Digital Commons Network^™

Environmental Law’S Missing Piece: The Right To Nature, Ori Sharon

Duke Environmental Law & Policy Forum

For decades, environmental law has been trapped in a binary value system: it either treats nature instrumentally, as property to be used for human benefit, or views it as intrinsically valuable, deserving protection for its own sake. Both approaches, though ethically powerful, have struggled to deliver consistent and enforceable protections. As ecological crises deepen, this conceptual stalemate is no longer just inadequate—it is dangerous.

This article argues that environmental law remains structurally incomplete. It has overlooked a third category of value—relational value—long recognized in ethics and conservation science but largely absent from legal doctrine. Relational values arise from the lived, …

The Effects Of Patient Care In Relation To Toxic Workplace Environments, Kayla Fitzgerald

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Background: Bullying in the workplace setting is a significant issue that can severely impact one’s career. Bullying can be demonstrated in several forms- such as verbal abuse, isolation, intimidation, and physical harm. Specific to nursing practice, workplace bullying is shown to have negative effects on mental health, patient care, and overall job satisfaction. While there are no definite means that organizations will take complete action towards this ongoing issue, several implementations can be instilled to reduce the incidence of workplace bullying.

Methods: In this project, studies of negative work environments, specifically workplace bullying, and patient care were critiqued and synthesized. …

International Society Of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Effects Of Dietary Antioxidants On Exercise And Sports Performance, Drew E. Gonzalez, Broderick L. Dickerson, Brandon M. Roberts, Jennifer A. Kurtz, Adam M. Gonzalez, Matthew J. Mcallister, Jeffrey L. Heileson, Richard J. Bloomer, Shawn M. Arent, Darren G. Candow, Jeffrey R. Stout, Karen A. Hecht, Bill Campbell, Chad M. Kerksick, Douglas Kalman, Jose Antoino, Richard B. Kreider

Faculty Publications

Following a comprehensive review, the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) has developed an official position on the role of dietary antioxidants in exercise and sport. Antioxidants play a complex, context-dependent role in vivo; they can facilitate recovery from exercise but may also hinder training adaptations when consumed at supraphysiological doses. While endogenous antioxidant systems can effectively maintain redox balance, dietary sources, particularly whole foods, can help mitigate excessive oxidative stress following intense/heavy training or inadequate recovery. The influence of dietary antioxidants depend on timing, dosage, type, and individual factors. The ISSN’s official position encompasses the following: (1) Redox balance …

Vegetation Enhances Nitrogen Removal In Stormwater Ponds In Coastal South Carolina, Darcy Perin, Annie Bourbonnais

Faculty Publications

Coastal development and the increase in impervious surfaces lead to greater stormwater volumes, a key contributor to nonpoint source pollution. Stormwater ponds are generally highly efficient in eliminating particle-bound nutrients, such as phosphorus, but are often much less effective at removing dissolved nutrients, like nitrogen. Excess inorganic nitrogen can lead to coastal eutrophication, harmful cyanobacterial blooms, and coastal hypoxia. However, inorganic nitrogen can be removed from the environment through several different microbially facilitated processes. This research aims to estimate the rates of nitrogen removal (i.e., by denitrification), the net N₂ fluxes, and internal recycling (DNRA) across the sediment-water interface …

Re: Conditional Approval Letter With Comments For Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Draft Final 2026 Interim Site-Wide Surface Water Monitoring Quality Assurance Project Plan (Qapp) (Dated February 4, 2026), Emma Rott

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Financial Stability Success Strategies For Nursing Homes, Jennifer Helene Garrison

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ineffective regulatory strategies can lead to reduced financial stability. Nursing home leaders who wrestle to improve regulatory practices may find their business facing reduced financial sustainability. Grounded in management by objectives theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry research project was to identify and explore the effective strategies nursing home leaders used to implement regulatory compliance practices that increase financial sustainability. The participants were nine nursing home leaders who had successfully implemented regulatory compliance strategies within their organizations. Data was collected through semistructured interviews, public websites, and current and archival public documents. Through thematic analysis, three themes were identified: …

Improving Medication Adherence Of Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotics In Schizophrenia Through Staff Education, Rosemary Eboka

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was developed as a staff education, evidence-based quality improvement project to enhance psychiatric nursing staff’s knowledge of long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotics. The project addressed variability in medication adherence among individuals with schizophrenia, despite evidence that use of LAIs reduces relapses and hospitalization. Nurses play a critical role in medication administration, patient education, and adherence monitoring, underscoring the importance of addressing knowledge gaps. The project question was: Does staff education on LAIs for outpatient psychiatric nursing staff improve nursing knowledge compared to pre- to post-education? The purpose of the project was to assess the …

Assessing The Appropriateness Of Mental Health Patients For Telehealth Care, Jacquelyn Hamed

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project developed an evidence-based clinical practice guideline (CPG) to address the inconsistent selection of patients for telepsychiatry services. Using the Johns Hopkins evidence-based practice model and evaluated through the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation II (AGREE II) instrument, the project translated research findings into a practical tool for improving clinical decision-making. Telepsychiatry has been shown to produce outcomes comparable to in-person care for mild to moderate psychiatric conditions. However, without clear criteria, some patients with complex or high-acuity disorders are inappropriately scheduled for virtual visits, posing safety and quality risks. The CPG …

Mitigating Vicarious Traumatization From Exposure To Human Trafficking For Human Services Professionals, Andrea T. Charles-Alleyne

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Human trafficking is a devastating form of exploitation that not only has detrimental impacts to its victims but also the human services practitioners charged with and committed to their service provision. The secondary impact for professionals is not to be underestimated, as repeated exposure to the traumatic experiences of their clients can potentially lead to physical as well as emotional symptoms such as vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue, and burnout. Often, practitioners prioritize the needs of their clients with a relentless focus on advocacy and the overall well-being of those they serve. The purpose of this qualitative action research study was …

Secondary Students’ Mental Health And Absenteeism Post-Covid-19: School Social Workers’ Perspectives, Tiffany Hines Sutton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

School social workers practice in a post-COVID-19 educational context where anxiety, depression, and emotional dysregulation are closely associated with chronic absenteeism among middle school students. This practice problem is central to clinical social work because distress-based avoidance is often misinterpreted as defiance, resulting in punitive responses that intensify disengagement. The purpose of this doctoral project was to explore how school social workers perceive and respond to the interconnected dynamics of student mental health and chronic absenteeism following COVID-19. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory guided the inquiry. A qualitative descriptive design was employed using semi-structured interviews with 10 middle school social workers …

A Photosynthetic–Respiratory Electron Transport Chain Chimera Based On Photosystem I And Cytochrome C Oxidase On Graphene Oxide, Xiaoping Zhu, Matthew J. Kummer, Carolyn E. Lubner, Vasily Kurashov, William Carr, John H. Golbeck, Robert A. Niederman, Lev G. Mourokh, Shelley D. Minteer, Paul G. Falkowski, Michele Vittadello

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

Te self-assembly of enzyme proteins on 2D nanomaterials has enabled the construction and functional control of viable biochemical pathways. However, enzymatic cascades, which combine essential components of the photosynthetic and respiratory electron transport chains in tandem, have thus-far remained elusive. Herein, we have investigated a galvanic biohybrid nano system coupling photosystem I and cytochrome c oxidase on the surface of graphene oxide nanosheets in colloidal suspension. Te oriented immobilization of the enzymes was facilitated by Ni-coordination sites tethered to the carbon basal plane, with negligible parasitic O2 consumption. Transient absorption and electrochemical measurements provided evidence of electron transfer between donors …

Satellites, Urban Heat, And Environmental Justice: Community As The Bridge Between Analysis And Action, Joshua B. Fisher, Ambar Rivera, Ava Cison, Ashley Agatep, Kainani Tacazon, Sophia Spiegleman, Alison Mckenery, Rio E. Fisher, Reginald Archer, Jason A. Douglas

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Heat waves are increasing in frequency, intensity, magnitude, and duration, causing a disproportionate impact on marginalized communities exposed to urban heat islands. Newly emerging spaceborne thermal sensing instruments, such as ECOSTRESS and Hydrosat, now have the capabilities to measure urban surface temperatures accurately at the block level (< 100 m) and with enough frequency to capture transient heat waves (daily to subweekly). Such data are critical for monitoring and informing policy and mitigation efforts, such as resurfacing, green space, cooling stations, and medical mobilization. These serve to advance environmental justice and reduce health risks—and deaths—among the most vulnerable: minority, low-income, elderly, those with physical- and mental-health preconditions, unhoused, children, and outdoor workers. While scientists have increasingly used satellite data to quantify urban heat islands and risks to communities, there remains a significant gap in action resulting from such analyses—a figurative and literal “valley of death.” Reviewing over 500 scientific publications, we identify a critical lack of engagement with the communities being analyzed (10.9%; n = 58); yet, community engagement is key to bridging such analysis with subsequent action. Here, we demonstrate how participatory community engagement directly with data and analysis leads to increased policy changes and mitigation efforts. Our framework has immediate implications for how scientists may augment their work and thought processes to achieve …

Remnant Cholesterol And Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk In Populations With Different Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Elevations: A Prospective Cohort Study, Hong Zheng, Guanlin Chen, Zhenyu Huo, Yulong Lan, Yuxian Wang, Peng Fu, Weiqiang Wu, Haixiang Zheng, Kuangyi Wu, Zegui Huang, Dan Wu, Shouling Wu, Youren Chen

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and remnant cholesterol (RC) are risk factors for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). However, the extent to which differences in RC levels affect ASCVD risk in populations with varying degrees of LDL-C elevation remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate whether RC can provide additional risk stratification value across different sexes, ages, and elevated LDL-C statuses. Methods: This study included 12 743 elevated LDL-C participants (LDL-C ≥3.4 mmol/L) and 50 073 age- and sex-matched non-elevated LDL-C controls from the Kailuan Study. Elevated LDL-C participants were categorized by RC levels into <0.5, 0.5 to <1.0, and ≥1.0 mmol/L subgroups. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the relationship between RC levels and ASCVD risk across different sexes, ages, and high LDL-C statuses. Results: During a median follow-up of 12.8 years, 1686 elevated LDL-C participants (13.2%) and 5252 non-elevated LDL-C participants (10.5%) developed ASCVD. In the borderline-high LDL-C group (3.4 ≤ LDL-C < 4.1 mmol/L), those with the lowest RC levels showed no significant risk difference compared with controls (hazard ratio [HR], 1.03 [95% CI, 0.93-1.13]), and this pattern remained consistent across different sexes and ages. In contrast, in the high LDL-C group (LDL-C ≥4.1 mmol/L), even when RC was at the lowest level, ASCVD risk remained significantly higher than that of controls (HR, 1.20 [95% CI, 1.02-1.41]). CONCLUSIONS: In the borderline-high LDL-C population, those with the lowest RC levels showed no significant risk difference compared with controls, and this pattern remained consistent across different sexes and age subgroups. In the high LDL-C population, even when RC was at the lowest level, ASCVD risk remained significantly higher than that of controls.

Empowering Neurodiverse Talent In Cybersecurity Through Fair And Inclusive Ai Education, Sheikh Rabiul Islam, Yansi Keim, Mohiuddin Ahmed, Maanak Gupta, Ingrid Russell, Mahmoud Abdelsalam

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Cybersecurity demands creativity, persistence, and sharp pattern recognition—strengths frequently reported among neurodivergent people (e.g., autism, ADHD, dyslexia). Yet AI-driven hiring pipelines can systematically disadvantage neurodivergent applicants by misreading communication styles or valuing narrow proxies of “fit.” Demand for cybersecurity talent is growing, and experts note that neurodiverse individuals are both underrepresented and highly valuable to security teams. However, progress remains uneven without targeted educational interventions [1]. We present a curricular module that simultaneously (a) centers neurodiversity as a strength in the cybersecurity workforce and (b) trains students to audit and redesign AI hiring systems using open-source fairness and explainability toolkits …

Hungarian Steps Towards Freedom Of Contract, Tamás Gyulavári

Comparative Labor Law & Policy Journal

Since 1992, derogations have been allowed in individual agreements in favour of employees, with minor exceptions. The labour law reform of 2012 brought about the comprehensive reform of the hierarchy of labour law sources. As for individual agreements of the parties, the Labour Code retained the traditional rule of favourability, however, with a growing number and importance of exceptions allowing in peius derogations. Section II sets the scene by explaining the legal hierarchy of labour law sources, including derogations in collective agreements, agreements of the parties, and the meaning of the “more favourable rule.” Against this background, Section III delves …

Derogability By Collective Agreements In Germany And The Presumption, Eva Kocher

Comparative Labor Law & Policy Journal

The promotion of derogability clauses, which allow collective agreements to deviate from statutory protection to the detriment of employees, has been an issue in the political debate on German labour law for some 20 years. While such derogability clauses can effectively allow for flexibility at the company or sectoral level, there are differing views on their suitability for promoting collective bargaining. This article highlights the paradox of such derogability clauses: They are legitimised by the presumption of fairness that underpins collective autonomy; at the same time, they create incentives for employers that challenge the very presumption of fairness. All in …

The Cost Of Admission: Consent, Non-Waivability, And The Governance Of Migrant Labour, Hanny Ben-Israel, Hila Shamir

Comparative Labor Law & Policy Journal

This article examines how the principle of non-waivability in labour law is being systematically eroded for migrant workers. It argues that a fundamental tension exists between labour law — which seeks to protect and empower workers — and migration law — which prioritises the welfare of citizens, instrumentalises migrant labour, and seeks to limit redistribution of a nation’s resources, benefits, and opportunities to non-citizens. The article demonstrates how consent-based arguments, rooted in migration law, are used to justify the exclusion of non-citizens from otherwise non-waivable labour protections. By analysing legislative, judicial, and policy decisions, it reveals how these arguments contribute …

Limit Theorems For Andrews’ Restricted Overpartitions, Tapas Bhowmik, Alex Cao, Jack Frew, John Lehman, Wei-Lun Tsai

Faculty Publications

The study of overpartitions in recent years has been used to great effect in various fields, including hypergeometric series, q-series identities, and mathematical physics. We investigate the limiting distributions of the number of parts in a family of overpartitions of n,  introduced by Andrews, where parts are counted with two different weights. Using Andrews’ identities and the saddle-point method, we establish two central limit theorems (CLTs) for the number of parts as n → ∞, corresponding to these weightings. We also derive explicit formulas for the mean and variance in each case.

Spatiotemporal Histogenesis Of The Developing Human Cerebellum Reveals Dynamic Layering Of Bergmann Glia, Sri Yellampally, Anders W Erickson, Virginia Fernandez, Ferechte Encha-Razavi, Kimberley A Phillips, Christine Haberler, Nicole Amberg, Victor Borrell, Paul A Northcott, Michael D Taylor, Kathleen J Millen, Parthiv Haldipur

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Bergmann glia (BG) are a specialized glial population essential for cerebellar development, yet their developmental timeline and molecular identity in the human cerebellum remain poorly understood. Here, we combined detailed histopathological analysis with spatial transcriptomics and single-nucleus RNA sequencing to generate a developmental atlas of human cerebellar BG. Histology revealed that BG emerge around 11 post-conception weeks (PCW), initially serving as a scaffold for Purkinje cells (PCs) migrating into the PC layer of the cerebellar cortex. Following the establishment of a multilayered PC arrangement, BG form a distinct parallel layer separated from the PCs by the lamina dissecans (LD), with …

Contemporary Philosophical Proposals For The University, Seth Vanetta

Dewey Studies

No abstract provided.

Evaluating Public Philosophy In Higher Education: Lessons Learned Baking Philosophical Bread, Anthony Cashio, Eric Thomas Weber

Dewey Studies

No abstract provided.

Taking It To The People: Translating Empirical Findings About Black Men And Black Families Through A Black Public Philosophy, Tommy J. Curry, Gwenetta D. Curry

Dewey Studies

No abstract provided.

The Problem Of Nihilism: A Personal Journey From Nietzsche To Dewey, Jim Garrison

Dewey Studies

No abstract provided.

The Mind Is Not The Brain: John Dewey, Neuroscience, And Avoiding The Mereological Fallacy, Deron Boyles

Dewey Studies

No abstract provided.

The Nature Philosophy Of John Dewey, John R. Shook

Dewey Studies

No abstract provided.

John Dewey And Albert C. Barnes: A Deep And Mutually Rewarding Relationship, George E. Hein

Dewey Studies

No abstract provided.

The Poisoning Of Flint’S People, Vanessa Lamoureux

Fresh Voices: Composition at Cal Poly

No abstract provided.

Women In Stem Fields, Jenna Riegel

Fresh Voices: Composition at Cal Poly

No abstract provided.

Ttyl!: An Examination Of The Effect Technology Plays In Communication, Carley Auerbach

Fresh Voices: Composition at Cal Poly

No abstract provided.

A Pizza My Mind, Zoe Pfahler

Fresh Voices: Composition at Cal Poly

No abstract provided.