Digital Commons Network^™

Cecil Taylor, 1950–1976: Theory & Practice In His Own Words, Michelle A. Yom

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Cecil Taylor (1929–2018) was a poet, composer, pianist, and dancer who is widely regarded as one of the founding figures of Free Jazz. Despite this historical significance, Taylor has not been a subject of substantial archival research. Some scholars have written his name into music scholarship through explicitly or implicitly reiterating the notion of “freedom” that circulated among contemporary jazz critics of the late 1950s and the 1960s. Others have focused on analyzing Taylor’s solo piano music, often reducing Taylor’s musical theories and practices into the formal structures of the music itself. To date, the scholarship has simplified Taylor’s work …

Protein Allostery Probed By Ligands Across Sites, Virgil A. Woods

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Allostery is a pervasive regulatory principle throughout biology, yet the structural pathways by which distal inputs alter active‑site chemistry within protein structures remain incompletely defined and exploited. This dissertation uses protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) as a tractable model to map those pathways with complementary experimental and computational tools. I integrate high‑resolution hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS), room-temperature crystallography, NMR, steady-state kinetics, crystallographic pseudo-ensembles, and machine-learning-guided ligand discovery. The working premise is that regulation reflects redistribution within a conformational ensemble rather than a binary switch. That orthogonal perturbations by small molecules, mutations, and protein partners can be used to both …

Courts Of New York: A Visual Atlas Of The City’S Public Basketball Spaces, Nathaniel Rattner

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Basketball courts in New York City are recreation facilities, community anchors and part of the city’s cultural image. In the basketball capital of the world, New Yorkers are rarely more than a few blocks away from a court. The visual diversity of these courts, however, is not widely documented in systematic ways.

This project makes that diversity visible to the public, combining open data, aerial imagery and computational analysis to document this important public space across the five boroughs. It is a narrative story and digital atlas of New York City’s public basketball courts, using surface color as a way …

Precarious Status, Essential Work: Migrant Labor, Social Reproduction, And The Politics Of Regularization In Covid Quebec, Jessie Lauren Stein

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation examines how migrant justice struggles in Quebec during and immediately after the COVID‑19 pandemic challenged and reshaped the cultural politics of membership in a neoliberal welfare state under strain. The research is centered on an ethnography of the Status for All campaign, a coalition effort spearheaded in Montreal to secure permanent immigration status for all people with precarious status in Canada. I situate pandemic‑era regularization efforts within overlapping crises of border governance, social reproduction, and federal–provincial relations. I argue that Quebec’s growing reliance on migrants with precarious status to sustain essential public social reproductive functions in care work, …

Calculated Risks: The Power Of Predictive Risk Models To Regulate Families Of Color, Ashleigh Washington

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation examines predictive risk modelling (PRM) in New York City Administration for Children's Services (ACS), specifically exploring AI-enabled design features, practices, and encoded and racialized assumptions about risk in child welfare prevention services. Guided by Critical Race Theory and the Algorithmic Ecology framework, this study traces how PRM in ACS evolved from a service termination tool into a broader, largely internal surveillance apparatus that leverages families’ personal information, including health information, to assess risk of future maltreatment and to evaluate contracted service providers. Drawing on analysis of public records and in-depth interviews with Black parents, the findings describe how …

How To Search For The Engram: Optogenetics And Network Dynamics, Claudia Garcia Jou

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Memories are thought to be encoded by ensembles of neurons called "engram cells", because their artificial activation with optogenetics leads to the behavioral expression of a memory. However, the physiological mechanisms that mediate this process remain unknown. In this thesis, I investigate how optogenetic stimulation of memory-tagged cells changes neuronal firing, spatial coding, and the geometry of neural manifolds. I used an active place avoidance task and a foraging task to label engram cells in the dorsal hippocampus with Channelrhodopsin2 (ChR2). I then recorded the hippocampal activity response to optogenetic stimulation in mice under anesthesia, head-fixed, or freely moving. I …

Celebrating The Neutral And Gradual: An Ode To Professor Richard Marcus, Lee H. Rosenthal

UC Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Beyond Exceptionalism: The Illusory Ideal Of Access To Justice, Alan Uzelac

UC Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Civil Litigation In The Nineteenth Century Landraad Of The Former Dutch East-Indies (Indonesia): Simplification Aimed At Access To Justice?, Cornelis H. Van Rhee

UC Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Comx 111a.04: Introduction To Public Speaking, Timothy Edstedt

University of Montana Course Syllabi, 2026-2030

No abstract provided.

Comx 111a.08: Introduction To Public Speaking, Alex Bruce

University of Montana Course Syllabi, 2026-2030

No abstract provided.

Hstr 291.80: Honors College Seminar For Terrorism In The Modern World, Richard Drake

University of Montana Course Syllabi, 2026-2030

No abstract provided.

Comx 111a.05: Introduction To Public Speaking, Liz Wright

University of Montana Course Syllabi, 2026-2030

No abstract provided.

The Long-Term Effectiveness Of The Anti-Obesity Medication Phentermine (Leap) Trial: Rationale, Design, And Baseline Characteristics, Caroline Blackwell Young, Emily Rives, Kimberly A Gudzune, Byron C Jaeger, Courtney G Simmons, Brian N White, Stephanie A Hooker, Deborah B Horn, Deborah R Young, Jennifer Vesely, Amanda Velazquez, Catherine Price, Shelly D Cook, Katy Martin-Fernandez, Galina Inzhakova, Nicholas M Pajewski, Jamy D Ard, Kristina H Lewis

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Current clinical practice guidelines support the long-term use of pharmacotherapy for obesity treatment. Historically, phentermine has been one of the most prescribed obesity medications (OMs), however, its long-term efficacy and safety have never been evaluated in a randomized trial as its market approval predates such requirements. Here we describe the design, rationale, and baseline characteristics for a 24-month, double-blind, randomized controlled trial evaluating the efficacy, cardiovascular risk, and safety of phentermine in adults with overweight or obesity.

Methods: This multicenter trial will compare outcomes among participants randomized to phentermine 24 mg daily versus placebo for 24 months. All participants …

The Importance Of International Exchange In A Time Of Worldwide Economic And Political Crisis And Change, David Anshen

Literatures and Cultural Studies Faculty Publications

This paper argues that international scholarly and cultural exchange has become especially vital in the context of intensifying global economic, political, ecological, and social crises. Drawing on Marxist theory, contemporary political realities in the United States and South Asia, and examples from world literature, the article examines how global capitalism both deepens human suffering and creates new possibilities for solidarity and resistance. Through reflections on immigration, political violence, ecological collapse, and the marginalization of the humanities, the paper highlights the role of international dialogue- facilitated by digital technologies and cross-cultural engagement- as a necessary counterforce to dehumanization and fragmentation. Literary …

Marx And Engels On Prisons And Capitalism, James Parisot

Sociology Faculty Publications

This paper rethinks Marx and Engels’ comments on imprisonment and capitalism. While there has been a tendency to suggest the authors’ comments on crime and punishment were peripheral and secondary to their major projects, such as Marx’s Capital, this paper claims, in fact, their writings on incarceration were guided by their shared theoretical project which included historicizing systems of punishment as correlating with modes of production. Also, while more has been written on their ideas of criminality, instead, this paper excavates their thoughts on prisons, which have often been neglected. Overall, it shows there has been a tendency to …

How Do Social Isolation And Loneliness Vary By Age?, Jihye Baek, Cal J. Halvorsen

Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging

Social isolation and loneliness, which are experienced by many older adults, can negatively impact health and well-being. Although often used interchangeably, social isolation is defined as an objective lack of social ties (e.g., number of close family members or friends) and loneliness as an internal sense of disconnection (e.g., feeling alone even when surrounded by others). Because social relationships, health, and life circumstances change as we age, patterns of social isolation and loneliness may differ by age group. Therefore, this research brief asks, How do patterns of social isolation and loneliness differ across age groups among community-dwelling older adults? 

Longitudinal Peripheral Blood Transcriptomics Reveal Novel Signatures During Cardiac Allograft Rejection., Rachad Ghazal, Min Wang, Akshatha N. Srinivas, Jenny J. Cao, Hridyanshu Vyas, Duan Liu, Asha Nair, Byron H. Smith, Li Wang, Daniel S. Yip, Parag C. Patel, David E. Steidley, Brian W. Hardaway, Alfredo L. Clavell, Sudhir S. Kushwaha, Walter D. Park, Mark D. Stegall, Howard Eisen, Naveen L. Pereira

Division of Cardiology Faculty Papers

Background: Acute cellularrejection (ACR) remains a major cause of morbidity afterhearttransplantation despite advances in immunosuppression. Whole genometranscriptomicprofiling offers a systems-based, unbiased approach to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying ACR. However, noninvasive,longitudinal biomarker assessments capable of capturing the temporal dynamics ofrejection biology remain scarce.

Methods: RNA sequencing ofperipheralblood fromheart transplant recipients before, during, and after ACR was compared with nonrejection controls. Pathway analysis was conducted using differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and a machine learning approach was applied to assessgene-based prediction of ACR.

Results: A total of 235 rejection-specific significant DEGs and 863 postrejection DEGs (false discovery rate < 0.05) were identified. During ACR, DEGs were enriched for T-cell activation/differentiation, apoptosis, and B-cell receptor signaling pathways. By combining the 2 sets of DEGs, a panel of 71 common genes was identified that reflected the significant, longitudinal transcriptomic dynamics of ACR. In an elastic net machine learning-based classifier, DYNLL1 and SERF2 were …

Coe Annual Technical Review 2025, Jianshun Zhang, Bing Dong

SyracuseCoE

No abstract provided.

Resilient Dispute Resolution Systems For International Energy Conflicts, Guillermo J. Garcia Sanchez

Faculty Scholarship

Energy-related conflicts are on the rise, spanning diverse issues such as the impacts of rare mineral mining on local communities, the impacts of sanctions on energy investments due to the Russia-Ukraine war, and the impacts of expanded subsidies on the electric vehicle and solar panel industries. Increasingly, companies, communities, and governments are clashing over the challenges of pursuing disparate and sometimes competing energy policies. This Article argues that dispute resolution mechanisms in the energy investment sector must be fundamentally rethought. Traditional semi-adjudicatory models, which focus on winners and losers, fail to accommodate the complex and multifaceted nature of contemporary energy …

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Prediction: A Comprehensive Review And Comparative Study, Thi Khanh Chi Huynh, Amonae Dabbs-Brown, Anna Jurek-Loughrey, James Mulhall, Tuan Dung Pham, Ngoc Phu Doan, Viet Hung Tran, Zichi Zhang, Xuan Hoang Nguyen, Yimeng An, Peixin Li, Phi Hung Nguyen, Thi Linh Hoang, Xinming Shi, Hans Vandierendonck, Sebastien Bailly, Jean-Louis Pépin, Thai Son Mai

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a highly prevalent sleep disorder linked to considerable public health burdens and comorbidities. However, its heterogeneous presentation and the limited accessibility of traditional diagnostic tools such as polysomnography (PSG) lead to widespread underdiagnosis. As a result, artificial intelligence (AI) approaches, including machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) models, have attracted attention as an alternative pathway to detection. This paper first provides a comprehensive review of AI-driven OSA diagnosis, covering different diagnosis problems, input-data types, data biases, pre-processing techniques, and model performance. We then leverage the largest clinical dataset used in OSA prediction to date, …

Russ 302.01: Russian Oral And Written Expression Ii, Ona Renner-Fahey

University of Montana Course Syllabi, 2026-2030

No abstract provided.

Lit 300.01: Literary Criticism, Kathleen M. Kane

University of Montana Course Syllabi, 2026-2030

No abstract provided.

Influence Of Superhydrophobic Surface Microstructure On Transient Jet Impingement Cooling, D. Jacob Butterfield, Brian D. Iverson, Daniel Maynes, Julie Crockett

Faculty Publications

Water jet impingement is an effective method of rapidly cooling a surface, but heat transfer from the surface is highly dependent on the surface condition and properties. Here, the impact of a superhydrophobic (SH) surface on heat transfer to an impinging, axisymmetric, room-temperature water jet with Re=6 x 10³to 18 x 103 is explored. SH surfaces are created by etching thin silicon wafers to form different micropatterns (posts or holes). Surfaces are heated to between 200 and 320°C, and the local surface temperature is measured with a thermal camera. The time resolved heat transfer from the surface and …

Does Law Constitute Society?, Jeremy K. Kessler

Faculty Scholarship

The resistance of capitalist inequality to legal reform has led a growing number of scholars to reconsider the explanatory virtues of Marxist legal thought. But what are those virtues? Some scholars hold that what makes Marxist legal thought special is its ability to explain the development of legal relationships in terms of the development of extra-legal relationships — specifically, the relations of production as they adapt to changes in the productive forces. Other scholars argue that this focus on the causal process by which extra-legal change (or stasis) drives legal change (or stasis) is too reductive. They contend that Marxist …

Examining The Effect Of Newcomers’ Adaptability On Proximal And Distal Outcomes Of Organizational Socialization, Vahe Permzadian, Mishra Vipanchi

Psychological Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

We investigate the role of individual adaptability (I-ADAPT) in newcomer socialization by exploring its effects on the proximal and distal outcomes of the work-role transition process. Based on I-ADAPT theory, our study assesses how I-ADAPT affects the three key indicators of newcomer adjustment (i.e., role clarity, task mastery, and social acceptance) and, in turn, their effect on the distal socialization outcomes of job satisfaction, turnover intention, and work withdrawal. Using a 2-wave prospective design, we collected data from 280 newcomers recruited through Prolific. Results indicated that I-ADAPT dimensions differentially predict newcomer adjustment, with learning adaptability affecting role clarity, uncertainty adaptability …

Thermodynamic Analysis Of Metal Segregation In Two Metal Boride-Carbide Ceramics Containing V With Cr, Hf, Ti, Or Zr, Ana C. Feltrin, Simon Divilov, Gregory E. Hilmas, Stefano Curtarolo, William G. Fahrenholtz

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Dual-phase carbide-boride ceramics in different vanadium-Me (Me = Cr, Hf, Ti, and Zr) binary systems were synthesized by boro/carbothermal reduction under stoichiometric and carbon-deficient conditions and densified by spark plasma sintering. Thermodynamic analysis was used to evaluate the influence of composition on the phase stability and metal segregation between phases, along with the resulting effects on microstructure and hardness. Pairing vanadium with Group IV elements (Hf, Ti, and Zr) consistently formed one boride and one carbide phase, while the Cr-V system formed a monoboride phase and a carbon-deficient carbide. Metal segregation trends depended on composition. Vanadium preferentially segregated to the …

Gulf Coast Faculty Council Minutes - February 19, 2026, Eric Saillant

Gulf Coast Faculty Council Minutes

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Spatial Abilities In Stem Learning And The Influence Of Individual Differences, Styliani Malkogeorgou

Masters

Students’ decisions to pursue education and careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) are shaped by an interplay of cognitive, social, and motivational factors. Spatial ability is among the most reliable predictors of STEM success, yet less is known about how it relates to students’ STEM attitudes and aspirations, and whether visuospatial working memory (VSWM) explains this relationship. This study tested the hypotheses that (a) stronger spatial abilities and VSWM would be associated with more positive STEM attitudes and stronger STEM aspirations, and (b) VSWM would mediate the relationship between spatial abilities and STEM attitudes/aspirations, while examining the influence …

Transforming Indigent Appellate Advocacy, Rachel T. Goldberg, Estelle M. Mckee

Cornell Law Faculty Publications

Indigent appellate advocacy has long been confined to a narrow, technocratic model—one that prioritizes legal expertise over client autonomy and treats appellate cases solely as isolated legal battles rather than opportunities for systemic change. Unlike their trial-level counterparts, appellate attorneys representing indigent clients have received little scholarly attention, leaving critical questions about client participation, ethical representation, and social justice largely unexplored.

This Article challenges the status quo, arguing that appellate attorneys should rethink their role in ways that empower clients and confront the broader injustices shaping their cases. We introduce two alternative frameworks—client-centered appellate representation and participatory appellate representation—that draw …