Digital Commons Network^™

Traveling Jack: Tracing Settler Identity Through Appalachian Folklore, Madelynn R. Green

Endeavors: Mississippi State Undergraduate Research Journal

Archaeology and Folklore have long had a tense relationship, but in an era of archaeology focusing more and more on the current and descendant communities it is imperative for archaeologists to begin engage folklore traditions in their work. By engaging archaeology and folkloric methods both fields can benefit. In the case of this study, I have used the "Traveling Jack" story, a common folk tale with English, Scottish, Irish, and Appalachian versions that involves a young man using his wits to overcome a series of challenges to achieve various happy endings, to trace Scottish and Irish settlement and reinvention in …

Sex-Specific Roles Of The Adipocyte Mineralocorticoid Receptor In Obesity And Early Life Stress, Meghan B. Turner

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences

Obesity is a burgeoning health epidemic caused by chronic overnutrition and exacerbated by genetic, environmental and developmental factors. The adipocyte mineralocorticoid receptor (MR), a transcriptionally active nuclear receptor, is speculated to contribute to metabolic dysfunction in the obese state. MR expression is increased in obese adipose tissue, and MR modulates the expression of fat-derived hormones such as leptin and adiponectin. In women, obesity can be exacerbated by early life stress, such as adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Studies show that women display a positive association between cumulative ACE exposures and increased body mass index. Previously, we demonstrated that maternal separation and …

Front Matter, Jtaa Editors

Suffolk Journal of Trial and Appellate Advocacy

No abstract provided.

Administrative Law—An End To Menthol-Flavored Ends? Third Circuit Upholds Fda’S Application Denial For Menthol-Flavored Vapes—Logic Tech. Dev. Llc V. United States Fda, 84 F.4th 537 (3d Cir. 2023), Brooke Bridges

Suffolk Journal of Trial and Appellate Advocacy

No abstract provided.

Editor's Note, Brooke Bridges

Suffolk Journal of Trial and Appellate Advocacy

No abstract provided.

The Newest Employee Acquisition Tool—Ai: Can Anti-Discrimination Law Regulate Bias And Who Should Be Liable?, Joslyn Kowalski

Suffolk Journal of Trial and Appellate Advocacy

No abstract provided.

Constitutional Law—Meta Acting On Its Own Terms, Or The Government’S? Ninth Circuit Dismisses First Amendment Claim—Children’S Health Def. V. Meta Platforms, Inc., 112 F.4th 742 (9th Cir. 2024), Brooke Bridges

Suffolk Journal of Trial and Appellate Advocacy

No abstract provided.

Online Inclusivity: Mission And Best Practice, Colin P. Marks, Zoe Niesel

Faculty Works

This essay examines the role of inclusivity as a foundational principle in online legal education, arguing that it is essential to fulfilling institutional missions, aligning with established pedagogical best practices, and enhancing the overall learning experience. Drawing on the development of a fully online J.D. program, the piece outlines how inclusivity can be embedded at both the institutional and classroom levels. It highlights strategies for fostering a sense of community among geographically dispersed students, including integrating online learners into broader academic and co-curricular activities, designing courses that balance synchronous and asynchronous instruction, and implementing consistent instructional standards. The essay further …

Generative Ai And Finding The Law, Paul D. Callister

Faculty Works

Legal information science requires, among other things, principles and theories. The article states six principles or considerations that any discussion of generative AI large language models and their role in finding the law must include. The article concludes that law librarianship will increasingly become legal information science and require new paradigms. In addition to the six principles, the article applies ecological holistic media theory to understand the relationship of the legal community’s cognitive authority, institutions, techné (technology, medium and method), geopolitical factors, and the past and future to understand the changes in this information milieu. The article also explains generative …

Nothing Short Of Superheroic: A Quantitative Study Of Lifetime Exposure To Superhero Comic Book Media As A Predictor Of Attitudes Towards Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion, Michael Nguyen

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Leadership Studies

This dissertation examined the relationship between lifetime exposure to superhero comic book media and attitudes toward diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Drawing on theories of identity formation—transitional objects, parasocial relationships, and cultivation theory—it investigated whether engagement with superhero narratives predicted DEI attitudes. Using quantitative methods, data from 499 U.S. adults were collected via Qualtrics. Two instruments were used: the Lifetime Superhero Comic Book Media Exposure Scale (LSES) and the Intolerant Schema Measure (ISM), which assessed prejudice across race, gender, sexuality, class, age, and religion. Multiple linear regression revealed that superhero media exposure significantly predicted ISM scores (B = 0.118, …

Exploring The Collective Efficacy Of Elementary Special Education Teachers And Its Relationship To Distributed Leadership, Emma L. Jones

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Leadership Studies

This study examined the relationship between collective teacher efficacy (CTE) and distributed leadership practices among elementary special education teachers. CTE reflects teachers’ shared belief in their collective ability to improve student outcomes, while distributed leadership emphasizes shared decision-making, collaboration, and shared responsibility across school personnel.

Using a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, the study combined survey data from the Collective Teacher Belief Scale with follow-up interviews. Survey results from 31 special education teachers indicated moderate to high levels of CTE, with slightly greater confidence in managing student behavior than in delivering instruction. Interviews with teachers across varying CTE levels provided deeper …

Molecular Mechanism Of Vibrio Cholerae Biofilm Adhesion, Xin Huang

Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Dissertations

Bacterial biofilms are surface-attached communities of bacterial cells enclosed in an extracellular matrix formed on environmental surfaces and host tissues. Biofilm formation represents a common strategy in facilitating host colonization and infection by human pathogens, and the polymeric matrix provides a mechanism for drug and host immune resistance by acting as a barrier around biofilm-dwelling cells. Bacteria often express multiple adhesive proteins (adhesins), but it is often unclear whether adhesins have specialized or redundant roles. Here, we combine mutagenesis, biochemistry, single-cell imaging, and bioinformatics to show how Vibrio cholerae, the causal agent of pandemic cholera, uses two biofilm-specific adhesins …

Disruption Of The Rhogef Trio In Neurodevelopmental Disorders Leads To Impairments In Multiple Domains Of Function, Amanda Jeng

Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Dissertations

Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) affect the normal development and function of the brain, and include disorders such as autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and epilepsy. While these are diagnostically distinct disorders, NDDs share considerable comorbidities and present with overlapping symptoms. In addition, the risk genes for NDDs overlap significantly, further suggesting shared underlying pathology of these disorders. Mutations in the gene TRIO are enriched in individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders. TRIO encodes a large multidomain protein with two guanine nucleotide exchange factor domains for the Rho family of small GTPases and a putative kinase domain, as well as multiple …

Using The Mand-Model Intervention Strategy To Increase Verbal Or Augmentative And Alternative (Aac) Two-Word Utterances For Requesting Items In A Naturalistic Setting, Morgan A. Williams

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

This project examined the effectiveness of the mand-model milieu teaching strategy for increasing two-word verbal or augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) requests in a classroom. Three students participated. All students demonstrated increased mean length of utterance in words (MLUw) when requesting preferred items. For all students, correct two-word requests improved following a model prompt. Two students showed limited independent requesting following only a mand, while one student met criterion for consistent independent requesting. Other observed outcomes included improved communicative confidence, reduced frustration behaviors, and increased AAC acceptance and generalization across settings for one participant. Findings suggest that the mand-model strategy …

Unveiling Planetary Processes With The Solar System And Exoplanets, William Garrison Levine

Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Dissertations

Both solar system and exoplanet science study the same class of objects to advance our knowledge of fundamental planetary processes. Our solar system provides a detailed view of a single planetary system in one epoch. In contrast, exoplanets offer sparser data from thousands of diverse systems in various evolutionary states. Holistic research on planetary objects must draw from both complementary sources. After introducing this mindset in Chapter 1, Chapters 2-4, each highlight a case study with this philosophy.

Chapters 2 & 3 draw on an emergent pathway to connect the solar system and exoplanets: interstellar small bodies. The discovery of …

No Detected Signal Of The 2022 Epizootic From Multiannual Diadema Antillarum Settlement Data In The Florida Keys, Jason Albrecht

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The sea urchin Diadema antillarum is a key coral reef grazer that remains functionally extinct on many Caribbean reefs following a mass mortality event in 1983–84. In 2022, another widespread mortality event, likely caused by a scuticociliate parasite, again decimated D. antillarum at reefs across the Caribbean. Understanding the population-level impacts of this recent epizootic will be important for coral reef conservation efforts. This study examines multi-year larval settlement data from the Florida Keys to determine if the 2022 mortality event reduced larval settlement. Larval settlement was assessed monthly at three long-term monitoring sites (Delta Shoal, Tennessee Reef, and Pickles …

Replacing This Old House: Certifying And Regulating New Legal Services Providers, Bruce A. Green, M. Ellen Murphy

Faculty Scholarship

This Article comprehensively examines the decisions that state courts must make, and have made to date, when they certify and regulate new categories of legal services providers: those individuals other than lawyers who are authorized to provide discrete legal services that the laws governing the unauthorized practice of law (UPL) generally reserve to lawyers.

In certifying new categories of legal services providers, courts must make an array of interrelated decisions. These include decisions about the rules for educational and testing requirements, the scope of services that legal services providers may offer, the conditions under which they may provide services, and …

Court Review: Journal Of The American Judges Association, Vol. 61, No. 2, Eve M. Brank, David J. Dreyer, Reba Ann Page, Jane Manning

Court Review: Journal of the American Judges Association

Contents

Understanding GenAI What Courts Should Know, AI Rapid Response Team of the National Center for State Courts

Large Language Models, Newer, More Powerful Large Reasoning Models, and the Courts, Pablo Arredondo and Javed Qadrud-Din

Any Sufficiently Transparent Magic... Damien Patrick Williams

Principles and Practices for Using AI, Thomson Reuters Institute/National Center for State Courts

Evidentiary Issues Raised by Artificial Intelligence, Thomson Reuters Institute/National Center for State Courts

Bench Card: Acknowledged AI-Generated Evidence, Thomson Reuters Institute/National Center for State Courts

Bench Card: Evaluating Unacknowledged AI-Generated Evidence, Thomson Reuters Institute/National Center for State Courts

Want to Know More About AI? ABA …

Court Review: Journal Of The American Judges Association, Vol. 61, No. 3 & 4, Eve M. Brank, David J. Dreyer, Reba Ann Page

Court Review: Journal of the American Judges Association

Contents

Civil Cases in the Supreme Court’s October Term 2024, Thomas M. Fisher

Consensus and Conflict Over Context: Select Criminal Law and Procedure Cases from the Supreme Court’s 2024-25 Term, Eve Brensike Primus and Elena Schultz

Yes, There’s a Public Trust Crisis but Your Daily Efforts Can Reverse It, Emily LaGratta and Tom R. Tyler

Was That Wrong? Spontaneity’s Role in Judicial Discipline Allegations, John W. Valente, Shawn C. Marsh, and Tahliah Ling

Correction: Large Language Models, Newer, More Powerful Large Reasoning Models, and the Courts

Editors' Note, Reba Ann Page and David J. Dreyer

Thoughts from Canada: The Supreme …

Approximating The First-Order Effects Of Afcfta Tariff Reductions On Co2 Emissions, Jaime De Melo, Jean-Marc Solleder

Journal of African Trade

This paper explores how AfCFTA tariff reductions affect CO₂ emissions. Using sector-level data, we find that more protected sectors are also more carbon intensive, so liberalization risks favoring “dirtier” activities. However, for EAC and ECOWAS, tariff cuts on liberalized goods reduce average carbon intensity. A full liberalization scenario suggests intra-African trade could rise by 32% while emissions grow by 24%, implying a modest decline in emission intensity. AfCFTA thus expands trade but requires complementary green policies.

Falsifying Tradition, Darrell A.H. Miller

Public Law and Legal Theory Working Papers

From cases spanning gun rights, reproductive freedom, religious liberty, and personal jurisdiction; to separation of powers and other structural features of the Constitution, courts increasingly rely on tradition to guide their decisions. Often, judges appeal to tradition in a vaguely empirical way, as “facts to study, not convictions to demonstrate about,” in the words of Justice Antonin Scalia. Yet, for a claim that purports to be factual, there’s very little agreement, or even analysis, about what renders this factual assertion—tradition—true or false. This Article tackles that foundational issue.

Part I surveys the ways in which courts use tradition in different …

Unlocking Human-Robot Dynamics In Restaurants: Exploring The Mechanisms Underlying The Impacts Of Service Robots’ Social Cues On Restaurant Customer Behaviors, Yusi Cheng

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

The rise of service robots (SRs) is reshaping service delivery, particularly in the dining sector where guiding and delivering robots are increasingly prevalent. However, understanding how customers interact with SRs and respond to their social cues in the dining environment remains unclear and fragmented. This dissertation aims to bridge this gap by comprehensively understanding the social cues of SRs and their influences on customer behaviors. Specifically, the objectives are to (1) understand prominent social cues and customer responses; (2) identify key SR-related social cues; (3) explore customer-SR interaction outcomes; (4) explain why certain social cues elicit particular customer responses; (5) …

Strengthening Disaster Workforce Communication: A Focus On The Latino Community In Hillsborough County, Florida, Ariana S. Albaladejo-Barreto, Ann Dai, Jude Ogden, Ratna Dougherty, Elizabeth A. Dunn

Weather, Climate, and Society REU

• Vulnerable populations, particularly non-English speakers, face disproportionate challenges during disasters. In Hillsborough County, Florida, 30% of residents speak a language other than English, with approximately 19% being proficient in Spanish.
• Latino communities, the largest group of Spanish speakers in the county, have experienced significant disparities in risk communication during life-threatening weather events (Trujillo-Falcón et al., 2022).
• Although the Hillsborough County Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan identifies non-English- speaking households as vulnerable populations, it lacks specific provisions for bilingual training for first responders.
• At the state level, the Florida Civil Rights Act of 1992 prohibits discrimination based on national origin, while Chapter …

Strengthening The Hillsborough County Coad: A Conversation-Informed Framework For An Improved Disaster Response Network, Jude Ogden, Ariana Albaladejo-Barreto, Ann Dai, Ratna Dougherty, Elizabeth Dunn

Weather, Climate, and Society REU

• Coordination by local government is key to implementing and monitoring effective disaster response plans.
• Efficient response plans arise when open communication exists between network members and governmental powers, rather than government exercising one-dimensional authority.
• Studies have connected both diverse core network members and pre-existing ‘chains of command’ to higher disaster response effectiveness.

Lost In Translation: An Analysis On How Florida’S Broadcast Meteorologists Navigate Bilingual Communication During Severe Weather, Daniella Streety, Cassandra O’Connor, Brooke Page, Jennifer Collins

Weather, Climate, and Society REU

• Florida frequently experiences various types of severe weather year-round, which requires clear and timely communication for public safety.
• Broadcast meteorologists play an important role in translating weather alerts into understandable and actionable information.
• About 30% of Florida residents speak a language other than English at home, with Spanish being the most common, presenting challenges for risk communication during 2 severe weather events.
• Previous studies show gaps in bilingual messaging still exist, despite national efforts by agencies like NOAA and the NWS. This leaves broadcast meteorologists 1 at a disadvantage due to a lack of resources.
• This study explores …

Analyzing Various Weather Risks For Florida’S Most Vulnerable Populations, Ethan Palmisano, Brooke Page, Cassandra O’Connor, Jennifer Collins

Weather, Climate, and Society REU

• Past research found that certain groups are particularly vulnerable to weather events, such as mobile home residents (Rumbach et al. 2020) or non-English speakers (Trujillo-Falcón et al. 2022).
• Florida receives numerous types of life-threatening weather, including tropical cyclones and tornadoes (Storm Prediction Center).
• This research focuses on identifying where the greatest weather risk exists in Florida, focusing on Florida’s most vulnerable populations.

Addressing Misinformation During Severe Weather Events: Insights From Emergency Managers In Florida, Sam Minard, Cassandra O’Connor, Brooke Page, Jennifer Collins

Weather, Climate, and Society REU

• Accurate, timely information is critical for public safety during severe weather events like hurricanes and tornadoes.
• Misinformation can spread quickly and cause panic, confusion, or lead to dangerous complacency, a serious challenge for Gulf states like Florida (Cheong & Babcock, 2021).
• Emergency managers (EMs) play a vital but understudied role in addressing severe weather misinformation (Ross et al., 2024).
• Despite their authority and growing reliance on social media, little is known about how EMs tackle misinformation or the challenges they face (Torpan et al., 2021).
• This study examines how Florida EMs manage misinformation, the barriers they encounter, and the resources …

From Silos To Synergy: Improving Healthcare And Disaster Relief Coordination After Hurricanes Helene And Milton, Ann Dai, Jude Ogden, Ariana S. Albaladejo-Barreto, Ratna Dougherty, Elizabeth A. Dunn

Weather, Climate, and Society REU

• In 2024, Hurricanes Helene and Milton forced the evacuation of 53 healthcare facilities and triggered deployment of ~3,000 rescue personnel in Hillsborough County.
• Disaster relief organizations provided shelter, meals, and other resources to ~20,000 affected residents.
• Post-hurricane reports call for more horizontal coordination between different types of local organizations.
• Collaborative governance can help vulnerable populations achieve sustainable development goals post-disaster.

Information Sources And Government Trust Regarding Evacuation Decisions For Hurricanes Helene And Milton, Ayden Carver, Brooke Page, Cassandra O’Connor, Jennifer Collins

Weather, Climate, and Society REU

• Hurricanes Helene and Milton (2024) were powerful Category 4 & 5 storms that brought severe storms, surge and tornadoes to the state of Florida, resulting in over $113 billion in damages (Hurricane Costs, n.d.).
• Effective communication by official sources is key during weather events to protect the public and to maintain trust in government agencies, as well as to ensure accurate understanding of risk by all.
• Social media has become a dominant platform for communication, yet many government agencies have not properly adapted to using it (Torres et al., 2023).
• Understanding sources people use to make evacuation decisions can …

Heat Exposure And Respiratory Illness In Orange County, Florida: Exploring Environmental Health Patterns, Vivika Arocho, Christopher Bernabe, Makayla Devalia, Destiny Perez, Robin Ersing, Beverly G. Ward

Weather, Climate, and Society REU

The rising temperatures over time have led to more frequent extreme heat days in Florida. Extreme heat exposure has been linked to worsening respiratory illnesses such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). These effects are more severe in vulnerable groups with pre-existing respiratory disorders, who may have heat-induced asthma attacks or worsened COPD symptoms. This study looks at the relationship between increased heat exposure and the occurrence of respiratory illnesses in Orange County, Florida, to see how rising temperatures affect the community. Public weather communicators in Orlando, Florida suggested the strategic messaging to raise awareness about heat-related health …