Digital Commons Network^™

Book Review: Nuclear Weapons And International Law, Existential Risks Of Nuclear War And Deterrence Through A Legal Lense, 2 Volumes, Second Edition, By Charles J. Moxley Jr. (2024), Roger S. Clark

Fordham International Law Journal

No abstract provided.

A Narrative Map Of Fort Missoula: Silence, Stillness And Death In Living Cultural Memory, Daniel A. Goldhamer

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Fort Missoula is a rare site of history, memory, and narrative. This project seeks to trace the complex web of identities and relationalities at the Fort through a narrative map: a method that combines site-based ethnography and qualitative storytelling relying on first-person perspective. This methodological framework reveals that Fort Missoula’s distinct character lies in its role as a living archive of cultural memory, accessible through the past, present, and future narratives of its places and spaces. Engaging with the theories of Foucault (1972), de Certeau (1984), and Low (2017), the narrative map of Fort Missoula is a work that investigates …

Defining Lgbtqia2+ Specialized Substance Use Treatment Services From A Client-Informed Approach, Chonghui (Gabriella) Ji

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Background: This study explored the concept of specialized substance use treatment services among a sample of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and/or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, and Two-Spirit (LGBTQIA2+) individuals: their definition, perceived barriers to receiving these services, and ways of improving such services. Having direct input from past and potential treatment-seeking LGBTQIA2+ individuals could help to deepen our understanding of how to meet the unique treatment needs of these populations.

Method: Data were collected from 219 LGBTQIA2+ individuals within the United States through an online and anonymous survey. Inclusion criteria for participation were self-identifying as LGBTQIA2+, being 18 years of …

A Contractual Approach To Resolving Disputes Arising From Failure To Achieve Green Certification, Bahaa Chammout, Islam H. El-Adaway

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Green Construction Is An Approach To Reducing The Environmental Impact Of Resource-Intensive Construction. Several Certification Systems Have Been Devised And Are Globally Recognized To Provide Green Building Rating Frameworks. While A Building Can Be Designed To Achieve A Green Rating, The Rating Is Achieved Based On The Completed Facility's Actual Measured Performance. There Had Previously Been Limited Attempts To Give An In-Depth Examination Of The Remedies For Unrealized Green Ratings. As Such, This Paper Addresses This Knowledge Gap Using A Multistep Research Methodology. First, The Authors Analyzed And Classified The Nature Of Damages Resulting From Failed Green Certification Under The …

Traffic Prediction-Based Vnf Auto-Scaling And Deployment Mechanism For Flexible And Elastic Service Provision, Bo Yi, Jiacheng Wang, Qiang He, Xingwei Wang, Min Huang, Sajal K. Das, Keqin Li

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Network Function Virtualization (NFV) provides a flexible way to provision new services by decoupling network functions from hardware and implementing them as Virtual Network Functions (VNFs). However, the rapid development of technologies greatly promotes the explosion of diverse services, which directly results in the exponential increase of heterogeneous traffic. In addition, such a tremendous amount of heterogeneous traffic will generate bursts in a more dynamic and unexpected manner, so it becomes extremely hard to satisfy the customer demands. Aiming at addressing these challenges, this work proposes a positive and elastic VNF deployment mechanism for service provisioning, which introduces three novelties: …

Preempting The Buzz: Challenges For State And Local Regulation Of Drone Noise, Daniel Friedenzohn, Trevor Simoneau

Publications

From carrying life-saving medical supplies to delivering Amazon packages, drones are increasingly playing a more significant role in our society. Such operations, however, raise a variety of legal and public policy questions, all requiring answers before drone deliveries become commonplace in the package delivery ecosystem. One legal issue that remains significantly underexplored is the challenge of regulating drone noise. This issue raises vital questions of federalism and preemption in the broader debate over federal versus state and local power to govern different aspects of civilian drone operations.

Even though the noise generated by drones is much quieter than other types …

Field Scale Evaluation Of A Flow-Through Filtration System With Mixed Media To Remove E. Coli From Stormwater, Ankur Debnath

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The main goal of this research was to establish a field-scale stormwater filtration system which is flow-through and cost-effective in terms of construction and maintenance. The filter is constructed in a downstream drainage of a retention pond where the stormwater goes through the porous space of media so that it maintains low retention time with minimum disturbance in flow. The filter consists of two 20ft long sections with concrete channel and ripraps on the inlet & outlet side. 30% Steel chips and 70% steel slags in the size range of 6.00-12.5 mm have been used as media which has been …

Anemia In Highly Prolific Sows: Implications On Piglet Outcomes, Farrowing Complications, And Longevity Considerations, Katlyn A. Mcclellan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Don’T Say Inequality - Ucf Instructors’ Experiences With Florida’S Senate Bill 266 And Its Legislative Kin, Liam A. Gundy

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study examines the experiences of UCF instructors regarding the implementation of Florida’s Senate Bill 266, which was signed into law in 2023. SB266 prohibits the inclusion of systemic topics in general education, prohibits state funds for DEI programs in state universities, introduces a 5-year post-tenure review, and assigns final hiring authority to the president of the university. This study utilized qualitative results from fill-in text questions (n = 238) in a survey with UCF instructors who had taught a course in the year before recruitment. This study investigated instructors’ understanding and experiences with the bill and administrative communications regarding …

No-Fault Compensation Plans In Negligence Cases: Is The Exclusive Remedy Constitutional?, Elizabeth A. Wyman

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The Florida Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Act has been the subject of intense scrutiny regarding its efficacy, constitutionality, and ethical implications, specifically as it relates to the widespread practice of patients agreeing to its terms prior to providing them with prenatal care. This research investigates the potential unconstitutionality of the Neurological Injury Compensation Association (NICA) as an exclusive remedy, questioning the legality of the bill under the Fourteenth Amendment due to potential violations of patient rights to litigation. Through a comprehensive analysis of relevant case and statutory laws as well as secondary sources, this paper addresses the ethical and legal …

The Role Of Parental Attachment In The Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences And Depression In Emerging Adult Males, Kerstin Gracia

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Experiencing adversity during childhood can impact mental health throughout adolescence and into adulthood. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are comprised of different types of abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction. Children who experience ACEs are more likely to display internalizing (e.g., depression) and externalizing (e.g., acting out) behavior problems in adolescence. Those with insecure attachment styles are more likely to have grown up in a disorganized, inconsistent environment and have an increased chance of experiencing ACEs. The current study examined the relationships among ACEs, depression, and parental attachment in emerging adult men, with parental attachment tested as the mediating factor. It was …

Health Equity Policy In Colombia: Improving Equal Access To Health Care Services For Individuals With Low-Income, Marian Marin

Honors Undergraduate Theses

In 1993, the last health reform “Law 100” was introduced in Colombia. It has been over 30 years since its implementation, and there have been many changes to the healthcare system in Colombia ever since. The policy increased health insurance coverage to almost 95% of the population, providing better and more affordable patient care. However, increasing the availability of resources does not necessarily make them accessible to all of Colombia’s residents. This study aims to analyze the outcomes of “Law 100” to the system and studies critical obstacles that halt healthcare equity in Colombia, particularly for those in rural and …

Co-Occurrence Of Autism Spectrum Disorder And Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder With Idiopathic Hypersomnia: Data From The Hypersomnia Foundation Registry, Sophie Sevan Mikkelsen

Honors Undergraduate Theses

In recent years, hypersomnia patients and researchers alike have increasingly discussed the possibility of heightened comorbidities, or co-occurrences, of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with the central disorders of hypersomnolence: idiopathic hypersomnia (IH) and narcolepsy (N). While a few scarce studies have investigated a link between ADHD and N, there has been no research on the co-occurrence of these conditions with IH. This study, using data from the Hypersomnia Foundation’s CoRDS Patient Registry, is the first to identify self-reported rates of ASD and ADHD diagnoses by people with idiopathic hypersomnia. Four chi-square tests were conducted to determine …

The Quest For Racial Equality After The Revolution: How Black Intellectuals Envision The Struggle For Equality After Jim Crow And Apartheid, Shelby Morgan

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This paper examines the ideas presented by Black public intellectuals from South Africa and the United States regarding their solutions on how to achieve real racial equality after the achievement of equality under the law. It will provide a historical comparative analysis of the two countries by examining the works of George Fredrickson, as well as some contextual background on the existence of racial disparities in the modern day. It will then present various publications by American intellectuals Ibram X. Kendi, Ta-Nehisi Coates, and Cornel West, and South African authors Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh, Songezo Zibi, and Tembeka Ngcukaitobi that discuss their …

Violence Against Women And Abortion Access: A Content Analysis Of The Impact Of The Overturning Of Roe V. Wade On Victims Of Domestic And Sexual Violence, Salika Vummarao

Honors Undergraduate Theses

On June 24, 2022, Roe v. Wade was overturned, effectively eliminating the federally protected right to an abortion. Following the overturning, several state-specific restrictions or bans on abortion were passed, creating increasingly difficult conditions for people seeking an abortion. Research shows that abortion bans and restrictions disproportionately affect victims of sexual and domestic violence. Hence, this study aims to understand the specific impact of the overturning of Roe v. Wade for victims of domestic and/or sexual violence by analysis of news articles. This issue has not been researched in depth, creating a gap in our understanding. The database NexisUni was …

Investigating Influences On Muslim-American Identity Development, Ruqayyah Adam

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of this study was to understand how the childhood experiences, perceived discrimination, and Islamophobia experienced by Muslim-American college students have played a part in their identity development and overall well-being. Participants completed the RYFF Psychological Well-being Scales, Rosenberg Self-Esteem scale, Centrality of Religiosity Scale, GAD7, Identity Distress Survey, Multi-Ethnic Identity Scale, as well as a narrative questionnaire that asked about their childhood experiences. After carefully analyzing the results of my study, results indicated that while Muslim-Americans faced extra difficulties due to discrimination, Islamophobia, and the integration of multiple cultural identities, they still experienced higher well-being and self-esteem despite …

Latino Stereotypes In Hollywood: The Aesthetic, Artistic, And Art World Disobedience Of Mexican Cinema In America, Ashley J. Serrano

Honors Undergraduate Theses

In the spirit of Guillermo Del Toro, “Disobedience is a virtue” in life and acts as an essential element in the art of cinema, which allows filmmakers to tell stories about their nativism and imagination. With disobedience, it is a theme that allows filmmakers to resist and rebel against traditional methods of film production and storytelling found in mainstream Hollywood films while breaking barriers of the Cultivation Theory in which molds such Latino stereotypes through the way the media paint the landscape of society. American cinema has utilized stereotypical Latino characters portraying Cholos, occasional sex symbols, indolent labor workers, illiterate …

Copyright Infringement In The Use Of Copyrighted Material By Generative Artificial Intelligence Programs, Kristin Lee

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The importance of protecting artistic works and promoting the creation of new works has been well established since the inception of United States Constitution. Copyright protections were created by Congress to grant authors exclusive rights over how their works are used and any violation of these rights is copyright infringement. This paper outlines why the use of copyrighted material to train generative artificial intelligence (A.I.) systems is an infringement upon the rights of the author and not an exception under fair use. While no court decisions have been rendered on this legal issue, this paper utilizes previous court decisions in …

Evaluating The Impact Of Simulation On Perceived Knowledge And Confidence Of New Graduate Nurses (Ngns) In Maternal-Newborn Care, Disa Seymour

DNP Scholarly Projects

Abstract

Background: Nursing education worldwide varies in duration and training process, with nurses often facing rapid immersion into patient care complexities when entering the workforce. While new nurses contribute significantly to the nursing community with contemporary knowledge, their transition to practice can be daunting, necessitating support for both competence and retention. As specialty care settings integrate more new graduate nurses (NGNs) to address workforce shortages, collaboration between leaders and educators becomes crucial. Simulation emerges as a vital tool in building confidence while learning, offering a safe space for skill development and growth of confidence.

Purpose: This project’s objective was to …

Experimental Investigation Of High-Temperature Brine-Shale Interactions, Anna Atasha Hoffmann

Doctoral Dissertations

"Hydrofracturing (fracking), a common practice in the Petroleum Industry to induce or improve fluid flow in tight formations, creates chemical disequilibrium that further alters the porosity and permeability of host rocks and results in the production of saline and contaminated produced waters (PW). The PW of the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale (TMS) are Na-Ca-Mg-K-Cl brines with mean concentrations of approximately 16% Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and circumneutral pH. Analysis of composition suggests the PW result from a 20 to 80% dilution of formation waters (relict brines of the Louann Salt) by fracking fluid. Trace element concentrations generally show moderate to strong …

Optimization Of Fire Emergency Preparedness In Underground Mining Environments: An Agent-Based Evacuation Approach, Oluwafemi Babatunde Salami

Doctoral Dissertations

"Underground mining environments present a complex interplay of thermal and non-thermal hazards, with fires constituting a significant risk due to the release of heat smoke from incomplete combustion. The propagation of these hazards through the ventilation networks underscores the critical need for understanding fire scenarios and their interaction with the underground environment. Existing knowledge regarding past mine fire disasters, and quantification of associated hazards and risks are insufficient for optimizing emergency evacuation strategies in the event of an underground fire emergency.

This research endeavors to bridge this gap by developing advanced quantitative risk assessment and evacuation models tailored specifically for …

Development Of A Comprehensive Multi-Factored Methodology For Identification Of Landslides In The Buffalo National River Of Arkansas, Abdurraouf Okok

Doctoral Dissertations

"In northern Arkansas's Springfield and Boston Mountain Plateaus, distinctive geomorphological landslide features have shown historical continuity. USGS topographic maps (1:24,000, 7.5-minute series) serve as valuable resources for studying terrain characteristics and hydrological patterns.

This study uses a manual mapping approach with high-resolution LiDAR data and geological maps in a GIS environment. The method identifies historic landslide features by analyzing anomalous topographic contour patterns overlaid on LiDAR-derived hillshade maps, revealing various mass movements along the Buffalo National River. Data from the Office of State Geologist and fieldwork reconnaissance were utilized to map older landslide features with high confidence. Some previously unrecognized …

Evaluation Of Transfer Learning Models On Traumatic Brain Injury Severity Classification, Ngoc Do, Daniel B. Hier, Tayo Obafemi-Ajayi

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

After traumatic brain injury (TBI), clinicians use the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) to classify patients by severity and radiologists use the Rotterdam score and the Marshall score to classify CT scans by severity. This work investigates a viable efficient low-cost transfer learning model to use MRI images to predict GCS, Rotterdam, and Marshall severity class after TBI. The enhanced transfer learning model architecture integrates multiple fine-tuning steps in which a few layers of the pre-trained model is unfrozen in each iteration so that the neural network is able to learn layer by layer further aspects of the image for better …

Low Noise Wireless Sensing In Termite Detection, Wei Zhang, Xiangshu Qi, Yunlong Luo, Alex Qi, Yihong Qi, Gang Feng

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Termites cause enormous financial damages all around the world every year. The majority of research on wireless sensing is always concerned with the various human-centric applications, however, the vast potential of wireless sensing for termite detection is often disregarded. In this article, a Wireless Intelligent Sensing (WISe) millimeter-wave (mmWave) radar system for termite detection is proposed. Here, we design a three-layer architecture with some intelligent resources to monitor the movement signs of the termites. In addition, we present a low noise sensing architecture that minimizes the noise in hardware and digital signal processing, which can reduce the impact of environment …

Statistical Eye Diagrams For High-Speed Interconnects Of Packages: A Review, Junyong Park, Donghyun Kim

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

An eye diagram, a critical metric in signal integrity analysis for high-speed interconnects such as packages, interposer, and printed circuit boards (PCBs), is generated by superposition of the received waveform. Obtaining an eye diagram is time-consuming, thus signal integrity analysis is inefficient. This article reviews that have been proposed to overcome this limitation. The statistical eye diagram provides a probability distribution depending on a sampling time and voltage, therefore it can be expanded to other metrics, such as the bit-error rate and shmoo plot. This article introduces previous research on statistical eye diagrams applied to complementary metal-oxide-semiconductors (CMOSs), noise, and …

Optical Fiber Sensors Based On Advanced Vernier Effect - A Review, Wassana Naku, Jie Huang, Chen Zhu

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The Optical Vernier Effect Has Emerged as a Powerful Tool for Enhancing the Sensitivity of Optical Fiber Interferometer-Based Sensors, Ushering in a New Era of Highly Sensitive Fiber Sensing Systems. While Previous Research Has Primarily Focused on the Physical Implementation of Vernier Effect-Based Sensors using Different Combinations of Interferometers, Conventional Vernier Sensors Face Several Challenges. These Include the Stringent Requirements on the Sensor Fabrication Accuracy to Achieve a Large Amplification Factor, the Necessity of using a Source with a Very Large Bandwidth and a Bulky Optical Spectrum Analyzer, and the Associated Complex Signal Demodulation Processes. This Article Delves into Recent …

Additively Manufactured Aperture-Based Fss, Alexander Hook, Doyle T. Motes, Cody Morrow, Kristen M. Donnell

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Frequency selective surfaces (FSSs) are arrays of patch- or aperture-based elements with specific high frequency reflective and/or transmissive properties. The specific FSS response of a given design is dictated by the element dimensions and spacing relative to adjacent elements (collectively referred to as the unit cell), along with the substrate (and superstrate if applicable) properties. As it relates to sensing, the FSS response may be affected by environmental (e.g., temperature) or structural (e.g., strain) changes. To this end, FSS-based sensors have been considered in recent years for a myriad of sensing applications including structural health monitoring (SHM). Concurrent to this, …

The Violence Of Free Speech And Press Metaphors, Erin C. Carroll

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

Today, our free speech marketplace is often overwhelming, confusing, and even dangerous. Threats, misdirection, and lies abound. Online firestorms lead to offline violence. This Article argues that the way we conceptualize free speech and the free press are partly to blame: our metaphors are hurting us.

The primary metaphor courts have used for a century to describe free speech—the marketplace of ideas—has been linked to violence since its inception. Originating in a case about espionage and revolution, in a dissent written by Oliver Wendell Holmes, a thrice-injured Civil War veteran, the marketplace has been described as a space where competition …

The Future Scope Of The Character Evidence Prohibition: The Contextual Statutory Construction Argument That Could Finally Force The Policy Discussion, Paul F. Rothstein, Edward J. Imwinkelried

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

The general prohibition of character evidence is one of the most important doctrines in American Evidence law. Since the Supreme Court has held that the Eighth Amendment forbids status offenses in adult prosecutions, the doctrine has constitutional overtones. Federal Rule of Evidence 404(b) applies the prohibition to evidence of an accused’s other crimes and wrongs. Since such evidence can be inflammatory and the Rule’s limits sometimes confusing, Rule 404(b) generates more published opinions than any other provision of the Federal Rules of Evidence. Although the prohibition extends beyond other crimes, most of the controversy swirls around the Rule’s application to …

The Lawlessness Of Sackett V. Epa, William W. Buzbee

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

When the Supreme Court speaks on a disputed statutory interpretation question, its words and edicts undoubtedly are the final judicial word, binding lower courts and the executive branch. Its majority opinions are the law. But the Court’s opinions can nonetheless be assessed for how well they hew to fundamental elements of respect for the rule of law. In particular, law-respecting versus law-neglecting or lawless judicial work by the Court can be assessed in the statutory interpretation, regulatory, and separation of power realms against the following key criteria, which in turn are based on some basic rule of law tenets: analysis …