Digital Commons Network^™

Centering Black Girl Love: Unearthing Black Girls’ Truths In A Predominantly White, Loveless Elementary School, Tyana R. Velazquez-Smith

The Language and Literacy Spectrum

This study examines the transformative power of literacy as a tool for healing, resistance, and revolutionary love in the lives of BLACK girls navigating predominantly white elementary school spaces. Revolutionary love is conceptualized as practices of care, affirmation, and joy that challenge systemic oppression while fostering belonging and possibility. Conducted in an elementary school in upstate New York, this research follows eleven participants from kindergarten through fourth grade, exploring their lived experiences and literacy practices during English Language Arts (ELA) instruction.

Drawing on Brian Street’s (1984) assertion that literacy is a social practice shaped by cultural and power dynamics, this …

Agentic Ai Framework For Dynamic Generation, Verification, And Presentation Of Interactive Content In Search Results, Tushar Chugh, Aditya Mone, Karthik Kumara

Defensive Publications Series

This disclosure describes techniques for enhancing search engine results pages (SERPs) by employing an agentic AI framework. A framework is presented that analyzes user queries to determine the optimal presentation format for the response. For certain predefined query types (e.g., real-time data like stocks, sports scores), the framework retrieves existing interactive widgets. For other queries deemed suitable, the framework dynamically generates new, bespoke interactive widgets or simple web applications ("micro-apps") tailored to the detected intent of the query. This generation process involves the use of specialized artificial intelligence (AI) agents collaborating to design, build, fetch data for, and verify the …

Noverre’S Lament: Inscription, Posterity, And The Ephemeral Art Of Dance, Olivia Sabee

Dance Faculty Works

Jean-Georges Noverre defined pantomime ballet, or ballet d’action, as an ephemeral art. In his published writings, Noverre argued that to notate a ballet’s movement was both inadequate – in that the present day’s dance notation could not record a pantomime ballet – and inappropriate – in that the passions, the core of pantomime ballet, could not be recorded as discrete, repeatable units the way steps could have been. At the same time, Noverre was deeply invested in posterity, both his own, and that of pantomime ballet as a form. This essay examines the values of ephemerality and posterity in …

Filling The Sackett Gap: The Private Governance Option, Michael P. Vandenbergh, Elodie O. Currier Stoffel, Steph Tai

Minnesota Law Review Vols. 106:2 onward (2021-present)

The Supreme Court’s decision in Sackett v. EPA reversed fifty years of federal Clean Water Act wetlands protections and removed federal oversight from roughly half of the wetlands in the United States. This Article proposes a viable new conceptual model and tools to close the Sackett Gap—the gap between the wetlands protected before and after Sackett. Scholars have argued for federal measures to fill the Sackett Gap, but these actions face substantial challenges. Congress is unlikely to adopt new wetlands legislation, agencies are constrained by Sackett’s expansive language, the end of Chevron deference, and the 2024 presidential election, and lower …

Catching Nutients In A Net: Collective Action, Institutional Impediments, And The Mississippi River Watershed, Jonathan Rosenbloom

Minnesota Law Review Vols. 106:2 onward (2021-present)

Thousands of local governments in the Mississippi River watershed possess regulatory land use authority. From a narrow law and economics standpoint, when these entities extract from, add to, or pollute the watershed, it may appear as a classic tragedy of the commons problem. The tragedy sounds something like this: local governments act “rationally” to avoid regulating in a way that reduces pollution in the waterway because such regulation would increase costs. Further, local governments avoid paying the costs associated with treating or reducing the level of contaminants in the water before ushering them downstream. While this analysis might partially explain …

The Bogeyman Of Environmental Regulation: Federalism, Agency Preemption, And The Roberts Court, Kamaile A.N. Turčan

Minnesota Law Review Vols. 106:2 onward (2021-present)

In a trio of environmental cases—West Virginia v. EPA, Sackett v. EPA, and Loper Bright v. Raimondo—the Roberts Court curtailed the federal regulatory power and produced corresponding deregulatory outcomes under seemingly neutral legal principles. This Article interrogates the doctrinal coherency of the Roberts Court’s jurisprudence by applying the rationales of these cases to climate change litigation. Climate change policies advanced by state and local governmental plaintiffs represent the inverse of what the Court has previously rejected. The regulatory burdens arise under state, not federal, law. In this analysis, the Article advances a previously undertheorized aspect of the trio’s combined effect: …

Organ Of Corti Macrophages: A Distinct Group Of Cochlear Macrophages With Potential Roles In Supporting Cell Degeneration And Survival, Mengxiao Ye, Celia Zhang, Dalian Ding, Guang-Di Chen, Henry J. Adler, Rania Sharaf, Bo Hua Hu

Pacific Faculty Work

Macrophages are the primary immune cells in the cochlea, essential for maintaining cochlear homeostasis and orchestrating inflammatory responses to pathological events. Although these cells have been found in various parts of the cochlea, their presence in the organ of Corti, a critical structure for acoustic sensing, remains poorly understood. The present study was designed to examine macrophage responses to ototoxic drug-induced cochlear damage and age-related cochlear degeneration, with a particular focus on the pathological conditions that trigger macrophage recruitment into the organ of Corti. We used a model of ototoxicity induced by cyclodextrin, a cyclic oligosaccharide known for its ability …

Pulse: Full Issue Download

Quill & Scope

Dear Readers,

I am the soothing beat you hear when your head hits the pillow at night.
I am louder in the silence when you want to be alone with your thoughts.
I am not just a measurement made up of red pixels on a screen.
I keep you alive.
Steady. Persistent.
Who am I?

Pulse. It is one of the first things we check for life. It’s the subtle thrill beneath the surface that reminds us we are here, and we are moving forward. In medicine, the pulse is not just a vital sign; it’s a symbol of …

Office Of Research, Economic Engagement And Outreach Update, June 25, 2025, Office Of Research, Economic Engagement And Outreach

Office of Research, Economic Engagement and Outreach

No abstract provided.

Why Gen Z Is More Anxious Than Ever? Turning To Social Chats For Answers, Yi Luo, Jin-A Choi, Bond Benton

College of Communication and Media Scholarship and Creative Works

As social media has evolved into a prominent part of Gen Z’s social interaction, this study attempted to enrich our current understanding of Gen Z’s mental health struggles through their conversations surrounding anxiety on social media. Highlights of the findings included the following. First, the overwhelming presence of fear (83%) illustrates that anxiety is an emotionally draining experience for many Gen Z users. The use of emotionally charged language to publicly share their struggles with anxiety reflect increasing self-awareness and a cultural shift toward normalizing mental health conversations. Second, the open, candid conversations on anxiety indicate that anxiety is experienced …

Effects Of Commiphora Myrrha Resin Extract/Nanosilver On Immune Cells, Pathogen, And Breast/Colon Cancer Cell Line Growth, Mohammad Y. Alshahrani, Essam H. Ibrahim, Abeer S. Alahmari, Mona Kilany, Ramadan Taha, Haitham I. El-Mekkawy, Amr Ahmed El-Arabey, Ahmed Ezzat Ahmed

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Commiphora myrrha grows in various places of the world and is used for many purposes. The objectives of this study were to examine the biological influences of C. myrrha resin extract (MRE) alone or with its biogenic nanosilver on microbial, immune, and cancer cell growth. C. myrrha resin was boiled to prepare the MRE. Functional groups in the MRE were explored using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). MRE was used to synthesize nanosilver that was characterized using an ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis)-spectrophotometer and X-ray diffraction. In vivo experiments included the untreated group (G1) and MRE-orally treated group (G2). Cancer cell lines, HCT-116 (colon) …

Our Lady Of Peace: John Joseph Lynch’S Pilgrimage To Niagara Falls, Amelia Gallagher

Vincentian Studies

This article relates how John Joseph Lynch established Niagara Falls as a pilgrimage site, which he envisioned as being the first such site in the United States. In the nineteenth century, Niagara was viewed as such a spectacular natural wonder that it frequently inspired religious devotion, a history that Lynch encouraged and continued. The evolution of nineteenth- and twentieth-century views of Niagara and of pilgrimage in general are discussed. Niagara's role in American history is also explored.

Systematic Review: Recent Developments In Magnetic-Nanoparticle-Based Dna Extraction, Stanley Evander Emeltan Tjoa, Mudasir Mudasir, Edi Suharyadi, Budi Setiadi Daryono

Makara Journal of Science

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a research object for various molecular fields of study, and DNA extraction is a basic procedure in molecular biology laboratories. DNA extraction methods are evolving, from several steps using organic solvents to recent technology using magnetic nanoparticles as adsorbents for the purification step. The use of magnetic nanoparticles for DNA extraction is magnetizing because it is simple without heavy machinery, such as centrifugation and organic solvents. The application of this method is extensive and diverse. This systematic review summarizes current development trends for some aspects of this DNA extraction system from the magnetic nanoparticle synthesis method, …

The Effects Of Melatonin And Pgpr Applications On Phenolic Compounds, Organic Acids, And Agromorphological Characteristics In Strawberry (Fragaria × Ananassa Duch.) Fruits By Multivariate Analysis, Akgül Taş

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

In this study, melatonin, plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), and PGPR + melatonin were applied to the Festival and Kabarla strawberry varieties and the effects of these applications on fruit quality were investigated. The parameters of fruit weight, fruit width and length, soluble solids content (SSC), pH, titratable acidity (TA), phenolic compounds, organic acids, and vitamin C parameters were examined. The analysis shows that significantly better results were obtained in terms of fruit weight, fruit width, fruit length, and SSC values in all fruits treated with melatonin, PGPR, and PGPR + melatonin, although there was variation between the strawberry varieties. …

Green Biosynthesis Of Cobalt Oxide Nanoparticles Using Saccharum Munja Leaf Extract As A Catalyst For Callus Induction In Carnation (Dianthus Caryophyllus L.) Plants, Ishtiaq Ahmad, Sameed Arshad Chaudhry, Maryam Maryam, Aysha Arif Chahel, Riaz Ahmad, Mehmet Ramazan Bozhüyük, İbrahi̇m Bozkurt, Magda Abdel-Rahman, Konstantin Korolev

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

The common name of a wild grass native to Pakistan with both edible and medicinal properties is Saccharum munja Roxb. (S. munja). Prior research has investigated various plant species for the green biosynthesis of nanoparticles to circumvent issues related to their physical and chemical production. This study presents the first evidence of synthesizing cobalt oxide nanoparticles (Co3O4NPs) using S. munja leaf extract (SMLE) as both a reducing and a capping agent. This study investigated their ability to induce in vitro callus formation in Dianthus caryophyllus L. (carnation). In this study, Co3O4NPs were synthesized using varying quantities of SMLE to achieve …

A Comprehensive Review Of Fermentation Technologies In Food Processing: From Traditional To Cutting Edge, Pragati Singh, Niharika Arya, Shalini Sharma, Ankita Sharma, Prasad Rasane, Supriya Singh Gaur, Sawinder Kaur, Mahendra Gunjal, Hasan Kiliçgün, Jyoti Singh

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Fermentation technologies play crucial roles in food processing, offering various advantages, including enhanced flavor profiles, extended shelf life, and improved nutritional qualities. This paper provides a comprehensive overview on the major types of fermentation as well as effects of various factors such as substrate composition, temperature, pH, oxygen availability, and microbial strain selection on the process. Despite its widespread application, traditional fermentation processes face limitations related to yield optimization, contamination risks, and process consistency. Recent advancements have significantly enhanced fermentation efficiency, product quality, and scalability, ultimately expanding the applications beyond food and beverage production into pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, biofuels, and waste …

Risk-Sensitive Markov-Perfect Equilibrium, Matthew J. Sobel

Faculty Scholarship

We investigate the existence and structure of Markov-perfect equilibria of discrete-time dynamic games in which players are risk averse and have time preferences consistent with discounting. We establish the existence of a Markov-perfect equilibrium when each player strives to maximize the expected exponential utility of the present value of the time stream of rewards. Also, we give sufficient conditions for a Markov-perfect equilibrium to be myopic, namely to be a sequence of Nash equilibria of static games. The myopia results are applied to a dynamic oligopoly model in which firms choose prices and production quantities, encounter stochastic demand and hold …

How Would Reduced Indirect Costs Affect Unh Research?, Beth Potier

UNH Today Archive

No abstract provided.

An Exploratory Study On University Students’ Perceptions Of Flagship Species: Implications For Sustainable Tourism, Tairan Huang, Chuan Hu, Minzhi Xia, Ziyu Liu, Weishan Zhou, Robert Charles Capistrano

Asia-Pacific Social Science Review

This research explores the perceptions of university students in relation to flagship species in Hainan, China, and its implications for sustainable tourism. The province has an enormous wealth of biodiversity with great development potential and value for tourism. However, there is little or no empirical evidence about Chinese students’ interest in flagship species, their conservation, or their contribution to sustainable tourism in general. The study utilized a mixed method approach through an explanatory sequential design, beginning with a self-administered survey among university students in Hainan, recruiting 531 participants, followed by individual interviews with 14 students. The results have implications for …

Integrated Proteomic And Targeted Next Generation Sequencing Reveal Relevant Heterogeneity In Lower-Grade Meningioma And Anxa3 As A New Target In Nf2 Mutated Meningiomas, Maryam Shah, Yeasmin Akther, Claire Adams, Matt Banton, Vikram Sharma, Emanuela Ercolano, David A Hilton, Kathreena M. Kurian, Liyam Laraba, Waldemar Woznica, David Parkinson, Leandro Jose De Assis, Oliver Hanemann

Peninsula Medical School

Background: Meningiomas, the most common primary brain tumours, are classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) into grades 1, 2, and 3. Some grade 1 tumours exhibit increased clinical aggressiveness, with the biallelic mutation of NF2 being the most frequently reported. Methods: In our study, we analysed the most common driver mutations (NF2, AKT1, KLF4, and TRAF7) in meningioma by genomics describing co-occurrences and new mutations. Furthermore, tumour tissue bearing the driver mutations was analysed by proteomics. The relevance of the specific target found in the most common driver mutation in meningiomas (NF2) was validated in vitro using both lower …

[Excerpt From] Evidence-Informed Health Policy (2nd Ed., Rev.), Jacqueline M. Loversidge, Joyce Zurmehly

Sigma Publications: Book Excerpts

What happens in health policy at local, state, and federal levels directly affects patients, nurses, and nursing practice. Some healthcare professionals, though, are intimidated by the complex and often nonlinear policy process or simply don’t know how to take the first step toward implementing policy change. In the second edition of Evidence-Informed Health Policy, authors Jacqueline M. Loversidge and Joyce Zurmehly demystify health policymaking and equip nurses and other healthcare professionals with the knowledge, tools, and confidence to navigate the first of many steps into health policy. This book translates the EBP language of clinical decision-making into an evidence-informed health …

2025 Nebraska Custom Rates For Livestock-Related Agricultural Services, Glennis Mcclure

Cornhusker Economics

Conclusion

The 2025 livestock custom rates report serves as a valuable reference for cost benchmarking and service pricing in Nebraska’s livestock sector. While most rates have remained stable, producers and service providers should refer to multiple years’ reports to understand trends and regional variation. As always, actual service rates will vary based on job complexity, geographic location, provider availability, and market demand.

Participation in Future Surveys

To strengthen future reports, producers and service providers are encouraged to participate in upcoming surveys. Interested individuals may register at the following URL: https://cap.unl.edu/nebraska-custom-rates-survey-sign

The 2025 Custom Service Rates Related to Livestock Production in …

A Review Of Plant–Microbe Interactions In The Rhizosphere And The Role Of Root Exudates In Microbiome Engineering, Anagha Wankhade, Emma Wilkinson, David W. Britt, Amita Kaundal

Biological Engineering Student Research

Microbial interactions within the rhizosphere are fundamental to plant health, influencing nutrient availability, stress tolerance, and pathogen resistance. Beneficial microbes, such as plant growth-promoting microbes (PGPMs), including bacteria and mycorrhizal fungi, enhance plant resilience through mechanisms like nutrient solubilization, phytohormone production, and pathogen suppression via antimicrobial compounds and siderophores. Root exudates, composed of sugars, organic acids, and secondary metabolites, act as chemoattractants that shape the rhizosphere microbiome by recruiting beneficial microbes. Microbial metabolites can, in turn, modulate plant physiology and exudate profiles, thereby reinforcing mutualistic interactions. Stress conditions alter exudate composition, enabling plants to attract specific microbes that aid in …

Pharmaceutical Innovation Through Computational Drug Design: A Comprehensive Exploration, Manasa Chandramouli, Madhusudhan Heggadadevanakote Surendra

Makara Journal of Science

Chemical biology and computer-aided drug design (CADD) are crucial for identifying and optimizing lead molecules in drug development. Chemical biology is employed to determine the biological function of the target and the mode of action of a chemical modulator. At the same time, in CADD, promising candidate medications are identified based on the structure of the target or known bioactive ligands. Structure-based and ligand-based drug designs should be used in tandem, and their integration with experimental methods can considerably accelerate drug design. Furthermore, the use of CADD along with conventional experimental approaches increases the efficiency and accuracy of the discovery …

Synthesis Of Carboxymethyl Cellulose From Nypa Fruticans For Coating Metformin On Zn-Based Metal-Organic Framework Nanohybrid As A Bionanocomposite Drug Delivery System, Delviani Delviani, Viola Giary Rizkillah Maharani, Putri Nur Shadrina, Tri Warni, Regina Wan Azizah, Indra Lasmana Tarigan, Madyawati Latief

Makara Journal of Science

Diabetes is a common and rapidly spreading disease that affects 6.6% of the world’s population. Metformin hydrochloride (HCl) is an effective oral pharmacological treatment for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients because of its capability to reduce glucose levels and the risk of hypoglycaemia. However, gastrointestinal sensitivities to this drug can cause diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting and stomach ache. An alternative is controlled release technology by coating metformin with carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and zinc-metal-organic framework (Zn-MOF) through the encapsulation method. Therefore, this study aimed to coat metformin formulations using CMC in a Zn-MOF to control release into the body and minimise …

Isolation And Selection Of Bacillus Spp. As Candidate Probiotics For Use In Chickens, Adilah Adawiah, Komang Gede Wiryawan, Anja Meryandini

Makara Journal of Science

The growth rate of chickens can be improved by using probiotics as alternatives to antibiotics. Bacillus spp. as probiotics are particularly beneficial due to ability to form spores, which remain stable as commercial products over extended periods. This study aimed to isolate and select Bacillus spp. from Jasinga soil as probiotic candidates for chickens. A total of 15 isolates obtained of these, 12 were identified as Bacillus spp based on microscopic observations and screening test including ascertaining hemolysis, protease, amylase, and cellulase activities. Only six isolates exhibited gamma hemolysis and the ability to hydrolyze proteins, starch, and cellulose. Isolates BTJ1.1, …

Intraspecific Competition Can Promote Population-Level Specialization, Abdel H. Halloway

Faculty Scholarship

The hypothesis of competitive diversification asserts that increased intraspecific competition will cause a population to generalize in resource use. The reasoning is that as preferred resources are depleted, individuals which use alternative resources become more fit, leading to an overall broadening of resource use. However, recent studies have shown instances of the opposite effect: increased intraspecific competition leading to increased population resource specialization. We explored how intraspecific competition could affect population resource specialization by creating an evolutionary game theoretic consumer-resource model in which individuals have both resource use preference and resource use breadth which are flexible and adaptable. Using this …

Phytoremediation Of Lead Heavy Metals In The Mangrove Ecosystem Of The Lembar Harbor Area, West Lombok Regency, Indonesia, Firman Ali Rahman/Firman, Muhammad Shohibul Ihsan, Dwi Agustini, Ervina Titi Jayanti

Makara Journal of Science

Mangroves play a vital role as bioindicator plants in port areas with the potential for non-essential heavy metal contamination. This study aimed to determine the potential for phytoremediation of lead heavy metal in mangrove vegetation resulting from port operations. The research was conducted in the mangrove ecosystem of Lembar Harbor, West Lombok Regency, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. Substrate, leaf, and root samples were collected using a purposive random sampling technique and analysis for testing the lead heavy metal content using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The results showed that the average heavy metal content of lead accumulated in the substrate in each …

Anti-Transforming Growth Factor-Β Treatment Shows Increased Bone Mass And Strength In A Novel Mouse Model For Osteogenesis Imperfecta Type I, Ellen Busschers, Yuqing Chen-Everson, Mary Adeyeye, I-Wen Song, Emily Busse, Alexis Castellon, Oscar Ruiz, Nicole Meyers, Yangjin Bae, Catherine Ambrose, Brendan Lee

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Anti-transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) is a promising approach for the treatment of osteogenesis imperfecta (OI). To date, preclinical and clinical studies for the use of anti-TGF-β therapy have focused on moderate to severe OI caused by qualitative defects in collagen. However, the majority of OI patients are represented by type I OI. Mutations resulting in the haploinsufficiency of type I collagen is the cause of OI type I in the majority of patients. To study the effect of anti-TGF-β therapy in type I OI, we generated a novel mouse model for OI type I. CMV-CRE mice were crossed to …

The Impact Of Artificial Intelligence On Ecojustice And Ethics, Vishnu S. Pendyala

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has attained human-level performance in tasks like text summarization, machine translation, and code generation while handling multimodal data. Despite these advances, AI poses challenges such as generating false or biased outputs, causing discrimination, and exhibiting opaque decision-making processes that hinder bias mitigation. Additionally, training large language models (LLMs) for AI consumes substantial energy and can enable autonomous warfare, posing a threat to eco-justice, and raising sustainability concerns. Their ability to create realistic content poses the risk of misuse and perpetuating misinformation. This article addresses these ethical issues and presents solutions through regulation and technology, with examples of …