Digital Commons Network^™

Wearable-Derived Heart Rate Variability Reveals Autonomic Dysfunction In Schizophrenia (Preprint), Alec J. Pupo, Stephanie H. Felgoise

Internal Medicine Resident Research

Autonomic dysfunction has long been implicated in schizophrenia, yet objective physiological markers remain underutilized in psychiatric research. Heart rate variability (HRV), a noninvasive measure of autonomic regulation, is conventionally derived from short electrocardiographic recordings. In this study, we tested whether continuous, wearable-derived HRV can identify physiologic alterations in schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. Using the NIH All of Us database, we analyzed second-level Fitbit heart rate data from 26 individuals with schizophrenia-spectrum diagnoses and 26 matched controls. Frequency-domain analyses focused on ultra-low frequency (ULF), very low frequency (VLF), and truncated low frequency (tLF) bands, given sampling constraints. Schizophrenia participants showed significantly reduced power …

Elevated Neutrophil-To-Lymphocyte Ratios In Schizophrenia: Insights From A Precision Medicine Cohort (Preprint), Alec J. Pupo, Connor J. Stinson, Chinwendu Madukwe, Stephanie H. Felgoise

Internal Medicine Resident Research

Systemic inflammation has been increasingly implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), a readily available marker of systemic inflammation, has not been thoroughly investigated in large, demographically-matched schizophrenia cohorts. Using data from the All of Us Research Program, we analyzed participants with schizophrenia (n = 396) matched to controls (n = 396) by sex, race, and age. NLR was calculated as the ratio of each participant’s median neutrophil count to median lymphocyte count across all available measurements, excluding extreme values (NLR > 7). Distribution normality was assessed using the Shapiro–Wilk test, and group differences were evaluated with the …

The Correlation Between First-Dollar Promise Programs And Student Enrollment, Retention, And Completion, Jennifer Kotowski

Dissertations of Practice

Promise Programs gained popularity during the Great Recession to increase access to postsecondary education amid growing concerns regarding student loan debt. Promise Programs provide tuition-free scholarships to eligible students, typically based on non-merit criteria. Two common types of Promise Programs scholarships are first-dollar scholarships, which are awarded before any other grants, financial aid, or scholarships, and last-dollar scholarships, which are applied after all other grants, financial aid, or scholarships. Both models have been shown to positively impact student outcomes such as enrollment, semester-to-semester retention, and degree completion. This quantitative study determined whether student outcomes improved when a Promise Program scholarship …

The Beautiful Struggle: A Counter-Narrative Study Of African American Male School Leaders, Jamie Crosen Mr

Dissertations of Practice

This qualitative dissertation explores the lived experiences of African American male high school principals in urban and suburban schools across the Chicagoland area. Using critical race theory (CRT) and counter-narrative methodology, the study centers the voices of ten African American male principals to examine how race, systemic inequities, and social justice shape their leadership practices, professional identities, and navigation of racially charged educational environments. These leaders consistently confront institutionalized biases and racialized expectations that limit their professional advancement while reinforcing deficit narratives about African American leadership. Through semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis, three primary research questions guided this study: (1) …

Beyond Grit: Structural Determinants Of Resilience Among College Women With Children In The U.S., Juliana Kahrs

Dissertations of Practice

This critical quantitative analysis explores how social determinants of health, including basic needs security, caregiving and work responsibilities, healthcare access, discrimination experiences, and institutional support predict resilience among U.S. college women with dependents. Using data from the Spring 2021 ACHA-NCHA III survey (n = 4,417), this study integrated the Health Equity Framework with the Social Ecological Theory of Resilience to examine multilevel influences on resilience. Descriptive analyses highlighted disproportionate burdens among single, first-generation, and racially minoritized groups. Bivariate chi-square tests revealed significant associations between resilience and sense of belonging, basic needs security, employment, healthcare utilization, and self-assessed overall health. Multinomial …

Stephen J. Lippard: Chemistry Meets Medicine, Radwa Elrouby

Natural Sciences Student Research Presentations

Key Study

In "DNA Sequence Context Modulates the Impact of a Cisplatin 1,2-GpG Intrastrand Cross-Link", Pilch, Todd, and Lippard found that the DNA sequence around the binding site influences how tightly cisplatin binds (Pilch, Todd, and Lippard).

Biophysical techniques like melting temperature and circular dichroism showed that some sequences stabilize DNA more strongly after drug binding (Pilch, Todd, and Lippard).

This explains why cisplatin is more effective in some tumor genomes (Todd and Lippard).

Infant Health Equity In Oklahoma: A Mixed-Methods Exploration Of Personal, Organizational, Environmental, And Policy Factors Contributing To Black Infant Mortality, Ayesha M. Lampkins

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

Black women experience higher rates of adverse birth outcomes, including infant mortality. There is a gap in the literature on multilevel strategies to achieve infant health equity and engage Black women. This study is unique in that no others have looked at the views of Oklahoma Black women to inform and address infant health equity strategies and utilize these views to provide context to existing infant mortality data. The study research questions are: 1) What views on infant health equity and infant mortality are held by Black women in Oklahoma? 2) What differences exist between Black and White mothers in …

Flags As Symbols Of Place: Unpacking Geographic Meaning And Identity In Student Flag Designs, Carlos A. Morales-Ramirez

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

Flags have been around for centuries; however, vexillology, the study of flags, was not officially coined until the 1960s. Despite this, there is still a need for more scientific and empirical research. Using qualitative arts-based research (ABR) methodology, this study investigates the creative journey of students in an undergraduate geography course as they design a flag for a place of their choosing. Students were asked to interpret the concept of ‘place’ through their flag designs while also incorporating flag design principles. The results showed that participants selected places tied to themes such as hometown, family, love, memories, and culture often …

Distinguishing Symptoms Of Racial Trauma From Conventional Trauma, Michelle Yoong

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

Trauma research in psychology has traditionally been shaped by a White-centric framework, leading to the underrepresentation of racial and ethnic minority experiences. This study aims to establish racial discrimination as a distinct traumatic stressor with significant psychological consequences by exploring the distinction between racial and conventionally recognized traumatic stressors and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). It also aims to address inconsistent and exclusionary assessment methodology involving underrepresented racial minority (URM) populations, including the neglect of racial trauma and discrimination measures in trauma research. Participants consisted of URMs who sought enrollment in a clinical trial for opioid use disorder at a community …

Virginia Commonwealth University: Program Profile, Christy Tyndall, Jacqueline Smith-Mason

National Collegiate Honors Council Monographs: Chapters

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) is an urban, public research university located in Richmond, Virginia. VCU is among only eighty-four R1 universities with a Carnegie Community Engagement classification, which is a testament to VCU’s strong commitment to integrating community engagement through teaching, research, and service to address societal challenges and improve the quality of life for all. The university enrolls more than 28,000 students, representing over one hundred countries. Eighty-five percent of students are Virginia residents, and more than half of all students represent ethnically diverse populations. Thirty-seven percent of all fall 2024 freshmen were first-generation college students. More than two …

Timber Talk, Vol. 63, No. 1, March 2025

Timber Talk: Nebraska Forest Industry Newsletter

Timber Talk, Vol. 63, No. 1, March 2025

Timber Talk, Vol. 63, No. 2, June 2025

Timber Talk: Nebraska Forest Industry Newsletter

Timber Talk, Vol. 63, No. 2, June 2025

Developing A Roadmap For Green Port In Timor-Leste, Emanuel Da Silva Maia

World Maritime University M.Sc. Dissertations

On that matter, this study aims to analyze the current status of Timor Port as the gateway port in the country, accommodating ocean-going vessels from various countries, which poses a significant pollution to the atmosphere.

Moreover, this study also examined current energy management, the drivers and barriers, to transform Timor port to shift towards a more environmentally responsible approach.

However, this study identified some challenges that could hinder the implementation of green port practices in Timor Port, such as policy, regulatory, and framework issues, high capital costs, limited awareness and expertise, technology uncertainty and incompatibility, including leadership commitment and political …

Noaa Oceanic And Atmospheric Research Ocean Carbon Observing Science Plan Fy25 To Fy35, United States National Oceanographic And Atmospheric Administration

National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration: Technical Reports and Related Materials

United States National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration oceanic and atmospheric research ocean carbon observing science plan for fiscal years 2025 through 2035.

The History Of Urban Life Textbook, Samuel Finesurrey

Open Educational Resources

No abstract provided.

Case Studies In The History Of U.S. Empire And Society, Samuel Finesurrey, Gary Greaves

Open Educational Resources

These case-studies in U.S. history attempt to break away from the white racial frame that too often is used to tell the story of America's past. These resources explore the United States from the vantage of the enslaved, exploited, persecuted, conquered and occupied who made possible the realization of others' wealth and dreams.

Paternity, Protection, And Pirates: A Queer Theory Analysis Of Intellectual Property Metaphors, Eden Sarid

IP Theory

Intellectual Property and queer theory share a fundamental concern with the interplay between private and public, tangible and intangible, and language and form. Queer theory emphasizes how language impacts the construction of identity and belonging, highlighting that discourse plays a pivotal role in structuring gender, sexuality, and normativity. Intellectual Property is often portrayed as strictly neutral, laser-focused on spurring creativity and innovation. However, is this portrayal reflective of reality? And does this purported neutrality hold up in IP’s rhetoric? By examining two principal IP terminologies through a queer lens – the term “protection” to describe IP legal privilege, and the …

The Mathematics Of Regulatory Fragmentation: Understanding The Multiplicative Costs Of State-Level Platform Requirements, Amanda Reid

IP Theory

The recent wave of state-level social media regulation represents an unprecedented experiment in territorial control of digital platforms. While constitutional questions around state authority remain central to these debates, this article examines a distinct but complementary concern: the mathematical reality of how overlapping technical requirements multiply compliance burdens. These laws aim to protect youth online through technical mandates, yet they create a regulatory patchwork that generates multiplicative rather than additive costs. Following combination theory [N(N-1)/2], each new state regulation creates conflict points with existing requirements.

This article analyzes how this regulatory multiplication affects platform architecture, user experience, and safety outcomes. …

Nebraska Water Center Annual Report 2025

Nebraska Water Center: Administrative Materials

Training Nebraska's future water professionals, research publications, water sciences laboratory impact and know your well curriculums and community impact

An In-Depth Interview Study On Needed Professional Development For Assistant Principals Within One Rural School District In North Carolina, Jeffery N. Webb

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The purpose of this interview study was to gain better insight and understanding into what professional development is needed for assistant principals to be successful in the principalship. During this study, 17 participants were interviewed across three different groups: central office administrators, principals, and assistant principals within one rural school district. Based on the three different groups interviewed, the data provided that the perception is that assistant principals need more development in budget/finance, K-12 curriculum knowledge, school improvement, evaluations/observations, day-to-day operations, policy/law, curriculum/instruction, and professional development. It was determined that professional development in those areas needed to be continuous throughout …

Mandatory Fertilizer Regulations: A Survey Of State And Federal Laws, S. Emily Grams, James Rehwaldt

William & Mary Environmental Law and Policy Review

The Environmental Protection Agency describes nutrient pollution as “one of the most widespread and challenging environmental problems faced by our nation.” Despite this acknowledgment, federal and state governments impose little to no mandatory laws to regulate the application of synthetic fertilizers to farmland, the primary source of nutrient pollution. Further, emissions from agriculture play a key role in global emissions; failing to address them could prevent the global attainment of the 1.5 degrees Celsius and 2 degrees Celsius climate change goals. In an attempt to shed light on the issue, this Article describes the significant climatic and environmental impacts of …

The Implications Of The Menstrual Cycle On Upper Extremity Function And Injury Risk, Kaitlyn Ashley Armstrong

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are the leading cause of time lost from work in the healthcare industry (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2022). Women account for 75 percent of the total employment in hospitals (BLS, 2022). It is important to identify key risk factors that may be contributing to the high rates of injury in this sector. Females bring a variety of unique factors into account, and understanding these factors could be critical for improving individual health and the burden placed on the system due to absenteeism resulting from injury. The cyclical hormonal fluctuations that occur over a menstrual cycle …

Exploring Aging And Bone Health In Normal Weight Obesity And The Prevalence Of Unhealthy Lean Phenotypes, Pouria Sefidmooye Azar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Obesity is a complex chronic condition characterized by the excessive accumulation of body fat. While numerous studies have highlighted the risks of adverse complications associated with obesity, limited research has explored the relationship of body composition phenotypes, more specifically normal weight obesity with aging, and bone health. Also, the prevalence of unhealthy lean phenotypes in adults in the U.S. is not clear. A secondary-data analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2002 were performed to further examine the relationship between body composition phenotypes—normal weight lean (NWL), overweight/obesity with normal body fat percentage (OBL), normal weight obesity (NWO), …

An Examination Of Community Formation Through The Lens Of Transvestia Magazine, Amanda Elaine Shinn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Transvestia magazine was important for the creation of the modern transvestite community. This project shows how the editor of the magazine defined her readership and how the stories, letters to the editor, and advertisements published within the magazine helped to develop this sense of community within the readership. The contents of the magazine were tabulated into spreadsheets and counted along with relevant data, including word counts, what issues the items appeared in, where they appeared inside the magazine, etc. The first five years of the magazine were compared with the last five years, showing how it changed editors, length, frequency, …

Recent Advances In Examining The Factors Influencing The Efficacy Of Biocides Against Listeria Monocytogenes Biofilms In The Food Industry: A Systematic Review, Michael Arthur, Edmund Larbi Afari, Elena‐Alexandra Alexa, Mei‐Jun Zhu, Michael T. Gaffney, Jesus Maria Frias Celayeta, Catherine M. Burgess

Articles

Controlling Listeria monocytogenes and its associated biofilms in the food industry requires various disinfection techniques, including physical, chemical, and biological treatments. Biocides, owing to their ease of use, cost-effectiveness, dissolvability in water, and efficacy against a wide range of microorganisms, are frequently selected options. Nonetheless, concerns have been raised about their efficacy in controlling L. monocytogenes biofilm, as laboratory-based and commercial studies have reported the persistence of this bacterium after cleaning and disinfection. This review systematically examined scientific studies, sourced from the Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed databases between January 2010 and May 2024, that investigated the effectiveness of …

Litigating For The Planet: How International Courts And Tribunals Converge And Diverge On Climate Change, Paul R. Williams, Greta Ramelli, Ryan Jane Westlake

Denver Journal of International Law & Policy

As the global community faces mounting repercussions of climate change and a narrowing timeline to avert irreversible environmental harm, the role of international law in climate change litigation has become increasingly critical. In recent years, hundreds of climate change cases have been filed against governments and corporations before domestic courts. The year 2023 marked an unprecedented rise in the engagement of international and regional courts with climate issues. Notably, the European Court of Human Rights and the International Tribunal of the Law of the Sea recently expressed their views on the scope of state obligations concerning climate change under the …

Assessing The Potential For Bigleaf Maple Syrup Production In Humboldt County, Ca, David A. Reinhart, Juan A. Ramos-Cool, Liam H. Richardson

Undergraduate Scholarship

The bigleaf maple (Acer macrophyllum, Pursh) is the largest maple of the Pacific Northwest. While it has generally been treated as a nuisance in timber harvesting operations, a small amount of research has been conducted on its sugaring ability in Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. This research has yet to reach further south in the species' range. This study aims to help a California landowner understand which maple trees on his property produce the most maple sap, to gauge what environmental factors contribute to maple sap production, and to find greater implications for the production of maple sap …

Impact Of An Herbicide Treatment In An Annual Grass Invaded Sagebrush Steppe, Jordan Dino Santia

Undergraduate Scholarship

Globally, rangelands are being threatened by invasive annual grasses (IAGs) that alter fire regimes, drive vegetation type conversion, and alter ecosystem function. This study evaluates vegetation responses to an Imazapic treatment applied in 2020 to control a population of Taeniatherum caput-medusae, an IAG, that flourished following a severe wildfire in 2013. The site, located on a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) grazing allotment east of Klamath Falls, Oregon, has been monitored annually using the Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring (AIM) protocol since the Summer of 2022. Over this period, very little T. caput-medusae has been detected while bare ground has …

Igc Oral Presentation Summary: Xxv Igc Congress, S. Ray Smith, Echo Elizabeth Gotsick, J. R. Weinert-Nelson, Alayna Jacobs, Christopher D. Teutsch, Will Fleming, D. R. Woodfield, James L. Klotz, Jeff Lehmkuhler, Greg S. Halich, Brittany Davis, Brittany Hendrix, Krista Lea

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

This paper will give an overview of the XXV International Grassland Congress thematic, keynote, and plenary sessions. The theme of the XXV IGC Congress meeting was “Grasslands for Soil, Animal, and Human Health.” We had many people attending, presenting, and participating in all these sessions. Within a month after the conclusion of the Congress, the proceeding’s papers presented at the meeting will be available on the IGC app. By the end of 2023 all papers will be available for download through any search engine at internationalgrasslands.org.

Facial Recognition Technology And The First Amendment, Joseph A. Tomain

Michigan Technology Law Review

The growing ubiquity of facial recognition technology (FRT) is a problem. While much has been written on harmful government use of FRT, little has been written about harmful use by private actors. This Article helps fill that gap in the literature by providing a detailed analysis of the First Amendment interests at stake when private actors use FRT. Specifically, this Article analyzes whether laws that limit the use of publicly available photographs to create “faceprints” for inclusion in FRT databases violate the First Amendment rights of the private actors creating these databases.

In May 2025, a multidistrict litigation against Clearview …