Digital Commons Network^™

Building School, Family, And Community Partnerships That Support Rural Diverse And Exceptional Learners, Jerrie L. Brooks, Brooke A. Moore, Megan S. Finnerty

The Rural Educator

Research demonstrates that school, family, and community partnerships are mutually beneficial, holding the potential to foster positive educational, emotional, and behavioral benefits for all students, especially diverse and exceptional students. Our qualitative study examined survey responses from 109 administrators, general and special educators, and parents in rural schools across western Kansas. We identified common barriers and successes to building parent partnerships related to communication, access, and attitudes about working with diverse and exceptional families. One major finding was the importance of “place”—rural communities are often close-knit and connected across generations. We propose a model that can be used by rural …

Rural Schools Of Choice: Virtual Charter Schools, Karen Eppley

The Rural Educator

No abstract provided.

“Oh! It’S Fine, We’Re Not Even Counting This Anyways”: Remote Educational Experiences Of Rural Families With A Child With A Disability During The Early Covid-19 Pandemic, Andrew M. Colombo-Dougovito, A. Josephine Blagrave, Aubrey Newland

The Rural Educator

Disparities in rural areas regarding technology, internet access, and higher teacher turnover were amplified as a plurality of schools across the US moved to remote instruction in early 2020 as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. While rural communities often show a greater resiliency and resourcefulness in the face of tragedy than their (typically) more affluent suburban or urban neighbors, regardless of location, the needs of children receiving educational accommodations are often not met effectively or are ignored altogether. To understand if those educational needs were met for rural families early in the COVID-19 pandemic, an exploratory descriptive qualitative approach …

Challenges To Equity Leadership: Rural Leadership For Marginalized Students, Alex N. Oldham

The Rural Educator

This study examines the challenges and importance of equity-oriented leadership in rural schools. Equity, as opposed to equality, involves providing all students with the resources and support they need to succeed. Research indicates that equity-oriented leadership is crucial for creating positive school climates and improving student outcomes. However, implementing equity-oriented leadership in rural schools can be particularly challenging due to contextual factors and potential resistance from communities with differing values. The study explores the challenges and benefits of equity-oriented leadership in rural schools. While some principals express a desire to lead equitably and implement various initiatives to promote positive outcomes …

From Classroom To Field: Rural Teachers’ Integration Of Science And The Outdoors, Steph N. Dean, Julianne A. Wenner

The Rural Educator

This study explored how rural educators in the US use outdoor environments to enhance science instruction, addressing the educational marginalization of rural students. Using rural cultural wealth as a theoretical framework, we investigated how rural teachers integrate local nature-based resources and students’ out-of-school experiences into science learning. We conducted interviews and observations with rural teachers, using reflexive thematic analysis as our qualitative approach. Three key themes emerged that highlight the ways our participants use the outdoor environment to teach science: (a) harness rural community partnerships, (b) engage students through relational teaching, and (c) design learning opportunities that honor students as …

Impacts Of Literacy Programming During The Covid-19 And Recovery School Years, Julie Meredith

The Rural Educator

While numerous articles and research reports have focused on understanding the impact of COVID-19 recovery interventions on students in urban and rural schools, fewer have addressed the impact of school closures and efforts to recover lost learning time on children in rural schools. Children in rural areas faced challenges similar to their peers in urban and suburban areas, but infrastructure challenges in many rural places, such as lack of broadband, required tailored approaches guided by educators’ knowledge and connection to their communities. This article examines the impact of Save the Children’s school-age literacy program, supported by 21st Century Community Learning …

Empowering Rural Voices Through Deliberative Mini-Publics, Elizabeth B. Hinchcliff

The Rural Educator

This conceptual paper explores the tension between valuing and listening to community voices, while also providing a space wherein rural advocates and community members can come together to address difficult issues prevalent within rural schooling, through deliberative mini-publics. A multiplicity of reasons supports deliberative mini-publics, but I explore three in particular, the first being that they provide a space wherein an intentionally diverse set of community voices and perspectives can be shared, listened to, and explored. Second, the goal of any democratically deliberative space is to explore multiple perspectives as part of the process to seek solutions that contribute to …

Complexities And Intersectionalities Of Rurality In Our Current Moment: Conversations Offered Through The 2025 Whippoorwill Book Award, Michael J. Young, Erika L. Bass, Erin Schulz, Monica Roe, Jacqueline Yahn

The Rural Educator

The 2025 Whippoorwill Award-winning book and eight honor books offer conversations for navigating the intersectional complexities of rural life in important ways. In this moment when division, marginalization, and erasure continue to impact our national (and global) story, we committed ourselves to selecting books that provide narratives offering a nuanced examination of the complex ways our identities and experiences intersect with rurality. This conversation recognizes that the winner and honor books offer opportunities for celebrating our stories, our struggles, and our unwavering commitment to living our rural lives with authenticity, love, and joy.

Effect Of Morphine On Respiratory Drive In Infants With Acute Viral Bronchiolitis Receiving Neurally Adjusted Ventilatory Assist, Julia Harris, Benjamin Crulli, Jos M. Latour, Andrew Nyman, Xabier Freire-Gomez, Federico Minen, Shane M. Tibby

School of Nursing and Midwifery

BACKGROUND: Neurally Adjusted Ventilatory Assist (NAVA) is a patient-triggered ventilatory mode requiring intact respiratory drive. We compared 2 intravenous morphine infusion doses in infants with acute viral bronchiolitis receiving NAVA. The objectives were, to evaluate (1) impact on neural respiratory drive, measured by electrical activity of the diaphragm (EAdi) and estimated airway occlusion pressure (P0.1) and (2) tolerability, via the COMFORT behavioral scale and physiological variables. METHODS: Randomized, nonblinded, crossover (morphine dose), feasibility trial. Infants likely requiring mechanical ventilation for >48 h at enrollment received intravenous morphine infusion rates of 5 μg/kg/h (low dose) and 20 μg/kg/h (standard dose) on …

One-Step Purification Of A Bioactive Pak1-Derived Peptide, Djamali Muhoza, Emily P. Esquivel, Stacy R. Hunter, Pateince S. Okoto, Thallapuranam K.S. Kumar, Paul D. Adams

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

The serine/threonine kinase PAK1 serves as a mediator of cytoskeletal reorganization and cancer-related signaling downstream of the small GTPases. Due to the challenges in purifying PAK1 complexes, a 46-residue peptide from PAK1, is widely used to study PAK1-Cdc42 signaling. Traditionally, this purification involved multi-step chromatography of recombinant GST-PBD46 complexes, yielding approximately 1 mg per 1.5 L culture. In this study, a 30 min heat treatment step after thrombin cleavage was used to precipitate GST while leaving pure PBD46 in solution. This step eliminated the need for further affinity and size-exclusion chromatography steps. This improved protocol produces proteins with a 6.5-fold …

From A Papule To Friable Papillary Projections: A Case Of Old World Cutaneous Leishmaniasis, Zamanali Khakhar, Adil Salyani, Soraiya Manji, Rajiv Patel, Sayed Karar

Internal Medicine, East Africa

This case aims to characterize an unusual cutaneous manifestation in a patient with confirmed cutaneous leishmaniasis, highlighting clinical features that are often underrecognized and may contribute to diagnostic uncertainty. By exploring this atypical presentation, it underscores the potential for misdiagnosis and its implications for patient management. Additionally, it emphasizes the broad spectrum of cutaneous lesions that can mimic Old World cutaneous leishmaniasis, further increasing the risk of diagnostic error.

Insect Oil-Based Biorationals As Novel Alternative Against The Invasive Tomato Leafminer [Phthorimaea Absoluta] And Fall Armyworm [Spodoptera Frugiperda], Chrysantus M. Tanga, Lawrence O. Onyango, Peter Malusi, Sevgan Subramanian, Abdou Tenkouano, Dennis Beesigamukama

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The past decades have witnessed a dramatic re-emergence of lepidopteran pests threatening global food security, yet their control remains heavily reliant on synthetic pesticides, posing persistent risks to human health and ecosystem integrity. We assess the pest control effects of insect oil-based biorationals as an eco-friendly alternative against invasive, Phthorimaea absoulta [i.e., formerly Tuta absoluta ] and Spodoptera frugiperda , focusing on its ovicidal, larvicidal, translaminar, and oviposition-repellent effects. Oil-based biorationals were prepared by mixing black soldier fly (BSF) frass extract with varying rates of insect (BSF) oil and neem oil (25, 50, and 100 μL mL⁻¹) and …

Striatum Volume And Affective Symptomatology Are Associated With Sleep In Schizophrenia, Alia R Warner, Xiaoming Du, Yizhou Ma, Kyle R Noll, Si Gao, Bhim Adhikari, Bruno Kluwe-Schiavon, Alina Siatka, Anya Savransky, Peter Kochunov, L Elliot Hong

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Sleep dysfunction is common among individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD). Sleep duration and other sleep quality metrics are associated with worse patient clinical and social outcomes. We examined if accumulative stress, gray matter structural volume measured with high-resolution structural brain MRI, diffusion tensor imaging measures of white matter microstructure, and psychopathology (for the schizophrenia group) may act as predictors of sleep quality and compared individuals with SSD (N = 101) and healthy controls (N = 86). We created an adjusted Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI-A) score to measure sleep quality and account for abnormally long sleep duration as dysfunctional. …

The Deep Causes Of The Shallow State, Michael E. Herz

Articles

No abstract provided.

Recommendations For Developing A Regulatory Sandbox And A Comprehensive Legal Framework For Fintech In Vietnam - Part I, Sue M. Altmeyer, Phan Dang Hai

Akron Law Faculty Publications

Fintech, a product of the 4.0 revolution, has experienced rapid growth in Vietnam, attracting significant attention from investors and government agencies. In encouraging innovation, the authors write, the need for a practical legal framework to regulate fintech activities has become a critical issue. The authors believe that this new legal framework should include a regulatory sandbox, which would allow fintech startups to test their products in a controlled environment, helping to mitigate risks, foster creativity, and enhance regulatory oversight. This two-part article discusses challenges in creating and implementing a regulatory sandbox and provides recommendations for overcoming these hurdles. This first …

Book Review: Jessica Lake, Special Damage: The Slander Of Women And The Gendered History Of Defamation Law, Tracy A. Thomas

Akron Law Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

February 2026 Library News, University Libraries

Library News

No abstract provided.

Three-Dimensional Topographical Effects On The Generation Of Internal Lee Waves, Haosen H.A. Xu, Xiaowei Zhu, Kaiwen Zheng

Mechanical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Internal lee waves generated by the interaction between geostrophic flows and ocean-floor topography are recognized as an important pathway for transferring energy from large-scale circulation to small-scale mixing in the deep ocean; however, energy fluxes inferred from field observations often fall well below estimates based on classical linear theory. Here, we use direct numerical simulations to examine how three-dimensional (3D) topographic structure alters the generation and energy pathways of internal lee waves. We simulated idealized stratified flows impinging on twodimensional (2D) and 3D sinusoidal topography in a radiating regime. We used Reynolds decomposition based on spatial averaging to isolate wave-induced …

Flexible Funding Authorities To Support Tribal Climate Adaptation, Monte Mills, Sydney Anderson, Lauren Young

Articles

This project is part of a policy research effort intended to support Tribes, federal agencies, and Tribal and non-Tribal organizations in addressing some of the climate adaptation barriers and needs experienced by Northwest coastal Tribes. Accessing and administering Federal funds is a significant challenge for Tribes. Existing federal funding sources are often accompanied by rigid rules that make it difficult for Tribes to flexibly allocate funds as needed, and include strict qualification criteria that limit Tribal access to funds. Short-term funding cycles can be disruptive to long-term staffing and project needs, and are often misaligned with Tribal priorities.

A Citizenship Model Of The Fourth Amendment, Danieli Evans

Articles

Fourth Amendment law is in disarray. In recent years, courts and scholars have questioned central aspects of Fourth Amendment doctrine—in particular, the reasonable expectations of privacy test that has governed since the 1960s. Scholars and judges have argued for abandoning this test and instead looking to private law (sub-constitutional rules governing private conduct, such as tort, property, and contract law) to determine Fourth Amendment protection.

At a moment when judges and scholars are questioning core aspects of Fourth Amendment doctrine, the time is ripe to reconsider the values Fourth Amendment law ought to serve. I advance a novel vision for …

Students In The Snow, 1992, Uab Archives

Images of the Month from UAB Archives

Image ID: P7.3.13, 3.9

UAB students with a large snowman outside of the Mervyn Sterne Library

Urinary Biomarkers Of Acute Kidney Injury In Neonates < 25 Weeks’ Gestation: A Pilot Study, Jazmin D Humphreys, Aman Jain, Amir M Khan, Tina O Findley, Mar Romero-Lopez, Sepideh Saroukhani, Rita D Swinford, Matthew A Rysavy

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) occurs in 30% of premature neonates and is associated with adverse outcomes that may be mitigated with early detection. Diagnosis of AKI relies on serum creatinine (SCr) which has several limitations, including lack of sensitivity and specificity. There are limited data on the utility of alternative urine biomarkers to predict AKI in neonates born at < 25 weeks' gestation.

Methods: Urine was collected from neonates born at < 25 weeks' gestation during the first postnatal week. Two urine AKI biomarkers, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) were measured. Study participants were prospectively followed to determine development of AKI, defined by the neonatal modified Kidney Disease-Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria, during the first postnatal week. The association of NGAL and EGF with AKI was analyzed using mixed-effect linear regression models adjusting for gestational age at birth.

Results: A total of 26 neonates were enrolled in this study. After adjusting for gestational age at birth, the mean difference in log-transformed biomarkers at three time points for urine NGAL and …

Senior Recital: Matthew Sourwine, Tuba: February 1, 2026, Matthew Sourwine, Lu Witzig, Andrew Sniegowski, Xavier Buford, Sean Wright, Graham Miller

School of Music Programs

This is the ninety-second program of the 2025-2026 season.

Kemp Recital Hall

February 1, 2026

Sunday Afternoon

2:00 p.m.

International Arbitration & Artificial Intelligence: Opportunities,Challenges,And Evolving Regulations, Martínez Quintanilla, Javier Antonio

Santa Clara Journal of International Law

This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the regulatory framework; the opportunities and the challenges associated with the use of artificial intelligence in international arbitration. First, it addresses relevant regulatory instruments such as the Guideline on the Use of AI in Arbitration of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIARB); the Guidelines on the Use of Artificial Intelligence in Arbitration of the Silicon Valley Arbitration and Mediation Center (SVAMC); the Principles Supporting the Use of AI in Alternative Dispute Resolution of the International Centre for Dispute Resolution(ICDR); the European Union Artificial Intelligence Act; and the New Task Force on AI in …

Unlached: The Case Against Laches In Actions Brought In Replevin By Foreign Sovereigns For Objects Of Cultural Heritage, Peyton M. Kendall

William & Mary Law Review

The American judicial system sanctions the theft of objects of immense cultural value from source nations—countries whose modern borders encompass territory previously inhabited by culturally rich civilizations—by allowing the allegedly equitable doctrine of laches to serve as an affirmative defense to actions brought by foreign sovereigns in replevin.

Courts have treated laches as a valid affirmative defense in foreign-sovereign-plaintiff replevin actions, treating the foreign sovereigns no differently than they would a private citizen bringing suit for a piece of artwork. While the value of the artwork may be the same in the two instances—both in terms of cultural and monetary …

Diagnostic Limitations, Patient Characteristics, And Confounding Factors Impacting Neurotologic Lesion Imaging: A Systematic Review, Diana Hamdan, Precious Ochuwa Imokhai, Alexandra Konvalina, Baokhanh Nguyen, Maha Alhoda, Valentina Alejandra Da Silva Acosta, Waseem Syed, Amanda Brooks

Student Publications

Background: Neuroimaging protocols for neurotologic disease are often developed without consideration of patient-specific factors such as biological differences, clinical presentation variability, and comorbidities. This lack of tailored design contributes to insufficient detection, delayed diagnosis, and inappropriate treatment. Objectives: To critically examine the literature on diagnostic limitations of neuroimaging for neurotologic lesions and identify gaps in protocol validation, accuracy, and clinical translation. Methods: A systematic review of PubMed and Google Scholar was conducted, focusing on studies published between 2015 and 2025 that evaluated diagnostic imaging outcomes in patients with neurotologic lesions. Eligible studies included prospective cohorts, retrospective analyses, …

National Demographic And Treatment Patterns Of Finger Cellulitis, Paronychias, And Felons, Teresa M. Veselack, Annie Fritsch, Tyler Perleberg, Matthew E. Doscher, Bryan G. Beutel

Student Publications

Background: Finger cellulitis, felon, and paronychia may be treated nonoperatively if diagnosed in a timely manner. Delayed or improper treatment may result in progression to more serious conditions, which necessitate intervention by a hand surgeon. This investigation sought to evaluate national demographics and treatment patterns in finger infections.

Materials and methods: The PearlDiver Mariner database, an insurance claims database with 151 million unique patients within the United States, was used to identify patients with finger cellulitis, felon, and paronychia from 2010 to 2015. Billing events were organized by insurance plan, treatment location, and regional geography. Antibiotics prescribed and respective course …

Cellstaar: Incorporating Single-Cell-Sequencing-Based Functional Data To Boost Power In Rare Variant Association Testing Of Noncoding Regions, Zilin Li, Donna K Arnett, John Blangero, Eric Boerwinkle, Brian E Cade, Jenna C Carlson, April P Carson, Yii-Der Ida Chen, Joanne Curran, Ravindranath Duggirala, Myriam Fornage, Nora Franceschini, Misa Graff, Charles Gu, Xiuqing Guo, Jiang He, Nancy Heard-Cosa, Lifang Hou, Rita R Kalyani, Sharon L R Kardia, Eimear Kenny, Charles Kooperberg, Brian G Kral, Leslie Lange, Dan Levy, Changwei Li, Simin Liu, Donald Lloyd-Jones, Ruth J F Loos, Ani W Manichaikul, Lisa Warsinger Martin, Rasika Mathias, Ryan L Minster, Braxton D Mitchell, Josyf C Mychaleckyj, Take Naseri, Kari North, Jeff O'Connell, James A Perry, Patricia A Peyser, Bruce M Psaty, Laura M Raffield, Ramachandran S Vasan, Susan Redline, Alex P Reiner, Stephen S Rich, Jennifer A Smith, Brian Spitzer, Hua Tang, Kent D Taylor, Russell Tracy, Satupa'itea Viali, Lisa Yanek, Wei Zhao, Nhlbi Trans-Omics For Precision Medicine (Topmed) Consortium, Jerome I Rotter, Gina M Peloso, Pradeep Natarajan, Xihong Lin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Understanding how rare genetic variants influence complex traits remains a major challenge, particularly when these variants lie in noncoding regions of the genome. The effects of variants within candidate cis-regulatory elements (cCREs) often depend on the cell type, making interpretation difficult. Here we introduce cellSTAAR, which integrates whole-genome sequencing data with single-cell assay for transposase-accessible chromatin using sequencing data to capture variability in chromatin accessibility across cell types via the construction of cell-type-specific functional annotations and regulatory elements. To reflect the uncertainty in cCRE-gene linking, cellSTAAR uses a comprehensive strategy to link cCREs to their target genes. We applied cellSTAAR …

Genetic Architecture Of N-Terminal Pro-B-Type Natriuretic Peptide In A Multiancestry Study Population, Harshvir S Bal, J Gustav Smith, Alanna C Morrison, Bing Yu, Bruce M Psaty, Eric Boerwinkle, James S Floyd, Jerome I Rotter, Kent D Taylor, Leslie A Lange, Marguerite R Irvin, Mary Cushman, Stephen S Rich, Ramachandran S Vasan, Thomas J Wang, Xiuqing Guo, Peng Li, Garima Arora

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: NPs (natriuretic peptides) are bioactive hormones crucial for regulating blood pressure, glucose homeostasis, and lipid metabolism. Despite the high heritability of circulating NP levels, the genetic determinants of NP regulation, particularly across ancestries and sexes, remain poorly understood. The objective of the current study was to identify genetic variants associated with NT-proBNP (N-terminal pro-B-type NP) levels in a multiancestry study population.

Methods: Whole genome sequencing and array-based data from 81 213 individuals without heart failure were analyzed from the Trans-Omics for Precision Medicine cohorts, UK Biobank, All of Us Research Program, and REGARDS (Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences …

Reinforced Scan: A Reinforcement Learning Enabled Optimal Laser Scan Path Planning In Laser Powder Bed Fusion Additive Manufacturing, Chaoran Dou, Jihoon Chung, Raghav Gnanasambandam, Yuhao Wu, Jianzhi Li, Zhenyu James Kong

Manufacturing & Industrial Engineering Faculty Publications

Additive Manufacturing is an innovative technology that fabricates parts layer by layer. However, in Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF), printed metal parts often exhibit residual stresses, deformations, and other defects due to non-uniform temperature distribution during the printing process. To mitigate these issues, an optimized scan sequence within each layer can improve thermal uniformity. Traditional optimization methods, which rely on domain knowledge and employ trial-and-error or heuristic approaches, often fail to achieve optimal solutions due to the complex nature of the problem. One major challenge in improving scan strategies lies in the vast search space required to optimize the scan …