Digital Commons Network^™

Harmful Reports: How Federal Mandated Reporting Policy Entrenches Racism In Healthcare Delivery And Undermines Public Health, Kara Sheli Wallis

City University of New York Law Review

Since its inception, federal “child welfare” policy has focused on the regulation, surveillance, and policing of Black, Indigenous, and immigrant families. Rooted in the legacies of slavery, U.S. settler colonialism, and the nineteenth century child labor “Orphan Train” movement, modern foster care functions to “save” children by removing them from indigent families to be “placed out” with strangers that the government deems more deserving of support. Although this is done under the guise of “child safety,” the real threats to children’s well-being stem from systemic failures—such as unaffordable housing, lack of access to healthcare, and entrenched poverty. Rather than invest …

Social Determinants Of Health And Aging In Africa: Structural Inequality, Vulnerability, And The Future Of Care, Aremu Umor Lukman, Sunkanmi Folorunsho, Abdulrauf Olaitan Taofeeq

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Population aging is accelerating across Africa yet remains underrepresented in research, policy, and public health planning. This review critically examines how social determinants shape aging experiences across the continent, focusing on health, care systems, and structural inequalities. While traditional African societies have historically valued older adults, modernization, migration, and economic hardship have eroded support systems, leaving many to face old age with limited resources. Older Africans, particularly women and rural residents, contend with lifelong disadvantages including low education, informal labor, poverty, and gendered caregiving roles that contribute to poor health and social vulnerability. Health systems remain poorly equipped to address …

Phylogenetic Proximity Is A Key Driver Of Temporal Succession Of Marine Giant Viruses In A Five-Year Metagenomic Time-Series, Sarah M. Laperriere, Benjamin Minch, J.L. Weissman, Shangwei Hou, Yi-Chun Yeh, Nathan Ahlgren, Mohammad Moniruzzaman

Biology

Nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses (NCLDVs), also called giant viruses, are widespread in marine systems and infect a broad range of microbial eukaryotes (protists). Recent biogeographic work has provided global snapshots of NCLDV diversity and community composition across the world’s oceans, yet little information exists about the guiding “rules” underpinning their community dynamics over time. We leveraged a five-year monthly coupled metagenomic-viromic time-series to quantify the community composition of NCLDVs off the coast of Southern California and characterize their temporal population dynamics. NCLDVs were dominated by Algavirales (Phycodnaviruses, 59%) and Imitervirales (Mimiviruses, 36%). We identified clusters of NCLDVs with distinct classes …

The Purpose And Value Of A Summer Camp For Visually Impaired Young People, Anthony J. Maher, Justin A. Haegele, David Swanston

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

Empirical research documents the benefits of summer camps for young people, including disability-specific or medical-speciality residential camps. Using an ethnographic approach which utilized observation and individual and group discussions with the visually impaired young people who attended a summer camp, their parents, and school teachers who staffed the summer camp, we build on the extant research here by exploring, for the first time, the purpose and value of a summer camp for visually impaired young people. The qualitative data generated from our research were subjected to thematic analysis. We discuss the summer camp in relation to the following themes: (1) …

Reply [To Burnout Reflections: Musings On Bianchi And Schonfeld’S Five Focal Areas], Renzo Bianchi, Irvin Sam Schonfeld

Publications and Research

Contrary to what one might assume, the burnout construct did not emerge from systematic research. The definition of burnout was formulated in the 1970s based on prenotions and anecdotal evidence. No sound empirical studies, no in-depth theoretical reflections, not even a review of the stress literature underpinned the introduction of the construct. It is thus unsurprising that some observers regard the edifice of burnout research with scepticism. The pioneers of burnout research neglected basic scientific standards and, by overlooking the abundant work of contemporary stress researchers, deprived themselves of important safeguards against illusions of novelty making big claims based on …

Additional Evidence From A Case Report Supports A Novel Hypothesis On The Association Between Complex Regional Pain Syndrome And Lymphedema, M Mark Melin, John C Rasmussen, Melissa B Aldrich, Ron J Karni, Caroline E Fife, Kristen A Eckert

The Brown Foundation: Institute of Molecular Medicine

A previous report of 4 heterogeneous cases demonstrated that automated manual lymphatic drainage therapy (AMLDT), administered by a novel, pneumatic mat of 16 pressurized air channels that inflate and deflate sequentially to mimic the stretch and release action of manual lymphatic drainage therapy (MLD), altered lymphatic contractility and relieved pain. Near-infrared fluorescence imaging (NIRF-LI) was used 1 h before AMLDT, during 1 h of AMDLT, and 30-60 min after treatment to obtain images that could be used to determine lymphatic contractility, as measured by pulsing frequency over a given timeframe. Herein, a case of type 2 complex regional pain syndrome …

Editorial: Advances In Pharmacotherapy For Alcohol Use Disorder: From Mechanisms To Clinical Interventions, Regina A Mangieri, Sunil Sirohi, Ezequiel Marron Fernandez De Velasco, Seungwoo Kang

The Brown Foundation: Institute of Molecular Medicine

No abstract provided.

Microglial Trem2 Promotes Phagocytic Clearance Of Damaged Neurons After Status Epilepticus, Dale B Bosco, Vaclav Kremen, Koichiro Haruwaka, Shunyi Zhao, Lingxiao Wang, Blake A Ebner, Jiaying Zheng, Manling Xie, Aastha Dheer, Jadyn F Perry, Abhijeet Barath, Aivi T Nguyen, Gregory A Worrell, Long-Jun Wu

The Brown Foundation: Institute of Molecular Medicine

In the central nervous system, triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) is exclusively expressed by microglia and is critical for microglial proliferation, migration, and phagocytosis. Microglial TREM2 plays an important role in neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. However, little is known about how TREM2 affects microglial function within epileptogenesis. To investigate this, we utilized male TREM2 knockout (KO) mice within the intra-amygdala kainic acid seizure model. Electroencephalographic analysis, immunocytochemistry, and RNA sequencing revealed that TREM2 deficiency significantly promoted seizure-induced pathology. We found that TREM2 KO increased both the severity of acute status epilepticus …

Menstrual Cycle Phase Effects On Exercise Thermoregulation And Performance In The Heat, Kailei J. Eustis

All Master's Theses

Hormone fluctuations across the menstrual cycle (MC) may influence physiological responses. This study examined whether thermoregulatory measures differ across MC phases, and if these changes impact running performance in the heat. Ten eumenorrheic adults completed two treadmill runs in simulated conditions (wet bulb globe temperature 31.7 ± 1.4°C) during early follicular (EF) and midluteal (ML) phases. First 45min was a constant self-selected light pace followed by a 15min performance test for distance. Core temperature (Tc), mean skin temperature (Ts), heart rate (HR), perceived exertion (RPE), thermal perception (THERM), and comfort perception (COMF) were assessed every 5min. Sweat perception (SP), sweat …

The Barriers Diverse Students Face When Pursuing Graduate School, Yecenia Ramirez

All Master's Theses

The purpose of this archival study was to extend the existing literature concerning the challenges diverse students face when considering whether to pursue graduate school. The decision to pursue graduate education or developing aspirations to obtain a graduate degree happens through an intricate process that can be affected by many factors. In this study, six factors that aligned with Tinto’s work on college student persistence – financial concerns, academic motivation, family support, proximity, university environment, and access to mentors – were examined to determine their influence on students’ thoughts about pursuing a graduate degree. The data for this study was …

Modeling Recreational Risk Factors On The Landscape: A Predictive Gis Analysis Of Recreation Accident Response Near North Bend, Washington., Naomi S.J. Van Roon

All Master's Theses

Search and Rescue (SAR) teams in Washington respond to approximately 900 incidents annually, many stemming from outdoor recreation near Interstate 90 surrounding North Bend. This study utilized predictive GIS analysis to identify areas of concern within state lands, including Mount Si and Middle Fork Snoqualmie Natural Resource Conservation Areas, Raging River State Forest, and Rattlesnake Mountain Scenic Area. The predictive model was calibrated using SAR responses to hiking-related incidents between March and November from 2020 to 2023, and incorporated an analysis of risk factors influencing recreationalist incident probability. This research then developed a decision support system to aid land managers …

Administering Presidential Elections And Counting Electoral Votes After Trump V. Anderson, Derek T. Muller

Journal Articles

In the landmark case Trump v. Anderson, the Supreme Court unanimously held that states lack the unilateral power to exclude presidential candidates from the ballot on the basis of Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment. But while the Court was united in its essential holding, the Justices fractured in their reasoning, leaving significant questions about Congress's role in enforcing Section 3 against presidential candidates.

This Article examines the fault lines in Trump v. Anderson and analyzes how Congress's power to count electoral votes under the Twelfth Amendment intersects with its authority to enforce Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment. …

Are Nonprofit Tax Exemptions And Deductions “Federal Financial Assistance”? Should They Be?, Lloyd Hitoshi Mayer

Journal Articles

Two recent federal court decisions have reignited the debate over whether “Federal financial assistance” as used in four federal anti-discrimination statutes includes the tax benefits enjoyed by most nonprofit organizations. Both courts concluded that it does. While an appellate court reversed one decision, and the other case settled without appellate review, these holdings create significant uncertainty. And this uncertainty affects the more than 1.8 million tax-exempt nonprofits, many if not most of which do not receive federal financial assistance through other channels and so could safely conclude these statutes do not reach them, absent these decisions.

This Article first considers …

Too Essential To Fail: Lessons From County Fiscal Crises, Michael A. Francus

Journal Articles

This Article draws out the lessons of counties for municipal finance. To do so, the Article begins by unpacking the municipal finance regulations that have provided counties with extraordinary fiscal safety. The Article then turns to case studies of the eleven counties that either filed for bankruptcy or had state fiscal interventions since the passage of the Bankruptcy Code in 1978. Those case studies show how counties' finances can (in rare cases) go wrong despite well-designed municipal finance regulations. The case studies also show how counties have successfully responded to those crises through bankruptcy and fiscal intervention.

Using that analysis, …

A Comparative Study Of Legacy And Modern Proton Therapy Pencil Beam Gantries In Prostate Cancer Treatment: Advancements In Efficiency And Performance, Mey Chou, Caitlin Fung, Shaun Ray, Yuting Li, Cameron Tharp, Shaun T. Caldwell

Research Methods Poster Session 2025

No abstract provided.

Assessing The Asset Management Programs Of Locals: Bridges And Pavement Conditions, Richard Ajagu, Dongyoon Song, David Holguin Mejia, Deepak Benny, Mohammadhosein Pourgholamali, Isaiah C. Mwamba, Kumares Sinha, Samuel Labi

JTRP Technical Reports

Indiana’s 2016 House Enrolled Act (HEA) 1001 provided a funding mechanism for transportation infrastructure that required Local Public Agencies (LPAs) to have an Asset Management Plan (AMP) to be eligible for funding. In 2022, the Indiana General Assembly desired to know the extent to which LPAs had adopted AMPs in response to this legislation. This study’s literature review found that LPAs nationwide are increasingly adopting asset management practices. Analysis of aggregate data on local road expenditures and revenues in Indiana showed significant reductions in maintenance expenditures in post-HEA 1001-2016 years, suggesting the efficacy of the 2016 legislation. The data trend …

Exploration Of Color Patterns For Improving Work Zone Safety And Perception, Hongyue Wu, Ze Wang, Yunfeng Chen, Jiansong Zhang, James L. Jenkins

JTRP Technical Reports

Work zone safety remains a persistent concern in the United States. Color patterns are an effective way to provide visual information for drivers. Existing studies explored the colors of work zone elements, while how the color patterns impact the drivers’ perception and overall safety in work zones is missing. Therefore, this study aims to systematically investigate color patterns based on human information processing theory to improve the overall safety and perception of Indiana work zones. Methodology of this study includes: (1) A literature review to summarize the current efforts; (2) Crash data analysis to identify the representative work zones; (3) …

The Fiduciary Code Of Capital And Climate Change, Seth Davis, Gregory Shaffer

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

Fiduciary law is part of the “code” for the management of capital, as Katharina Pistor has conceptualized law. Climate activists, attorneys, investors, and international organisations have turned to fiduciary law for legal solutions to the ongoing problem of inadequate corporate and state action in response to climate change. Our thesis is that the turn to fiduciary law by norm entrepreneurs is an attempt to encode a concern for climate change within the management of capital. We make two contributions to the literature on private law and climate change. First, we rigorously identify the features of fiduciary law that make it …

Does The Original Meaning Of The Fourteenth Amendment Protect Economic Liberty?, Randy E. Barnett

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

In my remarks today, I will defend the proposition that the original meaning of the Fourteenth Amendment protects "economic liberty." To clarify the issue, let me being by defining economic liberty. I define economic liberty as the right to acquire, use and possess private property and the right to enter into private contracts of one's choosing. If these rights are protected by the original meaning of the Fourteenth Amendment, then we can conclude that the Amendment does protect economic liberty.

In my view, the evidence that the original meaning Fourteenth Amendment protects rights of private property and contract is overwhelming. …

Just Research And Citation, Amanda Levendowski

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

Contemporary research and citation practices are often unjust. Data cartels like Westlaw and Lexis have parent companies that prioritize profits in ways that threaten immigrants. Even before the Dobbs decision, search engines could be deployed to weaponize data against pregnant people seeking reproductive care. Women and people of color have been legal scholars for more than a century but, as many scholars have observed, colleagues consistently under-cite, mis-cite or appropriate those scholars’ work with minimal recourse. Citation materials are often inaccessible to disabled people, poor people, or the public due to poor design, paywalls, or unpreserved content that falls prey …

Las Pintas Interview Project 2025, Beth Gulley, Luz Alvarez, Vallerie Rogers, Gabrielle Rock, Danielle Mullins, Nina Mcnay, Jayda Diaz, Audrey Weaver, Haisie Halperin, Rita Terrones, George Newham, Esmeralda Monroy

The Las Pintas Collection

In May of 2025, after a five-year hiatus, Johnson County Community College (JCCC) resumed sending students to Las Pintas, Mexico. Traditionally, JCCC sent student from Nursing, Dental Hygiene, and Solar Energy to practice their acquired skills and serve the community at Centro Integral Comunitario (CIC). This latest trip, though, was for Spanish language students to enhance their cultural competency, language practice, and learn about opportunities to study away.

This collection contains stories from eight former JCCC Study Abroad trip members, five people who live and work in Las Pintas, and the ten current JCCC students who traveled to Las Pintas …

Mitigation Of Antibiotic Resistance Using Ultraviolet Light-Emitting Diodes For Water Treatment, Nicole Heyniger, Patrick J. Mcnamara, Anthony D. Kappell, Brandon Schultz, Troy Skwor, Brooke K. Mayer

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

The presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the environment is a growing issue, which has been exacerbated by the overuse and misuse of antibiotics in health care and agricultural systems. One means of mitigating antibiotic resistance is through drinking water and wastewater treatment, specifically during disinfection processes. Ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UV-LEDs) are an emerging disinfection technology featuring adjustable peak wavelength emissions. We assessed the use of UV-LED for treating waterborne ARB (Escherichia coli and Aeromonas hydrophila) and ARGs (intracellular and extracellular) compared to conventional low-pressure UV (LP-UV). Overall, less efficient reduction (bacterial inactivation and/or gene …

Separating The Impacts Of A Corrosion Inhibitor From Copper Corrosion Products On Antibiotic Resistance In Drinking Water, Veronika Folvarska, Maya Adelgren, Emily Lou Lamartina, Ryan J. Newton, Yin Wang, Patrick J. Mcnamara

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Antibiotic resistance is a growing threat to public health, and environmental factors, including metals in drinking water distribution systems, are increasingly recognized as contributors to the spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Zinc orthophosphate, a common corrosion inhibitor, and copper corrosion products (CuO and Cu₂O) are frequently present in drinking water systems. While each has been shown to increase ARB and ARGs individually, their combined effects remain unknown. The objective of this study was to evaluate the combined impact of copper corrosion products and the corrosion inhibitor zinc orthophosphate on antibiotic resistance. Two …

Symp25s: A Multi-View Feature Construction And Multi-Encoder-Decoder Transformer Architecture For Time Series Classification, Zihan Li, Wei Ding, Inal Mashukov, Ping Chen, Scott Crouter

Paul English Applied Artificial Intelligence (AI) Institute Publications

Time series data plays a significant role in many research fields since it can record and disclose the dynamic trends of a phenomenon with a sequence of ordered data points. Time series data is dynamic, of variable length, and often contains complex patterns, which makes its analysis challenging especially when the amount of data is limited. In this paper, we propose a multi-view feature construction approach that can generate multiple feature sets of different resolutions from a single dataset and produce a fixed-length representation of variable-length time series data. Furthermore, we propose a multi- encoder-decoder Transformer (MEDT) architecture to effectively …

Impact Of Trauma-Informed Care In Higher Education, Lauren Mochnal

Student Research Design & Innovation Symposium

Trauma is prevalent among students in higher education, with 66% to 85% of university students having experienced a traumatic event (Wells et al., 2021). Additionally, college students in the United States currently report greater psychological distress and mental health challenges than in the past (Ray et al., 2024). Traumatic experiences can lead to challenges in emotional regulation, delayed brain development, and increased risk of adverse health outcomes and academic failure (Gao et al., 2023). However, use of a trauma-informed care approach to higher education at both a departmental and classroom level can minimize barriers and improve occupational engagement in education, …

The Association Between Insomnia & Porn Addiction, Sheriyah Hicks

Student Research Design & Innovation Symposium

This study inquired about the potential association between insomnia and porn addiction across various sexual gender identities in Rhode Island Young Adults. Using data from the 2022 Rhode Island Young Adult Survey, 1,022 young adults aged 18-25 who live in Rhode Island—for at least a part of the year, were successfully recruited. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate the relationship between insomnia and porn addiction. An interaction term between sex/gender identity (cisgender heterosexual males; cisgender heterosexual females; sexual and gender minorities) and insomnia was added to the model to assess potential moderation.

Results from the study show that young …

Mindfulness Strategies For Older Adults, Jennifer Macnie

Student Research Design & Innovation Symposium

This literature review aimed to identify the current research related to mindfulness in addressing mental health concerns. Anxiety and depression are extremely prevalent amongst older adults living in Assisted Living Facilities (ALF) (Morgan et al, 2016; Wallis et al., 2018). Currently, anxiety and depression are mainly treated by pharmaceutical treatments and cognitive behavioral therapy, however an increase of non-pharmaceutical treatment methods are needed (Wallis et al., 2018). The development and evaluation of occupation-based mindfulness programs in ALF will help to identify best practices for addressing mental health concerns in this setting.

Mindfulness Interventions For Pediatric Cancer, Dara Studnitzer, Tori Sandull, Bella Fazio

Student Research Design & Innovation Symposium

Research on mindfulness-based interventions is limited but necessary to determine the potential impacts on quality of life among children diagnosed with cancer. The objective was to investigate the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions in improving quality of life outcomes for children diagnosed with cancer. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines were used for the systematic review. Studies from 2014 to 2024 that focused on interventions such as mindfulness, meditation and yoga for children ages 6-12 with a cancer diagnosis were reviewed, and outcomes that include quality of life, life satisfaction, well-being, and happiness were analyzed. Six studies met …

Igd And Nmpdu: Associations By Student Status, Steve Jacob

Student Research Design & Innovation Symposium

The popularity of video games and prescription drug misuse throughout college campuses may promote co-occurring behavior. This cross-sectional study examined the association between internet gaming disorder (IGD), non-medical prescription drug use (NMPDU), and student status among young adults in Rhode Island. Data from N=1,022 Rhode Island young adults aged 18 to 25 (124 lifetime prescription drug misusers) was included in this study. Logistic regression models showed that with each additional unit in the gaming addiction scale (GAS), odds of NMPDU increased by 6% (OR[95%CI]=1.06 [1.02,1.10]), controlling for age, sexual and/or gender identity, race/ethnicity, and social status. The interaction between student …

Social Media And Depression In College Students, Jadyn Torres, Lilly Oliveira

Student Research Design & Innovation Symposium

While studies suggest social media use may increase the risk of poor mental health, few studies have examined how the ways in which college students use social media may play a role in this risk. A prospective cohort study (N=586) of college students who own iPhones at a higher education institution in the northeast US was conducted with five follow-up visits in October 2021 through March 2022. Social media uses were assessed using the Social Networking Sites Usage & Needs Scale, measuring five different domains: diversion, cognitive, affective, personal integration, and social integration. Time lagged, generalized estimating equations (GEE) models …