Digital Commons Network^™

Separate But Equal In The Bold New City Of The South: A Shadow Of What Remains, Charity Dera

University of Miami Race & Social Justice Law Review

This project undertakes the task of analyzing the historical and contemporary landscape of Jacksonville, Florida, the “Bold New City of the South,”1 from a multidisciplinary vantage point. It argues that the spirit of the overturned “separate but equal” holding of Plessy v. Ferguson2 and its bold segregationist ideologies reverberate today in both subtle and overt ways. Yet, that reality has not come without the resilience and perseverance of pioneering natives who have resisted such ideals in bold ways. While segregation is deeply rooted in U.S. history and scholars have readily addressed the contemporary effects of landmark cases such as Plessy …

Mental Health Crisis Among Icu Nurses: A Global Study Across 65 Countries During Covid-19, Amal Mobarki, Hillary J. Dutton, Allison Squires

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic imposed heavy demands on ICU nurses, who provided patient care while facing emotional exhaustion, staffing shortages, and limited resources(Boluarte et al., 2020; Shen et al., 2020). Evidence shows that working in critical care during pandemics greatly increases psychological distress among healthcare professionals (Azoulay et al., 2020). Given the significant differences in healthcare systems across countries, cross-national research is crucial for addressing the mental health of ICU nurses.

Aim: This study examines the prevalence of mental health symptoms and evaluates organizational supports provided to intensive care unit nurses throughout the COVID-19 pandemic across multiple international healthcare settings. …

Development Of A Preclinical Model That Can Be Used To Test Novel Therapeutics For The Treatment Of Mild And Moderate Traumatic Brain Injury, Hayden Anderson

Honors Theses

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) occurs when a foreign object induces damage to the skull and brain through a forceful blow or whiplash. It is one of the most frequent injuries in the United States, with approximately 250,000 cases of different levels occurring annually. It is well known that severe TBIs can result in persistent physical, cognitive, and socioeconomic consequences and the timing of treatment following this injury can play a critical role in the ultimate outcome. It would be beneficial to develop a safe therapeutic that could be administered rapidly after impact and improve the recovery of the patient. However, …

Development Of Research Direction At The Hospital General De México In The Last Two Decades, Juan C. Lopez-Alvarenga, José D. Carrillo-Ruiz, Galileo Escobedo, América Guadalupe Arroyo Valerio, Miguel Fonseca-Sanchez, Gustavo Acosta-Altamirano

School of Medicine Publications

No abstract provided.

Study On Influence Of Udl Hyd Raulic Parameters On Anti-Seepage Performance Of Slope Treate D With Cover Layer, Xiao Jie, Yan Dongq Ing, Chen Guanyi, Hu Linjie, Chang Jin

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

To explore the influe nce of hydraulic parameters of the drainage layer (UDL) on the anti-seepage performance of the capillary barrier cover (CBC) layer, the VG model was adopted to fit the soil-water characteristic curve and permeability function of soil based on the principle of unsaturated seepage in this paper. A simplified model of “fine-UDL-coarse ”-type CBC layer containing a UDL was established using Geo Studio finite element software. By carrying out the numerical simulation of seepage of expansive soil slope treated with the cover layer under heavy rain conditions, the influence rules of different hydraulic parameters of the UDL …

Advances In Properties Of Construction Waste Mixtures And Recycling Technologies For Road Construction, Liu Yuanqia Ng, Dai Wenbin, Jiao Weili, Xu Bin

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

Resource utilization of construction waste is an important approach for the sustainable development of infrastructure. To improve the diversified recycling system of construction waste in China and resolve the contradiction between the yield of construction waste and lagging treatment technologies, the physical-mechanical properties, modification methods, and pavement performance of construction waste were systematically summarized in this paper. Firstly, by analyzing the sources and treatment processes of construction waste, material variability was clarified as the key factor restricting its high-value application. Secondly, the application characteristics of construction waste mixtures in the subgrade, base, and asphalt surface layer of road engineering were …

Experimental Study On Compressive And Flexural Behaviors Of Pva Fiber-Reinforced Cement Soil, Lu Peng, Lu Bin, Zhang Jiahu, Zhou Siwei, Wang Jin, Hou Lijun

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

To address the problems of low toughness and poor deformation ability of cement soil, short-chopped polyvinyl a lcohol (PVA) fibers were added to modify and toughen the cement soil in this paper, and unconfined compressive and flexural tests were conducted on the PVA fiber-reinforced cement soil with different cement contents. The results show that compared with plain cement soil, the fiber-reinforced cement soil has stronger compressive deformation capacity, a flatter descending branch of the compressive stress –strain curve, a higher residual stress level, and better compressive toughness. When the cement content increases from 5% to 10%, the overall growth rates …

Preparation Of Composite Modified Mortar For Bonded Thin Overlay Of Cement Concrete Pavement, Zha Xudong, Lei Bingbing, Li Yunjie, Luo Runzhou

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

To address the surface distresses such as surface polishing, aggregate exposure, pitting, and unevenness in cement concrete pavement, a polymer composite modified cement mortar material incorporating both polypropylene fibers and redispersible latex powders was designed for the bonded thin overlay repair of existing cement concrete pavement. Based on the orthogonal test method, composite modified mortars with different mix proportions were prepared, and their performance indexes, including fluidity, flexural strength, compressive strength, and drying shrinkage, were tested to optimize and determine the optimal mix proportion. The corresponding workability, mechanical, bonding, and durability properties, as well as the microscopic characteristics, were verified …

Preparation Of Water-Resistant Solid Waste-Based Solidifier And Study On Properties Of Solidified Soil, Yao Yanbo, Zhu Ting, Yang Guowei, Li Menglong

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

Under the background of the “carbon peaking and carbon neutrality ” goals, the improvement and resource utilization of industrial solid waste and waste soil have become increasingly important. High carbon emissions are generated during the production of traditional cement and lime-modified solidifiers, which exhibit poor crack resistance and tensile properties. In contrast, a composite organic-inorganic membrane can be formed by waterborne epoxy resin combined with C‒S‒H gel in cement soil to cement the internal flaky or spherical soil particles, thereby improving the tensile strength and water erosion resistance of the soil. In this paper, slag and desulfurization gypsum were selected …

Review On Self-Healing Capacity Of Asphalt Mixtures By Microwave Heating, Deng Yue, Dong Yuming, Sun Daquan

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

Asphalt pavement generates cracking damage under the action of vehicle loads and other factors, which triggers various distresses. Microwave heating technology can rapidly increase the temperature of mixtures, enhance the self-healing capacity of asphalt, and thereby repair the damage. The research progress on the self-healing capacity of asphalt mixtures by microwave heating was reviewed in this paper and summarized from four aspects:the self-healing mechanisms under microwave heating, test methods, evaluation indicators, and influencing factors of the self-healing capacity. The results indicate that microwaves promote the flow and healing of asphalt through multiple mechanisms;the loading states of mixtures were simulated by …

Analysis Of Temperature Field In Negative Temperature Tunnel Based On Material Thermal Parameter Tests, Xin Quanming, Zhang Feng, Zhao Zhongliang, Sun Zhenhua

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

In view of the temperature field problem of Asia ’s first four-season cross-country skiing tunnel reconstructed from an existing tunnel, based on the study of the thermal conductivity of tunnel materials by the HOTDISK method, steady-state heat transfer models under different protection conditions were established by using the finite element method and the multi-layer cylinder heat transfer theory, respectively. The temperature field distribution characteristics of the negative temperature tunnel were analyzed, and the influence laws and sensitivities of various factors were investigated. The results show that the freezing of the tunnel affects the material properties of the tunnel structure;the thermal …

Simulation Study On Smoke Propagation Characteristics At Vault In Urban Bifurcated Tunnel Fire, Guo Xiao, Lyu Jianwei, Tan Xiangjun, Ni Chenyang, Wang Youwei, Li Yuyang

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

To explore the influence of wind speed on the smoke temperature and distribution characteristics of the bifurcated diverging tunnel fire, Hangzhou West Station Tunnel on National Highway G 235 was taken as the engineering background in this paper. The numerical simulation method was used to investigate the influences of different upstream wind speeds and fire source positions on the fire smoke propagation in the diverging expansion section. The results indicate that:① A higher wind speed at the tunnel entrance results in a shorter smoke backflow length in the tunnel, and the rate of smoke backflow in the tunnel decreases accordingly;② …

Research On Intelligent Safety Control Of Deep Water Foundation Of Bridges Based On Digital Twins, Guo Feng, Li Ting, Mao Ali

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

To achieve real-time monitoring data collection, intelligent evaluation and warning of safety risks, and rapid disposal of emergency plans for steel cofferdam structures during the construction process of deep water foundations of bridges. Research on intelligent safety control of steel cofferdams of deep water foundations of bridges was conducted based on digital twins. Firstly, BIM software was used to construct a virtual model of the entire construction process of the steel cofferdam, and IoT devices were used to collect real-time data on the stress, displacement, and construction water level of the steel cofferdam structure. Secondly, by using the Web-GL engine …

Analysis Of Microscopic Crack Propagation In Polyurethane-Cement Stabilized Crushed Stone Based On Discrete Element Method, Yu Xin, Huang Yujie, Chen Chen, Jiang Ziqi, Wang Min, Ling Chenxin

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

To study the effect of polyurethane grouting on the crack repair performance of cement stabilized crushed stone, a microscopic model of cement stabilized crushed stone was established by the discrete element method (DEM) in this paper. SCB fracture simulation tests were conducted on specimens with different initial notch-to-depth ratios to obtain load ‒ displacement curves, and sensitivity analysis of microscopic parameters was performed. Then, by comparing microscopic characteristics such as crack propagation paths, crack types, and particle displacements before and after grouting, the repair effect of polyurethane grouting materials was evaluated. The results indicate that the grouting filler significantly enhances …

Pediatric Thyroid Cancer Lung Metastases And Rai: Long-Term Results, Ryan C Mueller, Nikhil Rammohan, Anthony J Apicelli, Ana Maria Arbelaez, Farrokh Dehdashti, Barry A Siegel, Vikas Prasad, Perry W Grigsby, Stephanie Markovina

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVES: Children with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) often present with lung metastases but historically have good outcomes. Radioactive iodine (RAI) is commonly used to treat these children. Given the rarity of this condition, little evidence detailing long-term outcomes and risk of radiation pneumonitis exists.

METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients < 20 years old who received RAI for DTC lung metastases between 1973 and 2018. Disease-free survival (DFS) was calculated from diagnosis to last follow-up. Overall survival and rates of acute and late radiation pneumonitis were determined by chart review and obituary searches.

RESULTS: Sixteen patients met eligibility criteria. Fourteen presented with thyroid, nodal, and lung disease; one presented with thyroid and nodal disease with nodal and lung recurrence; and one presented with thyroid-only disease with nodal and lung recurrence. All patients underwent thyroidectomy, 10 underwent neck dissection, and four underwent …

Assessing Usability Gaps And Implementing User-Centered Practices In Nonprofit Web Applications, Mackenzie R. Swain

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

Nonprofit organizations increasingly rely on web applications to coordinate volunteers, yet many such systems lack the usability necessary to support diverse user populations. This study evaluates and redesigns the Gwyneth’s Gift Volunteer Management System using established human–computer interaction principles and user-centered design methodologies. A systematic assessment identified four major usability gaps—menu navigation, form structure, breadcrumb trails, and selection‑bar behavior—each contributing to user confusion, inefficiency, or error. High‑fidelity prototypes were developed to address these issues, emphasizing consistency, reduced cognitive load, transparent navigation, and improved interaction flow. These prototypes informed the implementation of redesigned interface components, including streamlined menus, multi‑step registration forms …

Impacts On Knee And Ankle Joint Stiffness During Walk And Stair Negotiation For Individuals With Acl-R And Oa, Genavieve J. Golightly, Nicholas L. Hunt, Tyler N. Brown

2026 Undergraduate Research Showcase

Knee injuries, including those requiring anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR), are associated with numerous degenerative outcomes, including the progression of osteoarthritis (OA). Although reconstructive surgery and physical therapy are available treatment options, OA progression following knee joint injury continues to leave many individuals facing premature joint degeneration. Increased joint stiffness is a common consequence of knee joint injury and is seen in many patients who have undergone ACLR, and may be a contributing factor in the acceleration of OA by creating an environment of concentrated stress on knee cartilage, thereby promoting joint degeneration. It is unclear whether knee injuries alter …

The Scarlet - Volume Civ, No. 11 (April 24, 2026), Scarlet Staff

The Scarlet (Student Newspaper) (2011-present)

The April 24, 2026 edition of The Scarlet (est. 1939), Clark University's student-run newspaper. The Scarlet is intellectually and editorially independent of the University.

Between The Middle Kingdom And The Middle Way: An Analysis Of State Power And Sacred Authority In The Sino-Tibet Conflict, Madison M. Berry, Aimee N. Ebeling, Jayden A. Hanson

Pepperdine Journal of Communication Research

This research paper addresses the growing concerns of the Sino-Tibetan conflict by analyzing the relationship between the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR) through an intercultural communication and negotiation lens. By analyzing historical relationships between the two parties and comparing them to similar contemporary situations, this paper examines the sinicization of the Tibetan people. By exploring the “Old Tibet” and “New Tibet” narratives, while acknowledging the centrality of the Dalai Lama to both parties, it also addresses territorial disagreements and the contrasting understandings of sovereignty and modernization, which fuel the conflict. Finally, a policy framework …

Partnership For Observation, Leadership, And Arctic Resilience (Polar): Strengthening Eu–Us Cooperation Through Technology, Trade, And Arctic Governance, Nikki Quartuccio, Emily White

Pepperdine Journal of Communication Research

This speech was presented at the EU Delegation to the United States’ 2026 Schuman Challenge. The Schuman Challenge is an academic competition for U.S. undergraduate students to debate transatlantic issues, judged by a panel of stakeholders. The prompt for this speech was to create a policy that analyzes a current issue area in the E.U.-U.S. transatlantic relationship and suggests ways to strengthen it in the years ahead. Our policy, POLAR, the Partnership for Observation, Leadership, and Arctic Resilience, establishes a neutral, AI-enabled early-warning and consultation mechanism hosted within the International Maritime Organization (IMO). By institutionalizing shared situational awareness, structured clarification …

Variable Arm Reach Extender (Vare), Matthew Gorton, Adam Johnson, Kaleem Bocus, Quin Fredrickson, Vaughn Havins, James Koethe, Leira Maynard, David Mierzejewski, James Moore, Joonhyung Si

Mechanical and Civil Engineering Student Publications

Approximately 6.7% of the US population suffer from physical disabilities, producing the need for assistive devices. Amongst assistive equipment, reach-extenders have a 64% dissatisfaction rate..

Evaluating The Applicability Of Gamess For Determining Bond Lengths And Bond Dissociation Energies Through Constructing Potential Energy Curves For H2, N2, F2, Cl2, And Br2, Iaroslavna Kovalenko, Jillian Pabalan

Research and Creativity Symposium

The applicability and limitations of the GAMESS dihydrogen potential energy curve computational tool were evaluated for the following diatomic molecules: H₂, N₂, F₂, Cl₂, and Br₂. The aug-cc-pVDZ basis set and the B3LYP density functional theory (DFT) functional were employed to ensure more accurate electronic energy results for each calculation. Potential energy curves were generated for each molecule by plotting the electronic energy as a function of interatomic distance, and the bond dissociation energies (BDEs) and radii of diatomic molecules were determined. The radii were determined to be 76 pm …

Click Reactions With Surface-Bound Phosphonate Films Toward An Electrocatalytic System For Carbon Dioxide Reduction, Iaroslavna Kovalenko, Emma J. Goehner, K. Nicole Crowder

Research and Creativity Symposium

One way to electrochemically reduce CO₂ is to use modified electrode surfaces with bound transition-metal electrocatalysts. Optimal conditions for modifying copper surfaces with a 1.0 mM solution of (2-azidoethyl) phosphonic acid in acetone have been identified, forming a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) via the tethering by aggregation and growth (T-BAG) method. The SAM protects the copper electrodes from oxidation or side reactions on the copper surface. The copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) click reaction between the terminal azide group on the phosphonate and the terpyridine ligand has been successfully carried out on the copper surface. This terpyridyl ligand was then used …

April 24, 2026 Minutes, Swosu Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Minutes

No abstract provided.

“Tolling For The Outcast”: A Therapeutic Jurisprudence Consideration Of The Relationship Between The Americans With Disabilities Act, Death Row Conditions, And Capital Punishment, Michael L. Perlin, Esq., Talia Roitberg Harmon, Maren Geiger, Chelsea Henning

San Diego Law Review

The press has regularly reported on the level of abysmal conditions on death rows in those states that have retained capital punishment. Death-row prisoners are often incarcerated in solitary confinement, and are subject to much more deprivation and harsher conditions than other prisoners. As a result, many experience declining mental health, and it has become clear that persons with mental illness are disproportionately put to death. Some litigants have turned to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as a potential source of relief; the Supreme Court’s decision in Pennsylvania Department of Corrections v. Yeskey underscored that the act’s language “unmistakably …

Thou Shall Not Compel Speech: Public Educators’ Free Speech Rights In The Face Of Louisiana’S “Ten Commandments” Law And Other Rules Compelling Private Expression From Public School Teachers, Kailey A. Olsson

San Diego Law Review

First Amendment jurisprudence has significantly evolved within the past decade as the Supreme Court has expanded religious protections, further developed the Compelled-Speech Doctrine, and narrowed what public school activities are considered violations of the Establishment Clause.  There is no other U.S. Supreme Court case that illustrates these monumental shifts in First Amendment interpretation quite like Kennedy v. Bremerton School District.  Writing for the majority, Justice Gorsuch found that a public school district could not suppress the personal religious expression of a football coach, even when that coach led a prayer activity with other football players and within view of other …

Fourth- And Eighth-Grade Students’ Achievement In Statistics: An Exploratory Study Of Timss 2019 Data From The United States, Thomas Shomer

Dissertations (1934 -)

Using data from the 2019 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS 2019), this dissertation research explores factors associated with US fourth- and eighth-grade students’ performance in statistics. Multilevel linear models (MLMs) were used to analyze the effects of student-, teacher-, and school-related factors on students’ overall performance in statistics. Binomial multilevel linear models (Binomial MLMs) were used to analyze the effects of the same factors on students’ performance in the subdomains of statistical literacy, reasoning, and thinking. Binomial MLMs were also used to analyze the effects of student-centered and teacher-centered instructional practices on students’ knowledge and skills related …

The Atmospheric Effects On The Extratropical Transition Of Hurricane Sandy, Natalie Paone

Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences Student Publications

• Hurricane Sandy formed in the Caribbean in late October 2012 and intensified to a Category 3 hurricane before making landfall in Cuba and later New Jersey (Blake et al., 2013). Sandy caused approximately $68.7 billion in damages and over 250 fatalities, making it one of the most impactful storms in U.S. history. 
• During extratropical transition (ET), tropical cyclones interact with midlatitude systems, leading to structural changes such as expansion of the wind field, development of frontal boundaries, and increased baroclinicity (Hart and Evans, 2001). Sandy is a key example of a hybrid cyclone where ET did not weaken impacts but …

Tiny Engineers: How Polycheateworms Can Extend Sedimentary Oxic Layers And Create Better Seagrass Habitats, Natalie Spohn

Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences Student Publications

The Indian River Lagoon (IRL) is a shallow, well mixed estuary on the East Coast of Florida. Presently, the IRL is suffering eutrophication due to a cycle of harmful algal blooms (HABs) that deplete the water column of oxygen (2,5). Deposition of organic matter from HABs in the sediment leads to reduced sedimentary oxygen, continuing to support the cycle of eutrophication through benthic-pelagic coupling (1,5). Anaerobic sedimentary conditions can increase concentrations of ammonium and sulfide, leading to seagrass loss (3,4,6,7,10). Bioturbation by infauna can extend the oxic layer of sediments, promoting aerobic processes and helping to remove nitrogen and sulfur …

Ontogeny Of Microbial Community Structure In Shoal Grass Grown In Biochar-Amended Sediments, Sajeda Slhoub, Nicole Katz, Joey Ciocher, Jack Denvir, Jenisse Louis, Katelynn Zagami

Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences Student Publications

The Indian River Lagoon (IRL) is one of the most biologically diverse estuaries in the United States and contributes over $55.4 billion annually to Florida’s economy. Since 2010, more than 52% of the IRL seagrass meadows have been lost, reducing both the ecological and the economic potential of this ecosystem. Biochar, a stable carbon material produced by pyrolysis, added to soil enhance organic productivity perhaps because of increased microbial activity in the soil (Lehmann et al., 2017). Our study evaluates the use of biochar to grow resilient strains of seagrass for ecosystem restoration in the IRL.