Digital Commons Network^™

Temporal Landscapes: Prairie, People, And Place, Eric Castle

The Cicadian

No abstract provided.

Matrescence, Erin Kunz

The Cicadian

Kunz reflects on her transformation into motherhood, describing the physical, emotional, and psychological shifts that accompany the process known as matrescence. Through vivid memories of childhood and early parenting, she explores the complexities of maternal love, especially for women who did not receive unconditional love themselves. Her rocking chair becomes a symbol of nurturing and endurance, where she gave everything to her children while grappling with her own identity. Erin also highlights the supportive role of her partner, challenging traditional gender norms and celebrating shared caregiving. As her children grow, she mourns the environmental changes that have altered the …

Flowing Knowledge: Connecting Education, Watersheds, And Our World, Taylor Lemieux

The Cicadian

The main theme of Taylor Lemieux’s story is the transformative power of experiential environmental education. Through personal memories and professional experiences, she illustrates how hands-on learning in nature fosters curiosity, resilience, and a deep sense of stewardship. Her journey emphasizes that meaningful education goes beyond textbooks—it connects learners to the world around them.

Gardens As Pathways To Environmental Education For All Ages, Lacey Anderson

The Cicadian

Gardens provide hands-on opportunities for environmental education that extend beyond food production, encompassing ecological literacy, sustainability practices, experiential learning, and community engagement. This article uses a creative nonfiction approach to examine the author’s personal journey from reluctant gardener to advocate for learning gardens. Through narrative reflection of her own family’s gardening experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, the author illustrates how gardening fosters intergenerational learning, socio-emotional development, and curiosity-driven exploration of ecological systems. The article highlights how gardens function as accessible entry points for lifelong learners of all ages, demonstrating that environmental literacy can emerge outside of traditional scientific expertise. Ultimately, …

“Grow Your Plants, But Most Importantly, Grow Yourself”: Women, Resilience, And Cultural Continuity In Jamaican And Diaspora Gardens, Giovanni Whyte

The Cicadian

This essay explores the cultural, personal, and transformative power of gardening through the stories of four women—Brenda, Linda, Keisha, and Janice—whose lives span Jamaica and its diaspora. Their narratives reveal gardening as more than food cultivation but the practice of resilience, healing, and cultural continuity. Brenda honors her ancestral legacy in St. Elizabeth; Linda finds solace after loss; Keisha fosters socioemotional growth among urban students; and Janice embraces sustainability in suburban America. Together, their experiences illustrate how gardening nurtures identity, strengthens communities, and connects people to land, memory, and future generations.

Where The Earth Meets The Sky, Ashlyn Ed Herron

The Cicadian

A reflection of finding one's place in an ecosystem that raised them, and a long overdue love-letter to the prairies

Introduction To Our Inaugural Issue, Lacey Anderson, Mary Moroney-Fernandez, Giovanni E. Whyte

The Cicadian

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of A Kn95 Mask On High-Intensity Interval Training Performance, Physiological Response, And Perception, David Kenny, Payton Stanziani, Holly Chambers, Madison Vinovrski, Isabel Allocco, Jack Fisher, Morgan Raley, Kyle S. Beyer

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 18(3): 984-994, 2025. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of a KN95 mask on the performance, physiological response, and perception of high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Twenty college-aged participants (Male: 10, Female: 10) completed a two-visit, crossover, counterbalanced study. The HIIT workout included four 1-minute “all-out” intervals at 3.5% of body mass with 4-minute rest intervals, performed with or without a KN95 mask. Following HIIT, participants remained on the cycle ergometer for a 15-minute recovery period. For each interval, peak power and average power were recorded. Throughout the HIIT workout and recovery, …

Fine-Tuning A Domain-Specific Language Model For Truss Structural Analysis, Rajon Dey, Weidong Wu, Yu Liang, Joseph Owino, Ignatius Fomunung, Mbakisya A. Onyango

UTC Spring Research and Arts Conference

This research investigates the feasibility of fine-tuning a domain-specific language model (LLM) to enhance the accuracy and accessibility of truss structural analysis. General-purpose AI models, such as ChatGPT, often struggle with engineering-specific problems due to insufficient domain knowledge. To address this, we propose fine-tuning a small LLM tailored for structural engineering tasks, with truss analysis using the stiffness method as a case study. The project leverages a curated dataset of textual and diagrammatic inputs from engineering textbooks, manuals, and solved examples. Image-to-text tools will translate structural diagrams into machine-readable formats, reducing data preparation costs while maintaining numerical precision. Fine-tuning involves …

Measuring The Impact Of Network Underlay Outages On Cloud And Production Networks, N/A

Defensive Publications Series

A new approach is provided for measuring the impact of network underlay (Layer 3) outages on customer-facing services, such as internal applications (Layer 7) and external cloud virtual machines (VMs). The approach performs a cross-layer impact analysis by correlating low-level network performance data with customer-level metrics within fine-grained time intervals. By comparing performance across layers for the same network path and time, the system can distinguish between L3 outages that are successfully mitigated ("repaired") and those that "surface" to the customer. The resulting metric, "surfaced SLO burn," quantifies the actual customer-experienced outage, enabling more accurate measurement of the issues and …

Novel And Unobtrusive Technique For Gaze And Head Tracking Calibration In Real-Time For Pc Users, Hp Inc

Defensive Publications Series

This disclosure describes the novel gaze and head tracking calibration procedure for PC users. The process of estimating a participant's ocular and head-pose features to serve as the foundation for a completely personalized and precise gaze point computation is known as calibration. The technique for calibration proposed in this disclosure applies to both types of trackers: external cameras mounted to the PC and software that uses the PC’s built-in camera. The current techniques for such calibrations require the PC user to focus on the pre-defined gaze points at the corners of the screen before gaze-tracking can be performed by software. …

Service Activation Test Solution Over Evpn Multi Homed Networks, Anonymous

Defensive Publications Series

This disclosure relates to enhancements in Service Activation Test (SAT) methodologies for Ethernet VPN (EVPN) networks employing multi-homing with all-active redundancy. Conventional SAT methods, such as those defined in RFC 2544 and ITU-T Y.1564, assume symmetric traffic paths and do not account for Equal-Cost Multi-Path (ECMP) forwarding behavior in EVPN VPLS, VPWS, or FXC deployments. As a result, test frames may traverse non-deterministic paths, causing inaccurate or incomplete service-level measurements. The disclosed solution introduces a uni-directional SAT framework that computes throughput, latency, jitter, and frame-loss on forward paths only, avoiding reliance on reverse traffic. The approach utilizes three functional elements: …

Evaluating The Impact Of Zoa Energy Drink On Muscular Strength, Psychomotor Vigilance, And Mood In Active Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Jose J. Rojas, Jason M. Curtis, Flavia F. Pereira, Cassandra Evans, Kaelan Jones, Alyana Andal, Juan Carlos Santana, Hena Thakkar, Jose Antonio

Journal for Sports Neuroscience

This study evaluates the effects of ZOA Energy Drink, a commercially available energy beverage, on muscular strength, sustained attention, and mood in exercise-trained individuals. Using a randomized, blinded, two-arm design, 24 participants (15 males, 9 females; age = 31.8 ± 8.4 years) were assigned to consume either ZOA Energy Drink or a caffeine-matched placebo. The primary outcomes included psychomotor vigilance (PVT), mood state (POMS), handgrip strength, and push-up performance. Baseline body composition was also assessed using bioelectrical impedance.

Results revealed no statistically significant differences between the ZOA and the caffeine matched control groups in psychomotor vigilance (p = 0.155), mood …

The Prospector, September 9, 2025, Utep Student Publications

The Prospector

No abstract provided.

Nitric Oxide Radiometer Development, Deron Scott, Phil Scott, Trent Newswander, Marty Mlynczak

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

SDL developed a small satellite payload to support the NICEcube mission concept capable of measuring vertical profiles of infrared radiance at 5.3 µm from nitric oxide (NO) in the atmospheric limb (100-250 km). These radiance measurements can be directly inverted to achieve vertical profiles of infrared cooling rates which are crucial to understanding the density response to the thermosphere in times of elevated geomagnetic activity. The payload was designed to fit on a 12U cube sat, function at low power and small mechanical envelope. Completed work includes building the telescope, integrating a representative detector, alignment, test planning, and initial testing. …

Herrin, William Oral History Interview, William Herrin, Gene Pearson

Emeriti Society Oral History Collection

William Herrin (1985-2023) Professor of Economics. Chair of Department of Economics, School of International Studies Director, teaching in Economics Department and School of International Studies, Fulbright research and teaching in Uganda, Long Teaching and Innovation Scholarship, teaching microeconomics, macroeconomics, econometrics and mathematical economics, working for Federal Housing Finance Agency, student life and service.

September 9, 2025, Matt Inverso

Minutes

Vol. 54, No. 1

Geographic Disparities In Birth Outcomes: County-Level Investigation On Pm2.5 And Low Birth Weight In The United States, Eunice Y. Park, Ranju Mainali

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

Exposure to air pollution adversely affects health and is highly associated with birth outcomes. This study analyzes the relationship between air pollution and low birth weight (LBW; less than 2,500 g at birth) at the county level in the United States. Using the latest publicly available data from the County Health Rankings and Roadmaps across 3,027 counties and equivalents, simple and quantile regression analyses were conducted to test the association between the average daily density of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and LBW. The LBW data were from 2016 to 2022 from the National Center for Health Statistics and PM2.5 data …

Gnsi Decision Brief: American Shipbuilding: From Crisis To Made-In-America Opportunity, Guido Rossi, Randall Gentry

GNSI Decision Briefs

Among the most pressing national security issues the new Trump administration has committed to tackle is revitalizing American shipbuilding. In April 2025, the president issued an Executive Order for that purpose of restoring U.S. shipbuilding and providing a maritime action plan for cross-agency coordination. Many historians view the industrial shipbuilding during World War II as the pinnacle of American enterprise to address national defense needs. While in World War II the United States was able to produce around 7,100 large vessels, current reality is much different since that industrial capacity was reduced during the post-war years due to overproduction and …

Iwu Welcomes Largest Incoming Class In 15 Years, Julia Perez

News and Events (Discontinued Series)

No abstract provided.

Intelligence Architectures And Machine Learning Applications In Contemporary Spine Care, Rahul Kumar, Conor Dougherty, Kyle Sporn, Akshay Khanna, Puja Ravi, Pranay Prabhakar, Nasif Zaman

SKMC Student Presentations and Publications

The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies has initiated a paradigm shift in contemporary spine care. This narrative review synthesizes advances across imaging-based diagnostics, surgical planning, genomic risk stratification, and post-operative outcome prediction. We critically assess high-performing AI tools, such as convolutional neural networks for vertebral fracture detection, robotic guidance platforms like Mazor X and ExcelsiusGPS, and deep learning-based morphometric analysis systems. In parallel, we examine the emergence of ambient clinical intelligence and precision pharmacogenomics as enablers of personalized spine care. Notably, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and polygenic risk scores are enabling a shift from …

02. Equilibrium Thermodynamics Ii: Engines, Gerhard Müller

Equilibrium Statistical Physics

Part two of course materials for Statistical Physics I: PHY525, taught by Gerhard Müller at the University of Rhode Island. Documents will be updated periodically as more entries become presentable.

Updated with version 2 on 1/8/2026.

Return To Sport And Performance Outcomes After Hand Fractures In Professional Baseball Players, Ryan W. Paul, Sean M. Wilson, Gaston Davis, Amit Syal, Steven B. Cohen

Rothman Institute Papers

BACKGROUND: About 7% of injuries in the Major League Baseball (MLB) involve the hand. Fractures of the hand are not uncommon in professional baseball players while fielding or from being hit by a pitch while batting; however, the outcomes of professional baseball players treated both operatively and nonoperatively are unclear.

PURPOSE/HYPOTHESIS: The purpose of this study was to report the return-to-sport (RTS) rate, RTS time, and performance outcomes in professional baseball position players who sustained a hand fracture. The secondary purpose was to compare outcomes between positions and between operatively versus nonoperatively treated players. It was hypothesized that there would …

Understanding The Experiences Of People With And Without Vision Impairments When Using Mobile User Interface Alternative Color Modes, Sarah Andrew, Garreth W. Tigwell

Articles

A current trend in mobile user interface design is to provide alternative color modes (ACMs), such as light mode, dark mode, and high contrast mode, to improve people’s interaction experiences according to their vision access needs and/or the environment. For example, high contrast mode can improve UI visibility for people with low vision and for people using their smartphones in bright sunlight. However, little is known about the experiences of people using ACMs. To address this, we interviewed 29 people with and without vision impairments to discuss the benefits and challenges of ACMs. We found that while ACMs are beneficial, …

Nanoparticles And Nanogel Drug Compositions For Treatment Of Age-Related Macular Degeneration, Vijaykumar Bhadabhai Sutariya, Priyanka Sureshbhai Bhatt, Vipul B. Amin, Srinivas M. Tipparaju

USF Patents

Disclosed are nanoparticles and nanogel drug compositions and the use thereof for treating age-related macular degeneration.

Community Engagement Studios To Improve Racial Diversity And Health Equity In Parkinson's, Eunyoung Kang, Dominique Woodhouse, Kandace Davis, Jane Q Yap, Peter S Myers, Meghan C Campbell, Yvonne D Hughes, Joyce E Balls-Berry, Erin R Foster

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Black or African Americans (AA) with Parkinson's disease (PD) are underrepresented in both care and research and experience significant health disparities. The existing literature provides limited guidance on how to enhance the engagement of AA individuals in PD care and research, particularly from the perspectives of AA patients, care partners, and healthcare providers. This project aimed to (1) describe the use of Community Engagement (CE) Studios as a community-engaged research approach to inform culturally appropriate and inclusive research and (2) examine factors influencing AA engagement in PD-related activities.

METHODS: We conducted three CE Studios: one with AA with PD …

How Is Food Insecurity Measured In The United States And What Share Of Older Adults Are Food Insecure?, Colleen M. Heflin, Madonna Harrington Meyer

Population Health Research Brief Series

The U.S. Department of Agriculture measures food insecurity based on whether households had problems affording food during the last twelve months. Based on the current definition, in 2023 9.2% of households with adults ages 60 and older were food insecure. But there are many problems with the existing definition for accurately capturing food insecurity among older adults.

Based on the book, Food for Thought: Understanding Older Adults Food Insecurity, this brief summarizes those limitations, noting that existing measures do not account for barriers that are common among older adults, such as mobility, physical distance, and transportation barriers.

Gerard Manley Hopkins, Sj: Master Architect Of The Company Of Poets, Timothy J. Wesley

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

It has been 107 years since the first collected Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins, SJ were published by the poet-scholar’s friend and confidant Robert Seymour Bridges. Literary commentators, historians, and theologians have sought to understand the great poet of the Jesuits since the posthumous release of the poetry to the wide world in 1918. Of the many angles on Hopkins’s life that have been analyzed and examined, we could name a few: his sublimated sexuality, his identity as a religious priest, the poet’s placement within The Victorian Period, a voice of apologetic theology within Modernity, a political eco-centric voice, and …

Stake-And-Weave Trellising Produces Higher Tomato Yield In High Tunnels Than Does A Double- Or Multiple-Leader Vertical-String Support System, Elizabeth Maynard

Department of Horticulture & Landscape Architecture Faculty Publications

Yield of tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) grown in high tunnels in Wanatah, IN, USA, was evaluated using two plant support systems: stake-and-weave or vertical-string. With stake-and-weave, plants were not pruned; stakes were placed every two plants and string was woven horizontally along either side of the plants along the row. With vertical-string, indeterminate cultivars Big Beef and Cherokee Purple were pruned to two stems and each stem was clipped to a vertical string. For the determinate cultivar Mountain Fresh, all branches below the first main stem flower cluster except one were removed and the main stem and major branches …

Ferric Metal-Organic Frameworks (Mofs)-Based Electrospinning Fibers For Supercapacitors, Samar A. Salim, Hani Nasser Abdelhamid

Nanotechnology Research Centre

Ferric-based metal-organic frameworks (Fe-MOFs) were synthesized and incorporated into poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) using electrospinning to produce PMMA_Fe-MOF nanofibers. The materials were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The electrospun materials were directly integrated into nickel foam (NF) electrodes for energy storage applications, e.g., supercapacitors. The electrochemical performance was assessed using cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge-discharge curves (GCDC), linear sweep voltammetry (LSV), and electrochemical potentiokinetic reactivation (EPR). The PMMA_Fe-MOF electrodes exhibited outstanding capacitive performance, achieving specific capacitances of up to 1017.5 F/g at 1 A/g for the 2.5 % Fe-MOF …