Digital Commons Network^™

From Cynicism To Trust: Strategies For Teaching Students Source Evaluation Skills, Mandi Goodsett, Melanie Gagich

Michael Schwartz Library Publications

Concerns about the spread and adoption of misinformation abound, and academic librarians have played a part in trying to stem the tide through information literacy instruction. However, teaching students how to evaluate sources can be complicated—teaching fact-checking skills may be insufficient if it increases students’ overall cynicism about information ecosystems. This study explores how teaching fact-checking and lateral reading skills, along with instruction about “bias filters,” can help to reduce the cynicism of first year writing students, while also increasing their misinformation detection skills. Results are mixed, but teaching about the information creation process and “bias filters” is especially promising. …

Dataset Supporting The Manuscript Promoting Awareness And Adoption Of Biochar As A Soil Amendment: Effect Of Message Framing, Tong Wang, David Wiltse, Filip Viskupic, Akinsola Oyebanji

South Dakota Farm Survey

A farmer survey was conducted from February 22nd to March 9th, 2025 to test the impact of message framing on farmers’ learning and adoption decisions of biochar. The survey targeted operators of farms in Eastern South Dakota where the production of corn requires chemical fertilizer is intensively used as a crucial input. Biochar as a soil amendment has the potential to serve as a partial substitute for chemical fertilizer in our studied region. A sample of 10,000 South Dakota farming operations east of the Missouri River (where climate favors row crop production) was randomly drawn from those who participated in …

Art, Play, And Neuroplasticity: Advancing Dementia Care Through Art-Enriched Environments, Piper Hutson, James Hutson

Faculty Scholarship

Dementia represents a global public health crisis, characterized not only by progressive memory loss but by a pervasive decline in cognitive flexibility, social functioning, and overall quality of life. Traditional therapeutic modalities, often limited to pharmacological management and cognitive training, have yielded only modest gains in symptom mitigation and patient well-being. Recent advances in neuroscience have illuminated the brain‘s capacity for neuroplasticity—its inherent ability to adapt, reorganize, and form new neural connections even in advanced age and the presence of neurodegenerative conditions. This emerging understanding invites a critical re-evaluation of dementia care strategies, highlighting the potential of non-pharmacological interventions to …

Mapping Resilience And Community Through Transformed Green Spaces In Santa Clara, Bea Ricafort

Silicon Valley Power Sustainable Futures Program

This study builds on existing research showing that green spaces are vital multifunctional solutions that promote both community well-being and climate adaptation. By integrating social and environmental vulnerability into the framework, the GsSVI offers a more holistic approach to resilience—one that centers justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion, while addressing exposure to extreme heat.

In alignment with item C-2-1 (Climate Resilient Land Use & Development) of the City of Santa Clara’s Climate Action Plan (CAP), this research analyzes the social, economic, and environmental vulnerabilities across Santa Clara through a Green Space Social Vulnerability Index (GsSVI), highlighting high-risk areas. The Priority Index …

Ceno: Non-Uniform, Segment And Parallel Zero-Knowledge Virtual Machine, Tianyi Liu, Zhenfei Zhang, Yuncong Zhang, Wenqing Hu, Ye Zhang

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Research & Creative Works

In this paper, we explore a novel Zero-knowledge Virtual Machine (zkVM) framework leveraging succinct, non-interactive zero-knowledge proofs for verifiable computation over any code. Our approach divides the proof of program execution into two stages. In the first stage, the process breaks down program execution into segments, identifying and grouping identical sections. These segments are then proved through data-parallel circuits that allow for varying amounts of duplication. In the subsequent stage, the verifier examines these segment proofs, reconstructing the program's control and data flow based on the segments' duplication number and the original program. The second stage can be further attested …

Donut Hole Summer Special Edition 2025, Medicare Donations & Design Committee

Donut Hole Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Functional And Cultural Values Of Shame: A Motivator To Seek Help For Suicidal Ideation, Yu-Chin Lin

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Suicide is a global issue with rates continuing to rise despite decades of research and prevention efforts. The role of shame in the development of suicidal ideation, especially within non-Western contexts, remains underexplored. This mixed-methods study explored the relationships among shame, suicidal ideation, and help-seeking intentions in a Taiwanese sample, focusing on four culturally distinct Mandarin terms for shame—diu lian, can kui, xiu kui, and xiu chi. A total of 101 participants who has experiences of suicide-related thoughts or behaviors responded to an online survey. Quantitative analyses revealed that all shame terms were strongly correlated …

Optimizing Microfluidic Murine Fibroblast And Human Epidermal Keratinocyte Cell Culture In 70Μm Microwells, Christian Navarro

Master's Theses

Cell culture is an essential technique utilized in biotechnology and medicine to remove systemic influences to study cellular behavior and morphological development of individual cell lines. However, conventional cell culture is two-dimensional and static meaning it can’t easily mimic in vivo conditions such as multicellular cell to cell interactions, fluid perfusion, or 3D structures which might alter cellular behavior and morphology. Microfluidic cell culture allows for the incorporation of in vivo conditions such as perfusion and chemical gradients allowing for more physiologically accurate models. The goal of this study is to develop a protocol for testing a microfluidic chip designed …

Covid-19 Pandemic And Recovery Experiences: A Case Study With Montana Family And Consumer Science Cooperative Extension Agents, Hayley M. Somerfeld, J. Mitchell Vaterlaus, Nicole C. Wanago, Brianna Routh, Alison Brennan

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

The present study examined the impact of COVID-19 and recovery experiences among Family Consumer Science (FCS) Extension Agents in Montana. All participants (n = 10) completed a survey with fixed-item and open-ended responses, and six also participated in in-depth interviews. A deductive qualitative case study approach was used. Agent experiences were analyzed using The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) four action priorities: (1) understanding risk, (2) strengthening disaster risk governance, (3) investing in disaster risk reduction for resilience, and (4) enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response and to “build back better” in recovery, rehabilitation, and reconstruction. Pandemic risks …

Data Entry In A Snap: Using Technology To Enter Paper Survey Data, Adrienne M. Duke Marks, Diana Simpson, Haley Fenn, Brianna Crumly-Goodwin

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Snap Surveys is helpful software that can make the data management process for program evaluations more efficient. In this article, we discuss the software’s paper-scanning feature and how it has positively impacted our data management strategy.

Fashionably Late? Delay In Issue Assignment And Aggregator Databases, Benjamin L. Hockenberry

Lavery Library Faculty/Staff Publications

Most publishers these days publish articles in an "ahead of print" state in which they can be read before being assigned to an issue. Unfortunately for users accessing through aggregator database vendors like EBSCO and ProQuest, articles don’t reach the databases until they’re in an issue. Our research found that for some publications, this delay in issue assignment could exceed a year. What can we do about it?

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Underground Lrt Station- Final Project, Itay Mesika

Fire Protection Engineering: Culminating Experience Project Reports

This project presents a comprehensive fire protection analysis for an underground light rail transit (LRT) station that also serves as a civil defense shelter. The station comprises two underground levels with a total area of 4,500 square meters and is designed to accommodate up to 1,470 passengers during peak hours.

Design Approach: The project adopts a hybrid approach combining prescriptive and performance-based design in accordance with NFPA 130 standards. This methodology ensures compliance with baseline requirements while enabling optimization for the facility's unique dual function as both a transportation hub and civil defense shelter.

Key Fire Protection Systems: The station …

Fire Protection And Life Safety Analysis Report, Ayoung Yun

Fire Protection Engineering: Culminating Experience Project Reports

This report evaluates the fire and life safety performance of the proposed building, a two- story, mixed-occupancy facility designed to serve as a civic and cultural hub. The analysis was prepared to assess compliance with the 2021 International Building Code (IBC), NFPA 13, NFPA 72, and related standards, with a particular focus on areas where occupant egress paths challenge prescriptive limitations. The project includes assembly, business, and storage occupancies, and features a large auditorium, classrooms, an exhibition hall, a restaurant, offices, and a double-height atrium. The building is designed as a non-separated mixed-use facility and is classified under Groups A-1, …

Fire Safety Design For Los Angeles County Fire Station 171, Ryan Murrieta

Fire Protection Engineering: Culminating Experience Project Reports

This report provides a fire safety analysis for Los Angeles County Fire Station 171. To accomplish this, the fire station is analyzed using both a prescriptive and performance-based design approach. With this in mind, the report will show areas where Fire Station 171 is in compliance with codes and standards outlined in the International Building Code (IBC) and the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA). This report will also recommend improvements for the fire station in areas where the building is not up to current standards and codes.

Fire Station 171 is a two-story Type IIA construction fire station that also …

Ymca Building, Tomas Lins

Fire Protection Engineering: Culminating Experience Project Reports

This project consists of the prescriptive and performance-based analysis of the fire protection and life safety features of the YMCA building in the city of Grants Pass, OR. The building was opened to the public in 1983 and was expanded in 2003. The initial construction is classified as Type IV and is not protected by a sprinkler system. The expanded section has a construction classification of Type II-B and is fully sprinklered. The main occupancies found in the building are Groups A and B. The building includes daycare room classified as Group E. The four core areas of prescriptive analysis …

Counterintuitive Particle Confinement In A Helical Force-Free Plasma, A. D. Light, H. Srinivasulu, C. J. Hansen, Michael R. Brown

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Works

The force-free magnetic field solution formed in a high-aspect ratio cylinder is a non-axisymmetric (��=1), closed magnetic structure that can be produced in laboratory experiments. Force-free equilibria can have strong field gradients that break the usual adiabatic invariants associated with particle motion, and gyroradii at measured conditions can be large relative to the gradient scale lengths of the magnetic field. Individual particle motion is largely unexplored in force-free systems without axisymmetry, and it is unclear how the large gradients influence confinement. To understand more about how particles remain confined in these configurations, we simulate a thermal distribution of protons moving …

(R2119) New Algorithms For Independent Component Analysis Based On A General Class Of Dependence Criteria, Fatemeh Asadi, Hamzeh Torabi, Hossein Nadeb

Applications and Applied Mathematics: An International Journal (AAM)

The objective function of numerous well-established Independent Component Analysis (ICA) algorithms calculate based on specific dependence criteria. This study introduces a distinctive dependence criterion based on the cumulative distribution function (CDF) for characterizing the independence between two random variables and some of its properties are examined. Then, we propose a class of ICA algorithms based on the introduced dependence criterion. The performance of the algorithm is systematically compared to some previous similar algorithms. The results indicate that the suggested algorithm have fruitful performance rather than some similar previous known algorithms. Subsequently, the proposed algorithms are applied to real-time series data, …

Evaluating The Viability Of Shared Electric Vehicle Fleet Services For A Higher Education Campus Through An Assessment Of Current Commuter Behaviors, Gabriel Denson

Master's Theses

The transportation sector remains the largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, with single-occupant personal automobile travel accounting for a significant portion of total emissions. While sustainable mobility solutions such as electric vehicles (EVs) and shared transportation services have emerged as potential strategies to reduce environmental impact, adoption rates remain slow due to behavioral, economic, and infrastructural barriers. This research explores the feasibility of a shared electric vehicle fleet service to reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and improve mobility in and around college campuses, using California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, as a case study.

Through …

Effect Of Using Curing Light Manufacturer-Recommended Exposure Times On The Microhardness Of Resin Composites, Jaccare T. Jauregui-Ulloa, Brooklyn N. Luke, Aditya Kunapareddy, Jason A. Griggs, Richard B. Price, Susana M. Salazar Marocho

Biomedical Materials Science Publications

Objectives: This study evaluated the effect of the light curing unit (LCU), light curing technique (LCT), and insertion technique (CIT) of resin-based composite (RBC) on the microhardness at various depths of RBC specimens. Methods: A mesio-occlusal-distal (MOD) mold was used to make samples of conventional RBC (n = 3/group) using either an incremental (I) or a bulk-fill (BF) technique. The RBC was photocured using one of three different LCUs (Bluephase Style 20i for 15 s (I) and 10 s (BF), Monet laser for 1 s (I) and 3 s (BF), and Pinkwave for 10 s (I) and 20 s …

Wide Binary Orbits Are Preferentially Aligned With The Orbits Of Small Planets, But Probably Not Hot Jupiters, S. Christian, A. Vanderburg, J. Becker, A. L. Kraus, L. Pearce, K. A. Collins, M. Rice, Eric L.N. Jensen, D. Baker, V. Bozza, P. Benni, A. Bieryla, A. Binnenfeld, K. I. Collins, D. M. Conti, I. J. M. Crossfield, P. Evans, M. C. Johnson, E. Girardin, J. Gregorio, P. Lewin, T. Mazeh, F. Murgas, A. Panahi, F. J. Pozuelos, D. J. Radford, H. M. Relles, F. Rodriguez Frustaglia, R. P. Schwarz, G. Srdoc, C. Stockdale, T.-G. Tan, W. C. Waalkes, G. Wang, J. Wittrock, S. Zucker

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Works

Studying the relative orientations of the orbits of exoplanets and wide-orbiting binary companions (semimajor axis greater than 100 au) can shed light on how planets form and evolve in binary systems. Previous observations by multiple groups discovered a possible alignment between the orbits of visual binaries and the exoplanets that reside in them. In this study, using data from Gaia DR3 and TESS, we confirm the existence of an alignment between the orbits of small planets (R < 6 R_⊕) and binary systems with semimajor axes below 700 au (p = 10⁻⁶). However, we find no statistical evidence …

Improving Health Information Systems For Universal Health Coverage In The Philippines, Catherine Agas Chung, Jenilyn Ann Vergara Dabu, Fiona Rose Andres Norada, Arianna Maever Loreche, Veincent Christian Pepito, Manuel M. Dayrit

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

Health information systems are a key building block of a well-functioning health system and are a vital component in the implementation of universal health coverage. The Philippines's current transition toward universal health coverage had attendant health information system reforms, such as the establishment of the country's National Health Data Repository and the Health Sector Enterprise Architecture. However, many issues remain in this transition, such as insufficient investments in health information systems, poor reliability of health information systems, technical support delays, data quality issues, and cybersecurity issues. We recommend making health data portable throughout the health system while adhering to data …

June 2025: Region 10 Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment Center (Resptc) At Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center & Children’S Hospital, Providence - Special Pathogens Program

Special Pathogens Newsletters

REGION 10 SPECIAL PATHOGENS NEWSLETTER

2025 Coloring Pages

Special Collections & University Archives Coloring Pages (Text)

No abstract provided.

2025 Annual Report, Daniela Peterka-Benton, Madison Kranis

Newsletters and Annual Reports

Every year, the GCHT completes an Annual Report that highlights the GCHT’s key accomplishments, program impact, research initiatives, and community engagement efforts. The report serves as a comprehensive record of the GCHT’s progress toward its mission to prevent human trafficking, support survivors, and advance education and policy. It includes data on events, training, student involvement, partnerships, and strategic goals, offering transparency and accountability to stakeholders, funders, and the broader public. Through this report, GCHT reflects on lessons learned, celebrates milestones, and charts its vision for the year ahead.

Prompt Engineering In Primo Research Assistant Vs. Llms, Benjamin L. Hockenberry

Lavery Library Faculty/Staff Publications

The recently-released generative artificial intelligence integration in Ex Libris Primo VE uses a different model than users may be used to. In this session, we will explore techniques to tailor results in the Primo AI assistant, with its limitations and opportunities, and how to supplement it with broader LLMs like ChatGPT, CoPilot, Gemini, and Claude.

Tiny-Tlic: Lightweight Transformer Based Lossy Image Compression, Chen Li

Computer Science and Engineering Master's Theses

This thesis presents a comprehensive study on image compression, beginning with a review of both traditional and learning-based methods. Building upon the conventional Variational Autoencoder (VAE) framework, we explore the integration of Vision Transformer (ViT) architectures into the image compression pipeline to leverage their global modeling capabilities. Based on this, we propose Tiny-TLIC (Tiny Transformer-Based Lossy Image Compression), a lightweight yet effective model that introduces two novel components: Integrated Convolution and Self-Attention (ICSA) for enhanced feature representation, and a Multistage Context Model (MCM) for improved entropy estimation. To validate our approach, we train both a baseline Transformer-Based Image Compression (TIC) …

How A Swiss Person Bought A Part Of The Russian Empire In California: Revisiting Johann August Sutter’S Purchase Of Fort Ross In 1841, David Aragai

Swiss American Historical Society Review

Today, Fort Ross is a State Historic Park along California’s Highway Number 1. It is about one hundred miles north of San Francisco on the wild, beautiful, and wind torn Sonoma Coast. Founded in 1812, Fort Ross was originally an outpost of the Russian Empire; the southernmost on the American continent and the one farthest away from the imperial capital, St. Petersburg. It was built with the intent to help feed the Alaskan colony, as well as to extract sea otters and other mammals from the surrounding waters due to their valuable fur.

Book Review: Der Lange Weg Zur Schweizerfahne/Le Long Chemin Vers Le Drapeau Suisse/The Long Way To The Swiss Flag, Rob Sherwood

Swiss American Historical Society Review

As the classic joke goes, “What is great about Switzerland? I don’t know, but their flag is a big plus.” The Swiss flag is indeed one of the most distinctive in the world. Officially, it is one of only three national flags (along with those of Vatican City and Nepal) that is not a rectangle. The Long Way to the Swiss Flag offers a comprehensive look into the history, origins, and evolution of the familiar red field with a white cross—the emblem of the Swiss Confederation. While many believe the Swiss flag is merely an extension of the flag of …

Strategic Use Of Growth Promotant Levels Of Dietary Zinc And Copper During Nursery Periods And Its Effects On Pig Growth Performance Until Market, Jessica L. Da Silva, Lauren E. Olson, Joseph G. Halbur, Autumn L. Kramer, Jorge Y. Perez-Palencia, Robert C. Thaler, Eric M. Weaver

Animal Science Research Report 2025

No abstract provided.

Assessing The Impact Of Inorganic And Organic Dietary Iron Sources Fed To Gestating Hyper-Prolific Sows On The Iron Status Of Their Piglets, Autumn L. Morse, Katlyn A. Mcclellan, Yan B. Shen, Joseph D. Crenshaw, Joshua Jendza, Eric M. Weaver

Animal Science Research Report 2025

No abstract provided.