Digital Commons Network^™

The Impact Of Modern Police Equipment And Training On Reported Anxiety And Depression Of Police Officers, Matthew Roy Burford

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative study investigated the relationships among law enforcement officers’ access to modern equipment, their confidence in their training, and their reported levels of anxiety and depression. The study also tested whether confidence in training moderated the association between equipment and mental health outcomes. Mental health symptoms were measured using the Beck Depression Inventory (Beck et al., 1961) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (Beck et al., 1988). Two researchers-developed instruments to assess officers’ perceived adequacy of their equipment and confidence in their training. Participants were recruited from law enforcement agencies across the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, and data were collected through …

Discourse Production And Its Relationship To Cognition In Mild Aphasia, Marcy D. Edwards

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Objective:Standardized assessments such as the Western Aphasia Battery-Revised do not reliably detect subtle language impairments in mild aphasia (Dalton & Richardson, 2015). Discourse tasks may provide a more sensitive measure of impairment. Although discourse tasks differ in cognitive demands (Kim & Kintz, 2024), variation in discourse performance across tasks and the influence of cognition remains unclear. Therefore, this study examined (1) whether discourse performance differs across different discourse elicitation tasks, and (2) the extent to which cognition influences discourse performance in individuals with mild aphasia.

Participants & Methods: Fifteen participants with mild aphasia participated (mean age = 62.7 years). Discourse …

What Is To Be Done? Palestine And The Futility Of Liberal Sympathy, Emily Maureen Schneider

Fast Capitalism

These remarks were delivered on November 19, 2025 as part of a virtual panel featuring the 2025 Marxist Sociology Section of the American Sociological Association Award Winners. In the essay below, I share the core arguments of my award-winning chapter, “Negotiating Indigeneity in Hebron: Criminality, Tourism, and Liberal Settler Colonialism,” which I have since expanded upon in my forthcoming book American Jews in Palestine: Tourism and the Limits of Liberal Sympathy. Based on years of ethnographic fieldwork investigating alternative Jewish tours to Palestine, I argue that liberal identity politics, namely a preoccupation with Indigeneity and race that does not challenge …

Football’S Climate Own Goal: The Case For Abolishing The Fifa World Cup, Toby Miller, Joan Pedro-Carañana

Fast Capitalism

This paper criticizes the environmental devastation and pervasive greenwashing associated with corporate football, with a particular focus on the FIFA men’s World Cup Finals. Analysis of past World Cups—Germany (2006), South Africa (2010), Brazil (2014), and particularly Qatar (2022)—reveals a consistent failure by FIFA and host nations to meet climate goals. Furthermore, major teams and governing bodies like UEFA and FIFA depend on sponsors from environmentally-damaging industries that utilize these sports for green cover, deflecting attention from their nefarious activities. As future World Cups expand (2026, 2030, 2034) and move to climate-vulnerable nations, the environmental impact is projected to worsen. …

Platform Telecracy: Soccer, Capital, And Media After Galeano, Jason Ludwig

Fast Capitalism

This article builds on on Eduardo Galeano's concept of "telecracy"  to theorize "platform telecracy," an updated framework for analyzing the relationship between soccer, media infrastructure, and capital in the era of digital platforms.  The article argues that the transition from broadcast television to online platforms has fundamentally transformed how soccer media is produced, circulated, and monetized. Where Galeano's broadcast telecracy (Telecracy 1.0) commodified the live match broadcast, platform telecracy (Telecracy 2.0) assetizes match footage, enabling its endless fragmentation and recirculation across digital platforms as a source of continuous advertising and subscription revenue.

From Many Green New Deals To The New Green Scam, Timothy W. Luke

Fast Capitalism

This preliminary critical analysis explores the decisive shift in U.S. environmental policy from the Biden Administration, which still honored the mythic might of FDR’s 1930s New Deal, to the rapid implementation of a President Trump's MAGA ("Make America Great Again") approaches to environmental conservation and protection policy. The Biden Administration’s and the Democratic Party also entertained “Green New Deal” measures despite their often misunderstood connections to statist class compromises and corporatist legitimation dynamics that alienated many conservatives and the GOP, as exemplified by the Project 2025 program from the Heritage Foundation behind the Second Trump administration.  As a mix of …

The Role Of Online Influencers In Countering Digital Extreme-Right Messaging: The Case Of Hasan Piker And The Twitch Network, Lachlan Howells, Francis Russell, Ben Rich, Paul Sutherland

Fast Capitalism

Although significant research has been conducted on the role of online influencers in fomenting and proliferating right-wing extremist narratives, conspiracies, and ideology, little attention has been paid to digital content creators who actively work to defuse and counter such ideas. This paper seeks to fill this gap by considering the case of Hasan Piker, a prolific leftist streamer and e-celebrity, theorized through Gramsci’s notion of the organic intellectual. Accordingly, we analyze a series of Piker’s livestreams that engage with various right-wing extremist talking points and consider his role in combating these ideas alongside his interactive audience.

Cyberzombies And The Afterlife Of Thought: Dead Labor, Ai, And The Necropolis Of Capital, Craig Van Pelt

Fast Capitalism

This essay presents a novel Marxist theory of artificial intelligence (AI) as the latest expansive form of dead labor. Drawing on Marx’s Grundrisse (1993 [1973]), I argue that modern AI systems function as cyberzombies: digital entities animated by appropriated dead cognitive labor. This dead cognitive labor operates as seemingly autonomous machine cognition, reproducing the core feature of capital: the domination of living labor by accumulated past labor. These cyberzombies accelerate the widening cognitive rift—the structural separation between communities that supply resources for AI to function and the actors who accumulate the resulting knowledge. The essay concludes that cyberzombies reveal an …

Full Issue, Fast Capitalism Editorial Team

Fast Capitalism

No abstract provided.

Attached To The Algorithm: Investigating The Relationship Between Adult Attachment Styles And Instrumental And Relational Dependency On Large Language Models, Jim Zapf, Ala Yankouskaya, Timothy J. Evans, Andrew J. Graham, Abigail Hill, Troy Backhuus

Journal of Counseling and Psychology

The rapid growth of large language models (LLMs) raises questions for counselors regarding when such tools are used adaptively versus when they foster dependency. Guided by attachment theory and a dual-dimension view of AI reliance, this study examined whether adult attachment styles predict instrumental (task/decision support) and relational (companion-like) dependency on LLMs, whether spiritual engagement relates to these dependencies, and whether levels differ by age. Faculty, staff, and students who had used an LLM completed the LLM-D12 and the ECR-R (N = 515). Analyses showed that instrumental dependency on LLMs was highest among individuals high in avoidance, with modest additional …

Caring For Our Neighbors: Public Prayer As A Pastoral Tool For Multicultural Communities, Gilbert Perez

School of Theology and Seminary Graduate Papers/Theses

Throughout 2025 and in the first few months of 2026 there has been an increased presence of immigration law enforcement in the state of Minnesota, which has extended into the central Minnesotan diocese of St. Cloud.

A Comprehensive Review Of 1d Deep Learning Approaches In Facial Analysis: Face Recognition, Landmark Detection, And Mesh Modeling, Duaa J. Al Hammami, Rehab F. Hassan

Journal of Soft Computing and Computer Applications

Facial Analysis has progressed rapidly with deep learning and its 2D image-based models, especially Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), which have been the most popular methods. In recent years, 1D deep learning models have gained traction in the search for efficient solutions for face recognition, facial landmark detection, and 3D face mesh modeling. 1D models encode the facial structure as sequences, curves, or temporal signals, resulting in high computational efficiency, a small memory footprint, and good interpretability, making them well-suited for real-time and edge devices. This review is a step-by-step, organized exploration of 1D deep learning analysis of the face, its …

Enhanced Thermal Energy Storage In Buildings: Impregnation, Leakage, And Environmental Performance Of Organic And Inorganic Pcm Composites, Gökhan Genç, Esra Yılmaz, M. Yusuf Yazıcı

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

This study experimentally investigates the impregnation and leakage performance of various organic (tobacco, sawdust, bay leaf, black cumin) and inorganic (vermiculite, perlite, bentonite, sepiolite) carrier materials used for phase change material (PCM) integration in building applications. The commercial paraffin-based PCM RT-31 was used as the thermal storage medium. Impregnation and leakage tests were conducted to evaluate the PCM absorption capacity, form stability, and energy storage potential of each carrier. The results revealed that perlite (C = 80%) and bay leaf (C = 78%) exhibited the highest impregnation capacities due to their porous and fibrous structures; however, they also demonstrated significant …

Development Of Differentiated Learning Assisted By Animated Content In Speaking And Writing Learning For Second Grade Elementary School Students, Winaningsih Winaningsih, Euis Eti Rohaeti, Asep Samsudin

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

Speaking and writing are basic skills that play a crucial role in supporting the academic development of elementary school students. Initial observations in one elementary school indicated that learning was still uniform, did not fully address differences in student abilities, and the use of digital media was still limited. This study aimed to analyze the development process, feasibility, and effectiveness of a differentiated learning model supported by animated content in improving the speaking and writing skills of second-grade elementary school students, as well as to identify barriers faced by teachers and students in its implementation. This study used a Research …

Dual-Action Antibacterial Agents Targeting Biofilm Reduction And Membrane Disruption In Staphylococcus Aureus, Rahmat Folashade Zakariyah, Waliyullahi Akorede Husain, Elohor Precious Samuel, Wonder Olanipekun Oloruntoba, Fatmah Opeyemi Saka, Khalid Ayinde Oyelami, Mariam Temitope Baker

Al-Bahir

Antimicrobial resistance in Staphylococcus aureus is a serious global health problem as the organism rapidly develops resistance against widely used antibiotics. This study sought to investigate the antibacterial and antibiofilm properties of γ-Tocopherol, a natural compound from Ocimum gratissimum, as well as its synergism with 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) against S. aureus. The antibacterial activities and minimum inhibitory concentrations of the compounds were determined using agar diffusion and microbroth dilution methods, respectively. Biofilm reduction was evaluated using 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) assay and membrane integrity was evaluated using the crystal violet microtiter plate assay and the ion leakage assay. The results …

Techno-Economic And Environmental Analysis Of Wind-Powered Green Hydrogen Production In Nigeria, Ignatius Kema Okakwu, Ayodeji Akinsoji Okubanjo, Samson Oladayo Ayanlade, Akintunde Samson Alayande, Solomon Olanrewaju Giwa, Abraham Olatide Amole, Etinosa Noma-Osaghe, Ajibola Oluwafemi Oyedeji

Al-Bahir

Green hydrogen is becoming a viable option for clean energy, and the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions has also become a popular sustainable energy source. In this paper, we evaluate the technoeconomic and environmental feasibility of green hydrogen production from wind energy in five Nigerian cities: Kano, Jos, Maiduguri, Ikeja, and Ikorodu. Energy potential from wind energy is estimated by using the Weibull distribution method, and six wind turbines are used to calculate electricity generation and hydrogen production. Economics of wind power are estimated through levelized cost of energy (LCOE), levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH), payback period (PBP), and …

A Rho5-Cnc1-Dnm1 Signalling Module Coordinates Multi-Organelle Execution Of Regulated Cell Death In Yeast, Justin Bauer

Theses and Dissertations

Regulated cell death is a conserved process with major implications for health and disease, yet how yeast cells integrate stress signals to determine survival versus death remains unclear. This thesis investigates Cyclin C (Cnc1), a conserved Mediator kinase module component with both transcriptional and mitochondrial roles. Together with Cdk8 Cnc1 primarily represses stress response genes, while upon stress it translocates to the mitochondria to induce mitochondrial fragmentation with the dynamin-related GTPase Dnm1. Using structure-guided separation-of-function mutants, I demonstrate that Cnc1-dependent death requires its mitochondrial function rather than its transcriptional role, and that its effector Dnm1 acts as a signaling node …

Anatomy And Function Of Vasopressin Receptor 1a-Expressing Neurons In The Limbic Thalamus, David Joseph Kahn

Theses and Dissertations

The vasopressin (Avp) system modulates social behavior through region-specific and sex-dependent mechanisms, yet the role of Avp receptor 1a (Avpr1a) signaling in the thalamus has remained largely unexplored. This dissertation examined the distribution and functional contributions of Avpr1a-expressing neurons across the mouse thalamus using a combination of genetic labeling, anatomical quantification, and chemogenetic manipulation. Mapping of Avpr1a-expressing neurons revealed a presence in most thalamic nuclei, with highest densities in the anterior thalamic nuclei and midline nuclei. Notably, Avpr1a-expressing neuron densities did not mirror previously described patterns of Avp innervation, and no sex differences in Avpr1a-expressing neuron density were observed. Chemogenetic …

D-Methionine Improves Spatial Navigation And Attenuates Oxidative Stress And Amyloid Pathology In A Sex-Specific Manner., Mackenzie R Peck, Jenelle E Chapman, Tiarra Hill, Kathleen Quinn, Erol D Ikiz, Angel Lopez, Erin R Hascup, Chilman Bae, Kevin N Hascup

Articles

Background

Oxidative stress and maladaptive neuroimmune activation contribute to cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and represent therapeutic targets beyond amyloid-centered approaches.

Objective

To determine whether oral D-methionine (D-Met), a redox-active amino acid, reduces amyloid pathology and lipid peroxidation and confers disease-modifying benefits in AD models.

Methods

Male and female APP/PS1 and APP^NL−Fmice with advanced AD pathology received oral D-Met or vehicle. Behavioral assessments included locomotor activity and hippocampal-dependent spatial learning and memory. Amyloid burden, lipid peroxidation, peripheral metabolic, and inflammatory markers, and hippocampal microglial phenotypes were evaluated.

Results

D-Met did not alter locomotor or exploratory behavior but …

June 16, 2026 Ereporter, University Of Alabama At Birmingham

eReporter (campus newsletter)

No abstract provided.

Omega-3–Rich Fish Oil Lipid Emulsions Significantly Prevent Sepsis-Driven Mesenteric Hypoperfusion And Multi-Organ Injury In Murine Models, Gökşen Öz, Esi̇n Özçelebi̇, Ayşe Yeşi̇m Göçmen, Cenk Sükmensüer, Selma Yildirim, Arzu Topeli̇, Alper Bektaş İski̇t

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Parenteral feeding is used in critically ill patients when enteral nutrition is inadequate or intolerable, and the gastrointestinal tract is not functioning properly. Lipid emulsions play a major role in parenteral nutrition because they supply necessary fatty acids and a high-calorie density. We investigated the effects of parenteral lipid emulsions on mesenteric perfusion, inflammation-induced oxidation, and organ damage in lipopolysaccharide-induced mice endotoxemia model.

Materials and methods: In septic mice, organ damage induced by lipopolysaccharide was assessed by histopathology and biochemical examination. Additionally, an ultrasonic blood flowmeter was used to measure the impact of lipid emulsions on mesenteric blood flow. …

The Role Of Mitochondrial And Lysosomal Damage In Neurotoxicity From Parkinson 'S-Related Environmental Exposures, Neda Ilieva

ETDs from 2020-2029

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive motor neurodegenerative disorder with a predominantly idiopathic etiology. More recently, however, the contribution of exogenous risk factors such as environmental contaminants has become of interest. Some endogenous genetic risk factors have been well characterized, but the mechanisms by which exogenous insults, such as environmental contaminants, drive dopaminergic neurodegeneration remain incompletely understood. This dissertation will address how environmental contaminants converge on mitochondrial and lysosomal dysfunction to activate parallel neurotoxic signaling pathways, with a focus on the LRRK2 kinase and the cGAS-STING innate immune pathway. Chapter 2 demonstrates that pharmacological inhibition of LRRK2 kinase activity protects …

Human Authorship In The Age Of Artificial Intelligence: Understanding Copyright Boundaries, Isabel Soto-Luna Ed.

Criss Library Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

Human authorship in relation to copyright can be difficult for many to understand. And as artificial intelligence (AI) tools become more widely available and are viewed as a fast and convenient way to complete academic, professional, and creative tasks, it can make human authorship even more confusing. However, heavy or improper reliance on AI can introduce important legal and ethical risks when it comes to ownership and authorship. This poster seeks to explain what human authorship is, explore the U.S. Copyright Office's guidance on AI assisted creation, and outline recommended approaches for documenting and citing AI assistance so that creators …

Dataset For Re-Assessing The Status Of High Desert Bird Populations Of The Morley Nelson Birds Of Prey National Conservation Area After 30 Years Of Change, Madeline C. Aberg, Jeremy Halka, Joseph M. Weldon, Robert A. Miller, Jay D. Carlisle

Biological Sciences Data

Bird populations across North America are in decline. In sagebrush and other shrubsteppe habitats, habitat loss and other human pressures threaten bird communities. Our study assessed the status of a bird community at the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area, a high desert site in southwestern Idaho, USA. Between 29 May and 14 June 2022, and 31 May and 19 June 2023, we conducted avian point count surveys at historical points that were surveyed two or more years from 1992–1995. We assessed changes in bird species detections, vegetation, and fire history between survey periods, as well …

Filling The Knowledge Gap: The National Automobile Theft Bureau And The Rise Of Private Intelligence, 1912–1941, William Murray

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the Automobile Protective and Information Bureau (APIB) and its successor, the National Automobile Theft Bureau (NATB), situating these institutions within the development of corporate intelligence in the United States. The rapid expansion of automobile ownership produced a form of crime defined by technological advancement and jurisdictional fragmentation that existing law enforcement could not effectively address. In response, automobile insurance companies created the APIB as a centralized clearinghouse for theft intelligence. By standardizing reporting, maintaining national records, and distributing investigative information, the Bureau developed an early private intelligence infrastructure that supported law enforcement. The limitations of local enforcement …

Amicus Brief Superficially In Support Of Thaler’S Petition For Certiorari (Which I Guess I’M Not Going To File Now), Brian L. Frye

Maryland Law Review

No abstract provided.

In The Race Between The Federal Government And The States To Regulate Ai, Big Tech Is The Winner, Matthew Berger

Maryland Law Review

No abstract provided.

Bridging The Gap Towards Sustainable Development: A Systematic Literature Review On Orang Asli Communities In Peninsular Malaysia, Nurfatiha Akmal Fawwazah Abdullah-Fauzi, Nursyuhada Othman, Hidayah Haris, Nur Hartini Sariyati, Farah Farhana Ramli, Kaviarasu Munian, Mohd Faudzir Najmuddin, Mohd Tajuddin Abdullah, Muhammad Abu Bakar Abdul-Latiff

Forest and Society

Orang Asli communities in Peninsular Malaysia have a complex history marked by challenges related to land rights, environmental degradation, and cultural preservation. Despite ongoing efforts to address these challenges, significant obstacles persist, particularly in healthcare access and outcomes, education, language preservation, dietary practices, religious beliefs, and policy frameworks. This systematic literature review aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of past and current research on various aspects of Orang Asli communities in Peninsular Malaysia. The primary goal is to uncover the trends of challenges and unique characteristics of the Orang Asli communities while offering valuable recommendations for improvement. The Preferred Reporting …

If Pets Are Family: Pet Loss And The Need For Grief Equity In One Health, Michele L. Whitney

Journal of One Health Systems

One Health frameworks increasingly recognize pets as integral to human health and well-being. However, these models often overlook the health and equity implications of pet loss. Culturally mediated grief experiences following pet bereavement represent a critical grief equity gap in One Health systems. Drawing on findings from a qualitative study of African American adults who experienced pet loss, along with existing literature, this Viewpoint highlights how pet loss is not only an emotional experience but also a socially structured one shaped by cultural norms, social recognition, and access to support. These dynamics contribute to inequities in how grief is experienced …

Hp1bp3 Loss Links Chromatin Reorganization To Metabolic Vulnerability In Glioma, Brittney Lozzi, Taylor A Gatesman, Pushan Dasgupta, Debosmita Sardar, Yeunjung Ko, Chenyu Mao, Hsiao-Chi Chen, Rachel N Curry, Dongjoo Choi, Carrie A Mohila, Melissa L Bondy, Ganesh Rao, Marco Gallo, Sameer Agnihotri, Benjamin Deneen

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

High-grade gliomas (HGGs) are aggressive brain tumors with poor prognosis, driven in part by metabolic and epigenetic adaptations. Methionine metabolism supports HGG growth by supplying S-adenosylmethionine for methylation reactions, yet how nutrient availability influences chromatin organization in HGG remains incompletely understood. Using an immunocompetent mouse model of HGG, we found that dietary methionine restriction reduced tumor proliferation, extended survival, and induced partial nuclear inversion. We identified Hp1bp3 as a key regulator of tumor growth that functions by interacting with nuclear tethering proteins to mediate chromatin reorganization. Loss of Hp1bp3 results in the upregulation of histone demethylases leading to selective depletion …