Digital Commons Network^™

Make Your Own Ornament From Sheet Music, Ann Zlotnik

Reports and Promotional Materials

This craft accompanies the Marian Library's 2024 Nativity exhibit, Joy to the World!

Cocurricular Activities And Assessment, Angela Brock

General Education Committee

No abstract provided.

Optimization Of Construction Scheme Of Ultra‑Large Special‑Shaped Foundation Pit Adjacent To Existing Station And Temporary Steel Bridge, Chen Dengwei

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

With the intensifying development density of urban underground space in China，the impact of ultra-large foundation pit construction on the normal operation of adjacent structures cannot be ignored.Relying on the Huangmugang Comprehensive Transportation Hub Project in Shenzhen，this paper studied the deformation of the envelope structure and soil caused by the excavation of the ultra-large special-shaped foundation pit，as well as the structural response of the deformation of the adjacent existing station and the temporary steel bridge.The paper optimized the construction scheme of the special-shaped foundation pit excavation.The results show that the deformation trend of the envelope structure on the north and south …

Exploring Effective Employee Engagement Strategies During Times Of Crisis In Small Social Assistance Nonprofits, Andrea Purnell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Engaging employees during crises is an important issue in the nonprofit sector, where resource limitations constrain leaders’ options. Leaders of small assistance nonprofits are often concerned that disengaged employees may negatively affect productivity and organizational performance. Guided by the transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry project was to explore effective strategies used by leaders of small social assistance nonprofits in Northern California to enhance employee engagement during crisis situations. The participants consisted of eight chief officers and executive directors from small social assistance nonprofits in Northern California, all of whom had developed effective strategies to mitigate …

Friction‑ 1d Transformer ： A 1d Vision Transformer Hybrid Model For Skid Resistance Prediction On Asphalt Pavements, Pei Feifei, Nie Zilong, Xu G Uomin, Zhan You, Gong Xianqi, Ai Changfa, Deng Yuan, Ji Zhengyun, Wang Shifa

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

The friction performance of road surfaces is an important indicator of highway safety，which is closely related to road texture.In this paper，a set of three-dimensional denoising methods for road texture data with different noise levels was proposed，which could effectively remove noise while preserving local texture features.In addition，a skid resistance prediction model named Friction- 1D Transformer was developed based on the design concept of Vision Transformer （VIT） for skid resistance evaluation of asphalt pavements.Unlike traditional convolutional neural networks，the Friction- 1D Transformer utilized positional encoding structures and multi-head attention mechanisms to extract global features from one-dimensional （1D） texture signals along the direction of …

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 …

Corner Post V. Board Of Governors Of Federal Reserve System, Alexis Karbowicz

Public Land & Resources Law Review

Corner Post v. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System resolved a circuit split on when claims against the federal government “accrue” under 28 U.S.C.A. § 2401(a). The Supreme Court clarified whether plaintiffs must file challenges within six years of a regulation’s enactment or may wait until they are directly affected by an agency action, even if that occurs years later. Examining the case’s factual and procedural background provides insight into the relevant regulatory context. The Court’s analysis offers a detailed interpretation of statutory language and establishes principles of claim accrual, alongside the policy considerations of regulatory finality and …

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 …

The Chinese Room And Creating Consciousness: How Recent Strides In Ai Technology Revitalize A Classic Debate, Thomas Held

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

Since 1950, when Alan Turing first posed the question of whether a machine could think, the possibility of artificial consciousness has sparked intense and ongoing debate, and strong positions have been staked out on each side of the argument. On the one hand, the historically popular functionalist school of thought claims that any system capable of producing suitably “conscious” behavior in a given environment should be considered conscious. On the other hand, John Searle’s famous “Chinese Room” argument insists that this cannot be the case, and that consciousness is in all likelihood not artificially reproducible. However, both positions have issues—the …

Towards A Global Civil Liability Regime For Nuclear Damage: Potential Selected Consequences Of Poland’S Accession To The Convention On Supplementary Compensation For Nuclear Damage (Csc), Patrycja Nowakowska

internetowy Kwartalnik Antymonopolowy i Regulacyjny (internet Quarterly on Antitrust and Regulation)

The purpose of this paper is to present the development steps of the international regime of civil liability for nuclear damage, by recalling the most important stages of this process, and considering the reasons for the changes that led the international community to adopt specific legal acts in this area. The central point of the analysis is to show the moment of the conclusion of the Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage (CSC) in 1997. The article imparts the most important assumptions of the CSC Convention, leading to the analysis of the potential consequences of Poland’s accession to this …

Influence Of Demographics, Health, And Self-Objectification On Body Acceptance And Body Appreciation In Older Adults, Heather Russell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Prior research has examined the demographic, health, and activity factors influencing how young people, particularly young women, see themselves concerning body appreciation and acceptance. However, body appreciation and acceptance as perceived by older men and women have not been well-studied. The purpose of the study was to examine the extent to which gender, age, quality of life assessment of physical and mental health, physical activity, and self-objectification influence body acceptance by others and body appreciation in adults ages 55-75. Self-objectification theory (SOT) was the framework used to examine the influence of two aspects of self-objectification (lack of autonomy and invisibility) …

Exploring Effective Employee Engagement Strategies During Times Of Crisis In Small Social Assistance Nonprofits, Andrea Purnell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Engaging employees during crises is an important issue in the nonprofit sector, where resource limitations constrain leaders’ options. Leaders of small assistance nonprofits are often concerned that disengaged employees may negatively affect productivity and organizational performance. Guided by the transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry project was to explore effective strategies used by leaders of small social assistance nonprofits in Northern California to enhance employee engagement during crisis situations. The participants consisted of eight chief officers and executive directors from small social assistance nonprofits in Northern California, all of whom had developed effective strategies to mitigate …

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, …

Organizational Leadership Strategies For Growing Membership In A Start-Up Online Business, Pascale Rheault

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Leaders of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play a critical role in driving the global economy; however, online start-ups often face high failure rates within their first year. Some start-up leaders fail to implement effective promotional strategies, hindering their ability to succeed in a competitive market. Grounded in the Baldrige performance excellence framework, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore effective strategies business leaders use to grow membership in an online start-up business. The participants were two senior leaders in the Toronto region’s start-up sector. Data were collected using semistructured interviews as well as a review …

Strategic Esg Challenge For The Power Industry, Dariusz Michalski, Karol Borkowski, Daniel Borkowski

internetowy Kwartalnik Antymonopolowy i Regulacyjny (internet Quarterly on Antitrust and Regulation)

The purpose of the article is to identify necessary changes in the business strategy of power companies, responding to the challenges of sustainable development. This topic is extremely important for filling the existing gap in research and in the literature in management science. It is also of great relevance for the practical aspects of the operation of power companies in today’s context, where they face increasing pressure to integrate environmental, social and governance (ESG, Environment, Social, Govermance) issues into their business strategy. Hence, the article aims to present the challenges and opportunities associated with integrating sustainability into the strategies of …

Entire Issue Vol. 13 No. 3

internetowy Kwartalnik Antymonopolowy i Regulacyjny (internet Quarterly on Antitrust and Regulation)

Vol. 13(3)

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 …

The Influence Of Heat Therapy On Redox Signaling In Skeletal Muscle, Kimberly Miriam Richard

Theses and Dissertations

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been identified as crucial signaling molecules in skeletal muscle adaptations to exercise and signal for protective pathways within the myofiber. Pathological heat stress studies in animals demonstrate the ability of heat to increase ROS production in skeletal muscle. Limited data on the influence of therapeutic heat on ROS production and redox signaling in human skeletal muscle exists in the literature. The purpose of this study was to assess ROS production and redox signaling in human skeletal muscle following an acute, therapeutic bout of heat treatment. We hypothesized that heat would create an oxidized environment within …

Phosphorus Adsorption Capacity Of Volcanic Scoria, Easton Jeffrey Perkins

Theses and Dissertations

Phosphorus (P) pollution in stormwater runoff poses a significant threat to water quality, contributing to eutrophication and ecosystem degradation. This research evaluates the potential of volcanic scoria (VSco), an abundant and cost-effective resource in Utah, USA, to influence P concentrations in urban stormwater systems. Batch adsorption experiments examined the behavior of VSco across three particle sizes—fine (<0.841 mm), medium (0.841–2 mm), and granular (2.38–9.5 mm)—under conditions mimicking stormwater scenarios. The results reveal that fine VSco exhibited higher adsorption efficiency than medium and granular sizes, achieving notable P removal at higher concentrations. However, at lower concentrations, fine VSco showed potential for P release due to desorption of pre-existing P. Medium and granular VSco showed minimal adsorption capacity and, in some cases, acted as P sources, highlighting a dual potential depending on stormwater conditions. Adsorption isotherms indicate that the adsorption behavior of fine VSco aligns with the Langmuir model, with a finite and relatively low adsorption capacity. Calculated distribution coefficient (Kd) values for fine VSco ranged from 0.04 to 0.005 L/g, indicating weak adsorption efficiency compared to materials like activated carbon (1–10 L/g) or soils with moderate adsorption capacity (0.1–0.5 L/g). Loss-on-ignition tests confirmed that VSco’s performance is driven by its physical and chemical properties, particularly its calcium content, rather than organic matter. The study emphasizes caution in applying fine VSco for stormwater remediation due to its potential to release P under typical runoff conditions. However, fine VSco may still be viable in specific scenarios where P levels are higher, such as in stormwater hotspots or localized areas with elevated concentrations, allowing for targeted remediation. The research underscores the need for further testing to refine VSco’s applications, particularly in low-impact development (LID) practices, such as infiltration basins and rain gardens, to effectively manage P levels while supporting ecological and aesthetic goals. These findings contribute to understanding the complex role of VSco in urban stormwater systems, offering insights for sustainable water quality management and nutrient cycling in urban landscapes.

Experimental Investigation On Shrinkage Effect Of Ultra‑High Performance Concrete Under Steam Curing, Li Bing, Yang Tengyu, Fang Changle, Luo Zirun, Li Chuanxi, Tan Ke

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

Determining the free shrinkage of U HPC is an important basis for analyzing the shrinkage effect of steel UHPC composite bridge deck.Therefore，based on the UHPC materials to be used in a project，three batches of UHPC free shrinkage specimens were made，and three specimens were made in each batch.By testing the strain and temperature of specimens during curing，the free shrinkage strain-age curve and temperature-age curve of UHPC were obtained.The development and variation law of UHPC shrinkage strain are discussed.Based on the experimental results，the equivalent time is introduced on the basis of Arrhenius empirical formula，and a modified model of free shrinkage is proposed.Finally，based …

Mechanical And Vegetative Performance Of Bamboo Fiber‑Reinforced Eco‑Concrete With Recycled Aggregate, Li Tao, Deng Bofan, He Maolin, Liu Ting, Chen Houde

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

In response to the current common urban construction waste disposal issue，this study utilized processed recycled construction waste aggregate and bamboo waste materials to produce bamboo fiber-reinforced eco-concrete with recycled aggregate.By adjusting the dosage of bamboo fiber，the effects of the dosage of bamboo fiber on the mechanical and vegetative performance of the concrete were systematically analyzed by means of orthogonal tests and verification methods.The test results indicate that bamboo fiber enhances the toughness of eco-concrete significantly.Particularly，when the dosage of bamboo fiber exceeds 3.0 kg/m3，there is a significant enhancement in the tensile performance of the eco-concrete with recycled aggregate.Due to the spatial …

Curing Law And Road Performance Of Polyurethane Mixture, Sun Shengkai, Zheng Mao, Tang Xiong, Liu Li, Zhong Shengran, Si Te

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

Polyurethane mixture is composed of polyurethane binder，rubber particles，and stones.Compared with ordinary asphalt mixture，it has the characteristics of a higher content of rubber particles and large void ratios.This article first tested the viscosity-time curve and viscosity-temperature curve of one-component polyurethane and determined the compaction temperature of the polyurethane mixture.Based on the rutting test，three-point bending test，water immersion Marshall test，freeze-thaw splitting test，and pendulum friction test，the road performance of the polyurethane mixture under different replacement amounts of rubber particles was tested.The research results show that the mixing temperature of PU- 1 polyurethane mixture can be basically controlled between 73 ℃ and 81 ℃，and it …

Elimination Method Of Temperature Lag Effect In Deformation Monitoring Data Of Cable‑Stayed Bridge Structures, Liu Hongshuang, Zhai Wenqiang, Zeng Guoliang

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

There is a temperature lag effect in the deformation monitoring data of the bridge structure.Eliminating the temperature lag effect is of great significance in the health monitoring of the bridge structure.Based on the linear correlation between the deformation of the bridge structure and the temperature，this paper applied the goodness of fit test and proposed a time-domain translation elimination method.On this basis，by taking the long-term synchronous monitoring of the tower inclination，beam end displacement，main girder deflection，and temperature data of a cable-stayed bridge as an example，this method was used to eliminate the temperature lag effect in the deformation monitoring data and compared with …

Sensitivity Analysis Of Parameters Of Cable‑Stayed Bridges With Full Floating Spatial Frame, Liu Anqing, Yan Tengfei, Zheng Pengju, Gu Yanlin, Li Jie, Wang Qiang

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

In order to clarify the influence of design parameters on the mechanical behavior of a cable-stayed bridge of a floating system，a finite element model of the bridge was established by using the finite element analysis software MIDAS/Civil based on a single-tower double-cable plane steel-concrete composite beam cable-stayed bridge with full floating spatial frame.The sensitivity of parameters such as temperature effect，secondary dead load，and support system in the completed bridge state was analyzed and compared with the semi-floating system of the bridge.The results show that temperature and secondary dead load have a significant impact on the deflection and stress of the main …

Segment Connection Mod E For Stiffening Girder Hoisting Construction Of Long‑Span Steel Truss Girder Suspension Bridge, Shao Guangmiao, Pan Q Uan, Yan Donghuang, Xu Hongsheng

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

In the process of stiffening girder construct ion of a long-span steel truss girder suspension bridge，different connection modes of stiffening girder segments will directly affect the internal force，alignment，and bridge state of the structure during construction.By taking the construction of the stiffening girder of a bridge as the research background，the finite element model of the whole process of the bridge was established.The advantages and disadvantages of the segmented hinge method and the segmented rigid connection method were compared，and the two-two segmented rigid connection scheme was proposed.On this basis，according to the changing law of steel truss section alignment and lower chord opening …

Linkage Control Method For Expressway Toll Stations And Plane Intersections, Lei Qing, Wang Zhaoyong, Wu Yurong, Jiang Weiwei, Luo Zhongbin

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

In order to solve the problem of vehicle queuing overflow caused by the mismatch between the expressway toll stations and the capacity of plane intersections，the formula for calculating the maximum queue length was given by analyzing the traffic operation characteristics between toll stations and plane intersections and considering vehicles ’ lane-changing behavior.Due to the strong coupling of the traffic operation between toll stations and plane intersections caused by a short distance between them，a unified linkage control optimization model was established.The research shows that if the queue length in the connecting direction of the plane intersections exceeds the allowable maximum queue …

Research On T‑Beam System With Diaphragm Based On Intelligent Construction, Liu Lang, Tao Qiyu, Xu Qigang

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

The traditional precast T-beam faces issues such as excessive diaphragms，difficult formwork installation and removal，and low levels of intelligence in intelligent bridge construction.To address these issues，this paper focused on the optimization of the number of diaphragms and the application of prefabricated diaphragms.By analyzing different diaphragm configuration schemes and comparing the contributions of prefabricated diaphragms and precast diaphragms to the lateral stiffness of the bridge，this paper deeply explored the impact of diaphragms on bridge performance.The research results indicate that the T-beam system with fewer diaphragms is feasible in intelligent construction，but the system without diaphragms places higher demands on the performance of bridge …

3d Reconstruction Method Of Tunnel Surrounding Rock Fracture Based On Vtk, Liu Houxiang, Su Heng

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

Fracture parameters are important reference factors for surrounding rock stability analysis.To realize the visualization analysis of surrounding rock fractures，this paper proposed a three-dimensional （3D） reconstruction method of surrounding rock fractures based on the visualization toolkit （VTK）.Firstly，the collected tunnel surrounding rock images were preprocessed by OpenCV for image grayscale and noise reduction.Secondly，the Otsu method and the open operation in morphology were used to segment the image，and the complete surrounding rock fracture map was obtained.Then，the median method was used to replace the linear interpolation method with the traditional Marching Cubes algorithm in VTK to calculate the equivalent point，and the improved Marching Cubes …

Letter To The Editor [Rev. Michael S. Mulberry ], Michael S. Mulberry

Postville Project Documents

Opinion letter from a religious leader from north central Illinois reflecting on the response of the people of Postville to the Agriprocessors raid he saw on a visit. he expresses gratitude on how they supported those impacted by the raid while the town is going through the aftershocks of the raid.

Title Vii & The First Amendment: Perpetuating The Lack Of Asian American Representation In The Entertainment Industry, Mandri Randeniya

Loyola of Los Angeles Entertainment Law Review

No abstract provided.