Digital Commons Network^™

Rewilding The Built Environment: Navigating Economic, Political, And Social Barriers To Urban Ecological Restoration, Carly E. Smith

PANDION: The Osprey Journal of Research and Ideas

Urban rewilding offers a nature-based approach to restoring ecological processes in cities while advancing climate resilience, biodiversity, and public well-being. Unlike conventional green infrastructure, rewilding allows ecosystems to develop with minimal intervention, emphasizing succession, complexity, and long-term adaptability. This paper examines the political, economic, and social factors that frame how rewilding is understood and implemented in urban planning. Governmental frameworks often prioritize order, predictability, and short-term results, making it difficult to accommodate the uncertainty and ecological complexity that rewilding requires. Economic models struggle to capture its long-term value, frequently overlooking ecosystem services or reconciling competing land uses. Social perceptions of …

Enzymes Of Calendula Officinalis L. As Affected By Foliar Application Of Nano-Nitrogen And Potassium Fertilizers, Under Water Stress Conditions, Aqeel Abdulabbas Alsudani, Qais Hussain Abbas Al-Semmak

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Water stress is a major environmental factor that limits the growth and productivity of Calendula officinalis L. To alleviate its negative effects, recent approaches have increasingly focused on nano-fertilizers that enhance plant antioxidant defenses. This study therefore aimed to evaluate the effect of foliar application of nano-nitrogen (0, 2, and 4 mL L⁻¹) and nano-potassium (0, 2, and 4 g L⁻¹) fertilizers under two irrigation regimes (100% and 50% of field capacity) on the activity of key antioxidant enzymes, including catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and peroxidase (POD). The results revealed that irrigation at 50% field capacity significantly increased CAT, …

A Review Of Deep Learning Architectures For Plant Disease Detection​, Yasi̇n Kaya, Ercan Gürsoy

Turkish Journal of Biology

Background/aim: The rapid advancement of deep learning (DL) has revolutionized plant disease detection by enabling highly accurate, image-based diagnostic solutions. This review provides a comprehensive synthesis of DL-based methodologies for plant disease detection, systematically structured around the key stages of the modeling pipeline, encompassing data acquisition, preprocessing, augmentation, classification, detection, segmentation, and deployment.

Materials and methods: The review focuses on evaluating convolutional neural network (CNN) architectures such as VGG, ResNet, EfficientNet, and DenseNet across diverse experimental contexts. Classification strategies are categorized according to their integration of visualization techniques (e.g., saliency maps, Grad-CAM) to enhance model interpretability, emphasizing the pivotal role …

A Guide To Breaking Seed Dormancy Of Common Wetland Plant Species, Samantha R. Kurkowski, Rae Robinson, Sandra E. Johnston, Montana M. Horchler, Adrienne E. Ernst, Margaret D. Haney, Karin M. Kettenring

All Current Publications

This guide was developed from a series of seed dormancy break and germination experiments conducted over 4 years with 41 species. The purpose of this guide is to synthesize the information we learned through these experiments and present the findings for those interested in breaking seed dormancy, such as land managers, restoration practitioners, and wetland researchers. Ultimately, we hope this guidance catalyzes further wetland restoration throughout the Intermountain West.

Dissecting The Intrinsic And Extrinsic Regulators Of Prostate Cancer Dormancy In The Bone Microenvironment, Mostafa M. Nasr

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Metastatic disease is the primary driver of cancer-related mortality. In prostate cancer (PCa), patient survival decreases dramatically once the disease spreads to distant organs, with over 80% of metastases occurring in the bone. This dissemination is often followed by a clinically silent period of tumor dormancy that can last for years, creating a critical reservoir of cells poised for lethal relapse. A significant barrier to understanding and targeting this dormant phase has been the lack of robust experimental models. This thesis first addresses this challenge by establishing a novel stress-induced model of PCa dormancy, validated across multiple murine and human …

Dramatic Biases In Terrestrial Nitrogen Fixation In Earth System Models Revealed By Natural Isotope Signatures, Maoyuan Fang, Shushi Peng, Philippe Ciais, Daniel S. Goll, Benjamin Z. Houlton, Ying-Ping Wang, Yilong Wang, Pan Liu, Joshua B. Fisher, Pierre Regnier

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) is the primary input of new reactive nitrogen to natural terrestrial ecosystems. However, this flux is poorly constrained due to its unclear drivers and associated control mechanisms. Here, we extend the existing theory of nitrogen (N) isotope mass balance to estimate BNF rates and then use a Bayesian approach to constrain the BNF rates in natural terrestrial ecosystems by using measurements of natural N-isotope ratios (δ¹⁵N) in plants (δ_P) and soil (δ_S). Together with pairwise δ_P and δ_S measurements from 18 forest sites covering diverse climates and thousands …

The Effects Of The Combined Use Of Carbon Quantum Dots And Antibacterial Agents On Pathogenic Bacteria, Derya Doğanay, İbrahi̇m Serkan Avşar, Şevval Maral Özcan Aykol, Gamze Çamlik, Besa Bi̇lakaya, İsmai̇l Tuncer Deği̇m

Turkish Journal of Biology

Background/aim: This study evaluates the challenges associated with overcoming antimicrobial resistance and innovative approaches to combat multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial infections.

Materials and methods: Novel codoped carbon quantum dots (CCQDs) were synthesized using citric acid as the carbon source and L-cysteine as the nitrogen codoping atom. The formulation in which citric acid was retained was designated as CCQDs-1, whereas the purified version, from which citric acid was removed, was termed CCQDs-2. The antibacterial properties of CCQDs-1 and CCQDs-2 were compared using the agar well diffusion method. This study comprehensively characterizes these nanomaterials and evaluates their antibacterial potential, both alone and in …

10.27.2025 Ored Connect, Liz Williamson

ORED Newsletter

ORED Field Fest

OTC Director Candidates

14th International Conference On Business, Technology And Innovation 2025, University For Business And Technology - Ubt

UBT International Conference

Welcome to IC – UBT 2025

UBT Annual International Conference is the 14th international interdisciplinary peer reviewed conference which publishes works of the scientists as well as practitioners in the area where UBT is active in Education, Research and Development. The UBT aims to implement an integrated strategy to establish itself as an internationally competitive, research-intensive university, committed to the transfer of knowledge and the provision of a world-class education to the most talented students from all background. The main perspective of the conference is to connect the scientists and practitioners from different disciplines in the same place and make …

Predicting Species Assemblages At Wildlife Crossing Structures Using Multivariate Regression Of Principal Coordinates, Thomas J. Yamashita, Daniel G. Scognamillo, Kevin W. Ryer, Richard Kline, Michael E. Tewes, John H. Young Jr., Jason V. Lombardi

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Wildlife populations are in decline due to human threats, including highways. Strategies for reducing road impacts on wildlife include wildlife fencing which keep animals off roads and wildlife crossing structures (WCSs) which provide safe passage across roads. Wildlife crossing structures are diverse and transportation managers are often interested in identifying which WCS designs are effective for target species so a model that predicts target species usage of WCSs is likely to be beneficial to managers and biologists. Wildlife crossing structures are typically built for select species but are utilized by other species, so it may be beneficial to examine WCS …

Global Impact Of Covid-19 Pandemic On Higher Education In Physiology, Sean Mahajan, Santanu De

FDLA Journal

The Coronavirus Infectious Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic disrupted the higher education sector worldwide in several disciplines, especially those in healthcare as well as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) that require active, experiential learning via practical application of concepts centered around physiology. Dynamic instructional and technological interventions took place rapidly in an effort to minimize the adverse repercussions of moving away from traditional means of education in these critical scientific fields. COVID-19 necessitated administrators, faculty, students, and interns at colleges, universities, medical/healthcare science programs and residencies to pursue teaching, learning, and assessment of physiology courses/curricula through innovative strategies without compromising …

Influence Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Anatomy Higher Education Around The World, Sneh Patel, Santanu De

FDLA Journal

The Coronavirus Infectious Disease 2019 (COVID-19) disrupted the higher education sector worldwide in several disciplines, especially those in healthcare as well as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) that require active, experiential learning via practical application of concepts centering around anatomy. Dynamic instructional and technological interventions took place rapidly in an effort to minimize the adverse repercussions of moving away from traditional means of education in these critical scientific fields. COVID-19 necessitated administrators, faculty, students, and interns at colleges, universities, medical/ healthcare science programs and residencies to pursue teaching, learning, and assessment of anatomy courses/curricula through innovative strategies without compromising …

A New Low-Rate Stable Hydrogel Cathode For Aqueous Zn-Ion Batteries, Roya Rajabi, Shichen Sun, Jamil A. Khan, Morgan Stefik, Kevin Huang

Faculty Publications

Aqueous Zn-ion batteries (ZIBs) are attractive candidates for large-scale energy storage owing to the abundance, low cost, and intrinsic safety of Zn metal. However, their practical application is hindered by poor cycle stability, especially at low current densities, due to cathode dissolution and limited electrochemically active sites (EAS). Herein, a hydrogel-based cathode comprising ammonium vanadate, carbon black, and a Zn-ion-conducting carboxymethyl chitosan–acrylamide hydrogel matrix doped with Zn(ClO4)2 is reported. This design establishes a continuous Zn-ion-conducting network, thereby maximizing EAS density throughout the electrode volume. The ZIB with the hydrogel cathode exhibits outstanding cycling stability, with 77% capacity retention after 2000 …

Effect Of Au Nanoparticles Doping On The Structure, Surface Morphology And Optical Properties Of Znago Nanorods, Mohsin Talib Mohammed, Salah M. Saleh Al-Khazali, Bassam A. Salih, Adel H. Omran Alkhayatt

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

In this work, nanoparticles (NPs) composed of noble elements (Au and Ag) were prepared using a chemical reduction method and then combined with a spray pyrolysis technique for synthesizing ZnAgO and Au-doped ZnAgO nanorods (NRs). The films were produced by adding 2 wt% of Ag NPs and 2, 4, and 6 wt% of Au NPs at 420°C. The results showed that the films have a polycrystalline ZnO (wurtzite) with a hexagonal structure. Also, all films had a preference orientation along the (002) plane. The crystal size increased with increasing Au doping from 64.4 to 65.33 nm. For ZnO doped with …

2025 Celebration Of Scholarship, Creativity, And Engagement, Todd Bruns, Jaime Pedigo, Jennifer Smith, Patty Watson, Heather Wohltman, Amanda Wolf

Programs

Each year, Eastern Illinois University proudly recognizes the outstanding achievements of our faculty in research, creativity, and engagement. This collection of accomplishments reflects the dedication of an engaged faculty committed to excellence and the continual pursuit of knowledge. Many of these successes were made possible through meaningful collaboration with our students, who contribute as co-authors, research assistants, and partners in bringing ideas to life. Some of these professional milestones represent years of effort, demonstrating remarkable persistence and determination. We offer our heartfelt congratulations on this wide range of achievements, which bring distinction to our departments, colleges, and the University as …

Perceived Recovery And Muscle Fatigue In Professional Soccer Players During Preseason, Josip Maleš, Frane Žuvela, Nicola Bragazzi, Andrea De Giorgio, Goran Kuvačić

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 18(8): 1212-1227, 2025. https://doi.org/10.70252/ERIN2946 This study aimed to examine weekly variations and within-subject relationships between internal training intensity (ITI), perceived recovery (TQR), neuromuscular performance (CMJ), and perceived muscle soreness (PMS) during a four-week preseason period in professional soccer players. Twenty-three soccer players (age 24.8 ± 4.4 years; height 182 ± 7 cm; body mass 74.6 ± 6.7 kg) classified as Tier 3 athletes from the Croatian Second Soccer League were monitored using session rating of perceived exertion, TQR scales, countermovement jump tests, and PMS questionnaires. A significant reduction in ITI and concurrent improvement in TQR …

Where Is The Power In A Power Analysis?, Kevin D. Dames, Zoe Climenhaga, Jared Rosenberg

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 18(2): 1114-1120, 2025. https://doi.org/10.70252/AVGK2063 Strategic planning of research involves predicting the number of replications of the experiment needed to detect an expected effect. The power analysis to determine sample size for the proposed experiment requires known or estimated characteristics of existing distributions. When used well, power analysis reduces the risk of statistical errors, wasted efforts, and temptations to twist ensuing analyses to eke out a ‘significant’ result after data collections conclude. This editorial highlights some examples of how this process goes awry. Sections are dedicated to the role of researchers, the case for ‘pilot’ studies, …

Hemodynamic And Autonomic Modulation In Response To Additive Sympathetic Stressors In Young, Healthy Individuals, J. Derek Kingsley, Anthony G. Pinzone, Gretchen E. Elsey, Stacie M. Humm

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 18(6): 1047-1060, 2025. https://doi.org/10.70252/WWDK4926 Isometric handgrip (IHG) coupled with post-exercise muscular ischemia (PEMI) and the cold pressor test (CPT) have been demonstrated to increase measures of hemodynamics and to reduce vagal tone. However, little is known about how acute resistance exercise (RE) alters these responses. The purpose was to evaluate an acute bout of RE in conjunction with a single- or dual-stressor task on hemodynamics and autonomic modulation in resistance-trained individuals. Ten resistance-trained individuals (Mean ± SD; Age: 23 ± 3 years) completed a single- (SS: IHG + PEMI only) or dual-stressor (DS: IHG + …

Genetic Engineering For Pastures, W J. Peacock

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The first genetically engineered food products from horticultural production systems are now entering the mnrke< and field trials of genetically engineered crop species are well advanced. We cnn expect that a range of crop cultivars, in which gene

Grassland For Sustainable Ecosystems, Malcolm Hadley

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grasslnnds present many advantages for examining issues related to sustainability. Grasslands include planted pastures as well as a variety of natural rangelands in situations ranging from semi-arid to subhumid. Diversity is also reflected in the spectrum of grassland users and uses, for example, nomadic pastoralism, extensive ranches, intensive pastures, wildlife tourism, game hunting. And in terms of sustainability of resource management, grasslands encompass a wide range of contrasting situations and conflicts in resource use. Heavy grazing pressure associated with increasing human populations in certain tropical savannas, the implications of rural depopulation to traditional pasture management in alpine regions, and the …

Grasslands For Our World, F Riveros

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The present-day role of grasslands and fodder is reviewed with respect agriculture, animal production and environmental concerns. The world's grazing lands are a finite resource and, overall, arc being badly managed; in most developing countries action is required now, before it is too late. They will continue to be a major source of animal feed for the foreseeable future; encroachment from cropping will continue locally but, for much of what is now natural pasture, exploitation by the grazing animal .will remain the major means of obtaining an economic return; the task of grassland professionals is to assist the managers of …

Human Impact On Terrestrial Ecosystems - What We Know And What We Are Doing About It, H A. Mooney

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

At present the impact of humankind on the Earth System is substantial and will become greater as we continue to add over 80 million people to the global population each year. Collectively the human species utilises over a third of the total fresh water that is available, as well as an equivalent amount of the total terrestrial productivity. Possil energy is being consumed at a prodigious rate and fuels, among other things, over a half a billion vehicles. To support the large human population the Earth has been greatly reconfigured with much of the land utilised for grazing and agriculture. …

Science And Information For Our Grasslands, G A. Nores, R R. Vera

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

This paper favours a view of grasslands, and agricultural research in general, that extends well beyond the limits of the scientific community and promotes the active involvement of scientists in current societal debates from a scientific perspective. It is argued that in developed countries environmental concerns rather than production growth will tend to dominate future social debate. In developing countries there is a need to balance agricultural growth with responsible management of natural resources. Needs for new technology go beyond improving biophysical efficiency, and involve economic and social efficiency objectives. The relevance of grassland research is assessed in terms of …

Vegetation Dynamics In Grazed Systems: A Hierarchical Perspective, D D. Briske

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grassland vegetation consists of a series of hierarchical levels including the tiller, plant, population and community which collectively influence the productivity and stability of grazed systems. These hierarchical levels may respond uniformly to influence vegetation dynamics, but frequently additional complexity is encountered by the occurrence of opposing responses between or among hierarchical levels. Consequently, it is important to con­sider responses at several hierarchical levels to achieve an accurate interpretation of vegetation dynamics to graz­ing within the community. The significance of a hierarchical perspective to vegetation management is illustrated with examples from bunchgrass dominated rangelands at the level of the individual …

Forage Conservation And Physico-Chemical Conversion, E Zimmer

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The factors on which the digestibility of organic matter (dMO) of forages depend are now well-known. In temperate forages, this digestibility depends mainly on the growth stage, the rank of the growth-cycle, and the botanical species. It is constantly decreasing with advancing age, especially during the first growth-cycle. In after­math growth-cycles, high temperatures accelerate the decrease of digestibility with age. Tropical forages follow the same laws, but tropical grasses are less digestible than cool-season grasses, especially at young stages and in warm weather. This is partly due to the fact that high temperatures increase cell-wall contents and lignification, and also …

The Feeding Value Of Forages, C Demarquilly

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The lower productivity of legume based swards and their instability of yield from year to year compared with nitrogen fertilised grass swards continues to be a major constraint on the integration of leguminous nitrogen fixing species into present-day farming systems. Most legume systems have a high biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) potential which is rarely attained in the· field due to limiting environmental or management factors. Enhancement of BNF through manipulation of the Rhizobium and plant components of the symbiosis must be viewed as a long-term objective. Optimisation of nitrogen fixation in the short-term may best be achieved through optimisation of …

Nitrogen Fixation, Cycling, And Utilization, P M. Murphy, M T. Sherwood

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The lower productivity of legume based swards and their instability of yield from year to year compared with nitrogen fertilised grass swards continues to be a major constraint on the integration of leguminous nitrogen fixing species into present-day farming systems. Most legume systems have a high biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) potential which is rarely attained in the· field due to limiting environmental or management factors. Enhancement of BNF through manipulation of the Rhizobium and plant components of the symbiosis must be viewed as a long-term objective. Optimisation of nitrogen fixation in the short-term may best be achieved through optimisation of …

La Prairie Dans Ses Usages Multiples: Conservation Des Sols, Protection De L'Environnement, Etc., M Skouri, J Poissonet

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Les terres :i paturage couvrent une partie importante de la planete et presentent une extreme diversite de situations en fonction des conditions ecologiques et des facteurs socio-economiques et culturels qui s'exercent sur ces espaces. Ces facteurs ont engendre des transformations du milieu nature] permettant d'intensifier, et :i ]'extreme, de contr61er la production vegetale de ces ecosystemes. Si le role premier de ces formations herbacees a ete d'alimenter Jes herbivores afin que l'homme en obtienne une production (viande, lait, peaux, etc.), Jes autres fonctions de ces espaces ont une importance que !'on ne peut se permettre de negliger, que ce soit …

Quickening Snow Melting In Early Spring With Black Powder In Snowy District, A Imai

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Experiments were conducted during 1977-1980 to quiken snow melting in early spring with three kinds of black powders at 450 m a.s.l.,Tsunan-machi, Niigata Prefecture. Snow melting materials involved blast furnace slag, di-amido lime and calcium silicate and their effects on snow melting were compared with each other at various application rates on snow surface in late March every year. Snow melting was earlier with 600 kg/ha di-amido lime resulting from lower albedo of 25 % and it could quicken the snow-off by 10-13 days as compared to the control plot. This early snow melting induced the higher soil temperature and …

Effect Of Fertilization In Autumn Or After Wintering On Dallisgrass Production In The Following Season, T Kobayashi

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

To improve dallisgrass (Paspalum dilatatum Poir.) pasture productivity, the effects of autumn or spring topdressing in a field experiment and autumn nitrogen (N) application levels in a pot experiment on the regrowth and carbohydrate accumulation until winter and on the early summer production were studied. Dallisgrass pasture was topdressed in either autumn (late September) or spring (early March) at 0.5 kg/a each of N, phosphate (P2O5), and potash (K20), after the final cutting in late September 1978. Plants in pots were topdressed at the rates of 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kg N/a, just after cutting in early October …