Digital Commons Network^™

A Note From The Editor, Mario S. De Pillis

Communal Societies

No abstract provided.

Front Matter

Communal Societies

No abstract provided.

Surveying The Australian Literary Landscape, Lee Kofman

Creative Nonfiction Magazine

No abstract provided.

Battling Collective Amnesia, Madelaine Dickie

Creative Nonfiction Magazine

No abstract provided.

Arms Of The Earth, Rosemary Jones

Creative Nonfiction Magazine

No abstract provided.

Discovery, Rachel Friedman

Creative Nonfiction Magazine

No abstract provided.

Encounter: Geraldine Brooks, Lee Gutkind

Creative Nonfiction Magazine

No abstract provided.

From The Editor: What's The Story?, Lee Gutkind

Creative Nonfiction Magazine

No abstract provided.

Methanogenic Activity In Neotropical Lacustrine Systems At Different Altitudes, Joyce Andrade, Andrés Calderón, Marcos Hidalgo, Jaime Martí-Herrero

Neotropical Biodiversity

This study evaluated the methane (CH4) production capacity of microbial consortia from three neotropical lakes at different altitudes: Mojanda (4,263 m.a.s.l., 10°C), Papallacta (3,250 m.a.s.l., 14°C), and Caimanes (510 m.a.s.l., 25°C). Specific methanogenic activity (SMA) and biochemical methane potential (BMP) from cellulose were assessed at two temperatures (the original lake temperature and 37°C) and three different inoculum-to-substrate ratios (ISR of 1, 2, and 4). The highest SMA values were observed at 37°C, being 0.021, 0.011, and 0.009 g COD/gVS·d for Caimanes, Papallacta, and Mojanda, respectively. At their original temperatures, only Mojanda and Caimanes showed activity (0.007 and 0.014 COD/gVS·d), which …

Enhancing It Project Sustainability: The Role Of Collaborative Resources, Stakeholder Engagement, And Project Governance, Laiba Tahir, Arif Uddin

Business Review

The purpose of this research is to examine the impact of collaborative social resources on project sustainability in Pakistan's IT Projects, with particular emphasis on the mediating effect of stakeholder engagement and the moderating role of project governance. A quantitative research strategy applied using a standardized questionnaire administered via Google Forms. The questionnaire, developed after reviewing relevant literature, and shared with IT professionals across Pakistan, yielding 342 valid responses out of approximately 600 distributed forms. Data analyzed with Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) for preliminary analysis and AMOS (Analysis of Moment Structures) Structural Equation Modeling used for measurement …

Flow Over A Cylinder With A Small Triangular Bump, Jack Elliott, Alex Nielson, Barton L. Smith

Integrated Engineering Department Publications

The surface pressure distribution over a circular cylinder with a small, full-span, triangular bump is examined. The geometry of the bump is an isosceles triangle, the height of which is varied from 1.33 % to 5.33 % of the diameter of the cylinder and positioned between 60° and 120°. The Reynolds number (Re=V∞ D/ν, where V∞ is the velocity of the freestream, D is the diameter of the cylinder and ν is the kinematic viscosity) is varied between 1.1×105 and 1.8×105. The lift and drag are estimated through the surface integral of pressure over the cylinder. The results show that …

The Prospector, Februrary 16, 2026, Utep Student Publications

The Prospector

No abstract provided.

Critical Incident Stress Debriefing Situational Simulation Training To Prepare Debriefing Leaders, Jessica A. Borthwick

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Problem Statement: Critical incidents (CIs) occur, and healthcare provider (HCP) support is often insufficient. Upstream impact of this problem includes unease of identifying incidents as CI, lack of operational knowledge of illustrating and identifying second victim phenomenon, limited recommendations for support of second victims, and inadequately trained certified critical incident stress management (CISM) leaders. Critical incident stress debrief (CISD) practice to enhance certified CISM leaders’ skills has been identified as a gap.

Purpose: The impact of CIs are devasting to HCPs in addition to patients and families of patients. A CI is when harm reaches a recipient of healthcare …

Understanding The Meaning Of “Missed Nursing Care” Among Rn Staff Nurses In The Hospital Setting, Amanda P. Henson

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Missed Nursing Care (MNC) includes any incomplete or delayed care required for a patient during an inpatient admission (Kalisch, 2015). This phenomenon leads to costly consequences for patients and hospitals such as pressure injuries, falls, hospital-acquired infection, thrombosis, and other adverse events that increase patient length of stay, readmission rates, and mortality. Additionally, negative consequences for nursing staff exist, such as burnout, turnover, intent to leave their jobs or profession, moral distress, and compassion fatigue (Recio-Saucedo, et al., 2018; Kalisch, 2015). A quantitative study across 11 hospitals including 3,341 RNs and 976 nursing assistants (NA) revealed that MNC predicts nursing …

When Pain Meets Policy: Medicare At A Crossroads, Sarah Bokaee, Ashleigh Omorogbe

URGENT Matters

No abstract provided.

Using Preliminary Consumer Insight To Enhance The Perceived Quality Of A New Apple Cultivar (Malus Domestica Borkh. Cv. Anabp 01) With A View To Maximizing Crop Utilisation, Kristen Kennison, Steele Jacob, Karyn Reeves, Kevin Lacey, Dario Stefanelli

Horticulture Research Articles

The visual appearance of a new apple cultivar is of foremost importance for consumer attraction and fruit purchase. A new Australian apple (“ANABP 01”) has a unique burgundy colored skin which can range from red to dark burgundy during fruit maturation. This study investigates consumer likability and purchase of “ANABP 01” apples with similar eating quality characteristics with four different skin colors being Red, Light Burgundy (LB), Burgundy (B) and Dark Burgundy (DB). During testing, panelists liked all classes of apple colors, giving high scores for their visual, textural and flavor characteristics. Panelists rated the color of B and DB …

On The Automatic Image Captioning Task In Italian: A Human-Centric Approach, Valentina De Amicis, Rajesh Jaiswal, Fernando Perez-Tellez

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Automatic Image Captioning (AIC) combines two distinct machine learning disciplines, Computer Vision (CV) and Natural Language Processing (NLP), forming a challenging research landscape. Much research has been carried out for AIC in the English language facilitated by the availability of English language datasets. However, this is not true for other languages. The aim of this work is to investigate existing AIC models' compatibility for the Italian language. The scope of this research will be aimed to reduced complexity, improved efficiency, and readily trainable models on smaller datasets while maintaining an acceptable level of caption quality. The popular Show and Tell …

Relationship Between Navigation Success, Diagnostic Accuracy, And Ventilation Strategy: Retrospective Chart Review Of 224 Consecutive Navigational Bronchoscopic Procedures Performed Under General Anesthesia, Basavana Goudra, Prarthna Chandar, Divakara Gouda, Harrison Yang, Ganan Muhunthan, Suvan Sundaresh, Michael Stuart Green

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

Background: Navigational bronchoscopy (NB) enables precise sampling of peripheral and central pulmonary nodules using shape-sensing or electromagnetic guidance. A major challenge is anesthesia-induced atelectasis, which alters lung anatomy, reduces registration accuracy, and is known to lower diagnostic accuracy. To counteract this, ventilatory protocols such as the Ventilatory Strategy to Prevent Atelectasis (VESPA) and the Lung Navigation Ventilation Protocol (LNVP) have been recommended. Their adoption and clinical impact, however, remain uncertain. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of 224 consecutive NB procedures performed under general anesthesia at a single academic medical center (January 2020–August 2024). Demographic, anesthetic, and ventilatory data were …

Eco-Friendly Adsorption Of Rhodamine B Dye Using Dragon Fruit Seeds From Foodstuffs, J. N. Gari, Z. M. Saigl

The Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Science

The study aims to remove Rhodamine B (RhB) dye from environmental samples using dragon fruit seeds (DFS) as a potential and efficient biosorbent. Several batch experiments were systematically performed over set intervals to assess how variables such as contact time, temperature, pH, adsorbent dosage, and initial dye concentration influence dye removal performance. To better understand the characteristics of DFS, its surface morphology and chemical composition were investigated using analytical tools like FTIR, EDX, and SEM. The results indicated the adsorption happened quickly within 10 minutes of contact as equilibrium was achieved. The most effective extraction of dye was achieved at …

Anesthesia Agents And The Risk Of Postoperative Delirium In Noncardiac Surgical Adults An Integrative Review, Narah Latortue, Doreen Wagner

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Introduction: Surgical patients are given anesthetic agents that render them unconscious for surgery. When the surgical procedure is completed, these agents are discontinued. As patients recover from surgery, they may experience an acute onset of confusion or postoperative delirium (POD) that fluctuates and manifests as inattention with changes in perception or cognition, altered levels of consciousness, and changes in motor activity such as agitation or lethargy. At times, a mixture of these symptoms may occur when patients demonstrate a fluctuation between hyperactive and hypoactive motor forms of delirium. Hyperactive delirium is when patients are highly agitated and restless whereas the …

Home Health Nurse Perceptions Of Safety In The Workplace, Natalie Faybisovich

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Background: Home health nursing, a growing care model, caters to individuals seeking medical assistance within the comfort of their own homes. Predicted statistics indicate a 5% employment growth in this sector from 2014 to 2024, which necessitates a 48.6% increase in home health nurse employment. This surge underscores the need to address unique challenges faced by healthcare professionals in this field.

Purpose: This secondary analysis aims to explore and understand the safety concerns encountered by home healthcare nurses, emphasizing the importance of identifying and addressing these concerns to enhance safety and care provision in home settings.

Methods: This secondary analysis …

Left Behind In Lockdown: A Scoping Review Of Covid-19’S Impact On The Lives Of Transition-Age Foster Youth, Johanna K P Greeson, Sarah Wasch, John Gyourko, Antonio R. Garcia, Hannah Bennett, Kate Greco, Liya Cha

Faculty Scholarship

This scoping review asked: What is known about the scope and nature of research on the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on older youth with foster care experience in the United States, including the types of studies, samples and outcomes examined? Guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute framework and PRISMA-ScR, we searched 11 databases and grey literature sources (October2024 to January 2025). Eligible studies were United States based, published from 2020 onward and included primary data on foster youth or relevant professionals. Thirty-two studies met inclusion criteria. Most studies were descriptive or cross-sectional, reflecting early phases of the pandemic. Mapping …

Small-Molecule Correlates Of Infection Precede Infection Diagnosis In Breast Implant Reconstruction Patients, John A. Wildenthal, Margaret A. Olsen, Hung D. Tran, John I. Robinson, Terence M. Myckatyn, David K. Warren, Keith E. Brandt, Marissa M. Tenenbaum, Joani M. Christensen, Thomas H. Tung, Justin M. Sacks, Rachel A. Anolik, Katelin B. Nickel, Hideji Fujiwara, Peter J. Mucha, Jeffrey P. Henderson

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUNDInfection is an important complication of implanted devices and prosthetics. Identifying infections sufficiently early to salvage implants and avoid reconstructive failure is a persistent medical challenge.METHODSTwo cohorts of women 21 years and older undergoing breast implant reconstruction were recruited. Seroma fluid (82 breasts, 70 patients) was collected upon implant removal for infectious or noninfectious causes. Postimplantation drain fluid (100 samples, 44 breasts, 32 patients) was collected at routine visits prior to implant removal. A liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry-based metabolomic approach was used to identify infection correlates.RESULTSIn seroma fluid specimens, infection was associated with a diverse set of small molecules, including acetylated …

Modeling Spasticity: A Systematic Review, Gaby Gonzalez Chan, Jonathan Marsden, Alexander Besinis, Pablo Borja, Hilary Gunn

School of Health Professions

Spasticity, a type of hypertonia characterized by a velocity-dependent increase in muscle tone, is associated with damage to the brain and/or spinal cord in different neurological conditions. However, secondary non-neurological factors, such as soft tissue changes, can complicate the assessment and differentiation of the underlying causes. Accurate assessment is crucial for effective treatment planning, with clinicians relying on passive movement to grade the ‘feel’ of the spastic limb. This review aims to identify and evaluate the feasibility of spasticity models or simulations for clinical teaching. Models based on human spastic limbs were examined, with no restrictions on specific conditions or …

Quality Improvement Project: Implementation Of The Surgical Safety Checklist To Improve Adherence To Time-Out At In-Office Procedure, Funke Osaremwinda

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Surgical errors in ambulatory and in-office procedural settings continue to rise despite well-established safety standards, such as the time-out (TO) protocol. Literature consistently links non-adherence to the TO protocol to preventable events such as wrong patient, wrong site, or wrong surgery. At the cardiovascular ambulatory clinic where the quality improvement (QI) project was implemented, the baseline needs assessment indicated inconsistent TO practices and the absence of a standardized tool to support TO. The purpose of this project was to improve adherence to the TO safety protocol through staff education and implementation of the evidence-based World Health Organization (WHO) Surgical Safety …

Implementation Of Adverse Childhood Experiences Screening In Pediatric Primary Care, Megan Nicole Waite

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Introduction: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood including abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction. They are highly prevalent among children, especially those that are racially, ethnically, or socioeconomically disadvantaged. ACEs are negatively associated with unfavorable health outcomes in children including behavioral problems, cognitive delays, and poor physical health. Various governing bodies recommend routine screening for ACEs in pediatric primary care, but some studies report screening rates as low as 4%.

Aims: The aim of this quality improvement doctor of nursing practice (DNP) project was to implement an evidence-based ACE screening protocol and referral to behavioral …

Fostering Civility Between Nursing Faculty, Students, And Clinical Partners To Promote Positive Patient Outcomes, Breanne N. Wilburn, Kathryn A. Osteen, Christine J. Oliver, Courtney K. Brandt

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Nurse educators contribute to healthy practice environments and positive patient outcomes in part by educating students on civil practice in didactic and clinical environments (Foreman, 2023; Naseri et al., 2022). Incivility among students, nursing faculty, and clinical partners is a growing concern in the nursing profession (Foreman, 2023; Hajira et al., 2022). Nursing educators serve as examples for students through participating in culturally inclusive civil discourse (Meires, 2018). Further, student incivility in the academic setting could lead to future workplace incivility and is tied to unhealthy practice environments and negative patient outcomes (Park & Kang, 2020; Wei et al., 2018). …

“It Takes A Special Person” --Exploring Undergraduate Nursing Students’ Emotional Needs While Providing End-Of-Life Care, Kalei H. Kowalchik

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Background: Navigating end-of-life (EOL) care as a nursing student can results in intense emotions such as grief and despair and there is limited research on undergraduate nursing students’ thoughts and experiences on the need for emotional support resources when caring for patients and families at the EOL.

Purpose: To explore undergraduate nursing students’ experiences and their perceived need for integrating emotional and psychological support services while caring for dying populations.

Theoretical Framework: The Nerstrom Transformative Learning Model was used to guide this research which identifies how adult learners interact in their environment with a limited worldview that is …

Using Artificial Intelligence To Mitigate Bottlenecks In Last-Mile Logistics: A Developing Country Perspective, Marvel S. Ogah, Comfort Ademola, Gregory Asiegbu

International Journal of Applied Management and Technology

The digital revolution of the logistic value chain has improved critical aspects of the global supply chain, especially in the aspect of last-mile logistics (LML). Bottlenecks, however, such as delays in deliveries, increased lead times, pollution, poor cost management, and tracking issues, among several others, plague the logistics operations in developing countries. Artificial intelligence (AI) can help mitigate these bottlenecks toward delivering incremental value to the end customers. This paper investigates the extent to which AI has been adopted in the logistics value chain in developing countries using a descriptive approach. Quantitative data were collected from 290 logistics and e-commerce …

Enhancement Of Plastic Deformation In Ultrasound-Assisted Cold Spray Of Tungsten: A Molecular Dynamics Study, Md Tusher Ahmed, Farid Ahmed, Jianzhi Li

Manufacturing & Industrial Engineering Faculty Publications

Tungsten (W) is widely valued for its exceptional thermal stability, mechanical strength, and corrosion resistance, making it an ideal candidate for high-performance military and aerospace applications. However, its high melting point and limited room-temperature plasticity pose significant challenges for processing W using additive manufacturing (AM). Cold spray (CS), a solid-state AM process that relies on high-velocity particle impact and plastic deformation, offers a promising route for additive manufacturing of W, yet conventional CS fails to induce sufficient plastic deformation for effective bonding. In this study, we employ atomistic simulations to investigate the effect of ultrasonic perturbation in …