Digital Commons Network^™

Vol. 5 Full Issue

V Music Magazine

No abstract provided.

The National Jurist Names Kellye Testy ’91 Most Influential Person In Legal Education, James Owsley Boyd

Keep Up With the Latest News from the Law School (blog)

The National Jurist has named Indiana University Maurer School of Law alumna Kellye Y. Testy ’91 the most influential person in legal education, placing her at the top of its annual list of the 25 most influential leaders in the field.

The ranking is based on a survey of law school deans nationwide. In explaining the methodology, The National Jurist noted that respondents were asked to identify individuals who “sparked new ideas, introduced reforms, inspired their peers, or pushed them to see their work differently.” The resulting list, the publication said, highlights leaders who are “moving the field forward and …

A Model For Enhancing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, And Belonging In A Speech Pathology And Audiology Program, Elizabeth Oommen, Peggy Goetz, Brian M. Kreisman, Megan Nickelson, Morgan Bykerk

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

Purpose: The SPAUD department at Calvin University recognized the need for initiatives that focused on intentionally enfolding and supporting Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), international, and third culture students in a competitive major like communication sciences and disorders (CSD). These initiatives focused on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) practices, specifically: (1) to support retention and empowerment of students through peer mentoring and small group meetings; and (2) to equip the department to empower faculty and students to thrive together in the program and in their vocation through capacitybuilding.

Study design/methodology/approach: This is a case study paper outlining …

The Racist Roots Of The Death Penalty, Ngozi Ndulue

Journal Articles

Published in Inquest, a publication of the Institute to End Mass Incarceration.

Adapted from The Slow Death of the Death Penalty: Toward a Postmortem, edited by Todd C. Peppers, Jamie Almallen and Mary Welek Atwell, reprinted with permission from NYU Press.

Accelerating Direct Ink Write (Diw) Design: Functional Fillers, Data Optimization, And Prediction, James Tata, Grant Martin, Andrew Ahn, Sam Trout, Sid Scott, Estevan Sandoval, Jillian O’Neel, Joseph Torres, Miles Beaux Ii, Rachel Collino, Rebecca Stevens, Aaron Pital, Vanessa Job

Innovative Materials & Methods for Additive Manufacturing III (IM²AM)

Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract

Dairy And Food Science Student Newsletter, January 13, 2026, Department Of Dairy And Food Science

Dairy and Food Science Student Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Exploring Runtime Sparsification Of Yolo Model Weights During Inference, Tanzeel-Ur-Rehman Khan, Sanghamitra Roy, Koushik Chakraborty

Electrical and Computer Engineering Student Research

In the pursuit of real-time object detection with constrained computational resources, the optimization of neural network architectures is paramount. We introduce novel sparsity induction methods within the YOLOv4-Tiny framework to significantly improve computational efficiency while maintaining high accuracy in pedestrian detection. We present three sparsification approaches: Homogeneous, Progressive, and Layer-Adaptive, each methodically reducing the model’s complexity without compromising its detection capability. Additionally, we refine the model’s output with a memory-efficient sliding window approach and a Bounding Box Sorting Algorithm, ensuring precise Intersection over Union (IoU) calculations. Our results demonstrate a substantial reduction in computational load by zeroing out over 50% …

Interview With Orca Award Winner Reuben Rieke, Unl Chemistry; Discoverer Of Rieke Metals, Mark Griep, Reuben Rieke

UNL ORCA Interview Series

Emeritus Prof. Reuben Rieke was awarded the ORCA in 1995. Reuben was born in Fairfax, Minnesota. Something in his youth must have sparked an interest in science because he traveled 100 miles east to The University of Minnesota where he earned a bachelor’s in chemistry. Next, he earned a doctorate from the University of Wisconsin, and did postdoctoral work at the University of California Los Angeles. In 1977, after about 11 years as a faculty member in the chemistry department at the University of North Carolina, he joined UNL as a full professor of chemistry. I’ll share two remarkable facts …

As-1000-26 Resolution On Ufpp 12.2 Office Hours, Academic Senate Faculty Affairs Committee

Academic Senate Resolutions

Resolves that UFPP 12.2 be revised effective Fall 2026 according to the attached documents; and be it further that colleges and departments update their office hours policies to conform with the revisions to UFPP 12.2; and be it further that, when published on the Academic Programs and Planning website, the scaling of the office hours to instructional workload shall be translated into both minutes and hours; and be it further that Cal Poly prioritize the development of a directory of faculty office hours accessible within the portal.

Industrial Metal Supply Shocks And Heterogeneous Macroeconomic Effects: Evidence From Copper, Andrea Bastianin, Luca Rossini, Alessandra Testa

Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei Working Papers

This paper studies the macroeconomic effects of global copper supply shocks. We identify exogenous disruptions to copper supply using a Bayesian structural VAR of the world copper market that combines sign and narrative restrictions. We then trace the international transmission of the identified shock using a two-step approach based on country-level models for major copper-importing and exporting economies. We find that copper supply shocks raise producer prices and depress industrial activity in importing economies, while exporters benefit from higher world prices through improved terms of trade. Importer-exporter status alone is insufficient to characterize exposure: heterogeneity in responses reflects differences in …

Automating Academia: Implications Of Genai Use In Doctoral Research And Online Mentoring, Cheryl Burleigh, Andrea M. Wilson

Journal of Online Mentoring

This study critically examines the use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), specifically ChatGPT, in the development of doctoral dissertation proposals, highlighting both its potential and its ethical implications. Through a content analysis of a dissertation proposal created using ChatGPT, the study investigates how GenAI supports structural organization, academic writing, and citation formatting while exposing significant concerns related to fabricated references, methodological misalignment, and diminished scholarly rigor. Although GenAI accelerates the proposal-writing process, its outputs often lack the depth, coherence, and originality expected at the doctoral level, thereby threatening the integrity of academic research. Findings reveal that GenAI-generated content may deceive …

Primate Gut Microbiota Induce Evolutionarily Salient Changes In Mouse Neurodevelopment., Alex R Decasien, Jacob E Aronoff, Elizabeth K Mallott, Sahana Kuthyar, Sriram Chitta, Brian T Layden, Maria L Savo Sardaro, Stanton Gray, Lawrence E Williams, Emma R Liechty, Hyo M Lee, Won Lee, James P Curley, Christopher W Kuzawa, Katherine R Amato

Faculty Research 2026

Multiple primate species, including humans, evolved brains that are exceptionally large relative to their body sizes. These large brains coevolved with metabolic adaptations that enhance cerebral energy supply, including increased circulating glucose levels. While the gut microbiota (GM) is known to influence host metabolism, its potential role in primate brain evolution remains unclear. To investigate this, we inoculated germ-free mice with the GMs of primate species selected to separate the effects of brain size (encephalization) from phylogenetic relatedness: humans (large-brained, Catarrhini), macaques (smaller-brained, Catarrhini), and squirrel monkeys (large-brained, Platyrrhini). We first show that differences in brain gene expression between mice …

Ole Miss Honors Mlk Day Through Service, Celebration, Marvis Herring

University of Mississippi News

OXFORD, Miss. – Many Mississippians may enjoy a family gathering, trip to the National Civil Rights Museum or, possibly, sleeping-in on Jan. 19. But this Martin Luther King Jr. Day, more than 150 University of Mississippi community members have scheduled different plans: serving their community.

Preparation And In Vitro Digestion Characteristics Of Lutein Nanoliposomes, You Tingting, Ma Yongqiang, Zhao Ruobing, Na Zhiguo

Food and Machinery

[Objective] To investigate the effects of lutein nanoliposome (LLip ) constructed by high-speed shear-ethanol hydration method on the stability of lutein and its digestion characteristics in vitro. [Methods] The preparation process of LLip is optimized by Box-Behnken design (BBD ), with characterization conducted. LLip stability under different light and temperature conditions within 28 days is evaluated. The simulated digestion characteristics in vitro of LLip are compared with those of free lutein (FL). [Results] The optimal preparation process for LLip is as follows:lutein addition amount of 21 mg, mphospholipid ∶mcholesterol of 5.5∶1, and shear speed of 18 000 r/min for 210 …

Pork Freshness Monitoring Based On Near-Infrared Spectroscopy And Random Forest Improved By Fruit Fly Optimization Algorithm, Zhang Li, Li Zhihui, Ma Mingxing

Food and Machinery

[Objective] To achieve rapid, non-destructive, and high-precision monitoring of pork freshness, addressing the low efficiency, high destructiveness, and insufficient prediction accuracy of single models in conventional monitoring. [Methods] A pork freshness monitoring model was proposed based on near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) combined with random forest (RF) improved by the fruit fly optimization algorithm (FOA). With the total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) content as the freshness indicator, near-infrared spectral data of pork samples at different storage stages are collected (scanning range: 1 000~1 800 nm). Spectral noise and baseline drift are eliminated via a preprocessing method combining multiplicative scatter correction (MSC) and …

Application Of Multi-Information Integration Technology In Nondestructive Detection Of Navel Orange Sugar Content, He Xiaotian, Wang Wenfan, Shen Jie, Tian Erlin

Food and Machinery

[Objective] To solve the problem of low detection accuracy in existing nondestructive detection methods for navel orange sugar content. [Methods] Based on the analysis of detection schemes, a multi-information integration method for nondestructive detection of navel orange sugar content is proposed. Data collection is conducted using spectral detection technology, machine vision technology, and electronic nose technology. Spectral data is obtained by competitive adaptive weighted sampling of 17 wavelength variables. The principal component analysis is applied to extract 6 features from machine vision data and 4 features from electronic nose sensor data, which are then used as inputs to an improved …

Trajectory Planning For Food Handling Robots Based On Hybrid-Improved Whale Optimization Algorithm, Huang Lixia, Li Wei, Yan Chuyu, Liu Mingqing

Food and Machinery

[Objective] To improve the motion efficiency and operational stability of food handling robots, a robot trajectory planning method is proposed using a hybrid-improved whale optimization algorithm. [Methods] Firstly, a "quintic-cubic-quintic" hybrid polynomial trajectory model is constructed to ensure smoothness during the start and stop phases. Secondly, a weighted comprehensive objective function is established, aiming to minimize both running time and the integral of Jerk, thereby quantifying the overall performance of the trajectory. Then, addressing the shortcomings of the standard whale algorithm, such as the high randomness of population initialization and the imbalance between global exploration and local development, the standard …

Research Progress On Immunomodulatory Effect Of Food-Derived Bioactive Peptides, Zhao Xinglu, Yang Xiongchao, Wang Yidan, Zhao Shenglan, Ma Yage

Food and Machinery

Immune system imbalance arises from a complex interplay of genetic,environmental,chronic disease, age, and emotional factors. It can lead to diseases including diabetes, obesity, atherosclerosis, and cancer, representing a critical threat to human health. Food-derived bioactive peptides possess immunomodulatory properties. As safe food resources, they are characterized by multi-targeting and high consumer acceptability. This review primarily focuses on the preparation technologies, structural analysis, structure-activity relationships, and mechanisms of bioactive peptides derived from food sources. Furthermore, current achievements are summarized in the field of immunomodulation by the peptides, while perspectives are offered.

Research Progress Of Anthocyanin-Loaded Aquatic Product Freshness Indicator Films, Zhao Zunle, Li Yun, Li Yu, Suo Jintie, Zhang Chun

Food and Machinery

Anthocyanin-loaded freshness indicator films can intuitively reflect the freshness of aquatic products through color changes. They are pH-sensitive and have characteristics such as natural safety and antioxidant properties. Although there have been a large number of studies on them, they still face huge challenges in aspects such as color development, stability, and sensitivity. This paper mainly summarizes the research on natural anthocyanins in pH-sensitive indicator films and their application in monitoring the freshness of aquatic products. The advantages of anthocyanins as indicators are analyzed, and measures to improve the performance of anthocyanin-loaded indicator films are further discussed. The focus is …

Intelligent Online Detection Method For Food Packaging Defects Based On Improved Deep Learning, Shen Gao, Wang Zijian, Wang Xiaofeng, Li Ruiwen

Food and Machinery

[Objective] To propose an intelligent detection method that balances detection accuracy and speed for the problems of low manual detection efficiency, high missed and false detection rates, and insufficient recognition ability of traditional machine vision algorithms for complex texture packaging and small defects in packaging defect detection at current food production lines. [Methods] Using Swin Transformer as the core feature extraction module, this study utilizes its modeling ability for global image information and multi-scale feature fusion advantages to accurately capture defect features, such as small wrinkles and printing offsets on the packaging surface. Simultaneously, the YOLOv 12 fast detection framework …

January 13, 2026, Pacific Global

Pacific Global Newsletter

No abstract provided.

The Relationships Between Ego Depletion And Social Behaviors Across Different Degrees Of Psychological Flexibility, Jacob Cage Norris

Masters Theses

Social behavior includes behaviors that are influenced, directly or indirectly, by the realistic, anticipated, imagined, or implied presences of others. Particular social behaviors such as altruism or aggression may vary in how accessible they are, depending on the degree of self-control that has been recently exerted. Specifically, self-control fatigue, or ego depletion, seems to make aggression more likely and altruism less. However, individuals who are psychologically flexible, or who tend to be in contact with the present moment while engaging in behaviors that support the pursuit of values may not respond to ego depletion with the same changes to social …

Feeding Performance And Survival Of Louisiana Poeciliid Fishes Exposed To Residential Wastewater Effluent, Jonathan Chapman

Masters Theses

Mosquitoes are a primary transmitter of vector-borne disease, and their larvae can thrive within shallow pools of stagnant water. Rainwater drainage ditches are a common sight in many communities, and in Louisiana, they are dually used as outlets for onsite residential wastewater discharge in neighborhoods disassociated from municipal sewage treatment. However, when discharge systems malfunction, the water becomes uninhabitable to mosquito predators, allowing mosquitoes to thrive. This research examines the predation performance of mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis), sailfin mollies (Poecilia latipinna), and least killifish (Heterandria formosa), the primary biological control agents utilized to combat mosquitoes within ditch communities. Individuals were captured …

The Role Of Isotocin In Female Zebrafish (Danio Rerio) Reproductive Behavior And Its Implication For Intranasal Oxytocin Therapy In Humans, Katelynn M. Benge

Masters Theses

In the past several decades, oxytocin has been colloquially termed the “cuddle hormone,” due to its role in pair-bonding and monogamy (Carter et al., 1992). In addition to being used experimentally for psychological disorder, it has also been used in couple’s counseling settings (Anagnostou et al., 2014; Domes et al., 2016). The outcomes of this research reveal mixed results, creating a need for further research in the topic to understand the exact mechanisms by which oxytocin works in the brain to induce this prosocial response. This study sought to address this deficit through the zebrafish animal model. The zebrafish serves …

Classroom To Campus: A Qualitative Case Study Of Exemplary First-Year Seminar Instructors In Student Transitions At A Louisiana University, Brianna J. Doucet

Doctoral Dissertations

This qualitative case study examined how exemplary first-year seminar (FYS) instructors design and implement pedagogical strategies that support students’ transitions into higher education through the lens of Schlossberg’s (1981) Transition Theory. Conducted at a public university in Louisiana, the study explored how university-identified, award-winning instructors foster academic, social, and emotional adjustment among first-year students, a critical priority amid the impending enrollment cliff and the growing need to retain enrolled students. Using semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis, findings revealed exemplary instructors design intentional, relational, and reflective learning environments. They view transition as a shared institutional process, model adaptability and lifelong learning, …

Examining Alumni Engagement Policies Among R1 Universities: A Comparative Analysis Of Best Practices, Howayda Ackleh

Doctoral Dissertations

This study explores the need to update policies and enhance practices for alumni engagement in higher education institutions. Current alumni strategic plans require evaluation and refinement, while new approaches must be developed to strengthen alumni involvement. By analyzing the challenges institutions face in maintaining alumni connections, this review seeks to identify gaps and establish effective best practices. By examining the questions, how do alumni associations at select public R1 institutions apply Utilization-Focused Evaluation (UFE) principles to assess and improve their alumni engagement strategies, and how does this impact their alignment with institutional goals and objectives? This study aims to evaluate …

Faculty, Staff, And Counselor Awareness Of The Challenges Faced By Autistic Students: A Quantitative Descriptive Study Of Resources, Training, And Support For Autistic Student Success In Higher Education, Erika Rosario

Doctoral Dissertations

Higher education institutions should establish two essential measures to support students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD): they need to implement standardized training for all personnel working on campus and create opportunities for hands-on experience through peer programs and collaborative educational events. The pursuit of equity in education demands nothing less. This study investigates the extent to which university faculty, staff, and counselors are aware of the challenges faced by autistic students, how knowledgeable they are about resources available to aid them, and the degree of their training, support, and collaboration in addressing students’ needs. By answering these research questions, the …

Understanding Inclusive Postsecondary Education Programs For Students With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Jade Viator Mcminn

Doctoral Dissertations

Inclusive Postsecondary Education programs for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities are growing rapidly, and this is largely due to the legislative changes of the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (Higher Education Opportunity Act, 2008). This dissertation study will examine the current legislation under the Higher Education Opportunity Act (2008), opportunities for federal funding, and postsecondary education programs for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities as a whole. This review will also cover Comprehensive Transition and Postsecondary programs, which are a direct result of the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008. These approved programs allow eligible students to receive …

“I’M A Figure-Outer!”: Connecting Through Self-Narratives Of Competence In A Community Of Literacy-Learners, Mckenzie Weddle-Coats

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation applies qualitative methods through intrinsic case study design to explore how one emerging literacy learner’s self-narrative of literacy competence manifested in a literacy-learning community. Drawing on multiple data collection and analysis methods, this dissertation investigates how a school-aged child with a history of literacy struggles used her self-narrative statements to position her identity within a 6-week summer literacy project. Findings revealed that the participant used self-narrative statements strategically to carry out different connecting mechanisms for the purposes of demonstrating competence or saving face in literacy contexts, ultimately demonstrating her prioritization of connection. The child’s orientation towards connection is …

Single-Molecule Mechanostructural Fingerprinting Of Nucleic Acid Conformations, Prakash Shrestha, Hans T. Bergal, William M. Shih, Wesley P. Wong

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Understanding the three-dimensional structure and mechanical response of biomolecules is key to uncovering their molecular mechanisms, particularly in contexts where force plays a regulatory role. Structural methods such as X-ray crystallography, Cryo-electron microscopy, and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy provide high-resolution conformational data, while single-molecule force spectroscopy reveals mechanical properties—but these approaches are rarely integrated. A more comprehensive understanding of structure-function relationships, including nonequilibrium conformations and transitions under force, calls for methods capable of simultaneously resolving structural and mechanical properties at the single-molecule level. To meet this need, we present a DNA nanoswitch calipers platform capable of both measuring multiple …