Digital Commons Network^™

Peroxisome-Derived Lipids Regulate Adipose Thermogenesis By Mediating Cold-Induced Mitochondrial Fission, Hongsuk Park, Anyuan He, Min Tan, Jordan M. Johnson, John M. Dean, Terri A. Pietka, Yali Chen, Xiangyu Zhang, Fong-Fu Hsu, Babak Razani, Katsuhiko Funai, Irfan J. Lodhi

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Breaking The Cycle Of "Flood-Rebuild-Repeat": Local And State Options To Improve Substantial Damage And Improvement Standards In The National Flood Insurance Program, Dena Adler, Joel Scata

Sabin Center for Climate Change Law

Congress established the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) in 1968 to reduce flood damages nationwide and ease the Federal government’s financial burden for providing disaster recovery. Today, approximately 22,000 communities in all 50 states and U.S. territories participate in the NFIP. The program has 5.1 million flood insurance policies providing $1.3 trillion in coverage. Due largely to recent flood disasters, the NFIP is over $20.5 billion in debt.

A proportionally small number of properties insured through the program are repeatedly flooded, repaired, and rebuilt. These properties, known as “severe repetitive loss” (SRL) properties, contribute disproportionally to the rising debts of …

Determining Climate Responsibility: Government Liability For Hurricane Katrina?, Teresa Chan, Michael Burger, Vincent Colatriano, John Echeverria

Sabin Center for Climate Change Law

In St. Bernard Parish Government v. United States, Louisiana property owners argued that the U.S. government was liable under takings law for flood damage to their properties caused by Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit disagreed, however, noting that the government cannot be liable on a takings theory for inaction, and that the government action was not shown to have been the cause of the flooding. On September 6, 2018, the Environmental Law Institute hosted an expert panel to explore this ruling and its potential implications for future litigation in a …

U.S. Climate Change Litigation In The Age Of Trump: Year Two, Dena P. Adler

Sabin Center for Climate Change Law

More than two and a half years into the Trump Administration, no climate change-related regulatory rollback brought before the courts has yet survived legal challenge. Nevertheless, climate change is one arena where the Trump Administration’s regulatory rollbacks have been both visible and real. The Administration has delayed and initiated the reversal of rules that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from stationary and mobile sources; sought to expedite fossil fuel development, including in previously protected areas; delayed or reversed energy efficiency standards; undermined consideration of climate change in environmental review and other decisionmaking; and hindered adaptation to the impacts of climate …

What Social Media Can Tell Us About Opioid Addicts: Twitter Data Case Analysis, Tareq Nasralah, Omar F. El-Gayar, Yong Wang

Research & Publications

Opioid addiction is one of the largest and deadliest epidemics in the United States. This research investigates opioids’ epidemic by analyzing recent tweets data for users who are addicted or have been addicted to opioids. Automatically analyzing social media users’ posts of opioids addicted users using machine learning tools can help understand the themes and topics that exist in the up-to-date discussions of online users of social media networks. Through the analysis period from 01/01/2015 to 02/25/2019, we were able to identify 571 self-identified Twitter users. We collected a total of 20,609 English-language tweets that belong to the self-identified users. …

The Impact Of Law On The State Pension Crisis, Elizabeth S. Goldman, Stewart E. Sterk

Articles

While some state and municipal pension plans have funds sufficient to meet obligations to retirees without imposing onerous obligations on current and future taxpayers, underfunding of plans in other states has reached disastrous proportions, raising the possibility of default on pension obligations, cuts in public services, steep tax increases, or some combination of the three. The substantial differential in pension funding might be attributed to divergent political pressures, different responses to uncertainty about investment returns, or other factors. Our examination of pension funding law in ten states-five with the best-funded plans and five with the worst-funded plans-highlights the role of …

Automated Deployment Of Cybersecurity Labs In Cloud Computing Environments, Christopher Simpson, Omar El-Gayar, Dave Bishop

Research & Publications

Government and private sector reports continue to highlight the shortage of qualified cybersecurity professionals. Hands-on cybersecurity labs can enhance student learning and augment the gap in qualified teachers. While there is a large body of research on cybersecurity labs, it is challenging to recreate these labs due to the use of proprietary software, significant hardware requirements, or large data transfer requirements. The automated deployment of IT infrastructure allows for the easy deployment and sharing of lab environments. This research proposes a framework for the use of DevOps tools to automate the deployment of cybersecurity labs that maps to specific learning …

How Can Health Technology Project Communications Be Improved In A Hospital, Andrew Behrens, Cherie Noteboom, Dave Bishop

Research & Publications

Healthcare professionals have had many challenges related to communication. Some of these challenges are related to health information technology, project management, and change management. This research addresses facilitators and barriers that healthcare providers have encountered in projects completed at the survey site. The integration of technology to support interdisciplinary teams transitioning to patient centered care requires enhanced focus on Project Communication as a key component of successful Health Information Technology (HIT) projects. Professional and organizational cultures in health care must transform to promote improved patient care.

What Are Healthcare Providers' Perceptions Of Health Information Technology Project Training?, Andrew Behrens, Kaushik Ragothaman, David Bishop, Cherie Noteboom

Research & Publications

Technological change in the healthcare environment provides opportunities to improve quality of care, increase patient satisfaction and reduce costs. However, employee training is seen as a major factor that influences the change management processes of healthcare projects. This research focuses on the healthcare providers’ perceptions of Health Information Technology project training. A qualitative survey was used to collect physicians’ and healthcare provider responses. Open coding was used to analyze the data. Our findings reveal that the physicians and healthcare providers are not satisfied with the Health Information Technology project training. From the analysis, we identify five categories that influence user …

Socio-Anthropological Methods To Study The Feasibility And Acceptability Of The Minimally Invasive Autopsy From The Perspective Of Local Communities: Lessons Learnt From A Large Multi-Centre Study, Maria Maixenchs, Rui Anselmo, Guillermo Martínez Pérez, Kelvin Oruko, Selidji Todagbe Agnandji, Pamela Catherine Angoissa Minsoko, Kounandji Diarra, Mahamane Djiteye, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta, Shujaat Zaidi

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

The minimally invasive autopsy (MIA), an innovative approach for obtaining post-mortem samples of key organs, is increasingly being recognized as a robust methodology for cause of death (CoD) investigation, albeit so far limited to pilot studies and research projects. A better understanding of the real causes of death in middle- and low-income countries, where underlying causes of death are seldom determined, would allow improved health planning, more targeted prioritization of available resources and the implementation of coherent public health policies. This paper discusses lessons learnt from the implementation of a Feasibility and Acceptability (F&A) study evaluating the MIA approach in …

How Clean Is The Food We Eat From Street Vendors In Orlando, Florida?, Bendegul Okumus, Sevil Sonmez

ICHRIE Research Reports

Convenience, low cost, and opportunities to experience unique flavors have led to an increase in street food consumption worldwide. There are approximately 117,000 food trucks in the U.S., representing approximately $857 million in sales annually. Some of these food trucks are unlicensed and some truck vendors are unwilling to comply with requirements for food preparation, permits, parking, and inspection processes. Data were collected from food trucks in Orlando, Florida in order to have a clear understanding of risk factors. Food samples were collected from food trucks and analyzed for microbiological contamination. To investigate possible safety risks, 30 different samples were …

Characterization And Provenance Of Archaeological Obsidian From Pirozza-Spalmatore, A Site Of Neolithic Colonization On The Island Of Ustica (Sicily), Franco Foresta Martin, Robert H. Tykot

Anthropology Faculty Publications

This article presents the first archaeometric research carried out so far on a group of obsidian artifacts collected in the promontory of Pirozza-Spalmatore, the site of a Neolithic settlement on the small island of Ustica (Sicily, Italy). The obsidian assemblage, consisting of 28 artifacts, was subjected to optical, typological and geochemical analyses, the latter carried out by means of a portable pXRF, in order to determine their provenance. The results indicate that 89% of the fragments come from geologic obsidian outcrops on the island of Lipari, and 11% from the island of Pantelleria. It is thus ascertained that, during the …

Press Release: The Aviators Code Initiative Releases: Improving Cockpit Awareness Of Unmanned Aircraft Systems Near Airports, Aviators Code Initiative

Improving Cockpit Awareness of Unmanned Aircraft Systems Near Airports

In recognition of the increasing risk of operating in shared airspace near airports, the Aviators Code Initiative has released a working paper titled Improving Cockpit Awareness of Unmanned Aircraft Systems Near Airports. The paper describes a method to provide pilots of manned aircraft with enhanced awareness of nearby sUAS in certain kinds of airspace.

Epic Stories: Sequence Fiction, Young Readers, And The Aesthetics Of World Building, Jordana Estelle Hall

Theses and Dissertations

This study theorizes the world building processes that sequence fiction engages within a framework of intratextual structuralism and cognitive aesthetic stage theory. The study begins with an interdisciplinary overview of fictional and possible worlds theory before proposing a structural adaptation of this lens that explains the developmental, aesthetic benefits of the genre for young readers. Chapter II is an application of the adapted lens to a canonical epic, the His Dark Materials sequence by Philip Pullman. I interpret the intentional structure of the story world across novels to discuss how these engage readers at different aesthetic milestones and encourage a …

Antitrust In Digital Markets, John M. Newman

Articles

Antitrust law has largely failed to address the challenges posed by digital markets. At the turn of the millennium, the antitrust enterprise engaged in intense debate over whether antitrust doctrine, much of it developed during a bygone era of smokestack industries, could or should evolve to address digital markets. Eventually, a consensus emerged: although the basic doctrine is supple enough to apply to new technologies, courts and enforcers should adopt a defendant-friendly, hands-off approach.

But this pro-defendant position is deeply- and dangerously- flawed. Economic theory, empirical research, and extant judicial and regulatory authority all contradict the prevailing views regarding power, …

Collected Lectures And Talks On Corporate Law, Legal Theory, History, Finance, And Governance, William Wilson Bratton

Articles

No abstract provided.

The Modern Corporation And Private Property Revisited: Gardiner Means And The Administered Price, William Wilson Bratton

Articles

No abstract provided.

York County Mental Health Association Records - Accession 553, Mental Health Association, York County

Manuscript Collection

This collection consists of a historical sketch, bylaws, correspondence, minutes, financial records, promotional materials, statistical reports, flyers and brochures, newspapers and newsletters relating to the York County Mental Health Association. In addition, there are records pertaining to the Mental Health Association in South Carolina and the National Mental Health Association. “The York County Mental Health Association was a volunteer organization, private and non-profit, dedicated to improving services for the mentally ill and removing the stigma of mental illness.” It was a local chapter of the Mental Health Association in South Carolina, a division of the National Mental Health Association.

Rock Hill Power Company Records - Accession 1482, Rock Hill Power Company, Rock Hill Water And Light Company, Rock Hill Water, Light, And Power Company, Rock Hill Water And Electric Company, Rock Hill Little Theater

Manuscript Collection

The Rock Hill Power Company Records contains thirty nine individual records owned by the Rock Hill Power Company and Rock Hill Water and Electric Company between the years 1856 to 1941. The records consist of abstracts of data, titles and deeds, agreements between the Rock Hill Power Company and other entities, minutes and proceedings letters, lawyer opinion regarding rights to supply water to Rock Hill, and a surveyor sketch. This collection of particular interest to researchers interested in the Rock Hill, SC’s early efforts to bring electric lights to the city in the early 1890s and Rock Hill’s legal authority …

Congress And The Independence Of Federal Law Enforcement, Andrew Kent

Faculty Scholarship

Not since the Nixon presidency has the issue of the professional neutrality and independence of federal law enforcement from White House interference or misuse been such a pressing issue. This Article describes the problem, details Congress’s important role in responding to it during the 1970s, and makes specific recommendations for Congress today. As important background, this Article recounts the abuses of the Hoover era at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and the ways the Nixon White House sought to both impede and corrupt the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) and the FBI. It then describes what an engaged Congress looked …

How Courts In Criminal Cases Respond To Childhood Trauma, Deborah W. Denno

Faculty Scholarship

Neurobiological and epidemiological research suggests that abuse and adverse events experienced as a child can increase an adult’s risk of brain dysfunction associated with disorders related to criminality and violence. Much of this research is predictive, based on psychological evaluations of children; few studies have focused on whether or how criminal proceedings against adult defendants consider indicators of childhood trauma. This Article analyzes a subset of criminal cases pulled from an 800-case database created as part of an original, large-scale, empirical research project known as the Neuroscience Study. The 266 relevant cases are assessed to determine the extent to which, …

A Jewish Perspective On Tom Shaffer: Zecher Tzadik Livracha (May The Memory Of The Righteous Be A Blessing), Russell G. Pearce

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

The Tactics Of Title Ix, Aaron J. Saiger

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Revitalizing The Meaning Of Diversity For Racial Justice In Education, Tanya K. Hernandez

Faculty Scholarship

The concept of diversity undermines the true spirit of any affirmative action policy, which is to remedy society's racism and promote racial justice and equality. This is because “diversity” detached from racial justice can signify any human difference unrelated to social inequality. Infusing the notion of “diversity” with the insights from implicit bias research would mean instead considering the goal of “diversity” as a device for making admissions procedures more equitable and justified amidst the continuing implicit bias that can be actually measured. Furthermore, connecting the diversity goal as a device for procedurally addressing

implicit bias in admissions decisions and …

Could The Benefits Of The Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program Be Retroactively Curtailed?, Gregory S. Crespi

Faculty Journal Articles and Book Chapters

There is a sharp tension between the expectations that hundreds of thousands to millions of persons have or will have regarding their right to have their federal student loan debts forgiven under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (“PSLF”) program and the legitimate public concerns regarding the large costs and regressive incidence of the PSLF program’s benefits. In 2017, the Trump Administration proposed abolishing the PSLF program for future federal Direct Loans, but this proposal was not adopted. A similar proposal was made in 2019 as part of the Administration’s fiscal 2020 budget proposal, with little chance of adoption. But given …

Implementing Guidelines To Improve Hand Hygiene Compliance, Doreen Millicent Currie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Hand hygiene is the term for removing microorganisms with disinfecting agents, alcohol-based rub, or soap and water. Evidence supported the low rates of hand hygiene compliance among health care workers. This project addressed this gap in practice at a large acute care facility through an educational training program. Data from the facility on hand hygiene compliance revealed a compliance rate of 63%. The problem question explored whether an educational program on hand hygiene improve compliance. The focus of the program was to provide education on the World Health Organization's My 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene and the 7-step technique for …

Residential Counselor Turnover: The Effects Of Burnout, Vicarious Trauma, Environment, And Self-Care, Kristine Edmonds

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Most youth receiving care in residential treatment centers (RTCs) have experienced significant childhood trauma and require intensive mental health treatment to recover from their traumatic childhood experiences. Staff turnover is one factor that can negatively affect outcomes for these children and adolescents. Understanding factors that predict the turnover of professional counselors providing counseling to youth in RTCs can help counselors, supervisors, and counselor educators address barriers to staff retention. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to explore the relationship between the turnover of professional counselors providing counseling to youth in RTCs and their perception of the work environment, …

Association Of Social Support And Patient-Provider Communication And Medication Adherence, Laquasha Arenese Gaddis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The prevalence of hypertension in African Americans is the highest of any population in the United States, and this population also demonstrates lower rates of adherence to mediation. Social support and patient-provider communication have been considered as reinforcing factors to help hypertensive patients achieve optimal blood pressure control. The purpose of this study was to examine the association of social support and patient-provider communication and medication adherence for hypertensive African American men and women. The study was guided by the theory of reasoned action. This study was conducted to determine whether social support and patient-provider communication was associated with medication …

Strategies Of Competitive Advantage For Small Businesses In The Service Industry, Lakeshia Marie Gardner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small business owners play a leading role in the United States economy by creating jobs. However, small businesses have a high failure rate, with approximately 50% going out of business during the first 5 years. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the competitive advantage strategies that owners of small businesses used to sustain their businesses longer than the first 5 years. A sample of 6 small service industry business owners in Houston, TX that have been in business for 5 years or more participated in semistructured interviews. Additional data were collected from company documents and the …

Resiliency Of Students Who Failed The State Of Texas Assessments Of Academic Readiness Exam, Tetaime Sherie Green

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this study was to investigate former high school students' resilience following the administration of the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) exam based on the comparison of male and female students who passed the STAAR exam the first time and those who failed it at least 2 times. This study fills a gap in the literature by offering additional data and increased knowledge about the relationship of resiliency to school performance. A total of 133 adults aged 18-29 years who had been enrolled in 3 high schools in a large metropolitan area in Texas were …