Digital Commons Network^™

Soil Freezing Characteristic Surface For Partially Frozen Soils, Antai Dong, Xiong Zhang, Ming Xiao

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The soil freezing characteristic curve (SFCC), which relates unfrozen water content to temperature, is a fundamental constitutive relationship in frost heave simulations. However, the influence of soil suction, another critical state variable, is often neglected. This study highlights how the SFCC is significantly affected by suction conditions, with unfrozen water content varying markedly between saturated (suction = 0) and completely dried (suction = ∞) conditions at the same subfreezing temperature. Recognizing this limitation, the concept of the soil freezing characteristic surface (SFCS) is proposed to incorporate the impacts of both temperature and suction on unfrozen water content. After that a …

Managing And Accelerating The Circular Economy Transitions Within The Construction Value Chain Using Network Governance And Game Theory Systems Perspectives, Radwa Eissa, Islam H. El-Adaway

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The fragmented nature of the construction industry has hindered its transition toward circular economy (CE) practices. While game theory (GT) has been successfully applied to support the strategic decisions of CE transitions in other sectors, CE-GT models in the construction domain remain extremely limited. This paper addresses two research questions: (1) how are CE network governance activities currently modeled using GT across domains? (2) How can such models be transferred and adapted to solve strategic interactions within the construction value chain in a manner that enables CE practices to emerge as equilibrium outcomes? These questions are driven by the need …

Carbonated Blast-Furnace Slag As Supplementary Cementitious Material: Phase Transition And Effect On Cement Hydration, Gao Deng, Nannan Zhang, Wenyu Liao, Yongjia He, Linnu Lu, Lingyu Chi, Hongyan Ma

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Blast-furnace slag, which contains high levels of CaO (and MgO), holds potential as a feedstock for CO₂ capture and storage. This study investigates the phase transitions occurring during the wet carbonation of ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBFS), characterizes the physical and chemical properties of carbonated GGBFS (CS), evaluates its pozzolanic reactivity, and examines the microstructure and performance of cement pastes blended with GGBFS or CS. The findings reveal that aragonite and calcite, the primary carbonation products, precipitate on the surface of GGBFS, hindering its dissolution and thereby reducing both the pozzolanic reactivity and the early strength of cement pastes. …

Optimal Error Estimates For A Semi-Discrete Finite Element Scheme Of Cahn-Hilliard-Navier-Stokes-Darcy Model, Yanyun Wu, Yali Gao, Xiaoming He, Yanping Lin

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Research & Creative Works

In this paper, we present a rigorous optimal error analysis for a semi-discrete finite element method of the coupled Cahn-Hilliard-Navier-Stokes-Darcy model. The optimal convergence order for the phase variable in the L^∞(0,T;H¹) norm and the velocity in the L^∞(0,T;L²) norm are proved with two key techniques. One key technique is establishing the discrete L²(0,T;H²)∩L²(0,T;L^∞) boundedness of the numerical solution for the phase variable to handle the nonlinear regional coupling terms. Another key technique adopts the inverse inequality and Ritz projection to bound the L …

Fourier Pseudospectral Methods For The Variable-Order Space Fractional Wave Equations, Yanzhi Zhang, Xiaofei Zhao, Shiping Zhou

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Research & Creative Works

In this paper, we propose Fourier pseudospectral methods to solve the variable-order space fractional wave equation and develop an accelerated matrix-free approach for its effective implementation. In constant-order cases, fast algorithms can be designed via the fast Fourier transforms (FFTs), and the computational cost at each time step is O(Nlog⁡N) with N the total number of spatial points. In variable-order cases, however, the spatial dependence in the power s(x) leads to the failure of inverse FFTs. While the direct matrix-vector multiplication approach becomes impractical due to excessive memory requirements. Hence, we propose an accelerated matrix-free approach for effective implementation in …

Data For: Optimizing Finite Structures To Suppress The Photonic Density Of States, Prakash Mishra, Sukhad Dnyanesh Joshi, Quintin A. Hatzis, Aditya Bahulikar, M. Cenk Gursoy, Rodrick Kuate Defo

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science - All Scholarship

We propose a topology-optimization framework for optimizing finite structures of arbitrary shape by combining density-based methods with level-set approaches. We first optimize regular polygonal structures to suppress the photonic density of states and find that the best performing polygon is consistent with a tiling of space with hexagonal unit cells. We next show that introducing cavities into hexagonal structures further suppresses the photonic density of states, particularly when the cavity is also hexagonal. Such a result would find application in the design of fiber-optic cables. We then describe an approach for optimizing arbitrary x-simple or y-simple designs that can recover …

From Player Piano To Generative Ai: Artificial Expression And The Law Of Copyright, Douglas Lind, Adrienne Holz

Fordham Intellectual Property, Media and Entertainment Law Journal

American copyright law has experienced challenges and sometimes faltered when confronting mechanical reproduction. This Article retraces the rise and diffusion of the player piano and the phonograph, examining how they reshaped the making and listening to music. As these technologies spread throughout American society more rapidly than copyright law could adjust, courts misclassified piano rolls and records as merely mechanics. Reducing these new fixations to machinery rather than embodiments of human expression left recorded human musical performances inadequately protected, which facilitated piracy. Applying these lessons, this Article contends that generative AI training implicates copyright law in ways not dissimilar to …

An Autoethnographic Study Of A Technical Services Librarian’S Teaching Journey During The Tenure Track: “Define Myself For Myself To Both Survive And Thrive”, Junli Diao

Publications and Research

This autoethnographic study explores the disorienting dilemma that a technical services librarian experienced while alternating between working behind the scenes to fulfill professional responsibilities and teaching in the library to meet organizational expectations as a faculty member. The analysis of personal data accumulated during the tenure track period reveals three themes: teaching as learning to become, teaching as learning to challenge the system, and teaching as learning to research. Reflection focuses on three themes interconnected by the concept and practice of mindful learning. With the acknowledgement of limitations, this autoethnography concludes it was the self-reflective lifelong learning mindset that helped …

Image Repair Differences Between Human And Ai-Generated Messaging: The Case Of The Chicago White Sox, Joseph R. Blaney, Kevin R. Meyer, Peter M. Smudde, Stephen K. Hunt, Lance R. Lippert, K. Megan Hopper, Roy D. Magnuson

Faculty Publications - Communications

With 121 losses in 2024, the Chicago White Sox set an unwanted record for the most losses in a single Major League Baseball season. Team owner Jerry Reinsdorf wrote a letter apologizing to fans following the season, including additional attempts at image repair. The increasing availability of artificial intelligence (AI) raises unique questions concerning how apology messages ought to be generated and how effective such messages are with disgruntled fans. To determine if the real message from Reinsdorf was effective, we generated a similar apology using AI. Fans were randomly assigned to read the real message from Reinsdorf, one generated …

A Generalist Institutional Data Repository Offering Both Open And Restricted Access To Support Nih Data Sharing Compliance., Seonyoung Kim, Xing Jian, Marcy Vana

Becker Library Publications and Presentations

In response to the 2023 NIH Data Management and Sharing (DMS) Policy, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis launched Digital Commons Data@Becker, a generalist institutional data repository supporting both open and restricted access to research data. Managed by Bernard Becker Medical Library's DMS Team, the repository offers a fully mediated curation workflow that guides researchers through consultation, metadata capture, documentation, and quality control. Draft Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) can be issued once access type is determined, with final DOI publication following curation and QC. Restricted datasets require Human Research Protection Office (HRPO) review and Data Transfer and Use …

Pioneer Tales (Vol. 10, No. 2), San Bernardino Historical & Pioneer Society

Pioneer Tales

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Role Of Satisfaction With Love, Education, Work, And Leisure In Flourishing During Emerging Adulthood And Early Established Adulthood, Jonathon J. Beckmeyer, Tyler B. Jamison, Cindy L. Hartman

Faculty Publications - Family and Consumer Sciences

Using data from 857 young adults (18 to 35 years-old), we explored how satisfaction with education, work, romantic, and leisure experiences were associated with flourishing. We found associations between satisfaction and flourishing, even when accounting for having completed salient developmental tasks related to education, work, romantic relationships, and leisure. Although we did not find that gender (cisgender women compared to cisgender men) or developmental stage (emerging adult compared to early established adult) moderated associations between developmental domain satisfaction and flourishing, we did find gender and developmental stage differences in education, work, and leisure satisfaction as well as developmental task completion …

Championing Weight-Neutral Healthcare: A Review Of Resources From Medical Students For Size Inclusivity, Samantha Guss

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Publications

Medical Students for Size Inclusivity (MSSI) is a volunteer-led organization of medical students across the United States challenging weight bias in healthcare and advocating for equitable, weight-inclusive care (https://sizeinclusivemedicine.org). Recently MSSI has developed three “informed consent resources” about intentional weight loss interventions, focusing on glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist medications (such as Ozempic©), bariatric surgery, and pediatric weight management. The three resources are grounded in weight-neutral care and are designed to supplement information from healthcare providers by sharing more nuanced information about the research on the interventions, potential alternatives, and approaches to health that are not focused on body weight. …

Sport Participation For Children With Disabilities, Madison Sanborn Ots

Student Research Design & Innovation Symposium

Children with disabilities including those with physical, cognitive, or serious health conditions, participate less in team sports and have limited opportunities to engage with peers without disabilities due to many barriers. Participation in organized sports provides physical, emotional, and social benefits for children with disabilities. Identifying and addressing these barriers is essential to foster inclusion and ensuring that all children can experience the benefits of meaningful sport participation. Team IMPACT bridges this gap by connecting children with disabilities to college sports teams to promote inclusion within a sports environment (Team IMPACT, 2022).

Community Narratives On Addressing Gender And Power-Based Violence: Asian/Pacific Islander Voices From Dc, Maryland, And Virginia; An Oral History Of The Asian/Pacific Islander Domestic Violence Resource Project (Dvrp), Linda Kuo

Social Work Theses - Archive

Between 16% and 55% of A/PI women and 8.4% of men report experiencing intimate partner violence in their lifetime (API GBV, 2020). The DC, Maryland, and Virginia tri-state region is home to a growing Asian/Pacific Islander (A/PI) population and calls for further learning about their culturally relevant social services. The Asian/Pacific Islander Domestic Violence Resource Project (DVRP) is the only pan-A/PI specific anti-violence organization in this area. Grounded in intersectionality and collective memory theory, the current study employs oral history methodology to interview 14 individuals involved in supporting A/PI survivors, who are and have been part of the DVRP community. …

Occupation-Based Cognitive Strategies In Ms, Marissa Tessier Ots

Student Research Design & Innovation Symposium

Individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) experience cognitive challenges, including fatigue, memory deficits, and difficulties with organization, impacting quality of life and daily activities. Evidence-supported interventions, including cognitive remediation, compensatory training, environmental modifications, and cognitive pacing, have shown meaningful improvements in this population. This scoping review explores current evidence on MS-related cognitive deficits and identifies occupation-based intervention approaches. Research findings can inform action on designing and implementing program development, educational resources, and cognitive toolkits to enhance participation and quality of life.

Atypical Antipsychotic-Induced Weight Gain Preventive Bundle: A Quality Improvement Project, Jocelyn Urbano

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects - Archive

Antipsychotic-induced weight gain (AIWG) is a common, clinically significant adverse effect associated with second-generation antipsychotic medications and contributes to increased cardiometabolic risk among individuals with serious mental illness (SMI; Carolan et al., 2025; Hegde et al., 2024). Individuals experiencing homelessness or social instability often encounter additional barriers to maintaining healthy lifestyle behaviors and consistent engagement in healthcare, further increasing metabolic risks and treatment issues (Hamel et al., 2024; Kelly et al., 2025). This preventive care bundle, designed to reduce the risk of AIWG, was implemented in an outpatient behavioral health clinic serving an underserved urban Texas population.

As metformin may …

Strategic Analysis Of Project Learn, Marley Clark, Cameron Kelly, Caden Bahry, Carter Hane

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project will conduct a strategic analysis of Project Learn of Summit County in order to evaluate its current position and recommend ways to strengthen its long-term success. Project Learn is a nonprofit organization focused on improving adult literacy and providing educational support services that help individuals gain essential reading, writing, and life skills. Our team will analyze the organizations internal strengths and weaknesses, as well as external opportunities and threats, in order to better understand the challenges and advantages Project Learn faces in todays environment. Using strategic management tools and concepts, we will evaluate the organizations mission, objectives, and …

Developing Reflective Capacity Among In-Service Teachers: Using A Teacher Observation Approach To Continuous Improvement, Holly A. Neill

Doctor of Education (EdD)

This Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice examined how a structured reflective-practice toolkit influenced a teacher’s demonstrated levels of reflection and perceptions of reflective growth within a Christian school setting. The problem addressed in this study was that teachers at Hope Ridge School engaged inconsistently and often superficially in the reflective elements of the school’s evaluation and coaching system. Although teachers generally valued reflection, many lacked the shared language, clear frameworks, and structured supports needed to engage in meaningful reflective practice.

Grounded in reflective-practice theory using Improvement Science methodology, this study used an iterative professional learning design implemented through multiple Plan-Do-Study-Act …

Long-Term English Learners: Listening To Student Perceptions To Improve A School District’S English Language Learner Program, Arturo Lomeli

Doctor of Education (EdD)

This Improvement Science Dissertation (ISDiP) strengthens program improvement by elevating student voices to hear perceptions about instructional practices that support Long-term English Learners (LTELs). Despite meeting State and Federal mandates, the district was identified as a transformation district as English Language Leaners (ELLs) performed below their peers in state achievement metrics. In 2023-24, LTELs made up 41% of the district’s ELL population compared to 21% in Oregon. This study sought to identify instructional strategies that students perceive supported their linguistic and academic success.

To uncover which instructional strategies are most effective, this study utilized an exploratory sequential mixed-method design embedded …

Advancing Research Appointments: Enhancing Patron Satisfaction Through Assessment, Kytt Everdeen Moore, Tera A. Ray, Laura B. Wright

The Southeastern Librarian

As research appointments continue to be a service offered across reference departments, it is important to regularly assess their effectiveness at meeting patrons’ needs and to seek improvement. To do this, patrons were surveyed after scheduling a research appointment to understand their reasons for scheduling an appointment, preferred formats, expectations, knowledge gained, and overall satisfaction. The findings revealed that most patrons were students, and the most common way to learn about appointments was from instructors. Patrons primarily scheduled appointments online, citing convenience and location as main reasons for their choice. Their main expectation was to learn effective search strategies. Recommendations …

Ransomware As Organization: A Comparative Analysis Of Corporate And Criminal Structures In Conti, George Urling

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Cybercriminal groups continue to pose major threats to global cybersecurity. One of the most common types of cybercriminal groups are, “Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS)" groups, who create and sell ransomware. While research is conducted into the development of ransomware, there is limited reporting on the organizational structure and habits of RaaS groups. In 2022, prominent RaaS group Conti had their chat logs leaked, with the logs ranging from 2020 to 2022. This study seeks to provide a deeper understanding of RaaS group structures by utilizing the Conti leaked logs as a case study. The study, entitled “Ransomware as Organization: A Comparative Analysis …

Choco Pies, Economic Gains, And The Opening Of North Korea:, Quinci Rasband

BYU Asian Studies Student Journal

Since the armistice was signed putting a hold on the Korean War (July 27, 1953) and officially created two separate entities, has there ever been a time when North Korea and South Korea—two diametrically opposed countries— worked together towards a common goal? If there really was such a time when North Korea and South Korea collaborated, one can wonder how this was received in the minds of North Koreans and South Koreans. While it is challenging to understand North Korean citizens’ perceptions of events, delving into accessible sources can shed light onto South Korea’s viewpoint of inter-Korean relations. One such …

Memories Of The Low-Income Elderly Of South Korea, Jacob Gilbert

BYU Asian Studies Student Journal

Rain pattered against my umbrella as I walked down the small alleyway near Tapgol Park. An elderly man carrying a black umbrella hobbled past me. Rain dripping from the gutters made puddles at my feet. I carefully avoided several puddles in the pavement making my way to the end of the alleyway. As I drew closer to the end, loud voices echoed down the alley. Around the corner a crowd of elderly people huddled underneath the roof of the front gate to the park. Some stood, while others sat on the ground leaning their backs against the walls of the …

Silencing The Party, Amplifying The Music:, Brian Lewis

BYU Asian Studies Student Journal

The 2024 dissolution of the MFP marked a turning point in Thai electoral politics, catalyzing a cultural contest over political expression through music. The court’s decision to dissolve the MFP was perceived as a direct attack on free political discourse, intensifying state-led censorship efforts against musicians who critiqued the establishment. In response, political music became not only a means of protest, but a crucial space for youth to form their political identities and express dissent. This escalation in censorship and the concurrent surge in musical activism cannot be directly attributed to long-standing political trends; rather, they were significantly increased by …

Full Issue

BYU Asian Studies Student Journal

No abstract provided.

Connecting To The Motherland:, Grace Truett

BYU Asian Studies Student Journal

India was the crown jewel of the British Empire and, despite the oppressive colonialism between 1857 and 1947, it produced citizens who cared for the future of their nation. Jamini Roy is one such citizen who envisioned his rich cultural Motherland untouched by Western forces. Although India had been dominated by Britain economically, socially, and even artistically, Roy was an anti-capitalist artist who used materials native to India to perpetuate Bengali artistic traditions and reinvent Christian folklore; his work aims towards unification of Hindu, Muslim, and Christian Indian viewers through nationalism and connection of Indian citizens to their land, as …

Harmony In Transit:, Bridget Eddy

BYU Asian Studies Student Journal

Japan’s public transportation system is famous for its speed and efficiency. But it is more than just a way to travel. Trains and buses shape daily life and behavior in Japan. They reflect pertinent historical and cultural values, which provide a significant connection to society. Similar to sewing a new piece of fabric onto an old kimono, modern technology has become a part of the cultural garment–not a replacement for it–all while the existing fabric has continued to give it meaning and structure. The Japanese have woven older cultural threads into the new systems; concurrently and reflexively, the new technology …

The Second Great Reform:, Margaret Jeppesen

BYU Asian Studies Student Journal

Beginning in 1978 under Deng Xiaoping’s leadership, China launched the Great Economic Reform, also known as the Opening-up, as the nation transitioned from a centrally planned system to a market-oriented economy. In a single generation, millions were lifted out of poverty establishing China as a global economic superpower. Since then, China has placed great emphasis on maintaining a continuous economic upward trend and achieving technological self-sufficiency.

The development of artificial intelligence plays a prominent role in China’s second great reform to become a technological superpower. In 2017, President Xi Jinping introduced the New Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Plan (AIDP) —a …

Adverse Childhood Experiences And Intellectual Disabilities: A Population-Based Comparison, Sarah Hurst, Astrida S. Kaugars

Modern Psychological Studies

Childhood is a critical time for development, and negative experiences during this period may have lasting consequences. Children with intellectual disabilities (ID) are at greater risk for adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) than children without ID. Using data from the 2022 National Survey of Children’s Health (U.S. Census Bureau), we assessed the frequency of ACEs reported based on IDs. Participants were caregivers of 528 children currently diagnosed with an ID and a random sample of 528 children selected from the remaining 49,755 respondents without an ID. As hypothesized, parents of children with ID reported a statistically significant greater number of total …