Digital Commons Network^™

Endophytic Actinobacteria: Deciphering Therapeutic And Industrial Potential, And Prospects Of Genome Mining In Novel Products Discovery, Yusra Waheed, Rabia Shahdin, Imran Sajid

Journal of Bioresource Management

Endophytic actinobacteria are a diverse group of Gram-positive bacteria with high G+C content, which inhabit plants’ internal tissues, and represent a significant yet underexplored reservoir of bioactive secondary metabolites. In host plants, a remarkable repertoire of metabolites, including broad-spectrum antibiotics, anticancer, antiviral, antifungal, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory compounds, is synthesized by these microbial allies, carrying significant medicinal and agricultural potential. These endophytes, in contrast to their soil relatives, have developed unique biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) strongly influenced by plant-associated factors, leading to the production of structurally novel metabolites. In recent years, the advances in genome mining, metagenomics, and metabolomics have accelerated …

Antimicrobial Resistance Profiles And Clinical Dynamics Of Listeriosis In Small Ruminants: A One Health Review, Muhammad Aqeel, Pervez Ahmed Khoso, Amjad Hussain Mirani, Dildar Hussain Kalhoro, Abdul Ahad Soomro

Journal of Bioresource Management

Although the incidence of listeriosis is much lower in small ruminants, it has implications for food safety, herd health and appropriate antibiotic usage as well as zoonotic potential. Both have been reported to be robust pathogens and Listeria monocytogenes is generally recognized as the most common etiologic agent, but in ovine or caprine abortion it should be included as a significant differential diagnosis. This is a narrative one health review that summarizes status of the information published to date on the epidemiology and clinical signs of infection, resistance patterns found and diagnosis and prevention methods employed in small ruminant populations. …

Fungal-Associated Deterioration Of Polythene Bags Collected From The Dumping Sites Of District Sialkot: A Preliminary Screening Study, Zarish Fatima, Brian Gagosh Nayyar, Ayesha Sarwar, Mah-E- Noor Abbas, Saira Fiaz, Wajiha Seerat

Journal of Bioresource Management

Polythene bags are highly inert plastic materials made from monomers of ethylene. Due to their durability, lightweight, and low-weight characteristics, polythene bags are in high demand among consumers and retailers worldwide. This widespread use of polythene bags has led to the generation of polythene waste in the environment. This study focused on the degradation of polythene bags through fungal strains in the desired region.  In this research, three identified fungal strains, namely Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, and Fusarium oxysporum, were screened using two synthetic media for degradation, such as the culture plate method (CPM) and Liquid media degradation (LMD). A …

Melodrama And The Ecological Imagination: K-Dramas And Thai Lakorns As Instruments Of Soft Environmental Diplomacy, Antonio P. Contreras

Asia-Pacific Social Science Review

This paper examines how Asian serialized dramas, particularly Korean television dramas (K-Dramas) and Thai Lakorns, function as cultural texts that shape ecological imagination within the Philippine media environment. Using interpretive visual-textual analysis of Crash Landing on You, My Mister, 2gether: The Series, and Bad Genius: The Series, the study explores how visual aesthetics, emotional atmospheres, and narrative structures encode environmental values such as balance, restraint, and care. Rather than measuring audience impact, the paper interprets Filipino online audience commentary as illustrative reception discourse reflecting how viewers emotionally interpret these mediated landscapes. Anchored in theories of soft power, cultural proximity, and …

Workforce Readiness And The Humanities: Building Internship Pathways In Slavic And East European Studies, Ani Kokobobo

Russian Language Journal

As workforce readiness becomes an increasingly central metric for evaluating academic programs, humanities disciplines, particularly small language and area studies fields such as Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies (SEEES), face growing pressure to demonstrate measurable employment outcomes. Drawing on national and state-level workforce policy frameworks, employer competency data, and the author’s administrative experience as Dean of Liberal Arts, this article argues that SEEES programs are uniquely positioned to meet contemporary career readiness mandates without compromising their intellectual and civic missions. The article reframes SEEES not as an at-risk humanities field, but as a high-value incubator of precisely the competencies …

Redesigning Our Curricula To Foster Career Readiness, Benjamin Rifkin

Russian Language Journal

Undergraduate majors are not engraved in stone; curricula have been adjusted and changed over the course of the history of higher education and now is the time to change our curricula once again. This article proposes a reconceptualization of the undergraduate major in Russian away from the framework of “coverage of the humanistic canon” to a framework focusing on the development of transferable or durable skills, i.e., skills that can be deployed in numerous employment contexts throughout an individual’s career trajectory to support career-readiness, in accordance with powerful frameworks offered by prominent educational organizations. This approach helps us support the …

Spotlight: Resources For Listening Proficiency In Russian, Molly Godwin-Jones

Russian Language Journal

The Digital Resources Corner (DRC) offers reviews of new digital resources that could be beneficial in the teaching and/or learning of Slavic languages. It is intended for instructors looking for or evaluating different materials to use in the classroom.

Russian For The Professions: Creating An M.A. Program In The Context Of Holistic Foreign Language Instruction, Angela Brintlinger, Andrei Cretu, Helen Myers, Emma Pratt, Larysa Stepanova

Russian Language Journal

This paper presents the design, implementation, and some preliminary outcomes of measures aiming at integrating career readiness into the Russian language program at Ohio State University through the creation of a “Russian for the Professions” (RFP) stand-alone M.A. degree. While the M.A. program is still relatively small, its courses serve a larger contingent of students who have achieved or aspire to higher language competency. The key component of the program comprises courses offering specialized language skills in business, cybersecurity, government and foreign affairs, information services, media, and translation. Career-focused curricular offerings are supplemented by programming offered in partnership with industry …

What Do Learners Do With A Foreign Language After Their Studies? A Survey Of Alumni Of A Russian Summer Immersion Program, Dmitrii Pastushenkov, Liya Zalaltdinova, Jason Merrill

Russian Language Journal

Responding to concerns about the long-term value of foreign language education, this exploratory survey-based study examines how Russian language learners (N = 321) continued to use the language after completing a summer immersion program. The study investigates language use in personal and professional contexts and identifies resources alumni used, recommended, and needed to maintain proficiency. Although opportunities for conversational practice were limited, and interaction in Russian was one of the activities alumni needed but often viewed as unattainable, about 60% of participants continued using Russian at least occasionally. Among those employed full time, 24% used Russian frequently, primarily in …

Russian As A Lingua Franca In A Security Cooperation Context: Designing Career-Oriented Language Training Programs, Daniel Medford

Russian Language Journal

As Slavic language programs seek to align their curricula with workforce needs, the role of Russian and other Slavic languages in military and government service presents unique challenges and opportunities. This paper examines how linguistic training, particularly in Russian, can be better structured for students at American universities and colleges who wish to pursue government and security-related careers. Drawing on 30 interviews with native and non-native Russian speakers serving in the U.S. Army, this study explores the implications of using Russian as a lingua franca for U.S. military cooperation with former Soviet states. Given the political sensitivities surrounding the Russian …

Building An Alumni Network: Strategies And Benefits, Emily Johnson, Elena Carmichael

Russian Language Journal

This article explains how to build an alumni network and describes the benefits of such initiatives. Echoing the 2024 “Report on English Majors’ Career Preparation and Outcomes” prepared by the ADE Ad Hoc Committee on English Majors’ Career Preparation and Outcomes, it argues that providing students with regular opportunities to hear from and interact with program alumni offers tangible benefits in terms of career preparation. By attending Zoom and in-person alumni career talks, students can learn about the diverse range of jobs where language and literature majors can achieve success. The chance to speak one-on-one with an alumnus/alumna with similar …

Microalgae As Sustainable Biofactories For Bioplastic Production: Challenges And Future Perspectives: A Review, Zahraa Hussein Obaid, Noor S. Naji, Jasim M. Salman, Layla Mustafa A.A. Alkatrani

Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Marine Science

The widespread use of traditional plastics, combined with their slow breakdown, has exacerbated environmental and health problems. Therefore, it has become imperative to find alternatives. Due to their simplicity of cultivation, quick growth, tolerance to challenging growing conditions, and low cost, microalgae are being used more frequently as a bio-source for bioplastics lately. Additionally, a variety of biopolymers, including polyhydroxybutyrate, polylactic acid (PLA), starch, polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), protein, and cellulose, could be produced by microalgae. These polymers show promising qualities including biodegradability, biocompatibility, and non-toxicity under various cultivation conditions. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the potential of microalgae …

Magnetically Treated Water: Enhancing Stocking Density, Water Quality, And Growth In Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis Niloticus), Mortada M. A. Hussein, Ayatollah A. H. Abd-El Said, Asmaa N. Mohammed, Fatma M. M. Korni

Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Marine Science

This study aimed to explore the potential of using magnetic treated water (MTW) to increase stocking densities of growing Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, in storage, productive, and/or rearing holding facilities with limited mortality and water loss. The experimental period was 12 weeks, with 1500 O. niloticus fingerlings acclimated with maintained water parameters. After acclimation, 1350 were randomly selected and used for experiment setting up, including its triplicates. For each replicate, 225 fingerlings were distributed in three experimental tanks of MTW units as group set A, B and C, each received 50, 75, and 100 fingerlings, respectively. Besides, 225 fingerlings …

Microplastics Contamination In Marine Environment: Sources And Management Strategies, Aishah Hamdi, Mohammad Oves, Naser Alkenani, Majed Alshaeri

Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Marine Science

Microplastics (MPs) have been identified as emerging global pollutants because of their persistence, mobility, and significant ecological impacts. These particles, which result from the degradation of plastic waste and from various industrial and consumer activities, are now widespread in marine environments. The capacity of MPs to adsorb contaminants and bioaccumulate within food webs increases their ecological and health risks, prompting substantial concern regarding their long-term consequences for marine ecosystems and human health. This review synthesizes current knowledge regarding the composition, sources, transport, mechanisms, and environmental behavior of microplastics (MPs), with particular emphasis on marine systems. In these environments, the persistence …

Re: Conditional Approval Letter For The Final Silver Bow Creek Conservation Area Materials Management Plan (Dated May 28, 2026), Emma Rott

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

The Psychology Of Diplomacy In The Palestinian-Israeli Conflict: The Role Of Emotions And Perceptions In Peace Negotiations, Tomy Octavian, Linda Noviyana

Journal Of Middle East and Islamic Studies

The Palestinian-Israeli conflict remains one of the major challenges in building sustainable peace through diplomacy. This study analyzes the role of emotions and perceptions in Palestinian-Israeli peace negotiations through the perspective of diplomacy psychology. Using an integrative literature review and an integrated theory approach that combines psychological theories and international relations theories, this study synthesizes empirical and conceptual findings on the Palestinian-Israeli peace negotiation process. The results of the analysis show that negative emotions such as fear, hatred, and anger worsen diplomatic relations and hinder peace deals. Distorted perceptions of the other side's intentions and identities, as well as conflicting …

Fashion Industry: Analysis Of Strategies And Roles Of Stakeholders To Realize Indonesia As The Center Of Global Halal Fashion, Hanna Abimafy Mawaddatunnisa, Nur Fatwa, Nurwahidin Nurwahidin

Journal Of Middle East and Islamic Studies

Indonesia, through the Halal Product Assurance Agency (BPJPH), has launched the Indonesia Global Halal Fashion (IGHF) initiative in collaboration with the textile industry and fashion designers during Indonesia Fashion Week 2024. This initiative aims to position Indonesia as a global hub for halal fashion—distinct from general Muslim fashion by incorporating halal principles throughout the entire production chain. Despite its vast potential, the development of halal fashion in Indonesia still faces challenges, particularly in capturing consumer preferences and defining comprehensive regulatory standards. This study adopts a qualitative approach, integrating SWOT analysis, STP (Segmentation, Targeting, Positioning), and the Quadruple Helix framework to …

Oral History Project (For "Global Game Industries"), James Fleury

Generative AI Teaching Activities

Students will research a video game industry professional, develop questions about their career, interview them, edit the interview into a transcript, and discuss this process during an in-class presentation.

Barley Virtual Water Determinants In Iraq: An Econometric Analysis Study For The Period (1990–2023), Muna Jabbar Rahim, Basim H. Al-Badri

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

The paper aims to analyze the determinants of virtual water use for barley crops in Iraq over the period (1990–2023), in light of increasing water challenges and declining inflows of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. The research adopts a descriptive and econometric analytical approach, employing the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model to examine the relationship between imported virtual water quantity (VW) as the dependent variable and a set of independent variables, including agricultural GDP, blue water, the water self-sufficiency ratio, and the degree of agricultural trade openness. The results of the Bounds Test indicate the existence of a long-run equilibrium …

Social Complex Systems In Virtual Thirdspaces Of Global Education: Sites Of Structural Inequalities And Radical Pedagogical Possibilities, José Luis Jimenez-Figarotti

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

While Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) and Virtual Exchange (VE) are celebrated as democratizing tools fostering intercultural understanding, this techno-utopian narrative obscures a complex reality: the virtual classroom is a contested social field where global inequalities are reproduced and amplified. This dissertation interrogates this paradox, exploring how structural inequalities, digital divides, and epistemic hierarchies are negotiated within the Virtual Thirdspace of global education. Integrating Structural Inequalities (Galtung, 1969; Farmer, 2004; Tilly, 1998; and Young, 2008), Critical Environmental Justice (Pellow, 2018), Intersectionality (Crenshaw, 1989), World-Systems Analysis (Wallerstein, 1974), and Thirdspace theory (Soja, 1996), the study examines this terrain as both a …

The Questioning Of Special Items During Conference Calls: High Quality Or Highly Questionable?, Jiajia Fu, Yuan Ji, James Potepa

School of Accountancy Faculty Publications

Accounting standards require firms to distinguish recurring revenues and expenses from nonrecurring gains and losses, which are often referred to as special items. However, not all special items are genuinely nonrecurring. Exploiting the setting of earnings conference calls, we explore whether analysts can identify opportunistic special items, as evidenced by asking for more information about them. We find evidence that managers' discussions of special items more often relate to predicted special items, whereas analysts have more questions about potentially opportunistic special items. Managers adopt a relatively more negative tone and use more words when answering questions about potentially opportunistic special …

Activities Of Daily Living Limitations In Middle-Aged And Older Adults With Joint Disorders And Osteoporosis: Indonesia Longitudinal Aging Survey 2023, Desfalina Aryani, Mufti As Siddiq As Siddiq M. Irzal, Agustina Sianipar

Jurnal Epidemiologi Kesehatan Indonesia

Population ageing is associated with an increasing prevalence of limitations in activities of daily living. Joint disorders and osteoporosis are common health problems among older adults and may begin to emerge during middle age, potentially accelerating functional decline. However, studies examining the association between these conditions and limitations in activities of daily living in Indonesia remain limited. This study aimed to analyse the association between joint disorders and osteoporosis and limitations in activities of daily living among middle-aged and older adults in Indonesia. This study employed a cross-sectional design using data from the Indonesia Longitudinal Aging Survey (ILAS) 2023. The …

Third Butte Rmap Biomonitoring (Phase 3) Report, Ramboll, Atlantic Richfield Company

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Glucose-Lowering Effects Of Epigallocatechin Gallate And Metformin In Diabetic Zebrafish Models: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Dinda Ayu Permatasari, Abdul Khairul Rizki Purba, Maftuchah Rochmanti, Rizky Alvian Adi Kurniawan, Shilvi Haliza Pratiwi

Folia Medica Indonesiana

Metformin is widely recognized as an effective glucose-lowering agent for type 2 diabetes mellitus, while epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) has exhibited promising antidiabetic and antioxidant properties in experimental settings. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the impact of EGCG and metformin on blood glucose concentrations in diabetic zebrafish models and to synthesize the related metabolic and mechanistic findings. The protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD420261461237) and the review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Comprehensive searches were performed in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase for in vivo zebrafish studies published from January 2010 to August …

Visual Narratives Of Singapore-Johor Relations Through The 1961 And 1962 Water Agreement, Mohd Firdaus Abdullah, Arba’Iyah Mohd Noor, Ismail Ali, Azian Tahir, Meri Anad

Asia-Pacific Social Science Review

The issue of the Water Agreement between Johor and Singapore has been widely focused among scholars, both in the country and abroad. Various approaches have been used to analyze this issue, including historical perspectives, politics, international affairs, news, academic articles, government policies, and other documentation sources. However, the visual dimension that plays an important role in analyzing power tensions and diplomatic relations related to the 1961 and 1962 Water Treaty is often neglected, even though it has great potential to provide a deeper perspective on this issue. This research focuses on three main videos, namely Singapore lays pipes to draw …

The Role Of The Carbon Footprint In Assessing Environmental Performance In Economic Units: A Case Study Of The Kufa Cement Plant, Muna Mohammed Murad, Bahaa Hussein Mohammed

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

This paper aims to assess the environmental performance of the industrial sector, using the Kufa Cement Plant as a case study due to the tangible environmental impacts of this activity in the areas of gaseous and dust emissions, energy consumption, and waste management. It emphasizes the importance of adopting systematic assessment tools that align with sustainability frameworks and local and international regulations. This research employs a descriptive-analytical methodology, based on the theoretical framework for environmental performance assessment and the principles of environmental management, utilizing performance indicators derived from the international standard ISO 14031 to analyze the plant's operational and environmental …

Nonparametric Control Charts Estimation Using Hybrid Cyber-Intelligence Algorithms For Stock Market Monitoring, Mariam Jumaah Mousa, Munaf Yousif Hmood

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

This paper introduces a novel nonparametric hybrid cyber-intelligence-based statistical process control and anomaly detection framework in time series data. It is developed to overcome the shortcomings of the classical control schemes in dealing with complex, abnormal, and noisy input data, especially when it is autocorrelated. The proposed methodology combines three technical pillars: First, it utilizes a bidirectional long-short-term memory architecture (Bi-LSTM) to capture long-term time dependency and learn nonlinear patterns, leaving only true deviations as residuals that remove trends and noises from the market. Second, it adopts the Golden Eagle Optimizer (GEO) algorithm for optimal parameter selection. This intelligent algorithm …

Writing – Écriture, Peter Goodrich

Articles

This is the twentieth article in this series (and the fifth in volume 77).

Integrating Interdisciplinary Approaches To Enhance Creativity In Higher Education, Yuan Shuang Ma, Gulmira Karabalaeva, Sultan Karabalaev, Guldana Akieva, Nurisa Tynystanova

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives:The aim of this study was to identify specific conditions that promote creativity and innovation among students.

Methods:Through a comprehensive methodology that includes questionnaires, creative thinking tests, and qualitative interviews, the study assessed students’ perceptions of factors influencing creativity.

Results:Key findings highlight the importance of a dynamic, interdisciplinary curriculum that encourages a holistic understanding of real-world challenges. The study emphasized the significance of student-centered learning environments, where active participation, autonomy, and exploration of personal interests foster creativity. The research also demonstrates that innovative teaching methods, such as problem-based learning and the use of modern technology (e.g., multimedia …

Regenerating Publics - Developmental Inclusion: Neighborhood Opportunities And Public Realm Obstacles In Plymouth, Uk, Alessandro Aurigi

School of Art, Design and Architecture

The area around Union Street in Plymouth, UK, has been facing processes of decline. Key historical buildings sit empty, with deteriorating fabrics, epitomizing the socio-economic condition of the neighborhood. This paper explores perceptions of ‘inclusion’ in Union Street, and visions to improve it, through interviews with key stakeholders from community groups, the local authority, local businesses, landlords, local health organizations, visitors and designers. Whilst some local actors amplify inclusive processes - for example in the low-cost re-use of spaces to host micro, alternative businesses or community initiatives – these efforts clash with a general perception of a depleted and unsafe …