Digital Commons Network^™

Microplastic Fibers Detection In Laundry Wastewater: An Areal Quantification Based Method, Silvia Lupato, Rajandrea Sethi, Alberto Tiraferri

Micro-Nano Plastics in Water: Characterization, Cure and Prevention

Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract

Catching Them Young! A Comparative Study Of Teacher Retention Among Beginning Teachers In Egypt And The United Arab Emirates, Maxwell Peprah Opoku, Ghadah Morshedi, Negmeldin Alsheikh, Bernadette M. Guirguis, Ashraf Mustafa, Enas Mohamed Abdullah, Fatima Alrashdi, Ahmed El-Laithy

All Works

It is widely reported that teachers in their first 5 years of entering the profession are highly likely to leave their teaching positions. There have been many discussions on how to keep beginning teachers in the profession, mainly in Western countries. However, no such discourse exists on teacher retention in non-Western contexts, such as Saudi Arabia. This study aimed to extend Western literature to the Middle Eastern context by investigating the retention of beginning teachers in Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. Four hundred and sixty-six novice teachers were evaluated using the Teacher Retention Scale, which was developed on the …

Plastic Waste Removal Options To Minimize Local Introduction Of Micro- Plastics In Antarctica, Clara Alvarez Hernandez, Nan Wu, Clara Manno

Micro-Nano Plastics in Water: Characterization, Cure and Prevention

Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract

Electrochemical Properties Of Rhodium-Plated Esthetic Orthodontic Archwires, Michael Hoy

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Objective: Esthetics are becoming more important to patients with increased desire for ceramic brackets as they go through orthodontic treatment. Despite ceramic brackets offering an esthetic option for patients, traditional metal wires are still most commonly being used. Very little research on rhodium plated wires, specifically the American Orthodontics Iconix Aesthetic Arch Wire, exists in the literature with no tests of corrosion through electrochemical testing. The objective of this research is to analyze how rhodium plating affects the electrochemical properties of nickel-titanium (NiTi) orthodontic wires. Methods: Rhodium-plated NiTi orthodontic wires (Iconix Aesthetic; American Orthodontics) and non-plated NiTi orthodontic wires (NT3 …

Double Entry Bookkeeping: Its Philosophical And Mathematical Underpinnings, Henry Zeno Chalu

Business Management Review

This paper explores double entry bookkeeping as a theoretical and practical framework for the accounting discipline. Three foundational theoretical underpinnings for double entry bookkeeping are provided which constitute scientific and philosophical justification for the practice. These underpinnings consist of two philosophical stances and one mathematical position. In regard to the two philosophical stances, double entry bookkeeping is considered to be based on a figurative language perspective as well as a causality perspective. Regarding the mathematical position, the paper argues that double entry bookkeeping is grounded in an algebraic perspective specifically Pacioli group. The paper, hence, contributes to the understanding of …

Latent Tuberculosis Infection Treatment Adherence Among Black/African American People Living In Houston, Texas, Napoleon Ayibo Wokoma

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Early detection and treatment of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is crucial in preventing active TB and supporting elimination efforts. However, adherence to LTBI treatment is challenging, especially among racial and ethnic minorities, with Black/African Americans showing particularly low rates. A quantitative retrospective chart review was conducted to examine sociodemographic factors affecting LTBI adherence in Black/African American individuals and to evaluate various adherence strategies. Using the health belief model, 435 deidentified secondary data records were analyzed from the Houston Health Department from 2012 to 2022, covering both native and foreign-born Black/African American patients undergoing LTBI treatment. Descriptive and inferential statistics, including …

Artificial Intelligence In Stem Education: A Transdisciplinary Framework For Engagement And Innovation, Cristo Leon Ph.D., James Lipuma Ph.D., Xavier Oviedo Torres

STEM for Success Resources

This peer-reviewed article, Artificial Intelligence in STEM Education: A Transdisciplinary Framework for Engagement and Innovation by Cristo León, James Lipuma, and Xavier Oviedo-Torres, published in Frontiers in Education, examines how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming STEM education through a transdisciplinary lens. Based on a systematic review of 41 scholarly studies (2020–2025), it analyzes AI integration in STEM classrooms, focusing on learner agency, adaptive assessment, and ethical challenges such as algorithmic transparency, equity, and inclusion. Guided by a Transdisciplinary Communication (TDC) framework and grounded in PRISMA protocols, the study applies tools like Nvivo, Excel, and VOSviewer for thematic coding and …

Faculty Perceptions Of The Affective Domain In Entry-To-Practice Respiratory Therapy Education: An Exploratory Descriptive Qualitative Study, Jackie W. Davis

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

Background: The affective domain of learning is one of the three learning domains that comprise Bloom's Taxonomy of learning. The respiratory therapy profession places a great emphasis on the development and assessment of all three learning domains in entry-to-practice respiratory therapy education. While the cognitive and psychomotor domains receive significant attention, the affective domain of learning is often given less attention due to its complexity and lack of definition in the profession. Purpose: An exploratory descriptive qualitative study focused on exploring the affective domain of learning in entry-to-practice respiratory therapy education, specifically how the domain is defined, and …

Understanding Youth Violence Through A Socio-Ecological Lens, Yok-Fong Paat, Kristopher Hawk Yeager, Erik M. Cruz, Rebecca Cole, Luis R. Torres-Hostos

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

Youth violence—the deliberate use of physical force or harm by young people between the ages of 10 and 24 to intimidate or cause harm to others, both online and offline—is a critical public health issue in the United States. Yet, successfully predicting future violent offenders is a complex and challenging task, as the question of why some youths resort to extreme violence while others refrain from it—despite facing similar risk factors—remains widely debated. This article highlights both risk and protective factors of youth violence through a socio-ecological lens to offer a comprehensive understanding of the multifaceted factors driving youth violence …

Benford's Law In Basic Rnn And Long Short-Term Memory And Their Associations, Farshad Ghassemi Toosi

Department of Computer Science Publications

Benford's Law describes the distribution of numerical patterns, specifically focusing on the frequency of the leading digit in a set of natural numbers. It divides these numbers into nine groups based on their first digit, with the largest category comprising numbers beginning with 1, followed by those starting with 2, and so on. Each neuron within a neural network (NN) is associated with a numerical value called a weight, which is updated according to specific functions. This research examines the Degree of Benford's Law Existence (DBLE) across two language model methodologies: (1) recurrent neural networks (RNNs) and (2) long short-term …

Qualitative Insights Into Drug Use Safety Strategies And Social Support Among Sexual Minority Women Who Inject Drugs In Baltimore, Maryland, Jennifer L. Glick, Leanne Zhang, Aimee Huang, Megan Nguyen, Danielle German

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

Background: Sexual minority women (SMW) experience higher rates of substance use relative to heterosexual women in the U.S. but remain an under-studied population. SMW who inject drugs (SMWWID) navigate an unpredictable drug market and may experience complex relationships within their social spheres. We explore cisgender SMWWID’s strategies to maintain safety while injecting drugs, and the influence of their social support systems on those strategies. Methods: We conducted N = 16 phone-based, semi-structured, in-depth interviews with SMWWID in Baltimore, Maryland between June-October 2021. The interviews explored participants’ sexual orientation and gender identities, social networks and support systems, drug use behaviors and …

Parents Of Adolescents On Electronic Use And Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Parental Perspectives, Sleep, Internalization, Jessica Wiepking

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

ADHD in adolescents is a common diagnosis, with exposure to daily electronic use. There is strong evidence for a relationship between electronic use and ADHD in adolescents. However, there is a gap on electronic use, internalized feelings, and sleep behaviors in ADHD adolescents and how sleep behaviors might impact that relationship. ADHD has its core symptoms that impact the individual daily. These symptoms need to be taken into consideration when looking at internalized feelings and sleep behavior patterns. The theoretical framework that aligns with this study is the Dopaminergic Dysregulation Theory (DDT). This theory is a module that suggests that …

A Rebooted Debate: How The Paramount Decrees Repeal Could Spell A New Era Of Modern Antitrust Law, Mitchell Schuster

Journal of Business & Technology Law

No abstract provided.

Concentration And Composition Of Organic Contaminants In Blackfin Tuna, Yellowfin Tuna, And The Common Clubhook Squid In The Western Gulf Of Mexico, Lisa Rose-Mann

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Cephalopods are an important component of pelagic food webs. They play ecological roles not only as predators but also as prey. However, their role as prey in the trophic transfer of organic contaminants to apex predators such as tunas in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) is not well known. To investigate the importance of cephalopods in tuna diets, stomach samples were collected in February 2020 from tunas caught by rod and reel aboard the F/V Gulf Eagle near two large offshore floating oil/gas platforms in the northwestern GoM. Cephalopod samples were obtained from gut content analysis of 41 tunas caught …

Migration Delays At Head-Of-Tide Weirs Are A Function Of Tidal Cycles And River Flows In Anadromous Twaite Shad Alosa Fallax, Mark I.A. Yeldham, J. Robert Britton, Charles Crundwell, Peter Davies, Jamie R. Dodd, Chris Grzesiok, Andrew D. Nunn, Randolph Velterop, Jonathan D. Bolland

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Riverine barriers can have significant negative impacts on the spawning migrations of anadromous fishes, with barriers of low passage efficiency limiting access to upstream spawning areas. Even fish that pass a barrier can be negatively affected via migration delays and energetic costs. The spawning migrations of 74 twaite shad Alosa fallax were tracked at two head-of-tide weirs on a bifurcated channel in the River Severn’s upper estuary, western England, to test how barriers in tidal areas can affect river entry and incur migration delays. Although the weirs had a combined passage efficiency of 98.9%, median passage time was 19.8 h, …

Comparative Analysis Of Developed Expanding Urbanization And Floods Hit Erbil City Following Heavy Rainfall, Bahar M. Ahmad, Shawnm M. Saleh, Shuokr Qarani Aziz, Sarwah Othman Ismael, Sarkawt H. Muhammad

Polytechnic Journal

Climate change, urbanization, land use and land cover changes, and political and economic problems, caused increasing impervious layers and floods in Erbil Province in recent years. Due to economic growth and immigration from the middle and south of Iraq, the demand for residential areas has increased leading to more urban and impervious surface areas. The research aims to study the factors behind the increasing impervious areas and floods in Erbil City. Data were collected through several site visits and from related governmental sectors. Results illustrated that after 2017, urbanization noticeably increased. From 2017 to 2021, the construction zones and shrub …

An Ensemble Approach For Detection Of Malicious Urls Using Som And Tabu Search Optimization, Simar Preet Singh, Abhilash Maroju, Mohammad Kamrul Hasan, Karan Tejpal

Polytechnic Journal

Abstract: The fast spread of malicious URLs is a significant risk to online safety, since it makes assaults like spam, phishing, virus distribution, and vandalism of websites easier to carry out. The dynamic nature of these threats makes traditional detection techniques unable to keep up. Enhanced methods that can handle large-scale datasets and identify new attack patterns are needed for the real-time identification of malicious URLs. This research presents a strong hybrid machine learning approach that combines accurate classification with effective feature extraction. For feature extraction, we provide a Self-Organizing Map based Radial Movement Optimization (SOM-RMO); for classification, we …

From Novice To Expert: Preparing Your Peer Review, Diana M Proctor, Rachy Abraham, Shannon Esher Righi

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Peer review is the process by which the quality of scholarly work is assessed prior to being published, presented, or funded. The consequences of flawed research entering the public domain in the "post-truth" era highlight the need to improve peer review quality, which we believe can be achieved by standardizing training. Here, we aim to enhance the quality of published literature by presenting a systematic guide to train new reviewers (and aid experienced ones) in the art of peer reviewing the rigor of scientific manuscripts.

Klasifikasi Penggunaan Kontrasepsi Pada Pasangan Usia Subur Di Kalimantan Timur Dengan Metode Chaid (Analisis Hasil Pendataan Pemutakhiran Keluarga Bkkbn Tahun 2023), Rifky Irlika Akbar, Rahmi Susanti, Ismail Andi Baso

Jurnal Biostatistik, Kependudukan, dan Informatika Kesehatan

Data BKKBN Kalimantan Timur menyebutkan, dari sekitar 800 ribu pasangan usia subur (PUS), hanya 60,1% yang menggunakan alat kontrasepsi. Hampir 40% PUS belum berpartisipasi dalam program keluarga berencana yang berdampak pada peningkatan angka kelahiran dan beban kesehatan reproduksi. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah mengetahui karakteristik dan variabel penggunaan kontrasepsi pada PUS di Kalimantan Timur, serta hasil klasifikasi dan evaluasi model CHAID berdasarkan akurasi, recall, presisi, dan F1-score. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode non-reaktif dengan populasi 510.319 PUS di Kalimantan Timur. Analisis data dilakukan dengan metode CHAID, menggunakan perbandingan data training dan testing 70:30. Hasil analisis CHAID menunjukkan bahwa …

Strategic Development Plan – San Pedro Dr. Main Street Corridor, Adrian N. Carver

Student Publications

The San Pedro MainStreet Strategic Development Plan is a place-based, community-driven roadmap for revitalizing the San Pedro Drive corridor in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The corridor sits at the intersection of historical significance and present-day opportunity—bridging the old and new alignments of Route 66 while serving a diverse, working-class population. Drawing from urban planning theory, spatial analysis, and community input, this plan identifies challenges and assets related to land use, infrastructure, business development, housing, and cultural identity. Special attention is given to past and ongoing patterns of racialized disinvestment and displacement, with strategies proposed to ensure equitable reinvestment and climate resilience. …

Hslic Resources And Services For Clinical Scholarship, Evelyn Wang

HSLIC Faculty and Staff Instructional Resources

This resource guide, "HSLIC Resources and Services for Clinical Scholarship," provides an overview of essential tools, databases, and support services available through the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Library and Informatics Center (HSLIC) for clinical scholars. It details resources for literature searching, full text access, patient education, research organization, digital archives, and professional development. The guide highlights platforms such as PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, UpToDate, MedlinePlus, BrowZine, LibKey Nomad, and more, as well as services like interlibrary loan, data management, and open access publishing. Contact information for personalized support is included.

Access Research Materials Hslic Doesnt Own: Document Delivery & Interlibrary Loan, Evelyn Wang

HSLIC Faculty and Staff Instructional Resources

This informational flyer, "Access Research Materials HSLIC Doesn’t Own: Document Delivery & Interlibrary Loan," outlines the services available at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Library and Informatics Center (HSLIC) for obtaining research materials not held by the library. It explains the difference between Interlibrary Loan (ILL)—borrowing materials from other libraries—and Document Delivery—electronic delivery of HSLIC-owned materials. The flyer details eligibility, costs, request procedures, delivery timelines, and support contacts for both services, aiming to help users efficiently access needed articles, book chapters, and more.

Clinical & Educational Librarian Services, Evelyn Wang

HSLIC Faculty and Staff Instructional Resources

This informational handout, "Clinical & Educational Librarian Services: Training, Onsite Support, and Research Guidance," summarizes the key services provided by the Health Sciences Library and Informatics Center (HSLIC) for clinical and educational support. The document outlines tailored training sessions aligned with ACGME Milestones, onsite support for real-time literature searches and resource introductions during rounds and academic meetings, research guidance for developing questions and managing citations, and group workshops on databases and research tools. Contact information for scheduling consultations and requesting literature searches is included.

A Transcendental Phenomenology: Exploring The College Choice Process Of Black Undergraduate Students Who Transfer From Predominantly White Institutions To Historically Black Colleges And Universities, Heather Oliver Freeman

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Researchers have studied college students and the college choice process extensively in the higher education realm of academia. Often, college choice is explored from a lens of the traditional high school student approaching the initial college choice decision. Furthermore, higher education is an expansive topic that not only includes public and private institutions, two- and four-year institutions, but also predominantly White institutions (PWIs) and historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the college choice process and transfer experiences of undergraduate Black students who transfer from a PWI to an HBCU. This …

Computational And Imaging Approaches For Precision Characterization Of Bone, Cartilage, And Synovial Biomolecules., Rahul Kumar, Kyle Sporn, Vibhav Prabhakar, Ahab Alnemri, Akshay Khanna, Phani Paladugu, Chirag Gowda, Louis Clarkson, Nasif Zaman, Alireza Tavakkoli

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Degenerative joint diseases (DJDs) involve intricate molecular disruptions within bone, cartilage, and synovial tissues, often preceding overt radiographic changes. These tissues exhibit complex biomolecular architectures and their degeneration leads to microstructural disorganization and inflammation that are challenging to detect with conventional imaging techniques. This review aims to synthesize recent advances in imaging, computational modeling, and sequencing technologies that enable high-resolution, non-invasive characterization of joint tissue health. Methods: We examined advanced modalities including high-resolution MRI (e.g., T1ρ, sodium MRI), quantitative and dual-energy CT (qCT, DECT), and ultrasound elastography, integrating them with radiomics, deep learning, and multi-scale modeling approaches. We …

Clinically Important Endpoints In Individuals With Leukodystrophy: A Multisite Study, Amina Khan, Jacob Mccann, Mark Ramos, Francesco Gavazzi, Stephanie Keller, Keith Van Haren, Ali Fatemi, Florian Eichler, Joshua Bonkowsky, Jamie Fraser, Lisa Emrick, Omar Sherbini, Ashley Hackett, Jeilo Gauna, Dandre Amos, Jordan Goodman, Amena Smith Fine, Amanda Nagy, Seungil Lee, Nicole Page, Johanna Schmidt, Amy Pizzino, Kayla Muirhead, Mariko Bennett, Amy Waldman, Justine Shults, Laura Adang, Robert Grundmeier, Adeline Vanderver

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Importance: Leukodystrophies are a diverse group of rare disorders that disrupt central myelination. These disorders present with a broad spectrum of neurologic severity and are associated with a range of potential secondary complications, such as scoliosis and failure of independent feeding.

Objective: we explore real-world data of leukodystrophy complications to inform future evidence-based care guidelines across these rare diseases.

Design: In a cross-sectional observational study, we use a leukodystrophy-specific research consortium and the availability of electronic health records (EHR) to capture a cross-section of real-world data.

Setting: Subjects were identified using EHR data from five hospital systems with established expertise …

Distinct Systemic Impacts Of Aβ42 And Tau Revealed By Whole-Organism Snrna-Seq, Lindsey D Goodman, Lindsey Ran, Jiaye Chen, Chung-Yi Liang, Erin Harrison, Christina Ko, Xi Chen, Baiping Wang, Ao-Lin Hsu, Elizabeth Ochoa, Kevin F Bieniek, Shinya Yamamoto, Yi Zhu, Hui Zheng, Yanyan Qi, Hugo J Bellen, Hongjie Li

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Both neuronal and peripheral tissues become disrupted in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, a comprehensive understanding of how AD impacts different tissues across the whole organism is lacking. Using Drosophila, we generated an AD Fly Cell Atlas (AD-FCA) based on whole-organism single-nucleus transcriptomes of 219 cell types from flies expressing AD-associated proteins, either human amyloid-β 42 peptide (Aβ42) or Tau, in neurons. We found that Aβ42 primarily affects the nervous system, including sensory neurons, while Tau induces accelerated aging in peripheral tissues. We identified a neuronal cluster enriched in Aβ42 flies, which has high lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) expression. This LDH-high cluster …

Full Issue - Excelsior 17/2, Excelsior Journal

Excelsior: Leadership in Teaching and Learning

No abstract provided.

Integrating Digital Escape Room Design Into Teacher Education: Cultivating Instructional Creativity In Preservice Teachers, Gina L. Solano, Wen Wen

Excelsior: Leadership in Teaching and Learning

This action research documents how a teacher education program incorporates game-based learning to engage pre-service teachers (PSTs) in developing their instructional creativity. In this project, game-based learning goes beyond playing games; Instead, it allows PSTs to design their own game-a digital escape room created using a website with embedded clues, digital locks, and online challenges. This paper showcases an impressive level of creativity through the variety and complexity of PSTs’ clues, the creative graphics and layout of their websites, and their cleverly written scenarios and context for the game. Moreover, PSTs reflect on their design processes, considering the affordances and …

Tips For Inclusive Postsecondary Education Programs On College Campuses: Peer Mentors’ Perspectives On Access And Inclusion, Laura N. Sarchet, Kristen Love, Martha Mock

Excelsior: Leadership in Teaching and Learning

As inclusive postsecondary education programs have grown and improved towards more campus access for college students labeled with an intellectual disability, peer mentoring is a common model for such programs. Peer mentors from one private institution were asked to describe their experiences and perspectives of campus inclusion after participating in a training program designed to increase their understanding of disability within a social justice lens. Mentors shared the personal and professional benefits of mentoring, for both themselves and for students labeled with an intellectual disability, and noted recommendations for how programs can increase access to college in order to improve …