Digital Commons Network^™

Pa Dent J Nov 2019

Pennsylvania Dental Journal

The Pennsylvania Dental Journal is produced by the Pennsylvania Dental Association six times a year, in January, March, May, July, September and November. Issues include regular columns with regional news impacting the Pennsylvania membership including editorial and government relations news, association activities, member updates, continuing education opportunities, and classifieds.

Health And Safety-Led Structural Decision-Making In Urban Regeneration: A Case Study Of A Former Night Club Redevelopment In Northampton, Uk, David Oloke

CIB Conferences

Urban regeneration projects in constrained town-centre sites present complex challenges where health and safety (H&S), buildability, cost, and programme must be balanced alongside planning and housing delivery objectives. This paper examines the regeneration of a former night club site in Northampton, UK, which has secured planning permission for a new three-storey residential development comprising 19 flats to address identified local housing needs. The study uses an exploratory case study approach based on planning documents, design review evidence, indicative cost/ programme comparison and H&S criteria. This aided the selection of the adopted structural solution—namely a steel frame with precast concrete floors …

A Multi-Fidelity Approach For Forecasting Seismic Responses In Building Structures, Quynh Doan Thi Mai, Viet Hung Dang, Trong Phu Nguyen

CIB Conferences

In this study, a hybrid physics-based and data-driven model is proposed to reliably forecast the dynamic responses of structures under time-varying excitations. While detailed physics-based models are accurate, they are computationally intensive; conversely, purely data-driven models are efficient but highly dependent on data quality and volume. The proposed hybrid approach bridges this gap by combining a fast, low-fidelity physics-based model with a data-driven corrector to predict the residuals between the low-fidelity approximation and the high-fidelity target. Specifically, the low-fidelity physical model relies on a multi-degree-of-freedom mass-spring-damper system, while the data-driven corrector is based on a selective state-space neural network. The …

Perceptions Of Legitimacy In Three Forms Of Probation Supervision For People With Serious Mental Illness, Sophia Sarantakos, Emily Claypool

Qualitative Criminology (QC)

"In the context of criminal-legal community supervision, standard and specialized probation officers are often tasked with coordinating services for adults diagnosed with serious mental illness (SMI) on their caseloads. The coordination of services varies across different programs including traditional probation, specialty probation, and mental health court. Given the proliferation of programs focused on mental health in the criminal-legal system, the perspectives of front-line workers or street-level bureaucrats in criminal-legal agencies are a rich source of information about what is happening on the ground and could provide insights into the potential translational barriers of policy to practice. A deeper examination of …

A Qualitative Analysis Of Gender Inequality In Southeast Missouri Law Enforcement Agencies, Madeline Marie Whistler, Christopher Bradley, H. Hamner Hill

Qualitative Criminology (QC)

"Does gender inequality impact the careers of female law enforcement officers in the Southeast Missouri region? Using a qualitative single instrumental case study, seven cis-gendered female law enforcement officers who were employed at local law enforcement agencies within the Southeast Missouri region were interviewed to investigate the central research question. Four themes emerged from the data that illustrated their experiences: sexual exploitation and harassment, a lack of work-life balance, the presence of gender stereotypes, and patriarchal hierarchy and male dominance in the workplace. The findings suggest that the experiences of female law enforcement officers are heavily impacted by the behavior …

The Kashmir Conflict After The Abrogation Of Articles 370 And 35a Of The Indian Constitution: Geopolitical Dynamics And Human Security Implications, Rizwan Ali

Dissertations and Theses

The abrogation of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution on August 5, 2019, revoked the special autonomous status of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) under the Indian administration. It further bifurcated it into two Union Territories under central Indian control. The move came amid a severe security lockdown and communication blackout that lasted for months. It was followed by instrumental legal, social, and economic developments that directly affected the area’s disputed status and the human rights of its residents. This research examines the geopolitical and human security implications of the abrogation and subsequent developments through a qualitative, analytical design, integrating Edward …

People Who Use Opioids’ Encounters With Criminal Justice Personnel: A Qualitative Analysis, Barbara J. Costello

Sociology and Anthropology Faculty Publications

There is little research in the U.S. on the interactions of people who use opioids (PWUO) with criminal justice personnel, from their perspective. This study reports on the experiences with police and criminal justice personnel of 27 men and women in treatment for substance use disorder. In-depth interviews revealed that many respondents had had aversive experiences with the criminal justice system, including both physical and verbal abuse. Very few report receiving information on treatment from police. The evidence suggests that many police officers do not view opioid use disorder as a medical condition, and instead stigmatize PWUO. This study reveals …

Exploring Workplace Wellness Programs From A Correctional Officer’S Perspective, Lolita Jeaneen Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Understanding The Relationship Between Community Violence Exposure, Self-Compassion, And Ptsd In Chicago, Hadeel Hasan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Child Sexual Abuse: What Utahns Need To Know, Brie Sparks, Susan R. Madsen

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

Child sexual abuse is a serious and often hidden issue affecting children, families, and communities in Utah. It is frequently misunderstood and underreported, leaving many children without the support they need. Misperceptions about who is at risk and how abuse occurs can make prevention more difficult. Addressing child sexual abuse requires greater awareness, education, and a shared commitment to creating safe environments where children are protected and supported. Preventing abuse and reducing its long-term impacts is a critical responsibility for individuals, families, and communities in Utah.

Data Privacy In Vietnam’S Banking Sector, Bich Thao Nguyen

Washington International Law Journal

No abstract provided.

"But Oh, What Harm Those Basics Would Cause": How Journalists Can Better Interview Vulnerable Sources Utilizing An Ethic Of Care, Noah Carandanis

University Honors Theses

Traditional journalistic ethics have emphasized detachment from sources and objectivity guiding journalists' practices. In this thesis, I explore the contribution of care ethics to the field of journalistic ethics, emphasizing care in relation to interviewing vulnerable sources. I claim that the traditional objective, detached ethical status quo in journalism is insufficient in the context of reporting on mass shootings. This thesis argues that caring journalistic practices should be utilized when interviewing traumatized, vulnerable sources. In the first part, I present the issue of traditional journalistic practices through my personal experiences. I also discuss the philosophical underpinnings to journalist's objectivity criterion. …

Industrial Democracy: Unionization, Power, And Control In Rockefeller’S Southern Colorado, Ava Welty

Undergraduate Theses, Capstones, and Recitals

By 1914, democracy was clearly connected to America’s political ethos, and Wilson and Frank Walsh only amplified the term. Against this backdrop, labor and CF&I sought to define their movement as aligned with the national project of industrial democracy, despite having divergent understandings of the term. CF&I and Rockefeller built upon decades of social betterment, in addition to new ideas of company unionism to create their definition of industrial democracy, while workers returned to union recognition as a tool of power to construct their definition of industrial democracy. This paper argues that conflicting definitions of industrial democracy after the Ludlow …

Open Materials For Ant-Psy 210, Sex And Culture, Melissa Zavala

Open Educational Resources

Sex and Culture explores the cultural construction of human sexuality from the framework of the individual in society. Students will examine the social learning of sexual behaviors, beliefs and practices. Analytic focus will include how culturally prescribed gender roles for men and women inform notions of right and wrong. Specific topics may include institutionalized gender inequality, marriage and the family, homophobia and other issues involved in the relationship between sex and culture. All topics will be considered from a historical and cross-cultural perspectives.

The Weight Of Discretion: Examining Perceptions, Decision-Making, And Overrepresentation In Canada's Youth Criminal Justice System, Adrienne Graham

Dalhousie Journal of Legal Studies

The Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA) has changed the way that youth encounter Canada’s criminal justice system. While the reintegration and rehabilitation goals of the YCJA have decreased overall youth custody rates, Black and Indigenous youth continue to be treated differently than other youth. This paper examines the overrepresentation of Black and Indigenous youth in the criminal justice system, the impact of poverty on police oversurveillance, various policing practices, and the role of extrajudicial measures. Through discussing youth perceptions on police legitimacy alongside police perceptions of youth, this paper will demonstrate that in order to further the principles …

Explaining Compassionate Release: A Machine Learning Study Of Sentencing Modifications & Judicial Decision Making, Max Alderman, Arash Barfar, Dana Edberg

Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review

In 2018, Congress passed the First Step Act, amending 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(1)(A) to permit federally incarcerated individuals to directly petition district courts for early release. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of individuals did so, citing staggering prison death rates and asserting that further incarceration unjustly imperiled their health. Largely unprepared for the deluge, district courts granted 25.7 percent of those petitions. Without precedent to guide them, their decisions were and remain highly discretionary, based on dozens of interrelated variables and legal factors. Those decisions are also largely insulated from appellate review.

The FSA’s amendments and the …

Defining The Opioid Crisis And The Limited Role Of The Criminal Justice System Resolving It, Julie A. Warren

University of Memphis Law Review

No abstract provided.

"Il-Lingwa Tal-Kċina": The Advocacy For The Maltese Language, 1930s–1940s, Elisabeth Fiorini

Lawrence University Honors Projects

In this project I investigate the understudied history of Malta and the Maltese language, focusing on the period of the Second World War. Going through newspaper archives and survivors’ accounts, I untangle the complex cultural shifts occurring in the British Colony of Malta, specifically with language. I argue that it was the intense bombing campaign of Fascist Italy––and later Nazi Germany––that led to the Maltese people to finally reject the Italian language and embrace their indigenous language along with British influences. This paper goes into the complex political and colonial history, looking at the British led breakdown of the diglossic …

Emotion Work In Emergency Communication Workers: A Mixed-Methods Analysis On Well-Being, Katherine Luann Sweeney

ETDs from 2020-2029

Emergency communication workers play a vital role in public safety and healthcare, but they are frequently an overlooked population when studying well-being. With a survey sample size of N=336, and an interview sample size of N=24, this dissertation utilizes a mixed-methods approach to explore what kind of factors influence dispatcher well-being. The mixed-methods findings lead to three important outcomes. First, there are detrimental consequences of shift work on dispatchers’ overall health. Second, dispatchers report high levels of emotional exhaustion, stress, and trauma exposure. The qualitative findings suggest that the rewards associated with helping people outweigh the mental health consequences. Lastly, …

Assessing Psychological Trauma And Resilience In Collegiate Ems Providers: A Quantitative Study Of Risk And Protective Factors, Maribeth Olivia Novsak

Theses and Dissertations

Collegiate Emergency Medical Service (EMS) providers are routinely exposed to potentially traumatic events while simultaneously managing academic responsibilities, yet limited research has examined psychological outcomes within this population. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among trauma exposure, PTSD symptom severity, resilience, and perceived social support among collegiate EMS providers. A quantitative, cross-sectional design was employed using a self-report survey administered to collegiate EMS personnel across multiple institutions. The final sample consisted of 26 participants. Results indicated that trauma exposure was significantly positively associated with PTSD symptom severity, suggesting that increased exposure to critical incidents is linked …

Enhanced Uav Surveillance With Rf-Based Drone Identification Using Transfer Learning, Prajoy Podder, Maciej Jan Zawodniok, Sanjay Madria

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

With the development of technology and the decrease in costs, drones are now becoming easily accessible to the public. As the accessibility of this technology continues to grow, the concerns of security and surveillance increase, and to ensure a sense of security, the need to have reliable drone detection and identification systems is more urgent than ever. Besides, many civilian applications have been found for drones, which play a huge role in modern security and warfare. Unauthorized drones can be very dangerous regarding security issues, as they can be used for spying, smuggling, or even attacks against critical infrastructure. We …

Adopting Critical Power Grid Infrastructure Technologies: An Organizational Cybersecurity Assessment Against Ransomware, Fayez Alsoubaie

Dissertations and Theses

For many years, researchers and practitioners have studied emerging technologies in field of energy production and distribution. Power grid systems carry major weights in the energy branch of the economy. Researchers and scientists have been interested in finding ways to connect the power grid gap and improve protection for its technologies.

The research supports organizational adoption and prioritization of critical cybersecurity technologies for ransomware protection in power grid infrastructure. As utilities increasingly integrate digital technologies, they become more vulnerable to sophisticated cyberattacks that can disrupt services and put public safety at risk. The main focus of the study is to …

Designing Safer School Routes In Busan, South Korea: Living Lab Approach To Child-Centered Traffic Safety, Yong-Ki Lee

DRS Biennial Conference Series

Urban traffic environments in Busan, South Korea, often remain poorly adapted to the needs of children, despite infrastructure-based safety measures. This paper reports on a Living Lab project for co-creating safer school commuting environments through participatory service design. Researchers, elementary school students, parents, residents, and local authorities collaboratively identified critical issues, generated design ideas, and evaluated context-specific interventions. This paper synthesizes the Living Lab as both a methodological framework and a civic learning ecosystem by tracing how stakeholders’ perceptions, roles, and capacities evolved through iterative co-design, mapping, and prototyping activities. The findings highlight the potential of Living Labs to bridge …

Changing The Lens: Micro-Systemic Change Through Design Interventions, David Perez, Nuri Kwon

DRS Biennial Conference Series

This paper examines how design-led activities function as micro-systemic interventions that can influence people’s perceptions, actions and decision-making towards the futures. Using the optical metaphor of a design lens, we reinterpret Voros’ (2003) Futures Cone as a flexible field of vision that can be focused, dispersed, or magnified through design. The “design lens” serves as a conceptual framework comprising three components: design settings, information, and collectiveness. We apply this lens to two projects: a speculative walking workshop for policymaking, and a creative engagement project with residents in a social housing redevelopment. The aim is to examine how these elements interacted …

Should Sustainability Come Second? Artifact Analysis Toward More Positive Outcomes Through Design, Michael C. Kowalski, Jungkyoon Yoon

DRS Biennial Conference Series

While academic research on design for sustainability and design for subjective well-being has grown for decades, application of these perspectives in professional practice remains underdeveloped. Professional designers often struggle to translate these objectives into their work due to conflicting demands, including tight project timelines, cost targets, and manufacturing constraints. Tools and methods developed in academic contexts have faced criticism for failing to consider these practical concerns, resulting in limited professional adoption. Studies indicate professional designers could benefit from concrete case-studies for existing products and systems that clearly demonstrate both processes and outcomes. This paper addresses this need through an artifact-analysis …

Civic Imagining: Participatory Speculative Design And Its Opportunities In Civic Service Design, Isabel Regina Meriales

DRS Biennial Conference Series

This exploratory research discusses participatory speculative design (PSD) in the context of understanding its potential opportunities for civic service design (CSD) and for practicing designers in this growing field. This study employs a critical lens, with consideration to existing criticisms regarding the design practice, and how to navigate through potential barriers in civic service design. The research paper explores the approach of participatory speculative design, and how it might inform civic service design and its designers today.

The ‘Cuteness Matrix’: Mapping Cuteness As An Affective Strategy For Purpose-Led Communication Design, Guo Yi Xian Yix, Mimi Nguyen, David Preston

DRS Biennial Conference Series

Cuteness is often dismissed as trivial or decorative. Yet research across neuroscience, psychology, and cultural theory reveals it as a powerful affective force that captures attention, evokes empathy, and encourages prosocial behaviour and well-being. Cute’s affective potency also renders it ethically ambivalent, capable of manipulation as much as comfort. Despite its ubiquity, cuteness remains under-theorised in design research, a notable gap for a discipline concerned with communication, emotion, and human connection. Addressing this gap, this study conducts an interpretive systematic literature review of publications from 1943 to 2025, identifying 65 key scholarly sources. Interdisciplinary insights are synthesized into the ‘Cuteness …

Reframing Narratives: Remedies For Improved Human Trafficking Coverage, Stefanie Henriques

The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal

The global rise in human trafficking is not receiving adequate media attention. While newspaper coverage of the topic has increased, current research argues that the issue is framed with a lack of diversity, limiting audience understanding of its complexity. Some researchers also note that coverage disproportionately focuses on sex trafficking, with minimal attention directed to other forms of trafficking such as the labor or organ trade. This paper conducts a narrative literature analysis of media research on human trafficking, drawing on framing theory to identify dominant frames in media messaging and synthesize cross-cultural factors that impact how the issue is …

A Fission Decision: The Case For Extending Diablo Canyon’S Nuclear Operation, Isabelle Tyler

San Diego Journal of Climate & Energy Law

This Article examines the regulatory decisions and policy debates surrounding Diablo Canyon in the wake of recent legislation aimed at extending the plant’s operational timeline. Presenting a balanced analysis of the arguments both for and against the closure, this Article explores how the new bill reshapes the conversation around the plant’s future. While proponents of the shutdown emphasize safety concerns and the goal of an all-renewable grid, this Article argues that closing Diablo Canyon would hinder California’s decarbonization efforts and jeopardize energy reliability amid increasing power shortages and extreme weather events. By analyzing legal precedents, energy data, and environmental impacts, …

International Commitments Of Japan’S Prefectures With Foreign States: Empirical Patterns, Authority, And Legal Nature, Yuhei Matsuyama

Brooklyn Journal of International Law

Under international law, sovereign states are the primary subjects of rights and obligations and possess the authority to conclude treaties. Domestic constitutions typically allocate foreign affairs powers to national governments. Nonetheless, subnational governments—including prefectures—regularly engage in international activities. In some federal systems, constituent units are expressly authorized by their constitutions to conclude international agreements. By contrast, the Constitution of Japan vests foreign affairs authority exclusively in the national executive and is silent on the authority of prefectural governments. This Article uncovers and analyzes approximately 180 previously unexamined international commitments concluded by Japanese prefectural governments with foreign states, identified through information …