Digital Commons Network^™

Critical Constellations: The Second Premio Alambique, Dale Knickerbocker, Mary E. Ginway

Alambique. Revista académica de ciencia ficción y fantasía / Jornal acadêmico de ficção científica e fantasía

This article announces the winner of the second Premio Alambique, awarded by Alambique: Revista Académica de Ciencia Ficción y Fantasia / Jornal Acadêmico de Ficção Científica e Fantasía to the best academic books or monograph about science fiction and/or fantasy in the Hispanic and Luso-Brazilian worlds (including those in the U.S.), and offers a brief review of all submissions.

Human Adipose Stem Cell-Derived Small Extracellular Vesicles Modulate Glial Cell Response In Aged And Young Tbi Mouse Models, Salma S. Abdelmaboud

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of long-term neurological impairment, with aging significantly increasing vulnerability and worsening outcomes. Older individuals experience greater cognitive and motor deficits after TBI and often show diminished responses to therapeutic interventions. Both aging and TBI independently promote heightened neuroinflammation and cognitive dysfunction, increasing susceptibility to poor recovery. This study investigated the therapeutic potential of small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) derived from human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs) to promote neurological recovery and modulate neuroinflammation in a mouse model of TBI. Male C57BL/6 mice aged 3, 15, and 20 months underwent controlled cortical impact (CCI) and …

Florida Ems Voices: What Agency Providers Told Us In 2025, Michael Lozano

Florida Center for Emergency Medical Services Research Reports

The 2025 Annual Florida EMS Provider Survey provides a comprehensive overview of Florida’s EMS system, highlighting critical insights into workforce dynamics, resource allocation, medical direction, and service integration across EMS agencies statewide. Conducted from April to May 2025, the survey received robust participation from 249 agencies, covering 74.5% of licensed EMS providers. Key findings underscore regional variability in workforce recruitment, salary scales, mental health support, mobile integrated healthcare (MIH), and preparedness for mass casualty incidents.

Key areas of strategic emphasis include EMT and paramedic mental health and wellness, mobile integrated healthcare (MIH), and local quality improvement (QI) efforts. Notably, recruitment …

Noteworthy Practices For Performing Mpo Administrative Functions, Jeff Kramer, Tia Boyd, Taylor Dinehart

Transportation Planning, Policy, and Processes (TP3) Final Reports

Federal and state laws, regulations, and guidance provide metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) in Florida and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) with rules and information for managing aspects of MPO administrative tasks. However, they do not state the exact manner in which those tasks can be achieved. Additionally, there is limited specific research and guidance related to MPO noteworthy practices in MPO administrative functions that would help MPOs in Florida save time and money by streamlining and improving the efficiency of a wide variety of administrative tasks and functions. These tasks fall into several broad categories, including progress reporting and …

Privacy And Peer-To-Peer Payment Apps, Stephen L. Baglione, Louis A. Tucci

Journal of Global Business Insights

Apps for our smartphones are ubiquitous. Free apps usually require exchanging personal information. Mobile payments in the U.S. are expected to almost double by 2027. Peer-to-peer (P2P) payment apps are a subcategory of said apps. Venmo is a P2P payment app that gathers user data from their smartphone and publicizes user transactions. A between-subject survey shows respondents are concerned about privacy with P2P payment apps, even when only describing what the app does. Clusters are identified when examining involvement with P2P payment apps. The covariate online privacy was statistically significant; however, age, gender, and social media use were not statistically …

Examining Liberalization Of Turkiye Through International Trade: A Panel Data Analysis Of Turkish Export Figures From 1992 To 2020, Yasemin S. Ucar, Arzu Kalemci

Journal of Global Business Insights

Since the 1980s, Turkiye has implemented numerous initiatives to adapt to the global liberalization process following a period of import substitution policies. These initiatives were carried out with the assistance of international organizations such as the World Trade Organization (WTO). Turkiye officially became a member of the WTO in 1995, expecting that membership would enhance its international trade performance by expanding access to global markets and strengthening trade relationships with other member states. This study aims to analyze the impact of global liberalization on Turkish international trade performance, with a specific focus on exports. The study utilizes panel data analysis …

The Double-Edged Role Of Cognitive Reappraisal: A Moderated Mediation Model Of Manager Support And Emotional Exhaustion Among Hotel Supervisors, Han Chen, Yvette Green

Journal of Global Hospitality and Tourism

Applying the Conservation of Resources Theory and the Affective Event Theory, this study explores the interplay between perceived manager support (PMS), negative emotions, and emotional exhaustion among hotel supervisors. The study also examines the moderating role of cognitive reappraisal strategy on the above relationships. Data were collected from a sample of U.S. hotel supervisors. Results showed that negative emotions play a mediating role in the relationship between PMS and supervisors’ emotional exhaustion. Cognitive reappraisal amplified the negative effect of PMS on negative emotions, the positive relationship between negative emotions and emotional exhaustion, and the indirect effect of PMS on emotional …

Quarcs Light: Validation Of An Abbreviated Assessment Of Undergraduate Numeracy And Mathematics Affect, Isaac S. Rosenthal, Kate Follette, Vonna L. Hemmler, Catherine Sarosi, Sanlyn Buxner, Erin Galyen, Margaret Shea, Soon-Young Shimizu, Brendan Seto

Numeracy

In this study, we present evidence for the validity of a shortened form of the Quantitative Reasoning for College Science (QuaRCS) Assessment, a validated instrument assessing the numeracy and math-related affect of undergraduate students in general education/introductory science courses. Previously published analyses of QuaRCS data revealed that 1) roughly 30% of students found the assessment boring, leading to lower self-reported effort and 2) affective factors (e.g. numerical self-efficacy) were significant predictors of QuaRCS score. As a result, we reduced the length of the assessment from 25 to 15 quantitative items, and expanded the affective variable selection from three to eight …

Summit Report: The Russia-Ukraine War: Lessons For Future Conflicts, Heather Ashby, Tad Schnaufer, Heather Ward, Golfo Alexopoulos, Christopher Marsh

GNSI Summit Reports

On March 4-5, 2025, the Global and National Security Institute (GNSI), hosted its fifth Tampa Summit, and the 11th installment in the Great Power Competition Conference Series: The Russia-Ukraine War: Lessons for Future Conflicts. GNSI brought together leading academics, defense experts, and international scholars for thought-provoking discussions on the strategic lessons learned from the Russia-Ukraine War, the evolving role of technology in conflict, and the impact of the war on Europe, NATO, and the rules-based international system. The war in Ukraine is not just a regional crisis; it is a harbinger of the future of warfare. In contrast to …

Batched Query Processing And Optimization, Yicheng Tu, Mehrad Eslami

USF Patents

Disclosed are various embodiments for batched query processing and optimization in database management systems. A single algebraic expression is generated based at least in part on applying equivalence rules to algebraic expressions for a plurality of database queries of a database comprising a set of relations. The equivalence rules involve relational operators comprising Psi (ψ) operators. The database can be queried using a single database query to create a result that is equivalent to the plurality of database queries.

Table Of Contents

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

No abstract provided.

Some Corrections To The Record On Lemkin’S Early Years: The Evidence From Poland, Zachary Mazur

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

This piece addresses some misunderstandings regarding Raphael Lemkin's early years in Poland, his influences and the development of his ideas. While discussing some of the extent published information, I point out what other archival documents from Poland and the League of Nations have to say about Lemkin's past. One of the main points is that Lemkin was an unreliable narrator on his own life, and this has caused confusion.

Arts & Literature: A Personal Reckoning: Taking Responsibility As A Perpetrator, Henry C. Theriault

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

This autobiographical essay identifies three forces that shaped the author’s participation in the scholarly and political struggle against genocide and other mass violence and oppression. These include his status as the grandson of Armenian Genocide survivors, the fact that his father was killed in action in the US War of Aggression against Vietnam, and the bullying he experienced as a child and adolescent. It then pushes back against any sense of victimhood that has resulted from the combination of these forces, to recognize the author’s implication in perpetration of the US War of Aggression against Vietnam, which the author has …

Arts & Literature: In Gaza, Christmas Was A Time To Mourn: Christians Reflected On Bloodshed And Loss, Yousef M. Aljamal

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

This feature article presents a poignant reflection on the deeply altered reality for Palestinian Christians in Gaza during Christmas amidst the ongoing Israeli bombardment and genocide. Traditionally a time of joy and community, Christmas was marked this year by grief, displacement, and loss for the dwindling Christian population, now estimated at only 600 people due to years of siege and war. The article recounts the destruction of historic churches, the deaths of 26 Christians including children, and the collective mourning of families like that of Ramez Al-Suri, who lost all three of his children in an airstrike. Through personal testimonies, …

Durkheim’S Structural Functionalism And The Integration Of Genocide In His Sociological Framework, Anthonie Holslag

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

No abstract provided.

Full Issue 19.1

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

No abstract provided.

Where Are The Criminologists?: The Persistent Absence Of The Field In Genocide Research, Grace Allbaugh, Susan A. Woollen, Jacqueline L. Schneider, Joanne Savage

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

The rallying cry of “Never Again” was heard worldwide after the Nazis’ annihilation of Jews and other victims were discovered after WWII. The global community promised that the crime of genocide would be prevented and signatory parties of the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide (December 9, 1948) would do everything in their power to prevent another Holocaust from occurring. Unfortunately the “crime of all crimes” remains an almost permanent fixture in international news while signatory parties remain reluctant to call the ongoing conditions genocide. The field of genocide studies is built upon an interdisciplinary field …

Opportunities For Growth: A Metacognitive Self-Talk Strategy That Improves Classroom Unity And Academic Attitudes, Sera Anello, Michael J. Haslip

Journal of Practitioner Research

This teacher action research study describes the development and application of the opportunities for growth teaching method to increase learner motivation, persistence, cooperation and positive self-talk among primary school students. The approach was implemented with 30 fourth graders in a Philadelphia public school classroom to foster unity, support attitudes toward academics and participation, redefine failure, and reframe challenges. Before this intervention, most of the students lacked self-regulation, self-awareness, and relationship skills needed to thrive. This study investigates how and to what effect the opportunities for growth approach shifts students’ language and mindset about academic and social challenges. Qualitative data was …

Teacher Inquiry: How Mathematics Discourse And Hands-On Learning Impact Student Outcomes And Teacher Attitudes, Mary-Katherine Miller

Journal of Practitioner Research

In this inquiry, the teacher worked alongside a university mentor to develop, monitor, and analyze the teacher’s wonderings. In a 3rd grade classroom, the teacher wanted to explore how hands-on and discourse strategies could impact mathematics achievement for all students. Specifically, the teacher explored how utilizing hands-on activities and discourse strategies in collaborative groups could lead to increased engagement and better outcomes for her exceptional student education (ESE) population in learning multiplication and division. Throughout the inquiry, the teacher used checklists, anecdotal notes, and student exit ticket scores to monitor student progress. At the end of the inquiry cycle, the …

Teaching Ai Ethics And Skepticism: The Impact Of Instruction On Ethical Usage On Students’ Perceptions, Jenna D. Justin

Journal of Practitioner Research

This study investigates the ethical implications of artificial intelligence (AI) in K-12 education, focusing on how explicit instruction influences students' perceptions of AI tools like ChatGPT. Conducted with 80 sixth-grade students at A.D. Henderson University School and FAU High School, the research tracks changes in student understanding and skepticism of AI following a World History unit. Pre- and post-instruction surveys revealed a decline in comfort with AI as students became more aware of its ethical concerns, including plagiarism, bias, and misinformation. The findings suggest integrating AI ethics into the middle school curriculum to foster responsible AI usage among students.

Expanding The Role Of Embodiment And Teacher Noticing In Units Coordination And Construction, Claudia Bertolone-Smith, Jonathan Troup, Liza Bondurant, Diana Moss, Hortensia Soto

Journal of Practitioner Research

We aim to expand units coordination and construction assessment by examining the significance of embodiment and teacher noticing, especially in relation to recent developments in equitable mathematics teacher noticing research. We outline our approach as mathematics teacher educators with a wide range of expertise, wherein we investigated how prospective elementary mathematics teachers (PTs) notice students' units construction and coordination through embodied actions and the impact of incorporating a focus on embodiment in assessment. We also address how expanding the understanding of units coordination and construction assessment through embodied noticings can create more equitable classroom spaces. The study emphasizes the need …

A 31-Year Time Series Of At-Sea Counts Shows A Non-Significant Decline Of Marbled Murrelets At Laskeek Bay, Haida Gwaii, 1990–2020, Vivian Pattison, Douglas F. Bertram, Sonya A. Pastran, Anthony J. Gaston, Rian D. Dickson, Mark C. Drever

Marine Ornithology

The Marbled Murrelet Brachyramphus marmoratus breeds and overwinters along the coast of British Columbia, Canada, and is listed as Threatened under the Canadian Species at Risk Act. Understanding population trends for this seabird species is important for management and recovery, yet long-term time-series data for Marbled Murrelet abundance are rare. We update trends and annual fluctuations of Marbled Murrelet numbers derived from at-sea counts in Laskeek Bay, Haida Gwaii, on the north coast of British Columbia, 1990–2020. We found a non-significant negative trend (−1.55% per year). Counts varied seasonally and peaked in early June; counts also varied with distance from …

Finding Colonies Of Black-Headed Gulls Chroicocephalus Ridibundus Using Google Earth, Roberto G. Valle, Alejandro Corregidor-Castro, Francesco Scarton

Marine Ornithology

We explore the possibility of identifying Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus colonies in the saltmarshes of the Lagoon of Venice, Italy, using Google Earth satellite images. One reproductive season was considered (June 2017), based on the images available on Google Earth. This species builds nests clustered around tidal pools and tidal creeks, providing a dark background to reveal the white gulls. Images of the southern part of the lagoon (excluding fish farms) were analyzed by dividing it into sectors (n = 403) using the Google Earth grid at an elevation of 100 m above ground level. The results of the satellite …

Status And Occurrence Of Wedge-Tailed Shearwater Ardenna Pacifica In Waters Of The Northwestern Coast Of South America, Manuel Marín

Marine Ornithology

This study examines the distribution of Wedge-tailed Shearwater Ardenna pacifica along the northwest coast of South America. The species is well known in tropical waters distant from the coast, but it also appears to be a regular visitor to shelf-break waters off Colombia and northern Ecuador; there is no evidence indicating a similar presence within the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of Peru, where waters are colder. About 50% of Wedge-tailed Shearwater sightings are associated with dolphins and/or large fish. More than 90% of the nearshore South American records are of pale-phase individuals.

Tracked Gulls Help Identify Potential Zones Of Interaction Between Whales And Shipping Traffic, Megan A. Cimino, Heather Welch, Jarrod A. Santora, David Kroodsma, Elliott L. Hazen, Steven J. Bograd, Pete Warzybok, Jaime Jahncke, Scott A. Shaffer

Marine Ornithology

Seabird-vessel interactions are often studied through the lens of fisheries bycatch, but seabirds encounter many watercraft types. Western Gulls Larus occidentalis breeding on the Farallon Islands (California, USA) have a foraging domain that encompasses both shipping lanes and productive fishing grounds, resulting in ample opportunities for vessel encounters. Previous research showed that these Western Gulls can serve as ecosystem indicators because their foraging behavior is linked to ocean prey conditions, and because their foraging grounds overlap with that of Humpback Whales Megaptera novaeangliae, which can make prey accessible. Because ship strikes and entanglement in fishing gear are concerns for whales …

Insights Into The Ecology And Conservation Of Coastal Brazil Seabirds Based On Band Returns, Henrique Chupil, Rosane Fernanda Farah, Andrea Maranho, Carla Beatriz Barbosa, Simone Leonardi, Juarez Cabral, Jenyffer Vierheller Vieira, Liana Rosa, Rodrigo Del Rio Do Valle

Marine Ornithology

Banding is the main method used to mark and identify individual birds, and to study populations, migration, age, and behavior. Banding birds also plays an important role in rehabilitation efforts, as their recapture provides good information about the effectiveness of the prescribed treatment, allowing constant review of the rehabilitation protocols used. This study compiles information on banded birds retrieved at the Santos Basin Beach Monitoring Project (Projeto de Monitoramento de Praias da Bacia de Santos, PMP-BS), and it reviews the ecological and behavioral aspects involved in species’ movements that contributed to their arrival at the beach. We also provide results …

Autumn Marine Bird Populations In Queen Charlotte Strait And Adjacent Waters: A Candidate For Iba/Kba Status, Anthony J. Gaston, Mark Maftei, Sonya A. Pastran

Marine Ornithology

Systematic transect surveys of marine birds in eastern Queen Charlotte Strait and the western part of Johnstone Strait, British Columbia, Canada, were made between mid-August and mid-October 2020–2022. All birds within 100-m transect strips were counted and numbers corrected for detectability. Extrapolating within five regions of differing ecological characteristics and seabird densities, our results indicate that the study area supported 1% or more of the North American populations of Pigeon Guillemot Cepphus columba, Marbled Murrelet Brachyramphus marmoratus, California Gull Larus californicus, Glaucous-winged Gull L. glaucescens, Iceland Gull L. glaucoides, and Short-billed Gull L. brachyrhynchos. Our estimation of gull species in …

Reviews: Chasing The Sun (Musso, T.); New(Ish) And Noteworthy: Ocean Bestiary: Meeting Marine Life From Abalone To Orca To Zooplankton (King, R.J.); Flight Paths: How A Passionate And Quirky Group Of Pioneering Scientists Solved The Mystery Of Bird Migration (Heisman, R.); Nonviolent Communication: A Language Of Life, 3rd Edition (Rosenberg, M. B.); The Home Place: Memoirs Of A Colored Man's Love Affair With Nature (Lanham, J.D.), David C. Duffy, Eric Wagner

Marine Ornithology

No abstract provided.

Best Practices For Using Drones In Seabird Monitoring And Research, Alice J. Edney, Tom Hart, Mark J. Jessopp, Alex Banks, Lucy E. Clarke, Laure Cugnière, Kyle H. Elliot, Ignacio Juarez Martinez, Alexandra Kilcoyne, Matthew Murphy, Ruedi G. Nager, Norman Ratcliffe, Danielle L. Thompson, Robin M. Ward, Matt J. Wood

Marine Ornithology

Over the past decade, drones have become increasingly popular in environmental biology and have been used to study wildlife on all continents. Drones have become of global importance for surveying breeding seabirds by providing opportunities to transform monitoring techniques and allow new research on some of the most threatened birds. However, such fast-changing and increasingly available technology presents challenges to regulators responding to requests to carry out surveys and to researchers ensuring their work follows best practices and meets legal and ethical standards. Following a workshop convened at the 14th International Seabird Group Conference and a subsequent literature search, we …

Oiling Threats To Marine Birds On Southern Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, Douglas F. Bertram, Patrick D. O’Hara, Alexandra M. King, Clifford L.K. Robinson, Mark Maftei, Kerry J. Woo

Marine Ornithology

Information on the distribution and abundance of marine birds is needed to evaluate current status in relation to threats from potential increases in vessel traffic off southern Vancouver Island, British Columbia (BC), Canada, in the Salish Sea. We conducted year-round boat based surveys in waters between Sidney, BC and Victoria, BC from November 2015 to August 2019 and examined seasonal variation in bird distribution and abundance. Our study area included parts of the Sidney Channel Important Bird Area, the Shoal Harbour and Victoria Harbour Migratory Bird Sanctuaries, and the Chain Islets Ecological Reserve, adjacent to major shipping lanes, as well …