Digital Commons Network^™

Interpreting Extension Professionals' Viewpoints On Agricultural Climate Change Programming, Aaron B. Wilson, Alli Wenman, Samuel Pratsch, Kenneth Genskow, Patrick Robinson, Dennis Todey, Laurie Nowatzke, Namah Chiamo Taku-Forchu, Moses Wanyakha

Journal of Extension

We evaluated Extension professionals' attitudes and beliefs from Midwestern "1862" land-grant universities around three themes: prioritizing climate programming, farmers' perceptions, and the role of Extension leadership in building capacity to integrate climate change into programs. Using key informant interviews and a two-hour virtual workshop, we developed 'coordinate planes' to illustrate the tensions and contradictions among the three themes, with participants expressing highly diverse viewpoints across the region. Results identify the need for Extension leadership to support multi-state programs and shared resources that provide consistent guidance and expectations around climate change programming while recognizing the intrinsic state context and values.

Implementation And Assessment Of The Openbci Platform As An Accessible Brain- Computer Interface, Jewell Norris

Honors Theses

OpenBCI is a low-cost, open-source platform for alternative brain-computer interface (BCI) software and hardware. This thesis evaluates OpenBCI’s electroencephalogram (EEG) and electromyography (EMG) capabilities by constructing and testing a 16-channel EEG system using the Ultracortex Mark IV headset and Cyton + Daisy biosensing board. The viability of the system was assessed through real-time BCI control and comparison to a clinical-grade EEG system. Real-time BCI control of an online falling-block game was tested via the use of eye blinks EMG (channels Fp1/Fp2) and head-tilt accelerometer inputs. The BCI game demonstrated reliable control despite minor latency and artifact sensitivity. For clinical comparison, …

Quality Assessment Of Pathology Board-Exam-Style Mcqs Produced By Chatgpt3.5: A Comparative Study, Arianna B. Morton, Zunaira Naeem, Allison F. Goldberg, Alexis R. Peedin, Joanna Chan

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

Residents preparing for pathology board exams frequently use multiple-choice questions (MCQs) from question banks (QBs) like PathDojo and PathPrimer, which can be costly. ChatGPT, a free tool, has been used to generate MCQs for other tests like the SAT. This study compared the quality of pathology MCQs created by ChatGPT versus commercially available study questions for the American Board of Pathology’s (ABPath) certifying exams. A rubric adapted from the National Board of Medical Examiners’ (NBME) question writing guide was validated by two pathologists using commercially available pathology board exam questions. This rubric was then used to evaluate MCQs from commercially …

Research On Vehicle Path Optimization Algorithms For Urban Logistics And Distribution, Zhenpeng Ma, Hanyang Jiao, Zhe Zhang, Cheng Liu, Bo Jiang, Lin Wang

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: Existing optimization algorithms for solving the vehicle routing problem with time windows (VRPTW) are prone to fall into local optimal solutions and have slow convergence speed. To address this issue, a K-means clustering algorithm and improved large neighborhood search algorithm (K-means-ILNSA) was proposed. A strategy of clustering before optimization was adopted, and the K-means algorithm was adopted to group the customers to be delivered, so as to improve the optimization efficiency. The genetic algorithm was adopted to optimize each group of customers generated by clustering separately to initially plan the distribution routes. The large neighborhood search (LNS) algorithm was …

Indigenous And Tribal Nation Scientists And Universities, Elizabeth A. Sumida Huaman, Stephen J. Smith

Critical Internationalization Studies Review

No abstract provided.

11.17.2025 Ored Connect, Liz Williamson

ORED Newsletter

• Qualtrics training sessions
• Alcorn State University, Dr. Edmund Buckner

Re: Comment Letter For Diggings East 95 % Remedial Design Package Submittal (Dated August 29, 2025), The Silver Bow Creek Conservation Area (Sbcca) – 95 Percent Programmatic Technical Specifications Submittal (Dated August 19, 2025), The Draft Final Sbcca Construction Quality Assurance Plan (Dated August 20, 2025) And The Butte Priority Soils Sbcca Operations And Maintenance (O&M) Plan (Dated August 14, 2025), Emma Rott

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Secret Key Generation Based On The Physical Layer Characteristics For Iot Networks, Abdullah Dakhlallah Alshamdayn

Doctoral Dissertations

The rapid expansion of low-resource devices, coupled with advances in telecommunications, has significantly increased the number of connected devices and enabled the development of affordable, energy-efficient, portable, and high-performance sensors for diverse applications. However, this convenience comes with security and privacy concerns related to the reliability of hardware, software, and communication infrastructure. The extensive interconnectivity of limited-resource devices and the transmission of large data volumes pose significant security challenges in wireless networks. The future wireless technologies, such as 5G, will enable the transfer of critical data, including personal, financial, military, and industrial information, necessitating secure communication in wireless networks. Generally, …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Highly Stable Fisetin Encapsulated In Lecithin-Chitosan-Savie Nanoparticles, Hart Monyatovsky, Travis Anderson, Jay Nadeau

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Senolytic drugs, of the class of polyphenolic flavonoids, have attracted attention for a wide variety of medical applications for which they may be delivered topically, orally, and/or intravenously. However, due to their hydrophobicity and sensitivity to light and oxygen, they have been proven difficult to package and deliver. Here we report a synthesis method for encapsulated fisetin using lecithin-chitosan ionic gelation with a recently reported surfactant that is an alternative to polyethylene glycol (PEG)-containing compounds. Called “Savie” for a contraction of its components, sarcosine-Vitamin E, this surfactant allows for production of sub-100 nm nanoparticles that are bench stable for at …

Source Apportionment And Potential Health Risks Of Trace Metals In A Contaminated Urban River In New York/New Jersey Harbor System, Md Shahnul Islam, Sana Mirza, Huan Feng, Tapos Kumar Chakraborty, Yu Qian, Shinjae Yoo

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The Lower Passaic River (LPR), located within the New York/New Jersey Harbor Estuarine System, has experienced long-term industrial activities, resulting in elevated concentrations of trace metals in sediment and water. This study aims to assess the bioaccumulation behavior, potential human health risks, and sources of copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and mercury (Hg) in the LPR. Trace metal concentrations were measured in water, sediment, and seven edible aquatic species. Data were analyzed using statistical approaches, and evaluated by bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) and human health risk assessments based on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) guidelines. Results showed that Hg exhibited the highest …

Re: Approval Letter For The Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Unreclaimed Sites Ur-46 Temporary Best Management Practices Work Plan (Dated October 17, 2025), Molly Roby

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Final Butte Mine Waste Repository Geotechnical Investigation Work Plan, Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Playa Sediment Bioaccessibility Presents Previously Unknown Risks To Population Health In A Water-Stressed Region Undergoing Lake Desiccation: Salton Sea, Usa, Jordan Jaeger

Theses

Globally, drylands are expanding, and endorheic basins are in rapid decline. Saline lake desiccation exposes lakebed playa likely to become dust, posing potential health risks to surrounding communities. Studies investigating health risks from playa dust exposure often focus on health effects associated with the presence of airborne particulates, but fewer studies investigate health risks associated with dust source chemistry. This study examines dust source particle composition in a desiccating inland sea in a water-stressed agricultural region of California. Specifically, chemical bioaccessibility of bound trace elements uncovers risks to children, adults, and agricultural worker health. Arsenic exposure via sediment ingestion poses …

Re: Approval Letter For The Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Draft Final Insufficiently Reclaimed Sites Remedial Action Work Plan (Rawp): Bres No. 104 – (Colorado Dump) North Slope (Dated October 17, 2025), Molly Roby

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

2025 Field Evaluation Of Reclaimed Sites Summary Report, Butte-Silver Bow Department Of Reclamation And Environmental Services

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Chronosort: Revealing Hidden Dynamics In Alphafold3 Structure Predictions, Matthew J. Argyle, William P. Heaps, Corbyn Kubalek, Spencer Gardiner, Bradley C. Bundy, Dennis Della Corte

Faculty Publications

Protein function emerges from dynamic conformational changes, yet structure prediction methods provide only static snapshots. While AlphaFold3 (AF3) predicts protein structures, the potential for extracting dynamic information from its ensemble predictions has remained underexplored. Here, we demonstrate that AF3 structural ensembles contain substantial dynamic information that correlates remarkably well with molecular dynamics simulations (MD). We developed ChronoSort, a novel algorithm that organizes static structure predictions into temporally coherent trajectories by minimizing structural differences between neighboring frames. Through systematic analysis of four diverse protein targets, we show that root-mean-square fluctuations derived from AF3 ensembles can correlate strongly with those from MD …

Spatially Mapped Statewide Estimated Potential Evapotranspiration Using An Efficient Surface Interpolation Method: A Case Study Of South Carolina, Sudhanshu S. Panda, Devendra M. Amatya, Ka Kit Liu, Augustine Muwamba, Timothy J. Callahan

Journal of South Carolina Water Resources

Potential evapotranspiration (PET) exhibits substantial spatial and temporal variability across large landscapes, necessitating site-specific estimation for accurate environmental and water resource assessments. However, obtaining PET or ET data for specific locations across an entire state remains challenging due to the limited number of weather stations and associated environmental datasets. This study aimed to develop an automated geospatial modeling framework to map PET distribution across South Carolina, USA, using PET estimated by the temperature-based Hargreaves–Samani (H–S) method with daily weather data from 59 NOAA stations. Because the accuracy of spatial interpolation depends on both the target variable and the desired spatial …

Latent Classification Of Time-Dependent Transition Rates In Longitudinal Binary Outcome Data, Joonha Chang, Wenyaw Chan

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

Continuous-time Markov chain (CTMC) models and latent classification methods are commonly used to analyze longitudinal categorical outcomes in medical research. While CTMC models are popular for their simplicity and effectiveness, their assumption of constant transition rates presents limitations in capturing dynamic behaviors. To address this, non-homogeneous continuous-time Markov chains (NH-CTMCs) have been developed, incorporating time-varying transition rates to enhance model flexibility. In this study, we leverage closed-form transition probabilities for a fully ergodic two-state NH-CTMC model and propose a latent class clustering approach to identify heterogeneous transition rate patterns within the population. We emphasize the potential advantages of these models …

Comparing Machine Learning, Deep Learning, And Reinforcement Learning Performance In Culex Pipiens Predictive Modeling, Wei Yin, Sanad H. Ragab, Michael G. Tyshenko, Teresa Patricia Feria-Arroyo, Tamer Oraby

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

Several machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) methods have been used to predict the presence of species in classification problems. Another set of methods, called reinforcement learning (RL), has been used in training agents to perform various tasks, but not in predicting species distribution. Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae), commonly known as the common house mosquito, is a globally distributed species prevalent in temperate and subtropical regions. They serve as a primary vector for West Nile Virus (WNV), a mosquito-borne pathogen that affects humans and other animals. The study objective is to compare the performance of logistic regression, random forest …

A Blockchain-Enabled Deep Learning Framework For Secure Omics Data Sharing And Attack Detection, Don Roosan, Md Rahatul Ashakin, Rubyat Kahn, Mazharul Karim

Computer and Data Science Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

User Interface And Watchstation Improvements Required For Multi-Vehicle Usv Operations, Val Schmidt, Joshua Bergeron

Faculty Publications

In October 2024, the University of New Hampshire and NOAA’s Uncrewed Systems Office embarked on a mapping mission in the Gulf of Maine, simultaneously operating two DriX Un-crewed Surface Vehicles. Goals of the project were focused on testing hypotheses related to concepts of operation, including the safety of operations, cognitive loading of operators, management of vehicle endurance, vehicle logistics, maintenance and field support, refueling and a host of others.

Data Cleaning With Excel, Rubab Shahzad

Day Family Research Lab Workshop Series

This workshop will delve into the importance of cleaning research data and why clean data is an important part of the larger research data lifecycle. This session will also provide an overview of data cleaning and preprocessing using Microsoft Excel including a hands-on demonstration.

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Re: Medical Monitoring Working Group Meeting Minutes, Mike Mcanulty, Eric Hassler

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Music's Effect On The Mental Health Of Differing Age Groups, Margaret Cleve, Kaniyah Newborn, Luke Magro

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

Mental health disorders are a significant concern in today’s society. Music therapy has been shown to be an effective intervention for conditions such as anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), depression, and insomnia. However, it is not clear if the benefits function the same across different ages. The present study examined the influence of music on mental health across age using a publicly available dataset from Kaggle.com. We hypothesized that music listening would be associated with improved mental health outcomes regardless of age and that increased listening time would correlate with lower anxiety and depression. Results indicated that daily hours of music …

The State Of Our Streams: A Land Trust's Approach To Monitoring The Health Of Three Headwater Streams, Lauren Mcgrath

Sustainability Research & Practice Seminar Presentations

Lauren McGrath, Director of Watershed Protection Program, Willistown Conservation Trust, presents "The State of Our Streams: a land trust's approach to monitoring the health of three headwater streams."

Postmortem Vitreous Humor As An Alternative Matrix To Peripheral Blood For Benzodiazepine Detection, Sara Bussey

Honors Theses

Benzodiazepines are commonly prescribed secondary drugs of abuse that cause Central Nervous System depression through the neurotransmitter gamma aminobutyric acid. While not commonly fatal on their own, benzodiazepines have a minor risk for physical dependence and abuse. They also can have cumulative effects with other medications that can lead to overdose situations; thus, they are considered secondary drugs of abuse. While peripheral blood is considered the standard for xenobiotic detection in postmortem forensic toxicology, it is important to consider the validity of alternative matrices that could be analyzed in the event that blood was not available due to circumstances like …

Physical Activity And Memory Retention, Hannah Blackman, Marisa Ronner, Lindsay Biggs, Izzy Melendez

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

Attached

Metadata Analysis On The Relationship Between Sleep, Depression, And Cognition In Older Adults, Sara Miller, Kristie Stephens, Grayson Harris, Vincent Flegeance

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

Metadata Analysis on the relationship between sleep, depression, and cognition in older adults

Abstract

Previous research has revealed that both sleep and depression play significant roles in influencing memory. Adequate sleep facilitates memory consolidation during rest, ultimately enhancing cognitive performance. In contrast, elevated levels of depression are associated not only with physical symptoms, but also with declines in cognitive functioning. The present study aims to determine whether the cognitive benefits of sufficient sleep duration outweigh the detrimental effects of depression on memory. We hypothesize that sleep duration will have a stronger influence on memory consolidation in older adults than depression. …

Evaluating The Effects Of Water Quality And Anthropogenic Disturbance On Salamander Species Diversity, Abundance And Health In Warner Parks, Tatum P. Fortney, Chase Kinsey

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

Salamanders utilize cutaneous respiration, making them vulnerable to pollution, shifts in water chemistry, and habitat degradation. Increased anthropogenic habitat use may be a detriment to local salamander populations and pollution increases with land use. Understanding how water quality influences salamander abundance, diversity and physiological condition is crucial for amphibian conservation and for assessing freshwater ecosystem health, as they serve as a key bioindicator species. The objective of this study was to examine how variation in water quality parameters influences salamander species abundance, diversity and locomotor performance across stream sites within Warner Parks in Nashville, Tennessee. Field sampling was conducted weekly …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Eco-Engineered Hollow Fe2o3/Carbon Nanocomposite Spheres: Evaluating Structural, Optical, Antibacterial, And Lead Adsorption Properties, Islam Gomaa, Nikita Yushin, Mekki Bayachou, Vojislav Stani´, Inga Zinicovscaia

Chemistry Faculty Publications

This work presents a facile mechano-thermal route for the synthesis of carbon-decorated, hollow, mesoporous alpha-Fe2O3 microspheres. Comprehensive characterization (XRD, XPS, FT-IR, SEM/EDX, TGA, zeta-potential) confirmed the formation of phase-pure hematite with nanoscale crystallites (similar to 19 nm), substantial residual surface carbon (similar to 40 wt%) consistent with Fe-O-C linkages, and a positive surface charge (+15.9 mV). The hierarchical hollow/mesoporous architecture enables fast ion transport and provides extensive interior binding sites, resulting in rapid Pb(II) uptake that reaches 92% removal in approximate to 15 min at pH 5.0. The adsorption follows a Langmuir isotherm (q(max) approximate to 70.6 mg/g) and pseudo-second-order …