Digital Commons Network^™

Eviction Sealing: A Lifeline In The Fight For Housing Justice, Allison Freedman

Faculty Scholarship

In January 2023, the White House released a Blueprint for a Renters Bill of Rights. The Blueprint called for immediate sealing of eviction case filings to reduce the likelihood that tenants would be locked out of future housing opportunities without the chance to defend themselves. Shortly thereafter, the Federal Trade Commission and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau issued a request for public comment on how the use of eviction records and screening algorithms may affect tenant housing opportunities and drive discriminatory outcomes. The eviction crisis, its discriminatory effects, and the idea that sealing eviction records may provide a solution to …

Every Law School Should Have A Poet, Susan Ayres

Faculty Scholarship

This is an imaginative work that explores gaslighting in the workplace.

The Antitrust–Copyright Interface In The Age Of Generative Artificial Intelligence, Daryl Lim, Peter K. Yu

Faculty Scholarship

The U.S. government's antitrust actions against Big Tech have recently surged in response to the growing dominance of Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta, and Microsoft. In fall 2023, the Federal Trade Commission filed a controversial submission in response to the U.S. Copyright Office's request for comments on artificial intelligence (AI) and copyright. This submission hinted at the agency's eagerness to fully deploy its enforcement powers in the AI sector, including targeting AI developers that have used copyrighted works without authorization to train AI models.

This article examines the changing interface of antitrust and copyright law in the age of generative AI. …

The "Not Seen" Effect Of International Financial Centers: Innovation In The Global Financial Ecosystem, Charlotte Ku, Andrew P. Morriss

Faculty Scholarship

International Financial Centers (IFCs) are hubs of legal and financial innovation, developing specialized frameworks that facilitate cross-border investment, enhance global capital mobility, and support economic growth. Through jurisdictional competition, professional clustering, and adaptive regulatory frameworks, IFCs have pioneered legal structures that enable enterprises of all sizes to participate in the global economy. Using case studies of the International Business Company, the Limited Liability Company, the Protected Cell Company, and advances in trust law and applying the theoretical frameworks of social scientist Richard Florida and psychologist Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi, this Article illustrates how IFCs serve as laboratories for financial experimentation, generating widely …

Pragmatics And Textualism, Lawrence B. Solum

Faculty Scholarship

In theoretical linguistics the word “pragmatics” refers to the roles of context and communicative intentions in the production of meaning. Those roles include contextual disambiguation and the communication of implicit content via “pragmatic enrichment.” Textualism is sometimes characterized as the view that the meaning of statutory texts should not take context into account, but that characterization is misleading. Not only do self-identified textualists explicitly maintain that context should be considered when interpreting statutes—all good textualists must do so. Absent consideration of context, the meaning of statutory texts would be pervasively ambiguous, sparse, and incomplete. Good textualism requires pragmatics.

“Pragmatics and …

Neuroarts And Neuroaesthetics, James Hutson, Piper Hutson

Faculty Scholarship

Recent advancements in neuroarts and neuroaesthetics have elucidated the relationship between artistic engagement and neural processes, emphasizing the impact of aesthetic experiences on cognitive and emotional well-being. Central to this exploration is the NeuroArts Blueprint initiative, which consolidates interdisciplinary research to better understand the impactful role of the arts on brain function and health outcomes. Empirical studies highlight how exposure to art, such as music or visual stimuli, activates neural circuits involved in emotion regulation, memory, and reward processing, particularly engaging the medial orbitofrontal cortex. Innovations such as haptic and electro-tactile devices have introduced novel sensory modalities that not only …

Non-Finite Clause Use In Disciplinary Research Writing: A Formulaic Sequence-Based Functional Comparison Between Expert And Student Writers, Xixin Qiu

Faculty Scholarship

Non-finite clauses (NFCs), despite their increasingly recognized role in second language (L2) acquisition and academic writing as part of a multidimensional conceptualization of syntactic complexity, have not been analyzed in functional and discipline-specific perspectives. This study addresses this gap by providing a linguistic-descriptive account of NFC use in expert and advanced student English research writing. Using a 2.26-million-word corpus of published research articles and student manuscripts in Agricultural Science, this study profiles the distribution of NFC subtypes and identifies frequent discoursal functions realized by non-finite verb-centered formulaic sequences. The findings reveal significant differences in NFC use across writer groups, with …

Capturing Interfacial Phase Change And Flow Physics During Vertical Downflow Condensation, Thanh Hoang Phan, Cho Ning Huang, Chirag R. Kharangate

Faculty Scholarship

Two-phase configurations can address the urgent demand for effective heat dissipation solutions in Naval power and energy systems. A better understanding of thermal transport processes in phase-change flows is critical for developing novel two-phase design tools for naval scientists and engineers. This study investigates interfacial phase change and flow dynamics during condensation flow through numerical simulations. An enhanced phase change model, incorporating a mass transfer intensity coefficient dependent on condensation film thickness, is implemented for vertical downflow condensation. A two-dimensional homogeneous two-phase Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes model, coupled with the Shear-Stress Transport k-ω turbulence model, is employed. The developed solver is thoroughly …

Politics And Collection Development: Behaviors In Library Collecting Based On Political Climates, Zachary G. Stein, Lindsey M. Reno

Faculty Scholarship

Over the last several years libraries in the United States have dealt with an increasing number of book challenges and calls for censorship of materials. The challenges and calls for censorship are no longer only from library patrons, but now include national organizations and even local and state legislators. Some of these actions have moved to criminalize librarians and curtail first amendment rights. Due to this new climate, it is important to examine the effect these culture wars have on library collection development decisions. This quantitative study seeks to answer that question with a nationwide survey of library professionals.

Evaluation Of Objective Methods For Analyzing Ipsilateral Motor Evoked Potentials In Stroke Survivors With Chronic Upper Extremity Motor Impairment, Xin Li, Jayme S. Knutson, Xiaofeng Wang, Ken Uchino, Ela B. Plow, David A. Cunningham

Faculty Scholarship

Objective. Ipsilateral motor evoked potentials (iMEPs) are believed to represent cortically evoked excitability of uncrossed brainstem-mediated pathways. In the event of extensive injury to (crossed) corticospinal pathways, which can occur following a stroke, uncrossed ipsilateral pathways may serve as an alternate resource to support the recovery of the paretic limb. However, iMEPs, even in neurally intact people, can be small, infrequent, and noisy, so discerning them in stroke survivors is very challenging. This study aimed to investigate the inter-rater reliability of iMEP features (presence/absence, amplitude, area, onset, and offset) to evaluate the reliability of existing methods for objectively analyzing iMEPs …

Recruitment And Retention Challenges In Southeastern Us Academic Libraries, Christopher Stewart, J.B. Hill, Louise L. Lowe, Jenna Eastwood Hill

Faculty Scholarship

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to identify challenges to recruitment and retention in academic libraries in the southeastern United States and to identify possible solutions that can be shared with other academic library recruiters.

Design/methodology/approach – This study reports on a survey of academic library administrators that investigated the challenges to recruitment and retention in academic libraries in the southeastern United Statesafter the pandemic.

Findings – The study demonstrates that elements of the workplace, such as compensation, diversity efforts, work arrangement accommodations and external factors, impact recruitment and retention. Originality/value – This study broadens the current research …

Consensus Recommendations Regarding Local And Metastasis-Directed Therapies In The Management Of Relapsed/Recurrent Ewing Sarcoma, Shauna R. Campbell, Erin Murphy, Matteo Trucco Pediatrics

Faculty Scholarship

Limited randomized or prospective data are available to guide local/metastasis directed therapy (LMDT) in relapsed/recurrent Ewing sarcoma (RR-ES), resulting in uncertainty regarding best clinical practice for these patients. This report reviews the available literature on LMDT approaches and provides consensus recommendations regarding therapeutic decision making, timing, and indications for the use of LMDT in the management of RR-ES. LMDT should be considered on a case-by-case basis to assess appropriateness, optimal timing/modality, palliative versus curative intent, and its role in relation to chemotherapy. One commonly used LMDT is radiotherapy (RT), which can be delivered through standard, hypofractionated, or stereotactic techniques based …

Cystic Fibrosis-Related Neurodegenerative Disease Associated With Tauopathy And Cognitive Decline In Aged Cf Mice, Danica F. Patton-Parfyonov, Xinming Wang, Sarah Barker, Deborah A. Corey, Edwin Vázquez-Rosa, Nichele Abeyesundere, Whitney M. Ward, Rebecca Darrah, Jung A. Woo, David E. Kang, Andrew A. Pieper, Thomas J. Kelley

Faculty Scholarship

Background: Highly effective modulator therapies (HEMT) are increasing the lifespan for many people with cystic fibrosis (pwCF), making it necessary to identify and understand CF specific age-related consequences. In this study, we examine the impact of aging on cognitive function and age-related brain pathology in a CF mouse model focusing on phospho-Tau (pTau) pathology. Methods: Cognitive function was measured by novel object recognition and spontaneous alternation behavior tests. Hippocampal neuronal function was assessed by measuring long-term potentiation (LTP) electrophysiology, the synaptic correlate of learning and memory. Tau pathology was assessed by immunohistochemical analyses and western blot assessment of pTau levels …

Existence Of Bounded Asymptotic Solutions Of Autonomous Differential Equations, Minh Van Nguyen Dr., Vu Trong Luong, William Barker, Duchuy Nguyen

Faculty Scholarship

We study the existence of bounded asymptotic mild solutions to evolution equations of the form u′(t)=Au(t)+f(t),t≥0in a Banach space X, where Agenerates an (analytic) C0-semigroup and fis bounded. We fifind spectral conditions on Aand ffor the existence and uniqueness of asymptotic mild solutions with the same as that of f. In the resonance case, a sufficient condition of Massera type theorem is found for the existence of bounded solutions with the same profifile as f. The obtained results are stated in terms of spectral properties of Aand f, and they are analogs of classical results of Katznelson-Tzafriri and Massera for …

A Simple One‐Item Nursing Falls Assessment Predicts Outcomes For Patients With Stage D Heart Failure Undergoing Surgical Advanced Therapies, Thomas Joseph O'Neill Iv, Eiran Z. Gorodeski

Faculty Scholarship

Introduction: Frailty portends worse outcomes for patients with advanced heart failure (HF) undergoing surgical advanced therapies. Falls are characteristic of frailty, but it is unknown if the history of falls predicts post-operative risk. We hypothesized that a one-item fall screening is associated with worse outcomes. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of all patients undergoing orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) or left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation at our institution between 2020 and 2023. Our primary exposure of interest was falls, as assessed by a nursing questionnaire within 12 months or less prior to surgery. We tracked hospital- and ICU-length of …

Ai & Xr Explorations To Support Social Interactions: Speculative Design For Ubiquitous Workplace Space By And For Neurodivergent Employees, Dominique Michaud, Alejandro Reyes, Jonathan Proulx Guimond, Fafadzi Akpene Agbe, Valérie Payen, Diane Gabrielle Tremblay, Marie Claude Leblanc, Claude Vincent, Geoffreyjen Edwards, Caroline Brassard, Marie Helene Parizeau, Valéry Psyche, Martin Caouette, James Hutson, Piper Hutson, Julie Ruel, Julien Voisin, Jocelyne Kiss

Faculty Scholarship

This study explores the potential of interdisciplinary theories and advanced technologies, such as augmented realities and artificial intelligence, to address the socio-professional integration challenges faced by neurodivergent individuals, particularly those on the autism spectrum. It investigates the design of personalized, functional spaces that integrate interconnected living environments and intelligent systems tailored to support communication needs. Using speculative design methodology, the research adopts an experiential framework to examine alternative solutions, starting with a central hypothesis and testing it through debates with researchers, experts, neurodivergent individuals, and knowledge users. The premise is rooted in the recognition that neurodivergent individuals encounter significant barriers …

Integrating Ai-Driven Neurofeedback With Brain-Computer Interfaces: A Paradigm For Effortless Learning And Workforce Transformation, James Hutson

Faculty Scholarship

This editorial discusses the merging of AI-driven neurofeedback with brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) to create a new model for effortless, unconscious learning. By interpreting and reinforcing specific neural patterns, these technologies can enable users to acquire skills without traditional instruction, making them especially valuable in fast-evolving industries. They also offer powerful tools for individuals with physical impairments by enabling control through thought alone. However, the author emphasizes the importance of ethical oversight, particularly around cognitive autonomy, data privacy, and consent. As the field matures, ongoing research and regulation will be essential to ensure responsible development and widespread, beneficial use.

Phosphotungstic Acid Staining To Visualize The Vagus Nerve Perineurium Using Micro-Ct, Aniruddha R. Upadhye, Jennifer Coleman, Michael W. Jenkins, David Wilson, Andrew J. Shoffstall

Faculty Scholarship

Background and Purpose: Peripheral nerve stimulation is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for treating various disorders, but it is often limited by side effects, highlighting the need for a clear understanding of fascicular and fiber organization to design selective therapies. Micro-CT imaging of contrast-stained nerves enables the visualization of tissue microstructures, such as the fascicular perineurium and vasculature. In this work, we evaluated phosphotungstic acid (PTA) as a contrast agent and assessed its compatibility with downstream histology. Methods: Human vagus nerve samples were collected from three embalmed cadavers and subjected to three different staining methods, followed by …

Teaching Interprofessional Collaborative Skills In Primary Care Using Team-Based Learning With Simulation: A Pilot Study, Elaine B. Cruz, Mamta K. Singh

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Dictating The Divine: Revisiting Authorship, Intention, And Authority From Sacred Texts To Generative Ai, James Hutson, W. Travis Mcmaken

Faculty Scholarship

This article interrogates the historical practice of mediated authorship in religious texts to draw critical parallels with contemporary debates surrounding generative artificial intelligence (AI), specifically large language models (LLMs). By juxtaposing the mediated authorship of sacred texts, such as the Hebrew Bible and New Testament—where figures like the Apostle Paul dictated theological concepts to scribes who infused these directives with their interpretive insights—with the generative processes of LLMs, this research underscores the shared dynamics of co-constructed authorship across historical and technological contexts. Employing interdisciplinary methodologies from art history, textual studies, and reception theory, as well as theological and biblical studies, …

Living Nondirected Kidney Donation: A Psychoanalytic Case-Based Investigation Of Altruism And Its Implications For Psychosocial Evaluation Guidelines, Robert M. Guerin

Faculty Scholarship

Why donate a kidney to a stranger? The history of living nondirected kidney donation, so-called altruistic or Good Samaritan donation, is notable for its associated skepticism if not outright rejection. Since its possibility, transplantation institutes have been concerned over the motives of individuals who present to their clinics with the wish to donate a kidney to a stranger. Are these motives pure? Might there be ulterior motives or secondary gain? Or might these motives be pathological, derivative from a psychiatric disease or syndrome? Although attitudes toward the nondirected donor have improved, skepticism remains: Why, after all, benefit another in this …

The Fear Of Replacement: How Ai Panic In Journalism Mirrors Existential Crisis In Industry, James Hutson

Faculty Scholarship

This study systematically examines the portrayal of artificial intelligence (AI) errors, such as hallucinations and deepfakes, in journalistic contexts, evaluating whether these narratives reflect a broader existential anxiety about AI's role in reshaping journalism. Using a systematic literature review combined with a qualitative content analysis of recent AI-focused news reports, this study identifies recurring themes in media coverage to assess the accuracy and context of reported AI errors relative to actual technological limitations and affordances. Findings suggest that while AI errors are comparatively rare, they receive amplified coverage, often fueling public mistrust in AI technologies. Nevertheless, a balanced examination reveals …

Characterizing Stroke Presenting To A Regional Referral Hospital Before And During The Covid-19 Pandemic In Uganda: A Retrospective Analysis, Christopher Burant, Shirley Moore, Martha Sajatovic

Faculty Scholarship

Introduction: Stroke, a leading cause of global morbidity and mortality, disproportionately impacts low and middle-income countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) which reports the highest stroke burden. The COVID-19 pandemic further complicated this situation, emerging as a significant stroke risk factor. The pandemic also disrupted healthcare systems worldwide, affecting stroke management and care accessibility, and leading to deteriorated conditions in stroke patients upon hospital admission. In this pre/during COVID-19 pandemic analysis of acute stroke cases presenting to a Ugandan hospital, we investigated the relationship between stroke admissions, management and treatment outcomes. Methods: This was a retrospective medical record review in …

Scoping Review Of Socio-Ecological Factors Contributing To Sleep Health Disparities In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Megan L. Wenzell, Carolyn E. Ievers-Landis, Sehyun Kim, Samantha Desimio, Siobhan Aaron, Meng Miao

Faculty Scholarship

Given the high prevalence of sleep problems in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), there is a critical need to examine how sleep problems may be exacerbated for children exposed to social and environmental adversity. Guided by the socio-ecological model, this review aimed to evaluate factors linked to sleep health disparities (SHDs) in children with ASD, determine possible gaps/limitations in existing literature, and identify possible solutions. A scoping review was selected to ascertain what is known about SHDs in ASD. Four databases identified articles from 2004 to 2023. Included articles were those conducted in children with ASD that focused on …

Computed Microtomographic Imaging Of Revascularization During Healing Of Achilles Tendon Injury, Seher Yilmaz, Ozan Akkus

Faculty Scholarship

Angiogenesis in injured tendons may contribute to regeneration, but quantifying it post-injury has been mostly limited to 2D semi-quantitative histology. This study aimed to develop micro-CT as a 3D tool to quantitatively assess tendon blood vessels in an experimental animal model. Adult male Wistar rats (N = 36) had injuries induced in their Achilles tendons by needle insertion. The study included three post-injury groups: 12 hours post-injury (12H), 3 weeks post-injury (3W), and 8 weeks post-injury (8W). The uninjured left Achilles tendon served as the control for each group. Intravital cardiac perfusion with barium sulfate enhanced contrast between tendon and …

Affordable Acoustic Solutions: Enhancing Accessibility Through Sustainable Soundproofing Materials, Piper Hutson, James Hutson

Faculty Scholarship

The prohibitive cost of traditional soundproofing materials, such as Mass Loaded Vinyl (MLV) and acoustic mineral wool, often limits their accessibility for smaller studios, community spaces, and individual users. This review investigates the potential of sustainable, low-cost materials to offer an alternative without compromising acoustic quality. Magnetic sound dampeners, recycled wool, egg cartons, and bottle caps, for example, provide effective sound management at a fraction of the cost of commercial products. By focusing on upcycled and readily available materials, this study presents strategies to reduce the financial barriers to soundproofing. It also examines the effectiveness of these alternatives in spaces …

Experimental Investigation Of External Flow Condensation Heat Transfer In Horizontal Tube-In-Tube Configuration, Jiayuan Li, Jayachandran K. Narayanan, Chirag R. Kharangate

Faculty Scholarship

Flow condensation is an important process used to achieve heat rejection across thermal power and energy systems. Studies on tube condensation have concentrated on the condensing fluid flowing in the inner tube. However, common heat exchanger configurations like the shell-and-tube types see the condensing fluid on the outer surface of the tubes. To address this gap, in this study, we investigate the local and channel-averaged heat transfer characteristics of flow condensation happening on the exterior of a horizontal tube in the tube-in-tube configuration. An external flow condensation module is developed and tested to obtain heat transfer and flow visualization data, …

Redefining Cancer Photodynamic Therapy With Gold Nanoparticles, Zoey A. Lockwood, Michael R. Jirousek, James P. Basilion, Clemens Burda

Faculty Scholarship

Despite advancements made in treatment options, cancer continues to be one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has gained attention as a minimally invasive and highly selective treatment option for cancer. However, challenges due to the hydrophobicity of photosensitizers and their poor tumor selectivity have limited their use in cancer therapy. Recent developments in nanotechnology, particularly the use of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), help overcome these challenges. AuNPs provide a stable and biocompatible platform to deliver photosensitizers, improving their solubility, stability, and ability to target tumors while reducing side effects. Functionalized AuNPs take advantage of mechanisms like …

Development Of A Self-Management Tool For Individuals With Seizure Clusters: Trial Design And Methodological Report, Molly Mcvoy, Eytan Hirsch, Luisa Londono, Kari Colón-Zimmermann, Jin Seok Cho, Martha Sajatovic

Faculty Scholarship

Background: Despite advances in anti-seizure medications (ASMs) for people with epilepsy (PWE), adverse outcomes, negative health events (NHEs), and breakthrough seizures remain common. Rescue medication (RM) can better manage repetitive seizures, but barriers to RM use persist. Self-management for PWE and a history of NHEs (SMART) is an evidence-based epilepsy self-management program aimed at reducing barriers and maximizing facilitators to self-care in high-risk PWE. Methods: This 2-phase, ongoing clinical trial adapts SMART to integrate RM support for PWE with repetitive seizures. Phase 1, now completed, used input from an advisory board (AB) of PWE, caregivers, and clinicians to adapt the …

Taking Revolution Seriously, Zohra Ahmed

Faculty Scholarship

Every so often, a prison strike will make national news, as it did in 2014, 2016, and 2018. ¹ The media will focus on the atrocious conditions of confinement; the unchecked violence; the wages numerated in pennies; and the state’s indifference to the strikers’ modest demands for food, medical care, and human contact.

Orisanmi Burton’s² book, Tip of the Spear: Black Radicalism, Prison Repression, and the Long Attica Revolt, urges us to process such reporting with a healthy dose of skepticism. What if prison rebellions were telling us something else, something even more important? What if they were …