Digital Commons Network^™

Melodramatic Joy In Ibrahim Nasrallah’S Trilogy Of The Bells, Adam V. Spanos

CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture

This essay argues that absurdist humor, so often theorized as a challenge to metaphysical and identitarian claims, in fact supports such claims within the context of anticolonial nationalist melodrama. In his Trilogy of the Bells [2019], Palestinian writer Ibrahim Nasrallah uses the conventions of melodrama to make an epistemological claim specific to Palestinian experience. Confronting a regime that has been largely successful in determining the internationally accepted common sense about the conflict, Nasrallah aims to present the external world with a narrative of Palestinian history, experience, and aspirations. The Manichean distinctions, spectacular displays of pathos, and manifestations of suppressed secrets …

Guardrails For Growth: Governing Open-Source Software Risk In Healthtech Startups, Tonya Humphrey

Dissertations

This dissertation investigates how healthcare software startups manage the risks associated with open-source software (OSS) use. Using a qualitative multi-site case study approach and thematic analysis, the study draws insights from interviews with developers, security professionals, and technology leaders in early-stage healthtech companies. Six key themes emerged: Strategic Governance and Oversight, Security and Compliance Practices, Operational Foundations and Standards, Risk Awareness and Technical Due Diligence, Technology Choices and Ecosystem Tools, and People and Culture. The findings reveal that, even in resource-constrained environments, effective OSS risk management is possible through lightweight governance, automation, and shared cultural responsibility. Practical implications include guidance …

Baseball Takes Root In Oregon, 1866–1869, Revised, Mark E. Eberle

Monographs

The first baseball club in the Pacific Northwest was organized in Portland, Oregon in 1866 as the Pioneer Base Ball Club (BBC). As the only club in the area, games were initially played between teams picked from the members of the club. The Clackamas BBC in Oregon City was organized later that year, and the first intercity baseball game was played between the first nines of these two clubs in Oregon City on October 13. The following year, numerous baseball clubs were organized, and the first baseball championship was held at the State Fair in Salem. In addition, a regional …

Parents’ Experiences With Their Child’S Psychotherapy And Mental Illness, Valerie Marsman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Low parental engagement—especially among fathers and ethnic minority groups like Latinx parents—in child psychotherapy increases the risk of treatment dropout, behavioral issues, and poorer outcomes, contributing to persistent disparities. More research was needed on perceptual barriers and facilitators to parental engagement such as attitudes, beliefs, and expectations. The purpose of this study was to gain an in-depth understanding of parents’ experiences with their child’s psychotherapy and mental illness to facilitate parental engagement in services that support the child. An interpretative phenomenological approach and multiperspectival focus group design were used to illuminate each participant’s voice and explore overarching themes. Hill’s theory …

Creating A Legacy: Dipping Into The Business Of Selling Ink Artwork, Janelle Sather

Strategic Communication Master of Arts Thesis Projects

Peaceful Wisconsin LLC is a dip pen ink art business in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. This project uses research and analysis to uncover strategic and creative solutions to address the business’s core problem of customers not having a way to purchase the company’s artwork. A review of applied research was conducted, which included residential demographic information, art sale methods and statistics, Twitch viewership data, and the company’s financial statements. Key findings showed there is a strong potential market for selling art, and the company can become profitable with minimal sales. The company has never conducted research or a strategic analysis of …

A Deep-Learning-Based Dehazing Framework For Non-Homogenous Scenes, Shimaa Mohammed Abd Elghany, Doaa A. Altantawy, Hossam El-Din Moustafa Moustafa

Mansoura Engineering Journal

The advancement of single-image dehazing techniques has been rapid in recent years. Several existing algorithms that are based on deep learning have shown remarkable efficiency for dealing with homogeneous hazing-free issues, but convolutional neural networks (CNNS) frequently fail on non-homogeneous dehazing datasets. Meanwhile, dehaze results from dense haze regions are often blurry because the information of these regions is typically unknown and difficult to estimate. To address these issues, an efficient image enhancement dehazing algorithm that utilizes deep learning techniques, and a non-uniform atmospheric scattering model had been proposed. Unlike the majority of existing dehazing methods, the medium transmission function …

Effect Of Instructional Guidelines On The Parents’ Care Of Neonates With Neural Tube Defects, Asmaa Khamis, Safaa Salah Ismail, Hayam Tanatwy

Nursing

Abstract Background Neural tube defects (NTDs) represent the most common congenital anomalies of the central nervous system in pediatric populations, posing significant challenges for both neonatal care and parental wellbeing. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of instructional guidelines on improving parental care practices for neonates with NTDs. Methods A quasi-experimental design was employed at the neonatal intensive care unit and Neurological Department of the Children's Hospital affiliated with Ain Shams University, and at Helwan General Hospital. A convenience sample of 40 parents of neonates diagnosed with NTDs participated. Data were collected over a complete 12 years using three …

Maynor Xitamul-Aguin V. Attorney General United States Of America

2025 Decisions

Agency

Ethical Implications Of Being A Holobiont, Scott F. Gilbert

Biology Faculty Works

Developmental plasticity and holobiont theory have undermined the normative concepts of biological individuality. However, such traditional ideas of biological individuality have helped define and support Western ethical views into the 21st century. Guided by some of the ethical formulae of Simone Weil, Hans Jonas, and Alastair MacIntyre, this essay attempts to outline some possible trajectories for an ethics that is bounded by these new biological paradigms of environmental agency. Specifically, the ecological developmental biology concepts of plasticity and holobiont theory permit the “ethics of attention” to focus on the partnerships of living beings. Highlighting environmentally integrated life cycles and their …

Rethinking Ohio Mandated Reporting For Child Neglect, Stephanie L. Ash

Et Cetera

This article briefly outlines the history and harm of family separation, reviews applicable federal and Ohio laws concerning child neglect and screening guidelines for investigation, and examines the social justice implications of rethinking mandated reporting requirements and implementing alternatives to protect children from systemic oppression and violence from the family policing system.

U-Pb Calcite Geochronology, Epr, Geochemistry, And C-O-Sr Isotopes Of Ancient Marbles In The İznik Region (Bursa-Türkiye), Namik Aysal, Özge Karslioğlu, Emre Erdem, Marcel Guillong, Si̇nan Öngen, İbrahi̇m Tonguç Uysal, Ersi̇n Kaygisiz, İpek Deni̇z Yildirim

Turkish Journal of Earth Sciences

The İznik city (ancient Nicaea), located east of Lake İznik (known as -“Bithynia” in ancient times), has been an important political and cultural centre of Asia Minor since the Hellenistic period. Marbles produced in the quarries in the vicinity (Ömerli and İnikli villages, Deliktaş-Sarıtaş hills) were used both in the construction of the walls and in many ancient works in the city. Approximately eighteen ancient marble quarries producing grey and white marbles were investigated in the region. Petrography, EPR, XRD, C-O-Sr isotope and whole rock geochemistry analyses were performed for characterization of the samples collected from the quarries for the …

The Effect Of Cognitive Biases And Organizational Constructs On Enterprise Resource Planning Implementation Success In Small And Medium-Sized Enterprises: A Pls-Sem Approach, Michael Davidson

Dissertations

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems are crucial to enhancing organizational performance, efficiency, and strategic competitiveness in small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). ERP adoption in SMEs has been known to fail, with more than 75% of the implementations considered failures. These barriers are compounded by cognitive biases, such as temporal discounting (TD) and optimism bias (OB), which skew the strategic decision-making process. The framework suggested in this paper explains the relationships between top management support (TMS), information quality (IQ), system quality (SQ), user satisfaction (US), optimism bias (OB), and temporal discounting (TD) and their impact on ERP implementation success (EIS) and …

Hospitalization Trends For Thromboembolic Events In Atrial Fibrillation: A 12-Year National Analysis, Moises Vasquez, Crystal Yan, Natacha Vargas, Samuel Vasquez, Litsa Lambrakos, Alex Velasquez, Jeffrey Goldberger, Raul Mitrani

Division of Cardiology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Direct oral anticoagulants and percutaneous left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) devices were approved for use in 2010 and 2015, respectively. It is unknown to what extent, if any, these new stroke preventive therapies have impacted hospitalizations for thromboembolic (TE) events.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate temporal trends in AF-related hospitalizations for acute ischemic stroke (AIS), transient ischemic attack (TIA), and systemic embolism (SEE) in the U.S. from 2010 to 2021.

METHODS: Using the National Inpatient Sample, we identified hospitalizations for TE events with comorbid AF. Data were grouped into two periods (2010-2015 and 2016-2021). Linear regression assessed trends in TE frequency. …

Hourly Sulfur Dioxide Observations Over North America: First Retrieval Results From Tempo, Can Li, Nickolay A. Krotkov, Joanna Joiner, Simon Carn, Vitali Fioletov, Chris Mclinden, Debora Griffin, Xiong Liu, Heesung Chong

Michigan Tech Publications

We present the first sulfur dioxide (SO2) retrievals from Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO), the first geostationary atmospheric composition sensor to cover North America, along with some potential applications of TEMPO SO2 data. We show that high resolution (∼10 km²) TEMPO measurements can be used to produce good quality SO2 retrievals with relatively small noise and biases. We demonstrate that hourly TEMPO data are useful for monitoring volcanic hazards, by providing frequent updates on the plume location and additional information on the plume height or winds. With the large number of measurements from TEMPO, it is also …

The Effect Of Tranexamic Acid On Blood Coagulation In Primary Total Hip Arthroplasty Using Rotational Thromboelastometry: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Uzung Yoon, David Beausang, Elia Elia, Marc Torjman, Jeffrey Mojica, James J. Purtill, David Nazarian, P. Maxwell Courtney, Yoogoo Kang

Department of Anesthesiology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Tranexamic acid (TXA), is commonly administered prophylactically to reduce blood loss in patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA). However, its effect has never been studied. We hypothesized that no difference exists in the degree of fibrinolysis and blood loss between patients receiving prophylactic TXA and placebo.

METHODS: This double-blinded randomized-controlled trial included 50 patients undergoing primary THA in 2021-2023. Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03897621). Rotational-thromboelastometry (ROTEM) were performed to test blood coagulability using non citrated whole blood (NATEM) and blood treated with TXA (T-APTEM). The intervention group received TXA intravenously. The placebo group received 0.9% sodium chloride solution. The primary outcome measure …

Developing Culturally Responsive Curriculum For Educators Working With Special Needs Learners In The United States, Ginikachi Ifenatuora

Master of Arts in Cross-Cultural & International Education Plan II Graduate Projects

None

Ai-Infused Educational Technology For Continuous Waste Management Learning: An Environmental Legislative-Guided Llm Enhanced Approach, Qiming Sun, I-Han Hsiao

Computer Science and Engineering

We present Waste Genie+ (WG+), an AI-infused web-based educational technology to improve sustainability awareness and waste management skills. WG+ utilizes Large Language Models (LLMs) to transform complex environmental regulations and waste management information into accessible and digestible content, enabling learning in the complex, legislative-involved sustainability field. WG+ features AI-infused content, interactive quizzes, and various sustainability awareness simulations (i.e., waste classification scanner, virtual carbon credit tracker, carbon dioxide emission converter). We used LLM chain-of-thought reasoning to implement a systematic prompt-based evaluation of the decomposed legislative content quality. A 10-day user study with 10 participants was designed and conducted to evaluate the …

On Reference Accuracy: Clarification Of The Original Data, İrem Eli̇tez, Cenk Yaltirak

Turkish Journal of Earth Sciences

Although it is claimed that the same data was correctly attributed to Alçiçek (2007) in Elitez and Yaltırak (2023), no age data from Alçiçek (2007) were actually used in that study. In fact, the stratigraphic interpretation proposed by Alçiçek (2007) exhibits notable discrepancies with the conclusions presented by Elitez and Yaltırak (2023). Alçiçek (2007) defines the geological units overlying the basement as the Eşen Formation (comprising the Çetilidüz, Çaykenarı, and Kocaçay members) and Quaternary units. Based on the fossil Palaeotragus rouenii, the author suggests that the Neogene succession begins with Late Miocene alluvial-fan conglomerates, sandstones, and mudstones, whereas lacustrine sedimentation …

Citing The Citer: A Way To Claim Original Data, Mehmet Ci̇hat Alçi̇çek

Turkish Journal of Earth Sciences

In Elitez and Yaltırak (2024, p. 3), the “Upper Miocene” age data for the Eşen Basin fill is cited from Elitez and Yaltırak (2023). However, in that work, the same data was correctly attributed to Alçiçek (2007), which is the original source. Citing a secondary source instead of the original one is avoided in scientific writing. This letter aims to correct this citation practice.

Parlez-Vous Francais? You Betcha: Revitalizing A French Cultural Center By Connecting To Its Minnesota Roots, Ashley Flygare

Strategic Communication Master of Arts Thesis Projects

The Alliance Française Minneapolis–St. Paul (AFMSP) is Minnesota’s only cultural center dedicated exclusively to the French language and francophone cultures. In recent years, participation in its programs and offerings has declined, threatening its financial sustainability. This project utilizes strategic communication research and theory to develop solutions that enhance AFMSP’s community engagement and relevance. A review of organizational performance data, industry reports, and local cultural trends revealed the need for more targeted and persuasive communication efforts. Using Framing Theory and Aristotle’s Theory of Persuasion, this project examines how messaging strategies can be designed to shape public perception and motivate action through …

“The Biggest Problem With You…”: Racial Profiling And Canada’S Program Of Extra-Territorial Migrant Interdiction, Simon Wallace, Benjamin Perryman, Gábor Lukács, Sean Rehaag

Osgoode Hall Law Journal

In 2019, two Roma-Hungarian travellers were prevented from boarding their flight to Canada. Even though their documents were in order and their travel was legitimate, they were singled out for examination and extra scrutiny. This article—relying on new evidence produced in a series of legal proceedings—shows how Canada has implemented a de facto system of racial profiling in airports overseas. This program was not built overnight, but produced by a series of historical accretions, all organized around the idea that potential refugees can be detected by their race. This article shows how Canada, to deter asylum seekers, has conscripted private …

Mother And Baby Homes Commission Of Investigation Report: Alternative Executive Summary, Maebh Harding, Mairead Enright, Aoife O'Donoghue, Aoife Price, Cliona De Bhailís, Maria Ní Fhlatharta, Sahar Ahmed, Aisling Mcmahon, Aoife Daly, Ciara Fitzpatrick, Deirdre Macgowan, Fergus Ryan, Fiona Donson, Helen Kehoe, James Gallen, Kieran Walsh, Louise Kennefick, Lydia Bracken, Lynsey Black, Michelle Farrell, Phil Mullen, Samantha Morgan-Williams, Vicky Conway, Eilionoir Flynn, Shane Darcy

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

This document builds on the methodology developed by feminist judgments projects to rewrite the Executive Summary to the Final Report of Ireland’s Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation, published in January 2021. The Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation was established in February 2015 to investigate experiences in certain of Ireland’s residential institutions for single mothers and their young children between 1922 and 1998. In our rewritten Executive summary, twenty-five academics examined the evidence in the Commission’s original report, and offered a feminist, human rights-based analysis of the evidence presented there. Our document was first published open access …

Integrated Evaluation Of Airtightness, Acoustics, Thermal Performance, And Life-Cycle Carbon Emissions In Code-Compliant Wood-Framed And Thin-Shell Concrete Dome Residential Structures, Eduardo Ibanez Vasquez

Theses and Dissertations

The residential construction industry faces increasing demands for energy-efficient and sustainable housing solutions. In the U.S., residential buildings significantly contribute to energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, highlighting the need for enhanced building envelope performance. This study compares four residential structures: a traditional code-compliant wood-framed structure built in 1970, a traditional code-compliant wood-framed structure built in 2016, a modular code-compliant wood framed structure built in 2024, and a thin-shell concrete dome built in 2022. The analysis focuses on airtightness, acoustic insulation, passive thermal performance, and life-cycle carbon emissions, including both embodied (cradle-to-gate) and operational energy use. Field-based methods included …

Resilient Safe Control Of Autonomous Systems, Hongchao Zhang

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics famously outlined fundamental safety principles governing human-robot interaction. This foundational concept of safety is paramount for today's autonomous systems, such as robots, which possess inherent cyber-physical properties. With the increasingly widespread application of autonomous systems in real-world environments, the challenges facing research on formal safety verification have grown even more significant. However, end-to-end verification of such complex, integrated systems remains an open and formidable challenge due to their high dimensionality, nonlinearity, and the use of learning-based components. This thesis approaches this challenge by pursuing verifiably safe autonomy from two complementary directions: (i) safe control of …

A Comprehensive Deep Learning System With Mgrf Modeling For Predicting Breast Cancer Response To Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy, Ahmed Sharafeldeen, Fatma Taher, Norah Saleh Alghamdi, Eman Alnaghy, Reham Alghandour, Khadiga M. Ali, Sameh Shamaa, Abdelrahman Gamal, Mohammed Ghazal, Sohail Contractor, Ayman El-Baz

All Works

Accurate prediction of breast cancer (BC) response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is critical for tailoring treatment strategies and improving patient outcomes. This study introduces a novel deep learning-based framework that integrates multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (i.e., T1, T2, STIR, and DWI), along with clinical and molecular subtype markers, to classify tumor response into pathological complete response (pCR), partial response (PR), and stable disease (SD). First, tumor regions are delineated across MRI modalities and then modeled using a translation-invariant Markov-Gibbs random field (MGRF) with analytical parameter estimation to capture modality-specific spatial appearance patterns correlated with NAC response. Subsequently, diffusion-weighted MRI …

An Effective Whistleblowing System Model For Regional Inspectorates: A Qualitative Study In Fraud Prevention, Asep Muhyidin, Farah Latifah Nurfauziah, Sri Suharti

Journal of Accounting Auditing and Business

Abstract: This study examines the effectiveness of the Whistleblowing System (WBS) in fraud prevention at the Government Inspectorate of Garut Regency, Indonesia. Using a qualitative approach and thematic analysis with NVivo, the research identifies key factors influencing WBS success, including structural, operational, and human resource aspects. Findings indicate that WBS significantly enhances transparency and accountability through accessible reporting mechanisms, whistleblower protection, and investigative follow-up. Critical determinants of effectiveness include: (1) technological support for whistleblower anonymity, (2) personnel competence in handling reports, and (3) compliance with Regulation of the Garut Regent No. 50 of 2020 on WBS implementation guidelines. Thematic nodes …

The International Society For Clinical Spectroscopy; Reflections On The First 10 Years, Małgorzata Baranska, Hugh J. Byrne, Peter Gardner, Alex Henderson, Nick Stone, Bayden Wood

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

The article provides a perspective overview of the development and current status of the field of biomedical spectroscopy, on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the foundation of the International Society for Clinical Spectroscopy (CLIRSPEC). It provides a background into the prior evolution of the field, and international community, and rationale for the foundation of the legal entity, CLIRSPEC. It describes the continued dissemination and educational activities associated with the society, and maps out key technical developments, as well as trends towards clinical translation, and future perspectives.

A Longitudinal Analysis Of Morphological Shape Variation Of Spleen In Patients With Fontan Surgery, Varatharajan Nainamalai, Håvard Bjørke Jenssen, Mostafa Rezaeitaleshmahalleh, Djinaud Prophete, Jordan Gosnell, Sarah Khan, Marcus Haw, Jingfeng Jiang, Joseph Vettukattil

Michigan Tech Publications

Background: Splenic size serves as a surrogate biomarker for predicting portal vein hyper-tension and liver abnormalities in subjects with Fontan Associated Liver Disease (FALD). We analyze the long-term shape variation of the spleen in FALD subjects using morphological shape features of radiomic features. Methods: We used 154 (84 from computed tomography and 70 from magnetic resonance) image volumes obtained from 36 individuals who underwent stage 3 Fontan procedure and 145 computed tomography images from controls to assess splenomegaly. To understand the splenomegaly, thirteen shape features of the spleen over three 10-year intervals, and variations between controls and FALD subjects were …

Sentencing Vulnerability: Conceptualizing The Incorporation Of Personal Characteristics And Experiences At Sentencing, Adelina Iftene

Osgoode Hall Law Journal

Social inequalities that lead to criminal conduct are often not considered in sentencing; individuals subject to structural inequities receive the same formal sentence as those convicted of like crimes irrespective of the latter’s social advantage. Individual characteristics may also affect how a sentence will be experienced by an individual. While Characteristics and Experience-Sensitive Sentencing (CESS) already exists in various forms and to various degrees in sentencing theory and praxis, a more cohesive, comprehensive, and principled CESS remains wanting. Building on existing approaches, this article locates CESS as a necessary response to equality-based concerns arising from current mainstream sentencing practice. Thus, …