Digital Commons Network^™

Going Bare In The Law Of Assignments: When Is An Assignment Champertous?, Anthony J. Sebok

Articles

The article critiques the legal distinction between champerty and assignment, arguing that the focus should be on the assignor's motives rather than the assignee's identity. It challenges Dr. David Capper's approach to defining "bare assignments" and proposes that assignments should not be prohibited based solely on the assignee's identity unless they facilitate abus

Core Concepts In Heroism Science, Volume Two, Scott T. Allison

Bookshelf

What lies at the core of heroism?

This book attempts to answer this daunting question. To understand the core of heroism – the forces underlying it – let’s first examine what heroism is at its surface. On the outside, heroism is a behavior, or set of behaviors. These actions are directed toward helping others, and they go beyond expectation and are considered by most people to be extraordinary (Franco, Blau, & Zimbardo, 2011). In addition, heroism involves taking great risks and making exceptional sacrifices (Allison, Goethals, & Kramer, 2017). We observe these extreme helping behaviors and we admire them -- …

[Introduction To] Community Wealth Building And The Reconstruction Of American Democracy: Can We Make American Democracy Work?, Melody C. Barnes, Corey D. B. Walker, Thad Williamson

Bookshelf

"How can we create and sustain an America that never was, but should be? How can we build a truly multiracial democracy in which everyone is valued and possesses the needed political, economic and social capital so that democracy becomes a meaningful way of life, for all citizens? By critically probing these questions, the editors of Community Wealth Building and the Reconstruction of American Democracy seize the opportunity to bridge the gap between our democratic aspirations and our current reality. In a moment of democratic disappointment and anxiety, politicians, policy officials, scholars and citizens desire an effective response. This book …

Towards Overcoming The Curse Of Dimensionality In Predictive Modelling And Uncertainty Quantification, Dan Gabriel Cacuci

Faculty Publications

This invited presentation summarizes new methodologies developed by the author for performing high-order sensitivity analysis, uncertainty quantification and predictive modeling. The presentation commences by summarizing the newly developed 3rd-Order Adjoint Sensitivity Analysis Methodology (3rd-ASAM) for linear systems, which overcomes the “curse of dimensionality” for sensitivity analysis and uncertainty quantification of a large variety of model responses of interest in reactor physics systems. The use of the exact expressions of the 2nd-, and 3rd-order sensitivities computed using the 3rd-ASAM is subsequently illustrated by presenting 3rd-order formulas for the first three cumulants of the response distribution, for quantifying response uncertainties (covariance, skewness) …

Workplace Dynamics: Exploring Views, Impressions, And Preferences Of Colleagues With Diverse Backgrounds And Attributes, Emily Harris Broadhurst

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The general purpose of this study is to better understand stigmatized views of mental health conditions in the current social climate. In order to assess changes in current stigma levels, valid measurement tools are needed to make more accurate assessments. Many existing tools used to assess stigma levels present validity issues due to reporting bias, specifically social desirability bias. Researchers suggest that purposefully omitting diagnostic labeling helps to eliminate biased answers. In order to measure stigmatizing beliefs while minimizing the threat of social desirability, this study utilized an experimental design that compared mental health conditions with medical conditions. The Adjusted …

A Journey Of Determination And Hope: Returning To High School After Dropping Out, Ernest Garcia

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological study explored the reasons and attitudes of people who dropped out of high school and then later returned to complete their high school educations. In order to gather data for this study, interviews were conducted with eleven students who returned to complete their high school education after having earlier dropped out. An analysis was completed regarding the reasons that led those high school students to drop out of high school, and of the motivations and struggles that led them back to school.

Individuals who return to high school and earn a high school credential avail themselves of additional …

The Evaluation Of Positive Intervention Strategies On Chronic Absenteeism At The High School Level, Marla Clayton Johnson

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

There is an abundance of research on chronic absenteeism as well as the multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) approach, specifically the element of positive behavior intervention strategies (PBIS), at the elementary school level. A clear understanding of MTSS and PBIS at the high school level and how those approaches may impact chronic absenteeism of high school students is lacking in the recent research. The literature review provided the reader with an overview on PBIS and chronic absenteeism through the theoretical lens of Cooper’s (1982) Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) theory and explained the influence that PBIS has on chronic absenteeism at …

Studies On The Size And Non-Planarity Of Aromatic Stacking Moiety On Conformation Selectivity And Thermal Stabilization Of G-Quadruplexes, Mandeep Singh

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Targeting DNA has the advantage over proteins for cancer remediation because of the fewer copies of the ligands required for the desired therapeutic effect. Traditionally, covalent DNA binders like alkylating agents have been used to induce genetic instability through the formation of DNA lesions and strand breaks, leading to cellular apoptosis. The primary drawback of this treatment is the non-specific binding that affects both cancerous and non-cancerous cells. G-quadruplexes are the DNA secondary structures that are present in abundance near the promoter regions of the oncogenes and are involved in the regulation of their activities. A ligand-mediated stabilization of G-quadruplexes …

Author Biographical Notes, Mssj Staff

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Diel Activity Patterns Of Southern Flying Squirrels (Glaucomys Volans), Jason Robert Wogsland

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Southern flying squirrels (Glaucomys volans) are common and relatively abundant residents of Tennessee forests. They are often associated with mast-producing trees (ie. Quercus spp., oaks) and snags because they provide essential food resources and nest sites. However, they are widespread and occur in many different habitat types; including high-elevations in Eastern Tennessee where spruce-fir forests are dominant. Despite their extensive distribution, little is known about diel activity patterns or how factors such as elevation, temperature, or habitat composition influence timing and amount of activity. To better understand what influences activity, two passive monitoring methods (camera traps and acoustic detectors) were …

Clicking In The Dark: Are Student Financial Aid Websites Accessible For Students With Disabilities?, Zachary W. Taylor

Journal of Student Financial Aid

The United States (U.S.) Access Board, a branch of the federal government responsible for advancing the inclusion of people with disabilities into U.S. society, recently amended Section 508 of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). On January 18th, 2018, the final Section 508 amendment required all Title IV institutions of higher education in the United States to conform to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 (WCAG) at the Level-A and Level-AA thresholds. As students with disabilities are often minoritized from the U.S. higher education system, this study explored the web accessibility of institutional .edu financial aid websites (n=450) to learn if …

Use Of Pefloxacin As A Surrogate Marker To Detect Ciprofloxacin Susceptibility In Salmonella Enterica Serotypes Typhi And Paratyphi A, Safia Moin, Mohammad Zeeshan, Sidra Laiq, Ahmed Raheem, Afia Zafar

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Objective: To determine the use of pefloxacin as a surrogate marker to detect fluoroquinolone (ciprofloxacin) susceptibility against Salmonella enterica serotypes Typhi and Paratyphi A.
Methods: The prospective, descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, from September 2016 to March 2018, and comprised Salmonella Typhi and Paratyphi A isolates of blood cultures. Disk susceptibility tests and broth microdilution to test minimum inhibitory concentration were performed as per standard guidelines. Data was analysed using SPSS 21.
Results: Of the 138 isolates, 91(66%) were intermediate resistant to ciprofloxacin but were resistant to pefloxacin, 42(30%) were resistant to both …

Employee Testing, Tracing, And Disclosure As A Response To The Coronavirus Pandemic, Matthew T. Bodie, Michael Mcmahon

All Faculty Scholarship

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to devastate the United States, the federal government has largely failed to implement a national program to prevent and contain the virus. As a result, many employers have undertaken their own workplace coronavirus mitigation efforts. This essay examines, in three parts, the legal framework surrounding employer systems of workplace testing, tracing, and disclosure. It first examines the legal issues surrounding employer-mandated COVID-19 testing and temperature checks, especially issues arising under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Regarding employer contact tracing efforts, the essay next reviews the multitude …

The Ai Author In Litigation, Yvette Joy Liebesman, Julie Cromer Young

All Faculty Scholarship

Many scholars have posited whether a computer possessing Artificial Intelligence (AI) could be considered an author as defined per the Copyright Act of 1976. What was once a thought experiment is now becoming reality. To date, scholarship has focused primarily been on whether an AI meets the requirements of authorship from a purely objective legal framework or whether an AI could be an author based on the doctrines of incentives, independent creation, and creativity.

However, a burden inherent in the rights and liabilities of authorship is the ability to be held liable if that author’s expressive work is infringing on …

Legalizing Midwifery In Missouri, Michael A. Wolff

All Faculty Scholarship

Two decades after the Missouri Supreme Court upheld an injunction against the practice of midwifery, two midwives became lobbyists for the cause and, with the remarkable cooperation of friendly legislators and lobbyists, got a provision inserted in a health bill legalizing the practice of tocology, a synonym for midwifery that went unnoticed by legislators who voted for the lengthy bill in which it was inserted. Medical associations sued to invalidate this "stealth" provision but their efforts failed when the Missouri Supreme Court declined to grant standing to the doctors to "protect" the interests of the public. Thirteen years later, the …

Personalized Learning: An Engagement Strategy For At-Risk Student Populations, Abbigail Morris

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Personalized learning in the United States experienced a resurgence in the educational landscape as a result of increased technology access and computing power. The availability of affordable technology, software solutions, and access to the Internet led to the infiltration of technology into personalized learning approaches and provided a new platform for personalized learning advocates. Engagement and student agency were components of personalized learning attracting many educators to reinvest in personalized learning opportunities. This study focused on a rural, western Kentucky school district that piloted personalized learning through a blended learning environment. The study sought to measure engagement levels of both …

Understanding Educators’ Experiences During Long-Term School Closures, Jessica Pryor, Jessica Pryor

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

In the spring of 2020, many public places closed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Most public schools in the United States suddenly closed buildings as educators and students scrambled to adapt to distance education. This phenomenological, qualitative study holistically explores elementary educators’ experiences during the extended school closures. The 18current elementary educators who participated in individual interviews, served rural, elementary students. Individual interviews allowed participants to discuss and explain their experiences concerning methods, materials, time commitments, and communication with colleagues, parents, and students. They also discussed how they used feedback to alter their teaching. The interviews were conducted during …

Paleofloods And Landform Development Influence Carbon Storage In A Humid-Subtropical River Valley, Christopher Lance Stewart

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Floodplains can store large amounts of soil organic carbon (SOC) despite covering a small fraction of the global land area. Since these valley-bottom landforms build through the action of flooding, the century to millennial-scale record of overbank deposition could be important in understanding controls on deep (>30 cm) SOC storage. Yet, the influence of flood history and landform development on carbon content is surprisingly not well known. I use a combined geological and pedological approach to characterize the sedimentation, soil development, and SOC of fluvial terraces along an impounded reach of the humid-subtropical Tennessee River valley, U.S.A. The standardized …

The Role Of Different Tv Storytelling Approaches In Engaging U.S. Hispanic Parents And Caregivers Around Early Childhood Development, Caty Borum Chattoo, Lauren Feldman, Amy Henderson Riley

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

Educational achievement gaps exist between racial and ethnic groups in the United States; early childhood readiness, fostered in part by parents and caregivers, is crucial. To respond to this challenge, the Univision television network produced content that aired across 3 storytelling genres (scripted drama, reality, news) to entertain and educate Hispanic parents and primary caregivers of children ages 0–5 years about early brain development interventions. This pretest/posttest experimental study assessed the impact of each genre and found significant direct effects on knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral intentions; the effects were mediated by perceived entertainment value and positive emotions.

'Terroristic Threats' And Covid-19: A Guide For The Perplexed, Chad Flanders, Courtney Federico, Eric Harmon, Lucas Klein

All Faculty Scholarship

The first few months of the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States saw the rise of a troubling sort of behavior: people would cough or spit on people or otherwise threaten to spread the COVID-19 virus, resulting in panic and sometimes thousands of dollars’ worth of damages to businesses. Those who have been caught doing this — or have filmed themselves doing it — have been charged under so-called “terroristic threat” statutes. But what is a terroristic threat, and is it an appropriate charge in these cases? Surprisingly little has been written about these statutes given their long history and …

Tuition As A Fraudulent Transfer, David G. Carlson

Articles

Bankruptcy trustees are suing universities because the insolvent parent of an adult student has written a tuition check while insolvent. The theory is that the university is the initial transferee of a fraudulent transfer that has provided benefit to the student but not to the parent debtor. This article claims that the university is never the initial transferee of tuition dollars. Rather, the student is. Where the university has no knowledge of parent insolvency, the university can count educating the student as a good faith transfer for value, thus immunizing the university from liability. The unpleasant side effect is that …

Mapping Global Performance On Open Access Gis Research: A Scientometrics Study, Amit Nath, Dr. Sibsankar Jana

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

GIS has emerged in last few decades as an essential tool for mapping of geo-reference data and it can be used by researchers having different disciplines for various aspects. It represents an integration of different subject domains. The purpose of this paper is to examine the research trend in open access GIS research. This paper aims to analyze global output on open access GIS research as index in WoS database during the period 2009 to 2018, in respect of growth rate, year-wise publications and citations, major productive countries in addition to international collaborations, most productive authors and their citation impact, …

Challenges Faced By School Teachers When Seeking Information: How Barriers Be Addressed, Chamani Gunasekera, R. Balasubramani Dr.

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The present study explored the challenges faced by school teachers when seeking information for teaching purposes and made suggestions to overcome these challenges. The study used a mixed-method approach, comprising a questionnaire survey and focus groups discussions. The data collected through the questionnaires were mainly quantitative and were analysed using the SPSS (21.0) while the qualitative data from the focus group discussions were analysed using thematic content analysis. For the quantitative approach, 318 school teachers were sampled in questionnaires survey where the descriptive statistics were used for analysis. The study found a variety of barriers that influenced teachers’ information seeking …

Disclosure Of Trans & Gender Variant Identities By Students To Students, C. A. Brimmer

Graduate Research Papers

In this study the ways in which trans and gender variant students come out to their cisgender peers is discussed utilizing a framework of communication privacy management (CPM), which is broken down into privacy ownership, privacy control, and privacy turbulence. Foundationally, this work was intended to magnify the experiences of trans and gender variant students in addition to expanding the application of CPM to the experiences of those who transition across binaries and who eschew them altogether. Previous literature examines CPM in a binarily gendered way, and does not take into account how the appearance of bodies can disclose private …

35 Update: Responses On Creativity Structure From Faculty, University Of Northern Iowa. General Education Re-Envisioning Committee.

General Education Re-envisioning Committee Documents

The survey responses to the section concerning the creativity outcomes conducted in early 2020.

The Interdisciplinary Impacts Of Technology Semantics And Communicational Bypassing In The Cybersecurity Field, Brooke Nixon

Cybersecurity Undergraduate Research Showcase

In 2012, former director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Robert Mueller shocked many when he warned, “[t]here are only two types of companies: those that have been hacked and those that will be.” As technology and information systems develop rapidly, security has become a topic of increasing interest and concern. In 2018, it was noted that the total cost to account for cybercrime on a global scale surpassed US$1 billion (Milkovich, 2020). In the United States, a hacker attack occurs every 39 seconds, and each year, 1 in 3 Americans are personally impacted by a form of hacking …

Iowa Journal Of Communication, Volume 52, Number 1, Fall 2020 [Download Entire Issue]

Iowa Journal of Communication

No abstract provided.

Smartcitecon: Implicit Citation Context Extraction From Academic Literature Using Unsupervised Learning, Chenrui Gao, Haoran Cui, Li Zhang, Jiamin Wang, Wei Lu, Jian Wu

Computer Science Faculty Publications

We introduce SmartCiteCon (SCC), a Java API for extracting both explicit and implicit citation context from academic literature in English. The tool is built on a Support Vector Machine (SVM) model trained on a set of 7,058 manually annotated citation context sentences, curated from 34,000 papers in the ACL Anthology. The model with 19 features achieves F₁=85.6%. SCC supports PDF, XML, and JSON files out-of-box, provided that they are conformed to certain schemas. The API supports single document processing and batch processing in parallel. It takes about 12–45 seconds on average depending on the format to process a …

Acknowledgement Entity Recognition In Cord-19 Papers, Jian Wu, Pei Wang, Xin Wei, Sarah Rajtmajer, C. Lee Giles, Christopher Griffin

Computer Science Faculty Publications

Acknowledgements are ubiquitous in scholarly papers. Existing acknowledgement entity recognition methods assume all named entities are acknowledged. Here, we examine the nuances between acknowledged and named entities by analyzing sentence structure. We develop an acknowledgement extraction system, AckExtract based on open-source text mining software and evaluate our method using manually labeled data. AckExtract uses the PDF of a scholarly paper as input and outputs acknowledgement entities. Results show an overall performance of F₁=0.92. We built a supplementary database by linking CORD-19 papers with acknowledgement entities extracted by AckExtract including persons and organizations and find that only up to …

Investigating Relationships Between Student Burnout And Classroom Communication Behavior, Jordan Atkinson, Mary E. Donato, Elijah Smith, Gannon Cornley Iii

Iowa Journal of Communication

Previous research investigating student burnout relating to undergraduate students discovered that burnout has detrimental effects on academic performance and engagement (Schaufeli, Martinez, Pinto, Salanova, & Bakker, 2002). The purpose of this research was to extend the research on undergraduate student burnout by investigating its relationships with interest, engagement, and in-class oral participation. Participants were 120 undergraduate students enrolled at a small Midwestern university. Results indicated that all three dimensions of student burnout were negatively related to emotional interest and cognitive interest. With regard to student engagement: (a) diminished efficacy was negatively related to all four types of student engagement; (b) …