University of Illinois at Chicago
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The Relationship Between Teacher Efficacy and Perceptions of Challenging Behavior in Preschool Students
No full textPreschool expulsion and suspension policies continue to be a critical issue in early childhood education, with inconsistencies in discipline practices often tied to teacher decision-making. This qualitative study explores how preschool teachers perceive and respond to challenging student behaviors, with a particular focus on the role of teacher self-efficacy in shaping disciplinary strategies. Grounded in interpretive phenomenology and informed by Social Cognitive Theory (Bandura, 1997) and Ecological Systems Theory (Bronfenbrenner, 1979), the study examines how varying levels of self-efficacy influence teachers' confidence, behavioral management approaches and reliance on available institutional supports.
Findings reveal that teachers with high self-efficacy implement proactive, student-centered strategies and feel more equipped to manage challenging behaviors effectively. In contrast, those with lower self-efficacy report greater frustration and a higher likelihood of resorting to reactive or exclusionary discipline. Access to professional development, administrative support, and social-emotional learning (SEL) training emerged as key factors influencing teacher confidence and disciplinary decision-making. The study highlights the importance of strengthening teacher self-efficacy through targeted training, mentorship, and institutional resources to promote equitable and developmentally appropriate discipline practices in preschool settings
MPOX 2022: Strategic Management During a Public Health Emergency
No full textIn the United States (U.S.), public health emergencies (PHEs) can be declared by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) any time there is a disease, disorder or event that poses a significant risk to the public at large. In the context of a PHE, the challenge of strategic management is enhanced as all levels of the public health sector are forced to respond in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with shifting partner considerations. Strategic management considers the organizational ability to align internal capability with external demands and the “fitness” of the organization to learn and adapt. Mpox (formerly monkeypox) is the most recent infectious disease PHE. There is a research opportunity, using a case study design, to describe the key characteristics of the DHHS mpox response, to identify facilitators and barriers to strategic management, and to develop leadership-based recommendations for future PHEs.Theories and concepts that align with strategic planning and strategic management from researchers Mintzberg, Moore, Bryson, Beer and others are utilized to frame this case study. A proposed theory of change, taking into account some of the basic tenets of strategic management theory, outlines the steps that can be transformative in strategic preparation and execution of a PHE response. This theory of change necessarily begins with the upstream reframing of mission, vision, and mandates to better address the structural drivers of downstream health inequity.This case study utilizes a multi-methods approach. While quantitative data can help to delineate some federal organizational capacity elements, strategic management performance in this practice setting is best characterized using qualitative data. The data for this study were collected through a phased approach, starting with a survey of DHHS employees and followed by semi-structured in-depth interviews of key informants from DHHS and external partner organizations. It is important to note for the record that the timing of data collection coincided with the change in Presidential administration in January 2025, which brought with it a series of Executive Orders as well as significant policy changes and staffing reductions at DHHS. As a result, research participant recruitment plans were modified in response to these unforeseen barriers in order to collect sufficient data for analysis.Data analysis and integration were conducted at the methods level (building type) and appropriately considers both qualitative and quantitative data sets. This research project uses methodological triangulation and a data summary matrix to compare key construct measures from across different sources in order to answer the research questions of interest.This case study has generated data on DHHS strategic management during the 2022 mpox PHE, helping to document how internal/external alignment improved over the course of the PHE and providing recommendations that take advantage of identified facilitators while mitigating the identified barriers. The recommendations are captured across four thematic areas: Strategic Planning, Leadership, Resource Allocation, and Health Equity. This effort is intended to inform DHHS on future PHE responses as well as provide baseline data for future research opportunities.</p
Smart Manufacturing in Chemicals
No full textThe chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing sectors are evolving toward intelligent, adaptive production systems. This white paper explores how AI-enabled machinery and connected equipment are transforming chemical process efficiency, product quality, and sustainability. Drawing from conceptual case studies at ChemRich USA and ChemeNova LLC, we propose a framework where AI models interface with real-time machine data from centrifuges, filters, reactors, and mixers to enhance formulation, reduce downtime, and enable on-demand customization. The result is a more agile, data-driven, and sustainable manufacturing paradigm.</p
<b>Response of Oral and Skin Keratinocytes to Oxidative Stress</b>
No full textOxidative stress caused by excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) disrupts skin and oral epithelial homeostasis and contributes to skin aging, inflammation, periodontitis, and mucosal injury. As the principal defenders in both skin and oral mucosal tissues, keratinocytes are important responders to oxidative stress. However, most existing studies have examined skin or oral keratinocytes in isolation, with few comparative investigations of their tolerance, repair capacity, and antioxidant mechanisms under oxidative stress. In this study, we systematically compared immortalized oral keratinocytes (TIGK) and skin keratinocytes (HaCaT) under hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)-induced oxidative stress. Functional analyses, including cell survival, ROS accumulation, in vitro wound healing, and proliferation recovery assays, were combined with transcriptomic profiling to evaluate differences in antioxidant and pro-oxidant systems. TIGK exhibited significantly higher survival rates, lower ROS accumulation, and superior migratory and proliferative recovery compared with HaCaT after oxidative insult. Transcriptomic analysis further revealed that TIGK consistently expressed higher levels of antioxidant genes and enzymes. In contrast, HaCaT showed greater ROS accumulation and relatively limited antioxidant defenses. The results show that oral and skin keratinocytes adopt distinct adaptive mechanisms under oxidative stress. The intrinsic redox advantage of oral keratinocytes provides new insights into their rapid wound-healing capacity and may inform strategies to enhance epithelial resilience.</p
Dataset of metals in water samples at ASGM locations in Kenya
No full textThis dataset is from a study of metals found in artisanal and small-scale gold mining in western Kenya. Specifically, water samples were collected from basins used to amalgamate gold with elemental mercury. The samples were analyzed by ICP-MS for a set of metals. The dataset has one tab with results of analysis of field samples ("Occupational Water Samples"). Other tabs have location data about sampling sites and results of analysis of sample blanks. </p
Quantitative Analysis of Retinal Vascular Morphology and Dynamics Using Optical Coherence Tomography
No full textAs an extension of the central nervous system, the retina offers a unique opportunity for noninvasive examination of the body’s microvasculature and may reveal early signs of systemic and retinal diseases. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) provides depth-resolved, high-resolution imaging, making it suitable for detailed analysis of retinal vasculature. However, challenges remain in accurately characterizing vessel behavior, particularly in artery-vein differentiation and quantifying wall thickness and lumen diameter. This dissertation addresses these challenges through two aims. The first involves development and validation of OCT methods for quantitative vascular analysis. We introduced depth-resolved vascular profile analysis for artery-vein classification, identifying wall boundary patterns and lumen intensity features from B-scans. These features enabled robust vessel type identification in the human retina. We then developed an adaptive depth segmentation method to measure wall thickness and lumen diameter, enabling quantification of the wall-to-lumen ratio (WLR). Comparative analysis in control and 5xFAD mice established WLR as a sensitive marker of Alzheimer’s disease condition. The second aim focuses on dynamic vascular assessment using Doppler OCT. While traditionally used to measure blood flow, we extended its application to capture real-time changes in vessel diameter during the cardiac cycle. This revealed an unreported phenomenon: anisotropic retinal vessel pulsatility, where axial expansion exceeds lateral expansion. Taken together, this work advances OCT-based methods for retinal vascular assessment, contributing new insights for artery-vein classification, vessel morphology quantification, and dynamic analysis relevant to early detection of neurovascular and systemic disease
Characterization of the Morphology, Composition, and Activity of the Germ Plasm in Nasonia vitripennis
No full textThe specification of germ cell fate in the wasp Nasonia vitripennis relies on a maternally provided ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex called the oosome. The oosome is an exceptionally large germ plasm complex that exhibits surprisingly dynamic behavior throughout the pre-blastoderm stage. In this thesis, I provide the first detailed characterization of the oosome, including descriptions of the oosome’s dynamic morphology, the internal organization of mRNAs and membrane-bound organelles, and initial evidence for posttranscriptional activity within the oosome. Using a combination of super-resolution fluorescence microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, I identified lipid droplets and ribosome-associated vesicles widely distributed throughout the oosome interior, where mitochondria are notably absent. I also identified two patterns of mRNA distribution throughout the oosome as either distinct puncta or in a mesh-like network, which correspond to their level of enrichment within the oosome. Surprisingly, all of those tested only weakly co-localize with conserved germline-associated proteins. Three-dimensional reconstructions of oosomes at specific pre-blastoderm stage syncytial nuclear cycles suggest they exhibit the liquid/elastic solid-like behaviors of deformation, fragmentation, relaxation, and membrane wetting. Using a fluorescence assay to detect ribosome association and by measuring mean mRNA intensity, I also provide initial evidence for the occurrence of both degradation and translation within the oosome. How the biophysical properties and composition of the oosome relate to its function in germline development will be an active area of study for which this work provides essential context
Arithmetic Properties Related to Isogeny Criteria for Elliptic Curves and Drinfeld Modules
No full textLet E_1 and E_2 be elliptic curves defined over a number field K which have trivial endomorphism ring and are non-isogenous. We prove that the number of primes of K of norm at most x for which E_1 and E_2 have the same Frobenius trace or Frobenius field is bounded above asymptotically by a function of x. We prove a bound with a log saving unconditionally, prove a bound with a power saving dependent on the Reimann hypothesis and generalized Reimann hypothesis, and prove a bound with a stronger power saving dependent on the generalized Reimann hypothesis, Artin's holomorphy conjecture, and a pair correlation conjecture.
Let Phi_1 and Phi_2 be Drinfeld modules of rank r at least two defined over a generic A-field K which have trivial endomorphism ring and are non-isogenous. We prove that the number of primes of K of degree x for which Phi_1 and Phi_2 have the same Frobenius trace or characteristic polynomial of the Frobenius is bounded above asymptotically by a function of x. We prove bounds with a power saving dependent upon a generalization of the open image theorem for Drinfeld modules of Pink and Rütsche
Advancements in Radar Sensing and Communications through Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces
No full textReconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RIS) represents a promising technology for reshaping wireless channels, offering a new degree of freedom in the design of next-generation wireless networks. Specifically, RIS has shown significant potential in enabling smart, programmable environments by manipulating wireless propagation to establish robust links for both communication and sensing purposes. This dissertation investigates the optimal design of RIS for target estimation and detection in radar systems. Additionally, it examines the joint enhancement of sum-rate performance and target detection capabilities in integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) frameworks. Both conventional diagonal RIS configurations and the recently proposed beyond diagonal RIS architecture are employed in this study
pH Stability of Calcium Hydroxide Preparations in a Simulated Acidic Environment
No full textBackground
Calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)₂) is a widely used intracanal medicament in endodontics, prized for its high pH, which provides antibacterial effects and promotes healing. However, its efficacy is challenged by the acidic pH of purulent exudates in infected root canals. This study aimed to evaluate the pH stability of three calcium hydroxide preparations—BC Temp (bioceramic-based), UltraCal XSTM, and mixed Ca(OH)₂ powder with saline—in simulated acidic and neutral environments.
Materials and Methods
30 decoronated, single-rooted premolars were prepared using rotary files. The canals were treated with sodium 5.5% hypochlorite (NaOCl- ) and 17% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), dried, and filled with one of the three calcium hydroxide formulations.
Samples were suspended in test tubes containing either a neutral (pH 7.0) or acidic (pH 5.0) buffer solution, maintained at 37°C and 100% humidity for 10 days.
Intracanal pH was recorded daily using a calibrated probe. Statistical analysis was performed using linear mixed-effects regression with a Bonferroni adjusted p value of 0.0167
Results
BC Temp: Demonstrated superior pH stability, maintaining a pH >9.5 in the acidic environment, which is critical for antimicrobial efficacy.
UltraCal XS: Showed a decrease in pH from 8.6 to 8.0 under acidic conditions.
Hand-Mixed Ca(OH)₂: Experienced a similar pH drop, from 8.7 to 8.4.
The pH of BC Temp was significantly higher than the other preparations under acidic conditions, likely due to its bioceramic composition, which allows for controlled ion release and interaction with dentinal tubules.
Conclusions
The study finds that the acidic environment reduces the pH of traditional calcium hydroxide formulations, potentially compromising their antimicrobial efficacy. BC Temp's sustained high pH highlights its suitability for challenging clinical scenarios involving persistent infection or acidic environments. The findings support the integration of bioceramic technology into calcium hydroxide formulations for improved performance
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