Digital Commons Network^™

Direct Shear Strength Of Rpc Member, Shahad Q. Madhlom, Hussein A. Aziz, Ammar A. Ali

Engineering and Technology Journal

In this research paper, results are obtained from Reactive Powder Concrete (RPC) push-off specimens - double L shape subjected to direct shear loading. Different parameters considered are compressive strength, percentages of steel fiber, presence of aggregate and shear reinforcement. The results show that increasing in steel fiber content starting from 0.0% and ending with 1.5% leads to increases in the shear strength by (261%) and attempt to decrease its brittleness. The presence of steel fiber content enhances and improves the tensile strength and the shear strength. Using RPC in constructing the specimens enhances the shear strength by 29.6% compared with …

Performance Evaluation Of Photovoltaic Panels By A Proposed Automated System Based On Microcontrollers, Mustafa Q. Ali, Monaf S. Tapoub, Hayder A. Dhahadc

Engineering and Technology Journal

In this paper, an automated test setup for PV panels using LabVIEW and several microcontrollers (μCs) based embedded systems has been designed, tested, and implemented. This PV testing system has been characterized as fully automated and the only human intervention required is to install the PV panel and to set the required testing conditions. Several PV panels were evaluated and tested, the obtained results showed a high degree of accuracy and conformity with several testing schemes that have been carried out numerically, manually and manufacturer specifications. The designed system is characterized by a high-performance standard with accuracy, precision, and resolution …

Evaluation Of Gridded Precipitation Products And Machine-Learning Models For Rainfall Prediction In Arid Regions - Case Study In Qassim Region, Ksa, Ragab Rabeiy

Yanbu Journal of Engineering and Science

Receiving rainfall predictions in dry regions such as Saudi Arabia is challenging due to limited observational stations and the temporal and spatial variability of rainfall events. This study explores the performance of nine remote sensing rainfall datasets over the Qassim region of central Saudi Arabia. High-resolution rainfall data from ground-based sources were used to evaluate the accuracy of CHIRPS, TRMM, GPM, PERSIANN, CMORPH, CFSR, TerraClimate, TerraClimate_Monthly, and ERA5 datasets. Performance metrics such as R2, RMSE, MAE, and bias were calculated to quantify the accuracy of each dataset. Analysis revealed that ERA5 generally demonstrated better accuracy than the other datasets with …

Attention-Based Ensemble Deep Learning Model For Arabic And English Fake News Classification, Ameer Alhaq Alshamery

Journal of Intelligent Informatics, Networking, and Cybersecurity

It is difficult to classify articles as fake news since one article may consist of true facts with only some statements being fake. Moreover, classification becomes complicated for the Arabic language owing to its morphology and several ways of spelling, as well as the lack of well-classified and marked data sets. This paper presents an Ensemble Deep Learning Model (EDLM) used for Arabic and English fake news classification. The EDLM consists of CNN, Bi-LSTM with attention, and Bi-GRU with attention networks. Each of them produces one probability of the article, which is then summed up to a final probability via …

Topical Enrofloxacin Solution Delays Tympanic Membrane Epithelial Migration In Healthy Dogs, Jinseo Oh, Seulgi Bae

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

Tympanic membrane epithelial migration (TMEM) is essential for homeostasis and self-cleaning function of the tympanic membrane and external ear canal. Otitis externa is common in small animal practice, and topical preparations are widely used for management. Although several treatments have been reported to alter TMEM rates in dogs, evidence on the effects of topical antibiotics on TMEM is limited. This study evaluated the effect of topical enrofloxacin on TMEM in healthy dogs. TMEM was assessed in both tympanic membranes of three healthy dogs (six ears) using a within-subject design with control and experimental conditions. In the experimental condition, enrofloxacin (5 …

Dynamic Media Device Power Management Using Proximity Inferred From Wireless Signals, Nikita Agarwal

Defensive Publications Series

Power management for media devices can be inefficient when a user is listening to audio content but is not actively viewing the display, potentially leading to increased energy consumption. Systems and methods can manage display power by inferring user proximity. The technology can utilize wireless signal characteristics, such as a received signal strength indicator from a user's personal peripheral device (e.g., a smartwatch, smartphone, or earbuds), to establish virtual zones around a media playback device. When the system infers that a user has moved from a viewing zone to a listening zone, it can automatically deactivate the display panel while …

Selective Factors Impacting Charter High School Enrollment, Nathan Marshall

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined factors influencing high school choice among Utah families, comparing parent priorities between charter and traditional public high schools. Using one-way ANOVA with Tukey honestly significant difference (HSD) post hoc comparisons, parental priorities were analyzed across personal, school community, and academic factors. Parents choosing traditional public high schools rated personal and school community factors significantly higher, emphasizing relationships and school climate, while charter high school parents rated academic factors significantly higher, favoring rigor and instructional quality. Charter parents' priorities were not uniform, however, but varied significantly by school model, suggesting that the charter-versus-traditional divide masks meaningful differences within …

Unplanned Public Nature Interiority, Kendra Locklear Ordia

Interiority

This paper advances a theory of urban interiority through the concept of public nature interiority, integrating ecological thinking into the spatial, sensory, and temporal conditions of exterior spaces that feel interior. Drawing on works by Tine Poot, Richard Sennett, Liz Teston, and Suzie Attiwill, it challenges binary distinctions between interior and exterior, emphasising relational and dynamic urban conditions. Using Attiwill's notions of collective individuation and an ecology of subjectivity, interiority is reframed as being shaped not only by human perception and experience with nature but also by biotic relations and multispecies interactions. The theory is situated within terrain vague—indeterminate, overlooked …

Pixel Weave: Explore The Craft, Share The Story, Janki Akbari

Theses

Traditional craft practices are often preserved as finished objects rather than experienced as active systems of knowledge. As a result, the techniques, visual logic, and cultural meaning behind these crafts become less accessible to broader audience. Pixel Weave addresses this challenge by translating the double ikat (a premium, highly complex weaving technique in which both the warp (vertical) and weft (horizontal) yarns are individually resist-dyed to a preplanned pattern before being placed on the loom, so that the design only fully emerges once the two dyed yarn sets are woven together) weaving logic of Patan Patola, a centuries old textile …

Depressive Symptoms By The Quality Of Life Among Korean American Midlife Women, Yeeun Kim, Jiwon Baek, Dongmi Kim, Seulgi Ryu, Wonshik Chee, Eun-Ok Im

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: Midlife women experience a major developmental transition involving multidimensional changes (physical, psychological, and social changes), before, during, and after their menopause (1-4). During this transition, the women’s depressive symptoms could be linked to their quality of life (5). However, few studies have been conducted on the women’s depressive symptoms by their quality of life. The aim of this study was to identify patterns of depressive symptoms by the QoL among Korean American midlife women and provide directions for future interventions for this specific population.

Methods: This is a part of an ongoing randomized controlled trial of Korean American midlife …

Effectiveness Of A Microdebriefing Intervention In A Rural Hospital: A Quality Improvement Project, Adrienne Nicole Nelson, Judith Walloch, Sheila Huggins, Teresa Mcconkey, Kathy Williams

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Nurses, who experience a critical incident as a sudden unexpected event, can be devastated as second victims (Buhlmann et al., 2021; Edrees & Wu, 2021). The associated psychological stress negatively impacts coping, resulting in an increased risk of fixating on or reliving the critical incident for many years (Buhlmann et al., 2021; Cantu, 2020; Harvey & Tapp, 2020). The consequential impact on coping increases the likelihood for second victims to experience secondary traumatic stress, post-traumatic stress disorder, or other mental health issues. A lack of organizational support can lead to organizational consequences such as higher nursing attrition, poor patient safety …

Marginalized Youths Pathways Into Healthcare: Hands-On Workshops As A Catalyst For Empowerment, James Ehiagwina

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: There is a disparity in the representation of individuals from marginalized and racialized backgrounds across healthcare professions (Keisha et. al, 2022). These disparities reflect ongoing barriers to access and a lack of relatable representation. Engaging workshops in healthcare professions have the ability to foster identification and inspiration for marginalized youths (Kendrick et. al, 2020).

Objective: To address these gaps, the CBNA-YorkU, a student-led organization, developed a summer workshop for marginalized youth to introduce nursing as an achievable career, promote a sense of possibility, and spark interest in post-secondary education.

Description: Building on the success of the 2024 inaugural workshop, …

Evaluating An Innovative Frugal Nurse-Led Diabetes Self-Management Educational Programme In Uganda, Melanie Stephens, Louise Ackers, Rincy Sajiith, Daniel Parker, Rachel Namirro

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: Diabetes is a global health care problem, with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) projected to increase by 2045 (WHO, 2023). Diabetes health related complications such as foot ulcers (DFU) constitute the largest proportion of admissions, amputations, and mortality and have significant impact on healthcare resources, patients and communities in low to middle income countries (Rigato et al., 2018). Using Burdett Trust for Nursing funding the research team (two nurse researchers, a social scientist, and a biomechanic scientist) wanted to address this issue by introducing 'nurse-led frugal innovations' to demonstrably improve morbidity, reduce mortality, in-patient stays …

Exploring Adherence Barriers To Nutrition Intervention: A Qualitative Study Of The Pro-Heart Trial, Andrew Thomas Reyes, Angelina Nguyen, Alona D. Angosta, Rebecca Meraz, Kelly L. Wierenga, Jennifer Kawi, Lorraine S. Evangelista

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Altering the dietary habits of individuals with obesity, heart failure, and cardiometabolic comorbidities can enhance their health outcomes (Gjermeni et al., 2025). Adhering to these interventions remains challenging, leading to higher dropout and lower retention rates in clinical nutrition trials (Chao et al., 2021). To develop enduring, patient-focused interventions, it is essential to understand participants' experiences. Therefore, this qualitative sub-study explored participant-reported barriers to dietary adherence within the Pro-HEART randomized controlled trial, which evaluated the effects of high-protein versus standard-protein diets in individuals with heart failure and metabolic syndrome or Type 2 diabetes mellitus. The intervention in the Pro-HEART trial …

Acute Opioid Responses Are Modulated By Dynamic Interactions Of Oprm1 And Fgf12, Paige M Lemen, Alexander S Hatoum, Arpana Agrawal, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

We generated time-series data for 105 morphine- and naloxone-related traits across ~700 BXD mice (64 diverse strains for both sexes) for 3 hr after a single morphine injection. Variations in responses were mapped using genome sequencing-based genotypes. The locomotor responses to morphine mapped to the µ opioid receptor gene (

Reflections: More Than Memories, Jerry L. Pitts

Faculty Publications and Presentations

What if the memories of your life could become windows into God's faithfulness?

Reflections: More Than Memories is a yearlong devotional journey born from real-life experiences, heartfelt ministry, and a lifelong walk with Christ. Drawing from personal reflections shared over many years, Dr. Jerry L. Pitts invites readers to discover how God works through everyday moments, difficult seasons, unexpected blessings, and enduring faith.

Each daily devotional includes Scripture, a thoughtful reflection, and a prayer designed to encourage spiritual growth and a deeper relationship with God. Through stories of perseverance, worship, gratitude, loss, service, hope, and redemption, readers are reminded that …

Acquisitions Unit Annual Report 2025-2026, Andrée J. Rathemacher

Technical Services Reports and Statistics

Annual Report of the Acquisitions Unit, University Libraries, University of Rhode Island for FY2026. Covers personnel, work flow, special projects, and serial, monograph, and e-resource acquisitions. Supplemental files include data on library materials expenditures by a number of variables as well as important working documents from the year.

Lawyers Behind The Game: How Team General Counsel Shape The Future Of Sports, Jeffrey S. Moorad Sports Law Journal Symposium

Jeffrey S. Moorad Sports Law Journal (1994 - )

No abstract provided.

From Anaerobic Digesters To The Human Gut: Ecological Responses Of Microbiomes To Environmental And Biological Perturbations, Maliea Annholden Nipko

Theses and Dissertations

Microbial communities regulate essential ecological and metabolic processes across both engineered and host-associated ecosystems. Although these systems differ substantially in composition and function, they are governed by common ecological principles including community succession, resilience, species interactions, and responses to environmental and biological perturbations. This dissertation investigates how perturbations influence microbiome structure, function, and stability through three complementary studies spanning anaerobic digestion and the human gut microbiome. First, the effects of an extremophilic biological pretreatment using Caldicellulosiruptor bescii were evaluated in industrial-scale anaerobic digesters treating dairy manure. High- temperature pretreatment substantially altered microbial community composition, with bacterial populations remaining metabolically active …

Iterative Computational Ethnography, Digito-Vernacularisation, And Transcultural Policing In The Global South Asian Communities: An Emergent Research Agenda For Transdisciplinary Hate Studies, Sandhya Irina Fuchs

Socio-Legal Review

This Article proposes a new transdisciplinary agenda for global hate studies by connecting previously separate debates in anthropology and criminology. It draws on ongoing ethnographic and computational research, which investigates how Hindu nationalist (Hindutva) hate speech originating in India facilitates distinct forms of ethnic and religious exclusion in the United Kingdom and South Africa - two Indian diasporic centres that have recently witnessed escalating Hindu-Muslim conflict in markedly different ways. The Article aims to answer the following question: what forms of transdisciplinary dialogue and conceptual innovation must social scientists engage in to understand how local cultural, legal, and historical factors …

Predictive Modeling Of Readmission, Mortality, And Resource Utilization After Surgical And Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement, Raymond J. Martin

LSU Master's Theses

Aortic stenosis is the most prevalent valvular heart disease in North America. Its definitive treatments—surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) and transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR)—carry a substantial burden of unplanned hospital readmission, which worsens patient outcomes, strains hospital capacity, and creates financial risk under value-based payment programs. Prior predictive work has largely focused on binary classification of 30-day readmission after TAVR. Such studies typically report predictor effects as odds or hazard ratios without validating patient-level probabilities, and neglect both the timing of readmission and the resources it consumes. To address these gaps, this thesis develops and empirically validates a unified, …

Bridging The Gap In Science Research: Preparing Students For College- Level Research In The Sciences, Victoria Helwig, Yaoguang Li

UConn Library Presentations

Many first-year students enter college unprepared to fully engage with scientific literature and academic library resources. Drawing on experiences from academic librarians working with STEM students, this session explores common gaps in science research skills, including navigating databases, identifying scholarly sources, and understanding the structure of scientific literature. Participants will be introduced to practical strategies and classroom-ready activities to better prepare students for college-level research. Discussion questions: What science research skills do students struggle with most when entering college? How can high school instruction better support these skills? Where can librarians and educators collaborate to support student success?

Postcolonial Cosmogram: Modern Interiority Of The Methodist Heritage Gallery In Sibu, Sarawak, Sanjeh Kumar Raman, Tong Jia Chian

Interiority

This study examines the conservation and transformation of the Ching Ang Methodist Church into the Methodist Heritage Gallery (MHG) in Sibu, Sarawak, highlighting its role in placemaking and identity construction within the Foochow-Methodist community. By exploring the interplay between colonial modernity, heritage interpretation, and ethno-religious provenance, the research situates MHG as a critical site of memory and cultural articulation. Using an interpretivist approach, this study employs building surveys, semi-structured interviews, and document analysis to investigate the architectural, social, and symbolic dimensions of the MHG. The findings reveal that the gallery's adaptive reuse not only preserves Methodist-Foochow heritage but also serves …

Rural Youth Activism Amid Multi-Arena Contestations Of Infrastructure, Industry, And Conservation Landscapes, Rajib Gandi, Lala M. Kolopaking, Didin S. Damanhuri, Sofyan Sjaf

Forest and Society

Rural youth in Indonesia are increasingly entangled in overlapping pressures of industrial expansion and ecological conservation that redefine local livelihoods and participation. In Cigombong, Bogor, West Java, where the Lido Special Economic Zone borders Gunung Gede Pangrango National Park, youth confront intertwined political-economic and ecological exclusions that marginalize them from both development and conservation benefits. While state narratives portray youth as agents of rural transformation, many remain symbolically included but materially excluded from decision-making. This study examines how rural youth activists exercise agency and negotiate structural power within these contested arenas, analyzing how such interactions shape their livelihoods, participation, and …

Temporal Dynamics Of Sleep Value: How Momentary States And Individual Differences Shape The Valuation Of Sleep, Brandon Pattillo

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Objectives Sleep value is the relative worth individuals place on sleep. Although previous work has validated trait-level measures of sleep value, little is known about the valuation process that determines sleep’s value over time. This study examined hourly fluctuations in sleep value and identified predictors of these changes.

Methods Ninety undergraduates completed baseline questionnaires assessing demographic, sleep, and health variables, including the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Values Inventory (VI), and Monetary Sleep Value Questionnaire (MSVQ). Participants completed hourly 24-hour surveys assessing activity, activity value/pleasure, sleepiness, sleep ability, sleep/wake desires and intentions, and willingness-to-pay (WTP) for sleep. Confirmatory factor analyses …

Environmental Dna For Endangered Freshwater Mussel Monitoring: A Review On Global Synthesis Of Edna Methods, Challenges, And Innovative Strategies, Mizanur Rahman, Md. Saydur Rahman, Richard J. Kline

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Freshwater mussels (family Unionidae) are among the most endangered aquatic species worldwide, making effective monitoring vital for their conservation. Traditional surveys are laborious, time-consuming, and often miss rare or low-density populations. Environmental DNA (eDNA) is a highly sensitive, non-invasive approach for freshwater mussel detection and monitoring; however, uncertainties in ecological interpretation continue to limit its broader application in freshwater biodiversity monitoring. We conducted a systematic review of 49 peer-reviewed studies, identified through an extensive literature search, to assess temporal research trends, methodological advancements, ecological contexts, and regulatory readiness of freshwater mussel eDNA monitoring. Findings show that freshwater mussel eDNA research …

Analysis Of The Atypical Temperature Dependence And Conformational Changes During Turnover Of A Lactobacillus Chlorogenic Acid Esterase, Nathaniel Carl, Yianni Tsigaris, Dan Ji, Nora K. Anpree, Kellie K. Omori, Cedric P. Owens

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Many bacterial chlorogenic acid esterases (ChlEs) exhibit atypical temperature behavior, featuring activities that barely change with temperature and activity maxima that fall below the thermal denaturation point. This work focuses on a ChlE from Lactobacillus helveticus (Lh–ChlE), which has a flat temperature dependence. First, it was determined that conformational changes during Lh–ChlE turnover are not rate-limiting and that the overall rate depends on the chemical step at all temperatures. Next, Lh–ChlE’s temperature dependence was investigated using a conformational equilibrium model that assumes the existence of a temperature-dependent equilibrium between an active and an inactive conformation and an activation heat capacity …

Determinants Of Patient Health Engagement In Post-Surgery Oral Cancer Patients, Tao-Wen Hsiao, Yu-Chi Chen, Shiow-Ching Shun, Hui-Ying Yang

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Introduction: Patients with oral cancer often face persistent physical and psychological challenges after surgery, which may hinder their engagement in care. Identifying the determinants of patient health engagement (PHE) is essential for guiding targeted, supportive care interventions throughout the treatment trajectory. This study aimed to examine key determinants of PHE among post-surgery oral cancer patients.

Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted at a medical center in northern Taiwan. Postoperative patients were recruited using purposive sampling. Data were collected from medical records and structured questionnaires, including demographics, disease and treatment characteristics, communication ability, psychological distress, and PHE. Descriptive statistics, bivariate analyses …

The Role Of Media And The Digital World In The Formation Of Digital Identity And First Impressions, Author Information Removed

JMLE Submissions Open for Review

This study investigates the relationship between media literacy, identity structures, and social perception among Georgian higher education students and explores how Media Literacy affects the Formation of First Impressions through the mediating roles of Social Identity and Digital Identity. The results demonstrate a strong positive correlation between Media Literacy and both Social Identity and Digital Identity. While the direct link between literacy and impression formation was non-significant. The mediation model revealed a psychological mechanism: Media Literacy significantly reduces superficial reliance on digital profiles only by strengthening a conscious and reflective Digital Identity. In the Georgian context, these findings suggest that …

Accessible Media Literacy Education: A Universal Design For Learning Framework For Including Disabled And Deaf Learners, Author Information Removed

JMLE Submissions Open for Review

Media literacy education has built a robust evidence base for interventions that strengthen resilience to misinformation, yet its pedagogies presuppose a nondisabled learner: participants with disabilities are rarely reported, materials are rarely accessible by design, and disability is absent from the field's equity turn. Disabled and deaf learners consequently face a double exclusion, from the media environment by inaccessibility and from media education by protectionist safeguarding. This conceptual article develops the Accessible Media Literacy Education (AMLE) framework through a four-step synthesis of three literatures: media literacy education, research on disabled and deaf people's media practices, and Universal Design for Learning. …