Digital Commons Network^™

A Geoacoustic Bayesian Inversion For Large Calibrated Singlebeam Echosounder And Ground Truth Datasets, Andrew Paul Niedbla

Master's Theses and Capstones

This thesis describes the development of a geoacoustic inversion technique to estimate seafloor sediment characteristics that is designed for use with existing fisheries survey single beam echosounder (SBES) datasets. The geoacoustic inversion technique consists of a forward model and inversion algorithm. The forward model is a high frequency, physics-based, near normal incidence acoustic backscatter model enhanced with a density depth gradient model and geoacoustic sediment regressions. The inversion algorithm is a parallel tempered Markov-chain Monte Carlo Bayesian inversion. The geoacoustic inversion produces posterior probability distributions for mean grain size, density, porosity, sound speed, seafloor roughness characterization, and sediment volume scattering …

September 2025 Library & Learning Newsletter, Minnesota State University, Mankato. Library & Learning Dean’S Office Communications Team

Library & Learning Newsletters

PDF version of the September 2025 (Volume 4, Issue 2) Library & Learning Newsletter.

From Apomediation To Aimediation: Generative Ai And The Reconfiguration Of Informational Authority In Health Communication, Luis M Romero-Rodríguez, Bárbara Mercedes Castillo Abdul Hadi

Artículos científicos

Objective:

Method:

Consumer Carbon Footprint Of Fashion E-Commerce: A Comparative Analysis Between Omnichannel And Pure-Player Models In Spain, David Antonio Rosas Espín, Carlos Lli Torrabadella, María Tamames Sobrino, Irene Miguel Corbacho, José Luis Olazagoitia

Artículos científicos

The rapid expansion of fashion e-commerce has raised concerns over the environmental cost of last-mile deliveries, especially in pure-player models. This preliminary study examines the estimated carbon footprint of TENDAM’s omnichannel model—based on in-store pickup and returns—compared to pure-player home delivery, using a customer-level approach across 11 Spanish cities of varying sizes. A total of 3106 face-to-face surveys were conducted in TENDAM stores, capturing data on mobility behavior, transport modes, trip chaining, and service types. Emission factors were applied using a Python-based analytical model, and results were contrasted with Monte Carlo simulations from existing literature on pure players. Our findings …

Editorial: Building The Future Of Education Together: Innovation, Complexity, Sustainability, Interdisciplinary Research And Open Science, María Soledad Ramírez‑Montoya, M.A. Montoya, Diana Hernández-Montoya, Genaro Zavala-Enríquez, Antonio Martínez-Arboleda

Artículos científicos

On the eve of building the future of education, the need arises to seek unexplored paths toward an educational future built from the collective and for the collective. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), through its international commission, issued a report in which it invites us to reimagine the future of education, stating that education is a fundamental pillar for forging a common and shared future, connecting humanity in the face of global challenges such as climate change and disinformation (UNESCO, 2021a). UNESCO mobilized a major conference “Transforming Knowledge for a Just and Sustainable Future” on the …

Towards Sustainable Indoor Lighting Design: Ensuring Energy Efficiency, Health And Human Wellbeing—A Review, Lara Vélez González, Alejandra Santamaría Melenchón, David Baeza Moyano, Roberto Alonso González-Lezcano

Artículos científicos

The design of lighting systems, has, in recent years, transcended the basic function of providing visibility, becoming a key com-ponent of promoting the health and well-being of occupants by integrating biological, psychological, and energy aspects. Thegrowing understanding of the effects of light on the circadian cycle has posed a fundamental challenge in luminaire design. Thetwo before-mentioned review is, to analyze how light, both artificial and natural, affects the well-being and health of occupantsin various indoor environments, such as classrooms, hospitals and offices, Indoor lighting research has advanced significantly,recognizing both visual and non-visual effects on human health. These efforts focus on …

Cynicism, Distrust And Dissatisfaction Among Spanish And Mexican Millennials And Centennials In Audiovisual Consumption On Streaming Platforms, Carlos Fernández-Rodríguez, Luis M. Romero-Rodríguez, Jorge Alberto Hidalgo Toledo

Artículos científicos

El cinismo político es un sentimiento psicosocial de desconfianza e insatisfacción hacia la política y el establishment. En los tiempos actuales, dominados por la incertidumbre social y económica, el cinismo político está llegando a afectar la forma en que nos relacionamos con la información y la tecnología, lo que promueve la búsqueda de espacios seguros en las narrativas de entretenimiento que se pueden ver en plataformas de streaming. El objetivo principal de este estudio era analizar si los espectadores millennials y centennials de España y México consideran que los grandes estudios, productoras y distribuidoras audiovisuales solo se preocupan por sus …

Blockbusters Or Blind Spots? A Critical Look At Poverty, Bullets And Bandits Narratives In Latin American Cinema, Carlos Fernández-Rodríguez, Elio Quiroga Rodríguez, Luis M. Romero- Rodríguez

Artículos científicos

Historically, the cultural industries of the Global South have been relegated in the face of North American and European production predominance. In Latin America, the most internationally successful audiovisual productions, both at the cinema ticket window and festivals, usually deal with stereotypes of extreme poverty, rurality, delinquency, terrorism, and drug trafficking, which, in the collective imagination of foreign audiences, promote an exaggerated representation of the region's social problems, contributing to xenophobia, hate speech, and anti-migration discourses in countries in the Global North. This study conducts an analysis of five emblematic feature films of Latin American cinema: Cidade de Deus [ …

Use Of Perioperative Scores In Predicting Postoperative Event And Selection For Discharge After Elective Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: A Retrospective Cohort Study, Brian Nyamweya Bundi

Master of Medicine in General Surgery

Background: While daycare laparoscopic cholecystectomy is gaining momentum in developed countries, a majority of patients in low and middle-income countries are admitted overnight. This safety precaution offers prompt access to emergency services should need arise. This precautional overnight stay has implications on cost, healthcare utilization and patient satisfaction. Daycare procedures routinely utilize scoring systems for assessing discharge readiness. We explored the utility of the modified Surgical APGAR Score (mSAS) and the White Fast Track Score (WFTS) as predictors for postoperative events and their role in identifying patients who can have a safe daycare discharge after laparoscopic cholecystectomy in this retrospective …

Identifying The Barriers And Facilitators To Guideline-Concordant Breast Cancer Surgical Care In Kenya: A Sequential Mixed Method Study, Emmanuel Marsuk Lomole

Master of Medicine in General Surgery

Introduction 

Breast cancer represents the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women. In Kenya, it constitutes 20% of all cancer diagnoses as well as the second most common cause of cancer related death in the country, with a 5-year survival between 40.1% and 64%. There exists heterogeneity in the delivery of breast cancer care despite the presence of guidelines that can standardize care and that have been contextualized for Sub-Saharan Africa. There is paucity of data on barriers and facilitators of guideline-concordant breast cancer surgical care.

Setting 

The Aga Khan University Hospital Nairobi.

Aim 

The purpose of this study was to …

Medication Adherence: A Reimbursable Theory-Guided Evidence-Based Educational Intervention For Patients With Parkinson’S Disease, Amanda E. George, Melinda Hermanns, Diane B. Monsivais, Cheryl D. Parker

Nursing Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Parkinson’s disease is a challenging, progressive neurodegenerative process projected to affect more than 1.2 million patients by 2030, with an economic burden that will surpass $79 billion annually in the United States. Pharmacological interventions are the hallmark of treatment for symptom management for this lifelong disease. Multiple medications and a variety of dosing times have an increasingly negative effect on medication adherence. Purpose: This article will discuss medication adherence challenges, describe a theory-guided evidence-based intervention to improve medication adherence, and explore the economic implications in an outpatient clinic setting. Methods: A pilot chart review of 40 cases over 30 …

Transient Effects Of Antenna Geometry On Direct Antenna Modulation Systems, Tyson Decastro

Electrical and Computer Engineering Master's Theses

Electrically small antennas (ESAs) operate with low radiation efficiency and high Q-factor, requiring greater power consumption and slower data rates in wireless communication systems. Direct Antenna Modulation (DAM) refers to a class of modulation techniques, often utilizing a time-varying switch, which significantly reduces the symbol transition time in wireless communication systems with ESAs. Despite the ability to avoid the band-limited nature of ESAs, the increased data rates associated with DAM come at the expense of undesired radiation transients and power radiated in sidebands, which can be disruptive to other communication channels. These effects vary greatly with antenna geometry. In this …

Case Article—Optimizing Transportation And Equity In A District Zoning Problem For Orville Public Schools, Kelly M. Sullivan, Ashlea Bennett Milburn

Industrial Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

“Optimizing transportation and equity in a district zoning problem for ORville public schools” is a case developed to expose students to an optimization decision problem with ethical considerations incorporated. Specifically, students are asked to solve a school district zoning problem in which all residential addresses in a school district must be assigned to middle schools having capacity limits on the numbers of students that they can accommodate.

Validation And Proposed Expansion Of The Data-Driven D Region Model, Kevin M. Watson

Theses and Dissertations

Predicting ionosphere effects on radio wave propagation is critical for communications and over-the-horizon radar systems. The D region is challenging to model for several reasons, one of which is chemical complexity. Ion density changes during sunrise/sunset introduce substantial uncertainty in electron density profiles (EDPs). The Data Driven D Region (D3R) model solves electron densities through an ion chemistry model and assimilates relevant space weather inputs. This study evaluates D3R against the Faraday International Reference Ionosphere (FIRI) and measurements using Very Low Frequency (VLF) propagation paths. Space weather event impacts on D3R EDPs are evaluated during the disturbed period from 8-12 …

Teaching Strategies For Building Belonging And Creating Community In Online And In-Person Legal Education, Sara J. Berman, Barrett L. Schreiner

St. Mary's Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Enclothe: Oer Implementation And Evaluation For A Fashion Show Theory And Production Course, Christine Rickabaugh, Sarah West Hixson

University Libraries Faculty Publications and Presentations

The ENCLOTHE Open Educational Resource (OER) textbook was developed and implemented for a Fashion Show Theory and Production course at a Mid-Southern University in the United States. This case study examines the effectiveness of this specialized OER in addressing the unique needs of an upper-division capstone fashion course. The textbook, designed to replace a costly industry-focused resource, offers interactive modules, video clips, and assignments compatible with learning management systems. Using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the study evaluated students' perceptions of the textbook's usefulness and ease of use across time points during the semester. Student data revealed consistently high TAM …

Interrogating The Racial Wealth Gap: Thinking Locally -- Event Program, Lender Center For Social Justice

The Lender Center for Social Justice

A pamphlet for the Interrogating the Racial Wealth Gap: Thinking Locally event.

The Uk's Intended Move To Electric And Connected And Autonomous Vehicles: Are Infrastructural Barriers Preventing Successful Transition?, Katy Ferris, James Marson

Transportation Law Journal

The advent of Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs) is poised to transform global transportation systems, offering unparalleled opportunities to enhance safety, sustainability, and efficiency. Given that CAVs are most likely also to be electric vehicles (EVs), and in the UK, CAVs/EVs are a central element of government efforts to modernise mobility while achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, it would seem the UK is ready to embrace the transition to this new and disruptive form of transportation. However, while technological innovation has surged, critical questions remain about the readiness of physical, digital, and policy infrastructures to support the widespread adoption of …

From Displacement To Design: Reframing Work, Skills, And Education For The Ai-Transformed Economy A Review, James Hutson

Faculty Scholarship

Between 2023 and 2025, the U.S. labor market entered a period of accelerated restructuring driven by generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automation. Routine, entry-level cognitive roles—particularly in clerical, customer service, and junior technical positions—contracted sharply as intelligent systems assumed high-volume, rules-based tasks. While these displacements echo past automation cycles, the present transformation is distinct in its scope, affecting both knowledge work and creative functions, and in its speed, amplified by enterprise-scale adoption. Simultaneously, demand has surged for specialized AI-related positions, interdisciplinary roles blending domain expertise with AI fluency, and ―durable skills‖ that remain resistant to automation. Drawing on labor market …

University Of Nebraska At Omaha Enrollment Profile Report: Fall 2025, Systems Intelligence And Data Analytics, University Of Nebraska At Omaha

Enrollment Reports

headcount and student credit hours, as well as the demographic characteristics of enrolled students. Delivery-site reporting counts all students, including those in UNL programs delivered at UNO, but excludes UNO programs delivered in Lincoln (CPACS programs). Administrative-site reporting counts students enrolled in UNO programs only (including the CPACS programs delivered in Lincoln). The purpose of this profile is to provide the undergraduate and graduate enrollments and student credit hour information by college or equivalent academic unit, class, gender and ethnicity. A glossary at the end of the report provides a list of definitions for headings. All information in this report …

Enhancing Non-Player Character Dialogue In Video Gages: An Evaluation Of Large Language Model-Generated Responses, Lam P. Quach

Master's Theses

As video games increasingly emphasize narrative depth and player immersion, the quality of Non-Player Character (NPC) dialogue has become crucial for creating engaging gaming experiences. This thesis investigates the potential of Large Language Models (LLMs) to generate high-quality NPC dialogue by comprehensively evaluating four state-of-the-art models: Gemma 3 27B, Mistral 7B, QWEN 2.5, and LLAMA 3.1. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining human evaluation (N=50 participants) with AI-based assessment across five key benchmarks: coherence, personality expression, engagement, style/tone appropriateness, and overall quality. Participants evaluated 32 dialogue samples (8 per model) generated for a fantasy game context featuring two distinct …

First-Time Mothers' Experiences Of Breastfeeding During The Early Postpartum Period In Nairobi, Kenya: A Qualitative Study, Viola Siongei, Rose Maina, Eunice Pallangyo

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Background/Aims The rate of exclusive breastfeeding in the first 6 months is still low, despite global active promotion of the practice. The exclusive breastfeeding rate among first-time mothers is much lower than among multiparous women, which has been attributed to difficulties assuming the new role and a lack of breastfeeding skills. This study aimed to gain an in-depth understanding of first-time mothers' breastfeeding experiences and the factors that influence these experiences during the early postpartum period in Nairobi, Kenya.

Methods This qualitative explorative, descriptive study involved 17 purposively sampled first-time mothers at 4–6 weeks postpartum. In-depth, face-to-face semi-structured interviews were …

Association Between Decisional Conflict And Quality Of Life Among Parents With A Child Undergoing Hospital-Based Treatment For A Recent Cancer Diagnosis, Augustine Provencio

Doctoral Dissertations

Having a child with a chronic illness, such as cancer, can cause families significant distress. Parents of these children must make frequent decisions relating to their child’s care. Depending on factors such as health literacy and support from medical staff, parents may have varying levels of decisional conflict (DC) throughout the decision-making process. Compounding stress throughout their child’s illness can often contribute to lower levels of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) while their child is receiving hospital-based treatment. Parents with a non-English language preference (NELP) often have greater challenges navigating healthcare systems due to a lack of resources and limited …

The Guardian The Month Of September 2025, Wright State Student Body

The Guardian Student Newspaper

News articles from The Guardian for the Month of September 2025. The Guardian is the official student-run newspaper for Wright State University. It has been published regularly since March of 1965.

Bridging Borders: Navigating The Tapestry Of Multiculturalism And Migration, Saba Safdar

Online Readings in Psychology and Culture

This paper is based on a keynote delivered at the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology (IACCP) conference in Bali, Indonesia, in August 2024. It explores key themes related to social cohesion and inclusive intergroup relations in an era of rising global migration, exclusionary political rhetoric, and the surge of right-wing populism. First, the Multidimensional Individual Difference Acculturation (MIDA) model is reviewed. This framework examines how psychological resilience, social support, identity, cultural competence, and acculturation strategies influence adaptation outcomes across diverse migration contexts. Second, the interaction between individual and societal factors in shaping immigrant adaptation is analysed through empirical studies testing …

Script-Based Inferences In An Image Schema Story Understander, Jamie C. Macbeth, Boming Zhang, Sharmin Badhan

Computer Science: Faculty Publications

Recent studies of large language models (LLMs) have revealed that they lack human-like cognitive models of reasoning and understanding. An important thread of research merges image schemas into symbolic artificial intelligence systems where their use as conceptual building blocks and primitives shows promise for the study of human cognition through intelligent systems that perform neurosymbolically. The work presented in this paper demonstrates image schema primitives being used in structures of a representation system called conceptual dependency (CD) and in broader commonsense knowledge structures called scripts. We present a story under- standing system that uses image schemas as primitives in scripts …

Applying Artificial Intelligence And Chatbots To Enhance Collection Development In Health Sciences Libraries, Ivan Portillo, David Carson

Library Presentations, Posters, and Audiovisual Materials

The continuous advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) and large language models (LLMs) has presented several opportunities for librarians to reduce their workload and become more efficient. This session will explore the potential of generative AI chatbots in assisting health sciences librarians with collection development. Two methods that will be discussed include the potential of AI to help discover new titles and how AI can evaluate your library collection for any potential gaps based on a college program’s curriculum.

Information Literacy Within And Beyond The Academy: Connecting The Framework To Social Work’S Accreditation Standards And Professional Code Of Ethics, Stephen Maher, Yali Feng, Olivia Given Castello, Carin Graves, Sarah C. Johnson

Staff Scholarship

In 2018, the Education and Behavioral Sciences Section (EBSS) Social Work Committee (the committee) began drafting its companion document to the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education. It responded to the ACRL Information Literacy Frameworks and Standards Committee’s charge to utilize the Framework in context with the education standards, goals, and competencies within their respective disciplines by highlighting synergies between the Framework and the accreditation standards associated with social work schools and programs in the United States. The committee would also choose to connect the Framework to social work’s professional Code of Ethics in an attempt to …

Effect Of Workplace Design On Collaboration And Satisfaction In Space System Command, Joshua A. Hagood

Theses and Dissertations

This study addresses a significant knowledge gap regarding the influence of physical workplace design on employee collaboration and satisfaction with the physical environment within U.S. Space Force technical military organizations.  While seminal industry research consistently demonstrates that physical design and indoor environmental quality influence employee satisfaction and collaboration (e.g., Candido et al., 2015; Sailer et al., 2021), the understanding of these impacts within military contexts remains limited.  Using a quantitative post-occupancy evaluation survey, adapted from the Sustainable Post Occupancy Evaluation Survey (SPOES), multiple regression analyses revealed that physical elements collectively predict both satisfaction and collaboration.  The final simplified model showed …

Implementing Lean Principles To Enhance Warehouse Operations At King Abdulaziz Air Base(Kaab): A Case Study Of Royal Saudi Air Force (Rsaf), Saleh A. Alghamdi

Theses and Dissertations

The Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) relies on efficient logistics to sustain readiness. At King Abdulaziz Air Base, warehouse receiving inefficiencies caused delays and waste. This study used Lean principles and a six-month time–motion analysis, with Pareto and Fishbone tools, to identify 55% waste in dead pile and 75% in palletized shipments. Standard times of 5.98 and 6.55 minutes were set. Key recommendations include SOPs, cross-training, forklift certification, layout redesign, and RFID. Lean adoption could save 100+ labor hours and $4,000 annually, improving safety, accuracy, and mission readiness.