Digital Commons Network^™

Designing Captcha Systems With Reinforcement Learning For Adaptive Defense, Meghana Indukuri, Eman Naseerkhan, Joshua Rose, Martin Tran, Younghee Park

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

CAPTCHA (Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart) systems remain a widely deployed defense against automated abuse, but advances in machine learning have reduced the effectiveness of traditional challenge-based designs and exposed limitations in proprietary risk-scoring systems. This paper presents an adaptive, reinforcement learning-based CAPTCHA defense framework for high-security web applications. The proposed system formulates bot detection as a partially observable Markov decision process and uses a Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO) agent with Long Short-Term Memory to analyze streamed behavioral telemetry, including mouse movements, clicks, keystrokes, and scrolling, over sequential interaction windows. During the observation phase, …

Weighted Blankets: Implementation Of A Quality Improvement Pilot Project In The Neurosciences Intensive Care Unit, Anita Musafar

Doctoral Projects

The weighted blanket quality improvement pilot project was implemented at Stanford Healthcare (SHC) to address the limited number of nonpharmacological interventions available for agitation management in the critical care setting. Patients within the Neurosciences ICU (NSICU) at SHC are clinically complex and uniquely vulnerable to experiencing agitation. The objectives of this initiative were to understand nurses' perceptions surrounding weighted blanket use in the critical care setting and assess whether there was a decrease in Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS) scores with this intervention. From September 2025 to December 2025, the nurses within the NSICU implemented the use of weighted blankets for …

Exploring The Benefits Of Yoruba Indigenous Knowledge And The Herbal Medicine System, Sunday Opene Ozonuwe 7317673, Ayobami Aderonke Ogungbade, Faith Ohwofasa

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The Yoruba people are one of the West African's main ethno-linguistic or ethnic groups. They have an impressive indigenous knowledge and herbal medicinal system. They pre-occupied Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, Kwara, Ondo, Lagos and Koji state. The researchers developed seven (7) research objectives and seven (7) research questions to investigate the nature, forms, benefits and methods of preparing and administering Yoruba Herbal Medicine. Descriptive research design was adopted for the study, interviews and observations were the instruments used for data collections. Eight (8) herbal medicine practitioners were interviewed in Oyo and Ogun state. The result of the interviews was also presented …

A Quality Improvement Initiative Evaluating Factors Influencing Patient Experience With Virtual Reality During Awake​ Interventional Radiology Procedures, Quynh Dao-Payne

Doctoral Projects

Procedural anxiety and pain are common among pediatric patients undergoing awake interventional radiology (IR) procedures and may negatively affect patient comfort, cooperation, and overall patient experience. Virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a promising nonpharmacologic intervention to reduce anxiety and improve patient-centered outcomes. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to evaluate patient-reported experiences and perceived outcomes associated with VR use during awake pediatric IR procedures at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.​ A qualitative descriptive quality improvement design was utilized. Twenty pediatric​ patients ages 10–21 years undergoing awake IR procedures with VR as part of standard clinical​ care completed structured …

Spartan Daily, May 7, 2026, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2026

Volume 166, Issue 43

Spartan Daily, May 6, 2026, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2026

Volume 166, Issue 42

Spartan Daily, May 5, 2026, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2026

Volume 166, Issue 41

Spartan Daily, April 29, 2026, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2026

Volume 166, Issue 39

Spartan Daily, April 22, 2026, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2026

Volume 166, Issue 36

Development Of Telenutrition Education And Counseling Protocol To Improve Diet Quality In Individuals With Spinal Cord Injury, Adrianne Widaman, Benjamin Dirlikov, Ramya Gopalan, Shelley Wood, Maria Sol Casas, Kazuko Shem

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Background: Cardiometabolic disease (CMD) is a leading cause of death for individuals living with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI), with a mortality rate due to CMD being higher than individuals without SCI. Telenutrition (TN) interventions tailored to health and accessibility needs of individuals with SCI may mitigate cardiometabolic risks. Objectives: To describe the development and validation of a telehealth-based medical nutrition therapy (MNT) within a clinical trial investigating the effectiveness of modifying diets to improve cardiometabolic health in persons with chronic SCI. Methods: The adaptive module-based MNT education content was developed in 3 phases by a multidisciplinary team. The first …

Spartan Daily, April 16, 2026, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2026

Volume 166, Issue 34

Spartan Daily, April 14, 2026, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2026

Volume 166, Issue 32

Understanding Parents' Perspectives On Responsible Ai For Children's Self-Directed Learning, Jingyi Xie, Chuhao Wu, Ge Wang, Rui Yu, He Zhang, Ronald Metoyer, Si Chen

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Generative AI is increasingly present in children's learning environments, yet little is known about how families navigate this technology in middle childhood (ages 7-13), when parental guidance remains strong but children seek independence. Drawing on self-directed learning (SDL), we explore how parents in our exploratory sample perceived children's emerging self-directness and agency. Through focus groups with 13 parent-child pairs, we examine parents' views on children's AI literacy development, readiness factors, and mediation strategies. Parents described emergent pathways shaped by screen time, self-directness, and knowledge growth. They often confined AI to learning-only contexts, positioning it as a tutor while overlooking non-learning …

Spartan Daily, April 8, 2026, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2026

Volume 166, Issue 30

Preparation And Characterization Of Double-Network Composite Hydrogels With Carboxymethyl Pachymaran In Promoting Wound Healing, Haodong Wu, Xi Feng, Zhinan Mei, Wen Huang, Ying Liu

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Utilizing food-derived bioactive polysaccharides in advanced biomedical applications offers significant potential. To effectively harness the inherent bioactivity of Poria cocos, a renowned edible and medicinal fungus, we developed a multifunctional double-network composite hydrogel (CPS) via a feasible one-pot strategy. This was achieved by incorporating functional carboxymethyl pachymaran (CMP) into a matrix of food-grade sodium alginate (SA) and polyacrylamide (PAM). This formulation endows the hydrogel with excellent extensibility, rapid self-healing capabilities, and strong tissue adhesion, all while preserving the biological activity of the natural macromolecules. In a mouse full-thickness skin defect model, the CPS significantly accelerated wound recovery, achieving a healing …

Spartan Daily, April 7, 2026, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2026

Volume 166, Issue 29

Sjsu Erfa News, Spring 2026, San Jose State University, Emeritus And Retired Faculty Association

Emeritus and Retired Faculty Association (ERFA) Newsletter

Volume 39, No 3

Stacks, Pamela C. (1950-2026), San Jose State University

Emeritus and Retired Faculty Biographies

University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry Ph.D. 1979

University of California, San Diego, Revelle College, Biology A.B. 1972

Spartan Daily, March 26, 2026, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2026

Volume 166, Issue 28

Spartan Daily, March 19, 2026, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2026

Volume 166, Issue 25

Evidence Of Emperor Penguins’ Sensitivity To Sea Ice Fluctuations, Rose T.N. Foster-Dyer, David Iles, Leo Salas, David G. Ainley, Birgitte Mcdonald, Sharon Stammerjohn, Lise Viollat, David Ortega, Annie E. Schmidt, Grant Ballard, Carolynne Hultquist, Jonathan D. Tonkin, Michelle Larue

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Using satellite-derived abundance indices over 20 years, we investigated population change among the seven Ross Sea emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) colonies. We found a 90% probability that the Ross Sea metapopulation had lower springtime attendance between 2005 and 2024 (mean change = -23%; 95% CI: -46 to +20%). We identified two distinct phases of change: slightly increasing 2005 to 2019/2020, followed by a steep decline 2020-2024, resulting in a decrease of approximately 23 000 birds in 5 years or approximately 32% of the regional population. Over the 20 years, the two southernmost colonies, Cape Crozier and Cape Colbeck, increased in …

Spartan Daily, March 17, 2026, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2026

Volume 166, Issue 23

From Protocol To Action: Critical Perspectives On Earthquake Preparedness In Mexico, Sandra Vaiciulyte, David A. Novelo-Casanova, Thalia Anagnos, Gerardo Suárez

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Purpose – This study explores perceptions and reactions to earthquake preparedness education, earthquake early warning (EEW) systems and earthquake drill protocols in Mexico, as well as potential strategies to make these earthquake preparedness tools more effective and meaningful. Design/methodology/approach – Eleven Focus Groups were conducted with 109 students from diverse academic and social backgrounds of the two largest public universities in Mexico. The findings were validated on a broader participant group using questionnaires, focused solely on the drill, administered to two populations at two distinct institutions following the 2025 National Earthquake Drill in Mexico City. Findings – Focus group findings …

Spartan Daily, March 11, 2026, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2026

Volume 166, Issue 21

Ocean Observing System Design: Transatlantic Acoustic Propagation For Acoustic Thermometry, Brian D. Dushaw, Dimitris Menemenlis, John A. Colosi

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Ocean acoustic thermometry is simulated in the North Atlantic using two global ocean state estimates to assess its potential contributions to the Global Ocean Observing System. Acoustic data were simulated for transatlantic acoustic propagation from Cabo Verde to Bermuda, a 4183-km archetypal path across the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Acoustic scattering by internal waves was simulated using a range-dependent, stochastic model added to the ocean state estimates. While the Ridge blocks acoustic propagation traveling deeper than about 3000 m, and internal-wave sound speed scintillations cause prohibitive scattering of later-arriving rays, it is apparent that O(10) acoustic ray arrivals on this path are …

Consumer Resilience Suppresses The Recovery Of Overgrazed Ecosystems, Nathan B. Spindel, Aaron W.E. Galloway, Julie B. Schram, Gwiisihlgaa Daniel Mcneill, Sg̱Iids Ḵung Vanessa Bellis, Niisii Guujaaw, Jaasaljuus Yakgujanaas, Ondine Pontier, Markus Thompson, Lynn C. Lee, Daniel K. Okamoto

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Many heterotroph species perish when faced with severe food limitation; others can persist, adapt, and thrive. Sea urchins are emblematic of this paradox: they can overgraze kelp forests to form barren habitats, but can then survive for decades in these nutritionally depauperate seascapes. Understanding the mechanisms enabling persistence under starvation and rapid recovery when food returns provides insights into how consumer resilience shapes ecosystem dynamics. We quantified how food abundance, quality, deprivation, and reintroduction influence bioenergetic performance in the red sea urchin (Mesocentrotus franciscanus), integrating field observations of kelp forest and barren populations with a controlled feeding experiment. We measured …

Spartan Daily, March 10, 2026, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2026

Volume 166, Issue 20

Spartan Daily, March 5, 2026, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2026

Volume 166, Issue 19

Spartan Daily, March 3, 2026, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2026

Volume 166, Issue 17

Spartan Daily, February 26, 2026, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2026

Volume 166, Issue 16