Digital Commons Network^™

Jing (敬) And Respect, Wenyang Gao

Comparative Philosophy

Jing (敬) is often translated as “respect”. Some scholars argue for a “perception of worth” reading, conceiving jing as a deontic normative attitude akin to “respect” in the Western tradition. Others propose a “directing attention” reading, holding that jing is a virtue. This article clarifies the meaning and normative structure of jing, arguing that it has three dimensions:  (1) a state of mind characterized by seriousness, (2) an intentional, respectful feeling, and (3) respectful conduct aligned with ritual propriety (Li禮). While the “directing attention” reading correctly identifies jing as a virtue, insisting that jing does …

Leventhal, Alan, San Jose State University

Emeritus and Retired Faculty Biographies

San Jose State University, Anthropology, MA 1993

(MA Thesis Title: A Reinterpretation of Some San Francisco Bay Mound Sites: A View from the Mortuary Complex from Prehistoric Site CA-ALA-329, The Ryan Mound): https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/694/

City College of New York, Major: Anthropology; Minor: Education and Geology, BA 1973

Archaeological Field Schools

University of Nevada: Nevada State Museum Archaeological Field School, Dr. Robert Elston, Director, June - August 1972

City College of New York Archaeological Field School, Dr. Robert Schuyler, Director, June - August 1971

See CV for Awards/Scholarships, 1972-2013.

Applications And Insights Of The Use Of Ethnographic Research In A Local Context Of Nepal, Dipak Raj Rai, Sunita Dangol, Megh Raj Dangal

The Qualitative Report

This paper expounds on ethnographic research in comprehending the cultural, economic, and social nuances in the Nepali local community. The paper also emphasizes the significance of ethnographic research in providing profound insights into the daily lives, traditions, and interactions of cultural groups. This writing aims to describe the historical concept of ethnography, its philosophical standpoint, types of ethnography, fields of ethnographic research and commonly used methods for collecting ethnographic data. The main idea of the paper is to present the methods employed such as participant observation, ethnographic interviews, self-reporting, and artifacts that enable the researcher to obtain the true lived …

A Review On Bridge Scour Analysis In Cohesive Soils And Scour-Susceptible Rocks, Darud E. Sheefa, Zhen Liu, Stanley Vitton, Brian Barkdoll

Michigan Tech Publications

Bridge scour analysis, especially scour depth calculation practices implemented mostly by hydraulics and geotechnical engineers, was traditionally built upon flume tests with cohesionless materials, e.g., sands. As a result, the analysis of bridge scour in cohesive materials, i.e., cohesive soils and scour-susceptible rocks, was less understood and thus has been gaining increasing attention. This paper presents a state-of-the-practice survey on the analysis of bridge scour in cohesive materials represented by cohesive soils and scour-susceptible rocks. This includes a literature review covering the concepts and understanding of scour susceptibility, material sampling, erodibility tests, bridge scour calculation methods for cohesive soils and …

Interviewing Elite-Experts: When The Few Matter More Than The Many, Jo B. Helgetun, Thibault Coppe

The Qualitative Report

In this methodological essay, we discuss the ontology and epistemology of research interviews. We anchor our methodological reflection in our experiences interviewing elite-experts. Our goal is to highlight the strengths of research interviews, particularly elite-expert interviews, as well as the importance of using a qualitative rather than quantitative logic when conducting and analyzing such interviews. In discussing this case, we reflect on qualitative research and take a critical stance toward practices that undermine the field of qualitative research. Specifically, we reflect on the process of analyzing interviews—what we refer to as “the quantification of qualitative research”—and how it has become …

Healthcare Providers’ Prescribing Practices And Emergency Management Planning For Pre-Hospital Seizure Emergencies: A Comparison Of Hungary To Norway And The United Kingdom, Rohit Shankar

Peninsula Medical School

Background: Seizure emergencies, include prolonged seizures and status epilepticus (SE). Benzodiazepines are recommended as first-line rescue therapy. We investigate prescribing practices, emergency planning, and clinician experiences regarding rescue medication in Hungary and compare findings with those from the United Kingdom and Norway. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey (CHERRIES-compliant) was conducted between March and October 2025 among neurologists and pediatric neurologists in Hungary. The questionnaire explored demographics, prescribing behaviours, emergency management planning, and training practices. Descriptive statistics were used for Hungarian data, and comparative analyses with the combined UK and Norwegian cohorts were performed using chi-squared, Fisher's exact, and Mann–Whitney U …

The Aste-Bgc Data-Assimilative Regional Ocean Biogeochemical Model, L. A. Moseley, G. A. Mckinley, D. Carroll, D. Menemenlis, R. Dussin, A. T. Nguyen

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

We present a data-assimilative regional ocean biogeochemical model, ASTE-BGC, which simulates the physical and biogeochemical state of the North Atlantic Ocean from 2002 to 2017. Model physics are provided by a physical state estimate (ASTE), which assimilates O(10⁹) in situ and satellite-based observations over the model domain and time period. Model biogeochemistry is simulated by a medium-complexity biogeochemical module (BLING), which simulates nine prognostic biogeochemical tracers and three ecological classes. Through a three-step optimization process which combines informal adjustments and formal mathematical optimization, we minimize model-data misfit between a “spun-up” simulated biogeochemical state and O(10⁵) BGC-Argo …

Meiji: Developing A Reinforcement Learning Agent And Environment For Colonial Diplomacy, Alexander Aldama-Apodaca

Theses & ETDs

This thesis presents the development of MEIJI, an artificial intelligence (AI) agent that applies temporal difference (TD) learning to play Colonial Diplomacy within a custom reinforcement learning (RL) environment. While reinforcement learning has previously been applied to the board game Diplomacy, no reinforcement learning environment has been developed for the Colonial Diplomacy variant. To address this gap, this thesis implements a complete RL environment that models the rules and mechanics of Colonial Diplomacy and enables TD agents to learn through self-play. The project lays the groundwork for an investigation of whether the trained MEIJI agents learn to recognize the strategic …

Understanding The Impact Of Parenting, Self-Determination Theory, And Adverse Childhood Experiences On College Students, Melanie D. Prater

Dissertations

College students are at high risk for experiencing psychological distress which impacts their academic, mental, and physical well-being (Eskin et al., 2016; Reed‑Fitzke & Lucier‑Greer, 2020; Sharp & Theiler, 2018). The Self Determination Theory (SDT) serves as a suitable framework for investigating the impact of parental autonomy support (PAS) and parental psychological control (PPC) on college students’ well-being and distress. According to SDT, the satisfaction of three foundational needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) supports well-being, while thwarting of these needs may be associated with psychological distress and resilience (Costa et al., 2016; Lera & Abualkibash, 2022; Reed‑Fitzke & Lucier‑Greer, 2020; …

Fisheries Research Report No. 365: Recreational Fishing For Marron In South-West Western Australia In 2026, Claire B. Smallwood, Karina L. Ryan, Eva Lai

Fisheries Research Reports

The smooth marron (Cherax cainii) (‘marron’) is endemic to freshwater dams and rivers of south-west Western Australia. Marron are managed as a single stock within the South-West Recreational Freshwater Resource and are highly vulnerable to overexploitation due to the biological characteristics of the species (e.g., low fecundity, localised populations) as well as environmental (e.g., habitat loss, reduction in rainfall) and human (e.g., fishing, land clearing) pressures on freshwater ecosystems.

Due to this vulnerability, this species has been the focus of research, monitoring and management since the 1970’s. Since 2000, annual phone-recall (2000 – 2021) and online-recall (2022 – 2026) surveys …

Sexual Grooming And Other Barriers To Disclosure Of Childhood Sexual Abuse, Lillian A. Steedman

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Child sexual abuse is a serious and prevalent problem in the United States and is associated with negative consequences across numerous life domains (e.g., psychological, physical, socioeconomic). Disclosure of sexually abusive experiences may facilitate victims’ abilities to obtain psychological, social, and legal support. It has been theorized that sexual grooming plays a role in decreasing the likelihood of disclosure and of disclosures being believed. Therefore, this dissertation examined associations among sexual grooming, other barriers, and disclosure decisions and timing. Participants were recruited and screened online for eligibility to participate in a survey examining details of the abuse, trauma-related shame, disclosure …

Through Their Lens: Co-Teachers’ Effective Strategies That Support Ells And Swds In Mathematics Inclusion Classrooms, Cheryl A. Bentham

Dissertations

Abstract

The current dialogue surrounding minoritized students in mathematics classrooms often focuses on deficit-based narratives that compare their competency to unrealistic norms. Such continuous negative narratives only serve to add another layer of marginalization to students who are already underserved, notably Black and Hispanic students, and subgroups comprising ELLs and SWDs. This qualitative case study explored the research-based strategies utilized by three co-teacher pairs to support ELLs and SWDs in Algebra inclusion classrooms. Vygotsky's (1978) social constructivist theory guided the study, which posits that learning occurs through social interactions, environmental influences, and support from more knowledgeable others. The data were …

Teacher Experience And Perception Of Feedback Literacy In The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, Carla B. Mills

Dissertations

Writing instruction in schools remains a significant area of concern even after decades of awareness that students are not performing at proficient levels upon high-school graduation. This phenomenographic case study investigated teacher feedback literacy at the secondary level through interviews with teachers of writing-intensive International Baccalaureate Diploma Program courses and document analysis. Areas of feedback literacy strength included teacher awareness of designing positive class environments, attending to the socio-emotional needs of their learners, extensive use of both rubrics and exemplars, and frequent provision of verbal feedback. Document analysis revealed the presence of explicit instruction in written feedback, rubric use, and …

The Impact Of Point Of Care Hepatitis C Virus Rna Testing On Diagnosis, Treatment Initiation, And Linkage To Care In Marginalized Populations, Maria Simpson

Medical Laboratory Science Independent Study Projects

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) remains a major public health concern, particularly among marginalized and high-risk populations who experience barriers to timely diagnosis, treatment initiation, and linkage to care. Traditional laboratory-based HCV testing often requires multistep workflows and follow-up visits, contributing to delayed confirmation of active infection and loss to care. This literature review examines how point-of-care HCV ribonucleic acid (RNA) testing affects time to diagnosis, treatment initiation, and linkage to care compared with standard laboratory-based testing. Evidence from systematic reviews, community-based trials, correctional settings, supervised consumption sites, diagnostic performance studies, and cost-effectiveness analyses indicates that point-of-care RNA testing shortens turnaround …

Standardized Training Methodologies For Medical Laboratory Science Students And Their Importance For Student Success, Maria Simpson

Medical Laboratory Science Independent Study Projects

Clinical education is a critical component of Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) programs, serving as the primary bridge between academic instruction and professional practice. However, traditional clinical rotation training models often struggle to keep pace with rapid advancements in laboratory technology, expanding professional responsibilities, workforce shortages, and heightened patient safety expectations. The purpose of this capstone project is to examine the key factors driving the need to update training methodologies in MLS clinical rotations and to evaluate contemporary educational approaches that better prepare students for entry-level practice. This project addresses systemic challenges faced by clinical laboratories, such as staffing constraints, heavy …

Development And Testing Of A Computer Vision Pose Estimation System For Planar Mobile Robots, Andrew Jones

Master's Theses

This thesis details the development and testing of a computer vision-based real-time pose estimation system for differential drive robots. A single camera with a fisheye lens is used to locate ArUco markers placed at fixed locations and attached to robots. Using the OpenCV library, the Perspective-n-Point (PnP) problem is solved to facilitate the transformation of 2-D robot positions in an image to world-frame coordinates. An analytical solution is presented to estimate robot poses based on a single PnP solution, rather than solving the PnP problem for each pose estimate. Pose information is relayed to individual robots using a multi-microcontroller architecture …

Hyperchaotic Noise Generation For Adversarial Encryption In Privacy-Preserving Image Classification, Neeraja Beesetti

Master's Theses

Artificial intelligence systems make useful predictions by taking in data and returning a classification, recommendation, or decision. Obtaining that prediction, however, requires sharing the data first. This creates a fundamental privacy challenge in machine learning: users must expose their data to receive a valuable prediction. Machine learning systems increasingly rely on cloud-based image classification for this reason, transmitting images from edge devices to remote servers rather than running large models locally. This creates a conflict between the accuracy a classifier requires and the privacy a data owner wants. Traditional encryption destroys the image structure on which a classifier depends, while …

Development Of Reduced Conflict U-Turn (Rcut) Guidance In Kentucky, Travis Thompson, Duane Thomas, Jill Asher, Jeff Jasper

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

A reduced conflict U-turn (RCUT) intersection eliminates left-turn and through movements from the minor road. Instead, drivers must turn right onto the main road and complete a U-turn at a downstream median opening. Recognized by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) as a proven safety countermeasure, RCUT intersections have reduced fatal and injury crashes 22 – 63%. Despite more than 35 RCUT intersections in operation across Kentucky, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) lacked specific guidance for their planning, design, construction, and operation.

This project, conducted by the Kentucky Transportation Center (KTC) in cooperation with KYTC, addressed this gap through a comprehensive …

Mir155, Triplicated In Down Syndrome, Regulates The Development Of Neural Stem Cells And Gabaergic Interneurons In Alzheimer's Disease Mouse And Human Ipsc Models., Xiaodong Zhu, Jean-Vianney Haure-Mirande, Mesude Bicak, Pengfei Dong, Ilya Kruglikov, Aiqun Li, Aisha Al-Subaie, Valentina Fossati, Scott Noggle, Sam Gandy, Michelle E Ehrlich

Faculty Research 2026

INTRODUCTION: Dysfunctional microRNAs and GABAergic interneurons are features of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The role of neuronal microRNA155 (miR155), elevated in both AD and Down syndrome (DS), remains unknown.

METHODS: We utilized in silico analyses of published databases, MIR155-deleted and -overexpressing human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived cells, cortical organoids, and amyloid beta precursor protein (APP)/PS1-miR155 knockout mouse.

RESULTS: MIR155HG (miR155 host gene) colocalizes with APP in a neuron-specific, topologically associated domain (TAD) in chromosome 21. In human neural stem cells (NSCs), neurons, and cortical organoids, MIR155 deletion enhanced NSC proliferation and GABAergic interneuron generation. MIR155 overexpression inhibited NSC marker expression …

A Collaborative Framework For Uncovering Molecular And Cellular Drivers Of Vcid: Foundations For Future Interventions In Dementia., M Luisa Iruela-Arispe, Jason D Hinman, Andrew C Yang, Fabrice Dabertrand, Jin-Moo Lee, Gareth R Howell, The Vcid Centers Without Walls Network

Faculty Research 2026

Vascular-related factors are now considered major contributors to most forms of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. However, the degree to which vascular deficits contribute to risk, onset, and progression of cognitive impairment and dementia has only recently been appreciated. Our understanding of the mechanisms by which vascular deficits drive cognitive decline in dementia is still limited. Further, the testing of therapeutic approaches to prevent vascular deficits to treat dementia are few. These factors motivated the establishment of the Vascular Contributions to Cognitive Impairment and Dementia (VCID) Center Without Walls (CWOW) network, comprising institutes across the United States. We describe the current …

Inhibition Of Moesin And Cd44 In Stem Cell-Derived Neurons Affects The Pathological Genetic Signature Associated With Alzheimer's Disease., Eiden H Brewer, Charles A Williams, Gregory Cary, Ranjita Betarbet, Inez K A Pranoto, Elizabeth L Zoeller, Haian Fu, Allan I Levey, Jesse C Wiley, Gregory W. Carter, Jessica E Young, Treat-Ad Consortium

Faculty Research 2026

INTRODUCTION: Post mortem proteomic analysis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) brain tissue has identified novel target genes and proteins for potential therapeutic development. Moesin (MSN) and CD44 were identified as candidate targets. Using human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs)-derived neurons, we assayed how reducing gene expression of MSN and CD44 affected amyloid beta secretion, tau phosphorylation, and transcriptional state.

METHODS: Knockdown of MSN and CD44 in hiPSC-derived neurons was performed using short hairpin RNA (shRNA). Amyloid precursor protein processing and intracellular tau phosphorylation was measured using chemiluminescent ELISA assays. Global gene expression was analyzed by bulk RNA sequencing (RNA-seq).

RESULTS: Knockdown …

The Internet Did This To Me: Forms, Consequences, And Coping Strategies Of Cyberbullying, Isaac Oppong

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined self-reported cyberbullying experiences recounted in a subreddit (r/cyberbullying) to identify forms of cyberbullying, its effects, and ways to cope with it. The findings indicate that there are several types of cyberbullying, such as verbal aggression, deceptive manipulation, privacy invasion, and coercive control. These experiences led to emotional, social, and behavioral consequences, including fear, anxiety, withdrawal, and decreased online activity. Based on concepts from Social Information Processing theory and Symbolic Interactionism, this study reveals how cyberbullying can produce the same or similar consequences as traditional bullying. People experienced disturbances in their self-presentation, contended with spoiled identities, and dealt …

Educator Experiences Of Schoolwide Pbis Discipline Implementation: Exploring School Culture In Private Pk–12 Schools, Jessica L. Guarneri

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore educators’ lived experiences implementing schoolwide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) discipline systems and to understand how those experiences influenced school culture in private PK–12 schools. Historically, PBIS focused on specific outcomes, such as reductions in discipline referrals, suspensions, and behavioral incidents. Though these indicators are critical, they do not consider in what way educators experience disciplinary systems, nor how their lived experiences affect routine interactions with students. Educators play a key role in implementing PBIS; their experiences foster consistency, trust, and sustainability. The participants included certified educators and administrators employed …

Personalization And Generalization In Machine Learning For Affective Ai, Rajesh Titung

Theses

Human emotional communication involves subtle, low-intensity, and context-dependent expressions influenced by sociocultural and interpersonal factors. Their inherent ambiguity and variability create heterogeneous data distributions, making affective phenomena difficult to model in naturalistic settings where expressions differ from exaggerated affect behaviors in acted environments. Affective AI faces the fundamental challenge of balancing personalization, which captures individual nuances, with generalization, which ensures robustness of affective AI systems across individuals. Traditional centralized models emphasizing generalization often fail to capture fine-grained expressive heterogeneity, while fully personalized models improve system performance for individuals but lack transferability and robustness. The central task is thus to develop …

A Scalable And Physically Interpretable Machine Learning Approach To Analyzing Agn Spectra, Liza Maria Matrecito Salcedo

Theses

The broad-line region (BLR) is a sub-parsec region in an Active Galactic Nucleus (AGN) where dense, optically thick gas clouds produce broad emission lines (BELs). BELs are important probes of physical processes near the central supermassive black hole (SMBH); however, a complete understanding of the BLR’s structure and dynamics remains lacking. The observed diversity in BEL profile shapes suggests substantial differences in BLR properties across AGN. The availability of large-scale spectroscopic databases provides a valuable opportunity to systematically study these properties in large samples of AGN. They also offer the opportunity to identify rare but important systems, such as SMBH …

The Interactions That Shape Us: An Investigation Of The Supernova Engine’S Effect On Bbh Mergers, And Of Stellar Encounters In The Disks Of Active Galactic Nuclei, Zoe A. Rosenberg

Theses

Mergers and other close interactions between astrophysical objects such as black holes and stars are powerful and energetic occurrences, capable of creating heavy elements, forming intriguing remnants, and shaping the populations of stars and compact objects around them. In this thesis, we describe two studies which examine two types of close gravitational events: isolated binary black hole mergers and dynamic stellar interactions in a dense environment. For our first study, we investigate how modifying the speed of convection in the engine behind core-collapse supernova explosions affects the population of merging binary black holes. To get an accurate picture of this …

Comparing Initial Data For Binary Neutron Star Mergers With Different Equations Of State, Aarati Nandre

Theses

Binary neutron star (BNS) mergers are an important tool for studying nuclear matter at extreme densities inaccessible to laboratory experiments. The equation of state (EOS) of this nuclear matter affects the inspiral dynamics, remnant properties, and the resulting gravitational-wave signal, but remains only weakly constrained at supranuclear densities. The observation of  GW170817 provided observational constraints on the EOS and established multimessenger astrophysics as a probe of dense matter. Simulating BNS mergers across a range of EOSs and comparing the resulting observables against detections helps narrowing this uncertainty further, and is the broader motivation for this thesis. General relativistic magnetohydrodynamic simulations …

Cellular Senescence Links Muscle Atrophy And Posttraumatic Osteoarthritis After Acl Injury, Alexander R. Keeble, Allison Owen, Sara Gonzalez-Velez, Nicholas T. Thomas, Camille R. Brightwell, Peyton J. Balawender, Madeline G. O'Daniel, Helena C. Weiss, Haley Noehren, Heather Thompson, Karen Sofia Zuluaga-Osorio, Zane T. Bates, Lauren Gottlieb, Douglas E. Long, Douglas Harrison, Philip Kern, Caitlin E. Conley, Michael A. Samaan, Stephen Duncan, Austin Stone, Darren Johnson, Yuan Wen, Brian Noehren, Cory Dungan, Christopher Fry

Biology Faculty Publications

Traumatic knee injury leads to posttraumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) and significant skeletal muscle weakness, resulting in chronic disability. The current standard of care frequently fails to prevent musculoskeletal dysfunction, underscoring the need to identify therapeutic mechanisms of PTOA. Using an established preclinical anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) transection model of PTOA and leveraging an innovative SPiDER-senescence-associated β-galactosidase stain to discern senescent cells, we investigated cellular senescence at single-cell resolution and identified anti-inflammatory macrophages as a predominant contributor to the senescent cell burden in both muscle and knee joint after injury. Clearance of senescent cells using the senolytic dasatinib and quercetin (D + …

Aligned But Disengaged: Self-Estrangement Weakens Citizenship Behavior In Higher Education, Andrew Krouse, Rob E. Carpenter

Human Resource Development Faculty Publications and Presentations

Higher education depends on discretionary employee contributions that sustain coordination, service continuity, and institutional functioning. Yet contemporary governance and accountability pressures can reconfigure higher education work in ways that erode autonomy, line-of-sight, and intrinsic reward, elevating the risk of work alienation, weakening the discretionary behaviors institutions rely on. This study tests whether person–organization fit (POF) predicts organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and whether multidimensional work alienation mediates this relationship through powerlessness, meaninglessness, and self-estrangement. Using survey data from 325 employees across four U.S. higher education institutions, we applied confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling with bias-corrected bootstrapping. Model comparisons were …

Chameleon Carriers In Trucking: Detection, Enforcement, And Financial And Safety Impacts, Brian Howell, Drew Law, Andrew Martin

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Chameleon carriers are motor carriers that evade regulatory enforcement by dissolving and reregistering under new corporate identities. This study, commissioned by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC), examined how states characterize, detect, and respond to chameleon carrier activity and assessed its financial and safety impacts in Kentucky from 2020 through 2025. The research team conducted a literature review of existing agency practices and relevant stakeholder perspectives, reviewed administrative codes and statutes across 13 pilot states, and administered two structured surveys to state motor carrier credentialing officials examining carrier characterization and enforcement practices. An analysis of KYTC's carrier data flagged by CVIEW …