Digital Commons Network^™

Solving The Puppy Mill Problem: Using "Carrots And Sticks" To Encourage Compliance With The Animal Welfare Act, Ashlyn Browning

Penn State Law Review (2003 - Present)

No abstract provided.

Reinsuring Ai: Energy, Agriculture, Finance & Medicine As Precedents For Governance Of Frontier Artificial Intelligence, Nicholas Stetler

Southern Illinois University Law Journal

Federal reinsurance for advanced artificial intelligence offers a credible foundation for managing risk at scale. Traditional legal tools such as regulation, litigation, and voluntary guidelines, lack the institutional capacity to address deep uncertainty, widespread spillover effects, and low-probability but catastrophic harms. A public financial infrastructure distributes risk, incentivizes responsible development, and enables earlier detection of emerging threats. Precedent exists in nuclear energy, agriculture, healthcare, and finance, where federal reinsurance enabled markets to function despite underlying volatility. The same institutional logic applies to frontier AI.

Part I explains how general-purpose and frontier AI models work, and why they have become a …

An Analysis Of Policies Impacting Ex-Offenders And The Barriers Created In Their Transition Into Society: A Qualitative Metasynthesis, Thomas A. Ayala

Theses & Dissertations

In 2018, more than six million people in the United States were under correctional supervision, including incarceration, probation, or parole, equivalent to 1 in 40 adults (Maruschak & Minton, 2020). While this reflects a decline from previous years, prison populations reversed course in 2022, increasing by 2% nationwide, with 36 states and federal facilities reporting higher inmate counts (Nellis, 2024). Since 1973, policy shifts have fueled the rise of mass incarceration (Nellis, 2021; O’Brien, 2020). According to the Pew Center, the United States remains a global outlier, holding 5% of the world’s population, but incarcerates 25% of the 9 million …

Louisiana Children's Trust Fund: Annual Report 2024-2025, Elizabeth Winchester, Jada Thomas-Smith, Quynh-Tram Tran, Aimee Moles, Judith L. F. Rhodes

Reports

LCTF makes annual grant awards to aid in the prevention of child abuse and neglect in the state. Grant awards fund programs and conferences, which are implemented in five LCTF identified areas of intervention, namely: 1) Teaching children personal safety and life skills; 2) Education and support services for parents; 3) Hospital and/or home visitation and support services to families; 4) Public awareness and education programs for adults; and 5) Training and education of teachers, professionals, and volunteers.

To ensure accountability for grant funding, an annual review of funded proposals assesses program planning, implementation, and evaluation. The annual review involves …

2025 Fall Commencement, Tennessee State University

TSU Commencements 2025-Present – Mr. Dwayne Tucker, President

No abstract provided.

Bi-Annual Updates July - December 2025, Centre For Clinical Best Practices (Ccbp)

Centre For Clinical Best Practices (CCBP) Archives

• The Purpose Behind CCBP
• What We Do
• New Knowledge Creation
• Dissemination of AKU Manual
• Children’s Health Manual
• Patient Centered Manual
• Updating AKU Manual
• Dissemination of Manual via Mobile App
• Academic Publications & Conferences
• Strategic Partnerships
• Knowledge Creation
• Updating Guidelines – AKU Manual
• AKU Manual of Paediatrics
• Patient Centered Care Application
• Guidelines & Algorithms Published on Mobile/Web App
• Collaboration Meetings
• Dissemination Sessions
• Physicians Trajectory: Online Manual Access
• Physicians Engagement with Online Manual (2025)
• Analytics: Online Manual Access
• Physicians Speaking About AKU Manual
• Conferences and Publications
• Research Publications
• Center for Clinical Best Practices Team
• Editorial Team
• Acknowledgment

Enhancing Patient Safety And Satisfaction: Evaluating The Impact Of Bedside Shift Reporting On A Medsurg Floor, Sarah Delaware Bsn, Rn

Nurse Residency

On Medical Surgical hospital units, how does the implementation of RN bedside shift report, compared to traditional shift report away from the patient, impact patient satisfaction and patient safety outcomes?

Vaping Insights Perceptions And Experiences On A College Campus, Willard G. Jackson

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if relationships existed between student vaping habits in proximity to a college campus and current tobacco related bans implemented by the institution. Determining these relationships provided insights that can be utilized to maximize effectiveness of campus tobacco policy. Research outcomes represented a framework for educating current and potential tobacco consumers on campus regarding harm reduction, tobacco cessation, and resources available to prevent a lifetime of nicotine addiction or other tobacco related harm to health. The study addressed research questions in a mixed-methods design. Quantitative research questions included: Does a relationship exist between …

An Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of Living Learning Communities On Student Success, Retention, And Belonging, Jason D. Harville

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This project of practice evaluated the impact of Living Learning Communities (LLCs) on student success, retention, and sense of belonging at a regional public university. The program evaluation includes quantitative data comparing GPA and retention rates of LLC and non-LLC students, a sense of belonging scale, and qualitative data gathered from interviews and surveys with LLC participants and program partners. Findings indicate that LLC participation positively correlates with increased student retention and a stronger sense of community, though academic performance differences were not statistically significant. Thematic analysis of qualitative interviews revealed that intentional faculty-student interaction, tailored academic support, and early …

A Comparative Analysis Of Statistical And Machine Learning Models With Application In Ai-Powered Stroke Risk Prediction, Megan Mccoy

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Rapid detection of large vessel occlusion (LVO) is critical due to its high mortality and narrow treatment window. Although machine learning (ML) and deep learning tools show promise for LVO prediction, their clinical use is hindered by inconsistent pre-hospital data, variable LVO rates, limited interpretability, and high costs. This study introduces a hybrid neural network (HNN) that integrates classical statistical learning with neural networks to combine interpretability and structure with flexibility and regularization. The model was validated through simulations using NIHSS scores, demographics, and medical history across diverse sample sizes and LVO prevalence rates, and benchmarked against logistic regression, Naive …

An Investigation Of Collateral Activity Effects On Behavior Maintained By A Drl 72‑Second Schedule, Cassidy M. Graham

Masters Theses

Impulsivity is a key behavioral trait with broad implications for clinical disorders such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ADHD, and substance use disorders SUD, where impaired inhibitory control contributes to maladaptive outcomes. In preclinical research, animal models provide valuable tools for examining behavioral processes associated with impulsivity. The Differential Reinforcement of Low Rates (DRL) schedule, offers a precise measure of response inhibition and timing by requiring subjects to withhold responses for reinforcement. This study employed DRL72s schedule to investigate impulsive action in male and female Sprague-Dawley rats, with an emphasis on sex-based differences and the potential influence of environmental factors. …

Greenhouse Gas Accounting For Western Australian Agriculture 2023, Johnny Machon, Christophe D'Abbadie

Climate Science Published Reports

This report presents new modelling of the greenhouse gas emissions attributable to Western Australia’s agricultural industries and provides an overview of sequestration at the state level. The report updates the estimates from previous technical reports by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD). It presents not only emissions from agricultural activities in Western Australia (WA) but also from the production of agricultural inputs and energy use. This broader picture of emissions aligns with frameworks for emissions reporting at the business and product level.

Total on-farm and pre-farm emissions are estimated to have been about 12.6–13.3 million tonnes of …

Water Circulation Beneath A Hovering Suas For Water Quality Monitoring Applications, Erin E. Hackett, Boone Fleenor, Jensine C. Coggin, Duvall Dickerson-Evans, Nikolaos Vitzilaios, Whitney E. Schuler, Paige K. Williams, Michael L. Myrick

Faculty Publications

Water quality has traditionally been measured via in situ sensors and satellites. The latter has limited applicability for smaller inland water bodies, while the former requires significant logistics, labor, and expense for routine sampling, and reactive/spurious sampling is often not feasible as a result (e.g., sampling pre-/post-storm). Consequently, small uncrewed aircraft system-based (sUAS-based) sampling has emerged as a potential solution to bridge these sampling gaps and challenges. But sampling from an sUAS is complicated by the need to pump water from depth, rather than suspending a sensor from the sUAS, due to concern over sampling sUAS-impacted waters. Here, we measure …

Investigating The Levels Of Burnout Of New Extension Agent Hires Throughout Their First Employment Year, Matt Benge, Amy Harder, Lendel K. Narine

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

The objectives of this paper were to describe new Extension agent hires’ levels of burnout during their first year on the job, and to determine if there are significant predictors for burnout based on new Extension agent hires’ gender and age. We implemented a longitudinal quantitative research design using the Maslach Burnout Inventory to measure burnout with 58 new Extension agent hires. Survey data were collected monthly throughout the new agents’ first year on the job. New Extension professionals’ burnout levels did increase over the course of their first year on the job. Female agents experienced slightly higher levels of …

Let’S Talk Mental Health: An Assessment Of Oregon Agricultural Stakeholders Discussing Mental Health, Whitney Stone, Lauren Chase, Taylor Foerster

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Working in agriculture presents some unique mental health stressors, including financial difficulties, climate variability, and isolation. Currently, Extension offers mental health literacy programming addressing mental health and suicide in agricultural communities; however, some of the programming is underattended, and resources are underutilized. We sought to find out how communicating about mental health resources was perceived by agricultural stakeholders who work closely with farmers and ranchers, including agribusiness employees, leaders in the community, and pre-service agriculture teachers. Through this mixed-method study using focus groups and a survey, we wanted to find out the perceptions of mental health resources to help inform …

Rural Mental Health Challenges: Addressing Community-Specific Needs Of Rural Mississippians, Mary Marshall Waller, Mary Nelson Robertson, Holli H. Seitz, Michael R. Nadorff, David R. Buys

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

America’s mental health crisis uniquely impacts rural areas. Challenges surrounding intention and accessibility to engage in mental health-fostering behaviors exacerbate disparities in rural mental healthcare. In this study, Cooperative Extension personnel assess rural Mississippians’ intention to engage in mental health-fostering behaviors, accessibility to mental health-fostering behaviors, and helpfulness of increased access to resources for mental health challenges to determine if relationships exist between these variables. Rural Mississippi adults were recruited via an online survey panel to complete a 147-item web-based questionnaire (n = 274). Findings suggest rural adults’ intention to engage in mental health-fostering behaviors favored connecting with family and …

The Effects Of The Cooking For One Curriculum On Nutrition, Food Safety, Food Resource Management, And Physical Activity Behaviors: A Pilot Study, Tyler B. Becker Dr., Ronald L. Gibbs Jr, Becky Henne, Erika Garner

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

The number of single adult households has increased over the previous decades, and few health education interventions address these unique living situations, which come with various economic challenges. The Cooking for One curriculum is a cooking-based intervention designed to improve nutrition, food safety, food resource management, and physical activity (PA) behaviors among single adults. This curriculum includes six lessons, each with an educational and hands-on cooking component. Participants included 1,546 adults recruited through Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Education programs in the state of Michigan. Each of the participants underwent the six-lesson Cooking for One curriculum. Prior to and following the intervention, …

Foundational Phases For Community Development: A Model For Enhancing Cooperative Extension’S Role Within The Community, George Grant, Kristina Hains

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

The Cooperative Extension System (CES) plays a vital role in community education and development across the United States. The objective of this article is to demonstrate the historical and present-day significance of the CES as a catalyst for community development practice, while overlaying a community development model applicable to CES. A literature review is provided on the historical origins, organizational structure, and leadership responsibilities of agents and specialists relevant to community development research and practice. The researchers suggest a novel conceptual model, the Foundational Phases for Community Development, to assist agents and specialists across all areas of programming for engaging …

Bridging The Communication Gap In Natural Disaster Information: An Exploratory Study Of Extension Service Websites, Emmanuel Chisom Okolo, Rafael Landaverde, Laxmi Prasanna Kandi, Kim E. Dooley, Sarah Mccord, Kelsi Opat, Abdul Saboor Rahmany

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Natural disasters are expected to become more frequent and severe, increasing the need for effective disaster management. Governments are emphasizing community awareness and local self-reliance, with the Cooperative Extension Services (CES) playing a vital role in distributing science-based knowledge and supporting preparedness efforts. This qualitative content analysis (QCA), guided by Framing Theory, examined how CES disseminated weather-related disaster preparedness and response information from 2003 to 2023 on Extension Service websites. We explored: (1) the frequency of information on natural disaster preparedness and response published on Extension Service websites, (2) dissemination methods, and (3) the quality of disaster preparedness and response …

Full Issue, Volume 13, Number 3, Donna J. Peterson Dr., Scott Cummings, Elizabeth Gregory North

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

No abstract provided.

The Frontal Assessment Battery In Older Multilingual Kenyan Adults, Anne Njoki Gitere, Anne Nyambura, Karen Blackmon, Levi Muyela, Rachel Maina, Olivera Nesic Taylor,, Jasmit Shah, Dilraj Sokhi, Sylvia Mbugua, Samuel Gitau, Sheila Waa, Juzar Hooker, Zul Merali, Chinedu Momoh, Karen Blackmon

Brain and Mind Institute

Background: The Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) was developed as a short (6-item) bedside assessment of executive dysfunction in older adults with suspected neurodegeneration. This study describes psychometric features of the FAB in multilingual Kenyan adults with and without clinical diagnosis of dementia.

Method: The FAB consists of six items assessing verbal abstract reasoning, lexical fluency, motor learning, and inhibitory control. The score on each item ranges from 0-3, with higher scores indicating better performance. Bilingual English-Swahili study personnel translated, blind back-translated, and applied consensus-driven cultural adaptations. FAB was then administered to 95 participants [71 cognitively unimpaired (CU) controls; 24 people …

Burden Of Neurodevelopmental Disorders In Kenyan Children, Symon Kariuki, Patricia Kipkemoi, Martha Kombe, Mary Bitta, Jacqueline Phillips Owen, Amina Abubakar, Charles Newton

Institute for Human Development, East Africa

Importance: Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and intellectual disability contribute to one-tenth of the global burden of mental and neurologic disorders. The burden of NDDs is not well documented in Africa.

Objective:To assess the prevalence, risk factors, and comorbidities of NDDs in young Kenyan children.

Design, setting and participants: This cross-sectional study was conducted among children aged 6 to 9 years residing in the Kilifi Health and Demographic Surveillance System in Kenya. In stage I of the study, children were screened for NDDs from March 16, 2015, to September 14, 2016; those …

Workers’ Rights: Legal Protections Against Discrimination For Undocumented Employees, Nathan C. Zipperian, Mark Xiao, Kari Siegenthaler

Immigration Law Blog

Although undocumented workers are protected from workplace discrimination through federal and state laws, increasingly common immigration raids on workplaces coupled with widespread racist sentiment has caused some employers to preemptively terminate employees they suspect are undocumented. Even if undocumented workers succeed in keeping their employment, employers often weaponize the threat of immigration enforcement to create an environment of exploitation in which undocumented workers feel they cannot report abusive employer conduct.

This article will outline the legal protections afforded to undocumented people in the workplace, as well as detailing empirical studies that outline the types of discrimination undocumented workers often experience. …

Mental Help Seeking Behavior Of Freshman Nursing Students Of Manila Premier Local University, Gilmore Gelito Solidum

Biennial Convention (CONV)

COVID19 has caught all people in the world in surprise and has altered the way that humans live in almost all regard. The COVID-19 pandemic created an atmosphere of volatility and has caused significant stress and uncertainty. Young people were severely affected as they had to face school shutdowns, contend with social isolation from friends and significant others, and experienced amplified stress at home and in their communities. Given the unprecedented disruption caused by the pandemic, it is crucial to understand the pandemic’s impact on adolescent health and development. Mental health issues have become a growing concern during the pandemic …

Anxiety, Depression And Associated Medical Symptoms In Kenyan Hiv+ Women: Rural Vs. Urban Context, Laura L. Van Auker, Miriam Wagoro, Janet Meda, Mariana Javeza Omenda

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Background: Advances in HIV therapeutics for women living with HIV (WLWH) in sub-Saharan Africa have shifted focus from deadly AIDS to chronic disease management. This shift underscores the need for integrated mental health and HIV care in low-resource settings, particularly addressing medical comorbidities and antiretroviral (ARV) side effects that exacerbate anxiety and depression. Conditions such as anemia, diabetes, hypertension, and malaria, alongside ARV-related side effects like chronic pain, fatigue, and neuropathy, contribute to overlapping physical and mental health symptoms and challenges. Integrating mental health screening into primary care facilitates identifying primary and secondary symptom etiologies, optimizing outcomes. Urban and rural …

Contextualization Of Best Practice Guidelines For Managing Postoperative Pain In Children In Ghana, Sylvia Oger Ofosu Dwamena, Carin Maree, Seugnette Rossouw, Varshika Bhana

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Background: Acute postoperative pain is a prevalent surgical symptom that affects a significant proportion of patients, ranging from 40% to 80% (Skervin & Levy, 2020). Management of postoperative pain is critical for all groups of people, especially children. Various stakeholders are involved in postoperative pain management among children to be effective. Among these stakeholders, much of the concentration is on nurses and caregivers. Best practice guidelines are recommended for effective postoperative pain management among children. There are numerous best practice guidelines for managing postoperative pain among children globally (Cettler et al., 2022; Smith et al., 2022; Trottier et al., …

Construction And Validation Of A Colorectal Cancer Diagnostic Model Based On Ferroptosis-Related Genes, Juan Wang, Qiuyue Zhang

Saudi Medical Journal

ABSTRACT Objectives: To establish a ferroptosis-related colorectal cancer (CRC) diagnostic model by integrating machine learning and gene expression analysis. Tumorigenesis is strongly linked to ferroptosis, an iron-mediated kind of cell death. The dismal prognosis of CRC, a severely malignant gastrointestinal cancer, accentuates the demand for effective diagnostic biomarkers. Methods: The study was performed between January 2024 and 2025. The GEO database provided 2 openly searchable gene expression profiles (GSE9348 and GSE21510) from CRC as well as non-tumor tissues. Genes that were expressed differently in tumor and healthy tissues were found using the GSE9348 dataset. Distinct genetic biological functions were identified …

The Role Of Community Libraries In Repackaging Scientifically Researched Information For Rural Farming Communities: A Review, Jackline Estomihi Kiwelu, Patrick Ngulube

Libraries

Objective

Scientifically researched information is often found in journal articles, book chapters, and conference papers, which can be technical and challenging for those without training. Repackaging information into a simpler and preferred language can make it easier for undereducated rural communities to access. This narrative review investigates the strategies community libraries can adopt to repackage scientifically researched information for easier access by rural farming communities. This study contributes to the literature gap on research-based information repackaging by community libraries for rural development.

Methods

The literature search for this narrative review was conducted across several databases, evidence Based Library and Information …

Awareness And Usability Of Community And Facility-Based Health Sector Client Feedback Mechanism In Tanzania Public Health System. A Mixed Methods Study, James Kengia, Pius Kagoma, Ally Kinyaga, Helga Mutasingwa, Simon Debere, Robert Smith, Marcos Mzeru, Rashid Mbunda, Claud Kumalija, Paschal Ruggajo

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Background Client feedback systems are increasingly becoming important in person-centered health care. The systems provide opportunities to the public to interact with the health care providers and policymakers, present their concerns related to the performance of the health care system in order to improve the quality, equity, and responsiveness in the provision of services, hence increase social accountability. This study aimed to assess the situation of client feedback systems in Tanzania, focusing on the awareness and usability of existing facility- and community-based feedback platforms from the client’s perspective.

Methods The study employed a concurrent mixed-method design using both quantitative and …

The Psychological Impacts Of Higher Education Educators During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Ashlee Morgan Kemp

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the psychological well-being of higher education educators—specifically stress, anxiety, depression, alienation, and burnout—and to identify the coping strategies they employed while adapting to emergency hybrid instruction. This study was guided by the following research questions: What were the primary psychological impacts on higher education instructors’ well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic? How did the pandemic influence instructors’ experiences of stress, anxiety, depression, alienation, and burnout? Additionally, in what ways did educators cope with the instructional and professional challenges that emerged during this period? Guided by a …