Alonso Limongi

Course Work

This monograph explores three main strategies of vocal exotification in Anglophone film: representations of accented speech, inclusion of constructed languages, and non-subtitling of snippets of other languages. Using Stuart Hall’s encoding/decoding framework, I approach these practices as rhetorical devices that both construct and are constructed by the complexity of our social landscapes. Portrayals of accented speech, constructed languages, and subtitling practices form a gradient of abstraction, where the denotative meaning of words gradually loses importance to the sonic characteristics of the voice. Combining broader cultural scholarship from Edward Said, sound studies writings on power and language from Nina Sun Eidsheim …

Program, University Of Tennessee Department Of Dentistry, 1904-1905

Documents

A programme of lectures from the University of Tennessee Department of Dentistry, 1904-1905.

Enabling Communication Resiliency In The Connected Car Environment, Antonio Guerrero-Ibáñez, Juan Contreras-Castillo, Sherali Zeadally, Een-Kee Hong

Information Science Faculty Publications

Connectivity has become integral to various application domains, with the automotive sector as a prime example. Advances in electronics, computing, and telecommunications have driven the evolution of the connected car ecosystem, transforming it into a data-rich environment that enhances road safety, efficiency, and overall mobility. However, the success of this ecosystem depends on seamless, reliable, and resilient communications. We identify key challenges that may affect communications in the connected car environment and discuss solutions that enhance resiliency and robustness. Finally, we propose a multi-layered network architecture that will enhance communication resilience in the connected car ecosystem.

Curriculum In Pharmacoepidemiology Training Programs: A Cross-Sectional Study To Assess Educational Needs And Alignment With Core Competencies, Amie Goodin, Deborah Layton, Ryan Chung, Vicki Osborne, Chioma Ejekam, Xiaojuan Li, Xuerong Wen, Kristian B. Filion, Luciane Cruz Lopes, Daniela C. Moga

Pharmacy Practice and Science Faculty Publications

Purpose: Pharmacoepidemiology is a key discipline for evidence-based decision-making, yet its educational programs have not been systematically assessed for alignment with international core competencies. Our objectives were to evaluate curricula alignment of pharmacoepidemiology training programs with ISPE-recommended core competency themes and identify key curriculum content development areas.

Methods: The ISPE Core Competencies Workgroup and ISPE leadership developed a curriculum and needs assessment survey, incorporating feedback from global members. The survey was electronically distributed to leaders of pharmacoepidemiology training programs (e.g., department chairs and program directors) using the ISPE contact database, followed by snowball sampling to enhance representation. Institutional respondent characteristics …

Family Functioning And Stress In Arab American Young Adults, Sahar Kaouk

Selected Full-Text Dissertations 2020-

Family functioning plays a central role in the lives of Arab American young adults, yet little research has examined how family dynamics relate to stress in this population. Guided by Bowen’s (1978) Family Systems Theory, this study investigated the relationship between family functioning and perceived stress, as well as the roles of Differentiation of Self (DoS), Reflective Coping, and collectivistic orientation. Participants included 225 young adults ages 18 to 25 who self-identified as Arab American. Data were collected using self-report measures, and structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesized model. Results indicated that family functioning was indirectly related …

Pamphlet, The Great Book, Ellen Davies-Rodgers, 1973

Documents

A pamphlet advertising, "The Great Book, Calvary Protestant Episcopal Church, 1832-1972, Memphis, Tennessee" by Ellen Davies-Rodgers, published by The Plantation Press, Davies Plantation Road, Brunswick, Tennessee, 1973.