Digital Commons Network^™

Gender Representation In Automotive Safety: The Role Of Female Crash Test Dummies, Gökçe Hilal Yavuz, Emre Arabaci, Ajab Khan Kasi

Platform: A Journal of Engineering

Vehicle testing is conducted to evaluate safety, durability, environmental compliance, and performance. Various tests, such as crash, performance, durability, environmental impact, and chemical safety, are conducted to ensure that vehicles meet regulatory and quality standards. In crash testing, anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs), commonly referred to as dummies, are used to simulate the effects of collisions on the human body and to assess injury risks. These dummies differ in terms of gender representation and design; for example, the Hybrid III model represents an average male, EvaRID represents a female, and WorldSID is used for side-impact evaluations. Anatomical and biomechanical differences between …

A Hybrid Reliability Framework For Spare Part Optimisation Under Uncertainty Of Marine Vessel Systems, Ahmad Fauzi Sagap, Ainul Akmar Mokhtar

Platform: A Journal of Engineering

Effective spare part management relies heavily on accurate reliability assessment. However, in new or complex systems, historical failure data are often limited, making traditional probabilistic reliability models inadequate. This paper proposes a hybrid reliability framework that integrates conventional reliability theory with fuzzy logic to address both aleatory (random)and epistemic (lack of knowledge) uncertainties. The approach combines crisp failure rate estimation using exponential distributions with fuzzy reliability modelling using the triangular fuzzy number (TFN) methodology and fuzzy logic to support dynamic decision-making for a maintenance plan. The degree of membership functions is derived from the TFN and provides the operator with …

Computer Applications In Electrical Engineering: Recent Trends, Future Requirements, And An Educational Review, Hemant Mehar

Platform: A Journal of Engineering

The integration of programming languages into electrical engineering has become increasingly pivotal as the field evolves with technological advancements. This paper explores recent trends in the application of programming languages in electrical engineering, emphasising how they enhance design, simulation, and automation. The main focus is on the use of high-level programming languages for modelling and simulation, and on various algorithm-based ML approaches for optimisation. Additionally, the paper examines future requirements for programming skills in electrical engineering, highlighting the need for continuous adaptation to emerging technologies and interdisciplinary approaches. An educational review is provided to assess current curricula and suggest improvements, …

Examination Of Triple-Pass V-Groove And Parallel-Pass V-Groove, And Finned Absorber Plates Solar Air Heater: A Numerical Study, Arafat Esam Abdullah Abdulmajeed, Afşin Güngör

Platform: A Journal of Engineering

```python text = """The adoption of solar energy and associated large-scale projects is on the rise to address the escalating global energy demand, owing to their cost-effectiveness, environmental friendliness, and status as clean energy sources. The primary objective of the present study is to investigate the performance of parallel-pass solar air heaters (SAHs) equipped with grooved and finned absorbers, as well as the performance of a triple-pass SAH with a grooved absorber plate, through numerical modelling. The absorber in the finned SAH had longitudinal fins on both the top and bottom surfaces. The heat and fluid properties of a parallel-pass …

Social Construction Of Female-Headed Households Participating In Hud Public Housing Programs, Emma Forks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem this study addressed involved factors associated with long-term program involvement of female-headed households living in public and vouchered housing. The literature indicated a significant gap regarding the reasons women who received federal housing assistance stayed in government housing. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to examine the experiences of female-headed households living in public housing and Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) housing in a Central Texas region, specifically to identify the factors that limited their ability to leave these programs. Using Schneider and Ingram’s social construction of target populations theory, the data was collected from eight participants …

Associations Between Health-Seeking Behaviors And Social Support For Adult Black Women In The United States, Patricia Saint Cyr-Hager

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A persistent gap exists involving health outcomes for Black women in the United States, regardless of socioeconomic status when compared to Black men and White women. This qualitative case study involved exploring the influence of social support on health-seeking behaviors among Black women. Sixteen participants, between ages 22 to 49 from nine states, were recruited. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews based on the social support theory. An analysis of the network composition showed that family members (including mothers, fathers, sisters, and partners), friends, community support groups not connected to social media, and online community support groups were the most …

The Association Between E-Cigarette Use And Community Mattering Among Adolescents In Maine, April Hughes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

E-cigarette use among U.S. high school students is a significant public health issue. Factors such as mattering, sexual orientation, and gender identity (SOGI) influence e-cigarette use among adolescents, yet few studies have explored the relationship between mattering and e-cigarette use when considering SOGI. This quantitative study explored the association between past 30-day e-cigarette use and mattering among Maine high schoolers while controlling for SOGI and grade level. This correlational cross-sectional study used the 2023 Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey data, and the socioecological model served as the theoretical foundation. A multivariate binary logistic regression analysis indicated a significant association between …

Gender Differences In Japanese Elderly Learning Motivation, Yesy Tri Cahyani, Kurniawaty Iskandar, I Ketut Surajaya, Kosuke Mizuno, Jumanto Jumanto, Emila Ligia

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

Ageing is likely to become a 'gender issue' with a big number of women surviving into very old age in almost all the countries of the world. Japanese women have longer longevity than Japanese men. What is the secret behind the higher lifespan of Japanese women compared to Japanese men? Is it related to their ikigai? In this qualitative approach research, we chose the subjects as elderly men and women who participated in Easy English Conversation Courses in Kitakyushu Nenchousha Daigakkou (Kitakyushu Elder University). We assumed that to participate in Easy English Conversation Courses may change their life and …

Roblox As Open Text: Identity, Meaning, And Ideology Through Eco’S Semiotics, Yuyus Rustandi, Nanang Sutisna

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

This study examines Roblox as a digital cultural space that constructs and represents adolescent identity through Umberto Eco's semiotic approach. Roblox functions not only as a game platform but also as an open text comprising visual signs, social symbols, and complex narratives. This studi is based on a literature review from nine prior empirical studies, this research analyzes how avatars, virtual environments, Robux economy, and user communities shape diverse systems of meaning. Findings show that Roblox serves as a site for identity construction, simulation of social values, and reproduction of dominant discourses such as capitalism and gender performance. The study …

Ai Ethics And Governance For Leaders In Higher Education: A Hermeneutic Phenomenology Of Faculty Early Adopters’ Sensemaking, Pedagogical Innovation, And Transformation, Freddie Seba

Doctoral Dissertations

Artificial Intelligence (AI), especially Generative AI (GenAI), is transforming how we work, learn, acquire, produce, and deliver knowledge, as higher education experiences existential pressures, including demographic changes that reduce enrollment and revenues, as well as shifting public and government perceptions of higher education's value.

This hermeneutic phenomenology dissertation study explores how faculty early adopters critically engage, innovate, and experiment with this nascent transformational technology in their pedagogies amid multilevel pressures: macro—market-driven (neoliberalism) logic, Big Tech, and demographic change; meso—institutional policy, broader faculty community, and pedagogical innovation; micro—widespread student adoption, pedagogical experimentation, and innovation.

This dissertation study centers on shifting AI …

The Impact Of Pasifikas In Medicine On Pacific Islander Medical Student Experiences, Devon Hori Harvey, Micah Ngatuvai, Siale Vaitohi, Paige E. Faasuamalie, Maegan Tupinio, Lisa H. Smith

Student Papers, Posters & Projects

BACKGROUND: Pacific Islanders experience significant health disparities. One contributing aspect to these disparities is the lack of racial concordance as Pacific Islanders are underrepresented in the U.S. physician work force. Several factors contribute to this underrepresentation including lack of support systems for Pacific Islander premed and medical students. Pasifikas in Medicine (PiM) is a recently established national student organization founded to provide support for Pacific Islander premed students, medical students, residents, fellows and attending physicians. This study seeks to understand the impact of PiM on medical student experiences.

METHODS: An anonymous survey was distributed to the PiM listserv and to …

A Novel Mathematical Model Of Hiv Transmission Incorporating The Effects Of Treatment And Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis: Sensitivity Analysis And Numerical Simulations, Erick Manuel Delgado Moya

Mathematical Modelling and Numerical Simulation with Applications

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) continues to be a public health problem in many countries of the world, and Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a preventive method for HIV, which has shown great efficacy and is in use worldwide. This work presents a new mathematical model for HIV transmission incorporating PrEP use and evaluates the impact of PrEP along with its increasing use in a population. The construction of the model takes into account three forms of diagnosis: diagnosis of individuals in risky sexual contact, diagnosis after risky contact (diagnosis in the undiagnosed infected compartment), and diagnosis associated with attempting to enter …

When Delivery Matters: Diffuse Coronary Vasospasm With Continuous, But Not Bolus, 5-Fu Infusion, Muhammad Sabri, Zinya Talukder, Angad Bedi, Sung-Hae Cho

Division of Internal Medicine Faculty Papers & Presentations

5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is a fluorinated pyrimidine chemotherapy analogue used to treat various gastrointestinal solid malignancy. It is known to be associated with cardiotoxicity. Here, we present a case of 58-year-old male with mucinous adenocarcinoma of the sigmoid colon who experienced global coronary vasospasm in setting of continuous 5-FU infusion refractory to prophylactic antianginal treatment. However, he was asymptotic when given bolus of 5-FU. Our case highlights the difference in toxicity between continuous and bolus 5-FU therapy and emphasizes the need for further research in the pathophysiology and treatment of cardiotoxicity related to 5-FU therapy.

Gas-Flux-Determination-Method Effects On Greenhouse Gas Emissions Andglobal Warming Potential From Soybean In Southeast Arkans, Jonathan B. Brye, Diego Della Lunga, Kristofor R. Brye

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Greenhouse gas (GHG) research and quantification have increased in importance recently due to climate change. Non-flow-through chamber systems collect large quantities of gas concentration data to determine the gas flux, but gas-flux-determination (GFD) methods can vary between regression models, how negative fluxes are considered, and what agroecosystem is evaluated, which makes selecting an analysis method complicated. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of GFD method [i.e. linear (L) and exponential (E) regression models, with negative fluxes (WNF) and with reassigned negative fluxes (RNF)] on GHG fluxes, emissions, and global warming potential (GWP) from soybean (Glycine max) …

Counter-Mapping A Sugar Mill In Mascarilla, Afro-Ecuadorian Ancestral Territory Of The Chota Valley, Andrea E. Chavez Chuquimarca

Graduate Masters Theses

This project examines the legacies of the colonial hacienda (estate) system in the community of Mascarilla, situated in the Ancestral Territory of the Chota Valley, Carchi Province, in the northern highlands of Ecuador. This study is framed within the first half of the 20th century, during the early stages of industrialization in Ecuador, and the last period in which the Trapiche de Mascarilla was still functioning. These elements will be viewed through the lens of the archaeological feature of the trapiche (panela production facility), serving as a referential space of history under the huasipungo system (debt-peonage). The interconnected components of …

Empowering Youth In A Changing Climate: Design, Implementation, And Evaluation Of A Salt Marsh Summer Science Program, Dan Levesque

Graduate Masters Theses

Climate change presents not only environmental challenges but also emotional challenges for today’s youth. This thesis documents the design, implementation, and evaluation of a field-based summer science program aimed at empowering adolescents with coastal salt marsh ecology while addressing climate change emotions and science identity development. The program, based in a Massachusetts salt marsh, was adapted from existing public environmental curricula and guided by place- and experience-based learning principles. Over Spring and Summer 2025, 13 students (ages 13-18) participated in extra-curricular field trips, hands-on research activities, and reflective discussions about the environment and the emotions it brings forth. Pre- and …

Autistic Adults In-Session Experiences In Psychotherapy: A Qualitative Meta-Analysis Of Helpful And Harmful Factors From First-Person Perspectives, Elizabeth Kilgallon

Graduate Masters Theses

Autistic adults face heightened mental health needs yet encounter significant barriers in psychotherapy. Research on psychotherapy has often emphasized quantitative trials of specific modalities, while little attention has been paid to autistic adults’ own perspectives about in-session therapeutic processes. There is a need for clinical guidance that foregrounds autistic clients’ lived experiences of therapy, with emphasis on identifying what they find helpful or harmful, to inform accessible and affirming practice. In the present study, I conducted a qualitative meta-analysis that investigates autistic adults’ first-person accounts of psychotherapy. Thirty-three studies were included in the analysis. I used critical-constructivist grounded theory to …

Information Processing In Quantum Thermodynamic Systems, Shou-I Tang

Graduate Masters Theses

This thesis extends the classical autonomous Hamiltonian framework of information thermodynamics to the quantum regime. In this formulation, a composite system consisting of a principal system, a heat bath, a memory, and a work source is described by fully quantum, time-independent Hamiltonian dynamics. By introducing the quantum speed limit (QSL) for the system and memory subsystems, referred to as the Quantum Thermodynamic Speed Limit (QTSL), I establish a connection between the QTSL and Landauer’s principle. This relationship reveals the fundamental constraints on quantum information processing in terms of dynamics and energy costs during the evolution. Furthermore, I present an interpretation …

Something To Say: Nativism, Prohibition, And The Loss Of Political Alignment In Davenport, Iowa’S German-American Community 1848-1922, Clayton R. Schuler

Graduate Masters Theses

This thesis ends with the municipal elections of 1920 in Davenport, Iowa. Amid the First Red Scare, the Socialist Party was swept into power. The party won under inauspicious national conditions thanks in part to a successful campaign on local concerns; the party had something to say. An examination of the years prior to the election, however, reveals that other factors contributed to political unalignment for the city’s large German descended population. Frustrated with Republican and Democratic parties that seemed to have no place for them, these voters had something to say as well. Ultimately the opportunity that this unalignment …

Foodways And Community: Shellfish Consumption At Sitio Drago In Bocas Del Toro, Panamá, Megan E. Winnick

Graduate Masters Theses

Food-related practices provide marginalized groups with spaces for cultural exchange and asserting agency within colonial contexts, often leading to the formation of new communities and identities. Marine mollusks, due to their widespread accessibility, have a significant role in the cuisines of African Diaspora and Indigenous communities in Latin America. This thesis examines shellfish consumption at Sitio Drago in Bocas del Toro, Panamá, highlighting how shellfish harvesting and communal cooking fostered community expression through local food sources. The study includes analyses of spatial distribution of mollusk species, MNI counts across three temporal periods, and a size distribution of common gastropods. Findings …

The Strange Made Beautiful, The Beautiful Made Strange: Dime Museums, Freak Shows, And The Circassian Beauty In 19th-Century American Popular Culture, Emma P. Lovejoy

Graduate Masters Theses

In the fall of 1864, the infamous showman P. T. Barnum premiered a new human oddity exhibit at his American Museum in New York City. Unlike most of the other freak performers there, there was nothing inherently extraordinary about the body of the woman who he introduced as “Zalumma Agra, the Star of the East.” Instead, she had intentionally teased her hair into a mane of curls unfashionable and uncommon for Caucasian women, and dressed in a costume meant to evoke Turkish or more broadly Near Eastern aesthetics. To explain and elevate her unusual appearance, Barnum (or another of the …

Ai And Creativity, Herbert Midgley

Faculty Publications

This article argues that artificial intelligence is best understood as a tool in continuity with earlier technologies like digital cameras, non-linear editing, MIDI, and desktop publishing, rather than as a magical threat that will erase creativity or employment. Drawing on historical shifts from film to digital video, manual paste‑up to graphic design software, and acoustic instruments to synthesizers, the author shows that new tools disrupt workflows and certain jobs, yet ultimately broaden access and generate new creative opportunities. Concerns about AI’s resource use are contextualized by comparing its water footprint to bottled water, agriculture, beef production, and textiles, concluding that …

Comprehensive Study Of Pediatric Migraine Based On Patient Data Of Demographic, Characteristic, And Treatment Outcomes, Shaima’A Dakhel Abdulhassan, Safa’A Dakhel Abdulhassan

Al-Qadisiyah Medical Journal

Introduction: Migraine is a common neurological disorder in pediatric consultations. It is often disabling and influencing negatively the quality of life of pediatric migraine patients (PMPs). Aim: This study aimed to characterize the demographic profile of 98 PMPs from outpatient and private clinics in Al-Diwaniyah City, Iraq. This study describes demographic distribution, migraine characteristics, associated symptoms, familial history, trigger factors, and treatment outcomes of PMPs. Patients and Methods: The dataset had the following variables: age, sex, duration and severity of the migraines, frequency of attacks, associated symptoms, family history, trigger factor, types of treatments, and follow-up duration. Descriptive statistics were …

The Role Of Il-13 Serum Levels With Its Genetic Polymorphism In The Risk Of Developing Chronic Rhinosinusitis, Baneen Mohammed Ali Hussein, Ibrahim Abdulmajeed Mustafa

Al-Qadisiyah Medical Journal

Background: Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) represents a prolonged inflammatory condition of both nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses which extends more than 12 weeks without any sign of improvement. This condition affects work attendance along with productivity levels and quality of life detrimentally. Objective: To find out whether IL-13 rs1800925 C/T-1055 genetic polymorphism and its serum levels have a risk value for CRS disease. Methods: Three groups have been used as the basis for a case-control study. Thirty patients with a history of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyp; thirty patients with a history of chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyp; and thirty healthy …

The Influence Of Ai Use On Innovativeness In Higher Education Institutions, Joanna Zimmer, Katarzyna Tworek

European Management Studies

Purpose: The aim of the study is to analyse the influence of AI tools use on innovativeness through Employees’ Dynamic Capabilities (EDC) among Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), taking into account regulation concerning AI and its possible moderating impact on that relation.

Design/methodology/approach: A critical literature review was combined with empirical research. The empirical research was conducted using a survey questionnaire on a group of 529 university employees from four European countries: France, Poland, Spain, and Great Britain. To ensure a diverse dataset, responses were collected from multiple sources, including an internal collaborative network and a purchased respondent panel. Data …

Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome: Key Insights For Pediatricians, Michael Smith, Pezad Doctor

Pediatrics in Practice: A CME Podcast

Join Pezad Doctor, MD for a focused discussion on hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). Learn what pediatricians need to know about early detection, surgical stages, interstage monitoring, and supporting families through this complex journey. Practical tips and emerging updates will help you feel confident in managing HLHS in your practice.

Click here to stream the podcast episode.

The Effect Of Fixed And Variable Practice Based On Distance And Target Size On Developing Shooting Skill Performance In Futsal Players, Ismael Qasim Jameel

Modern Sport

The importance of the research lies in identifying exercises in the fixed and variable styles, using targets of different sizes and working at varying distances to improve players' skill performance. The research aimed to prepare exercises according to the distance and size of the targets and to identify the extent of the impact of these exercises on the scoring skill performance of futsal players by measuring the accuracy and speed of the skill. The researcher used the experimental method with a two-group design, selecting the research sample purposively from the College of Arts, University of Baghdad, futsal team. The sample …

Haptic Journey Through Circular Textiles Design Practices, María Tamames-Sobrino, Adriana Cagigas-Gil, Laura Saldaña-Puentes, Carlota Gramunt, Mariana Gramunt

Artículos científicos

This paper presents an analytical framework designed to explore the educational barriers hindering the transition towards sustainability in the textile and fashion industry. The approach is based on the analysis of the ongoing Sustentare Project, which focuses on circular design methodologies and adopts the Textile Strategy Approach. Through the analysis and discussion of this project, we argue that textiles play a significant role in shaping cultural, economic, and ecological regeneration. Moreover, the established framework offers a more refined understanding of how design can drive sustainability transitions. It introduces additional analytical tools to circular design thinking, allowing for a deeper exploration …

Health Risk Assessment (Hra) In Home-Based Ironing Businesses: Risk Identification, Intervention, And Evaluation In Johar Baru District, Central Jakarta, Heru Alfares, Irawadi Darmaputra, Marsen Isbayuputra, Muhammad Ilyas

Occupational and Environmental Medicine Journal of Indonesia

Background Home-based ironing businesses in Johar Baru District, Central Jakarta, are part of the informal sector, vulnerable to health risks due to suboptimal working conditions. This study aims to identify, assess, and control health risks through a Health Risk Assessment (HRA) approach.

Methods Research methods include direct observation, interviews, environmental measurements, health screenings, and ergonomic surveys using the BRIEF (Baseline Risk Identification of Ergonomic Factor) instrument.

Results The results indicate that the temperature in the ironing area reaches 33°C, exceeding the comfort standard, and that 80% of workers have dark yellow urine, indicating a high risk of dehydration. Risk assessment …

Returning To Work On Chef With Graves’ Disease: A Case Report, Izzatul Abadiyah, Dewi Sumaryani Soemarko

Occupational and Environmental Medicine Journal of Indonesia

Background Graves’ disease has adverse effects on quality of life, because of somatic psychiatric symptoms and an inability to work. Chefs face many occupational hazards that can aggravate certain medical conditions, worsen the disease, and pose safety risks at work. This case report aims to assess the returning-to-work evaluation and program for a chef with Graves’ disease.

Case Description A forty-seven-year-old Indonesian male who was diagnosed with Graves’ disease from characteristic clinical features and biochemical abnormalities was admitted to the hospital with shortness of breath. TSH concentration was 0.001mU/L, FT4 concentration was 2.85 ng/dL, hemoglobin level was 10.6 g/dL, and …