Digital Commons Network^™

Understanding Salt Stress In Watermelon: Impacts On Plant Performance, Adaptive Solutions, And Future Prospects, Sukhmanjot Kaur, Milena Maria Tomaz De Oliveira, Amita Kaundal

Plants, Soils and Climate Student Research

Soil salinity stress, intensified by extreme weather patterns, significantly threatens global watermelon [Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum & Nakai] production. Watermelon, a moderately salt-sensitive crop, exhibits reduced germination, stunted growth, and impaired fruit yield and quality under saline conditions. As freshwater resources decline and agriculture’s dependency on irrigation leads to soil salinization, we need sustainable mitigation strategies for food security. Recent advances highlight the potential of using salt-tolerant rootstocks and breeding salt-resistant watermelon varieties as long-term genetic solutions for salinity. Conversely, agronomic interventions such as drip irrigation and soil amendments provide practical, short-term strategies to mitigate the impact of salt …

Enhancing Severely Compromised Premolar Strength: Role Of Cusp Reduction Design In Cad/Cam Composite Restorations, Youssef Haridy, Hend Sayed Ahmed, Mohamed Haridy, Samar Swelam, Shehabeldin Saber, Edgar Schafer, Ahmed Refaat Mohamed

Dentistry

The objective of this study was to assess the effect of different designs and depths of cusp reduction on fracture resistance of

maxillary permanent premolars restored with CAD/CAM composite restorations. A total of 42 sound maxillary premolars

were used. Standardized MOD cavities were prepared in all specimens. Teeth were randomly divided according to form of

cusp reduction into three main groups (n

=

14); G1:MOD cavities restored with inlays with no cusp reduction, G2:MOD

cavities restored with overlays with buccal and palatal anatomical cusps reduction, G3; MOD cavities restored with overlays

with buccal and palatal flat cusps reduction. Groups 2 …

Prior Adolescent Oxycodone Exposure Enhances Pain Sensitivity Following Chronic Intermittent Ethanol In Adult Female Mice, Lisa L. Wilson, Lucas Albrechet-Souza, Linh Ha, Nicholas W. Gilpin, Tiffany A. Wills

School of Graduate Studies Faculty Publications

The opioid crisis remains a critical public health concern, with rising rates of overdose and opioid use disorder. While opioids are effective for managing pain, both chronic use and withdrawal are associated with increased pain sensitivity. Although most prior research has focused on adults, opioid use during adolescence is common and linked to a heightened risk for developing alcohol use disorder and other forms of substance misuse. Like opioids, acute alcohol use can be analgesic, but chronic alcohol exposure and withdrawal lead to increased pain sensitivity. However, the interactive effects of adolescent opioid and adult alcohol exposure on pain remain …

Gift Honors An 'Accounting Family', Andy Belt

University of Mississippi News

OXFORD, Miss. – A major gift to the University of Mississippi Patterson School of Accountancy tributes the late Bill Rush Mosby Jr., a longtime influential accountant in Mississippi, while honoring his extended family's history with the accounting profession.

Toward A Consensus Model Of Cognitive–Reading Achievement Relations Using Meta-Structural Equation Modeling, Daniel B. Hajovsky, Christopher R. Niileksela, Dawn P. Flanagan, Vincent C. Alfonso, William Joel Schneider, Jacob Robbins

Department of Psychology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Cognitive tests measure psychological constructs that predict the development of academic skills. Research on cognitive–reading achievement relations has primarily been completed with single-test batteries and samples, resulting in inconsistencies across studies. The current study developed a consensus model of cognitive–reading achievement relations using meta-structural equation modeling (meta-SEM) through a cross-sectional analysis of subtest correlations from English-language norm-referenced tests. The full dataset used for this study included 49,959 correlations across 599 distinct correlation matrices. These included correlations among 1112 subtests extracted from 137 different cognitive and achievement test batteries. The meta-SEM approach allowed for increased sampling of cognitive and academic reading …

Exploring The Ant: How Well Do Three Attention Networks Predict Road Hazard Perception, Xander Philip Martinez

Master's Theses

Hazard perception is the ability of a driver to anticipate emerging dangers. Driving is a complex activity requiring attention to various stimuli to prevent accidents. Prior studies have shown that older, experienced drivers detect more cues and perceive hazards better than younger, inexperienced drivers. Attention is multifaceted, and three visual attention networks were focused on in the study: alerting (readiness), orienting (spatial focus), and executive control (distraction inhibition). A sample of 95 participants completed two tasks: The Attention Network Test was used to assess these three attention networks, and to measure road hazard awareness, participants viewed short dashcam videos (~233 …

Pneumonia And Hypokalemia Outcomes Investigated In A Rural, Midwestern Population, Mason P. Penske, Claire E. Reagen, Amanda M. Sonnenburg, Megan A. Unrath, Scott A. Andelin, Nova Beyersdorfer, Kerry D. Johnson, John D. Paulson

Student Publications

Background

Pneumonia is a broad term encompassing lung infections with varying causes, presentations, and prognoses. The objective of this study was to determine if the presence of hypokalemia in subjects admitted to the hospital for pneumonia was associated with an increased mortality rate compared to subjects admitted with pneumonia without hypokalemia. Finding comorbidities associated with worse outcomes in subjects with pneumonia could improve treatment and subsequently improve morbidity and mortality rates.

Methods

This retrospective study used data from the Freeman Health System (FHS) electronic medical record in Joplin and Neosho, MO, from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2021. Hospital …

Robert Newton Carroll

African American Funeral Programs

Funeral program for Robert Carroll. Service was held on August 16, 2025 in Pembroke, Georgia

Integrating Zotero With Your Writing: From Research To Publication, Evelyn Wang

HSLIC Faculty and Staff Instructional Resources

This workshop presentation provides a comprehensive hands-on guide to using Zotero for research and writing. It covers installation, browser connector setup, reference collection from databases and websites, organization through collections and tags, citation insertion in Word and Google Docs, bibliography generation, PDF management with annotation and search, and advanced features such as synchronization, collaboration, ZoteroBib, and custom citation styles. The presentation’s goal is to support researchers, students, and clinicians in efficiently managing citations and references from literature review to publication.

Msw Portfolio-Transformation, Resilience, Holding Hope, Shannon Calhoun

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Master Of Social Work Portfolio, Kyla Wright

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

Identifying all learned ten competencies of social work incorporated into educational settings. Utilizing theoretical practices and an integrated, justified intervention for mental health success.

Master Of Social Work Professional Portfolio, Allison H. Deaver

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This MSW Portfolio encapsulates my learning journey throughout my MSW program, and includes selected projects which demonstrate critical steps in this journey.

Msw Portfolio, Ryan Murray

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

Capstone Portfolio Presentation of summarization of social work competencies and dimensions tying together scholastic work and practicum experience over the last three years of my MSW program journey.

Turning On The Light: Learned Experiences From Practicum As A Youth Mentor And Private Practice Counselor, Jackson Tate Nichols Mr.

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

The following is a reflection on the two years I spent completing practicum work for my MSW program at the University of Montana. In this assignment, I will cover areas of multiple competencies and tie them to my experiences. I have included an Appendix to make referencing easier for the reader. My experiences included a year working for Volunteers of America Northern Rockies (VOANR) in an emergency youth home and a year in a private practice counseling environment. I will demonstrate how I have woven program competencies into my fieldwork.

Msw Portfolio, Keri Tallis

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

A Reflection Of An Msw Student, Dylan Vogel

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Msw Portfolio. Finding Purpose: A Journey Toward Meaningful Social Work Practice, Stephanie Altenhof

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

My MSW portfolio demonstrates my professional development through the University of Montana's MSW program using a multi-theoretical orientation. Through practicum experiences at the Alzheimer Society of BC and Coast Care Consulting, the portfolio showcases my mastery of the 10 social work competencies and five elements of advanced integrated practice, with a particular focus on trauma-informed care, rural and Indigenous contexts, and community-centered approaches to social work practice.

Master Of Social Work Portfolio, Eryn Eva Robinson

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This portfolio narrative chronicles my professional and personal development throughout my Master of Social Work (MSW) program, reflecting a journey grounded in Indigenous values, trauma-informed practice, and a commitment to social justice. Rooted in my identity as a Native American woman and informed by my grandmother’s survival of the Indian boarding school system, my practice philosophy emphasizes healing-centered engagement, cultural humility, and systemic advocacy. Through diverse practicum experiences, ranging from managing after-school youth programs to clinical work as a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) supporting children on the autism spectrum, I integrated theoretical knowledge with hands-on practice. I applied frameworks such …

Old Vs New Local Ancestry Inference In Hchs/Sol: A Comparative Study, Xueying Chen, Hao Wang, Iris Broce, Anders Dale, Bing Yu, Laura Y Zhou, Xihao Li, Maria Argos, Martha L Daviglus, Jianwen Cai, Nora Franceschini, Tamar Sofer

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Hispanic/Latino populations are admixed, with genetic contributions from multiple ancestral populations. To uncover genetic associations in these populations, researchers often turn to admixture mapping, which relies on inferred counts of "local" ancestry, i.e. the source ancestral population at a locus. Local ancestries are inferred using external reference panels that represent ancestral populations, making the choice of inference method and reference panel critical. This study used a dataset of Hispanic/Latino individuals from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) to evaluate how updates in local ancestry inference (LAI) affect results, specifically, the 'old' LAI performed using a popular inference method …

Multi-Layered Framework For Llm Hallucination Mitigation In High-Stakes Applications: A Tutorial, Sachin Hiriyanna, Wenbing Zhao

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Large language models (LLMs) now match or exceed human performance on many open-ended language tasks, yet they continue to produce fluent but incorrect statements, which is a failure mode widely referred to as hallucination. In low-stakes settings this may be tolerable; in regulated or safety-critical domains such as financial services, compliance review, and client decision support, it is not. Motivated by these realities, we develop an integrated mitigation framework that layers complementary controls rather than relying on any single technique. The framework combines structured prompt design, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) with verifiable evidence sources, and targeted fine-tuning aligned with domain truth …

A Qualitative Exploration Of Sibling Relationships Impacted By Autism: “We’Ll Be Brothers Forever”, Julia M. Linger

Dissertations, 2020-current

The current study used a desire-based research framework to explore the lived experiences of siblinghood in families in which one child is autistic and one child is neurotypical. Their experiences were investigated through semi-structured interviews with eight children (four sibling pairs) between the ages of 11 and 18. Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was used to analyze and interpret the data. Seven shared experiential themes were constructed that helped describe the experiences of siblinghood for the participants: 1) Siblinghood includes both enjoyment and annoyance, 2) Shared activities and quality time facilitate sibling connectedness, 3) Siblings celebrate differences and use their different …

The Future Intensification Of Hydrological Extremes And Whiplashes In The Contiguous United States Increase Community Vulnerability, Surendra Maharjan, Wenzhao Li, John D. Bolten, Hesham El-Askary

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Hydroclimatic whiplash rapid shifts between drought and flood poses growing risks to U.S. communities. Here, we assess historical extremes and future projections using a normalized streamflow metric: the annual mean flow’s deviation from the 1981–2020 average, expressed as a fraction of that average. This metric is applied to United States Geological Survey records and Localized Constructed Analogs downscaled projections under Representative Concentration Pathways 4.5 and 8.5. Results reveal sharp regional disparities, with drought deficits exceeding 300% of normal flow during multi-year droughts. By linking hydrologic outcomes with the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s National Risk Index, we find that counties facing …

Unlocking Professional Success: The Power Of Workforce Resilience & Cooperative Extension, Rachel Brauner, Andrew Bronson Crocker, Lakshmi Mahadevan, L. Chris Plein

Journal of Extension

OneOp, a virtual professional development platform dedicated to bolstering the Department of Defense Military Family Readiness System, offers valuable insights into strategies that Cooperative Extension can adopt to enhance workforce resilience. Workforce resilience refers to the capacity of employees to effectively navigate challenging circumstances, cope with stress, adapt to new conditions, and sustain motivation within their work environment. An assessment based on the OneOp webinar series on resiliency delivered during the COVID-19 pandemic identifies best practices that Cooperative Extension can employ to impart essential resilience skills to both individuals and service providers, contributing to a more resilient and adaptable workforce.

Stress Management Is ‘In The Cards’ For Farmers And Ranchers: The Mental Wellness Conversation Curriculum, Alison L. Brennan, Katharine Sutphen, Parker T. Webb, Michelle U. Grocke-Dewey

Journal of Extension

Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural workers need practical, culturally appropriate stress management resources. The Mental Wellness Conversation Curriculum (MWCC) is a novel approach to health promotion that relies on community facilitators to share stress management information using a customized deck of playing cards organized around specific wellness themes. We implemented and evaluated two facilitator trainings in 2023. Training participants reported increases in relevant knowledge, as well as improved confidence about leading mental wellness events. The MWCC is currently being adapted for use with additional, diverse audiences. Future research should explore the implementation and impact of this innovative health promotion modality.

Examination Of Cooperative Extension As A Bridging Organization To Enhance Cross-Boundary Collaborative Water Management, Mark E. Burbach, Stephanie M. Kennedy, Weston M. Eaton, Kathryn J. Brasier, Daran R. Rudnick, Walt Whitmer

Journal of Extension

We explored stakeholders’ familiarity with, the trustworthiness of, perceived competence of, and shared vision with Cooperative Extension on water-related issues in two states to determine the degree to which Extension is positioned to be an effective bridging organization. Results of surveys in Nebraska and Pennsylvania showed that overall neither agricultural producers nor non-farm households were very familiar with Extension. However, both stakeholder groups perceived Extension to be trustworthy, competent, and have similar goals on water-related issues. Extension should renew efforts to bolster their familiarity among these groups to enhance their effectiveness as a bridging organization.

Exploring Artificial Intelligence Powered Audio Transcription Tools For Extension Workplace Efficiency, Joshua T. Campbell

Journal of Extension

Artificial intelligence is a rapidly advancing technology that has implications for nearly every workplace sector, including Cooperative Extension. While many of the uses and implications of artificial intelligence are not yet known, there are clear opportunities for Extension professionals to utilize artificial intelligence tools to increase their workplace efficiency. Extension professionals should be aware of the potential risks of this technology but should not shy away from utilizing it in their work. This article explores the use of audio transcription tools powered by artificial intelligence to aid in workplace efficiency for Extension professionals.

Periodic Evaluations Indicate Increased Effectiveness Of Oregon Master Woodland Manager Volunteer Program, Alicia Christiansen, Lauren Grand, Norma Kline, Tiffany Hopkins

Journal of Extension

The Oregon State University Extension Service Master Woodland Manager (MWM) volunteer program trains landowners in core forestry and natural resource topics. Landowners participate in the MWM program to increase their forest management knowledge, improve their own management practices, and prepare them to volunteer in their community (Bowers, 2000). We surveyed MWM volunteers to understand the effectiveness of the program and what barriers exist to volunteering. Volunteers find the program to be increasingly adequate for personal management and answering questions, but time continues to be the biggest barrier for completing required volunteer hours.

Feedlot Willingness To Pay For Genomic Tested Feeder Cattle, Aisling G. Hagan, Karen L. Delong, Andrew P. Griffith, Christopher N. Boyer, Charley Martinez, Kimberly Jensen, Susan Schexnayder

Journal of Extension

Feeder cattle genomic tests assess the potential of economically important traits to feedlots such as residual feed intake and marbling. A survey was utilized to determine feedlot willingness to pay for genomic tested feeder cattle. Depending on test results, feedlots were willing to pay as much as 4.60% more for genomic tested cattle compared to untested cattle. Feedlots prioritize using genomic tests for marketing decisions and future purchases, despite reporting "poor" knowledge and perceived high costs associated with the tests. Findings can assist Extension personnel advising cattle producers about the potential uses and benefits of this technology.

Exploring 360 Immersive Videos And Tours In Extension Landscape Design Workshops, Margaret C. Hoffman

Journal of Extension

Immersive 360 technologies are increasing equity and inclusion, learning motivation and engagement of students in many educational disciplines. Extension stakeholders could also benefit from the use of this technology in educational settings. The affordability and ease of use adds a tool to the Extension repertoire to interest and engage stakeholders in the digital age. Surveys were conducted in two green industry workshops after the use of 360 immersive technology to determine the technology’s effectiveness and participant perceptions. Participants reported a positive response when assessing the technology as a learning tool and for ease of use.

A Feasibility Study To Mitigate Arsenic Exposure In Well Water In Oregon, Christine Lucas-Woodruff, Veronic L. Irvin, Laura Nielsen, Meghan Megowan, Lilly Anderson, Julia Pavlosek, Molly Kile

Journal of Extension

Approximately 13 million households in the United States rely on private wells for their drinking water. It is the homeowner’s responsibility to manage the quality of water in their private wells. There are many toxic contaminants that can be present private wells that can negatively impact health. Extension Agents are well positioned to assist homeowners in understanding how to manage toxics in private wells. This study demonstrated the feasibility that motivational education provided by an Extension Agent’ trained in motivational interviewing techniques is able to help homeowners with private wells mitigate their exposure to arsenic by adopting appropriate water treatment.