Digital Commons Network^™

What's All The Fuss About Pickleball? Motivational Profiles Of Middle Age And Older Adult Recreational Pickleball Players, David C. Barney, Zack E. Beddoes, Keven A. Prusak, Brandon Weekes

Faculty Publications

As a person becomes older their physical activity options may change or be reduced. One activity that is proving differently among older adults is pickleball. As of 2022 over 3.1 million people in the United States participate in pickleball (USAPA Pickleball, 2022). From the casual observer, many recreational tennis courts have been modified to accommodate the increase of pickleball players. Also, many of these pickleball players are older (40 +). Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the motivational profiles of 40 and older adults towards playing pickleball. Generally, it was learned that 40 and older adults participate …

Influencing Air Force Logisticians' Information Seeking During The Covid-19 Pandemic: The Role Of Organizational Meetings In An Expanded Prism Framework, Matthew D. Roberts, Christopher T. Price, Seong-Jong Joo

Faculty Publications

Purpose: This research aims to understand how organizational workplace meetings surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic impacted logistics Airmen across the United States Air Force and how these meetings impacted their risk seeking behavior on social media.

Design/methodology/approach: This survey research tested an extended Planned Risk Information Risk Seeking Model (PRISM) with organizational meetings as an antecedent to determine if current meetings influenced an Airman's perceived behavioral control, attitude toward seeking, subjective norms, knowledge sufficiency and intention to seek information regarding COVID-19.

Findings: Results of the CFA showed that the expanded PRISM model had good model fit. Additionally, using …

Do Denisonians Have Wild Perceptions Of Who Faces Discrimination, Too?, Paul A. Djupe

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Recent Breakthroughs In Using Quantum Dots For Cancer Imaging And Drug Delivery Purposes, Aisha Hamidu, William G. Pitt, Ghaleb A. Husseini

Faculty Publications

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Because each person’s cancer may be unique, diagnosing and treating cancer is challenging. Advances in nanomedicine have made it possible to detect tumors and quickly investigate tumor cells at a cellular level in contrast to prior diagnostic techniques. Quantum dots (QDs) are functional nanoparticles reported to be useful for diagnosis. QDs are semiconducting tiny nanocrystals, 2–10 nm in diameter, with exceptional and useful optoelectronic properties that can be tailored to sensitively report on their environment. This review highlights these exceptional semiconducting QDs and their properties and synthesis methods when used …

Young Adults’ Cohabitation And Dating Decisions During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Exploration Of Romantic And Developmental Context, Tyler B. Jamison, Jeremy B. Kanter

Faculty Publications

The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant upheaval for couples and families, particularly in terms of living arrangements. Emerging adults had to make quick decisions about where and with whom to shelter in place. In this grounded theory study, we explored how 22 young adults, predominantly living in the United States, navigated relationship decisions during the pandemic. The results suggest that participants were intentional about their choices, particularly in terms of moving in together (or not). The pandemic sometimes changed the timing of cohabitation or the pace of dating relationships; however, these decisions unfolded in tandem with common developmental tasks, such as …

Chitosan-Coated Lignin Nanoparticles Enhance Adsorption And Proliferation Of Alcanivorax Borkumensis At The Hexadecane-Water Interface, Amber J. Pete, Jin Gyun Lee, Michael G. Benton, Bhuvnesh Bharti

Faculty Publications

Bioremediation of oil spills occurs when indigenous microbes metabolize petroleum hydrocarbons. Rapid proliferation of hydrocarbon-consuming bacteria near the oil-water interface is vital to optimizing the oil biodegradation rate. Adding nanoparticles (NPs) to microbial systems can enhance the bacterial growth rate. However, the role of NP source material and surface charge on their ability to impact bacterial growth and oil-water interface characteristics is poorly understood. Here, we investigate the role of NP composition and surface chemistry on the growth rate of hydrocarbon-consuming bacteria and its attachment to the oil-water interface. We use Alcanivorax borkumensis as a model organism because of its …

Structured Ethical Review For Wastewater-Based Testing In Support Of Public Health, Devin A. Bowes, Amanda Darling, Erin M. Driver, Devrim Kaya, Rasha Maal-Bared, Lisa M. Lee, Kenneth Goodman, Sangeet Adhikari, Srijan Aggarwal, Aaron Bivins, Zuzana Bohrerova, Alasdair Cohen, Claire Duvallet, Rasha A. Elnimeiry, Justin M. Hutchison, Vikram Kapoor, Ishi Keenum, Fangqiong Ling, Deborah Sills, Ananda Tiwari, Peter Vikesland, Ryan Ziels, Cresten Mansfeldt

Faculty Publications

Wastewater-based testing (WBT) for SARS-CoV-2 has rapidly expanded over the past three years due to its ability to provide a comprehensive measurement of disease prevalence independent of clinical testing. The development and simultaneous application of WBT measured biomarkers for research activities and for the pursuit of public health goals, both areas with well-established ethical frameworks. Currently, WBT practitioners do not employ a standardized ethical review process, introducing the potential for adverse outcomes for WBT professionals and community members. To address this deficiency, an interdisciplinary workshop developed a framework for a structured ethical review of WBT. The workshop employed a consensus …

Pearls Before Swine Flu: Crisis And The Politics Of Resilience In Cabo Pulmo, Bcs, Mexico, Ryan B. Anderson

Faculty Publications

This article employs a long-term historical and anthropological perspective to examine questions of resilience through a case study of Cabo Pulmo, BCS, Mexico. Using the recent COVID-19 crisis as a starting point, this article discusses the crises, shocks, booms, and busts that have affected and shaped the people, landscapes, and ecologies of the coastline that now includes Cabo Pulmo. While the community of Cabo Pulmo has been able to withstand several crises and disruptions, and could be considered “resilient” in many senses, I argue that this resilience is ongoing and conditional. Furthermore, the production of this resilience in Cabo Pulmo …

A Smartphone-Enabled Imaging Device For Chromotropic Acid-Based Measurement Of Nitrate In Soil Samples, Veerabhadrappa Lavanya, Anshuman Nayak, Partha Deb Roy, Shubhadip Dasgupta, Subhadip Dey, Bin Li, David C. Weindorf, Somsubhra Chakraborty

Faculty Publications

In this study, a novel chromotropic acid-based color development method was proposed for quick estimation of soil nitrate (NO3−). The method utilized a 3D printed device integrated with the rear-end camera of a smartphone and a stand-alone application called SMART NP. By analyzing the mean Value (V) component of the sample’s image, the SMART NP provides instant predictions of soil NO3− levels. The limit of detection was calculated as 0.1 mg L−1 with a sensitivity of 0.26 mg L−1. The device showed a % bias of 0.9% and a precision of 1.95%, indicating its reliability. Additionally, the device-predicted soil NO3− …

Probiotic Characteristics Of Streptococcus Thermophilus And Lactobacillus Bulgaricus As Influenced By New Food Sources, Ashly Castro, Ricardo S. Aleman, Miguel Tabora, Shirin Kazemzadeh, Leyla K. Pournaki, Roberto Cedillos, Jhunior Marcia, Kayanush Aryana

Faculty Publications

The current research aimed to evaluate the potential effects of Solanum mammosum, Dioon mejiae, and Amanita caesarea on Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus survival and performance after exposure to different harsh conditions such as bile, acid, gastric juice, and lysozyme to mimic the digestive system from mouth to the intestine. Probiotic protease activity was observed to evaluate the proteolytic system. Probiotics were cultured in a broth mixed with plant material, and after incubation, the results were compared to the control sample. Therefore, plant material’s total phenolic compound, total carotenoid compound, antioxidant activity, sugar profile, and acid profile were …

Investigating Expectancy Values In Online Apparel Rental During And After The Covid-19 Pandemic: Moderating Effects Of Fashion Leadership, Sukyung Seo, Kittichai Watchravesringkan, Uma Swamy, Chunmin Lang

Faculty Publications

Online apparel renting has become a popular type of consumption. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the sharing economy, including online renting. This cross-sectional study examined the effects of expectancy values on intention towards online apparel rental during and after the COVID-19 pandemic and investigated the moderating role of personal traits of fashion leadership. A total of 431 valid samples from college students in the US were collected. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was conducted to test the hypothesized relationships, and moderation analysis was performed to test the moderating effects of fashion leadership. The results indicated that expectancy values affecting consumer …

Investigation Of Welding Repair Methods For Thermoplastic Composite Joints, Wencai Li, Genevieve Palardy

Faculty Publications

Repair is a common process to extend the service life of composite structures, and there is a need for techniques compatible with thermoplastic composites (TPCs). As the assembly of TPC joints through welding is gaining importance, evaluating their potential for repairability is essential. This work aims to develop novel techniques to repair welded TPC joints: 1) Successive repair (three cycles) of broken joints by ultrasonic-assisted method with neat and nanocomposite films, and 2) one-step repair using ultrasonic welding (USW) and resistance heating. It was found from tensile testing that multi-walled carbon nanotube/polypropylene (MWCNT/PP) films partially restored the lap shear strength …

Assessing The Threat Of Rosetta 2 On Apple Silicon Devices, Raphaela Mettig, Charles Glass, Andrew Case, Golden G. Richard

Faculty Publications

In November 2020, Apple introduced a new architecture, Apple Silicon, that would power all new laptops and desktops. Based on ARM64 and with many custom features added by Apple, this marked a complete switch from the Intel-based systems that have powered Apple laptops and desktops for many years. With such a radical change, it was obvious that many existing digital forensics and incident response techniques would need to be re-evaluated on the platform. Similarly, several new additions to the operating system are interesting as potential abuse vectors for malware and malicious actors. In this paper, we document our effort to …

The Somalia Affair And The Transformation Of Canadian Military Justice, Preston Lim

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Don't Fear The Artificial Intelligence: A Systematic Review Of Machine Learning For Prostate Cancer Detection In Pathology, Aaryn Frewing, Alexander B. Gibson, Richard Robertson, Paul Urie, Dennis Della Corte

Faculty Publications

The adoption of whole slide image (WSI) scanners in clinical practice was accelerated by US Food and Drug Administration approval in 2017, which allowed primary pathologic diagnoses to be made on scanned images. Images in the digital domain allow the application of pathology artificial intelligence (AI), including clinical decision support with algorithms performing specific diagnoses.1,2 These algorithms, if trained properly, could go beyond the ability of human observation to detect and quantify features that are not recognizable by human perception.1,3,4

Developing An Ethical Framework-Guided Instrument For Assessing Bias In Ehr-Based Big Data Studies: A Research Protocol, Shan Qiao Ph.D., George Khushf, Xiaoming Li, Jiajia Zhang Ph.D., Bankole Olatosi Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Introduction The emergence of Big Data health research has exponentially advanced the fields of medicine and public health but has also faced many ethical challenges. One of most worrying but still under-researched aspects of the ethical issues is the risk of potential biases in data sets (eg, electronic health records (EHR) data) as well as in the data curation and acquisition cycles. This study aims to develop, refine and pilot test an ethical framework-guided instrument for assessing bias in Big Data research using EHR data sets.

Methods and analysis Ethical analysis and instrument development (ie, the EHR bias assessment guideline) …

Ph-Dependent Solution Micellar Structure Of Amphoteric Polypeptoid Block Copolymers With Positionally Controlled Ionizable Sites, Meng Zhang, Yun Liu, Xiaobing Zuo, Shuo Qian, Sai Venkatesh Pingali, Richard E. Gillilan, Qingqiu Huang, Donghui Zhang

Faculty Publications

While solution micellization of ionic block copolymers (BCP) with randomly distributed ionization sites along the hydrophilic segments has been extensively studied, the roles of positionally controlled ionization sites along the BCP chains in their micellization and resulting micellar structure remain comparatively less understood. Herein, three amphoteric polypeptoid block copolymers carrying two oppositely charged ionizable sites, with one fixed at the hydrophobic terminus and the other varyingly positioned along the hydrophilic segment, have been synthesized by sequential ring-opening polymerization method. The presence of the ionizable site at the hydrophobic segment terminus is expected to promote polymer association toward equilibrium micellar structures …

Thermal Blooming With Laser-Induced Convection: Radial Basis Function Simulation, Benjamin F. Akers, Steven T. Fiorino, Jonah A. Reeger

Faculty Publications

The propagation of a high energy laser through a nearly stagnant absorbing medium is studied. The absorption values and time scale of the problem are such that the laser induces convective heat currents transverse to the beam. These currents couple to the laser via the refractive index, causing time dependent thermal blooming. A numerical method is developed and applied to the model in [ J. Electromagn. Waves Appl. 33, 96 (2019) ], using radial basis functions for spatial differencing, which allows for irregular point spacings and a wide class of geometries. Both the beam and laser-induced fluid dynamics are …

Anomaly Detection In The Molecular Structure Of Gallium Arsenide Using Convolutional Neural Networks, Timothy Roche, Aihua W. Wood, Philip Cho, Chancellor Johnstone

Faculty Publications

This paper concerns the development of a machine learning tool to detect anomalies in the molecular structure of Gallium Arsenide. We employ a combination of a CNN and a PCA reconstruction to create the model, using real images taken with an electron microscope in training and testing. The methodology developed allows for the creation of a defect detection model, without any labeled images of defects being required for training. The model performed well on all tests under the established assumptions, allowing for reliable anomaly detection. To the best of our knowledge, such methods are not currently available in the open …

On The Evaluation Of Entropy Threshold For Debonding During Crack Prorogation Using Dic Technique, A. Mahmoudi, M. R. Khosravani, M. M. Khonsari, Tamara Reinicke

Faculty Publications

The accumulated entropy at the crack tip of a semi-circular bending (SCB) specimen is investigated to obtain a threshold for material fracture and interatomic debonding. The presented approach uses the experimental data obtained from the Digital Image Correlation (DIC) technique and strain maps superposed to SCB specimens to measure the plastic flow at the crack tip. The Swift strain hardening model is utilized to calculate the stress domain at the crack tip and, consequently, the plastic strain energy and entropy accumulation. Results show that the crack surface propagates when the generated entropy at the crack tip reaches a critical limit. …

Impact Of Reactive Oxygen Species Scavenging On The Intermediate Production Of Anthracene And Anthraquinone In Fresh Versus Saltwater Environments, Scott J. St. Romain, Laura M. Basirico, Yong Ha Kim, Emily Vebrosky Nolan, Wei Xu, Kevin L. Armbrust

Faculty Publications

While salinity can alter the photodegradation of hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs), the cause of their altered kinetics in seawater is not well understood. Because HOC intermediate photoproducts are often more toxic than their parent compounds, characterizing the generation of intermediates in saline environments is needed to accurately predict their health effects. The present study investigated the influence of salinity on the generation of anthraquinone through the photolysis of anthracene and the generation of anthrone and 1-hydroxyanthraquinone from the photolysis of anthraquinone as well as their reactivities with hydroxyl radicals. This was conducted by measuring the photolysis rates of anthracene and …

The Master Growth Regulator Della Binding To Histone H2a Is Essential For Della-Mediated Global Transcription Regulation, Xu Huang, Hao Tian, Jeongmoo Park, Dong Ha Oh, Jianhong Hu, Rodolfo Zentella, Hong Qiao, Maheshi Dassanayake, Tai Ping Sun

Faculty Publications

The DELLA genes, also known as ‘Green Revolution’ genes, encode conserved master growth regulators that control plant development in response to internal and environmental cues. Functioning as nuclear-localized transcription regulators, DELLAs modulate expression of target genes via direct protein–protein interaction of their carboxy-terminal GRAS domain with hundreds of transcription factors (TFs) and epigenetic regulators. However, the molecular mechanism of DELLA-mediated transcription reprogramming remains unclear. Here by characterizing new missense alleles of an Arabidopsis DELLA, repressor of ga1-3 (RGA), and co-immunoprecipitation assays, we show that RGA binds histone H2A via the PFYRE subdomain within its GRAS domain to form a TF–RGA–H2A …

Chemical Characterization And Impact Of Nipple Fruit (Solanum Mammosum) On The Characteristics Of Lactobacillus Acidophilus La K, Ricardo S. Aleman, Dany Avila, Allan Avila, Jack N. Losso, David Picha, Zhimin Xu, Kayanush Aryana

Faculty Publications

Nipple fruit (Solanum mammosum) has been considered to have great pharmaceutical potential because of its high amounts of solamargine and solasonine. This study aimed to examine the effect of nipple fruit at different concentrations (0.5%, 1%, and 2% (w/v)) on the viability, acid, bile, lysozyme, and gastric juice tolerance, and protease activity of Lactobacillus acidophilus LA K. The viability was studied in MRS broth. Acid tolerance was determined by adjusting the pH to 2, whereas bile tolerance was examined with oxgall 0.3% (w/v) in MRS broth. Lysozyme resistance was investigated in an electrolyte solution with lysozyme (100 mg/L), while gastric …

Mining Chinese Consumer Minds: Motivations For Selling Unwanted Fashion Items In Online Resale Marketplaces, Zhongjie Wang, Chuanlan Liu

Faculty Publications

With the development of China’s fashion resale market, sustainable consumption patterns have gradually become popular in China. Although the prospects of China’s fashion resale market are recognized, more and more consumers are also actively participating in the circular consumption model. Consumers have multiple identities in participating in resale, and can be sellers or buyers. However, the sales intention of Chinese consumers to participate in resale as sellers is still unclear. We need to understand what value Chinese consumers are looking for in resale as sellers. The focus of this exploratory study is to understand the intention of Chinese consumers to …

A Conceptual Investigation Of Transition To Self-Driven Turbidity Currents From Along-Shelf Current-Supported Turbidity Currents, Celalettin E. Ozdemir, Liangyi Yue, Haq Murad Nazari, George Xue, Samuel J. Bentley, Shuo Yang, Sayed O. Hofioni, Robert Forney, Saber Aradpour

Faculty Publications

Wave- and current-supported turbidity currents (WCSTCs) are one of the sediment delivery mechanisms from the inner shelf to the shelf break. Therefore, they play a significant role in the global cycles of geo-chemically important particulate matter. Recent observations suggest that WCSTCs can transform into self-driven turbidity currents close to the continental margin. However, little is known regarding the critical conditions that grow self-driven turbidity currents out of WCSTCs. This is in part due to the knowledge gaps in the dynamics of WCSTCs regarding the role of density stratification. Especially the effect of sediment entrainment on the amount of sediment suspension …

The Municipal Acequias Of San Fernando De Béxar: A Working Paper, José A. Rivera Ph.D

Faculty Publications

Of the seven acequia irrigation systems constructed during the height of San Antonio’s Spanish colonial period, five were built for the benefit of the Franciscan missions and their indigenous residents: San Antonio de Valero, Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción de Acuña, San José y San Miguel de Aguayo, San Juan Capistrano, and San Francisco de la Espada. In addition to the five mission acequias, other diversions from the Río de San Antonio and San Pedro Creek were constructed for civilian use within the municipality of San Fernando de Béxar, founded in 1731, now San Antonio: the San Pedro Acequia …

Complexity Heliophysics: A [New] System Science That Transcends The Previous Boundaries Of Our Field, Ryan M. Mcgranaghan, Seebany Datta-Barua, Jeffrey Thayer, Joe Borovsky, Jay R. Johnson, Simon Wing, Dan Baker, Massimo Materassi

Faculty Publications

Synopsis

1. The 21st century is the time of complexity. We delineate it and its importance as necessary to solve ‘wicked problems.’

2. Inherently transdisciplinary, trans-scale, and interconnected to living systems, the solution to Heliophysics’ identity crisis and to unlock the next generation of scientific discovery may be to embrace complexity.

3. With the right foresight, direction, and incentive over the next ten years, Heliophysics can become a beacon for how all of society thinks about and does complexity science.

Propagation Of Spatiotemporal Optical Vortex Beams In Linear, Second-Order Dispersive Media, Milo W. Hyde Iv, Miguel A. Porras

Faculty Publications

In this paper, we study the behaviors of spatiotemporal optical vortex (STOV) beams propagating in linear dispersive media. Starting with the Fresnel diffraction integral, we derive a closed-form expression for the STOV field at any propagation distance z in a general second-order dispersive medium. We compare our general result to special cases published in the literature and examine the characteristics of higher-order STOV beams propagating in dispersive materials by varying parameters of the medium and source-plane STOV field. We validate our analysis by comparing theoretical predictions to numerical computations of a higher-order STOV beam propagating through fused silica, where we …

Modulating Water Distribution And The Intramicellar Assembly Of Sequence-Defined Ionic Peptoid Block Copolymers By The Ionic Monomer Position, Bailee N. Barrett, Chi Huan Tung, Guan Rong Huang, Istiak Hossain, Chang Woo Do, Vijay T. John, Wei Ren Chen, Donghui Zhang

Faculty Publications

The intramicellar mass heterogeneity of a series of sequence-defined ionic peptoid block copolymers carrying a single charged monomer has been determined through contrast variation small-angle neutron scattering analysis. We observe that the internal micellar structure, namely, the number density radial distributions of invasive water and peptoid polymer, is significantly impacted by the location of the ionic monomer. By positioning the ionic monomer progressively closer to the hydrophilic/hydrophobic block junction, the micelles become less compact with increasing levels of chain folding and invasive water to accommodate electrostatic repulsion among the ionic monomers via solvation. This results in increasingly smaller micellar aggregates …

Liposomes For The Treatment Of Brain Cancer—A Review, Richu Raju, Waad H. Abuwatfa, William G. Pitt, Ghaleb A. Husseini

Faculty Publications

Due to their biocompatibility, non-toxicity, and surface-conjugation capabilities, liposomes are effective nanocarriers that can encapsulate chemotherapeutic drugs and facilitate targeted delivery across the blood–brain barrier (BBB). Additionally, strategies have been explored to synthesize liposomes that respond to internal and/or external stimuli to release their payload controllably. Although research into liposomes for brain cancer treatment is still in its infancy, these systems have great potential to fundamentally change the drug delivery landscape. This review paper attempts to consolidate relevant literature regarding the delivery to the brain using nanocarriers, particularly liposomes. The paper first briefly explains conventional treatment modalities for cancer, followed …