Digital Commons Network^™

Waring Library Society Newsletter, Fall 2026, Waring Library Society, Waring Historical Library, Medical University Of South Carolina, J. G. Reves, Joann Livingston Zeise, Jahliah Brown, Tabitha Samuel, Jude Arendall

The Waring Library Society Newsletters

No abstract provided.

Center For Social Policy In Practice Generative Artificial Intelligence Use Policy, Evan England, Jess Carson, Rachel Filippone, Tyrus Parker, Harshita Sarup

New Hampshire Early Care and Education Research Consortium

The Center for Social Policy in Practice (SPiP) team at the University of New Hampshire Carsey School of Public Policy has a shared, core commitment to the principle that at no time will generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools replace the critical judgement, professional training, ethical grounding, and community responsibility that underpin the Center’s purpose. This document describes the purpose and key principles of SPiP's generative AI use policy.

Ai Game Melding: Agent-Assisted Reconstruction, Player Co-Creation, And The Future Of Programmable Play, Andrew Allen Smith, James Hutson

Faculty Scholarship

Artificial intelligence increasingly mediates game production and player participation, but claims about game merging frequently conflate different technical achievements. This article examines AI game melding as the convergence of agent assisted reconstruction, executable interoperability, and creative recombination. An integrative narrative review connects procedural generation, computational blending, modding, co creation, and decompilation research with public documentation available through October 15, 2026. Cases include meme based and Wii Sports crossovers in World at War Zombies, a Call of Duty and Minecraft hybrid, runtime bridging, and agent assisted reconstruction. The analysis separates creator demonstrations and reported acceleration from independently validated performance. It proposes …

The Case For Cases: From Compelling Stories To Responsible Reasoning And Adaptive Learning, Hashem Elassad, James Hutson

Faculty Scholarship

Examples, stories, and cases connect abstract propositions with situations, yet their pedagogical usefulness does not establish their evidentiary adequacy. This conceptual article examines how case-based learning can support understanding, responsible judgment, and adaptive knowledge use without allowing memorable narratives to substitute for warranted inference. Building on an originating essay about the value of examples, the analysis integrates selected scholarship on case-based reasoning, worked examples, analogical comparison, narrative persuasion, epistemic cognition, and Cognitive Flexibility Theory. The methodology consists of purposive literature selection, conceptual differentiation, comparison of explanatory mechanisms, examination of boundary conditions, and development of an integrative instructional framework; it is …

Legalist Verses Realist Accounts Of United States V. Skrmetti, Neil S. Siegel

Faculty Scholarship

Although the Supreme Court is increasingly adopting an understanding of sex discrimination that is biologically focused and/or formalistic, this Article argues that the Court does not consistently apply that conception when doing so benefits transgender Americans. The Court’s conclusion in United States v. Skrmetti that no facial sex classification exists in Tennessee’s law banning gender-affirming care for transgender—but not cisgender—minors is irreconcilable with its conclusion five years earlier in Bostock v. Clayton County that Title VII’s prohibition on sex discrimination prohibits employers from firing employees just because they are transgender. Perhaps tellingly, only Justice Gorsuch, Bostock’s author, and Chief Justice …

Spell: A Scalable Nlp Method Using Regular Expressions And Large Language Models For Clinical Information Extraction, Ricardo Kleinlein, David W Bates, Carolyn Guan, Kathryn J Gray, Vesela P Kovacheva

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background and objectives: Electronic health records (EHRs) contain valuable information for research and decision-making, but much resides in unstructured notes that are challenging to analyze at scale. We developed SPELL (Snippet-Primed rEgex LLM Pipeline), a scalable natural language processing workflow that combines regular-expression-based snippet retrieval with locally hosted large language model (LLM) inference to extract structured variables from large collections of clinical narratives.

Methods: SPELL uses task-specific regular expressions to retrieve short context windows ("snippets") from unstructured texts and applies task-prompted LLM inference on snippets rather than full documents. All processing occurs within institutional computing environments. Accuracy was evaluated on …

A Prospective Natural History Study Protocol For Clinical Trial Readiness In Synaptic Disorders, Jillian L Mckee, Sarah M Ruggiero, Kristin Cunningham, Joeylynn Coyne, Ian Mcsalley, Michael C Kaufman, Bintou Bane, Torrey Chisari, Jonathan Toib, Carlyn Glatts, Sarah Tefft, Julie M Orlando, Viveknarayanan Padmanabhan, Alexander K Gonzalez, Alicia Harrison, Charlene Woo, Stephanie A Zbikowski, Rency Dhaduk, Johanna Mercurio, Macie Mccarthy, Jan H Magielski, Zachary Grinspan, Megan Abbott, Juliet Knowles, Hsiao-Tuan Chao, Katherine Xiong, Elizabeth Berry-Kravis, Sepideh Tabarestani, J Michael Graglia, Kathryn Helde, Virginie Mcnamar, Charlene Son Rigby, James Goss, Scott Demarest, Andrea Miele, Benjamin Prosser, Michael J Boland, Samuel R Pierce, Ingo Helbig

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: STXBP1-related disorder (STXBP1-RD) and SYNGAP1-related disorder (SYNGAP1-RD) are two common genetic synaptopathies that are associated with epilepsy, developmental delay, intellectual developmental disorder, and behavioral problems. Both STXBP1-RD and SYNGAP1-RD are potential targets for disease-modifying therapies, but there is limited information in the literature describing the natural history of either disorder, which impedes outcome selection for future clinical trials. The objective of this study is to develop a framework to better define and outline the clinical spectrum and longitudinal trajectories of STXBP1-RD and SYNGAP1-RD natural history, including development, behavior, seizure histories, and electrophysiology.

Methods: Here, we describe a protocol, regulatory …

Mission And Editorial Policy

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Social Bonds In Specialized Courts: An Expanded Integrated Model Of Treatment Court Effectiveness, Christopher Salvatore

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

Specialized court programs, which began with drug treatment courts, now include reentry, domestic violence, prostitution, mental health, veterans, and other problem solving courts, have been shown to reduce recidivism and provide improvements in participant outcomes. Over the last thirty years, scholars have provided theoretical explanations for these programs, including therapeutic jurisprudence, life course theory, deterrence, risk-needs-responsivity, and procedural justice. These theoretical paradigms have not fully integrated the central role of relationships and prosocial connections in specialized courts. This article extends the integrated theoretical model presented by Kaiser and Holtfreter by integrating social bond theory as a critical mechanism connecting specialized …

Volume 29, Issue 1 Full Contents

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Statement From The Indiana Academy Of The Social Sciences And Board Of Directors

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Author Biographical Notes

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Reviewers And Referees

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Eating Disorders & Meat Consumption: A Meta-Analytic Review, Urska Dobersek, Laurel Standiford-Reyes, Tyler Robinson, Alex Antony Edwin, Sarah Siebers

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

In this meta-analytic review, we examined the current evidence on eating disorders in relation to meat consumption and meat abstention. We systematically searched six online databases in December 2025 for primary research on eating disorder-related variables in meat consumers and meat abstainers. Fifty-one studies with 55,984 participants (n_{meat consumers} = 44,282, n_{meat abstainers} = 9,751) met the inclusion/exclusion criteria. The outcomes were eating disorders and orthorexia nervosa. Meat consumption was associated with lower eating disorder (g = 0.20, 95% CI [0.08, 0.32], p = .001) and orthorexia nervosa symptomology (g = 0.47, 95% CI [0.33, …

Deflation-Based Preconditioning For Parallel Time Stepping Algorithms, Marina Nacianceno, Josef A. Sifuentes

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

Often, in solving large systems of differential equations using a time-stepping algorithm, one must solve multiple linear systems where the coefficient matrix is unchanged or shifted by a constant multiple of the identity. This can be computationally expensive when the coefficient matrix involved is very large. Where direct methods like Gaussian elimination are infeasible, iterative methods like GMRES are often used. It is especially useful when the matrices involved are sparse or allow for fast matrix multiplication algorithms. In this paper, we propose preconditioning strategies that glean information from previous runs of GMRES to build an effective preconditioner for subsequent …

Organizational Systems, Support Structures, And Principal Retention In Urban Secondary Schools: A Job Demands And Resources Analysis Of Belonging And Isolation, Meredith L. Perry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Principal turnover remains a challenge in high-poverty secondary schools, where leadership stability is critical to school improvement and student success. Although factors associated with principal attrition have been studied, less is known about how district-level systems and support structures shape principals’ experiences of connection, belonging, and professional isolation. This qualitative multiple-case study was conducted within a program evaluation context to examine how district policies, processes, and support structures functioned as job demands and job resources influencing principals’ experiences and retention decisions within a large urban school district. Guided by the job demands–resources (JD-R) framework, the study included four secondary principals …

Rural Elementary School Principals’ Perceptions Of Leadership Behaviors As An Influence On School Climate, Annalysa L. Elledge Dr.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how principals in rural elementary schools in the southern United States perceived their leadership behaviors as influencing school climate. The study was guided by the authentic leadership model, with a focus on compassion, relationships, values, and self-discipline. A qualitative exploratory design was used to examine the experiences and perceptions of certified principals with at least 3 years of experience leading rural elementary schools. Purposeful sampling resulted in a sample of 26 principals. Findings indicated that principals perceived authentic leadership behaviors as important contributors to positive school climate in rural elementary schools. …

Navigating Leadership Transitions In Academic Affairs At Small Historically Black Colleges And Universities In The Southern United States: A Qualitative Study, Marquita Renee Mitchell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the specific problem that necessitates the functionality of departmental leadership, its outcomes, and emphasized leadership transitions. Researching leadership transitions can potentially enhance our understanding of how small HBCUs, particularly HBCUs with a student population of fewer than 5,000, can effectively navigate, ensuring the continuity and sustained success of the academic affairs department within the Southern U.S. region. To address this gap, this study engaged narrative methods while employing transformational leadership theory as a theoretical lens to explore the immediate and long-term impacts of leadership transitioning on strategic initiatives, staff morale, and outcomes within the academic affairs department, …

The Role Of Hardiness On Leadership In Big-Box Retail Managers, Cari Alvarez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Retail managers face constant customer demands, unpredictable staffing, and high-pressure performance expectations, yet little research has examined how these leaders sustain effectiveness under such conditions. This qualitative descriptive study explored how big-box retail managers in the United States described their development and use of hardiness across the constructs of control, commitment, and challenge to lead in a complex retail environment, an area not previously examined in the literature. Hardiness theory served as the theoretical framework for the study. Data were collected through 12 semistructured interviews with retail managers and an online questionnaire completed by 45 qualifying respondents. Interview data were …

Rebuilding Emotional Literacy: Educator Strategies For Supporting Young Children’S Social- Emotional Needs After Covid-19, Sandy Marie Holdsclaw

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted young children’s opportunities for social interaction and emotional development, creating new challenges for early childhood educators as students returned to in-person learning. Little was known about how early childhood educators adjusted their instructional practices to support children’s emotional literacy following the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how early childhood educators adjusted their instructional practices to support children’s emotional literacy and socioemotional development following the COVID-19 pandemic. The researcher collected data through semistructured interviews with seven early childhood educators employed in one large public school district in South Texas. Interview …

Perceptions Of The Importance Of Faculty Involvement In Undergraduate Recruitment Efforts, Jessica L. Brock

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many postsecondary institutions in the United States face a predicted system-wide decline in enrollment. The number of new high school graduates is projected to decrease significantly through 2037. Amid this predicament, faculty involvement is an often-overlooked recruitment strategy, and their roles in undergraduate student recruitment are often undefined and underutilized. By examining these roles, enrollment management professionals can strengthen best practices, equip faculty with the knowledge and resources needed for effective recruitment, address gaps, and better ensure a coordinated strategy to attract prospective students. This study employed a qualitative research design grounded in Moustakas’ (1994) transcendental phenomenology. The study examined …

Mexico Consensus Economic Forecast, Volume 29, Number 3, Thomas M. Fullerton, Steven L. Fullerton

Border Region Modeling Project

No abstract provided.

Peaks Island Star : October 2026, Vol. 46, Issue 10, Service Agencies Of The Island

Peaks Island Star, 2026

The Peaks Island Star is the newsletter of the island's service agencies and other community news.

Forestry And Wildfire Research Needs In Utah: Insights From A Statewide Survey, Catrin Edgeley, Larissa Yocom, Lucy Nelson

Reports

This survey underscores the time-sensitive nature of investment in forest and fire science in Utah to protect the public and improve landscape functioning. Practitioners statewide seek improved availability of place-specific science across a wide range of topics that can inform forest management decisions.

Asa Gray’S Darwinian Theism And The Problem Of Coherence, Michael A. Flannery

Libraries Professional Work

Recently it has been argued by Rope Kojonen that Asa Gray’s public promotion of Darwinian evolution can be defended as a “conjunctive” explanation that accommodates both Darwin’s natural selection and its stochastic processes as well as a teleology fully commensurate with a divine order—theistic evolution thus, if not vindicated, is at least supportable on logical grounds. However, on close examination this idea is questioned by focusing on certain important historical issues that the conjunctive explanation fails to resolve, and in some cases, even address. In the end, Gray’s spirited public promotion of Darwin’s “grand idea” is not an issue of …

Lighting For Digital Film, Roslin Smith

Milne Open Textbooks

Master the art and science of film lighting with this practical, semester-long guide for students and aspiring filmmakers. From lighting history, safety, and electrical fundamentals to hands-on techniques such as Film Noir, Rembrandt, three-point lighting, motivational lighting, and green screen work, this textbook combines clear instruction, real-world exercises, interactive activities, and ready-to-use production resources to help learners create compelling cinematic images.

This book can also be read online at milneopentextbooks.org/lighting-for-digital-film

To access instructor resources, please email [email protected] to be verified (to expedite your approval, email from your organizational email and provide a link to a public professional profile). Upon approval, …

You’Ve Got Junk Mail: Prevalence Of And Factors Related To Sending And Receiving Unsolicited Nudes, Aimee Adam, Brittany Sizemore, Todd Manson

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

Unsolicited nudes are common, but most of the research in this area has focused on the motivations of men sending such images and the reactions of women who receive them. In this online study, we attempted to investigate the prevalence of sending and receiving unsolicited sexual images in a broader population, and variables related to this behavior. In our sample of 357 participants, we found few people (less than 20%) acknowledged ever having sent such images, and no difference in whether people had ever sent unsolicited nudes based on gender identity. However, we found that most people (almost 68%) had …

Learning By Doing To Teach Research Skills In Econometrics, Christie Byun

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

This paper examines a revision in an introductory econometrics course at an undergraduate liberal arts college. The instructors have incorporated extensive use of data from the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series from the Current Population Survey (IPUMS-CPS), with applied examples that demonstrate econometric theory. The key element is a short empirical paper assignment in which all students work on a common research question, but with different data sets. The paper assignment includes a series of scaffolding assignments using IPUMS-CPS data. This approach has several benefits, including ease of implementation into any course that has an empirical paper component, significantly streamlined …

Call For Papers

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

A Folk Taxonomy Of Magic, Gustav Kuhn, Cyril Thomas, Griffiths Thomas

School of Psychology

Magic tricks provide a uniquely powerful window onto the boundaries of what people consider possible, and the ways in which those boundaries can be challenged. Although there exists an effectively infinite variety of magic tricks, relatively little is known about how different magical effects relate to one another at a psychological level. Previous attempts to classify magic have largely relied on the judgments of a small number of expert magicians, rather than capturing people’s intuitive understanding of magical phenomena. Here, we introduce a new multi-dimensional taxonomy of magic that treats the observable effect (e.g., an object vanishing) and the attributed …