Digital Commons Network^™

Green Libraries: A Sustainable Gateway To A Greener Future, Meghabat Singh, Avinash Singh Charak, Karan Kumar

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The study involves a holistic coverage of the history, features, elements, standards, initiatives, and future of green libraries or sustainable libraries of the world and India. The progress of green libraries has arrived at a turning point that has gained momentum in the form of the green library movement all over the globe. This paper showcases various libraries that are promoting and prioritizing the operations, services, and objectives that are involved in the implementation, development, and achievement of several targets that are set by the movement of green libraries. The article also highlights the needs and necessities that can be …

Information Resources Indices And Chemistry Collections Used In Nigerian University Libraries, Luqman Ayanlola Atanda, Grace Effiong Etukudo, Victoria Adeola Olukayode

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The aim of this study was to ascertain how the use of chemistry collections in university libraries in Calabar, Cross River State, and Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, related to information resources indices. To direct the investigation, five distinct goals, five research questions were developed. In this study, the survey research design was used. In the investigation, the cluster sampling technique was applied.The population was made up of 297 individuals from both study areas, with 152 registered users of the University of Uyo's chemical library and 145 registered users of the University of Calabar's chemistry library. Data for the study were …

Information Seeking Behavior Of Faculty At Deeni Madrassas In Rawalpindi District, Pakistan, Asghar Ali

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This study aims to investigate the information-seeking behavior of the faculty members of Deeni madrassas in the Rawalpindi District. This study used the survey method, and data were collected using structured self-administered questionnaires to 246 faculty members with 209 returns. The study found that information seeking from various formal and informal information resources was to prepare class lectures, preaching, and research. Holy books were an important resource for teaching and preaching, and journals were the most important source for their research. The study also found that the respondents frequently faced the bad experiences of library staff and a lack of …

Battery Electric Vehicles: Travel Characteristics Of Early Adopters, Yunwen Feng, Jean-Daniel Saphores, Hilary Nixon, Monica Ramirez Ibarra

Mineta Transportation Institute

Do U.S. households with battery electric vehicles (BEVs) drive less or more than U.S. households with internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs)? Answering this question is important to policymakers and transportation planners concerned with reducing vehicle miles traveled and the emissions of greenhouse gases from transportation. So far, this question has not been answered satisfactorily, possibly because of the relatively low number of EVs in the U.S. until recently, but also because of methodological issues. In this paper, we aim to fill this gap by analyzing data from the 2017 National Household Travel Survey (NHTS). We apply propensity score matching (PSM), …

Governing Structures For Successful Regional Transit Coordination And Their Formation, Charles Rivasplata, Richard Lee, Michelle Derobertis, Christopher Ferrell

Mineta Transportation Institute

The expansion of metropolitan areas in California has further prompted the need to improve transportation options for all, more effectively linking origins and destinations through key enhancements to the existing network of transit services. This study provides planners and policymakers examples of effective regional transit coordination agencies. To improve multimodal connections and enhance transit services at the local and regional levels, this study explores regional coordination, focusing on entities charged with coordinating multiple transit agencies in a single metropolitan area. The study identified 16 regional transit coordinators (RTCs), identifying the structure, scope, and management of each. The results revealed that …

Ethnographic Methods: Training Norms And Practices And The Future Of American Anthropology, Rosalyn Negrón, Amber Wutich, H. Russell Bernard, Alexandra Brewis, Alissa Ruth, Katherine Mayfour, Barbara Piperata, Melissa Beresford, Cindi Sturtzsreetharan, Pardis Mahdavi, Jessica Hardin, Rebecca Zarger, Krista Harper, James Holland Jones, Clarence C. Gravlee, Bryan Brayboy

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

American anthropology is engaged in significant self-reckonings that call for big changes to how anthropology is practiced. These include (1) recognizing and taking seriously the demands to decolonize the ways research is done, (2) addressing precarious employment in academic anthropology, and (3) creating a discipline better positioned to respond to urgent societal needs. A central role for ethnographic methods training is a thread that runs through each of these three reckonings. This article, written by a team of cultural, biocultural, and linguistic anthropologists, outlines key connections between ethnographic methods training and the challenges facing anthropology. We draw on insights from …

Embodied Energy Injustice And The Political Ecology Of Solar Power, Dustin Mulvaney

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Solar energy is poised to become a major source of electricity around the world. As deployment rises to terawatts levels, these industries will drive demand for specific materials, natural resources, labor, and lands with solar energy resources reconfiguring socio-ecological relations. Global change from the development of solar power commodity chains includes increased demand for minerals and metals, new places for metallurgy and smelting, shifting workforce flows, occupational safety challenges from extractive industries to semiconductor manufacturing fabs. These new geographies of production could result in increased emissions and effluents from specialty chemical industries, conservation and agricultural land use change, and questions …

A Subcortical Model For Auditory Forward Masking With Efferent Control Of Cochlear Gain, Braden N. Maxwell, Afagh Farhadi, Marc A. Brennan, Adam Svec, Laurel H. Carney

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Previous physiological and psychophysical studies have explored whether feedback to the cochlea from the efferent system influences forward masking. The present work proposes that the limited growth-of-masking (GOM) observed in auditory nerve (AN) fibers may have been misunderstood; namely, that this limitation may be due to the influence of anesthesia on the efferent system. Building on the premise that the unanesthetized AN may exhibit GOM similar to more central nuclei, the present computational modeling study demonstrates that feedback from the medial olivocochlear (MOC) efferents may contribute to GOM observed physiologically in onset-type neurons in both the cochlear nucleus and inferior …

Community Detection Using Deep Learning: Combining Variational Graph Autoencoders With Leiden And K-Truss Techniques, Jyotika Hariom Patil, Petros Potikas, William B. Andreopoulos, Katerina Potika

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Deep learning struggles with unsupervised tasks like community detection in networks. This work proposes the Enhanced Community Detection with Structural Information VGAE (VGAE-ECF) method, a method that enhances variational graph autoencoders (VGAEs) for community detection in large networks. It incorporates community structure information and edge weights alongside traditional network data. This combined input leads to improved latent representations for community identification via K-means clustering. We perform experiments and show that our method works better than previous approaches of community-aware VGAEs.

Generalized Choi–Davis–Jensen’S Operator Inequalities And Their Applications, Shih Yu Chang, Yimin Wei

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

The original Choi–Davis–Jensen’s inequality, known for its extensive applications in various scientific and engineering fields, has inspired researchers to pursue its generalizations. In this study, we extend the Choi–Davis–Jensen’s inequality by introducing a nonlinear map instead of a normalized linear map and generalize the concept of operator convex functions to include any continuous function defined within a compact region. Notably, operators can be matrices with structural symmetry, enhancing the scope and applicability of our results. The Stone–Weierstrass theorem and the Kantorovich function play crucial roles in the formulation and proof of these generalized Choi–Davis–Jensen’s inequalities. Furthermore, we demonstrate an application …

Tai Chi Practice Buffers Aging Effects In Functional Brain Connectivity, Jonathan Cerna, Prakhar Gupta, Maxine He, Liran Ziegelman, Yang Hu, Manuel E. Hernandez

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Tai Chi (TC) practice has been shown to improve both cognitive and physical function in older adults. However, the neural mechanisms underlying the benefits of TC remain unclear. Our primary aims are to explore whether distinct age-related and TC-practice-related relationships can be identified with respect to either temporal or spatial (within/between-network connectivity) differences. This cross-sectional study examined recurrent neural network dynamics, employing an adaptive, data-driven thresholding approach to source-localized resting-state EEG data in order to identify meaningful connections across time-varying graphs, using both temporal and spatial features derived from a hidden Markov model (HMM). Mann–Whitney U tests assessed between-group differences …

System Design & Si Simulations For Driver Monitoring System, Kush Desai

Student RSCA

To study all the SI-related hardware challenges through design and simulations and learn a typical embedded system design workflow, a driver monitoring system is attempted to design and illustrated as an example. The driver monitoring system is chosen given its complex electrical architecture, the need for high-speed interconnects (Camera, Storage, etc.) on PCB, and a wide range of use cases in the field (Driver safety, evidence for insurance, etc.).

Addressing Transportation Construction Workforce Needs Through Innovative Policies And Practices, Thomas O'Brien, Ben Olson, Devin Martinez-Flores

Mineta Transportation Institute

A 2019 survey conducted by the Associated General Contractors of America, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, found that construction firms across the country are struggling to fill open positions. Eighty percent of survey respondents indicated they have difficulty filling jobs in occupations that are essential to highway construction. This includes heavy equipment operators, cement masons, and iron workers, among others. This workforce shortage in California will become more problematic as public agencies and their contractors seek to implement projects funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), also known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). In California there are …

Detection And Measurement Of Bacterial Contaminants In Stored River Water Consumed In Ekpoma, Imokhai T. Tenebe, Eunice O. Babatunde, Nkpa M. Ogarekpe, Joshua Emakhu, Egbe Etu Etu, Onome C. Edo, Maxwell Omeje, Nsikak U. Benson

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

This study was conducted in Ekpoma, a town dependent on rainwater and river water from nearby areas because of a lack of groundwater sources, and the physicochemical and bacteriological (heterotrophic plate count [HPC], total coliform count [TCC], and fecal coliform count [FCC]) properties of 123 stored river water samples grouped into five collection districts (EK1 to EK5). The results were compared with regulatory standards and previous regional studies to identify water quality trends. While most physicochemical properties met drinking water standards, 74% of samples had pH values > 8.5. Twenty-seven samples were fit for drinking, with EK4 having the highest number …

Effectiveness Of Digital Communication In Tackling Environmental Degradation In Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria, Bjc Anyanwu, Cynthia N. Jumbo, Oba Sunday Aikuirawo Anyi, Emeka Williams Etumnu, Alexander Chima Onyebuchi, Ezekiel S. Asemah

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Environmental deterioration as a whole is dangerous because it is currently causing widespread health concerns. The technological determinism theory served as the basis for this study. A descriptive survey was used in the investigation. The Australian sample size calculator was used to select 385 participants from the 983,000 total population. The multistage sampling was applied. Data was collected via a questionnaire, and analysis was done using percentages. Results revealed that 53.6% of the respondents confirmed that digital communication is used to circulate information on the dangers of environmental degradation in Owerri, Imo State, but to a low extent. The results …

Discipline-Based Entrepreneurship: A Catalyst For Resilient And Sustainable Development For Undergraduate Students, Joy Chituru Onyenachi Associate Professor, Nene Favour Kalu Obasi Dr, Amaoge Dorathy Agbo Dr

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The study was carried out to determine the discipline-based entrepreneurial opportunities available for library and information science (LIS) students for sustainable development. Descriptive survey research design was adopted in carrying out the study. Four specific objectives guided the study, which are: to determine discipline-based entrepreneurial opportunities available for LIS students; establish key entrepreneurial skills for LIS students; find out the extent educational programs and training on entrepreneurship contribute to the professional development and resilience of LIS students; and determine possible challenges that may arise when applying discipline-based entrepreneurship approaches to address the needs of LIS students for sustainable development. The …

Spartan Daily, August 29, 2024, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2024

Volume 163, Issue 4

Constructive Engagement Between Ecological Thoughts Of Karl Marx And Lao Zi, Hongyin Zhou, Yuqi Chen

Comparative Philosophy

The global ecological crisis has posed unprecedented survival challenges to human being. Consequently, ecological issues have naturally become central concerns in philosophy. From the methodological perspective of constructive engagement in comparative philosophy, we have chosen to compare the ecological thoughts of two thinkers—Karl Marx and Lao Zi (老子)—who are separated by vast spans of time and cultural tradition. We argue that Karl Marx holds a mild anthropocentric ecological view, while Lao Zi holds a transcendental ecological view. In addressing ecological issues, Lao Zi’s transcendental methodological guiding principles can provide negative methodological constraints for Karl …

Evaluating The Impact Of Digital Competence And Digital Self-Efficacy On The Adoption Of Big Data In Library And Information Centers: A Contextual Study, Adeniyi Kayode, Sunday Adebisi Oguntayo Dr

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate digital competence and self-efficacy in academic libraries in South-West region of Nigeria using the framework of Big Data adoption.

Design/methodology/approach: An open-ended follow-up survey (google form), utilising a qualitative methodology, was distributed among system librarians in six academic libraries in South-West Nigeria.

Findings: The present volume of literature has led to a variety of opinions from the perspective of librarians about what constitutes an appropriate definition of Big Data adoption. Academic libraries and system librarians have not provided much thought to the idea of Big Data adoption services in libraries. Furthermore, …

Spartan Daily, August 21, 2024, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2024

Volume 163, Issue 1

Changes In Community Expectation And User Behaviour For Reference Service In The Post-Pandemic Era, Abdulrahman A. Atanda, Demilade Fawaz Soladoye-Adewole

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This study was carried out to examine changing community expectations and users’ behaviour, focusing on reference services. The qualitative design method was adopted for the study. The reference section in the Kenneth Dike Library, University of Ibadan, was used as a case study for this research. The observation method was the instrument used for data collection in this study. This study revealed that the changing community expectation, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic when the library was shut down, was mainly for the reference librarians to be able to offer reference services online. It also found that users increased demand for …

Ahuja, Yudhi, San Jose State University

Emeritus and Retired Faculty Biographies

University of Delhi, India, Statistics, 1973 Ph.D.

University of Delhi, India, Statistics, 1960 M.A.

University of Punjab, India, Mathematics, 1958 B.A. (Honors)

UNESCO, HRD Training, 1989

A Qualitative Evaluation Of Speech Sound Disorder Treatment Apps For Children, Rachel G. Barnett

Master's Theses

This research examined 20 speech sound disorder (SSD) treatment apps’ features and costs as related to the feature matching process within speech-language therapy. Methods included the development of a 67-item SSD checklist and sorted into 9 categories, including linguistic levels, speech models, software customization, cost, game types, image types, technical elements, feedback types, and engagement and manipulation. Two independent reviewers applied the checklist to randomly selected contemporary apps available on both iPhones and iPads. App cost was capped at $25. Results indicated that app cost was not a good predictor of feature quantity and contemporary apps had some relevant feature …

Remote Sensing With Airborne Infrared Thermography For Assessment Of Landscape Scale Wildfire Spread And Intensity, Christopher C. Giesige

Master's Theses

Wildland fire is one of the most complex environmental physical processes to quantify. The way in which we observe and measure wildland fire is critical in understanding how these processes drive fire dynamics. Fire behavior can be observed in several ways including the use of ground sensors and remote sensing packages aboard aircraft and satellites. Airborne sensors provide high spatial resolution and can provide high temporal resolution. Infrared thermography takes advantage of radiant heat transfer allowing for the study of fire characteristics such as fire spread and intensity. Aircraft observations utilizing infrared cameras have been a well-established method of fire …

Flora And Fauna Lexical Indicators Of Prehistoric Movement Of Yuman Peoples, Adam Ingwerson

Master's Theses

Amyloid fibrils are locally ordered protein aggregates characterized by a filamentous morphology held together by a hydrogen bonding motif known as cross-β structure whereby hydrogen bonds form between backbone amide bond moieties across separate protein segments. The most notable medical significance of amyloid fibrils is their central role in the etiology of Alzheimer’s disease, type 2 diabetes, and other human diseases. Although amyloid fibrils have been studied extensively, the mechanism of their formation is still not fully understood. X-ray crystallography is a leading experimental technique for resolving amyloid fibril structures from crystallized proteins; however, inherent limitations leave open the possibility …

Deep-Learning Approaches To Predict Remaining Useful Life Of Hard Disks, Rohan Mohapatra

Master's Theses

On a daily basis, data centers process huge volumes of data using inexpensive hard disks. Data stored in these disks serve a range of critical functional needs from financial, and healthcare to aerospace. As such, premature disk failure and consequent loss of data can be catastrophic. To mitigate the risk of failures, cloud storage providers perform condition-based monitoring and replace hard disks before they fail. By estimating the remaining useful life (RUL) of hard disk drives, one can predict the time-to-failure of a particular device and replace it at the right time, ensuring maximum utilization whilst reducing operational costs. We …

Synthetic Data Generation For Accurate, Fair, And Private Recommender Systems, Derek B. Lilienthal

Master's Theses

A notorious challenge for recommender systems on online platforms is to accurately and fairly recommend items that align with users’ preferences while retaining user privacy. These systems often rely on historical data that is partially labeled and includes incomplete user information, leading to the over-representation of majority groups and disproportionately favoring popular items. Substituting user data with synthetic data can address these concerns, but accurately replicating real-world datasets has been a challenging problem. Recent advancements in generative AI have demonstrated the impressive capabilities of diffusion models in generating realistic data across several domains. In this work, we introduce two variations …

Reinforcement Learning Based Planning And Control For Robotic Source Seeking Inspired By Fruit Flies, Gauravkumar Koradiya

Master's Theses

In the exploration of mobile sensing agents such as robots equipped with sensors, these agents have the potential to measure unknown scalar fields, ranging from chemical concentrations to temperature fluctuations. One of the primary interests is the robots’ ability to gravitate towards the peaks or troughs of these fields, a phenomenon termed as “source seeking”. This behavior is invaluable in practical scenarios, like detecting chemical leaks or locating survivors after catastrophes. However, the challenge becomes significantly more pronounced when operating in turbulent flow fields, where the erratic nature of odorant plumes makes predictions and simulations highly unreliable. Interestingly, fruit flies …

Controllable Physics-Informed Latent Space For Acoustic Wave Manipulation, Tristan Shah

Master's Theses

Partial Differential Equations (PDEs) are foundational descriptive tools in scientific and engineering disciplines, enabling the exploration of phenomena from material design to climate dynamics and the propagation of pandemics and wildfires. Establishing control of PDEs, especially when the underlying phenomena are only partially observable, holds great potential for fostering technological innovations. This ambition faces considerable obstacles, as a robust sample-based solution remains elusive. Addressing this challenge, this thesis introduces a framework leveraging physics-informed machine learning (ML) to enable control of PDEs. Central to this framework is an agent, equipped with sensors to perceive its environment, that generates a low-dimensional physics-informed …

Extraction, Preparation, And Characterization Of Alginate Biopolymer Films From Natural Seaweed, David Ly

Master's Theses

This study evaluates the use of naturally harvested seaweed from the Monterey Bay to produce a biodegradable film for food packaging applications. Two different film-forming methods were evaluated: solution casting and compression molding. The solution casting method using an alginate biopolymer produced the most consistent results. The seaweed biopolymer was extracted from the seaweed biomass using a modified method, resulting in a yield of 11-25 %. The highest yield was observed when using the lowest biomass concentration of 10 wt. %. The extracted alginate was then cast into films at different levels of glycerol plasticization (15-35 wt.%). The addition of …