Digital Commons Network^™

Trauma Therapy For Orcs: A Psychotherapeutic Consideration Of Orcs In Tolkien's Legendarium, Karen L. Pollock Ms

Journal of Tolkien Research

The complex, violent behavior of the Orcs can be understood through the lens of modern trauma psychology, specifically Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD) and the mechanism of Intergenerational Trauma Transmission.

CPTSD is a diagnosis often applied to individuals who have experienced prolonged, repeated, and inescapable trauma, particularly within an abusive or authoritarian environment. The foundational myth of the Orcs—that they were captured, enslaved, tortured, and physically and mentally mutated by Morgoth—perfectly aligns with a foundational, systemic trauma event.

The resulting Orcish behaviors align with the core symptom clusters of CPTSD including; emotional dysregulation,dissociation/distorted self-perception, disturbed relationships, and a lack of …

“It’S All Fun And Games Until Someone Loses An Eye (-Test): On The Presence And Consequences Of An Argument Scheme That Re-Works Our Notions Of Evidence And Support”, Matthew P. Brigham

Studies in Debate and Oratory

This essay explores an argument scheme commonly employed in sport communication, the “Eye Test,” which claims that a good faith watching of two teams or athletes, for instance, provides its own evidence as to which is superior. A distinction is drawn between a weak version of the argument, the earned eye test, and the strong version, the universal eye test. Focusing on the latter, which does not rely on expertise but claims that any individual should be able to see the proof of the argument, the essay explores a range of everyday and public sphere arguments that operate …

Aga Khan University Hospital, Kampala – Overview And Mission

Vision and mission statements

No abstract provided.

How Not To Go Viral? A Covid-19 Handbook For Students

University press releases and calendars

No abstract provided.

Rubric-Based Evaluation For On-Brand Generative Media, Mohab Fekry, Cornelius Koch, Luka Stellwag

Defensive Publications Series

This publication describes a novel system and method for evaluating artificial intelligence (AI)-generated media, focusing on prompt adherence, technical quality, and brand alignment. The framework addresses challenges in current evaluation methods by employing dynamic, multi-component rubric generation and a multimodal, rubric-based evaluation and scoring process. This approach provides a scalable, reliable, and interpretable solution for comprehensively assessing generative media.

Real-Time Deepfake Detection During Video Conferences: Harnessing Bidirectional Audio-Video Features From Reflections And Echoes, Mahesh Godavarti, Ali Mouline, Kamil Wojcicki, Radhakrishna Achanta, Raul Casas

Defensive Publications Series

Liveliness detection is increasingly important in video conferencing due to the advent of deepfakes and their use in conducting online fraud. Currently, liveliness detection technologies lag behind deepfake creation technologies. This submission proposes the use of the bidirectional nature of video conferencing to counter deepfakes more reliably and more efficiently than the state-of-the-art.

Techniques To Facilitate Intention-Based Primary Meeting Device Promotion, Talisman Wang, Yasi Xi, Evelyn Yao, King Jin

Defensive Publications Series

Proposed herein are innovative techniques that enable a user in an online meeting to naturally, conveniently, and intuitively promote a local laptop to become the primary meeting device in a meeting room. Participants in the same meeting room are grouped together and represented as a single group in the video feed of the online meeting. This approach ensures that participants in the conference room are no longer perceived by remote participants as isolated, individual attendees. Instead, they appear as a group attending from the same physical space, thereby creating a more natural online meeting experience.

Privacy And The Right To (Dis)Connect, Hugh Collins

Comparative Labor Law & Policy Journal

The rise of remote work and modern communications technology has blurred the boundaries between work and personal life, leaving many workers perpetually on call with little time for rest or personal activities. In response, some jurisdictions have adopted a “right to disconnect,” often framed as a ban on work communications during certain hours. However, such proposals are flawed: they are unnecessary, as workers already possess the legal right to ignore work communications outside contractual hours, and impractical, as many feel pressured to remain connected due to workplace norms and career concerns. This article argues for a reconceptualisation of the “right …

Lowell Baier: 1940-2025, Maurer School Of Law - Indiana University

Keep Up With the Latest News from the Law School (blog)

Over a remarkable 51-year career, Lowell Baier moved with uncommon ease between professions—attorney, entrepreneur, advocate, historian, and author—yet every path he pursued seemed to guide him inevitably toward a life defined by service, scholarship, and conservation. Baier, who passed away on November 21, leaves behind a legacy as vast, varied, and vital as the landscapes he fought to protect.

Baier’s life was a testament to service: to the land, to the law, to institutions that shaped him, and to people who shared his passions. His legacy will endure in protected landscapes, inspired students, strengthened institutions, and the many lives he …

Biochar Derived From Different Sources Ameliorates The Phytochemical And Physiological Characteristics Of Foxtail Millet (Setaria Italica) Under Water Stress, Mohammad Keshavarz, Ehsan Bijanzadeh, Hamid Reza Boostani

Turkish Journal of Botany

Organic material, such as biochar, can improve soil fertility and crop yield under water stress. A pot experiment was conducted to consider the effects of biochar on the pigment content, enzyme activity, physiological characteristics, and nutrient uptake of foxtail millet under water stress. Plants were tested under normal, mild, and severe irrigation regimes (100%, 75%, and 50% field capacity, respectively) using different biochar sources (licorice root biochar (LRB), cow manure biochar (CMB), cotton residue biochar (CRB), and municipal waste biochar (MWB)) and a control without fertilizer. Under severe water stress, the chlorophyll a content and total chlorophyll increased by 137.3% …

An Updated Perspective On Learning, Andrew S. Gibbons Iii

Faculty Publications

The subject of human learning is revisited. The emergence of new research findings in cognitive neuroscience and related disciplines using new imaging tools and techniques has revealed the existence of not one but two complementary learning systems. A newly-discovered prospection process, interacting with both memory systems, has been revealed as the pivotal mechanism of learning that leads to new experience and new memory records. The universal impact of emotion on this process also receives a new emphasis. This, coupled with the ever-present social environment, show learning to be the result of conversational activity. The existence of this more complete and …

Lost In Translation: Is Data Protection Labour Law Protection?, Michele Molè

Comparative Labor Law & Policy Journal

This article critically examines how the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) defines and applies the legal categories of “data subject” and “data controller” within employment relationships. Under the GDPR, employers who collect and process personal data are classified as data controllers, while employees are designated as data subjects. However, this article argues that such a “translation” of data protection categories, rights, and obligations into the regulation of workplace dynamics requires closer examination. The focus is on evaluating whether the GDPR’s rights and obligations for data subjects and data controllers accurately capture the agency and interests of employee and employer …

Accelerating The Degradation Of Biodegradable Mulch Films In Soil And Compost Environments, Harshal Jayesh Kansara

Theses

The incomplete degradation of biodegradable mulch films (BMFs) in agricultural soils poses environmental challenges, with persistent plastic residues impacting soil health. This dissertation investigates the use of bioaugmentation with P. guariconensis to enhance BMF degradation under laboratory, raised bed, and field conditions. The research focuses on optimizing microbial delivery methods, evaluating the efficacy of drip and spray bioaugmentation techniques, and assessing mass loss as a primary metric for degradation. Laboratory experiments established proof-of-concept by demonstrating enhanced carbon mineralization, weight loss, and fragmentation of BMFs under bioaugmented conditions. These findings were translated to field-scale trials, where bioaugmentation treatments consistently outperformed untreated …

News You Can Use: Spotting Early Signs Of Vocal Fatigue, Jordan Karnbach

University of Mississippi News

OXFORD, Miss. – It's happened to everyone at some point; your voice simply gives out, whether it's from giving a work presentation or singing along at a concert. But a University of Mississippi researcher has advice on catching early signs of vocal fatigue and tips to prevent straining your voice.

Quality Improvement Project: Impact Of Simulation Training On The Self-Efficacy Of Registered Nurses During A Code Stroke, Kakeya James

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Self-efficacy levels affect decision-making skills and overall confidence in handling critical situations. However, knowledge gaps often hinder the maintenance of high self-efficacy. (Farčić, et al., 2020). The project site provides limited training opportunities that may not adequately prepare registered nurses with the confidence and skills needed to respond to stroke emergencies, potentially causing delays in patient care and adverse health outcomes. As a result, the quality improvement project aims to examine how simulation-based training impacts registered nurses’ self-efficacy in managing stroke emergencies. The project employed a quasi-experimental pretest/posttest design and was guided by the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle, the Jeffries Simulation …

Reclaiming Relational Pedagogies: The Role Of Talking Circles In Decolonizing Higher Education Classrooms, Veneice Lacy

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

This article explores the use of Talking Circles as a decolonizing pedagogical practice within higher education, grounded in Indigenous epistemologies and relational worldviews. Drawing on the works of Indigenous scholars such as Graveline, Wilson, Archibald, and Simpson, the article positions Talking Circles not merely as instructional strategies but as ceremonial, spirit-centered pedagogies that resist the Eurocentric hierarchical and individualistic norms of Western academia. Through autoethnographic reflection and student narratives from undergraduate and graduate education courses, the article demonstrates how Talking Circles foster relational accountability, ethical engagement, and transformative learning. By centering oral tradition, reciprocity, and communal learning, Talking Circles reconfigure …

Dna Extrusion Size Determines Pathway Choice During Cag Repeat Expansion, Mayuri Bhatia, Ashutosh S. Phadte, Anna Lakhina, Anthony R. Monte Carloi Iii, Sarah Barndt, Anna Pluciennik

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty Papers

DNA triplet repeat expansion causes several primarly neurological disorders like Huntington's disease, myotonic dystrophy type 1, and fragile-X related disorders. There is general consensus that recognition of extrahelical extrusions or hairpin-loop structures (formed by strand slippage) by the DNA mismatch repair protein MutSβ leads to repeat expansion by a mutagenic process. By contrast, the FAN1 nuclease attenuates triplet repeat expansion, the molecular basis of which was explained by our recent finding that FAN1 nuclease cleaves and initiates removal of extrahelical extrusions. Here we show that extrusions containing two or more triplet repeats are subject to recognition and processing by either …

Exploring Experiences Of Mental Health Challenges In Under-Represented Young People (Aged 16–24 Years) In England: A Narrative Inquiry Protocol, Rebecca Syed Sheriff, Jason Arday, Rohit Shankar, Roisin Mooney, Louise Chandler, Helen Adams, Lili Z Nagy, Roger Farrell, Daisy Fancourt, Scott Weich, Catherine Henderson, Shaima Hassan, Joe Langley, Kamaldeep Bhui

Peninsula Medical School

Introduction Three-quarters of mental health problems start before the age of 25. However, young people are the least likely to receive mental healthcare. Some young people (such as those from ethnic minorities) are even less likely to receive mental healthcare than others. Long-term impacts of mental health problems include poorer physical health, relationships, education and employment. We aim to elicit the views, experiences and needs of diverse young people (aged 16–24 years), to better understand (1) their experiences of under-representation, mental health and coping, (2) mechanisms that shape mental health trajectories and (3) how online arts and culture might be …

Tannin Supplementation Alters Foraging Behavior And Spatial Distribution In Beef Cattle, Bashiri Iddy Muzzo, R. Douglas Ramsey, Kelvyn Bladen, Juan J. Villalba

Wildland Resources Student Research

Beef production on chemically uniform grass monocultures can limit nutrient synchrony and contribute to uneven pasture use. We evaluated whether supplementing tannins with bioactive plant secondary compounds improves foraging dynamics and landscape use by beef cattle grazing a meadow bromegrass monoculture in ways aligned with rangeland sustainability. Twenty-four Angus cow–calf pairs were allocated to six 3.6-ha paddocks (four pairs/paddock), randomly assigned to Control (Ctrl; n = 3) or Tannin treatment (TT; n = 3). Animals received 1 kg/cow/day of DDGs, with TT receiving an added 0.4% tannins (2:1 condensed:hydrolyzable). Grazing occurred during four 15-day periods (July– September) across two years. …

Interview With Anthony Crivello, Anthony Crivello, James Janssen-Brown, Rook Swartz

Heritage Musics Interviews

Anthony Crivello is a drummer from the Monterey Bay area who has performed with local bands including Headsick 831, Mercy Mine, Undergrad, and Paloma, contributing to the area's hardcore, metalcore, and pop-punk music scenes. In the interview, he reflects on growing up in a musical family, learning from his father and local musicians, and developing his passion for drumming from an early age. He discusses the evolution of his playing style, the importance of collaboration and perseverance within bands, and memorable performances at local venues such as Other Brother Beer in Seaside and the Veterans Memorial Building in Santa Cruz. …

Flash Effect Is Diminished By Daily Fractionation Of Electron Rt In Mouse Skin, Aleksandra Ilina, William S. Thomas, Xu Cao, Matthew S. Reed, Kendall Jarvis, Albert Van Der Kogel, Nathaniel Van Asselt, Wesley S. Culberson, Brian W. Pogue

Dartmouth Scholarship

Objective. While FLASH radiotherapy is known to reduce skin damage in vivo from ultra-high dose rate (UHDR) irradiation relative to conventional dose rates (CDR), it is not clear whether this sparing is preserved when delivered as fractionated. This study was designed to directly assess whether three daily fractions would maintain the sparing effects in murine leg models and preserve the murine skin sparing with single fraction treatments. Approach. C57Bl/6j female mice were irradiated with 9 MeV UHDR and CDR beams from a FLASH-capable Mobetron system, in a dose escalation study with doses ranging from single dose 22–30 Gy in a …

Experiences Of African Immigrant Nurses Transitioning To The American Healthcare System, Chinomso Nwozichi

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Introduction: The global nursing shortage has driven a significant migration of African Immigrant nurses (AINs) to the United States. While AINs are essential to the U.S. healthcare workforce, they face considerable challenges, including cultural, professional, and emotional adjustments during their transition.

Methods: This study used a phenomenological approach guided by Ricoeur’s interpretive phenomenology framework to explore the lived experiences of AINs transitioning into the American healthcare system. The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of the primary investigator’s institution. Nineteen AINs working in various U.S. health institutions were selected through purposive sampling and participated in in-depth, unstructured …

Transform The Work Environment & Psychological Distress In Nurses: Sustain Health Promotion Behaviors, Hephzibah Sophie Edwin

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Background: The healthcare work environment poses numerous stressors contributing to distress¹, and poor health outcomes in nurses^4,5. A critical nursing shortage exists, and it is crucial to explore the work environment, leading to distress symptoms. Coping strategies using health promotion behaviors are essential to restore nurses' health³, which has not been explored well.

Purpose: Examine the work environment - workload and the association with psychological distress, sleep disturbance, and health promotion behaviors in nurses, using a structural equation modeling (SEM) approach guided by the job demands-resources framework.

Methods: The Nurse Worklife and Wellness Study …

Trauma-Informed Care In Oncology, Susan K. Lee, Kevin R. Clark

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Introduction: Trauma-informed care (TIC) refers to the widespread impact of trauma on patients, focusing on safety, trust, empowerment, and collaboration. Oncology patients are particularly vulnerable to trauma due to the emotional and physical distress associated with cancer diagnoses and treatments. This literature review examined the role of TIC in oncology, emphasizing its effects on patient outcomes, healthcare provider practices, and challenges in implementation.

Methods: A systematic review was conducted using PRISMA guidelines. Studies published from 2018 to 2024 were selected from PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO. Keywords included "trauma-informed care," "oncology," "patient outcomes," and "interdisciplinary collaboration". A total of 10 studies …

Disability Prevalence And Accommodation In Us Bsn Programs: Equity In Nursing Education, Vanessa Kay Cameron, Brandy Jackson, Lisa M. Meeks, Sabrina Ali Jamal-Eddine, Jaclyn M. Bandell, Anna Maria Valdez, Vera Kunte, Linda Morrow

Biennial Convention (CONV)

In the pursuit of global health equity, ensuring equal access to the nursing profession for students with disabilities is essential. Despite progress in disability inclusion in medical education, foundational data on disabled nursing students remains scarce. This study, completed by Access in Nursing, addresses this gap by quantifying disability prevalence and accommodations among students in U.S. traditional prelicensure Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs. Through a cross-sectional design, national data were collected between April and July 2024 from 19 nursing programs accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Through adapted questionnaires, data were gathered on disability prevalence, types, and …

Promoting Collaborative Practice: Interprofessional Education Synergy, Amanda Hudgins, Janice Evans Hawkins, Michelle Thompson, Tom Campbell, Tammy Speerhas, Corrin Gillis

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Background: Interprofessional collaboration among health providers is essential to achieve optimal patient outcomes. Because team-based care is the expected practice among healthcare providers, interprofessional education (IPE) experiences are essential for achieving the foundational knowledge, skills, and abilities to prepare the future healthcare workforce. Interprofessional education, once considered an elective option, is now a curricular requirement of healthcare programs. The purpose of this presentation is to share an effective interprofessional education model that is easily accessible and attainable, improves learning outcomes, and meets curricular requirements across different healthcare professions.

Methods: Students from multiple healthcare disciplines (Nursing, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech …

Introduction To Machine Learning And Machine Learning Systems, Raffi T. Khatchadourian Ph.D.

Open Educational Resources

Lecture slides introducing machine learning and machine learning systems for an undergraduate software engineering course. Topics include what machine learning is and how it differs from traditional programming, foundation models, the major types of learning (supervised, unsupervised, reinforcement, and others), and applications across domains. Using a food-delivery time-prediction case study, the deck walks through a typical ML pipeline—data collection and cleaning, feature engineering, model training, and evaluation—and covers evaluation methods (precision and recall, confusion matrices, error measures) along with underfitting versus overfitting and the realities of learning and evaluation in production. Based on "Machine Learning in Production/AI Engineering" by Christian …

Bring Your Own Device — Now Hand It Over! Rescuing Workers’ Privacy During Data Searches, Virginia Mantouvalou, Michael Veale

Comparative Labor Law & Policy Journal

Technological advancements pose serious threats to workers’ privacy. This article focuses on practices that greatly blur the line between workers’ private life and life at work, such as the practices of “bring your own device,” and linking cloud storage to personal and work devices. The first sees workers allowed to use personal devices for work-related activities, potentially for several employers. The second sees workers using online storage for personal and professional reasons, linking this storage to personal and work devices. Such practices can be useful for workers. However, they also present challenges for workers’ privacy, particularly when other legal frameworks …

Privacy As Professional Identity, Einat Albin

Comparative Labor Law & Policy Journal

This article explores an important course of action to safeguarding privacy in the workplace, grounded in the professional identity of workers and their corresponding moral and ethical duties towards clients or patients. Described as “privacy as professional identity,” this concept is developed through two key contributions. First, the article argues that workers who are ethically and legally obligated to protect the confidentiality and privacy of their clients or patients — such as psychologists and lawyers — also inherently safeguard their own personal privacy. This argument is substantiated through illustrative examples and anchored in theoretical frameworks concerning the right to privacy. …

Data-Driven Collective Rights, Tomer Shadmy

Comparative Labor Law & Policy Journal

Technological asymmetries in data-driven workplaces increasingly shape power dynamics between employers and employees. This article argues that safeguarding workers’ rights requires transforming collective labour rights into collective technological capabilities. Rather than viewing data rights narrowly as privacy issues, it reframes them as central to broader labour protections. As artificial intelligence enhances employers’ ability to monitor and exploit worker data, workers must be equipped with tools to analyse and act on their collective data. Employers now extract significant value from aggregated personal data, positioning workers as unwitting data providers and limiting workers’ agency. While current laws focus on individual data rights, …