Digital Commons Network^™

Jeffrey Steidle V. United States Liability Insurance Co Inc

2026 Decisions

USDC for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

Eric Watson V. Cody Reese

2026 Decisions

USDC for the Western District of Pennsylvania

Chryssoula Arsenis V. M&T Bank

2026 Decisions

USDC for the District of New Jersey

In Re: Idowu Raji

2026 Decisions

USDC for the Middle District of Pennsylvania

An Ensemble Learning-Based Approach To Quantify Post-Earthquake Functional Recovery Of A Steel Moment-Resisting Frame Inventory, Mohsen Zaker Esteghamati, Shiva Baddipalli

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

The quest for seismic resiliency requires designing for performance objectives beyond life safety. Functional recovery is an emerging objective often defined as the time required to restore a building’s basic functionality to the pre-event level. Nevertheless, quantifying functional recovery is a complex, computationally intensive process that is challenging to integrate into a standard design workflow. This study develops a machine learning (ML) model to map design and geometric features of steel special moment-resisting frames (SMRFs) to their functional recovery under two hazard levels: design-basis (DBE) and maximum considered (MCE) earthquakes. First, functional recovery time was quantified for an inventory of …

Usa V. David Darby

2026 Decisions

USDC for the Middle District of Pennsylvania

Receiving Isaac Again: Joy And Return To The Finite In Fear And Trembling, Jeffrey M. Matheson

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis argues that joy is a constitutive but underexamined feature of faith in Søren Kierkegaard’s Fear and Trembling. While the text is often interpreted through sacrifice, silence, dread, paradox, and the teleological suspension of the ethical, these categories do not exhaust Johannes de Silentio’s account of Abraham. By foregrounding Abraham’s joy, this thesis shows that faith is not merely the willingness to surrender the finite, but the capacity to receive the finite again after it has been given up. Isaac is not only Abraham’s beloved son, but the child of promise, the visible form of God’s covenant, and the …

Generating A Syntax-Aware Knowledge Graph From Heterogeneous Codebase Artifacts, Leonid Kuligin, Marcello Steiner

Defensive Publications Series

Generative artificial intelligence systems, such as large language models, may face limitations when applied to large codebases because finite context windows can struggle to represent complex code structures. A syntax-aware knowledge graph may be generated from heterogeneous codebase artifacts, including, for example, source code, documentation, and infrastructure definitions. An ingestion pipeline can use specialized parsers to identify code entities as nodes and their relationships, such as calls or uses, as edges to form a unified graph. This knowledge graph can serve as a data structure for artificial intelligence-powered coding assistants, which allows for querying a compact, structurally-aware context. This approach …

Numerical Evaluation Of Constitutive Soil Models For Cyclic Soil–Structure Interaction In Integral Abutment Bridges, Walaa Sayed Said, Sherif Adel Akl, Abdullah Galaa, Mohamed El-Khouly

HBRC Journal

The accurate representation of backfill soil behaviour is a critical step in Finite Element (FE) analysis of Integral Abutment Bridges (IABs) subjected to thermally induced cyclic loading. This paper focuses on the evaluation and selection of a constitutive model, out of those commonly available in geotechnical FE packages, suitable for this purpose. Hardin–Drnevich (HD), General Quadratic/Hyperbolic Shear (GQHS), Hardening Soil (HS) including its extension to consider the small-strain stiffness (HSS), and the University of British Columbia (UBC) sand model were first assessed through simulating drained cyclic simple shear element tests. The results indicated that the UBC model captured key aspects …

“If It Can Tell A Story”: The Past, Present, And Future Of Musical Crossroads, Christian M. Folk, Dwandalyn Reece

Visions of Research in Music Education

The National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), part of the Smithsonian Institution (SI) complex in Washington, D.C., is the only SI museum with a permanent music exhibition, titled Musical Crossroads. I traced the development of Musical Crossroads from the perspectives of three key figures in the exhibit’s history using narrative inquiry: Dr. Dwandalyn Reece, former curator of music and performing arts; Dr. Kevin Strait, a former curatorial assistant for the exhibition; and Ms. Hannah Grantham, a current curatorial and research assistant for NMAAHC. These narratives are bound by temporality, sociality, and place, highlighting the crux of …

A Qualitative Examination Of Burnout Among College Marching Band Members, Justin Mcmanus, Justus Carney

Visions of Research in Music Education

Abstract

The notion of burnout was first introduced by researchers Herbert Freudenberger (1974) and Christina Maslach (1976) to address staff challenges in medical and other “helping” professions (e.g., caregivers). According to Maslach and Leiter (1981), burnout consists of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a reduced sense of personal accomplishment. Many post-secondary students participate in campus organizations as a relief from burnout, experiencing community, heightened self-efficacy, and increased confidence (Buckley & Lee, 2018; Knifsend, 2018). However, overcommitment to an activity may increase a student’s likelihood of burning out due to prioritization over their academic work (Denman, 2019). There is a gap in …

The Voices In Our Heads: Interrogating And Unsettling Internalized Ableism In/For Music Education, Juliet Hess

Visions of Research in Music Education

In this article, I grapple with the internalized ableism I have been navigating upon becoming disabled in 2023. The task of this article is to consider the external forces that shape our ideas about disability with particular attention to socialization processes and larger oppressive systems such as neoliberalism. I specifically consider the messages that different representations, ideologies, and structures communicate to the population at large about disability in order to address why these messages are so often internalized in detrimental ways. Exclusion, I argue, is the societal default for disability and I historicize the different movements that have contributed to …

A Unified Approach: Culturally Responsive Teaching And Afrocentricity In Music Education, James H. Lyle Jr.

Visions of Research in Music Education

I

In contemporary society, students from ethnically diverse backgrounds are frequently confronted with racial barriers and disenfranchisement even in music education. To provide these students with the best environment for learning, researchers suggest that it is imperative that educators ensure an all-inclusive and impartial education system for these learners. Students of the African diaspora and students of color frequently experience societal injustices and harm in the U.S. education system, thereby resulting in discrepancies in academic accomplishments. This literature review critically evaluates the methods, approaches, and pedagogical practices of music educators and theorists, aiming to specify how teacher training programs can …

41st House Of Delegates Actions In Brief, September 22-23, 2012

Virginia Dental Journal

No abstract provided.

2013 Day On The Hill Sets Stage For General Assembly Deliberations, Laura Givens

Virginia Dental Journal

No abstract provided.

Civil Rights Participants Remember Danville's Night Of Infamy, Katherine Carlos

Virginia Dental Journal

No abstract provided.

Va Dent J April, May And June 2013

Virginia Dental Journal

No abstract provided.

Sacred And Secular Hearings Of Holsinger's Fantasy On Old Hundred, Samantha M. Inman

Gamut: Online Journal of the Music Theory Society of the Mid-Atlantic

This article explores two modes of hearing afforded by Fantasy on Old Hundred (2018), written for concert band by David R. Holsinger. On one hand, the piece works well even when approached from a secular perspective. On the other hand, familiarity with the hymn tune’s Christian texts and with evangelical theology allows engagement with a deeper network of associative meanings and their narrative implications. Part I of this article explores Holsinger’s choice of OLD HUNDREDTH for this composition, highlighting the musical resources of the tune and its associated texts centered on praise. Part II provides an initial analysis of Fantasy …

Translating Cultural Symbols Into Sound: The Creation And Transformation Of The “Mantra Chord” In Zou Xiangping’S Images Of Yalong River For Alto Saxophone And Piano, Cehuai Zhang

Gamut: Online Journal of the Music Theory Society of the Mid-Atlantic

Abstract: Contemporary Chinese composers such as Zou Xiangping often engage Western compositional techniques to express Chinese cultural and spiritual imagery. In his instrumental solo work Images of Yalong River for Alto Saxophone and Piano, Zou effectively incorporates the Tibetan Buddhist six-syllable mantra “Om mani pedme hum” into a six-note sonority known as the “mantra chord.” Through transforming this chord, Zou aligns it with the descriptive and evocative program he created for the music. This article introduces the background of the creation of the “mantra chord,” examines its transformations, and explores how these adaptations engage with the composer’s program for …

Ghosts Of Agri-Food Policy: The Lost Years Of Jamie L. Whitten, 1910-1949, Jonathan Coppess, Bobby J. Smith Ii

Journal of Food Law & Policy

On October 22, 1994, the 103rd United States (“U.S.”) Congress enacted legislation naming the United States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) headquarters building in honor of U.S. Representative Jamie L. Whitten of Mississippi, a member of the Democratic Party. At the time, he was the longest-serving member of Congress, serving from a special election in November 1941 through his retirement on January 3, 1995. A few months later, Whitten died on September 9, 1995, leaving his name on the only departmental office building on the National Mall in Washington, DC. Etched in stone on the massive, imposing structure with a Roman …

The Soil Crisis In Modern Food Systems: Rethinking Agricultural Land Use, Antonia Moure Richard

Journal of Food Law & Policy

Feeding a larger world while preserving the resource that makes agriculture possible—soil—poses a governance problem. By 2050, food systems must support 9.8 billion people even as prevailing practices continue to degrade soils that are non-renewable on human timescales. Technological fixes (e.g., vertical farming, hydroponics) may complement production, but they cannot substitute for soil at scale. The question that follows is simple: are current uses of soil compatible with the future needs of food systems? This article argues that without a shift in governance, short-run productivity gains are achieved by drawing down the soil asset, thereby undermining long-run food security and …

Closing The Gaps: Reforming Maryland Controls On Veterinary Antimicrobial Distribution, Samantha Capaldo, Kerry Mcclaughry

Journal of Food Law & Policy

Antimicrobials have been used in livestock and other food animals in the United States (“U.S.”) since the late 1940s. An antimicrobial is “[a]ny natural, synthetic, or semisynthetic substance that can eradicate or prevent the growth of microbes,” including “[a]ntibacterial, antifungal, antiparasitic, and antiviral medications.” Antimicrobial use in food animals is subject to a complex statutory and regulatory framework at both the state and federal levels. Antimicrobial use in food animals has been widely criticized for contributing to antimicrobial-resistant bacterial infections in humans. In response to this criticism, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) and several states, including Maryland, have …

Exploring The Experiences And Challenges Of Librarians In Cataloguing Academic Resources In Public University Libraries In The Volta Region Of Ghana, Hawa Osman Dr, Joana Dango Mrs., Hannatu Abue Kugblenu-Mahama Dr

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Purpose: This study explored the experiences of librarians involved in cataloguing academic resources and examined the challenges they face in public university libraries in the Volta Region of Ghana.

Methods: A qualitative research approach was adopted to gain in-depth insights into librarians’ lived experiences. The study was conducted at the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) Library and Ho Technical University (HTU) Library. A total of 30 participants were selected using purposive sampling, guided by Yamane’s formula for sample size determination. Data were collected through semi-structured face-to-face interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis with NVivo software. Ethical standards, including …

Supersymmetric Quantum Fields Via Quantum Probability, Radhakrishnan Balu

Journal of Stochastic Analysis

The super version of imprimitivity theorem is available now to describe global supersymmetry of systems using the representations of super Lie groups (SLG). This result uses the equivalence between super Harish- Chandra pairs and super Lie groups, at the categorical level, and is applicable to super Poincaré group and generalizes a smooth SI to super context. We apply the result to build supersymmetric quantum fields. Towards this end, we set up a super Fock space of a disjoint union of super Hilbert spaces which is equivalent to super tensoring of boson (even) part symmetrically and that of fermion (odd) part …

An Analysis Of Public Library Services For The Tribal Community In Rayalaseema Region With A Special Reference To Healthcare And Hygiene, P Ramu Naik, V. K. Dhanyasree

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Public libraries have long been recognised as critical societal institutions, serving as information, education, and community engagement centres. In the context of tribal communities, their role in disseminating health information is particularly significant. Tribal populations often face unique health challenges and disparities, making access to accurate and reliable health information vital to their well-being. This study examines the pivotal role that public libraries play in disseminating health information to tribal people. The study is conducted among 13 branch libraries in the tribal areas of Rayalaseema region. A structured questionnaire was used for the survey. The results show that even though …

L'Impérativité Face À La Liberté De Créer Toutes Actions Dans Les Sociétés Anonymes, Joséphine Hage-Chahine

Proche-Orient, Études juridiques

No abstract provided.

Le Droit Au Travail Dans Les Pays Du Moyen-Orient, Georges Kadige

Proche-Orient, Études juridiques

No abstract provided.

Les Actions De Préférence Émises Par Les Banques Libanaises, Aline Tanielian

Proche-Orient, Études juridiques

No abstract provided.

Le Rôle Du Juge Constitutionnel Libanais Dans La Sauvegarde Des Droits Processuels Fondamentaux, Salim Jreissati

Proche-Orient, Études juridiques

No abstract provided.

فهرس هجائي وتحليلي للمقالات الحقوقيّة : فهرس هجائي وتحليلي للمواضيع - الشرق الأدنى، دراسات في القانون ١٩٦٤-٢٠١٠, Nada Corbani Akl, Abla Abi Nader

Proche-Orient, Études juridiques

No abstract provided.