Digital Commons Network^™

Analysis Of Legacy Gravity Data Reveals Sediment-Filled Troughs Buried Under Flathead Valley, Montana, Usa, Ali Gebril, Mohamed A. Khalil, Robert Matthew Joeckel, James Rose

Conservation and Survey Division: Faculty and Staff Publications

Shallow, dominantly silt- and clay-filled erosional troughs in Quaternary sediments under the Flathead Valley (northwestern Montana, USA) are very likely to be hydraulic barriers limiting the horizontal flow of groundwater. Accurately mapping them is important because of increasing demand for groundwater.We used a legacy Bouguer gravity map measured in 1968. The directional derivatives of the map are computed, and the map was enhanced by implementing edge detection tools.We produced generalized derivative, maximum horizontal gradient, total gradient and tilt gradient maps through two-dimensional Fourier transform analysis. These maps were remarkably successful in locating buried troughs in the northern and northwestern parts …

The Uses And Gratifications Of Social Audio-Focused Apps: A Case Study Of The Clubhouse Application, Dalia Abdelhamid Younes

Theses and Dissertations

Social audio has recently emerged recently as a new form of social media based on voice. It spread rapidly through the Clubhouse application, which became a significant trend during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study aims to explore Egyptian content creators' motivations to join Clubhouse, study their motivations to produce their content, and identify the gratifications obtained from using this application. It also seeks to investigate the application`s sustainability within the Egyptian context by outlining the challenges faced by the Egyptian content creators. The study employs the uses and gratifications theory, conducting in-depth interviews with 17 Egyptian content creators. The findings …

Exploring The Capacity Of The Egyptian Feminist Movement To Shape Policy Responses To Sexual Violence In Egypt, Gehad Raway

Theses and Dissertations

This study aims to contribute to the literature on feminist movements and its impact on public policies, providing insights and recommendations to strengthen the Egyptian feminist movement's capacity to combat sexual violence effectively. The study explores the capacities of the Egyptian feminist movement to shape policy responses to sexual violence over a timeline extending from 2005 to 2021, within the context of the significant social and political transformations that preceded and followed the January 2011 revolution. The Egyptian feminist movement evolved through its history with times of growth and decline, characterized by continuity and resilience. The literature and findings indicate …

A Policy Perspective To Farmers' Adaptation To Water Scarcity: The Case Of Kafr El Sheikh, Egypt, Logine Ahmed

Theses and Dissertations

This study deals with Egypt’s growing challenge of water scarcity in relation to agriculture through understanding farmers’ perceptions and adaptation measures to water scarcity as they are the forefront users of water. Through qualitative research approach, fieldwork interviews with rice farmers in Kafr El Sheikh governorate in Egypt and in-depth interviews with water management experts were conducted to identify farmers’ perceived causes of water scarcity and their adaptation behaviors and practices in relation to the broader policy context of water management. The study revealed that farmers’ perceived causes of water scarcity are related to inefficiency and inequity of the institutional …

Leap Year 2024: Why Do We Have An Extra Day This February?, Micah Hardge

Browse All News

No abstract provided.

Growing Trust-Building Habits Of Novice School Administrators: A Qualitative Research Study, Stacie France

Theses and Dissertations

A team of three novice school administrators adopted actions to develop teacher identified, trust-building habits. By developing trust-building habits, novice leaders reduced their cognitive load while navigating the fast pace of ever-changing American schools and striving to better serve students, especially students who are marginalized. The problem of practice addressed is that novice administrators need to uncover their trust-building strengths and address trust-diminishing habits. During a 90-day intervention, the novice administrators collectively grew the trust-building habit of accessibility and individually aimed to develop a trust-building habit of empowerment, care, or communication. Findings show novice administrators increased their understanding of trust, …

An Un-Flippable Switch: How Religious Organizations In Texas Are Seeking Widespread Religious Exemptions To Title Vii And Bostock’S Prohibition On Lgbtq+ Employment Discrimination, Trystan Melancon

Louisiana Law Review

No abstract provided.

How To Make $1 Million In 30 Seconds Or Less: The Need For Regulations On Finfluencers, Tamra Manfredo

Louisiana Law Review

No abstract provided.

Determining Constitutional Extraterritoriality, Alan Mygatt-Tauber

Louisiana Law Review

No abstract provided.

The Adequacy Of Filter Team Protocols To Protect Evidentiary Privileges During The Pretrial Stage, Edward J. Imwinkelried

Louisiana Law Review

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of American Kitchen Time-Use On Urban Design And Planning: A Case Study Of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Farshid Torabian

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Over the past century, the global environment has undergone significant changes, characterized by rising temperatures and a sharp increase in greenhouse gas emissions. Parallel to these environmental shifts, the U.S. has witnessed a tripling in energy demands, underscoring the pivotal role of household consumption in the nation's carbon footprint. Within this context, the kitchen, an integral component of the American home, becomes a focal point. Given that Americans predominantly spend their time indoors, it is imperative to understand the dynamics of kitchen usage and its broader implications on energy consumption and environmental impact. To delve into this complex interplay, this …

Functional Data Learning Using Convolutional Neural Networks, Jose Galarza, Tamer Oraby

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

In this paper, we show how convolutional neural networks (CNNs) can be used in regression and classification learning problems for noisy and non-noisy functional data (FD). The main idea is to transform the FD into a 28 by 28 image. We use a specific but typical architecture of a CNN to perform all the regression exercises of parameter estimation and functional form classification. First, we use some functional case studies of FD with and without random noise to showcase the strength of the new method. In particular, we use it to estimate exponential growth and decay rates, the bandwidths of …

A Digital Intervention To Promote Self-Management Self-Efficacy Among Community-Dwelling Individuals With Stroke: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial, Zhaoying Li, Yating Lei, Quoc Bui, Olivia Depaul, Ginger E Nicol, David C Mohr, Sunghoon I Lee, Mandy W M Fong, Christopher L Metts, Stephanie E Tomazin, Alex W K Wong

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Digital interventions provided through smartphones or the internet that are guided by a coach have been proposed as promising solutions to support the self-management of chronic conditions. However, digital intervention for poststroke self-management is limited; we developed the interactive Self-Management Augmented by Rehabilitation Technologies (iSMART) intervention to address this gap.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the feasibility and initial effects of the iSMART intervention to improve self-management self-efficacy in people with stroke.

METHODS: A parallel, 2-arm, nonblinded, randomized controlled trial of 12-week duration was conducted. A total of 24 participants with mild-to-moderate chronic stroke were randomized to receive …

Arabidopsis Thaliana Rhamnose 1 Condensate Formation Drives Udp-Rhamnose Synthesis, Jack A Cox, Dan Raba, John Froehlich, Madison Blea, Olivia M S Carmo, Ian S Wallace, Renee Hastings, Steven Boeynaems, Seung Y Rhee

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Rhamnose is an essential component of the plant cell wall and is synthesized from uridine diphosphate (UDP)-glucose by the RHAMNOSE1 (RHM1) enzyme. RHM1 localizes to biomolecular condensates in plants, but their identity, formation, and function remain elusive. Combining live imaging, genetics, and biochemical approaches in Arabidopsis and heterologous systems, we show that RHM1 alone is sufficient to form enzymatically active condensates, which we name rhamnosomes. Rhamnosome formation is required for UDP-rhamnose synthesis and organ development. Overall, our study demonstrates a novel role for biomolecular condensation in metabolism and organismal development, and provides further support for how organisms have harnessed this …

Social, Cognitive, And Teaching Presence As Predictors Of Online Student Engagement Among Msn Students, Mark Littler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The dynamics of higher education have changed as a result of online learning. However, it can be challenging for teachers to effectively engage students online. Furthermore, limited research about the relationship between presence and online student engagement is a social problem that impacts the quality of online nursing education. The purpose of this nonexperimental quantitative research study was to examine the relationship between social presence, cognitive presence, teaching presence, and online student engagement among MSN students. The community of inquiry (CoI) framework was used to guide this study. The research question addressed the relationship between social presence, cognitive presence, teaching …

Development Of An Empirical Ground-Motion Model For Post-Mining Induced Seismicity Near Gardanne, France, Pierre Gehl, Pascal Dominique, Hideo Aochi, Mickael Delatre, Jannes Kinscher, Isabelle Contrucci

Journal of Sustainable Mining

Since the closure of mining activities in 2003, the coal basin of Gardanne in South-East France has experienced thousands of small-magnitude earthquake events, mostly triggered by the flooding of mine workings. Some of these events have been powerful enough to be strongly felt by the population, generating nuisance and concern about potential damage to buildings. The aim of this study is to improve the characterisation of the level of ground motion at the surface, by developing a ground-motion model for post-mining induced seismicity, based on several years of recorded data. A Bayesian-based method is applied to the data in order …

Queering The Family In Zoraida Córdova’S Labyrinth Lost, Rebekah Rendon

Online Midwinter Seminar (OMS)

Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova focuses on Alex Mortiz, a Mexican-American bruja and her journey to a fantastical otherworld to rescue her family. Alex begins to understand the love and unity that exists in her own blood family, while forging new relationships, thereby creating a found family, or queered family. The topic of this paper addresses queerness and found family dynamics in Labyrinth Lost. While many scholars have written on themes in fantasy and magical realism texts by Latino/a and Hispanic authors, these genres tend to be under-researched in literature for young adults. My argument analyzes Labyrinth Lost as emblematic …

Queen's Pride: A Queer Reading Of Star Wars Character Padmé Amidala, Madeleine Loewen

Online Midwinter Seminar (OMS)

Ever since Luke Skywalker and Han Solo first appeared onscreen together in 1977, LGBTQ+ Star Wars fans have harnessed the power of queer reading to write themselves back into a galaxy far, far away, despite Lucasfilm’s long-term disapproval of such practices. Nonetheless, there exists little scholarly literature on queerness in the franchise, and even less on the potentially sapphic characters. Queen Padmé Amidala, first introduced onscreen in Episode I: The Phantom Menace, proves a surprising—but no less salient—queer figure in Star Wars. From her intimate relationships with her handmaidens, to her experimentation with gender performativity, to her quiet yet intense …

Queer Paths Toward Home: Kinship In Speculative Fiction, Audrey Heffers

Online Midwinter Seminar (OMS)

How are we related? Queer(ed) families—typically framed through terms such as Found Family, Chosen Family, or Family of Choice—are more often formed by agency and voluntary participation than they are by legal or genetic connections. For the purposes of this paper, kin will be defined by affect, behavior, and declaration. The three fictional texts—Are You Listening? by Tillie Walden, Life of Melody by Mari Costa, and I Keep My Exoskeletons to Myself by Marisa Crane—will serve as a basis to illustrate how kinship is defined, particularly in queer speculative narratives. Speculative fiction allows for particular metaphors of power. These metaphors …

Introduction To Eleanor Arnason, Works & Reception, David Lenander

Online Midwinter Seminar (OMS)

Eleanor is a guest of honor at next summer’ s Mythcon 53, and I’ve been reading her work for many years. I think her novel, and the associated short stories of Hwarhath Stories, provide a fine set of texts for your purpose. There are also queer aspects to many of Eleanor’s other books and stories, for instance in To the Resurrection Station, and some of her shorter fiction. I would certainly review the existing critical literature, and also present some critical comments and reflections on reception of Arnason’s work, and suggestions for further study.

The Gay Bat Of Gotham: Depictions Of Common Queer Stereotypes And Tropes In The Dc Comics Character Batwoman, Tim Lenz

Online Midwinter Seminar (OMS)

Expansive superhero comic book universes can be thought of as collective, accretional works of Mythopoeia, generating modern mythologies of fantastical characters while also drawing inspiration from ancient myths of the primary world. The DC Comics’ character Batwoman was initially introduced in 1956 as a love interest of Batman/Bruce Wayne, in part to combat scandalous allegations of Batman’s homosexual tendencies towards his young male sidekick Robin. In 2006, writers Greg Rucka, Grant Morrison, Geoff Johns, and Mark Waid reinvented the Batwoman character for modern audiences as the alter ego of ‘Kate Kane,’ Bruce Wayne’s cousin, who was a lesbian of Jewish …

The Interconnectedness Of The Classroom To The Health Of Black Men Who Have Sex With Men, Travis Hardee

Immigration and Human Rights Law Review

The human right to education and health are inherently interrelated, both key in ensuring the health and development of an equitable and just society.1 Yet, the series of bills currently threatening the inclusion of essential conversations about race, sexuality, and sexual orientation is an overt attempt to obscure the honest history of the United States and further supplant the current social hierarchy. The United States’ failure to acknowledge the essential role representational education plays in undermining the disparate outcomes that afflict vulnerable communities in the country deserves more attention than it has garnered. Here, the disparate health status of Black …

False Promises Of Protection: Town Of Castle Rock V. Gonzales And The Supreme Court’S Failure To Protect Human Rights, Kylie Rhoton

Immigration and Human Rights Law Review

No abstract provided.

Italian And Eu Funding Of The Libyan Coast Guard: How Italian External Border Immigration Policies Have Created Crimes Against Humanity, Public Ignorance, And Legal Accountability Issues, Andrea Beck

Immigration and Human Rights Law Review

No abstract provided.

“Foul In Wisdom, Cruel In Strength”: Gendered Evil In Tolkien’S Legendarium, Alicia Fox-Lenz

Online Midwinter Seminar (OMS)

In “The Feminine Principle in Tolkien,” Melanie Rawls creates a framework for reading masculine and feminine drives in the characters of Tolkien’s legendarium. Feminine characteristics are inward-facing, focused on the self and inner life, whereas masculine characteristics are outward-facing, focused on affecting the wider society. Shelob and Sauron are used as two examples of the negative expression of these gendered drives: Shelob being so inwardly focused she only devours, and Sauron being so outwardly focused he cares only for world domination. However, other than his outward focus, Sauron doesn’t neatly align with the other negative masculine traits — he is …

287(G): Ice Deputizing Local Law Enforcement Harms Migrants And Local Communities, Charles Powers

Immigration and Human Rights Law Review

Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act authorizes the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to form agreements with local law enforcement departments; deputizing them for ICE’s objectives while they continue to serve their local municipalities. This program has resulted in racial profiling, the stripping of liberties, and wrongful detentions. In recent years, municipalities have signed 287(g) agreements at a staggering rate. The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination issued a report pleading for the US to end this practice, yet there seems to be no end in sight. In this essay, I hope to explain …

More To The Hobbit Than Meets The Eye: Locating The Feminine In Tolkien’S World, Pieter Conradie

Online Midwinter Seminar (OMS)

Fantasy is finally learning to embrace its power to create and celebrate queerness. Works such as The Forever Sea by Joshua Philip Johnson and The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon feature queer leads, revealing creative capacities to imagine worlds where queerness is at the centre. But something mighty queer is already present in 1937 at the very dawn of modern fantasy. Following emerging interpretations of The Hobbit, I argue that the hero, Bilbo Baggins, exhibits significantly queer characteristics. In this deconstructive reading, Bilbo’s gender will first be reversed, arguing that his domesticity, intense emotional responses and his …

Keynote With Taylor Driggers - Cruising Faërie: Further Notes On Queering Faith In Fantasy Literature, Taylor Driggers

Online Midwinter Seminar (OMS)

In Queering Faith in Fantasy Literature (2022), I argue that fantasy affords sexually marginalized people the ability to re-vision Christian theology in queer ways, thanks to its fixation on strange bodies, its longing for other worlds, and the ways in which both of these may reflect back on theological narratives of incarnation and salvation. Yet this project raises further questions that remain unresolved: namely, how might the framework of Christian theology constrain, as well as illuminate, queer imaginaries? If fantasy allows us to envision livable lives for ourselves as unruly bodies, just what forms of relating may those lives entail? …

Empowering Faculty Training Amidst Covid-19: Digital Badge As A Potential Pedagogical Tool, Nazdar E. Alkhateeb, Ahmed J. Hormzyar, Husen I. Taha

Health Professions Education

Purpose: Digital badges, electronic icons that signify an achievement, represent a novel innovation providing evidence of skill mastery.. This study aims to examine the influence of digital badges on faculty motivation and learning in the context of online learning and assess their perceived authenticity during COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A Cross-sectional study was conducted at Hawler Medical University in June 2020. About 120 Teachers from five colleges of the university who completed an online three level Zoom training program were awarded digital badges based on their ability to use digital tools in e-learning. A questionnaire was used to collect data on …

A Longitudinal And Deliberate Interprofessional Education Program In A Pharmacy School, Mohammed A. Islam, Marilyn Uvero, David Omut, Arjun Dutta

Health Professions Education

Purpose. The objective of this article is to describe an innovative approach to developing and implementing a longitudinal interprofessional education program in a pharmacy school. Method. A longitudinal and deliberate interprofessional education program has been developed and implemented across the didactic curriculum, co-curriculum, and experiential education in a three-year accelerated pharmacy school. The interprofessional learning objectives are aligned with the 2016 Interprofessional Education Collaborative core competencies. The interprofessional education activities are designed in a scaffolded manner so that pharmacy, nursing, and medical students progressively demonstrate skills from novice to mastery-level competencies. Validated rubrics are used by faculty and preceptors to …