Digital Commons Network^™

Cryptic Habits: The Hidden Lives Of Midsouth Entomologists. Interview With Dr. Jerome Goddard, Mississippi Public Health Entomologist And Fiction Novelist, C. J. Peterson, Jerome Goddard

Midsouth Entomologist

No abstract provided.

Subspace Decomposition For Spatial Parameter Estimation, Arthur Grik

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Passive emitter localization is an important capability for wireless sensing, interference detection, and spectrum awareness. Classical timing-based localization methods estimate emitter position from differences in signal arrival time across distributed sensor platforms, but their performance depends on precise receiver synchronization and favorable signal bandwidth characteristics. This thesis investigates subspace-decomposition-based spatial parameter estimation as an alternative approach in which directional information is extracted from coherent antenna-array measurements. This work develops the theoretical foundation and signal-processing framework for angle-of-arrival estimation. Various spatial parameter estimators are presented as supporting array-processing methods before focusing on a well-known subspace-decomposition-based approach called the Multiple SIgnal Classification …

Long-Term Outcomes And Symptom Response Following Hypofractionated Stereotactic Radiotherapy For Intracranial Meningioma, Ryan Shah, Bs, Nilanjan Haldar, Shray Jain, Lauren Holt, Sophia Shah, Hamail Iqbal, Anthony Chen, Christopher J. Farrell, Debanjan Haldar, James J. Evans, Gregory S. Alexander, Wenyin Shi

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

Objective: Various radiation dosing regimens exist due to tumor size, location, and patient preference. This study evaluated the long-term outcomes of patients with benign meningiomas treated with hypofractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT)at our institution.

Methods: This is a retrospective review of all patients diagnosed with meningioma at our institution who received hypofractionated SRT (5 fractions). Clinical data, including tumor location, size, prior treatments, demographics, radiation dosimetric information, tumor response, and survival were collected. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to assess local control (LC). Acute and late toxicities were evaluated. Patients were included for analysis if they had at least one post-treatment magnetic …

Perceptions Of Research Participation Among Underrepresented Groups: Insights Using Freelisting Methodology, Tamar Klaiman, Jasmine Silvestri, Emma Britez Ferrante, Dorothy Sheu, Adina Lieberman, Erich Dress, Modele Ogunniyi, Neal Dickert, Meghan Lane-Fall, Rosemary Frasso, Rachel Kohn

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Low enrollment and retention in clinical research disproportionately impact Black, Hispanic or Latinx, women, and rural populations, undermining generalizability and perpetuating health disparities. However, few studies have compared mechanisms driving underrepresentation across populations. Freelisting is a qualitative methodology that elicits lists of terms, explores perspectives about domains, and identifies common themes within groups with shared characteristics; however, it has not been systematically applied to understand research participation across underrepresented populations.

OBJECTIVE: To explore perspectives on clinical research participation across underrepresented populations using freelisting methodology to ultimately inform culturally-responsive recruitment strategies.

METHODS: We conducted a web-based freelisting survey among adults …

Learning-Based Multi-Objective Operation Of Microgrid With Renewable Uncertainty And Demand-Side Management, Zeina Bahij

Theses

A microgrid is a small-scale power grid that can operate in either the grid-connected mode or the islanded mode. It consists of energy generation and storage devices for both power and thermal demands, where the thermal energy from the exhaust heat that cannot be transmitted over long distances can be utilized locally. The supply side may include dispatchable generation units with adjustable outputs and energy storage, alongside non-dispatchable renewables that depend entirely on resource availability. On the demand side, thermal loads are satisfied through waste heat recovery from exhaust gas (to maximize overall system efficiency) and direct fuel combustion. Electrical …

Beyond The Catalog: Library Professionals' Adoption Of Ai And Ai Tools Through The Lens Of Utaut, Dr. Sankar P, Anjaline R

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The exponential growth of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology has radically changed the information landscape, making it essential to explore how library professionals perceive and utilize these new tools. This study examines attitudes of library professionals toward AI and AI-based tools through the lens of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). A structured questionnaire survey was conducted amongst 165 library professionals from academic, public and special libraries spread across India. The study applies Structural Equation modeling (SEM) with the use of AMOS 26.0 to analyze the relationships among UTAUT constructs such as Performance Expectancy (PE), Effort Expectancy …

Marketplace Summer 2026, Southern Adventist University

MarketPlace - School of Business Newsletter

The Summer 2026 issue of MarketPlace features an article about Ruth McKee's legacy. Additional articles explore interdisciplinary student exploration of challenges and possibilities in rural Kenya and fundraising projects for local non-profits.

A U.S. Scientific Community Review Of Carbon Cycle Science Gaps And Opportunities To Better Support Earth System Science And Carbon Management, N. C. Parazoo, D. Carroll, J. B. Abshire, Y. M. Bar-On, R. A. Birdsey, A. A. Bloom, K. W. Bowman, R. K. Braghiere, L. M. Bruhwiler, B. Byrne, A. Chatterjee, D. Crisp, L. Duncanson, A. F. Feldman, A. M. Fox, C. Frankenberg, B. A. Gay, F. Hopkins, F. M. Hoffman

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions continue to grow, while natural carbon reservoirs are becoming increasingly vulnerable to anthropogenic pressures, climate extremes, and disturbance. These changes are impacting humans, ecosystems, and natural resources worldwide. Tracking and mitigating GHG emissions require a pivot to operational monitoring of regional carbon flux and stock changes. The current GHG observing system is addressing needs at two distinct scales: 1) Local scale (< 1 km), related to anthropogenic point source emissions, and 2) global scales (> 1000 km), related to land and ocean carbon sinks. More focus on intermediate (10–1000 km) scales is needed to more effectively monitor progress in reducing carbon emissions, enhancing removals, and maintaining sinks.Representatives from carbon …

Evolution, Structuration Theory, And New Research On Free Will, James Lull

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Classic structuration theory explains how social actors use their personal and collective agency to contend with the structural forces they encounter in everyday life. The antonimous interface between structure and agency is analyzed from an evolutionary communication perspective as it applies to structuration theory generally and to media audiences specifically. The explanatory power of structuration theory is then reconsidered in light of new research on an eternally profound question: Is the power of human agency restricted, if not entirely eliminated, by a lack of free will that can be exercised in human endeavors? Although the nature of structural influence is …

Description Of Leptuca Capillosa Sp. Nov., A New Fiddler Crab Species (Crustacea, Decapoda, Ocypodidae) From The Continental Coast Of Ecuador, Carl Thurman, Mariana Capparelli

Faculty Publications

A new species of fiddler crab, Leptuca capillosa sp. nov., is described based on two preserved specimens from the U.S. National Museum of Natural History (Smithsonian) as the holotype and paratype. In addition, specimens (N = 46) collected at eight locations along the Pacific cost of Ecuador were used for an anatomical description and a biometric study. Biometric relationships among major anatomical features are described by linear-regression algorithms with coefficients of correlation and determination. From a previously published DNA analysis of the new species, L. capillosa sp. nov. is related to other Leptuca species in the Gelasiminae subfamily of …

Zero-Shot Transfer Of Foundation Time-Series Forecasters To Datacenter Operational Telemetry: Mapping A Domain Nobody Gets To Study, David Pace Jr

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This thesis asks how best to forecast real datacenter operational telemetry. Can pretrained foundation time-series forecasters do it zero-shot, or do trained classical baselines perform best? On a single-site benchmark of eight audited targets and four horizons (32 slices), the zero-shot foundation forecasters Moirai, Chronos, and TimesFM win 26 of 32 slices against multivariate classical baselines. However, the foundation wrappers operate per-channel on the target history, while classical baselines consume the full feature tensor. When the same classical models are retrained univariate, the foundation lead persists (27 of 32 slices) and a 3-seed rerun of a classical challenger reproduces it; …

Accélérer Le Changement Pour Les Adolescentes D’Afrique De L’Ouest Et Du Centre Grâce À L’Autonomisation Économique, Mame Soukeye Mbaye, Sarah Engebretsen, Maty Dia, Karen Austrian

Adolescents and Young People

La série « L’avenir des filles en point de mire : données probantes d’Afrique de l’Ouest et du Centre » examine les défis auxquels font face les adolescentes de la région et met en lumière des approches éclairées par les données probantes pour améliorer leurs conditions de vie. Cette note résume les données disponibles sur l’autonomisation économique des adolescentes — revenus, moyens de subsistance, épargne, inclusion financière, capacité d’action, transition vers le monde du travail, ou l’ensemble de ces éléments — en Afrique de l’Ouest et du Centre, en s’appuyant notamment sur les données issues des pays prioritaires du GIRL …

Donor-Derived Cell-Free Dna As A Prognostic Biomarker After Heart Transplantation: The Define-Ht Study, Palak Shah, Paul J. Kim, Kelly H. Schlendorf, David A. Baran, Monica M. Colvin, Adam D. Devore, Howard Eisen, Kambiz Ghafourian, Michael M. Givertz, Eileen Hsich, Jaime L. W. Kennedy, Evan P. Kransdorf, Jose N. Nativi-Nicolau, Jignesh Patel, Eleni Tseliou, Omar Wever-Pinzon, Andrew Doud, Michelle S. Bloom, Sandra A. Carey, Navchetan Kaur, D Giovanni Biagini, Kyle E. Marshall, Michael Olympios, Mandeep R. Mehra, Josef Stehlik

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Measurement of donor-derived cell-free DNA fraction (dd-cfDNA%) and donor quantity score (DQS) is a noninvasive biomarker of acute rejection in heart transplantation (HT). Its prognostic value beyond histopathology remains uncertain.

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to evaluate associations between donor-derived cell-free DNA (dd-cfDNA) and clinically meaningful outcomes using a composite endpoint of treated rejection, graft dysfunction, retransplantation, or death within 1 year post-HT.

METHODS: The DEFINE-HT (Development of Noninvasive Cell-free DNA to Supplant Invasive Biopsy in Heart Transplantation) was a prospective, observational study following adult HT recipients at 10 U.S. centers for 1-year post-HT; blood was collected for dd-cfDNA testing …

Pearson Syndrome: Expanding The Clinical Spectrum Of A Mitochondrial Cytopathy-A Case Report, Alizah Faisal, Hooria Waqas, Hania Masood, Armeen Butt, Saad Rahman, Muhammad Sheraz Hameed, Syed Rafay Hussain Zaidi, Ali Iqbal, Muhammad Usama Naveed

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Pearson syndrome (PS) is a rare multisystem mitochondrial disorder characterized by single large-scale mitochondrial DNA deletions (SLSMDs). It typically presents in infancy with refractory sideroblastic anemia, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, and failure to thrive. Due to its heterogeneous manifestations and resemblance to other hematological conditions, early diagnosis remains a clinical challenge.

CASE PRESENTATION: A south asian male infant presented with persistent pancytopenia, severe anemia unresponsive to intravenous and oral iron and multivitamin supplements, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, failure to thrive, and metabolic acidosis. Born to consanguineous parents, the child had a significant family history of early infant deaths and hematological abnormalities. …

When Neighborhoods Change, So Do Schools: Gentrification’S Influence On Public Education, Diego Ramirez

Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

Neighborhood change is a common feature in urban life; however, gentrification is a distinct form of urban transformation characterized by rising property values, reinvestment, and shifts in neighborhood socioeconomic makeup. This literature review investigates the mechanisms through which gentrification reshapes public education and argues that gentrification has a direct impact on public schools, as these institutions reflect the socioeconomic communities around them. As neighborhoods gentrify and class demographics shift, education systems struggle to meet the demands of changing student populations, leading to unequal educational experiences. Specifically, this literature review demonstrates how gentrification reshapes public education through changes in school enrollment, …

An Exploratory Analysis Of Neurocognitive Performance And Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (Ptsd) Among Latinx Asylum Seekers, Elsie A. Arias

Doctoral Dissertations

Asylum seekers are exposed to violence and traumatic events in their home countries at high rates, leading to mental health challenges such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD symptoms and comorbidities such as depression and alcohol misuse are associated with impacts to multiple domains of cognitive functioning among populations such as Veterans. However, the neurocognitive performance of Latinx asylum seekers who experience PTSD symptoms are under-documented in the current literature despite its meaningful impact on clinical care engagement and navigation of the legal process. This study utilized an exploratory, quantitative, cross-sectional design to examine whether higher levels of self-reported PTSD, …

Identity Development For Queer East Asian Americans During The Coming Out Process To Family, Mei E. Tam

Doctoral Dissertations

There has been a growing number of Asian Americans who openly identify as queer, with over half a million residing in the United States (UCLA, 2021). Despite this, psychological research has paid limited attention to how queer and Asian American identities intersect and are integrated, often framing them as conflicting while overlooking culturally embedded meaning-making processes. The present study explored identity formation among cisgender queer East Asian Americans during the critical period of coming out to family, focusing on how their understanding of and relationship to their queer and ethnic identities shifted following disclosure.

Using a qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews …

Nietzsche’S Greek Soul: Traces Of Aristotle’S Psuchē In The Early Nietzsche, Laura G. Campos

Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

This dissertation proposes an examination of the concept of the soul (Seele) as it appears in the works of Friedrich Nietzsche, in conversation with the concept of the soul in Aristotle. I propose bringing these two historically and theoretically disparate thinkers into dialogue insofar as they each represent a pivotal moment in the history of Western subjectivity, drawing on Martin Heidegger’s positioning of Aristotle and Nietzsche as the inaugural and final thinkers of Western metaphysics, respectively. Yet, following recent Continental interpretations of both thinkers, I read both Aristotle and Nietzsche as proto-phenomenologists concerned with the problem of how to thematize …

Other People's Poverty, Emmanuel Hiram Arnaud, Shaun Ossei-Owusu

Faculty Scholarship

Puerto Ricans have a relationship with the United States that is historically unparalleled. They have been citizens of the United States since 1917, served in every major conflict since World War I, and have been influential members of American culture, politics, and society. Yet, Puerto Rico is not fully part of the United States. The island of 3.2 million people— more than the population of eighteen states—is a U.S. territory. This means the federal government wields its complete and largely unrestrained plenary power over the Island, often treating Puerto Ricans differently than the rest of the United States. This differential …

Shsp Dean's Newsletter, Summer 2026, Brian J. Nickerson

SHSP Dean’s Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Prototyping Of A Spectropolarimetry Module For Lenslet-Based Integral Field Spectrographs, Manasa Lakshmi Narasimhan

Theses

Integral-field spectropolarimetry enables simultaneous spatial, spectral, and polarization measurements. Observations of polarized light allow researchers to map magnetic fields, distinguish scattering from intrinsic emission, and characterize the geometry of sources illuminating the large-scale dust distribution within and around galaxies. In tandem with spectral information, polarized emission can be used to detail the kinematics of dust expelled from galaxies and to probe the underlying spectrum of scattered light—measurements that help constrain key open questions such as the missing baryon problem and the role of feedback in galaxy evolution. However, spectropolarimetry is a rare capability among ground-based observatories. This thesis showcases a …

Spikerff: Learning Forward With Layer-Local Plasticity And Semi-Hard Negatives, Karthik Tumkur Kumar

Theses

Effective contrastive learning relies on choosing useful, informative "hard" negative samples. Current hard negative sampling methods designed for traditional artificial neural networks (ANNs) are, in general, computationally costly and are ill-suited to account for the temporal structure relevant to neuromorphic data. To tackle these issues, in this work, we formulate a similarity-guided semi-hard negative sampling strategy for neuromorphic computing based on spiking neural networks (SNNs). We propose SpikeRFF (Spiking Recurrent Forward-Forward), a gradient-free and unsupervised recurrent spiking framework that combines layer-local Forward-Forward learning with semi-hard negative selection and temporally structured negative construction. Positive samples are encouraged to produce high goodness, …

What’S Kept, Caitlin Smith

Theses

This thesis examines the collective psychological aftermath of de-industrialization in a rust belt city, processed through perspectives of nostalgia and betrayal. By reframing childhood memories of instability and inherited narratives, a framework is established for investigating the modalities through which love and attachment may obscure entangled harm, and how grief operates across both collective and personal registers. Found objects are situated as sites of projection where memories are abstracted and reconstituted. The processes of decay and weathering serve as analogues for psychological trauma, reframing deterioration as an inevitable and generative condition. Natural elements act as metaphors for neutrality, challenging imposed …

The Risk-Assessment Case For Worldwide Public Health Regulation Of The Concussion Crisis In Sports, Marcus Moore, Charles H. Tator

All Faculty Publications

The support of the medical profession was indispensable in the USA and Canada to enacting legislation addressing public health issues such as drunk driving, smoking, and bicycle helmets. The sports concussion crisis is a major public health concern in Canada and in many other countries.

King Arthur And The Sword In The Stone: A Medieval Latin Account, Christopher Berard, Morris Tichenor

Humanities Program Faculty Publications

How did King Arthur draw the sword from the stone and claim the throne of Britain? Here we present a translation of a medieval Latin account recounting this famous episode, along with Arthur’s victories, conquests and final battle.

Large Language Model-Driven Agents In Virtual Reality For Inclusive Communication Training, Ziming Li

Theses

Vocational training programs aimed at improving the employability and autonomy of autistic individuals primarily focus on enhancing social communication skills. However, developing and implementing such training activities often demands significant time and effort from job coaches, who must adapt to various interview and workplace scenarios while customizing the training to meet the specific needs of autistic trainees. These challenges create barriers for job coaches to efficiently train autistic individuals and objectively evaluate their performance. To address these challenges, this dissertation explores the use of virtual reality (VR) and large language model (LLM)-driven agents to create customizable and interactive training platforms …

Faculty List

Journal of Dispute Resolution

No abstract provided.

The Limits Of Disclosure: Artificial Intelligence, Arbitration, And The Illusion Of Informed Consent, Rishi Batra

Journal of Dispute Resolution

Consider the following scenario: A warehouse worker brings a wage and hour claim against her employer under her state's labor code. Her employment contract, which she signed on her first day of work, contains a mandatory arbitration clause that she did not negotiate, did not fully read, and — like most employees in her situation — did not fully understand. An arbitrator is appointed, a hearing is held, and an award is issued in the employer's favor several weeks later, denying the employee's claims entirely. The award is well-organized and internally consistent, addressing each of the worker's claims with what …

A Decade Of Change: Technology’S Impact On Negotiation Deepens In The Age Of Ai, Noam Ebner

Journal of Dispute Resolution

When people consider the notion of negotiation changing, they tend to look first toward that magnificent negotiation construct, “the table.” Here are some immediately apparent areas of table-novelty: • There is often a screen on our table, rather than another person sitting across from us. • The table we “go” to negotiate at is not in our office or that of our counterpart; rather, it is a communications system such as email or an online platform developed by a third-party provider. • The table, in its online-platform form, sometimes structures process and facilitates communication in ways that our trusty old …

Using Ai Centaur Systems To Strengthen Professional Judgment, John Lande

Journal of Dispute Resolution

This article encourages dispute resolution practitioners to use artificial intelligence (AI) “centaur” systems, which may perform better than either humans or AI tools operating independently. Centaur systems combine human and AI capabilities so that each contributes complementary strengths in decision-making. This is particularly important in managing legal disputes, where practitioners should integrate analysis of legal issues, tangible and intangible costs, strategic judgment, and ethical considerations.