Digital Commons Network^™

Future Of Academic Libraries And Lis Professionals In India, Vinayak Savatagi, Umesha Naik

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Libraries authentically and authoritatively acquire, process, conserve, and make knowledge of all human endeavours accessible to all, regardless of sex, status, religion, race, or colour. Serving the information needs of its users & society as a whole is its principal function. Academic libraries & LIS professionals in India are going through a major transition because of new technology, changing user expectations, & different ways of teaching. In this study, we take a look at what the future holds for university libraries and the people who work in them. Digital curation, data management, or IT expertise are becoming increasingly important for …

Mechano-Lysis In Whole Blood Clots: On How Mechanics Affect Clot Lysis, And How Lysis Affects Clot Mechanics, Grace N. Bechtel, Gabriella P. Sugerman, Tatum Eades, Zuzanna Malinowska, Adam M. Bush, Hamidreza Saber, Sapun H. Parekh, Manuel K. Rausch

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Thromboembolic diseases are a significant cause of mortality and are clinically treated enzymatically with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). Interestingly, prior studies in fibrin fibers and fibrin gels have demonstrated that thrombolysis may be mechanically sensitive. This study aims to expand mechano-lytic studies to whole blood clots. Furthermore, this study investigates not only how mechanics impacts lysis but also how lysis impacts mechanics. Therefore, clots made from whole human blood are exposed to tPA while the clots are either stretched or unstretched. After, the resulting degree of clot lysis is measured by weighing the clots and by measuring the concentration of …

Use Of Online Information Resources And Academic Staff Research Productivity In Public Universities In Ogun State, Dorcas Adebisi Rahman Mrs

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The research productivity of academic staff measures their status in the academic world. As a result this study investigated use of online information resources and academic staff research productivity. A survey research design was used, in which the population consist of academic staff in public universities in Ogun State. Proportionate random sampling technique was used to select 158 respondents that represented the sample size. SPSS was used for data analyses, using percentage, means and standard deviations. The study revealed that the respondents use online journals for article writing ( =3.56; std dev. =0.626); online databases for searching for articles ( …

Evaluation Of Long-Term Performance Of Transportation Earthworks Prone To Weather-Driven Deterioration Under Changing Climate, Amr Morsy, Emma Varela

Mineta Transportation Institute

Embankments are key transportation infrastructure features providing essential support for long, linear stretches of transportation infrastructure, including highways and railways, in California and globally. Clay embankments are susceptible to weather-related deterioration processes that can gradually compromise their stability and, in some cases, lead to unexpected failures. Climate change, along with the associated shifts in weather patterns, is projected to adversely impact weather-related deterioration processes, leading to exacerbated failures and/or shorter service life. This study evaluated the impact of climate change on the rate of weather-driven deterioration of embankments in two locations in California: Los Angeles and Sacramento. Specifically, a multi-phase …

Perspectives On Gaming Throughout The Years, Noh Fekre

ART 108: Introduction to Games Studies

Video games are a lot younger of an art form compared to other mediums like books or movies which means how they fit into our culture isn’t really set in stone yet. They have existed for a while but got their first big boom through arcades and home consoles. I want to look at how video games present themselves differently to other mediums and how that might have affected their perception amongst the general populace while also looking at how that perception has changed over time due to how games have changed themselves.

When The Audience Takes The Controller: How Streaming Is Changing The Way We Play Games, Lea Wilhelmer

ART 108: Introduction to Games Studies

For decades, video games have been understood as solitary experiences. A player would sit alone or with a small group, controller in hand, navigating digital worlds where every action, decision, and outcome was shaped by their own input. At its core, gaming was personal. The lines between the audience and player were clearly drawn. The player was the one actively involved in the game, while everyone else was an observer, watching from the sidelines. This traditional model has seen significant transformation in the last decade, as the rise of streaming platforms like Twitch, YouTube Gaming, and other similar services radically …

Redefining Fun: How Realism And Effort Engage Players In Video Games, Marsel Abdullin

ART 108: Introduction to Games Studies

In the current era of video game development, the gaming industry frequently pursues instant gratification, creating a landscape for immediate and empowering rewards. Current trends clearly show that experiences allow players to become superhuman or extraordinary beings with very little difficulty, satisfying a common desire for escapism and power. This suggests that “fun” is commonly associated with ease, speed, and constant positive feedback. However, my counter-argument is the emergence of games such as Kingdom Come: Deliverance and Red Dead Redemption 2. These games operate with a different game design and philosophy. In fact, they embrace slowness, hardship, and the detailed …

The Evolution Of Video Game Collectibles And Marketplaces, Leland Lee

ART 108: Introduction to Games Studies

Digital Collectibles such as weapon skins, avatar skins, emotes, and in-game art were created as a playful surprise for the video game experience. Many years later, it has produced a multibillion-dollar economy in the gaming industry and is also responsible for the high demand for intriguing in-game collectibles. Although these cosmetic features were initially meant for looks, they have evolved into something of actual value that has completely changed the landscape of games and how they are played. As a result, this has created an intricate environment where players are able to buy, trade, and sell in-game collectibles in both …

Nothing Is Off Limits, But Not Everything Is Done Right: Exploring Ineffability, Alejandro Maciel

ART 108: Introduction to Games Studies

Games are capable of addressing absolutely anything. No topic is too big, too controversial, or too emotional. but not everything is done well; the problem isn't the subject, it's always the delivery. When the developers approach heavy topics without care, they risk doing harm. bwhen they do their research and consult communities and write with purpose, the result can be transformative. Representation, when handled with attention, isn't political correctness; it's simply good storytelling. it's how games become more than entertainment. They become tools for empathy, education, and more valuable connections

Archeota, Spring/Summer 2025, Nicholas Haynes, Stacy L. Vandenput, Jesse Jacobs

Archeota

Archeota is a platform for SJSU iSchool students to contribute to the archival conversation. It is written BY students, FOR students. It provides substantive content on archival concerns and issues and promotes professional development in the field of archival studies. Archeota upholds the core values of the archival profession. Contents: Happy 10th Birthday Archeota! Celebrating Archeota's 10 Year Anniversary by Gwendolyn Smith Beyond Survival: The Fragility of Context in Digital Archives by Nicholas Haynes “Records Doulas” and the Case for Patient Records Advocacy: An Emerging Role for Archivists by Stacy L. Vandenput Preserving Play: Memory, Meaning, and the Soul of …

Avatars And The Real World: A Study Of The Personal And Organizational Impact Of Virtual Identities, Gema Bonales-Daimiel, Eva Citlali Martínez-Estrella, Belén Moreno-Albarracín

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

This research is proposed according to the main goal of analyzing the impact of avatars in the building of a digital identity and social interactions in the metaverse. In order to achieve it, a mix of methods has been applied (interviews, survey and content analysis), from an exploratory approach and from a triple perspective: perceptions of brands, users and psychology experts. Findings reflect a concordance between avatars and personal identities, a less marked trend to try new identities, and the persistence of physical stereotypes. From brands perspective, avatars allow them to connect with their audiences and simplify commercial transactions. For …

Multi-Species Telemetry Quantifies Current And Future Efficacy Of A Remote Marine Protected Area, Morgan E. Gilmour, Kydd Pollock, Josh Adams, Barbara A. Block, Jennifer E. Caselle, Alex Filous, Alan M. Friedlander, Edward T. Game, Elliott L. Hazen, Marie Hill, Nick D. Holmes, Kevin D. Lafferty, Sara M. Maxwell, Douglas J. Mccauley, Robert Schallert, Scott A. Shaffer, Nicholas H. Wolff, Alex Wegmann

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Large-scale marine protected areas (LSMPAs; > 1000 km²) provide important refuge for large mobile species, but most do not encompass species' ranges. To better understand current and future LSMPA value, we concurrently tracked nine species (seabirds, cetaceans, pelagic fishes, manta rays, reef sharks) at Palmyra Atoll and Kingman Reef (PKMPA) in the U.S. Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument. PKMPA and the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone encompassed 39% and 54% of species movements (n = 83; tracking duration range: 0.5–350 days), respectively. Species distribution models indicated 73% of PKMPA contained highly suitable habitat. Under two projected future scenarios (SSP …

The Cost Of Creative Freedom: Comparing Aaa And Indie Game Development, Andrei Morgunov

ART 108: Introduction to Games Studies

The independent development model provides developers with creative freedom and personal fulfillment because it enables them to learn through hands-on experience while creating distinctive experiences and developing diverse skills. It provides them with both long-term ownership of their work and the chance to achieve remarkable success through their own efforts while allowing them to maintain direct communication with players who appreciate their creative output. The choice between AAA and indie depends on individual career goals, but developers who view games as more than just products of entertainment can find greater meaning in the indie path, Long-term triple-A developers who want …

Performance Testing Of Asphalt Binder Modified With Amine-Impregnated Zeolite And Plastic In Hot Mix Asphalt To Reduce Carbon Footprint, Shadi Saadeh, Unmona Aditi, Mohammad Javad Kazemi, Elham Fini, Roger Khoudessian

Mineta Transportation Institute

The rise in global temperatures, driven in part by significant transportation carbon emissions, necessitate sustainable solutions for infrastructure. Traditional asphalt binders and lime additives significantly contribute to carbon emissions, and conventional liquid amine-based antistrip agents, which are used to reduce moisture damage, lose efficacy over time. This study evaluates the performance of PG 64-16 Low Carbon binder, incorporating 10% post-consumer plastic and amine-impregnated zeolite (AIMZ) as a protective carrier for liquid amines. Researchers compare this low-carbon binder to conventional PG 64-16 binder and evaluate AIMZ against amine and zeolite separately (AZ) and a commercial liquid antistrip (LAS). The study tests …

Latent Active Transportation Methodology, Maria Chierichetti, Fatemeh Davoudi Kakhki

Mineta Transportation Institute

Understanding and estimating latent demand for active transportation, such as walking and cycling, is essential for designing infrastructure and policies that promote sustainable mobility. Unlike traditional demand models that focus on observed trips, latent demand estimation seeks to quantify the unrealized potential for active travel due to barriers such as inadequate infrastructure, safety concerns, or lack of connectivity. This study develops a comprehensive latent demand model tailored for California, integrating geospatial analysis and multimodal accessibility assessments. The methodology employs a GIS-based corridor analysis approach, utilizing spatial accessibility metrics and distance decay functions to evaluate potential demand. It incorporates employment and …

Fuel Cell System Development For Heavy Duty Vehicles, Yu Yang, Hen-Geul Yeh, Bryan Aguirre

Mineta Transportation Institute

As California advances its ambitious goals for transportation electrification to combat climate change, hydrogen-powered fuel cells are emerging as a viable solution for overcoming the challenges of heavy-duty vehicles, offering an efficient alternative to lithium-ion batteries because they produce minimal chemical, thermal, and carbon emissions. One type of hydrogen fuel cell technology called proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) has garnered the most attention due to its distinct advantages, including relatively low operating temperatures (60–80 °C) and reliable performance at high current densities. However, despite their promise, PEMFCs face challenges, including in optimizing stack power output and safety concerns. To …

The Effects Of Avatar Human-Likeness On Psychological Closeness In Virtual-Reality, Rebecca L. Chae, Hyojin Lee, Eunsoo Kim

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

This research explores the impact of avatar human-likeness on psychological closeness and its downstream consequences in virtual-reality work and learning environments. Study 1 suggests that people feel greater psychological closeness to more (vs. less) humanlike avatars. Study 2 applies machine learning to virtual-reality recordings and shows that people physically move closer to more (vs. less) humanlike avatars. Study 3 extends these findings by showing that avatar human-likeness positively influences attitudes toward adopting virtual-reality in education. Finally, Study 4 shows that enhanced psychological closeness to humanlike avatars promotes trust in instructors, leading to more favorable attitudes toward virtual experience. Two additional …

Unveiling The Transformative Power Of Unsupervised Machine Learning Through Clustering, Vishnu S. Pendyala

Open Educational Resources

Clustering methods demonstrated their transformative potential across various industries through image segmentation, anomaly detection, bioinformatics, and customer segmentation. The presentation explores these techniques in unsupervised machine learning, focusing on foundational clustering algorithms such as K-means, Hierarchical Clustering, and DBSCAN. Through an in-depth analysis of their underlying principles and computational intricacies, the presentation highlights how these methods have evolved to address complex, high-dimensional data problems. The presentation provides insights into how K-means remains a versatile tool for partitioning data in linear spaces. It delves into Hierarchical Clustering's unique approach to building dendrograms and capturing multi-scale data relationships, and how DBSCAN's density-based …

Spartan Daily, March 25, 2025, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2025

Volume 164, Issue 26

Electronic Information Resources Use And Teaching Effectiveness Of Academic Staff Of Selected Universities In Oyo State, Nigeria, Yinka Joba Olawale, Adebayo Muritala Adegbore Dr., Mary Oluwabukola Akinolu Mrs

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Access to relevant information resources play a critical role in fostering learning environment. Prior investigation showed that there is a dearth of research on the use of electronic information resource amongst academic staff in universities. Previous studies also focused on electronic information resource use by students. This study, was therefore carried out to examine electronic information resources use on the perceived teaching effectiveness of the academic staff in the selected universities in Oyo state, Nigeria.

The theory of action and the cognitive-behavioral theory provided the framework for this study. Descriptive survey research design was adopted. 1,705 academic staff of the …

Spartan Daily, March 20, 2025, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2025

Volume 164, Issue 25

Spartan Daily, March 19, 2025, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2025

Volume 164, Issue 24

A Narrative Review Of The Covid-19 Infodemic And Censorship In Healthcare, Mitchell Liester, Sohaib Ashraf, Patricia Callisperis, Hector Carvallo, Shankara Chetty, Robert Enzenauer, Carlos Franco-Paredes, Raul Pineda, Panagis Polykretis, Rachel Wilkenson, Peter Mccullough

Secrecy and Society

Ideological and financial motivations have undermined science for decades. In this narrative review, we explore how organizations and governments used misinformation, disinformation, censorship, and secrecy to manage the COVID-19 pandemic. Various rationales for employing censorship and secrecy during the COVID-19 pandemic are examined including how organizations and governments create confusion about the risks associated with their products and blame avoidance to shift responsibility and to avoid accountability for their actions. Methods of censorship employed during the COVID-19 pandemic are reviewed, examples are provided, and the consequences of these actions are reviewed. Information included in this review was obtained from scientific …

Covid Cover-Up: Secrecy, Censorship And Suppression During The Pandemic, Brian Martin

Secrecy and Society

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, most health authorities, governments, and mass media organizations presented a single official view concerning lockdowns, masking, distancing, and vaccines. The methods used against contrary views can be classified into four types: flooding, ignoring, censoring, and attacking. The method of information flooding involves presenting dominant views in a unified front, overwhelming contrary views by volume and consistency. The method of ignoring includes the absence of research on alternative approaches, failure to report on research contrary to orthodoxy, and not mentioning challenging views. Censoring involves active measures to prevent the circulation of contrary information and …

University Librarians’ Level Of Familiarity With And Use Of Web 2.0 Technologies: The Case Study Of Two Iranian Universities, Hadis Khedri

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The present study aimed to determine the level of familiarity with and use of Web 2.0 technologies among librarians at the Isfahan University of Medical Sciences and the University of Isfahan. This research is applied in terms of its objective and descriptive in terms of its method. The statistical population of the study consisted of 135 librarians working in the libraries of the Isfahan University of Medical Sciences and the University of Isfahan. Due to the limited number of participants, total population sampling was conducted. Data were collected using the “Library 2.0 Tools” questionnaire, developed by Hosseini Shoar and Bahrami …

Spartan Daily, March 12, 2025, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2025

Volume 164, Issue 21

Frequent Disturbance To A Foundation Species Disrupts Consumer-Mediated Nutrient Cycling In Giant Kelp Forests, Joseph R. Peters, Daniel C. Reed, June Shrestha, Scott L. Hamilton, Deron E. Burkepile

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Structure-forming foundation species facilitate consumers by providing habitat and refugia. In return, consumers can benefit foundation species by reducing top-down pressures and increasing the supply of nutrients. Consumer-mediated nutrient dynamics (CND) fuel the growth of autotrophic foundation species and generate more habitat for consumers, forming reciprocal feedbacks. Such feedbacks are threatened when foundation species are lost to disturbances, yet testing these interactions requires long-term studies, which are rare. Here, we experimentally evaluated how disturbance to giant kelp, a marine foundation species, affects (1) CND of the forest animal community and (2) nutrient feedbacks that help sustain forest primary production during …

Spartan Daily, March 6, 2025, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2025

Volume 164, Issue 19

Influence Of Attitude As A Catalyst On The Productivity Level Of Cataloguers In Tertiary Institutions’ Libraries In Edo State, Nigeria, Olalekan Ola

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

As soon as librarians are productive based on their positive attitude, it is expected that libraries will perform optimally. In circumstances where catalogers are less productive or lack a good attitude, the long-lasting effect will be felt by end users. It is in this regard, that this study investigates the influence of attitude as a catalyst on the productivity level of catalogers in tertiary institutions’ libraries in Edo State, Nigeria. A descriptive survey research design was adopted for this study. The population was comprised of 81 catalogers in Edo State. The study made use of a total enumeration sampling technique. …

Spartan Daily, March 4, 2025, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2025

Volume 164, Issue 17