Digital Commons Network^™

Ai-Based Walkability Ecosystem: A Personalized, Social And Adaptive Solution To Urban Mobility And Public Health, Diya Singh, Gaurav Nanda, Xinran Lehto, Elizabeth A. Richards, Mark R. Lehto, Jaeil Lee

Discovery Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Research Internship

Urban environments pose significant barriers to physical activity and public health, often due to a lack of motivation, insufficient adaptability to environmental factors, the uniformity of features in existing fitness apps, and limited opportunities for meaningful interpersonal interaction. This project proposes an AI-powered Walkability Assistant — a mobile application designed to foster healthier, more active lifestyles by addressing these challenges through personalized, adaptive, and community-oriented solutions. This project adopts two research methods—text mining and open-ended surveys—to identify latent user needs and areas for improvement in walkability applications. We conducted large-scale text mining and analyzed over two million user reviews from …

Physical Energy Insecurity Index, Ariadna Reyes-Sánchez, Camilo Caudillo-Cos

Public Affairs and Planning Datasets - Archive

This dataset includes six variables that explain physical energy insecurity in residential buildings in the Dallas County. These variables include the extent of access to central air conditioning systems (AC), central heating, and the lack of these systems, structure value (improvement), age of the structure, and type of residential structure (multi-family housing or single dwelling unit).

Memorandum Regarding Ireland’S Proposal To Revise The Meaning Of Genocide Under International Law, Menachem Z. Rosensaft

Cornell Law Faculty Working Papers

Ireland’s new and far-reaching proposal regarding the suggested construction of the crime of Genocide contained in its Declaration of Intervention (Intervention) in the case brought by South Africa against the State of Israel (and echoed in its identical intervention at the same time in The Gambia v. Myanmar) in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) under the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Genocide Convention) runs counter to almost 80 years of established law and principle regarding genocide.

In announcing its intention to intervene in the case against Israel, Ireland’s government in a statement …

July 28 Elections, Census & Redistricting Update, Jeffrey M. Wice

Elections, Census & Redistricting Updates

No abstract provided.

The Nature Of Anthropogenically Driven River Drying: Spatiotemporal Causes And Consequences, Eliza Inez Gilbert

Biology ETDs

Streambed drying naturally occurs in over 60% of rivers and streams worldwide. Climate change and human regulation of surface and groundwater have increased drying in naturally intermittent systems and caused perennial systems to transition to intermittency, impacting water security, water quality, and biodiversity. To understand human-induced drying dynamics, we used 12 years of daily drying data along a 154-km regulated reach of the Rio Grande. We conceptualized river drying as a regime analogous to the natural flow regime paradigm and quantified drying magnitude, rate of change, and duration. Although linear models predicting drying magnitude and rate of change were uninterpretable, …

Nitrogen Addition Additively Boosts Climate-Driven Salsola Tragus (Russian Thistle) Invasion Into Southwestern Usa Grasslands, Melissa A. Bacigalupa

Biology ETDs

Effective management of invasive, non-native plants requires understanding key drivers of invasion, including nitrogen enrichment from atmospheric deposition and agriculture. Long-term studies are essential for capturing complex invasion dynamics yet remain uncommon. We used 22 years of observations and 14 years of nitrogen experiments to examine invasion by Salsola tragus (Russian thistle) into three semi-arid grasslands of central New Mexico. Invasion patterns varied, with rapid expansion in Chihuahuan Desert grassland and the Desert-Plains ecotone but stability in Plains grassland. Under ambient nitrogen, precipitation most strongly correlated with Russian thistle biomass and high native grass biomass was associated with Russian thistle …

Michael Miller V. County Of Lancaster

2025 Decisions

USDC for the Middle District of Pennsylvania

A New Exclusionary Rule To Protect Bodily Integrity And Discourage Pretext Stops, Josephine Ross

Seattle University Law Review

The author proposes a novel state-level exclusionary rule to reduce racial profiling and protect bodily autonomy during police encounters. The current Fourth Amendment jurisprudence fails to deter pretextual stops and frisks because the exclusionary rule often turns on officer fault and "good faith," allowing racially motivated practices to go unchecked. As federal rollbacks on diversity and data collection hinder efforts to track racial bias, the author argues for a statutory evidentiary rule that automatically excludes drug evidence found during (1) traffic stops, (2) pat-downs for weapons, and (3) consent searches, regardless of an officer’s intent or the legality of the …

Navahine V. HawaiʻI Dept. Of Transportation: The Keiki Will Lead Us, Catherine Smith

Seattle University Law Review

The author analyzes the landmark case Navahine v. Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation, which culminated in the world’s first constitutional climate settlement. Catherine Smith, serving as an expert for the youth plaintiffs, situates the case within Hawaiʻi’s legal tradition of prioritizing children’s rights and intergenerational equity. She explores the evolution of children’s constitutional protections, contrasting Hawaiʻi’s progressive jurisprudence with the dominant adult-centric legal framework on the mainland. She critiques four recurring analytical missteps in U.S. courts that marginalize children’s interests and highlights Hawaiʻi’s public trust doctrine and cultural values, such as the Aloha Spirit, as models for addressing climate-related harms. …

Generative Ai–Powered Mental Wellness Chatbot For College Student Mental Wellness: Open Trial, Jazmin A. Reyes-Portillo, Amy So, Kelsey Mcalister, Christine Nicodemus, Ashleigh Golden, Colleen Jacobson, Jennifer Huberty

Department of Psychology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Background: Colleges have turned to digital mental health interventions to meet the increasing mental health treatment needs of their students. Among these, chatbots stand out as artificial intelligence–driven tools capable of engaging in human-like conversations that have demonstrated some effectiveness in reducing depression and anxiety symptoms.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the feasibility and acceptability of using Wayhaven, an artificial intelligence chatbot, among college students with elevated depression or anxiety symptoms. We also aimed to examine the preliminary effectiveness of Wayhaven in improving symptoms of anxiety and depression, hopelessness, agency, and self-efficacy among students.

Methods: Participants were 50 racially …

Fathers Using Light Touch On Their Infants And Its Effects On Postnatal Paternal Depression, Christopher Dirkes

DNP Projects

Background:
During the postpartum period there are multiple resources available to address maternal postpartum depression. However, there are limited resources available to help fathers during this transition period. Currently, limited data is available for best practice to decrease postnatal paternal depression, and increase paternal bonding and comfortability when caring for the infant.

Method:
Fathers were recruited from a Midwestern Public Health Department. After recruitment, fathers were provided with in-home education on how to perform a light touch intervention. Pre-intervention qualitative and quantitative surveys were provided at this time. Fathers were then asked to record their emotions as well as infant …

Optimization And Model Averaging Of Histogram-Based Place Cell Firing Rate Maps Using The Point Process Framework, Murat Okatan

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

The firing rate of hippocampal place cells depends on the spatial position of the organism in an environment. This position dependence is often quantified by constructing spike-in-location and time-in-location histograms, the ratio of which yields a firing rate map. The purpose of this study is to present a new method for optimizing the spatial resolution of histogram-based firing rate maps. It is pointed out that histogram-based firing rate maps are conditional intensity functions of inhomogeneous Poisson process models of neural spike trains, and, as such, they can be optimized through model selection within the point process framework. The point process …

Use Of A Shoulder-Mounted Wearable Sensor Prototype Designed To Detect Opioid-Related Overdose: A Qualitative User Experience Study, Alexis M. Roth, Ally K. D'Angelo, David Gordon, Benjamin Cocchiaro, Anush Lingamoorthy, Rose Laurano, Matthew Salzman, Jacob S. Brenner, Cameron Baston

SKMC Student Presentations and Publications

BACKGROUND: For over a decade, drug overdose has been the leading cause of injury and accidental death in the United States. Most fatal overdoses involve opioids and occur during solitary drug use events when no one is available to initiate lifesaving responses (eg, naloxone). While there is a growing interest in devices providing early overdose detection and automated responses, little research has engaged end users in a device design process.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to describe user experience, perceived harms and benefits, and the acceptability of a shoulder-mounted wearable sensor among people who inject drugs who wore a device prototype …

Implementation Of Intimate Partner Violence Education To Improve Practice And Attitude Amongst Healthcare Providers, Abigail Nguyen, Breanna Carpenter

DNP Projects

Background
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious and costly public health issue. It is vital that patients are screened at least annually for intimate partner violence. Screening increases disclosure of abuse and allows primary care clinicians to provide comfort, education, and resources to patients experiencing IPV. Evidence strongly suggests that a major barrier to regular screening for IPV is a lack of knowledge and comfort amongst healthcare providers.

Purpose
This project’s purpose was to provide educational tools for healthcare providers related to the importance of screening for IPV, guidelines for most effective screening, common IPV misconceptions, and local resources. …

Evaluating Dosimetric And Treatment Efficiency In Esophageal Cancer: A Comparative Study Of Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy, Modified Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy, And Hybrid Radiotherapy Techniques, Julia Frost

Masters Projects

This study evaluated and compared the dosimetric outcomes and treatment efficiency of three radiation therapy techniques, Hybrid volumetric arc therapy (H-VMAT), Modified volumetric arc therapy (M-VMAT), and traditional Three-Arc volumetric arc therapy (T-VMAT), in the treatment of lower-third esophageal cancer. Ten patients with esophageal cancer located in the lower third of the esophagus were retrospectively replanned using each technique. H-VMAT combined 3-dimensional anterior-posterior/posterior-anterior (AP/PA) fields with two partial VMAT arcs. The M-VMAT technique included two full arcs and one arc with avoidance sectors. The T-VMAT technique used three full arcs. Each plan was prescribed 5040 cGy in 28 fractions using …

Association Between Sociocultural Factors, Obesity, And Depression In The Hispanic/Latino Population, Maia Junco

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The increasing prevalence of obesity and mental health disparities among Hispanic/Latino populations in the United States underscores the need to understand how sociocultural factors shape physical and psychological health. The purpose of this study was to examine how acculturation, diet quality, and fiber intake affect BMI and depressive symptoms over time. The study was guided by acculturation theory and the biopsychosocial model. The study used longitudinal secondary data from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) with a sample of N=8,816, including adults who completed examination visits, 1 (2008–2011) and 2 (2014–2017). Path analysis was conducted to assess direct …

Why Automatic Enrollment Is Essential For The Success Of Trump Accounts: Lessons From Seed Ok, Jin Huang, Michael Sherraden, Lissa Johnson

Center for Social Development Research

In this policy brief, prominent Child Development Account (CDA) experts and researchers present the case that automatic enrollment is essential in a nationwide policy to provide CDAs and build assets for all children in the United States. The Center for Social Development (CSD) has designed and rigorously tested this policy concept, and the authors highlight key evidence on ensuring full participation, efficiency, and long-term success of a federal policy.

The Impact Of Non-Athletic, Flat-Soled Sneakers On Gait Kinematics: A Comparative Analysis With Socks, Aaron Aguilar, Kharen Bautista, Juan Claros, Raquel Dimaano, Ciara Franke, Mason Huber, Evan Kurishige, Anton Lam, Kevin Le, Alohi Sheung, Raj Kumar Chauhan, Sivakumar Rajagopal, Seong Hyun Moon, Michael Shiraishi, Rahul Soangra

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

This study investigates the kinematic effects of non-athletic, flat-soled sneakers on lower extremity joints during walking. Ten healthy gym-goers (24.4 ± 1.7 years) underwent treadmill gait analysis under two conditions: wearing non-athletic sneakers and walking with only socks. Gait was captured using the Gait Real-time Analysis and Interactive Lab (GRAIL). Dependent variables included cadence, support times, and stride length. Walking with socks significantly increased cadence (p <  .0001) and single support time (p = .0103), and decreased initial (p = .018), terminal (p = .0056), and total double support times (p = .0092). No significant difference in stride length was observed. These …

Comparison Of Stem Student Reflections Of Their Undergraduate Research Experiences: Cures Vs. Apprentice Model, Chazzidy Harper

Master's Theses

Undergraduate research is widely recognized as a high-impact educational practice that promotes engagement and academic success in STEM. However, limited research has examined how different research formats, particularly course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) and the apprentice model, shape student experiences. This study investigates undergraduate research (UR) course characteristics and student reflections across STEM disciplines at Kennesaw State University (KSU), focusing on differences between CURE and apprentice experiences. A mixed-methods analysis was conducted on 809 student reflections and 169 course syllabi spanning biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics, computing, data science, software engineering, and information technology, psychological science, and engineering. Demographic data …

Explore Toolkit, Kimberly Page, Janet Page Reeves, Ivan De La Rosa, Marie Alice Scott, Christina Phillips, Maria Sanchez, Andrew Gorvetzian, Joe Albright, Cynthia Killough, Randall Benalli

Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Preventive Medicine

Welcome to the Exploring Health Beliefs for Community Engagement and Diversity in Clinical Trials (EXPLORE) Toolkit, a resource designed to support researchers and frontline workers addressing substance use in the Borderlands. The EXPLORE Toolkit was designed by an interdisciplinary team of epidemiologists, social workers, anthropologists, and public health professionals to enhance the engagement of underrepresented communities in substance use clinical trials. Utilizing a strength-based approach, the toolkit addresses equity, stigma, and participation barriers, promoting culturally sensitive and community-centered research practices. This toolkit is an ideal tool for clinical trials researchers and community health workers who are interested in learning more …

Table Of Contents

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Perfluorooctanoic Acid (Pfoa) And Elevated Salinity On Growth, Reproduction, And Movement Of Physa Acuta, Juana Baudrix, Andrea Rizzo, Samuel Richardson, Jason Doll, Daniel Elias

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Freshwater ecosystems face increasing threats from pollutants such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and elevated salinity. This study examined the effects of PFOA (1.69 µg/L) and elevated salinity (2.5 g/L) on Physa acuta growth, reproduction, and movement over a 21-day exposure. Movement increased across treatments, and reproductive output also increased with salinity and salinity + PFOA, with increased egg sac production in the combined treatment (p < 0.05), while PFOA alone reduced total egg production. Growth was higher with PFOA but decreased in the salinity and salinity + PFOA treatments. Our results suggest that P. acuta increases reproductive output when exposed to combined stressors, prioritizing egg sac production at the cost of movement and growth. These trade-offs may influence P. acuta population dynamics and freshwater ecosystem processes. While this study provides insights into the effects of PFOA and salinity, further research is necessary to understand the long-term ecological consequences in field conditions.

Metabolic Consequences Of Sleep Disorders: A Comprehensive Analysis Of Their Role In Diabetes, Victoria S. Parma

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes continues to grow globally, and more strategies are needed to combat this public health problem. Considering the link between sleep problems and risk of type 2 diabetes, the objective of this review is to discuss the experimental and epidemiological evidence underlying the link between sleep disturbances (such as insomnia, circadian rhythm disorders, and obstructive sleep apnea), and the development of insulin resistance and glucose intolerance, which are impairments that can eventually result in type 2 diabetes. In order to explore this, PubMed and Google Scholar were utilized to find pertinent peer-reviewed publications, reviews, and …

Considerations In Using Heart Rate-Based Physical Activity Estimates From Consumer Wearables In Individuals With Varying Weight Status., Denver M Y Brown, David Wing, Christopher D. Pfledderer, Peter Stoepker, Stuart J. Fairclough, Jordan A. Carlson

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Although moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) is a widely used construct in physical activity (PA) research, the lack of standardized assessment methods- particularly with the growing use of consumer-grade wearable activity trackers- poses challenges for comparability. Consumer-grade devices tend to rely on heart rate (HR)-based estimation methods to classify PA intensity, which contrasts with traditional research-grade accelerometers that use count- or raw-acceleration metrics. Comparability issues are particularly salient across individuals with varying weight status. In this commentary, we discuss systematic discrepancies between HR-based (relative intensity) and acceleration-based (absolute intensity) classifications of MVPA among individuals with differing weight statuses. Using Fitbit data …

Superficial Cervical Plexus Block For Postoperative Pain Management In Occipital Craniotomies: A Narrative Review, Shahab Ahmadzadeh, Bennett M. Ford, Alex V. Hollander, Mary Kathleen Luetkemeier, Tomasina Q. Parker-Actlis, Sahar Shekoohi

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Post-craniotomy pain is common yet often sub-optimally managed because systemic opioids can obscure postoperative neurologic examinations. The superficial cervical plexus block (SCPB) has, therefore, emerged as a targeted regional anesthesia option for occipital craniotomies. The SCPB targets the C2-C4 nerves to anesthetize the occipital scalp region, covering the lesser occipital nerve territory that lies within typical posterior scalp incisions. Clinical evidence shows the block is effective in reducing acute postoperative pain after occipital craniotomy and diminishes opioid requirements. Studies have demonstrated successful and long-lasting analgesia, reductions in 24-h opioid consumption, and a lower incidence of severe pain. Moreover, the technique …

Optimal Management Of Public Energy Communities: Investment Strategies And Welfare Maximization, Dirk Bergemann, Marina Bertolini, Marta Castellini, Michele Moretto, Sergio Vergalli

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

A municipality (social planner) is seeking to establish a renewable energy community paying the initial investment costs, while also identifying the optimal management framework. In this context, two distinct modes of governance are analyzed: the private and the public one. In the first case, a private (or profit) aggregator oversees the energy community with a monopolistic behavior, while in the other the aggregator is a public owned, or controlled, company following the social approach advocated by the promoter, i.e the municipality. In both scenarios, the effective functioning of the community requires the collection of private data on members’ energy consumption. …

Dosimetric Effects Of Pinnacle³ Version 18.0 Advanced Auto-Planning Settings In Oropharyngeal Vmat Optimization, Emily Sanden

Masters Projects

This study evaluated the impact of Pinnacle³ version 18.0 auto-planning advanced settings modulation amount, monitor unit (MU) level, and dose fall-off priority on volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) plan quality for bilateral oropharyngeal cancer. A total of 64 plans were generated using all possible combinations of low, medium, high, and very high settings for each parameter. A standardized base of tongue case was optimized once per plan using a single-time point approach, with planned target volume 1 (PTV1) (6996 cGy) and planned target volume 2 (PTV2) (5412 cGy) coverage evaluated. Each parotid gland, the spinal cord, brainstem, and the oral …

Seven Um Graduates Earn Fulbright Scholarships, Clara Turnage

University of Mississippi News

OXFORD, Miss. – Seven recent University of Mississippi graduates have a chance to teach English around the world through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.

Comparative Designs Reveal Preferences For Human-Generated Rather Than Ai-Generated Art, Oliver Jacobs, Farid Pazhoohi, Grayson Mullen, Alan Kingstone

School of Psychology

The evaluation of AI-generated art has seen increased interest after widespread access to AI-generated art (e.g., DALL-E or Stable Diffusion). While previous studies have suggested that there are preferences for human-generated art, the research remains far from robust with numerous contradictory findings. One potential reason for this discrepancy is differing experimental designs employing comparative or non-comparative methods. To shed light on this problem, two experiments were conducted: one using a Likert scale (N = 250) and another using a 2-alternative forced choice design (N = 102). Our conflicting results between the two designs suggest that traditional Likert-based art appraisals in …

Understanding User Behaviors: Impact Of A 28-Day Intervention On Screen Time And Problematic Internet Use, Cade T. Campigli

Master's Theses

This thesis examines a 28-day self-monitoring intervention to reduce problematic internet use among undergraduate Instagram users. A quasi-experimental factorial mixed design with a repeated measures component was used, with participants split into an experimental group (daily Instagram screen time logging) and a control group (reporting Instagram interactions). Problematic Internet use was measured using the Generalized Problematic Internet Use Scale 2 (GPIUS2). Results showed no reduction in problematic internet use in the experimental group compared to the control, nor a correlation between screen time changes and problematic internet use. However, the experimental group showed a modest decrease in mean screen time …