Digital Commons Network^™

Evolving Threats, Evolving Duties: Ransomware, Artificial Intelligence, And Cybersecurity Law, Chase Hayes

Journal of Law, Technology, & the Internet

This paper examines the evolving legal obligations of corporations and public institutions in the face of ransomware, cyber threats, and artificial intelligence, asserting that a proactive legal framework is essential to mitigate or altogether avoid liability, protect stakeholders, and ensure national security. As cybercriminals become increasingly sophisticated, laws and regulations struggle to keep up. Generative artificial intelligence only deepens this disruption and with technology continuously evolving, it is difficult to imagine what the cyberspace will look like in years to come. This article responds to the gap by emphasizing the need for integration between the legal profession and cybersecurity expertise. …

Out Of Sight Is Out Of Mind? Experimentally Testing A Gradually Materializing Public Bad, Alexander Egberts, Christoph Engel, Joshua Fairfield

Scholarly Articles

Many social ills can be modeled as a public bad. In such scenarios, private benefit is often immediate, while the public damage takes some time to materialize. In this experiment, we investigate the behavioral effects caused by such delays in the realization of collective harm. By manipulating the weight with which the damages caused by group contributions are carried over to the next round, we alter the number of periods required for the social damage to unfold fully. We keep constant the economic consequences of contributions between treatments (by introducing a multiplier for the damage) and between periods (by deducting …

Chinese Lesbian, Gay, And Bisexual Positive Identity Measure (C-Lgb-Pim), Yawen Yang, Ellen D. B. Riggle, Fang Wang, Mengyan Wu, Ye Sun, Huilan Liu, Lisha Dai

Gender and Women's Studies Faculty Publications

To support research and interventions using a positive, strength-based framework of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) identities in China, this study translates the Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Positive Identity Measure (LGB-PIM) into Standard Chinese and evaluating its reliability and validity among Chinese sexual minorities. Following Brislin’s standardized translation procedures (translation, back-translation, cultural adaptation, and pretesting), the scale retained 25 items across 5 dimensions. A convenience sample of 392 participants underwent assessments of internal consistency (α = 0.92), retest reliability (α = 0.80), structural validity (68.54% variance explained), and construct validity. The five-dimensional structure showed robust convergent validity (AVE > 0.50, CR …

Closing The Loop In Sustainable Fashion: Recycling Textile Waste And Its Environmental, Social, And Consumer Impacts, Anthony Amotoe-Bondzie

Sustainability Program Posters and Papers

Fast fashion has intensified textile waste, emissions, and social inequities across global supply chains. This study examines sustainable fashion frameworks and the role of textile recycling in advancing circularity. It employes a qualitative integrative literature review synthesizing interdisciplinary research on waste streams, recycling technologies, policy instruments, and consumer behavior. However, advanced recycling technologies offer environmental benefits but remain limited in scale. Nonetheless, rising consumption offsets efficiency gains, while economic and behavioral barriers hinder systemic change. Technological innovation alone is insufficient; circular design, regulatory enforcement, and reduced overproduction are essential for sustainable transformation.

Expectancy Effects On Mental Fatigue, Ethan Li

Behavioral Neuroscience Honors Papers

This thesis explores mental fatigue as a state arising from sustained cognitive demand and explores the use of the gradual-onset performance task (gradCPT) for mental fatigue research. The study examines whether expectancy effects (placebo or nocebo conditions) influence mental fatigue-related outcomes. Expectancy effects were induced by asking participants to view an inert optical illusion after describing its benefits (placebo) or harms (nocebo) to mental fatigue. Out of 73 participants, results showed significant decreases in performance over time, along with significantly increased subjective fatigue as measured by the VAS-F subscale, supporting gradCPT as an effective fatigue inducer in short periods of …

The Last Human Question: Generative Ai's Existential Threat To Consensus And Law, Joshua Fairfield

Scholarly Articles

The true risk of artificial intelligence (“AI”) is not that the toasters will rise up. It is that AI will be competent to perform human tasks and indifferent to human welfare. The risk is that we will be outcompeted by generative automated processes that create output similar to ours (although never the same, as this Article explains), but which need none of the outputs of the economy for food, shelter, or human flourishing. Further, a more precise and existential description of the threat is that generative AI will disrupt and crowd out humanity’s evolutionary superpower, our ability to generate agreement …

I Want To Be The Very Best: Are Gamified Applications Like Pokémon Go Associated With Positive Health Outcomes?, Derek D. Mesa

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Physical activity is a significant problem facing the United States, which can be associated with several negative health outcomes. Poor physical health and poor mental well-being are two outcomes that are often examined by researchers alongside reported physical activity. With the introduction of more advanced technology, interventions such as gamification can be made widely available to diverse groups. Gamification is the use of game-like elements in non-game environments, such as physical activity and health improvement. To determine if gamification has an association with the domains of physical activity, mental well-being, and physical health, this study employed a cross-sectional mixed methods …

Caught In The Midwife’S Hands: A Black Feminist Exploration Of Reproductive Health And Justice In Massachusetts, Nina Bakum

Gender, Sexuality, and Intersectionality Studies Honors Papers

No abstract provided.

“Which Side Are You On?”: The Historical Creation And Political Implications Of An Appalachian White Other, Zoe Davin

History Honors Papers

No abstract provided.

U.S. Young Adults’ Experience Of Hope, Personal Control, And Well-Being In The Face Of Large-Scale Threats, Julia Conner

Psychology Honors Papers

Large-scale threats (e.g., climate change, political unrest, economic uncertainty) have many negative effects on young adults’ well-being. Given the widespread and existential nature of these threats, it can be difficult for individuals to maintain hope in the face of them. The present study examines the relationships among hope, locus of control, psychological well-being, concern over large-scale threats, and news use in a sample of 213 young adults from the United States aged 19-27 years. Participants completed several self-report scales and provided a hope narrative. The data show strong positive relationships between greater hope and internal locus of control and more …

Love & Mercy: Records Of Self, Change, And Relationship, Jessie Perryman

Sociology Honors Papers

No abstract provided.

Searching For The Floridian Sublime In Contrast : An Exploration Of Atmosphere, Memory, And Place In Contemporary Ink Landscapes, Tereza Koniakovska-Bors

Theses & ETDs

Coming from Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic and a city shaped by a diverse architectural landscape, my experience in Florida has been overwhelmingly influential on my perception of the place and its visual identity. Compared to the historical order of Prague, Florida seems defined by its natural qualities, ecological tensions, and the coexistence of natural forces with modern human life rather than by architectural continuity. Through a series of monochromatic paintings, I aim to capture and explore this distinctive visual atmosphere, inviting viewers to reflect on their own perceptions of Florida’s evolving landscape identity amid ecological and cultural …

Correlation Of Nfl Quarterback Statistics And Attributes To Their Contract’S Monetary Value In 2025, Drew Leavell

Theses & ETDs

‘Examining and Analyzing the Correlation of NFL Quarterback Statistics and Attributes to their Contract’s Monetary Value in 2025’ is more than an observation of correlations without causation. In my thesis, I present the correlation numbers from the gathered research of every active NFL quarterback before the start of the 2025 season minus players on rookie-scale contracts. Furthermore, presented is a best-fit equation that may be used to forecast potential future earnings of quarterbacks. I explain the papers I have researched and explain how I can take value from them to develop a strong conclusion, discuss the considerations and process of …

The Joy Of Recognition Vs. The Violence Of Erasure: Gender Queer And Fun Home As Literary Targets And Queer Bibliographies, Alicia Luguri

Theses & ETDs

In this thesis I examine controversies surrounding Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home and Maia Kobabe’s Gender Queer, while exploring select events of book censorship, theft, and destruction, and how these activities have been employed to specifically target queer, trans, Jewish, and other marginalized communities. I trace the intertwined histories of pornography and the comics medium, and the ways in which this connection has shaped and influenced public opinion, legislation, and the genesis and implementation of the restrictive 1954 Comics Code. Additionally, I argue that as a part of Bechdel’s and Kobabe’s reaction to the heteronormative, homophobic and transphobic threats and pressures …

Philosophical Gardening: An Existential Inquiry, Angel Ramirez Heske

Theses & ETDs

No abstract provided.

Issue 23: A Rights-Based Migration Strategy For Canada: Addressing Inequities In A Time Of U.S. Political Repression, Marika Jeziorek

International Migration Research Centre

This brief argues that the growing appeal of Canada to highly skilled professionals fleeing rights-based repression in the United States presents a unique opportunity to strengthen its skilled migration strategy through an equity-focused and economically sustainable approach. As U.S. professionals—particularly women, racialized individuals, healthcare providers, and academics—seek safety, professional autonomy, and legal protection, Canada has emerged as a key destination (Favaro, 2025; Levinthal, 2024; Malkin, 2016; Jackson, 2024). This appeal is rooted in Canada’s reputation as a rights-based society, one that contrasts sharply with the erosion of freedoms in parts of the U.S. To uphold and deliver on this perception, …

Southern Adventist University Undergraduate Catalog 2025-2026, Southern Adventist University

Catalog, Undergraduate

Southern Adventist University's undergraduate catalog for the academic year 2025-2026.

Southern Adventist University Graduate Handbook 2025-2026, Southern Adventist University

Student Handbooks, Graduate

No abstract provided.

Paternal Involvement And Bonding In Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: Evaluating Daily Caregiving, Emotional Well-Being, And Father-Infant Connection, Ava G. Kinyon

Nursing | Senior Theses

Background: Premature birth and serious neonatal conditions frequently require infants to obtain care in the NICU, producing psychological and emotional obstacles for families. Despite the fact that skin-to-skin contact has been extensively researched for its strengths in encouraging stability and bonding, there persists restricted importance and understanding on paternal participation in routine caregiving tasks such as feeding, diapering, temperature checks, and swaddling. Purpose: This study aims to evaluate paternal participation in daily NICU caregiving tasks to address gaps in comprehending how these experiences impact bonding and emotional well-being among fathers of hospitalized infants. Methods: This study will employ a quasi-experimental …

Deterrence Without Peace: Nuclear Weapons And The Rising Threshold Of Warfare, Catie Clarke

CISLA Senior Integrative Projects

Nuclear weapons fundamentally changed the international political landscape, leading to the emergence of deterrence theory and the notion of the Long Peace. This paper challenges these claims, arguing that nuclear weapons facilitated a more violent and volatile international system rather than stability. Drawing on constructivist theory, this paper develops the Threshold of Violence framework – a normative model which asserts that nuclear weapons elevated the perceived upper limit of tolerable violence in international politics. This raised threshold generated three trends in the nuclear era: increased frequency of proxy wars, escalating levels of benefactor involvement, and greater severity of conflicts fought …

Unm Pathology, Pathfinder Winter 2026, Unm Department Of Pathology

Newsletters

No abstract provided.

Agents Of Hope: A Narrative Inquiry Into The Lived Experience And Professional Practice Of Teacher Hopefulness, Brett J. Baxter

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Teacher attrition, declining job satisfaction, and increasing classroom challenges continue to affect the stability and effectiveness of K–12 public education. While research has consistently demonstrated positive outcomes associated with higher levels of hope among students, little is known about how teachers themselves perceive their own hopefulness or the role it plays in their professional practice. Without a clearer understanding of teacher hope, educational leaders and policymakers may overlook an important factor influencing teacher effectiveness and student outcomes. Guided by the theoretical framework of hope theory, which conceptualizes hope as the interaction of goal-oriented thinking, agency thinking, and pathways thinking, this …

Talking Black: The Construction Of Blackness In Film, D'Andre M. Person

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects

Media, such as film, plays a pivotal role in representing marginalized groups to general audiences. The portrayal of Black people in advertisements, novels, art, and film has perpetuated harmful stereotypes which associate Black men and women with negative traits that justify their marginalization, such as the "Coon" stereotype that frames Black men as lazy or the "Mammy" stereotype that positions Black women as subservient. Stereotypes in film are produced through images, but language plays a vital role in constructing general audiences' understanding of Black people as well. Through a rhetorical analysis of seven films released between 2016 and 2026, I …

Community Science For Enigmatic Ecosystems: Using Ebird To Assess Avian Biodiversity On Glaciers And Snowfields, William E. Brooks, Jordan Boersma, Neil Paprocki, Peter Wimberger, Scott Hotaling

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

Mountain glaciers and snowfields are rapidly receding because of climate warming. Species living in these habitats remain poorly studied, likely because of the remoteness and ruggedness of their terrain. We leveraged community science data from eBird—an online database of bird observations from around the world—to characterize bird use of mountain glaciers and snowfields. We estimated total bird biodiversity and preference for glaciers and snowfields over nearby, ice-adjacent habitats. We used field notes from eBird users and breeding codes to extend our data set to include insight into habitat usage and behavior. Finally, we compared our community-science approach to previous studies …

Data Culture's Influence On Instructional Change And Continuous School Improvement, Sara Guth

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The use of data for decision making and taking an evidence-based approach to instruction has been the gold standard for schools and their continuous improvement efforts for many years in elementary education. The system of military-connected schools is no different. This unique system has taken steps to support the development of a data culture in its schools to include providing clear guidance in its Blueprint for Continuous Improvement, designating weekly release time for students so that educators may engage in Focused Collaboration time, and designing structures and resources to support teams with this practice such as the Focused Collaboration …

Vision 2026

Vision

No abstract provided.

Nahb Production Home Competition As A Learning Tool Towards Incorporating Business Skills In Construction Management Programs, George Berghorn, Chandler Jones, M.G. Matt Syal

The Professional Constructor

There is a growing realization in the construction industry that the traditional focus of Construction Management (CM) education on technical competencies (such as scheduling, estimating, and construction methods) is insufficient in preparing graduates to meet the strategic and leadership demands of the modern construction profession. A successful construction company requires more than project execution; it demands expertise in business development, financial management, marketing, risk management, and organizational leadership. The disparity between the technical and business aspects of CM education has produced graduates who may succeed in project management yet find it challenging to engage with comprehensive business operations.

This study …

Child Poverty And Nutritional Health In Rural And Non-Rural Ohio Counties, Viraj Chegu, Macy Puthoff

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Child poverty is an ongoing issue in the United States, placing children at a risk of nutritional deficits. While community interventions and reduced price school lunch programs have improved food insecurity outcomes for children, there is limited knowledge of how these programs can alleviate potential health problems in rural versus urban areas. Thus, this project aims to compare various variables such as food environment index, food insecurity, and enrollment in reduced price school lunch among counties in Ohio of different poverty levels as well as whether the counties are rural or nonrural. Methods: Factors such as food insecurity, food environment …

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 …

A Rosary Dipped In Blood, Collin Taylor

Athena: Undergraduate Research and Literary Journal

A short story about a young adult male named Daniel who navigates the isolation he feels in a rural conservative small town. He seeks escape and liberation through books and education, as well as making his voice known regardless of the consequences.