Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring Linkages Between Consumer Food Co-Operatives And Domestic Fair Trade In The United States, Leslie Duram

Publications

Consumer Food Co-operatives (co-ops) have provided consumers an alternative to corporate supermarkets and big-box stores since the 1960s. Producers seeking broader marketing opportunities often turn to co-ops. This study examines how, within Alternative Food Networks (AFNs), co-ops play a role in the emergence of the Domestic Fair Trade movement in the US. The Domestic Fair Trade (DFT) movement is based on the idea that family farms and small- to mid-sized farms in the global north are facing many of the same pressures as producers in the global south. The Domestic Fair Trade Association (DFTA) in the United States is the …

A Proposed Measure Of Internal Consistency Reliablilty: Coefficient L-Alpha, Todd C. Headrick, Yanyan Sheng

Publications

Data sets in the social and behavioral sciences are often heavy-tailed. Previous studies have demonstrated that small samples or leptokurtic distributions adversely affect the performance of coefficient alpha. To address these concerns, we propose an alternative estimator of reliability based on L-comoments. The empirical results of this study demonstrate that when sample sizes are small and distributions are heavy-tailed that the proposed coefficient L-alpha has substantial advantages over Cronbach’s estimator of reliability in terms of relative bias and relative standard error.

Erring On The Side Of Life: Children With Rare Trisomy Conditions, Medical Interventions And Quality Of Life, Deborah Bruns

Publications

he prevailing viewpoint on children with rare trisomy conditions such as trisomy 18 (t18) and trisomy 13 (t13) is almost uniformly negative. Yet, case studies offer information about long-term survivors. What is missing in the discussion is an unbiased examination of surviving children within the context of necessary, rather than “aggressive”, medical interventions and overall quality of life. A move beyond palliative or comfort care must be an option for this population. There must be a move toward valuation of life and corresponding provision of treatment and examination of developmental gains rather than limited intervention or palliative care for infants …

Gerontology And The Law: A Selected Annotated Bibliography: 2009-2011 Update, Karen Skinner

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No abstract provided.

Guns And Membership In The American Polity, Pratheepan Gulasekaram

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No abstract provided.

The End Of The Obesity Epidemic, Paul F. Campos

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No abstract provided.

Faking It, Daria Roithmayr

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No abstract provided.

William S. Burroughs A Collector's Guide, Eric C. Shoaf

Publications

The purpose of this Collector’s Guide is to provide a gathering of Burroughs material which was available in the published world through 2008. Note that this outline of works pertains only to printed material. Burroughs was nothing if not multi-media, and many are the recordings on vinyl, audio tape, or compact disc, as well as movies and videos about Burroughs or his works.

Technological Cost As Law In Intellectual Property, Harry Surden

Publications

Changes in the scope of IP legal rights are generally thought to be linked to changes in positive law. This Article argues that shifts in the scope of IP laws are often driven by changes in technological feasibility and not by changes in positive law. Diminishing technological constraint is an under-acknowledged factor driving changes in substantive IP law.

More specifically, there are certain activities that are core to IP law. Such activities include, for example, the copying of creative works in copyright (e.g. duplicating books or music), or the manufacturing of products in patent law. Traditionally, IP legal theory has …

Book Review, Peter H. Huang

Publications

This review of Leo Katz's book, Why the Law is So Perverse, addresses three questions. First, does Katz draw the appropriate normative conclusions about legal perversities based on their connections to social choice theory? In other words, what are the legal ethics and professionalism implications of his book? Second, how does each of the legal perversities in the book follow from a particular social choice theory result? In other words, what is the precise theoretical connection between each of the legal perversities discussed and an impossibility theorem in social choice theory? Third, can we reinterpret our understanding of the …

Heteroclinic And Homoclinic Connections Between The Sun-Earth Triangular Points And Quasi-Satellite Orbits For Solar Observations, Pedro J. Llanos, Gerald R. Hintz, Martin W. Lo, James K. Miller

Publications

Investigation of new orbit geometries exhibits a very attractive behavior for a spacecraft to monitor space weather coming from the Sun. Several orbit transfer mechanisms are analyzed as potential alternatives to monitor solar activity such as a sub-solar orbit or quasi-satellite orbit and short and long heteroclinic and homoclinic connections between the triangular points L4 and L5 and the collinear point L3 of the CRTBP (circular restricted three-body problem) in the Sun-Earth system. These trajectories could serve as channels through where material can be transported from L5 to L3 by performing small maneuvers at the departure of the Trojan orbit. …

Time-Stepping For Laser Ablation, Harihar Khanal, David Autrique, Vasilios Alexiades

Publications

Nanosecond laser ablation is a popular technique, applied in many areas of science and technology such as medicine, archaeology, chemistry, environmental and materials sciences. We outline a computational model for radiative and collisional processes occurring during ns-laser ablation, and compare the performance of various low and high order time-stepping algorithms.

Implementing Jet Aircraft Training In A University Setting: Instructor Perceptions And Lessons Learned, Scott R. Winter, Jennifer E. Kirschner, Steven M. Leib, Richard O. Fanjoy

Publications

This paper presents the findings of a phenomenological study of instructor pilot first-hand experiences when conducting training for collegiate flight students in a jet aircraft. While jet training has been conducted in simulators in the past, this was one of the first instances of training in an actual aircraft. A total of 22 students completed training in a very light jet aircraft during the spring semester of their junior year at the subject university. A group of four instructors conducted both simulator and flight training with the students. Surveys were used to collect data from instructors longitudinally throughout the length …

Reinnervation Of Vastus Lateralis Is Increased Significantly In Seniors (70 Years Old) With A Lifelong History Of High-Level Exercise, Amber L. Pond

Publications

It has long been recognized that histological changes observed in aging muscle suggest that denervation contributes to muscle deterioration and that disuse accelerates the process while running activity, sustained for decades, protects against age-related loss of motor units. here we show at the histological level that lifelong increased physical activity promotes reinnervation of muscle fibers. In muscle biopsies from 70-year old men with a lifelong history of high-level physical activity, we observed a considerable increase in fiber-type groupings (almost exclusively of the slow type) in comparison to sedentary seniors, revealing a large population of reinnervated muscle fibers in the sportsmen. …

Rural Crowdfunding, Andrew A. Schwartz

Publications

One reason that economic development in rural America lags behind its urban counterpart is the persistent lack of venture capital for rural entrepreneurs. Geography deserves much of the blame, as angel investors and venture capitalists tend to live and work in metropolitan areas on the coasts, in places like Silicon Valley and Boston. Many rural areas are literally thousands of miles away, with the result that venture capital has rarely found its way to rural regions.

Recent federal legislation, however, has the potential to change this dynamic. The JOBS Act authorizes the sale of securities over the Internet to large …

A Structuralist Approach To The Two State Action Doctrines, Justin Deystone

Publications

By all accounts, the constitutional and antitrust state-action doctrines are strangers. Courts and scholars see the constitutional state-action doctrine as about the applicability of constitutional rights in private disputes, and the antitrust state-action doctrine as a judicial negotiation between the scope of the Sherman Act and the demands of federalism. In this conventional view, the only thing the doctrines share in common is that they are both an awful mess. This Article challenges the conventional wisdom and argues that the two state-action doctrines are fundamentally connected, and when viewed in a certain light, not even that messy. It is not …

Cosmic Constitutional Theory: Why Americans Are Losing Their Inalienable Right To Self-Governance, Karen Skinner

Publications

No abstract provided.

The Transfer Of Military Culture To Private Sector Organizations: A Sense Of Duty Emerges, Janet K. Tinoco, Anke Arnaud Ph.D.

Publications

As a government institution, the United States (US) Department of Defense (DOD) wields powerful influence on private sector organizations in the defense industry beyond the implications of public policy. In our conceptual research, we study the DOD as a key customer stakeholder in these organizations and investigate the influence of its military culture on these private sector organizations. By analyzing the culture of the DOD, we uncover a new dimension, sense of duty, not previously studied in mainstream organization literature. We propose that this dimension transfers from the DOD to its private sector suppliers in the defense industry via interorganizational …

Evolving: Using Science Fiction To Engage Students In Evolutionary Theory, Chad Rohrbacher

Publications

Evolutionary biology is not well-understood by a majority of the population. Many misperceptions and misconceptions exist as well as outright resistance to the theory. Various teaching and learning strategies have been tried in an attempt to involve students in exploring the theory, with mixed results. The use of science fiction to engage students in this area has been sparse, and virtually no quantitative assessment of learning with the method has been done. Using Origins, an anthology based on evolution, we created an interdisciplinary teacher’s resource manual that will be offered free to teachers. This paper examines some of the difficulties …

Project Haiti 2012: Providing An Experiential Learning Experience Through The Design And Delivery Of A Water Purifier In Haiti, Yung Wong, Johnathon Camp, Shavin Pinto, Kyle Fennesy, Marc Compere, Yan Tang

Publications

In this paper, we share our experiences and lessons learned from Project Haiti 2012, a project to design and install a water purification system serving 20,000 people per day in the largest tent city in Haiti. Project Haiti 2012 was the third and largest system we have built for Haitians and represents a huge success for all participants and stakeholders. This paper discusses the unique experiential learning opportunity involved in the design and delivery of the water purifier in a foreign developing country. Multiple positive educational, social, and economic outcomes were achieved including students applying knowledge gained from coursework towards …

Walking, Running, And Resting Under Time, Distance And Average Speed Constraints: Optimality Of Walk-Run-Rest Mixtures, Leroy L. Long Iii, Manoj Srinivasan

Publications

On a treadmill, humans switch from walking to running beyond a characteristic transition speed. Here, we study human choice between walking and running in a more ecological (non-treadmill) setting. We asked subjects to travel a given distance overground in a given allowed time duration. During this task, the subjects carried, and could look at, a stop-watch that counted down to zero. As expected, if the total time available were large, humans walk the whole distance. If the time available were small, humans mostly run. For an intermediate total time, humans often use a mixture of walking at a slow speed …

Academic And Social Barriers To Black And Latino Male Collegians' Success In Engineering And Related Stem Fields, Terrell Lamont Strayhorn, Leroy L. Long Iii, Joseph Allen Kitchen, Michael Steven Williams, Meg E. Stenz

Publications

Historically underrepresented racial/ethnic minorities (i.e. African Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans) have experienced barriers to their success in engineering and related STEM fields. These student populations have had lower degree attainment rates, switch to non-STEM majors more frequently, and experience unique social challenges when compared to White and Asian Pacific Islander counterparts. To examine these findings, nearly 50 interviews were conducted and analyzed in the present study to better understand the academic and social experiences of African American and Latino American men in these fields. Interviews revealed that these students tend to (1) feel alone and invisible, (2) lack same …

How Relationships With Faculty And Peers Affect Value Development In Undergraduate Engineering Education: A National Survey Analysis, Leroy L. Long Iii, Michael Steven Williams, Terrell Lamont Strayhorn

Publications

To prepare students for the serious ethical dilemmas encountered in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), higher education educators strive to influence students’ value development. Despite this goal, little is known about value development in undergraduate engineering education. Survey data from the 2008-2009 national administration of the revised College Student Experiences in STEM Questionnaire (CSESQ) was analyzed to examine the relationship between students’ engagement with faculty and peers and their perceived value development. Findings from the present study offer insight into (a) engineering students’ value development in college, and (b) the influence of relationships with peers and faculty members on …

Evaluation Of Ethical Issues In The Knowledge Age: An Exploratory Study, Leila Halawi, Richard V. Mccarthy

Publications

Unethical information technology (IT) conduct is estimated to cost billions of dollars in deficits for enterprises. Included in this unethical behavior are issues associated with the knowledge age. Many IT ethics concerns do not have guidelines that are well recognized or broadly accepted. This study will explore the ethical perception of a diverse group of knowledge workers. It will also examine the effects of deterrents, individual factors and external variables to determine if there are noted differences in ethical perceptions that can be explained by these variables.

Students' Perceptions Of Student Evaluation Of Teaching (Set) Process, Ale J. Hejase, Rana S. Al Kaakour, Leila A. Halawi, Hussin J. Hejase

Publications

Researchers have mixed views about Student Evaluation of Teaching (SET) as means to evaluate teaching where some agreed and others viewed SET as being biased. This study aims to measure students’ perceptions of the effectiveness and appropriateness of the evaluation process in Lebanon. A survey questionnaire was administered to students from five Lebanese universities. Findings revealed that students were positive and perceived the evaluation process as effective and appropriate to evaluate teaching. Students identified students’ perceptions, instructors’ behavior, and course characteristics as variables that may impact the process. Results and implications were discussed for future research.

Payload Charging Events In The Mesosphere And Their Impact On Langmuir Type Electric Probes, T. A. Bekkeng, Aroh Barjatya, U. P. Hoppe, A. Pedersen, J. I. Moen, M. Friedrich, M. Rapp

Publications

Three sounding rockets were launched from Andøya Rocket Range in the ECOMA campaign in December 2010. The aim was to study the evolution of meteoric smoke particles during a major meteor shower. Of the various instruments onboard the rocket payload, this paper presents the data from a multi-Needle Langmuir Probe (m-NLP) and a charged dust detector. The payload floating potential, as observed using the m-NLP instrument, shows charging events on two of the three flights. These charging events cannot be explained using a simple charging model, and have implications towards the use of fixed bias Langmuir probes on sounding rockets …

Elevated Electron Temperatures Around Twin Sporadic E Layers At Low Latitude: Observations And The Case For A Plausible Link To Currents Parallel To The Geomagnetic Field, A. Barjatya, J. P. St. Maurice, C. M. Swenson

Publications

We present data from nighttime sounding rocket flights in the low latitude E region. The payloads carried a sweeping Langmuir probe, a plasma impedance probe, and electric field probes. A detailed examination of the plasma density, temperature, and electric field measurements show two strong sporadic E (Es) layers with very high electron temperatures (∼1000 K) on each side of the upper layer. The lower layer was consistent with the presence of a strong zonal neutral wind shear. The upper layer was strongly influenced by the presence of a strongly negative vertical electric field, with zonal winds and …

Exploring Current And Projected Skills And Knowledge Areas To Meet U.S. Commercial Space Industry Needs, Sonya A. H. Mcmullen, Mac J. Mcmullen, Kenneth Witcher

Publications

In 2007, the Committee on Meeting the Workforce Needs for the National Vision for Space Exploration published findings related to age and skills of the current National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) workforce and projected potential expertise shortages as a result of retirement in the 2014-2015 time frame. In addition, the expanding commercial space industry in both the United States and Europe will likely create further demand for space experts in engineering and a variety of related fields. Although NASA contributes $162 million in funding for education programs annually, those programs target kindergarten through grade 12, not collegiate-level programs. Further, …

Program For The Scla/Sela Joint Conference 2013, “Local Roots, Regional Reach", Jonathan Newton - Editor, Ed Rock - Editor, Michelle Hannon - Graphic Designer

Publications

Describes the scope of the 2013 regional conference of both the South Carolina Library Association (SCLA) and Southeastern Library Association (SELA). Includes titles of conference sessions, names of presenters, descriptions of topicsand list of sponsors and exhibitors, as well as the overall conference program including keynote speakers Courtney Young, American Library Association (ALA) President-Elect; Michelle Stone, Author of The Iguana Tree; and George Singleton, Author of Stray Decorum.

Frameworks For Amending Reservoir Water Management, Ethan Mower, Leandro E. Miranda

Publications

Managing water storage and withdrawals in many reservoirs requires establishing seasonal targets for water levels (i.e., rule curves) that are influenced by regional precipitation and diverse water demands. Rule curves are established as an attempt to balance various water needs such as flood control, irrigation, and environmental benefits such as fish and wildlife management. The processes and challenges associated with amending rule curves to balance multiuse needs are complicated and mostly unfamiliar to non-US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) natural resource managers and to the public. To inform natural resource managers and the public we describe the policies and process …