Digital Commons Network^™

Challenges And Opportunities In Implementing And Enforcing India’S Loose Cigarette Sales Ban: A Qualitative Stakeholder Analysis, Mayank Sakhuja, Daniela B. Friedman Ph.D., Mark M. Macauda Phd, Mph, James R. Hebert Scd, Mangesh S. Pednekar, Prakash C. Gupta, James F. Thrasher Ph.D., Ma, Ms

Faculty Publications

Introduction Several Indian states have banned the sale of loose cigarettes, and India is considering a national ban. This study examines the perceptions of policymakers, implementers, and law enforcement officials regarding the implementation and enforcement of this ban. Methods Between May–October 2022, we conducted in-depth interviews with 26 key stakeholders involved in tobacco control in two Indian cities, Delhi (where the ban was not implemented) and Mumbai (where the ban was in effect). Participants included representatives from various government departments such as police, municipal corporations, FDA, health, and civil society organizations / NGOs such as Vital Strategies, World Health Organization, …

Editorial: Artificial Intelligence For Smart Health: Learning, Simulation, And Optimization, Bing Yao, Nathan Gaw, Hyo Kyung Lee

Faculty Publications

With rapid developments in medical sensing and imaging, we now live in an era of data explosion in which large amounts of data are readily available in clinical environments. The fast-growing biomedical and healthcare data provide unprecedented opportunities for data-driven scientific knowledge discovery and clinical decision support. Our Research Topic aims to catalyze synergies among biomedical informatics, machine learning, computer simulation, operations research, systems engineering, and other related fields with three specific goals: (1) develop cutting-edge data-driven models to accelerate scientific knowledge discovery in biomedicine using healthcare data collected from laboratory systems, imaging systems, and medical and sensing devices; (2) …

Editorial: Infrastructure Maintenance And Monitoring For Sustainable Cities, Yonas Kassa, Saeed Eftekhar Azam, Deepak Khazanchi, Brian Ricks

Faculty Publications

As cities continue to grow and evolve, maintaining and monitoring their infrastructure becomes an 2 increasingly challenging problem, requiring multidisciplinary approaches. This problem is as critical for 3 developing countries that are rapidly building their infrastructure (Gurara et al., 2018Ede et al., 2019) 4 as it is for already developed countries with aging infrastructure (Van Breugel, 2017). Researchers have 14 Such developments can also be integrated into digital twinning-a technology approach that creates 15 virtual replicas of physical infrastructure elements, systems, and cities-that offers a dynamic framework 16 for real-time monitoring and predictive maintenance through data integration and simulation. The …

Evaluation Of Impact Energy In Composites Using Acoustic Emission Sensing Technique, Li Ai, Tanner Mesaric, Sydney Flowers, Sydney Houck, Joshua Widawsky, Paul Ziehl

Faculty Publications

A major challenge faced by composite materials is impact, which can result in unexpected damage and degradation. Impact events can cause significant structural damage that may not be immediately visible, leading to a reduction in the material’s mechanical properties and overall performance. This paper presents an impact assessment method using acoustic emission (AE) sensing technology. The primary goal of this approach is to determine the extent of impact damage on composite components by analyzing AE signals produced under operating stress conditions. An advanced algorithm is proposed to predict the probability that the damage falls into various damage categories, providing a …

Dynamic Analysis Of Additively Manufactured Tensegrity Structures, Keivan Davami, Russell A. Rowe, Ben Gulledge, Jesse Park, Ali Beheshti, Anthony N. Palazotto, Fariborz Tavangarian, Sadie Beck

Faculty Publications

Herein, we present an analysis, design, and experimental testing of modular prestressed pin-jointed structures constructed from bistable units and inspired by the classical triangular tensegrity prism. Tensegrity structures, characterized by a combination of tension members (cables) and compression members (bars) in a self-equilibrated state, have gained significant attention in engineering over the past two decades due to their unique nonlinear mechanical behavior. The discontinuity of the compression members in tensegrity structures leads to a slightly different failure behavior compared to their lattice structure counterparts, with unprecedented applications. However, traditional fabrication and assembly methods have posed challenges for their widespread adoption. …

Phase Transitions In The Co-Doped Heusler Alloy Ni2mn1−Xcoxga, Jing Han Chen, Tej Poudel Chhetri, Nathaniel Wrobel, Xiaojian Bai, David P. Young, Igor Dubenko, Saikat Talapatra, Naushad Ali, Shane Stadler

Faculty Publications

The phase transitions of a series of Co-doped Heusler alloys, Ni 2 Mn 1 − x Co x Ga ( 0 ⩽ x ⩽ 0.2 ), were investigated experimentally using the magnetization measurements, x-ray diffraction, and calorimetric measurements up to their respective melting points. With increasing Co concentration, the structural transition temperatures, Curie temperatures, and melting points, were observed to increase, while the order-disorder transition temperatures decreased. Temperature-dependent x-ray diffraction experiments revealed two different crystal structures in the low-temperature martensite phase for different Co concentrations. However, above their respective structural transitions, both low-temperature crystal structures transformed into the L2 1 …

Molten Flux Synthesis Of Plutonium (Iv) Silicates K2Pusi2O7 And Rb2Pusi6O15, Travis K. Deason, Gregory Morrison, Amir Mofrad, Jake Amoroso, David Diprete, Theodore M. Besmann, Shanna L. Estes, Hans Conrad Zur Loye

Faculty Publications

Few plutonium containing silicates have been reported in the literature and only one other tetravalent plutonium silicate structure has been reported using the flux growth method. With the goal of understanding actinide incorporation into silicates, we describe herein two new plutonium (IV) silicates, Rb2PuSi6O15 and K2PuSi2O7, synthesized using a mixed alkali chloride/alkali fluoride flux growth. Both structures crystallize in the C2/c space group with lattice parameters a=24.2980(10) Å, b=7.1466(3) Å, c=17.2025(8) Å and 96.6560(10)° for Rb2PuSi6O15, and a=9.9478(2) Å, b=5.59820 (10) Å, c=13.1848(2) Å, and 105.7400(10)° for K2PuSi2O7. Comparisons to the synthesis of other reported alkali actinide silicates (Ce, U, …

Long-Term Measurements Of Seasonal Snowpacks Indicate Increases In Mid-Winter Snowmelt And Earlier Snowpack Disappearance In The Northeastern U.S., Geoff Wilson, Mark Green, John Campbell, Alexandra R. Contosta, Nina Lany, Amey Bailey

Faculty Publications

Snowpacks are changing in northeastern North America as the regional climate warms, yet the relative influence of changes in precipitation compared to changes in ablation on snowpacks is poorly understood. We use 56 years of weekly snow water equivalent (SWE) measurements from three locations within a study site which vary in elevation and aspect, paired with adjacent daily climate measurements, to investigate relationships between climate and snowpack onset, maximum, and disappearance. Maximum snowpack size and snowpack duration are shrinking at all sites, at rates ranging from 4.3 days/decade at the coldest site to 9.6 days/decade at the warmest site. The …

Long-Term Measurements Of Seasonal Snowpacks Indicate Increases In Mid-Winter Snowmelt And Earlier Snowpack Disappearance In The Northeastern U.S., Geoff Wilson, Mark Green, John Campbell, Alexandra R. Contosta, Nina Lany, Amey Bailey

Faculty Publications

Snowpacks are changing in northeastern North America as the regional climate warms, yet the relative influence of changes in precipitation compared to changes in ablation on snowpacks is poorly understood. We use 56 years of weekly snow water equivalent (SWE) measurements from three locations within a study site which vary in elevation and aspect, paired with adjacent daily climate measurements, to investigate relationships between climate and snowpack onset, maximum, and disappearance. Maximum snowpack size and snowpack duration are shrinking at all sites, at rates ranging from 4.3 days/decade at the coldest site to 9.6 days/decade at the warmest site. The …

Detection And Monitoring Of Stress Using Wearables: A Systematic Review, Anuja Pinge, Vinaya Gad, Dheryta Jaisinghani, Surjya Ghosh, Sougata Sen

Faculty Publications

Over the last few years, wearable devices have witnessed immense changes in terms of sensing capabilities. Wearable devices, with their ever-increasing number of sensors, have been instrumental in monitoring human activities, health-related indicators, and overall wellness. One health-related area that has rapidly adopted wearable devices is the mental health monitoring and well-being area, which covers problems such as psychological distress. The continuous monitoring capability of wearable devices allows the detection and monitoring of stress, thus enabling early detection of mental health problems. In this paper, we present a systematic review of the different types of sensors and wearable devices used …

Capacity-Weighted Figures-Of-Merit For Battery Transport Metrics, Cj Sturgill, Christopher Sutton, Julian Schwenzel, Morgan Stefik

Faculty Publications

New battery materials with improved transport are needed. Typical measurements yield widely varying voltage-dependent diffusivities and reporting practices are diverse. Some materials (e.g. first-order phase change) have most redox occur at a specific voltage and may be sufficiently represented by singular transport metrics. Many rapid intercalation materials, however, exhibit second-order phase transitions with redox over a broad voltage range. How should such cases be compared? The use of capacity-weighted average values is suggested where voltage-dependent metrics are consolidated into representative descriptors as figures-of-merit. Examples are elaborated where differential capacity (dQ/dV) is used to derive a …

Mental Health Care Disparities Among Us Pregnant Individuals In 2020–2021: A Cross-Sectional Study, Julisa Tindall, Monique J. Brown Ph.D., Mph, Peiyin Hung

Faculty Publications

Purpose

To examine maternal characteristics associated with perceived unmet mental health needs and mental health care settings, focusing on residential rurality and race/ethnicity.

Methods

This cross-sectional study analyzed self-reported unmet mental health needs and mental health care settings among 1097 pregnant respondents in the 2020–2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, incorporating the complex sampling weights for national representativeness.

Findings

Non-Hispanic Black pregnant individuals and those living in nonmetro rural areas reported lower odds of unmet mental health needs compared to those in large metro areas and non-Hispanic White individuals. Pregnant individuals in nonmetro rural areas and non-Hispanic other …

The Boris Experience: Evaluating Omnichannel Returns And Repurchase Intention, Jianliang Hao, Robert G. Richey Jr., Tyler R. Morgan, Ian M. Slazinik

Faculty Publications

Researchers have examined the influence of the factors on reducing return rates in retailing over the years. However, the returns experience is often an overlooked way to drive customer engagement and repeat sales in the now ubiquitous omnichannel setting. The focus on returns prevention in existing research overshadows management’s need to understand better the comprehensive mechanics linking the customer in-store return experience with their repurchase actions. Recognizing the need to bridge different stages of the returns management process, this research aims to explore the facilitators and barriers of in-store return activities.

Manolo Santana: El Sonriente Héroe Quijotesco Que Convirtió El Tenis En Un Deporte De Masa En España, Juan Carlos Castillo Berástegui

Faculty Publications

El concepto del héroe quijotesco ha sido propuesto como modelo a seguir como parte de los esfuerzos nacionalizadores del régimen de Francisco Franco (1939-75). A diferencia de los símbolos formales de la nación española, como la bandera y el himno, que nunca se desasociaron políticamente por completo de la dictadura, el retrato como héroes nacionales de ciertos deportistas en disciplinas individuales los convirtió en exitosos símbolos informales de la nación española y su supuesto carácter nacional. El tenista Manolo Santana, cuya carrera cubrió principalmente la década de los 60, fue uno de los héroes quijotescos originales del deporte español, cuya …

Acoustofluidics-Based Intracellular Nanoparticle Delivery, Zhishang Li, Zhenhua Tian, Jason N. Belling, Joseph Rich, Haodong Zhu, Zhehan Ma, Hunter Bachman, Liang Shen, Yaosi Liang, Xiolin Qi, Liv K. Heidenreich, Yao Gong, Shujie Yang, Wenfen Zhang, Peiran Zhang, Yingchun Fu, Yibin Ying, Steven J. Jonas, Yanbin Li, Paul S. Weiss, Tony J. Huang

Faculty Publications

Controlled intracellular delivery of biomolecular cargo is critical for developing targeted therapeutics and cell reprogramming. Conventional delivery approaches (e.g., endocytosis of nano-vectors, microinjection, and electroporation) usually require time-consuming uptake processes, labor-intensive operations, and/or costly specialized equipment. Here, we present an acoustofluidics-based intracellular delivery approach capable of effectively delivering various functional nanomaterials to multiple cell types (e.g., adherent and suspension cancer cells). By tuning the standing acoustic waves in a glass capillary, our approach can push cells in flow to the capillary wall and enhance membrane permeability by increasing membrane stress to deform cells via acoustic radiation forces. Moreover, by coating …

How Generative Ai Is Shaping The Future Of Marketing, Dhruv Grewal, Cinthia B. Satornino, Thomas Davenport, Abhijit Guha

Faculty Publications

Generative AI (Gen AI) is shaping the future of marketing. In the next decade, Gen AI will influence how marketers interact and communicate with customers, help create and deliver marketing content (text, images, and video), and inform methods for researching and developing new products and services. In both service and sales settings, Gen AI will affect customers directly and significantly. Therefore, marketers, researchers, and public policy makers require a clear understanding of Gen AI and its potential, as well as its limitations. To assist marketers in thinking through the adoption and implementation of Gen AI, the current article presents a …

How Generative Ai Is Shaping The Future Of Marketing, Dhruv Grewal, Cinthia B. Satornino, Thomas Davenport, Abhijit Guha

Faculty Publications

Generative AI (Gen AI) is shaping the future of marketing. In the next decade, Gen AI will influence how marketers interact and communicate with customers, help create and deliver marketing content (text, images, and video), and inform methods for researching and developing new products and services. In both service and sales settings, Gen AI will affect customers directly and significantly. Therefore, marketers, researchers, and public policy makers require a clear understanding of Gen AI and its potential, as well as its limitations. To assist marketers in thinking through the adoption and implementation of Gen AI, the current article presents a …

How Do Religious Women Cope With Marital Conflict And Hardship? Article 2, Elizabeth M. Lyman, Loren D. Marks, David C. Dollahite, Chelom E. Leavitt, Tamara M. Chamberlain, Christina N. Cooper

Faculty Publications

Frequent and unresolved conflict is a significant relationship risk factor for divorce, but it has also been shown that religion strengthens marriages, specifically in ways that give direction and motivation for couples in resolving marital conflict or other marital hardships. Thus, a study of how successful religious couples resolve conflict is pertinent in helping us better understand how to strengthen marriages and families. Our qualitative study of 113 highly religious women of diverse faiths and races found that women’s perceived relationship or connection with God reportedly impacted conflict resolution and coping with marital hardship. Results suggest greater reconciliation and unity …

Joseph Joachim And Bach's Chaconne, Robert Whitehouse Eshbach

Faculty Publications

And they will long to have heard Joachim's violin-playing as we long to have heard Bach at his organ: not from curiosity to verify an old record of technical prowess, but from the desire to recover the unrecorded manifestations of a creative mind.

New Insights Into Supradense Matter From Dissecting Scaled Stellar Structure Equations, Bao-Jun Cai, Bao-An Li

Faculty Publications

The strong-field gravity in general relativity (GR) realized in neutron stars (NSs) renders the equation of state (EOS) P(ε) of supradense neutron star matter to be essentially nonlinear and refines the upper bound for ϕ≡P/ε to be much smaller than the special relativity (SR) requirement with linear EOSs, where P andεare respectively the pressure and energy density of the system considered. Specifically, a tight bound ϕ ≲ 0.374 is obtained by perturbatively anatomizing the intrinsic structures of the scaled Tolman–Oppenheimer–Volkoff (TOV) equations without using any input nuclear EOS. New insights gained from this novel analysis provide EOS-model-independent constraints on the …

Na2B12Si6Se18: A Novel B12-Cluster-Containing Quaternary Selenoborate Framework Material, Gopabandhu Panigrahi, Hunter B. Tisdale, Gregory Morrison, Hans Conrad Zur Loye

Faculty Publications

We report the successful synthesis of the new quaternary, three-dimensional Na₂B₁₂Si₆Se₁₈ material using a solid-state synthesis route. This compound is characterized by a unique framework structure that features the rare icosahedral [B₁₂]¹⁰⁺ cation which is connected via Si2Se6 polyhedral units into a 3D framework structure with Na+ ions located inside the channels. The Na₂B₁₂Si₆Se₁₈ compound crystallizes in the cubic crystal system in the space group Im, with lattice parameter a = 11.91110(10) Å and unit cell volume of 1689.88(4) ų. …

How Should Scientists Act? Assessing Public Perceptions Of Scientists And Scientific Practices And Their Implications For Science Communication, Thomas G. Safford, Emily H. Whitmore

Faculty Publications

Is how science is conducted legitimate? Are scientists trustworthy? Whether the public answers “yes” to these questions is critical for science communicators. We explore how social factors affect public perceptions of the practice of science, and then test how those beliefs relate to views about how scientists engage with the public and policy making. Our results show that political ideology and religiosity affect these views. However, more importantly, respondents’ concerns about the integrity of the scientific process are the strongest predictor of views about scientists’ behavior, providing a focus area for future communication efforts in support of science-based decision making.

Appropriateness Of Ambulatory Antibiotic Prescribing In South Carolina, 2012–2017, Pamela Bailey, Majdi N. Al-Hasan, Julie Royer, Max Habicht, Julie Ann Justo, P. Brandon Bookstaver Pharm.D., Sharon Weissman, Hana R. Winders

Faculty Publications

This population-based cohort study examines the appropriateness of antibiotic prescribing in South Carolina via aggregated pharmacy claims data matched with diagnosis codes from medical claims. Inappropriate antibiotic prescribing decreased from 30.2% in 2012 to 22.6% in 2017 (P < 0.001) and was more common in adults >40 years old.

Libraries On The Front Lines: The Imperative For Disaster-Ready Information Professionals, Feili Tu-Keefner Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Libraries, particularly local public libraries, have evolved into hubs for community-first services, extending beyond traditional roles. Library personnel are now expected to act as first responders and crisis leaders during times such as natural disasters. This report documents the critical crisis leadership qualifications required for library personnel, identified through comprehensive research from 2015 to 2023. Findings from these situation-specific case studies call attention to the community’s needs for library services during emergencies, underscoring the requirement for LIS education to include disaster management. Continuing education (CE) is also critical in preparing information professionals for these essential roles.

Charging, Aggregation, And Electrostatic Dispersion Of Radioactive And Nonradioactive Particles In The Atmosphere, Yong Ha Kim, Sotira Yiacoumi, Costas Tsouris

Faculty Publications

Electrostatic dispersion can significantly impact the microphysical behavior of charged particles and ions until reaching zero space charge. However, although radioactive particles can be strongly charged in air, the influence of electrostatic dispersion has been neglected in understanding their behavior. This study is aimed at investigating the time evolution of the charge and size distributions of radioactive and nonradioactive particles in air and developing simple approaches for applications. With processes involving charging, aggregation, and electrostatic dispersion, a comprehensive population balance model (PBM) has been developed to examine particle charge/size distribution dynamics. It is shown that compared to nonradioactive particles, the …

Utilizing Extractive Transportation Infrastructures For Subsistence Livelihoods: Experience Of Evenki Communities In Eastern Siberia, Vera Kuklina, Viktoriya Filippova, Natalia Krasnoshtanova, Antonina Savvinova, Viktor Bogdanov, Mariia Kuklina

Faculty Publications

The availability of natural resources drives the exploration and transformation of remote regions in the Arctic and beyond. Extractive infrastructure is one of the major sources of industrial development and environmental impact on landscapes. For Indigenous people, these landscapes are homely environments full of sentient beings, and for other local communities, they provide a wide variety of subsistence and hunting resources. While extractive infrastructure violence is the evident issue for many Indigenous communities, there are more complicated situations where extractive infrastructure is adopted and utilized for the subsistence and support of other human and more-than-human relations in local and Indigenous …

The Impacts Of Co-Occurring Developmental Language Disorder On The Academic, Interpersonal, And Behavioral Profiles Of Children With Adhd, Kirsten M. Hannig Russell, Sean M. Redmond

Faculty Publications

Purpose: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a multifactorial disorder that has been linked to increased risk for behavioral, academic, and interpersonal problems. Developmental language disorder (DLD) has also been linked to poor outcomes in these areas. The presence of co-occurring disorders in children’s profiles is generally associated with poorer outcomes relative to profiles consisting of only one disorder. This study investigated the extent to which co-occurring DLD in children already identified with ADHD presented increased risk for severity of their primary ADHD symptoms, the presence of secondary behavioral problems, and/or increased problems in the tertiary areas of academic performance and interpersonal …

A Postmodernist Qualitative Research Approach: Choosing Between Descriptive And Interpretive Phenomenology, Adrianna Lorraine Watson

Faculty Publications

Introduction: Phenomenology is essential for researchers exploring human experience. To apply it rigorously, an understanding of its philosophical foundations is needed. This discussion outlines the key distinctions between interpretive and descriptive phenomenology to illustrate philosophical and methodological implications. Nursing researchers seeking to either uncover universal essences or interpret deeper, contextually situated meanings in lived experiences may find this discussion instructive.

Background: Phenomenology examines lived experiences, focusing on interpretation and meaning. The question of under-standing follows either an epistemological (descriptive) or ontological (interpretive) line of questioning. Husserl's descriptive approach seeks to objectively capture the essence of experiences through bracketing, while Heidegger's …

Everyone Brings Something To The Table: A Culturally Sustaining Analysis Of Teacher Candidates’ Mixed Reality Teaching Simulations, Erin Scott

Faculty Publications

Discussions of HBCU students’ content knowledge have centered around developing high impact, asset-based approaches to learning (Williams et al, 2022). So, HBCU teacher preparation providers (TPPs) can also focus efforts on culturally sustaining approaches to developing candidates’ content knowledge and researching how high impact practices, like teaching simulations, can help prepare candidates for classrooms. This exploratory case study uses critical cases (n=2); findings suggest candidates have a developing understanding of content, which forms a solid basis for increasing their knowledge. MRTSs are addressed as a potential high impact, culturally sustaining practice for building candidates’ content knowledge. Further, HBCU TPPs can …

Carbon Dioxide Fluxes And The Dominant Role Of Vegetation In Recently Created And Reference Gulf Coast Marshes, A. Muench, T. Elsey-Quirk, J. R. White, R. D. Delaune

Faculty Publications

Coastal wetlands are one of the most productive ecosystems on Earth with the capacity to sequester large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2). Wetland loss due to anthropogenic and natural causes reduces the carbon (C) storage capacity and potentially releases previously fixed C in biomass and soil to the water column and atmosphere through decomposition. Coastal wetland restoration has the potential to mitigate some of the C losses depending on the balance of C fluxes. However, the role of vegetation and environmental conditions in governing rates of C accumulation in restoration sites is not well resolved. The purpose of this study …