Digital Commons Network^™

Bike Buses: An Evaluation Of An Emerging Active Transportation To School Intervention, Evan Howington, Nathan Mcneil, John Macarthur

TREC Faculty and Staff Publications

Bike buses are a relatively new form of active transportation to school (ATS) that have primarily emerged in Europe and the United States. A form of coordinated, group bike riding along a defined route to school, bike buses are an outgrowth of Safe Routes to School interventions in North America that seek to reverse the declining rates of walking and biking to school among children. Our initial phase of research included a literature review of social and environmental factors affecting ATS in the contemporary North American context, and two convenience surveys of bike bus coordinators and parent participants. This initial …

The American Way Of Studying War: What Is It Good For?, Michael P. Ferguson

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

Academic military historians, government institutions, and defense practitioners have unique purposes for advancing the study of war that influence the way they consume and produce history. Although there is substantial scholarship covering how the discipline of military history has changed since the late nineteenth century, the literature surrounding why it changes and how it is used is less plentiful. Using primary and secondary sources to contextualize debates between historians, this study traces major developments in military historiography, considers the US Army’s relationship with its history, and explores potential connections between a history’s purpose and its use for military professionals.

Parameters Winter 2024-25, Usawc Press

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

Welcome to the Winter 2024–25 issue of Parameters. This issue consists of an In Focus special commentary, three forums (Indo-Pacific, Security Cooperation, and Historical Studies), and the regular Civil-Military Relations Corner installment.

Participatory Ethical Regulations: Risk Challenges Of Artificial Intelligence Era And Construction Of Governance Logic, Chenggang Zhang, Lu Pan

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Participatory ethical norms emphasize the involvement of diverse stakeholders, aiming to construct a more comprehensive and balanced ethical governance framework. The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology is leading society through unprecedented transformations, significantly impacting ethical perspectives, social governance models, and the symbiotic relationship between humans and technology. The participatory ethical norms, characterized by multi-stakeholder participation, interactivity, and openness, represent a crucial pathway for addressing the challenges posed by the rapid development of AI technology. Constructing an AI governance framework based on participatory ethical norms provides solutions for the sustainable, fair, and transparent development of AI from multiple aspects …

Overview On Autonomous Machine Computing, Shaoshan Liu, Yiming Gan, Yinhe Han

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Autonomous machine computing, an innovative blend of algorithms, software, and cutting-edge computing hardware, is poised to be the next major paradigm shift in the global economy, following personal, mobile, and cloud computing. This study delves into the research and commercialization of the robotics industry, underscoring the critical importance of establishing a comprehensive autonomous machine computing ecosystem. This study argues that autonomous machine computing necessitates a complete ecosystem that encompasses applications, programming languages, and the foundational hardware architectures, and presents a comprehensive review of significant research contributions across these areas. Moreover, the study explores the synergy between autonomous machine computing and …

Prospect And Problem Analysis Of Industry Data Application In Livestock And Poultry Breeding, Yiran Chen, Zhuqing Xiong, Jiaogen Zhou, Quan Wang, Jiancheng Shu, Yinfa Yan, Lanlin Yang, Zemeng Feng, Benhai Xiong, Yulong Yin

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Livestock and poultry breeding is a pillar industry in China. The massive data in livestock and poultry breeding is a valuable resource. The market-oriented utilization of livestock and poultry breeding data plays an important role in improving industry standards, increasing industry profits, and driving the development of the entire industry chain. Currently, based on the demand for marketization of livestock and poultry breeding data, the application of new generation information technologies such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things in the process of livestock and poultry breeding to collect breeding process data, after de-sensitization and de-classification, through cloud computing, …

Thoughts On Status Quo And Approaches Of Scientists Engaging In Science Popularization In The New Era, Dapeng Wang, Rongli Huang, Ling Chen

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Science popularization is the foundation for achieving innovation development. On July 20, 2023, General Secretary Xi Jinping answered the letter from 20 academician representatives of “Science & China”, hoping them “continue to make new contributions to high-level self-reliance of science and technology and Chinese style modernization”. Scientists, represented by academicians, should play an even greater role in the macro-science-popularization strategy of the new era, and they are the fountainhead of science popularization. This study, based on the discussion of the value and meaning of scientists engaging in science popularization, summarizes the status quo and format of scientists engaging in science …

Evolution Of International Collaboration In China’S Biomedical Technology And Policy Implications, Xinyu Liu, Fang Wang, Liang Xi

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

In light of the rapid advancement of biomedical technologies and intensifying geopolitical competition over technological dominance, international cooperation in this field has garnered significant attention among scholars, policymakers, and industry leaders. This study employs comprehensive patent data spanning from 2002 to 2023 across the global biomedical landscape to systematically investigate the characteristics and evolution patterns of both global and Chinese biomedical inventions. Employing econometric analysis of patents and social network analysis, the research examines three key dimensions: patent output, technological pathways, and collaboration networks. Three research findings are derived. Firstly, China has transitioned from a “catch-up collaborator” to a critical …

The Southern Nevada Care Economy: Addressing Child Care And Elder Care Challenges, The Lincy Institute

Lincy Institute Events

This community forum examines the economic and societal impact of the “care economy” in Southern Nevada in collaboration with Tripp Umbach, a nationally recognized consulting firm that provides comprehensive services including research and strategic plans to further the operations and activities of healthcare services.

Central to the care economy is elder care and child care. Having access to elder care and child care services is essential to working age adults, many of whom need one or both types of services to continue participating in the workforce. The delivery of child care and elder care services have far-reaching implications for our …

Political Polarization Harms Public Health, Shana Kushner Gadarian, Jay Van Bavel, Kai Ruggeri, Eric Knowles

Population Health Research Brief Series

Political polarization poses considerable risks to well-being. Both ideological polarization (“extremification” of policy positions and ideological orientations) and affective polarization (out-party hate) have increased over the past several decades with detrimental effects on public health. This brief summarizes the impacts of political polarization on public health in the U.S., highlighting the COVID-19 pandemic as a case study on the health risks of polarization. The authors show that, in the United States, one of the strongest predictors of COVID-19 prevention behaviors, such as social distancing and vaccination, was political partisanship. Gaps in these behaviors between Republicans and Democrats increased over the …

Integrated Coordinated Care Policies In Alameda County For The Unhoused Population, Stacey R. Perry

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Alameda County departments and organizations have continually provided varying services to members in the unhoused community to increase pathways to stabilization for those served, with little success for over 37 years. While there were studies that discussed the issues of high service utilization faced by unhoused behavioral health care recipients, there was little to no literature that discussed these issues in Alameda County, where the numbers of unhoused persons total more than 9,500. There was very little known as to what policy barriers, and conversely, facilitators and key stakeholders in clinical and penal institutions face in implementing integrated coordinated care …

Ethical Issues In Implementation Science: Perspectives From A National Heart, Lung, And Blood Institute Workshop, Neal W Dickert, Donna Spiegelman, Jennifer S Blumenthal-Barby, Garth Graham, Steven Joffe, Jeremy M Kahn, Nancy E Kass, Scott Y H Kim, Meeta P Kerlin, Aisha T Langford, James V Lavery, Daniel D Matlock, Kathleen N Fenton, George A Mensah

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Ethical issues arise in the context of implementation science that may differ from those encountered in other research settings. This report, developed out of a workshop convened by the Center for Translation Research and Implementation Science within the United States National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, identifies six key themes that are important to the assessment of ethical dimensions of implementation science. First, addressing ethical challenges in implementation science does not require new ethical principles, commitments, or regulations. However, it does require understanding of the specific contexts arising in implementation research related to both study design and the intervention being …

Nevada’S Care Workforce: Obstacles And Opportunities For Policymakers, David Damore, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr., Fatma Nasoz

Policy Briefs and Reports

The care economy includes “the paid and unpaid labor and services that support caregiving in all its forms.” This work includes caring for children, the elderly, and those who are ill or have disabilities. Care work is often undervalued, underpaid, and without a fair system of work benefits in place (e.g. contracts, paid leave, workers’ rights) that in many cases falls disproportionately on women and communities of color. In this policy brief, we examine the care economy in Nevada by focusing on three areas of care: (1) child care; (2) elder care; and (3) mental and behavioral health care. In …

Downeast Community Opioid Response Program: Final Summary Report, Tyler Egeland Ba, Gordon Mcintire Ba, Evelyn Ali, Mary Lindsey Smith Phd, Katie Rosingana Ba

Substance Use Research & Evaluation

The Downeast Substance Treatment Network is a group of diverse organizations working to improve integration and access to treatments and services for people with substance use disorder. The consortium’s Rural Communities Opioid Response Program grant project aims to: (1) expand the reach of their treatment network, (2) increase awareness and practice of harm reduction, and (3) facilitate transitions of care to improve partner efficacy. This project included a mixed-methods evaluation led by Catherine E. Cutler Institute’s Substance Use Research and Evaluation Team (SURE). This year 3 final summary presentation includes feedback from program partners and key informants, in addition to …

The Southern Nevada Care Economy: Challenges And Opportunities, Tripp Umbach

Policy Briefs and Reports

National policymakers increasingly recognize the care economy as an essential economic driver, contributing $648 billion annually to the U.S. economy and supporting 3.6 million jobs. The care economy is also critical in driving economic development and prosperity in Southern Nevada. Yet, as this Tripp Umbach analysis finds, Southern Nevada’s care economy dramatically underperforms compared to national benchmarks and peer regions. High caregiving costs and limited access to care for children, seniors, and individuals with disabilities in Southern Nevada strain families, businesses, and public resources. This burden reduces workforce participation, productivity, and economic growth. Low pay and high turnover among care …

Understanding The Plastic Issue (Poster Presentation), Regan Bossie, Peter Nguyen, John Mcswiggin, Adam Meadows

Sustainability Conference

The Plastic-Free Campus Initiative is an Embry-Riddle initiative advocating for the reduction and elimination of single-use plastics on the Daytona Beach campus.

Our poster presentation aims to highlight current issues and concerns by presenting plastic production trends, quantifying how plastic pollution has affected global ecosystems, and discussing the material characteristics of plastics and their consequences. The poster will provide an overview of the current state of global recycling and will outline key concerns that microplastics, and plastics in general, pose to public health. By presenting the current facts and concerns related to plastic and recycling, we hope to encourage individuals …

Impacting Community Well-Being Through Effective Engagement Using The Seed Method, Carlin Rafie, Emily B. Zimmerman, Angelina Hargrove, Theodora Biney Amissah, Samantha Lee

Journal of Extension

Cooperative Extension can make a significant impact on health in the United States through effective community engagement that focuses on the complex socio-ecological factors that impact health. The Stakeholder Engagement in Question Development Method (SEED Method) employs community based participatory research principles to engage communities in research, problem-solving, and action planning. Projects employing the SEED Method engage community members from diverse backgrounds, create community capacity, result in tangible outcomes, and foment inter-organizational trust and networking. A SEED Toolkit is available on the Extension Foundation Campus site and provides implementation instructions, tools and timelines, and potential applications within Extension.

Addressing Transportation Emissions Through State Climate And Energy Policy, Amy Schlusser

PSU Transportation Seminars

Oregon has adopted policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the energy and transportation sectors. This presentation will provide some background on these policy frameworks and explore how these policies impact transportation fuels and the transportation sector more broadly.

Transition To Islamic Financial System Unravelling The Knots, Ishrat Husain Dr.

Faculty Research - Talks, Speeches, & Discourse

Financial system is a vital component of the overall socio-economic system of a country as well part of international financial architecture in a globalized world. Transformation of a financial system in absence of complementary changes in the larger socio economic systems may not enable us to achieve the goals of Maqasid e Shariah. I would therefore like to draw your attention to at least a few pressing issues. Judiciary and Legislature have done their job which was the easiest declaratory and directive giving a deadline for conversion of the entire financial system to become Shariah -Compliant. The difficult part to …

Improving Employee Retention In The Virtual Workforce, Marissa Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The need for addressing employee retention in the virtual workforce is critical, particularly in the context of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) Region 4. High employee turnover rates can lead to significant disruptions and decreased organizational performance. This administrative case study involved identifying effective strategies to improve retention and engagement among virtual employees. The practice-focused question involved understanding key factors that influenced employee retention and developing actionable recommendations for the GSA. Insights can be applied across similar organizations facing virtual workforce challenges. Data were collected through in-depth surveys with employees that were hired between 2020 and 2023, focusing on …

Update On Recommendations For Cancer Screening And Surveillance In Children With Genomic Instability Disorders, Yoshiko Nakano, Roland P Kuiper, Kim E Nichols, Christopher C Porter, Harry Lesmana, Julia Meade, Christian P Kratz, Lucy A Godley, Luke D Maese, Maria Isabel Achatz, Payal P Khincha, Sharon A Savage, Andrea S Doria, Mary-Louise C Greer, Vivian Y Chang, Lisa L Wang, Sharon E Plon, Michael F Walsh

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Genomic instability disorders are characterized by DNA or chromosomal instability, resulting in various clinical manifestations, including developmental anomalies, immunodeficiency, and increased risk of developing cancers beginning in childhood. Many of these genomic instability disorders also present with exquisite sensitivity to anticancer treatments such as ionizing radiation and chemotherapy, which may further increase the risk of second cancers. In July 2023, the American Association for Cancer Research held the second Childhood Cancer Predisposition Workshop, where multidisciplinary international experts discussed, reviewed, and updated recommendations for children with cancer predisposition syndromes. This article discusses childhood cancer risks and surveillance recommendations for the group …

Do Students Notice If Institutions Require Their Faculty To Prepare For Teaching?, Adam M. Caskie

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Higher Education is the gateway to a successful life, and students need their institution's support to make it to graduation. Undergraduate students have their primary academic interactions with a university through its faculty and the courses they are required to complete to earn a degree. Engagement with faculty is a key factor in student satisfaction with their institution. The extent to which faculty make time for excellent teaching and additional experiences for students is driven by the reward systems at the institutions where they research, teach, and advise.This research study investigates whether student perceptions of faculty interactions and teaching effectiveness …

Knowledge, Attitudes, And Concerns About Psilocybin And Mdma As Novel Therapies Among Us Healthcare Professionals, Erin Wang, David S Mathai, Natalie Gukasyan, Sandeep Nayak, Albert Garcia-Romeu

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) with substances like psilocybin and MDMA has shown promise for conditions including depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Psilocybin and MDMA may become approved medicines in the coming decade. This study assessed knowledge and attitudes regarding PAT among 879 U.S. healthcare professionals via anonymous online survey. Multivariable linear regression was used to identify predictors of openness to clinical use. Most participants (71.2%) were female and White (85.8%), with a mean (SD) age of 45.5 (12.7) years. Registered nurses (25.4%) and physicians (17.7%) comprised the largest professional groups. Respondents endorsed strong belief in therapeutic promise, and moderate openness to …

The Effects Of Sleep And Culture On A Police Officer’S Mindset Involved In A Traffic Collison, Christopher Gary Cano

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The host police department experienced 58 traffic collisions from 2019-2020, which resulted in adverse outcomes for police officers and community members. The police department seeks a solution to reduce and prevent future collisions. This problem is not an isolated incident, as traffic collisions have been the leading cause of death and injury to police officers in the United States for the last three decades. Previous research focused on the causative factors of traffic collisions (speeding, distracted driving); however, little research has been dedicated to why a police officer would engage in risky driving. Is the mindset of a police officer …

Waiving Physical Presence Requirements During The Covid-19 Pandemic Increased Wic Caseloads, Colleen Heflin, William Clay Fannin, Leonard M. Lopoo, Camille Barbin

Center for Policy Research

Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government relaxed the physical presence requirements for applicants of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) to reduce the associated health risks for pregnant women, new mothers, and young children. Experts consider in-person application requirements an administrative burden that can constrain access to social services, but the causality of specific burdens on WIC has not previously been shown. This brief summarizes findings from a study that compared WIC caseload data collected across 738 counties in 10 U.S. states between January 2019 and May 2021 to determine how …

Examining Yourself: The Effect Of Reflective Thinking Strategies On Public Servants' Communication Abilities, Rasheda Jamillah Cummings

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Practicing communication with the process of reflecting thinking can help improve public servants’ communication and create positive interactions. Reflective thinking transpires when individuals think about past experiences and events, then analyze and recapture them to enhance future experiences and skills. In other words, reflection thinking is a manifestation of reflection, which is a purposeful and recursive contemplation of one’s practice experiences. However, public servants may lose the confidence to express themselves with effective communication abilities which prevail over the standard of expectation that has been rooted in public trust within the field of public administration. The study is a quasi-experimental …

The Impact Of The Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic On Urban Nonprofit Organizations In A Southeastern City, Yvette Michelle Brown

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative study examined the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on human services nonprofit organizations in an urban setting and the strategic measures implemented by the leaders to remain focused on their mission. The logic of inference was that the pandemic significantly impacted these nonprofit organizations, forcing the public administration leaders to implement new innovative strategies that should be documented. The study data was collected and analyzed through three streams of data: interviews with nonprofit or public administration leaders, surveys of nonprofit employees, and document analysis of organizational financial reports over four years. The results from the interviews …

Analysis Of Forensic Crime Gun Data As A Predictive Tool For Crime Gun Intelligence And The Disruption Of The Shooting Cycle, Michael P. Garvey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Gun violence is a national issue; however, major cities account for most recovered crime guns and shootings. Various efforts to address gun violence by identifying shooters and sources of crime guns, enhancing intervention efforts, improving social services, and prosecuting prolific offenders have been offered over the last twenty years. However, large urban cities continue to observe high homicides and non-fatal shooting rates. Forensic techniques have been used to generate leads to solve crimes. In addition, group violence intervention programs, such as Operation Ceasefire, are used to identify potential groups associated with gun violence to provide social alternatives or enhanced prosecution. …

The Nature Of Self-Evident Equality In The Declaration Of Independence And Its Implications For Jeffersonian Federalism, Thomas T. Cook

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The foundation for human equality is central to the question of political discourse, and the basis for self-government, consent, and consensus. On what basis can two people enter into contract or agree to be governed if they are not equal? The Declaration of Independence with its appeal to Nature’s God and its establishment of “rights” as coming from that God firmly establishes human equality in a metaphysical reality outside of human decision to change that reality. The lack of human acknowledgement of that reality, historically, does not change that reality. Philosophers and political theorists might reason that it is based …

Concealed Cognitive Disabilities, Bullying In The Workplace, And The Americans With Disabilities Act, Craig Darrell Taylor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative study uniquely explores the perceptions of individuals with concealable cognitive disabilities (CCDs) regarding Titles I–III of the Americans with Disabilities Act and its amendments (ADAAA). The research addresses a significant gap in understanding this population’s views on workplace experiences, particularly in the context of harassment, privacy, self-identification, and labeling. Using Schneider and Ingram’s social construction framework to examine societal power dynamics, the study analyzed interviews with eight participants, employing rigorous thematic coding. The analysis revealed four key themes: social construction (perception in the workplace and the power of employment protections), disability (cognitive disabilities and the challenges of disclosure …