Digital Commons Network^™

Economics Of The Olympics: Impact Of Bidding For And Hosting The Olympic Games On International Openness, Adalynn Cherry

Pennsylvania Economic Review

This study investigates how hosting and unsuccessfully bidding to host the Olympic Games impacts total international trade and influences a country’s openness. This relationship is analyzed using the gravity model of trade to perform a regression analysis of total trade levels from 2000 to 2018. The results of this study did not support the idea that hosting the Olympic Games impacts total trade; although, they did show a strong and permanent positive relationship between unsuccessfully bidding to host the Olympic Games and total international trade. These findings highlight the benefits of the Olympic bidding and candidature process as a policy …

Examining The Intersectional And Structural Issues Of Routine Healthcare Utilization And Access Inequities For Lgb People With Chronic Diseases, Shiya Cao, Mehreen Mirza, Sophia Silovsky, Nicole Tresvalles, Lucia Qin, Sarah Susnea

Statistical and Data Sciences: Faculty Publications

In the United States, although the gaps in health insurance coverage by sexual orientation have been closing since the implementation of the Affordable Care Act and legalization of same-sex marriage, the LGB group (i.e., lesbian, gay, bisexual) continues to report healthcare utilization and access inequities such as more delayed or unmet care. The extant research has often examined healthcare utilization and access inequities due to affordability (e.g., out-of-pocket costs). However, healthcare utilization and access inequities are only partially explained by cost reasons; there are non-cost reasons that have not been adequately empirically examined. The present study innovatively includes discrimination structural …

The Safety Kuznets Curve: Context In Occupational Safety, Andy Knickerbocker

ASEM Capstones

2025 ASEM 620 Capstone Project

Foundation Gift Benefits Children's Health Care, Bill Dabney

University of Mississippi News

OXFORD, Miss. – Some patients at Children's of Mississippi being treated for a craniofacial syndrome, cleft lip and palate or another craniofacial abnormality stand to benefit from a recent gift to the University of Mississippi Medical Center.

Dynamic, Reconfigurable, And Hierarchical Biosynthetic Composites Via Collagen Self-Assembly Within Highly Crowded Microgel Pastes, Elif Narbay, Abbygail Caine, Sanika Pandit, Gabrielle Montgomery, Marion Harper, E. Daniel Cárdenas-Vásquez, Hatte Hamilton, Megan Hicks, Daniel Mattar, Kyle Choy, Marco Bisoffi, L. Andrew Lyon

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

The fabrication of a new class of biomimetic biomaterials is reported using nanostructured microgel pastes formed from “overpacked” assemblies of ultrasoft poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide-co-acrylic acid) microgels and their composites with collagen. Despite the solid-like nature of microgel pastes, collagen fibrillogenesis is robust and rapid, with a 3D collagen network forming throughout the paste volume. Structural organization within the composite is interrogated via a suite of microscopy methods, while rheological characterization provides insight into the static and dynamic mechanical properties of the materials. Long-range fibrillogenesis is enabled by local crowding, dynamics, and spatial reconfigurability of pastes at the …

Operationalizing Flourishing In Bsn Nursing Education: A Cipp- Driven Strategy, Kennedy E. Hochstedler, Elizabeth Morse

DNP Projects

Operationalizing Flourishing in BSN Nursing Education: A CIPP- Driven Strategy

Double Burden Stress In Women And The Role Of Psycho-Religious Worship In Alleviating It, Fahmi Mandala Putra, Zata Ismah, Rizky Indah Syahfitri, Citra Cahyati Nasution, Az-Zahra Atika Putri, Fitria Amirah, Tri Amelia Rahmitha Helmi

Folia Medica Indonesiana

It has been recognized that women are twice as likely to experience depression compared to men. In addition to biological vulnerability, there is also a combined effect of bearing the burden of household responsibilities while contributing financially through employment. One coping strategy that helps women endure these challenges is meditation, which in Islam includes the practice of dhikr (remembrance of God). This study aims to analyze the phenomenon of double burden stress in women and how psychoreligious practices can help reduce stress levels. The study employed a prospective cohort design, tracking the respondents' dhikr habits over a 21-day period. On …

Tennyson & Contemporary Science: Herschel’S Preliminary Discourse, A Book That Got Away, Patrick Scott

Faculty Publications

Discusses the rediscovery, provenance, and authenticity of the copy of John Herschel's Preliminary Discourse on the Study of Natural Philosophy (1831), with an ownership inscription by Tennyson dated 1843, and marginal markings on multiple pages, that was previously only known from a brief catalogue description for a 1924 auction.

Changing Opinions: The Supreme Court After Dobbs, Lora E. Judge

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

The Reception Of Neurodiversity Represented Within Netflix’S Wednesday, Anna Stevens

Graduate Theses & Dissertations

This paper explores how neurodiversity is represented through popular media - particularly Netflix's show Wednesday - and aims to discuss the effects this representation could have in regards to how it's received by the public, as well as those who are neurodiverse.

Stream Behavior Characterization Of Marin County Coastal Watersheds And Their Influence On Salmonid Habitat, Ellie L. Murdoch

Master's Theses

Coastal watersheds in California are increasingly affected by climatic variability, threatening stream behavior, ecological function, and salmonid habitat suitability. This study evaluated streamflow behavior of seven watersheds in Marin County, California, with detailed analysis of Corte Madera, Olema, and Redwood watersheds, which are not influenced by reservoir releases. Using USGS stream gauge records, PRISM climate data, SSURGO soils, and geologic and vegetation information, streamflow metrics critical to salmonid life cycles were quantified for water years 2014 to 2023. Watersheds with greater storage capacity, such as Redwood, exhibited muted hydrologic responses, including delayed flow activation, lower peak flows, slower recession rates, …

An Updated Annotated Checklist Of The Mammals Of The Crane Trust, Hall County, Nebraska, Bethany L. Ostrom, Amanda H. Medaries, Andrew J. Caven, Jenna M. Malzahn, Alexa Rojas, Matthew R. Schaaf, David M. Baasch, Thomas E. Labedz, Greg D. Wright

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

The Crane Trust is a regional nonprofit conservation organization that has protected land in the biologically important Central Platte River Valley for over four decades. A mammal inventory was conducted on the Crane Trust’s main habitat complex in 1980. Since, a variety of environmental conditions have shifted locally, regionally, and globally. An analysis of the mammal community was conducted using past and recent data to determine how species composition and relative abundance have shifted categorically from 1980 to 2021. We used all available data to categorize relative abundance during two distinct time periods per a modified “DAFOR” scale including 7 …

Characterization Of Peg-Modified Composite Membranes For Microfluidic Oxygenator Applications, Nicholas C. Higgins, David G. Blauvelt, Shuvo Roy

Department of Pediatrics Faculty Papers

Microfluidic oxygenators promise to advance extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) devices with enhanced hemodynamics and low prime volume. We are developing a silicon-based membrane oxygenator that will offer improved gas transfer and fluid flow control. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) has been used to improve hemocompatibility by providing excellent resistance to protein adsorption. Here, we characterized a polyethylene glycol surface modification of composite silicon–PDMS membranes to evaluate their effects on microfluidic oxygenator properties. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and water contact angle goniometry confirmed successful PEG attachment, evidenced by the presence of characteristic C-O bonds and increased hydrophilicity, which was stable for 2 weeks. …

Effect Of Low Intensity Aerobic Exercise On Vo2peak Of Women With Breast Cancer Undergoing Chemotherapy, Etta Novayanti, Indrayuni Lukitra Wardhani, Inggar Narasinta, Desak Gede Agung Suprabawati, Niken Pratiwi, Ratna Daryanti Soebadi

Folia Medica Indonesiana

Breast cancer treatments, particularly chemotherapy, have been associated with significant declines in cardiopulmonary fitness, a key determinant of functional independence and survival. VO₂peak, a marker of cardiopulmonary function, is often reduced in patients undergoing chemotherapy, increasing morbidity risks. Researchers have proposed exercise interventions to mitigate these effects. However, most studies focused on moderate-to-high-intensity regimens, with limited data on the efficacy of low-intensity aerobic exercise. This study aimed to explore the impact of low-intensity cycle ergometer aerobic exercise on VO₂peak in women undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer. A randomized controlled trial with twenty participants randomly assigned to …

Factors Associated With Medication Adherence And Systolic And Diastolic Blood Pressure Of Hypertensive Patients, Hamka Ziddan, Meity Ardiana, Linda Dewanti, Anudya Kartika Ratri

Folia Medica Indonesiana

Uncontrolled hypertension can cause complications such as heart disease, brain disease, kidney disease, and other diseases. Medication adherence is a primary factor in controlling blood pressure (BP) in hypertensive patients. This study aims to provide an overview of the factors associated with medication adherence of hypertensive patients treated at Taman Public Health Center in Sidoarjo, Indonesia. This study used a cross-sectional approach involving hypertensive patients. This study employed consecutive sampling, with the number of samples comprised of patients undergoing outpatient care from January 2, 2023, to February 25, 2023, totaling 103 respondents. The study employed the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale …

How Risk Factors Significantly Affect The Incidence Of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus In Tarus, Kupang, I Made Subhawa Harsa, Prisilia Christin Velisites Masneno, Eva Diah Setijowati, Andra Agnez Al Aska

Folia Medica Indonesiana

The incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is influenced by both unmodifiable factors, such as age, family history, education, and employment status, as well as modifiable factors, including obesity, diet, physical activity, and smoking habits. Researchers have recognized the necessity of research on risk factors for T2DM across various regions. However, the findings have been inconsistent. The absence of research on risk factors for T2DM in some regions has necessitated the conduct of studies in these areas, particularly in primary health care facilities such as Community Health Centers (\textit{Puskesmas}). This study aims to control the risk factors that contribute …

Elm: The Case Of Experiential Programming, Matthew Miller, Lynette Campogiani

Faculty and Staff Publications & Presentations

Experiential Programs (EPs) provide immersive, destination-focused experiences within luxury resort settings. However, research has yet to apply the elaboration likelihood model (ELM) to examine how guests evaluate their experiences with EPs, particularly within luxury tourism or resort contexts. Using the ELM framework, this study examined how the experience of luxury resort EPs influences guests’ revisit intentions. Guests’ experiences were categorized into central and peripheral processing cues and qualitative interview responses were analyzed. The findings indicate that elements such as ambient music and scenic views associated with peripheral processing had a significantly stronger positive impact on guests’ intentions to return than …

The Formation And Dynamics Of Colonial “Lived Spaces” : Urban Space And Society In Colonial Hanoi, 1883–1916, Nam Khanh Hoang '25

Student Research

This study examines the nuanced experiences and perceptions of urban space among different social groups in colonial Hanoi in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries by analyzing the French colonial agendas, as reflected through modern urban planning and practices, and its reception among the colonial urban inhabitants, as suggested through their responses to the Statue of Liberty—a colonial urban monument. While existing scholarship has often framed colonial cities as stages for consolidating imperial power, introducing Western ideals of modernity, and forming systems of oppression and exploitation against colonial subjects, it has often overlooked the perceptions and experiences of colonial …

Adaptive Image Acquisition Algorithms For Resource-Constrained Single-Photon Cameras, Yeganeh Jalalpour, Wu-Chi Feng

Computer Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Emerging single-photon camera (SPC) technologies have unique challenges in data acquisition and processing. Unlike conventional sensors that produce a single 8- to 16-bit brightness value per pixel, SPCs record photon arrivals with many more samples per pixel, using high floating-point precision for each photon collected. This means that they must handle potentially millions of timestamps, especially at higher spatial resolutions and in the presence of ambient light, creating bottlenecks within the pixel circuitry. To address these challenges associated with SPCs, this paper proposes adaptive algorithms designed to efficiently distribute hardware resources among groups of pixels. By selectively subsampling the data …

Hint-Guided Video Frame Interpolation For Video Compression, Pan Tan, Wu-Chi Feng

Computer Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Traditional video compression continues to advance, but the gainsin efficiency are diminishing and come at the cost of higher compu-tational complexity. Despite achieving competitive rate-distortionresults, current neural video codecs (NVCs) generally lack sup-port for a wide range of quality levels, often requiring multiplemodels to achieve flexible rate control, which increases both train-ing cost and deployment complexity. To address the limitations ofboth traditional codecs and current NVCs, we propose a hybridvideo compression framework that integrates traditional codecswith hint-guided video frame interpolation (VFI), a learning-basedtechnique for synthesizing intermediate frames. By using decodedreference frames and leveraging compressed-domain hints to guideinterpolation, our method improves …

Bloom: A Low-Cost, Open-Source, Companion Social Robot, Deekshita Senthil Kumar, Sebastian Ramirez-Vallejo, Xiangfei Kong, Zhao Han

Bellini College REU Symposium (BCREUS)

The rapid growth of the aging population has increased rates of loneliness, depression, and cognitive decline among older adults, particularly those living alone or with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). Socially assistive robots such as Paro have demonstrated therapeutic and emotional benefits; however, existing systems remain costly and inaccessible. This project introduces Bloom, a low-cost, physically interactive social robot designed to provide emotional companionship and cognitive engagement.

Built on a Raspberry Pi 5 platform and inspired by the open-source Blossom robot, Bloom features a durable 3D-printed hard-shell design with motor-driven expressive movements that support tactile interaction. The system integrates …

Analyzing Human–Robot Collaboration Failures In State-Of-Art Generative Visuomotor Models, Grant Henderson, Miguel Mateo Osorio Vela, Vidhi Mudaliar, Amanuel Ergogo, Zhao Han

Bellini College REU Symposium (BCREUS)

As generative visuomotor models become increasingly capable of representing large-scale robotic skills, they are beginning to transition from controlled laboratory environments into shared human-robot workspaces. While these models enable competent manipulation, their opaque, black-box decision-making processes introduce coordination challenges that can negatively impact safety, efficiency, and trust during collaboration. In safety-critical tasks such as medication dispensing, successful teamwork depends not only on physical capability but also on timing, predictability, and mutual awareness.

This project investigates how two state-of-the-art generative visuomotor policies, an Action-Chunking Transformer (ACT) and a Vision-Action Diffusion policy, perform in a real-world collaborative medication-dispensing task. We compare these …

A Distance Based Embedding Method Using Nlp Methods To Identify Proximity To A Network, Shuhan Zhang, Anurag Tangri, Chinmay Narendra Sonar, Lin Meng, Can Liu, Chiranjeet Chetia

Defensive Publications Series

The present disclosure relates to the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI), in particular to AI methods and systems for analyzing transactional data using Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques to identify latent relationships and proximity within networks. The disclosed system utilizes text fields within datasets to categorize input data into appropriate classifications. The input comprises a dataset containing text data that provides contextual information related to transactions. Feature embeddings are generated using a sentence-based Language Learning Model (LLM), which captures semantic meaning of sentences. The LLM converts input data of varying lengths into fixed-dimension embeddings. The sentence-based LLM is fine-tuned based …

Dynamic Management Of Virtual Lanes And Buffer Zones For Autonomous Traffic, Sumukh Shevde, Kamran Mustafa, Abhijit Adsule

Defensive Publications Series

Static assignment of roadway lanes can result in inefficient traffic flow, where congestion may develop in one direction while opposing lanes remain underutilized. To address this, systems and methods for dynamic traffic management are described. A computational system, such as a central server or an in-vehicle computer, can treat a roadway as a single, partitionable surface, creating and modifying virtual lanes in near real-time. The number, width, and direction of these lanes can be adjusted based on current and predicted traffic demand. Autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicles can be assigned to these virtual lanes, and a dynamic virtual buffer zone may …

A Real-Time Computer Vision System For Procedural Verification In Manual Assembly, Frank Mao, Sun Nee Chan, George Liu

Defensive Publications Series

Manual assembly processes can be susceptible to error, potentially leading to incorrect component handling or procedural deviations. A system for real-time procedural verification can use computer vision to address this. An inspection node, which may comprise an imaging device (e.g., a camera) and a processing unit, can capture and analyze an operator's physical actions at a workstation. These actions may be compared against a predefined digital blueprint, such as a standard assembly model (SAM), that codifies a specified sequence of events. Upon detection of a deviation between the operator's actions and the SAM, the system can provide feedback to the …

City Of Knoxville V. Netflix, Inc: The Doctrine Of Comity In Certified Questions, Shannon M. Crow

University of Memphis Law Review

When compared to traditional cable companies, streaming platforms and their distinctive methods of delivering entertainment make them seemingly untouchable—not only in competitive markets, but also in the courtroom. The Tennessee Supreme Court in City of Knoxville v. Netflix, Inc. (“Netflix”) ruled that Netflix and Hulu did not provide video programming through wireline facilities under the Competitive Cable and Video Services Act (“CCVSA”).1 Netflix arose out of an action brought in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee by the City of Knoxville against Netflix and Hulu (“Defendants”).2 The City of Knoxville argued that Defendants were required …

Artificial Minds, Alien Experiences: Navigating The Uncharted Territory Of Ai Phenomenology, Kevin H. Smith

University of Memphis Law Review

This Article advocates for a fundamental shift in the way artificial intelligence (“AI”) consciousness is evaluated, moving beyond anthropocentric models that rely on human cognitive benchmarks. Traditional tests, such as the Turing Test, assume that human-like behavior is the ultimate criterion for consciousness, overlooking the possibility of novel, non-human modes of consciousness. Instead, this Article proposes a multi-dimensional framework that assesses AI systems based on their unique architectures and cognitive processes. By combining dimensions such as information integration, autonomous goal-pursuit, metacognitive self-modeling, affective motivation, social communication, counterfactual simulation, imaginative reasoning, and causal modeling, this framework provides a comprehensive and empirically …

Clearing The Legal Fog: Navigating Conflicting Interpretations Of The Speedy Trial Act And The Insanity Defense Reform Act For Mentally Incompetent Defendants, Bridgette Mcinroe

University of Memphis Law Review

Jane, a 32-year-old individual, is facing federal criminal charges for an alleged white-collar offense that has a maximum punishment of one year in prison. On March 1, 2019, the court decides to assess Jane’s mental competency to stand trial due to concerns raised in the initial proceedings. The court, relying on the standards set forth by the United States Supreme Court,1 initiates a hearing to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to warrant a mental competency evaluation. After the competency hearing, the court concludes that there is a need for such a mental evaluation. Jane is then sent for an initial …

The Restatement Of Torts And Recovery For Loss Of The Human-Pet Bond Aftern An Intentional Tort, Merle H. Weiner

University of Memphis Law Review

Owners1 of pets2 are often unable to recover for the loss of the human-pet bond when their pets are tortiously injured or killed. However, empirical research confirms the owners may experience the loss as real harm.3 Pets have an especially important role in a “stressful and frenetic” world characterized by unstable family relationships.4 Indeed, a 2015 Harris Poll found that 95% of American dog and cat owners regard their pets as family members.5 This Article seeks to explain why some courts refuse to allow recovery for loss of the human-pet bond even in cases involving intentional torts, such as conversion …

The Connection Between Infidelity And Ptsd, Marissa Anderson

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

This literature review addresses infidelity and the current limitations of treatment approaches due to incongruences in definitions and clinical acknowledgment. Infidelity, as a phenomenon, is poorly understood due to varying morals, experiences, religious and cultural influences that alter personal and relational constructs and expectations specific to infidelity. One commonality among those who experience infidelity is the lingering traumatic impact due to the violation of personal and societal convictions observed by the betrayal of trust, loyalty, commitment, self-worth, power imbalances, and religious beliefs. However, current literature and approaches to infidelity fail to address the traumatic impact of discovering infidelity within a …