Digital Commons Network^™

The Collision Course Between Outdated State Laws And Automated Vehicles, William Hubbard, Colin Starger

Articles

America stands at the precipice of a vehicular revolution. Myriads of self-driving vehicles—often referred to as “automated vehicles” or “AVs”—are already rolling out across the nation, and innovators assert that AVs will make our roads safer, less congested, and more economically productive. However, reaching these dreams of self-driving utopias will require more than just technological progress. The uses of traditional vehicles are heavily regulated by hundreds of thousands of state laws that ensure public safety, health, and order. Will these traditional laws still make sense when AVs shift the paradigm? Despite the hype and optimism of many AV advocates, this …

Case Article—Optimizing Transportation And Equity In A District Zoning Problem For Orville Public Schools, Kelly M. Sullivan, Ashlea Bennett Milburn

Industrial Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

“Optimizing transportation and equity in a district zoning problem for ORville public schools” is a case developed to expose students to an optimization decision problem with ethical considerations incorporated. Specifically, students are asked to solve a school district zoning problem in which all residential addresses in a school district must be assigned to middle schools having capacity limits on the numbers of students that they can accommodate.

Validation And Proposed Expansion Of The Data-Driven D Region Model, Kevin M. Watson

Theses and Dissertations

Predicting ionosphere effects on radio wave propagation is critical for communications and over-the-horizon radar systems. The D region is challenging to model for several reasons, one of which is chemical complexity. Ion density changes during sunrise/sunset introduce substantial uncertainty in electron density profiles (EDPs). The Data Driven D Region (D3R) model solves electron densities through an ion chemistry model and assimilates relevant space weather inputs. This study evaluates D3R against the Faraday International Reference Ionosphere (FIRI) and measurements using Very Low Frequency (VLF) propagation paths. Space weather event impacts on D3R EDPs are evaluated during the disturbed period from 8-12 …

Teaching Strategies For Building Belonging And Creating Community In Online And In-Person Legal Education, Sara J. Berman, Barrett L. Schreiner

St. Mary's Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Enclothe: Oer Implementation And Evaluation For A Fashion Show Theory And Production Course, Christine Rickabaugh, Sarah West Hixson

University Libraries Faculty Publications and Presentations

The ENCLOTHE Open Educational Resource (OER) textbook was developed and implemented for a Fashion Show Theory and Production course at a Mid-Southern University in the United States. This case study examines the effectiveness of this specialized OER in addressing the unique needs of an upper-division capstone fashion course. The textbook, designed to replace a costly industry-focused resource, offers interactive modules, video clips, and assignments compatible with learning management systems. Using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the study evaluated students' perceptions of the textbook's usefulness and ease of use across time points during the semester. Student data revealed consistently high TAM …

From The Intermediate Impossible To Core Democratic Check: The Future Of The Right To Counsel For Crime Victims, Margaret Garvin

University of the Pacific Law Review

No abstract provided.

Race, Class, And The Victims’ Rights Movement, Michael Vitiello

University of the Pacific Law Review

No abstract provided.

Crypto Regulation In The Time Of Trump, Lawrence J. Trautman

Michigan Technology Law Review

Donald Trump’s election as president during November 2024 results in perhaps the most dramatic philosophical change in approach to governmental regulation in over ninety years. The Great Depression of the 1930s created a need for regulatory reform and resulted in the advent of such new regulatory frameworks as the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). It has been the purpose of the SEC to create and nurture efficient securities markets enabling vibrant capital formation while preventing fraud upon the investing public. At issue is the contrast between the regulatory regime in place since 1933-34 and the Trump Administration’s desire to …

District Attorney Staffing Needs And Municipal Courts Of Concurrent Jurisdiction

Miscellaneous Reports

No abstract provided.

Reducing Tennessee's Evidence Backlog By Expanding Forensic Crime Lab Capacity

Miscellaneous Reports

No abstract provided.

Remedies For Non-Disclosure In Asset Sales: Voidance Vs. Damages, Albert H. Choi, Kathryn E. Spier

Law & Economics Working Papers

This paper analyzes the problems of non-disclosure in the context of an asset sale between a buyer and a seller. The seller can have important information about the asset and can opportunistically decide not to disclose that information to the buyer, and the buyer may sue the seller ex post for remedy. The buyer and the court have a choice over different types of remedy. The paper considers three different remedy regimes: (1) no liability; (2) voidance; and (3) damages. Under voidance, the buyer can rescind the transaction (return the asset and get the price back), while with damages, the …

September 2025 Library News, University Libraries

Library News

No abstract provided.

Uncovering Environmental Justice Disparities: Tree Canopy Inequality In Low-Income Marginalized Communities, Emmanuel Wallace

Tennessee State University Alumni Theses and Dissertations

Tree canopy inequality in low-income marginalized communities is a direct result of decades of environmental injustice within urban communities in the United States, specifically the Home Owner’s Loan Corporation. This phenomenon underscores the disproportionate distribution of tree cover, green spaces, and their myriad benefits in neighborhoods marked by poverty and social vulnerability. Rooted in a history of discriminatory urban planning practices and systemic disparities, tree canopy inequality has profound consequences on residents' health and well-being. It leads to urban heat island effects, reduced air quality, and additional socio-economic disparities. On average, urban communities of color have 33% less tree canopy …

Dietary Modulation Of Obesity-Specific Gut Microbial Signatures And Their Functional Roles, Anjula Swathi Sagam

Tennessee State University Alumni Theses and Dissertations

Obesity remains a major global health concern, contributing significantly to chronic diseases. While diet is a well-known driver of obesity, emerging evidence suggests the key role of gut microbiota in mediating diet-related metabolic outcomes. Numerous epidemiological and microbiome studies suggested diet-microbiome-obesity associations. However, consistent microbial markers and mechanistic insights remain limited. To address this gap, this study aimed to identify consistent microbial species associated with obesity and investigate how diet influences their growth and function. A review of over 200 publicly available 16S rRNA and shotgun metagenomic studies revealed consistent microbial patterns in obesity, including members of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. …

Development Of The Negative Attitudes Toward Nonbinary Individuals Scale, Jenna Sue Lehmann

Tennessee State University Alumni Theses and Dissertations

Research within the field of psychology examining the experiences of transgender individuals and prejudice toward transgender individuals has increased in recent history alongside the conscious awareness of transgender individuals within the United States. The research that has been conducted has primarily focused on transgender individuals broadly as a group on binary transgender individuals. As, such measures of prejudice toward these groups have been developed and validated. Although the study of nonbinary experiences and prejudice is developing, there has been no extant measure of prejudice toward nonbinary individuals specifically. A measure of prejudice toward this group is needed to (1) examine …

Exploring The Cooling Effects Of Urban Forests In Summer, Xiaoyue Li

Tennessee State University Alumni Theses and Dissertations

As a nature-based solution to combat urban heat islands, urban forests can provide cooling and other co-benefits. However, little is known about the cooling benefits of urban forests in parking lots and under different land covers, especially with field observations. To address this gap, we measured air temperature (AT) and relative humidity (RH) and calculated heat index (HI) in three urban settings in Nashville, TN, in summer 2024. The research sites included: 1) Two different parking lots: parking lots with and without trees; 2) Three different distances from trees within the parking lot with trees: under trees, near trees, and …

Dynamics And Controls Of Greenhouse Gas Emissions In Bioenergy Croplands, Lovish Kasrija

Tennessee State University Alumni Theses and Dissertations

Agriculture contributes considerably to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, requiring sustainable methods for tackling climate change. This thesis includes two mega-analyses and one field experiment to investigate the impact of conservation tillage and soil amendments on crop productivity and greenhouse gas emissions. The first mega-analysis combined data from 30 meta-analyses to assess the impact of no-tillage (NT), reduced-tillage (RT), and combination NT+RT on crop yields and soil GHG emissions. NT decreased yields by 3.3% and increased N₂O emissions by 8.7%, but RT and NT+RT had no effect. The second mega-analysis found that both NT and RT considerably increased soil organic …

Effects Of Straw Return On Crop Yield, Soil Organic Carbon And Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Maazeera Fatima

Tennessee State University Alumni Theses and Dissertations

Global crop residue production was substantial, at approximately 3758 × 106 mg annually. The practice of straw return, was found to enhance soil organic matter content, increase crop yield, and mitigate soil greenhouse gas emissions. However, individual studies showed inconsistent results. While meta-analyses synthesized multiple individual studies and provided overall effects of straw return, but their conclusions were varied. We evaluated meta-analyses on the effects of straw return on crop yield, soil organic carbon, and greenhouse gas emissions and proposed a grand mean response ratio to estimate an overall effect and the impacts of different properties. The result showed that …

Gentrification And Voter Turnout In Urban School Board Elections, Erika Leicht

Tennessee State University Alumni Theses and Dissertations

Gentrification is a process in which low-income urban neighborhoods experience reinvestment and an influx of higher socioeconomic status (SES) residents. There is a growing literature on the impacts of gentrification on public schools, including effects on enrollment, student achievement, and parent involvement. This study examined whether gentrification is related to voter turnout in school board elections in urban local education agencies (LEAs) in Texas. It also examined whether the relationship between gentrification and voter turnout varies depending on the availability of school choice options and the racial/ethnic differences between public school students and neighborhood populations. Using a fractional logistic regression …

Influence Of Parental Approval And Disapproval On Interracial Relationship Outcomes, Stefanie Boakye

Tennessee State University Alumni Theses and Dissertations

Interracial couples may encounter unique challenges in their relationships due to negative perceptions such as racial prejudice, discrimination, disapproval, cultural stereotypes, and opposition from society and family. These challenges can be especially difficult when the disapproval comes from their parents. This study explored how perceived parental approval influences interracial romantic relationship outcomes, specifically relationship satisfaction, commitment, and closeness. Data were collected from individuals in interracial relationships (N ≈ 80) using the Relationship Assessment Scale (RAS), the Investment Model Scale (IMS), the Relationship Closeness Inventory (RCI), and the Parent-Adult Child Relationship Questionnaire (PACQ). A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was conducted …

A Case Study Of Public Policy, Neighbourhood Change, And Transit Equity Outcomes, Stacy-Ann Baker

Tennessee State University Alumni Theses and Dissertations

Despite intentions or understatement, public policy has influenced neighbourhood change, such as gentrification. However, its impact tends to be muted, ignored, or underappreciated. Transit equity policy and research have also lacked a robust social justice framework that considers spatial justice. Additionally, there have been several knowledge gaps, limitations, and mixed results regarding impacts, notably concerning buses, bus rapid transit (BRT), accessibility, and communities of concern. Unlike other studies, this dissertation proposal employs the social-ecological system framework (SESF), the public transportation sustainability list (PTSIL), and sustainability impact assessment (SIA) guidance from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in a …

Distribution And Occurrence Of Cyanohabs, Nutrients, And Water-Quality Data In The Tennessee State University Wetland, Kristi Hill

Tennessee State University Alumni Theses and Dissertations

Toxic algal blooms are an expanding issue for aquatic ecosystems because they are hazardous to human and environmental health. Algal blooms naturally occur from the combination of warm temperatures, sunlight, and abundant nutrients in water, but what triggers them to become harmful algal blooms (HABs) and begin synthesizing toxin is not well understood, and their threat to freshwater sources was not heavily researched until recently. Microcystin (MC), a freshwater algal toxin, is a HABs toxin which targets the liver and causes sickness and death in humans and animals (pets, livestock, and wildlife). Urban freshwater wetlands are among the most HAB …

The Impact Of Supervisor Cultural Humility On The Supervisory Working Alliance Among International Trainees, Fanchen Gao

Tennessee State University Alumni Theses and Dissertations

Supervisor cultural humility has been theorized to contribute to stronger supervisory working alliances (SWA), yet limited research has examined its role within multicultural contexts involving international trainees. Guided by the Multicultural Orientation framework, this study explored whether supervisors’ cultural humility predicted the quality of the supervisory working alliance, whether the relationship differed based on participant role (supervisor or trainee), and whether international trainees’ cultural backgrounds influenced their perceptions of the SWA. The sample included 72 participants from counseling and psychology training programs in the United States, consisting of international trainees and clinical supervisors. Participants completed an online survey assessing cultural …

Mindfulness And Student Achievement In Urban Middle After-School Programs, La Shell Bonds

Tennessee State University Alumni Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the influence of mindfulness-based interventions on academic achievement, disciplinary outcomes, and social-emotional learning (SEL) competencies among urban middle school students participating in after-school programs. Grounded in Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, self-regulatory frameworks, and Dweck’s growth mindset, the study employs a quasi-experimental design with 36 participants randomly assigned to either a mindfulness intervention group or a control group that receives the standard SEL curriculum. Over two weeks, the experimental group engaged in structured mindfulness activities—including breath awareness, body scans, and peer-led circles,—while quantitative data were collected on standardized test scores (Math and English Language Arts), suspension rates, and SEL …

Multidimensional Biocircuitry Of Exercise Adaptation, Jeremy S. Mcadam, Zachary A. Graham, S. Craig Tuggle, Kaleen M. Lavin, Marcas M. Bamman, Jeremy S. Mcadam, Zachary A. Graham, Brandon Peoples, Regina S. Seay, Kaleen M. Lavin, Amber B. Gargus, Sufen Yang, Samia M. O’Bryan, Devin J. Drummer, Christian J. Kelley, Margaret B. Bell, Inmaculada Aban, Gary R. Cutter, Marcas M. Bamman, Michael P. Craig, Jin Zhang, Akshay Hira, Timothy J. Broderick, Madhavi P. Kadakia, Zachary A. Graham, Kalyani Peri, Margaret B. Bell, Inmaculada Aban

Physiology Faculty Publications

In a randomized, dose-response trial, we used molecular and phenomic profiling to compare responses with traditional moder ate-intensity endurance and resistance training (TRAD) versus high-intensity tactical training (HITT) that encompassed explosive whole-body interval training and high-intensity resistance training. Ninety-four participants (18–27 yr) completed 12 wk of TRAD or HITT followed by 4 wk of detraining. Although similar performance and body composition improvements were observed in response to HITT and TRAD, some dose-dependent differences were observed for: 1) ex vivo muscle tissue changes in myofiber size, capillarization, satellite cell frequency, and mitochondrial function and 2) differential gene expression (DGE) of muscle …

Satellite Cells Choreograph An Immune Cell-Fibrogenic Cell Circuit During Mechanical Loading In Geriatric Skeletal Muscle, Nicholas T. Thomas, Camille R. Brightwell, Allison M. Owen, Alexander R. Keeble, Sabin Khadgi, Yuan Wen, Christopher S. Fry, Kevin A. Murach

Physiology Faculty Publications

Muscle stem cells, or satellite cells (SCs), decline in number throughout the lifespan and may become senescent in very old age. Whether and how remaining SCs contribute to muscle adaptation in the oldest-old is unclear. Using acute mechanical overload in geriatric SC replete and depleted mice (28-month-old) combined with single-cell RNA-sequencing, we show: (i) subsets of geriatric SCs display signs of senescence as well as normal fate progression during overload, (ii) SCs express markers that may contribute to the regulation of innervation, (iii) the presence of SCs during overload enhances global intercellular communication and increases mRNA levels of the cell …

Ibi-Dt: A Novel Approach Combining Individualized Bayesian Inference And Decision Tree For Identifying Cancer Drivers And Their Interactions, Md Asad Rahman, Gregory F. Cooper, Jinying Zhao, Xinghua Lu, Jinling Liu

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Cancer is mainly caused by a relatively small portion of somatic genome alterations (SGAs), called cancer drivers. Despite success in identifying a good number of cancer drivers, many more remain to be discovered to explain various cancers. Moreover, limited tools are available to identify potential interactions among cancer drivers for a better understanding of oncogenesis. To tackle these challenges, we have developed a novel approach called individualized Bayesian inference using a decision tree (IBI-DT). IBI-DT recognizes the genetic heterogeneity among cancer patients, where different individuals or patient subgroups of distinct genomic makeup may have different drivers. IBI-DT works by constructing …

Closing The Racial Wealth Gap: Public, Private, And Philanthropic Collaborations -- Event Information, Lender Center For Social Justice

The Lender Center for Social Justice

A brief description of the “Closing the Racial Wealth Gap: Public, Private and Philanthropic Collaborations” conference event.

The Role Of Implicit Bias In Police Citizen Interactions - A Historical Review And Policy Recommendations, Catherine Anne Liedman, Ziwei Qi

International Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities

Abstract

This paper examines the impact of implicit bias on police-citizen interactions, contributing to racial disparities in stops, arrests, and the use of force. While explicit racism has declined since the Civil Rights Era, unconscious stereotypes continue to influence law enforcement decisions. Research highlights that Black individuals experience higher rates of police encounters and fatal force compared to White individuals, a pattern not fully explained by crime rates but rather by systemic and historical biases within policing institutions. Efforts to address implicit bias, such as diversity training, have shown limited long-term effectiveness. Instead, meaningful reform requires structural changes, including improved …

Interrogating The Racial Wealth Gap: Thinking Locally -- Event Program, Lender Center For Social Justice

The Lender Center for Social Justice

A pamphlet for the Interrogating the Racial Wealth Gap: Thinking Locally event.