Digital Commons Network^™

Methamphetamine Deaths Have Risen Across Every U.S. Region, Clara Turnage

University of Mississippi News

OXFORD, Miss. – Once considered a regional problem, methamphetamine-related overdose deaths have risen across every U.S. Census division, with particularly sharp spikes in the Southeast, including Mississippi, a new study reveals.

Windows Of Opportunity, Ann Zlotnik

Marian Library Blog Archive

A well-known campus corridor is transformed to reflect the Marianist vision and spirit.

Data Visualization In Private Sector University Libraries In Sindh, Pakistan, Sadaf Shahid, Rafat Parveen Siddiqui

Libraries

Purpose – The purpose of this study was to know the understanding of librarians about data visualization, the perceptions of the librarians toward this new and emerging trend and know the librarian’s capabilities in the use of data visualization tools and its impact on their library services.
Design/methodology/approach – To acquire the desired results, a survey was conducted using a quantitative approach. The study’s target audience was the library professional staff at private sector university libraries in Sindh, Pakistan. All respondents were sent an e-mail inviting them to participate in the survey on their own time.
Findings – The sample …

Global Insight 2026, Masey Smith, Chance Carden, Hayley Pounds

Books

Global Insight 2026 is the annual publication of the International Institute at Mississippi State University, documenting the university’s global engagement across education, research, service, and institutional partnerships. This issue highlights Mississippi State University’s international impact through faculty‑led study abroad programs, international research and development initiatives, global fellowships, and comprehensive international student support services. Featured content includes narrative case studies of student and faculty experiences abroad, data‑driven insights into study abroad participation and international enrollment trends, and in‑depth examinations of international research collaborations spanning Africa, Latin America, Europe, and Asia. The magazine also showcases the work of the English Language Institute …

Lean Strategy Implementation In Sme Manufacturing In Developing Countries: A Systematic Literature Review, Corrine Keke Chen

Management Faculty Publications

Purpose

The review examines how small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in developing nations adopt and implement Lean manufacturing. Despite their central role in economic development, SMEs often face inefficiencies from limited resources, skill shortages and institutional barriers. Although Lean is widely promoted, evidence on the sustained application of Lean in SMEs across diverse contexts remains limited. Design/methodology/approach

A systematic review, following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, synthesized 123 empirical studies (2015–2025) and developed the SME Lean Capability Pathway, a three-phase model of context-driven Lean maturity. The analysis identifies implementation trends, contextual adaptations and performance outcomes, focusing on core Lean tools, such …

Robust And High-Efficiency Demodulation Of Ultra-Weak Fbg Arrays In Ofdr-Based Distributed Sensing, Zhaopeng Zhang, Yuxuan Cao, Xu Liu, Dingcheng Wang, Bo Liu, Chen Zhu

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A robust and high-efficiency demodulation scheme for optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR) based ultra-weak fiber Bragg grating (UWFBG) array detection system, originating from the Buneman frequency estimation (BFE) algorithm, is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. Due to the current limitations and imperfections of FBG inscription technology, the quasi-continuous inscription approach, along with its less-than-ideal outcomes, gives rise to problems of grating spectrum splitting and spectral distortion during the grating demodulation process. This renders the traditional approach of directly applying the BFE algorithm for grating demodulation ineffective, despite its significant enhancement of demodulation efficiency. To address this issue, we propose utilizing the …

Rules Of The Game: Lessons From Sports To Understand Antitrust Law’S Fairness Foundations, Tara Pincock, Daniel A. Hanley

Washington and Lee Law Review Online

Traditionally, courts and practitioners assert that the antitrust laws are simply about protecting competition, not competitors. In essence, these parties perceive competition to be inherently desirable, rather than recognizing that it can be beneficial or harmful depending on its intensity and scope. As a result of this mistaken belief, courts hold that certain conduct is legal under the antitrust laws simply because they determine it to be procompetitive, while conduct deemed anticompetitive is condemned. Courts seldom provide definitive boundaries to this pro-competition trope and instead assert it as if it were a well-established truism and universal societal good.

Without details …

Stealth Consolidation: Healthcare’S Process Of Quietly Dodging Antitrust Enforcement, Nathan Rush

Washington and Lee Law Review Online

The healthcare industry has become highly concentrated due to increased rates of consolidation. Mergers and acquisitions among healthcare providers have become extremely common, making dominant hospital systems the norm. When healthcare provider markets are highly concentrated, competition deteriorates, leaving patients to suffer the consequences: higher prices for lower quality care.

The federal antitrust agencies tasked with preserving competition have failed to combat the consolidation trends that are plaguing the healthcare industry. Vertical consolidation between hospitals and physician groups has especially gone unchecked. The Hart-Scott-Rodino Act, a federal antitrust law, requires merging parties to give the agencies pre-merger notice. This law, …

Wedded To Power: Dynastic Marriages And The Hidden Diplomacy Of Women In Early Modern Europe, Amelia H. Earl

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

The diplomatic power of women in the ‘Great Power’ dynasties of Europe has been passed over in historiography because very often their power rested in their relationships to their male counterparts. Dismissing these women’s diplomatic and political power as “soft power” of the domestic sphere overlooks the fact that the political structure of Europe relied heavily on familial ties. In early modern Europe, the whole continent was a kinship; thus, familial relationships between two dynasties were inherently political. The daughters and mothers of these dynasties discovered that there was permeable access to the European political arena through marriage and motherhood. …

Optimal Drought Management Actions For Cattle Operations On Navajo Nation, Tatiana Drugova, Kynda R. Curtis, Man-Keun Kim

All Current Publications

In this fact sheet, we examine the drought management options available to cattle operations on the Navajo Nation, the largest Native American reservation in the U.S. Specifically, we discuss the results of a study evaluating the economic outcomes of two common drought response strategies: herd reduction and supplemental hay purchases. We also provide recommendations for ranchers on optimal strategies, i.e., those that maximize profits, for two rancher types, differentiated by their willingness to accept (risk-neutral) or avoid risk (risk-averse).

The 2024 Carlisle Conference On The Pla: Protracted War Against The Prc, Joshua Arostegui

Books, Monographs & Collaborative Studies

The US Army War College’s 2024 Carlisle Conference on the People’s Liberation Army was held on October 16 and 17 at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania. The conference featured keynote speakers from the US Department of Defense and the think-tank community, and panels focused on assessing the People’s Republic of China’s understanding of and capability to carry out a protracted war in the Indo-Pacific. The conference brought together over 100 participants from government, military, US Intelligence Community, academic, and think-tank organizations.

The conference papers were authored by expert speakers and panelists and were designed to provide insight into key People’s Republic of …

Implementing Person-Centered Planning In Stem To Enhance Self-Determination And Self-Advocacy For Transitioning High School Students With Disabilities, Lynda Shanahan

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigated person-centered planning as an evidence-based approach for high school students with disabilities. The primary objective of this research was first to determine the impact of person-centered planning on the development of self-advocacy and self-determination skills among high-functioning students with disabilities embedded in a special education STEM curriculum, and to explore students' perceptions of transition services. To address this objective, the study employed a Mixed-Methods Action Research Design, consisting of focus group interviews with 11th- and 12th-grade high school students with disabilities. This study drew on a transformative theoretical framework grounded in quality-of-life and communities-of-practice theories. Key findings …

Meet Brother Tim, Eric F. Spina

President's Blog: From the Heart

After spending his entire life on Long Island, Brother Timothy Driscoll, S.M., likes to joke that this is his first time "living on the mainland."

Investigating The Knowledge, Attitudes And Practices Towards Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus In A Student Population In The United Kingdom: A Quantitative Study, Philip Boadu Anim

Theses

Aim: To explore the knowledge on the risk factors, signs and symptoms, management, and complications of Diabetes, attitudes, and practices towards prevention of Diabetes Mellitus among university students in the United Kingdom.

Methods: The researcher utilised a quantitative study design in carrying out the study. The study was conducted at Cardiff Metropolitan University with Cardiff Met students being the target population. Thirty (30) participants were recruited through convenient sampling. Data was collected through questionnaires using closed ended questions. The Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 27 as used to analyse the data collected. Statics were performed to form a …

Andres Macias-Chamaidan V. Attorney General United States Of America

2026 Decisions

Agency

A Human-Centric Framework: Employment Principles For Lethal Autonomous Weapons, Brennan Deveraux

Books, Monographs & Collaborative Studies

This monograph challenges the Department of War to reframe the conversation about humans’ involvement in lethal autonomous weapons systems by codifying a human-centric framework built on the employment pillars of certification, authority, restriction, and accountability. Although an ample body of literature discusses lethal autonomous weapon systems, this monograph takes a novel approach by proposing a theoretical framework and applying it to historical and hypothetical practical scenarios involving weapons with autonomous characteristics. In terms of methodology, the monograph relies heavily on primary sources, including UN documents and Department of War publications, which are augmented by secondary sources from experts in the …

Impact Of Apitegromab On Motor Function In Spinal Muscular Atrophy, Jordyn Linfield, Ashley Jacob, Haylee Whyde, Owen Fox, Kaitlyn Bowden, Connor Dains, Brenna Hissong, Manoranjan D'Souza

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an inherited neuromuscular disorder characterized by the progressive loss of alpha motor neurons in the anterior horn of the spinal cord, leading to muscle weakness, atrophy, and impaired motor function.¹ SMA remains an extensive and difficult-to-treat condition, with only three disease-modifying therapies currently available to patients. A new investigational agent with a unique mechanism of action, apitegromab (SRK-015), has shown promising results in recent clinical trials. The safety and efficacy of apitegromab in patients with SMA have been explored in several clinical trials, with the TOPAZ and SAPPHIRE studies being the most notable. This …

Fda Approval Of The Eversense 365 Continuous Glucose Monitoring System: A New Era In Long-Term Glucose Monitoring, Kiley Devoll, Alexander Defranco, Kennedy Kosikowski, Anna Spalvieri, Macy Davis, Connor Dains, Brenna Hissong, Emily Eddy

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Eversense 365 is an implantable continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system designed to provide accurate glucose measurements for up to 365 days. Current clinical guidelines recommend CGM use for patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), with evidence demonstrating benefit in patients with T2DM regardless of concurrent insulin use. Healthcare providers play a key role in patient education and are well-positioned to support the adoption of long-term CGM technologies, including Eversense 365. The safety and efficacy of the 365-day CGM have been evaluated across a series of clinical trials, which demonstrate clinically meaningful improvements in …

Intouch Week Of January 12, 2026, New York Medical College

InTouch

• Department of Cell and Molecular Physiology Unites Three Disciplines
• Paul Arnaboldi, Ph.D., Receives More Than $500,000 NIH Grant to Support Respiratory Vaccine Development
• Action speaks louder than words in dealing with antisemitism and violence
• Celebrate the Publication of the 8th Edition Principles and Practice of Radiation Oncology
• Gabriel Project Mumbai, Welcomes Second Cohort of TCDM Students and Faculty
• Love at NYMC
• Student Spotlight: A Full-Circle Journey

High School Dropout Rates Among Latin Students In The United States, Taryn T. Marriott

Student Works

An ongoing concern of educators and community members is the disproportionately high amounts of Latinx students dropping out of high school in the United States. Although there has been notable research done and action taken, the problem still remains. Lack of familial support, discrimination, and residence in low-income areas all contribute to the low retention rates of Latinx youth on track to graduate high school. As a result, youth who do not complete their education and set their sights on career goals have a harder time with employment, communicating in their society, and tend to show higher levels of engagement …

Optimal Quantization Of Finite Uniform Data On The Sphere, Mrinal Kanti Roychowdhury

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

This paper develops a systematic and geometric theory of optimal quantization on the unit sphere 𝕊2, focusing on finite uniform probability distributions supported on the spherical surface—rather than on lower-dimensional geodesic subsets such as circles or arcs. We first establish the existence of optimal sets of n-means and characterize them through centroidal spherical Voronoi tessellations. Three fundamental structural results are obtained. First, a cluster-purity theorem shows that when the support consists of well-separated components, each optimal Voronoi region remains confined to a single component. Second, a ring allocation (discrete water-filling) theorem provides an explicit rule describing how optimal representatives are …

Spring Creek Apartments Preservation V. Roper

All Decisions

Handwritten Opinion. In this holdover proceeding, the court granted the tenant's unopposed motion to amend their answer but struck the traverse defense, reasoning that a pro se litigant should have known to raise it initially. The court noted the landlord was considering the tenant's succession claim and, without a specific discovery motion, directed the landlord to issue discovery demands and the tenant to comply. This decision highlights issues with pro se defenses and the court's proactive role in discovery for succession claims.

Delegation And Agency Deference In Financial Regulation: A Comparative Eu-U.S. Perspective, Rosa M. Lastra, Patricia A. Mccoy

Law and Contemporary Problems

No abstract provided.

Systemic Risk And Macroprudential Regulation, Seraina Grünewald, Jeremy Kress

Law and Contemporary Problems

No abstract provided.

An Ocean Apart: The Regulation Of Financial Technology In The United States And European Union, Dan Awrey, Pauline Pailler

Law and Contemporary Problems

No abstract provided.

The Regulation Of Technological Innovation In Financial Services: A Comparative Approach With Respect To Digital Assets And Artificial Intelligence, Howell E. Jackson, Katja Langenbucher

Law and Contemporary Problems

No abstract provided.

The Divergence Of Mandatory Climate Disclosure In The United States And European Union, Alessio M. Pacces, David Zaring

Law and Contemporary Problems

No abstract provided.

Sustainability Assurance, Luca Enriques, Alessandro Romano, Andrew F. Tuch

Law and Contemporary Problems

No abstract provided.

Journal Staff

Law and Contemporary Problems

No abstract provided.

Dale Morgan V. Centre County

2026 Decisions

USDC for the Middle District of Pennsylvania