Digital Commons Network^™

The Digital Dilemma: Social Media’S Influence On Children’S Well-Being In Developing Nations: A Systematic Literature Review, Hilal Hamed Al Busaidi, Ayman Al Shukri, Moosa Al Shukaili, Yahya Al Niyadi, Adil H Al Kindi

Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies

Social media has become an integral part of the lives of teenagers and children, particularly in developing countries. Though it opens avenues for communication and expression, it also plays a serious role in mental health. This paper conducts a systematic literature review (SLR) of published studies from 2015 to 2025, utilizing the databases of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, to assess the impact of social networking sites on the mental health of children’s populations in low- and middle-income countries. The review identifies three concern areas: cyberbullying, increased anxiety and depression rates, and socioeconomic factors’ effects. Literature suggests that adolescents …

Dissection Of The Quintuple Product, With Applications, Tim Huber, James Mclaughlin, Dongxi Ye

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

This work considers the m-dissection (for m≢0(mod3)">m≢0(mod3)) of the general quintuple productQ(z,q)=(z,q/z,q;q)∞(qz2,q/z2;q2)∞.">Q(z,q)=(z,q/z,q;q)∞(qz2,q/z2;q2)∞.Multiple novel applications arise from this m-dissection. For example, we derive the general partition identityDS(mn+(m2−1)/24)=(−1)(m+1)/6bm(n), for all n≥0,">DS(mn+(m2−1)/24)=(−1)(m+1)/6bm(n), for all n≥0,where m≡5(mod6)">m≡5(mod6) is a square-free positive integer relatively prime to 6; DS(n)">DS(n) is defined, for S the set of positive integers containing no multiples of m, to be the number of partitions of n into an even number of distinct parts from S minus the number of partitions of n into an odd number of distinct parts from S; and …

Soliton Solutions To The Coupled Sasa–Satsuma Equation Under Mixed Boundary Conditions, Changyan Shi, Xiyao Chen, Guangxiong Zhang, Chengfa Wu, Bao-Feng Feng

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

In this paper, we derive general bright–dark soliton solutions to the coupled Sasa–Satsuma (CSS) equation using the Kadomtsev–Petviashvili reduction method. Since the CSS equation is a special case of the four-component Hirota equation, our approach begins with the construction of two-bright-two-dark soliton solutions for the four-component Hirota equation. By imposing specific parameter constraints, these solutions are subsequently reduced to the bright–dark soliton solutions of the CSS equation. Finally, the dynamical behaviours of the one- and two-bright–dark soliton solutions are thoroughly analysed and illustrated.

Uncomfortably Reminiscent: Odonnell V. Harris County In History And Memory, Kellen R. Funk

Faculty Scholarship

In ODonnell v. Harris County, a federal trial court enjoined the misdemeanor bail system of Houston, Texas, freeing approximately 20,000 indigent defendants annually. To do this, the trial court drew upon Reconstruction era precedents establishing intensive federal oversight of state criminal proceedings. The court explicitly invoked the Civil War and Reconstruction transformation of the federal judiciary, comparing the County’s defenses to slavery era arguments. Conversely, when the en banc Fifth Circuit reviewed a similar order in Dallas, Texas, six years later, it rejected this historical framework, condemning such litigation as an impermissible “ongoing federal audit of state criminal proceedings.” …

Building Leadership Capacity In Rural Schools: A Regional University Partnership, Chelsea Feusner, Aprille Phillips, Po Hu, Michael Teahon

The Rural Educator

The roles of school building and district administrators in rural areas have expanded in the last decade. Expanded responsibilities are amplified in rural school districts where there are fewer administrators to assume a multiplicity of roles. Additionally, educator shortages make it increasingly challenging to recruit and retain school leaders. While larger school districts in metropolitan areas have developed ongoing professional development and support programs to help school leaders meet the ever shifting and complex expectations placed upon them, school administrators in relatively rural regions receive less support. The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore leadership constructs believed to …

Considering Ai Adoption And Use: Promises And Paradox For Rural Education, Elizabeth Wargo, Juhee Kim, Jeff Simmons

The Rural Educator

This article explores the adoption and integration of artificial intelligence (AI) within rural education, with a specific focus on the rural context of Idaho. While AI offers new possibilities for educational transformation, its implementation in rural schools presents unique paradoxes. Using a mixed-methods approach involving a statewide survey, working focus groups, and associated documents, this study investigates how AI can empower and challenge rural educational practices. Drawing on Rogers’s diffusion of innovations theory, we illuminate the AI opportunities and barriers perceived by rural education stakeholders. We conclude by discussing implications for advocacy, policy, practice, and research to ensure just and …

Careers In A Box: A Promising Career Exploration Curriculum For Rural Youth, Kristine M. Ramsay-Seaner, Amber Letcher, Elizabeth Koob, Meagan Scott Hoffman, Laura Hasselquist

The Rural Educator

This article highlights a career exploration curriculum that was developed to support the vocational guidance needs of school counselors working in six rural, high-need communities in North Dakota and South Dakota. Based on social cognitive career theory, Careers in a Box was created to bridge existing gaps in career exploration curricula for rural middle school youth. This grab-and-go curriculum introduces participants to specific careers across the spectrum of food, agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences and provides them with hands-on activities associated with these careers. While program evaluation is ongoing, preliminary results indicate an associated increase in personal resilience in …

Evaluating A Research Experience For Teachers: Benefits And Challenges For Summer Stem Professional Development, Mark T. Felts, Darcy Tessman, Emily Simpson, Mark Nanny

The Rural Educator

This focus group study examined the participant motivation for and potential impact of the Research Experience for Teachers (RET) program on rural STEM educators. Due to geographic isolation and low wages in rural areas, STEM teachers often engage in summer work, which provides practical, real-world applications of STEM principles and enhances instructional methods during the school year. By fostering university partnerships and providing summer research opportunities, RET aligns with the National Rural Research Agenda’s (NREA) priorities of enhancing community relationships and bolstering teacher preparation, recruitment, and retention. Findings indicate that participation in RET boosts teachers’ curricular skills, professional networks, and …

Outdoor Learning In Rural Schools: Lessons From A Positive Outlier Case Study, Lauren E. Jacobs, Christiaan G. Abildso, Adam J. Daigneault, Jessica E. Leahy, Christopher J. Nightingale

The Rural Educator

This study explored the barriers and facilitators to outdoor learning and outdoor activities in a small K–12 case school in rural Maine. The case school was a positive outlier (PO), providing significant outdoor learning and activity opportunities to all students during the school day. Outdoor learning and outdoor pursuits in school settings can increase student physical activity, provide opportunities for students to reap the mental and emotional benefits from time in nature, and help them make important connections to local culture. The positive outlier methodological approach sought to uncover reasons for the case school’s PO status and find practical strategies …

Grow Your Own Special Education Teachers: Lessons Learned, Jerrie L. Brooks

The Rural Educator

The special education teacher shortage is felt across the US. To address this challenge, 50 states and Washington, DC, currently have some type of grow-your-own (GYO) program. These programs often are an alternate route to licensure, preparing candidates who do not have an undergraduate degree in education to become teachers. The goal of GYO programs is to prepare teachers from the community for the community, with a focus on addressing the teacher shortage and increasing the diversity of the teacher workforce. The rural institution of higher education described in this article has implemented a GYO program for seven years. Through …

Teacher Preparation: A Foundation For Rural School Success, Sara L. Hartman

The Rural Educator

First appearing in “Why Rural Matters 2025: People, Place, and Possibility,” this article examines the policy landscape shaping teacher preparation for rural schools. Drawing on troubling policies being implemented across the United States, it identifies key trends that are contributing to teacher shortages and reduced teacher quality. The analysis highlights how these trends are experienced differently depending on the rural context and emphasizes the importance of innovative, place-based approaches. The article explores the consequences of policy decisions that do not account for rural realities and advocates for investments in strong, research-based teacher preparation programs. It cautions that the ongoing questioning …

Identity And Autonomy: Schools And Lgbtq+ Students Amid “Don’T Say Gay” Legislation, Kathryn Watson

The Rural Educator

Iowa’s 2023 Senate File 496 prohibits schools from administering mental health surveys without parent permission, requires schools to secure parent permission for student nicknames, bans from schools discussion of gender identity and sexual orientation before grade 7, and bans from schools books that describe sexual activity. This exploratory interview study investigated how 30 educators and school board members across the state perceived Senate File 496’s influence on school micro systems, as outlined by Marraccini et al.’s framework for school-related influences on suicide-related thoughts and behaviors for LGBTQ+ students. The study also explored participants’ impressions of how the legislation influenced LGBTQ+ …

Length And Framing Of Anti-Junk Food Ads Impact Inclinations To Consume Junk Food Among Normal Weight, Overweight, And Adults With Obesity, Ross C. Hollett, Brennen Mills, Stephanie L. Godrich, Julia Butt, Gina S.A. Trapp

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Unrestricted junk food advertising increases the risk of short-term junk food consumption among viewers. We aimed to estimate the impact of junk food and anti-junk food advertisements differing in length and framing on junk food consumption inclinations. Methods: Adult participants (N = 505) were exposed to a randomly selected junk food advertisement or anti-junk food advertisement and reported their immediate craving and consumption intentions. These responses were separately analysed for two groups based on Body Mass Index (BMI): participants classified as within the normal range (18.5–25), and a combined group with BMI values indicating either overweight (25+) or obesity …

Disuse-Induced Muscle Atrophy And Muscle Weakness From Hospitalization To Spaceflight: Exercise Succeeds In Prevention And Treatment—A Meta-Analysis, Camila S. Padilha, Figueiredo, Rafael Deminice, S. Ribeiro, Robert U. Newton, Nicolas H. Hart, José Cesar Rosa-Neto, Marília Seelaender, Fábio Santos Lira

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Exercise has been proposed as both a preventive and therapeutic countermeasure; however, its effectiveness across different disuse conditions and timings of implementation remains uncertain. Methods: This systematic review and meta-analysis (PROSPERO: CRD42021256599) searched ClinicalTrials.gov, Cochrane Central, PubMed, SPORTDiscus, Web of Science, Scopus, CINAHL and SciELO from inception to May 2021, with an update in March 2025. Randomized and nonrandomized controlled trials examining exercise interventions during or after muscle disuse were included according to the PICOS framework. Random-effects meta-analysis evaluated effects on muscle strength, power and mass across hospitalization, bed rest and spaceflight conditions. Effect sizes (ES) are reported as …

Relational Practices Underpinning Person-Centred Care In Long-Term Residential Care Settings., Gary Hodge, Sam Ebden, Susie Pearce

School of Nursing and Midwifery

Recent figures indicate that there are just over 441,000 people living in long-term residential care homes across the United Kingdom (UK) (Berg, 2025), of which 70% are living with dementia or a severe cognitive impairment (Alzheimer’s Society, 2024). The percentage of people living in permanent residential aged care with dementia in Australia is slightly lower (54%) but still represents most residents and is rising (AIHW, 2025; Dementia Australia, 2025).This article is based on the findings and reflections of a qualitative multiple-case study exploring person-centred care across seven residential care homes in the United Kingdom (UK; Hodge et al., 2023). Findings …

Efficient Energy Management In Networked Microgrids Using Multi-Agent Deep Reinforcement Learning In The Presence Of Uncertainties, Ayodele Benjamin Chukwuyem

Dissertations

Microgrid technology is essential in facilitating the transition to smart energy grids in developed countries and mitigating energy poverty in developing countries, particularly in areas where grid extensions are not feasible. Recently, the concept of networked microgrids (NMGs) has garnered tremendous attention due to the plausibility of interactions among interconnected microgrids leading to power networks that are more resilient, reliable, and stable. However, because each microgrid has diverse distributed generation resources (renewables and controllable generators) and each microgrid operator (MO) has different objectives, coordinated energy management is required to satisfy local and system-wide goals under conditions with significant uncertainty. Existing …

A Low-Noise And High-Gain Integrated Photoplethysmography Sensor For Continuous Vital Signs Monitoring, Neethu Mohan

Dissertations

Photoplethysmography (PPG) sensing is an important technology used for measuring health parameters like, heart rate, respiratory rate, blood oxygen saturation, and blood pressure (BP). The PPG sensing is used for individuals who have to periodically monitor their health due to chronic health conditions. The basic requirements of a wearable PPG sensor include non-invasiveness, prolonged battery life, and being userfriendly. These type of sensors have great demand in the healthcare applications and there is a significant rise in the demand of these sensors. The basic objective of these PPG sensors is to make the continuous vital health monitoring easier without the …

Traditional And Machine-Learning Equalization Techniques For Bandwidth-Limited Short-Reach Optical Communication Channels, Abdullah Khawatmi

Theses

This thesis investigates equalization techniques for bandwidth-limited short-reach optical communication systems, with a focus on Visible Light Communication (VLC) and Step-Index Plastic Optical Fiber (SI-POF) links. Commercial light-emitting diodes and photodiode receivers impose severe bandwidth constraints, inter-symbol interference, and noise sensitivity, which fundamentally limit achievable data rates. The work addresses these impairments through systematic evaluation of traditional digital signal processing–based equalizers and modern machine-learning-based post-equalization methods. The primary aim of this thesis is to enhance the achievable data rate and reliability of commercial short-reach optical links while maintaining practical computational complexity. Specifically, the objectives are to (i) design and experimentally …

جريمة تزوير المستند الالكتروني طبقا للمرسوم بقانون اتحادي رقم (46) لسنة 2021 بشأن المعاملات الإلكترونية وخدمات الثقة, كلثم راشد المزروعي

Theses

The Crime of Electronic Document Forgery under UAE Legislation: A Legal and Judicial Analysis in Light of Digital Transformation

This study examines the crime of electronic document forgery in light of rapid digital transformation and the challenges it poses to legal systems, particularly in the United Arab Emirates. The research problem lies in the absence of a comprehensive legal framework, the difficulty of classifying technologically evolving forms of forgery, and the challenges associated with proving such crimes using digital evidence.

The study aims to analyze the legal nature of electronic document forgery, distinguish it from traditional forgery, identify its elements …

Transport Of Quantum Walks In Electric Fields, Yousef Mohammad Yousef Salah

Theses

This thesis presents an analysis of transport in one-dimensional discrete-time quantum walks (DTQWs) on the Hilbert space ℓ²(ℤ) ⊗ ℂ². Quantum walks serve as fundamental models of coherent quantum transport and exhibit ballistic spreading driven by superposition and interference. The primary focus of this work is the review and derivation of sharp maximal velocity bounds for several classes of quantum walk step operators, including the shift-coin walk, the split-step walk, and models with constant as well as position-dependent coin operators. We establish general a priori bounds that remain valid beyond the translation-invariant regime. For homogeneous models, Fourier and spectral analysis …

Development Of A Novel Cfd Approach For Predicting Multiphase Flow Enhanced By Machine Learning, Abdulrahman Elazazi Salem

Theses

Accurate estimation of interface orientation is crucial for ensuring both the accuracy and robustness of Volume of Fluid (VOF) schemes in multiphase flow simulations, especially when using non-uniform Cartesian meshes. Conventional gradient reconstruction approaches, such as least-squares (LSQ) methods, often suffer from significant errors and strong oscillations on highly stretched grids. This work proposes a grid-transferable, learning-based methodology that predicts interface unit normal vectors directly from the local volume-fraction field on nonuniform structured Cartesian grids using a feedforward neural network. The methodology extends earlier work originally developed for uniform grids, which is first reproduced to assess how performance deteriorates in …

The Robin Hood Effect In Transgressions Against Firms: How Political Ideology Shapes Consumer Justifications, Jason D. Lin, Anat Keinan, Hannah H. Chang, Donald R. Lehmann

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Consumer transgressions against firms involve moral violations in which consumers take advantage of loopholes in companies’ return and satisfaction-guaranteed policies or the lack of strict enforcement against password sharing, piracy, shoplifting, wardrobing, coupon stacking, promotion abuse, and fraud. Drawing on the timeless tale of Robin Hood, the legendary outlaw who stands up against injustice, the authors demonstrate that consumers use a Robin Hood justification to legitimize their transgressions against firms. Building on moral foundations theory, this research demonstrates that political ideology impacts consumers’ transgression behavior and the perceived morality of these practices. Six studies show that under certain conditions in …

Ai, Antitrust, And The Marketplace Of Ideas, Maurice E. Stucke

Fordham Law Review

No abstract provided.

False Conflict: Colorblindness And Section 2 Of The Voting Rights Act, W. Kerrel Murray

Fordham Law Review

If friends and foes of section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 agree on one thing, it is the irrepressible conflict between section 2’s attention to race and constitutional colorblindness. They’re wrong. Rightly understood, section 2’s design is remarkably compatible with colorblind constitutionalism’s letter and spirit.

To show how, this Article first returns to section 2’s origins and the preexisting approach its text codifies. That approach had an underappreciated ethos: When intentional discrimination’s effects sufficiently distort a political system, an electoral rule’s results might impugn its unconstitutionality, even if the rule had been adopted without discriminatory purpose. Drawing …

Application Of The Tridiagonal Representation Approach And The J- Matrix Method Of Scattering In Theoretical Physics, Tunde Joseph Osunmusanmi

Dissertations

This dissertation is about the application of the Tridiagonal Representation Approach (TRA) in handling linear phenomenons, and for the first time, the J-matrix method of scattering in handling nonlinear phenomenons. The TRA is an algebraic method for solving linear ordinary differential equations of the second order. The advantage of the method in being algebraic is reinforced by the analytic power of orthogonal polynomials and special functions. On the computational side, it is favored as being reliant on powerful numerical techniques that deal with tridiagonal matrices such as Gauss quadrature and continued fraction. In the method, the solution of the differential …

Unpacking Faculty Perceptions: Disability Critical Race Theory & Adaptive Equity-Oriented Pedagogical In Teaching Practices, Courtney D. Gipson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Students with disabilities (SWD) encounter barriers in higher education despite federal legislation intended for equitable access. Community colleges enroll in a significant number of SWDs, who outstandingly are positioned to support different learners. However, the implementation of instructional practices and accommodations are shaped by false beliefs, inadequate training, and inequitable structures. Historically, research on disability and higher education have been analyzed from a deficit and ableist perspective, ignoring the intersectional experiences of SWDs and the important role faculty play in creating inclusive learning environments. This study addresses these gaps by examining community college faculty members' perceptions, beliefs, and pedagogical practices. …

Analyzing The Framing Of President John D. Mahama’S Maiden Press Encounter In State And Independent Media Outlets, Daniel Ofosu Obeng

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

ABSTRACT Presidential press encounters are landmark moments in political communication which, as a result of media mediation, significantly impact people's perception of leadership and governance. The paper examines the depiction of the first press meeting of John Dramani Mahama, President of Ghana, during his second term by state-owned and independent media in Ghana. This study, with Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) and Media Capture Theory as its theoretical frameworks, delves into how the language and institutional orientations influence the portrayal of the president's communication to the public by the media. By using a qualitative research design, the study decided on sixteen …

Developing Violin Exercises Informed By The Alexander Technique: A Study Of Maurice Ravel’S Tzigane Concert Rhapsody For Violin And Piano, Idil Belgin Kucukdogan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Playing-related musculoskeletal disorders are highly prevalent among professional musicians, with violinists particularly vulnerable due to the instrument’s asymmetry and repetitive demands. Although research in performing arts medicine has expanded in recent decades, preventive strategies are not consistently integrated into violin pedagogy. This dissertation presents a structured set of preparatory exercises for Maurice Ravel’s Tzigane Concert Rhapsody for Violin and Piano, informed by the principles of the Alexander Technique, as a model for integrating a somatic awareness method into advanced violin practice. As an expressive and virtuoso showpiece firmly established in the violin canon, Tzigane presents distinctive technical challenges. Composed in …

Writing And Singing The Self: Gendered Expression In The Songcraft Of Trans And Bisexual Singer-Songwriters In Memphis, Kara Leann Stewart Meredith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

This dissertation contains four case studies of trans and/or bisexual singer-songwriters in the Memphis, Tennessee area. Trans and bisexual people break down the gender binary through sexual attraction or through gender identity, and must constantly “come out” to maintain visibility. The artists interviewed for this project are W1ND0W (she/they), also known as Jill Johnson, a mostly-sapphic bisexual and nonbinary singer-songwriter of hyperemo, electronic, and improvisational performance music; Suroor (she/her), a trans woman singer-songwriter of hyperpop music; Alex da Ponte (he/him), a trans man solo singer-songwriter of pop and indie rock; and Maggie Trisler of the band Mystic Light Casino (she/her), …

The Social Constructions Of Musical Listening: Audience Etiquette From The Nineteenth Century To Today, Catherine Elise Balsamo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Audiences and performers of the twenty-first century are primarily of the belief that the cultural norms of the concert hall are rules of etiquette that have been codified for centuries when they are newer than we think. Researchers have studied the background of audience behavioral trends to try to trace back to when the rules of audience etiquette became commonplace, with some scholars citing the French Revolution as a primary catalyst and others tying it to nineteenth and twentieth century conductor “cults.” By analyzing primary source material and synthesizing existing research on cultural shifts in the Western concert hall, I …