Digital Commons Network^™

Minimizing The Costs Of Patent Trolling, Vincent R. Johnson

Faculty Articles

Patent trolling is a serious legal problem. In addressing patent trolling, disclosure requirements and periodic reporting standards will be critical to minimizing the costs of this controversial practice.

Patent trolling, at its most problematic, generally refers to patent infringement allegations made by non-practicing entities (NPEs) which produce essentially no products or services except in connection with the buying and selling of patent rights. The targets of these patent “trolls” often lack basic information that is relevant to their evaluation of the claims against them, and policymakers know too little about specialized patent assertion entities and their impact on innovation and …

Using A Civil Suit To Punish/Deter Sponsors Of Terrorism: Connecting Arafat & The Plo To The Terror Attacks In The Second Intifada, Jeffrey F. Addicott

Faculty Articles

Civil litigation has fantastic potential to punish acts of terror and to deter future acts. However, there exists a conundrum regarding the establishment of the factual connection between the regime that secretly sponsors or supports terror and the actual acts of terror. To hold a regime responsible for terrorism, accountability must be established.

The ongoing civil action of Sokolow v. The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) perfectly illustrates this dilemma—on the one hand the offending regime disavows acts of terror while on the other hand it secretly supports and orchestrates terror. However, Yasser Arafat, President of the Palestinian National Assembly (PNA), …

E-Advocacy In Human Services: The Impact Of Organizational Conditions And Characteristics On Electronic Advocacy Activities Among Nonprofits, Lauri Goldkind

Social Service Faculty Publications

E-advocacy, or the constellation of electronic tools used for policy advocacy, offer cost-effective approaches for engaging constituents to create social change. Providers of human services may face challenges when trying to implement these tools. While many electronic tools have low barriers for entry, other factors may inhibit their use in agencies. This article explores the organizational characteristics related to the use of electronic advocacy strategies. Based on a survey of nonprofit executives, the study uses path modeling to describe the connections between organizational characteristics and the use of electronic advocacy tools. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Getting Serious: Why Companies Must Adopt Information Governance Measures To Prepare For The Upcoming Changes To The Federal Rules Of Civil Procedure, Philip J. Favro

Richmond Journal of Law & Technology

[W]ithout a corresponding change in discovery culture by courts, counsel and clients alike, the proposed rules modifications will likely have little to no effect on the manner in which discovery is conducted today.

Defensible Data Deletion: A Practical Approach To Reducing Cost And Managing Risk Associated With Expanding Enterprise Data, Dennis R. Kiker

Richmond Journal of Law & Technology

Modern businesses are hosts to steadily increasing volumes of data, creating significant cost and risk while potentially compromising the current and future performance and stability of the information systems in which the data reside. To mitigate these costs and risks, many companies are considering initiatives to identify and eliminate information that is not needed for any business or legal purpose (a process referred to herein as “data remediation”). There are several challenges for any such initiative, the most significant of which may be the fear that information subject to a legal preservation obligation might be destroyed.

Understanding And Contextualizing Precedents In E-Discovery: The Illusion Of Stare Decisis And Best Practices To Avoid Reliance On Outdated Guidance, Jonathan M. Redgrave, Keltie Hays Peay, Mathea K.E. Bulander

Richmond Journal of Law & Technology

But as precedents survive like the clavicle in the cat, long after the use they once served is at an end, and the reason for them has been forgotten, the result of following them must often be failure and confusion from the merely logical point of view.

The Tangled Web: A Case Against New Generic Top-Level Domains, Joseph P. Smith Iii

Richmond Journal of Law & Technology

If we had a reliable way to label our toys good and bad, it would be easy to regulate technology wisely. But we can rarely see far enough ahead to know which road leads to damnation.

Cyborgs In The Courtroom: The Use Of Google Glass Recordings In Litigation, Kristin Bergman

Richmond Journal of Law & Technology

The future is now. Wearable computers such as Google Glass (Glass) have begun entering society—we see people wearing these devices on the streets, in classrooms, at parties, and elsewhere. Though most of these devices are not yet available to the public at large, there has been much hype over the impact Glass will have on our interactions, privacy, safety, and more. Although this Article will briefly address such controversial aspects, it will focus more narrowly on the potential utility of Glass in litigation.

Cyber Security Active Defense: Playing With Fire Or Sound Risk Management, Sean L. Harrington

Richmond Journal of Law & Technology

“Banks Remain the Top Target for Hackers, Report Says,” is the title of an April 2013 American Banker article. Yet, no new comprehensive U.S. cyber legislation has been enacted since 2002, and neither legislative history nor the statutory language of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) or Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) make reference to the Internet. Courts have nevertheless filled in the gaps—sometimes with surprising results.

It’S Time For Revenge Porn To Get A Taste Of Its Own Medicine: An Argument For The Federal Criminalization Of Revenge Porn, Taylor Linkous

Richmond Journal of Law & Technology

Throughout history, pornography and technology have enjoyed a symbiotic relationship, each playing a significant role in the growth and widespread success of the other. From the VCR and camcorders to the Polaroid camera and the Internet, the pornography industry has always accelerated the growth of new technologies, paving the way for these new services to be introduced into mainstream society. Most of these new technologies were appealing to creators and consumers of pornography because the new technologies brought an increased sense of privacy. For example, much of the success of the Polaroid camera is said to come from the fact …

The Reasonable Information Security Program, Peter Sloan

Richmond Journal of Law & Technology

Our information inhabits a perilous world. Cyber theft, cyber extortion, mobile device loss, misappropriation of confidential business information, and unauthorized disclosures of protected information are real and present dangers for organizations of all sizes and across all industries.

Examining The Relationships Among Working Memory, Creativity, And Intelligence, Elizabeth M. Southard

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this study we investigated the relationships among working memory, creativity (measured as divergent thinking and creative achievement) and nonverbal intelligence. Furthermore, this study examined the roles of working memory and intelligence in the creative process. In order to examine this, participants were evaluated using a variety of cognitive tasks that included the Alternative Uses Test, the Consequences Task, the Creative Achievement Questionnaire, the Alloway Working Memory Assessment, and the matrix test from the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence. The results of this study indicate that verbal working memory was related to divergent thinking over and beyond intelligence and creative …

Timoshenko Beam Model For Lateral Vibration Of Liquid-Phase Microcantilever-Based Sensors, Joshua A. Schultz, Stephen M. Heinrich, Fabien Josse, Isabelle Dufour, Nicholas J. Nigro, Luke A. Beardslee, Oliver Brand

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Dynamic-mode microcantilever-based devices are potentially well suited to biological and chemical sensing applications. However, when these applications involve liquid-phase detection, fluid-induced dissipative forces can significantly impair device performance. Recent experimental and analytical research has shown that higher in-fluid quality factors (Q) are achieved by exciting microcantilevers in the lateral flexural mode. However, experimental results show that, for microcantilevers having larger width-to-length ratios, the behaviors predicted by current analytical models differ from measurements. To more accurately model microcantilever resonant behavior in viscous fluids and to improve understanding of lateral-mode sensor performance, a new analytical model is developed, incorporating both …

We Are Not Hiding So Why Can't You Find Us? Attracting Users To Special Collections & Archives, Margaret T. Kidd, Elizabeth Mcdaniel

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

Special Collections & Archives have become the focal point for many research libraries due to the unique materials. However, there are still many faculty and students who are unaware of the potential research value of these collections. This session explores strategies to improve awareness and use.

A Survey Of The Practices And Perceptions Of Students In One Catholic High School On The Use Of The Internet In Relation To Safety, Cyberbullying, And Sexting, Diana Lynn Murray

Doctoral Dissertations

Digital technology holds a powerful and ubiquitous place in society. The Internet provides today's students with unprecedented access to information. Its use in education has transformed educational paradigms, yet it also provides new challenges. While students do use the technology for schoolwork, they also use it in inappropriate ways. The Internet has provided a powerful and invasive weapon for cyberbullies and predators to prey on the vulnerable and the unsuspecting. The Pontifical Council for Social Communications (2002) affirmed that "[Y]oung people need to learn how to function well in the world of cyberspace, make discerning judgments according to sound moral …

Examining The Efficacy Of Adult Learning Of Government-Mandated Content Using Andragogical Delivery Methods Versus Traditional Pedagogical Delivery Methods, Richard Keith Sealana

Doctoral Dissertations

To protect society from incompetent, unskilled, or out-of-date practitioners; to keep abreast of advances in knowledge and technology; and to respond to public demands for accountability and consumer protection; continuing education (CE) and mandatory continuing education (MCE) programs have significantly increased in the past 20 years. Individuals and organizations invest significant time and financial resources to comply with mandatory education and training requirements. Although the mandates and demand for CE and MCE continues to increase, there is minimal research on the efficacy of various delivery methods. The purpose of this study was to examine and document the efficacy of andragogical …

First-Year Male Students' Adherence To Traditional Male Gender Roles And Their Attitudes Toward Bystander Approach Behaviors To Stop Sexual Assault, Kamal M. Harb

Doctoral Dissertations

Sexual assault on university campuses may affect any person at any time. However, university-aged women are disproportionally affected by it, with 25% of women reporting being assaulted on campus, and 84% to 97.8% of them perpetrated by young, heterosexual men known to the victim. To curb sexual assault on the university campus, research studies have advocated for the bystander approach. It encourages bystanders (observers) to intervene and ultimately stop a potentially dangerous situation in which a friend or stranger may experience a sexual assault. Despite its popularity, research studies evaluating the bystander approach have reported, at best, modest success with …

Artist As Citizen: Transnational Cultural Work In The National Democratic Movement Of The Philippines, Ryan Anthony Leano

Doctoral Dissertations

The inspiration for this topic comes from my own experiences as a Filipino transnational cultural worker in this movement. There has been research done on Filipinos in the arts and social movements, however there is a paucity of information concerning Filipino cultural work. Cultural work and cultural workers are intentional in creating culture as an act of resistance to imperialism, as of the stories they tell though their creative work are not revealed much in mainstream media. Cultural workers also seek to debunk the myth of artists working in isolation from the community. As shared by the participants in this …

An Investigation Of Special Education Teachers' Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of A Systematic 7-Step Virtual Worlds Teacher Training Workshop For Increasing Social Skills, Natalie Christina Nussli

Doctoral Dissertations

This study describes how a systematic 7-Step Virtual Worlds Teacher Training Workshop promoting inquiry, experiential learning, and sociocultural theory guided the enculturation of 18 special education teachers into three-dimensional virtual worlds. The main purpose was to enable these teachers to make informed decisions about the usability of virtual worlds for students with social skills challenges, such as students with autism. Mixed-methods data analysis and triangulation were based on the analysis of seven instruments. Six of the seven steps of the intervention received high ratings indicating its viability for teachers' professional development opportunities

Photography, Steelman Library, Chad Neuman

Syllabus Repository

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Cpla-2 On The Migration And Proliferation Of Human Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells And The 2-D Migratory Patterns Of Tropomyosin In Femoral And Abdominal Aorta Tissue, Jaimeson Thomas Powell

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract 1: Platelet derived growth factor BB (PDGF BB) has an important influence on smooth muscle cell proliferation in restenosis and atherosclerosis. Our understanding of different signal transduction pathways involved in the response of smooth muscle cells to PDGF BB is potentially significant for understanding and manipulating these processes. Prior studies have demonstrated a crucial activation of cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) in smooth muscle cells to PDGF BB with the production of arachidonic acid and prostaglandin E2. In these studies we investigated the role for another PLA2, calcium-independent PLA2 (iPLA2) in comparison to cPLA2 on smooth muscle cell migration and …

The Role Of Microrna In Staphylococcal Enterotoxin B-Induced Inflammation And Acute Lung Injury, Roshni Rao

Theses and Dissertations

Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) is a potent activator of the Vβ8+T-cells leading to the proliferation of nearly 30% of the T-cell pool. As a consequence, excessive amounts of cytokine mediators are released leading to extensive tissue damage and sometimes toxic shock and death. Due to the ease with which SEB can be aerosolized anddisseminated, it is considered a biological weapon. In the current study, we investigated the pro-inflammatory effects of SEB in two mouse models of acute inflammatory lung injury. Specifically, while inflammatory cues are known to elicit changes in key transcriptional factors and gene expression, we explored for the …

An Examination Of Social Physique Anxiety Among College Students: A Mixed Methodological Approach, Sara M. Rothberger

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Hart, Leary, and Rejeski (1989) defined the anxiety and/or fear associated with one’s physique being evaluated as Social Physique Anxiety (SPA). Since then, numerous studies have examined this psychological construct (Crawford & Eklund, 1994; Focht & Hausenblas, 2004; Russell & Cox, 2003). However, little research has been found examining this phenomenon within current college students. The purpose of the present study was to analyze the association between SPA, gender, and self-efficacy levels among college-aged students experiencing physical activity courses requiring exercise. A secondary purpose of this study was to qualitatively examine specific physique qualities among those with high and low …

The Ladies’ Land League And Irish-American Identity In The American South, Audrey Ruark

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The Ladies’ Land League played an important role in the Land War in the 1880s and was a historically important instance of Irish women’s political action. Anna Parnell and others galvanized women in both Ireland and the United States over land reform issues. This paper examines the evidence of the Ladies’ Land League actions in the historic Georgia newspapers in an effort to better understand the roles of print capitalism and the development of Southern Irish-American identity.

Infrastructure, Scott S. Foxx

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The paintings in this series depict sensations and forms drawn from a collaged, painted surface, referencing examples of painting from the Early Renaissance and the pure Formalism of the mid 20^th century. Collage materials lend both conceptual and physical directions to the compositions, in that it is symbolic of the multi layered experience of modern people in a technological society. Imitating painting’s gestural, linear energy in an illusory manner, the paper and paint layers invert expected hierarchies of space. I am analyzing the condition of the painter, the ideas of painting as an activity and product, with myself at …

Questing The Beast: From Malory To Milton, Malorie A. Sponseller

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The Questing Beast is a Medieval creature that has received little scholarly attention. Because of her labile nature, she is difficult to identify and therefore challenging to study. When previously analyzed, she has been considered only in her Medieval context. By comparing the Questing Beast from Perlesvaus, the Post-Vulgate Cycle, and the Prose Tristan, four identifying characteristics can be found: she is symbolic, she is multi-formed, she is a mother that gives birth, and she produces a barking noise most often made by her unborn young. Of these four signs, the last is the most prevalent and identifiable. …

The Bombs Bursting In Air: A History Of The Effects Of Atmospheric Nuclear Weapons Testing On Washington County, Utah, 1951-1963, Paul W. Bridges Ii

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This thesis explores the effects of atmospheric nuclear weapons tests conducted at the Nevada Test Site from 1951-1962 on Washington County, Utah, specifically focusing on the effects of these detonations on the local population, the local flora and fauna, and the ensuing impact of political and economic forces. While some Americans readily concede that these tests were necessary for the survival of the United States in the face of Soviet nuclear aggression, other Americans (notably, those who were most closely affected) do not share such a patriotic view of the government’s conduct in performing such extensive and damaging experiments. Therefore, …

Islamist And Secularist Women In Egyptian Politics: Convergence Or Divergence?, Ahmed Bekhet Mr.

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Islam oppresses women and has many restrictions on women’s participation in politics. Women have fewer rights under the Islamic Shari‘a (law). Is this true or not? Does Islam really exclude women from political participation? Are Islamists, who have their political agenda, supporting or oppressing women? Are Islamist feminists, who are a contemporary phenomenon especially in the Middle East, politically active or inactive? Are liberal or secular women in Egypt more democratic than Islamist women or the opposite? Such questions will be addressed in the following research with emphasis on examining the role of women in Egyptian politics during Ikwhan’s - …

Transformational Leadership And A Culture Of Efficacy: A Search For Correlation In The Alabama Two-Year College System, Johnny H. Mcmoy

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This research project explores the predominant leadership characteristics among community college presidents as measured by Bass and Avolio’s transformational leadership continuum, the degree of collective teacher efficacy among faculty, and any correlation that exists between them. The populations studied are the presidents and faculty of community colleges in Alabama. Two instruments were employed, the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) developed by Bass and Avolio (1995) and Goddard’s CE-SCALE (2000, 2002), as a measure of collective teacher efficacy.

The researcher found evidence of mid-range collective efficacy scores among faculty and strong evidence of pervasive transformational leadership characteristics among college presidents. The researcher …

Instructional Technology Integration And Situational Interest In Math, James A. Thompson Iv

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Motivating students to be engaged in learning, especially in math, has been a perennial challenge for educators. Over the past 20 years, instructional technology has become an increasingly prevalent teaching tool that, according to many educational observers and researchers, can have a transformative effect on teaching and learning because of the way that it engages today’s students. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine the relationship between students’ perceptions of technology integration and situational interest in middle school math so that educational planners will be better informed when making instructional decisions concerning the use of technology in the …