Digital Commons Network^™

Assessing The Status And Distribution Of The Many-Lined Salamander (Stereochilus Marginatus) In Florida, Aubrey Heupel Greene, Kevin W. Christman, Jonathan D. Mays, Daniel U. Greene, David A. Steen

Florida Field Naturalist

To better understand the contemporary status and distribution of the many-lined salamander (Stereochilus marginatus) at the southern extent of the species’ range, we surveyed for the species within Florida between 2022 and early 2024, including both known historical locations and additional sites with apparently suitable habitat within occupied drainages. Prior to our study, many-lined salamanders had not been documented in the state since 1991 but we recorded 23 observations (eight adults and 15 juveniles) from two sites; the relatively few detections precluded analyses to better understand activity patterns or evaluate habitat quality. Many-lined salamanders remain extant in Florida but face …

Arthropods Collected From Common Yellowthroats (Geothlypis Trichas) On Vaca Key, Florida, Lawrence J. Hribar

Florida Field Naturalist

No abstract provided.

Friends Of Ffn, Florida Field Naturalist

Florida Field Naturalist

No abstract provided.

Cover, Florida Field Naturalist

Florida Field Naturalist

No abstract provided.

Organic Anion Lithium Ionic Cocrystal Compounds And Compositions, Michael John Zaworotko, Naga Duggirala, Adam John Smith, Roland Douglas Shytle

USF Patents

A cocrystal having the formula LiX·aM, or a solvate or hydrate thereof, wherein X is a conjugate base of an organic acid, M is a neutral organic molecule, and a is from 0.5 to 4, pharmaceutical compositions comprising such cocrystals, cocrystal solvates, or cocrystal hydrates, and methods of preparing such cocrystals, cocrystal solvates, or cocrystal hydrates, and such pharmaceutical compositions.

Systems And Methods For At-Home Monitoring Of An Individual, Reese Kyle Starowesky, Carlos Eduardo Pena Duran, Autar Kaw, Ali Yalcin, Carla Vandeweerd

USF Patents

In one embodiment, a sensor unit includes an outer housing including a top plate and a base member that together define an interior space, the top plate being configured to directly receive and support the leg of the piece of furniture, a load cell provided within the interior space configured to measure forces imposed by the leg on the top plate, the load cell including a planar metal plate having a deformable element to which the top plate is mounted and a sensor element mounted to the planar metal plate at a location at which the deformable element extends from …

High Ability, Hidden Gaps: Building Quantitative Reasoning Amongst Singapore’S Mathematically Literate, Rebecca M. Nichols

Numeracy

In Singapore, where primary and secondary students routinely top standardized worldwide mathematics examinations, a paradox emerges: when reaching university, many struggle to apply their skills critically in real-world contexts. This commentary examines the challenges and strategies involved in teaching quantitative reasoning (QR) to mathematically literate students in a top-ranking Singaporean university. While these students arrive well-trained in computation and procedural problem-solving, they often lack confidence and flexibility in ambiguous, data-driven decision-making. This article argues that fostering QR education is crucial not only for Singapore but for education globally, as QR skills underpin evidence-based reasoning within and across disciplines. Such an …

Crow's Nest, April 28, 2025, Crow's Nest Staff

Crow's Nest

No abstract provided.

Gnsi Decision Brief: De Oppresso Liber – Applying Green Beret Identify And Ethos To Build U.S. Military Resiliency, Robert S. Burrell, Joseph E. Long, Charles Cleveland

GNSI Decision Briefs

Military ethos is the “spirit of the unit, which is the sense of unity that leads warriors on the battlefield to believe that the lives of those around them are more important than their own.” In 2025 Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth promised a return to a “warrior ethos,” which he said the Department of Defense (DOD) has lost because of the recent politicized climate, including diversity, equity, and inclusion policies. This brief will utilize the Army's Special Forces as a viable model for achieving collective military spirit in one of the world's most diverse nations.

High-Throughput Nmr Approach For In-Membrane Protein Ligand Screening, Libin Ye, Xudong Wang

USF Patents

This disclosure relates to the identification of interactions between ligands and in-membrane proteins using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Also provided are methods for high-throughput identification of in-membrane ligand-membrane protein interactions.

Hypergraph Search For Real-Time Multi-Robot Task Allocation In A Smart Factory, Zixiang Nie, Kwang-Cheng Chen

USF Patents

Task assignment for multi-robot systems (MRSs) in a smart factory (Industry 4.0) is described. Aspects are directed to a hypergraph based MRS and production model facilitating the cooperation among robots and serving frequent reconfiguration desired in Industry 4.0. Aspects are directed to a time complexity friendly search algorithm for real-time application using a hypergraph model to get task assignment(s). Parameters are provided for a tradeoff between solution optimality and time complexity. In an implementation, an example system can include a MRS including robots, wherein the MRS is configured to perform a manufacturing task, and a computing device configure to perform …

Publicly Verifiable And Resilient Symmetric Authentication And Privacy Systems And Related Methods, Attila Altay Yavuz

USF Patents

A method for publicly verifiable symmetric cryptography is disclosed. The method includes: obtaining an initial encrypted key and a homomorphic public key; obtaining a first message and an initial signature; calculating an initial hashed value of the first message; setting a cryptographic function of the initial hashed value of the first message and an initial private key; generating an evaluated value based on the cryptographic function, the homomorphic public key, the initial encrypted key, and the initial hashed value of the first message; and transmitting, at the verifier, a verification result based on a hashed value of the initial signature …

Contribution To The Knowledge Of Cave-Dwelling Fauna From The Prokletije Mountains, Joanna Kocot-Zalewska, Iwona Słowińska, Paweł Domagała, Jakub Bienias, Dominik Szymański, Dawid Szymański, Hubert Szymański, Paweł Sienkiewicz, Andrzej Józef Woźnica

International Journal of Speleology

The article presents the results of the study on invertebrate fauna inhabiting caves in the Prokletije Mountains. This mountain range is located on the border of Montenegro, Albania, and Kosovo. During the expeditions to Albania in 2021 and to Montenegro in 2022–2023, 17 caves and one bauxite mine were visited altogether. All the studied caves are located very high, above 1,700 m a.s.l., where the temperature inside is low, and several are filled with ice or snow. During the Albanian expedition 102 arthropods have been collected altogether. Among these were 19 beetles (Coleoptera), 44 flies (Diptera), three crickets (Orthoptera), five …

Crow's Nest, April 14, 2025, Crow's Nest Staff

Crow's Nest

The April 14, 2025, issue of Crow's Nest.

Adapting To Uncertainty: Strategic Decision Making In The Fresh Produce Supply Chain Under Fluctuating Market Conditions, Jacqueline Kelly

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The global fresh produce supply chain faces increasing uncertainty due to economic volatility, shifting trade policies, logistical constraints, and evolving consumer demand. In this dissertation, I examine industrial purchasing decision-making grounded in the Industrial Buyer Behavior (IBB) framework. The study explores how supply chain experts navigate uncertainty, mitigate risks, and implement adaptive strategies to maintain efficiency and profitability.

Using a qualitative approach, this research draws on in-depth interviews with industry professionals to identify key factors influencing purchasing decisions, including supply chain resilience, technological advancements, sustainability, and geopolitical risks. Findings indicate flexible sourcing strategies, real-time logistical adjustments, and predictive analytics are …

Precarious Pedagogy: A Critical Autoethnography Of Adjunct Labor, Erin V. Howell

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The following autoethnographic study explores the experiences and use of adjunct faculty within the neoliberal higher education landscape. Adjunct faculty comprise most of the contemporary professoriate, accounting for nearly 75 percent of higher education instructors. Precarious labor practices, lack of job security, and limited institutional support often characterize adjunct employment. The use of adjunct labor and the vulnerability of their positions are impacted by structural inequities perpetuated by academic capitalism. By privileging the experiences of adjunct faculty, this study contributes to an ongoing conversation about labor practices and inequities in higher education. This dissertation examines the ways in which adjuncts …

Large Area Sintering Test Platform And Associated Method Of Use, Christopher Joseph Gardiner, Justin Nussbaum, Nathan Crane

USF Patents

A large area sintering platform, system, and methodology. The system includes a convection oven with a projection window disposed within a top surface of the oven. A platform is disposed within the oven below the window at a spaced distance away from the window. A powder is positioned on top of the platform, with a thermocouple positioned within the powder on the platform. A high intensity projector moves in sync with the platform, and uses low intensities and long exposure times to project an image through the window onto the powder and sinter the powder to fabricate the desired model …

Ultrahigh Surface Area Materials And Methods Of Making The Same, Jay A. Bieber

USF Patents

In one embodiment, a surface has a laser-beam machined area including an array of micro-sized conical pillars that are arranged in orthogonal rows and columns across the surface and that extend upward, the conical pillars defining deep troughs between them that are configured to absorb electrons, electromagnetic radiation, or both, the conical pillars tapering from relatively wide bases to pointed tips, the conical pillars comprising outer surfaces that are covered with a plurality of nanoparticles.

From The Editors, Rodney Kite-Powell, Andy Huse

Tampa Bay History

No abstract provided.

Work, War, Wit, Wisdom: Lessons And Legacies From Ybor City, Donna Piñero Parrino

Tampa Bay History

No abstract provided.

Enhancing State-Of-The-Art Motor Imagery Classification With Reinforcement Learning, Anton Shepelev

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

One of the key obstacles to the rapid adoption of non-invasive Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) for Motor Imagery (MI) is the low signal-to-noise ratio, and the substantial data requirements which can be mentally taxing for users. EEGNet, a compact Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), has long been considered the state-of-the-art (SOTA) for MI classification, demonstrating strong performance even with limited data. However, recent studies advocate for integrating Deep Reinforcement Learning (RL) to further enhance classification accuracy by dynamically optimizing feature extraction and decision-making processes. Despite this potential, practical implementations remain scarce due to challenges in stabilizing RL training and adapting it to …

Cyber Security Of Autonomous Vehicles: The Implications For City Planning, Tegg Westbrook

Journal of Strategic Security

The rise of autonomous vehicles (AVs) has proclaimed positive consequences for urban quality, including reductions in accidents and deaths. As automobiles become digitalized, questions over cyber or electronic threats require further contextualization in urban security scholarship. Focusing on literature on radiofrequency interference of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)-aided and -dependent systems, the aim of this article is to consider threats to vehicle safety from electronic interference and the implications for users, city planners, asset managers, and vehicle manufacturers.

While well-known issues such as privacy aversion, tax avoidance, and fraud are documented, it expands on other less-well-known threats to autonomous vehicles …

Understanding The Strategic Value Of The Assassination Of President Juvénal Habyarimana, Jonathan R. Beloff

Journal of Strategic Security

This article examines the assassination of former Rwandan President Juvénal Habyarimana through the utilization of strategic theory. The President's assassination on the night of April 6, 1994, ignited the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, which killed up to a million Rwandan Tutsis and non-extremist Hutus within 100 days. While the assassins are still unknown, speculation exists of whether the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) or the former ruling akazu ordered the attack. It concludes that the akazu was the most likely actor behind Habyarimana's assassination, given that the structure of strategic incentives favored its position over the alternatives.

Combating Genocide Denial Through Rwanda’S Foreign Policy, Jonathan R. Beloff

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

Rwanda’s foreign policy is still greatly influenced by the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, commonly referred to as the Rwanda Genocide. Despite the genocidal massacres ending over thirty years ago, the Rwandan government still perceives its continued threat. Despite tangible threats to the state, such as the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) decline, the concern of the genocide’s lasting ideology and denial still concerns Rwandan policymakers responsible for the nation’s foreign policy and remembrance. This research relies on in-depth fieldwork with various Rwandan government agencies responsible for crafting state security, foreign policy, and anti-genocide policies. It examines …

Beyond States And Spies: The Security Intelligence Services Of The Private Sector. By Lewis Sage-Passant. Edinburgh University Press, 2024., Angeliki Martinou Phd

Journal of Strategic Security

No abstract provided.

Communicating Assessments With Impact: Insights From The Scientific Community, Emily M. Mccarthy

Journal of Strategic Security

Assessments analysts are extensively trained in the application of analytic techniques, but less time is spent equipping them with the tools needed to communicate their assessments effectively. Great pains can be taken to frame, research, and answer an assessment question, but that effort is wasted if the message isn’t heard and embraced by decision makers. An analogous challenge is experienced in the scientific community, where researchers are traditionally trained in methodological rigor rather than impactful communication. Acknowledging this, the scientific community has undertaken a concerted effort to develop and implement evidence-based strategies to communicate its findings with impact. This article …

Dangerous Legitimacy: The Risks Of Normalizing Hamas As A Fundamentalist Terror Group In Western Discourse, Shevach Berkovits, Darnell Downes, Hunter Lacroix, Michael Dobkowski

Journal of Strategic Security

This article examines the dangers of Western discourse misrepresenting and normalizing Hamas, a fundamentalist terrorist group, as a legitimate actor in regional crises and conflicts. It explores Hamas' origins as a global terrorist organization, its history of armed conflict with neighbors and the broader Western world, and its ideological roots in religious fundamentalism and totalitarianism. The article argues that Hamas’ principles and actions are fundamentally incompatible with Western democratic ideals, posing a significant threat to regional and global security. It also addresses the ongoing challenges of "Western washing" Hamas through propaganda spread via social activism and social media. The article …

Security Conditionality: Evidence And Effectiveness, Philip Reynolds

Journal of Strategic Security

Conditionality, the practice of attaching conditions to aid, loans, or grant assistance, has become a ubiquitous feature of security assistance. Conditionality is predicted on its deterrent or motivational effects with the ultimate goal being to incentivize and influence the behavior of recipient countries to align with the strategic interests and values of the provider country. While lauded for its potential to promote reforms and good governance, conditionality has also been criticized for its intrusiveness, ineffectiveness, and potential to undermine national sovereignty. This paper argues that security conditionality in the emerging multiplex system will have no influence on recipient behavior. Middle …

Reconstructing Russian Strategic Culture: Narratives, Othering, And The West, Dogachan Dagi

Journal of Strategic Security

The importance of narratives in the constitution of Russian strategic culture has been largely neglected. This is due to the common assumption that Russian strategic culture is out there, historically determined, and constant from the Russian Empire through the Soviet Union to Putin’s Russia. This article argues that Russian strategic culture is not ‘etched in stone,’ but a dynamic ‘context’ in the making of which stories told about the past and the present, the Russian self and its others, threats and aspirations play a constitutive role. As such, this article demonstrates how Russian strategic culture is being continuously reconstructed by …

Human Trafficking In South Africa. By Philip Frankel. Cape Town: Hsrc Press, 2023., Ezenwa Olumba Phd

Journal of Strategic Security

No abstract provided.