Digital Commons Network^™

Silicosis Evaluation Among Native Spanish-Speaking Workers: An Exploratory Pilot Survey Of Occupational Medicine Providers, Caroline Olsen

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Silicosis is a lung disease caused by inhalation of respirable silica particles. Silicosis is usually characterized by high occupational exposure to silica in industries like mining, sandblasting, construction, and stone fabrication. Recent research showing increasing rates of silicosis among native Spanish-speaking workers demonstrates the need for improved silicosis diagnosis and patient education. While research has been done to understand the epidemiological distribution of silicosis and native Spanish-speaking workers, there has been limited research evaluating occupational medicine providers’ clinical practices related to the diagnosis of silicosis among this population.

This exploratory pilot study evaluated occupational medicine providers’ experiences related to silicosis …

Invitation To Fractional Calculus, Lyubomir I. Boyadzhiev

Open Educational Resources

These lecture notes are designed to provide the students who wish to become familiar with the basic concepts and methods of the Fractional Calculus (FC). The following features can be pointed out:  This text is prepared to be easily read and understood by students making their first steps into this topic. The lecture notes do not presume a background beyond standard college calculus curricula. Readers needing extra help will find tools for bringing their mathematical maturity up in the references and companion links;  The writing style is aimed to be direct and pragmatic. Precise mathematical language is used without excessive …

Latest Sightings Of The Striped Hyena In North Africa: Major Threats And Conservation Actions, Abderrazak El Alami, Abderrazzak Fattah, Ilyas El Alami, Ziad El Alami

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena) is widely distributed across the northern half of Africa, the Middle East, the Arabian Peninsula, and parts of Asia. However,  numerous studies indicate that this carnivore is in decline, and it is currently classified  as near threatened on the IUCN Red List of threatened species. In North  Africa, the Hyaena hyaena barbara subspecies has been extirpated from many  areas. This article summarizes data collected from observations of the striped hyena  in North Africa between 2004 and 2024. Among the 418 striped hyenas recorded in  North Africa between 2004 and 2024, 18.4% (n = 77) were …

Depressive Symptoms, Campus Connectedness, And Campus Climate Related To Sexual Violence And Misconduct, Stephanie A. Navarro Silvera, Amanda S. Birnbaum, Eva S. Goldfarb, Ranju Mainali, Lisa D. Lieberman

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

Depression, although a consequence of sexual violence, has not been studied in the context of college students’ views of campus sexual violence climate. Depression is one of the most prevalent and impairing mental health concerns among college students and has well-established links to sexual violence victimization; therefore, it serves as a theoretically and clinically meaningful focal outcome. Therefore, we assessed perceptions of institutional climate in the context of self-reported depression. Undergraduates (n = 716) reported perceptions and experiences of campus sexual violence and misconduct, connectedness, attitude, and depressive symptoms in an online survey. More than a third of participants reported …

Encouraging A United Response: A Systematic Review And Mixed-Methods Collaborative Evaluation Of Co-Responder Model Effectiveness In Florida, Kelsey Greenfield

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Even before the deinstitutionalization movement caused the influx of state hospital patients into communities ill-prepared to navigate their needs, law enforcement has been responsible for responding to persons in crisis (PIC) due to mental illness. In response to the high rates of incarceration for persons with mental illness (PMI), a growing number of law enforcement agencies have adopted diversion strategies referred to as police-mental health collaboration (PMHC) models to divert PMI away from the criminal justice system and towards community mental health services. Despite nearly forty years of research, there are still considerable knowledge gaps regarding who benefits from PMHCs …

Master’S Students: Experiences, Transitions, And Needs In The College Of Education, Brandi L. Sanchez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study explores the experiences, transitions, and needs of first-year master’s students in education. Guided by Schlossberg’s Transition Model, the study examines how students perceive shifts in academic rigor, workload, and the increased self-direction required in graduate education. The case study used three data collection methods: semi-structured interviews, document analysis, and observations that provided insights into the student perception of master’s students studying education’s experience, transition, and needs. Additionally, this case study enabled exploration of the research questions across six types of master’s programs within the College of Education. By focusing on the first year of graduate study, …

The Influence Of Alongside For Educators, An Ai Wellness Tool, On Educator Well-Being, Amanda Grell

Doctorate in Education

Educator well-being has become an urgent concern in K-12 education, as educators continue to experience chronic stress, emotional exhaustion, and high levels of burnout. Despite these challenges, few school-based interventions offer timely, individualized support that addresses educators’ real-time emotional needs. This mixed-methods study examined the influence of the Alongside for Educators application on educator well-being within middle and high school settings. The purpose of this research was to explore how the tool supported educators across the Coping-Competence-Context (3Cs) framework, including experiences with the application, contextual factors shaping engagement, and changes in well-being. Qualitative findings from 10 interviews revealed that educators …

Key Problems Of Intent Recognition Research: A Survey On Activity, Plan And Goal Recognition, Yi Zhang, Kai Xu, Shuilin Li, Dejun Chen, Yunxiu Zeng, Yong Peng

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: With the development of artificial intelligence technology, realizing intent recognition in human-computer interaction has become one of the key challenges. In this paper, the current research status of three fields was systematically sorted out, namely activity recognition, plan recognition, and goal recognition, and the progress from the problem proposal to the current development was analyzed. The main research approaches in each field were reviewed, and a survey of research on activity recognition, a development overview of plan recognition, and a retrospective analysis of hotspots in goal recognition were conducted. This general view of the problem helped to clarify …

How Big Is Copyright’S Second Bite?: An Empirical Assessment Of Copyright Reversion, Christopher Buccafusco, Brent Lutes, S. Sean Tu

Duke Law Journal

Copyright law is unusual. Unlike virtually every other area of U.S. law, the Copyright Act allows people to change their minds and unilaterally cancel otherwise valid contracts. Thirty-five years after transferring or licensing their copyrights to others, authors—or their heirs—can terminate the grant for any reason, and the copyright reverts to its original owners. These termination of transfer provisions aren’t just unusual as a matter of law generally; they are also atypical for copyright law. While most of copyright law is justified on the grounds that it improves social welfare, these provisions are explicitly based on redistributive concerns—giving poorly situated …

Eliminating The Fix In Vertical Merger Enforcement, Jessica Breznick

Duke Law Journal

As antitrust enforcers have increased their efforts to block vertical mergers, courts have been forced to grapple with the challenges of predicting the anticompetitive effects of vertical integration, as required by Section 7 of the Clayton Act. Merging parties have complicated this task by “litigating the fix”—proffering evidence that they have designed measures to prevent anticompetitive outcomes outside the consent decree process. Because the anticompetitive problems of vertical mergers do not lend themselves to structural relief, vertically-merging parties have instead proposed fixes aimed at constraining the parties’ post-merger conduct. Such conduct fixes come in the form of contractual agreements with …

Explaining Variability In Employee Perceptions Of Hr Practices In Strategic Hrm Research: An Integrative Review And Future Outlook, Jeske Van Beurden, Susanne Beijer, Kaifeng Jiang, Karina Van De Voorde, Anthony Nyberg

Faculty Publications

Employee perceptions of human resource (HR) practices have become a central focus in strategic human resource management(HRM) research due to their impact on individual and organizational outcomes. Recent studies highlight the importance of un-derstanding how these perceptions are formed, what they encompass, and why they vary across employees. This special issue ofHuman Resource Management aims to advance this evolving area of research by focusing on variability in employee perceptionsof HR practices. We review the current literature on employee perceptions of HR practices, including (1) theoretical and concep-tual clarity of the employee perceptions of HR practices construct, (2) antecedents of these …

Cv: Arvie Vitente (Physical Therapy), Arvie Vitente

Rehabilitation Sciences Department Curricula Vitae

No abstract provided.

Limiting Post-Operative Nausea And Vomiting In High-Risk Patients, Turner Tinsley

Group: Samford University Moffett & Sanders School of Nursing

Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) remains a major challenge in anesthesia for high-risk surgical patients. Its complications extend beyond discomfort as increased dehydration, fluid shifts, aspiration risk, and hospital stay duration all reduce patient satisfaction. Research and clinical experience highlight the need for anesthesia providers to move away from single-drug prophylaxis and implement individualized, multimodal strategies for high-risk patients.

Early risk identification is vital. The Apfel score—based on female gender, non-smoking status, history of PONV, and likely opioid use—effectively forecasts risk. An Apfel score of 4 indicates over 80% chance of PONV, so timely prevention is crucial. More than tallying …

Cryptic Diversity Within Nyctixalus (Anura: Rhacophoridae): A New Species, A Resurrection, And A Redescription, Jennifer Dever, Jimmy A. Mcguire, Djoko T. Iskandar, Amir Hamidy, Lee L. Grismer

Biology Faculty Publications

The examination of molecular markers confirms hidden diversity and reveals a new species within the Nyctixalus pictus (Peters, 1871) complex. Three genetically distinct clades were recovered: one from the Thai-Malay Peninsula; one from Sumatra, Indonesia; and one from Sarawak, Borneo, East Malaysia. Voucher specimens from each region were compared, and significantly different mean values were found through morphological analyses. The populations also differ significantly in morphospace, as determined by PCA, DAPC, and MFA analyses. The Thai-Malay Peninsula individuals have a distinct, rounded and slightly elongated snout shape compared to the other two clades. Based on these combined data, these three …

“Real-World Prognostic Performance Of Different Severe And Advanced Heart Failure Definitions: Data From The Swedish Heart Failure Registry”, Camilla Hage, Felix Lindberg, Christian Basile, Alessandro Villaschi, Francesca Musella, Davide Stolfo, Raffaele Scorza, Guillame Baudry, Charlotta Ljungman, Oscar Braun, Valeria Valente, Biykem Bozkurt, Marco Metra, Gianluigi Savarese

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: A valid definition of severe heart failure (HF) is essential for earlier identification, timely referral for advanced therapies, and to optimize clinical trial design.

Objectives: To assess the prevalence, prognostic performance, and 1-year outcomes associated with different definitions of severe and advanced HF (AdvHF) in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF).

Methods: We included 15,153 patients with EF < 40%, HF duration >6 months, and no prior left ventricular assist device or heart transplant, from the Swedish Heart Failure Registry. Several definitions of severe/AdvHF were evaluated: a simplified Heart Failure Association (HFA) definition (NYHA III-IV, EF < 30%, ≥2 HF hospitalizations in 12 months), the GALACTIC-Severe-definition (NYHA III-IV, EF < 30%, ≥1 hospitalization in 6 months), and variations adding/removing criteria such as NT-proBNP levels and diuretic dose to the HFA-AdvHF definition. Predictive performance and 1-year outcomes were analyzed.

Results: The HFA-definition identified …

Speciation Of Inorganic Arsenic In Oxic And In Reducing Groundwaters Using The As(V)-Selective Impas Resin, Martijn Eikelboom, Jay Bullen, Peter S.K. Knappett, Trevor Ferris, Matthieu Carriere, Alexandra Alvarez, Dario Omanovic, Subhamoy Bhowmick, Aaron Torres Huerta, Ramon Vilar, Jack N. Turney, Paul Lewtas, Dominik Weiss, Pascal Salaun

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Knowledge of arsenic inorganic speciation in groundwaters is critical for optimising water treatment approaches. Here, we characterise the on-site analytical performance of the As(V)-selective ImpAs ion-exchange resin to separate As(V) from As(III) in groundwater with contrasting redox conditions. Field speciation results obtained by ImpAs in the oxic, Fe-poor groundwaters of Guanajuato (Mexico) and in the reducing, Fe-rich groundwaters of West Bengal (India) agreed with voltammetry (slope of 0.91 ± 0.03, r = 0.99, p <  0.001, n = 21). Like for arsenic, oxyanions of Mo, V, U and Cr are retained by ImpAs but their reduced hydroxy forms are not. High As(V) extraction by ImpAs (>95%) was obtained in synthetic groundwater for hundreds of samples without any regeneration, highlighting negligible interactions of major anions such as sulfate, a major advantage over …

Cuny Academic Works: What It Is And Why You Should Submit Your Works, Jojo Karlin

Publications and Research

CUNY Academic Works was launched in 2014 to serve the faculty, staff, and students of CUNY. The root of this open access institutional repository was a response to the Budapest Open Access Initiative of 2002, which led to a CUNY University Faculty Senate Resolution in 2011. These slides were used in a presentation given at Lehman College and were developed from a presentation given at La Guardia Community College.

Research On Gaussian Splatting Modeling Of Power Equipment In 3d Scenes, Haiying Li, Haonan Xu, Junfang Hao

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: To address the issues of missing camera poses in captured images and poor reconstruction quality in 3D modeling of power equipment, a 3D Gaussian splatting 3D modeling method for power equipment based on video sequences was proposed. Theffmpeg was adopted to extract video frames at a reduced rate, and the Scharr operator was employed to quantify the sharpness of video frames to screen high-quality images for forming an input dataset, ensuring the completeness of equipment poses and the quality of modeling data. Through multi-view feature point extraction and matching, combined with an incremental structure-from-motion algorithm to optimize and …

Robot Path Planning By Reinforcement Learning Based On Sac3q-Hdm, Dequan Li, Wan Xiong

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: To address the issues of overestimated and underestimated biases, low sample utilization rate, and the inability to balance exploration and exploitation in reinforcement learning for path planning, an improved SAC method was proposed. The size balance of entropy was explored and utilized through adaptive temperature coefficient adjustment; on the basis of the SAC framework, a triple Critic architecture was introduced to dynamically weight and fuse the minimum and average values through Qvalue uncertainty, balancing overestimated and underestimated biases. A mixed dynamic sampling experience replay buffer was designed; experience data was partitioned based on reward thresholds; sampling ratios were dynamically …

Nerf Optimization Method And Simulation Research Based On Pre-Training And Differentiable Fuzzy Modeling, Yunjng Zhang, Minghui Yang, Hao Wang

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: To address the challenges of significant geometric modeling errors, severe detail loss, and low training efficiency in neural radiance field(NeRF) reconstruction under defocused blurred input scenarios, this paper proposes two optimization strategies. One strategy is introducing Triplane features generated by the pre-trained LRM as prior knowledge, and combining a lightweight decoder and directional LoRA module to replace large MLP, thereby reducing parameters and shortening convergence time. The second strategy is integrating a differentiable blurring model into the volumetric rendering step. By jointly optimizing the radiation field and spatially variable blurring kernels, reconstruction accuracy under defocused blurred scenarios is enhanced …

Aspirin Versus Enoxaparin For Venous Thromboembolism (Vte) Prophylaxis In Orthopaedic Trauma Surgery: A Systematic Review, Troy B. Puga, Mckenna Box, Charles Marchese, Claire Ferguson, Mason Poffenbarger, John Riehl

Student Publications

Background: Venous thromboembolism prophylaxis (VTE) is a major consideration in orthopaedic trauma surgery. In recent years, there has been an increasing debate about whether patients should be given enoxaparin or aspirin as VTE prophylaxis medication. The objective of this systematic review is to compare enoxaparin versus aspirin for VTE prophylaxis in orthopaedic trauma patients.

Methods: A search was conducted across six databases. The search used a combination of keywords and Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms. Titles and abstracts were screened for eligibility based on the inclusion criteria. Full texts were screened and included if they met eligibility criteria. …

Primary Vaginal Epithelioid Haemangioendothelioma With Pulmonary Metastasis: A Case Report And Review Of The Literature, Anwar Al Shuaili, Huda Kashoob, Zahida Niaz, Nausheen Yaqoob, Khadhra Ahmed J. Galaal, Reem Ahmed Al Mazrouai

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

Epithelioid haemangioendothelioma (EHE) is a rare vascular sarcoma of intermediate malignancy. In 2023, a 31-year-old female presented to a tertiary care hospital in Muscat, Oman, with symptoms later diagnosed as primary vaginal EHE. The patient had primary, locally invasive vaginal EHE that subsequently metastasised to the lungs. The patient experienced progression of systemic disease despite chemotherapy and was therefore transitioned to palliative chemotherapy. The clinical, radiological and histopathological findings as well as the diagnostic features that distinguish EHE from its aggressive mimic, epithelioid angiosarcoma, are described in this report. This case highlights the diagnostic challenges, the importance of molecular confirmation …

Comprehensive, Multidisciplinary Care For Fragile X-Associated Tremor/Ataxia Syndrome, James A. Bourgeois, Andrea Schneider, Jessica Klusek Ph.D., Ccc-Slp, Thomas R. Christensen, Ellie Levin, Kendall Gardner, Ariel A. Jacobi, Randy J. Hagerman

Faculty Publications

Objective: 

The authors reviewed the pathophysiology, clinical genetics, phenotype, and comprehensive clinical management of Fragile X-associated Tremor/Ataxia Syndrome (FXTAS), a neurodegenerative disorder affecting FMR1 premutation carriers (55–200 CCG repeats).

Participants: 

A multispecialty and multidisciplinary team of authors with backgrounds in psychiatry, pediatrics, clinical psychology, speech and language pathology, and neurosciences.

Evidence: 

Review of English language sources on the clinical phenomenology, genetics, pathophysiology, and clinical management of FXTAS from 2001 (the original report) through 2025, with emphasis on the general medical, psychiatric, and neurological features of FXTAS and its multispecialty and multidisciplinary clinical management.

Consensus process:

All authors contributed to the …

Book Review: Tradecraft, Tactics, And Dirty Tricks: Russian Intelligence And Putin’S Secret War, Thomas W. Spahr

Parameters Bookshelf – Online Book Reviews

Author: Sean M. Wiswesser

Reviewed by: Dr. Thomas W. Spahr, Francis De Serio Chair of Strategic and Theater Intelligence, US Army War College

A veteran intelligence practitioner exposes the vulnerabilities, contradictions, and hidden conflicts shaping modern Russian espionage—and what they mean for Western security.

Book Review: The Spy And The State: The History Of American Intelligence, Thomas W. Spahr

Parameters Bookshelf – Online Book Reviews

Author: Jeffrey P. Rogg

Reviewed by: Dr. Thomas W. Spahr, Francis W. De Serio Chair of Strategic and Theater Intelligence, US Army War College

From the Revolutionary War to the digital age, The Spy and the State by Jeffrey P. Rogg traces the evolution of American intelligence as a central force in shaping national security and foreign policy. With rich historical detail and sharp analysis, Rogg reveals how espionage has empowered and challenged democratic governance. This compelling narrative offers a fresh lens on the hidden machinery behind America’s global influence.

Exploring Identity Development Of Therapeutic Boarding School Alumni, Travis Philipsen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research on therapeutic boarding schools (TBS) has largely focused on treatment experiences and immediate adolescent outcomes, with limited attention to identity development after program discharge. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to examine identity development during emerging adulthood in TBS alumni aged 18-24 and to explore how internal strengths and external supports influenced participants’ developmental experiences after leaving TBS. Positive youth development was the guiding theoretical framework, emphasizing the bidirectional relationship between a person and the external ecological assets they access. Semistructured interviews were conducted with six alumni, and data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis within a …

Faith-Based School Leaders’ Strategies For Addressing Achievement Gaps Since The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jolene Culver

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that was addressed through this study is that faith-based school leaders are challenged to support teachers to address student achievement gaps following the COVID-19 pandemic. Grounded in Bass’s transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate strategies veteran faith-based school leaders use to support teachers in addressing student achievement gaps in six Ohio districts that had a minimum of 50 students. For this basic qualitative design, semistructured interviews were conducted with one faith-based school leader from each of the six Ohio districts. Thematic coding yielded four themes encompassing the strategies that veteran faith-based school …

Recent High School Graduates' Perspectives On The Practice Of Teacher Empathy As An Approach To Engage Learners, Susanna Michelle Post

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed through this study is that recent high school graduates’ perspectives on how teachers practiced empathy as an approach to engage learners have not been explored in an urban school district in a Southern state. Grounded in a conceptual framework that incorporates Kleinfeld’s concept of warm demander pedagogy with Goleman’s emotional intelligence theory, the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore recent high school graduates’ perspectives on how teachers practiced empathy as an approach to engage learners in an urban school district in a Southern state. For this basic qualitative design, semistructured interviews were conducted with 12 …

Implementation Of Sustainable Development Goals In Higher Education, Adam Mehmet Kilic

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that was addressed through this study is that higher education institutions play a critical role in advancing the United Nations sustainable development goals (SDGs), yet limited research offers guidance on how institutions can implement the SDGs through systems-oriented strategic planning. Guided by Hofstede’s cultural dimensions and Senge’s systems thinking, the purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the integration of SDGs into its policies and practices to inform effective, transformative approaches at a private Texas university. For this case study design, data were collected through 11 semistructured interviews, a focus group with five administrators and faculty, and …

Psychologists’ And Psychiatrists’ Views On Criminal Behavior, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, And Federally Sentenced Indigenous Women In The Prairie Region And British Columbia, Rina Asghar

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The overrepresentation of federally sentenced Indigenous women in Canada reflects longstanding structural and systemic injustices within the criminal justice system. Constituting approximately 5% of the female population, Indigenous female offenders are disproportionately represented, especially in maximum security facilities and structured intervention units. This qualitative study examined psychologists’ and psychiatrists’ perspectives on the potential role of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) related neurocognitive impairments in increasing justice system involvement among Indigenous women in Western Canada. Guided by the multidimensional Indigenous developmental framework, which integrates historical trauma theory and attachment theory, nine psychologists and one psychiatrist were interviewed in semi-structured interviews. The …