Digital Commons Network^™

Deinstitutionalizing The Mentally Retarded In Maine: The Inevitable Face-Off With Zoning, Pamela D. Albee

Maine Law Review

In July 1978, agencies and officials of the State of Maine entered into a federal consent judgment which terminated a class action lawsuit that had dragged on for three years. The consent judgment in Wuori v. Zitnay detailed a comprehensive plan designed to bring about speedy and meaningful relief to the plaintiff class: mentally retarded citizens of Maine involuntarily confined to Pineland Center, Maine's principal institution for the mentally retarded, and certain others who were conditionally released from Pineland and in community placements. The relief granted was a right to be provided the least restrictive and most normal living conditions …

Stewart V. Inhabitants Of Durham: An Exclusionary Purpose Ignored, Peter Alexander Meyer

Maine Law Review

Exclusionary zoning of mobile homes has become an increasingly important issue in Maine because of escalating costs of conventional housing and rising unmet housing needs. Although towns may regulate mobile home or any other housing use in order to foster public health, safety, morals, or general welfare, they may not enact a zoning ordinance to exclude people of lower income in an attempt to avoid the "increased governmental costs and the stresses upon public services which generally accompany such an incursion." In Stewart v. Inhabitants of Durham, the Maine Supreme Judicial Court was confronted with an exclusionary purpose in a …

Constitutional Issues Raised By The Civil-Criminal Dichotomy Of The Maine Oui Law, Bruce W. Smith

Maine Law Review

Moving to the forefront of a national trend, the Maine Legislature undertook a thorough reform of its operating under the influence (OUI) law in 1981. The new statute was billed "the toughest in the nation," largely because of a provision for mandatory prison sentences. The statute's most radical provision is not the mandatory prison term, however, but a section which gives prosecutors the option to treat less egregious first offenses as civil infractions rather than crimes. The section generates the broad issue addressed by this Comment: may trial by jury and other constitutional protections formerly afforded OUI defendants be denied …

Compensation For Financing A Spouse's Education: The Means Of Economic Justice In Maine, William S. Kany

Maine Law Review

In cases of marriage dissolution courts attempt to promote economic justice by utilizing their equitable powers and interpreting applicable statutes. It is often difficult, however, to achieve a just result in cases in which one spouse supported the other who attended college and/or professional school during the marriage. In the typical case divorce occurs just prior to or after completion of the education, at a time when the couple has accumulated very few marital assets because all of the marital income has gone into living and educational expenses. Because the only significant asset acquired during the marriage is the degree, …

Common Law Sovereign Immunity And The Maine Tort Claims Act: A Rose By Another Name, R. Michael Martin

Maine Law Review

On October 12, 1976, the Maine Supreme Judicial Court allowed a Bath homeowner to sue the city for damage to her property resulting from the city's negligence. The case was Davies v. City of Bath and its significance was twofold. First, for decades before the Davies decision the Maine Supreme Judicial Court had routinely refused to consider such suits because of the doctrine of sovereign immunity. Fifteen years before Davies the court had expressed dissatisfaction with the doctrine, but until 1976 had repeatedly refused to abrogate it. Second, the Davies decision was significant because the Maine Legislature, under the guiding …

Faculty Experiences Using Synchronous Videoconference Technology To Assess Student Psychomotor Performance, Heather Disney, Debra Crawfordbpiecka Tyrrell, David Perry

Journal of Innovation in Health Sciences Education

Introduction: Psychomotor skills are an essential aspect of physical therapy (PT) education. Recent studies supported using videoconference technology (VCT) for psychomotor instruction, but research on the use of VCT for psychomotor assessments is limited. Determining the usefulness of VCT for psychomotor exams is vital to establishing best pedagogical practices. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the faculty experience using synchronous VCT to assess PT students’ psychomotor skills.

Methods: The conceptual framework for this study was the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT). The research question guided the investigation into how PT educators …

Lessons Learned: Subba Rao Duvvuri, Salil Gupta

Journal of Financial Crises

Subba Rao Duvvuri served as governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for five years (2008–13). Before that, he was finance secretary to the government of India (2007–08), and secretary to the prime minister’s Economic Advisory Council (2005–07). With a career spanning 35 years in the Indian Administrative Services, Duvvuri has held various positions at the state level in the government of Andhra Pradesh, and at the central government of India. Duvvuri was previously lead economist at the World Bank (1999–2004) and, after 2013, served as a visiting fellow at the National University of Singapore and the University of …

International Monetary Fund: Foreign Exchange Liquidity Through The Special Drawing Rights Allocation, 2021, Vincient Arnold

Journal of Financial Crises

The official response to the COVID-19 pandemic was costly for governments, particularly those in developing economies with significant existing external debt. On August 2, 2021, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) announced in a press release the allocation of SDR 456 billion (USD 650 billion) in Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) to “address the long-term global need for reserves, build confidence, and foster the resilience and stability of the global economy.” The COVID-19 allocation was a form of unconditional (or “concessional”) liquidity to IMF member nations, similar to a capital injection or grant. It was the fourth-ever general allocation and the largest …

Effectiveness Of Music On Comfort And Adherence To Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Therapy In An Adult Population With Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Tina Barber

DNP and Student Works

The aim of this quality improvement (QI) project was to implement a nurse-led program to include an education session about CPAP adherence and music intervention for adults treated for obstructive sleep apnea, followed by 12 weeks of patient use of the Respiratory Relief CD prior to CPAP therapy in the home to improve comfort and CPAP adherence.

Discovering The Process Of Reasonable Academic Accommodations For Pre-Licensure Nursing Students With Learning Disabilities, Amy Yarbrough

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the process by which nursing faculty make reasonable academic accommodations for students with learning disabilities in the classroom setting. Nursing students with identified learning disabilities require academic accommodations to facilitate their success. The process of reasonable academic accommodations for nursing students with learning disabilities has not been examined within nursing education literature. Clarification is necessary regarding this process to promote student success and inclusive learning environments within nursing education. Constructivist grounded theory methods as described by Charmaz (2014) guided data collection and analysis. The accommodation processes with categories were identified. The emergent …

Sedentary Behaviors And Physical Activity In University It Workers, Sungwon Park

Sigma Foundation for Nursing Research Grant Reports

• Aim 1. Formulate estimates of sedentary behavior (SB) and physical activity (PA) in IT workers.
• Aim 2. Explore IT worker subgroup profiles to determine which subgroups are associated with the lowest and highest SB and PA.
• Aim 3. Identify factors influencing SB and PA at multi level.
• Aim 4. Determine modifiable risk factors influencing the relationship between metabolic syndrome (MetS), SB, and PA.

The Relationship Between Periodontal Disease Of Feline And Oral Core Microbiome, Ziyao Zhou

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

The microbiome of the oral cavity is complex with the average adult harboring about 50 to 100 billion bacteria which represent about 200 predominant bacterial species. There are a large number of microbes in the oral cavity of the feline, normally beneficial to oral health and safety maintenance. However, when the balance of bacteria lost, it may occur feline stomatitis and periodontitis, which seriously endanger local oral health. Environmental implication, feeding model, age and genetic factors may be main factors affecting oral composition of microbiome. Filifactor alocis, Porphyromonas gingivals, Tannerella forsythia and their interactions are main pathogen that …

Successful Transcatheter Edge-To-Edge Mitral Valve Repair Via Minithoracotomy In Canine Myxomatous Mitral Valve Disease: Case Report, Anusak Kijtawornrat, Pasakorn Brikshavana, Suphanut Kulabsri, Varit Wijitratanagorn, Nilubol Booncharoensombat, Phanupong Chinnabrut, Wutti Bunjerdsuwan, Natrada Rujivipat, Nakkawee Saengklub

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

Transcatheter edge-to-edge mitral valve repair (TEER) for the correction of mitral regurgitation (MR) due to myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) stage B1 in a dog by a hybrid intervention technique via minithoracotomy was first reported in Thailand and Southeast Asia. The dog did not show any clinical signs related to congestive heart failure (CHF). Physical examination revealed systolic murmur grade III/VI. Electrocardiographs were recorded and showed normal sinus rhythm. A thoracic radiograph revealed normal size and shape of the heart (VHS 10.9) and diffuse bronchial pattern in the lungs. A definitive diagnosis of MMVD was made by echocardiography. The dog …

Multidrug-Resistance In Escherichia Coli And Klebsiella Pneumoniae Isolated From Broiler Chickens In Eastern Thailand, Suttitas Tongkamsai, Wachirawit Chatmontee, Kulchai Nakbubpa

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

Broiler chickens have been suggested as an important source of antibiotic resistance Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae). The coinfection of multiple species of bacteria provides a specific ecological niche for the plasmid-mediated exchange of antibiotic-resistance genes. However, there is limited information about antimicrobial resistance (AMR) phenotypes of E. coli and K. pneumoniae isolates from broiler chickens. This study aimed to isolate E. coli and K. pneumoniae from broiler chicken farms in Thailand by observing the antibiotic resistance profiles and detecting the coexistence of these two bacteria. A total of 26 E. coli and 29 …

2024 December 17 - Medical Student Education Committee Minutes, Medical Student Education Committee, East Tennessee State University

Medical Student Education Committee Minutes

No abstract provided.

Approved Courses 12-17-24, Angela Brock

Individual Course Committee (ICC)

No abstract provided.

The Persistence Of Duchenne Vs Becker Muscular Dystrophies: Vive La Difference?, Eric P. Hoffman

Pharmacy Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Analysis Of Public Opinion Polls About Covid-19 Vaccines: Theoretical And Policy Implications For Vaccine Communication And Campaigns To Address Vaccine Hesitancy, Muhammad Ittefaq, Hong Tien Vu, Ali Zain, Tayyeb Ramazan, Gary L. Kreps

School of Communication Studies - Faculty Scholarship

This study analyzed 1432 questions asked in 19 surveys (N = 43,014) on COVID-19 vaccines between January 2020 and August 2022 using dimensions including (1) information sources about COVID-19 vaccine, (2) information about the access, effectiveness, and side effects of COVID-19 vaccine, (3) COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy (i.e. false perception, skepticism, and vaccine refusal), (4) motivations to get the COVID-19 vaccine (i.e. to perform routine activities, convenience, incentives, influences, and travel requirement), (5) false perceptions caused vaccine refusal, and (6) intentions to get vaccinated. Our results show that vaccine refusal was rampant throughout the pandemic and mostly attributed to the …

Water Quality Assessment Of Three Ponds In The Plaster Creek Watershed, Orin Daspit, Salome Giessmann, Kennedi Pepin, Andrew Slagter, Sydney Wagenmaker

Student Papers and Reports

Ponds are commonly found in urban areas serving as both an aesthetic and ecological feature. The water quality of these ponds can make important contributions to the overall health of the watershed in which they reside. This study analyzes three ponds within the Plaster Creek Watershed: the Southbridge Condominium Association Pond, the Calvin University Seminary Pond, and the Calvin University Ecosystem Preserve Kettle Swamp. This project aims to provide the Southbridge Condo Association with data that will inform future remediation actions. Using water samples collected over three days, E. coli, pH, nutrients, and total dissolved solids were measured in each …

Improving Clinical Information Extraction From Electronic Health Records: Leveraging Large Language Models And Evaluating Their Outputs, Kriti Bhattarai

McKelvey School of Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Accurate extraction of clinical entities and phenotypes from unstructured electronic health record (EHR) text is crucial for various clinical research tasks, including cohort identification, tracking temporal patterns in disease progression and deciding treatment course. However, this task remains challenging due to the complexity and ambiguity of medical language. This dissertation explores the application of advanced generative pre-trained transformer (GPT) models, such as GPT-4, GPT-3.5-turbo, Llama-3.1, Llama-3 and Flan-T5, for clinical entity and phenotype extraction from EHRs. Building upon these findings, this dissertation also investigates a hybrid approach where integration of external knowledge sources, such as Unified Medical Language System (UMLS) …

Examining Teachers’ Experiences In Fostering Social-Emotional Learning After Returning To In-Person Instruction In The Midst Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, Rosario Grajeda

Dissertations

Purpose: This qualitative phenomenological study examines how middle school teachers in Riverside County, California, support the social-emotional learning (SEL) needs of students as students returned to in-person instruction after the COVID-19 pandemic. Methodology: This qualitative study explores how Riverside County middle school teachers addressed students' social and emotional needs upon returning to in-person learning after COVID-19. Twelve teachers from local public middle schools (grades 6-8) participated in semi-structured interviews, answering ten questions. Data from interviews and artifacts were transcribed and analyzed using NVIVO software to identify recurring themes related to the study questions. Findings: The shared experiences of participants and …

Approved Programs 12-17-24, Angela Brock

Programs Committee (PC)

No abstract provided.

A Personal Touch: Intergovernmental Organizations And The Mechanism For Mayor-To-Mayor Relationships, Matthew L. Howell

Commonwealth Review of Political Science

Much of the research on intergovernmental cooperation starts with cities that are already in a relationship or are co-participants in an intergovernmental organization and then look at which relationships get developed into cooperative agreements. In this article, four potential methods by which local officials might form those precursor relations are tested. First, cities work within a network context where intergovernmental organizations might matter for several reasons. The intergovernmental organization might reflect similarity in the organizations, called homophily. Second and third, existing intergovernmental organizations may matter directly by serving as a social focus, or a Tertius Iungens. Finally, the professionalism of …

Factors Affecting State Budget Stabilization Fund Access, Jeremy Phillips, Lashonda Stewart

Commonwealth Review of Political Science

Since their inception in the 1980s and early 1990s, budget stabilization funds (BSFs) have been seen as a way to avoid recurring crises like those experienced by states after the 1980-1982 recession. In hindsight, we may wonder if other motivations were not at play. For example, states with tax expenditure limitation laws (TEL) were more likely to adopt BSFs with less stringent deposit and withdrawal requirements. Previous research has suggested that TELs may have motivated some states to adopt BSFs. Although our analysis does not provide evidence of collaboration with these earlier findings, it strongly suggests that there are several …

Trauma-Informed Care Within Neurodivergent Populations, Adrianna Black

Counselor Education Capstones

The recognition and understanding of what is commonly viewed as neurodivergent diagnoses have broadened significantly in recent years. However, the process of diagnosing individuals who may be considered both neurodivergent and have experienced a traumatic event has presented issues for people in the neurodivergent community. Applying trauma-informed care approaches in counseling will highlight the importance of considering how traumas influence clients’ past and current behaviors and their impact on access to services and meeting milestones within developmental stages. This paper will explore the minimal research on and the need for more research to be done on trauma-informed interventions used with …

Rorschach Profiles In Children: Cluster Analytically Derived Subgroups Based On The Revised- Comprehensive System Variables, Marissa Diaco

ETD Collection

This study examined the development of an empirically derived subgroups for Rorschach Comprehensive System - Revised (Exner, 1974; Exner, 2003; Fontan et al., 2022) protocols, consistent with Exner’s framework, in a sample of 2,727 children aged five–12 in a psychiatric inpatient setting. A cluster analysis of Rorschach variables (Constriction Index, Perceptual Thinking Index [PTI], Depression Index [DEPI], Coping Deficit Index [CDI], and D score) identified 15 distinct profile types. The resulting clusters were organized into distinct psychological dimensions, including Impaired Reality Testing (Clusters 6, 7, 10, 11, 12), Coping Vulnerabilities (Clusters 2, 5, 13), Constriction with Minimal Interpretive Yield (Clusters …

Russian Use Of Smart Power To Achieve Northern Sea Route Objectives, Troy Bouffard

Interdisciplinary Studies

This dissertation examines Russia's use of smart power in pursuing its strategic objectives for the Northern Sea Route (NSR) in the Arctic. Through three interconnected articles, it analyzes how Russia combines soft and hard power approaches to assert control over the NSR and legitimize its claims. The first article challenges Russia's legal justification for NSR control by presenting new data on sea ice conditions and navigational risks. The second article explores how Russia's military posture in the Arctic has evolved in response to geopolitical shifts, particularly NATO expansion. The third article investigates Russia's strategic communication efforts to shape international perceptions …

The Biopiracy Of Traditional Knowledge In United States Patent Law, Hannah Green

Public Land & Resources Law Review

The United States intellectual property (“IP”) system is deeply intertwined with our country’s history and constitution. t is foundational in favoring young American inventors. George Washington signed the first patent act in 1790 in hopes of promoting the innovation and progress of science and useful arts. Yet, our patent system was also built around the Western tradition of individualism and competition, which failed to recognize the communal nature and traditional knowledge of tribal communities. This disparity allows the biopiracy of traditional knowledge to be lawful. This comment will explore the harmful toll that United States patent law has taken on …

Strategies Business Owners Use To Comply With Federal State And Local Taxes, Olohigbe O. Abaya

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Tax regulations are constantly changing, increasing complexity for business owners to meet federal, state, and local obligations. Non-compliance can lead to severe consequences, including fines, legal action, and damage to a company’s reputation. Grounded in the planned behavior theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to identify and explore practical steps small business owners take to comply with federal, state, and local tax requirements. Participants were seven business leaders in the United States. Data were collected through semistructured interviews, as well as a review of public websites and documents. Through thematic analysis, three themes were identified: professional assistance, …

Reducing Restraints In Adolescent Psychiatric Inpatient Units Through Trauma-Informed Care, Alanna G. Mejia

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Purpose: This Doctor of Nursing Practice project explores the impact of implementing trauma-informed care (TIC) training and screening interventions within an inpatient adolescent psychiatric unit. The goal is to reduce physical restraint use and improve patient care by fostering a more compassionate and effective treatment approach.

Background: Adolescents in psychiatric settings often experience restraints, which can cause trauma and harm therapeutic relationships. Implementing TIC strategies equips staff with de-escalation techniques and structured trauma screenings, creating safer environments and improving patient outcomes.

Methodology: The Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle was chosen to guide improvements, aligning with best practices in quality improvement by allowing …