Digital Commons Network^™

Mda Advocacy: Advocacy Continues Despite A Challenging Climate, James Budd Mpp

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This update reviews the MDA's legislative efforts during a period of significant gridlock in the Michigan Legislature. It highlights key priorities such as bills addressing virtual credit card payments and dental specialty advertising. The source emphasizes that advocacy remains essential even when progress is slow, as it builds the relationships necessary for future success. Additionally, it outlines the "MDA Service Promise" and announces an upcoming PAC competition at the Annual Session to support the association's political activities.

When Toxic Behaviors Sneak Into Practice, Amrita Patel, Dds

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This article addresses the challenge for new dentists in identifying and managing toxic workplace behaviors. It details common red flags such as chronic negativity, poor communication, "blame culture," and excessive production pressure that compromises ethics. The author explains how these environments can lead to burnout and practicing defensively rather than confidently. The source emphasizes the importance of developing self-awareness, seeking external mentorship, and establishing professional boundaries. It concludes that recognizing when to leave an unhealthy practice is an act of professional self-respect and essential for long-term career satisfaction.

The Back Page: Helping The Homeless Through The Delonis Oral Health Initiative, Sarah Tomaka, Dds

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This feature story highlights a student-led initiative at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry to provide dental care to Ann Arbor's unhoused population. Through the Delonis Oral Health Initiative, students have partnered with a local shelter to connect over 100 vulnerable patients with essential treatment. The article discusses the profound impact of treating dental pain on an individual's ability to pursue stable housing and a better life. It also showcases how the program provides students with meaningful leadership and community service experience while addressing a critical gap in public health.

Endline Evaluation Of Community-Based Interventions Addressing Social Attitudes And Behavioural Intentions Related To Female Genital Mutilation In Isiolo And Narok Counties, Kenya, Dennis Matanda, Francis Obare, Robert Omondi, Stephen Kizito, Stella Muthuri, Chi-Chi Undie

Sexual and Reproductive Health, Rights, and Choices

The Girl Generation: Support to the Africa-Led Movement (TGG-ALM) programme works to end Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) by shifting social attitudes/beliefs and behavioral intentions related to FGM and the gender ideologies that sustain its continued practice through interventions implemented at the community level. This study aimed to assess such shifts in the context of TGG-ALM intervention sites in Kenya, while also tracking the diffusion of the intervention beyond intervention sites. Key intervention activities implemented by TGG-ALM included conducting community intergenerational dialogues in both Isiolo and Narok counties, women-only reflect circles in Isiolo and couples-only/homestead dialogues in Narok.

Moving Forward: Teachers Managing Challenges And Change, Victoria A. Oglan, Lauren Gehr

South Carolina Association for Middle Level Education Journal

Teaching requires adapting to ongoing changes in pedagogy and technology, a reality intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic. This article situates pandemic-era instructional shifts within a broader history of educational change and reviews contemporary professional texts addressing technology integration, artificial intelligence, literacy instruction, teacher clarity, and deep learning.

Middle School Magic: Building Belonging And Brain-Aligned Classrooms, Christopher S. Culver, Katie Kinder

South Carolina Association for Middle Level Education Journal

Middle school represents a critical developmental period when belonging, identity, and emotional regulation converge to shape academic and social outcomes. This article explores how belonging and brain-aligned kindness transform classroom culture through connection, collaboration, compassion, and the Science of Kindness. Drawing from recent neuroscience, educational psychology, and classroom practice, the authors demonstrate how these principles activate neural pathways of safety, motivation, and empathy that enhance learning and well- being. Integrating research with actionable classroom strategies, this article illustrates how small, consistent acts of care, such as greeting students by name, fostering collaborative learning, building relationships in trust, and practicing restorative …

Mental Health And Neurodiversity In Middle Grades Literature: Sharing Stories Of Anxiety, Identity, And Resilience For Today’S Adolescents, Brooke B. Eisenbach

South Carolina Association for Middle Level Education Journal

Literature offers a powerful entry point for classroom conversation and engagement around mental health and neurodiversity. Stories invite students to challenge stereotypes and deepen their understanding through exploration of character, conflict, and voice, rather than through lecture or the expectation of personal self-disclosure. This article examines five contemporary novels exploring topics of mental health and neurological diversity that teachers can utilize to integrate mental health and social-emotional learning in the classroom. Through authentic voices and relatable narratives, these stories provide educators, parents, and teens with meaningful insights into the realities of navigating challenges while emphasizing resilience, self-worth, and the power …

Freedom On The Sea: The True Story Of The Civil War Hero Robert Smalls And His Daring Escape To Freedom, William Bintz P

South Carolina Association for Middle Level Education Journal

Book Review

Villain Or Victor, Part Ii: Embodied Advocacy In A Time Of Democratic Turmoil, Kenesha Johnson, Theodore W. Anderson

South Carolina Association for Middle Level Education Journal

This paper examines how middle level educators embody advocacy through movement, care, rest, and recreation as acts of democratic engagement. Extending Part I of Villain or Victor, it positions advocacy as a lived, physical, and relational practice grounded in wellness and cultural responsiveness. Through embodied pedagogy, healing-centered approaches, and intentional recreation, educators help young adolescents experience democracy through motion, connection, and collective courage. The paper links theory to practical strategies that build sanctuaries of belonging, support student voice, and nurture civic leadership in the middle grades.

Press Play! Integrating Gamified Tools Into Web- Based Formative Social Studies Assessments, Victoria L. Pierce

South Carolina Association for Middle Level Education Journal

In an increasingly technology-dependent world, middle school students are emergent experts in technology use although novices in content knowledge. Middle school social studies teachers have dual issues of relevance and rigor to balance in their instruction with students at this developmental level. To strengthen students’ historical reasoning skills, middle school social studies teachers can implement gamified learning in a variety of ways to make use of technology skills and interests of students while also meeting content standards. This research models integration of gamified assessment into a virtual learning environment featuring educational games from organizations such as iCivics and Next Gen …

Understanding Distracted Minds: A Review Of Stolen Focus, Tammy J. Burnham Dr.

South Carolina Association for Middle Level Education Journal

This review examines Hari's Stolen Focus: Why You Can't Pay Attention—and How to Think Deeply Again, an exploration of society's lack of sustained attention in an increasingly digital world. Hari's investigation of technology's impact on cognitive abilities provides meaningful insights for those in the educational field, where educators must guide young people through social media environments. Hari argues that systemic forces are disabling attention spans, and he evaluates practical solutions for educators and parents. Stolen Focus is an important resource for educators committed to supporting students' cognitive development and mental well-being.

Front Matter

South Carolina Association for Middle Level Education Journal

No abstract provided.

Scamle Journal 2026 Full Volume

South Carolina Association for Middle Level Education Journal

No abstract provided.

Microwave Dielectric Properties Of Geopolymer Precursor Powders, Linh T. Duong, Abu Naser Rashid Reza, Kristen M. Donnell, Christopher R. Shearer

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Geopolymers are sustainable structural materials with properties similar to ordinary Portland cement concrete. To better understand the fundamental reaction mechanisms of geopolymers, a microwave materials characterization approach is used. In this research work, the dielectric properties (permittivity and loss factor) of common precursor powders used to make geopolymers (GPPs)—fly ash, lime, metakaolin, silica fume, slag, and zeolite—are measured over the S- and X-band frequency ranges (i.e., 2.0–4.0 GHz and 8.2–12.4 GHz, respectively). The physical characteristics, elemental composition, mineralogical properties, and phase characterization of the GPPs are then correlated to dielectric properties. Permittivity of GPP, classified as pozzolanic or latent hydraulic, …

Histologic Analysis Of Peri-Implant Soft Tissue Around External Hexagon And Morse Taper Implant Connections, Daniel Sartorelli Marques De Castro, Jefferson David Melo De Matos, Jozely Francisca Mello Lima, Guilherme Da Rocha Scalzer Lopes, Mário Alexandre Coelho Sinhoreti, Daher Antonio Queiroz, Carlos Do Reis Pereira De Araújo

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Twenty patients rehabilitated with screw-retained full-arch implant-supported prostheses functioning for at least one year were included.

Material and methods: This clinical study included 20 patients rehabilitated with screw-retained full-arch implant-supported prostheses in function for at least 1 year. Participants were allocated into two groups according to the implant-abutment connection design: external hexagon (EH; n = 10) and Morse taper (MT; n = 10). One peri-implant soft tissue biopsy specimen was obtained from each patient and processed for hematoxylin-eosin staining. Histological evaluation assessed epithelial hyperplasia, epithelial organization, inflammatory infiltrate intensity, and connective tissue fibrosis. Data normality was assessed using the …

Unveiling The Experiences And Unmet Needs: A Qualitative Exploration Of Undocumented Immigrants Residing In Kansas, Carol Meza, Pedro Hernandez, Alicia Hawley-Bernardez, Christopher Bakke, Staci P. Wolfe

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

Undocumented immigrants in the United States (US) face numerous barriers to accessing services such as healthcare, employment, and social services due to their status. While media and immigration policy focus on the U.S. border states, significant populations of undocumented immigrants exist throughout the U.S. Using qualitative analysis of 20 personal accounts, this study examines their experiences in a Midwestern state through utilizing a strengths-perspective, which emphasizes individual and community assets. Recurrent experiential themes included problems with persistent racism, discrimination, housing, employment, health care, and mental health challenges, while undocumented immigrants demonstrate remarkable resilience. These findings suggest that they can benefit …

Airway Management In Thoracic Anesthesia: Eactaic Consensus Document, Manuel Granell, Caroline Vanpeteghem, Jo Mourisse, Mert Senturk, Laszlo Szegedi, Mohamed El Tahan, Chirojit Mukherjee, Izumi Kawagoe, Waheed Karzai, Marcus Lance

Anaesthesiology, East Africa

This article is the third in a series of articles prepared as part of a comprehensive, international and professional society–approved consensus project to advise on thoracic anesthesia. It represents the views and structured opinions of experts delegated to the Airway Management Task Force of the Thoracic Subcommittee of the European Association of Cardiothoracic Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care (EACTAIC). This review highlights the main concepts and expert opinion of international leaders on the task of lung isolation and separation, as well as the current recommendations on the benefits and disadvantages of different devices in both routine and difficult airway scenarios. The …

Monitoring In Thoracic Anesthesia: Eactaic Consensus Document, Mohamed El Tahan, Edda Tschernko, Tamás Végh, Jo Mourisse, Mert Sentürk, Katarina Lenartova, Maria Alberici, Thomas Wasserscheid, Nandor Marczin, Marcus Lance

Anaesthesiology, East Africa

This is the first part of a series of articles prepared for a comprehensive, international, and professional society–approved consensus project to advise on thoracic anesthesia. It represents the views and structured opinions of experts delegated to the General Management: Monitoring Task Force of the Thoracic Subcommittee of the European Association of Cardiothoracic Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care (EACTAIC). This review highlights international leaders’ main concepts and expert opinions on how monitoring is the core task of anesthesiologists involved in the care of thoracic patients, providing recommendations for assessing principal organ systems and using different devices in routine and specialized scenarios. The …

Using Large Language Models To Analyze Political Texts Through Natural Language Understanding, Kenneth Benoit, Scott De Marchi, Conor Laver, Michael Laver, Jinshuai Ma

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Large language models (LLMs) offer scalable alternatives to human experts when analyzing political texts for meaning, using natural language understanding (NLU). Qualitative NLU methods relying on human experts are severely limited by cost and scalability. Statistical text-as-data methods are scalable but rely on strong and often unrealistic assumptions. We propose a systematic, scalable, and replicable method that can extend existing qualitative and quantitative approaches by using LLMs to interpret texts meaningfully rather than as mere data. Our ensemble means of LLM-generated estimates of party positions on six key issue dimensions correlate highly with equivalent mean ratings by country specialists. When …

Government Religious Speech And The Establishment Clause, Mark Storslee Associate Professor, Michael Helfand Chair In Law & Religion

Vanderbilt Law Review

The government says religious things. From monuments and holiday displays to legislative prayers, religion saturates the government's public voice. But how can that be permissible when the Establishment Clause, at least in theory, indicates the government should be religiously neutral?
So far, the Supreme Court's attempts to address the puzzle have come up short. Early on, the Court suggested that seemingly all government speech must be secular, or that it refrain from "endorsing" religion. But the Court never consistently enforced those limits, struggling to reconcile them with America's historical experience. And in recent years, the Court has rejected those approaches …

Copyrighting Nature, Cathay Y. N. Smith -- Professor Of Law

Vanderbilt Law Review

This Article introduces a "work of nature" doctrine for copyright law. In 1903, the U.S. Supreme Court established the principle in copyright law that, while anyone can copy the original source of a copyrighted work, they cannot copy an author's copy of the original source. A century later, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit hinted at a "work of nature" exception, suggesting that even if copying the copy is restricted, copying elements of expression that nature displays for all observers is permissible. U.S. patent law excludes products of nature from protection, but this Article is the first …

Feedback In Digital Game-Based Learning: A Taxonomy And The Design And Empirical Evaluation Of A Feedback System In A Mathematics Serious Game, André Almo

Dissertations

Digital Game-Based Learning (DGBL) is an active, student-centred pedagogical approach in which feedback plays a central role by informing learners’ actions, guiding decision-making and shaping motivation and engagement. Despite its importance, feedback in serious games is often described inconsistently and insufficiently in research, limiting comparability across studies and the accumulation of design knowledge, particularly for children. This thesis addresses these gaps through two complementary contributions: the development of a taxonomy for feedback design in digital serious games and the empirical evaluation of a taxonomy-informed feedback system in a mathematics game for primary school students. First, this work introduces the Taxonomy …

Gamifying Outreach Through Analog And Digital Avenues, Danielle Hicks, Jessica Cerri, Nicole Mackowiak, Morgan Grayson, Lawrence Treadwell Iv

Librarian Presentations

Gamifying library outreach via analog and digital channels, from simple whiteboard displays to creatively printed Canva posters and Springshare’s LibWizard quizzes, enhances student engagement. This evolution leverages library creative space technology and digital engagement tools to boost participation in both on-campus and remote university community members.

Presented in poster format at ER&L (electronic Resources and Libraries) Conference in Austin, Texas March 1-3, 2026

Opting Out Of Court? Reputation And Informal Norms In Private Equity, Kobi Kastiel Professor Of Law, Yaron Nili Professor Of Law

Vanderbilt Law Review

Private equity, an industry characterized by high-stake investments and complex contractual arrangements, operates almost entirely outside of courts. Despite the substantial financial stakes involved--billions of dollars locked in for years--and the potential for fiduciary conflicts, litigation between limited partners ("LPs") and general partners ("GPs") who manage the investment is exceptionally rare. In stark contrast to public markets, where shareholder litigation plays a prominent role in deterring misconduct and shaping corporate norms, the private equity world is largely defined by its absence. The puzzle, then, is this: In an industry where fiduciary breaches or misaligned incentives are not uncommon, why do …

Key Predictors Of Postpartum Depression And Anxiety Symptoms Among Mothers In Kilifi, Kenya: A Machine Learning Approach, Faith Benson, Rachel Odhiambo, Willie Brink, Anthony Ngugi, Akbar Waljee, Eileen Weinheimer-Haus, Cheryl Moyer, Ji Zhu, Amina Abubakar

Institute for Human Development, East Africa

Background:

The burden of maternal postpartum depression and anxiety is disproportionately high in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), yet the use of advanced analytical methods to capture the complex interplay of variables influencing these conditions remains underexplored.

Objective:

To apply machine learning (ML) methods to predict depressive and anxiety symptoms in postpartum mothers and to identify key and actionable predictors.

Methods:

This cross-sectional study included 1,995 biological mothers of singleton infants aged 0–6 months, using survey data collected between March 2023 and March 2024 in Kaloleni and Rabai sub-counties, Kilifi County, Kenya, within the Kaloleni–Rabai Health and Demographic Surveillance …

In What Style Shall I Confront Them? The Role Of Social Relationships In Social Correction Of Misinformation Among The Uk And Arab Social Media Users, Muaadh Noman, Mohamed B. Almourad, Ala Yankouskaya, Firoj Alam, Raian Ali

All Works

This study investigates how social factors influence the likelihood of employing direct or indirect communication styles when correcting misinformation on social media in two different cultural contexts, the United Kingdom (UK) and the Arab Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. We conducted an online survey, supported by vignettes, that involved 686 participants, 367 from the UK and 319 from the Arab GCC countries. Participants were presented with a misinformation scenario and asked about their likelihood of using direct or indirect communication styles to correct their acquaintances. The survey captured variations in gender similarity (same vs. different gender), social status (lower vs. …

Navigating Ethical Considerations And Implications Of Ai Chatbots In Higher Education: A Systematic Review, Ons Al-Shamaileh, Ramy Hammady, Mahmoud Abdelrahman, Omar Mubin

All Works

This systematic review explores the ethical challenges associated with the use of AI-based chatbots in higher education, focusing on their implications for students, educators, institutions, and administrative stakeholders. Following PRISMA guidelines, peer-reviewed literature published between 2014 and 2024 was systematically identified across eight major academic databases, yielding a total of 109 eligible studies. A thematic analysis of the included literature indicates that concerns related to academic integrity are most frequently discussed, alongside recurring issues involving data privacy and security, algorithmic bias, overreliance on automated systems, and the risk of inaccurate or misleading outputs. The findings further demonstrate considerable variation in …

Dressing For The Descent: Costume Designing Eurydice, Hannah Olivia Schoen

Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film: Theses, Student Research, and Creative Work

During the early spring of my second graduate year, I was assigned to be costume designer for the upcoming production of Sarah Ruhl’s Eurydice. Eurydice is a retelling of a narrative that had been mostly given spotlight to the male hero in past iterations. Now we as a design team were going to tell the story from Eurydice’s point of view. After doing an analysis and research into details that would give me ideas on how I wanted to present these characters, I was able to present initial ideas to the director at our first design meeting.The design process …

Law Library Blog (March 2026): Legal Beagle's Blog Archive, Roger Williams University School Of Law

Law Library Newsletters/Blog

No abstract provided.

2026 Ruth Bader Ginsburg Essay/Art Contest, Roger Williams University School Of Law

School of Law Conferences, Lectures & Events

No abstract provided.