Digital Commons Network^™

Draft Final Quarterly Operations And Maintenance Report Butte Treatment Lagoon System – First Quarter 2025, Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

A Demand Systems Analysis Of Energy Sources In The United States, Rafael Bakhtavoryan

Faculty Publications

This study estimates a Generalized Exact Affine Stone Index model to quantify demand structure among such energy sources as natural gas, coal, nuclear, wind, solar, and geothermal energy, employing monthly time-series data ranging from January of 2009 through December of 2020. The demand for natural gas, coal, and nuclear energy emerges as inelastic. A significant substitutability relationship is empirically established between the energy sources. All the computed expenditure elasticities are positive, with natural gas being the most sensitive and nuclear energy being the least sensitive to energy source expenditures. Pre-committed consumption is found for geothermal energy. Finally, the welfare implications …

Vitamin D3 Toxicity-Induced Hypercalcemia In Staphylococcal Arthritis: A Focus On Il-6, Ali Jabbar Abd Al-Hussain Alkawaz, Maryam Sabah Naser, Ali Jalil Obaid, Zakaria M. Al-Ghazaly

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Background: Vitamin D3  over-supplementation can induce toxicity through the development of hypercalcemia and may disturb immune modulation. This study examines the relationship between hypercalcemia  resulting from Vitamin D3 Overdose and serum Interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in patients diagnosed with staphylococcal arthritis.

Methods: Forty male patients (mean age: 31 years; range: 17–45 years) were enrolled from Dec. 2024 to Feb. 2025. Twenty cases of staphylococcal arthritis were compared with twenty healthy male controls. Serum concentrations of Vitamin D3, calcium, IL-6, and other biochemical markers (urea, creatinine, ESR, WBC, and potassium) were analyzed. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from synovial fluid and confirmed using …

Ambient Co2 Capture And Valorization Enabled By Tandem Electrolysis Using Solid-State Electrolyte Reactor, Yan-Bo Hua, Bao-Xin Ni, Kun Jiang

Journal of Electrochemistry

Electrocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction is a promising technology for addressing global energy and environmental crises. However, its practical application faces two critical challenges: the complex and energy-intensive process of separating mixed reduction products and the economic viability of the carbon sources (reactants) used. To tackle these challenges simultaneously, solid-state electrolyte (SSE) reactors are emerging as a promising solution. In this review, we focus on the feasibility of applying SSE for tandem electrochemical CO₂ capture and conversion. The configurations and fundamental principles of SSE reactors are first discussed, followed by an introduction to its applications in these two specific areas, …

Digital Infrastructure For The Regenerative Movement: A Case Study Of The Mycelium Learning Network, Abigail Karparis

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

The regenerative movement is gaining momentum worldwide, driven by communities working to restore ecological and social systems through place-based, culturally rooted action. Yet many of the groups leading this work, especially in the Global South or in hyper-local contexts, remain digitally invisible due to structural barriers, including limited access to appropriate technology, funding constraints, and misalignment between available tools and local values. Conventional digital infrastructures often exclude or marginalize these efforts, leaving regenerative practitioners disconnected from each other and from potential sources of support.

This article explores these challenges and presents a case study response: the co-creation of accessible, relational …

A Battle Of Armies: Massive Attack Of Natural Enemies To The True Armyworm Mythimna Unipuncta (Haworth, 1809) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) In Forage Crops, Armando Falcon-Brindis, Raul T. Villanueva

Insecta Mundi

Understanding the interactions between plant-host-parasitoid plays a major role in insect pest management. Farmers in the southeastern United States rely on pasture systems for cattle milk and beef production, but the benefits of parasitoids and predators on major lepidopteran pests on pasture lands are still overlooked. Here, we aimed to identify and quantify the effect of parasitism on the true armyworm Mythimna unipuncta (Haworth, 1809) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) attacking teff grass Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter (Poaceae) and crabgrass Digitaria sanguinalis (L.) Scop. (Poaceae) in western Kentucky. In early August of 2023, 547 larvae of M. unipuncta were collected from experimental …

Chemical And Physical Characterization Of Verbenaceae Essential Oils Using Modern Analytical Methods And Chemometrics, Aleksandra N. Hilliard

Master's Theses

Essential oils have been used for generations to treat various health issues, including mitigating insomnia, reducing stress, inflammation, and preserving foods, to mention a few. Essential oils have complex chemistry, which defines the essence of the host plant. Recently, increased commercial uses of essential oils have prompted attention at the governmental level to monitor the chemical, physical, or biological activity of essential oils. This study is an attempt to add new information for consumers to the understanding of the composition of essential oils.

Modern analytical techniques including FTIR-ATR, GC-MS, LC-MS-MS, multivariate analysis statistics, and physio-chemical techniques (electrochemistry, DPPH, TRC, and …

Indoor Airborne Pathogen Transmission And Control: A Role Of Environmental Factors And Material Properties, Eloise Eyo Parry-Nweye

Dissertations - ALL

The transmission of infectious airborne pathogens has severe implications on human health and economic stability. This is evidenced by the re-emergence of global pandemics with high mortality rates, various respiratory diseases, crop damage, incurred nationwide financial costs, etc. These causative pathogens, encompassing viruses, fungal spores, etc., attach to aerosol and droplet particles, enabling their aerial dispersal and leading to a cascade of detrimental events. Developing interventions to control pathogenic transmission requires an in-depth understanding of the various modes of disease transmission. However, existential gaps within the respective disease transmission modalities remained. For instance, while viruses are predominantly transmitted via aerosols, …

Enhancing Security And Healthcare Through Continuous Monitoring On Wearable Devices, Sicong Chen

Dissertations - ALL

Wearable and mobile devices are becoming deeply embedded in daily life, supporting a growing range of tasks - from communication and entertainment to health monitoring and productivity. As people increasingly rely on these devices, it is essential to ensure both the protection of the sensitive data they store and the ability to derive meaningful insights that enhance users’ well-being. This dissertation investigates how wearable and mobile devices can be leveraged to provide robust and user-friendly solutions through continuous monitoring across two critical domains: security and mental health. The foundation of this dissertation is the development of a security infrastructure, as …

Re: Approval Letter For The Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Draft Final 2022 Unreclaimed Sites Sampling: Ur-28 Site Evaluation Summary Report (Dated April 23, 2025), Molly Roby

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Re: Comment Letter For The Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Insufficiently Reclaimed Sites Josephine Shaft (Ir-37) Remedial Action Work Plan (Rawp) (Dated February 6, 2025), Molly Roby

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Refinement Or Disruption: Patterns Of Critical Inquiry In Computing Ethics Assignments, Vincent Barfield, Charles Wallace

Michigan Tech Publications

Ethical inquiry in computing has an evolving nature, where repeated critical questioning may lead to a series of reframings of the problem. Since many computing students have experience with agile project-based courses, an iterative approach can provide a familiar entry into ethics. Agile development, however, is typically oriented around satisfaction of customer goals, while ethical inquiry requires constant questioning that may cast those goals into doubt. Does the similarity between critical ethical inquiry and iterative development provide a helpful model or breed a false familiarity? To address this question, we examine student work in a computing ethics course, involving iterative …

Re: Approval Letter For The Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Revised Draft Final Insufficiently Reclaimed Sites Quality Assurance Project Plan (Dated May 27, 2025), Molly Roby

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Potent Acridone Antimalarial Against All Three Life Stages Of Plasmodium, Papireddy Kancharla, Rozalia A. Dodean, Yuexin Li, Xiaowei Zhang, Sean Kelly, Jordan Charlton, Angley Binauhan, Laurize Garcia, Diana Caridha, Jane X. Kelly, Multiple Additional Authors

Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

New antimalarial therapeutics ideally should target all three major life cycle stages. Here we present an acridone antimalarial chemotype that is potent against blood, liver, and mosquito stages of malaria parasites, with the potential for single-dose cure of bloodstream infections, radical cure of liver infections, and blocking of transmission to mosquitoes. Attributes of lead candidate T111 include potent in vitro activity against cultured parasites, ex vivo activity against clinical isolates, oral single dose cure in an asexual blood stage rodent model, inhibition of sexual blood stage parasites, activity against relapsing parasites in non-human primate liver cells, prevention of parasite development …

Effects Of Sheep Grazing On Dry Matter Production And Persistence Of A Lucerne Crop, I Delgado Enguita

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In Spain, lucerne is mainly grown on irrigated areas for hay production and dehydration industry. The utilization of lucerne under grazing is very infrequent, due to the detrimental effects on both, animal health and plants persistence that have been attributed to it. However, lucerne dry matter (DM) pro­duction and quality in addition of being its cultivation more economical than grasses, offer interesting advantages to be used as a green forage (Delgado, 1984). New Zealand workers (Agronomy Society of New Zealand, 1982) have stressed that lucerne could be successfully managed under grazing when long resting periods were provided between short grazing …

Determination Of The Forage Yield And Quality Of Native Hay At 3 Different Growth Stages At Syangboche Yak Farm, Nepal, D Pariyar, C Samuel

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The Syangboche Yak Farm is situated within the Sagarma­tha National Park in the district of Solukhumbu, eastern Nepal. The farm comprises 7 pasture areas stituated at different locations ranging from 3700 m. to 5700 m. The total farm area is 900 ha. and the pastures, situated at different heights, are used for grazing during specific periods of the month extending throughout the year. The size of the pastures varies from 15 to 250 ha. About 80 yaks pass their winters from November to May every year on a small pasture area of 15 ha at the farm proper at 3700 …

Effect Of Endophyte (Acremonum Coenophialum) Infection Of Tall Fescue And Paddock Exchange On Intake And Performance Of Grazing Steers, J A. Stuedmann, D L. Breedlove, K R. Pond, D P. Belesky, L P. Tate Jr, F N. Thompson, S R. Wilkinson

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

INTRODUCTION Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb), grown on over 14 million ha, is the most common pasture grass in humid areas of the eastern USA and, to limited extent, in the northwestern USA. The presence of an endophyte in tall fescue has been associated with a number of animal health problems including reduced performance (Stuedemann and Hoveland, 1988). Intake was reduced in diets containing the endophyte in seed, hay or green forage (Hemken et al., 1979; Schmidt et al., 1982). However, no studies have been reported which used direct methods to determine intake differences of grazing animals as influenced …

Year-Round Grazing Systems For Beef Production From Conception To Slaughter, V G. Allen, J P. Fontenot, W P. Green, R C. Hammes Jr

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Throughout much of the world cattle are produced mainly on forage. High grain yields in the U.S. have led to feeding cat­tle high grain to minimize time in the feedlot, and overhead costs. Recent emphasis on lean meat, diet and health issues has renewed interest in finishing cattle on forages. The objective of this research was to evaluate various forage systems of beef production from conception through slaughter with minimum grain. Effects of forage system during cow-calf and growing phases on performance and carcass characteristics during the finishing phases were evaluated. The research included calves born in late winter-early spring …

The Use Of Improved Pastures By Grazing Dairy Cows For Economic Milk Production In Thailand, C Lekchom, K Witayanuparpyunyong, P Sukpituksakul, B R. Watkin

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Dairy farming is a relatively new agricultural industry in Thailand and has shown a rapid and dramatic development over the past decade. During this period dairy cattle numbers have trebled (from approx. 20,000 to 60,000) and the number of dairy farmers has quadrupled (approx. 2,000 to 8,000). With the present positive support from the Government this explos­ive development is likely to continue. While the price of milk paid to the farmers over this period had been good there has, nevertheless, been a substantial increase in the variable on-farm costs of production which is squeezing the farmer profit margin significantly and …

Combining Submicron Spectroscopy Techniques (Afm-Ir And O-Ptir) To Detect And Quantify Nanoplastics In Snow From A Utah Ski Resort, Sara L. Belontz, Janice Brahney, Caroline E. Caplan, Eoghan Dillon, Ting Yan, Gerardo Dominguez

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

Atomic force microscopy-based infrared spectroscopy (AFM-IR) and optical photothermal infrared (O-PTIR) spectroscopy are cutting-edge techniques used for precise nanoscale chemical analysis, capable of detecting and characterizing particles smaller than 1 μm. In this study, we applied both techniques to analyze snow subsamples collected from Beaver Mountain, Utah. Quantification by AFM-IR identified a concentration of 1.50 × 10^–1 μg/mL of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate), a copolyester known for its biodegradability and biocompatibility and that was the only polymer detected. Notably, 96% of particles had thicknesses below 1 μm, with the smallest particle recorded at 14 nm in height, demonstrating the advantage …

An Exploratory Analysis Of Automated Deception Detection For Mental Health Applications, Sayde Leya King

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Deception in mental health settings can undermine therapeutic relationships, compromise treatment efficacy, and impact patient outcomes. Yet, research shows that mental health clinicians often perform no better than chance at detecting deceptive behavior in therapy. Automated deception detection, leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and multimodal behavioral cues—such as eye gaze, body gestures, and facial expressions—offers a promising alternative. However, most existing research focuses on high-stakes legal contexts, limiting its applicability to mental health settings.

This dissertation addresses this gap by pursuing three key research objectives using a mixed-methods approach. First, we investigate mental health clinicians’ perspectives on AI-assisted deception detection through …

Efficient Methods And Algorithms For Analyzing Stochastic Systems, Mohammad Ahmadi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation addresses the challenges of stochastic analysis of safety-critical systems with biological components, where unexpected behavior can lead to catastrophic events. Two fundamental challenges hinder the analysis of such systems: their typically large or infinite state spaces, and the extreme rarity of error states of interest. While Monte Carlo simulation can analyze biochemical systems without storing the state space, accurately estimating rare event probabilities becomes computationally prohibitive. Conversely, probabilistic model checking excels at analyzing extremely low probability events but becomes impractical for systems with large or infinite state spaces due to memory constraints.This work proposes two main contributions to …

Deliberately Queer Journal Editors' Note For Volume One, Sean Te Maulding, Mel Monier

Deliberately Queer Journal

No abstract provided.

Technology Manufacturing Organizations’ Strategies For Achieving Sustainability, Kate Cheney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Sustainability remains a challenge for technology manufacturers struggling to integrate environmental priorities into core operations. This issue is critical for technology manufacturing managers who must embed sustainability into organizational systems and decision-making processes to meet rising expectations from regulators, investors, and consumers. Grounded in transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry study is to identify and explore effective strategies used by technology manufacturing managers in the western region of the United States. The data collected from seven semistructured interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. The five themes that emerged were (a) leadership and company culture, (b) collaboration, …

Enhancement Of Phenolic, Flavonoid, And Biological Activi-Ties In Fermented Pea (Pisum Sativum) Extracts Via Frac-Tionation, Anastasia Fitria Devi, Euis Filailla, Setyani Budiari, Hani Mulyani, Nina Artanti

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

In this study, peas were fermented for 24 h using either Rhizopus oligosporus or Aspergillus oryzae. The resulting fermented peas, along with unfermented peas, were extracted using either methanol or water. The methanol extracts showed greater improvements following fermentation compared to the water extracts, as shown by the IC₅₀ values, which progressed from >500 to ≤200 µg/mL, as determined via the 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) method. Consequently, further fractionations focused on the methanol extracts of the fermented peas. Six bands were resolved on thin-layer chromatography plates for each extract. Their positions demonstrated significant effects (p < 0.05) on bioactivity. The bottom band (i.e., Band 1) exhibited approximately 70% inhibition, as determined via the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method and 35% inhibition according to the ABTS method, while the other bands displayed lower to negligible inhibition. Band 5 displayed 85–97% cytotoxicity, while Band 1 did not show any cytotoxicity. The total phenolic content (TPC) of Band 1 and the total flavonoid content (TFC) of Band 6 increased 4.4- and 8.9-fold, respectively, compared to those of the unfractionated extracts. Furthermore, a correlation analysis revealed a strong correlation between TFC and the three observed bioactivities. The different cultures significantly (p < 0.05) affected the antioxidant activity of either the fermented pea extracts or the resulting bands, as determined via the DPPH method. These results indicated that fermentation enhanced the antioxidant activity of peas. Subsequent fractionations separated and concentrated compounds from the fermented peas, improving the bioactivities, TPC, and TFC of the resulting fractions.

Synthesis Of Gold Nanoparticles Using Hordeum Vulgare Leaf Extract And Their Antibacterial Activity, Mohamed M. Sehree, Shakir Ghazi Gergees, Pakhshan A. Hassan

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Plant extracts and gold nanoparticles are promising alternatives for combating antibiotic resistance in light of the increasing bacterial resistance. Leaf extract of barley was used to synthesize gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). Barley gold nanoparticles (BL-AuNPs) were produced by adjusting some reaction parameters. These BL-AuNPs were characterized through employing the UV-visible spectroscopy technique, the scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). BL-AuNPs were tested for antibacterial efficacy against two strains of Gram-negative bacteria, clinically isolated and considered as multidrug-resistant pathogens, Acinetobacter baumannii and Salmonella typhi. The antimicrobial efficiency of the compounds was evaluated …

The Impact Of Microplastics On Water Quality, Heavy Metals, And Health Risks In Bioflocbased Tilapia Farming Systems, Dian Rizky Afriani, Deswati Deswati, Rahmiana Zein, Putri Ramadhani

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Along with microplastics, pollution of heavy metals, including iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu), in freshwater ecosystems poses a serious environmental threat that can adversely affect human health. This study investigates the use of biofloc technology to reduce microplastic and heavy metal contamination while improving water quality. By utilizing microbial aggregates that capture microplastic and heavy metal particles through flocculation and biosorption processes, four experimental treatments were applied, i.e.: A (without biofloc and microplastics); B (with biofloc, without microplastics); C (with biofloc and low-density polyethylene microplastics); and D (with biofloc and high-density polyethylene microplastics). The results indicate that fish …

The Borehol Wall Image Digital Description Method Of The Overlying Rock Structural Planes Evdution Process In Deep Mining, Wang Jinchao, Zou Junpeng, Li Shenghai, Wang Chao, Li Xiaobin

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective In China, as mineral resource mining is increasingly expanding towards the deep parts of the Earth, the safe and efficient exploitation of deep resources has become a major strategic and technological challenge at the national level to be addressed urgently. Understanding the movement patterns of mining-affected strata in deep environments will assist in improving the intelligent prevention and control of mine disasters, thereby ensuring the safe and efficient exploitation of deep resources. Methods Targeting the complex and diverse forms of the overburden’s structural planes in deep mining, as well as a lack of characterization methods tailored to the evolutionary …

Diffusion Mechanisms Of Coal-Measure Helium And Their Implications For Helium Accumulation: A Case Study Of The Taiyuan Formation, Northern Qinshui Basin, China, Ma Yong, Xin Zhiyuan, Chen Jianfa, Li Yuhong, Zhang Xiutao, Jiang Haojie, Chen Zeya

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective The global helium-rich gas reservoirs are dominated by conventional natural gas reservoirs. In recent years, helium-bearing natural gas has been discovered in the Carboniferous-Permian coal measures in the Ordos Basin and surrounding regions, revealing the resource potential of coal-measure helium. However, there is almost a total lack of studies on mechanisms underlying the diffusion and migration of coal-measure helium. This severely restricts further research on the accumulation patterns of coal-measure helium.Methods This study investigated a coal seam in the Taiyuan Formation in the northern Qinshui Basin and mudstones in the coal seam roof. Using physical diffusion experiments on …

Selecting An Internal Carbon Price For Academic Institutions, Alexander R. Barron, Dimitra Prassa

Environmental Science and Policy: Faculty Publications

Many businesses have adopted internal carbon prices (ICPs) to help drive smarter business decisions, innovation, and emissions reductions. The objective of this white paper is to provide a framework that institutions, particularly those in higher education, can use as they think about selecting a price in the context of their own goals for an ICP.

Second Nature’s recent 2025 Carbon Markets and Offsets guidance recommends that: “colleges and universities develop a climate action strategy that includes some type of internal carbon pricing, either as a mechanism to inform climate-positive decision-making or as a mechanism for generating revenue estimates for decarbonization …