Digital Commons Network^™

Public Relations In Kenya: An Exploration Of Models And Cultural Influences, Dane M. Kiambi, Marjorie Keeshan Nadler

College of Journalism and Mass Communications: Faculty Publications

This pioneer study explores the public relations models that inform the practice of public relations in Kenya, and the cultural values that influence this practice. Results show the personal influence model as the most used by practitioners in Kenya, while individualism is the most experienced cultural value. The strong correlation between personal influence model and Hofstede’s cultural value of femininity points to the practitioners’ strong desire for good interpersonal relationships with colleagues, supervisors, clients and key publics.

Ethnic Appeal: A Self-Defense Tool For Kenyan Politicians, Dane M. Kiambi

College of Journalism and Mass Communications: Faculty Publications

So far, analyses of apologetic rhetoric strategies as used by individuals or organizations to respond to accusations of wrongdoing have been concentrated in the West. An analysis of political apologia in an African setting — in this case Kenya — reveals that while Kenyan politicians have used denial, victimization, mortification, and counterattacking among other self-defense strategies, one particular strategy emerges as the most commonly used by Kenyan politicians — ethnic appeal.

Vendor Compensation As An Approach For State "Amazon" Laws: Part 2, David Gamage, Devin J. Heckman

Articles by Maurer Faculty

In this essay, the second of a two-part series, we propose an approach for the U.S. states to tax interstate e-commerce. If the states adequately compensate remote e-commerce vendors for all tax compliance costs, we argue that the states can constitutionally impose use tax collection obligations on the remote vendors in a manner compatible with the Quill framework.

Vendor Compensation As An Approach For State "Amazon" Laws: Part 1, David Gamage, Devin J. Heckman

Articles by Maurer Faculty

In this Essay, the first of a two-part series, we analyze the approaches U.S. states have been using in their attempts to tax interstate e-commerce. We argue that these existing approaches are unlikely to be effective. In our companion Essay, the second in the series, we outline a novel approach that states might employ in order to more effectively tax interstate e-commerce – based on adequately compensating remote vendors for all tax compliance costs. But before we can argue for our new approach, we must first survey the current constitutional and statutory landscape.

The Saga Of State "Amazon" Laws: Reflections On The Colorado Decision, David Gamage, Darien Shanske

Articles by Maurer Faculty

We analyze the Colorado district court’s decision in Direct Marketing Association v. Huber – a decision that permanently enjoined Colorado’s "Amazon" law. Had it not been enjoined, the Colorado law would have mandated information reporting by remote e-commerce vendors so that Colorado could levy its sales and use tax on the e-commerce purchases made by Colorado residents. We evaluate the applicability of the Tax (Anti-)Injunction Act and whether the Colorado statute and regulations should be reviewed as a tax or as a regulation. We also suggest alternative approaches that state legislatures might use in order to levy taxes on remote …

The Supreme Court And Information Privacy, Fred H. Cate, Beth E. Cate

Articles by Maurer Faculty

Advances in technology—including the growing use of cloud computing by individuals, agencies, and organizations to conduct operations and store and process records—are enabling the systematic collection and use of personal data by state and federal governments for a variety of purposes.

These purposes range from battling crime and terrorism to assessing public policy initiatives and enforcing regulatory regimes. To aid these efforts, governments are promoting mandatory retention and reporting of data by online service providers and the expansion of laws that facilitate wiretaps to greater portions of the web.

The legal framework for protecting individual privacy within this growing world …

The End Of The Beginning, Fred H. Cate, Christopher Kuner, Christopher Millard, Dan Jerker B. Svantesson

Articles by Maurer Faculty

No abstract provided.

The Intricacies Of Independence, Fred H. Cate, Christopher Kuner, Christopher Millard, Dan Jerker B. Svantession

Articles by Maurer Faculty

No abstract provided.

The Challenge Of "Big Data" For Data Protection, Fred H. Cate, Christopher Kuner, Christopher Millard, Dan Jerker B. Svantesson

Articles by Maurer Faculty

No abstract provided.

Systematic Government Access To Private-Sector Data, Fred H. Cate, James X. Dempsey, Ira S. Rubenstein

Articles by Maurer Faculty

No abstract provided.

Calendar Interviewing And The Use Of Landmark Events – Implications For Cross-Cultural Surveys, Tina Glasner, Wander Van Der Vaart, Robert F. Belli

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

This paper discusses potential methodological issues in the design and implementation of calendar recall aids such as the Life History Calendar for cross-cultural surveys. More specifically, it aims to provide insights into how the use of landmark events in calendar interviewing may be influenced by cross-cultural variability. As an example, we compare the landmark events reported by Dutch and American respondents in two studies in which calendar recall aids were used. The study discusses differences that were found between the two countries in the numbers and types of reported landmark events, as well as in the temporal distribution of those …

Advanced Seminar – Interviewer-Respondent Interaction: Survey Research & Methodology Special Topics 898, Spring 2012, Robert Belli

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

This course will explore the theory and observations that underlie the attempt of survey methodologists to understand the nature of interviewer-respondent interactions and their impact on data quality. This exploration will entail the examination of different interviewing methods and different methods to observe and analyze the verbal behavioral streams that occur between interviewers and respondents. In addition, analytic approaches that seek to understand the impact of verbal behaviors on data quality will be considered.

Cooperation In Risky Environments: Decisions From Experience In A Stochastic Social Dilemma, Florian Artinger, Nadine Fleischhut, Vittoria Levati, Jeffrey R. Stevens

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Often in cooperative situations, many aspects of the decisionmaking environment are uncertain. We investigate how cooperation is shaped by the way information about risk is presented (from description or from experience) and by differences in risky environments. Drawing on research from risky choice, we compare choices in stochastic social dilemmas to those in lotteries with equivalent levels of risk. Cooperation rates in games vary with different levels of risk across decision situations with the same expected outcomes, thereby mimicking behavior in lotteries. Risk presentation, however, only affected choices in lotteries, not in stochastic games. Process data suggests that people respond …

Simulating School Closure Policies For Cost Effective Pandemic Decision Making, Ozgur M. Araz, Paul Damien, David A. Paltiel, Sean Burke, Bryce Van De Geijn, Alison Galvani, Lauren Ancel Meyers

Department of Supply Chain Management and Analytics: Faculty Publications

Background: Around the globe, school closures were used sporadically to mitigate the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic. However, such closures can detrimentally impact economic and social life.

Methods: Here, we couple a decision analytic approach with a mathematical model of influenza transmission to estimate the impact of school closures in terms of epidemiological and cost effectiveness. Our method assumes that the transmissibility and the severity of the disease are uncertain, and evaluates several closure and reopening strategies that cover a range of thresholds in school-aged prevalence (SAP) and closure durations.

Results: Assuming a willingness to pay per quality adjusted life-year (QALY) …

Contradictio In Terminis Or Realpolitik? A Qualified Plea For A Role Of 'Soft Law' In The Context Of Space Activities, Frans G. Von Der Dunk

Space, Cyber, and Telecommunications Law Program: Faculty Publications

Discusses the issue of 'soft law' in the context of space activities, the characteristics of 'law' and '(international) space law,' the role of 'law' per se in the context of space activities, the use of qualified language in legal documents (including clauses beginning with words like should or may).

It is finally submitted that, while never losing sight of the benefits of a clear and coherent legal framework probably still best reflected through a treaty regime, in the arena of space activities there is considerable benefit from such mechanisms usually labelled 'soft law', whether in the context of customary …

Another Additional To National Space Legislation: The Austrian Outer Space Act, Adopted 6 December 2011, Frans G. Von Der Dunk

Space, Cyber, and Telecommunications Law Program: Faculty Publications

On December 6, 2011, the Austrian Parliament unanimously adopted the Bundesgesetz über die Genehmigung von Weltraumaktivitäten und die Einrichtung eines Weltraumregisters (Weltraumgesetz), or Austrian Space Act. Thus, Austria became the sixth EU member state and one of more than a dozen states globally adopting a comprehensive national act focusing on national activities related to or in outer space, and more specifically the prospect of fundamental private participation therein. Following the same analytical approach as with regard to the Swedish, UK, South African, Russian, Australian, Ukrainian, Norwegian, Brazilian, and Dutch national space acts, the present paper will analyze this most …

A Tale Of Two Oceans: Governance Of Terrestrial And Outer Space “Global Commons”, Frans G. Von Der Dunk

Space, Cyber, and Telecommunications Law Program: Faculty Publications

The governance of outer space is a key factor in determining whether that area will continue to remain open for scientific and other peaceful activities for the benefit of all mankind. At the same time, it is widely recognized that such governance is far from comprehensively realized as of today, and to the extent it does exist moreover, challenged by major developments, in particular in the area of private participation to space activities.

Taking such developments into account, efforts to further develop a proper system of governance for outer space often look for help to other existing, often more elaborated …

Endoscopic And Stroboscopic Presentation Of The Larynx In Male-To-Female Transsexual Persons, Derek Palmer, Angela M. Dietsch, Jeff Searl

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Background. Male-to-female transsexual (MFT) persons often attempt to produce a female-sounding voice as part of the transition process. Endoscopic and stroboscopic data about how they accomplish this with an anatomically male larynx are lacking.

Objectives. To describe vocal fold activity in MFT persons producing their feminine voice and identify signs of vocal misuse or hyperfunction in MFT speakers, if any.

Study Design. Prospective, nonrandomized, descriptive study of a convenience sample of MFT persons.

Methods. All MFT persons had endoscopic and stroboscopic procedures completed. Images were rated on a range of parameters by two experienced voice therapists …

Modification Of Perioral Stiffness In Patients With Repaired Cleft Lip And Palate, Steven M. Barlow, Carroll-Ann Trotman, Shin-Ying Chu, Jaehoon Lee

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Objective—To measure and compare the perioral stiffness among three groups of pediatric subjects: a group of patients with a repaired cleft lip (and palate) who had a secondary lip revision surgery (revision), another group of patients with repaired cleft lip (and palate) who did not have secondary surgery (nonrevision), and a group of noncleft “normal” patients (noncleft).

Design—A parallel, three-group, nonrandomized clinical trial.

Participants—A total of 16 patients with repaired cleft lip/palate who did not have lip revision, 13 patients with repaired cleft lip/palate who had lip revision surgery and were tested at 18 to 24 months postsurgery, and 27 …

Libguide For Copyright, Paul Royster

Copyright, Fair Use, Scholarly Communication, etc.

I. Can I use this material in a paper/article/project ?

II. Can I use this material for teaching a course ?

III. How do I get/keep copyright protection for my work ?

Imbalance Fault Detection Of Direct-Drive Wind Turbines Using Generator Current Signals, Xiang Gong, Wei Qiao

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications

Imbalance faults constitute a significant portion of all faults in wind turbine generators (WTGs). WTG imbalance fault detection using generator current measurements has advantages over traditional vibration-based methods in terms of cost, implementation, and system reliability. However, there are challenges in using current signals for imbalance fault detection due to low signal-to-noise ratio of the useful information in current signals and non-stationary characteristic frequencies of imbalance faults. This paper proposes a method of using generator stator currents for imbalance fault detection of direct-drive WTGs. In the proposed method, the variable shaft rotating frequency of a WTG is estimated from one …

Power Semiconductor Devices, Jerry Hudgins, Rik W. De Doncker

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications

Historically, Power Semiconductor devices have been divided into three broad categories: diodes, transistors, and thyristors. Although modern devices can be classified in this way, there is an increasing overlap in device design and function. Also semiconductors, such as silicon carbide (SiC), gallium nitride (GaN), and other materials, as well as novel device designs have increased the suitability and broadened the applications of semiconductor switches in megawatt (MW) power conversion circuits and systems.

Modern Transistors

Transistors include the traditional power bipolar (nonsilicon materials being considered for the future), power metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs), and hybrid devices that have some aspect of …

A Series-Connected Self-Reconfigurable Multicell Battery Capable Of Safe And Effective Charging/Discharging And Balancing Operations, Taesic Kim, Wei Qiao, Liyan Qu

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications

Bidirectional DC/DC converters are commonly used for charging and discharging multicell batteries under various modes, such as Pulsed Current (PC), Constant Current (CC), and Constant Current Constant Voltage (CCCV). The charge and discharge are usually terminated by the converters when battery voltages reach some threshold values. However, cell state imbalance is commonly present in traditional multicell batteries, which reduces the available capacities of the batteries in certain charge/discharge cycles and shortens the life cycles of the batteries. To solve this problem, this paper proposes a series-connected, self-reconfigurable, multicell battery with a bidirectional DC/DC converter capable of safe and effective charging, …

Analysis Of Π-Phase-Shifted Fiber Bragg Gratings For Ultrasonic Detection, Tongqing Liu, Ming Han

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications

Using numerical simulations, we investigated the responses of the π-phase-shifted fiber Bragg gratings (πFBGs) impinged by pressure ultrasonic waves. The effect of the grating length, grating refractive index modification depth, and ultrasonic frequency on the wavelength sensitivity and intensity sensitivity of the πFBG ultrasonic sensor for ultrasonic waves of different wavelengths was analyzed. The directivity of a πFBG sensor was also studied. Our analysis revealed several unique πFBG response characteristics and will be useful in the design and optimization of fiber-optic ultrasonic sensors that use a πFBG as the sensing element.

Real-Time Stereo Matching On Cuda Using An Iterative Refinement Method For Adaptive Support-Weight Correspondences, Jedrzej Kowalczuk, Eric T. Psota, Lance C. Pérez

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications

High-quality real-time stereo matching has the potential to enable various computer vision applications including semi-automated robotic surgery, tele-immersion, and three-dimensional video surveillance. A novel real-time stereo matching method is presented that uses a two-pass approximation of adaptive support-weight aggregation, and a low-complexity iterative disparity refinement technique. Through an evaluation of computationally efficient approaches to adaptive support weight cost aggregation, it is shown that the two-pass method produces an accurate approximation of the support weights while greatly reducing the complexity of aggregation. The refinement technique, constructed using a probabilistic framework, incorporates an additive term into matching cost minimization and facilitates iterative …

Optical Properties Of Cobalt Slanted Columnar Thin Films Passivated By Atomic Layer Deposition, Daniel Schmidt, Eva Schubert, Mathias Schubert

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications

Optical properties of passivated metal slanted columnar thin films from cobalt within the visible spectral region are reported. Glancing angle deposition is utilized to grow slanted nano-columns which have been conformally coated with Al₂O₃ by a subsequent atomic layer deposition process. A generalized anisotropic Bruggeman effective medium approximation has been employed to analyze spectroscopic generalized ellipsometry data. The modified homogenization approach allows for determination of biaxial (monoclinic) optical and structural properties as well as fractions of three film constituents. The conformal alumina passivation layer preserves the pristine metal character of the nano-structures and prevents oxidation and aging …

A Social Inquiry On Theory In American Archaeology: Through The Lens On A Non-American Cultural Anthropologist, Mayo Buenafe

Nebraska Anthropologist

The following article is the author's treatise on the imperative for explicit theoretical use in North American archaeological approaches and research by critically assessing the views of Michelle Hegmon 's (2003:213-243) "Setting Theoretical Egos Aside: Issues and Theory in North American Archaeology" and Matthew Johnson's (2010:216-235) conclusions on the future of theory seen in Archaeological Theory: An Introduction, 2^nd ed. This commentary discusses theory development in North American Archaeology as a discipline and advocates for the explicit use of theory in North American Archaeological research. A critical analysis of American archaeology is discussed through an assessment of common themes, …

Turning Challenges Into Gold: Cross-Listing Introductory Honors With Advanced Classes In The Visual Arts, Leda Cempellin

Honors in Practice Online Archive

Jim Lacey has offered an insight on the benefits of challenging courses for honors students: he prefers to think of an honors course not as a highly specialized, intensive-writing, and discipline-specific academic course but as the ideal general education course: “The courses themselves, I believe, should be challenging, different, and fun for instructors and students alike. When possible, they should be team taught and interdisciplinary; they should involve off-campus activities; and, instead of papers and exams, they should feature projects, preferably in teams” (79). During the early planning stages of the new course called Museum Experience at South Dakota State …

Architectural Origins Of The Mosque Of Cordoba, Tracy Hildebrand

Nebraska Anthropologist

The Mosque of Cordoba signifies the growth of Islamic Architecture in the Iberian Peninsula, due to the execution of new structural systems and large scale construction. However, the possibly of preoccupants of the Iberian Peninsula majorly influencing the construction of the structure seems to be neglected in research by academics. If a more in depth analysis of the site was done, iriformation on past cultures could surface and provide more knowledge on their architectural techniques and practices. This inquiry arouse after reviewing numerous books and articles on the mosque of Cordoba and past societies of the Iberian Peninsula, leading to …

Editor’S Introduction, Ada Long

Honors in Practice Online Archive

We begin this volume of Honors in Practice with Bonnie D. Irwin’s presidential address at the 2011 National Collegiate Honors Council conference in Phoenix, Arizona. Irwin develops a comparison between Scheherazade in 1001 Nights and the NCHC: like that fictional storyteller, the NCHC needs to assure the survival of honors by carefully shaping its narratives. The countervailing story of higher education is burdened with negative and dangerous reviews in today’s culture. By shaping a powerful and positive story of our own, Irwin argues, NCHC can not only energize honors programs and colleges but revitalize and enliven education generally.

The essays …