Digital Commons Network^™

Border Trouble: Critical Reflections On The Canada-Us Safe Third Country Agreement Litigation, Efrat Arbel

All Faculty Publications

The Canada-US Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA) has been subject to two different legal challenges before three different Canadian courts and considered in five different judicial decisions. This notwithstanding, the litigation surrounding its legal validity is not yet conclusively determined. This article analyses all five STCA decisions to develop a critical reading of the leading decision as issued by the Supreme Court of Canada in 2023. It posits that the Supreme Court of Canada, like the appellate courts before it, erred in its understanding of the STCA. Specifically, the Court did not engage the facts on record in sufficient detail, …

Glacial Deposits, Vol. 48, 2024, Department Of Geography, Geology, And The Environment

Glacial Deposits

Newsletter of the Department of Geography, Geology, and the Environment

Identifying Functional And Potential Therapeutic Sites In Reverse Transcriptase Using Comparative Short-Term Molecular Dynamics, Richmond Asare-Bediako

Theses

Drug escapes due to mutations in the HIV-1 virus genome have been a global menace over the last few decades. A major focus in dealing with this issue has revolved around taking advantage of the structural view of the virus to investigate how these mutations affect target drugs. The role of comparative molecular dynamics (MD), which provides valuable insights on motions involved in the functional interactions and dynamic fluctuations of the atoms in the amino acid residues on the protein chains. Although less explored than structural analyses of drug-target interactions, this study provides substantial and critical information needed to fully …

A Clinical Review Of Adult Obesity And Weight Management In The United States, Megan Helf

Theses

The standard of care for obesity has been lifestyle modifications, dietary changes and the use of some anti-obesity medications, however, given the increased rate of growth of obesity in not only the United States but globally, new drug therapies are needed. This paper aims to summarize and compare the current safety and efficacy evidence of new United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved weight loss drugs and to discuss the availability, cost-effectiveness, and use of these drugs in combating the obesity epidemic.

Web of Science and PubMed searches of obesity revealed primary sources and review articles on the topic …

Does Alzheimer’S Disease Begin In Your Gut? A Review Of The Gut-Brain Axis Effect On Cognitive Impairment And The Potential For Therapeutic Targeted Interventions., Jane Greenberg

Theses

Objective: To summarize current data regarding the bidirectional communication of the gut microbiota and the brain, specifically in relation to cognitive improvement, microbiota diversity, and dietary interventions. Additionally, the mechanisms underlying these relationships will be explored. Evidence Acquisition: Using the key terms “gut-brain axis" and "Alzheimer’s disease” PubMed and Web of Science were searched for papers published between 2014 and 2023. This yielded 297 results, of which 23 were relevant to this topic. Articles that failed to address cognitive impairment or only studied animal subjects were excluded. After scanning each paper, nine review articles and 14 new studies were selected …

Review Of Literature On Efficacy And Safety Of Birthing Positions With Emphasis On International Cultural Influences On Obstetric Care, Ava E. Retsch

Theses

• Background: When examining most non-Westernized societies, parturients hold all the power in the birthing space with traditional birth attendants and medical staff serving as guiding forces and protectors, not directors of the process. Social media in Western countries is filled with stories from birthing people who felt unsupported, ignored, or discriminated against by their healthcare providers; this is particularly prevalent in parturients who express a preference for non-supine birthing positions. Methods: This work is a review of the existing body of literature on quantitative and qualitative outcome measures of alternative birthing positions. In total, 44 articles were analyzed …

The Harms Of Heien: Pulling Back The Curtain On The Court's Search And Seizure Doctrine, Steven M. Goldstein --

Vanderbilt Law Review

In Heien v. North Carolina, the Supreme Court held that individuals can be seized on the basis of reasonable police mistakes of law. In an opinion authored by Chief Justice Roberts, the eight-Justice majority held that the Fourth Amendment’s prohibition of “unreasonable” seizures does not bar legally mistaken seizures because “[t]o be reasonable is not to be perfect.” Concurring, Justice Kagan, joined by Justice Ginsburg, emphasized that judicial condonation of police mistakes of law should be “exceedingly rare.” In a solo dissent, Justice Sotomayor fairly “wonder[ed] why an innocent citizen should be made to shoulder the burden of being seized …

Access To Justice For Black Inventors, Jordana R. Goodman, Khamal Patterson

Vanderbilt Law Review

To receive a patent, an inventor must meet certain inventive and procedural standards. Their invention must be novel, nonobvious, and written in such a way that any person skilled in the inventive subject can make and use the invention without undue experimentation. This process is far from objective.

An inventor is not always communicating within their own social circle. An inventor is required to communicate their invention so that a patent examiner believes a person having ordinary skill in the art ("PHOSITA") would recognize the invention as nonobvious. Moreover, a fictitious skilled person must be able to make and use …

The Harms Of Heien: Pulling Back The Curtain On The Court's Search And Seizure Doctrin, Wayne A. Logan

Vanderbilt Law Review

In Heien v. North Carolina, the Supreme Court held that individuals can be seized on the basis of reasonable police mistakes of law. In an opinion authored by Chief Justice Roberts, the eight-Justice majority held that the Fourth Amendment's prohibition of "unreasonable" seizures does not bar legally mistaken seizures because "[t]o be reasonable is not to be perfect." Concurring, Justice Kagan, joined by Justice Ginsburg, emphasized that judicial condonation of police mistakes of law should be "exceedingly rare." In a solo dissent, Justice Sotomayor fairly "wonder[ed] why an innocent citizen should be made to shoulder the burden of being seized …

The Evolving Role Of Libraries In The Fourth Industrial Revolution: Navigating Digital Transformation, Abdullahi Olayinka Isiaka, Abdulfatai Soliu, Biliamin Abiola Aremu, Benjamin Adebisi Bamidele, Saidu Saba-Jibril, Adelani Rotimi Ibitoye

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Abstract

This article explores the transformative impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) on libraries and their pivotal role in navigating the challenges and opportunities brought forth by rapid technological advancements. Libraries, traditionally perceived as repositories of books and information, are undergoing a profound metamorphosis in the digital age. The 4IR, characterized by breakthroughs in Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things, and Data Analytics, demands a redefinition of the library’s purpose and services. The first section introduces the concept of the 4IR and its key technological advancements. Emphasis is placed on understanding the dynamic landscape of the 4IR and the …

Optimizing Neural Networks For Iiot Attack Detection, Hamad Alblooshi

Theses

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) stands as a revolutionary force, intertwining physical devices, sensors, and industrial systems to usher in advanced automation and data-driven decision-making across various sectors. However, this increased connectivity has exposed these systems to a growing array of cyber threats. Safeguarding IIoT environments becomes crucial to maintain the integrity, availability, and confidentiality of critical industrial processes. In response, this research explores the optimization of neural network parameters using Genetic Algorithms (GA). The application of GA has led to achieve a remarkable accuracy of 95% across various attack types. The results demonstrate a high performance in identifying …

Machine Learning Based Solutions For Detecting Social Media Spam And Phishing Incidents, Ahmed Al Shehhi

Theses

The growing digital interactions across various social media platforms increases the risks of phishing schemes and spam messages that compromise personal and organisational security. This thesis tackles such threats with the aid of machine learning and natural processing techniques that are utilized for detecting malicious communications with high accuracy. A total of three datasets were used in this study, two for phishing and one for spam. The research aims to explore the performance of classification models, including Logistic Regression, Support Vector Machine, Naïve Bayes, and Linear Discriminant Analysis, as well as a hybrid model combining Logistic Regression and Naïve Bayes. …

Integration Of Blockchain And Cryptographic Techniques For Location Based Services, Rashed Al Shamali

Theses

As digital systems continue to evolve in complexity, protecting user identities and ensuring the secure transmission of data has become paramount. Conventional techniques such as passwords and digital signatures are often insufficient to address modern security threats unless paired with more sophisticated technologies. This thesis proposes a framework that integrates Blockchain Technology with Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) to fortify identity verification protocols and enhance location-obscuring methods. Blockchain’s inherent features of decentralization, immutability, and non-repudiation makes it an ideal platform for secure data exchange. When combined with ECC, which provides robust encryption with smaller key sizes, the system achieves a heightened …

The Uae’S Readiness For Technology Export: The Case Of Ai, Reem Tamer Aldandashi

Theses

Export diversification is one way for the UAE to sustain and flourish its economy. Although UAE is an oil-rich country, it needs to search for and incubate future exports besides the existing ones to keep the wheel of the economy moving, increase the employment rate, and strengthen the country from any future economic strokes. While looking at the technology spread and Artificial Intelligence (AI) focus and efforts in UAE, much research investigated the outcomes of digitization on the UAE economy and its technological strength and competitiveness. At the same time, no one has searched for the possibility of having one …

Ownership Topology Of Vertically-Scaled Agile, William Dabney

Theses

Much as Scrum, Kanban, and XP are used to structure team-level agility, those wishing to take agility beyond the team level often turn to proven solutions. The most popular, which aim to scale development by adding teams under a shared collective ownership rather than separating them into discrete units, are the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe), Large Scale Scrum (LeSS), and Nexus. These frameworks advocate for aligning ownership subdivisions along features rather than code, which allows teams working on the same product to do so autonomously. While the benefits of this have been researched, the topology of ownership in these frameworks …

The Statewide Standard, 2024, College Of Education

The Statewide Standard

No abstract provided.

A Model For Community-Driven Development Of Best Practices: The Ocean Observatories Initiative Biogeochemical Sensors Data Best Practices And User Guide, Hilary I. Palevsky, Sophie Clayton, Heather Benway, Mairead Maheigan, Dariia Atamanchuk, Roman Battisi, Jennifer Batryn, Annie Bourbonnais, Ellen M. Briggs, Filipa Carvalho, Alison P. Chase, Rachel Eveleth, Rob Fatland, Kristen E. Fogaren, Jonathan Peter Fram, Susan E. Hartman, Isabela Le Bras, Cara C. M. Manning, Joseph A. Needoba, Merrie Beth Neely, Hilde Oliver, Andrew C. Reed, Jennie E. Rheuban, Christina Schallenberg, Ian Walsh, Christopher Wingard, Kohen Bauer, Baoshen Chen, Jose Cuevas, Susana Flecha, Micah Horwith, Melissa Melendez, Tyler Menz, Sara Rivero-Calle, Nicholas P. Roden, Tobias Steinhoff, Paulo Nicolás Trucco-Pignata, Michael F. Vardaro, Meg Yoder

OES Faculty Publications

The field of oceanography is transitioning from data-poor to data-rich, thanks in part to increased deployment of in-situ platforms and sensors, such as those that instrument the US-funded Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI). However, generating science-ready data products from these sensors, particularly those making biogeochemical measurements, often requires extensive end-user calibration and validation procedures, which can present a significant barrier. Openly available community-developed and -vetted Best Practices contribute to overcoming such barriers, but collaboratively developing user-friendly Best Practices can be challenging. Here we describe the process undertaken by the NSF-funded OOI Biogeochemical Sensor Data Working Group to develop Best Practices for …

Families At The Center: Leading For Home Visiting Systems Change, Callie H. Lambarth, Beth L. Green, Center For Coordinating Oregon Home Visiting Systems

Center for Improvement of Child and Family Services Publications

The Center for Coordinating Oregon Home Visiting Systems (CCOHVS) launched in February 2024 at the Center for Improvement of Child and Family Services at Portland State University. The CCOHVS functions as a program-neutral backbone organization for a coordinated system of prenatal and early childhood home visiting services. Its work will move the state closer to the vision described in the Raise Up Oregon 2.0 (RUO) strategic plan1 for early childhood systems, namely to create “equitable, integrated, accessible, inclusive, anti-racist and family-centered” early learning services, with a focus on ensuring this system meets the needs of pregnant people and families with …

What Is Aphthous Stomatitis? What Are The Possible Causes And Treatments?, Shirah Balakhane

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

The historical understanding of Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis (RAS), also known as canker sores, has evolved. This paper aims to collect data that determines the underlying factors that can cause RAS and highlights treatments or preventive measures one should take. RAS is a common mucosal disease of the mouth that affects healthy people and presents atypically in immunocompromised people. Geographical, age, and gender-related factors can all affect the prevalence. RAS still has no known cause; however, several systemic, local, immunologic, genetic, dietary, allergy, and microbiological factors—including immunosuppressive medications and stress—have been suggested as potential culprits. Using topical and systemic medicines, the …

Is Manual Therapy An Effective Modality Of Physical Therapy?, Caryn Karfunkel

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Physical therapy provides relief to patients with musculoskeletal disorders who experience pain and have difficulty functioning. Manual therapy is one of the therapeutic modalities of physical therapy, and helps treat patients through utilizing human touch and pressure. This paper analyzes studies that aim to understand the reasoning behind manual therapy’s effectiveness as a physical therapy modality, questioning whether its benefits are primarily biomechanical or psychological. The research was conducted by analyzing relevant literature on academic databases on topics such as pain, physical therapy, manual therapy, and human touch. The findings reveal that manual therapy is an effective modality of physical …

Extraordinary Punishment: Conditions Of Confinement And Compassionate Release, Meredith B. Esser

Scholarly Works

People experience severe forms of harm while incarcerated, including medical neglect, prolonged solitary confinement, sexual and physical violence, and a host of other ills. But civil rights litigation under the Eighth Amendment the most common vehicle through which people seek to redress these harms presents significant practical and doctrinal barriers to incarcerated plaintiffs. Most notably, the Eighth Amendment's "deliberate indifference" standard asks not whether a person has been harmed, but instead requires plaintiffs to demonstrate a criminally reckless mental state on the part of prison officials. Further, Eighth Amendment remedies are limited to damages or injunctions, which may not adequately …

Who Bears The Burden When Prison Guards Rape?, Meredith B. Esser

Scholarly Works

Several recent scandals have highlighted the continued problem of institutional sexual abuse within the federal Bureau of Prisons ("BOP"). Most notoriously, the rampant sexual abuse of women incarcerated at Federal Correctional Institution ("FCI") Dublin, also known as the "rape club," resulted in the prosecution and conviction of several high-ranking officials within FCI Dublin, including both the former Warden and former Chaplain who worked there for several years. In response to these patterns of misconduct, the Federal Sentencing Commission's new guidelines, which went into effect on November 1, 2023, now allow for victims of custodial sexual assault to apply for early …

Building Resilience: The Role Of Public Private Partnerships In Disaster Management For Vulnerable Communities, Latisha Nixon-Jones

Scholarly Works

This essay provides a compelling historical analysis of the legislative developments that have shaped the current framework of disaster management in the United States. By tracing the evolution of these laws, it highlights a crucial shift in disaster responsibility—from centralized government agencies to a shared burden with the communities they aim to protect. In response to this shift, I propose that disaster management agencies adopt a socio-legal framework designed to guide the formation of public- private partnerships (PPPs). Such a framework would offer a structured approach to balancing transparency with the profitability goals that often characterize private involvement in public …

Is Now A(Nother) Teachable Moment Honoring The Memory Of Dr. William S. Spriggs, Francine J. Lipman

Scholarly Works

No abstract provided.

Nextgen Licensure & Accreditation, Nachman Gutowski

Scholarly Works

No abstract provided.

Dicta Mines, Pretext, And Excessive Force: Toward Criminal Procedure Futurism, Frank Rudy Cooper

Scholarly Works

Scholars have recently criticized Fourth Amendment pretext doctrine for leading to more police contact with Black and Brown people and thus to racially disproportionate uses of excessive force. This Essay reveals the intersection of the Court’s pretext and excessive force doctrines by unearthing their shared roots in the 1973 United States v. Robinson search-incident-to-arrest opinion.

This Essay’s new insight is that Robinson contains what it calls a “dicta mine.” A dicta mine is (1) an unnecessary statement that (2) a Court silently recharacterizes as having already resolved an issue, (3) exploding it into a significant doctrine. The Robinson dicta mine …

Cal Poly Craft Center Wedging Tables, Cooper Christopher Strong

Construction Management

The Craft Center, located on Cal Poly's campus, is where students can unwind from stressful coursework and engage in activities like pottery, surfboard shaping, and stained glass. The pottery studio needed new wedging tables, which are essential for removing air from clay before shaping it. The project involved building two new 7’ x 2.5’ tables that would fit well in the space and be durable. Designed to be 33” tall, these tables are accessible to students of varying heights. They feature a concrete surface that is both durable and porous, helping to absorb some moisture during use. The previous tables …

Deep Adaptive Graph Clustering Via Von Mises-Fisher Distributions, Pengfei Wang, Daqing Wu, Chong Chen, Kunpeng Liu, Yanjie Fu, Jianqiang Huang, Yuanchun Zhou, Jianfeng Zhan, Xiansheng Hua

Computer Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Graph clustering has been a hot research topic and is widely used in many fields, such as community detection in social networks. Lots of works combining auto-encoder and graph neural networks have been applied to clustering tasks by utilizing node attributes and graph structure. These works usually assumed the inherent parameters (i.e., size and variance) of different clusters in the latent embedding space are homogeneous, and hence the assigned probability is monotonous over the Euclidean distance between node embeddings and centroids. Unfortunately, this assumption usually does not hold since the size and concentration of different clusters can be quite different, …

A Use Case Of Chatgpt: Summary Of An Expert Panel Discussion On Electronic Health Records And Implementation Science, Seppo T Rinne, Julian Brunner, Timothy P Hogan, Jacqueline M Ferguson, Drew A Helmer, Sylvia J Hysong, Grace Mckee, Amanda Midboe, Megan E Shepherd-Banigan, A Rani Elwy

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Objective: Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing healthcare, but less is known about how it may facilitate methodological innovations in research settings. In this manuscript, we describe a novel use of AI in summarizing and reporting qualitative data generated from an expert panel discussion about the role of electronic health records (EHRs) in implementation science.

Materials and methods: 15 implementation scientists participated in an hour-long expert panel discussion addressing how EHRs can support implementation strategies, measure implementation outcomes, and influence implementation science. Notes from the discussion were synthesized by ChatGPT (a large language model-LLM) to generate a manuscript summarizing the discussion, …

Study Protocol For Measuring Stigmatization In Persistent Tic Disorders: Development And Validation Of The Tourette Discrimination-Stigmatization Scale, Jaclyn M Martindale, Victor M Ringheanu, Kelly A Pring, Sandra Norona, Kimberly Wiseman, Roy E Strowd, Leah Chapman, Joseph Rigdon, Stephen R Rapp, Eric A Storch, Edward Ip, Jonathan W Mink

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Introduction: Persistent Tic Disorders such as Tourette Syndrome are common neurodevelopmental disorders that are highly stigmatized. Many individuals with Persistent Tic Disorders experience peer rejection, loneliness, and self-stigma. Experiencing stigmatization during childhood can influence the persistence of moderate-to-severe tics later in life. Additionally, these factors have been associated with increased suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and psychiatric symptom severity. There is a need for interventions to reduce stigma and stigmatization in Persistent Tic Disorders. Before developing cost-effective interventions to mitigate stigma's profound downstream health impacts, a reliable measure of stigmatization must be created. The overarching goal of this research is to …