Digital Commons Network^™

1981, Carliss N. Chatman

Faculty Journal Articles and Book Chapters

42 U.S.C. § 1981 should have solved a pervasive problem in American capitalism—when white economic interests do not converge with the contract rights of Black people, they are excluded from the market in a way that causes systemic harm. This Article proposes that the failure to enforce 1981 in the past may render it more harmful than beneficial in the present climate of retrenchment. The realities of racism combine with the lack of economic interest convergence to make combatting contract inequality on a contract-by-contract basis legally precarious, nearly impossible to properly evaluate, and difficult to economically incentivize. This is in …

How The Sui Generis Principle Has Been Historically Abused In International Law: From The British To The Israelis, Ahmad Hamdan

Human Rights Brief

I. Introduction

For over a century, powerful actors have used a single Latin phrase, sui generis, as a shield to evade accountability under international law. Meaning “of its own kind,” this theory dictates that a situation is so unique that ordinary rules should not apply. In international law, sui generis typically refers to situations or entities that cannot easily be categorized under existing legal frameworks or conventions. Its use indicates that there is no directly applicable precedent and that, as a result, no legal principles apply; instead, the situation itself will set the precedent. While some researchers argue that …

Strengthening Rural Health Care: A Scoping Review Of Nurse Recruitment And Retention Strategies, Kelley Arredondo, Laura Witte, Alexander Paterson-Roberts, Alexandra Caloudas, Matthew Vincenti, Bradley V Watts, Bronwyn Sutherland, Hilary Touchett

Library Staff Publications

Background: Despite nursing being the largest US health profession, only 16% of registered nurses (RNs) practice in rural areas, where health care access is limited. This significantly impacts rural residents, including over 2.7 million rural veterans receiving care at the Veterans Health Administration, leading to compromised health outcomes. Nurses are vital in primary care, improving coordination and management of chronic conditions.

Objectives: Identify recruitment and retention programs for rural nurses (licensed vocational nurses/licensed practical nurses and RNs), including strategy characteristics and location.

Research design: We conducted a scoping review of published and gray literature. Eligible studies targeted US rural nurse …

A Cause Sprinkled With Blood: The Life Of Owen Lovejoy, Abolitionist, Pastor And Congressman, Owen Bryant Lovejoy

Books

No abstract provided.

A Generalist Institutional Data Repository Offering Both Open And Restricted Access To Support Nih Data Sharing Compliance., Seonyoung Kim, Xing Jian, Marcy Vana

Becker Library Publications and Presentations

In response to the 2023 NIH Data Management and Sharing (DMS) Policy, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis launched Digital Commons Data@Becker, a generalist institutional data repository supporting both open and restricted access to research data. Managed by Bernard Becker Medical Library's DMS Team, the repository offers a fully mediated curation workflow that guides researchers through consultation, metadata capture, documentation, and quality control. Draft Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) can be issued once access type is determined, with final DOI publication following curation and QC. Restricted datasets require Human Research Protection Office (HRPO) review and Data Transfer and Use …

Investigation Of Educational And Social Factors Affecting Health Outcomes In The United States, Maxx Cadmus, Saiprashanthi Thota

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Although increasing levels of educational attainment has been linked to stronger health outcomes in the United States, the mechanism behind this relationship and quantifiable relationship warrants further investigation. It is hypothesized that increasing level of educational achievement leads to improved job placement, higher wages, and improved health literacy, which directly contribute towards stronger health outcomes. The objective of this study was to further investigate the link between education and health outcomes through a variety of social and environmental parameters as reported in the County Health Rankings (CHR) dataset. Healthy counties were categorized as those that received a ranking of 5 …

American Board Of Emergency Medicine Report On Residency And Fellowship Training Information (2025-2026), Yvette Calderon, Barry Knapp, Felix K. Ankel, Ted Gaeta, Lynne Holden, Derek Linklater, Zeno St. Cyr Ii, Ernest Wang, Melissa Barton, Andrews R. Trotter, Kevin Joldersma, Robert G. Purosky, Michael Gottlieb

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

The American Board of Emergency Medicine gathers extensive background information on Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited emergency medicine residency and fellowship programs, as well as the residents and fellows training in those programs. We present the 2026 annual report on the status of physicians training in Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited emergency medicine training programs in the United States.

A Comprehensive Analysis Of Jurisdiction-Specific Laws Related To Scheduling Or Required Prescription Drug Monitoring Of Gabapentin In The United States, 2016–2024, Katherine Gora Combs, Rachel Vickers-Smith, Collin Stewart, Daniel Wacker, Juan M Hincapie-Castillo

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Gabapentin prescription use has increased across the United States since the late 2000s. Concerns of potential misuse and growing overdose involvement have led to the passage of jurisdiction-specific policies targeting gabapentin prescribing; however, the current legal landscape of these policies is not well documented or understood. We conducted a comprehensive, longitudinal analysis of policies related to scheduling or required prescription drug monitoring of gabapentin across 51 jurisdictions in the United States from January 2016 through December 2024. Across the study period, 25 jurisdictions (49 %) enacted policies related to gabapentin scheduling or required prescription reporting. Eight (16 %) jurisdictions classified …

Elementary Teachers’ Perspectives On Science Of Reading Mandates: A Q Methodology Study Of Autonomy And Cultural Responsiveness, Gui Ying Annie Yang-Heim

Faculty Publications - College of Education

This study examines elementary teachers’ perspectives on Science of Reading (SoR) mandates, with particular attention to tensions between instructional autonomy and cultural responsiveness. Using Q methodology, 26 elementary literacy teachers sorted 48 statements reflecting beliefs about literacy instruction, assessment, and equity. Factor analysis with varimax rotation yielded 3 distinct factors, with significant loading set at ± 0.37 (p <  .01). The resulting factor structures reveal differentiated viewpoints regarding the perceived benefits and constraints of SoR-aligned policies. While some teachers emphasized the value of structured, skills-based instruction for supporting early reading development, others foregrounded concerns about reduced professional autonomy and the marginalization of culturally responsive and contextually grounded practices. Post-sort interviews were analyzed alongside factor arrays to support interpretation and to clarify how teachers articulated the reasoning underlying their rankings. The findings indicate that teachers’ responses to SoR mandates are not uniformly oppositional or compliant but reflect nuanced negotiations among policy expectations, professional judgment, and commitments to equity. By integrating quantitative patterning with qualitative interpretation, this study contributes methodologically to Q research in education and substantively to ongoing debates about prescriptive literacy reforms and culturally responsive teaching.

The Mediating Effect Of Socioeconomic Status And Persistent Poverty On Racial And Ethnic Disparities In Pediatric Cancer Mortality In The United States, Josiane Kabayundo, Apu Das, Cheng Zheng, Emma Hymel, Krishtee Napit, Shinobu Watanabe-Galloway

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

BACKGROUND: Socioeconomic (SE) factors have been shown to mediate racial and ethnic disparities in adult cancer mortality. However, evidence in pediatric cancer is limited, especially at finer geographic levels.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the mediating effect of socioeconomic status (SES) and persistent poverty in racial and ethnic disparities in childhood cancer mortality using census tract-level data.

METHODS: Data were obtained from the 2006-2020 SEER Incidence Data with Census Tract Attributes Database and included children 0-19 years. Neighborhood-level SES was measured using a composite variable with five categories. Census tracts were classified as persistently poor if 20% or more of the population lived …

United States Internal Displacement Policy In The Era Of Climate Change, Bashar Zaheer

Saint Louis University Law Journal

At the outset of 2025, the United States was greeted with a series of unprecedented wildfires sweeping through Los Angeles, causing immense damage to property and loss of lives, while thousands were forced to evacuate their homes. This came just months after flooding from Hurricane Helene hit North Carolina and surrounding States, causing at least 130 deaths and rendering many residences uninhabitable. Despite this deepening crisis, the identification and protection of the rights of climate refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (“IDPs”) remains a burgeoning topic internationally, and even more so in the domestic context of the United States. As described …

A Wound Upon The Union: John Quincy Adams And The Treaty Of Indian Springs, Spencer Peacock

Honors Theses and Capstones

This thesis examines the crisis that developed after US president John Quincy Adams signed, then disavowed (allegedly over moral concerns), the fraudulent 1825 Treaty of Indian Springs with the Creek Indian Nation. The thesis probes Adams' motives during the Treaty of Indian Springs crisis, and seeks to connect the crisis to the evolution of US federal Indian policy in the 1820s, prior to the mass Indian removal of the 1830s.

How Historical Experiences Shaped The Italian Constitution: A Comparative Perspective With The United States, Kaitlin M. Rocca

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Facebooking Under Crisis: A Comparative Study Of Online French And American Mutual Aid Organizing During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Clare Reimers-Hejnal

Scripps Senior Theses

This thesis studies the political discussions, practices, and projects that emerged through mutual aid Facebook groups based in France and the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic. Of particular interest is how these online spaces and the Facebook users that comprised them understood their mutual aid organizing in relationship to specific themes, including but not limited to: the COVID-19 pandemic as a "crisis", the role of government presence or absence in the wellbeing of the public, and the concept of collective yet differentiated struggle. Chapter 1 looks at four Facebook pages based in the greater Paris area: Entraide Danube, Clichy …

Modeling Determinants Of Significant Noncompliance In The U.S. Mining Sector: A Fixed Effects Logistic Regression Approach, Eli Johnson

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

This study examines environmental compliance behavior among mining facilities regulated under the U.S. Clean Water Act (CWA). Using a national quarterly panel of National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)-permitted mining facilities, the analysis evaluates whether local socioeconomic and demographic indicators are associated with the likelihood that a facility enters significant noncompliance (SNC) status. Facility compliance histories are compiled from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO) database and is merged with county- and state-level socioeconomic indicators and election data. A fixed-effects logistic regression model is used to account for time-invariant facility heterogeneity. The results suggest that …

Fading Prestige: A Comparative Analysis Of Trademark Dilution's Impact On Luxury Fashion Brands In The United States And European Union, Pravalika Surakanti

IP Theory

The paper focuses on the concept of trademark dilution in relation to luxury fashion brands in international markets. Focusing on the United States and the European Union, it will look at the different approaches these regions take and how certain holdups in dilution law affect fashion companies’ global brand protection strategies. The paper looks at the application of the Federal Trademark Dilution Act, the EU Trademark Directive, and other essential laws to their respective jurisdictions’ cases to determine the trends of trademark dilution claims. It is found that both regions provide luxury fashion houses with substantial protection; however, the European …

Contemporary Trends In Pediatric Extubation Failure And Noninvasive Respiratory Support Use, Jeremy M Loberger, Mitchell Moore, Matthew Scanlon, Robinder G Khemani, Samer Abu-Sultaneh, Colin M Rogerson

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Prolonged invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) is associated with morbidity and mortality in children. Timely extubation is essential and must balance the competing risks of extubation failure (EF) and prolonged use of noninvasive respiratory support after extubation.

Research question: Did EF risk factors, EF rates, noninvasive respiratory support after extubation practices, and patient-centered outcomes changed between 2013 and 2022?

Study design and methods: Retrospective cross-sectional study of patients younger than 19 years receiving IMV for ≥ 24 hours and extubated between 2013 and 2022 from 158 North American sites in the Virtual Pediatric Intensive Care, LLC, quality improvement database.

Results: …

From Global Norms To Local Implementation: The Sendai Framework, Disaster Risk Reduction, And Human Rights In The United States, Madelyn Schutte

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the extent to which the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and a human rights-based approach (HRBA) are reflected in local level hazard mitigation plans in the United States. This study utilizes a directed qualitative content analysis of a local hazard mitigation plan, using McLean County, Illinois, as a single case study. The Sendai Framework and a HRBA are moderately reflected in McLean County’s hazard mitigation plan, with the most significant omission being a comprehensive discussion of the disproportionate risks faced by vulnerable populations. The results indicate that FEMA guidelines for hazard mitigation plans likely do not …

Elite Perceptions Of The Us’ Commitment To Nato After Russia’S Invasion Of Ukraine: “The Direction Of Travel Is Clear”, Jason W. Davidson

Political Science & International Affairs Articles

This article seeks to explore elite perceptions of the US’ commitment to NATO in the leadup to the 2024 election. It presents findings from ninety-two interviews from 2023 and 2024 with policymakers and analysts from six leading NATO allies. Analysis of the interviews demonstrates that only roughly half of interviewees were concerned with the US’ future commitment to NATO. The bulk of the article seeks to make sense of the variety of responses by categorizing them according to five different worldviews. A domestic political worldview provides an explanation for why some elites were concerned with the prospect of Donald Trump’s …

The Future Of U.S. Higher Education: Equity Implications Of Shifting Immigration Policies, Research Institute For Social Equity Rise

Research Institute for Social Equity

This report examines the impact of U.S. immigration policies on higher education and international students from 2000 to 2025. It traces five major policy eras, from the post- 9/11 security overhaul and Obama-era expansion to the restrictive turns of 2017–2020 and 2025, and analyzes how shifting regulations have influenced enrollment patterns, economic contributions, and student well-being. Despite hosting more than 1.1 million international students in 2023–2024, the U.S. share of the global student market has fallen from 20% to 16%, underscoring how policy volatility and restrictive measures weaken national competitiveness. Drawing on federal data, scholarly research, and institutional reports, this …

[Intorduction To] Shakers At The Center : Manifesting Spirits & Spectacles In Nineteenth-Century America, Douglas L. Winiarski

Bookshelf

Edited by Douglas WIniarski.

"Exploring the theological, social, and cultural dimensions of one of America’s most ambitious prophetic movements

The Shakers’ Era of Manifestations ranks among the most astounding events in American religious history. During the 1840s, members of the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing embarked on an audacious project of receiving visions, revelations, and other manifestations from the spirit world and convincing both themselves and the world’s people of their reality. Gifted Shakers known as “instruments” surrendered their bodies to possessing spirits and celestial beings who, in turn, provided the Believers with an unimaginable number of …

The Impact Of Ufli Phonics Instruction On Second-Grade Reading Outcomes As Measured By The Drc Beacon Reading Assessment, Leari Franklin

Theses and Dissertations

There is mixed empirical evidence that infusion of phonics instruction yields consistent gains on standardized reading assessments, particularly beyond Grade 1. This inconsistency in evidence is problematic for instructional leaders who do not have clear guidance on how much phonics is needed to improve the persistent problem of many students not achieving at grade level on standardized reading assessments. The purpose of this study was to examine potential differences in academic achievement by comparing two cohorts end-of-year Beacon Early Years assessment results at the target school. Specifically, this study compares one cohort of second-grade students who received explicit phonics instruction …

An Analysis Of How Adverse Weather Conditions Impact Concessions Revenue At Live College Sporting Events, Luke V. Eiermann

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Previous literature finds that weather affects consumer behavior, though these findings are conflicting among sports fans. While there have been some studies into weather’s effects on attendance, there has not yet been research into its effects on concessions revenue. This is a topic of interest as adverse weather is increasingly prevalent in consumers’ lives, and learning more about their behavior in response to adverse weather is becoming more important. I performed a fixed effects panel data regression, using weather data sourced from the NOAA and sports and population data sourced from various locations. I did not find significant results for …

A Mixed-Methods Cross-Cultural Analysis Of Trust, Parenting, And Well-Being Of Emerging Adults In The United States And Romania, Matthew Bucaloiu

Honors Theses

Trust is linked to emerging adults’ higher well-being. To our knowledge, few studies explore U.S. and Romanian emerging adults’ trust in others and their parents and their relationships to dimensions of parenting and well-being. This mixed-methods project examines cross-cultural differences and similarities in the relationships between trust, parenting dimensions, and well-being in two countries. With self-report quantitative data from 152 U.S. and 233 Romanian emerging adults, Study 1 found positive correlations between general trust dimensions, trust in mothers and fathers, parental care, and well-being, while psychological control was negatively correlated with trust and well-being. Multiple regression analyses revealed that for …

Adolescent Girls’ Experiences Of Digital Dating Abuse Through Social Media: A Scoping Review, Kiara E. Rodriguez

Social Work Theses

Teen dating violence (TDV) is a prevalent adverse childhood experience with lasting psychological and behavioral consequences. As adolescents increasingly engage with social media, with 95% of teens aged 13-17 reporting using it, digital spaces have become a significant context in which dating abuse can occur. Digital dating abuse (DDA) refers to patterns of abusive behaviors that are directed toward a dating partner through digital technologies, including social media and mobile phones. Despite the growing role of social media in adolescent relationships, research on how adolescent girls experience DDA in these contexts remains limited. The central question for this scoping review …

Northern Luzon In A Taiwan Flashpoint: The Philippines’ Place In U.S. Strategy, Carson Keller

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

While the defense of Taiwan from a potential invasion by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has long been a topic of debate and scrutiny in U.S. strategic thinking, the role of its southern neighbor, the Philippines, has received far less attention. This thesis argues that northern Luzon would constitute key terrain in a cross-strait conflict and may become an early target of People’s Liberation Army (PLA) operations. Its proximity to Taiwan and position along the Luzon Strait, particularly the Bashi Channel, places it at the center of efforts to control access to the hypothetical battlespace. Drawing on PLA and …

Evaluation Of Mycoplasma Genitalium Positivity And Co-Infection With Chlamydia Trachomatis And/Or Neisseria Gonorrhoeae At Various Care Sites Across The United States, Rebecca Lillis, Stacey House, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated Mycoplasma genitalium (MG) positivity and co-infection with Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and/or Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG), based on results from a trial assessing clinical performance of the Cobas® Liat CT/NG/MG point-of-care test.

METHODS: A prospective, US, multicenter, noninterventional study assessed MG positivity in prospective urine samples (male) and clinician-collected vaginal swabs (female) from symptomatic/asymptomatic patients aged ≥14 years attending various clinical settings. Participants were designated positive or negative for MG, CT, and NG based on combined results from three US Food and Drug Administration-approved assays and one laboratory-developed test. MG co-infection with CT and/or NG was assessed.

RESULTS: Among …

The Role Of Home Visiting In Addressing Postpartum Care Gaps: Evidence From A Large Community Sample, Aishwarya Vijay, Allison Kemner, Karen Hoerchler, Abigail Edwards, Jeannie C Kelly, Rachel G Tabak, Mark D Huffman, Zainab Mahmoud

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BackgroundMaternal mortality in the United States has doubled over the last two decades, primarily due to cardiovascular disease, with more than half of deaths occurring postpartum. Despite national calls to action, attendance at postpartum clinic visits remains low. The role of alternative care delivery strategies, such as home visiting, remains insufficiently studied.ObjectiveTo describe postpartum clinic visit attendance among participants in a large national home visiting program, identify sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with attendance, and examine how timing and duration of enrollment relate to postpartum follow-up.DesignWe conducted a retrospective cohort study of pregnancy episodes among mothers enrolled in the Parents …

The Prevalence Of Diabetic Retinopathy In American Indians Or Alaska Natives And Non-Indigenous Americans: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis., Caberry W. Yu, Keean Nanji, Anubhav Garg, Michele Zaman, Jane Jomy, Abdullah El-Sayes, Catherine Sun, Shreyas Bhat, Mark Phillips, Dena Zeraatkar, Jinhui Ma, Enrico Borrelli, Sunir J Garg, David H. Steel, Tien Yin Wong, Sobha Sivaprasad, Charles C. Wykoff, Varun Chaudhary

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

TOPIC: To estimate the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in adult American Indian or Alaska Native (AIAN) and non-AIAN patients with diabetes.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Although diabetes mellitus is more prevalent among AIAN patients compared with non-AIAN patients, the evidence is inconsistent regarding whether AIAN patients have a higher prevalence or severity of DR.

METHODS: We searched Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases from inception through February 23, 2025. We included primary studies evaluating the prevalence of DR in Americans with diabetes. The prevalence of (1) DR, (2) diabetic macular edema (DME), (3) proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), (4) vision-threatening …

Oral Health Access Among Ethnic Minority Older Adults In The United States, Jasleen K. Sodhi

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Oral healthcare is a critical yet often overlooked component of overall health among U.S. adults. Ethnic minorities for older adults face heightened risks of poor oral health and related health conditions, while experiencing disparities in access to care. This study aimed to systematically examine and synthesize existing literature to assess the extent to which oral health disparities exist among ethnic minority older adults in the U.S. and explore the roles of socioeconomic factors on these disparities. Guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework, we conducted a systematic review of peer-reviewed articles published in English …