Digital Commons Network^™

The Impacts Of Local Property Taxes On Nebraska's State Legislator Elections And State Legislator Voting, Taylor Gold

Department of Political Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Throughout Nebraska’s history, concerns about the state’s property tax policy are one of, if not the most, discussed policy issues. Despite Nebraska’s emphasis on local fiscal control, state-level policy reforms shape the state’s property tax landscape. This seemingly contradictory emphasis on providing a state-level solution to a local policy problem leads this study to ask whether state legislative officials are held electorally accountable for legislative actions on local property tax and whether they are directly held accountable for changes in local property taxes. This study investigates this potential relationship through novel data collection on Nebraska’s state legislator elections, legislative actions, …

The Good Life: Agriculture Transformation And The Pursuance Of Goals In Two Rural Villages Of Northeastern Thailand, Buapun Promphakping, Ninlawadee Promphakping, Pornpen Somaboot, Pattaraporn Weeranakin, Monchai Phongsiri

Forest and Society

Agricultural transformation of the developing world encompasses a broad set of subjects, usually revolving around the change in the mode of production and related aspects of production. However, the extent to which the transformation shapes subjective wellbeing is largely under explored. This paper examines how the constructed life goals of local people are shaped by the process of agricultural transformation and how they strive to attain wellbeing. We are especially interested in the ways rural dynamics are changing as a result. The empirical data is based on a two-village study using qualitative methods. The good life of rural people is …

Placing The Commoning First: Getting Beyond The Patronage Trap In Natural Resource Decentralization Policies, Nurhady Sirimorok, Micah R. Fisher, Bart Verheijen, Muhammad Alif K. Sahide

Forest and Society

Research on the commons have been an inspiration for initiatives on natural resource decentralization over the past three decades. Researchers are increasingly recognizing however, that these commons initiatives are mostly failing to support rights, improve livelihoods, and conserve natural resources. These “commons projects,” defined as approaches that claim to devolve natural resource governance to local institutions, have their origins in various formulations of theories of the commons but are usually interpreted and applied by states and donor organizations. This paper identifies and analyzes deficiencies in theories of the commons through the slight but significant refocusing on perspectives of commoning. We …

Assessing Indigenous Forest Management In Mount Merapi National Park Based On Ostrom’S Design Principles, Catharina Depari

Forest and Society

Despite their abundant potential to support the current understanding of environmental changes and improve natural resource management, Indigenous Peoples remain excluded from policymaking. Such marginalization partly stems from the formal government-driven adoption of colonial-style controls over natural resources, which historically had marginalized local populations politically and economically. Using the case of the Pelemsari sub-village, this article attempts to analyze the robustness of Common-Pool Resource institutions in Mount Merapi National Park according to Ostrom’s design principles. The methods used for this purpose are participant observation, document reviews, and semi-structured interviews. The research findings indicate social capital as the main factor that …

Fish, Freshwater, And The Promise Of Biodiversity History For Indonesian Studies, Anthony D. Medrano

Forest and Society

Freshwater fishes abound in Indonesia. They are everywhere in the archipelago—from rice fields and irrigation canals to brackish lagoons and highland rivers. They even populate the most unassuming bodies of water. Some species are found in the remotest of volcanic lakes while others call the blackest and most acidic peat swamps their home. Every island has its habitats and every habitat has its fishes, making Indonesia one of the world’s richest centers of ichthyofauna diversity. And yet, thinking with freshwater fishes—and their biodiversity history—has been largely absent from the field of Indonesian studies. A telling example of this biological blindspot …

The Role Of Sinorhizobium Meliloti Type Ivb Pili Protein On Legume Nodule Morphology And Infection, Alexis Chun

Honors Thesis

The symbiotic relationship between legumes and rhizobial soil bacteria leads to the conversion of nitrogen gas to biologically available forms of nitrogen. A critical step in this interaction is bacterial attachment to the host root. A variety of factors are involved in attachment, such as the Type IV pili (Tfp). In pathogens, Tfpb mediates tight adherence to host cells, promoting colonization, however in symbiotic interactions, the role of Tfpb–encoded by pilA genes–is not well understood. To assess the role of Tfpb pili during symbiosis, Melilotus alba plants were inoculated with wild type Sinorhizobium meliloti or ΔpilA deletion mutants; roots were …

Digital Dna: The Ethical Implications Of Big Data As The World’S New-Age Commodity, Clark H. Dotson

Honors Theses

In the emerging digital world that we find ourselves in, it becomes apparent that data collection has become a staple of daily life, whether we like it or not. This research discussion aims to bring light to just how much one’s own digital identity is valued in the technologically-infused world of today, with distinct research and local examples to bring awareness to the ethical implications of your online presence. The paper in question examines anecdotal and research evidence of the collection of data, both through true and unjust means, as well as ethical implications of what this information truly represents. …

Design And Characterization Of 3d-Printed Weaire-Phelan Hydrogel Lattices, Margrethe Ruding

Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science Independent Study

The objective of this work is to design, fabricate, and characterize scaled and unscaled 3D-printed hydrogel lattices with controlled structural and mechanical anisotropy. These 3D-printed hydrogel lattices could be used to create soft structures of desired shape and consistent mechanical properties for potential use as anisotropic tissue mimics. The topics in this report cover design techniques to generate 3D-modeled unit cell lattices using CAD software, fabrication using SLA, and experimental characterization by bench-top mechanical tests (uniaxial compression test).

Active Learning Techniques To Improve Emotional Intelligence Among Student Registered Nurse Anesthetists, Sydney Bontz

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Students enrolled in nurse anesthesia programs are challenged to meet rigorous and lengthy clinical and didactic requirements throughout doctoral-level curriculums. Historically, admission into nurse anesthesia programs has been based on categories such as academic performance, intensive care nursing experience, and the curriculum vitae. However, emerging research has exhibited emotional intelligence as an essential skill for varying situations that may be encountered. Additionally, training can be utilized to increase emotional intelligence levels (Lolaty et al., 2012).

The goal of this doctoral project was to provide emotional intelligence training for first-year student registered nurse anesthetists (SRNAs) at a mid-size University in the …

A Comparison Of Erector Spinae Plane Block And Epidural Analgesia For Major Abdominal Surgery, Charles Serrano

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

A large tertiary care center in central Illinois saw an increase in erector spinae plane (ESP) block administration for abdominal surgery patients, but many anesthesia providers at the facility were not acquainted with the ESP block. This project aimed to develop a comprehensive educational program concerning the ESP block compared to thoracic epidural analgesia for major abdominal surgery patients and ultimately improve patient care. The program introduced the relevant anatomy, indications, technique, advantages, and disadvantages of ESP block and epidural analgesia. Additionally, the risks, benefits, and costs of both adjunctive therapies were compared. The current literature shows that the thoracic …

Strict Products Liability—Coffman V. Armstrong International, Inc.: Are The People Powerless Against Prominent Products?, Penelope M. Brooks

University of Memphis Law Review

No abstract provided.

Military Officers As Neo-Classical Professionals: Guardians Of The Republic, Not Merely Servants Of The Regime, Rob Atkinson

University of Memphis Law Review

This paper is the first step in developing a neo-classical theory of the military officer corps as a functionalist profession. It unpacks the central paradox of Samuel P. Huntington’s The Soldier and the State: Why does an account that begins with a call for a highly professionalized officer corps to obey the orders of any legally legitimate civilian regime end with the promise that humanity can achieve both security and redemption if all the nations of the world adopt core military values? How can “militarize the military,” Huntington’s solution to the classical question of civilian/military relations—Plato’s “Who guards the guardians?”—come …

Trial By An Impartial Jury—State V. Miller: Tennessee’S Credulous Approach To Reviewing Death- Qualification Judgments In Capital Cases, Will Stevens

University of Memphis Law Review

No abstract provided.

The Ethical Contribution Of Cultural Diversity As A Social Determinant Of Health, Pooja Patel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The dissertation examines how cultural diversity as a social determinant of health, aligned with human life, human dignity, human rights, and human equity provides an ethical contribution. My explanation of the ethical contribution of cultural diversity as a SDOH refers to a quadrant of topics that expands the approach of the UNESCO Declaration of Bioethics and Human Rights. The UNESCO approach addresses cultural diversity in relation to human dignity and human rights. I adopt a quadrant of topics that aligns human dignity with human life and human rights with equity. Aligning these topics in the quadrant (dignity/life and rights/equity) explains …

Evaluating Sex Differences In The Neuroimmune Response Following Neuroinflammation And Relief Due To Nanotheranostic Treatment, Brooke Deal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Until recently, the majority of preclinical neuroinflammatory studies were performed on males. Because of this, less is known about the female neuroinflammatory response to injury, formation of pain, or response to pain-relieving therapies. The neuroinflammatory response is multifaceted with neuronal, glial, and immune cells all contributing to the induction and resolution of neuroinflammation. During this response, macrophages typically undergo an upregulation of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) leading to the production of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), which is linked to neuronal sensitization and pain. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) attenuate PGE2 by the inhibition of COX-2. A limitation with NSAIDs is that due to the …

Pooling Patents For Pandemic Progress: Mrna Vaccines And The Broader Context Of Modernatx Inc V. Pfizer Inc., Francis Brefo

DePaul Journal of Art, Technology & Intellectual Property Law

No abstract provided.

Aclu V. Clearview Ai, Inc.,, Isra Ahmed

DePaul Journal of Art, Technology & Intellectual Property Law

No abstract provided.

Texas’ War On Social Media: Censorship Or False Flag, Leni Morales

DePaul Journal of Art, Technology & Intellectual Property Law

No abstract provided.

Thaler V. Vidal, 43 F.4th 1207 (Fed. Cir. 2022), Matthew Messina

DePaul Journal of Art, Technology & Intellectual Property Law

No abstract provided.

Odd Covers Of Graphs, Calum Buchanan, Alexander Clifton, Eric Culver, Jiaxi Nie, Jason O'Neill, Puck Rombach, Mei Yin

Mathematics: Faculty Scholarship

Given a finite simple graph 𝐺, an odd cover of 𝐺 is a collection of complete bipartite graphs, or bicliques, in which each edge of 𝐺 appears in an odd number of bicliques, and each nonedge of 𝐺 appears in an even number of bicliques. We denote the minimum cardinality of an odd cover of 𝐺 by 𝑏2⁡(𝐺) and prove that 𝑏2⁡(𝐺) is bounded below by half of the rank over 𝔽2 of the adjacency matrix of 𝐺. We show that this lower bound is tight in the case when 𝐺 is a bipartite graph and almost tight when 𝐺 …

Emergent Institutional Issues From New Tenure Reforms And Social-Forestry Initiatives In Indonesia: Notes From The Field, Aprisep Ferdhana Kusuma, Muhammad Alif K. Sahide, Ris Hadi Purwanto, Ema Ismariana, Widodo Budi Santoso, Eka Wulandari, Ahmad Maryudi

Forest and Society

In Indonesia, land tenure reform has been approached as a policy priority by the government to address rural poverty and achieve distributive economic equity. It is instituted around allocation and consolidation of land ownership and access. Tenure reform policy promises over 21.7 million hectares (including 16.8 million hectares of forestland) to be distributed through two modes, i.e., land subject to agrarian reform and social forestry. Specifically for Java, the country’s most populated island, the government has recently allocated 1.1 million hectares of state forests to be entrusted to local communities in a scheme called Kawasan Hutan Dengan Pengelolaan Khusus/KHDPK (Forest …

Towards A Diversified Agricultural Forest-Based Economy: Community Views Of Planting Sandalwood In Timor-Leste, Pyone Myat Thu, Joaquina Barreto, William Erskine, Robert Williams, Abril Soares, Valerio Ximenes, Anita Ximenes, Maria Fernandes, Octaviana P Agostinho, Tony Page

Forest and Society

With growing awareness that export revenues derived from non-renewable oil and gas resources are in decline, Timor-Leste seeks to develop a more sustainable and diversified economy. Sandalwood holds significant cultural, economic and historical importance for the Timorese people, and is representative of an internationally competitive export product. Livelihood diversification can alleviate the prevalence of poverty among smallholders in Timor-Leste. Within this context, and with a focus on forestry, we sought to determine the institutional support and smallholder interest and capacity for restoring over-exploited sandalwood. Interviewed households were acutely aware of the high value and benefits derived from sandalwood and expressed …

A Qualitative Study Of Leadership Tools And Traits That Foster Effective Relationships In Rural School Communities, Julie Boyer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify leadership qualities and practices that nurture relationships in school settings. The central question framing this study was: What leadership tools and traits foster effective relationships in rural school communities? I conducted semi-structured interviews in a small Northwestern school district. Non-classroom leaders and classroom leaders, who will be referred to using pseudonyms, were recruited from the elementary, middle, and high schools based on recommendations from the district’s superintendent. Prior to conducting interviews, participants were provided with a framework based on Kouzes and Posner’s (2017) exemplary leadership practices and asked to choose five …

User Error: Regulatory Failures To Properly Address Technological Issues In Business And Taxation, Nicholas Robinson

Richmond Journal of Law & Technology

Technological changes in business, both in how business is conducted and the services it may provide, have demonstrated failures by regulatory bodies to accurately address and properly understand these issues. From the Wayfair decision on sales tax, to California’s Assembly Bill 5 distorting the definition of “employee,” to President Reagan legislating computer fraud based on a White House viewing of WarGames, executives, legislatures, and courts have relied on a forced approach to understanding and regulating technology: doing is better than understanding. The approach has relied on two false assumptions: (i) technological advancements are only different methods of conventional business; ride …

Board Of Trustees Minutes, May 5 2023, Indiana State University Board Of Trustees

Board of Trustees

No abstract provided.

Board Of Trustees Agenda, May 5 2023, Indiana State University Board Of Trustees

Board of Trustees

No abstract provided.

Peer Perceptions Of Parent-Students Seeking Higher Education, Alexandria Wall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With a growing number of parents pursuing academia, it is imperative that researchers understand the social environment in which parent-students function. Stereotypes of parent-students may be held by peers, faculty, and other educational supervisors. Across two previous independent studies, evidence and rationale were provided to suggest that both positive and negative perceptions of parent-students exist, with noted differences between gender. The purpose of the current 2x2x2 between-subjects study was to analyze the social perceptions of students enrolled in higher education as varied by parenthood status, age, and gender. The social perceptions included measures accounting for perceptions of intelligence and academic …

Criminalising Neonaticide: Reflections On Law And Practice In England And Wales, K Brennan, E Milne

School of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences

This chapter considers the unusual case where a woman is suspected of killing her newborn baby following a secret pregnancy and birth. The research on what we know about the circumstances and incidence of what has been termed ‘neonaticide’ is explored. The complexities of these cases in terms of their circumstances and the vulnerability of women who conceal their pregnancies are highlighted. Following this, the difficulties, from a legal perspective, that arise when seeking to prosecute women for homicide when their babies die following an unassisted concealed birth are considered. What we know about current criminal justice practice in these …

Ungrading Writing: Changes In Motivation, Volition, And Perceived Learning, Jennifer B. Wilson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Motivation and volition are critical precursors to learning, as students learn best when the course material is relevant and personally meaningful. The ARCS-V (i.e., attention, relevance, confidence, satisfaction, and volition) model addresses motivation from an instructional design perspective. Underlying the model is a learner-centered locus of control. Research suggests that grades can be a barrier to learning because they are teacher-centered, allowing instructors to control the reward and punishment cycle. When grades are given, earning high marks often replaces learning as the educational goal. In response to this concern, many undergraduate composition instructors have implemented ungrading, an assessment method in …

Expansion Of Heart Failure Education From Hospital To Clinic, Abigail M. Fischer

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Heart failure education is vital to the long-term management of this condition. Education recommendations for heart failure are given by the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC). Recommendations include verbal instruction and written materials regarding the patient’s medication plan, recognition of symptoms, what to do when symptoms occur, and the importance of daily weights.

This project aimed to provide outpatient clinic providers and staff with resources and education necessary to educate heart failure patients. The project expanded use of an inpatient heart failure education packet for outpatient use. This was accomplished by conducting educational sessions …