Digital Commons Network^™

Do Generalist-Pollinated Plants Exhibit Pollination Syndromes? Examination Of Floral Size, Shape, Color, And Scent On Pollinator Services To Wild Sunflowers (Helianthus), Charles A. Pitsenberger Ii

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Traditional pollination syndromes group angiosperms into categories based on how floral traits impact the functional group of pollinator most associated with those traits. The concept, while well supported for specialist-pollinated plants, is a poor predictor of pollinator identity in generalist systems, such as those common to the family Asteraceae. One potential avenue for future refinement of the concept is the combination of large floral trait datasets, quantitative pollinator data, and phylogenetic comparative methods. Helianthus is a well-studied genus of North American aster whose species include the agriculturally significant H. annuus, which represents the third largest oilseed crop globally. The genus …

Adapting Models For Florida’S Public Secondary Schools: A Case Study Of Collegiate Writing Centers, Erin M. Shorthill

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

While working for four years in a college writing center, often with dual enrolled high school students, I began asking myself why our local high schools do not have writing centers of their own. The effectiveness of writing centers in helping students advance their critical thinking and written communication skills is well documented, and yet students of diverse geographical locations and socio-economic status often arrive at college under-prepared for the rigor of academic written discourse. Employing a combination of institutional analysis and constructivist grounded theory, I conducted case studies on three Florida college writing centers, focusing on staffing models, training …

Civil Procedure—Hypothetical Jurisdiction And Hypothetical Judgments—Doe V. Town Of Lisbon, 78 F.4th 38 (1st Cir. 2023), Bridget Brett

Suffolk Journal of Trial and Appellate Advocacy

No abstract provided.

International Issues In Family Law: An Annotated Bibliography, Allen Rostron

Faculty Works

This bibliography addresses international legal issues that may be of special interest or significance for family law attorneys.

Platform-Independent Estimation Of Human Physiological Time From Single Blood Samples, Yitong Huang, Rosemary Braun

Mathematics Sciences: Faculty Publications

Abundant epidemiological evidence links circadian rhythms to human health, from heart disease to neurodegeneration. Accurate determination of an individual's circadian phase is critical for precision diagnostics and personalized timing of therapeutic interventions. To date, however, we still lack an assay for physiological time that is accurate, minimally burdensome to the patient, and readily generalizable to new data. Here, we present TimeMachine, an algorithm to predict the human circadian phase using gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from a single blood draw. Once trained on data from a single study, we validated the trained predictor against four independent datasets with …

Table Of Contents, Luc International Law Review

Loyola University Chicago International Law Review

No abstract provided.

Reconceptualizing Presidents' Clemency Power Under The Framework Of Human Rights: The Right To Seek Capital Clemency In Taiwan, Mao-Hong Lin

Fordham International Law Journal

The incorporation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights into Taiwan’s domestic law provided death row inmates with the legal basis to submit requests for the President’s mercy. However, Presidents have persistently ignored these requests without any response to the inmates, and the judiciary regularly dismissed the cases of the inmates by rendering decisions in support of the Presidents’ inaction. The court justifications for these decisions were that the clemency power falls under the executive prerogative, and that it is a political question in nature and therefore not subject to judicial oversight. This Article argues against these justifications. …

Swimming Against The Current: Ethiopia's Quest For Access To The Red Sea Under International Law, Mahemud Eshtu Tekuya

Fordham International Law Journal

In October 2023, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali declared access to the Red Sea is “an existential matter” for Ethiopia, reigniting the longstanding dispute with Eritrea over the Assab Red Sea coastal areas. This Article addresses the need for a peaceful resolution of this dispute while scrutinizing the legitimacy of Ethiopia’s claim for access to the Red Sea within the framework of international law. Contrary to the prevailing view among Ethiopian scholars, the Article argues that Ethiopia lacks a legitimate ownership claim over Assab or any parts of the Red Sea. However, it argues that Ethiopia, as a landlocked …

“Kill, Rape, Control”: Gender-Based Violence By Gang Members In El Salvador As Crimes Against Humanity Under International Criminal Law, Elizabeth Garrison

Fordham International Law Journal

In the Northern Triangle countries (El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala), gang violence, particularly against women, girls, and LGBTQ+ persons, results in gross violations of human rights and is a major driver of forced displacement. Gang members systematically use gender-based violence, including rape, femicide, kidnapping, sexual slavery, and persecution of LGBTQ+ persons, to exert territorial control over the local population. However, the international community has failed to recognize both the severity and systemic nature of gender-based violence by gang members. This Note—which focuses on El Salvador, but has implications for the rest of the Northern Triangle countries—argues that gender-based violence by …

Human Rights & The Rights Of Nature: Friends Or Foes?, Jérémie Gilbert

Fordham International Law Journal

No abstract provided.

The International Trade Law Implications Of Regulating E-Cigarettes: Lessons From Tobacco Litigation, Genevieve Wilkinson And Elizabeth Sheargold

Fordham International Law Journal

No abstract provided.

The Stupa Amaravati Of India: Where British Common Law Controls The Repatriation Of Cultural Property, Francesca Zepeda

Loyola University Chicago International Law Review

Repatriation of cultural property currently in the hands of the British Museum has been the topic of intense debate for decades. Activists argue for the return of the cultural art to its country of origin and to abide by international law for the protection of art antiquities. The British Museum and their supporters argue to maintain the status quo. The Amaravati Stupa, an Indian antiquity made of hundreds of pieces from a Buddhist temple excavated by British colonists, is one of the pieces the British Museum continues to possess and own. The Indian government has requested its repatriation. In the …

Deadly Journeys: Climate Change, U.S. Border Enforcement, And Human Rights, Julia Neusner

Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law

Extreme weather events and slow onset disasters, exacerbated by climate change, are increasingly driving global displacement. As displaced people seek cross-border protection in unprecedented numbers, the United States has responded by tightening border controls and restricting asylum access. These policies have exposed migrants and asylum seekers in transit to greater risks of injury and death due to the impacts of climate change and climate-related disasters. Drawing on legal analysis, historical context, and firsthand interviews with people seeking U.S. asylum, this Article examines the implications of U.S. policies that limit freedom of movement and asylum access. The Article raises critical legal …

Climate Rights In Brazil And The United States: A Convergence In Contrasts, James R. May, Marcelo Buzaglo Dantas, Luciana Bauer

Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law

This Article offers three quick takeaways. First is the utility of rights-based approaches to climate change. As evidence of climate change grows, international and domestic law are rushing to keep pace. ...

Second is the value of borrowing. Courts look and listen to other courts. As the political processes at both domestic and international levels have failed to protect against climate change, whether by action or inaction, a growing number of courts—led by those in Brazil, the United States, and elsewhere—have tried to catalyze more robust and effective government responses. ...

Last is implementation. Without a strategy for operationalizing these …

The North Of Ireland During The Interregnum: A Gramcian Analysis Of Power And Crisis, Chris Ó'Rálaigh

Articles

The North of Ireland was induced in to existence over a century ago, yet the polity lacked societal-wide legitimacy. The outbreak of conflict in 1968 signalled the beginning of an interregnal period in which the old order was substantially challenged. Whilst the Good Friday Agreement was idealised as an end to this interregnum, Brexit has re-opened the battle for politico-ideological supremacy. This paper traces the contours of the hegemony-seeking strategies of the various political actors from 1968-present and assesses whether we are in the crucial and final phase of the organic crisis of the North of Ireland.

Social Care Managers' Perspectives On Statutory Registration Of Social Care Workers In Ireland, Audrey Moore, Kevin Lalor

Articles

The focus of this paper is social care managers' views on the impact of the statutory registration of social care workers in Ireland. The findings suggest that registration is welcomed by social care managers who believe that it will impact positively on societal recognition of social care workers as professionals and that it will improve accountability within the sector. However, the findings also suggest that there is confusion regarding information about registration and issues remain in the sector regarding multiplicity of titles, roles, and duties of social care workers. We conclude that the opening of the register is only a …

Ghazizadeh V. Coursera, Northern District Of California

Historical and Topical Legal Documents

No abstract provided.

Visual Experience Enhancement In Augmented Reality Displays, Qian Yang

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

In the dynamic arena of display technology, augmented reality (AR) displays represent a pivotal advancement, seamlessly bridging the digital and physical worlds. This dissertation delves into the realm of AR display technologies, spotlighting the challenges and limitations of current systems, including transparent and near-eye displays, and proposes innovative solutions to enhance user experience and display performance. With a focus on overcoming issues such as diffraction-induced image blur, the trade-off between resolution and field of view (FoV) in near-eye displays, and FoV constraints in waveguide-based displays, this research introduces new evaluation methods, optimization techniques, and system designs. First, the dissertation presents …

Students' Perceptions Of Hospitality And Tourism Internships On Career Pathways: Transformational Versus Transactional Internships, Jessica L. Wickey

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Internships provide a platform for students to apply theoretical knowledge in a practical setting and to gain hands-on experience (Simons et al., 2012). Moreover, internships can help students build networks and connections within their chosen industry, which can later prove valuable in their career development. This qualitative exploratory study investigated students' perceptions of their hospitality and tourism internships on how they perceive their career pathways after completing an internship in a four-year degree program. For this study, a group of Junior and Senior hospitality and tourism university students from a major university were interviewed. The researcher utilized a phenomenological approach …

Cultivating Green Public Spaces And Backyard Gardens Amid Covid-19: An Anthropological Study Of Metro-Orlando Gardeners, Chelsea N. Daws

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

This dissertation critically analyzes home and community gardens within Metro-Orlando by considering the ways that the COVID-19 pandemic impacts residents' garden participation and access to green public spaces. The study utilizes an ethnographic approach to produce informed understandings of participants' experiences within local gardens, alternative food networks, and community supported agriculture analyzed using Marxian theoretical frameworks. Findings are primarily grounded in qualitative information derived from interviews, participant observation, and photovoice. Data were collected both prior to the global COVID-19 outbreak and over subsequent months of lockdown and public health mitigation measures. Primarily focusing on local community garden organizers, community garden …

A Meta-Analysis Of Cannabis Research: Is There Evidence Of Lasting Neurocognitive Effects?, Mark J. Crisafulli

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Cannabis use in the United States has generally increased over the past decade as more States have legalized recreational use. In conjunction with changes to the chemical makeup, which has made available cannabis more potent, the long-term effects experienced by cannabis users may have changed, and more individuals may be effected. The current study replicated the methods used in Schreiner & Dunn (2012) and Grant et al. (2003) to conduct a meta-analysis examining the neurocognitive effects of cannabis after abstinence lasting a period of at least 25 days. Previous research has found mixed results, with some studies finding significant differences …

Giving Voice To The Voiceless: Health Communication And Female Fieldworkers In Central Florida, Sofia Salazar

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

This qualitative research project examined health experiences of female agricultural workers in central Florida. Specifically, this study identified the most common physical and mental health illnesses and issues reported by female agricultural workers, their health-related decision-making processes, methods used to access health-related information, and the challenges they encounter when attempting to access health-related information, support, and services. In total, 21 interviews were conducted with women who had worked for at least one year as an agricultural worker in central Florida. The data was analyzed for emergent themes based on a codebook developed using the IDEA model as a theoretical framework. …

Addressing Challenges In Utilizing Gpus For Accelerating Privacy-Preserving Computation, Ardhi Wiratama Baskara Yudha

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Cloud computing increasingly handles confidential data, like private inference and query databases. Two strategies are used for secure computation: (1) employing CPU Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs) like AMD SEV, Intel SGX, or ARM TrustZone, and (2) utilizing emerging cryptographic methods like Fully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE) with libraries such as HElib, Microsoft SEAL, and PALISADE. To enhance computation, GPUs are often employed. However, using GPUs to accelerate secure computation introduces challenges addressed in three works.

In the first work, we tackle GPU acceleration for secure computation with CPU TEEs. While TEEs perform computations on confidential data, extending their capabilities to GPUs …

From Intent Detection To Recommendations: Leveraging Pretrained Language Models For Enhanced User Experiences, Muhammad Hasan Maqbool

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Pretrained language models have started a new era in artificial intelligence in general and natural language processing (NLP) in particular. With the advent of transformer architecture, pretrained language models are at the forefront of driving advancements in machine intelligence. Scaled dot product attention sits at the core of transformer architecture. In scaled dot product attention, each token gets a chance to attend to every other token in the context. This attention process yields the affinities or correlations that a token exhibits with other tokens, in the context. The correlation vector is normalized into a distribution, which is employed to gauge …

Validating Machine And Human Decision-Making In Forensic Fire Debris Analysis, Frances A. Whitehead

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

This work presents a background on the chemical complexity of fire debris analysis, including an ever-present matrix of pyrolysis products as the catalyst that led to the creation of the National Center for Forensic Science's Fire Debris Database. A selection of these 1,000+ casework-relevant ground truth samples was used to create two newly proposed analyst workflows to connect the current method of categorical reporting with evaluative reporting practices reflective of the strength of the evidence. Both workflows use linear sequential unmasking to help mitigate bias, a discrete scoring system for quantification of the analysis, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves …

An Analysis Of Teacher Characteristics And Perceptions Of Grading Practices On Student Grade Outcomes, Michael B. Meechin

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship, if any, between teachers' grade distributions and other moderating factors (i.e., teacher perceptions of grading practices as indicated on the Teacher Perceptions of Grading Practices Survey (TPGPS), grade level taught, enrollment in teacher preparation program, and grading practice methodology). A Pearson correlation was used to research statistical significance in the relationship of a teacher’s perceptions of grading practices as measured by the TPGPS and their grade distribution (as measured by an average of scores, calculated on a 4.0 scale, in one course over one academic quarter). A one-way ANOVA was …

Internet-Of-Things Privacy In Wifi Networks: Side-Channel Leakage And Mitigations, Mnassar Alyami

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

WiFi networks are susceptible to statistical traffic analysis attacks. Despite encryption, the metadata of encrypted traffic, such as packet inter-arrival time and size, remains visible. This visibility allows potential eavesdroppers to infer private information in the Internet of Things (IoT) environment. For example, it allows for the identification of sleep monitors and the inference of whether a user is awake or asleep.

WiFi eavesdropping theoretically enables the identification of IoT devices without the need to join the victim's network. This attack scenario is more realistic and much harder to defend against, thus posing a real threat to user privacy. However, …

A Comparative Case Of The Sense Of Belonging Of Students And Black Neighborhood Stakeholders Utilizing Public Recreational Space Near An Urban College Campus, Briyanna N. Jenkins

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

At a time when regulation impacting colleges and universities has steadily increased, institutional leaders have explored ways to maximize their educational effectiveness, impact, and public contribution to their surrounding communities. Public colleges and universities often use public-private partnerships to develop institutionally owned or managed spaces on and surrounding their campuses. As a result, institutional stakeholders are infused with existing community neighborhoods, cultures and structures, which often results in permanent change imposed on these neighbors and neighborhoods. Using a comparative case study approach, this exploratory research explored the relationship between campus stakeholders utilizing campus and private recreational spaces and their sense …

Understanding Health-Seeking Decision-Making Process And Behavior Among Haitian Immigrants: A Grounded Theory Approach, Shelleta Ladonice

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Black people in the U.S. die at younger ages, have significantly higher rates of death from treatable medical conditions, are more likely to have late-stage breast and colon cancer diagnoses and more likely to die from these cancers, and are at higher risk for chronic illnesses compared to other racial and ethnic groups. Accessing healthcare is crucial to health and well-being; however, U.S. immigrants' use of healthcare services is far less than native-born Americans. Haitian immigrants experience health disparities at the highest rate compared to other Black immigrants in the U.S. Given their unique history, culture, and immigration experience, it …

Social Cognition, Anhedonia, And Support In Relation To Depression Severity In Individuals With Breast Cancer, Samantha D. Simpson

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Breast cancer is associated with significant disruption in social support, social cognition, and depression. This study seeks to explore social and emotional factors using the integrative model for social reward processing. To better understand these relationships, 103 women with breast cancer (e.g., stage I – IV; mean age = 58.74, SD = 11.48; range 25 - 82) completed the Anticipatory and Consummatory Interpersonal Pleasure Scale, Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System - Depression Scale, Medical Outcomes Study- Social Support Survey, and the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test. Path analysis, controlling for current breast cancer stage and history of …