Digital Commons Network^™

Workplace Retaliation And The Intersection Of Protected Conduct And Job Performance, Chris Schmidt

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Reevaluating South Dakota's Child Support Deduction: Balancing Retirement Contributions And Children's Needs, Marilyn Trefz

Faculty Publications

This article explores how South Dakota’s child support provisions, particularly the 10% allowable deduction for voluntary retirement contributions from parents’ gross income, affect the fair distribution of financial responsibilities between parents. By exploring the historical context and evolution of this statute, this article highlights the challenges and disparities the 10% deduction creates, particularly for custodial parents living in poverty. Through a comparative analysis with other states and a discussion on balancing retirement savings with child support needs, the article argues for reconsideration of the statutory allowance. The article’s aim is to ensure that the next revision of the child support …

The Best Children's Books Of The Year [2025 Edition], Bank Street College Of Education. Children's Book Committee.

Children's Book Committee

Includes more than 600 titles chosen by the Children’s Book Committee as the best of the best published in 2024. In choosing books for the annual list, committee members consider literary quality and excellence of presentation as well as the potential emotional impact of the books on young readers. Other criteria include credibility of characterization and plot, authenticity of time and place, age suitability, positive treatment of ethnic and religious differences, and the absence of stereotypes.

Promoting International Criminal Justice In Korea: A Korean War Crimes Tribunal?, John M. B. Balouziyeh

Denver Journal of International Law & Policy

Since the Korean Armistice Agreement was signed between representatives of United Nations Command, the Korean People’s Army, and the Chinese People’s Volunteer Army in 1953, tensions have run high on the Korean Peninsula. North Korea has time and again threatened an invasion of South Korea and has issued warnings to South Korea that, if provoked, it would not hesitate to use nuclear missiles and chemical weapons against its southern neighbor. Both the threat of an invasion and the deployment of weapons of mass destruction leave open an important question in the event of an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula: …

Fundamental And Formant Frequencies Of Vowels In Ventriloquial And Normal Speech, Corrie S. Wiesner, Manish Rami

Communication Sciences & Disorders Faculty Publications

This study explored the fundamental frequency and the first and second formant frequencies of vowels produced in ventriloquial and normal speech. It tested whether these frequencies differ by speech type and vowels. Voice recordings were collected from a participant who produced words containing ten target English vowels in normal and ventriloquial speech. Digitized recordings were analyzed to determine formant frequencies. A multivariate analysis detected statistically significant differences in the three frequency measures across speech type. Speech type by frequency interaction was examined via overlapping vowel quadrilateral plots that explored differences in formants of vowels across speech type and the vowel …

Husbandry Of Jellyfish And Ctenophores: Why Gelatinous Forms Thrive In Their Natural Habitat And Yet Often Struggle To Survive In Aquaria, Regina Garza Ramirez

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

Recent observations in the behaviors of several gelatinous forms in the wild have demonstrated that human impacts to their environment have likely accelerated growth of their populations tremendously. Interestingly enough, population growth of jellyfish and ctenophores in aquariums and artificial habitats is less often observed under controlled conditions, while they often bloom in rapidly changing environments of nature. Seeking the knowledge of aquarists and researchers that have worked directly with gelatinous animals through interviews, and documenting the experiences of each individual, allowed acquisition of data that can be used to compare the reproductive success of these animals in captivity and …

Evolution Of A Training Program For Pediatric Faculty And Trainee Wellbeing, Suzanne Reed, Julie A Young, Josephine Enciso, Emma Omoruyi, Rachel Cramton, Larry Hurtubise, Katherine Allison, John Mahan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objectives: High rates of distress and burnout continue to plague physicians. The Sustaining and Training for Resilience, Engagement and Meaning (STREAM) curriculum is a Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) funded program, developed by experts in faculty and trainee wellbeing from 7 academic institutions, to help address this ongoing and pervasive issue.

Methods: We used Kern's 6-step model to develop the STREAM program. STREAM content was developed and iteratively revised to highlight evidence-informed methods to improve wellbeing. STREAM content is grounded in the PERMA-H framework and highlights 4 pillars: Optimizing your Well-Being, Building Resilience, Collaborative Engagement to Improve your Work, …

Serum Metabolome Profiling In Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment Reveals Sex Differences In Lipid Metabolism, Rocio Diaz Escarcega, Vijay Kumar M J, Vasilia E Kyriakopoulos, Guadalupe J Ortiz, Aaron M Gusdon, Huihui Fan, Pedram Peesh, Maria P Blasco Conesa, Gabriela Delevati Colpo, Hilda W Ahnstedt, Lucy Couture, Stella H Kim, Miriam Hinojosa, Christine M Farrell, Sean P Marrelli, Akihiko Urayama, Bhanu P Ganesh, Paul E Schulz, Louise D Mccullough, Andrey S Tsvetkov

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Alzheimer's disease (AD) affects more women than men. Although women live longer than men, it is not longevity alone, but other factors, including metabolic changes, that contribute to the higher risk of AD in women. Metabolic pathways have been implicated in AD progression, but studies to date examined targeted pathways, leaving many metabolites unmeasured. Sex is often a neglected biological variable, and most metabolomic studies were not designed to investigate sex differences in metabolomic profiles. Here, we performed untargeted metabolomic profiling of sera from male and female patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a common precursor to AD, and matched …

Baseball-State Of The Game, Richard C. Crepeau

On Sport and Society

As we enter the final week of the baseball season, it might be time to reflect on the state of the game. This is generally the point in the season when there is a rash of jeremiads on the condition and health of the former national pastime. Baseball people seem to always see the game in decline. Over the years, I have dismissed these as overblown and off the mark, because generally they are. Now, for the first time in my multiple decades as a baseball fan, I am ready to join the mournful chorus.

Sex Differences In Brain Iron Deposition And Microglial Ferritin In Alzheimer’S Disease, Syed Mushfiqur Rahman, Chunfeng Tan, Akiyoshi Kakita, Jose Felix Moruno-Manchon

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective

Iron is the most abundant metal in the human brain, and plays a crucial role in many biological processes. However, disruptions in brain iron metabolism can lead to iron buildup, which occurs with aging and is linked to several brain disorders, including Alzheimer's disease. Microglia, the brain's resident immune cells, have the highest capacity to store iron, which is stored intracellularly within ferritin complexes. Importantly, women are at a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and experience faster disease progression compared to men.

Methods

We used postmortem brain samples from patients with Alzheimer's disease and small vessel disease patients …

Is There Really A Difference? A Comparison Of In-Person And Online Qualitative Interviews, Kelly Anthony, Michelle Miller-Day, Monica Dupuy, Jarrod Ventura, Arielle Hodges, Denise Alonso-Pecora, Hannatu Dimas

Faculty Publications - Department of Communication and Cinematic Arts

During the 2020 worldwide lockdowns due to COVID-19, qualitative researchers were restricted to online communication (e.g., Zoom) to gather qualitative interview data. Since that time, qualitative researchers have increasingly transitioned from conducting interviews primarily in person to conducting interviews using online communication technologies such as Zoom, but little is known about how interview approaches may impact the interview experience or data quality. This study explores differences between face-to-face (FTF) and online (Zoom) interviewing approaches, data quality, and interviewee perceptions of rapport, empathy, and conversational involvement. Participants were assigned to an interview condition (FTF or Zoom) and randomly assigned to one …

Ceo Social Media Activity And Insider Trading, Zhichuan Li, Claire Y.C. Liang, Zhenyang Tang

School of Business

This article studies the relationship between CEOs' social media activity and their insider trading behavior. Drawing on psychological evidence linking online activity to risk-taking, we find that active CEOs on social media exhibit higher risk preferences and engage more in insider trading—particularly in terms of incidence, intensity, and profitability. The effects are primarily driven by insider buys (rather than sells), which are more likely to involve material non-public information, and such opportunistic trades may increase firm reputational risk. Further analysis reveals that certain corporate governance mechanisms, such as blackout policies and compensation structures, help mitigate the negative impact. © 2025 …

Do Active Sustainable Equity Funds Outperform Their Passive Peers? Evidence From The Covid-19 Pandemic, Fei Fang, Sitikantha Parida

School of Business

Sustainable investing has grown rapidly, but it remains unclear whether actively managed sustainable funds outperform passive ones. This study compares the performance of high-sustainable active U.S. equity mutual funds and their index peers from September 2018 to April 2022, dividing the period into pre-crash, crash, and post-crash phases around the COVID-19 market downturn. On average, both active and index funds underperform, with the sharpest losses occurring during the crash. High-sustainable funds outperform low-sustainable ones, particularly during the crash. However, high-sustainable active funds do not outperform their passive counterparts in any period. These results suggest that active management does not offer …

A Call For Trained, Trauma-Informed Attorneys To Represent And Support Unaccompanied Children In Removal Proceedings By Petitioning For Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, Will Sheehan

Roger Williams University Law Review

No abstract provided.

United States Senior District Judge William E. Smith – A Judge For All Seasons, Patricia A. Sullivan

Roger Williams University Law Review

No abstract provided.

Mccormick V. Narragansett Improvement Company, Inc., 314 A.3d 963 (R.I. 2024), Nicole Hernandez

Roger Williams University Law Review

No abstract provided.

The Little Book Of Joy: Tiny Ways To Infuse Delight Into Teaching And Learning, Eugene Korsunskiy

Dartmouth Scholarship

We do our best work when we're having fun. And the world needs our best work, so we owe it to the universe to bring joy into what we do.

As teachers, we know that a joyful learning environment helps students thrive. We know that fun is an important catalyst of-not a distraction from-the rigorous work of teaching and learning.

A growing body of research supports this intuition, showing that joy helps with focus, creativity, problem-solving, teamwork, perseverance in the face of challenges, and much more. By inducing the release of "happy hormones" (endorphins, dopamine, oxytocin, and serotonin), activities and …

Commentary On “Predictors Of Length Of Physical Therapy Care For Infants With Congenital Torticollis”, Ryan Jacobson, Kathryn Knudsen, Katherine Binkerd

Faculty Publications - College of Physical Therapy

Most infants in this study were ≤3 months of age and 94% had severity grades I or II. Clinicians might prioritize accurately measuring active neck rotation using an arthrodial goniometer in younger, less severe infants, since active neck rotation deficit had the highest single-factor correlation with episode length and reflects degree of asymmetry in neck and torso strength. While the Alberta Infant Motor Scale and previous tummy/container time factors were not associated, we appreciate the efforts of the authors to address this gap in the literature.

Hopping Kinetic Differences In Masters Runners With And Without Achilles Tendinopathy, Matthew Klein, Chris Patterson, Annette Karim, Tyler Cuddeford

Faculty Publications - College of Physical Therapy

Achilles tendinopathy (AT) is the most common running-related pathology among masters runners. Previous evidence suggests there are no differences in submaximal running biomechanics between masters runners with and without AT. Evidence suggests lower extremity power deficits are common among ageing individuals and those with AT. The single-leg horizontal hop (SLHH) test isa valid and reliable lower extremity power test. The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in SLHH biomechanics between masters runners with and without AT. 32 masters runners age 50 and older with AT (60.31 ± 8.37, n = 16) and without (59.94 ±4.95 n = 16) …

Ieee 802.11n And Ieee 802.11ax Networks Under Various Propagation Models, Jun Peng

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

IEEE 802.11n networks are the first generation of Wi-Fi networks to reach data rates of hundreds of megabits per second. They are also the first to use MIMO technologies in Wi-Fi networks. They can operate in both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency bands and use 20 or 40 MHz channel width. Similarly, IEEE 802.11ax networks can operate in both 2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz frequency bands and use 20, 40, 80, or 160 MHz channel width. For channel access, IEEE 802.11ax networks use CSMA/CA, multi-user MIMO (MU-MIMO), and OFDMA. They can reach data rates of multiple gigabits per second. …

New Year Message From President Callahan, Christopher Callahan

Presidential Communications

No abstract provided.

Promoting Acorn Survival Using Capsaicin Seed Coatings Is Strengthened By The Removal Of Invasive Shrubs, Mark Fuka, Brian M. Connolly, John L. Orrock

Biology Faculty Scholarship

Promoting regeneration of native trees, like Quercus spp., is a priority for land managers given the ecological and economic importance of oak woodlands. Although direct seeding may promote recruitment of Quercus spp., the effectiveness of direct seeding may be greatly reduced in environments where the activity of granivorous rodents is high. Importantly, the activity of granivorous rodents may be highest in environments where oak restoration is most desired, such as habitats invaded by non-native woody shrubs. Implementing chemical deterrents to granivory should promote direct seeding success; yet it is essential to understand if those deterrents are effective in challenging restoration …

Phishing Susceptibility Among Healthcare Workers: The Impact Of Awareness, Email Type, And Location, Darin Challacombe, Elizabeth Mcelhiney

Psychology Faculty Publications

While attempts by malicious actors to compromise computer systems continue to increase, there have been limited success in educating corporate learners. Most corporations must rely upon firewalls, email filtering, and other tools to prevent compromises since their employees vary in prevention reliability. Recent studies have shown limited success of anti-phishing awareness corporate learning campaigns; however, these studies have mostly utilized students or individuals aware of their participation in an experiment. The current research utilized healthcare workers. Over the course of 18 months and three experiments, we evaluated if different anti-phishing awareness learning campaigns, simulated phishing email content, or the employee’s …

Understanding African American Male Adolescents' Exposure To The Career Development Process Utilizing A Transcendental Phenomenological Approach, Kyle Ritten

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of eight African American male adolescent students' exposure to the career development process using transcendental and Afrocentric frameworks (Asante, 1980; 1998, 2003, 2007, 2020a; Cheatham, 1990; Moustakas, 1994). The findings revealed four themes: (a) students recall their first career aspirations from an early age, (b) the impact of family, community, and social media on students' career decisions, (c) students are concerned with the lack of career development in school and the impact on their academic and career development, and (d) the value of giving back to the community motivated students' career decisions. Implications …

Equity And Representation In Video Games: An Analysis Of Attitudes Toward Queer In-Game Romance And Sexuality Across Diverse Populations, Jai Yerbich

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Despite studies showing that women play video games at close to, if not the same rates as men, there still lies a sexist belief that games are only for men, and no one else. In 2004, the Developers Software Association reported that games catered primarily to men’s sexuality, using advertising attempts to lure in players by catering to that sexuality and portraying women in their games to appeal to them. In recent years, with the release of massively popular role-playing games (RPGs) such as Baldur’s Gate 3 and Dragon Age: The Veilguard, gamers have complained that games are now “too …

The Triangle Of Social Media, Mental Health, And Activism: Lessons From July 2024 Anti-Discrimination Students Movement In Bangladesh, Md Belal Hossain

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This project explores social media, mental health, and activism as three interconnected avenues of academic inquiry in the context of a student movement called the Anti-Discriminatory Students Movement (ADSM), that took place in July-August 2024 in Bangladesh. The movement, also called July Revolution (Bangladesh), overthrew a 16-year-ruling autocratic government and propelled the nation towards significant structural and political reform efforts. Utilizing a mixed method approach, including key informant interviews (N=6) and an online survey (N=396), it investigates how the triangle of social media, mental health, and activism evolved during this movement. Interview analysis reveals five major themes: 1) Ambiguity in …

Beyond The Shadows: Unveiling The Dynamics Of Gender-Based Violence In Malawi Through Advocates’ Perspectives, Sarah Temwa Padoko

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Gender-based violence (GBV) is a term commonly used to describe harm inflicted upon individuals due to gendered power inequalities. In Malawi, GBV remains a significant barrier to achieving gender justice, with its pervasive nature hindering progress in areas such as health, education, and economic empowerment. This research explores the dynamics of GBV in Malawi through the experiences of advocates working to address the issue. Using semi-structured interviews and qualitative data analysis, the study investigates the prevalent forms of GBV, its root causes, and the far-reaching impacts it has on individuals and communities. Additionally, the research proposes evidence-based solutions to strengthen …

A Vision Transformer Based Assistive System For Dermatological Diagnosis In Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Syeda Lamima Farhat

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a complex and often underdiagnosed autoimmune disease that affects multiple organs and presents with a wide range of symptoms-ranging from fatigue and joint pain to life-threatening organ damage. One of its most visible and diagnostically significant indicators is the Butterfly Malar Rash (BMR), a distinctive facial rash that often resembles other common dermatological conditions like rosacea, acne, eczema, and fifth disease. This overlap can lead to misdiagnosis or delayed detection, especially in busy clinical environments. To assist dermatologists in distinguishing BMR from similar facial rashes, this study explores the development of an AI-powered image classification …

Evaluating Aspect-Based Sentiment Analysis In Healthcare Drug Reviews Across Machine Learning, Deep Neural Networks, And Transformer Models, Eun Soo Park

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Sentiment analysis has become a critical area of research in Natural Language Processing (NLP), enabling insights from unstructured text. Within this field, Aspect-Based Sentiment Analysis (ABSA) plays a practical role in domains such as healthcare, where patients drug reviews often contain diverse opinions across multiple aspects, including overall comments, perceived benefits, and side effects. However, aspect-level classification remains challenging due to class imbalance, subtle sentiment expression, and the limitations of traditional models. This research investigates the performance of three modeling paradigms: traditional machine learning (SVM, SVC, and XGBoost), deep learning (CNN-BiLSTM), and transformer-based approaches (DistilBERT sentence-pair classification). Using the UCI …

Performance Auditing Trends At A Supreme Audit Institution: Uk National Audit Office, 1999 To 2021, Amir Michael, Laurence Ferry, Bruce Mcdonald, Henry Midgley

School of Public Service Faculty Publications

Performance audits have become increasingly important across the world. Scholars know that a variety of practices are incorporated within performance audits and have mapped this diversity. However, few quantitative studies examine performance auditing as a practice. This study fills that gap. By analyzing the published performance audit documentation of the UK National Audit Office (NAO), the study explores the influences of governmental change and crises behind changes in a supreme audit institution's performance audit. It also examines whether performance audits are diverse by examining the language used by the auditors. The study provides evidence that neither crises nor changes of …