Digital Commons Network^™

Re-Evaluating Virtual Reality Manipulation Techniques For Precise Alignment Of Complex 3d Objects, Cherelle Connor, Alexander Giovannelli, Leonardo Pavanatto, Francielly Rodrigues, Haichao Miao, Vuthea Chheang, Brian Giera, Peer Timo Bremer, Doug A. Bowman

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Prior research has developed a number of manipulation techniques that can achieve precise object placement in virtual reality, but studies of these techniques typically use simple objects. We conducted a study comparing two existing techniques, (AMP-IT and WISDOM), during alignment of objects with complex geometry to evaluate the potential influence of geometric complexity on performance, usability, workload and preference. Our findings indicate that participants had faster completion times and higher trial completion rates with AMP-IT on high-precision alignment tasks, contrary to earlier findings that used simple objects. Yet WISDOM is still preferred and considered more usable, despite increased workload and …

Real-Time Defect Detection In Ceramic Additive Manufacturing Using Deep Convolutional Neural Networks, Dylan Doan, Amir Armani, Marcia Golmohamadi

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Although ceramic additive manufacturing technologies have greatly advanced over the past decade, they are still far from perfect. Even small printing defects can have a severe impact on the mechanical properties of additively manufactured ceramic parts due to their low fracture toughness. The objective of this study was to detect these defects during the printing process for a new ceramic additive manufacturing technique, called ceramic on-demand extrusion (CODE). Images were collected, pre-processed, augmented, and separated based on their distinctive classes (i.e., type of defects). Deep convolutional neural networks were developed to identify multiple types of defects in real-time.

Application Of Heron's Formula, Hidefumi Katsuura

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

We apply Heron's formula to obtain a generalized Ptolemy's theorem, to prove Euler's formula for the volume of a tetrahedron, and to prove Klain's theorem on reversible tetrahedra. After that, we prove triangle inequalities derived from a tetrahedron, find an inequality on the circumradius of a tetrahedron, find a volume expression of an isosceles tetrahedron, and give a condition for four points in the space to be co-planar.

Empowering Students To Engage With Climate Change Action: A Project-Based Module For Artificial Intelligence Literacy And Sustainability Thinking, Gabriel Granco, Yu Chen, Heather Macias, Yunfei Hou, Frank A. Gomez

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

There is a growing need to prepare students to address complex environmental challenges, particularly climate change and the expanding role of artificial intelligence (AI). This article examines the adaptation of the Artificial Intelligence for Social Good (AI4SG) Ideation module, a pitch- and project-based teaching framework designed to integrate AI literacy and sustainability education. Implemented in an upper division climate change course, the module combines project-based learning, culturally responsive pedagogy, and geographic thinking to guide students in developing community-oriented AI proposals aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Students were encouraged to approach their communities not through deficit lenses, …

Federal Protections For Farmworker Health In The United States: A Scoping Review Of Three Decades Of Research, Kaitlyn Alvarez Noli, Stephane Labossiere, Becca Berkey, Joseph G. Grzywacz

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Objectives: This scoping review characterizes the scope, methods, and framing of empirical research evaluating the Field Sanitation Standard (FSS) and Worker Protection Standard (WPS) of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Labor respectively. Methods: Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, we identified empirical studies (1990–2024) assessing elements of either the FSS or WPS. Two reviewers screened and extracted study characteristics, designs, populations, and regulatory elements. Framing analysis of 1226 segments, identified using a large language model, from the studies' abstracts and introductions examined how authors conceptualized farmworkers' need for protection. …

Generation Of Impact Factor-Driven Security Rating Questionnaire Using Llms For Aiot Applications, Yuna Han, Simon Shim, Deva Kumar Gajulamandyam, Yeji Choi, Hyunwoo Lee, Hangbae Chang

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Industry 4.0 has transformed industries by accelerating the adoption of artificial intelligence of things (AIoT); however, it has also led to security risks, such as data leakage. Existing data protection research focuses on network layers, whereas application-layer rating systems rely on subjective evaluations, limiting consistency and applicability. This study proposes a scalable and objective AIoT security rating framework that clarifies ambiguities in the five-question rating system of the Korean Intellectual Property Office and unifies fragmented managerial and technical rating systems. By leveraging large language models (LLMs), the framework integrates a security rating model based on 14 impact factors with automated …

Supporting Latine Older Adults’ Nutrition And Physical Health Goals In Counseling, Zachary P. Mcniece, Jacqueline J. Bergman

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Latine older adults face disproportionate risk of chronic nutrition-related conditions and food insecurity, which can exacerbate or contribute to the development of mental health-related concerns. Cultural stigma toward mental illness can result in Latine clients, especially older adults, somatizing symptoms and focusing on physical health goals in counseling. Despite these intersecting needs, counselors often overlook clients’ physical health goals due to limited training and the assumption that medical providers alone should address them. This article advocates integrating basic, culturally responsive nutrition information into counseling practice to support client well-being while staying within the scope of practice. We offer practical recommendations …

Ma 250 – Evaluating & Creating With Genai, Mohamed Ben Zid

Open Educational Resources

In this assignment, students use Excel and ChatGPT to design, analyze, and interpret a regression model. They create visualizations, calculate the regression equation manually, and make predictions before consulting AI-generated feedback on their model’s strengths and limitations. Students then compare their own interpretation with ChatGPT’s insights, summarize their findings, and critically assess the model’s accuracy and real-world usefulness. The exercise develops quantitative reasoning, practical AI application, and reflective evaluation skills.

Genocide, Memory & Prevention: Ethical Inquiry And Critical Thinking Through Research & Ai, Linda Humes

Open Educational Resources

This assignment engages students in ethical inquiry and critical analysis by examining lesser-known or silenced genocides within a global and historical context. Using academic sources alongside responsible use of generative AI, students compare dominant and marginalized narratives, analyze recurring patterns and causes of genocide, and reflect on prevention strategies. The assignment emphasizes ethical AI use, historical memory, and the development of civic awareness, empathy, and critical thinking in the study of race, power, and inequality.

Analyzing Best Practices In Reintegration, Education, Restorative Justice, And Reentry, Sergio Grossi

Open Educational Resources

This collaborative assignment in SOC 301 (Penology) requires students to critically examine best practices in reintegration, prison education, rehabilitation, and restorative justice through comparative international case studies, such as APAC, Bastøy Prison, or the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program. Working in groups, students analyze at least five peer-reviewed sources to assess both documented benefits (e.g., reduced recidivism, improved reintegration) and key challenges (e.g., scalability and sustainability). The scaffolded structure—proposal, draft, final paper, and presentation—strengthens research skills, critical thinking, and evidence-based academic communication.

Analyzing The Use Of Ai To Transcribe An Interview In Spanish, Rocío Carranza Brito

Open Educational Resources

This assignment explores the differences between oral and written language and the challenges of transcribing speech. Students conduct an interview with a selected person, using ChatGPT to create and refine interview questions. They record the interview and use Otter.ai to generate a literal transcription that captures natural speech features such as repetitions and hesitations. After reviewing and correcting the transcript against the audio, students format it with participants’ initials to focus on content rather than timestamps. A simplified transcription guideline is applied to mark key elements. Finally, students reflect on the transcription process, addressing what was most difficult to represent …

Essay Assignment On Current Political Development, Esther Verhalle

Open Educational Resources

This assignment asks students to reflect on how recent election results may influence policies related to the administration of justice. Students use ChatGPT as a brainstorming tool to generate possible policy impacts, then select one example and analyze it using course readings. By connecting AI-generated ideas to established scholarly arguments, students practice evidence-based reasoning and application of course concepts. The assignment also requires students to reflect on the strengths and limitations of using AI for idea generation, emphasizing independent analysis, proper citation, and critical engagement with AI-assisted work.

Digital Cultures, Dei, And Ai: Critical Analysis Assignment, Oluremi Alapo

Open Educational Resources

This assignment presents a scaffolded, equity-centered approach to teaching digital culture and artificial intelligence (AI) within an undergraduate Diversity and Multicultural Education course at the City University of New York. Designed as a Writing Intensive, COIL-informed learning experience, the assignment invites students to critically examine digital technologies and AI as social and cultural systems shaped by power, access, and inequality.

Excavating Miranda, Samuel J. Levine

Scholarly Works

Sixty years after it was decided, Miranda v. Arizona remains one of the most significant and renowned cases—as well as, arguably, one of the most controversial cases—in the history of the United States. Chief Justice Earl Warren’s majority opinion, establishing the eponymous Miranda warnings for custodial interrogation of criminal suspects, has prompted voluminous and continuing commentary, among both critics and supporters. This Article is part of an ongoing project exploring a particular aspect of Chief Justice Warren’s majority opinion: a footnote referencing Jewish legal sources, documenting an important passage at the start of a pivotal section of the opinion.

Building …

The Ideological Work Of Penal Reform: How Reformers Justify Penal-Welfare Hybridization, John Halushka, Brandon Miller

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

This article uses the Santa Clara County Reentry Resource Center (RRC) as a case study to explore the cultural content of penal reform. Specifically, we explore the discourses that officials use to publicly justify projects of penal-welfare hybridization, or the linking of state systems of punishment and welfare to manage criminalized populations. Our qualitative analysis draws on a dataset consisting of county planning documents, budgets, videos, press releases, and newsletters published online between 2011 and 2023. By examining these materials over time, we are able to chart patterns of consistency and variation in how officials justify hybridization. We find that …

Native American Law Explainer, Kincaid Brown

Law Librarian Scholarship

Native American tribes are the original sovereign peoples of the lands that now comprise the United States, with histories, governments, and cultures that predate the founding of the nation by thousands of years. Long before European colonization, hundreds of distinct tribal nations exercised independent political authority over their territories. Although the United States entered hundreds of treaties recognizing tribes as distinct political entities, federal Indian policy evolved over time through periods of treaty-making, forced removal, allotment, assimilation, termination, and, since the 1970s, tribal self-determination. The legal relationship between tribes and the federal government is grounded in the U.S. Constitution, as …

Social Justice In The Implementation Of Section 504 Accommodation Plans For High School Students In Low-Socioeconomic Situations, Jonas Asamoah Boateng

Educational and Organizational Learning and Leadership Dissertations

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 was designed to eliminate disability-based discrimination in federally funded educational institutions. However, its practical application remains inconsistent, often resulting in systemic inequities for students in low-socioeconomic situations. This dissertation study critically examines how social justice issues manifest in the implementation of Section 504 plans for high school students in low-socioeconomic situations and was conducted in one school district located within Washington State. The study is grounded in an integrated framework comprised of the Social Justice Approach, Disability Justice Framework, Critical Race Theory and Dis/ability Critical Race Studies (DisCrit), and Transformative Leadership Theory. …

Use Of Generative Ai In Scholarly Research: Challenges And Opportunities, Marco Marabelli, Robert M. Davison, Giovanni Gatti, Ankita Srivastava, Monideepa Tarafdar

Computer Information Systems Faculty Publications

The focus of this panel report is to present evidence of a panel discussion that took place in October 2025 on the use of generative artificial intelligence (GAI) in academic research and publishing. The panel included publishers (Elsevier, Emerald, Gailot Press, MIT Press, Nature/Springer, Wiley) and editors in chief (representing the Information Systems Journal, Journal of the AIS, Journal of Data Science and ICES Journal of Marine Science). Key outcomes of the panel are the following: 1) publishers and editors have some disagreements regarding GAI use; 2) besides disagreements, all recognize that GAI is here to stay, therefore outstanding issues …

Narrating The Gap: Generational Experience, Organizational Norms, And The Pursuit Of Cohesion, Nicole E. Madden, Jimmy A. Merino-Cruz, Laura G. Miller, Alice R. Smiley

Educational and Organizational Learning and Leadership Dissertations

Contemporary organizations are increasingly multigenerational, yet much of the existing literature frames generational difference through simplified cohort categories that obscure the relational, structural, and interpretive conditions shaping organizational life. This dissertation examines how individuals across generational experiences make sense of their interactions with one another in organizations, particularly focused on tensions between generational identity and organizational norms. Generational Theory, Organizational Sensemaking, and Narrative Identity informed this study, highlighting the socially constructed, contextually mediated, and narratively interpreted nature of generational experiences rather than fixed or universal. A constructivist qualitative design rooted in narrative inquiry drew upon semi-structured narrative interviews with nine …

Understanding Adaptation, Resilience, And Thriving Among Vietnamese Catholic Missionary Sisters In The United States Through The Lens Of Traditions, Transitions, And Leadership, Huyen T. Nguyen

Educational and Organizational Learning and Leadership Dissertations

While the presence of international Catholic Sisters serving in the United States has grown (Johnson et al., 2019), the lived experiences of Vietnamese Catholic Missionary Sisters remain largely absent from the scholarly literature. Addressing this gap, this qualitative study examined adaptation, resilience, and thriving among the Sisters serving in the United States by centering their voices through in-depth narratives. Their experiences were interpreted through Social Identity Theory, Servant Leadership, and Transformational Leadership Theory within the context of Vietnamese Catholicism and the charism of the Lovers of the Holy Cross. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 10 Sisters ministering in …

Virus-Derived Serpin Reduces Immuno-Coagulopathic Damage In Murine Colitis By Targeting The Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator Receptor (Upar) And Complement, Alexandra R. Lucas, Henna Monder, Junior Enow, Cheyanne Woodrow, Aman Garg, Jessika Schlievert, Nora Elmadbouly, Aashika Dupati, Emily Aliskevich, Rohan Saju, Jacqueline Kilbourne, Kenneth Lowe, Mostafa Hamada, Aubrey Pinteric, Isabela R. Zanetti, Ritvik Srivant Satyanarayanan, Savanah Gisriel, Esther Borges Florsheim, Masmudur Rahman, James Irving, Grant Mcfadden, Wei Kong, Liqiang Zhang

Student Publications

A virus-derived serpin, Serp-1, has proven efficacy in treating inflammatory and coagulation disorders in preclinical and clinical studies. Serp-1 evolved over millions of years to block host immune responses, targeting serine proteases in immune and coagulation pathways. Treatment with PEGylated Serp-1 (PEGSerp-1) protein reduced lung injury in both lupus lung hemorrhage and SARS-CoV-2 models. Here, PEGSerp-1 effects on immune-coagulopathic responses is examined in a mouse colitis model. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is associated with life-threatening complications with severe inflammation, bleeding, vasculitis, cancer and toxic megacolon. Serine protease cascades activate coagulation and complement pathways throughout the human body and are regulated …

Levonorgestrel Intrauterine System Use And The Risk Of Cervical Cancer In Women With Human Papillomavirus, Britney Margheim, Lauren Zakshorn, Sadie Wiens

Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Examining Demographic Characteristics Of Presidents Of Vascular And Venous Societies, Mohammad Nizamuddin, Christopher Papatheofanis, Tyler Santos, Ryan Bonner, Amrit Hingorani, Hason Khan, Natalie Ascher, Enrico Ascher, Anil Hingorani

Student Publications

Objective: Vascular and venous societies across North America and Europe have a variety of individuals from different backgrounds as their presidents. These individuals are influential in driving the priorities of vascular and venous medicine. Our study looks to analyze some key demographic characteristics and society presidents in vascular and venous medicine.

Methods: We determined a variety of demographic factors, such as age, sex, and country of origin/race/ethnicity, through online review from each society’s inception until our survey period from August 2023 to January 2024. The Student’s t-test was used to calculate statistical significance with a P-value of < .05.

Results: Demographic data …

Changing Student Perspectives On Alcohol, Smoking & Vaping Through The Use Of Tetrahymena, Courtney Hausner, Douglas L. Chalker, Alexandra Forgerson, Carol E. Colaninno, Alison Brockhouse, Rachel Ruggirello

Institute for School Partnership: Research & Publications

We describe the redesign and classroom testing of an Advancing Secondary Science Education through Tetrahymena (ASSET) module addressing adolescent alcohol, smoking, and vaping. Using the 5E instructional model, the module has students investigate how alcohol, cigarette smoke extract, and vape extract affect the ciliated protozoan Tetrahymena, an accessible proxy for effects on ciliated human respiratory cells. Students analyze public health data, conduct guided and self-designed investigations, and create outreach posters communicating evidence-based risks to peers. We report on observations from two classroom implementations, describing gains in students' ability to articulate toxicology concepts, connect cellular findings to whole-body health, and express …

Healthcare Provider Perspectives On A Clinical Decision Tool To Support Individualized Exercise Prescriptions And Discussions For Breast Cancer Survivors, Jinani Jayasekera, Oliver W. A. Wilson, Kaitlyn M. Wojcik, Eleanor M. Kerr, Rachelle Brick, David Berrigan, Jennifer Yeong-Shin Sheng, Takeo Fujii, Kathleen Thomas, Henri K. Parson, Padma Sheila Rajagopal, Richard L. Street Jr.

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

Purpose: We evaluated healthcare providers' current knowledge, practices, and perspectives on a novel clinical decision tool (beta-version) to facilitate individualized exercise prescriptions and discussions in clinical settings.

Methods: We recruited healthcare providers who had treated or provided care to breast cancer survivors aged >= 35-years in the past 12 months. The participants were presented with a tool to provide individualized exercise recommendations considering women's individual, clinical, and contextual characteristics. Validated and reliable pre-existing instruments were used to survey providers' current knowledge, practices regarding exercise discussions, and perspectives on the beta-version (paper-draft) of the novel tool.

Results: The sample consisted of …

Chronobiology Of Meal Timing In Early-Stage Hypertension: A Controlled Feeding Pilot Study Investigating The Effects On Renal And Vascular Function, Natalie J. Bohmke, Brittany Barton, Patrice Wiecek, Paula Rodriguez-Miguelez, Dave L. Dixon, Youngdeok Kim, Salvatore Carbone, Danielle L. Kirkman

EVMS School of Health Professions Faculty Publications

Lifestyle intervention is critical for young adults with early-stage hypertension. A Western diet has negative effects on kidney function and blood pressure; however, time-of-day effects are understudied. We hypothesized that consumption of a Western-style meal that is misaligned with the endogenous circadian rhythm would have adverse effects on blood pressure, kidney function, and vascular function. Ten young adults with elevated blood pressure or stage 1 hypertension (means ± SD: 26 ± 8 yr, 50% female) underwent a randomized crossover, isocaloric controlled feeding intervention. Participants were allocated to receive a Western-style meal high in sodium, sugar, and saturated fat in the …

The Treatment Of Obesity In The Context Of The Obesity Paradox In Patients With Heart Failure: A Narrative Review, Pamela L. Alebna, Sarah Martey, Anurag Mehta, Carl J. Lavie, Salvatore Carbone

EVMS School of Health Professions Faculty Publications

Purpose of review

While excess adiposity is a known risk factor for incident heart failure ( HF), once the condition is established, observational data suggest that increased body mass index (BMI) may confer a survival advantage. This paradox has emphasized the underlying roles of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), and body composition, particularly lean mass (LM), in influencing clinical outcomes.

Recent findings

In this review, we explore the multifaceted nature of the obesity paradox in HF, with a focus on emerging anti-obesity incretin-mimetic therapies, such as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) and dual GLP-1/glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor agonists. These agents …

Fill The Void - An Introductory Guide For Learning Medical Imaging, Reid Faith, Peter Gahan, Adam Trusty, Aleksandr Zyskin, Chukwuka Ukekwe, Denise Nchinda, Amanda K. Burbage, Alberto E. Musto

EVMS School of Health Professions Faculty Publications

No standardized, comprehensive approach for radiological image interpretation exists among medical schools in the United States of America. In order to rectify this, we outline a model aimed to help improve how medical imaging can be taught in medical schools. The VOID (Visualization, Orientation/Observation, Identification, Description) guide is a proposed universal, stepwise approach to medical image identification, interpretation, and communication. This structured guideline is aimed at building a foundation for students in early medical education. The VOID was applied to CT (Computed Tomography), MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), and x-ray modalities as integrated sessions for medical students during human anatomy laboratory. …

Sglt2 Inhibitors In Cardio-Oncology: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Luigi Spadafora, Marco Bernardi, Gianmarco Sarto, Beatrice Simeone, Erica Rocco, Salvatore Carbone, Laura Adelaide Dalla Vecchia, Roberto Franco Enrico Pedretti, Valentina Valentine, Rachele Di Mario, Maurizio Forte, Giacomo Frati, Antonio Abbate, Michele Golino, Francesco Versaci, Mariangela Peruzzi, Pierre Sabouret, Giuseppe Biondi Zoccai, Sebastiano Sciarretta

EVMS School of Health Professions Faculty Publications

Background

According to available evidence, sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) may confer cardioprotection in patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy.

Objectives

The objective of the study was to evaluate the impact of SGLT2i on all-cause mortality and heart failure (HF) outcomes in this population.

Methods

We searched PubMed, Cochrane CENTRAL, and Embase through August 2025 for studies of SGLT2i in adult patients with cancer. Random-effects models were used to pool effects for all-cause mortality and an HF composite (new-onset HF and/or HF hospitalization) in cancer patients >18 years. Meta-regression tested effect modification by beta-blockers, statins, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers, age, and …

Acute Lower Leg Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation Increases Leg Blood Flow And Exercise Capacity In Patients With Peripheral Arterial Disease, Thomas K. Pellinger, Catherine B. Neighbors, Joshua C. Hefta, Patrick H. Luo, Carl B. Suarez, Erotokritos T. Varlas, Grant H. Simmons, Brett J. Wong

EVMS School of Health Professions Faculty Publications

We tested the hypothesis that two different durations of lower leg transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) increase post-TENS popliteal artery blood flow (PABF), popliteal vascular conductance (PVC), and 6-min walk distance (6MWD) in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD). Seven subjects (5 male, 2 female) with PAD (67.9 ± 7.4 years; claudication: ankle-brachial index (ABI) < 0.90) participated in three randomized treatment sessions: control or bilateral TENS (3.0 Hz burst mode, 250 µs) for either 15 or 45 min. PABF (Doppler ultrasound) was measured before and after treatment. 6MWD and time/distance to claudication onset were measured 25 min post-treatment during each session. PABF, PVC and 6MWD increased after both 15 and 45 min of TENS (P < 0.05, post-TENS vs. pre-TENS baseline/control). Our preliminary results suggest that as little as 15 min of lower leg TENS increases leg blood flow and exercise capacity in individuals with PAD.