Digital Commons Network^™

A Critical Lens On Emotions And Learning: Shame, Loneliness, And Alienation In Community College, Mike Rifino

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation explores how community college students make sense of and navigate their emotions related to learning. Community colleges are two-year public higher education institutions that primarily serve working-class and students of color, enrolling almost half of all current undergraduates in the United States, yet their experiences are rarely addressed by researchers. Drawing on critical theories (e.g., feminist politics of emotions, Black feminist/queer women of color theorizing), emotions in this study are conceptualized as socio-politically situated, shaped by institutions and ideologies distributed through power across intersecting social identities. Although emotion research in higher education has grown substantially in the past …

At The Margins Of History, The Body Moves And Knows: Carmen As Myth, Flamenco As A Fugitive Form Of Knowledge Transmission, Inmaculada Zanoguera Garcias

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

My research, grounded in decolonial historiography and performance studies, examines how Spain has historically relied on the exoticized Other for the construction of its national identity. At the center of my analyses is Carmen, the eponymous protagonist of French writer Prosper Mérimée’s 1845 novella Carmen. Through this dissertation, I attend to the process through which this fictional character turned into the enduring myth of Carmen—the Orientalized, quintessential Spanish woman—and the consequences that upholding this myth has on the real lives of women, historically and contemporarily. I depart from the assumption that this myth-making process emerged in response to Spain’s inability …

Maintenance Mode For Digital Dwellers, Maci Morris

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In an ever-expanding digital landscape that operates on the commodification of user-generated materials, whether through direct or “dark pattern” extraction, it becomes vital for educators to employ digital practices that normalize critical reflection about the creation and storage of digital content. These practices should create better understanding of the underlying infrastructure of content management and storage.

This capstone project, “Maintenance Mode for Digital Dwellers,” is an adaptable pedagogical guide that instructors can use to engage learners in strategies and systems for managing their personal digital materials. Participants are encouraged to engage with their digital maintenance and archival practices through a …

Less Self, Less Fear: Manipulation Of The Self Using Virtual Out-Of-Body Experiences To Alter The Conscious And Unconscious Experience Of Emotion, Dillon Freed

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This study investigated whether adopting an out-of-body perspective in virtual reality (VR) reduces subjective and physiological emotional responses to vicarious pain stimuli compared to inhabiting a first-person embodied avatar. Twenty-four participants experienced two counterbalanced VR conditions: (1) Avatar Embodiment (AV), in which they inhabited a photorealistic avatar from a first-person perspective, and (2) a Virtual Out-of-Body Experience (vOBE), in which they observed their avatar from a displaced third-person perspective. In both conditions, participants viewed a standardized series of vicarious pain images while electrodermal activity was recorded and self-report measures of embodiment (AV) and disembodiment (the vOBE state), emotional intensity (a …

Precarious Status, Essential Work: Migrant Labor, Social Reproduction, And The Politics Of Regularization In Covid Quebec, Jessie Lauren Stein

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation examines how migrant justice struggles in Quebec during and immediately after the COVID‑19 pandemic challenged and reshaped the cultural politics of membership in a neoliberal welfare state under strain. The research is centered on an ethnography of the Status for All campaign, a coalition effort spearheaded in Montreal to secure permanent immigration status for all people with precarious status in Canada. I situate pandemic‑era regularization efforts within overlapping crises of border governance, social reproduction, and federal–provincial relations. I argue that Quebec’s growing reliance on migrants with precarious status to sustain essential public social reproductive functions in care work, …

Good Mothers: Black Disabled Mothers & The Family Policing System, Siobhan Pokorney

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Good Mothers: Black Disabled Mothers & the Family Policing System is a qualitative study utilizing 16 in-depth individual interviews with mothers who broadly identified as Black, disabled mothers who had at least one interaction with the family policing system as adults in or around NYC. The study examines the work these mothers engage in to navigate their identities and strategically present themselves as good mothers while facing state surveillance and oppressive systems (specifically the family policing system) which automatically frame them as “unfit mothers.” It traces their experiences and the identity work that they engage in through the anticipatory trauma …

Calculated Risks: The Power Of Predictive Risk Models To Regulate Families Of Color, Ashleigh Washington

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation examines predictive risk modelling (PRM) in New York City Administration for Children's Services (ACS), specifically exploring AI-enabled design features, practices, and encoded and racialized assumptions about risk in child welfare prevention services. Guided by Critical Race Theory and the Algorithmic Ecology framework, this study traces how PRM in ACS evolved from a service termination tool into a broader, largely internal surveillance apparatus that leverages families’ personal information, including health information, to assess risk of future maltreatment and to evaluate contracted service providers. Drawing on analysis of public records and in-depth interviews with Black parents, the findings describe how …

Conditions Of Vulnerability: Interpreting Social Condition Discrimination, Colleen Sheppard, Geneviève Plumptre, Hannah Reaburn

Dalhousie Law Journal

At a time of deepening structural inequality, it is important to develop human rights categories that respond to the needs of diverse social groups living in conditions of vulnerability. One source of protection, aimed at countering the exclusion and maltreatment of people who are socially or economically disadvantaged, is the addition of “social condition” as a prohibited ground of discrimination. Québec, the Northwest Territories, and New Brunswick have such protection in their anti-discrimination laws. In this article, we argue that the social condition ground is an important tool for redressing intersectional, group-based vulnerabilities that do not fit readily into traditional …

Masthead & Table Of Contents

Dalhousie Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Effect Of Heat Stress On Jejunal Epithelial Barrier Integrity In Broilers Divergently Selected For High- And Low-Water Efficiency, Elizabeth S. Greene, Sara Orlowski, Sami Dridi

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Drought and water scarcity, exacerbated by global warming, are enormous threats to global food sustainability and security. Poultry, in particular, are highly impacted by adverse environmental stressors. As nutrient absorption and intestinal integrity are critical for growth and performance, understanding the impact on the broiler gastrointestinal tract is highly relevant. Here, we examined the effect of chronic cyclic heat stress (HS) on the jejunal expression profile of tight-junction, gap-junction, adherens, and desmosome genes in the 4th generation of broiler lines divergently selected for low (LWE)- and high-water efficiency (HWE). Male HWE and LWE broilers (n = 240/line) were allotted to …

Vulnerability Of Marine Megafauna To Global At-Sea Anthropogenic Threats, Michelle Vancompernolle, Juliet Morris, Hannah J. Calich, Jorge P. Rodríguez, Sarah A. Marley, Jessica R. Pearce, Briana Abrahms, Katya Abrantes, André S. Afonso, Alex Aguilar, Andrews Agyekumhene, Tomonari Akamatsu, Susanne Åkesson, Nyimale G. Alawa, Joanna Alfaro-Shigueto, R. C. Anderson, Tycho Anker-Nilssen, Javier A. Arata, Gonzalo Araujo, Martin C. Arostegui, Haritz Arrizabalaga, Chandra P. Salgado Kent

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Marine megafauna species are affected by a wide range of anthropogenic threats. To evaluate the risk of such threats, species’ vulnerability to each threat must first be determined. We build on the existing threats classification scheme and ranking system of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species by assessing the vulnerability of 256 marine megafauna species to 23 at-sea threats. The threats we considered included individual fishing gear types, climate-change-related subthreats not previously assessed, and threats associated with coastal impacts and maritime disturbances. Our ratings resulted in 70 species having high vulnerability (v > 0.778 …

Ergonomics/Human Factors And The Future Of Work: A Global Systems Perspective, Andrew Thatcher, Augustine Appah Acquah, Agnès Aublet-Cuvelier, Rob Becker, Tim Bentley, Maria Elena Boatca, Daniel Braatz, Hong In Cheng, Fabien Coutarel, Somnath Gangopadhyay, Nicola Green, Nigel Heaton, Hongwei Hsiao, Liang Ma, Masaaki Mochimaru, Beata Mrugalska, Verena Nitsch, Paulo Antonio Barros Oliveira, Taezoon Park, Arto Reiman, Yordán Rodriguez, Gary Roth, Urmi Ravindra Salve, Rosemary Seva, Anita Tisch, Andrew Todd

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

In a webinar series hosted by the International Ergonomics Association, the Future of Work Committee of the International Ergonomics Association gathered inputs about the future of work from ergonomics/human factors (E/HF) experts representing different regions around the world. Through these insights, four global megatrends relevant to E/HF driving the future of work were identified: labour-market supply; work informality; technology; and climate change. Next, we applied an E/HF systems approach, using causal loop diagrams, to explore the unfolding interrelationships between these megatrends at a global level and with a national level example to determine what novel insights can be uncovered using …

Feasibility And Implementation Of Interval-Gap4: A Global Randomised Controlled Trial Of Intense Hybrid-Supervised/Self-Managed Versus Self-Directed Exercise For Metastatic Prostate Cancer, Stacey A. Kenfield, Nicolas H. Hart, Kerry S. Courneya, Rosemary Greenwood, June M. Chan, Jennette Sison, Li Zhang, Sarah Rudman, Leah Ung, Moritz Schumann, Erin L. Van Blarigan, Sam Mckeown, Charles J. Ryan, James Catto, Daniel A. Galvão, Robert U. Newton, Fred Saad

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background and objective: Physical activity is associated with a lower risk of mortality in men with prostate cancer (PC); yet, randomised controlled trials with survival endpoints are nonexistent. INTense ExeRcise for surviVAL-Global Action Plan 4 (INTERVAL-GAP4) was a global phase 3 trial designed to test whether structured, hybrid-supervised/self-managed exercise improves survival in men with metastatic PC. The trial was stopped early due to poor accrual. This paper reports feasibility and implementation outcomes. Methods: Men with metastatic PC were randomised (1:1) to a supervised/self-managed moderate- to high-intensity resistance and aerobic programme (three sessions per week for 2 yr) or to self-directed …

Making It Up As We Go: Midwives’ Perceptions Of Preparedness And Role Clarity In Surrogacy Birth Care, Jutharat Attawet, Leo Ng, Yunjing Qiu, Evie Kendal, Myles Ojabo, Sarah Jefford, Micah D.J. Peters

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background Surrogacy poses unique clinical, psychosocial, and organisational challenges. Midwives, often with limited experience, education, and guidance, may feel uncertain about providing appropriate care, potentially affecting the quality of care and experiences of surrogates, intended parents, and newborns. Objective This study explored how midwives navigate surrogacy birth care, with a focus on role clarity, involvement of intended parents, and preparedness across the intrapartum and postnatal continuum. Method An interpretative phenomenological design was adopted. Five midwives with experience in surrogacy births were recruited through professional networks and the Australian College of Midwives newsletter. In-depth interviews were conducted and analysed using reflexive …

Treatment And Valorization Of Spent Caustic Brine: A Critical Review With Emphasis On Membrane Technologies, Rouba D. Al Bostami, Amani Al Othman, Muhammad Tawalbeh, Kerry N. Mcphedran, Mohammad Mahdi A. Shirazi

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Spent caustic brine (SCB) is a hazardous yet resource-rich industrial waste, primarily composed of sodium hydroxide, water, and contaminants such as sulfides, phenols, organic compounds, heavy metals, and valuable minerals. Originating from industries such as oil and gas, metal finishing, and food processing, SCB poses high pH ('11), high total dissolved solids (up to 58,000 ppm), heavy metal content, and elevated chemical oxygen demand (COD). In this work, treatment and valorization methods for SCB are categorized into three groups: traditional techniques without caustic or water recovery, conventional techniques with limited recovery, and membrane technologies offering effective caustic and water recovery …

A Typology Of Australian Terrestrial Bird Communities, Martine Maron, Karlina Indraswari, Jonathan Mills-Anderson, Courtney B. Melton, Hugh Possingham, James Radford, April E. Reside, Andrew Bennett, Allan Burbidge, Michael Clarke, Rohan H. Clarke, Robert Davis, Teresa Eyre, Amanda Freeman, Michelle Gibson, Birgita Hansen, Jacinta Humphrey, Nigel Jackett, Bryony Palmer, Alex Kutt, Nicholas P. Leseberg, Richard Loyn, Alex Maisey, Golo Maurer, Helen Mayfield, Paul Mcdonald

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Aim: Holistic measurement of the response of fauna communities to interventions requires suitable community condition metrics. However, the development of such metrics is hindered by the absence of broad-scale typologies at suitable spatial and ecological resolutions. We aimed to derive a preliminary typology of terrestrial bird communities for Australia, based on bird co-occurrence data, and describe and map the likely distribution of each community type across the continent. Location: Mainland Australia, continental islands. Time Period: 1973–2022. Major Taxa Studied: Aves. Methods: We used fine-scale co-occurrence data from standard 2-ha surveys in BirdLife Australia's citizen-science database. After filtering to reduce bias, …

Carbohydrate Restriction Drives Greater Perturbations In Circulating Metabolites Than Low Energy Availability In Elite Male Athletes, Kyle A. Dunlop, Nathan G. Lawler, Jamie Whitfield, Alannah K.A. Mckay, Nicolin Tee, Megan L. Ross, Stacey N. Reinke, John A. Hawley, David Broadhurst, Louise M. Burke

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Periods of low energy availability (LEA) are common in elite athletes and typically arise from reduced energy intake, often involving some degree of carbohydrate (CHO) restriction. Whether the metabolic profile created by energy restriction per se is distinct compared to that driven by CHO restriction is unknown. Using untargeted metabolomics, we examined metabolic perturbations linked to CHO restriction and energy restriction in plasma from elite male endurance athletes. In a semi-randomized controlled trial, athletes (n = 20) completed one of three 5-day dietary interventions: high energy-high CHO (HCHO); LEA (energy-restricted, CHO-reduced); or low-CHO, high-fat (LCHF; energy-matched, CHO-restricted). Plasma samples were …

Fiber-Reinforced Foam Concrete Using Quarry Micro Fines And Sugarcane Bagasse Ash: A Box–Behnken Design Optimization And Performance Assessment, Ravindaran Thangavel, Sanjay Kumar Shukla, Mini K. Madhavan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Foam concrete is well-appreciated for its thermal and acoustic benefits and is prepared by introducing foam into cement slurry/mortar. The current research examines the feasibility of Quarry Micro Fines (QMF), a waste generated from the quarries during sand manufacturing, as a substitute for fine aggregate in the preparation of foam concrete. During the preparation of concrete, a portion of cement is replaced with sugarcane bagasse ash (SCBA), while polypropylene (PP) fibers are added to improve the shrinkage resistance and tensile strength of the resulting concrete. A three-factor, three-level Box–Behnken Design (BBD) in Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was used to optimize …

Navigating Climate Change In Carbon Negative Bhutan: Insights From Policy Influencers And Comparison To The Wider Himalayan Region, Tashi Dorji, Angus Morrison-Saunders, David Blake

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Climate change is one of the most pressing global challenges and spares no nation. Bhutan, as the only carbon negative country in the world, is no exception and being in the Himalayas – a region warming faster than the global average – further intensifies climate risks. This study explores how Bhutan navigates climate change through the perspectives of 41 policy influencers, including politicians, civil servants, and leaders from nongovernment organisations and the media. The findings are compared with scientific literature from the broader Himalayan region to identify shared vulnerabilities (e.g., glacial lake outburst floods, water scarcity, and agricultural disruptions) and …

Pathological Response Calculation Assessment Remains Accurate With Reduced Tumor Bed Examination After Neoadjuvant Immunotherapy In Clinically Detectable Stage Iii Melanoma, R. V. Rawson, N. G. Maher, A. M. Menzies, S. N. Lo, N. Mesbah Ardakani, L. A. Jackett, I. A. Vergara, T. E. Pennington, K. F. Shannon, S. Ch’Ng, M. Gonzalez, E. M. Burton, M. W. Lucas, I. L.M. Reijers, E. A. Rozeman, D. E. Gyorki, S. Sandhu, M. S. Carlino, J. Howle, M. Khattak, A. Van Der Westhuizen, M. C. Andrews, V. Atkinson, A. C.J. Van Akkooi, A. J. Spillane, R. P.M. Saw

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Neoadjuvant immunotherapy produces event-free survival advantage over adjuvant therapy for patients with surgically resectable macroscopic stage IIIB/C/D melanoma. Pathological response, determined as percentage residual viable tumor (% RVT), provides critical prognostic information and informs management decisions. Here, we assessed accuracy of %RVT calculation when reduced tumor bed (TB) was examined and leverage these results proposing streamlined protocols for pathological examination. Patients and methods: Comprehensive histopathological examination was carried out on 134 patient specimens after neoadjuvant immunotherapy with ipilimumab and nivolumab. Impact on %RVT when evaluating less TB than recommended by the initial International Neoadjuvant Melanoma Consortium (INMC) protocol was …

Animal Taxa Threatened By Adverse Fire Regimes In Western Australia: A Synthesis And Outlook, Tim S. Doherty, Mark G. Allen, Karlene Bain, Stephen J. Beatty, Allan H. Burbidge, Renee A. Catullo, Sarah Comer, Ben Corey, Saul J. Cowen, Robert A. Davis, Martin A. Dziminski, J. Anthony Friend, Bruce Greatwich, Mark S. Harvey, Hannah Killian, Michael W. Klunzinger, Damian C. Lettoof, Nicola J. Mitchell, Melinda Moir, Harry A. Moore, David L. Morgan, Ian J. Radford, Michael G. Rix, Tom Vigilante, Adrian F. Wayne, Corey Whisson

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Adverse fire regimes threaten biodiversity, potentially leading to population declines and increased extinction risk. Understanding how varying fire regimes affect threatened species is essential for effective ecosystem management, including in Western Australia where diverse ecosystems are exposed to wildfires, Indigenous burning, and prescribed fire. We compiled and synthesised data on the threat of adverse fire regimes to threatened animal taxa in Western Australia. Using a threat classification scheme, we ranked adverse fire regimes as having either no, low, medium, high, or unknown impact on each taxon. A total of 212 taxa were reviewed, 153 (72%) of which are considered fire-threatened: …

Contemporary Structures, Processes, And Outcomes Of Critical Care Nursing Education: An Integrative Review, Farida Saghafi, Carol Grech, Belinda Causby, Angelique Clarke, Jacqueline Jauncey-Cooke, Deb Massey, Kaye Rolls, Kylie Thompson, Melanie Greenwood

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objective: The critical care workforce requires nurses who are specialised, educated, and adaptable to manage complex situations, with the capability to make informed decisions for optimal patient care. The Australian College of Critical Care Nurses supports evidence-based practice through an education position statement, which is periodically updated to reflect evolving needs. In this review, our aim was to inform revisions to the position statement on critical care nurse education by examining the structure, processes, and outcomes of contemporary education programs designed to enhance the capability of registered nurses working in critical care environments internationally. Review method used: An integrative review …

Machine Learning-Enriched Distributionally Robust Optimization And Hybrid Decomposition To Joint Optimization Of Transportation Hub Network Design And Pricing, Seyed Ashkan Hosseini Shekarabi, Reza Kiani Mavi, Flavio Romero Macau, Ali Papi, Ashkan Teymouri

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Freight transportation within the hub-assisted systems enhances economies of scale for carriers by consolidating logistics operations through central hubs, thereby increasing efficiency and reducing costs. Optimally designing such transportation systems creates competitive advantages for carriers, enabling them to reduce shipping prices and, consequently, capture a larger share of the market from shippers’ demand. This research addresses the joint optimization of intermodal transportation hub network design and pricing decisions under price-dependent and uncertain demand, with the objective of maximizing carrier's profit. Since the uncertain shipping demand follows a nonlinear relation with price, the carrier not only optimizes shipping network design but …

Research Nexus : Volume 34 – 2026, Office Of Research And Graduate Studies

Office of Research and Graduate Studies

• Researcher Spotlight
• Research Milestones & News
• Capacity Building Initiatives
• NIH Updates and Other Resources
• Explore New Funding Opportunities

Least Squares As Random Walks: The General Case Of Arbitrary Spacing, Daniel Kestner, Alexander Kostinski

Michigan Tech Publications

Recently, we introduced the notion of a random walk based on a discrete sequence of data samples ( data walk ) and discovered a surprising link between ordinary least squares (OLS) fits to evenly sampled data and random walks. Here we generalize earlier results by showing that the slope of a linear fit to data which annuls the net area under a residual data walk equals that found by OLS for irregularly spaced data sequence. We also discover a deep connection with the orthogonality principle of estimation theory, leading to interpretation of suitably defined scalar products of data vectors as …

Fiscal Year 2024 Fhwa-536 Report For The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Doug Kreis, Candice Wallace, Bryan Gibson, Sarah Mccormack

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Every other year, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) requires that states submit a Local Highway Finance Report (FHWA-536) to the agency. This report summarizes data on local highway finances and is used by FHWA to evaluate relationships between and changes in revenues, expenditures and investment patterns, and financial trends. This report presents information submitted by Kentucky in its fiscal year (FY) 2024 FHWA-536. Total receipts from local, state, and federal sources used for road and street infrastructure equaled approximately $1.27 billion. Local sources of funding accounted for the largest share of total receipts (50%), followed by state government sources (41%), …

Kytc Digital Project Delivery Phase 1 Summary, Rachel Catchings

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) launched its Digital Project Delivery (DPD) Initiative in September 2020 with the goal of expanding the use of digitally formatted plan and project information throughout the transportation asset life cycle, from project delivery through asset management. KYTC retained Kentucky Transportation Center (KTC) staff with expertise in construction and design to facilitate DPD implementation. This document summarizes DPD-related efforts undertaken by the Cabinet over the past five years. Key activities completed during this period include a survey of Kentucky Association of Highway Contractors members to document their perspectives on design file usage and preferences, coordinating multiple …

Optimization Of Pressure And Flow Rate For Co2 Microbubble Generation Using Porous Ceramic Membrane: Insights For Co₂ Geological Storage, Malek Jalilian, Tawanda Matamba, David Tang, Alireza Keshavarz, Stefan Iglauer

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

CO2 microbubbles show significant potential in carbon capture and storage (CCS) through enhancing CO2 dissolution and improving the residual trapping mechanism. To take full advantage of microbubbles, maximizing their generation by selecting the optimal operational conditions, including injection pressure and flow rate, is essential. In this study, we examined a wide range of experimental conditions to quantitatively evaluate the potential of a porous ceramic membrane for producing CO2 microbubbles in a chemical-free manner. In particular, the effects of injection pressure (5.0–10.0 MPa) and CO2 flow rate (0.25–5 mL/min) on mean bubble diameter (DMB) and microbubble yield efficiency (YMB) were systematically …

Air Mass Trajectories Related To Dust Storms On Mars And A Comparison Study With Spacecraft Images, Mohammad Abdulla Ahli

Theses

The Martian weather system, climate, and surface evolution are strongly influenced by dust storms, which interact with the atmospheric circulation and the planet’s surface features. In this study, selected Martian dust storms are examined using data provided by the Emirates Mars Mission (EMM) and the Mars Climate Database (MCD) to track the movement of air masses and improve understanding of how these storms develop and move across the Martian atmosphere.

The Emirates Mars Mission (EMM), together with the Mars Climate Database (MCD), provides the data needed to track the movement of air masses at different altitudes and times of the …

Prediction Of Methane Gas By Using Hyperspectral Imageries And Remote Sensing Techniques, Aysha Ali Alhajeri

Theses

Greenhouse gases is important for sustaining life on earth as well as in mitigating climate change. Methane (CH4) is considered as one of the most important critical gases for the global climate change and have significant influences on our life. Accordingly, the prediction of this greenhouse gas emissions is very important for avoiding the climate change effects and to maintain environmental sustainability. The objective of this study is to explore the potential applications for remote sensing to predict methane levels in the Earth’s atmosphere with a combination of local ground data and data from hyperspectral satellite imagery. By using hyperspectral …