Digital Commons Network^™

Three-Dimensional Printed Swabs For Diagnostic Testing, Summer J. Decker, Jonathan Ford, Todd Hazelton, Todd Goldstein, Kami Kim, Michael Teng, John Sinnott

USF Patents

A three-dimensional printed swab may include a shaft defining a longitudinal axis of the swab, and a tip portion integrally formed with the shaft. The tip portion may include a plurality of protrusions each extending outward from the shaft and transverse to the longitudinal axis. A method for fabricating a three-dimensional printed swab may include receiving a digital three-dimensional model corresponding to the swab, and integrally forming, via three-dimensional printing and based at least in part on the digital three-dimensional model, a shaft and a tip portion of the swab. The shaft may define a longitudinal axis of the swab. …

Forum, Volume 49, No. 2, Summer 2025, Florida Humanities, Pam Daniel

FORUM: The Magazine of Florida Humanities

Contents: Letter from the Executive Director -- Letter from the Secretary of State -- From the Editor -- Humanities Live -- Treasure -- Oral History -- Florida Seen -- Florida Reads -- The Saltwater Road -- The Hero with a Thousand Purses -- Indigenous Florida -- A Taste of Florida -- Environmental Humanities -- The Quiz

China-Taliban Security Ties: A Reimagining Of South Asia's Security Discourse, Amit Kumar Mr., Veena Ramachandran

Journal of Strategic Security

This article examines how China constructs a distinct security discourse on terrorism through its engagement with the Taliban in Afghanistan. Moving beyond traditional materialist interpretations of security, the study draws on critical security studies to explore how China uses language, representation, and institutional practices to frame terrorism and project itself as a regional stabilizer. The Taliban’s return to power in 2021 has prompted China to expand its strategic presence in South Asia, particularly through economic diplomacy, intelligence cooperation, and regional multilateral and minilateral forums. Through qualitative discourse analysis of Chinese official statements, white papers, SCO documents, and state media narratives, …

Capability Building And Quality Management In Higher Education: An Empirical Investigation, Kanwal Nasim, Xiaowen Tian

Journal of Global Education and Research

This paper proposes a resource-capability-based framework of quality management in Higher Education (HE) and empirically tests it against the experience of HE institutes in Pakistan. The paper posits that HE institutions face intensifying global education competition in a world of accelerated globalization, fast pace of technology development, and rapidly growing knowledge. To enhance quality and performance, they need to build higher-order dynamic capabilities of knowledge creation and transfer (KCT) undergirded by orchestrating three sets of resources they own or control: Staff, students, and facilities. The paper hypothesizes how HE institutions can orchestrate the resources to build up dynamic KCT capabilities …

Causes And Effects Of Science Tutor Attrition At The Colleges Of Education In The Northern Zone Of Ghana: A Qualitative Study, Collins D. Amadu, Rose Dognia, Solomon Boachie, Taarique-Ahmad Yahaya

Journal of Global Education and Research

The study investigated the causes and effects of science tutor attrition in the colleges of education in the Northern Zone of Ghana. Three science and mathematics colleges were used for the study. The study adopted a qualitative approach with 9 participants who volunteered to take part. The interview guide was the sole instrument for data collection. The interviews were conducted through face-to-face and phone calls. The recorded conversations were transcribed and categorized into themes. The study found that the science tutor attrition rate was caused by several factors. These factors could be grouped into unmet expectations of the tutors and …

Effectiveness Of Digital Learning Materials On Students' Achievement In Science: A Meta-Analysis, Bingo L. Aligo, Maricar S. Prudente

Journal of Global Education and Research

Researchers have been examining educational resources and content to enhance and support the learning experience. As technology continues to transform the way we learn and access information, digital learning materials have become increasingly popular in modern education. This study looked at how different kinds of digital learning materials affected science students’ learning achievement. The moderator variables used were grade level (kindergarten, primary, intermediate, and secondary), subject (biological sciences, general science, and physical sciences), and length of exposure (1 to 3 weeks, 4 to 6 weeks, and 10 to 12 weeks). A total of 14 studies were considered, involving 789 students …

Transformative Education: Paulo Freire’S Pedagogy Of The Oppressed And Its Contemporary Resonance, James P. Takona

Journal of Global Education and Research

This study explores the importance of Freire’s critique of the ‘banking model’ of education and its implications for contemporary challenges such as digitalization, cultural inclusivity, and sustainability. By addressing systemic barriers, Freire’s concepts offer valuable strategies for fostering critical consciousness, cooperative learning, and equitable opportunities. Culturally responsive teaching and sustainability education align with Freirean principles, providing tools to address global issues like inequality and climate change. These approaches recognize students’ real-world experiences, encourage critical thinking, and inspire collective action. The findings demonstrate Freire’s educational strategy as a valuable tool for educators and policymakers. By embracing his principles of dialogue, empowerment, …

Afghanistan: Consolidation Of Power Under The Taliban, Challenges And Sustainability, Ali Ahmad Jalali

Journal of Strategic Security

Four years after the return of the Taliban to power in Afghanistan, the country under the clerics’ rule is peaceful but not stable. The country is internationally isolated, economically in crisis and socio-politically divided. Despite earlier pledges to share power with other Afghan parties and respect democratic rights of all Afghans,^[i] the Taliban swiftly reinstated many of their harshest policies, pushing women out of public life and allowing no dissent.

Adhering to an ideology of radical exceptionalism, the ruling Taliban maintain control over the country through a totalitarian governance while keeping ideological ties with regional and global Jihadist groups. …

Afghanistan: Taliban’S Second Chance And Red Strategy, Oleg Golishnikov

Journal of Strategic Security

An objective evaluation of Afghanistan’s political and socioeconomic situation since the Taliban’s takeover in August 2021 is crucial for understanding and addressing security issues at the national, regional, and global levels. Unlike most studies, this article provides new insights, offering a balanced assessment of the situation in Afghanistan and developing recommendations on dealing with the Taliban regime. By employing qualitative methods and a rational theory framework, this article argues that Afghanistan under Taliban rule is experiencing a mix of positive and negative trends. Major positive trends include the relative peace in Afghanistan, the Taliban’s real power and control over the …

From Nation-Building To Collapse: Analyzing Afghanistan’S 2021 Fall And The Geopolitical Entropies Of U.S. Withdrawal, Arash Beidollahkhani, Edriss Rasa

Journal of Strategic Security

The collapse of the Afghan government in 2021 and the subsequent return of the Taliban marked a significant shift in contemporary geopolitics. This paper examines the political and social dynamics surrounding the U.S. and allied forces' withdrawal, focusing on the entropic forces that contributed to the breakdown of Afghanistan’s governance system. While Afghanistan has experienced recurrent governmental collapses, the post-2021 crisis highlights deeper structural challenges within both the geopolitical and domestic spheres. The research investigates the failure of the U.S.-backed Afghan government, established through two decades of nation-building efforts, and explores how the abrupt foreign withdrawal dismantled fragile political structures, …

Taliban 1.0 And 2.0 In Afghanistan: Same Policies, Persistent Vision, Sharif Hozoori

Journal of Strategic Security

The Taliban emerged as a movement in 1994, toppled the government of the Mujahideen, and ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001. They finally recaptured power in 2021 after the US withdrawal from the region. This paper refers to the first Taliban rule as Taliban 1.0 and their second as Taliban 2.0. Taliban 1.0 imposed draconian laws and regulations on women and minorities while harboring regional and international terrorist organizations. Later, the Taliban 2.0 followed its predecessor in policies regarding women, minorities, and sheltering terrorist organizations. Considering this background, this paper addresses whether Taliban 1.0 and 2.0 maintain the same policies …

Managing/Negotiating The Unexpected: Principals’ Sensemaking Of A School Reopening Policy During A Crisis, The Covid-19 Pandemic, Andrea O'Sullivan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate high school principals’ Sensemaking of a school reopening policy during the COVID-19 pandemic. I inquired about four high school Principals, in the State of Florida, made sense of an Executive Order to reopen schools during a pandemic. As method, I applied Weick (1995) interpretivist framework of Sensemaking as reconceptualized by Coetzee & Wilkinson (2020), as both a theoretical and an analytic framework for a priori analysis. Weick (1995) included seven guiding principles of identity, retrospect, ongoing, enactments, social, extracted cues, and plausibility. Coetzee and Wilkinson (2020) emphasize an eighth principle of reflection …

Corrosion Mitigation And Monitoring Of Bridge Tendons And Failure Forecasting Of Wastewater Force Mains, Stanley Chike Agbakansi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Corrosion remains a significant threat to civil infrastructure, resulting in costly repairsand potential structural failures. This dissertation addresses three critical aspects of corrosion: mitigation and monitoring of post-tensioned bridge tendons, and failure forecasting of wastewater force mains due to internal corrosion.

First, the research investigates the effectiveness of corrosion inhibitors (CIs) applied via pressure injection (impregnation) in post-tensioned tendons. The protective mechanisms and long-term performance of various inhibitors were evaluated to identify the most effective formulations. Among the tested inhibitors, MCI-2020 — a water-based, migratory, mixed-type corrosion inhibitor — demonstrated the most promising results, showing excellent corrosion protection while preserving …

The "N" Framework: A Teacher Knowledge Framework For Numeracy Across The Curriculum, Kathy O'Sullivan, Niamh O'Meara, Merrilyn Goos, Paul Conway

Numeracy

Governments and policymakers around the world are encouraging teachers to teach numeracy across the curriculum. This paper proposes a theoretical framework for the knowledge required to teach numeracy across multiple disciplines. The concept of teacher knowledge is complex and consists of many different facets of knowledge. This paper proposes a framework that integrates theories from existing models of general and subject specific teacher knowledge, along with a model of numeracy. The authors developed the "N" framework, an integrated framework of numeracy knowledge, subject specific knowledge, and pedagogical content knowledge. Each element is essential for teaching numeracy across the curriculum in …

Digital Resistance And The Political Economy Of Authoritarian Decline And Economic Liberalization In Ethiopia, Anaol Dalle

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation aims to examine the impact increased consumption of digital technologies, like social media and the internet, has on the stability and autonomy of low-capacity authoritarian countries. By using Ethiopia (2015-2021) as a case study, the dissertation argues that the sudden adoption and proliferation of digital platforms serves as an exogenous shock that pushes the state into a critical juncture that unravels institutional equilibria and transforms domestic incentive structures and institutions. This creates a power vacuum, which triggers a period of intense, and often violent, competition between elite groups, significantly destabilizing the state. In the absence of a cohesive …

Teaching Word Combinations Using Matrix Training Via Serious Gaming In Minimally Verbal Children, Nataly Innamorato

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation addresses the communication challenges faced by minimally verbal children who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), often limited to one-word expressions. The approach used involves gamifying matrix training, an empirically supported method for teaching word combinations and promoting the generalization of language skills. Across three studies, the development of an instructional game is described and evaluated with two populations, typically developing children and children who are minimally verbal. First, it introduces a gamified application of matrix training that provides training in an interactive digital environment. Second, a proof-of-concept was obtained via a multiple baseline across participants with typically …

Throughput Of Ascon Compared With Popular Iot Encryption Algorithms, Mitchel R. Harvey (Ryan), Andrew M. Kaiser, Garrett W. Hoiness

Military Cyber Affairs

No abstract provided.

Using Blockchain Technology To Help Secure America's Defense Critical Infrastructure, Vimal Buck, Aerin Krebs, Brynn Hillard, Jakob Gerha, Joseph Lutma, Srikar Maduposu, Ted Allen

Military Cyber Affairs

Critical water infrastructure in the United States faces increasing cybersecurity threats from state-sponsored actors, with potentially devastating consequences for national security, economic stability, and public health. (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, 2025). This infrastructure supports defense critical assets and is actively being targeted by various state-sponsored hacking groups, which poses a major concern for civilians and military alike. K. Herath (personal communication, February 24, 2025) reported being aware of two attacks on Ohio water systems during his tenure as Cybersecurity Strategic Advisor to Ohio Governor Mike DeWine.

Water is essential to everyday life and defense and presents as a high-value …

Quantifying Adversary Military Forces’ Susceptibility To Cognitive Attacks, Bonnie Rushing, Cole Nelson, Shouhuai Xu, Christofer “Raven” O’Keefe, Olga Karpoyan

Military Cyber Affairs

This paper introduces a method to quantify international populations’ susceptibility to cyber cognitive attacks using press freedom and media trust metrics. We present the Cognitive Influence Calculator, a tool that estimates susceptibility (𝑆) based on Press Freedom Scores (PFS) and media trust levels. Findings show that while authoritarian regimes are harder to reach, successful cognitive attacks have greater impacts due to higher trust in state-controlled narratives. Using U.S. wargaming data and international trust metrics, we compute susceptibility scores for the U.S., Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea. Results show an inverse relationship between PFS and media susceptibility, with local/allied …

Understanding Russia’S Cyber Policies, Strategies, And Doctrines, Bryan Hancock, Hanh Nguyen, Olga Karpoyan, Ekzhin Ear, Shouhuai Xu

Military Cyber Affairs

This study analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of Russia’s cyber policies, strategies, and doctrines through a systematic set of attributes, leading to key insights: (i) Russia has proactively adapted its cyber policies, strategies, and doctrines to its evolving environment; (ii) Russia actively conducts cognitive warfare, but remains equally vulnerable to it; and (iii) Russia’s cyber posture faces significant challenges, including a limited technological base, shortage of skilled personnel, and restrictive approach to information control, all of which undermine the effectiveness of its strategies. These insights offer valuable implications for US Cyber Command and the Department of Defense.

Characterizing Cyberattacks Against Operational Technology Infrastructures Through The Lens Of Attack Flows, Sherman Kettner, Caleb Chang, Ekzhin Ear, Shouhuai Xu

Military Cyber Affairs

Operational Technology (OT) infrastructures play a critical role in modern society and economy. However, their increasing connectivity with public networks such as the Internet has made them vulnerable to cyberattacks, much like traditional Information Technology (IT) systems. In particular, cyberattacks against OT infrastructures remain relatively underexplored and little understood. In this paper, we aim to deepen our understanding of cyberattacks against OT infrastructures. For this purpose, we propose a methodology, including novel cybersecurity metrics to analyze the attack flows of these attacks in an end-to-end fashion, which allows us to draw useful insights. We demonstrate the utility of the methodology …

Algorithms Of Eversion: Contemporary States And Digital Sovereigns, James Libengood

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI), the internet of things (IoT), and digitization have pushed digital sovereignty to the top of the governance agenda in the 21st century. This notion is expanded upon in this work through seven chapters encompassing theoretical underpinnings, methodological frameworks, and real-world case studies. It shows how multinational corporations dominate digital coloniality, and how the merge of physical and digital reality or eversion poses challenges. The study compares contrasting governance approaches, such as the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), geared to ethical AI and data protection, versus BRICS nations’ stance on data localization …

Exploring Culturally Responsive Literacy Practices In Prekindergarten: A Multimodal Approach By Teachers, Deeksha Thonta Aradhya

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Children from culturally and ethnically diverse backgrounds are often expected to learn within different cultural contexts than those they have experienced in their families, homes, and communities. Some children are rarely exposed to the dominant culture and practices that are highly valued in schools before entering early education settings. When they start (pre)school, young children are often expected to immediately participate in cultural practices that may differ from those at home, which are considered indicative of being successful, ready, or capable. This research aimed to investigate the culturally responsive literacy practices used by teachers in a laboratory prekindergarten classroom. The …

Cinematic Abuse: A Critical Analysis Of Disney’S “Happily Ever After” In The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, And The Princess And The Frog, Erin Michelle Gough

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the manner in which three animated Disney princess films cultivate stereotypes and gendered behaviors consistent with domestic violence and thereby encourages viewers to accept and tolerate abuse against women. I argue that due to the dangerous, constricting, and sexist gender roles encouraged by the Walt Disney Corporation, films prime young girls and boys to react to social situations and encounters in a way that mirror the characters’ reactions. Because of the films’ entertainment value, most of the characters’ inappropriate, stereotypical, and often violent behaviors either go unnoticed or are passively accepted. The violence does not have to …

Evaluating Behavioral Skills Training To Teach Salsa Dancing Skills To Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder And/Or Intellectual Disabilities, Joshua I. Nieves

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research has demonstrated behavioral skills training (BST) to be an effective teaching procedure for acquisition of a variety of skills among both neurotypical and neurodiverse individuals across different ages. Moreover, recent studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of BST for enhancing sports performance when training neurotypical children and adults. However, there is limited research on the effectiveness of BST for enhancing sports performance, and specifically dance performance, among individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and/or intellectual disabilities (ID). Dance is a recreational activity that can serve as a form of physical activity for children and adults. Salsa is a Latin style …

Untangling The Threads Of Hope: A Qualitative Media Analysis Of Discourse Relating To Futures For Sickle Cell Disease, Amanda R. Malerba

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most common inherited blood disorder worldwide, with a disproportionate burden on people of African ancestry. Life with this illness is characterized by chronic physical pain, overlapping health conditions, and often early death. In the United States, the physical symptoms of the disease are frequently compounded by experiences of racial inequality and oppression embedded in the medical system that contribute to detrimental outcomes. Because of the complex biocultural web of factors contributing to the suffering of people with SCD, much of the anthropological scholarship surrounding this illness prioritizes deconstructing systems of power, oppression, and inequality. …

Utilization Of Bixin-Loaded Polycaprolactone Nanoparticles To Ameliorate E-Cigarette-Induced Damage To Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells, Sophia R. Claymore

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) have increased in popularity and usage over the last few decades. E-cigs are generally composed of a liquid containing nicotine flavoring chemicals, a battery, a vaporization chamber, and a coil that heats the liquid upon inhalation of the mouthpiece. E-cigs were initially introduced as a healthy alternative to cigarette smoking. However, recent research has demonstrated that e-cigs elicit comparable cytotoxic and dangerous effects to conventional cigarettes. Bixin has been introduced in recent research as a candidate for therapeutic applications due to its innate anticancer, antioxidative, and anti-inflammatory characteristics. Nanoparticles (NPs) have emerged over the past few decades …

Adapting And Evaluating A Positive Psychology Intervention For Children With Cancer And Their Families, Camryn Legra

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study utilized a mixed methods approach in two phases. The first phase entailed adapting an evidence-based positive psychology intervention—the Well-Being Promotion Program (WBPP; Suldo, 2016)— for children with pediatric cancer. The WBPP has mostly been provided to students at public schools, and to the researcher’s knowledge, has never been used for children with pediatric cancer. To make it culturally appropriate for this group of students, adaptations were made by collecting input and recommendations from a sample of two caregivers of children with pediatric cancer who participated in a focus group. A micro-interlocutor analysis (Onwuegbuzie et al., 2009) was completed …

Food For Thought: Binge Planning Cognitions And Behaviors Within An Online Sample Of Adults With Binge-Type Eating Disorders, Rose H. Miller

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research has begun exploring the phenomenon of binge planning, wherein individuals who binge eat do so with forethought, rather than impulsively. What specific thought processes and behaviors comprise binge plans remains unexamined. How, or if, the eating disorder presentations of individuals who plan binges ahead of time differ from those who binge impulsively is also still unknown. The present study sought to explore the thoughts, emotions, and behaviors associated with binge planning, and to identify how the motivations, symptomologies, and personality traits (i.e., impulsivity) differ between binge eaters who do or do not plan their binges. An online study using …

Branding In The Spotlight: The Impact Of Name, Image, And Likeness (Nil) On Athlete Brand Image In College Athletics, Timothy Jeremiah Ervin Ii

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative thesis explores the impact of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) on athlete brand image within college athletics, with a focus on the lived experiences of men and women college basketball players. Through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with eight Division I athletes, the study examines how NIL has influenced personal branding, identity construction, and public visibility. Guided by brand identity theory and athlete brand image, and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis, four central themes emerged: athlete (brand) empowerment, legacy through authenticity, navigating influence, image, and objectification, and economic viability and opportunity. Additionally, the concept of self-presentation emerged as …