Digital Commons Network^™

Decluttering The Orbital Commons: A Proposal For The Regulation Of Privately Created Space Debris, Rose W. Cobey

Journal of Air Law and Commerce

Space is one of the only resources shared by every person in every country at all times. The problem of space debris is therefore one that affects everyone living on our planet. Scientists and politicians have warned about crowding, collisions, and murky liability for decades, and each of these issues will only worsen without intervention. Space debris has caused damage on Earth since the Space Race, and it now endangers people and property in orbit. We are at an ever-increasing risk of building a wall around our planet and locking ourselves inside. In the last ten years, a new wrinkle …

Void In Space: How Loper Bright And The Major Questions Doctrine Affect The Federal Communications Commission’S Regulatory Authority Of Orbital Debris, Hernan Valles

Journal of Air Law and Commerce

Since the dawn of the space race, countries have been reaching for the stars. Recently, companies have joined the race. The space race and technological advancement of near-Earth orbital satellites have caused a buildup of debris in near-Earth orbit. The exponential increase of orbital debris in Earth’s orbit threatens the environmental system of the planet, the safety of astronauts aboard the International Space Station, the structure of other spacecraft, and modern economies relying on operational satellites to provide rapid communication, navigation, and weather forecasting information.

Yet there is a void among U.S. regulators in setting rules that mitigate orbital debris …

The Role Of Media Literacy In Shaping Campus Student Leaders’ Perceptions Of Media Activism, Online Risks, And Social Support, Srivi Ramasubramanian, Minnie Mcmillian, Shumaila Bhatti, Shannon Burth, Julius Matthew Riles, Elizabeth Behm-Morawitz, Melody Wilson

Media Studies - All Scholarship

Campus activism by student leaders has historically played a significant role in social movements. Within contemporary contexts, media is an important site through which campus student leaders raise awareness, share relevant information, distribute online petitions, and shape public discourses on various social issues. Media literacy is an essential skill for student leaders to be effective in their activist initiatives and be able to cope with the inevitable pushback through trolling and cyberbullying that such activism would likely bring up. This survey (N = 855) with college student leaders across three universities explores how they rate themselves on media literacy skills, …

Spa 309 - Spanish Advanced Grammar, Beatriz Lado, Evelyn Duran-Urrea, Tania Avilés

Open Educational Resources

This syllabus is a work in progress developed by Tania Avilés, Evelyn Durán Urrea, and Beatriz Lado. We adapt the traditional grammar-focused course to introduce the study of the Spanish language through a critical sociolinguistic and language-education lens. This approach responds more directly to the needs of our students, many of whom speak language varieties that have historically been stigmatized or marginalized and are training to become Spanish-language teachers.

Students will examine the structure and grammar of Spanish across key domains, including phonetics, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, discourse, and variation. At the same time, the course situates this structural knowledge …

Enhancing Phonemic Awareness Through Explicit Instruction In A Kindergarten Classroom: An Action Research Study, Emily M. Caylor

Graduate Research Papers

This action research study examined the implementation of early phonemic awareness exposure and the impact of an Elkonin Box multisensory Tier II support focused on segmentation, blending, isolation, and manipulation. The study involved a small group of kindergarten students with varied backgrounds over a fifteen-week period. Data collection included a pre-assessment, four bi-weekly progress checks, and a post-assessment. Results indicated a connection between the implementation of the Tier II support and student growth over time. The researcher recommends this Tier II support as a complement to core instruction to strengthen phonemic awareness development. For classroom teachers, the study highlights the …

Assessing Interactions Between Wild Host Plants And Stemborer Species In East Africa, Elie Ntirenganya, Venuste Nsengimana, Bonoukpoè Mawuko Sokame, Simon Boniface Boni, Yoseph Assefa, Janvier Uwayezu, Muluken Goftishu

All Rsif Scholars' Publications

Lepidopteran stemborers are among the most destructive pests of maize, sorghum, and sugarcane in Africa. Yet, data on their species composition and host range in Rwanda remain limited. This study provides the first comprehensive assessment of stemborer diversity, seasonal dynamics, and altitudinal distribution across eastern (low altitude), central (mid-altitude), and northern (high altitude) Rwanda. Surveys were conducted during both the rainy (maize growing) and dry seasons of 2023–2024, targeting infested maize fields and surrounding wild vegetation. A total of 2691 stemborer individuals were recovered from nine host plants, with 1474 (54.8%) from wild and fodder vegetation and 1217 (45.2%) from …

Economic Value Of Agro-Meteorological Services: A Review Of The International Literature, Joseph Manzvera, Kwabena Asomanin Anaman

All Rsif Scholars' Publications

Introduction:

The increasing frequency and intensity of climate-induced extreme weather events, such as droughts, have significantly reduced agricultural productivity worldwide. Enhancing access to agro-meteorological services can mitigate these impacts by improving farmers’ decision-making and adaptive capacity. However, their economic value remains poorly understood, especially in African countries where meteorological services are provided as public goods. Demonstrating their value is critical to stimulate investment and strengthen climate-resilient agriculture.

Methods:

This study reviews and synthesises empirical evidence on the economic value of agro-meteorological services through a systematic literature review and meta-analysis of international studies. Both peer-reviewed and grey literature were analysed to …

Dietary Responses Of Taste Receptor Genes To Plant-Based Diets In Farmed Fish: A Literature Review, Leonildo Dos Anjo Viagem, Jean Nepomuscene Hakizimana, Cyrus Rumisha, Brunno Da Silva Cerozi, Gerald Misinzo

All Rsif Scholars' Publications

Taste receptor genes, particularly those in the bitter (tas2r) and umami/sweet (tas1r) families, are critical in regulating chemosensory perception and feeding behavior, influencing fish’s acceptance of plant-based diets. This review synthesizes the current research on how these genes respond to plant-based diets in farmed fish. A comprehensive search of scientific databases, including Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar, was conducted to identify relevant studies. Plant-based diets modulate gene expression, receptor activity, and signaling pathways, enabling fish to adapt to alternative feeds. The findings of the studies analyzed in this review show that plant ingredients affect fish taste receptor …

Gut And Blood Microbiota Of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis Niloticus) Reared With Lettuce (Lactuca Sativa) And Challenged With Escherichia Coli And Vibrio Cholerae In Aquaponic Systems, Ang´Elica Adiaç˜ Ao Jossefa, Leonildo Dos Anjo Viagem, Brunno Da Silva Cerozi, Sebastian Wilson Chenyambuga

All Rsif Scholars' Publications

Aquaponics, a bio-integrated system that combines fish farming and vegetable cultivation, has gained significant attention due to its rapid expansion and potential for sustainable food production. In aquaponics, along with plants and fish, both beneficial and harmful microorganisms are also present. This study was conducted to assess the microbiota diversity of Nile tilapia reared with lettuce in aquaponic systems, with a focus on food safety implications. A total of 144 Nile tilapia juveniles with an average initial weight of 30.7 ± 0.03 g were randomly stocked and allocated to three treatments, each with three replicates. In treatment one, the fish …

Effect Of Diets Containing Soybean Or Seaweed (Kappaphycus Sp.) On Growth, Feed Utilization And Nutrient Digestibility In Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis Niloticus), Leonildo Dos Anjo Viagem, Jean Nepomuscene Hakizimana, Cyrus Rumisha, Gerald Misinzo, Brunno Da Silva Cerozi

All Rsif Scholars' Publications

Aquaculture is rapidly expanding, with Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) being a key freshwater species. Rising fishmeal (FM) costs and environmental concerns have increased interest in sustainable alternative protein sources. This study evaluated the effects of diets containing soybean (SB) or Kappaphycus sp. on the growth, feed efficiency and nutrient digestibility of Nile tilapia (O. niloticus). Four dietary treatments were tested over a 62-day feeding trial: FM diet, a diet containing SB, Kappaphycus sp. (seaweed [SW]) and a natural meal (NM) serving as a negative control. Diets were formulated to be isoproteic (360 g/kg) and isocaloric (3600 kcal/kg). Growth performance, feed …

Forecasting Future Adoption Rates Of Agroecological Innovations Using Machine Learning: Perspectives From Burkina Faso’S 45 Provinces From 2010 To 2020, Theodore Nikiema, Pamela Giselle Katic, Issaka Abdou Razakou Kiribou, Sylvain Kpenavoun Chogou, Eugene C. Ezin

All Rsif Scholars' Publications

Implementation of agroecological innovations tends to be long-term processes, withthe practices of one year often linked to those of previous years. However, previousstudies have focused on understanding drivers of adoption at farm level, with adoptionmeasured at a point in time. In this study, we use a decade of panel data from thePermanent Agricultural Survey in Burkina Faso from 2010 to 2020 and machine learningapproaches, to model adoption rates of agroecological innovations at the provinciallevel as an autoregressive process. This modeling approach allows us to exploit the timeseries nature of our dataset to forecast future adoption rates. Our results showcase thepotential …

Occurrence And Levels Of Multiple Veterinary Antibiotics In Broiler Chicken Processed And Sold In Southern Mozambique, Noemia Andre Mugabe, Jamal Kussaga, Abdulsudi Issa-Zacharia

All Rsif Scholars' Publications

Antibiotic residues in chicken meat pose a health risk to the general public, particularly to sensitive consumers. The aim of this study was to determine the level of antibiotic residues in on-the-market dressed chicken in the Southern Region of Mozambique. A total of 160 samples were randomly collected from eight markets located in five districts in the provinces of Maputo, Gaza, and Inhambane. The residues of β-lactams, quinolones, tetracyclines, and sulfonamides in chicken breast muscle were separated, identified, and quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), coupled with ultraviolet light (UV–VIS). Results revealed that 26.9% of the analyzed samples displayed detectable …

Osteogenic Differentiation Properties Of Blgfs/Odex Hydrogel Doped With Collagen Derived From Chambo Tilapia Fish Skin, Bhahat Lawlley Zimba, Xiaohan Yang, Mwemezi Rwiza, Elingarami Sauli, Shenqi Wang

All Rsif Scholars' Publications

Background

Bone defects caused by trauma, congenital disorders and degenerative diseases such as osteoporosis remain a major clinical challenge, especially in developing regions. Although bone grafting is the current gold standard for treating bone defects, it faces limitations, including donor site morbidity, limited availability and immune rejection. This study developed and evaluated a novel hybrid biomaterial composed of bovine β-lactoglobulin fibrils (BLGFs), oxidized dextran (ODEX) and collagen (COL) extracted from Chambo tilapia fish skin for bone tissue engineering applications.

Methods

BLGFs were synthesized from whey protein, while ODEX was produced by oxidizing dextran. Three biomaterials–COL, BLGFs/ODEX and BLGFs/ODEX/COL–were synthesized and …

Functionalized Blgfs/Odex Hydrogel Scaffold Incorporating Oreochromis Lidole Skin Collagen For Bone Tissue Regeneration, Bhahat Lawlley Zimba, Xiaohan Yang, Mwemezi Rwiza, Elingarami Sauli, Shenqi Wang

All Rsif Scholars' Publications

Background: Bones provide support to the body and protect vital internal organs. Bones have the capacity to repair minor defects, but this ability is substantially impaired in large defects. Mineralization, which is an essential stage of osteogenesis during bone defect repair, occurs through the deposition of calcium phosphate crystals to form the structural framework of bone tissue. In the present study, BLGFs/ODEX/COL hydrogel scaffolds were synthesized and characterized to determine their osteogenic differentiation capabilities. The hydrogel scaffolds were also applied to bone defect in SD rats and the regeneration of bone tissue was assessed. Methods: Whey protein was used to …

Biomass And Ecosystem Services Valuation In Support Of Urban Climate-Resilience In Dakar, Senegal, Momath Diankha, Moussa Soule, Serigne Modou Sarr, Maharazu A. Yusuf, Kwame Oppong Hackman, Sintayehu Workeneh Dejene, Issaka Abdou Razakou Kiribou

All Rsif Scholars' Publications

Rapid urbanization is a growing global concern that challenges sustainability in cities. Urban trees provide several ecosystem services, such as climate regulation, carbon sequestration, and air-pollution removal. The sustainable benefits of these services imply the preservation of urban forests in developing countries, where trees are frequently removed and replaced by buildings and other infrastructure. Supporting informed decisionmaking requires accurate estimation and valuation of tree biomass and ecosystem services beyond conventional forest-based allometric approaches. This study used a scientific ecosystem services modeling tool to improve the accuracy of biomass estimates for the Mbao Protected Forest in Dakar. It uses the vegetation …

Investigating The Impact Of Climate Change On Physical And Chemical Hydrology Of A Michigan Wetland, Emmalynn Boulton

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Wetlands support biodiversity, regulate water cycles, and sustain ecological health. Understanding their functions and the relative contributions of groundwater and precipitation are key to conserving these ecosystems effectively, especially under changing climate conditions. Fish Lake Environmental Education Center (FLEEC) is 240 acres of diverse, glacially-influenced wetlands located near Lapeer, Michigan. This site encompasses a bog consisting of sphagnum moss and peat underlain by clay, as well as many glacial kettles that form ephemeral vernal pools during periods of frequent precipitation. Previous studies have shown that groundwater flows from the north to the southeast, from the bog towards Fish Lake. The …

Developing Provider Digital Twins For Personalized Provider-Patient Communication Via A Rag-Based Conversational Framework, Pengze Li, Yutong Hu, Jianfu Li, Garit Gemeinhardt, Fang Li, Muhammad Amith, Licong Cui, Antonio J Forte, Cui Tao

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Digital twins have emerged as a paradigm in precision and personalized medicine, enabling data-driven modeling of individuals to support tailored interventions. While most existing work focuses on patient-oriented twins, little attention has been given to modeling the provider’s role, particularly in clinical communication. In this study, we present GRACE (Generalized RAG-Enhanced Conversation Framework), a framework for constructing a provider digital twin (ProDT) that emulates key aspects of clinicians’ communicative and cognitive behavior. GRACE integrates three modules: a physician-informed dialog script generation and optimization module for provider-patterned conversation, a Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) pipeline for factual grounding and timely knowledge updating, and …

A Prison Of Poverty: How The Current State Of Supplemental Security Income (Ssi) Disincentivizes Saving And Entering The Workforce, Conor Mccormick

Western New England Law Review

Our current Social Security structure provides disability benefits through two programs: Title II Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Title XVI Supplemental Security Income (SSI). This Note will argue that the current structure of the SSI program actually disincentivizes disabled folk whom are able to work from returning to or entering the work force. A number of factors adversely affect an SSI recipient: (i) the strict definition of “disabled” to mean an inability to engage in a “substantial gainful activity level”; (ii) a cap on the total assets one can hold earn before losing benefits; (iii) poorly framed work incentive …

Evolving Execution Methods: The Constitutionality Of Nitrogen Hypoxia Through Pain, Precedent, And Practicality, Reem Haikal

Western New England Law Review

Method-of-execution challenges have intensified as lethal injection protocols face chronic instability. This Article evaluates whether execution by nitrogen hypoxia violates the Eighth Amendment and argues that it does not. The analysis applies Baze and Glossip to two questions: whether nitrogen hypoxia presents a substantial risk of severe pain and whether a feasible and readily implemented alternative would materially reduce that risk. This Article synthesizes historical Eighth Amendment principles with the contemporary record from executions by nitrogen hypoxia, related litigation materials, medical testimony, and physiological literature on inert-gas hypoxia.

The evidence indicates that nitrogen hypoxia typically produces rapid loss of consciousness …

Access Over Impact: Reorienting Oira’S Meetings With The Public, Griffin S. Kenny

Case Western Reserve Law Review

No abstract provided.

A Tale Of Two Emails: The Political Economy Of Higher Education Under Executive Assault, Christopher D. Thomas

Case Western Reserve Law Review

No abstract provided.

Introduction – Academic Freedom And Vulnerability, Elizabeth L. Rosenblatt

Case Western Reserve Law Review

No abstract provided.

Essay – Rethinking The Fund Termination Sanction, Samuel R. Bagenstos

Case Western Reserve Law Review

No abstract provided.

Essay – When Disability Is Different: Reasonable Accommodations And Higher Education Dei, Katherine A. Macfarlane

Case Western Reserve Law Review

No abstract provided.

Academic Freedom’S Demise, Ruth Colker

Case Western Reserve Law Review

No abstract provided.

Discrimination Through The Direct Threat Defense: A Case Study Of Healthcare Providers With Hiv, Melinda R. Week

Case Western Reserve Law Review

No abstract provided.

Banned, Burned, And Bound: Increasing Protections Surrounding Students’ Right To Receive Information In K-12 Schools, Catherine A. Mcclure

Case Western Reserve Law Review

No abstract provided.

Legalizing Magic Mushrooms: A Different Set Of Laws For A Different Kind Of Drug, Edward S. Adams

Case Western Reserve Law Review

No abstract provided.

When To Bite Back: Queerness, Resistance, And Reclamation Of The Monstrous Identity In Andrew Joseph White’S Hell Followed With Us, Aster J. Mehigan Mx.

English

Who gets the right to define morality? Who gets to define what is monstrous? Frankenstein’s Creature, the vampires of Lost Boys, The Craft’s head witch Nancy Downs; these characters follow a pattern through the decades of those alienated from society, in this case being written with queer subtext, being deemed as monstrous. These queer monsters become the villains of the story, causing chaos, death and destruction in their wake, seeking revenge against a world that ostracizes them. The 2022 dystopian YA horror of Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White challenges the villanized monstrous identity through its transgender protagonist …

Dog Waste Creates A Preference-Performance Mismatch For Urban Dung Beetles, Erin L. Mccullough, Beatrice M. Altopp, Daniel F. Kellogg, Madelyn S. Mcinnis, Luna J. Pagan

Biology

Urban environments expose animals to novel conditions that may favor behavioral flexibility but can create preference-performance mismatches when attractive resources are associated with reduced reproductive success. Dung beetles are often considered dietary generalists, yet little is known about how they respond to altered food availability in human-dominated habitats. We combined field surveys and laboratory experiments using two domestic dung types to examine diet preference, maternal provisioning, and offspring performance in the urban dung beetle Onthophagus orpheus. Beetles strongly preferred dog dung over cow dung, and offspring reared on dog dung developed faster and emerged as larger adults. Despite these apparent …