Digital Commons Network^™

Next-Generation Terrorism: Understanding Agentic Ai Systems And Potential For Malign Use, Alexis D'Amato, Ares Boira-Lopez, Emma Theobald, Meg Shercliffe, Jack Rygg, Samuel Hunter, Joel Elson

Reports, Projects, and Research

The call for an increased understanding of artificial intelligence in the U.S. AI Action Plan (The White House, 2025), in tandem with the growing use of AI by terrorist organizations (see Theobald et al., 2025), motivates our effort to provide clarity around the emerging technologies. In doing so, we define and distinguish the different types of agentic AI (e.g., reflex, goal-based, learning) and provide several case studies to illustrate the nefarious use of these tools. We use the malevolent innovation process as a framework to understand whether these tools are used for generating ideas, planning attacks, or executing them. Although …

Defining Civil Rico's "Injury To Business Or Property" Requirement: The Supreme Court Takes A Few Steps, Says It Punts, But Actually Fumbles, Randy D. Gordon

Faculty Scholarship

Throughout its history, the RICO statute has presented lawyers with something of an interpretive parlor game. It is indefinite along multiple dimensions and thereby given multiple interpretations, even down to the word level. In Medical Marijuana v. Horn, the Supreme Court set out to define one of RICO's civil-standing provisions: Namely, whether the statute's "injury to business or property" requirement can be satisfied when a plaintiff suffers both economic and personal injuries. In a 5-4 decision, members of the Court engaged in an interpretive battle over the meaning of the phrase and succeeded only in holding that civil RICO does …

Computational Fluid Dynamics-Based Risk Stratification Of Modified Blalock-Taussig-Thomas Shunt Thrombogenicity, Yi Qiao, Ethan Penn, Jacob Miller, Scott Bugenhagen, Ram Rohatgi, Kelsey Mercer, Blaire Kulp, Jinli Wang, Pirooz Eghtesady, Guy M Genin, Edon J Rabinowitz, David Bark

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: The modified Blalock-Taussig-Thomas shunt (mBTTS) is a critical palliative procedure for infants with single-ventricle physiology, but thrombosis-related occlusion affects 8% to 12% of infants and carries nearly 50% mortality. Meanwhile, existing antithrombotic strategies fail to address the hemodynamic factors driving thrombosis, highlighting the need for a deeper understanding of flow dynamics in shunt failure.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to identify how mBTTS geometry influences hemodynamics and thrombosis risk, providing quantitative guidance for surgical planning and shunt design optimization.

METHODS: We used patient-specific imaging data to test 54 idealized mBTTS configurations, systematically varying key geometric factors: pulmonary artery diameter, shunt …

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy For Individuals With Low Literacy And Perinatal Depression: A Randomized Clinical Trial, Eliza Kleban, Ashleen Lee, Aminata Koroma, D Taylor Hendrixson, Joshua Duncan, Mark J Manary, Kevin B Stephenson

2020-Current year OA Pubs

IMPORTANCE: Perinatal depression is common in sub-Saharan Africa, yet treatment gaps are substantial. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is effective but relies on written materials.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of a culturally adapted CBT intervention delivered by lay counselors to women with perinatal depression in rural Sierra Leone.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This study was an individually randomized, outcomes assessor- and investigator-blinded, clinical trial of an adapted CBT intervention vs enhanced usual care. The trial was conducted in 6 government-run antenatal clinics in Pujehun District, Sierra Leone, which has limited infrastructure, low literacy, high maternal undernutrition, and no perinatal mental …

Differences In Injury Rates By Competition Level Among Scholastic And Collegiate Female Lacrosse Athletes: A Systematic Review, Carrie J Froemming, Daniel C Touhey, Robert H Brophy, Derrick M Knapik

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Women's lacrosse is an increasingly popular sport. Current rules allow incidental body and stick-to-stick contact, with limited required protective equipment. Injuries to the head, face, and lower extremities are common, especially at higher levels of competition. Differences in injury rates and types based on competition level remain largely unknown.

PURPOSE: To systematically review the literature to better understand injury differences between scholastic and collegiate female lacrosse athletes.

STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4.

METHODS: Under PRISMA guidelines (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses), 543 studies were identified in September 2025 in PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, …

Ai Institute Summer Camp Webinar Summary, Dora Nguyen

Paul English Applied Artificial Intelligence (AI) Institute Publications

This report summarizes the AI Institute Summer Camp informational webinar hosted by the Paul English Applied Artificial Intelligence Institute (PEAAII) at the University of Massachusetts Boston. The webinar introduced the structure, curriculum, learning objectives, and student outcomes associated with the 2026 AI Institute Summer Camp. In addition to summarizing the webinar content, this report analyzes participant questions, engagement trends, and areas of audience interest. Findings indicate strong interest in coding accessibility, mentorship opportunities, student outcomes, research experiences, and program flexibility. The report also identifies opportunities for improving future webinar delivery, including expanded eligibility guidance, pre-camp learning resources, enhanced presentation of …

Agent Orange: The Effect Of The Herbicide In Peripheral Neuropathy, And Assessing The Adequacy Of Veterans Affairs’ Presumptive Healthcare Policy For The Condition With The Input Of Physical Therapists And Physical Therapy Assistants, Danielle Coon

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

Agent Orange exposure has prolonged the suffering of Vietnam War veterans to this day (Peripheral Neuropathy and Agent Orange, 2025). Research has been conducted to discover different medical conditions with a possible linkage to the herbicide (Peripheral Neuropathy and Agent Orange, 2025). One condition is peripheral neuropathy; however, to qualify as a presumptive condition and gain compensation and benefits such as monthly payments and enrollment in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare in a more efficient manner, the condition must be at least 10% disabling within one year of the last exposure to Agent Orange (Peripheral Neuropathy and …

Teaching Math Skills With Textile Arts: Crafting A New Classroom Curriculum, Lily Doebler

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

Mathematics teachers utilize many strategies to teach mathematical concepts, such as working examples on a whiteboard, providing notes sheets, and providing time for individual practice of skills. However, math remains an abstract skill to many students, and math performance in the United States continues to decline in public schools. Between 2019 and 2022, 51 of 53 jurisdictions recognized by The Nation’s Report Card showed a decrease in scores on the organization's assessment for eighth grade public school students. In contrast, activities with hands-on elements, as well as those that allow for student choice-making, have been shown to increase student engagement, …

The Effects Of Ssri Drugs And Gender On Mental Health Views And Medication Adherence, Caroline S. Edmondson

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

There is an existing stigma surrounding mental health and related treatment that affects individuals seeking proper care for their mental health concerns. Previous research has failed to sufficiently examine the effects of mental health stigma on medication adherence, particularly in those who are prescribed SSRI medications, as well as gender differences regarding beliefs around mental health. The current research study aimed to explore the differences in mental health stigma between medicated and unmedicated groups as well as between genders. Further exploration is given to whether overall beliefs about mental health predict medication adherence. The Endorsed and Anticipated Stigma Inventory and …

The Art Of Healing: Reimagining Herbal Medicine Through Design, Ruby C. Bondurant

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

Medicinal plants have served as a primary source of healing across cultures for centuries, forming the foundation of many modern pharmaceuticals. Despite their continued presence in modern medicine, herbal remedies are often perceived as outdated, unscientific, or less credible than synthetic medicine. This shift in perception is not rooted in the inefficacy of medicinal plants, but in how they are visually and culturally represented in today’s market. This project explores how strategic brand design can restore credibility and trust to medicinal plant brands by bridging traditional herbal knowledge with modern visual language. The research done in this project consists of …

Dirty Defense: Investigating The Defensive Function Of Fecal Egg Cases In The Dogbane Beetle (Chrysochus Auratus), Alexandra Miller

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

Defecation is the elimination of digestive waste by animals. In insects, these wastes are composed of both undigested food and nitrogenous wastes in the form of uric acid, and can be either liquid or solid form as they exit the anus (Weiss, 2006). Food is ingested, ground, and some of it is stored in the foregut of the insect while the midgut digests food chemically and absorbs nutrients. What remains after the foregut and midgut is then moved into the hindgut, where they accumulate with uric acid coming from the malpighian tubules (Weiss, 2006). According to Weiss (2006), rectal pads …

Physiological And Performance Distinctions Among Division Iii Field Hockey Athletes Across Position And Graduate Year, Mallory F. Lamb

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

Field hockey is a high-intensity intermittent sport requiring a complex interplay of aerobic endurance, anaerobic capacity, muscular power, and optimal body composition to sustain repeated bouts of sprinting, directional changes, and technical skill execution. While extensive research has examined Division I and international athletes, limited data exist on NCAA Division III players, despite over 150 Division III programs in the United States. This gap restricts evidence-based training and performance optimization within this population. PURPOSE: This research will examine various physiological characteristics of field hockey players, including power, speed, agility, time spent in maximal heart rate zones, total distance covered during …

The Effect Of Rider Balance On Equine Heart Rate During Therapeutic Riding, Lydia R. Nelson

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

Therapeutic riding provides emotional and physical benefits for riders who have disabilities, yet the physical demands placed on equines in therapeutic riding are not fully understood. Equestrian imbalance is a common characteristic in therapeutic riding, which may increase the workload on the equine. This study aims to evaluate whether induced rider imbalance increases equine heart rate, indicating greater workload, in comparison to riding with a balanced equestrian. One therapeutic riding equine and one experienced equestrian from Brook Hill Farm participated in this study. Heart rate (HR) data were collected with a heart rate monitor strapped around the equine for 21 …

Hypothetical Courtroom: Influence Of Expert Witness Testimony On Jurors’ Decision-Making, Macy R. Hooper

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

Jurors’ decision-making is shaped by social and psychological factors that may create bias, particularly in cases involving psychopathic defendants. The present study examines how a hypothetical defendant’s perceived psychopathy, the type of scientific evidence presented (neuroimaging vs. only verbal descriptions), the gender of the expert witness, and the expert’s use of artificial intelligence (AI) affect jurors’ decisions. Participants read one of four mock trial vignettes involving a psychopathic defendant and then evaluated the defendant’s guilt, recommended sentence length, and weighed the credibility of the expert witness. Results indicated that confidence in the expert significantly decreased after participants were informed that …

Florence Normal College Quarterly, Faculty Of Florence Normal College

Documents

The first edition of the Florence Normal College Quarterly

Together In Sync: Assessing Prosocial Behavior With A Full-Body Interactive Mixed Reality Experience, Sena Beste Ercan, Belen Gonzalez, Olga Gali, Gray Atherton, Liam Cross, Narcis Pares

School of Psychology

This study investigates how interpersonal synchrony (IPS) in full-body interactive Mixed Reality (MR) environments can shape children's prosocial behavior. We introduce DragonIce 2.0, a two-part MR game designed to induce synchronous or asynchronous group activity and assess their impact on prosocial behavior. To examine changes in affiliation (team belonging and peer liking) and collaboration (overt joint actions), we conducted a comparative study with children aged 9–10, using both system logs and self-report measures. The results highlight the importance of context, task structure, and perceived coordination in shaping social outcomes, offering insights into how interaction dynamics shape social engagement in immersive …

Flicking Fibres: Microfibres Act As Sensory Disruptors In A Marine Crustacean, Ari Drummond, Alexander D.M. Wilson, Lucy M. Turner, Mark Briffa

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Anthropogenic inputs to the environment—including microplastics and microfibres—are global stressors known to impair multiple facets of organismal biology. However, the effects of these pollutants on sensory structures remain critically understudied. Sensory systems mediate organism-environment interactions, and pollution-derived impairment at these interfaces may cascade through bioprocessing, from information acquisition to behaviour and ultimately fitness. Microfibres, in particular, pose an additional threat, potentially physically obstructing sensory organs and chemically interfering with sensory processes. Using an invertebrate model of sensory biology, Pagurus bernhardus, we tested whether dryer lint—a complex, heterogeneous mix of treated microplastic and cellulose fibres, and other anthropogenic contaminants—acts as a …

Criminalizing Curation, Duncan Hosie

William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal

This Article surfaces emerging threats to artistic expression posed by the Dost test, which outlines six factors for interpreting a “lascivious exhibition of the genitals” under federal and many state child pornography laws. It argues that the present state of American politics has eroded normative inhibitions that previously prevented the ambiguities and vulnerabilities of child pornography prosecutions from being systematically exploited. By way of repair, the Article offers two jurisprudential reform proposals.

Synthesizing precedent, criticism, and theory, the Article demonstrates Dost invites selective enforcement against politically and religiously unpopular artwork by authorizing courts and prosecutors to assess polysemous visual works …

The Constitutional Penumbras Of Home Rights, Gerald S. Dickinson

William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal

Justice William Douglas’s famous parable in Griswold v. Connecticut argued that the Bill of Rights contains penumbras—implied zones of privacy protections— that emanate from the First, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Amendments. His penumbral conception of privacy rights has sparked extensive debate among legal scholars, reflecting both its influence and its ongoing controversy. Yet, there is more to Justice Douglas’s penumbra story to explore. In expounding on his privacy innovations in Griswold, Justice Douglas explained that the Fourth and Fifth Amendments protect against all governmental invasions of the sanctity of a man’s home and the privacies of life. Indeed, the …

Locked And Unloaded: The Constitutional And Empirical Case For Firearm Safe Storage Advisories, Hillel Y. Levin, Kay L. Levine

William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal

Constitutional law haunts our efforts to reduce the number of firearm deaths each year. But even with the evolving scope of individual rights, sensible regulation remains possible.

This Article proposes one such regulatory tool. State governments legally can and pragmatically should require firearm sellers to advise their customers of the association between improper gun storage and the risk of accidental death and suicide. Mandatory safe storage advisories implicate two strands of constitutional jurisprudence: the First Amendment’s protection against compelled speech and the Second Amendment’s right to bear arms. While the Supreme Court has strengthened both doctrines in recent years, jurisdictions …

Freedom At The Polls: Guns, Speech, And The Right To Vote, Matthew B. Russett

William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal

Part I of this Note provides a brief overview of current firearm prohibitions at polling locations and examines the legislative justifications for these restrictions. Recently, an increasing number of states have enacted firearm prohibitions as a prophylactic measure against voter intimidation and disruption. Part II applies New York State Rifle & Pistol Ass’n v. Bruen’s history and tradition test to determine whether these prohibitions pass constitutional muster under the Second Amendment. Indeed, a critical examination of historical voting laws in America shows a compelling history of limiting firearms near polling locations. Part III examines similar themes in First Amendment …

Tren De Aragua Jackpotting Attacks: A Case Analysis Of The Cartel-Linked Malware Attacks At Financial Institutions Across The U.S., Mackenzie Harms Wickersham, Erin M. Kearns, Austin C. Doctor

Reports, Projects, and Research

Four federal indictments filed in the District Court of Nebraska between August 2025 and February 2026 charge 93 members and associates of Tren de Aragua (TdA) for their role in a financial conspiracy that resulted in over $6.1 million in loss at financial institutions across the U.S. since January of 2025. Related indictments filed in Colorado, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, and Texas charge at least fifteen other individuals and leaders as part of the multi-state investigation that uncovered the financial fraud scheme.

According to the indictments, a large cell of TdA members in the U.S. operating as part of …

Cartel-Linked Train Heists: A Case Analysis Of Train Heists And Cargo Theft In The U.S. Linked To The Sinaloa Cartel, Mackenzie Harms Wickersham, Erin M. Kearns, Austin C. Doctor

Reports, Projects, and Research

Over the past fifteen years, the BNSF and Union Pacific railways have been targeted by train heists linked to cartel and other transnational criminal organizations in Mexico. Many of these thefts occur on railways operating in the southwest of the U.S., including California, Arizona, and New Mexico, by groups with established cross-border connections. Train heists and cargo theft linked to these criminal enterprises have increased over the past two years. One recurring pattern involves eastbound BNSF trains departing the Port of Long Beach and moving inland along corridors parallel to Interstate 40 near Needles, CA, carrying intermodal containers filled with …

A Taxonomy Of African Christologies Within Global Evangelicalism, Isuwa Atsen

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

This essay shows the development of African Christology out of particular lived realities of African Christians. These lived realities have necessitated a re-imagining of the person and work of Christ specifically for African people. African theologians have produced a variety of Christological constructions that have contributed to the conversations about the nature of world Christianity. However, understanding these Christologies can be challenging for non-African theologians. This essay therefore provides a taxonomy of African Christologies for heuristic purposes, thus enhancing clarity for those who seek to understand and interact with these Christological proposals. The paper then argues that pursuing such understanding …

“It Only Takes One Time, And They Will Open A File On You”: Black Maternal Decision-Making, Values, Vigilance, And The Emotional Toll Of Parenting Young Children Under Systemic Scrutiny, Kathryn Warren Barnes

PhD of Social Work

The United States child protection system (CPS), organized around safety, permanency, and well‑being, often produces harmful outcomes for Black families, particularly mothers of infants and toddlers during critical developmental periods. Despite longstanding evidence of racial disproportionality, social work and CPS research rarely centers Black mothers’ lived experiences, reinforcing deficit‑based assumptions grounded in white, middle‑class norms.

This critical phenomenological study centers the perspectives of twelve first‑time Black mothers in Boston who are not currently involved with CPS. Guided by structural social work theory, intersectionality, and Black feminist thought, the study examines how mothers navigate decision‑making within the early childhood ecosystem and …

Social Protection To Foster Inclusive, Resilient Early Childhood Education In Kenya, Uganda, And Tanzania, Nyagwegwe Wango

Institute for Educational Development, East Africa

In order to evaluate the efficacy of systems approaches in enhancing early childhood education (ECE), this study summarizes outcomes from the SESEA and F4L programs in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. The study investigates how context-responsive ECE, social-emotional learning (SEL), and social protection (SP) interventions contribute to improvements in teaching practices, inclusion, and learner outcomes using mixed-methods data, including teacher surveys, classroom observations, and policy analysis. The findings show significant improvements in inclusive classroom practices, gender-sensitive pedagogy, and teacher confidence, especially when reflective peer learning and continuous mentoring are incorporated. Children’s academic performance and well-being have been linked to the integration …

High Throughput Phenomics Pipeline For Pulse Crop Nutritional Breeding, Amod Udayanga Madurapperumage

All Dissertations

Dry pea (Pisum sativum L.), lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.), and chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) are major pulse crops valued for their high nutritional composition and importance to global food systems. Pulses are rich in carbohydrates, protein, and essential minerals, making them ideal whole foods and critical contributors to food and nutrition security. Due to these advantages, pulse breeding programs are increasingly focusing on enhancing nutritional traits, such as protein quality, amino acid balance, and micronutrient density, through the process of biofortification. However, improvement of agronomic traits remains equally essential. Characteristics such as plant height, standability, stress tolerance, …

Investigation Of Low-Pressure Mercury Lamp System Configurations And Xenon Excimer Lamp System Development As Vacuum Ultraviolet Sources For Optimal Photolytic Degradation Of Poly-/Perfluoroalkyl Substances, Eman Zuhair Alhamdan

All Dissertations

PFAS are persistent synthetic chemicals, with unique properties that enable them to easily enter and accumulate in water sources. Their public health impacts have raised concern and highlighted the need for effective treatment. Numerous techniques for PFAS removal from water have been studied, few have proven the ability of breaking down PFAS rather than separating and concentrating it. Many of these methods are chain-length dependent, showing slower degradation rate of short-chain PFAS and requiring substantial amounts of energy, and chemical agents that may produce byproducts.

Among available PFAS destruction methods, direct photolysis by high-energy UV with wavelength below 200 nm …

Safe Control Design For Quadruped Locomotion In Unstructured Environments Using Linear Transfer Operators, Sriram Sundar Krishnamoorthy Shankara Narayanan

All Dissertations

Deploying quadruped robots in unstructured, obstacle-rich environments requires control and planning methods that remain safe and reliable despite complex terrain geometry, limited sensing, and inevitable modeling errors. This thesis develops operator-theoretic tools for safe control design of robotic systems using linear transfer operators, with a focus on quadruped locomotion in unstructured environments. The central goal is to develop a unified operator-theoretic framework for safe control design based on the Perron–Frobenius (P–F) and Koopman operators. In particular, the thesis leverages \emph{density functions} to develop safe navigation frameworks in the dual space of densities. In the operator-theoretic perspective, the P–F operator governs …

Towards Dementia-Inclusive Digital Text-Based Health Information: A Multi-Method Investigation Of Cognitive And Affective Accessibility, Margi Engineer

All Dissertations

This dissertation examines the accessibility, readability, emotional tone, and trustworthiness of digital, text‑based dementia information and investigates how older adults with and without dementia cognitively and affectively engage with such content. It further explores the potential of generative AI to improve dementia information delivery through the development of a domain‑specific retrieval‑augmented generation (RAG) large language model (LLM) chatbot designed to deliver accessible, stigma‑free information. The dissertation comprises four studies using complementary quantitative and qualitative methods. Study I conducts a large‑scale content analysis of 300 medical articles, 35 websites, and 50 blogs, applying readability metrics, LIWC‑based linguistic and sentiment analysis, and …