Digital Commons Network^™

Archiving Digital Marketing: Examining Preservation Of Dynamic Content On The Web Through The Lens Of Online Advertisements, Christopher Rauch, Alex H. Poole, Travis Reid, Michele C. Weigle, Michael L. Nelson, Faryaneh Poursardar, Mat Kelly

Computer Science Faculty Publications

The transition to digital marketing has revolutionized advertising, reflecting and shaping societal norms and trends. The “Saving Ads” project addresses the challenges of preserving these ephemeral digital artifacts, essential for understanding the evolution of advertising and its socio-cultural impact. The initiative focuses on technical solutions for archiving dynamic online ads and enhancing access to these critical resources for future scholarship. By examining the preservation of online advertisements and suggesting improved approaches for archiving dynamic online content, this project contributes to the documentation of digital history.

The Combined Focal Loss And Dice Loss Function Improves The Segmentation Of Beta-Sheets In Medium-Resolution Cryo-Electron-Microscopy Density Maps, Yongcheng Mu, Thu Nguyen, Bryan Hawickhorst, Willy Wriggers, Jiangwen Sun, Jing He

Computer Science Faculty Publications

Although multiple neural networks have been proposed for detecting secondary structures from medium-resolution (5–10 Å) cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) maps, the loss functions used in the existing deep learning networks are primarily based on cross-entropy loss, which is known to be sensitive to class imbalances. To monitor and tune the performance of various loss functions for the secondary structure detection problem, we investigated five loss functions: cross-entropy, Focal loss, Dice loss, and two combined loss functions. Using a U-Net architecture in our DeepSSETracer method and a dataset composed of 1,355 box-cropped atomic-structure/density-map pairs, we found that a newly designed loss function …

Gwid: An R Package And Shiny Application For Genome-Wide Analysis Of Ibd Data, Soroush Mahmoudiandehkordi, Mehdi Maadooliat, Steven J. Schrodi

Mathematical and Statistical Science Faculty Research and Publications

Summary

Genome-wide identity by descent (gwid) is an R package developed for the analysis of identity-by-descent (IBD) data pertaining to dichotomous traits. This package offers a set of tools to assess differential IBD levels for the two states of a binary trait, yielding informative and meaningful results. Furthermore, it provides convenient functions to visualize the outcomes of these analyses, enhancing the interpretability and accessibility of the results. To assess the performance of the package, we conducted an evaluation using real genotype data derived from the SNPs to investigate rheumatoid arthritis susceptibility from the Marshfield Clinic Personalized Medicine Research Project.

Availability …

Predicting Fluorescence To Singlet Oxygen Generation Quantum Yield Ratio For Bodipy Dyes Using Qspr And Machine Learning, Platon P. Chebotaev, Andrey A. Buglak, Aimee Sheehan, Mikhail A. Filatov

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

No abstract provided.

Extremal Graphs For Widom–Rowlinson Colorings In K-Chromatic Graphs, John Engbers, Aysel Erey

Mathematical and Statistical Science Faculty Research and Publications

The Widom–Rowlinson graph, H_WR , is the fully looped path on three vertices. Let hom(G,H_WR) be the number of graph homomorphisms from G to H_WR or, equivalently, the number of H_WR-colorings of G. We investigate extremal graphs for hom(G,H_WR) for G in the family of k-chromatic graphs subject to various connectivity requirements. In particular, we determine the graphs G maximizing hom(G,H_WR) in the families of n-vertex k-chromatic graphs, n-vertex connected k-chromatic graphs, n-vertex k-chromatic graphs with c components, n …

Enhancing Hybrid Photovoltaic-Thermal System Efficiency With Boron Dipyrromethene Dyes, Kenneth Coldrick, Craig Newman, John Doran, George Amarandei, Mikhail A. Filatov

Articles

A library of boron dipyrromethene (BODIPY) compounds was studied to assess their efficacy as components of a working liquid in hybrid photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) systems. Two series of BODIPY dyes were investigated: series I included alkylBODIPYs with varying substitution patterns, while series II included 1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-substituted BODIPYs featuring electron-rich aromatic groups in the meso position, such as naphthalene, anthracene, and carbazole. Series II dyes were designed to exhibit luminescence downshifting due to enhanced UV absorption (300-400 nm) and excited-state energy transfer, leading to visible-region fluorescence under UV excitation. Samples of PVT liquids based on decalin and containing each individual BODIPY dye were …

Dietary Amino Acids, Macronutrients, Vaginal Birth, And Breastfeeding Are Associated With The Vaginal Microbiome In Early Pregnancy, Gillian A. Corbett, Rebecca Moore, Conor Feehily, Sarah Louise Killeen, Eileen O'Brien, Douwe Van Sinderen, Elizabeth Matthews, Roisin O'Flaherty, Pauline M. Rudd, Radka Saldova, Calum J. Walsh, Elaine M. Lawton, David A. Macintyre, Siobhan Corcoran, Paul D. Cotter, Fionnuala M. Mcauliffe

Articles

The vaginal microbiome is a key player in the etiology of spontaneous preterm birth. This study aimed to illustrate maternal environmental factors associated with vaginal microbiota composition and function in pregnancy. Women in healthy pregnancy had vaginal microbial sampling from the posterior vaginal fornix performed at 16 weeks gestation. After shotgun metagenomic sequencing, heatmaps of relative abundance data were generated. Community state type (CST) was assigned, and alpha diversity was calculated. Demography, obstetric history, well-being, exercise, and diet using food frequency questionnaires were collected and compared against microbial parameters. A total of 119 pregnant participants had vaginal metagenomic sequencing performed. …

Prenatal Intention To Human Milk Feed In The Native Hawaiian Population: Predictors Of Any Human Milk Feeding From Birth To Six Months Postpartum, Méabh Murray, Jessie Kai, Amanda Dentinger, Leah Kaplan, Meliza Roman, Eileen O'Brien, John Kearney, Bliss Kaneshiro, Fengqing Zhu, Marie K. Fialkowski

Articles

Background: Rates of non-communicable diseases are disproportionately high among Native Hawaiian (NH) people, and the proportion of NH infants being fed human milk (HM) is the lowest among all ethnicities within the state of Hawaiʻi. The aim of this study was to explore biological, socio-economic, and psychosocial determinants of the initiation and duration of human milk feeding (HMF) among a study of NH mothers and infants. Methods: A sample of 85 NH mother-infant dyads who were participating in a larger prospective study were involved in this research. Recruitment for the parent was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Recruitment started …

Replication Study: Investigating The Effects Of Maximal Anaerobic Fatigue On Dynamic Postural Control Using The Y-Balance Test, Ciara Byrne, Jennifer Murphy, Joe P. Warne

Articles

Objectives: The aim of this study was to replicate the study titled “Investigating the effects of maximal anaerobic fatigue on dynamic postural control using the Y-Balance Test” by Johnston et al. (2018) as part of a large replication project. This study aimed to determine the effects of maximal anaerobic fatigue on dynamic postural control using the Y-Balance Test, with a specific focus on anterior reach distance. Design: A single session intervention. Methods: Forty male and female university students (age: 22 ± 3 years, height: 171.88 ± 8.96 cm, mass: 76.20 ± 14.31 kg) partaking in competitive sport, completed a Y-Balance …

A Food-Exchange Model For Achieving The Recommended Dietary Intakes For Saturated Fat In Irish Children: Analysis From The Cross-Sectional National Children's Food Survey Ii, Aileen O'Connor, Maria Buffini, Anne P. Nugent, Laura Kehoe, Albert Flynn, Janette Walton, John Kearney, Breige Mcnulty

Articles

Objective: To identify the main foods determining saturated fatty acid (SFA) intakes and model the impact of food exchanges to improve compliance with dietary fat recommendations in Irish children. Design: Estimated food and nutrient intakes were obtained from a cross-sectional study, the National Children's Food Survey II. Participants were categorised into low, medium, and high SFA consumers, and the contribution of food categories to SFA intakes were compared. A food-exchange model was developed, whereby a selected range of high SFA foods were exchanged with lower SFA or unsaturated fat alternatives. Setting: Participants were randomly selected from primary schools throughout the …

Perceptions Of Healthy And Sustainable Eating: A Qualitative Study Of Irish Adults, Daniel Hazley, Mairead Stack, John M. Kearney

Articles

No abstract provided.

Prevalence Of Food Insecurity Among Caregivers Of Young Children During The Covid-19 Pandemic In Ireland, Elizabeth J. O'Sullivan, Caoimhe Daly, Aileen Kennedy

Articles

Our objectives were to explore the prevalence of food insecurity in primary caregivers of young children in Ireland and to compare two tools for measuring food insecurity during the COVID-19 crisis. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among caregivers of children aged <2 years in Ireland in May/June 2020. Relevant survey questions were closed-ended using two established tools for measuring food poverty/insecurity; the Irish Food Poverty Indicator and the Food Insecurity Experience Scale, developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate the prevalence of food poverty/insecurity. To explore agreement in the classification of food insecurity by the Food Poverty Indicator and the Food Insecurity Experience Scale, Cohen's κ was used. Analyses are based on 716 participants; most had a 3rd-level education and were married or in a partnership. Per the food poverty index, Ireland's national measure of food poverty, 3.9% (n = 28) of our sample were experiencing food poverty. This rose to 10.5% (n = 75) experiencing food insecurity when using the Food Insecurity Experience Scale, which also measures worry/anxiety around access to food. There was low agreement between the tools, with 11.3% of the sample classified as food secure by one tool and food insecure by the other. Our current measure of food poverty in Ireland may not be sufficient to describe the food-access struggles or worry/anxiety about food access, experienced by the population, particularly during an emergency like COVID-19.

Multicomponent Perinatal Breastfeeding Support In Women With Bmi >25: The Latch On Multi-Centre Randomised Trial, Sharleen L. O'Reilly, Catherine Mcnestry, Denise Mcguinness, Sarah Louise Killeen, John Mehegan, Barbara Coughlan, Eileen C. O'Brien, Denise O'Brien, Marcelina Szafranska, Mary Brosnan, Lucille Sheehy, Rosie Murtagh, Lorraine O'Hagan, Marie Corbett, Michelle Walsh, Regina Keogh, Paula Power, Marie Woodcock, Mary Phelan, Amy Carroll, Stephanie Murray, Charmaine Scallan, Elizabeth Dunn, Fionnuala M. Mcauliffe

Articles

Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of a multicomponent breastfeeding support intervention on breastfeeding prevalence at 3 months among women with a body mass index (BMI) >25 kg/m2. Design: Multicentre multicomponent randomised controlled trial. Setting: Four maternity centres in Ireland. Population: A total of 225 primiparous women and their nominated support partners. Participants were aged 18 years and over, with BMI ≥25 kg/m2, carrying a singleton pregnancy and without contraindication for breastfeeding. Methods: The intervention included an antenatal group breastfeeding education session for participants and their support partners, followed by a planned postnatal breastfeeding assessment and telephone support for up to …

The Underlying Role Of Food Guilt In Adolescent Food Choice: A Potential Conceptual Model For Adolescent Food Choice Negotiations Under Circumstances Of Conscious Internal Conflict, Aisling N. Daly, John M. Kearney, Elizabeth J. O'Sullivan

Articles

Food choice decisions are challenging to conceptualise, and literature is lacking specific to adolescent food choice decisions. Understanding adolescent nutrition and food choice is becoming increasingly important. This research aims to understand what influences the food choices of Irish adolescents, and the mental negotiations occurring in food-based decisions. Additionally, it aims to develop a holistic conceptual model of food choice, specific to adolescents. A qualitative study was conducted in N = 47 Irish adolescents, via focus group discussions using vignettes to introduce discussion topics around food and eating habits. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, involving both semantic and …

Moisture-Controlled Triboelectrification During Coffee Grinding, Joshua Méndez Harper, Yong-Hyun Kim, Robin E. Bumbaugh, Connor S. Mcdonald, Christopher H. Hendon, Elana J. Cope, Leif E. Lindberg, Justin Pham, Multiple Additional Authors

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Triboelectrification is the physical process where materials acquire surface charge from frictional interactions at their interfaces.The magnitude of charge depends on the interfacial material composition and can be harnessed in emergent technologies for energy generation.

The mechanism of electrostatic accumulation is complex and is further obscured in granular materials where collisions are sufficiently energetic to cause fracturing. In this “fractoelectric” regime, crack initiation and propagation are thought to charge particles through transfer of electrons and/or ions at the hot crack interface.

Whether a material’s charging is dominated by tribo- or fractoelectrification, fracture-generated granular flows often comprise particles whose surface charge …

Psu Esi Review (Doe-Psu-0000922-6), Tylor Slay, Jaime Kolln, Robert B. Bass

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

A guide to developing an Energy Service Interface (ESI) was created as part of the Grid Modernization Laboratory Consortium 2.5.2 ESI project. The approach applies device-agnostic and service-oriented ESI principles and leverages documents such as the Interoperability Maturity Model and Common Grid Service Definitions to provide a methodology to review, develop, and update standards and profiles to engage distributed energy resources to provide grid services. This document evaluates the ESI developed by Portland State University’s Power Engineering Group under the Electric Grid of Things project funded by the U.S. Department of Energy. The evaluation explores the compliance of this specific …

Field Demonstration Of Residential Der Service-Oriented Load Participation, Zhongkai Zeng, Dana Paresa, Midrar Adham, Robert B. Bass

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Amidst a concerning surge in power consumption during peak hours, coupled with heightened power grid instability, and driven by a growing demand for electricity, aggregations of Distributed Energy Resource are becoming a viable means for providing essential reliability services. Electric utility companies have proactively implemented Demand Response programs for decades. These programs employ Direct Load Control methods to enhance power grid stability, achieved by controlling customers’ Distributed Energy Resource during peak hours to reduce power consumption. However, a notable drawback of Direct Load Control has been high unenrollment rates of DR program participants due to customer discomfort. Therefore, the underlying …

Trust Model Utilization For Energy Grid Communication, N. Sonali Fernando, John M. Acken, Robert B. Bass

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The internet information that is used by the Energy Grid of Things requires both preventative security measures as well as surveillance measures. The preventative security measures include certificates, encryption, and all of the basic security protocols as defined by published standards. The surveillance measures include monitoring information flow activities and evaluating these messages for indications of potential security attacks. We describe in this paper the utilization of a Distributed Trust Model that was developed specifically for monitoring communication within an Energy Grid of Things. The goal for the Distributed Trust Models is to provide a level of aggregate trust that …

Mud Acoustics, Charles W. Holland, Stan E. Dosso, Jason D. Chaytor

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Imaging the ocean requires an understanding of how different seafloor sediments interact with sound waves.

A Transverse-Flux Constant Force Mechanism, Gozde Sivka, Bertrand Dechant, Colton Bruce, Jonathan Z. Bird

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

A new type of constant force magnet mechanism is presented that relies on the interaction of magnets alone to create a constant force over a prescribed stroke length. It is demonstrated that by using a transverse field path a very uniform radial field along the travel length is created. This can then be used to create a constant force over a long stroke length. The constat force value is shown to be adjustable through the rotation of the stator relative to the translator. The operating principle of the presented transverse-flux constant force mechanism is validated by using 3-D finite element …

A Review Of Rattlesnake Venoms, Phuc Phan, Anant Deshwal, Tyler Anthony Mcmahon, Matthew Slikas, Elodie Andrews, Brian Becker, Thallapuranam Krishnaswamy Suresh Kumar

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

Venom components are invaluable in biomedical research owing to their specificity and potency. Many of these components exist in two genera of rattlesnakes, Crotalus and Sistrurus, with high toxicity and proteolytic activity variation. This review focuses on venom components within rattlesnakes, and offers a comparison and itemized list of factors dictating venom composition, as well as presenting their known characteristics, activities, and significant applications in biosciences. There are 64 families and subfamilies of proteins present in Crotalus and Sistrurus venom. Snake venom serine proteases (SVSP), snake venom metalloproteases (SVMP), and phospholipases A2 (PLA2) are the standard components in Crotalus …

Assessing Tax Revenue Implications Of Environmental Policy: A Case Study Of China’S Channel City Policy, Yongwen Yang, Juhee Lee

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Recent studies suggest that while environmental policies yield positive environmental effects, they also incur costs for various entities. However, there is a gap in research regarding these policies’ financial impact from the government's perspective. To investigate the extent to which government tax revenue is affected by environmental policies, we employ the Difference-inDifferences (DID) method to estimate the impact of a regional air pollution control policy in China known as the Channel City Policy on the tax revenue of city governments. Our findings indicate that the Channel City Policy (CCP) enhances air quality by reducing PM2.5, SO2, and NOx concentrations by …

Empirical Examination Of Factors That Influence Official Decisions In Criminal Cases Against Police Officers, Francis D. Boateng, Daniel K. Pryce, Michael K. Dzordzormenyoh, Ming-Li Hsieh, Alan Cuff

Sociology & Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

In the current paper, we examine departmental and court decision-making in criminal cases against police officers. The study has two objectives: 1) to examine variables that impact departmental decisions in criminal cases against police officers, and 2) to examine factors that affect case disposition/conviction decisions by the courts. To achieve these objectives, we analyzed nationally representative arrest data using multiple statistical approaches. The results obtained revealed important patterns that are critical to our understanding of how the courts and police departments decide matters relating to police criminality. For instance, victim characteristics significantly influenced decision-making by both the police agency and …

On Remand In Cantero, The Second Circuit Should Reject Bank Of America's Preemption Claim And Hold That New York's Interest-On-Escrow Law Applies To National Banks, Arthur E. Wilmarth Jr.

GW Law Faculty Publications & Other Works

In Cantero v. Bank of America, N.A., 602 U.S. 205 (2024), the Supreme Court vacated and remanded a decision of the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. Bank of America argued that the National Bank Act preempts New York General Obligation Law (NYGOL) § 5-601, thereby exempting the bank from any duty to comply with § 5-601. The Second Circuit agreed with Bank of America’s preemption claim.

NYGOL § 5-601 requires national banks and other mortgage lenders operating in New York to pay at least 2% annual interest on funds deposited by borrowers in mortgage escrow accounts. The Second Circuit held …

Putting Lipstick On A Pig: Biogas, Methane Digesters, And The Greenwashing Playbook, Randall S. Abate

GW Law Faculty Publications & Other Works

Industrial animal agriculture pitches biogas and methane digesters as solutions to the outsized methane footprint of concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), yet these efforts merely seek to convey to the public that CAFOs’ operations are environmentally responsible. In reality, quite the opposite is true because biogas and methane digesters more deeply entrench these facilities into the status quo of unsustainable production and disposal methods at CAFOs. This article first describes industrial animal agriculture’s impacts on climate change, with a focus on methane emissions. It then addresses biogas and methane digesters as ineffective solutions to the methane emissions from CAFOs. Next, …

Hiding In Plain Sight: Erisa's Cure For The $1.4 Trillion Health Benefits Market, Amy Monahan, Barak D. Richman

GW Law Faculty Publications & Other Works

Since 1974, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) has imposed fiduciary duties on those who manage and administer employee benefit plans. But for the largest employee benefits – retirement benefits and health plans, which together constitute 13% of total national compensation – ERISA’s fiduciary duties have played very different roles. For retirement benefits, ERISA scrutinizes plan managers and requires employers to select plan investments with care. For health plans, there is a regulatory vacuum, as ERISA imposes few federal requirements yet preempts state efforts to ensure quality plan offerings. In short, ERISA has advanced protections for retirement plans but …

A Financial Case For A Medical-Legal Partnership: Reducing Lengths Of Stay For Inpatient Care, Barak D. Richman, Breanna Barrett, Riya Mohan, Devdutta Sangvai

GW Law Faculty Publications & Other Works

While Medical-Legal Partnerships (MLPs) have improved the health and well-being of the people they serve, most healthcare institutions will only invest in an MLP if they are convinced that doing so will improve its balance sheet. This article offers a detailed estimation of the cost savings that an MLP targeted toward the most acute legal needs would accrue to an academic medical center (AMC) in North Carolina.

The Objectives Of Medicaid: A Statutory And Scholarly Examination Of America's Most Important Health Program, Barak D. Richman, Laura Richman

GW Law Faculty Publications & Other Works

When Kentucky and Arkansas instituted work requirements in 2018 as a condition to receiving Medicaid benefits, residents from both states sued the Trump Administration to block the program, arguing that the requirements were contrary to the Medicaid statute. In Gresham v. Azar, the DC Circuit agreed, holding that "the objective of Medicaid was to furnish medical assistance." Even though the Secretary of Health and Human Services determined that the work requirements were "likely to assist in improving health outcomes," the court concluded that "better health outcomes as [an] objective of Medicaid… lacks textual support. Indeed, the statute makes no mention …

Debunking Criminal Restitution, Lula Hagos

GW Law Faculty Publications & Other Works

Criminal restitution—the money paid by a defendant to a victim—is often overlooked amidst growing scholarly consensus about the adverse impact of criminal court fines and fees. Restitution receives less attention because it is perceived as a fair and unobjectionable sanction with legitimate goals, while fines and fees are now widely condemned as primarily serving as a funding source for local and state governments. Consequently, the animated and extensive discourse around financial punishment largely excludes criminal restitution.

Though criminal restitution may appear to have legitimate penological purposes, it serves to perpetually punish defendants who are poor—the vast majority of those in …

“I Was But The Learner, Now I Am The Master”: Using The Protégé Effect To Accelerate Learning Outcomes, Anita M. Singh

GW Law Faculty Publications & Other Works

Like most legal writing professors, I frequently use peer editing, collaborative editing, and rewriting in my classes and have done so since I began teaching in 2009. Last year, looking to increase student self-direction, promote ownership and accountability, and drive students to engage more meaningfully with my feedback, I added something slightly different to the mix. By combining “learning by teaching” and self-reflection, I stumbled upon an exercise that students across-the-board called “[t]he most important thing [we did] for my writing” and “the best reviewing exercise we [did] all year.” It had the added bonus of supporting students’ professional identity …