Digital Commons Network^™

Safe, Secure, And Affordable? The State Of Household Water Insecurity In California, Melissa Beresford, Wendy Jepson, Jeremiah Osborne-Gowey, Kristin Dobbin, Amanda Fencl, Silvia R. González, Gregory Pierce

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

California's efforts to advance the Human Right to Water are constrained by limited household-level data on water insecurity. Using the 2021 CalSpeaks statewide probability survey (n = 628) this study offers the first representative look at water insecurity across California households. Results reveal significant water-related struggles: approximately 23% of respondents worried about having enough water to meet their household needs, 15% worried about perceived health impacts from water quality, and 7% struggled with affordability. Negative binomial regression models show that water insecurity is not randomly distributed: households with non-white residents, households which rely on private or small water companies for …

Critical Assessment On Challenges And Advances In Coal Pillar Strength Estimation Techniques: A Focus On Geological Discontinuities, Abhishek Kumar Singh, Sahendra Ram

Journal of Sustainable Mining

Accurate estimation of coal pillar strength is essential for ensuring safety and operational efficiency in underground mining. Current assessment methods often face limitations in addressing time-dependent failure mechanisms, geological discontinuities, and dynamic loading conditions. This paper identifies future research directions aimed at enhancing the reliability of pillar strength evaluations. One important focus is the development of advanced numerical models that account for time-dependent behaviours such as creep and fatigue. Incorporating multi-scale modelling techniques, which connect micro-scale material responses to macro-scale structural performance, may lead to more precise predictions. The integration of real-time monitoring systems measuring stress, deformation, and environmental factors …

Depressive Symptoms And Functional Disability Among Older Adults In Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Thailand: A Cross-Sectional Population-Based Study, Jiranya Bureemas, Atthawit Singsalasang

Journal of Health Research

Background: Depressive symptoms have been associated with activities of daily living (ADL) disability; however, evidence among Thai older adults remains limited and inconsistent. This study investigates the association between depressive symptoms and ADL disability in older Thai adults.

Methods: A cross-sectional analytic study was conducted among 312 older adults in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, who were selected using a multistage sampling method. Data were collected between April and July 2023 using structured questionnaires covering demographic and environmental variables. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale. ADL disability was measured using the Barthel and Chula ADL Indices. Multiple logistic …

Proceedings: Nownet Arts Conference 2019, Sarah Rose Weaver, Chris Chafe, Scott Oshiro, Margaret Schedel

Journal of Network Music and Arts

Proceedings of the 2nd Annual NowNet Arts Conference 2019 “Social Purpose in Contemporary Network Arts.” The conference was held November 7–10, 2019. The primary in-person site was the Institute for Advanced Computational Science (IACS), Stony Brook University. Satellite in-person sites included Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics at Stanford University, Edinburgh Napier University, Orpheus Institute in Belgium, and Electronic Studios at the Technical University, Berlin. More locations participated remotely via the internet.

Proceedings: Nownet Arts Conference 2018, Sarah Rose Weaver, Chris Chafe, Margaret Schedel, Min Xiao-Fen

Journal of Network Music and Arts

Proceedings of the NowNet Arts Conference 2018, “Network Music: Artistic and Technological Strategies for Public and Private Networks.” This was the first of the NowNet Arts Conferences, which have been held annually from 2018 to the present. The conference took place from April 19–22, 2018, at the Institute for Advanced Computational Science (IACS), Stony Brook University, and at multiple remote locations connected via the internet.

Comparing Text Score Strategies For Online Music Making, Craig Pedersen, Lindsay R. Vickery, Stuart James

Journal of Network Music and Arts

This paper investigates a range of approaches to using text scores in online and networked music performance, focusing on their alignment with strategies proposed by Wilson (2020) for aesthetic and technical approaches to networked music performance. Text scores, emerging from the experimental music movement of the 1960s, communicate musical ideas through words rather than traditional notation, taking instructional, allusive, and hybrid forms. Although there are many aesthetic and pragmatic approaches to text score composition, the temporal openness of many such works makes the medium well-suited to the latency-challenged practice of telematic performance. The study evaluates four text scores—Craig Pedersen’s July …

Listening Ahead Ever So Slightly, Chris Chafe, Mike Dickey

Journal of Network Music and Arts

This paper presents a novel packet loss concealment system called “Regulator,” designed for interactive network audio applications, particularly server-mediated “jam rooms” in the cloud, where large ensembles of musicians perform together synchronously. The system addresses the critical challenge of maintaining continuous high-quality audio output while minimizing latency penalties in unreliable network environments including Wi-Fi. The Regulator architecture combines four core components: a central Regulator class orchestrating packet loss concealment operations; a BurgAlgorithm class implementing maximum entropy autoregressive prediction to reconstruct missing audio samples; a Channel class providing per-channel independent modeling for multi-channel streams; and a RegulatorWorker class offering asynchronous processing …

Pulse Before Sound: Reimagining Presence And Liveness In Telematic Music Performance Through Midi-Native Collaboration, Matt C. Bray

Journal of Network Music and Arts

Telematic Music Performance heralds a new paradigm for human creativity, seeking to extend the practical limits imposed by physical co-presence and to permit the cooperative, simultaneous creation of music among geographically remote collaborators. This paper examines how MIDI-native interaction provides a structurally robust alternative to audio-centric telematic systems constrained by latency, bandwidth, and waveform fidelity. Drawing on practice-led research, including over 34 hours of documented improvisation across 91 networked sessions in the SHOALZ series—a longitudinal Telemidi performance research initiative (2022–2024)—the study examines how the Telemidi system employs MIDI as a primary substrate for remote musical collaboration by establishing a synchronized …

Euscorpius Emae Sp. N. (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae), A New Scorpion Species From Montenegro, František Kovařík

Euscorpius

A new species Euscorpius emae sp. n. (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae) from Montenegro is described, fully complemented with color photographs. E. emae sp. n. is morphologically unique by yellow to orange color, very narrow metasoma and enlarged chela. Pedipalp patella external trichobothria numbers are 4eb, 4eb_a, 2esb, 4em, 4est, 5et, and ventral aspect of patella with 9 trichobothria.

Mississippi Libraries Volume 88, Number 1 And 2

Mississippi Libraries

No abstract provided.

A Brush With History: Shared Authority, Distributed Archives, And Artist M.B. Mayfield, Jeannie S. Latartara

Mississippi Libraries

In 2020, a school librarian volunteered to lead preservation of the papers of visionary artist M.B. Mayfield that were discovered during the restoration of the artist’s Mississippi home. In March of 2020, the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic threatened the success of the community-led project, due to the project’s physical isolation, limited resources, and inability to garner support for the paper’s preservation. In early 2021, the librarian and community partners formed a shared authority and distributed archives partnership with public history faculty at the University of Mississippi that would help preserve and increase awareness of the importance of the papers. …

Mississippi Library Association Annual Conference: 2025 Recap, Janessa Ullendorf

Mississippi Libraries

Recap from the 2025 annual conference of the Mississippi Library Association.

Slis Notes: Psst...Do You Have This Dirty Book?, Stacy Creel, Crystal Walker

Mississippi Libraries

Romance fiction is one of the most commercially successful and culturally significant genres in contemporary publishing, and this is not a one-year instance; it is a multi-year trend (Adams, 2026). In 2025, sales were up in the United States, and the growth was across platforms and formats—digital audio, e-books, and print. Two subgenres have sparked greater interest—romantasy and dark romance. Romantasy, the combination of romance and fantasy, has drawn new readers with the explosion of Sarah J. Maas, and dark romance, which gained some notoriety with Fifty Shades of Grey (2011) has seen strong growth and acceptance. In fact, the …

Knowledge And Application Of Solar Energy As Alternative Power Source To Ict Facilities: A Case Study Of Minhaj University Lahore, Dr.Shahid Mehmood Dr., , Muhammad Faisal Mr., Ahmad Nawaz, Dr Allah Ditta Nawaz, Dr. Muhammad Aamir Hameed

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This paper is an exploration of the knowledge and utilization of solar energy to support ICT infrastructure at Minhaj University Lahore. In Pakistan, library operations and digital services can be disrupted due to power outages. In the survey, 87 scholars, students and library workers were surveyed about their awareness, experience and attitudes towards solar energy. The level of knowledge on solar energy was high as 100% of the respondents indicated that they are well informed about solar energy, 93.1 percent indicating that they can use it in the ICT sector. Nonetheless, large start-up costs, lack of equipment, and institutional barriers …

Toward The Significance Of Crevasse Orientation In Low And High Crevassed Regions On The Kennicott Glacier, Alaska, Usa, Claire A. Sturm

DePaul Discoveries

Supraglacial landforms serve as potential indicators of underlying bedrock morphology and glacier dynamics. The distribution and morphology of crevasses are closely associated with stress fields and ice-flow regimes, representing processes of stable glaciers, in contrast to their reduced occurrence in stagnant or receding ice masses. The orientation and density of crevasses influence a glacier’s ability to absorb solar energy, as they facilitate movement of meltwater down to subglacial rivers. Beyond the meltwater acting as a lubricant for basal sliding, the slope of the bedrock further impacts the local velocity and ice deformation of a glacier. The study of ice-fracturing mechanics …

Peer Attachment And Popularity Among Adolescents: The Mediating Role Of Relational Aggression, Katherine S. Fosco, Bailee Hill, Yan Li, Michelle F. Wright

DePaul Discoveries

Popularity during adolescence may pose a challenging social barrier, involving the desire for exclusivity and the need for broader peer connections. This study investigated the longitudinal effects of peer attachment on popularity among adolescents and the mediation process of relational aggression, expecting that peer attachment would be linked to reduced relational aggression, in turn relating to lower popularity at a later time point. The research participants (N = 569) included adolescents between the ages of 11 and 15 in the United States with data collection occurring at three time points. The path from Time 1 peer attachment to Time 2 …

Measuring And Mapping Spatial Distributions Of Soil Lead Concentrations Along Chicago Parkways: West Ridge And Near South Side, Alyssa M. Kain

DePaul Discoveries

Lead is a heavy metal that can be found in every part of our planet. Human activities like the extraction of fossil fuels and degradation of construction materials can release lead into the environment, where it travels and accumulates in places like our soil or water. Despite efforts to lower the use of lead-based materials within the last fifty years, lead contamination remains as a threat to public health and safety. Elevated blood lead levels are known to cause a variety of health issues particularly for young children and pregnant women. This study aims to measure, map, and analyze the …

Healthcare Access And The Persistent Racial Disparities In Low Birth Weight, Zaheda A. Hussain, Yadanar Moe

DePaul Discoveries

Low birth weight (LBW), defined as less than 2,500 grams, is an influential factor contributing to infant mortality in the United States, with significant racial disparities between Black and White mothers. This study analyzed data from 3,054 Black and White mothers collected from the 2018 National Health Interview Survey to explore the association between access to medical care and LBW within different racial groups. The prevalence of LBW was 8.0%. Overall, mothers without a usual place of medical care had, on average, an 18% higher risk of LBW than those with a usual place (OR = 1.18, 95% CI: 0.80–1.74). …

From Landfill To Ladle: Using Open Lca To Calculate Food Diversion Impacts, Samantha Rodriguez

DePaul Discoveries

Food waste contributes to climate change because discarded food results in wasting embodied carbon from producing food. In addition to wasting embodied carbon, food that ends up in landfills emits methane, a powerful greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. This life cycle assessment quantifies the carbon equivalent footprint of food donations from Costco to the Seton Soup Kitchen using OpenLCA. Two functional units were analyzed in this study. The first functional unit is one meal consisting of 500 grams of donated food that would otherwise be landfilled served to a Seton Soup Kitchen patron during one meal service. The …

Fish Tissue Digestion And Microplastic Polymer Identification Protocol Using Open-Source Ftir Database, Shawn L. Kissinger, Vick-Ariel Privert, Jason Bystriansky, Kyle A. Grice

DePaul Discoveries

Microplastic (MP) contamination in aquatic ecosystems poses significant concerns for environmental and public health, as seafood represents a critical food source worldwide. Despite increasing evidence of MP presence in marine organisms, efficient and accessible detection methods remain essential for characterizing contamination patterns and informing regulatory frameworks. This study extracted MPs from brain, gill, intestine, liver, and muscle tissues of gilt-head bream (Sparus aurata) and European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax), two commercially important species from the Gulf of Cádiz, Spain, using a NaOH–HNO₃ chemical digestion protocol. Isolated particles were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, with …

Crystal Structural Analysis Of Medieval Human Bones Using Wide-Angle X-Ray Scattering, Selly Altangerel, Leslie Gracia

DePaul Discoveries

Female human second metacarpal (mc2) bones from a medieval cemetery at Wharram Percy, England, were studied using high-energy Wide-Angle X-ray Scattering (WAXS) at beamline 1-ID of the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory. The age-at-death of 33 samples was determined from molar wear and classified into 3 groups:  18-30, 30-50, and 50+ years old.  Rietveld refinements of the WAXS data were performed to obtain lattice parameters of the hexagonal carbonated apatite phase (cAp). Individual fittings for cAp peaks 00.2, 00.4, and 31.0 were performed to obtain their widths and correlate them to collagen retention. For the three samples described …

Clearing The Air: Tracking Spatial And Temporal Pm2.5 Variability Along A Biking Transect In Chicago, Beau R. Rass

DePaul Discoveries

Fine particulate matter (PM₂.₅) poses significant risks to human health and disproportionately affects marginalized communities in urban environments (World Health Organization [WHO], 2021; Tessum et al., 2021). Using low-cost mobile sensors, this study explored spatiotemporal PM₂.₅ concentration patterns along a north–south transect of Halsted Street in Chicago. A 2B Technologies Portable Aerosol Monitor (PAM) mounted on a bicycle was used to continuously record PM₂.₅ concentrations with associated GPS coordinates at approximately two-second intervals during 16 sampling events between 08-12-2025 and 10-05-2025. PM₂.₅ concentrations did not differ significantly among the South Side, West Loop, and North Side regions, contrary to the …

Depaul Discoveries Volume 15 Cover Art, Dina Khdair

DePaul Discoveries

No abstract provided.

Cmsi Research In The News, China Maritime Studies Institute

CMSI Quarterly Review

No abstract provided.

Cmsi Quarterly (Summer 2026) Full Issue, China Maritime Studies Institute

CMSI Quarterly Review

Full issue of Issue 1 of the CMSI Quarterly Review.

Vertebrate Diversity In Cave Systems Of Colombia: An Approach Based On Environmental Dna Metabarcoding Analysis, Rita Daniela Martinelli Marín, Carlos Andres Lasso, Francesco Sauro, Susana Josefina Caballero

International Journal of Speleology

There is currently limited knowledge of the biological communities inhabiting cave ecosystems in South America. This study examines the vertebrate community composition of 21 caves across diverse subterranean ecosystems in Colombia using environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis. Water was collected from water bodies inside caves and subterranean systems in six of the eight speleological regions of Colombia in eight departments. Water was filtered manually through a 0.8 m pore size filter and preserved with Longmire solution. A 170-base pair (bp) fragment of the 12s mitochondrial gene specific for vertebrate identification was amplified by PCR and sequenced by Illumina (metabarcoding). Data corresponding …

Origami Sake: Building A Sustainable Supply Chain For A New Beverage Startup, Akosua Sayer Koduah, Nick E. Johnston

ICHRIE Research Reports

Sustainability has become a strategic pillar in the hospitality and beverage industry, shaping supply chain decisions, consumer behavior, and market competitiveness. This study examines how Origami Sake, a startup brewery in Hot Springs, Arkansas, integrates sustainability into its supply chain from inception. Using qualitative analysis of company interviews, secondary data, and comparative literature, the study shows that Origami Sake embeds renewable energy, localized rice sourcing, and by-product reuse into its core operations. These practices reflect circular economy principles and strengthen regional identity, yet they also pose challenges related to packaging limitations, organic rice availability, data-tracking gaps, and the risks of …

Are Hotels Ready For Flooding? Improving Employee Preparedness, Ahmin Kwon, Marketa Kubickova, Swechchha Subedi

ICHRIE Research Reports

Focusing on the experiences of 500 current hotel employees in the United States, this report evaluates current levels of flood preparedness and the role of organizational support in shaping employee proactive response. Findings indicate that most employees have experience with flooding and rely on multiple information sources, yet trust in government response remains moderate. Clear disparities emerge across hotel segments, with significantly higher preparedness commitment and proactive behavior among employees in luxury hotels and those with longer tenure. Importantly, prior experience does not necessarily translate into effective preparedness. Although many respondents perceive existing information as sufficient, there is a continued …

Exploring Hotel Sustainability Through A Service Design Lens: An Espoused Theory Vs. Theory-In-Use Perspective, Cindy Yoonjoung Heo, Jaehyun Park, Sanqi Yang, Chen Ni, Lei Tang, Lei Yu, Julneth Rogenhofer, Geraldine Assen

ICHRIE Research Reports

Sustainability is now widely embedded in hotel strategies, but it is often assessed through what hotels communicate rather than what guests actually experience. This study examines that disconnect by drawing on Argyris and Schön’s distinction between espoused theory and theory-in-use, combined with a service design perspective. Using document analysis alongside in-situ observations at the front desk and in guest rooms, the study looks at how sustainability appears across service touchpoints and whether it is likely to be noticed and understood by guests. The findings suggest that many initiatives are operationally in place but remain largely out of sight during the …

Aviation Disruptions And Tourism Resilience: Policy Lessons From The Indigo 2025 Crisis For India’S Hospitality Tourism Sector, Ann Mary Varghese, Vijaya Zinnoury

ICHRIE Research Reports

The December 2025 IndiGo flight disruption crisis, characterized by widespread cancellations, delays, and capacity constraints, significantly impacted India’s tourism and hospitality sectors during peak travel periods. This research report examines the cascading effects of aviation instability on tourism demand, hotel occupancy, pricing dynamics, and regional economies. Drawing on secondary data from industry reports, news coverage, and policy analyses, the study identifies systemic vulnerabilities in India’s aviation–tourism nexus. Findings indicate that flight disruptions led to large-scale hotel cancellations, revenue losses, and demand volatility, particularly in destination-dependent regions in India such as Darjeeling, Rajasthan, and Uttarakhand. The report further evaluates industry responses, …