University Of Notre Dame Research Articles

Notes on Contributors

Notes on Contributors

Product Owners at Hesburgh Libraries: Increasing Stakeholder Engagement and Accountability through Continuous Organizational Enhancement

The hierarchical decision making structure of academic libraries and consequently established cultural norms can affect the implementation of project management, hindering effective stakeholder engagement and ongoing ownership of and accountability for library products and services. The Hesburgh Libraries at the University of Notre Dame offers a strategy for navigating structural issues which emphasizes making incremental organizational changes that empower agile decision making responsive to stakeholder demands at appropriate levels. This study, a discussion of the Libraries’ experience, focuses on the implementation of one specific role designed to improve the development and maintenance of library products and services, the product owner.

The Many Facets of Nanotechnology [Highlights

I first heard the word nanotechnology probably in the late 1980s, when the field was largely unknown and just beginning to sprout. Working with electrochemists in the early 1990s, I stumbled on a process for creating interesting patterns of nanoscale undulations on the surface of a commercially sourced aluminum foil using electropolishing. When the foil is electropolished in a suitable mixture of perchloric acid, butyl cellusolve, ethanol, and distilled water at certain voltages and for certain durations, these patterns spontaneously appear on the surface [1]. Examples are shown in Figure 1. Some of these patterns, like the ones that are formed after electropolishing at 50 V for 10 s, or 60 V for 30 s, are interesting in that they are well-ordered arrays of stripes and mounds. The explanation for their formation is not simple and involves the nonlinear dynamics of chemical processes that were first explained by my colleagues Prof. Albert Miller and Prof. Hseuh-Chia Chang from the University of Notre Dame [2], [3]. These patterns were interesting in their own right but did not immediately lead to anything very useful. However, something else did.

Protective gear could expose firefighters to PFAS

Firefighters’ jobs are inherently dangerous, but they are put at risk by more than the blazes they face. Their work exposes them to carcinogens from burning materials, as well as toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from flame-suppressing foams. A new study finds that firefighters can also be exposed to PFAS from another source: their protective clothing (Environ. Sci. Technol. Lett. 2020, DOI: 10.1021/acs.estlett.0c00410). Multilayered garments called turnout gear are made with fluoropolymer textiles and treated with PFAS for water resistance. Graham F. Peaslee of the University of Notre Dame and colleagues used particle-induced γ-ray emission spectroscopy to measure fluorine levels in 30 used and unused sets of gear. They found that over time, as the layers rub against each other, PFAS migrate from a moisture barrier and a water-resistant outer shell to an inner thermal layer that contacts the skin. A fluorine-laden dust sample collected from a textile storage

In memoriam: John F. Santos (1924–2020)

John F. Santos, Ph.D., Emeritus Professor of Psychology at the University of Notre Dame, was a pioneer in gerontology. Among his many contributions to the field and its development was his Gerontol...

Consider viewpoints on how COVID‐19 will change college sports

The only guarantee in post‐pandemic college sports is change and more change. To help prepare college athletics administrators for all of this upheaval, Tom McMillen, President and CEO of the LEAD1 Association, hosted a webinar discussion with Kathy Beauregard, athletics director at Western Michigan University; Bob Bowlsby, Commissioner of the Big 12 Conference; Martin Jarmond, AD at the University of California, Los Angeles; Amy Perko, Chief Executive Officer of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics; and Jack Swarbrick, Vice President and AD at the University of Notre Dame.

Using Fitbit data to monitor the heart rate evolution patterns of college students

Objective To investigate what social, psychological, personality, and behavioral factors affect overtime heart rate changes of college students. Participants: The daily heart rates of over 600 undergraduates at the University of Notre Dame were unobtrusively recorded via Fitbit devices from August 16, 2015, to May 13, 2017. Method: Latent Growth-Curve modeling strategy is utilized to examine how daily mean heart rate and its standard deviation change over time, and what foregoing factors predict observed changes. Results: The mean heart rate increased and its standard deviation stayed the same over the 637 days. Heart rate levels go up with that of social contacts, an indicator of peer influence. Both daily heart rate levels and changes are also affected by multiple external factors. Conclusion: Human heart rate is not only a physiological phenomenon but also a social-psychological one, as it is systematically affected by peer networks, social contexts, and human activities.

Reseña de A. Giambrone, Sacramental Charity, Creditor Christology, and the Economy of Salvation in Luke’s Gospel

The author is a Dominican friar, currently a professor of NT at the École biblique et archéologique française de Jérusalem. The book reproduces his doctoral thesis defended at the University of Notre Dame (USA) in 2015. The WUNT 2 collection publishes the best studies of emerging scholars in the biblical sciences. We congratulate the author on the publication.

Evaluation of risk factors for insulin resistance: a cross sectional study among employees at a private university in Lebanon

BackgroundWorldwide, the prevalence of insulin resistance ranges from 15.5 to 46.5%, among adults. Lebanon reported one of the highest rates reaching 44.6%. The literature suggests an association between dairy product consumption and insulin resistance, however results are inconclusive. To our knowledge, no study examined this association in the Middle Eastern Region. The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence of insulin resistance among a sample of Lebanese adults, to identify its risk factors depending on gender, and to evaluate the association between insulin resistance and dairy products consumption.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among employees at Notre Dame University - Louaize. Four questionnaires were administered including a background and International Physical Activity Questionnaire short form questionnaires, food frequency questionnaire and a 24 h recall. Bioelectric Impedance Analysis (BIA) was used to measure percent body fat (PBF). Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) was used to quantify insulin resistance. A person with HOMA-IR ≥ 2.5 was considered as insulin resistant. Statistical analyses were performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 23 for Windows. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.ResultsOut of 286 study participants, 38.0% were insulin resistant. Average dairy product intake in the total sample was 2.2 ± 1.0 servings per day. Among males, the odds of having insulin resistance were 3.9 times higher (95%CI 1.4–11.0; p = 0.009) for those having a risky waist circumference compared to those having a healthy waist circumference. Among females, being married (OR: 0.2, 95%CI 0.1–0.5; p = 0.002), PBF (OR: 1.2, 95%CI 1.0–1.3; p = 0.008) and hypertriglyceridemia (OR: 8.7, 95%CI: 2.1–35.9; p = 0.003) were associated with HOMA-IR, after controlling for confounders. Dairy intake was not associated with HOMA-IR neither among males (p = 0.777), nor among females (p = 0.968), after controlling for confounders.ConclusionDairy consumption was not associated with increased insulin resistance. More research focusing on the relationship between dairy intake and insulin resistance is needed, especially in the Arab and Middle-Eastern region. Future studies should examine the effect of different types of dairy products and the effect of different nutrients in dairy products on insulin resistance.

Neither influence nor selection: Examining co-evolution of political orientation and social networks in the NetSense and NetHealth studies.

Political orientation is one of the most important and consequential individual attributes studied by social scientists. Yet, we know relatively little about the temporal evolution of political orientation, especially at periods in the life course during which individuals are forming new social relationships and transitioning to new relational contexts. Here we use Stochastic Actor-Oriented models (SAOMs) to examine the co-evolution of political orientation and social networks using two feature-rich, temporal network datasets from samples of students making the transition to college at the University of Notre Dame (i.e. the NetSense and NetHealth studies). Overall, we find a great deal of stability in political orientation, with a slight tendency for the 2011 NetSense study participants to become more conservative during their first four semesters in college, but not the 2015 NetHealth study participants. Partisanship is the best predictor of changes in political orientation, with students who identify or vote as Republicans becoming more conservative over time. Neither network influence nor selection processes seem to be driving observed changes. During this formative period, relatively stable identities such as party affiliation predict changes in political orientation independently of local network dynamics, selection processes, socio-demographic traits, and dispositional factors.

Sacralizing the Secular in Latter-day Saint Salvation Histories (1890–1930)

Research Article| July 01 2020 Sacralizing the Secular in Latter-day Saint Salvation Histories (1890–1930) Miranda Wilcox Miranda Wilcox MIRANDA WILCOX is an associate professor of English at Brigham Young University. She received her MMS and PhD in medieval studies at the University of Notre Dame. This paper was generated from presentations at the “Faith in the Secular Age” conference, the International Congress of Medieval Studies, and the Mormon History Association conference in 2019. She thanks Don Chapman, Christopher Jones, Juliana Chapman, Samuel Brown, Philip Barlow, Jason Kerr, Megan Cook, and JMH reviewers for their wise feedback. Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Journal of Mormon History (2020) 46 (3): 23–59. https://doi.org/10.5406/jmormhist.46.3.0023 Cite Icon Cite Share Icon Share Twitter Permissions Search Site Citation Miranda Wilcox; Sacralizing the Secular in Latter-day Saint Salvation Histories (1890–1930). Journal of Mormon History 1 July 2020; 46 (3): 23–59. doi: https://doi.org/10.5406/jmormhist.46.3.0023 Download citation file: Zotero Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All Scholarly Publishing CollectiveUniversity of Illinois PressJournal of Mormon History Search Advanced Search The text of this article is only available as a PDF. Copyright 2020 by the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois2020 Article PDF first page preview Close Modal You do not currently have access to this content.

A new composite climate change vulnerability index

Abstract The earth’s climate is changing, with global warming attributable to anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions driven by economic and population growth. Human systems and ecosystems vary in their exposure, mitigation and adaptive capacity, and vulnerability to various forms of climate change. Once mitigation and adaptation efforts have been exhausted, vulnerability remains. Data compiled by the University of Notre Dame covering over 100 nations in 2016 were used to construct a new composite climate change vulnerability index that features endogenously generated weights to aggregate vulnerability indices across six vulnerable sectors. These weights have the potential to inform policy aimed at allocating resources to reduce the cost of limiting vulnerability. The new composite vulnerability index, whose weights differ across sectors and across nations, is compared with the Notre Dame vulnerability index, which uses weights equal across sectors and constant across nations. Although the two indices agree on the identity of the most vulnerable nations, there is a statistically significant difference between the two indices. In addition, a nonparametric statistical test failed to reject the null hypothesis that one sectoral index could be deleted from the composite index without significant loss of information. This also has potentially important policy implications.

Precise half-life determination of the mixed-mirror β -decaying O15

The half-life of $^{15}\mathrm{O}$ was measured using the $\ensuremath{\beta}$-Counting Station at the University of Notre Dame's Nuclear Science Laboratory. Our new result, ${t}_{1/2}=122.308(49)$ s, is the most precise determination to date for $^{15}\mathrm{O}$, and improves the world average by a factor of 4, yielding ${t}_{1/2}^{\text{world}}=122.27(6)$ s. This more precise value will be important for future determinations of ${V}_{\text{ud}}$ using superallowed $T=1/2$ mirror transitions.

New Measurement of ^{12}C+^{12}C Fusion Reaction at Astrophysical Energies.

Carbon and oxygen burning reactions, in particular, ^{12}C+^{12}C fusion, are important for the understanding and interpretation of the late phases of stellar evolution as well as the ignition and nucleosynthesis in cataclysmic binary systems such as type Ia supernovae and x-ray superbursts. A new measurement of this reaction has been performed at the University of Notre Dame using particle-γ coincidence techniques with SAND (a silicon detector array) at the high-intensity 5U Pelletron accelerator. New results for ^{12}C+^{12}C fusion at low energies relevant to nuclear astrophysics are reported. They show strong disagreement with a recent measurement using the indirect Trojan Horse method. The impact on the carbon burning process under astrophysical scenarios will be discussed.

The Satanic and the Theomimetic: Distinguishing and Reconciling “Sacrifice” in René Girard and Gregory the Great

Research Article| May 01 2020 The Satanic and the Theomimetic: Distinguishing and Reconciling “Sacrifice” in René Girard and Gregory the Great Jordan Joseph Wales Jordan Joseph Wales Hillsdale College, Hillsdale, Michigan JORDAN JOSEPH WALES is an assistant professor of theology at Hillsdale College, where he teaches historical theology. His research focuses on early Christian understandings of the vision of God, as well as contemporary theological questions relating to artificial intelligence. He received his M.T.S. and Ph.D. in theology from the University of Notre Dame after studying under a British Marshall Scholarship in the United Kingdom, where he received a diploma in theology from Oxford and an M.Sc. in cognitive science and natural language from the University of Edinburgh. Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Contagion: Journal of Violence Mimesis and Culture (2020) 27: 177–214. https://doi.org/10.14321/contagion.27.2020.0177 Cite Icon Cite Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Permissions Search Site Citation Jordan Joseph Wales; The Satanic and the Theomimetic: Distinguishing and Reconciling “Sacrifice” in René Girard and Gregory the Great. Contagion: Journal of Violence Mimesis and Culture 1 May 2020; 27 177–214. doi: https://doi.org/10.14321/contagion.27.2020.0177 Download citation file: Zotero Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All Scholarly Publishing CollectiveMichigan State University PressContagion: Journal of Violence Mimesis and Culture Search Advanced Search The text of this article is only available as a PDF. © Michigan State University Board of Trustees Article PDF first page preview Close Modal You do not currently have access to this content.

STARTING HEALTHY HABITS EARLY: INFLUENZA VACCINATION AMONG STUDENT HEALTH CARE WORKERS

Background: A 2014 study demonstrated low rates of influenza vaccination among health care worker [HCW] students at the University of Notre Dame [UND], 56% (95% CI 52-60%) overall weighted average, 53%, 57% and 61% for nursing, physiotherapy and medical students, respectively. Since then, annual influenza vaccination and/or documentation of influenza vaccination status has become mandatory for these students. On- campus influenza vaccination became available in 2018. Method: HCW students at UND were invited to participate in online surveys of influenza vaccination uptake in 2018 and 2019. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect qualitative data on enablers and barriers to vaccination. Results: A total of 422 students responded to the survey (199 in 2018 and 223 in 2019). The overall weighted vaccination rate of respondents was 91% (95% CI 88-93%) (79%, 90% and 95% for nursing, physiotherapy and medical students, respectively), a significant increase from 2014. Vaccination uptake in medical students increased from 83% (95% CI 76-90%) in 2018 to 99% (95% CI 96-100%) (P < 0.001) after reporting of vaccination status was mandated in 2019. Qualitative data regarding enablers, barriers, knowledge and understanding of influenza and the influenza vaccine, among HCW students and will be presented at the conference. Conclusion: Influenza vaccination uptake among UND HCW students increased significantly following the introduction of mandatory vaccination/reporting of vaccination, and is higher than the 50% observed in HCWs employed by the WA Department of Health. It is hoped that this behaviour will continue after graduation upon entering workplaces where vaccination is not mandated.

A Scholar for All Seasons

R. Scott Appleby is rightly celebrated for his legendary scholarly accomplishments and his many path-breaking initiatives while directing the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame and, more recently, the university's Keough School of Global Affairs. However his personal influence extends well beyond his widely-lauded scholarly accomplishments.

Richard S.Briggs, Theological Hermeneutics and the Book of Numbers as Christian Scripture. Notre Dame, IN: Notre Dame University Press, 2018, xvi + 332pp. $55.00

Richard S.Briggs, Theological Hermeneutics and the Book of Numbers as Christian Scripture. Notre Dame, IN: Notre Dame University Press, 2018, xvi + 332pp. $55.00

Reconciliation Perspectives in Colombia: Characterizing the 2016 Peace Agreement With the FARC

&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; Despite ending a 60-year armed conflict with the oldest guerrilla group in Latin America, the 2016 peace agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (farc) has faced growing opposition and resentment from the general population. This resistance has mainly occurred due to the absence of literature clearly providing an explanation of its contents, compromising its implementation and stability. Using the Peace Accords Matrix of the University of Notre Dame, this article explores some of the widespread criticism by comparing this agreement to others in 31 other countries. The key findings suggest that the 2016 Colombian peace agreement is the most extensive and the second most complex signed since 1989, and its crux may be categorized into five different groups of provisions. Statistical analysis suggests that its major criticism —its complexity— is the main impediment to the expected implementation level. Therefore, its stability should be guaranteed by exploring inventive strategies to gain popular support and legitimacy.&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D;

Morphology of Quasi-Direct-Current Discharges Collocated with Fuel Jets in a Supersonic Crossflow

This study is focused on the morphology of a quasi-DC discharge generated concurrently with a jet of fuel injected normally into Mach 2 crossflow. It was observed that the filamentary plasma follows the local flowfield and localizes in the shear layer between the core flow and fuel jet. The details of behavior were explored by means of stereoscopic two-dimensional imaging with subsequent image processing and three-dimensional reconstruction of the plasma filament shape. On average, the plasma filament generated by the plasma-injection module has a total length over 100 mm and a plasma power on the order of 5 kW with a typical duration of 100 ms. Specifically, the discharge is located in a mixing layer, where the fuel–oxidizer ratio varies from down to stoichiometric ratio further downstream. Such a behavior of filamentary plasma promotes the fuel–air mixing, and is favorable for fuel ignition and flameholding. Tests were performed in the SBR-50 supersonic wind tunnel at the University of Notre Dame.