Digital Commons Network^™

Differential Effects Of Amiloride And Benzamil On Salt Taste Physiology And Behavior: The Case For Phasic Responses In The Generation Of Sodium Appetite, Amyra M. Issa

McNair Scholars Research Journal

The current experiment aims to investigate the relationship between the early phasic portion of salt taste transduction and sodium appetite. Prior research has identified two salt transduction pathways: a sodium-selective pathway, which is inhibited by amiloride or benzamil, and a non-selective pathway, which is insensitive to these blockers (Breslin & Spector, 2008). When presented with sodium solutions, sodium-depleted mice exhibit a behavior termed the “sodium appetite,” which results in voracious sodium consumption. The prevailing theory is that this behavior depends on neural activity of sodium-selective neurons (Breza & Contreras, 2012; Roitman & Bernstein, 1999). While previous studies have demonstrated that …

Contrasting Disparities Between Desi Populations And The Michigan Healthcare System In The Metro Detroit Atrea, Ramin Areeb

McNair Scholars Research Journal

This study investigated the healthcare disparities experienced by the Desi population (Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Nepali, etc.), ages 18 and higher, in the Metro Detroit area. Despite the ever-growing population of South Asian communities in the United States, research on their interactions with Michigan healthcare remained very limited. The lack of consistent reports, population-specific studies, and overall popularity of the discussion proves this. Using a survey-based methodology, this study collected accounts from participants regarding their healthcare experiences, perceived inequities, and barriers to accessing high-quality medical services. The data then underwent a thematic review to identify recurring patterns, including issues …

Neural Network Model Watermarking Using Quantized Least Significant Bits And Pseudorandom Error-Correcting Codes, Ranjit Kumaresam, Srinivasan Raghuraman, Ka Log Ng

Defensive Publications Series

The present disclosure relates to watermarking techniques for neural network models that embed verifiable ownership information into model parameters. In one aspect, floating-point weight parameters are quantized and least significant bits are biased during rounding such that the bits collectively encode a pseudorandom error-correcting code derived from a digital signature of a model owner. In another aspect, a pseudorandom codeword generated from the digital signature is directly embedded by replacing least significant bits of quantized weight parameters. In both cases, the watermark is cryptographically verifiable and remains detectable even after model perturbations, fine-tuning, or partial retraining. Ownership verification is performed …

Multi-Agent Architecture For Diagnostics And Configuration Of Media Systems, Bin Xu, Chi Chen, Guillaume Bailey, Paul Colta, Hongguang Chen, Mehmet Hakan Isbiliroglu, Kaile Ding, Michael Keeley, Ryan Kusch, Roman Kalukiewicz, Wolfram Klein, Hugo Du Plooy, Michael Soland, Quxiang Fang, Xurui Huang, Weiping Tang, Zhiji Huang, Juliana Tsang

Defensive Publications Series

Users interacting with media playback systems, such as smart televisions, often navigate complex, nested on-screen menus to adjust device settings such as display brightness, audio quality, or network configurations. This manual navigation process can be cumbersome and unintuitive, creating a barrier to efficient device control and configuration. A user may clearly understand a desired outcome or be able to describe a current issue with the media system but may lack the specific technical knowledge to locate and modify the exact system settings required to resolve the issue.

The disclosed technology describes an agent-based artificial intelligence framework that enables natural language …

Non-Semantic Safety Gates: A Closed-Loop Framework For Agentic Software Evolution, Santosh Kumar Kvs

Defensive Publications Series

A system for validating AI-generated code in a shadow execution environment prior to production deployment includes an AI agent configured to receive an intent from a user device and generate a code package based on the intent, a deployment controller communicatively coupled to the AI agent and configured to receive the code package, a shadow sandbox 105 communicatively coupled to the deployment controller and configured to receive the code package, execute the code package in an isolated environment while mirroring production traffic, and generate telemetry data based on execution of the code package, wherein the telemetry data comprises kernel-level metrics …

A Smart Contract Framework For Project Financing In Gold Mining Operations: Implications For Improved Financial Forecasting, Silvia Lydia Priskilla, Mohammed Ali Berawi, Mustika Sari Dr.

Smart City

Gold mining projects are characterized by high capital intensity and significant operational variability, making financial forecasting particularly sensitive to the quality and timing of cash-flow data. In practice, conventional financing systems rely on multi-stage administrative processes that create delays between work completion and payment realization, reducing the reliability of financial records used for investment evaluation.

This study aims to develop a smart contract-based financing framework to improve the accuracy of profitability projections in gold mining projects. A case study approach is employed using operational and financial data from a mining project in Sumatra over the period 2023–2026. The analysis combines …

Advancing Data Usability, Activity Modeling, And Stability Optimization In Computational Enzyme Design, Spencer Gardiner

Theses and Dissertations

A grand challenge of computational biology is to computationally design, in a single pass, a protein sequence that catalyzes an arbitrary chemical reaction at a high rate under specified conditions [1]. This work details advances in three essential areas on the path to that goal: data quality, activity prediction and modeling, and stability optimization. The structure and implementation of the Allotrope Simple Model (a FAIR data format for many scientific instruments) was examined in [2], setting the stage for training deep learning models on high-quality experimental datasets from diverse sources. In [3], the limits of physics-based and deep learning tools …

Beyond Single Images: A Comprehensive Benchmark For Album-Level Vision-Language Understanding, Shawn Huang

Theses and Dissertations

Automatic album organization has been studied extensively over the past decades due to significant progress in digital photography. Recent Vision-Language Models (VLMs) have shown strong performance on multi-image understanding, making them natural candidates for automating album organization workflows. While VLMs’ abilities in multi-image understanding have been widely studied, their performance on album organization remains underexplored. To bridge this gap, we introduce AlbumBench, the first comprehensive benchmark for automatic album organization. Specifically, we (1) define album organization tasks as photo selection for album-specific user objectives, photo rating according to how well user intents are fulfilled, and album-specific photo grouping given a …

Cmsi Translations #31: Joint Air And Missile Defense Operations In The Maritime Domain Must Emphasize And Strengthen The “Four Joint Functions”, Nan Xiang, Xie Lu, Zhi Xi

CMSI Translations

With a focus on missions directed toward the maritime, and closely aligning with the objectives of the “Three Major Strategic Capabilities,” this article outlines four critical functions to enhance joint air and missile defense capabilities: strengthening joint situational awareness through multi-domain integration and all-domain reconnaissance and surveillance; optimizing command structures and integrating systems to enhance joint command and control (C2); leveraging systemic strengths and deploying forces methodically to strengthen joint defense and countermeasures; and ensuring flexibility, agility, and efficiency to strengthen joint support. These efforts aim to achieve defense against incoming threats as early as possible and as far away …

English For Speakers Of Other Languages Program: Compliance Vs Realities Of Practice, Ana Sofia Rodriguez-Oronoz

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

This research study examined the misalignment between policy compliance and instructional practice within English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) programs in K–12 public education. Although federal and state mandates require equitable access and services for English language learners (ELLs), compliance with these requirements has not consistently resulted in effective classroom practice. The problem of practice focused on how educators interpreted and enacted ESOL policies and the extent to which these practices aligned with the intent of the Multicultural Education, Training, and Advocacy (META) Consent Decree and related accountability frameworks.

A qualitative research design was used to explore educators’ perceptions …

Post & Lintel, 2025-2026 Edition, Preservation Eastern

Post & Lintel

No abstract provided.

An Evaluation Of The Leader In Me Program’S Influence On Time And Project Management In Secondary Pbl Classrooms, Tiffany L. Brandenburg

Education Theses and Dissertations

This mixed-methods evaluation examined the implementation of the Leader in Me (LIM) framework and its relationship to secondary students’ time and project management skills within project-based learning (PBL) environments. Conducted across Grades 6–12 in a public charter school district, the study analyzed teacher surveys, student reflections, classroom observations, and Measurable Results Assessment (MRA) data to evaluate perceptions and implementation patterns related to student self-management practices. Findings indicated variability in LIM implementation across classrooms and inconsistencies in how leadership and organizational practices were integrated into daily instruction. Teachers frequently reported challenges related to students’ planning, prioritization, and task management skills, while …

Transforming Urban Food Systems: Could Food Democracy And Food Citizenship Be Advanced By Personal And Community Impacts Of Co-Production Processes?, Bramble Gardiner, Mary Hickson, Louise Hunt, Amanda Haslam-Lucas, Barbara Diouri, Joanna Ruminska, Laura Dunn, Yve Ashton, Clare Pettinger

School of Health Professions

For complex challenges like food systems transformation, scholars suggest co-production involving multiple actors including citizens is essential. Additionally, some argue for a transformation towards ‘food democracy’. This vision aims for food system decision making to be shared across diverse actors, and people to move from being consumers to citizens (food citizenship). Urban food policy initiatives are examples of innovation in food democracy and food citizenship, but delivering authentic participation is an ongoing challenge and the impacts on those engaged have rarely been studied. Furthermore, personal transformations are essential for societal transformations and similarly receive minimal focus. The need for development …

Quality Improvement Project The Impact Of The Interact “Stop And Watch Tool” In A Skilled Nursing Facility, Lorraine Hicks

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Avoidable hospitalizations from skilled nursing facilities (SNF) contribute to increased healthcare costs, resident distress, and adverse health outcomes. Many readmissions result from delays in identifying and communicating early signs of resident deterioration. The purpose of this project was to implement an evidence-based intervention to recognize early changes in residents’ conditions, empower nursing staff to detect and promptly communicate concerns, and impact 30-day hospital readmission rates. Problems identified included delayed recognition of early changes in residents’ conditions, fragmented staff communication, and the absence of standardized reporting practices, which were associated with preventable hospital readmissions. A quasi-experimental pre-/post-intervention design guided by Jean …

The Other Side Of Peruvian Private Pension System, Paolo Daniel Jara

Journal of New Finance

Between 2020 and 2025, Peru's Congress authorized eight extraordinary withdrawal rounds from the Private Pension System (SPP), liquidating USD 38 billion. This paper argues that the trajectory is the empirical convergence of two analytically distinct failures. The first, from below, reflects the mismatch between the system's behavioral assumptions and a heterogeneous, predominantly informal workforce. The second, from above, reflects short-cycle electoral incentives, institutional asymmetry between Congress and the regulator, and slippery-slope dynamics. The paper proposes a reform combining free disposal of pension funds with individual fiscal responsibility, mediated by a binding waiver of the state-funded solidarity pension.

Skill-Based Occupational Connectivity And Local Labor Market Development, Xiaoyin Li, David H. Nason, Heather M. Stephens

Regional Research Institute Working Papers

Recent decades have witnessed significant economic transitions that have disrupted traditional economic activities and reshaped the labor force. Occupational connectivity, which captures how easily workers transition to other growing occupations, may be an important factor for local labor market resilience and development. Using county employment shares and a skill-based occupational matching matrix built upon O*NET data, this study explores how occupational connectivity affects local labor market outcomes. Our findings suggest that counties with higher levels of occupational connectivity are associated with better labor market outcomes and more stable population dynamics, even after accounting for local industry mix. These results highlight …

Microglial Swell1 Deficiency Drives Male-Specific Seizure Vulnerability But Paradoxical Neuroprotection Through Impaired Phagocytosis, Abhijeet S Barath, Aastha Dheer, Laura Montier, Mekenzie M Peshoff, Emily Dale, Flavia Goche, Thanh Thanh Le Nguyen, Mastura Akter, Fangfang Qi, Dimitrios Kleidonas, Lauren Harris, Sarah A Jewanee, Anthony D Umpierre, Dale B Bosco, Koichiro Haruwaka, Rajan Sah, Long-Jun Wu, Rongzhuo Hua, Tejaswani Datla

The Brown Foundation: Institute of Molecular Medicine

The discovery of genes encoding the volume-regulated anion channel (VRAC) has enabled detailed exploration of its cell type-specific roles in the brain. LRRC8A (SWELL1) is the essential VRAC subunit. We observed seizure-induced, subunit-specific changes in microglial VRAC expression and investigated its function using conditional KO (cKO) of LRRC8A in microglia. SWELL1 cKO mice exhibited a male-specific increase in kainate-induced seizure severity, yet showed paradoxical neuroprotection against seizure-associated neuronal loss. Mechanistically, SWELL1 deletion led to a cell-autonomous reduction in microglial density and decreased release of VRAC-permeable neuroactive metabolites, including taurine, GABA, and glutamate in culture. Additionally, impaired phagocytic kinetics and reduced …

[Excerpt From] A Nurse's Step-By-Step Guide To Writing A Dissertation Or Scholarly Project, Fourth Edition, Karen M. Roush

Sigma Publications: Book Excerpts

Packed with practical steps and tools, this updated fourth edition of A Nurse’s Step-by-Step Guide to Writing a Dissertation or Scholarly Project will help you plan, document, organize, and write your dissertation or scholarly project. Don’t go it alone; let author and fellow dissertation survivor Karen Roush help you get from square one to DONE.

Enhancing Teaching Effectiveness Through Professional Development For Part-Time Nursing Faculty, Amanda Moss

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Part-time nursing faculty play a vital role in nursing education; however, many institutions lack standardized professional development opportunities for part-time faculty, resulting in inconsistent preparation and teaching practices. This Doctor of Nursing Practice policy change project examined whether revising an institutional professional development policy to include part-time faculty and implementing a structured faculty development program would improve faculty preparedness, confidence, and comfort with evidence-based teaching practices and instructional strategies that support ACEN faculty development expectations. Guided by the Iowa Model–Revised of Evidence-Based Practice, Kotter’s Organizational Change Theory, and the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) framework, this quantitative policy change project was conducted over …

A Compass For The Forest: Curriculum Opportunities In A Post-Liaison World, Meghan Otoupalik, Erica Defrain

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Presentations

This poster highlights a project that reimagines what library instruction, faculty partnerships, and student impact looks like following the transition away from a liaison librarian model. Looking at the academic institution’s general education program’s learning outcomes that all undergraduates must complete, we found Information Literacy (IL) was already built into this multi-disciplinary program. The library was given access to the university’s repository of participating course documents and syllabi allowing us to analyze how the learning outcomes are being met, and even more insights into how IL is being taught across campus. We began a pilot program for the first of …

To What Extent Could Quantum Computing Pose A Threat To Global Modern Data Security?, Aniket Maheshwari

Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

Quantum computing has emerged as a transformative technology with the potential to fundamentally disrupt modern cryptographic systems that underpin global data security. This paper examines the extent to which quantum computing could pose a threat to modern global data security by synthesising existing technical, institutional, and policy-oriented literature. Drawing on a narrative review of scholarly research, industry reports, and government frameworks, the analysis focuses on the implications of quantum algorithms such as Shor’s and Grover’s, which challenge the mathematical foundations of widely used cryptographic schemes. The findings suggest that while quantum computing presents a credible long-term threat to asymmetric encryption …

An Ai Perspective On Counseling Supervision, Emily A. Brinck, James L. Soldner, Hung Jen Kuo, Scott A. Sabella, Trenton J. Landon, Charles P. Bernacchio, Elizabeth A. Boland

Special Education and Rehabilitation Counseling Faculty Publications

The increased use of technology-assisted distance counseling practices is one result of COVID’s impact on behavioral health, including in counselor education and the delivery of supervision. First, technology-assisted distance supervision needed for “real time” communication grew. Furthermore, there is an emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies that have the potential to contribute to aspects of supervision; however, current evidence remains emerging, context-dependent, and at times mixed, warranting cautious interpretation of their effectiveness. The article offers an overview of using AI in clinical supervision, examines the benefits and potential concerns of AI from different perspectives, and considers the significance of using …

Re: Conditional Approval Letter For The Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Clark Tailings Consolidated Waste Management Area (Ctcwma) Site Investigation Quality Assurance Project Plan (Qapp) (Dated June 1, 2026), Emma Rott

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Enhancing Sleep Quality Through Sleep Hygiene Education Among Adults In A Faith-Based Community, Denielle Earle-Thompson

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background

Adults between 18 and 64 years of age require at least seven hours of sleep per night; however, many adults do not meet this recommendation, contributing to increased risks for chronic disease, impaired functioning, mood disturbances, and reduced quality of life. Poor sleep quality has been associated with weakened immunity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, anxiety, depression, and decreased daytime performance. Obtaining adequate, good-quality sleep is essential for maintaining overall health and well-being. In faith-based communities, combining health education with spiritual support may provide a holistic approach that addresses both physical and emotional contributors to poor sleep.

Purpose

The purpose …

Modeling And Performance Analysis Of Two-Dimensional Vcsel Using Finite Element Simulation, Rand Mahdi Khudair, Shaimaa S. Mahdi

Baghdad Science Journal

Vertical cavity surface emission lasers (VCSELs) are considered to be an integral component of short-range optical communication. Compact structure, low threshold current, and high modulation capability are the reasons why these communication systems are used. efficiency. This study presents a two-dimensional numerical simulation of a VCSEL structure at a wavelength of 850 nm using the finite element method (FEM) via Laser MOD software to investigate the effect of using two different quantum well materials (QW) GaAs, and AlGaAs on the optical performance of the device. All of the above were done within the same cavity and DBR structure to provide …

Academic Year 2026–27 Annual Estimate Of The Strategic Security Environment, Us Army War College

Books, Monographs & Collaborative Studies

The Academic Year 2026–27 Annual Estimate of the Strategic Security Environment provides a framework for those aspiring to tackle the Department of War’s most pressing challenges. This year’s authors highlight trending challenges and identify potential tension points across 10 sections organized under the broad themes of 1) Regional Challenges and Opportunities and 2) Institutional Challenges. This assessment represents the collective expertise of the US Army War College. The narrative is supplemented by a tailored list of 105 command-sponsored questions from 47 different Army and Joint organizations from across the Department of War. Combined, the distinct yet complementary narrative and question …

Wangdu V. Kengmeni

All Decisions

In this civil action by a former landlord against former tenants for use and occupancy, the court reduced the judgment to account for the tenants' warranty of habitability counterclaim, finding that the basement of the single-family rental was uninhabitable for a significant period of time.

Label-Flip Attack Detection Via Trust-Weighted Aggregation In Federated Learning For Underground Mine Security, Md Sazedur Rahman, Sanjay Madria, Samuel Frimpong

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Underground mining operations are increasingly dependent on autonomous vehicles, robotic drilling systems, and intelligent inspection platforms operating in confined, GPS-denied tunnel environments. These systems rely on distributed perception models to interpret navigation cues, hazard warnings, and environmental signals in real time. While centralized deep learning can enhance model performance, transferring raw operational data across mining sites introduces serious confidentiality and security risks. Federated Learning (FL) offers a privacy-preserving alternative by enabling collaborative model training without sharing local datasets. However, deploying FL in underground mining introduces several critical challenges: (i) Training labels may be modified either maliciously by compromised clients or …

Full Issue, Iajbs Ateneo De Manila University

Journal of Management for Global Sustainability

No abstract provided.

Understanding The Needs And Practices Of Cut Flower Growers In Louisiana, Jessie M. Hoover

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The specialty cut flower industry is expanding nationwide, including southeastern states such as Louisiana. Existing studies and market analyses focus on national trends of other regions with established floriculture networks, leaving a critical gap in understanding the unique challenges and opportunities faced by growers in Louisiana. This lack of data limits the ability of extension professionals, policymakers, and industry stakeholders to develop targeted strategies that support local production and market development. This study used qualitative case study methods to investigate the practices, challenges, and needs of 13 specialty cut flower growers in Louisiana. The study utilized Urie Bronfenbrenner’s (1979, 1986) …