Digital Commons Network^™

Fangorn Forest As A Rerouting To The Ecological Contemplative In The Two Towers, Nicholas Birns

Mythcon

In The Two Towers, Fangorn Forest initially appears as an uncanny diversion when Merry and Pippin flee into its shadowy depths to escape Saruman’s Uruk-hai. Their encounter with Treebeard awakens the Ents, providing unexpected and devastating flow to the power of Saruman the White. Far from actually being scary or horrifying, though, the forest is actually the gateway to two very important qualities in The Lord of the Rings: a sense of deep psychology, of caring for the land so much that sentient being has become actually bound up with natural entities, and of contemplation, as Treebeard Who …

Local & Experiential: Exploring Embodied Ethnogeomythology Through Ttrpg, Gregory Fields, Teagan Brady, Dakota Dalota, Claira Hickman, Gina Manygoats, Donovan Mcbride, Ryan Pillmore

Mythcon

The panel will focus on an interdisciplinary pedagogical approach anchored to research applications of AAC&U High Impact Practices in integrative learning, learning communities, place-based writing, project-based learning, and gamification studies (Chou). Framed through a synthesis of ethno-geology and mythology, I developed a collaborative assignment that asked my intro to mythology students to develop their own mythologies based on Arizona specific cultures or geological features and oddities. After conducting their own background research, undergraduate students developed locally-based mythologies that answered at least one of the four big questions of existence. Then, they anchored those mythologies within one of the more readily …

Revising A Clinical Assessment Tool: A Community College Dental Hygiene Program Case Study, Kristen Portner-Lauerman Dhsc, Mha, Rdh

Oral Health

This article examines how one community college dental hygiene program implemented revisions to a clinical assessment tool to better support novice learners. A review of the literature explores the characteristics of early learners, psychomotor skill acquisition, the Dreyfus model, and assessment tools. The method used was a descriptive case study designed to address the research question: What processes did a dental hygiene program use to implement revisions to a clinical assessment tool to support students’ development of essential clinical skills? The findings highlight the importance of aligning assessment tools with learners’ developmental stages to enhance clinical education and offer a …

“I’Ll Cry Tomorrow”: The Heroism Of Anti-Alcoholism Advocate Lillian Roth, Elizabeth Gritter

Heroism Science

Lillian Roth (1910–1980) is remembered primarily for her bestselling autobiography I’ll Cry Tomorrow and its successful film adaptation, yet her broader significance as a social hero has received little scholarly attention. This article examines Roth’s transformation from celebrated entertainer and alcoholic to influential public advocate whose confessional storytelling helped reshape public attitudes toward alcoholism during the mid-twentieth century. Drawing on Roth’s autobiographies, contemporary media coverage, and historical sources, the article argues that her willingness to publicly disclose trauma, addiction, and recovery represented an act of social courage that challenged prevailing stigma. By leveraging celebrity to promote compassion, recovery, and public …

History, Current Status, And Implications Of The Exploration And Exploitation Of Coal Resources In Guangxi, China, Wang Hui, Han Xiaozhong, Peng Zhilong, Li Huoying, Qin Baojian, Lu Ankang, Qin Xiaoyan, Peng Feifei, Xu Huiheng, Lan Bingui

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective Based on a comprehensive review of the history and current status of coal exploration and exploitation, this study presents an analysis of both the endowment characteristics and the exploration and research levels of coal resources in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. From the perspective of coal self-sufficiency capacity and energy security guarantee, this study proposes several recommendations for the exploration and exploitation of coal resources in the region. Methods The exploration level, current status of exploitation, and supply-demand imbalance of coal resources in Guangxi are determined through a systematic literature review, surveys of coal mine enterprises, and exchanges with relevant …

Research And Practice Of Four-Dimensional In-Situ Stress Fields For Deep Coalbed Methane Production: A Case Study Of The Daning-Jixian Block, Ordos Basin, Wang Chengwang, Chen Yiyu, Gao Deli, Zhao Haifeng, Chen Gaojie

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background Deep coalbed methane (CBM) reservoirs are characterized by well-developed microstructures and natural fractures, along with highly heterogeneous rock mechanical properties and in-situ stress field distribution. The CBM production of the reservoirs tends to cause constantly evolving formation pressure and in-situ stress within the control ranges of CBM wells, further enhancing the complexity of stress distribution. Additionally, severe fracturing channeling can be observed between new and old wells. This phenomenon is primarily triggered by in-situ stress variations induced by large-scale fracturing and CBM production. Therefore, accurately assessing the dynamic evolutionary patterns of in-situ stresses in reservoirs after fracturing and during …

Enrichment Mechanisms Of U And Th Elements In The Bauxite Rock Series Of The Benxi Formation, Lower Carboniferous, Central North China Block, Bian Yukang, Zhang Xiaoyang, Chen Jinfeng, Lyu Dawei, Zhu Dongya, Liu Quanyou, Meng Qingqiang, Shen Xiaoli, Li Qing, Kong Weijiang, Dou Yunfei

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective Uranium (U) and thorium (Th) in rocks and minerals are the material basis for the generation and release of crust-derived helium. Methods The enrichment characteristics and mechanisms of U and Th are key to understanding the accumulation of crust-derived helium reservoirs. Taking the bauxite series of the Benxi Formation in the central North China Block as the research object, this study reveals the enrichment mechanisms of U and Th in the bauxite series and calculates the helium generation rate by means of petrogeochemical and chronological research methods, combined with detrital zircon dating, sedimentary environment identification, and mass balance calculation. …

Sand Tank Experiments On The Seepage And Water Pressure Distribution During Single-Well Dewatering At The Bottom Of A Confined Aquifer, Wang Wenxue, Zhang Mengying, Li Yang, Fang Yuan, Zhao Shuli, Shen Mengjun

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background Depressurization through dewatering using inclined wells arranged at the aquifer bottom represents a crucial technical approach to the prevention and control of water-sand inrush disasters during coal mining beneath aquifers. However, the mechanisms underlying seepage-pressure interactions and water-preserved depressurization remain poorly understood. Methods Based on the water-yield properties of confined aquifers and the distribution characteristics of inclined wells for dewatering, this study developed a fan-shaped sand tank experimental system for simulating dewatering and seepage from confined aquifers. Using the experimental system, this study carried out seepage experiments using a partially penetrating well at the bottom of a confined aquifer …

Load Sharing Patterns And Their Key Influencing Factors For The Composite Structure Of A Lined Hard Rock Cavern For Compressed Air Energy Storage, Hu Lihua, Zhou Qiming, Zhang Kai, Yu Liyuan, Liang Xin, Sun Qiang, Wu Yun, Hu Chengguo, Li Wei

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective Compressed air energy storage (CAES) in a lined hard rock cavern holds great prospects. However, the load sharing mechanisms of the cavern’s composite structure, comprising a sealing layer, lining, and surrounding rocks, remain poorly understood.Methods Based on the elastic analytical solutions of stress fields, this first study derived the radial load equilibrium equations for the composite structure of a lined hard rock cavern for CAES. Accordingly, a novel method for calculating the load sharing ratios of the composite structure was developed. Then, an analysis scheme for the load sharing ratios was designed. Using this scheme, this study investigated …

Cnn-Based Assessment Of The Degrees Of Fracture Development In Bedrocks And Classification Of Bedrock Weathering Zones, Lei Jian, Lu Haifeng, Fan Yufei

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background Bedrock weathering zones exhibit distinct vertical gradational characteristics. Accurately identifying the degrees of fracture development in the zones is critical to the safe production of mines in shallowly buried coal seams covered by thick water-bearing unconsolidated layers. Methods Focusing on the Qinan coal mine in Anhui Province, this study proposed a hybrid convolutional neural network (CNN) model, which enabled feature extraction using a synergistic architecture consisting of conventional convolutional layers and inception modules. Specifically, based on conventional log data and calculated shale content and fracture development index, combined with core observations, this study constructed a dataset containing labels that …

Three-Dimensional, Collaborative Detection Approach For Fire Zones In Shallowly Buried Coal Seams And Its Application, Fan Kaixiang, Hu Xiangming, Hong Haibo, Dong Hao, Yu Shijian, Wei Zhengrong, Guo Yongxiang

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective Fire zones in shallowly buried coal seams have long restricted safe and efficient coal mining due to their considerably hidden and hazardous nature. However, individual methods for fire source detection are susceptible to geological conditions and ambient noise, suffering from limited detection dimensions and the presence of technical blind spots. Therefore, they fail to accurately localize hidden fire sources in shallow coal seams. Methods This study proposes a three-dimensional, collaborative multi-source detection approach that combines the self-potential (SP) method, the radon measurement (Rn) method, electrical resistivity tomography (ERT; also referred to as high-density resistivity method), and the transient electromagnetic …

Enhancing Rapid Reef Resilience Through Transplantation Of Thermally Tolerant Corals In OʻAhu, HawaiʻI, Allison M. Klein

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Coral reefs are increasingly threatened by marine heatwaves, disease outbreaks, and other anthropogenic stressors, leading to widespread declines in coral cover worldwide. As a result, efforts are increasingly focused on identifying thermally tolerant corals for reef restoration. However, it remains unclear whether thermal tolerance is maintained following transplantation and whether thermally tolerant corals perform differently in novel environments. This dissertation examined thermal tolerance, survivorship, symbiont communities, and growth in two dominant Hawaiian reef-building corals, Montipora capitata and Porites compressa, using a reciprocal transplant experiment between Kāneʻohe Bay and Ulupaʻu, Oʻahu. Initial heat-stress assays showed high thermal tolerance in both …

Effects Of Extraction Methods On The Composition And Physicochemical Properties Of Flavonoids From Lycium Barbarum Leaves, Li Juanxia, Li Jianxin, Gao Jianying, Mai Wenting, Fan Yanli, Ma Jinchao, Meng Xuemei

Food and Machinery

[Objective] To investigate the effects of different extraction methods on the efficacy, chemical composition, and functional group characteristics of flavonoids in Lycium barbarum leaves. [Methods] This study comparatively analyzes the effects of three methods - ultrasound-assisted ethanol extraction (UAE), microwave-assisted ethanol extraction (MAE), and aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) - on the yield, composition, and in vitro antioxidant activity of flavonoids from L. barbarum leaves. [Results] UAE and MAE achieve the highest yield of flavonoids from dried L. barbarum leaves. The main components are rutin, quercetin, chlorogenic acid, and kaempferol. The antioxidant capacity of the flavonoid extract from dried L. barbarum …

Current Icu Practices And Barriers To Calm Icu Guideline Uptake, Anne Mette Noerby Adams, Hila Dafny, Maria Alejandra Pinero De Plaza, Joanne Mcintyre, Xia Jin, Shailesh Bihari, Kay Bruce, Cherie Waite, Heather Block, Kathrine De Lyster, Frances Fengzhi Lin

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: Agitation in the intensive care unit (ICU) can compromise patient safety, prolong recovery, and contribute to staff injuries. While pharmacological interventions are sometimes necessary, they carry risks such as oversedation, delirium, and prolonged mechanical ventilation. The CALM ICU guideline provides recommendations for the non-pharmacological prevention and management of patient agitation. However, guidance on how to implement these strategies in complex ICU environments remains limited.

Aim: To explore current ICU practices and stakeholder perspectives on the barriers and facilitators to implementing non-pharmacological strategies for managing agitation.

Methods: This mixed-methods study used an exploratory sequential design guided by the i-PARIHS framework. …

Developing A Reliable And Valid Sbl Scenario To Ensure Fidelity In Nursing Research, Laura C. Sessions, Marguerite Lucea, Hayley Mark, Susan King

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: The Healthcare Simulation Standards of Best Practice framework (1) guides the design of healthcare simulation and related research. These standards advance the science of simulation by enhancing rigor in simulation design to support interventional fidelity. Few studies describe how to achieve this goal (2,3,4). The aim of this study was to develop and validate a rigorous scenario to examine the impact of simulation-based learning (SBL) on nursing students’ self-efficacy in communicating about stigmatized health topics (e.g., intimate partner violence (IPV) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs)).

Methods: Content experts in IPV, STI, and SBL designed the scenario using a standardized …

Virtual Reality Communication Training In Health Professions Education: A Multi-Country Evaluation, Mohamad M. Saab, Mark O'Donovan, Irem Koç, Jennifer Kenny, Jan Hrdlička, Jiri Wild, Martin Zielina, Lucie Hrdličková, Katerina Rusinová, Martin Loučka, Aleksandrina Skvortsova, Liesbeth M. Van Vliet, Madelief Medema, Arianne D. Pieterse, Claudia Bausewein, Sabine H. Krauss, Johannes Rosenbruch, Stephanie Stiel, Kambiz Afshar, Malte Klemmt, Vasco Silva-Neves, Salomé Pinho, Ana Carolina Monteiro, Cathy Payne, Irene Hartigan

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Purpose: Virtual reality (VR) is transforming nursing and medical education by providing immersive, safe, and realistic environments for developing skills [1-4]. The use of VR for teaching emotionally complex communication, such as delivering bad news, is underexplored [5,6]. This study evaluated the feasibility, usability, acceptability, and satisfaction with VR-based communication training among nursing and medical students and educators in Europe.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted across six universities in five European countries. Two VR scenarios simulating “breaking bad news” were developed using the NURSE [7] and SPIKES [8] communication frameworks. Participants took part in a pre-briefing session, then engaged …

Algorithmic Bias In Ai: Preparing Nurses For Critical And Culturally Safe Engagement, Claire Song, Tanvir Gill, Pamela Cawley

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

AI is increasingly used in healthcare and education, often framed as a tool for efficiency and objectivity. Yet, these systems are trained on data shaped by Western biomedical norms, reproducing structural and cultural biases. Deep learning does not create new knowledge; it reorganizes existing information. When that data-electronic health records, clinical trials, DSM-based tools- reflects Western perspectives, inequities are amplified under the guise of neutrality.

Consider mental health tools built on DSM frameworks, which pathologize non-Western expressions of distress. Despite the American Psychiatric Association’s 2021 acknowledgment of structural racism, AI-driven assessments still rely on instruments like PHQ-9 and GAD-7. Bias …

Visionary Alumni Support Ole Miss Engineering Students, Bill Dabney

University of Mississippi News

OXFORD, Miss. – An estate gift from the late David Walker Arnold and Barbara Daves Arnold, longtime University of Mississippi supporters, will create opportunities for future engineering students and honor a lifetime of devotion to Ole Miss.

Impaired Microvascular Reactivity To Passive Limb Movement After Stroke Is Improved By A Single Session Of Ischemic Conditioning, Alicen A. Whitaker-Hilbig, Jennifer N. Nguyen, Amanda Wietrzny, Akash Desai, Samuel Wietrzny, Macey Dunn, Yelyzaveta Merenzon, Sergey Tarima, Emilie Klevenow, Allison S. Hyngstrom, Matthew J. Durand

Biostatistics Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Microvascular dysfunction post stroke remains insufficiently investigated and may contribute to impairments in physical function. Single passive limb movement (sPLM) provides a clinically relevant assessment of microvascular vasodilation. We hypothesized the response to sPLM would be attenuated in the paretic leg compared with age- and sex-matched controls (CON) and would improve following a single session of ischemic conditioning (IC), an intervention known to enhance vasodilation. METHODS: In this randomized crossover trial, superficial femoral artery leg blood flow was measured during sPLM, using a Biodex dynamometer, which passively moved the leg 90° at 1Hz. A thigh cuff was placed around …

Working With Crisis And Trauma From An Islamic Perspective, Sehrish Haroon

Consensus

No abstract provided.

Mixed Messages, Moms, Nuns, And Missionaries: Women In Christian Higher Education In Canada, Ellen Duffield

Consensus

Addressing institutional gender disparities in theological education, this study employs Participatory Action Research at a Canadian seminary to foster culture-shaping change. Anchored in a relational Trinitarian theology, the paper presents a model for institutional transformation focused on Kenotic Community, Connected Learning, and Collaborative Leadership to create environments where women and men thrive.

A Machine Learning Approach For Water Quality Assessment In The Lower Rio Grande Valley Watershed, Saika Nowshin Nowrin, Chu-Lin Cheng, Jungseok Ho, Jinwoo An, Fatemeh Nazari

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Water quality analysis plays an essential role in maintaining the health and sustainability of river ecosystems, especially in semi-arid regions like the Arroyo Colorado Watershed in South Texas. Since the river is a vital source of water supply for local communities, agriculture, and wildlife, it faces significant challenges and pollution from land use changes, climate variation, and agricultural runoff. Continuous monitoring and assessment of water quality parameters and their temporal variability are essential to ensure the drinking water supply and aquatic ecosystem health. However, comprehensive laboratory-based water quality investigations are often constrained by higher costs, logistical complexity, and limited manpower. …

Exploring Instructor Engagement With Aviation Safety Messaging At Und: A Pilot Study, Brendan Aug

Aviation Student Publications

Effective communication of safety information is critical in fostering a strong safety culture within collegiate aviation. This pilot study explores how flight instructors at the University of North Dakota (UND) engage with two safety communication tools: The ASAP Spotlight email update and the 60-Seconds for Safety flyers. A 25-question survey distributed to active UND Line Flight Instructors examined engagement levels, behavioral impact, perceived effectiveness, and preferred communication methods. Descriptive statistics, correlations, and an exploratory factor analysis were used to evaluate responses across four constructs: engagement, behavior, perception, and communication preference. Results indicate that while instructors do generally engage with and …

Evaluation Of Deep High-Quality Reservoirs Based On The Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process And The Entropy Weight Method: A Case Study Of The No. 8 Coal Seam In The East-Central Ordos Basin, Yan Ronghui, Xu Hao, Hu Jianling, Li Xiaotian, Jiao Pengshuai, Huang Daojun, Chen Shida, Wu Xiaozhuo

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective Significant breakthroughs have been achieved in the exploration and exploitation of coalbed methane (CBM) in the deep No. 8 coal seam within the east-central Ordos Basin. However, a comprehensive quantitative evaluation system at the regional scale is yet to be established for reservoirs in the No. 8 coal seam. Methods Based on logs, coal quality, and measured physical property data from over 270 wells in the east-central Ordos Basin, this study developed a comprehensive evaluation system for deep coal reservoirs using the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process combined with the entropy weight method. Specifically, the evaluation system consisted of nine …

Co2 Fracturing Stimulation Technology For Low-Yield Directional Coalbed Methane Wells And Its Applications, Zhang Junsheng, Cao Yunxing, Wang Li, Wang Zhongbin, Yang Baige, Shi Bin, Cao Yongsen, Xu Fengyi

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background In China, low-yield coalbed methane (CBM) wells represent a high proportion of approximately 57% (over 12400 wells), generally encountering challenges such as low pressure, dry reservoirs, and near-wellbore formation damage and blockage. Conventional hydraulic fracturing is prone to induce water blocking damage, while treatments such as acidification offer only limited blockage-removing radii. Therefore, existing techniques are insufficient to achieve blockage removal and permeability enhancement while avoiding reservoir damage. Exploring efficient waterless stimulation technologies suitable for these low-yield wells is of great significance for increasing CBM production and advancing the CBM industry. Methods This study investigated directional wells PXC-03 and …

Water Hazards In Thick Floor Aquicludes For Coal Mining Above Confined Aquifers In North China-Type Coalfields: Patterns, Mechanisms, And Prevention And Control, Meng Haopeng, Yin Shangxian, Lian Huiqing, Yin Huichao, Hou Enke, Zhang Yi’An, Wang Zhuo, Jin Zidong, Cai Xiangjun, Cao Min, Wang Jianguang

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background Water hazards in coal seam floors represent a core challenge restricting the exploitation of deep coal resources in North China-type coalfields. As coal mining extends to greater depths, previous studies and experience exhibit limited applicability in the pattern classification, mechanism interpretation, and prevention and control of water hazards in thick floor aquicludes. Therefore, there is an urgent need to make breakthroughs and improvements in these three aspects.Methods Using several methods, including case-based induction, theoretical analysis, numerical simulation, and technical summary, this study developed a classification system based on parallel multiple criteria for floor water hazards by combining available …

Assessing Fault-Induced Floor Water Inrushes Based On Improved Water Inrush Coefficients, Jiao Bin, Tan Wenfeng, Li Hongsheng, Chen Juntao, Gao Hongbing, Zhao Zizhang, Wu Fangcan

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background As coal mining in mines constantly expands to greater depths, water hazards in the Ordovician limestone aquifers of coal seam floors pose a serious threat to the mining of coal seams in lower formations. Fault reactivation represents a primary factor inducing water inrushes. However, the original water inrush coefficient (T = p/M) suffers from certain limitations when used to assess the water inrushes in areas with faults. Methods Four models of floor water inrushes induced by non-penetrating faults (i.e., concealed hydraulically conductive faults, concealed isolated faults, and exposed faults) and penetrating faults were constructed, and …

Numerical Simulations And Dispersion Analysis Of 3d In-Seam Waves Based On Finite Difference Method On Curvilinear Grids, Liu Dan, Ren Zhiming

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background With the comprehensive advancement in intelligent coal mine construction, creating high-precision, transparent geological models of coal seams and their surrounding strata has emerged as a prerequisite for intelligent coal mining. The accurate identification of concealed geological anomalies, such as folds and faults, within coal seams represents a key challenge in safe coal mining. In-seam seismic exploration has become an important approach to detecting underground concealed structures owing to its advantages, including a considerable detection distance along coal seams, high precision, pronounced frequency dispersion effects, and facilitating the identification of waveform signatures. However, conventional methods for seam wave simulation are …

Table Of Contents, The Editors

Coal Geology & Exploration

No abstract provided.

Enhanced Adaptive Smith Predictor Control For Underground Coal Gasification With Long Time Delays, Tang Yang, Wu Qiong, Zhang Lei, Zhou Mingjun, Wan Min, Liao Zhuodong

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background Underground coal gasification (UCG) represents an in situ conversion technology used to convert solid coals into gaseous fuel. However, the reaction process during UCG exhibits significant time delays. Such a limitation will reduce the response capability of the UCG system and is prone to induce overshoot and oscillation, thereby increasing the system’s control difficulty and reducing its stability and dynamic performance. Method To address these issues, this study proposed an enhanced Smith predictor control algorithm based on a genetic algorithm and established a semi-physical experimental platform integrating a physical distributed control system DCS-Matlab for modeling. Using the platform, experiments …