Digital Commons Network^™

Splendid Isolation: Va’S Failure To Provide Due Process Protections And Access To Justice To Veterans And Their Caregivers, Yelena Duterte

Journal of Law and Policy

Imagine you are a spouse and caregiver of a severely injured post-9/11 veteran. Your spouse served in the Marine Corps, with several deployments to Iraq. During their last deployment, your spouse sustained a severe traumatic brain injury and suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. Due to these injuries, they need consistent care throughout the day. Thankfully, upon their return, the VA provided a caregiver program that allowed you to step away from your job and focus on caring for your spouse full time. As part of this program, you received a caregiver stipend of $2,400 per month, healthcare, and support from …

Brave New World: A Post-Coronavirus Perspective On Trade, Kevin J. Fandl

Journal of Law and Policy

Trade policy during the Obama Administration largely reflected the pinnacle of the globalist moment in history. The dream of global peace through economic security was on the cusp of being achieved, with a comprehensive set of trade alliances linking countries both economically and politically to one another, a worldwide system of rules which nearly all countries abided in their economic relationships, and a deeply integrated global supply chain that not only enabled companies to satisfy consumer demands at exceedingly low cost and rapid development, but also empowered more and more workers in poor countries to join the global economy. This …

The Hunt For Loot: Proposed Solutions To More Effectively Regulate Addictive Gambling Mechanics In Video Games, Andrew Brewer

Journal of Law and Policy

Over the past decade, more and more video game developers have embraced “loot boxes” as a lucrative source of revenue. But recent concerns over the potential harms of loot boxes, particularly to children, have raised questions about their use and prompted attempts to regulate them throughout the world. This Note explores recent attempts—both foreign and domestic—to regulate loot boxes and proposes new solutions based on those strategies’ shortcomings. By carefully and competently defining terms and exceptions, and providing for more aggressive oversight of agency regulatory efforts, federally-crafted loot box legislation can more effectively protect children from predatory gambling mechanics in …

Community Health Benefits And For-Profit Hospitals: The Need For New Legislation, Sarah Colgan

Journal of Law and Policy

For-profit hospitals and non-profit hospitals fundamentally have two separate goals they wish to achieve. For-profits seek profit maximization, while non-profits, as a result of their federal tax-exempt status, are required to maintain missions dedicated to serving the public and subsequently, the indigent and uninsured. With the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the goals of the Nation’s health care system began to shift towards more cost effective and high-quality treatment that focuses on providing preventative health care access to all Americans to reach a more health equitable society. This Note offers a dual approach that will help …

Decriminalizing Prostitution: Embracing The Swedish Model By Removing The Mistake-Of-Age Defense From New York’S Stop Violence In The Sex Trade Act, Carley Cooke

Journal of Law and Policy

In recent years, New York has re-focused on the widely debated topic of how to best manage and regulate prostitution in the United States. As a state-level issue, the debate presents an invaluable opportunity to re-examine how New York as a society views sex work. The answer in New York focuses on the idea that sex work is real work, where workers should be able to carry out their profession without stigma or fear of arrest. As it stands, the proposed reform largely focuses on decriminalizing both the purchase and sale of sex. This approach contrasts with the legal structure …

“A Climate Of Lawlessness”: Upholding A Government’S Affirmative Duty To Protect The Environment Using Deshaney’S Special Relationship Exception, Katherine G. Horner

Journal of Law and Policy

The Industrial Revolution introduced an era of exceptional technological advances. However, it also led to rampant environmental pollution and degradation. The proliferation of toxic pollutants in the air, water and soil has led us to the precipice of an unimaginable future; a future defined by climate change. This Note argues for the use of the special relationship exception, affirmed by the Supreme Court in DeShaney v. Winnebago, in environmental litigation in order to uphold governments’ affirmative duty to protect the environment. As federal and state governments have the sole power to regulate environmental pollution and enforce environmental protections, individuals are …

Howard's "Showing: What Pregnancy Tells Us About Being Human" (Book Review), Kyle D. Diroberts

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

Proposed Criteria For Assessment Of Student Learning When Introducing New Manual Skills Into The Entry-Level Physical Therapist Education Program, Tiffany Enache, Yuri Yoshida, Vicky Saliba Johnson

Health Professions Education

Purpose: Physical therapy educators are responsible for ensuring that learners demonstrate sufficient skill acquisition for safe and effective clinical practice, which includes the learners’ ability to execute manual skills in a reliable and accurate manner. This study is the first attempt to assist physical therapy educators in assessing the feasibility of including new manual skills in the educational curriculum by using criteria for assessment of student learning. An example using these criteria is illustrated by a pilot experiment using the Vertical Compression Test (VCT) and Saliba Postural Classification System (SPCS), which are currently taught predominantly at the post-graduate level. Method: …

Detecting Mens Rea In The Brain, Owen D. Jones, Read Montague, Gideon Yaffe

Vanderbilt Law School Faculty Publications

What if the widely used Model Penal Code (MPC) assumes a distinction between mental states that doesn’t actually exist? The MPC assumes, for instance, that there is a real distinction in real people between the mental states it defines as “knowing” and “reckless.” But is there?

If there are such psychological differences, there must also be brain differences. Consequently, the moral legitimacy of the Model Penal Code’s taxonomy of culpable mental states – which punishes those in defined mental states differently – depends on whether those mental states actually correspond to different brain states in the way the MPC categorization …

When Equitable Is Not Equal: Experimental Evidence On The Division Of Marital Assets In Divorce, Jennifer B. Shinall, Joni Hersch

Vanderbilt Law School Faculty Publications

Upon divorce, marital assets in most U.S. states are divided equitably, often with the underlying legal purpose of equalizing outcomes. To examine whether decisionmakers value economic considerations, such as opportunity cost, specialization, and bargaining power, we conducted a vignette study in which we asked subjects to divide marital assets equitably between an employed husband and a wife without labor market income in a wealthy household. Subjects award less than 50 percent of assets to the wife, regardless of her education or the level of marital assets. Men award lower shares but, unlike women, award a larger share to a more …

Teacher Perceptions Regarding The Purpose Of K-12 Education, Peter M. Grostic

Dissertations

This study explored the perceptions of teachers regarding the purposes of K-12 education and the influence of belief sources on their perceptions. Purposes of K-12 education and the ways in which they have changed over time are topics for which researchers are concerned (Carpenter, 2005; Labaree, 2013). Addressing this concern, there is existing literature focused on understanding purposes through K-12 school mission statements (Schafft & Biddle, 2014; Stemler & Bebell, 2012), and a multitude of reflections regarding what K-12 education purposes should be (Biesta, 2015; Macallister, 2016; Robinson & Aronica, 2014). Less is known regarding what frontline K-12 education practitioners …

Providing Head Start Services Amid A Global Pandemic: A Mixed Methods Explanatory Study Of Capacity, Resources, And Support, Kelly L. Vigants

Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic altered education in dramatic ways including immediate building closures and the implementation of virtual instruction. In March of 2020, Michigan faced a statewide shutdown on all non-essential travel as Michiganders were ordered to “Stay Home. Stay Safe.” Head Start began to provide remote services to families and students. Head Start lead teachers were charged with using virtual methods to teach their students. With little direction in the beginning and many unknowns, Head Start lead teachers used innovative methods to promote family engagement.

This study used a mixed method, explanatory sequential design to evaluate the most effective methods …

Is Media Assistance Obsolete? A Practice-Based Perspective On The Potential For Digital Technologies To Achieve Media Development Goals In Sub-Saharan Africa, Daire Higgins

Doctoral

The area of media assistance is not a widely known part of the Development Aid sector, even though it has been in existence since after World War II and has grown significantly since then as part of the development agenda. Media Assistance has been included in the strategies of Western and non Western donors as part of their overseas Aid programmes in many regions, supporting journalism and media with the objectives of contributing to accountability, transparency, governance and ultimately, democracy. This thesis examines the impact on the Media Assistance sector of the arrival of digital technologies into the ‘information ecosystems’ …

Beyond Wickedness: Managing Complex Systems And Climate Change, Michael P. Vandenbergh, Jonathan M. Gilligan

Vanderbilt Law School Faculty Publications

This Article examines the argument that climate change is a "super wicked" problem. It concludes that the wicked problem concept is best viewed as a rhetorical device that served a valuable function in arguing against technocratic hubris in the early 1970s but is unhelpful and possibly counterproductive as a tool for modern climate policy analysis. Richard Lazarus improved on this analysis by emphasizing the urgency of a climate response in his characterization of the climate problem as "super wicked." We suggest another approach based on Charles Lindblom's "science of muddling through." The muddling through approach supports the rhetorical points for …

Designing Law To Enable Adaptive Governance Of Modern Wicked Problems, J. B. Ruhl, Barbara A. Cosens A. Cosens, Niko Soininen, Lance Gunderson

Vanderbilt Law School Faculty Publications

This Article contributes to the development of adaptive governance theory by articulating and situating the role of formal law and government as the facilitator, but not central controller, of adaptive governance. To advance the understanding of adaptive governance, we argue that it can be understood in the broader context of scholarship covering the observed emergence of new governance, the efforts to develop theoretical understandings through decentered theory, and the refinement of constitutional understanding through democratic experimentalism. Synthesis of these three themes in turn informs the role of law and government in working with emergent governance responses to complexity to manage …

Introduction: Governing Wicked Problems, J. B. Ruhl, J. Salzman

Vanderbilt Law School Faculty Publications

“Wicked problems.” It just says it all. Persistent social problems—poverty, food insecurity, climate change, drug addiction, pollution, and the list goes on—seem aptly condemned as wicked. But what makes them wicked, and what are we to do about them? The concept of wicked problems as something more than a generic description has its origins in the late 1960s. Professor Horst Rittel of the University of California, Berkeley, Architecture Department posed the term in a seminar to describe “that class of social system problems which are ill-formulated, where the information is confusing, where there are many clients and decision makers with …

Conventional And Molecular Characterization Of Sheep Poxvirus (Spv) In Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt, Hagar Ghander, Mohamed El-Tholoth, Sahar Abd-El Rahman, Ali El-Kenawy

Mansoura Veterinary Medical Journal

Objective: Isolation, conventional and molecular characterization of sheep poxvirus (SPV) from clinically diseased vaccinated sheep in Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt. Design: Descriptive study. Samples: Forty samples including 20 skin nodules and 20 from lung, liver, lymph node and tongue (5samples from each) were collected from sheep flock consisted of 25 adult and 5 lambs. Procedures: The suspected virus was isolated through embryonated chicken eggs (ECEs). SPV was detected by agar gel precipitation test (AGPT), indirect fluorescence antibody test (IFAT) and histopathology in field and egg passaged samples. Ten samples were selected for molecular characterization by conventional and real time polymerase chain …

Genotypic And Phenotypic Characterization, Antibiotic Resistance And Virulence Patterns Of Staphylococcus Aureus Isolated Form Goat Mastitis, Yasser Kamel

Mansoura Veterinary Medical Journal

Objective: To determine the phenotypic and genotypic characterization of the virulence and antimicrobial susceptibility of S. aureus. Design: Descriptive study Samples:175 raw goat milk samples Procedures: A total of 87 S. aureus strains was isolated from goat with mastitis in north-west cost of Egypt. PCR technique was used to detect genes coding some virulence and antimicrobial properties while phenotypic antimicrobial susceptibility was determined by the disc diffusion method. Results: Most S. aureus isolates were resistant to amoxycillin (89.7%), penicillin G (88.5%), and ampicillin (86%) while were less resistant to other members of β-lactam group as cefoxitin (17.2%) and ceftriaxone (10.3%).The …

Catch & Release: Impact Of A Standard Emergency Department (Ed) Discharge Process, Gentry Ridgeway, Tracy Thompson, Patricia Woltz

General Submissions: Presentations (Oral and Poster)

Inconsistent nursing practice for discharging patients was noted as shown by varying Professional Research Consultant (PRC) scores gathered by third party consultant group for discharge instructions. Research studies have shown misinterpretation or lack of understanding of discharge instructions by patients can have an adverse effect on patient's healthcare compliance. This presented an opportunity to initiate a nursing practice change in accord with the best evidence. The goal was to develop and implement a standard discharge process to improve patient discharge satisfaction.

Ekg Timeliness: Going Against The Grain, Eric Harbison

General Submissions: Presentations (Oral and Poster)

The goal for all patients presenting to the Emergency Department with a chief complaint of chest pain is to complete an EKG and have it read by an ED Physician within 10 minutes of arrival. Prior to the process change, the Emergency Department was achieving this goal of 47 % of the time. With the change in our process we have maintained performance at the 50th percentile with multiple weeks above the 90th percentile nationally for completing the EKG and having it read by a physician within 10 minutes.

Feeling Shame And Guilt When Observing Workplace Incivility: Elicitors And Behavioral Responses, Gerardo A. Miranda, Jennifer L. Welbourne, Ana M. Sariol

Management Faculty Publications

This research investigates the elicitors and behavioral responses associated with feeling guilt and shame in response to observed workplace incivility. We draw from the appraisal model of selfconscious emotions to hypothesize that perceiving personal responsibility for acts of incivility conducted by others in the organization is associated with feelings of guilt and shame, and that these relationships are differentially moderated by perceived controllability over the incident. We further propose that shame is associated with avoidance and withdrawal behaviors, whereas guilt is associated with retaliatory and supportive behaviors in response to the observed incivility. We tested these hypotheses with a sample …

Nanocrystal Based Orally Disintegrating Tablets As A Tool To Improve Dissolution Rate Of Vortioxetine, Eknath Ahire, Shreya Thakkar, Yogeshwari Borade, Manju Misra

Bulletin of Faculty of Pharmacy Cairo University

Major depressive disorder (MDD) or depression is a heterogeneous mental illness which have direct effect on patient’s behavior and cognition; causing constant feeling of unhappiness and loss of concern in earlier enjoyed events. Vortioxetine (VOR) is a new atypical serotonergic antidepressant reported for the treatment of major MDD and has its use in various psychological disorders. Despite its therapeutic potential, it has poor water solubility which creates problem in delivery. Nanocrystal based orally disintegrating tablets (ODTs) are proposed to enhance water solubility and dissolution rate of VOR. Nanosuspension was prepared by nanoprecipitation method after optimizing various parameters. The formulated nanosuspension …

An Integrative Approach Concerning Radiological Protection Of The Environment: Plant Influence On Biogeochemistry And Transport, Plant Uptake, And Non-Human Biota Dosimetry For Select Radionuclides, Dawn Angel Montgomery

All Dissertations

The fields of radioecology and environmental radiation protection encompass a multitude of interdisciplinary specialties relating to the use, transport, and effects associated with radioactive substances in the environment, which often must inform each other in an integrated and iterative manner. As these fields have begun to consider a more holistic approach to environmental radiation protection, there is not only a need to evaluate fate and transport of radionuclides in the environment, but also a need to consider the dose and impacts to non-human biota residing in contaminated (or potentially contaminated) areas. Thus, the overall objective of this work was to …

The Appraisal Of Stressors As An Outcome: Novel Directions On The Conceptualization And Measurement Of Work Stress, Zachary Klinefelter

All Dissertations

Though work stress research has come a long way since the early unidimensional models of stressor-outcome relationships, there continues to be a lack of consensus on how stressors influence employees, and on how individual employee characteristics influence the stressor appraisal process. This study utilized a 3-wave longitudinal design to investigate the relationships between the appraisals of challenge and hindrance stressors at work, perceived resilience, stress mindset, and psychological strain. Split into two separate models, the present study sought to extend previous research on the mediating effects of perceived resilience on the relationship between stressors and strain, and to investigate potential …

Quantum Nonequilibrium In De Broglie-Bohm Theory And Its Effects In Black Holes And The Early Universe, Adithya Pudukkudi Kandhadai

All Dissertations

Quantum mechanics is a highly successful fundamental theory which has passed every experimental test to date. Yet standard quantum mechanics fails to provide an adequate description of measurement processes, which has long been rationalized with operationalist and positivist philosophical arguments but is nevertheless a serious shortfall in a fundamental theory. In this dissertation we introduce quantum mechanics with a discussion of the measurement problem. We then review the de Broglie-Bohm pilot-wave formulation, a nonlocal hidden-variables theory where the state of a quantum system is described by a configuration (independent of measurements) in addition to the wave function, and we apply …

Artificial Intelligence For Resilience In Smart Grid Operations, Randeniya Vidanage Iroshani Jayawardene

All Dissertations

Today, the electric power grid is transforming into a highly interconnected network of advanced technologies, equipment, and controls to enable a smarter grid. The growing complexity of smart grid requires resilient operation and control. Power system resilience is defined as the ability to harden the system against and quickly recover from high-impact, low-frequency events. The introduction of two-way flows of information and electricity in the smart grid raises concerns of cyber-physical attacks. Proliferated penetration of renewable energy sources such as solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind power introduce challenges due to the high variability and uncertainty in generation. Unintentional disruptions and …

Encystation And Glycogen Metabolism In Entamoeba Histolytica, Jordan Lynne Wesel

All Dissertations

Entamoeba histolytica is a parasitic protozoan that causes amebic dysentery, which affects approximately 90 million people annually, killing between 50-100,000. E. histolytica is transmitted via the oral-fecal route, through ingestion of contaminated food and water. The infectious form of the disease is the quiescent cyst, which after ingestion, undergoes excystation in the small intestine to the proliferative trophozoite. The trophozoite is the disease-causing form of the parasite, which colonizes the large intestine. Some trophozoites encyst in the large intestine and are passed out of the host, propagating the infectious cycle.

Despite the global burden of this disease, study of the …

Me-Em Enewsbrief, October-December 2020, Department Of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics, Michigan Technological University

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering eNewsBrief

No abstract provided.

Nato And The Ifrc: A Comparative Case Study, Abigail Kosiak

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

This research analyzes the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) Multinational Telemedicine System (MnTS) Project and works to answer five main questions:

1) What challenges did the NATO MnTS Project face that are directly related to the fact that the project included members from different countries and worked to create a system that operates across national borders?

2) How do these challenges compare to those faced by a non-governmental organization (NGO) like the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)?

3) What successes has the IFRC had with its current operational model?

4) In what ways could …

Examining Pathogenesis And Preventatives In Spontaneous And Staphylococcus-Induced Bacterial Chondronecrosis With Osteomyelitis In Broilers, Nnamdi Simon Ekesi

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis is the most important cause of lameness in broilers. This is important to poultry production, as it poses animal welfare issues, and causes a significant loss in revenue. The remediation of this disease requires the study of its etiology with fitting models and evaluating preventatives. The research reported herein covers genomic virulence analysis of BCO isolates, mainly Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli retrieved from lame birds. We found that S. aureus isolates were closest to chicken strains in Europe but may have been in the Arkansas area for a decade. Phylogenomics suggest our S. aureus is …