Digital Commons Network^™

Planning For Solar Equity: Zoning And Land Use Strategies For Community Solar Gardens In Rural Minnesota, Mahmoud Othman

Community and Regional Planning Program: Theses

This project examines how land use planning and zoning can support equitable deployment of community solar gardens (CSGs) in rural Minnesota counties and townships. Although Minnesota is widely regarded as a policy leader in community solar, most solar arrays are concentrated in metropolitan areas with greater planning capacity and demand. By contrast, rural jurisdictions must navigate dispersed populations, limited staff, and competing agricultural land uses. Focusing on Clay, Stearns, and Chisago Counties, the study analyzes local ordinances and related land use policies to understand how community-scale solar is defined, sited, permitted, and decommissioned.

Solar regulations are systematically coded for key …

The Information Edge - Library Newsletter - November 2025, Sarah Burns-Feyl, Jennifer Rosenstein

University Library Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Characterization Of Colorectal Cancer Cell Responses Using A Wound-Healing Scratch Assay Model On Wild-Type (P53 +/+) And Knockout (P53 -/-), Mehrael Faragalla, Karen Barsoum, Erick Spears

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

Colorectal cancer progression is driven in part by dysregulated signaling pathways that alter cell growth and migration. One key pathway is the Wnt signaling pathway, a key regulator in colorectal tumorigenesis, which promotes MYC overexpression, leading to uncontrolled proliferation. Interestingly, in the absence of p53, MYC has been found to induce expression of the tumor suppressor gene EGR1, shifting the cellular response toward apoptosis rather than growth. This study investigates the MYC–EGR1 pathway in HCT116 colorectal cancer cells with either wild-type (p53+/+) or knockout of the TP53 gene (p53−/−). Early findings indicate that p53+/+ cells exhibit faster initial growth compared …

Impact Of Height On Primrose Leaf Litter Decomposition, Lilianna Wrenne, Jacey Cardenas, Danner Brown, Wyatt Fooks, Darlene Panvini

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

Decomposition is a crucial process in nutrient cycling, where dead organic matter turns into nutrients for the environment. Height is a significant abiotic factor that can influence these factors. Dried primrose was chosen for this experiment to test how much height affects decomposition; 8 mesh bags were filled with 4.0g of dried primrose leaves. Four bags were placed at ground level, and four were placed on top of a plant, 2ft above the ground. Using the fishing line, the bags at each site were tied together to prevent them from blowing away. By changing the height of the plants, the …

Comparative Decomposition Rates Of Prickly Pear And Sage Using Litterbags, Curtis Jang, Vy Ly, Ashlyn Reagan, Ellie Sebaugh, Darlene Panvini

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

Litterbags are used to study nutrient cycling and track the rate of decomposition over time. Decomposition rates may vary between plant species due to various factors. One factor includes the abundance of lignin, or a structural component that provides support to a plant, which can slow the rate of decomposition. This study compared the decomposition rate of sage (Salvia officinalis), which has higher lignin levels, and prickly pear (Opuntia humifusa), which has higher water content and thus lower lignin levels. Four samples of each species, with two replicates each, were initially weighed and then placed in …

Presence Of Ophiognomonia Clavivignenti-Juglandacearum On Juglans Cinerea At Beaman Park In Nashville, Tennessee, Corinne Parker, Kidist Aklile, Darlene Panvini

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

Butternut trees, (white walnut, Juglans cinerea), are infected by a fatal canker, Ophiognomonia clavigignenti-juglandacearum (O-cj), which impacts the survival and population density of the species. Once found throughout the eastern United States, the species has decreased considerably. Due to its uncommon occurrence in Middle Tennessee, the conditions of J. cinerea were investigated at Beaman Park in Nashville, TN. All butternut trees were hypothesized to be infected by O-cj. Each known tree in the park was examined to assess its bark health and determine the presence of the canker. Ecosystem analyses around each tree included surveys of soil characteristics, …

From Prestige To Performance: Evaluating Law School Outcomes Using Value-Added Modeling, Jason Scott, Andrea Pals, Dominique Monserrat

AccessLex Institute Research

Bar passage and employment rates are widely used to evaluate law school performance, yet these raw outcomes often reflect student selection rather than institutional performance. This study applies a value-added modeling (VAM) framework to assess the contributions of law schools to student success, controlling for prior achievement and contextual factors. Using a 10-year panel dataset of 189 ABA-accredited law schools, we estimate fixed-effects models to isolate the impact of the law school learning environment on first-time bar passage and law-related employment. Our findings reveal that schools traditionally viewed as underperforming often exceed expectations when student background is accounted for, challenging …

Honors College Policy Handbook, V. 11-2025, Marshall University Honors College

Publications of the Honors College at Marshall University

This handbook offers basic information about the policies and practices of the Honors College at Marshall University. The information here is subject to periodic revision. Because all students in the Honors College are students of the University, the Honors College operates under policies and guidelines as set for all undergraduate students at Marshall University.

Sailors And Scholars: The History Of The U.S. Naval War College, 1884–2009, Vol. 1, John Hattendorf, B. Mitchell Simpson Iii, John R. Wadleigh

Sailors and Scholars, Second Edition

Volume I, 1884–1984: The First Century, covers from the Naval War College’s founding during the era of Luce and Mahan through its centennial anniversary during the Cold War, detailing how the College came to be widely acclaimed as the premier center of professional naval education and thought.

A Convolutional Neural Network Approach To Breast Cancer Tumor Boundary Detection, James Leah Matlosz

Master's Theses

Breast cancer is the second most common form of cancer and often goes undetected in its initial stages due to its subtle symptoms. As the tumors grow, they become more difficult to surgically remove with clean borders. To minimize the chance of recurrence, a 2D convolutional neural network is developed in this work for delineating tumor boundaries. Specifically, the U-shaped network model is trained, validated, and tested with longitudinal MRI scans of patients diagnosed with breast cancer and undergoing neoadjuvant therapy. For training, image masks were generated as ground truths using signal enhancement ratio segmentation, thresholding, and contour detection. The …

Multinational Transfusion Practices And Outcomes In Haematology Patients Admitted To The Intensive Care Unit, Caroline Schaap, Laurens Oomen, Senta Raasveld, Jimmy Schenk, Sanne De Bruin, Merijn Reuland, Claudia Oord, Jan Bakker, Maurizio Cecconi, Marcus Lance

Anaesthesiology, East Africa

Background and Objectives The number of critically ill patients with haematological conditions is increasing, yet transfusion practices in this population remain poorly defined. This study aimed to compare transfusion strategies in critically ill patients with versus without haematological conditions.

Study Design and Methods This international, prospective observational substudy of the International Point Prevalence Study of Intensive Care Unit [ICU] Transfusion Practices (InPUT) evaluated transfusion use in ICU patients with and without haematological conditions, including benign or malignant diseases or a history of stem cell transplantation. Outcomes included use of red blood cells (RBCs), platelets, plasma, haemostatic interventions, transfusion indications and …

Compassion, Connection, And Capacity: Outcomes Of A Yearlong Contemplative Medicine Fellowship, Anne Kennard, Jennifer Clinkenbeard, Erin Gillespie, David Iozzi

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Objective: To evaluate how a year-long Contemplative Medicine Fellowship impacts physician burnout, moral injury, work-life integration, meaning, capacity for compassion, and professional resilience.

Design: A pre–post survey observational study using a combination of validated survey tools and questionnaire items authored by the research team.

Setting: The New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care (NYZC), an educational nonprofit in the US, offers a year-long, remote learning fellowship in contemplative medicine that integrates mindfulness, compassion training, reflective inquiry, community engagement, and other contemplative approaches to the practice of medicine.

Intervention: Participation in the Contemplative Medicine Fellowship, which includes experiential contemplative practice, didactic …

A Sociocognitive Approach To Second Language Acquisition: Integrating Neurodiversity And Advocacy In Language Learning, Brian Kapustka

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

This project, A Sociocognitive Approach to Second Language Acquisition: Integrating Neurodiversity and Advocacy in Language Learning, serves as a pedagogical framework and instructional resource designed for world language educators. Grounded in Atkinson’s (2011) Sociocognitive SLA model, the project synthesizes cognitive, sociocultural, ecological, and embodied perspectives to illuminate how language learning emerges through dynamic interactions among mind, body, and environment. It further integrates contemporary neurodiversity research—addressing ADHD, ASD, dyslexia, and other cognitive profiles—to propose strength-based, multimodal strategies that support diverse learners. Drawing on the work of Swain, Norton, van Lier, and others, the project emphasizes identity, emotion, and advocacy as …

Ethics Of Care In Rural Communities: Highlighting The Relational Nature Of Care, Stephanie Scherer

The Rural Educator

No abstract provided.

Mindful Leadership: How Rural Principals Enact School Mindfulness Through Care And Social-Emotional Learning, Jesse Wood

The Rural Educator

This qualitative research study explored how rural secondary principals in Tennessee made sense of the practice of school mindfulness and what motivated them to engage in leadership practices that enact mindfulness in this setting. This study draws from the theoretical construct of high reliability theory (HRT) and school mindfulness: focus on failure, reluctance to simplify, sensitivity to teaching and learning, commitment to resilience, and deference to expertise. Three themes emerged: situational awareness, social-emotional learning (SEL), and care. This study extends the extant literature on school mindfulness and highlights leadership practices of care and social-emotional learning that enact school mindfulness in …

American Period Poverty: Highlighting Inequity At Home, Julia E. Lever, Phillip D. Grant

The Rural Educator

No abstract provided.

Hollace L. Brooks, James Scholz

Tennessee State University Notable Faculty and Administrators

No abstract provided.

A Simple Predictive Model For Salt Marsh Internal Deterioration Under Sea-Level Rise And Sediment Deficits: Application To Chesapeake Bay, Neil K. Ganju, Katherine V. Ackerman, Zafer Defne, Giulio Mariotti, David Curson, Zachary Posnik, Joel A. Carr, Joanna Grand

Faculty Publications

Salt marshes are dynamic biogeomorphic systems reliant on autochthonous and allochthonous input to maintain their three-dimensional configuration. Sea-level rise, subsidence, and sediment deficits can lead to submergence, open-water expansion, and ultimately loss of the vegetated marsh plain and associated ecosystem services. Widely used management-focused models focus on vegetation zonation in response to sea level but neglect sediment transport processes and geomorphic change. Process-based research models attempt to represent complex physical and biogeomorphic interactions but operate on spatiotemporal scales that are not directly transferable to restoration or management. Here we bridge these two paradigms and present a novel geomorphic model (UBMorph) …

Time Dependence Of Sediment Accretion Rates: Short- And Long-Term Variability In An Urban Tidal Marsh, Faith Echiejile, Kirk Raper, Tracy Elsey-Quirk, David Velinsky, Elizabeth B. Watson

Faculty Publications

Sediment accretion is vital for tidal marsh survival amid rising sea levels, yet its temporal variability remains poorly understood across different measurement scales. This study examines sediment dynamics in Tinicum Marsh, an urban tidal wetland in Philadelphia, using a comprehensive multi-method approach. We integrated sediment traps for event-scale measurements, Surface Elevation Table and Marker Horizons (SET-MH) for annual assessments, and radioisotope dating for decadal-scale analysis. Our findings reveal pronounced time-dependent variability in accretion rates consistent with the Sadler Effect, following a significant power-law relationship. Event-based deposition rates (median = 294.6 mm yr⁻¹) dramatically exceeded both annual (median = …

A Transcription Factor Gene Camyb114 Associated With Black Seed Coat In Chickpea, Hao Luo, Gayathri Rathnayake, Lee A. Mcfawn, Jenifer Bussanich, Lan Lan, Zibei Lin, Wangzhen Wu, Cong Tan, Sukhjiwan Kaur, Darshan Sharma, Yong Jia, Chengdao Li

Grain and Other Field Crops Research Articles

Background

Grain colour is an important quality trait affecting the market value and consumer preference. Chickpeas with black-coloured seed coat is known for their beneficial high antioxidant and fibber content, yet the underlying molecular basis remains poorly understood.

Results

Here, we examined the grain colour trait of a panel of 261 diverse desi chickpea (Cicer arietinum) accessions and specially characterized the development of the black seed coat. We showed that the black colouration emerged on embryo tips at 30 days after flowering (DAF) and expanded to whole grain at 35 DAF. Genome-wide association analyses revealed a single major genetic locus …

Agenda 2025-11, Staff Council

Staff Advisory Council Meeting Agendas

A meeting agenda is a list of the topics that will be discussed during a meeting, along with other details. The agenda is usually shared with participants before the meeting so they can prepare. The agenda's purpose is to give participants a clear outline of what should happen in the meeting, who will lead each task, and how long each step should take.

The Banner - V. 160, No. 9 - (November 2025), Christian Reformed Church In North America

The Banner

No abstract provided.

Issue 476 November 2025, The Local Voice

The Local Voice

Featured Articles: "Holly Jolly Holidays Returns to Oxford with a Full Slate of Seasonal Events."; "Duwayne Burnside Returns with New Album, Continuing a North Mississippi Legacy."; "Hometown Hootenanny. Oxford Comes Together for a Down-Home Celebration of Food, Music, and Community Nov. 30."; "Ole Miss and Mississippi State Compete in “Egg Bowl Food Fight” to Tackle Campus Hunger."; "The View From The Balcony: A Teacher for the Ages."

Seeking Shelter: Website Content About The Exhibit, University Of Dayton. Marian Library

Marian Library Exhibit Summaries

After they were turned away from the inn in Bethlehem, Mary and Joseph sought shelter elsewhere. In Nativity sets, different traditions place Jesus’ birth in a stable, in a cave or among ruins. Artists depict local architecture, like an adobe or a yurt, and repurpose objects to stand in for the shelter, such as a coconut shell or a piece of pottery. Explore a variety of shelters in this year’s selection of Nativity sets from the Marian Library Crèche Collection.

Up Los Baños Journal, Volume 23 - Frontiers In Industrial Engineering

U.P. Los Baños Journal

Editorial Note

The University Publications Office is honored to present the UP Los Baños Journal, Volume XXIII Special Issue: “Frontiers in Industrial Engineering. The special issue marks a significant milestone for the Department of Industrial Engineering as its celebrates their 25th Anniversary.

We commend the Department for navigating the challenges of rapid technological change, global uncertainty, and the urgent call for sustainable development. With its strong academic foundation and commitment to societal impact, the Department is well positioned to continue to lead in the transformative efforts in the field.

We are grateful to the Department of Industrial Engineering for its …

Development Of A Ux Effectiveness Evaluation Tool For Mental Health Mobile Applications, Stephanie Caridad Dr. Landicho, Maria Aura Teodora C. Matias

Journal Article

This study developed and validated a comprehensive User Experience (UX) evaluation tool specifically designed for mental health mobile applications. User experience plays a critical role in sustaining engagement and effectiveness in digital mental health interventions, yet existing evaluation tools are not tailored to the unique challenges of this domain. Through a multi-phase process, the research identified 12 key domains for evaluation and developed an initial 48-item instrument, which was refined through expert panel review for face and content validity, resulting in 50 items. Pilot testing with 19 participants demonstrated strong internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.972). Full-scale testing involved 205 …

Assessment Of E-Waste Management Policies And Practices: Cases Of Philippine State Universities And Colleges’ (Suc’S) Lifecycle Extension Of Computers, Lance Dolph S. Malsi, Diana Marie R. De Silva, Alan Marco S. Mercado, Haerold Dean Z. Layaoen

Journal Article

Rapid technological advancements have resulted in the production of more energy and resource- intensive equipment, leading to premature obsolescence and increased e-waste generation. Philippine SUCs face growing e-waste challenges due to digital transformation and blended learning activities, while operating under outdated regulatory frameworks. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of existing e-waste management policies and practices in Philippine SUCs, specifically on computer circularity and lifecycle extension through a qualitative multiple case study of SUCs e-waste management practices compared against global trends and literature on circular economy principles. The results of the study reveal the key challenges SUCs face on …

Agility Evaluation On The Small Value Item Procurement Process Of The Department Of Education Division Of Davao Del Sur, Philippines, Save Mart E. Mondejar, Haerold Dean Z. Layaoen, Gabriel John L. De Leon, Julius Angelo D.J. Galang

Journal Article

Public procurement in the Philippines is primarily guided by Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Act. In the Department of Education Division of Davao del Sur (DepEd Davao del Sur), procurement can be classified under big and small value item procurement. However, small value item procurement (SVP) projects in DepEd Davao del Sur experienced persistent delays in 2021 and 2022. In addition, gaps in the documentation and archiving system constrained the availability of reliable procurement data. To address this, the fuzzy agility evaluation method (FAEM) was utilized within a limited timeframe to determine the level of procurement agility and …

Capacity Maximization Through Production Lead Time Reduction Of Company Xyz With The Use Of Dmaic Methodology, Aaron Will G. Delmo, Julius Angelo D.J. Galang, Maria Liezel C. Eusebio

Journal Article

Company XYZ, an industrial printing company, has been declining in capacity and actual output resulting in monthly unrealized revenue. The goal of this study is to maximize the current capacity, decreasing production lead time by at least 12%, with the use of Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control methodology. The focus was set on the offset machine and packaging process which are the most crucial steps based on Pareto Analysis. Fishbone diagram was then utilized to identify the root cause of the problems with the aforementioned processes. These root causes are further assessed using the CNX analysis. The main root …

Inventory Assortment Model For Retailers With Multi-Level Substitution Of Products, Gian Paolo G. Guiao, Gabriel John L. De Leon, John Kenneth P. Punongbayan, Kathleen L. Baldoz, Ven-Rem Bill A. Pasion, Angelo C. Ani

Journal Article

Ensuring a sufficient inventory level at the retail stage of the supply chain is essential to meet customer demand. However, determining the ideal quantity of products to be ordered by a retailer is challenging when there is a substitution of products. This study addresses the occurrence of customers substituting products in the store in case of product unavailability by developing a two- phase stochastic optimization model. The first phase created a discretized demand profile, one of the novelties of this study, that allows customers to substitute up to two attempts. The second phase developed a mixed-integer program (MIP) model that …