Digital Commons Network^™

Project G.L.E.N., Alexis Peshehonoff, Makaylei Huggins, Bernard Muich, William John, Nicholas Fazzolari, Kai Hong, Nicholas Krasznavolgyi, Caitlyn A. Gabrinowitz, Grace Forbes, Harris Meyer, Jakob Graudons, Georgii Dubrov, Aditya Bhattacharya, Augustine Balish, Zachary Ort, Stephen Syvertson, Sajid Berhane

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

Project G.L.E.N., formally known as “Refining Enhanced Fujita Wind Estimates via Unmanned Collection of In-Situ Tornadic Data Measurements,” is an ongoing initiative aimed at advancing tornado research through the development and deployment of an unmanned tornado probe. Through the Gale Level Environmental Navigator (G.L.E.N.) probe, a remote-controlled unit equipped with specialized meteorological sensors and innovative design features, we aim to collect real-time, onsite data from within tornadoes. This approach allows for direct measurement of internal atmospheric conditions such as wind speeds, pressure fluctuations, temperature, humidity, and other storm dynamics while removing human risk from tornado interception, significantly enhancing the safety …

String-Of-Pearls Measurements Of Supersonic Plasma Jets Using Magnetospheric Multiscale Satellites, Amelia Koth

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

High-energy supersonic plasma jets form when the solar wind, which is a flow of charged particles from the Sun, slows down as it encounters Earth’s magnetic shield. Occasionally, the solar wind remains at supersonic speeds as it enters this region. This forms plasma jets that propagate toward Earth; these jets can carry strong magnetic fields, drive magnetic reconnection, and potentially initiate substorms that lead to auroral activity.   Previously studied plasma jets occurred when the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) points southward. In contrast, this study focuses on northward IMF conditions, which are less understood, yet still capable of producing supersonic jets. …

Evaluation Of Antimicrobial Resistance In Pathogens Relevant To Long-Duration Space Missions, Natalie Brattain, Yegor Bushnev, Mikayla M. Dutkiewicz

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

Antimicrobial resistance is a growing global concern that necessitates the development of effective strategies for selecting appropriate antibiotics, especially in the context of future long-duration space missions, where infection control and treatment options are limited. This study employs the Kirby–Bauer disk diffusion assay to evaluate the antimicrobial susceptibility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and other clinically and spaceflight-relevant bacterial pathogens such as Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus pneumoniae. These pathogens will be tested with commonly used antibiotics and potential natural compounds.   The pathogens will be cultured and isolated onto Mueller–Hinton agar plates. Antibiotic disks, along with various flavonoids disks, such as …

Extending The Essentially Entropic Lattice Boltzmann Method To Three-Dimensional Turbulent Flows, Michael Derderian

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

The Entropic Lattice Boltzmann Method (EELBM) has demonstrated strong numerical stability and accuracy for two-dimensional simulations, particularly at higher resolutions where the entropic formulation introduces only minimal stabilizing turbulent viscosity and eventually converges to the Lattice Bhatnagar–Gross–Krook (LBGK) formulation. This built-in stabilization can be interpreted as an implicit large-eddy simulation (LES) model, allowing EELBM to capture complex turbulent behavior without requiring explicit subgrid-scale closures. While these advantages have been thoroughly validated in 2D, understanding how the entropic constraint regulates dissipation in three dimensions is essential for assessing EELBM’s suitability for practical, turbulence-dominated applications. This work focuses on the development and …

Effects Of Human-Animal Interaction On Positive Youth Development: A Replication Study, Allison Pachunka, Jay Jeffries, Lisa Karr, Lena Luck, Bryan A. Reiling, Douglas H. Schultz, Jeffrey R. Stevens

People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice

Interacting with animals can improve health and well-being across the lifespan. Some programs such as 4-H and FFA center around youth interacting with animals, potentially enhancing youth development. Mueller (2014) investigated whether these interactions and attitudes about animals influenced measures of positive youth development. The aim of our studies was to replicate Mueller’s methods and extend her work by evaluating whether membership in animal-focused youth programs moderate associations between interactions, attitudes, and positive youth development. We did not find strong relationships among human–animal inter-action and positive youth development, which failed to replicate Mueller’s findings. However, we did find relationships between …

Implementation Of Artificial Intelligence In Retinoblastoma Diagnosis, Zana Moldavsky

inSIGHT

The retina is essential for vision. It is composed of 10 distinct layers and contains specialized photoreceptor cells, rods, and cones that are responsible for converting photons of light into electrical signals through a process called phototransduction.¹ These electrical signals are transmitted to the brain via the optic nerve where they are interpreted as a visual picture.¹

Retinoblastoma is a rare but aggressive malignant tumor of the retina and represents the most common intraocular malignancy in the pediatric populabon.² The disease follows Knudson's two-hit hypothesis and occurs due to biallelic inactivation of the RB1 tumor suppressor gene …

Novel Treatments For Keratoconus, Caroline Paik

inSIGHT

Keratoconus is a progressive condition in which the cornea gradually thins and bulges outward, causing it to become steep and irregular. This leads to irregular astigmatism and worsening vision, most often beginning in adolescence or early adulthood.¹ The management of keratoconus has evolved significantly over the past two decades, with novel therapeutic approaches emerging across three critical domains: halting disease progression, improving visual function, and providing surgical alternatives when conservative measures fail. This review examines the latest advances in keratoconus treatment, focusing on innovative approaches that are reshaping clinical practice.

Insight, Volume 6, Issue 1, 2026

inSIGHT

Contents

7 - Novel Treatments for Keratoconus
By Caroline Paik

12 - Novel Advancements in Glaucoma Surgery
By Eshani Ragam

16 - Dichoptic Therapy versus Patching – State of Literature Review
By Eve Miller

24 - GLP-1 Receptor Agonists and Ocular Risk
By Saharsh Satheesh

33 - Home-use OCT for Neovascular Age- Related Macular Degeneration
By Sneh Shah

40 - Implementation of Artificial Intelligence in Retinoblastoma Diagnosis
By Zana Moldavsky

Future Meteorological Droughts In The Southeastern Us, Kunal Bhardwaj, C. Prakash Khedun, Abdul A. Khan

Journal of South Carolina Water Resources

The Southeastern U.S., despite its humid climate, experiences recurrent meteorological droughts which impact agricultural, water resources, ecological systems, and the economy and society. Knowledge of future drought conditions can guide adaptation efforts. Here, we evaluate historical and projected droughts using the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and the Standardized Precipitation-Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) computed from an ensemble of eight bias-corrected Global Climate Models (GCMs) from the Climate Model Intercomparison Phase-6 (CMIP6). The historical performance (1950–2014) of the GCM’s mean was benchmarked against gridded observations from the Climate Research Unit (CRU). Future changes were assessed under 1.5°C, 2.0°C, and 3.0°C global warming levels.We …

Speculative Urbanism Versus Paddy Land Conservation: The Land Paradox In Policy Making, Neethu Das

Journal of Law and Public Policy

This paper argues that paddy land has become a contested space for competing policy objectives in Kerala, one of the southernmost Indian states. It critically examines two competing policy approaches in the state: one focused on fostering economic growth through investment-friendly policies and the other prioritising the preservation of ecological resources for long-term sustainability. It analyses how conservation laws are gradually weakened to foster an investment-friendly environment. In addition, it examines the shift from viewing land primarily as leverage, which has undermined efforts towards long-term sustainability. The insights informing this analysis were drawn from ethnographic fieldwork conducted in Thrikkakara, a …

The Active Metamaterial Structural Integrity Field (Sif): A Dynamic Stress-Routing Architecture For Advanced Spaceframes, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This white paper presents the design, architectural framework, and engineering specifications for a solid-state, real-time Structural Integrity Field (SIF). Traditional spaceframe engineering is bound by a rigid mass-to-rigidity paradox: mitigating extreme localized dynamic, kinetic, or thermal loads requires a proportional increase in material mass, which introduces severe propulsive and structural penalties. The SIF architecture breaks this paradox by shifting the burden of structural survival from structural mass to information-theoretic latency and active stress-routing. By treating structural loading as a continuous elastodynamic wave vector propagating through a medium, we define a modular, multi-vector design matrix.

This paper establishes three independent, hot-swappable …

The Helical Manifold Hypothesis: Time As A Latency Function Of Volumetric Quantum Wave Collapse, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This paper introduces the Helical Manifold Hypothesis (HMH), a unified geometric and informational framework that models 3D space and linear time as emergent macroscopic phenomena derived from a fundamental, timeless 2D quantum substrate. We propose that baseline energy fields exist on this substrate as highly coiled, localized topological structures. Upon interaction or observation, these wave functions undergo an asymmetric volumetric collapse, uncoiling outward into 3D space to form a visible matter vector, while their anti-matter counterparts remain anchored to the negative side of the substrate. This split establishes physical spacetime coordinates (x, y, z, t). Under this framework, linear time …

Technical Specification: Definitive Master Taxonomy And Systemic Architectural Directory For The Cognitive Grids Cores (Papers 1–117), Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This specification establishes the definitive, system-wide architectural index and organizational taxonomy for the Christopher L. Eckes defensive publication corpus, spanning Papers 1 through 117. Historically, open-source development and prior art disclosures suffer from structural fragmentation, allowing centralized entities to locate and exploit isolation gaps between software layers and physical hardware implementations.

This master directory resolves this vulnerability by executing a top-down, text-based semantic alignment that maps the entire 117-paper footprint into eight highly dense, interconnected Technical Domains. By establishing the precise mathematical and logical dependencies linking low-level physical fluid dynamics, material manufacturing recipes, energy transduction systems, non-silicon quantum backbones, sovereign …

Technical Specification: Femtosecond-Scale Coordinate Time Synchronization And Inverse Phase-Alignment Loops For Interplanetary Cognitive Grids, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This specification defines a hyper-precise spatiotemporal time-keeping and phase-alignment operating system designed to mitigate sub-nanosecond relativistic drift across distributed interplanetary optical channels. Referencing localized clock cycles directly to Barycentric Coordinate Time (TCB) at a femtosecond resolution threshold (10^-15 s), the architecture dynamically tracks Einsteinian kinematic and gravitational dilation variables across multi-body space matrices. Traditional communications engineering employs reactive, post-receiver digital signal processing to reconstruct distorted signal paths. This framework applies inverse design methodologies, utilizing known-outcome trapping vectors to pre-distort near-infrared laser wavefront phase structures at the transmitter terminal. By computing localized space-time curvature tensors along the projected light travel path, …

Technical Specification: Dual-Mode Spatiotemporal Intersection Ambush And Ping-Pong Doppler-Gated Intercept Recovery Operating Systems For Energy-Bound Interplanetary Optical Networks, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This specification defines an energy-optimized, ultra-precise spatiotemporal tracking and communication operating system for deep space laser networks. Traditional space communication systems rely on active tracking methods, forcing heavy motorized gimbals to continuously move and shake to counteract planetary motion. This approach introduces gimbal jitter, limits data link density, and causes severe energy depletion that challenges long-duration flights.

This architecture introduces a dual-mode redundant framework that establishes Known-Outcome Trapping (The Ambush Method) as the primary operational state. Utilizing the predictable laws of Keplerian mechanics, nodes project future multi-body path intersections years in advance down to the millimeter. Rather than chasing a …

Technical Specification: A High-Latitude Keplerian Optical Mesh Array With Integrated Multi-Sensor Biosignature And Hydrological Detection Arrays For System-Wide Interplanetary Data Ingress, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This specification defines an integrated architectural design for deep space communication and planetary exploration. It replaces traditional standalone, single-point-of-failure space missions with an interconnected, system-wide, self-healing network topology.

Traditional radio frequency (RF) communications in the ecliptic plane suffer from severe data chokepoints driven by the Inverse-Square Law, solar plasma interference, and planetary occlusions. This architecture resolves these constraints by deploying a constellation of non-coplanar satellites into high-latitude, critical-inclination ($i = 63.435^\circ$) Keplerian frozen orbits around target planets. This orbital geometry provides continuous, line-of-sight laser (optical) links entirely above the flat, crowded ecliptic plane, enabling high-gigabit data transmission velocities.

To justify …

Technical Specification: Omnidirectional Multi-Vector Omni-Resonant Memory Substrate For High-Density Sovereign Storage, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This specification defines the physical architecture, material composition, manufacturing parameters, and control mathematics for an Omnidirectional Multi-Vector Omni-Resonant Non-Volatile Storage Matrix. Engineered to operate as a completely self-healing, ambient-temperature memory baseline for sovereign, main-duty processing networks, this specification eliminates external code or library references, providing an exhaustive, standalone manual for hardware replication.

We formalize four parallel physical storage channels: a mechanical acoustofluidic phase-change grid (A-RAM) deploying a Topologically Protected Cymatic Electrolyte Matrix (TPCEM) [Eckes], a stroboscopic optical emission hole-burning layer validated via tabletop three-dimensional photoemission orbital tomography (3D-POT), an electromagnetic magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) vortex confinement cell, and an organic lipid-encapsulated solitonic …

Technical Specification: Standalone Integrated Quantum Computing Backbone For Resilient Silicon Replacement, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This specification defines the complete, self-contained architecture for a solid-state, ambient-temperature quantum processing unit (QPU) engineered to serve as a main-duty replacement for legacy silicon microarchitectures. To ensure absolute operational continuity in fragmented or disconnected environments, this document eliminates external data-dependency links, consolidating the physical layer heterostructure, peripheral control chipsets, parallel simulation algorithms, and laboratory metrology protocols into a singular, cohesive engineering package.

We explicitly formalize the hardware blueprints for three critical peripheral systems: a local Continuous Phase-Locked Loop (CPLL) Temporal Clock Module to mitigate sub-picosecond phase-jitter, a gate-level Acoustic Digital-to-Analog Converter (A-DAC) to translate legacy 64-bit binary registers into …

Technical Specification: Dual-Track Acoustofluidic Parametric Transition Apparatus For Qubit Stabilization, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This specification defines the physical architecture, material layers, and control mathematics for a Dual-Track Acoustofluidic Parametric Transition Apparatus designed to mitigate environmental decoherence in solid-state quantum processing units (QPUs). The device utilizes a high-frequency, Gallium Nitride (GaN)-driven interdigital concentric transducer matrix to generate phase-matched Surface Acoustic Waves (SAWs) across an organic monolayer crystal interface (PTCDA/Pentacene).

To ensure universal operational compatibility and robust defensive IP protection, this specification enforces a dual-track mathematical pipeline. Track A models the device performance through conventional quantum parametric phase-squeezing of vacuum fluctuations via a non-linear driven Hamiltonian. Track B models the identical physical mechanics through two-dimensional …

Technical Disclosure Specification: Laboratory Quantum Metrology Interface For Dehp Substrate Verification, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This specification formalizes an engineering protocol linking the Dimensionally Extended Holographic Projection (DEHP) cosmological framework to the three-dimensional Photoemission Orbital Tomography (3D-POT) metrology apparatus developed at the University of Göttingen. Utilizing tabletop, 35-femtosecond extreme ultraviolet (EUV) photoexcitation pulses coupled with high-resolution hemispherical momentum microscopy, the 3D-POT system isolates the complete three-dimensional spatial amplitude and phase profiles of electronic wavefunctions.

This disclosure operationalizes that laboratory apparatus as an empirical testbed for Topological Substrate Mechanics (TSM) [Eckes]. We demonstrate that the reconstructed out-of-plane vertical electron density profile (\(\Psi \)) maps directly to the vertical displacement coordinates (\(z > 0\)) of the DEHP fluid-substrate …

Evaluating The Potential Of Cajanus Cajan (L.) Millsp. Root To Improve Atopic Dermatitis With Different Anti-Inflammatory Models And Active Compounds, Shu-Er Yang, Xiang-Ming Cai, Yu-Wen Chu, Jen-Chieh Tsai, Mey-Fann Lee, Tuzz-Ying Song

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by recurrent bacterial infections that cause pruritus, erythema, xerosis and thickening. Cajanus cajan root extract prepared with 95% ethanol (EECR95) has been shown to possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties in previous studies. This study aimed to evaluate EECR95’s ability to improve AD by inhibiting methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) growth and reducing inflammation. This study found EECR95 effectively inhibits MRSA growth (IC₅₀ = 103.74 μg/mL) and reduces pro-inflammatory cytokine production in an MRSA-keratinocyte-macrophage model. LC/MS/MS analysis revealed the presence of active compounds- flavonoids, isoflavones, and flavonoid glycosides, highlighting EECR95's potential …

Implementing A Standardized Counting Process, Paula M. Mbye

Master's Projects and Capstones

Abstract

Background: In a Northern California medical center with 11 operating rooms, two retained foreign object (RFO) events occurred following surgical procedures in 2025.

Problem: Surgical teams rely on manual counting processes to prevent retained foreign objects. Variability in counting practices among registered nurses and surgical technologists, combined with workflow interruptions and environmental distractions, can increase the risk of counting discrepancies and missed items. Standardizing the counting process may improve count accuracy and reduce the risk of RFOs.

Interventions: This quality improvement project implemented a standardized surgical counting process based on Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) guidelines within …

Evaluation And Continuation Of Oncology Nurse Mentorship Program, Gurpreet K. Kang

Master's Projects and Capstones

Problem: Newly hired nurses on a busy inpatient leukemia and lymphoma subspeciality unit experienced challenges after transitioning into specialty oncology practice. This resulted in decreased confidence, increased risk of medication errors, and a 40% unit-based annual turnover rate. The cost of replacing one staff nurse is $61,000.  Exit interviews determined root causes of turnover rates, nurse confidence.

Context: A quality improvement program was envisioned to optimize patient and organizational outcomes on a 25-bed inpatient unit to evaluate and sustain an oncology nurse mentorship program.

Interventions: Over one year, cohort 1 (n=8) and follow up 2^nd cohort (n=7) was implemented …

Enhancing Patient Understanding: Standardizing Cardiac Medication Education Using Teach-Back For Heart Failure, Nicole Valerie Hediger

Master's Projects and Capstones

Problem: The transition from hospital to home places heart failure (HF) patients at risk for medication errors, nonadherence, deterioration, and rehospitalization. In a 28-bed medical-surgical telemetry microsystem, Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) scores indicated an opportunity for improvement: “Communication About Medicines” composite score of 47.9%; 62.5% of patients reported being informed about the medication purpose, and 33.3% reported that staff described potential side effects.

Context: A cohort of HF patients was selected to test teach-back methodology and improve patient understanding. Nurse champions volunteered for a 5-month improvement project.

Interventions: Teach-back methods were implemented. Nurse leader rounding …

Improving Pain Reassessment Within One Hour Of Pain Medication Administration, Geraldine B. Macalma

Master's Projects and Capstones

Abstract

Problem: Timely reassessment of pain is often missed or inconsistently documented, creating a gap between evidence-based standards and actual nursing practice. This inconsistency prevents evaluation of intervention effectiveness and contributes to unmanaged pain, reduced patient satisfaction, and safety concerns.

Context:  Pain reassessment is a critical component of evidence-based pain management, ensuring that nurses evaluate the effectiveness of interventions and adjust care accordingly.  Competing priorities and documentation challenges often lead to inconsistent reassessment, affecting patient comfort, safety, and overall quality of care.

Interventions: Guided by a Plan-Do-Study-Act framework, the intervention included documentation of a safety round, purposeful hourly rounding, …

Comparing The Use Of Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty For Glenohumeral Osteoarthritis, Irreparable Rotator Cuff Tears, And Rotator Cuff Tears With Arthritis: A 2-Year Clinical Outcome Analysis Using The Enovis Altivate Reverse., Matthew R Rohl, Christopher Miller, Taylor J Manes, Tyler Hasbrook, Molly Moor, Scott P Stephens, Brian L Badman

Surgery Articles

Background: The purpose of this study was to compare outcomes of patients undergoing reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (rTSA) for rotator cuff tears with arthritis, irreparable rotator cuff tears without arthritis, and primary glenohumeral osteoarthritis.

Methods: A retrospective review of prospectively collected data was performed of patients undergoing primary rTSA using the AltiVate Reverse (Enovis; Austin, TX) by a single surgeon from 2021 to 2023. Patients were categorized as irreparable rotator cuff tear without arthritis, rotator cuff tear with arthritis, or primary glenohumeral osteoarthritis. Outcomes included American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, Simple Shoulder Test (SST), visual analog scale (VAS) …

Clara S. Ludlow: Mississippi A & M Graduate And American Military Entomology Pioneer, Bradley Brazzeal

Midsouth Entomologist

The systematic study of the mosquitoes of the world did not begin until the early years of the 20^th century. Among the early entomologists to specialize in the field was Clara S. Ludlow, who graduated from Mississippi Agricultural and Mechanical College. Her research began in the Philippines in 1901, while American troops were still fighting in the Philippine-American War, and for over 20 years she researched mosquitoes in connection with the U.S. Army. This article explores Ludlow’s scientific career and the legacy of her research.

Family Religious Socialization Index: Development And Preliminary Validation, Kaelie Rene Crockett

Theses and Dissertations

A key area of interest for religious scholars is how religious beliefs are passed across generations, or religious socialization. To expand this field of study, a theoretically grounded, validated measure of this construct is needed. This article describes the development and validation of the Family Religious Socialization Index (FRSI), a multi-informant, multidimensional assessment of the processes through which parents socialize religion and faith in their children. Based on Social Cognitive Theory and through a rigorous development and validation process, three subscales were developed to represent the primary processes of religious socialization. The FRSI consists of two parallel scales, a parent …

August 11, 2026 Ereporter, University Of Alabama At Birmingham

eReporter (campus newsletter)

No abstract provided.

Improving Documentation Of Skin Assessment In The Med-Surg Overflow Microsystem, Min Kim, Mikeal A. Swift

Master's Projects and Capstones

Abstract

Problem

Hospital-acquired pressure injuries (HAPIs) remain a costly patient safety concern with increased morbidity and prolonged hospitalization. Inconsistent admission skin assessment documentation in a 24-bed overflow medical–surgical microsystem led to delayed wound identification and misclassification.

Context

A baseline needs assessment (n = 15) identified key barriers, including low nurse confidence utilizing Rover (mobile software application) and linking photos to the LDA (lines-drains-airway) in the electronic health record.

Intervention

A bundle of 6 components was tested over 12 weeks: standardization of the two-RN skin assessments within 8 hours of admission or transfer; optimization of Rover photo capture and LDA linkage; …