Digital Commons Network^™

Transfer Learning Neural Networks For Nuclear Forensic Image Morphology Using Image Splitting Techniques, Niko A. Petrocelli, Lee C. Lambert, Brett J. Borghetti, Abigail A. Bickley

Faculty Publications

Manual morphological analysis of actinide particles from scanning electron microscope (SEM) imagery is a critical component of nuclear forensics but is prone to significant inter-analyst variability. To address this challenge, this work develops and evaluates an automated classification method using deep learning. We introduce a methodology based on partitioning 1906 SEM images, representing 13 classes of uranium compounds, into smaller patches for analysis. Three convolutional neural network (CNN) architectures of increasing complexity were compared: a custom baseline CNN, a simple transfer learning model using ResNet50v1, and a complex model featuring hierarchical feature extraction and a spatial attention mechanism built upon …

Educating To Exhaustion: Intention To Leave Among Us Full-Time Nursing Faculty, Jacqueline Christianson, Kathryn J. Malin, Jessica Leiberg, Lisa M. Grabert, Stephanie E. Moser, Jessica L. Zemlak

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

AIM 

The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between work efforts and rewards with intention to leave and burnout among full-time nurse educators.

BACKGROUND 

The nursing faculty shortage is a contributor to the nursing shortage. Poor balance between work efforts and rewards may contribute to intention to leave.

METHOD 

A cross-sectional survey of US nurse faculty examined work efforts, rewards, burnout, and intention to leave. Structural equation modeling was used to evaluate the relationships among variables.

RESULTS 

Among 588 participants, efforts and rewards both had significant effects on burnout. Burnout and rewards had significant effects on intention …

Graph Convolution Neural Network And Deep Q-Network Optimization-Based Intrusion Detection With Explainability Analysis, Kelvin Mwiga, Mussa Dida, Leandros Maglaras, Ahmad Mohsin, Helge Janicke, Iqbal H. Sarker

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

As networks expand in size and complexity, coupled with an exponential increase in intrusions on network and IoT systems, this leads to traditional models failing to capture increasingly intricate correlations among network components accurately. Graph Convolution Networks (GCNs) have recently acquired prominence for their capacity to represent nodes, edges, or entire graphs by aggregating information from adjacent nodes. However, the correlations between nodes and their neighbours, as well as related edges, differ. Assigning higher weights to nodes and edges with high similarity improves model accuracy and expressiveness. In this paper, we propose the GCN-DQN model, which integrates GCN with a …

Prescribing Tourism: Cultivating Positive Travel Experiences For Individuals With Health Conditions, Fangli Hu, Jun Wen, Sebastian Filep

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Clinical evidence of tourism's health-related benefits for people with health conditions is notably scarce. Prescribing tourism, wherein medical professionals recommend engaging in tourism activities to enhance overall health and well-being, could offer unique insights into the tourism–health nexus. This paper adopted a conceptual approach, underpinned by a state-of-the-art literature review conducted in accordance with the PRISMA framework to identify knowledge gaps in the existing literature. This paper proposed prescribing tourism as a novel research agenda at the intersection of tourism and health, and further introduced it as a promising approach for people with health conditions, aiming to potentially minimise adverse …

Perceived Stress And Subjective Happiness In Medical Students Before And After A Wellness Speaker Session, Smaran Marupudi, Jared Hensley, Sriya Gullapalli, David Sta. Maria, Nikhilesh Anand

School of Medicine Publications

Background: Medical students experience psychological stress due to academic workload, thereby leading to a reduction in overall well-being. In response, medical schools are incorporating wellness activities into the curriculum. However, single-session events have not been rigorously evaluated. This pilot study assessed the feasibility and acceptability of a single-session speaker event and examined pre- versus post-event differences in mean stress and happiness scores among survey respondents.

Methods: This study used anonymous, unlinked, pre- and post-event cross-sectional surveys to compare group-level perceived stress and subjective happiness among medical students attending a single-session wellness speaker event. First- and second-year medical students completed validated …

Predictive Validity Of The Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-4 And Florida Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Ii Severity Scale, Eric A. Storch, Ryan J. Mccarty, Maya Zehavi, Mahnoor Ahmad, Joseph D. Hovey, Isabella A. Cruz, Monica E. Ochoa, Nadeen Salhadar, Laura D. Seligman

Psychological Science Faculty Publications

Efficient and accurate screening tools are crucial for improving early identification and treatment outcomes among individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This study evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of two OCD screening measures: the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-4 (OCI-4) and the Florida Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-II (FOCI-II) severity scale. The measures were administered in a large transnational sample of Spanish speaking Latin American adults (N = 1696) with elevated obsessive-compulsive symptomatology. Participants completed diagnostic interviews (MINI and Y-BOCS) and self-report assessments across 23 sites in 11 countries. Both measures significantly distinguished OCD from non-OCD cases, with the FOCI-II demonstrating somewhat better predictive performance (AUC = …

A Manifesto For Plant Science Education, Elizabeth Alvey, Andrea Paterlini, Mary E. Williams, Mia E. Cerfonteyn, Samantha Dobbie, Steven Dodsworth, Sonja D. Dunbar, Lauren R. Headland, Anastasia Kolesnikova, Pankaj Kumar, Silvia Manrique, Catherine Mansfield, Sebastian Stroud, Shannon Woodhouse, Hailey Ashton, Yoselin Benitez-Alfonso, Emily Breeze, Kelsey J.R.P. Byers, Chana P. Chetariya, Beth C. Dyson, Alec Forsyth, Beatriz Gonçalves, Camila Gonzalez, Daniel M. Jenkins, Joanna Kacprzyk, Kirsten Knox, George R. Littlejohn, Sara Lopez-Gomollon, Enrique López-Juez, Claudia Martinho

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Societal Impact Statement: Plants provide oxygen, food, shelter, medicines and environmental services, without which human society could not exist. Tackling pressing and global challenges requires well-trained plant scientists and plant-aware individuals. This manifesto provides a practical evidence-based vision to strengthen plant science education, focused on five strategic priorities. It is relevant to all stakeholders within plant science and beyond: from frontline educators to institutional leaders; from commercial or charitable professionals to entrepreneurs and donors; from individual community members to their legislative representatives. Strengthening plant science education demands concrete actions from all stakeholders, ultimately to the benefit of us all. Summary: …

Quality Of Human-Genai Collaboration And Its Driving Factors: A Symbiotic Agency Perspective, Jiayu Shang, Dan Huang, Songshan (Sam) Huang

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Generative AI (GenAI) is increasingly integrated into users’ daily work as a collaborative partner. Drawing on the symbiotic agency theory, this study investigates the quality of human-GenAI collaboration using a mixed-methods approach, including qualitative interviews and quantitative surveys. Study 1 identified three dimensions of human-GenAI collaboration quality that comprise outcome quality, comfort, and efficiency; and six driving factors which can be categorized under human agency (domain knowledge, desire for control, and domestication ability), and GenAI agency (communication ability, working memory, and long-term memory). Study 2 applied fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to explore configurations of the driving factors that lead …

User Experience (Ux) Meets Bureaucracy: Lessons From A Government Intranet Prototype, Scott Pelham, Jo Jung, Christopher Kueh

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Implementing user experience (UX) methodologies within government settings is both possible and powerful – but fraught with systemic and cultural complexities. This report presents insights from the redesign of a government intranet for a prominent Australian emergency services organisation, using a human-centred design approach grounded in the Double Diamond framework. The research reveals a series of challenges: bureaucracy, opinion bias, overwhelming content volume with minimal organisational value, a governance paradox where design rules are desired but selectively applied, a disconnect in engagement from key stakeholders, and the impact of a design by committee approach. While these challenges were significant, they …

Gendered Organising: Decolonial Feminist Epistemologies From Marginalised Women Textile Traders In Southwest Nigeria, Irenitemi Gbemisola Abolade

Doctoral

For decades, discourse has been constructed for and about Nigerian women, rather than in dialogue with them, despite their rich worldview rooted in Indigenous knowledge systems. Empirical studies have consistently focused on Europe and America as sources of knowledge production, while treating the Global South as the object of knowledge. As a result, little is known about how work and organising/organisation are done, particularly in the informal economy. This study, Gendered Organising: Decolonial Feminist Epistemologies from marginalised women, introduced us to the lived experiences of women textile traders in Southwest Nigeria. It explores how these women's gendered organising practices contribute …

Temperature Dependence Of The Imaging Properties Of Holographic Lenses, Tomás Lloret, Jorge Lasarte, Suzanne Martin, Izabela Naydenova, Inmaculada Pascual

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

The demand for advanced photonic technologies to enhance augmented reality (AR) devices has led to a significant interest in new optical materials suitable for operation in sometimes challenging environmental conditions, such as elevated temperatures levels. Holographic optical lenses (HOLs), fabricated using holographic recording, offer several advantages over traditional refractive lenses, including greater versatility, lower cost, lower weight, and increased adaptability. In this study, we investigated the optical and thermal performance of HOLs recorded on four different photosensitive materials: Bayfol HX200, Bayfol HX120, a PVA/acrylamide-based photopolymer (AA/PVA), and a photopolymerisable hybrid sol–gel (PHSG). The lenses were exposed to thermal cycles 20 …

A Borophosphate Glass Doped With Cobalt Oxide Improves Skeletal Muscle Structure And Function In Myopathic Mice, Jacob A. Kendra, Alexandra G. Naman, Rebekah L. Blatt, Carla D. Zingariello, Richard K. Brow, Steven S. Segal, Aaron B. Morton

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Skeletal muscle myopathy remains a significant cause of disability with limited treatment strategies. Advancements in tissue engineering have led to the development of borophosphate bioactive glasses (BPBGs) capable of enhancing skeletal muscle structure and function. Using a mouse model of severe myopathy (D2.mdx), we investigated muscle force, regeneration, angiogenesis and inflammation at 14, 70 and 140 days post-treatment (dpt). Tibialis anterior (TA) muscles of D2.mdx mice that received a single injection of cobalt oxide-doped BPBG (CoO-TRIM) particles exhibit greater active force, myofiber size, and regeneration through 70 dpt compared to control D2.mdx mice injected with Saline. Vascular endothelial growth factor …

Your Face As Property: Ip Strategies Beyond Right Of Publicity, Nick Cipriani

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal (AELJ) Blog

During the Second Industrial Revolution, the source of goods became more important than ever as railroads expediated travel and access to goods across the United States. Today, the United States is in the midst of its third industrial revolution, a digital revolution fueled by silicon and microchips. This digital revolution is unlike the previous two industrial revolutions because biometrics have become commodities. The technologies and goods coming out of the digital revolution are multifaceted. First, they provide a physical good through appliances that allow for communication and shopping, among other things, across geographic borders. Second, they function as a service …

Unveiling The Experiences And Unmet Needs: A Qualitative Exploration Of Undocumented Immigrants Residing In Kansas, Carol Meza, Pedro Hernandez, Alicia Hawley-Bernardez, Christopher Bakke, Staci P. Wolfe

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

Undocumented immigrants in the United States (US) face numerous barriers to accessing services such as healthcare, employment, and social services due to their status. While media and immigration policy focus on the U.S. border states, significant populations of undocumented immigrants exist throughout the U.S. Using qualitative analysis of 20 personal accounts, this study examines their experiences in a Midwestern state through utilizing a strengths-perspective, which emphasizes individual and community assets. Recurrent experiential themes included problems with persistent racism, discrimination, housing, employment, health care, and mental health challenges, while undocumented immigrants demonstrate remarkable resilience. These findings suggest that they can benefit …

Data To Accompany "Test-Retest Reliability And Internal Consistency Of The Occupational Resilience Measure (Orm 1.0)", Bernard A. Muriithi, Milan Bimali, Kara Gore

Occupational Therapy Faculty Scholarship

Data to accompany upcoming paper published in The Human Occupation and Wellbeing Journal titled "Test-retest reliability and internal consistency of the Occupational Resilience Measure (ORM 1.0)"

The Road To The Abraham Accords: An Examination Of The Uae’S Role Transformation (2011-2020), Farida Elatriss, Moatamer Amin

Political Science

The normalization agreement signed between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on the 15th of September 2020, signals a breakthrough in state relations. It transitioned Emirati Israeli relations from clandestine business collaborations directly to people-to-people normalization without prior cold peace agreements (Lemay-Hebert & Visoka, 2022, p. 133). It is noteworthy that this abrupt change in the UAE’s stance towards Israel takes place as part of a broader change that occurred in the Emirati foreign policy following the Arab Spring in 2011. The state started adopting a more interventionist foreign policy and a more active regional role (Ragab, 2017, p. …

China And International Economic Dispute Settlement: Disaggregating The State, Gregory Shaffer, Ji Li, Henry S. Gao

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

Most studies take a unitary state-centric approach to assessing China’s relationship with international economic law. In contrast, we provide a more nuanced approach that assesses variation in China’s engagement. We examine the role of different Chinese state and non-state actors, considering their interests, ideological frames, institutional contexts, and relation to state power. We illustrate our analytic framework by examining China’s response to and engagement with international dispute settlement systems in three areas: international commercial arbitration, international trade dispute settlement, and investor–state arbitration. Our approach is important for global cooperation in discrete policy areas so that the West does not ‘other’ …

Breaking Barriers, Transforming Digital Literacy, And Creating Immersive Learning Environments In The 21st Century, Romero D'Souza

Journal of Research Initiatives

This paper explores the future of educational technologies with a focus on breaking systemic barriers, enhancing digital literacy, and fostering immersive learning environments. Using Maharashtra, India as a case study, it examines disparities in infrastructure, internet access, and teacher readiness across government and private institutions. Local challenges are analyzed alongside initiatives like the Digital India Mission, while national policies and international best practices are reviewed for broader context. Cross-cutting themes of equity, access, and professional development highlight the need for inclusive technological integration. The pedagogical implications of emerging technologies—particularly AI and AR/VR—are assessed alongside ethical concerns around data privacy and …

Braving Ai In Tertiary Education: Generative Artificial Intelligence And Chatbots In Civics, Magdalena Brzezinska

Journal of Research Initiatives

This article explores tested strategies for the responsible and inclusive use of text- and video-generating artificial intelligence (GenAI) and educational chatbots in university classrooms, with a focus on foreign language learners, including students from refugee and migrant backgrounds. Drawing on case studies from WSB Merito University in Poznan, Poland, the author presents methods for integrating AI in civics education in a culturally relevant and equitable manner, emphasizing the importance of responsible technology use. The strategies discussed are adaptable to various tertiary education settings and aim to enhance global skills, foreign language proficiency, AI literacy, and visual literacy among college students. …

Introducing The Aasspectq Framework: A New Typology For Assessing Quality, Pedagogy, Outcomes, And Learning In Micro-Credentials, Felix Quayson

Journal of Research Initiatives

Micro-credentials have gained increasing attention as a flexible and competency-based approach to bridging the gap between formal education and workforce demands. Unlike traditional qualifications and degrees, micro-credentials focus on discrete, demonstrable skills that can be rapidly developed, assessed, and recognized across industries. I proposed the Auditing, Avoidance, Specificity, Skills, Personalization, Efficiency, Competency, Technology, and Quality Assurance (AASSPECTQ) conceptual framework to examine the current state of micro-credential implementation, highlighting the tools, learning outcomes, and assessment instruments necessary for effective program design. The challenges of quality assurance, portability, and recognition that continue to limit widespread adoption were also explored. By …

Can Legal Knowledge Save Lives? A Randomized Experiment In Preventive Health Screenings, Christopher Robertson, Wendy Netter Epstein

Faculty Scholarship

While the U.S. healthcare system typically imposes significant out-of-pocket costs, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires full insurance coverage for certain preventive health services (PHS), including cancer screenings, without cost-sharing. Despite this policy, one in four eligible Americans remains unscreened for breast, colorectal, and cervical cancer, which increases their risk of premature death. We hypothesize that a lack of awareness about the ACA’s free care requirement contributes to this gap and that explicitly informing patients could increase screening uptake. Additionally, we investigate whether prior experiences with medical debt deter individuals from seeking even cost-free care, reflecting a spillover effect of …

Ia Et Maintien De L'Ordre : Rapport De Synthèse Des Connaissances Sur La Gouvernance Et L'Utilisation De L'Intelligence Artificielle Par La Police Au Canada, Benjamin Perrin, Geoffrey Liew, Isabelle Sweeney

All Faculty Publications

Les services de police de partout au Canada utilisent, ou explorent, un large éventail de technologies d'intelligence artificielle (IA), y compris la reconnaissance faciale, le maintien de l'ordre prédictif basé sur la localisation, les lecteurs de plaques d'immatriculation automatisés, les rapports de police assistés par IA, la reconnaissance d'objets et l'analyse vidéo, la surveillance des médias sociaux, la détection de coups de feu, le génotypage probabiliste et l'exploration de données.

Bien que promettant des avantages en matière de productivité et de sécurité publique, ces outils soulèvent également diverses préoccupations et risques. Le Canada manque actuellement de mesures législatives et de …

Non-Synaptic Function And Localization Of Syntaxin-Binding Protein 1 In A Mouse Model Of Stxbp1-Related Epileptic Encephalopathy, Tao Yang, Rajat Banerjee, Yamei Deng, Sheetal Jahagirdar, Joo Hyun Kim, Wu Chen, Mingshan Xue, Alexey I Nesvizhskii, Michael D Uhler, Jack M Parent, Yu Wang

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

Objective: De novo mutations in the syntaxin-binding protein 1 (STXBP1), encoded by STXBP1, are among the most prevalent causes of variable neurodevelopmental disorders, including epileptic encephalopathy, developmental delay, and movement disorders. Although STXBP1 has been proposed as a critical presynaptic protein controlling synaptic vesicle exocytosis, clinical phenotypes also suggest that its biological function could be more diverse.

Methods: The expression pattern of STXBP1 was studied using immunostaining in vitro and in vivo. Synaptosome isolation was performed to investigate the synaptic and non-synaptic localization of STXBP1 in the brain. STXBP1 immunoprecipitation followed by mass spectrometry (MS) was conducted to identify protein …

When Detention Becomes A Death Sentence: The Urgent Need For Greater Due Process Protections For Ice Detainees, Kyle J. Smith

Vanderbilt Law Review

This Note argues that U.S. immigration detention, though legally classified as civil, operates as a punitive carceral system that routinely subjects immigrants to abuse, neglect, and preventable death. Drawing on the tragic case of Ernesto Javier Rocha Cuadra and other documented instances of physical violence, medical neglect, solitary confinement, and sexual abuse, it demonstrates how U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ('ICE') relies on detention as a default mechanism rather than as a last resort. The result is a system that mirrors the criminal legal system in scale and severity but denies detainees its constitutional safeguards.
The analysis situates the rise …

Ai & Policing: Knowledge Synthesis Report On The Governance & Use Of Artificial Intelligence By Police In Canada, Benjamin Perrin, Geoffrey Liew, Isabelle Sweeney

All Faculty Publications

Police services across Canada are using, or exploring, a broad range of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, including facial recognition, location-based predictive policing, automated licence plate readers, AI-assisted police reports, object recognition and video analytics, social media monitoring, gunshot detection, probabilistic genotyping, and data mining.

While promising productivity and public safety benefits, these tools also raise various concerns and risks. Canada currently lacks AI-specific legislation and regulations governing these new technologies, or even a statement of principles on the governance and use of AI by police.

La Françafrique: À La Lumière Des Romans Et Films Francophones, Joseph Diémé

Trade & Scholarly Monographs

Qu’est-ce que la Françafrique? Qui sont ses acteurs? Où et comment opèrent-ils? Cet ouvrage tente de répondre à ces questions complexes à la lumière d’essais politiques, de romans et films de pays francophones. Pas à pas, le lecteur découvre comment la fiction offre un cadre pertinent non seulement pour comprendre le concept « Françafrique », mais aussi pour identifier quelques-unes de ses ramifications sur le continent africain.

Immigration-Related Workforce Instability And Its Impact On Residential Construction Operations In California, Ana Castro

Construction Management

Labor availability has become a major challenge for California’s residential construction industry, especially as immigration policies change and its workforce becomes more unstable. Most past research looks at overall labor statistics and industry trends, but not at how these issues affect construction projects day to day. This qualitative case study looks at how immigration policy and labor conditions affect the daily operations of a residential construction company in California. The research is based on six semi-structured interviews conducted with five superintendents and one executive leader. The results show that immigration-related labor challenges differ by location within California. Participants commonly described …

The Role Of Top-Down Appetite Self-Regulation In The Development Of Healthy Eating Behaviors Among Children: A Narrative Review And Socialization Framework, David J Bridgett, Sheryl O Hughes, Matthew Broussard, Daniela Mccourt, Christina M Croce, Jennifer O Fisher

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Appetite self-regulation (ASR) among children is thought to have a fundamental role in shaping the development of healthy eating behaviors, dietary intake, and growth during childhood. Parallel to developmental frameworks for understanding "general" self-regulation among children, ASR has been described as involving children's use of "top-down" cognitive processes to moderate "bottom-up" biological drives around food approach and avoidance in the interest of achieving desired eating behaviors or outcomes. Whereas bottom-up ASR processes during early childhood are well characterized, particularly in the context of dysregulation and obesity risk, the role of top-down ASR processes in the development of healthy eating behaviors …

Simulation-Free Spine Palliative Radiotherapy Enabled By Ai-Adapted Diagnostic Ct, Yiding Han, Alexander Nicola Hanania, Zaid Ali Siddiqui, Vincent Ugarte, Boran Zhou, Abdallah S R Mohamed, Piyush Pathak, Daniel Allen Hamstra, Baozhou Sun

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Radiotherapy planning traditionally requires a dedicated simulation CT (sCT), which can introduce delays in initiating treatment. This is particularly impactful in spinal palliative care, where timely treatment is often important for symptom control and prevention of neurological deterioration. Although diagnostic CT (dCT) is frequently available earlier in the workflow, it can lead to geometric and dosimetric inaccuracies when used directly for treatment planning due to discrepancies in patient positioning, vertebral alignment, and table curvature.

Purpose: To develop and evaluate an AI-based method that transforms dCT into a simulation-equivalent planning CT (AI-pCT), enabling a clinically feasible simulation-free workflow for spinal …

Pharmacodynamics, Efficacy, And Safety Of Intraputaminal Eladocagene Exuparvovec Administered To Pediatric Patients With Aromatic L-Amino Acid Decarboxylase Deficiency Using An Mr-Compatible Cannula: 48 Weeks Of Follow-Up, Daniel J Curry, Phillip L Pearl, Scellig S D Stone, Donald L Gilbert, Sudhakar Vadivelu, Bruria Ben-Zeev, Matthew Vestal, Muhammad Zafar, Chun-Hwei Tai, Sheng-Che Chou, Zion Zibly, Lior Ungar, Mered Parnes, Mariam Hull, Lisa Emrick, Christian Werner, Alexis Krolick, Vinay Penematsa, Antonia Wang, Rezwanur Rahman, Lee Golden, Yin-Hsiu Chien, Paul Wuh-Liang Hwu

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Aromatic ʟ‐amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) deficiency is a rare pediatric neurotransmitter disorder that typically necessitates lifelong care, and that carries a risk of childhood mortality. Eladocagene exuparvovec gene therapy is designed to restore AADC production. Study GT‐002 (NCT04903288) is a phase 2, multicenter, open‐label trial assessing the pharmacodynamics, safety, and efficacy of eladocagene exuparvovec administered to the putamen bilaterally in pediatric patients with AADC deficiency using a magnetic resonance (MR)‐compatible cannula. Patients received eladocagene exuparvovec at 1.8 × 1011 vector genomes via the SmartFlow MR‐compatible cannula in a single operative session. Endpoints include the change from baseline in …